It's good to have director Jeff Lieberman back doing horror movies again. It's been a long time since "Just Before Dawn", and I for one am glad he's returned with this little gem of a horror movie that would certainly make the perfect halloween movie alongside such fan favourites as "Pumpkinhead" and the "Halloween" series.
The story has nine year old Douglas Wooly (played by the credible and not too annoying Alexander Bickel) obsessed with the video game "Satan's Little Helper". He plays it constantly and takes to dressing up as the title character of the game, much to his mothers chagrin. Thrown into the mix is Douglas' sister Jenna (played by the talented Katheryn Winnick, who recently lit up "Hellraiser: Hellworld") who is returning home for the halloween season. Unknown to Douglas, Jenna has bought home her new boyfriend which instantly annoys our pint-sized hero, and he takes to the streets in a fit of rage. Here the story changes from small town family bickering to full-blown horror, as Douglas meets the villain of the piece. A serial killer dressed in "devil" garb who is systematically killing everyone in sight. Douglas mistakenly believes that this killer is playing a game and asks if he can join him as "satan's little helper".
From here on in, the story balances dark violence and humour with a mean streak a mile wide. Its a difficult thing to do, but director Lieberman manages to pull it off. Sure, the movie looks a little cheap and the camera work could have been a little better, but the general feel of the movie and the dark concept keep the minor niggles at bay.
Everyone in the cast does a sterling job and the movie is well directed for what is essentially a direct-to-video production. Lieberman handles the scares well and manages to conjure up a few genuine ghoulish moments (check out when the villain writes `BOO' on the wall) that linger long after the film has ended. All-in-all, a minor gem that will get even the most jaded of horror buffs back in the saddle.
The DVD's presentation is a pretty standard affair. As the film seems to have been shot using the worst video camera in the world, the presentation is muddly and sometimes blurred. Lieberman's film could have done with a little more atmosphere and polish, and would have greatly benefitted from a little more money on the production side. This stops a cool and macabre concept nearly going to waste, but the style and direction help keep the whole movie on track. Worth checking out.
Not as good as it gets, but.....
Forgive me if I get my quotes wrong, but I think it was Rob Zombie that said something to the effect of, "There's more heart in 5 minutes of Plan 9 From Outer Space than there is in all these bigg budget hollywood blockbuster pseudo-horror movies." Or something like that. This isn't Plan 9.....not much is. But Satan's Little Helper's strength is in it's heart. What the film lacks in technical worth, it makes up for in sheer glee. Jeff Lieberman's love for the genre is so evident, that the inane dialogue and the lack of character development is forgiven. I like this movie for the same reason I liked House of 1000 Corpses. It's made by someone who you can tell is having the time of his life, doing what he wants to do. So, in the typical, overblown excuse for effects that is hollywood, sense, no, this is not a good movie. But in terms of a horror fan making movies for horror fans, Satan's Little Helper is heads and tails over a piece of garbage such as VanHelsing. And for the record, I really think some parts of this film are creepy. The first part of the film takes place on Halloween day, and I've always thought that things that happen during the day are a lot scarier and more subversive than things that happen in the dark. Anyone can make the dark scary.....
Hitler Hailing,Panty Sniffing,serial killier dressed in a Satan suit....
The 2 stars is because the actying was good for a b-movie.In a way I guess.
Do not take these 4 and 5 star reviews seriousley, as this is no way a 4 or 5 star movie. And take the reviews if you like to rent this because its available everywhre, do not waste 25$ until you see it first.
This movie been summed up already so i wont bother, but it lacks in every department.
The humor is not there as these people are saying, pretty lame and didnt know this was even suppose to be funny, but I do now. The killings you dont see any part of just the blood and there is like 2 or 3 gory parts.The acting is not bad atll just ok basically like a high grade b-movie acting, which at times is very corny and stupid.
Also you get no attachment to any of the actors in this as it is an emotionless film, the actors and actress show no emotion of being scared or nervous which makes this movie even more the worse because it is hard to get into, and the couple parts at the end when they try to be serious its just not working at all.This film brings nothing that will make you get into what you are watching, very unemotional in all ways as a viwer ex. you wont laugh , you wont cry , you wont be scared, you wont be nervous, you wont be grossed out, you wont care who lives or dies etc....
Towards the end Lieberman ( Director and Writter ) tries to bring this film to somewhat of a dramatic closing/ending and with doing so all he does is make you laugh cause nothing seems to fit in as the end is also very predictable when things happen, just makes no sense, he leaves 2 different paces to this movie, or atleast tries to.
im not going to go on and on but RENT 1ST and never buy cause this is a straight rip off and joke of a horror film, if thats even what it is. One of the more horrible movies I have ever seen not the worst but if it wasnt for the ok acting it would have been alot worse of a movie, take my word if you choose.
Bolstered by the success of 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, the Resident Evil movies and the hit remake of his own Dawn of the Dead, George A. Romero returns to the horror subgenre he invented with Land of the Dead. The fourth installment in Romero's zombie cycle (and the first since 1985's Day of the Dead) presents a logical progression of events since 1968's horror classic Night of the Living Dead: Zombies (also known as "stenches" for their rotting odor) are the dominant population, and they've begun to show signs of undead intelligence and gathering power. The wealthiest survivors live comfortably in a luxury high-rise within a barricaded safe zone, ignoring the horrors of the outside world while armed scavengers stage raids in the... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Simon Baker - John Leguizamo - Asia Argento Director(s): George A. Romero DVD Release Date: Released the 18 October 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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"Just Before Dawn" falls into the same type of horror movie as "American Gothic," "Motel Hell," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Wrong Turn," and "Deliverance" only it is more like the typical unoriginal slasher flick than the four above mentioned movies are. However, what makes this movie worth watching is the eerie atmosphere permeating throughout it and the lonely isolation of the dark mountains and forests and man's (and woman's) vulnerability against the primitive forces of nature as represented in the inbred redneck psychopathic brothers that spend the entire movie stalking and hunting a group of young adults spending a few nights camping in the wilderness. The only reason I gave this movie three stars instead of four is because the story was one I had seen a million times before and the... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Jeff Lieberman DVD Release Date: Released the 26 July 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Tobe Hooper's "Toolbox Murders" is one of those horror films where it becomes a running battle to see if the good parts are going to outweigh the bad by the time we get to the final credits. Since at the end of this 2004 film I was remembering the good parts rather more than the bad parts, I end up rounding up on this film. Ironically the last time I saw a horror film that managed to creep me out as much it was the recent remake of Hooper's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." The good parts in this more are visual rather than narrative (to be specific, the nail gun victim is the one that keeps sticking out in my mind), which is why I think the director gets the credit for making this B-movie worth watching late at night in the dark. But while I think the hits outweigh the misses here, I... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Tobe Hooper DVD Release Date: Released the 15 March 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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"The Blind Dead Collection" brings together writer-director Amando de Ossorio's four-part horror masterpiece about the undead Templar Knights, skeletal corpses of corrupt Crusaders who worship Satan (or worse) dressed up in armor, who emerge from their tombs and walk very slowly after their victims. Atmosphere is the key to Ossorio's films and one of the interesting things about these films is that the rules of the game for the Blind Dead seem to change with each one, but that is just part of the fun.
"Tombs of the Blind Dead" ("La Noche del terror ciego") begins 500 years ago when the Templars were sacrificing virgins and drinking their blood. Eventually the locals attacked the Templars, burning out the eyes of the knights before burning them at the stake. Ever since then... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 27 September 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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