Connect with us

News

Charlie David’s ‘Shadowlands’ is a Lyrical Queer Paranormal Anthology

Published

on

Charlie David’s Shadowlands is a film that is, much like the filmmaker, difficult to pin down.

Author, screenwriter, producer, musician, actor, television host…David has worn many hats in his career, and his passion for LGTBQ storytelling has shone through at every step.

Which brings us back to Shadowlands.

Originally released as a three part mini-series in Canada, Shadowlands delves into the depth of folklore, mythology, and urban legend to tell three specific stories in a world where the paranormal overlaps with our daily existence. Each erotically charged story builds upon the last to create a film-scape with the emotional intensity of bel canto opera.

It all begins in the 1920s where a surgeon (Sean C. Dwyer) hosts a decadent, fetish-laden party at his home. He has become a mutated version of Narcissus, no longer content to stare at his own reflection. He is obsessed with perfection, and only the most beautiful are welcome to join him in his revelries.

When that perfection cannot be found, however, his most monstrous qualities emerge, and what begins with murder soon turns inward as he makes one final all-too-gory decision.

In the next segment, a gay couple in 1951, one of whom is a sailor in the Navy, take a camping trip and while out in the woods, discuss whether or not they’d like to open up their relationship, sexually, because they have to spend so much time apart. When a stranger wanders into their camp, their resolve is tested and in a twist worthy of a classic urban legend, the following morning, they wonder if the he had ever been there at all.

And finally, an artist (Charlie David) whose lover has died becomes obsessed with creating a life-like painting of him in a heart-wrenching version of the tale of Pygmalion and Galatea. His love pours onto the painting and so does his life force, seemingly, bringing the film to a tragic close.

It is interesting to watch and dissect the ways in which the films connect. A character who crosses over here, a magical painting that exists when it should not, all of these things work together to connect Shadowlands in an anthology film without a framing story.

Shadowlands is a beautiful film overall. From the sets to the costuming to the lighting, everything is visually stunning with beautiful textures. Likewise, the soundtrack of the film is almost infectious with songs by Michael Daniel Murphy.

The film is not without its foibles, however.

At times the dramatic settings and dialogue almost overshadow the story. That dramatic flair works for the hyper-emotional storytelling of the film, but at moments I almost felt removed from the scene trying to take in the words rather than the story as a whole.

Still, the cast is beautiful, the stories compelling, and by the end of the film I felt as though I’d taken a real journey with David and his cast.

Shadowlands is available for streaming on Amazon Prime. It’s also available in a novelization also on Amazon. Check out the trailer below and give it a watch today!

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News

Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

Published

on

Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

Movies

‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

Published

on

Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

News

Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

Published

on

Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading