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.  

Mystics in Bali

Director - H. Tjut Djalil (LAdy Terminator, White Crocodile Queen)

Starring - Ilona Agathe Bastian, Yos Santo (The Devil's Sword, The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), and Sofia W.D. (Teen Idol, Fatima)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The last few weeks have truly been eye opening to me.  I've had an eye for foreign and international horror for several years now after discovering Japanese splatter but I never really ventured into the world of Indonesian horror.  Severin opened the door with their Suzzanna box set but Mondo Macabro took me further with their releases of The Queen of Black Magic and Mystics of Bali.  Mystics of Bali is one that I had heard about for many years but never actually had the chance to see it.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro and CAV for sending this one over for review.  I'm glad I was finally able to check this one off my watch list!

     The film follows a woman writing a book on black magic with the help of a local.  He takes her to the cemetery late at night and they find an old woman with long nails laughing.  She offers to help her with her book and give her some of her black magic power.  However, she is tricked and turned into a penanggalan at night.  The penanggalan is a disembodied head with the organs still attached that feeds on the blood of the living.  She begins terrorizing the locals who are then forced to stop her.

     I went into this one assuming it was about a penanggalan from seeing some of the artwork for the film.  I was only familiar with this creature due to Dead by Daylight and I'm not going to pretend like I'm an expert on the creature.  However, I knew enough about the basics to appreciate the film for what it was.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  Sofia W.D. made the film for me as the old witch.  Her performance stole every scene she was in and really stood out from the rest of the cast.  It was on the campy side but I enjoy the theatrics in horror films with great atmosphere and tension.  The supporting cast does a decent enough job but no one else in the film delivers a performance like Sofia W.D.  The story for this one is a lot of fun.  It doesn't really offer up anything we haven't seen before but it does give it a unique spin.  Black magic as the center focus in an Indonesian horror film is nothing new and was already done several times in 1981 alone.  However, adding the penanggalan angle made it stand out from the crowd.  It does get a bit dull and repetitive as the film moves on but it still finds a way to work.  Finally, the film has some fun effects.  We get some classic camera tricks and some fun make-up effects.  While the kills are not that imaginative and gruesome, they do fit the film.  Overall, Mystics in Bali is a fantastic film with a creature that many genre fans have never seen before.  I highly recommend this one and this release from Mondo Macabro looks fantastic.  Check it out.  

The Queen of Black Magic

Director - Liliek Sudjio (Jaka Swara, Dendam Jumat Kliwon)

Starring - Suzzanna (The Earth Gets Hotter, Pact with the Forces of Darkness), W.D. Mochtar (Revenge of the Ninja, Hell Raiders), and Teddy Purba (Ratu Buaya, Sengatan Kobra)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "A chilling tale of magic battles and terrifying demons"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several weeks ago I was introduced to several films that featured Indonesian horror queen Suzzanna when my friends over at Severin Films sent me a box set featuring several of her films.  I was impressed by most of the films and could see myself actually revisiting a couple of them in the near future.  Not too long after I got them for review, I received a few films from my friends over at Mondo Macabro one of those films just happened to be another film featuring Suzzanna.  The film, 1981's The Queen of Black Magic, was the movie that continuously popped up while I was researching movies for her which really made me excited to check out this release.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro and CAV for sending this one over.  

     The film follows a woman who is suspected of being a witch when her ex and his soon to be bride suffer several inconveniences on their wedding day.  They toss her off a cliff where she is left for dead when she is rescued by a stranger.  He nurses her back to health and teaches her in the way of black magic so she can get her revenge on those that accused her of being a witch in the first place.  

     Honestly, I don't have a lot to say about Suzzanna that I haven't already said in the previous reviews of her films.  She was an extremely talented actress that is severely underrated when it comes to the horror genre and cinema in general.  The Queen of Black Magic is easily my favorite film starring the Indonesian treasure.  It may not be her best performance, which it's not, but it's easily her most enjoyable film.  The acting in this one is solid enough to make the film work.  The characters are very bold which gives the cast a lot to work with.  However, they are not as campy or exaggerated as a lot of the other films I've seen of hers with the Bollywood inspiration.  I very much enjoyed the story but I would have appreciated it a lot more if it was the first Suzzanna film I had reviewed.  Instead, it was very similar to several other films of hers where someone was wronged and came back with the help of demons, the supernatural, or magic.  It's not that original by today's standards but I'm sure it was a lot of fun for early 80s Indonesia.  Finally, we have some blood and make-up effects but the deaths are not as memorable as I was hoping for.  I did like the look of them and how they fit the film but they just did not stand out as I would have liked.  The potential was there but not capitalized on.  Overall, The Queen of Black Magic is the film that made Suzzanna a household name in Indonesia and an underrated horror star.  While the film was underwhelming after binging half a dozen of her films weeks prior, I still enjoyed it and highly recommend adding this release to your collection.  Check it out.

