Poltergeist at the Avon Theatre Tonight!

Attention Vault dwellers! I will once again be returning to the historic Avon Theatre in the Connecticut metropolis of Stamford, this time for the pleasure of hosting a special screening of Poltergeist as part of the theatre's "Cult Classics" series. Many of you may recall that Captain Cruella and I hosted the 25th anniversary screening of The Return of the Living Dead last month, and the Avon was kind enough to invite me back, so who am I to say no? Alas, I will not be joined by the good Captain this time, as she is in the midst of mustering her vast zombie forces for the upcoming Ghouls Yule in Saugerties next month--all the more reason to come down and keep me company, of course.

I'm beyond psyched to be introducing one of the seminal horror-event films of the 1980s, and would be even more psyched if you would join me. So if you're anywhere near the Stamford area, I expect to see you there as I delve into the awesomeness of Craig T. Nelson, the infamous Hooper/Spielberg directorial controversy, and much more.

The Avon Theatre is located at 272 Bedford Street in Stamford, and the screening kicks off at 9pm. Special thanks to the staff for allowing yours truly to show his face once again--especially Adam Birnbaum, director of film programming. And of course, thanks as always to my murderous muse, Captain Cruella, for getting her steel-toed foot in the door and making these evenings with the Avon possible in the first place!

Celebrate Return of the Living Dead's 25th Anniversary at the Avon Theatre!

As loyal Vault dwellers, you might be aware that one of--if not the film that transformed me into a died-in-the-wool horror fanatic was the late Dan O'Bannon's masterpiece, The Return of the Living Dead. From when I first experienced it at age 12, I was enthralled by it, and the fascination has only increased with time. It's a fantastic horror comedy for so many reasons, but I've been through that many times before. The bottom line is, it's a film that means a whole lot to me (and no, not just because of Linnea Quigley as Trash...)

You may also be somewhat familiar with the vintagely fantastic Avon Theatre of Stamford, Connecticut, which I have occasionally big-upped on this very blog, whether it be to help spread the word about some really cool screenings they were having, or to report on a great time I had at one of those screenings. The Avon has a Cult Classics series, for example, that has long been a source of unmitigated joy in my life. And now, I'm proud to say that I'm going to be a part of the Avon's Cult Classics series, and in particular, they're upcoming showing of ROTLD. In short, it gets no better than this.

Basically, the Avon will be screening ROTLD on Thursday night, October 21, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the film's release. It will also be showing alongside an unrevealed second feature. Now, I've been sworn to secrecy as to what it is--but rest assured, it will not disappoint. And I'm proud to say that both myself and the lovely Captain Cruella of the Carnivorous Cadavers will be hosting this screening. Now if that won't get you down to the theater, than dammit people, I don't know what will...

I'll have the privilege of introducing both films, and well, the good Captain will be providing zombie ambience as only she can. In fact, I can thank her and her mysterious undead powers for helping to finally get the Avon and the Vault together in the first place. This place is a local treasure, and it is literally a dream come true to be able to join in on the fun.

In addition to introducing one of the films crucial to my development as a horror fan, Cruella and I will also be giving away passes to one hell of a horror film festival on the horizon, the Hudson Horror Show. The festival's organizer, Chris Alo, will even be on hand to promote the event, lighting up Poughkeepsie, New York on November 6 (more on the Hudson Horror Show to come next week here in the Vault...)

So if you're in the area, I urge you to make your way to the Avon Theatre on October 21 for this screening of one of the most beloved horror films of them all. It is sure to be a blast. Not only that, but keep an eye out for future Cult Classics screenings at the Avon, as the theater's director of business development and film programming, Adam Birnbaum, has extended an invitation to yours truly to not only host more of the Avon's horror screenings, but to actually take part in their selection. So fasten your seat belts, Connecticut horror fans--things are about to get interesting...

The Night I Experienced MANIC MONDAY

As you can imagine, I was intrigued when I received an invitation via email to yesterday's hush-hush New York screening of Manic Monday, the debut film from Canadian director Dex Baxter. I'm usually not a big fan of music video directors switching to feature films, but the stuff he put together for bands like Antigone's Veil and Wormsign has been pretty striking to say the least, and so I was actually kind of intrigued to see what he was capable of. As it turned out, my curiosity was more than warranted.

Pretty much everyone inside the industry who would actually speak to me about it over the past month or two assured me that Manic Monday was going to be 2010's Paranormal Activity, to the 10th power. At first, I was annoyed when I couldn't find a damn thing about the project anywhere on the internet, but after enough exasperated searching, I became impressed that the studio has been able to keep such a tight lid on this thing. Obviously, the suits are finally learning from the lessons of the past.

Remembering the air-tight confidentiality that surrounded the whole deal, I wasn't surprised to find that when the curtain of secrecy was finally pulled back for yesterday afternoon's screening at the brand-new Steiner Studios in New York's historic Brooklyn Navy Yards, not very many people were there. After all, there was a very limited number of people even made aware of it, so I was grateful just to be there. Plus, I never pass up an opportunity to go back to my hometown.

It's hard to write about what I saw yesterday without plunging into hyperbole, so bear with me. You may not have heard too much about Manic Monday yet, but trust me, you're going to, and soon. Now that the cat is out of the bag, it's pretty obvious to me that this movie is going to make some major waves. Honestly, I don't think I've seen a horror film that affected me this much since the first time I watched the original Dawn of the Dead, some 20 years ago, curled up by myself in my best friend's girlfriend's den (don't ask.)

Lots of horror movies have been made about things like ouija boards and opening up portals to hell and all that stuff, so I wouldn't blame you if you went in thinking it was going to be some hackneyed bit of cliched nonsense. But I have to point out that you'd be very wrong. Manic Monday, as far as I'm concerned, takes its place amongst the likes of Trick 'r Treat, [REC] and Let the Right One In as one of the most astonishing and inventive horror flicks of the century thus far.

Filled with relatively unknown actors, the realism quotient is very high. I recognized Elaine Barstow, the actress who plays the mother to the troubled girl who opens said portal, from the short-lived '90s Melrose Place rip-off Taylor's Ridge, but for the most part these are people who are completely new to me. And watching Barstow struggle to remove her little daughter's arm from a garbage disposal before it turns itself on, set to the strains of Aerosmith's Dream On, is certainly a far cry from the soapy schmaltz of TV melodrama.

