No, it’s not a new movie, but it’s an awesome new design from our buddies over at Fright -Rags. Just in time for this month’s upcoming Friday The 13^th (does anyone still show the marathons?) Fright-Rags is releasing a limited edition t-shirt for guys and girls showing a combination of one of America’s icons of horror ‘Jason Voorhees’ and our beloved miniature soldiers from the 80’s, G.I. Joe.  Not only is the image itself pretty cool, but it truly pays homage to my childhood growing up with these two figures. Both are in a league of their own. They will only be available for three days, starting this Friday. Check out the press release from Fright- Rags and click the link below to secure one of those before they are gone.

“Just like any other kid growing up in the 80s, my childhood was a blur of action figures, sugary cereals, cold war paranoia, Saturday morning cartoons, and of course horror films. All of which I ate up like a good little consumer and much of it has shaped the way I am today. These days we are inundated with endless channels of stimulation and I can’t help but look back at that bygone era with misty-eyed fondness, as it was a much simpler time.

So, in celebration of another Friday the 13th, I felt it was a perfect time to pay homage to arguably the biggest slasher of the 80s, and mix in another element from my childhood for a mash-up of epic proportions that would make my inner 10 year old squeal with excitement. For me, it sums up the majority of my childhood in one image…and I hope you dig it as well.

Purchase the shirt from here: http://www.fright-rags.com/teaser/gi-jason-teaser.html

Shirts are 25.95 and hoodies are also available for 45.95.

This year was every bit as good as last year and much more. Last year, one of the biggest complaints attendees expressed was that the convention center was too crowded. No one can argue that this was a major concern as the line to enter the vendor room was ungodly long on Saturday and the convention was almost shut down by the fire marshal. This was not an issue this year as the entire hotel was booked by Horrorhound and the convention space allotted was nearly twice as big. The vendor room was in the usual ballroom, but the major headliners had their own room, the horror hosts had their own room, and mask-fest had it’s own room. With the exception of midday Saturday, fans could easily maneuver through the isles and with the exception of Corey Feldman, most of the lines for guests weren’t more than 10 or 15 minutes.

It seemed like the guest list this year lacked many of the big headliners that usually anchor a convention i.e. Romero, Elvira, or Englund, but I would say that it was probably their most creative lineup to date (Lisa Marie, Barbara Steele, the Killer Klowns, and Halloween  III reunions come to mind). Argento’s cancellation was a personal disappointment but there were still plenty of guests there for the Euro film fans. All hail the Italians! I cannot express enough how charming and pleasant the House by the Cemetery folks were. Gioovanni Frezza (most famously known as kid with the terrible dubbing from House by the Cemetery) made his very first convention appearance on Saturday and he seemed to be truly dumbfounded that anybody still cared about this movie. He was a really nice guy and I caught a picture with him as he was getting ready to leave on Saturday. Stefania Casini and Barbara Magnolifi from Suspiria were very sweet and signed a Joel Robinson SuspiriaPoster for me. I was so impressed by the poster that I also bought a shirt of the same design. If you haven’t heard of Joel before, he is a great guy and does some amazing work. He is doing the artwork once again for the upcoming Contamination convention this year in St. Louis, will have an upcoming art show at Starclipper in the Loop, and will be attending the upcoming Vincentennial Celebration. That means you St. Louis Fiends have no excuse not to check this guy out.

The after hours entertainment this year appeared to be a big hit. While I am not a Mushroomhead fan, most of the crowd seemed to really be enjoying themselves, and their booth got a lot of foot traffic most of the weekend. I hope they can bring more horror themed bands in future years. Due to the Argento cancellation, Horrorhound opened up the after party concert to everyone, and I think that was a great idea. It made the room that much more full and made me feel like I was getting more bang for my buck. Friday and Saturday included a performance by a freak show called the Invisible Man Corp. based out of Texas. Audiences were treated to a performance that included balloon tricks, sword swallowing, nail walking, eyelid lifts, and much more. They were very nice and put on one hell of a show (hint hint to anyone from Horrorhound reading this, you should bring them back). If you get a chance, check them out because they are always touring. In fact, I was so impressed with their performances last weekend that I saw them on Monday night as well.

One highlight of the convention was the guest panels. Friday’s Killer Klowns panel was pretty lightly attended (probably about 100-150 people), but it was very entertaining. The panel lineup included Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, and two of the actors who portrayed clowns in the movie. One tidbit that was shared was that the long talked about Grant Cramer and Chiodo Brothers script to a sequel is done but they are still looking for financing.

