Screen (2011)

(Online Screener Copy)
Director by David Paul Baker

Writen by David Paul Baker

Stars:Nicole Alonso, Leslie Andrews, Carolyn Crow, Natalie Hilsabeck, Nicole Fancher

David Baker delivers the chillingly scary goods in his indie horror effort Screen.

The plot of the film concerns a group of movie goers who are inexplicably found scared to death in front of a drive-in movie screen.  Audiences are then shown the past 24 hours, focusing on Lola and Carrie who have headed off to attend the ill fated Halloween screening.  Both Lola and Carrie are aware that a group of people died in front of the screen  back in the 70s and Carrie in particular is more determined than ever to visit the sight of those horrible events. So it seems history is fated to repeat itself and these two spunky girls may have been better off staying home.......

I really loved the main location of this film. Who knew a field with an old drive in screen could cause such anxiety?! I just had the eeriest feeling while watching this film, that if I was actually there myself I would be literally shitting myself. It was desolate, atmospheric and out and out creepy.

The performances were also very notable. I have to confess to finding the character of 'Carrie' (Leslie Andrews) very irritating at first, I dont know what it was truth be told -I loved her look and fashion sense, but she just kind of grated on me. However after she showed a bit of vulnerability with Lola a bit later I found myself warming to her and was hoping her outcome would not be a bad one. Lola (Nicole Alonso) on the other hand, I really liked from the start and likewise hoped that she would come out of the upcoming horror unscathed. Whatever my feelings on the two main characters, both Leslie Andrews and Nicole Alonso did superb jobs. I also liked some of the smaller roles of locals who pop up for short interviews with Lola and Carrie throughout the film, who ultimately seal their own fates by coming along to the party. I particularly enjoyed the role of 'Kelly Green' and the conversations with the Fear Cast guys and some of the other partygoers (ahem..pukes in mouth...Twilight) were just hillarious)

The pay off worked very well. You are wondering so many things by the end of the film that you half expect the hammer of god (reference to a conversation during the film) to come down and wipe everyone out!!! But actually what the film does, and I half expected it, is to not give any easy answers. Some horrible things happen, dont get me wrong and they are presented in what I view as homage to Carrie (1976) with its split screens depicting horrifying events BUT you never find out why. Its honestly really a key strength of the film as it has that authentic effect on you where you spend ages afterwards just thinking  'WHAT exactly happened and WHY?'

I think David Baker has a little gem on his hand with Screen, which, from which plot alone is going to have horror fans queueing up. I would love to see a sequel which elaborated on the dark past of that horrible, horrible, weather beaten old movie screen..just typing that gave me chills, so I know the film left a real impression! Head on over to the official movie site HERE to find out how you can pay the smallest amount of money ever to view the film for yourself!

I Didnt Come Here to Die (2011)

(Online Screener Copy)

Directly by Bradley Scott Sullivan

Written by Bradley Scott Sullivan

Stars: Indiana Adams, Kurt Cole, Madi Goff, Travis Scott Newman, Niko Red Star, Emmy Robbin, Jeremy Scott Vandermause

Release: Coming to DVD and VOD early 2013, courtesy of Level 33 Entertaiment!









A group of misfit volunteer workers end up on the sharp end of the stick in Bradley Scott Sullivans inventive and messy horror flick, I didn't come here to die.

I was really pleased that the films distributor Level 33 Entertainment gave me the chance to check this out for review. IDCHTD had been a much anticipated indie for some time and I am chuffed to report that it has totally been worth the wait!

So six people, Julie, Danny, Miranda, Chris, Sophia and Steve head out on a voluntary humanitarian project in the middle of nowhere. As these things usually go, bad things soon start to occur. However this, refreshingly, is not at the hands of a masked maniac with a cross to bear. Instead, hideous and cringeworthy accidents begin to befall the group and tthen hings begin to get really nasty....

I love the angle this film took. It's different, more intriguing than your standard slasher and to top it off the exceptional acting made the whole thing gel immensely.Stand out performances are most certainly Emmy Robbin as Team Leader 'Sophia' Niko Red Star as 'Chris' and Kurt Cole as 'Danny'.
The gore factor is also pretty impressive indeed. The horrible incidents which envelop our group of unfortunates are consistently creative, brutal and squirm inducing, and I think an excellent job was put into the special effects. Oh and the final scene was just hilarious ....not to mention ridiculously unfortunate for one poor character!

I Didn't Come Here to Die is very well written, utilises interesting directing techniques which gives a nice idiosyncratic spin on the 'kids get whacked in the woods' sub genre and it is all carried by fantastic acting. This is one film I would return to many times and one I will be buying the second it is available!

Found (2012)

(Online Screener Copy)

Directed by Scott Schirmer

Written by Scott Schirmer

Stars:Gavin Brown, Ethan Philbeck, Phyllis Munro, Louie Lawless, Alex Kogin, Andy Alphonse,  Kitsie Duncan. 

Many thanks to Seam Schirmer for letting me screen his new indie horror Found. I am pleased to say that Found was one of the most engaging and compelling films I have seen this year, even in recent years.

The film tells the story of young Marty who has made the horrifying discovery that his older brother, Steve, is a serial killer who keeps the decapitated heads of his victims in a bowling bag in his closet. Marty's adolescent journey coupled with dealing with his new found knowledge is what makes this film so entrancing and disturbing at the same time. In fact the film is more like a superb drama with a very smart horror streak permeating it throughout which makes for something truly original and refreshing. As Marty's already rather sad existence gets steadily worse what with bullies at school, the one friend he has abandoning him and parents acting subtly (and sometime blatantly) neglectful, he becomes ever more interested in Steves night time activities...Found ends up going in all kinds of dark places. Touching on themes of racism, bullying, bad parenting and homosexuality, the film depicts a bleak world full of ignorance and in doing so also tells the chilling story of one seriously messed up mind and the one person who knows/keeps the deadly secret which will soon engulf a number of lives.

The acting in this film was astonishing. Both Gavin Brown and Ethan Philbeck are amazing as Marty and Steve. Gavin plays the sad kid with the weight of the world on his shoulders to a fine art and I have to confess I actually felt a bit tearful in the scene where his friend turns on him. It was the exact moment when his supposed best friend David says "I thought we were going to have some fun" and Marty replies, clearly wounded by Davis comment, "I thought we were". I cant imagine Gavin not going on to have an incredible acting career and I truly hope that he does. On the opposite side of the fence, Ethan Philbeck plays two roles really; the moody teenager and insane killer. Both are exceptional performances and shows a definate versatile talent. Again, if roles are not thrown at Ethan after this film I would be disappointed. He is one scary guy in this film, true, but what an actor. Both Phyllis Munro and Louie Lawless also do great jobs as the unknowing parents. I kind of liked Phyllis character Lisa for the first part of the film, but towards the end you kind of get the bigger picture in that she isn't the greatest mother in the world. Definitely no monster, but its clear that there must have been times throughout Marty and Steve's childhood when they needed her to stand up for them and be strong and it probably didn't happen. On the other hand, Louie Lawless, plays the boys father with full on mean relish, particularly nearer the climax of the film. Here is a man who has instilled all manner of hateful thoughts about other races on his children, since they were very young and both his ignorant opinions and violent acts have certainly taken their toll on Steve. Great performances in what must have been fairly tough but very meaty roles.