Of the entire cast, however, it's Tom Huston as the enigmatic Ezekiel Smit who stands out the most. Not young by any means, it's remarkable how he's managed to slip under the horror radar--reminds me of Deranged, the 1974 serial killer movie that put middle-aged and largely unknown Roberts Blossom on the map. Huston (seen here in the obscure Canadian sitcom Salad Days) is destined to become the cult-figure for fans of this movie, playing a horror villain unlike anything we've seen in a while. Credit is due to Baxter for the unflinching material that's written for this character.

Obviously, as I've said, the concept of supernatural invasion is nothing new to the horror genre. This movie benefits greatly from the influence of Lovecraft, and if I had to pin it down, I might say it's something like The Gate meets Poltergeist. And yet, that does absolutely no justice to the film whatsoever, since it's actually far superior to either one of those films. The core subject matter may not be anything new, but it's what Baxter does with it that will leave audiences in stunned silence.

Lately, it seems like so many horror films are trying to push the envelope to become that "IT" film that everyone talks about, that it's becoming harder and harder to achieve that. But make no mistake, Manic Monday is destined to be exactly that, and perhaps a large part of it is directly because of the almost total lack of hype surrounding it. As someone who works in marketing, I can relate to the temptation to get the word out, and the difficulty involved in creating a bona fide buzz in this era of over-saturated markets. So I respect what these guys accomplished here, and now that the word is out, it's going to be interesting to watch it pay off. I hope more films can be so well-guarded--reminds me of the old days of rifling through issues of Starlog just to find a few scant hints about upcoming projects.

Several of the reports I've managed to get my hands on seemed to be under the impression that part of the reason the movie was so heavily protected has to do with some of the extremely shocking content pertaining to Heather, the little girl who is both victimized by Smit and exposed to some unthinkable horrors over the course of the film. Everyone seems to get up in arms when a child is in peril in a movie, and I can't say I don't totally understand, being a parent myself. Maybe it does go a little too far, or maybe I'm just getting too old to stomach it. But I certainly acknowledge its raw power, and completely understand why the filmmakers went in that direction.

Depending on who you see this movie with, you're going to find it challenges a lot of convictions and even basic assumptions about morality, and human nature in general. I saw it by myself, which in a way only intensified its effect, since I literally had no one to talk with about it, and had to internally process everything I had seen on the screen without the benefit of feedback. But in a way, I much prefer that, since I can't imagine very many people I know who wouldn't have wanted to walk out in the middle. This is not a film for the squeamish, or for those who only occasionally challenge themselves with a horror film or otherwise disturbing picture. This is the kind of movie that makes your non-geek friends think you're a complete sicko for liking it.

And so, I can only strongly recommend that those who do take their horror seriously check this film out as soon as it gets an official release, which presumably is going to be happening sometime in late spring. This movie is so powerful in so many ways, that it's almost hard to encapsulate everything in a review. Certainly Walter Podolak's relentlessly grim cinematography is a big part of it, as is the bleak, minimalist score of Turkish wunderkind Galiba Yanlış.

Yesterday, a handful of my illustrious colleagues were also blessed with the opportunity to check out Manic Monday at similar screenings in their respective nearby urban centers, so expect the buzz to only continue to grow. Reviews have already been posted from the likes of Billy Loves Stu, Heart in a Jar, The Drunken Severed Head, Chuck Norris Ate My Baby, The Horror Digest and the one and only Day of the Woman (you're welcome for the screener passes, BJ!)

Fun with the Post-Apocalypse!!

Just when I thought there were no more reasons for me to feel superior and arrogant as a native New Yorker, along comes the Kevin Geeks Out series at the 92Y Tribeca in downtown Manhattan. A very unique comedy-variety film clip show, it was first brought to my attention back in October by Tenebrous Kate of Love Train for the Tenebrous Empire, back when Emmy-nominated comedy writer Kevin Maher was hosting an installment of Kevin Geeks Out pertaining to Vincent Price.

Sadly, I couldn't make it to that particular event, but I did leave my suburban stronghold last night to at last take in the majesty that is Kevin Geeks Out. The subject of last night's event: Visions of the Future! And let me tell you, I never realized the future could be so hysterically funny.



Dressed as Orson Welles from when he narrated the 1981 Nostradamus "documentary" The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, Kevin regaled the unsuspecting audience with a series of vintage film clips, and brilliant presenters who walked us through various bizarre interpretations of the future from pop culture past, including lots and lots of stuff about the world being destroyed by nuclear war. In fact, Kevin's co-host, Scott Christian Carr, is an award-winning author and filmmaker whose favorite theme is the post-apocalypse.

What really got me down to Tribeca was the participation of Kate herself, who introduced some inspiredly awful clips from the Italian post-apocalypse cheese-fest The New Barbarians, featuring Fred "The Hammer" Williamson and that little boy from The House by the Cemetery. Clearly I need to track this film down post-haste and watch it from beginning to end.

But we also got Daily Show writer Elliott Kalan taking us through his own personal obsession, the 1939 World's Fair, complete with stories from his own grandmother, who attended the event. This fascinated me very greatly, as I too, had always heard the stories of this legendary futurist extravaganza, and even own an authentic collector's coin from the exhibition given to me by my grandfather.

Plus, Popular Mechanics technology editor Seth Porges was a riot dissecting his periodical's woefully inadequate attempts to predict the future over the past 100+ years. Real-life psychic Jane Doherty enthralled the crowd with some creepy Criswell-like predictions of what is to come (woman president in 2020, and a vegetarian fast food chain by 2015, who knew?) And of course, we learned all about the sad saga of Electro the smoking robot (pictured at top).

And there was much more, including perhaps most importantly of all, generous servings of Dippin' Dots, the Ice Cream of the Future, for everyone on-hand. So generous, in fact, that I was actually given the rest of the unconsumed Dippin' Dots to take home to my appreciative kids in a giant styrofoam case filled with dry ice. Said case was later mistaken for a container of body parts by a group of inebriated party-goers who spotted me walking back to my car. To prove them wrong, I happily shared my Dippin' Dots with said drunken revelers before disappearing into the night, the mysterious Dippin' Dots Guy, as I'm sure they'll forever remember me...

