Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me!

Director - Andy Milligan (Legacy of Blood, Fleshpot on 42nd St.)

Starring - Natalie Rogers (Tricks of the Trade, The Very Naked Canvas), Don Williams (The Ghastly Ones), and Peter Ratray (The Abyss, Walls of Glass)

Release Date - 1968

Genre - Drama

Tagline - "No one man could satisfy her"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I didn't know what to expect when I started diving into this Gutter Auteur set from Severin.  I was familiar with Andy Milligan's work prior to this but it was limited to a handful or so films that I had added to my collection over the years.  He was a very polarizing filmmaker that was not very consistent with his films but the few that I do like, I really like.  I started this marathon with The Degenerates because it was one I had wanted to see for some time but soon followed that up with the documentary about him and Compass Rose.  I was not a fan of Compass Rose but that didn't stop me from immediately throwing in Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me! from 1968.  

     The film follows a promiscuous house wife that starts going behind her husbands back to sleep around.  He's abusive and doesn't show her the attention she craves but several men, along with her husband's best friend, give her what she needs.  However, when he starts to sever ties with her as to not hurt his best friend, she starts scheming up ways to get him back until her husband ultimately discovers that she is sleeping around and not taking care of their child.

     I went into Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me! expecting it to be another unwatchable movie where the story was never finished by Milligan but what I found was a bit of an erotic drama that does have a lot of issues but still works as a coherent film.  It's not the best film I've seen but it was still watchable.  The acting in this one is leagues above Compass Rose but there is still a lot of room for growth.  We see some very well acted scenes sporadically throughout the film but other scenes show inexperience and awkwardness with the dialogue.  The story for this one is a little more straight forward but does have some rough editing at times.  A slutty housewife with a drunk husband going around lookin for strange is nothing we haven't seen before in sexploitation and it's not really done in an original way here.  It works to watch especially if you are going through this set like I am but it's not something I can recommend.  Finally, the film has a little blood but it's not a movie with a body count or great effects.  The movie is focused on the sleazy housewife and that's it.  Those of you wanting memorable deaths will be very disappointed.  Overall, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me! is very middle of the road and forgettable but it's watchable which is more than Compass Rose.  

Kung Fu Rascals

Director - Steve Wang (Guyver, Drive)

Starring - Steve Wang, Troy Fromin (Shrunken Heads, Return of the Living Dead II), and Johnnie Saiko (Hell Comes to Frogtown, Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight)

Release Date - 1992

Genre - Action/Comedy

Tagline - "It's not just another day of kung fu fighting"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of martial arts and kung fu flicks for as long as I can remember.  I watched them growing up with my grandmother and when I hit my teenage years I watched them with some friends of mine.  I've watched a lot of the "bad" kung fu movies over the years and I absolutely love them.  The campier the better.  Sometime back Visual Vengeance, the blu ray oriented sister company to Wild Eye, released the 1992 kung fu comedy Kung Fu Rascals on blu.  I had to add it to my collection so I ordered a copy and added it to my watch list to check out as soon as I could.

     The film follows three young kung fu masters who are on a quest to find a power that can restore their village to it's glory days.  However, an evil man and his gang of kung fu goons are after the same power and will stop at nothing to get it before them.

     I went into Kung Fu Rascals expecting to see some cheesy humor and a lot of fun kung fu.  Instead, what we have is an extremely campy film with a lot of dialogue filled scenes and not that much martial arts action.  I seriously wanted to like it but it wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  The film features a big cast of characters with memorable personalities but a lot of the scenes drag on and on for far too long.  This creates a lot of time with these characters delivering dull dialogue.  The story for this one has so much potential but struggles with the pacing.  At it's hear its a film with a story we had seen many times during the early 90s with films aimed at children with a select group of people (often teenagers) go on a quest of self-discovery to find something sacred that will save them while an evil villain and his army of soldiers is trying to stop them.  I could get behind it if it spent more time focusing on fights and setting the scenes instead of the quick jokes and dialogue heavy scenes.  The humor is clearly a parody to the martial arts films of the late 70s except the jokes run their course fairly early in the film resulting in a film that moves at a snails pace with not enough action to hold the viewer's attention.  Finally,   isn't a blood one but there is some fantastic creature designs that I was seriously impressed by.  In fact, I loved them so much that I wish the film was centered more around them instead of the film's lead.  Overall, Kung Fu Rascals might be a bit more fun if you pop an edible or crush some beers.  However, it's not enjoyable as a sober watch and could use a lot of trimming to fix the pacing.  

     

Killers

Director - Mike Mendez (Tales of Halloween, Big Ass Spider!)

Starring - Dave Larsen (Vampire Centerfolds, The Teas of Heaven), David Gunn (The Gravedancers, The Convent), and Damien Hoffer 

Release Date - 1996

Genre - Horror/Crime

Tagline - "Meet the new James boyz!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Mike Mendez is a filmmaker that I became familiar with several years ago when his anthology film Tales of Halloween was hitting store shelves.  I snagged a copy for my collection and soon realized that he had been in the game for sometime before then after a quick look at his imdb page.  Since then I've watched Big Ass Spider! and Lavalantula.  Sadly, that was all of his work that I had seen until recently when my friends over at Synapse Films sent me two of Mendez's earlier works.  I decided to start my journey with the 1996 horror crime thriller Killers.  Like always, I want to take a moment to thank Synapse for sending this one my way.  

