Creation of the Damned

Director - Jose Ulloa (Twenty Paces to Death, Juventud Sin Freno)

Starring - Craig Hill (Dark Justice, Deadly Deception), Patty Shepard (Rest in Pieces, My Dear Killer), and Teresa Gimpera (Perversion, Crypt of the Living Dead)

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The fight for survival has begun"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been going into this Exorcismo set completely blind.  I looked over the artwork but that is about the extent of my knowledge on any of these films.  Some of these look dull as hell on the outside and turn out to be pretty wild by mid-70s standards.  So far in this set I've seen two documentaries and a moody 70s horror film I had no idea what to expect with Creation of the Damned, or Refuge of Fear as it was known, but I really enjoyed this one.

     The film follows a small group of people living in a bunker after the outside world suffers a catastrophic event.  As the outside world becomes polluted and uninhabitable for humans, inside the bunker has become a powder keg as attitudes, sexual tension, and fear of death leaves the survivors at each other's throats forcing one of them to leave the safety of the bunker's walls to seek refuge away from the rest.  

     I'd be hard pressed to find another film in this set that I liked as much as this film.  The movie makes great use of one location and a small cast while giving viewers a great sense of suspense and tension.  Honestly, this is a movie that I could see myself revisiting again sometime in the future.  It was a lot of fun and could have easily spawned a sequel or spin off if the team behind it truly wanted to.  The acting in this one is consistent throughout.  The characters are pretty generic but the cast does a solid enough job with their roles.  They get into their characters and the energy they bring, especially in some of the later scenes, makes the film so much fun.  The story for this one is so fucking simple and leaves so many possibilities for more films to follow.  A group of people in a smallish bomb shelter trying to survive a nuclear attack only to be at each others throats over due to rationing food, sexual desires, and poor attitudes leaves the movie up to go so many different ways.  It could be a drama, horror, sci-fi and even a comedy.  However, what we get is a somewhat dark drama that is character driven and it works.  It makes great use of the small cast and one, or just several, locations.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  The film doesn't really use effects and relies heavily on the characters and their development.  Overall, Creation of the Damned is not a horror title in a traditional sense.  In anything, it's a dark drama set against the apocalypse and I fucking loved it.  I highly recommend snagging this set just for this film alone!  Check it out.  

Bell from Hell

Director(s) - Claudio Guerin (Estudio 1, Luciano) and Juan Antonio Bardem (The Corruption of Chris Miller, The Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo)

Starring - Renaud Verley (Summer of Love, The Suspects), Viveca Lindfors (Stargate, Creepshow), and Alfred Mayo (The Hunt, Voodoo Black Exorcists)

Release Date - 1973

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Who will escape the terror?"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I grew up on on 80s and 90s horror and felt that films from these two decades were superior to all others.  However, that has started to change in recent years after watching and reviewing several horror titles from the 70s.  I've always liked the 70s Hammer horror releases but it wasn't until I started reviewing some of these gothic horror titles from boutique labels like Vinegar Syndrome and Severin that I truly appreciated these genre films from that decade.  Some of my favorite films in recent years are from the 70s and I'm damn sure I will find more!  A few weeks ago my friends over at Severin Films sent me the Exorcismo set featuring several films from the 70s and early 80s Spain for review.  The set starts with two documentaries before getting to the 1973 horror title Bell from Hell.   

     The film follows a young man who is released from an asylum.  He was falsely put there by so she could have control of his family's wealth.  Now, he is a free and immediately uses his time to deflower his female cousins before turning his sights on his disabled aunt.  