You could also never tell this was an indie. Its made so damn well, it absolutely belongs in a cinema, with a nice wide release. If  Found ever makes it to a UK screening, I am there, and my purchase of an eventual DVD is already set in stone. The directing is great also, specifically in a chase scene between Marty and Steve a bit later on, I was actually on the edge of my seat during this part.

All in all I would say Found is a must see. It might not be for everyone, as it is very dark and there are some scenes viewers may find distressing, but if you enjoy a smart script, amazing acting and a powerful story then you really have to check this out. Please head on over to the movies official website to find out MORE!

HACKED IN THE HEAD TALKS TO GIA FRANZIA

I was really pleased and excited to get to chat with actress Gia Franzia, star of  upcoming Trick of the Witch and Heavy Makeup from indie film maker Chris Morrissey. Gia also stared in Chris' previous mystery thriller Fashion Murder Groove and was kind enough to share her experiences with the films, her thoughts on them and much more. Thank you to Gia to taking the time to talk to Hacked in the Head, it was a most enjoyable experience! :)





Hacked in the Head: Hi Gia! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Now I understand you have worked quite extensively with indie filmmaker Chris Morrissey, an awesome guy in my experience. Tell me about working with Chris, I'm sure he is great fun!

Gia Franzia: It’s funny. Just the other day I was talking with Chris and expressed to him how I will always work with him even if I never get paid. Making movies with Chris…is….um….how shall I put it, different. Don’t expect to show up on set with a hair and make up artist, a full crew and an amazing craft service table. Chris is an indie filmmaker at it’s finest. I have so much respect for Chris because he is literally one of those filmmakers that just wants to make movies, and he does. He is so sweet, kind and gentle and you can see the passion of making movies spew out of his pores. He’s probably one of my favorite peoples in Hollywood. On this particular movie, Heavy Make-Up, every one is contracted not to talk about anything they film. We have no idea what this movie is about. He gives us our lines maybe a day in advance before he shoots. This way of filming definitely keeps me on my toes and the filming process very interesting. That’s Chris for you.

HitH: I love Chris' whole approach to filmmaking as in he makes films to hit theatres. And honestly why shouldn't he! It must be nice to work with someone who has the determination to make this happen and not settle for the direct to DVD route. It's works great for some filmmakers don't get me wrong but not enough great indie films get the chance to show in theatres. I hear a previous screening of TOTW was an absolute blast?

Gia: This was also part of our phone conversation. His perseverance and ability to publicize and showcase his movies and actors is extraordinary. I told Chris his other job should be a publicist.

Trick of the Witch was my favorite script that Chris had written since I’ve known him and was very happy to be a part of it. When I went the midnight screening of TOTW, it was exactly that. A blast. I had never experienced watching a horror flick with so much audience participation. I think it was a pleasant surprise to see that kind of reaction. 

 

HitH: Now I wondered if you could tell us a bit about your character 'Sara' in the upcoming supernatural horror film Trick of the Witch? How does Sara find herself caught up in all the mayhem?

Gia: I think my role in TOTW is supposed to be ominous. Sara may have created the plot of the story or maybe she didn’t and it was all coincidence. That’s for the audience to decide.

HitH: Ohhhhh, intriguing...I like it!! What are your fondest memories of working on the film? It looks like a great deal of fun!

Gia: I can’t think of any particular moment, but any time I’m on set, it’s fun for me. It doesn’t really matter where I am, what I’m doing, or even if I’m put on crew for that day, I just love being there.

HitH: Also I'm really interested in your role in Heavy Makeup. Now I know there probably isn't a lot you can say, which is no bad thing as I love the whole idea of a very secret script, but is there anything you can say....?

Gia: I might get sued if I do.

HitH: Hahaha...NICE answer :) What does Gia Franzia like to do in her spare time away from making movies?

Gia: I love being at home quite frankly. I make dinner for husband almost every night, spoil my dogs, study Italian and work on making more movies. This is my life. I sound so boring.

HitH: Not at all, those are the nice things in life. I love to spend time with my other half, play fight with the cats and watch movies!

 I also wondered if you are a fan of the horror genre? What are some of your faves? Also what other genres do you enjoy?

Gia: I like the classics like Nightmare on Elm Street, Children of the Corn, Cujo, The Fly, Rosemary’s Baby, Silence of the Lambs, Friday the 13th, oh, Poltergeist. These movies still freak me today.

HitH: Excellent movie taste! I watched The Fly again recently and I'm not sure if it either just holds up exceptionally well or has gotten even better for me over time!

Finally Gia is there anything else you wanted to share with readers?

Gia: I think what I would share with the readers, if they are filmmakers, writers, directors or actors, that someone like Chris Morrissey is a perfect example that anything is possible. With little money, enthusiastic actors and a couple of crew members that just want to work or get more experience, that with drive, motivation and determination, getting a hold of a camera and just “shooting” is possible and it makes it that much more closer to fulfilling your dreams. Whatever you want to do, you just do it. I know that’s cliché, but it’s true.

HitH: Thank you Gia for a great interview and for giving up your time to do it, I hope you will keep us posted on your future work!

To add some exciting news to this great interview I am pleased to announce that Chris Morrissey and Gia Franzia have teamed up again to begin filming the horror/thriller film, One Tupperware Drive in Rhode Island. Shooting will begin the first week of June, 2013 so STAY TUNED for more news - when I hear more from Chris or Gia I will be sure to post! 

Gitchy (2009) (short horror film review)

(Online Screener Copy)










Directed by Thomas Norman, Lenny Rivera

Written by Thomas Norman

Stars: Doug Albin, Michael J. Brown, Stefanny Cano, Greg Gale, MaryKate Gallagher, Daniel Hall, Randy Memoli, Laser Ray, Liz Walsh.










Many thanks to the dudes behind creepy clown horror, Gitchy, for hooking me up with an online screener.

Gitchy took me by complete suprise by being an exceptionally well acted, suspenseful, intriguing and slightly campy mix of terror and chuckles (literally)

The film tells the story of David and Kimberley, siblings whose parents died from heart attacks at precisely the same time. This creepy and baffling plot device really hooked me into the film I have to tell you! Following this, David has undergone an apparent mental breakdown, experiencing horrible dreams and drawing pictures of a frightening looking clown. Sadly for this pair and those around them, Gitchy the tickling clown is not just the stuff of nightmares - and he's coming for them...

Solid performances from all involved really take this horror short to another level. Both Michael J.Brown and Steffany Cano are superb as the tormented brother and sister and I also felt that Mary Kate Gallagher gave an extremely believeable perfomance as best friend Becky. Add to that Lazer Rays eerie performance as Christopher, a guy who looks and acts uncannily like killer Bob from Twin Peaks!!

There are also some genuinely disturbing scenes in Gitchy which is suprising considering that the film involves a clown whose murder techinque doesnt stretch beyond ticking! But trust me, some of the scenes involving Gitchy are truly horrible and really made me sit up and pay attention to the film. From someone who used to be beyond terrified of clowns as a kid, this movie would do nobody with coulrophobia any favours!

I am very excited to see what Thomas Norman and the rest of the Gitchy team might come up next, maybe Gitchy will make it into a feature film. Either way, this short chiller shows undeniable promise and I cannot wait to see more!

