Death O' Lantern 4: Summer Slaughter

Director - Chris Seaver (Mulva: Demon Ass Kicker, The Weirdsies)

Starring - Billy Garberina (Deathbone, Johnny Z), Marcus Robertson, and Mae Weeks

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "The fourth ghoulish movie in the neo-sexual trilogy"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    I love having a new Chris Seaver film ready to watch during my October horror binge.  I've been a fan of his for sometime now and I try to sneak in a few of his films during my annual binge but it's not often that I have a new one to watching during my Halloween season.  A few months back he announced that he was selling copies of his newest film, Death O' Lantern 4: Summer Slaughter, on blu.  I reached out to him and he was kind enough to send over a link for me to review it.  I knew Halloween was fast approaching and decided to hold on until now.  I want to thank Chris for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows the descendant of Stingy Jack who accidentally ingests pumpkin spice.  She is highly allergic and violently shits in the yard before returning home to rest.  This pumpkin infused shit resurrects Stingy and he once again goes on a murderous rampage.  

     I went into this one knowing what to expect from a Seaver flick and was given exactly just that.  Fans of Seaver know that his films feature dialogue all their own while delivering crude humor and horror cliches.  I absolutely fucking love his movies and while DOL 4 was really fun, it doesn't stand out some of his other films.  The acting in this one is exactly what I expected from Seaver and his usually suspects.  The cast uses humor to cover inexperience and it works.  It's a lot of fun to watch especially with all the chemistry and fun they have on screen with each other.  The fun dialogue and energy makes these films so memorable in my opinion.  The story for this one is pretty much the same as the previous films.  However, I laughed for far too long at how Stingy Jack was resurrected.  I love Seaver's sense of humor which does cover up the fact we are getting the same story again.  Finally, the film features a killer in a cheap rubber mask and some fake blood.  The kills are not that memorable but they fit the film and offer up some more cheap laughs.  Overall, Death O' Lantern 4: Summer Slaughter doesn't really bring anything knew to the series but it still scratches that itch for a new Seavage flick.  I enjoyed it and highly recommend it to other fans of Seaver.  Check it out.  

Dark Places

Director - Geno McGahee (Love Spell, Scary Tales)

Starring - Lorrie Bacon (Deadly Western, Fatal Justice), Phil Godeck (Scary Tales: Dark Walker, Scary Tales: Dead Zone), and Lindsey DeLand (Beyond Files, Love Spell)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Format - Tubi (Streaming)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love watching indie horror movies.  I don't care if it's a good movie, bad movie, a movie with several thousands dollars as a budget, or made with no budget at all.  I love finding random movies on Tubi and watching them as I play random cozy games or Marvel Snap.  Several months back I was sent a press release for the 2026 occult horror film Dark Places from director Geno McGahee and how the film was hitting Tubi.  I made note of this to watch sometime later when I was caught up on my reviews and completely forgot about.  However, that changed when I was scrolling through the horror section and found the film.  I decided to give it a spin and review it for fun.

     The film follows a young girl who was home schooled and now attends college.  She is a bit awkward and doesn't have a lot of friends but does meet a young man.  The two seem to hit it off fairly early on but something is strange about him.  He doesn't really have any friends and before she knows it she finds herself in the middle of a murder that could be connected to a Satanic ritual.  

     I should have known that this one was going to be a tough one to sit through when every poster I had seen for the film was made using A.I.  I didn't let that stop me as I have a fondness for films centered around cults.  However, it didn't take me long to realize that this one was going to be a tough one to finish.  The acting in this one is extremely stiff and inexperienced.  The characters are not written that well which doesn't really give the cast a lot to work with.  However, a lot of the dialogue exchanges feels like a table read.  They are just spitting out their words with no conviction.  This made the movie feel a lot longer than it should have while creating some seriously unintentionally funny moments.  The story for this one feels like it was written by someone who never had access to the internet or documentaries about cults until they were well into their adulthood.  The movie almost plays out like it was written by someone that believed all the local news broadcasts during the height of the Satanic Panic.  While that, in itself, could have been a highly entertaining film, it fails to pull anything enjoyable together.  It has the worst pacing I've seen in a movie in years and the unlikable characters and flat performances makes it damn near impossible to finish.  Finally, those looking for a high body count and fun deaths will be very disappointed.  We might get a little blood but nothing that stands out or is memorable.  Overall, Dark Places is a tough one to finish and one I cannot recommend unless you want to drink with some friends and laugh at something.   Skip it.  

Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon

Director - Jason Lei Howden (Guns Akimbo, Deathgasm)

Starring - Milo Cawthorne (Blood Punch, Wolf Man), Kimberley Crossman (Stream, The Almighty Johnsons), and James Joshua Blake (Dangerous Game, Jackals)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Evil cums again"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I tend to go against the grain, so to speak, when it comes to horror movies.  I often like the no budget backyard flicks with a ton of imagination and lack of resources over the bug budget films that lack imagination. However, there is a few movies that pop up from time to time that offer up a bigger budget than I'm used to and delivers.  Over a decade ago the Milo Cawthorne lead film Deathgasm was released on the world and immediately became a hit.  I've watched this one many times since it's release and always find myself glued to the screen like it was a first time watch.  A few weeks ago I received news that a sequel was getting released very soon so I reached out to Raven Banner to see if I could review it.  They were kind enough to send me a link for Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon.  I want to thank them for being so kind as to let me review the film before it's release.

     The film picks up many years after the events of the first film.  Brodie (Cawthorne) is struggling with his music career after two members of his band died the night he saved the world.  Unemployed and an alcoholic, he finds himself living with Giles after Medina (Crossman) left him to further her music career.  He decides to use the pages from the first film to resurrect his bandmates in hopes of winning a battle of the bands competition.  His spell works but they are unpredictable and their appetite for flesh is uncontrollable forcing Brodie to once again reverse the spell while trying to get Medina back.

     Sequels rarely live up to the original but Deathgasm 2 is a fantastic follow up to a film that that I've loved for sometime.  Is this review a bit biased?  Absolutely, but I'm still going to be as honest and fair as possible.  The acting in this one is great.  Most of the cast returned for this sequel a decade later and bring the same energy that made the first film so damn fun.  Cawthorne carries the film as the metal head turned reluctant hero while Crossman was not in the film as much as the original.  I assume it was due to her rates, scheduling, or something of that nature.  The entire film features some seriously fun acting with no weak links to be seen.  The story for this one is a rehashing of the first film but it still finds a way to mix it up a little.  We have music to summon his dead bandmates only for one of them to steal the pages and then they try to raise an army of the dead to take over the world.  It's equal parts Evil Dead and Stan vs. Evil which I'm here for.  While it does rehash a lot of the original story from the first film, it adds some new things that make it just as fun as the first.  Finally, the film has just as much blood and gore as the first films.  We have some seriously fantastic practical effects and a lot of severed penises, peeni, penis's, whatever the plural of peckers are.  The deaths are a lot of fun and these effects look absolutely amazing.  Overall, Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon is a worthy sequel to a film that I absolutely adore.  Metal, blood, and the undead is all I ever wanted and this movie, along with the original, delivers.  Check it out.  

The Devil You Know

Director - Shawn Burkett (Don't Fuck in the Woods, Bludgeon)

Starring - Jason Crowe (Hellfire, The Art of Killing), Kenzie Phillips (Chinese Speaking Vampires, Ouija Blood Rituals), and Dale Miller (Stranded, Wicked Ones)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     I've been reviewing the films of Shawn Burkett and Concept Media for damn near fifteen years.  He's a filmmaker that I highly respect and I always look forward to checking out whatever film he sends my way for review.  He's directed some seriously underrated genre titles like Bludgeon, Don't Fuck in the Woods, and Betsy.  A few days back he messaged me and asked me to check out his newest feature, The Devil You Know starring Jason Crowe and Kenzie Phillips.  I'm very familiar with both of those names and quickly agreed to check it out.  Like always, I want to thank Shawn for sending this one over!

     The film follows a couple who rented a house deep in the woods for a little getaway.  What starts out as an innocent trip to relax and spend time with each other turns deadly when they learn that the home they are in was once owned by a man who killed his entire family in hopes of completing an occult ritual.  Now, all these years later, a cult with the same endgame in sight tries to kill them in hopes of finishing what he started all those years ago.  

     I saw that Burkett was working on a new film but I had no idea what it was about.  The title made me think it was about a serial killer living next door or something of that nature.  However, I was very wrong.  I was very surprised to see that it was a film centered around a cult which is one of my favorite genre sub-genres that doesn't get the credit it deserves.  The acting in this one is great all around.  Crowe is one of my favorite indie actors and it's a damn shame he's not cast in every indie production.  He's can tackle any character thrown at him and does a phenomenal job in front of the camera.  The same can be said for Phillips.  This is, by far, my favorite performance of hers.  She takes you down one path with her character before completing changing gears and giving viewers something they will not forget nor expect.  The supporting cast is great but it's these two that really carry the film.  The story for this one has the potential to be a franchise if handled properly.  We can have prequels, sequels, and even spin offs if enough attention was given to the writing.  We have a family being murdered in their sleep in the early 90s that inspired a cult.  We move forward to now and a young couple renting the home finds themselves fighting for their lives as the cult plans to use them to finish the ritual with a huge twist that you can kind of see coming.  It's a great story that can be taken in a number of directions giving fans years of entertainment.  Finally, the film has several deaths.  The practical effects look great and the kills fit the film very well but they are not that memorable or original.  With that being said, they were not that memorable but they did look great.  Overall, The Devil You Know is easily one of my favorite films from Concept Media.  I love the idea and the way they went about it.  You combine that with the acting and great looking kills and you have something that many genre fans will enjoy.  Check it out.    

