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.  

Island of the Doomed

Director - Mel Welles (Lady Frankenstein, Code of Silence)

Starring - Cameron Mitchell (Jack-O, Terror Night), Elisa Montes (Battered Flesh, Blaues Blut), and Jorges Martin (Death Carries a Cane, Professionals for a Massacre)

Release Date - 1967

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "What was the terrifying secret of the vampire tree?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     

     Mondo Macabro has been my go to for international horror, especially Bollywood/Hindi horror.  I may not always like their releases but I always have fun experiencing films from different countries and decades.  A few weeks back I was sent several films from Mondo Macabro with one of them being the 1967 co-production between Germany and Spain.  The film, Island of the Doomed, was also released under the title The Blood Suckers and Maneater of Hydra.  I had never heard of this one before but was really looking forward to checking out this late-60s horror flick.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over!

     The film follows a group of tourists that find themselves invited to tour an isolated island with promises of beautiful sights.  They agree and go where they meet an estranged scientist and his hired help living in an old mansion.  He has been working on mutating carnivorous plants and succeeded in creating something with a taste for human flesh.

     I didn't know anything about this one when I tossed it in the Blu-ray player.  I was expecting something rather different but the film I found before me was actually pretty enjoyable.  It's not going to be a film that will stick with me for years but I can see myself revisiting it again sometime down the road.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  Some of the characters are throw aways with no purpose other than filling the screen.  These performances are not bad but these characters did nothing for the story and was not that memorable.  However, screen legend and b-movie staple Cameron Mitchell delivers the best performance of the film as the evil Baron creating the carnivorous plants.  He made the film for me and I could absolutely see this character becoming an evil villain/scientist in several other films.  The story for this one is extremely campy but that is exactly what I'm looking for when I toss in a film from the 50s or 60s regardless of the region it was from.  We have a movie with an evil scientist slamming radiation on a plant to mutate it into a man-eating creature is pure drive-in era camp.  It's not something that will be on anyone's best of list but it's cheap fun regardless of what kind of film you enjoy.  Finally, we get some cheesy practical effects with the plants and some not-so memorable deaths.  This was easily the weakest part of the film but it doesn't take away from the experience.  Overall, Island of the Doomed is a fantastic drive-in era cheesefest for those of you that dig the campy flicks of the 50s and 60s.  We have a fun performance from Cameron Mitchell and a solid story.  Check out this release from Mondo Macabro, it's well worth it.  

Fungicide

Director - Dave Wascavage (Suburban Sasquatch, Adventures of a Haunted House)

Starring - Wes Miller (Suburban Sasquatch), David Weldon (Zombie by Design, Tartarus), and Mary Wascavage (Adventures of a Haunted House, Zombies by Design)

Release Date - 2002

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "You don't pick them, they pick you"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many years ago I bought a 50 movie set of indie, no budget flicks.  Hell, I bought several of these sets because those are the kind of movies that I seriously love.  I couldn't tell you which set it was in but one of them had the 2002 horror comedy Fungicide from Suburban Sasquatch director Dave Wascavage.  I was still in college when I snagged this set and the first time I watched it I was absolutely hammered on confiscated alcohol that I had taken from my residents when I was an RA.  I remembered some kung-fu mushrooms and horrible visual effects but that was about it.  A few weeks back my friends over at Visual Vengeance sent me a copy of the film on blu for review.  Honestly, I was really excited to revisit it because it had been damn near 20 years since my original viewing.  This gave me the perfect excuse to check it out.  Once again I would like to thank Visual Vengeance for sending this one over for review!

      The film follows a wanna be scientist that works in his parent's basement.  His mother thinks he is working too hard and forces him to take a vacation.  In pure bad movie fashion, he takes a test tube full of his experiment fluid where he accidentally spills it in the grass turning the vegetation around his vacation home into mushroom monsters.  

     I'm a fan of the no budget masterpiece Suburban Sasquatch and I know that I had watched Fungicide in the past which made me really excited to check out this blu release.  Sadly, I didn't care for this one.  It has a lot of the elements that made Suburban Sasquatch so much fun but it wasn't able to duplicate the results.  The acting in this one is fun for the kind of film it is.  The cast consists of those with no on screen experience and some with very little experience.  The characters are all over the place ranging from high energy comical characters to more serious characters that feel out of place.  Those that watch enough no budget horror will know exactly what I mean.  The story for this one is a fun mash up of the science run amok, straight to video action of the mid-90s, and little creature features.  I really dig what they were trying to achieve but the film just doesn't have the humor that made Suburban Sasquatch so much fun.  Most of the scenes are dull with the exception of the bonkers fight scenes and random deaths.  Honestly, I wish more time was spent on just one aspect of the story instead of having everything as spread out as it was.  It would have helped with the pacing tremendously.  Finally, the film has some of the worst visual effects I have witnessed and some of the most creative no-budget practical effects I have ever seen.  The film really did use everything they had at their disposal which resulted in some unintentionally funny moments and no so memorable deaths.  A mushroom creature fighting people could have been so much more fun that what it was.  Overall, Fungicide is a movie that I thought I would be fully behind but found myself seriously struggling to finish it.  I hate writing a negative review for a movie I was sent but I'm just being honest.  I could recommend several other Visual Vengeance films over this title.  

