Stars: Olli Banjo, Adam Buller, Michelle Colao, Greg Engbrecht, Elle Gabriel, Francesc Garrido, Alias Hilsum, Charles Hubbell, Rob Kerkovich, Vin Kridakorn, Mathis Landwehr, Claire Oelkers, Julio Perillán, Fabio Prati, Luke Sorge | Directed by Dennis Cabella, Javier Chillon, Todd Cobery, Andrew Desmond, Benni Diez, Marcello Ercole, Richard Karpala, Justin McConnell, Antonio Padovan, Fabio Prati, Ethan Shaftel, Marinko Spahic
Much like Dread Central’s Zombieworld,which brought together a number of short films under one banner to create an all-new anthology film, Galaxy of Horrors is a selection of eight shorts, curated from Rue Morgue and Unstable Ground’s Little Terrors Festival by Toronto film programmer Justin McConnell, all wrapped up in the story of a man trapped in a damaged cryogenic pod.
This wraparound segment that sees and astronaut awoken from his cryogenic slimber too soon and forced to watch a series of shorts while the power supply drains away Becasue he’s watching these shorts… Yes, for our astronaut the terror-filled tales are terrifying not only because of their content but because they’re literlly killing him! Of the short films the astronaut (and we the audience) watch there are a number of standouts: Iris, directed by Richard Karpala, which tells the story of a siri-like phone assistant with a conscience when her owner, an assassin, does not. It’s a great take on how technology and humans interact and how far that realtionship with technology could, possibly (more likely imporbably), go.
Pathos, directed by Fabio Prati, Dennis Cabella and Marcello Ercole, is a foreign-language entry which is easily the best – and most memorable (it’s the one short that vividly stuck in my mind waaay after I’d finished watching the film) and tells the story of a future where citizens must pay -literally – to be alive and experience a “life” outside of the odd chamber in which our protagonist’s “exists” – yes his reality, his very existence, is all in his head! This short is yet another look at how humans and technology interact, in this case taking the ideas of alternate realities and how humanity perceives reality, borne out of the likes of The Matrix, to their logical and more importantly, horrific extreme.
Special mention must also go to Antonio Padovan‘s short Eveless, which sees men try to keep the worlds population going without women; and Benni Diez and Marinko Spahic‘s kinetic action/horror hybrid Kingz – which recalls the best of horror anthology V/H/S whilst staying true to its own badass terror-filled ethos.
Whilst the eight shorts tell very different stories, there is a common thread running between them – they’re all damn good films! Unlike a alot of anthologies that have one or two dud amongst their number, each and every short in Galaxy of Horrors hits it out of the park: all eight tales having interesting sci-fi stories to tell and cool concepts to portray. Plus it’s nice to see sci-fi horror in the spotlight once more…
Galaxy of Horrors is out now on DVD from StudioCanal.
Much like Dread Central’s Zombieworld,which brought together a number of short films under one banner to create an all-new anthology film, Galaxy of Horrors is a selection of eight shorts, curated from Rue Morgue and Unstable Ground’s Little Terrors Festival by Toronto film programmer Justin McConnell, all wrapped up in the story of a man trapped in a damaged cryogenic pod.
This wraparound segment that sees and astronaut awoken from his cryogenic slimber too soon and forced to watch a series of shorts while the power supply drains away Becasue he’s watching these shorts… Yes, for our astronaut the terror-filled tales are terrifying not only because of their content but because they’re literlly killing him! Of the short films the astronaut (and we the audience) watch there are a number of standouts: Iris, directed by Richard Karpala, which tells the story of a siri-like phone assistant with a conscience when her owner, an assassin, does not. It’s a great take on how technology and humans interact and how far that realtionship with technology could, possibly (more likely imporbably), go.
Pathos, directed by Fabio Prati, Dennis Cabella and Marcello Ercole, is a foreign-language entry which is easily the best – and most memorable (it’s the one short that vividly stuck in my mind waaay after I’d finished watching the film) and tells the story of a future where citizens must pay -literally – to be alive and experience a “life” outside of the odd chamber in which our protagonist’s “exists” – yes his reality, his very existence, is all in his head! This short is yet another look at how humans and technology interact, in this case taking the ideas of alternate realities and how humanity perceives reality, borne out of the likes of The Matrix, to their logical and more importantly, horrific extreme.
Special mention must also go to Antonio Padovan‘s short Eveless, which sees men try to keep the worlds population going without women; and Benni Diez and Marinko Spahic‘s kinetic action/horror hybrid Kingz – which recalls the best of horror anthology V/H/S whilst staying true to its own badass terror-filled ethos.
