FILM REVIEW: JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981)

Five young campers are warned from going into the mountain wilderness by the local forest ranger Roy McLean (George Kennedy) in the ‘80s horror gem JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981).  The young campers are just trying to enjoy the weekend while also surveying the new property that one of them now owns but they soon run afoul of some locals and a killer that will protect and kill anyone that comes into his territory.  Now they must keep their wits and find a way off the mountain before they all become victims.

Jeff Lieberman directs and writes (with Mark Arywitz from a story by Jonas Middleton) this suspense filled horror film.  Lieberman’s other films include the popular SQUIRM, BLUE SUNSHINE, and SATAN’S LITTLE HELPER.  The film is very typical of other ‘80s horror films and has some creative kills but most memorable is the twist that comes halfway in the film that audiences aren’t expecting.

Kennedy is great as the “voice of reason” who tries to warn the campers and he’s given lots to work with as he returns during the third act.  Kennedy was a horror film fixture of the ‘80s with such cult films as CREEPSHOW 2, THE UNINVITED, THE TERROR WITHIN, DEMONWARP, and DEATH SHIP, to name a few.

JUST BEFORE DAWN isn’t one of the greatest horror films of the ‘80s but Lieberman crafted a film with ambition and therefore is an easily digestible time-waster.

FILM REVIEW: DON’T GO IN THE WOODS…ALONE! (1981)

Written by Garth Eliassen DON’T GO IN THE WOODS…ALONE! (1981) is your typical horror film of the ‘80s…or at least it tries to be.  A maniacal killer is loose in the woods killing people for no other reason than he wants to.  The film is filled with card board characters that get dispatched fast and relentlessly but there is no main character that really draws you into the story and keeps you engaged.  It also lacks the fun and gruesomeness of a FRIDAY THE 13^th or THE BURNING or MANIAC.

Directed by James Bryan whose other films include SEX ALIENS, WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON, LADY STREET FIGHTER or BOOGIEVISION you can kind of get an idea of what you are in for.  Bryan doesn’t really direct a horror film but instead puts victims in front of the camera to be killed one by one in not all that original or creative of a way.

This is not a gem of the ‘80s horror boom but an easily forgotten misstep of straight to video fluff.  The most interesting aspect of the film is the original one-sheet poster.

Web Series Review: HELL’S CIRCUS Part 1 – “Playing in the Woods”

I love web series when they are done right.  What’s not to like about a serialized story broken up in many different parts that keeps you on the edge of your seat from one episode to the next?  Web series remind me of the old serials that ended in a cliff hanger that had you on the edge of your seat until the next episode was released and you (finally) got to see how the main characters get out of their cliffhanger from the previous episode.  Unfortunately, the first episode of the web series Hell’s Circus (titled “Playing the Woods”) does nothing to set up the premise of the series or present a story that you haven’t already seen a thousand times before.

The story starts with a group of friends arriving at their camp site ready for a night (or maybe longer but it isn’t really made clear) of drinking and fun.  They wonder around a lot aimlessly until that night when they have a campfire drink-fest which has three of the guys venture off into the woods (briefly) only to return claiming that one of them heard footsteps in the woods.  As two of the friends go to their car to grab the gun they have stashed in the car, the episode ends before reaching the five minute mark.

That’s generally it.  No real set up for the premise.  None of the characters are established.  No one does anything to make the whole story interesting or at least suspenseful or scary (this is, after all, a horror web series with clowns).  It’s all a bland set up for (hopefully) something more sinister to come (because at least the web series has a great title in Hell’s Circus) but there is no indication in this premiere episode why I should even bother to wait for any more.  This episode lacks the drive and determination of a suspenseful horror story and its cluttered with clichés and barely established characters.  The rest of the production values aren’t much better as the audio levels are all over the place and the harsh red lighting of the campfire scenes call attention to themselves, and not in a good way.

