Moviefanatic2009 Reviews

Paranormal Shades (2016)

A must-see

[10/10 · 19 October 2016]

The films of Robert Tarantino are more than just unique. His weird sense of humor, his cool dialogues, his extreme close ups in the Sergio Leone style and his wonderful actors make these movies to something special. Nobody makes parodies of popular genre films like the "Paranormal" films or the "Fifty Shades of Grey" Films in this kind of way.

In "Paranormal Shades" Robert Tarantino plays the lead, Jim Sutton, a Horror movie actor whose best days are over. He tells his best friend Link that he is haunted by a paranormal demon. His best friend does not believe him so they tape down every move Jim makes.

Professor Van Abraham, an expert in paranormal stuff, is hired to help Jim, but what he finds out is beyond believe. The next guy who is asked for his help is Lt. Dexter from the Paranormal Investigation Department. He really finds out what is going on but ... (no, I won't spoil too much here - you must see it!)

Action Top Star Jaimie Cutter (a wonderful performance by Susi Ramberger) then is hired to help Jim with his comeback. She loves to get handcuffed and whipped (the first wink to "Fifty Shades of Grey"). Unfortunately she is very curious and walks down the basement. Uh, scary! In Austria you have to be aware of basements, you'll never know what you will find there. Poor Jaimie!

Next is weird Dominatrix Mistress Larissa, strongly played by Biggie Waite, a regular Robert Tarantino cast member (another wink to "Fifty Shades of Grey"). Jim really enjoys being tortured by her but then all of a sudden the demon appears.

Jim and his best friend Link are watching the Horror actor's old movies to find out more about the reason why the demon is after Jim. Films like "Voodoo Zombies from Skull Island" and "Chainsaw Torture Babes from Outer Space" make Link think, the demon is a Cineast and wants to punish Jim for his bad movies.

What they really find out much later down the basement is much scarier than any movie Jim has ever starred in and then the real horror starts! This movie is a must-see!

Blood City Massacre (2011)

Beauty and the beast

[7/10 · 14 February 2012]

"Blood City Massacre" could have been a much better film but the director couldn't decide if he wanted to do a slasher flick or a comedy.

For a slasher the directing is much too lame and there's too less action; for a comedy there are too many brutal scenes in it. It starts with two girls doing a lesbian love scene but they do not even get nude. Then Humungus as Crady comes out of a closet and kills them.

The investigation team arrives and in the very first moment when the lead actress appears you think: is that Liv Tyler? No, she isn't. The girl who plays Agent Stone looks like she just came from the cover shooting of Vogue Magazine. She tries to play Stone as a tough cookie but that never works. When Crady kidnaps her she cries like a little baby. She has her greatest moments in the scenes with Crady in the basement when she really shows fear.

Robert Tarantino as Johnson sleepwalks throughout the whole movie and so does the guy who plays his sidekick Tanner. When they walk through the woods after Crady kidnapped Stone and Tanner's girlfriend Susan (who is Crady's sister that brought him into prison a few years ago) their performance is so wooden that you have troubles telling them from the trees. Humungus as Crady has some good scenes where he really scares the hell out of you and in the next moment he overacts a bit too much.

The film has some moments but they are very rare. There is one great scene when Crady kills his psychiatrist Dr. Stevens, you only see the shadows of the two guys on the wall and a cut over to Stone's wide opened eyes full of fear. A great scene also when they try to arrest Crady and he starts dancing. More great scenes come when the reporter team arrives. Both, the cynical reporter Tracy and her camera guy gave an impressing performance and leave us with the question: who is really insane: Crady, the journalists who would do all for a good story or a society who let these things happen?

I also remember the scene where 2 young couples walk through the woods and in the next moment only one couple enters Crady's house. What happened to the other couple? It could be

1. A tribute to the films of Jess Franco 2. They're still lost in the woods and didn't find the exit or 3. in many low and now budget films actors appear for one day on set and then decide to leave for no reason.

Anyway, after the crazy and over-the-top "Vampire City 2" I'd expected more from this filmmaker.

Vampire City 2: Rock 'N Roll Zombies from Outer Space (2009)

Hansi Hinterseer saves the planet

[10/10 · 1 November 2009]

Zombies wanna destroy the planet with bad music but Austria strikes back: with a Hansi Hinterseer Look-a-like. Jodel music is not good for Zombies.

This movie has it all to become a modern Cult Movie: a funny story, bizarre plot twist, a perfect cast (every actor/actress is casted perfect for his/her role) and a good Soundtrack (listen to "Zombie Rock 'N Roll" or the "Zombie Polka" and you know what I mean).

Robert Tarantino's directing debut has some real great camera shots, Wolf Morrison's script is really funny and he even tops "Vampire City I" which was not easy to top.

There are thousands of Zombie movies but this one is different: it is more in the style of the British Comedy "Shaun of the Dead", with parodist elements (I love the scene where the Zombie eats one guy's stomach - not horrible, just funny!) If you wanna get shocked and you're looking for some gore effects than you better watch one of those thousand other Zombie movies but if you like the weird sense of humor in movies like "Mars Attacks", "Shaun of the Dead" or "Ed Wood" then this movie was made just for you!

