LA Horror Presents: Edward Payson and “The Cohasset Snuff Film”

Posted by lahorror on July 27, 2012

No film is scarier than the things that can happen in real life. It seems that every day, somewhere in the world, horror movies become reality and we’re reminded just how fragile life can be. After all, art imitates life and life imitates art – true horror fans know this. But filmmaker and documentarian, Edward Payson, allegedly stumbled upon something that may be too frightening to pass up. While Payson’s first documentary, “Unsigned,” dove into the life of several bands trying to make it big in Los Angeles, his second documentary, “The Cohasset Snuff Film,” is much more controversial and nasty.

In 2009, a 17-year-old boy named Colin Mason allegedly murdered three of his classmates in a small town in Massachusetts. Mason, an amateur filmmaker himself, videotaped each murder and broadcast them onto the internet for his own sick pleasure. While nearly all of the footage has been destroyed and the murders covered up, Payson and fellow documentarian, Kevin McCarthy, went on a search for the tapes and claim to have found them. While LAHorror.com hasn’t been able to personally verify the footage’s authenticity, Payson and McCarthy plan on proving it to the world in their new movie, “The Cohasset Snuff Film.”

“[Mason] plans and videotapes the murders of three classmates. He blogs about it and it really makes you kind of see inside his head—as a serial killer—and what he’s thinking and why he does what he does…why serial killers do what they do,” Payson told LAHorror.com of the footage. And while the footage itself has eluded us, we did stumble on a video blog entry of Jacyln Mccoy, one of the victim’s friends reacting to the murders.

What Payson has done is interview the people who supposedly were there, get professional opinions on the murders and simply show the public exactly what was going on in the mind of this madman. This film could be an important piece of an already mysterious puzzle, and while the film does include the Colin Mason murder tapes, don’t expect “Blair Witch” type handicam. “This will…make you throw up. It’s not shaky cam all the time or anything like that,” Payson said. And from what we’ve seen, every gory detail is caught.

The High School Killer, Colin Mason

“The killer in the movie actually explains how everyday normal people become psychopaths and how it’s so easy when people say, ‘How could that happen here?’ And he explains, ‘This is how it happens here. Everybody in high school…has this mentality that if you’re not in my click, then you don’t exist to me,” Payson said of Mason’s motives and thought-process. And truer words have never been spoken. While there will undoubtedly be efforts to ban or debunk the film’s release, the filmmakers still intend on getting a limited theatrical run come Halloween. (We’ll tell you how you can help that happen in a future story on LAHorror.com).

Now, whether or not you agree or disagree with Payson sharing this footage, he’s more than just a documentarian. Payson also has several other horror projects in the works that are worth a look. His action/horror/thriller, “Fury: The Tales of Ronan Pierce,” is currently in post-production and certainly sounds badass. Payson describes it as “really fast cars, really fast girls and lots of blood and gore.” Throw Kane Hodder and R.A. Mihailoff in the mix too? Yeah, sign me up bro.

Payson is also in production for his new web series, “Edward Pason’s Sunday Night Slaughters,” a 12-episode horror series that promises a little bit for everyone. “There’s werewolves, there’s cannibals, there’s demonic possession, there’s crazy Christians…each one’s completely different with a different cast of people,” Payson said. The series plans on utilizing a variety of different make-up artists, several DPs and guest directors. If you have a love for the disgusting as much as we do, help this project take off by checking out the link above and hearing from Edward Payson himself. Check it out horror lovers!

Be sure to check out “The Cohasset Snuff Film,” “Fury: The Tales of Ronan Pierce” and “Edward Payson’s Sunday Night Slaughters” on Facebook.

LA Horror Review: “Of Silence”

Posted by lahorror on July 23, 2012

“What if Silence was a Living Thing?” An intriguing tagline from an equally intriguing film, Jeremiah Sayys’ “Of Silence” is a dark and brooding tale of a deeply disturbed man haunted by the silence that surrounds him. It is a horror-thriller and a slow burn, a film that presents a number of questions and leaves many of the answers up to its audience.

