Rattlers 2

 Hello there Readers of the Rotten! So I received a few films courtesy of The Williamson Management Company, it was at the request of an old friend that I could give a review. Well considering I thought I was only getting a screener, I think I can get started on this.

So a sequel to a TV movie in 1976, thus putting 45 years since the previous outbreak; who could have seen a return of a creature feature? Why, the director/producer Dustin Ferguson (Camp Blood 4, Camp Blood 5, Nemesis 5: The New Model, Runaway Nightmare, Meathook Massacre II, Horndogs Beach Party, House of Pain, Aliens in LA, Axegrinder 2 and Tales for the Campfire 3) is bold enough to try. This is Rattlers 2. 

 

I just wanted a bath!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Giving you a bit of continuity; in 1976 deep in the Mohave Desert, a town was infested by a plethora of rattlesnakes due to an experimental nerve gas that the government cancelled for use. It was buried into an abandoned mine that the snakes just happened to been dwelling in and they went mad, attacking people left and right. A cover-up, a military tribunal and a lunatic major was the order of the day, along with bell bottoms, dated dialogue, a misogynistic herpetologist (study of reptiles) and a very angry feminist photographer. 

 

Killer snakes? This is what you bother me with?

 

 

 

 

 

Penned by Josh Price (After Hours Cinema, Rattlers 2 and Lone Star Horrors) and Lee Turner (Shadowmarsh and Rattlers 2) tells the tale of 45 years later, a small town in California has been having a rash of snake attacks. Our film opens with a series of establishing shots that says... yes this is Southern California, possibly the Mohave. Some wonderful drone shots on the very rattlers in question. Enter our hapless photographer on a quest to be first one attacked. Taking snaps of rattlesnakes and getting closer and closer to them. Yup can't foresee anything bad happening there.

From the title card, it really feels like a throwback to the 1970s TV creature feature era, which I love.

The Sheriff's station is going to get more than a few concerned citizens calling in, but I don't think he'll have enough deputies at hand for this potential crisis. Sheriff Wilson (D.T. Carney of Cold Blood Canyon, Forbidden Border, Transmorphers: Fall of Man, John Dies at the End, Garlic & Gunpowder, Moon of the Blood Beast and Tales for the Campfire 3) has got his work cut out for him. With a minor amount of exposition and flashback footage of the original film, Josh Price and Lee Turner manage to connect the two films without it feeling like it was forced down your throat.

It feels like a natural progression and catches folks up to speed.

 

SNAKE HICKEY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

With all the blasting around the rattlers and given their mutations from the first film, 4 decades could easily create new hybrids ready to reek havoc on the town. Commissioner Lewis isn't going to close the beaches..er wait. No, sorry that's Jaws. My bad. The tearing up and rebuild will bring revenue to the town and this talk of roves of killer snakes is poppycock. Dare we even say balderdash?

We do have more than a few familiar Ferguson faces attached to our feature. The original Scream Queen herself, Brinke Stevens, amazing character actor Mel Novak, the wonderful Dawna Lee Heising, the very comedic Shawn C. Phillips, the tattooed beauty horror actress Julie Anne Prescott and Malvolia: The Queen of Screams herself Jenn Nangle. I really enjoyed Mercedes Peterson's performance as Dr. Kaye and cannot wait to see what she does next.

You'll have to bear with me as I had only seen the original twice in my life. Once when I was all of 5, and later about 42 when Cinematic Titanic was teasing and riffing their way through it.

Naturally I feel the name of  Professor McCauley is a nod to writer/director John McCauley (Rattlers and Deadly Intruder) and the film truly feels like an homage to the original.  This was clearly a labor of love and well executed. It's almost reminiscent of Richard Franklin tackling Psycho II to Hitchcock's original, in the sense a fan made film did as well; if not better than the previous movie. Once again, Dustin knocks another one out of the ball park. 

 

Damn snakes even attacked my paperwork!

 

Eternal Code

What's the old cliche? A new spin on an old thing? Hey folks, I'm back with a request review from our old friend, producer Joe Williamson of Williamson Management Company (Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, Check Point, Holy Terror, Nation's Fire, Moon of the Blood Beast, Meathook Massacre: The Final Chapter) and he had a humble request to give the once over for a new Harley Wallen film. Director Harley Wallen (Deceitful, Moving Parts, Bennett's Song, Abeyance and Betrayed) has a new action thriller so let's give it an eyeful. This is Eternal Code.

Honey, I think this Craigslist orgy is wrong now.

We open with a young man on the ragged edge, hastily scribbling notes and pulls a USP .45 to clear his mind when a young prostitute, Stephanie (Kaiti Wallen of Moving Parts, Bennett's Song, Iced Out and Betrayed) is getting slapped around by her would-be John (Brian Heintz of Moving Parts, Lizard of Dogs, Betrayed, Revenge of the Mask, Ring of Silence and Be Somebody). Naturally the need to help another puts our suicidal lad Corey (Damien Chinappi of The Web of Spider-Man, Knightmare, Retribution, The Girl in the Attic, Betrayed and I Thought You Were a Nice Man) off his coconut scrambling ideas and proceeds to lay smack down on the puke and they disappear into the night.

