Ginger Snaps

Director - John Fawcett (Orphan Black, The Dresden Files)

Starring - Emily Perkins (IT, Supernatural), Katharine Isabelle (Freddy Vs Jason, American Mary), and Kris Lemche (Final Destination 3, Goosebumps)

Release Date - 2000

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The don't call it the curse for nothing"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     I was in elementary school when my grandmother introduced me to Tom Savini's remake of Night of the Living Dead.  We followed that viewing up with the original Romero classic which would solidify me as a horror fiend.  My middle school years were spent moving from being a cinephile to a horror junkie and my high school years were fundamental to shaping my taste in horror.  The early 2000s were crucial with some seriously amazing genre films hitting shelves like Romero's Land of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Dagon, Bubba Ho-Tep, Jeepers Creepers, 28 Days Later, High Tension, Versus, and so much more.  Controversy aside, early 2000s horror really made me the person that I am today and one of those films that I would often watch over and over again is the John Fawcett film Ginger Snaps.  I was well into my DVD collecting at this stage but I had found the movie super cheap on VHS and couldn't pass it up.  I kept that for years before upgrading to DVD when I found all three of the Ginger Snaps movies dirt cheap.  It would be the first time I had the chance to see the sequels and I would hold on to them for years.  A few weeks back I was sent the brand new 4K release of the first Ginger Snaps film from Vestron Video.  I had just revisited the trilogy at the end of last year but will never pass up a reason to watch these films.  I want to thank Vestron for sending this one along for review.

     The film follows the Fitzgerald sister, Brigitte (Perkins) and Ginger (Isabelle), are two young teens in high school who are obsessed with death and gore.  They are outcasts and find themselves the butt of most jokes and school pranks.  That is until Ginger is bitten by something late at night.  As the month goes on, she finds herself becoming more attracted to the boys in her school while dressing more provocative.  Her mother suspects that it's because she's starting her period but Brigitte suspects that her sister may suffer from lycanthropy.  She tries to help Ginger but she refuses to listen at first blaming her sister of jealously but turns to her help when things turn bloody.

     It would be a lie to say that Ginger Snaps is a polarizing film because it's not.  It has it's fans and those that don't like it really hate it but it's not an even number across both groups.  The number of those that love this film is substantially higher but I still feel as if this one is a severely underrated werewolf flick.  Most guys I know skip over it because of how it focuses more on the female biology while intertwining it with the standard lore of werewolves.  Honestly, I love it and think most genre fans would dig this gritty werewolf flick if they gave it a chance.  The acting in this one is great.  The film's leads, Emily Perkins and Katherine Isabelle, are names that most genre fans were already familiar with prior to this 2000 release.  Perkins appeared in the first adaptation of Stephen King's IT and and episode of The X-Files while Isabelle was in episodes of Goosebumps and The X-Files.  Both had spent years in front of the camera by this point and deliver what I would consider to be the best performances of their careers.  They work so well together here and I've watched this one so many times over the years that I have to remind myself that they are not actually sisters.  The supporting cast is just as good as well.   Mimi Rogers and Kris Lemche do a wonderful job in their supporting roles.  The story for this one is not something overly complex or confusing to follow.  We have two teenage girls, one of which was bitten by a werewolf, who find themselves going through menstrual cycles, being bullied, and killing a werewolf.  Honestly, it feels like a more age appropriate spin on an episode of Big Wolf on Campus.  It's so damn simple yet brilliant.  Hell, the movie doesn't really do anything to date itself either and still holds up almost 30 years later.  Finally, the film features some great practical effects, as well as, great make-up effects.  We don't have a big body count here but the few deaths we get look great and so does the werewolf.  The werewolf is not one that will stand out among genre fans but it fits the film very well and works.  Overall, Ginger Snaps is one of the many great horror titles to come out of the early 2000s but I feel that it doesn't get the love that it truly deserves.  I can't recommend this UHD release from Vestron Video enough.  Check it out.  

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.  

Tales of Dracula 2: Dracula Meets the Werewolf

Director - Joe DeMuro (Tales of Dracula) 

Starring - Wayne W. Johnson (Night of Something Strange, Star Trek Phase II), Tom Delillo (Cyberkill, Hollow's Ridge), and Olga N. Bogdanova (Graveyard Shark, Castle Rock)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The fang and claw death match!"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been reviewing films over here at Horror Society for over a decade but it doesn't feel like it has been that long.  Honestly, it feels like it has been a handful of years at most but that is about it.  It's crazy to think that I've been here for as long as I have and I'm grateful the opportunities that writing for the site has presented to me.  September of this year made exactly ten years ago that I reviewed the indie tribute to Universal monster movies Tales of Dracula from director Joe DeMuro.  It doesn't feel like it had been that long but I just looked up my review of the film and was shocked by the date.  The reason I'm talking about this is because Joe recently sent me a copy of the film's sequel, Tales of Dracula 2: Dracula Meets the Werewolf.  I knew I had seen it but didn't remember a lot about it so I turned to my review to familiarize myself with the film.  Once I did that I was ready to dive into this sequel.

