Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

DVD Review: Sleep No More


RLJE; Not Rated; 91 minutes; Amazon
Now available on DVD from RLJ Entertainment is the horror film Sleep No More. Directed by Phillip Guzman and written by Jason Murphy, the film stars Keli Price, Brea Grant, Stephen Ellis, Christine Dwyer, Yasmine Aker, Lukas Gage, and James Hoare. There are no special features or bonus extras.

Set in the 1980s or 1990s (more on this later), Sleep No More centers around a small group of graduate students who volunteer to be to test subjects for a sleep study that's being conducted by Dr. Whatley (played by Yasmine Aker). This isn't your typical sleep study. Their goal is to prove the theory that once you've passed 200 hours without sleep, you'll never have to sleep again!

After one of the test subjects kills himself, the university wants to to close down the sleep study. Despite the objections to their research, the four remaining students, Joe (played by Keli Price), Frannie (played by Brea Grant), Dale (played by Stephen Ellis), and Holly (played by Christine Dwyer) decide to become guinea pigs under the supervision of Dr. Whatley. Dale would be the "control" of the study and the other three students would take a stay-awake type drug.

Their goal of staying awake for 200 hours comes with a price - a supernatural being, who begins tormenting the group. The longer they stay awake, the more deadly the threat becomes.




Wednesday, September 26, 2018

DVD Review: American Horror Story: Cult: The Complete Seventh Season



Fox; TV-MA; 509 mins;

Now available on DVD from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is American Horror Story: Cult: The Complete Seventh Season, featuring all 11 episodes from the horror anthology series. The only special features on the 3-disc set are FX Promo Spots.

Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the Cult season stars Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Cheyenne Jackson, Billie Lourd, and Alison Pill.

Set in Brookfield Heights, Michigan around the 2016 U.S. presidential election, this seventh season centers on Ally Mayfair-Richard (played by Sarah Paulson), a restaurant owner who becomes extremely upset after Donald Trump wins the election. She has suffered from several phobias, including a deep fear of clowns, and all of these fears come back to haunt her after the election, which impacts her wife, Ivy (played by Ivy Alison Pill), and their son, Oz (played by Cooper Dodson).

After a serious of bizarre incidents, Ivy starts to suspect Ally is losing her mind. However, the truth is that Ally has been targeted by a cult, lead by psychotic Kai Anderson (played Evan Peters). Kai is a troubled young man who feeds off the fear and hate of others. After the election, he jumps into the world of politics by running for a seat on the city council with a little help from his cult members, who uses violence to get their way.


Final Thoughts

Monday, July 2, 2018

DVD Review - Scared to Death: Horror Movie Collection

Mill Creek Ent., 22 hrs 11 mins; $14.98

If you're wanting some scary movies to watch this summer, then look no further, as you can now own the DVD set Scared to Death: Horror Movie Collection from Mill Creek Entertainment, featuring a mix of slashers, monsters, and aliens on 4 discs.

Basically, it's a repackaging of three separate DVD releases (Queens of Scream, Possessed by Evil, and Monster Movie Mix), but with a new slipcover. Queens of Scream was released in 2016 and features the horror films "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Vacancy," "When A Stranger Calls," and "The Cave." Possessed by Evil was also released in 2016. It features five movies: "Devour," "The Plague," "Wind Chill," "Insanitarium," and "Vinyan."

Now I've already reviewed Queens of Screams and and Possessed by Evil back in 2016, so I'm not going to go into any further details about them. You can read my original reviews here: Queens of Scream * Possessed by Evil

I'm not for sure if Monster Movie Mix is a re-release or not, but it features a mixture of old movies and television shows.

