Vivarium is a Visually Stunning Nightmare

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You know that sensation that washes over you when you discover a really good movie? Your heart races, you find yourself grinning like an idiot, you feel the need to tell everyone available about your love of said movie and hope it effects them the same way it did you. Such is the case for me with Lorcan Finnegan’s Vivarium, a surreal headscratcher that is as unsettling as it is mesmerizing. David Lynch’s Eraserhead meets Paula Fox’s Desperate Characters in this unsettling, fabulist and occasionally hilarious spiral into madness which follows a couple who are eager to move in together. This hunt for a perfect home leads handyman Tom (Jesse Eisenberg) and school teacher Gemma (Imogen Poots) to Yonder, a suburban neighborhood with streets and streets of identical houses, and a very mysterious real estate agent. The couple quickly decide that Yonder isn’t for them. But when they try to leave, the uncomfortable situation dissolves into a hellish nightmare as the housing development turns into a labyrinth-like maze where every road they take leads them back to where they started. This once lively couple find themselves moldering away as they are forced into a pointless, bizarre routine influenced by the unseen force that is trapping them there. Also See: M.O.M (Mothers of Monsters) is an Instant Cult Classic!  If you are currently in the market for a run-of-the-mill horror flick that’s going to take your mind off of the global pandemic, then you are out of luck. Vivarium touches on forced isolation, your captor being a dick during said isolation, increasing paranoia, and building tension in normally loving relationships. For some, it will be too close to home. It really can be an uncomfortable watch. And I don’t know about you, dear reader, but that’s how I like my movies. Especially those that waste no time getting under your skin. This story, both realistic and surreal, is mildly reminiscent of a dime store novel that Rod Serling  ghost wrote because it was too ‘out there’ for The Twilight Zone. The prose often acts as intricate as a dance; at times it’s allusive, other times too slow to bare, occasionally breaks into a fantasy-esque dreaminess grace and finishes with a terrifyingly neat finale that stick with and satisfy viewers for a while. Especially with the terrifying amount they leave to the imagination regarding exactly what the hell is going on at Yonder (what is keeping Tom and Gemma trapped? How many couples have been put in this situation? What exactly is The Boy? My guess is lizard people). While Eisenberg is a strong force as the silent Tom, Poots is the true ringleader of this s–t show. But my personal favorite of this bunch is Eanna Hardwicke who plays the older version of The Boy. Consistently stony faced and matter-of-fact, you’ll be left unsure whether to be terrified or to laugh at how easily he handles the most unappealing tasks without much thought. This is a man on a mission, and he is determined by the very same unseen force that’s trapping Gemma and Tom, he’s crafty and always successful in his weird little tasks, all without coming off as malicious. Also See: Celebrating 40 years of ‘Fist of Fear, Touch of Death’ So! In the mood for a disturbingly relatable example of a psychological thriller? Then add Vivarium to your quarantine watchlist! Now available on VOD. WICKED RATING: 8/10 Director(s): Lorcan Finnegan Writer(s): Garret Shanley Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Imogen Poots, Jonathan Aris, Senan Jennings and Eanna Hardwicke Release Date: March 27th, 2020 Studio/Production Company: Fantastic Films Run Time: 97 Minutes Language: English Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!

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The Only Good Indians is Phenomenal [Book Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of The Only Good Indians is Phenomenal [Book Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Stephen Graham Jones is prolific. According to his website, he’s “the author of 23 or 25 or so books, +300 stories, some comic books, and all this stuff here.” The Only Good Indians is the 5th of those 20 plus books I’ve read, and it’s by far the best.  The Only Good Indians opens with “Ricky Boss Ribs,” a member of the Blackfeet tribe, hanging out in a bar. He’s working with “a drilling crew over in North Dakota.” His work is so dangerous that “Each time he came back with all his fingers he would flash thumbs-up all around the platform to show how he was lucky.” He has no illusions about how dangerous the bar is for a Native American man. When he slips outside to pee, there’s an elk in the parking lot, destroying vehicles.  When she sees him, she charges. He tries to escape, cutting through cars, but the elk smashes her way after him. The car alarms catch the attention of the angry white men waiting outside the bar. But those men can’t see the elk. They only see Ricky and the damage to their trucks. They’re furious.  The Only Good Indians is a revenge story. Ricky and his three best friends—Lewis, Gabe, and Cass—committed an unspeakable act of violence almost ten years before the start of the story. In two weeks, that tenth anniversary will hit, but will any of them be alive to see it?  Jones’ work calls back to Peter Straub’s horror classic, Ghost Story. Both novels revolve around men fighting a monster from Indigenous folklore that they met long ago. What separates The Only Good Indian is that Graham Jones and his characters are all members of the Blackfeet Tribe. Unlike Straub’s classic, this isn’t cultural tourism.  RELATED: Why Ghost Story is a Muddled Adaptation (That’s Still Scary as Hell) As well as being a terrifying horror story, this novel doubles as a razor sharp commentary on how American Indians are treated both on and off reservations. Ricky and Lewis have both left the Reservation and have to deal with both casual and violent racism. In Lewis’s case, the casual racism comes when the post office he works at hires another American-Indian woman, Shaney. Jones writes, “everybody’s been doing that thing they do with armchairs or end tables when they match: trying to push him and her together over in the corner, leave them there to be the perfect set.” Ricky’s time at that bar speaks for itself.  Gabe and Cass never left the Reservation and Jones shows their unique set of problems. They’re both living as part of a culture that’s been decimated by genocide, making it harder to pass down the traditions they still try to observe.  At one point, Gabe’s daughter Denorah thinks, “She knows the joke about how Indians are crabs in a bucket, always pulling down the one that’s about to crawl out, but she thinks it’s more like they’re old-time plow horses, all just walking straight down their row, trying not to see what’s going on right next to them.”  Denorah is a basketball star who plays a huge role in the story’s excellent climax. It’s unlike anything in any other horror novel. The book’s climax is as intense and unexpected as it could be. In a word, it’s excellent.  While The Only Good Indian does the important work of laying bare the way systematic genocide affects the Blackfeet community today, seeing any of the four men who set these events into motion interact with one another is full of joy. When Lewis calls Gabe for the first time in years, they start out the phone call with this interaction:  “Tippy’s Tacos,” Gabe says after the second ring. It’s how he always answers,  wherever he is, whoever’s phone. There was never a place called that on the  reservation as far as Lewis knows.  “Two with venison,” Lewis answers back.  “An, Indian tacos… “ Gabe says, playing along.  “And two beers,” Lewis adds.  “You must be Navajo,” Gabe says right back, “maybe a fish tribe. If you were Blackfeet, you’d want a six with that.  Both the humor and the cultural commentary make the horror in the novel scarier, rather than distracting from it. These details build the world where these characters live(d). When something happens to someone that readers like because they’re funny, or someone that a reader understands the suffering of, it hurts more.  Jones does a phenomenal job making readers care about the characters. He does strong work making his folk monster feel like a real part of our modern world. He weds all of this to real life cultural commentary. The cherry on top is an unexpected climax that takes a left turn out of horror, but makes the book all the scarier. The Only Good Indians is must read.  Wicked Rating – 9/10  Saga Press / Gallery Books will release The Only Good Indians on May 19, 2020. Follow us social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Four Actors That Could Play the Next Freddy Krueger

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Wicked Horror is the author of Four Actors That Could Play the Next Freddy Krueger. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

