Let’s be honest:  spiders are scary.  Hell, my wife can tell you that.  But while spiders do give tons of people the creeps, the fact of the matter is that the normal person could end a spider with a simple stomp, smash or splat.  And if the problem persists?  Call your local exterminator and you’re all set.  That is unless, of course, you’re dealing with a Big Ass Spider, in which case you may need to put the rolled up magazine down and grab your bazooka.  Mike Mendez’s film, “Big Ass Spider!” wreaks delightful havoc on the citizens of Los Angeles with hilarious and surprisingly scary results.

If you’re somebody who happens to judge a book (or movie) by its cover, then let me warn you here: yes, you get everything the title and DVD art promises: a big ass spider climbing buildings and battling well-armed military.  Hell, the ridiculous and wonderful opening scene of the movie takes care of that.  But that’s just the set up to a much more charming and complete monster feature.  “Big Ass Spider!” is not your cookie-cutter low budget movie monster – it’s a well-acted film that offers something to a wide variety of horror fans.  Gruesome deaths?  Check.  Laughs?  Check.   A well-designed and legitimately scary movie monster?  Big ass check.

After all, a monster movie is only as good as its monster, and luckily for “Big Ass Spider,” the filmmakers took this creature to a very real place with some spectacular visual effects and design.  This spider doesn’t mess around, and aside from some intentional tongue-in-cheek moments, the spider was pretty damn menacing and always seems to have another nasty trick up its sleeve.  “Big Ass Spider!” succeeds in the sense that I often found myself rooting for the monster, and when you’re dealing with beasts of epic proportion, it really shouldn’t be any other way.

That being said, our heroes Alex (Greg Grunberg), the everyman exterminator, and his hilarious Latino side-kick Jose (Lombardo Boyar) are just as fun to cheer for as the spider itself.  They’ve got the attitude, the weaponry and the knowhow to be a perfect match against the spider…not to mention a plethora of laugh-out-loud one-liners along the way.  Throw in a terrific supporting cast and a fresh script, and pretty much everything about “Big Ass Spider!” feels just right.  You can tell that everyone involved put their all into this project from day one – this film has tremendous heart.

“Big Ass Spider!” well exceeded my expectations and sets the bar pretty high for low budget giant monster movies in the future.  If you’re a fan of the monster genre or have a fear of spiders in general, then get your big ass off the couch, call your crew and pop open a six-pack.  “Big Ass Spider!” is a bad ass flick!

“Big Ass Spider!” is now available on DVD and Blu Ray!  Or get it on iTunes!  For more on “Big Ass Spider!” visit the films official webpage, Facebook and twitter.

As horror fans who buy a lot of movies on VHS, we here at LAHorror.com can attest that there are some true classics that have simply been forgotten or lost in the shuffle of time.  It’s our opinion that all great horror films deserve to be seen and that’s why LAHorror.com contributor Alex Ray decided to shed the spotlight on some horror films that are trapped on VHS and have yet to have a DVD release!  We’ll keep featuring our favorites and be sure to let us know what your favorite is too!  Enjoy people!

VHS SPOTLIGHT: “DEMONWARP”

1988 * 91 minutes * Vidmark Entertainment * Directed by Emmett Alston

If you’re lucky enough to stumble onto “Demonwarp,” there’s no way you don’t fall for it.  Just a quick glance at the box art, and I guarantee you will be instantly smitten.  Get this: George Kennedy, a were-squatch holding dynamite and Michelle Bauer.  If that isn’t a recipe for awesomeness, I don’t know what is.

Sure, there have been a lot of great covers that have disguised bad movies (I’m looking at you, “Gore-Met, Zombie Chef From Hell“), but “Demonwarp” won’t disappoint. You get everything you see on the box, plus more. So much more.

We begin our tale with an old-timey holy man who witnesses a crash-landing in the woods. Or rather, something falls from the sky, and then it’s just there. Kinda looks like a spaceship, and it might be important (inasmuch as anything in this movie is important)–but without much context it’s about as random as what comes an hour later. Okay, not quite.

Cut to: George Kennedy (of “The Naked Gun” and “The Terror Within” fame) and his adult daughter are playing a board game when they’re attacked by what could be Bigfoot or a werewolf or maybe even Shrieker. Big George seems to be down for the count; his daughter gets dragged away, apparently done in by a light scratch to the face.