Basing this story on Juan Ponce de Leon's(Conquistador, explorer, soldier and first governor of Puerto Rico) discovery of the fountain of eternal youth, a genetic research company has developed a miracle cure. One that will enrich human life for, shockingly enough for the rich and powerful. The idea of infinitely prolonging human life and slowing the aging process.

Hobo Hero...

However, the methods to bring this miraculous creation to be was immoral and completely unethical. The company's CEO Bridget Pellegrini (Erika Hoveland of Sparkle, Mary's Buttons, Ticket to the Circus, The House That Jack Broke, Believe Again, Proxy and Good News) wants to pull the plug and not watch her empire to go crumbling down. Her board of directors is trying to coax her to the dark side with promises of money and chocolate chip cookies and hey if you can't trust Oliver (Richard Tyson of 3 o'Clock High, Kindergarten Cop, There's Something About Mary, Battlefield Earth and Black Hawk Down) well, who can you trust?

Who took my smiley face mug? You Gary? Hmm?

 

The looks on the interns and lower echelon workers, seems to me a typical board meeting. Screaming and scheming is the order of the day, if not the week. Dr. Magnus (Yan Birch of Slumber Party Massacre III, The People Under the Stairs, Cyber Bandits, Ghost Rock, Terror Tales, Death House and Betrayed) also attempts to get Bridget to see the benefits that outweigh the repercussions. C'mon Bridget, the Stairmaster is right!  At least Mr. Pomeroy (Mel Novak of Game of Death, An Eye for an Eye, Sword of Heaven, Moonbase, Vampire Assassin, Thunderkick, Kill Factor, Syndicate Smasher, Holy Terror and Nemesis 5: The New Model) has her back. GO STICK!   I swear I will try to stop doing that.

Ongoing concern about this merger veto even hits home with Bridget's husband Mark (Billy Wirth of The Lost Boys, Body Snatchers, Reunion, The Talent Given Us, Duress, Chicago P.D., Last Curtain Call and Betrayed). He expresses he just doesn't want her getting hurt and is there to support her while he is making dinner. Damn right she put a ring on it!

Diabolical deeds done via Vida!

Corey and Stephanie slowly gain a rapport as two people broken by life are trying to mend. Two people guarding who they are opening up in a fashion they didn't think even possible again.

Oliver is done playing nice and contracts a crew to capture and contain Bridget and family. This nefarious piece of work, Sam (Harley Wallen of Moving Parts, Love Espionage: Spy Revenge, Halt: The Motion Picture, Betrayed, Be Somebody and Eternal Code) tells Oliver 5 million upfront so they can have a location for the kidnapping and another five once completed.

Considering kidnapping is a federal offense, yeah his team is gonna need the scratch to avoid prosecution. Costa Rica would be ideal.

With Bridget out of the way, Magnus can start the trials with the aid of Nikita (the vivacious Vida Ghaffari of Circus of Dread, The Catch, Holy Terror, Horndog's Beach Party, Robowoman, Moon of the Blood Beast and Meathook Massacre: The Final Chapter) and her talents.

With Corey and Stephanie trying to find out what happened to Bridget and Mark, time is ticking down. Can a burned out Vet and a street walker save the day? Will the company collapse?

This is just some damn good story telling. We got heart and soul of good people, that grim and gritty darkness of the villains and business being dealt regardless of the damage that it could produce. A solid thriller, good dialogue and an impressive cast, I have to say this Indie thriller is damn captivating. A nice slow build-up to give you all you need to know about the players and then, something new happens. Take notes, A-list films. This is how good yarn spinning is done. Does it need a sequel? Maybe not but I would like to see this cast brought back for a similar project. Took me ages to realize Charlie was Scout Taylor-Compton (Charmed, Halloween, Halloween II, NCIS Los Angeles, Wet and Reckless and Nashville). Brain was expecting her to be blonde. Smooth move, brain.

Just a side note here. Damien and Kaiti had real chemistry. I really hope to see them in more work. Maybe give them villain roles this time around. Sinister and brutal. Again all just ideas to toss out there. A tale of morality versus injustice. Strong character development for a 105 minute film. Excellent playing off each others emotions and I especially enjoyed Richard Tyson having next to no morals. Vicious character.

September 6 is a release of VOD on iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, Vudu and FandangoNow and the DVD release is scheduled later in the fall. Keep those eyes peeled, people!

Ho boy, Joker crew.

Tales of Frankenstein

And back again, my readers. On this windy Tuesday I was ask by Joe Williamson of The Williamson Management inquired if I would glance my peepers over another film and of course I am always up for something new. Today's film is brought to us by writer/actor/director Donald F. Glut (Spider-Man, Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, Dinosaur Valley Girls, The Erotic Rites of Countess Dracula, The Mummy's Kiss: 2^nd Dynasty and Blood Scarab) tackling an old tale and bringing it to life if you will. This is Tales of Frankenstein.

