RAW REVIEW: O'HELLIGE JUL! A.K.A. CHRISTMAS CRUELTY

To most people, Christmas is a time of sweeter than sweet goodwill. It's gaudy decorations, even gaudier jumpers, turkey, presents, mistletoe and the umpteenth viewing of It's A Wonderful Life or Elf.

However, to us horror fans, there's another tradition — the festive horror flick.

Silent Night, Deadly Night; Christmas Evil and Black Christmas — forget Miracle on 34th Street, these are the films we watch while munching mince pies.

This shows no sign of ending either, with the likes of Michael 'Trick 'r Treat' Dougherty's Krampus hitting cinemas this weekend (expect a review VERY soon).

What's more, our friends in Europe (home of all the greatest Christmas traditions) have recently got in on the act with the extremely fun Sint (from Holland) and Rare Exports (a Finnish production).

This week I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Per-Ingvar Tomren and Magne Steinvoll's O'Hellige Jul! (Christmas Cruelty). This Norwegian holiday horror had me intrigued early on when I saw that the DVD cover sported a warning due to extreme content.

'How bad can it be?' I asked myself as I tossed it in the DVD player.

The answer, dear readers, is VERY.

O'HELLIGE JUL! A.K.A. CHRISTMAS CRUELTY (2013)

Dir: Per-Ingvar Tomren and Magne Steinvoll

Starring: Eline Aasheim, Tormod Lien, Per-Ingvar Tomren, Magne Steinvoll, Raymond Talberg, Tone Søyset Døving, Nina-Shanett Arntsen, Olav Kåre Torjuul, Thomas Utgård, Eiric Mubarak Lien, Frans Hulsker

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

The film opens in the midst of a brutal attack. A terrified family, battered, bloody and bound are powerless to resist as a driven, determined and remorseless sadistic psychopath (Lien) has his way with them — even their infant child.
Yes, Christmas Cruelty is prepared to go there… and then some.
Afterwards we are introduced to our 'heroes' — a group of small-town kids who are just looking to have a good time. Per-Ingvar (Tomren), who is disabled and spends most of his time confined to a wheelchair; permanently angry and misogynistic Magne (Steinvoll) who spends most of his time insulting the others (especially the long-suffering Per-Ingvar) and Eline (Aasheim), their feisty but caring friend who seems destined to attract the unwanted attention of losers.
We see the three entertaining themselves by discussing the festive customs of the Scandinavian people, creating and donning plaster masks to terrify the townsfolk and creating their own insanely potent mulled wine before wrecking their shabbily decorated Christmas tree. 
However, unbeknownst to them they have become the latest target of the psychopath we saw earlier. A seemingly caring family man and respected Government official, his work at the NAV (an agency that handles benefits for the unemployed, the homeless and the disabled) has brought Eline and her friends to his attention. And now he's plotting a visit from Santa that will deck their halls with blood…

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): The clue is definitely in the name, but if you're after merry and bright, Christmas Cruelty is NOT the film for you. This is a lean, mean, sick and sadistic Grindhouse flick for those who want their horror to horrify.

You want extreme? This is extreme. 

The plot, written by a bumper team of Janner Iren Holseter, Anita Nyhagen, star Aasheim and stars/directors Steinvoll and Tomren, is quite simple, telling a relatively linear story that follows the killer's potential victims and the seriously disturbed serial rapist and murderer as he plans his next attack. What this means is that we get plenty of characterisation after that explosive opening, before a seriously disturbing final act. However, strange as it may sound to say about a film that features sustained torture and a series of gruelling sexual assaults, there's actually quite a lot of black humour in the script.

The permanently furious and abrasive Magner's outbursts lead to some of the most creative obscenities and insults that I've seen in some time, while the interaction between him and co-stars Tomren and Aasheim manages to be both witty and natural. However, there are bleakly humorous moments with Lien's psycho Santa, including some jarringly banal conversations with coworkers and family and an interaction with a salesman at a hardware store that is so awful it really shouldn't be as funny as it is.

