Alternative Cinema Podcast 42 - October 15, 2012

Show Notes! It’s the spooky and kooky Halloween Show. Win Horror VHS Tapes! Win Pumpkin Pop Rocks! Win an Autographed Polaroid of Erin Russ! Spooky Retro Commercials and more! Do not miss this episode!

http://www.alternativecinemapodcast.com/

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Michael Raso is joined in the studio by William Hellfire and Erin Russ. (John Fedele is home recovered from eating dried bugs last podcast!)


Above: John Fedele eating Sour Cream and Onion Dried Crickets

Review the AC Podcast on iTunes!
Do you enjoy the AC Podcast? If so, please write a nice review on iTunes! Your input is important to us! Write to us too - at Podcast@AlternativeCinema.com

Alternative Cinema DVD Store
Did you know that AC carries a huge catalog of cult, creepy, sexy, indie movies?! Get the print catalog by calling Justin at (973) 282-2226 and akings for it. Tell him The AC Podcast says “It’s Free!!”


above: The Alternative Cinema Print Catalog!

Enter the Halloween Contest!!!
Win a VHS horror movie, Erin Russ (Dracula's Daughter) mix CD (of cool Halloween music and TV spots!), Pumpkin Pop Rocks, William's original Splatter Art! and an Autographed Picture of “The Russ!” All you need to do is send an e-mail to us telling us what your favorite Halloween costume is! (Tell us a little about yourself as well!)
Enter between October 15 – 21, 2012
e-mail us at Podcast@AlternativeCinema.com


above: Erin Russ eating Pumpkin Pop Rocks. Win some by entering our contest!

Upcoming Events


Buffalo Screams Film Festival! The Third Annual BUFFALO SCREAMS Horror Film Festival, a festival organized by filmmakers to spotlight edgy, creative, independent horror films you probably won't see at your local multiplex - a film festival for people who love to make horror films and people who love to watch horror films.
http://www.buffaloscreams.com/

Chiller Theatre!!!!!!
The Chiller Theatre Toy, Model and Film Expo 2012-10-13
October 26 – 28 in New Jersey
http://www.chillertheatre.com/

Henrique Couto’s New Spooky Album
Henrique has a spooky new album out! Don’t listen in the dark Part 2!
http://ukeordie.bandcamp.com/

Nick Zedd’s Kickstarter!
1980s Transgressive filmmaker Nick Zedd is making anew movie and he wants YOU to help fund it!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/960333166/love-spasm

Shawn Costello’s “Risky Behavior”
The long awaited memoir from the man who secretly invented the sex movie.
Shaun is asking you to pre-order and support his book!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/472062583/risky-behavior-a-memoir

Horror Thon at the Lafayette Theater!
http://www.bigscreenclassics.com/lafayette.html

Jack-O-Lantern Blaze on the Hudson
https://www.hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Blaz%2B2012&gclid=CJ2U94ih_rICFcqj4Aod514AJQ

Little Punk People Promo Video
Anti-Bullying – It Can’t Rain All The Time
http://littlepunkpeople.wordpress.com/



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Super-Friend Darren “Pancho” Riley just produced
Bug-Eyed Attack  by The Kiss Off!
http://thekissoff.bandcamp.com/track/bug-eyed-attack



Andy Milligan!
Gene stops by and chit-chats about 1970s grindhouse filmmaker Andy Milligan! Gene hosts his own podcast – Third Eye Cinema!
http://www.facebook.com/ThirdEyeCinema

William and Erin discuss the must-see film this Halloween season - Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things!





above: Michael Raso's photo of William dressed as Orville from "Chicdren Shouldn't Play With Dead Things."

Thanks for listening – See you next month!

Write to us!
Alternative Cinema Podcast
PO Box 152
Butler, NJ 07405
Podcast@AlternativeCinema.com

Alternative Cinema Internet Radio - March 2011

Filmmakers Chris LaMartina’s latest feature “Witch’s Brew” and Clint Kelly discusses the story behind releasing the 1980s shot-on-video feature “Sledge Hammer” on DVD.

