Film Review: TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY (2017)

Documentaries that focused on a single individual can fall into two camps – one is that it’s too pretentious to actually say something serious about the subject or two it tells a well-rounded and comprehensive look at the subject’s life and career both the good and the bad.  Unfortunately, the second one only actually happens when the subject has already passed on.  So it is with great pleasure that To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story (2017) belongs in the second type and Kodder is very much still alive.

For those of you who are not familiar of who Kane Hodder is (and I doubt there is a single horror fan who doesn’t know who he is), Hodder is a stunt actor/stunt coordinator/actor most famous most famous for playing the immortal Jason Voorhees in four of the Friday the 13^th films as well as the character of Victory Crowley in the four Hatchet films (the forth film called simply Victor Crowley).  In addition to this Hodder has worked on a ton of films including Demolition Man (1993), House (1985), Se7en (1995), and Spawn (1997), to name a small few of the films. 

In this film Hodder goes into intimate details about being a young child who was abused to an early accident where he was horrendously burned to his current recovery and insistent on always helping others.  This is reiterated by a huge cast of actors and fellow crew members who relate their stories of working with Hodder on very productions.  Some of the people featured included John Carl Buechler, Sean S. Cunningham, Bruce Campbell, Robert England, Adam Green, and Bill Moseley, with is just a small sampling of the people interviewed.

Directed by Derek Dennis Herbert, this could have easily been a talking heads documentary about Hodder but the stories these people tell show a brighter like on Hodder as a person and Hodder’s own recollections shed a light on how he overcame so many elements in his life that would have crippled other people.  This is not just a film about the man and his work but a film that gets into the deeper character of a man who has continuously faced challenges head on and never letting anyone or anything decide his own fate other than himself.

This is an amazing story of an amazing individual that has had a profound effect on the horror genre and horror fans in general and this is a great film that expertly separates the myth from the man.

Companion to “Conversations in Horror” - “The Best in ‘80s Slasher Films”

Companion to “Conversations in Horror”

“The Best in ‘80s Slasher Films”

In the podcast “Conversations in Horror” hosts Ron McLellen and I look at different aspects of the horror genre in order to entertain and educate fans.  This article is a companion to the show as a means to touch upon things that the show doesn’t have time to.  Enjoy.

I have a deep love for ‘80s horror films.  The ‘80s were a great time for filmmakers to explore every sub-genre of horror film out there.  It also happened to be one of the biggest decades for the slasher genre so I’d like to take a few moments to look out at all of my favorite ‘80s slasher films.  Some you may have seen while others you may have only heard about in whispers but all (in my opinion) are worth taking a peek at.  Films are presented in alphabetical order rather than in a list leading to the best of the best.

BOOGEY MAN, THE (1980)

This is an indie little slow burn of a psychological film that has a lot of atmosphere and mood.  Not necessarily considered to be an excellent film but it has its charms and its one of director Ulli Lommel’s best films.   When I first saw it as a kid I was expecting a monster film but I ended up with a film that was so much more so now I fondly remember it as a film that wanted to be something more than a simple slasher horror film.

CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980)

Next to Black Christmas (1974) this is one of my favorite Christmas themed horror films.  Director Lewis Jackson’s blackly comic film about a crazed Santa Claus who decides who is naughty enough to be killed.  Unlike the similarly themed Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) this film doesn’t take itself too seriously and is a lot more fun.  I enjoy both films but this is the one I put in every Christmas (next to Black Christmas that is).

FRIDAY THE 13^TH (1980)

Everyone loves a great slasher and it doesn’t get any better than the original Friday the 13^th (even without Jason).  I’m still a fan of this film and prefer the mystery aspects of this film that was lost in the sequels (except for maybe Part V).  More modern audiences may scoff at this film since it doesn’t have Jason in it but it does contain the amazing special FX make up talents of Tom Savini which means this film never disappoints from beginning to end.

FRIDAY THE 13^th PART 3 (1982)

Jason is a force to be reckoned with and nothing makes that more true than this film which is in 3-D and Jason gets his signature hockey mask.  The 3-D effects may be dated (and don’t hold up so well in 2-D) but this film is one of the most fun of the sequels.  I’m not a huge fan of the franchise (sorry, but I’m a Michael Myers fan) but this is one of the most entertaining of the sequels and not one to be missed.

