News

‘Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich’ Is A Line-Crossing Gorefest!

Published

6 years ago

August 16, 2018

Horror has always been considered line-crossing. Able to rattle the sensibilities of the public with tales of abject terror and acting out taboos unheard of in civilized society. Going as far back as Universal’s Frankenstein featuring a minute long warning of how disturbing the film could be to viewers. Nowadays, with the advent of the internet and shock value lacking the punch it used to, it seemed more and more like there was less of an ability for horror to earn the picketing from the PTA or similar morality groups again. Until now. Until Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich.

Image via Youtube

The title alone should give an indication of what’s to come, and answers the age-old question; “How do you make monsters scarier?” By making them Nazis! The film is a reboot or parallel universe to the main Puppet Master series. Where in the original, the titular ‘Puppet Master’ and sorcerer, Andre Toulon was a fighter of The Third Reich, this time he’s a hardcore fascist. And played brilliantly by genre mainstay, Udo Kier! The film opens in Texas, 1989 where Toulon continues his prejudiced mayhem until finally being put down for good by cops raiding his mansion.

In the present, struggling comic-book artist Edgar (Thomas Lennon) returns to his family home following a difficult divorce and discovers one of Toulon’s dolls in his late brother’s room. As luck should have it, there’s a convention for the auction and sale of these rare and valuable puppets near Toulon’s estate coming up. In need of cash, Edgar travels with his new girlfriend Ashley (Jenny Pellicer) and his friend Markowitz (Nelson Franklin) to a hotel hosting the con, only to discover to their horror that every Toulon puppet in the vicinity is coming to life and killing all in their path in the goriest ways imaginable!

Image via IMDB

If Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich has anything going for it, it’s the sheer amount of excess and memorable bloodshed. Considering the script was written by S. Craig Zahler of Bone Tomahawk and Brawl In Cellblock 99 infamy, that should come as no surprise. As well the sheer offensiveness! Because these Nazi puppets don’t just seek out any innocent victims to snuff out. Following their racist master’s orders they target gay people, interracial couples, and Jews among their hit list. Leading to some absolutely grotesque yet theatrical kill scenes so over the top and offensive, it turns comical. And with around 60 different Toulon puppets running around, it’s a veritable army of foot tall-fascists! There are some new spins on old classics like Blade, Torch, and Pinhead, but also new ones like The Happy Amphibian, Mechaniker, among others you have to see to believe. While prior films had audiences rooting for the puppets, they have absolutely zero sympathy this time around. The film is almost entirely special effects, and with a budget to really highlight the blood and do the puppet chaos justice. For gorehounds and fans of the ‘tiny-terror’ sub-genre, this will be a delight.

Image via IMDB

The cast is large, but mainly for a high bodycount once the bloodshed begins. But with Zahler behind the tale, almost everyone gets their moment to shine if only briefly before being brutally gutted, sliced, ripped, or burnt. Including Barbara Crampton as the officer that killed Toulon and now runs a tour of his bloodstained estate. And the boisterous hotel bartender Cuddly Bear, given a stand-out performance by Skeeta Jenkins. While the sheer theatrics and skilled SFX of the kills make them entertaining to behold, the motivation of the Nazi puppets is enough to make you cheer when they get smashed, shot, blown up, or in one memorable case, thrown into a burning oven. While the characters, monsters, and gore are quite memorable, the overall story is a little flat. With the first half of the film building up to the massacre at the hotel, which once it unfolds is spectacular, leading to attempts to escape and a rather anti-climactic finale.

But overall, for what Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is, it delivers and delivers well. And I hope we get a continuation of the marionette mayhem! A shocking well casted gorefest that will cross your sensibilities! It’s worth at least one watch… if you think you can handle it.

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich hits limited theaters, VOD, and digital August 17th, 2018.

Image via IMDB

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

2 hours 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?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

4 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

6 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.