Download, stream, iTunes or listen below
www.AlternativeCinemaPodcast.com

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above: NEW YEAR'S EXECUTIONS


above: PRESIDENT'S DAY 2: THE EVISCERATION PROCLAIMATION

Check out all the vids on Chris LaMartina’s The Lost Trailer Park YouTube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/thelosttrailerpark#p/u




Clint Kelly talks about “Generation Z” and “Sledge Hammer” in this video from August 2010



Did you know?

Alternative Cinema prints an old-timey catalog for all the horror and exploitation DVDs they offer. Titles from Shock-O-Rama, Blue Underground, Camp Motion Pictures, Synapse Film, Seduction Cinema, Retro-Seduction and more.

Get yours...it's FREE.
e-mail us! Send us your address and tell us a little about yourself. A catalog will be on its way to you!
AlternativeCinema (at) gmail.com

AC Home Page
http://www.alternativecinema.com

Alternative Cinema Podcast - Episode 23 - February 1, 2011

The Alternative Cinema Podcast celebrates the release of the Jacob Ennis gore-fest “Red River,” the sleaze report on the new 1970s After Hours Cinema releases, Mike White’s Impossibly Funky book and dirty paperback books from the 70s.

Stream, Download or iTunes links:
www.AlternativeCinemaPodcast.com

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Alternative Cinema celebrates the release of Jacob Ennis' new gore-fest RED RIVER!



RED RIVER is available on DVD today!Buy it at Alternative Cinema.

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An AC podcast listener turned us on to Kerry Decker's NIGHT LIFE - The latest in VHS technology! Totally awesome!



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Did you know that Alternative Cinema prints a DVD catalog featuring over 1000 titles? It's free...get yours!

Send an e-mail to AlternativeCinemaPodcast (at) gmail.com
Send us your address and a little bit about you and your love of Indie films. We'll get a catalog out you you!

"Book of Lore" filmmakers score at Killer Film Festival

Blog by Michael Raso



Imagine my surprise when I received a call (this past Monday morning) from indie filmmakers Chris LaMartina and Jimmy George for an invite to lunch. Turns out both gents were passing through on their way back from the Killer Film Festival in Massachusetts where they picked up three (count ‘em…THREE) awards for their new film “Presidents Day.” ("Best Picture", "Best Screenplay" and "Best Use of a Former President")




(above) A relaxing lunch at "The Butler" Family Restaurant

Chris and Jimmy are also the talented guys behind two new releases this year – the “Book of Lore/Grave Mistakes Double Feature” and (segment director for) “Faces of Schlock.”







This dynamic duo was also my guests on the May 2010 Alternative Cinema podcast. We heartily discussed the trials and tribulations of producing a no-budget movie. An episode of the AC Podcast that no low-budget filmmaker will want to miss! Listen below.

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Stream, Download or iTunes link
http://www.alternativecinemapodcast.com



Best of luck to Chris & Jimmy. Come back soon!

Visit the Killer Film Festival on-line
http://www.killerfilmfest.com/

Back to Alternative Cinema HOME

All text and photos © Alternative Cinema, L.L.C.

THE BASEMENT - 1989 Super 8 Goodness Coming to VHS?!

After being shelved for 21 years, the 1989 Super 8 feature film "The Basement" (Dir - Tim O'Rawe) is getting a DVD and VHS release(!) in 2011 by Camp Motion Pictures.



Shot in the tail end of the VHS era, the feature was intended for release on the original Camp Video label. The film, which suffered from technical obstacles, was abandoned late in 1989. Director O'Rawe went on to direct "Ghoul School" in early 1990 for Cinema Home Video.

The film was retrieved from storage in 2009 and inspected. Amazingly preserved, the film was shipped to DuArt Film & Video in New York City for a film-to-tape transfer by colorist Tim Bond under the supervision of Director of Photography Michael Raso. The film was edited by Joe Kolbek, who recorded an entire new dialog track (with music by filmmaker Chris LaMartina).

An early 2011 DVD and VHS release is planned.


Ghoul School Splatter University Edition trailer / Camp Motion Pictures

More info soon on "The Basement"!

Back to Alternative Cinema Home

MEET SCULPTURE STAR RAINE BROWN AT CHILLER THEATRE OCTOBER 29-31, 2010

RAINE BROWN / Image © R. Logue / R. Logue on FLICKR.com

Meet the star and director of SCULPTURE, the newest “well-acted, gory, and disturbing (Fearzone.com),” film from Camp Motion Pictures this October 29, 30 and 31* courtesy of Alternative Cinema at New Jersey’s Chiller Theatre.


