Razorback - Retro Review

Well it was Sunday morning yet again, In bed with a cuppa. I awoke quite early and thought sod it i'll stick a film on so I  ventured in to the DVD library(or spare room as you may well call it!)
Whilst looking through various organised sections of my shelf such as "The zombie section" or "The classic British section" I spotted a section that I hadn't delved in to for quite a while, this was the "Ozplotation" section. Now, This got me thinking about how I originally created my ozploitation section and it was thanks to the great Horror Etc. Podcast. Sadly it was announced last week that the podcast had wound up. It has been going for many years with Tony,Ted and sometimes Doug. They did several episodes on the subject and introduced me and many others to new titles and classic old titles such as Razorback. So I thought in praise of them I'll stick it on.

Made in 1984 by director Russell Mulachy  most famously known for Highlander 1 and 2 as well as Resident Evil : Extinction and ton's of music video's for likes of Culture Club, Duran Duran, Elton John and Queen. It tells the tale of an old man who his searching for a giant Razorback who one night smashed through his outback home and took his child never to be seen again. No one believes him that a Razorback could grow that large and he is determined to prove them all wrong.
Years later a reporter from New York who is an animal activist sees a report on TV regarding the Kangaroo cull in the outback of Australia and decides to head there and see why they feel the need to do it. Her trip takes her to the town unknown to her of the legendary giant Razorback.

It's a brilliantly shot film with some great and real creepy images of the desolate outback. The town folks are as you would expect of the inbred types akin to characters in Mad Max.
I hadn't seen it since I saw it on VHS but my expectations were not let down at all. It's really funny in places with some typical 80's themes and some way over the top acting.
To be honest there is not really a lot of the actual Razorback in the film but that doesn't take anything away from it at all. There is a really trippy segment where on of our main characters gets lost in the desert and starts hallucinating seeing all manner of crazy shit!
So on summing up if you haven't seen it you really should. 91 minutes of ozploitation lunacy. And you never know it may well lead you to start your very own Ozploitation section!
8/10
Jonny T.

AMONG THE LIVING - on DVD 7th March

Hey folks,

Some news that Among the living is finally get a UK DVD release on 7th March. Directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury who brought us INSIDE and LIVID, With these two you know you are going to get something  a little special and definitely gory!

All release details below, Watch this space for a review coming very soon,

Jonny T. 

METRODOME ANNOUNCES 7th MARCH HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE DATE FOR

AMONG THE LIVING

DIRECTED BY ALEXANDRE BUSTILLO & JULIEN MAURY (INSIDE, LIVID & upcoming TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE prequel LEATHERFACE)

STARRING ANNE MARIVIN, THEO FERNANDEZ, FRANCIS RENAUD, ZACHARIE CHASSERIAUD and DAMIEN FERDEL  

★★★★

‘Wonderfully disturbing’

THE HORROR SHOW.TV

‘Truly horrifying…blends Hooper's Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Craven's The Hills Have Eyes imagery, with the likes of E.T’

TWITCH FILM

From two of horror’s most exciting directors comes Among the Living - a gut-wrenching horror like nothing you’ve seen before.

Three kids skip school in order to explore an abandoned amusement park when they stumble upon the horrific acts of a twisted murderer disguised in a clown mask. Terrified by what they saw and the thought that the man will come after them, the boys alert the police. But their pleas for help fall on deaf ears and soon it is not only their own lives that are in danger, but those of their families as well.

Release date 7TH March

Certificate TBC & Running time 90 Minutes

DVD RRP / £14.99

GOODNIGHT MOMMY - Official Quad & UK Trailer

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

The highly anticipated horror comes to UK cinemas 4th March 2016

Hello folks,

It's been a while but I am back, Been travelling but the Blog is back on. Got loads to catch up on with you all so I shall start with the great news that Goodnight Mommy is getting a UK cinema release and a well deserved one. Not seen it myself yet but heard amazing things about it. so as always details below and review coming very soon!

Jonny T.

Key talent

Susanne Wuest 

Lukas Schwarz

Elias Schwarz

Directors

Veronika Franz

Severin Fiala

Synopsis

In the heat of the summer, a lonesome house in the countryside between woods and corn fields, lives nine-year-old twin brothers who are waiting for their mother. When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before. The children start to doubt that this woman is actually their mother. It emerges an existential struggle for identity and fundamental trust.

LOST AFTER DARK on DVD and VOD 29th February

Hello folks,

Jonny T here with news that Lost After Dark is set to be released on DVD and VOD on 29th Febuary! Taking the retro style slasher and introducing a new killer into the line of classic slashers this looks cool!

Set in the 80's it looks super retro cool and a heap of slasher fun, Can't wait to see it myself and watch this space for a review coming very soon,

Jonny T.

Press Release.

