There is something seriously wrong with the followers of New Age religion Crystalnetics.
For starters, the robed practitioners of said “religion” like nothing more than to chase chicks around their centrally located pyramid headquarters and then getting unreasonably stabby… there’s also a monster involved, but we’ll get to that later…
Enter: room-renting, chain smoking, Gen X anthropology student Bob Martin (Vinnie Bilancio), a gruff scholar with a deep interest in ancient supernatural rites and the ass of his landlady, Crystal (Wendi Winburn).
Speaking of Crystal, with a name like that you just know she’s balls deep into that crazy cult and before long she’s introduced our hero to the benefits belief in Crystalnetics can bring… but will he see the truth of the cult and it’s star-born, demonic overlord!
Coming from Writer/Director Jeff Leroy (Rat Scratch Fever), The Screaming is an incredibly entertaining satire of L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics/Scientology biz.
We get the genre author turned New Age Prophet, the movie star clientele, all those familiar trappings… but we also get acolytes living centuries, a spaceship, a big-ass demon and all sorts of preternatural shenanigans!
And while the budget is lower than low, the ingenuity utilized to present those outre elements is what makes this fright flick shine!
We get clever use of models, stop-motion animation (both to show some ancient impalings as well as our antagonist’s downed spacecraft), and full-sized creature props… all created with heart and imagination rather than gobs of cash (which as you cats n’ creeps well know earns all of the bonus points with yours cruelly)!
Adding to the world building and ambiance are cuts to infomercials for the faux religion and some Ken Russell-style hallucinations!
To help us journey further into the world of The Screaming, Visual Vengeance have included bonus materials that kick off with an informative audio commentary courtesy of Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine followed by a brief retrospective of the making of the film!
Following that we get an interview with Composer Jay Woefel (who’s score is included on a separate CD in the package), an image gallery, an alternate cut of The Screaming (featuring an audio commentary with Leroy, Producer Dave Sterling and Actor Vinnie Bilancio and it’s own trailer), as well as a duo of trailers for the main event.
Also included in the package are a set of faux VHS rental store stickers, a folded mini-poster, and a reversible sleeve.
Evil cults, aliens, immortal jogging enthusiasts… The Screaming has the S.O.V. goods and is a delightfully demonic good time through and through!
