Up From the Depths (Terror From Beneath the Earth, 2009)

He is all ears and teeth and he’s from hell! Alice is trying to find her young brother Danny in a local cave network. Instead, she runs into a mysterious stranger. Alice and Danny’s father Stan runs to the sheriff’s office when his children never return home. With the help of local Geologist Dr. Edwards, they try and find the children, only to discover a giant mutant bat creature.

The creature is able to paralyze its victims and is collecting our heroes to have as a meal.

As with any 50’s era horror, the monster is the result of science. In this case, atomic testing is done in the caves.

The sets for this film are very simple. It is the caverns or the police station. So, in some ways, this almost resembles a play. This is the first film in the Mihmiverse to not feature Professor Jackson (or even his son Captain Jackson), but he is represented by his wife, who brings Dr. Edwards the scientific device that will help save the day.

The music in Mihm’s films really evoke the films of the fifties. It can be overdramatic, sometimes even goofy. It almost always hits the right tone for the film, and that is true here.

The Bat Monster, as prior monsters, looks a bit slapped together with arts and crafts style. It has large unblinking eyes and teeth that look a bit like plastic. In spite of this, there are some nice shots of the creature. Specifically a full reveal as it steps from the shadows.

Terror From Beneath the Earth carries on the b-movie monster tradition fairly well. While a bit more serious than It Came From Another World, it still has its moments of fun.

October 21, 2017 0

Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women (Cave Women of Mars, 2008)

In the far, far distant future of 1987, Captain Jackson, son of Professor (now Director) Jackson, is on a mission to Mars. He and lieutenant Elliot arrive on Mars and discover a lush jungle…er…midwestern wooded area and Lieutenant Elliot ends up a prisoner of warrior cavewomen.

Elliot is desperate to get back to his spaceship as he finds himself catapulted between rival cave woman clans. While both are really disdainful of men, you can tell the good Cave Women from the Bad Cave Women because the Bad Ones wear leather and have dark hair, while the Good Ones wear cloth outfits and are blonde.

The film uses very simple coding (not uncommon for the era that inspired the film). Part of the amusement in the films of Mihm is the archaic ideas of the sexes. These are not presented as the “Good old days when men were men and women were women”. I have noted that Christopher does not mock the horror and sci-fi of the 50’s and 60’s. But that is not entirely true. He pokes a lot of fun at the silly mentalities (Girl scientists?! Girls with opinions?!) of the time. In this film, the portrayals of independent woman as hating men is the target for mockery. The Cave Women are so over the top in their talk about how inferior men are, the oppressive matriarchy comes off as the fevered nightmare of Rush Limbaugh.

Visually, you start seeing some growth. The monster looks a little better. There is some nicely done green screen that manages to still give that old movie set look. And the portrayal of Mars is a lot like those early films that imagined other planets looking vaguely earth-like…but you know…rockier. Also, the space suits are in that great line between looking cobbled together and being a little futuristic.

There were a few points where the film drags, but at the same time, this is not that out of character for a lot of sci-fi and horror of that era. Setting it in the future of 1987 (so “far” from the 50’s, but well in our “past”) creates it’s own humor with the visuals of how far and advanced we would be. Of the first three films, this one, in some ways, feels the closest to the sci-fi films of the 50’s.

October 20, 2017 0

It Conquered the World (It Came From Another World, 2007)

The A-Rockin’ Scientist Professor Jackson is back!!! Along with the Canoe Cops!!!! Wait one second…

Associate of Professor Jackson Dr. Frasier is in the woods when he witnesses a meteorite fall to earth. He goes to investigate and appears to be attacked by a force from the meteor.

Professor Jackson is called in to determine what has happened to Frasier. He goes out and is assisted by the Canoe Cops, Sven and Gustav. They locate Dr. Frazier, who seems unaware of just how long he has been gone. They bring him home and Professor Jackson runs tests to see if he is okay. But of course, he isn’t. Because there would not be a frickin’ movie if he was fine. Frasier is possessed by an alien intelligence that seeks to rule the earth. He uses mind control on the Professor’s girlfriend and escapes to set his diabolical plans in motion.