Porkchop 3D (2012)

Directed by Eamon Hardiman

Written by Eamon Hardiman 

Stars: Kaylee Williams, Sam Qualiana, Danny Hicks, Brian Gunnoe Missy Dawn, Rob Cobb, John Renna,  Stephen Hensley, Scott Greg, Chris woodall, Vincent Renfield, Hannah Ellis, Kennie Bass, Jake Fertig, Andy Parsons, Evan Wilson, Matt Parsons, Elle Xohmbeah, Bill Hairston, Rea Gunne, Elvis McComas, Lisa Taylor with Shawn C. Phllips as 'The Presenter' and Angela Pritchett as 'Meg' 










So less than a year after we got to see the return of the dreaded pig faced maniac in Porkchop 2: Rise of the Rind (Formally known as Porkchops) we are already being treated to his third outing in the slash happy Porkchop 3D. Eamon Hardiman has concocted an awesome way of plotting this third film in having various survivors of previous movies come together to eliminate the thing that has caused them so much misery.
Sadly for this motley crew of victims turned hunters, Porkchop is by no means alone and if you saw the second film you may be surprised to learn that the Porkchop 'family' has far more members than you were led to believe....Cue then for much pig related murder, mayhem, grue, gore and...well it is a Razor Sharp Studios production...boobs!

Now forgive me my ignorance when it comes to the 3D format because truth be told its not something I know a great deal about or have ever completely embraced. This is probably because the few films I have seen in 3D recently are only really impressive for the odd scene, such as one featuring a weapon flying toward your face etc.My (limited) understanding of a film in 3D is that you are supposed to feel like the film is actually in your living room and that my friends is where this film took me totally by surprise and, remember folks, this is an indie made with an incredibly small amount of money! Porkchop 3D actually is a true 3D experience throughout and this is coming from someone whose eyes don't like anything other than my prescribed glasses for my depressing short sightedness!

So how about the kills? It's a Porkchop film after all so..yeh...the kills are damn important! Porkchop 2: Rise of the Rind, featured one of indie horrors most triumphant 'Sleepaway Camp... Eat. Your. Fucking. Heart. Out' kills I have seen thus far, so how does the carnage measure up here? Well if I said this film features countless and relentless on screen kills would you believe me? Well it bloody well does! The guys have upped the ante in this regards big time and there's probably a nasty scene every few minutes! There are several really impressive, creative kills and some of my favourites include Pig Girls deadly lassoo act, the deaths of two unfortunate picnic-ers, a nasty tree incident and a brutal jaw rip.

As far as characters go, we have the welcome return of Kaylee Williams as previously abducted character 'Heather'. The Heather character only really served to be one of the bitchy foils to the two main characters in the previous film so it was great to see her return and really kick some arse in this one. Seems Heather has grown up a bit and she is PISSED OFF. Kaylee really steals the show in this entry and her character quite rightfully wants justice for the awful acts committed against her. Not to say Heather has completely shaken off that high school über bitch quality...she's still mighty snarky! Definatley a standout performace. Chris Woodall also makes a welcome return as 'poor old Richie' from the original Porkchop. His hillarious wounds from that film are resurrected as it seems, baffingly, the wonders of modern medicine were unable to remove the lawn dart embedded in his head! Since I am mentioning Richie, it would be a dishonour not to mention that his previously smashed to smithereens robot buddy 'Elron' (voiced by THE Danny Hicks) also comes back for more and the comedy element of the Richie/Elron partnership is ten times more hilarious this time round. Also returning is Stephen Hensley and Lisa Taylor as Mr and Mrs Robertson. This pair truly have a painful score to settle but have they taken for granted just how deadly Porkchops stomping ground can be?? And who can leave out the amazing Brian Gunnoe as Razor Sharp Studios staple character 'Burt Fleming'? Here Burt continues his role as the excitable and lovably deranged local. The scene where he was listing all of his accomplishments was hilarious. It was also great to have Sam Qualiana return in a new role and his teaming up with Heather is really sweet and believable ....plus for those so inclined he shows some skin...just saying! Also his scene talking to the mirror trying out chat up lines? So so funny!  As far new characters are concerned...there is a plethora of deranged, oversexed, questionable and seedy folk to fall in love with...then watch them get porkchopped! As for the villians, Porky is as menacing and sadistic as ever with that hideous stitched up mask but I feel that the psychotic 'Pig Girl' (Missy Dawn) out creeps him as her own mask is just nightmare inducing. If the proposed Pig Girl spin off ever happens I AM THERE!

There is a bit of confusion what with returning characters and previously slaughtered characters playing new characters (keeping up with all the characters?) but the tongue is so clearly in cheek here; Mr Robertson: ''watch the first movie!'', that my advice would be just have fun with it!

One final thing to say is that if this movie took another year to come out just to get the score right then I would have been a happy guy if this was the outcome. The score is pure class and compliments the movie to excellent effect.

Basically if you are looking for gore and laughs then Porkchop 3D is just the ticket. You'll laugh, you'll squeal and you will probably jump behind your couch as Porkchop's chainsaw or Pig Girl's lassoo comes tearing out of your screen, 3D style. If this IS the final outing for old Porkchop then Razorsharp have gone out in a blaze of gory with a 105 minute, action packed kill-fest. Head over to the official Razorsharp Studios website to see how you can get yourself a copy of this sick flick along with all other movies in the franchise. While you are there have a look at what else is on offer...I dare ya!

Bear Scary (2010) (Short Film Review)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Dan Brownlie

Written by Dan Brownlie

Stars:Louie Russo Brownlie, Lauren Bushby, Sophia Disgrace, Tabitha Echo, Channel Franis






British indie filmmaker Dan Brownlie was good enough to share with me his killer toy horror short Bear Scary.

I had a blast watching this 25 minute blood feast in which a child's teddy bear gets very cross and wrecks a gruesome vengeance upon a mean arsed babysitter and her two friends.

What I loved most about this film was the sheer 1980s horror spirit so clearly present. You have your mean and enjoyably deserving characters, implausible but oh-so spot on protagonist and some nice splattery gore. Director and writer Dan Brownlie clearly knows his horror movies and I really appreciate that. It will be very exciting to see what he might do with a feature film and as a true champion of indie horror, he is one to watch.

Lauren Bushby did a great job of making you dislike her immensely. Why poor young Louie's mother let this girl into her home and anywhere near her child is beyond me. But then if she hasn't we wouldn't have had the pleasure of seeing teddy go all wild on her trashy self!

All in all Bear Scary is a short, funny, gruesome good time with one of the more enjoyable murderous toys in recent years. I know the bear was based on good old Grizzly from Demonic Toys but this homicidal little fuzz ball is far meaner, trust me!

Keep your eyes on Dans newest project, Three's a Shroud, an upcoming British horror anthology which looks set to be killer!

AN INTERVIEW WITH OWEN ALABADO

Continuing our coverage of all things Trick of the Witch and those closely involved with the movie, I got the chance to do a nice little interview with leading man Owen Alabado. Owen plays 'Carlos' in the movie and his character sounds like great fun. He was kind enough to chat to me about the movie and share his thoughts on previous films and future plans. Its also always great to speak to an actor who is so open and honest about his sexuality. Read on for the full interview.........




