The Sandman is a 2015 Canadian/German horror film project to be directed by Italian director Dario Argento (Deep Red; Inferno; Trauma) from a screenplay by David Tully (The Village; Djinn). The ‘Godfather of Punk’ Iggy Pop (Hardware; Suck) will play a serial killer dubbed “The Sandman“. Claudio Simonetti, Argento‘s longtime musical collaborator, will score the movie and a theme tune has been donated by Scott Weiland. 

The film is currently seeking funding via Indiegogo, the world‘s largest crowdfunding platform. The Canadian and German film production team lead by producers Daniela Tully, Jeff Rogers and Rob Heydon, is looking to raise $250,000. The campaign is part of Indiegogo‘s horror month. 

Press release:

Maybe other places, you’ve heard about other kinds of Sandmen — forget everything you’ve heard. This guy doesn’t put sand in your eyes so you drift peacefully to sleep — don’t you wish! This Sandman is the real deal, going back to the dark, original German legend: the REAL Sandman was someone who stole the eyes of any children that wouldn’t just close them and go to sleep… then he’d go feed them to his hungry children on the moon. Try telling that version to the kiddies next time they won’t go to bed, and see where it gets you! While you’re at it, show them a copy of this image!

Our film tells the story of Nathan, a young (and dashingly handsome, natch) student in the city who struggles to forget his childhood trauma at the hands of the serial killer dubbed “The Sandman”: a masked killer who murders his victims with a lethally jagged melon spoon (yes, you read that right!), and claims their eyes as trophies (hey, everybody needs a hobby!). Nathan killed The Sandman years ago, on Christmas Eve, after he witnessed the murder of his mother (and you think YOU’VE got childhood hangups!)…until he sees the beautiful (again, natch) woman who lives in the apartment across the way dying at the hands of that same masked killer (don’t you hate when that happens?). This brutal murder plunges Nathan into an odyssey into the night country of his past, his dreams…and the buried secrets of… you guessed it!… The Sandman, who’s on the hunt for plenty more eye candy!

IMDb

The Carpenter is a 1988 Canadian horror film directed by David Wellington from a screenplay by Doug Taylor. It stars Pierre Lenoir, Lynne Adams, Wings Hauser, Beverly Murray and Barbara Ann Jones.

The film was released on DVD by Scorpion on November 11, 2011.

Plot teaser:

After being released from the institution she was placed in after suffering a mental breakdown, housewife Alice Jarett relocates to the country with her husband Martin, a professor. The house the couple moves into was never finished, so Martin hires a cheap construction crew to complete it.

One night, Alice is awakened by hammering in the basement, caused by a carpenter she had not seen with the rest of the crew. Unlike the other workers, this one has a pleasant demeanour and good work ethic, and while Martin is away one night, he stops another carpenter from trying to rape Alice by cutting the man’s arms off with a circular saw, sending the dazed Alice back to bed, and cleaning up the mess afterward…

Reviews:

“Wellington and company throw a lot of shit at the wall in an effort to see what sticks here — part comedy, part Lynchian absurdist nightmare, part gorefest, part low-grade soap opera, The Carpenter confidently, and nearly seamlessly, blends genres left and right in an effort that some may call haphazard, but others will appreciate for its sheer bravado and for the consistently ethereal tone it maintains throughout these numerous changes.” Trash Film Guru

“Those coming in expecting a balls to the wall slasher won’t be completely satisfied, but Ned does off his victims in gruesome ways (and takes out a few rats with his nail gun). Wings Hauser is fantastic in his role, playing a goofy psychotic spouting off one-liners when dealing with his foes, but being gentle and kind towards Alice. Their brewing romance could have been hokey, but the two had tremendous chemistry and it worked out well.” The Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema

“Even though it wasn’t a blood-filled slasher flick with a ton of wicked death scenes like I originally thought it was going to be I still dug The Carpenter. I thought that it was different and just a very good movie in general. The only thing that I didn’t really like about it was the ending as I thought that it seemed really rushed and was poorly written…” Todd Martin, HorrorNews.net

” … this isn’t some long lost amazing gem that everyone has to see. But it isn’t another direct to video pile of steaming shit either. It’s a unique flick that doesn’t easily fit into most of the 80’s cliche sub genres. And for that reason it simply isn’t going to appeal to everybody. But if you’re like me and zombie flicks have grown stale and slashers are damn near a bore then I recommend The Carpenter. It’s a film that isn’t easily pegged and it’s got Wings Fucking Hauser in it.” Uncouth, Brutal as Hell

Wikipedia | IMDb

Clown is a 2014 US/Canadian horror movie directed by Jon Watts from a screenplay he co-wrote with Christopher D. Ford. The film stars Andy Powers, Peter Stormare (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night; Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters; Dweller), Eli Roth (Cabin Fever and remake; Don’t Look Up), Laura Allen (From Within; Hysteria), Elizabeth Whitmere and Christian Distefano (The Strain).

