26 February 2011

The Lashman Unleashed


Red Headed Revolution Pictures Unleash “The Lashman” A Cameron McCasland Film

Nashville, TN (February 24, 2011)

Red Headed Revolution Pictures has debuted the teaser trailer for “The Lashman” from filmmaker Cameron McCasland. The teaser trailer coincides with the first poster image and website launch of Lashmanmovie.com

The Lashman is a tale of Terror. Five friends set out for a weekend camping excursion to find that their camp fire tales have turned into their worst nightmares.

The Lashman features a bevy of fresh faces. including Stacey Dixon (Monster Cruise, Old Habits Die Hard), Shawn C. Phillips (Assault of the Sasquatch, Banshee, TV’s Look), Jeremy Jones (Decision, TV’s Dreadful Hallowgreen Special) David Vaughn
(Crazy Girl), and Kaylee Williams (The Many Monsters of Sarah Roth, Zombie Babies).

The movie was filmed on location in Western Kentucky in the Summer of 2010 and is written, produced, and directed by Cameron McCasland marking his debut as a feature film director, after a number of music video and television directing work.

Also joining the terror stricken ensemble are Lee Vervoort (Gun Town, Last Kind Words), Todd Bush (Country Strong, TV’s Tough Trade) Terry Gragg (Nickel Children, Outlaw Country) Tim Emery (Gun Town), Bob King (Daultry Calhoun, Make Out With Violence) David Chattam (21 Grams, The Last Castle) and Larry Underwood (TV’s Dr. Gangrene’s Creature Feature)

The Lashman will be hitting the film festival circuit later this year. For more information on The Lashman, and to see the trailer and poster check out Lashmanmovie.com

Follow The Lashman on Twitter

Join The Lashman on Facebook

About Cameron McCasland

Cameron McCasland is an Emmy nominated filmmaker, and winner of the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for his work on the Go Green With Dr. Gangrene series. The Texas born director lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and 2 daughters. In 2010 McCasland directed the made for television movie “The Dreadful HallowGreen Special” which aired across the United States and is currently nominated for best short film at the Rondo Awards. McCasland has won wave reviews for his short films and music videos including Best Music Video at the 2008 Crossroads Film Festival in Jackson MS, The Silver Remi Award at the 2008 Worldfest International Film Festival in Houston, TX, and Best Music Video honors at the 2008 Fearless Film Festival in Fort Worth, TX for his work on Fashionabel – A Music Video For Quiet Company.

25 February 2011

From Slasher to Supernatural

Sequels to horror films are inevitable (usually) and there's nothing more inconsistent than taking a slasher film and putting a supernatural spin on it. In my opinion it just doesn't make sense. If it's a slasher, it's a slasher. Why not just base it off the slasher but call it something else instead of confusing the facts and changing the story line. BUT, there are also exceptions to the rule (as with everything) and if you keep reading, I will explain the ONE film on this list that I don't mind the restructuring. In any case, here are some films that went from slasher to supernatural at some point.

We'll start with one of the classics. Prom Night (1980) starred scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis fresh off her big screen debut in John Carpenter's original Halloween, the late great Leslie Nielsen, Michael Tough and Casey Stevens.
For six long years, several Hamilton High School seniors have been hiding the truth of what happened to ten-year-old Robin Hammond the day her broken body was discovered near an old abandoned building. They kept secret how they taunted Robin, backed her into a corner until, frightened, she stood on a window ledge... and fell to her death. Though an accident, the then-twelve-year-olds feared they'd be held responsible and vowed never to tell. But someone else was there that day... watching. And now, that someone is ready to exact murderous revenge on prom night.

From there we fast forward 6 years (1987) to Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II which starred the guy with the best name in all of Hollywood, Michael Ironside, Wendy Lyon, Louis Ferreira and Lisa Schrage as Mary Lou Maloney.
When Hamilton High's Prom Queen of 1957, Mary Lou Maloney is killed by her jilted boyfriend, she comes back for revenge 30 years later. Bill Nordham is now the principle of Hamilton High and his son is about to attend the prom with Vicki Carpenter. However, she is possessed by Mary Lou Maloney after opening a trunk in the school's basement. Now Bill must face the horror he left behind in 1957.

