FANGORIA: PHILADELPHIA UNNAMED FILM FESTIVAL (PUFF)

In an old mob joint down in South Philly on one rainy day in October, something amazing happened: Philadelphia got a taste of something special. Of course, I am talking about this past weekend’s Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival (PUFF), which this writer attended during their eclectic Saturday, the day they screened their International Oddities collection of shorts. This diverse selection of horror, sci-fi, and bizarre shorts from around the world mirrored the tenor of the festival overall. While the mission statement for the festival said it was to ‘hang out and watch great movies with cool people,’ it didn’t take long to realize something else was going on there. 

When asked about the idea for PUFF, Madeleine Koestner described an overwhelming sense of boredom she and fellow festival director Alex Gardner felt upon noticing the sheer lack of new genre films in the city. What started out as monthly screenings quickly turned into something truly exciting. An appetite for these kinds of genre films began to grow. More people kept showing up. Thus, PUFF was born. After much time and energy, Koestner and Gardner culled a line-up of that they loved watching, movies that were “gory and weird, shocking and entertaining, and made by filmmakers who put their hearts into every frame.” This couldn’t have been clearer to anyone who walked through the door. 

When asked why Koestner and Gardner chose to be ‘Unnamed,’ Koestner said they “wanted to keep the doors open for all types of genres, and for the fest to grow and change, so it would always be different and always be special.” Furthermore, Koestner discussed how many films get passed over at film festivals such as Sundance for being a bit too bizarre, gory, or just plain weird. This writer couldn’t help but think about all the ‘prestige pictures’ at such festivals: stuffy, derivative, uninspired, but more than anything else, boring! 

PUFF’s movies were fun, interesting, and different! Of all the shorts that played, this writer’s personal favorites were MIND CITY TERROR by director Curtis Jaeger and PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY by director Bo Price. The former is about a young man who battles his own anxieties the best way he knows how: with a Giant Nuclear Powered Robot! As a special treat, Jaeger was in the audience and answered questions about the film, making the screening a much more intimate experience. 

The idea for MIND CITY TERROR (which is now available HERE) to have a young man have a kaiju (i.e. old school Godzilla) style battle with a giant depression monster came from a dream he had many years ago. Having always been obsessed with the POWER RANGERS from the ’90s, Jaeger put together a Kickstarter and went to literally turn his tongue-in-cheek dream into a reality. Jaeger talked about how difficult it was to find someone to build those old ‘mighty morphin’ suits. Because they were all handcrafted, Jaeger had to reinvent the wheel to make his kaiju suits, noting how this was one practical effect that had indeed become a dead art. 

While many of the films at PUFF had a sci-fi or horror bent to them, PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY offered viewers something truly creative and hilariously strange. PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY centers on a group of losers who form a club where they’ve apparently taken a vow against technology. They steal electronic devices and turn them into steampunk-like devices that they later use to make each other’s dreams come true, including a new member of their club whose dream it is to “fly like a big, beautiful bird.” The audience erupted into uncontrollable belly laughter throughout the film. Needless to say, it was a smash hit and was a terrific finale to the international shorts portion of the fest. 

The rest of Saturday’s program included screenings of BAD BLOOD, a werewolf movie that replaces the wolf with a Gill-man-like amphibious creature; the paranormal thriller WE GO ON, about a young man’s haunted quest for proof of life after death; and the bloody, schlocky slice of Japanese martial arts exploitation, KARATE KILL. But if there’s one thing that needs to be said about PUFF, it’s that Koestner and Gardner did an amazing job at curating a series of films that really captured the essence of the experience they described. This writer cannot wait for next year’s lineup which promises to be just as unique an opportunity to experience something fun and unusual, something you can’t quite put your finger on. A certain je ne sais quoi… something unnamable. And for that, I cannot thank them enough. 

Interested in learning more about the movies screened at PUFF? Visit Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival’s official website HERE, and be sure to keep an eye out for PUFF in future years. 

Who knew Canadians could be so horrifying? In the spring of 2011, Toronto’s native son David Cummings released the first episode of THE NO-SLEEP PODCAST. The idea came out of the “NoSleep subreddit,” where people posted “true stories” to frighten and disturb readers. What started as an experiment to see how well some of the internet’s greatest horror stories could be dramatized is now, five years later, a truly unbelievable listening experience.  

Part of what makes THE NOSLEEP PODCAST so great is David Cummings’ ability to curate some of the internet’s greatest stories. The horror fiction podcast has evolved from short “creepypastas” and microstories, to more episodic and serialized forms of storytelling. The show has also featured stories from Reddit contributors who have developed these stories into full-fledged novels.  

One such story, the “Penpal” stories from Dathan Auerbach (a/k/a Redditor 1000Vultures), has been optioned for a film adaptation. The series follows a young man as he looks back at troubled memories to make sense of it all. What makes this one special among THE NOSLEEP PODCAST is how Auerbach reveals the horror within the narrative, which ends up being so uniquely tragic and human. Coupled with excellent sound design and atmospheric music, the fragmented telling of a man trying to reconstruct his past feels as if the listener truly is reliving a nightmare. What makes this particular trip down memory lane so engrossing is just how real the walk feels.  