The Degenerates

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

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

Release Date - 1967

Genre - Sci-Fi

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

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

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

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

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

Colony Mutation

Director - Tom Berna

Starring - Joan Dinco, David Rommel (Downer), and Anna Zizzo 

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Don't be afraid of..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Visual Vengeance quickly became one of my favorite boutique blu labels of recent years with their dedication to S.O.V. cinema.  I'll be honest, a lot of their films do not benefit from being restored and put on blu but it's awesome having a lot of these in my collection with many of them being stuck in VHS hell.  Some of these movies are proudly displayed in my collection.  A lot of them are movies I had never seen before and it was thanks to VV that I was able to finally check them out.  However, for every movie that I live, there is one that just didn't do it for me.  A few weeks back Visual Vengeance sent me the 1995 sci-fi horror mashup Colony Mutation from Tom Berna.  I had never seen this one before but I couldn't wait to dig into it.

     The film follows a man who is sneaking out on his hot scientist wife with another woman.  She learns of the affair when she gets his credit card bill and confronts him.  She slaps him and then throws a chemical her colleague is working at him before he beats her to death.  After hiding of her body, he tries to go about his life as if nothing happened but soon learns that the chemical he was hit with has altered his body.  His limbs are now carnivorous creatures with a taste for human flesh.  

     I went into this one knowing very little about it.  It looked like an attempt at the science gone too far films that many of us would watch on the Sci-Fi Channel before their rebranding.  While it does feel like that at times, the story is just different enough to make it feel like something somewhat unique.  It had some fun moments but loses itself during the last half of it's runtime.  The acting in this one is rough at times but I appreciate their dedication to their roles.  Most of the scenes feature dialogue spoken without conviction and a lot of their mannerisms are unnatural.  They are really into their roles but their lack of experience shows in every scene.  The story for this one is another science gone too far creating body horror.  We've seen this type of films before with films like The Blob and The Fly remakes.  I loved how the film started.  We have a cheating husband and a scientist who catches him.  In a fit of rage, she throws a chemical on him before he kills her before his body slowly changes into a flesh eating beast.  I really love how the film is written but it's the second half of the film where it loses me.  The whole body horror aspect is half-assed resulting in a poorly put together last act that has nothing enjoyable for the viewer to see.  Honestly, I feel this part was changed during filming for unknown reasons.  Finally, the film has several deaths but they are not as fun as they could have been.  The effects are very limited which is why I suspect the second half of the film is difficult to finish.  I love the idea behind his body/limbs being monsters but the way the films goes about it leaves a lot to be desired.  Overall, Colony Mutation is a movie that I was really looking forward to and was actually liking until the film lost steam.  The ending felt rather dull and out of place makes me think that it was changed on the fly.  I wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

The Virgin of Nuremberg

Director - Antonio Margheriti (The Unnaturals, Cannibal Apocalypse)

Starring - Rossana Podesta (Hercules. Man of the Year), Georges Riviere (Agent 3S3: Passport to Hell, Castle of Blood), and Christopher Lee (The Hunting of the Snark, Dark Shadows)

Release Date - 1963

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Women's virtues made him a killer"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I received The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Volume 3 from Severin Films, I expected to see several titles that were completely new to me.  However, I'm surprised by how many of these films in this set that I had actually seen.  I had just finished Beat Girls and The Hands of Orlac when I decided to continue on with 1963's The Virgin of Nuremberg.  This was a movie I thought I had never seen before but I soon realized that it was very familiar to me.  After a quick search I learned that the film was also released under the title Horror Castle.  This was a film I had previously watched back many years ago and completely forgot about it.  It was awesome getting to revisit it in this amazing set from my friends over at Severin.

     The film follows a young American bride who is taken to her husband's German castle after their marriage.  She soon learns of the rich history the castle has and how one of the properties long time employee was once disfigured by Nazis during World War II.  While exploring the castle and it's many rooms, she finds a woman bound and tortured but when she returns with her husband the woman is nowhere to be found.  She then learns about the castles "secret" from decades before when an evil man known as "The Punisher' would torture people in the castle's dungeon.  While the more superstitious employees say that he is back, the young woman suspects that her new husband or one of his employees are responsible for the heinous acts.

