Rob Zombie’s Tyrannosaurus Rex
[BD Review] Brad Finds ‘Lords Of Salem’ To Be A Chore, Mike Loves The Style
Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem is finally out (in limited theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) and it’s sort of a polarizing movie. Some people love it, others hate it. I kinda liked it for the strong visuals, but felt that the story was pretty spotty. But Brad and Mike have actual reviews posted – so read those!
Per Brad, “It would be easy to give Lords a pass. It has genuinely creepy imagery, cool scares, super crazy sound design, and even more mind blowing set designs. But there will be no pass, mainly because of the awkwardly unfulfilling ending and the fact that much of the “cool” doesn’t interact with the characters or plot.”
Per Mike, “For 100 minutes, I was taken away to another place and the usual insistence in basic storytelling and character eluded me. In this case, the style is the substance.”
Who will YOU agree with? Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. As always, write in with YOUR review here!
The Lords of Salem
From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?
LA Readers! Here Are Your ‘Lords Of Salem’ Special Screenings!
I’d recommend seeing Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem in a theater. The parts of the film that work best for me are filled with striking imagery and I myself am considering seeing it again in order to get the big screen experience (I couldn’t make a screening and had to watch a screener). And if you live in Los Angeles you have a few options to choose from if you want to see it early or want a Rob Zombie Q&A (or both).
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?” The film stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Geeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice.
The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films. Head inside for the lowdown on who will be at what theater and when if you’re in LA. READ MORE
New Clip From ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Teases Key Moment In The Film
This is one of the key moments from Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, and it’s sort of something I’d recommend waiting to see in the complete movie. But if you want it, the clip (via Rolling Stone) is here. The film stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Geeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Head inside if you can’t wait a few more days! READ MORE
Oh Nothing! Just Taking My Goat For A Walk In This New Clip From ‘The Lords of Salem’!
And now we have yet another clip from Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem. If nothing else, this film has some truly great imagery and this clip is no exception. This is how I spend my weekends. The film Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Geeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Head inside to check it out! READ MORE
New Clip For ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Creeps Up Behind You
Following last week’s new still from Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, we get the clip that image was taken from! Maybe it wasn’t Bigfoot after all! The film Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Head inside to check it out! READ MORE
New Still For ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Has A Bigfoot
Rob Zombie has issued a new religious looking still with a Bigfoot type creature for The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Head inside for a better look. READ MORE
Three Variant ‘The Lords of Salem’ One-Sheets Get Colorful; All Clips From Rob Zombie’s Latest!
We’ve now landed 3 variant colored one-sheets, and all the clips for Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s my review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films. READ MORE
Massive Image Gallery and UK Quad For Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’
In UK cinemas April 26 from Momentum Pictures is Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice. Check out our new image gallery, along with a pretty friggin’ cool quad poster.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s my review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films. READ MORE
Take A Shining To This New ‘Lords Of Salem’ Clip
If nothing else, I’m sure this movie will look fantastic since every piece of footage I’ve seen has been incredibly visually appealing. AICN has a new clip from Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice. And this new glimpse is more than a little Kubrickian.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Head inside for the clip! READ MORE
More Wicked Imagery From Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’
We’ve landed two new images from Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice. One features star Meg Foster as the witch, while the other has Foster alongside Sid Haig and Michael Berryman, two who have unfortunately been cut from the final version of the film.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Check out tons of images here. READ MORE
A Second Clip From ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Gets Coughed Up!
A second clip (via EW) has been released from Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice. This is actually a more substantial clip than last time, with a good look at – well whatever those things are. Still, I have to say, I’m not yet sold. Thanks to reader DownNola1995 for the heads up!
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s Brad’s review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s more positive take. The Lords Of Salem is in limited theaters (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit) April 19 from Anchor Bay Films.
Check out tons of images here. Click on the image below for the clip! READ MORE
[Trailer Tracks] Dissecting the ‘Lords of Salem’ Trailer!!