On Saturday I attended three panels and a film screening (yes, my ass was about ready to fall asleep through five hours of sitting) but I am glad that I saw them all. Up first came the Halloween III panel which was heavily attended, very well organized, and was probably the most complete of all the panels. Sean Clark was fantastic as the mediator as he has a real passion for the Halloween films and asked intelligent probing questions. Having Tommy Lee Wallace there reminded me how important of a role that directors have and that they should be featured more at conventions. He was very charming and informative, giving insight to what happened in front of and behind the camera. One interesting tidbit I learned was that Don Post Studios is in talks to bring the iconic masks from the film back into production, complete with the Silver Shamrock logo. The studio originally produced these masks around the time the film was released but soon stopped because of the box office disappointment of the film. The next panel was the slasher stars panel and that was interesting because many of the guests had never done conventions before. Ted White, who played Jason in Friday the 13th part IV, seemed like kind of a grump ass but most panel guests were awesome. Hearing some of the real life horror stories of what Derek MacKinnon from Terror Train had to endure on the set shows that not all of these films were a blast to make . By this point I was starting to drag but there was no way I would miss the House by the Cemetery panel. Blue Underground was filming for a special edition documentary of the film. I am guessing we should expect a Blu- ray soon. Many of the guests had very broken English but were very pleasant to listen too. Cantriona MacColl seemed so thrilled to be there and had an appreciation for the fans.

All in all, I would say that most of the guests there were a pleasure to meet and the weekend was a success. If a person has never been to a convention before and is looking for a recommendation, I would recommend Horrorhound Indy in a heartbeat. The hotel staff is always very nice and accommodating, the Horrorhound volunteer staff was much more knowledgeable than last year, and the city of Indy itself is well laid out. I have never been to the Cincinnati edition of Horrorhound but they have already announced a Pet Cemetery reunion for November 11-13th. I can’t wait until next year and I hope to see you all there!!

Day 19: Co-ed Cut Up…..Pieces

Beginning in 1942, a young boy gets scolded by his mother because she finds him putting together a nudie puzzle.  Naturally, his response is to kill her with an ax and saw her up into pieces.  Forty years later, a bunch of girls are being murdered on a college campus.  The kicker is that every time one is killed, a piece of their body is missing.  With the help of a college student and a pro tennis player turned undercover professor, the police attempt to track down the killer before he finishes his puzzle.

This film is a must see for all exploitation fans.  The script was hilarious, the gratuitous nudity was a plus, and the gore was more extreme than in almost any other slasher.   The cops were probably my favorite part as they would chew through terrible lines.  One such line was, “we’re just buying clothes without labels and trying them on for size.”  The story was ludicrous in that the dean is trying to keep these murders under wraps and yet people are being sawed up in broad daylight with a chainsaw.  Also, not to mention that the cops recruit a college student because they are short handed. Unrealistic plot aside, Pieces is the perfect flick to watch with a group of friends while drinking some brews.

The film has been widely available on DVD for a long time but for my money, I would highly recommend picking up the Grindhouse Releasing release that came out a couple years ago.  Grindhouse always puts quality work into their releases, and this film is very deserving of such red carpet treatment.  I know I said I would get to this film about ten days ago but tomorrow I will finally play the game Truth or Dare.

Sometimes there are films that although influential and often widely referenced, have often eluded viewers.  Tonight’s feature is never shown on t.v., the dvd is rarely seen in video stores and yet was featured in Bravo’s top Scary movie moments.  When asking friends about this film, they often shrug their shoulders because they have never heard of the title.   Tonight’s feature has for one reason or another always escaped me but after picking up a vhs copy, I was finally treated to the 1976 film….. Alice Sweet Alice.

Day 17:  How Sweet it is….Alice Sweet Alice

A dysfunctional Italian Catholic family from the east coast is in preparation for Karen, the youngest of two sisters, to have her first communion.  The eldest sister, Alice, is constantly causing trouble for her Mother, Aunt , and Uncle by performing mean spirited pranks, often dressed in a yellow overcoat and mask. Karen is viciously murdered by someone wearing an outfit, similar to Alice’s and of course the suspicion turns to her.  Karen and Alice’s Father comes in for the Funeral and in tern tries to figure out the mystery of who really killed Karen.  Who was behind the murder?  Was it the aunt?  Was it the creepy perverted landlord?  Was it the priest?