     I was not expecting to see this one when I hit play on The Virgin of Nuremberg but it was pretty cool to revisit this one after all these years.  It's a fantastic film but it's nowhere near the top 20 of Lee's best performances.  I do enjoy it and can see this set being worth it just for this film alone but in the 70 years Lee was in film, it's not even a speck on his career.  The acting in this one is solid but not the best I've seen.  Many, like myself, will be tossing this one in with hopes of seeing a fantastic performance from a young Christopher Lee.  He delivers a solid enough performance but his character is not that memorable and he doesn't really get the screen time fans would have liked.  However, Georges Riviere is great in her role.  She does a great job carrying the scenes and shows a wide array of emotions.  I've always liked her in this film but can't think of a reason why I have yet to look up other films of hers.  The supporting cast is decent but we do get a lot of cheesy performances from many of them.  It's not the worst I've scene but early 60s cinema is a lot of camp.  The story for this one is one that was pretty popular in the 60s where we follow a woman in an old castle where something sinister once took place.  It's not the most original story I've seen from the time but I do enjoy the Nazi addition to the story to give the film real world lore.  It has great atmosphere and tension but the predictability and poor pacing in some scenes does stop it from reaching it's full potential.  Finally, the film has some solid make-up effects and light blood but doesn't really deliver on the gore.  Early 60s genre films were more about locations, atmosphere, and story over blood and gore.  Overall, The Virgin of Nuremberg is an effective gothic horror title with some great atmosphere and tension but does have issues with it's pacing.  While Lee does appear in the film, he does not have as much screen time as I would have liked.  Regardless, it's a fun film that deserves to be seen.  

The Hands of Orlac

Director - Edmond T. Greville (Temptation, House on the WaterFront)

Starring - Mel Ferrer (Nightmare City, Eaten Alive!), Christopher Lee (Sleepy Hollow, Howling II... Your Sister is a Werewolf), and Dany Carrel (Inferno, The Chaser)

Release Date - 1960

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The frightening nightmare of a man who finds himself with hands which he can't control"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been lucky enough to review several Christopher Lee movies over the years.  Most were horror tales but a few, like the previous film Beat Girl, are not from my beloved genre.  Lee will always be remembered for his long and varied career but horror fans will always be grateful for his contributions to the genre.  Many genre fans, myself included, hail Lee for his performances in the many Hammer horror films.  His performance as Dracula and many other characters for Hammer horror is legendary by any standards.  As I started down the list for the new Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Collection 3 I noticed a movie that I was very unfamiliar of.  When I was in high school I went through a period where I was obsessed with silent cinema.  It was during this time that I watched The Hands of Orlac which was a classic from it's time.  However, this set just happened to contain a movie by the same name.  This was a huge surprise to me because I had no idea that it was remade in 1960.  I was really excited to see this one and couldn't wait to hit play on it.  

     The film follows a world famous pianist who finds himself in a life threatening accident where his hands are severely burned.  His hands start to heal after the accident but he is unable to play to the degree that he was able to before the accident.  To make matters worse, he learns that his hands were actually transplanted to him and once belonged to a murderer.  Now his hands are taking on a life of their own and want to murder everyone around him.

     I went into The Hands of Orlac not knowing what to expect.  It had been damn near 20 years ago that I had seen the original film and did not remember a lot about it but I was excited to see this early 60s horror title that featured the legendary Lee.  The acting in this one is great.  I absolutely loved Lee's character in the film.  It was as if he was written for Lee specifically.  His larger than life performance was great but was overshadowed by the film's star, Mel Ferrer.  Ferrer made the film for me.  His performance is pretty fucking intense, especially during the last portion of the film, and brought out so many emotions.  He really does a fantastic job making the film what it was.  The story for this one is great for a drive-in era horror title.  As I stated earlier, I don't remember a lot about the original film so I cannot speak on how close it resembles it but I enjoy it for what it is.  What I like about this one is that it takes the premise for the brain transplant films and swaps it out with murderous hands.  It's a fun little change that works to a certain degree.  With that being said, some of the scenes in the film lead to nowhere.  They do nothing for the story nor the pacing.  Finally, the film has some light make-up effects and that is about the extent of it.  Like the films of it's time, the movie doesn't rely on the gore to get a rise out of the viewer.  Instead, it's character driven and we are expected to use our imaginations for the deaths.  Overall, The Hands of Orlac is not going to be a memorable film in the filmography of such a great actor but it's a decent film for what it was.  It's a worthy addition to this set and worth your time.  Check it out.  

The People Who Own the Dark

Director - Leon Klimovsky (The Marihuana Story, A Dragonfly for Each Corpse)

Starring - Nadiuska (Conan the Barbarian, Black Commando), Alberto de Mendoza (Horror Express, The Case of the Scorpion's Tale), and Teresa Gimpera (The Spirit of the Beehive, Creation of the Damned)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Horror/Sci-FI

Tagline - "Now... there is nothing between you and... "

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

 Rating (out of 5):

     The People Who Own the Dark is the only movie in this set that I had previously heard of prior to receiving this collection for review.  The film was released on blu a few years back by Code Red as part of their Post-Apocalyptic Collection.  What caught my eye about this release was that it featured Paul Naschy and was produced by Sean S. Cunningham.  I was surprised at the time that this was the first time I had heard of this one starring Naschy and produced by the creator of the Friday the 13th franchise.  I didn't snag this release at the time due to the controversy involving owner Banana Man and how he was being taking advantage of by the owner of Dark Force Entertainment.  Thankfully, this one was included in the Exorcismo set from Severin.  I hate that it took me so long to check it out but I'm grateful that my first time viewing it was on a Severin release.  

      The film begins with a group of wealthy sadists who meet occasionally to act out their most perverse fantasies.  Sadly, their De Sade like cult meeting did not go as planned when their power is knocked out before it got to the good part.  When they leave the cellar to look into the issue they discover that it was a nuclear attack.  With only a few days worth of food left on the property, they venture into the local village where they learn that everyone that was outside during the initial attack is now blind and seeking refuge in the local church.  Instead of helping them, they kill a couple and start stealing all their food.  They return to their mansion on the hill to possibly get back into their sadistic fantasies when the blind rise up and take matters into their own hands.  

     The People Who Own the Dark is surprisingly the second post-apocalyptic film in this set and was surprisingly well done.  While I do prefer Creation of the Damned more, this one was a lot of fun especially for what it was.  With that being said, there was a few things I didn't care for with this one but what film is perfect?  The acting in this one is very uneven but not bad.  I expected to see more from Paul Naschy and was pretty disappointed in what little screen time he was given.  He does a decent job in his role but I would have loved for his character to have a bigger part in the story.  The rest of the cast is decent as a whole but some of the performances are very intense while others are fairly flat.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting.  It has a lot of layers but not all of them are fun as others. I loved the idea of the wealthy in a Marquise de Sade cult.  I also liked the idea of the nuclear war wiping the sight from all of those that were in the open when the bomb went off.  That is about the extent of the story that I care for.  The blind attacking like a lumbering page from The Last Man on Earth leaves a lot to be desired.  While I did enjoy the film, it almost lost me on this last leg.  Finally, the film has several deaths.  They are not that impressive or all that memorable.  The practical effects we do get is very minimal and not that noticeable.  Overall, The People Who Own the Night was a solid post-apocalyptic flick from the late 70s.  It's not that graphic and the story was lacking in a way but I still enjoyed it for what it was.  It's another one worth checking out from the Exorcismo set!  Check it out.  

Big Bad Betty

Director - Justin Sulham (Night of the Werewolves, Black Vulture)

Starring - Zach Palica (Dead Note, Everyday), Paul Ogletree (Southern Nightmare, Snake Creek), and Katrina Solo (The Mick, You Can Do Better)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "It's dinner time, and you're the main course"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Indie creature features are a weakness of mine.  Slashers and zombies are my preferred sub-genres but a no budget monster movie will always get my attention.  I grew up watching drive-in era monster movies with my grandma while my dad was out of town and that is one of my fondest memories growing up.  I still watch monster movies when I can and often look through hashtags on Instagram and Twitter looking for some that may have slipped by me.  A week or so ago I was contacted by filmmaker Justin Sulham to check out his indie monster movie Big Bad Betty.  I wasn't able to get to it right away but I did add it to my list to check out as soon as I could.  I want to thank Justin for reaching out to me and I apologize that it took so long for me to get this one to you.  

     The film follows a young woman who visits her late grandfather's horse ranch after his death.  She takes a group of her friends with her with plans on restoring it to sell or keep in her family.  However, an innocent time with her friend turns deadly when they uncover letters that her grandfather may have sired a sheep hybrid.  Unbeknownst to them, he really did make a sheep hybrid named Betty that has a taste for blood.  Now, Betty is stalking them and one by one they are ripping them apart.

