Category Archives: MonsterFest

Movie review: 3 From Hell

24 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by in MonsterFest, Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Last we left our intrepid psychopaths, the remnants of the Firefly family were driving headfirst into a hail of police gunfire, to their death, or so we thought.

As Rob Zombie’s latest B-Movie inspired flick kicks off we find out that Baby Firefly (Sheri-Moon Zombie), Otis B. Driftwood (Bill Mosley) and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) somehow survived their run in with the law, with 20 bullets a piece, and for the past 10 years have been rotting in jail, unable to relish in the full extent of their depravity.
The public perception has shifted in their favour with people from all walks of life calling to “free the 3”, their actions aimed not at the heinous acts against individuals but against the system that created them, though Warden Virgil Harper (Jeff Daniel Phillips) keeps a keen eye on them, antagonising them when appropriate.
Sadly, as you may or may not know, Sid Haig’s health had deteriorated by the time Zombie decided to pick back up with these characters, and as a result, Haig has only a brief scene with a reporter early on in the film before his Chaotic Clown Captain Spaulding is sentenced to death and exits the film.

So now, with Otis busting rocks on the side of the rock and Baby constantly harassed by her guards and other inmates the table has been set, we just wait to see how these killers get loose, and sure enough the empty place in our triumvirate of terror is filled by Otis’ half brother Winslow Foxworth Coltrane  or “The Wolf” as he likes to call himself (followed by a howl), busts Otis from his chain gang and the two high tail it out of there.

At this moment you would think we kick into high gear but it stills takes a surprisingly long time for adoptive brother and sister to be reunited, but at last, after a impromptu dinner party from hell at the Warden Harper’s home, Otis convinces the Warden to break Baby out himself.
Strangely once the gang are back together the film seems to throw out what story we’ve had so far and escape south of the border, down Mexico way where the final act can play out seemingly in isolation of anything else that’s happened, sans one death earlier in the film.

As usual the film is littered as Zombie’s movies usually are with “hey it’s that person” actors, Danny Trejo, Clint Howard and Dee Wallace to name a few and it seems like everyone’s having a good time on set which is always relieving to see after the studio nightmare that Zombie experienced on the Halloween remake. Here he’s back playing with some of his favourite toys but after The Devil’s Rejects, which many consider (myself included) to be Zombie’s high watermark, this film can’t help but pale in comparison.

Prognosis:

Initially what feels what might be the thrust of the film, the public’s relationship with mass murders, Charlie Manson, Ted Bundy, Natural Born Killers, the Crime Channel, is quickly dropped in favour of a muddled plot, that stalls time and time again.
The vibe feels torn between its previous two entries without ever reaching the heights or horrors of either.

Haig’s charismatic presence is sorely missed and his replacement just feels like Otis-Lite.
Despite this, it’s still an entertaining time hanging out with these characters even if there isn’t a plot to back them up.
I hope this isn’t the final chapter, not because I want more but because if Zombie’s going to raise these characters from the seeming dead I wish it was for a more worthy finale.

  • Oscar Jack

Check out the special halloween screenings on October 31st in cinemas across Australia & New Zealand curtesy of Fangoria x Monster Fest here.

Movie review: The Furies

15 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by in MonsterFest, Movie review

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

The Furies is currently screening as part of Monsterfest Australia

Australia seems to be bearing a knack of producing brutal, confronting horror films of late with its earnest and gritty portrayal of the Great Southern Land’s dark underbelly. The Furies is no exception, subjecting its audience to a savage tale of survival with a sci-fi twist. As the title of the movie suggests, The Furies could clearly be drawn from Greek mythology and the Erinyes, a trio of female deities who enact vengeance by punishing those who have wronged. In the tales, the Erinyes are formed by a trio of infernal goddesses, who carry out swift judgement on their assailants, although interestingly this trio shifts throughout the films narrative, but primarily centres on our lead heroine, Kayla (played by Airlie Dodds from the brilliant Killing Ground and the much-anticipated The Gloaming) a high school student who is kidnapped along with her best friend Maddie one night, and awakens in a metallic box labelled Beauty, in the middle of the Australian outback. 

