Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: VAMPIRE COP (1990) from SRS Cinema - Oct. 20, 2018

VAMPIRE COP Blu-Ray

VAMPIRE COP
Starring Ed Cannon, Melissa Moore, Mal Arnold, Joey Thrower, Don Tilley, Morrow Faye
Screenplay by Donald Farmer
Cinematography by Glenn Kral
Edited by John Decker
Produced by Faye Chesney, Max Chesney, Donald Farmer
Directed by Donald Farmer
Originally released by Atlas Entertainment Corporation
Released by SRS Cinema

Welcome to Day 20 of Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! If you're not familiar with the name Donald Farmer, well, you should. He's been making low budget horror movies for over 30 years and is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Shot-On-Video movement. His resume includes CANNIBAL HOOKERS, VICIOUS LIPS, RED LIPS, and CHAINSAW CHEERLEADERS for starters. I remember learning about Mr. Farmer back in the early 90's through my local mom & pop video store and magazines like Scream Queens Illustrated and Alternative Cinema. Now, I've come full circle again, as I watched VAMPIRE COP, one of his all-time classics from SRS Cinema!

The film's official synopsis: It's not easy being a cop. Especially when you're a VAMPIRE COP like Officer Lucas (Ed Cannon). But with the city in the grip of a psycho drug kingpin, it's time to pull out all the stops and TAKE A BITE OUT OF CRIME! But now beautiful reporter Melanie Roberts (Melissa Moore) is onto Lucas' little secret. Will she expose him. . . or help him crack the biggest crime caper since Al Capone? Soon the streets are running red with stone dead hookers and bone dry mobsters -all with two little bites on their neck. Will Melanie be next? Or is Lucas ready to make the ultimate vampire's sacrifice to save her.

The movie screams of early 1990, which was a fun year to watch low budget movies. And no one made them better (or worse depending on your criteria) than Donald Farmer. He tried to make a really good movie on the rediciously small budget, but it's the film's limitations that make it fun to watch. This is probably the only vampire movie I have seen that doesn't show hardly any bloodletting! But the opening theme song "" rocked my world back then and brought me back to my simplistic youthful days. It's a movie shot with basic set-ups, framing, and composition, nothing really splashy and overly artsy, it's just a simple B-movie that was there to be entertaining. And with Farmer, it's anything but boring.

Original VHS Cover (1991)

Our two main leads in the film are the vampire cop himself Lucas, played by Ed Cannon and his love interest female reporter Melanie Roberts, played by the beautiful, buxom, and breathtaking Melissa Moore. Born in Versailles, Kentucky, she was a staple in the realm of B-movies, action flicks, erotica, and horror films, and her resume includes some of the all-time greats from the VHS era: THE INVISIBLE MANIAC, CAGED FURY, SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE II, HARD TO DIE, ANGELFIST, and STORMSWEPT were some of her movies that I used to rent. In this move, Moore bares it all, literally, as she acts her way through her investigation of the mysterious vampire cop. Moore is one of the unsung Scream Queens that I feel has been looked over and forgotten, and I hope this movie will remind fans of the genre how much she was a part of our lives during this time.

The movie was filmed in late 1989 and early 1990 and released on VHS by Atlas Entertainment Corporation the following year. Again, I remember renting this at my favorite local video store American Video Center. They had the best selection of B-movies, horror films, and cult classics in town! I watched and ungodly amount of movies from that place! I can't recall if it was ever released on DVD after that, but SRS Cinema has come to the rescue and has re-released the movie in a brand new director's cut! They released it DVD, but also on a limited edition professional run and silk-screened BD-R to only 100 units, and a limited edition VHS clam shell with only 30 units available.

VAMPIRE COP is a 90's B-movie, cult classic that you can definitely sink your teeth into this Halloween! It shows audiences why everything was so damn cool about that decade! Yup, the 90's did have some cheesy B-movies and this is one of the best! So I dare you to watch this movie and try not to have a good time! 3 1/2 out of 5 stars! Definitely worth a watch!

VAMPIRE COP is available in a Special Collector's Edition Blu-ray (BD-R), DVD, and a Limited Edition Clam Shell VHS from SRS Cinema. To purchase a copy for yourself and other titles, please visit their website at srscinemastore.com.

