Trapped Ashes (2006)

Directors:

Sean S. Cunningham
Joe Dante

Writer (WGA):

Dennis Bartok (written by)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Seven strangers on a Hollywood movie studio tour are trapped inside an infamous House of Horror and forced to tell their most terrifying stories to get out alive. |

Plot Keywords:

Sex Scene | Cave | Doctor | Wraparound Story | Vampire

Cast

Jayce Bartok	...	Andy
Henry Gibson	...	Tour Guide
Lara Harris	...	Julia
Scott Lowell	...	Henry
Dick Miller	...	Max
Michèle-Barbara Pelletier	...	Nathalie / Martine (segment "My Twin - The Worm")
John Saxon	...	Leo
Rachel Veltri	...	Phoebe
Richard Ian Cox	...	Doug (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Glynis Davies	...	Nurse (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Scott Heindl	...	Zack (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Rob deLeeuw	...	Ben (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Mina E. Mina	...	Dr. Judith (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Winston Rekert	...	Dr. Larry (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Ken Russell	...	Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")

Also Known As:

Death Room (Japan: English title) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content, nudity, violence, disturbing images and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA | Japan | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

11:11 Mediaworks

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the first sequence, where the girl is about to have surgery, they hold the gas mask several inches from her face and never place it against her face.

Movie Connections:

References The Killer Is Loose (1956)

Very fun throwback to 70s anthology horror

Remember all those British-produced anthology horror films that sometimes made it to US theaters back in the 70s, but were more often screened on Saturday late night or Sunday afternoon television? Stuff like THE VAULT OF HORROR or TORTURE GARDEN or FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (or TALES FROM THE CRYPT or TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS and on and on)? TRAPPED ASHES is a heartfelt and enthusiastic (and largely successful) attempt to revisit that kind of sometimes-serious, sometimes-funny, sometimes-trashy scare flick.

Encompassing four short episodes and a wrap-around set in a deserted Hollywood studio tour's "haunted house," TRAPPED ASHES explores vampiric breast implants, horny spirits of suicidal Japanese monks, tapeworm twins, and the soul-sucking girlfriend of Stanley Kubrick. Some of the episodes are more successful than others, with the most confident probably being the "Stanley's Girlfriend" one, directed by the most decidedly NON-genre vet Monte Hellman. It's a really touching, elegiac little piece, full of imagination and a genuine love for the world of film. The other three stories - and the wraparound - are more traditionally horrific, but also very inspired in their mixture of sex, horror and a warped approach to the genre. The Ken Russell segment in particular, "The Girl with the Golden Breasts," had the audience in Toronto alternately laughing with glee or squirming in discomfort, leading to three audience casualties!

TRAPPED ASHES will appeal most to horror fans who are looking for a sometimes familiar, but definitely unique and twisted type of anthology genre film. Full of breasts, blood, great special effects, appearances by older actors like Henry Gibson, John Saxon, and a cool, "blink and you'll miss him!" cameo by none other than Dick Miller, it's a wonderful horror-movie debut for screenwriter Dennis Bartok and a great turn by all the veteran directors (and new director/vet f/x guy John Gaeta).

Highly recommended for a fun and old-fashioned-style scary time at the movies.