Add to that another supernatural sequel... Prom Night III: The Last Kiss and then we're right back to the slasher genre with Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil.















Moving on to 1988 and Urban Legend which starred 30 Seconds to Mars front man, Jared Leto, Alicia Witt and the chick with the super hot hubby Rebecca Gayheart.
Campus legend has it that 25 years earlier Pendleton was the site of a mass murder by a demented abnormal psych instructor who killed six students and then himself. However, no proof of the prof's deed remains. When a series of bizarre deaths occur on the campus, an assertive student thinks they are murders based on urban legends, but her classmates claim it's just coincidence. They change their minds when their friends start to go missing.



Urban Legends: Final Cut holds true to it's slasher roots.













And then on to the direct to video, "jump the shark" one of the bunch, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary which has a mix of knowns and unknowns with cutie patootie Kate Mara, unknown Robert Vito, TV star Ed Marinaro and breast cancer advocate Tina Lifford.
On Homecoming night, several girls are having a slumber party due to being black-listed by the sexy football players. Since the dance and game are out of the question, the trio stays up and entertains themselves with Urban Legends... all leading up to BLOODY MARY. With nothing better to do and a whole night to waste, one of them chants "Bloody Mary." Her friends laugh... "Bloody Mary." More laughter. On the third and final "Bloody Mary," the friends are kidnapped by three jocks and return soon thereafter, shaken but well. One of them begins having hallucinations and soon bodies turn up - is it all a high school prank taken to grisly extremes or is it Bloody Mary, who's youth was taken far too early?

Ahh, Silent Night, Deadly Night, a holiday classic for almost every horror fan. Who can resist an axe wielding Santa? Robert Brian Wilson takes the lead in his first and only feature film which costarred Lilyan Chauvin as the evil Mother Superior, Gilmer McCormick and H.E.D Redford.
A young boy watches his parents killed by a thief in a Santa suit. He spends his youth in an orphanage, staying quietly to his self, but his mind is further bent by an ironhanded Mother Superior. He finally gets a job at a local store, where he finally snaps when he is required to wear a Santa suit, and goes on a killing spree that leads him slowly back to the orphanage.




Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 and Silent Night, Deadly Night III: Better Watch Out! while far inferior to the first, still keep the slasher tradition going.











Initiation: Silent Night, Deadly Night 4 ventures into the world of witchcraft (GAG) and stars Ron Howard's little brother Clint Howard, Neith Hunter, Tommy Hinkley and everybodys favorite ice cream vendor Reggie Bannister.
A female reporter investigates the death of a woman who, on fire, lept off of a building to her death. Her investigation leads her to discover the existence of a strange cult dedicated Egyptian god Isis--and the cult wants her as its new queen.





And if that wasn't bad enough, Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker jumps even further into left field with killer toys.
A young boy sees his father killed by a toy that was anonymously delivered to his house. After that, he is too traumatized to speak, and his mother must deal with both him and the loss of her husband. Meanwhile, a toy maker named Joe Peto builds some suspicious-looking toys, and a mysterious man creeps around both the toy store and the boy's house...but who is responsible for the killer toys?





I Know What You Did Last Summer and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer filled theater seats with their star studded cast of, what I call, "pretty people" like Jennifer Love Hewitt Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brandy, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe and Mekhi Phifer. Along with Scream, they helped carve a new face for horror and threw the slasher fan in a new direction.



I unfortunately can't say the same for I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer. This one throws slasher out and supernatural in like it's always been that way. Brooke Nevin, David Paetkau, Torrey DeVitto and Ben Easter are only a few names on the roster of this time waster.
On July 4th, in the small Broken Ridge, Colorado, several teenagers play a prank with the legend of the Fisherman that kills teenagers with dirty little secrets with his hook in an entertaining park. However, when one of them dies unexpectedly makes a covenant to keep their secret. One year later, they start receiving messages "I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer". The friends gather to find who might have told about their pact and they find out that someone else does in fact know their secret. They soon realize that they are being hunted by a dark man wearing a slicker and he means to kill them all.