Thanks for watching, and enjoy the horror!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: TRUTH OR DARE (1986) from SRS Cinema - Oct. 11, 2018

TRUTH OR DARE Limited Blu-Ray

TRUTH OR DARE (aka TRUTH OR DARE?: A CRITICAL MADNESS)
Starring John Brace, Mary Fanaro, Bruce Gold , Joel D. Wynkoop, Terence Andreucci, Raymond Carbone, Rick Paige
Written by Tim Ritter
Cinematography by Ned Miller, Christopher M. Burritt
Edited by Jack Behrend
Produced by Yale Wilson
Directed by Tim Ritter
Originally released by Peerless Home Video
Released by SRS Cinema

Welcome horror hounds to Day 11 of Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! For today's viewing, I went back to the year 1986 to watch a notorious, low budget, slasher horror film that's a great example of the DIY movement that was happening within the genre. Regular people were going out making their own movie, and with the video market still booming, it was easier to get your movie on the shelf right next to that Hollywood blockbuster. And you could make some decent money from the sales. But this film is really gory, really violent, psychologically twisted and it's awesome indie filmmaking! May I present to you the horror film TRUTH OR DARE from SRS Cinema!

The film's official synopsis: When an already unbalanced Mike Strauber catches his wife Sharon in bed with his best friend, the result is a rapid descent into insanity. Mike's revenge is masked in the form of the seemingly innocent child's game "Truth or Dare", but playing his demented and twisted version results in a bloodbath the likes that has never been seen before... with a trail of victims leading right back to his wife! This all-time horror classic from 1986 includes a special performance from a young AJ McLean of The Backstreet Boys.

Based on his short "Truth or Dare?" from 1985 anthology film TWISTED ILLUSIONS, filmmaker Tim Ritter was only seventeen when he sold film's script and eighteen when production began! Are you kidding me? When I was eighteen, I was collecting comic books, chasing girls, and watching my B-movies and horror flicks on USA Up All Night! And here's this kid, who's only six years older than me, who's making movies in his community. Ritter shot the film on 16mm for $200,000, and had it released directly to the home video market, courtesy of Peerless Home Video.

Original In-Store Promotional Poster (1986)

The movie is a bit amateurish, but it's really amazing. Ritter opens the film with some intense psychological damage right out of the gate. As the story progresses, the film takes a sharp right turn onto slasher territory, and that's when it starts to get fun! The gore comes fast a plenty, and there are some shocking deaths that are extremely taboo, so taboo that we don't see these in modern horror films. The movie showcases the potential that Ritter had even back then, and it's interesting to see where he started and how he's grown as a filmmaker. Some of the films he would make for the horror genre like DAY OF THE REAPER (his directorial debut), KILLING SPREE, CREEP, and has contributed to anthologies like TWISTED ILLUSIONS 2, HI-8 (HORROR INDEPENDENT 8), and HI-DEATH.

The movie spawned four sequels: 1994's WICKED GAMES, 1998's SCREAMING FOR SANITY: TRUTH OR DARE 3, 2011's DEADLY DARES: TRUTH OR DARE IV, and 2018's I DARES YOU! TRUTH OF DARE 5. Ritter wrote and directed all three films (he co-directed part 5 with Scott Tepperman) for the direct-to-video market. SRS Cinema has remastered and released the original the fourth film on special limited edition Blu-ray, DVD, and VHS.

Of course, I purchased the Special Collector's Edition Blu-ray, cause that's how I roll. The special features include Director's Commentary, "30 Years of the Game" montage, Trailers for all Five Films, and a crap ton of Trailers: HOUSE SHARK, SHE KILLS, KILLING SPREE, NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE, EMPIRE STATE OF THE DEAD, GORGASM, GOROTICA, GORE WHORE, SPACE PSYCHOS, DEAD SILENCE, EASTER BUNNY BLOODBATH, LIGHTS CAMERA BLOOD!, TEENAGE SLUMBER PARTY NIGHTMARE, DEATH REEL, CHANNEL 13, THE HALLUCINATIONS/LETHAL NIGHTMARES DOUBLE FEATURE, DONALD FARMER COLLECTION VOL. 1, MASSAGE PARLOR OF DEATH, and KNIGHTMARE. *whew*

TRUTH OR DARE is an 80's horror slasher sick flick that will gross you out and scare you to death! It's proof that you don't need a major studio, big name stars, or a lot of money! If you have an idea for a horror movie, then go out and make it! Ritter and his film are testimonial of this mindset. With Halloween nearly upon us, why watch this slasher classic with that special someone? Just make sure they're not a deranged psychological killer!! 4 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

TRUTH OF DARE is available in a Special Collector's Edition Blu-ray (BD-R) from SRS Cinema. To purchase a copy for yourself and other titles, please visit their website at srscinemastore.com.

