'SCREAM OF THE BANSHEE': Half a Star (Out of Five)
This B horror film was released as part of this year's (2011) 'After Dark Originals' series in theaters and on video but it was also originally released on the Syfy Network (which co-produced the film) as an original 'Syfy Network' TV movie. I didn't know this before watching the film and I kept thinking to myself while watching it that it was so bad it was almost like a 'Syfy' TV movie! There were also some dead giveaways during the film like fade outs, that would only be done for TV breaks, and abrupt music changes (at the same points). So going into the film with expectations of seeing a cool indie horror film picked up by 'After Dark' studios built me up for quite more and resulted in a pretty annoying disappointment. As far as 'Syfy' films are concerned I'd say it's about average (I think they produce the worst sci-fi and horror films imaginable and are a representation of one of the lowest points in modern cinema though).
This stars Lauren Holly and Lance Henriksen (in a glorified cameo) and boy have the mighty fallen. It was directed by Steven C. Miller and written by Anthony C. Ferrante and Jacob Hair. The story revolves around a banshee let loose in the world by an archeology professor, Isla Whelan (Holly), and her two students, Otto and Janie (Todd Haberkorn and Leanna Cochran). It was captured and beheaded in medieval times and now the head has turned up at Whelan's lab in a mysterious metal box. The head quickly starts screaming before it blows up and those that hear the scream (Whelan and her students, as well as a security guard) are caught in it's spell and will be destroyed by it, but not until they scream too. Whelan traces the box's origins to a Professor Duncan (Henriksen) and must track him down and figure out how to stop it before it kills them all.
In my opinion there's nothing fun or entertaining at all about these Syfy original films (well almost nothing). The special effects are always atrocious, the acting even worse and the dialogue and directing are almost non existent. What I hate probably most about these movies though is the God-awful musical scores. Music can do a lot for a film, good or bad, and with these films they take something pretty bad and make it even more unbearable. The music to these movies often annoy me to the point where I almost want to shut them off. These films are so poorly produced I'd say they're about on the same creative level as your average porn. There might be a tad more story and character development but not much. I hate these movies and the fact that 'After Dark' studios picked one up and marketed and distributed it as part of their series is disgusting.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSwub5D8YiE
This B horror film was released as part of this year's (2011) 'After Dark Originals' series in theaters and on video but it was also originally released on the Syfy Network (which co-produced the film) as an original 'Syfy Network' TV movie. I didn't know this before watching the film and I kept thinking to myself while watching it that it was so bad it was almost like a 'Syfy' TV movie! There were also some dead giveaways during the film like fade outs, that would only be done for TV breaks, and abrupt music changes (at the same points). So going into the film with expectations of seeing a cool indie horror film picked up by 'After Dark' studios built me up for quite more and resulted in a pretty annoying disappointment. As far as 'Syfy' films are concerned I'd say it's about average (I think they produce the worst sci-fi and horror films imaginable and are a representation of one of the lowest points in modern cinema though).
This stars Lauren Holly and Lance Henriksen (in a glorified cameo) and boy have the mighty fallen. It was directed by Steven C. Miller and written by Anthony C. Ferrante and Jacob Hair. The story revolves around a banshee let loose in the world by an archeology professor, Isla Whelan (Holly), and her two students, Otto and Janie (Todd Haberkorn and Leanna Cochran). It was captured and beheaded in medieval times and now the head has turned up at Whelan's lab in a mysterious metal box. The head quickly starts screaming before it blows up and those that hear the scream (Whelan and her students, as well as a security guard) are caught in it's spell and will be destroyed by it, but not until they scream too. Whelan traces the box's origins to a Professor Duncan (Henriksen) and must track him down and figure out how to stop it before it kills them all.
In my opinion there's nothing fun or entertaining at all about these Syfy original films (well almost nothing). The special effects are always atrocious, the acting even worse and the dialogue and directing are almost non existent. What I hate probably most about these movies though is the God-awful musical scores. Music can do a lot for a film, good or bad, and with these films they take something pretty bad and make it even more unbearable. The music to these movies often annoy me to the point where I almost want to shut them off. These films are so poorly produced I'd say they're about on the same creative level as your average porn. There might be a tad more story and character development but not much. I hate these movies and the fact that 'After Dark' studios picked one up and marketed and distributed it as part of their series is disgusting.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSwub5D8YiE