Whilst the eight shorts tell very different stories, there is a common thread running between them – they’re all damn good films! Unlike a alot of anthologies that have one or two dud amongst their number, each and every short in Galaxy of Horrors hits it out of the park: all eight tales having interesting sci-fi stories to tell and cool concepts to portray. Plus it’s nice to see sci-fi horror in the spotlight once more…
Galaxy of Horrors is out now on DVD from StudioCanal.
- 6/23/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Early last month we brought Ulrik Bruchholz's short film Hard Boiled Cop to your attention, primarily because it starred German martial artist Mathis Landwehr. Landwehr has done loads of work in television (Lasko - The Fist of God) and short films (Kingz) back home in Germany, yet remains largely unknown on the international stage, which is a shame. Bruchholz himself is no slouch, having done a fair amount of stunt related work on films like Must Love Death, Cloud Atlas and the upcoming Xyz Films creature feature Stung (plug!). As the story goes, Bruchholz began working on a feature film back in 2008, but after three years production broke down. He took what footage he had and started piecing it together to make the climactic fight in...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 8/2/2014
- Screen Anarchy
It was way, way back in February of 2008 when I first came across German director Benni Diez. He had just co-directed a short film titled Kingz with Marinko Spahic and that short was far and away one of the best I saw in that year, an amazing blend of scifi, action and horror elements that made me a fan for life. I ended up programming Kingz at a few festivals though the year and struck up a relationship with the directors that saw me send them an email every few months since asking why they hadn't made a feature film yet. And then one day Benni answered by saying, "Well, I've got this script ..."That script was Stung, a horror comedy in the vein...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/22/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Rat Pack Filmproduktion and Xyz Films officially announced the cast of Stung, a horror comedy that will begin filming later this year and involves ordinary wasps that mutate into giant creatures:
“Los Angeles, CA/ Berlin (August 27, 2013) – Rat Pack Filmproduktion and Xyz Films have announced today that Matt O´Leary (Brick, Live Free Or Die Hard), Jessica Cook (Mistresses, MTV’s Awkwar), Peter Stormare (Pain And Gain, Hansel And Gretel) and Lance Henriksen (The Terminator, Aliens) have been added to the cast of the horror comedy Stung. The film, to be directed by Benni Diez (Kingz), is produced by Christian Becker and Benjamin Munz from Rat Pack Filmproduktion (The Wave, We Are The Night) and executive produced by Xyz Films (The Raid: Redemption). The film is currently set to start shooting in Berlin on October 22nd, 2013 and has been sold in multiple territories, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France and Scandinavia to independent distributor eOne.
“Los Angeles, CA/ Berlin (August 27, 2013) – Rat Pack Filmproduktion and Xyz Films have announced today that Matt O´Leary (Brick, Live Free Or Die Hard), Jessica Cook (Mistresses, MTV’s Awkwar), Peter Stormare (Pain And Gain, Hansel And Gretel) and Lance Henriksen (The Terminator, Aliens) have been added to the cast of the horror comedy Stung. The film, to be directed by Benni Diez (Kingz), is produced by Christian Becker and Benjamin Munz from Rat Pack Filmproduktion (The Wave, We Are The Night) and executive produced by Xyz Films (The Raid: Redemption). The film is currently set to start shooting in Berlin on October 22nd, 2013 and has been sold in multiple territories, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France and Scandinavia to independent distributor eOne.
- 8/28/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Horror Comedy / Creature Feature Stung has set its cast and start date. The film, which will begin shooting in Berlin on on October 22nd, 2013 (my twins' birthday, incidentally) will star Matt O´Leary (Brick, Live Free Or Die Hard), Jessica Cook (Mistresses, MTV’s Awkward), Peter Stormare (Pain And Gain, Hansel And Gretel) and Lance Henriksen (The Terminator, Aliens).
In Stung, a fancy garden party goes terribly wrong after a local species of wasps mutate into giant predators. It's up to Paul and Julia, two catering staffers at the high-society event, to stop the killer creatures - an effort that kick-starts a budding romance between the two.
The film, to be directed by Benni Diez (Kingz), is produced by Christian Becker and Benjamin Munz from Rat Pack Filmproduc [Continued ...]...
In Stung, a fancy garden party goes terribly wrong after a local species of wasps mutate into giant predators. It's up to Paul and Julia, two catering staffers at the high-society event, to stop the killer creatures - an effort that kick-starts a budding romance between the two.
The film, to be directed by Benni Diez (Kingz), is produced by Christian Becker and Benjamin Munz from Rat Pack Filmproduc [Continued ...]...