Thanks for watching, and enjoy the horror!

Phil's Hallowen Horror Watch: HOUSE SHARK (2017) from SRS Cinema - October 2, 2018

HOUSE SHARK Blu-Ray Cover

HOUSE SHARK
Starring Trey Harrison, Michael Merchant, Wes Reid, Wayne W. Johnson, Melissa LaMartina, Nathan Bonk, Jennie Russo
Written by Ron Bonk
Cinematography by Ron Bonk
Edited by Ron Bonk
Produced by Ron Bonk, Jonathan Straiton, Howard Gromero, Tim Ritter
Directed by Ron Bonk
Production by SRS Cinema and Duke Films
Released by SRS Cinema

Welcome to another installment of Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! For this edition, I watched the latest project from the legendary Ron Bonk. If you are not familiar with his name, you should! Bonk has been making low budget films for over twenty years, directing films like CITY OF THE VAMPIRES (1993) and THE VICIOUS SWEET (1997), MS. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (2012), and EMPIRE STATE OF THE DEAD (2016). One of the pioneers of the Shot-On-Video movement (or S.O.V. has it's affectionately called), he has also written and produced a slew of other titles for other filmmakers. He's also the brain and the brawn behind SRS Cinema, releasing a number of horror, sci-fi, cult, and SOV titles. Today, I had the pleasure of watching his latest creation known as HOUSE SHARK, and as he puts it, "It's JAWS in a house!"

The film's official synopsis: Just when you thought it was safe to go home! When Frank (Trey Harrison) finds his happy home under attack by a dangerous but largely unknown breed of shark, he's enlists the aid of the world's only "House Shark" Expert, Zachary (Michael Merchant), and a grizzled former real estate agent, Abraham (Wes Reid), to embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast and claim back his life.

Bonk plants his tongue firmly in cheek as the film's title alone should indicate you that your suspension of disbelief will be used. And holy shit was this film freaking awesome! He and his crew had a damn good time making this movie and it shows! Containing over-the-top acting, not-so special effects, blood and guts, and a house shark, the film delivers the goods in spades!

Film's Promotional Poster (2017)

Our three leads are terrific in their respective roles. Trey Harrison is the everyday man, who just happens to have a shark in his house that keeps eating people. He plays Frank with sheer fun and . Michael Merchant's Zachary is the scientist with a funny accent who plays off Harrison so well that I just laughed every time he said something. But for me, the Oscar goes to Wes Reid for his portrayl of the drunken insane hero Abraham, who's a cross of Ahab from MOBY DICK and Robert Shaw 's Quint from JAWS (which was perfect for this film). Together, these three actors ham it up for the camera and it's just awesome! They have such amazing on-screen chemistry that I'm surprised that they haven't been teamed up before! I hope they will be starring in another film together soon!

I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the the genius of Ron Bonk. This man directed the hell out of the movie! Combining traditional framing with Grindhouse style compositions, the film feels almost like a throwback to those classic B-movies I used to watch on USA Up All Night back in the 90's. He keeps the story moving with gore, laughter, blood, and the importance of family and friendships made along the way.

Now I purchased the special two-disc limited slipcover edition Blu-Ray that was also signed by the cast and crew. In this edition, there's a plethora of special features, including three separate commentaries,  bloopers, deleted scenes, Skype sessions, the film's trailers, slide show, and trailers for other SRS films. There's also a DVD that's available as well, plus shirts, shoes, pillows and other memorabilia from the film!

HOUSE SHARK is a modern day cult classic that will make you stand up and cheer!! It's a film that doesn't take itself seriously at all and knows what's its purpose is: to entertain audiences everywhere with its absurd humor and hilarious originality!! This is a future midnight movie for sure!! So make sure you watch this movie during this Halloween season!! 4 1/2 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

HOUSE SHARK is available in a special collector's edition Blu-Ray and DVD. To purchase a copy for yourself and other memorabilia, please visit their website at srscinemastore.com.

