The Thing 2011 - REVIEW

Hollywood has no shortage of remakes and reboots these days. Every time we turn around there's another one in our faces and let's be honest, most of them are not pleasant to sit through. Perhaps it's a fair to say that the powers that be in Hollywood took note of the outrage of most movie goers and decided to re-introduced prequels. Prequels have definitely gained significantly in popularity in the 2000's with more than fifty being made in just the last 12 years as opposed to the sixteen or so done between the 1948 - 1999. For those of you who don't know what a prequel is (I'm hoping that's no one)... it's a remake, but not.

Paranoia spreads like an epidemic among a group of researchers as they’re infected, one by one, by a mystery from another planet. Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up. When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew’s pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish.

The performances are about what you'd expect from a film with a 35 million dollar budget. I personally haven't seen a performance from Winstead that I didn't like... so far... I don't think... ok, not that I remember anyway. She has a great range and is really good at expressing emotion in her face making her performances believable. Eric Christian Olsen is another one that I like a lot. This is a more serious role than I'm use to seeing him in so it's nice to see that he can be more than just the resident goofball. Other than Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who's skills I think are terribly under estimated, the rest of the cast is basically unknown to me. Of course during reviews I always check out the IMDb pages which usually brings up an "Oh yeah!" moment or two. I was disappointed in how under used Edgerton was. Having not really read any synopsis or reviews for this film, I was almost certain that Olsen would've been "the man". Guess that's what I get for making assumptions, I'll try not to do that anymore... yeah right!

Overall, director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. and writer Eric Heisserer did an awesome job weaving this story together and making it intersect with John Carpenter's 1982 The Thing fairly flawlessly. I know this because as soon as 2011's prequel was over, we watched the one from 1982. Although I had seen it a million times, the similarities between the two were pretty dead on. From the room where they stored the alien when it was encased in ice to the dog chase ending. One literally leaves off where the other begins. I did find myself questioning a few things when it was all said and done but nothing that ruined it for me. This prequel was one of the rare good ones and I'd definitely recommend it to fans of John Carpenter's The Thing.

Mina Fedora's Music Video "Nightwatch" 2012 - Review

This is not going to be your normal horror review.  This is actually a review of a horror music video.  Yes, you heard me right a music video.  Strap in for our first music video review here at Twisted Central.

The video starts with a girl running through a house and has just been cut by a man stalking her with a knife.  She runs out the door and gets away. The rest of the video revolves around this guy who is obviously a knife wielding killer being followed around by the ghost of the person singing in the video.  The music itself is an R&B type of music with some techno styles in it and is not a fast paced song by any means.  A dark slow song that you can dance to that has a twist ending.

I have not seen many videos like this where it is straight out of the horror genre.  Being made by Keychain-Productions the look is very good, very clean, and professional.  The video does lack real actors but most music videos do not have very good acting so that’s no real loss there.  I have to admit I am not a fan of the type of music that Mina Fedora is singing but I was able to sit through it because the story was so interesting.  All in all I would definitely recommend this for a watch.  It’s all of 5 minutes long and even if you are not a fan of the R&B style hit mute and you can enjoy the story line.  Stay Twisted everybody!

Reviewed by J.R. Watkins

The Wizard of Gore 2007 - REVIEW

You really have to hand it to the Weinstein Company. For the last couple of years, they’ve been manning right the hell up, and helping to fill the racks of your local American consumer outlet of choice with UNRATED direct-to-DVD, or damn-close-to-direct-to-DVD, genre flicks.

For some reason, I always find myself a little apprehensive to snag these things up. I don’t know whether it’s the box art (usually some relatively cheapish-looking digital quickie, complete with the aforementioned lurid promise of UNRATED horror festivities inside) offending my fartsy, snobbish sensibilities or what, but I always feel a brief stab of blind panic when I consider watching one. I should add, though, that I have not been terribly disappointed by any of the releases that I’ve checked out. BLACK SHEEP was reasonably amusing, in a desperately early-Peter Jacksonesque sort of way, and I enjoyed DIARY OF THE DEAD and THE THIRD MOTHER, despite my initial misgivings regarding both. Also, The Dimension Extreme NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD re-release that accompanied DIARY to the shelves is pretty much the best transfer on the market.

At any rate (or UNRATE), whatever it was that I might have expected from this update of the 1970 H.G. Lewis splatter classic, about a theater of the Grand Guignol where beautiful women appear to be gruesomely murdered, but then appear not to have been murdered at all, but ultimately turn out to have been gruesomely murdered, what I ended up watching was, uhhh, different, to say the least.

Director Jeremy Kasten and writer Zach Chassle demonstrate, up front and early, that they aren’t averse to remixing the proceedings. Kip Pardue (Victor, in Roger Avary’s 2002 adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ THE RULES OF ATTRACTION) opens the film by introducing his character, Ed Bigelow, and Ed’s underground newspaper, The Cacophony Gazette. Ed documents the seediest of bizarro club scenes in whatever post-millennial-noir city it is in which he resides with his girlfriend Maggie (Bijou Phillips). From there, the viewer progresses swiftly past a recurring cartoon bunny image, multitudinous naked nubile bodies, a fair amount of bad music, and two of the strangest Brad Dourif and Jeffrey Combs appearances to date. But you haven’t even gotten to Crispin Glover as Montag the Magnificent yet, bitch, so just sit still – he’s up next, and will gnaw on scenery and Suicide Girls alike.

