DVD review: Legend of Moonlight Mountain (2005)

A group of people awaken on a desolate mountain. Wandering through the forest, they try to decipher how they arrived there. Soon, they realize that there is more to this story than they know. As the sun goes down, the dead begin to rise and the group's worst nightmares come true. Legend of Moonlight Mountain is written and directed by Timo Rose who also handles the special fx, editing and the sound department. Independent film regulars Andreas Pape, Sebastian Gutsche and Thomas Kercmar have parts in the film.
It´s pretty well shot and edited but sometimes, especially in the beginning, the editing is so quick that we hardly get to so see the gory effects. The editing is sometimes a bit confusing.
Good atmosphere, nice setting and acceptable acting.
The special fx, created and handled by Timo Rose, are both practical and visual (there are some CGI) and there is some pretty cool effects on display, I especially liked the tentacled demons.
The pacing is pretty good and the film is just 79 minutes long, it takes a little while to get going but the last third is almost non stop carnage with monsters and zombies.
The review is based the DVD released by CMV Laservision. The film is uncut and german language only and I´ll have to point out that my understanding of the german language is a bit limited so I´m pretty sure I´m missing out on some of the plot.
Rating: 3½ out of 7. Legend of Moonlight Mountain is fully approved entertainment.

/JL

DVD review: Space Wolf (Video 2003)

A group of criminals gather together for aggression therapy in the forest and things soon deteriorate to arguments, fist fights, thievery, and stabbings. To make things even worse, a vicious space monster is running around slicing up the stray criminals with razor sharp claws. Space Wolf is directed by Timo Rose and we recognize several actors from other german independent flicks (for example Andreas Pape and Sebastian Gutsche). The camera work and editing is so and so and the acting ranges from below average to bad. Pacing is slow and it feels like it takes forever for the monster to arrive and the carnage to begin. Space Wolf is, simply put, a pretty boring film, it´s supposed to be a monster movie but there is a serious lack of monsters and carnage instead we get a lot of youths arguing and fighting with each other. The special fx, gore and creature design, is created by Olaf Ittenbach and as usual he shows that he is a wizard of effects. His effects are without a doubt the high light of Space Wolf.
This review is based on the DVD released by Fleshlight Pictures, it´s uncut and has english subtitles but not all of the dialogue have been translated and the subtitles are not always in sync with the dialogue.
Rating: 1 out of 7. Space Wolf is a failure and a major dissapointment, the concept is good and has potential, someone forgot that it´s a monster movie,  it takes too long for anything to happen and there is not enough carnage. The only saving grace is Olaf Ittenbach´s special fx which are excellent as always.

/JL

DVD review: Rigor Mortis: The Final Colours (2003)

Left alone by the death of their mother, and with no father present, brothers Ritchie(Andreas Pape) and Norman (Sebastian Gutsche) only have each other to rely on. Ritchie struggles to balance his life between looking after Norman and developing a meaningful relationship with his casual girlfriend Nadja (Anja Gebel). One day, when Nadja is out walking Norman in the countryside, a new computer virus falls into the hands of Norman after a person covered in blood gives it to him. Having seen the object passed to Norman, Queens (André Reissig) believes they are part of a conspiracy to rob Denver (Dan van Husen) of the super virulent computer virus that his organisation has created - and intends to sell to the highest bidder. The fact that Nadja is calling Ritchie at the time makes Queens even more convinced of their plot. To find out their involvement and have his property returned, Denver sends his team of sadistic torturers to kidnap Nadja and extract information and they will do anything to get it. Rigor Mortis - The Final Colours is written and directed by Timo Rose The  acting is pretty average, no one stands out as better or worse. It´s obvious that Timo Rose has a lot of ambition and the film isn´t a simple splatter flick such as Violent Shit. The pacing is good, good camera work and editing but the limitations of the budget is visible. The team creating the special fx are Olaf Ittenbach, Timo Rose and Raman Shafai and let´s just say that Rigor Mortis -  The Final Colours features some really well made, gruesome and nasty gore.

The review is based on the DVD released by Neo Cinema, it´s uncut and there is english subtitles available.

Rating: 6½ out of 7. Rigor Mortis - The Final Colours promises and delivers the gore and nastiness. For me the shortcomings in the story and film making are easily overlooked

/JL