Don't Torture a Duckling

Director - Lucio Fulci (Zombi, The Beyond)
Starring - Florinda Bolkan (A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, The Damned), Barbara Bouchet (Gangs of New York, Giallo?), and Tomas Milian (Almost Human, Traffic)
Release Date - 1972
Genre - Horror
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Italian horror has many names that stand out.  Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Umberto Lenzi, and Bruno Mattei just to name a few.  However, none of these masters of horror stand out like former spaghetti western turned horror director Lucio Fulci.  Fulci was already a well known director for his westerns but he became a world wide name with his films Zombi, The Beyond, City of the Living Dead, House by the Cemetery, and Don't Torture a Duckling.  I've seen a great deal of Fulci's work and was lucky enough to review a few of them over the years but one that always escaped my grasp was Don't Torture a Duckling.  This was a film I had try to watch for year but something always prevented me from doing so.  I had ordered the Anchor Bay released DVD several times and every time the disc was dislodged in transit and damaged.  I gave up on seeing the film until Arrow Video announced the release of the film on blu.  When MVD took over for the U.S. release of the film I reached out to them and they were kind enough to hook me up with a copy.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a small Italian town that is rocked when they find several young boys murdered over the course of just a few days.  The police suspect a woman who stays way from the town and lives an isolated life but when the villagers take matters in their own hands they hoped the murders would stop with her death.  What they soon realize is that the killer is someone else and someone the children trust.  The rush is on to stop the killer before they can take another innocent life.

     I love the savagery and veracity of Fulci's films.  His horror films have some of the best gore and entertaining stories I have ever seen which only goes to show that you can have gore as long as it fits the story.  Don't Torture a Duckling was not the gore filled horror film that I expected from the Godfather of Gore but it still had a story that would leave you feeling uneasy.  The acting in this one is fucking fantastic.  I loved the characters, the energy, and the cast's dedication to the role.  What stands out here is actress Barbara Bouchet.  She is absolutely stunning and draws attention to herself in every scene she is in.  A true goddess in Italian cinema.  The story for this one is simple but works just like every other giallo before it.  The mystery around the killer is what drives the film and the killers reveal is not that predictable.  I consider myself a man of average intelligence and I have to admit I didn't see it coming.  The film has a great pace set about and all the scenes hold your attention very well.  Finally, the film has several deaths.  We don't see them all but the effects we do get are great.  The blood is a little too red for the effects to be perfect but they are still fun for what we get.  Overall, Don't Torture a Duckling was well worth the wait.  The film may not be The Beyond but still stands on it's own as a testament of how great Fulci really was.  Check it out.  

The Slayer

Director - J.S. Cardone (The Forsaken, Shadowzone)
Starring - Sarah Kendall (The Karate Kid Part II), Frederick Flynn (Thunder Alley, Rockford Files), and Carol Kottenbrook (Thriller Zone, Survival Quest)
Release Date - 1982
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Is it a nightmare?  or is it..."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Just when you think you've seen most of the slashers from slasher's golden age you discover another one that has slipped through the cracks.  I've spent most of my life collecting movies and I'm always hunting for something new to add to my collection.  While I love all horror I still have a soft spot for slashers.  I've thought I've heard of most of the slashers released from the late 70s and 80s but several times a week I learn of one that I have never heard of before.  Sometime ago Arrow Video announced that they would be releasing the 1982 slasher The Slayer on blu.  This was the first time I had heard of this.  When the U.S. release was available my friends over at MVD was kind enough to send over a review copy for me to check out.  Thank you guys so much!