To think that anyone could deliver the same allure, personality, and electricity as Robert Englund in his turn as Freddy Krueger is borderline blasphemy. As a diehard Freddy fan, I will always remain loyal to Englund regardless of where the character goes from here. But that’s not to say, I’m entirely closed off to the idea of change. If someone else is to carry the torch into the next generation, we need someone who is capable of standing on their own, while also being respectful to the character created by the late Wes Craven and Robert Englund. That is a tall hill to climb, but I think I have here a small list of worthy candidates who may be able to pull off such a feet. So, without further ado: Here are my top four picks for actors who could potentially take over the iconic role of Freddy Krueger. Related: If the Glove Fits: Other Actors Who Have Played Fred Krueger Kevin Bacon Those not in the know might be asking themselves, why Kevin Bacon? Seems like he would be an odd choice to carry on the Freddy Krueger legacy. Well, the truth is, as recently as a year ago, Bacon expressed interest in the role. Not only that, but Robert Englund has gone on record giving the actor his blessing. I think Bacon could be a good fit. He has the talent, and enough familiarity with the genre to understand what would be required. After all, one of his first staring performances was in Friday the 13th. Aside for this, Bacon has shown a knack for playing menacing charters in films such as Hollow man, Stir of Echos, and, The Woodsman. How do you think Kevin Bacon would fare as Robert’s replacement? Let me know in the comments section. Also See: Tremors TV Series Finally Finds Home at SyFy Gary Oldman Another actor that just may have what it takes to play Freddy Krueger is decorated thespian, Gary Oldman. Have you ever seen a performance by Oldman that disappointed you? I can’t think of one. It goes without saying; the man has the range and the talent for such a role. He played a futuristic dictator type in The Fifth Element; he turned in one of the more respected portrayals of Dracula; and most recently, the actor appeared as Commissioner Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. My only criticism would be Oldman’s familiarity with audiences. Not unlike the rest on this list, the actor is of notable acclaim. Gary Oldman is a seasoned actor with whom many of us are familiar. I wonder if audiences may be a bit distracted by the fact that this is Gary Oldman. In watching his films, apart from a few roles, I see hints of Gary Oldman peeking through the characters he plays. He is boisterous and pronounced in his performances that might serve as a distraction. But again, this is a minor concern and I am more than a little bit curious to see how he would attack the role. Jeffery Dean Morgan One of the things that separates Freddy Krueger from all the other slashers is his over-the-top persona. Freddy has one of the most identifiable personalities of any character in horror cinema, thanks to the brilliance of Robert Englund. Englund was a classically trained actor who spent the early years of his career in bit parts in television and film. That is, until he donned the fedora and glove and made his debut as Fred Krueger. Prior to this, his most recognizable role was probably in the miniseries V. But it wasn’t until Nightmare came along that Englund really made a name for himself. In some ways, Jeffrey Dean Morgan has had a similar career trajectory. The actor worked steadily prior to making his debut on The Walking Dead. But it wasn’t until he appeared on the AMC series that audiences really began to take notice of him. I think it’s going to be a difficult job to climb out from under the shadow of Negan when it’s all over. Negan will definitely be Morgan’s signature role. If he is to expand his horizons, it’s going to take a drastic move and I think Freddy could be just the part to make that happen. I find Morgan’s onscreen energy to be nothing short of magnetic. For this reason, Morgan is my number two draft pick. He is a versatile actor and may just have what it takes to fill Robert Englund’s massive shoes. William DeFoe Manic! Over-the-top! Insane! Scary! These are but a few adjectives that describe the brilliance that is William Defoe. Between the look, the smile, and his voice, Defoe can bring to life a very threatening, and maybe even a darker performance than we have seen in a Freddy Krueger film. Many of the later franchise entries (save for New Nightmare) turned Freddy into a wisecracking trickster. And that was enjoyable, at times, but it would be nice to see a reboot (if there must be one) that brought Freddy back to his roots. I would like to see Freddy tone down the jokes and return to his sinister nature. And that is something I feel Defoe can easily deliver. He has a unique presence. And after having seen The Lighthouse, it’s no stretch to see Defoe being able to scare the living daylights out of us. Hell, he might even make it tough for me to fall asleep again. The day will come when Freddy will be back on the big screen, and although we previously reported Robert Englund may have one more performance in him, sooner or later there will need to be a successor. These are my top picks, but do you think is worthy? Share in the comments below! And until next time just remember, “Every town has an Elm Street!”  Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

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The ’90s Live! There’s a Live-Action Goosebumps Series in the Works!

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Wicked Horror is the author of The ’90s Live! There’s a Live-Action Goosebumps Series in the Works!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Nineties kids rejoice as Goosebumps, R.L. Stine‘s iconic kids’ horror novel series that scared a whole generation of us out of sleeping with the lights off, is returning to television. The hugely popular series previously spawned a live-action TV show back in the day, which hit #1 for five consecutive seasons and was a must-watch after school (when it was still bright out). Two modern movie reboots have followed, 2015’s Goosebumps, starring Jack Black as Stine, and underrated follow-up Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. For those worried that movie’s cliffhanger ending would be left at just that, fear not, because there’s more spine-tingling stuff on the way. Deadline reports a brand-new live action series based on Stine’s bestselling novels is currently in the works via Scholastic Entertainment and Neal H. Moritz, who produced the two spin-off movies and will exec-produce here, too, alongside Sony Pictures TV. “Goosebumps has been keeping kids and families on the edge of their seats for nearly 30 years and we’re very excited to partner with Sony Pictures Television and Neal H. Moritz to bring the enduring brand to life in a fresh new way for today’s generation,” said Iole Lucchese., Scholastic Entertainment President and Chief Strategy Officer. Lucchese continued, “From the world-famous book series to a full-scale licensing program and even live-action movies starring Jack Black, Goosebumps remains wildly popular and we look forward to presenting new adventures to give fans even more Goosebumps.” It’s good to know they’re keeping it in the family, since Goosebumps is published by Scholastic (Scholastic Entertainment is the company’s media division). The series is one of the biggest sellers of all time, even beating Stephen King (as Stine’s character hilariously tells a couple of disbelieving teens in the first Goosebumps movie). International editions have been translated into 32 languages. The original TV series, an anthology of sorts often compared to its darker Canadian counterpart, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, was a massive hit while the two spin-off movies grossed more than $250 million at the combined box office. Clearly, there’s a demand for more Goosebumps product and Mortiz, for one, can’t wait to bring the series back to TV. “I loved making the Goosebumps movies and can’t wait to bring even more of R. L. Stine’s incredible stories to life through a high-end television series that speaks to both adults and kids alike,” he enthused. Both Goosebumps and Haunted Halloween straddled a very fine line between sarky, adult humour and childlike supernatural shenanigans, bolstered by Black’s peerless performance as Stine. If he’s involved in the TV show, it’ll be even more of a reason to tune in but suffice to say, anybody who was a fan of the show’s previous incarnation will know this is a must-watch. Sadly, I doubt the dog whose eyes went spooky green at the end of the opening credits is still alive to reclaim the role once again. But we can dream for something even goofier this time around. Stay tuned to Wicked Horror for more Goosebumps info as it becomes available. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

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The Dark Red is Highly Entertaining [DVD Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of The Dark Red is Highly Entertaining [DVD Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Dan Bush’s The Dark Red doesn’t have a flashy, big name cast. But that doesn’t stop it from being a delightful and smartly-realized thriller. The flick succeeds as well as it does, in no small part, due to  fantastic performances from its core cast. April Billingsley (The Walking Dead) absolutely slays as lead character Sybil. Billingsley serves up a layered and dynamic performance that endears the audience to her almost instantly. She brings Sybil to life with a sense of fragility that suggests from the get go that she is damaged and broken by the series of profound tragedies she has endured.   Sybil believes she possesses a rare blood type that grants her certain superhuman capabilities. She in convinced she’s being hunted by a cult that wants what she possesses and believes they will pursue it at any cost. Her therapist, however, thinks that Sybil is delusional and suffering from an adverse reaction to trauma, as well as a variety of mental health issues.  Also See: Five PG Horror Films That Should Have Been Rated R You’ll have to watch the film to find out if Sybil’s concerns are real or a figment of her imagination. And watch it, you should. I had so much fun with this flick. The pacing in the first two acts is a bit up and down. But Sybil’s relationship with Dr. Deluce (Kelsey Scott of Fear The Walking Dead) is authentic and watching the two of them interact carried me through the slightly less eventful first hour.  Even if you do have a bit of trouble sitting through some of the earlier scenes in the flick, your patience will be rewarded with an epic third act that had my adrenaline pumping. Moreover, when I said less than eventful previously, I didn’t mean that entirely as a criticism. Yes, the pacing is a little problematic for a spell but the therapist/client relationship is authentic and it gives us reason to buy into what Sybil is going through. It puts us in her frame of mind and sets up what’s to come in the finale.  The screenplay (which was cowritten by director Dan Bush and Conal Byrne who plays Sybil’s boyfriend) makes a valiant attempt at keeping the viewer going back-and-forth about whether or not Sybil’s condition is real or a manifestation of mental illness. Logic dictates that we wouldn’t be watching a horror movie about a character’s whose condition is entirely imagined. But Bush and Byrne provide us with reason to consider both possibilities.   Also See: Five Horror Series Cancelled Too Soon (and Five That Need to End) With that said, once we learn the truth about Sybil, things really get exciting. The Dark Red denouement reminded me why I admire Dan Bush as a filmmaker. As he proved with 2007’s The Signal, he is able to deliver pulse-pounding suspense along with complex and dynamic characters. The end result is a highly entertaining film with a satisfying conclusion.   My chief complaint with the The Dark Red’s home video release is the lack of special features. I wanted to dive into the commentary track and hear everything Dan Bush was thinking and I wanted to listen to April Billingsley talk about her tour de force performance in a featurette focusing on her character. But unfortunately, the DVD is about as bare bones as they come. But lack of bonus content aside, I absolutely recommend checking this one out at your earliest convenience.  WICKED RATING: 7.5/10  Director(s): Dan BushWriter(s): Dan Bush and Conal ByrneStars: April Billingsley, Kelsey Scott, and Conal ByrneRelease: April 28, 2020 (Home Video)Studio/ Production Co: Dark Sky Films Language: English Length: 101-Minutes Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

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Popcorn is Still a Satisfying Treat [Rabid Dog’s House]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Popcorn is Still a Satisfying Treat [Rabid Dog’s House]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

The Rabid Dog’s House is a recurring feature at Wicked Horror where contributor Justin Steele uncovers hidden gems, lost classics, and overlooked indie offerings. Flying solo or with the occasional guest, he will discuss an array of topics covering film, literature, and television. Check out the latest installment below. In this episode we’re looking back at 1991’s Popcorn! Starring horror icons Jill Schoelen and Dee Wallace, Popcorn follows a young film student named Maggie (Schoelen). Maggie and her fellow classmates decide to put on a midnight horror film marathon. At the same time, she has been having nightmares about the leader of a film cult who created a snuff picture resulting in a fatal fire. Now, among the laughs and thrills, it looks like someone is out for revenge as one by one Maggie’s classmates disappear! Related: Remembering Pin (1988) [Rabid Dog’s House] Join Justin and Zena as they discuss the overlooked Popcorn below!