     The film follows convicted murderers Odessa and Kyle James who just escaped from prison and make their way to the Charles Ryan and his picture perfect family.  However, as they get cozy and settle in while the police is looking for them, things heat up between Odessa and Charles wife while his oldest daughter has eyes for Kyle.  Once they relieve themselves of sexual tension, the pair realize that the home they forced themselves into for safety was anything but that.

     Killers is a movie that took itself too seriously resulting in a lot of unintentional laughs.  While I did enjoy the movie, I still found myself laughing at the cringey characters and over-dramatic performances.  It's a movie that may have found it's market in the late 90s direct to video action thriller boom but doesn't hold up as well these almost 30 years later.  The acting in this one is almost a parody of every direct to video action movie of the 80s and 90s.  The cast is very over the top.  Their cliched performances is clearly modeled after villains from infamous low budget films that littered the video store shelves.  Everyone in this film hams it up and their performances inspired a lot of laughter from me.  The story for this one is actually pretty fucking wild.  We follow two Mendez Brothers style killers who break out of prison and find their way into the Ryan family home.  The Ryan's just happen to be serial killers with a secret dungeon under their home.  The two evil forces clash as the feds attempt to infiltrate the home to capture the James Brothers.  Honestly, I enjoyed this story and I could see myself loving the film if the acting was a little more grounded and not so over the top.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood.  The kills are mostly gunshot deaths with the squibs and so on.  They are not that imaginative but they fit the style of the film very well.  Overall, Killers is a must see especially if you grew up through the video store age.  While it almost feels like a parody of the action thrillers that I grew up on, it still has a great story that just happens to be accompanied by some unintentional humor.  This release from Synapse Films is well worth your time.  Check it out.  

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Director - Stephen Chiodo (Alien X-Mas, Elvira's Movie Macabre)

Starring - Grant Cramer (Auntie Lee's Meat Pies, Night of the Living Dead: 30th Anniversary Edition), Suzanne Snyder (Amazing Stories, The Preppie Murder), and John Allen Nelson (Quantum Leap, Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell)

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Horror/Sci-fi/Comedy

Tagline - "In space no one can eat ice cream!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I have had a lot of films that influenced my upbringing. I pretty much lived at my local video store when I was a kid and when I didn't have movies to watch that I had rented I would be watching movies I owned with my Grandma. I was obsessed with the films AirBud, Prehysteria, Adventures in Dinosaur City, Space Truckers, Ernest Scared Stupid, and several others until I was bitten by the horror bug when my Grandma and I watched the 1990's remake of Night of the Living Dead. From then I was obsessed with that film, the original Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, The Guyver, Return of the Living Dead, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space just to name a few. All these films were a huge part of my childhood and I still watch them whenever I get the chance now. Last Halloween my youngest was intrigued by the Killer Klowns merchandise at Spirit Halloween. I got her a Funko POP and a few other little things from the film and that night she asked me to show her the movie. I was so excited to share something I enjoyed so much as a kid with her and now we watch the film almost every other month. Recently, Scream Factory released the film on blu with an awesome steelbook. They were kind enough to send over a copy for me to review which was the perfect reason to rewatch it with the kids. While I was a bit sad to retire my Midnite Movies DVD I was excited to check it out on blu. I want to thank Scream and Shout Factory for sending this one over. 

      The film follows a young couple who witness something falling from the sky. When they head into the woods to investigate, they find a large circus tent. They go inside and find grotesque clowns not of this world who are turning the locals into cotton candy so they can consume them. They then partner up with a small-town cop and two ice cream truck vendors to stop the killer clowns from outer space from eating everyone in town. There is so much to love about Killer Klowns from Outer Space. The atmosphere, sense of humor, the clever writing, the score and soundtrack, set designs, and so on are absolutely perfect. Two of my three children will walk around singing the theme song by The Dickies randomly. The movie, while a brilliant blend of horror, sci-fi, and comedy, is perfect for any age. I've talked about cult and genre films with hundreds of people over the years and I've yet to meet someone who doesn't love this film. The acting in this one is one of the highlights of the film. We have one of my favorite performances from the legendary John Vernon. Many may recall him from his roles in Tales from the Crypt, National Lampoon's Animal House, Ernest Goes to Camp, Blue Monkey, and so many amazing voice acting gigs. I loved his character and would have loved to see a bit more of him throughout the film. The same can be said about Michael Siegel and Peter Licassi as the Terenzi brothers. They were a lot of fun to watch and deserved a much larger role in the film. The film's leads do a great job as well. Suzanne Snyder has appeared in several iconic 80s films aside from this one. Fans can check her out in Night of the Creeps, Return of the Living Dead Part II, Weird Science, and The Last Starfighter. Grant Cramer is great as well and was perfect casting to play opposite Snyder. He appeared in several iconic 80s comedies and horror films as well like New Year's Evil, Beverly Hills Brats, and several more classic films from the time.   The supporting cast is a lot of fun as well but these make the film for me.  The story for this one is out of this world...pun and all.  The idea of clowns being out of this world and not part of human culture may explain a lot to those with coulrophobia.  I loved the idea of clowns being aliens and everything we associate with them and circuses because they visited Earth sometime before.  Then you blend that in with a solid 80s comedy and you have something that really works.  It took a lot of brainstorming and thought to make this story work but it's clear they put in the time.  The film is well written, has great pacing, and the humor doesn't take away from the campy horror the film is able to provide.  Finally, this film is not gory but makes up for it with the humor, fantastic looking clowns from outer space, amazing set locations, and props.  The film also incorporates a lot of classic camera tricks and techniques to make the gags work.  While it doesn't offer up gore or a lot of blood, it is still full of amazing effects.  Overall, Killer Klowns from Outer Space may be one of my favorite horror films to come out of the 80s.  It doesn't have a following like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm St. but it still delivers.  I highly recommend snagging this one from Scream Factory if you are a fan of the film or looking for something new to see.  It's worth it.  

