Author Archives: Alan Spencer

About Alan Spencer

Alan Spencer is a horror author and horror movie lover from Kansas City. His novels include "The Body Cartel," "Inside the Perimeter: Scavengers of the Dead," "Ashes in Her Eyes: Uncut," "Zombies and Power Tools," "Cider Mill Vampires," "B-Movie Reels" and "B-Movie Attack."

Cold Prey II (2008, DVD Review)

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coldprey2DVDaka Fritt vilt II

Director: Mats Stenberg

Cast: Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Marthe Snorresdotter Rovik, Kim Wifladt, Johanna Morck, Fridtjov Saheim, Per Schaanning, Andreas Cappelen, Mats Eldoen Vetle Qvenild Werring, Mads Sjogard Pettersen

Shout! Factory / Not Rated / Region 1 / Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) / Danish Dolby Digital Stereo / English Subtitles / 94 minutes

Disc Extras: Trailer / Deleted Scenes

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I remember checking out Cold Prey a few years ago simply because it was a Norwegian slasher movie. A lot of people seemed to really get a kick out of it, judging by the reviews. Me, I thought it was on the upside of average. It had moments of real suspense, solid cinematography, and high-end production values, but the first half was cheapened by the tired friends hanging out fluff. The good thing about Cold Prey II, the tired friends hanging out cliché is nixed. The rest of the movie, well… Continue reading →

Screaming in High Heels: The Rise and Fall of the Scream Queen Era (2011, DVD Review)

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screaminginhighheelsDVDDirector: Jason Paul Collum

Cast: Brinke Stevens, Michelle Bauer, Linnea Quigley, Fred Olen Ray, David Decoteau, Kenneth J. Hall, Jay Richardson, Richard Gabai, Ted Newsom

Vicious Circle Films / Not Rated / NTSC Region 1 / 16:9 / Stereo / 63minutes

Disc Extras: Bonus Interview footage with Linnea, Brinke, and Michelle / Footage from the Flashback Weekend of Horror Q&A session

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Screaming in High Heels: The Rise and Fall of the Scream Queen Era made me reconsider my criteria for what makes a scream queen. Being female, for starters. Duh. Second, you’ve got to be in several horror movies. Preferably cheaper, lower grade flicks that are on the sleazy side. But the third, and my newest piece of criteria, is owning a certain pride for being in these films. These ladies can’t hang their heads in shame. That’s not to say they can’t admit some of their lesser movies are pieces of crap. They can make fun of themselves, while reaching out to fans who remain undying in their appreciation for their work. Scream queens are happy to have done fans of horror-dom proud. I say Brinke Stevens, Michelle Bauer, and Linnea Quigley fit the bill. It’s about time they got a documentary. Considering this feature is only 63 minutes, it covers a whole of stuff, and very well I might add, because I had a blast watching every minute of it. Continue reading →

Burial Ground (1981, Blu-ray Review)

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burialgroundBLURAYaka Le notti del terrore
aka Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror

Director: Andrea Bianchi

Cast: Karin Well, Gian Luigi Chirizzi, Simone Mattioli, Antonietta Antinori, Roberto Caporali, Peter Bark, Maria Angela Giordano

Shriek Show / Not Rated / Region A / 1.78:1 Widescreen / English DTS-HD 2.0 / 85 minutes

Disc Extras: Still & Poster Gallery / Original Trailer / Exclusive interviews with producer Gabriele Crisanti and actress Mariangela Giordano

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I’ve had a long running relationship with Burial Ground. It’s easily one of my favorite zombie splatter flicks simply because the film doesn’t pull any punches. It gives you what you want: blood and guts, boobs, decayed zombies, and a lot of “human” fucked up shit that really sets it apart from any old zombie movie. Burial Ground is way more than a B-movie. It’s a wild sleazy zombie show. Continue reading →

DeadBall (2011, Blu-ray Review)

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deadballBLURAYaka Deddobôru

Director: Yudai Yamaguchi

Cast: Tak Sakaguchi, Mari Hoshino, Miho Ninagawa, Takamasa Suga, Johnmyon Pe, Miho Harita, Mickey Curtis, Koichi Yamadera, Ryosei Tayama

Well Go USA / Not Rated / Region A / 16:9 Widescreen / Japanese DTS-HD MA 5.1
& DTS-HD MA Stereo / English subtitles / 99 minutes

Disc Extras: Spinoff Short / Making of DeadBall / Cast Interviews / Sushi Trailers

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The reign of insanity continues as another bat shit crazy Japanese movie bleeds into domestic release. Those of you familiar with this trend will more than likely embrace DeadBall, though the emphasis is very much on the comedy this time. Imagine The Naked Gun crashing headfirst into Tokyo Gore Police. Like The Naked Gun, or any spoofy comedy, some jokes will work, some won’t, and others will make your eyes roll and say “Oh come on” under your breath. Most Japanese horror ficks’ humor are a by-product of the plot, while DeadBall is intentionally trying to make you laugh. I give this one a “Thumb’s Up” because I did have a good time, but I also know this will divide some audiences because the humor can be pretty stupid at times. Continue reading →