“RVTH: Genesis” – Watch This Horror Web Series!

Posted by lahorror on November 4, 2015

Hello Horror Lovers!

It’s with great pleasure that I share with you “RVTH: GENESIS” – a new horror web series co-produced by LAHorror.com! This project, created by Brialynn Massie, follows the story of Eli Connors and his sister Ruth, as they come face to face with the forces of evil. This is an intense piece of work that dives into many horrifying issues – consider this your trigger warning.

The first season is complete, watch every episode right here on LAHorror.com! Enjoy!

Be sure to “like” this webseries on Facebook!

2 Violent. 2 Horrifying. “2 Jennifer,” coming soon from LAHorror.com!

Posted by lahorror on July 26, 2015

Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, do you know anyone named Jennifer?

It’s been some time since we’ve had an update, but for great reason, I assure you. I’m excited to announce that LAHorror.com’s first feature film, “2 Jennifer,” has wrapped principle photography and is on slate for completion in August! It’s been a wild ride putting this film together, and fans of murder, violence and horrifying GORE will not be disappointed! “2 Jennifer” is a hard “R” rated sequel to our good friend James Cullen Bressack’s 2013 film, “To Jennifer.” You can read our review of his film here.

“Two filmmakers attempt to make the perfect sequel to “To Jennifer,” however a dark secret threatens the lives of everyone involved. Jennifer, a beautiful actress, now has two options: become the heroine of the film, or face a brutal death.”

Our good friends at Dread Central dropped our first official teaser trailer, and we wanted to share as well! So WATCH it, SHARE it, and get ready for a really NASTY movie.

“2 Jennifer” stars Hunter Johnson, David Coupe and Lara Jean Mummert. The film also features performances from “To Jennifer” alums James Cullen Bressack, Jarrett Furst & Jody Barton, Felissa Rose (“Sleepaway Camp”), Veronica Ricci (“Bloody Mary 3D”), Erin Marie Hogan (“House of Manson”), Charles Chudabala, Josh Brown and Matt Holbrook. The film is Produced by Johnson, Bressack, Furst, Frank Merle, Christian Ackerman & Megan Perrin.

Keep your eyes peeled for this one, it is likely to shock and horrify! Get ready, horror lovers!

Keep up with “2 Jennifer” on twitter here!

LA Horror Review: “El Gigante”

Posted by lahorror on January 14, 2015

“El Gigante” is an incredibly ambitious and stylish short horror film from LuchaGore Productions funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign. Perhaps best known for their “M is for Matador” entry into the “ABCs of Death Part Two” competition, LuchaGore is a creative team that has clearly found their stride and are poised to make the leap from short form to feature films.

“El Gigante” opens with a gorgeous desert vista and a man stumbling through the heat. Through a flashback, we learn that the young Mexican man is named Armando (played by Edwin Perez) and that he tried to strike a deal with a coyote to smuggle his family across the border. They didn’t have enough cash, so Armando had to make the border crossing on his own.

Armando makes it to the border, but is intercepted by a mysterious stranger. Armando passes out. He awakens inside of a room that holds a wrestling arena/altar. He now has a burlap Lucha Libre mask sewn to his face. As a grotesque family of characters watch, he is forced into a death battle with El Gigante, an enormous wrestler.

Visually, this short is a huge treat. It embraces grindhouse style entertainment without veiling it in a fake 1970s aesthetic. The production design and costuming are top notch: this movie pays close attention to textures and character and set design in a way that most short films do not. The makeup and gore effects are incredibly effective. This movie looks and feels filthy.

The cinematography by Luke Bramley and Spencer Village is reminiscent of Dean Semler’s work in “The Road Warrior.” The camera is not in constant motion, but there’s an effortless flow established and enhanced by the editing of director Gigi Saul Guerrero and co-director Bramley.

Guerrero is the colorist for the film as well, and chooses vivid lurid red accents to the sickly greens, yellows, and greys of the wrestling arena. She has a great eye for action and how it can be used to reveal character.