     The film follows a man who has been marked by the curse of the werewolf to transform into a heinous creature every full moon with an insatiable appetite for flesh.  He partners with a group of Ramani people to destroy Count Dracula with an ancient cross but betrays them when Dracula promises to cure him of his curse.  Things then take an unexpected twist when Dracula crosses paths with his brother, the original werewolf.

     I went into Tales of Dracula 2 after rereading my review for the first film and then revisiting it.  I liked the first film.  It's a solid tribute to the classic Universal monster movies while giving viewers a somewhat original story.  I went into the sequel hoping I would be getting more of what we had already established in the first film but that wasn't the case. The movie had a solid start but wasn't able to follow up with that.   The acting in this is a bit uneven but not bad.  Wayne W. Johnson is a man that has appeared in several films that I've reviewed over the years, including one of my favorite indie horror flicks Night of Something Strange, and he always does a solid job.  He goes above and beyond to get into character with this one but his dialogue was so bad.  I love campy and cheesy horror but the dialogue given to his character just didn't work.  It almost felt like a parody of the drive-in era Dracula films that were a dime a dozen back then.  It doesn't fit the film and created some unintentional humor for the most part.  Tom Delillo returns as the man cursed by the werewolf and delivers another solid performance as well.  He does a great job at pulling on the viewer's heartstrings which may be exactly what I said in my review for the first film but it still holds true here.  The supporting cast is hit or miss but they all suffer from extremely awkward dialogue that doesn't fit the look of the film at all.  The story for this one is not enough for a feature length film.  It runs for around an hour but some of it could be trimmed down to about 40ish minutes.  With that being said, the story kind of goes nowhere.  Dracula prevents his assassination by a werewolf only to fight his brother who was the first werewolf.  I liked the lore that was provided but it's not fully explored as I would have liked.  I feel like the story had more planned and something happened preventing them from giving us their original vision.  Finally, the film has some make-up effects that look great with a lot of traditional methods used to give viewers that classic Universal monster magic.  However, if you want blood and gore then you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Tales of Dracula 2 doesn't live up to the first film.  It does miss it's mark and feel incomplete.  I wanted to like this one but just couldn't.  Skip it.  

Midnight Prowlers

Director - Samspicolli

Starring - Lola Nevarez, Katie Stephens, and Cat Cutlass

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Be careful what you prey for"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm become a big fan of Blood Sick Productions recently.  I've collected all their releases by this point but I haven't had the time to review everything up to this point.  A few weeks back I had a Blood Sick and Donald Farmer double feature when I reviewed Little Bo Creep and Blood Bitch Baby.  I love their raw no budget style and how it mixes so well with the stories they release.  Sometime ago I bought a copy of their release Midnight Prowlers but never found the time to check it out until now.  I decided to work it into my October horror binge and finally check it out.  I'm glad I did.

     The film follows a new girl and her group of female friends who head out for a girls night.  They go out once a month when the moon is full to have a good time but as the night rages on, things take a bloody turn for the men that are unlucky enough to cross their paths.  

     I knew absolutely nothing about this film besides what little bit of the story was given away by the artwork.  I had no idea that the movie was a monster movie that had a run time of around 20 minutes.  I was expecting a feature length film but that is entirely my fault for not taking the time to read the entire description when I bought the film.  The acting in this one is pretty fucking solid.  The cast, from what I can find, had no prior screen experience yet they absolutely killed it in this one.  There was a few instances where the dialogue was a bit flat and awkward but the overall film was very well done.  The story for this one did throw me off a bit.  I was expecting a female gang style film with some fight scenes and a lot of attitude.  However, a 20 minute movie that switches it up at the end was a lot of fun especially for genre fans.  With that being said, I would have loved more of the ending with more of it being explored.  Maybe a sequel or a feature length remake could expand on this.  Finally, the film has some blood and minimal effects but nothing that would stand out among horror fans.  Character development and story was more important than memorable deaths.  Overall, Midnight Prowlers is a solid half hour for horror.  The cast really impressed me with how little experience they have and the story is enjoyable.  Check it out.  

Curse of the Weredeer

Director - Ben Johnson

Starring - Derek Woodrow Johnson (Deadly Dealings, Shakespeare's Shitstorm), Nadia White (Harvest of Horrors, Daisy Derkins and the Dinosaur Apocalypse), and Babette Bombshell (CockHammer, Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1)

Release Date - 2023/2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Welcome to Tromaville.  Deer killin' capital of the world"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I follow several hashtags on Instagram so I can what some of the indie filmmakers are working on.  I've found several amazing films this one and often browse through the photos looking for my new favorite film.  Several years ago I found posts for the indie horror comedy Curse of the Werewolf featuring scream queen, adult star, and professional wrestler Nadia White.  I was already interested in this one but it really peaked my curiosity when I saw that Troma was affiliated with the film.  I reached out to them and they informed me that they were currently editing the film but would hit me up when it was available for review.  Since then I've ran news of several other Weredeer horror films with one being centered around Christmas.  I know this is a complete coincident but it's worth mentioning.  We jumped forward a few years and my friend Dixie Geers hit me up to check it out.  I was really excited to check it out and want to thank Dixie for sending this one over!

