a quick look at The Forest and Don't Go in the Woods screening - plus Spikefest

new horror blog - Hog Wild Howls from Razorback Records on the subject of video store classics like Nightbeast and Boarding House.

As I mentioned last post, Tuesday night's Grindhouse double bill was The Forest (1982) playing with Don't Go in the Woods (1982) with Woods director James Bryan in attendance

These two movies compliment each other - they are both pretty bizarre woodland slashers. Think Berserker, Memorial Valley Massacre, or The Prey. Well, this pair is perhaps even more memorable than those fairly odd films. I had not seen The Forest until this screening. I know it made the rounds as a Prism video tape. It's not a gorefest, like I expected it to be, as it has attained minor cult status, yet the movie does have it's sicko moments, including cannibalism and a hilarious sequence involving ghost children explaining matter-of-factly that they killed themselves.

Don't Go in the Woods - I love this movie and have watched it over and over on VHS. It has a very bad rep among mainstream movies fans, as being garbage, but to those among us with taste, well this rocks. Characters in this movie show up just to be killed on screen moments later. It is blatantly obvious that a grim fate awaits these goofy victims - mostly played by crew members, according to the director. As expected, the wheel chair death scene drew a near standing ovation from the audience. I'd been telling people about this kill in advance as it is particularly tasteless. A man in a wheel chair painstakingly makes his way up a dirt mountain trail, with funny sounding music playing as he struggles and falls over repeatedly. Of course upon reaching the top, he is decapitated and his head rolls down the hill.

On to the subject of Spikefest. Spike Cassidy from the thrash band D.R.I. has got cancer and a series of shows are set up nationwide to help pay for his medical bills. Shows include bands like D.I. and Dr. Know. I attended the kickoff show in Long Beach (last Sunday) with a D.R.I. tribute band, Aggression, and a headlining appearance by Gang Green from Boston. It was a stellar show except for the fact that Gang Green's set was cut short by the curfew. A six hour flight for these guys to play seven songs?! Anyway, if you like thrash, crossover metal, or punk, check out the lineups for Spikefest shows in your local area.