The film was released on November 13, 2014, in Italy.

Plot teaser:

A loving father finds a clown suit for his son’s birthday party, only to realize the suit is part of an evil curse that turns its wearer into a killer…

Cast:

• Laura Allen as Meg
• Andy Powers as Kent
• Peter Stormare as Karlsson
• Eli Roth as Frowny the Clown
• Elizabeth Whitmere as Denise
• Christian Distefano as Jack
• Chuck Shamata as Walt
• Amy Balaton as Gamezone Employee
• Claudia Jurt as Panicked Parent
• Jodi Larratt as Mother
• Matthew Stefiuk as Detective
• Allen Altman as ER Doctor
• Robert Reynolds as Dr. Martin Karlsson
• Caeden Lawrence as Hardware Store Clerk
• Abigail Lieff as Waitress
• Jocelyn Deighton as Nurse
• Jeff Lefebvre as Costume Shop Customer
• Jen Julien as Parent at Fun Park
• Lucas Kelly as Colton
• Michael Riendeau as Robbie

Wikipedia | IMDb

British-based Hemlock Books was formed in 2007 by author and film historian Denis Meikle, whose own books include A History of Horrors: The Rise and Fall of the House of Hammer (1996), Jack the Ripper: The Murders and the Movies (2002), Vincent Price: The Art of Fear (2003) and Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out (2006). 

Buy Amicus Anthology from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy X-Cert from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

The company was set up with a dual purpose: as a retail publisher of niche titles for horror and fantasy fans on one side, and as a retailer of (mostly) American fanzines on the other side. Hemlock has many exclusive US contacts and is now the online presence in the UK for genre magazines like Little Shoppe of Horrors and Rue Morgue. It is the official distributor of GoreZone and producer-director Charles Band’s new publishing offshoot, Delirium.

Buy Mind Warp! from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Hemlock’s publishing arm was established to produce ‘cult’ titles of specific interest to fans of classic British horror. Many of these would be too narrow in their appeal to be of value to mainstream publishers but with modern digital technology, a niche publisher like Hemlock can print in lower volume and produce books for a limited audience who would not otherwise be catered for in the conventional marketplace. The model for this fan-based approach was US publisher Midnight Marquee Press, with whom Hemlock has a co-publishing agreement.

Buy The Hammer Frankenstein from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Some titles have been specifically commissioned, such as those in Hemlock’s ‘British Cult Cinema’ series, but most are unsolicited submissions. Anyone can suggest a book to the company, the criteria being that a) the author can write, b) it should bring something new to the table in a field where many of the topics have effectively been ‘done to death’, and c) unique access or exclusive material is a definite plus. Proposals can be submitted to info@hemlockbooks.com

Buy X-Cert 2 from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

New and forthcoming titles include X-Cert 2, the sequel to John Hamilton’s X-Cert (2012), Frightmares: The Films of Pete Walker, a new series of ‘Hemlock Horror Companion’s featuring Witchcraft & Black Magic in British Cult Cinema, the films of Canadian cult director Bob Clark and actor Udo Keir, as well as four new Midnight Marquee UK editions.

Future titles will include the sequel to 2013’s Empire of the B’s, examining Charles Band’s days with Full Moon Features, and a new definitive film biography of Vincent Price.

Buy Empire of the B’s from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

In the space of a few years, Hemlock Books has established itself as the leading publisher of genre titles in the UK, with a reputation for original and quality writing. 

Buy Urban Terrors from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy Bob Clark: I’m Gonna Kill You from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy Retro Screams from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy The Hammer Vampire from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy Fright Films from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

www.hemlockbooks.co.uk

Grizzly is a 2014 US/Canadian horror film directed by David Hackl (Saw V) from a screenplay by Guy Moshe and J.R. Reher (based on the latter’s storyline).

The film stars James Marsden (Straw Dogs; X-Men: Days of Future Past), Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton (Chopper Chicks in Zombietown), Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus, Kelly Curran.

This Indomitable Entertainment/Purple Pictures production has a reported budget of $10 million abd was originally titled Red Machine then Endangered. Open Road Films will distribute in the US. It has been rated ‘R” for: “violence, grisly images, language and brief sexuality/nudity.”

Plot teaser:

Two estranged brothers reunite at their childhood home in the Alaskan wilderness and attempt to mend their troubled past. Together with their girlfriends, they embark on a camping adventure that goes horribly awry when they are relentlessly stalked and attacked by a grizzly bear on a rampage…

Filming locations:

Vancouver, Canada

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘Based on a true story’

Backcountry is a 2014 Canadian horror survival thriller written and directed by Adam MacDonald. It stars Eric Balfour, Nicholas Campbell, Missy Peregrym, Jeff Roop (Vampire High; Sombre Zombie; Jekyll + Hyde), Melanie Mullen (Dead Before Dawn 3D).

The film is released on VOD on March 20th.