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The Wretched Lifts Itself Up With Retro Style And A Modern Monster [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of The Wretched Lifts Itself Up With Retro Style And A Modern Monster [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

You would be better off ignoring the misleading poster, trailer, and perhaps even the title of The Wretched, as they would definitely prime you to expect a different (and mostly lesser) film. Instead of a jump scare fueled creature feature, The Wretched is a stylishly shot mix of coming of age fright fare and folk fable that feels conceptually fresh, if not always perfect in execution. 17 year old Ben (John-Paul Howard) has been shuttled off to a rural resort town with more than a little bit of teenage angst, and a broken arm he’d rather not talk about. Having gotten into some trouble since his parents split, Ben’s mom hopes the change in environment will also change his behavior. Ben’s distracted but well meaning father Liam (Jamison Jones), doesn’t seem to have much of a plan on that front, other than fresh air and giving Ben a summer job at the local marina. Liam has his own worries, including a new girlfriend named Sarah (Azie Tesfai). Ben certainly isn’t too thrilled with that situation. Or the job. Or the locals. In fact, the only real friend he’s made is the sassy Mallory, his coworker at the marina. To make matters worse, something strange (and possibly supernatural) is happening with the formerly adorable hipster family next door. Not only is neighbor Abbie (Zarah Mahler) acting completely differently, the local children are starting to disappear. Even stranger, Ben seems to be the only one who remembers the missing kids ever existed. See Also: Eight Teen Horror Comedies That Are Genuinely Awesome Once the supernatural elements (and what I’d assume is the titular wretched creature) arrive, this is where the film starts to wobble a touch. Zarah Mahler does a fantastic job of telegraphing just how far off Abbie has become, trading in her boho Burning Man cutoffs for femme dresses, a glassy eyed, hollow voiced parody of her former self once she has been possessed by the evil that lurks in the nearby woods. The creature design consistently looks great, combining body horror elements with totems and animal bones to make a modern version of a folkloric witch convincingly menacing and unique. Somehow both desiccated and dripping with decomposition, the witch is satisfyingly creepy even when glimpsed only briefly in the reflection in the eye of a dead deer, or over a fuzzy baby monitor video. See Also: Night Of The Witch: A Horror Short That Should Be Feature Length What is lacking is a fully fleshed out mythology. The big bad is a forest witch the film briefly refers to as “Dark Mother”. We don’t get much information on the why or how of her skin walker style possessions of humans and animals, nor on the mechanism of making families forget their own children ever existed. The concept of being forgotten being in many ways worse than death is an intriguing one, that the film never really utilizes to its maximum potential. Ben and Mallory have a nice crackle of chemistry, which helps the more obvious coming of age plot beats (drunken confessions, budding summer romance, boardwalk bullies, obligatory houseparty with red Dixie cups and contraband booze), go down smoothly. John-Paul Howard’s Ben is likable as a collie, in spite of his ill-considered tendencies toward sulking and idly spying on the neighbors. Once the witch is properly introduced, we move away from Ben and Mallory’s budding relationship. Instead we get a few too many sequences of a brooding Ben doing surveillance, then desperately trying to tell adults and authority figures what’s wrong. As trope dictates that parents just don’t understand, that time would have been better spent fleshing out some of the thinner elements in the witch mythos and the relationships between the film’s teens. See Also: Worst to First: Ranking the Fright Night Franchise Even accounting for a bit of a plod to the third act, and some late in the game plot twists that don’t quite land, The Wretched is a freaky fairy tale worth spending time with. While not quite a classic, The Wretched is full of bang for your buck special effects work and sleek stylistic flourishes that will certainly inspire nostalgia in those who spent their summer vacations watching a steady diet of throwback teen terrors like Fright Night or The Lost Boys.WICKED RATING: 6/10Director(s): The Pierce Brothers (Brett Pierce, Drew T. Pierce)Writer(s): The Pierce Brothers (Brett Pierce, Drew T. Pierce)Stars: John-Paul Howard, Piper Curda, Jamison Jones, Zarah Mahler, Azie TesfaiRelease: May 1st, 2020 (VOD/Digital) Studio/ Production Co: IFC MidnightLanguage: English   Length: 95 minutes

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New on Netflix: April 24th, 2020

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Wicked Horror is the author of New on Netflix: April 24th, 2020. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

It’s Friday and you know what that means: It’s time to figure out what you’ll be binging during the upcoming week. Welcome back to New on Netflix! The streaming giant’s horror department has always been a mixed bag. However, I’d say they’ve really stepped up their game in the last couple of years with the release of amazing, essential watches. We’ve been treated to must see original programming like The Haunting of Hill House, Velvet Buzzsaw, Hush, and some of the classics we all know and love. This week we have a true crime documentary and a couple of forgein gems to keep you on edge of your seat so let’s jump in to what’s coming to Netflix the week of April 24th, 2020! Also See: Overlooked Horror Franchises that Need More Love Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story Coming our way on April 29th is Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story. Shortly after her arrest in 2004, 16 year old Cyntoia Brown is sentenced to life in prison for murder. But in early 2017 questions about her past, physiology and the law itself call her guilt into consideration. The Victim’s Game Also coming to Netflix on April 29th is The Victim’s Game, a series that follows a forensic detective with Asperger’s syndrome that discovers his estranged daughter’s link to several mysterious murders. Get In Coming on May 1st is Get In. When a man returns from a vacation and finds his home occupied with squatters, he quickly realizes these strangers will go to terrifying lengths to keep what they think belongs to them. Mrs. Serial Killer Also arriving on May 1st is a movie I’m particularly excited for, Mrs. Serial Killer. When a well known doctor is arrested for a string of gruesome murders, his dotting wide decides to commit a copycat crime to prove his innocence. Follow us social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Composer Rafaël Leloup Discusses the Chilling Score for IFC Films’ The Other Lamb