     I went into Bell from Hell like I will most of the films in this set and that is completely blind.  I know absolutely nothing about these films aside from what little bit of information can be obtained from the releases' box art.  I'm glad I went into this one blind because the story is paper thin while still delivering some great atmosphere.  Honestly, while the story is predictable, the atmosphere and locations made the film worth it in my opinion.  The acting in this not the best I've seen but it's far from the worst.  What we have is inconsistent acting from scene to scene.  I don't know the story behind the film but it's almost as if the actors didn't care of the direction was more laid back during some of these scenes.  As I Said, it's not bad but the cast just doesn't seem to care in some of the scenes.  The story for this one is very reminiscent of the gothic horror tales from the 60s.  We follow a wealthy individual who has a "loved" one conspire against them because their is a large fortune involved.  I've seen a few films with similar stories and I'm almost certain two of them starred Barbara Steele in on both sides of the ruse.  It's not that original but it does come with a Tales from the Crypt style twist ending that I really enjoyed.  Finally, it's not a gruesome or gory flick.  However, it has some great tension and atmosphere that has made me really appreciate these horror tales from the 70s.  Their focus on on sets, locations, and tension really makes these films so enjoyable.  Overall, Bell from Hell isn't a bloody genre title with amazing effects and memorable deaths.  Instead, it's a rather slow burn that relies heavily on atmosphere and suspense to get to the viewer.  It's another film worth your time from the Exorcismo set from Severin Films.  Check it out.  

     

Far From the Trees

Director - Jacinto Esteva (Metamorfosis, Le Fils de Marie)

Starring - Manuel Cano (Law of Desire, Cake of Blood), Marta Mejias (Centro Medico, Sexperiencias), and Antonio Gades (Blood Wedding, Bewitched Love)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Documentary

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's wild how many documentaries I've been able to review recently and most of them have been thanks to Severin Films.  Near the end of last year they sent me The Ghost of Peter Sellers and The Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow.  Then I was sent over the documentary The Last Sacrifice from Shudder before I was sent the box set Exorcismo from Severin.  This set features several genre titles along with a couple documentaries.  I decided to start the set with Exorcismo from 2024 before moving on to the 1972 doc. Far from the Trees from Spanish filmmaker Jacinto Esteva.  Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!

     The film explores the rituals and folklore surrounding death in Spain in often secluded areas that has not developed like the more populated areas.  

     I went into this one completely blind and was confused by what I was watching.  I didn't realize it was supposed to be a documentary until I was well into the film and I have no been able to find much on the making of this one.  From what I can find is that this was made by piecing together old black and white footage from various recordings to create what some would consider to be an insightful yet disturbing look into folk customs and long forgotten superstitions.  While it was wild to see some of this stuff, years of reviewing horror and true crime documentaries has left me somewhat desensitized to the topics of death.  This documentary is not a documentary in a traditional sense.  We do not have interviews from experts that studied these customs nor do we have interviews from those that participated.  Instead, we have footage crudely pieced together to create a a look into something that most of the world is unaware of.  Overall, Far From the Trees is not going to be for everyone.  Hell, I didn't enjoy it myself but those that dig darker documentaries may enjoy it.  It is rough around the edges and dull through most of it but it does have it's moments.  

Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S"

Director - Alberto Sedano (The Land of All Demons)

Starring - Jose Luis Alcaine (Twisted Obsession, Star Knight), Mery Cuesta (Spanish Noir), and Jose Maria Cunilles (Hell of the Living Dead, Scalps)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "Narrated by Iggy Pop"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I rarely get to review documentaries anymore but this year I've been fortunate enough to review two.  Just a few days ago I was asked to review The Last Sacrifice by my friends over at Shudder.  It was a fun documentary that explored the connection between an infamous murder in the 1940s that many suspected to be a ritualistic killing to the pagan horror films that followed in the coming decades.  The next documentary is from my friends over at Severin Films.  They recently sent over the Exorcismo box set for review which consists of several Spanish titles from the mid to late 70s.  However, the first film in the set is the 2024 documentary Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S."  I decided to start the set with this before I took the dive into the films.

     The documentary explores cinema that followed in the wake of the death of Spain's Franco who was the dictator at the time.  Cinema, like many other aspects of life, was heavily censored.  However, following his death, there was a surge of boundary pushing films, at least for the time, that earned them the newly formed "S' classification.  