      This one follows Randy (Johnson) who heads out into the woods with his closest friends for a little deer hunting, beer drinking, and wiener tugging.  A night of debauchery and mutual masturbation turns deadly when a rogue weredeer breaks into his camp killing his friends and biting him.  He finds himself starting to change over the next few days and learns that he has a short amount of time to stop it before he is stuck with the curse forever.  

     Curse of the Weredeer is one of those indie horror comedies that I see a lot of genre fans are going to love.  I've reviewed a lot of horror comedies over the years, many of which were associated with Troma, and very few made me laugh like this one did.  It's not perfect and some of the humor is beating a dead horse when you reach the hour mark but I still had fun with it.  The acting in this is inconsistent but nothing I would consider bad.  I noticed that some of the cast does lack experience which may be one of the reasons the acting was inconsistent.  Some of the characters had more personality than others which gave the actor something to work with while others were extremely flat.  The story for this blends the premise from the classic Wolfman film with hixploitation which is something I didn't realized I needed.  We once again follow a man who was bitten by a creature and has a short time to cure himself or he will be cursed for all time.  You then toss in the redneck/hixploitation angle with nudity and you have yourself that you can easily pair with the likes of Poultrygeist or Smokey and the Bandit.  With that being said, the dipshit redneck inspired dialogue does run it's course fairly early in the film which makes some of the later scenes feel a lot longer than they actually were.  Finally, the film has a lot of fun and campy effects.  The weredeer, which doesn't appear as much as I would like, was extremely campy looking.  It reminded me a lot of the giant monster movies of the 50s.  It's funny when you see it but fits in perfectly with the film.  We also get a lot of blood and light gore.  Troma fans already know what to expect in regards to this.  Overall, Curse of the Weredeer is one for the ages.  It's a sleazy hixploitation horror comedy that has a lot of laughs and just as much blood.  I highly recommend checking it out when you can.  

Wolf Man

Director - Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man, Insidious: Chapter 3)

Starring - Christopher Abbott (Kraven the Hunter, Possessor), Julia Garner (Ozark, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), and Matilda Firth (Vampire Academy, The Power)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Protect your own"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many genre fans, myself included, cut their teeth on the Universal Monster movies.  I remember collecting the reissues VHS as a kid and picking up extra copies to trade among friends.  This was long before the genre really took hold.  I was still watching shit like Air Bud, Heavyweights, Space Jam, and any other kid appropriate film of the mid-90s but there was always joy in watching Bela deliver Dracula's iconic lines or Boris throwing that little girl in the water.  The films have seen several reboot over the years with some being personal favorites of mine.  Brendan Fraser's The Mummy being one of them.  A few years back Blumhouse produced The Invisible Man and it was one I went into with an open mind but in the end I didn't enjoy it.  However, the success of the film spawned interest in more classic Universal Monsters and before long we were given Wolf Man from Leigh Whannell who also directed the Invisible Man.  I had reserves about this one but I was still interested in it.

     The film follows a father who receives documentation that his missing father has been declared dead along with the keys to his childhood home deep in the woods.  He decides to take his family there to try and rekindle his marriage and spend more time with his daughter.  However, their trip there is anything but normal when their vehicle is ran off the road by a humanoid creature and the person taking them to the cabin is killed.  He suffers an injury but is able to get his family to safety in his father's cabin but soon finds himself severely ill.  As he slowly succumbs to his illness, his body starts to change.  He starts losing his teeth, finger nails, and hair.  It doesn't take long before he is unrecognizable but he still has a little of his humanity left and puts himself between the creature, who happens to have the same tattoo as his father, and his family.  

     I went into this one not knowing what to expect.  I had seen some promotional images and a few pictures from some event but that was the extent of my knowledge of the film.  With that being said, I actually enjoyed the film.  There was a few things that I didn't care for but the overall film was enjoyable.  I will say that if you went into this one expecting a solid werewolf flick then you may be disappointed.  I would recommend going into this one with an open mind and to expect what you wouldn't expect from a film titled Wolf Man.  The acting in this one is one of my biggest problems with the film.  Abbott and Garner show absolutely zero emotion.  They scream but the entire film their faces remain stone.  I thought Kristen Stewart was the worst for showing no emotion but these two rival her with their performances here.  The remainder of the cast, as short as it may be, was solid enough but with these two starring it didn't leave much room for the cast to make up for their shortcomings.  The story for this one borrow some from the original Wolf Man along with the 2010 remake but not enough to be noticeable.  In all three films we follow an estranged son returning to his family home and that is about the end of the similarities.  The film takes a more grounded take on werewolf lore that almost feels like it was influenced by Ginger Snaps.  It treats it as a sickness or disease rather than people being cursed to turn into a monster by moonlight.  I prefer the original lore surrounding werewolves but I kind of liked this take as well.  Sure, the story does drag it's feet in the third act and is a bit bloated near the ending but the overall film was enjoyable.  Finally, the film has some great practical effects and a few awesome scenes that I don't want to go into great detail with but I absolutely loved the self-harm scenes.  I would have liked a bit more monster make-up and some gore but we can't always get what we want.  Overall, Wolf Man is nothing like the original or the 2010 remake but I still enjoyed it.  While I'm not the biggest fan of Whannell, he did a solid job with this one.  It's not going to be an iconic film or one that defines the genre but it's still fun for a late night viewing.  Check it out.  