Jumping ahead again, we’re introduced to the requisite young folks unknowingly entering our hairy killer’s stomping ground. They butt heads with ol’ George–he’s still looking for his missing daughter–and then settle into the house from “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter” and a zillion others.

You can probably see where this is going, and yes, the first two acts are pretty standard ’80s horror fare. There’s a sex scene, a shower scene, and a sunbathing scene–all interspersed between rampaging sort-of Bigfoot shenanigans (courtesy of John Carl “The Buech” Buechler) and set to a radical synth score. Nothing wrong with any of this, but not many new ingredients are added to the formula.

That is, of course, until we get to the glorious final act. It’s got Bigfoot morphing, devil-worshipping aliens, zombies, topless Michelle Bauer ritual sacrifice and that dynamite from the cover. And at some point, I think they explain the crash from the opening of the flick, and how that led to Mr. Kennedy going all Death Wish on Bigfoot. I can’t completely spoil it because I’m not entirely sure what was happening or why, but I can certainly attest to its greatness.

How “Demonwarp” has avoided a DVD release is beyond me. All sarcasm aside, this is a thoroughly enjoyable ’80s creature feature. What’s more, it’s got an Oscar-winner, a legendary scream queen, and the brother from “Just One of the Guys.” Come on, Code Red, dig this one out of  the Vidmark basement. I would gladly plunk down twenty bucks for a DVD or Blu-ray, and a lot more if it included a commentary track.

For now, I’ll be happy with my VHS copy. And if you should happen to find it anywhere (as of this writing, there are two copies on eBay), you’ll be happy with it too.  3/4 Stars

VHS Spotlight is written by LAHorror.com contributor Alex Ray.

Long distance relationships can be hard, there’s no doubt about that.  With distance, problems inherently arise, mostly due to lack of good communication, issues of trust and of course the human nature of bodily desire.  In “To Jennifer,” a new horror film from cult favorite James Cullen Bressack, these issues and more are given a violent twist in this cross-country buddy adventure gone horribly wrong.

After receiving a suspicious text message from his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer (Jessica Cameron), Joey (Chuck Pappas) suspects her of cheating on him.  In an effort to prove her infidelity, Joey and his cousin Steven (Bressack) go on a cross-country trip to find her, armed only with the spirit of revenge and their iPhone 5.  In the words of Bressack himself, “‘To Jennifer’ is a realistic depiction of the lengths we go for vindication.”  That’s a fair and accurate assessment of a film that’s seriously fresh.

Much like Bressack’s ultraviolent shocker “Hate Crime,” “To Jennifer” is comprised entirely from POV footage, which is always a high risk, high reward endeavor.  This film takes it a step further with the fact that it’s shot entirely on the iPhone, which is both an impressive technical achievement and a main plot point in the story.  Given the fact that we as an audience are so accustomed to seeing videos shot on cell phones all of the time, is never a distraction and only adds to the eerie, bizarre feeling that this movie leaves in the pit of your stomach.  It’s guerrilla filmmaking at it’s finest at times, with some incredibly memorable and honest moments.  There’s a cringeworthy scene on an airplane that jumps to mind.

While the technical details of “To Jennifer” are a terrific selling point, the strongest and most intriguing aspect of the film comes from the performers and their ability to engage the audience in a believable way.   Pappas is terrific as the heartbroken and spiteful Joey, and Cameron lights it up as the beautiful, scandalous Jennifer.  Jody Barton as buddy Martin and Bressack himself deliver one-liners at a ridiculous rate and the group chemistry felt incredibly natural.  You really feel like one of the guys on this journey, and while this film is no doubt horrific, it plays more like a seriously dark and demented buddy comedy.

“To Jennifer” isn’t your typical found footage horror film, and that’s just fine.  It’s not as brutal as “Hate Crime” but it’s just as enjoyable.  The film is being released on DVD and VOD on October 15^th, as well as a direct to iPhone app coming soon as well, so you can watch the film exactly how it was meant to be seen, on your phone.  Check it out, especially if your boyfriend or girlfriend lives far away.  Who knows, it might just inspire you to check up on them…

Preorder your copy of “To Jennifer.”  Be sure to like “To Jennifer” on Facebook!

