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'Tourist Trap' turns 45🎭, 'The Devil's Bath' floods Shudder🛁, Christopher Wesley Moore talks 🗑️, & more

'Tourist Trap' turns 45🎭, 'The Devil's Bath' floods Shudder🛁, Christopher Wesley Moore talks 🗑️, & more

Brett Petersel & Bee Delores
June 27, 2024

Brett Petersel | Instagram | Letterboxd | X

We’re celebrating a little milestone here at Horrorverse: It’s our fourth issue and one month anniversary! (We did it, Bee!)

There are many films where anniversaries are celebrated, whether between friends celebrating an event or lovers their anniversary (even former lovers celebrating something, too), so the first thing that comes to mind are horror films where these two groups of people experience anything but a pleasant time.

From Eden Lake to What Keeps You Alive, or The Invitation to Vacancy, relationships go through many different phases, and the results may not always be ideal (due to the couple themselves or outside factors). Whatever the circumstances, love prevails… or not.

Unlike the films above, we’re celebrating our love for all things horror with you, every week, so thank you for welcoming us into your inbox. ❤️

This issue’s Letterboxd list can be found here

By Brett Petersel | Instagram | Letterboxd | X

According to Dawn of the Discs, Second Sight Films is releasing Adam Wingard’s cult classic You’re Next on 4K UHD.🏹

The teaser trailer for Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU has finally dropped. We’ll wait impatiently for its December 25th theatrical release.🧛

“May the Schwartz Be With You.” Spaceballs 2 is happening, according to Variety. And yes, Mel Brooks is attached to the film.🌌

Beck & Woods (Haunt, A Quiet Place) are delivering HERETIC in mid-November. The film stars Hugh Grant in what looks to be his creepiest role yet. A24 recently dropped the trailer.🫐

Dreams do come true! The Hollywood Walk of Fame is adding two horror icons: Robert Englund and John Carpenter!

Dark Sky Selects’ first official release will be Adam Green’s Hatchet collection, which includes all four films, as well as a bonus disc.🪓

by Bee Delores | Instagram | Letterboxd | X

Happy Pride! Each week, I'll recommend three essential LGBTQ+ horror films or thrillers that you should most definitely watch (or rewatch) this season. This week, I bring you two gripping short films and one emotional body-horror. For a treat, I've tossed in a fourth entry for the week - a very head-driven horror film set in Mojave Desert.

I also have an ongoing Letterboxd list with my all-time favorite queer (and queer-coded) horror films.

The Sermon

[THE SERMON] Dean Puckett's short film The Sermon uses folkloric imagery as an allegory for the queer experience, faith, and retribution. Molly Casey plays Ella, the pastor's daughter who is having a fling with an older woman named Ava (Denise Stephenson). During the Sunday's sermon, the pastor (Grant Gillespie) reads select passages of the Bible condemning homosexuality and preaches fire and brimstone for the accused. Puckett gives space to the story, but it's a lean and mean showing that would actually work quite well as a feature film. Ella must confront her father in order to save her own life, and by the shocking finale, you'll be left wanting more.

[MESMERALDA] Director Joshua Matteo focuses attention on a young trans woman named Elena (Emira Hajj), who becomes obsessed with 9/11 footage. After witnessing a murder, she spirals out of control into a Giallo-influenced wasteland that blurs reality and fantasy. What you see might be real or it might be all in Elena's mind. Who can tell, really. With stunning visuals and no dialogue, short film Mesmeralda goes for the jugular in more ways than one. It's not only a sensory feast, but it thematically explores how violence impacts the world, how we've become desensitized to it, and why we gravitate towards such macabre imagery.

[CLOSET MONSTER] Closet Monster emerges as one of those "I feel so seen" sort of films. Director Stephen Dunn, who co-wrote the script with Don McKellar, dives headfirst into a horror story about a young teen named Oscar (Connor Jessup) and his his journey of self-acceptance. A closeted gay teen, Oscar fancies Wilder (Aliocha Schneider), a co-worker at a local hardware store. The two strike up a quick friendship, and it's unclear whether Wilder reciprocates Oscar's deeper, more passionate feelings. All the while, Oscar clashes with his homophobic father - often finding himself escaping to his mother's place. Dunn's feature perfectly captures both the beauty and fear of coming out - bottled up nicely in a body horror package.

[ROAD HEAD] Set in the Mojave Desert, director David Del Rio's Road Head certainly lives up to his provocative name. Following three friends, the film depicts their run-in with a mysterious cult and how their loyalties to one another are tested. Stephanie (Elizabeth Grullon) joins couple gay couple Bryan (Clayton Farris) and Alex (Damian Joseph Quinn) on their little road trip, but tensions lead to a great deal of friction. Stephanie, who's escaping her cheating ex-boyfriend, proves to be quite the warrior when the cards are all out on the table. The film, equal parts goofy and thrilling, knows exactly what it is: a damn good time!