SCULPTURE DVD Art / Photography by Michael Raso

Praised by HorrorSociety.com as. “…a visceral treat on many levels, ” SCULPTURE stars Raine Brown (DARK CHAMBER) and Misty Mundae (Masters of Horror ‘SICK GIRL’, SPIDERBABE) in a harrowing story of an emotionally fragile artist and the repressed trauma that threatens her sanity.


Image © Dark Shutter / Dark Shutter on FLICKR


Actress Raine Brown will be at the Alternative Cinema table for photo ops and autographs all three days of the event. Director Pete Jacelone will be available Saturday, October 30th.

Hear Director Pete Jacelone on this month's Alternative Cinema (Episode 19) Internet Radio Show (Download, Stream or iTunes) - http://www.alternativecinemapodcast.com

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Chiller Theatre is New Jersey’s longest-standing and most-beloved Fan Show, and takes place at the Hilton Hotel in Parsippany, New Jersey.

For additional information on Chiller Theatre hours, location and guests visit www.ChillerTheatre.com. For additional information on SCULPTURE and the Alternative Cinema network of DVD labels, visit www.AlternativeCinema.com

Links:

Buy SCULPTURE on DVD (On Sale!)

Chiller Theatre - http://www.chillertheatre.com

Raine Brown - http://www.rainebrown.com/

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ALTERNATIVE CINEMA Home

HOLY NUNSPLOITATION - NUN OF THAT's Coming To Your TV!

Starting July 1st, NUN OF THAT, the irreverent grindhouse-inspired
nunsploitation film DVD Talk calls "a lively, potty-mouthed, blood-spattered plunge into unrepentant sacrilege" that "delivers a wily spectacles-testicles-wallet-watch adventure" will now broadcast directly into your living room.





Starring Sarah Nicklin (BROTHERHOOD, SPLATTER DISCO), Debbie Rochon (TROMEO AND JULIET) and featuring a cameo by Lloyd Kauffman as the Pope, NUN OF THAT is “one of those rare modern exploitation films that truly feels like the real thing” joblo.com

Sister Kelly Wrath is a nun with a temper problem. After being gunned down in an alley, she is selected by God to join The Order of the Black Habit, a group of supernatural vigilante nuns on a mission to rub out the mob. But first, Moses, Gandhi and Jesus have a few challenges up their sleeves for her.

Directed by Richard Griffin (FEEDING THE MASSES) and distributed by Camp Motion Pictures, NUN OF THAT is now available in North America from the following cable/satellite/IPTV providers:

Charter
Verizon FiOS (July 11th)
AT&T U-Verse
Rogers (Canada)
Mediacom
Insight
Suddenlink
RCN
Cogeco (Canada)
DISH (VOD)
Buckeye
Armstorng
Bend Broadband
Blue Ridge
Cameron Communications
Cincinnati Bell
CL Tel
Click
Community Television
Consolidated Communications
D&E Communications
Duo County
EPB of Chattanooga
Frontgate Networks
Grande Communications
Guadalupe Valley
Hotwire
HTC Conway
INS Des Moines
MUS Fiber Net
NTELOS
NuLink
OneSource
San Bruno Municipal Cable
Service Electric
Volcano Vision
VTMS
Wave
Wilkes-Barre
Wilson



NUN OF THAT on DVD

Back to AC HOME

Studio Visit

Blog by
Michael Raso

It’s not that often that filmmakers visit the studio. These days, the Butler, New Jersey offices and studio are primarily marketing, post production and catalog sales for the combined companies of Pop Cinema, Alternative Cinema and Camp Motion Pictures.



The turn-of-the-century hustle and bustle of multiple in-house, on-site productions to feed the exploding DVD market are in the past in favor of productions off-site (and often in the home state of the filmmakers)

In 2007 Mark and John Polonia (along with Brett Piper) shot “Splatter Beach” in rural Pennsylvania.




John Polonia, Brett Piper and Mark Polonia / "Splatter Beach" 2007

In 2008, the tongue-in-cheek spoof "BatBabe:The Dark Nightie" was shot in nearby New York City.


