'Black Christmas' & 'Breaking Santa': Fundraiser for sCare Foundation

Thursday, December 20th, 2012
@ Screenland Armour

Let me take you back to the first days of Screenland and I booking this film, or attempting to.  We were having the hardest time locating who owned the screening rights to Black Christmas.  After a couple weeks with no luck, I employed my friend Justin Beahm and asked for his help.  It only took him half a day and not only did he find it, but he came up with a great plan.  Justin is on the board of directors for the non-profit sCare Foundation and offered the idea to make this event a fundraiser.  Critical Mass Releasing and Grindhouse Film Festival loved the idea and dontated Black Chrismas to us.

Mr. Beahm had planned to attend the screening to represent sCare.  If you are from here you know that the previous night we had a snow storm, but it was far worse north of us.  The weather made it impossible for him to attend.  sCare Foundation is a non-profit that supports at-risk youth and the Los Angeles Children's Hospital.

In order to raise as much money as humanly possible with the crowd we had a raffle, along with the $5 donation for admission.  We were overwhelmed by the amount of gifts donated to our prize packs.  The packs included: year pass to Screenland Armour, Alamo Drafthouse gift cards and tickets, Vintage Stock gift cards, movie posters, DownRight Creepy gave us horror toys and DVDs, T-shirts, and more!  We ended up raising $305!

Then, only a few days before the event, Matthew Kennedy of Astron-6 offered us their brand new short to screen, Breaking Santa (click this link to WATCH the film NOW).  Astron-6 is a group of filmmakers from Toronto and they are well known in the horror community for their the over-the-top, controversial film Father's Day (2012).  Troma released that film and had a bit of a falling out with the filmmakers.  Astron is planning on releasing a documentary exposing what all went down titled 'No Sleep No Surrender' and I plan to screen that here in KC, so watch out!

Slaugher Movie House: 'A Cadaver Christmas' & 'Baby-Sitting'

Monday, December 3, 2012
@ Czar Bar, KCMO

My good buddy, John Pata (Dead Weight), is who first told me about A Cadaver Christmas.  As I've said before, I was sold on the title instantly.  I met John at the Days of the Dead convention in Indianapolis (July 6-8, 2012), where I also met Justin Beahm.  Justin writes for Fangoria, Famous Monsters of Filmland, is a filmmaker and on and on.  That was a fabulous weekend.

First thing, when I got home from Indy, I googled A Cadaver Christmas.  What popped up first?  Justin's Fangoria piece on the film.  So, I emailed Justin and he put me in contact with the writer/director, Joe Zerull.  I also noticed that the film's poster was designed by my favorite artist, Tom 'The Dude Designs' Hodge.  We booked the film for December and made an awesome holiday party out of it.

This was also a very special night due to our short film, Baby-Sitting, being our very first international film (France)!  How did I discover this?  Indianapolis, again!  I never thought Indiana would enrich my life as much as it has.  It was at HorrorHound Weekend (Sept. 14-16), where Elvira hosted the HorrorHunt Film Festival.  Baby-Sitting took home the award for Best Gore and Lucas Masson (writer/director) was there to accept!  I made sure to get Lucas' info and later asked him if I could screen his film here in KC.  The rest is history.

Check out the photos from the event HERE.  Photos by Anna-Marie Perry.

Flyer by Atomic Cotton.

HorrorHound Weekend: Jame Lee Curtis

@ Marriot East
Indianapolis, IN
November 16-18, 2012

I tend to do things in an over-the-top fashion.  Friday, the 16th, I was at the Days of the Dead convention in Chicago and when I woke up Saturday morning I drove to Indianapolis.  Why?!  Because Jamie Lee Curtis was doing her first and only convention appearance ever.  Where?  HorrorHound Weekend.  What's the best part?  All profits from Jamie's autographs, photo ops, and Q&A panel went to the Los Angeles Children's Hospital.

Thanks to my friend, Scott Pensa, for the photo!

HorrorHound normally puts on two shows per year, Indianapolis (September) and Cincinnati (March).  This show was a special event all planned around JLC and her passion to give back.  I was fortunate to be in the room Sunday evening when she signed her final autograph and got to hear a little bit from her.  She thanked the staff.  She seemed like a no-bullshit, straight-shooter.  She really stressed her hope that the horror community understood how much this meant to her, that they allowed her to donate this money.  It's not only about the amount, but also the camaraderie.  This is why I believe in people. 

Almost all of the other celeb guests were all from the Halloween franchise!  Nick Castle (the shape), Will Sandin (child Michael), Dick Warlock (Michael II), Chris Durand (Michael H20), Charles Cyphers (Sheriff Brackett), Brian Andrews (Tommy Doyle), and on and on. 

Brian Andrews

Check out the rest of my photos HERE.

