Rose Blood: A Friday the 13th Fan Film

 Hello again, readers of the Rotten and I realize I have not written anything since February but alas, this blog does not pay me at all. You can understand how why I would continue with freelance writing that actually pays the bills. With a slight lull between assignments, I was asked to take a peek at a fan film that has had serious buzz about it. A continuation of Part VII: The New Blood. For those of you following at a distance, envision an undead, mongoloid hillbilly with a hockey mask fetish and you'll be right with the rest of us Voorhees fans. This is Rose Blood: A Friday the 13^th Fan Film. 

 

Got yer nose!..or throat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember kids, this is a semi-professional film with no studio backing and solely raised money for such via Indiegogo.com. Harken with me to the Way Back Machine as 13 months after the events of Part VII occurred, Jason was dosed in flames and Tina's dead father (yup, never dragged the lake for his body) pulls Voorhees down in the depths rather nicely, Tina and Nick barely escaped with their lives. 

Flashback Tina (Jessica Hottman of And The All Blew Away, Shadow of a Doubt, Rose Blood: A Friday the 13^th Fan Film, The Perfect Find and Facade) was captured and brought to the newly completed Crystal Lake Research Facility (previously mentioned and outright thrashed by Voorhees in Jason X). Apparently Uncle Sam needs psionic warriors to keep freedom reigning...probably attack the Russians with espers(extra sensory projectors), feeding them false info or assassination via stroke. Hey! It's 1989 and they're spending money like crazy of defense and offense, so why not on bio-weapons?

Your cotton jammies itchy too?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All this falls under the purview of General Brackbower (actor/writer/director Peter Anthony of Vengeance, Red Swan, Reflections: Project Chameleon, Rose Blood and Z Dead End) and Dr. Sykes (David E. McMahon of NS404: Provenance, I Am Going to Kill Someone This Friday, Seeing Evil, 10/31 Part 2, Sharp Candy, Obsidian, Teacher Shortage and 13 Slays Til X-Mas).

Flash forward to 30 years later at the Hodder Mental Institute, Tina (Lar Park-Lincoln of Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood, Knots Landing, Beverly Hills, 90210, From the Dark, Gravestoned, Sky Sharks and 13 Fanboy) is trying to not use her powers, to not be extraordinary but to be one of the good norms. Minor problem there is her former psychiatrist Dr. Crews (Terry Kiser of From a Whisper to a Scream, The Return of the Six-Million-Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman, Murder, She Wrote, Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood, Weekend at Bernie's, Chameleons, Side Out, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Walker, Texas Ranger) seems to be haunting her. We know he's haunting her because Jason diced him like a set of spare ribs.  Well...the MPAA neutered several scenes in Part VII so not sure if it was quite the spare ribs treatment, but the point is Tina is having a bit of a time with the dead.

This mask is pretty durable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flashback Tina (Jessica Hottman) is being pushed harder and harder by Dr. Sykes than even Dr. Crews did but it's more subtle and yes he attempts to be her Yoda. Sith choke him Tina. She's been held there to "get better" for over a year, not even allowed to go to her late mother's funeral. Jason still remains in the lake, for now at least but how long with that last? Sykes passes the buck, claiming he'll have to check with the military. Spineless jack rabbit.

Trying to boost her abilities at the behest of one of the many Jason victims and characters with a stake in it, Creighton Duke (Jequient Broaden of Rose Blood: A Friday the 13^th Fan Film and Slasher Scotty), a character from Part 9:Jason Goes to Hell and it was never fully explained but the fans believed he was related to camp counselor Sissy from Part 6, but for some reason Jason Goes to Hell never went out of its way to explain that. Time constrains, budget balancing, body hopping entity Jason. It was a garbled mess. Maybe this is where Duke learned to dish out information one broken finger at a time.  His phone conversation made it sound like scholarship boxer Julius from Part 8 was his son. DUN DUN DUN!!

Getting away from the story for now, let's talk production value. The main story is all based (no pun intended) in the facility so less issue with sets. The flashbacks feel 80s from the chosen music, posters, clothes and dialogue. This is some actual research. As a child from the 80s I would have to plow through at least 15 popular TV series and hit the flicks for lingo and comments so it would feel genuine and this does. Camera work, lighting and sound all in the green, baby! Only thing needed now is a slight grain to 35mm film stock and we're watching an 80s film.

what do you mean Nick's fighting vampires with another girl?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But enough of the raving on excellent camera work and great sound quality, let's get back to our main character Rose (Sanae Loutsis of The Black String, Beloved Beast, Vengeance, The Parish, Rose Blood: A Friday the 13^th Fan Film and Friday the 13^th Vengeance 2: Bloodlines) who power levels rival that of Tina's and apparently, she too has a psychic link to the world's most pissed off goalie from the dead.