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This week IFC Films announced “The Indie Theater Revival Project,” an initiative to support its theater partners as they reopen for audiences in the coming weeks and months. Horror films such as The Human Centipede, The Babadook and Antichrist will be going back to theaters at this time. Another notable IFC title you can now watch on VOD platforms is Malgorzata Szumowska’s The Other Lamb. The film was screened at Fantastic Fest as well as the Toronto International Film Festival before landing on digital and Cable VOD platforms earlier this month. To learn more about The Other Lamb, we spoke with composer Rafaël Leloup about those modern, dark melodies that accompanied the sweeping stylistic shots. Read the Q&A below.  Related: The Other Lamb is a Righteous Takedown of Christian Cults [Review] Wicked Horror: The opening of The Other Lamb is very music heavy, creating a very dramatic/intense tone. What were you trying to accomplish with this right out of the gate? Were you wanting to set the vibe for the rest of the film? Rafaël Leloup: When I started working on the soundtrack, director Malgorzata Szumowska asked for a minimalistic score, that would be modern and dark with a lot of ambiance, leaning into strange, disturbing sounds to create a creepy mood. After having read Catherine S. McMullen’s script, seen Malgorzata’s previous work, and Stephanie Wilcox and David Lancaster from Rumble Films’s references, I was so inspired by the project that I wrote a ton of music on my own to find the right tone for the score. Malgorzata picked samples and I bounced back on those, we worked back and forth a few times before the film was even shot. By the time the film hit the editing stage, about 50 minutes of score existed already in the tone that Malgorzata wanted to give to the movie. It was a directorial decision to have the very first scene extremely visual and music heavy, using one of the main motifs of the soundtrack. It is directly followed by an excerpt of Pawel Mykietyn’s Cello Concerto, a beautiful orchestral piece that also gives a heavy and intense tone to the opening of the film. Wicked Horror: The score at times sounds very much like that of a romantic love story, especially when Selah is talking to Shepherd in the woods at the beginning of the film. But this is obviously not your traditional love story, so what did you do to create a darker love theme? Rafaël Leloup: We wanted to use the juxtaposition of a real string quartet with electronics, where the strings would convey the romantic atmosphere needed for the beginning of the film and evolve into the more disturbing sound that develops progressively through the film with electronic tones and textures. The violins in the scene with Selah and Shepherd use a special bowing technique that involves gently scraping the strings. Used on the romantic theme, it highlights the slight discomfort and creepiness of their relationship as shown in the images. Wicked Horror: We heard that you began work on this film months before it was even shot. Is this when composers normally start on features or was this a unique circumstance? Rafaël Leloup: It really depends on the composer and on the production. In my case, it was a luxury to be able to write music solely based on the script and the director’s intentions, leaving a lot of space for the imagination. It let me explore some ambiences and dig deeper into some musical techniques that I later used in the scoring stage, and it allowed for great ideas to develop before reaching maturity in post-production. It also left plenty of time to book the musicians and hire the collaborators I wanted to work with in advance. I was lucky to work with Paulina Sokolowska, Kaja Nowak, Jasmien Van Hautem and Kacper Nowak as string quartet members, and Arnaud Blanpain from General Score as a music supervisor. We recorded and mixed the music at two of the most legendaries facilities in Brussels, the ICP and Dada studios. Wicked Horror: What instrument do you think created the most haunting sound of the film? Rafaël Leloup: Most of the haunting tones are a result of the electronics. As I was preparing for the soundtrack, I experimented a lot with recorded sounds going through chains of filters and effects I created with a modular programming software called Max/MSP. One of my favorite and most effective results was made with tremolos recordings of the string quartet. Those samples were played forward and backward at variable speeds, layered and filtered. The result was absolutely stunning, super-flexible, and worked perfectly on most of the key moments of the film.  Wicked Horror: The music in the film ends abruptly in many scenes. Was this done to show the uneasiness Selah feels? Was this the director’s choice or yours? Rafaël Leloup: Absolutely. Not only the uneasiness, but since the score takes the point of view of Selah, we wanted to use the music to bring the audience into her head that often dreams and wanders, like a teenager’s mind would. It created a soft bridge from reality to thoughts, to dreams, and to the abrupt cuts bringing reality back suddenly. That was one of Malgorzata initial intentions. Wicked Horror: How do you think the score adapted from the opening scene to the closing one? Rafaël Leloup: The score follows the evolution of Selah’s mind, slowly discovering that her life is not as normal as she thought it was while growing up. She has feelings of love towards Shepherd at the beginning that evolve through the film. As the score uses two main families of sounds, string quartet and electronics, I used the strings predominantly by themselves in the beginning and played with a lot of emotions. Progressively those strings are joined by new sounds, as well as filtered through effects, to disturb those clear feelings from the beginning. It brings confusion and anger, shakes her reality right up to the end where the strings have a completely different meaning. Wicked Horror: What was the most challenging scene to score in The Other Lamb? Rafaël Leloup: Selah’s relationship to Shepherd is extremely complex, confused and evolving. Finding the right tone that would perfectly complement their relationship was a challenge. It consists in different forms of love and passion, altered by the fact that she is a teenager and growing up, there had to be some shades of darkness in the mix, and it had to be different using similar elements throughout the film. Every scene that involves both of them alone was challenging and exciting to work on. Wicked Horror: The score is like another main character in the film. Was this always going to be the case or after you began work, did it happen organically? Rafaël Leloup: There was so much the music could say just to illustrate the complexity of Selah’s psychology that it can certainly feel like a new character. When added to all the other elements presented in the film, the soundtrack, despite its minimalistic feel, is really rich in meaning. It happened organically as all the people who were involved in the project brought great feedback that made the score more and more interesting. Wicked Horror: Do you have any favorite horror film scores? Rafaël Leloup: During this coronavirus quarantine, I finally had time to watch the TV-show Chernobyl. This might not be considered horror per se, but it definitely has that feel. Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score is absolutely fantastic, it has that experimental and modern vibe that I love, and is incredibly effective and beautiful at the same time. Other classic film scores include Rosemary’s Baby and the Candyman from 1992, I love the contrast between softness of some musical elements and the harshness of the story content. I can’t wait for the remake this year, I saw they reused parts of Philip Glass’s musical theme. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

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Editor Jamie Kirkpatrick Discusses His Work on We Summon the Darkness

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Wicked Horror is the author of Editor Jamie Kirkpatrick Discusses His Work on We Summon the Darkness. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Marc Meyers’ latest horror/thriller, We Summon the Darkness is now available on all VOD platforms and serving up a bloody good time, with a side of rock and roll. On the way to a heavy metal concert, Alexis (Alexandra Daddario) and two girlfriends hear a news report of a local murder believed to be tied to a series of satanic killings. After the show, the girls invite three guys to join them at an estate owned by Alexis’s father, a fire-and-brimstone preacher (Johnny Knoxville). What starts as a party suddenly turns dark and deadly in this devilishly entertaining thriller. Jamie Kirkpatrick served as the film’s lead editor and is dishing below about everything from the death scenes, to the sequence that was most difficult to edit. Read Kirkpatrick’s exclusive Q&A here: Related: We Summon the Darkness is Light, Throwaway Fun [Review] Wicked Horror: Was there a sequence in We Summon the Darkness that was particularly difficult to edit?  Jamie Kirkpatrick: One scene that was tricky to put together is what Marc referred to as the Heavy Metal Parking Lot, when the girls and the guys are first introduced and are kind of feeling each other out. It was technically tricky simply because of how much footage was shot. This scene had two camera’s rolling at all times. All six of our lead characters are in it (and speak), there were multiple long takes and the actors tended to ad-lib within the structure of the scene. Couple that with all the extras and background actors and the result, at least for an editor first looking at dailies, can be a continuity nightmare. Continuity is never my primary concern, but sometimes I’d have this amazing bit of performance that I wanted to use, only to realize that the drunken meta- head who stumbles by had already stumbled by thirty seconds earlier. So then the trick is to kind of reverse engineer the scene so I’m fixing the continuity with the extra while at the same time not losing the great bit of performance. I had to do a lot of passes on this scene, but in the end I’m really pleased with how it came out. Wicked Horror: This is Marc Meyers’s follow-up to My Friend Dahmer, which you also worked on. Does Marc have a style that he likes to keep with all his films? Or was his approach, editing-wise, to We Summon the Darkness a lot different than My Friend Dahmer? Jamie Kirkpatrick: Marc does have certain stylistic approaches that he gravitates toward; one of them being long uninterrupted takes. It gives the actors a chance to find their rhythm in a scene and I think it results in really grounded performances in his films. He shot We Summon in the same way when he could. Obviously when you’re dealing with action or stunts, it’s necessary to rely on more traditional coverage. He did tell me at the start of the project that he wanted me to think of the film as a roller coaster, which really helped me structure the pacing of this film – it starts off with a slow and peaceful climb before we plunge headlong into all the mayhem. Wicked Horror: Do you have a favorite scene in We Summon the Darkness? Jamie Kirkpatrick: My favorite scene is the bonfire scene about thirty minutes into the film. I probably spent more time crafting that scene than any other in my career, for the same reasons I mentioned before about the parking lot scene. But the bonfire scene is also about revelations, both for the characters and the audience. The film takes a major turn at the end of that scene and it was really challenging to make sure everything from the line readings to the reaction shots to the rhythm of the cutting were serving the goal of getting the audience to that moment where hopefully they’re going, “Wait. What??” Wicked Horror: Was there a scene that didn’t make it into the film you really enjoyed? Jamie Kirkpatrick: Believe it or not, we didn’t have a single scene that we cut out and that’s extremely unusual. The credit for that really goes to Allan Trezza (the screenwriter) and Marc for getting the script as lean as possible. There were plenty of places where we condensed things or trimmed but every scene in the script is on screen in some form or other. Wicked Horror: Did you begin work on this film after it was already completed or did you start working on scenes after they were shot? Jamie Kirkpatrick: I usually start the same day as principal photography. In this case, as they were shooting in Winnipeg Canada, and my assistant and I were in New York, we started a couple of days later so we would have some footage ready for us to edit. As far as I’m concerned there’s no other way to do it. The editor is often the only person watching every second of every take of dailies. As we’ve always done, Marc and I will talk on the phone any time there’s an issue with the footage. Sometimes a director knows that they have certain pickup shots they need to get at the end of the shoot and often I’m able to let them know if they’re really necessary and that can save the production time and money.  Also See: Antiquities of Intrigue: 5 Occult Objects Worse than the Necronomicon Wicked Horror: What are you most proud of with We Summon the Darkness? Jamie Kirkpatrick: It’s just really gratifying to see that it’s being embraced and resonating with the horror community. They are a particularly discerning audience, so we knew going in that we needed to deliver on certain things or we were going to hear about it. Horror isn’t a genre I’ve worked in much, but as a child of the 80s and a fan of those iconic films, I realized working on this that those films are part of my creative DNA. I take a lot of pride in being able to work across genres so I’m especially proud that We Summon is doing well and being well received. Wicked Horror: We read that you are a big fan of 80s horror. When looking at those films now, as a professional editor, do you notice anything different about them, then when you used to watch them as a kid? Jamie Kirkpatrick: That’s a really good question. Obviously now, as a professional editor, I know how the sausage is made. But I also take a certain amount of pride in not letting that knowledge of the craft lessen the enjoyment I got (or terror I felt) from those movies, even when I see them now. There are so many examples of moments in film that scared the shit of me as a kid that now I might think of as quaint or cheesy. Ironically though, most of those scary moments centered around practical special effects. (Kevin Bacon getting the arrow through the throat in Friday the 13th, the guy with the defibrillators punching right through the dude’s chest and getting his hands bitten off in The Thing or the guy peeling his face off in the mirror in Poltergeist, to name just a few that scarred me.) Marc and I spoke about just this thing when he was prepping We Summon; how important practical effects were because they have a more visceral effect on the audience. And I have to say that the folks at Blood Brothers who did our practical special effects really delivered. See Also: Impossible to Defend Horror Movies We Can’t Help But Watch Wicked Horror: Do you have any guidelines you follow for death scenes? Jamie Kirkpatrick: See?? Like I said before, discerning! It’s a great question, but no. At the end of the day, it’s about character and emotion. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a scene where one of our main characters is killed and then later, a secondary character is killed in a similar way. But those two scenes are handled totally differently. In the first, I really wanted the audience to be shocked by the violence and to feel the emotion surrounding this lead character’s death. We treated it as a pivotal moment in the film. But when the secondary character is killed, we have no emotional connection to them and the scene is played more like black comedy. It all depends on character. Wicked Horror: What would be your dream horror project to work on? Jamie Kirkpatrick: It’s funny. I don’t go out of my way to look for projects in the horror genre, but there is one and it’s a no brainer for me, even though it’s not traditional horror: The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King). I’m a life-long King fan but that story particularly affected me when I discovered it in middle school. I’ve been waiting for someone to make that movie since I was 13 and I even wrote a short film script of it in film school (it’s terrible).  I was really bummed out that Frank Darabont never made it, but when I heard that Andre Ovredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe) was on board to direct I got really excited. If they announce that film is going — once we get back to making movies again — I’m going to really annoy my agent. We Summon the Darkness is also available to pre-order on DVD from Amazon with a release date of May 11. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