Colby (Jeremiah Sayys) has just lost his wife, and he’s not doing well. He has debt collectors hounding him, his family can’t cheer him up and to make matters even worse, he’s tormented by a presence in his seemingly empty house. Now he must delve deep into the shadows and try to find out if he’s losing his grip on reality, or if there is truly an insidious being in his house that is after him.

As stated before, this movie is a slow burn and doesn’t pander to its audience. Sayys (the writer, director, producer and star) obviously had a vision for this film and, to his credit, makes this a haunting experience through his one-man-show type performance and some tricky directing. While the film doesn’t necessarily have the quickest or fullest plot, it’s much more of a character study and peek into the mind of a man gone mad. Frequently, Sayys uses canted angles and slow moving shots to creep us closer to the film’s shocking conclusion.

Jeremiah Sayys plays the disturbed Colby in “Of Silence”

Sayys also manages this low-budget masterfully, and while the film does utilize special effects and some creative creature design, most of the scares come through the silence, or lack there of, in Colby’s life. Frequently, we are forced to listen to the howls and cries of the house, the demonic noises that haunt Colby’s daily routine that truly send a chill up your spine. You’re never quite sure who—or what—is causing them, and the clues that pop up in the film itself only lead you to realize that nothing in Colby’s world is as it seems.

The supporting cast is sparsely seen and is mostly comprised of Colby’s family and a few friends. They do seem unsupportive of Colby’s pain at times, often cracking jokes and hooting and hollering when Colby is clearly uninterested in company. The bright spot is the sweet and well-intentioned younger sister, Haley (Ashlee Gillespie), who seems like the only one who truly wants to help Colby deal with the grief he is constantly feeling. Masiela Lusha also adds a creepy element to the film as Colby’s wife, who often appears on screen alive…and dead…

What I found interesting about this movie is that while it’s a horror film, the true villain remains unknown for quite some time. It teeters on the border of ghost, monster and psychological thriller and has plenty of legitimate scares (one bloody hand scene in particular made me jump pretty high).

Sayys has no doubt succeeded in what he set out to do, and after watching this film, I certainly hope that he has the opportunity to do another horror film with a larger budget and a bit more gore (what can I say, I’m a gore hound). Sayys proves himself as an actor and director with this ambitious project, and don’t be surprised if this movie puts him on the map, so to speak. After all, “Of Silence” is a real scream!

“Of Silence” is currently making the festival rounds around the country and internationally. You can view more work from WorldsLastHero Productions at their official website. Also be sure to check out “Of Silence” on Facebook. Review by Hunter Johnson.

LA Horror Presents: “Before You”

Posted by lahorror on July 13, 2012

You may remember our interview with horror filmmaker Nick Everhart and his super freaky puppet short “Slash in the Box.” If you missed that story, then for God’s sake click the link above and watch it, it’s one of the scariest short films we’ve had the pleasure of sharing on LAHorror.com. But on a much lighter and far less gory note, Everhart recently sent us his latest directorial project, a music video from singer/songwriter Cheyenne Jackson. The video stars Jackson (“30 Rock”, “Glee”), Christina Cole (“Dr. Who”) and Rachel Dratch (“SNL”).

“Before You” is not only a catchy and fun song, but it’s an homage to classic Hollywood horror monsters. And as a newly married man myself, I can certainly relate to parts of this music video…Check it out horror lovers!

Kind of makes you miss your mummy, doesn’t it? (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

“Ten Reasons Some Scary Movies Can Be Okay for Kids”

Posted by lahorror on July 8, 2012

It seems that a common theme amongst horror artists is that it all begins at a young age. Nobody turns 18 and watches their first horror movie, no matter what kind of household in which you were raised. Whether you had parents who were liberal enough to let you watch monster movies as a kid (I saw John Carpenter’s “The Thing” at the tender age of seven), or you were one of those kids who snuck the movies into your sleepovers or stayed up late and watched them on HBO, if you wanted to watch horror movies, you found a way. If you had a fascination of fear, a desire for the dead or a craving for the creeps, you satisfied it, no matter what age you were.

