Horror Short: Ave Maria (2013)

Written and directed by Skip Shea
Staring Aurora Gabrill & David Graziano
Director of Photography Nolan Yee

A clergy man abides his sentence from three women in the woods, as a recording of Ave Maria drowns his screams. Skip Shea's Ave Maria is an eloquent twine of gore, music, and enacted karma. It's a pair to Shea's acclaimed Microcinema and in that the two are both lovely masterpieces that speak of violence in our society. There's no dialogue, the six minute run time a symphony of music and constructed torture. Shea as a director understands the appropriation of blood in a film and doesn't opt to show more than necessary. Though he is guilty we are never witnesses to the clergy man's crimes as Shea trusts the audience to display the revenge first and unveil the fulsome truth later. 

Aurora Gabrill returns as Missy, the white masked crusader of justice, whom is our anti-heroine, if you so will. Gabrill again plays a brave part in an unconventional female character in cinema, horror and non alike. Cinematography speaks for itself as it's balefully set in midst of the woods, the beautiful view of nature to timid the cringing horror. It will make a few squeal in its single act of violence but is a simple, beautiful piece to add to a collection of interesting works. In tradition of his works Ave Maria will not be for everyone as the religious text and the film's bizarre approach will off-put some, but for a horror aficionado it rings unique and gorgeous, leaving enough for the viewers imagination but volunteering enough visually to leave you averse and fascinated. Ave Maria is a lovely edition from the director that I suggest is best watched as a double feature to its more masculine counter Microcinema. However the feminine side of this story stands on its own and must be seen regardless if you liked the prior.

Ave Maria will be making its way around film festivals so watch for it. You can follow the director and its star on twitter for updates.

Fractional (2011)

Mental patient David Crowe is about to reveal a dark secret of his former psychiatrist's John Hatchet's past. A secret that has stayed so hidden John will do anything not to reveal it. As Crowe subjects John to five days of mental and physical torture inside an abandon warehouse John's facade fractures and the truth begins to come out. The more honest John becomes the more tragic the events unfold. And as Crowe gets his way his mental incapacity becomes all the more apparent. With John running out of time he must find a way to survive to not only protect his past but also the ones he loves.

Initially I didn't understand Fractional or where it was intending to lead. My initial impression, as the film opens to a similar torture porn construct, was exactly that, another torture porn. The sub-genre often surprises though and as Fractional unraveled the body may be meant for the genre but the soul of the film is entirely psychological. Its about the unabridged horrors that the human mind is exhausted through, may that be loss or insanity, etc and in how that torture drives us. The story structure is a bit jagged, moving swiftly between hours and days, and comes off oddly paced. There's minimal gore as despite a quite lovely display of harmful instruments most of the torture is the extent which is done on to the mind. The general setting of the film takes place in one room, the dark warehouse that John is trapped in, but flashes to past moments to give us a pleasant change of scenery. Yet nothing escapes the grim tone of the rather dreary subject matter in the film.

John's character is a fair counter to the mind game of Crowe, his darker past and professional insight useful weapons as the victim. Desmond Daly is decent as the lead and responds well off Peter O'Toole. Crowe's character takes precedence as the far more interesting character though, as he's a variety of psycho that would get along well in a ward with the big league monsters. O'Toole has acquired depth to his role and with director Malcolm Deegan creates a disturbing but mastered villain. There's a particular moment in the film where Crowe has an honest confessional of what he's responsible for in John's past that is played out like a conductor instructing an orchestra, the acting with the choice of music makes the moment both lovely and chilling. Other choices such as leaving the camera on Crowe for an uncomfortable amount of time give him a sinister advantage or by using the echos off the wall give his voice an otherworldly feel.

The film's photography was to my liking, with the lighting and camera angles satisfying to the eye. There's a basis of mystery here beneath the horror plot as the angles are constantly at change. The mystery surrounding John's previous wife's death and his patient relationship with Crowe taunt the viewer with that simple question of who the real monster really is. Fractional was an interesting watch that didn't go where I expected, I thoroughly liked the psychological horror of the film and the dialogue between the two leads. Fractional is available to rent on the films website, and I'd recommend it as a good watch.

