Director(s) – Jerami Cruise (Murder Collection Vol. 1, Insomniac), Killjoy (Necrophagia: Sickcess), Michael Todd Schneider (His Devil’s Night, Our Devil’s Night), Fred Vogel (August Underground, The Final Interview), and Cristie Whiles
Starring – Fred Vogel, Cristie Whiles (Murder-Set-Pieces, The Redsin Tower), and Michael Todd Schneider
Release Date – 2003
Rating – 1/5
Blu Release – 4/5
I dislike writing negative reviews especially when they are the films from people I’ve met and have always done right by me. I refuse to lie in a review but it’s very difficult to write a negative review and not disrespect the person that made the film. I’ve met and talked with filmmaker and effects artist Fred Vogel several times at Cinema Wasteland. He was always extremely friendly and happy to speak with fans and other horror friends.
Sadly, his film series August Underground just didn’t look like something I would like. I watched Mordum for the first time last year and wasn’t a fan. The first one was something I had to force myself to finish. Not because it was graphic or visceral, because it wasn’t, but because I found myself bored. I was hoping the sequel would be better.
**spoiler Alert** The film, once again, follows a pair who go around torturing, degrading, and killing people while they film it. This time around they bring someone else in on the madness. **Spoiler Alert**
I love a lot of bad movies. Cheap and absurd seems to be my wheelhouse but I do find a few of the more gruesome and extreme horror films to be entertaining as long as they have a story to tell. With that being said, I can’t find the appeal of this series aside from the practical effects and gore. For movie that span the length of a feature film I struggle to watch it for more than 15 minutes. Watching people get in each others face and scream, obnoxious laugh, and rough up someone tied up doesn’t cut it for story for me. I need something that pulls me in and Mordum, much like the first film, just didn’t do that for me.
The acting for this one is more of the first film. The characters try way too hard to be edgey and offensive. They try to be people that have no regard for other human lives but you can tell the cast is forcing this really hard. It’s not genuine and a few of the scenes are very awkward to watch. I found myself rolling my eyes more often than not.
The story for this one is literally the same as the first film with the additional of an extra headcount. It works for 15 or 20 minutes but after that you will find yourself drifing off to sleep. This simple and straight forward story is stretched so thin that it becomes a chore to finish.
Finally, the film once again showcases some of the most impressive practical effects I have ever seen. The fact that this wasn’t put into a traditional horror film is a fucking crime. As much as I dislike this film I still have to recommend watching it just to see the effects. Overall, Mordum is barely a movie in my opinion. I know so many of you love this series but I can’t find anything redeemable here besides the effects which isn’t enough alone to carry the film. Please, tell me what you love so much about these!
Special Features:
NEW 2023 Transfer (BLU-RAY ONLY)
Original DVD Transfer (DVD ONLY)
NEW Audio Commentary by EFX Artist Jerami Cruise and Ultra Violent Magazine’s Art Ettinger
Audio Commentary By TOETAG
NEW Mordum Lives
NEW The Most Disturbing Scene
NEW Remembering Killjoy
NEW A Family Affair of Love and Hate: An Interview with Michael Maggot
NEW Stephen Biro Interviews Jerami Cruise
NEW Art Ettinger and Allana Sleeth Interview (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Zoë Rose Smith Interviews Fred Vogel (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Dave Parker Interviews Fred Vogel (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Snuff Purgatory: Severed Cinema Interviews Fred Vogel (BLU-RAY ONLY)
Necrophagia – Rue Morgue Disciple “Promo Video”
NEW Rue Morgue Disciple BTS Gallery
Deleted and Extended Scenes
U.S. Premiere 2003
NEW Extensive Photo Gallery
NEW Sickcess: A Necrophagia Mockumentary (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Sickcess Trailer (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Mordum Screening (Flashback Weekend 2004) (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Slit Throat Demo (Flashback Weekend 2004) (BLU-RAY ONLY)
NEW Zombie Demo (Flashback Weekend 2004) (BLU-RAY ONLY)
Original Animation
Trailers
You’re correct: these films are boring. Practical effects aside, AU is a slog, and Mordum is little better.
You have to be a fan of the spectacle with this series, because the lack of a cohesive narrative – deliberate given the found-footage, home-movie-esque presentation – is played far too straight to draw interest alone.