This film is the perfect Hitchcockian type thriller and the mystery keeps the viewer guessing until the very end. The kills are brutal but are never done in an over the top tongue in cheek fashion. Although being an American film, it actually works more as a giallo film than a straight slasher and probably has more in common with a film such as Don’t Torture a Duckling, than a film like Slaughter High.  The body count isn’t high but the acting and visual style of the film will be enough to hold your attention.

I can’t recommend this film enough.  This film is often referenced because it was Brooke Shields’ acting debut but that is a shame, because it should be remembered as one of the top American horror films of the 1970’s.  I am sure many of you have already seen this film but if you haven’t, get your ass a copy and get ready to be treated to a top rate thriller.  The 18^th film in 30 September Slashers is unfortunately not even in the same  ballpark as Alice Sweet Alice, the next film in our fest is the title Video Violence.

What do horror clips, Donald Pleasence, and contests all have in common?  Besides all being awesome, they are all featured on tonight’s installment of 30 September Slashers.  With October quickly approaching, no doubt we will soon be bombarded with horror movie countdowns and scariest movie moment features.  Most usually feature people like Ice-T, Eli Roth, the Miller Light Girls, and an assortment of has-beens preaching about why they love horror films.  These typically aren’t very stimulating and make me run for the changer right away.  In 1984, a horror movie compilation was released that not only brought the goods but was also hosted by slasher film(and horror for that matter) royalty.  That film was the appropriately titled Terror in the Aisles.

Day 15: All Killer No Filler…..Terror In the Aisles

Why do we watch horror films?  Why do we like being scared?  These are all questions that are tackled in this collection of horror movie moments.  Icons of fright, Donald “I shot him six times” Pleasence and Nancy Allen, host a collection of horror film clips from the setting of a packed movie theater.  Instead of just listing movies and showing shocking scenes from each one, the film instead deals with different themes involving horror including sex, villains, terror itself, and why we use horror as an escape.  The film at one point uses stock footage of an interview with Alfred Hitchcock where he explains suspense in cinema. The documentary primarily focuses on films from the late seventies and early eighties but does show some clips from more “classic” horror films and gives historical perspective.  Some of the films included in this doc. are Halloween, Carrie, Klute, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13^th, several Hitchcock films, and a plethora of others.

This horror doc. is far and above better than anything compilation that you will see released today.  Mr. “Pure Evil” himself serves as the perfect host and hams up his performance every second he is onscreen.  It’s almost as if you are watching wacky Dr. Loomis host this instead of Pleasence.  Nancy Allen’s presence I could take or leave, most of the time it was as if she was reading off of a damn cue card.  The soundtrack was fantastic, although very simple at times, reminded me very much of a Carpenter-esque score.  The only downside to the film is that it does not give you film titles or film introductions.  Therefore, if you are interested in learning more about a film or watching it, then you are shit out of luck unless you do some research from the film credits.

Although I think it is a crime that this has never seen a release past Laser Disc, I can see why this film has never had an official DVD release.  Securing rights to these film clips would be a nightmare, especially since this film would be appreciated by such a limited audience.  If your looking for a good compilation to get you in the mood for Halloween and would like an alternative to Bravo’s countdown of horror flicks, then this might be the film for you.   I know I enjoyed the hell out of it and will be watching it again.

Are you ready for the Contest?  Destroy the Brain is giving away an OOP original VHS copy of Terror in the Aisles. The first person to respond with the correct answer wins.

Question: In New Year’s Evil, what is the name of the show that Blaze’s son Derrick auditioned for?

Sometimes the music of a horror film can be just as important as what is occurring on screen.  Nowhere else can this be more apparent than in the 80’s punk influenced horror film.  The godfather of them all is the 1985 Dan O’Bannon classic Return of the Living Dead.  I don’t think anyone can argue that “Party Time” by 45 Grave has become an anthem for horror fans.  However, 5 years before Trash was doin’ the cemetery dance, a very popular punk rock slasher was makin’ it’s way to the big screen. Tonight, lets break out the champagne and countdown for New Years Evil.

Day 14: New Years Resolution, Don’t Die……New Years Evil!!

It’s New Years Eve and “Blaze” is hosting a televised countdown from a hotel and she will be multicast all over the United States.  The room is filled to the brim with leather jackets, as people slam around while listening to the fictional bands Big In Japan and Shadow.  Unfortunately for ole Blaze and some unsuspecting victims, a crazed caller named “Evil” has plans to murder a different person each time the clock strikes midnight across the country, with Blaze scheduled as the final victim.