MacWolfen

Director - Megan Brock

Starring - Megan Brock, Eric Dollich (Attack of the Scarecrow from Mars, Fleischwolf), and Steven Reifsteck (Fish Piss, Tent Burner)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I say this often but we need more werewolf flicks in the indie horror community.  We get dozens, if not hundreds, of slashers and zombie flicks a year but we rarely get werewolf or witch flicks.  Both sub-genres just happen to be favorites of mine and due to the lack of films in these sub-genres I often jump on any that I cross paths with.  Several weeks back I was placing an order at Janice.Click when I saw they were releasing the short MacWolfen on DVD.  This was a new one to me so I had to snag it.

     The film follows two horror nerds that volunteer to watch over a junkyard late at night.  A night of pizza and b-grade horror films turn deadly when a werewolf decides to use the junkyard as it's hunting ground.

     MacWolfen was a 100 percent blind buy and I don't regret it at all.  It's far from perfect and was clearly a passion project from a genre fan wanting to dip their toes into filmmaking.  While the movie missed it's mark with me, I appreciate the effort that went into the film and look forward to their next horror outing.  The acting in this one has a lot of room for improvement but it's not the worst I've seen.  In fact, it's somewhere in the middle especially for a no budget flick.  The cast does the best they can in their role but they show clear signs of inexperience.  The story for this one is simple but the way the film unfolds makes it a tough one to finish.  The short implements several scenes that do absolutely nothing to the story itself.  If these were removed the short would run around 15 to 20 minutes and would be more effective.  I loved the idea of watching horror movies while eating pizza before a werewolf attacks and that should have been the main focus of the film.  

     

The Beast of Walton St.

Director - Dusty Austen (Grindsploitation, Grindhouse Massacre)

Starring - Mia Jones (Urban Cannibal Massacre, Dog Eat Dog), Athena Murzda (Fiber Burn), and Aimee-Lynn Chadwick (Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis, Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Run like HOWL"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Werewolf flicks are few and far in between especially if you are looking for indie titles.  I have a few scheduled for next month but it has been some time since my last werewolf review.  I believe it was Cocaine Werewolf at the end of September but that was just too long ago.  Luckily, I was sent over the 2023 werewolf film The Beast of Walton St. for review.  It was recently announced that the film would be released on blu by Scream Team Releasing which really caught my attention.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send over a screener link for me to check.

     The film follows two women who are struggling and barely getting by who find that their friends, many of them are homeless, are being torn apart with the city is doing nothing about it.  One strange encounter in an alley near their home has them convinced that a werewolf is responsible.

     I was really excited about The Beast of Walton St.  I fucking love werewolf films and I especially love indie films that represent the LGBTQ+ community.  However, the film really does struggle creating it's own identity.  It was a solid first time watch but I can recommend several other low to no budget werewolf flicks that are a bit more enjoyable than this one.  The acting in this one is great.  The entire cast is firing on all cylinders and deliver unforgettable performances.  The film's leads, Mia Jones and Athena Murzda, are exceptional together.  Their on screen chemistry makes the film for me and I can see both of them leading another genre effort in the near future.  The story for this one has a lot to say especially about the neglect and mistreatment of the homeless in major cities.  When you add a werewolf to the mix you get a very clever story that is not only scary but shows how little value human life has to politicians and corporations.  When you add in the great characters and the urban setting you have a truly unique werewolf film.  With that being said, we don't have a lot of werewolf action and the backstory for the beast/beasts is completely overshadowed by support characters and their back stories.  So much time is spent on their illnesses, orientation, and past mistakes.  I'm a big fan of character development and back stories but with Beast of Walton St. it takes center stage and overpowers the main story.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood and gore.  It wouldn't be a decent werewolf film if it didn't deliver on the red stuff.  We get a lot of gooey deaths with great practical effects.  I also liked the werewolf design even though it's not shown in the film as much as I would have liked.  Overall, The Beast of Walton St. is a solid werewolf flick if you are looking for something new with some decent gore.  However, it's far from perfect and struggles between being a dark drama and horror.  It's worth a watch but remember that it is flawed.  

Tales of the Creeping Death

Director - John Williams (The Mothertown, The Slayers)

Starring - Michael Socha (Killers Anonymous, Chernobyl), Andrew Readman (Creeped Out, Cold Feet), and Ricky Tomlinson (The Witchfinder, In the Flesh)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Would you like to hear a story"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    Many moons ago, almost a decade or so now, I was contacted by filmmaker John Williams to review his zombie film The Mothertown.  Sometime after that I was contact to review the next film he had worked on titled The Slayers.  It was around this time that it seems like I had lost contact with him.  That was until recently when he reached out for me to review his 2022 horror anthology Tales of the Creeping Death.  He had originally messaged me to have his movie included in my annual October horror binge but I decided to give it a spin early.  I want to thank John for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows an elderly man who put an ad out to have someone sit with him until 3 am.  A "professional" responds to the ad thinking he is about to make some easy money.  To pass the time, the old man reads him a few demented stories before finally revealing the true nature of why he needed someone with him that night.

     Tales of the Creeping Death is a fantastic modern horror anthology that checks almost every box on my list which makes me wonder where the fuck John Williams has been hiding.  I remember really enjoying both those films when I originally reviewed them and this anthology was way more entertaining that I expected.  Does he have more movies that I don't know about?  Is he working on something else that satisfy my taste for great story telling and practical effects?  As of right now I don't know the answer to these questions but you better believe I'm having a word with him as soon as I post this review.  The acting in this one is very well done but some of the segments showcase better performances than others.  However, that doesn't mean some of the performances were bad because they were not.  I'm just saying that some of the performances overshadows some of the others.  The casting is fantastic, each segment features well written characters and the cast goes all in for their role.  The stories for this one is great.  The wrap around segment works well enough to tie all the other segments together but it is the weakest in the film followed by the segment that follows the young man "making" friends.  The remaining two segments are easily my favorite but even the weakest segment is better than most of the indie horror films I review.  Finally, the film really impressed me with the practical effects.  We get some classic camera tricks, practical and make-up effects, and so on to give us some impressive moments.  The soul draining scene in particular really impressed me.  This film has to be seen just for the effects alone.  Overall, Tales of the Creeping Death is one I did not expect to love as much as I did.  It has a great cast, solid stories with a decent enough wrap around segment, and the effects are unparalleled among other indie genre efforts.  I cannot recommend this film enough.  

       

Cocaine Werewolf

Director - Mark Polonia (Pandasaurus, Teddiscare)

Starring - Brice Kennedy (Splatter Beach, Black Mass), Yolie Canales (Amityville in Space. Sharkula), and James Carolus (Children of Camp Blood, Return to Splatter Farm)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "You can run.  You can hide, but he will always sniff you out!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few years ago the horror comedy Cocaine Bear hit theaters and caused quit the stir among indie filmmakers.  The simple idea of something deadly finding cocaine and becoming an unstoppable killing machine is a lot of fun.  In fact, I'm shocked this wasn't a massive trend during the drive-in era.  Could you image a double feature of drug fueled animals during the heyday of drive-in cinema?  Anyway,  since Cocaine Bear hit theaters we've seen a slew of other drug fueled films like Methgator, Cocaine Crabs from Outer Space, Cocaine Shark, and Crackcoon.  A few weeks ago I received a press release for a film I was not expecting.  Cleopatra Entertainment sent word that they would be releasing Mark Polonia's Cocaine Werewolf.  While that was not a title I was expecting, it was one I refused to miss out on.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  I want to thank MVD and Cleopatra Entertainment for hooking me up with a review copy.  

     The film follows a stoke broker with a nose for coke finds himself wondering through the woods where he encounters someone cursed.  This choice encounter also leaves him cursed to wonder the night as a werewolf.  Nearby, an indie film crew is working on a killer clown film and come face to face with the coked out werewolf.

     A Polonia film is always hit or miss with me.  Sometimes I enjoy the no budget charm and the absurd stories but other times it's clear the film was rushed to cash in on a specific craze and no regard to quality.  While I was very interested in a coke fueled werewolf flick, I figured it was going to be on of the film that was rushed to store shelves were still talking about drug-filled horror titles.  I was wrong.  I found myself actually enjoying this one way more than I should have.  The acting in this one is a bit uneven but I did enjoy it for the most part.  Some of the characters had more time spent on them.  They are well written which gave the cast something to work with.  On the flip side of that, some of the characters are painfully flat and one dimensional which resulted in flat performances from their respective actors.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward but so much fun.  While originality is not at the forefront of this film, it's the absurd moments and no budget charm that makes this one as enjoyable as it is.  Swapping out a bear with a werewolf is something I was not expecting, and while it doesn't feel like a standard werewolf flick, it still held my attention through the entirety of the film's run time.  While I would have added a bit more backstory to the werewolf, it still works as is.  Finally, the film makes use of a cheap werewolf mask and a few cheap gags.  We get some blood splatter here and there and kills that are not that impressive.  Overall, Cocaine Werewolf was a lot of fun but I can already predict that many of you will quickly rush to the comment section to claim this review was bought by Mark Polonia and Cleopatra Entertainment.  It wasn't and I honestly enjoyed it.  Sure, I would have loved better performances and some gnarly gore but it is what it is.  Cocaine Werewolf does for coked out stoke brokers as Wolfcop does for alcoholic cops.  I highly recommend snagging this one.

Dr. Jekyll vs the Werewolf

Director - Leon Klimovsky (Trauma, A Dragonfly for Each Corpse)

Starring - Paul Naschy (The Night of the Werewolf, Mystery on Monster Island), Shirley Corrigan (Syndicate Sadists, Hard to Remember), and Jack Taylor (The Ninth Gate, Edge of the Axe)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been fortunate enough to review a couple dozen horror flicks over the years that featured the legendary actor and director Paul Naschy.  His career is nothing short of legendary having portrayed werewolves, monsters, mad men, and the like in dozens, if not hundreds, of films.  His a name I became familiar with early on in my youth once I became obsessed with the genre when a friend of mine introduced me to Horror Rises from the Tomb.  Since then I've watched several films of his including several that were sent my way for review.  What I find funny is that all of the films that were sent to me for review were ones I had never seen before.  That was until Mondo Macabro sent me Dr. Jekyll vs. the Werewolf for review.  This was the first Nashy lead film that I was sent to review that I had actually seen before.  I had seen this one sometime ago when Halloween was approaching and really enjoyed it and I was looking forward to revisiting it.  I want to take a moment to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over!