Previously...on Old Timey Nip/Tuck.

We have a quadrilogy story line, based on Glut's short stories with a blend of Horror and Comedy. So each tale centers around descendants or former students of Victor Von Frankenstein. We open with a text crawl and a narrative setting the tone that there will be tales told.

Some of the cinematography shots are reminding me how a Hammer film would unfold, orchestral score, scenery pans and a dissolve into our character reveal shot.

The monster (Scott Fresina of Tales of Frankenstein) roams about in the abandoned castle, looking reminiscent of the Universal monster portrayed by Boris Karloff. I was particularly impressed with the portrait of Frankenstein by storyboard artist, Pete von Sholly (The Blob, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Child's Play, Heathers, Swamp Thing, Puppet Master II and Drop Dead Fred). I imagine acrylic a tad easier than oil painting with a layer of cattle blood as thickner. Ugh, can you imagine how awful those paintings had to smell drying?

Our first story is "My Creation, My Beloved", establishing a yarn about deformed cousin of the ancient Victor Frankenstein, Gregore (Buddy Daniels Friedman of The Wizard of Speed and Time, Eddie Presley, Psychic Detectives, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, Posers, The Mummy's Kiss and Ninja Cheerleaders). He strives using his ancestor's forbidden knowledge and his own genius to create the perfect man and woman. Ho boy, getting in Arim Zola territory there. Ze Germans! So naturally he must select prime specimens for his dastardly deeds in the name of science. After a successful brain kidnapping, Gregore encounters a drunk and a prostitute Helga (Lilian Lev of Blood Runs Thick, Shadow: Tale of an Assassin, Red to Black, African Mystique and Acceleration) which leads to two dead bodies. That being said, Gregore loses his chosen brain but gains a dead girl in spite of the circumstances. So glass half empty?

Gregore hits on the idea of transplanting for his co-correspondence pen pal and fellow doctor, Irma in order to be all the man she deserves. Maybe she is prejudice against humpbacks.

Enough of that macabre, let's check out the dance/music hall because...yum er um I mean several dancers in preparing for a class or a number when, the building is engulfed in flames! No appreciation for the arts. With a few nips here, a tuck there, everything should be fine.

This is a bad Tinder date.

The appearance of the Monster is almost as if he is telling these tales but more or less just grunting at the portrait. Which is a shame. I was all set to take notes on his five hour lecture of "Fire Bad."

Our next story is called "Crawler from the Grave", which I made too many filthy jokes to, so we will move on. With another descendant of Frankenstein hard at work dealing with plague victims and the fun to be had with those parts. Man name of Vincent (John Blyth Barrymore of Kung Fu, Full Moon High, Mansion of Blood, Dances with Werewolves, Mata Hari and Hollywood Boulevard) is having series of nightmares or possibly dark memories of the owners of a ring that seems to be passed to generation to generation. Hey at this point, why not premonitions?

Seeing faces left and right I recognize in this torrid tale, such as: Ann Robinson (War of the Worlds, Imitation of Life and Midnight Movie Massacre), Jerry Lacey (Dark Shadows, Play it Again, Sam, Blood Bath, Super Shark and Unwanted Guest), Tatiana DeKhtyar (Super Power Beat Down, Heroes with Issues, Six Feed Down Under, Dances with Werewolves, and Wolverine: Lost Chapters) Beverly Washburn (Star Trek, Pit Stop, The Manhunter, The Streets of San Francisco, White Paint and Unbelievable!!!!) and Len Wein (Creator of Wolverine, Sotrm, The Human Target comic character) Vincent is obsessed with fine jewels and none finer than Helmut Frankenstein's ruby ring. Helmut (Len Wein) is obsessed with alchemy and immortality following his ancestor's notes while his young bride Lenore (Tatiana DeKhtyar) bats her gold digging eyes at him in distraught as he turns blue (literal, not he is in a funk), gasps and drops dead. Helmut's wish was to be buried with the ring to further snub Vincent.

Losing his mind over the ring, Vincent proceeds to dig Helmut's grave to claim the prize but gets more than he bargained for.

Crazy Ralph?

Our next narrative called "Madhouse of Death" brings us an anecdote of Los Angeles with a hard boiled P.I. Jack Anvil (Jamisin Matthews of Raspberry & Lavender, The Wright Stuff, Will & Grace, FBI Guys, and Drift)hot on a case as he is toodling around in his car listening to a Frankenstein radio serial. The same old story, a dame done wrong, a palooka needing a pop in the puss and check to be cashed.  Dammit, gotta stop listening to Old Time Radio shows.

His car breaks down an old road, leaving him to hoof it before the business end of a rainstorm soaks him to the bone, he happens upon a eerie house that every horror fan would have screamed, "Don't go in there, ya moron!"   With a friendly meet n' greet with the house servant, Mogambo (T.J. Storm of Punisher: War Zone, Resident Evil 5, Star Trek, Avatar, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Soulcalibur V, Dead Space 3 and Godzilla) Anvil is given the royal treatment from Dr. Mortality (Mel Novak of Game of Death, Truck Turner, The Ultimate Warrior, Capital Punishment, Vampire Assassin, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance and Syndicate Smasher).