Days of the Dead: Chicago

Friday, November 16th-18th, 2012
@ Chicago-Schaumburg Marriot

Laurence Harvey

I attended Days of the Dead Friday night, but continued onto HorrorHound the following day.  I could not miss a chance to see one of my favorite people in the world, Laurence Harvey (Human Centipede II & III).  So I made my way up to the windy city to hang with Brian Steward and Atomic Cotton.  The celeb line-up was stellar: Derek Mears (Friday the 13th), The Devil's Rejects crew (Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Leslie Easterbrook), The Nightmare on Elm St. girls (Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss), Fright Night reunion, John Dugan (TCM) and on and on.

After the show Laurence, Erica and Zack Kaffman (Atomic Cotton), Rose and I had a lovely dinner at the hotel lounge.  Check out the rest of my photos HERE.

Days of the Dead typicaly throws 3 shows each year: Atlanta, Indianapolis and Chicago.  Next year they have added Los Angeles to the bill and it should be their biggest yet.

Erica and Zack Kauffman

Iowa & Landlocked Film Fest

Saturday, October 27th, 2012

After hosting Gorefest in Minneapolis, I stopped in Iowa City to see my friend John Pata.  He was screening his film, Dead Weight, at the Landlocked Film Festival.  There, I finally met Nicholas Elert (Dead Weight composer) and Joe Zerull (A Cadaver Christmas writer/director).  I heard about Cadaver from John over the summer and booked it for December's Slaughter Movie House.  How could I not?  The title sells the movie alone.  A Cadaver Christmas is screening in Kansas City on Monday, Dec. 3rd at 7 PM for FREE at Czar Bar, where I am also showing the French short film: Baby-Sitting.

The 4 of us were ready to take on this college town.  We attended the festival's official after party, which was held at a penthouse loft that you wouldn't believe exists in Iowa City.  This place was 2 stories, with floor to ceiling windows.  The party was fabulous but not uncomfortable.  With unlimited booze and food, you'd be right assuming we were the last people there.  You might even say, 'we were kicked out'.  It was only midnight and all the bars were packed to the brim with students in Halloween costumes.  We were a little out of place, but had the greatest time.


Sunday, October 28th, 2012

'666'  How amazing is this sign?

When going on road trips, I like to take longer, more scenic routes.  I often take country highways instead of the interstate.  And yes, it takes a lot longer!  I do this because you never know what you'll discover.  I was proven right again when on my way home from Iowa City I ran into the house from the American Gothic painting!  The house is located in Eldon, a tiny town in south-east Iowa.

It was a lot smaller than I imagined.

Slaughter Classic: 'SCREAM'

 @ Screenland Armour

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Slaughter Movie House and Screenland Armour teamed up to bring KC an older horror on the big screen.  We plan to make this a monthly event.  To continue with the slasher theme, we screened Wes Craven's classic 'SCREAM '. 

'Scream' is one of my all time favorties and brings back a lot of very good memories.  It is the the movie that turned me into a nerd about horror.  Craven teaches the viewer so much about the genre in this film.  I remember researching the internet and learning about all the references from other films, because they flew past me.  I made a list of those films and started renting them one by one.  'Scream' brought back the teen slasher in the mid-nineties, which spawned movies like 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', 'Urban Legend' and tons more.

Check out all the photos from the party HERE.

Flier by Atomic Cotton

Slaughter Movie House: 'The Sleeper' & 'Teddy'

@ Czar Bar, KC, MO
November 5th, 2012

November is a month for slashers, I decided.  'Teddy', the featured short by Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz, is nearly perfect.  The score, the douche you can't wait to see die, the masked killer, and the set up are incredible.  I love 'Teddy'!  I met Kevin and Steve a few months ago in Indianapolis at HorrorHound Weekend.  Together they operate Slasher Studios and are from Wisconsin.

'The Sleeper' is not only set in 1981, but successfully edited and styled to look like it was filmed that same year.  And if that wasn't enough, Justin Russell (writer/director), sent the movie to me on VHS!  'Sleeper' reminds me a lot of the classics 'Black Christmas' and 'When a Stranger Calls'.  I remember searching and searching video stores for 'When a Stranger Calls' in junior high.  Kevin Sommerfield (Teddy) is who told me about 'The Sleeper', it's a big horror family!

Flier by Atomic Cotton

The Walking Dead: Season 3, Ep. 4

Watch Party
@ Screenland Armour, KC, MO

SPOILER ALERT

Gore Rating: 9/10

Drama Rating: 10/10

Kill Count: 29

Oh my, oh my!  What an episode!?  I don't know where to begin.  The mysterious person who broke into the prison in the opening sequence?   Lori is finally dead!  Awesome.   Best zombie kill goes to Glenn for the hatchet head chop.

The Governor, let's talk about him.  He is pretty transparent.  Was it supposed to surprise us at the end of the previous episode when he took out that entire crew of military?  It did not.   I do like the addition of this town and him.  Of course, Andrea has fallen for his shit.   That being said, I like him too.   I have fallen for his bad boy charm.


I'm not sold on Michonne.  She should be an amazing bad-ass character, but instead she is boring and annoying me.