“El Gigante” is currently on the festival circuit, and will hopefully be seen by people who see the feature potential in it. The short is adapted by Shane McKenzie from the first chapter of his book “Muerte con Carne,” and it’s an amazing contribution to “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” style cannibal family genre. Each family member has a distinct look and role to play in the slaughter. If the rest of the book is as exciting as this first look is, then El Gigante could one day join Jason and Leatherface in the pantheon of masked movie killers.

Be sure to “like” LuchaGore Productions on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @LuchaGoreFilm. This review was written by LAHorror.com contributor Paul Stephen Edwards.

LA Horror Talks Camping with Horrorble Podcast!

Posted by lahorror on January 1, 2015

I fucking love camping. There’s no denying that. And while I’ve been lucky enough to survive all of my camping adventures, many characters in the horror universe, unfortunately, have not. After all, putting yourself in terrible peril by gathering and partying in the deep monster and serial killer infested woods is a quality recipe for great horror–or campy horror to say the least! To close out 2014, I took a trip into the deep woods to discuss camping horror with Horrorble Podcast, your source for straight talk, face value horror!

Horrorble Podcast is hosted by Devon Arnold, along with co-hosts Dylan Holland, Manton Frierson and Brandon Ritman (aka Blootster). On the docket? Camping Horror, particularly in the films “Exists,” “Friday the 13th (2009)” and one of my personal favorites, “Sleepaway Camp.” Check out the episode to see which of these films earned a GEM or a STINKER rating from myself and the Cast!

Listen to the episode here!

What Devon and his crew have created with Horrorble Podcast is an everyman approach to different horror topics, which is one of the reasons why I love this cast. These guys aren’t necessarily horror film buffs, but rather regular fans who know what they like and what they don’t like, and have a pretty damn good time telling you why. That being said, their insight into the genre is impressive and worth noting. They have already released a plethora of horror content on their cast, covering a wide variety of horror topics and sub-genres. Some of my favorite episodes include “The Christmas Episode,” “The Don’t Episode” and their interviews with filmmakers Ivan Kavanaugh (The Canal) and Aaron Moorehead & Justin Benson (V/H/S: VIRAL).

If you’re a casual horror fan or a die-hard, definitely keep up with Horrorble Podcast. And for any of you campers out there, for God’s sake don’t have sex or do drugs in those woods. It’s just asking for trouble that you probably can’t handle…

Be sure to follow Horrorble Podcast on Twitter and “like” Horrorble Podcast on Facebook! Horroble Podcast is also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

LA Horror Review: “You Are Not Alone”

Posted by lahorror on December 9, 2014

God bless America, and God bless HORROR!

Writer/Director Derek Mungor, the filmmaker behind LAHorror.com favorite “Desolation Wilderness,” is back with another creeper, “You Are Not Alone.” This is a super beautiful film is about friendship, memories and revisiting old times…oh yeah, and a totally freaky serial killer. It’s a genuine slice of life turned hyper suspenseful slasher movie, shot entirely from the prospective of one character. The film is co-written by Chris O’Brien.

Natalie is a college graduate visiting her hometown over the 4th of July. The night she arrives, she is stalked by a sociopathic killer.

I always love it when horror movies have a nice slow burn, but it makes me really hope that the filmmakers pull it off in the end. Mungor and his team knock this one out of the park. “You Are Not Alone” is one of the scariest serial killer slashers I have ever seen. It takes advantage of your perception, aided by sincere and welcoming performances by a fun and likable cast and makes you feel as if you’re truly living as one of the characters in the film. This both adds to it’s unique charm and also amplifies the horror when things get rough. And when sometimes slasher movies get caught up in narrative and over explanation, “You Are Not Alone” takes a much different approach. The film isn’t exactly about why these killings are happening, but moreso about the events themselves. It’s the best type of slasher film: one that respects its audience and simply shows you the events of one tragic July 4th weekend.