Plot teaser:

Alex is a seasoned outdoorsman while Jenn, a corporate lawyer, is not. After much convincing, and against her better judgment, she agrees to let him take her deep into a Provincial Park to the secluded Blackfoot Trail.

On their first night, deep in the forest, they have an unsettling encounter with Brad, a strange alpha male with eyes for Jenn who may or may not be following them. They push further and further into the woods, Alex stubbornly insisting that he remembers the way.

After three days their path disappears; they are hopelessly lost. Without food or water, they struggle to find their way back, the harsh conditions bringing out the best and worst in them, pushing their already fragile relationship to the breaking point. When…

Reviews:

‘ …an almost perfectly realized film, making the best of its humble budget and exploiting its stunning locations to maximum effect. MacDonald (who is well known in the North for his acting chops) is a major talent, who’s now crafted the best Canadian horror movie in ages.’ Chris Alexander, Fangoria

‘Backcountry is roughly an hour of build-up and then a rip-roaring 30 minutes of sheer terror, but it isn’t a slow burn that makes a desperate attempt to make an impression in the final act of the film.  That last half hour only is what it is because of all the character development and memorable moments you experience before.’ Perri Nemiroff, Collider

‘Involving and at times heartbreaking, Backcountry is an excellent thriller and another fine example of the innovative and talented crop of Canadian film makers that have surfaced these past few years.  If Grizzly was Jaws in the woods, think of this as 2003’s Open Water in the woods. Nothing wrong with that at all.’ Rob Getz, HorrorNews.net

IMDb | Facebook | Related: Grizzly | Thanks to Rhino’s Horror for inspiring this post

The Troop, a 2014 novel about a scout camping weekend that takes a scary twist by Canadian author Craig Davidson (using the pseudonym of Nick Cutter), has won the first James Herbert award for horror writing, winning the £2,000 prize. The award was created to celebrate the life and work of horror writer James Herbert. It tells the story of a scoutmaster named Tim Riggs and his troop of boy scouts who encounter an “emaciated stranger” on a camping trip in the Canadian wilderness.

Buy The Troop from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Kerry Herbert’, the late author’s daughter, who was one of the judges, described the winning book as the “darkest of tales”. She added: “My father would have chuckled in his chair; his fans will love it. And you’ll never go camping again.The Troop is a brilliant and terrifying classic that I am proud to champion as the first winner of the James Herbert Award for Horror Writing – it’s now one of my favourite books.” Tom Hunter, Chair of the judging panel commented: “The Troop is a perfect first winner, and the judges loved its tense plotting, detailed characterisation and above all the driving sense of fear that compels you to keep turning every horror-soaked page until the end.”

Davidson’s other works include his first short story collection, Rust and Bone, adapted as a film by French director Jacques Audiard. British author James Herbert was the writer of twenty-three best-selling horror novels, such as The Rats, The Fog, The Dark, The Magic Cottage, Haunted and Fluke.

Buy The Fog by James Herbert from Amazon.co.uk

Shortlisted titles for the James Herbert Award 2015:

• MR Carey, The Girl With All the Gifts (Orbit)
• Nick Cutter, The Troop (Headline)
• Frances Hardinge, Cuckoo Song (Macmillan)
• Andrew Michael Hurley, The Loney (Tartarus Press)
• Josh Malerman, Bird Box (Harper Voyager)
• Kim Newman, An English Ghost Story (Titan Books)

 ‘You scream, you expand, you explode. A new source of evil is discovered and is out of control.’

Spasms is a 1983 Canadian horror film directed by William Fruet (Death Weekend, Trapped). It stars Oliver Reed (Paranoiac; Blue Blood; The Brood), Peter Fonda (Open Season; Race with the Devil; The Harvest) and Kerrie Keane.

Jason Kincaid (Oliver Reed) has a massive serpent captured on a remote island. He brought it to the US because it killed his brother, and he now shares some kind of psychic link with it. He enlists the help of psychologist Tom Brazilian (Peter Fonda) to study the animal and the mental connection, but they do not count on a group of snake worshipping Satanists to complicate matters by accidentally setting the beast free.

The screenplay by Fruet and Don Enright is based on the novel Death Bite by Michael Maryk and Brent Monahan. The production ran out of money before shooting was finished and the final scene had to be heavily padded with flashback sequences in an effort to lengthen the movie to a respectable runtime. The film’s bladder special effects were designed by Dick Smith (The Exorcist; Ghost Story; Scanners).

The film’s score was composed by Eric Robertson and Tangerine Dream (The Keep; Firestarter).

According to interviews with director William Fruet and other people involved in movie at the time when it was released, a longer version of the ending fight between Oliver Reed and giant snake was planned and filmed, it included parts where he stabs the snake and snake swallowing his arm but due to the problems with effects the scene was not finished and had to be cut. A scene where a sailor who is bitten by snake gets his arm swallowed by it was also cut, and there was also a nightmare sequence in which some victims of the snake show up covered with gory wounds. Director said that he shot some additional violent scenes for the Far East versions of the movie but none of these sequences were ever reported to be included in any version of the movie.

