SLASHER HOUSE 3: REBOOTED (2024)

Regular HHoH readers will certainly be familiar with my love for Mycho, the independent cinematic slasher universe created by microbudget maestro MJ Dixon.

Originally launched with 2012's Slasher House, which saw the enigmatic Red battle her way through a facility filled with diabolical murderers, the ever-expanding universe fleshed out the backstory of her monstrous foes, leading to phase 2's quite fantastic Slasher House II, which further expanded on Red's story and her ongoing battle with her monstrous father.

Now, with a veritable rogue's gallery of villains that would make Batman balk hot on Red's tail, and the bitter struggle between vengeful daughter and demonic parent as personal as ever, we come to the grand finale, Mychoverse's own Endgame...

Ahead of its premiere at the 2024 Horror-On-Sea Festival, Dixon and co offered me a chance to look at a movie I've been eagerly anticipating for more than a decade.

Could Mycho really deliver the goods and offer a satisfying conclusion to one of indie horror's most impressive achievements?

Read on...


SLASHER HOUSE 3: REBOOTED (2024)

Dir: MJ Dixon

Stars: Redd Nicholson, Carly Halse, Paris Rivers, Luna Wolf, Grant Kempster, Cy Henty, Lewis Cooper, Adam Lezemore, Richard Fysh, Eileen Daly, Pauline Peart, Nicholas Vince, Dani Thompson, Martin W Payne, William Marshall, Sam Cullingworth, Matthew Baunsgard, Tony Mardon, Dean Sills, Peter Mahoney, Adam Dillon, Will Metheringham, Tiana Rogers, Lara Davis, Joe O'Connor, Wellington Grosvenor, David Hon Ma Chu, Paul Rogers, Jack Glanville, Michael Higham, MJ Dixon, Anna Dixon, Aaron Jackson, Haider Abdullah, Mark Smith, Natalie Chisholm, Moray Binfield


SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I’ll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

Finally, killer of killers Red (newcomer to the series Nicholson) is at the heart of the shadowy H.E.X.A.G.O.N's base of operations and she is given a first-hand view of the endgame her sinister father (Kempster) has been working towards for years... along with a shocking reveal about the nature of the Slasher House.

After reuniting with treacherous former comrade Luse (Halse) and crossing paths with the Thorn series' Eric (Rivers) - who has infiltrated H.E.X.A.G.O.N on his own mission of revenge - Red finds herself hunted by a new wave of cybernetically enhanced maniacal murderers, led by the psychotic Burny Man (Henty) as she herself moves towards her inevitable final confrontation with the Crimson Demon.

This is it everyone...

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Well, where to begin? After more than a decade, the story started in Slasher House reaches its conclusion. Along the way, Mycho has produced nine movies and numerous short films in this franchise, and now MJ Dixon has tasked himself with tying all of this content up into one neat little bow. It's an impressive task to undertake... and even more impressive that he has managed to pull it off!

Slasher House 3 is tightly plotted, with barely an ounce of fat on its lean mean runtime, and the various threads that have been produced along the way are cleverly interwoven. There a plenty of fan-pleasing moments involving this cinematic universe's most popular inhabitant, so bravo for giving those long-term followers exactly what they want!

It's difficult to discuss the plot of the movie at risk of sharing spoilers, but suffice it to say that even after all this time, the Mycho gang are able to pull off some impressive surprises. There were moments that prompted gasps and plenty of smiles along the way. If this is to be the end of Red's story (and of course, I can't possibly comment either way) she's going out with a bang.

As well as the clever twists and turns, Dixon's script also features all of the imagination I've come to expect from a Mycho flick. The new villains (and there are plenty) are quite excellent, with several crying out for their own spin-off movies much like their predecessors Thorn and Cleaver have spawned. Ranging from clever homages to iconic horror monsters of yesteryear to new and frightening creations, the rogue's gallery in this movie is one that gives Mycho plenty of fresh and interesting directions in which to go in the future.

The script also features a whole lot of action and the series' trademark wry humour. The wisecracks come thick and fast, with special mention going to the fourth-wall-breaking Prankster who is consistently hilarious throughout. The movie is also pretty much a steady series of escalating fight scenes and they never fail to deliver. Whether it be Red vs H.E.X.A.G.O.N's heavily armed goons or maniacal monster-on-monster smackdowns, these action set pieces are always fun, thrilling, and shot perfectly.

I've often praised Mycho's clever way of working around their budgetary limitations, as well as Dixon's own striking visual style, and Slasher House 3 is no exception. From the artful, Argento-esque colour palette to the clever use of quick cuts and framing, the movie looks like one with a budget far, far higher than the resourceful Mycho crew was able to work with. Well done to all involved!

Of course, a good-looking film can still fall flat if the audience doesn't care about the protagonists. Coming at the end of a string of films that have helped to flesh out these characters certainly doesn't hurt, but Dixon's clever script and dialogue ensure you are invested, as do the performers themselves.

Nicholson is the third actress to portray Red in as many movies, but she soon makes the role her own. She brings the toughness we come to expect of the character and adds some much-needed subtle vulnerability for the film's more emotional scenes in the final act. I was not familiar with her work before but I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of her.

Halse also takes up a role previously inhabited by another actress, and she also excels. Hers is not a simple impersonation of what came before - she gives Luse plenty of personality, making her another character that lights up the screen in every scene.

I've long been an admirer of Paris Rivers and his portrayal of Eric and I was delighted to see him getting a substantial role in this movie. He's likeable, charming, and very much somebody I hope to see continue working with Mycho.