     

Grunk the Smasher

Director - Darin Wood (Badass Monster Killer, Planet of the Vampire Women)

Starring - Chris "Superbeast" Crotte (Hell's Coming For You), Marylin Monroach (Smosh, Lady Hyde), and Rae Wright (Smosh)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Fantasy/Adventure/Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I was lucky enough to review Badass Monster Killer from Darin Wood when my friends over at Wild Eye sent it over.  I fucking loved the movie and would recommend it to people that would visit the Wild Eye table whenever I was working it at a convention.  I loved the blend of blaxploitation, creature feature, and crude humor.  Sometime around this time I was sent news of Wood's newest project which was a fantasy adventure film titled Grunk the Smasher.  I grew up on sword and sandal epics of the 80s and couldn't wait to check it out.  Sadly, several years had passed and I completely forgot about this one.  I was reminded about it when producer Christy Savage sent me an email to review it.  I couldn't wait and added it to my list to check out as soon as I could.  Thank you Christy for reaching out!

     The film follows rough barbarian Grunk the Smasher (Crotte) who finds himself tricked by an evil sorcerer and left to die.  However, with the help of a few unexpected allies who seek revenge against the same sorcerer, he sets out on an adventure for payback.  

     I went into Grunk the Smasher completely blind.  I had not seen a trailer, promotional images, or the synopsis for the film aside from what I could remember about my original post five years ago.  While I didn't enjoy it as much as I did Badass Monster Killer, I still had a lot of fun with it and I can see myself revisiting it sometime soon.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun but it's not something I would consider award winning performances.    The characters are cliched on purpose and a lot of the performances felt like they were part of a well established play but it's not bad.  It adds a lot of fun to the film but none of the performances stand out like other films from Wood.  The story for this one is a loving tribute to classic fantasy adventure films like both Conan films, The Barbarians, Ator, and so on.  We follow a hulking womanizing barbarian who find himself doing a job for an evil sorcerer only to be tricked and left to die.  He lives, obviously, and partners with others seeking revenge as well.  We have dark elves, witches, creatures, and so much more to enjoy scattered throughout the film.  It's not a compelling story but it is mindless fantasy fun.  Finally, the film has a lot of different effects to enjoy.  We have some puppets, practical effects, stop motion, and visuals.  They all do a wonderful of elevating the film and are visually appealing.  Overall, Grunk the Smasher is not going to be at the top of anyone's list but a lot of gen-x and millennials will enjoy what Grunk has to offer.  It delivers on exactly what it set out to and I really respect it in that regard.  Check it out.  

Tahkhana

Director(s) - Shyam Ramsay (Veerana, Neighbours) and Tulsi Ramsay (Purana Mandir, Telephone)

Starring - Hemant Birje (Smart Killer, Tarzan's Daughter), Kamran Rizvi (Main Hoon Sherni, Din Dahade), and Arti Gupta (Saamri, Haadsaa)

Release Date - 1986

Genre - Horror

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was bitten by the horror bug in middle school and found myself fully embracing the genre by high school.  These years really shaped my taste in horror as I found myself becoming obsessed with no budget and indie productions.  However, as I grow older, I find myself becoming surprised by just how diverse my taste in the genre has become.  Several years back I found  a copy of Mahakaal from Massacre Video.  This movie is known to genre fans as the Indian or Bollywood Freddy Krueger.  I fucking loved it and watched it many times.   This opened me up to more Bollywood horror with companies like Mondo Macabro spearheading this passion.  Sometime ago Mondo Macabro released the Hindi horror double feature with the first film being the 1986 film Tahkhana which was also known as The Dungeon.  I couldn't wait to check it out and like always I want to thank Mondo Macabro and CAV for sending this one over.

     The film follows an evil man who dabbles in black magic as he vows to end his family's lineage when his dying father leaves everything to his brother.  He tries to kidnap his niece and nephew but is unable to get them both.  We jump forward several decades and his niece, unaware of her evil uncle, sets out with some friends to investigate a local legend unaware of how close she is to it.

