Phil wishes everyone a Happy Halloween - October 31, 2018

Welcome back horror hounds to Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! So, as some of you may have noticed, I didn't keep up with my blogging this month. Well, I have a very good reason for this. During the last weekend of October, my girlfriend and I moved into our new place! Yes, I was very exited about this! However, what made it so damn frustrating was that AT&T kept on flaking on setting up our Internet service! As a result, there was no way that I could write up my reviews even though I was still watching my movies. Now, to remedy this, I am going to post the rest of the movies that I watched, complete with the film's synopsis. Sit back, relax, and read on!

Day 22: SCALPEL (1976) from Arrow Video. The film's official synopsis: US television staple Robert Lansing (Star Trek, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone) stars as a deranged surgeon in this twisty-turny psychological thriller from Blood Rage director John Grissmer. In the film, Lansing plays Dr. Phillip Reynolds, a man whose daughter Heather (Judith Chapman, As the World Turns, General Hospital) has run away from home a year prior following the suspicious death of her boyfriend. When he happens across a young woman one night, her face beaten beyond recognition, the unhinged Reynolds sees his an opportunity to put his trusty scalpel to use – hatching a plan to “reconstruct” her face in the image of his missing daughter, and so claim her sizeable inheritance.

Day 23: TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY (2017) from Dread Central Presents. The film's official synopsis: Featuring interviews and appearances by fellow icons Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Bruce Campbell (Ash Vs Evil Dead), Director Adam Green (the Hatchet franchise) and many more, TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY is the must-see documentary of the year.

Day 24: HOUSE OF THE DEAD (aka ALIEN ZONE) () from Vinegar Syndrome. The film's official synopsis: Four tales of intrigue and horror await anyone brave enough to enter the HOUSE OF THE DEAD… When a philandering husband accidentally finds himself lost during a rainstorm, he’s taken in by an elderly mortician and is forced to learn the ghastly origins of four freshly arrived corpses: a scornful teacher whose students teach her a fatal lesson, an amateur filmmaker with a deadly muse, two dueling detectives attempting to solve a mysterious murder, and a bitter man whose arrogance costs him everything.

Day 25: THE MUTILATOR (1984) from Arrow Video. The film's official synopsis: When Ed receives a message from his father asking him to go and lock up the family’s beach condo for the winter, it seems like the perfect excuse for an alcohol-fueled few days away with his friends. But no sooner are the teens on the island than they find themselves stalked by a figure with an axe (and a hook, and an outboard motor) to grind.

Day 26: EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL at the San Jose Stage One Theater. The musical's synopsis:

Day 27: THE CHURCH (1981) from Scorpion Releasing. The film's official synopsis: In the middle of a modern city, an ancient evil is about to awaken! An elaborate cathedral that was once the site of a medieval massacre by crusading knights becomes a deadly trap for a group of visitors and staff when a sealed crypt is accidentally reopened. The laws of reality soon collapse as a nightmare takes hold and claims the lives of those within one by one, threatening to unleash a supernatural pestilence upon the world!

Day 28: BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON () from Scream Factory. The film's official synopsis: You know legendary maniacs Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger. Now meet Leslie Vernon, the next great psycho-slasher. Nathan Baesel (Invasion) stars as Vernon, a good-natured killing machine who invites a documentary film crew to follow him as he reminisces with his murder mentor (Scott Wilson, The Walking Dead), evades his psychiatrist/nemesis (Robert Englund, A Nightmare On Elm Street), deconstructs Freudian symbolism, and meticulously plots his upcoming slaughter spree. But when the actual carnage begins, where do you draw the line between voyeuristic thrills, mythic evil, and good old-fashioned slasher movie mayhem?

Day 29: THE SLAYER (2006) from Arrow Video. The film's official synopsis: Two young couples set off to a secluded island for what promises to be a restful retreat. But the peace is short-lived: as a storm batters the island, troubled artist Kay begins to sense that a malevolent presence is here with them, stalking them at every turn. Is she losing her mind, or are her childhood nightmares of a demonic assailant coming to terrifying life?

Day 30: THE WITCHING SEASON (2015) from Scream Team Releasing. The film's official synopsis: Reminiscent of television shows like ‘Tales from the Darkside’ and ‘Tales from the Crypt’, The Witching Season is a five episode spine-tingling anthology of horror and suspense packed into one disc that delivers original tales of terror that capture the spirit of the Halloween season.

