Gutboy: A Badtime Story



Director - Nick Grant
Starring - Charly Bivona (Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption, My Brother's Keep), Coco Conroy (The Letter), and Will Cooper (Chasing Banksy, Most Evil)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Fantasy
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     There is so much to love about Troma.  Not only have they released some of the most iconic horror and exploitation films but they never shy away from an independent filmmaker regardless of the style of film.  Sometime ago I got the press release for Nick Grant's Gutboy: A Badtime Story.  I loved the artwork on the blu and I couldn't wait to check it out.  I reached out and was lucky enough to get a review copy on blu.  Sadly, I misplaced it and didn't find it until I was packing up my collection after the fire.  Thank you Troma for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check out the film! 

     The film follows a young man who is tricked into trading his skin to a wealthy business man.   His skin is removed and he is left in the woods alone when a skinless woman rises from the pond he was fishing in.  She has magical powers and falls in love with the newly skinned boy who now goes by the name Gutboy.  She offers him one wish and he chooses to marry the daughter of the muscle bound sheriff instead of her.  She promises to grant his wish but she has plans of her own to become that woman he marries even if she has to skin her and wear it.   Along the way he promises to get his revenge on the businessman who wronged him but finds love in an unexpected place.
     I honestly didn't know what to expect from Gutboy but I have to say that I was impressed.  I absolutely loved the film and I can see myself revisiting this one often which is something I rarely say about indie films.  The voice acting in this one is hit and miss.  Some of the characters, like Gutboy and Besto, have great character voices that really brings their personalities to life but some of the other characters fall a little flat or stale.  The story for this one is not as gruesome as I was expecting but it was still fun.  The movie is almost predictable but just when you think you have a grasp of where the story is going it throws something else new and fun at you.  I found myself glued to the screen the entire time.  The pacing is smooth and the movie moves right along.  Finally, the puppets are far from perfect but they are fun and work for the grittiness of the film.  This is a film centered around puppets so don't expect blood and gore.  Overall, Gutboy: A Badtime Story is a fun watch.  It is the most Troma film I have seen in a few years but I absolutely loved it.  Check it out. 



Grindsploitation 3: Video Nasty

Director(s) - Shane Ryan (Amateur Porn Star Killer, My Name Was "A" by Anonymous), Jason Impey (A Taste of Phobia, Fluid Boy), and Zac Amico
Starring - Hetty Baynes (The Dumping Ground, Tales of Erotica), and John Patrick Brennan (Werewolf Bitches from Outer Space, Comic Book Men)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     Trilogies often end on the wrong foot.  Series like Child's Play, Blade, and Creepshow are prime examples of this.  There has been a few dozen amazing trilogies but most should really stop after the second film.  A few days ago I started watching the Troma release of the Grindsploitation trilogy.  I was expecting an anthology series but was greeted with a trailer and short film compilation.  I really enjoyed the first two film but the gimmick was wearing thin with me when I tossed in the third film.  I wanted to enjoy this third installment as much as the first two films but this one just did not go the distance for me especially with a running time of almost 2 and a half hours.
     This compilation rangers from trailers and shorts for slashers, horror comedies, and even classic Troma characters taking on characters from gothic literature.   






     I went into this one expecting to have just as much fun, if not more, than the previous two installments.  I had watched the trailer before hand and was looking forward to this one because there was a segment directed by Troma alum Zac Amico and featured Troma staple Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD.  Sadly, the gimmick had ran it's course and the film just didn't go the distance.  The acting in this one is no different than the other films.  The segments range in experience and performance quality.  Some consist of cast members who have never been in front of the camera before while others flourished while stealing every scene they are in.  The stories in this one is fun.  We once again see fake trailers for films that will never come to pass which is a damn shame.  Some of the shorts were  fun while others lacked originality.  They were trying way too hard to be dark and dramatic resulting in a rather boring short.  Finally, the effects are just like the acting.  We have some segments that deliver top notch practical or visual effects while others show their lack of budget of experience.  Overall, Grindsploitation 3: Video Nasty flows just like the other films in the series but the lack of a wrap around story and the length of the film makes it a chore to finish especially if you had already watched the previous two films which clock in at almost four and a half hours.  It does deserve a watch but one I would not recommend movie marathoning through. 
 

