Friday 21 December 2012
Interview: Navin Dev ((producer, writer, director)
Today we´re speaking with Navin Dev, the producer, writer and director behind Red Kingdom Rising.
J.L: What are some of your favourite films?
N.D: There’s a very wide selection of films that I’ve enjoyed and that have also inspired me to progress further as a filmmaker. It’s an eclectic range; from films such as ‘The Passion of the Christ’, Ron Fricke’s ‘Baraka’ 'Aguirre, the Wrath of God' to ‘Batman Begins’, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and 'Robocop'.
J.L: Who are some of your influences in your filmmaking?
N.D Each influence is respective of the particular project that I’m heading at the time. I’m a research nerd: I derive a great deal of influence from months of in depth research in literature, psychology, philosophy and artwork relevant to the particular project. Oddly enough, direct film influences on a particular project come towards the end of the research since I don’t like to blur the film I’m working on with others. Saying that, there are always a handful of films that always tend to influence every film I make – ‘The Passion of the Christ’ is one of them. The blending of cinematography, narrative, acting and sound in that film evokes a rare moment when a film becomes more of an experience. For my next film, a very, beautiful rare anime called 'The Belladonna of Sadness' by Eiichi Yamamoto is the main artistic influence.
J.L: I loved Red Kingdom Rising. Which films and what inspired you in the creation of Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: ‘Valerie and her Week of Wonders’ was the main crucial film influence due to the amalgamation of the fairytale motif, psychology, symbolic imagery and coherent surrealism in that film. I took that influence and merged it more towards a mainstream commercialism for ‘Red Kingdom Rising’. Above all, 'Red Kingdom Rising' arose from my personal need to narrate the story of an adult survivor of child abuse. I wanted to submerge the audience directly into the horrifying memories and fears that a survivor can always live with and to do that, I submerged them into her world of dreams - her subconscious. Lewis Carroll's insight into the occult, dreams and higher conscious mathematics made for an incredible backdrop to place those dreams within.
J.L: What kind of budget were you working with on Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was shot on a very no to low budget, under £100K.
J.L: How did you raise the funds?
N.D: The funding was entirely from my own pocket, saved over a period of almost two years. I did that not out of arrogance or vanity but I very much wanted to ensure that I learnt and developed my understanding of the value of funding for filmmaking; it’s the only practical way to learn before engaging on and respecting bigger budgets with someone else’s money!
J.L: How did the shooting go for Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: It was vastly impressive as everyone who worked on ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was doing it on a voluntary basis. A few did it purely for their showreels and credentials whilst others were very much engaged and supportive with the total evocation of the story. However to undertake a 25 days shoot across various locations on a voluntary basis is a commendable effort and the shoot went very smoothly.
J.L: How was it working on Red Kingdom Rising?
N.D: Personally, it was truly an evolutionary process yet it could be very isolating at times. You carry this visualised product throughout years of prep, production and post right up to aggressive marketing – it’s a lot to bear alone as writer, producer and director but it’s a disciplined passion. The isolation came from lack of support; the U.K film industry can be very clique and somewhat frowns upon anyone new that doesn’t have a form of previous validation within known circles, so it is difficult to have a voice. But creating ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was about creating that voice which has resulted in the film’s U.S distribution through Striped Entertainment. It’s been a long journey and, as with any film production, there were some that had utter faith in the film and others that didn’t. The real meaningful support however has now come from the reviewers and growing fans who continue to support the film.
J.L: How different is the final version from earlier drafts?
N.D: Because the main influence for ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was more of an arthouse/surreal film, the original drafts of the film were much more introspective and symbolic rather than bearing a traditional linear narrative and definitive genre. The subsequent drafts were worked on to gear towards more commercialism whilst still retaining original integrity. Overall, I was very happy to find that the final version actually bore a great deal of the visual capacities I originally intended. That was indeed surprising, particular due to the budget.
J.L: What lessons did you learn while making the film?
N.D: There were lessons I was already familiar with but with ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ I felt more of a development of them; the value of film funding, the importance of extensive pre-production, developing my Method approach with the cast, the tactfulness, diplomacy, wit and business sense of being a producer and understanding the commercial viability of a film. The joy of being a filmmaker is that these lessons are never ending.
J.L: Were there any scenes that didn’t make it to the final film?
N.D: Oddly enough there weren’t any! Shots were amalgamated due to time but no scenes were dropped or compromised. That was entirely due to the organisation I undertook during prep which was diligently upheld by my crew during production.
J.L: What advice can you give someone looking to get into the industry?
N.D: Cast your mind back to when you were a kid; you wanted a bar of chocolate, you’d stare at it in the shop window for weeks, you’d beg your parents for money, they’d say no, you’d bribe your friends, they’d say f**k off, you’d convince someone to go halves on it, they’d go and buy it themselves. What do you do? Get your ass an after school job and save laboriously until you have the money, buy the chocolate, stuff your face, share it and enjoy it. That’s the same principle when it comes to starting out as a filmmaker. Many, many filmmakers I bump into are not willing to make that sacrifice and it is indeed a sacrifice. There will be comfortable aspects of your personal life that you will have to painfully get rid off at times until you make your first film. Sitting there, making a few shorts and hoping that someone else will give you the full funding for your first feature is not likely to happen since everyone is expecting that! It is particularly bad in the U.K where the funding is virtually nonexistent yet the idea of external funding has always been bred to British filmmakers. Only ever make a film if you have story to tell, a story that hits your core as a human being and that you objectively think has significance on a broader spectrum. Filmmaking is above all a business and don’t get into it if you don’t enjoy the business development, don't understand the international market and merely want to be a thriving artist. There is nonetheless a place for art in this business yet it has to be cleverly woven within that broader spectrum.
J.L: So where do you see yourself heading?
N.D: I’ll continue creating opportunities but now with the success of ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ there is ease towards broadening the scope of the films I wish to make and collaborating on bigger budgets. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean more expensive but it does mean creating and expanding upon narratives on a cinematic level whilst remaining cleverly economical as you would on a no budget.
J.L: Are there any more films in your future?
