News
HEAD – Entering the Realm of Puppet Horror
Written by Brian Linsky
From writer and director Jon Bristol, and his crew at Elmwood Productions, comes HEAD, a weekend camping trip with a site to die for.
HEAD is a throwback to the Grindhouse films of the 1970s and 80s, but with one major difference… all of the actors are puppets.
Bristol admits to being a huge fan of The Muppets, and when the comic illustrator, turned film director, had a chance to make his first film, he came up with the idea of casting puppets.
Influenced by not only The Muppet Movie, but the films of George Romero, Evil Dead, and classic B-Horror films, Bristol jokess he wanted to get the look of the low budget horror flicks, but with better acting.
HEAD falls somewhere between the category of Friday the 13th, and Crank Yankers, but the short film is surprisingly well done, and its characters are certainly entertaining.
If you’re looking for a dramatic tearjerker to watch with the family on movie night, then HEAD is clearly not for you. However, if you’re a fan of crude humor, slasher flicks, and the art of puppetry, then HEAD is the film you’ve been waiting for.
The plot surrounds five young co-eds from the Boston area, who decide to go camping for the weekend, only to find out that the location they chose for their getaway was the scene of a brutal mass murder years earlier.
The group is later joined by Tom, a loner in his early 30s, who inadvertently stumbles upon the kids’ campsite while looking for somewhere to pee.
Though the group is slightly untrusting of Tom at first, the campers soon learn that Tom has just as much reason to worry as everyone else. There’s a sadistic killer on the loose, and they’re decapitating the campers one by one.
When the gang finds a tree in the woods covered with the severed heads of the victims, all bets are off on who the killer may be.
The puppets for HEAD were built by Jon Bristol, along with the assistance of Mike Finland and Ben Farley, who say the puppets usually take anywhere from 12 – 40 hours to complete.
Bristol’s decision to use puppets instead of traditional actors made the film enjoyable to watch, even though some of the storyline may seem a little familiar. The characters’ foul mouths and carefree attitudes also made the film fun, and added the perfect amount of raunchiness to the mix.
After watching HEAD, I caught up with Jon to discuss the process of making the film, and see what else Elmwood Productions has up their sleeves for the future. I want to thank Jon for taking the time to talk to iHorror, and giving us a behind the scenes look at the film.
iH: I assume it’s probably easier to work with puppets instead of people, but what’s better about it, what’s tougher?
JB: It’s 50/50… With an actor doing a take two (or more) is much easier, just go back to one, and start again. With a puppet, every scene is a special effect. Even something as simple as picking up a gun and pointing it can take three people working under the puppet, and doing it take after take can get tiresome and cumbersome. But it’s worth it.
Puppets have much better attitudes, and none of the drama, that come with most actors I’ve dealt with. Another huge plus is if you need to take a long break in shooting the puppet won’t get a haircut, or shave, hahaha… Or age! So if need be you can take a long break and not worry about continuity.
iH: Are the lead characters in HEAD based on actual people you know?
JB: I wrote it with some friends of my own in mind. But only one of the puppets looks like the person it was based on, Lenny. He looks like J.R. Calvo, who acted as a vampire hunter in “Steve the Vampire”, and he’s also a writer, and did some punch ups for dialog on the script before we shot it. I did try to make some of the puppets look “familiar” … Based on actors and celebrities.
iH: How did your Kickstarter campaign go? Did you reach your goal?
JB: I had fought the idea of doing a Kickstarter for years, because I didn’t want to jump on the begging for money bandwagon, and I wanted to makes sure the project was just right. Finally, the rest of the Elmwood gang convinced me now was the time.
We didn’t ask for much, only $3000.00, so I think that helped us get the goal met. We weren’t being greedy, hahaha. We wanted just enough to get some new lighting and sound gear and have enough to press DVDs. It worked out great, we surpassed the goal by a couple hundred bucks!
iH: HEAD has been nominated for numerous horror awards, What have you won so far?
JB: At Fear NYC, New York, Chris Geirowski won Producer of the Year. We’ve also won at numerous film festivals for Best Screenplay, Best Feature, Best Underground Film, Best Special Effects, Best Midnight Movie, and at the Yellow Fever Film Fest in Belfast, Ireland, we won Best Film.
iH: What’s next for Elmwood Productions?