Again, Professor Jackson must save the world..but can he stop the evil alien fiend being that has possessed his dear friend?

This one has it all. A ping-pong ball eyed alien! Romance! A Canoe Paddle Battle! Science! Josh Craig returns to the role of Professor Jackson, this time with an even more pronounced Shatner inspired vocal pattern. It is a bit over the top but is also a lot of fun.

Like the Monster of Phantom Lake, the budget reads in the film as “No Budget”. As noted, the evil alien is actor Mike Mason with what look to be ping pong balls for eyes. As a semi-sequel, Jackson and Elizabeth are the only characters to return. The film acknowledges his love interest Stephanie…with a single line noting she is dead.

This one has more jokes slipped into it, as well as a musical number. This time around it is a slickly produced song…but played off as being performed by the cast. There are split screens, clearly different singing voices and far more instruments than the cast members are playing (the song was performed entirely by Mihm).

It Came From Another World is an enjoyable romp.

October 19, 2017 0

In 3-D! (Found Footage 3D, 2017)

Found footage movies are pretty risky really. The primary draw for filmmakers seems to be “small crew” and “can be made on the cheap”. Sometimes, this pays off. A lot of this is related to how well the filmmakers know to space out scares and when to focus on drama. Found Footage 3D knows it is entering a very full field, and as such, starts with a wink to the audience.

The starting concept of the film is that Derek and his filmmaker friends are going to make a found footage film at a cabin. Derek announces that they will be making it in 3-D. Because audiences looooove motion sickness.

We are introduced to the crew, which includes Derek’s Ex-Wife Amy, who is dating Mark. Andrew and Carl are longtime collaborators and Lily is the new member of the group. She is excited to be a part of the film, though it seems kind of obvious she got the job because she is cute.

When they arrive at the cabin, they find out that Derek did not alert them to the fact that it is long rumored to be haunted. At first, Derek tries to unnerve the crew, but then things start to occur that indicate there are truly dark forces at work.

Found Footage 3D’s makers obviously know their goal of making a found-footage horror film is a bit of a tough sell. Found footage films, in general, have certain limitations. Why were the people filming this situation? Why do they keep filming? In this case, they opt to lampshade some of this. When asked why 3-D? Derek pauses and declares “Well, he is a 3-D enthusiast!”. His partner Andrew seems less than satisfied with this. At one point, a character mentions bad CGI monsters, and Derek takes offense. And then the monster is kind of goofy looking CGI. And the odd thing is? It works! It is not an impressive looking CGI monster…and that almost helps the film, rather than hinders it.

They also manage some really good jumps…even in moments where I was expecting something, I was still startled. And while the film is very aware of the potential pitfalls of found-footage, it does not overthink itself and become needlessly complicated.

Found Footage 3D is both fun and scary and definitely one of those films that shows how enjoyable well done found footage films can be.

October 18, 2017 0

Humanoid From the Deep (The Monster of Phantom Lake, 2006)

Christopher R. Mihm’s debut is a tale of toxic waste and teens in danger. Professor Jackson (a professor of science!) and his assistant Stephanie have come to the woods of Wisconsin to study the local frogs. Meanwhile, a group of teens is on a camping trip to celebrate graduating from high school. Unbeknownst to any of them, a local company has its employees dumping toxic chemicals into the lake.

When the shell-shocked veteran Michael “Lobo” Kaiser falls into the toxic lake, he is mutated into a giant algae monster that begins to attack those around the lake. It falls to the Professor and Stephanie to figure out how to stop the monster.

The Monster of Phantom Lake features a monster that looks like it was made from paper mache and duct tape…and this works within the confines of the film. With large round and unblinking eyes, the mouthless creature successfully evokes a b-movie monster from the 50’s.

The teens are noticeably not teens and their dialog sounds like what adults in 50’s Hollywood thought teens sound like. The dialog, in general, is quite campy and dated, such as when the professor cheerfully notes he does not pay much attention to the talk of women.

