The Lost Realities of Hog Caller



Director - Tom Richards (Dec 2666)
Starring - Jim Hollenbaugh (Cecil B. Demented, Each Time I Kill), Logan Hulstine, and Tom Richards
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

    When I was first getting into the review business I reached out to Wild Eye Releasing.  I was new to the whole press release and screener game but I really enjoyed their releases so I thought it wouldn't hurt to speak with them.  They quickly responded and were extremely kind with me.  A few days later I received a massive box from them full of movies I had never seen but were on my wishlist.  This was sincerely a massive box of movies.  It was so many movies that I lost track of a few of them in my collection and they never were reviewed.  A few weeks back I saw a post that a company was releasing the film The Lost Realities of Hog Caller which was one of the films I was sent from Wild Eye to review.  I found out then that Wild Eye no longer was releasing the film which reminded me that I needed to review it...five years later.  So I tossed it in and gave it a go. 
     The film follows reporter Skip Jenkins who is tasked with doing an investigative piece on the grindcore metal band Hog Caller that has gone missing in recent years.  His search takes him down many dark paths before finding himself before the band and their wild antics.



     I had no idea what this film was about.  Hell, I didn't know there was a grindcore band called Hog Caller before this film.  I do have to say that that is a pretty fucking metal name for a grindcore band.  The film was nothing like I was expecting and I have to say that I'm not a fan.  I'm sure fans of this band enjoy it but someone looking for an indie horror movie will not have a good time.  The acting in this one is rough even by no budget backyard horror standards.  The characters are goofy but not in a fun Troma way.  Instead, it feels like they were told to act crazy on camera with no direction.  I rolled my eyes more at this movie than I have my entire life.  Honestly, I didn't even realize I roll my eyes until I started watching this.  The story for this one is a found footage approach to turning the band's music videos into an anthology.  This is a sound idea when on paper but the execution is all wrong.  The movie has no backbone in terms of plot.  The music numbers is covered in blood before moving on to the next forced "interview" with a random character that just aimless spits out dialogue. Finally, the practical effects are actually pretty fucking fantastic.  I don't know if they are using guts from a slaughterhouse or what but they look fucking intense.  If this much ingenuity was applied to a film with an actual plot they would be setting the horror community ablaze.  Overall, The Lost Realities of Hog Caller may appeal to fans of the band (if they really are a band) but for those wanting a horror flick to watch will be very disappointed.  I was not a fan of this one but I do respect what they were going for.  If the band is a real band then this was a great way to get their music together collectively.