For the last quarter of the show I was an emotional wreck.  I couldn't have imagined how the birth scene was going to play out and it was brutal.  Maggie just sliced her open and starts digging the baby out!  They show us everything, and all with the help of Carl.  The gore has not let up this season.  Carl decides it's his place to make sure his mom doesn't turn into a walker.  He has a flashback to a scene from the previous season where Rick says, “People are gonna die. I'm gonna die... Mom... There's no way you can ever be ready for it.”  'AINT THAT THE TRUTH.

Maggie and Carl reunite with the rest of the group and Rick sees the baby and no Lori.  They did a phenomenal job on that scene.   Every element was spot on: the cinematography, the acting.  I cried like a baby.  I'm afraid to see the next episode.  Where's Carol?

A friend pointed out that I didn't mention the loss of T-Dog.  I guess it's because I'm not ready.

Lindsay, Jill and I at Screenland Armour, where they screen The Walking Dead weekly for free!

Slaughter Movie House: Halloween Party

@ Czar Bar, KC, MO
October 31, 2012

Halloween fell on a Wednesday this year and I knew the majority of people would go out in costume on the Saturday prior.  So, I figured, I should have an extra SPECIAL screening but show a classic instead of a new indie film. What could be better than the original zombie movie, George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead?! To keep with the theme, I also screened the short, Better Off Undead, a very low budget zombie gorefest by John Pata (Dead Weight).

Photos by Anna-Marie Perry from the party will be up soon on the Slaughter Facebook page!  The amazing flier was designed by Atomic Cotton. 

Shock-O-Rama's Gorefest Minneapolis

@New Hope Cinema Grill
October 26, 2012

A couple months ago I was asked to host Gorefest, a film fest in Minneapolis, by Chazz DeMoss (Crypticon).  Not only did I host, I booked the films.  The features that we screened were all films I've shown here in Kansas City at Slaughter Movie House: Mold!, Dear God NO!, and Bloody Bloody Bible Camp.  I also brought some of my favorite shorts: Burn, OTHER, and Teddy.  This was my first REAL (paid) out of town horror gig!

The coolest part about all of this is how I feel about these films.  I'm very proud of them and I was honored to bring them to another city.  Thanks to everyone involved! 

Pitch Weekly Questionnaire with Me!

Kansas City's weekly entertainment paper, The Pitch, does a questionnaire in each issue and the week of Halloween they asked me to do it.  You have no idea how big of an honor this is!  What's even more, is on the print version they put my name on the cover!  'Inside: Jill Sixx and other Hauntings."  Being referred to as a 'haunting' is probably the coolest part.  Read the interview here.

We did the photo shoot at Sauer Castle, a mansion in Kansas City, KS that has a lot of legends surrounding it.  Here is the shot they used.

Photo by Sabrina Staires

Horror on the BLVD: The 2nd Coming

@ Boulevard Drive-In, Kansas City, KS

October 12 & 13, 2012

Horror on the Boulevard is an annual event, held at the historical Boulevard Drive-In Theater. It's our chance to go back in time and see some classic on the big screen. Beyond the movies, there are vendors, bands and special guests. This year they screened Dawn of the Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street 2, and Demons. Mike Patton and Kim Myers from Nightmare 2 came out, along with Geretta Geretta (Demons).

Thomas Berdinski a.k.a. Sascratch

The Boulevard Drive-In was opened in 1950. It was the first drive-in in the world to install digital sound. But never fear, these grounds make you feel like it is still 1950.  The snack bar hasn't changed since the day it was opened, except a few of the products. The Everly Brothers are still singing, “Dream, dream, dream” to us between movies. There is this magical feeling from a much more simple time. And most amazingly, the theater is still ran by the original owner, Wes Neal.

Last year, our first Horror on the Boulevard, I set up a vendor booth for my hair business, Killer Hair. I planned to this year, but it rained on and off all weekend. I did zombie hair make-overs and surprisingly a lot of kids came out. Once one got done, they all lined up. I am looking forward to next year.

Horror on the BLVD 2011

The Dude Designs: 1st Limited Art Print ON SALE

If you don't already know of Tom Hodge a.k.a. The Dude Designs, you must not watch horror movies.  The Dude is an amazing artist who misses the days where we went to the video store and picked out movies based on how bad ass the cover art was.  I remember those days well.  My parents, or whoever drove us, would get so mad because it would sometimes take us over an hour to pick something out.  His work brings back my childhood.

Tom's portfolio is full of blood, boobs, and every filthy thing we like about horror.  He designed: Hobo with a Shotgun, Dear God NO!, The Innkeepers, A Cadaver Christmas, Father's Day, the Blu-ray cover for They Live, and the list goes on and on and on and on.  What makes Tom special, besides his dashing looks, is that he hand paints all of his work.  I recommend checking out his blog.

Mister Hodge and Poster Collective have teamed up and given us the most fantastic print just in time for Halloween!  Only 150 were printed, hand numbered and went on sale this morning 10 AM EST.  Click HERE to get your copy.  I got mine!

