Penance Lane is the new horrifying feature coming from Mane Entertainment. The film, written by Munier Sharrieff (Battle Chasers, Battle of the Planets) is the second motion picture from Mane Entertainment, the production house founded by Tyler Mane and Renae Geerlings.
Their first film, Compound Fracture has just secured domestic distribution so look for more information on that coming very soon!! The film which starred Tyler Mane, Muse Watson, Derek Mears and Renae Geerlings just wrapped up screening tour where it has received stellar reviews (check out mine here).
Now they are back at it with Penance Lane. Check out the synopsis:
The population of Chesterton just grew by one. Crimson Matthews, so fresh from the joint you can still see the cuff marks, just dropped his hitch-hiking boots onto Main Street. His car bomb temper has left a trail of shattered windows and broken jaws but Crimson is ready for a fresh start… perhaps wishful thinking considering his weakness for women in trouble.
Chesterton, however, could be a challenge. A ghost of a town since the mine shut down, Chesterton takes care of its own, and Crimson, with his glare and web of tattoos, is definitely an outsider. Then, Father John, guardian of the town's hopes, who owns a dilapidated property on Penance Lane, extends a kindly hand and offers Crimson the job as handyman. Crimson eyes the once-beautiful estate and realizes this is a second chance for the both of them.
But when Crimson uncovers something hidden and long-buried within the walls of Penance Lane he unleashes a world of dark secrets and violent intent. With the threat of being dragged into its hellish depths, will Crimson finally learn when to walk away? Or will he drag the town of Chesterton into this nightmare prison greater than anything he's ever known or even imagined?
The film will star Tyler Mane, Leslie Easterbrook, Renae Geerlings and most recently added, Muse Watson. They have some great perks for donating so be sure to check out their Indiegogo campaign. Donate if you can or share if you can't. Everything helps when you're making a film! You can also keep up with the progress of the film there.
I had the pleasure of attending Texas Frightmare Weekend for the fourth year in a row. It's probably one of the best conventions I've been to. Not only is it very well managed but it's local which means once a year our little (read big) family of horror lovers get to reunite and hang out and have a great time. For me, it's becoming less and less about the guests and more about being with friends. This year we decided to get an early start and headed up on Thursday, which gave us the opportunity to go to the Compound Fracture screening at The Texas Theatre. Stars Tyler Mane and Renae Geerlings were on hand signing posters and posing on the red carpet with fans. It was really a great time.
Michael (Mane) left home when he was a teenager and never looked back. Now, after the death of his sister, Chloe (Susan Angelo), he's returning home with his fiancee Juliette (Geerlings) and his angst ridden nephew Brandon (Alex Saxon). On arrival, they realize that home isn't exactly what it used to be. With high walls surrounding the house and security cameras in every nook and cranny it's more of a military compound than anything else. Enter Gary (Muse Watson), Michael's estranged father who, while happy to be reunited with his son and grandson, seems more than distracted by other things. As the strange family reunion commences, an uninvited guest shows up and we learn bits and pieces about the real reason behind Chloe's death and why Brandon is so closed off from Michael. This fractured family will have to come together to fight the ghosts from their pasts and make it out alive.
I could talk about this cast all day long and I still wouldn't be able to express how phenomenal they were in this film. To have four iconic serial killers on one screen is more than epic casting. Mane, better known as the sadistic Michael Myers in Rob Zombie's Halloween films, shows us a softer side in Compound Fracture and delivers a performance that enables horror fans to see what an amazing actor he truly is. He brought depth and believability to family man Michael. Derek Mears, AKA Jason in Friday the 13th, returns to his roots as a tormented evil spirit determined to exact revenge on the Wolffsen clan. As we all know, Mears knows how to do tormented, twisted and evil and he knows how to do it well. Watson shows that his talents go way beyond just stalking teenagers in I Know What you Did Last Summer. His portrayal of the a father with a rapidly diminishing mind struggling to make everyone believe he's still lucid is both touching and impressive. Let's not forget Mother Firefly herself Leslie Easterbrook who does a complete 180° with this character. She's soft and sweet and meager in Gary's shadow but also his rock during the bad spells. Her life in turmoil, she wants nothing more than to keep her family together and she plays it to perfection. Geerlings and Saxon also give stellar performances as the two clueless newcomers. One longs to be part of the family and the other just wants to get away. With this cast of characters, it can only be amazing.
