FanCam: Severus Snape and the Marauders (2016)

Due to unforseen circumstances, I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I think that the book series is well done, nay, excellent and a worthy heir to Tolkien's throne. The characterizations and plot are vivid and magical. This translates to the films, too. The Harry Potter films are very well done and translates that sense of magic and desperation and hope beautifully. Therefore, much like a Star Wars or a Lord of the Rings, you have two ways to go about a fan film: so amateurish it's fun and hokey OR well done and worthy of the original films/narratives. Severus Snape and the Marauders is incredibly well done and really does honor the tone and characters of the original films!

FanCam: Star Wars - Troops (1997)

This is, hands down, one of the funniest short films I think I've ever seen. Regardless if it is a FanCam project or not, this is FUNNY. It may be generational, though. There are a some things that one need-be prepared with in order to watch this film, from a pop culture standpoint. Not only is this a Star Wars fan film, it is also a spoof on the COPS television program. For those of you too young, or too drunk in the 1990s, to remember, COPS was filmed 'on location, with the men and women of law enforcement.' This was the beginnings of reality TV, and some if it was actually real. Camera crews would follow officers for the night, filming what they did. The show was a lot of fun and provided us law-abiding citizens with entertainment galore as we laughed and cajoled those silly drunks, prostitutes and domestic abusers that filled COPS with a seemingly unending supply of Deplorables (see what I did there?).

FanCam: Batman and Spiderman - The Chaos Continues (2014)

"Stop talking! Why don't we fight, like we used to in New York?!" Spider-man asked this of The Hobgoblin. I could make it out because the camera was very close to the muffled and masked Spidey and directed toward the Hobgoblin who was comprised, mainly, of yellow duct tape. In Batman and Spider-man: The Chaos Continues, that single line not only stands as a major plot point, it also describes a vast majority of the film. I get that these are born and made from a passion for the source material. I get that these are non-professionals with a dream. I get that. What I don't get is, roughly, forty minutes of dialogue, a non-existent plot and all the potential in the world. There are, literally, dozens of people in this cast willing to donate their time and they are instructed to do this. New title: Batmand and Spider-man: The Monologues Continue.

FanCam: Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated (2010)

This is a little different. A fan 're-imagining' of sorts. These are prevalent online, but I think that this the first shot per shot that actually had a decent release. Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated from Wild Eye Releasing takes us, finally, on a unique journey through a story that most film fans, horror and secular, are familiar with. The story itself is a remake of the original Night of the Living Dead, complete with same characters, plot devices and pacing and even uses the original audio and soundtrack. What NOTLD:R gives us, though, is over 150 artists working in various mediums in order to tell the story. It is a unique mish-mash of animated styles and interpretations that only works because of the story’s familiarity, but serves better as a cohesive inter-modal art show with a thematic backbone. The original NOTLD is a classic and has been seen, and re-seen, by millions. In its wake, though, the zombie apocalypse story has become contrived and, evidenced by even Romero’s most recent work, a unique take on the sub-genre is not forthcoming. So, what Michael Schneider and his NeoFlux Productions has done is remade the original zombie apocalypse in multiple formats. Each contribution to the film will not be the particular ‘cup of tea’ to every viewer. That’s fine and, in creating NOTLD:R in such a manner, Schneider has made the zombie apocalypse relevant again.

Buy Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated on DVD!

FanCam: Hellraiser - What's Your Pleasure? (2015)

Continuing the Clive Barker theme, FanCam takes a look at another Hellraiser fan film. This one is called Hellraiser: What's Your Pleasure? and makes the decision to include a version of the beloved Pinhead character among it's Cenobite roster. H:WYP is smart, though, as are the filmmakers behind it and that potential deflating moment of seeing your Hellbound Hero as portrayed by Leon, the guy that lives down the street is mitigated. This is a little gem, right here. If there was a Pleasantly Surprised Configuration for the puzzle box, then I would have just solved it.