The film was given a limited release theatrically in the United States by Producers Distributing Corporation in May 1984. It was issued on VHS by Thorn EMI Video in the US and VTC and Xtasy in the UK. As of 2015, Spasms has yet to be officially released on DVD or Blu-ray.

Reviews:

“Spasms is what it was intended to be – a cheap horror movie about Oliver Reed sweating profusely while a gigantic snake bites people – and nothing more. Uneven though the execution may be, director William Fruet managed to deliver an entertaining mess despite the odds. And that’s all you can ask from such a film.” Thrill Me!

“I’ve always thought that mediocre is the worst thing a movie could ever be and this has all the charm of that copy of People’s Friend you couldn’t be arsed looking at, not even the ads for everlasting shoes, in the doctor’s waiting room last week. A real mind-number that is only partially saved by Tangerine Dream’s soundtrack and a pert pair of erect nipples during a single shower scene.” The Spinning Image

“Spasms is an interesting snakesploitation movie hampered by a meager budget. Oliver Reed gives a strong performance (and just coming off the set of Venom he surely had practice), which is certainly more than the role deserves. He chews the scenery, and invests plenty of emotion in the role. There are times when he is so intense that his hands shake uncontrollably, though this may be due to his chronic alcohol addiction at the time.” Canuxploitation

Buy They Came From Within from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Snakesploitation on Horrorpedia: Anaconda | Anaconda 3: The Offspring | Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid | Anaconas: Trail of Blood | Cult of the Cobra | Jaws of Satan aka King Cobra | Jennifer | The Killer Snakes | Mega Python vs. Gatoroid | Night of the Cobra Woman | Piranhaconda | Silent Predators | Snakes on a Plane | Snakes on a Train | Sssssss | Venomous

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image credits: Monstrula! | Todo el Terror del Mundo

WH

‘A terrifying shocker of unforgiving evil and tasteless torture’

Naked Massacre – aka Born for Hell –  is a 1976 West German-Canadian-French-Italian film directed by Denis Héroux (The Uncanny). It stars Mathieu Carrière, Debra Berger and Christine Boisson.

Plot teaser:

Loosely based on the notorious Richard Speck murders, this is the grim tale of a disturbed Vietnam vet returning home via Belfast, who invades a house shared by eight nurses and proceeds to terrorise and murder them…

Reviews:

‘This grim Canadian/West German/French/Italian co-production is technically well made, but it isn’t much fun to watch. There’s almost no exposition in the gratuitously bleak story at all – not only is it never revealed exactly why this Speck substitute is hellbent on killing the girls, but he’s never even given a name. Despite the almost unpalatable final half-hour, Born For Hell is still an interesting film, though it probably has more in common with Eurosleaze flicks than with Canadian film.’ Canuxploitation

“Naked Massacre is one of those films that has enough good points that it deserves at least an average rating, yet it is one that I can’t really recommend that anyone sees. It’s one of the more disturbing proto-slasher flicks I’ve seen, with the level of sadism and cruelty displayed by the murderer, and the reaction of the victims, too realistic in its nature to be entertaining.” Terror Titans

“The movie was quick and intelligent and sharp right up until the torture scenes – so sharp that I really wracked my brain to think if I was somehow missing something in the torture scenes that would make me re-evaluate. Maybe, but I don’t think so. It’s too bad, because the director is obviously very talented, and those first 30 minutes deserve more than to be merely the justification for 45 minutes of sexualized torture.” Cinema de Merde

Buy the fully uncut, anamorphic version from Amazon.co.uk

 Hallmark Releasing‘s attempt to get on the Richard Speck bandwagon.

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

Suck is a 2009 Canadian rock-and-roll vampire black comedy film starring, written and directed by Rob Stefaniuk. Stefaniuk stars alongside Canadian actress Jessica Paré, Nicole de Boer, Malcolm McDowell and rock legends Alice Cooper (Prince of Darkness; Bigfoot; Dark Shadows), Iggy Pop (Hardware; The Sandman), Henry Rollins and Alex Lifeson of Rush. Production took place in and around Toronto in late 2008.

Plot teaser:

A down and out rock’n’roll band, The Winners, who will do anything for a record deal. Their luck suddenly changes when Jennifer the bass player, disappears one night with a vampire and emerges with a sexually charged charisma that drives the audiences wild. As the band members succumb, one by one, to blood lust, their “gimmick” launches them into the limelight…

Various shots in the movie are meant to evoke classic rock album covers. Some examples: A shot of the band crossing the street is an homage to The Beatles “Abbey Road.” Another shot of the band using a Union Jack flag as a blanket is based on The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright.” In the border station, the first shot is a nod to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The USA”.