Day 31: TALES OF HALLOWEEN (2015) from Epic Pictures. The film's official synopsis: Named "the best horror anthology since Trick 'r Treat" by Fangoria and "among the best Halloween-themed horror movies ever made" by DailyDead, this critically acclaimed film weaves together ten chilling tales from horror's top directors. Ghosts, ghouls, monsters, and the devil delight in terrorizing unsuspecting residents of a suburban neighborhood on Halloween night.

And folks, there you have it! Another Halloween Horror Watch has come to a scary conclusion! I would like to thank all of you out there for reading my blog and I hope you've enjoyed learning about some of these horror films, cult classics, and modern day indie hits!

Thanks for reading, and Happy Halloween!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD (2017) from Scream Team Releasing - October 13, 2018

BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD Blu-Ray

BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD
Starring Tiffany Arnold, Eric Boso, Daniel Alan Kiely, Laura E. Mock, Dan Nye, Cat Taylor, Sarah Starr
Screenplay by Max Groah, Tim Mayo
Cinematography by Justin Russell
Edited by Max Groah
Produced by Tiffany Arnold, Max Groah, Tim Mayo, Chris R. Mayo, Cynthia Mayo, Vincent J. Restivo
Directed by Max Groah
Released by Scream Team Releasing

Welcome folks to Day 13 of my Halloween Horror Watch! As you may have noticed, I am a big fan and supporter of the indie horror film community. There is so much activity happening now, and with technology readily available, friends and strangers are coming together to create new visions and new voices for the genre we love to death. And speaking about death, today's film comes courtesy of Scream Team Releasing and is a horror comedy that will make you feel high on life! And high of zombies too! So grab your special stash, pour your favorite bowl of cereal, and plunker down on your couch as I take you all on a stoner's nightmare come true with BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD!

The film's official synopsis: Hot off the film festival circuit and FINALLY available to enjoy from the comfort of your own couch, comes the multiple award winning stoner/zombie masterpiece from Backward Slate Productions...BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD!!! Its the story of five friends who share both a love of pot and a lifelong dream to see the zombie apocalypse become reality. But when the undead actually rise to gruesomely (and hilariously) eat the living, the group discovers it's not all corpse killing montages and mall raids ... and that their relationships will be pushed to the limit if they're going to survive.

The film is funny as hell but it also hits you in the feels, especially with its emotionally charged ending! Seriously, WTF  Max Groah! Dude, that ending was so damn emotional! I was having a blast with the film, and then that third act to a turn for the worse, meaning it got dark real fast! I was on the edge of my seat! I did not see that ending coming! Holy crap! You got me Max!! You got me good!! sniffle...what? No, I'm not crying.....sniffle sniffle......hang on a sec.......OK I'm back. I'm good, I'm good. So where was I? Oh yeah, my review of the film.

Original Festival Poster (2017)

The movie's five main leads are incredibly talented and they make it so much fun to watch! Tiffany Arnold, Eric Boso, Daniel Alan Kiely, Laura E. Mock, Dan Nye all deserve praise for their performances, especially Kiely as Hal. His scene at the end..man.....uh oh....the feels man, the feels...hang on a sec folks...sniffle.......OK I'm back. So yeah, way to go Daniel Alan Kiely! Good work man!!

The film played at several film festivals and won numerous awards. Some of the festivals it played at include Nevermore Film Festival, Nightmares Film Festival, Twisted Dreams Film Festival, Midwest Horror, Sci-Fi & Grindhouse Film Festival, and Days of the Dead Film Festival to name a few. Then filmmaker Justin M. Seaman (writer/director of the 2016 horror film THE BARN) approached them to have it released on his distribution label Scream Team Releasing and fans of the movie are so glad he did.

Scream Team Releasing has a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo that you can choose to have unsigned or signed by the cast and crew, plus it comes with a limited edition slipcover and a signed rolled poster! So obviously, I got the autographed edition. Both discs have a plethora of special features: Audio Commentary by Backward Slate Productions, 420 Friendly Commentary, Behind the Scenes & Bloopers, Deleted Scene, Smoke Pistola Grande Informercial, Stacey Seagull Big Workout, VHS Music Video, Zombie Killer, Swords and Bitches 3, Behind the Scenes, and Trailers.

BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD is a fan festival favorite, stoner cult classic of the year!! It's got Romero references, weed, flesh-eating zombies, weed, blood and gore, awesome special effects, weed, stoner jokes, nudity, weed and.....did I mention weed? So definitely check out this bad boy this Halloween season! And don't forget to bring your favorite baseball bat weed bat! Just in case you need to crush some zombie heads between tokes! 4 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

BONG OF THE LIVING DEAD is available on a special collector's edition Blu-Ray/DVD Combo, both signed and unsigned by the cast and crew from Scream Team Releasing. To purchase a copy for yourself, please visit their website at screamteamreleasing.com.

Thanks for watching, and enjoy the horror!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE III (2015) from Scream Team Releasing - October 1, 2018

DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE III Blu-Ray

DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE III
Starring Alec Owen, Ben Gigli, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Erik Sandoval, Chelsea St. John, Skyler Rousselet, Greg Sestero
Written by Various Screenwriters
Cinematography by Jon Salmon
Edited by Brian Firenzi
Produced by Various Producers
Directed by Tomm Jacobsen, Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon
Production by 5 Second Films
Released by Scream Team Releasing

Hello friends and welcome to another year of Phil's Halloween Horror Watch!! Throughout the month of October, I watch an ungodly amount of horror films and write a review for each one! For today, I watched a bona fide cult classic that has plenty of gore, blood, and laughter to go around! So strap in folks as I talk about the bloody hilarious and grotesquely charming indie cult hit DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE PARTY III!

The film's official synopsis: A satirical twist on the gory and sexually charged 1980’s slasher genre, DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE PARTY III is presented as the only surviving VHS copy of the reviled horror franchise’s third, and final, installment. In the wake of two back-to-back mass murders on Chico’s frat row, loner Brent Chirino must infiltrate the ranks of a popular fraternity to investigate his twin brother's murder at the hands of the serial killer known as Motherface. As they are picked off one by one, Brent and his fellow Dude Bros must face the terrifying reality that their deadly foe, believed to have been killed (twice!), has returned from the grave (again!), and is hell-bent on the destruction of the Delta Bis.

Original Promotional Poster (2015)

This was such a brilliant satire and a loving homage to the classic 1980's slasher films! By having it looked like it was recorded off a TV onto an old VHS tape, the fate of this long lost horror classic still continues to scare up laughs with modern audiences. And containing a cool 80's sounding soundtrack, the role reversal of having the woman wanting to take a man's virginity, cheesy acting, and a copious amount of blood, the movie was just so much fun to watch!

According to their website, film company 5-Second Films is "a vertically-branded viral humor depository, delivering original commercially-minded content to shareholders and upwardly mobile males, females and space chickens ages 18-35 (with disposable income) since October 30th, 2008." All their films are exactly five seconds long, so it's not just a marketing ploy folks! The inspiration for the film was based on a short fake trailer with the same name. Funded by a Kickstarter campaign in 2013, the gang went straight into making their short into a feature length reality once they reached their goal.

Hats off to directors Tomm Jacobsen, Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon for crafting a slasher movie that would fit into the lexicon of 80's horror films. Their compositions and set-ups are lifted right from that era, and they cram so much fun and gore into each frame! It truly does look like it was recorded on an old VHS tape, and includes some hysterical commercials. These gentlemen have certainly done their homework, and thus, should be applauded for their hard work!

Big news came earlier this year when it was announced that the film would be available to view on the horror streaming service Shudder, which was when I first saw the film. But then, Scream Team Releasing (founded by indie filmmaker Justin M. Seaman, the writer/director of the 2016 cult hit THE BARN) announced that they were releasing the movie on a special collector's edition Blu-Ray! The special features on the disc includes a Director's Commentary, Gag Reel, Deleted Scenes, Trailer, English, Spanish & French Subtitles, and the making-of documentary "Livers of Darkness"

DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE III is an over-the-top modern day cult classic that horror fans will get a kick out of!! It's easily this year's "Best Bro Horror Flick!" So for all you bros out there, grab your best bro, pick up a couple of kegs, kick back on the couch and check out your fellow bros up on the TV screen! Just make sure that you leave a space for Motherface!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

DUDE BRO PARTY MASSACRE III is available on a special collector's edition Blu-Ray. To purchase a copy for yourself, please visit their website at screamteamreleasing.com. To learn more about 5-Second Films and to watch their films, visit their website at 5secondfilms.com.

Thanks for watching, and enjoy the horror!