     I know absolutely nothing about the Spanish censorship under the rule of Franco nor do I know anything about the "S" rated films.  However, this documentary does a solid job at explaining all this to cinema fans who are curious.  This documentary gives the viewer a lot of information but the subject is something many may not be interested in.  The interviews in this one consists of many filmmakers, actors, actresses, producers, and historians who either lived through the events discussed or done a tremendous amount of research into the matter.  The filmmakers did a wonderful job at researching these individuals.  The topics discussed in this documentary are very informative and the film does a great job at approaching the from a chronological standpoint.  We go from just before the passing of Franco and how the films of the time were censored by the government to his death and the eventual laxing of the censors.  I would have liked to see a little insight on how other countries were dealing with their films internationally with these rules in place from Spain but I understand what the point of the doc was.  Finally, the film has some great editing and transitions that makes it flow very nicely.  It doesn't bring out anything memorable or noteworthy.  Instead, opting to give viewers a well rounded doc with no flair.  Overall, Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S" is a documentary that not many film fans are going to go out of their way to watch which is a shame.  It offers up a lot of insight to the films of the era and why Spain wasn't really known for ground breaking cinema at that time.  However, adding it to this collection is a great way to educate fans on the matter.  Check it out.  

Highway to Hell

Director - Bret McCormick (The Abomination, Repligator)

Starring - Benton Jennings (American Horror Story, Dexter), Richard Harrison (Terminal Force, Empire of the Dark), and Blue Thompson (Blood on the Badge, Ozone: The Attack of the Redneck Mutants)

Release Date - 1990

Genre - Action/Horror

Tagline - "A one way ticket to terror!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Visual Vengeance has been pivotal in releasing some seriously underrated or long forgotten S.O.V. horror to blu.  One of my favorite releases over the last several years is VV's release of Bret McCormick's The Abomination.  They later released anothr McCormick film Repligator on blu.  I really enjoyed both films and was surprised by just how different these two were.  They showed how versatile McCormick was as a filmmaker.  Recently, VV released another McCormick film that I had never seen before.  The film, Highway to Hell, is an action horror flick that I've wanted to see for several years now but never had the opportunity to check out.  I want to thank Visual Vengeance and MVD for sending this one along for review.

     The film follows a serial killer who has escaped prison and flees into the desert.  He continues his murderous ways while he is hunted by a cop who is seeking revenge for what this sicko did to his daughter (or sister?).  Caught in the middle of the cat an mouse game is a young woman taken hostage by the escaped serial killer.

     I went into Highway to Hell very excited to finally see the film.  This is one I had heard about for years but never had the opportunity to check it out.  While it does share a name with a film from 1991, these two films are very different.  With that being said, the movie just wasn't as fun as I had hoped for.  You can't compare this one to the previous films from McCormick that I had mentioned.  Repligator is a sci-fi horror mash up that completely embraces the campy side of the genres while The Abomination is one of the greatest no budget splatter films that I've seen.  Highway to Hell had an interest premise but it had trouble trying to find it's own identity.  The acting in this one is very stiff and corny.  The cast really hams up the screen but I wouldn't call it bad acting.  We just don't see a lot of conviction with the dialogue delivery and absolutely no emotional range unless you consider screaming to be an emotion.  The story for this one feels like it wanted to be an action flick centered around a serial killer but budget and other constraints prevented it from being what the director had envisioned.  The movie itself has a lot of identity issues.  One scene flows like a horror flick while another scene is set up like a drama with a cat and mouse story.  We don't have a lot of cohesion which makes me really curious as to what the original idea for the film actually was.  Finally, don't expect to see a lot of blood and gore.  This film is character driven with a lot of focus on the relationship between the two leads.  Overall, Highway to Hell is a confused film that had a story that I could have really got behind if they just stuck with it.  An action thriller about an escaped serial killer with a hardened cop hunting him could have been a film you would never forget.  I seriously wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.  This is still an awesome release from Visual Vengeance especially if you are a collector but the movie this movie isn't going to be for everyone.  