Killer Campout Part II

Director - Brad Twigg (Milfs vs. Zombies, Shriekshow)

Starring - Kay Leahy (Bloody Summer Camp, Curtain Call), Justin P. Martin (10/31 Part 3, Shriekshow), and Brucellious Morris Jr. (Go Away, Murder in the Family)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Welcome to Camp Phoenix... you wont be coming home"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been writing reviews at Horror Society for over a decade now and during that time I've befriended several amazing filmmakers. One filmmaker I met early on in my career was West Virginia native Brad Twigg of Fuzzy Monkey Films. I was introduced to Brad when he was promoting his horror comedy Milfs vs. Zombies and I've followed his career ever since. Honestly, his brand of film has always been the style of movie that I enjoy. I love the campier stories with buckets of blood that he offers viewers. Sometime back Brad released his slasher Killer Campout, and it would gain a very decent following which prompted him to create a follow up. I followed the project pretty closely, but it slipped my mind over the last few months with everything going on in my home life. That's why I was very surprised when Brad reached out to review the finished film. I couldn't say yes fast enough and had to quickly work it into my schedule. Like always, I want to thank Brad for sending this one over. 

      The film begins with a trio of youths digging up the corpse of Gene Blackwell in hopes of resurrecting him. They actually succeed and unleash the now undead killer back into the woods where he used to hunt in while a group of orphaned teens are camping nearby. 

      Director Brad Twigg and Fuzzy Monkey Films has released some seriously impressive indie horror tiles over the years. Milfs vs. Zombies may have been my introduction to his work, but it was films like WrestleMassacre, Killer Campout, Frames of Fear, and so on. With that being said, Killer Campout Part II is easily my favorite film of his. He held nothing back with this one and not only was it a fantastic sequel but it's easily one of the better slashers to come out in recent years. The acting in this one is hands down the best in the Fuzzy Monkey catalogue. Honestly, I'd be here all day if I took the time to credit everyone that did an amazing job in the film. Two of my favorite indie horror starlets, Morrigan Thompson and Angel Nichole Bradford, appear in the film for a short time which is a bit of a shame. I would have loved to see them take on a much larger role. We also see some Fuzzy Monkey regulars like Julio Fernandez, Luba Hansen, and Rick Jermain just to name a few. The story for this one is a great continuation of the first film while paying tribute to the face of slashers, Jason Voorhees. I grew up on the Friday the 13th franchise and I've always loved the slashers that take place in the woods or at a camp. Killer Campout and Part II takes the simplest of stories centered around camping and it works. Part II then adds the resurrected killer in a similar fashion to Voorhees during Friday the 13th Part VI. It works and gives the film its original slasher back with a great spin on it. Also, the film takes the story a bit further with its character development and the sub-plot around the Blackwell family. Finally, the practical effects in this one are great and so are the deaths. These death scenes are extremely violent with some of the most impressive effects I've seen in indie cinema. Overall, Killer Campout Part II is a brutal slasher and one of the better sequels I've seen. It's a movie that is as mean spirited as Terrifier and its sequel but much better. I highly recommend checking this one out if you ever have the chance. You will not be disappointed.

Karate Ghost 2: Dojo of Death

Director - James Balsamo (Bite School, Killer Waves)

Starring - James Balsamo, Joe Borlik (Hollywood Werewolf, Karate Cop), and Dani Bliss (Las Vegas Frankenstein, Silly Dilly Why So Killy? (Dildo of the Dead))

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's not often I find a sequel to be just as good, or better, than the original film. I've seen films like Return of the Living Dead Part II and Halloween II (Carpenter's) be equally as enjoyable as the original film but there have been a few sequels that have surpassed the original in my opinion. While I respect the films Hellraiser and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it's the sequels to them both that I enjoy more than the originals. That brings me to Karate Ghost 2: Dojo of Death from director James Balsamo. I was sent this one a few weeks back, but I wasn't able to get to it then and didn't really want to make time for it after watching the original Karate Ghost. However, I'm glad I did because I enjoyed it. I want to thank James for sending this one over! 

      The film once again follows Nick Laser (Balsamo) who is tasked with stopping the evil Black Belt Joe who has escaped his belt and is going on a rampage. 

      I went into Karate Ghost 2 expecting it to be another rough watch but I found myself enjoying it for the most part. Sure, I'm over horror films shot guerilla style at horror conventions but the absurdity of this one mixed with Balsamo's humor made it worth my time. The acting in this one is just as uneven as in the first film. Balsamo's performance is wild. He once again brings in that exaggerated performance that is clearly meant to parody straight to video action and martial art films of the 80s and 90s. However, the remainder of the cast seems to consist of people he had ran into at various conventions or paid to cameo in the film. It's very inconsistent and doesn't really do much for the film aside from destroy the pacing. The story for this one is extremely campy and cheesy but I dig it. It's follows in the next logical evolution of the story with Black Belt Joe escaping again. While I did have fun with it, the film could have been trimmed down to a short without the cameos and convention goer scenes. These really did take away from the pacing and impact of the story. Finally, the film has more of the DIY effects shown in the first film with fake limbs, blood, and even a creature of two. It's a lot of fun and adds another layer of humor to the film but those of you looking for serious gore will be disappointed. Overall, Karate Ghost 2 is an improvement overthe first film but there is a lot that could be changed to make it better. However, I enjoyed it and if you dig campy action flicks then I'm sure you would too