Then there are goofy additions like the Canoe Cops Sven and Gustav. The joke is they get around in a canoe. And they have Norwegian accents. This aspect is a very Minnesota thing.

What brings it all together is a sense of sincerity. Mihm is not mocking the films of the 50’s. Instead, he is looking back fondly. This is not to say they lack humor. The laughs, including the dated language and cheap effects, are intentional. They are simply not derisive.

There is a warm-hearted charm to the Monster of Phantom Lake and it’s simplicity, looking back to a far complex time for movies.

October 18, 2017 0

Welcome to The Mihmiverse!!!!!!

What is the Mihmiverse? If you have to ask? Well, um, you probably do not know what it is. So, here we go!

The Mihmiverse is the creation of Minnesota local Christopher R. Mihm. His films are loving homages to a bygone era of horror and sci-fi…specifically the films of the 50’s and 60’s. These are films he grew up watching with his father. When his father passed away from an aggressive stomach cancer in 2000, Chris found himself returning to these films and the memories of watching them with his dad.

This led to the inspiration to try and create a film in the vein, in part as a tribute to his father. Having long been interested in production (of all kinds, Chris played in bands through the years and also had worked at a local cable access station). Working with friends, the final result was the Monster of Phantom Lake. Ever since that first film in 2006, Mihm has put out a movie each year. This year sees the release of the Demon With the Atomic Brain.

Before we begin the journey through the twelve films (as well as a review of the Monster of Phantom Lake, the Musical!) I want to be fully transparent here. I knew Chris back in High School when we worked at a movie theater together. We lost touch, and then a couple years back ran into each other at the Crypticon Convention where he had a table. I approach these films honestly, and you certainly do not have to take my word for their entertainment value. The Mihmiverse has a loyal fanbase that predates me.

I was skeptical a few years ago, because I have not watched a lot of old school fifties horror and sci-fi. I was not quite sure I would be all that into watching a bunch of black and white movies. I had even seen Chris’s booth the year before but passed it right on by thinking “Eh, not for me”. But I bought a couple of the films because we were having a good time reconnecting, and I felt I should at least try them. And by gum, I really enjoyed them. They were not snarky and derisive, they were relishing in their silliness and simple sets. Their slapped together monsters (except they started to get better and better at that, creating some genuinely cool looking monsters) and the sincere but at times stiff acting (but some of Mihm’s regulars are pure gold in my opinion) all lead to a real charm.

This is not to say the films never take a shot or two at certain elements. They repeated poke at the archaic sexism of the times. There are plenty of modern film references the the stuff that appeared in film and TV of our youth. The films have a sense of humor about themselves but it is not a vicious mockery. And that is what made me want to highlight the Mihmiverse this year.

If you are interested in checking out any of the twelve films Christopher R. Mihm has made, you can purchase them directly through his website or (if you would like to check them out first) you can rent and stream them on Amazon.

October 17, 2017 1

Beware The Mannequins (Hell House LLC, 2015)

Not to be confused with the 2001 documentary Hell House (about a “Hell House” meant to scare people into accepting Jesus), Hell House LLC is a found footage film that follows filmmakers who are investigating horrifying tragedy that left fifteen dead in a Halloween Haunted House tour. There was only one survivor of the crew and she is now providing the documentarians with access.

As the footage of the haunted house crew progresses, there are incidents where they hear music playing on a piano, they see things move, and typical creepy events. Each incident seems to get more and more frightening. It all starts to escalate, leading up to the horror of that Halloween night.

Hell House LLC is a very well done found footage film. It can be downright unnerving at times, with real jumps and scares. It uses the cliches like the scary clown to lull the viewer, but then surprise you by just how creepy it all is. Admittedly, not sure I would have held out as long as they did with the creepy scares, but Hell House LLC is a strong horror film.