Confronting her in her ordeal are a series of gruesomely masked antagonists that are hellbent on hunting her and the fellow survivalists down through predatorial and disturbing means that echoes the themes from Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, but director Tony D’Aquino amplifies the ferocity to keep the pace and tension at its highest throughout the film.
Hindering Kayla along the way is her own disability, epilepsy, that is being triggered regularly and when she blacks out, somehow can still see through the masked marauders eyes that are pursuing her and her fellow female survivors. Despite her setbacks, Kayla is determined to turn the tables, find her friend Maddie and soon realises how serious her plight is and must use her wits and strength to play ‘the game’ and find a way out.
The subject of hell and its torments are constantly at the forefront in The Furies and there are obvious comments to be held over the subject of how women are treated in society as they are exposed to, but why should they take part this ‘so-called’ game that has for so long been heralded by men. What would happen if women chose not to tolerate this behaviour anymore and reinvent the rules to put the power back in their favour? The pendulum has indeed begun to swing, and God forbid any who have wronged or inflicted any kind of oppressive behaviour towards women. The phrase, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ comes to mind as we begin to champion Kayla’s growing strength and we as the audience will her to enact the vengeance these weak-minded fools behind ‘the game’ deserve. We can only hope that she somehow sees it through to the bitter end and survives, even if she does, what world then awaits her?

The Diagnosis:

The Furies is a savagely brutal insight into what lies beneath the veil of humanity through this bloody, demonstrative tale of survival. It may be a low-budget affair, but director Tony D’Aquino wrangles out enough disturbing and abhorrent scenes that the audience, like Kayla must endure the horror to its conclusion. Another fine entry into the Australian horror scene.

MONSTERFEST AUSTRALIA 2019 SCREENINGS

THU, 31ST OCTOBER, 9.30PM:
GU Film House, Adelaide
Event Cinemas, Myer Centre, Brisbane
Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney
Capitol Cinemas, Manuka, Canberra
Event Cinemas, Innaloo, Perth

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Satanic Panic

12 Saturday Oct 2019

Posted by in MonsterFest, Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Satanic Panic is currently screening as part of Monsterfest Australia

We’re all aware of the stories behind the crazed occults and sexual degradation that lurk in the depths of American suburbia. Sensationalised through the late 70s, the myth that surrounds the wealthy devoting their lives in secret gatherings dedicated to the dark lord Lucifer and his minions, has been bubbling away under the surface ever since. Every so often it will awaken and threaten humanity, driving people into frenzy or a state of panic towards these heathens, only to simmer again. We also aware that there is no truth behind these stories too right?
That they are merely the stuff of fancy and whispers generated to send ripples through the neighbourhood to cast a shadow over those who just don’t seem to fit in…. Right?

These moments of hyperbole are at the core of Chelsea Stardust’s directorial feature debut as she rips the world open and ridicules the how the “other half” live with their vain pursuits for eternal life and satisfaction. 

Stardust’s muse to subject this world upon is pizza delivery girl, Sam, (expertly played by Hayley Griffith) who ventures beyond the borders of her route in the hopes of getting a decent tip. She gets more than she bargained for through her naivety and stumbles into a satanic ritual in need of a virginal sacrifice. 

What follows is a series of comical mishaps as Sam falls from one farcical scenario to another as the heightened mania drives the affluent satanists to extreme measures to ensnare their virgin. The coven is led by the brilliant Rebecca Romijn as Danica who is suitably macabre in her hellbent pursuit and is supported by Arden Myrin as Gypsy, who has pursuits of her own to lead the coven, and a cracking cast of cameos from Jerry O’Connell and Jordan Ladd.