However, as funny as these moments are, make no bones about it — this is a vile, hard-hitting horror flick. It is unflinchingly sadistic and will leave you feeling more than a little dirty. When Christmas Cruelty gets bloody, it gets bloody. The film might have a micro-budget (as you can probably tell by the number of different hats that each member of cast and crew needed to don) but the gruesome special effects — many of which were overseen by Tomren — never disappoint, with buckets of blood and gore on display. I don't want to spoil the horrors in store for potential viewers, but suffice to say we get plenty stabbings, slashings and dismemberments before the end credits roll.
Which leads me to another area in which O'Hellige Jul! excels — for as those credits roll it's accompanied by just one of a number of great tracks on the film's awesome soundtrack. What's especially impressive is that actor/director Steinvoll actually performed and recorded most of the extremely rocking, bluesy tracks himself. He's a talented guy and his cool-as-hell music mixed with a selection of traditional Christmas tunes make this one of the finest soundtracks I've ever heard. Think a grittily festive Tarantino flick and you're nearly there.
However, just praising Steinvoll, Tomren and Aasheim for their sterling work behind the camera would be doing their excellent work in front of it a grave disservice. Each of the three is very good indeed, bringing their characters to life in a way that makes them likeable and believable. They aren't silly caricatures, they feel like real people, complete with real problems and very real flaws. I especially liked the work of the charming Aasheim, she's extremely sympathetic and a character that you can't help but root for. She's a talented young actress and I hope to see more of her.
Both Steinvoll and Tomren show some great comic timing, Steinvoll is given a pretty free rein to go as gonzo as he wants, while the surprisingly sweet Tomren does a wonderful job with his character, but undoubtedly the most impressive cast member is the terrifying Lien. Whether he plays the scene with an icy and detached nonchalance or a deranged and devilish glee, he is utterly mesmerising. I understand that Lien is actually best known for his work as the titular Jakob in 2007's Jakob – mannen som elsker Jack Nicholson and Jakob og campinglivets farer. These are family friendly films in Norway, so this is a massive departure. However, if Lien was uncomfortable working in a different niche, this is not evident in his commanding performance. Not many men could manage to interject elements of black humour into an otherwise utterly spine-chilling role this seamlessly, but Lien does it with aplomb. He is absolutely phenomenal.
The writing of his role is handled cleverly, the subtle message behind his profession is an excellent piece of social commentary — this is a social worker employed in a benefits department who can be generous benefactor or a cruel, destructive ruiner of lives. What's more, he is able to maintain his aura of mystery, for while we see what he does and are given hints as to his darker origin, his cruel and vile acts are never explained. 
You want a motive? Find your own.
With a plot that gives us plenty of extreme and shocking acts of depravity, some surprisingly well-crafted laughs and a talented cast, it would be easy to overlook the technical prowess on display in making the film. The fact is that Steinvoll and Tomren are excellent directors, ensuring that the framing of each shot heightens the mood of each scene, be it frivolous or frightful. The grainy looking film stock just adds to the ambience of the film, giving it a gritty Grindhouse feel that works in the film's favour. It's actually a pretty great looking film considering its low budget, something that the co-directors of photography Raymond Volle and Karoline Emilie Folland Sæter should feel extremely proud of. 
Finally, the cast and crew are clearly genre fans and pack the film with references and shoutouts to classic horror movies, so do keep your eyes peeled throughout.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): First off, I'll mention this because I know plenty of readers have issues with subtitles, the dialogue in O'Hellige Jul! is all delivered in Norwegian. If you don't speak the language, you're going to need to use the subtitles. If that's a deal breaker, fair enough, just realise that you're missing out on a hell of a lot of fantastic genre flicks if you aren't prepared to read as well as watch.
Not sure you can handle an extreme horror film? Well keep right on moving, Christmas Cruelty is not a film for the weak of stomach. It's spiteful, degrading, violent, unflinching and unrelenting. This diabolical Santa is not Richard Attenborough's Chris Chringle — think a Scandinavian counterpart to Wolf Creek's Mick Taylor in a bright red suit. It's intense and it will not be for everybody — consider yourself warned.
Bizarrely, another area in which I can see it drawing criticism is its rather erratic pacing.
After that barnstorming opening scene, the film then takes a VERY long break from horror. In fact, if it weren't for the horrors witnessed in the opening 10 minutes, you could well believe that you were watching a slacker comedy. This goes on for a good three-quarters of an hour, before then snapping back into horror with a truly shocking scene of terrible violence.
I quite enjoyed this long mid-movie lull, it gave us a reason to care about the characters before Lien's Serial Santa goes to work on them, plus (and this is quite a rarity) the humour is actually funny. What's more, this more genteel section lulls the audience into a false sense of security, which then actually heightens the horror of the later moments, the visceral violence amplified by the quieter moments that precede it — much like Takashi Miike's Audition. This is something I appreciated, but less patient viewers may find this section drags.
Also, while the film is a tremendous achievement considering it's modest budget, it is worth reiterating that Christmas Cruelty is decidedly rougher around the edges than the polished likes of Ouija, The Gallows or any other number of shiny, teen-friendly Hollywood offerings.
Like I said, I thought this added to the gritty atmosphere, so I don't feel any harm is done, but other opinions may differ.