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Celebrating 40 years of ‘Fist of Fear, Touch of Death’

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Wicked Horror is the author of Celebrating 40 years of ‘Fist of Fear, Touch of Death’. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Nobody thinks 1980’s notorious “Bruceploitation” opus Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is a good movie — probably not even the people who made it. In a subgenre infamous for its shamelessness, the clumsily titled Fist of Fear, Touch of Death stands out as one of the absolute most shameless, crass example of movie marketing gall so underhanded that even Fred Williamson — one of the undisputed gods of cinematic sleaze — has since distanced himself from it.  No, Fist is not a movie for people with taste. It’s not even a movie for people with bad taste, it’s the kind of movie you can only enjoy if you go into it with your cinematic palate already singed into complete numbness. This is a movie that doesn’t just demand viewer amorality, it necessitates it. And if you can pound your mammalian brain into utter mush, you’ll be treated to one of the most awe-inspiring examples of bad filmmaking ever committed to celluloid.   If you want to credit/condemn anybody for the unique cinematic train wreck that is Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, you might want to turn your attention to producer Terry Levene. In addition to producing a litany of low-key exploitation classics like The Tough Ones, Women in Cell Block 7, and Zombie Holocaust, he also ran Aquarius Releasing, a New York-based firm that helped mass distribute scores of genre classics, running the gamut from beloved horror offerings such as Halloween, Silent Night, Deadly Night, and Make Them Die Slowly to considerably less beloved grindhouse fodder like Forced Entry, Poor Pretty Eddie, and Black Lover (infamously promoted as “The movie they tried to stop!” under an original title the fine folks at Wicked Horror wouldn’t dare print in a million bajillion years.) But the company’s bread and butter, naturally, were films of a more adult nature, including the infamous X-rated opus Deep Throat. At one point, Levene was even prosecuted by the United States government for obscenity, due to his distribution of the 1972 softcore cheapie Belinda across state lines.  So with the feds effectively muscling Levene and pals out of the dirty movie racket, what cinematic corner would they attempt to market next? Why, the emerging kung-fu sector, of course!  It wasn’t long before Aquarius started gobbling up the distribution rights to all sorts of oddball martial arts imports, including such esoteric fare as The Chinese Mack, The Tongfather and The Black Dragon vs. The Yellow Tiger and making a mint by renaming (and redubbing) international releases for pennies on the dollar. There’s no denying the strategy, as unscrupulous as it may have been, was successful. Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, for example, was filmed on a microscopic budget of barely $100,000, yet still managed to generate a purported $2 million in box office revenue.  It’s obvious that Levene and company desperately wanted Bruce Lee to be their star attraction. Just two problems, though: one, they didn’t own the rights to any of his breakout movies and, two, he was dead and had been dead for almost a decade. When it became clear that hawking movies featuring shameless imitators wasn’t going to cut it — 1979’s Kung-Fu Fever, for example, starred Bruce Rhee opposite real-life karate champion Ron Van Clief — the guys at Aquarius came up with the next best thing: they basically re-edited non Bruce Lee movies with brief interview clips and stock footage of Bruce Lee and marketed them as if he had the starring role.    1973’s The Angry Dragon. 1975’s Goodbye, Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death. 1976’s The Warrior Within. The list goes on and on and on. It seems like Levene’s Bruceploitation forays would’ve hit its simultaneous zenith/nadir with 1977’s The Dragon Lives Again, a copyright-defying masterpiece of the absurd that was even marketed as Bruce Lee’s return to acting — an astounding feat, really, considering he’d been deceased for almost five years when the flick was initially released.  Alas, Levene topped himself with Fist three years later, a movie so brazen that it pretty much killed the Bruceploitation sub-subgenre outright — really, the only way to make a movie more exploitative of Lee’s legacy would be to dig up his grave on camera. From a compositional perspective, Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is a fascinating work. It’s not a movie in the traditional sense, meaning it has a beginning, middle and end. No, Fist is LITERALLY the uneven fusion of about six or seven wholly unrelated movies with just enough diegetic duct tape wrapped around it to kinda-sorta give the movie the illusion of cohesion and consistency. The film starts off as a pseudo-documentarian look at the 1979 World Karate Championships at Madison Square Garden (although, for historical sake, no such event actually took place.) From there, we’re introduced to martial arts promoter extraordinaire Aaron Banks, who tells embodied narrator Adolf Caesar that he believes Bruce Lee was secretly murdered by nefarious Chinese gangsters employing “the touch of death,” which he describes as “a vibrating palm strike” that causes delayed organ failure, like, three weeks later.   And if you think this is a straight martial arts movie, think again; in the very next scene, we’re treated to some grossout absurdist humor as one karate expert yanks out his foe’s eyeballs and tosses them into the crowd, with Three Stooges sound effects thrown in for good measure. No, this movie does not make sense, so don’t even try to rationalize anything about it. Also See: Four Horror Sequels That Cursed Their Own Franchise It’s just a cavalcade of random segments from there. We watch these horribly edited interviews of Bruce Lee, where he’s dubbed to say things like “the mind must be cultivated, so ultimately, you know yourself,” followed by long, lingering shots of kung-fu specialists trying to harness the chi from close-range, complete with confused onlookers staring directly into the camera. Then we’re treated to a sparring session between “Fred the Flying Fat Man” and “Badass Bonnie,” then Fred Williamson shows up to seduce a white woman (“Ain’t five times enough for you?” he quips in the movie’s best line of dialogue) and threatens cab drivers for confusing him for Harry Belafonte. Then Van Clief slices carrots dangerously close to his assistants’ jugular veins and beats up some would-be rapists in Central Park. Later, we’re introduced to mustachioed Bruce Lee wannabe Bill Louie, who also gets an opportunity to beat up some would-be rapists in Central Park. Yes, they shot the same scene twice and kept both sequences in the movie — ladies and gentlemen, the year 1980 in a nutshell.  But the bulk of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is a loosely cobbled together re–dubbed package of two older kung fu-movies — 1972’s Invincible Super Chan and 1957’s The Thunderstorm, the latter a black and white movie that has the benefit of actually starring Bruce Lee, albeit, from when he was like 11 or 12. Showing an absolute superhuman disregard for both Bruce Lee’s career and Asian history in general, Fist slowly, clumsily unspools this contrived yarn about Lee’s great-grandfather being one of China’s most-feared samurai (even though China never actually had samurai) and explaining, in tragic detail, how Bruce’s older brother Jack Lee fell prey to the titular ‘touch of death’. For the record: not only did Jack Lee not die from a vibrating palm strike, Bruce Lee didn’t even have a brother named Jack Lee. Still, you can’t help but laugh at the hokey dialogue — I’m not sure if “That’s what the martial arts did to your great-grandfather!” or “Mom, why are you so upset over my happiness?” is my favorite line.  Then, after 40 minutes of whatever the hell that’s supposed to be, we get a live Kenpo Karate demonstration, watch a guy smash his own hand with a sledgehammer on purpose, and, wrapping up the whole production, a thrilling contest to determine the Welterweight Karate Champion of the world (and Bruce Lee’s successor, somehow), which culminates with real martial artist Louis Neglia darn near decapitating fellow real martial artist John Flood with a legitimately terrifying roundhouse kick to the noggin. And just so you know: this is taken from a real World Professional Karate Association bout at MSG — thanks a million, Black Belt Magazine, you treasure trove of totally superfluous trivia!   Now, you might be wondering what, if anything, this stuff has to do with Bruce Lee. And at the end of the day, that’s both the biggest slight and most endearing thing about the entire movie. It’s a potpourri of mayhem, an insane  jambalaya of chop-socky stock footage, real-life violence, and Bruce Lee B-roll manipulated so shamelessly, it probably borders on a defamation of character lawsuit. It’s a surreal collage of a movie, a multimedia Frankenstein’s monster that you can actually see falling apart as the flick drags on. To say that Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is a disaster of a motion picture would be putting it lightly — this thing is the veritable Chernobyl of kung-fu movies, and four decades later, it’s still probably not entirely safe for human exposure, either.   See Also: Early Slasher Movies That Should Have Become Classics All I can say is thank goodness The Film Detective is doing the B-movie gods’ work by actually giving this thing a special, 40th anniversary deluxe Blu-Ray edition. Released March 31, not only does it sport a beautiful 4K restoration of the original flick, it’s also loaded with extra features, including a great featurette containing comments from Levene, Van Clief, and Williamson themselves (and no, before you make the joke, it isn’t just them saying “I’m sorry” over and over again for 90 minutes.)  Frankly, a low-tier exploitation movie of Fist’s ilk probably doesn’t deserve such a treatment, but the fact that it actually got it is reason enough to grin from ear-to-ear. As blissfully crappy as the movie as a whole may be, the one thing nobody can accuse it of being is boring, and ultimately, I consider it — unintentionally, I’m sure — to be one of the most insightful time capsules of the waning days of the Bruceploitation epoch out there.  Caesar, who probably deserved an Oscar for keeping a straight face during the entire movie, summed up the flick — and its newfangled Blu-Ray special edition — rather well: “That’s quite a scrapbook, you’ve accomplished a lot.” A lot of what, of course, is up for debate …  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