Depending on your tastes, or relative lack of, there are a plethora of potential pros and cons to be found here. The direction and acting are mostly competent, considering the context. Pardue & Phillips didn’t really do much for me, but Combs, Dourif, and Glover especially, are a hoot. The updated thematic elements felt, to me, vaguely late-90’s-ish, with the whole ‘oh-so-dark-and-vaguely-goth-y’ thing, but that may just be me. Gratuitous nudity (female specifically) abounds. Regarding production values, the visual FX are pretty decent compared to some things I’ve seen recently, but the audio FX are truly the piece de resistance, in my opinion. Half the time, I honestly found myself wondering what dude got the dubious honor of stuffing a microphone up inside a nice, fat, uncooked turkey’s ass, before brutally ripping it apart with his bare hands and a set of Klein pliers. Maybe it’s just because I was listening via headphones, but there seems to be some great splattery sound design going on there.

Anyway, in conclusion, while I’m not sure I can comfortably suggest that everyone should necessarily run out and buy this, it may be worth it to check out if you’re a fan of the principles: blood, guts, boobs, semi-surreal nuttiness, and Mr. Crispin “I have a gynecologist’s chair in my living room!” Glover. The DVD includes the usual assortment of commentary, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes production docs (one on the film, one specifically on the Suicide Girls), as well as a few other nuggets.

Reviewed by: Miss J

Charming Incantations: Enticed Set To Release

Knightwatch Press has finally announced that they will be releasing the debut novel of South Africa’s superstar in the making, Monique Snyman. “Charming Incantations: Enticed”, the debut novel in a fantasy series for young adults has already raked up a nomination in 2010’s Watty Awards for Best Werewolf and young adults seem to have deemed it a worthy substitute after world renowned series’ like the Harry Potter Series and The Twilight Saga ended.

Synopsis:

When Lisa Richards’ parents die in a horrible accident, she never thought her life would change as drastically as it did. Not only does she have to take over the family business as being the Human Representative in a supernatural council, bound to protect the world from the common threat, but she also has to deal with falling in love with a werewolf that has a vampire best friend and try to keep herself alive long enough to defeat the goblin army.

“Charming Incantations: Enticed” might be the first novel in the series, but it sports a lot of mythology as well as mythological creatures. Yes, the run-of-the-mill vampires and werewolves might have also made their presence known, but banshees, witches, shape shifters and even satyrs are present! “Charming Incantations: Enticed” may also be a fantasy novel for young adults, but even adults would enjoy the action, romance and mythological twists and turns that seems to take place.

Although it is the introductory novel to the series, it certainly has stirred on some talk in the review world:

“…this story is to set up the groundwork for what should be an epic story.”

P*****OffGeek.com

“…it seems a good addition to the genre with a well-established world, wide ranging characters and an interesting True Blood meets Buffy kinda feel to it with its mix of romance, training to fight monsters, longing for an ordinary life when destiny is calling and big battles it isn’t quite either but reminded me of both.”

TheReviewCorner.com

The novel is set to release 13 March 2012 at all major online book retailers.

For more information about “Charming Incantations: Enticed” as well as an inside look into the background story as to how it was created, check out the site, which will take you to a blog and forum, which is run by the author.

About the Author:

Monique Snyman has always been a dreamer and from a young age she enjoyed to record those dreams as well as incorporate them into her writing. Born and raised in sunny South Africa, she was surrounded by nature for most of her life and it was the view outside her first apartment, which overlooked the Union Buildings in Pretoria, which inspired the original concept for Charming Incantations: Enticed. After much deliberation as to what to do with her life during 2009, it was this view that kept haunting her dreams… Soon, Monique decided to do something with those visions and it wasn’t very long before Charming Incantations: Enticed was born.

With a first, finished novel in hand, Monique started to submit her manuscript to various literary agencies, unfortunately it’s not as easy to be a writer as she had once assumed. After not getting any feedback from publishers and literary agencies, she decided to upload a chapter on a website called Wattpad every week, just to test the market. Amazingly enough, after only seven chapters uploaded she was nominated for a Watty Award 2010 in the “Most Popular Werewolf” category! It was then that she decided that there had to be at least one publisher out there that would like her novel… She was right. When Monique initially came across Knightwatch Press, a relatively new independent publishing house, she wasn’t exactly keen on giving her baby to these strangers. However, after only a month, the feedback came back and the contract was offered! Not only did Monique get a lot of encouragement from everyone regarding the first sequence in the Charming Incantations Series, but people wanted to hear what happens next!

Currently Monique lives in a new apartment, further away from the view that inspired it all and she’s brainstorming the second novel in the series, called Charming Incantations: Sanguine. With a new view, a new outlook on life and constant encouragement from friends, family and fans, Monique strives to breathe new life into mythology and inspire young adults to read into the antiquities that helped form the world we live in.

About Knightwatch Press:

KnightWatch Press is an independent comic book and trade paperback publisher. Specialising in primarily speculative fiction including but not limited to horror, sci-fi, fantasy and steampunk.

At a future point they will also be taking non-fiction submissions relating to esoteric studies. For more information on how to submit and for news please take a look at their website found at www.knightwatchpress.info.

Knightwatch Press is one of the fastest growing independent publishers out there and they treat their authors as though they are part of a family, which is what a publisher is supposed to do. Being less than a year old as of date, they are already producing numerous quality books for the masses. This is definitely a publisher you want to keep your eyes on.

PIX/SEE Productions Announces New Horror Film SCARE TACTICS

Award winning Gregory Blair will direct horror film favorite Bill Oberst, Jr. in SCARE TACTICS — a twisted valentine to the genre. Blair, who also penned the script, says “Horror is fun to write. I get goose bumps writing the stuff; that’s when I know it’s working.”

“Gregory has a talent for writing great scripts,” co-producer Roxy Shih of Good Kids Productions said. "SCARE TACTICS totally freaked me out and I knew I wanted to be involved!”

