
Greetings, all. Ambush Bug here with another AICN HORROR: ZOMBIES & SHARKS column. Still trying to catch up on all of these horrors from October, I decided to do another column this week!
On with the horror reviews!
(Click title to go directly to the feature)
Retro-review: SON OF KONG (1933)
Retro-review: MARY, MARY, BLOODY MARY (1975)
LILY GRACE: A WITCH STORY (2015)
QUEEN OF BLOOD (2014)
8 Films To Die For: LUMBERJACK MAN (2015)
BOUND TO VENGEANCE (2015)
TALES OF HALLOWEEN (2015)
Advance Review: THE SIMILARS (2015)
And finally…TOMB OF DRACULA: TERROR IN THE SNOW!


SON OF KONG (1933)
Directed by Ernest B. SchoedsackWritten by Ruth Rose
Starring Robert Armstrong, Helen Mack, Frank Reicher, John Marston, Victor Wong, Ed Brady
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
A bit less heavy and jovial, SON OF KONG still is more fun that a barrel full of monkeys and it’s got a monkey band too!


One of the noticeable differences between Kiko and his pop is his lighter hair color and more distinctly, his large, human like eyes. Even early on, the filmmakers knew in order to make Kiko more likable, you have to give him big emotive eyes. This is one of the major aspects of the film that promotes the more cartoonish approach as Kiko feels more like something from the Island of Misfit Toys rather than Skull Island. Still, it highlights that the filmmakers were going for a broader audience that may not have been attracted to KING KONG because of its heavier themes of romance and loss.

I loved every minute of SON OF KONG. It’s a film built for the lighthearted Saturday Matinee crowd with a cartoony monster, a simplistic search for treasure story, and lovable performances by Armstrong and Mack. It’s from a simpler time when all you have to do is save a dame from a monster in order to have them fall for you. The themes of showmanship and the importance of opportunity are still prevalent throughout the story as all ends well for most of our cast, yet the underlying realization that Skull Island and all its inhabitants are no more proves for a much more melancholy ending that matches the tear-jerker ending of the original.
THEM!


MARY, MARY, BLOODY MARY (1975)
aka MARY, BLOODY MARYDirected by Juan López Moctezuma
Written by Don Henderson & Don Rico (story), Malcolm Marmorstein (screenplay)
Starring Cristina Ferrare, David Young, Helena Rojo, Arthur Hansel, Enrique Lucero, Susana Kamini, José Ángel Espinosa 'Ferrusquilla', Ramón Armengod, Carlos Riquelme, Roger Cudney, Jose Calderon, Reynaldo Rivera, Jorge Humberto Robles, & John Carradine as The Man!
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
I remember seeing the video box of MARY, MARY, BLOODY MARY as a kid and not really being interested in the film as it simply showed a picture of Mary (Christina Ferrare) as a noblewoman. Having finally checked out the film, I’m pretty sure my 10 year old attention span would have persevered had I rented it and I would have turned it off. Looking at it now, it was a hard film to get through too.

While the pacing of this film is bound to bore most, I will give it up to this film for trying hard to make Mary a sympathetic character worth rooting for. Despite the rough acting in many, many spots, Christina Ferrare does a pretty good job here as Mary and the story stacks enough problems onto her to make her worth investing in. Because she is trying to stave off her hunger in order to have a relationship with Ben, Mary becomes weak and like a ravenous animal whenever blood is presented to her, so you actually feel for her because her intentions are noble here. I can see why many call this one of the lesbian vampire films, as Mary does have a relationship with Greta. The temptation and pain Mary feels in her relationship with Ben can represent Mary’s pangs for the secret love of a woman, desires she cannot share with Ben. But in many ways, this is a much more progressive film, looking at these feelings more thematically than fetishistically displaying lesbian activity. Sure there are girls kissing girls here, but it’s much less exploitative than most films in the lesbian vamp genre which simply portrays lesbianism as monstrous.

This is a decently gory film for its time, dousing the victims in the red stuff. And while the themes at play are interesting, the execution and dialog are downright awful. All in all, I was able to find some positive aspects to MARY, MARY, BLOODY MARY, but it’s got some very rough edges.

LILY GRACE: A WITCH STORY (2015)
aka HER NAME IS LILY GRACEDirected by Wes Miller
Written by James Palmer
Starring Scott Seegmiller, James Palmer, Greg Travis, Ross Crain, Sean Harrigan, Matthew Koenig, and Sonya Cooke as Lily Grace!
Find out more about this film on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
While the story is rather simplistic, I have to recognize the distinctive look LILY GRACE: A WITCH STORY possesses. It’s not a perfect film, but the filmmaker has style for telling a gripping and unconventional story with loads of heavy atmosphere.