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1BR is the Lockdown Thriller We Need Right Now

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Wicked Horror is the author of 1BR is the Lockdown Thriller We Need Right Now. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

If you’re weary of lockdown, you’ll identify with the plight of Sarah, heroine of 1BR. The sweet one bedroom crib she’s scored seems great, but the neighbors are a little sketchy. That means a quiet, tense psychological thriller is in store for viewers. Even though Sarah doesn’t get out much once the story gets rolling. This is a case where filmmakers couldn’t have anticipated the coronavirus crisis when 1BR was in production, but it’s landing just in time to provide an intense metaphor for the moment. See Also: Sea Fever Offers Unexpected Prescience and an Opening for Ethical Debate Sarah (Nicole Brydon Bloom) has just moved to L.A. and landed a temp gig to tide her over as she pursues her dream job: costume design. The consideration she displays for an elderly resident (Susan Davis) at an apartment complex open house catches the eye of Jerry the Manager. That’d be veteran actor Taylor Nichols displaying a church-youth-minister level of compassion and concern. Maybe Jerry has just a little too much warmth? This place has one opening, a strong sense of community, and it looks like Sarah is the right choice even though they don’t allow pets. As a plus for her, there’s a hot guy (Giles Matthey) a couple of doors down. See Also: Essential Lockdown Listening: Let’s Go To Court The drawbacks turn up shortly after move-in with notes slipped under her door complaining about her cat Giles. A creepy guy with weird glasses (Clayton Hoff) has an eye, you’ll see, on Sarah too, and he tries to push a cultish tome her way. It’s all about the importance of community. It’s penned by a guy whose author photo looks like his name ought to be L. Ron. Then there are noises at night leading to sleep deprivation, and Sarah’s Zoloft runs out as she clashes by phone with her dad. The two have issues. See Also: Six Drive-In Films You Need to Seek Out With her resolve diminished, the really brutal phase begins. Of course the nice folks like Jerry and the hot neighbor are concealing true purposes and natures behind a dark veil. Sarah is in for a brutal and escalating rise of mind-control and discipline-building techniques.The film harnesses real indoctrination styles viewers will recognize if they’re familiar with, say, Leah Remini’s experience with Scientology, and it’s possible to feel Sarah’s pain as things go from terrible to even darker. It’s all kept interesting in part because Sarah is a quiet and troubled introvert. That’s why she was chosen, and it means she’s not a quickly-resistant warrior. She must endure and hope. Bloom does a good job with sometimes stoic and sometimes detached despair. This can’t last forever, can it? Twists, turns and surprises are in store. 1BR has gained festival praise and other deserved kudos. It taps into a trapped and terrifying vibe as shutdown ticks on. Wicked Rating: 9/10 Director: David Marmor Writer: David Marmor Starring: Nicole Brydon Bloom, Taylor Nichols, Giles Matthey, Clayton Hoff, Susan Davis. Release: April 24, 2020 (Digital) Language: English Runtime: 90 minutes Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube

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New on Netflix: April 17th, 2020

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Wicked Horror is the author of New on Netflix: April 17th, 2020. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

It’s Friday and you know what that means: It’s time to figure out what you’ll be binging during the upcoming week. Welcome back to New on Netflix! The streaming giant’s horror department has always been a mixed bag. However, I’d say they’ve really stepped up their game in the last couple of years with the release of amazing, essential watches. We’ve been treated to must see original programming like The Haunting of Hill House, Velvet Buzzsaw, Hush, and some of the classics we all know and love. This week we have a hidden gem and a forgein thriller to keep you on edge so let’s jump in to what’s coming to Netflix the week of April 17th, 2020!  The Vatican Tapes Coming our way on April 20th is The Vatican Tapes, which follows Angela Holmes, a girl who begins to have a devastating effect on anyone close to her. Priests at the Vatican are convinced it’s due to demonic activity so when they come to investigate, they are confronted with a Satanic force more powerful than they imagined. The Plagues of Breslau (Plagi Breslau) After a body is found sewn inside a cow hide, a Polish officier hunts down the killer who is recreating an 18th-century “plague” of criminal punishments. Check out The Plagues of Breslau on the 22nd! Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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William Friedkin: Interviews Peeks into Director’s Mind [Book Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of William Friedkin: Interviews Peeks into Director’s Mind [Book Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

William Friedkin was one of the biggest directors of the 1970s. He struck it big in 1971 with the crime thriller The French Connection and had other hits throughout his fifty year career in film. Undoubtedly, horror fans will know him from his 1973 genre-defining film The Exorcist.  Along with the University Press of Mississippi, who also published an excellent book of interviews with horror luminary Wes Craven, Christopher Lane has compiled fifteen interviews with Friedkin, spanning from the height of his success in 1974 all the way until the release of his latest film, The Devil and Father Amorth, which Friedkin was promoting in 2018.  In his introduction, Lane writes “I have made my best attempt to eliminate blatant reiterations and retellings so that the reader of this book can, without a doubt, gain valuable insight to the thoughts and process of one of cinema’s true masters” (xiv). Lane is successful in getting rid of much of that repetition, while the book succeeds in giving a clear view into Friedkin’s mind.  When there is repetition, it’s centered around what Friedkin views as the theme of all his work: “the most important theme in my films is the thin line between good and evil. The fact that, very often, there are equal parts of both in all characters, which is what I encounter in life. I don’t know anyone who is all good, or all evil” (102). Friedkin shows good and bad elements of himself in this book as he delves into controversy after controversy. He talks about firing a gun on set to “help” actors show surprise, driving 90 miles an hour through New York City without crowd or traffic control, the gay community’s reactions to his film Cruising when it was filmed versus today, his views on Woody Allen, and why he thinks women aren’t directing more films. Many of his stances on the latter controversies will frustrate you, but when it comes to getting a clear view of Friedkin, it wouldn’t be complete without the warts.  RELATED: Shudder’s Cursed Films Deftly Explores Bewitched Cinema [Review] Frequently, Friedkin talks about his process. When directing, he reveals that, “I will rehearse extensively with actors on a scene, and then I’ll say, ‘Do you remember all that stuff? Okay, now throw it all out, and do it your way!’ Then we start messing around with. Around 98 percent of all the dialogue in the last picture [The Exorcist] was the actors’ invention” (16) and that, “”I try to cast people based on one inherent quality: intelligence… the ability to understand what the story’s about on very deep levels” (15). Both of these insights will give young filmmakers a better understanding of how they can approach their material, and give fans an inside view of how the films they love were made.  What could be dry is less so because of Friedkin’s irreverent sense of humor. He cracks jokes throughout, mostly turning his wit on himself. For example, at one point he says, “I think it [Good Times] was seen by eleven people in Topanga Canyon” (4). This book is must read for fans of The Exorcist, but also Friedkin’s other films, especially Sorcerer, Cruising, and The French Connection which come up again and again. William Friedkin: Interviews is a fascinating look into the way this brilliant filmmaker thinks.  William Friedkin: Interviews edited by Christopher Lane is available now.  Wicked Rating – 8/10 Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

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Star-Studded Horror Film Gates of Darkness Now on Select VOD Platforms

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Wicked Horror is the author of Star-Studded Horror Film Gates of Darkness Now on Select VOD Platforms . Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Don E. FauntLeRoy’s latest film Gates of Darkness is now available to rent via cable VOD platforms. More services are expected to be added in the coming months.   The film tells the story of troubled teen Stephen and his twin sister who were abandoned by their father years prior. When sinister and unexplained goings on begin transpiring all around him, Stephen begins to suspect that there are malevolent forces at work. And Beneath his family’s strong ties to the Catholic Church he finds a web of secrecy and deceit.  Gates of Darkness features an impressive cast of characters, including Tobin Bell (The Saw franchise), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog), John Savage (Twin Peaks, The X-Files), Randy Shelly (A Gothic Tale), and Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why). The flick was written by Lesley-Anne Down, Robert Hickman, Randolf Turrow, and Chris Kanik. It is expected to enjoy a DVD and Blu-ray release in the near future. You can learn more about the picture at thegatesofdarkness.com.  *This is a sponsored post.

