Wearing its influences on its sleeve with overt references to John Waters (abundant pink flamingos), Herschell Gordon Lewis (vivid Southern monsters) and EC horror comics, this screen adaptation of the Imperium Comics franchise refreshingly comes up with an unusually rich band of monstrous characters to terrorize its standard sextet of horny / troubled teens. While not quite as much fun as Tim Sullivan’s recent, comparable 2001 MANIACS, Steven Goldman’s lively, unpretentious horror comedy has enough zest and charm to make a future franchise a tantalizing prospect.
In the 1980’s, a trailer park confrontation led to the resident blonde hottie (Nichole Hiltz) loading up her shotgun and blowing away those who have made her life miserable (including a lecherous would-be psycho Billy rock star, a pair of amateur pornographers and a sleazy Asian masseuse offering “happy endings”) before blowing herself up.
In the present, a group of fucked up young folks – including sexy moody Goth Stefanie Black – get stranded in the middle of nowhere while on a trip with their Pastor designed to allow God to help them to get better. They take refuge at the former trailer park, overseen by the voluptuous Priscilla Barnes – the kind of gal who literally puts her face on in the mornings – and soon realize that the undead former inhabitants of the park are still a major nuisance.
The body count-bound teens are likeable enough, with Black an appealing final girl, but the main attraction of this slickly shot (in 16mm), surprisingly good looking low budget flick is the marvelous ensemble of psychopathic grotesques, all sporting excellent 80’s style monster make-ups that help add to the pleasing retro-feel. (Full marks go to the rockabilly zombie, who gets a priceless final moment with his own severed penis, though Trace Adkins is amusing as a laconic Satan).
Goldman punctuates his witty script with plentiful old-school gore, with highlights including a grim flesh stripping, a beheading, an industrial-sized human frying and the bone crushing, rib cage-yanking massage from Hell.
-Steven West
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