Fun music aside, one of the biggest things that sets this slasher apart from others is that the audience accompanies “Evil” through his killings.  He is unmasked and approaches his victims with a charismatic approach, unlike his colleagues who tend to creep in the shadows with bags or some sort of mask on their heads.  While not as brutal or serious as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, the two films are similar in that the killer does not look like the typical “boogie man.”  Only at the end does the audience learn who the killer is and it is truly a shocking surprise.

I would highly recommend checking this one out but unlike the last two films covered in 30 September Slashers, this film is highly accessible.  The film can be streamed on Netflix and is also available from time to time on the Online/On Demand Fearnet Channel.  I only imagine that copyright infringements or some other bullshit have held this film up from having an official DVD release but at least we are able to see it in another form other than VHS.  Tomorrow we will continue our fun filled slasher fest but I will be doing two things a little different.  One: The unreleased film tomorrow can only partially be considered a slasher film in that it features clips from some of our favorite slashers(I thought we could use a slight detour) and Two: 30 September Slashers will host it’s first contest!!  So baton down the hatches and get ready for the Donald Pleasence hosted horror fest Terror in the Aisles!!!

New Year’s Evil on Netflix

I know I have said this before but I thought today might be a good time to remind all you fiends out there that here at Destroy the Brain, we realize that there are more popular slashers than what we are covering.  We realize that Honeymoon Horror is not considered one of the top ten slashers of all time, however, we thought 30 September Slashers might be a good opportunity to cover some films that you might not have seen before.  Tonight we will continue our week long coverage of slashers that have yet to receive a proper DVD release in the U.S.  So sit back, get on your spandex and get ready to burn some calories as you dig into the 1986 film Killer Workout a.k.a. Aerobicide.

Day 13:  Tone Up, Work on a Tan, Get Murdered…..Killer Workout

This film opens with a soon to be famous model, in preparation for a trip to Paris, deciding to work on her tan but the tanning bed breaks and she is burned to death, or is she?  What soon follows is about an hour and twenty minutes cut between watching spandex laden hotties jamming to the oldies, dudes lifting weights, and gym rats being cut down with an over sized safety pin.  The main characters include Rhonda(the owner of Rhonda’s workout), a cop who thinks he is Dirty Harry, a creepy new employee who works at the gym, and a roided out psycho named Jimmy.

This movie was all over the place.  I had no idea who the hell the main characters were for about the first forty minutes and was left wondering why the hell people kept coming back to the gym if multiple people get killed off every day?  All that aside, I would say that it was a damn fun watch and while not the Casablanca of slasher films, it is just the kind of film that I would have loved watching when I was 15.  The kills were frequent enough to keep my attention and the cheese factor of the 80s workout attire and music made for a humorous experience.  Had I walked into Videos Unlimited(my town video store) and rented this film, I would have left feeling my $1.25 was well spent.

Unlike the film last night, I would highly recommend picking this film up if you can find the VHS.  If you are in the mood to be transported back to the 80s, when Jayne Fonda ruled the workout tape scene, then this is the flick for you.  A flick that demands a DVD release because it would have an audience. Lets keep the momentum going with tomorrow’s feature film, the never released on DVD, yet highly accessible New Year’s Evil.

Rummaging through used VHS tapes at old video stores is something that I really miss.  Throughout the 90s and early 2000s, as Mom and Pop stores began to close up shop, a horror fiend could pick up many rare and out of print horror titles at a reasonable price.  Now, many of these out of print titles can only be found for outrageous prices on Amazon or on eBay.  I found one such title last year at a local store and will feature it as tonight’s 30 September Slashers.  For your viewing pleasure(or displeasure)….Honeymoon Horror

Day 12: Til Death Do Us Part….Honeymoon Horror

Frank Bartlow and his wife own an island that has cabins and is a newlywed getaway called Honeymoon Cove.  Frank finds his wife sleeping with his friend and a fight ensues, Frank is hit over the head and presumably burned to death in a fire.  Fast-forward a year later and Mrs. Bartlow has married Franks creepy friend Vic and they have reopened the honeymoon destination.  The couple is joined on the island by old maid Emily and Crazy Joe the caretaker.  Three college student couples are coming to stay for their honeymoons(apparently all 3 groups of friends had their wedding on the same day and are now going on their honeymoon’s together) but  soon they begin to be stalked by a burnt assailant who begins to murder them off.

Watching Honeymoon Horror for the first hour is like watching a porno that had all of the sex scenes edited out.  This begs the question, why the hell would you watch a porn without any of the goods? I was left asking myself that same question.  The cheesy eighties mustaches, the clothes, and the constant cuts to before and after sex scenes were boring and the latter happened at least twenty times.