Of course, indie horror fans will be familiar with Luna Wolf, who makes up the final component of the Mychoverse's new 'Core four'. She has decidedly less screen time here than in the previous Slasher House movie, but her role here is more complex and shows a considerable amount of range. Needless to say, she smashes it once again.

Other returning faces include a host of Mycho stalwarts such as Payne, and Marshall, all of whom are as reliable and fun to watch as ever. Well done gang, your hard work has not gone overlooked here.

The newcomers to the series also impress, with special credit for Henty's deranged Burny Man. He is menacing, yet somehow even sympathetic, oozing a palpable menace that makes his every scene a real thrill. Impressive indeed.

Elsewhere the Prankster, as brought to life physically by Lezemore and voiced with droll relish by Fysh is a consistent scene stealer. The recurring jokes about a Slaypril Fool's Day movie from Mycho are a long-running source of amusement, but can we please, please, get one now? Pretty please?

Equally impressive in this movie is the shockingly good special effects. Low-budget indie horror often suffers in this regard, as realistic gore and paranormal activity rarely come cheap. Somehow Dixon and his crew have given us some seriously nifty practical effects, and a couple of exceptional CG moments, especially those involving the stupendously creepy Mirror Man. There's one spin-off I'm dying to see.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): I'll open with my usual caveat when reviewing indie horror - as impressive as Slasher House 3 is, it was very much created using a far smaller budget than your typical big studio (or even small studio) Hollywood horror movie.

Slasher House 3 really does look quite spectacular for a film with such humble resources - but it is still a low-budget film. This means that at times it can become a little rough around the edges. Please do adjust your expectations accordingly- it’s very much worth it.

Perhaps one criticism that could be leveled at the Mycho crew is that, if anything, the movie may have been too ambitious an undertaking. With production derailed by the COVID pandemic and a heinous robbery, Dixon et al have made no secret of the challenges they faced creating the movie. For the most part, I think these challenges were overcome with the typical ingenuity you might expect from this group of filmmakers.

However, there are a couple of rougher looking moments (perhaps caused by having to resource costumes that were stolen and recast roles following sudden departures from the production), but thankfully these are few and far between.

On a related note, as much as I admire the dedication to providing such a huge rogue's gallery for this movie, sadly it feels like several get short shrift in terms of screen time. Of course, if budget and time were no issue I'm sure we'd have got an epic two-part finale a la Infinity War/Endgame, but this is not the case. It means that some of the more familiar faces are reduced to extended cameos with an understandable focus on the Core Four, Harley, and the new faces. Ultimately I suppose this is a testimony to the longevity and enduring popularity of Dixon’s characters - I wanted even more!

THE VERDICT: Year after year Mycho have provided thrilling, fun, horror movies that I have gladly endorsed to you, the readers of HHoH.

Sadly, there comes a day when every streak, no matter how great, comes to an end.

Today is not that day.

Slasher House 3 was everything I wanted from the concluding chapter of what, no matter how you look it, is a legitimately impressive feat of Indie filmmaking and a thrilling final chapter/new beginning for this homegrown cinematic.

Yes, I listed some minor faults, but ultimately the film is simply exceptional. This is a shining example of what ingenuity, passion, and sheer daring can achieve on film. Put simply, it's a bona fide UK indie horror classic that deserves to be applauded.

Congratulations MJ, Anna, and everyone else involved in every step of the creation of not just Slasher House 3, but each and every other Mycho movie along the way to this point. You did it. Be proud.

Slasher House 3 will premiere at Horror on Sea on 21 January. You can buy tickets for the event here.

In the meantime, why not read more about the movie at its official Facebook page. Or better yet, hit up the Mycho Patreon and help them create more quality indie horror.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

SHARP SHOCK SHORT: THE THINNING VEIL

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of UK independent filmmakers Mycho. I've reviewed each of the micro-budget auteurs' offerings from 2017's Slasher House II, by way of Mask Of Thorn, via The Haunting Of Molly Bannister (AKA ) Bannister Dollhouse and Cleavers: Killer Clowns right up to the studio's most recent effort Pandamonium, and I have praised each and every one along the way.

Sadly, the real-world horrors of the last year put plans for the much anticipated third chapter in the Slasher House trilogy on hold, but that doesn't mean that Mycho supremos MJ and Anna Dixon have been sitting idle.

As contributors to their Patreon will know, they are still providing plenty of content, including some superb short horror films.

These shorts are a regular treat from Mycho, and one of these, The Thinning Veil, has drawn plenty of attention from critics, including selection for several prestigious film festivals.

For good reason too, as I will soon explain.

THE THINNING VEIL (2019)

Dir: MJ Dixon

Starring: Tatiana Ibba, Liza Keast

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but read on at your own risk.

Late one Halloween night, a lone woman, Roberta (Ibba) calls at the house of a medium, Madam Brenda (Keast) in search of answers.

Seen packing a handgun in her handbag before leaving her car, Roberta is desperate to locate a missing item and clearly means business, and as Brenda lays a piece of lace across the floor, chants 'Who do you want me to be?' and consults tarot cards, we soon realise that she has come to the right place.

As the voices of trick-or-treaters are heard having fun under the cold October night sky, Brenda explains that Halloween is the time at which the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest and, if you wish to contact one of the dearly departed, this is the night to do so.

But the dead have some tricks of their own...

WHY IT WORKS: Halloween is a great time for horror fans and The Thinning Veil does a wonderful job of evoking the spirit of the season (excuse the pun) while delivering a sterling tale with a couple of deft twists and turns all in less than 10 minutes.

