Strange Circus (Dir. Sion Sono) –
Mitsuko’s 12 year old existence is obliterated by a hell of incest & physical abuse. Her only escape is a fantasy carnival world. The climax of this film reveals the transformative power of pain.
The director’s use of colour & surreal imagery is masterful. On par (but different from) the works of Alejandro Jodorowsky. Left me feeling disoriented & stunned. A must watch.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUBTVug4SP8
Surveillance (Dir. Jennifer Lynch) –
Proxy (Dir. Zack Parker, 2013) –
Esther is pregnant. After losing the baby she joins a support group for bereaved parents. There she meets Melanie who lost her son.
That’s the surface story. Most of these characters are liars.
This is a sick, challenging & complicated movie. Repeated viewings will leave viewers unsure what is real & what is in the minds of the people involved. If art is meant to provoke, disturb & disorient (slightly) then Zack Parker has done his job.
Extreme graphic violence, lots of blood & psychopaths. Enjoy.
This is an old review but it's scary given current events in the US - The Purge: Election Year --
Watching this sends chills down my spine. The idea that the US government would try to save money by killing the poor seems on point given current events.
If you haven't seen the first two films, part 2 is definitely superior. It fleshes out the ideas in the first movie. The purge is the one night a year when any crime is allowed without legal consequences. Only the rich can afford to fortify their houses to ensure survival.
Riots, shootings, rape, destruction & mayhem are unleashed along with the inner beasts of the purgers.
This installment begins with a woman Senator running for President. She wants the purge outlawed. The men in power can't allow this to happen. This film starts hard by showing the remnants of a torture session.
Fiction or prophesy. Brrr.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpRpMc3icvQ
Truth or Dare (2013, Dir. Jessica Cameron) -- An internet show gets updating by a crazed fan. No more staging fake outcomes to Russian roulette or other dangerous games. He's in control of the rules now. Contains squirm inducing violence, you were warned.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8J7qVONFmE&fbclid=IwAR3gBImG84DG5oJ3uLB9yDcSds0QhKD2B7COLC4I594FDGCi_uSD4pTwTk8
The Young Poisoners Handbook -- A young man poisons family members & people at work. He takes sadistic glee in recording their symptoms & progression of illness until death.
I saw it in a movie theater & felt physically sick during & afterwards. Part of the problem is that I wasn't prepared for how rough it was as it was marketed as dark comedy. There's nothing funny about this movie. Based on a true story.
I watched it a second time for review purposes & I don't want to see it again.
Full movie link below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpEU8Ed1JP8&t=1273s
Scrapbook (2000, Dir. Eric Stanze) -- Clara is captured, raped & brutalized by a psychopath. I am surprised this film comes up rarely on lists of disturbing cinema.
The rape scenes are over the top including use of a bottle. What really stuck with me though was when Clara has milk poured over her & is sealed into a garbage can in the boiling sun.
The dvd extras made me feel worse. The actress playing Clara was never told what would happen in advance of appearing on the set each day. The director always demanded more ''realism''. I think she allowed herself to be raped & abused to make this movie.
I felt dirty after watching it & desperately wanted a bath.
The Bunny Game is a similar film but less effective.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Vnh_i6FU8&fbclid=IwAR33gVdMcdJf2AkWkGcz7mIYz4-yPbCoDT2DO2Tkuc3JiQTcgO6qLfKqyQo
Nothing Bad Can Happen (Germany) -- Tore is a young man who believes in Jesus. His faith is tested when he moves in with Benno who torments & degrades him.
This film contains physical abuse, animal abuse & rape. It doesn't become really rough until almost an hour in & plays like drama up to that point.
What is heartrending is Tores believes God will save him despite bleak it gets. A downbeat film that steals part of your soul.
My Amityville Horror --
This documentary tells the story of Daniel Lutz. The Lutz family moved into the house in 1974 & were aware of its murderous history. He was 9 years old at the time.