FUNHOUSE, THE (1981)

 I will say this for the Tobe Hooper directed film – it grows on you.  I was not a fan of this film when I first saw it.  I thought it was a badly done film with nothing interesting to say.  At the suggestion of my best friend (and co-host of the show) who loves the film, I decided to give the film a second chance.  This, like many of Hooper’s films, are better the second time around.  Hooper’s films generally lack a strong story but make up for it in visuals and flare which this film has abundance in.  Growing up I never took his films all that seriously so I never really cared for his style but that’s what makes his films so entertainingly good – Hooper has style and it permeates every one of his films, so, even if his films lack a good story they more than make up for it in different ways.

HALLOWEEN II (1981)

This is not my favorite of the Halloween sequels but it is one of my favorite sequels of the ‘80s.  Before the sequels post-Part IV came I watched this film (with the original) every Halloween as if they were one film.  For the longest time I couldn’t watch one without the other.  There are a lot of great things about this film that still resonate but I loved the fact that sacrifices had to be made to end pure evil at the end of the film and there were no true winners (at least until part IV reveals that neither Myers nor Loomis actually died at the end).  This was supposed to be the end of the Myers story and a start of something different for subsequent sequels but we all know how that ended.

HELL NIGHT (1981)

Whatever you have to say about this film “boring” isn’t one of them.  Linda Blair is fantastic in this by-the-numbers slasher.  Despite the film being pretty predictable it’s never boring and always entertaining from beginning to end.   My opinion of the film may be a little bit misplaced as I’ve always been a huge fan of Blair’s.  I had a crush on her from way back which still allows me to enjoy her films more than I probably should (hey, I’m someone who thinks that The Exorcist 2: The Heretic isn’t a bad film).

HUMONGOUS (1982)

This was one of the scariest movies I ever saw growing up.  This is probably because I remember seeing a dark and grainy version of the film so everything horrifying was amped up any more.  This was also one of my mother’s favorite horror films so I saw this plenty of times growing up and it still holds a special place for me.  Most of my friends had never heard of the film before I mentioned it to them and it seems to be one of those films that were quickly forgotten upon release but it is a film worth seeking out.

MANIAC (1980)

This is one of my favorite films that I don’t plan on watching a second time in a while.  This is part of the same list that includes Martyrs (2008), Cannibal Holocaust (1980), and The Human Centipede: First Sequence (2009) which are films I think are great but not films I’m going to stick in the DVD/BD player and re-watch when I want to be entertained.  This is a polarizing film with a gripping performance by Joe Spinell and beyond fantastic make up FX (again) by Tom Savini.

MOTEL HELL (1980)

A cult favorite and one of my favorite films of the ‘80s.  This is one of those rare ‘80s films that got the comedy and horror right without being an all-out spoof.   This may be a little dated but it is also one of the most entertaining films from the ‘80s that has been overlooked for far too long.  Check this film out if you never have.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981)

Next to Halloween this is one of the greatest films that depict the derailment of a holiday.  This is a great film from beginning to end and still holds up very well even to this day.  I love a good killer in a mask and this film has one of the truly very best.  This is probably one that everyone has seen.

SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE, THE (1982)

Okay, this is a guilty pleasure film if there ever was one!  This may not be a great film but it is entertaining from beginning to end and one of the best of the ‘80s hands down.  These types of “throw-away” films may not be everyone’s cup of tea and it might be dated but it’s still one of my favorites to just put in the DVD/BD player with a beer in hand and just enjoy which you should as well.

Okay, so here is a small sampling of some of my favorite ‘80s slasher films.  There are MANY more that I never mentioned that are favorites but these should get you started.  Enjoy and if you want to hear more go to the actual “Conversations in Horror” podcast – “Talkin’ ‘80s Slasher Films” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wc9g-QrU6U or visit our Facebook Page at - https://www.facebook.com/conversationsinhorror?fref=ts

Web Series Episode Review: SLASH/UP – SARAH CONNOR VS JASON VOORHEES

WTFLOL Studios has created what promises to be an innovative and entertaining web series with Slash/Up which pits characters from various franchises against one another.  In this first episode it is “Sarah Connor Vs Jason Voorhees” as we see what would happen if Sarah Connor stumbled upon Camp Crystal Lake and its resident slasher Jason Voorhees. 