METRODOME ANNOUNCES 29th FEBRUARY HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE DATE FOR

LOST AFTER DARK

DIRECTED BY IAN KESSNER

STARRING ROBERT PATRICK (THE X-FILES, SPY KIDS, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY, WALK THE LINE) SARAH FISHER, MARK WEIBE, JESSE CAMACHO, AND DAVID LIPPER

‘Quite simply, the best 80’s slasher film that wasn’t filmed in the 80’s’

BEST HORROR MOVIES

‘A fitting homage to the slasher flicks of the 1980’s, Lost After Dark draws heavily upon the roots of the genre to fulfil its premise.’

HORROR NEWS

A group of stranded teens turn to an abandoned farmhouse for shelter from the elements but soon find a far greater danger lies inside. When one of the friends is brutally murdered, the group begin to fear they are being stalked by a vicious cannibalistic murderer. As the students are picked off one by one, a deadly game of survival begins that only the lucky ones will survive.

Release date 29th February

Certificate 18 & Running time 84 Minutes

DVD RRP / £14.99

MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2016 DATE RELEASED!

Feeling a bit down because it's January? Need something to look forward to? Well look no further than the fact that MAYHEM festival have already secured a date for this years festival! It will be running from 13-16 October. So with plenty of advanced warning and you have no excuse not to book the time off work whilst you're colleagues still try and plan what they are doing, Last  year's festival was amazing. Previewing such movies as He never died, German Angst, The Witch and the insanely brilliant Parasyte:Part 1, Not to mention British greatness such as HOWL, Nina Forever and Arghhhhh! As well as the phenomenal live script reading of The Unquenchable thirst of Dracula. 

I'll keep an eye on what is being shown and let you all know as soon as I do. Press release and links below. See Y'all there!

Jonny T

Also as an addition, If you are making a short, MAYHEM do a brilliant short film showcase on the Saturday so why not drop them an email to see if yours will make it on the big screen from where ever you are in the world!

Mayhem returns to Broadway this autumn

It’s time to save the date! Mayhem Film Festival will return this autumn at Broadway from 13 – 16 October.

With previews, premieres, special guests and midnight screenings, Mayhem Film Festival showcases the best in horror, sci-fi and cult cinema, through feature films, short films and special events.

In previous editions, Mayhem has welcomed many filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg for a special screening of Don’t Look Now at St Mary’s Church, Ben Wheatley for a preview screening of Sightseers, Gareth Edwards for Monsters, and Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Sherlock) for a special masterclass. Mayhem Film Festival has also hosted exclusive events such as screenings with specially-commissioned live scores from 8MM Orchestra, and a one-of-a-kind live reading of unmade Hammer Films screenplay, The Unquenchable Thirst of Dracula.

Now in its 12th year, the festival has grown from a single short film programme to a four-day event and continues to expand its programme to highlight emerging talents and new bold titles from the darker edges of film.

Planning is currently underway for Mayhem Film Festival 2016 with more information and announcements coming soon. Submissions for feature films will open in the spring. Mayhem Film Festival will take place at Broadway, Nottingham on 13 – 16 October 2016. For more information about Mayhem please visit http://www.broadway.org.uk/mayhem

The Illusionist - Reviewed

"A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever."

Hello folks and a happy new year to you all!

So, over the Christmas period I have drank way too much and ate so much chocolate that now I am near the point of no more, OK that last bit is probably a it false in the respect of you can never have too much chocolate!

You may well be thinking why are we reviewing The Illusionist? Well here is my reason. It's a very welcome time off work so a good few catch up lay in's were more than welcome. One morning I awoke quite early and thought let me stick a film on in bed. I went to my DVD shelf of recent purchases and chose The Illusionist, I loved Belleville Rendez-Vous another film by Sylvain Chomet and if you have yet to see that I would highly recommend you do.

It tells the tale of an Illusionist from France that basically made to leave the theatres of Paris with the arrival of new rock'n'roll bands taking over them in replacement of the old school acts.
He arrives in England, It doesn't quite work out there but he meets a drunken Scotsman who takes him to a small island and a local bar and is an instant hit, He then moves on to Edinburgh with a young girl who wants to escape her hum drum lifestyle and there their adventures start.
I'll say no-more as to avoid spoilers but it is a fantastic movie. There is no dialogue within the movie apart from a few grumbles, Happy grunts and incoherent chit chat.

Non of this matters as it pours out charm in bucket loads. The animation is old school with occasional noticeable help form computers but it doesn't distract to it in any way, The detail of the drawing is brilliant, Just basically one of those movies that makes you smile all the way through.
It's been out a few years now but if you have yet to see its a definite high recommend,
8/10
Jonny T.

Official Trailer

   

*** New Trailer - FUTURE SHOCK! THE STORY OF 2000 AD - out Friday ***

Hello Folks,

News that the brilliant documentary Futureshock! The story of 200AD is out this Friday and it has a new trailer! I was lucky enough to catch this at this years MAYHEM festival and it is fantastic, Well worth tracking down, Just watch the trailer below and you'll see that you're in for a real treat!

Jonny T.

Available to pre- order from Amazon.

www.amazon.co.uk/Future-Shock-The-Story-2000AD