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Premier Party

@ Screenland Armour, Kansas City, MO

Hosted by DownRight Creepy 

Season 3, Episode 1

SPOILER ALERT

Gore Rating: 9.5/10

Drama Rating: 4/10

Kill Count: 59

How do I feel about The Walking Dead as a whole? It's a soap opera with zombies. What I appreciate most about the show are the special f/x. The fact that they will and can show this level of gore on cable is mind blowing and incredible. I love that.

This episode was everything this show should be: a stupid amount of zombie kills, everyone is horny, gore to the point where I'm screaming, and we lost a character. I know people were annoyed by the lack of zombies in the last season and it looks like they are trying to appease us. But isn't this what they always do? The first episode is always brutal, right? I honestly don't remember season 2, episode 1.

My kill count is only semi-accurate. That is the number we see die, but there are more in the background. My favorite moment is when Rick takes the mask off one of the SWAT zombies and his skin comes off with it. Then the zombie head is just jiggling until Rick chops it in half. I thought that was hilarious and seemed like a nod to some old school zombies films. Seriously though, 59 kills in 45 minutes (without commercials), that is awesome.

I am not particularly a huge fan of anyone left in the cast, except Daryl. I hate Lori, I hope that baby eats her. Carl seems to be maturing quickly. He is being treated like an adult and is killing zombies left and right. I find it awkward that he's flirting with the girl (can't remember her name for the life of me) who looks at least 5 years older then him. We finally met Michonne and her arm-less, jaw-less zombie mules. Genius, she is.

The watch party made the experience all the more fun. Screenland is a local chain of theaters here in Kansas City and they do a great job keeping up on horror. Screenland Armour will be showing The Walking Dead weekly. This Wednesday they are also showing American Horror Story on the big screen and I will be there!

Slaughter Movie House: 'Jacob' and 'Burn'

In order to kick off October properly, Monday, October 1^st, we are screening Jacob and Burn at Czar Bar in KCMO.  You may be thinking, “What? Two movies this time?!?!”  I have recently decided to screen a short film at each SMH, along with the feature length.  There will be a couple prize packs raffled off that include: a Burn DVD, Jacob poster signed by Larry Wade Carrell (Director/Writer/Actor), and a Dear God No! button designed by Lou Rusconi.  Plus, I have TONS of tickets to give away to Hammerween III.

Flier by Atomic Cotton

Jacob is a good 'ol Texas film.  I mean that in every sense: Larry Wade Carrell was born and raised in Alvin, TX, the film is set in Texas, and shot in Richmond and Rosenberg, Texas.  And if you know me at all, you know I dig this a lot. Jacob is disturbed boy, in a really f**ked up back woods family, who doesn't cope very well, and goes straight for brutal revenge.

A few weeks ago I went to HorrorHound Weekend in Indianapolis, which had a phenomenal film festival within it.  I saw so many amazing shorts there, that I knew I had to bring them back to Kansas City!  Not only that, I met so many great people there, I've been inspired by their creativity.  And that brings me to Burn, a short by Jerry Pyle, from Indiana but now resides in L.A.  I knew I had to get this film quickly because it would fit well along side Jacob.  Burn is only 5 minutes long and I feel there is little I can say without spoiling it. What Burn leaves your imagination to figure out is part of the magic in it.  Not to mention it is the most intense 5 minutes I've ever witnessed. 

Still from Burn

A huge thank you to Berry Anderson and the Pitch Weekly, who gave this screening a great write up.  Read it here.

Elvira's Horror Hunt at HorrorHound Weekend

The film fest was kicked off with Teddy, a short by Steve Goltz and Kevin Sommerfield.  Teddy is an 80's style camping slasher with a hint of I Know What You Did Last Summer. So if you know me at all, you know I loved it. I hope to screen it at Slaughter!

still from Teddy

The films were judged by Bill Moseley, Sybill Danning, and Joe Bob Briggs. The winners of the Best Short and Best Feature were flown out to LA on Thursday, the 13^th, for a premier screening of both films hosted by the Mistress of the Dark herself, Elvira, presented by Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo. The winners were Found (feature) and Other (short)! Found also won Best Actor and Best Director (Feature). I can not wait to watch.

Peaches Christ, Elvira, Scott Schirmer (director), and the cast of Found

I did have a chance to see Other and wow. This is unlike anything I have ever seen. The synopsis: “Patrick is a brilliant doctor in an obsessive race to alter his own grim prognosis. During a series of unconventional experiments, he discovers a scientific loophole unlike anything he had ever imagined. In pursuit of this dark prize, Patrick will risk everything to ensure he sees his experiment to the end...even if it means accepting the sinister results.” Having lost someone to a disease I understand the want to go to ridiculous lengths to buy time and although this film takes it to a place that is more fantasy then reality, I could connect to it. And in hindsight, I realize it is so much more than that. Other swept the entire show: Best Short, Best Director (Short), Best Screenplay, and Best Score.

Check out the trailer HERE.

Nailbiter: Best Cinematography and Best Creature.