     Big Bad Betty is a solid monster movie that does struggle a lot with it's own identity.  I enjoyed it for what it is but there was a few things that made the film fall short from being something that really stood out from the crowd.  Don't get me wrong, it's an entertaining movie but it does trip over it's own feet before it gets going.  The acting in this one is a bit uneven but still fun to watch.  The cast works great together but some of the scenes are a bit awkward.  I don't know if it's the inexperience showing or if these scenes were rushed.  Regardless, it's not bad acting but it does vary from scene to scene.  The story for this one struggles with finding itself but is still able to pull out a decent creature feature with a slasher vibe at the end of the day.  We have a few scenes that tries to establish that grindhouse look and feel that I can get behind.  We then move into a few scenes that was inspired by 80s cinema that I also enjoyed.  However, these nods to classic cinema trends does not run the length of the film.  They are random and out of place.  Honestly, I would have enjoyed if the film would have found one and stuck with it.  The same can be said about the characters.  Most of the characters are rather grounded and down to Earth while a few, not many, are meant to be used as comic relief.  Sadly, the humor doesn't really find it's mark which makes these character feel out of place.  These oddball characters feel like they are straight out of a Chris Seaver film while lacking his sense of humor.  With that being said, I really liked the set up of the story and what the monster really was.  It was different and worked as a modern slasher, as well as, a monster movie.  You can tell Sulham really loves the genre and wanted to contribute to the history of horror.  Finally, the film has some bloody scenes and a wild looking creature.  I love the look of the creature and how deformed it's appendages are.  The kills are very violent and fit the film very well.  We get a lot of blood and some decent effects but those looking for creative kills and memorable gore will be a bit disappointed.  Overall, Big Bad Betty is a fun monster movie inspired slasher that works for a late night watch with some beer or a good edible.  It's bloody, violent, and scratches an itch you didn't know you had.  Check it out!

Harvest Brood

Director - Joe Meredith (South Mill District, Variant)

Starring - Cidney Meredith (Variant II, Teratomorph), Robin File, and Anthony Leroy

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5): 

     Several years ago I befriended artist and filmmaker Joe Meredith on social media after I saw several posts for one of his films.  I can't recall which film that was exactly by this point but I do know that I've been fortunate enough to review all of his films up to this point.  Well, that was until he released his newest film Harvest Brood for free on YouTube during Halloween.  I quickly shared the news on the site at the time but I wasn't able to check it out immediately due to the fact that I had already planned out my October horror binge.  However, I did toss it on my watch with for immediately after.  I'm glad I did because this one may just be my favorite film of his.

     The film is a documentary about a small town in Alabama that experienced a killing spree in 2006 with connections to local lore surrounding a strange family deep in the woods.

     Joe Meredith has a style of his own.  His movies and art is very unique and instantly recognizable with his movies being some of the most visceral that I've been fortunate to see.  Honestly, South Mill District is a film I often recommend to genre fans looking for something on the gruesome side of horror.  Harvest Brood did not disappoint.  I'm not really a fan of mockumentaries and found footage but this one holds your attention from beginning to end very well without the dull dialogue and pretentious acting.  The acting in this one is very well done.  We do get some of the acting that you would expect from a found footage type film with small talk and not a lot of emotional depth.  Luckily, these scenes are few and far in between.  The rest of the film is acted very well with some seriously fantastic performances from a cast with very little experience.  The story for this one is the kind of movie that I love with a family deranged mutant living in the woods killing people that cross their paths.  I've lived in Appalachia my entire life and any film with that kind of story instantly has my attention.  However, there is only so many ways you can spin a story like this so giving it the mockumentary spin to it does make it stand out from the rest.  With that being said, it's not as dull and boring as most other faux documentary and found footage flicks that I've reviewed in the past.  The film does a great job with the pacing and doesn't leave a lot to our imaginations.  Finally, the film is just as gruesome as I've come to expect from Joe and company.  We have a lot of fantastic practical effects that looks great.  If you've seen one of Joe's films then you know exactly how amazing his effects look and this one is no exception.  Honestly, I have no idea why this film is still on YouTube and not flagged.  Overall, Harvest Brood is another great film from a filmmaker with a true love for the genre.  The film doesn't do anything revolutionary for the genre but it does deliver on everything many of us love about horror.  I highly recommend checking it out.  

