Kent Chubbs manages a popular fetish nightclub called Den O’Iniquity in a small conservative town and the demanding, ever-present pressure to close his proclaimed “smut” club from the angry puritanical protestors and unethical politicians have Kent on the hair pulling fences about what to exactly do with his beloved club and loyal employees. To make the matters worse, Kent’s father and club owner, Shank Chubbs, is knocking on death’s door with a bad ticker. To make the matters even more worse, the club’s been a remarkable safe haven for those who choose to express their closeted intimate desires in spanking, furry sex, or lube wrestling, but, during the holiday season, the club has had a low hanging dark cloud in a form of a deranged killer whose been destructively rampaging through the club’s most precious employees and enthusiastic patrons. In order to save everything he holds dear, Kent must find a way to keep everything afloat despite the challenges and his ill-advised legal advice from his acid tripping hippie attorney while also tracking down a psychopath.
In 2007, Richard Griffin directed a hybrid film that structured an abled bodied comedy and interjected moments of gruesome horror and fashioned it with elaborate musical numbers and the result was a niche slasher-musical simply known as “Splatter Disco.” We like this film. Actually, we love this film. Not because we enjoy watching and reviewing Richard Griffin films (see “Flesh for the Inferno,” “The Sins of Dracula,” “The Disco Exorcist,” “Frankenstein’s Hungry Dead,” “Future Justice”) and enjoy seeing where his toddler career began, but because “Splatter Disco” embodies the unlikely mixture of oil and water genres, doesn’t take itself seriously, and was whole-heartedly invested in by some of the biggest names in cult cinema as well as some talented actors and actresses you’ve may have never heard of before, but should certainly know.
Ken Foree, Lynn Lowry, and Debbie Rochon. Three big, well-known names that add their own delectable charm into the mix and, also, three big names who have developed a dynamic, who know each other’s styles, and who can still churn new material on the fly like it’s no big deal. Tack on Trent Haaga (“The Ghouls”) and the then new and Richard Griffin regular from that point on, Sarah Nicklin, who both have the favorably b-movie glow and “Splatter Disco” goes to a whole new level. One of the best performances goes to Jason McCormick as Echo, a DJ Qualls lookalike, with a timely comedic toss that provides a unique schtick to keep the character rememberable and McCormick nails the character right on the flat head. Overall, there were no slacking performances; every actor was chin deep getting into their respective roles with the various fetishes, cloak and dagger shades, and violent intentions. Rounding out the cast is Carlos Brum (“Beyond the Dunwich Horror”), William DeCoff (“The Haunting of Alice D”), Robin L. Watkins (“Poultrygeist”), and Brian L. Mullen III (“Pretty Dead Things”).
If you never experienced a Richard Griffin feature, you’ll pleasantly find out very quickly the director goes all out and the Providence, Rhode Island born director has a great 1970’s-1980’s homage style side dished with lots of vibrant colors and the abundance of suspending smoke and you’ll see why we cater to much of his work. The script’s dialogue, co-written by Griffin and producer Ted Marr, also excellently defines and solidifies the quick wit and whimsical nature of the comedy-horror and to make no mistake, this comedy-musical-horror has no shame with perversions, has well edited bloody special effects, and is ultimately a blast of lively cult cinema! “Splatter Disco” is a self-proclaimed first slasher musical of it’s kind; honestly, I couldn’t think of a prior film of it’s kind, but “Splatter Disco” has hit and catchy imitative tunes provided by Tony Milano and performed by Daniel Hildreth that go hand-and-hand with the humbling dance choreography.
MVDVisual, POP Cinema, and Shock-O-Rama re-releases “Splatter Disco” onto a not rated DVD home video with a 16:9 widescreen presentation. Regrettably, I’m sorely disappointed in the video quality that fully suffers from the distorting and blotchy compression artifacts that make night scenes fuzzy and flimsy in defintion. The lossy 2.0 stereo track is par for the course, even with musical pieces and soundtrack overlay, but does provide a little restitution for the image loss. Bonus features are aplenty that include a commentary with director Richard Griffin and star Lynn Lowry, a behind-the-scenes documentary, alternate scenes, and a Shock-O-Rama trailer vault. “Splatter Disco” is an entertaining 87 minute Richard Griffin slasher capsule classic full of degenerate song and dance!
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Syfy’s “Z Nation” S1Ep8 ‘Zunami’
Murphy has put himself the blurred line category when speaking of heros for “Z Nation.” Episode eight, ‘Zunami,’ pits our heros against a migrated cloud of fleshing eating zombies that will rip through the midwest like a shredder. A dehydrated and weary group of survivors must rely on Murphy’s anti-zombie blood to aid them in their con of hiding from the human-feasters.
This episode is really all about the Murphy character and his choices. He crosses the line in actually wanting to stick with the group, but at the same time makes a drastic decision to exhaust the life of two survivors to spare his own group. Now not only is Murphy slowly and painfully transforming physically and mentally into a Z, he’s crossed that imaginary line of morals and ethics by taking a life indirectly.
Citizen Z finally received a lot of air time. I was wondering when isolation would get the best of our scrawny NSA agent. Isolation and a compound load of harmful, delusion inducing carbon-monoxide gases. The outcome was obvious, but there whole invent of the imaginary astronaut for ISS sparked something in Citizen Z and at the same depressed him a bit as well. His “astronaut friend’s” realization was a bit bittersweet.