The Degenerate: The Life and Films of Andy Milligan

Director(s) - Grayson Tyler Johnson (Toast, Community Service) and Josh Johnson (Rewind This!, Creation is Violent: Anecdotes on Kinski's Final Years)

Starring - John Borske (Bloodthirsty Butchers, Gutter Trash), Alex DiSanto (Nightmare in Psycho Town, Bad Seeds), and Gerald Jacuzzo (The Man With Two Heads, Torture Dungeon)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "Strictly adult entertainment"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed more documentaries this year than I have previously.  Hell, I've probably reviewed more this year than I have the last two or three years combined.  I love documentaries but I'm not really a fan of reviewing them as it entails a lot to cover.  I usually try to simplify it as much as possible which does most documentaries an injustice.  Anyway, I recently watched several documentaries sent over from Severin as part of their various collection sets.  The first was about the films from Spain following the death of their dictator while the second was on the life and career of the legendary Christopher Lee.  As I move over to the Gutter Auteur set from Severin, I find myself watching another one.  This time it's the 2025 doc. The Degenerate: The Life and Films of Andy Milligan.  Milligan is a filmmaker I was familiar with but I'd be lying if I said he was one I admired or genuinely enjoyed.  I did like a few of his films but for every one of his films I liked there was a few that I didn't care for.  Anyway, I went into this set excited and after watching The Degenerates, I figured it made sense to watch this one next.  

     This follows an in depth look at the personal life and career of Andy Milligan featuring interviews from film historians, collaborators, and personal friends.  We see him growing up as an Army brat, to the stage, and filmmaking all while being openly gay before he died of AIDS.  

     I'll be honest and admit that I didn't know a lot about Milligan before this documentary.  I knew he had fought with his cast and crew during filming and died sometime back but I had no idea he was openly gay and died as a result of AIDS.  This was kind of an eye opening documentary in regards to his backstory and how that shaped his films.  This also confuses me as to why I never seen him mentioned among other LGBTQ+ filmmakers.  He more than deserves to be on those lists.  I may not like all his work but making films as long as he did during the decades he did is commendable.  The interviews in this one are insightful and not always one sided.  We get a full look at his up bringing, career, and personal life through several eyes.  These interviews are not sugar coated either.  We get a real look at him and see how he was as a person.  I really dislike films that gloss over the negatives but this one doesn't.  You get to see the real Milligan.  The topics discussed follow his life chronologically and, in some instances, are very informative.  While some are thorough than others, it does offer a wide variety of what made Andy Milligan stand out.  Finally, this one is edited and shot very well.  The transitions look great and the cinematography looks amazing.  I was really impressed by how well this one looks.  I was familiar Josh Johnson's previous docs and knew he would do a great job but this one is easily his best looking doc.  Overall, The Degenerate: The Life and Films of Andy Milligan is an informal and well put together documentary about a true cinema maverick.  While I wouldn't say I'm a fan of his work, the fact he was openly gay and creating movies during a time when this could get you hurt means he was truly passionate about it.  I highly recommend checking this one out especially if you have no idea who Andy Milligan was.  Check it out.  

The Degenerates

Director - Andy Milligan (The Naked Witch, The Man with Two Heads)

Starring - Bryarly Lee (Omnibus, Studio One), Marcia Haufrecht (The Sopranos, Dog Day Afternoon), and Anne Linden (The Vixens, The All American Honeymoon)

Release Date - 1967

Genre - Sci-Fi

Tagline - "They always go down to the lowest depths of human sensuality"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     There is a lot of filmmakers that were lost to time over the decades as beta and VHS made way to DVD and blu but many boutique labels have made it their mission to find these films. Director Andy Milligan is a filmmaker I was somewhat familiar with.  I began collecting movies when I was in high school and sometime during my college years I found a copy of The Ghastly Ones on DVD for a decent price.  I went ahead and snagged it for my collection.  One of the campus officers would often borrow this movie and during my last year there I gifted it to him.  Sadly, this was one of the few Milligan films that I had seen until a few years back when Severin released their Andy Milligan set.  I snagged a copy and checked it out.  Not all of his films hit for me but I enjoyed most of them.  A few weeks back Severin announced a second Andy Milligan release and this one would feature several lost films of his along with a documentary.  I quickly shot them an email requesting this one for review and they were kind enough to send it over.  It only made sense to start with the The Degenerates from 1967 which is the movie of his that I had always wanted to see but never had the chance.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!

     The film takes place some time after a nuclear disaster.  A group of men are searching for survivors when they cross paths with a group of women barricaded in an old farmhouse.  They soon learn that no everyone wants saved and not everyone is a victim.

