Eating Miss Campbell

Director - Liam Regan (My Bloody Banjo, Self Induced Nightmares)

Starring - Lyndsey Craine (How to Kill Monsters, Book of Monsters), Lala Barlow (Metro Sexual, Get Krack!n), and Vito Trigo (Pig Pen, Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High aka Vol. 2)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Nostalgia is cancer"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get films in all the time for review.  Some are movies I request while others are sent my way to check out without my knowledge.  I'm always grateful for the films that I get in for review but sometimes I find a film I really want to see that isn't sent my way for review.  I typically watch them while I'm working on a review but every once in awhile I'll catch a flick that wasn't sent for review but I want to talk about it.  For a few years now I've followed Liam Regan and his film Eating Miss Campbell.  I donated to his campaign for the film and received a copy of it on blu along with his previous film My Bloody Banjo.  I put these up to watch at a later time and completely forgot about them until I was organizing some things.  As soon as I found the blu I quickly tossed it in  to check out.  

     The film follows a vegan goth high school student who is often the butt of the popular kid's jokes while living in aa cliched horror film that only she can see. As the new school year ramps up, she becomes infatuated with the new teacher, Miss Campbell.  She also discovers that she has a taste for human flesh and uses that to her advantage to get rid of a date raping jock.  She then plans on enrolling in a contest where she can win a gun so she can use it to end it all.

     Eating Miss Campbell is a truly unique horror comedy that pokes fun at America while paying homage to counter-culture cinema.  Honestly, I was not expecting the film to have as many layers as it does but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is amazing.  I absolutely love the energy and intensity that Vito Trigo brings to his films.  He's a phenomenal actor that steals every scene he's in and Eating Miss Campbell is no different.  His character is the embodiment of all the problems that many American's face.  Honestly, as I sit here looking through the imdb page for the film I'm realizing that I will be here all night if I was to acknowledge every amazing performance the film has to offer.  Lyndsey Craine does a fantastic as the film's lead.  She's a natural beauty and extremely talented in front of the camera.  The supporting cast is just as great as well.  They do phenomenal jobs and bring about some very memorable characters.  The story for this one has a lot going on.  We have a lot of fourth wall breaking, school shootings, cannibalism, teacher student relations, and so much more.  The movie almost has too much going on but I do like the way it all comes together.  Honestly, some of the side stories could have been cut to improve the pacing but it's still fun the way it is.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood.  We get some solid practical effects at times but some of the props are laughable.  With that being said, the death are not that memorable but they are violent and bloody.  Overall, Eating Miss Campbell is a beautifully shot indie film that throws so much at the viewer who is not prepared for it.  It has one hell of a cast, an out there story, lots of blood, and self aware.  I highly recommend this one.  

Fear Street: Prom Queen

Director - Matt Palmer (Calibre, The Gas Man)

Starring - India Fowler (The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Trail), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), ad Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, FBI: Most Wanted)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Drop dead, gorgeous"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a product of my childhood.  I had one of the most iconic childhoods and was fortunate enough to live through what I would consider the most radical decades.  I was born in the mid 80s and grew up through the 90s.  I was introduced to Goosebumps by R. L. Stine when I was in third grade.  This opened the door to Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and so on.  However, my love for R. L. Stine never faltered.  I soon sought out his other series like Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street and so on.  He was my introduction to horror and I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for him.  In 2021 Netflix released the Fear Street trilogy.  The three films released a week apart and instantly became my favorite horror films of recent years.  Sadly, it took a few years before we got another installment.  Hell, I knew the film was coming but I had no idea it was released until I saw people posting about it on Facebook.  I quickly made time to check it out.

     The film takes place in 1988 as the senior class of Shadyside High prepares for their annual prom.  The popular girls in school work together so that their leader, Tiffany (Strazza), wins.  School outcast Lori (Fowler) enters the contest in hopes of winning so she can overshadow her past.  The students, especially Tiffany, often harass her.  Lori's father was murdered and her mother was trialed for the crime but was acquitted.  As time counts down to the crowning, the prom queen candidates are murdered one by one by a masked killer.