Buy Suck on Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Stefaniuk keeps the energy level high and wisely blends in music liberally with the vampire action. Suck is a rock movie at its heart and Stefaniuk and crew embrace this fact; the bass player’s metal-infused transformation sequence is a stand-out. The story isn’t held back either, as the progression from “bizarre rock band underdog movie” to full-on “vampire hunting spoof” moves along nicely and features some satisfying beats. Staking a vamp with an electric guitar? Genius.” DVD Verdict

“Suck is a movie that doesn’t really have any surprises, take one look at the fangs on the poster and read the corny title and you’ll know pretty much what you are in store for. But that doesn’t mean Suck isn’t actually quite funny and weirdly appealing despite its low-budget origins.” Eye For Film

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

Girl House is a 2014 Canadian slasher film directed by Trevor Matthews from a screenplay by Nick Gordon. It stars Ali Cobrin and Slaine.

Plot teaser:

Kylie Atkins, a college student in need of money, joins an X-rated reality web series produced by Gary Preston. Though Preston assures her that the website and house are safe, she comes under attack by a deranged fan known by Loverboy, his internet username…

Reviews:

“Director Trevor Matthews, working from a script written by Nick Gordon, presents an up-to-date version of the slasher with a fabulous killer working amongst a houseful of insanely beautiful women. (Did we mention they’re scantily clad?) Sign us up! Girl House is a lot of fun.” Dread Central

“Girl House isn’t even close to being high art and won’t be winning any awards for originality — or any awards, period — but it’s waywardly entertaining and well-made for what it is.” The Artful Critic 

“While films like Cam2Cam and Lucky Bastard have walked the same sick techno-horror path, Girlhouse jumps ahead of the pack by delivering a bone-crunching finale once the actual horror elements are thrust into motion. It’s still a rough-around-the-edges erotic thriller, but Girlhouse is nice enough to apologise for a sloppy first act by hunkering down and finishing the job like a damn professional – moneyshot and all.” We Got This Covered

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

Grace: The Possession – aka Grace – is a 2014 American/Canadian horror film directed by Jeff Chan and starring Alexia Fast, Lin Shaye (Insidious: Chapter 2), and Alan Dale.

Plot Teaser:

Grace is a naive, beautiful, virginal college freshman trying to deal with campus culture and her outgoing new roommate. But when a terror takes over her body and unleashes chaos, Grace returns to the cold clutches of her severe grandmother and the strict rules of the church. Haunted by the horrific death of her mother and deeply ingrained, destructive urges, she must stop the demon inside before it’s too late…

Grace: The Possession is unusual in that for most of its running time it plays is shot from the perspective of the possessing entity inside Grace.

 Buy Grace: The Possession on DVD from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“The content may be too routine to impress, but delivery makes up the difference.  While the first-person POV is a gimmick, it is one that makes Grace: The Possession unfold in a memorable manner.  This is how creative filmmakers mold meh material into a movie that audiences will talk about after, regardless of how they may have felt about the film itself.” Culture Crypt

“So it’s a pretty mixed bag, really – at times I found myself nodding in appreciation of an inventive shot or the occasional disturbing scene (there are a couple of these that work surprisingly well), and at times I found myself groaning at some dodgy acting and writing, but I actually kind of enjoyed Grace.” Brutal as Hell

“Anybody seriously into their horror probably won’t see this film as anything other than gimmicky but Grace: The Possession does have the distinction of having a bit of effort behind it – in certain areas, at least – and in this day and age of production line supernatural horror movies that’s enough to make it stand out, although maybe not as much as the filmmakers would probably like.” Flickering Myth

IMDb

WH

‘Disco isn’t dead, but you just might be’

Discopath (in French: Discopathe) is a 2013 Canadian film directed by Renaud Gauthier, and starring Jérémie Earp-Lavergne, Sandrine Bisson, and Ivan Freud.

Plot teaser:

Set in the mid-1970s, Discopath is a slasher about Duane Lewis, a man who transforms into a crazed serial killer whenever he catches the relentless rhythm of disco! As Duane flees New York, desperate to escape the disco craze, his murderous tendencies explode again in a whirlwind of bloody violence and groovy beats…

Buy Discopath on DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“The gore effects are excessive and over the top, but the film as a whole is never as shower-inducingly off putting as the movies Gauthier is trying to emulate. It’s a love letter to the kind of trash cinema young cinephiles in the VHS era often grew up with, with sharp, consistently funny writing and a game cast who aren’t afraid to come across as goofy. It’s a great bit of fun.” Dork Shelf

“In spite of its flaws, Discopath still manages to be an extremely cool little movie. It is impossible for me not to like with its irresistible nostalgic genre charm aping the early 80’s golden age of the slasher sub-genre with much genuine love for it rather than coming off as something just faux lacking the authenticity that some so called love letters do with no passion for the material.” Cinematic Shocks

“Perhaps writer-director Renaud Gauthier – who clearly has a lot of affection for his inspiration – could have sacrificed some of the super-styled slo-mo sequences in favour of characterisation. Or story. Or intentional humour. Or anything to distinguish his production beyond the flares and hair and boring gore.” Rock n Reel

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

Anger of the Dead – aka Apocalisse Zero – is a 2015 Italian-Canadian post-apocalyptic horror movie produced by Uwe Boll (House of the Dead; Alone in the Dark; BloodRayne: The Third Reich) and Luca Boni, and written and directed by Francesco Picone (based on his 2013 short film of the same name).