The series is from Sitrep Productions and is written and directed by Francheska Arroyo who has a rough road ahead in terms of getting audiences hooked on this web series.  This being said, the entire cast do seem like they’re having fun and if future episodes do start to focus on character and suspense then when the clowns finally show up it may have been worth the wait.

You can catch the latest episodes of the web series on the Sitrep Productions Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/sitrepmovies/

Film Review: DEMONWARP (1988)

The ‘80s were an amazing type for the horror genre as there was no one particular subgenre that dominated any other.  Between the slasher films, the mutated monster films, and the psychological film there was also room for the occasional alien horror film of which Demonwarp (1988) can partially be included.  The film starts off with a Priest witnessing a space craft crash land.  It’s not until years later that the ramifications are truly felt. 

Bill Crafton (George Kennedy) and his daughter are enjoying a nice day in their cabin (that they rented) in the middle of the woods when they are attacked by a Bigfoot Monster which knocks him unconscious and abducts her.   Crafton then vows to find and kill the monster at any cost.  Several months later Jack Bergman (David Michael O’Neil) and his friends go to this same cabin which is uncle owns to search for his uncle who has been missing for almost a year.  It seems that there have been many disappearances in these woods of which Jack and his friends quickly realize when the Bigfoot Monster appears abducting one of his friends and killing another.  Not only that but this monster has also torn apart their car and stolen particular items from the house; it appears that this monster is intelligent.  Now Jack and his surviving friends must find a way out of the woods before the monster comes back but there are more strange things going on in these woods than just a Bigfoot monster as they encounter dead bodies and bones and victims of the monster now turned into zombies.

Kennedy was a major fixture in horror films in the ‘80s with Death Ship (1980), Just Before Dawn (1981), Wacko (1982), Creepshow 2 (1987), Uninvited (1988) and The Terror Within (1989), to name a few.  He was a big influence for my love of ‘80s horror films but he is given little to do in this film.  The best thing about Kennedy is that he always brings his “A” game whereas much of the rest of the cast is pretty much throwaway especially since they don’t do much for most of the running time of the film.  It’s your typical ‘80s horror film where people get killed one-by-one and a few extra people are thrown in to add more victims.  By the time the film actually gets to presenting more of the obscure ideas of the third act it may too much too late.  Regardless, it’s still an interesting little oddity of the ‘80s that reminds us just how crazy that decade in horror really was.

Film Review: DON’T GO INTO THE WOODS (2010)

A young band tired of playing cover songs ventures out into the woods for a little solidarity to create some meaningful songs to show the world who they really are.  This is the concept behind the Vincent D’Onofrio directed film Don’t Go in the Woods (2010).  Things start to go horribly wrong when the bands peace and quiet is disrupted by the sudden appearance of their girlfriends who begin to hinder their creativity but more devastating is the fact that a serial killer is bumping them off one by one. 

This would all seem like your typical slasher film in the woods but the difference is that D’Onofrio (who also came up with the story for the film) has crafted a slasher and musical hybrid.  Several of the band’s songs are performed in the film and several times a member of the cast will break out into song for no other reason other than they can (whether they are part of the band or not).  This is an odd direction as it comes out of nowhere half way into the film.   Another off putting thing about the film is the fact that there are no truly horrifying elements to the film until long after the halfway point.  Up until then it’s simply a film about a band that practices in the woods and have their own problems between them which is not really all that interesting.

This film is a really slow burn of a film in which you may not get the direction that D’Onofrio is going for until both the musical aspects and slasher elements collide.  Some of the most interesting moments of the film are the last third of the film but you have to get through the mush of a first half to get to the meat of the story.  Some people may not want to wait for the film to ultimately pick up momentum but the last third of the film is actually really well done both in terms of story and execution.

Overall, D’Onofrio doesn’t do a completely horrible job with the film but his touches don’t seem to really come into play until the last third of the film but if you stick with the film you just might enjoy it.