Whispers

Director - Miroslav Petkov (Paranoia, Room #4)

Starring - Miroslav Petkov, Simona Rose (Creep Footage 3: Night Nurse, OnlyFangs), and Nikol Topalova

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - The park is listening"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been asked to review several indie features over the last month or so.  Some have been fun while others were clearly not for me.  While I didn't care for some of them, I still enjoyed watching them.  I love to experience indie movies and see all the hard work that goes into the feature.  That includes movies that I may not have liked.  Sometime back I was asked to review Whispers from Miroslav Petkov.  I loved the poster for the film and quickly agreed to check it out.  In fact, I took a break from reviewing the Exorcismo set from Severin just to watch it.  Sadly, it wasn't for me but I respected what Petkov was going for.

     The film takes place in a small town with a paranormal presence.  Several people have gone missing with their loved ones frantically searching for them.  However, as they get close to the cause, they start to witness something sinister.

     I went into Whispers completely blind which is my preferred way to watch indie flicks that I'm going to review.  I didn't care for the film itself but there was some things I did enjoy.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  Some of the performances are extremely flat with forced dialogue and zero emotional range.  However, we do have some fun performances scattered throughout the film.  It's evident that we have a cast consisting of experienced and inexperienced players.  The story for this one is an interesting idea that only learned was a sequel to two previous films.  While I had never seen the first two films, I can only assume watching them beforehand would have answered a few questions that I have here.  As for just this film, I found the pacing to be all off.  What we have is a solid base for a supernatural tale but the awkward character interactions and horrible pacing makes it difficult to finish.  Finally, don't expect a film with a high body count and memorable deaths.  The film uses the story to get chills to the viewer.  It almost succeeds but the pacing and lack of tension makes it impossible to achieve.  Overall, Whispers is a film that could have been so much more but the fails to really gain any traction.  I really wanted to like it but it wasn't for me.  I'll circle back around and check out the first two films before revisiting this one.  

Violent New Breed

Director - Todd Sheets (Bloodthirsty Cannibal Demons, Zombie Bloodbath)

Starring - Mark Glover (Lady Street Fighter, Zombie Bloodbath 2), Nick Stodden (Clownado, Vampire Holocaust), Rebecca Rose (Slave Farm, Maid Service)

Release Date - 1997

Genre - Horror/Crime

Tagline - "A brutal look at the future... like you've NEVER seen it!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Genre fans often bash 90s horror and I see why.  The 90s saw a lot of shitty horror films hit video store shelves but I'll be damned if there wasn't some serious heavy hitters release in the 90s.  We have Army of Darkness, Children of the Night, Savini's Night of the Living Dead, Scream, Nightbreed, and Candyman just to name a few.  The 90s, just like every decade, has the good and the bad and I feel that it is truly unfair to say it's the worst decade for horror.  The 90s was also the decade in which we saw more no budget films due to the rise in technology and lower cost of older obsolete technology from previous years.  I've seen a lot of indie and no budget features from the 90s that absolutely fucking rocked.  I've also seen a bunch that were difficult to finish. A few weeks back I received the press release from Visual Vengeance for their blu release of the 1997 horror crime flick Violent New Breed.  This was a Todd Sheets film I was unfamiliar with and I had to remedy that.  I reached out to Visual Vengeance and they sent me over to MVD who were kind enough to send a copy over for review.

     The film follows two shitty cops who are forced with tracking down a new drug that is wiping out the streets.  They expect to find an underground kingpin or a conspiracy of international drug lords but what they find is that the drugs are being manufactured by a group of demons who are using the drug the create a "new breed" that the anti-Christ will control.  To make matters even worse, one of them has his wife and daughter kidnapped by the new breed forcing the pair to go deep into their underground lair to stop them and the anti-Christ.