N.D: I’m currently in preproduction on my next film, a fantasy thriller feature film based on a renowned fairytale/legend. It’s exciting; ‘Red Kingdom Rising’ was very psychologically thematic in nature whilst the next film is more spiritual, in the sense of fighting for the soul due to the film’s time period. So there will be plenty of witchcraft and elaborate fights along with the questioning of purpose and faith, the idea of being a prophet, all along with a significant twist.
I´d like to thank Navin Dev for taking the time to answering my questions.
/JL
Tuesday 18 December 2012
DVD review: The Super (2010)
George Rossi (Demetri Kallas), who immigrated to the US and served in the Vietnam war, is now a superintendent of a Queens' apartment building. He finds himself quickly slipping into a depraved world that is fueled by the tenants of the building. The Super is written and directed by Evan Makrogiannis and Brian Weaver. For the most part we get good acting, special kudos to Demetri Kallas who portrays a truly frightening and somewhat bizarre character scarred by war.. It´s very nicely shot and edited. The cinematography is great, there are some very nice scenic shots of New York City . The soundtrack is very good. The pacing is nice, it´s quite obvious that Demetri Kallas character is unstable from the get go but we get to see his descent into madness. There are a couple of really awesome scenes showcasing Demetri Kallas talent. The violence is never glamourous, it´s savage and ugly. There is gore, practical make-up fx which looks good. Some of the kills takes place off screeen while a eye gouging is very graphic. There is quite a bit of good T & A in this, including full frontal nudity, incest, rape, and even necrophilia.
This review is based upon the Red Scare edition (region 1) DVD release from Noose Hill entertainment., this edition includes exclusive footage (approx 2 minutes) directed by Andrey Iskanov. Only available in this limited release edition.
Rating: 7 out of 7. The Super has that nice and gritty 1970s vibe (similar to The Turnpike Killer (2009) which is also written and directed by the same filmmakers). I like the fact that this movie surprised me, it wasn´t what I expected instead it delivered much more. This obviously a film made by fans of the genre, for fans of the genre. Recommended!!
/JL
Tuesday 11 December 2012
Review: Out There (2012)
First i´d like to thank Randal Plunkett for providing me with a screener.
Robert (Conor Marren) wakes up deep in the woods on a beautiful summers day. Rob suffering from a head wound with no idea how he got there. He begins to walk trying to find his way out of the endless quiet countryside not seeing any one around. He finally finds an old beaten track, which he follows. He stumbles along an old farm, completely deserted, it is clear all is not well. Along his travels he gets jolts of memories of him and his girlfriend Jane (Emma Eliza Regan). Rob remembers the days leading up to his arrival in the woods and the breakdown of their relationship. Out There is written and directed by Randal Plunkett.
Honestly I´m not sure how much I should reveal about this short film as it is best to go in without knowing to much so Í´ll keep this short. Good acting, very nicely shot and edited. The soundtrack is very good. It´s something of a slow burner which is a good thing. it has a nice build up with a good unsettling amtosphere and a great finale. No gore and no T & A in this.
This review based upon a online screener provided by the director.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed this! I enjoyed this a lot! Highly recommended!
/JL
DVD review: The Housewife Slasher (2012)
When a young girl is murdered in cold blood, the investigation leads two detectives into the heart of suburban America. With time running short and the suspect list growing longer by the minute, can they uncover the killer before more victims fall prey to the Slasher? The Housewife Slasher is ... The Housewife Slasher is written by Mike Lees and is directed by Christopher Leto. The acting is quite decent, a little uneven at times but it´s okay. The camerawork and editing is good, the pacing is nice. The flick shifts between the housewives, the kills and the policework. Actually the policework gets more than its fair share of screentime, I would liked to have seen more of the housewives and I ain´t saying that just because of the attractive cast. The bodycount is unexpectedly high. There are some gore, frankly I wish that would have been a little bit gorier. A couple of kills occur off screen but two of them are surprisingly pretty brutal (especially for the mainstream viewer) and it is those two scenes that provide most the gore in this. The gore fx is practical and looks decent. In the T & A department I can report some T & A, I actually found myself hoping for more of it as The Housewife Slasher features several attactive actresses that I would find myself label as MILF.
Support independent filmmakers and order a copy from http://www.reaperfilms.com/ .
This review is based upon the Region All Blu-Ray release from Reaper Films.
Rating: 5 out of 7. I enjoyed this. This is actually better written and made than I expected, sure there are a few flaws but those can be attributed to budget limitations. It´s a pretty good thriller, not too gory and makes a nice flick to see in the company of your girlfriend or boyfriend. I like the fact that it is hard to figure out who the killer is, the identity is finally revealed by the filmmakers during one of the kills towards the end of the flick which is kinda nice.
/JL
DVD review: Bloody Mary 3D (2011)
While making a music video, a group of filmmakers accidentally awaken the curse of Mary Worth (Veronica ricci), a young woman who was brutally murdered a hundred years before. Mary crawls through the mirror and begins killing them off one by one! Bloody Mary 3D is written by Keith Parker and is directed by Charlie Vaughn. Plenty of bad acting which gives us quite a bit of unintentional comedy but there is also intentional comic relief courtesy of Ron Jeremy, who has a small part, and Shawn C Philips as Steve who might be the most incompetent security guard ever. Bloody Mary 3D is badly shot and edited although some of the bad editing is probably due to cuts done by german censors. The soundtrack is awful and it doesn´t help that the flick is interrupted around the 15 minute mark by a full length music video (it seems to go on forever) featuring singer/ actor Derek Jameson. And that song is played several times throughout the flick, god I hate that freakin song. I´m confident that the DVD release that I watched has been cut as the kills are lame, very lame, and the amateurish/cheap gore fx is kept to a minimal. There are a couple of noticeable cuts. In the T & A department I can report that within less than a minute after the flick has started we get the first scenes of nudity and a prolonged scene featuring girl on girl action. Actually this is one of the best scenes of Bloody Mary 3D. There is gratuitous T & A in this, mostly provided by Veronica Ricci who sure is goodlooking but I wish we would have gotten to see more of Alena Savostikova.
This review is based upon the 2D version which is featured on the german region 2 DVD release from Delta Music & Entertainment. There is also a Blu-ray release, and according to online sources there are significant differences between the 2D and the 3D version. The 2D version is longer by 22 seconds and contains some more gory details. In contrast 3D version contains many alternate shots with 3D effects.
