Director F. Sudol is someone who is a one man creative force. After directing, animating, and voicing three popular animated horror films, F. Sudol abandoned his former style in favor of computer animation. Even though Sudol completely quit the former animated style for telling his stories, “Gnome in the Haunted Castle” still very much feels like an F. Sudol production. The music feels much like the type we’ve come to expect from his past films, there is the presence of zombies, and Mr. Sudol voices the characters himself. This time though, “Gnome in the Haunted Castle” acts as a gateway horror film for the young audiences who appreciate ambition and effort.
Tag Archives: Fantasy
Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge (1991) [Blu-Ray]
“Toulon’s Revenge” is by far the best of the “Puppet Master” movies and the peak of the series. After the third installment, the series pretty much spiraled in to abysmal depths. “Toulon’s Revenge” is a smartly crafted revenge tale that takes a step back in the mythos and discovers Toulon’s life. Where parts one and two explored the evil of the puppets and madness of Toulon, “Toulon’s Revenge” is a prequel that explores a time where Toulon was a noble genius, and his puppets an innocent group of anti-heroes. With “Toulon’s Revenge,” director David Couteau manages to comprise a strong back story for Toulon, whose entire hatred toward humanity and lunacy is given a rhyme and a reason, thanks to his battle with the Nazis, and the officer that takes the life of his wise.
Puppet Master II (1991) [Blu-Ray]
For reasons I can’t possibly understand, the subtitle “His Unholy Creations” has been taken off the title for “Puppet Master II,” and now it’s just “Puppet Master II.” Which is a shame, considering “His Unholy Creations” is a fine summary of the film’s entire premise. A direct follow-up to the first film, “His Unholy Creations” is a notch above the first film with a better story, thicker tension, and much more interesting grue. The characters of Toulon’s puppets are also given a clearer definition and motive. As well, they’re given a larger screen time, allowing them to wreak pure havoc on all kinds of hapless humans and really causing intense pain.
Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1992)
Thanks a lot to Frank Henenlotter for only making three “Basket Case” movies. I really couldn’t mentally handle eight or nine movies about Belial and his life with his moronic brother Duane. These two buffoons have to be the most non-threatening horror figures since Chucky. Duane went from a tortured soul to a goofy sidekick in three films, while Belial started life as a rabid monster incapable of speak to a daddy expecting children. After diddling fellow freak Eve in “Basket Case 2,” Belial unwittingly knocked her up, and now is expecting babies. Duane, after killing cardboard cut out Susan, and involuntarily stitching Belial back to him, has been locked up in a padded cell left to consider what he’s done.
My Sucky Teen Romance (2012)
Director Emily Hagins gained instant fame in 2006 when she recruited all of her friends and family to direct her first feature horror film. The production and Hagins’ enthusiasm for the genre garnered the attention of film critic Harry Knowles (who cameos as a vampire expert) who took Hagins under his wing helping to fuel her film career. In 2009, Hagins then became the topic of the excellent documentary “Zombie Girl: The Movie,” a light hearted and entertaining look at Hagins relentless efforts to complete her feature length zombie film “Pathogen.” The documentary took festivals by storm and remains one of the more heart felt depictions of filmmaking ever produced. Now that we’ve played catch up, “My Sucky Teen Romance” is director Emily Hagins one step forward in to a much more legitimate career as a film director.
Transylmania (2009)
“Transylmania” is a pretty much just a waste of time. It rips from better horror comedies and tries in vain to construct something new and fails at every single turn imaginable. Go see “Transylvania Twist,” or “Young Frankenstein,” or “Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” or “Hold That Ghost” if you want to view what a true horror comedy is capable of. Hell, go see “Dracula Dead and Loving It” if you want to see a film that never quite manages to make use of its horror farce status but is still ten times better than “Transylmania.” It feels as if they wrote out a story (assuming there is a story) that involved a bunch of moronic college kids going to a foreign country. And then someone along the way figured they’d make some cash off the vampire craze and injected a lot of faux horror themes in to the script.
Handbook for Hot Witches: Dame Darcy's Illustrated Guide to Magic, Love, and Creativity [Paperback]
Dame Darcy is a renowned underground entertainer, artist and practicing witch, and for all of her potential readers, she’s released “Handbook for Hot Witches” for the 12 and older age bracket. Released through “Henry Holt and Company,” author and illustrator Dame Darcy provides her young female readers with an illustrated guide to almost everything they could want to know about witchcraft, wicca, and mysticism.
Though not featuring the necessary ingredients, “Handbook for Hot Witches” is a flawless guide book and handy tool for the perspective practicing witch and coven, providing life affirming and enriching spells and recipes for the young reader who wants to spread good will and love with their craft. Author Darcy covers most of the more curious topics of the witchcraft world.