Gut (2012)

Childhood friends Dan and Tom are growing apart. Dan sees that Tom has become distant with his friend, his job and from his family. Wanting to bring Tom out of his rut Dan shows him a video that he has to see to believe. What shows is an explicit underground horror film that blurs the distinction between being real or fake. At first Tom carries out with his unsociable qualities and leaves Dan's house in anger. But as the confusion subsides and Tom lets down his guard he begins to see the appeal to the film in which Dan showed him. With their friendship being at it's best in years Dan convinces Tom to watch another. As it is it begins to consume them, Dan starts missing work and submerges his life in the films. Tom carries on in his aloof manner but sex with his wife brings erotic flashes of the film as he becomes increasingly unhinged mentally. But of course things get much worse as the creator of the films has to make his influence in the friends lives. 

Gut is another addition to the increasingly small sub-genre of snuff films exploration. My sentiment of them is that I've only seen three ways to execute such, by becoming obsessed, by being a participant, or in the rare cases being the person to pull the trigger, so to speak. In that filmmakers that choose this type of film have a narrow space for originality. As is the issue with Gut, as it's a worthy addition to the collection but is nothing exceptional. The plot is thin, the story involving around the film engulfing the two friends lives. Not that Gut doesn't attempt to be thoughtful, cause in it's way it does. It's intent is to show the destruction of the family life and the ever distant friendship between Tom and Dan being held together by lies and seedy interests. But intent is only intent with this as it never fully develops on screen. Voyeurism and other topics are at play but come naturally with the films subject matter.

Tom's asocial attitude and Dan's overtly bro love for his friend makes it hard to like the characters. All you want is for Tom to lighten up and for Dan to take it down a notch and find a life. This fault is in both acting and writing as they escalate the horrible traits of the characters to the very end. Maybe all done intentionally but the only moment we see of the two's past shows an absolute no change in either character. Even as twelve year old Dan imposes his interest on Tom in attempt for friendship and Tom remains completely cold and uninterested. It's hard to like desperate and antisocial. If to salvage anything though I do think that when Jason Vail (Tom) is with Sarah Schoofs they're marriage is believable, and the small moments within the film that allow for realistic emotional responses are well played and convincing. There isn't an phenomenal display of cinematography but Gut does have a few good shots. And it's overall well made and has a professional look to it.

Though some may find excessive, Gut offers up an appropriate use of nudity and blood that are display in Tom's life and in the snuff films the two become infatuated with. The films themselves are done well and if anything are a bit tame. There's also a mystery as you never really know who's making the films. However, the ending is sought out in the beginning, and it's apparent as soon as the characters start to develop as to how this is going to end. Maybe I've mislead a bit Gut is not a bad film, it kept my interest well, or until the hour mark where the tension felt appropriate to an ending but then carries for another half hour. And as I mentioned it really is a fine film in dealing with the topic of snuff films, the concept has just been better executed in films like A Serbian Film or even Videodrome. It's also well made with a solid production behind it and ultimately I think it achieves what it wanted to achieve. There's no loss in watching Gut and if you're interested in doing so don't let my review sway you otherwise. I just don't see myself watching it again in the near future.

The Human Centipede 2: The Full Sequence (2011)

In this meta-horror film Martin is a disturbed loner who's long suffered from mental abuse from his mother and sexual abuse from his father. Martin works an imaginably boring job in a parking garage where most of his down time is spent in bondage type masturbation to Tom Six's infamous horror film The Human Centipede. Martin's love of the film goes beyond that of the typical insane horror fan (shout out to myself and others) and he has a dream of creating a human centipede of his own, using twelve people. It isn't until Martin kills his mother though that he seeks out to pursue his dream and in a ghastly attempt captures twelve random strangers. Where Dr. Heiter had the surgical skills and operating room to achieve his dream all Martin has is an empty warehouse and Heiter's kindergarten drawings from the film. In a brutal, graphic, and explicit final twenty minutes Martin creates a human centipede in a grisly conclusion.