     I went into this one thinking about how amazing the original Fear Street trilogy was.  Sadly, this one is no where near as good but it was still worth a watch especially for the kills.  The acting in this one is great.  The characters, though cliched, was very well portrayed.  The dialogue felt natural, the characters pull out the correct emotions from the viewer, and the characters that was meant to be disliked is really unlikable.  While no one performance stands out, the film has an excellent cast.  The story for this one is very predictable.  It has cliched characters with a lot of detail and character development.  However, the film itself is very predictable.  As soon as the murders start you immediately start suspecting who the killer is and as the film progresses it becomes painfully clear who the real killer is.  Don't get me wrong, it's a decent straight forward slasher inspired by 90s slashers but you know what's going to happen before it does.  Finally, the film has several memorable kills with some knockout practical effects.  The kills are very unexpected and deliver a serious amount of blood that I honestly didn't think Netflix had the ball to give us.  The film is worth the watch for the death scenes alone.  Overall, Fear Street: Prom Queen is a film that you can enjoy for the fun kills but the predictable slasher story is not that imaginative or memorable.  I enjoyed it but I know a lot of the genre community will not because I am a little biased.  Fans of the books or R.L. Stine might want to check it out with an open mind.  

Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology

Director(s) - Blake Douglas, Ethan Gomez Zahnley (Johnny Wick: Chapter 2, Satan's Servant), and Lenny Ibarra

Starring - Joanna Zimbler (The Night Never Fades, Bad), Angelo Kern (Planetquake, Bull Shark 3), and Kimberly Girkin (Stage Fright, Monsters of Mine)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of horror anthologies for as long as I could remember.   I've mentioned several over the years that I grew up watching over and over.  Movies like Creepshow, Creepshow 2, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Tales  from the Darkside: The Movie, From a Whisper to a Scream, and so on.  I love checking out a new anthology and absolutely love when they have a fantastic wrap around segment that ties everything up neatly.  A few weeks back I found a post on Instagram for the indie horror anthology Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology.  I really liked the artwork and decided to reach out to the page.  They got back to me with a review link to check out.  I decided to check it out after my Visual Vengeance and want to take a moment to thank the folks over at the Welcome Week Instagram page for sending this one over!

     The film follows a group of college freshman going to a party during their first week at school.  However, things take a deadly turn when someone starts killing the students in gruesome manners.  One of the students reveals that he had hand to hand combat training in order to attend college because his siblings all met horrific fates while in college.  While trying to save his friends, he recounts their tragic tales while making his way across campus.

     I went into Welcome Week knowing absolutely nothing and was surprised by just how unique the film was.  Sadly, a lot of the film wasn't for me but that doesn't mean it will not find it's targeted audience.  I went into this one with an open mind but found myself not enjoying it like I had hoped.  The acting in this one is very well done and consistent which is something you don't really see in anthologies featuring segments from varying directors.  The characters are cliched and not written that well but the cast does a solid job with what they were given.  The stories for this one varies.  The wrap around segment is a cool idea while I was watching it but after watching the film it feels like a cheap way of pulling them all together.  It would have been more effective if each segment was written for the film and consistent.  Instead, it's clear that each one was filmed at different times and just happened to feature freshman in college meeting a horrible end.  Aside from the wraparound segment, none of the other segments reference each other.  Also, some of the stories actually feature similar stories to one another.  We follow college students dying to a mysterious killer or something supernatural and occult like.  Finally, the film has some blood and solid enough make-up effects.  These do fit the film but they are not memorable or imaginative.  Overall, Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology is one of those films that is interesting on paper but didn't work out too well on film.  It features a great cast but the stories themselves requires the viewer to overlook a lot for it to make sense.  Sadly, this is one I would skip.  

Furious

Director(s) - Tim Everitt (The Evil Inside Me, Rats in the Wall) and Tom Sartori

Starring - Simon Rhee (Double Impact, Bad Blood), Arlene Montano (L.A. Streetfighters), and Phillip Rhee (The Kentucky Fried Movie, Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave)

Release Date - 1984

Genre - Actio/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Karate heroes fights aliens for control of the astral plane!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been lucky enough to review several martial arts movies over the years.  Most of them were a lot of fun while others were clearly quick cash grabs.  Over the years I've found that I enjoy the more outlandish and absurd kung fu flicks over the ones that are grounded and centered around crime.  Several weeks back Visual Vengeance announced the blu release of the 1984 martial arts sci-fi flick Furious.  The artwork didn't strike my interest but the synopsis sold me on the film.  I went ahead and preordered it along with Dinosaur Valley Girls and when they arrived I quickly made time for them.