But why then do parents often try to shield their children from monsters on the screen? Isn’t growing up with certain fears a healthy part of childhood? All kids should have at least a little fear of a monster under the bed or a ghost in the closet–it’s part of growing up. Maybe scary movies are actually good for children in the same way that cartoons, comedies or musicals can be.

Tina Marconi, a frequent contributor and editor of www.babysitters.net, was kind enough to send us a link to exactly why she thinks scary movies are not only okay for children, but can actually give them a positive experience in their childhood. Her article, “Ten Reasons Some Scary Movies Can Be Okay for Kids,” can be read here. Check it out; it’s a unique and practical look at all of the glorious things that horror can do for our families, and we at LAHorror.com couldn’t agree more.

And let’s face it: if there’s one group of people you can trust on a topic like this, it’s babysitters. Jamie Lee Curtis taught me that back when I was a little kid.

LA Horror Presents: “Bunnyman 2” (coming soon)

Posted by lahorror on June 14, 2012

We received a tip from writer/director/producer Carl Lindbergh about his upcoming horror film “Bunnyman 2.” We checked out the trailer and it looks ultra creepy and fun. While the film is currently in post production, we got the inside scoop from Lindbergh about the film, as well as a little bit about him as an artist.

LAHorror: Tell us about the story of “Bunnyman 2.” What the fuck is up with this bunny?

Lindbergh: As the trailer suggests, this is one very pissed off giant bunny. Obviously someone really upset him, and as a result, he takes out his frustration on any and everyone that crosses his path. “Bunnyman 2” follows the antagonist’s story line, and is about the title character and a crazy redneck trying to manage the stress of killing all these random people.

LAHorror: Why should people see “Bunnyman 2?” What type of horror are you striving for? What makes it unique (besides the fact that it has a Bunnyman)?

Lindbergh: Well the opening scene shows a giant Bunnyman slaughtering a bus full of kids. I would say that’s a pretty unique way to start a film! I certainly haven’t seen it before and I watch a lot of horror films. The main thing I want to stress is that “Bunnyman 2” is not cheesy, it’s not campy. It has a dark sense of humor, but not “stupid” humor. I’m presenting a very absurd idea with a very serious tone. Most films of this type, from say Roger Corman or Troma would play this up as camp. This is a “unique” approach to something very bizarre, almost surreal in a way like a David Lynch film. I guess you could ask yourself, what would a film look like if David Lynch made a horror film for Roger Corman. Perhaps “Bunnyman 2” is the answer to the question?

LAHorror: What are some of the inspirations behind this film? Not necessarily other movies, but ideas/art/etc.?

Lindbergh: The idea stems from taking something very innocent, say either a bunny suit or a school bus sign, and turning it on it’s head. Playing with the symbolic nature of seeing a school bus sign, but with blood on it. I believe it’s a striking image, and tells the viewer a lot with saying any words. It’s this contradictory nature that runs through the Bunnyman films. Another example, we’ll have someone die in a grotesque way however we’ll present it in a way, that the audience can’t help but laugh as it happens.

The cinematic influences on “Bunnyman 2” are a diverse range of films. Two two primarily influences I see in the film is the “Friday the 13th” series of films and Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life”. Talk about two complete different films. “Bunnyman 2” has the mood, feel, atmosphere of a Malick film such as “Days of Heaven” etc. however within that world we have a serial killer disposing of bodies as what you would see in a 80’s slasher film.

LAHorror: What are the overall plans for “Bunnyman 2”? Any screenings scheduled yet?

Lindbergh: The primary goal is securing distribution. I’m not convinced it’s worth going the festival route as opposed to going straight to the distributors themselves. If the eventual distributor decides to screen the film, I would of course support that decision.

LAHorror: How was the cast/crew? Cool people? Small or large group?

Lindbergh: I can’t speak highly enough about the cast. They put up with harsh conditions, 120 degree heat, meat eating bees etc. They went above and beyond what a filmmaker could ask from them. We had a small crew of about 12 people, i.e. a few amount of people doing multiple jobs.

LAHorror: What are your favorite horror films/directors?

