Actor, writter and director of The Fifth Hollar, Jan Lewis, joins Wes this week to talk about her series and what pushed her to take her once book idea and turn it into a TV series.
Along with Jan and Wes, actors Tim and James join in to talk about their time working with Jan on the Fifth Hollar and how the current pandemic has affected acting and travel. Jan has a long history with Scarefest and she and Wes also talk alittle about that history.
After all the talking is done, we are treated with the next installment of the Fifth Hollar and if all that doesn’t get you interested, just tune in to check out Wes’ new bitchin shirt.
The ever beautiful CC Ann cohost with Wes this week to talk to the self proclaimed ‘Boston redneck’, Rob Mello.
Rob is best known for his roles in Happy Death Day 1&2 and he talks to us about what brought him to acting and what keeps him there. Rob’s had some tough roles and talks about what role has bothered him the most and made him cry after shooting. We get to hear about his upcoming projects as well including his newest movie, Embalmers.
In our regular weekly segments, Glen from Fakeshemp.net discusses a movie that’s a part of a horror sub-genre he thinks deserves more respect and Joe with Bonehead Weekly talks about a horror series you’ll want to check out.
Prepare your ears for a ride, this week Wes and co-host, the quarantine feral Brandon Griffith, welcome Vincent M. Ward. Vincent is probably best known for his role as Oscar in Season 3 of WALKING DEAD but that’s not the end of his talents by far. Vincent has considerable skills in theatre, dance, and sports, just to name a few.
Along the way Vincent regales Wes and Brandon with tales about the WALKING DEAD, his love of basketball, what the film industry is like during the pandemic, and his love of conventions. We get a few surprising theatre stories and, being an Ohio native, we hear a little about Big Butter Jesus. Vincent has some of the best stories out there.
ScareFest’s recurring features brings us a glowing review of recent zombie movie CARGO from FakeShemp and Joe Lewis gives one of his best reviews yet. It’s a must see!
Plus we get five new celebrity announcements! Four celebs from horror classic KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE and another that is legend in an entirely different type of film genre. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
Sometimes good things are homegrown. On tonight’s show, Wes and co-host BIlly Crank welcome fellow Kentuckian Jim Beckholt, local actor/impressionist known for doing one of the best ACE VENTURA impersonations that you’ll ever see.
Wes and Billy ask about Jim’s many experiences filming the horror movie CANDY CORN and the mind set that Jim had portraying a character so far from his typical comedic persona. Along the way Jim also discusses his future acting direction, influences, and who his dream co-star would be.
In-between the interview, FakeShemp gives us a unique zombie film, Joe Lewis takes on HP Lovecraft, and the Week in Horror is chalk full of historic goodness. Plus we see the entries in the BLAIR WITCH apology contest. Roll that beautiful found footage!
The big question is, when will Wes roll out his Monty Python-esk Lady impression? We hope it’s soon!
Grab a mint julip and enjoy because this week’s show is a dandy of a treat as Wes and the ever stunning CC Ann welcome a true southern gentleman, Lew Temple. Lew is an extremely versatile actor probably best known as Axel in season 3 of WALKING DEAD but he has also appeared in films like THE DEVIL”S REJECTS and ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD as well as numerous TV shows.
Wes and CC ask Lew about his distinctive moustache and it’s incredible popularity, share a nice dose of WALKING DEAD talk, and see what he has been doing during the quarantine, including writing the basis for a new show about Kentucky. Lew also shares several stories of working with heavyweight filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Rob Zombie.
We get two more celebrity announcements including another former member of the WALKING DEAD cast and a local phenom that is making his way into Hollywood. We get a bit witchy with the Week in Horror, go family friendly with FakeShemp and Joe Lewis takes on another remake.
This week’s show is a scorcher as Wes and co-host Chad Harlan welcome Christopher and Rachel Booth, the multitalented renaissance couple known for a host of incredible accolades including their tremendous collection of haunted relics.
The Booths share their passion for artifacts and art, what it’s like to have haunted items in the house, what they are currently focused on during the recent pandemic, and some of their favorite paranormal places to visit. The crew also tries to decide if the Booths are considered horror or paranormal and we learn who is actually wearing pants for this episode.
We also get a new celebrity announcement, have a Week in Horror history lesson, and visit with old friends Joe Lewis and FakeShemp. Wes also shares the winners of the most recent meme contest based on the SHINING.
PLUS, don’t forget to stick around for another installment of the rural murder mystery the FIFTH HOLLAR.
On this week’s show, CC Ann returns to join Wes in another fun departure from the norm in the next in a series of shows that asks the viewers what is on their watchlist radar. Wes and CC field calls from servant of the Elder Evil, Jake Godbold, copywriter Meredith Blackburn, and long time Scarefest alum Scott Wasilewski. The offerings range from the movies of the late Stuart Gordon (RE-ANIMATOR, CASTLE FREAK) to the Netflix film THE PLATFORM to the classic films of days gone by. Along the way the gang discusses the length of movies today, foreign films, and we learn that CC doesn’t have Netflix (the horror!!)