Filmmaker Fast Five w/ Christopher Wesley Moore

Christopher Wesley Moore is one of today's brightest storytellers. From Children of Sin to his latest feature When the Trashman Knocks, Moore does so much with so little. A meager budget doesn't stand in his way in delivering compelling stories that stick in your brain. Watch the interview on our YouTube channel.

Here at Horrorverse, we’re celebrating (a little early) the 50th anniversary of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre by giving away two (2) copies of the film in 4K Ultra HD. thehorrorverse.net/tcm50.

A talking handkerchief that’s trying to save the world? Dispose immediately after use (viewing). Read Brett’s review.🤧

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Such is the base root of Eric Williford’s Cold Blows the Wind, a surprising genre treat packed with gore and unexpected turns. When a couple, Tasha (Victoria Vertuga) and Dean (Danell Leyva), run over a jogger on their way to a secluded home, they trigger a series of events that test their relationship and will to survive. The film opens with Tasha and Dean checking their trunk, where a weary and injured man begs to be freed. Mulling over their choices, the couple decide to carry him into the house and further discuss what to do. Together, they conceive a plan to keep him alive or kill him, depending if he remembers too much. Their final choice ultimately sparks a night of mayhem, bloodshed, and resurrection (think: An Unquiet Grave or Pet Sematary). While the couple contend with the jogger, a young woman named Briar (Jamie Bernadette) appears on their doorstep and claims a man kept her trapped in his barn for three weeks. According to her, he’s hot on her trail and will do anything to recapture her. Her pleas are enough for Tasha and Dean to let her inside – but little do they know, Briar has her secrets. Dark secrets. Secrets begin to seep out of her body - contributing a night beyond their wildest dreams. As the film unravels, Williford decorates the film with exquisite framing and mood lighting, allowing the scenes to rinse in warm and cool colors when appropriate. For an ultra-indie film, there are plenty of crisp, polished moments and gnarly practical effects, including several dismemberments, that make it a true delight. Cinematographer Marc Martinez works overtime to bring about a visual feast that accentuates the overarching themes of regret, buried secrets, and loyalty. Cold Blows the Wind marks an impressive turn for writer/director Eric Williford. From direction to blocking, he makes great use of space and timing – as it never feels clunky but rather natural and grounded. For their part, the cast delivers on the film’s many emotional beats, stringing out the scenes with thought and heart. On a meager budget, the entire creative team knows exactly how to offer a compelling story that brings out the fear in anyone. [Review by Bee]

Evil frequently, insidiously crawls into our lives like a copperhead slithering in the grass. It’s a price for living and existing in the world, the severity of which bleeds us dry. In The Devil’s Bath, co-directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala scrub the audience in a vat of poison with a tale about a young woman named Agnes (Anja Plaschg), whose throbbing melancholia has devastating effects. Read Bee's review. 👿🛁

Did you like Imaginary? If not, Teddiscare is much, much worse. Read Brett’s review.🧸

by Bee Delores | Instagram | Letterboxd | X

Tourist Trap Turns 45

We all have those films that transformed us in our youth. They rattled you so badly that you spent countless sleepless nights scanning the corners of your bedroom looking for ghosts. Playful shadows morphed into movie monsters, giving you the worst nightmares of your life. While Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street certainly frightened me in their own ways, it was Tourist Trap (directed by David Schmoeller) that shook me to the core.

Turning 45 this year, the 1979 film (which is rated PG, if you can believe that) follows a group of youths on a cross-country trip. When Woody’s (Keith McDermott) car gets a flat tire, he takes the airless spare to a local gas station down a lonesome dirt road. That was his first mistake.

After entering the shop, he hears a woman whimpering in the back storage room and creeps through the shadows into the secluded space. That was his second mistake. He inches closer to the sleeping woman in the corner. When he taps her on the shoulder, a laughing mannequin shoots up from the bed. What transpires next is a thing of pure (supernatural) nightmares.

My four-year-old self was shooketh – but that was only the beginning.

There are two other scenes, in particular, I want to highlight. When Becky (Tanya Roberts), who should have been the Final Girl, and Jerry (Jon Van Ness) are tied up in Mr. Slausen’s (Chuck Connors) basement, another young woman is bound to a metal slab. Slausen’s cartoon villain brother Davey, who wears a doll-like mask and wig, taunts the trio before pouring sticky plaster on the unnamed girl’s face. He slowly closes up her mouth, then her eyes, and finally her nose. The camera lingers on Davey’s face for an uncomfortable amount of time – it’s probably the film’s most chilling moment.