 

 

 



Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels

 



Director(s) - Nick Box (She's Dead, Suicide Preachers), Mike Connors (The 12 Slays of Christmas, 60 Seconds to Die), and Shawn Shillingford (60 Seconds 2 Die: 60 Seconds to Die 2)
Starring - Tymisha Harris (Blood of the Tribades), Wednesday Alice Edrie (Trashploitation), and Rusty Apper (The Nobodies, Escaping the Dead)
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "Still hungry? Time for a SECOND SERVING"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screening)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I had to take a long weekend.  When I was at work Thursday I started to feel ill and left the store early.  I spent the next three days in bed or in the bathroom.  It was not a pleasant experience to say the least.  I wanted to get working on my reviews but sitting up was too much of a task so my reviews took a back seat for a few days.  My last review was for the 2016 trailer and short compilation Grindsploitation.  I had watched the follow up, Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels after the first film and this break gave me a little longer to think about it.  I liked what it was but there was still something it was lacking.  The film is currently available in a three film collection from Troma.  

     This installment is once again a compilation of fake trailers and shorts ranging from grindhouse inspired product ads to aliens invading the world. 

      I went into this one expecting much of the same as the first and I was not disappointed.  I was, once again, disappointed in the fact that there was nothing holding all these shorts and trailers together but it was still entertaining for what it's worth.  The acting in this one is not consistent.  Like it's predecessor, the shorts and trailer feature various degrees of actors and actresses.  Some have been in front of the camera before and have a several credits to their name on imdb while others are new to being in front of the camera.  Each segment should be considered its own film when looking at the acting instead of the overall film.  The stories for this one are just as entertaining as the first film.  We have several vampire, slashers, aliens, and grindhouse stories.  The trailers were the more entertaining segments with the shorts missing their marks due to their lack of running time.  Lumped together most are fine but by themselves they would be extremely boring and unoriginal.  Finally, this one has tons of practical and visual effects.  The practical effects and blood is fun but I was really impressed with how well some of them incorporated computer generated effects into their trailers and shorts.  My biggest complaint, which is the same that I have for the first film, is that it lacks a bookend segment to hold them all together.  We just wonder aimless from one segment to another.  Overall, Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels is a fun watch.  Some of the shorts and trailers will make you frustrated when you think about how amazing they are yet we will never see a feature length film for it while others just lacked imagination.  Check this one out now on blu from Troma. 


 



Grindsploitation

 



Director(s) - Tony Newton (Frames of Fear, A Taste of Phobia), Tommy Pistol (The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol, Beyond Fucked: A Zombie Odyssey), and Lloyd Kaufman (The Toxic Avenger, Tales from the Crapper)
Starring - Lloyd Kaufman, Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort, Party Bus to Hell), and P.J. Soles (Halloween, Carrie)
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Everything.  All at once..."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I started reviewing movie for Horror Society in 2013.  Before I was brought onto HS I was writing reviews for my small blog which I started in 2011.  I started out reviewing forgotten exploitation and action flicks but my obsession with horror soon took hold and I was reviewing anything and everything genre related.  Before long I started befriending filmmakers and actresses.  A few years later I heard about Tony Newton and his anthology/trailer compilation Grindsploitation.  I absolutely loved the title and couldn't wait to check it out.  Sadly, there was no release date scheduled for the film so I put it to the side and forgot about it.  Not long ago Troma announced that the film, along with two sequels.  Thank you Troma for sending this release my way.

     The film is a series of faux trailers and shorts ranging from horror, sci-fi, exploitation, Blaxploitation, and so on. 

