Now you see me, Now you don’t- a film by Attila Szasz

The amount of foreign films I have seen in my lifetime could probably be counted out on one hand. I started to realize that before writing reviews on films, I was pretty much narrow minded at what I would watch. When I was younger I wouldn’t even give back and white films a chance in hell, do you realize how many movies in that category alone I have missed out on?

“Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” is a film of family drama and supernatural proportions. Alex the couples six year old son is playing with his car on the counter in the kitchen and his mother yells at him. He gets upset and locks himself in his room. Later the mother is upset and speaking of how she shouldn’t of yelled at him and she is very distraught over this.

Her husband comes home from his job at the lab and brings home two white mice and a silver case. The next day Alex is invisible and for some reason you just know the father had something to do with it. What was in that box? What made Alex disappear? Slowly things fall into place laying the foundation to what really happened and why. The heart wrenching reality caused tears to silently slide down my cheeks.

This is the first short from the usual commercial director Attila Szasz and it reflects on how some seem to cope with the tragedies that touch their everyday lives. The viewer will experience a wide range of emotions as they decipher the whole picture. I thought this 30 minute film was extraordinary and very unforgettable. It’s a must watch for all the short film lovers out there.

Dr. Horror’s Erotic House Of Idiots- a film by Paul Scrabo

Dr. Horror’s Erotic House of Idiots is a tongue in cheek comedy about this fabulous relationship doctor who just seems to have the knack to cure all your relationship ailments. Dr Horace goes away and his friend Conrad is there staying at his house.

Three people show up at the same time begging for the Doctors help. Ashley is carrying a briefcase full of money that he’s willing to splurge on a quick relationship fix. Conrad explains the doc is away but they were in luck since Dr. Horrors was in the house, and he was just as good.

Conrad’s friend Frank steps up to play the quirky doc since he is knee deep in trying to pay off a recent screw up that produced a gambling debt. Zacherle was so cute in this, I loved watching him sing and dance. I remember walking by him at Chiller Theatre, him in his black cape.

Doctor Horror’s Erotic House of Idiots just seems to have that goofy amusing sort of appeal that you just can’t help but watch it and wonder what the out come of all their crazy antics will be. Will Ashley fall for Dr Horror’s farce? Will Valerie make nice with Mark or will she succeed in strangling his ass?

Sorry guys but there is not a single scene that shows the gratuitous nudity that one would expect from the title alone. So don’t go buying it thinking your going to see the foxy lil Debbie Rochon’s boobs or butt cause it just ain’t happening

Whispers From A Shallow Grave- review

 

Linda Sobek, a beautiful blonde model who also was a cheerleader for the Raiders football team was murdered and buried in a shallow grave by Charlie Rathbun. Charlie was a photographer who called Linda last minute needing a hot blonde to model next to this car.Linda takes the job and meets Charlie at Denny’s where they leave her car and just take his up to the mountains of Santa Barbara to do this shoot. What happens is Charlie ties her up and rapes her. Then he decides his dick wasn’t good enough so he then roughly rapes her again with the gun.

You watch this son of a bitch come home with no conscious of what he has just done, no remorse what so ever. The only thing this guys is sorry for is getting caught. Charlie becomes belligerently drunk after he becomes a suspect and wants to put a bullet in his head but ends up puking on himself instead.

It was a little unnerving watching him rape all those other women as well but it just was to show you his past history of abuse. I am surprised he wasn’t caught sooner since he was so impulsive and spastic. It’s a shame someone didn’t speak up sooner about his prior actions, it could of saved a life.

CONTEST- SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DRAW….3 WILL WIN

A REPOST FROM ANOTHER SITE: 

Can you draw? Here at www.horrorsociety.com and at www.horror-fanatics.com know someone out there can, but it just isn’t us. The goal is to draw me -The Angry Princess. The two combined sites must ask that it not be X rated for minors tend to look at our sites as well.  
     You can draw me anyway you like whether it be a cartoon, anime, stickfigure, zombie, sexy, ugly, gutted, with someone or with a monster, computerized- you get the picture. Just have fun doing it. The three winners will be chosen by their creativity and playfulness.When finished email me at kristin@bacstagepass.com. and I will email you the address to send your finished picture too. Bill (Horne’s talented partner in crime) and I will pick the winners by August 12th and notify them by email. Good Luck!

We have a total of three cool prizes to give away to the lucky winners:

1st Prize- A surprise gift from one of the greatest Artists EVER- Dan Horne
www.myspace.com/dr_hornes_monster_show

2nd Prize- A copy of Alex Ferrari’s short film Broken
www.myspace.com/broken2006

3rd Prize- is a Cinema Secrets Woochie E-Z FX open wound kit. Have the Hollywood effects look in three easy steps. Package contains: FX blood* Injury Stack* Fresh latex colorless powder*Spirit gum. Use it for Halloween or to dress up for your favorite Horror convention. 