Yeah the digs are real cushy, if you're Christopher Lee.

Our fourth and final fable is "Dr. Karnstein's Creation" Holy Crap it's Tom the Inn Keeper! Yes, I do occasionally have a Harry Potter reference, as Jim Tavare (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Rabbit Fever, Zombies and Assholes, Chuck, Californication, Walking in LA, Killjoy Goes to Hell and 15 North) tackles the role of a mad scientist creating his own monster in a vampire infested Transylvania. The Zombies were having fun. The tavern wenches were quite appealing. The year is 1957 and the copious amount of garlic and crosses on the wall are a bit off putting. Think the Slaughtered Lamb in An American Werewolf in London. Karnstein is having a titter tat with Carl (Justin Hoffmeister of San Andreas Quake, Break-Up Nightmare, Being Black Enough, Flight 666 and Trunk) a lad that dreams of going to America and getting away from the hills and tavern girls that keep shooting him down. Might behave less like a creeper and you just may have a chance, Carl. Now git in the house!

The good doctor is oddly enough also a prodgeniture of Frankenstein and his surname was altered to avoid the stigma of the family shame. In spite of this, Karnstein plans on using atomic energy to create his own creature but make him completely subservient to his will. Hey Carl, now would be a good time to vamoose!

Throughout the town there seems to be a common superstition that vampires roam the night and most of the townsfolk are in at night so a bit of grave robbing won't get interrupted.

Please excuse the screen captures as I was working with a screener. Yeah it can't be helped sometimes.

Yes there was minor nudity, fellas. I know how that is such a criteria for some of you. The violence is suiting and primarily it is all about the stories allowed to uncoiling. So yes, you do have to pay attention.

I would point out the warped sense of humor our writer has. A house of women of ill-repute called ghast haus, a wine from The Cask of Amontilado (famous short story of Edgar Allan Poe) and the grave of Lucy Westerna (Bram Stoker's Dracula) to name a few. Trust me, there are some good gags in there and Glut enjoys the classics. This has some good moments, great cast and some clever writing. The lingo for the P.I. Story and Vampire story really was handled well. I clearly need to partake in some more Donald F. Glut. Trust me, I didn't even cover half of the Easter Eggs of this flick so grab a copy, enjoy and find a few I missed.

Does he know I farted?

Robowoman

Hiya boys and girls! I'm back and ready to blog. That fricking #34 Rotten Ramblin' On took far too much time editing. Will explain at a later date. Today, a director who you all by now if you have been reading this blog, contacted me for a write-up. Rather a regular on this blog, director/writer/editor Dustin Ferguson (Doll Killer, Die Sister, Die!, Gloved Murderess, Cheerleader Camp: To the Death, Invitation to Die and Nemesis 5: The New Model) asked if I wouldn't mind giving his flick the once over. Naturally, the answer is yes.  Penned by writer Mike Reeb (Nemesis 5, House of Pain, Horndog's Beach Party) gives off  the styling feeling almost like a hybrid of Ms. 45 and Robocop, I am completely down for this. This is Robowoman.

Petite and pistol packing!

With an opening shot of L.A.via some damn fine drone footage and treated some radio exposition of violent crimes, we follow the story of Vivica Stevens ( Dawna Lee Heising of Blade Runner, Kung Fu: The Movie, Forbidden Warrior, Waiting for Dracula, Legend of the Red Reaper, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance and Meathook Massacre II), hard at work for a temp agency and anyone that has worked temp can appreciate that grind, scowls from the regulars that you are a scab worker and so on.

Hounding her for a night on the town, a persistant co-worker Jonathan (Johnathan Nation of Flight World War II, Erotic Vampires of Beverly Hills, Circus Kane, Jurassic Galaxy and Runaway Nightmare) is pleading for a date; reluctantly Vivica lowers her shields and decides to give this goof a chance. I wasn't really feeling good vibrations of this cat, but hey I'm not female or gay, so what the hell do I know?

She's looking for Sarah Connor?

Still being sensible, Vivica calls her roommate Carlenee (Sue Price of Nemesis 2: Nebula, Nemesis 3: Time Lapse, Nemesis 4: Death Angel, Nemesis: The New Model and House of Pain) to give her the heads up that she will be out with Jonathan and a few of his buddies. Carlenee tells her to be careful and use good judgement. Sheesh, okay Mom. It's just Robby's (Gregory Blair of AbsurdTV Show, Horndogs Beach Party, Abaddon, Ugly Sweater Party, Lockdown, Garden Party Massacre and Wall of Flesh: A Vintage Comedy)birthday. What could go wrong?

The night goes for a turn for the worse as Jonathan and his "buddies" jump poor Vivica in a parking lot and proceed to...will "bad touch" do well enough for you folk? Yeah I know, I know rape revenge isn't my best subgenre to tackle but bear with me. Viciously attacked and left for dead, Vivica is barely hanging on, needing help badly. Carlenee tracks her to the park finding her in the mess that she is in, violated and hurt.