Karate Ghost

Director - Bobby Canipe Jr. (Woke, Nundead)

Starring - Joe Borlik (Karate Cops, Hollywood Werewolf), James Balsamo (Milfs vs Zombies, Hanukkah), and Charles Wright (It Wants Blood 2, Killer Waves 2)

Release Date -2023

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A year or so ago I came into contact with filmmaker Bobby Canipe Jr. when he was promoting his S.O.V. inspired slasher Grandma . I knew very little about this one but when I was able to check it out I fell in love with it. It's far from perfect and very rough around the edges but it's a lot of fun and did a great job at nailing that S.O.V. vibe and look. I haven't seen anything of his since but that recently changed when filmmaker Jame Balsamo reached out to me to review his film Karate Ghost 2. I had never seen the first Karate Ghost so when I mentioned this to James he was kind enough to send over a link to that film as well which just happened to be directed by Bobby. I want to thank James for sending over both of these films. 

      The film follows an aspiring karate instructor who purchases an old dojo with a reclusive janitor living in the back. The janitor is the legendary Nick Laser who brought an end to Black Belt Joe's reign when he trapped his soul in his belt many years ago. Now, with the dojo under new management, the soul of Black Belt Joe is released forcing Nick to once again stop him. 

      I knew very little about Karate Ghost before going into it but the artwork and title had me fucking pumped. However, once I was greeted with an introduction by the legendary Charles Wright as his Godfather character in what felt like a Cameo video, I knew this was going to be different and not necessarily in a good way. The acting in this one is very inconsistent. We have some performances where the cast is looking at the camera and just spitting their dialogue out. Then when have other scenes with a lot of energy and comedic timing. Director, producer, and actor James Balsamo carries the film with his exaggerated take on straight to video action films that many of us grew up on. The story for this one felt like it was meant to be something much different, and the direction was changed halfway through. I loved the over-the-top karate action, the exaggerated dialogue, and the crazy deaths but the film hits a huge lag where it slows down to crawl for a good bit before picking back up. The pacing is all over the place which is another reason why I suspect that it was written on the fly or had major elements of the story changed. Finally, the film has a lot of violent deaths with some decent, and some not so decent, practical effects. The deaths fit a karate centered film and some of the effects are great. However, some of the effects are very amateurish and just didn't fit that well. Overall, Karate Ghost is the kind of movie I could seriously get behind, but the awkward pacing and extremely cheap effects makes it feel like it was a film put together on the run or on a severe time crunch. I wanted to love it but I couldn't.

The Killer Shrews

Director - Ray Kellogg (The Giant Gila Monster, The Green Berets)

Starring - James Best (Return of the Killer Shrews, In the Heat of the Night), Ingrid Goude (Flight, Wild Heritage), and Ken Curtis (Airwolf, Perry Mason)

Release Date - 1959

Genre - Horror/Sci-fi

Tagline - "all that was left after..."

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love campy horror films. I love cheese on my food and my movies are no different. I was excited when Film Masters sent over the UHD release of The Giant Gila Monster. I couldn’t wait to revisit this one and reminisce about watching this old movies with my dad and grandmother. However, I was surprised to see a second film on the release that I had never seen before. Included in the release was 1959’s The Killer Shrews. This is a movie I thought I had seen before and but couldn’t recall a damn thing about it. This only made me even more excited to see it but once I hit play I quickly realized this was a first time watch for me. I want to thank Film Masters for sending over this lovely release. 

      The film follows a ship captain that stops on an isolated island to drop off supplies when news of a hurricane reaches him. He ventures onto the island to meet a team of scientists and other crew who are working on an experiment to reduce the size of humans to prevent the eradication of resources. They are conducting the experiments on shrews due to their quick rate of reproducing but they accidentally create a mutation that makes the shrews the size of dogs with a taste for human flesh. As the hurricane makes it way to them they must barricade themselves indoors and fight off the ongoing horde of killer shrews. 

      I fucking loved The Killer Shrews way more than I should have. I know it’s another film that often gets mocked and riffed by shows like MST3000 but I enjoyed it a lot. In fact, I watched it twice in just as many days. It’s a lot of fucking fun even though it is extremely cheesy. The acting in this one is not as bad as I was expecting. In fact, I actually liked the characters and how the cast depicted them. While several characters are painfully cliched and modeled after other films featuring science gone too far, I still found myself enjoying their performances. The outlandish characters and situations really does fit the campy nature of the film. The story for this one is so predictable but it’s not the destination that is so enjoyable here. Instead, it’s the journey and the situations these survivors find themselves in is so fucking funny and outlandish. Viewer’s can’t help but smile he entire time the film is on and at just roughly over an hour you will not be out that much of your time. Finally, the film is not a bloody one. We get dogs in shrew costumes and gimmicky deaths but that is the extent of it. Viewers need to remember that this is a no budget horror film with more focus on the shrews than anything else. Overall, The Killer Shrews is a fantastic no budget treat from the golden age of drive-in cinema. It’s cheap but it works. I know genre fans will be quick to jump in the comments and bash the review but I fucking loved it. I highly recommend it.