Film Review: YELLOWBRICKROAD (2010)

In 1940 the entire population of Friar, New Hampshire - over 550 people, walked into the wilderness together and vanished without a trace.  It is the present day and a writer and his crew of dedicated individuals have decided to walk the same path as those people in the hopes of discovering what truly happened to those people in 1940 whether it kills them or not.  This is the premise of YellowBrickRoad (2010).  

 

The film is part survival film and part road trip (only in the woods) and part paranoid psychological thriller.  As the writer and his group travel deeper into the woods following the so-called “yellow brick road” to a destination none of them are aware of their minds start to unwind and cripple under the stress until they start to turn on each other.  Now they must decide whether to continue to the end of their journey at which point the truth may kill them or turn back and never know the truth and let it haunt them forever.

As a psychological thriller it works really well as the first half of the film does a great job in setting up the premise of the film as well as establishing the characters and their relationships and their faults which may lead to their downfall.  Ultimately, those looking for a run-of-the-mill horror film will be in for a surprise as this is a slow burning film as friendships and alliances slowly break down until only paranoia is left.  There are a few gory moments but these add punch to the progression of the film without taking over or becoming a distraction.

Written and directed by Jesse Holland and Andy Milton the film is actually better than expected with solid performances by a very good ensemble cast.  This is one of those rare indie horror films that is worth the price of admission.

Film Review: THE CORRIDOR (2010)

Death can cause childhood trauma that can stay with a person until that person either overcomes it or it consumes them.  This is what happens when a group of high school friends get together for a retreat in order to help one of them get over the unusual death of his mother which left him briefly in a hospital.  Once at this cabin in the middle of nowhere the men discover something unnatural just within the woods – an almost invisible corridor.  In The Corridor (2010) these four friends discover an anomaly in the woods that causes minute changes in their physiology.  It starts to drive them unstable and they are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the corridor a secret from outsiders but time is running out as the corridor grows larger consuming everything in its path.

 

The people trapped in the cabin with an exterior force on the other side of the door is something made infamous through The Evil Dead (1981) and for which has been often copied time and time again.  Although this is the set up for this film it detours significantly as this corridor is harmless until the four friends decide to keep it for themselves and then things start to take a turn for the worse as each turn on others and themselves leading to a bloody ending.

The film holds its own as a film about the mental breakdown of the characters and the effects of true friendship against all odds.  For some it may go too extreme in the third act as there is a lot of bloodshed but fans of horror will not be disappointed.  If anything, horror fans will be dismayed with the type of film this is as it starts off as a drama then goes into sci-fi territory before ending on a very gory horror note.  For those looking for something a little different this might be right up your alley.

Web Series Review: LOST IN THE WOODS – Season 1

The proliferation of the independent web series is everywhere and there are both those that are good and those that are not so good, those with good production values and those that don’t even know a production value is, those with good acting and those with their friends and family members as the actors and depending upon the type and style of the series this can be a good or bad thing.  This being said the Matt Nielsen created web series “Into the Woods” lies somewhere in the middle.  At just 10 episodes each about 2 minutes long (making the entire series a little over 20 minutes in length) there is a lot that is in store for the series’ audience but there is also something left to be desired.

The story is about four strangers who wake up one day in the middle of the woods with no recollection of how they got there or how they can get out.  The series opens with Mark Jorden (Richard Peterson) who wakes up alone in the woods thinking that he had partied too much the day before and can’t remember much of what happened.  He’s not too particularly concerned since from his own words he’s a good old boy from North Georgia who just thinks he wondered into the woods.  It isn’t until the third episode that Mark meets Adam Kane (Gary Babiarz) a mysterious backpacker and camper who has food, fire, and can provide Mark with shelter.  It’s not until episode five that we meet the other two parts of our quartet Helena Frae (Angie Harrel) and Baz (Adam Mauldin), a lawyer with basic knowledge of faunae and a video gamer/college student, respectfully.  Both Helena and Baz have been traveling on the same road for three days when they encounter Mark and Kane.  The story doesn’t really jump into gear until Mark begins to suspect Kane of something nefarious (episode 7) at which point for some odd reason he thinks it’s better that he and Baz split from the group to go out on their own despite the fact that Kane has the food, fire, and means of shelter.  Away from Kane and Helena, Mark starts to go little nuts before he and Baz have an altercation at which point the two helpless guys once again run into Kane and Helena and a huge mystery is finally solved just as the series ends opening up for season 2.