Lindbergh: Obviously the horror classics such as the original “Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Halloween” and “The Evil Dead” series of films. I’m a big fan of more obscure horror films such as “Phantasm” and “Cemetery Man.” The directors that I’m truly inspired by are Ridley Scott and Tim Burton.

And in case you were wondering, “Bunnyman 2” is the sequel to “Bunnyman.” Check out the trailer!

Certainly seems like this bunny doesn’t CARROT all who gets in his way…stay tuned for reviews of both films!

Be sure to check out “Bunnyman 2” on Facebook!

LA Horror Presents: Will Penny

Posted by lahorror on May 30, 2012

Cookies and milk. Cream and sugar. Jason and a machete. Some things are just meant to go together, and Will Penny shows us exactly that in his ridiculous and hilarious comic strips titled “Sex and Monsters.” We must warn you, fair reader, “Sex and Monsters” is by far the least frightening but potentially deadliest thing ever featured on this website. Be careful to not die laughing…

Penny’s comic strips are full of, well, sex and monsters, two of every true horror fans favorite things. He was the campus newspaper cartoonist in his college days, and though he works as a professional in law now, he uses his extra time to continue his passion for art and horror through his comic strips.

“I’m a big horror nerd. I’m a comic book nerd, but actually I was a horror nerd first. And I think that comes out of growing up on the old classic black and white Universal horror films,” Penny told LAHorror.com. Yet, movies alone didn’t do it. Penny was an avid horror comic book fan growing up and draws much of his inspiration from the comics that used to spook him. “And of course anytime you mention comic books and horror you always have to drop in the EC comics, you know, the first and last name in horror comics. So, of course, I was heavily influenced by ‘The Crypt Keeper,’ ‘The Vault Keeper’ and ‘The Old Witch.”

Other notable influences Penny taps into are “Cracked,” one of his favorite horror magazines as well as several writers/illustrators from Playboy. Together, these pieces are put together in Penny’s “R” rated comics in a ghastly fashion. (Speaking of which, “Sex and Monsters” was recently nominated for a Ghastly Award, which celebrates excellent up-and-coming horror comics).

Penny is not simply the writer of these strips, but also illustrates and colors each one in a process that can take over a week to complete. But that is only the tip of the iceberg for “Sex and Monsters.” Penny also creates hilarious “Crack-Ups,” montages of images from the very same horror movies he grew up watching with hilarious and unexpected punch lines. Penny has successfully transformed so many once-horrifying characters into the butt-end of some zany humor. Check out a couple of our favorites.

“Sex and Monsters” is without a doubt one of the silliest things we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing, but the true punch line of all of this is in how Penny came up with the idea for this strip. You see, “Sex and Monsters” was created by accident in a strange way only just over a year ago. Penny was trying to get tickets to last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, but they were all sold out. Determined to attend, Penny got creative.

“I looked online [and thought], ‘What are other ways to get tickets,’ and one of the ways they said you could get into the show, the convention, is if you were an actual professional. And you applied for a professional pass, but to do that you had to have an actual comic strip up on the web or a book published in your name. I was like ‘crap, I only have a few months to get something started so I could get tickets to this show.’ That’s basically the genesis of ‘Sex and Monsters,’” Penny told us laughing. For the record, it totally worked.

Check out Will Penny’s full collection of “Sex and Monsters” at www.SexandMonsters.com.

Why Do You Love Horror?

Posted by lahorror on May 30, 2012

Why do you love horror?

Is it for the blood? The gore? The violence? The fear? The terror? The creatures? The monsters? The killers? The rapists? The victims? The crying children? The screaming mothers? The missing little girl? The broken lock? The eye behind the door? The mystery? The carnage? The discovery of the mass grave? The hatred? The psychopaths? The grisly works of skeleton art? The murder weapons? The axe? The machete? The glove with knives? The disgusting surgery? The awkward laughs? The sex? The lust? The naïve teenagers? The chase? The hunt? The guts? The mistaken identity? The sinister music? The sinister laughs? The cheerleaders? The slumber partiers? The underage drinkers? The happy campers? The disease? The infection? The sickness? The loose dirt over the shaking coffins? The sound of dripping? The sound of chomping? The sound of death? The urge to vomit? The urge to cover your eyes? The urge to keep watching? The urge to want more? The explosions? The invasions? The missions gone bad? The betrayals? How nothing is how it seems? How there is nobody to trust? The look in her eye when she knows she’s going to die? The sound in his voice when he shrieks? How evil knows is found in every age, gender, species, time, object and world? How no matter what, nobody is safe? The beautiful death over and over again?