     There is nothing on this planet like Hindi/Bollywood horror and that is something I will stand by the rest of my life.  These movies seem to follow a formula but they are just so much fun especially when compared to their western counterparts.  Tahkhana is another solid and memorable horror outing that is almost as enjoyable as some of the others that I've fell in love with.  The acting in this one is extremely campy in the very best way.  The characters are colorful and very dramatic with the cast doing a wonderful job with their performances.  With that being said, some of the later scenes don't have the energy as the earlier scenes which does take away from the camp. I don't know if everyone was tired or directing was ore laid back but this part of the film just doesn't have what the first two thirds had.  The story for this one is exactly what I would expect from a Hindi horror flick.  We have an evil relative who does black magic, a collective of colorful characters and that wonderful 80s flare.  We do have some pacing issues and the ending not being as energized as the rest of the film but it's still very enjoyable as it is.  Finally, I love the make-up in this one.  The kills have some of the red stuff an simple practical effects but the make-up for the evil uncle just looks awesome. Overall, Tahkhana is great entry in a severally underrated regional genre that many horror fans will never experience.  I highly recommend this film and this release from Mondo Macabro.  Check it out.  

Arabian Adventure

Director - Kevin Connor (Motel Hell, The Land That Time Forgot)

Starring - Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man, Hugo), Milo O'Shea (Barbarella, Theater of Blood), and Oliver Tobias (The Wicked Lady, Robin of Sherwood)

Release Date - 1979

Genre - Fantasy/Adventure

Tagline - "Soar into a magical world of action, excitement and enchantment"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     This Christopher Lee collection from Severin Films has been a big surprise.  When I received this one for review I immediately noticed that I had only seen one film in the set prior to it's release.  Since then I've realized that I had seen another film in the set but it was under an alternate title.  With that being said, this set has been a lot of fun and only seems to be getting better.  As I hit play on the fourth film, Arabian Adventures from 1979, I was surprised to see how stacked this cast was and that it was directed by Kevin Connor.  I had never seen this one before but I couldn't wait to check it out.

     The film follows an evil ruler (Lee) who is after an ancient artifact that will grant him unspeakable power.  However, a young thief, his pet monkey, and an imprisoned prince to stop him from gaining the ultimate power and claiming the princess.

     I was really looking forward to checking this one out when I saw the cast list for it.  I figured the story for this one was going to be dated and steeped with unintentional racism that was common in American films from the 60s and 70s that represented other societies and cultures.  While it does show some of this to a degree, it was still a lot of fun for what it was.  The acting in this one is great once you look passed the white washing of the entire cast.  Lee as the evil ruler is absolutely brilliant and then we have fantastic performances from the entire cast.  While I would love to spend all day going over the cast alone for the film, I'm just too damn lazy to do so.  The story for this one is a lot like the classic film Thief of Baghdad where we have a prince who is being forced to find the ancient relic who befriends a young boy and his monkey to do it but must stop the evil ruler at all costs.  It's a fun fantasy adventure story with Middle Eastern customs that are white washed over in order to make them more appealing to western audiences.  Finally, the film is not one with blood and guts.  Instead, we get some really dated visual effects and camera tricks.  The film doesn't over do it in the special effects department due to budget issues but these gags does add to the fun of the film.  Overall, Arabian Adventure is a bit insensitive in regards to other races but is still a solid family friendly fantasy adventure.  I really enjoyed it and can see myself watching it a few more times before putting this set back on the shelf.  Check it out.

Sorority of the Damned

Director(s) - Joe Davison (Up All Night with Rhonda Shear, Frost Bite) and Roy Knyrim (Death Racers, Cemetery Gates)

Starring - Joe Davison, Kaleina Cordova (Knock Knock, American Horror Story), and Chelsea Jordan (On-Site, The Itch)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Witches be crazy"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     I absolutely love horror comedies.  While Savini's take on Night of the Living Dead was my introduction to the genre, it was films like Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, Dead Heat, and so on that really made me a genre fan.  My shift from pop horror to indie horror hasn't been without it's own disadvantages.  I miss watching polished movies with decent acting.  I love the passion, originality, and creativity that accompanies the indie films but a lot of times they feature rough acting and barely resemble a movie.  There has been some well made horror comedies pop up over the last decade or so.  The Moleman of Belmont Ave., Deathgasm, and Psycho Goreman just to name a few.  Several months back I received a press release for the horror comedy Sorority of the Damned.  The film was recently added to Tubi and they were trying to get the word out.  I decided to check out the trailer, which I rarely do, and was surprised by how fun it looked.  I went ahead and added it to my watchlist.  After a few snow days here, I decided to check it out while I was snowed in.  I'm glad I did because it was a lot of fun.

     The film follows an educated man turned plumber who works for a sorority that often flushes feminine hygiene products.  He turned his back on his career when he learned that he comes from a long line of monster/witch hunters.  This comes in handy as the sorority he is employed for is about to be become by ancient witches with plans of taking over the world.  