The Toxic Avenger

Director - Macon Blair (The Lowdown, Room 104)

Starring - Peter Dinklage (Pixels, Dexter: Resurrection), Jacob Tremblay (Harley Quinn, Pete the Cat), and Taylour Paige (Brothers, IT: Welcome to Derry)

Release Date - 2023/2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "The hero we need now!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a Troma fan and that is no secret to those that have been reading my review for sometime now.  For a short period of time I reviewed a Troma release a week until I just didn't have time for it anymore but I miss it.  I miss the no budget and low brow humor, the off the wall stories, the campy acting, and the unforgettable characters.  My introduction to Troma, like many of us born in the 80s and raised in the 90s, was with the film that put Troma on the map.  That film, 1984's The Toxic Avenger, is a movie that shaped my taste in film and a movie that has stuck with me my entire life.  I was excited when I received news that Legendary was remaking Troma's classic superhero film and had zero doubts about it.  Legendary has done right by me with their Godzilla films and I knew Toxie was in good hands.  That was until I heard the film was getting shelved.  That was around last year I believe and over time I would see random social media posts pop up about getting petitions going calling for the release of the film and so on.  I don't know if the movie finally getting a release is the result of that or someone realizing that Troma fans are rabid but I'm grateful either way.  A few days back I was sent the UHD release of the new Toxic Avenger for review and I couldn't wait to dig into it!

     The film follow single father Winston (Dinklage) who is raising his step-son Wade (Tremblay) after the unexpected death of his mother.  To pay the bills, Winston is a janitor for a company that has been secretly polluting the environment.  He soon finds himself confronted with an illness that will surely kill him if not treated but his insurance refuses to pay for the treatment.  He tries to plead with the owner of the company to help him since they manufacture the medication he needs but finds himself laughed at behind closed doors.  He decides to rob the company he is working for but is caught up in the middle of a plot to expose them for environmental crimes by a local boy band hired to be lackies of the company.  They shoot Winston and toss him in a barrel of toxic waste.  He awakens to find his entire body mutated and his wounds healing rapidly.  He tries to make right by his step-son but finds himself stuck trying to bring the evil corporation down when they kidnap him in order to gain Winston's new powers.  

     When this reboot, remake, reimaging, whatever the fuck you want to call it was finally released, I saw so many Troma fans praising it while a handful or so shared their dislike for the film.  I didn't care who liked it or hated it.  Honestly, my taste in film is different than most people I know so I didn't care what other people thought which is why I paid them very little mind.  I went into this one what the naysayers had to say and fucking loved it.  The acting in this one is amazing.  Dinklage is the obvious star of the film and while he doesn't portray Toxie once he is mutated, his voice work is great.  Some may be pissed that he doesn't recreate the character of Melvin here but I loved Winston and the personality that he created for the character.  It fits the film very well and Dinklage delivers an amazing performance.  The supporting cast is just as good.  While Kevin Bacon delivers another stand out role, it's Elijah Wood that impressed me.  I was not expecting that kind of character from him and could see myself really getting behind a film or show featuring the character.  The story for this one keeps some aspects of the original film but gives it a more modern spin.  The movie does stray from the original film in many aspects and a lot of the crude, almost offensive humor, is wiped clean.  The roadkill game is gone, the name swap from Melvin to Winston, and his pursuit to crush crime is swapped with the idiot in the wrong place wrong time angle.  Don't get me wrong, I still loved it but those that watch it expecting it to be a faithful remake will be a bit disappointed.  With that being said, the movie felt more like a live action Toxic Crusader adaptation than The Toxic Avenger.  A lot of the villains have that cartoon mutant vibe like the boy band, their manager, and even the owner of the evil corporation gets in on the action as the film hits it's final leg.  Considering this is a remake, the story is a lot of fun if you just give it a chance.  Finally, the film has so much blood, gore, and amazing effects to look at.  We get a good chunk of practical effects.  I love the look of Toxie and everything the suit can do.  I also loved a lot of the aftermath with the great looking props and so on.  We do get a lot of visual effects, however.  They are very noticeable but they are still fun especially when you realize that this is a remake of a Troma film!  Overall, The Toxic Avenger is a fantastic film regardless if it was a remake of The Toxic Avenger or whatever the correct terminology is.  It's gory, funny, and over the top in the best way possible.  I highly recommend this one even if you don't know what The Toxic Avenger is.  It's a must own for genre fans.  

Other

Director - David Moreau (Them, The Eye)

Starring - Olga Kurylenko (Vampire Academy, Thunderbolts*), Jean Schatz (MadS, Mash Up), and Lola Bonaventure 

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You are beautiful"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed a lot of horror movies over the years and I'm always impressed by the things sent to me for review.  I look at every movie I review as an experience and even if I don't like the movie, I still enjoy watching them.  I love cinema and think about the hardships that many face when making a film.  I'm also notorious for judging a book but it's cover so to speak.  Sometime back I was sent a link to review the Shudder original film Other from director David Moreau.  I was looking at the artwork sent over for the Shudder release and had zero interest in the film.  I just assumed I wouldn't like it and tossed it to the bottom of my review list.  I then felt myself getting anxious the closer I got to reviewing it because I absolutely hate writing a negative review for a movie sent to me but I also refuse to lie.  Regardless, when it was time to check it out, I hit play and the rest is history.  I want to thank Shudder for sending this one over!