The film stars Aaron Stielstra, Michael Segal, Marius Bizau, Désirée Giorgetti, Claudio Camilli, David White, Ally McClelland, Roberta Sparta.

Reviews:

“While there are more than a few slow spots in Picone’s first full-length presentation, his ability to convey a fairly decent story is what pulls this movie through and sets it apart from a typical Boll production. The dive into humanity is deep, and for the first time in ages, I actually gave a crap about a few of the characters … Overall, thumbs up to Picone for a nice job with taking a sub-genre that’s been butchered and valiantly reviving it for a short spell. This is definitely worth the view-time if you have the opportunity.” Matt Boiselle, Dread Central

IMDb | Facebook

‘Save yourself or save the world’

One Drop is a forthcoming 2015 Canadian horror film directed by Tricia Lee (Silent Retreat; Clean Break) from a screenplay by Corey Brown. The film is being co-produced by Brigitte Kingsley (The Door, The Dark Rising franchise) and executive produced by Michael Baker (Backcountry, Weirdsville). The production is running an online IndieGoGo campaign to help raise funds for post-production and special effects work.

The film stars Lara Gilchrist, Benjamin Arthur, Torri Higginson, Mark Taylor, Julian Richings (Septic Man; Supernatural).

Plot teaser:

Ellie is a drug addict who overdoses and wakes up in the basement of a medical facility. Everyone around her is dead, and she is suddenly nine months pregnant. As she tries to escape, she realises that something not-quite-human is prowling the hallways, and the only means of survival may be growing inside of her…

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‘Sometimes you are not welcome.’

Home Sweet Home is a 2013 Canadian-French ‘home invasion’ horror film written and directed by David Morlet [as David Morley] (Mutants). It stars Meghan Heffern, Adam MacDonald, Shaun Benson, Marty Adams.

Plot teaser:

A young married couple, Sara (Meghan Heffern) and Frank (Adam MacDonald), arrive home from a date night to discover that they have been imprisoned in their own house by a methodical killer (Shaun Benson)…

Buy from Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Whilst in many ways Home Sweet Home doesn’t bring anything new to the table, it’s a solid home invasion thriller with its own set of twists and pay offs which will please horror or slasher fans. A convincing, strong performance from the leads, Meghan Heffern, Adam MacDonald and Shaun Benson, as the silent killer, ensure the film can retain the audience during its more ‘reflective’ moments.” Cult Horror Films

“Looking at Mr. Morley’s IMDB, it would appear that short features have been his main work before this film. I honestly think this film might have been better served as a 20 – 30 minute short feature, instead of a feature length film.” Rio, HorrorNews.net

“The film that unfolds is pretty suspenseful but not without a few missteps that arise mainly from some pacing issues during the action. At times, the action pauses and the killer does not seem to finish the job when it seems like he could. There are also some stereotypically dumb actions from the couple that tamper with the story’s credibility a bit. Yet, for all that, things move toward a pretty solid conclusion with a bit of a twist that while not completed unexpected is satisfying enough.” Nicholas Strange, Strange Amusements

IMDb | Official site

Starship Invasions is a 1977 Canadian science fiction film with a horrific sub-theme written, produced and directed by Ed Hunt (Bloody Birthday; The Brain). It was re-released in the United Kingdom as Project Genocide. It stars Christopher Lee and Robert Vaughn (Teenage Caveman). The film’s notable score is by Gil Melle.

Plot teaser:

The black-clad Legion of the Winged Serpent, is a rogue group of human-like telepathic aliens led by Captain Rameses (Christopher Lee). The Legion’s home planet Alpha in the Orion constellation is about to be destroyed in the imminent supernova of its star, and Rameses is leading a small force of flying saucers to Earth to examine its suitability for their race. Performing several alien abductions, they discover they are descendants of transplanted humans and that the planet is perfect for them. They plan to make way for themselves after killing everyone through the use of a device whose signals prompt people to commit suicide…

Reviews:

“Although it is relatively painless to watch, Starship Invasions takes itself a little to seriously to really be successful. It’s obvious that Hunt is fascinated with UFOlogy, having made no less than three films which delve into the subject. Unfortunately, his attempt to marry the more “scientific” UFO lore found in dusty library books to “space opera” concepts such as underwater pyramids and Durbal, the ill-conceived robot, was doomed to fail from the beginning.” Canuxploitation!