Of Darkness- written by Matt Casale, Directed by Gary E. Irwin

     I haven’t been this excited over a short since viewing Paul Solet’s- Grace. Of Darkness is a creepy little tale of terror that will keep you enthralled up until the very last scene. Brian and his brother Jeff are moving an old chest of their grandfathers down into the basement for storage since he has recently passed away. It’s contents spill out when dropped and a peculiar looking book catches their attention. Brian explains that their grandpa was a Satanist and the book was supposed to be made of human skin. Both boys get a little spooked and head upstairs.

     Jeff’s friends come over to hang out and his  one friend Tank is stuck bringing his little brother Charlie. Jeff showed them the book and everyone was getting freaked out looking at the opened pages of this devils inspiration. Smart ass Mac and Jeff are having fun taunting poor Charlie and scaring the shit out of him. Wallander shows up and the real fun begins after he spills his drink on the book.  When Tank and Charlie decide to leave an unseen demonic force comes sweeping up the driveway slowly turning off each light one by one. Sensing their impending doom they slam the door shut thinking it’s gone. Seeing their petrified faces as they watched the dimming of the lights is classic, they are so scared they can barely breath.

      Soon after you hear the horrifying screams of Wallander in the basement confirming that something was indeed there and it made you wonder if they would they make it out of there before it get’s them too?   It was great watching a movie and not seeing the source of your terror,  just having your ears guide you to thoughts of what it could be? What does it look like? Listen closely when the boys are getting ready to leave and you can hear the faint whispers offering a hint of what’s to come! I honestly can not imagine ANYONE not liking this film. 

Runtime: 20 Minutes

Released: 2006

www.thedarknessiscoming.com
www.myspace.com/ofdarkness

TV Fall Preview: Bionic Woman Returns!

It’s that time of year. TV is gearing up for a new season and here are some new shows that I will be taking a look at. (blurbs courtesy of Yahoo TV.)

 

Bionic Woman
Premieres this Fall on NBC

David Eick, executive producer of “Battlestar Galactica,” along with “Alexander” writer Laeta Kalogridis, are giving another 1970s sci-fi cult classic a new lease on life. Like “Battlestar,” this version of “Bionic Woman” will explore modern and deeply personal themes while holding true to the action and excitement of the original. Sultry Brit Michelle Ryan (“EastEnders”) stars as Jaime Sommers, a bartender who struggles to support her teenage sister. When her body is all but destroyed in a car accident, her only hope of survival rests in top-secret bionic technology that will change her life forever.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Premieres this Season on Fox

Centered around the unforgettable heroine of the “Terminator” movies, this adrenaline-laced new drama takes place shortly after the end of “Terminator 2.” In the series, Sarah (Lena Headey, “300″) goes on the offensive against technological enemies from the future in an attempt to protect her 15-year old son John, predestined redeemer of the human race. John (Thomas Dekker, “Heroes”) finds himself reluctant to take on the mantle of savior, but he is drawn to the mysterious Cameron (Summer Glau, “Serenity”) who serves as his fearless protector. What will it take for John to accept his destiny? (I love that Summer Glau will be in this!)

Moonlight
Premieres this Fall on CBS

Fans of the tragically cancelled “Angel” will be either elated or annoyed at the debut of this new supernatural drama. It’s all about a metropolitan vampire private eye with a strangely religious name who uses his powers to help others, falls in love with a mortal woman, and stands atop buildings in a billowy black trench coat feeling disdain for the rest of his kind (including the seductive former girlfriend who sired him). Okay, so maybe it’s been done, but let’s face it, we love to cheer for the antihero. This one’s coming from writer-producer Ron Koslow of “Beauty and the Beast” and “ER,” so there’s a good chance that this vampire will fly.

Reaper
Premieres this Fall on The CW

Next time you get annoyed at your parents for the many ways they’ve messed up your life, why not have a talk with 21-year-old slacker Sam. He’s about to find out the reason his folks have always been so nice to him: because when he was a baby they sold his soul to the devil. Now he’s forced to work as Satan’s bounty hunter (how cool is that?), hunting down bad guys and sending them back to Hell. If that’s not enough to pique your interest, the pilot is directed by indie film sensation Kevin Smith (WHAT A JOKE!).