THE VERDICT: With a level of festive sadism unseen until now, Christmas Cruelty is no John Lewis ad! Its sheer level of brutality and depravity will not be for everyone, but if you've got the stomach for it, and you want your horror gruelling, this twisted Christmas flick delivers plenty to float your boat. 
It's hard-hitting, superbly shot, brilliantly acted and boasts a marvellous soundtrack and some surprisingly funny laughs. O'Hellige Jul! is a nasty little Christmas gift to genre fans that I thoroughly recommend you unwrap as soon as you can.
For more info on how you can do that, check out the film's official Facebook page. Give it a like too, I'm sure the very grateful Tomren, Steinvoll, Aasheim and company would appreciate the recognition for their dark labour of love.

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

RAW REVIEW: HOUSE OF…

If you are a genre fan, one of the best things about social media is the way in which it allows likeminded individuals to discuss their favourite products and art, be it music, movies, games or books.
As such I'm always on the look out for groups and pages that can help me to broaden my horizons and introduce me to new horror that might otherwise have passed me by.
The Lair Of Terror on Facebook is one of the finest places to discover these indie gems and it was here that I saw a post from a film that had been forced to censor its title 'House of...'
The folks over at HM&M films and Average At Best Films were looking for reviewers so after I reached out they sent me a screener... and a warning.
It seems this film is pretty damn extreme.
How extreme? Read on...

HOUSE OF WHORES (2015)

Dir: Tom Komisar, Daniel Murphy, Paul Arnone
Starring: RJ Cecott, Maella Cai Vane, Lindsey McIntire, Linda Schrader, Tom Komisari, Daniel Murphy, Paul Arnone, Nurse Hatchet

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

Following an introduction (and yet another warning) from dark, disturbing yet unnervingly sexy Nurse Hatchet, we move on to the story of enterprising young man Trevor (Cecott), who decides that he's going to make his own porno film. After placing an ad to find his stars, he receives responses from three young ladies: experienced Rachel (Vane), unsure first-timer Ashley (McIntire) and wild Kayla (Schrader). These girls are hoping that this film could be their first step towards fame, fortune and, in Kayla's case, just getting laid.
After a quick chat and audition it looks like Trevor is set to start shooting, at which point three besuited men in terrifying clown masks burst in. It seems these diabolical clowns — Slasho (Komisar), Smasho (Arnone) and Shago (Murphy) — have plans to shoot their own movie... and it's far more depraved than anything Trevor or the girls could possibly have imagined.

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): WTF?!?!? I've seen my fair share of batshit insane 'extreme' films but few have the psychotic energy of House of Whores. It combines some serious acts of depravity with some deft, witty touches to make this feel like a movie made by genuine maniacs.

There's an odd contrast between the vile acts onscreen and the way in which they're presented. The gimmick here is that Slasho, Shago and Smasho have taken this footage and edited it into their own movie (hence the mean-spirited title), and as such it is as schizophrenic and insane as our trio of killer clowns. With elements of a snuff movie, a Seventies porno, a cheesy sitcom and even a vaudeville-esque black-and-white farce, the movie keeps you constantly off balance, unsure what will come next.

From what I understand, the budget for this movie was positively microscopic (less than $1000!) — yet this works in its favour. It gives the movie a grittier, rawer edge and ups the realism. This is impressive stuff from cinematographer Arnone! 

Of course, this realism is aided through the believable performances of all involved. Our three leading ladies are uniformly great in their roles, each bringing a very different character to life in what is a pretty short introduction period before the shit (and blood and piss) hits the fan. 

As the more savvy one you can't help but feel Vane's Rachel might have enough nous to get out of the situation alive, although the endearing naïveté of McIntire's Ashley means you have to root for her to get out ok. This is entirely down to the fine work of these ladies, especially in some scenes that can't have been easy to shoot.