     The film follows Simon (Rhee) who is investigating the death of his sister.  His journey takes him to the city where he uncovers that she was murdered because of an amulet that was split into two pieces and given to them.  If the two halves of the amulet is put together it could mean certain doom for this plane of existence.

     Furious is said to be a cult classic at this point and I can see how it could have been traded around on VHS back in the day.  It had a few funny moments and the story is truly out there but it wasn't one I enjoyed.  Aside from the few laughs, I found myself waiting for it it end.  The acting in this one is consistent but it's laughably bad at times.  I've seen horror movies made with no budget in a teenager's back yard with no acting experience.  I've also seen horror flicks with a budget consisting of millions of dollars.  Both have offered up solid acting.  However, this one was not the best.  In fact, this one features some of the weakest acting I've seen.  The characters are pretty generic especially for a kung fu flick and their personalities are extremely bland.  Also, the sounds they play over the acting during the fight scenes had me cracking up.  I don't know what the thought process was for this decision but it's fucking hilarious when it shouldn't be.  The story for this one really is at home for the early 80s.  It is a solid adventure story with a martial arts twist.  I could see myself really getting into this if it was a straight forward narrative and not a film solely focused on kung fu.  I would have loved the film if it follows the man searching for answers while meeting characters with more depth than the almost dialogue-less film that we have full of fight scenes with funny sound effects.  Finally, the film doesn't really offer up anything in regards to a body count or gore.  Instead, it focuses heavily on the martial arts action which is not as impactful as they intended.  It was funny at first but does run it's course fairly early.  Overall, Furious is a film that I can see why so many people enjoy but was one I didn't enjoy.  It was dull and the laughs it delivered were clearly unintentional.  I seriously wanted to like this one but I couldn't.  Skip it.  

Dinosaur Valley Girls

Director - Donald F. Glut (The Vampire Hunters Club, The Mummy's Kiss)

Starring - Jeff Rector (American Horror Story, Star Trek: The Next Generation), William Marshall (Blacula, Pee-Wee's Playhouse), and Griffin Drew (The Bare Wench Project 2: Scared Topless, Billy Frankenstein)

Release Date - 1996

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "A land where time stands still and the exotic action never stops..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was in elementary school when Jurassic Park hit theaters.  I wasn't able to check it out in theaters but as soon as it hot VHS I was able to snag a copy at K-Mart.  This started a small obsession with dinosaurs and it wasn't long before that love spread over into my love for movies.  I was soon religiously watching movies like Adventures in Dinosaur City, Prehysteria, Land of the Lost, and any other dinosaur flick I could find.  I still find myself getting excited when I find a dinosaur flick I had never seen before.  A few months back my friends over at Visual Vengeance announced the release of the 1996 sci-fi comedy Dinosaur Valley Girls.  This looked like a sleazy good time so I quickly pre-ordered a copy.  It was several weeks before the film arrived and once it did I quickly added it to my watch pile.

     The film follows failing action star Tony (Rector) who is having weird dreams about beautiful women and dinosaurs.  While visiting a museum, he finds an old talisman that he has seen in his dreams.  He soon finds himself transported to a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and early man, who we suspect was not around at that time, is trying to survive without becoming dinner.  

     I was really excited to check this one out especially when I saw that that there was a PG-13 cut of the film.  So, like any curious mind, I watched both versions of the film and neither one of them were for me.  It was a cool idea but the execution and diluted scenes made it a tough one for me to finish.  The acting in this one is inconsistent but not bad.  Some scenes feature smooth dialogue and dedication to their characters while other scenes have dialogue delivered too fast to understand and absolutely no energy.  I have no idea what the shooting schedule was like but it clearly drained the cast at some point.  The story for this one is simple and pretty clever but it loses it's traction fairly early on.  I was all for a failed action star with primitive hotties who hate clothes as they fight dinosaurs.  Instead, we get a story that stubbles through it's run time with nothing really happening.  Finally, the film has some impressive dinosaur props with some decent mechanics.  I was not expecting them to look as good as they did.  Also, the women are gorgeous as well and their lack of clothes, if you watch the standard cut.  Overall, Dinosaur Valley Girls is something I could see playing on USA Up All Night when I was little but it wasn't a film I particularly enjoyed.  It did have it's moments but it was difficult to finish.  With that being said, the release from Visual Vengeance looks good.  Collectors will want to snag it but those looking for something new to watch may want to skip it.  

Up!

Director - Russ Meyer (Motorpsycho!, Vixen!)

