B'twixt and Sunrise (2022)

B’twixt and Sunrise aka Twixt (2022)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob's Blog 

I got a freaky one this time, a reedited ghost story by Francis Ford Coppola that stars Val Kilmer…

A writer with a declining career arrives in a small town as part of his book tour and gets caught up in a murder mystery involving a young girl. That night in a dream, he is approached by a mysterious young ghost named V. He's unsure of her connection to the murder in the town, but is grateful for the story being handed to him. Ultimately he is led to the truth of the story, surprised to find that the ending has more to do with his own life than he could ever have anticipated.

This film is an odd mix of art house noir, mystery, horror, and humor. I figure if Coppola hadn’t done Dracula before doing this film it wouldn’t  be as wonderful as it is. I never saw the butchered  2011 version but I can gather it lacked most of the subtext about the writer’s inner monologue, which is the actual heart of this narrative. In this version it comes clear who the killer was. I’m  sure the studio version was a mess that ended up losing money. It is no wonder why Coppla gave Frankenstein to Kenneth Branagh.

If you like freaky films like Pan’s Labyrenth you will find this film an interesting ride. I did.You can find this version of this film on You Tube.

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Hellriser (2017)

Hellriser (2017)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob’s Blog

This time I got a supernatural detective story in the style of Cove Barker’s Harry De Amour..

When their city is rocked by a series of brutal occult murders, veteran detective John Locke and his young partner Terri Keyes are forced to put aside their differences and follow the trail of evidence to a formerly abandoned asylum, where the new owner Dr Unnseine is conducting his own brand of Nazi-inspired "medical research" on the unwilling inmates. One such inmate, the sexy but deadly Annie Dyer, may hold the key to the murders - and to the doorway to Hell itself - if only Locke and Keyes can stay alive long enough to discover what it is.

What if Clive Barker and Charlie Band worked on a horror film together?  I would think the results would be something like this film. After all  title of Hellriser you would think it would have a touch of Barker to it, or be a tacky Hellblazer rip off.

When I first saw this film among a the thumbnails on Tubi TV I was amused. I thought this film would be a joke. I was happily surprised how much I enjoyed this film. It is not a masterpiece, but the story does have a lot of aspects that remind me of Barker’s De Amour stories. Also, it has the comic book, low budget feel of the works of Charles Band, which is one of my favorites.

I was a bit disappointed that they made Detective Locke such an incompetent police officer. But, what I did like about Locke’s storyline was that he was a man who lost his faith because of what happened to his daughter. One of my favorite scenes with Locke was when he warned the prostitute and gave her his extra copy of The Bible. Though teamed up with Locke the young female detective worked out well I did not like the fact that the screenwriter made her the all intelligent woman working with the idiot older white guy. That actually annoyed me. In the story she did all the research and found all the clues while Locke waited for phone calls from the coroner and went out for an alcoholic lunch and checked out after finding each murdered girl.

Now in regard to the nutso doctor at the asylum/specialty clinic, he was the typical German mad scientist/ Nazi torturer. His “therapy” device looked like something out of an old 50s sci Fi movie or Marvel comics.

The atmosphere was very art noire and Z grade horror with heavy shadows and darkened background and heavy red and blue lighting added in. The FX were definite Z grade low budget, which is actually an asset in this case. Unfortunately, there is no demonic makeup. There is a lot of naked lady scenes.

All in all if you want a z grade popcorn paranormal mystery you will enjoy this film. You can currently find this film on Tubi TV…

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Jessabelle (2014)

Review: Jessabelle (2014)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob’s Blog

This time I’m reviewing a ghost story that takes place in the Louisiana Bayou…

Returning to her childhood home in Louisiana to recuperate from a horrific car accident, Jessabelle comes face to face with a long-tormented spirit that has been seeking her return -- and has no intention of letting her escape.

Nothing better than a ghost story located in the Bayou and featuring voodoo. This film oozes atmosphere and the ghost is scary as shit. I love that they use old VHS tapes to reveal the backstory.

I love the design of the ghost. This ghost is oozing with swamp water and is vicious as hell.

The cast does their jobs well. The lead actress royally plays things up just right. And the girl who plays the ghost is frickin’ crazy. She has a near feral nastiness to her performance.

Like my favorite Bayou film The Skeleton Key, this film is a treat for ghost fans and voodoo fans. I highly recommend it…

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Review:RL Stine's Pumpkinhead (2025)

Review: R.L. Stine's Pumpkinhead (2025)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob’s Blog

 

I got you a young adult horror film that is promoted as being written by RL Stine…

Sam, his older brother Finn, and his mom move to a farm community. Sam is not at all happy about the move because there is nothing for him to do besides go the the harvest celebration at a creepy old man’s farm at the invitation of the sheriff. Sam to act out steals the farmer’s prize freaky pumpkin which he later finds out is part of a curse the farmer put on the community to get the community a good harvest each year. The cost is a child who becomes the pumpkin and is lost and forgotten at the strike of midnight on Halloween. When Finn finds out Sam stole the pumpkin he tried to give it back to the farmer, but he gets turned into the pumpkin. Everyone forgets Finn exists, except Sam. Now, Sam along with the sheriff’s daughter and a freaky guy who lives in the woods and knows about the curse must find a way to save Finn  and fight their way past the scarecrow who is the guardian of the curse for the clock strike midnight on Halloween night.