Rating: 1½ out of 7. Bloody Mary 3D is a very mediocre flick, it belongs neither in the erotic genre or the horror genre.There are three highlights in this, it´s Shawn C Philips who is funny in this, then there is Veronica Ricci who obviously isn´t a very shy girl and finally we got the prolonged scene of girl on girl action in the beginning of the flick. I hesitate to recommend Bloody Mary 3D to anyone but I´m sure that it has a audience.
Please note that I bought the german DVD despite the fact that I was aware that it probably was a cut release, the runing time of 75 minutes was a BIG warning sign. But this is the only legit DVD release of Bloody Mary 3D that I´ve been able to find. Now the question is, will I upgrade when a better/uncut release appears? Doubtful, it will depend on how much longer running time it has (an indicator of how severely it was cut by the german censors).
/JL
Friday 7 December 2012
Interview: James Cullen Bressack, writer and director
Today we´re speaking with James Cullen Bressack, the writer and director behind My Pure Joy (2011) and Hate Crime (2012). In My Pure Joy the main character Adam appears to be a normal teenager on the outside, but underneath...his mind has been so rotted by trauma from his past and the gory films he watches, that he has blurred the lines between reality and pretend! Hate Crime is a remorseless modern day Home Invasion/terror flick shot PoV, it´s a truly unsettling film that push the envelope and is not for the squeamish.
JL: How did you get into film making?
JCB: I guess it was just a natural transition really. I had been around the business my entire life, both parents being showbiz vets, and I happened to develop a love for film. I wanted to be a storyteller of sorts and so as soon as I had access to a camera I picked one up and started making short films, of which I made MANY. I actually made short films sometimes as school projects instead of actually doing the assignment. We were suppose to do a written report about the solar system? I made a short film parody of Mission Impossible where the villian stole the moon. Needless to say my teachers hated me, but I always had a one track mind.
JL: What are some of your favorite films?.
JCB: There are far too many to list so I’ve developed a system. I have one all time favorite film, all the other films I consider my favorites are in no particular order. My all time Favorite film is OLDBOY.
JL: Who are some of your influences?
JCB: Miikie, Chan wook Park, Kubrik, Hennelotter, Eli Roth, Joon Ho Bong, Robert Rodrieguz, and of course Quentin Tarentino.
JL: Which films inspired you in the creation of My Pure Joy?
JCB: My Pure Joy is a very heavily inspired film, I don’t think there is a moment in that film that isn’t heavily influenced by some obscure horror obsession I have. This being said, the movie is really inspired by my love for horror films in general rather then a particular film. Horror films and my life inspired this one.
JL: What kind of budget were you working with on My Pure Joy?
JCB: An embarrassingly low number that if I told anyone my producer would kill me in my sleep :)
JL: Which films inspired you in the creation of Hate Crime?
JCB: Hate Crime wasn’t inspired by any films but yet a primal fear I have and what I saw going on in the world. One of my top 5 biggest fears has always been HOME INVASIONS, so it felt like a natural thing to expose others to my own fears. I also had witnessed so much hate and prejudice and violence in the world I felt like it was my responsibility to shed light on that.
JL: What kind of budget were you working with on Hate Crime?
JCB: A bigger budget then My Pure Joy however again, my producer would kill me in my sleep if I said anything.
JL: How did you raise the funds?
JCB: I was lucky enough to have an amazing producer on both projects, Jarret Cohen, that believed in both me and the films themselves so much so that he fully funded bot projects out of his own pocket.
JL: How did the shooting go for My Pure Joy and Hate Crime?
JCB: My Pure Joy was a little rocky at times, because it was my first feature but overall it went smooth. As for Hate Crime I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing cast, crew, and experience, it was such a smooth process and everything worked so well.
JL: How was it working on My Pure Joy and Hate Crime?
JCB: It was a dream come true. Making feature films has been my life long dream.
JL: How different are the final versions from earlier drafts?
JCB: Hate Crime is pretty much the same in the final version but My Pure Joy actually believe it or not has 15 minutes shaved off of it!
JL: What lessons did you learn while making respective film?
JCB: I learned so much of what not to do when making My Pure Joy that I didn’t do any of those mistakes in Hate Crime. Everytime I make a film I learn so much that it helps me so much for my next film.
JL: What advice can you give someone looking to get into the industry?
JCB: Write a script that tailors to the budget you can get, even if thats only the $20 that you found under your mattress, and make a short or a feature. Jut go out there and do it. Make the best thing you can possibly make. Every time you make a film you learn from it and grow. Keep growing!
JL: Were there any scenes that didn´t make it to the final films?
JCB: Everything made it into Hate Crime, but My Pure Joy is missing 3 scenes that didnt make the final cut as well as some extra dialogue in the stoner scenes.
JL: My Pure Joy is widely available on DVD (it´s been released by Media Blasters) but can we find Hate Crime anywhere?
JCB: I will have release info on Hate Crime very very soon!
JL: So where do you see yourself heading?
JCB: Hopefully to another film set to make another film :)
JL: Are there any more films in your future, is there anything currently in the works for you?
JCB: In January I will be shooting THE NEW NEIGHBOR, in virginia, a film I was hired to direct.
After that in march I will be shooting a film called PERNICIOUS which I wrote with Taryn Hillin and will be directing in THAILAND.
I´d like to thank James Cullen Bressack for taking the time to answering my questions.
/JL
Thursday 6 December 2012
News update: A Wish For The Dead from Renegade Art Productions
From the creative team behind Girl Number Three (2009) comes A Wish For The Dead. It´s written by Herschel Zahnd and Nathan Thomas Milliner who also is the director. It is based on the comic book of the same name by Nathan Thomas Milliner.
The synopsis: People die every day and every day, those deaths have everlasting effects on those around them who loved them, cared for them and will dearly miss them. Dealing with and facing with death is part of the human experience and the horror genre was created out of the fears, anxieties and pains of death. A Wish For The Dead is a film that deals with love loss and death--with multiple stories and people whose lives intertwine in the tradition of "Pulp Fiction" and "Trick r Treat". You will meet a young woman raising her daughter alone after her husband is killed in Iraq. A man who's wife is on her death bed, stricken down by a rare cancer. A man facing the electric chair for a crime he didn't commit. And a young girl who's suffering has driven her to want to end it all. One of these people will make a deal with the Devil to escape their pain and unleash hell on earth. Prepare yourselves for the ultimate living nightmare!