Do yourself a favor and watch this one with ALL of the lights turned off. I mean that. Hats off to Mungor and Director of Photography Ryan Glover for creating what seemed like constant suspense and anticipation, primarily through the use of light and shadow. A great look accompanied by an amazing score by Jason Aud and some ultra creepy sound design by Jason Neumann, this film is incredibly intense…I cannot emphasize that enough. “You Are Not Alone” is the type of slasher that had me at the edge of my seat, jumping at every turn, and when you see it, chances are you will be too.

And on a side note, it’s really great to see a 4th of July horror movie. I can honestly say that this film has potential to be a once a year favorite for the BBQ holiday, much in the same way that other holiday horror favorites have found spots in our hearts. This movie pays homage to a lot of greats before it, yet it never loses itself. Die hard slasher movie fans, get ready for some fireworks, and remember…”You Are Not Alone.”

For more on “You Are Not Alone,” please “like” the film on Facebook and follow the film on Twitter.

LA Horror Review: “In Defense of Traditional Marriage”

Posted by lahorror on December 3, 2014

Marriage is scary, everybody knows that. And as if there isn’t enough on our plates when dealing with our nuptials, some feel the need to turn marriage into one of those hot button issues. After all, while marriage is a magical time in our lives it’s also a very controversial issue that our society needs to address. Writer/Director Thom Newell throws his horrifying two cents into the marriage debate with his hilarious short film, “In Defense of Traditional Marriage.”

Ahhh, true love. This is a horror film that works on a variety of levels. First of all, great hook. For a moment I questioned if I was even watching a horror, then blammo, it’s on. Thom Newell’s over-the-top satire works because while I don’t necessarily know what the piece is trying to say about traditional marriage as we know it, I do know that it’s damn gory and hella funny, so we’ll all just agree to get along on this issue for now.

Excellent use of gore as well with a terrific design as well, this is definitely one of the most beautiful brides I’ve seen in quite some time. And lastly, the cast does a terrific job. Some genuinely funny moments that made me laugh out loud throughout.

Pass me a kleenex…I always DIE at weddings!

For more from filmmaker Thom Newell, be sure to visit his official website. You can also follow Newell on Twitter.

LAHorror.com Original: “Melody”

Posted by lahorror on October 31, 2014

And what’s a treat on Halloween without a trick?!

We are extremely excited to share “Melody,” LAHorror.com’s first official short film! This one is nasty, everybody, and I hope you like them weird! This slimy little flick stars Beau Smith & Emily Dahm, two incredible actors who totally kill it, and was created by LAHorror.com contributors Hunter Johnson & Megan Perrin. And you’ve got to love the gore created by Ryan Reynolds, am I right?? We hope that this one finds a special spot in your rotten little horror hearts!

Now what the hell are you waiting for? Tweet us your thoughts on our film, and be sure to “like” LAHorror.com on Facebook! And remember, share or review our films on your horror site and we’ll put your banner on our “Friends of LAHorror.com” page! Happy Halloween, Horror Lovers!

VHS Spotlight: “Evils of the Night”

Posted by lahorror on September 30, 2014

Our dear friend and contributor in horror Alex Ray returns, this time with a VHS Spotlight that’s out of this world! We love to feature flicks that aren’t widely available to the masses on LAHorror.com, so be sure to check out our growing collection of VHS Spotlights on our Behead-itorials page and be sure to drop us a line to let us know which ones you’d like to see! Enjoy horror lovers!

VHS SPOTLIGHT: EVILS OF THE NIGHT

1984 * 85 minutes * Lightning Video * Directed by Mardi Rustam

If you’re trying to find the worst 80s horror VHS box art out there, look no further. The movie itself is a crazy good time—but the box makes it look like Lovers Retreat, the 1989 romantic dramedy starring Bobcat Goldthwait and Daphne Zuniga (this film does not exist). Yes, it tried harder to make me not watch it than The Witching (I defy anyone to rent a horror movie adorned with the bespectacled visage of Orson Welles). Point is: despite a complete lack of salesmanship on the part of Lightning Video—a rare oversight for a company that churned out a zillion lurid covers back in the day—I consider it a high value asset to my VHS collection.