     Todd Sheets is a filmmaker I truly respect.  This mother fucker has been writing and directing movies since the mid 80s and hasn't really slowed down with his most recent film having been released in 2023.  That is one hell of a career and Violent New Breed is one of his films that I actually enjoyed.  His movies can be hit or miss with me but this one was fun for the most part.  The acting in this one leaves a lot to be desired.  I had saying that, especially about an indie film, but the acting in this one is a bit rough.  The try their best in a lot of the scenes but inexperience is obvious for most of the cast.  This creates some forced dialogue delivery and emotions that just don't fit the scene.  The story for this one borrows from several classic 80s films and I'm damn sure it inspired a movie that I reviewed not too long ago.  We follow a pair of cops tasked with stopping the spread of a new drug (Robocop anyone?) while a demon brings about the end of the world.  If you swap the demons out for a group hellbent on taking over the city then you would have Robocop all over again.  With that being said, it was still fun even though it was very predictable.  I like the characters and how they related to the story.  I also liked the anti-Christ angle even though I fell like it wasn't fully explored.  I would have loved to see more time spent on that angle.  Finally, we have some make-up effects that look great and a few scenes with some solid effects but the deaths are not that enjoyable.  They fit the film very well but are not that original as I had hoped.  Overall, Violent New Breed is a fun horror crime flick with drugs, demons, and a little blasphemy tossed in for good measure.  It is a movie that struggles in some areas but still finds a way to work.  Check it out on blu from Visual Vengeance.  You will not be disappointed.  

Date with a Vampire

Director - Jeffrey Arsenault (Vampire Playmates, Dracula's Guest)

Starring - Lori Thomas (Stab 2, End of the World), Robin Macklin (Teach Me, Morning Glory), and Cynthia Polakovich (Tinsel Town, Nocturnia)

Release Date - 2000

Genre - Horror

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I grew up on vampire flicks.  While I loved the Universal Dracula and Hammer horror vampire flicks, I was obsessed with Fright Night, The Lost Boys, My Best Friend is a Vampire, Vamp, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Children of the Night, Subspecies, and so many more.  Vampires were an essential part of my childhood and a sub-genre that I still enjoy.  It's not often that I cross paths with a vampire flick that I've never seen but when I do you can bet your ass I'm going to check it out.  A few weeks back I got a press release for Date with a Vampire from my friends over at Visual Vengeance.  This was a new one to me so I rushed to my email and hit up Visual Vengeance for a review copy.  They sent me over to MVD and a few days later I had a copy to check out.  I want to thank VV and MVD for sending this one over!

     The film follows Violet (Thomas) who is a vampire that not only craves blood but is a sex addict.  She suffers from an endless cycle of bringing victims, male and female, back to her bed for sex before feeding on them.  However, her most recent victim is more than that.  

     I was excited when I went into Date with a Vampire but I quickly saw that this was not for me.  I have nothing against the films that explore the sexual side of vampirism.  There has always been a sexual allure to vampires that can be traced back to the very beginning of the vampire mythos and has been shown in films since Universal's Dracula.  With that being said, it can't be the only part of the story.  The viewer needs something else to sink their teeth into so to speak.  The acting in this one is not the worst I've seen.  While the cast does show a great deal of inexperience, they really got into their roles.  There was a few scenes where the dialogue was extremely awkward but the acting was decent for the most part.  The story for this one is a bit repetitive and one sided.  A female vampire wants to screw and then feed.  Literally the extent of it.  No real action, drama, or twists to hold the viewer's attention.  If the film would have embraced the sex and became a sexploitation then it would have became a bit more fun.  Finally, we have some make-up effects that looks solid for what it is but that is really the extent of the effects we have with this one.  Overall, Date with a Vampire is one I really hoped I could get into but it just wasn't for me.  The story was severely lacking and the absence of fun deaths made this one a tough one to finish.  Collectors will want to snag this release but those looking for something fun to watch may way to skip it.  