Things aren’t always what they seem in horror films, right?  I always love when a film has a great twist, especially in a horror flick.  “Masked,” a terrific short horror flick from writer/director Alex Williams, gives us a great slow burn and then an impressive one two punch.  The film runs for about 20 minutes, which is really a perfect length for a project like this, lending to its “The Twilight Zone” vibe that kept me on my toes throughout.  While “Masked” keeps the gore to a minimum, it makes up for it with an impending sense of dread and confusion, enhanced by a solid performance from leading man Luis Rodriguez and an eclectic, haunting soundtrack.  The story is pretty damn intense and the writing is legit – it goes to show how a great script can add to a film’s overall success.  Do yourself a favor and check it out for yourself, and for God’s sake go hug your wife and kids tonight!

Be sure to follow Random Axe Entertainment on Facebook and Twitter.  For more on this project and others from Random Axe Entertainment check out their official website.

What’s up, horror lovers??  Got the word that one of my favorite ghost films is coming out on DVD and VOD on August 20th!  The film is called “An American Ghost Story,” (formerly “Revenant”) and it is a seriously a freaky flick.  This movie is full of suspense, ghastly effects and terrific performances — a serious feat by some incredible independent filmmakers.  We reviewed this flick a while back, and you need to check it out for yourself!

And be sure to stop by “An American Ghost Story” on Fangoria, who dropped the new poster and trailer!  Do it people.

What’s up horror lovers??  Specifically, I’m talking to you folks in Los Angeles!

I’ve just had the immense pleasure of viewing “Survivor Type,” a brutal short horror film based on the Stephen King story of the same title.  You may not remember, but a while back we caught up with director Billy Hanson, in a previous post in their pre-production stage.  After seeing the film, I can only say daaaamn.  Here’s the trailer…

The movie is awesome–some serious props to Hanson and their team.  Not only does this flick have an unbelievable performance by Gideon Emery, but it has one of the nastiest, goriest and cringeworthy scenes I’ve ever seen…and that’s no joke, and it takes A LOT for me to cringe.  Don’t believe me??  Well check it out for yourself.

“Survivor Type,” along with several other short horror/sci-fi films, is playing this Friday at the Shorts 4 Show mixer hosted by BOOMaRANG Entertainment & Broken Barriers Productions.  Check out the event for yourself and if you can make it–get over there!

Okay, the new “Evil Dead” movie has been out for like, four days and I still haven’t seen it.  Yes, this is a serious problem and at the moment I’m ashamed to be alive…or dead…or whatever you want to call it.  But that being said, our buddy over at Horror Films 101 created a nifty little video showing not only the stylistic connections between the original trilogy of Evil, but broader connections as well.  I highly recommend checking it out if you’re a fan of the series!  And if you don’t watch it??  I’ll swallow your soul…I’ll swallow your soul!

I’ll be honest – this is probably one of the more original ideas for a horror project I’ve ever seen.  I mean, how often do we get a combination of unique poetry AND grisly horror?  It’s a devilish delight and something that the team at Seraph Films has mastered in their weekly web series entitled “Horror Haiku.”  In these beautiful and often gory segments, Seraph Films invites their audience to participate in the carnage by submitting original and horrific haiku’s, which they in turn translate into a brief but chilling episode.  And chilling is putting it lightly…this series is seriously freaky.

Much of the success of “Horror Haiku” can be attributed to director Gene Blalock’s keen attention to detail and some seriously clever filmmaking.  It’s pretty impressive the punch that each episode of “Horror Haiku” can dish out in the amount of time it has.  I mean, I’m talking murder, monsters, ghosts and tons of blood, each episode begins with an introduction from your horror hosts (a beautiful and sinful seductress and a God fearing priest) and leads to the meat of each episode which basically consists of one long, well staged and menacing shot.  It’s really quite enjoyable and provides you with that quick jolt of horror that every fan needs!

I’ve hand selected my two favorites to share, but in all honesty they’re all consistently good, much like the rest of the work from Seraph Films.  Check this out!

You see what I’m saying??  It’s a two minute in your face horror show that does not disappoint!

So……

Watch “Horror Haiku!”

And if you don’t, Satan comes.

Goodbye to your soul…

Be sure to check out Seraph Films on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and of course subscribe to their Youtube Channel.  For more information about Seraph Films as well as more original horror, visit their official website.