     I originally went into this one thinking it was a traditional horror anthology but I was wrong.  Grindsploitation is actually a trailer compilation for the most part with almost all of the trailers being fake.  The film was still fun but the biggest crime here is that some of these amazing trailers would make some kickass films.  The acting in this one is not consistent and there is so much content in this 2 hour film that I would be here all day if I went over each segment separately.  Some of these segments had a stellar cast that really showed some acting chop and others were back yard fun with no acting experience.  The stories in these trailers really got me excited only to be brought down to Earth when I realized that they will never be turned into real films and if they are real films I can't find them on social media.  With that being said, the shorts scattered throughout the film tended to be very lackluster and unoriginal.  Most seemed to have similar stories and did not bring much originality to the film.  Finally, the film is a visual feast of special effects of different caliber.  Some of the trailers and shorts has solid practical and visual effects but others show their budget and experience.  They are not consistent and others do shine above others.  Overall, Grindsploitation was a little bit of a let down when I realized it was not a traditional anthology but I did enjoy what it brought to the table.  This one is well worth a watch so check it out.  

 



Rednecks



Director - John Birmingham (The Vampires of Zanzibar, Crazy Animal)
Starring - John Birmingham, Royce Hobson (Plan 9, House on the Hill), and Jeremy Ambler (The Walking Dead, Milfs vs. Zombies)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Comedy
Tagline - "We'z a differnt breed"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

    

 I love goofy no budget films.  In fact, that's what I prefer.  Most no budget movies take themselves way too seriously resulting in a stale and often clichéd movie experience that is anything but entertaining.  That is why I have such a deep love for Troma.  Their movies are often fun and deliver just as much comedy as it does gore.  Sometime ago Troma acquired John Birmingham's Rednecks.  The film stars Brandy Mason who I was lucky enough to work with in Razor Sharp's Steve: Death Collector.  I was looking forward to checking this one out.  Thank you Troma for sending a review copy my way.

     The film follows the three Redneck brothers who live on a family homestead but when Dr. Jessie dies they are forced to find the money to get the land back or face eviction.  Their troubles are solved when they find a rainbow with a leprechaun and make a wish for a better life, teeth, and their property back.  They get their wishes but one of the brothers is heartbroken that his lovely Dixie is no longer part of his life.  He unwishes the wish and goes back to their old ways.  Realizing they screwed up, they make a pact with the devil but their deal turns sour like before and they once again return to their old lifestyles.  They once again realize that their life sucks and makes yet another deal with the devil.  Like before, their lives are improved but soon go south before they all realize that life was perfect on the farm.
     I went into this one with a lot of excitement and curiosity but as the film progressed I found myself wishing this was the movie I thought it was going to be and not what was delivered.  The acting in this one is hit and miss for me.  The cast seems to really enjoy themselves in their roles but some of the characters were a little underwhelming.  Some were bright and colorful characters that filled the screen while others were just there for the sake of being there.  With that being said, some of the characters were portrayed in the same manner as another character almost as if the same character was being portrayed by the two different actors at the same time.  Different personalities would have helped tremendously here.  The story for this one had so much potential.  The music portion had some laughs but the music and lyrics were painfully awkward.  I could have lived without that but I will give credit where credit is do.  I thought the Danzig parody was funny as fuck.  The film moves at a snails pace and the laughs lack timing.  They stack up on top of each other with no build up and fall flat.  Also, some of the scenes are redundant.  The scenes where they go to a better life are painfully slow and do nothing for the story.  I wish the film focused on the three brothers doing trailer park antics almost like a Troma take on the Trailer Park Boys.  Finally, if you are looking for blood and gore you wont find it here.  However, if you want campy fun visual effects and some poop then you are in the right spot!  Overall, Rednecks just wasn't for me.  I really wanted to like it but the execution and delivery just made the film extremely boring.  Troma collectors will want this one for their collection but the everyday indie movie lover may want to skip it. 