But back to Kevin Geeks Out. If you happen to be in the NYC area, I implore you to check this show out. You can find out more about it on the 92Y Tribeca website, where you will also learn that Kevin's next installment, Kevin Geeks Out About... Monkeys!, is coming up next month. Judging by the trailer alone, I will say it's a safe bet I will be there again. I had a blast watching the brilliant Kate do her thing, and also enjoyed the company of Emily I. from The Deadly Doll's House of Horror Nonsense, as well as Dylan and Christine of Paracinema Magazine. In short, a splendid time was had by all, and I look forward to geeking out with Kevin more... in the future!

The Emperor Has No Clothes; or, Payola in the Age of Blogging

This was originally supposed to be a straight-up screener review, but in the days since I've seen the movie, it's developed into something far different. There's an issue that's been weighing heavily on my mind, and it's about time I get it off my chest. Let me explain.

Recently, I was sent a screener DVD for a low-budget, independent horror/thriller called SERIAL: Amoral Uprising. It was sent to me personally by the filmmaker himself, who was looking for the movie to obviously be reviewed on The Vault of Horror. I was more than happy to do so, but after seeing it, I realized that I was faced with an interesting dilemma. Because the movie was not very good.

The acting, for the most part, was uninspired, with the exception of the female lead, who was awful. The editing and camerawork was sub-par, to the point of seriously detracting from the viewing experience. The script was amateur and forced. At just under an hour in length, it was still difficult to get through. Even the opening and closing theme music seemed entirely inappropriate to the material.

However, in researching the film, both before and after viewing, virtually all the reviews and feedback I found regarding it were resoundingly positive. And this has been a situation echoed many times since I began the Vault. This time, I was tired of saying nothing about it.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm far from an enemy of independent horror filmmaking. Just don't expect me to give you the slow, dramatic applause and gush enthusiastically just because you had the ingenuity and wherewithal to make a movie on your own. That doesn't necessarily mean your movie is good. I'm not going to judge it in the same way I would a big-budget mainstream Hollywood extranaganza, to be sure, but it still has to be good. Many are. But for every Zombie Girl and Chemical 12-D, there are unfortunately a dozen SERIAL: Amoral Uprisings.

Is it a bit awkward? You bet. After all, I was sent this film directly by the guy who made it--a man who obviously was hoping I would like it. And while I greatly appreciate being sent the movie for review, and don't wish ill to the filmmakers in their endeavors, the bottom line is that I didn't think they made a very good movie.

This is an issue faced by bloggers--and also other online writers--all the time. I have spoken to some fellow bloggers who outright refuse to review screeners on their blog because of it. A bizarre dynamic has been set up, which is unique in some ways, and sadly reminiscent of the past in others.

As a blogger, I consider myself a journalist--amateur, alas, but a journalist nonetheless. And maybe it's because I've also worked on the professional end as well that I have such a strong conviction on this matter. But there's something going on here that just doesn't sit right with me.

In the past two-plus years, I've had some DVD screeners sent to me that, quite frankly, would function better as coasters than as movies. And yet, time and again, I will find reviewers online almost unanimously raving about them. And I think there are a few reasons for this. There's issues on both sides here.

On the one hand, I think there are some bloggers and writers who are a bit unaware of how the setup is supposed to work. Some believe that they are somehow expected to write positive reviews, or want to do so in order to stay in the good graces of those who send them, and insure that they continue to receive them. Some have never been in a professional writing environment, and honestly don't, I believe, fully grasp the way it's should ethically work.

We are not beholden to these studios, filmmakers and marketers. When they send in a movie to be reviewed, they take a chance that it may get a good review and may get a bad review. That's the way the game works. There should be no expectation on their part of a good review--and this whole "you scratch my back, I scratch yours" scenario is part of the reason bloggers unfortunately get stigmatized by the mainstream media.

If you don't like a movie, say so. And don't go the route of only reviewing movies you like, either. Long-time followers of Ain't It Cool News know that that doesn't turn out very well. Your first responsibility is to your readers, and they will not respect or trust you if you only review movies you like, or give good reviews to movies they will obviously discover are not very good at all. As I said, bloggers are journalists, and if you're going to make the decision to review movies, you have to man up and review the bad with the good. In the end, your readers will respect and appreciate you for it. And yet, the only way to describe some of what's going on is to dredge up that old word, payola.

A studio or distributor has no right to complain or be upset about a negative review, as long as it is fair, rational and balanced, and not outright libelous or defaming. That's the way it's been done for generations, and there's nor reason that online media should be any different.

But unfortunately, that does happen, and that's the other side of this messy conundrum. It's my belief that some distributors--more so than the individual indie filmmakers--believe they can push around bloggers. They believe they can bully what they perceive as younger, perhaps inexperienced writers into giving them free publicity. I know, because it's happened to me.

I was once invited to a screening of a major horror release in New York City by the distribution studio for the film. I attended, and wrote up a draft review, only to find myself contacted by a marketing person inquiring as to what my review was going to be like. As a professional writer with a dozen years in magazines, I can tell you that this was a MAJOR no-no, and immediately raised a red flag.

When I informed said marketer that my review was going to be mixed, I was sent a strongly worded email letting me know that I may not be able to run the review, and that the marketer would have to inform the distributors and get back to me on the matter. Plain and simple, they were trying to bully me, and it wasn't going to fly.

I immediately fired off an indignant response, asking if it was their intention was to only allow me to run positive reviews as a condition of my being invited to screen their films--and informing them that I was aware of how unethical that was. The person immediately backed down, and explained that all they really meant was that maybe I should wait until the week of the movie's release to run my mixed review--a compromise to which I agreed, although in hindsight, I wish I hadn't. I was then informed point blank that the main reason online writers are invited to the screenings is so the studio can collect positive review blurbs to use on the movie posters and DVDs.

There you have it--the backwards, dysfunctional symbiosis that has arisen in the era of movie blogging. If I had to assign the most blame, it would be on the big-time distributors. After all, the smaller filmmakers who send their stuff out personally are only trying to market themselves when no other options are available to them, even if sending their films directly to critics without a press relations go-between is admittedly a small-time, unprofessional way to go about things. As far as the writers themselves, some seem to think this is what they're supposed to be doing; others feel legitimately intimidated, which is very unfortunate.

The last thing I'm trying to do is alienate indie filmmakers or studio distributors, but if the result is that I receive less screeners after this post, then so be it. I support what they do, particularly filmmakers, but the bottom line is that if I am sent a screener, I'm going to give it an honest review. If I love it, I will say so. If I think it's bad, I'm not going to pretend I like it, and I'm not going to just be silent--I'm going to say I don't like it. Bloggers and other online writers are part of the media--they should be treated as such, and they should also think of themselves that way.

This is not meant as an affront to the makers of SERIAL: Amoral Uprising, and I appreciate that they thought of me when sending out screeners. But this was a "straw that broke the camel's back" kind of thing. I'm tired of bloggers feeling pressured to write reviews a certain way (whether that pressure is intended or not, it's inherent in the system), and I'm tired of those who speak their mind in the negative being afraid of vilification from studio big-shots, and yes, even filmmakers on occasion.

Bottom line, I'm tired of seeing rave reviews for movies that, categories aside, we all know are not very good--independent, mainstream or otherwise. Oscar Wilde once said of books that there are really only two kinds--good and bad. The same can be said of movies.

Heeding The Call of Cthulhu...

Earlier this week, little Zombelina and myself had the opportunity to take part in something really fun and special, thanks to the incredible Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut. We got to witness, on the big screen, the unusual and stunning silent film The Call of Cthulhu, based on the seminal short story by H.P. Lovecraft.

It was all part of the impressive lineup at the Avon which I blogged about a few weeks ago. And as for The Call of Cthulhu, this was a film that had originally been brought to my attention by friend and Lovecraft fanatic RayRay. Although made in 2005, it is a silent, black and white feature, painstakingly made to resemble the films of the 1920s--the idea being, what if someone had adapted Lovecraft's story when it was first published?

The result is an enthralling 45 minute movie, with some astonishing 1920s-era special effects, and makeup and lighting that would make F.W. Murnau proud. To top it all off, the film was introduced by noted film critic and writer Maitland McDonagh (one of the Cyber-Horror Elite, incidentally), who also took questions afterward. She was terrific, and I look forward to more of her Critic's Choice selections at the Avon.

I encourage you to seek out The Call of Cthulhu on DVD, it's worth it for any Lovecraft enthusiast. As for me, I'm gearing up for next Wednesday at the Avon, when I'll be watching Friday the 13th with Betsy Palmer!

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I don't usually take the time out to mention my other blogs, but I'd like to direct your attention to an interview I was honored to give to the amazing singer/songwriter/musician Emma Wallace over at her blog, Emma's Music. The interview is in connection to my music blog Standard of the Day, and is all about the great American songbook. It's a subject I'm passionate about (yes, I do like more than just horror stuff), and that I rarely get an opportunity to talk about. I'm quite proud of how it turned out, so please check it out!

Death and the City, Part 2: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

So there I was, fresh out of the 92Y Tribeca screening of the delightful and charming Zombie Girl: The Movie, enjoying a few beers with the equally delightful and charming Tenebrous Kate and Baron XIII. And yet I could not completely relish the moment, because hanging over my head was the knowledge that I was minutes away from experiencing--by myself--the one horror film everyone had been telling me not to see by myself.

Granted, I wouldn't technically be by myself, since I would be joined by a packed, sold-out house. It was this exact sold-outedness that had prevented Kate and her beau from joining me. Being the paranoid lunatic that I am, I had managed to purchase my tickets to Paranormal Activity mere moments before it sold out--they, unfortunately, had not.

And so I had a solo ticket to the hottest show in town. The newest indy horror sensation, playing at just one theater in the city of New York, at midnight. Steeling myself for what was to come, I made my way up to Times Square, and took my seat a scant four rows back from the gigantic screen. And while I quickly determined that I was in the midst of a "Girrrrrlll---don't go in that room!!" type of audience, that didn't bother me in the end. Because the impact of Paranormal Activity ran over these unsuspecting souls with all the force of a runaway Peterbilt. It was a hell of a ride, and we were all along for it.

Simply put, Paranormal Activity is what The Blair Witch Project should have been. I make no bones about being sorely disappointed in that film when I first saw it a decade ago. I literally felt as if I had been mugged of my ticket money as I left the theater that night, realizing how a brilliant internet marketing campaign (one of the first of its kind) had gotten me to see this decidedly mediocre and forgettable experiment.

But not this time. This time, as I sat there staring blankly at the pitch black screen that took the place of closing credits, I can honestly say I was in a state of momentary shock at what I had witnessed.

What Paranormal Activity gets right is it creates a growing, gnawing sense of tension and dread that burrows deeper and deeper inside you as the moviegoing experience continues. As opposed to the rather dull and disjointed montage of "amateur" footage that made up Blair Witch, and gave very little payoff until the very end, Paranormal Activity rations out the fear, like a steady drip from a horror I.V. It's also peppered with a liberal dose of natural humor, which breaks things up here and there, just enough to heighten the tension even more when it does return.

Unlike the expendable cardboard characters of Blair Witch, Katie and Micah are people we become invested in. We may not always like them--particularly the bone-headed Micah, who is also the main source of the humor--but we are interested in what will happen to them. And little by little, we are drawn into their situation.

Along the way, there are little payoffs here and there, just enough to keep us wanting more. An unsettling sound; something glimpsed out of the corner of our eyes; and other things I will not give away so as not to soften the grip this film will place on you when you see it.

I will say that the film's only main flaw comes due to the inherent weakness of these documentary-style "reality" horror flicks. Specifically, the sheer mundanity of life itself, with its daily repetitions, does threaten occasionally to undermine the terror that is underlying the proceedings. In the end, there's something to be said for the artificial, heightened reality of traditional film-making--we must admit it's far more fascinating than real life as it actually is.

That said, Paranormal Activity does an infinitely better job of balancing out this low-key monotony with just enough of the unusual and unexpected to keep us interested--whereas Blair Witch became so concerned with seeming realistic that it only succeeded in manufacturing the tedium of everyday reality, and what scares there were felt faked (until the very end, which I will reiterate, I've always found to be very strong).

