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dcshark
LOVE IS A STRANGER followed by:
AN EX-HOOKER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL (1995) LOVE IS A STRANGER AGAIN (1997) THE LITTLE WORLD OF WILBUR (1998) BACKWOODS MARCY, (1998) LAST RESORT (2000) and DEEP UNDEAD (2005)
Reviews
I Slay on Christmas (2023)
Merry Mayhem At It's Finest
I SLAY ON CHRISTMAS is a fun-filled gorefest and merry romp of a Christmas slay ride! We are treated to a unique set of Christmas shorts neatly wrapped around an ominous array of magical pine cones in the forest where visions of a beautiful and sexy goddess lure Herman to an unspeakable misfortune.
Then, the Christmas crazy really kicks in with Wynkoop's manic portrayal of a Christmas creep, who could easily win the award for world's worst father, abuses his wife and son. SOV fans with a sharp eye and keen ear will likely appreciate shout outs to other classic works from B-Movie legends
Herman and Wynkoop. An ax-wielding Wynkoop musters up some other shout-outs to classic horror in his performance. Sean Donohue shows up as an adorable Christmas elf who attempts to change Wynkoop's wicked ways, and then...Sorry no spoilers here but clever use of POV from Wynkoop's deaf son's innocent eyes further seal his fate as the ultimate holiday villain.
Next, more dark forces in the woods compel a reluctant Phil to pick another pine cone to endure yet another yuletide terror. This one from Marcelo Fabani is a refreshing yet terrifying tale of a serial killer as told through a series of newscasts interlaced with visions through the eyes of the killer. It leads to an unsettling twist.
Then, Santa's naughty list continues to reveal more Christmas creepys as an unsuspecting and always charming Debbie D searches for the perfect Christmas gift for her new beau. But, he has other things in mind. Then, old Saint Nick himself falls prey to more merry mayhem. Even Santa can't help but utter that famous B-Movie trope, "Why are you doing this?" Perhaps the answer lies within the pine cone's reaper Will Devokes who bestows the diabolical deeds that Herman must bear witness to.
We go from Santa's bloodbath to the delightful Alba O'Neill and her angelic Christmas caroling in the shower. But things aren't very merry with Mary as Herman's demons have now come full circle and his wife, Mary must pay ultimate price! Herman portrays genuine pain and regret, and even though his deeds are unforgivable, you almost feel sorry for him. But, he now must face his misgivings after he gets a mysterious phone call from beyond the grave! A very diabolical Devokees wraps the woven Christmas collection up nicely.
Any fan of holiday horror will want to experience this carefully constructed array of shorts. I SLAY ON CHRISTMAS also features fantastic performances and portrayals of such nastiness that make Ebenezer Scrooge look like a Saint!
Backwoods Marcy (1999)
b-independent.com
BACKWOODS MARCY
Produced and Directed by Dawn Murphy and David Lee
Marcy/Hooker - Dawn Murphy
Donald - David Lee
I didn't think I would like BACKWOODS MARCY, not one bit. I don't know what surprised me more, how well the movie was made, or how well Dawn Murphy could act.
David Lee stars as Donald, a businessman who looses his way while on a business trip in the New Jersey Pines and swamplands. He asks directions from Marcy, a woman who calls the swamplands her home. A woman so foul, Donald needs to lean out the car window to gasp for air. After kicking Marcy out of the car, Donald accidentally runs her over. This is the icing on the cake for our little nutcase Marcy, she's officially in love!
The rest of the movie Marcy rapes, hunts, tortures, cages, and ...uh... rapes poor Donald. She's more than willing to give the machete to anyone who tries to come between her and her new man. As Marcy, Dawn Murphy does a fantastic job while buried under a layer of mud and muck. At times I thought I could smell her in my living room. Her performance reminded me of Cameron Diaz in Being John Malkovitch. It always seems a braver acting choice to preform in ugliness rather than hide behind glamour.
My biggest kudos go out to the Director of Photography. Since no name was listed in the credits, I assume this position was handled by Murphy and Lee. From the opening shot of David's car driving into frame, the film simply looked beautiful. Filmmakers can learn a lot about composition from watching MARCY. The film is shot mostly with a static camera, something I usually don't like, but the visuals are so striking that this can be overlooked. They have a snapshot quality about them. It helps give the film bite. The things that hurt the most are the things we are the most familiar.
I can't go into the story and plot because there really isn't one. Everything is pretty straightforward. What Marcy wants, Marcy gets, and what Marcy gets, Marcy will do whatever it takes to keep. Do yourself a favor and get Marcy.