Brutal Massacre: A Comedy (2007)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Stevan Mena

Writer:

Stevan Mena (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Plot:

Harry Penderecki, a once heralded horror auteur, finds himself on the outside looking in at Hollywood...

Plot Keywords:

Intentional Bad Acting | Mockumentary | Movie Set | Handheld Camera | Emergency Room

Awards:

1 win

Cast

David Naughton	...	Harry Penderecki
Brian O'Halloran	...	Jason 'Jay' Daly
Gerry Bednob	...	Hanu Vindepeshs
Gunnar Hansen	...	Krenshaw
Ellen Sandweiss	...	Natalie Vasquez
Vincent Butta	...	Bert Campbell
Ken Foree	...	Carl Perkins
Mick Garris	...	Himself
Happy Anderson	...	Ivan
Betsy Baker	...	Gladys Oppenheimer
Tom Bambard	...	Barry Tideman
Francine Bianco Tax	...	Librarian (as Francine Bianco)
Laura Bozzone	...	Girl #1
Keith Bredbenner	...	Patrolman #2
Timothy J. Bristoll	...	Cameraman / Grim Reaper (as Tim Bristoll)
Emily Brownell	...	Amy Mills
Lee Butz	...	Executive
Tim Connell	...	Patrolman #1
Donald Daly	...	Exited Convention Fan
Samantha Dark	...	Terry
Josslyn DeCrosta	...	Audtion Girl #1
Michelle DiBenedetti	...	Tanya Ferrell
Tyler Dolph	...	Overweight Fan
Kelly Drust	...	Sheriff #2
Bill Duff	...	Killer
Jody Ebert	...	Thomas
Arthur Friedman	...	Marvin Foy
Bob Gellock	...	Zombie / Grim Reaper Victim / Bob Millman
Ronald E. Giles	...	Barney
Frederic Heringes	...	Harlan
Scott Krycia	...	Photographer
Billy Lake	...	Earl Shanksmith
Bronagh Lawe	...	Hot Tub Girl #1
Maeve Lawe	...	Hot Tub Girl #2
Micha Lazare	...	Audience Member #1
Elizabeth Wood	...	Girl in Hanu's Room (as Penelope Lea)
Jay Lee	...	Audience Member #2
Chris Line	...	Trevor Nelson / Crazed Fan
Matt Lish	...	Andy
Trevor Long	...	Ronaldo
Alex Lubar	...	Stan
Carlton Lucas	...	Old Man at Bar
Kim Mahoney	...	Dead Girl
Kristyn Mahoney	...	Nurse #2
Laia Martí	...	Alissa Arango
Hiro Masuda	...	Honda
Kathy McAuley	...	Kathy MacElravey
Samantha Mena	...	Girl on Swing
Sue Mickley	...	Woman on Hill
Tara Neff	...	Teenage Heckler
Dan Nelson	...	Louis
Michael Nunnemacher	...	Dead Guy in Field
Nick Minnich	...	Heckler #2
Scott McKlveen	...	Ralph Innerds
Mick Newbie	...	Man in Hallway
Jason O'Neill	...	Sound Man #3
Nathan Pham	...	Doctor
Jason Quaigg	...	Zombie #1
Roberto A. Quezada	...	Sound Man #2
Ariel Rivera	...	Scared Crewman
Matt Rizzutto	...	2nd Zombie
Rachael Robbins	...	Mandy Less
Amy Shannon	...	Heckler #3
Beth Shannon	...	Nurse #1
Bill Sheehan	...	Bartender
Bill Sorice	...	Oscar Brody
George H. Steuter Jr.	...	Crew Member
Tom Stratford	...	Arthur Benjamin
Zachary Sutton	...	Teenage Heckler
Tighe Swanson	...	Mike
Sean Tiedeman	...	Popcorn Clerk / Look Out Clown
Theresa Tilly	...	Waitress
Anthony Timpone	...	Fangoria MC (as Tony Timpone)
Richard Vallejos	...	Felipe Vargas
Bill Vargo	...	Sheriff 1
Bob Weston	...	Ted the Security Guard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martin Binder	...	Convention Desk Attendant / Convention Attendee (uncredited)
Robert L. Brodmerkel	...	Jimmy (uncredited)
Robert V. Galluzzo	...	Convention Attendee (uncredited)
Lynn Mastio Rice	...	Farmer's Wife (uncredited)
Jason Palenchar	...	Convention Attendee (uncredited)
Scott W. Perry	...	Billy (uncredited)
Jim Treacy	...	Convention Attendee (uncredited)
R.J. Weyant	...	Convention Attendee (uncredited)