     I went into The Degenerates knowing a little about the plot but that is about it.  I knew what to expect from the acting and the story but it wasn't until I was getting ready to put my review together that I learned that the film was originally unfinished and had to be edited together to make it more coherent.  With that being said, I actually enjoyed it for what it was.  It is extremely rough around the edges but it's still fun.  The acting in this one is what you would expect from an early Milligan flick.  The cast is really into their roles and you can see how dedicated they really are in some of the more intense scenes but the overacting and lack of emotional depth made a few scenes really awkward.  Some of the cast would go on to have pretty stellar careers but it's clear that this is some of their first films and used it as a learning experience.  The story for this one fits in with the late 60s sci-fi trend with the cold war in full effect.  However, what sets it apart from the others is the role reversal of the women being the depraved.  The film does suffer from pacing issues and I can only assume that some of the middle portion of the film was never filmed which left some gaps in the story but it still finds a way to work in a sexploitation kind of way.  Finally, those of you looking for a bloody flick will be very disappointed.  The film is very light on the effects and the deaths are not gruesome. The movie is clearly a no budget affair and they did not have money in the budget for memorable deaths.  Overall, The Degenerates could have been a career defining film from a fringe filmmaker but was never finished for various reasons.  I would have loved to see what Milligan really envisioned but this is the best we can do.  This is a must see for any cult cinema fan.  Check it out.  

Dead By Dawn

Director - Dawid Torrone (Opowie Ci o Zbrodni)

Starring - Sylwia Boron (Bloody Date, Hold Tight), Monika Frajczyk (Leave No Traces, Green Border), and Adam Machalica (Planet Single, Raspberries)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never know what to expect when I check my Horror Society email.  Am I going to get an email from a fan confused by what we do at Horror Society asking if they can get a role in a film?  Is it going to be a random actress asking for us to share their OnlyFans link?  Or, is it going to be a press release for a movie that I really want to see?  My emails can be pretty weird especially when I get the random off the wall emails from people that shouldn't have access to the internet.  However, I sometimes get emails to check out a movie that has really peaked my interest.  A few weeks back I received the press release for Polland's first giallo, Dead by Dawn.  The title, which also shares a name with the alternate title for Evil Dead II, really caught my eye with it's artwork.  I replied to the email and they were kind enough to send a link over for me to check.  

     The film follows a group of aspiring stage actors who visit an old theater that was once considered prestigious.  What they don't know is that a masked maniac is stalking the property killing everyone that is unfortunate enough to cross paths with them.  

     I went into Dead by Dawn excited to see a stylish and beautifully shot giallo but what I found was an extremely slow paced slasher with a lot of scenes that need trimmed down.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't meant to be.  It was painfully slow, uninteresting, and the slasher was very disappointing.  The acting in this one is easily one of the only redeeming qualities I could find in the film.  The characters are fairly forgettable and we don't have any outstanding performances but I liked the cast.  They really get into their roles and work well with each other.  The story for this one has an interesting premise but fails to put it all together into something truly enjoyable.  The film uses long, drawn out scenes with beautiful cinematography and locations to try to capture that giallo feel but it doesn't really give viewers the Italian mystery feel.  The movie is a slasher for the most part with an occult angle that is never fully explored as much as I would have liked.  I wish this was introduced earlier in the film and the mystery portion of the story played a bigger role.  Instead, we have a slasher flick that just doesn't have the fun that many slashers before it was able to deliver.  Finally, the kills offer up a lot of blood but they don't have the best practical effects or imagination.  The masked killer's weapon of choice is a meat cleaver but the deaths are unable to deliver on the imagination and originality that other meat cleaver killers, like 100 Tear, did before it.  Also, the killer's mask is pretty lame.  It's a mask covered in bright white eyes that does nothing for the scene.  Overall, Dead by Dawn just wasn't as fun as I had hoped it was.  It doesn't feel like a giallo.  Instead, it's a standard slasher where the killer has a stupid mask.  I want to recommend this one but I can't.  Skip it.    

Dimorfo

Director - Rodjara (El Pequeno Vagabundo, Sabado Sabadete)

Starring - Rodjara, J. Caracuel (Pepe Carbalho, El Fin de la Inocencia), and Alex Fontsa 

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Honestly, I have no idea what I'm going to watch as I move from movie to movie in this Exorcismo set from Severin Films.  I knew many of them are going to take full advantage of the removal of the strict laws that were enforced during Franco's reign.  I was expecting a few horror titles due to the releases artwork and I knew that a couple sexploitation flicks would find their way onto the release but I was not expecting a film like Dimorfo, or Dimorphic, to be on there.  It makes sense that it was included but this story was one I was not expecting at all.  

     The film follows a Jewish recluse who flees his home after Nazi's occupy his small village.  He flees into the mountain and eventually comes across a small farm.  He seeks refuge there and they welcome him in, however, things take an unexpected turn.  The mother and son pair start to reveal their sexual tensions to him forcing him into some unexpected situations with them.  