- 8/28/2013
- QuietEarth.us
Though you may not know his name there's a passably good chance you've witnessed German martial artist Mathis Landwehr in action. Based in Berlin, Landwehr caught the eye of the Wachowskis sometime back and put in work as a key stunt performer on both V For Vendetta and Speed Racer. We'd been talking about him prior to that in these pages, though, thanks to his work in indie action flick Kampfensage and again raved over his work in stellar short film Kingz. Landwehr is one of our favorites, basically, and we've been waiting years now for him to get his break on the big screen. Because while the stuff he's been doing on TV is fine and all - and certainly pays his bills -...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/11/2013
- Screen Anarchy
It was back in February of 2008 that Twitch first came across German director and special effects genius Benni Diez. The occasion at the time was an eighteen minute short film titled Kingz - a phenomenal hybrid of action, horror and scifi that Diez created as his film school thesis project with co-director Marinko Spahic. Kingz left such an impression, in fact, that every few months since I first saw it I have sent Diez an email asking why he hasn't made a feature yet. The answers were always the same. Building a portfolio. Doing commercials to pay the bills. Doing effects work on films by the likes of Von Trier. Basically everything but making a film of his own.But then, just a few...
- 8/13/2012
- Screen Anarchy
The undead have arrived in Germany and they're hungry.Director Moritz Mohr will soon debut his zombie webseries Viva Berlin and, if the trailer is anything to judge by, this is an incredibly ambitious and well executed little slice of action-horror. Kingz co-director Benni Diez lent a hand with the digital effects for this one, which goes a certain way to explaining the high end look, but it's clear that Mohr has style and skill to spare. If I didn't know it was a web series going in to this trailer I would easily have believed that the footage came from a feature or full blown, well backed television series instead. Very, very impressive....
- 11/7/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Here's a little treat for martial arts fans from Germany. We have been very outspoken supporters of German martial arts performer Mathis Landwehr in these pages over the years. The man impressed large with his ultra low budget feature production Kampfensage then again in the much glossier short Kingz before being hired on as a key stunt performer on V For Vendetta, at which point I truly expected Landwehr's international career to take off. The man has everything you could ask for in an action star - natural on screen charisma, the sort of looks that'll pull women into the theaters as well as men and enormous physical skills. But the international offers didn't really materialize and Landwehr is still working away in Germany.
Which may not be a bad thing.
You see, in 2006 Landwehr took on a major part in a direct to video German movie that went out...
Which may not be a bad thing.
You see, in 2006 Landwehr took on a major part in a direct to video German movie that went out...
- 8/15/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Though Germany may not leap to mind when compiling a list of high level international martial artists the nation has a few truly top level performers and two of them are appearing in micro-budget indie production Straight Blast from director Ulrik Bruchholz. The guy in the photo to the left is Mathis Landwehr, a key stuntman on V For Vendetta who we also got to know through his roles in Kingz and Germany's low budget martial arts feature Kampfensage. Landwehr is a key support player in this one, backing up Mike Möller (and his mullet), a stunt man and fighter respected enough that he has plied his trade in Hong Kong productions such as Coweb.
What's this one about? Check it out:
Straight Blast is centered in a world a few decades after the nuclear holocaust. Most of the human population escaped from earth and started new lives in outworld colonies.
What's this one about? Check it out:
Straight Blast is centered in a world a few decades after the nuclear holocaust. Most of the human population escaped from earth and started new lives in outworld colonies.
- 7/13/2010
- Screen Anarchy
We are great fans of German directors Benni Diez and Marinko Spahic in these parts and have anxiously been waiting to see what the duo would do to follow up their stellar short film Kingz - check the archive for info on that one - for a little while now. And now we have the answer in the form of a trailer for their new cross-media series Bronko Bros. Here’s the synopsis:
The Bronko Bros., two unsuspecting couch potatoes, are suddenly thrown into the world of their beloved video collection. On their desperate search for a way back to their own reality they will have to face adventures that exceed their wildest imaginations.
The slapstick edge to this one is new for the duo but what remains the same is their impressive use of special effects, the trailer alone - prepared on a tiny budget to present to potential...
The Bronko Bros., two unsuspecting couch potatoes, are suddenly thrown into the world of their beloved video collection. On their desperate search for a way back to their own reality they will have to face adventures that exceed their wildest imaginations.
The slapstick edge to this one is new for the duo but what remains the same is their impressive use of special effects, the trailer alone - prepared on a tiny budget to present to potential...