The titles on the Monster Movie Mix are:

  • The Corpse Vanishes - A 1942 film starring Bela Lugosi as a mad scientist
  • Night Fright - A 1967 science fiction tale about a mutated alligator that turns into an ogre-like creature that terrorizes a small town.
  • Killers From Space - A 1954 science fiction film starring Peter Graves as a nuclear scientist who gets tangled up with aliens.
  • Destination Space - A 1959 made-for-television movie about the first rotating wheel space station.
  • The Passage Beyond - A 1951 episode of the "Lights Out" anthology series. This episode focuses on the ghost of Lady Anne.
  • Blunder - A 1951 episode of the "Tales of Tomorrow" anthology series. The episode centers on a scientist working on a nuclear reactor in the Arctic.
  • Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - A 1955 episode of the "Climax!" anthology series. It's just another adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale.
  • Tales of Frankenstein - An unsold 1958 television pilot co-produced by Hammer Film Productions and Columbia Pictures. The pilot centers on Baron Frankenstein (played by Anton Diffring) creating a new monster.
  • Verdict From Space - A 1951 episode of the "Tales of Tomorrow" anthology series. The episode centers on an inventor named Gordon Kent, who is on trial for murdering a scientist.
  • Flash Gordon: Return Of The Androids - A 1954 "Flash Gordon" episode, which centers on Flash Gordon trying to protect the secret location of the Androids.
  • Captain Z-Ro: Meteor - A 1956 episode of the children's television series Captain Z-Ro, which centers on the Captain testing out a new spaceship.
  • Johnny Jupiter - An "untitled episode" of the ABC's 1953-1954 series Johnny Jupiter, which centers on Duckweather, a young employee at a TV repair shop who gets advice from a magical TV set.


Final Thoughts

Monday, February 26, 2018

100 Years Of Horror DVD Review

Not Rated; 10 hours 55 minutes; $14.98

I think I might have mentioned a time or two on here about my love for old horror movies, especially the ones made by Hammer Films. Well, with that being said, you can probably guess why I was excited when I learned that Mill Creek Entertainment would be releasing the 26-part documentary series "100 Years Of Horror" hosted by the late, great horror-icon Christopher Lee.

Originally released back 1996, "100 Years Of Horror" chronicles the history of horror movies from the early 1900s to the late 1970s. I'm not for sure why it was called "100 Years" when the producers skipped over the the films from the 1980s. Most of the movie clips featured are from the classic Universal monster flicks, Hammer Films, and other low-budget creature films. It features interviews with Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and Claude Rains. Additionally, there are interviews with Bela Lugosi, Jr.; Boris Karloff's daughter, Sarah Karloff; and Claude Rains' daughter, Jessica Rains.

The series was produced, written and directed by Ted Newsom, who created BBC's Flesh And Blood-The Hammer Heritage Of Horror.

The episodes on the 3-disc set are:

Dracula And His Disciples
Blood-Drinking Beings
Frankenstein And Friends
Baron Frankenstein
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
Werewolves
Bela Lugosi
Boris Karloff
The Evil Unseeable
Phantoms
Witches
Demons
Mutants
Freaks
Scream Queens
Girl Ghouls
Maniacs
Gory Gimmicks
Sorcerers
Aliens
Mummies
Zombies
Mad Doctors
Man-Made Monsters
Giants
Dinosaurs




Final Thoughts

Monday, December 4, 2017

Holiday Gift Guide: Horror Hall of Fame: 26 Classic Horror Films DVD Set


Horror Hall of Fame: 26 Classic Horror Films DVD Set


Studio
Mill Creek Entertainment

Rating
NOT RATED / R

Running Time
35 hours 7 minutes

Discs
9

Retail
$49.98

Where to Purchase

Description

Classic tales of terror featuring performances by the masters of the macabre!

My Thoughts

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

The Limehouse Golem DVD Review

RLJ Entertainment; Not Rated; 109 minutes; Amazon
Available today on DVD from RLJ Entertainment is the British horror-mystery The Limehouse Golem. Based on the book Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem by Peter Ackroy and directed by Juan Carlos Medina, the film stars Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, Sam Reid, María Valverde, Henry Goodman, Morgan Watkins, and Eddie Marsan.

Set in Victorian London, the film centers around Elizabeth Cree (played by Olivia Cooke), who is accused of poisoning her husband John (played by Sam Reid). At the time of John's death a coincidence occurs - the Limehouse Golem murders stop.