And, okay, yes—there is a DVD. But good luck finding one for less than fifty bucks. It seems the fine folks at Shriek Show woefully underestimated demand and now it’s as tough to find as Shadow: Dead Riot is easy to come by. And that’s just downright shameful. But you know what? We still got some sweet ol’ magnetic tape to fall back on.

This really is a movie that should be seen on VHS anyway. It epitomizes what’s great about cheesy 80s horror—totally un-ironic and self-serious, but comprised of ridiculous and disparate elements. No matter how many times I put this in the VCR (I’m up to three), I feel like I’m missing something (and lemme tell ya: this ain’t exactly Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy when it comes to plot). I think I can summarize it somewhat concisely: beach bums and babes become the target of aliens who need their young people blood to survive. But if you start asking questions—like, any questions—things get complicated.

For instance, how did the mechanics get recruited to kidnap teenagers for the aliens? And why, with their spaceships and laser rings, would the aliens need a couple grumpy old men to do said kidnapping for them? How did the aliens come to inhabit a hospital? What happened to those lady aliens after they made bedroom eyes at each other for thirty seconds? Yeah, Evils offers up quite a few stumpers.

The trick is to not think too hard about it and just go along for the ride (to the hospital with the mechanics who are selling you to the aliens). You do that, and Evils of the Night becomes Goods of the Day. Or Night, still. If you watch it at night. I don’t judge.

Much as we all love how meta and self-aware everything has become, it’s sometimes nice to go back to a time when movies didn’t seem to know they were bad. Who can say—maybe Mardi Rustam thought he was making the ultimate satire, but he definitely fooled me. The charm of Evils lies in just how blissfully sincere it is about being pretty dumb. By any quantifiable standards it’s a terrible movie, and yet I’ve still watched it three times. So what does that tell you? Yeah, I don’t know either.

Look. It’s silly. It’s fun. Joe Bob would definitely say check it out, if you know what I mean (boobs). With the bland box art, you might just be able to convince a normal person to watch it. Take all that into consideration, and I think you can see the good in Evils of the Night (I do love it when titles lend themselves to this kind of scintillating wordplay).

Postscript: A random Amazon check has revealed that this is going to get a re-release on October 14! Now the masses will have easy access to this cinematic gem. But while the DVD may be of higher quality and have better box art (because it couldn’t possibly be worse), I must say I’ll always be partial to my VHS. However, I’ll concede that it’s worth seeing any way you can. And if you can’t wait that long, well, there’s an ex-rental with your name on it somewhere.

3 out of 4 stars

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

LA Horror Review: “Killer Mermaid”

Posted by lahorror on September 18, 2014

Who doesn’t love a good sea monster movie? They take humans out of their element, often have something with wicked sharp teeth and almost guaranteed bikinis galore. And while we’ve recently seen a lot of movies about killer sharks and giant reptilians recently, which is all fine and good, there’s been a key sub-species of the oceanic variety that is being far underrepresented in the horror spectrum nowadays. Mermaids, bro! And in Milan Todorvic’s slick horror flick “Killer Mermaid” (aka “Nymph”), we are shown just how vicious and deadly, these creatures can be!

The story: two beautiful young women go on an exotic Mediterranean vacation and uncover the watery lair of a killer mermaid hidden beneath an abandoned military fortress. What was once a carefree adventure becomes a deadly fight for survival…

Look, I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on Mermaid themed horror movies, but I do say with confidence that “Killer Mermaid” sets the bar pretty damn high for what genre enthusiasts should expect from a movie about a killer fish woman. This film begins as a slash-em up but slowly turns into something much darker, and much more interesting once our heroes come into contact with the Mermaid. This is a villain that I absolutely loved, and by all means don’t let her sexy, angelic voice lure you in or you’ll pay a hefty price. This Mermaid has got some bite.