“Star Wars used up all of the special effects, Christopher Lee doesn’t get to move his mouth at any point during the film, and we’re pretty sure the million dollars mostly went toward the staggering quantities of meth Ed Hunt et al must have consumed to make this movie.” Something Awful

“This film is chock full of 1960s and 1970s cliches that Star Wars more or less abolished, including the UFO abduction thing, space battle sequences that look cheesy rather than cool, and aliens saying things like “oh yeah, we built the pyramids,” and “You humans use only 1 percent of your brains.” Sigh.” i09

“Half the time it’s silly and laughable like those Italian Star Odyssey knock-offs. But the rest of this Canadian made picture is eerie and strange, an apparent attempt to take UFOs seriously. As I write this in 2010, many viewers posting on YouTube or the IMBd recall being frightened by it children. Distorted sound effects and blatant suicide sequences can still unnerve adults 30+ years after initial release.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

Cast:

• Robert Vaughn as Professor Allan Duncan
• Christopher Lee as Captain Rameses
• Daniel Pilon as Anaxi
• Tiiu Leek as Phi
• Helen Shaver as Betty Duncan
• Henry Ramer as Malcolm
• Victoria Johnson as Gazeth
• Doreen Lipson as Dorothy
• Kate Parr as Diane Duncan
• Sherri Ross as Sagnac
• Linda Rennhofer as Joan
• Richard Fitzpatrick as Joe
• Ted Turner as Zhender
• Sean McCann as Carl
• Bob Warner as an Air Force General

Filming locations:

Toronto, Ontario.

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘Rotting ghouls return to life in an orgy of cannibalism’

Corpse Eaters is a 1973 Canadian horror film directed by Donald R. Passmore and Klaus Vetter based on a screenplay by producer Lawrence Zazelenchuk, with additional dialogue by Alan Nicholson. 

Cast:

Michael Hopkins, Ed LeBreton, Terry London, Michael Krizanc, Helina Carson, Douglas Deering.

Some the film’s gore scenes were apparently removed for it’s theatrical release and the footage has since been lost. According to Caelum Vatnsdal’s book They Came from Within, Corpse Eaters was produced in 1973 by teenager Lawrence Zazelenchuk, who owned The 69 Drive-In on Route 69 outside of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He had saved $36,000 from working at a nickel mine and decided to write and produce a horror film to screen at his own drive-in. Director Donald R. Passmore was hired, then fired after four days and replaced by Klaus Vetter. Once finished, Zazalenchuk found he could not afford the lab costs to have the film developed, but finally saved enough in drive-in proceeds to get it processed. It premiered at The 69 Drive-In in 1974 and went on to a long local run before it was bought by a New York distributor in the market for a tax write-off.

Reviews:

“With easily has the most extreme effects of any Canadian horror movie, The Corpse Eaters is worth a look if for no other reason, than it has the distinction of being the first gore film made in the Great White North. Unfortunately, the film itself leaves much to be desired it never really recovers from the success of the initial zombie attack, seemingly unsure of which direction to proceed in.” Canuxploitation

“Whether it’s an awkward sex scene or total mutilation by zombies, this film never hesitates to go over the top and push boundaries.” The Zombie Site

“An ugly, poorly lit, cheap looking and technically inept film, this has bad acting, Halloween kit makeups (which are also by Zazelenchuk) and a dull storyline culled from the aforementioned Night and Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (1972). This is only really worth seeking out for curio value and for zombie movie completists.” Bloody Pit of Horror

“Aside from the gore similarity that one could compare to certain European romps, there’s ironically a fair amount of Fulci/Franco trademark zooms to the character’s eyes. Conversely, the film has a Herschell Gordon Lewis feeling to it because of bad/inane dialogue and obviously over-the-top gore. There’s always something about experiencing a lost film that makes a horror viewer smile, and Corpse Eaters is no different, except it has a much more interesting and personable story behind it.” Oh, the Horror!

“Sleazy, gory and a little sloppy, startling obscurity has kept you from seeing this. Tenacity must push you onward, until the two of you meet over Friendship & Beers.” Bleeding Skull!

IMDb

‘This may sting a little’

Bite is a 2015 Canadian horror film directed by Chad Archibald (Kill; The Drownsman; Ejecta) from a screenplay written by Jayme Laforest. It was produced by Black Fawn Films in association with Breakthrough Entertainment.

Cast:

John Migliore, Derrek Peels, Deborah Jayne Reilly Smith, Caroline Palmer, John Cross, Christopher James, Alex MacPherson, Kai Csiki, Sheelagh Daly, MarieBeth Young, Tianna Nori, Elma Begovic, Ty Phoenix, Annette Wozniak, Jordan Gray.

The film is being shown at the Fantasia Festival on 29 July 2015 and Film4 Frightfest on 31 August 2015.