Dear God NO!: Best Body Count and Midnight Monster Movie.

Dead Weight: Best Editing.

 Baby-Sitting, a short by Lucas Masson from France, won Best Gore. I am very excited to check this out.

HorrorHound Weekend

September 7-9th, 2012 at the Marriot Indianapolis East.
www.horrorhoundweekend.com

I am very much looking forward to this weekend!  It will be my first HorrorHound Weekend.  I'm staying with the Dear God No! crew, so please pray for my safety.

Guests: Linda Hamliton (Terminator), Timothy Balme (Dead Alive), Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Anthony Michael Hall (Edward Scissorhands), Heather Langenkamp (Nightmare on Elm Street), Michael Beihn (Terminator, Aliens), Edward Furlong (American History X), a Monster Squad reunion, Night of the Living Dead reunion and tons more.

Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark, will also be there and is presenting the film fest awards Saturday night.  Like I have said before, a lot of my friends films are screening there: Nailbiter, Dead Weight, and Dear God No!  I predict Friday night to be insane, because all 3 of those films are playing, and in that order.  With DGN being last and known for their partying, the late night festivities shall be entertaining to say the least.

HorrorHound Weekend is featuring a Mask-Fest with artist like: the Chiodo brothers (Killer Klowns, Critters and Team America), Daniel Roebuck (Devils Rejects, Final Destination, Halloween), Tom Savini (Friday the 13th) and more.  I'm very excited to see what they will have displayed!

My favorite thing to see at cons are the unique and immaculate costumes, I hope HorrorHound is festive in that way.

Wayward Blog Interview on Pich.com

Kansas City's The Pitch weekly entertainment newspaper has been very supportive of Slaughter Movie House!  This week Abbie Stutzer contacted me with some questions about my upcoming screenings and Halloween plans.  Read it HERE.

Slaughter Movie House: MOLD!

This Labor Day we bring you MOLD! and we are having another FREE raffle with horrific prizes: Con X weekend passes, KC Fear Farm tickets and a gift certificate from Atomic Cotton (who designed the flier below).  

I first discovered Mold! while at the Contamination convention in St. Louis this past June.  It was pretty much the reason I drove down there for the weekend.  I knew I needed to start a serious film hunt for Slaughter and the trailer alone told me this was going to be a great choice!  There I saw Mold! and met Neil Meschino (director/co-writer).  I snagged myself a DVD and poster knowing this would be a great film to watch with the crazies at SMH!

Synopsis:
Set in 1984, when the war on drugs was at its height, the story concerns a strain of mold developed by the government to wipe out Colombian coca fields. Unfortunately, during a demonstration, te mold gets out of control and proves to be deadly to more than just vegetation.

www.MoldtheMovie.com 

Slaughter Movie House is the first Monday of every month at Czar Bar, free and 18+.  October 1st we will be screeening Larry Wade Carrell's Jacob, which stars Michael Beihn (Terminator, Aliens). 

BREAKING NEWS:
We are having a special Halloween night Slaughter, where we will feature George A. Romero's 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead,  Costumes are encouraged!  I was just interview by Abbie Stutzer at the Pitch.com, where I first announced the Halloween screening, along with other news!

Crypticon Kansas City: Review

Last weekend was awesome.

Let's start with Thursday, picked up Mr. John Pata (co-writer/director of Dead Weight) from the airport and go to DRC's pre-screening of The Apparition with Eric and Jeff (DownRight Creepy critics).  Holy god!  Was that awful?!  And I can usually find the light at the end of the tunnel.  We barely made it through.  And if you've read Eric's review, you already know how painful it was.  Before the film, a couple ghost hunter groups gave a presentation.  They opened of the floor for questions and someone asked what these hunters believed 'ghosts' were.  To our surprise, one of the women tells us she is a minister!  And proceeds to tell us that she believes these are angels cast out by Lucifer blah, blah, blah, because she doesn't want to believe in a God that would leave spirits here.  That turned the theater into a church and all the question from then on were about her religion, it got awkward fast.  All around, a great night!

The highlight of Crypticon, for me, was the Night of the Creeps reunion (Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, Allan Kayser), screening and Q&A.  With about a third of the film left, in walks the cast and Allan yells, “Am I dead yet?!”  The crowd bursts out in laughter, “Just about!”  We could really see that they were fans themselves.  The casts' chemistry was unlike anything I've ever seen at a con, hanging out by them was constant entertainment.  Dead Weight's table was set up right by the Creeps.  Jason Lively (one of the craziest guys EVER) was obsessed with John and more importantly, his tattoo.  So Jason forcefully entered him into the tattoo contest.  John did not win and Jason yells, “It was FIXED!”, the second it ended.  There are far more ridiculous stories to tell that happened late night, but I would fear the legal repercussions.

I had a fun photo shoot with Carl (Chadler Riggs).  He is just as adorable as can be.  His father was with him, and wearing an Atomic Cotton Goonies 'kids suck' shirt.  I can't wait for Walking Dead to start back up again. DRC is hosting a watch party at Alamo Drafthouse Kansas City!

Beyond all the photos, screenings and sleepless nights, I made some great friends. That always happens at horror conventions. The camaraderie, I believe, it what keeps us going back, over and over.  That's why I keep traveling to them!  I miss everyone.

Next weekend I will be at HorrorHound Weekend in Indianapolis.  Where a lot of friends are screening at Elvira's Horror Hunt: Dear God No!, Dead Weight and Nailbiter.  Plus, I hope to discover some new gems!

Fall Horror Schedule

It's only August and I have so much planned for the next couple months, that I'm not sure I can add anything else?!   Here's the run down on what's going on.  Click the links for more info.

Crypticon: August 24-26th in Kansas City, MO

Slaughter Movie House 4: Mold!: September 3rd, 7pm at Czar Bar in Kansas City, MO.

HorrorHound Weekend: September 7-9th in Indianapolis, IN.  I'll be with Dear God No!

Con X: September 14-16th in Kansas City, MO.

Slaughter Movie House 5: Jacob: October 1st, 7pm at Czar Bar in Kansas City, MO.

Horror on the BLVD: The 2nd Coming: October 12-13th in Kansas City, KS.

Hammerween III: Season of the Hammerlord: October 20th at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City, MO.

More to come soon!

Collection Pick: 'Wrong Turn'

Wrong Turn (2003)

Directed by: Rob Schmidt

Written by: Alan B. McElroy

Rating: 8/10

Kill Count: 10

Wrong Turn is from a time when original horror movies were still regularly released in mainstream theaters. Almost ten years ago, you might not remember.

This is my kind of movie, set in the middle of nowhere, amongst nature. Although it is set in Greenbrier Backcounty, West Virginia, it was actually shot in Canada. It got me from the opening kill scene. The laughs coming from the trees, when the rock-climbing chick is trying to get away, are terrifying! It really starts off with a punch and the kills throughout are top-notch.

Wrong Turn is a story similar to that of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre or The Hills Have Eyes and that doesn't bother me because it is still manages to be all it's own. In fact, that combination is like my f***ing dream! This trio of depraved cannibals, Three Fingers (Julian Richings), Saw-Tooth (Gary Robbins), and One-Eye (Ted Clark), set booby-traps to catch their next meal deep in the Appalachian Mountains. Who isn't scared of being lost in the woods?

Low and behold I turn on the commentary on my DVD and the director says, “The thing about Wrong Turn, it's a 70's style horror film like The Hills Have Eyes and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the idea is to make something that... gives the audience jolts, every few minutes a jolt of brutal horror or violence.. with tension between the jolts.” He did something right, because that is exactly how I perceived it.

 

The cast brings back so many memories, that I feel like they are old friends. We have one of my big teen crushes, Jeremy Sisto (Clueless, May, Six Feet Under). Our hero is played by Desmond Harrington (Chris), who I didn't know at the time but has since then gone on to be in Showtime's Dexter. The hot chicks are played by Eliza Dushka (Bring It On) and Emmanuelle Chriqui (100 Girls, Entourage). Dushka (Jessie) plays her typical role, the bad ass. Chriqui (Carly) gets the best kill of the entire film when she gets an ax to the face!

The only thing this film is lacking is nudity. Every good gore flick normally includes the crucial 'boob' element. The horror genre is very sexist and I am happy to find a great film that didn't rely on female nudity! I have to accept sexism when watching older films, especially the 80's slashers.

If horror cliches bother you, Wrong Turn will hurt your brain. Chris (Harrington) stops at a hole-in-the-wall gas station and gets direction off of a creepy old map, wrecks his car in an area with no cell phone service, and the group separates on foot looking for help. They walk right into the crazies house, start snooping around and aren't scared off by the collection of odd trinkets cluttering the entire place. Nor are they scared off by jars full of random body parts. What? No, not until Carly screams 'let's get out of here!'  By then, it's too late. And still, I tell you, I love this movie.

Texas Frightmare Weekend 2013: EARLY News!

TFW has 3 amazing guests announced already:
"A trifecta of slasher royalty is coming: Nick Castle (the original Michael Meyers-Halloween), Ted White (Jason Voorhes-Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) and Lou David (Cropsy-The Burning) will all join us in 2013 at the southwest’s premier horror convention!"

The Burning is one of my favorites!

Texas Frightmare Weekend will be held at the Hyatt Regency DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth Airport) on May 3-5, 2013.  Advance discounted tickets are available now, but only until September 3rd!  Click HERE for more info.


I went to my first TFW this year and could not have had a better time.  It was my first big horror convention.  There I met Tony Todd (Candyman), Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Norman Reedus (Walking Dead, Boondock Saints) , the list goes on and on.  I, also, was introduced to so many indie film makers and saw a lot of their films:  Father's Day and the Atron-6  guys, Dear God No!, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, and Klagger.  That experience is what inspired me to start Slaughter Movie House here in Kansas City, where I screen indie horror films.