Military knuckle knobs apparently subscribe to the Steele and Captain Rhodes behavior protocol via Day of the Dead. Yes, they're assholes if that wasn't clear enough.  64 minutes into the film as all this back story and subplots make way before we see our slasher in act 3 and brother this fella ratchets up the gore and tension.  Understand that I am very partial to both C.J. Graham of Jason Lives and Kane Hodder of 7,8,9 and Jason X, so when I say Jason Brooks delivers, I'm not fooling around.  Height wise he is imposing, he adopted that odd head tilt Hodder always did and gore is being served.

Jason (Jason Brooks of You Don't Get Out, Experiment TC-9585, Happy Trails, Vengeance, Up All Night, Zombiegeddon and Watchdogs) is making mincemeat out of the military and doing that teleportation around the compound like the good old days. (I'm serious, the game got it right. The dude ports like Nightcrawler and then turns people into death pinatas)

Just for clarification, these kids are being held against their will as wards of the state. NO ONE even knows where they are, who they are with or if they are even alive. All for a black ops mission to capture the undead, mongoloid, murderous hillbilly. Which this brilliant general will turn into a series of bio-weapons. Look I know the Bush administration, coming off of Reagan allowed for many operations but you're telling me the Pentagon approved of this?

The dynamic of Rose and Tina is well connected from the performances. They're almost sisters in a way, given Tina is very maternal with her and has a near big sister/foster mom vibe looking out for Rose and the bond is growing fast.  Make no mistake, these two steal this movie.

This most obscure Friday the 13^th reference was Dr. Sykes talking about his sister is probably marrying FBI Mahoney and the only Mahoney I remember is during the gun down sting operation in Jason Goes to Hell and he was assigned to quote "Clean that shit up."by the agent in charge, Abernathy.  About had a mild stroke remembering that scene.   Last time I saw Jason Goes to Hell was when I reviewed it.

So what do we have? Impressive cast, solid story linking previous titles of the franchise and a decent set of story arcs and subplots giving this credence to be among the originals. Professional crew managing some difficult shooting in the space they were allotted but damn if they didn't pull it off.

For a moment, I did wonder why Jennifer Banko (Friday the 13^th Part 7: A New Blood, Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Nowhere Man, Barb Wire, Cheerleader Camp: To the Death and 13 Fanboy) wasn't called in to play to reprise Young Tina, annnnd then it dawned on me that she might have some difficulty passing herself off as a teen. Curves will do that.

 

 

Can you imagine how bad this undead dude smells?

Ten Minutes to Midnight

 Hey folks, welcome back to reading some rotten. This last year has been a rough patch. Reviewing films strictly from home and not a theater operational, putting jobs on hold and some outright terminated.  We can only hope to get through this pandemic.

And now away from that bit of morbid and on to what we are up to this day.  Today I have heard nothing but good things for your soon-to be reading pleasure.   A veteran Punk Rock DJ (Caroline Williams) dealing with being on the way out and her plucky replacement (Nicole Kang) being all sorts of bubbly, it's enough to break the spirits.  This is Ten Minutes to Midnight.

 

Terribly pleased or waiting to eat your soul? Who can say?

 

 

 

 

 

Shock jock Amy Marlowe (Caroline Williams of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Stepfather II, Days of Thunder, Leprechaun 3, Halloween II, The Unleashed, Hatchet III, Blood Feast and Greenlight) has ruled the graveyard shift for some time, being more diva than DJ, she's has stepped on more than toes and rubbed people the wrong way. As if her mood wasn't foul enough, a storm is brewing out in the night, she's been attacked by a bat and feeling a bit weird.

Front desk/security drone, Ernie (Nicholas Tucci of Choose, You're Next, Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear, Faults, Wolfenstein: The New Order, The Cobblestone Corridor, Daredevil, Person of Interest, Quantico and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus) warns Not Stretch that if it was a bat bite, she could have rabies. He offers her a lift to the hospital but the roads are completely thrashed and she is too professional to miss a show.  Ernie has the awful job of informing Amy that "Bob" wants to see her in his office. Yeah being called to the mat is never a good sign before you punch in. 

 

Totally BFFs with Batwoman. For realzy.