We also get a few more celebrity announcements this week. No spoilers but the Hills will definitely have Eyes at Scarefest this year and a certain empress of the Scream Queens will make an appearance.
Trailer Nation makes a final appearance as well as reviews by Joe Lewis and Glenn Cochrane. Glenn’s offering this week may have even influenced Tobe Hooper’s seminal masterpiece THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Those Aussie’s are so ahead of the curve.
Finally, we ask, has there ever been a film that accurately depicted the hoarding of toilet paper during an apocalypse and where does one find a WOLF COP?
Prior to the success of GET OUT in 2017, I would have never thought of Jordan Peele, primarily know for his goofy antics on the KEY & PEELE SHOW, as a horror director. Peele has proven that he has a knack for making films that can get under the skin and give viewers the creeps. His most recent movie, US, shows that Peele is growing in his ambition as a horror director by branching out into even weirder territory than GET OUT and embracing a darker side than anyone that has ever watched the KEY & PEELE would imagine he was capable of.
The movie centers around the Wilson family, set to spend a vacation at a beach house near Santa Cruz. Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o) is uneasy about the trip due to a bizarre incident she suffered in a funhouse in Santa Cruz when she was a child, leaving her full of anxiety. Her husband Gabe (Winston Duke) tries to assure her everything is going to be fine. Later that evening the family is terrorized by a family of violent duplicates of themselves, dressed in red and intent on killing the Wilsons. The family has to fight for their lives against their dopplegangers and try to uncover the reason behind their murderous attack.
US is bit of a hybrid of horror tropes. On one hand, it is a slasher flick. The disturbing dopplegangers stalk the Wilsons with the ruthlessness of a Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers. Yet, there is a layer of psychological horror to the film as well. The duplicates, that call themselves The Tethered, are exact opposites of their counterparts but they are still that person. They mimic their thoughts, and in some cases, even their actions. It’s the darkest portion of a person’s mind set loose to physically assault them. The thought of the darker side of a person’s nature being given a life of it’s own is terrifying.
Admittedly, it does take a little while for the movie to really get going. There is a decent amount of set up involved, which does make the beginning kind of drag a bit but it does a great job of setting up the tension and emotional drama that follows. Once the Tethered appear, the pace picks up like a roller coaster.
The movie isn’t ultra gory but it does have it’s moments of bloody fun. Considering the Tethered’s weapon of choice is a pair of super sharp scissors, there’s going to be a little blood involved. And yes, they do run with them! It’s pure madness.
There is a also a dose of dark humor on the side to break up the horror. I think Jordan Peele does a good job of balancing the fun with the frightening. My main hesitation about Peele being a horror director was the fear his movies might be too full of jokes, which in my opinion tends to water down a horror movie if used too much. But Peele seems to know how to blend the chuckles with the terror just right.
The acting really stands out. Nyong’o especially is terrific. She is outstanding at both verbalizing her whirlwind of emotions as Adelaide and using her body language to create unnerving menace as her Tethered duplicate Red. The only place where things are a little uneven are the child actors. At times, they kill it but in other parts they seem a little wooden and stiff as themselves. However, the both give spot on performances as their Tethered counterparts.
My one beef with US is something I usually don’t complain about, which is not knowing enough. Typically I’m not a fan of being led by the nose and told every aspect of a movie. I like to experience it rather than being narrated to. Sometimes it’s the mystery of the monster or ghost or whatnot that makes it scarier. It’s the fear of the unknown. Yet, with US, the Tethered are given an interesting story but there are so many mysteries left unanswered that they almost fall into the category of Plot Hole. What is their REAL purpose? We are told that we made them but the details are vague so the viewer is left guessing.
The movie does have a little of a political and social undertone but it is subtle. Some people may not like that in their horror movies. The Tethered seem to represent the “have not” society. Those people that are forced to live in the shadows, forgotten and mistreated. Their rebellion against their counterparts in a way reflects the anger some feel toward those that have all of the nice things in life and want to destroy those that are deemed better than them. In a way, I see it as US reflecting true life horror.
I can’t say US is a masterpiece. It has it’s weaknesses and there is a interesting twist at the end that viewers will either love or hate. But for the most part it’s a strong addition to the horror genre. Some might walk away shaking their heads from the oddly ambiguous ending. Others might find a greater meaning in it that I missed. Either way it is a good way to kill two hours.
It seems like the cinema is flooded with superhero movies nowadays but how many of those also carry with them the element of horror? I’m going out on a limb to say…zero. Then along comes BRIGHTBURN, a hybrid that mingles the superhero trope with elements of terror. Though it’s box office performance was lukewarm, the movie provides an interesting alternative to the standard superhero film and shakes things up a bit. Continue reading “Brightburn”