Frightmare '12 with Laurence Harvey (Human Centipede 2) and Nathan Baesel (Behind the Mask: Rise of Leslie Vernon)

Frankenstein Created Bikers Teaser!

Saturday afternoon director James Bickert released the teaser trailer to the sequel of Dear God No!, Frankenstein Created Bikers, exclusively on Twitter.  Check it out here:vimeo.com/47372377.  Password: drivein

FCB is rumored to have a cameo from Tom "The Dude Designs" Hodge.  Tom designed the poster above and the Dear God No! poster.  He has designed so many amazing posters in recent years that I wouldn't know where to begin, check out his work HERE.  Also, my dearest Laurence Harvey (Human Centipede II), should be making an appearance in Frankenstein.

In-case you've been living under a rock and haven't seen the deranged exploitation/drive-in flick Dear God No!, it was released on DVD/Blu-ray/VHS on June 5th.  You need to check it out!  I first saw the film at Texas Frightmare Weekend convention in May, where I met Bickert and a lot of the cast.  They know how to throw a party!  Their screening was held Friday night at midnight, where they passed out PBR to everyone as the entered the room.  The entire experience was a blast and we have remained friends!

I was fortunate to be able to screen Dear God No! at my first ever Slaughter Movie House, June 4th and I hope to screen Frankenstein Created Bikers too.


DGN Synopsis:
Outlaw motorcycle gang The Impalers tri-state rape and murder spree ended in a bloody massacre with rival club Satan’s Own. The surviving members sought refuge in a secluded cabin deep in the North Georgia mountains. What first must of seemed like easy prey for a home invasion, became a living nightmare of depravity and violence. A young innocent girl being held captive may hold the key to the twisted secrets locked in the basement and the killing machine feasting on human flesh in the forest outside.

DearGodNoMovie.com

James and I at the Days of Dead Indianapolis convention last month.

Eli Roth's Goretorium: First Look

Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel, Hostel pt. II) has given us a sneak peek into his Sin City year round haunt, the Goretorium. The trailer premiered Friday on BloodyDisgusting.com. It features a gory barber shop. My favorite things: Hair + Blood = Love.

Inside the Goretorium, Roth brings the mythical Hotel Delmont to life.

"The self-guided horror experience begins in the lobby of the eerie hotel and unveils gruesome sights of past hotel guest victims, and the serial-killing family behind the deeds at every turn. Employing high-tech Vegas showmanship with old-fashioned scares, the terrifying labyrinth of live actors, animatronic frights and stunning special effects is contained in a vintage hotel setting that rivals Hollywood’s best movie sets. Fans can expect both the trailer and GORETORIUM to have all the gory, classic scares amplified with the edgy spin that has made Roth the new mastermind of horror genre."

Beyond the horror maze, Goretorium will also feature a 1960's style lounge "Baby Dolls" with zombie cage dancers, a to-go bar "Bloody Mary's" and a wedding chapel.

Opening September 27th, advanced tickets are now available at Goretorium.com, where you can also watch the trailer.

I am in the process of planning a trip to check it out ASAP!

Chik-fil-A vs. Slaughter Movie House

As I'm sure you heard, Wednesday was 'Chik-fil-A Appreciation Day' a.k.a. Christian Family Values Appreciation Day.  Yes, you have the right to believe whatever you wish.  I'm just disgusted that this is what brought so many people together.  I don't think I've ever personally seen that many people gather for anything in my life.  It is so embarrassing.  Do you realize that you are fighting to keep people from having basic human rights?  You made a stand against equality.  I don't care if your religion accepts it, but our government should be required to.  They are supposed to be separate remember?

Today is your chance to fight back!  Today is the national 'Kiss-In' at Chik-fil-A.  So get up there, kiss someone of the same sex, take a photos and post them everywhere!

I happened to plan another perfect protest, without knowing it.  Slaughter Movie House night 3 is this coming Monday (August 6th) at Czar.   Where I will be playing a favorite film of mine that also happens to be a perfect "F**K YOU" to these crazies.  That film is Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, where Vito Trabucco and Shelby McIntyre take every opportunity to mock religion.  God really does work in mysterious ways.





Bloody Bloody Bible Camp synopsis:

"It's 1984 and a group of young, horny, out of control Christians led by Father Cummings (Reggie Bannister) are spending a fun filled weekend at the Happy Day Bible Camp. All ignore the warnings from the local folk of the grizzly murders that took place 7 years prior by a sadistic crazy nun. Is Sister Mary Chopper (Tim Sullivan) dead or is she just waiting for backsliding Christians to commit sins of the unholy, and will Jesus (Ron Jeremy) need to lend a hand to save the day?"

www.BloodyBloodyBibleCamp.com

I hope to see you all there on Monday!  Remember: Slaughter Movie House is free, 18 +, the party starts at 7 and the movie starts at 8!