Bill Oberst, Jr. is virtually a horror icon. His unsettling screen presence has haunted dozens of horror films and his role in “Take This Lollipop”--the most popular (and frightening) application in Facebook history has made him an international phenomenon.

In SCARE TACTICS, Bill plays horror film writer Grafton Torn for whom hypnotherapy and nightmares reveal memories that might or might not be real…and that might or might not be deadly.

“I’m usually the bad guy,” Oberst says. “But SCARE TACTICS lets me be the one getting tormented. The question is...by who? Or what? It’s great because all of the horror fans I know are bored with clichés. SCARE TACTICS plays with all the clichés and twists them around. So it’s really fun.”

Blair recently took top honors in the Horror Screenwriting Contest for another horror screenplay, THE SISTERHOOD. That’s when he approached Bill with SCARE TACTICS. “We had been talking about working together,” Blair says. “THE SISTERHOOD wasn't the right vehicle for Bill, but SCARE TACTICS seemed a perfect fit. How fun would it be, we both thought, to have Bill on the other end of the hatchet for a change?”

Blair and Oberst are betting it will be fun. Bloody good fun.

To be a part of the project, go to the IndieGoGo campaign

Check out the official website and Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @ScareTactics1.

El Monstro Del Mar! 2010 - REVIEW

To be completely honest, I'm not really much for exploitation/grindhouse type films. I actually find them quite offensive... bahahahaha! Just kidding! Not too much offends me this day and age except when Hollywood takes a classic 80's TV show and turns it into the bumbling buddy, comedic bromance type crap that is the new 21 Jumpstreet. Just look at the ridiculous movie poster... for fuck's sake! Now a creature feature? I'll sit and watch one after the other without so much as a potty break in between.

In a small Australian coastal town, a trio of female hired killers, Beretta (Nelli Scarlet), Blondie (Karli Madden) and Snowball (Kate Watts) are hiding away in a seaside shack. Shortly after they arrive the they run afoul a cranky old neighbor (Norman Yemm) after taking a dip in the ocean. Shaking his fist, he urges them to stay out of the water warning of the dangers that lie in the deep igniting a feud between him and the girls until his granddaughter Hannah (Kyrie Capri) shows up to defuse the situation. The girls take a shine to Hannah and they become fast friends. Hannah is curious about the world outside of her small town and the rebellious lifestyle the trio represent. That night the grandfather’s warnings come true and the sea monster returns to the small town it ravaged years ago. Hannah, her grandfather and the three gorgeous killers must join together to survive the deadly Kraken’s attack.

Let me start off by saying the casting for this film was dead on (no pun intended). Norman Yemm does a fantastic job as the crabby old man. There wasn't a second in the entire movie where he didn't have me convinced. I absolutely loved his character. The girls did a great job as well. Especially given the outrageous scenes they had to play out. There were some awkward moments, just a few, but these are three vixens you definitely don't wanna cross paths with in a dark alley, or a brightly lit back road or at all for that matter. Capri holds her own as well playing the sweet, innocent granddaughter to a "delusional" old man. You can sympathize with her character almost immediately. She's a curious young girl trapped in a small town destined to rebel the first chance she gets.

I was pretty much digging this one from the beginning. One of the cool things about it was that it starts off in black and white with that sort of rockabilly flare but with the first drop of blood comes the color. It was a very cool transition that I personally hadn't seen before. There are couple of moments in the film where the soundtrack is too loud. Particularly during a key scene where it drowns out some important dialogue. A goof? Yes but not a major one. Stuart Simpson, who wrote, directed, filmed, edited and did all the visual effects, has crafted a very nice homage to 50's era film. It's grindhouse with a SciFi flare. It's campy, cheesy fun and it will entertain you the entire time. If you like that kinda stuff you're definitely gonna want to check this one out!

For more information on El Monstro check out the website monstromovie.com or visit them on Facebook.

Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers 1988 - Review

 Summer camps are supposed to be a place where children and teenagers can go and have fun for a few weeks every summer. That’s not the case when a killer is on the loose and even more disturbing is the fact that SHE used to be a HE.

The story begins years ago at a campfire with 1 girl and a group of boys telling horror stories around the fire in the woods.  It is learned that Angela/Peter Baker, the Camp Arawak killer from the first movie, has had a full sex change operation while in a mental institution and was released. Angela (Pamela Springsteen) is now a camp counselor at Camp New Horizons and no one knowing about her past.  She shows up to keep Phoebe (Heather Binion) from hanging with the boys and in Angela’s opinion acting like a slut.  Walking back to camp there is an argument and Angela leaves Phoebe to walk back by herself.  Phoebe loses her way but never fear, Angela shows up to help her find it with a stick to the head.  Since Phoebe had such a filthy mouth her tongue gets cut out as well.  Angela is at it again not stopping till she has “sent home” all of the campers that are not good kids.  In her opinion that is all of them.  Not even the macho head counselor T.C. (Brian Patrick Clarke) and his super mullet can stop her. 

I want to start with saying that the director Michael A Simpson did a fantastic job of continuing the storyline of the original Sleepaway camp.  While Robert Hiltzik did a great job with the original movie, Michael took it a step further and adding dark comedy and less of a serious atmosphere.  This sequel is also filled with famous names as well.  Pamela Springsteen the little sister of “the boss” Bruce Springsteen, Renee Estevez who is the sister of Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen and let’s not forget the late Walter Gotell.  Rule #1 for a good slasher movie is you can’t enjoy it nearly as much unless there is bad acting.  The acting is not horrible, but not really great either.  At the same time Unhappy Campers is able to deliver a fun movie to watch.