I've expressed my admiration of the way in which director MJ Dixon uses a rich and stylised colour palette when shooting his films, and this is no different, shot with deep blues and rich oranges. It's touches like these that elevate Mycho's output far beyond its humble resources. 

Dixon's film looks fantastic while never drawing the focus from his two splendid leading ladies.

Essentially a two-person cast, the film relies heavily on Ibba and Keast delivering, and, thankfully, both do so with ease.

Ibba will be familiar to fans of Mycho's fun comedy/slasher hybrid, Pandamonium. She's excellent here, showing a tough edge but still portraying the essential vulnerability to make the story work. It's an assured and confident performance of a complex role and one that has me eager to see what she and Dixon can achieve together should they collaborate again in the future

Ibba is undoubtedly very, very good, and co-star Keast is simply fantastic. Madam Brenda is a wonderful character (and one I'd love to see more of in the extended Mychoverse). Having worked with Dixon before on both Slasher House II and The Haunting Of Molly Bannister, the director clearly trusts her, and with good reason. 

Keast imbues the character with gentle down-to-earth warmth and a creepy otherworldliness in equal measure. It's a joy to watch her character's impressive arc in a mere nine minutes.

Both actresses provide really nuanced performances, which is essential to telling Dixon's story.

On the surface, The Thinning Veil may appear to be a simple and rather traditional ghost story (I shan't discuss the exact details of the story so as to avoid spoiling your viewing experience) however, it does such a wonderful job of hiding that fact until the moment the trap snaps shut that it feels like so much more.

Furthermore, the subtle touches throughout, especially with regards to Madam Brenda's summoning ritual make for some brilliant world-building, suggesting there are plenty more fascinating stories for the character to be told if Dixon ever wants to return to The Thinning Veil.

Of course, the purpose of horror is to scare, to shock and frighten, and I'm delighted to say that this short contains quite possibly the most chilling shot Dixon has ever produced. It raised hairs on the back of my neck and I can imagine it would be amazing to behold on a large screen, should you get the opportunity to do. Blood-curdling stuff!

In short, this indie gem is a brilliant and spine-chilling ode to Halloween and an absolute must-see.

SO WHERE'S IT AT? The film has been selected for several film festivals and is available to Mycho's Patreon patrons. Until then you can check out the trailer for the short right here or read more about it at Mycho's official website https://mycho.weebly.com/. 

10 WORD WRAP-UP: Atmospheric UK indie short provides some excellent twists and chills

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

RAW REVIEW: A NUN'S CURSE

Those of you who were reading this blog way back in 2014 may remember my review of Tommy Faircloth’s Dorchester’s Revenge: The Return Of Crinoline Head (which was subsequently retitled Dollface for those of you keeping score).


It was a brilliant slasher flick with gore, humour and some serious style, and it promptly made me a fan of Faircloth.

I went on to review his extremely cool short, The Cabin, and then his chilling supernatural flick Family Possessions, all of which received glowing reviews here at The House.

The start of a new decade comes with a new movie from Horsecreek Productions - A Nun’s Curse, and I was kindly asked to review it ahead of release.

Would this prove hits are becoming a habit for Faircloth? Or would this sister act be one to miss?

Read on...


A NUN’S CURSE (2019)





Dir: Tommy Faircloth

Starring: Felissa Rose, Erika Edwards, Kristi Ray, Damian Maffei, Gunner Willis


SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I’ll try not to spoil too much here but read on at your own risk.


A group of four fun-loving youngsters on a road trip take a ghoulish detour when timid budding photographer Ashley-Kae, (Edwards) asks that they stop at an atmospheric burnt down church to capture some snaps.

Strolling deep into the woods, it emerges that Ashley-Kae has been haunted by nightmares of a malevolent nun since childhood.

When horny asshole Anthony (Maffei) reveals that he has lost the keys to their car, he, Ashley-Kae, her spoilt princess sister Gabby (Ray), and loveable geek Michael (Willis) are forced to take shelter in a grim, dilapidated abandoned prison.

But this is not just any abandoned prison - it is the former stomping ground of Sister Monday (Rose) - a murderous nun who used her position to punish the sinners incarcerated within.

Now, while the youngsters bicker as relationship revelations come to light, they are unaware that the tales of the sinister sister may be more than just legend...





THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): While A Nun’s Curse may not have the sort of colossal budget you might expect of a big studio genre movie, this is no cheap-looking indie flick.

A Nun’s Curse drips atmosphere from every frame and makes the most of some fantastic locations. Director Faircloth has always shown a keen eye for striking shots and this could well be his best-looking movie to date. The sequence within the ruins of the church looks stunning, while the dank, shadowy interiors of the prison make for a suitably chilling setting for the sequences featuring the diabolical Sister Monday.

It certainly helps that the always fantastic Rose is the one wearing the habit and wimple. Genre icon Rose plays the nun with an icy malevolence, and makes the very best of her limited screen time.

And she is far from the only cast-member to impress.

Edwards stood out as a talent to watch in Family Possessions and she is just as excellent here. Hers is a complex character, one that needs to combine both sympathetic and at times unnerving elements, and she delivers admirably.

Willis may also be recognisable to those familiar with Faircloth’s work after his appearance in Dollface. The nicest of the characters, his Michael is funny, and one you can’t help but root for. This is entirely down to his ability as an actor. I can’t wait to see more from him.