 

 

 

 

 

Station Manager Bob does not have bitch tits (Yes, a Fight Club reference. I couldn't pass it up) but he certainly has something in his craw about Amy. He is also a skirt chaser with a bit of a belly and enough clout in the station to make or break a career. You know, a local base, but I suppose enough slander on a former employee might cause hell for any future prospects. Amy meets with a young, perky girl Sienna (Nicole Kang of You, The Social Ones, Swallow, Orange Is the New Black, Instinct, Acting for a Cause and Batwoman) plans on sitting in on Amy's show and all starry-eyed at what will be her new job.  Clearly Bob is hoping to plow her like the back 40 but hopefully Sienna doesn't fall for the casting couch.

Sound producer Aaron (Adam Weppler of Twelfth Night, The Cobblestone Corridor, Groove, Long Lost and Alien Warfare) is fully aware that Bob is being a horndog, agrees with Amy that Sienna is pretty much eye candy but she has some good range and pitch for vocals. I daresay kittens on not on Aaron's mind but a certain blonde cougar on the other hand, yeah boy has the hungry eyes for her.

Amy is already in a mood and decides she's gonna cut loose so callers beware when you "Ask Amy". After dropping enough "F-bombs" that would have made even comedian/pod-caster Joe Rogan a bit uncomfortable, Bob steps in the booth to chew some hinder. Amy responds with a savage series of retorts and ends up biting the hell out of Sienna's hand, growling and fleeing to the bathroom. She's hearing voices, hallucinating scenarios out of the norm and frankly kinda going a bit bat-shit crazy. 

 

I make this same face after Taco Bell.

 

 

 

 

 

Now it could have been linked to the bat bite oooooor...Sienna dropped acid earlier and it is floating in her bloodstream because Amy is tripping BALLS!!!   Convinced she is getting a bit "close" with Bob (Greg Balla of A Crime to Remember and Ten Minutes to Midnight) looking young and dapper but a bit of a sleazy attitude, is giving Amy the eye.   Yup little bit of make-out or DID IT REALLY HAPPEN??!!!

 

 This flick just jumps ten hellfire-imbued flaming sharks over Coppersnake Canyon and baffles the crap out of me, more so than that explanation did for you.  A veritable Behind the Looking Glass via Lewis Carrol vibe happening and it is bizarre.   To be shocked by a film is so damn uncanny any more; especially in Horror films this day and age. When we have so many existing tropes to lend a hand, so to see something with a small cast, a normal environment and watch it go off the rails is a rarity to behold.

Produced by Mainframe Pictures (The Cobblestone Corridor, Ghost Tour, Intermedium, She Came from the Woods, Long Lost and Weekenders), this movie embraces a myriad of vampire mythology, a woman's mind frame about aging, goals, friends, family and love all changing over time and how we see ourselves year after year. Between the two women, I cannot say who I enjoyed more, Caroline or Nicole. Both brought their ""A-Game" and both delivered. What I thought was going to be a hybrid of From Dusk 'Til Dawn meets Play Misty for Me turned out to be wildly entertaining, very bloody and just downright creepy. This is not a typical vampire flick, nor could I put this in a per-designated category as I normally can.

Director Erik Bloomquist (The Cobblestone Corridor, Ghost Tour, She Came from the Woods, Long Lost and Weekenders) spins a macabre tale of aging, feeling obsolete, craving youth and being young with dreams on the rise. With enough blood and gore to satisfy most horror fans but enough story to bring a wide array of viewers to stay in front of the screen; this movie delivers the goods. I was happily surprised and frankly, I am wanting it for my collection. Hell, I want the soundtrack too. 

 

Really? A Leatherface joke? Really?

Blood Feast

Hidey-ho readers of the Rotten! More than a few of you have requested Caroline Williams movies. I had no idea there were that many Stretch fans (Main female protagonist of Texas Chainsaw Massacre II for those not in on this response) but this is certainly not the worst request in the world. The worst would probably more Andreas Snaas films. Those are as soothing as a chainsaw enema. So howzabout a splatter comedy based on the 1963 exploitation classic of the same title? This is Blood Feast a.k.a. Feast of Flesh a.k.a. The Blood Feast a.k.a.Egyptian Blood Feast

Now sweetie, Daddy just exploring new avenues.

Normally my Spidey-senses are all a tingle with multiple titles but looking at the film's cast I felt better already.   Based on Hershell Gordon Lewis (Blood Feast, Scum of the Earth, Two Thousand Maniacs!, Monster a-Go Go, Something Weird, Blast-Off Girls, She-Devils on Wheels and How to Make a Doll) exploitation splatter flick, we follow the Ramses family transitioning from France (THEY CAME FROM FRANCE) where they chose to run an All-American diner. Business is flagging a bit, clearly a sign of the times and poor economy structure.