“The Jerker” wreaks havoc in NYC / Batbabe: The Dark Nightie

This year, Jacob Ennis is shooting a follow-up to his successful STASH in his home state of Kentucky. Here is the press release from late in 2009:

BLOODY EARTH FILMS ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTION!
JACOB ENNIS TO HELM EXTREME GORE SHOCKER,
“RED RIVER”

Jacob Ennis, director of indie exploitation hit STASH, is currently in production on a new exploitation feature for Camp Motion Picture’s Bloody Earth Films. Inspired by iconic extreme ‘70s exploitation-horror films such as THE HILLS HAVE EYES and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, RED RIVER, also penned by Ennis, is the shocking and brutal tale of the final days of a back-woods serial killer. Set in the gorgeous parks and forests of Kentucky, with an extensive cast of locals and professional talent, RED RIVER is slated for release in late 2010.




Images from the upcoming “Red River” directed by Jacob Ennis

In late April, Maryland natives (Chris LaMartina and Jimmy George) came up from Maryland and appeared on the May Alternative Cinema Podcast.

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Alternative Cinema Podcast

Chris and Jimmy are the Dynamic Duo behind the “Book of Lore / Grave Mistakes Horror Double Feature” being released nationally this Tuesday, May 18th by Camp Motion Pictures.


“Book of Lore/Grave Mistakes Horror Double Feature”



They also produced the monthly “Lost Trailer Park: Never Coming Attractions” …


May 2010 / PSYCHO de MAYO (aka Gringos Muertos)


April 2010 / SHRIEK OF THE EASTER BEAST featuring George Stover

…and most recently produced the 80’s “throwback” “President’s Day” also featuring George Stover, Ruby LaRocca and Shawn C Phillips.


“President’s Day” Official Trailer

Shawn produces the amazingly popular (and favorite YouTube show of mine) “My DVD Update Collection” – a monthly show where Shawn shares his review of “showing the dvds and Blu-rays Ive gotten over the last three weeks!”


My Dvd Collection Update 4/12/10 featuring “Book of Lore / Grave Mistakes” review + a review of Michael Hoffman’s ROT: Reunion of terror

As some of you may know, I am passionate not only about filmmaking but of Film Photography (with emphasis on cameras from the Twentieth Century). So much so, that I started a podcast called The Film Photography Podcast!
The monthly show can be heard here - http://filmphotographypodcast.com/

Here are some images I shot using vintage cameras during Chris and Jimmy’s visit to the studio.




Jimmy George and Chris LaMartina shot on Classic Polaroid 600 Instant film




A vintage (1954) Kodak Brownie Bull’s-Eye camera was used to shoot Jimmy and Chris in the Pop Cinema studio.

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Pop Cinema owner Michael Raso has been working professionally in the visual arts for over 20 years. A photographer, producer and and most recently Podcast host, Raso is passionate about using film as viable and exciting medium for the visual artist, even in this age of digital photography.

Film Photography Blog
http://michaelraso.blogspot.com/

The Film Photography Internet Radio Show
www.filmphotographypodcast.com/

All Images © 2010 Michael Raso

Alternative Cinema HOME

SHOCK FESTIVAL DVD Interview With"Devil Sister" director Paige Kay Davis

Interview by Joshua T. Gravel

Paige Davis, Head of Business Development for POPcinema and Camp Motion Pictures and Co-Producer of STEPHEN ROMANO PRESENTS SHOCK FESTIVAL, talks about her obsession with classic (and not-so-classic) possession films, and how they inspired DEVIL SISTER


Paige Davis and Ed Douglas, director of “The Dead Matter” and founder of the dark music band, Midnight Syndicate

Would you give the Alternative Cinema audience some background information on your career in film or the arts in general?
I have a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Maryland, and for the better part of 15 years worked in traditional sales and marketing positions. The opportunity to come on board with POP / Camp some 6 years ago couldn’t have come at a better time – I’d been working as an outside sales rep for a national company and was a) creatively frustrated, b) stressed out and c) bored to death. New technologies had made producing and directing my own projects an option and I briefly considered starting my own company. Ultimately, the financial and logistical hurdles convinced me I would be better served by learning all aspects of the business from inside an established company.