Knock at the Cabin

Director - M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Split)

Starring - Dave Bautista (Glass Onion, Guardians of the Galaxy), Jonathan Groff (The Matrix Resurrections, Mindhunter), and Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Thrive)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Save your family or save humanity.  Make the choice"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Genre fans are quick to hate specific filmmakers and they are extremely vocal about it on social media. I’ve had an online presence since my first year in high school in the earl 2000s and every day since then I’ve see hate for filmmakers like Eli Roth, Rob Zombie, and M. Night Shyamalan. I was in middle school, I believe, when The Sixth Sense was released. I remember renting it and really like it. Since then Shyamalan has released countless genre classics like Unbreakable, Split, Old, and Glass among several more. Personally, I think his films are a lot of fun but I do find humor and basis for a lot of the complaints that many have with his work. A few weeks back I received a copy of Knock at the Cabin on UHD for review. I completely forgot he had released a new film and I couldn’t wait to finally check it out! 

      The film follows a gay couple and their daughter as they stay in a cabin deep in the woods as a getaway. Things take an unusual turn when four people arrive armed and requesting they let them in. They are reluctant and suspect that it’s locals who oppose their lifestyle. However, the four find their way in brandishing weapons and telling them that they have to make a serious decision and if they chose not to then the world as they know it would end. The couple does not believe them but as time moves on they start killing their own one by one as natural disasters are being reported on the news. 

      When it gets down to one person left the couple starts to question if they are indeed telling the truth or this is a sick game where everyone loses. I know it’s cool to hate on Shyamalan in certain circles and, while his plot twists are legendary and easily mocked, I still thoroughly enjoy his films. I wouldn’t say they are among my favorite but I do enjoy watching them. With that being said, there is two or three of his more recent films that I’ve missed but I will circle around to them eventually. While Knock at the Cabin is not on the same level as Split to me it was a great film and among one of his best. It satisfies from the cast through the story and practical effects. The acting in this one is great. I knew Dave Batista was in this one from the original promo material but I had no idea that Rupert Grint was in the film. Both are fantastic but the entire cast deserves praise from the very young Kristen Cui, who shows experience beyond her age, to the rest of the cast. The cast is surprisingly small but everyone delivers an amazing performance. I’m still impressed by how intense Batista was at times. I had already outgrown wrestling by the time Batista made his debut so my only knowledge of him was from Guardians of the Galaxy. However, he absolutely shattered all my expectations I had for him. He has some serious acting chops. The story for this one takes the horror stereotype of cabins in the woods and adds the religious horror aspect to it. I really appreciate the addition of religious horror, especially when it’s around Christianity and how far it drives certain people, when it is done right. Knock at the Cabin blends that with a home invasion story in a sense while a family is secluded in a cabin. Honestly, it works but it could be set anywhere and it’s because of this that we can easily have a sequel following the same premise. I loved it and I seriously hope we get a follow up. Finally, the film was surprisingly violent. It has a great built up to the deaths and once it hits it doesn’t let up. A good bit is done off screen but it makes good use of practical and visual effects. The deaths fit the film perfectly but they don’t necessarily stand out. Overall, Knock at the Cabin may not be the type of horror film most genre fans are looking for but I personally enjoyed it. It has a great cast, a solid story, and some violent deaths. Fans of Shyamalan should really check it out.

KillHer

Director - Robyn August (Cupcake, Doggy See Evil)

Starring - M.C. Huff (Murder Made Me Famous, Poker Nights), Emily Hall (Scariest Night of Your Life, The Last Inn), and Jenna Z (Shook, Generation)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Get ready for a killer weekend"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get asked to review a wide range of films from backyard no budget productions with dollar store costumes and ketchup to multi million dollar films that oddly seem to lack the heart and passion the backyard films do. I love my job and the opportunity it provides me to review new and unreleased films. I never know what will pass through my email on a daily basis but sometimes something comes through that just grabs my attention. A few days back I received the press release for the horror comedy Killher. I was really digging the film’s poster and decided to reach out to see if it was available. A few days later the director emailed me with a screener link. I figured this one would be perfect for my month long October horror binge.

      The film follows a bachelorette party that decides to go campy. The young bride to be invites her three friends with one of them being a bit of an odd ball among the group. She planned the entire trip which has caused some tension between herself and the other two friends. What they don’t know is that she was secretly sleeping with the groom and when he tried to break it off she killed him. Now she is planning on snuffing out the other three while they are deep in the woods. 

      Killher is a film that struggles with it’s own identity during the first half or so before finally coming into it’s own. The ending almost pulled the film out of the negative but the unlikable characters and predictable story made for a rather lackluster experience. The acting in this one is fairly well done but the characters are extremely unlikable. The cast has a lot of energy and really give it their all but their personalities make for awkward scenes and most of the movie I was hoping I was going to watch them die. The cast did the best they could but these characters were just so obnoxious and unlikable that it made most of the film difficult to watch. The story for this one makes you think you are going to be watching an American camping version of Wolf Creek with the deceiving poster and the initial set up of the story. However, after a few minutes of getting to know the characters you can quickly see where this is going. I didn’t mind the route the film took but I would have liked some down to Earth characters that didn’t tap dance on your nerves. If you are able to stick with it through the awkward scenes and predictable first half then you will find something enjoyable. It may not be enough to make the first hour or so worth it but it was entertaining nonetheless. Finally, the film has several bloody deaths with some solid practical effects but the deaths you want to see never happen. The practical effects really make these scenes enjoyable but I was really looking forward to watching others die. Overall, Killher has an interesting idea but the film gives too much at the beginning which takes away from the killer’s reveal. The last leg of the film is fun but it is a bit of a journey to get there. I wanted to love it but it wasn’t for me.

