Bottom Shelf Reviews

     A lot of people my not know this about me, but I was once in an "underground" indie horror movie.  The year was 2009 and I vividly remember the box of foam penises and the bottles of conditioner used to simulate male ejaculate.  While I won't go into detail about other aspects of the production I can only hope that the tabloids don't use that film against me when I am nominated for Best Short Film.   Blood on the Reel   fondly brings back those memories corn syrup and wishing for 24 fps on a consumer camcorder.       Johnny Daggers ' documentary is about the little known indie horror genre that is still well regarded in some circles.  I would classify these kind of movies as Z-grade movies that use to thrive in grindhouses back in the 70s and 80s and attracted the special kind of individual you would expect to see in the theater.  Indie horror isn't held to the limitations of a studio picture, but like most of the stuff on Amazon Prime the good ones

      Amazon Prime has really become a place to find great low budget indie horror.  If one has the patience to go through the pile of crap, then you can find a hidden gem in all the trash.  I first became aware of Reyna Young with the interview she did for Johnny Dagger's documentary Blood on the Reel .   She seems legit from her interviews and you could tell she just really loves making movies.  I figured I would give Forgotten Tales a look and I can say I was surprised by the talent I watched.       Forgotten Tales  connects three stories (Ghost Story, The Babysitter, and Audition) in a fashion that is reminiscent of George A. Romero's Creepshow .  The opening graphics really do give a sense of the horror comics my mother wouldn't let me read growing up and it adds production value to the movie.  I did enjoy the little hints of stories connecting each other and that is sign of talent on Ms. Young's part.  The movie does have the acceptable level of bloo

     I'm a sucker for low-budget horror movies, but I do have my limits of what I will subject myself too.  Being an amateur filmmaker, I use that term loosely, there are certain elements of a production that I can forgive.  Bad lighting, acting, and special effects are hallmarks of this special genre, but like the stripper that won't go away even when a five dollar bill is finally tossed it can grow tiresome.  Fortunately, I can honestly say that Frankenstein: Day of the Beast  is a cut above that rest.      Scrolling through Amazon Prime I decided to give this one a try.  The credit sequence alone gave away how much time and attention to detail that director Ricardo Islas has given to this production.  The cold snowy vista does give a sense of isolation and the looming dread of what is to come later in the film.  Mr. Islas isn't afraid to move his camera and after watching so many other films in this category it really is a nice welcome to watch craftsmanship