Rose and Viktor: No Mercy

 



Director - Moses (Clownsploitation, Grindsploitation 666)
Starring - Mercedes (An Ultraviolent Colour, Honor Killing), Jim Schumacher (Honor Killing, Grindsploitation 4: Meltsploitation), and Tina Alper (The Hot Chameleon, Honor Killing)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Action/Crime
Tagline - "2 bounty hunters full of drugs and out for blood"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     My original intention for my reviews was to review forgotten or unheard of exploitation and action films of the 70s and 80s.  People know me for my love of horror but my love for horror is outshined by my love for exploitation flicks.  I grew up on them with Blaxploitation stealing my heart.  Sometime ago Troma announced that they would be releasing Rose and Viktor: No Mercy.  I watched the trailer and it looked like a good ol' fashioned exploitation film.  I couldn't wait to check it out so I requested a review copy.  When I tossed it in I was very surprised by what I had in front of me.  There was some things I would have changed but it was very entertaining.  Thank you Troma for sending this one my way.

     The film follows bounty hunter Viktor who meets the sexually abused Rose.  Rose wants Viktor to take out her abusive father but Viktor takes a liking to Rose and offers to show her the ropes and let her father be a learning experience for her.  After they take care of him they travel the desert taking on clients and eliminating anyone that gets in their way.

     I went into this one thinking it was a straight forward exploitation film with a linear story.  I was wrong.  This is actually a loose ended anthology that is basically was a collection of shorts involving these two characters without a wraparound segment to tie them together.  The acting in this one is great.  Mercedes and Jim Schumacher are fantastic in their roles.  These characters are near and dear to their hearts and it shows.  Every scene they bring these characters to life and deliver unforgettable performances.  The supporting cast for each short is fantastic as well.  Some characters are more memorable than others but the cast does a great job and they work very well together.  The story for this one is a bit of a let down.  I was expecting a feature length film but was given a series of shorts that basically have the same plot centered around different people they kill.  This was fun until the 45 minute mark and then the shorts become repetitive and predictable.  Taking the story and stretching it to feature length would have made a more enjoyable experience.  Also, they say they are bounty hunters but they are mostly hit men or mercenaries contacted by regular people who were wronged to even the playing field.  Finally, this one has several on screen kills that mostly use practical effects.  We do get some camera tricks and possible a little CGI that is unnoticeable at times but most of the practical effects look great.  The film does reuse the same gag several times so it loses it's dramatic effect as the film progresses.  Overall, Rose and Viktor: No Mercy is a fantastic watch.  Its combines rock n' roll with grindhouse cinema and for that I love it.  The cinematography is brilliant but the story does start to wear thin by the 45 minute mark.  This one deserves a watch but doesn't have much replay value. 



Greetings from Tromaville

 



Director - Adrian Esposito (Diffability Hollywood, Liberation Unit)
Starring - Lloyd Kaufman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Death House), Debbie Rochon (Return to Nuke Em High Volume 1, I Spill Your Guts), and Ron Jeremy (Orgazmo, Detroit Rock City)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Let's go make some art"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