Starring - Edward Schaaf (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Addams Family), Robert McLane (NET Playhouse, Blue Summer), and Elaine Collins (Fantasm Comes Again, Deep Jaws)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Comedy/Erotic

Tagline - "A robust American fun movie!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I hear the name Russ Meyer I immediately think of classics like Vixens!, Faster Pussycat Kill Kill!, and Motorpsycho!  However, he had a career that spanned almost 60 years and directed over 30 films.  A lot of his films are new to me but I have yet to find one that I didn't like.  A few weeks back I received the press release for two upcoming releases from Severin Films that just happened to be two Russ Meyer's flicks.  One is a film I had seen several times from 1965 titles Motorpsycho! but the other was new to me.  That film was 1976's Up!.  A few days later I received both films in for review from Severin and added them to my watch pile.  I started my double feature with Motorpsycho! because it was one I was familiar with and liked.  However, Up! didn't look that interesting to me.  I was fucking wrong!

     The film begins with the murder of a sexual deviant named Adolf as a busty drifter wonders into town.  What she doesn't know is that everyone in town has their own kinks and the man murdered was a sex warlock hiding a secret.

    I went into Up! knowing absolutely nothing about it and it quickly became my favorite release of the year so far.  The movie was completely batshit crazy and very unpredictable.  The movie is very raunchy and remains off the wall from start to finish.  The acting in this one is very enjoyable.  We get a lot of memorable characters ranging from Adolf to the busty hitchhiker and all the sexual fiends in town.  The cast does a fantastic job while bearing it all in front of the camera.  Some of the scenes are a bit more inconsistent than others but the energy and humor more than makes up for it.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting at all and held my attention from start to finish.  The film is a comedy first an foremost with the nudity coming in a close second.  Not all the jokes find their marks but most of the film had me laughing.  We then get some quick character development, some mystery, and a lot of soap opera quality love triangles.  Honestly, it's a hard one to describe but it's a lot of fun.  Finally, the film has a little blood and a lot of skin.  The death we get is funny with no effects needed but those looking for beautiful women will appreciate what the film has to offer.  Overall, Up! was one of the most unexpected films I've reviewed this year.  It was so much and I highly recommend checking out this awesome release from Severin Films.  

Motorpsycho!

Director - Russ Meyer (Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill!, Up!)

Starring - Haji (Bigfoot, Killer Drag Queen on Dope), Alex Rocco (Blood Mania, Detroit 9000), and Steve Oliver (Werewolves on Wheels, Angels from Hell)

Release Date - 1965

Genre - Thriller/Drama

Tagline - "Bike riding hoodlums flat-out on their murder cycles"

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Russ Meyer is one of those filmmakers that many movie fans either love or hate but his stamp on cinema history cannot be overlooked.  Often credited for the creation of the "nudie cutie" films that became popular in the mid-50s but it wasn't until the 60s when he created his "gothic" trilogy that became popular among exploitation fans.  Among those three films is the 1965 action flick Motorpsycho!.  This is a film I've seen several times over the years after acquiring a VHS copy of it when I was in high school before finding a DVD release sometime later.  A few weeks back my friends over at Severin released the film on UHD and blu.  I want to take a moment thank Severin for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a young man who is hunting three bikers who violently raped his wife.  On his hunt for the three men he finds a young woman who survived an attack from the three but her elderly husband was murdered.  She joins him on his hunt for the bikers before they can hurt anyone else.

     Motorpsycho! is nothing special when you compare it to similar exploitation films that followed.  However, for 1965 it was something unique.  Also, it's the first film to depict a Vietnam vet as mentally unstable and homicidal.  While the film does feel a bit underwhelming, it is still enjoyable for a first time watch.  The acting in this one is decent for the most part but there is a few scenes where the cast rushes through dialogue.  These tend to be the scenes with a bit more action but it's not that bad in the long run.  It doesn't really take away from the movie but it is very noticeable especially when you compare them to the more slower scenes.  The story for this one is straight to the point but for a mid-60s exploitation flick, it does offer up some rather unique ideas especially for the time.  A Vietnam vet returning home with a mental disorder was never mentioned in film before but it was something the U.S. was seeing at the time.  Inadequate mental health resources of the time mixed with the atrocities witnessed during deployment caused many that returned to suffer.  Sometimes this did turn deadly and would become more prevalent in films of the 70s.  You mix this with Meyer's eye and experience with the nudie-cutie films he was known for and you have something that is a bit different for the time.  Sadly, it doesn't hold up too well over all the years but it's still enjoyable for a first time view.  Finally, don't expect to see blood and gore in this one.  There is several deaths but they don't have any effects for the viewer to enjoy.  Overall, Motorpsycho! isn't a film that will be sticking with you like so many other films but it's fun if you are looking for something you had never seen before.  I've watched it a few times now and I do enjoy it but I know it's fairly mild and tame compared to the film I usually watch.  It's still a fun flick and this release from Severin looks fantastic.  Check it out.  