According to Herschel Zahnd they have one scene left to shoot before wrapping up and nearly a third of the film is rough cut. A trailer will be available in a couple weeks. I´ll bring you more information about A Wish For The Dead as it becomes available.
/JL
DVD review: Hate's Haunted Slay Ride (Video 2010)
The satanic supernatural serial killer known as Hate, causes all hell to break loose in a violent battle between good and evil, pitting Rabbi Shaw (Bret Warshawsky) and detectives Fletcher (Paul Kellogg) and NacNee (Dan Griffin) against the unstoppable Hate in his war against Judaism and Christianity. Will the powers of darkness prevail? Hate's Haunted Slay Ride is written, shot, edited and directed by Warren F. Disbrow. The acting is bad, there are moments of unintentional comedy due to this. The camerawork and editing is surprisingly good. There are more than one plot hole in this and some stuff are very far-fetched (character gets his hand chopped off, the surgeons manage to put it back and it magically heals in no time at all... but hey, he might have had god on his side, more about that later). The pacing is much slower this time, more time passes between the apperances of Hate. At a running time of 1 hour and 56 minutes this is quite boring at times and is overlong. I did like that Hate's Haunted Slay Ride picks up where the first flick ended but then instead of being a straight forward sequel they turn it into a movie about the fight between good (Judaism seems to be the saviour in this) versus Satan (portrayed by the character Hate. I really, and I do mean really, disapprove of the supernatural stuff they´ve added in this but we do get few good scenes/set pieces but as usual I won´t go into any details due to spoilers. All the religious stuff and supernatural stuff almost ruins the whole flick for me. The ending is a big WTF moment and a big letdown. There is gore, it´s a blend of computer rendered and practical fx and it looks good considering the low budget. Most of the kills are graphic, most of them are on screen kills.There is no T & A in this.
For more information on Disbrow, his films and to order a copy, visit http://www.warrenfdisbrow.com/joomsite/ .
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Crystal Visions Entertainment.
Rating: 1 out of 7. This is a weak sequel and a huge dissapointment compared to Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie (2008) . Hate's Haunted Slay Ride could have been as great, picking up where the first movie ended and this is actually quite frustrating as I liked the first flick as it was a entertaining slasher despite a few flaws.
/JL
Wednesday 5 December 2012
DVD review: Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie (2008)
After permanently attaching a ghoulish mask to his face using an electric drill, Hate brutally dismembers his abusive police officer father and commences a wild killing spree which leads to his stalking and killing workers at an elaborate Halloween farm featuring a haunted hay ride. Fate has four young people on a collision course with this frightening maniac, which reaches a crescendo when Hate hi-jacks the last hay ride of the night and all hell breaks loose. Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie is written and directed by Warren F. Disbrow. The acting is bad which provides the flick some moments of unintentional comedy, the camerawork and editing is good. The pacing is good, bodycount is high but one of the flaws is that there are no character I can sympathize with as almost all of the characters are unsympathic or they only appear briefly on screen before they get killed. Yes this is one of those flicks were we cheer on the killer as he slice up, decapitate and mutilate his victims. There are a number of good scenes/set pieces but I won´t go into any details due to spoilers. There is plenty of gore, it´s a blend of computer rendered and practical fx and it looks good considering the low budget. The kills are graphic and tales place on screen. There is no T & A in this.
For more information on Disbrow, his films and to order a copy, visit http://www.warrenfdisbrow.com/joomsite/
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Crystal Visions Entertainment.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. Despite its flaws, Haunted Hay Ride: The Movie is enjoyable and kept me entertained for the 90 minutes of running time. Recommended if you're an independent horror fan.
/JL
Tuesday 4 December 2012
DVD review: Escape to Black Tree Forest (2012)
Two weeks after the events in "Terror at Black Tree Forest" young Mare Strode returns home from Falls City Memorial Hospital. She brutally murders her mother and "escapes" back to Black Tree Forest. There, she dons the original psycho's outfit and continues the cycle of murder with a whole new group of adventure-seeking teens. Escape to Black Tree Forest is written, produced, shot, edited and directed by Dustin Ferguson who also is involved in Special effects and Visual effects. Mediocre acting, badly shot and edited and it has serious problems with its pacing. On the topic of pacing, lets just say that it takes approx 50 minutes between the first and second kill. During that time nothing really happens, we get overlong scenes of driving and so on. This flick is in SERIOUS need of some severe editing. The gore is very lame in this, the only good scenes appear in flashbacks from the first flick (it actually contained some gore fx) being shown as the characters speak of the events that took place in it. No T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region all (Region 0) DVD release from RHR Home Video.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. It´s as bad as the previous flick, Terror at Black Tree Forest, slow paced and boring. I can´t recommend Escape to Black Tree Forest to anyone...
/JL
Interview: Edward Payson, the director The Cohasset Snuff Film
JL: How did you get into film making?
EP: I started with a video camera as a child. I made videos of my action figures and made minor animations. I then went to film school after high school and the rest is history.
JL: What are some of your favorite films?
EP: My favorite film is Oldboy the Park-Chan Wook Thriller which is suspenseful and chilling to the bone. I also am a huge George A. Romero fan. I remember as a child Night of the Living Dead was what really got me into horror.
JL: Who are some of your influences?
EP: George A. Romero is a huge influence. His films are always awesome and full of social commentary.
JL: Which films inspired you in the creation of The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: I love films about Snuff Films. 8mm was a big influence and is one of my top ten favorite movies.
JL: What kind of budget were you working with on The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: We were under $100,000 dollars.
JL: How did you raise the funds?
EP: Most of it was out of pocket and through fund raising sites.
JL: How did the shooting go for The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: It went without a hitch. Everything went smoothly and the interviews went very well.
JL: How was it working on The Cohasset Snuff Film?
EP: We were such a small crew we were like a family and still keep in touch to this day.
JL: How different is the final version from earlier drafts?
EP: I added a lot to the film from the original story. About 40 minutes is completely different from the original piece.
JL: What lessons did you learn while making the film?