This would not normally seem like a film that would have much traction but the way in which writer/director/editor Brian Rosenthal has crafted the story and action it seems like a logical extension for both franchises.  The film borrows the action aesthetics from The Terminator franchise while stealing the horror and humor from the Friday the 13^th films. It’s a perfect melding of the two stories.  Sarah Connor (Nicole Marines) is on her way to Cyberdyne on a secret mission when her car breaks down just outside Camp Crystal Lake.  Meanwhile horny and party loving teenagers are having fun at the camp which disturbs Jason Voorhees (Derek Russo) who quickly arrives for his own style of fun.  Once the killing and screaming starts Sarah appears ready to blow anything and everything up.  With guns in hand and her nimble fight style Sarah makes for a formidable foe for Voorhees and what follows is an elaborate and cutting rate fight sequence between the two (choreographed by Chris Frank and Rosenthal himself).  Rosenthal does a great job honoring both franchises and fans of both will see a lot of homage that fits nicely into their respectful universes.  This is definitely a fan film for the fans.

Slash/Up is a great idea for a series of short films inspired by fans of not just horror, but action, science fiction, fantasy, and everything in between.  There is no limit to the possibilities of the series which is evident from the proposed second episode of the series “Neo Vs Freddy” pitting Neo from The Matrix films verses our favorite Dream Demon Fred Kruger from A Nightmare on Elm Street.  I look forward to seeing more from this web series and what they come up with next in the form of other productions.

To view the first episode of SLAH/UP go here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBj-BEf1eTk

To watch the making of the episode go here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhozVWXQs00

“How Many is Too Many NOTLD Films?”

I just picked up the graphic novel version of director George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) and was surprised first by the fact that someone even thought that there needed to be an adaptation of the film and second, that the graphic novel is comprised of scene shots of the film slightly animated to give the image an impression of being hand drawn.  It makes the whole thing look like an old Ralph Bakshi rotoscoped animated film (he directed the animated Lord of the Rings film and Cool World). 

It got me thinking of all the people that have had the balls to take Romero’s classic film (which due to an era with the copyright is in public domain) and deface it with yet another atrocity of which Romero and his fellow filmmakers are probably not reaping the benefits.  This goes for all the plethora of films and graphic novels and even an animated film that have continued the story of NOTLD but not the legacy of which Romero’s subsequent films have done (i.e. Dawn/Day/Land/Diary/Survival of the Dead).

For the purposes of this article I will only be discussing films rather than graphic novels, comics, books, and other mediums.  Let’s first take a look at the films that are official remakes of Romero’s films starting with his own NOTLD (1990).  Romero wrote the screenplay for this film but gave directing chores to his frequent collaborator Tom Savini.  In many respects, Romero improves upon the screenplay from the original but the film suffers from lacking the punch of the original.  The late ‘90s were horrible for the horror genre as violence was toned down due to studio interference and public outrage.  Much of the violence is off-screen and the zombie genre was more or less dead and buried at this time.   This film was ignored by audiences upon its original release (although I am happy to say I saw the film on opening night).  Next comes the remake of Dawn of the Dead (2004).  This remake came out at just the right time to re-invigorate zombies to the modern audience.  This film was the forerunner for the fast moving zombie and took onscreen violence to a new and shocking level.  This was a fast paced and suspenseful film from beginning to end.  It is hailed as one of the best horror remakes ever right up there with John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) and David Cronenberg’s The Fly (1986).  The final remake is Steve Miner’s Day of the Dead (2008), which is considered a travesty.  With a vegetarian zombie and zombies that climb and crawl on walls as if possessed by a demon this film was laughed at despite the capable name cast.  This is a film that fans despise despite the fact it was handled by Miner who is an icon of the genre having directed Friday the 13^th Part 2 (1981), Friday the 13^th Part 3-D (1982), Halloween: H20 (1998), and House (1986), among many others.

Next up on our list is the NOTLD; 30^th Anniversary Edition (1999) shepherded into existence by John Russo and Bill Hinzman (co-writer and producer/First Zombie, respectfully).  Russo added scenes with Hinzman and made several other changes none of which enhanced the film.  This is the version that was most inspired by George Lucas’ augmentations to the original Star Wars trilogy and Steven Spielberg’s changes to E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982).  A film whose existence has been forgotten by most.  On the opposite side of the spectrum is the animated version NOTLD: Reanimated (2009), which is an artistic homage to the original as artists from all over the world augment and/or animate segments of the film in different styles creating a unique amalgamation of a film.  Despite having no connection to the original filmmakers of the ’68 classic this is the ultimate fan-film of love not just to the film but to fans of the horror genre in general.

Before digital 3-D technology revolutionized the industry NOTLD 3-D (2006) was released upon the world in a limited theatrical run using anaglyph technology.  This Sig Haig (of Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects) starring monstrosity utilized every cliché of the 3-D movie while retelling NOTLD in a modern day setting.  This film is better left forgotten as is its sequel NOTLD: Re-Animation (2012).  This being said both films do have some decent gore gags but the overall plot of the films are lacking despite the horror icons that populate the films (Re-Animation stars Andrew Divoff and Jeffrey Combs).