Please, excuse me for the socially inept term but this film is retarded. Interesting how it reflects that of its main character Martin, it's a little tragic, a little disturbing, a little boring but ultimately is challenged. Tom Six's sequel to his infamous first film is in likes to nature of being a social commentary, it's about the fans of the first who called to derogatory comments of masturbation and obsession but also to the skeptical horror fans who felt it was too tame for it's hype. Six isn't shy in showing you everything, and then some. Maybe it was the poor use of special effects or the spoilers I read beforehand but I felt I saw through the grim of the film and saw for what it really was, nothing. That's not to say it wasn't graphic and unneccessary and I have no shame in saying I looked away for a good portion of the shit scene but it was all just...well fake. In that it holds to its tagline, 100% Medically Inaccurate, as besides the amateur approach to the medical stuff which I'm sure would kill most from shock he hits all his victims hard enough with a crowbar that I'm sure they'd die, if not then the second hit.

There's not much to say in casting as of the twelve people only a few stand out, Ashlynn Yennie returns and of course being meta it is as herself. She's not in it much and as a favor to us all again Martin rips out her tongue so even as the A piece she doesn't have to speak. The pregnant lady sticks out because of what her fate entails, which I'll say is more horrible than people defecating in each other mouths. The rest get a few lines that are mostly useless or campy, my favorite being "He's going to sew us ass to mouth!". That just leaves us Martin, now if Six knows how to do anything it's how to cast his villains. Laurence R. Harvey is really terrifying as Martin, his lack of dialogue and large eyes are very effective in creating a man unhinged. Scenes where he cries or laughs adds to that human quality to the character and you get a sense he could exist. Very worthy with Dieter Laser. Again, pre final twenty minutes, Six's strongest aspect in film making is his camera work and visual choices. His decision to shoot the film in black and white gives it a nightmarish visual overlay. The ascension of bright lighting in focus creates a surreal feel to the build of Martin's world and obsession. As well as a lot of other cleaver shots to master that loner and warped mindset feeling. For a brief moment you do live inside his head.

Yet it is effective. I felt wrong and nauseated after its ending. It resembles the creed of a homemade snuff film and even now I feel unease having it on my blog, as if it's tainting it or making it dirty. While I found The First Sequence to be good, only in originality and camera work, I find that The Full Sequence to not be good but had the potential from the first simple thought. Maybe my biggest issue with Tom Six as a director and writer is he has the ability to create horror films with depth and an artistic touch but goes for the shameful gore and tits show. The Human Centipede 2 is just one of those films that I cannot tell you to watch but it is iconic, it's part of this generation of horror, and it does what those who bitched about what the first film didn't, it goes there. However no plot and a single character developed doesn't surpass the grotesque latter half which isn't horror but rather just shoddy. Maybe its to say that you can achieve your dreams with a little duct tape and a staple gun? I don't know, it's not something I can recommend but it is what it is. Your decision.

Hostel: Part II (2007)

Hostel: Part II takes to the feminine side of horror as three young college students are in Europe studying art. When a luring women convinces them to take a detour to a Hostel in Slovakia the girls are exposed to the true hidden horrors of traveling in Europe these days. As the ladies are having fun, unknowingly being preyed on, two business men, Stuart and Todd, have just joined the elite hunting club in which the torture business runs out of. As Todd is eager and ready for the game, Stuart is having second thoughts and is hesitant towards his new purchase. When the business men and the girls finally meet it amounts to a bloody climax, but not all is the same in Eli Roth's sequel as our leading lady, Beth, has an advantage that may save her life.

My opinion on the first Hostel was that it was good, I don't like it because, well, you can't really like Hostel. It's about torturing people, but overall I found it to be a good horror film and more importantly I had to close my eyes for a second viewing. This time Roth gives us answers to questions that may have been posed by fans of the first film, such as what happens if you back out part way, and expands on the Elite Hunting's business end. It succeeds in being different to it's predecessor, despite having the same outline the girls are lured in differently and we get to see the setup process much more, in likes to where the business men stay. The script really only seemed to be touching at surface value to the stories though, between the three girls and the two business men. No doubt a good portion of the fan base will notice a real lack of torture, for better or worse. I didn't cringe or halfheartedly close my eyes as I did so in the first but was able to sit though it all with no effort for the most part. Though they have disturbing moments nothing quite compares to the gross splurge Roth done on the first. Suspense is limited in that you know the drill as the first time around. However it does flesh out a bit on the literal term of 'torture porn' and explores more of the fantasy that appeals to those who join the Elite Hunting.