Isolated in a hospital, Vivica is touch and go, a Doctor Michaels (Mel Novak of Game of Death, Cat in the Cage, An Eye for an Eye, Future War, Vampire Assassin, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, Check Point and Holy Terror) and his assistant Hannah (Vida Ghaffari of Near Death, Circus of Dread, The Mindy Project, Eye on Entertainment, Facebook Live with Ford & Vida, Horndogs Beach Party, Holy Terror, Suspense and Hybristophilla) offering Vivica a new arm, a means of rewiring her optic nerves and giving her life back. Maybe not as before but better than bed ridden and injured. Helloooo Nurse Hannah! Sorry, sucker for a pretty face.

Moving right along, the procedure is a bit delicate and not completely legal but it is the building blocks of cybernetics. Carlenee must decide for Vivica and save her friend. Undergoing surgery, she is outfitted with a visor to compensate for her eye damage and now a killer right hook. The punch. They didn't give her a hook for an arm. Emotionally, Vivica is trying to keep things together but not able to cry is turning her stomach. Perhaps some martial arts and self defense to ease the soul, mind and body?

Confronting her demons, Vivica tries to move on from that night and Carlenee is really being the awesome, supportive friend she needs but she cannot shake it away from her thoughts. She seems to be off center with all the odd series of murders happening in her neighborhood. I'd think about moving but that's me.

L.A. after 2 p.m.

In a nutshell ,we have a Sci-Fi look at modern hate crimes, rape and murder and how society doesn't seem to register it being horrific as it really is. This blend of a rape revenge/science fiction shows Dawna can really perform. To see her range of cold decisive to conflicted and emotional was a real treat. I couldn't get over how warm Sue Price was in her performance as well. Keep in mind, I have only seen Sue Price as a muscle bound warrior crossing space and time, so a nurturing role was a bit startling but welcome. My only complaint is we needed a villain worthy of David Hess (Last House on the Left, Hitch-Hike, House on the Edge of the Park and Swamp Thing) or Henry Silvia (The Manchurian Candidate, Above the Law and Dick Tracy).  Jonathan Nation just looks like a really nice guy. 

With returns of regulars in the Ferguson alumni is legendary Scream Queen Brinke Stevens (Private School, Sole Survivor, Fatal Games, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, Cheerleader Massacre) actor/producer Mark Popejoy (Mark Popejoy of Die Sister, Die!, The Eyes of Isabelle, Gloved Murderess and Shivers Down Your Spine) and Clint Beaver (The Dummy 2, Tales for the Campfire 2, Meathook Massacre II, Worng Side of the Tracks, Nemesis 5: The New Model and Amityville: Evil Never Dies), it is easily understood that Ferguson is easy going, know what to expect from his cast and crew and they deliver in record time.

A quick and special shoutout at SFX creator, Joe Castro(Xenophobia, Terror Toons 4, 9 Ways to Hell and Night of the Demons 3). Responsible for Dawna's visor and cyberarm, she embodies looking like a badass and stunt coordinator Shaun Vetick (Blood Rites, Flyover Country, Flat Water Terrors Volume 1, Say Goodbye, Grace: A Detective Story and Robowoman) giving our cyborg some martial arts training and pointers. Kudos for Wilheim screams (Stock sound effect of a man screaming used in over 389 films and dozens upon dozens of TV shows) being used.

Long term view? This definitely screams out of a sequel. Hell maybe two. We'll just have to wait and see.

Candid pose?  Perhaps.

Holy Terror

Back in action, folks and boy this Horror flick has gone off the rails with this crazy train.

This film hails from director/writer/script supervisor Rich Mallery (Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, Table Top, Sociopathia, Holy Terror and Darling Nikki) we have demons, the dead and more than a handful of folk I recognize. This is Holy Terror.

Whatever would you like to do, Tom?

Our film wastes no time as we have an exorcism interspersed with credit and title card. Father Murphy (Mel Novak of Game of Death, Black Belt Jones, An Eye for an Eye, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, Syndicate Smasher and Nemesis 5: The New Model ) is attempting to eject a demon from his stolen vessel Hayley (Vida Ghaffari of The Mindy Project, The Catch, Facebook Live with Ford and Vida, Horndogs Beach Party, Hybristophilia and Abeyance).   When things don't go according to the good book, Father Murphy's faith was positively shattered.  With in the first three minutes!   That is setting a dark tone, my friends.

We cut to a quiet dinner with married couple, Molly (Kelly Lynn Reiter of The Hunger Games, My Crazy Ex, Sandy Wexler, The Z Virus, Bikini Car Wash Massacre and Dead De La Creme) and Tom (Jesse Hlubik of Jack and Jill, Down the Barrel, Drake and Josh Go Hollywood, General Hospital and All Cheerleaders Die) who seemed to be going through a rough patch in their marriage. Through a dream sequence, the power of flashback shows a small boy in the midst of memories.