In this same vein of the 3-D remakes is NOTLD: Resurrection (2012) from the UK which is completely uninspired despite the modern day setting.  What makes the film an atrocity is the horrible script, bad acting, amateur cinematography, and complete lack of any originality.  The same cannot be said of Mimesis: NOTLD (2011) which is a self-aware, home invasion style film in which a group of people find themselves reliving the events from the film.  This is actually a pretty entertaining new take on the material.

Up next are all the unofficial sequels which are all the films Romero had nothing to do with.  Return of the Living Dead (1985) and its four sequels are the most famous.  The first film redefined zombies again by claiming that the events of the film NOTLD really happened.  Zombies in the film were also intelligent and could speak but the true difference is that these zombies craved brains instead of any old body part.  This film ushered in a whole new and different type of zombie.  Of note is the fact that this film was originally conceived by NOTLD co-writer/producer John Russo who would also produce NOTLD: 30^th Anniversary Edition and Children of the Living Dead (2001).  With the exception of Return all of Russo’s subsequent films have been atrocities to the legacy of the original.  Bill Hinzman (the First Zombie see in the original NOTLD) decided to expand his character’s role by developing the film Flesheater (1988), which he also directed,  but this film is marked with a bad script, horrible acting, subpar makeup effects, and uninspired action and gore sequences.  This is an amateur film in every way despite the pedigree behind the camera.  This film has about as many redeeming qualities as Day of the Dead 2: Contagium (2005).  Ana Clavell and James G. Dudelson purchased the sequel rights to the original film to craft this in name only sequel that has nothing to do with any of the Romero films.  It does have zombies but that in and of itself does not make a good film.

The last in name only sequels would be Zombie 2 (1979) also known as Flesh Eating Zombies (and even more simply Zombi or Zombie).  In Italy the original Romero Dawn of the Dead was released as Zombi and this is the Lucio Fulci directed sequel/prequel to that film which was an easy way for Fulci to cash in on the success of a popular film.  Fulci directed a more traditional zombie film with the use of a voodoo like religion and the dead rising from their graves.  Since the Italian film industry was very fond of ripping each other off and changing the titles of a film whenever it suited them.  There are actually three more films in the series (plus maybe a few more with titles changed).  Italian zombie films are a completely different monster all their own.

Now that you have a better understanding on just how many films are associated with Romero’s films (not to mention the list of documentaries on hand) the question to ask yourself is – How much is too much?

Romero himself may have taken a break from producing another post-Survival of the Dead (2009) and he may have a complete disregard for all the films cashing in on his legacy but that won’t stop them from being made.  On average, there is a new film produced every couple years and along with the comic and graphic novels there is no sign of NOTLD’s popularity from subsiding.  So even though there are too many different films and stories currently out there, as zombie fans we can always do with a few more.

Either that or you can wait until Romero produces another zombie film (since I’ve seen them all on the big screen since ‘90s remake).

Book Review: Making Friday the 13th: The Legend of Camp Blood by David Grove

 Few films have had as profound effect of the horror genre as the infamous Friday the 13^th film series.  It seemingly came out of nowhere and changed the face of the slasher genre for years to come.  David Grove’s book Making Friday the 13^th: The Legend of Camp Blood goes into elaborate detail on all the films in the franchise as well as getting to the heart of the film series from all those involved from the directors and stars of the film to the crew behind the films.  This is an exhaustive study of the films for both the good and the bad.

Grove makes no apologies for the films that make up the ten films in the Friday the 13^th saga not to mention the television series and the Freddy Vs. Jason film as they all have their faults.  Grove may spend the first several chapters on the original 1980 film but he spends a good amount of time on each subsequent film examining not only plot but how each of the films fit in the horror pantheon when it was released.  The greatest asset to the book is the candid way in which the cast and crew speak about their experiences which is a revelation for those tired of the “PC” response that most films get upon their initial release.  It is noteworthy to say that despite the quality of each film everyone involved seemed to have a wonderful time making the films.

There is no end to the plethora of information on the Friday the 13^th franchise out there due to the popularity of the films so there would be little reason to purchase this book other than the fact that Grove has a very entertaining view and outlook on the films that keep the reading fast and furious and there is obliviously a fan appreciation that goes with it.  Fans will appreciate the book and discover details about the productions that even they might not know.  Not all films are perfect but this is a pretty damn good book about those imperfect films.