     I went into this one with an open mind expecting to have some laughs but I was rather disappointed in that regard.  I grew up on Pee Wee's Playhouse, Beavis and Butthead, South Park, and the like so my sense of humor is pretty broad.  However, this film was not funny but it was still a lot of fun for what it is.  The acting in this one is one of the better aspects of the film.  Joe Davison wasn't doing it for me.  His Will Sasso inspired performance wasn't as funny as they thought and it made a lot of the scenes feel goofy in an unfunny way.  With that being said, I really enjoyed the supporting cast.  The women are beautiful and seriously talented in front of the screen.  In fact, I was impressed by them so much that I started looking at their previous films on imdb.com while I was putting this review together.  The story for this one is pretty clever but I kind of wish that it took itself a little more seriously than it did.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love horror comedies but a lot of time the humor doesn't find its mark.  Sadly, that was the case here.  The jokes are repetitive and most of them feel very forced.  With that being said, I loved the legacy of the witch hunter, the sorority being a front for an ancient coven, and the depth some of the characters had.  Finally, the film has some blood, fun costumes and make-up, and some really fun sets.  It's not a gory flick and does incorporate some cheesy visual effects but I appreciate how much time was spent on the practical effects with this one.  Overall, Sorority of the Damned is the kind of movie I could see myself renting as a kid in the late 90s.  It would have been a lot of fun to watch with some of the mid-90s Full Moon flicks.  While it does have some issues and lacks the humor they were going for, it was still fun especially for a first time watch.  Check it out on Tubi!

Mark of the Werewolf

Director - Dennis Vincent (Rage of the Mummy, The Aurora Monsters: The Model Craze That Gripped the World) 

Starring - Bryan Clark (DinoGator, The Curse of Halloween Jack), Stephani Anson (To Say Goodbye is to Die a Little, That Time of the Month), and Gio Drasconi (The Yorkie Werewolf, Stories of the American Mafia)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "She warned them..."

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I say this every time I review a werewolf flick but we, as horror fans, don't get enough of these damn things.  Seriously.  If I'm lucky, I might get one or two a year to review which is a damn shame.  I'm not bitching about the other sub-genres that I get to review but I would love a lot more werewolf and occult flicks to review.  A few weeks back I was contacted by Joe Demuro to review his sequel to Tales of Dracula along with the 2025 indie horror flick Mark of the Werewolf.  I was looking forward to Tales of Dracula 2, but Mark of the Werewolf really caught my eye.  The artwork and title made my mind race with imagination.  I couldn't wait to check it out.  I want to thank Joe for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows model and aspiring actress Brooke who is deep in the woods for a shoot with two other beautiful models.  What they don't know is that the cabin they rented for the shoot was once owned by a disciple in a cult.  Now, the state rents it out to those looking for a cheap getaway.  However, she refuses to sit around idly while strangers stay in her home.  She uses her powers to summon a wolfgeist to kill everyone on her land.  

      I went into this one immediately after Tales of Dracula 2 thinking this was a sequel or something of that nature but it wasn't.  Both films does feature Joe DeMuro as a werewolf and I believe both films feature effects from the same artist but that is the only connections that I could find.  Mark of the Werewolf is the kind of film I would expect when I hit play on a werewolf flick.  It's brutal with a fantastic looking creature and a story that makes it stand out from the others.  I really enjoyed this one and can see other genre fans digging their teeth into it as well.  The acting in this one very well done.  The cast does a great job in front of the camera but the characters they all brought to life was very unlikeable.  Most movies I review have at least one character I can associate with or want to see make it out alive.  That was not the case with this one.  I seriously wanted to see them all meet a gruesome end at the hand of the wolfgeist or the cult.  This might be because I'm old and cranky now but I did not like a single character in the film.  The story for this one is a lot of fun especially for an indie horror feature.  I don't recall another werewolf film using a supernatural ritual to bring about a wolfgeist to kill people.  This was a pretty cool story that leaves itself open to so many possibilities for future films especially when you consider how little the cult was used in this story.  We have a lot of backstory and lore to explore and I hope we get more of it.  Finally, the film has one of the best looking werewolves I've seen in film.  It was menacing and looked amazing.  The movie needs to be seen just for the beast alone.  However, it also has several amazing kills with some top notch practical effects.  Most of the kills are memorable and look great.  Overall, Mark of the Werewolf is a fucking fantastic indie werewolf flick that many genre fans are going to love.  While the characters are unlikable, everything else about this film is a lot of fun.  Check it out.  

