Out of FrightFest last year, our own Dax Ebaben gave a resounding approval of the latest horror thriller by director Jon Knautz and stated it’s, “a spellbinding glimpse into the mind of a deeply disturbed young woman,” and, “Knautz and Kendra have created a film that is truly twisted on every level.” That film, The Cleaning Lady, is now available on VOD platforms, Digital HD, and DVD (Amazon).
The Cleaning Lady stars Alexis Kendra, who co-wrote the script with Knautz, as Alice, a woman who seems to have it all: a gorgeous apartment, a thriving career, a stunning physique, and a handsome boyfriend. The problem, though, is that her boyfriend happens to be married to someone else. As a means to distract herself from her messy love life, she hires Shelly (Rachel Alig) to clean her apartment. As Alice soon finds herself opening up to the badly scarred Shelly about her life and affair, their friendship grows. As does Shelly’s increasingly twisted obsession with her new employer. It soon becomes clear that Shelly has motives that reach beyond her job responsibilities. Shelly wants to scrub clean Alice’s entire life and will stop at nothing until she’s done.
While Knautz takes on the psychological thriller in The Cleaning Lady, his catalog of films shows a broad range of horror. From light-hearted monster movie to claustrophobic slasher to paranormal twists to thriller, Knautz’ films dabble in all subgenres of horror. With The Cleaning Lady out now, we look back at the diverse horror films of Jon Knautz.
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
This horror comedy feature debut by Knautz left a lasting impression that still has fans clamoring for a sequel. Ever since Jack Brooks (Trevor Matthews) witnessed his family being murdered by a monster on a camping trip, he’s had a bit of a short temper. That temper has caused many a psychiatrist and therapist to flee in fear, but it proves to be his biggest asset when Professor Crowley (Robert Englund) devours a body part he unearthed and gets turned into a monster. Brooks is a reluctant hero, but his anger issues prove to be just the thing to save the night class from the hungry creature. Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer doesn’t take itself seriously; it’s just a really fun ode to splattery VHS creature features from the ‘80s. Matthews makes for a fantastic protagonist, but Englund threatens to steal the show at every turn. In other words, Knautz made an entertaining first impression in horror.
Girl House
Knautz co-directed this slasher with Jack Brooks’ star Trevor Matthews. A throwback to classic slashers, like Halloween, but with a modern setting, Girl House follows college coed Kylie Atkins (Ali Cobrin). Kylie is desperate for money to pay her way through college following the death of her father. So, it doesn’t take much convincing to sign on with entrepreneur Gary Preston to join his online pornography venture Girl House, a sprawling estate rigged with cameras that allow customers to pay to tune in to watch the inhabiting ladies striptease or perform sexual acts. Kylie attracts the attention of a user by the name Loverboy, someone who’s not quite stable and eventually decides to enter the Girl House and slaughter everyone. Loverboy’s mask is pretty creepy. For those that miss traditional slashers, this is for you.
Goddess of Love
Knautz co-wrote this film with Alexis Kendra, who also stars as Venus, an exotic dancer who breaks her number one rule and falls for a customer. But that customer, Brian, isn’t quite over his wife’s suicide and decides to break things off. Venus doesn’t handle it well at all; her fragile mental state snaps and she turns full Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction. Kendra shines as the unhinged woman scorned. She’s utterly terrifying. It’s also Knautz’ most technically proficient film yet. The first thriller that brought Knautz and Kendra together, this is the film to watch ahead of The Cleaning Lady if you’d like a clearer taste of what’s to come.
The Shrine
Knautz’ sophomore feature happens to be my personal favorite. A genuinely spooky tale that follows a rogue journalist who travels to the remote Polish village of Alvania to investigate the disappearance of tourists, against the strict orders of her editor. She’s accompanied by her assistant and her reluctant boyfriend. When they discover a mysterious phenomenon in the nearby woods, a contained dense fog surrounding an ominous statue, the cautious villagers turn downright hostile. And homicidal. The ritualistic nature of the villagers’ means of handling particularly nosy tourists is brutal, but it’s a clever misdirection for the film’s true evil. If you haven’t seen this one yet, I won’t spoil the reveal, but suffice it to say that The Shrine takes a familiar subgenre of horror and breathes new life into it with a refreshing take by Knautz. Also? There are fantastic scares throughout.
RLJE Films’ The Cleaning Lady is now available On Demand, Digital HD and DVD (Amazon).