As for my interest in cult and horror films, John Stanley’s “Creature Feature” is firmly entrenched in my childhood memories. My grandmother belonged to the Redington Beach “Beach Club,” and each summer I would accompany her to the club to swim, then watch GODZILLA, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON or similar horror- sci-fi films while she played bridge and gossiped with her friends. When I was 7, we moved to Oahu and “Creature Feature” was replaced by “Ultra Man” and “Denjin Zaboga” (and on rare occasions a classic Universal Monsters film). It wasn’t until my late teens that I rediscovered my love for dark and obscure cinema after taking a class in which we watched POSSESSION and The MAFU CAGE.



How did you meet Stephen, and what was the genesis of the DVD?
I met Stephen as the result of a poster he created for Richard Griffin’s 2008 feature film, BEYOND THE DUNWICH HORROR. I initially called Stephen to gage his interest and availability in creating original art for one or more of our upcoming DVD releases; however, we soon got off-topic and embroiled in a discussion of exploitation and horror genres, our favorite films, trailers, his background and book…apparently, he’d always wanted to put out a trailer compilation, and the concept of tying in the DVD to his book and brand grew from there.



What was your production or direction experience before undertaking DEVIL SISTER? And, why did that particular faux film interest you?
Prior to DEVIL SISTER, I’d produced several “mini-docs” (short form supplemental media shot and edited in documentary fashion to “flesh out” a DVD release), but I’d never undertaken a project remotely like this one.


Los Angeles SHOCK-A-GO-GO FESTIVAL video produced by Paige Davis

The moment I stumbled across Stephen’s description for DEVIL SISTER, I knew I wanted to produce and direct the faux trailer for it…the qualities I found exciting about the project were the same ones that proved the most challenging: how to effectively convey dread, suspense and horror while maintaining ambiguity (regarding the “possession” of the main character). Of course, several contemporary films have done this effectively (THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE, REQUIEM) over the period of an hour or so…but I had to convey this in less than 4 minutes. Frankly, it’s unlikely I would have attempted the project if I hadn’t recently produced a highly exploitative piece of key art for a 2009 Bloody Earth Films release, STASH, in which young women are kidnapped, tortured and raped by a back-woods drug dealer. The model, Erin Russ, was absolutely amazing – when she first arrived on set, I gave her a brief run-down of the film’s plot and asked her to try to convey a near-catatonic state – she immediately “got it” (and was so convincing I was a bit freaked out), and I knew I had the lead for DEVIL SISTER, should I move forward.


Erin Russ as the Devil Sister

Justin Wingenfeld, who plays her brother (and is an amazing character actor and experienced director), stepped in to assist in a variety of ways; and Joe Kolbek (also an experienced director) shot, lit, edited, bought worms, and explained how the vomiting scene in the EXORCIST was achieved.


Editor Joseph Kolbek, “Devil Sister” Erin Russ and “Brother” Justin Wingenfeld

Luckily, my favorite possession films are THE CHILD, BEYOND THE DOOR, THE NIGHT CHILD, THE TEMPTER and THE SENTINEL…so I felt confident that if I could capture the off-beat, low-tech ‘vibe’ of these trailers my project would succeed, regardless of exercising restraint. Honestly, I would have loved to explore the psychosis of the priest – but there’s only so much footage I could justify shooting when the end result is a trailer! In the end, we cut at least 30% of the edited footage out of the trailer – it was simply too long and unnecessary.






above: Scenes from “Devil Sister”


Any upcoming projects you’d like to discuss?
I’m currently finishing two feature-length scripts: an extremely dark, surreal, fantasy-horror project and an exploitation-horror film with a nearly all-female cast. However, if I can make the time to direct something again soon, it’s likely to be another short – a dark fantasy inspired by VIY and Russian folklore, featuring Baba Yaga.

Buy Shock Festival DVD
AlternativeCinema.com

Back to Alternative Cinema Home

SHOCK FESTIVAL DVD Interview with Mars (Dead House Music)

Interview by Joshua T. Gravel

Meet MARS of DEAD HOUSE MUSIC, composer, musician, horror fan and the composer of the original scores for the Stephen Romano Presents Shock Festival DVD.