So two guys meet and build a trap to capture and kill a witch. That’s the story here and while that’s pretty much exactly what happens, along the way, there are a lot of interesting sights to be had. The film moves at a sort of meandering pace, focusing more on allowing us to get to know Ronald and Jake and this weird friendship they develop than the horrors, but the horrors eventually occur. Director Wes Miller opens this film oddly with voiceovers and close-ups. You’re tossed in, so intimately close to Ronald that it is somewhat jarring. We are inside his head for most of the film and through some strong dialog by writer Palmer you become invested in Ronald very early and easily. On top of that, when the witch does show up, Miller puts together some very tense and nerve shredding scenes of pure terror as the look and movements of the witch are pretty scary.
This is a quirky little film. Sometimes elegant in its character work, sometimes awkward in its transitions; LILY GRACE: A WITCH STORY is not going to be everyone, but if you are interested in unconventional horrors and storytelling, this one delivers its own odd stew of it in a heaping portion.

QUEEN OF BLOOD (2014)
Directed by Chris AlexanderWritten by Chris Alexander
Starring Nivek Ogre, Shauna Henry, David Goodfellow, Carrie Gemmell
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
I reviewed BLOOD FOR IRINA (reviewed here) a while back, recommending it for those horror fans who like their scares a bit artsier than the norm, as it was a film that was heavy on mood, light on dialog, and steeped in what some might describe as pretension. Still, the film was entertaining as a showcase of sights and sounds, choosing to use well-known imagery to convey a sense of feeling and experience rather than tell a conventional tale.

Not only is this film a sequel in that it continues the story of a specific character from BLOOD FOR IRINA, but it also continues the style and mood that oozed from the original film. This is a slow paced film--one that soaks in the wooded environment, which is a shift from the more urban exteriors seen in the first film and much more interesting due to the shift in locale. Those with a heavy fast forward finger will be tempted to skip a few beats here and there, but those who prefer to soak it all in and enjoy this experience will find it rich indeed.

Though there is a lack of dialog, the performances are interesting, but not really the highlight to the film. The appearance of Nivek Ogre from Skinny Puppy as a vampire hunter spices things up and the actor (who also appeared in SCREAM PARK—reviewed above) no doubt has a presence about him and the theatrics that go with performing music live do him well here in this silent film.
At times, I must admit, I felt the words “Just get on with it!” forming in my mouth. I can appreciate artsy horror for what it is. The film is reminiscent of Jess Franco’s art house vampire films of old, and props to this film for not going the complete cliché route and having the vamp suck blood through her fingers (which is common among vamps of lore in some other cultures). While some can perceive this simply as a tale of a vampire who washes ashore on a river and kills a couple of people with her finger straw, then wanders off with a new baby from a murdered pregnant woman, I can appreciate the point of the steady slow pace and how effectively creepy it can be if doled out in the patient manner Alexander does in QUEEN OF BLOOD. The BluRay contains the BLOOD FOR IRINA film, interviews with director Alexander, and intro by Nivek Ogre, as well as a pair of alternate endings.

LUMBERJACK MAN (2015)
Directed by Josh BearWritten by Josh Bear & Bill Muehl (story), Ed Kuehnel & Matt Entin (screenplay)
Starring Michael Madsen, Ciara Flynn, Alex Dobrenko, Jarrett King, Adam Sessler, Chase Joliet, Hector Becerra, Jasmin Carina, Wray Crawford, Zach Guerrero, Angelina Morales, Tyler Mount, Brina Palencia, Amanda Moon Ray, Alyona Real, Christopher Sabat, Andy San Dimas, Arthur Simone, Jake Surca, Troy Yingst, Bronson Willard
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
Holy wow is this film a boatload of fun!

Not one minute of this film should be taken seriously. The ludicrous premise of a monster lumberjack stalking and killing kids in order to bloody up his giant stack of pancakes is made even funnier by the performances by the talented comedic cast. Every performance here is on point and while most are playing broad stereotypes we’ve seen from other movies, enough self referential wit and charm is exuded from all of them. Playing like a horror version of the religious parody film SAVED!, LUMBERJACK MAN takes a group of bible thumpers chaperoning a group of horny and rebellious Christian kids and tosses in a serial killer to murder them one by one. The story takes full advantage of the naïve chaperones attempting to communicate “on the real” with the kids through the overzealous Doug (Adam Sessler) who brandishes a marble jar for positive behavior and the behind clothed doors vixen Theresa (Andy San Dimas), who provides an over the top striptease after an obligatory shower sequence.

The lead Flynn is an extremely charming and talented actress. Her comic timing is great and I look forward to seeing more of her (as if we didn’t see enough of her in this film). Madsen is amazing in this film as the Loomis character who delivers exposition and foreboding comments all the way through. “You don’t know what meatloaf is!” should be the man’s new catchphrase. Add in some male leads who honestly look baked in every scene they are in (both of the teens have a receding hairline), and this is a cast that is fun to watch as well as see massacred by a giant pancake maker.