Where most films of this type fall apart is where Compound Fracture flourishes. Writers Mane and Geerlings made sure they had strong, solid characters that their audience would care about. As each layer of the film is peeled back, the viewer is drawn deeper and deeper into the story itself. Director Anthony J. Rickert-Epstein also does a great job propelling the story forward at the right moments. In the end, Compound Fracture comes together nicely and ends up being an impressive supernatural tale. This being the first production from Mane Entertainment, I see nothing but grand things in their future.
To coincide with his appearance at Texas Frightmare Weekend, Tyler Mane will be hosting a special presentation of his new film Compound Fracture and YOU are invited!! The event is taking place at The Texas Theatre on May 2, 2013. As an added bonus, purchase your tickets through Eventbrite using this link, 10% of your ticket sale will go toward our annual fundraiser, Twisted Tails Film Festival, benefiting Paws in the City.
From the press release:
Dallas, TX (April 5, 2013) – Tyler Mane (HALLOWEEN, X-MEN, TROY) brings his new supernatural horror movie COMPOUND FRACTURE to Dallas, Texas during a double feature event that also includes Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN at The Texas Theatre on May 2, 2013 for ONE NIGHT ONLY.
Hardcore horror fans will have the opportunity to meet the actor and watch the film with Mane, who played Michael Myers in both Rob Zombie films HALLOWEEN and HALLOWEEN II and now stars in the next-level horror production COMPOUND FRACTURE.
Ticket buyers will be able to choose between three levels of access: the General Admission Ticket to view COMPOUND FRACTURE, the VIP Silver Ticket to view the Double Feature which includes meet and greet with Mane and Geerlings, special collectible wristband, and automatic entry into the nightly prize drawing, and for those who want more one on one time with Tyler Mane, the VIP Gold Ticket will give all the perks of the VIP Silver plus a full-sized movie poster and access to the private after party with the horror superstar. The Grand Prize nightly drawing winner will continue to the final drawing at the end of the multiple-city tour and will be eligible to win a host of prizes, including the chance to be killed by Mane in his next film, PENANCE LANE, or to win the actor’s screen-worn Michael Myers HALLOWEEN jumpsuit.
COMPOUND FRACTURE is a bone-chilling, independent, supernatural horror movie that brings three iconic killers together on the big screen like never before. It will take you deeper than the normal horror-thriller fare, down into a world of family secrets, crazy obsession and unimaginable dementia – and just when it seems you might escape the mad house, you find that it’s the only thing keeping you alive. Watch in horror and admiration as a shattered family comes together when it is faced with complete and utter extinction.
With consistently positive reviews, COMPOUND FRACTURE stars Tyler Mane (HALLOWEEN, X-MEN, TROY), Muse Watson (Ben Willis from I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, NCIS), Derek Mears (Jason from FRIDAY THE 13th, HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCHUNTERS), Leslie Easterbrook (THE DEVIL’S REJECTS, Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN), Todd Farmer (DRIVE ANGRY, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, JASON X) and Daniel Roebuck (LOST, Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN I and II, FINAL DESTINATION).
Be sure to check out the video interviews with producers of the film as well as the audience reviews from the Greensboro, NC screening on March 28, 2013.
This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Horrorhound Convention in Cincinnati, OH. Like many conventions this year the 10 yr anniversary of House of 1000 Corpses is making their rounds. Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Jennifer Jostyn just to name a few. This inspired me after the day was over to go home and watching The Devil's Rejects. I chose the sequel because I am not really a huge fan of the original and there are not many movies you can say that about.
The Firefly house is quiet and everyone is sleeping until a herd of police surround the property ready to take force and bring down the family. Rufus (Tyler Mane) is already downstairs in his armor ready for battle. Otis (Bill Moseley), Baby (Sherri Moon Zombie), and Mother Firefly (Leslie Easterbrook) join him downstairs were the gunfire ensues. Otis and Baby get away while Mother Firefly attends to a dead Rufus, she is taken by the police squad led by Sheriff Wydell (William Forsythe). Baby and Otis quickly get a car and contact the real leader of their group, Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig). They agree to meet up at a hotel and get a game plan together so they can make their getaway. On the other side Sheriff Wydell is preparing for revenge for the death of his brother in the hands of the sick Firefly family. To him this is personal and he will not stop until they are all dead.
