DIRECTED BY: Jason Hoover and many others
REVIEWED BY: Mario Dominick
Recently released by JABB Pictures, the folks who gave us the horror shorts Spike and Polly, is this entertaining short films collection DVD with 10 shorts from 10 filmmakers all based around the concept of “The Meat Eater.”
The first short from Thomas Berdinski and the Cult of Moi and Vous is Sascratch vs. Afrodesious: The Giant Rubber Monster Movie. This one is the funniest of the bunch and features the same spoofy touches found in Berdinski’s The Italian Zombie Movie Parts 1 & 2. The short pits Berdinski as Sascratch against a giant Godzilla movie style monster wreaking havoc across the winter landscape of a small town. This one’s sure to satisfy fans of sci-fi and monster movie spoofs.
The second short from Chris Jay and Darkrider Studios (Lethal Obsession, Mother’s Blood) stars Marv Blauvelt and Kitsie Duncan and is a Blair Witch style “found footage” movie about what happens when a group of rednecks get together and decide to hunt down an alleged bigfoot creature supposedly lurking around in the woods. Needless to say, the hunt doesn’t end well.
The third short Whistling Past the Graveyard from Eric Schneider and Graphik 13 Films concerns what happens when two dudes cross paths with a psycho who offs the mother of two babies and steals the van which she was driving earlier with the babies still in it. The two had a bit of road rage earlier with the mother and after they make a quick stop to smoke a joint, things take a turn for the worse when the hammer wielding maniac causes one of the guys to have an unfortunate “accident.”
Zracne Vile from James D. Mannan and Liberty or Death Productions (Wannabe) dabbles in the concept of witchcraft as a bartender tells two beer guzzling buddies about a woman with marital problems who enlists the help of a witch to help her remedy the situation with her husband. The end result as a part of this agreement turns out to be rather extreme to say the least.
Snow Angel from Shannon Feaster and So-So Pix is a very eerie piece set against the backdrop of a winter landscape. We are shown a sped up montage of the snow covered streets of a small town over the opening credits. We then find ourselves staring straight ahead down a snowy country road where we see a small black figure in the distance getting bigger as it comes closer and closer to us. The audience sits in tremendous suspense as we wait to find out who or what is coming toward us and what exactly is going to happen. The end result is a very creepy art film short with beautiful scenery and good music to go along with it.
Graveyard Blues from Cameron Scott and Quattro Venti Scott Productions is a dark, gory and bleak supernatural horror story taking place in a churchyard with Lovecraft style sceneries and images reminiscent of ‘70s nunsploitation horror and some touches of Karim Hussain (director of Subconscious Cruelty, Ascension and The Beautiful Beast). Fans of gritty old school Euro horror will find much to enjoy about this one.
The Meat Eater from Jason Hoover and JABB Pictures is a zombie attack survival story as a man on the run from a flesh eating ghoul seeks refuge in the basement of a house and tries to escape the “meat-eating” madness.
The eighth short from David Bonnell and Overanalyzed Productions concerns what happens when a jealous boyfriend calls a “Revenge Radio” station for assistance in getting back at his cheating girlfriend.
Corn-Fed from Dakota Meyer and So-So Pix focuses on the sinister, savage actions of a seemingly normal-looking man who wakes up and makes himself breakfast. It quickly turns into a gruesome story of murder and captivity.
The last short from Jason Hoover consists of old slaughterhouse documentary footage and is what you could call Hoover’s own little 10-minute version of Food Inc. as it focuses on a message about eating meat and provides some interesting social commentary about on the subject. It’s one of those pieces that are likely to turn some viewers into vegetarians.
The Collective Vol. 1 is an all-around terrific shorts collection and the various shorts featured contain elements that are humorous, disturbing, surreal, and creepy. The best ones are Whistling Past the Graveyard, Snow Angel, Graveyard Blues, Hoover’s The Meat Eater, and Meyer’s Corn-Fed. These are easily the most shocking, creative and disturbing of the bunch and Graveyard Blues is something almost worthy of Mitch Davis’s Small Gauge Trauma Fantasia shorts line-up. The Giant Rubber Monster Movie is easily the most humorous of the line-up and is a must see for those who enjoyed The Italian Zombie Movie Parts 1 & 2.
The Collective Vol. 1 DVD can be ordered from www.jabbpictures.com I look forward to seeing what Vol. 2 will bring.