Now for one thing this film was clearly credited as being written by a writer other than RL Stine. Also, no where in the credits say it is an adaptation of a RL Stine story and this pisses me off. Give me a break. I expect when I see RL’s name on the film that it will at the very least an adaptation of an RL story or in the case of the two Goosebumps feature film have RL Stine characters and take place in RL’s world he has created. This film has none of that. Yes, this film has a bit of the style of the Goosebumps kids TV series, though it is far more violent and scary at times…Shit, they cut the scarecrow’s head off in one scene and kids actually die, which is a big no no in RL Goosebumps style stories. Also the ending is definitely notupper case something RL would do. The scarecrow design is far scarier than anything in a genuine RL Stine adaptation…Well other than the two season abortion of Goosebumps that came out recently.

Honestly, I think modern teenagers would find this film way too prudish for their tastes. Give me a break most kids now a days start out in horror watching A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13^th. So, this film will not thrill original Goosebumps fans nor young horror fans. Shoot it is as bad as that horrid Spirit Halloween movie that came out a couple years ago. So, as you can gather I wasn’t  thrilled with this film and I refuse to recommend a fraudulent RL Stine film, even though I know RL is getting paid for the use of his name. Sorry, RL, I’m  not supporting you being lazy…

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Dead and Buried (1981)

Review: Dead & Buried (1981)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob’s Blog

 

Sheriff Dan Gillis has a nice life with his wife, the teacher Janet Gillis, in the small coastal and friendly town of Potter's Bluff. When visitors are mysteriously killed in the town, Sheriff Gillis investigates the cases carefully and finds that dead people are reanimating and coming back to life. Dan finds a book of witchcraft and voodoo in his wife's drawer and he suspects that she might be practicing black magic. Dan meets the coroner-mortician William G. Dobbs and learns the dreadful and surprising secret.

Unfortunately, this film was a complete flop in theaters at the time. It was actually six years after the films release that I actually saw it on video. At the time my opinion on this was so so, but over the years I’ve  actually started to like this film. I can say the FX stand up really well. The one scene where the town coroner reconstructs the woman’s face is amazing.

This film is actually one of those rare jewels of horror cinema. It was made in a time of great transition of horror between the more cerebral, psychological, horror and the gore filled slasher era. Also this is not your common zombie film, though it’s  been catalogued as a zombie film. This film is unique and is something to be seen if you like late 70s early 80s horror that goes it’s own way I think you will be surprised by this film…

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The Black String (2018)

Review: The Black String (2018)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob’s Blog

 

Jonathan is a lonely twenty-something, stuck in his home town working night shifts at the local convenience store. When an unexpected encounter with a mysterious woman turns his life upside down, Jonathan is stricken by illness and nightmarish visions. Paranoid and desperate, he launches on a quest across the suburbs to find the seductress who started it all. Friends and family believe he's losing his mind, but Jonathan is convinced he's the target of something far more sinister.

This is a weird film and it is made to be that way. I love it for this. You can either take the route where Jonathon is having a full on paranormal experience or you can go the route where he is having delusions. It is up to the viewer to choose. The filmmaker has done this brilliantly.

The actor playing Johnathan is the glue that holds this film together. It is his performance that adds credence to all the freaky stuff happening.

This is a highly psychological film that makes the viewer think about what they are seeing. Thus, this is not a film for every horror fan. If you are looking for lots of Gore and jump scares this is not the film for you. This film is a frightening game of perception. It is a film I will happily recommend is you are a fan of psychological horror…

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Devon (2024)

Review: Devon (2024)

By William Pattison

For Horror Bob’s Blog

This time I got the Pluto TV exclusive found footage film directed by the former reality TV From Jersey Shore star Jenni Farley who was once known as JWwow.

A group of volunteers who answer an ad on cryptic website on the internet go to a shut down asylum to investigate a missing girl named of Devon, who disappeared at the asylum twenty years earlier. But they find that there is more to this place than just it being creepy. Something fatal and possibly paranormal. Paranoia and insanity runs rampant, voices are heard, the screaming starts, and people start disappearing.

To start out I have to say I’m  impressed with this film. I have watched hundreds of found footage films and I have to say that this film is in my top ten. I could tell that Jenni Farley put a ton of love into this film.

Some people think that doing a found footage film is cheap and amateur time. This film was made on a modest budget, it in no way is this film in any way amateurish. Farley uses the darkness of Pentherst Asylum to its advantage. She uses flashlights tactically to show the viewer just what she wants them to see. The effect is horrifyingly claustrophobic. Also she uses sound in unision with the lack of light to add to the terror. In this film the jump scares are purely sound driven with no music.

Also unlike the majority of found footage film you are never bored because there is always something happening. Farley doesn’t waste time she is constantly hitting both the characters and audience on a psychological level.

The acting and characterization is top notch. The actress that steals the show is Rotisha Geter who plays potential psychology professor Alison Roberts. Rotisha’s shows Alison’s journey into paranoia and insanity in a stark and brutal way. You can tell that her performance forced the other members of the cast to up their game.

This film is plain brilliant. It reminds me of the low budget love project over a decade ago by a young director named James Wan, whose first film, SAW, started the torture porn subgenre of horror. Unfortunately,  when Wan started getting big budgets and more mainstream films he lost a lot of that incredible brilliance he has with that first film. I hope that if she can Jenni Farley might be able to retain some of the incredible brilliance I saw her achieve with Devon, but I fear this is a pipedream. The lure of a bigger budget and more toys is way too seductive for a young filmmaker. But for now we have Devon and it is AWESOMETACULAR!!! You can find this film exclusively on Pluto TV for free in its Halloween Hits List. I highly recommend you check this film out while it’s available…

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