Elsewhere Schrader's Kayla is an absolute riot, clearly revelling in the role. She is a fine actress and following her gruelling bathroom scene has shown plenty of potential if she sticks with the horror genre.

Of course, a horror movie is often only as compelling as its villains and directors Komisar, Murphy and Arnone turn in stellar performances in front of the camera as our masked maniacs. Not since Bill Oberst Jr's Papa Corn in Circus of the Dead have I seen such a vile, violent and thoroughly terrifying group of 'funnymen'. The three men are never shown unmasked, so it is a testament to their work that each gives their character so much personality.

Komisar's Slasho has arguably the most to do. A bustling, growling gangster-like delivery, there are elements of John Leguizamo's Clown from 1997's Spawn. He's the angriest of the group, a stocky pitbull snapping and snarling at everybody around him. I was very impressed.

I also loved Murphy's deliriously perverse Shago. Perhaps it was the English accent (and wonderful moment in which he coined the Brit term 'wee' for urine — that's what we call pee over here U.S. readers!) or just that hilarious little dance he did, whatever it was, I dug it! Perhaps the best way to sum up the clowns is that while Slasho is undoubtedly the brains of the outfit, Shago is the black, vile heart — or possibly the permanently horny cock.

This leaves the hulking Smasho as the hands. Playing the role as mute (and regularly called a retard by other characters, accomplices and victims alike) Arnone gives his character a sympathetic and almost childlike air, much like Gunnar Hansen's Leatherface. There's an implied backstory that the permanently angry Slasho and deeply sick Shago are taking advantage of him, almost coercing him into being a part of their vile plan.

So I know what many of you are wondering (and for some of you, this will be the key selling point of the movie): how vile are we talking?

Obviously I don't want to spoil too much here as a lot of the film's impact comes from the shock factor. However, I'll give you a couple of ideas: we have rape, serious genital mutilation, the forced consumption of various body excretions and plenty of violence, not to mention a fair amount of bare flesh for those of you who dig that sort of thing.

If you want depravity, this film is just under an hour of constant vulgar acts. It isn't a scary movie, but if horror aims to horrify then House of Whores absolutely nails it.

Bizarrely, that's not to say that it is entirely without humour. I know, I know, you're wondering how a film with the checklist above can be remotely amusing? To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how writers Komisar and Murphy did it myself, but there is the blackest of veins of humour running through the flick. From an unexpected laugh track accompanying the clowns mean spirited jibes to a hilarious realtime toast making scene complete with a jaunty little ditty on the soundtrack, the random moments of (admittedly very dark) levity serve a key role in breaking the tension of the oppressively grim depravity unfolding throughout the movie. In fact, when contrasted with the nastier scenes, they hit the mark more, causing awkward stifled giggles even as you recoil from the screen.

Another area to deliver was the soundtrack, with a number of kickass tracks from the very talented Mixtress Demonatrix. I especially loved the pounding dance track to accompany Nurse Hatchet's fleeting appearances.

Finally, let's talk about Nurse Hatchet. It's a rare thing to find a character who feels instantly iconic -but Nurse Hatchet does. Kept mysterious, donning a genuinely creepy mask and naughty nurse's outfit, no scene better encapsulates her savage raunchiness than her blood-soaked half-naked gyrations during the movie's decidedly unexpected interval. Whether she continues to act as a host for this team's films or, better yet, gets her own seriously fucked up flick, I cannot wait to see more of her.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Did I mention that House of Whores is extreme?
Like really, really extreme? Like 'toilet brush up the ass, cheese-grater to the dick' extreme?
Because it is.
This will not be to everybody's tastes. Some of you WILL find this a bit much to take. At times, it is legitimately stomach churning — between this and Crazy Murder I've seen quite enough shit-eating for 2015 now. This is a movie for strong stomachs only. Between me, the filmmakers AND Nurse Hatchet, I think it's safe enough to say that you have been warned!
Of course, while I praised the tremendous amount of work done with such a tiny budget, every now and then those budgetary constraints did show. For a film that is never shy with showing its vile events onscreen it felt a little strange when a particularly messy (and probably expensive effects-wise) power-tool murder takes place behind a curtain. This leapt out at me as a cost-cutting measure, so I'm sure others will get the same vibe from the scene. There's nothing wrong with leaving a little horror to the imagination, but in a film which so pointedly DOESN'T do that during the rest of its runtime this seems odd.
I did also have a small issue with the camera at times. From a story standpoint we're dealing with cameras that have been set up by Trevor or are held by the clowns. Yet a couple of times the camera seems to be pointed at a spot for no reason at all (the front door?) or is being handheld by one of the clowns while the other two brutalise and terrorise a victim. This means that captives were regularly left unwatched. Now I get that they may have been scared or possibly bound, but it seems a little unlikely that the girls wouldn't have tried to get the hell out of there. Especially after witnessing the first couple of hammer beatings dished out by the clowns.
Then again, perhaps I'm over thinking this?
Finally, in something that is both a positive and a problem, the film is pretty damn short. It runs for over 50 minutes but pretty much the last 10 consists of credits and an extended Nurse Hatchet erotic dance number, which mainly consists of recut and re-edited/looped footage from earlier in the movie. I like that the film keeps short, sharp and punchy and doesn't wear out its welcome (in all honesty, much more of this kind of depravity would have been exhausting) but the post-credits music video does go on a little. Still, it's more Nurse Hatchet and a killer tune, so I'm not complaining too much!