     The film follows Alice (Kurylenko) who receives word that her estranged mother had passed.  She reluctantly revisits her childhood home and past traumas begin haunting her memories.  As she tries to piece together the life of the woman that tormented her so much growing up, she starts to suspect that something is living within the walls of the home.  As she digs deeper and deeper into her childhood she soon remembers something dark that happened to her and what is actually stalking her family.

     Other is a film that the title nor the artwork did nothing for me but the movie itself was a lot of fun.  It's not going to be making anyone's best of list at the end of the year but it was still a solid horror title for what it was.  The acting in this one is pretty well done but the film is a bit one sided.  The supporting cast is pretty good with most of the characters being fairly generic or disposable.  With that being said, Olga Kurylenko really impressed me with her performance.  She isn't overdramatic or over does it which makes the scenes a lot more enjoyable.  It would have been easy for her to ham it up with the type of story we have but she keeps her performance fairly well grounded.  The story for this one is a bit predictable if you pay close attention during the earlier scenes in the film.  With that being said, I liked the story even though it was obvious where the twist was going before it appeared.  It had great pacing and the build up was still a fun ride.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments with some solid make-up effects but that is about the extent of it.  I was hoping we would get a lot of gore and memorable deaths but that was not the case.  The gags we get do look good but they are not as elaborate or memorable as I had hoped.  Overall, Other is a solid horror outing that fits the Shudder trademark.  I would have liked to see some memorable deaths but the film is still enjoyable the way it is.  Check it out.

She Loved Blossoms More

Director - Yannis Veslemes (The Field Guide to Evil, Light Well)

Starring - Sandra Abuelghanam (When I Smile My Eyes Close, Rapsodos), Aris Balis (Whack, Reflections), and Alexia Kaltsiki (Delivery, Dead Europe)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy/Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometimes I get a press release in and the movie really peaks my interest.  I have to be selective with my time when I want to review a movie but sometimes a movie comes through my email and I have to see it.  That happened recently when I received the press release for the Greek erotic body horror film She Loved Blossoms More.  The artwork fucking sold me on the movie and I had to reach out for a review link.  As soon as they replied I quickly added it to my October horror binge and jumped on it after I watching the two horror shorts Stalker and The Only Way.  

     The film follows three brothers who enjoy sex with a pretty young blonde and time travel.  After indulging in narcotics and some raw sex, the brothers decide to travel to another plane of existence in order to see their mother but something strange happens when they test it on their female companion.  

    I went into this one extremely excited only to find myself greatly disappointed.  The movie is one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen especially for the budget the film has.  The cinematography, locations, sets, and effects are all breathtaking but the movie is a difficult one to finish.  While checking out Letterboxd and IMDB I see that I was with the majority on this.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it's a hard pass for me.  The acting in this one is decent for what it is.  Most of the film is nude dry humping and sitting around getting stoned with dialogue extensive scenes.  While it's not the worst acting I've seen, the film itself doesn't give the cast a chance to truly act.  The story for this one has so much fucking promise but is unable to find any traction.  The outline for the film is something that looks great on paper following three brothers who build the extraordinary to see their deceased mother one more time.  However, the film falls apart somewhere between the paper and filming.  The beautifully filmed scenes and nudity doesn't do enough to hold what little bit of story we have together.  In fact, if you trimmed down a lot of the bloated scenes you would be left with a movie that ran maybe 20 minutes and even then it would be difficult to follow.  Finally, this film has some seriously impressive visual and practical effects.  The visuals look great but the practical effects are gorgeous.  It's not a gory film but some of the scenes will stick with you for years to come.  Overall, She Loved Blossoms More is a movie I was so excited to see and was very disappointed with it.  While I did like some aspects of the film, most if it was a chore to sit through.  I hate to say it but this is one I would recommend skipping.  

The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World!

Director - Mark Mackner (Evil Brew, Daisy Derkins: Dogsitter of the Damned)

Starring - Sarah French (Pretty Boy, Blind), Jimmy Snuka (WCW Monday Nitro, Queen City), and Christian Hess (Return to Sleepaway Camp)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Welcome to Personburg. PA! Where crime, corruption, incest, voodoo, Satan, and heavy metal reign supreme"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been lucky enough to review several films from indie filmmaker Mark Mackner over the years.  I started my journey through his films several years back when I snagged a copy of Daisy Derkins: Dogsitter of the Damned.  I enjoyed this one and kept an eye out for his other films.  Since then I've reviewed three more Daisy Derkins flicks which were hit or miss with me.  Sometime last year I found an Etsy shop selling blus of Mackner's 2014 horror comedy The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World!  I snagged a copy for my collection and tossed it on my shelf where I forgot about it until recently.  A few weeks back I received an email from Mark asking to review that film which was streaming on Tubi.  I used this as the perfect excuse to finally crack open the blu release!