Daniel had a turbulent relationship with his stepfather George. Questions are raised about Daniel's mental state.
I believe he is telling the truth as he recalls it. His testimony & demeanor are convincing.
There are also interviews with the psychic Lorraine Warren.
Full movie link below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrkoISczUb4
Wish Upon (Written by Barbara Marshall) -- Claire suffers a difficult childhood trauma. She grows into an angsty teen.
Claire recieves an ancient Chinese music box as a gift.
She discovers it can grant wishes. The box makes all her dreams & nightmare come true.
This is full of surprises. The deaths are creative & disturbing. The characters are well-fleshed out & likeable. I found myself yelling ''don't do it' during tense scenes. That's rare for me.
Nods are given to The Monkey's Paw & Final Destination. However, this is a completely original film.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZjBpt5mCCA&fbclid=IwAR35uRm6AHdiNBIDkUji1A65tZcWjuSxxGcOBi3qaHCRMa4I4fj2KMfuFYo
The Brood (Dir. David Cronenberg) -- Nola & Frank are going through a contentious divorce. Nola is in therapy & her rage manifests in hideous fleshy growths. Her unbridled fury tries to destroy everyone including their daughter Candice.
Early art horror show by the Canadian master of horror.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI32rz-Xh7U&fbclid=IwAR3SORdfkOaZunfNd1AXS9nLeCEvs6hyh8hEef0dc-xPCQK2TsH7BjStAbA
No Reason (Dir. Olaf Ittenbach) -- Jennifer's journey through hell is chronicled in colourful gory detail. I love this spiritual journey by Ittenbach & I am happy to finally own the dvd.
I thought it was in English as the cover is, but the film is German only. Thankfully, I found free subtitles online.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCpnXtsuOLE&fbclid=IwAR1ejWV9HDnSuWel1nZRhYq0gFmNrepwhSHJc4qkJpbxoeXu1crJpLxJVkM
As the Gods Will (Dir. Takashi Miike) --
Shun complains about his boring life. He should have kept quiet because all the students at his high school are captured. Shun is forced to play a series of deadly games against living statues & figurines.
This film is surreal. Perhaps the series/levels of challenges could be meant to mirror Shun's hobby of video gaming. Winning means co-operation against statues who cheat.
There's plenty of blood & creative deaths. One of the most interesting scenes uses glass beads/marbles filled with blood during a series of head explosions.
Interesting movie that grabbed me from the start.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEh1fT1IH14
What Keeps You Alive --
Jackie & her wife Julie go to a cabin the woods for their anniversary. Jackie plans to make their 'til death do us part' vow a reality.
This is a tense survival horror. It plays on the fear that your lover isn't who they appear.
A cinematic nail-biter where you desperately want the heroine to survive. It's cleverly shot with the music accentuating the action on screen.
This is a must own film for me.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfADKNDJcP8&fbclid=IwAR1Wx49taMRbNQTzrfEKPi7o7UfqK25VMr0WfYILyNjHY2wNNnTbWZ0jgsQ
When Black Birds Fly (Dir. Jimmy ScreamerClauz) --
A dystopian world called Heaven is run by Caine. He is savior & overlord. Marius is a child who dares to challenge the law by going beyond the forbidden wall. Then all hell breaks loose.
A truely psychedelic piece of animation. Nightmarish visions of violence & sex prevail. The lack of genitals on the characters prevent this from being pornographic.
There is a definite theme here of twisting Catholic dogma & some may find this blasphemous.
This is less offensive & taboo breaking than his first film Where The Dead Go To Die.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptGOvk262io&fbclid=IwAR182t0mlDkHitN977Q_OuaLcskFe7xq6S0cq3bph6yvWMpql1bsp25VX2g
Para Elisa (Spain) -- Ana takes a job as a nanny. She finds out that she will be taking care of a mentally disturbed young woman named Elisa instead. Ana tries to refuse...