Pushing Daisies
Premieres this Fall on ABC

From “Heroes” writer and executive producer Bryan Fuller comes a new drama that adds a unique, bittersweet flavor to the worn-out procedural recipe. This high-concept supernatural mystery series features Ned, a man with the power to briefly resurrect the dead with his touch. This gift makes him invaluable in solving murder investigations, but his personal life becomes more complicated when he manages to resurrect the love of his life for good … so long as he never touches her again. Lee Pace, Chi McBride, Swoosie Kurtz, and Kristin Chenoweth star.

Buffy: Season 8 – The First Arc

Issues 1-4
Writer: Joss Whedon
Artist: Georges Jeanty

Those who know me know that I am a hardcore “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fan. In my book there has never been a television show better than Buffy. The show had everything I ever wanted in a television series. So imagine my pain when it was annouced that Season 7 would be the final season of Buffy.

Now, a few years later, Buffy is back in Season 8 told in comic book format. The first story arc (issues 1-4) is written by series creator, Joss Whedon. So how does the beginning of this series compare to the television series?

In my opinion, the comic book format is hurting the series. Budget contraints on the television series made sure that the show never went too far over the top. But with the freedom the comic book format allows, Joss let his imagination run a little too wild.

The series starts up shortly after the season 7 finale. The Scoobies are rounding up all the new slayers throughout the world that were created by Willow’s spell at the end of season 7 (the spell turned all potential slayers in the world into full-fledged slayers.) Xander now runs the command center while Buffy, Giles and Andrew train the new slayers. The gathering and training of slayers is interrupted by old enemies who are joined by a new enemy, some sort of secret government organization (not the Initiative). The returning villains are Amy the witch and Warren shows up as her “boyfriend.”

For some reason Dawn becomes a giant after sleeping with a thricewise (some sort of mythical creature).

The artwork by Georges Jeanty is spot-on. It’s beautiful and captures all the action of Buffy along with the hotness of all the new slayers.

I might be a little too hard on season 8, it’s not all that bad. As I said, the artwork rocks and the characters are written correctly and the “Buffyspeak” is still there which is always enjoyable. Besides Joss, other writers will be brought in to work on season 8. Jeph Loeb is on board to write an arc and I’m interested in seeing what his take will be.

The series has sucked me in enough that I will continue to follow it and buy the comics. The next issue (#5 pictured above) comes out August 1st and I’ll continue to give you my thoughts on this season.

It’s nice to have the Scooby gang back even if it is in comic book format and a little less than stellar.

“The Murder Game” Is Coming

In our continual effort to support independent film, I invite our readers to do their part and go to their nearest video store and demand that they pre-order the upcoming indie horror film, “The Murder Game.” It comes out on dvd on September 4th via Warner Brothers Home Entertainement and it is available for stores to preorder. Tell them to pre-order a bunch of copies. If you work at a video store than you should already be doing this. Here’s why:

Winner of the “Best Feature Film  Award” at the Salem Independent Horror Film Festival and the Terror Film Festival, “The Murder Game” should be a no-brainer for video stores to want to put on their shelves and it is our duty to demand independent films to be carried. How many more horror remakes do you really want to see Hollywood make? Get out there and make your voice heard.

The Murder Game tells the tale of a group of teenagers who invent a game in which one of them is secretly chosen to be a “killer,” while the others remain innocent victims. Armed with prop weapons, the “killer” must eliminate the other players before being found out. To enhance their experience, the teens sneak into a large self-storage warehouse during its closed, late-night hours to hold their game. At first, it’s better than ever. But, things take a shocking turn as one by one, the players begin dying…for real.

I hope you go out and help support this film. Not only is it in the best interest of independent filmmakers and fans of the genre to show there is a strong desire for these films, the crew of “The Murder Game” is a great bunch of people.

Robert Harari (Director, Writer, Producer) and Jason Contino (Director of Photography, Writer, Producer) collaborated prior to “The Murder Game” on the multi-award winning short film, “Midnight Sun. When these two guys get together good things happen.

The cast consists of some independent film actors that are making a name for themselves in the “Guerilladelphia” area. Julia Pickens, a fantastic talent (Check out her amazing work in the independent horror film, “Ghostwatcher 2″) and you’ll also catch Erik Soulliard, director of the independent horror feature, “The Creek” which he also starred in.

For further information go to The Murder Game

Happy 4th of July!

Snake Plissken was quintessentially one thing. And that is, American.

All of us at This Is Some Scene wish you the very best 4th of July!

Hitchcock’s “The Birds” at the County

A must see classic by Alfred Hitchcock. This twisted and scary tale about some very menacing birds that terrorize a small town should be seen on the big screen. GO SEE IT AT THE COUNTY! July 2 at 7pm.