Hacked in the Head: Hi Owen! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.I was put in touch with you by Director, Writer AND Producer Chris Morrissey, who is behind the campy and fun looking Trick of the Witch! I understand you have an important role in the movie and would love for you to tell us some more about your character in the film, 'Carlos'

Owen Alabado: Carlos is the male hero. He is the good guy in the film. He wears his heart on his sleeve and always hopes for the best. He came all the way to LA to make it in Photography. He gets this opportunity to work with this awesome photographer and goes with him to a shoot in this mansion in the boonies. Of course things start going wrong and Carlos is stuck in the middle of the chaos. He keeps trying to help everyone who is effected by the madness that is going on around him. Point Blank, he is the good guy you want on your side.


 

HitH: Sounds fantastic! How was the filming process for Trick of the Witch? Was it a lengthy shoot? I bet it was fun however much hard work it was!?

OA: It was definitely a fun shoot. Everyone on set was fun to work with. The energy was incredible. It was a lengthy shoot, Chris knew what he wanted when he wanted it. There was only a couple of days where I was on set and only had a couple of things to do, but there was always great people to converse with on set while I waited. We sometimes had to deal with outside noise or there was time constraint, so we had to get it in a couple of takes.

HitH: Further to this, do you have any fond on set memories or funny stories to share?

OA: My favorite memory was when one of the actresses was drinking on set. And she was so drunk she was all over the place. She kept forgetting her lines and just moaning a lot. She ended up peeing outside in front of everybody. It was so funny. It was one of the shoot days where there was a bottle of wine floating around because there was drinking in the scenes and she just kept drinking. I never laughed so hard.

HitH:Haha, would LOVE to know who did that.... ;)  I also wanted to ask you a bit about your starring role in the movie 'Rock Haven' a very touching movie indeed. Do you have fond memories of working on the film? And are you still in touch with your costar Sean Hoagland and any of the other cast members?

OA: Rock Haven was definitely one of my favorite projects to work on thus far. The cast and crew were fantastic. Most of my fan base is from that film. I love that I have reached people with that film. It came out so long ago, but I still get fan mail from it. I loved the simplicity of the film. Sean was great to work with. I haven't talked to him in awhile, we did keep in contact after the film, but lost touch awhile back. Rock Haven will always have a special place in my heart as my first film. David Lewis is still making movies and I hope to work with him again someday.

HitH: Thats so great to hear! I hope you get to as well!

What do you like to do in your spare time away from making movies? Any strange hobbies we might like to know about hehe......

OA: Well I am sort of a jack of all trades. I am a stand up comic. I March of this year I was one of four of the headliners for the Michigan Gay and Lesbian Comedy Festival. I also sing at piano bar twice a month. My roots lie in Musical Theater. Currently I teach Turbo Kickboxing and Body Combat for 24 Hour Fitness. Martial arts has always been a part of my life. I am Karaoke and Musical Theater Junkie. In my spare time I am an avid wedding attendee, having 8 this year, being in 3, and officiating one. I also like to plan my friends birthdays a lot. You could call me a party planner.





HitH: I am sure your friends appreciate that!

I also wondered if you are a fan of the horror genre? is there anything you particularly like or dislike about the genre?

OA: I was a huge "Nightmare on Elm Street" fan growing up. I have always loved horror movies and appreciate original horror films that come out. Japan seems to have a grasp on making original horror films, that we than make our own version of. Lately I feel horror films have relied too much on gore and not story line. I like twist and turns in movies.

HitH: Did you grow up wanting to be an actor?

OA: I knew since I played Santa Clause in the school play in 3rd grade I wanted to be in actor. Being able to transform myself into another character is a natural high. I bring a little bit of myself and my life experiences in every role I play. I find the humanity and beauty in acting. It is the only thing I can picture myself doing for the rest of life.

When I played Carlos, I got to do a dialect from the East Coast. I love doing dialects. It was one of my specialty in college. I can do most all European and American. I can tell you the difference between a Texan or North Carolina accent or Irish from a Scottish. I was so happy Chris let me make Carlos from Brooklyn.




HitH: Finally Owen is there anything else with readers? And thank you SO much for your time. :)

OA:I hope someday to be on the big screen.  I want to show the world that an openly gay actor can not only play straight but can kick ass too.  Being a Martial Artist, I hope to break the stereotypes of gay actors. 

HitH: Sounds good to me, those stereotypes need to be broken! Thanks so much for your time and all the best for your future career on and off the screen!

Famine (2011)

(Online screener copy)

Directed by Ryan Nicholson

Written by Ryan Nicholson and Jeff O'Brien

Stars: Christine Wallace, Michelle Sabiene, Beth Cantor, Christopher Patrick Donoghue, Nathan Durec, Dustin Elkins, Karyn Halpin, Glenn Hoffman, Des Larson, Christopher Lomas. 













Loveable sicko Ryan Nicholson continues Plotdigger Films blood (and other bodily fluid) smeared reputation with new film Famine. Being a fan of 2008s gory slasher epic, Gutterballs, I was pleased to learn that Ryan and co has returned to the slasher arena complete with a killer sporting a unique costume. While I loved Gutterballs, particularly the killers bowling bag mask and it's inventive kills, I did struggle with the lengthy rape scene. I am sure I am not alone in that respect but it is still a great watch and I am lucky enough to have a copy from the first run of DVDs. I also had a great time watching Bleading Lady (aka Star Vehicle) although I first saw it in a horribly butchered cut version before seeing it in all it's gory glory. I have yet to pick up Hanger but after seeing this gloriously twisted little slash fest its definitely next on my list!



So plot wise what do we have? A group of largely immoralistic teens are holed up in their school for a twenty four hour famine. Sadly the school is also the setting for a nasty accident occurring 5 years before which culminated in a teacher having his skin gruesomely stripped away. Obviously this very fact means our group of misfits are screwed and very soon a maniac clad in the creepy, albeit quite cute, school mascot uniform starts offing them left right and centre. This is cue for some of the more nastily inventive kills you could hope to see in a slasher movie and this is a huge compliment to Plotdigger films who have already cemented themselves as champions of creatively staged murders in previous films.

The characters in this film are top notch. Yeh sure a few of the performances are a tad ropey but they are still so much fun so you can easily ignore this. From the group of mean 'cheer-bitches', Sarah, Katie, Andrea and Vanessa, to the comically creepy Cathy, not to mention the inappropriately seductive Ms Vickers and the token perve Janitor, there is no end to the motley collection of potential victims and suspects.



The film also looks extremely fresh and well presented. I was expecting more of a grind house feel based on the trailer, not that I would have had a problem with that, but Famine definitely stands as Plotdiggers most aesthetically pleasing films out of the three I have seen thus far.

Check out Plotdigger Films official website and also snag a copy of the Famine DVD (complete with English audio) from Amazon Germany on the 28 September!