Fuad Ramses (Robert Rusler of Weird Science, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, Sometimes They Come Back, Babylon 5, Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom, Mike Hammer, Private Eye, Cold Case, NCIS, 24, And Soul Searchers) has to bring home the bacon, he decides to forego proper sleep and takes a second job working night shift security at the prestigious museum of Egyptian culture. Throughout the nights of utter boredom and loneliness, Fuad is drawn to this stature of Ishtar. So drawn to this statue he starts seeing visions of this gorgeous goddess (Sadie Katz of Good Guys Finish Last, Hit List, House of Bad, Scorned, Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort, Grindsploitation, Unreported, The Night Shift, Bus Party to Hell and Meaning of Violence) makes demands of worship and sacrifice and Fuad falls under her spell.

Hehe, hard to stay in the lines!

When gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life leaves you an ancient goddess that demands flesh and blood sacrifices, you make people steak?

Fuad proceeds to butcher people for the decree of Ishtar, and the meat and organs to the menu at the diner. Naturally this could be a difficult sale to his lovely wife, Louise (Caroline Williams of Almo Bay, Getting Even, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Stepfather II, Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Days of Thunder, Flashfire, Leprechuan 3, The District, The Division, The Unleashed, Abolition, the Mentalist and Monsterpiece Theatre Volume 1) who is equally tired from back breaking work and sees this as a blessing. The doozy is breaking this particular level of messed up is giving their college aged daughter Penny (Sophia Monk of Monster!, The Mystery of Natalie Wood, London, Pool Guys, Date Movie, Click, Sex and Death 101, Entourage, Spring Breakdown, The Hills Run Red, Life Blood and Hard Breakers) in on the new family secret.

Dangerous and dishy.

This could be equally bad as Penny has been in a relationship with the Sheriff's officer, Fatih (Roland Freitag of Iron Wolf, Das Tagebuch der Grete Muller, #funnyFACE and Blood Feast) so I can only hope she can make with the deception. Faud starts getting screwy...well screwier when you dine on human flesh you have murdered and butchered yourself. Yeah go figure that eating people would make you a bit off. With bodies piling up and people disappearing, you would naturally assume the cops would start piecing this together but in true horror trope fashion, these guys couldn't distinguish their asses from holes in the ground. And yes because I get asked it almost every time I review horror (YES THERE IS TITTY!) so that has been answered. Sorry again, lady readers but I get this particular cliche more times that I would care to admit.

This normally tallies at 90 minutes, there is also the Blu-ray version at 96 minutes and the Director's Unrated Cut finishes at 98 minutes. And yes I saw the Unrated Cut because...well it was the one I clicked on.

To anyone with eyes, the remake is a love letter for the original. The elaborate sets, the slow drawn out story and going for a bit more gore than the 1968 version. Our cast is amazing with the material. I am not certain who I found more captivating: Robert Rusler's slip from working class schlep to a spiral into madness and devote follower of Ishtar or Caroline Williams' just accepting this insane course of actions to help the family business or the craving of flesh.

I am really confused why this film has gotten so much crap from IMDB readers and non-profit critics. The film has good suspense, decent build-up into the evil, dark humor and making the hairs on my neck stand up. Seriously guys and gals, why the hate? Hell for that matter the late great Herschell Gordon Lewis makes a cameo as Professor Lou Hershell.

Director Marcel Walz (Camp Corpses, Kadaver, Road Rip, Popular, Raw: The Curse of Grete Muller, Seed 2, La Petite Mort II, Raw 3: The Revelation of Grete Muller and Rootwood) plays up with an updated script lingo wise but kept the core of the story giving an macabre tale of family and struggling business. 

Meh, beats EBT.

Meathook Massacre: The Final Chapter

Back again guys and dolls. Well I got another request review by writer/director/editor Dustin Ferguson (Gloved Murderess, Demon Dolls, Cheerleader Camp: To the Death, Invitation to Die, Nemesis 5: The New Model and Amityville: Evil Never Dies) , a regular with the blog as his legacy series with Bubba Fleisher and his appalling family of serial nutter butters. SoCal Cinema Studios and A Troma Team Release sent me a screener that may bring us a bloody conclusion. This is Meathook Massacre: The Final Chapter.

Hey kid, you got a 20 ton bottle jack?

The fifth installment in the series and our story continues with Danielle Stokely (Danielle Brookshire of The Eyes of Isabelle, Cheerleader Camp: To the Death, Shivers Down Your Spine, Meathook Massacre, Tales for the Campfire and The Dummy 2) as she was kidnapped so long ago by Bubba (Robert Lankford of Meathook Massacre, Family Covenant, Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels, Meathook Massacre II, Meathook Massacre 3: First Hunt, Wrong Side of the Tracks, Nemesis 5: The New Model, House of Pain andd Meathook Massacre 4) and his lunatic lineage. With her narrow escape, she is one of the few souls to not end up Bubba's victims. 15 years ago, she went into hiding, praying she never runs into these monsters again.