With a bit of exposition, tastefully done I might add; we know that the wee bairn Joshua is no longer in the picture and both Molly and Tom are devastated. Thankfully they are not lashing out at each other in this time of depression.

With Tom off to work (which he starts breaking down and crying, trying to keep his crap together but an ocean sized wave of depression is slapping him down), Molly proceeds to do some chores around the house. She swears she saw something up the stairs but dismisses it easily enough. A loud thumping noise occurs and of course Molly goes to investigate. Molly sweetie, loud thumping is universal for call the cops. There may be a prowler looting. A knock at the door brings about Molly's little sister, Billie (Nicole Olson of Holy Terror).

Okay lady, you've had a bit to drink already.

Tom does not approve...mostly because Billie is apparently a thief and junkie. Molly defends her to deal with her own pain of loss. Billie needs to sleep better and nothing suggests like cocaine. Wait, what? Hmm, I can't throw stones. I usually have a cup of coffee to unwind at night. Mind you it's not a narcotic but eh. Billie has some sort of fit in the night with huge bruising on her leg. Must have been a "Big maaaan." With a worship of the porclean shrine, Billie and Molly have a heart to heart of anguish.

Molly's Aunt Janice (Lisa London of H.O.T.S., Sudden Impact, Dragnet, Savage Beach, Eight Days Carlo, Do You See Me and Darling Nikki) is a spiritualist/new age psychic/crystal hugger. She thinks there is a spirit in the house wanting to communicate with Molly and Tom. Got to say Tom is handling junkie sis and new age mysticism pretty well. You can see it is bubbling to the surface but he hasn't call the cops or gone for a gun. The man is grieving and is only being there for his wife for this.

So with a metronome (a device that produces audible clicks or sounds due to an interval that is set by the user) and a rotary phone(look up rotary phone yourself), the three attempt to reach the other side. Janice senses a entity that is definitely not Joshua. She's freaked because something is trying to get into the world. Something's wrong in the neighborhood...well an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on one's back would make me feel safer. Possibly some salt and iron as well. Cover all bases, man.

I...ate the last...pierogi. I'm so sorry.

Billie is roaming around in a little black dress and her behavior is downright predatory. Billie is just off her trolley as if someone or some thing is speaking through her. Janice contacts her friend Jacob (Scott Butler of Hollywood Hell, The Omegas, Edge, Wiener Dog Nationals, Zombie Night, and Defenders of Time) the young priest training under Father Murphy had lost his faith but must summon his courage to fight against the evil trapped in Billie. We still sure it's not a bad hop? Jacob tracks down nun Catherine (Kristine DeBell of The Great American Girl Robbery, Tag: The Assassination Game, 1313: Night of the Widow, The Great Halloween Puppy Adventure, A Talking Cat!?!, and 3 Wicked Witches) cannot up and join him to fend off the demon. She is bound by church rules as an exorcism is very taxing and highly dangerous to the host.

Can Father Jacob succeed were Father Murphy failed? Can good triumph over evil??

So what I am gathering from the IMDB user reviews, this is "An Exorcist knock off, too slow paced and crap performances". Yes this story is about possession, spirit manifestations and good vs evil, I grant you. Whereas Regan and her mother dealt with atheism and were still saved by a servant of God, Tom and Molly suffered the ultimate parents' nightmare losing their child and a demon tormenting those around them for its own malefic ends.

Okay fine. This is not a big budgeted horror film. We have a serious cast, some good performances, slow tension build up, great camera work and our musical score has left us with an creepy vibe. I think the biggest complaints is the girls in the film don't get naked. Wow, reaching deep there, fellas. So without the promise of nudity, there is no movie? More than half of these remarks aren't even critics. Just trolls with too much free time and not able to comport themselves with a bit of dignity.

So yes, if you like battles of good and evil on an uneven playing field, then come watch Holy Terror.

That could use some Lush facial scrub.

Syndicate Smasher

Back again blog fans.   No sooner did I finish up Green Lantern, I got a request to view an existing film that wouldn't mind a little hype and input.   I think I can swing that.  So it would appear I am going to be partaking in a 80's homage to action with stars Laurene Landon (Maniac Cop, Maniac Cop 2, Hundra,I, The Jury, Armed Response and Samurai Cop 2) and character actor Mel Novak (Game of Death, An Eye for An Eye, Sword of Heaven, Moonbase, Vampire Assassin, Big Guns and Nemesis 5: The New Model). Novak gives good villain in the styles of Henry Silva,so you are always in for a decent monologue but I think he's on the side of the Angels this time.

Action and Horror producer/director BennyTjandra (The LBC: Smile Now, Cry Later, Blonde Squad, Lovesick 2 and Nation's Fire) takes the reins with our latest movie and we will see what he can do with them. This is Syndicate Smasher.

Who needs Rambo? We got Mel.