Someone has been brutally killing random people all over Limehouse and has been leaving behind cryptic messages written in the victim's blood. Scotland Yard has no clue to who is behind the killings. Due to pressure from the public, Scotland Yard assigns Inspector Kildare (played Bill Nighy) to solve the case.

After finding a diary at a library that is believed to have been written by the Golem, Inspector Kildare narrows the Golem down to four suspects - Dan Leno (played by Douglas Booth), Karl Marx (played by Henry Goodman), George Gissing (played by Morgan Watkins), and John Cree. Now it's a race against time to prove which suspect is the murderer, before Elizabeth Cree is hanged.


Special Features include:

  • Behind the Scenes Featurettes about the Cast, Locations, Look, and Making of The Limehouse Golem
  • Photo Gallery


Final Thoughts 

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

DVD Review - Lifetime Scary Movies

Lionsgate; $14.98

Now available from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the Lifetime® Scary Movie DVD Set, featuring the made-for-television movies Big Driver, Manson's Lost Girls, Hush Little Baby, and Devil's Diary. There are no special features or extras on the double-sided two-disc set.


Based on the story by Stephen King, Big Driver (2014; directed by Mikael Salomon) stars Maria Bello as Tess Thorne, a crime-mystery writer who travels to upstate Massachusetts for a meet-and-greet with fans at a library. On her way home, she takes a shortcut route, but ends up with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. Eventually, a big truck driver pulls over to help her. Well, that's what Tess believed at first. However, the big man sexually assaults her and leaves here for dead.

Bloody and bruised, Tess wakes up and struggles to find a way back home. Instead of reporting her attack to the police, she decides to track down her rapist and kill him.


Manson's Lost Girls (2015; directed by Leslie Libman,) tells the true-story of Linda Kasabian (played by MacKenzie Mauzy), who gets involved in Charles Manson's cult in 1969. The movie is told from the point-of-view of Linda, who later struggles to leave the cult.


Hush Little Baby (2007; directed by Holly Dale) stars Victoria Pratt as Jaime, a young woman who is still mourning the death of her daughter. After visiting a psychic, she learns she's pregnant again. Both Jamie and her husband are both thrilled about the baby, but things quickly change once Jamie gives birth. She suffers from haunting visions and strange occurrences that all point to the one conclusion - her baby is evil!



Devil's Diary (2007; directed by Farhad Mann) stars Alexz Johnson as Dominique, an outcast teenager who finds a cursed journal while visiting a cemetery at night with her best friend, Ursula (played by Magda Apanowicz). After writing an entry in the journal, Dominique quickly learns that whatever she writes comes true. Instead of using the book for good, she uses it to get revenge on her fellow classmates.

Friday, July 28, 2017

Popcorn & Coffee: Warlock Collection: 3-Film Set Blu-ray Review


Lionsgate; Rated R; 296 minutes; Amazon

Now available Blu-ray from Liongate's Vestron Video Collection Series is the Warlock Collection, featuring all 3 films on a two-disc set, as well as a bunch of special features.

Filmed in 1988, but released in 1991 in the United States, Warlock centers on a Warlock (played by Julian Sands), who barely escaped death in 1691 by traveling through a portal to 20th century Los Angeles. Hot on his trail is the witch-hunter Giles Redferne (played Richard E. Grant), who travels through the portal on a revenge quest.

After quickly adjusting to the present world, the Warlock summons Satan, who gives him orders to find the The Grand Grimoire, a Satanic book that contains the true name of God. The twist is that the pages of the book have been hidden around the country, which sends the Warlock on his own quest to find them and assemble the book.

Meanwhile, upon arriving to the present day, Redferne befriends a young waitress, Kassandra (played by Lori Singer), who has been cursed to grow old quickly by the Warlock. With a only days left to live, thanks to the curse, Kassandra, helps Redferne collect parts of the Grand Grimoire, and find a way to kill the Warlock.

Julian Sands ("Warlock") stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment's WARLOCK.

Lori Singer ("Kassandra") stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment's WARLOCK.