Movie commercials offer us a great service; they not only show us which upcoming movies look good, but also which ones to avoid. And if one looks closely, they often reveal more than intended about the film in question. In honor of this profound art, I give you TRAILER TRACKS, an examination of upcoming movie commercials: What they say, what they don’t say, and what they say on accident about the product being sold to you, the excited chump.
Today’s Entry:
The Lords of Salem (Dir. Rob Zombie)
Hi-Res Poster, Cities Announced For Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’
We’ve now landed a hi-res look at the official poster for Rob Zombie’s latest foray into horror, The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice. In limited theaters April 19 from Anchor Bay Films, we also have the first cities to be announced: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, with more to be announced.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
Here’s my review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s opposing thoughts. READ MORE
Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’ Trailer, Poster Premiere!!
In limited theaters April 19 from Anchor Bay Films is Rob Zombie’s latest foray into horror, The Lords of Salem, which stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davidson, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Gleeson, Meg Foster and Griffin Boice. Anchor Bay today released the film’s official trailer, as well at the one-sheet. Here’s my review out of TIFF, as well as Mike’s opposing thoughts. We’ve also added a handful of pretty great screengrabs from the colorful trailer.
“From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The Lords of Salem tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a “gift from the Lords.” Heidi listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the “Lords of Salem” returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?”
What do you guys think of the trailer and poster? READ MORE
Here’s Another ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Poster to Give You The Blues
Anchor Bay Films will be releasing Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem on April 26th, 2013. We’ve now received a new teaser one-sheet that’ll give you the blues (again). “We’ve been waiting…we’ve always been waiting,” it states. A new trailer is coming this week.
In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”
Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love).
Check out Brad’s review of the film along with Mike’s alternate opinion here. Head inside for the pics! READ MORE
New Images From ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Bow Down To You
Anchor Bay Films will be releasing Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem on April 26th, 2013. And now we’re starting to see more and more from the film as the months until its release wind down. We’ve got four new images today, courtesy of Zombie’s Facebook page. Two of them are stills which feature cleaner looks of Sid Haig and Michael Berryman doing their hobo wiccan thing. And then we’ve got a behind-the-scenes look at Mr. Zombie onset as well as a snapshot of Sheri Moon Zombie and Bill Moseley chilling in between takes.
In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”
Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love).
Check out Brad’s review of the film along with Mike’s alternate opinion here. Head inside for the pics! READ MORE
New Behind The Scenes Image Shows A Zombie On ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Set!
Anchor Bay Films will be releasing Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem on April 26th, 2013. If you can’t wait that long, don’t worry. Images and footage will be eking out in steady microdoses until you can actually see the thing. In the meantime – here’s Sid Haig with long hair, a shadow-ensconced Michael Berryman and a robotic looking contraption.
In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”
Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love).
Check out Brad’s review of the film along with Mike’s alternate opinion here. Head inside for the image! READ MORE
Exclusive
[TIFF '12 Interview] ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Stars Sheri Moon Zombie & Jeff Daniel Phillips
Whether it’s cast or crew, Writer/Director Rob Zombie loves to stick to a core group. Like Quentin Tarantino, he enjoys casting some long forgotten talent from the genre titles he grew up on and admired. Zombie cleverly goes against our expectations and previous experiences with a certain actor and uses him or her in a refreshingly unexpected way. His wife and muse, Sheri Moon Zombie is the one constant in every picture he has made. Her involvement in his work has always caused a stir among genre fans. This doesn’t seem to faze Zombie a bit since Sheri is lead in his latest, The Lords of Salem.
She plays local DJ Heidi Hawthorne. Along with her co-hosts Herman Whitey Salvador (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and Herman Jackson (Ken Foree), they play a mysterious vinyl on air by a band called The Lords which will soon put the town and its inhabitants on a collision course with its disturbing past.
At TIFF ’12, I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the film with actors Sheri and Jeff. READ MORE
[TIFF '12] Anchor Bay Acquires Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’
After much speculation and a heated bidding war, Anchor Bay Films emerged as the new home for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem. Under the agreement, Anchor Bay will handle all U.S. distribution rights on the film. Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love). The film premiered last week at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and received rave reviews from mainstream and genre critics alike.