Also, the editing of the kills themselves was very lazy.  If Alfred Hitchcock wrote the book on how to edit a shower scene kill, then director Harry Preston, totally shredded that book and lit it on fire.  This scene was supposed to be one of the more brutal and suspenseful moments but it just felt random.  The killer himself was not menacing and would stalking while breathing heavily, that were presumably supposed to be terrifying really just made him sound like he had a bad cold.

One of the worst aspects of the film is the two town police officers that are peppered throughout the film as comic relief.  I never understood why any director/writer would add a buddy cop subplot into a slasher film.  It sure as hell didn’t work in Halloween 5 and it doesn’t work for Honeymoon Horror either.

About the only thing that could potentially be fun about this film is that it could be turned into a drinking game.  Try drinking every time someone has sex or alludes to the act, every time someone is drinking or says that the other person needs a drink, every time they cut to a shot of the killer stalking people outside the cabin, and every time the stupid buddy cops show up on screen.  I promise that you will be plastered by the sixty-minute mark.

I doubt Honeymoon Horror will ever make its way to dvd.  It’s not quite funny enough to warrant watching for the comedic aspects and it’s horror elements are so scattered and uninspired that they aren’t worth watching either.  If you happen to find this at a flea market or video store blowout, you may want to keep on walking.  Now that we have that crap fest behind us, we can get to another slasher that has yet to see a region 1 dvd release.  All of you Jane Fonda fitness fans out there are going to love the next film we cover,  1986’s Killer Workout.

During the eighties, there were several slashers  that although popular, never spawned franchises.  While films such as Halloween, the Friday the 13th films, and Texas Chainsaw franchises still have films coming out to the this day, there were a crop of films that for whatever reason just didn’t have sequels.  Black Christmas and My Bloody Valentine are usually the first to come to mind but there were a whole slew of others that were worthy of further exploration.  On 30 September Slashers we will cover one such title, 1981’s The Burning….

Day 10: Trimming bushes will never be the same…. The Burning

Tom Savini, it seems like just about every other horror classic/slasher, features his special effects handiwork and this film is just another example as to why he ruled the eighties.  All of the problems that plagued Savini’s earlier work, the Prowler(i.e. pacing, boring characters etc..), were remedied in this film.

One Summer night at camp, several campers decide to play a prank on Cropsey, the camp groundskeeper, but the prank soon goes up in flames(literally!!) and poor Cropsey was sent to a burn unit for the next five years.  Upon getting out, Cropsey is burning mad and wastes no time in murdering a hooker and making his way to a camp near the one where he was maimed.  The current group of counselors and campers are getting ready to take one final canoe trip before going home for the Summer but only if they can survive the terror of Cropsey!

As mentioned earlier, the films pacing is much better than many of the films previously mentioned.  For those that couldn’t stand the slow burning nature of Hooper’s The Funhouse, will be pleased with this film, as the brutal killings begin within the first ten minutes and it hardly lets up throughout the film.  The effects team blows their load on one boat scene in particular and it kind of reminded me of seeing a finale at a fourth of July fireworks display, gore hounds will love this one.  The killer himself is badly disfigured and does his killings with a garden sheer, just like the kind a grounds keeper would use to trim the bushes.  The eighties style keyboard soundtrack is haunting and should go down as a classic horror score.

The ending of this film lends itself to a sequel and it could have become a recognizable franchise had it been given the chance.  Until it is remade by some Hollywood goons, it will have to just remain a cult classic amongst horror fans.   Get ready for tomorrow’s feature, the 1983 classic, Curtains.

The Burning on Netflix

I hope you’ve enjoyed our detour into Haddonfield and are ready to hit the open road to slasherville once again.  There is no sweeter piece of Americana than a Southwestern road trip and it has always been a common setting for some of the best horror films.  The fresh air, the mom and pop diners, and of course miles and miles of endless highway are part of what make it great.  Along the way to your destination, whether it be to Bakersfield or Phoenix, you’ll find hokey little stands that have signs promising big thrills but rarely do they deliver on these guarantees(That fossilized dinosaur farm wasn’t as exciting as advertised).  Oh yes, I am talking about the Tourist Trap.  Day seven brings us to one such destination, promising all the scares of a great slasher, however, does it deliver on the goods?  Lets fork out the dough and take a look at 1979’s Tourist Trap.