The first sequel, Warlock: The Armageddon, was released in 1993, and it has nothing to do with the original except for the fact that it stars Julian Sands as the Warlock. The plot centers on a teenage couple, Kenny and Samantha (played by Chris Young and Paula Marshall), who are both killed and later resurrected to become Druid warriors, so they can protect the six magical rune stones and stop the Warlock from unleashing Satan from hell.

Monday, April 24, 2017

DVD Review - Faces Of Horror: 10 Movie Collection


Mill Creek Ent.; Rated R; 915 minutes; $14.98

Now available on DVD from Mill Creek Entertainment is Faces Of Horror: 10 Movie Collection, featuring the cult classics When A Stranger Calls, and Happy Birthday To Me. There are no special features or bonus features on the three disc set.

When A Stranger Calls (1979; 97 minutes) is no stranger to horror fans. Directed by Fred Dalton, the first twenty minutes centers on a babysitter (played by Carol Kane) being harassed by an unknown man who keeps calling her, asking "Have you checked on the children?" The majority of the movie focus on an ex-cop (played by Charles Durning) chasing doing a serial killer, and while it does get a little boring, it's still one of the better "early" slasher films.

Happy Birthday To Me (1981; 110 minutes) this Canadian-American slasher film wasn't exactly a hit back in 1981, but over time the movie has become a cult classic. Directed by J. Lee Thompson, the film starred Melissa Sue Anderson as Virginia "Ginny" Wainwright, a high school student who suffers from horrifying flashbacks after a series of murders occur around the academy she attends. While it borrows heavily from the original Friday the 13th film, the twisted ending makes up for all the cliches.

The other eight films on the three-disc set are low-budget. Many of them are in the public-domain and have appeared in other horror set releases.

These movies are:

  • Double Exposure (1983; 95 minutes)
  • Click: The Calendar Girl Killer (1990; 86 minutes)
  • Don't Answer The Phone! (1980; 95 minutes)
  • Scream Bloody Murder (1975; 85 minutes)
  • Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974; 85 minutes)
  • Savage Weekend (1976; 86 minutes)
  • The Demon (1979; 95 minutes)
  • The Manipulator (1971; 91 minutes)

Monday, October 31, 2016

Review: Pretty Dead - 10 Horror Films

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Not Rated; 842 mins; $9.98; Mill Creek Ent.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Yeah, you would have to be to be living under a rock not to know that today is Halloween, especially with all the horror marathons on the cable channels. Typically, I always watch a few of these flicks ever year, but I haven't had the time this month as I've been busy watching the Pretty Dead: 10 Horror Flims, the 2-disc DVD that was recently released from Mill Creek Entertainment.

Many of you have probably have heard of Mill Creek Entertainment as the company has released similar horror DVDs in the past. The 10 films on this release were filmed on low-budgets, all of which have already been released separately to DVD or VOD over the last few years.

The films are:

The Sacred (2009, but listed as released in 2011 on the DVD) - The film involves a group of film students traveling to remote area to work on a Native American Folklore thesis. However, they aren't aware that the land is haunted.


Bunnyman - (2010; released in 2011) - Also known as the The Bunnyman Massacre, this low-budget slasher is the first in a series of films about a serial killer who dress in a bunny costume. (No, I'm not joking!)


The Lights - (2009) - A group of friends travel to the middle-of-nowhere to watch a meteor shower.


Backwater (2013) - Don't get confused with the Japanese film of the same name. This is a low-budget tale about a couple on a secluded getaway, where there just happens to be a killer nearby.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Review - 2 Jennifer

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.



I had received a DVD screener of the horror flick 2 Jennifer from Sector 5 Films back in the spring, but I had misplaced the screener until I stumbled upon it last month.

2 Jennifer is sequel to the 2013's To Jennifer, which I have never even seen. The sequel is written & directed by Hunter Johnson and centers on an aspiring filmmaker named Spencer (played by Hunter Johnson) who is obsessed with the film To Jennifer.

Shot on an iPhone, Spencer pitches an idea for a sequel to To Jennifer, and sets out to make the movie. Of course his only real goal is to find an actress named Jennifer to play "Jennifer" in the film. It doesn't take long for the cast & crew to realize Spencer is out of his mind.