Sam isn’t alone in her turmoil though, as she shares her burden with Danica’s daughter, Judi (Ruby Modine – Happy Death Day) who has her own handy insights into the black arts that could potentially see them through the night and not chained to the sacrificial altar. 

The Diagnosis:

Director Chelsea Stardust serves up a delightful platter of blood and mayhem from behind the doors of the rich and the fantastical elements that can be borne from satanic rituals. The effects are gloriously horrific and the cast play beat perfect performances, making this a rippingly fun ride of a movie and well worth your time.

MONSTERFEST AUSTRALIA SCREENINGS

FRI, 1ST NOVEMBER, 7PM:
Event Cinemas, Myer Centre, Brisbane

SUN, 3RD NOVEMBER, 6PM: 
Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney
GU Film House, Adelaide
Capitol Cinemas, Manuka, Canberra
Event Cinemas, Innaloo, Perth

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Porno

11 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by in MonsterFest, Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIRro0eIPvY

Porno manages to tap into the celluloid lovers mainstream by essentially setting the film entirely within the confines of an art deco cinema with a strictly early 90s vibe and setting. In doing this, film director, Keola Racela catapults the audience into a world that invokes nostalgia and tackles some fun themes reminiscent of the time. 

The location is so integral to the central theme of buried, underground sex and shenanigans that we all harbour and fear of letting loose our greatest indulgences; the stuff of taboo that we are unwilling to face the repercussions of our fantasies. There was a time that those who wanted to get there kicks would do so in underground cinemas and lurk in the shadows of the auditorium to satiate these desires. Racela knows this and deliberately pokes fun at our shame by unleashing a sex demon that has been contained within a snuff film deep in the cinema’s basement on the quintet of characters (who just so happen to be Christian, which amplifies their repression) who are subjected to a journey where they must vanquish their inner most thoughts and survive the night. 

Forming the quintet is assistant manager, Chastity; projectionsist, Heavy Metal Jeff; Abe; Todd; and the stereotypical jock, Ricky, all of whom quander a secret that they try to keep buried. 

In addition we have the cinema manager, Mr Pike, who serves as a minister in the eyes of the youthful contingency, but he too has a concealment that he wishes to contain within his office. All these characters are ripe for a sex demon to seep their way into their minds, and pleasure them to death.

The Diagnosis:

This is pure fun and gloriously plays for laughs in the most puerile of senses, but equally casts the characters into a predicament that requires instincts, strength, faith and a little bit of kink.

Porno is currently screening as part of Monsterfest Australia

Sat, 2nd November, 1:45pm:
Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney
GU Film House, Adelaide
Capitol Cinemas, Manuka, Canberra
Event Cinemas, Myer Centre, Brisbane
Event Cinemas, Innaloo, Perth

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: The Strangers 2: Prey at Night

11 Sunday Mar 2018

Posted by in MonsterFest

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

It seems like there’s never a perfect recipe for a decent sequel, but ask The Surgeons team and we can tell you that an essential ingredient is that it needs to create the look and feel of the original whilst expanding on the universe with enough of something new that doesn’t take too drastically away from its predecessor.

The Strangers entered the horror genre to mixed reactions. Some either loved it or were unmoved.
I for one fell into the former character and loved the protagonists played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as less than idealised version of a ‘perfect’ couple.
The isolation and intimacy helped add to the angst that these characters were faced with when 3 masked figures broke creating an anarchy through a ‘house invasion’ style horror simply because “You were home”.

10 years later, Director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) would bring back Doll Face, Pin Up Girl, and the Man in the Mask to a whole new audience and hoping to find that magic recipe for this feature to stand head and shoulders alongside the first film.

Does he succeed?
Well let’s look at the offering.
The family unit has expanded from broken couple to broken family of 2.4 children. Christina Hendricks notably pulls off a fine performance as the matriarch with little effort needed on her part, such is the strength of her acting.
It is the kids though that blossom in this movie as they are forced to use their own wits and methods of survival in order to overcome the ordeal.