The woman doesn’t die from suffocation. No. That would be too easy. Instead, she dies from fright, her heart pounding in her chest until it bursts. I can recall being mortified. Even now, it taps into some of my worst fears: unable to breathe, unable to move, unable to stop my heart from straining in my chest. Whenever I’m scared in the middle of the night, I can sometimes make out Davey standing in the corner of my bedroom. Covered in sweat, I huddle beneath the covers and count to 10. That usually does the trick – and when it doesn’t, I turn all the apartment lights on.

The other scene guaranteed to freak me out comes much later in the third act. Molly (Jocelyn Jones) runs from Davey through the nearby woods. As she makes her way along a wire fence, Davey appears with a mannequin head clutched in his right hand. Its mouth pops open with a ghoulish howl before Davey tosses it into the grass. It continues to scream, as Molly dashes further away into the night. I’m not quite sure why this scene terrifies me. Maybe it’s the way the head moves on its own (by way of Davey’s mind tricks) or its bone-rattling screams or just the way Davey cocks his head that sends goosebumps galloping down the spine. Whatever it is, I don’t like to think about it…

Throughout the film, there are also countless scenes with mannequins tumbling, moaning, and screeching (this is where my fear of plastic figures comes from). As the characters methodically meet unfortunate fates, director Schmoeller, who co-wrote the script with J. Larry Carroll, packs in plenty of twists, turns, and terror – often expressed through Chuck Connor’s truly manic and unhinged performance as Slausen.

Slausen is a lonely gentleman, charming to a fault. While running a now-closed museum, he doesn't get many visitors ever since the highway was built, as he reminds the group numerous times. As well-intentioned as he might seem, there’s something bubbling just below the surface. And you can’t quite put a finger on it. His cackle is especially unsettling, and his eyes frequently dart in their sockets, sometimes off to the side with no real target. Connors, who’d previously starred in films alongside the likes of Kurt Lancaster and John Wayne, had been a revered actor for many years. So, his presence in Tourist Trip, of all things, brings weight to an otherwise silly premise. Without him, the film would fall apart at the seams.

45 years later, Tourist Trap continues to haunt me. From its starkly lit, moody cinematography (courtesy of director of photography Nicholas Josef von Sternberg) to its plethora of mannequins, the film is unlike any other horror film of its era. It takes itself just seriously enough to strike fear in your soul but remembers exactly what it is for a little fun. Naturally, I’ve found myself returning to it again and again over the years. Each and every time, I pull the covers up to my chin at night and pray to God that I don't see Davey hovering next to my bed. I suppose I bring it upon myself. Horror fans, you can certainly relate, I'm sure.

When I’m dying to be scared, I put this little sucker on, sit back, and enjoy the frightful ride.

With World UFO Day invading on July 2nd, we put together a list of 7 alien/UFO films (with Notes!) that will hopefully take you away to another place (and time?). Check out our Letterboxd list here. 👽🛸

All it takes is one phone call to change your future, maybe even your past. 2011’s The Caller distorts time, leading one woman to protect herself and those around her at all costs. Read Brett’s review.

We don't talk about Thomas Robert Lee’s The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw nearly enough. In the vein of The Witch, the film is a chilling indictment of faith, wrapped up tightly inside a witchy package. It's about time it gets its due. Read Bee's review.

Crackling like a campfire, Terence Krey's An Unquiet Grave tells the tale of unimaginable loss and the lengths one might go to resurrect the dead. It's the sort of slow burn that won't work for most, but I sure dug it. Quite literally. Read Bee's review.

Hostel on a train (or “Turistas on a train,” per our friend Ariel)? Whatever the comparison, not even Thora Birch can save Train from derailing. Read Brett’s review.

For a full list of upcoming films, please visit our Screaming Soon list on Letterboxd.

Clean yourself up and take a swim in The Devil’s Bath, streaming on Shudder beginning June 28th.

Do you hear that? A Quiet Place: Day One creeps into theaters on June 28th.

Shudder’s July 2024 lineup brings the laughs and screams, featuring titles such as Maniac Cop, Dr. Goggles, and Starry Eyes. Check out the Letterboxd list here.

Did you call the phone number? People are getting excited for Longlegs, which premieres July 12th.

Silver Scream Con, the horror convention that brought 5,000 blood-thirsty movie fans to Boston's North Shore in each of its first two iterations, brings the Three-quel everyone's been dying for to Worcester’s DCU Center on September 13-15, 2024. Tickets and information are available now at silverscreamcon.com.

The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montréal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée.

Join the most hardcore horror fans on the only social app built for fans - Slasher! Make friends, find horror events, discover movies in the largest horror movie databases, get the latest news from our horror news partners, and more! Learn more at Slasher.tv.

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