Maffei is making waves in the genre right now, having starred as the Man in the Mask in the criminally underrated sequel The Strangers: Prey At Night, and he shows why he has caught the eye of filmmakers with an assured, charismatic turn as Anthony. A character who would have been intensely unlikeable in lesser hands, Maffei injects just enough wit into the performance to make his performance shine.

The same can be said of Pieces of Talent’s Ray, who provides plenty of laughs as bad girl Gabby. She’s a fine actress and one I look forward to seeing more from in the future.

Of course, it helps that the cast have such a strong script to work with. Faircloth has always written sparkling, witty dialogue and that continues here. There are plenty of strong gags without the onscreen conversation ever sounding unnatural.

Faircloth’s writing ability is also obvious in the clever plot and, without wanting to give to much away, some defy zigzagging totally threw me when I thought I’d guessed how the movie was going to end. Bravo!

Finally, while the movie boasts wit and intelligence, it doesn’t forego the frights - or gore!

A couple of decidedly messy kills will definitely satisfy the splatter fans out there (and rank among some of the most gruesome I have seen in a very long time) while top drawer make-up effects by Redhouse FX make the nightmare demon a legitimately unnerving creation.





THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): In truth, there is very little with which to find fault in this genre gem.

I suppose it’s worth pointing out that while A Nun’s Curse is an extremely impressive indie horror flick, it does not have the resources available to it that big-budget blockbusters such as the cinematic output of A24 or Blumhouse. It still looks great but do adjust your expectations accordingly.

As I mentioned earlier, I would have loved to see a little more of the always wonderful Felissa Rose. Still, what we get is quite fantastic, so I suppose it’s a testament to her and the Sister Monday character that I wanted more!

The small cast is great, and the fact that the core group is pretty tight means we get plenty of time to get to know them well and care about them. However, one downside to this is that it does limit the body count somewhat. We do get a couple of extra slayings in some cleverly used flashback sequences but those of you seeking death after death might be disappointed. However, rest assured that the ones you do get more than deliver!





THE VERDICT: Make no bones about it, A Nun’s Curse is a genuinely great horror movie. Brilliantly combining elements of the supernatural, psychological and slasher sub-genres, it’s a resounding success. Mixing fun and frights with some soul and plenty of smarts, A Nun’s Curse is another hit under the very talented Tommy Faircloth’s belt. It comes highly, highly recommended.


A Nun’s Curse will be released through Uncork’d Entertainment in June. Check it out then!


In the meantime, why not read more about the movie at its official Facebook page. Be sure to give it a Like while you’re there, quality indie horror such as this deserves your support.


If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors


Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

RAW REVIEW: PANDAMONIUM (2020)

Long term readers of this blog will be all too aware of my love for Mycho, the independent cinematic universe helmed by the extremely talented MJ Dixon.

With a whopping eight feature-length films already released, ranging from typical throwback slashers to psychological thrillers, from sci-if infused action flicks to supernatural chillers, the Mychoverse is a rich interconnected viewing experience.

Now, ahead of its premiere at the 2020 Horror-On-Sea Festival, Dixon and co offered me a chance to look at their latest effort in yet another sub-genre.

Pandamonium expands on the story of Slasher House II’s stripper hating, panda mask-wearing Jakob Jakushi - this time going the comedy-horror route.

Would Dixon’s talents lend themselves to giggles as well as gore?

Read on...


PANDAMONIUM (2020)



Dir: MJ Dixon

Stars: Oriana Charles, Will Jones, David Hon Ma Chu, James Hamer-Morton, Lee Mark Jones, Derek Nelson, William Marshall, Dani Thompson, Chloe Badham, Charlie Bond, Tatiana Ibba, Annie Knox, Nad Abdoolakhan, Martin W Payne, Pablo Raybould, Charlie Clarke, Susan Lee Burton


SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I’ll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

Arielle (Charles) has landed an admin job at top law firm Killmore & Percival. However, rather than be overjoyed at her big break she comes to realise that she is now working with a group of hard-drinking, drug-using, sexist city boys, headed up by the truly obnoxious Damian Hook (Hamer-Morton).

Forced to work late on her first day, she finds a sympathetic fellow new starter, Daniel (Jones) but things soon unravel when Damian and his cronies hire a team of strippers lead by tough as nails Jasmine (Thompson) - who lets slip a secret about Arielle’s past.

However, the arrival of Jasmine and her crew spells trouble in more ways than one - they have drawn the attention of the notorious Stripper Ripper, panda-mask wearing Jakob Jakushi (Hon Ma Chu). Now with a prime selection of victims assembled in one place, Jakushi won’t rest until he has killed them all - and anybody who gets in his way.





THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): I’ve always been a fan of Mycho’s darker more serious films - as my glowing reviews of grim psychological thriller Hollower and the spookily supernatural Bannister DollHouse will attest. So I approached Dixon’s first crack at full-on comedy with some trepidation.

Thankfully, my fears were utterly misplaced. Of course, some of the wisecracks that he has written for his teen characters and the always acid-tongued Red are side-splitters, but even they could not have prepared me for how smoothly the Mycho team have made the transition to humour.

It’s a non-stop barrage of gags, some well-performed physical comedy and just enough black humour to keep things suitably dark for a movie about a misogynistic panda-headed serial killer.

That’s not to say that the script is all fluff - there’s a strong theme of female empowerment throughout (as there so often is in the Mychoverse works) which might come as a shock to those who will inevitably make snap judgements after reading the synopsis, and some surprising emotional depth to boot.

It’s easy to care for characters when they are written so well and portrayed as brilliantly as they are here.

