Documentaries

True-crime and horror documentaries — real cases, real crimes, and the films that retell them.

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Blu-ray Review: All the Colors of Giallo (2019)

Giallo; the word conjures images of black gloved killers who’s identity is revealed late in the ghoulish game, POV murder shots, and stylish direction with aesthetic splendor to spare! For those not in the know, a giallo is an Italian mystery/thriller film, oft times heavy on the ol’ stalk n’ slay…not to mention female flesh…and usually featuring elements of psychological horror and the aforementioned artistic flourishes. Speaking of not in the know, you’ll be a god-damned giallo expert after you check out the subject of this revoltin’ review: Severin’s release of All the Colors of Giallo! Comprised of three discs, All the Colors of Giallo is one hell of a deep dive into the fright flicks so near and dear to the hearts of many a horror hound worldwide. First up we get the eponymous doc, Federico Caddeo’s All the Colors of Giallo that covers the complete history of the giallo; from it’s origins in German krimi (crime) books (and

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DanXIII

Feb 5, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesReviews

Blu-ray Review: Ecco (1963) and The Forbidden (1966)

If you’ve never seen an entry from the world of Mondo documentaries steel your loins and prepare for a world of debauchery, boobs, bloodshed, boobs…and boobs. Speaking of which… Our putrid pals at Severin have just released yet another collection of Mondo entertainment with a Blu-ray containing two prime examples of the genre; 1963’s Ecco and 1966’s The Forbidden! Ecco, made in Italy but released stateside by American Mondo maven Bob Creese, features narration courtesy of George Sanders of all fucking people (you know, the voice of Shere Khan from Disney’s The Jungle Book)…and what is The Big G jawin’ about? A whole bunch of rando shit, including (but not limited to) A German dueling club, Japanese babies listening to the radio, karate, a cotillion contrasted with some sort of hobo hoedown (yeah…so far things are more “mundane” than “mondo”, a circus motorcycle stunt, mountain-based monasteries…after those yawn inducing sites we get a (chicken) blood drenched Satanic ceremony. Okay Ecco,

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DanXIII

Feb 5, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesReviews

Blu-ray Review: Mondo Freudo and Mondo Bizarro (1966)

If you are unfamiliar with the world of Mondo documentaries I can sum things up for you real quick; boobs and/or blood, fake-ass footage passed off as the real deal, and often a strong need for bleach eye drops. Let’s begin, shall we? Those sexy devils over at one of my fav houses of horror (and the bizarre); Severin Films have taken it upon themselves to wallow in the sea of bad taste and tackiness (one of my most cherished hang-outs boils n’ ghouls) and bring us two mondo docs on one lil’ ol’ Blu-ray…namely 1966’s Mondo Freudo and Mondo Bizarro. Mondo Bizarro, from Producers Bob Cresse and Lee Frost, begins as it should with a voyeuristic hidden camera view of a woman’s changing room…totally legit with it’s multiple cuts and camera angles…see what I was talking about up yonder boils n’ ghouls? Via the magic of stock footage we are whisked away on a whirlwind journey to the Bahamas

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DanXIII

Feb 3, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesNews

“Arrow” Star Matt Nable Joins Film Industry Documentary ‘That’s Not A Knife’

Matt Nable is the latest to join the talented line up of the Aussie Documentary That’s Not A Knife, exposing the highs and lows of creatives in the film industry. Created and Directed by Shaun Anthony Robinson and Produced by Lucinda Bruce (Lady of the Light Productions), That’s Not a Knife is for anyone with a dream, the underdog story of an actor, who fights back against the odds by overcoming his own fears and creating his own path to Hollywood, documenting his journey along the way. He meets other actors who share their own fears and insecurities with him, helping help him to understand his own journey better and inspire others to do the same. Matt Nable sits down with the team of That’s Not A Knife to talk about the highs and lows of his career, his transition from football to acting, mental health, his own demons and the challenges he faced to get where he is today.

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Jan 22, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesNetflixNewsTrailersTrue CrimeTrue Story

New Trailer For Netflix’s ‘Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes’

Netflix has a real treat for those of who love true crime, the new, chilling trailer for their four-part series Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. The Ted Bundy Tapes centers on the infamous serial killer who used his good looks, charisma, and charm to lure and slaughter over 30 women in the ’70s. Directed by Joe Berlinger, the documentary series features exclusive interviews with the killer conducted during the 1980s while he was on death row in Florida awaiting his execution. The series promises to give new insight into the mind of the killer and delve into his motivations for killing. Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes premieres on the 30th anniversary of Bundy’s execution, January 24th.