Day 7:  Stop for the attractions, stay for the murder…….Tourist Trap

After getting a flat tire on a desolate road, a young traveler decides to walk to a gas station and see if he can get help but as you guessed it, he never comes back.  His friends decide to check on their friend and soon, their car breaks down.  A stranger named Mr. Slausen takes him back to his place which just so happens to be a tourist trap of yesteryear called “Slausens Lost Oasis.”  Soon, the group of friends begin to disappear one by one and lose more than their money at this tourist attraction.

While this sounds similar to a multitude of other Slashers, this film has a few tricks up it’s sleeve, it boasts killer dummies and a villain with psychic powers!  The use of dummies provides for some creepy moments in the film but overall they seem hokey and make for an overall lighthearted tone.  Also, the masked killer is constantly telling us why he does what he does and what he is going to do.  This gets rather boring at times(Imagine if leatherface did this in the chainsaw movies, it just doesn’t work well).   Keeping with the lighthearted tone, the soundtrack by Pino Domaggio, is often humorous and never lets the tension rise too much.

While often a silly film, the originality of using dummies and the comical tone makes this a fun slasher to watch with friends.  The only downfall is that it is a little bit too long.  The film would have actually worked much better had it been a segment in a film like Creepshow or as an episode on a show like Night Gallery.  I defiantly think that this Tourist Trap is worth visiting and unlike the fossilized dinosaur exhibit, you won’t feel like your being ripped off.  For day 8 we will be watching a slasher film directed by one of horrors most revered directors, Tobe Hooper.  No were not going to be covering Texas Chainsaw Massacre but will keep with the comical tone and take a trip to The Funhouse.

Hey there fiends, for the sixth entry in 30 September Slashers I decided to do something different than the other days featured thus far.  I will be discussing a version of a film never commercially released, however, readily available on the internet or from about any dvd vendor at horror conventions.  If you’ve seen the theatrical version but haven’t seen this version, maybe this will help change your mind or at least peak you interest in seeing this long sought after version.  Get ready as we take a trip to Haddonfield for Day 6 with Halloween 6: Curse of Michael Myers the Producer’s Cut.

Day 6:  A Cut Above the Rest…….Halloween 6: Curse of Michael Myers-Producer’s Cut

When first released, Halloween 6, although trying to answer many questions pertaining to the Michael Myers mythos, often left fans confused and actually provoked more questions than answers.  Often times the films continuity is off, plot points are skimmed over, Dr. Loomis’ off screen ending was very confusing, and it feels as if the viewer is watching an incomplete film.  The Producer’s cut is often considered by fans, to be far superior to the theatrical cut and is said to be more complete version.  However, is the producer’s cut that much better and answer all of the questions that the fans are left wonder?  Well…sort of.

The plot as summed up as best as I can sees Jamie Lloyd(or Myers), whom we last saw being taken by the “Man in Black”(no, not Johnny Cash but that would have been an awesome twist), has just given birth to a baby and that baby is being pursued by Michael and some kind of organization that appears to be helping Mr. Myers.  In the meantime, Dr. Loomis, who is “very much retired”, comes to get to the bottom of Michael Myer’s return, meeting up with Tommy Doyle and the members of the Lloyd clan(who are living in the Myer’s old house) who uncover just why Michael does what he does.  What they find the legend of the Thorne, that is rooted in ancient history and is probably far more complicated than it needs to be.

While I have to give the writers credit for tackling such an ambitious story, I feel as if it was almost too complex for a Halloween film and the average horror film moviegoer. The producers cut is decidedly much better than the theatrical and answers much more questions than the latter.  For example, the lame ass ending of the original is explained and we see Dr. Loomis have a much more fitting end.  Also, the reasons Michael kills are explained more thoroughly and the film wraps the Jamie Lloyd three film arch, up nicely.

As for the actual merits of the film itself, the kills scenes are often creative and very rarely does Michael actually use his trademark butcher knife.  My favorite stalk and slash scene involves a victim running through close lines set up in a backyard and it is very well shot.  Donald Pleasence is great as usual as the somewhat psychotic Dr. Loomis but the lack of Danielle Harris reprising her role as Jamie Lloyd is surely missed.

For any Halloween fans out there I think this version is a must see, especially for fans of the 4-6 sequels.  The film probably would have fitted better as a graphic novel or a novel especially for fans but  the film works for what it is.  I think that the footage available in the producer’s cut is far too valuable to not be released.  While not being the most popular film in the franchise, the footage should be seen commercially by all that would like to see it. The studio should let fans judge for themselves, which is the better version.  I heard in a recent interview with one of the writers that they have been trying for years to get the producer’s cut released but that Dimension films is not budging on releasing the footage.  Hopefully they will change their minds someday and fans can finally put the legend of the Thorne to rest.  Tune in tomorrow, on day 7 of our slasher fest as we look at the film Tourist Trap.