The Kindred

Director(s) - Stephen Carpenter (The Dorm that Dripped Blood, The Power) and Jeffrey Obrow (Servants of Twilight, Legend of the Mummy)

Starring - Rod Steiger (American Gothic, The Amityville Horror), Kim Hunter (Two Evil Eyes, American Playhouse), and David Allen Brooks (Manhunter, The Doors)

Release Date - 1987

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Anthony didn't ask to be brought into this world"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    I’m a huge fan of 80s horror but I’ve only seen a miniscule amount of films from the decade. I cut my teeth to classics like Evil Dead II, Return of the Living Dead, Monster Squad, Night of the Creeps, Night of the Comet and so on but there is thousands of films that I’ve missed out on for various reasons. That’s why I love these boutique labels like Arrow Video, Vinegar Syndrome Scream Factory, Severin, and Synapse Films. Synapse really impressed me when they released Massacre at Central High. They have been behind some of my favorite blu releases in recent years and when they announced the standard edition of 1987’s The Kindred I was fucking pumped. I had never seen this one before and I couldn’t wait to see it. I quickly reached out to my friends over at MVD and they were kind enough to send over a review copy. 

      The film follows a scientist who visits his mother’s home after her passing to search for her experiments and lab notes before her competition could along with his assistants. However, what they don’t know is that her experiments resulted in an abomination living in the basement that has a knack for killing. Now, they are forced to not only fight for their lives at the hands of this creature but the other scientist that wants to use her work as his own. 

     The Kindred was not what I was expecting at all but I fucking loved it. As a parent I often find horror films centered around mutant babies, like The Suckling, It’s Alive, and The Kindred, to be extremely effective. Not only is it playing on fears of parents that something could be wrong with their child but it also has that element that humans could create something so heinous within their own biological makeup. The Kindred uses a little from both of these to make something that was pretty fucking fun. The acting in this one is uneven but it’s not bad. Some of the cast acts as very well. They get into character, carry the scene, and do a fantastic job with their co-stars. However, some of the cast delivers decent performances in some scenes while other scenes are flat and very unenthused. It’s not consistent but isn’t the worst thing I’ve seen. The story for this one is slasher like but with some fun monster mayhem. It is predictable but that doesn’t stop it from being enjoyable. I really enjoyed the mutant offspring and the possibility of sequels with the jars in the basement. I also liked how it reminded me a lot of the scientists gone too far films from the 60s. I would have never expected this type of story to work so well with slasher elements but it did. The dialogue is a bit of a stretch but I don’t know how much of that was written and how much of that was improv. Finally, the film has plenty of blood and one hell of a monster. The effects are great and they drive the film over the time. Overall, The Kindred really impressed me. I enjoyed the creature and the story behind it. The transfer from Synapse looks great as well. This is one of the few horror films that seems to be firing on all cylinders.

Knock, Knock, Knock

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

Starring - Rob Collins (13 Slays Till X-Mas, Squatch'd), Stephen J. Hodke (Shriekshow, Season's Greetings 2), and Travis Wilson (Campground: The Requel, She Burns in Hell: Chapter 2)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of Concept Media for some time now.  I've been watching and reviewing their films since they released Shawn Burkett's Bludgeon.  Since then I've been a huge fan and always keep an eye out on their newest projects.  A few days ago Shawn hit me up to review his short Knock, Knock, Knock.  I had no idea that he had been working on this one and couldn't wait to check it out.  I had to wait a few days but as soon as I could I went ahead and hit play.  Thanks Shawn for sending this one over my way.  

     This one follows two friends who are staying the night in a hotel but a strange knock at the door interrupts their night.  After several more they soon find themselves at the mercy of a knife wielding mad man.

     Knock, Knock, Knock is extremely short at just three minutes long.  However, it is still fun for what it is.  Sadly, I feel that it is a little too damn short to actually answer any questions the viewer has.  The acting in this one is solid enough.  It's a short cast of mutual friends and that makes it feel a little more genuine.  The cast has some on screen experience but you can still see some inexperience from time to time.  The story for this one follows two guys in a hotel room who find a knife wielding man at their door.  It's a decent start but the film ends before the story truly gets going.  Who is the knife wielding maniac?  Why did he target these two dudes?  Why is Rob Collins so damn cool?  The short doesn't really find it's stride in just three minutes.  Finally, the film has a little CGI blood but don't expect a blood bath.  The CGI looks decent but it doesn't really stick with you once the short is over.  Overall, Knock, Knock, Knock is far from perfect but it's fun.  The one death is pretty fun but I have too many questions than the short has answers.  It's still a sharp short with a point but nothing memorable.  

Knife + Heart

Director - Yann Gonzalez (Land of my Dreams, I Hate You Little Girls)

Starring - Vanessa Paradis (A Monster in Paris, Heartbreaker), Nicolas Maury (Spellbound, Metamorphosis), and Kate Moran (Cannabis, Savage State)

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     By this point it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Vinegar Syndrome.  I've been obsessed with their releases for several years now and haven't skipped a release in almost 5 years now.  When they announced their partner label releases I was actually excited to check out even more films attached to my favorite label.  A good deal of these releases are for films that I had never heard of until Vin Syn had their hands on them.  That was how I discovered the French horror mystery Knife + Heart.  I was on the fence about ordering this one but I decided to pull the trigger.  I'm glad I did because this is probably my favorite release from a partner label.  