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Jan 15, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesNews

New Documentary To Explore ‘The Origins Of Alien’

The poster has just been unveiled for the genre documentary Memory: The Origins of Alien, from Alexandre O. Philippe who also brought us 78/52 and Doc of the Dead. Now Philippe is delving into the origins of our favorite sci-fi horror film, beginning with the film that came before, Memory. Memory was a script that Dan O’Bannon started in 1971, abruptly hitting a wall at page 29. But after the idea gestated for several years, it ultimately took the form of Ridley Scott’s masterpiece Alien. Alexandre O. Philippe’s documentaries — most recently 78/52, about Hitchcock’s Psycho shower scene — have interrogated cinema’s cultural ripples. If Memory were only a comprehensive account of Alien’s origins — ancient myths, comic books, H.P. Lovecraft, sci-fi movies, and parasitic wasps — it would still be fascinating. But how did Alien lodge itself so indelibly into our cultural imagination? Philippe’s real interest lies in the deep resonance of myths and our collective unconscious. The strange

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Jan 10, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesNewsTrailers

Shudder’s ‘Horror Noire: A History Of Black Horror’ Set To Premiere This February

Shudder has announced the premiere of Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, premiering on February 7th following special screenings in LA and NY this February. Based on the acclaimed book of the same name by Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman, Horror Noire takes a critical look at a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and embraced both black filmmakers and black audiences. The film also explores how black voices in front of and behind the camera shaped and impacted the genre. Horror Noire features interviews with critically acclaimed filmmakers, and stars in the genre, including directors William Crain (Blacula), Ernest Dickerson (Bones), Rusty Cundieff (Tales from the Hood), Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us), Tina Mabry (Mississippi Damned); actors Tony Todd (Candyman), Keith David (The Thing), Paula Jai Parker (Tales from the Hood), Â Richard Lawson (Scream Blacula Scream), Rachel True (The Craft); and authors Tananarive Due (My Soul to Keep), and Dr. Robin R.

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Jan 8, 2019

DocumentariesMoviesNewsTrailers

Beetlejuice Documentary Unleashes New Trailer As It Arrives On Kickstarter

Beetlejuice…Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice…This year marks the 30th anniversary of Tim Burton’s classic. A new documentary is exploring the making of the film titled Documentary for the Recently Deceased: The Making of Beetlejuice. The doc has kicked off its Kickstarter to help raise funds for the final stages of production. Produced by Adam F. Goldberg (“The Goldbergs), Recently Deceased will delve into everything from filming to the special effects, behind the scenes looks, and features interviews with cast and crew. Fans will also see never before seen footage that has been digitized. Documentary for the Recently Deceased: The Making of Beetlejuice is expected to be released in 2020. Check out the Kickstarter campaign which features perks that include mugs, copies of the documentary, posters, totes, posters and much more.

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Dec 8, 2018

DocumentariesMoviesNews

New Documentary Goes ‘Searching For Cannibal Holocaust’

Film critic and author Calum Waddell is going to take fans inside one of the world’s most controversial films in his documentary Searching for Cannibal Holocaust. Basically, it is the story of how Cannibal Holocaust has impacted upon the lives of a number of people, including myself,” Waddell told Rue Morgue. During the filming of the documentary, Waddell not only interviewed a number of those involved with the film but also traveled to the Amazon to visit locations where the film was made. In Cannibal Holocaust, a professor on a rescue mission in the Amazon rainforest stumbles across lost film shot by a missing documentary crew. Director Ruggero Deodato‘s infamous Cannibal Holocaust (aka Monsieur Cannibal) has been banned in several countries since its release in 1980. In fact, it is so gruesome that upon making its Italian premiere the director was arrested on obscenity charges. He was then made to prove to the court that all of the actors in

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Nov 26, 2018

Amazon Prime VideoDocumentariesMoviesReviews

Documentary Film Review – Bloodlines:The Art and Life of Vincent Castiglia

John Borowski is well known for his documentary films, which give an in-depth look at various serial killers. Not only has Borowski focused on the likes of Carl Panzram, Albert Fish and H.H. Holmes, but has also done a documentary and subsequent TV series that explore the cultural obsession and influence of serial killers on society, aptly named Serial Killer Culture. This most recent documentary, which marks a bit of a departure from Borowski’s usual subject matter, deals with abuse, pain and anguish, all painted in a very different light. His subject this time is Vincent Castiglia, a well-known and renowned artist, whose preferred medium is human blood…primarily his own. So to say this man puts his life force into his work would be absolutely true. What Borowski does in this film is give the viewer a glimpse into the life of this artist that is incredibly straight forward and raw. He not only details Vincent’s brilliant artwork, but also

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Capt McNeely

Nov 18, 2018

Documentaries

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