-Jill

NEWS: Snow White and the Huntsman: Extended Edition

The September 11^th release of Snow White and the Huntsman Blu-ray combo pack also comes with DVD, Digital Copy and UltraViolet. Not only is it packed full of bonus features, it includes a never before seen extended edition.

 

“Skin as fair as snow, lips red as blood, hair dark as a raven's wing,” Hemsworth's voice narrates.  Snow White's mother wishes for a daughter with the “strength of a rose that blooms in winter.”  As much as you've heard how dark this film is, never fear, it is also full of magnificent innocence.  There are moments so enchanting it brought tears to my eyes. 

(Read my full review Here.)
 

SYNOPSIS:

In this spectacular action-adventure, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) is Snow White, the only woman in the land fairer than the evil queen Ravenna (Oscar winner Charlize Theron).  Ravenna wants nothing more than to destroy her young rival, but she doesn't know that Snow White has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) the queen dispatched to kill her.  Together with a handsome prince (Sam Claflin) enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power, they assemble an armed force to recapture the kingdom.  This breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale from Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland and acclaimed director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders is, in the words of Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV, "A film that soars with creativity, stylistic genius and amazing battle scenes."

www.SnowWhiteandtheHuntsman.com

 

Top Sixx: Backwoods Crazies

This “genre” is definitely my favorite. Taking a road trip is one of my favorite things to do and I always try to plan a less traveled route.  I like to take my time, stopping whenever something sparks my interest and taking photos.  I love to drive through areas just like in these films, so I've included my personal photography from trips I've been on.  This 'Top Sixx' is just one installment of this project with many more to come.  I hope you enjoy my film selections.  Let the countdown begin!

The typical setup:
First we stop at a creepy gas station, then the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and on our mission for help we walk right into the house of the killer.

6. Misery (1990)

Location: Sidewinder, Colorado

Stranded by: Blizzard

Crush: Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates)

Crazy: Biggest fan; Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates)

Brutal Moment: Annie realizes Paul (James Caan) had been out of his room, so she puts a piece of wood between his feet and smashes them with a sledgehammer, or better know as the 'hobbling'.

Kill Count: 2

(Photo: Olympic National Forest, Washington)

5. Wolf Creek (2005)

Location: Wolf Creek, Australian Outback

Stranded by: Car was sabotaged.

Crush: Nathan Phillips (Ben Mitchell)

Crazy: Mick Taylor (John Jaratt)

Brutal Moment: Mick severs Liz's (Cassandra Magrath) spine and turns her into a 'head on a stick'.

Kill Count: 3

(Photo: Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri)


4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

Location: Texas

Stranded by: Totaling their jeep by crashing into a cow that was standing in the middle of the road.

Crush: Eric (Matt Bomer)

Crazies: The Hewitt Family; Uncle Charlie/Sheriff Hoyt (R. Lee Ermey), Leatherface/Thomas (Andrew Bryniarski), Monty (Terrence Evans), and Luda Mae (Marietta Marich).

Brutal Moment: Leatherface beats the owner of the slaughterhouse to death with a sledgehammer.

Kill Count: 11

(Photo: Waco, TX)

3. Wrong Turn (2003)

Location: Greenbrier Backcountry, West Virginia, Appalachian Mountains

Stranded by: Spike chain in the road pops their tires, then along comes Chris (Desmond Harrington), who has gotten wrong directions (another set-up), isn't paying attention and crashes into them.

Crush: Scott (Jeremy Sisto)

Crazies: Trio of inbred cannibalistic mountain men; Three Fingers (Julian Richings), Saw-Tooth (Gary Robbins), and One-Eye (Ted Clark).

Brutal Moment: The 3 remaining survivors are up in the trees and Carly (Emmanuelle Chriqui) gets an axe to the face. The top half of her head stays there, but the rest of her body falls, hitting each branch on the way down.

Kill Count: 10

(Photo: Hoosier National Forest, Indiana)

2. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

Location: New Mexico Desert

Stranded by: Short cut directions, which leads to a booby trap that blows all their tires and causes them to wreck.

Crush: Brenda Carter (Emilie de Ravin)

Crazies: Hill people disfigured by nuclear testing; Pluto (Michael Bailey Smith), Lizard (Rober Joy), Goggle (Ezra Buzzington), Big Brain (Desmond Askew), and Big Mama (Ivana Turchetto).

Brutal Moment: The opening sequence, 3 people are testing the radioactive levels and are killed very quickly with a pickaxe, one is slammed repeatedly against the rocks.

Kill Count: 15

(Photo: Middle of nowhere, Texas)

 1. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Location: Texas

Stranded by: Choice, stupidity and looking for more fuel.

Crush: Pam (Terri McMinn)

Crazies: Family of cannibals; Hitchhiker (Ed Neal), Old Man (Jim Siedow), Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), and Grandpa (John Dugan).

Brutal Moment: Pam is put up on the meat hook and forced to watch Leatherface saw Kirk (William Vail) up.

Kill Count: 5

(Photo: The ACTUAL house used in the film.  I will share more from that trip in the future.  Kingsland, TX)