DEAD OF WINTER; HYPOTHERMIA

Welcome back, fiends! I don't know how the weather is where you are, but up here in New York we've already had a major snowstorm. After thirteen years in North Carolina, I'm so happy to be back in the north. One thing I've missed greatly since leaving Boston is the snow. Real snow. Being up here has also given my creativity a huge boost as well. Seriously, when the temperatures started to drop around Halloween, my imagination was like a prowling beast.

So, here we go with the next installment of our new series DEAD OF WINTER, where we explore through new reviews the best winter themed horror films.

In 2010, Glass Eye Pix released James Felix McKenney's HYPOTHERMIA, a CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON inspired horror film that takes place during a family ice fishing trip. The desolate, frozen setting and strong performances from Michael Rooker and Blanch Baker help carry the film. Rooker fans may be surprised to see the usual hard ass playing a nice family man for a change.

The Pelletier family (Rooker, Baker, Benjamin Forster, and Amy Chang) expected to spend a quiet weekend on the ice fishing, but their peace is spoiled when another father and son (Don Wood and Greg Finley), from the city,  arrive making a lot of noise and generally acting like douche bags. To make matters worse there's something under the ice; a toothy, eel-like humanoid starts to hunt the two families and it becomes a fight for survival.

The frozen setting plays a large part in the overwhelming sense of dread and hopelessness in HYPOTHERMIA. The creature is also a nice throw-back to the days of an actor in a rubber suit as

are the practical gore effects that look really good. McKenney takes the less-is-more approach giving us mostly short glances of the creature, which is kind of too bad. Some critics have been unkind to the monster suit/design, but had there been more full shots and action they may have had a different opinion.

The pacing is deliberately slow with an over-all downbeat feel, which is not too different than another Glass Eye Pix film, directed by Larry Fessenden, called WENDIGO. (I like these two films as a double feature.) Though it's a slow burn, HYPOTHERMIA is only an hour and thirteen minutes long, so the slower pacer shouldn't be a turn off for those looking for something a little punchier.

Really, the only thing I would complain about, besides there not being enough creature action, is that I wish the ending was a bit less ambiguous. (SPOILER ALERT) In the end Baker and Chang's characters are the only survivors and are chased off the ice by the creature. They collapse on the shore, clearly done for, but Baker starts trying to talk to the creature and then it leaves them. While some view this as a what-the-fuck moment, I don't think it was her speech that got them spared. I figure the creature is somewhat empathic and doesn't view them as a threat to it's hunting ground any longer. That's why they don't get killed. I don't know what the real intention of McKenney's was, but it's really a minor gripe for a film that is overall a very good horror flick.

McKenney also makes some kick ass art toys called SEA BORGS, check them out HERE.

My Heroes Have Always Been Monsters Part 31

 

After Treasure Island and a massive book about Greek mythology, the best book in my elementary school's library was a history of monsters in film. I don't remember the title, but it covered all the Universal monsters, The Fly, Godzilla, even Blackula. I checked the book out many times, rereading each entry and drawing all the beasts. When I was younger I had Frankenstein, Mummy, and Godzilla toys, but the one character in the book that I found most interesting and always wanted a figure of was The Creature From The Black Lagoon. For whatever reason The Creature really sparked my imagination. I already had a lust for the sea with all it's potential adventure (Treasure Island) and danger (Jaws). My early short stories were all about pirates and sea monsters, remote uncharted islands and mercenaries.
I never lost my love for the Creature and always hoped for an updated film, nothing ever happened, but Creature like rip offs aren't exactly in short supply.

The Monster Squad certainly has the best Creature, look at that face! This guy needed way more screen time.














Humanoids From The Deep is one that I nearly missed. Someone suggested it as a joke, I groaned and suggested Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. My friend read the back and said, "No, I really think we should get this one." I thought it was going to suck, but you really need to see this one! Check out the trailer-

Here's one I haven't seen yet, but read about through someone else's blog (if I can remember the name I'll add it in here with the link.)

The most recent entry into the fish man genre is the excellent Hypothermia, which I've reviewed below. Highly recommended!

One of my childhood desires came to fruition on my birthday last week when my wife and son got me the new Mego style Creature to go with my Batman, Frankenstein and the Bride. I still have hope of a modern day take on the original movie, but until then I'll just have to be happy with Universal's Creature Legacy DVD. And this awesome Bernie Wrightson pin up I got out of From Parts Unknown-

Keep watching the sky, nerds!

Hypothermia Reviewed

After the Frankenstein monster, my favorite movie beast would be the Creature From The Black Lagoon. The monster is iconic and the movies are fun. The Creature was by far the best looking and most original of all the Universal classics. Somehow I've developed a deep fascination with humanoid fish people (see the next chapter of My Heroes Have Always Been Monsters). Give me a walking fish guy and you've got my attention. So when  director James Felix McKenney was talking about his love of the Creature in Famous Monsters back in '10 I was pretty excited.
Hypothermia stars the great Michael Rooker (Henry;Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mall Rats, Walking Dead) and Blanche Baker (Sixteen Candles, Raw Deal, The Girl Next Door) who are trying to spend a relaxing weekend ice fishing with their son and his girlfriend, but a couple of pricks from the city set up just a little ways down the lake and ruin their family time. But that's not all fate has in store for Ray (Rooker) and kin. A vicious 'lake man' is living under the ice and these six humans have gotten it's attention.
Hypothermia succeeds on more than a couple of levels. Starting with the actors and their great performances. Even the two assholes are kind of likable in a way. Michael Rooker was the only one I was very familiar with going in. As the lead of the film and patriarch of the family he's the heart and the anchor. Next the writing-tight, to the point script and well written dialogue. When it seems like so many genre films are about big global threats, Hypothermia is a breath of fresh air, feeling more like a scary down home campfire story. No baggage, no excessive exposition, just story. Third, the directing, while evenly paced we move into the action quickly and the film clocks in at sweet 73 minutes. McKenney lets you soak in the upstate New York environment and really feel how cold it is out on the ice.  Finally,  the monster which closely resembles an eel more than a fish. It spending a good portion of the movie eerily hidden in shadows or under the water, building the tension. I loved the chaotic shots where we got glimpses of the creature in action and how the actors reacted to the insane position they found themselves in stranded out on the ice.
I'm giving Hypothermia 4 Severed Thumbs Up, this is my kind of monster flick, highly recommended.

From Dark Sky Films and Glass Eye Pix, now available on DVD.

So I Was Just Over At Bloody Disgusting And...Oh My!

And you'll wanna go there and see the new trailer!

New Flick Time

Monster Pants has announced that pre-orders are go on Amazon.com for the new Dark Sky Films/ Glass Eye Pix HYPOTHERMIA!

Starring Michael Rooker (Walking Dead), Greg Finley and Blanche Baker and written and directed by James Felix McKenney (Satan Hates You). I first heard about this project in the 1st and only issue of Famous Monsters Underground. McKenney talked about his love for the Creature From The Black Lagoon and that being one of the inspirations for Hypothermia. Being a huge fan of the Creature, it got me very excited for this film. The trailer looks great and it stars Michael Rooker, October 2nd get here fast enough!