                

Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter

Director - Craig Pryce (Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps)

Starring - David Scammell (E.N.G., Street Legal), Kathryn Boese, and Derrick Strange

Release Date - 1990

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Great reporters aren't made... they're mutated"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years back, close to ten years ago now, I snagged a few bootleg flicks at a con for dirt cheap. Before you shit all over me, these films were not available on disc at the time and I always make sure I buy a copy of the film when an official release is eventually made.  I only buy these boots when I really want to see the movie and it's my only option to check it out.  Coincidentally, this was the last boot I had bought because so many amazing films were finally finding releases on disc.  A few months back Terror Vision announced the UHD release of the 1990 comedy horror flick Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter which just happened to be one of the boots I bought.  It's a super fun flick that feels like a parody of direct to video sci-fi action flicks of the time.  I quickly snagged this release that came with a press pass, t-shirt, and so on.  This pre-order was a few months in the making but well worth it.  As soon as I could I tossed it in and hit play.  

     The film follows a reporter who is investigating a radiation leak at the local power plant.  The director of the board tells him there is no such leak and takes him for a personal tour of the plant.  However, things do go well for the reporter when the director of the plant throws him into a pool of radioactive material.  The company behind the power plant plays it off as an accident where he died but they were never able to retrieve his body.  That's because he never died.  The chemicals left him disfigured while giving him a touch that burns along with acid spit.  The company behind his hideous transformation set their sights on his girlfriend to tie up loose ends unknowing that he is very much alive.  Using his new found powers, he begins killing the board and their director one by one.

     Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter is a film that most would skip over.  However, fans of Troma and no budget direct to video flicks of the late 80s will truly appreciate this one.  It's far from perfect but it's a lot of fun.  The acting in this one feels reminiscent of the S.O.V. flicks of the early 90s.  Honestly, I really enjoyed the cast and the characters they portrayed.  The characters fit the story very well and the cast brings a lot of energy.  They do show inexperience but it's still enjoyable performance for the most part.  The story for this one reminds me a lot of the classic Troma flick The Toxic Avenger with normal person falling into toxic waste and gaining radioactive powers.  The film continues the radioactive theme with the acid spit and burning touch.  The film does differ in who the person was before being exposed to it and goes with a more traditional action style film.  It is a bit of a missed opportunity not going full Darkman with the story but it's still fun as is.  Finally, the film has a lot of fun effects.  The make-up effects look fantastic.  It's hard to do a character with severe burns in a post-Nightmare on Elm St. world but this one works.  We also get several other fantastic make-up effects gags.  While the deaths are not as gory as I would have liked, I still enjoyed them and how they focused on the theme of the film.  Overall, Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter is one of the many films that I review where the general public will immediately hate it while those that love low budget cinema and unusual flicks will really enjoy this one.  I highly recommend checking out this one from Terror Vision while you still can!

     

Yellow Dragon's Village

Director - Yugo Sakamoto (Green Bullet, Baby Assassins)

Starring - Yuni Akino (Stop the Bitch Campaign: Reboot, My Favorite Girl), Itsuki Fujii (Vampire Clay 2, Pan), and Wataru Ichinose (Antihero, Sacrifice)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been actively watching Asian horror films for around 15 years now and while my knowledge of Asian cinema is fairly small, I know that some of my favorite horror films I've seen have been Japanese.  Movies like House, Tokyo Gore Police, Meatball Machine, Ichi the Killer, Versus, and Helldriver just to name a few.  Several weeks back I bought a Japanese double feature from Terror Vision and added it to my watch pile to check out when I had the time.  I bought the set for the second film, Visitors, which is why my review appears out of order.  I had to watch the second film first but once I finished with it I quickly tossed in Yellow Dragon's Village.