This film reminded me of GRETA. Unlike GRETA it manages to create tension & has a series of shocks. There's also a nod to MISERY here.
The ending was a real suprise too.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loRGGlgrGPc&fbclid=IwAR0LPbAMYMhhMxoszP1ANf7-s2rEx_B0xWE0B9rgp16LeJZT7jjjgaylUq4
Tennesse Gothic (Dir. Jeff Wedding) -- Caleb and his father take in Sylvia after she is brutalized. She turns out to be more than a handful. Lots of sex ensues which keeps your attention. There's no killing until much later on.
Sylvia is far from an innocent victim in need of protection. I won't reveal what she actually is. You have to watch the movie to find out.
Excellent acting in an engaging & occassionally amusing horror/thriller.https://vimeo.com/359690561?fbclid=IwAR29KITRe5MtYpk63TAjaUEhdAZDkZmhqW1ZPxJgP3QyGvR3RIpXFrUARIU
Holiday Hell (With Jeffrey Combs) --
A curiosity shop is selling some questionable objects.
Jeffrey Combs tells a scary story connected to each item in this anthology film.
Tales featuring a mask, a Hannukah present, a santa suit & a ring.
Free on Tubi TV.https://tubitv.com/movies/494239/holiday_hell?tracked=1&fbclid=IwAR29KITRe5MtYpk63TAjaUEhdAZDkZmhqW1ZPxJgP3QyGvR3RIpXFrUARIU
Halloween (2007, Dir. Rob Zombie) -- The childhood of Michael Myers is explored during the first hour of this film. He takes brutal vengeance on a bully & his abusive stepfather.
After a lengthy incarceration he breaks out to find & kill his sister Laurie.
I really enjoyed the origin/backstory of Michael & I found the killings to be suitably nasty. I don't understand the hatred fans have towards this remakehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhyZmUeq6do&fbclid=IwAR29KITRe5MtYpk63TAjaUEhdAZDkZmhqW1ZPxJgP3QyGvR3RIpXFrUARIU
All Through the House (Dir. Tod Nunes, Stars Jessica Cameron) --
Rachel is sad this Christmas, she misses her mom. Her neighbor, Mrs. Garrett is mourning her daughter's mysterious disappearance.Darlin' -- This is the sequel to Lucky McKee's The Woman. Darlin' is the feral daughter of The Woman. She ends up in the hospital & is then discharged to an orphanage where the nuns try to civilize her.
Other than some gristly scenes of cannibalism this plays very much like a drama with horror elements. There were some unanswered questions at the end of the film. Leaving it open for a sequel I guess.https://tubitv.com/movies/501497/darlin?tracked&fbclid=IwAR0MVok05Eu5QDs2FOi3W-qBkp2o_N4EMwfFGnQ0sKBcmuxOKEwmPdSTXBI
Harpoon (2019) -- Richard has a very bad temper. He is gifted a spear gun by his best friend and girlfriend. Then the three of them go on a yacht ride in the middle of nowhere. Everything goes wrong.
Betrayal & sexual tension run through this dark comedy/ survival horror.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UCbL8uDTJQ&fbclid=IwAR0MVok05Eu5QDs2FOi3W-qBkp2o_N4EMwfFGnQ0sKBcmuxOKEwmPdSTXBI
The Resident (2011, Stars Hillary Swank & Jeffrey Dean Morgan) --
Juliet finds a great apartment complete with a hunky landlord. Too bad she is being stalked & watched .
Parts of this will be familiar to anyone who has watched other creepy rental movies. The intruder hiding under the bed for example, is overused in such fillms.
Tense horror/thriller and it was nice to see 'Negan' in a different role.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixZMHng9kFU&fbclid=IwAR0MVok05Eu5QDs2FOi3W-qBkp2o_N4EMwfFGnQ0sKBcmuxOKEwmPdSTXBI
KIndred Spirits (Dir. Lucky McKee) -- Chloe is a single mom with a teenage daughter named Nicole. Things get complicated when Chloe's sister Sadie comes home to live with them.
Chloe practically raised Sadie after their parents' deaths. Now Sadie wants older sis all to herself & is going to do whatever it takes to achieve that.
This one takes an hour to give a gory pay off but it's worth a look. Free on Tubi TV.https://tubitv.com/movies/513055/kindred_spirits?autoplay=true&fbclid=IwAR0MVok05Eu5QDs2FOi3W-qBkp2o_N4EMwfFGnQ0sKBcmuxOKEwmPdSTXBI
Tulpa (2013) -- Lisa's lovers are being murdered in this gory giallo. This one has some cruel kills & a lot of style.
Free on Tubi TV.https://tubitv.com/movi…/517479/tulpa_aka_perdizioni_mortali
Impetigore (Indonesia) - The story of Rahayu who returns to her childhood home in a remote village to seek her fortune. The villagers are weird, there's a curse, and she doesn't feel welcome.
The film begins with her being menaced in a toll booth late at night which is both claustrophobic and effective.
Gory and inventive folk horror with a complex storyline. Currently on Shudder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjZVv9swaAw
The Inheritance (2011) - A family reunion is used to tell the story of a legend from the days of slavery. The elders want more than listening ears from the cousins who have gathered. All of them are eager for a handout but they aren't ready for what comes next.
A mostly black cast would have made this a suitable entry in the Horror Noire documentary put out by Shudder. The white couple dies first in a refreshing role reversal.
Weird & violent enough to keep your attention. Free on Tubi.https://tubitv.com/movies/503525/the_inheritance
Triangle (2009) -- Jess goes boating with a group of friends. The boat capsizes and they are picked up by an ocean liner. The film becomes very weird & circular from there. The group is picked off one by one but this isn't your typical slasher.
It's like watching a film made up of layers of reflections in a mirror.
Interesting and unusual concept.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17XqBdCiHOI
Wither (Sweden) -- An adventure at an abandoned cabin turns sour. One of the group sees something strange & becomes ''infected''. The affliction rapidly spreads.
Uber violent and gory mashup of Evil Dead, Cabin Fever and zombie films.
Currently on Tubi TV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7ZB6bGHYVg
The Final Wish (Stars Lin Shaye and Tony Todd) -- Aaron goes home for his father's funeral. He finds an old urn that grants wishes among his dad's belongings. Aaron finds out that wishes aren't for free.
Solid horror film with excellent acting. A nice twist at the end too. Recommended.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRIbc4v-c6E
Open 24 Hours – Mary’s ex-boyfriend is a murderer. She is tormented by the memories of watching him kill people. It’s hard getting her life back together and the creepy phone calls she receives aren’t helping.
A brutal and uncompromising portrayal of psychological trauma.
Full movie on youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrCua4ccfIY
Remember Me -- A tale of jealousy & revenge. 9 minute gory shorthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6UXSsbl9O8
Countdown(Dir. Justin Dec) -- Countdown is a phone app that accurately predicts when you will die. As the minutes advance there is no escaping your fate. Quinn installs the app & will do anything to break what turns out to be an ancient curse.
This has a similar feel to Final Destination. It has many effective jump scares (I didn't jump but I am sure many will). It was cheesy in a fun way but not campy at all. Great acting, writing and production values.
I will keep an eye out for more by this writer/director.
Atroz (Producer Ruggero Deodato) -- The plot is simple, 2 serial killers are caught & footage is uncovered of their crimes. The gore is very real, Faces of Death or news footage level. It is beautifully shot, cleverly dancing back & forth between pristine images to grainy distressed footage.
My biggest issue with it is that it feels like one long well presented torture porn video. Definitely style over substance for the first half, I want plot, backstory etc. Also the first murder reminds me of something Fred Vogel did down to rubbing shit in wounds. There is too much playing with bodily fluids & solids in this for me which disgusts rather than disturbs me.