EP: I didn't really learn any lessons per say except that a lot can be done if you are prepared before shooting and your set isn't the blind leading the blind.
JL: What advice can you give someone looking to get into the industry?
EP: Don't say no to anyone. Take on everything and everything to get your foot in the door. If you are an actor work for free until you have a worthwhile reel. Don't join a union until you are ready because if you aren't experienced enough yet it could ruin your career.
JL: Were there any scenes that didn´t make it to the final film?
EP: None
JL: Can we find The Cohasset Snuff Film anywhere?
EP: It is in theaters nationwide as we speak and will have a nationwide DVD release in 2013.
JL: So where do you see yourself heading?
EP: I want to stay in the horror genre and continue making films that push the envelope.
JL: Are there any more films in your future, is there anything currently in the works for you?
EP: I have a horror web series I'm working on right now, a narrative horror/action feature in script form, another horror action coming out in 2013 and a documentary I am starting in 2013.
I´d like to thank Edward Payson for taking the time to answering my questions.
/JL
Friday 30 November 2012
DVD review: Porkchop 3D (2012)
When a group of survivors come together in a bid for revenge, they´re in for a shock when they discover the masked maniac is not alone! Porkchop 3D is written by James Collar and Eamon Hardimann who also is the director. The acting is decent and plenty of it is tongue in cheek, the camerawork and editing is pretty good. The 3D works, you get tits, blood and guts in your face. There´s plenty of intentional comedy on display and I actually laughed out loud a few times. Even if it has a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes it never gets dull, the pacing is good. There are many more characters in this compared to the previous parts and the body count is much higher. It´s gory, it´s all practical stuff, most of it looks good and all kills occur on screen. I love it! One of the highlights, in my opinion, is when a character gets his face ripped apart. On the topic of T & A, well let´s just say there is there is gratuitous and nice topless nudity in it, special mention goes to Kaylee Williams and Whitlee Flinn as Kathy, both actresses are absolutely gorgeous and sexy. There are a couple of sex scenes and a rape scene in this.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Razor Sharp Studios. FILMED IN 3D! Includes 3D glasses! Due to disc space, some special features could not be added, along with the 2D version of the film..
Now visit Razor Sharp Studios here, buy a copy and support independent filmmaking.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed this a lot, it´s without a shadow of a doubt the best part in the Porkchop trilogy. Highly recommended if you are looking for gore, nudity and comedy. This was truly a great finish to the month of November.
/JL
Review: The Reckoner (2012)
Two kidnappers are preparing to carry through with the threat to kill a hostage but they are not alone in the forest. The Reckoner is written, produced, shot, edited and directed by Stephen Oxborrow. It´s a short film with a running time of 12 minutes. The acting is pretty good, it´s nicely shot and edited. The soundtrack is good. The concept is very cool, the pacing is nice and the Reckoner is suitably ruthless and efficient. I hope that Stephen Oxborrow will continue to expand and develop the concept as it as huge potential and is sure to appeal to fans of vigilante flicks worldwide. There is some brief but realistic gore and it done with practical make-up fx. There is no T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online screener provided by Stephen Oxborrow.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. I enjoyed this. I look forward to Stephen Oxborrow´s next project, it would be very interesting to see what he can do with a bigger budget.
/JL
Thursday 29 November 2012
Review: Reckoner (2011)
First I´d like to thank Stephen Oxborrow for contacting me and asking if i´d be interested in taking a look at his work.
A bank robber encounters a masked murderer whilst hiding from the police. Reckoner is written, produced, shot, edited and directed by Stephen Oxborrow. It´s a short film with a running time of barely 7 minutes. The acting is pretty good, it´s nicely shot and edited. The soundtrack is good. The pacing is good. The look of the masked murderer/vigilante is cool and he´s obviously a sadist (no more details due to spoilers). There is no gore in this. No T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online screener provided by Stephen Oxborrow.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. I enjoyed this, as a avid fan of vigilante flicks I actually wish it would have been a little bit longer.
/JL
Tuesday 27 November 2012
DVD review: Inside the Whore (Video 2012)
During the shooting of Reinart Kiil's feature film The Whore a lot of mysterious things happened on set. This is the story that should have been told. Inside the Whore is written, produced and directed by Reinert Kiil and he plays himself in the movie. First of all, the DVD cover and the promotional artwork has nothing/nil to do with the actual movie. The acting is bad, the camera-work and editing is pretty good. The concept isn´t too shabby but it gets lost in this movie which is a movie within a movie which is in a movie. It seems to take forever for anything to happen even if the flick deals more with psychological than physical terror. There is some brief amateurish-looking gore, and this movie might have the lamest depiction of the damage from a shotgun blast ever, apparently it leaves a neat little hole. There is some T & A, most of it appears early during a awesome intro where the credits for cast and crew is shown on a naked woman who dances. The names are carved into her skin. There is a full frontal male nudity but I think it´s a fake cock... There are a couple of rape-scenes but they are all lame by any standard if you compare with both exploitation and mainstream movies.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from Another World Entertainment..
Rating: 0½ out of 7. Inside the Whore is a vertiable sleeping pill, it´s obvious that Reinert Kiil attempts to provoke the politically correct viewers but he fails even with that. The only thing I found offensive is that I actually paid 149 sek for it... I can´t recommend this movie for anyone, instead I´ll suggest that you spend your hardearned money on something else.
/JL
Monday 26 November 2012
DVD review: Terror at Black Tree Forest (2010)
A young mother is brutally raped and murdered in front of her own child in the woods during the Summer of 1970. Twenty years later a group of college friends head off to the same woods – “Black Tree Forest” to do some hiking and camping. However, Brian Mellows, the young child who was left scarred twenty years ago, has recently escaped from the Vestron Hospital for the Criminally Insane. The young campers out for a fun-filled weekend end up in the fight for their lives as they encounter a mysterious masked Killer who stalks the forest in search of innocent victims. They play a terrifying game of “cat and mouse” with the Killer…until it is time for the last Terror at Black Tree Forest! Terror at Black Tree Forest is written, shot, edited and directed by Dustin Ferguson. The acting is bad, some of it quite awful. It´s badly shot and edited but the electronic soundtrack is actually pretty good. Some scenes looks like they actually been shot at night, they are too dark, but for the most part the filmmakers have used a filter and shot the scenes during daylight. After a violent start the flick quickly loses it´s pace and becomes boring, it seems to take forever to pick up the pace again. Terror at Black Tree Forest is surprisingly graphic, some of the fx are pretty bad but now and then something happens and we get a good gore-fx, the high light being a big knife getting plunged into an eye. There is a brief moment of topless nudity in it, if you blink you´ll miss it. The rape of the young mother in the beginning of the movie is amongst the most pathetic rape-scenes I´ve ever seen in a movie.