Final Thoughts

Sunday, October 9, 2016

DVD Review - Accidental Exorcist



Sector 5 Films; 109 minutes; Amazon
The last thing the horror genre needs is another exorcist flick, but here I am reviewing the horror-thriller Accidental Exorcist from Sector 5 Films.

The film is directed by Daniel Falicki, who also stars in the main role as Richard Vanuk. Other actors in the movie are Sherryl Despres, Patrick Hendren, Chris Kotcher and Jason Roth.

Accidental Exorcist centers on Richard Vanuk, a wannabe novelist living in a small filthy apartment who spends most his days helping to rid of demons who have possessed people. No, he's not a priest or a religious man. He's just an exorcist with the ability to drive the demons out, but with a high price.

With every person Richard helps, the more emotional and physical trauma he endures. He tries his best to quit being an Exorcist, by trying to live a normal life (aka getting a job and dating), but in the end he cannot deny his true destiny.



Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: The Levenger Tapes



Rated R; 92 minutes; $19.98; Amazon

Arriving today on DVD and Digital HD today from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the horror-thriller The Levenger Tapes. Directed by Mark Edwin Robinson, the film stars Johanna Braddy, Lili Mirojnick, Morgan Krantz and Chris Mulkey. There are no special features or extras.

The Levenger Tapes is a found-footage horror flick, similar in style with The Blair Witch Project. The plot centers on three young friends, Amanda (played by Johanna Braddy), Kim (played by Lili Mirojnick) and Chase (played by Morgan Krantz), who head out into the country for a weekend getaway. For some reason, Chase decides to film their entire weekend with his camera.

Before they arrived at the planned destination, they accidentally run into a truck on a road in the middle of nowhere. The driver, a priest, is in a hurry to leave the scene, but before he leaves Chase captures what looks like a young girl inside the truck.

Eventually the trio continues with their weekend plans of goofing around, where they get bored and decide to explore the woods. This is where the come across a campsite with a bloody dress. The same dress the little girl from the truck was wearing.

Before long, the trio are being hunted by the priest, who will stop at nothing to get rid of all evidence of his crimes.


Monday, July 4, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: Possessed By Evil: 5 Movie Collection




Rated R; 452 minutes; $9.98; Amazon; Mill Creek Ent.


I believe I might have mentioned about my love for horror flicks on here a time or two. I grew up watching 80s slasher flicks during my childhood, so I guess you can say that I've been disappointed with all the recent PG-13 slasher films. That being said, I was happy to hear that Mill Creek Entertainment was releasing another 5 movie collection, this time called Possessed By Evil, featuring five rated-R horror flicks.

The two-disc set contains:

Devour  - Released in 2005, and directed by David Winkler, the film stars the CW's Supernatural star Jensen Ackles as a college students who starts having strange nightmares about self-mutilation and murder after playing an online game.

Devour (89 minutes)

The Plague - Directed by Hal Masonberg and produced by Clive Barker, The Plague (also known as Clive Barker's The Plague) was released in 2006. The film centers on a weird event that causes all the children in a small town to fall into a catatonic state in 1983. Following the event, every child born has a similar fate. Fast-forward to 1993, where the children go on a killing rampage. James Van Der Beek and Dee Wallace stars in the film.

The Plague (88 minutes)

Wind Chill - Directed by Gregory Jacobs, the 2007 chilling supernatural thriller stars Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes. The plot centers on an unnamed college student (played by Blunt) agreeing to share traveling expenses with a unnamed male (played by Holmes) as they drive from Pennsylvania to Delaware for Christmas vacation. Despite the bad snowy weather, they take a detour down a highway, and they end up a hit-and-run. With the weather getting colder, they try to survive, but things get worse when a supernatural force stars haunting the highway.

Wind Chill (91 minutes)

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: The Hoarder



Not Rated; 86 minutes; $27.97; Amazon
Available today on DVD from RLJ Entertainment is the slasher flick The Hoarder. Directed by Matt Winn, the film stars Mischa Barton, Robert Knepper, Valane Keen, Charlotte Salt and Andrew Buckley. The only special feature is "The Making of The Hoarder" featurette.

