John Ary here with another installment of Ain’t It Scary Reviews. Today, a group of directors come together to create an over-the-top love letter to classic horror films.
Chillerama is a love letter to horror movies from several very like-minded directors, each with their own vision and humor. Individually they bring something distinct this anthology of gore and giggles. These distinct voices meld together into a twisted, sometimes funny, overtly sexual, piece of b-movie nostalgia. Your enjoyment of this ode to classic horror will truly depend on your level of perversion. If zombies that hump people into oblivion sound like an interesting twist on George Romero’s legacy, you’ll be fine. If a musical about werewolves that rape a high school wrestling team to death sounds like a turn off, beware.
Our film tells the story of a classic drive-in that sadly is set to close. On its final night, the owner shows a series of rare 35 millimeter prints. Each one of these movies is directed by a different auteur. The first is a throwback to the 1950’s about a man given a radioactive pill to help with his low sperm count. This pill turns his cum into a giant slithering monster that devours the city. Our next story is a Beach Blanket Bingo knock-off involving gay werewolves and a closeted teen. Do yourself a favor and skip this one. The multiple music numbers are painful to watch and the central joke of a kid coming to terms with his sexuality is driven into the ground. Then there is my favorite of the group, a Young Frankenstein/ Producers mash-up entitled The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. I would love to know Mel Brooks’ opinion of this one. It’s all in German with subtitles, and features a totally over the top performance by Joel David Moore as Hitler and Kane Hodder as a jewish Frankenstein monster. And finally we have a short called Deathication. It unfortunately turns into a 5-minute montage of people shitting... so... yeah... While the shorts that play at the drive-in are interesting in their own right... at least some of them are interesting, the central story of the people watching the films had the most resonance for me. This turns into a zombie survival story... a very UNIQUE zombie survival story, one that plays out with its tongue firmly planted in cheek.
Chillerama pushes the bounds of decency and comedy. It’s made for horror fans by horror fans. It feels authentic. Even when one of the directors totally whiffs, there is no question as to why they are making this movie. It’s not about money or creating a new brand. Its four guys saying to their audience, we get you. We love fucked up, perverted, gory flicks with boobs and blood just like you. Let’s hangout. While I didn’t like all of Chillerama, it had its heart in the right place with some big hits and some awful, terrible misses.
Chillerama is currently streaming on Netflix. It’s also available on Blu-ray here.
Check back in tomorrow for another Ain’t It Scary Review as a werewolf botanist terrorizes the streets of London.
Here’s a look back at the Ain’t It Scary Review installments that you might have missed:
The Ground Rules to the Project
#1 Son of Frankenstein
#2 Scream, Blacula, Scream!
#3 Black Sabbath
#4 Maniac
#5 Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
#6 Invisible Invaders
#7 The Mummy’s Curse
#8 Lord of Illusions
#9 Night of the Demons
#10 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
#11 The House of the Devil
#12 Dr. Phibes Rises Again!
#13 Audition
#14 The Catman of Paris
#15 Kuroneko
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