Thanks for watching, and enjoy the horror!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: PENNY PINCHERS: THE KINGS OF NO-BUDGET HORROR (2017) from SRS Cinema - Oct. 2, 2017

PENNY PINCHERS Poster (2017)

PENNY PINCHERS: THE KINGS OF NO-BUDGET HORROR
Starring: Lloyd Kaufman, Todd Jason Cook, Johnny Dickie, Tim Ritter, Todd Sheets, Donald Farmer, Phil Herman, Christopher Seaver, Dustin Ferguson,
Cinematography: John P. Brennan
Editors: Dustin Ferguson & John P. Brennan
Producer: Dustin Ferguson
Director: Dustin Ferguson
Production: Company: Sinister Studios
Distributor: SRS Cinema 

Welcome back to my Halloween Horror Watch marathon! Today's review focuses on a very special and unique niche within the horror genre: Shot On Video, or more affectionately called SOV. These films crept onto the shelves of local mom & pop video stores all across the country and horror fans rented these in drones. Out of this came a rise in SOV movies, and these filmmakers made history with their works of art. Often overlooked for their contributions to the genre, PENNY PINCHERS: THE KINGS OF NO-BUDGET HORROR finally pays tribute to these renaissance individuals and low-budget independent filmmakers.

The film's official synopsis: An eye-opening Documentary detailing the trials and tribulations of No-Budget horror filmmaking, featuring some of the world’s leading Directors in the genre!

This was a very interesting documentary to watch as I found my reminiscing to those care-free days of going to my mom & pop video stores (American Video Center and Branham Video were my favorites) and watch these awesome low-budget horror movies on VHS. And what we have here is testimony from these individuals who entertained me all those years ago.

The documentary starts off with the elder statesman of the bunch: Lloyd Kaufman, co-founder and president of Troma Entertainment - this country's oldest independent film studio. Kaufman has directed a number of cult classics, such as the TOXIC AVENGER franchise, TROMEO & JULIET, TROMA'S WAR, POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD and his recent films RETURN TO NUKE' EM HIGH VOL. 1 &2. Kaufman gives his 40 plus years of experience on the perils of low-budget independent filmmaking, its benefits and how the evil international movie studio conglomerates have taken over and pushed the indies on the outskirts.

Others filmmakers contributing their cinematic stories include Todd Sheets, who's list of 45 films credits include 1991's SORORITY BABES IN THE DANCE-A-THON OF DEATH (which was the first film of his I rented back in the day), PREHISTORIC BIMBOS IN ARMAGEDDON CITY, GOBLIN and the ZOMBIE BLOODBATH franchise. Sheets talks about how he was held hostage by his cinematographer on his first film and almost hung up his camera. Tim Ritter started his career with the film DAY OF THE REAPER all the way back in 1984 on video. His most famous movies include KILLING SPREE (1987), WICKED GAMES (1994), and CREEP (1995). The youngest out of the bunch is Johnny Dickie, who started making films at 12 years old, then made is first feature length film at age 14. His films include SLAUGHTER TALES (2012), TRASHTASTIC (2013) and CITY OF THE DREAM DEMONS (2014). He talks about making his short films, distribution issues and his take on being an indie filmmaker. Others directors being interviewed in the film include Todd Jason Cook, Donald Farmer, Phil Herman and Christopher Seaver.

The documentary was directed by the talented Dustin Ferguson. The Dodge City, Kansas born filmmaker has a total of 44 credits to his name, directing such films as THE LEGACY OF BOGGY CREEK (2011), DIE SISTER DIE! with Scream Queen icon Brinke Stevens (2013), CHEERLEADER CAMP: TO THE DEATH (2014), CAMP BLOOD 4 & 5 (both 2016) and TALES FOR THE CAMPFIRE (2016) and the sequel TALES FOR THE CAMPFIRE 2 (2017) with legendary Scream Queen and my good friend Debra Lamb. He has owned and operated several film distribution and production companies such as RHR Home Video, Shock Sinema and 42nd Street Films. In the documentary, he explains what made him want to become a filmmaker, the trials and tribulations of low-budget movies and why he still continues to still do this.

PENNY PINCHERS: THE KINGS OF NO-BUDGET HORROR is a fascinating, informative and intimate examination of low-budget, independent filmmaking and the love and passion these artists bring to their craft and to the genre! A lot of blood, sweat and tears go into making these cinematic gems and the horror community as a whole should know these talented filmmakers and watch their films!! 5 out 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

PENNY PINCHERS: THE KINGS OF NO-BUDGET HORROR is currently available on both limited edition Blu-Ray and VHS. To purchase a copy for yourself, visit the SRS Cinema website at www.srscinema.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!