The film centers on Ella (played by Mischa Barton), a woman who fears her fiance is keeping a secret from her. Late one night,  her best friend Molly (played by Emily Atack), Ella goes to a warehouse on the outskirts of town to snoop around in her fiance's storage unit. Shockingly, she comes across a horrifying sight of a disfigured man shortly before Molly vanishes.

Trapped in a maze-like warehouse, Ella is determined to find her friend, but she must deal with a handful of storage unit customers, all of which have their own share of problems; included a corrupted detective (played by Robert Knepper).

To make matters worse, Ella must out think a psychopath hoarder who wants to add her to his unique "collection."


Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: Queens of Scream


PG-13/R; 372 minutes; Buy Link: Amazon

No matter what your entertainment budget is, it's pretty cheap to buy a horror flick on DVD as many of them can be purchased for $5 at Walmart; many of these DVDs contains several flicks. Mill Creek Entertainment is known to release horror movies at a decent price, and they recently released Queens of Scream, which contains four horror movies - I Know What You Did Last Summer, When A Stranger Calls, Vacancy, and The Cave.

When A Stranger Calls is the 2006 remake of the 1976 classic of the same. While the original was pretty scary, the remake is very bland with hardly any scares. Now it's only known for having small parts by Katie Cassidy (CW's Arrow) and Clark Gregg (Marvel's Agents of Shield).

The Cave is an underrated action-horror film that was released in 2005, the same year the classic The Descent came out, which had a similar plot. The film has a pretty big cast, including a pre-Game of Thrones Lena Headey. Despite predictable scares and silly dialogue, I actually liked it.

Vacancy is a 2007 horror film starring the weird pairing of Owen Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. They play a troubled married couple that take a wrong turn on a highway and are eventually stranded at a motel after their car breaks down. After watching a snuff film that was left in their room, they realize the film was shot right there in the motel. Of course they attempt to get the hell out of Dodge, but unfortunately the killers are already there. I first saw the film when it was originally released and I thought (and still do) it was a really good scary movie. It will make you think twice about checking into a motel.

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: All Hallows' Eve 2



91 mins; Not Rated; Buy Link: Amazon
You would think that a Halloween-themed horror flick would do better if it's released before Halloween, but that isn't case for All Hallows' Eve 2, which was released on February 2nd.

Honestly, I've never seen the first film, so I have no clue what it was about. All Hallows' Eve 2 is an anthology from RLJ Entertainment, featuring shorts from directors Elias Benavidez (A Boy's Life), Mike Kochansky (Mr. Tricker's Treat), Andres Borghi (Alexia), Bryan Norton (Seven Hells), Antonio Padovan (Once Upon a Time, Inc.), Marc Rouseel (The Last Halloween), Ryan Patch (If I Give My Soul), Jay Holben (Hunger) and The Kondelik Borthers (Airplane VS Volcano).

The film opens up with a woman watching an old VHS tape. Trapped inside the VHS is the serial killer "The Trickster," who will be released from his prison after the she finishes watching all the shorts. Does this make any sense?

Some of the shorts have a Halloween-theme, while others have nothing to do with the holiday. The first story happens to the best. "Jack Attack" is a blood-tale about a young woman teaching a boy how to carve a pumpkin and roast pumpkin seeds. It's very short, but terrifying. And it has a few throwbacks to John Carpenter's Halloween.


"Mr. Tricker’s Treat," "The Last Halloween," "Alexia," "Descent," "The Offering," and "M Is for Masochistare" all below average stories with hardly any scares. I hate to admit it, but I fell asleep several times during these shorts.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

DVD Review - The Lizzie Borden Chronicles


$26.99; 337 minutes; Buy Link: Amazon
The name Lizzie Borden has become somewhat of a legend over the years; mostly thanks to wild tales, books, television movies and feature films.