I first saw this movie at the young age of 9 years old.  Yes folks, I had very cool parents that let me watch this kind of filth at a young age which may explain my twisted mind at the age of 31.  Anyway, when I first watched this movie I was hooked.  My dad and I rented it from Blockbuster video and I made him watch it 4 times before we returned the movie the next day.  I have to admit I had a HUGE crush on Pamela Springsteen and not even afraid that her big brother Bruce might beat me up for it.  It’s no secret that I am a huge slasher fan but some of my favorites involve some kind of camp or just in the woods.  It adds so much more to the whole creepy stalking factor.  This movie eluded me for many years.  By the time I was able to actually buy the movie for myself when I had a job at the age of 17 the movie as long out of print with no plans of release on DVD just yet.  2002 came along and the morning the box set was released I was at Best Buy before they even opened to buy the first copy off the shelves.  This was a good move because 2 weeks later the Red Cross had a fit they used the cross on the front of the Survival Kit box set cover and they all had to be pulled off the shelves to have it removed.  While all incarnations of this movie are all out of print you are able to find it on Amazon.com for a pretty decent price.  If you have not seen this movie, you just flat out need to.  Stay Twisted Everyone!
Reviewed by: J.R. Watkins

Restless Coming Soon

Reminiscent of "Groundhog Day” meets “The Sixth Sense”, this supernatural thriller with a horror edge tells the story of an average man somehow living out the same day over and over again, which inadvertently ends up with the same result...murder! With his sanity hanging in the balance our average Joe must unravel the mystery of his literally repetitious day and embrace a specific underlying lesson before it is too late. Complete with intrigue, suspense and a surprise twist ending, this commercial film is quite worthy of national attention as well as premier sponsorship and/or product inclusion.

Filming wrapped earlier this month on the film Directed by Aaron Boltz, written/produced by and starring Josh Hodgins, Ashton Leigh Allen, Bryan McGlothlin, Jez'Reel Venegas and Jesse Moon. They are predicting a completion of Mid-Late April 2012 with a theatrical run to follow in June 2012 – August 2012.

Check back here for more updates as they become available to us or you can check out these sites for more information:
restlessmovie.webs.com
Facebook
Twitter

zD3 Announces DVD Release Dates

z-Diet-3 Productions (zD3), an independent production company based in Pittsburgh, PA, today announced that two of its feature films will be released on DVD this coming April.

Both Indemnity: Rage of a Jealous Vampire (zD3's first fully produced narrative feature) and Fetish Dolls Die Laughing (which zD3 co-produced in association with Pittsburgh-based Kiss of Death Productions and Theatre of the Night) will be released April 24, 2012, through Califormia-based distributor World Wide Multi Media (WWMM), which is associated with Warner Brothers.

"This is what it's all about," said zD3 founder David Dietz. "Producing a film is a monumental undertaking to begin with. But, actually getting it distributed can be an even greater challenge. We're extremely proud of this accomplishment."

Although many other independently produced films have also been released on DVD, what makes zD3's story unique is how the distribution deal came about:

"It might not have happened at all... if it weren't for Facebook!" Dietz said.

Dietz said that while he was finishing post-production work on Fetish Dolls Die Laughing (that is, editing it and adding music and special effects), he began spreading the word about his own recently completed film Indemnity on the social networking site.

Dietz explains: "I basically started connecting with the horror film community on Facebook. That led me to several film bloggers. I sent those bloggers screener DVDs to review, which they did - most favorably, I might add. And one blogger ended up becoming Acquisitions Director at World Wide Multimedia."

Once WWMM agreed to release Indemnity, Dietz said he felt confident enough to approach the company about Dolls... as well. Now, he says he's ready for horror fans to see the results of his efforts.

"Every filmmaker wants their films to reach the widest audience possible. Hollywood has its system down pat. So, indie producers like me have to be just a bit more creative about getting their films out. Thankfully, sites like Facebook are making it possible!"

Indemnity concerns a young man on the run (played by Dietz, who also wrote and directed), who takes refuge in a rural saloon, where he finds a sympathetic bartender named Joe (played by Dan I. Radakovich). As the evening progresses, the young man opens up to the bartender over several drinks. But as the details of his story unfold, Joe wonders if the young man is merely a victim of circumstance… or if he’s hiding a much darker secret. Also among the cast are former indie pro wrestlers Seth James and CJ Sensation (ne: Craig Stevenson); and Crystalann Jones stars as a lethal femme fatale named “Angela.”

In Fetish Dolls Die Laughing, a button-down homicide detective (play by Laura Romeo) is forced to go under cover in the seedy underworld of internet fetishists, where a series of bizarre and grisly murders have occurred. The trail of bodies ultimately leads her to submissive photographer (and internet entrepreneur) Billy Tagg (Michael McGovern, who also wrote the screenplay) - who has become the latest vessel for an ancient, malevolent entity called "The Tickle Monster." David Silvio is the film's director and his wife Diana (who also acts in the film) is the producer.

Dietz says that although seeing the films distributed is a great joy, he is by no means resting on his laurels. He says that zD3 is currently finishing a docu-drama about Amelia Earhart that will be released later this year, and plans to produce another film in the same vein as Indemnity. zD3 is also collaborating with Kiss of Death Productions on a film called I, the Killer and with Eerie Frequency Entertainment on a film called Driving Nowhere.

Both Indemnity: Rage of a Jealous Vampire and Fetish Dolls Die Laughing are now available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

J.R. Watkins Interviews Monster Matt Patterson for Monsters for Charity

Tonight I got to sit down and talk to Monster Matt Patterson about his Charity Auction called Monsters for Charity. Below are the details to our conversation.

TC: First, let me take a second to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with Twisted Central.
MM: You are welcome, and thank you for taking the time to help get the word out there about Monsters for Charity.

