The Wizard of Gore (2007)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Jeremy Kasten

Writer:

Zach Chassler (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

What are you afraid of?

Plot:

Montag the Magnificent (Glover) is a master illusionist who performs at underground venues, selecting female volunteers from his rave-like audiences...

Plot Keywords:

Stage | Disembowelment | Nudity | Female Nudity | Magician

Cast

Kip Pardue	...	Edmund Bigelow
Bijou Phillips	...	Maggie
Crispin Glover	...	Montag the Magnificent
Jeffrey Combs	...	The Geek
Brad Dourif	...	Dr. Chong
Joshua John Miller	...	Jinky (as Joshua Miller)
Garz Chan	...	Annie
Tim Chiou	...	Chinese Mickey
Evan Seinfeld	...	Frank
Flux Suicide	...	Dell
Amina Munster	...	Cecelia
Cricket Suicide	...	Cayenne (as Cricket DeManuel)
Nixon Suicide	...	Rexina
Kenneth Moskow	...	Detective Packard
Shannon Hart Cleary	...	News Reporter (as Shannon Egem)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Bucaro III	...	Shark expert (uncredited)
Luna Rocio Cantale	...	Geisha girl (uncredited)
Joshua Lou Friedman	...	Montag's Biggest Fan (uncredited)
Paulah May	...	Garbage Girl / hobo fetish (uncredited)
Bob Rusch	...	Hans (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeremy Kasten

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Zach Chassler		writer

Produced by
Wileen Dragovan	....	line producer
Christopher Duddy	....	producer
Glenn W. Garland	....	executive producer
Glenn W. Garland	....	producer
Daniel Gold	....	producer
Dan Griffiths	....	producer
Eric Rinestone	....	executive producer
Jeffrey A. Silverman	....	executive producer
Jeffrey Silverman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Steve Porcaro

Cinematography by
Christopher Duddy

Film Editing by
Jeremy Kasten

Casting by
Aaron Griffith

Production Design by
John Pollard

Art Direction by
Dustin J. Cardwell

Set Decoration by
Kris Fuller

Costume Design by
Carrie Grace

Makeup Department
Jason Collins	....	special makeup effects designer: Autonomous F/X, Inc.
Brie Ford	....	special makeup effects artist: Autonomous FX inc.
Elvis Jones	....	special makeup effects designer: Autonomous FX Inc.
Lori McCoy-Bell	....	hair department head
Melissa Sandora	....	key makeup artist (as Missy Sandora)

Production Management
Wileen Dragovan	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joshua Lou Friedman	....	second second assistant director
Shelly Heyward	....	additional second second director
Paul Silver	....	first assistant director
Jesse Sternbaum	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sam Berrini	....	leadman
Ian Taylor Fisher	....	property master
Mike Manasewitsch	....	assistant property master
Erin Paynter	....	scenic artist
Willy Roberts	....	on-set dresser
Judd Rubin	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Peter S. Carlstedt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter S. Carlstedt	....	supervising sound editor
Francisco Koch	....	adr mixer
Tony Kucenski	....	foley editor
Darren Paskal	....	sound facility
Kurt Vanzo	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Travis Baumann	....	visual effects artist
Geoff Leavitt	....	lead visual effects artist
Vivek 'Vic' Sharma	....	visual effects editor
Michael Shelton	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunt coordinator
Sonja Munsterman	....	stunt double: Bijou Phillips

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike DeGrazzio	....	digital imaging technician
Joseph R. Fitzgerald	....	additional camera utility
Matthew Kistenmacher	....	electrician
Cameron Lee Michael	....	electrician
Rich Paisley	....	gaffer
Aaron Schulte	....	best boy electric
Alex Scott	....	second assistant camera
Steve Tacon	....	digital imaging technician
Daniel E. Teaze	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Kevin Wilt	....	electrician

