Catching Up With The Indie Monster Movie Scene - Manos-A-Manos, A Monster Musical, A Woman And Her Sword Plus Other Goodies!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Avery Guerra, Various

I know that I am interrupting your Twilight Zone viewing but I have had quite a few things creating a log-jam in my email so I figured it was time to clear things out.

So pay attention for a minute ... then you can return to "Talking Tina".

Everyone knows that diamonds are not a girls best friend ... it's a sword. Well at least that is the case for lovely actress Tara Cardinal who repeatedly jumps at any chance to play a swordswoman (?) in films.

Yes gentleman Tara is a beauty ... a beauty that can kick the crap out of you without even breaking a nail.

Do you think that's hot? Well check out this vid that Tara shared with the members of the Monster Island News: Sci Fi, Fantasy, Horror, & B Movie Junkies group on Facebook. If this doesn't bring back memories of Xena Warrior Princess nothing will!



HUHU Attack

Does anyone remember that awful Creature From The Black Lagoon musical that thankfully was yanked from the stage at Universal Studios? Well if you don't count your blessings!

Well apparently a film maker named Patrick Gillies in New Zealand has decided that music and monsters do mix in his new film HUHU Attack. Yes, ladies and gentlemen a giant monster musical ... kinda like Tremors meets Guys and Dolls. There's singing, dancing, and giant grubs that break loose and start eating people. Holy Crap! Finally a monster movie you can take your wife or girlfriend to! This ones got a little something for everyone!

Here's your plot:

In Cold War-era rural New Zealand, two social misfits – a mousy spinster and a traveling magician – find love against a backdrop of small-town prejudice and 40ft-high mutant man-eating Huhu grubs!

Rural New Zealand, 31st October 1957. A Sputnik satellite crashes into the edge of a forest, irradiating the nearby flora and fauna. When the Army is called in to investigate, their soldiers are inexplicably attacked by a 40ft-high mutant Huhu grub. At the nearest township, two-bit traveling magician, Miles, falls for the charms of his mousy volunteer, Ngaire, whilst putting on a Halloween magic show for the locals. Their blossoming romance is interrupted when the giant Huhu grubs invade, decimating the townsfolk. Knocked unconscious, Miles awakes to find Ngaire nursing him back to health in a makeshift infirmary. Citing Miles’ knowledge of pyrotechnics, she pleads her reluctant hero to lead the surviving townsfolk in their fight against the man-eating huhu grubs. However, her faith in him is shattered when local agitator, Derek, arrives with soldiers to accuse Miles of being a Soviet spy, directly responsible for the Huhu grub menace. Armed with supposed proof of his Eastern Bloc origins, the soldiers proceed with their intention to execute Miles. After an impassioned and heart-wrenching plea of innocence, Miles is released and the united community rejoices in its new-found tolerance and enlightenment… but not for long!

Do you need to know any more?

Well here's the trailer:



Still need more? Well Undead Backbrain has the info - HERE

El Monstro Del Mar

Last summer I posted the trailer for a little flick from Australia called El Monstro Del Mar, well now that film is about to reach these shores (The US of A) via a DVD release from Breaking Glass Pictures on its Vicious Circle label on February 28th.



Your plot:

Three gorgeous but deadly hired killers, Beretta, Blondie and Snowball, hole up in a small beach-side community to keep a low profile. But this town has a dark secret. The local old sea baron, Joseph, tries desperately to warn the out-of-towners to never go into the water. But these crazy vixens listen to no one, so the Kraken awakes! Now, along with Joseph and his beautiful granddaughter, Hannah, they must fight for their lives against this furious creature of the deep as the sea rises in a tidal wave of blood.

More on this at Fangoria - HERE

MANOS: The Search For Valley Lodge

Unless you are a big fan of Elvira or Mystery Science Theater 3000 than you probably have never heard of MANOS: The Hands Of Fate ... which if you haven't is a good thing ... a very good thing!

MANOS is a terrible movie in ways beyond all manner of comprehension. The script is terrible, the music is terrible, the acting ... is terrible. This film is so off the grid that it actually stared an actor (if you can call him that) who was loaded out of his mind on drugs causing him to stumble around and mumble incoherently.

Now you really have to ask yourself who in the world would want to produce a sequel to such a film?

Rupert Talbot Munch Sr. that's who!

Back in 2008 Munch dressed like the afore mentioned stoned out of his mind character Torgo for Comic Con and based on the responses he got from fans decided that MANOS needed another chapter.

And you thought two Plan 9 remakes were questionable decisions!

Again Fangoria has the scoop - HERE

The Awakened

Don't you hate when your working your field and you discover a buried UFO where you were planning to plant onions? Then to make things worse the alien occupants of the craft come out of stasis to turn your farm into some sort war zone with the bloodshed, laser guns and the probing?

Well it's not exactly Green Acres in High Voltage Productions The Awakening where the above mentioned scenario plays itself out.

Actually this one has a rather noteworthy cast which includes Star Trek: Voyager alum Robert Picardo plus Matt Corrigan, Richard Gross and Kara Hamilton.

The film was originally slated to come out way back in 2009 ... but well you know ... these things take time.

Here is your trailer:



Hey, and the sequel is already in the works!

Want more? Well HERE ya go!

Welcome to 2012 monster maniacs!