For those that don't know who Lizzie Borden was, I'll give you a quick history lesson. Lizzie was thirty-two-years-old when she was accused of brutally murdering her father, Andrew, and her stepmother, Abby, in 1892 at their house in River Fall, Massachusetts. Andrew was hit with a hatchet 18 or 19 times and Abby was hit with a hatchet 11 times. Lizzie was arrested for the murders; which was quite odd for a women to be accused of murder at the time, and the media went crazy over the trial. In the end, Lizzie was acquitted, though many people believed she was guilty.

In 2014, Lifetime aired a 90-minute television movie, titled Lizzie Bored Took An Axe, which starred Christine Ricci (Adams Family, Casper) in the title role. While the movie followed actual events, most if was fictionalized. The movie was a big hit for the cable channel with 4.4 million viewers.

A little over a year later, an eight-part limited-series, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, premiered on Lifetime with Christine Ricci returning as Lizzie Borden and Clea DuVall returning as her sister, Emma. The series was released to DVD on February 2nd from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Special features includes deleted scenes and a gag reel.

Set after the trial, the series shows what happened to Lizzie and Emma as they try to get on with their lives, which all the plots are speculative and fictionalized. While their father was rich, he had a lot of bad investments, so Lizzie and Emma have a hard time trying to get a hold of their inheritance. The situation gets worse when their half-brother, William (played by Andrew Howard) shows up wanting his part of the family fortune. Lizzie has no choice, but to go back to her old ways and get rid of their problems in a bloody fashion.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

DVD Review - Bone Tomahawk



Retail: $29.96; 132 Mins; Not Rated
Arriving on DVD December 29, 2015 from RLJ Entertainment is the horror-western Bone Tomahawk. Directed by S. Craig Zahler, the film stars Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins.
Special Features include:

The Making of Bone Tomahawk
Deleted Scenes
Image Gallery
Fantastic Fest Q&A with Director and Cast

Set in the 1890s, the film begins with two thieving murders,  Purvis (played by David Arquette) and Buddy (played by Sid Haig), disturbing a burial site, well, that is until they are suddenly ambushed by a group of cannibals. Purvis barely escapes them and makes his way to the small of town of Bright Hope, where he is shot in the leg by Sheriff Franklin Hunt (played by Kurt Russell).

You can't have a criminal bleed to death, so Sheriff Hunt brings in Samantha O'Dwyer (played by Lili Simmons), a young woman who assists the local doctor (the town's drunk) from the time to time, to remove the bullet from the drifter's leg. The sheriff turns in for the night and leaves his deputy with Samantha who is still tending to the Purvis. The next morning, all three are missing from the sheriff's office and the only thing left behind is a single arrow.

Finding an arrow is a bit odd as there are no Indians in their area, so Sheriff Hunt seeks help from the town's only Native American, "The Professor" (played by Zahn McClarnon), who informs about a group of cannibal cave dwellers, known as the "Troglodytes."

Sheriff Hunt enlists his backup deputy, Chicory (played by Richard Jenkins), the womanizer John Brooder (played by Matthew Fox) and Samantha's husband, Arthur (played by Patrick Wilson), who happens to already have a broken leg, to help locate the caves where the cannibals live, and hopefully be able save the captives.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: American Horror Story: Freak Show



American Horror Story: Freak Show
The Complete Fourth Season
Starring: Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paullson and Michael Chiklis 
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Retail: $59.99
ASIN: B00OQUZP96
Running Time: 647 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: DVD, Blu-ray



Product Description:

Step inside American Horror Story: Freak Show, the terrifyingly twisted reincarnation of TV’s most shockingly original series. Jessica Lange leads an extraordinary, award-winning cast that includes Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson and Michael Chiklis. Lange plays Elsa Mars, the proprietor of a troupe of human “curiosities” on a desperate journey of survival in the sleepy hamlet of Jupiter, Florida, in 1952. Her menagerie of performers includes a two-headed, telepathic twin (Paulson), a take-charge bearded lady (Bates), a vulnerable strongman (Chiklis) and his sultry, three-breasted wife (Bassett). But the strange emergence of a dark entity will savagely threaten the lives of townsfolk and freaks alike. 


Billy's Thoughts: