The Jason Zinoman Interview

New York Times writer Jason Zinoman stops by to talk about his new book, "Searching for Dave Chappelle" and the conversation leads to horror. Oh sweet horror.

BECOMING UNDEAD II + Announcement

First and foremost I would like to thank everyone involved in BECOMING UNDEAD II. Brandon Nichols, Tom Emmerich, Zach Wilson and the amazing Krystle Street for putting up with the hell she was put through. I truly hope that the love in this film is shown and you show it the love that I feel it deserves. 
That leads me to my announcement. My entire career as a filmmaker, I've made horror films. Hell, this is a sequel to the first film I ever made and with that, I am here to tell you that I am not going to be making horror films again, for a very, very long time. I have so many other stories that need to be told that just aren't in that world. I need to try and make my bones a different way. 
For those that have supported me, I hope you continue to do so, even if the films I make don't make you wee yourself. You are all special to me and I love you all. 
Now, enjoy BECOMING UNDEAD II and share it with your friends. Let's make this one HUGE. Go out with a bang. This is the time to show the world that a guy from Wisconsin can shine as bright as the stars!

The Saw Is Family

On October 1, 1974 a film came out that laid the groundwork for many films to come. Ridley Scott cited it as the inspiration for the 1979 film ALIEN. Rob Zombie has said that it was a huge inspiration on his art, and especially his film HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES. It was even inducted into the Horror Hall of Fame in 1990. It's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I was 7 years old and my parents had been divorced for about 6 and a half years. It was my Dad's day to spend with me and he had worked earlier in the day so he passed out in his chair, hoping I would just find cartoons or Svengoolie would be on to keep me occupied. But Saturday afternoon television in Racine, WI around 1986. I didn't really wanna watch Bowling for Dollars or ABC's Wide World of Sports.

That's when I saw it. A tape sitting in the VCR half ejected. So I pushed it in, sight unseen.

Now if this had been something other than what it was, this kind of post might not be happening, because I'd be filming people having sex in Silicon Valley right now. But I digress...

The tracking started as the tape began to play and I saw who I would later come to find out is Pam, running from a large man in a very weird mask, that I would later come to realize was made from human flesh. He grabbed her and drug her back into the house and chucked her on a meat hook. 

Now most kids reaction at that age would be to turn the tape off and head toward the fetal position. I paused the tape. The horror on her face was fascinating to me and I didn't know why. I had, up until that point, been a afraid of the standee of Freddy Kruger in the video store so much that I would run my Dad's tapes in with my eyes closed. So why was I so fascinated with Leatherface and his family of serial killing cannibals? 

I still don't know why, but I am thankful that I saw it. It's molded me into the horror director that I am today. (Some folks may want to blame the film for that in a negative ha)

Now and forever...

ASUNDER - Review

If you are in a relationship, at some point you have thought about straying. You have looked at that person across the room and thought to yourself, "What if I was with them instead?"

Travis Legge's new short film, ASUNDER, answers that question, in the most bizarre way. Not that bizarre is bad.

I won't give away too much about the plot because it is a short film and I am going to stay as spoiler free as possible. Suffice to say that ASUNDER does a great job of lulling you into a comfortable spot, and then basically kicking you in the guts with a spike-toed  shoe. 

The entire time, you don't know if what you are seeing is entirely real and that kind of atmosphere, along with the way it was shot, really makes for an enjoyable short film. 

With every good thing there are things that pop up that aren't. In this case they are really limited to just one. Acting. While most of the cast is amazing in their roles, one character's performance seems kind of forced and takes you out of the experience just a little bit. I'll let you watch the short and find out for yourself who I am talking about. 

ASUNDER is on Amazon right now and when you purchase (or rent) it, the short comes with a slew of other works by Legge, most available on the internet except for TAXIDERMY, which is a very well done short about how twisted love can really become, and EVENT INVITATION written by Legge and directed by Myke Wilson reminding us all to be careful of who we make fun of, it may come back to bite us in the end.

All of the films are really well done and worth your money. 

You can purchase or rent ASUNDER on AMAZON.  JUST CLICK HERE

Wisconsin Podcast Massacre Episode One

In this, the first episode of WISCONSIN PODCAST MASSACRE, the boys discuss Michael Bay, the slow burn, Walking Dead and ice cream.