Today’s feature is a relatively unpopular entry in the meca of all slasher franchises.  By 1989, Jason had been terrorizing audiences with seven previous films.  The series had had its ups and downs, sometimes taking bizaar turns(Part 5 didn’t feature Jason at all and part 7 included that god awful psychic subplot) but by the time the eighth film debuted at theaters, it felt as though audiences had become tired of the beloved machete wielding maniac(as box office receipts indicate).  Did the film deserve to be panned or was it’s release simply bad timing?  Tonight lets pull up the anchor and take a 1 ½ hour voyage with Friday the 13^th part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan.

Day 4:  Jason Takes the Boat….. Friday the 13^th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan

So the old saying goes, you can take Jason out of Crystal Lake but you can’t take the Crystal Lake out of Jason.  By the time this film debuted, we had seen Jason as a child, have a burlap sac disguise, don a hockey mask, and become resurrected as a sort of zombie Jason but he had always stayed close to his old stomping grounds of Camp Crystal Lake.  This film saw Jason leave behind his New England haven and head for different shores as he joined the graduating class of Crystal Lake as they headed on their senior trip to New York.

Completing the Tommy Jarvis Arch and not revisiting the characters from the 7th film, the story follows Rennie and her trusty dog as she has to get over her fear of drowning and go on the boat trip to the big apple.  While the back story is pointless and boring, the rest of the film is filled with all the babes and blood that you have come to expect from the franchise.  Two kills in particular that stand out are a creative kill by guitar and a boxing move that would make Mr. Balboa himself jealous.

The boat setting helps the film, in that it isolates the characters and provides a new venue for Jason to kill his victims.  The only thing that puzzles me is that it is called Jason Takes Manhattan but the killer is there for maybe ten minutes of the film.  Another thing about the film that has left me and countless others questioning is the ending and how they were going to continue the series.  That is, had Paramount not axed further production on other Friday films.

All in all, this is a very solid entry in the series and should have been as successful as the others.  I have re-watched it countless times and it is far above the self parodying Jason X and the awful Jason Goes to Hell.  Later, I will look at another unpopular entry in a very popular franchise, Halloween 6 but for tomorrow, spruce up on your Italian because we are going to take a look at another 1989 film, Stage Fright.

One thing I must mention right off the bat before we get too deep in the trenches of slasher cinema is that this column will feature not only some of the more popular slashers but will also include more obscure titles that you might not be as familiar with.  Destroy the Brain recognizes the importance of the slasher heavyweights such as Halloween and Friday the 13^th but those have been written about countless times and we thought you might enjoy revisiting/discovering some other overlooked pieces of work.  This might include a title which has yet to see a DVD release or perhaps an entry in a popular franchise that might have received little mention(ala Halloween 6).  Enough with the small talk, now on with the show….

Day 2: No more prowlin around… 1980’s “The Prowler”

My sides are still splitting from that rip roaring hilarious April Fool’s Day but lets commence with the next film and hopefully this will provide a more pleasurable viewing experience.  Gear up the time machine and head back the year 1945, when Glenn Miller was all the rage and House of Dracula was hitting the big screens.  The Prowler begins with a Dear John note being read by a college girl named Rosemary, the note is being addressed to her sweetheart who is fighting overseas in the great war.  Cut to the Avalon Bay, class of 1945 graduation dance, Rosemary and all of her chums are having a blast dancing the night away, when Rosemary and her main squeeze sneak off to do a little more than just the jitterbug.  Someone masked and dressed in military garb approaches them and murders the lovebirds.

Fast forward to 1980, the murderer has never been caught and Avalon Bay is getting ready to hold their first dance since 1945.  Once again, the killer returns and the film basically follows the town deputy and his sorority girlfriend, who are playing Nancy Drew and attempting to figure out all the funny happenings going on around town and in the process learning who the killer is.

There are many things about this film that make this a top rate slasher.  First off, the gore is out of the ballpark phenomenal.  One scene in particular gives the Maniac shotgun to the head scene a run for it’s money and a dagger to the head left me wondering how the hell Savini pulled that off.  Also, the lack of skin in the last September Slasher was made up for with a lovely shower scene kill.