    The film follows a group of college students who are making a trip out into the country for some camping when they run into car troubles.  They just happen to break down near an old village steeped in tradition with promises of getting their car repaired the following day.  However, the next day they awaken to one of their own missing and at breakfast they learn that the village has a strange ritual that involves butchering outsiders that stumbles upon them.  The town descends on them to slaughter when they flee but several in the group are actually trained in hand to hand combat for just this occasion after losing a family member to their sick game some years before.

     I went into this one absolutely blind and found myself really enjoying it.  The movie, much like Visitors, is far from perfect with a lot of issues with the story but is still very entertaining.  In fact, I could see this one spawning a sequel or even a prequel due to it's rich story with endless possibilities.  The acting in this one is very consistent and very well done.  Much like Visitors, the characters are very one dimensional with very little personalities.  The cast does the best with what they were given but the characters are easily forgettable.  The story for this one is pretty fucking clever.  The film's artwork made me think I was getting into a slasher.  Instead, the film follows a small village that lives like a cannibalistic cult that slaughters anyone that walks into their domain.  This would have been good enough for a straight forward horror flick.  However, we get the additional storyline of several of the youths who have trained to seek revenge against the villagers for killing someone they loved sometime ago.  It feels a bit cheap and doesn't really improve the film.  In fact, it pulls the film down in my opinion.  The movie would have been much better if the film followed the campers as they fought off the villagers.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and minimal effects.  The kills fit the film very well but if you are looking for memorable deaths and outstanding gore then you will be disappointed.  Yellow Dragon's Village is a pretty solid Japanese horror film with a decent enough story.  While some of it could be edited out to improve it, the film is just fine as is.  It's not going to be someone's favorite film but it is entertaining.  

Visitors - Complete Edition

Director - Kenichi Ugana (Rolling Marbles, We Are Aliens)

Starring - Ryuta Endo (The Tokyo Wind Orchestra, Junnai Dissonance), Saki Hirai (Aru Shokuba, Omimi ni Aimashitara), and Rii Ishihara (Flashback Before Death, The Lump on My Heart)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm always open to Japanese horror.  Over the years I've seen some of the wildest and most depraved films that Japan has to offer.  These are some of my favorite films and I'm always recommending them to genre fans that have never stepped outside of the country in regards to what they watch.  I'm always on the lookout for other Japanese horror films that I had never seen before.  Recently, Terror Vision released a Japanese horror double feature that really caught my eye.  The release featured two films, Visitors and Yellow Dragon's Village, with Visitors really peaking my interest.  I snagged a copy and tossed it on my watch list until I had the time to check it out.

     The film follows a group of friends as they make the trip to visit the brother of one of them.  He hasn't spoke with them for some time so they are paying him a visit.  This quickly turns deadly when they one by one become possessed by something ancient and sinister.  One of them survives and starts hunting demons where she saves a man from a trap set by a different demon.  She becomes possessed and follows the man she saved back to the apartment where this all began where they encounter even more zombies but live in relative peace.  That changes when demon hunters show up and start killing everyone.  Those that survive find themselves abducted by visitors from another world.  

     I went into Visitors knowing absolutely nothing about it aside from the comparison to Evil Dead and that it had a cameo from Troma's Lloyd Kaufman.  I went into it blind and was a bit confused.  After doing a little bit of research I learned that this was originally a short that had subsequent shorts attached to it which is why it felt like an anthology at times.  It was fun for what it was but the entire time if felt like a huge missed opportunity.  The acting in this one is solid for what it was.  The characters have some pretty big characters to bring to life but they brought the energy to do so.  The characters are a lot of fun and they bring so much to the film but they are lacking depth.  In fact, it's hard to keep a lot of the character separated.  The story for this one has a lot going on but the film itself is stretched too thin.  I loved the idea of the friends visiting a friend only to be possessed one by one by an evil presence.  The short should have left it at that.  Instead, we drag it out with other connected shorts that ties back to the original short.  This is what makes this the complete edition.  Honestly, I wish I would have just seen the original short instead of the follow up segments.  They don't do a great job wrapping up the story and feel out of place from everything else.  Finally, the film has a lot of practical effects.  The deaths have a lot of blood and some light gore along with some seriously fantastic make-up effects.  The movie does draw a lot of inspiration from the Evil Dead franchise and the effects are the most obvious.  Overall, Visitors is a must watch for fans of Troma, Evil Dead, and Japanese horror.  It does fall a bit short of what it could have been but it's still fun as it is.  Check it out.