With a flashback dating to the original, Dani is seen fleeing from Bubba as he flays his meathook and tromps after her. Oh if only she and her friends never went to go see Dragonsclaw live. The scene is reminiscent of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as Leatherface chases down Sally.

Having the obvious nightmares as she should, Dani is effectively Ripley of Aliens at this point, but more on genre Sydney of Scream 2. Still scarred and scared of that night but trying to come to grips with it all. Well you're in good hands with Samantha (the lovely Vida Ghaffari of Circus of Dread, The Catch, Rice Girl, Holy Terror, Scorpion Girl, Horndogs Beach Party, Nation's Fire, RoboWoman and Moon of the Blood Beast). FYI that crafty writer snuck in a House by the Cemetery reference. No chance of that sneaking by me, good sir. I am a Fulci nut.

Any time is always better with more Vida.

Dani also has a new man in her life, Todd (Ronnie Angel of Grindsploitation 666, Runaway Nightmare, Tales from the Grave, Dirty D: Jelly and The Verdict with Judge Hatchett) who doesn't want to impale her with a meathook, so that's good. Also a plus when the love of yout life doesn't try to run you through with butcher's tools. I would have probably passed out with laughter if his name was Chuck. They decide to meet up for lunch. Hope it's not “COLD CUTS”. Yes there may be more meat puns.

A couple of hikers are out and about. Dammit people! You know this is a slasher film, why would you do that typical dumb folk routine? You know it ends badly! I beg you folk, carry a gun or a good kabar, just to improve your odds. Hell a collapsible shovel. Naturally we have to split up, so Jeffery is taking a leak and leaving his lady, Jessica (Valerie Mulligan of Bikini Swamp Girl Massacre, Auteur, Steve's Garden, Troma Presents: Mulligan's Monsters, Drive-In Grindhouse, Moon of the Blood Beast and VHS Violence) to pitch the tent. Yeah I'll pitch it. Right into the damn stream, ya punk. Little did they know a familiar face is roaming about. Hey Jeffery, spare some ribs? Warned you about bad puns,

Weird, looks like Dani lives in the Horndogs Party Beach apartment. Off to meet Todd, for a picnic and some exposition. You see Todd, your girl has had a bit of crazy in her life and it was none too fun. Not that kinky dungeon I want to explore my sexuality crazy but the I barely escaped being shish-kabob crazy. Puts a damper on the bone zone, huh brah? With the flashback cued up, Dani bears her soul and that horrible event hoping she doesn't freak her fella away. You think Nancy from A Nightmare on Elm Street had these problems?

Meanwhile back at the apartment, Samantha dishes with Dani and passes a note from a guy in Nebraska, Tom (Clint Beaver of The Dummy 2, Tamarrud, Tales for the Campfire 2, Meathook Massacre II, Wrong Side of the Tracks, Nemesis 5: The New Model, Amityville: Evil Never Dies, A Taste of Phobia and House of Pain) saying they need to meet up and it's urgent. Dani's real nightmares are rows of corn, pork bellies as a conversation topic and everyone reminding her of the great deals she can get with Omaha Steaks! The horror!!

Candid picnics are always great for tales of terror.

Dani finally sucks it up and decides to call Tom. Tom claims to also be a survivor from this lunatic family and folks, he barely got out of Meathook Massacre II. Yeah I would know that as a viewer and reviewer but nevertheless, the twosome vow to meet up at Wolf Lake in twenty. A pleasant introduction so now it's time for Tom to get all crazy pants, claiming a government cover-up and how Bubba and the demented death farm gang were never captured or convicted by the cops like Dani was told. Armed with news paper clippings, far fetched theories and channeling his inner Tommy Jarvis via Halloween 666, Tom is convinced that not only did the family escape but they move from location to location at a time. Hey gang, guess what? Dustin understands continuity. Take that and cram it, Friday the 13^th!

With this newfound knowledge Dani still doesn't know what to do. Just she and Samantha run or does she get her revenge with chainsaw and boomstick? Oh and if you do go boomstick, get that double barrelled pump shotgun because that is a series upgrade from Ash's Remington.

Will Dani put up a fight? Can see gack Bubba and his whole crazy clan?

 

A few side notes. The mask keeps improving as these films go on. I realize the elasti-band probably works better to hold the mask in place. For a visual I was hoping it would be braided leather made from one of Bubba's victims. That's me just going for a bit more gross and disturbing.

