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Punks, Demons and Nazi Puppets Steal the Show at the 2018 Portland Horror Film Festival

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About a month ago the Portland Horror Film Festival returned to Portland’s historic Hollywood Theatre for their biggest festival yet. The festival is the brainchild of festival directors Gwen & Brian Callahan and first launched back in 2016 with a two-day midweek run at Hollywood. This year, the festival’s third, and the event was expanded to 4 days, including a primetime Friday evening slot.

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the festival all three years and get a first look at the growth. While I was only able to attend a day and a half from the 2018 edition it was abundantly clear that Gwen & Brian have created a new Portland staple that is sure to stick around for a while. This year’s festivities included 5 feature films, one of which was making its world premiere, 42 shorts and a murderer’s row of guests that headlined by Barbara Crampton and Chris Walas. Despite only getting to experience a fraction of the fun this year, I did encounter a number of worthwhile highlights.


Short Films with Demons and Metal Girls

My one full night at the festival included a block of 7 short films. In all my year’s of attending film festivals the short blocks have always been my favorite segment. This is where you catch all the gems and if you happen upon something you don’t like you know it won’t be long before you move onto something else. The 7 short films I saw this year were mostly awesome, with only one leaving me wanting more.

Mikey’s Night In — Dir. Zai Gallardo — USA

 

The first short on the playlist was a quick bumper called Mikey’s Night In about a lonely man that decides to stay home one night and for the first time ever indulge in some horror films. The problem is that his brain cannot differentiate between his imagination and reality. This isn’t too shocking. If someone spends their entire life cut of from the joys and wonders of horror and then just tries to dive in head first they’re very likely to experience a shock to the system. This was a fun entry that really illustrates what I love about PHFF — in addition to the film entries they accept, they put out a call for filmmakers to create these bumpers to serve as a transition throughout the night. This one worked perfectly.

Childer — Dir. Aislinn Clarke — Ireland

Childer is the story of a young mother that is very withdrawn from the rest of the world and is a bit OCD when it comes to cleanliness. She has a young boy, that I would venture is about 7 or so, and she doesn’t really allow him to live as a child. He can play outside, but he has to stay in the front yard right next to the door and he can’t get dirty. And under no circumstances may he play with any other kids. Some feral kids from the neighborhood starting showing up outside and eventually push the mother over the edge.

Childer is a great concept that has great moments but doesn’t all come together. It takes place during Halloween in Ireland and you get some really fantastic creepy costumes and the ending is a bit of a shocker but the build up is quite confusing. The whole time it felt like I was missing something so I figured that maybe this was based off an Irish folktale? I did some research and was only able to find that the word “childer” is an older way of saying “children,” but unfortunately that doesn’t really help with anything. Ultimately this ends up running a bit long and feels boring at times and that’s never good for a short. Still, the creepy masks are cool.

We Summoned a Demon — Dir. Chris McInroy — USA

We Summoned a Demon is exactly as the title suggests. A couple of nerdy dudes in an attempt to be cool end up summoning a demon and hilarity and blood ensues. This is straight and to the point, just as all shorts should be. And hands down, We Summoned a Demon was the best thing I saw at PHFF this past year. It’s funny, it’s bloody (pretty snazzy practical effects) and it’s fantastic. It even has its own theme song, just like horror movies used to have back in the day.

I wish I could tell you more about this one, but there isn’t much more to say. Two dudes summon a demon and it’s funny. One thing worth mention is that Chris McInroy is the same guy that directed Death Metal, episode 172 from World of Death. If you loved Death Metal, you’ll love this.

What Metal Girls Are Into — Dir. Laurel Vail — USA

Three women head to a 3-day metal festival out in the desert and stay at an Air BnB. Unfortunately the metal fun is interrupted when the ladies discover something disturbing in the freezer of their rental. Is the owner a serial killer? Probably.

What Metal Girls Are Into is fantastic because it uses horror, metal and humor to give us three kick-ass women that won’t stand for white male entitlement. There’s also some great discussions about metal. The three leads are very much into bands like Cattle Decapitation and Trivium and on one of the nights they bring home three guys from the festival, one of which is wearing a Slipknot shirt. When I saw this I thought it was odd because it didn’t seem like these type of metal heads would like Slipknot. Well, the next morning one of the girls was embarrassed to have made out with a guy in a Slipknot shirt. Well done, well done.

Cryptina’s Spook-Time Variety Show — Dir. Ryan Rigley — USA

Cryptina’s Spook-Time Variety Show is sort of like a short block within a block of shorts. It’s an anthology which I’ve never seen done in short format before. Cryptina is a horror host of what appears to be a no-budget access cable program that shows equally low budget horror movies with Cyrptina chiming in with witty remarks here and there.

I love horror hosts and as such I really enjoyed Cryptina. The best film within the film was a spoof of Twilight where the vampire is Nosferatu.

Judas — Dir. Joel Caetano — Brazil

Judas takes place on Holy Saturday as people celebrate Easter with the ritual of burning the Judas doll. At least that’s what appears on the surface of this film. When you dig beneath there’s a much darker layer about child abuse. At least that was my take away. Judas is one of those entries you’re glad is a short. And not because it’s bad, it’s a beautiful looking film that is well acted, but the subject is quite heavy and very effective in this format. The film is able to come in and hit you hard and fast.

Dead Cool — Dir. Simon Ross — UK

Maurice, a strange loner hosts a dinner party with a group of friends. The party seems to be going pretty well when the cops make an unexpected visit to his home. As it turns out, this fun loving dinner party isn’t exactly as it seems.

Dead Cool is a darkly humorous look at someone that is clearly mentally unstable. It’s a character study and one that is done quite well with lead actor Rob Whitcomb giving a fantastic performance. The ending is a jaw dropper. Even as someone that has watched a lot of insane horror over the years, this was an ending that caught me off guard. Not something you expect to see on a movie screen.


Features Full of Punks and Nazi Puppets

Five feature films played at the 2018 Portland Horror Film Festival. Unfortunately, I was only able to see two of the films. Fortunately, I rather enjoyed both of them. Both films have previously reviewed here on Bloody Disgusting, so I won’t give you a full-on review but I definitely want to share my thoughts.

The Ranger — Dir. Jenn Wexler — USA

Jenn Wexler’s debut feature film is a “scrappy indie slasher throwback.” A group of punks on the run after a violent encounter with cops at a punk show head out to the woods to hide out a cabin belonging to one of their uncles. While on their journey they encounter a park ranger that doesn’t really care much punks.

The Ranger is fairly predictable and you basically know where it’s going from the jump. And the cast of characters all start of charming but become a bit overbearing as the film goes on, save for the lead played by Chloe Levine. Levine is brilliant and easily steals the show. She’s a star on the rise that is going to be around for a while. Despite the film’s flaws, The Ranger is loads of fun. It has a nice punk attitude and the final act of the film is a riot. As is the case with Levine, it’s very clear that Wexler is a name to keep an eye on. Can’t wait to see what she does next.

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich — Dir. Sonny Laguna & Tommy Wiklund — USA

The number one reason I was looking forward to seeing at this year’s Portland Horror Film Festival was Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich and I must say it did not disappoint. This remake/reboot (not sure what we are calling it) of the Puppet Master franchise has taken the series to new heights. Andre Toulon (Udo Kier) is now a Nazi and his group of puppets are tiny Nazis out to do his bidding. The film takes place 30 years after the anniversary of what is known as the Toulon murders. Edgar (Thomas Lennon), a recently divorced comic book nerd moves back in with his parents and finds an old Blade doll belonging to his deceased brother. Realizing the doll belonged to Toulon he decides to head a to a convention celebrating the anniversary and at that point, all hell breaks loose.

There a lot of things I don’t love about The Littlest Reich. The script has some issues that make it feel like this was a first draft. Certain things happen that don’t make a lot of sense and probably could have been smoothed out a bit to make it all a little more clear. There are also some moments of humor that don’t work too well for me. And it’s a really big downer of a movie, which is a bit surprising for what you expect to be a silly exploitation film about murderous puppets.

You can forget about all those problems though because they don’t matter. The Littlest Reich is bonkers and so much fun. It’s bloody as hell and the cast is so damn good. Thomas Lennon is gold. Please let this be the first of a series of Puppet Master films starring him because that’s what we need and we need it bad. The film is also fleshed out a with some great supporting roles — Barbra Crampton, Nelson Franklin and Charlyne Yi all kill it. I would say as soon as you can see The Littlest Reich, do it.

Chris Coffel is originally from Phoenix, AZ and now resides in Portland, OR. He once scored 26 goals in a game of FIFA. He likes the Phoenix Suns, Paul Simon and 'The 'Burbs.' Oh and cats. He also likes cats.

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

LEPRECHAUN

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

LEPRECHAUN RETURNS sequel

Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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