October 17, 2017 0

The Hatfields & McCoys & Zombies (Survival of the Dead, 2009)

Romero’s career as a director came with this final installment to his Dead franchise. A more traditional story structure than the previous film, this film features characters we only briefly met in Diary of the Dead. The National Guardsman are still trying to get somewhere safe. They meet a kid who tells them about an island. When they arrive at the island, they run into a rivalry between people who want to kill the zombies and those who want to protect them.

It is set close to the Diary of the Dead, so we are in the early stages of the world falling apart. This might explain why some of the people want to protect the dead. The Walking Dead explored that territory in its second season as well, but this film predates the show’s first season.

Survival of the Dead is not a particularly good addition to the Romero Dead Universe. It leaves behind any social commentary for a simple plot and a lot of broad humor…that tends not to be particularly funny.

It also relies heavily on rather cheap looking digital effects. This is to the detriment of the film, as it lacks the power of make-up effects by guys like Tom Savini. It is somewhat disappointing that this ended up being Romero’s final film, it would have been great to see him go out on a high note.

October 16, 2017 0

They Built More Houses (The Houses October Built 2, 2017)

The first film was a found footage horror film about filmmakers exploring “extreme” Halloween Haunts. They stumble upon some scary folks and the film ended cryptically with the suggestion all were dead.

The sequel explains this away as they were saved due to people calling the police while watching a live feed. A year later, the film makers are trying to make money promoting horror haunts, but everybody wants the girl from the video feed, Brandy, to appear. But Brandy wants nothing to do with it. So, we spend a ridiculously long chunk of the film with the guys going to random funhouses and giving their reviews. They keep getting recommendations to find Hellbent.

They finally convince Brandy to join them and then it all goes freaky and twist after twist occurs. And frankly? It is annoying. The majority of the film is very boring. There is a sequence dedicated running a marathon. We get lots of random drone footage. Can we stop with the drone footage in found footage films? Please?

The constant twists towards the end gets obnoxious…and frankly ripped off the end of Nerve (which probably ripped off another film…). This was an unnecessary sequel that simply brings nothing interesting or new to the original film.

October 16, 2017 0

Found Footage of the Dead (Diary of the Dead, 2007)

Earlier I commented on how the Dead movies are kind of set in an “ever present now”. Diary of the Dead kind of flips that on its head. Diary of the dead is a found footage approach to Romero’s Dead World. All told through footage from the cast of characters camera, it explores the early days of the zombie outbreak. It jumps to the beginning, and the beginning is now.

The film starts out very strongly. A young woman explains that this movie is compiled both from her boyfriend’s footage and footage from the internet. The voiceover is spoken as we watch a news report being conducted in front of a crime scene. As bodies are being loaded into an ambulance, the bodies begin to attack the paramedics. It is a very effective scene followed by news shots covering the riots and looting. We then move to a college film crew making a horror movie. There is an argument regarding whether a monster is supposed to be slow moving or not (which becomes echoed in a far later scene).

The film follows the group as they travel in an RV to make their way to one of the film crew’s homes (he lives in a remote mansion). They meet survivalists, farmers and National Guardsmen as they work towards their final destination.

One of the biggest changes to the traditional Romero formula is that the zombies in this film are much faster. They leap on people, jump out from behind doors and tackle people. They are not as fast as Zak Snyder’s zombies from his Dawn of the Dead remake, but still, they are faster than his earlier films. After a while, the film kind of meanders. But it picks back up when they reach the mansion and everything gets even worse. The characters also get a bit frustrating, behaving in some questionable ways. At one point, one guy films one of his friends being stalked by a zombie and really does not lift a finger to help her.

Overall, this is a decent film. It is interesting that it turns it’s sympathies back towards humans, but it also mirrors the darkness of the original towards the end when we get scenes that are similar to the final moments of the original Night of the Living Dead, asking pretty much the same questions about humanity.

It helps that it is presented as a finished work rather than just a series of footage strung together. This allows for there to be a stronger narrative structure. While no competition for the original three films, this is an overall interesting entry.

October 15, 2017 0