The frankly wonderful Charles gives what might be my favourite performance in a Mycho movie yet. Her well-rounded character is given plenty to do over her arc and whether she is inspiring sympathy or awestruck admiration, she manages it effortlessly. This is one actress I cannot wait time to see more of.

Equally great is young Tom Hardy-alike Will Jones, who shows real likeability along with serious acting chops. Remember that name, he’s going places.

I also loved the work of Thompson who manages to inject some nice humorous moments into her tough girl performance. I’m crossing all non-essential appendages that we’ll see her cross paths with Red one day.

Speaking of comedy, none deliver as many laughs as our deplorable city boys, with Hamer-Morton chewing the scenery with great aplomb every time he’s on screen. He reminds me of Ralph Inneson’s Chris Finch from The Office - a huge twat but so unapologetically awful you can’t help but grin every time he pops up.

The same holds for the delightfully deranged Lee Mark Jones and Nelson. The pair were in some of the funniest moments in the movie, and while they may not have been the subtlest characters their OTT energy was precisely what the film needed. Bravo gents.

Rounding out the frightful foursome was a familiar Mycho face in the form of Marshall. He’s great too as are the other returning Mycho alum.

Regular readers will know how much of a fan I am of the terrifically talented Badham - so I was delighted to see her back again - while a welcome albeit short appearance by the great Payne also added massively to the film.

In truth there are no weak links - Bond, Ibba and Abdoolakhan are all ace - but one of the very biggest pleasures came from seeing the return of the incredible David Hon Ma Chu. A horror movie is as only as good as its threat - and in this case, we have a superb performance. He made a big impression during his extended cameo at the beginning of Slasher House II - here he has so much more to do and really makes the most of it. It’s difficult to portray a character when your facial expressions are covered all the time, but his laconic and derisive delivery makes for a chillingly realistic yet bizarrely charming psychopath. He makes Jakushi a Ted Bundy-like bear headed buddy and it totally works. A post-credits message suggests there might be more to come for this character - if David Hon Ma Chu is attached then count me in.

It’s not just the wit, warmth and performances that make Pandamonium a must watch - the film never forgets that a horror movie needs scares too. There are some tense set-pieces scattered throughout the film, shot with Dixon’s usual impeccable timing and eye for framing, and the kills are shockingly brutal at times.

Dixon’s eye-catching use of colour (a trademark in Mycho’s output) is as on point as ever while the snappy editing (especially during a Commando-esque tooling up sequence involving office stationery) gives an already electric flick even more energy.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): It is becoming boring to write this caveat to low budget indie horror, but once again I need to stress that Pandamonium was a labour of love assembled on a shoestring budget. The cost of this movie is probably less than that spent on catering for your typical big studio Hollywood horror movie.

Pandamonium looks fantastic for a film with such humble resources - but it is still a low-budget film. This means that at times it can become a little rough around the edges. Please do adjust your expectations accordingly- it’s very much worth it.

For example, the offices of celebrated law firm Killmore & Percival don’t exactly suggest the workplace of a top affluent business. There are no wide bright marble hallways or pristine boardrooms with huge mahogany tables. Instead, it’s a more typical looking office setting. I’m sure with a bigger location budget and unlimited research time Dixon would have shot in a building straight out of LA Law. Instead, the Mycho team did what they do best - take what is available and scale it up to purpose. This is just one more reason to praise their work, not a stick to beat them with.

While I praised the work of the larger cast, it does feel as if a few characters could have used a little more screen time. Of course, when you have a slasher movie you need bodies to up the body count, but it does feel as if a couple of characters have little more than a few minutes of meaningful screen time before they are dispatched. This is a tough one to address - make the movie much longer and it can risk feeling bloated. Ultimately I suppose this is a testimony to Dixon’s characters - the only flaw I could find was that I wanted more!




THE VERDICT: For the last few years MJ, Anna and their team at Mycho have asked me to check out their latest movies ahead of their big premieres at the Horror On Sea Festival in Southend each January. And every year I have been inspired to write ebulliently positive reviews for their efforts.

This streak continues with Pandamonium.

Die Hard meets Severance by way of Halloween, this mishmash of mirthful and murderous mayhem is a resounding hit. Great comedy, superb performances, some killer horror sequences and a lightning pace that never lets up make this another indie must-see from Mycho.

Trust me in this case you will have no choice but to grin and ‘bear’ it!

Pandamonium will premiere at Horror on Sea on 18 January. You can buy tickets for the event here.

In the meantime, why not read more about the movie at its official Facebook page. Or better yet, hit up the Mycho Patreon and help them create more quality indie horror.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

DARK WEB: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREEPYPASTA - PART 35: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH VINCENT VENA CAVA

It's been a long while since I've shared a Dark Web feature on here, but it seems to be a good time to catch up with those features, that were published elsewhere before - sadly - those sites folded. But don't fear, from now on Dark Web will be publishing here - and I've lined up some fantastic stories and interviews with some genuine heavyweights in the field.

It's almost like these interviews could be for an exciting project in the future...

Usually these Dark Web features will focus on a single story, or a connected series, but this weeks does something a little different. Instead I focus on the work of a single author, one of the most successful and popular writers of Creepypasta the genre has produced — Vincent Vena Cava.

With a wealth of work to his name, including iconic pastas such as The Pastel Man, A Favor For a Favor, Picture This and the fantastic Wendall Lane Diaries, the LA-based author has caused quite a stir with his fiction, gaining recognition and approaches from several huge media companies, including 20th Century Fox (when he wrote The Eye of Ra, which was part of a viral marketing campaign for the movie The Pyramid) and Starz. He has also been published multiple times, including the inclusion of his stories Right On Time and Picture This in the short story anthology, The Creepypasta Collection: Modern Urban Legends You Can’t Unread. (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-creepypasta-collection-mr-creepypasta/1123556473)

All of this in just four short years since he first started publishing work on the web under the Vincent Cava name.

He even saw a project successfully funded on Kickstarter that combined his talents with those of genre YouTube heavyweight Mr Creepypasta and top DeviantArtist Chris Oz Fulton. The resulting Creepypasta Comicbook (of which I’m a backer) is a fantastic debut effort and fans are eagerly anticipating subsequent issues from the team.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve had the tremendous pleasure of conversing with the amiable, humble and supremely talented Cava, asking him about his influences, storytelling processes, several of his most notable stories and what the future holds.

Our interview follows below.


HICKEY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS: Hi Vincent, and thank you so much for agreeing to speak with me. First, I'd like to ask you some general questions about your influences, before asking specific questions about some of your stories, including The Pastel Man, Right On Time and your Wendall Lane Diaries series. I hope that's ok?

VINCENT VENA CAVA: No problem, I'd be happy to answer your questions — and btw, you just named two of my worst stories! Haha! Is that what people know me for? Good God.

HHoH: Oh dear, you are too harsh on yourself, they're all fine stories! May I ask which two you're least happy with? As an aside, some of my favourites include The Hall Monitor, The Job, Selfie, The Ocean's Cool Air, and Little Black Bugs. I expect a few of those will be the subject of future features should you be happy to speak with me about them!

VVC: Thanks! The Pastel Man is the first thing people really noticed me for and I'm sure I'll be tied to it forever, haha. I believe the story has weak stakes and the prose is pretty amateur. I've been working for years to hone my craft since I decided this was something I wanted to make money doing and I feel like I've gotten better since then. Right on Time is just fan service and if you aren't familiar with Jeff The Killer then, in my opinion, the story is sort of weak (maybe even confusing?), but it is what it's supposed to be
I am fond of Wendall Lane though. 



HHoH: Here are my first few questions, they're non-story specific, but should give my readers more of an idea about you as a writer.
Which writers, horror or otherwise, do you consider yourself a fan of?

VVC: I'm a fan of so many authors! Some of my biggest influences are Vonnegut, Lovecraft, King, Heinlein, and Philip K. Dick.

HHoH:Do you consider yourself a fan of Creepypasta?

VVC: I'm a fan of anything that has to do with horror, but I'm not entirely sure what Creepypasta even is. It's such a fluid word.
It seems like everyone has their own definition of "creepypasta". What makes something creepypasta? Is it only stories featuring certain characters? Is it only scary stories? Who says what's scary? Does a story have to appear on specific websites like r/NoSleep or creepypasta.com to make the cut?
Last I checked, the author of The Martian, Andy Weir's, short story The Egg is featured on creepypasta.com. I don't think he posted it there, nor would I call it horror, but is it a creepypasta nonetheless? To me, are you a fan of creepypasta is a difficult question to answer because I don't even know how to go about defining it.

HHoH: What work of your own are you most proud of?

VVC: I'm really happy how people reacted to A Favor for a Favor. I've since given it a little rewrite and I think it's a better story now. Picture This was a really therapeutic story to write so I was happy when people responded well to it. I'm also pretty proud of the graphic novel I just took to Kickstarter.

HHoH: What is your favourite Creepypasta by an author other than yourself?

VVC: Hard to answer that question, so I'll stick to writers who are generally known for online horror. Anything by Matt Dymerski, T.W. Grim, Michael Whitehouse, and IPostAtMidnight is usually great. I think they're all really polished writers. Anything by them won't disappoint.

HHoH: You're a prolific writer, regularly releasing stories to the web. How do you keep the creative juices flowing? Is writing a process that you enjoy or is it more about getting your stories out there to an audience?

VVC: Keeping the creative juices flowing isn't a problem. I have more stories in my head than I can write. The slowest part of my process comes from crafting my prose and trying to develop a unique and interesting narrative that will fit with what I'm writing. Writing isn't just about telling people a story. It's about HOW you tell them a story. A lot of young writers don't realize that. When you do it correctly, your prose can be poetry.
And most importantly...
Read. Read. Read.
You have to read if you want to be a good writer. And you have to read great writers. I get people asking me what to read. Don't just read horror. Read Hemingway, read Melville, read James Joyce, and Asimov, and Clarke. Read Oscar Wilde, read Doyle, and London. Read non-fiction too! Read, read, read. Great stories can inspire you....you get the picture.

HHoH: Why do you think Creepypasta resonates so much with the fandom?

VVC: I think a lot of the fans of these online, user generated horror stories are younger or at least became fans when they were younger. This...trend is like a gateway for a lot of young people. It can introduce them to the world of literature and I think that's wonderful. Many times, these stories are not written for children so of course there's always intrigue for kids when it comes to taboo subjects.

HHoH: These fans have flocked to some characters, who really have become iconic to the community, such as The Rake and Jeff the Killer, a character you incorporated into your story Right On Time (you can hear Mr Creepypasta’s narration of the story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu9NvCTJbHs )
What inspired you to write a story that contributes to the Jeff the killer mythos?

VVC: I just wanted to pay a little fan service. Jeff is a popular character and people are usually excited to hear a new Jeff story. I figured why not try my hand at a little fan-fiction. I don't know if I'm actually contributing to the "Jeff mythos". I don't really consider any Jeff story to be canon. There are so many tales written by so many people. But that's cool. It makes the character and his personality somewhat amorphous. He isn't really defined by any set of rules and whoever is writing him can put their own spin on it.

