Horror Remix

Horror Remix: THANKSGIVING
2 Hours of Turkey Terror!

Rated R | Free Admission

Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Arlington – Studio Movie Grill (10pm – now on Wednesdays)
Atlanta – Studio Movie Grill (10pm)
Austin – Alamo Lake Creek (10pm)
Dallas – Studio Movie Grill / Royal (10pm)
Houston – Alamo West Oaks (10pm)
San Antonio – Alamo Westlakes (10pm)
Winchester, VA – Alamo (9pm)

Saturday, November 19, 2011
Katy, TX – Alamo Mason Park (10pm)

Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck (9pm)

The Horror Remix holiday trilogy is now complete. Christmas, Halloween, and now Thanksgiving.

When director Eli Roth created his faux trailer ‘Thanksgiving’ for GRINDHOUSE, he claimed his inspiration was to fill a void. All other holidays had at least one 80s slasher degrading it. All but Thanksgiving. Thankfully, Mr. Roth was dead wrong. There are actually two 80s Thanksgiving slashers; HOME SWEET HOME (1981) and BLOOD RAGE (1983). HOME SWEET HOME has some bizarre moments, but ultimately it’s a forgettable mess. Our main focus is the highly underrated BLOOD RAGE (aka NIGHTMARE AT SHADOW WOODS). This is a film that takes the slasher formula and executes it to perfection. It’s got great gore, nudity, cheese, cussing, drugs, and video games. Director John Grissmer doesn’t forget to add a touch of weirdness, giving the whole film a dark undertone. This formula seems too easy, unfortunately, slashers like this are all too rare.

BLOOD RAGE may not be my favorite slasher, but it’s definitely the film I’m most intrigued by. I would love to hear the complete back story. There is a scene where two guys are playing video games and guy #1 says, ‘I’m gonna beat you like a stepchild.’ Knowing the history of this film, this line feels painfully ironic.

From the BLOOD RAGE wikipedia page:

Although the film was shot in 1983, it was given only a limited release theatrically under the title, Nightmare at Shadow Woods in 1987. It was released on VHS the same year under the title, Blood Rage.

Nightmare at Shadow was heavily edited, abbreviating much of the gore of the original 1983 version. However, the 1987 VHS Blood Rage version by Prism Entertainment mentioned above is a different edit of the theatrical release of the same year. The Nightmare at Shadow Woods version is missing an early scene where Maddy visits Todd at the mental hospital, but includes a swimming pool scene not found in the Blood Rage version. The Blood Rage version has not been officially released on DVD as of September 2011.

There are actually a few more differences in the two that have nothing to do with gore. SHADOW WOODS randomly places leftover edits (or trimmings) from nude scenes already in the film and redistributes them out of context to the story’s timeline. My guess is the producers wanted to spread the nudity out a bit, unfortunately it’s just about the cheapest thing I’ve ever seen. And I love cheap, but this was obviously not the director’s decision, just a butcher job by a producer trying to make a boob quota.

There is also a make-out scene shot in two different ways. The BLOOD RAGE version is just standard making-out while the censored SHADOW WOODS becomes sexual assault. Just weird.

There’s a half dozen or so other edits that make each version unique, but nothing notable, outside the fact that someone felt they should be changed. Which, again, is weird.

And one more final thought. I believe the 1983 version has a totally different title. Both BLOOD RAGE and SHADOW WOODS title cards are obviously spliced into the film covering up a title already there. And the font and font colors of both titles don’t match the other opening credits. Unfortunately, the end credits don’t list any title, but do confirm it was made in 1983.

So the big questions are… Is there a 1983 version of BLOOD RAGE? And what happened between 1983-1987 that cause the film to be ‘beat like a stepchild.’ Aside from a horror miracle, this remix of BLOOD RAGE (combining the best material from both the DVD and VHS) is likely the most satisfying version you will ever see.