By the third murder it finally has reached the level of disturbing me so I am taking a little break ATM. I think it's worth watching once simply because it's a great looking film, but so far I don't see me re-watching the whole thing. Maybe the third murder I would watch again until it stops being shocking.
Thesis (Spain) -- Angela is doing her thesis on violent film images. Looking for something harder than horror she finds a film so terrible watching it kills. She investigates this & a rash of missing students.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIrrXbhIuzI&fbclid=IwAR3na5U9IF5HFQxMQrjI63CxUwF_kWfZub4EN0P_9SeoX9PdEJ3_nQ9bQT4
Life and Death of a Porno Gang -- A group of porn actors tour Serbia putting on a live show. They can't survive financially & are lured into filming snuff. This has been compared to A Serbian Film. It substitutes bestiality footage for child pornography to shock viewers. I thought it was a lot less depressing & devastating than ASF.
Angel's Melancholy (Dir. Marian Dora) -- I finally got through the whole movie. I don't see the artistic merits of it. The film shows every bodily function solid & liquid possible, necro bestiality & one of the main characters continuously kills or torments animals. This ranges from large insects to a lizard, frog & a cat. A pig is also killed. A half hour of this was cut for being too offensive hard to imagine what it contained.
There are a few powerful scenes of murder & rape but I don't think it's worth watching this long drawn out animal snuff movie.
I'll stick to Voyage to Agatis thanks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxpyWaJwkVo&fbclid=IwAR1UXS3Tji8q8LJTRpNDarXPsUPBFhHfQNo_1tgCg0bSdu60eNpno1WKINA
Panic Button -- I recently got a copy of this on dvd. It's about a group of people who win an all-expenses paid luxury jet ride from a social media site called all2gethr.com. On board they are tormented by a cruel game of truth or dare that turns into snuff on a plane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NHd4hKOxcE
Cut/Print -- A call for snuff film submissions on an internet site yields real results. The cast & crew investigate. This film contains a welcome sprinkle of humour as the crew goofs around together. Lots of disturbing images also. Just wonderful & still waiting on a dvd release. Available at google play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnsdndITVCg&fbclid=IwAR00BjAo8WEi8kCVIRGJSFbBd-g6OGiA_kPRX74J5uB6q5v6St05s-26zxw
Unfriended: Dark Web --
Matias finds a laptop. It contains murder videos. The owner of the computer wants it back. Soon Matias & his friends are targeted by the movie makers.
This snuff themed film is best enjoyed on a computer as it makes you feel like part of the action.
There isn't any blood or gore to be had. What is disturbing is the creative killing methods described in detail.
This film is passable but far from being the best social media horror. That honor goes to The Den, Dark Summer & Panic Button.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XenTM_C9fxM
Seeding of a Ghost (Hong Kong, A Shaw Brothers Production, 1983) --
This category III Hong Kong movie is full of sex & nudity. Irene is cheating on her husband. She falls prey to a couple of thugs.
Her husband goes to a black magic priest to get vengeance. This involves hallucinations, possession & murder. One scene make me howl with laughter, others made me cringe in disgust.
The insanity escalates until the explosive ending. This features a mix of practical & optical effects.
Warning: Contains necrophilia & rape.
Thanks to Maycon Guedes for recommending this film.
Penance (Dir. Fred Vogel) –
This is the final installment in the August Underground series. It follows the exploits of a serial killer couple. The usual shaky cam, shot on video quality is evident. This is to convey a feeling of authentic home video/snuff footage.
I am not a fan of his previous work. I find it boring, disgusting & unconvincing as snuff. The fx tend to look fake which ruins it.
This one is noteworthy for having a harrowing Christmas scene. The serial killers break into a family home & proceed to brutally rape, taunt & kill everyone. Their victims include the daughter who is portrayed as a child although she is clearly too old for that role. It is chilling to watch these psychopaths play gleefully with the dead family’s bodies & presents. Necrophilia warning.