     I went into Dimorfo completely blind but nothing would have prepared me for this crazy ass movie.  It reminded me a lot of the farmer's daughter sexploitation films that I've reviewed in the past with a few twists tossed in for shock value.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it but it is similar to other films from the mid-to late 70s.  The acting in this one is very uneven but not bad.  The main cast is fairly small but the characters have a lot of personality.  The cast does a great job at bringing them to life and work very well with one another.  Sadly, there is a few scenes where the dialogue feels forced and not genuine.  The story for this one is a bit wild but it's not really that original.  I've seen sexploitation, comedies, and even horror movies following a man who trespasses onto a farmer's land and is forced to wed, sleep with, and make pregnant the daughter of the farmer.  Dimorfo switches this up some with the stranger being a fleeing jew seeking refuge in the mountains and the farmer being a mother with a secretly gay son.  Honestly, it's a wild story that works.  It has great pacing and works for what it is.  Finally, the film is not one with memorable deaths and great gore.  It's a character piece with some skin and a story that is not expected.  Overall, Dimorfo deserves to be in this set.  It's sexploitation and naziploitation with a story that may not be original but has a unique spin to it.  I highly recommend it.  

The Devil's Exorcist

Director - Jorge Darnell (One Way, Veredicto Final)

Starring - Inma de Santis (Bloodbath, The Killer of Dolls), Maria del Puy (Vertigo, Barbarella), and Jack Taylor (Conan the Barbarian, Pieces) 

Release Date - 1975

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed a lot of box sets and collections over the years from some of my favorite boutique labels but I've never crossed paths with one where most of the films, unless it was a franchise, where all the films were fun.  So far, even though I'm only five films deep, this set has been well worth it.  The Exorcismo documentary and two films were great while the one documentary, Far From the Trees, was a bit disappointing.  I went into The Devil's Exorcist hoping for another atmospheric mid-70s horror title and was greeted with just that  

     The film follows a school girl who finds herself becoming the obsession of an evil presence that was trapped inside a statue.  The young lady becomes violent which prompts her father to turn to a professional for help which fails.  As the doctor tries to help her, she adopts her only for the benevolent presence to jump to her.  

     I could only imagine what The Devil's Exorcist was about based on the title and all my assumptions about the film were completely wrong.  I did enjoy it for what it was which was a quickly produced Exorcist clone but it was far from perfect.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent but not in a scene to scene type of way.  Some of the cast is really fucking good and when I say really fucking good I mean really fucking good.  I rushed to imdb.com after watching the film to look through Inma de Santis' filmography.  She's phenomenal here along with Aria del Puy.  However, a good portion of the supporting cast is extremely stiff with poor dialogue delivery and zero emotional range.  The story for this one is a bit weak but they make up for it with creepy shots and great atmosphere.  What we have for a story is pretty simple and somewhat cliched even for an Exorcist clone for the mid-to late 70s.  A girl possessed killing people before an adult steps in to save her.  The only big difference between this one and the dozens of others like it is that this one doesn't really flock to religion.  We don't have a priest or team of priests performing exorcisms and the like.  That is a bit strange considering the title but I respect the different approach.  Finally, the film has a few deaths but don't expect to see a lot of gruesome effects and tons of blood.  However, if you have a soft spot for animals like I do then one scene may make you feel uncomfortable.  Overall, The Devil's Exorcist is another entertaining mid-70s film from the Exorcismo set.  While it was rough around the edges, it was still a lot of fun.  I highly recommend it.  

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.  

     

     

The Draft

Director - Yusron Faudi (The Verdict, Skull)

Starring - Adhin Abdul Hakim (Hayya: The Power of Love 2, Hayya 2: Dream, Hope and Reality), Anastasia Herzigova (Lost in the Spotlight, Cyanide), and Anggi Waluyo (The Redemption of Sin, Zona Merah)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Fight 4 your fate"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I Absolutely adore getting in international genre titles to review.  Lately, I have been receiving international flicks for review but most of them have been sexploitation flicks from my friends over at Mondo Macabro and Severin Films.  I really enjoy these films so please don't get me wrong but I'm always going to be a horror fan.  I love horror and really enjoy seeing what other countries have to offer.  A few weeks ago I received an email featuring two international titles for review.  The first film happened to be an Indonesian zombie flick from 2023 titled The Draft.  The title really peaked my interest and I decided to check that one out first.  I want to thank my friends over at Shudder and Screambox for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows a group of what appears to be twenty-somethings that visit an old villa that belongs to one of them.  Her uncle is the caretaker of the property and begs them not to stay but they refuse to listen.  They soon find themselves in trouble when one of them is murdered the first night.  As they try to figure out a way to get help they uncover that they are actually living in a cliched horror movie.  They must embrace the horror or succumb to the undead monsters lurking outside the villa.