      I grew up renting movies from the video store.  Every Friday night I would grab a handful of tapes to check out all weekend.  At this time I was a general movie fan but once I hit the fourth grade my taste shifted and I became obsessed with horror and cult films.  This was when I found Full Moon at the video store.  Their artwork pulled me and the world of indie horror became my new obsession.  When I was in high school a friend of mine told me to check out Class of Nuke Em High and The Toxic Avenger by Troma because I liked Full Moon so much.  I ordered a copy of each of the films on VHS from ebay and realized that The Toxic Avenger was the inspiration one of my favorite cartoons growing up.  Once I got those in I was hooked.  Since then I have collected anything and everything stamped Troma.  In 2017 Adrian Esposito started work on a Troma documentary focusing on their legacy, how they have adapted with the times, and how they have influenced other filmmakers.  Sadly, I did not hear about this until recently when I was browsing my feed on Facebook.  Once I found it I knew I had to add it to my collection. 
     The documentary follows Troma founders Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman before they founded the prestigious Troma.  We get a little insight to Lloyd's upbringing before jumping to his college career and pursuit of filmmaking.  The film then follows Lloyd through his legendary film career from working on pre-Porky's sex comedies to Troma staples The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke Em High.  While discussing the legacy of Troma we get a glimpse at how they had to adapt with the changing times, their fan base, and guerilla filmmaking that is brought on from no budgets and being independent. 
     I love Troma and discovering them has really changed the way I watch movies.  I still enjoy the serious bigger budgeted horror films but my love will always be the goofy and fun horror and exploitation films that Troma has been delivering to fans for over 40 years.  I was very excited to check this documentary out and see how someone would approach such an iconic company in a documentary.  I really enjoyed what this did and this is one of the better documentaries I've seen in recent years but my opinion may be biased.  The interviews in this one range greatly which does offer up some diversity.  We have screen legends like Roger Corman, Ron Jeremy, and several Troma alumni who share some great behind the scenes stories on Troma along with a great deal of insight into the company that not many people know about.  With that being said, it would have been cool to have some interviews from people who are not Troma fans.  Troma is a permanent name in the horror community but not everyone is a fan of theirs.  In fact, the ones that dislike Troma are very vocal about it.  Would have been cool to have some of those people interviewed to see their opinion of Troma.  The topics discussed in this does very well to demonstrate what it means to be Troma along with what has shaped Troma into what it is today.  The hardships, the changes, the filmmaking style, and the collaborative effort it takes to succeed.  The film moves in a chronological order as well which helps the flow of the film.  Finally, the editing in this one is smooth.  We move from topic to topic very well and each discussion bleeds into the next very well.  Overall, Greetings from Tromaville is essential for any Troma and indie horror fan.  I cannot recommend this film enough.  Check it out. 








 



Post Apocalyptic Commando Shark

Director - Sam Qualiana (The Legend of Six Fingers, Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast)
Starring - Simeon Qualiana (Swamp Squad of the Dead, The Legend of Six Fingers), Mike O'Keefe (WrestleMassacre, Return to Nuke Em High: Volume 1), and Andrew Elias (Killer Rack, Battledogs)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi/Comedy
Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     Horror has and will always be a huge part of my life.  The genre is vast, like the oceans, with more sub-genres than you can shake a harpoon at.  As much as I love the genre I have to admit that some of these sub-genres are just not for me.  Jaws is a classic horror and summer blockbuster but one of the films that I just can't get into.  People tell me that it's amazing but I just fail to see it.  I typically avoid the shark flicks but a few months back I crossed paths with one I couldn't resist.  Director Sam Qualiana announced that he had completed a new film Post Apocalyptic Commando Shark.  With a title like that I couldn't resist.  I reached out to him and he was cool enough to hook me up with a copy.  Thanks Sam!

     The film takes place sometime after a nuclear disaster.  Soviet Russia has invaded the U.S.  They brought with them genetically altered sharks that are humanoid in appearance and was created by an evil German scientist.  They use these beast to take hold of America with a band of resistance fighters fighting for their freedom.  The resistance is struggling to gain any traction and just when hope is lost an American scientist has made a discovery that will change the tide of the war. 
     I wasn't expecting a movie that would forever change the way I view horror and sci-fi flicks but I was expecting something that was funny.  Post Apocalyptic Commando Sharks was a fun movie experience but there was several things that could be changed to create an even better film.  The acting in this one is campy and works very well with what Qualiana is trying to achieve.  The characters are all entertaining and make the scenes fun.  Some stand out more than others but that doesn't make them all better than the other.  This just means more emphasis was placed on certain characters during the writing process.  The story for this one has is not consistent.  I was really looking forward to this one.  The title made my imagination run wild with so many possibilities.  I was expecting a film in the same line as Mad Max or the biker gang post apocalyptic Italian films like 1990: Bronx Warriors but what I was given was something much different.  Doesn't make this one a bad movie but it just doesn't fit the title.  Instead of Mad Max meets Sharkenstein we get Sharkenstein meets Red Dawn.  The setting for the film is post apocalyptic America but the movie doesn't look that way.  People are still being people with no change to their behavior.  Hell, they still have cookouts and bonfires even with the threat of having their soft innards ripped out their peepholes from commando sharks.  Now, with all that being said, the movie does not take itself seriously.  We get several laughs throughout the film with great timing but there is several scenes that just drag on or repeat the gag from an earlier scene.  Finally, if you want blood this one has it but if you want gore you will be disappointed.  The sharks looks campy and the kills are even campier.  The effects are minimal but it works for the film.  Overall, Post Apocalyptic Commando Shark is a fun late night war film with some horror and a lot of comedy.  I respect what they were going for but there is some much more that could have been done with it.  Check it out. 