Slumber Party Massacre, considered by some to be a cult classic, stars Michelle Michaels, Robin Stille, Michael Villella and Debra Deliso.
An eighteen-year-old high school girl is left at home by her parents and she decides to have a slumber party. There is friction between some of the invited guests and the new girl, who is better at basketball than they, so the new girl decides to stay at home (which is conveniently across the street from the host's house). Meanwhile, a murderer of five people with a propensity for power tools has escaped and is at large, and eventually makes his way to the party, where the guests begin experiencing an attrition problem, with only the new girl to help them.



Slumber Party Massacre II came out 5 years later with a new cast and a new vision. The line up for this one includes Crystal Bernard, Jennifer Rhodes, Kimberly McArthur and Atanas Ilitch as The Driller Killer.
The younger sister of the "new girl across the street" in the first film is all grown up now, but suffers from nightmares about the Big Wet Incident. She and the other members of her female rock group go to a condo for the weekend to play music and have fun with their boyfriends. Her dreams are of her sister, who is in a mental institution, warning her of having sex, and the dreams begin to spill into real life, threatening her and her friends as they begin experiencing an attrition problem.



Friday the 13th took the horror world by storm and introduced us to a new phantom of fear. But don't go into this one looking for a hockey masked killer. Betsy Palmer takes command of the screen and delivers a powerful performance. Some of her lines are still quoted today, over 30 years later. Riding Palmer's coat tails to the box office were Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan and even Footloose star Kevin Bacon (though he'd never admit it nowadays). Ari Lehman brought Jason to life that summer and into the hearts of horror fans everywhere.
One summer at Camp Crystal Lake, a group of young counselors begin to get ready to lead campers. Unfortunately for the former, someone isn't happy about what's going on in the camp and enjoys playing Kill the Counselor. As bodies fall to the ground in the camp, no one is safe.



Friday the 13th Part 2 came out in '81 and was followed by 3 more installments, all holding strong to it's slasher roots, until 1986's Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI. C.J. Graham dons Jason's mask for this supernatural version. Genre legend Thom Mathews plays the now grown up Tommy Jarvis. He's joined by Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen, Renee Jones, Kerry Noonan and Tom Fridley.
Tommy returns to the grave to make sure Jason is dead and accidently brings him back to life. Now it's up to Tommy to stop Jason's mindless killing and put him back where he belongs.
The switch up on this one didn't bother me at all. Maybe because even though he's "back from the dead", he's still Jason. The same avenging soul that he's always been. And for me it works out just fine.

I'm sure there are scores more that I didn't get to. Feel free to comment below with your opinions and film suggestions!!

21 February 2011

Raymond Did It Screening and Q&A in LA

Raymond Did It will be screening in Los Angeles on Thursday, February 24th at Kevin Smith’s SMODCASTLE. A Q&A session with writer/director Travis Legge and cast members Elissa Dowling and Patricia Raven will follow the screening. The show begins at 6pm.

Travis Legge pulled this movie together via crowd funding, social media, and contributions from a few small business owners. Raymond Did It is now being toured around the country to select theaters. Legge will be providing a comprehensive Q&A afterward discussing the process of getting an indie film out with low/no budget (as well as comics, other movies, the point of view of a first time indie filmmaker on the industry, social media, and whatever you ask about.)

Tickets are $15 in advance via Brown Paper Tickets at brownpapertickets.com

Tickets at the door will be $20.

Synopsis:
When Bryce Rourke is accidentally killed in a playground scuffle, his friends blame his developmentally delayed older brother, Raymond, for the murder. Six years later, Raymond escapes from the state mental hospital to exact bloody revenge.

Raymond Did It stars Lindsay Felton and Jessica Palette of VH1 Scream Queens, Indie Horror darling Elissa Dowling, Steven Edwards, Jake Skiba, Ty Yaeger, and Kyle Hoskins as Raymond.