“I have always been a fan of the care and respect Anchor Bay has put into their genre titles,” said Zombie. “
The Los Angeles Times dubbed The Lords of Salem “his darkest most unnerving yet,” IndieWire declared it “Rob Zombie’s best film” and Dread Central said “fans couldn’t stop talking about the film” after its premiere in Toronto.
Rock star-turned-horror maven Rob Zombie conjures up a nerve-wracking chiller involving Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ, who receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, “a gift from the Lords.” She assumes it’s from a band trying to promote themselves. Heidi and others listen but unbeknownst to them, the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?
[TIFF '12] Watch Rob Zombie Talk About ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Last Night
Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem had its world premiere at TIFF last night. And now we have two videos for you to check out. The first has Rob & Sheri talking about the film on the red carpet, and the second features an 18-minute pre-film Q&A conducted by Colin Geddes.
In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”
The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. Head inside for the interviews. READ MORE
[BD Review] ‘The Lords of Salem’ A Slow Burn Letdown With Striking Imagery
The most impressive thing about Rob Zombie is that he’s always been able to operate outside of the studio mentality on a low budget. No matter what the film, he makes what he wants to make (sans the Halloween remake). After using Halloween 2 as a way out of his Dimension deal, he’s stripped it down to the bare minimum with his 1970′s inspired The Lords of Salem (his incredibly low budget indie horror that premiered to a sold out crowd at TIFF’s Midnight Madness). Budget appeared to be little bother but, once again, Zombie pens his own screenplay. And that’s littered with problems. The Lords of Salem is definitely cool to watch, and actually pretty entertaining (at times), but let’s be honest here (Rob Zombie fans sat there with a look of shock and disappointment on their faces, displaying the most fake smile you’ve ever seen), it’s not good.
I know Zombie loves his wife and enjoys putting her on screen, but Sheri Moon Zombie cannot carry a film. Again, this shows that Zombie just does whatever he wants, which is totally cool and all, but it does hurt his product. The Lords of Salem could have just been called the Sheri Moon Zombie show. Nearly every shot is of her walking, her in bed, her playing with her dog, and her kind of-sort of naked. The problem is that it doesn’t really propel the story anywhere and makes the film progress at a snail’s pace. But the biggest issue is that, with all of the striking imagery, Rob doesn’t have Sheri react to any of it; nearly everything that happens is either a vision or off in the corner. Yes, a lot of it is extremely cool, but then some of it is shockingly bizarre (like the tiny Devil-God who looked like a cross between Station from Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and God in “South Park”).
Some of the best stuff is the flashbacks of the Salem 6 performing rituals and getting burned at the stake. The constant expectation was that these witches would be resurrected and create chaos among the women of Salem, and that would have been dope. Instead, the audience gets slapped in the back of the head (with what feels like a log) with an overly artistic, bizarre and unfulfilling performance by the “Lords of Salem.” This must have been due to one of the following: budgetary constraints, Zombie has surround himself with “yes” men, or he just didn’t give a fuck. I suspect it’s the latter, and for Lords, he didn’t even care about his viewers (I think by now he understands that his fans will like anything he does…they are the supreme “yes” men.)
It would be easy to give Lords a pass. It has genuinely creepy imagery, cool scares, super crazy sound design, and even more mind blowing set designs. But there will be no pass, mainly because of the awkwardly unfulfilling ending and the fact that much of the “cool” doesn’t interact with the characters or plot. Rob Zombie sympathizers are going to eat this up, and will spend their night analyzing the finale as if it were some revelation of brilliance. It’s not. It’s just bad. The Lords of Salem could only be recommended as background visuals while you’re jamming to old school White Zombie.
[TIFF '12] Another Poster For ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Offers An Advisory!
After being announced as part of this September’s epic Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness line-up, Bloody has been provided with the second official poster for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem, which will have its world premiere alongside 9 other fantastic sounding genre flicks. This new one-sheet is comprised of a culty looking symbol and the advisory that “The Lords Are Coming“.
In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”
As someone who kinda liked The Devil’s Rejects, I’m hoping that this film is a return to that form. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. READ MORE
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