Exchange the isolated house setting from the first film with near-abandoned trailer park for the second, which allows our protagonists various methods of ‘safe haven’ only to produce more invasions from our antagonists to wreak havoc upon, including a car invasion at one stage.

Roberts certainly knows his stuff when it comes to horror with knowing nods to the slasher genre embedded throughout this film, most notably Halloween and Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
And there are elements one of his early films, F is also on display here too.
So you’d think that this would be a walk in the park for Roberts to rekindle the mayhem of The Strangers, but too often he falls foul of typical horror tropes and repeats said formula throughout the movie.

Pop music from the 80s is used to heighten the sense of nostalgia whilst juxtaposing the sweet, candy style rhythms against the harsh horrors on the screen, which is either hit (Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart during a swimming pool scene, which also hangs on the screen for a measure amount of time while one of the characters’ life also hangs in the balance)or miss (Kim Wilde’s Kids In America).

In addition, there are moments where he stretches the realms of believability a bit too far that it breaks the moment and thrusts you out of the picture.
And in doing so renders the antagonists as less of a threat, which is a shame.

The Diagnosis:
It’s cheese on toast, with the the tones of the original dialled up.
Some might like the palate that is served up, happy to languish in a paint by numbers horror.
Others may grimace at how formulaic it becomes as you are forced through the ‘twee zone’ until the films conclusion.
It’s enjoyable enough, with strong performances from its cast but the impact is not as effective as its predecessor.

– Saul Muerte

Movie review: Tarnation

26 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by in MonsterFest

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

Before I even start to discuss the movie, I have to commend Australian director, Daniel Armstrong for bringing the word, Tarnation back into the vocabulary, even if it is just for the title of his latest feature.

Armstrong has been making a strong name for himself in the low budget, ‘B-Movie’ scene, and each film released reflects how much he has developed his craft.

Tarnation presents itself as Australia’s bastardised distant cousin to The Evil Dead injecting a similar tone and humour that pits Oscar (Daisy Masterman) against a demonic force in a remote cabin retreat.

There are so many beautifully disturbing moments within this movie ranging from penis bugs to demonic unicorns, that every scene becomes a delight to behold.

By far the best moment for me is when Oscar comes face-to-face with a zombie kangaroo that she has to physically outbox to survive. You can’t get more absurd and Australian than that.

Masterman (a regular collaborator with Armstrong having appeared in MurderDrome and Sheborg Massacre) offers a standout performance as Oscar, offering both vulnerability and strength with relative ease and believability. She also has a deft touch of comedy in her bones that make her character incredibly likeable to boot.

In fact the humour on display is definitely one of Tarnation’s selling points as it ploughts along with a decent balance of comedy and the macabre.

Speaking of…

The effects and gore on display are suitably gruesome and gnarly and Armstrong manages to up the ante with every crazed situation that our heroine faces. You can see that there is a lot of love and dedication placed in ‘old school’ effects that is arguably lacking in modern filmmaking.

The Diagnosis:
Armstrong manages to inject a sublime blend of crazed anarchy, bloody mayhem, with a dash of tongue-in-cheek comedy, proving that he is a master of his craft.

There’s potential for more in this universe too, and I for one would love to see Oscar take on the demons once again.
Tarnation is a glorious roller-coaster ride of a movie that is fun-filled to the core.

– Saul Muerte

Catch the screening of Tarnation at the MonsterFest Travelling Sideshow in Sydney on SUNDAY MARCH 11TH  2:15PM.

Daniel Armstrong interview

Tarnation director Daniel Armstrong caught up with the Surgeons of Horror team to discuss his career, including his upcoming crowdfunding feature, Nova Star.
Check out the podcast here:
https://player.whooshkaa.com/player/episode/id/176084?visual=true&sharing=true