FanCam: Hellraiser - Prophecy (2006)

What happens when a group of biology students decide to make a fan film meshing together two horror franchises, namely The Prophecy and Hellraiser? This is an incredibly interesting premise and, even though the execution is a bit sophmoric even for our FanCam standards, the integrity of the two worlds is kept intact and melds together beautifully. So, if one is unfamiliar: The Prophecy is about the war in Heaven wherein Gabriel and Michael are battling, with Lucifer wanting to enter the fray. Hellraiser is about the rulers of Hell, the Cenobites, that are the embodiment of sadistic fantasy and are called from the depths by a puzzle box. There. Now, get out your Hi-8 camera and lets shoot a movie!

Stage Review: The Visitation (Space55)

Well, this is a first. I’m actually watching a play that’s been recorded on DVD. I’m not actually one for plays. I’ve seen a few. I’ve enjoyed a few. But on the whole (cue Dr. Evil…) I’m not really a play person. So I’m already going into this cranky.

No shade for any of my friends who have acted in or directed or were in any way involved with theatrical productions. Gods know I have no talent for it.

The Space 55 Theater Ensemble brings us The Visitation, an hour long (thank you sweet baby jeebus) story about a married couple, Samantha and Michael. In the wee hours of one night, Sam and Michael are arguing - mostly about his drinking - when they hear a car accident outside. In comes George carrying his possibly concussed wife, Evelyn. While they beg off the cops and ambulance (they don’t believe in that non-God sanctioned nonsense), they decide to hang around and wait for Evelyn to feel better.

Okaaaaay…

Cinema Head Cheese: Podshort! - Iron Fist (Netflix/Marvel, 2017)

Kevin returns with the Maskerpiece Theatre crew to discuss the long awaited final piece of the Defenders puzzle.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

Support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment by clicking the links on our Sponsors page!

FanCam: Batman - Dead End (2003)

The first edition of this was so much fun, I decided to follow up with one of my favorite Batman fan films... Batman: Dead End! Written and produced by Sandy Collara in 2003 as a showpiece, a kind of business card as a director, this eight-minute film is FILLED with bat-goodness. Many people even assert that this is the best Batman film ever made regardless if DC gave their permission or not! Not only do we get Batman, but the Joker makes an appearance as does the Predator and some Alien Xenomporphs! We can only assume that the production was inspired by the Batman vs. Predator crossover that DC had with Dark Horse in the 1990s.

FanCam: The Green Goblin's Last Stand (1992)

Welcome to the inaguaral edition of a new segment over here at the Cheese... FanCam! With the popularity of films based off of comic book, prose and video game properties taking the lion's share of the box office, I thought it would be cool to spotlight the fan-made films featuring our favorite heroes and villains! For as long as there have been video cameras, there have been fans making short and feature length films. First up is from 1992. Intended as a long-form 'audition' tape by the writer-director-star, Dan Poole, The Last Stand of the Green Goblin is a fun, nearly feature-film length, take on the classic 'Death of Gwen Stacy' story from The Amazing Spider-Man #121 and 122 (1973).

Movie Review: Begotten (1990; World Artists)

...for the most part, it's an ever-constant social stigma, that people often take things out of context, when afforded a limited view of things. With little exception, scrounging opportunist lawyers and politicians shamelessly exploit that very concept, in an effort to champion their own causes. Sure enough, the media itself zeroes in on the dirt and the grime, associated with people, places and things, giving false, or at the very least, mixed views on matters, even though the full view of matters might tell a different story...which probably explains why tabloid newspaper have been and remain, a billion dollar industry; after all, truth be known, people love the dirt...flourish on the bad news...and are pretty much indifferent to untainted normalcy (...come on, let's be honest, 'kay??). Heck, without the idea of taking things out of context...seeing only a small part of the picture, and imposing judgement...making conclusions, without looking at the big picture...like scrutinizing and criticizing framed fine art on the wall, based solely on the singular, unmoving view through an empty paper towel cardboard roll...the classic TV broadcast comedy-of-errors sitcom "Three's Company" wouldn't have lasted...what, eight seasons, was it??...

