(Bad) CGI Fridays: Vampire Academy (2014)

Published May 23, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

So, sometimes my tastes run to the teenage girl (or, perhaps more accurately, the gay teenage boy). Give me some kick ass chicks, some handsome dudes and a little bit o’ horror styling and I am more than happy to go along for the ride!

Therefore, I had a great time with Vampire Academy, the recent big screen adaptation of the first story in Richelle Mead’s popular young adult series. Detailing the adventures of the vibrant Rose (a compelling Zoey Deutch) who is driven to protect vampire princess Lissa (regal Lucy Fry), this flick skitters along with plots of high school rivalry and seduction, the passions of fang worshippers (a la True Blood) and insidious schemes to destroy the possible heiress to the throne.

These manipulations include a lot of dead pets, forced attempts to use Lissa’s healing powers and, when she and Rose try to escape, some very computer generated creatures known as Psi Hounds.

The fact that there are a number of sequels to Mead’s original book may clue you in to the fact that Lissa and Rose are sure to survive this onslaught. Your giggles upon witnessing these ferocious beasts, however, may lead to your ultimate undoing!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Gay Shit in Horror: Glenn Kenneth – “Dead Snow: Red Vs. Dead”

Published May 22, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

And…it’s Glenn to the right!

Surround me with a few bears and I’ll let you know, in my best Goldilocks voice, that while something may be sweet it doesn’t, necessarily, make it “just right“!

Case in point – the character of Glenn Kenneth in director Tommy Wirkola’s franticly bloody Dead Snow follow-up Dead Snow: Red Vs. Dead. Kenneth, a gay outsider-type, winds up being both endearing and insulting. This interesting combination may result in rush of prickly yet begrudging love from many discerning viewers.

I’ll hand it to ya! Glenn (left) in dismay!

Gamely (and often incisively) played by the film’s co-writer, Stig Frode Henriksen, Glenn is an employee at a small town Norwegian war memorabilia museum. When he encounters Martin, the original film’s sole survivor, as he rushes to abate the onslaught of this (unexpected) movie series’ truly spooky Nazi zombies, Glenn is reluctantly drawn into the cranium splattering madness.

Made up like a Rocky Horror wannabe when first introduced, Glen is stereotypically gay – effeminate and wary – essentially another blatant joke among the film’s many over the top pranks. And while this should fit in with rest of Wirkola’s over-exuberant tone, it doesn’t. It feels backward, like the flamboyant antique dealers victimized by the fanged prince in 1972’s Blacula. Granted, the piss is taken out of nerds and warmongers, alike, in this piece, but the true zaniness here lies in the excessive slaughter and deliriously inventive kills involving everyone from children to invalids. Unlike the closeted Glenn, a proud and out warrior would have fit much easier into such grotesquely fun proceedings.

One of DS:RVD’s bloody moments!

Still, Glenn does rise to the charge in the final third of the film, bravely taking enormous risks to save a group of foolish, self proclaimed American zombie hunters. Perhaps unknowingly, Wirkola and crew, also, manage to make a poignant statement with Glenn, as well. Just as he begins to acknowledge his true orientation, disaster strikes. In a seeming echo of everything from the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” debacle to the current, prevalent murders of transgendered women, it reminds one of all the queers cut down just as they begin to find their voices. It is unexpectedly powerful, bittersweet ending to a (frequently likable) character that never quite works.

Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead was released in February 2014 in Norway and is currently playing a variety of American film festivals.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Celebrating Little Miss Horror Nerd!

Published May 21, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

The awesome Little Miss Horror Nerd!

Occasionally, I will find my kind heart and decide to step over those dead bodies in the alley as opposed to crunching right on top of them!

But…my inspiration in this civic livelihood definitely has to be the divine Jessica Feeney, AKA the fabulous Little Miss Horror Nerd. One of the most supportive and vibrant personalities in the underground horror scene, this grand dame is forever promoting others on (the often bloody strands of)Twitter.

A smart journalist and cruelty free salesperson, she is all yours for the (deserved) following at a variety of sites including:

https://twitter.com/MissHorrorNerd

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Horror-Nerds-News-Reviews-of-All-Things-Horror

https://www.perfectlyposh.com/jessa/products

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Film Jerks Join the Strange Circus!