     I was very excited when I hit play on The Draft.  I couldn't wait to see what this film was all about but soon found myself face to face with a film that spent the first hour with the characters just talking.  It was so fucking dull that I almost turned it off.  I can't remember the last time I almost turned a movie off before it was finished but this film had me seriously thinking about it.  I hate writing a negative review for a movie sent to me but this one was tough.  The acting in this one was very well done.  The characters are generic on purpose.  The cast has a lot of fun getting into character which made the movie somewhat barrable during the first hour or so.  The story for this one is a fun idea that took far too long to get going.  The first hour is one death followed by way too much dialogue.  We have zero action before the last leg of the film.  With that being said, that last leg is fantastic.  It almost saves the film.  It's clever, action packed, and has some laughs.  If the whole film was able to hold that consistency then it would have been unforgettable.  Finally, the film has some practical effects.  We have some zombie make-up that looks fairly well done along with some other make-up effects.  They all look good enough but nothing that stands out to the viewer.  Overall, The Draft is such a wasted idea.  I love the story but the way in which it unfolds is extremely boring.  I wanted to like this one, and the last 30 minutes almost won me over, but that first hour ruins the experience.  This is one I'd recommend skipping.  

The Devil's Wedding Night

Director - Luigi Batzella (When the Bell Tolls, The Beast in Heat)

Starring - Mark Damon (Crypt of the Living Dead, Stuck on You!), Rosalba Neri (The Girl in Room 2A, The Arena), and Esmeralda Barros (Kong Island, Paid in Blood)

Release Date - 1973

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Satan is coming!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get in a good bit of movies to review and they usually fall into two categories which are movies I had seen before and movies that are new to me.  I love getting in both because if it's a movie I had seen before then it means I get to revisit a movie I like or I get to see why I didn't like it originally.  This is just to see if my taste in film has changed or the circumstances during my initial viewing impacted how I saw the film.  However, this set has tricked me on two separate occasions.  I thought Terror-Creatures from the Grave was going to be a first time viewing for me and then I realized I had seen it years ago but didn't remember it.  Goes to show that we are all getting older.  The third film in the set, The Devil's Wedding Night is another film I thought I had never seen before but once I hit play I quickly realized that I had seen the film but not in it's original form.  Many years ago I snagged several copies of Elvira's Movie Macabre on DVD from the FYE near my college for $1 a piece.  These unopened films were well worth the price and were the first time I had watched a lot of these movies.  Sadly, I didn't remember the names to a lot of the movies she hosted but it was clear this was one I had previously seen.

     The film follows a set of twin brothers who split up momentarily so one of them could go the Transylvania in search of an ancient ring with untold power.  He makes it to castle Dracula where he meets a young widow and her emotionless servant where she soon seduces him.  Sometime later his twin brother comes searching for him but she knocks him out and hides him in the dungeon while telling him that his brother had left sometime ago.  He is able to see through her lie and discovers that she is a vampire and uses the power of the ring to lure virgins to the castle to feed upon.

     The Devil's Wedding Night is a movie that is pretty enjoyable for the most part but it does lag in several scenes.  I don't know why I thought this movie had a different title but do we really intend on watching the movies hosted by Elvira or are we watching it just to see her and hear her horrible puns?  The acting in this one is probably the worst of the set so far.  While it's not the worst I've seen, their performances are very stiff and awkward to watch.  The characters are pretty cliched if I'm being honest which may be why the cast didn't bring a lot of energy to their roles.  The story for this one is different especially for a vampire flick centered around the mythology of Dracula.  We follow his bride who is using an evil ring to lure virgins to the castle who finds herself in the company of twins at different times... so we could have one person play both parts.  It's solid and works for an early 70s gothic horror tale.  With that being said, some of the scenes are a bit bloated which threw off the film's pacing at random times throughout the run time.  I don't know if these were added last minute or just padding the run time but they stick out like a sore thumb.  Finally, those wanting a lot of carnage and a high body count will be very disappointed.  The film has some vampire fangs but that is about the extent of the practical effects.  Overall, The Devil's Wedding Night is a bit of a misleading title but it's enjoyable.  I actually dug it and could see myself revisiting it again.  Check it out!

Dancing On My Own

Director - David E. Teixeira (Final Gasp, Stream)

Starring - David E. Teixeira

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get asked to review a lot of movies especially during the Halloween season.  I never know what these films are going to be about or even if I will like them.  I do love indie horror and often view watching them as an experience.  Even if I don't like the film, I still enjoy seeing someone's hard work and passion that went into the project.  A few weeks back I was asked to review a new short from David Teixeira.  I had reviewed several of his films previously and was looking forward to it but I wasn't able to squeeze it in at the time because of the hectic Halloween schedule I had placed on myself.  However, once the dust had cleared from my month long horror binge I was able to finally check out Dancing On My Own.  I want to thank David for sending this one along for review and apologize for it taking so long to review.