TC: What exactly do you do in the horror genre?
MM: I currently write for 4 websites, I have 2 podcasts. I am an author, horror artist and plan on breaking into comic book illustrating with a series that should be out this year. I also make masks. You could say I do a little bit of everything, a jack of all trades so to speak.

TC: What is your favorite horror film?
MM: Wow that is a tough question. I would have to say the original Basket Case.

TC: Could you explain what exactly is Monsters for Charity?
MM: Our idea is what preceded Ebay. Email auction sites that ran their bidding by email only. We pick a various charities to contribute too. The charity that has benefited the most is Toys for Tots. We did an auction for them during the Holiday season and we were able to help a lot of people. There are auctions out there that keep a percentage of the bids. We do not do this we pay for all expenses out of our own pockets, even the shipping. This is so all the profit goes to the charities. Also I would like to add that when you win an item the money goes straight to the charity. We act as a middle man, once the money is received by the charity we then ship out the item that you won.

TC: How many people make up Monsters for Charity?
MM: We are a group of 8 people that all are somehow affiliated with the horror genre. We have a Horror Host, a comic book creator, an author, 2 book reviewers and even a fan of Debbie Rochon who has been able to get Debbie to contribute some really cool items to auction.

TC:Besides email, how do people bid?
MM: Well in addition to Email we have a Facebook page you can place a bid on and also through Twitter.

TC: How long has Monsters for Charity been in operation?
MM: As the group that we are, since Thanksgiving 2011. I did some charity around Halloween for the zombie walk in Hamilton Ontario. I donated some sketches and masks and it felt really good to do so and get involved and I wanted to keep doing that. Monsters for Charity took off from there.

TC: What charity or charities is the money donated to?
MM: We have involved a number of charities such as Toys for Tots, various food banks, Camp Good Day and Special Times, and also The Women's and Children's Hospital.

TC: What kind of things specifically have you auctioned off recently?
MM: Recently a coffee mug with the coffee beans, it’s a specialty set, online gift certificates for horror retailers, a dvd signed by Debbie Rochon (Dr Horror’s Erotic House of Idiots), and also a copy of Chillerama on Blu Ray signed by 10 of the cast members. We also are in talks with Fangoria, and Troma to get involved as well.

TC: Is there anything else you would like to say to the fans of Twisted Central?
MM: Yes, I would also like to add the very cool fact that our group is international with our 2 book reviewers from Canada, and we also have someone involved that is in South Africa. You can look us up on Facebook under Monsters for Charity, and on Twitter @charitymonster. Please give us a chance and we will keep everything rolling. It’s so easy just to do something for someone even if it’s just walking up to someone on the street and giving them a sandwich

Rubber 2010 - REVIEW

Let me start off by saying I never had any intentions of watching this film at least not until a friend asked if I'd seen it and said he'd like to see me review it. So, like the good friend that I am, I did it. I watched it. I sat through the whole 82 minutes. That's 1 hour and 22 minutes... 1 hour and 22 minutes!!

Robert, the tire, wakes up to discover he's been abandoned in a desert dump. As he rolls along the desolate landscape, he realizes he possesses telepathic powers that enable him to destroy anything he wants. While he's quite content using his abilities to blow up bunnies and crows or crush scorpions and spiders, all that changes when he crosses paths with a beautiful, mysterious woman. After a hit and miss with a pick up, Robert turns his "anger" towards humans as he tracks the woman from one place to the next leaving a trail of dead bodies behind him.

I don't even know what to say about the cast of this film. The acting left a lot to be desired but I don't think that's a reflection on their part. I think with the crap they were given they managed to pull through it. Even veteran actor Wings Hauser seemed to get bogged down in bad dialogue and his was probably the best performance of the whole lot. Jack Plotnick, the accountant did a fair job when he was actually given something to do. BTW, without going to IMDb, how are you suppose to know he's an accountant? Did they say it and I was so bored outta my skull that I missed it? With the exception of Stephen Spinella the rest of the cast is inconsequential because they either appear once and get blown up or they just walk off screen and never come back.

I understand that this was suppose to be "all about the art". I know there are paintings out there that people look at and wonder what it is and without explanation, the interpretation of said painting can differ greatly from one person to the next. I think it's fair to say that about many things books, sculptures, films. On the other hand, if I'm gonna take the 82 minutes of my day to sit down and watch a film, I don't want to have to wonder what the fuck I just watched. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an art house film. Memento is an art house film. This is far from an art house film. Yes, the cinematography was nice. The direction was okay but seriously, how far can you take a film about a rogue tire??

Basically Rubber is a film within a film, black comedy that pays homage to "no reason". Why is the alien in ET brown? No reason. Why did the characters in Love Story fall madly in love with each other? No reason. In retrospect, I guess this "no reason" thing works out pretty well for this film since I can't give you one single fucking reason why you should waste 82 minutes of your time watching it. I didn't find it funny or amusing or at all interesting for that matter and I find it quite absurd that this film actually got a theatrical release. I've seen independent art house films that struggled just to get a DVD release and this trash gets into a theater. I feel sorry for anyone who actually paid money to see this ridiculousness, unless you miraculously enjoyed it and then... yay you. I want a refund and I watched it for free on Netflix. If it hadn't been for Beau Nelson, I never would've even looked twice at it. By the way, thanks for that Beau... you owe me 82 minutes! Want something fun to do? Go grab some pliers, sit down and yank your toe nails out one by one. That would be less painful that sitting through this one.

J.R. Watkins Interviews Up and Coming Scream Queen Pretty Poison

Twisted Central writer, J.R. Watkins recently had the opportunity to interview up and coming scream queen Pretty Poison. Pretty Poison is an actress/model in the horror industry. She has starred in movies like Afterparty Massacre and She Devil’s A-Go-Go. Hope it's as enjoyable for you to read as it was to interview her.