HHoH: What drew you to the character?

VVC: The character's popularity is what drew me to him. Haha!
People like reading Jeff stories, I like writing stories, so why not try writing a Jeff story?

HHoH: Your Jeff is less sympathetic than the version traditionally portrayed, he's almost a force of remorseless destruction than a human, a lot like John Carpenter's original idea for Michael Myers in Halloween. What inspired you to portray the character in this way? 

VVC: To be honest, I never found the character to be very interesting and the broken emo kid thing isn't all that scary. That's the problem a lot of people have with Jeff, which is why I decided to write around him.
He couldn't be the protagonist in Right On Time. Protagonists don't give you nightmares. I believe the character can be frightening, so long as you move away from the "woe is me" stuff. If you want him to be scary, don't let the audience into his head.
You have to strip away anything that makes him human. Make him a monster. That's why Michael Myers works. And let's face it, the Jeff character is basically an amalgam of slasher movie clichés. I just followed the trend.

HHoH: What do you think the attraction is to Jeff for Creepypasta fans? 

VVC: I think most Jeff fans are pretty young. He's an antihero, he's counterculture. He plays by his own set of rules. If someone upsets him, he stabs them. I see why teenage girls and boys are into him.

HHoH: Do you have any further plans to feature Jeff in your stories? 

VVC: Not right now. I'd rather not write a ton of Jeff stuff, but maybe in a future comic book.

HHoH: Are you happy with Right On Time? 

VVC: I think Right On Time is good fan-fiction. The problem with it is that you need to know who Jeff The Killer is for it to make a whole lot of sense. Otherwise, it's just an interesting story with an "out of nowhere" twist. If you don't know what Jeff The Killer is, you might read it and wonder what the hell just happened. What did he mean by "go to sleep"?

HHoH: Do you have any plans to write stories featuring any other existing Creepypasta characters? (Excluding the Rake — who Vincent covered as part of his Wendall Lane Diaries series AND for the Creepypasta comic book)

VVC: Yeah sure. I'd love to write more stories based off some of the Internet's more popular characters. It's fun for me. I have no plans at this moment, but if it's something people would be interested in then I'm game for it.

HHoH: I mentioned the Creepypasta comicbook just now. I recently received my PDF copy of the comic and I wanted to extend my most heartfelt congratulations on what is a really great read. You must be very, very proud of it! Any news on whether there'll be an issue 2? I'd certainly be onboard if so!

VVC: Thanks for backing the comic! Glad you're enjoying it. Unfortunately our distributor (backerkit) had some trouble with ios mobile devices, but I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it.
We definitely want to put out a second comic, but first and foremost we want to focus on getting out all the rewards first. We’ll probably have a second comic up next year, hopefully twice as long.

HHoH: The Rake plays a major role in one of the stories in the Creepypasta comic that you have created with MrCreepypasta. I understand you spoke with Bryan Somerville (who I’ve interviewed for this Dark Web series before: http://www.ukhorrorscene.com/dark-web-steven-hickeys-essential-guide-to-creepypasta-part-28-the-rake-re-visited/) about adapting the character for the comic. How was it working with him?

VVC: I didn't really work with Somerville on the comic. I just asked him for the ok and gave him a short summary of the story, then he signed a contract giving me permission.

HHoH: The Rake is one of the more recognisable Creepypasta beasties, and you created one of your own with the monstrous Pastel Man. (Read the story here: http://www.creepypasta.com/pastel-man/)
His story is one that feels very much like an old-fashioned morality play. Was that your intention?

VVC: The Pastel Man is most definitely a morality play. All of my work fits those themes.
I very rarely write about good vs Evil
It is my belief that we all exist on a moral spectrum — No black and white, just shades of gray. That's why most of my characters are inherently flawed.
I also believe that an antagonist with a more sympathetic reason for doing bad is much more compelling than one who just wants to eradicate all humanity or kill a protagonist because he's a bad guy. My protagonists also usually only act out of self-preservation rather than altruism. They aren't heroes.
But they are more relatable… in my opinion at least.


HHoH: It's one of your earlier stories and earlier you stated that you weren't entirely happy with it. Would you ever consider re-visiting the story either with a sequel or rewrite?

VVC: As for my dislike for the story, I believe that it's prose is lacking compared to what I can do now and the protagonist could probably use a bit more motivation. He is, in my opinion, almost too ‘guilty’.
I am heavily considering giving the story a rewrite. I am also considering revisiting The Pastel Man in the second Creepypasta comic.

HHoH: One of your more recent projects to draw considerable recognition from the fans was the Wendall Lane Diaries. In your own words, how would you describe the series?
VVC: The Wendall Lane Diaries are centered around a house where reality is broken. It's a paranormal hot spot much in the same way the Bermuda Triangle is. One might encounter ghosts, monsters, reality warping paradoxes if they stay there long enough. The occurrences are random. The only thing they have in common is that they're confined to the house and the property it sits on.
I worked with the cast of Ash Vs The Evil Dead to put out five new stories in the series, narrated by Bruce Campbell, Lucy Lawless, Ted Raimi and others.

HHoH: I’ve heard the stories via MrCreepypasta’s YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3vq3HFjqkVkZabGSM02I8G960DBHu9xh) and just wanted to compliment you on how awesome they were. Bravo!
I just wondered if you could give my readers a little insight into how the collaboration with Starz came about?