     The film follows a man that is alone going through his day doing typical tasks like making breakfast, reading, smoking and so on.  However, these tasks become much more daunting than they are due to mental health issues and other psychological dilemmas

     When David hit me up to review Dancing On My Own he explained that the film wasn't necessarily a horror film but more of an experimental psychological short.  That is a perfect description of the film and while I don't care for most experimental films I've seen, this one was done exceptionally well.  The acting in this one is not your typical acting which is hard to judge in that regard.  The film features director David Teixeira as he does his day to day tasks before crippling anxiety and other mental issues take hold.  Voices and other forms of paranoia creep in makes the most simple of tasks feel more daunting.  He does a phenomenal job in what I can only assume is an extremely personal role.  The story for this one is short and simple but will have a great impact on many of the viewers that struggle with mental health issues.  I've been there and understand how something as simple as making toast can turn into a crisis when struggling mentally.  The short doesn't over stay it's welcome and while it is experimental, it isn't overly complicated.  Finally, those looking for a bloodbath will be very disappointed.  It's a very story focused short with no room for the red stuff.  Overall, Dancing On My Own is a very powerful and passionate short from filmmaker David E. Teixeira.  This film is very personal and I can see a lot of genre fans who suffer from mental illness will find comfort in this one after connecting with the protagonist.  I highly recommend it.  

Dakota

Director - Wim Verstappen (Black Rider, Alicia)

Starring - Monique van de Ven (Amsterdamned, Daylight), Kees Brusse (Mysteries, Blue Movie), and Willeke van Ammelrooy (The Lake House, Lost Transport)

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Adventure/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most of the movies I get in for review are horror and I have nothing negative to say about that.  Even if I don't like the movies sent my way for review, I still love watching them.  It's an experience sitting down to watch someone's hard work, seeing actors with little to no experience hope in front of the camera with nothing but love for the genre in their hearts.  With that being said, I do get in the random non-horror title for review from some of the boutique labels that I've became acquainted with over the years.  Most of them send over exploitation flicks or the random low budget direct to video action flicks that have been lost to time.  However, companies like Cult Epics have put a lot of time and focus on bringing international titles to the states in recent years which has broadened my viewing up greatly.  Sometime back they sent me the 1974 adventure drama Dakota from filmmaker Wim Verstappen.  I want to thank Cult Epics for sending this one over!

     The film follows a passionate pilot who wants take his DS3, or Dakota, plan across the Atlantic where he encounters several unexpected problems.  

     I knew Dakota wasn't going to be a movie that my typical readers would be interested in but I always feel obligated to review a movie that is sent to me regardless if it was horror or not.  With that being said, I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about the film prior to watching it.  It looked interesting to say the least and I love watching movies I had never seen before regardless of the genre.  Sadly, the movie just wasn't for me.  It's not a bad movie but I'm clearly not the target audience for this adventure drama.  The acting in this one is solid for the most part.  The scenes with Brusse alone are very well done.  The setting for the film is very small with Brusse alone most of the time but he is still able to pull off some seriously fantastic acting with one sided dialogue and his mannerisms.  It's when Brusse is with other cast members that we see some stiff dialogue that is a bit awkward coming from the veteran actor.  The supporting cast is solid but Brusse is the main focus of this one.  The story for this one is straight to the point and I'm sure it's overflowing with details that only true aviators will understand.  I am not someone with an interest in planes or flying.  As for the film itself, I enjoyed it for a short time but did find myself bored through most of the film.  The beautiful shots from the pilots perspective and of the plane flying is beautiful but doesn't really hold the viewer's attention like it would someone that has an interest in the topic.  Finally, the film is not one with blood and guts so those of you looking for that type of film will be very disappointed.  The film is solely focused on the flight and how the pilot handles the issues he faces in his flight.  Overall, Dakota is going to be a film that several can appreciate for how beautiful the film is but even fewer can appreciate for the story telling.  I really wanted to like this one but at the end of the day it just wasn't for me.  

Deathstalker

Director - Steven Kostanski (The Void, Psycho Goreman)

Starring - Daniel Bernhardt (The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Logan), Patton Oswalt (Star Trek: Strange New World, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), and Christina Orjalo (That's So Weird, The Big Comfy Couch)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Action/Adventure/Horror

Tagline - "Evil has many names.  Adventure has only one..."

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in elementary school an estranged uncle of mine gave me a couple tapes.  My dad was convinced that he stole them from a video store where he lived but we had no idea where they truly came from.  The tapes were Jason Goes to Hell, Halfbaked, and Conan the Destroyer.  Those three films would leave a huge impact on my childhood with the Conan tape opening up the door to so many sword and sorcery flicks.  I would rent a lot of these films over the years including the 1983 Roger Corman produced Deathstalker.  I enjoyed the film a hell of a lot and even enjoy the sequel to some extent.  In fact, I watched the first Deathstalker not too long ago, long before I knew a remake was in the works.  Anyway, a few weeks ago I received a press release for the release of the new Deathstalker film from director Steven Kostanski.  Kostanski is one of my favorite modern filmmakers and I couldn't wait to see what he would do with this classic tale.  I also wondered how he would incorporate his Astron-6 brothers into the film.  I reached out to Shout and they were kind enough to send over a review link to check out.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows Deathstalker (Bernhardt) who has gave up his birth name and wonders the world pillaging and killing those that stand in his way.  He finds a man dying on a battlefield and retrieves an amulet from him not knowing that it was cursed.  This sends him on a quest to reverse the curse but in doing so he will need someone who knows magic.  His first stop is the free a small magician named Doodad (Oswalt) and the pair set out to reverse the curse and put a stop to an evil Dreadite army before they awaken an evil force to take over the land.