Blood Lodge (2011)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Kevin Orosz

Written by Ed McKeever and Kevin Orosz

Stars: Greg Greco, Matthew Imparato, Julie Ann Hamolko, Stephanie Gere, Steven Buccarelli, Shaq Ramos, Joel Ruda, Randy Wilson, Ben Thomas, Michael Ryan Etzel,  Olga Nechaeva, Miles Silas Biggar  Yulia Khakimova,Brian Edward Doyle, Michael McFadden, Eric Suarez, Grace Aguilar, Gary Oganisyan, Jenni Goodman, Alexandra Mingione, Gerald Yelverton and  Michael Coppolecchia as 'Clint McCoy'









The Ten Acres Lodge becomes hideout for a group of teens and other guests, desperate to survive a nasty zombie attack in Kevin Orosz' Blood Lodge.

Blood lodge is an impressively made little indie horror with a lot of heart (and intestines) and what I liked most about it was its short but action packed running time. A film of this length means that the action needs to kick off immediately and, incidentally, it does. It also features some awesome opening credits!

So in true horror movie style, this unlikely bunch of friends and strangers are stuck and terrified inside the titular lodge as hords of zombies await them. Who will live and who will die? Well lets just say that you may be surprised by the answer to that question because as far as its characters are concerned, Blood Lodge does not pander to expectations which I think is just great.

Gore wise there are some great, gnarly moments. An impressive head stab to violent zombie stands out as the best moment and is indeed, splatterific. I also really appreciated the gruesome zombie makeup effects, very well done I must say!

There is also a lot of decent comedy written into the script with several of the characters making me laugh throughout. There are a few weaker performances but actually a lot of the acting in this film worked really well! Not only that but the soundtrack is fantastic, particularly the end song, I think I would pick a copy of the full soundtrack up if it becomes available.

Check out the films official Facebook page for more information on the film and for details on how you might get to see it! I am keen to see what Kevin Orosz and co come up with next, I want to see more of Ten Acres and its horrors so here is hoping for a sequel!

Blood Was Everywhere (2011)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Jason Torrey

Written by  Jason Torrey

Stars: Ashley Arnold, Kimberly Simone, Larry Holden, Vanessa Leigh, Phillip Ristaino, John Westcott, Kevin Hayes, Ben Kirchmyer, Erin Lynch, Sherrie Lemire, Popi Kapiris, Paul Kratka, Dita Prenn, Adam Morey, Neal Howland

Blood Was Everywhere is a highly impressive, minimalist slasher flick which foregoes all typical bodycount movie conventions to create something original and compelling.

I have to say its not often that a film refusing to cooperate with any of the things I usually adore about slasher films makes such a strong impact. Don't get me wrong, I was impressed by writer/director Jason Torreys intent to make an original film and to truly scare viewers but, hey, I'm a Friday 13th guy at heart. Nonetheless this film really raises the bar for indie horror by slyly worming it's way into your head until you can't stop yourself thinking 'bloody hell...what if...'. That is something in a horror movie which must be commended in every way.



So plot wise its very simple. However it's this very simplicity which gives Blood Was Everywhere its undeniable edge. A small town in Massachusetts has found itself victim of a mysterious killer who is slowly but surely making his way round it's inhabitants. What works so well about this film is that it doesn't provide any stalking scenes, zero hokey phone calls threatening death, and no 'giveaway score' to signal the killers inevitable attack. No, none of these things occur, or are needed. Not knowing when this mad man is going to strike is an amazingly effective device which truly gets under your skin, particularly after the 30 minute mark when you are beginning to enjoy the core characters and their varying lifestyles. The movie then takes a surprising turn by taking a non linear route in terms of storytelling. This may cause a brief confusion and it's not presented to you on a plate, so you just have to think about it for a few seconds and all becomes clear. Plus this particular scene gives an insidiously creepy moment with our killer watching from very close by....



Further to the characters, the acting in this film is quite exceptional. I'm not sure there is even a weak performance to mention. In particular Ashley Arnold turned in a brilliant performance as the kind hearted Angela along with Kimberly Simone as her troubled friend Jessica. I also thought Larry Holden and Vanessa Leigh were unbelievably effective in their roles of a loving couple, a truly excellent job and these were probably my favourite characters. Similarly both Sherrie Lemire and Poppi Kapiris gave great performances as mother and her autistic daughter, if you didn't know for definite that they were not related, this film could easily fool you into believing that they were. Special mention should also go to as Angelas screw up brother Kevin (Phillip Ristaino), a really funny role indeed and I thought Phillip was a natural. On top of all of this you even get a small role from Mr 'eye popped out of head' himself, Paul Kratka, star of Friday 13 3D! This is also an important role and ties in with one of the films more horrifying moments.

There are many notable scenes in the film. The opening was brutal but exceptionally effective. One part of the scene you witness and I won't lie, its quite harrowing. The other part you simply hear but it's no less disturbing, perhaps even more so. Another scene which really got under my skin was a part in which a character gets into a vehicle and the driver, who he thinks he knows, gets in with him and drives them both off together. Now, you never even see or hear the characters reaction to realising its not his buddy driving but I think just using your imagination to wonder how that might have played out is very very unsettling. Also as previously mentioned, the scene where the killer is lurking, surveying his victims to be, is downright chilling.



You can preorder your very own copy of the film from the films official website,  and I strongly recommend that you do. Blood Was Everywhere is a film which deserves to be seen and it certainly sits as a favourite of mine so far this year! For even more information on the film please also visit its official  Facebook!

Zombie Babies (2011)

Directed by Eamon Hardiman

Written by Eamon Hardiman

Stars: Kaylee Williams, Rob Cobb, Missy Dawn, Ruby Larocca, Ford Austin, Dean Stark, Sam Qualiana, Shawn C. Phillips, Desiree Seatta, Trent McKelvin and Brian Gunnoe as 'Burt Fleming'






With a name like Zombie Babies  you will probably know its not something to watch with your grandparents at Christmas time. You should however watch it with friends, beer and a sense of humour!

Zombie Babies  tells the story of a secret, illegal abortion clinic, ran in some creepy big old hotel, aptly hidden by masses of fog. Enter a group of four couples who have come to rid the pregnant ladies of their offspring to be for various reasons. Our crazy yet charismatic aborter himself, Burt Fleming (Brian Gunnoe) is only too happy to oblige for a healthy price and soon after the 'operations' get underway. In the great tradition of all those 80s creature horror flicks where silly mistakes or an ill advised venture into the dark arts cause a total shit storm (Gremlins, Ghoulies etc) the corpses of the newly dead foetuses are duly reanimated. Oooooops.

It's here that Zombie Babies REALLY takes a turn to the poor taste entertainment everyone loves as the killer tykes begin to off their parents in some pretty gnarly ways. The feces and umbilical cord kills being the disgustingly obvious stand outs! It seems that these eight (nearly all) obnoxious people are going to pay a high price for using old Burt for all of their baby needs!

There are some great characters in this film as well as great comedy. Burt Fleming, a character who can also be found in the Porkchop series, is the clear standout. He is one whacked out, highly excitable, maniac and he made me chuckle throughout. Kaylee Williams is natural as ever in her role as the nicer of the group 'Leah' while Missy Dawn was good fun as Leahs polar opposite, the snotty, kinky-sex-loving princess 'Jami Lynn'. I also liked Rob Cobb as Burts befuddled assistant 'Teddy' and Desiree Seatta as the put upon and abused hooker. Poor poor girl- particularly if you hang around for the end credits! The comedy is well written and Eamon Hardiman clearly knows how to create likeable and extremely unloveable characters and use their dialogue to ensure viewers enjoy them nonetheless.