     The film follows a struggling gay-porn director and producer in the early 70s who lost her lover sometime before.  Focusing on her work she continues to film more gay porn but the more films they shoot the more male stars are being murdered by a masked maniac.  As the police work frantically the catch the killer she finds her life put on display in a time when being part of the LGBTQ community was taboo.

     Honestly, I didn't think that Knife + Heart would be for me but the only reason I even bought it was because of the sleeve that came with the release.  The cock knife completely sold it for me.  However, once I actually got to check it out I was blew away by it.  It was one hell of a film and easily my favorite movie from the partner labels.  I cannot recommend this film enough.  The acting in this one is great.  I absolutely loved the characters and they were cast damn near perfectly.  Some of the roles did bring about some laughs, rather intentional or unintentional, but the cast is absolutely amazing.  I could see an entire series of films following the surviving cast.  The characters are written very well and the cast does a fantastic job with them.  The story for this one is a solid period piece with some light humor, LGBTQ themes, and a solid murder mystery angle set against the early 70s adult film industry in France.  It's not predictable and I loved the killers look and weapon.  When you mix that with the murder mystery and light laughs you find yourself with a film that you will absolutely love.  Finally, the film has some fun gore and deaths that really do fit with the theme of the film.  I absolutely loved the murder weapon and some of the deaths utilized it so well.  The practical effects are absolutely fantastic which really makes the kills work in my opinion.  Overall, Knife + Heart is a must see for fans of slashers and giallo.  It's a great story, plenty bloody, and an amazing cast.  I highly recommend it.  

Kill-Cam

Director - Chris Woods (Chaos A.D., Amerikan Holokaust)

Starring - Katie McKinley (Zed's Dead, Earth Girls are Sleazy), Sushii Xhyvette Holder (Naked Cannibal Campers, Death-Scort Service Part 2: The Naked Dead), and Cayt Feinics (Her Name Was Christa, Wrestlemassacre)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started my reviewing adventures, almost a decade now, I crossed paths with two filmmakers with a love for horror and exploitation.  The pair created the YouTube channel The Sleaze Box where they would rate, rank, and discuss genre films and the actors and actresses often found in them.  It was a solid channel while it lasted.  Soon their ambitions outgrew their channel and they branched out into film with their movie Amerikan Holocaust.  Chris Woods, the co-directed, had previously worked on other films prior to and continued to do so under The Sleaze Box since.  Last year he announced a new film title Kill-Cam starring Katie McKinley and Sushii Xhyvette Holder and written by himself and Lixy Lestat.  I was really interested in this one.  I shared the crowd funding campaign on the site and kept on an eye on it until a few days ago when a copy of the film arrived for me to review.  I didn't want to sleep on it so I made time for this one.  I want to once again thank Chris for always supporting Horror Society!

     The film follows an aging horror starlet named Samantha Styles (McKinley) who is struggling with finding jobs in recent years.  Her failing career mixes with childhood trauma which results in her turning her love for filmmaking into a bloody new project where she has been picking up prostitutes and killing them on camera with the help of her ventriloquist doll.  As the bodies stack up so does her ambition and she recruits a new starlet that has shot to fame to be in her snuff film with unexpected results.  

     Kill-Cam was a tribute to the "roughie" films of the 60s with The Sleaze Box twist.  Honestly, I feel like Chris Woods has made the most Sleaze Boxiest movie to date.  I absolutely loved it.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I watched it a second time before I wrote this review.  The acting in this one fits the film perfectly.  A lot of the cast in this one are familiar faces from other Sleaze Box and GatorBlade films.  McKinley is great as the film's lead.  She beautiful, demented, and when she goes off the rails you really enjoy watching her act insane.  It's also nice to see Cayt Feinics, Sushii, Ashley Lynn Caputo, and Lunathyst in another Sleaze Box release.  I liked the characters they portrayed and they were all in for their performance.  I'm all for Cayt Feinics getting more screen time and she has a decent size role in this one.  The story for this one is a faux snuff inspired film with large amounts of nudity, blood, and style.  This one doesn't look like your typical Sleaze Box release but all their stereotypical tropes are there.  The film has a little more artistic approach to the cinematography which made the nudity even more enjoyable.  I liked the spin on the aging star turning to snuff as a way to express herself and get even with an industry that glorifies youth and beauty.  The doll angle added another layer to the story but didn't really overshadow it.  The twist it delivers was effective and not what I was expecting.  It was nicely written in and works very well with the story.  My only complaint with the story is the flashbacks were a little excessive.  One or two would have been enough to get the point across without having to stop the pacing of the film to show how disturbing Style's childhood truly was.  Finally, the film wouldn't be a Sleaze Box release if it didn't have tons of blood and boobs.  We get a lot of nudity, probably more than any other SB release, along with some fun kills.  The effects worked for the kills and they fit the film very well but this is not the goriest film to come from the mind of Chris Woods.  With that being said, it still satisfies even the most dedicated of gore-hounds.  Overall, Kill-Cam is a new favorite indie film of mine and easily the best Sleaze Box release to date.  It's sexy, crude, and brilliant.  I hope that Woods and company keeps churning out films like this one in the future.  I highly recommend this slice of sleazy gold!