I'm sadden and enthralled that Jay Hernandez came back as Paxton. Small spoiler alert, though doubtful since you see it coming the second he's on screen, I wish he hadn't of died. I liked him and his character. I struggle a bit with Heather Matarazzo, maybe it's because I know her more as a comedy actress but her death was horrid and the scene of the film, also she was rather nice and it's always sad when nice people like that have gruesome deaths. Lauren German is good as the lead female and carries her part in the film well, and Bijou Phillips slips into a common best friend character, with little to no effect. The weakest performances are likely from Roger Bart and Richard Burgi, who try too hard and end up overacting for their dramatic moments, Burgi trying to mimic Rick Hoffman's performance in the first Hostel. I liked the camera and photography of the first film, nothing exceptional but good overall, but I love the work in this. The hot springs scene, among others, has a haunted beauty to it that I appreciate. And of course for the latter half there's enough grim to create that singed atmosphere for the torture.

At the end Hostel: Part II is fine but it's not special, at most not a bad sequel but generally forgettable as a horror film. The ending was amped to please the audience even more so than the first though it was a bit campy. The first Hostel is noted for really defining the torture porn sub-genre, which in later years will be accredited like the slasher, in my opinion at least. The film also lost a bit of weight in any meaning it had, your less appalled this time by at what humans are capable of doing to one another; I personally found myself more interested in how Beth was going to escape with all that crazy security system they've improved on. I'll accredit the horror to being mostly in the idea that 'they are all around you' more so than the actual torture part itself. In that Hostel: Part II is an easy enough horror film to watch, still not for the light weights but I doubt you'll lose too much sleep over it.

TDHorror Retro Review

"The casual use of internet in this is almost staggering, as Gage takes almost a very ‘eighties’ approach and goes looking at the weird piercing club before checking his daughter’s last internet use. If this was set in current times that computer would be the first thing torn apart in looking for Genevieve. In that it likely proves the most horrifying as Captain Howdy’s torture chamber does hold a few aversions in his approach but nothing in light of how easily she is lured to his house."

The rest of the review is here. Hope you like. 

Horror Short - Microcinema: Improvisation Can Be A Killer (2011)

My blog has been getting a little bit of attention thanks to my followers and people on twitter retweet my reviews. At the same time though I only do one review a week, spare for the Irrelevant Post Friday's which basically do nothing but let me compose a horrific display of random thoughts, all for the public to view of course. A review a week isn't all that encouraging in bringing readers back and since I've been wanting to do something else for awhile I came up with Horror Shorts. It's the same as a film review only where I review horror shorts available via youtube or websites or however else they become accessible to me. The length will be cut into two paragraphs and I'll link to where you can view the short. I'll do these as often as I come across them, so if you're a filmmaker and have one you'd like me to review please send it my way.

Written and Directed by Skip Shea
Staring Alex Lewis and Aurora Grabill
Director of Photography, William Smyth
http://www.watchmicrocinema.com/

Microcinema: Improvisation Can Be A Killer follows Peter Martell, a snuff film fan who is tired of watching and ready to be an active participate in the dark film form he loves so much, but at Peter's peak of voyeurism things turn unexpectedly. The film is an immensely disturbing six minutes of the torture porn variety. As said, for lack of a better phrase, the film really grabs you by the balls and drags you in a direction not anticipated by the common thought. It really has one of those moments where you can honestly say I thought of everything happening BUT that. And in that it's rather disturbing and hard to watch, but all in a professional way; nothing to mimic the low cred snuff films that Peter is addicted too.

Skip Shea is an adept director with equal ability to write, his short film gets more across than most full length films. Acting is also quite proficient by our two leads; Alex Lewis falls into his role with ease, reading off Shea's dialogue as if he's the next Raymond Lemorne. And I most definitely must give my credit to Aurora Grabill for bravely taking a part such as this, one she also pulled off rather well. The cinematography is good, it's from the point of view of a video camera but the look and feel isn't the typical "found footage" style. My only negative I'd say for the film is the violence goes on a little bit to long in its short running time, for my taste at least. Highly recommended Microcinema is available here for a very worth it $0.99, (it's worth more, in my opinion). In addition to watching it you can also read through the description which gives an insight into its beginnings and its creator. You can also follow Skip Shea on twitter.

If you have a short please send me a link, you can contact me at bleedingdead22@yahoo.com or on my Twitter.