The second feature in THANKSGIVING is the wacked-out turkey classic, BLOOD FREAK (1972). A one-of-a-kind mess-terpiece, this film satisfies on every level. Drugs, bikinis, motorcycles, blood, and turkeys. And not to short change BLOOD FREAK on a description, but the less you know, the better. So don’t Bing it!

And don’t forget, after each feature snarky puppets, Cheesecake and Thunderclap, try to be funny.

Horror Remix Presents… ZOMBIES 2
2 Hours of UnDead Madness!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck (9pm)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Dallas – Studio Movie Grill / Royal (10pm)
Atlanta – Studio Movie Grill (10pm)
Austin – Alamo Lake Creek (10pm)
Winchester, VA – Alamo (9pm)
San Antonio – Alamo Westlakes (10pm)
Houston – Alamo West Oaks (10pm)

Thursday, October 27, 2011
Arlington – Studio Movie Grill (10pm)

Saturday, October 29, 2011
Katy, TX – Alamo Mason Park (10pm)

ZOMBIES2 has been given the title UltraClassic for two reasons. Originally it screened 2 years ago only in Texas. It was the sequel to the very first theatrically screened HORROR REMIX. That show, ZOMBIES, had its moments, but it just doesn’t compare to what we do today. Appropriately, Z2 is when HORROR REMIX grew up. This show has stood the test of time and I’d imagine if you didn’t know better, you’d think this was a brand new offering. A lot of the trademark details that make HORROR REMIX started here.

The second reason Z2 has earned UltraClassic status is because I don’t think anyone’s seen it. It only screened in 4 theaters and that was the night before Halloween. What a terrible idea. I was competing with kick ass parties, free beer, and women dressed like whores. I’m surprised I went to the show. So, hopefully I picked a convenient date this time ‘round, because Z2 doesn’t fool around. This may be the last time it will ever be screened, so don’t miss it. Details below:

Horror Remix: ZOMBIES 2 from Edward John on Vimeo.

Yes, yes ya’ll. Zombie films. The formula is very simple; an environmental catastrophe occurs in the opening sequence and for the next 90 minutes, the living are trying to avoid a zombie attack. It’s a rock-solid formula that’s extremely popular, but unfortunately most zombie flicks lack an inspired punch. However, every few years someone dares to inject some life into a mostly stale genre. Not necessarily groundbreaking; it just seems the filmmaker gives a shit. Those are the zombie films we love. Just because zombie films are brain dead, doesn’t mean they can’t have heart.

The Video Dead (1987)
The Video Dead starts off with a wacky premise and presses on a path that is hilarious and occasionally frightening. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, The Video Dead should probably be considered a horror-comedy. Normally, Horror Remix finds this sub-genre repulsive. In trying to be both, they accomplish neither. But this is no cartoon like you may find in the Evil Dead series. The comedy lies in the weirdness of the premise and the wacked-out situations the characters find themselves in.

The Video Dead walks the fine line between comedy and horror like no other. Why this film succeeds while others fall flat, I can’t say. The biggest mystery is why this classic is not on DVD. Damn shame.

FleshEater (1988)
FleshEater is about as straight forward as a zombie film can be. From beginning to end this is a zombie blood bath and nothing more. No cool twists. No undercurrent of social commentary. No irony. However, with the obvious budget constraints, this bright-eyed film truly goes for it. It steps on the gas, blows it out, and never looks back.

FleshEater’s attempt to stick rigidly to the formula and play it simple somehow works. Maybe the entertainment lies in the casting of authentic locals and goofy-ass teenagers. Hey, this is classic 80s, plus it’s got a massive body count. There is no doubt that these guys put everything they had into this movie and you gotta love that.

Notable Actor: Bill Hinzman (Night of the Living Dead, the Majorettes) also writing and directing FleshEater!

And don’t forget, lots of fun extras, shorts and your puppet MCs, Cheesecake and Thunderclap.