Horrible Imaginings Film Festival 2017 – Day One

The first day of the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival has arrived! It was only a half day, but what a half day, starting off with the “Local San Diego Creator Block.” The purpose of this block is, precisely as the title suggests, to promote the work that the local creators and filmmakers are working on, and starting out was a rather unusual entry, as it was more of a radio play from Neal Halford’s “Uncharted Regions” and the episode Someday Over You.

This radio play episode immediately opened with a very detective like noir-ish narrative. Excellent audio production quality. Neal Halford certainly is a fan of period piece stories as well as music with this story as well as Case Of Evil. The episode made excellent use of “theater of the mind.” Excellent direction, storyline, sound effects, and voice acting. The story has really good twists with its growing mystery, and even a hint of something supernatural. Creepy story, with a somewhat unanswered mystery regarding the singer’s voice, but that’s the beauty of horror. It doesn’t have to be logical. The episode pre-dated Case Of Evil, but has a story connection to the film with the character of Deke Williams. This was a personal highlight for the geeks, and what a great way to kick off the entire film festival.

String

The film had a kitschy sort of throwback quality to it with its music and titles. Right from the beginning it presented itself as something that would draw in practically every horror fan, regardless of when he or she grew up.It’s one of the most peculiar role reversal the of films I have ever seen, with a lady actually drugging a guy she meets at a bar, without realizing that the guy she drugs has a secret of his own! It was a very fun short film, but there was one moment that both Keith and I had to question this one particular character. However, if there is one flaw that I could identify is that one of our characters orders some Glenlivet 25 Year single malt whiskey, yet that character actually throws back that shot in one gulp Not very believable, but the rest of the short was great!

The Creep

Deep saturated black and white film starting with a Tarot reading. Strange little film about a creature that kills kids. It was hard to understand at times, and perhaps doing it in black and white was unnecessary. Color would have been just as effective and wouldn’t have taken anything away from the story. Other than that it was a modest little horror film

The Reunion

A short with an excellent “smoking gun” surrounding a family picture. Somewhat telegraphed, but still quite rewarding.as it is revealed.

That’s Final

Pure horror trailer trash. It plays off of the classic trashy horror movie tropes. It’s a panda bear killer!!! Excellent horror comedy in the vein of Night Of The Slasher.

assumption

Minimalist film… Creepy, but illogical. Some unanswered questions, but even those points are brought up. Makes you wonder if there is something about the gentleman stuck in the elevator and why he’s being held in there. A bit of a chiller. It’s also quite claustrophobic making it a very tense film. Excellent use of near subliminal suggestion with quick shots of something very demonic. Excellent camera work and lighting to heighten the tension. It was a long film for a short, but it was an excellent film using psychological torture to get revenge against a very bad person. Again, the only negative is that it was too long. It could some editing to make it shorter and it would only have strengthened it.

After a short intermission we were greeted with the gay geeks least favorite horror sub-genre, and that is “Horror for Humanity.”

Yesterday is Tomorrow

A very well written, directed, and acted story about a woman with recurring nightmares while in a psychiatric ward, while also dealing with a distorted reality all her own.

Transmission

Strange torture short. No reason as to why this gentleman is being tortured, but the sadism is somewhat disturbing. This short was very disjointed, and unclear as to how “transmission” actually figures in to the story proper.

A Nearly Perfect Sky

Kids should NEVER play with guns! Unusual film that feels part sci-fi, and part Kafka-esque as it starts, but that doesn’t last very long. The real horror, after letting kids play with guns, is seeing a man prostitute his heavily handicapped sister. The brother is a real mental mess because of what his sister endured. It was terribly disturbing and was an excellent example of what horror for humanity really means. It’s well acted, but filled with some very disturbing turns. Technically and artistically this was a superior film, but the subject matter was one that actually pushed the gay geeks away.

For a Good Time Call…

Short about a man who likes to film himself having sex with other women? Outstanding revenge/bathroom porn… Worthy of something that Pablo Absento might do. Intense, disturbing, and fun!

Opening Night Feature: Midnighters

Very simple camera angles that help heighten a sense of starkness and intimacy. The de-satirized look of the movie gives it a coldness and feeling of dread. Well produced and good eerie keyboard soundtrack. Good mystery about a man who is accidentally killed as he is on the way to the same house of those people who hit him with their car. The sense of dread is very palpable. Good acting from the cast, especially the actress who plays Lindsay and the young man who plays the detective. VERY psychologically creepy!!! Hints of Stockholm Syndrome as well. No one is virtuous in this. They all have a psychologically dark side to them. This is one dark, disturbing movie. About what, I’m not sure, but disturbing nonetheless. Just when you think the ending is telegraphed it pulls yet another surprise on you, making it a very intense ride.

So with Friday over and Saturday coming soon at the festival, this is the big one as it quite literally lasts all day. Among two are a pair of films that the gay geeks helped select.

You can learn more about Horrible Imaginings by visiting their website Horrible Imaginings Film Fest & Podcast. We will be placing reviews and links to the movies that we’ve seen in the follow-up article that will be posted after we return. In the meantime, please refer to the website or program book (for those of you in attendance) for more details about these films, and well as the upcoming schedule for this film festival.

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Given what this trailer is showing, do you find yourself looking at the character of Wonder Woman differently now? Are you curious enough to go see this movie?
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