TC: First I would like to take the chance to thank you for taking the time to talk to us here at Twisted Central.
PP: No problem! Thank YOU for wanting to interview me!

TC: Where are you from?
PP: Originally from a Clevo suburb. I've bounced around and eventually made it back to Ohio.

TC: What got you involved with the Horror Industry?
PP: When I moved back to Ohio I was supposed to help Horrormerch.com (Kristoff Bates) out with Acid Rain and couldn't because (and don't laugh) my bowling league was on the same night. I did end up doing some print work for Horrormerch.com and then was asked to be in The Afterparty Massacre and ended up helping work the cons from there!

TC: What is your favorite Horror movie?
PP: My all time fav is definitely Brain Damage! I'm a big Jaws fan too...all of them despite how terrible the sequels were!

TC: You were recently in Afterparty Massacre. What was that experience like?
PP: It was super fun! I actually played four different parts in it! I did two other movies that same year She Devil's a Go-Go and TetherBall: The Movie...and I'm planning to do two more this year as well!

TC: Would you consider yourself an up and coming scream queen?
PP: I don't know. I may not always play the victim! (insert devious laugh here) And I've also had other roles that weren't horror oriented! But I def wouldn't turn another victim role down if asked!

TC: Do you have any upcoming projects?
PP: Yes! Going to be working on another film with the Horrormerch.com crew! I'm def getting my hands a little more dirty with this one...taking a bigger role, and helping out with ideas and writing! I absolutely LOVE it and I'm def thankful for the opportunity!

TC: Other than acting, is there anything else you are interested in?
PP: Well I also model! www.facebook.com/clevelandsnexttopmodel
and sometimes...just sometimes I sing! www.reverbnation.com/timebombheart

TC: Is there anything you would like to say to our fans of Twisted Central?
PP: Thank you so much for reading! Hope I'm as interesting as you would have imagined!
Please add my fanpage for up to date stuff on filming shoots and cons I'll be appearing at!
www.facebook.com/clevelandsnexttopmodel
afterpartymassacre.com
www.horrormerch.com and you can follow me on Twitter! @HelloMsPoison

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Trailer

So it seems 20th Century Fox has dropped the trailer for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and from the looks of it, it's kinda like Buffy the Vampire Slayer only with Abe Lincoln and top hats. I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to this one or not. But at least it's not the same 'ol shit so that's a plus.

Breaking Glass Pictures Announces Release Date for The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol

Breaking Glass Pictures has announced the March 27 release of the surreal, horror-comedy “The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol” (SRP $24.99). Director Aramis Sartorio takes viewers on a demented roller-coaster ride through the mind of a down-and-out actor forced to the edge where sanity and fantasy collide, where he must ask himself, "At what point do you give up on your dreams?”

“The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol” follows the disappointing life of struggling actor Tommy Pistol, who has turned his back on family and friends to pursue his dream of stardom. When he finally hits rock bottom, Tommy seeks solace in a penis pump and finds himself in a fantasy world where he pursues bloody vengeance against those who've put him down. What he doesn't realize is that his whole life has been leading up to the moment when he awakes to find that he's run out of second chances, and despite his regret, there is no going back.

10KBullets applauded its “willingness to go where very few horror films have gone before.” “Gruesome Death” has captivated viewers and made top horror films lists for 2011 as well as being named Best of the 2011 Pollygrind Film Festival.

You can view the trailer here.

The DVD release will come crammed with Special Features including director’s commentary, interviews with cast and crew, behind-the-scenes footage, a feature heavy metal band “Amorea”!

For more information on “The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol” including interviews and final DVD copies, please contact justine@bgpics.com

Chop 2011 - REVIEW

I find that I spend less and less of my time trying to catch the latest big studio horror flicks and more of my time hunting and pecking my way through Indie films hoping to find a winner. As with most instances in life, you gotta weed out the bad ones (and there are A LOT) to get to the good ones (not so many). I came across this one after seeing the poster pop up on Jennifer Blanc Biehn's Facebook page a number of times. Every time she'd post something about The Victim and link it back to WTF is happening at WTF? this would always show up as the thumbnail. I can only look at it so many times before I gotta know what all the fuss is about.

Lance Reed (Will Keenan) is just your average guy living an average life with his beautiful wife Emily (Tanisha). A recovering drug addict, Lance has done some horrible things in the past and one of his "victims" (Timothy Muskatell) decides it's time for a little revenge. After kidnapping Lance he tries to force him into confessing his dirty deed. The only problem is, Lance doesn't remember. Growing more and more frustrated with the situation, the kidnapper decides the only way to get the apology he wants is to start removing his limbs one by one. When Lance finally does start spilling the beans and confessing his evil deeds it becomes clear that he doesn't remember who his kidnapper is or what he's done to him. Frustrated, he decides to go a different route. If he can't get his apology maybe the other people Lance has wronged can get theirs.

There are some great overall performances in this film. Having never seen the previous work of any of them, I really had no idea what I was in for. Keenan and Muskatell are both hilarious. Particularly in the scenes that are suppose to be heartfelt, soul melting scenes where they both go from one extreme to the other. Although they spend little time on screen, the supporting cast knocked it out of the park too. The two detectives, Adam Minarovich (who also penned the script) and Tamil T. Rhee, are like The Odd Couple of cops. Not stereotyping here at all so don't get your knickers in a twist but the mannerisms of Rhee instantly made me think of Tim Kang's character in The Mentalist

Chop flows at a break neck pace without ever really slowing down. From the minute the main character hitches a ride with the wrong guy the audience feels for him but as time goes on and we learn more and more about our protagonist, you start to question who the bad guy really is. Where most films would fail miserably, director Trent Haaga and writer Minarovich are able to hold the story together rather well. As each new character is introduced you find it harder and harder to figure out which direction they're gonna take it. And when the final reveal comes... head/desk. Really?!? It was hard to not be disappointed but it was completely obvious that that's exactly what they had in mind when they were making it. Despite my disappointment in the ending, I really did enjoy the film. It surpassed my expectations (that's a really hard thing to do) and I have to recommend it for that alone. As a dark comedy or horror/comedy or however you wanna classify it, it's for sure one that you won't forget any time soon.

