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Review: ‘The Barge People’ Is A Merry Murky Mutant Monster Movie

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Due to current events in 2020, many of us sadly had to put the kibosh on our Summer plans. Be it visiting family, attending weddings, or just taking a trip to the country. But if horror movies have taught us anything, Summer sojourns can lead to disaster… or worse. This is the premise of the British back-river horror of The Barge People.

 

The story follows two sisters, Kat (Kate Davies-Speak) and Sophie (Natalie Martins) as they decided to spend a weekend holiday with their respective boyfriends laid back Mark (Mark McKirdy) and the obnoxious businessman, Ben (Matt Swales) in the British countryside. Deciding to rent a barge and take a slow, romantic ride through the canals of the backwoods, the quartet find themselves in conflict with some irate locals… and even more bloodthirsty inhabitants of the polluted waterways.

Image via IMDB

The Barge People is a U.K. horror movie from 2018 but finally hitting Stateside. It’s a low-budget affair to be sure, but it’s a fun one. Watching it, the movie does have an aura of direct to video horror movies and slashers of the 1980’s. Even the title cards and credit sequence flaunt the aesthetic without leaning into it too hard. Even more evident in the synth, tense score from composer Sam Benjafield, which is a high point of the production. The story itself is a definitive throwback to movies like The Hills Have Eyes and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre but with a distinctly British twist and featuring some Lovecraftian fish mutants instead of hillbillies and rednecks.

 

The story is a bit by the numbers and the characters are a bit flat, granted, but The Barge People does deliver in the gore and practical fx departments. Living up to the movies of yesteryear it’s emulating with little to no CGI. Giving an ample amount of sticky red blood plastered across victims and the screen. Then of course are the titular Barge People. Horrifying fish-human hybrids created by toxic and chemical waste polluting the local water routes. Though amphibious, with their trenchcoats and hooks they also give off a bit of a Hellraiser vibe. Unfortunately, none really give off the kind of gravitas or charisma to give us a ‘Pinhead’-esque lead killer, but the FX and designs are fine enough.

Image via IMDB

The Barge People isn’t the most fleshed out horror and probably could have used a little more depth. Like I said, flat characters, and a formulaic plot. But for the gorehounds and people just wanting a fun, simple, creature feature, mutant horror, this is an enjoyable watch. Also plenty of unconnected but mood setting kills of random and passing by victims just to add some extra bodies and guts here and there. Unfortunately, the home video release is rather bare bones. No special features on the DVD/Blu-Ray. Not even a trailer. Just the movie and subtitles. That is it. There is a decent embossed slipcover, but that’s really as much as you get.

 

Still, if you’re in the mood for some mindless, old school, beastly slasher fun with a decent amount of charm, have a pint and take a float with The Barge People.

 

The Barge People hits VOD, DVD, and Blu-Ray on August 18th, 2020.

Image via IMDB

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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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.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

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.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

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.”

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.

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

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28 years later

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.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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