Plot teaser:

While on her bachelorette party getaway, Casey, the bride to be, gets a seemingly harmless bite from an unknown insect. After returning home with cold feet, Casey tries to call off her wedding but before she’s able to, she starts exhibiting insect like traits. Between her physical transformation and her wedding anxiety, Casey succumbs to her new instincts and begins creating a hive that not only houses her translucent eggs, but feeds on the flesh of others. As her transformation becomes complete, Casey discovers that everything can change with a single bite…

IMDb | Official site

‘Evil gets an upgrade’

Jason X is a 2001 Canadian-American science fiction slasher film directed by Jim Isaac from a screenplay by actor/writer Todd Farmer (My Bloody Valentine, 2009). It is the tenth instalment in the Friday the 13th film series and stars Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees. Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg (Shivers; The Dead Zone; The Fly) has a cameo role.

The film took $16,951,798 worldwide at the box office against a budget of $11 million.

Plot teaser:

In 2008, (five years after Freddy vs. Jason) Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) is captured by the United States government and held at the Crystal Lake Research Facility.

In 2010, a government scientist decides to place Jason in frozen stasis after several failed attempts to kill him. While Private Samuel Johnson (Jeff Geddis) places a blanket on Jason, Dr. Wimmer (David Cronenberg), Sergeant Marcus (Markus Parilo), and a few soldiers hope to further research Jason’s rapid cellular regeneration and try to take Jason. They pull off the blanket covering his body, but find Johnson dead, instead. Having broken free of his restraints, Jason kills the soldiers and Wimmer. Rowan (Lexa Doig) lures Jason into an “ice” pod and activates it. Jason then ruptures the pod with his machete and stabs Rowan in the abdomen, spilling ice fluid into the sealed room and freezing them both.

Over 445 years later, in 2455, Earth has become too polluted to support life and humans have moved to a new planet, Earth Two. Three students, Tsunaron (Chuck Campbell), Janessa (Melyssa Ade), and Azrael (Dov Tiefenbach), are on a field trip led by Professor Braithwaite Lowe (Jonathan Potts), who is accompanied by an Android robot, KM-14 (Lisa Ryder). They enter the Crystal Lake facility and find the still-frozen Jason and Rowan, whom they bring to their spaceship…

Reviews:

“Jason X is well-paced, provides plenty of kills, has enough camp to make it enjoyable, and provides an interesting transformation for our antagonist in its final third. It’s nowhere near scary, and it’s because of that fact that the Alien comparison can only be taken so far, but it’s a slasher movie set in space and it takes a character who has been the villain for eight previous movies in a place and time he hasn’t previously had to deal with. That’s a go-for-broke approach and I have to commend the filmmakers for it.”  Marter, The Escapist

” … there’s a legitimately fine comic sequence in which the surviving crew members, in an attempt to distract Jason, put him in a virtual-reality sim of Camp Crystal Lake. For a brief moment, new-school splatterpunk steps aside for old-school slash, and the sequence, prankish as it is (the sim comes complete with a couple of giggling, topless girls in sleeping bags), points up what’s fundamentally wrong with Jason X: It just isn’t the same when Jason stalks the sterile halls of a spaceship.” Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

“Wittily scripted, smartly directed and well-played by an unfamiliar cast, this is a real treat for all those who have suffered through the story so far.” Kim Newman, Empire

“This sucks on so many levels. — dialogue from Jason X. Rare for a movie to so frankly describe itself. Jason X sucks on the levels of storytelling, character development, suspense, special effects, originality, punctuation, neatness and aptness of thought. Only its title works.” RogerEbert.com

“It’s crazy that it took until the tenth film in the series for someone to say “you know something, we should have a proper laugh with this”, but finally someone did and it’s all the better for it. As a serious horror film it’s a failure in every respect. It isn’t scary, it doesn’t build much tension and it just takes the piss at every opportunity. But it’s because of this third point that Jason X entertains – it knows it’s shit and it’s proud.” Chris Scullion, That Was a Bit Mental

“Jason X is one of those films that gets laughed at before it’s even mentioned. A good group of society just doesn’t like the flick. Truth be told I was kind of put off by it at first too. Uber-Jason? Come on now. But upon further viewings I’ve realized I actually have a blast with the flick! Maybe you should give it a go.” Jared Pacheco, Arrow in the Head

Choice dialogue:

Professor Lowe: “Guys, it’s okay! He just wanted his machete back!”

Cast:

Lexa Doig as Rowan LaFontaine
Lisa Ryder as Kay-Em 14
Chuck Campbell as Tsunaron
Jonathan Potts as Professor Brandon Lowe
Peter Mensah as Sergeant Brodski
Melyssa Ade as Janessa
Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees
Melody Johnson as Kinsa
Phillip Williams as Crutch
Derwin Jordan as Waylander
Dov Tiefenbach as Azrael
Amanda Brugel as Geko
Kristi Angus as Adrienne Thomas
Yani Gellman as Stoney
Todd Farmer as Dallas
David Cronenberg as Dr. Wimmer
Robert A. Silverman as Dieter Perez
Marcus Parilo as Sgt. Marcus

Wikipedia | IMDb