     Director Steven Kostanski has released some of the most unforgettable horror films of the last 15 or 20 years with movies like The Void, Man-Borg, Father's Day, Psycho Goreman, Frankie Freako, and Leprechaun Returns.  This made me wonder what direction he was going to take his reimaging of Deathstalker.  Was it going to stay true to the action adventure style of the classic, was it going to be heavy on the horror, or would it be a beautiful medley of action, adventure, and horror.  The movie is exactly what the world needed and defies genres.  The acting in this is exactly what you would expect from a reboot of a film originally produced by legendary Roger Corman.  The cast is stiff, clunky, and delivers their dialogue like Mitch Hedberg delivers his one liners.  However, it fits the film and almost pays homage to the films that inspired it.  The characters are hulking barbarians, cut throats, and any other form of bad ass men you would find in the Golden Axe games.  The cast really gets into character and it makes the scenes a lot of fun.  The story for this one a typical sword and sorcery style adventure mixed with Power Rangers the Movie and Warriors of Virtue with a lot of blood and gore.  We get a simple plot where a sword swinging adventurer goes on a quest to stop a curse while a group of undead warriors try to stop him.  This is textbook fantasy if you ask me.  We then get some comedy and some monsters that remind me a lot of the creatures from Power Rangers.  They all have elaborate backstories and it adds a little more to the film than the predictable villains you would find in other films like it.  Finally, the film is overflowing with amazing practical effects.  We get a lot of gore, fantastic creatures, and amazing deaths.  The deaths look great and the effects make this one stand out above the rest.  Overall, Deathstalker is a must see for fans of monster movies, sword and sorcery, and Steven Kostanski.  This movie is better than I expected and I know this will be very controversial but this is one of the few remakes that surpass the original.  While I dig the original film, this is going to be a day one purchase for me and one I can see myself revisiting multiple times without tiring of it.  I highly recommend it.  

Dirty Boy

Director - Doug Rao (War Hero, Jubilee)

Starring - Stan Steinbichler (Vienna Blood, Zero Chill), Susie Porter (The Monkey's Mask, Cargo), and Graham McTavish (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Highlander)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "What's done in the dark... will be brought into the light"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I grew up in Appalachia in one of the poorest counties in the U.S.  The average income, when I was in elementary school, was $11,000 a year.  People struggled to feed their families and had long term place for employment to turn to.  Most of the population in this county turned to religion as a way to cope with their financial struggles and hardships of living so far from amenities.  I think that my interest in cults is due to my unique upbringing in these hollows in West Virginia.  Seeing how fanatic many of these people were and how far they would go in the name of their religion really scared me.  I strongly believe that religion is the scariest thing on the planet, so I jump on any movie I see that is centered around a religious cult.  A few weeks back I was sent a few press releases for the religious cult thriller Dirty Boy.  The trailer really peaked my interest so I reached out to them for a review link.  With Halloween rapidly approaching, I went ahead and worked it into my annual October horror binge.

     The film follows a young schizophrenic in a cult deep in the woods.  The cult keeps him heavily medicated and isolated from the others.  However, as he slips between paranoia, hallucinations, and lucidity, he discovers that the cult has been killing those in their ranks that disagrees with them and plan on using his mental illness to finger him for the murders.  With the help from one of the female cultists, he tries to escape but is caught.  As they try to enforce a more strict regime for him, he is able to once again free himself and fight his way out of there.

     Dirty Boy is a flick that I knew absolutely nothing about until I received the press release.  The trailer really intrigued me and I was really looking forward to checking it out.  We don't get a lot of titles centered around cults and I was hoping that this one brought that sense of dread and real life terror that they are known for.  This one was unable to duplicate that feeling of dread but it was still a solid watch.  The acting in this one is very consistent and very well done.  The film doesn't have any one cast member shining above the other.  We have every one feeding off each other and contributing beautifully to the scene.  While some of the characters are a bit flat, the cast does the best with what they were given.  The story for this one has it's moments but not what I was expecting.  The film focuses more on the schizophrenic character and his struggles mentally with his health along with the way the cult ostracizes him.  While the cult aspect does play a huge part in the character's development, it's not explored as much as I would have liked.  I wasn't expecting the mental health aspect when I agreed to review and I really did enjoy that original spin on the cult sub-genre but I want more history on the cult itself.  Finally, the film is not a bloody or violent one.  While people do die, it's not the deaths that the film focuses on.  Instead, the film is very character driven instead of focusing on the deaths.  Overall, Dirty Boy was not a bad film.  In fact, I liked it for the most part.  However, it was not what I was expecting.  I was expecting a bit more atmosphere and a focus on the unhealthy obsession with religion.  While it did not deliver on that, it did give us a decent film.  Check it out.