VVC: Starz was interested in promoting their show Ash Vs The Evil Dead so they contacted YouTube creator Mr. Creepypasta to read original stories. They wanted the stories to be loosely connected.
Since he's not a writer, he asked me if I'd be interested in writing them. The whole thing was really intense, I had about two weeks to crank out five stories for the series.
In the end it was a fun opportunity to meet the great actors of the show and to speak with horror icons like Bruce Campbell.

HHoH: And finally, where is the best place for me to send my readers to get more news on your work? Are there any preferred links for me to send my readers to read your literature?

VVC: I'm so stupid, I don't have a landing page haha. But I'm all over social media. Twitter, Facebook, youtube, snapchat, tumblr, Instagram, ect. Every account is @vincentvenacava
Hope that answers your questions!

HHoH: It really does, thanks so much.


As one of the more senior and respected members of the community, Vincent Vena Cava’s story shows that, if you’ve got the talent, Creepypasta really can lead to great things.

Come back next time when I speak with another creative talent who’s been on the scene for a long time about one of the oldest, yet most recognisable and complex pastas ever.

RAW REVIEW: SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK

The Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark books, like R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps and J.B. Stamper’s Tales For The Midnight Hour series, have amassed a cult following among children of the 80s whose first experiences with horror came within their pages.

However, rather than Alvin Schwartz’s fine writing, it was the book’s illustrations by Stephen Gammell that haunted a generation of budding genre fans. And it is these images that serve as the visual inspiration for the long-awaited movie adaptation.

So could this modern take on classic childhood terrors bring a little darkness to today’s audiences? Or would it be a tall tale too far?

Read on....

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (2019)

DIR: André Øvredal

STARS: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I’ll try not to spoil too much but continue at your own risk.

Set in 1968, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is the story of a quartet of teens - bookish budding author Stella (Colletti), mysterious outsider Ramone (Garza), uptight and squeamish  Augie (Rush) and crude comic relief Chuck (Zajur) who discover a cursed book as they attempt to escape the attention of jock bully Tommy (Abrams) and his goons on Halloween night. 

Penned by local legend Sarah Bellow, the book - consisting of a number of short spine-chilling tales - was said to be written in the blood of the children she murdered. 

After removing the book from a suitably creepy haunted house, our protagonists are shocked when new stories start to appear within its pages... featuring several familiar characters.

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): A clever little puzzle box of a film, the clever set-up of this story allows writers Dan and Kevin Hageman to implement a number of stories from the anthology-style source material in ways that specifically reference each character’s own fears and hang-ups. 

Taken from American folklore and in some cases urban legends, these stories provide the necessary jolts, while the narrative structure stops the movie from simply feeling like a collection of short films.

Trollhunter and The Autopsy Of Jane Doe helmer Øvredal is becoming something of a force within the genre and his team ensure that the flick boasts expert pacing, tonnes of atmosphere, and some genuine scares along the way.

The teen cast are strong, with each putting in a believable and endearing performance. Colletti makes for a fine female lead, while Garza and Rush both display fine comic timing.

The leads are ably backed up by a strong supporting cast who do plenty with a less integral characters. Abram’s swaggering bully and Ganzhorn’s pretty but self-conscious high schooler stand out in a cast with little in the way of weak links. Elsewhere familiar faces Norris and Bellows also add gravitas to proceedings - with Bellows in particular seeming to have lots of fun with his role as a cynical town sheriff.

However, the real stars of the film are the fantastically creepy monsters, brought to life by fantastic effects work and top physical performers such as Javier Botet and Troy James. The Toeless Corpse, the Pale Lady, Harold the scarecrow, the Jangly Man... each feels as if sprang straight from Gammell’s haunting illustrations and is more than capable of carrying a horror movie on their own. That we get so many top-drawer boogeymen in the 1hr 47min runtime is spoiling us!

At the heart of so many of the movie’s heart-stopping set pieces - from the inexorable pursuit through the ‘red room’s’ corridors to the stalking sequence in the moonlit cornfield - Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark doesn’t shirk when it comes to the first word of its title - and that’s before we even get to the brutally disturbing body horror of classic urban legend ‘The Red Spot’...

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is a strong and atmospheric genre flick - yet the film is not without its flaws. 

A familiarity with the cult source material (which is definitely less well known this side of the Atlantic) is definitely a bonus as some sequences may seem odd or confusing without knowledge of the stories. The dog scene lifted straight from Me Tie Dough-ty Walker is great for us fans but borders on goofy if you don’t understand the significance of the creature’s strange growls and whimpers. 

And while the sheer number of suitably spooky antagonists is a strength, it also serves as a weakness as they have very little depth beyond ‘scary creature chasing character X’ if you don’t know the story (or stories in the case of the Jangly Man) from which they came.

Also the movie’s historical setting seems rather arbitrary, contributing little to the plot other than a more relaxed attitude to racism among some of the more unsavoury characters, a rather shoe-horned and poorly explored Vietnam draft subplot, and some political digs toward Nixon and the current U.S. government. 

It feels like there really was a bigger message behind choosing this era as the setting for Sarah Bellow’s revenge - sadly it seems that it may have got lost in translation along the way.

THE VERDICT: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is good old-fashioned spooky fun - an ideal gateway flick for teens who want to get into horror, much like the original book served way back in 1981.

Fans of Shwartz’s hit trilogy of books will be delighted, while I suspect this eerily atmospheric and legitimately frightening big screen introduction will introduce a whole new generation to the chills within their pages.

Proving a hit at the American box office, a second chapter appears inevitable at this stage - and I will be first in line for More Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark.

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Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.