It was great to have Velvet Acid Christ back for the theme music again.  Stepping back in the role of audio editing, foley artist and composer, this Jack of All Trades: Matt Festle (Nemesis 5: The New Model, Surviving the Wild, Dead Squad: Temple of the Undead, Drive-In Grindhouse, Meathook Massacre 4 and Robowoman) is in for a ton of editing audio so it looks like he has the ears for it. Love the pig squealing sound effect.  FX makeup guru Alexys Paonessa (Electric Dreams, Black Lightning, Lucifer, Meathook Massacre: The Final Chapter and Moon of the Blood Beast) is back and making things and dead folk look eerie as Hell so kudos on that.

Dustin's foray into this depravity and morbid tales looked promising from the first film and just managed to keep the same momentum going. Not many sequels get a chance to be on par with the original, let alone stand neck in neck with it. The expansion of making it a deranged family in the second film really opened the flood gates and allowed for more story and character development. With this franchise I won't be surprised if someone else wants to take the reins and build it up even further. Maybe a series of prequels or a continuation. There is a room of possibilities. While this may very well be the last time Dustin is at the helm, I am guessing this is not the last Meathook Massacre we see.

Jeffery! I told you no gluten!

Press Release: Kill Giggles

As per request of writer/director/producer Jaysen Buterin (The Devil's Tramping Ground, Monster X, Kill Giggles) asked if Rotten Reelz Reviews would be willing to do a press release for the upcoming Kill Giggles.  All too willing to help Indie Horror.


Contact: Jaysen Buterin
Email: jaysen@madonesfilms.com
Web: http://www.madonesfilms.com

KILLER CLOWN FILM “KILL GIGGLES” ON INDIEGOGO!

Greensboro, NC – Earlier this year Mad Ones Films ran a successful crowdfunding campaign for their clown-killing thriller/horror feature film Kill Giggles. With the investment phase now completed they have launched a promotional IndieGoGo campaign to raise additional funds that will allow them to make Kill Giggles even bigger, better and bloodier when they begin filming this June.
“With the StartEngine campaign, as well as additional private investment secured, we met the minimum requirement needed to shoot the film! That means the cameras AND the clown heads will roll in June,” said Jaysen Buterin, writer/director of Kill Giggles, for Mad Ones Films. “We’re going to take a timeless terror trope and turn it on its rainbow wig-covered head by sending in the clowns to die instead!” The ethos of Mad Ones Films has always been to give a good deal to their fans and backers with unique and one-of-a-kind promotional items and movie merchandise for reasonable prices. Their IndieGoGo campaign is making signed copies of the film and other exciting merchandise available to those fans, investors, supporters, collectors and horror aficionados alike who may want something special ahead of the film’s eventual worldwide release.



“Some campaigns can feel like asking for an audience to part with money on the off chance of receiving what can be not a lot in return. With Kill Giggles we made real investments available to the public for as little as $100. Now that we’re able to produce a complete and profitable film, we also launched on IndieGoGo where our cast and special guest stars Judith O’Dea, Vernon Wells and Felissa Rose are all signing things fans will want!” said Callum Dougherty, Producer for Cubic7 Productions.

The campaign includes some thematically appropriate perks such as an autographed (inflatable) Bozo the Clown doll that was snagged within an hour, Kill Giggles-branded clown noses, a custom clown-a-gram, walk-on roles, and “Photo Roulette” where a disposable camera left on set every day will document the making of movie magic. After the film is completed the camera will be mailed to the backer along with a clown nose and signed DVD.
The campaign can be found at: https://igg.me/at/killgiggles

For more information on Kill Giggles, please visit the online circus at www.killgiggles.com or follow the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KillGiggles.
______________________________________________________________________________
SYNOPSIS: Tommy dos Santos wasn’t born a psychopath, nor was he made into a sociopath; he’s walking his own path – a path that will run red with the blood of the foulest most fiendishly frightening creatures ever conceived by man! Clowns!

No longer do they have the starring role in our nightmares, it is now the clowns who are the prey, running for their lives from a killer who won’t stop until every single one of them is dead.

Death House

Finally! Sorry, after almost a year I finally have to chance to review this film that has been described as The Expendables of Horror. Yes for you folks my age and a tad younger, you will recognize many a name attached to this. Penned by the late Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre) comes a maximum penitentiary gone amok in Death House.

Man, the chicks on Orange is the New Black aren't that hot.

 Felissa Rose herself was telling me about this flick and by God I wanted to watch it since. When Angelia tells you it's gonna be fun, you best be watching this. Writer/director B. Harrison Smith (The Fields, 6 Degrees of Hell, Camp Dread, ZK: Elephant's Graveyard, Death House and Garlic & Gunpowder) brings a myriad of Horror icons of mid 70s to early 80s. Names and faces will pop out at you rather easily.