     The film follows a small town gripped in fear as a glowing monster starts attacking people out of nowhere.  As a small group looks into the the monster and where it came from, they learn of a conspiracy behind a cover up and it's ties to a mayor who is refusing to postpone a metal show.

     The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World! is the kind of movie I can see myself getting behind but I couldn't.  There is several things I did like about the film but the negatives far outweighs the positives.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from a no budget indie flick.  I'm not calling it bad, because it's far from it.  However, the cast does show a great deal of inexperience.  I did enjoy Sarah French's performance and a few others that pops up here and there but the overall film did lack experience and it showed.  This included the late Jimmy "Supafly" Snuka who was extremely stiff during his scenes.  Honestly, I would have loved to see him bring the energy and charisma he did when he was shooting his wrestling promos.  The story for this one is one I was fully behind.  At times it felt like a tribute to the atomic age monster movies of the 50s which I'm a huge fan of.  At other times it felt like a Troma film of the time which I'm also a fan of.  However, it was other times in the film that it felt like it forgot where the story was going.  A lot of the scenes are dialogue heavy, which I don't mind, but in this case they do very little to progress the story.  A lot could be trimmed off this one to help the tone and flow of the film.  Finally, those of you looking for a flick with a huge body count and gore will be disappointed.  We do have some cheap effects that fit the film very well but the few deaths we do get are not that imaginative or fun.  Overall, The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World! is one that I really wanted to like but couldn't.  The story is something straight out of a wet dream of mine but the way it was done made it difficult to follow.  I seriously wanted to love it and couldn't.  It is currently on Tubi if you want to check it out for yourself.  

Cafe Flesh

Director(s) - Stephen Sayadian (Dr. Caligula, Nightdreams 3) and Mark S. Esposito (Treasure of the Haunted House, TerrorVision)

Starring - Andy Nichols (Doctor Penetration, Student Affairs), Paul McGibboney, and Michelle Bauer (Demonwarp, Virgin High)

Release Date - 1982

Genre - Sci-Fi

Tagline - "THE TIME... Five years after the nuclear war.  The survivors...post-nuke thrill freaks lookin' for a kick"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I started watching and collecting sexploitation flicks about 10 years ago when companies like Vinegar Syndrome, Severin Films, and Mondo Macabro started sending them my way for review.  These were films that I never had an interest in watching until I was sent some for review where I fell in love with them.  Since those days I've heard about the popular sexploitation flicks that many fans of the sub-genre would consider essential viewing.  Films like Waterworks, Sexworld, and the infamous Cafe Flesh.  I had never seen Cafe Flesh previously but when Mondo Macabro sent me the UHD for review, you bet your sweet ass I made time to finally check it out.  I, once again, would like to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over.

     The film takes place in a post-nuclear world where most of the people are called "negatives."  These people are unable to have sex and visit clubs where those that can, called "positives," perform various shows for them.  One night during the show, the host spots a couple and continuously mocks them between the various acts.  As the film progresses, we learn that one of them is secretly a positive who hides her secret from her negative spouse until her sexual desires overtake her.

     I was seriously excited to finally see Cafe Flesh.  I had heard so many great things about this one but could only find extremely edited or cut versions of the film online.  I decided to hold on until I could find a complete cut of the film.  Sadly, I found myself not enjoying the film after all this time of waiting.  I wanted to love it, especially for it's amazing story, but I found myself bored to tears.  The acting in this one is extremely entertaining.  In fact, it is one of the high points of the film for me.  The characters are all colorful and full of energy for the most part.  In the world of sexploitation and erotica, this is one of the most energetic casts I've seen.  The film has to be seen just for the acting alone.  The story for the this one is one of those films that I feel was amazing on paper but didn't translate that well to screen.  A sexploitation flick set in a post-nuclear wasteland where only a small group of people can screw around while the majority is forced to watch their shows is very unique.  You throw in a little character development and you have something truly unforgettable.  However, the film's unique style and semi-arthouse approach might be iconic among genre fans, it did make for a slow moving film that really did nothing to hold my attention.  The film, without the sex, could have been cut drastically to make the story a bit more fun.  Instead, it's a long and drawn out skin flick that bored me to tears.  Finally, the film has plenty of skin but if you want some blood or memorable effects then you are out of luck.  Overall, Cafe Flesh has a look and style all it's own with one hell of a story but the scenes are painfully too long and the story doesn't go anywhere.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.