In this space, one can point to why the show has amassed quite a dedicated, loyal fan base and consistently appears at the top of the iTunes charts. It is for a good reason. When what is familiar becomes corrupted or reveals itself to be far more sinister than we ever imagined, it unleashes a sense of terror. Yes, fear of the unknown but more of a distrust of ourselves, noting our lack of judgment. Much of the appeal of this new generation of ‘internet horror’ is that it’s often “smart” horror, familiar with tired tropes and continuously subverting genre expectations. Cummings does an excellent job curating stories where the audience doesn’t want to scream at the protagonist not to walk into that door or, of course, trip and fall at the worst possible time.    

The show has matured into literally hundreds of hours of fantastic audio horror entertainment for your listening pleasure. With Cummings assuming the role of host, talent, and showrunner, THE NOSLEEP PODCAST now has a consistent stable of talented voice actors and producers as well as a phenomenal in-house composer, Brandon Boone. But Cummings is also something of a tastemaker: not only does he often make suggestions towards gripping horror and slash fiction, but he frequently plugs friends of the show’s podcasts and side projects. As a result, he creates a real sense of community, interconnected by common interests and a love for just being scared, and that is truly remarkable.  

Cummings’ commitment to providing quality content to his listeners is astonishing. Not only that, the sheer volume of his output is something to behold, with the show already currently on its seventh season. There is a free version of the show, usually the first hour, with special bonus episodes and extended stories available to season pass holders. For more information about THE NOSLEEP PODCAST or sample/purchase a season pass, check out their website HERE. For info on buying Dathan Auerbach’s “Penpals,” the book is available for purchase HERE.

The game’s developers claim that the app can scan the layout of a player’s house to customize scares. It also can manipulate your phone by taking strange pictures and sending creepy texts. And even though nobody has one, there’s an added bonus for Apple Watch users. The game analyzes their heartbeat to increase the scares right as your heart starts racing. In other words, the goal will be to keep your heartbeat down so the monsters won’t be able to hear. A super cool add-on that isn’t a requirement for the game adds another unique layer to the overall experience.

While the game aims for an October 2016 release, Indiegogo projects have a habit of failing to meet deadlines. This project had failed its initial crowdfunding campaign. While the hype around NIGHT TERRORS is still premature, there is much to be optimistic for the future of horror gaming, particularly when it comes to the mobile marketplace. Imagine if there was a storyline in an experiential game like this?

The very thought of it conjures up memories of P.T., the notorious interactive teaser for the canceled game SILENT HILLS. Directed by Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, with the protagonist portrayed by Norman Reedus, P.T. offered a glimpse of how the ninth installment in the SILENT HILL series might be different. But unfortunately, instead of releasing trailers and screenshots, Kojima produced an interactive teaser experience that is increasingly becoming a tragic part of gaming history.

The turmoil surrounding P.T.’s cancellation has become the stuff of legends. It is the same thing in movie culture. P.T. is another example of what the future of gaming might look like when auteurs like Kojima and del Toro are allowed to experiment with conventional forms, where there is no limit to how scary you can make something. To this day, games like VISAGEand the new RESIDENT EVIL 7: BIOHAZARD are being touted on blogs as the “spiritual successor to P.T.”

This tells us that people are in the market for this kind of authentic, interactive horror experience. The creators of NIGHT TERRORS hope their game proves to be a “highly immersive, photorealistic, binaural, survival horror game” that promises to be an “affordable, quality experience, that’s available to all.” While only in its nascent stage, the creators of NIGHT TERRORS would be wise to follow the lead of POKEMON and not games that require expansion packs and mods to prevent the novelty from wearing off. POKEMON GO is arguably still a fun game without other features such as trading promised in forthcoming updates. Other games? Not so much. If there’s anything NO MANS SKY’sreception has taught us is, it’s best not to overpromise. For more information on Night Terrors, visit their Indiegogo HERE.

Word dropped this week that a new ‘augmented reality game’ allows users to use their smartphones to put themselves in a real-life horror movie. NIGHT TERRORS is currently being pitched as the POKEMON GO for horror fans. However, instead of catching Pokemon, players will have to avoid monsters chasing them in their own homes. 

Looking to burn off some of that Halloween candy? This election season got you down? Why not cheer up by getting ready for the oncoming Zombie apocalypse! How, you may ask? With the ZOMBIES, RUN! app.

ZOMBIES, RUN! works like many health and fitness apps for iOS and Android platforms, such as RUNKEEPER or MAPMYFITNESS. Players can run, jog, or walk wherever they like. But what gives ZOMBIES, RUN! its edge is that it pairs mobile health (mHealth) with incredible transmedia storytelling. From the second you put on your jogging shoes and walk outside, you can hear the undead hordes chasing you. You become a hero in your very own zombie adventure where you must run not only to save yourself but uncover the mystery behind humanity’s last chance for survival.