Why do you love horror? Well, probably the same reasons that I do.

We can be sick together.

Thanks for visiting LAHorror.com!

LA Horror Presents: Timothy L. Raynor

Posted by lahorror on April 12, 2012

Timothy L. Raynor began his acting career as a fighter. He started studying martial arts as a child and became a Master Level Instructor. In the early 1980s, Raynor took the plunge into Hollywood, where he very quickly was able to put his skills into action.

“I got into live on stage fight scenes, you know, for demonstrations for Star Trek conventions and things like that— Sci-Fi conventions. And a friend of mine said, ‘You know, why don’t you try your luck in Hollywood?'” And that’s where Raynor met Jimmy Huston, the writer and director of the campus slasher, “Final Exam.” Huston, looking for an actor with combat and weapons experience, asked Raynor to audition for the most important role in the film: the killer.

At the audition, Raynor immediately made an impact. “The night of the audition I come dressed in this three piece suit, this three pin striped suit, decked out. And I’ve got all of my weapons,” Raynor told LAHorror.com. And after showing the producers his skills, they only wanted more.

“I did everything I could, and Jimmy Huston comes up to me afterward and he goes, ‘Can you do anything else?’” Raynor recalled. “I also do a six-inch palm strike. I put up a telephone book up to some guys and I’ll do six-inch palm strike and knock em’ ten feet back. So that’s the only thing I could think of at the time.”

And Raynor demonstrated that strike on the largest guy in the room who, unknown to Raynor, just happened to be John Chambliss, one the films executive producers. After the punishing blow to the chest that left Chambliss on the ground, the audition was over. Two weeks later, Raynor got the part.

Aside from the camera time, Raynor choreographed each fight scene and murder, and after watching “Final Exam,” you can see a raw intensity in each kill. In one scene, for instance, Raynor had to jump off a 14-foot plank onto his victim, a “groin busting” stunt that they luckily only had to do once. In another, Raynor pulls a character out of a moving convertible top with one hand. In one of the longer action sequences, Raynor battled actor Ralph Brown in the school gym that ended in Brown’s character’s death by weight machine strangulation. That fight scene, which took only 20 minutes for Raynor to choreograph, received a standing ovation from the crew. However it was during that scene that real death nearly crept onto the set of “Final Exam.”

The Killer strangles Wildman in "Final Exam"

“Well, there were some reporters there, that were from the local papers and that stuff–TV stations–and they were talking to me. Jimmy wanted to do a close up of Ralph being thrown up against the machine…[Ralph] goes over; he wraps the chord around his throat himself. He did it too many times. He pulls himself out, they said “action,” he throws himself back against the weight machine and it tightens up–starts choking him…they think he’s acting!”

Luckily, Raynor noticed the unsupervised stunt in a nick of time, untied the unconscious actor and administered CPR. Pretty nice move for a killer.

Now 30 years later, “Final Exam” has hit cult status and Raynor often receives autograph requests from horror enthusiasts (he signed our VHS copy himself). And while Raynor is flattered by the attention, it is by no means his only claim to fame. Raynor has appeared on multiple TV shows and films, including “The Sarah Conner Chronicles,” “My Name Is Earl,” Animal Planet’s “Wildlife Wars” and played a different type of killer in the gangster film, “Drop Off.” While auditioning for “Star Trek: Enterprise,” Raynor met the love of his life and fellow actress, Tracey Kimball, who was working on the series. They now frequent science fiction conventions and are currently in pre-production on two sci-fi series of their own. Raynor most recently portrayed the character of Death in an upcoming short, “Deathwatch.”