There’s lots of yelling, swearing & verbal abuse of the victims & between the two killers. All the shouting really irritates me.
Stick around to the end if this is your jam. I am done after the sick twisted Christmas scene, it can’t be topped.
Mexico Barbaro -- This anthology of Mexican horror keeps on giving. Topics covered include drug smuggling, human sacrifice, sirens, menstruation, rape, cannibalism, child abuse, necrophilia & the black market. At about the half-way mark I was convinced that each contributor was trying to outdo the last in terms of being bizarre & twisted. It's got something for everyone, some of the segments are more surreal & disjointed than others. Well worth it. Currently on Netflix.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0F9thDAkig&fbclid=IwAR1RwOdth1xTbuitQfcv0ZXlEizHyuNF33dI52lQ7tMO
Crazy Lips (Japan) -- When a young man is accused of being a serial killer, his sister hires a psychic to find the real culprit.
This film is a complete mess. It doesn't know whether it is horror, comedy or kung fu. It's too nasty to giggle at so the light hearted touches didn't work. It's never boring & goes along at a decent clip. Anything that doesn't make sense sort of gets cleared up by some plot reveals later on. This is more of a sex film than horror as it's got rape scenes (that turn into sex scenes) throughout.
The most shocking sequence involves some very creative necrophilia. I won't explain as that will take the sting out of watching it. I wish they hadn't tried to be silly as I would have preferred straightforward horror. The special FX were uneven but that's forgivable in a low budget film. As I said it's more of a sex film than a gore movie.
I don't know whether I actually liked it. It was a weird experience I will need to revisit before deciding.
It definitely lives up to the ''crazy'' in the title.
Black Mass of the Nazi Sex Wizard (Vomit Gore part 4, Dir. Lucifer Valentine, 66 min) Christmas countdown post --
If you are new to his porn/art/fetish films this one starts with a lengthy warning. This film also includes real self injury (cutting), choking, peeing & lots of vomiting.
Women are bound, humiliated & killed for a madman's pleasure. Cannibalism, necrophilia, B&D and S&M round out the festivities. This is a holiday movie set at Christmas. It concerns the kidnap & ransom of a beauty queen. Valentine’s models are gorgeous as usual.
Rapid fire cuts of beauty pageants, cartoons, nazi, Satanic & Christmas images are inserted among the mayhem.
His characterizations of women who are degraded & destroyed are compelling. That’s why I keep watching. To paraphrase Nick Headland ''This sounds like a poor excuse to watch a pretty girl vomit for an hour''. That assessment is accurate for anyone who doesn't share the rare vomit fetish (emetophilia). I would recommend putting off eating while watching his movies.
Warning: If you have experienced abuse, domestic violence or rape Valentine’s work is extremely triggering. It is devastating. This is not hype. NSFW, family gatherings or most humans. Enjoy?
Debris Documentar (Dir. Marian Dora) -- A man with strange & disgusting fetishes does weird stuff for a little over an hour. Including photographing roadkill, picking his nose & scabs, eating toe jam, shoe sniffing & playing with poop.
There is also necrophilia, rape, cannibalism, genital mutilation & one murder.
The toe jam made me laugh because really who does that? The pooping grossed me out so I had to cover the screen to get through several scenes. If you want to put yourself through it this film is currently playing on effedupfilms. It is in German only & I was unable to find any subs on the internet.
I couldn't find a trailer.
Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl (3D?, Japan, 2009) –
Monami is a vampire. She tricks her high school crush into drinking her blood. Meanwhile, we get a look at her school which calls to mind Nuke ‘Em High.
Meet the wrist cutters club, the tanning club (who wear black face), a sexy psycho nurse & a pervert teacher.
None of this is serious. There’s lots to offend & distract from the simple vampire meets boy story. She eventually battles her nemesis Frankenstein girl.
This is a live action horror/comedy/romance manga. The blood gushes in fountains on screen, drowning the audience.
From the director of Tokyo Gore Police.