Night of the Damned

Director - Filippo Walter Ratti (Crazy Desires of a Murderer, Mondo Erotico)

Starring - Pierre Brice (Star Maidens, The Valley of Death), Patrizia Viotti (Amuck!, Death Falls Lightly), and Angela De Leo (Zorro in the Court of England, Julliette de Sade)

Release Date - 1971

Genre - Horror

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It looks like my trip through 60s and 70s cinema is still going strong after watching Terror-Creatures from the Grave along with Sexomania, Lady Desire, The Odd Job, Negatives, and Sparrows Can't Sing.  I had just finished Terror-Creatures from the Grave in the Danza Macabra Volume 4 set and decided to keep on going with the next film in the set which happened to be the 1971 film Night of the Damned which was originally titled La Notte Dei Dannati.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows a man who receives a strange letter from an old friend.  Fearing he may be in danger, he quickly makes the trip to his castle where he finds him on his deathbed.  He is convinced that he has been cursed but his new bride doesn't believe that to be the case.  He starts to investigate his friend's property and uncovers something rather strange.  Several centuries before, his ancestor had a woman burned at the stake for being a witch and had his family line cursed.  Sadly, he soon dies and those close to him starts to die gruesome deaths and are drained of their blood.  As he keeps investigating, with the help of the police, he uncovers the truth and the true evil stalking the property.

     Night of the Damned was a new one for me and I was really looking forward to checking it out.  Terror-Creatures from the Grave set the bar pretty high for me in regards to Italian gothic horror and, sadly, Night of the Damned did fall short.  It has some solid moments but the overall film was a bit of a drag if I'm being honest.  The acting in this is solid enough and is what you would expect from an early 70s film.  The cast is a bit dramatic and most of the scenes have that theatrical flair that is a bit cheesy in film but I dig it.  It fits the film and makes it feel like a slightly sleazy play.  The story for this one has a lot going on for such a simple plot.  The movie is basically a guy is cursed and the curse eventually kills him.  However, we have a Countess Bathory angle, so much character development, and a lot of backstory.  However, the film's pacing and extremely drawn out scenes with painstaking dialogue makes the movie feel a lot longer than it really is.  The movie could have used a little tighter writing and even tighter editing.  Finally, don't go into this one expecting a blood bath.  The death we do get mostly take place off camera and leave the rest up to our imagination or we get the aftermath which is not that impressive by any standards.  Overall, Night of the Damned is a movie that has a fantastic story but just doesn't live up to it.  It's too long for it's own good and could have used a lot of editing in my opinion.  This is one I would recommend skipping.  

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.  

Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay

Director - Bruno Gantillon (Highlander, The Hitchhiker)

Starring - Dominique Delpierre (School Falling Apart, Julia), Alfred Baillou (Steppenwolf, Cop or Hood), and Mireille Saunin (Le Mariage de Figaro)

Release Date - 1971

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Trapped by the queen of evil with only her body to save her"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been collecting movies for a long time.  I started with VHS and DVDs when I was in high school and made the jump to blu and UHD when they became readily available.  During all those years I've added a lot to my collection with films ranging from the silent era all the way to modern classics.  I love adding new films to my collection and I don't see myself slowing down anytime soon.  Several years back I snagged a bunch of DVDs from Cheezy Movies when they were running a sale of some sort.  I think it was around Halloween but I'm not completely sure.  Anyway, I snagged a bunch of them to add to my collection and one of those films was the 1971 erotic horror flick Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay.  I watched it not long after and didn't remember shit about it.  Recently, my friends over at Mondo Macabro sent over a copy of their release of the film on blu for review.  I decided to double feature it with their UHD release of the sexploitation classic Cafe Flesh.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one my way!

    The film follows two young women who find themselves lost in the forest which happens to be the domain of Morgana (Delpierre).  She promises that they would keep their youth and beauty if they stay with her and be her lovers but if they refuse then they will rot in her dungeons.  

     Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay is one of those films that would be a lot of fun if it was 45 minutes or less.  However, it becomes a bit dull once you hit the hour mark.  I would have loved this one if some of the more slower scenes were trimmed down but, as it is, I found myself watching the clock more than the film.  The acting in this one is pretty well done.  We do have a few scenes where the cast struggle with where they should be looking along with awkward hand gestures but these scenes are few and far in between.  Instead, most of the film is very well done with this gorgeous cast delivering some solid performances even when baring it all.  The story for this one is one I could really get behind if it was trimmed down.  An erotic folk horror film with beautiful women and the promise of eternal youth if they pledge their bodies to her is something out of every genre fan's dreams.  Sadly, the long, drawn out scenes and dialogue that tends to go nowhere makes this film feel a lot longer than it is.  I often found myself losing track of time and the story as we progressed through the run time.  A lot of trimming should have been done in the editing room.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one.  The film's main focus is the beautiful women and the fantastic locations.  Honestly, you can pause the film at any time and find yourself with something you could frame and hang on the wall.  While I would have loved some blood and guts, these beautiful locations almost make up for it.  Overall, Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay is a movie I thought I would love but found myself somewhat bored with it.  It does have a few memorable moments but the overall film is one that doesn't really stick with you.  Collectors will want to grab the Mondo Macabro release but genre fans looking for something new to watch will want to check out many of Mondo's other releases.  

Rumpelstiltskin

 

Director - Mark Jones (Leprechaun, Triloquist)

Starring - Max Grodenchik (Six Feet Under, Tales from the Crypt), Kim Johnston Ulrich (Supernatural, Highlander), and Tommy Blaze (Viewer Discretion Advised, The Newz)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Fantasy

Tagline - "When the fairy tale ends, the nightmare begins"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror has always been a genre of trends.  When something finds success you can expect find several copy cats along with others using the idea and making it their own.  In the mid 90s there was a trend where horror fully embraced the classic fairy tales.  Blending these fantasy stories and nursey rhymes with horror was something that made trips to the video store so much fun.  Seeing the titles and artwork often made my mind race with imagination.  Leprechaun was the first of these films that I remembered seeing in the video store and one that stuck with me through all these years.  However, it wasn't the only one.  Rumpelstiltskin was released by the same director in 1995 and Snow White: A Tale of Terror was released in 1997.   All three were at my local video store and I remember checking them out over the course of a few years.  While Leprechaun was a favorite of mine, I still remember enjoying the other two.  A few months back Terror Vision announced the release of Rumpelstiltskin on blu and UHD.  It had been decades since my last viewing so I quickly snagged a copy and when it arrived I added it to my watch list.

    The film follows a recent widow who is raising her daughter alone.  While antique shopping with her sister she finds a unique sculpture and decides she has to have it.  Unbeknownst to her, the sculpture is actually the prison for Rumpelstiltskin and the old tale about him doesn't warn them about the bloodshed that is about to follow.

     Rumpelstiltskin, though directed by the same director, is nowhere near as enjoyable as Leprechaun.  It's still a fun movie with great characters and some laughs but it borrows a lot from what made Leprechaun so enjoyable.  It's obvious Jones wanted a repeat of the success but didn't put in the work to give viewers something different that would stand out from Leprechaun in the 30 some years after it's release.  The acting in this one is solid.  We get some fun characters and others that blend into the background.  Ulrich and Blaze were my favorite performances by far.  Their chemistry on screen makes the film for me and I loved watching their personalities clash from early on.  Grodenchik does a decent job as the title character but you can't watch this film and not think about Leprechaun and the performance was nothing memorable.  His one liners don't always find their mark and his dialogue is a bit forced.  The story for this one is is exactly what you would expect.  We follow someone who mistakenly unleashes Rumpelstiltskin and is forced to flee for her life as he chases her because she has something he wants.  Desperate, she seeks out the person who sold it to her to stop him.  The exact same story as Leprechaun.  We follows a group of people who unleash a leprechaun and run for their lives as he chases them because they have something he wants.  When they can't defeat him they turn to the person that imprisoned him.  Wildly similar stories but this one has a lot more action and it feels like the budget is much bigger.  Don't get me wrong, I love the film but it doesn't have the charm as Jone's previous effort.  Finally, I love the look of Rumpelstiltskin.  He's a menacing looking creature that adds a lot of atmosphere to the film.  We get a few deaths with some blood and decent enough effects but they lack imagination and creativity.  Overall, Rumpelstiltskin is a solid direct to video horror flick that works for a late night monster movie but falls a bit short from what it could have been.  With that being said, the release from Terror Vision is easily my favorite in my collection.  I cannot recommend this one enough.  Check it out.  

Coven of the Black Cube

Director - Brewce Longo (Pumpkinman Lives, A Corpse for Christmas)

Starring - Morrigan Thompson-Milam (Bl0od and Breakfast, Crackcoon), Zoe Angeli (LoveDump, Flesh Eater X), and Josh Shafer (Busted Babies, Slaughter Tales)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been reviewing indie horror for over ten years and during that time I've reviewed everything from living placenta, killer condoms, gay Jesus, and even a haunted vibrator.  Horror is filled with endless possibilities especially when genre fans get behind the camera.   I love slashers, zombies, werewolves, and witches.  The later two don't get the love the other two sub-genre get.  A few weeks back I found a horror flick starring Morrigan Thompson-Milam.  Those of you that read my reviews know that I'm a huge fan of hers so when I saw that she was in Coven of the Black Cube I had to grab it.  The witch sub-genre doesn't get the love it truly deserves and seeing a witch flick with a bit of an unusual story made me extremely excited to see it.

     The film follows a young woman, named Vi (Milam) who finds herself on the shit end of a bad relationship.  She finds herself in a shop owned by a group of witches who sell potions, incantations, and any other word you can use to associate magic to witches.  She finds a potion she uses to make her former lover fall in love with her but it backfires.  It kills her ex-girlfriend but not all hope is lost.  The gorgeous witch at the shop has her eye on her and the two start dating.  What Vi doesn't know, is that her new lover and her coven secretly help women in abusive relationships remove their abusers from the equation.  As the two lovers get to know each other, bodies start to pile up.

     Coven of the Black Cube is a film that a lot of genre fans will immediately dismiss.  It's a film that tries to capture the VHS look which a lot of horror fans will dislike.  The modern era of films getting polished, remastered, and restored to be released on formats that provide the best possible picture quality available has many of us forgetting about the quality of films we used to watch growing up.  I don't mind the grainy, gritty looks like this one and others like it but there was a few scenes that needed a bit more light.  The acting in this one is a bit uneven but not what I would call bad.  The cast is really into their roles and you can tell it was a fun project by their character's interactions on camera.  With that being said, experience does vary from person to person resulting in a few scenes where the cast felt a little stiff.  The story for this one doesn't over stay it's welcome and gives us just enough to hold our attention.  We have beautiful women as witches, beautiful women that are not witches, unique deaths, and solid enough pacing.  With that being said, the story we do have is stretched a bit thin.  The movie could have about 10 to 15 minutes trimmed from it.  Some of the scenes are a bit bloated and it does pull the pacing down some.  The movie is fine as is but this would help the story move along much better.  Finally, the film has some deaths with a bit of blood and some limited practical effects.  The film did the best with the resources they had but don't expect a film with gore that will stick with you for days after watching it.  Overall, Coven of the Black Cube is a solid no budget witch flick that surprised me.  A lot of genre fans will not appreciate the film as it is but the select few that still live in the VHS age will enjoy the aesthetics.  Check it out.  

10/31 Part IV

Director(s) - Dustin Ferguson (Hell of the Screaming Undead, Cocaine Cougar), Matthew McManus (Slash-O-Lantern, Slash-O-Lantern Part II), Taylor McManus (SlashFM, Slash-O-Lantern), Dylan R. Nix (Sharp Candy, The Demon of Serling), and Ryan Sheets (The Pumpkin Man, The Letters of Wailing Creek)

Starring - Jennifer Moriarty (Big Bad CGI Monsters, Beyond the Gates of Hell), Sayeed Bensalama (SlashFM, Slash-O-Lantern), and Cody J. Briscoe (VHS Violence: Bootlegged, Spider Baby)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     The 10/31 horror anthology series is one of the more popular Halloween horror films of recent years.  You can easily find hundreds, if not thousands, of posts on various social media platforms for the film series as October approaches.  Honestly, I enjoyed the first three 10/31 films and when the fourth film was announced I had to add it to my collection.  My goal was to watch it during my annual Halloween horror binge but I forgot to place the order in time and it didn't arrive until after October.  Just like with the Out There Halloween Mega Tape, I added it to my review list so I could still see it even though Halloween was behind us.

     The film once again follows Malvolia (this time in animated form) as she spins four tales of terror.  The first tale, Ejectdead, follows a group of friends as they prepare for a night of horror movies on Halloween.  What they don't know is that one of the tapes they are about to watch is actually cursed and the masked killer inside is about to make their night a living hell.  The second, Haig's Heart, follows a candy factory owner who never got over the accidental poisoning of his daughter.  The third tale, The Witch's Curse, follows a group of as they visit a supposedly haunted house to film a reality show only to find their deaths.  The final tale, Moonlight Massacre, follows a haunted attraction employee who may have bitten off more than they can chew.

     The 10/31 series has been pretty consistent up to this point and hasn't let me down and Part IV is no exception.  While it is the weakest of the series, it still offers up at least two stories that I really enjoyed.  With that being said, the stories were not consistent and I don't see myself revisiting this one anytime soon.  I might revisit one of the shorts sometime in the future but not the film as a whole.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent, like almost every aspect of the film.  Some of the stories have a fantastic cast that really get into their roles while others feel almost as if they told to get the scene over as quick as possible.  I don't expect consistent segments when you have an anthology with shorts from different filmmakers and this is the clear reason why.  The stories for this one really try to get in to the Halloween spirit.  Ejectdead is my favorite of the anthology with a simple and straight slasher story that blends The Ring and The Video Dead with any masked slasher to come out of the early 80s.  It's short, sweet, and straight to the point.  The second story is from one of my favorite indie filmmakers, Dylan R. Nix.  Some of you may remember him from another one of my favorite Halloween films, Baron von Laugho's Halloween Spook-O-Thon.  I was really looking forward to this one but it was, sadly, the middle of the road in my opinion.  It has a lot of nods to Halloween III: Season of the Witch ranging from the iconic theme song to the commercial used to trigger the masks. While I did like the tribute to this underrated Halloween classic, the short itself wasn't something I enjoyed.  It has potential to be extremely powerful especially if you are a parent but the Creepshow "Something to Tide You Over" ending missed it's mark in my opinion.  The third segment is from controversial filmmaker Dustin Ferguson who has helmed some of the lowest rated horror films on imdb and Rotten Tomatoes.  His segment was the one I was looking forward to the most.  Not because he was behind the camera but because I absolutely love horror movies centered around witches.  Sadly, this was another dud with absolutely no heart or imagination.  Just a paint by number piece used to take up space.  The final segment really caught me off guard.  I was expecting another segment that would miss it's mark with me but was very surprised.  It did have some room to grow but for a no to low budget indie short I enjoyed it for the most part.  I'm not necessarily a fan of horror films taking place at a haunted attraction but this one didn't make it's entire identity the attraction.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from blood but it's not as gruesome as I would have liked.  We do get a few small shots of computer generated effects but most of the film consists of practical effects.  The deaths fit the films but they are nothing memorable or that would stand out to the viewer.  I would have loved to see some imaginative kills in this one but that wasn't in the cards.  Overall, 10/31 Part IV is a solid enough watch with the first and final segment being the highlight of the film.  I really wanted to like Nix's segment, and while I respect him as a filmmaker, that segment wasn't for me.  I recommend checking it out if you dig the franchise but if you are looking for something new to watch during your Halloween season then I would suggest the first three films in the series.  

The Warrior

Director - Sisworo Gautama Putra (Satan's Slave, Wolf)

Starring - Barry Prima (Hell Raiders, Revenge of the Ninja), W.D. Mochtar (Special Silencers, Mystics in Bali), and Dana Christina (Deadly Angels Strike Back, Five Deadly Angels)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Action/Fantasy

Tagline - "No power on Earth - or in Hell - could stop him"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started my writing career, over a decade ago now, I went into it with the goal of finding and reviewing long forgotten exploitation and action flicks.  While I had always loved horror, I grew up watching direct to video action flicks with my dad and cheap kung fu films and sci-fi fantasy movies with my grandma.  While my love for horror eventually took over, I still like to review old action and kung fu flicks from time to time.  A few weeks back my friends over at Mondo Macabro sent over the Indonesian Warrior trilogy.  I had never seen these films before and I couldn't wait to dig into them.  The first film in the trilogy, directed by Satan's Slave filmmaker Sisworo Gutama Putra, was released in 1981 as Jaka Sembung and retitled The Warrior.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over!

     Jaka Sembung (Prima) is an unstoppable fighter and leader of a rebel resistance fighting the Dutch government that has taken over his homeland.  When the armed forces are unable to stop him they turn to black magic to resurrect a former fighter to kill him.

     I had not seen this one prior to getting it in for review but I was familiar with the work the cast and the crew had done prior to or after filming this one.  Satan's Slave is one of my favorite horror films after my first time watching it a few years ago and I recently reviewed Special Silencers which featured W.D. Mochtar.  While I was familiar with some of their work, nothing could prepare me for this absurd mix of comedy, martial arts, and supernatural.  The acting in this one is extremely cheesy in the best way possible.  The cast, especially Barry Prima, ham up each and every scene and I absolutely dig it.  The characters are very cartoonish and their emotions are overdramatic but it works.  The story for this one is a lot of fun for a martial arts film.  While the martial arts aspect is at the front of the film, it combines a lot of different elements into something truly unique.  It has a lot of comedy scattered throughout it along with some horror elements.  It's not the first martial arts film to use horror but it is the first that I've seen that combines horror and comedy.  It works and doesn't overstay it's welcome.  Finally, the film has a lot of great choreographed fight scenes and the use of classic camera tricks but those looking for a lot of blood and gore will be disappointed.  Overall, The Warrior is a must see for fans of martial arts films and Indonesian cinema.  It's one of the wildest films I've seen and I couldn't imagine checking something like this out in the 80s when it was originally released.  I highly recommend it.