Casting Department
Lana Ford	....	casting assistant
Randy McKenney	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Samuel Bowling	....	costume supervisor
Chantal Filson	....	costumer
Raquel L. Jaffe	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Joe Faissal	....	colorist
Rebecca Gebhard	....	post-production coordinator
Vivek 'Vic' Sharma	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dean Menta	....	music editor

Other crew
Stephen Andrzejewski	....	location manager
Birnbaum Arthur	....	set production assistant
Steve Barker	....	set production assistant
Adrian Casas	....	production coordinator
Minnie Duerr	....	production accountant
Elisa Forni	....	script supervisor
Emil Gallardo	....	set production assistant
Rebecca Gebhard	....	assistant to producers
Laura Irvine	....	location manager
Brandon King	....	production assistant
Nicole Kreuzer	....	stand-in: Bijou Phillips
Joe Megna	....	production assistant
Shane Moran	....	location assistant
Derek Potts	....	production assistant
Adam Pray	....	production secretary
Matthew Roseman	....	production assistant
Clenet Verdi-Rose	....	production assistant
Chris Whitaker	....	key set medic
David Williams	....	assistant location manager

Thanks
Michelle Ary	....	thanks
Andrew Kasch	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Open Sky Entertainment
• Sick-A-Scope

Distributors

• Dimension Extreme (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Genius Products
• Media 8 Entertainment (2007) (non-USA) (all media)
• Revolver Entertainment (2007) (UK) (all media)
• VVS Films (2008) (Canada) (all media)

Other Companies

• Batpack Talent/Randy McKenney  extras casting agency
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies

MPAA:

Rated R for bloody violence, sexuality/nudity and language.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | UK:18 | Singapore:M18 | Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Open Sky Entertainment

Quotes:

Edmund Bigelow: Now I live backstage. From my spot here, I can make people dance to whatever tune I want them to.When they come to my house, I hold their lives in my hands. They don't have to see me, and I don't have to parade. I know what's inside me, and whenever I want, I can see everything that's inside of them, if you catch my drift. You wonder how in the hell I got to this place. You should be asking, what took me so long.

Movie Connections:

References The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

Certainly one of the better modern remakes!

Horror remakes are generally lamented by lovers of the genre, and for good reason - as not only are the majority of them lame and uninspired, but there's also the fact that we simply don't need new versions of perfect films such as The Omen and Dawn of the Dead. But that is not such the case with Herschell Gordon Lewis' oeuvre, as while many of his films were entertainingly bloody, they also wouldn't be considered perfect. 1970's The Wizard of Gore was certainly one of the director's most promising features given the plot line - but unfortunately the resulting film was not so impressive. The plot here focuses on Edmund Bigelow; a reporter who becomes entranced by the stage shows of Montag the Magnificent; a magician who as part of his act selects girls from the audience and proceeds to butcher them on stage - only for them to appear intact at the end of the show. However, the magician's tricks take a more sinister turn when several of the girls used in the show turn up dead in mysterious circumstances and our lead character begins to question his own sanity.

This film is really just a remake in title only as while the plot is similar to the earlier version; here it's expanded on so much to the point where the two are unrecognisable. Indeed, I would even say that the film takes more influence from modern day magic films such as The Prestige and The Illusionist. It has to be said that the film is not completely perfect as the plot gets a little too complicated after a while and we soon get the point where explaining everything that is happening is simply not possible. However, it's all carried off with such a great style and so long as the plot is faintly coherent, it's easy to enjoy the film for its style which encompasses a supremely macabre atmosphere and some great grisly death scenes (although sadly, HG's completely over the top blood scenes are lost). The cast is impressive with Crispin Glover giving a whirlwind performance as the central magician; his dialogues are a real highlight. He gets good support from the likes of Jeffrey Combs (in a role that is far too small and insignificant!) and Brad Dourif. Kip Pardue makes for a good lead also. Overall, this may not be great modern film-making; but it's very decent for a remake and is at least worth a look.