Could you give the Alternative Cinema audience some background information on your career in film or the arts in general?
My pleasure. I grew up in a musical household, and have a background in music ranging from musical theatre, Classical and Jazz, thru Death Metal and Goth rock. I performed / toured in the extreme metal scene of the 1990's and decided to get off the road around 2004 or so. As a fan of genre film, who just happens to be a musician and composer, I figured that by establishing a studio in my own home I could pursue my primary career while simultaneously exploring my other passion: Horror films. I grew up on Universal Monsters and Hammer horror, and later I discovered Italian Giallo and other styles of Euro Horror. So, working within the genre just seemed to make sense.

I decided to sharpen up my orchestral chops, and I began looking for film work in 2005. I opened DEAD HOUSE MUSIC that same year, as a company dedicated to creating quality scores for independent genre film. 17 films later, I'm still on that mission.



I understand that you composed the music for various menus and intros on the Shock Festival project, what brought you to this project?
I was on Paige Davis' radar, and she called me when it came time to brainstorm for the project. She actually asked me initially to direct a trailer based upon one of Stephen's “films” that was supposed to be a lost H.P. Lovecraft adaptation. Anyone who knows me knows what a Lovecraft nerd I am. Anyway, at the time (directing a trailer) seemed like a bit of a stretch for me time-wise…so, I offered to write some music for a few of the other trailers and perhaps to do a central theme song for SHOCK FESTIVAL instead.

After corresponding with Stephen, we hit it off so well, I just kind of ran with the inspiration as it came. The result was a lot more music than I'd initially intended, but Stephan & Paige really dug what I was coming up with, so no one seemed to mind. Now the music is a really integral part of the project, and I'm really pleased that it turned out this way.



What is the process of composing music for projects like this?
I'd say it begins with 30 years of being a genre fan. Seriously, I have my bases covered when it comes to this world. Being able to reference multiple eras thru several decades of film music styles, let alone being able to reproduce those styles convincingly, by myself, takes some serious effort, I don't mean to sound arrogant, but that's the truth. But it never FELT like work, I was just indulging myself and immersing myself in the fantasy world Stephan had set up already, mixed with all the genre music I had absorbed thru being a fan for so long. The two mirror each other so closely that they crossed over.
From a technical standpoint, I used as many vintage guitars, amps, drums, and various other musical instruments as I could get my hands on. This was to get the correct tones that were crucial in making the music seem truly credible as being from the past. After that, I used selective equalization techniques and vinyl noise to “Age” the recordings properly. I think the results are pretty convincing if I do say so myself.



Are there any current or future projects you would like people to know about?
Sure. Several feature films I've done this year - ("WON TON BABY" "SAWTOOTH" & "SLIME CITY MASSACRE") hit the convention circuit before December, “LOVECRAFT: FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN” is out on DVD & Blu-Ray this month. “DEMON DIVAS AND THE LANES OF DAMNATION” should be out on DVD in 2010. And, the video & music I did for Transfuzion Comics's DEADWORLD re-launch turned out cool.



I'm past the funding stage for a film I'll be directing in 2010 (which, as everyone knows, is the hard part), and into pre-production right now. Lastly, I'm scoring an animated feature film sometime in the New Year. My Bloody Best to all the fans of horror out there.




For more information on Mars and Dead House Music, check out the following websites, www.deadhousemusic.com and www.myspace.com/deadhousemusic

SHOCK FESTIVAL DVD Interview with Nicanor Loreti

Interview by Joshua T. Gravel

Argentinean writer, producer and filmmaker Nic Loreti delivers a post-modern interpretation of Grindhouse cinema with ATTACK OF THE SADISTIC KILLER.



Could you give the Alternative Cinema audience some background information on your career in film or the arts in general?
I’m a professional writer and long-time horror fan who has contributed reviews and editorial to several leading genre publications (Fangoria, Shock Cinema), and I just published an interview book titled Cult People here in Argentina.
My involvement in genre cinema dates back to the 2001 Argentinean horror film, “Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante”, for which I performed a variety of tasks both in front of and behind the camera (actor, best boy). In 2005, I produced and directed a short film, El Kuervo (inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”), which screened at the Fantasia Film Festival as well as the Buenos Aries festival Rojo Sangre. In 2007, I produced the horror western LEFT FOR DEAD for cult director Albert Pyun, which was shot here in Argentina. After that, I wrote (with my close friend German Val, who did THINKING MAN'S GUN) the screenplay for BREAKING NIKKI - a cool indie horror pic coming soon to DVD in the US - and the film DYING GOD, starring Lance Henriksen and Erin Brown (Misty Mundae). I'm currently working as a film producer and writer here in Buenos Aries, having just completed a thriller called PARAPOLICIAL NEGRO, and will produce a horror movie titled MEMORY OF THE DEAD in early 2010 (both shot on Red One cameras). I also just finished an animated short film narrated by Billy Drago, with music by Claudio Simonetti (SUSPIRIA).