Published May 19, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

For those of you who think there is nothing worse than a insidiously preying stranger – director Shion Sono reverses that trend, proving nothing is quite as wrong as keeping it all in the family with his bizarre, color strewn 2005 epic Strange Circus.

This tale of incest, body modification and a chubby Asian drag queen named Sad Song was recently given the Film Jerks! podcast overview by extremely awesome host Derrick Carey, myself and a bunch of other truly joyful filmmaking masochists.

Check it here – but leave that hungry puppy at home, son!

http://filmjerks.podomatic.com/entry/2014-05-15T10_41_58-07_00

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music To Make Horror Films By: Nuns, “Rumania”

Published May 18, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Anyone who has witnessed the glorious oddities of The Video Dead (1987) or Dr. Caligari (1989) will never forget the pale luminosity of late actress-singer Jennifer Miro. In particular, her slyly beguiling undead “The Woman” in TVD surely gave countless young men (and women) nervous feelings of desire as opposed to frightened reactions of dismay. This striking lass was, also, one of the prime forces behind the ever changing, hard to track down (New Wave influenced) band Nuns.

Thankfully, Miro, who died of cancer at the age of 54 in late 2011, is currently gaining a bit of legacy following due to Radiation Records, who has re-released a couple of classic Nuns recordings including the eclectic Rumania.

Gone too quickly (in physical form), the divine Miro will always haunt our favored dark limbed dreams.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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(Bad) CGI Fridays: Manticore (2005)

Published May 16, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

“I’ve been through 2 teenagers, 3 wars and 4 divorces! I think I can handle myself!” – Ashley Pierce (Chase Masterson), Manticore

While my frantic obsessions have allowed me to conjure a neurosis or two – I have nothing on the war scarred, power hungry Iraqi that summons up the toothy, winged Manticore in the 2005 SyFy Original of the same name. This hopping, bopping gargoyle looking creature is a cheesy CGI delight.

A group of American soldiers (led by genre regulars Robert Beltran and Jeff Fahey), though, find little funny about this rocky beast who rips after their brothers-in-arms in vicious ways. And while the gory aftermath of the attacks are often quietly gruesome, the creature’s movements, themselves, often have the amusing hue of computer graphics.

Arms and (what’s left of the man!)

But how one can not love a movie that allows The Blair Witch Project‘s Heather Donahue, as an aggressive yet kind military grunt, and Deep Space Nine‘s voluptuous Chase Masterson, as a trouble making, take no shit reporter, to go toe-to-toe is beyond me!

Color this one sandy, tail thrusting fun!

Until the next time…SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

Charming Chase proves BGHF is NOT Manticore Scary!

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Actress Spotlight: Debra De Liso

Published May 12, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

After that incident with the pies in 5th grade, I was forever known as Blueberry.

…and while specific recognition may have its many rewards, sometimes it can limit the scope of one’s overview. This is certainly the case with the brilliantly talented actress/dancer/instructor Debra De Liso. De Liso, who recently won the prestigious Rainbow Award from the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, is best known for her ingratiating performance of Kimberly Clark in slasher classic The Slumber Party Massacre. While her work in TSPM definitely contains some of the most authentic acting in the entire 80s horror universe, De Liso has plenty of other accomplishments to her name.

As “Grace” in Caligari

Popping up in the 1989 oddity Dr. Caligari allowed De Liso to truly show her acting range. Unlike her rambunctious Kimberly, De Liso’s Grace in this wildly impressionistic feature is a prim, religious schoolteacher. This film also allowed De Liso to move from the refrigerator (where Kimberly met her grim comeuppance) to the stew, itself. Grace ultimately ends up as part of an over-the-top madman’s meal.

My Favorite Angel! Sledge Hammer

Further exploring her boundaries, De Liso’s wild Manson-style wanna-be, Angel, on an episode of cult television classic Sledge Hammer is a twisted delight. Showing off her dancer’s technique, she fully embodies the soul of punk style revenge with a manic, comic edge.

Detailed dance training also almost led De Liso to some major behind the scenes work, as well. After intensive auditioning, she was hired to body double Shelley Long in a ballet sequence in Outrageous Fortune (1987). But, in a weird bout of Hollywood logic, the sequence was filmed the day after she was on-set, giving her a very nice major motion picture credit – without the actual screen time!