Clearly, Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli has learned from the lessons of Blair Witch, as he manages to make it all so very convincing, both the reality of the characters, and of the unnatural horror they face. For this reason, I cannot stress enough that if you chance to see this film and find yourself losing a bit of patience in the beginning--trust me, stick with it. The pacing of this film is of the utmost importance, and things get hairier and hairier as we move along.

Case in point: The bedtime footage that dominates much of the movie. See, Micah installs a video camera in their bedroom to record what goes on while they sleep, in an attempt to catch the titular activity on tape. And while these scenes were among the sources of the slightly annoying repetition for me, they also are of crucial importance, as things slowly get worse and worse during these specific times. In the beginning I found myself regarding the beginning of each of these scenes with frustration, since nothing much was happening--but later, I would greet each one with a sense of dread, since I didn't know what might be happening next. And in the end, I think that evolving reaction was perfectly appropriate.

As for the ending, it was reminiscent of Blair Witch in the way it strove to leave the viewer with a truly bizarre, terrifying and unexplainable finish to the events of the movie. And it does so--but to much greater effect, since it involves characters with whom we feel much better acquainted. Also, the over-the-top ostentatiousness of it is that much more powerful in contrast to the subtlety of most of the preceding 100 minutes. Yet it doesn't go too far and show too much--rather, it's just enough. Just enough to leave you sitting perfectly still and having to remind yourself to breath once it's finally over.

A couple of unfortunate and rather vocal idiots in my audience expressed their disapproval once it was over, I will admit. These are the same types who did so with the ending of Blair Witch--resumably they were expecting something more along the lines of Friday the 13th or Saw, with all the subtlety and finesse of a Coney Island hot dog eating contest. But they were quickly drowned out by the recovered masses who saw fit to applaud the film--in part, one would assume, out of a need to counteract the mumblings of the detractors.

If you're looking for a film to genuinely frighten you, this is certainly it. Paranormal Activity lives up to the hype in that regard. It's a rather low-key, patient, yet masterfully executed fright film, that in the end delivers exactly what it's supposed to. See it if you can, and yes, I will now agree that it is most definitely better not to see it alone.

Driving home from Manhattan to Connecticut on a Friday night is never fun--but doing it by myself after seeing this thing was decidedly less so. I've always felt that those who are naturally predisposed to liking horror are the same people it seems to profoundly effect and disturb the most; whereas the ones who don't like or "get" it tend to be those for whom it has no power to frighten. If you are one of the "predisposed", then you can rest assured that this is going to be a film that stays with you.

Start Spreadin' the News: 92Y Tribeca Brings the Horror in October

It's good to be a New Yorker--or in my case, a slightly transplanted one, at least. Hate me all you want--yes, I'm the stereotypical arrogant, Yankee-lovin', cawfee-drinkin' Brooklyn boy at heart. And now, 92Y Tribeca has given me one more reason to be glad I live so close to the center of the universe--their amazing October lineup of events.

Just in time for Halloween, 92Y Tribeca has brought together a most impressive series of reasons for me to drag my sorry self from the suburban wiles of Fairfield County, Connecticut back to the town of my origin. Check out a sampling:

10/2: Zombie Girl: The Movie The much talked-about documentary about that amazing 12-year-old girl who managed to make her own zombie feature film.

10/7: The Old Dark House Classic Universal horror, starring Boris Karloff, directed by James Whale. Hosted by comedian and Daily Show writer Elliott Kalan.

10/10, 10/16: Audition Takashi Miike's notorious Japanese torture flick gets two screenings.

10/23: Kevin Geeks About... Vincent Price! An entire evening devoted to the crown prince of horror, with tributes from comics creator Tom Peyer, cinema critic Heather Hendershot, Price's Mercury Players' colleague Arthur Anderson, comedy writer Eric Drysdale and playwright Robert Satuloff.

10/23, 10/29: Ichi the Killer Another sadistic Miike favorite gets the double-screening treatment.

10/24: Cropsey The unusual documentary about one of the most bizarre urban legends of all time, and it's byzantine connection to a real-life child-killer. (Check out my interview with the directors.)

10/24: Little Shop of Horrors Sing-Along Rocky Horror ain't the only horror comedy musical worth singing along to. After Cropsey, you can stick around for this one-of-a-kind event, in which a beer is included with the price of admission. Beat that.

10/30: The Wicker Man With director Robin Hardy on-hand for a Q&A. Plus, a bunch of bands performing live interpretations of the film's original score, folk songs and pagan rituals.

10/31: The Phantom of the Opera For the big day itself, they're bringing out Lon Chaney's 1925 masterpiece, with the avante-garde Alloy Orchestra there to provide live musical accompaniment.

Between this and the lineup for Stamford, Connecticut's Avon Theatre I posted about some weeks ago, I'm going to be quite busy next month. For more info on what 92Y Tribeca has in store, check out their website.

Amazing GRACE

Where to begin?

Yesterday was one of those days of pure bliss for me as a fan of genre entertainment. In the day, I experienced the absolutely spellbinding instant science fiction classic District 9. At night, I was all set to head to New York City for a special screening of the controversial Grace. After District 9, I was kind of thinking Grace would inevitably wind up being a letdown. I was wrong.

I had been made aware of the New York engagement of Grace--one of only two in the country--by Johnny Boots of Freddy in Space. Unfortunately, Johnny and his betrothed were unable to attend the screening as we had originally planned. But boy, am I glad I went anyway. And special kudos go out to Mrs. B-Sol, who was a good enough sport to tag along with me. Reminded me of the college days when she would follow me to the city in search of Godzilla Trendmaster figures without so much as a peep.

We arrived at the Village East Cinema in the heart of the East Village, the neighborhood formerly known as the Lower East Side, where a century ago, my great-grandparents settled down to make a new life for themselves. But that's not what tonight was all about. Tonight was about a journey into mind-wrenching horror--and we certainly got what we came for.

Going in, I had imagined Grace would be this year's Inside, and I wasn't far off the mark. After it was over, I found myself trying to figure out which movie was sicker, and came to the conclusion that it was pretty much a dead heat. As a pure horror film, I think Inside works just a bit better. But as a film, period, I would say that Grace is a better all-around picture.

Both films deal with issues of motherhood, particularly with the perversion of motherhood, as well as the inextricable connections between birth and death, as well as between sex and death. There are a lot of layers at work, and it will take multiple viewings of Grace to truly absorb them all, which is admittedly not something I'm particularly relishing. Not because the film wasn't incredible, which it was. But rather, because--much like I said about Inside--it's a movie that challenges the definition of "entertainment". Quite simply, it is a harrowing work. A difficult yet exhilarating view that we as horror fans need every once in a while. This is no "fun" horror movie, a la Drag Me to Hell. This baby is grueling.

What I found particularly interesting was the manner in which motherhood and the female identity are explored in relation to one another. The movie is populated by female characters who, in one way or another, wind up defining themselves by the nature of their maternal actions and instincts. This is the debut film of writer/directer Paul Solet, and good Lord is this going to be a tough act to follow. Solet received college degrees in both film and psychology, and both of those areas of expertise are on full display here.

The gorgeous Jordan Ladd, a veteran of horrors like Cabin Fever and Hostel II, as well as Shanna from Death Proof, is stunning in the lead role of Madeline Matheson, an uber-green vegan mom who must reach within herself and confront that which revolts her the most when she discovers that her newborn baby, believed to have been dead in the womb, is born not only alive, but with an insatiable need for human blood.

But hands down, the film's most disturbing performance comes from Canadian actress Gabrielle Rose as Madeline's mother-in-law from hell, Vivian Matheson. Her character is utterly depraved, a single-mindedly obsessed control freak who will stop at nothing to seperate Madeline from her baby. A clinging, obsessive mother who yearns for the sense of meaning that motherhood once provided, Vivian is chilling in every scene she inhabits. There is one scene, in particular, in which Vivian coaxes her unwitting husband into sucking her nipple just so she can be reminded of what it felt like to breastfeed, that is more upsetting than any moment of gore or violence in the entire movie.

But speaking of gore and violence, there is no shortage of it here. Now I'm going to confess something. I have a bit of a problem with blood. Yes, you read that right. B-Sol of The Vault of Horror gets queasy at the sight of blood. Ripping flesh I can handle, buckets of guts are no problem. But once that crimson starts to flow, I get weak in the knees and lose the ability to make a fist. And my delicate sensibilities were put to the test here, for sure. This film is dripping with blood--and not the bright red, comic book, Hammer kind, either; but rather some of the most realistic-looking blood and blood-letting I've ever seen on screen.

Desperate to provide her baby with the plasma she needs to live, Madeline first gives her own--but when she can no longer do so without killing herself, she finds herself doing the unthinkable. And yet, the moral question isn't an easy one--after all, what would you do if your baby required as steady diet of blood, or it would die? As we viewed the film's most gore-iffic scene, in which Madeline literally taps a body for blood like an animal in an abattoir, I turned to my wife and asked non-chalantly, half-jokingly, if she would be able to do something like that for our kids. And without missing a beat, she responded in the unflinching affirmative. Mothers and their babies, people--don't mess with it.

Interestingly, this is a film in which the male characters are more or less forgettable accessories. Vivian's husband is an ineffectual doormat, reduced to a submissive stub by decades of marriage to a sociopathically controlling wife. Madeline's own husband, Grace's father, is killed in the car accident that her unborn baby was initially presumed to have been killed in as well. Not only does Madeline show zero sorrow or sense of loss for the remainder of the picture, but the only character we see mourning in any way is his insane mother Vivian, who expresses her grief in the most unhealthy ways possible.

We are almost led to believe that Madeline's husband was only there to create the baby she so wanted in her life. In fact, it seems that Madeline may not even be heterosexual at all, as we later learn that her midwife is actually a former love interest, for whom she shows far greater affection than we ever see directed toward her husband. There are complex issues of womanhood, motherhood, and femininity in general at work here, and I fear I cannot fully do them justice after just a single viewing.

We've all heard the stories of audiences being left in absolute shock by this film, and while I often view such reports as having more than a little PR spin to them, I can see how there could also be some truth to them in this case. Clearly, although many in our screening were horror fans, there were also those who also were not fully aware of what they were in for--as could be attested to by the occasional gasps of disbelief. This movie was made last year, but it took forever until any distributor would go near it. Thankfully, Anchor Bay finally stepped in, and kudos to them for having the nerve and the faith to do so.

After an hour and a half of difficult film viewing, capped off by a deeply twisted final moment that will stay with you long after you've left the theater, I sat there in utter silence, as did everyone else. In fact, I can honestly say this is the only time I can recall an entire theater of people sitting silently in their seats through an entire closing credits sequence. And then, just as the final credits rolled, a dedication fills the entire screen: "For Mom." The entire audience bursts into nervous laughter. Bless you Paul Solet, you sick bastard.

I will say that this movie has pushed my opinion of digital film into skeptically negative territory. It was projected digitally in the theater, which I assume also means it was shot digitally, and I have to admit that I much prefer good old-fashioned film stock. There's a richness missing from the image here, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a gigantic flatscreen TV instead of a movie screen. Maybe this was the fault of cinematographer Zoran Popovic, but I'm hesitant to place blame there, as I'm not as familiar with the technical aspect of digital filmmaking as I'd like to be.

It's also ironic that horror superstar director Adam Green is one of the producers, as Grace shows more depth, nuance and substance than anything Green has yet to create himself.

For those unafraid of a challenging viewing experience, I highly recommend catching Grace. If you're not lucky enough to live near the New York or Los Angeles areas, you will have to wait for DVD--but I assure you, it will be worth the wait. This is the kind of film that will affect some more than others--for example, having children of your own will probably make it more intense, and I can definitely imagine that having gone through the process of childbirth would make it that much more so. For example, watching Madeline cradle the just-born baby she believes to be dead is one of those film moments that will always stay with me. As I type this, I find myself becoming emotional again, in fact.

This is the kind of a film that begs for post-viewing discussion, which Mrs. B-Sol and myself were compelled to engage in as we walked the streets of Manhattan back to our car. On the way, we stopped into Veniero's historic bakery on East 11th and 2nd Avenue, where 80 years ago, my adolescent great-uncle once worked as a delivery boy, losing his life after suffering a fatal concussion on a subway platform while carrying a box of Italian pastries to their destination. Walking away with a pound of delicious pignoli cookies and lemon drops, I couldn't help but be reminded again of that bizarre, unavoidable connection between life and death.