This movie, much like its cast, is absolutely beautiful. There’s some amazing cinematography that makes the most of its exotic setting, and while it does take a bit of time to get to the real meat of the story, it is an intriguing ride to get there, mostly because this film takes itself so seriously. With a movie about a killer mermaid, it’d be really easy to fall into the campy, over the top attitude that a lot of horror has nowadays, but this film does the opposite. The characters are real and believable, the special effects are well above average and I found myself invested and excited by the time the film was wrapping up. “Killer Mermaid” may not have been the scariest movie I’ve ever seen, but it definitely was a lot of fun. Put your swimsuit on and jump in for this one. Just be wary of any ladies of the sea you might meet on the way…

“Killer Mermaid” is now available on DVD and VOD from Epic Pictures! The film is also available XBox!

“Reality” – A New Web Series from Ready Freddy Films

Posted by lahorror on August 2, 2014

Reality television. It’s everywhere nowadays. “The Bachelor,” “Millionaire Matchmaker,” “Sister Wives,” just to name a few, have taken over the airwaves and given us some unforgettable (and often unbearable) moments that make even this horror lover cringe. Every season there’s a new gimmick, a new dating craze and of course a new babe (or stud) that’s looking to find their soulmate and live happily ever after. And in Ready Freddy Films‘ new web series/reality TV show “Reality,” we are shown this familiar premise with a terrifying spin. One man, eight girls, one elimination each episode. But I’m not talking about red roses or tiki torches, because in this show elimination means brutal death, and the winner gets to spend the rest of her days with Rusty Polar, the psychopathic killer who’s searching for his soulmate…

A horror reality TV show is so refreshing, and the execution by this cast and crew, led by creator and leading man Dustin Puehler, is nearly flawless. This really feels like a poppy reality TV show, but even better than that, it feels like a slimy, freaky torture flick. We get glimpses into the lives and pasts of these characters in the ways only a bubbly reality show could do, and I honestly feel invested to find out who wins it all. And just like any reality television show, it’s full of humor (albeit DARK), raw human emotion and plenty of backstabbing surprises…

We had a chance to chat with Puehler about the series, his “bachelor” Rusty Polar, as well as some other fun stuff! Check it out, horror lovers!

LAHorror: Do you think that there’s any HORROR in today’s actual reality TV??

Dustin Puehler: Definitely. The way you have major networks manipulating image and reinforcing stereotypes, while making tons of money, can be quite horrific to see how they paint someone to create entertainment, especially when it is the “girls chasing the guy” format. They drink people up and just wait for them to do something that they can turn into drama or better yet humiliating.

LAHorror: Reality TV shows, in particular dating shows, have a “bachelor” type character that runs the show. Tell us about Rusty Polar. How is it playing this character who does some pretty nasty things to these women?

DP: Exhausting. I wanted to emulate the process of reality TV, so I would set up these scenes and we would do 6-7 minutes at a time. Making it as brutal as possible and absolutely no sarcastic satire. It was through the edit that I wanted to force myself to find those moments and get into that state of mind to exploit this images with reality show editing techniques.

LAHorror: How did you pitch this project to your actresses? It’s horror, no doubt, but there’s a lot of VERY dark humor. Tiffany (Tiffany Gollinger) is really good, by the way. I’m rooting for her to win the competition.

DP: I was very lucky to have such an amazing cast! They all went for it pretty easily and understood the vision of the piece. I won’t say who wins, but I’m very proud of the way the show wraps up!

LAHorror: How much of the show is scripted? It feels really natural.

DP: As the writer too, almost all my lines are scripted. The settings, the camera work, and the structure was all laid out. There was a line thrown to the girls for narrative purposes here and there, but they are all reactionary to my lines. They did a great job embodying their characters through improvising!

LAHorror: How would you compare “Reality” to some of Ready Freddy Films’ other horror projects?

DP: Most of my horror ideas (“Spots,” “Caleb,” “Cutie“) are very slow, brooding, and character based to get any message across, where “Reality” really needs weird tonal shifts to play up the satire thats intended. It was interesting to craft scenes where we would create moment to laugh with, but then follow it up with a dark horror element, then remind you of what you are watching to break the laughter. It is an interesting balancing board.

The remaining five episodes of “Reality” will be premiering throughout August, so pick your favorite contestant and enjoy the ride!

Be sure to “like” Ready Freddy Films on Facebook and follow them on Twitter! You can also learn more about their original projects at their official website.