This review is based upon the region all (Region 0) DVD release from RHR Home Video.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. Despite a running time of just 65 minutes this is a overlong and boring slasher feature.
/JL
DVD review: Death on Demand (2008)
Twenty years ago, ice climber and adventurer Sean McIntyre (Jerry Broome) savagely murdered his family and hung himself in the attic. The murders are an unwelcome and unspoken oart of a town´s history until Richard (Dan Falcone), a savvy college student, convinces three couples to spend Halloween night in the house and solve the mystery during a live webcast. As they move through the abondoned house they soon realize they are not alone. In this web of horror, the night becomes a fight for survival. Death on Demand is written by Brian O´Hara, Kevin Burke and Adam Matalon who also is the director. The acting is semi-decent and there are a few highly annoying characters in this, the camerawork and editing is good. It never gets especially scary and there quite a bit of intentional comic relief (made me think of American Pie), mostly consisting of cheap laughs. There are some good gore on display here, we get a couple of on screen kills. There are sex scenes and gratiuitous topless nudity, courtesy of Anne McDaniels as Tammy, Krista Gotte as Velvet Luv and Sarah Christal as Haydn.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from MTI Home Video.
Rating: 2½ out of 7. Death on Demand is pretty decent and you could do a lot worse... It has the hallmarks of a slashers, you get nudity, sex and gore. I just wish that they would have taken it a bit easier with the comedic relief.
/JL
DVD review: Boggy Creek (2010)
When Jennifer´s (Melissa Carnell) father dies in a horrific accident, she finds herself drawn to his small cabin in Boggy Creek, Texas. She brings a few friends along for a weeks´ stay, but their vacation soon turns deadly. They are warned of an evil that has lurked near the water for three decades, a terrifying creature that murders the men and abducts women. While camping, Jennifer and her friends encounter this evil, finding themselves on the feeding grounds of a giant beast. What began as a journey of self discovery becomes a desperate fight for survival along Boggy Creek as they soon learn the legends are true. Boggy Creek is written by Jennifer Minar and Brian T. Jaynes who also is the director. The acting is good, much better than expected. The flick is professionally shot and edited. The setting looks great, both beautiful and mysterious. The soundtrack is good. While there is gore, good looking make-up fx, the kills themselves aren´t graphic instead we see the grisly aftermath. The creature design fx, man in suit, is top-notch, going more in the wildman direction. There is a sexscene but there is no T & A in this, female characters appear in bikini and underwear and that´s it which is kind of a shame as the female cast are great looking, Melissa Carnell, Stephanie Honore and Shavon Kirskey are all hotties. I guess I should mention that there also is some male "eye-candy" for those who are interested.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Hannover House.
Rating: 6 out of 7. I enjoyed this a lot! But I must point out that there are a few plotholes and the relationships between the characters takes up too much of the running time, the reason I´m watching a creature feature is to see creatures wreak havoc not some drama. I loved the ending, it took me by surprise. Recommended to fans, like me, who love a good Bigfoot movie!
/JL
Sunday 25 November 2012
DVD review: Killing Heat (2012)
When JD (Kenny Wang) is fired from his dull desk job, two of his old college buddies invite him to Thailand for some old fashion R&R. Landing at Bangkok airport he meets his old pals John Walker and Gordon Goldman, who both have become successful international businessmen in Thailand. Straight to Pattaya, the city of sin, his friends promise him a vacation he'll never forget. JD quickly learns the ropes of the bar-life and is having the time of his life. His friends get a crisis-call from their biggest client, Mr. Suntory, and abruptly leave JD alone in the world's biggest red-light district. Not wanting to miss out on any fun, JD continues his heavy drinking until he passes out. Hungover and thirsty, JD wakes up in the boiling hot jungle with no idea where he is and no memory of how he got there. With no mobile reception, no money and only Viagra in his pockets, JD starts his journey back to civilization. Battling both heat and humidity, he finds himself more and more on the brink of total meltdown, all the while getting mixed up in a dispute he understands nothing of. Killing Heat is written by Kenny Wang and Daniel Dahl who also is the director. The acting is decent, the camerawork and editing is pretty good. Killing Heat does take it´s time to get going as JD and his friends visit bars, get drunk, pick up hookers and so on. Not sure but some of the nightlife footage looks like it might have been shot with a hidden camera. Things look authentic and it´s refreshing (at least for me) to see a new and exotic setting. This flick is not for the politically correct and there are some scenes that many might find "a bit" offensive but as I hate spoilers I won´t go into any details. There are also some comic relief, some of this due to cultural differences. When the action gets going it, JD goes into Rambo-mode as he takes on countless locals in shootouts and hand to hand combat. It´s quite evident that the actionscenes are inspired by classic John Woo movies, for instance we get two fisted gunplay and some guns seem to have limitless magazine capacity. Our hero gets to do some fancy moves while shooting guns and so on. Even if I hesitate to admitting it the gunplay actually does get a bit repetitive and boring but it seems that the filmakers were aware of this and therefore added fightscenes, there are some martial arts on display and it looks pretty good (actually much better than expected) and I actually wished that they would have had more of it on screen. An added bonus to the fightscenes is that the blood splashes freely as people gets punched and kicked. Most of the gore consists of computer rendered squibs and there are a lot of them but there are some practical fx in it also. There is T & A (mostly petite looking thai actresses) and sexscenes in this.
Support independent filmmaking and order your copy here . It´s available on both DVD and Blu-ray.
This review is based upon the region 0 (Region All) dvd release from 3 F. The dialogue spoken is in english and thai.
Rating: 6 out of 7. I enjoyed this. It´s a politically incorrect violent shoot 'em up flick and in my opinion the filmmakers have made the most out of their limited budget. It looks good, much better than I was expecting, and kept me entertained throughout its running time.