Lamp Dance

The self produced Lamp Dance (available at convention appearances) does allow her to show off evidence of both her physical and acting prowess. Playing a bookish librarian type who gradually gives into her lust to move to the music, De Liso often is doing two things, physically, at once (giving into the music with one part of her body while restraining herself with another) – resulting in a performance that is a true tour de force.

Never content to remain just one color, De Liso shared stories of her varied career (including thoughts on Iced, a ski slope horror written by The Slumber Party Massacre co-star Joseph Alan Johnson) in Jason Paul Collum’s insightful 2003 look at the world of women in genre filmmaking, Something to Scream About. Her presence here is thoughtful and honest. She even expresses light amusement over the fact that, despite her various accomplishments (including over 70 theatrical productions), that it is the role of Kimberly Clark that she is always recognized for.

Currently involved with a variety of stage worthy projects, including one heading to NYC in the near future, De Liso’s teaching schedule and other activities are continually updated at http://www.debradeliso.com. Be sure to send some loving in that direction – and….

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Susan Justin’s “Forbidden World”

Published May 11, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

While I am lavishly washing my breasts in the shower, ignoring the slimy space creature that is sneaking up behind me, there is only one soundtrack I care to be listening to – the Susan Justin composed (New Wave masterpiece) Forbidden World!

Thankfully, the ingenious Death Waltz Records – http://www.deathwaltzrecordingcompany.com – has just released this blipping, dripping score with splashing artwork by the talented Kimberley Halladay (highlighting actress June Chadwick’s gory death scene). Now, my exfoliating rituals are swimmingly complete!

This product, also, should appeal to those vibrating feminist instincts within all of us. Justin, who also composed the score to The Final Terror (starring Daryl Hannah and Rachel Ward), was one of the many women tolling fairly anonymously in the B-Movie scene. It is great of Death Waltz to finally give her the credit she, so richly, deserves!

Here’s a clip of Justin performing Forbidden World‘s main title:

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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BJ Colangelo’s Day of the Woman

Published May 9, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Granted, the spills and thrills of horror attract many to the genre. Those, though, who find a psychic and emotional link with everything terror strewn, from the sarcastic majesty of Freddy to quieter masterpieces like Lucky McKee’s May, will find much to enjoy with BJ Colangelo’s excellent Day of the Woman blog.

Colangelo, who recently wrote an emotionally revealing review of I Spit on Your Grave for (anthology book) Hidden Horror, often takes a psychological view on horror. But whether she is describing how scary movies helped her beat cancer or championing some obscure film or female filmmaker, she is always exciting and original, a voice that you definitely need to experience.

BGHF basking in the Colangelo glow!

Be sure to keep up with the Colangelo and Day of the Woman at:

https://www.facebook.com/dayofwoman

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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The Backside of Horror: “Superstition 2” (1989)

Published May 9, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Let’s face it, half the fun of horror and exploitation is seeing some hot bodies frolicking around in the buff. And while I worship the female form, I believe exploitation definitely veers into the exploitive when only gorgeous women are on display while their male counterparts remain chastely buttoned up. Therefore, The Backside of Horror salutes the filmmakers and actors whom even up the score a bit by showing us instances of hot and juicy male flesh in their bloody celluloid fantasies.

While my overactive mouth has definitely put my ass on the line a time or two, I have never ever thrown my butt out a window! I swear!

It’s probably a good thing, too, as that trick was done with rare perfection by Todd Conaster as Virgil in the little known 1989 Italian-American teen horror Superstition 2 (AKA Witch Story and Streghe).

Blurry Virgil Butt!

Directed by Alessandro Capone (who, also, wrote the rather obscure Body Count, which starred David Hess and Mimsy Farmer), Superstition 2 concerns a brother and sister who inherit a house that has been cursed by their distant relative, a vengeful witch. A group of friends joins them to help in refurbishing the property. Of course, the girls soon find themselves possessed by the scorned sorceress and the boys are soon meat gumbo!

Bloody Virgil Face!

But not before Conaster’s Virgil, in a moment of comic relief, bares his cheeks to his passing brethren – earning him an especially bloody death at the hands of two of his feminine companions. Some guys just don’t learn!

As for the film, itself, the acting of (the unknowns as) the teens is rather overblown, but veterans Ian Bannen, as a wild eyed and regret filled priest, and Deanna Lund, as the deliciously evil temptress, more than make up for it. There are, also, some impressive kills including one involving a mysteriously appearing chainsaw from the middle of a swimming pool! Let King Arthur try that one!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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