So in short, Razor Sharp Studios continue to cement themselves as top creators of poor taste, funny, gory and inventive indie cinema. Zombie Babies takes a lot of the running theme of sheer wrongness from Porkchop and cranks if up several notches and that should be appreciated. I wasn't overly keen on the great big Zombie monster at the end but, hey, it was still funny to watch what looked like homicidal play dough lumbering around!!

Next up from these sick puppys is the concluding part of the Porkchop trilogy, Porkchop 3D, and I for one can't wait to see what twisted, tongue in cheek horrors await!

You can grab your very own copy of Zombie Babies over here as well as copies of Razor Sharp Studios other films - go do it!!

Fang (2011)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Jonathan Boushell

Written by Jonathan Boushell

Stars: Charlie Dreizen, Kyle Watson, Dominique Spencer, Nick Hanson, Colin Rhodes, Allyson Whittington Washington, Ryan Moiles, Shannon Vogt, Monique Curtis.






Many thanks to Jonathan Boushell for hooking me up with a copy of his indie vampire flick Fang. The movie runs at a nice short and sweet 79 minutes and provides an entertaining, gory and exceptionally funny film throughout.

The main plot of the story very much echo's that all well known vamp horror 'Fright Night' in that a teenagers neighbour appears to be up to some very dodgy activity late at night. However, I would say that's about the only similarity between the two as Fang is very much its own film with its own bonkers story to tell.

So...anyway...aforementioned teenager and his buddies break into vampire neighbours house and all hell literally breaks loose. I don't want to give much more of the plot away but the friends actions very much end up taking down the whole damn neighbourhood, wiping out friends and enemies alike by way of vampire transformation or a nasty throat torn out death! Seriously, there is a party scene in this film where the action really kicks off and it has to be seen to be believed. And I'm not even referring to the hilarious vomit-in obnoxious-girls-drink scene here!

Acting wise, I thought all three main guys, Charlie Dreizen, Kyle Watson, Dominique Spencer all did a great job as the three luckless friends who set the vamps loose so to speak. They all interact very naturally as though they were actual teenage buddies and I really liked that. I also thought  Allyson Whittington Washington was believable in her role as the starry eyed Petunia and Shannon Vogt also impressed as the hot and mischievous Stacy.

The film is clearly low budget, that much is clear to see. But what Jonathan has made with a low budget is great fun and has fantastic spirit and also doesn't suffer with that all annoying indie horror trap - bad sound.

All in all, Fang is an entertaining little indie horror which I really  hope genre fans will get to see very soon.  Please follows the films official Facebook page for updates!

Hallows Eve - Slaughter on 2nd Street (2008)

(screener copy)

Directed by P.J Starks

Written by Rodney Newton and  P.J. Starts

Stars: John Page, Katie Green, Megan Fuller, Robert Denton, Kevin Mundy, Robert Zambrano, Todd Reynolds, Brian Reynolds, Wes Bartlett, Sara Jane Behl, Daniel Benedict, Vicki Boals


Now Hallows Eve: Slaughter on 2nd Street is a film I had been interested in seeing for ages. But could I find a copy? Nope, I had stupidly missed the initial run of self distributed DVDs and therefore I was stuck just reading other reviews on the film and realllly wanting to see it. Then I managed to track down and cyber stalk director P.J Starks after finding out about his brand new project (See my interview with P.J HERE) and lo and behold he was happy to send me a copy for review. Obviously the fear of hyping a film up in this way can cause major disappointment if its not what you expected - luckily for me I didn't have that experience with this film - in actual fact it is a bloody, inventive and hugely entertaining blast!!!

Kicking off with one of the more inventively elaborate multiple kill scenes I have witnessed in an indie thus far, the film wastes no time in making its intentions crystal clear. It is a fun flick, which doesn't take its self massively seriously and it wants YOU to have fun with it. Moving on from this little massacre - the film introduces us to Buck Masters, struggling manager of the Slaughter on 2nd Street haunted house attraction. His brother, owner of the joint, wants it shut down just prior to the season kicking off because he is scared off by the recent tragedy. Buck is NOT at all happy and after an agry exchange with his brother the house lays claim to several more victims.....

The core of the film then comes in the form of a motley crew of supernatural investigators who have been hired by Buck to spend the night there just prior to Halloween. Their intention is to try to investigate the claims that it is haunted while Buck aims to scare up some publicity by terrorising them. Sadly for all involved, the evil which has caused the previously mounting body count is still loose in the attraction  and the whole group (including a few suprise additions) are all in direct danger from all kinds of fatal accidents! But what's causing this bloodshed...and why? Well I am pleased to say the film also works as a great whodunnit as I honestly couldn't guess specifically what was going on and at who or what's hands!

Gore wise this film 100% delivers. The nasty and fatal accidents which befall our luckless character are excellently staged - in particular a claw hammer face rip and a splat-tastic slamming door! I would also like to point out that the film never allows viewers to get bored or restless as there is some kind of gooey horror moment every step of the way.

There are also a lot of really good performances in this movie. I particularly enjoyed the character of Stephanie played by Katie Green and also Robert Denton and Kevin Mundy were really funny as as Chevy and Doobie. Special mention should also go to Todd Reynolds who gives a fine turn as the infuriated, devious and possibly sinister Buck Masters.

One other striking thing about this film is how PJ has managed to make such an entertaining film on a micro budget yet managed to make it look and sounds so very professional. As soon as it started I kind of thought to myself 'ok it looks great so I really hope the plot and characters compliment this. I am so glad that they did. Hallows Eve: Slaughter on 2nd Street is a fun, gruesome, well made indie horror which I strongly recommend trying to pick up if and when possible

.

STAY AWAY FROM THE WATERFRONT - AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON B. WHITTIER

I got a few minutes with writer, actor, producer Jason B. Whittier who kindly shared some info on upcoming horror/thriller Waterfront Nightmare. Jason wrote, casted and executively produced the film which sounds like it will provide an original take on the teen slasher film with smart scares and that all important twist! Thanks to Jason for chatting with me and please do read on below to find out about Waterfront Nightmare and much more!

Hacked in the Head: Hi Jason ! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Upcoming indie horror Waterfront Nightmare which you wrote, are the executive producer for, and also acted as casting director for, looks great. Can you tell me a bit more about the movie?

Jason: “Waterfront Nightmare” is a psychological thriller, with a stylized horror feel and elements of the teen slasher genre, in which seven college friends spend their spring break in a remote waterfront cabin only to discover that their lives are in jeopardy. The partying stops when they each start disappearing one by one. It is a familiar story line, however, the realistic nature of the killer are very unique and the twist make this film very different. Clark Birchmeier is the director and producer who did an incredible job on his first feature. Kyle Adcock was the DP and did a great job with some incredible and unique shots. Nate McAlpine did a fantastic job editing and made the film that much more suspenseful. We are currently finishing up ADR and sound design in post-production. Within the couple of weeks the film should be complete.

HitH: How was the shoot for the movie? I know Andrew Roth starred in the film, a great guy, so I imagine the making of the film must have been pretty fun?