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Butt Boy isn’t Quite a Sphincter de Force [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Butt Boy isn’t Quite a Sphincter de Force [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

A movie like Butt Boy is impossible to review, in the traditional sense. To critique any piece of media properly, there has to be some sort of measuring stick, some sort of preexisting gauge of quality, some kind of comparative referential point. Needless to say, none of those objective standards are applicable to writer/director/lead actor Tyler Cornack’s latest passion project. Simply put, Butt Boy is a movie that exists in a separate plane of existence, this bizarre pop cultural ephemera that doesn’t fit into anyone one genre classification. Calling Butt Boy good or bad is an exercise in futility on a cosmic scale — simply trying to make sense of the movie, let alone iron out its worthiness as an artistic expression, is like being asked to describe what the Big Bang tasted like. Now, with a title as crass as Butt Boy, you might expect the film to be a fairly tongue in cheek (but, uh, not that kind of cheek) parody a’la Killer Condom or Troma’s beloved family favorite from 1997, Buttcrack! But no, for the most part, Butt Boy is a movie that takes itself very seriously, despite its almost Baudrillarian premise. Ultimately, this is a movie that feels more like it’s trying to imitate David Fincher than John Waters, and the execution — to put it delicately — leaves a lot to be desired. The film follows everyman Chip Gutchel, your prototypically late 1990s disenchanted office drone, who has a proclivity for tuning out whenever his cubicle mates sing “Happy Birthday” or his wife chastises him for losing the remote control. Indeed, Chip seems like a carbon copy of Ed Norton’s character in Fight Club, with one major discrepancy — simply put, his bunghole is a portal to some sort of alternate reality netherworld. So yeah, right about there is where I’d surmise this is going to lose a good 50-to-80-percent of its audience. It’s not that the concept is so outrageous as it is the way the filmmakers incorporated it as a plot dynamic. In fact, we’re almost an hour into the movie before the story gives us concrete proof that Chip’s poop chute is a gateway to interdimensional damnation, so up until that point the audience has to play this monotonous guessing game just teeming with red herrings and needless subplots. At a certain point, you think the movie’s going to turn a corner and try to become a relatively straight-laced killer-on-the-loose feature, but it just continues to waffle on that uncomfortable line between genuine procedural detective movie and … well, a movie about a guy whose dookie factory is a telepod to Hell, that is. I’m not joking about this movie turning into a detective movie. Around the 30-minute mark, we’re introduced to our other leading man, officer Russell Fox (played by Tyler Rice), a greasy-haired, recovering alcoholic whose sponsor just so happens to be the titular character with the extra-dimensional anus. And as fate would have it, Fox ends up taking on the case of a missing child, who — inexplicably — vanished without a trace from the face of the planet … not that you can even remotely predict where that plot point is going. Amazingly, the biggest problem with Butt Boy is that it takes itself too seriously. All movie long, you wait for things to finally go over the top, and to the filmmakers’ credit, the grand finale is pretty satisfying (if not altogether stomach-churning.) But the grinding road to the payoff just drags on for too long for the special-effects-laden ending to make up for the earlier ennui; that is, unless you think the visual of puppy dogs with beef stew chunks matter in their fur is something you’d easily spend 80 minutes waiting for, naturally. That said, there is a lot of good to be said about Butt Boy. Considering the budget restrictions, the cinematography is downright excellent, and whomever is responsible for the editing could probably get a job at a big name Hollywood studio. And the acting in the movie — especially from the two leads — is way above average for the genre, although I’m still not entirely sure what that genre may be. As a full-fledged motion picture, I’m afraid Butt Boy is more of a failure than a success. But as a demonstration of sheer talent and filmmaking potential, it’s possibly worth going out of your way to see. There’s no denying the people responsible for Butt Boy have the technical stuff down to make a truly great movie — now let’s see if they can dream up a real script to showcase their talents. Wicked Horror Rating: 5/10 Director: Tyler Cornack Writer: Tyler Cornack and Ryan Koch Starring: Tyler Cornack, Tyler Rice, Shelby Dash, Brad Potts Release: April 14 Studio: Epic Pictures Runtime: 100 minutes

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Infection is a Science Heavy Zombie Flick [DVD Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Infection is a Science Heavy Zombie Flick [DVD Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

The ending of George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is iconic. Ben, as brilliantly played by Duane Jones, goes to the window while an all-white militia is sweeping toward the farmhouse, head-shotting as many zombies as they can. One of them spots Ben, a black man, in the window and shoots him. It’s never clear whether they mistook Ben for a zombie or they saw an opportunity to kill a black man and took it. Romero never intended that moment to be read in this way, and Venezuelan writer-director Flavio Pedota finds himself in a similar situation with his zombie flick Infection.  In Romero’s introduction to the collection of zombie short fiction, Nights of the Living Dead: An Anthology, he admitted, Jones got the part because he was “hands down, the best, within our puny budget, to play it” (xvi). I quoted that same line in my review of Day of the Dead: Bloodline, and I still believe, “The thing with allegories and politics in film: They’re there whether the creators intended them or not.” Pedota, unlike Bloodline director Hèctor Hernández Vicens, lucked into the best part of his film.  Anytime before COVID-19 became a Pandemic, one of the early scenes in Infection wouldn’t be so scary. A nurse is headed out after her shift, rushing to catch a flight. The first zombie of the titular “infection” rolls by, chained to a stretcher. He coughs directly into the nurse’s face. The camera follows her as she boards her flight, coughing. It’s terrifying because it echoes our current reality so accurately.  There’s no way that Pedota could’ve known what was coming (and if he did, he damn well should’ve told someone) in the real world, but he takes a scientific approach to zombies in this film. Dr. Adam Vargas (Rubén Guevara) is the film’s reluctant hero. He retired to the countryside after — or maybe because of? The details are fuzzy — his wife’s terminal illness. After she dies, he’s left to raise their son Miguel (Luca de Lima) alone.  The infection starts soon after Miguel leaves to spend the weekend riding horses at his mother’s parent’s ranch. Shortly before phones go down, Adam gets a call from his friend Carlos (Ronnie Nordenflycht) asking him to come to a secret military installation to work on a cure with World Health Organization expert Dr. Lucy Blake (Genna Chanelle Hayes). Adam is conflicted, but his neighbors force him to action.  Johnny (Leonidas Urbina) brings his wife Ana (Isabel Bertelsen) who “said an old man bit her” for treatment. Other neighbors congregate at the doctor’s house as well. When Ana turns, they’re forced to leave, and Adam begins his pilgrimage to save his son.  The journey Adam goes on in Infection takes much from the playbook of World War Z. Both stories are indebted to The Odyssey, in that all three are as much about the locations where their heroes stop as they are about the hero’s destination. In this case, Adam crosses Venezuela, giving Pedota the opportunity to show the different ways that people are reacting. None of them are baking bread like so many of us are now, but the characters in this film risk their lives to help one another.  Also See: Five Standout Episodes of The Casefile True Crime Podcast While the story is working in many ways, it fails its female characters. As you may have picked up earlier, both of the film’s heroes, Adam and his neighbor Johnny, lose their wives in a way that drives their personal story. This is a harmful trope called “fridging.” The wives, who are barely named, die to advance their husband’s stories. This writing is bad beyond the sexism because two-dimensional characters that are killed to drive another character’s story rather than as a consequence of their own actions are uninteresting.  The movie has some struggles visually as well. The fights are shot in a Bourne Whateveracy way, with a lot of close ups on fist swinging, jaws snapping shut, and blows either landing or missing cut quickly together. It makes it hard to tell what’s happening and to whom, which is important in a movie where a bite (and in this film a spray of mucous as well) means death. This, and a helicopter that had to be CGI-ed in, were decisions that likely were the result of budgetary restraints.  What the budget can’t hurt is Pedota’s approach to his material in his script. Infection focuses on zombies from a scientific lens, trodding similar ground to Romero’s Day of the Dead (not to be confused with the previously mentioned remake, Day of the Dead Bloodline). Scientists and soldiers butt heads as they try to come up with a solution.  See Also: Unsolved Mysteries: 10 Fascinating Cases That Were Actually Solved While not everything works, Pedota sticks the landing, making a powerful statement in a post-credit scene. A camera follows refugees leaving Venezuela as they describe the struggles they’ve had trying to immigrate since the infection. It’s a sober reminder that debates about whether to allow refugees from other countries aren’t about policies. They’re about the people whose lives they shape. It says a lot about Pedota’s ability as a filmmaker that he managed to graft this on to his zombie story in his first feature film. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the future.   Wicked Rating – 6/10  Director: Flavio PedotaWriter: Flavio PedotaStars: Rubén Guevara, Luca de Lima, Leonidas Urbina, Genna Chanelle HayesRelease: April 14, 2020 (Digital and DVD) Studio/Production Company: Luz Creativa Producciones, Desenlace FilmsLanguage: Spanish, EnglishRun Time: 97 minutesSubgenre: Zombies Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