     The film follows a man who is searching for a cure to his lycanthropy.  In his search he meets a young woman visiting his homeland who has ties to a scientist.  The scientist has access to his grandfathers work and thinks it may come in handy in curing him of his curse.  However, his grandfather's serum does not work according to plan and unleashes his grandfather's alter ego, Mr. Hyde.  

     Dr. Jekyll vs the Werewolf is the sixth time that Naschy has played a werewolf.  I can't confirm if they are a continuation of the other characters or not but it's still fun to marathon them all.  When it comes to Naschy's films, and he's had a lot, this is probably the most bizarre and absurd story I've seen.  While it's far from perfect, it still has it's own charm and is well worth a watch.  The acting in this one is very uneven but still very enjoyable.  Naschy isn't the star of the show but he is fantastic as always.  He delivers what I would consider a classic Naschy performance which blends a commanding performance with classic horror tropes.  The remainder of the cast, including the film's lead, is great as well but there was times when their performances just didn't fit the energy of some of their co-stars.  The story for this one is wild and I couldn't imagine what it was like to genre fans during the early 70s.  Pinning two legendary horror creatures against each other has been done since the early days at Universal Studios.  Even Naschy has pitted classic movie monsters against each other.  However, a film where a werewolf is given Dr. Jekyll's formula is something no one has expected.  This can be said over 50 years later.  It's a wild story that really does hold the viewer's attention from beginning to end.  Finally, the film has some blood and a decent enough looking werewolf mask but the lack of gore and practical effects is a bit disappointing.  Naschy's mask and make-up effects are solid but it's not enough to satiate the diehard gore fans.  Overall, Dr. Jekyll vs the Werewolf may not be the best werewolf flick to hit store shelves but it's still extremely entertaining.  I highly recommending grabbing this oddball release from Mondo Macabro.  It's well worth it.  

Lycan Colony

Director - Rob Roy (American Werewolf, Damaged Disciples)

Starring - Sean Burgoyne, Kadrolsha Ona Carole (Morbius, Halloween Kills), and Libby Collins (Thunderstruck, The Knick)

Release Date - 2006

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Leave them alone"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's been a long time since I've reviewed a werewolf flick. In fact, I can't remember the last time I did. I think my last werewolf review was for the Visual Vengeance release Moonchild but I could be mistaken. That brings me to another Visual Vengeance release that was sent my way to review which just happens to be the werewolf horror film Lycan Colony. Like always, I want to thank Wild Eye and Visual Vengeance for their continued support. 

      The film follows a doctor who just moved to a small town and befriends a sibling pair looking for their father that went missing in the area while on a hunting trip. They quickly discover that the small town is inhabited by werewolves that have built a safe haven for themselves and were threatened by the arrival of the hunters. Now they are fighting for their lives as the werewolves attempt to kill anyone that knows their secret. 

      I went into Lycan Colony excited to see an indie werewolf film, but it was quickly evident that I was not going to enjoy it. I liked the idea behind this one and actually enjoyed the acting, but the execution was all wrong. The movie struggled to find its footing and slips even further away from being enjoyable with the creature design. I seriously wanted to like this one, but it was difficult to finish. The acting in this one was a little awkward at times but very enjoyable, especially when you consider how little experience some of the cast have. They are fully dedicated to their roles and do a great job getting into character. The characters may not be that well written or developed but that's not their fault. The story for this one has a very interesting premise that I could get behind. A small town of werewolves sounds absolutely fascinating. It's like a werewolf version of Children of the Night and Sundown: The Vampires of Retreat. This is a concept that had my full support but failed to meet its full potential. It's a town where werewolves try to live normal lives until a group of hunters get too close. However, the story is turned into a game of cat and mouse that goes on for far too long. It's extremely dull and repetitive which turns into a chore to finish. Finally, the film has some light make up effects and the worst looking werewolf I've seen in film history. Many years ago, I reviewed the no budget horror film Werewolf of Ohio which featured a werewolf wearing a cheap knock off mask of the original Wolfman. I would have rather seen this than the weird felt dog looking mask the werewolves wore. A lot of indie films dodge werewolves due to budget restraints and maybe the filmmakers should have this one as well. Overall, Lycan Colony has a lot of promise but fails to pull it all together to create something enjoyable. I wanted to like this one but it was extremely difficult to finish. Visual Vengeance has released some seriously underrated titles, but this is not one of them.

It'll Be Okay

Director - Richard Russell (Thewlis, Dinner Guest)

Starring - Allison Marie Rogers (The Pure and the Damned, A Very Frail Heart), Douglas Esper (Dwellers, The Other Side of Darkness), and Jacob Rayl 

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Drama/Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror Society has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing filmmakers over the years along with putting me in touch with genre legends that I grew up loving. It’s been one of the wildest adventures of my life and every day I look forward to new opportunities that present themselves. Sometime last year indie filmmaker Richard Russell reached out to review his short Thewlis which really impressed me. I know that he had been working on a new film since my review of Thewlis and a few days ago he messaged me to check it out. The film, It’ll Be Okay, promised to bring a new spin on a beloved horror creature. I want to thank Richard for sending this one over. 

      The short follows an all American family with a loving father and mother with a teenage son. The three look like a picture perfect family on the outside but behind closed doors the son is hiding a dark secret that his parents have to confront once a month. However, as he grows stronger and stronger with each passing year they find it damn near impossible to hide him from the rest of the world resulting in them taking drastic measures to protect innocence lives. 

      I’m trying really hard not to spoil the film but this is one of the most unique shorts I’ve seen on the sub-genre. In fact, I wouldn’t call this a horror short at all. It’s a family drama with some horror elements but it’s not horror. It’s heart breaking and emotional which is something I was not expecting when I hit play. The acting in this one is great. The cast is small and they all work so well together which only strengthens the emotional connection the viewer has with the story. Their interactions and dialogue with one another feels genuine and you can’t help but really connect with them. This casting is damn near perfect. The story for this one is essentially a drama about a loving family who tries to make the best out of a shitty situation. Sure, there is a horror twist to it but it’s more of a mention instead of an event in the film. The movie relies on the emotional ties of the family and the grave decision the parents are forced to make. It’s a powerful story that makes great use of it’s short run time. Finally, don’t expect to see a ton of blood and guts. In fact, there is none. The film is a character piece that does not need the blood and gore that most horror titles rely on. Overall, It’ll Be Okay is a must see short. It’s not your typical film that has the same subject matter. Russell is a name indie horror fans need to be checking out.

Wolf Juice

Director - Phil Pattison (Human Cattle, Vs the Dead) and Cam Schwarz

Starring - Rob Gabriele (Terrifier 2, Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1), Sweet Pepper Klopek, and Corey Paquette 

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I often catch shit from some of my social media friends because I don’t ejaculate over extreme horror like they do. I prefer to watch a movie with a wild story, just as wild effects, and characters that stand out. I absolutely hate a movie that lacks character and story but goes over-board with gore. I’d rather watch a behind the scenes documentary on the making of a classic horror film where we watch the effects come to life over an hour and a half of gore for no other purpose than to shock. Most folks interested in extreme horror had similar childhoods to my own. We grew up on rotten.com and bit torrent sites downloading any file titled Faces of Death. However, where they let that shape their tastes, I was more influenced by stupid shit like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and The Three Stooges. That would explain why I would go out of my way to watch a movie like Wolf Juice over something like August Underground or the dozens, if not hundreds, of faux snuff found footage flicks that feature “tough guys” is ski masks torturing people tied to chairs. I want to thank Cam Schwarz for sending Wolf Juice my way for review. It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to revisit it with some friends and a few edibles.      The film follows a pair of security guards patrolling a compound that is frequented by undesirables looking for a dry place to get drunk and high. What makes this night stand out from other nights is one of them has found something different to get high, but this is no normal trip. He soon transforms into a bloodthirsty wolf and no one is safe. Wolf Juice is pure fun or as I like to call it, absurd entertainment. 

      It’s not meant to be taken seriously but the viewer can’t look away. It reminds me of the indie films that Troma distributes with much better practical effects. It’s a film that those with a stick up their ass may not appreciate but if you like movies like Psycho Ape and Spirit Animal then you will appreciate this short. The acting in this one is a lot of fun. No one is winning any awards and that is part of the charm. The cast is not hamming it up trying to deliver an academy award performance. Instead, they get into character and have fun with it. The characters are all fun and I loved their energy. The story for this one is short, simple, and fucking stupid in the best way possible. We have drug use, crazy drunk war stories, security guards/cops that get high on our tax dollars, and wolf juice. What more could you ask for? The fact that this is crammed into a 20-minute run time means we have no down time. With that being said, it could easily be a feature with a little more backstory. Finally, we get some goofy effects like a plastic baby along with some seriously impressive practical effects. It does take a minute for the build up but the bloody conclusion to the film was a sight to be seen. Overall, Wolf Juice is a must see for fans of bat shit crazy horror films. Imagine Slime City meets that one scene in Beyond Re-Animator. It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to check it out again.

Moonchild

Director - Todd Sheets (Bonehill Road, Hi-8 (Horror Independent 8)

Starring - Auggi Alvarez (The Witching, Zombie Bloodbath), Kathleen McSweeney (Violent New Breed, Zombie Bloodbath 2), and Zombie Bloodbath, Zombie Bloodbath 2)

Release Date - 1994

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi/Horror

Tagline - "A full moon can be fatal!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Todd Sheets is a filmmaker that really impresses me. Whenever I review one of his films, I have to mention how impressed by his career I am. Not many independent filmmakers can last as long as he has in the business and the fact that he has released some seriously fantastic films in his lengthy career is no small feat. With that being said, not all of his films speak to me. Some are fun and work while others just don’t work for me. A few months ago, Wild Eye’s sister company Visual Vengeance announced the release of Sheets’ Moonchild on blu. This was one I had never seen before, so I reached out to my friend at Wild Eye and they were kind enough to send a copy my way. Like always I want to take a moment to thank them for hooking me up! 

