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Indie Movie Review: ‘Headless’ (The Spin-Off of ‘Found’)

Published

9 years ago

February 22, 2015

2014 finally brought Scott Schirmer’s Found to a wider audience, along with the announcement that its film within a film, Headless, would go into production thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. I had the good fortune of attending Found’s premiere in Indiana back in 2012, and as soon it was over, people were already asking if Schirmer and crew would make a standalone feature of Headless. It left that big of an impression (it also led to Found being banned in Australia).

Schirmer actually worked on Headless in the capacities of co-producer and co-editor, and let Arthur Cullipher, who led the gore effects on Found, take over directorial duties. The result is a film that makes use of its micro-budget just as efficiently as Found, while taking on a wildly different feel. It does maintain the feel the original Headless segment set up wonderfully, and takes it to new extremes and into the territory from which the original was truly inspired. That would be the insane and sometimes hard-to-find bloodbath flicks of the seventies and early eighties.

When I interviewed screenwriter Nathan Erdel (Todd Rigney, who wrote Found sat this one out) about the direction he planned to take Headless in back in July, he mentioned films like The Last House on Dead End Street and The Headless Eyes – both somewhat obscure and nutty films from the aforementioned era. Having seen the final product, I can tell you the whole team did a fantastic job of capturing that feel. I’d add that I couldn’t help but think about the original Maniac and Texas Chainsaw Massacre at times as well. To be clear, Headless doesn’t borrow too heavily from any of these films directly. It just has that old, dirty feel.

Yes, like Found, it’s low budget, so if you’re looking for some polished Hollywood fare, you’re looking in the wrong place. Quite frankly, too big a budget would probably only hurt a movie like this anyway. If you’ve seen Found, then you’ve seen what Headless is about, and Headless the feature perfectly extends that universe right into an hour and a half of depravity that never has a dull moment. It even manages to work some genuine creepiness in beyond the obvious slasher and gorefest elements you already know you’ll be consuming. This is helped with the introduction of a new “character” known (though not referred to in the movie by name) as “Skullboy”.

Skullboy would be our killer’s subconscious/imaginary friend, who kind of serves as a guide on his path of mayhem. This could be silly if not handled right, but it’s handled so, so right. It gives us another character to watch, and helps illustrate the killer’s extremely fucked state of mind and backstory.

The gore effects are fantastically fun, and are even elevated from what we saw in Found, and that’s a very good thing as Headless is certainly a showcase of practical effects.

Where it differs significantly from its seventies inspirations is that it never drags or feels like it’s going on too long. For a movie with so much severed head intercourse, somehow it never feels overplayed. There are also some moments of humor, which probably help in that department as well.

The score and other music work wonderfully, and help create the perfect complement to the trippy visuals, while the acting is right where it needs to be for this kind of film.

Keep in mind, Headless is literally supposed to be a movie from 1978. That’s the tape Found’s characters watched in that film. The real Headless is meant to be that very movie (though it does play out a bit differently than the original tape did – in a totally good way).

Ultimately, Headless is an entertaining slasher film for those who appreciate horror that takes things further than the norm. I would highly recommend anyone who hasn’t seen Found watch that first, because it gives you the context for what Headless is actually trying to be. Still, I believe it stands just fine on its own.

I’ve been waiting for this movie for nearly three years, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. I don’t have a release date for you yet, but it’s getting its premiere on Saturday at Culture Shock in Indianapolis.

You can read our interviews with Cullipher and Shane Beasley, who plays the Headless killer (in both movies) here, and our interviews with Schirmer and co-producer Kara Erdel here and here respectively.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

21 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

2 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.