With all of these good features, how could this film go wrong?  Well, for one thing the pacing is really uneven.  The film will go for a long time without a kill and this gore hound found himself getting bored.  Also, the characters were very forgettable.  I know, your probably thinking this is a slasher, who gives a damn about memorable characters?  When I look back to some of the Friday the 13^th films and Halloween films, Jason or Michael Myers weren’t the only memorable characters from those films.

Faults aside I would highly recommend digging into this film but defiantly get the uncut dvd or blue-ray.  Removing the gore would be like removing Mac from a Big Mac, it just don’t work.  Hope you enjoyed day 2 of our September trip and are getting your shopping list ready.  Tomorrow we are going to head to the supermarket and feast on The Intruder…..

Special Note: For fans of this film, check out Friday the 13^th: The Final Chapter.  The film was also directed by Joe Zito and featured gore work by Tom Savini.

It’s that time of year again folks.  Oh yes, that baron wasteland known as September.  After Labor Day, the cookouts come to an end and horror fiends wait patiently for that terrifying month of October.  Soon we will be bombarded with haunted houses, special edition dvd releases, and horror t.v. specials but until then we are stuck in this Summer/Fall Purgatory.  This downtime has provided me with a perfect opportunity to take a look back at a subgenre that needs no introduction, the slasher film.  (Read more…)

The slasher holds a special place in most gore hounds hearts, not because the films are necessarily cinematic pieces of art but because they represented a time in our lives when you could walk through the video store, pick a box with a cool title and were treated to 90 minutes of blood, gratuitous nudity, and more likely than not a masked killer.  Some of the movies were memorable, so memorable in fact that they garnered multiple sequels, others not so much.  This month I invite you to join me as I look through the good, the bad, and the ugly of the slasher genre, so grab a brew, dust off the old VHS player and come along for 30 Slashers for September……

Day 1:

The Jokes on Me!!

April Fools Day(1980)

After witnessing the uproar over the 2004, straight to dvd remake, I thought that maybe I had been missing out on a Slasher classic after all these years.  Always a constant on the video store shelves, I thought it had to at least have some merit because of it’s availability.  Boy was I ever wrong.

The film begins like so many other slashers where a group of twenty-somethings get together to go on a secluded trip.  Included on this excursion would be the usual stereotypes(the nerd, the jock guy(who is played by none other than Thomas F Wilson, who plays Biff “What are you lookin at butthead” Tannon), the innocent chick…well you get the idea).  They are all acquaintances invited by their friend “Muffy,” to join her at her family’s island to celebrate her favorite holiday(I bet you’ll never guess which one it is).

On the ferry ride over to the island, a prank gone horribly wrong ends with a local being sent to the hospital.  After arriving, Muffy plays some playful pranks on each of the guests but after they go to their rooms, the pranks become much more sadistic(i.e. bondage gear in one room, dui clippings in another).  Members of the group begin to disappear and the viewer is left to wonder whether Muffy is off her rocker or if the local hurt on the ferry is out for his revenge.

I’m sure all of this sounds promising but there are many problems with this film.  The kills are done off screen, the film has almost zero sex appeal, and the movie is about as boring as watching paint dry.  One thing my friends mentioned in regard to this film is that I would be furious when I saw the ending.  They were right, the ending is so preposterous that it boggles the mind and nearly negates the entire rest of the movie.  In fact, I would go as far as to say that the ending makes the film seem like more of a Goosebumps style murder mystery than a slasher film.  I know most of you have probably seen this one already and if so, you’ve already made up your mind whether to love it or hate it but if you haven’t seen it, I’d run the other way.  For being a film called April Fool’s Day, I sure wasn’t laughing.

Well fiends, that’s it for day one in my marathon of slasher goodness.  Tomorrow, we’ll take a trip with The Prowler…..

This episode covers the new reboot/re imagining/remake/whatever you wanna call it of FRIDAY THE 13th.  I am joined by my lovely girlfriend on this review so it is kind of special.  Plus, you will know if it is work that Thursday midnight showing slot or not after this viewing.

Episode TimeStamp Guide:
Intro (0:00-1:46)
Editorial (1:47-9:49)
News (9:50-18:13)
DVD Releases & Announcements (18:14-33:00)
BREAK
FRIDAY THE 13th Review (38:21-1:12:18)

BREAK
Outro (1:13:22-1:16:44)
Ending Song: Shatter Their Bones by Cannibal Corpse.

Would you like to join me in reviewing a film?  Email me at andy@destroythebrainonline.com with the subject SKYPE CO-HOST.

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