      The film follows a man who was forced to undergo an experiment that spliced his DNA with that of a wolf. The team behind the experiment kills his wife and takes his son who inherited his traits. He’s able to escape and begins a hunt for his son and the company that did this to him along with a rag tag group of survivors with their own scores to settle. 

      When I first received the press release for Visual Vengeance’s release of Moonchild I was fucking hooked on the film. The synopsis sounded like everything I didn’t know I needed in an S.O.V. action horror flick. Like I stated earlier, Sheets’ films are hit or miss with me but this one sounded like a love letter to the dystopian future gang flicks from the 80s that I love. However, the film really struggled to hold my attention and the story felt a bit underwhelming which was odd considering how much was going on in the film. The acting in this one is some of the most awkward performances I’ve seen in indie cinema. I’ve reviewed films from the teenage years of filmmakers like Chris Seaver and Todd Falcon along with countless first-time filmmakers ranging from teenagers in high school to middle schoolers playing around with their parent’s cameras. I can usually look passed inexperience but a lot of the scenes in Moonchild are awkward to watch. The cast seems to be confused as to who they are talking to at times and their sporadic eye movement along with their unconvincing performances made this wild ass story fall shirt. The story for this one is one of the most ambitious indie productions I’ve witnessed. It’s an action film at it’s base that reminds me a lot of films like Split Second and other straight to video action films that blended in elements of sci-fi and horror. We have a dystopian society ruled by corporations, gangs of madmen, shapeshifters, inhumans, and so much more. With that being said, the awkward acting and poor pacing takes so much away from what would normally be an amazing story. Finally, the effects are limits but still fun. We get some great sets, wardrobe, and locations but the lack of effects really disappointed me. I was expecting so much more from Sheets and his team in regards to this. There was a scene or two with some decent practical effects but not enough to satisfy those of us that know what he is capable of. Overall, Moonchild is a fucking wild film that has moments that will glue you to the screen scattered throughout a film that is about as interesting as watching paint dry. I love seeing films like this get the blu-ray treatment from Visual Vengeance but this is one I will not be able to revisit any time soon.

Cross of the 7 Jewels

Director - Marco Antonio (Riecco Aborym)

Starring - Marco Antonio, Annie Belle (House on the Edge of the Park, Lips of Blood), and Gordon Mitchell (Nightfall, Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot)

Release Date - 1987

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several months ago I saw posts in horror groups going around about the blu release of the 1987 Italian horror film Cross of the 7 Jewels. The image on the poster looked very familiar so I did some looking and discovered that this was actually a film, in a round about way, that I had previously seen under the title Talisman during a Halloween watch party several years ago. The film was notable for having random shots from another film that currently escapes me. A few weeks back Tetrovideo reached out to me to review their blu release of the film. I was actually looking forward to seeing the original cut of the film instead of the one I had previously seen. I want to thank Tetrovideo for sending this release all the way to me for review. I truly appreciate it. 

      The film follows a man who is cursed with lycanthropy that uses the Cross of 7 Jewels to suppress his transformations. However, while traveling to Milan to visit an estranged cousin he finds himself robbed by a gang of mini-bike thieves. He get’s the police involved but they are unable to retrieve the cross. This doesn’t bare well for him and he soon finds himself at the mercy of the moon. 

      I didn’t know what to think about Cross of the 7 Jewels when I was asked to review it. I had watched the weird cut some time back but I didn’t remember anything about it aside from it featuring scenes from another well known horror title. I liked the idea behind the film but the execution made this one extremely difficult to finish. I hate being negative especially about a film that was sent over for review but this one was rough to sit through. The acting in this one is not the worst I’ve seen but most of the cast does feel like they have short attention spans and wondering eyes. The characters are wonderfully written but a lot of the scenes just feel forced and a lot of the emotional reactions do not feel genuine. I don’t know the behind the scenes of the film here but I get the feeling the cast was allowed to do as they wish with very little guidance. The story for this one really peaked my interest. A werewolf using a sacred charm to hold back the transformation only to have it stolen while visiting family by a group of street thugs is actually pretty fucking brilliant if you think about it. It has so much promise but the execution is all wrong. The film has one of the best premises for a horror film but it feels like a dull drama with horror influences. I would have loved to see more werewolf action along with a little more backstory but the way it was made for a very daunting film to finish. Finally, the film has a few scenes with seriously impressive practical effects. One scene in particular really stands out but I won’t go into too much detail for fear of spoiling this amazing gag. With that being said, I wasn’t really feeling the werewolf. In promotional images I thought I would but once you see it in the film you can’t help but laugh at it. Overall, Cross of the 7 Jewels really isn’t what I was expecting. I saw that it was called the worst Italian horror film from several critics and I somewhat agree with them. I wanted to love it but I just couldn’t. The release from Tetrovideo is a seriously awesome release but the film is not.