Nielsen wrote and directed the entire web series and immediately by the end you’ll pick up on the fact that he was heavily influenced by the film Predators (2010) which is both a good and bad thing.  The bad thing is that the setup is something we’ve seen before in countless horror films and that’s exactly what you would expect from this story except it’s less a horror story and more a sci-fi story only it never fully commits to being a sci-fi story.  There is very little setup for what will ultimately be a sci-fi story, in fact, the first three episodes make it seem like it will be some type of mystery drama but the biggest problem there is that Mark is not a pro-active character and he just meanders through the first five episodes until he decides to run away from Kane instead of confronting him head on.  A mystery only works if there is a character actively trying to solve the mystery.  

There is nothing for Helena or Baz to do in the series other than play follow the leader and since they are absent from many episodes you never really get a sense of what drives them if anything.  None of the characters seem to be in a hurry to get anywhere or do anything to drive the story forward.  Kane is one of the more interesting characters but he isn’t utilized to the best of the story’s capabilities especially since he is at the heart of the big reveal at the end of the first season.  The story does have a group of what could be interesting characters if they had been given something to drive them and to make them want to get out of the woods as soon as possible.

Another thing to take into consideration is the lack of a compelling setup for the sci-fi elements of the story.  After three episodes of straight drama what little sci-fi we get seems to come out of left field (episode 4) until the series’ final reveal (episode 10).  Whether they are incorporated into story or visual there needs to be adequate setup for these sci-fi conventions in order for them to be convincing to the audience and to help drive the narrative.

Now the good.  I loved the hand held aesthetic of the series.  It puts you right into the story of the people lost in the woods.  I would even say that the film makers could have gone even further because the story lends itself to some immediacy.  Also I was impressed with the music and editing which for an indie web series is hard to come by.  The film makers obliviously are trying to present a web series with high production values on a small budget.  With the exception of the episode that takes place all at night everything looked good (that episode had some minor lighting issues but I wasn’t sure if this was because of camera issues or transfer to condensed file size).  There was only minor sound issues with wind noise in the final episode but this did not take away from the series as a whole.  All the cast did a pretty good job although I would have liked to see more quirkiness from the lawyer who has a love of nature fetish and Kane who could have been taken farther with his other worldliness.  I believe this is a tough decision for and writer or director when dealing with material of this sort – how serious or quirky should the tone and mood be?  Babiarz does a great job as Kane and I’m looking forward to seeing where they take this character in season two.

Speaking of season two, season one does a pretty good job of setting of the world of the series, which I believe was the intended goal.  At only 2 minutes per episode and maybe a combined 25 minutes of running time this web series is an extended trailer for a much bigger film.  If the film makers wanted to craft a trailer for a bigger project or feature film (in order to raise money for this bigger project) then they succeeded but on its own it’s just a mediocre first season.  Despite the first 2 episodes being dull and boring the later episodes do pick up steam and you can tell there is life within the web series if it’s given time to develop all of its ideas and at only 2 minutes each episode goes by extremely fast.  My advice to the film makers would be to develop the characters motivations and drive for the series (and make Baz an even bigger video game geek as he has some of the best lines in this season), create a mystery that will drive the characters and plot forward, and don’t be afraid to pull out those sci-fi touches because the last thing you want audiences thinking is that “Lost in the Woods” is just another one of those low budget horror films about a bunch of stupid people doing stupid things in the woods (or a cabin, take your pick).

You can watch all of Matt Nielsen’s  web series “Lost in the Woods” at Blip TV http://blip.tv/lost-in-the-woods#ShowDescription