THE VERDICT: Is there any way I can say that I enjoyed this flick without sounding like a huge headcase? Because honestly, the sheer demented glee running through House of Whores is pretty damn irresistible. It's sick, rough around the edges and positively vicious at times, yet it has such a crackling, visceral energy that its impossible to not get caught up for the ride. This is a fine example of underground film-making — it punches you in the face, then kicks you in the balls and, by God, you end up grinning afterwards!
This won't be for everybody, but if you like your thrills extreme, this is a fantastic indie effort. Check it out.

To find out more about the movie, go to its official Facebook page. You'll be pleased to hear that a limited edition DVD is available RIGHT NOW and available over here in the UK as well as in the States for a very affordable price. Tempted? Buy it here. 

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: CRAZY MURDER

Horror, by its very nature, can be extreme. To provoke a truly visceral response, it is sometimes necessary to disgust, to traumatise, every bit as much as you seek to scare the viewer.
These types of film can be truly powerful, although the depths to which they sink can shock and offend those less accustomed to such movies.
Doug Gerber and Caleb Pennypacker's Crazy Murder will shock. It will brutalise the viewer.
So, do you have the stomach to read on?

CRAZY MURDER (2014)

Dir: Doug Gerber, Caleb Pennypacker
Starring: Kevin Kenny, Mark Hunt, James Quall, Brandon Ropati, Jamie Greco, Samantha Bogach

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

After some onscreen text reveals the depressingly high instances of mental illness among New York's homeless community, we follow one such individual, The Killer (Kenny) for a year, with the movie split into four chapters, one for each season.
In each we follow the killer as he aimlessly wanders the streets of the City, bellowing nonsensically at anybody and everybody who comes near, eating whatever filth he can find, regularly shitting himself and smearing it all over himself and, on occasion, brutally and violently murdering innocent passers by.
There really isn't much more to it than that, but that really is more than enough.

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Crazy Murder is a gruelling experience. It isn't a feel-good film, it isn't a light-hearted jovial teen slasher with a few jump scares and a neat happy ending — this is a film filled with vile, often volcanic expulsions of bodily fluids and horrific senseless violence.
Gerber and Pennypacker shoot the film as if it were a documentary, the camera unflinching as it follows Kenny's Killer about the grimy, dirty streets of New York City. This terrible realism, both humdrum and understated, yet hideously repulsive, is an effective and powerful tool. This is the real world, but it is also hyperreal, a chilling movie representation of the filthy underbelly of society that we fear may be bubbling away, just out of sight.
Of course, some of the worst horror in this movie comes from the fact that this situation, this lunatic could all too easily be real, roaming the streets but ignored. How many times will city workers walk past a ranting, raving homeless man on a street corner? How many times will police gently shoo these men on? And who is to say that one of those is not disturbed enough to act out on haunting, nightmarish fantasies?
Gerber and Pennypacker have done an incredible job at getting the viewer to examine society and our role in caring for those who most need guidance and protection. It can be easy to look at Crazy Murder as a steady stream of blood, shit and puke, but that is to do the film an injustice. Yes, the film features an utterly vile amount of body functions, but it has a message. Underneath the stomach churning exterior there is a deadly serious question at the core: how long until this fiction becomes a reality?
Of course, the film and its message are only as believable as the central character and no review of this movie will be complete without examining and praising the incredible work done by Kenny. A real revelation, Kenny provides us with an utterly committed, dedicated performance. He is stunning, sad but without redeeming features, sometimes he's even funny, but most of the time he is utterly terrifying. This is an almost animalistic role, the frightening irrational unpredictability of a mind completely without reason. The audience has no way of knowing what The Killer will do next because it really feels like he has no idea himself. He could just as easily lay down to have a nap as start to slice at his own penis with a knife... or worse. The bravery with which Kenny throws himself into the role is admirable, his dedication brings this deeply disturbing cinematic creation to life.