JB: We just finished shooting a web series called “The Risley Brothers”, a ten episode comedy about two brothers who own and run a bar. The pilot is on our VHX page now, and the series should be premiering early spring 2017.
And of course HEAD! We just set up a deal with I Bleed Indie for it to be rented or purchased on the site. I’m really glad the film found a home there. It’s the perfect vibe for this weird little horror/comedy. Also get ready for HEAD 2! Yes, there will be a sequel.
iH: Sounds good, we’ll keep an eye out for it! Fans can currently watch HEAD at ibleedindie.com, and stay up to date with the latest projects from Elmwood Productions by visiting their official website.
It seems to be a pretty popular time for puppets in horror these days. NECA recently announced they will start selling their Ashy Slashy puppet beginning in 2017.
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Movie Reviews
Panic Fest 2024 Review: ‘The Ceremony Is About To Begin’
People will look for answers and belonging in the darkest places and the darkest people. The Osiris Collective is a commune predicated upon ancient Egyptian theology and was run by the mysterious Father Osiris. The group boasted dozens of members, each forgoing their old lives for one held in the Egyptian themed land owned by Osiris in Northern California. But the good times take a turn for the worst when in 2018, an upstart member of the collective named Anubis (Chad Westbrook Hinds) reports Osiris disappearing while mountain climbing and declaring himself the new leader. A schism ensued with many members leaving the cult under Anubis’ unhinged leadership. A documentary is being made by a young man named Keith (John Laird) whose fixation with The Osiris Collective stems from his girlfriend Maddy leaving him for the group several years ago. When Keith gets invited to document the commune by Anubis himself, he decides to investigate, only to get wrapped up in horrors he couldn’t even imagine…
The Ceremony Is About To Begin is the latest genre twisting horror film from Red Snow‘s Sean Nichols Lynch. This time tackling cultist horror along with a mockumentary style and the Egyptian mythology theme for the cherry on top. I was a big fan of Red Snow‘s subversiveness of the vampire romance sub-genre and was excited to see what this take would bring. While the movie has some interesting ideas and a decent tension between the meek Keith and the erratic Anubis, it just doesn’t exactly thread everything together in a succinct fashion.
The story begins with a true crime documentary style interviewing former members of The Osiris Collective and sets-up what led the cult to where it is now. This aspect of the storyline, especially Keith’s own personal interest in the cult, made it an interesting plotline. But aside from some clips later on, it doesn’t play as much a factor. The focus is largely on the dynamic between Anubis and Keith, which is toxic to put it lightly. Interestingly, Chad Westbrook Hinds and John Lairds are both credited as writers on The Ceremony Is About To Begin and definitely feel like they’re putting their all into these characters. Anubis is the very definition of a cult leader. Charismatic, philosophical, whimsical, and threateningly dangerous at the drop of a hat.
Yet strangely, the commune is deserted of all cult members. Creating a ghost town that only amps up the danger as Keith documents Anubis’ alleged utopia. A lot of the back and forth between them drags at times as they struggle for control and Anubis keeps continuing to convince Keith to stick around despite the threatening situation. This does lead to a pretty fun and bloody finale that fully leans into mummy horror.
Overall, despite meandering and having a bit of a slow pace, The ceremony Is About To Begin is a fairly entertaining cult, found footage, and mummy horror hybrid. If you want mummies, it delivers on mummies!
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News
“Mickey Vs. Winnie”: Iconic Childhood Characters Collide in A Terrifying Versus Slasher
iHorror is diving deep into film production with a chilling new project that’s sure to redefine your childhood memories. We’re thrilled to introduce ‘Mickey vs. Winnie,’ a groundbreaking horror slasher directed by Glenn Douglas Packard. This isn’t just any horror slasher; it’s a visceral showdown between twisted versions of childhood favorites Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh. ‘Mickey vs. Winnie’ brings together the now-public-domain characters from A. A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ books and Mickey Mouse from the 1920s ‘Steamboat Willie’ cartoon in a VS battle like never before seen.