What attracted you to the project and ATTACK OF THE SADISTIC KILLER?
I'm a big fan of Stephen's book SHOCK FESTIVAL; it's truly a unique work of art. So when I approached the people at Pop Cinema about interpreting one of the faux films for the DVD, they told me to pick a poster for the trailer. I picked ATTACK OF THE SADISTIC KILLER based on the cool art and the amazing name (which was actually a re-title of one of the original faux films).




I really enjoyed the visual style you employed (freeze frames and the picture-in-picture segments) - were there any specific trailers that served as a template or an influence?
My inspirations for ATTACK were trailers for Italian giallos and film noirs, full of crazy colors and picture-in-picture images.

Can you ell us a little about the actors you worked with?
The lead is Guadalupe Cheja, who is also my girlfriend and a cool director/ editor herself. We did a short film called BAD BLOOD, which she co-directed and starred in, so I instantly thought of her when I needed a female lead in the trailer. The guys are all cult filmmakers from the indie scene in my country: Vic Cicuta, Elvira Serio and Hernan Quintana - the 3 of them seen in the Z movie SADOMASTER (released by the US label SRS CINEMA). They are all part of the amazing counter-culture world of the local underground cinema.




Who worked on the technical end of the production, specifically cinematography, music, and special effects?
Guadalupe and I did the special effects, makeup, camerawork and cinematography. Mariano Cattaneo helped in the editing and color correction and the music is by a local underground band called Da Capo, who are truly amazing.



Are there any current or future projects you would like people to know about?
Hmmm.... THE RAVEN (the animated short) is looking for a distributor, so if anyone's interested feel free to contact me, plus I'm also working on a new screenplay. Oh, Cult People, the English edition, is coming out in January 2010. Look for it then! It features interviews with Henriksen, Argento, a prologue by Lloyd Kaufman and more!

Keep track of all of Nicanor’s film projects and books at his myspace page, www.myspace.com/nicloreti

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A Conversation With ROT:Reunion of Terror Director Michael A. Hoffman

by
Bruce G. Hallenbeck



This is not your father's high school reunion: five school chums get together at a cabin in the woods to celebrate their tenth year out of school. What they don't realize, however, is that a killer is lurking around somewhere in the darkened forest, waiting to pick them off one by one. The question is: is there an unknown serial murderer that's responsible, or is it one of them?


Director Michael A. Hoffman


ROT: Reunion of Terror Trailer

That's the premise of ROT: REUNION OF TERROR, a new feature film directed and co-written by Michael A Hoffman (aka Michael Hoffman Jr.), an enterprising young filmmaker from Florida who has spread his considerable talent through many facets of the movie business, from production assistant on such low-budget efforts as Tim Ritter's SCREAMING FOR SANITY: TRUTH OR DARE 3 (1998), DIRTY COP NO DONUT (1999) and DIRTY COP: I AM A PIG (2001). His first feature as a director was the horror anthology film SCARY TALES (2001), which received worldwide distribution and was followed up with a sequel, SCARY TALES: THE RETURN OF MR. LONGFELLOW (2003), which he co-directed with Jason Daly.

Since then, Hoffman has honed his skills working on commercials, music videos, industrial productions and other independent features as editor, director and writer. His latest directorial effort is ROT: REUNION OF TERROR, which was filmed on location in California. At age 29, Hoffman recently told me in a phone interview from his home in Florida that he "feels a lot older." Then again, he's been involved in film since the tender age of fourteen, when he hooked up with Ritter after seeing an ad for a production assistant in a local newspaper.

Smokin' - Internet Ad from Michael A. Hoffman on Vimeo.