And while this is definitely a comedy first, the grossout moments are a plenty and the sheer amount of gore and nudity make it feel more at home in the sex and blood covered 80’s. But what makes it fun is the somewhat self-referential attitude paired with some absolutely outrageous moments of gratuity. If you like laughter, boobs, and gore with your horror, serve up a heaping helping of LUMBERJACK MAN and your appetite will be most definitely satiated.
UNNATURAL
THE WICKED WITHIN
BASTARD

BOUND TO VENGEANCE (2015)
Directed by José Manuel CraviotoWritten by Rock Shaink Jr. & Keith Kjornes
Starring Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski, Stephanie Charles, Amy Okuda, Dustin Quick, Nihan Gur, Vivan Dugré, Kristoffer Kjornes
Digital download: Netflix (not yet), iTunes here
Find out more about this film here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
While I can acknowledge the power and impact of films like MS. 45, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and other rape/revenge films of old, I can’t say they are films I ever want to revisit. This is mainly because those films focused mainly on the act of rape itself, highlighting them in gory detail for an extended amount of screen time, and then almost by happenstance, try to make up for it by having the raped lash out violently against the rapist in the latter half. BOUND TO VENGEANCE kicks that template to the curb, and thus, makes for a more entertaining film entirely about the motivating power of revenge.

What I loved about this film is that it doesn’t creepily linger on the action of rape. There are tons of intense films about the subject if that’s what you’re looking for. But this film decides to smartly focus on the feelings of victimization and vengeance that occur after the rape has been committed. Eve’s motivations to go on this quest to free the girls is a complex one that is revealed later in the film, but we know horrific things have been done to her in the little information that is provided in the opening of the film. We don’t need to see every detail to understand that. Director José Manuel Cravioto and writers Rock Shaink Jr. & Keith Kjornes don’t want to make that type of film. Instead they focus on the complex feelings one might have afterwards and not only vengeance is delved into here as Eve makes her journey to each of the locations where the other girls are kept. Not all women will respond to this type of treatment in the same way and this movie highlights that expertly.

This is a dark and dangerous film, but while the subject matter of rape is dealt with, it’s not done so in such a voyeuristic manner in BOUND TO VENGEANCE. Again, the filmmakers don’t censor themselves or cut corners in order to make a gentler film about the subject matter, instead that decide to focus on the horrific aftermath of the act rather than the deed itself. This choice makes BOUND TO VENGEANCE one of the best rape revenge films I’ve ever seen, basically telling the same story with much less of the exploitative stank that often gets associated with these types of film.

TALES OF HALLOWEEN (2015)
Directed by David Parker (“Sweet Tooth”), Darren Lynn Bousman (“The Night Billy Raised Hell”), Adam Gierasch (“Trick”), Paul Solet (“The Weak & the Wicked), Axelle Carolyn (“Grim Grinning Ghost”), Lucky McKee (“Ding Dong”), Jonathan Skipp & Andrew Kasch (“This Means War”), Mike Mendez (“Friday the 31st”), Ryan Schifrin (“The Ransom of Rusty Rex”), Neil Marshall (“Bad Seed”)Written by David Parker (“Sweet Tooth”), Clint Sears & Darren Lynn Bousman (“The Night Billy Raised Hell”), Adam Gierasch (“Trick”), Paul Solet (“The Weak & the Wicked), Axelle Carolyn (“Grim Grinning Ghost”), Lucky McKee (“Ding Dong”), Jonathan Skipp & Andrew Kasch (“This Means War”), Mike Mendez (“Friday the 31st”), Ryan Schifrin (“The Ransom of Rusty Rex”), Neil Marshall (“Bad Seed”)
Starring Adrienne Barbeau, Elissa Dowling, Greg Grunberg, Robert Rusler, Adam Pascal, Booboo Stewart, Adrianne Curry, Madison Iseman, Hunter Smit, Cameron Easton (“Sweet Tooth”), Barry Bostwick, Marcus Eckert, Barbara Crampton, Austin Falk, Natalie Castillo, Frank Dietz, Sage Stewart, Rebekah McKendry, Noel Jason Scott, Casey Ruggieri, Trent Haaga (“The Night Billy Raised Hell”), Tiffany Shepis, Sean Clark, Nicole Laino, John F. Beach, Graham Skipper, Alexandra Fritz, Boriana Williams, Rafael Jordan, Clayton Keller, Kennedy Fuselier (“Trick”), Grace Phipps, Keir Gilchrist, Ben Stillwell, Noah Segan, Katie Silverman, Daniel DiMaggio, A.J. Meyers, Jack Grazer, Andrew Panettiere (“The Weak & the Wicked), Alex Essoe, Lin Shaye, Lisa Marie, Mick Garris, Caroline Williams (“Grim Grinning Ghost”), Pollyanna McIntosh, Marc Senter, Lucas Armendariz, Lilly Von Woodenshoe (“Ding Dong”), James Duval, Dana Gould, Andy Merrill, Thomas Blake Jr. (“This Means War”), Amanda Moyer, Jennifer Wenger, Nick Principe (“Friday the 31st”), Sam Witwer, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Ben Woolf, John Landis (“The Ransom of Rusty Rex”), Kristina Klebe, Cerina Vincent, John Savage, Joe Dante, Clare Kramer, Pat Healy, Adam Green, Stuart Gordon, Shaked Berenson (“Bad Seed”)
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
Though the film as a whole buckles under its own weight, TALES OF HALLOWEEN is a fun cross-section of some of the best horror filmmakers in the biz. The main issue here is that there are just too many cooks in the kitchen and not enough time for any one of them to make anything of substance. There are some inspired ideas that may cause a start or at least get the spine a tingling, but there isn’t much depth to be found in this anthology.