Vampires in Vienna (2009)

A Rebel without a Crew

[10/10 · 24 June 2009]

Inspired by Robert Rodriguez book "Rebel without a Crew" Wolf Morrison shot this one without or with a very small crew. This is the short cut version of his first feature "Vampire City" and it is huge fun.

If you are a fan of high budget and overproduced movies from Hollywood stay away from this. "Vampires in Vienna" is an ultra low budget movie.

For people who are not used to Morrison's weird sense of humor this is the best way to start getting' into his work. He wrote the script, plays the lead, produced and directed it, was cinematographer and editor of this movie and composer of the Soundtrack.

Beautiful girls, crazy scenes you didn't expect to end that way, funny dialogs that makes every Quentin Tarantino movie fade away and the cool acting of Chris Gassler as Morlock, Biggie Waite as Vampire Queen, Guenther Kubik as the flirty Waiter and Wolf Morrison himself, not to forget the blonde, beautiful and sexy Franziska Doppel as Isabelle (this girl is every men's dream) - give this one a try, it's worth it!

Piranha (1972)

Underrated little Masterpiece

[10/10 · 13 March 2009]

"Piranha" is an very underrated little masterpiece. It starts out very slow and moves faster and faster until it comes to a very dramatic end.

Ahna Capri (from "Enter the Dragon") plays the Photographer Terry who comes with her brother Art (70ies regular Tom Simcox) to Venzuela to shoot photos. Jim Pendrake (played by B-movie star Peter Brown, unforgotten as bad guy in "Foxy Brown") is their leader through the jungle. In a bar they meet the mysterious hunter Caribe, played by the greatest B-movie actor of all times, William Smith. Smiths performance is outstanding, one of his best ever.

Caribe does not only hunt animals, he hunts everything that moves and that includes people, too. He invites Terry, Art and Jim into his house. While the man are away he rapes Terry. Art wants to revenge his sister and is the first who dies.

Jim and Terry try to escape but Caribe follows them, burns down a village but they could escape him (but only this time).

At Caribe's house it comes to a very dramatic showdown, he kills Jim until the hunter himself gets shot by his victim.

"Piranha" plays with the idea of Manhunt which was a main theme in a classic movie that was made almost 40 years earlier: "The Most Dangerous Game" from 1932 from Meridian Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, the makers of "King Kong" (1933).

The beautiful landscape of Venezuela stands in confrontation to the heavy violence of his movie. It's a very rare and underrated movie!

Vampire City (2009)

Cool stuff

[10/10 · 13 March 2009]

I've never seen an Austrian Movie like this one: it starts with a cool and funny fighting scene, then the Hollywood Hills were blown away, yet another fighting scene with a Vampire before the opening credits start. Then you see two pretty girls in a restaurant talking funny things and it goes on in that funny way.

There are so many Austrian Movies who are only boring. This isn't the case here.

"Vampire City" is so funny, full of action and has such good actors in it that it is really unbelievable this movie was shot in Austria. It looks more like an American Independent Production from Roger Corman or Jim Wynorski. Every Austrian Filmmaker should take a look at how great Wolf Morrison shot his action sequences.

The actors and actresses here can really act which isn't always the case in Austrian movies. Morrison himself has a lot of great scenes the he gives the ball to his female actresses, especially the wonderful Sofia Soul as Pia, the pretty Franziska Doppel as Isabelle and the tough Biggie Waite as the evil Vampire Queen.

The actor who plays Morlock brings some typical Viennese humor in his scenes and you wish that the young girl who plays Princess had more scenes because she is so great. But I think all actors and actresses here will have a future in this business.

While other Austrian Filmmakers only bore you to death, Wolf Morrison knows how to entertain his audience. I like that. Cool stuff, go for it!

Wild Rebel (2008)

Good work, fine movie

[10/10 · 25 February 2009]

I rented this movie from the best English DVD and Videostore in Vienna, didn't expect a lot but that little movie really knocked me off my feet.

I didn't care about the small budget, I like Independent Movies. This one seems to be the first Austrian Zen Film. Wolf Morrison did an incredible job. He not only starred in this movie, he also wrote, produced and directed it and I think I remember he also composed the fine Soundtrack.

He plays his rebel somewhere between Dean, Brando, Newman and Matt Dillon with a great feeling for this complex character. I didn't liked the guy who played his best friend and I also didn't liked the actress who played Mona. The guy who played her husband Mackie acts his part like he is in a Soap opera.

I couldn't stop laughing when the bad guy, Rico appeared for the first time with his one eye and wild look. I didn't care much about the girls in this movie, both were not bad actresses but nothing to compare with Morrisons character.

Unlike Austrian movies "Wild Rebel" has a story to tell and it is a movie that really "moves". It never bores you.

If you like Independent Movies go for it!