Krampus

Director - Michael Dougherty (Trick r' Treat, Godzilla: King of the Monsters)

Starring - Adam Scott (Step Brothers, The Twilight Zone), Toni Collette (Hereditary, Nightmare Alley), and David Koechner (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse)

Release Date- 2015

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "...is coming to town"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Michael Dougherty doesn't have many films under his name as director but the few he has helmed are fantastic.  In his filmmaking career he has created one of the most iconic Halloween anthologies of the last 30 years with Trick r' Treat.  The creation of little Sam has went on to become a pop culture icon that can be found everywhere during the Halloween season.  He then brought in the second Godzilla film in the new Legendary series with Godzilla: King of the Monsters.  In 2015 he directed the horror comedy Krampus which has went on to become a holiday horror classic among fans.  I wanted to see this one when it was originally released but work and life got away from me resulting in a missed opportunity.  Since then I've snagged the blu release but never got around to checking it out.  That changed when Scream Factory announced the UHD release of the film.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks Scream Factory!

     The film follows a young boy who is not enjoying the holiday season like he used to.  His older sister is spending more time with her boyfriend than him and his cousins are mean to him.  He writes Santa a letter asking for a return to the way Christmas used to be.  That night a storm blows in and sub-zero temperatures resulting in a power outage.  When his sister goes to her boyfriend's and fails to return home his father and uncle go looking for him when they are attacked by something in the snow.  When they return home they soon learn that the old myth of Krampus is real and he's going from house to house adding to his body count.

     Krampus is one of the most popular modern Christmas horror films and for good reason.  It's not on the same level of fun and iconic imagery as Trick r' Treat but Dougherty's eye for creating legendary holiday horror films is damn near unmatched.  I really liked Krampus and can see this one joining my yearly holiday horror flicks like the original Black Christmas and Silent Night, Deadly Night.  My biggest disappointment with the film is that I waited so long to watch it.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  I'm a huge fan of David Koechner so it was cool to see him appear in another horror comedy.  He was underutilized here but the serious tone and grounded characters did make the actual humor stand out.  I also liked Adam Scott as well.  His character fit the film very well and he did a fantastic job in the role.  With that being said, I'm not really a fan of Toni Collette.  She always looks confused in every film I've seen her in.  Here she does show a little more of an emotional range but she is still the weakest point in the film in my opinion.  The story for this one takes the Krampus legend and turns it into a campy horror comedy that completely absorbs itself in the holiday spirit.  I loved the creatures Dougherty introduced in the film along with the winter storm setting.  I also loved the claustrophobic vibe of the film mixed with the offbeat humor.  With that being said, I sincerely hope that this is just the first installment in a series of film set up with this storyline and creatures.  Finally, the film has some amazing creatures that mixes practical effects and visuals.  The visuals do stand out but the practical effects look absolutely fantastic.  I loved the clown puppets when it opened it's mouth as well as a few of the other creatures.  It's not the bloodiest or goriest horror flick I've seen but the practical and visual effects are very imaginative.  Overall, Krampus is a fun holiday horror film with a lot of creativity and Christmas charm.  I wasn't feeling Christmas this year but this movie helped get my head in the right place.  I highly recommend snagging this release from Scream Factory.  You will not be disappointed.  

Killer's Delight

Director - Jeremy Hoenack

Starring - James Luisi (The Hidden, Baywatch Nights), Susan Sullivan (Justice League, The Comedy Company), and John Karlen (Night of the Shadows, House of Dark Shadows)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Five girls this week!  How many next week?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Vinegar Syndrome has done an amazing job at bringing long forgotten and relatively unknown films from the late 60s, 70s, 80s, and early 90s to many movie collectors over the years.  Some have not been good but a good portion of these releases were fantastic with almost all of them being first time watches for me.  When Vin Syn announced the release of Killer's Delight I was very curious about the film.  It was one I had heard about under the name The Dark Ride but had never seen.  After watching The Lamp I couldn't wait to finally check it out.  

     The film follows a small town detective in California who is dealing with a string of murders involving beautiful young women who was hitchhiking.  He teams up with a San Francisco detective to track him down before more young ladies become another statistic.  

     I didn't know what to expect from Killer's Delight when I tossed it in but I actually enjoyed it a lot.  the blending of true crime and police drama actually works for a late 70s horror flick.  It may not be up to speed for some horror fans but as someone who loves character driven stories I found myself pulled into this one.  The acting in this one is not the best.  A lot of the scenes feel goofy and awkward but it's far from being the worst I've seen.  The characters, the two male leads included, are easily forgettable and could be replaced with a number of other characters from films out the same time with little to no change to the film.  The story for this one is is a police drama that meets a true crime storyline.  We get a cop who is dedicated to his job who finds himself investigating a string of murders involving young women who happens to have a daughter the same age as the victims.  He takes it personal and starts searching for the killer relentlessly.  It works as a straight forward horror drama but it's clearly inspired by the murders of Ted Bundy.  I really enjoyed the investigation stand point and how they scattered the hitchhiking murders throughout.  The film does slow down to a snails pace at times but if you stick with it you find the story picking up before it causes damage.  Finally, the film is not bloody or gruesome.  The deaths take place off screen and we get just a little drop of blood here or there.  The film gets an rise out of the viewer by getting you attached to the character before they die.  Overall, Killer's Delight was an unexpected surprise.  I really enjoyed it but I wish this release would have used the other alternate title Sports Killer because it fit the film a lot better.  The release from Vin Syn is great and another must own for collectors.  Check it out.