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Shudder’s Cursed Films Series Finishes Strong [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Shudder’s Cursed Films Series Finishes Strong [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Cursed Films opened its season with explorations of the superstitions surrounding The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Omen. The religious and spiritual nature of the themes these films touch on seemingly atrracted the mythology that now haunts their history. That’s not to say that there wasn’t any truth in some of these tragedies. A lot of strange and terrible things did happen on these sets. But with the mere mention of actual curses, things can get a bit campy. And quick. If I could reorder the first half of the series, I would hold off on the extra cheese. The final two installment, however, are more firmly rooted in reality. The Episodes Episode four of Cursed Films debuts on Shudder on April 16th and features a deep-dive into 1994’s The Crow and the tragic death of Brandon Lee. The Crow doesn’t lack it’s share of conspiratioral conjurers. From a curse that followed Brandon, gifted to him by his father Bruce Lee to a hit by the mafia, the theories are endless and wild. The unfortunate truth is, as pointed out by actor Michael Berryman, Brandon Lee was killed so a studio could save a few bucks. Due to a contractual loophole, the studio was able to hire a local contractor to handle the weapons and projectiles instead of the provided professional. Also See: Shudder’s Cursed Films Deftly Explores Bewitched Cinema The final episode of Cursed Films tackles perhaps the most grim case of neglecence displayed in filmmaking. When I saw The Twilight Zone: The Movie as a kid, I was not aware of the fate of Vic Morrow and two children he was attemtping to save in the infamous helicopter scene. Ryan Turek, VP of Develpment at Blumhouse Pictures says, “Film sets are a controlled chaos.” The funny thing about chaos is it doesn’t like being controlled. Longtime stuntman and horror actor Kane Hodder is right, though. Sometimes things happen and no one is truly to blame. Though in the case of The Twilight Zone: The Movie, director John Landis and his insistance of Michael Baying his imaginary Vietnam set resulted in the tragic death of three people. The truth is, the children should never have been working in those conditions. Actor Vic Morrow was in no position at this point in his career to voice his concerns and soldiered on. And he paid with his life. The final two episodes of Shudder’s Cursed Films premeire on April 16th. Be sure to tune in! Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

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Essential Quarantine Listening: Let’s Go to Court!

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Wicked Horror is the author of Essential Quarantine Listening: Let’s Go to Court!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

If you mashed Legally Blonde with hit true crime podcast My Favorite Murder, you would probably get Let’s Go to Court. Hosted by two of the greatest legal minds of our time, okay, not really. One semester of law school, one semester of criminal justice, a life long obsession with crazy court cases, and a mission to get Noodles and Company to bring back the Spicy Chicken Caesar Wrap is shared between hosts and lifelong friends Brandi Egan and Kristin Caruso, putting a fresh spin on your typical true crime podcast by focusing on stories that have a juicy legal battle at the center. But don’t worry, this isn’t a Dateline situation where you’ll be bummed out the whole time. While well researched (although if you are hoping for money converted for inflation you are out of luck) and interesting, the banter between these two friends creates a welcoming, warm and occasionally hilariously inappropriate environment that is almost guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. See Also: Five Standout Episodes of The Casefile True Crime Podcast Being an essential worker in these crazy times I need to be mindful of my wheezing laughter around my poor, unsuspecting co-workers while listening to these hilarious ladies. Every once in a while, you almost get the feeling that you are on a three way call with a couple of buddies. It is the most binge-worthy podcast I’ve come across in a long time. This is an absolute must listen for fans of true crime or anyone simply in need of a laugh. While listeners are encouraged to start at the very beginning, those hesitant to jump into jump into a new podcast are recommended to start on episode 17 to get a feel for things; in this episode Kristin tells the tale of the “Astronaut Love Tringle” and Brandi reads a transcript from a court proceeding that is so jaw-dropping and explicit that it actually birthed a cartoon reenactment by the creators of Rick and Morty (see below). Also See: Is Murder by Numbers Based on a True Story? For laughs, wacky side commentary and crazy court moments, check out Let’s Go to Court for free wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Behind You Is A Familiar Demonic Horror [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Behind You Is A Familiar Demonic Horror [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Lots of innocuous things become dangerous in horror films, but Behind You once again proves there are fewer things deadlier than real estate. Be it a too cheap house in a desirable neighborhood, an inherited castle, or an abandoned ruin of a once important structure, savvy genre viewers know from years of viewing experience that nothing good will possibly come of an impressive spread.  Behind You centers on Olivia (Addy Miller) and Claire (Elizabeth Birkner), who have just lost their mother, and their absentee father is apparently unreachable. A family friend and former coworker of their mother, Camilla (Aimee-Lynn Chadwick), has no choice but to drop the girls off temporarily with their estranged Aunt Beth (Jan Broberg). As the towheaded twosome stand on the sidewalk squinting up into the bright sunlight that shines just about everywhere other than the grounds of their massive temporary lodgings, it is more than likely there is something malevolent afoot. When caretaker/family friend Charles (Philip Brodie) opens the house in a wave of apologetic excuses and near hysterical cheerfulness, we’re sure of it. See Also: Terror Tropes: Trauma In Horror We’ve already seen an opening flashback of the pair’s other aunt and her mysterious disappearance 40 years earlier. Not even the wallpaper has changed since then, so when Aunt Beth summarily dismisses Camilla and snarls rules at the house guests she clearly didn’t want, it’s no surprise as to why. This ill-tempered instruction includes very specific references to the broken elevator and perpetually locked basement, and every mirror in the house is covered up. By the time Claire’s beloved stuffed bunny starts talking, we know she’s headed straight for that forbidden mirror filled basement, and the only real question is what set of words she will be tricked into chanting to release the evil entity from its glass prison and into her body. Less than 30 minutes into the runtime, the basic beats of a rather familiar story are mapped out for us, and the tension the film builds has gone slack.First time directors Andrew Mecham and Matthew Whedon (brother of Hollywood’s Joss) take a measured pace to their shots, the slow lurking camera a nice means of building atmosphere given that the entire movie takes place in or around the same house. There are moments of very moody visual work, such as Claire heading into the basement, moonlight giving way to flickering candlelight shining off of her blonde hair, or the purposeful gloom of the few moments in the garden. Overall, the movie looks better than it should at this budget, but cinematographer Benjamin Allred occasionally errs on the side of slightly too slick and pretty, bathing the airy rooms in warm light that looks more realtor open house ready than scary movie. See Also: Seven Haunted House Movies Worth Another Look Production notes included in the press materials mention that this was something of a troubled shoot, with budgetary and location issues causing large last minute changes to the script. Even for a viewer not afforded that additional context, the labored production shows. All of the characters are frustratingly one dimensional, and you could easily swap their names for generic archetypes (big sister, little sister, mean auntie) without losing anything major. In the rare case we get any information about them, it is some oddball detail (Claire’s peanut allergy, Aunt Beth’s violin prodigy past, Charles’ lack of children) only mentioned in service of a later plot device. That said, the actors do a surprisingly fine job of making do with what they have to work with. Philip Brodie manages to shade the contours in some by playing the role of Charles tooth achingly sweet to Jan Broberg’s inhumanly sour Beth, and Elizabeth Birkner shows winning potential when Claire is in the dark thrall of demonic possession. The expositional meat has clearly been cleaved off of the bones of the plot, creating some weirdly unnecessary craters in the film’s logic. Camilla’s entire function in the film is to kick things off by dropping the girls off at the house, then abandoning her stated cross-country move to attempt to rescue the girls at gunpoint when things turn sinister. Her sudden turn toward vigilantism is bizarre given her sweet and somewhat meek behavior in her previous scenes. Having inadvertently shown Olivia that her younger sister Claire really is possessed and won’t leave the house, Camilla is written out of the film. See Also: Horror Movie Kids We’d Love To See As Adults Even stranger is the conceit that no one is able to reach the girls’ father because he is “overseas on a business trip”. It is annoyingly unlikely an international business man in 2020 has no access to email, phone calls or texts to the point that his ex wife’s coworker has to drop his kids off to an aunt they have never met. This sort of silliness would not be a problem if Behind You was a film swinging for the camp fences. Given that everything is played straight, there are simpler explanations than the overly complicated options the film chooses. I suspect some of the connective scenes that provided context for these ideas were likely cut due to production constraints.While I commend the cast and crew for valiantly soldiering on in what sounds like very much less than ideal conditions, the end result has little to distinguish it from a sea of options in a crowded sub genre. You could find far worse ways to kill 86 minutes than this film, but you can also find many stronger variations on the same central idea. I do hope the team of Mecham and Whedon get a chance to make a second feature. I would be curious to see what their vision as filmmakers was intended to be, that circumstances prevented from being fully realized in the unfortunately far too familiar feel of Behind You. WICKED RATING: 4.5/10Director(s): Andrew Mecham and Matthew WhedonWriter(s): Andrew Mecham and Matthew WhedonStars: Addy Miller, Elizabeth Birkner, Jan Broberg, Philip BrodieRelease: April 17, 2020 (VOD/Digital) Studio/ Production Co: Vertical EntertainmentLanguage: English   Length: 86 minutes Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

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