     

     

Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: The Holiday Leftovers Collection

Director - Addison Binek (Psycho Ape!, Tromasterpiece Theatre: Poultrygeist)

Starring - Addison Binek

Release Date - 2011/2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Holiday horror is a guilty pleasure for a lot of genre fans.  There is something entertaining about a horror film completely embracing the holiday theme with it's deaths and killer.  On the other side of the same coin, not all holiday themed horror and comedies are fun especially if they are half-hearted sequels released years, if not decades, after the original was released so they could cash in on the original's popularity.  A few weeks back I was sent two collections from my friend Addison Binek featuring episodes of his long running YouTube series Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon.  This second collection is consists of random episodes of holiday episodes that he was unable put in other collections.  Like always, I want to thank Addison for sending this one over for review!

     The series follows the dapper Addison as he shows clips from various films and then painstakingly makes puns about their shortcomings.  

     I love holiday horror and I've really enjoyed these collections from Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon.  His previous sets are great to toss in as those specific holidays approached.  However, this release, as fun as it is, doesn't really have a designated holiday you can associate it with.  These random episodes are entertaining but the fun of having a constant theme throughout is not there.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from a no budget YouTube series where the star pretends to smoke a pipe.  It's fun in a stand up kind of way but don't expect something that will stick with you for years to come.  The themes for each episode is reflective of the film he is watching.  He does a great job at bringing us some humor to match the film while fully embracing his no budget production.  Finally, don't expect the smoothest edits or amazing transitions.  The show doesn't try to be polished and professional looking.  We have Addison sitting or standing in front of the camera as clips from various movies are cut into frame.  While crude, it works and is a lot of fun.  Overall, Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: The Holiday Leftovers Collection is a great collection of episodes from an underrated YouTube series.  While they do get repetitive, I still enjoy watching them from time to time especially when Addison releases a new set.  Check it out if you dig cult cinema and indie productions.  It's a lot of fun.  

Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: Christmas Special

Director - Addison Binek (Psycho Ape!, Tromasterpiece Theatre: The Battle of Love's Return)

Starring - Addison Binek

Release Date - 2011 - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "14 episodes of holiday cheer"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a sucker for themed collections and shows that riff movies.  I didn't have a local horror host to watch growing up but I was fortunate enough to find episodes of Elvira's Movie Macabre when I was in high school.  What I had as a kid was Mystery Science Theater 3000 which I know wasn't the same as a horror host but I loved how both were people "watching" a movie and pointing out the unintentionally funny things they found.  While horror hosts seem to be more popular, I love finding shows or web-series that riff on movies.  Many years ago I befriended YouTuber Addison Binek who hosts a long running series called Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon.  I've reviewed several collections of his episodes since then and was lucky enough to get two more sets from him for review.  The first set I dug into was his Christmas Special collection.  Like always, I want to thank Addison for sending this one over. 

     In this collection we follow Addison as he watches several Christmas films ranging from cult classics to truly abysmal films.

     Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: Christmas Special is not something I was expecting to review in March but it was still a lot of fun.  This is the kind of collection that you would toss on while you wrap presents or decorate the tree especially if you are in the mood for something you can turn your brain off for a bit and just watch.  It's a lot of fun and I know it will not be for everyone but I dig it for what it is.  The acting in this one is exactly what you get.  It's a one man show that plays out in a similar fashion to a comedy skit or the segments from Elvira's Movie Macabre.  Addison is just being Addison while delivering a lot of puns and mocking the films in question.  The themes for each episodes is reflective of the movie he is riffing.  Some of these films are must see films for genre fans while others are damn near impossible to watch.  Each episode fully embodies the themes of the films he is riffing which only adds to the Christmas theme.  Finally, this is a no budget production that has crude editing and camerawork.  With that being said, it knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to be anything but that.  It makes fun of movies for their shortcomings while showing their obvious shortcomings.  Overall, Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: Christmas Special is another solid collection of episodes from this long running and underrated YouTube series.  It's not for everyone, and while I have no idea who the target audience of this show is, I still enjoy it.  I recommend it but I know it won't be for everyone.