A New Dynamic Duo??

Blanc/Biehn Productions has released the first teaser art for The Farm, one of three new grindhouse style films on their way. No word on the plot details of The Farm but from what I see Michael Eklund will star along side horror icons Danielle Harris and Jennifer Blanc Biehn.

The production company, from Jennifer Blanc Biehn and Michael Biehn, have announced a trio of films headed our way, other titles include The Predicator and Up and Down. Biehn will star in each of the three films which will be shot in a 45-day period with varying directors to be announced at a later date.

You can keep up with this dynamic duo's progress at blancbiehnproductions.com. You can also see trailer and read reviews and interviews of their most recent project, The Victim.

Anchor Bay Buys North American Rights to "Excision"

LOS ANGELES (chicagotribune.com) - Anchor Bay Films has picked up all North American distribution rights to "Excision", the company said on Tuesday.

The horror film made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last month, and if promotional materials are any indication, it is awash in buckets of blood.

The film centers on a delusional teenage outcast, Pauline, who engages in such timeless adolescent activities as scab picking and road kill dissection. Those pastimes create friction with her parents and to repair the relationship, Pauline undertakes a risky operation to help her sister recover from cystic fibrosis.

Commenting on the film's extreme violence, fanboy site GeekTyrant wrote, "'Excision' was a extremely disturbing and twisted movie that I can't get out of my freakin' head. There are visuals and images that are now forever burned into my memory, and that's not a good thing."

The movie marks the debut feature of writer/director Richard Bates Jr.; Dylan Hale Lewis produced. In addition to Oscar winner Marlee Matlin ("Children of a Lesser God") and Malcolm McDowell, the cast includes a number of small screen names like AnnaLynne McCord ("90210"), Traci Lords ("Cry Baby"), Ariel Winter ("Modern Family"), and Roger Bart ("Desperate Housewives").

The deal was negotiated by Kevin Kasha, Josh Thomashow and Marc Barson for Anchor Bay Films; Kevin Iwashina and Christine D'Souza of Preferred Content, Cassian Elwes, and Elsa Ramo of the Law Offices of Elsa Ramo negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.

Popularity Killer 2011 (Short Film) - REVIEW

I remember when I was in high school I always wanted to be popular. That’s not the case here. If you are in the wrong clique at Payton High you are going to end up dead. Things sure have changed over the years; on the other hand it makes for one hell of a slasher film.

Our film starts off in a wooded area where Kaitlyn (Dana Terpinas) and her boyfriend Nick (Mike Goltz) are making out. Nick reaches between her legs to make his move and he is blocked. This starts an argument. Nick is sick of waiting for her to put out for him and she is nowhere near ready to give up her virginity. Nick kicks Kaitlyn out of the car and drives off forcing her to walk home. While walking a figure is seen stalking her in the night, dressed in a long black hooded robe and wearing a mask that resembles a creepy looking Betty Boop. Kaitlyn is knocked to the ground head first and is stabbed in the back of the head with an exit through her mouth. The next day back at school, the day after the murder, Nick is now the prime suspect in the killing of Kaitlyn. The students are given a half day of school off plus the next day because of the grisly murder that has happened to one of their own. Melissa (Courtney Ellen Bay) and her best friend Courtney (Hannah Herdt) plot to have a girls night, just the two of them, and watch movies. Courtney wants to invite Corey (Matty Deorschner) so that Melissa will have a chance to get laid, but Melissa still just wants the night to be just the two of them. Courtney ends up inviting Corey anyway along with Paige (Jennifer Frey) for a quiet night of movies and beer. Melissa shows up unhappy about her not being the only other one there and almost right behind her is Nick with a girl from Bridgeport named Allison (Jamie Jo Roen). This party is about to get really interesting really quick.

Popularity Killer is from the same studio that brought you Teddy which was recently reviewed as well. Slasher Studios is making their second short film now with a bigger budget and quite frankly has better acting. It is meant to be a dark comedy slasher film, but in my opinion all that’s what a slasher movie is anyway. The death scenes in this movie are really what impressed me. They all looked very realistic and the actors sold their deaths better than most full feature big budget movie actors do. The only thing that is really missing is good looking women. The women in the film are pretty plain looking, nothing special. The first person to get killed is Kaitlyn and she was supposed to be the most popular girl in school and is really not that attractive. To sum it up: good acting, great effects, but needs more hotties.

I would say I really enjoyed Popularity Killer. I am pretty big on effects and how realistic a death looks in the movie and they were able to perfect that formula. The movie is chalk full of everything I love about slasher movies. There is a scene in a wooded area, a killer with a mask and a pretty creepy undertone. It’s also quite a bit of a challenge to try and figure out who the killer is. Really glad I’m not in high school. Teenagers will do anything to be popular, or in this case kill who is popular.

Reviewed by: J.R. Watkins

Coming Soon Acid Head: The Buzzard Nuts County Slaughter

Acid Head: The Buzzard Nuts County Slaughter - coming your way soon!

The latest movie from Tony 'Tex' Watt "Acid Head: The Buzzard Nuts County Slaughter" is finding it's way to availability in the very near future, Watt's recent work as a director includes "Vixen Highway 2006" and "Frankenpimp". The movie features the director Tony 'Tex' Watt himself, and his preferred heroin and frequent workpartner Vivita playing the lead as Pheromone Labonza and Acid Head. Others starring are Lewis Mercer, Lana Tailor, Elvin Domenic, Paul Nicholls, Adam Schickedanz and many others, and in a cunning cameo as the sneaky reporter Biff Bangs, the only European actor in the film; Kim Sønderholm.

On using the latter, director Tony 'Tex' Watt said: "When our movie about a killer goth-girl needed a main greek chorus-type performer [the character who tells the viewer what is going on], to embody the form of news anchor: Biff Bangs... I, as the Writer/Director needed an internationally appealing actor who was both authoritative and able to carry some of the comedic hyperbole, with dry humor [As Sean Connery did in the early 007 movies]. Versatile actor/filmmaker Kim Sønderholm came to mind as the first choice, as I admired his acting prowess in such films as "Craig", "Tour de Force", "Bleed with Me"; as well as his comedic turn in the 2011 TV series "Goodbye Light". Sønderholm embodied to myself, a brilliant character actor, who was very hard working and tenacious. Working with him, showed me that this charismatic and popular performer was exactly what I perceived, as well as being very humorous and humble."

Idea for the film originally came in 2009, when Award winning Canadian horror author and TV host (Flatline, Post-Mortem, Nightmare in Canada: Canadian Horror on Film) Edo van Belkom's son Luke started filming "Acid Head: The High School Horror" based on a loose script plot the young van Belkom co-wrote with actor/filmmaker Tony 'Tex' Watt. The script's projected budget was originally too high; so Watt decided to shoot an improvised sequel, first, based on situations deriving from his previous script.

The film will be available as VOD and DVD release in spring 2012 on Amazon, Indieflix, MoviesInsanity.com & TonyWatt.com

More about the film on IMDb

Black Briefs 2011 (Short Film) - REVIEW

Venturing out of my usual realm of slasher and psychological horror and diving into a series of short films that are not what I usually watch. This will be a review of a compilation of dark themed gay short films. It’s always good to be adventurous every once in a while. Isn’t it?

SPRING: Two gentlemen Joe (Chris O'Donnell) and Tim (Jonathan Keane) who meet up in a coffee shop to talk and go back to Tim’s place for some action. This is more of an S&M bondage film than real horror. Although a dark film, not scary at all more of drama and at the same time is sick and twisted. An experience Tim will remember for the rest of his life. Barking like a dog, hanging almost choking. This movie was awful. It really did not make sense at all. The ending was worse than the actual story line was, and I did not think that was possible.

REMISSION: Sam (Michael Fitzpatrick) just getting back from his oncology appointment is sitting and talking to his boyfriend about the results. Sam is in a log cabin home in the woods that is quiet, secluded and miles away from any civilization. Having a normal day just him and his dog he senses he is being stalked. A bloody figure appears to him throughout the day and night. Upon letting his dog out the next morning Sam notices a bloody gauze pad on the floor with a string pulling it towards the basement. You will have to find out for yourself what happens next.

WINNER TAKES ALL: Ryker (Gavyn Michaels) cancels his theater performance for the night and invites the two most important men in his life to the theater, Brian (Hunter Lee Evans) and Ernesto (Adrian Quinonez). Ryker confesses to both Brian and Ernesto that he is having a relationship with both of them and has been dishonest to them. To decide who he wants to be with Ryker wants them to box each other in a “winner take all” fight. Brian a skinny not so tough guy and Ernesto a former boxer who was 21-3. The odds are stacked in the favor of Ernesto, but you have to watch out for the scrawny guys they can be the ones to surprise ya.

PROMISE: Waking up from a drunken night at a male strip club, Stu (Korken Alexander) starts to remember what happened the night before. Stu and his lover Chris (Rick Cornette) have an argument about Stu’s drinking and drunken behavior. The argument continues at home as well with Chris pointing out Stu’s email account with an interaction with a guy they were both with only Stu continued the relationship on his own. Stu and Chris are to be married the next day and this puts a large kink in their plans. The cheating sends Chris into a rage and things suddenly turn very physical.

VIDEO NIGHT: Three men (Jessie Rice), (Jack Plotnick) and (Jim Hansen) and a woman named Kali (Kali Rocha) are having a session of recording what seems to be a comedy or more of just goofing off in front of the camera. They finish their skit and retreat to the kitchen to drink wine and have a few laughs. Kali goes upstairs to the bathroom leaving the three men in the kitchen. The three men got to the den to view their recorded skit on the computer. They notice as the camera panned at the end of the skit there was someone outside in the window watching them. Two of the men venture out of the room realizing they did not know were Kali was. One man staying back realizes the camera never stopped rolling and someone has picked it up and is one their way up to the bathroom.

COMMUNICATION: Returning from his time in Israel Jacob (Rudi Vodanovich) finds that his former teacher Andrew (Alexander Campbell) has left him all of his property and possessions. Jacob goes to Andrew’s house and starts to reminisce about the relationship he had with Andrew which was much more than teacher and student.

All of the films in this set are well written and directed. If you are a horror lover wanting a collection of gruesome guts and people being hacked into pieces you have stumbled upon the wrong set of short films. I am not a really big fan of drama so saying I liked all of the films would be a lie. When the title line of the dvd reads “dark themed films” I expect it to be just that. Not a bunch of romance laced with just a touch of blood, betrayal, bondage and rape. Remission was the only film in this set to even come close to being suspenseful and horror. I really did like that entry and at the end of the film it left me wanting more to see what could happen next. To answer the question from my opening statement on it being good to be adventurous every once in a while, this time I would have to give that a big fat NO.

Reviewed by: J.R. Watkins