Written and Directed by Travis Legge

Director of Photography Tim Stotz


Edited by Robert J. Williams

For more information including trailers, screening schedules, and reviews visit raymonddidit.com

Husk 2010 - REVIEW


I'm the type of person that will watch a film and then hit all the popular sites to see how it was received by everyone else. Believe me when I say that this does not affect my take on it whatsoever. If I like it, I'm not afraid to say so and if I hate it, I'm not afraid to say so. Of course as usual, not everyone is going to agree with my opinions and that's ok. Lord knows I don't agree with everyone else all the time either. But you can bet, once I write it, I stand by it no matter the shit storm that rains down and boy have I weathered some shit storms.

When a murder of crows smash into their car windshield, a group of young friends are forced to abandon the vehicle, leaving them stranded beside a desolate cornfield. Hidden deep within the cornfield they find a crumbling farmhouse – but they soon discover that instead of a sanctuary, the house is actually the center of a terrifying supernatural ritual that they are about to become a part of.

C.J. Thomason, Wes Chatham, and Devon Graye lead this testosterone filled cast and they do a pretty good job at it. I remember Thomason from his role on Harper's Island, which freaking ROCKED, so there was no surprise there that he gave a good performance. I can't really say that I've seen much work by the others. Graye has done a lot of TV work and Chatham worked with a pretty high profile cast in In the Valley of Elah so they all have fairly impressive resumes. The loan female of the bunch, Tammin Sursok, held her own against the guys and pulled off some pretty notable scenes of her own.

I've read a lot of bad press on this film. Some of it I agree with but some of it I don't. While I did take issues with a few things, I didn't think Husk was all that bad. I thought the premise, while done many times over, was a pretty good base to build off of. Director Brett Simmons adds a few new things to the mix but it's hard to get into without spoiling the story. So I'll just say, you gotta watch it to find out.

The down side is that this film has caught the same plague as many others before it being that it's a bit cliche. You're given a cast of five pretty people thrown into something "otherworldly" and now they have to get out. Character wise we're given the usual suspects to root for... the jock, the geek, the pretty girl and the craven. None of these characters are explored too deeply so it is a little hard to pick one to cheer on. However, I have a little crush on Thomason so I was secretly going for him anyway. The dialogue gets a bit stiff in places and there are some crazy out there things that happen without explanation. Usually, I hate that but it didn't bother me all that much here. I can't quite put my finger on it but there was just something about it that drew me in. Maybe it was the creepy scarecrows that had me cringing a little at times or maybe it was just Thomason. Who knows. I didn't hate this film but I didn't love it either. It just kinda fell into the middle for me. Would I watch it again? Yes because it was effective enough to entertain me. Would I recommend it? Yes because I would hope that at least a few see it the same way I did.

18 February 2011

Twisted Central Spotlights Rising Star Jennifer Kelly


As every horror fan knows, February marks Women of Horror month and lots of sites are shining the spotlight on a different WOH each week. I, however, have chose to pick ONE rising star out of the bunch and focus on her alone. I had many conversations with Jennifer Kelly before realizing what a bright future she has in the horror industry and couldn't pass up this opportunity to bring some attention her way. Not only is she a great make up artist but she's an actor as well and looks forward to becoming the next Scream Queen.

Jennifer took some time to tell me (and you) a little about herself.

"I love all things macabre. My dad got me started watching horror movies. Psycho was the first horror film I saw and I was hooked."

She went to school and studied makeup and acting and did a few short films but decided, at the time, that wasn't the best thing for her and she decided to "grow up and get a real job.". The horror bug never left her and after moving to Arizona, she decided to go back to school for her Masters degree. She was given an opportunity to start up in film again with CatchMeKillMe Productions where she says she learned how to scream well and even more about the horror genre and the film industry in general. She says she is very grateful for the opportunity and is confident that her journey into the darkness will continue. Let's all join her in her quest to be the next SCREAM QUEEN!!

You can follow Jennifer on twitter and be sure to check out her blog.

Love and hugs Jennifer! You're already a star to me!!

15 February 2011

The Dead Hour: Episode 1 "Donor" - REVIEW


The Dead Hours is a horror/suspense webseries that has taken a cue from classics like The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. The series was created by Daniel B. Iske & Scott Coleman who are also responsible for the award winning Indie horror The Wretched. Each episode is approximately fifteen minutes in length, and the first season has five episodes. The Dead Hour anthology is a radio show hosted by DJ Raven who introduces her listeners to a new tale of horror every week.

Episode 1: Donor: In a time where banks are failing, homes are shuttered, and one-and-a-half out of ten people are unemployed, Seth discovers a way to maintain the lifestyle he and his wife have become accustomed to… but at a crippling cost.

With a running time of right about 17 minutes, you'd think it would be hard to get entranced in the story but it's actually not. It starts out with a creepy kind of desperation and Mark Booker plays it to pretty much perfection. Cheri Bloomingdale also does a good job as the materialistic wife whose only concern is getting what she wants, no matter the cost. Viewers will have no problem getting pulled into this tale of macabre.

Be sure and check out this episode and the rest at thedeadhour.com. You definitely won't be disappointed.

13 February 2011

My Soul to Take 2010 - REVIEW


Sometimes I wonder if reviewing films has warped my ability to just sit and watch something without over analyzing or picking it apart in some form or another. What if I didn't have to pay attention to the cinematography or the score or the lines of dialogue? Would I then be able to just sit and watch and enjoy? I remember being young and going to the movies and mindlessly watching what's in front of me and not really caring if it was good or not as long as it entertained me. I look at most films today and all I can think is "What a bunch of shit." Have films really gotten that bad or have I just gotten too old to be able to appreciate it the same way? Then along comes My Soul to Take.

In Riverton there is a legend of a serial killer known as The Ripper who swore revenge on the seven children born the night he died. 16 years later, people are being murdered again. Has The Ripper been reincarnated as one of the seven teens, or did he survive the night he supposedly died, hiding in the forest waiting to exact his revenge? Only one of the kids knows the answer. Bug (Max Thieriot), one of the seven born that night, is plagued by terrifying visions of his murdered friends but is unable to tell if they are true or just a figment of his imagination. If he hopes to save his friends from The Ripper, he'll have to face an evil that won't stop until it finishes what it started.

Not a completely new concept but it's a good enough foundation to build on. Unfortunately Wes Craven, who I love by the way, (I'm sorry Wes) didn't succeed at constructing this one. The first 20 minutes or so set the bar pretty high. There was the reveal of a mild mannered family man to be a town's serial killer, The Ripper, who just wouldn't die with some good performances by Raul Esparza and Harris Yulin and a pretty intense showdown of good and evil. Then a not so great scene involving a ritual or right of passage where "The Riverton 7" get together on their birthdays to face The Ripper (in puppet form) and knock him down sending him back to his watery grave. After that there's a pretty decent Cravenesque bridge scene. All of which showcased the potential for this to be a classic Craven horror/thriller but unfortunately, that's about as good as it gets.

Among many other things, MSTT suffers from one of the most unlikeable casts I've seen in a horror in a long time. I didn't buy Nick Lashaway as the bully/jock of the group and the Fang (Emily Meade) character was so unbelievably ridiculous. I don't know about you but I never encountered anyone in high school who ran a criminal enterprise out of the girl's bathroom. It was hard enough to believe that these 20 somethings were teenagers but to throw things in a script just to fill time and confuse the viewer is inexcusable to me. Especially from someone who for almost 40 years has been passing out nightmares like they were candy. Not only are we asked to believe that Bug is this completely clueless, naive 16 year old but Craven also wants us to think that a bitch like Fang has never muttered a word to him about his past? And don't even get me started on the blind kid, Jerome (Denzel Whitaker), who not only treks through the dense woods all on his own but climbs into 2 story windows in the middle of the night. It's unfathomable that any of these "teenagers" would even talk to each other much less gather once a year and make nice. Craven has filled this script with not only plot holes big enough to drive a semi through but character holes as well. No one other than Bug is ever explored deep enough for you to give two shits whether they get maimed or murdered and some of them will leave you hoping they are.

This is Wes Craven’s first film since Red Eye in 2005, and his first as both a writer and director since New Nightmare in 1994. He brings in a few of his iconic touches but most of them you won't see unless you watch the bonus features. It's just so unfortunate that MSTT is nothing more than big budget entertainment for teens which I have no doubt they will find visually stimulating. Hell, I sat through it twice just so I could see what the reactions of my teens would be and of course they loved it. Why wouldn't they? What teen really cares about plot points and story structure? It's apparent that this was his target audience. Throw a bunch of semi-hot (sorry) teens on the screen and kill them off in not so glorious ways and you've got a film that the teenage crowd will line up to see. Too bad it was so bogged down with dialogue and insignificant information that most of them probably left scratching their heads.

I will be honest and admit that after a second viewing, I did "get it" a little better but still not enough make me a fan. Sorry Wes!

11 February 2011

The Roommate 2011 - REVIEW


What's the difference between mainstream Hollywood horror/thrillers and Indie horror/thrillers? Money? Big names? Access to great locations? The answer is yes, all of the above. BUT, let's explore that a bit by using some of my favorite Indie horrors and comparing them to The Roommate.
We'll start off with one I recently watched, Raymond Did It, which had an estimated budget of 40K, a couple of scream queens and they used the crew's houses (if I remember correctly) as their locations.
Paranormal Activity burst onto the big screen on a budget of and estimated 15K, a cast of basically "unknowns" and was shot entirely in one apartment.
The Dark Hours had a little bit of a bigger budget of 500K (estimated), a more "known" cast and was done in a cabin in the woods.
Which brings me to Pontypool my Pontypool. It cracks the 1 mil mark and had the very well known Stephen McHattie in it but was done in the basement of a church.
You're probably wondering why I'm bothering you with all this useless knowledge? I promise, I'll get to that and then you'll understand.

Sara (Minka Kelly) is a small town girl who comes to LA to study fashion. She ends up rooming with Rebecca (Leighton Meester), who seems nice enough at first. It's not long before the obsessive and extremely psychotic Rebecca grows envoious of anyone else in Sara's life and decides she would be better off without them.

I am not a Meester fan. In my opinion being able to pout your way through the entire film doesn't qualify you as a good actor. I've seen several of her films and I can honestly say that I didn't like her performance in any of them. Kelly just kinda grinned the entire time and I'm honestly not sure if Cam Gigandet can talk with his eyes open or not. Yes, it's cute and the teeny boppers will love it but come on! Characters that could've elevated the level of the film were ignored, i.e. Billy Zane and Danneel Harris, to the point of one minute they were there and the next gone with some stupid, shitty explanation of what happened to them. Maybe the oddest thing about the whole thing is after going through all the trouble to get rid of all the other people in Sara's life, Rebecca doesn't even target Gigandet. No, giving him a stupid look through a bookshelf is not considered scary or creepy it's just... weird.

This film was just all over the place. Almost like it was shot one way and then someone who wanted to fuck with Christian E. Christiansen snuck in and chopped the fuck out of it. Scenes that could've and should've been left out dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. There was very little discussion of Rebecca's psychosis... HELLO MCFLY... isn't that the whole focus of the story? If someone is a fucking nut job there's always a reason for it, be it an outside influence or just being dealt a fucked up hand in life. Either way, explain it! Someone should tell Sonny Mallhi that a simple little pout or pissy look can't tell the story for him. And not only that, it can sometimes be mistaken for constipation. When it was all said and done, this was nothing but an over glorified CW show that should've just been made for TV. See how nice I am, I'm not even gonna point out the fact that this was merely a rip off of the far superior 1992 Single White Female... oops, I didn't it anyway. My bad.

So, back to my opening remarks... If Paranormal Activity and Raymond Did It can come off as good as they did with a budget of less than 40K and unknown actors, why the fuck is Hollywood still throwing money into huge productions and overpaying actors who wouldn't know what to do with a script if the directions were tattooed on their eyelids. The Roommate cost 16 million dollars to make and what did they end up with... A ripped off (Single White Female) belly button ring and no blood, a tumble dried little kitty and no blood, a murder and no blood and a sex scene so bland a Baptist preacher could sit and watch with his teenage daughter. Kinda makes you wonder where 16 million dollars went huh? Calling this film a thriller is like calling Twilight a horror film, no one will believe you and it's quite possible you might get hit.
Avoid this film, avoid the DVD, it's not even worth a free Netflix instant queue viewing.

08 February 2011

INTERVIEW - Angelina Armani on ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2



Since LAID TO REST 2 is set to be released later this year, I thought it would be nice to have a little chat with one of the stars of the film, Angelina Armani. Not only was she gracious and approachable but she's also very open about what we can expect from the sequel to Robert Hall's Laid to Rest. Check out what she has to say about ChromeSkull's reign of terror and being invited to guest at this year's Texas Frightmare Weekend and also some behind the scenes photos of her in action.

Twisted Central: I guess the best place to start is if you could briefly tell me a little about yourself. Have you always been a fan of horror films and if so, what are some of your favorites?
Angelina: You hit me with the hardest question first. It's so hard to describe yourself briefly in so few letters. I started runway modeling in New York and moved to LA at 19 to be an aspiring actress. I just finished shooting in a sequel called ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2. This movie has been written and directed by Robert Hall, and should be released fall of 2011. I have always been a huge horror fan since I was a little girl. It's all I would watch. My mom showed me that horror movies were for entertainment and couldn't hurt me from watching them so I grew attached to the genre. Some of my favorites are the instant classics like Halloween, Friday The 13th, Prince Of darkness, and so many more that couldn't all fit in this interview.

Twisted Central: How did you become involved with ChromeSkull?
Angelina: When I found out that a sequel was in the making, I knew I had to be in on it. I auditioned for a role of a detective. Next thing I knew, a script was in my hand.

Twisted Central: I was only recently able to actually watch Laid to Rest and I found it quite enjoyable and thought it had some of the most inventive kills I've seen in a while. Can we expect the same thing from this second chapter?
Angelina: Robert Hall promises double the kills with twice the blood shed. So I hope the viewers have high expectations because that's what their getting.

Twisted Central: What do you enjoy most about Laid to Rest and the ChromeSkull character?
Angelina: I think I can relate to the audience and say I enjoy it for its gruesome kills. As far as ChromeSkull, he's a legendary killer in the making. Robert Hall has created a piece of history that will indeed embed itself in the horror world. ChromeSkull is known for the best kills out of any horror flick. He's fast and has absolutely zero mercy on his victims and the ones to come.


Twisted Central: What affect has being part of ChromeSkull had on your life?
Angelina: My vision has definitely expanded. I get to sit back and see things through the killers eyes since I'm always on set. The affect has mostly been the learning experience.

Twisted Central: There are so many "big" names associated with this film i.e. Brian Austin Green and legendary horror actress Danielle Harris. What was it like working right along side them?
Angelina: Brian is the absolute best. He's so easy going and sweet! I didn't get to work with Danielle in LTR but I'm sure we'll hopefully cross paths again in another movie.

Twisted Central: Nick Principe gives me chills as ChromeSkull, I find him extremely intimidating and creepy (even with the mask on), were there any jump out and scare ya moments on set?
Angelina: I was opening a few of the caskets on set looking for something and nick was sleeping inside one of them with his mask on. I jumped and slammed the lid on his head when he sat up. It's more humorous than scary but I figured I'd share it.

Twisted Central: What other projects do you have coming up? More horror?
Angelina: I have so much coming up. Definitely more horror although I am not opposed to any other genre. I'll be at lots of conventions this year promoting Laid To Rest 2 like HorrorHound Weekend Indianapolis, Texas Frightmare Weekend, and more.

Twisted Central: What a rush being invited as a guest to Texas Frightmare Weekend! What are you most looking forward to during TFW?
Angelina: Definitely the fans. Its ALL for the fans. I've been to Texas only once before and loved it there. Everyone is so down to earth and super sweet. I can't wait to meet them all.