First off, I love this title. It's a bit of a throwback to the 1930's Columbia Pictures serials similar to Spy Smasher so I'm on board. Our story unfolds in Siberia (Looks a tad bit like Bronson Park and the existing cave area but who am I to kibitz?) as an elite squad of mercs are moving in on their target.   Later they take Walmart. (Is joke, comrade. Is being funny) Sporting 50 Barett sniper rifles, the convoy they have in sight could be taken down before they so much as regroup and defend.

Jack Samson's (Jon Miguel of Rise of the Zombies, Parts of Disease, Blonde Squad and Extraction:Genesis) position is compromised when his headstrong partner opens up with her sniper rifle and bodies start stacking like cord wood and all for a 100 large. 100 grand is a nice figure but it's at least 50 to 2 and those odds sound worse than betting all on black in Atlantic City.

Jack's partner Dasha (Olya Lvova of Blonde Squad, PhoenixCatcher84 and Curse of Sleeping Beauty) proceeds to smoke these commandos all in the first two minutes we got folks dropping like flies. Jumping the gun? Oh just a touch. Jack and Dasha are looking down the barrels of quite a few AKs when the rest of their team proceeds to go sick house on that unit. Mel Novak's character Milan opens up with a .50 Browning swivel mounted heavy machine gun (yes I am a gun nut, get over it) and in true Rambo style, reduces these guys to lumpy gravy. Stick from Game of Death is back, baby and got a big boomstick.

Dara (David Prak of Pirates of the Caribbean, Inherient Vice, The Rundown and No Escape) gunning down and mulching folk with LAW rockets. The rest of the team efforts mop up.

This Hardee's shake is horrible!

 Man, those Serbian commandos shot worse than storm troopers and Cobra combined. Also FYI in your next lives, don't hide behind blades of grass to avoid LAW rockets.

That whole bit of gunning down carnage goes on for almost 7 minutes. I know it's difficult to hit a moving target but again I am harping on these commandos. Their training was crap.

Our team makes it back stateside and then it gets a little crazy. Jack wants the team to do a little wet work in their backyard which let's face it, is dicey at best. Feds, cops and military can be up their collective asses quickly and violently like a drunken proctologist with poor depth perception.

A contract job worth $300,000 for taking out one man that is clearly off. No family to speak of, a house that was ceased by the city and he's been hiding out there for four months. Bells best be ringing and Admiral Ackbar is there to tell you it's a trap.

Contractee squeezes off his fair share of rounds managing to not get hit or hit the crew, Milan triple taps him, two to the heart, one to the head and they roll. Not sure if anyone bothered to collect shells or not.

Off to the courthouse where reputed "businessman Dippolito (Nic D'Avirro of Renegade, Baywatch, Baywatch Nights, Desert Son, Rounding Home and Track of Saints) is cleared of charges impending from an investigation. A Italian mob boss? Outrageous. Clearly an import/export business...that may or may not move smack around. A lucky break seeing the only prime witness was greased mere hours ago.

Enter Detective Carol Driscoll (Laurene Landon) as she points out how easily that could have been orchestrated on Dippolito's behest and that she will nail his ass to the wall.

He's got a rocket for your sprocket. Hey Hey! Ho Ho!

Milan's team is getting antsy as suddenly half up front isn't happening. Shocking that again the Russian mob doesn't care. You'd think four man hit squad would be folks you wouldn't want on your bad side. I mean let's face it, a little surveillance, watch their habits for a couple of weeks and boom. They could cripple their operations pretty effortlessly. Again now we have Italians and Russian mobs. Oh this can only get worse.

The crew meets up with some low ranking Yakuza for a smack deal and these guys are old school. No chem test just a taste test. You can lose your minions that way, fellas.

Driscoll hell bent on getting Dippolito and enter one Detective Beattie (character actor Joe Estevez of Soultaker, Werewolf, Roller Gator, Lethal Seduction, Hell Asylum and Samurai Cop 2) dealing with three very dead Japanese Nationalists with links to drug trafficking and it's all coming up Dippolito.

With our fierce foursome dodging the heat, the crooks and probably the Marines next, it's looking pretty grim.

Let me just say this, if gun fight violence and blood spraying every direction is your bag, you have found your film. We have a solid story, decent pacing, scenarios I didn't predict and trust me I have seen me some tropes but I had some genuine surprises in this film. Not nearly the exposition dump you expect from a smaller budget films, some choice camera angles and a sturdy cast.

Gun play worthy of a James Glickenhaus and/or John Woo flick. Yeah, envision The Exterminator meets The Killers.

FYI, I loved Thomas J. Churchill in this. Two and a half kilos dropped in his club and responded exactly like I would have. Plenty of WTF moments and getting pissed. I has laughing so hard.

Huh, I deal with valet parking the same way.  Double tap.

Sneak Peek Preview: Nemesis 5: The New Model

Well ladies and germs I have a treat for you today as I just got the sneak peek at the latest Dustin Ferguson movie. No, stop saying who. Dustin (Doll Killer, Die Sister, Die!, Gloved Murderess, Cheerleader Camp: To the Death and Invitation to Die) gets to finally stretch his limbs into the genre of Sci-Fi as he told me in our phone interview last year, it has been something he had been dreaming of and finally given the reins to do just that. This is Nemesis 5: The New Model.