/JL
DVD review: The Deadly Spawn (1983)
A group of campers stumble upon the remnants of a meteorite and discover some fanged, worm-like creatures have hitched a ride to Earth. After the "camper" appetizer, the alien spawn take refuge in the basement of an isolated house… and get ready for the main course! With the people in the house now becoming the entrees of an intergalactic monster buffet, a group of teenagers, led by a small boy, decide to take this matter into their own hands… to stop the aliens from reproducing and rid the world of THE DEADLY SPAWN once and for all! The Deadly Spawn is written by Tim Sullivan, John Dods, Ted A. Bohus and Douglas McKeown who also is the director. The acting is pretty decent but some of it is mediocre. The camerawork and editing is pretty good. It features a fair amount of tongue-in-cheek humor. The pacing is pretty good but the flick seems to lose its momentum a few times and those scenes are pretty boring. This is wonderfully gory fun with glorious creature special effects (all done practical) which looks original and is greatlooking. One of the many gory highlights is when the monster gnaws the skin right off of characters face.
There is no T & A in this even though one of the female characters have a see-through négligé.
This review is based upon the region 0 (Region All) DVD release from Synapse Synapse Films.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. The Deadly Spawn is a great independent creature feature, it isn´t scary but it´s very entertaining and fun to watch. The special effects are impressive and the kills are gruesome. Make sure to check to out this flick if you haven´t already. Highly Recommended!
/JL
Saturday 24 November 2012
DVD review: End of the Line (2007)
Karen (Ilona Elkin), a young nurse who works in a psychiatric ward, boards the last subway train of the night only to have it stop suddenly in the middle of the tunnel. As those around her are brutally murdered, Karen and a handful of survivors must face supernatural forces, homicidal religious cult members, as well as their own fears and suspicions of Armageddon, in order to survive. End of the Line is written, produced and directed by Maurice Devereaux. The acting is pretty good, with one or two exceptions. It´s nicely shot and edited, the setting of the subway is used to great effect. It has a nice and creepy atmosphere. The soundtrack is very good. It´s violent, it´s pretty gory and it´s all practical fx which for the most part looks great. The highlight is a half-decapitation. The creature fx design is also sweet-looking, it´s man in suit fx for the most part but I think there might be some computer rendered creatures in it. No T & A in this but there are a couple of sexual situations.
This review is based upon the Swedish region 2 DVD release from Noble Entertainment.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. End of the Line works, it´s entertaining from start to finish and gorehounds will not be disappointed. I guess I should mention that Christians cultists probably might wanna stay away from this flick as they probably will be offended by it. This one is definitely worth checking out!
/JL
Tuesday 20 November 2012
DVD review: Edward's Julia (2012)
The crazy comes out in Edward Yames, (Jody Dean) after finding out Julia, (Kelly Novinski) the woman he loves is having an affair, when the relationship becomes fatal he finds himself falling apart and the voice of Julia threatningly haunting him. After a strange visit from a young physic Sara Middlestone, (Stephanie Walk) things start to get crazy, as Julia sends messages through her messagener, the only question is will the love of a new woman bring Edward back to normal or will the voice of Julia drive him off the edge before he has a chance to live a regular life once again. Edward's Julia is written, produced, shot and directed by Jody Dean who also plays the main character. The acting is bad, the camerawork and editing is pretty bad but the soundtrack is good. The pacing is pretty good, the running time is approx 60 minutes. There is no gore (although Jody Dean does get credit for make-up fx) and no T & A in this. This is very disappointing as there actually is a warning card before the film starts stating that "The following film contains violence, profanity and brief sexual content."
Support independent filmmaking by heading over to Sickafyed Films official website here and grab a copy of the Don’t go on The Trail/Edward´s Julia DVD.
This review is based upon the region all (Region 0) DVD release from Sickafyed Films.
Rating: 1 out of 7. I do like the concept but it´s badly implemented with pretty bad camerawork and bad acting. The warning before the movie certainly raises the expectations but the violence is very lame and sexual content is so brief and lame that if you´d blink you´ll miss it. The only really positive things I have to say is that the plot and the soundtrack is good. It´s quite possible that Edward's Julia would have been a better flick if Jody Dean had not been involved in so many different parts of the filmmaking and instead might have focused on, for instance, writing and directing.
/JL
Thursday 15 November 2012
DVD review: Fright Flick (2011)
On the set of the low-budget slasher film ‘Fright Flick’, people resent the director Laurent (Richard Curtin) having cast the talentless Debbie (Jennifer Garner) as the lead actress solely because of her big chest. Debbie is then attacked and killed in her room, although her body is never found. Two years later, the same film crew sign into a motel to make ‘Fright Flick Part 3’. There are resentments among the crew, including the accusation that Laurent has plagiarised the idea for the original film’s script. As shooting begins, a mystery figure begins killing the film crew one by one. Fright Flick is written by Todd Jenkins and Israel Luna who also is the director. The acting is pretty good, it´s nicely shot and edited. While it is a slasher at heart it does have plenty of tongue in cheek comedy. A couple of the kills are quite creative and there are noticeable homages to Halloween II and Friday the 13th. It´s gory, it´s all impressive practical fx and I love it but a couple of the kills do occur off screen. The gore fx looks good although there is one exception when a head is being popped off by an accelerating car. There is plenty of T & A, almost all of it occurs in the opening scenes courtesy of busty (looks like silicon valley) Jennifer Garner and we´re talking gratuitous topless nudity....
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Vicious Circle Films.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. I enjoyed this a lot, it´s very entertaining. Fright Flick is pretty straightforward, it makes the most of its limited budget and manages to deliver most things you’re looking for from a slasher movie. Recommended to fans of the slasher genre.