Our super max prison holding the baddest of the bad is supposed to be modeled after Dante's Inferno, so yes that means levels upon levels. The most vile and despicable are basement dwellers.

Bob Villa's This Old Hell House.

With a detailed inspection underway, this subterranean holding facility keeps the worst of humanity under lock and key for nine levels. Agents Toria Boon (Cortney Palm of Seance: The Summoning, Sushi Girl, The Hit Girl, Alien Rising, Zombeavers, It's Not a Date and Everlasting) and Jae Novak (Cody Longo of Make It or Break It, Piranha 3D, Days of Our Lives, The Silent Thief, For the Love of Money, Nashville and Secrets and Lies) are there to observe the levels and take in the medical and mental health works of Drs. Eileen Fletcher (Dee Wallace of The Hills Have Eyes, The Howling, E.T. The Extra-Terrestial, Cujo, Critters, Troubled Child, The Lords of Salem, Grimm and Just Add Magic) and Karen Redmane (Barbara Crampton of Re-Animator, Chopping Mall, From Beyond, Puppetmaster, Robot Wars, Castle Freak, Guiding Light, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless and You're Next).

Our prison's narrator of the tour cannot be mistaken for anyone other than Adrienne Barbeau and I immediately recognized her voice. 80s kid! Right here!

Farmer Asa (Tony Todd of Night of the Living Dead, Voodoo Dawn, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Candyman, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, Wishmaster, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, The Prophecy: Foresaken and Hatchet) takes a young lady to the hill and what I am guessing is near on old mine shaft or bomb shelter. His hand passes through her stomach wall with near supernatural behavior, taking his time with his little flower.

A virtual reality hologram deck allows the doctors to program in the killers' various victims, allowing the killers' scenarios to play out. A gas keeps them mostly docile so they can't be violent and start massacring the guards and staff. Boon escorts Sieg, who she helped snare, a occultist/Neo Nazi (Kane Hodder of Prison, Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood, Friday the 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, Best of the Best, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, Project: Metalbeast, Jason X and DarkWolf) to his own Hell on Earth. Careful kiddies, that Jason Vorhees/Victor Crowley strength could kick in at any time.

Rubber bullets, my ass. Gimme a chain gun!

Meeting up with Captain Galan (Kenny Ray Powell of Promoted, Inspired to Kill, Death House, Garlic & Gunpowder and No More Mr Nice Guy) , Boon gets a request to review her mother's murder and murderer through this VR holodeck and I gotta say...why? Will it give you closure?

Our murderer is none other than Machete? (Danny Trejo of Heat, Desperado, Spy Kids, From Dusk Til Dawn, Machete, Bad Ass, Rise of the Zombies, Sons of Anarchy and Young Justice) Our dead mom, Kristi (Camille Keaton of I Spit on Your Grave, The Concrete Jungle, Savage Vengeance, Chop, The Lords of Salem, Blood River, Cabaret Diabolique and Gterror in the Woods Creek) is clearly the driving force for Boon's dedication.

We come across a Leatherface (Troma veteran Debbie Rochon of Black Easter, Tromeo and Juliet, The Vampire's Seduction, Night of the Living Dead: 30^th Anniversary Edition, Hellblock 13, Chainsaw Cheerleaders, Bikini Bloodbath and Wrath of the Crows) that even Gunnar Hansen would be proud of.

Before I go any further, I would point out there is a ton of graphic gore, people. No lie, this is bloody. So just pointing it out for anyone that may not be able to handle chum buckets full of blood here.

Level 9, the heavily secured can only be observed by holographic system; houses the five evils as they describe. Nazi genetist, Hirace Giger (Bill Thorton of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Silent Night, Deadly Night III: You Better Watch Out, House of 1000 Corpses, Devil's Rejects, Repo: The Genetic Opera, Gotchic Harvest, Cynthia and American Exorcist) who somehow stunted his aging process. Balthoria (Lindsey Hartley of Passions, Days of Our Lives, All My Children, Nightmare Nurse, Smallville and Deadly Exchange), channeling a certain Countess she too is a hemophile and bathes in her victims' blood. Alexi Nela (Vernon Wells of The Road Warrior, Commando, Innerspace, Revamped, The Butcher, Silent Night, Zombie Night, World's End and Like a Bat Outta Hell), Cannibal, Nercromancer connected to the deaths over 700 children that they know of. Crau (Michael Berryman of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Hills Have Eyes, The Barbarians, the Golden Child, The Guyver, The Devil's Rejects, Z Nation, and Hell's Kitty), augmented strength, enhanced intelligence and healing factor. An experimental process created this but drove him crackers. Thile (Vincent M. Ward of True Blood, NCIS, House of Payne, The Walking Dead, Live Evil, Illicit and It's a Date) Satanic occultist known for crucifixion and turning his victims inside out. Blarf.