Jason: Production was an 18 ½ day shoot in late July to mid-August in 2011. We shot most of the film from 8:00pm to 8:00am. The entire shoot went very well. Andrew Roth was amazing to work with. He is extremely talented, very professional, and was so much fun to be around on set. The entire cast and crew had an amazing time on and off set. Luckily we were sponsored by 3 beer companies, which you can imagine led to many fun nights and mornings. The cast and crew were great to work with. Everyone had good chemistry, moral was high, and we didn’t have any major problems.

HitH: Were there any particular challenges you faced while making Waterfront Nightmare? Also are there any stand-out performances you are particularly proud of and want to share?

Jason: The first major challenge was finding financing. We were in pre-production for about 10 months, which was mainly due to lack of funding. Luckily we received some donations, and had a few small investors. During the production the other challenge we faced was our HMI light went out the last two nights of the shoot. We were shooting from 8:00pm to 8:00am, so the rental house was closed and it was also the weekend, so they were not open the next day as well. Luckily, our director (Clark Birchmeier) was flexible to change around a few scenes to accommodate our HMI light going out.

There were so many stand-out performances. We are blessed that we had such an amazing cast. Dominic Gabriel, EJ Assi, Simone Wasserman, and Bree Michaels were the lead cast, and they did incredible jobs. Their roles were so dynamic and we were extremely happy with their performance. Mark Boyd, Kef Lee, and Andrew Roth also did amazing jobs as supporting cast. Typically with low budget films the acting is sub-par, however, our entire cast did an excellent job.

HitH: What are the release plans for the movie? Self distribution, VOD, wide release?

Jason: Once we finish post-production, we will be submitting the film to various festivals around the U.S. and overseas. We already have several interested distributors. We will likely have a worldwide release, VOD, Netflix, and hopefully a limited theatrical.

HitH: So you must enjoy the horror genre right? What do you love most about it and are there any favourite films you would like to mention?

Jason: I love horror movies and psychological thrillers. The adrenaline from fear and suspense is invigorating and something no drug can make you feel. Some of my favorite films are “Identity”, “Fear”, “I know what you did last Summer”, “Cape Fear”, “The Exorcist”, and many more. HitH: What's next for Jason B. Whittier? I see there is a new movie in the works, The Secret Village. Sounds good! Can you share any further details about the film with us?

 “The Secret Village” is currently in post-production as well. Swamy Kandan did a great job directing and producing. It is a suspenseful thriller about a journalist named Rachel, who is determined to unravel the mystery behind an outbreak of strange events in a small town. She meets with a local who is willing to share the events which are reminiscent of the Salem ergot poisonings. However, with the local’s sudden death, and her friend’s disappearance, all leads come to a dead end. Rachel is left alone to unravel the villagers’ secret. The film stars Jonathan Bennett (“Mean Girls”) , Ali Faulkner (“Twighlight- Breaking Dawn”) ,

Richard Riehle (“Office Space”), and Stellio Savante (“My Super Ex-Girlfriend”)

My next film in the works is called “Crazed”, which currently in development and will have a much larger budget. I don’t want to give away too many details yet, however, there is a director attached with two notable producers as well. The film is also a psychological thriller about revenge, manipulation, seduction, and jealousy. A sweet high school girl (Kayla) from a trailer park throws a party with her boyfriend (Austin) and friends while her parents are away for the weekend. Austin's wealthy family will not accept their relationship. Despite their strong resistance, he goes to the party with his two friends. Three neighbors (a pedophile, a drug dealer, and a schizophrenic) make the rich boys feel uneasy when they arrive. A jealous ex-girlfriend of Austin shows up at the party with her two snooty friends. Things quickly spiral out of control as they all disappear and wake up in a strange basement. "Crazed" has some horror elements, however, it is more of a psychological thriller with a huge twist at the end.

I’ve got a few other scripts I am finishing and re-writing at the moment as well. This is just the beginning.

HitH: If you were going to make any kind of movie other than in the horror or thriller genres, what would it be and why?

Jason: I love many types of films. I’m a huge fan of comedies. It is difficult to write comedy, and I am a very sarcastic person, so it would be a nice challenge for me.

HitH: Finally Jason, would you like to share anything else with readers?

Jason: Thank you so much for your time! Stay tuned for news on festivals, premieres, and release at http://www.waterfrontnightmare.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/WaterfrontNightmare

HitH: Thank YOU Jason!

A BLOODY GOOD INTERVIEW WITH JASON TORREY

Independent film-maker Jason Torrey kindly gave up some time out of a very busy schedule, to talk to me about his upcoming indie horror frightener Blood Was Everywhere and other stuff! Check out the films official Facebook and website, where you can find out more about the film AND pre-order yourself your very own copy! Also look out for a review of the movie coming SOON! Please read on for Jason's great answers......

Hacked in the Head: Hi Jason! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I understand that your upcoming horror film Blood Was Everywhere is your second feature film. Firstly can you tell us a bit about the film and why you decided to venture into the genre.

Jason Torrey: BLOOD WAS EVERYWHERE is technically the 3rd feature film I have made, the first two movies were just practice really, I did everything from lighting to sound to filming to directing to editing (and it showed! Haha...). I am proud of my 2nd feature GOD IS ALONE, it was a labor of love that took over 3 years to complete, but it's so personal that I'm not really comfortable screening it. And I can't sell it because I used music from Opeth, My Dying Bride and Morbid Angel without permission so I gave away about 100 copies and that's all that was ever distributed. Professionally I consider BLOOD WAS EVERYWHERE to be my FIRST feature, it was the first time I ever had a full crew taking my direction and we had some legit actors like Larry Holden of BATMAN BEGINS and MOMENTO, and Paul Kratka from FRIDAY THE 13th PART 3. So to get to your question, I have always wanted to make my own slasher film. Some of my all time favorite movies are horror films, movies like THE SHINING, THE EXORCIST and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET for instance. My favorite slasher films are BLACK CHRISTMAS and FRIDAY THE 13th PART 2, and those two movies heavily influenced BLOOD WAS EVERYWHERE. My take on the slasher is fairly unique when compared to most of the films in this particular sub-genre. I knew going in that it is impossible to outdo what past films have done, meaning I was NOT out to make an iconic killer to "top" the legends like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Can't be done. For whatever reason those characters became icons, I highly doubt the creators of those characters set out to make them icons, the fans did that, only fans can make an icon. But SO many slashers come out with tag lines like "Move over Freddy and Jason, there's a new icon in town" or something stupid like that. I fully embraced the idea that you can't outdo the icons, so I went in a totally different direction with our film's killer. Once I created my killer the rest of the movie was a blast to write. I wanted to make a character driven film with average people as the central focus. Since I was taking the killer off the beaten path I figured the rest of the movie will work best if I apply the same concept. In the end I feel I created a very realistic but fun and entertaining film. You get so wrapped up in what the characters are up to you almost forget there's a stalking killer who could strike at any time.

HitH: I think what intrigues me so much about the film are the influences you have cited and your intentions to actually scare viewers. I absolutely agree that films such as Black Christmas (1974) did just that. A faceless killer stalking people in the safety of their own home is truly the stuff of nightmares and I am glad you have taken this approach with Blood Was Everywhere. Are you able to elaborate on your intentions for the film?