/JL
DVD review: Don't Go on the Trail (2012)
After Hellady Marie James, is raped and murdered, she comes back to life seeking revenge on any and everyone that walks the trail. Don't Go on the Trail is written, produced and directed by Jody S. Dean who also plays a character in the film.The acting is pretty decent, some of the cast is certainly better performers than others but it is pretty decent overall. The camerawork and editing is pretty good. I did like the soundtrack, especially the instrumental and is composed by Jody S. Dean. The pacing is good, things happening more or less non stop and the flick as a unconventional structure which actually works in its favor. It´s violent but there is only some brief gore but a lot of blood. The fx, handled by Jody S. Dean who is something of Jack of all trades in this flick, is okay even if a bit amateurish. It has a high bodycount but mysical stuff/the on hand carnage happens off screen. In the T & A department there is a very very brief shot of actress laying nude on her stomach while speaking on the phone. If you blink you´ll miss it. There is two rapescenes, sort of, but neither is very strong in it´s content for the jaded viewer but I guess that some mainstream fans might find some of the stuff disturbing but that particular scene ends quickly.
Support independent filmmaking by heading over to Sickafyed Films official website here and grab a copy of the Don’t go on The Trail/Edward´s Julia DVD.
This review is based upon the region all (Region 0) DVD release from Sickafyed Films.
Rating: 2 out of 7. It´s pretty decent but I have to say that I had high expectations after reading the warning card before the flick began telling me that "The following film is Unrated And Contains Violence, Profanity, Nudity And Strong Sexual Content." Sure it´s violent, it has a high bodycount, there is profanity but there is hardly any gore, no nudity to speak of and no strong sexual content.
/JL
Wednesday 14 November 2012
Review: Treasure Chest of Horrors (2012)
First I´d like to thank James Cullen Bressack for contacting me and providing me with a screener.
Treasure Chest of Horrors is a no-budget short film anthology consisting of four stories.
ROTTEN CLASSMATES written and directed by Doug Wash. nerdy student is constantly by a quartet of punks... however, there's a kid sitting in the back of the library who just can't have such behavior - so he turns into Gasmask Man. Awful acting, badly shot and edited. Some amateurish gore fx but it at least offers some unique kills, hthe high light being a characters getting his head crushed by a mop wringer. No T & A in this.
VAMPIRE`S LUST written and directed by Shawn C. Phillips and M. Kelley. One day when walking home, Tobias (M. Kelley) is bitten by a vampire bat, which - duh - turns him into a vampire. He soon wants to suck the blood of his best friend, with whom he usually hangs out to make horror movies... Really bad acting, badly shot and edited. The make-up fx are ridiculous. No T & A in this.
RESIDENT EMO written and directed by Doug Wash. Ernie is your typical emo who seems to be living for nothing other than cutting himself. Then he cuts himself with a haunted blade and turns into a zombie, and soon he zombifies the entire emo-population in school. Abyssmaly bad acting, badly shot and edited. The comedy is of the pee and poo variety and fails miserably. It´s gory but the gore fx is VERY amateurish, they even use spaghetti as guts... It looks like it was made by a kid, it makes me think that Andreas Schnass probably isn´t as bad as I thought all this time. No T & A in this. Made by kids for kids?
MAMA, IT`S A MANNEQUIN written and directed by Doug Wash. For her 18th birthday, mom buys Patty a mannequin - but the mannequin appears to be cursed, and starts killing people at Patty's birthday party... Awful acting, badly shot and edited. No gore to speak of even if it has a few violent moments, the high light being when a character gets his balls ripped off. No T & A in this.
This review is based upon a passwordprotected online screener provided by James Cullen Bressack.
Rating: 0 out of 7. This was just awful, awfully bad. I love independent flicks, I love low budget flicks so that´s not a problem but I do have a problem when they don´t even try to make an effort, don´t even seem to have a script, when they don´t even make an effort to hire competent actors. This was a pain to sit through, a tedious experience and as the flaws are so many I won´t even make an effort to name them all. I can´t find any quality or entertainment value in Treasure Chest of Horrors, it´s just horrid . After this I´ll stay away from the intentional bad flicks for a long time.
/JL
Saturday 10 November 2012
Review: 2 Hours (2012)
First I´d like to thank the filmmakers for providing me with a link where I could watch their movie.
A nameless survivor (Josh Merrill) is ambushed and infected with the virus, a beautiful gift to the world. 2 Hours is written by Josh Merill and is directed, shot and edited by Michael Ballif. The acting is good, Josh Merill´s nameless main character more or less carries the whole film on this shoulders and manages to do so which is quite impressive. Very nicely shot and edited, there is a fair amount of point of view footage but the flick doesn´t rely only on it and I think the pov scenes works well in the context of the film. The soundtrack by Keaton Andersson is very nice. The running time is about 25 minutes and it´s a nice 25 minutes. There is some brief gore, some practical stuff like zombies biting, ripping through intestines but mostly it´s computer rendered squibs as zombies gets shot. In my opinion the fx looked good, the make-up fx design for the living dead is also nice. There is no T & A in this.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. A very nice short film in the living dead genre. Quite an accomplishment based on the fast that it was shot by a skeleton crew of only three people. I´d love to see them develop this into a feature film.
/JL
Review: Laughter (2012)
First I´d like to thank Adam Dunning for providing a screener.
Joey is a confused and tortured teen! When losing his mother, who he was very close with; it drives him to the edge. His father blames him for his mother's death. A group of bullies from school torture him because of his obsession with clowns. As graduation approaches, Joey and some friends plan a prank on a group of classmates during their last get together. The prank goes wrong leading to tragic accident! The group takes an oath of silence and agrees not to say anything! Six months down the road, the group begins getting hunted down one by one. Evil begins with a laugh. Laughter is written and directed by Adam Dunning. The acting is pretty decent, the camera work and editing is pretty good. One thing struck me as weird, it is a scene where the killer holds a man prisoner and his voice sounds really weird, I think they´ve added it in postproduction, but in all other scenes his voice sounds normal. Now this is one of those slashers where we get witty one-liners from the killer and I´m not a big fan of that. The pacing is pretty good even if I thought it could have used some editing. I had some technical problems with the audio, some of it was pretty loud and I had to adjust the volume and towards the end some of the dialogue was really hard to hear even if I raised to volume to maximum. There is gore but frankly it wasn´t as graphic that I expected. The fx are all practical and pretty decent. I did like the look of the killer. There is no T & A in this.
This review is based upon a DVD-screener provided by Adam Dunning.
Rating: 3½ out of 7. I have a soft spot for killer clowns and low budget slashers and if you´re also than I´m pretty sure that you´ll enjoy this.
/JL
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