Thanks again to Angelina for taking the time to answer some questions.

You can stay updated by following them on twitter at @AngelinaArmani and @laidtorestmovie or by joining the Laid to Rest Facebook fan page.

07 February 2011

Raymond Did It 2011 - REVIEW


While most people scour the Internet and movie news sites looking for the "next great movie" that's coming out, I just kinda hang back and keep an eye on the indie scene. As far as I'm concerned that's where the greatness is coming from these days. After all, wasn't Hatchet just an indie glimmer in Adam Green's eye when it came about? Or how about Feast, Pontypool, Ginger Snaps, Eden Lake, May or one of my new faves, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon? The list could literally go on and on. Watch any of these films and you will see what a micro budget, some imagination and a little hard work can deliver. It's getting to a point where I don't even go to the theater for big studio horror anymore. What's the point? It's all over done, re-done or just plain done. There's absolutely nothing original coming out of H-Wood anymore. At least not as far as horror goes. I'd rather just wait for a screener or DVD release and kick back at home with a few friends (who am I kidding, I don't have friends) and a little alcohol. Don't get me wrong, indie horror has it's share of stinkers too but when a gem like one of the aforementioned films comes around... instant gratification.

I'm quickly becoming aware of the effort that goes into a micro budget film be it short or feature length and I'm gaining a new respect for the people that make it happen. From directors/producers who put in their own money to actors who put their best face forward on a strictly no/low paying gig.

Raymond Did It is a slasher film in the tradition of Halloween and Prom Night. When twelve-year-old Bryce Rourke is accidentally killed in a playground scuffle, his friends decide to blame Bryce's developmentally delayed older brother for the accident. Raymond is taken to a state hospital while the true killer walks free. Six years later, Raymond escapes from the hospital to seek bloody revenge for his brother's death.

This is not your typical indie horror cast. Lindsay Felton from VH1’s Scream Queens plays Tammy, who was Raymond's only friend and the only one who had any remorse whatsoever about Bryce's death. Also from Scream Queens, Jessica Palette appears as Jayme, and horror veteran Elissa Dowling stars as the manipulative Paige. Newcomer Kyle Hoskins plays Raymond in his first feature-length film and he tears the screen up with his imposing 6'5" bulky stature. He's not really given much to say but just knowing the back story of the character, it's easy to sympathize with his character and it doesn't hurt that he pulls off the timid nature of Raymond pretty well.

Travis Legge pulls out (IMO) a very solid micro budget horror here. It doesn't have the normally shoddy sound that is infamous in these kinds of Indie films. The score is reminiscent of John Carpenter's original Halloween. (I can think of one shot in particular that brought me right back to the streets of Haddonfield.) The down side, there are a couple of choppy scenes (not overly noticable) and one or two rushed kills but the gore makes up for it. One little hint... washing machine. Not to mention the ending kinda leaves it open for a sequel. Will there be a sequel Mr. Legge?? C'mon, you can tell me.

In my opinion Legge has created one of those gems that come along every so often and he's someone who will do very well amongst the horror fiends and I for one can't wait to see what he does next..... Perhaps The Social Media Massacre with me?? Time will tell.

01 February 2011

Zombie Ink Comics to Release MonsterMatt’s Wolff’s Run



Buffalo, NY January 26

Buffalo-based independent comic publisher Zombie Ink Comics is proud to announce that they will be releasing Wolff’s Run written by MonsterMatt Patterson (MonsterMatt’s Bad Monster Jokes Vol. 1) and illustrated by tattoo-artist Bob Bieber. Zombie Ink is shooting for a mid-2011 release for the three issue mini-series.

Combining equal parts horror, sci-fi, and crime noir set in the Prohibition Era, Wolff’s Run promises to be a dark hard-boiled romp full of surprises! The story follows Frank Wolff, an illegal immigrant smuggler and rum runner on the Canadian border who crosses the wrong people and finds himself the subject of a twisted experiment! Wolff’s Run fits in perfectly with Zombie Ink Comics’ brand of underground pulp comics.