Jason Torrey: I really want people to feel something for the characters when they get killed most of all. So few slasher films are populated with multidimensional people who are just like you, me and other people we might know. The "horror" comes from getting to know someone and then seeing them murdered when they least expected it. So many cliches were avoided, there is not a single scene where someone says "Hello, who's out there? Cut it out guys, this isn't funny", no one is taunted to investigate a strange sound outside only to be startled by a cat (and then subsequently killed), no one stumbles upon the lair of a crazed killer. Nope, my film is about average people going about their day. It's just that on this day there happens to be a psychopath on the prowl and he's not afraid to just walk into a house and kill whoever is home. BLACK CHRISTMAS is similar in that sense, but they had the killer making creepy phone calls to get them in the right mood to be scared for their lives. HALLOWEEN is another film that is similar, if you remove the Dr. Loomis character running around town telling everyone about Michael Myers. I took the genre and boiled it down to its core and wrote a film around that core that was intentionally different from other films in the same genre. Don't expect what's come before, that I can say for certain.



HitH: Sounds excellent to me! Are you also able to talk about the budget for the film and any particular challenges you may have faced while making it?

Jason Torrey: We spent about $60,000, but if we were to actually take into account all the actors and equipment and crew we got for free the budget would be close to a million. Larry Holden, for instance, at the time had a rate of $50,000 a day, multiply that by 7 days and he would have cost us $350,000, but he was gracious enough to do it for his agent's percentage (he did not take any pay by choice, he just wanted the chance to explore a really cool character and act with the foxy Vanessa Leigh). A lot of our cast and crew signed on with back end deals knowing they risk never making a cent, even our Emmy Award winning director of photography Thomas Lowe took only a small day rate and back ended the rest of his fee. The biggest challenge came in the form of property owners of locations we filmed at. Shooting at one particular house was a major pain in the ass. The owner insisted on being present the entire time we were there, I think he thought we were just some punk kids with a video camera, but once he saw the crew and gear he milked us for more and more money, threatened to shut us down, basically just caused a mountain of anxiety that we really could have done without. We will always call this location "The 7th Circle of Hell", haha! But in the end I think it all worked because we were shooting the final kills there, we were shooting the intense climax with all this added pressure. I think the anxiety and tense emotions ended up on screen. Did I mention he built a fence in our shot? Yeah, we shot there one day, came back the next weekend only to find someone building a fence right where we were gonna point the camera! We planned on an hour of establishing shots, but ended up shooting for 5 hours as we tried to work around this fence. In the end I am glad it all happened the way it did, we have the film that we have due to all the challenges and I LOVE this film, so no regrets.



HitH: How about the casting process. How did you go about this? Any memorable performances you want to share?

Jason Torrey: The casting process was a lot of fun. I had started casting the film long before we started shooting. It was important for me to get to know the actors well so I could get a sense of who they are, which character they could play, and then finally be able to tell if their performances sounded too much like scripted acting. I set up ads on Craigslist and NewEnglandFilm.com, my ad from Craigslist was actually poached by another site called ExploreTalent.com so I got responses for that ad, too. I had an open casting call in June of 2009, out of that bunch we casted a few actors but only John Westcott stayed on board long enough to be in the film. A month or so later we auditioned Ashley Arnold, she was great so we offered her the part right away. I took a break from pre-production for about 6 months when I met Sherrie Lemire (co-writer, producer), which turned out well considering we are now married and she produced Blood Was Everywhere! During that 6 months off Sherrie decided to take a crack at adding some dialogue to the script. Once she did that she was really interested in the casting process. She and I met with John and Ashley so Sherrie could meet the actors I was insisting on keeping (the others had either lost interest or could no longer make the film due to other things going on). We had reposted the ads on the same sites in April of 2010 and got really good responses. Ashley introduced us to Kim Simone who we brought on to play Ashley's character's best friend. Our ads online got the interest of Larry Holden, his assistant had contacted us and we arranged for he and Sherrie to have a conversation. After that conversation Larry agreed to be in the film without ever reading the script, he was sold on it based on his convo with Sherrie. Later he claimed to have only ever done that for the Christopher Nolan films he was in (Batman Begins, Momento and Insomnia). After that I met a young guy where I was working who had an interest in film making, he gave me his card and we chatted once about the film and that was that, then out of the blue he emailed me about an actress he had worked with on a music video shoot and she was interested in the film, that's how we met Vanessa Leigh. Several auditions later we had the entire film cast, all of them from either the ads placed online, mutual connections or they were personal friends or relatives. As for performances I think they all did a great job, Phil Ristaino had really good chemistry with everyone he shared the screen with, his scenes with Larry Holden and Adam Morey stand out especially. Kim and Ashley are great together, you really get a sense that they are best friends. My wife actually ended up taking a role when another actress stepped down, Sherrie was fantastic in her small but important role. John Westcott added so much to the role that was not in the script due to the fact that he is a well trained martial artist, we don't have him whipping out any crazy moves or anything, but he was able to perform stunts that we otherwise could not do, like pushing him face first down a flight of stairs!

HitH: I am glad John survived the filming haha! 

Would you like to share with fans details of upcoming screenings of the movie? I would love to make it out there to see it on the big screen!

Jason Torrey:  We are trying to work out a concert/screening with the band AGE OF END who have a song in the film. No details on that yet, but it will happen. We have submitted to select festivals but no word yet on that. We want to release the DVD by the end of September and have it on VOD, too. We want people to see this film in any way we can. Theatrical screenings are very expensive and very limited. The ones we have done in the past were fun and the cast and crew got to see it on the big screen with friends and family, but we lost money on all three screenings so we plan on taking advantage of the internet to screen in the future. "Liking" our Facebook page will keep you up to date on anything that's going on with the film.

 HitH: Are you a horror fan in general Jason? What are some of your all time favourites and why

Jason Torrey:  I am not a horror fan actually. I am a film buff. Just so happens a fair number of my favorite films are horror. My all time favorite movie is 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, so yeah, there's that. My all time favorite horror film is THE SHINING, see the trend? Kubrick is my favorite film maker, hands down. I also love David Lynch's films, my favorite being LOST HIGHWAY. PULP FICTION was a huge inspiration for my film. Another horror favorite is THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974). TCM is one of the best slasher films to date, I would dare say it's the undisputed best. What I love about it is its raw portrayal of murder and its almost documentary style of shooting. They also managed to make a shocking and extremely terrifying film with almost no blood! Very impressive.

HitH: Finally what's next for you following the release of Blood Was Everywhere? Any plans for another film or maybe a sequel.....

Jason Torrey:  We just wrapped our second feature in June. It's not a horror film, it's a character study about 3 people hanging out after a wedding where secrets get revealed and the evening spirals into the toilet as more and more truths come out. It was filmed in THREE days, it stars 3 of BWE's cast: Phil Ristaino, Kim Simone and Erin Lynch. I think people who see BLOOD WAS EVERYWHERE will want to see this even though it's not a horror film because the focus is on the same thing, good characters in a good story. It's called BROTHER SISTER LOVER and it's now in post production. As of right now there are no plans to do a sequel to BWE, the film leaves the door wide open for one, but that's kind of the point. I wrote it so it could go on because hey, life goes on whether you're dead or not, right? A sequel is not off the table, just consider it highly unlikely.

HitH: Thank you Jason! Cant wait to see Blood Was Everywhere!