Hotel Inferno 2: The Cathedral of Pain

 



Director(s) - Giulio De Santi (Adam Chaplin, Taeter City) and Tiziana Machella (Snow White Meth, Gorebreaker)
Starring - Rayner Bourton (Outland, Hotel Inferno), Roland Stone (Suite 313, Killer Doctors on Death Row), and Jade Matthew (Judy, Kiss of Death)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The first splatter colossal is born"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

      Several years ago I came across a forum post on Upcoming Horror Movies for two Necrostorm films.  I had never heard of Necrostorm before but the artwork for their two releases looked fantastic.  I went to their website and discovered that they were an Italian production company with a keen eye for splatter.  I checked out their films and reviewed them for my blog.  Fast forward a few years and a new film was released by them.  Hotel Inferno was being billed as the first horror film filmed in first person.  This was far from being correct but I still wanted to check it out.  I reviewed it and a few months later I received several emails from Necrostorm requesting my review be pulled.  I wrote a positive review for the film and was confused as to why it had to be pulled.  Regardless, I kept the review up and the emails stopped.  Sometime passed and my friends over at Wild Eye had acquired the U.S. distribution rights for the film and sent over a press release for it.  I shared it and the coming months was a night.  Necrostorm would send multiple emails a day ordering us to remove the post or face legal action.  We never backed down and eventually the emails stopped.  I love their films but I refuse to support them so now I turn to ebay to purchase their work.  Petty huh?  Last year I bought Hotel Inferno 2: The Cathedral of Pain on ebay and completely forgot about it until I was packing my movies up after the fire.  I found the copy and decided it was time to finally check it out and review it. 

     The film once again follows hire hitman Frank who has died at the end of the first film.  He finds himself in a sort of hell centered around an ancient church.  He is able to break his restraints and befriends a witch who has knowledge of this special level of hell.  She helps him through the cathedral of pain so he can slay demons and cultists to retrieve the five elements that will give Frank back his body and free him from this hell.

     I had high expectation for Hotel Inferno 2.  I loved the first film and I couldn't imagine that they would outdo themselves with the follow up but they did in every single way.  The acting in this one is a little unconventional due to the way the film is shot.  The voice acting is damn entertaining.  Rayner Bourton and Roland Stone is fantastic.  Their characters are very entertaining and the voice acting works for the style of the film.  Sadly, that is the only real acting you see.  The bodies on camera are just there to die and due to the way these scenes are shot you never see any acting.  The story for this one is more of what was established in the first film but centered more around the occult and hell.  It flows like a video game with mini-bosses, the dialogue, the missions, and levels.  I liked where the story went and how the pacing was.  There is very few scenes with down time which is a great thing.  I also enjoyed the sets and the story set around each one.  Finally, if you want blood and guts then you are in the right place.  The film is full of on screen deaths that use visual and practical effects.  The visual effects are hot and miss.  Some of the blood looks like trash but the demonic runes looked great.  The film also uses real guts, possibly from a cow or big, which works for the film.  Overall, Hotel Inferno 2: The Cathedral of Pain is a fun film.  It is a one trick pony but it does that trick very well resulting in a lot of carnage and entertainment.  Check it out.