     The film follows two couples; Eric, his wife Brooke, his sister Kay and Kay's husband David who head to a remote island for vacation.  Once they land they are informed of an approaching storm that could impede their relaxation but refuse to leave.  That night Kay's husband goes missing and she has a horrible dream that he was beheaded.  She tells her brother of her dream and he plays it off as her losing her mind.  He tries to find him the following day and suffers the same fate.  Now Kay is left alone with her sister in law as they try to unlock the secrets of the island and Kay's lucid dreams.  Who is killing and why has Kay been having dreams of this place for decades?
     I didn't know what to expect from The Slayer.  Was it going o be a shitty low rate slasher or was it going to be something that truly impressed me?  I really enjoyed the film for what its worth but there was something that let me down.  The acting in this one is fun.  The cast doesn't really make their characters stand out from other slashers of the time but they still deliver solid performances.  I really liked the characters we were given even though they would be classified as generic.  The story for this one flows like the classic slashers that I really love.  The teenagers in the cabin/woods has been replaced with grown adults on a private island but the stalking and killing is still the same.  The killer reveal is always one of my favorite parts of these slashers and this one let me down.  It was predictable and not used effectively.  I was also disappointed with the creature on the cover not having a bigger appearance in the film.  One would think that something on the cover of the movie would have more screen time that 20 seconds.  Finally, the film doesn't have a big body count.  In fact, it has less than a handful but it still delivers on some fun kills.  The practical effects are fantastic and rival anything from the early 80s.  Some of the kills will not be easily forgotten but a few are quick to leave your mind.  Overall, The Slayer is an underrated slasher that really needed the Arrow Video treatment.  This is one for horror and slasher fans alike so add it to your collection.

     

Lung II

Director - Phil Stevens (Flowers)
Starring - David Chopping, Samantha Coppola, and Angela Jane
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror fans are too fucking hostile and too temperamental.  You either like what they like or they are going to rage on you.  A few years back director Phil Stevens was making a name for himself among horror fans with his gore flick Flowers.  The film seemed to be a hit among the underground horror fans that love their gore.  Unearthed Films pick it up for distribution and sometime later MVD sent me a review copy.  I really liked the look of the film and the gore but the film was not for me.  I love gore but I need a story with substance.  I wrote a mostly negative review but I did have some nice things to say about it which didn't matter.  Soon after posting the review I got several emails from angry fans with accusations that I didn't really like horror and other bullshit claims.  Horror is such a broad genre and just because I don't like gore flicks that have no story doesn't mean I don't like horror.  Not long ago Unearthed Films acquired Steven's follow up film Lung II and released it on DVD.  Once again I want to thank MVD for sending a review copy my way!

     The film follows an unknown man wondering through a desolate city where he encounters the macabre and gruesome.  He crosses path with others lost in this sick world and encounters feverish flashbacks to a painful past.

   



     People often confuse my negative reviews for bad reviews.  I try very hard not to destroy someone's hard work but I do feel the need to pick out the good, bad, and state my opinion on the overall film.  Hell, why would you read my review if you didn't want to know my opinion.  Flowers wasn't a bad movie.  It had great gore and looked fantastic but the story was lacking especially for a feature length film.  Lung II is more of the same.  The look was damn near perfect with top notch gore but the story was not that compelling.  The acting in this one is unconventional.  The characters are not brought to life with mannerisms and dialogue.  Instead, you see the characters by how they react to the situations that they happen upon.  The story for this one is very simple and straight forward but there is not enough substance.  The film would have worked as a short but as a full length film it is difficult to watch.  A majority of the scenes are rather boring.  Finally, this film is filthy.  Just the way many of you gore hounds like it.  The effects are fantastic but they are wasted in the way the film unfolds for the viewer.  Overall, Lung II is an ambitious and bold project.  The film has a look that many filmmakers can only dream of capturing but the film lacks story.  If you want mindless gore and effects with nothing tying them together then this film is for you.  If you want store to go with your gore you are barking up the wrong tree.  