His experience with Ritter on SCREAMING FOR SANITY was invaluable: "I learned what to do and what not to do on a film," Hoffman recalled. "It was tough, but I kept working in films throughout high school. I was the worst senior ever; I skipped 45 days of my senior year. But it was worth it."

In more recent times, Hoffman has worked as a writer on Corbin Bernsen's production THE CLOWN and he was production manager of the St. Louis Cardinals' 2008 ad campaign. But it's as director/writer/producer on his own low-budget horror features that gives Hoffman the most satisfaction, despite the trials and tribulations of making ROT.


Clip from ROT: Reunion of Terror

"Of all the productions I've worked on, ROT was the toughest," Hoffman stated. "It was part of a two-picture deal with Disruptive Media, the other being SPRING BREAK MASSACRE. We filmed ROT on location at Big Bear and San Bernardino National Forest in California. Jim Fulton, who is in the film as a redneck store owner, owned the ranch where we filmed much of the movie. It's a great location. Jim Fulton rocks! But we just had one problem after another getting the movie in the can."


ROT: Reunion of Terror


ROT: Reunion of Terror

Those problems included blizzards, car accidents and floods. "I've never seen so many things work against a production," Hoffman continued. "It was cold - we shot in February and March - and there were some shots we couldn't complete, like when the girl has her head bashed against the tree. There was a flash flood and we couldn't finish the shot. Fortunately, I'm a union editor by trade, so I found a way to work around it. But it was snowing - in California! - during all of the night shoots. We had to backlight everything so you couldn't see the snow. Plus the fact that Big Bear and the cabin we were filming in were 240 miles apart, and we had to make them look like they were in the same spot. And we filmed some scenes months apart. So again, as an editor, I had to ask myself, how do I make these scenes work? I basically had to re-edit the entire movie over the course of eight months."

The fact that Hoffman is also an editor makes him feel a certain kinship to one of his favorite classic horror directors, Terence Fisher, who did many of the most famous Hammer Films, including HORROR OF DRACULA (1958). "I have a huge collection of Hammer and Amicus films," Hoffman said. "The fact that Fisher was an editor first shows in the economy of his shooting. He knew exactly how much to shoot, and I try to do that too."


“The fact that Hoffman is also an editor makes him feel a certain kinship to one of his favorite classic horror directors, Terence Fisher…”


Along the rocky road to the film's completion, there were some bright spots. "We had a 140-foot crane donated to us, provided we could repair it," Hoffman said. But even that ended up awkwardly: "We managed to do that, but at one point it broke down and the cameraman was stuck in it for nine and a half hours! And he has a fear of heights. We're good friends now, but I think he still wants to kill me!"

Murphy's Law may have applied to the film, but the end result is a tight, suspenseful and surprisingly atmospheric mood piece that both recalls and satirizes eighties slasher films. "We tried to play around with horror stereotypes," said Hoffman. "For example, the opening scene in your average slasher movie was usually a young couple camping in the woods. You'd see a silhouette of them making love in the tent against the lamp light, and then they'd be horribly killed. Well, instead of the usual clichés, in our movie the campers in the opening scene are two girls who happen to be lesbians. They have the scene in the tent with the lamp light. And, by the way, their nipples are hard because it's so cold!"


“instead of the usual cliches, in our movie the campers in the opening scene are two girls who happen to be lesbians”

Hoffman also does something a lot of young filmmakers don't do: he takes the time to build up a mood before most of the killings start. "I tried to make it like an eighties movie in that respect," he noted. "Then we took all the clichés and moved them one step forward, and we wanted to throw the audience off, especially in the last ten minutes."



His magnum opus now completed and in release through Shock-O-Rama Cinema, Hoffman was recently assistant editor on FORGET ME NOT, an indie feature starring Carly Schroeder, and is currently working on BEWARE, a made-for-TV movie that is being shot in both Spanish and English versions for Spanish television.

Hoffman likes having a regular income from his high-profile gigs, but his heart belongs to horror. "I'd rather make fifty low-budget movies than one huge-budgeted blockbuster," Hoffman said with a laugh. "I'd like some bigger budgets than I've had in the past, but I'm still a huge fan of those eighties slashers, and those are the kinds of movies I love doing."

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