He clearly admires a girl of that caliber. Gun humor.

Continuing the very series director Albert Pyun (Cyborg, Deceit, Brain Smasher...A Love Story, Spitfire, Heatseeker, Raven Hawk, Mean Guns, Postmortem) built but never quite finished to many fans dismay, Ferguson is on the case. We open with a tasteful text crawl in space, filling in the blanks for some of the fans of the series as it has been a bit since we tapped into the cyber saga.

Cut to a harsh desert teeming with life under what sounds like Rob Robinson's composition on synthesizer (Meathook Massacre II, Tales From the Grave and Nemesis 5: The New Model) and bringing scope and depth already so I was completely stoked for this.

Reprising her famous Alex role is Sue Price of Nemesis II: Nebula, Nemesis III: Prey Harder and Nemesis 4: Death Angel is back again fighting for humanity. A dilapidated building stages a firefight between her and a fully converted cyborg as a young girl watches on in curiosity, not horror.

 The year is 2089, Alex strolling through the wastelands defeating cyborgs in gunfights and hand-to-hand combat. L.A.P.D.and the Red Army Hammerheads went to war, claiming to be humanity's savor and neither able to stop the apocalypse.

Yes, the writer is checking out Sue Price's legs. What of it?

Time and wounds have taken their toll on her as she has fought the cyborgs for so long that even this DNA mutant warrior of past and future must prepare for the next adventure and pass the torch to a new generation.

With her biotech engineering and cybernetic upgrades Alex learned to be a ruthless killing machine but in return lost much of her potential humanity.  Alex raises the abandoned little girl and trains her to be vicious, intelligent, cunning yet focused on her goals.   The only way for the end to not come is to send Ari (Schuylar Craig of Blood Claws, Camp Blood 4, Blood Model and The Amityville Legacy) back to 2077 in order to stop the actions of the L.A.P.D.and the Red Army Hammerheads before it is too late. Unlike Alex, Ari is 100% human with no augmentations to assist her.

Good to see some regulars of the Ferguson stable getting some meat and potatoes roles.

Jennii Caroline (Escape to Black Tree Forest, Black Forest III, Doll Killer, Die Sister, Die!, Gloved Murderess, Camp Blood 4 and Meathook Massacre II) appears as a Red Army Hammerhead controller using the cyborgs to capture data for spin stories.   Edwin Garica (Meathook Massacre II, PHOBIA, Stuck and Stacked) as a resistance fighter,  Mark Popejoy (Die Sister, Die!, Gloved Murderess, Poet, Flat Waters Terror Volume 1 and Amityville Legacy) as Doom, transportation entrepreneur and Daniel Stier (Tales for the Campfire, Night of the Clown, Meathook Massacre II and Nemesis 5: The New Model) also a resistance fighter.

Those Black Friday sales are out of control!

Feeling as though the human and cyborg resistance fighters could actually succeed at their mission, it is believed that a Nebula enforcer combat model needs to chase Ari and her crew down and turn them in to meat sauce.

Some nice throwbacks and nods to the second film, we have the giggling blond assassin units again, strifing the place with laser bolts rather than the Desert Eagles of 1980 played by Breana Mitchell (Cheerleader Camp:To Death, Die Sister, Die!, Invitation to Die, Meathook Massacre, Blood Claws, Camp Blood 5 and Amityville Legacy) and Lia Havlena (Wrong Side of the Tracks and Nemesis 5: The New Model).

What really grips your attention is the amazing vocals of actress/vocalist Daiane Azura (Prison of Psychotic Damed: Terminal Remix, Paranoia and Nemesis 5: The New Model) of Pandora Black. A mixture of techno, pop and astounding v/o stylings, this blend of unique tracks and singing keeps up with the pace of the film.

Cinematography is unbearably awesome, some great zooms via drone cam, good hand held and the filters bring some real life into the regions, great cut scenes for editing pushes a compelling story.

Let's talk about our star, Schuylar Craig as clearly she has had some strength training, martial arts and even some stunt work. She got put through the paces and good for her, getting something this intense as a major project.

Hey wait a minute, what about our main villains? Barbie and the Hammerhead leader Mel?

Hey that's the lovely Dawna Lee Heising (Blade Runner, Kung Fu: The Movie, Forbidden Warrior, Waiting for Dracula, Legend of the Red Reaper, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance and Meathook Massacre II) and hard working character actor Mel Novak (Game of Death, Cat in the Cage, An Eye for an Eye, Future War, Vampire Assassin, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, Check Point and Holy Terror)!

Clocking in at a 71 minutes, this bigger budgeted Ferguson film rocks. Post-production laser effects, excellent filtering, an amazing musical score and everyone busting ass bringing their all to this movie. A cyberpunk post-apocalypse that brings older fans back to the series and newer fans to dive right in.  A good blend of old and new.

Nice to see Dustin tackling a genre he has been a fan of for so long. 

Wind mill of death kick!