Scream for Summer

Director - Cheyenne Gordon
Starring - Mary Watters (The Wicked One), Tyler Riley (The Woods Within, Campground: The Requel), and Alicia M. Clark (The Killbillies, The Hospital)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been writing for Horror Society for five years next month.  In January of 2013 Horror Society announced that they were looking for contributors to their site.  I had been writing review on my blog for a few years by that point and decided to give it a go.  I emailed them and a few days later I was asked to write for them.  It has been an amazing experience and I've met some amazing people along the way.  It wasn't long after this that I met Roman Jossart.  Don't get him confused as one of those amazing people.  He's an alright guy but amazing he is not...  Anyway, way back in 2013 I befriended Roman in Facebook after a mutual friend told me he was looking for reviewers to check out his film The Campground.  Roman is one of the founders of Studio 605 and since then the company has grown immensely.  Recently, Studio 605 and first time director Cheyenne Gordon wrapped on their newest slasher Scream for Summer.  Roman reached out to me to check out the finished product.  As always, its an honor to review a Studio 605 film.  Fuck you Roman.

     The film follows a group of youths attending a house party where someone is murdered unbeknownst to them.  The following day the news breaks of her murder and they play it off as a one time occurrence but quickly discover that someone is stalking them one by one with only one thing connecting them all.

    



     Studio 605 has released some quality films within the last few years.  There has been a few that just wasn't for me but a majority was great.  I was curious to see how Scream for Summer played out considering this was Cheyenne Gordon's first feature and I'm happy to say that it was another hit for this small indie production company.  The acting in this one is great.  I really enjoyed everyone's performance.  They all brought some amazing characters to life which made the story flow that much better.  I really enjoyed Mary Watters as the lead.  She was a strong female lead that was very intelligent and convincing.  I also enjoyed Roman Jossart's performance though it did remind me a lot of his role in Don't Fuck in the Woods where he portrayed Mac (what a stupid fucking name).  The story for this can easily be summed up as a post-Scream slasher.  In fact, it's safe to say that this film is heavily influenced by the slashers of the 90s like Scream.  I typically don't like these films because they often subtract my favorite elements to make room for teenage drama.  Slashers of the late 70s and early 80s was all about sex, blood, violence, and the killer reveal.  The 90s shifted gear.  It wasn't about the kills anymore but who the killer was.  It removed the amount of sex was in the film and filled it with drama.  Scream for Summer was like that.  A little sex, some kills, some "whodunit," and a lot of young love and drama.  Finally, the film has several kills but most take place off screen.  A good bit of these kills reminded me a lot of the kills we could see in classic slashers but lacked the gore I would expect.  The effects we get are minimal for the most part but they do look good which makes me wonder why we didn't get more of the red stuff.  Overall, Scream for Summer is a well polished slasher that has a great cast and a fun story.  This is the late night horror film you are looking for.  Check it out. 

Savage

Director - Emir Skalonja (The Plague, Jericho)
Starring - Jacob Hodgson (Jericho), John Karyus (Evil Bong 420, Frankie in Blunderland), and Fattie King (The Undead, Confessions of a Homicidal Prostitute)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror/Drama
Tagline - "In the new savage world survival is the only thing that matters"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I review a movie from Emir Skalonja I find it difficult not to mention how dedicated to the genre this young man is.  The second I hear he has wrapped on a new feature or short I immediately get word that a second production has finished.  Along with that he is a noted author with several works available.  When it comes to horror there is few that has the passion and drive as Emir.  Just a few weeks ago Emir reached out to me to check out his feature Jericho and short Wretched Cunt.  I thought it would be some time before I heard from Emir again but by god he contact me just a few days ago to check out a whole new feature, Savage.  With each film I see Emir grow and Savage is by far his best film to date.

     The film takes place in the near future where the civilized world has collapsed.  Social structure is no more and the world's economy is down the drain.  The people of the world has turned feral and turned to cannibalism to survive.  We follow three unlucky survivors who are making their way through the woods to find somewhere to have a baby.  The expecting father leaves the mother and a friend behind while he scouts for a comfortable place for the mother to give birth.  While away a gang of cannibals comes across the two unprotected women and enjoy the feast.  The father comes across their corpses and sets out to kill those that robbed him of the only humanity he had left in this savage world.