Set in the 1920s, the plot kicks off with a disturbing narrative about two convicts who escape into a cursed forest, only to be swallowed by its dark essence. Fast forward a hundred years, and the story picks up with a group of thrill-seeking friends whose nature getaway goes horribly wrong. They accidentally venture into the same cursed woods, finding themselves face-to-face with the now monstrous versions of Mickey and Winnie. What follows is a night filled with terror, as these beloved characters mutate into horrifying adversaries, unleashing a frenzy of violence and bloodshed.
Glenn Douglas Packard, an Emmy-nominated choreographer turned filmmaker known for his work on “Pitchfork,” brings a unique creative vision to this film. Packard describes “Mickey vs. Winnie” as a tribute to horror fans’ love for iconic crossovers, which often remain just a fantasy due to licensing restrictions. “Our film celebrates the thrill of combining legendary characters in unexpected ways, serving up a nightmarish yet exhilarating cinematic experience,” says Packard.
Produced by Packard and his creative partner Rachel Carter under the Untouchables Entertainment banner, and our very own Anthony Pernicka, founder of iHorror, “Mickey vs. Winnie” promises to deliver an entirely new take on these iconic figures. “Forget what you know about Mickey and Winnie,” Pernicka enthuses. “Our film portrays these characters not as mere masked figures but as transformed, live-action horrors that merge innocence with malevolence. The intense scenes crafted for this movie will change how you see these characters forever.”
Currently underway in Michigan, the production of “Mickey vs. Winnie” is a testament to pushing boundaries, which horror loves to do. As iHorror ventures into producing our own films, we’re excited to share this thrilling, terrifying journey with you, our loyal audience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to transform the familiar into the frightful in ways you’ve never imagined.
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Movies
Mike Flanagan Comes Aboard To Assist in Completion of ‘Shelby Oaks’
If you have been following Chris Stuckmann on YouTube you are aware of the struggles he has had getting his horror movie Shelby Oaks finished. But there’s good news about the project today. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin Of Evil, Doctor Sleep and The Haunting) is backing the film as a co-executive producer which might bring it much closer to being released. Flanagan is a part of the collective Intrepid Pictures which also includes Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka.
Stuckmann is a YouTube movie critic who’s been on the platform for over a decade. He came under some scrutiny for announcing on his channel two years ago that he would no longer be reviewing films negatively. However contrary to that statement, he did a non-review essay of the panned Madame Web recently saying, that studios strong-arm directors to make films just for the sake of keeping failing franchises alive. It seemed like a critique disguised as a discussion video.
But Stuckmann has his own movie to worry about. In one of Kickstarter’s most successful campaigns, he managed to raise over $1 million for his debut feature film Shelby Oaks which now sits in post-production.
Hopefully, with Flanagan and Intrepid’s help, the road to Shelby Oak’s completion is reaching its end.
“It’s been inspiring to watch Chris working toward his dreams over the past few years, and the tenacity and DIY spirit he displayed while bringing Shelby Oaks to life reminded me so much of my own journey over a decade ago,” Flanagan told Deadline. “It’s been an honor to walk a few steps with him on his path, and to offer support for Chris’ vision for his ambitious, unique movie. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”
Stuckmann says Intrepid Pictures has inspired him for years and, “it’s a dream come true to work with Mike and Trevor on my first feature.”
Producer Aaron B. Koontz of Paper Street Pictures has been working with Stuckmann since the beginning is also excited about the collaboration.
“For a film that had such a hard time getting going, it’s remarkable the doors that then opened to us,” said Koontz. “The success of our Kickstarter followed by the on-going leadership and guidance from Mike, Trevor, and Melinda is beyond anything I could have hoped for.”
Deadline describes the plot of Shelby Oaks as follows:
“A combination of documentary, found footage, and traditional film footage styles, Shelby Oaks centers on Mia’s (Camille Sullivan) frantic search for her sister, Riley, (Sarah Durn) who ominously disappeared in the last tape of her “Paranormal Paranoids” investigative series. As Mia’s obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley’s childhood may have been real.”
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