Friday, August 31, 2012

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!

Monday, August 20, 2012

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.





Tuesday, August 14, 2012

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)


Monday, August 13, 2012

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.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

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!

Friday, August 3, 2012

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