     I've always liked the post-apocalyptic horror film.  This could stem from my love for the Romero Dead series but I've always been drawn to the post-apocalyptic horror film.  There has been an abundance of post-apocalyptic horror films after the popularity of The Walking Dead.  Most of those films are complete dog shit with little to no originality.  Savage may not be the most unique post-apocalyptic horror film but fuck does it pack a punch.  The acting in this one was hit and miss which is common among no budget affairs.  I really enjoyed the intensity of the lead cannibal in the gang.  He was fun but very underwritten.  I would have loved to see this character have more screen time.  The rest of the cast does a solid job but their inexperience shows.  They are one hundred percent dedicated to their roles but at times the dialogue doesn't go the distance it should or feel natural.  Also, like most indie productions, the fight scenes are clunky.  Not as smooth as most would like.  The story for this one got me.  The film is dark and gritty like you would expect from a post-apocalyptic movie that hits you with raw emotion especially if you are father like myself.  The story has a savage disregard for human life that will leave the viewer feeling sick to their stomach.  The characters do lack detail but the dark story makes up for it.  Finally, the blood has plenty of blood and gore but the effects had room for improvement.  The kills that we get are the ones you would expect from a film dealing with the same story.  The cannibalistic kills followed severed limbs and disembowelments.  These was gruesome but the effects needed just a little work.  Don't get me wrong.  They are not bad but there was a little inconsistencies.  Overall, Savage is leaps and bounds above Emir's previous projects.  The story is emotionally draining and the title is fitting.  Check this one out.   

Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness

Director - Tim Ritter (Killing Spree, Dirty Cop No Donut)
Starring - John Brace (Cheers), Mary Fanaro (Demon Queen), and Bruce Gold (Full House)
Release Date - 1986
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "It's time to play"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Shot on video, or S.O.V., horror flicks are some of the most sought after horror films there is.  So many collectors pay ridiculous amounts of money for movies that was never circulated for various reasons.  Some do find these hidden gems in garage sales or thrift stores where the filmmaker has passed away and a relative has no idea that the copy they have is the only copy in existence.  Others like the look and style of S.O.V. and set out to collect them all.  The last decade or so has saw a huge push of S.O.V. horror films from the video era find their way to DVD and blu.  Tim Ritter is known for his late 80s and early 90s S.O.V. horror films and has made a name for himself in the horror community because of them.  In 1986 Ritter made the horror film Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness which was based on a short film of his.  The film recently found it's way to DVD courtesy of SRS Cinema who was kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thanks guys!
     The film follows Mike Strauber who is a successful business man living the life.  He has a beautiful home, a sexy care, and a trophy wife.  The only problem is his smoking wife is cheating on him with his best friend Jerry.  This triggers an urge to kill.  He kills his wife's lover but she is able to fight him off with a knife.  He is eventually captured and institutionalized.  After some time he is able to escape after he mutilates his face.  Now he's ready for another wave of truth or dare...
   



     S.O.V. to me means I'm in store for a low budget flick full of cheap gore and that classic tape look.  I grew up during the video store boom and I miss that.  I like seeing a film re-mastered and restored but sometimes its cool to see the gritty look of a tape.  Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness had a lot riding on it especially after I heard that Elijah Wood said this was the film that sparked his love for the genre.  I have to say that it was everything I could have dreamed of.  The acting in this one is rough even by indie standards.  The cast tries their hardest but their performance comes off as flat.  Their dialogue has no emotion behind and just spews from their mouth like they are reading to the tenants in a nursing home which is strange considering how much of the cast had a solid resume on imdb.  The story for this one is far from perfect but it fit perfectly for an S.O.V. horror flick.  The premise of a man snapping and killing people to the tune of the kids game truth or dare was pretty fucking clever.  It added a fun twist to the classic slasher tale while keeping it campy like most S.O.V. horror films are.  There is a few scenes that drag on but these are few and far in between.  Finally, this one has several amazing on screen kills.  For an S.O.V. flick this one had a decent budget and the effects show it.  The kills are brutal with great effects but they are nothing that new.  Nothing groundbreaking but fun.  Overall, Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness is a must for any horror collector and essential for S.O.V. fans.  check it out.