This episode paid their dues to Murphy and Citizen Z characters. I’m still waiting on more exquisite and gory zombie death scenes. We haven’t seen much since ‘Philly Feast.’ Yea, you get the occasional headshot, but that’s getting old real quick. In fact, this episode lacked many deaths I think only one or two if I recall. I hope that this will deter any viewers and I also hope that this isn’t a decline from a very spectacular start of episodes for “Z Nation”
Syfy’s “Z Nation” S1Ep7 ‘Welcome to the FU-Bar’
After the crushing death of Charlie, the band of survivors continue their noble trek to the west coast, but first they must go through the middle of nowhere Kansas. Low on supplies and nearly dead vehicle, their only shelter option is an open field compound that houses a moonshine bar, a weapon’s depot truck, and a sharpshooting contest where the grand prize is for the best zombie kill. Little do they know, a tsunami of zombies, aka Zunami, is heading their way creating a dust cloud that can be seen from space.
Episode seven is not my favorite episode by far as some of the hilarity charm has omitted from ‘Welcome to the FU-Bar.” Instead, we’re drawn in by Warren’s woes over the loss of her man squeeze Charlie and there is a whole coming to terms with the situation scene which was done decently enough to warrant a mention. Other worth mention parts is Murphy is one again, with every episode, showing scenes of becoming a zombie by this time taking a bite out of someone’s shoulder. However, his bite has some fortunate consequences.
10k finds a love interest, but I swear he finds one every episode and I believe this is a purposful cock block because the boy was born post-apocalypse. 10K doesn’t even know what porn is which Doc describes it as ‘great’ and that isn’t really helpful to a boy with raging hormones. 10K sparks a love interest with another skilled sharpshooter who is half Asian (how exotic), but as soon as he makes a connection with her, the scene is chaos with a zombie outbreak in the middle of camp and their paths divide. I have a feeling we will see her again real soon.
10K’s sexy honey
Not the bet episode, but not a dull hunk of shit either. Still some decent kill scenes by Warren and 10K who were really the main focus with Murphy’s troubles lurking in the background. We’re heading out of Kansas being trailed by a juggernaut of Zs whom the group is to encounter next episode and being trapped in a small town and only Murphy to be their salvation. Should be a real kick in the nuts.
Syfy’s “Z-Nation” S1 Ep1 ‘Puppies and Kittens’
With “The Walking Dead’s” season 5 right around the corner come in October, this review of Syfy’s first episode “Z-Nation” seems fitting as we head into the best month of the year, but Z-Nation isn’t just a Walking Dead imitating hack even if the intentions might have been meant as so.
The first episode entitled innocently enough as “Puppies and Kittens” starts as engaging enough with zombies ripping the U.S. nation apart limb by limb and we’re already in year two with the preface setting up the series’ main plot. After the main credits roll, year three begins our travels. The country is overrun, the plague is vast, and the zombies are fast – two good pieces of evidence that separate Z-Nation from The Walking Dead, no slow moments of build up and no slow moving dead heads.
Something else that Z-Nation possess that doesn’t make it feel like AMC’s cash cow is the ridiculous scenarios the survivors put themselves in and how they react to those life and death choices. I’m talking about trying to eliminate a zombie baby because one of the character’s bleeding heart for children couldn’t be handled. Do these situations of inane instances ruin Z-Nation before even getting started?
In short, no. Reason? Z-Nation is the baby of The Asylum, a low budget film studio that thrives on the coattails of hit horror and sci-fi features creating “Mockbusters” and able to get away with it. Some recent hits from The Asylum have been “Android Cop” (“RoboCop”), “Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies” (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”), and “Transmorphers: Fall of Man” (“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”). Get it?
In my humble opinion, I know Z-Nation will be successful hit for the Syfy channel who as of late have produced some really good shows like Helix and whom have a made for TV adapted series of 12 Monkeys just around the bend. Z-Nation went viral on the internet with 300,000 piracy visits just after it’s premier release on Friday. Piracy shouldn’t afflict Z-Nation into cannibalizing itself because, hey, The Asylum lives and breaths of recreating blockbuster films into low-budgeted, Danny DeVito twin-like copies that do just as well on TV as they do on the internet. Go figure.
The series stars Thomas Everett Scott, DJ Qualls, Pisay Pao, Anatasia Baranova, and Michael Welch. Catch it on Syfy on Friday nights.
Promo Trailer for Syfy’s Z-Nation!
Trying to locate the good in a Syfy television series was a difficult thing for me. I was never one for any of the “Stargate” series or it’s never-ending spinoffs (except the movie), “Farscape” just didn’t fascinate me, and “Being Human” just didn’t feel human enough with the characters or the story. It’s not as if I’m not into science fiction (I’m certainly a Star Trek geek and a Star Wars fan), but these series just didn’t get me going.
Then “Helix” came along…
Boy, oh boy, did I love “Helix”. With a feel that fits right into Syfy’s arsenal of shows, Helix had spawned something more unique with a show about being isolated in a Tundra and having a similar “Resident Evil” feel to the show that involved a mutating virus and a giant evil corporation.
On the horizon in September, a new show will debut for Syfy’s horror lineup. “Z-Nation” shows it’s razor sharp teeth in a new promo that was released today. “Z-Nation” is about an infested America three years after the shit hit the fan with a virus that spread throughout the country. A group of rag-tag individuals travel from New York to California with the only known survivor of a zombie bite in hopes to reach a blood lab that could contain the survivor’s antibodies and create a cure to the virus outbreak.
After a view of the promo, I’m reminiscing about Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake as the trailer has running, mean footed zombies looking for nothing less than a full meal of meat and blood. Not too forget the formidable chaos that ensues shortly after outbreak! I have a good feeling about the cast too with Tom Everett Scott (“An American Werewolf in Paris”), Harold Parrineau (“28 Weeks Later”), DJ Qualls (“Cherry Falls”), and Anastasia Baranova.
It's Bloggin Evil! 