- 6/22/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
While the concept of a German martial arts film isn’t entirely foreign at this point - stunt man and actor Mathis Landwehr already broke that particular ground with his feature Kampfansage and his excellent bit in short film Kingz - but they are still very much a rarity, which makes the arrival of Eskinder Tesfay and Swen Raschka in upcoming feature Guerilla’s Blood notable.
I can’t tell you too much about this one - the information on the official site is dominated by the fact that it was shot on the Red camera - but the trailer shows a whole lot of promise. The film makers definitely need to learn a thing or two about camera placement and cutting a trailer that functions as a trailer instead of as a fight reel - the two leads are the only ones who appear - but the cinematography and...
I can’t tell you too much about this one - the information on the official site is dominated by the fact that it was shot on the Red camera - but the trailer shows a whole lot of promise. The film makers definitely need to learn a thing or two about camera placement and cutting a trailer that functions as a trailer instead of as a fight reel - the two leads are the only ones who appear - but the cinematography and...
- 3/31/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
The second round has been announced which includes some feature length world premiers as well as a host of crazy shorts. Nicolás López's Santos will be premiering in a sweeping tale of comic book nerds vs superheroes in a battle for the future makind, with a Chilean tip. Also playing will be Acolytes or how kids blackmail a serial killer which is quite beautifully shot. One of our favorite shorts will be playing, Osbert Parker's Film Noir. Eel Girl and the twisted Butcher's Hill will also be screened. Check out all the films after the break!
Santos
World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.
Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo, Chilean prodigy director Nicolás López returns with Santos, a wild, sweeping tale of comic book nerds versus superheroes in a battle for the future of mankind. Think Ultraman with a Latin American brain transplant. From...
Santos
World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.
Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo, Chilean prodigy director Nicolás López returns with Santos, a wild, sweeping tale of comic book nerds versus superheroes in a battle for the future of mankind. Think Ultraman with a Latin American brain transplant. From...
- 8/7/2008
- QuietEarth.us
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008
Press Release: For Immediate Release
Subject: Second Wave of Fantastic Fest content announced
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar, Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest, September 18-25, 2008
Contact:
Tim League
(512) 912-0529
info@fantasticfest.com
www.fantasticfest.com
We are proud to announce the second wave of our feature film programming for the 2008 edition of Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. For the past 9 months, we have been scouring the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films. With over 100 films representing over 30 countries, Fantastic Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. We are proud to announce our second announcement of 15 confirmed feature films as well as our first announcement of official short film selections and details on special “fantastic-fest-themed” Alamo signature events.
Round 2: Fantastic Features:
Santos
World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.
Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo,...
Press Release: For Immediate Release
Subject: Second Wave of Fantastic Fest content announced
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar, Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest, September 18-25, 2008
Contact:
Tim League
(512) 912-0529
info@fantasticfest.com
www.fantasticfest.com
We are proud to announce the second wave of our feature film programming for the 2008 edition of Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. For the past 9 months, we have been scouring the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films. With over 100 films representing over 30 countries, Fantastic Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. We are proud to announce our second announcement of 15 confirmed feature films as well as our first announcement of official short film selections and details on special “fantastic-fest-themed” Alamo signature events.
Round 2: Fantastic Features:
Santos
World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.
Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo,...
- 8/7/2008
- by Tim League
- OriginalAlamo.com
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008
Press Release: For Immediate Release
Subject: Second Wave of Fantastic Fest content announced
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar, Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest, September 18-25, 2008
Contact:
Tim League
(512) 912-0529
info@fantasticfest.com
www.fantasticfest.com
We are proud to announce the second wave of our feature film programming for the 2008 edition of Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. For the past 9 months, we have been scouring the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films. With over 100 films representing over 30 countries, Fantastic Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. We are proud to announce our second announcement of 15 confirmed feature films as well as our first announcement of official short film selections and details on special “fantastic-fest-themed” Alamo signature events.
Round 2: Fantastic Features:
Santos
World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.
Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo,...
Press Release: For Immediate Release
Subject: Second Wave of Fantastic Fest content announced
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar, Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest, September 18-25, 2008
Contact:
Tim League
(512) 912-0529
info@fantasticfest.com
www.fantasticfest.com
We are proud to announce the second wave of our feature film programming for the 2008 edition of Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. For the past 9 months, we have been scouring the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films. With over 100 films representing over 30 countries, Fantastic Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. We are proud to announce our second announcement of 15 confirmed feature films as well as our first announcement of official short film selections and details on special “fantastic-fest-themed” Alamo signature events.
Round 2: Fantastic Features:
Santos
World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.
Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo,...
- 8/7/2008
- by noreply@blogger.com (Tim League)
- FantasticFest.com
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