Director – Jeff Leroy (Rat Scratch Fever, Dracula in a Women’s Prison)
Starring – Vinnie Bilancio (Killjoy Goes to Hell, Giantess Attack vs Mecha Fembot), Wendi Winburn (Killer Cop, Satan’s Menagerie), and Elizabeth Barris (Brimstone, Dead Air)
Release Date – 2000
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 4/5
Visual Vengeance, much like their sister label Wild Eye Releasing, is one of my favorite distribution companies. They don’t fight over rights to movies that get re-released on every format. Movies like Evil Dead, Dawn of the Dead, American Psycho, and the like always find themselves getting re-released on whatever new format that hits the streets. I’m ashamed to admit how many times I’ve bought Evil Dead II over the years.
Anyway, Visual Vengeance is a label that has been bringing forgotten and barely seen S.O.V. horror to blu for genre fans. Honestly, they’ve released some seriously enjoyable films over the years. Hell, their releases are one of the few that actually gets me excited to review a movie. A few weeks back I was sent the 2000 horror film The Screaming to review. The movie was directed by Jeff Leroy who I was very familiar with. I had no seen then one yet and couldn’t wait to dig into it. Like always, I want to thank Visual Vengeance and MVD for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a struggling college student who can’t seem to find an answer to his money problems until he meets hot ass Crystal (Winburn). She introduces him to Crystalnetics which he soon learns in a cult centered around her. It seems like his prayers are temporarily answered when he joins but before long a strange German starts warning him that this cult could be dangerous. He doesn’t listen and soon learns firsthand that something sinister is going on. **Spoiler Alert**
I was familiar with director Jeff Leroy prior to watching this after buying his movie Rat Scratch Fever many years ago when it was released. I fucking loved it and decided I would review it. This would be one of my first ever written reviews. Since then I had watched a few of his other films but they never touched the absurdity of Rat Scratch Fever. The Screaming, also doesn’t hold a candle to it, is still an entertaining watch and was interesting to see how much he had grown as a filmmaker in the 11 years between the two films.
The acting in this one is far from perfect but it doesn’t take away from the film. The cast would go on to appear in several more films but around this time most of them were lacking experience. The dialogue is a bit flat at times and awkward at times but it fits the film for what it is.
The story for this one really pulled me in. I have a soft spot for horror films centered around cults and the occult. While I would have loved it to be a bit more cult centered, it was still enjoyable as it was. We have a few issues with pacing but the overall story was fairly enjoyable.
Finally, the film uses a lot of practical effects that look great for what it was. We get some fun make-up effects and props that adds a lot to the look of the film. Honestly, the film wouldn’t be as fun as it is if it wasn’t for them. Overall, The Screaming is one of the more entertaining films in the Visual Vengeance catalogue. It’s not perfect but it’s a lot of fun especially if you dig fun effects and campy acting. Don’t skip this release.
Special Features:
Includes CD soundtrack of the original score by Jay Woelfel
Director supervised master from existing tape masters
Commentary with Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine
Screaming and Screaming Again: The Making of The Screaming
Composing a Cult Classic: Music Composer Jay Woelfel
Bonus feature: The Screaming: Reborm – director remastered alternate verison of film
The Screaming Reborn commentary with director Jeff Leroy, producer Dave Sterling and star Vinnie Bilancio
Image Gallery
Original Trailer
The Screaming: Reborn Trailer
Visual Vengeance Trailer
Optional English subtitles
Visual Vengeance Trailers
Folded mini-poster
Reversible sleeve featuring original VHS art