Uh oh, looks like a Blonde Off.

Novak bumps into an old buddy of his, the Icicle Killer(Sid Haig of Foxy Brown, Savage Sisters, Police Woman, Jason of Star Command, Jackie Brown, House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, Brotherhood of Blood and Hatchet III) who was responsible for his parents' deaths. Noticing a pattern here. With a guard patrolling he thinks skunks are in the dumpster. Doofus, call in for back up and wait with rifle drawn and safety on.

Well enough of the tour, howzabout a 6 minute shower scene? Because our agents felt they were dirty birdies, I guess. They have no real knowledge of their tats, who they are and golly they are in a prison with behavioral modification and memory implants. Hmm....

Naturally you can't make an omelet without massacring quite a few eggs as derpy dead guard gives the medical term a Joker tummy surprise. Dr. Redmane stays her path that memory erasure and new memory engrams are the most moral things to do with these men and women, making them productive members of society. You'd think this far into a future set up, a de-atomizer would be a concept made machine. Well Timmy, this is the fourth time in 12 years you have been sent to us wearing another man's flesh. Pile of dust for you.

Dayum girl, you even bench?

Movie editing, tight knit writing makes the memories more believable. Enter Bennett (Richard Speight Jr. Of Independence Day, Band of Brothers, Supernatural, Jericho, Justified and Driven) with lovely assistants Dr. Angela Freeman (Felissa Rose of Sleepaway Camp, Nikos the Impaler, Zombiegeddon, Satan's Playground, Return to Sleepaway Camp, Silent Night, Zombie Night, Camp Dread, and Victor Crowley) Dr. Logan Harrison (Laura Compton of Clown Town, Attack of the Killer Donuts, Heroes with Issues, Garlic & Gunpowder and Hell Girl) who delight at re-creating the murders through new, live victims. More specifically the homeless so they can better study the criminals at large if you will, compile that data and create the most comprehensive criminal database. Yup nothing in that sounds really messed up if you say, a soulless congressman, sure. Hack away! Gut them and wear their intestines on your head, ya loopies. It's for the greater good. WTF??!!! 

Still no visit is complete without a visit from the 3 Satans. Yeah, yeah that could be confusing. We got Satan (Sean Whalen of The People Under the Stairs, Twister, The Young and the Restless, Chasing Ghosts, Halloween II, Hatchet III and Ugly Sweater Party), Creator of Satan (Bill Oberst Jr.of 1000 Ways to Die, A Haunting in Salem, Circus of Dread, The Blood Let, Assassins, Hell's Kitty and Welcome to Hell) and lastly the Antichrist, Son of Satan (Bernhard Forcher of August, Supernatural, Freedom, Fury, Grimm, The Man in the High Castle and Counterpart). Still confused? Well...okay not gonna lie. Pretty sure they are all loopy including the staff of doctors. I did spot a couple of my favorite scream queens, Brinke Stevens and Tiffany Shepis in the back.

With an EMP device the size of a frag grenade, the power's down and back-ups are not kicking in. The monsters are out of their boxes, kids. Play time!

With the doomsday scenario set, the prison is rigged for poison gas dispersal and any staff or personnel left behind, well they aren't getting to enjoy retirement.

What we have is a society demanding order and structure but completely violating the very rights this country stands for in order to create such harmony. To willingly place people in harm's way for the sake of more data gathered and they still have the audacity to call the murderers, monsters.

This is very much operating at the level of slasher horror and action film. The zoo has sprung and folks are coming out to spill gallons of blood.

For me, I was simply enjoying the who's who, decent story, substantial budget for a Horror film of this genre. You got crowd fights, falls off railings to level drops. Up close into the psychopath and sociopath mind. For the slasher buffs, oh yeah it has it. And yes, it has nudity. Almost always the same fricking question I am asked in this genre.

At 75 minutes we have fair dialogue and simple story with intense scenes, blood and bits caking the walls, I swear I am having Epinions.com flashbacks when I was stuck only writing about horror for them. So many film references. Pretty sure Yan Birch of The People Under the Stairs (Stairmaster) was Dr. Phibes so yeah there is a lot of inside jokes but no good humor here, folks. Just gore, some T&A and a substantial body count.

Trapped in a shaft and haven't had lunch. Cannibalism yet?