In my opinion this is Rob Zombie's best film to date. In this film Rob really was able to harness what he was trying to do with House of 1000 Corpses. House's story was all over the place were here it is much less clustered and gets the point across quickly. One of the big reasons for the success was bringing back the main crew of Bill, Sid, and Sherri. They really do make a good team. Karen Black did not return as Mother Firefly but Leslie Easterbrook did a fine job of taking on the role. While no one really compares to the likes of Karen, Leslie looks very similar and can act just a crazy as Karen can.
Like most Zombie films this included many cameo's and smaller roles by well known actors and actresses such as Ginger Lynn, Geoffry Lewis and Danny Trejo. Zombie has his regulars he likes to use in his films and it usually works. The best performance in this film however was from Moseley. Not since Chop Top for me has his character been more disturbed. Sid give his good performance as usual and Sherri, well she is Sherri and acts as good as she can I guess. I really do not dislike her but as someone told me recently "she does not emote her emotions!" After hearing that I now pay closer attention to her face rather than the rest of her body and that person is right.
Rob Zombie, if you notice, likes to pay homage to the 70's exploitation films. While never outright saying this movie was set in the 70's or present day, the soundtrack tends to give a different impression. I really like the classic rock as the soundtrack. Specially "Freebird" at the end of the film. It's just fantastic placement for a dramatic ending. To me, I'll say it again, this is Rob Zombie at this best. He may not be able to top this 2005 gem. Stay twisted everyone!
The world of horror has been inundated with the "trapped" plot for years. 1959 brought us House on Haunted Hill where guests were invited to a "lock in" type haunted house party. The film was later remade (1999) with the location changing to a haunted asylum. Ghost Ship 2002 (also a remake, the original being from 1952) changed things up a bit giving their cast an even bleaker outlook by trapping them on a decrepit old ship in the middle of the ocean. Alien - trapped in a space ship... in space. The Mist - trapped in a grocery store. Get the point?? All of these films allow the film maker a little more freedom with the whole of the film. The cast can wander around, discover clues, find dead bodies, etc... Once we delve into the more sinister "trapped" locations we come up with films where convincing an audience to be terrified becomes a little harder. Panic Room 2002 (back when Kristen Stewart actually had facial expressions and Jodie Foster was still straight) left a mother and daughter trapped in one single room while trying to elude the intruders in their home. Devil (eye roll) tightened things up a bit by leaving it's cast stuck in an elevator with, what else, the Devil. Buried took things way farther with the whole film being shot while Ryan Reynolds was trapped in a coffin. Can you say claustrophobic? Enjoying the film lesson?? I really could go on and on but I won't. SO, after all the places that people have been trapped in horror films is it really a surprise that we'd eventually get one that involves a sauna??
As you would expect, the acting here is pretty stellar. Taylor-Compton is great at portraying the damaged girl. She manages to bring much believability to a severely over played character type. Van Winkle goes against his usual type cast here and actually plays a good guy for once and he's convincing at it as well. Copon and Ulloa, while not the most interesting characters in the world, play well off of each other. Out of the entire cast, Mane spends the least amount of time on screen and was easily the most likable of the bunch. I know that's hard to believe considering how effective he was as Michael Myers in Rob Zombie'sHalloween. Well, him and his dog... Beau (Rene Etore). Beau was GREAT!!
The film is very well lensed and there are some especially beautiful exterior shots at the beginning. Unfortunately, that's about as good as it gets for me. Directors Levan Bakhia and Beqa Jguburia do manage to sneak in a couple of intense scenes but aren't able to keep that momentum going for more than a few minutes at a time. Instead we're given a lot of unnecessary cut aways showing us what Wade is up to and where Michael has been. We're subjected to mind numbingly long flash back sequences that do nothing but negate the rest of the storyline. Going "outside" the sauna, takes away their opportunity to make this an intense, claustrophobic thriller because we get it that these people are in a desperate situation but we never really have time to feel sorry for them. Instead what we end up with is a made for TV drama that would be better suited for the Lifetime channel. What?!? It could happen... it IS based on actual events (info here). Unless you're into that kind of thing, I'd suggest skipping this one.