There are a lot of small details that just don’t work here. It feels like there should have been tighter reigns put on these stories as many of them repeat themselves with the same premises and endings, while most feel as if the directors weren’t giving it their all as many of the shorts don’t hold a candle to the feature films the directors have made before. I also feel as if there are just too many filmmakers (11 in total) and segments in this film. I would have preferred two films rather than one quickly done and pasted together clumsily with the filmmakers given more time to flesh out a story. Also, the transition between stories; those not narrated by Adrienne Barbeau, were often rocky. A simple name of the director and title of the segment could have rectified this, but all of the filmmakers and titles were inexplicably listed during the opening credits rather than before the segments themselves which makes more sense. All in all, there are some strong points to TALES OF HALLOWEEN (Schifrin’s “The Ransom of Rusty Rex,” Geirasch’s “Trick,” McKee’s “Ding, Dong,” and Mendez’s “Friday the 31st”), but everything feels like a rush job and rather sloppily put together.

THE SIMILARS (2015)
aka LOS PERECIDOSDirected by Isaac Ezban
Written by Isaac Ezban
Starring Gustavo Sánchez Parra, Luis Alberti, Carmen Beato, Fernando Becerril, Humberto Busto, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Alberto Estrella, Pablo Guisa Koestinger, María Elena Olivares, Catalina Salas, Santiago Torres
Find out more about this film on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
Simply amazing!

The premise of THE SIMILARS is something that feels like it was ripped straight from an episode of the TWILIGHT ZONE and I can think of two episodes in particular that this film reminded me of, but telling you the names of them will reveal way too much than I want to about this absolutely riveting descent into oddity and madness. The choice to film in black and white also makes the film feel much more like a lost episode of that classic series rather than something fresh and new. Still, despite its similarity to one of my favorite TV series ever, it manages to feel both relevant and thrilling from start to finish thanks to director Isaac Ezban’s quirky yet unsettling way of filming this movie. The look of this film feels like a stage play, but much of the decisions to the simple set the actions take place in seem intentional to give the viewer a sense of unease. Diagonal squares in the ceiling and floors sandwich our actors into this space causing a sense of utter unease. Ezban’s camera swoops and twirls around this set as the action unfolds making every scene feel vibrant and tension filled.

Like TWILIGHT ZONE, THE SIMILARS is the type of science fiction that isn’t done anymore. It’s not laser swords and fantastic set pieces. It’s a sci fi that asks “What if?” and then sees how human nature reacts to the unnatural events unfolding. As a fan of TWILIGHT ZONE and old sci fi comics, I absolutely loved every tension-filled minute of this odd masterpiece of paranoia and horror. Ezban dazzled me last year with the movie ouroboros that was THE INCIDENT (reviewed here and inexplicably still not released yet). Here the writer/director proves that his first film wasn’t a fluke. Ezban is a fresh and talented new voice in cinema of the bizarre. His films seem to be both harkening back to sci fi stories of old, while reminding us why those stories were so good in the first place. All at once, THE SIMILARS is a throwback and a breath of fresh air in a genre that forgot that you don’t need a big budget to tackle big ideas.
And finally…here’s a cool recording of an audio comic book with the accompanying comic book, TOMB OF DRACULA. I always loved this series from the seventies and this was one of the coolest stories as Dracula and Rachel Van Helsing trapped together in a snowstorm. See and hear Dracula drink the blood of a goat! Enjoy DRACULA: TERROR IN THE SNOW!
See ya next week, folks!
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/writer of wrongs/reviewer/interviewer/editor of AICN COMICS for over 13 years & AICN HORROR for 4. Follow Ambush Bug on the Twitters @Mark_L_Miller.


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