...anyone who's ever been privy of the surreal and experimental film, "Begotten", or even merely eyeballed the strikingly graphic and interpretively symbolic cover art of the limited digital release of the film, as shown here...at this point...are throwing their hands in the air, rolling their eyes, and letting out one of those exasperating 'tsk-sighs'. Really?? Comparing a beyond-bizarre-and-unconventional film, like "Begotten", with the adolescent-humor-level, playfully innuendo-teasing, comical renderings of "Three's Company"?? Really?? I mean...really?? Well, yeah...and that's OK. What those unbeknownst, who haven't had the unique and...well, 'pleasurable' and 'displeasurable' is totally at the discretion of the viewer...experience of unwittingly seeing "Begotten", need to understand, before diving into this shocking and mind-scrambling fray...or like this viewer, who was introduced to the film, via a mere unnamed 30-second-plus moment...a wayward, horrific-looking clip, sandwiched amongst others, and posted on one of the countless horror-themed social media pages...not unlike being afforded a horse-blinder's limited view of something specifically monikered, and yet, when taking it all in...for good, or perhaps for not-so-good...might be construed as being something totally different...or at least, more than a bit skewed...

Movie Review: Deathrow Gameshow (1987)

I have a long history with Deathrow Gameshow. You may be too young to remember, but in the late 1980s there were these anomalies called 'video stores.' Within these treasure troves of schlock, one could rent what was called a 'VHS' tape. On these tapes were movies. Wonderful movies. Sick movies. Deranged movies. Horrible movies. Sometimes all of these were the same movie... as is the case with Deathrow Gameshow. 1988, I'm 17 and looking for something new. I roll in and see that Bloodsucking Freaks had already been rented, so my goto sick film wasn't an option if the boxes didn't call out to me. Scanning the rows I notice Deathrow Gameshow. I pick it up and see MARK PIRRO on the box. I knew that name. How did I know that name? Prior to the internet, we had to remember things and, in a flash, it hit me... A Polish Vampire in Burbank! Oh, oh and Curse of the Queerwolf! My underground film education started early and I had been thoroughly entertained by the director's first two films... this was a no-brainer, in more ways than one. Of course, that is a wonderful thing.

BUY IT HERE!

MONDO WEIRDO / VAMPIROS SEXOS Premieres on BLU-RAY/DVD March 14, 2017

Los Angeles, CA (March 6, 2017.) Cult Epics presents Carl Andersen’s films, the European answer to the Cinema of Transgression of Richard Kern and Nick Zedd, except more extreme, eccentric, surreal and erotic.

“The Hard-core version of Eraserhead” –Jan Doense (Weekend of Terror)
MONDO WEIRDO: A TRIP TO PARANOIA PARADISE aka JUNGFRAU IM ABGRUND wallows in smut, sleaze, gore, splatter, and dark comedy and is set in an underground world where both vampires and punk rockers engage in hardcore sex to the highly addictive and hypnotic electro music of Model D’oo. Dedicated to Jean Luc-Godard and Jess Franco featuring his daughter Jessica Franco-Manera. Shot on 16mm stock, presented in a new High-definition transfer on Blu-ray.

“Vampire Porno”
VAMPIROS SEXOS aka I WAS A TEENAGE ZABBADOING… is Carl Andersen’s debut film and is one of the weirdest movies ever, and it will certainly shock your mind. VAMPIROS SEXOS is the ultimate European underground punk rock sex vampire film. Stylish and trashy at the same time in the best sort of way, the film also features an endlessly entrancing no-wave score by Model D’oo. Cult Epics presents the rare only existing Uncut SD version on DVD together with:  WHAT’S SO DIRTY ABOUT IT? Bonus short film. Cut-up trance noise nihilistic short film, reminiscent of the work of Throbbing Gristle and Kenneth Anger. SD

Cinema Head Cheese: Podshort! - Logan (Fox/Marvel, 2017)

Kevin and the Maskerpiece Theatre crew share a spoiler filled rundown of the Wolverine's swan song.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

Support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment by clicking the links on our Sponsors page!

Maskerpiece Theatre: The Rottentail Interview!

Masked Blogster, Handsome J and Mini Mandy take over a TGIFridays (not really, we just had a table) to interview Dave Hayes and Kevin Moyers about the new film "Rottentail" that is being made based off their comic book! Be sure to subscribe on iTunes.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @MPTheatre2015 -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
Instagram: maskerpiece_theatre
Pinterest: /abnormalpodcast/maskerpiece-theatre/

Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can also support our show on our Support Us page.