Like most running apps, ZOMBIES, RUN! records one’s distances, pace, and calories burned through the phone’s internal GPS tracking. Players complete a series of missions, such as collecting supplies to benefit the base camp of Abel Township, the lone sanctuary in a soundscape ravaged by the living dead. Runners can listen to music from their playlists or enjoy the superb voice acting and sound design interwoven between dreadful periods of silence. Items are automatically collected at specific intervals, which lends to real dramatic gameplay intensity. In contrast to POKEMON GO’s interface, which forces its players to stay glued to their phones, ZOMBIES, RUN! works mainly hands-free, creating a truly immersive experience.

Started originally as a Kickstarter project, the campaign for ZOMBIES, RUN! earned more than five times their funding goal. Word traveled fast, and ZOMBIES, RUN! quickly made headlines after becoming the highest-grossing Health & Fitness app on Apple’s App Store within two weeks of its initial release. Shortly after that, the developer Six to Start released a spin-off app, ZOMBIES, RUN! 5k Training, designed for the “couch to 5k” users. This app is said to work best with those committed to a strict 5k training regiment, and is less spontaneous than the original ZOMBIES, RUN! app, which features randomized challenges and chase-missions to really keep users on their toes.

Co-created with award-winning novelists Naomi Alderman and Rebecca Levene, the game’s fantastic storyline also features notable contributions from sci-fi writers Margaret Atwood and Andrea Phillips. While the game draws you in with its cool concept and excellent audio design, the story keeps you running. Whereas some zombie-themed programming (‘that which shall not be named’) drone on and on, ZOMBIES, RUN!’s storytelling craft shines in many of the game’s small touches and decisive moments. So much so that the makers have even issued a pre-order for a DUNGEON AND DRAGONS style board game aptly titled ZOMBIES, RUN! THE BOARD GAME.

Having just wrapped its fifth season, Six to Start promises some transformative upgrades and redesigns next season, as well as a completely new Apple Watch app with new readouts, notifications, and settings. Let’s hope more phenomenal literary voices are added to their list. For more information about ZOMBIES, RUN!, check out their website HERE.

Mary Malloy stars as Victoria, a young girl with an overbearing dick of a stepfather and codependent mother. Both of them think she is on drugs. One night, Victoria steals her stepdad’s car and decides to head to a party with a superficial friend. Unfortunately, the girls stop to get gas when some amphibious beast suddenly attacks them. Victoria is being held captive underneath the gas station in the attendant’s (Vikas Adam) hidden laboratory when she awakens. Her parents then hire a private detective (Troy Halverson) with a penchant for homicidal fantasies to find her after Victoria goes missing for a month.

The film’s campy, fun, comedic moments often clash with its more serious horror elements. Instead of etching out a nice happy medium, the tone feels split between these two extremes. For instance, while the P.I. character is reminiscent of Special Agent Milton Dammers from THE FRIGHTENERS, it plays more eccentric than zany. The P.I.’s fantasies are incredibly violent, but they should also be remarkably outlandish and kooky. Likewise, Victoria’s stepdad Wade (played by Brian Troxell) is a pompous, FOX News-watching, angry white guy. Troxell’s performance is so biting and unsympathetic one cannot help but laugh at his hilariously abrupt delivery. But it is unclear if his character’s tonal shifts are intentional or not. He goes from dumb, unsympathetic curmudgeon to cruel and abusive within mere moments. It is as if the movie could not decide which direction it wanted to go.

The creature effects in BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE are a great example of how low-budget filmmaking can unleash true creativity. The monster looks like a cross between Gill-man and the alien from ENEMY MINE. Yet while the werefrog monster goes on a humorous killing spree complete with anatomically correct breasts, the humor is offset by how devastated Victoria is once she realizes the damage she has done. With dark comedy, humor is often derived from playing with or subverting audience expectations.

While Malloy gives a great performance, her character feels rather flat and unsympathetic. The same goes for Vikas’ not-so-mad scientist. One wonders if the film was solely a comedy if Victoria would have even minded transforming into a 9-foot tall frog monster. Such a premise is rife with humorous possibilities. Any dumb or simple reason could have worked, really. Instead, her transformation is played semi-seriously despite the overall absurdity of the premise.

Several other parts in BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE do not pay off. There is a lot of excessive pseudo-sciencey talk, a giant bullfrog, and an escaped felon subplot that provided misdirection. The latter could have been more interesting if it turned out homicidal maniac P.I. Paul was somehow responsible. There were a lot of missed opportunities here. Still, for all its faults, BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE is an entertaining creature feature that has enough in it to justify a watch for any true fans of the monster movie subgenre.

No, not the ever-empowering Taylor Swift song: BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE is a horror-comedy by writer/director Tim Reis about a 17-year-old girl cursed with a sudden and mysterious case of amphibious lycanthropy. In other words, she becomes a ‘werefrog.’ The premise of the film is utterly ridiculous in a good way. A werefrog movie with sick kills and bizarre humor a la AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON? Where do we sign up!?? It’s full of slime and is certainly an enjoyable and fun time given the right crowd. However, BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE suffers from tonal issues, which leave it feeling stilted towards the end.