HORROR CELEBRITIES KANE HODDER (“JASON VOORHEES") & TYLER MANE ("MICHAELMYERS") TO STAR IN FAN-DRIVEN HORROR MOVIE
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 7, 2012)—The actors who portrayed two of the most notorious serial killers in cinema are teaming up to do a feature-length film specifically for and with horror fans. It’s called “Casket County Massacre” (www.CasketCounty.com).
Kane Hodder ("Jason Voorhees" in Friday the 13th Parts 7-10, “Victor Crowley” in Hatchet 1-3) and Tyler Mane ("Michael Myers" in Rob Zombie’s Halloween movies, "Sabretooth" in X-Men) have joined deadly forces to play immortal outlaw brothers from the 1850s who terrorize a modern day all-girl rock band in a deserted ghost town.
In a new approach to filmmaking, the creative team will also involve fans by giving them behind-the-scenes access to the production via a "Filmmaker" website. Fans will have the opportunity to view auditions and help cast the film, decide key plot points, vote on who lives and who dies, and see special effects and other production crafts at work during the making of the movie, and much more.
“I wish something like this existed 20 years ago,” says Hodder who is a horror fan himself. “What better way to actually have a hand in making a horror film than to be a part of it from the beginning like we’re going to do with Casket County Massacre."
Director Paul Morrell ("Texas Chainsaw Musical," "Filth to Ashes," "Huff") and the stars of the film have all signed on pending fan-funding of the project through the popular Kickstarter website (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sumojack/casket-county-massacre). Supporters can pledge from $10 to $10,000 and receive rewards such astheir name in the credits, DVDs of the movie when it’s released in 2013, get slaughtered in the film by Hodder or Mane, become a co-producer of the movie with full access to the set, or even receive a major role complete with acting lessons and dialogue coach.
“This is a dream come true,” proclaims Mane who says he loved pretending he was Billy the Kid when he was a child. “We’re going to have a lot of fun and we’re going to kill a lot of people."
This is the first time Hodder and Mane will appear in the same film.
To view a welcome video featuring Hodder and Mane or donate to the project, visit www.CasketCounty.com.
One of the best things about being a horror movie fan is attending the conventions that occur all over the country. Meeting all the vendors in the industry along with some of the actors and actresses that appear in the movies you love. While not all fun and games you do have to deal with the crowds and stand in sometimes very long lines, but if your a big enough fan its all well worth it. It also depends on how well organizer for the event handles all the obstacles as well. Horrorhound always does a great job of this. There are always going to be complaints about the crowds and how large the facility is, but its a convention no matter how large the venue is its going to be crowded. Horrorhound puts together one of the best cons twice a year every year since 2007 and this year in Columbus is no different.
This years theme was Women in Horror honoring some of the women who have made this genre great. What Horrorhound has also done is pair some of the women up with their stalker or killer. Example: Amy Steel was there and next to her was Steve Dash who played Jason in Friday the 13th Part 2. Clelebrity guests included: Adrienne Barbeau, Scout Taylor Compton,Danielle Harris, Lisa Wilcox, Cerina Vincent, Tyler Mane, Cassandra Peterson,Norman Reedus and many more. The big name to me on this ballot was Pam Grier. She had her own room to sign in, a very large conference table to hold her massive assortment of photos and also her book.
There were a few reunions such as From Beyond which included: Barbara Crampton,Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, and directorStuart Gordon. Its also worth mentioning that all three were also in Re-Animator with Ian Patrick Williams who was also in attendance. Another mini reunion was Rob Zombie's Halloween with Scout Taylor Compton, Danielle Harris and Tyler Mane. Who is even larger in person than he looks in Halloween. The big reunion was Day of the Dead. Appearing from the movie was:Lori Cardille, Taso Stavrakis, Anthony Dileo, Mark Tierno,Debra Gordon, and John Vulich.
As i have said above Horrorhound has one of the best guest lineups around. When you are there you can do nothing but have fun. A few of the lines were long namely Norman Reedus's, Cassandra Peterson's and Pam Grier's. I toughed it out through two of the lines and skipped meeting Cassandra Peterson which i may regret later but you can't meet them all i guess. Well you can but that costs allot to do that. I did have the pleasure of meeting majority of who was there. Even an added bonus i got to meet the actress I interviewed a couple months ago, Pretty Poison. She is an absolute doll and cannot wait to see her in more films. To wrap it up, it was an awesome weekend and i can't wait to do it again in September in Indy. Stay twisted everyone!