Directed by
Stevan Mena

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Stevan Mena		writer

Produced by
Chris Aurilia	....	co-producer
Jerry Aurilia	....	co-producer
Tom Bambard	....	co-producer
Timothy J. Bristoll	....	co-producer
Vincent Butta	....	executive producer
Stevan Mena	....	co-producer
Peter Picard	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Stevan Mena

Cinematography by
Brendan Flynt

Film Editing by
Stevan Mena

Production Design by
Melissa McAnany

Art Direction by
Michael Schlotzhauer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy J. Bristoll	....	second assistant director
T.K. Shom	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Matt Gundy	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Jerami Cruise	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Nicholas Allen	....	first assistant camera
Chris Aran	....	second assistant camera
Katie Dainson	....	second assistant camera
Scott Krycia	....	still photographer
Kim Marcelino	....	first assistant camera
Arttist Mouthapong	....	grip/electric swing
Marc-Eric Nielsen	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Kim Mahoney	....	extras casting

Other crew
Amy Mittman	....	production assistant
Tara Neff	....	production assistant
Ariel Rivera	....	production assistant
Zachary Sutton	....	production assistant
Sean Tiedeman	....	documentarian
Sean Tiedeman	....	production assistant
Bill Vargo	....	production assistant
Christopher Vollmann	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Aurilia Arts Productions
• Crimson Films

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (theatrical)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality/nudity and some violent images.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Aurilia Arts Productions

Movie Connections:

References Music and Lyrics (2007)

Soundtrack:

Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major K. 467, 2nd movement

A Decent Film, But Not Particularly Funny or Interesting

Harry Pandarecki has made some good films... well, maybe one. And a slew of really, really bad ones. With funding getting more difficult to procure, we follow him on his one last chance for greatness. This mockumentary, following the film "Brutal Massacre" from scouting to filming to completion, is somewhere between horror and comedy, really missing the point of either.

Fangoria magazine called this the "Spinal Tap" of horror films. And, sure, there are some parallels. But "Spinal Tap" was witty and just plain funny, whereas this film strains to get a good joke across. With Fangoria's Tony Timpone featured in the film, as well as the magazine, it's no surprise they'd endorse this one. There's even a 40% coupon for a subscription in the box. Thanks, Tony, but you keep shilling for failures and what little credibility you have left will be lost.

I saw a twenty minute preview of this film presented by Ellen Sandweiss and Brian O'Halloran. I spoke with both of them later that night while drinking some tasty beers, and they're some very friendly cats. But, sadly, the only part of the preview that was funny was Gunnar Hansen, and this is an accurate description of the movie. Five minutes of laughs, ninety minutes of boredom. If it weren't for all the topless scenes, I don't know if I would have made it through the film on my first try without intestinal distress.

I look forward to meeting O'Halloran again. As I say, he's a cool cat and has made some great films. This is not one of them. Even the lines he ad-libbed (the Amazon jungle rant, for example) just weren't all that clever (and I don't blame him for this... he shouldn't have to pick up the slack of the actual writers) and his talents were wasted on this production. It was great to see Sandweiss, Hansen, Ken Foree... Mick Garris shows up briefly. So they knew what sort of genre people to get the attention of horror fans. Unfortunately, the writer and director (Stevan Mena, "Malevolence") just didn't have the skills to make this what it could have been. For a horror mockumentary, see "Behind the Mask" and leave this one for a last resort.