But forgive my rambling. And go see Grace if you can.

Connecticut-Area Horror Hounds Prepare for Autumn Awesomeness!!

I don't usually like to do posts with only regional appeal, but this is just too cool not to plug. If you happen to be anywhere near the vicinity of Connecticut, in particular the city of Stamford in Fairfield County, then ye olde Avon Theatre has a few treats up its sleeve for you come this October. The Avon has been pleasing cinephiles with showings of great old flicks for years now, but this time they've outdone themselves in the horror department.

I just came back from checking out their newly announced fall lineup, which includes:

NEAR DARK - Thurs. Oct. 1, 9 p.m.
The Bill Paxton/Lance Henriksen cult vampire fave that was actually thought at one time to have no surviving film prints, despite being a mere 20 years old.

THE CALL OF CTHULHU - Wed. Oct. 7, 7 p.m.
Yes, I'm talking about the rare, silent film that is still the only screen adaptation of Lovecraft's most famous story. Plus, it will be hosted by the one and only horror critic extraordinaire, Maitland McDonagh. RayRay, you really need to come up to CT for this one, my man...

FRIDAY THE 13th - Thurs. Oct. 15, 8 p.m.
Needless to say, we're talking about the original here. And on-hand that night for a special Q&A? Everybody's favorite cable-knit sweater wearing momma, Ms. Betsy Palmer herself!

ZOMBIE & DEMONS - Thurs. Oct. 29, 9 p.m.
For Halloween--a double feature of Italian horror goodness. First Fulci, then Bava. Cose di pazze!

And it ain't all about horror, because the Avon also has scheduled showings of Full Metal Jacket (12/3), True Romance (11/12), Life of Brian (12/17), and Witness for the Prosecution (10/22, hosted by Gene frickin' Wilder!). Check out their website for more info. You better believe I'm going to be heading out to check out as many of these as Mrs. B-Sol--I mean, my schedule--will allow. Anybody else in the CT area (I'm lookin' at you, J-Rock and Maweanne), come down and join me, won't you?

Deadgirl to Go the REPO Route!

Everyone knows I've been pumping up Deadgirl--the film that's going to hit you all like a giant wrecking ball of profane awesomeness next month--of late here at the VoH. If you don't know, then check out my recent interview with the directors, as well as my full review.

Back? Ok, good. Because Dark Sky Films, the distributors of this little gem, has officially announced today that the movie will be released as a "Midnight Road Show Event"--very similar to what was done with another recent cult hit that was deemed to edgy for the masses, REPO: The Genetic Opera.

“The buzz on the film has been at a steady increase since its debut at the Toronto film festival, and we hope to build upon that momentum with nationwide midnight events," says Dark Sky's Marketing Manager Nicole Mikuzis (big-ups to my fellow marketing peeps trying to make a dollar outta 15 cents in this P.R. game, yo). "There is nothing like being part of a festival or midnight audience and sharing an experience as shocking, thought-provoking and polarizing as the one DEADGIRL provides. We would like to bring that type of festival ‘event’ experience to moviegoers around the country. No matter where it plays, it will be bound to cause some very animated audience reactions, much like those that we have seen at every screening thus far.”

It'll be a simultaneous, one-weekend event being held starting July 24 in nine major markets as of now, with more to be added soon. Here's a list of the announced screenings:

Landmark Sunshine Cinema- NY
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight

Nuart Theater- LA
Screening July 24th @ midnight

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema- AUSTIN
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight

Landmark Tivoli- ST. LOUIS
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight

Music Box Theater- CHICAGO
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight (get on it, BJ-C)

Grand Illusion- SEATTLE
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight

Inwood Theater- DALLAS
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight

River Oaks Theater- HOUSTON
Screening July 24th & 25th @ midnight

Fantasia Film Festival- MONTREAL
Screening July 24th @ midnight

If you're waiting for the next horror movie that's going to bite you on the ass and remind you what the genre can accomplish, get thee to a screening forthwith. If you don't believe me, then maybe you'll believe that ultimate font of all things geek, the venerable Ain't It Cool News, which termed the film, "pretty much fucking brilliant." Gotta love the AICN boys, always keepin' it classy.

Night of the Creeps, Part 2?

Just a quick, yet interesting tidbit to report tonight. Austin's awesome Alamo Drafthouse hosted a screening of the 1986 cult classic Night of the Creeps on Saturday, and Ain't It Cool News is reporting something very intriguing in an offhand remark. Apparently, during the post-movie Q&A with fan fave writer/director Fred Dekker, an intrepid audience member boldly asked if a sequel would ever be possible. And the answer was better than he probably expected to hear.

According to AICN, Dekker polled the enthusiastic crowd as to whether they would like to see a sequel, with the original cast returning. Naturally, a round of raucous applause ensued. He then dropped the little chestnut that he has in fact been working on some concepts for a possible sequel.

This would certainly be great news for lovers of one of the '80s most beloved horror comedies. Let's all keep our fingers crossed on this one. It may be a longshot, but you never know. Let's hope Dekker will eventually get the opportunity to "Thrill Me!"

EXCLUSIVE REPORT: Grace Screening at USC!!

This morning I have a rare treat for all you Vault Dwellers. I'm bringing you an exclusive report from Friday night's screening of the controversial new film Grace at USC's Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre in Los Angeles. Long-time friend-of-the-Vault Wes "Fierce" Cavins of HorrorFilmMag.com was on-hand, and was kind enough to provide the following, which I present to you without further ado. Thanks, Wes!!


First let me apologize for the quality of the photos and get that out of the way, hopefully I'll get that 5D MkII soon, lol *cries*. Anyway, getting to the screening was another story altogether, but luckily I made it in time to get a good place in line. About 10 minutes later, the line was snaking all around the front of the theater. Even though it was RSVP only, the guest list was massive and they booked it over capacity to ensure that the no-shows wouldn't prevent those next on the list from getting in.


As soon as the theater was completely packed, the moderator came out to present the writer / director Paul Solet, who introduced the film, and to present the latest trailer for Parasomnia.