There are other strong performances in the film but we should make no bones about it, this is Kenny's show.

However, that isn't to say that Kenny is the only memorable character in the movie — thanks to the cinematography and assured vision of Gerber and Pennypacker the city itself becomes not just a location, but a player itself in the events of the movie. Bringing the bustling, thriving, teeming streets of the Big Apple to the viewer, the camera transports you to the city's less savoury streets and alleys.

As visually striking as NYC is, it is the moments of depravity that will stick in the mind after viewing this film. It isn't entirely without humour, but these scenes can be extremely distressing. From multiple slashed throats, heads caved in with bricks, even infanticide, the parade of gruesomely, gory violence is pretty relentless and it is effectively presented. The effects work is often top notch, the bloody wounds frighteningly lifelike while the stomach-churning explosive diarrhoea that the Killer regularly sprays over his surroundings is horribly realistic.

It is this handful of disparate elements: a stunning central performance, a simple but haunting message, a dark and disturbing view of the world's most famous city and genuinely disgusting imagery that make Crazy Murder work.

It is an experiment in abject, senseless, poetic but starkly nihilistic horror. On that level, it is a resounding success.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Crazy Murder is the most extreme title I've reviewed here for this blog. It isn't an enjoyable film, in fact it's quite the struggle to keep watching at times. This will not be for everybody. In fact, I imagine there are scenes in this movie so vile that they are not for anybody. If you are squeamish, there's a very real chance that Crazy Murder will be too much for you to take. Only the most hardened and desensitised of horror viewers need apply.

I am actually quite impressed by the experimental nature of the narrative, foregoing a more traditional story structure, instead giving us a look at a deeply damaged existence with little to no meaning for this. I imagine this will irritate plenty of viewers, those who will see it as simply a series of horrifying images with no story. I can understanding that criticism but I think it could be argued that this is very much about the telling of the story, rather than the tale itself. It is about the journey, not the destination. I can take this, but I know some cannot. Be warned.

The one element of this 'experience-over-explanation' approach that did misfire with me was that, for a spell, the movie seemed to become a little repetitive and actually started to lose its ability to shock. However a sudden drastic escalation with the aforementioned infanticide and the Killer's transformation into a duct tape and blade 'superhero' soon ensures that jaws are once again dropping... and with a vengeance.

Finally, while Kenny is astonishing in the film, there are a couple of bit-part players here who are decidedly stilted and unconvincing. Obviously this is a micro-budgeted effort and that brings its own limitations. Sadly some of the acting appears to have been compromised as a result. Luckily very few roles have much screentime besides Kenny, so these don't form a serious barrier to 'enjoying' the film.

THE VERDICT: Crazy Murder is as difficult to review as it is to watch. I'm faced with quite the conundrum — should I recommend a movie that I know will shock and offend a large percentage of the audience? Furthermore, if a film's driving purpose is to shock and brutalise the senses of the viewer, should it be called a success for doing so?
I'm of the opinion that art should provoke an emotional, even a visceral response in the beholder. I think horror is a far more diverse genre than many naysayers give it credit for. There is room for lighthearted, silly as hell gory fun (just look at my glowing reviews for the likes of Zombeavers and Junk Bonds as evidence of that!). But there is also room for true horror, that which sets out to genuinely horrify. WIth that in mind, I'm going to recommend Crazy Murder, but with a caveat. This film will not be for everybody, but as a gutpunch of sickening cinema, a legitimately gruelling watch, this is a true 'experience'.
Want to test your mettle? Start here. You may not enjoy it, but you will never, ever forget it.

Should you feel brave enough, you can check out the Crazy Murder Facebook page for more info. Give it a Like too, show these guys that their efforts are appreciated. If you want to take the plunge, you can buy the movie here.

Also, 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.