The lights went down and the theater was much darker than the average movieplex, which I loved. I had seen a trailer for Parasomnia before, but it was cut together poorly with erratic segments of "spooky" imagery, that weren't effective in any manner. This trailer, however, was very well made and actually got a positive response from the crowd.

Before I jump into my quasi-review of Grace, I just want to point out that this was an official selection at Sundance where two(!!) people fainted and were rushed to the hospital by ambulances. That's a pretty good setup for a horror movie, by any measure.


The film opens on what would usually play out as a few seemingly normal scenes of character development, but the dark undertones are just below the surface, festering. There are elements of the story and aspects of the production that are designed to intentionally chip away at any layers of defense you might be putting up against the imagery that your mind interprets as you watch. But, everything is executed with the right amount of subtlety and restraint to keep the viewer from dismissing the purpose of the design.

For instance, you know there will be some blood somewhere at some point, right? Of course, it's a horror movie. But how many horror movies have you sat through where blood is on the screen and you are completely unfazed because you've seen it presented the same way so many times? Or how many times has a character been stabbed with an icepick and an entire bucket of blood splatters on the wall causing you to roll your eyes or bust out laughing?


Well, this is what Grace works entirely against. Before anything even remotely violent is even hinted at, the film is already becoming unnerving and unsettling. A scene at the very beginning where the family is simply eating dinner is incredibly repulsive and the audience was already making all kinds of noises from being grossed out, lol. This is just example of how much more effective the scenes are when the film grows darker and darker.

Speaking of dark, I should point out that while this is very much a disturbing horror film, it is also a pitch black comedy, in a sense. I say that because the film is at times so disturbing and offensive that the audience was laughing in relief from all of the tension. And it was definitely with the film and not at it, which is a very good thing because this film is in no way a comedy.

Generally, when a movie is bad, I have no problem spoiling every last detail because I would advise against its viewing at all cost. As a testament to how good the film is, I don't want to give away anything because I want you to experience the film as much as I want you to watch it. If you have already seen the trailer, don't watch it again before seeing the movie. If you haven't seen the trailer yet, skip it and watch the movie first because there are spoilers in the trailer that the suits pushed in to make it more marketable.


I also want to point out that while I can see where similarities are being pointed out between this and other "baby horror" sub-genre films, this is definitely not Rosemary's Baby mixed with a zombie movie. While the comparison to Rosemary's Baby is definitely a compliment in any facet, Grace is very different in its own right and trying to describe it as a zombie movie is simply misinformation. Plus, it is not a "killer baby" movie. In fact, I would prefer everyone go into watching this film knowing that the baby is not intended to be a scary zombie or anything even close. What you will be watching is a very effective work of cinematic art that will drill it's way into your soul and leave you thankful for having experienced something that was actually worth your time, for once, and dare I say it... moving.

Left to right: Paul Solet (Director), Jordan Ladd (Madeline), Adam Green (Producer), Martina Buckley (Production Designer), Zoran Popovic (Director of Photography), Austin Wintory (Sound Design / Composer), Alex Ago (Moderator / Special Events Coordinator; School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California.)

So, the lights come up and the team take the stage for introductions / Q & A, which I have to say was as much worth my time as the film was. It was actually the director's birthday, so they presented him with a dead baby doll in a carriage, lol. The questions from the audience weren't too incredibly interesting but it served as a good platform for sparking interesting subject matter from answers. Like, someone asked if the cat had a name, and the answer was yes it's name is Jonesy, which Paul said the cat was named after the cat from Alien.

Based off the questions, they also talked about the budget restraints, how their schedule was continually reduced from 24 shooting days down to 17, which resulted in the majority of the shots restricted to only 1-3 takes and no time for rehearsals or blocking, etc. Paul told the story of how the feature came to be after Adam saw the short film, which was actually a promo to get the feature made. Jordan talked about how she had to adapt to play the character having not been a mother yet and how Paul isn't either but there is still a level of connection in the material on a personal level. Adam talked about how he ended up shooting for the 2nd unit even though he said he wouldnt, lol. Martina told an inspiring story about how being the leader that Paul is, is how the film came together with such great talent behind it and how the film was completed successfully despite the sea of obstacles that they had to continuously overcome, as well as the reasoning behind the decisions that were made with the production design.

Zoran talked about how continuous they wanted to keep the shots, which left very little room for coverage, but that was intentional because the production was so thoroughly and precisely mapped out that they didn't need it. Which was also a blessing in a sense, because they didn't have time to shoot much coverage under the circumstances. Austin talked at great length about how music was composed to be played on set for the performances, but then intentionally shelved so that music could be composed properly in relation to the print, as well as how the sound was designed at specific frequencies relative to that of a crying baby so that it could be utilized as effectively as possible at the right times. It was all very interesting.

There was a crew filming the event and Paul mentioned that Anchor Bay is distributing and how awesome they are with handling their releases, so I'm pretty sure that the footage will be included on the DVD. They were also filming audience testimonials, which I apologize profusely for refusing, and I truly feel guilty for denying. That was my fault. :P

The best part of the night for me, though, was after the Q & A was over, the audience / talent wall disintegrated and the floor opened up for everyone to converse. Everyone crowded around Paul for poster signings and to meet him, Jordan kind of ran around like the mad hatter, lol, and everyone else just kind of hung out. I just walked up and stood by Adam as he talked to everyone gathered around him. He talked about various things from the light saber commercial to the status and production of Frozen, also mentioning the Dee Snider story. After everyone said what they wanted to say and took off, Adam and I just talked about random things like how pissed off we were about Trick 'r Treat not getting a theatrical release to how oversaturated the DTV market has become, while we waited for everyone else to wrap things up. Adam is a champ and he definitely won me over just by being a really cool guy, not that he even needed to, its just a testament to the fact.

Then Adam's ride dragged him away as they were locking the building up and that was it. I had a great time and I'm definitely looking forward to the next screening or whatever, whenever that may be. I'm planning on being at the premiere of Stacie Ponder's "Ludlow" in about 10 days, so keep an eye out for coverage on that.

- Wesley Cavins

If you decide to ignore my advise of skipping the trailer and just watching the film first, here is the red band trailer - http://www.fearnet.com/videos/b15677_grace_red_band_trailer.html