Dedfest '11: Chillerama and Laughing for All the Wrong Reasons: A Movie Review

Directors/writers: Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin and Tim Sullivan.

Chillerama played at Dedfest Victoria 2011 to a modest crowd and a large prize giveaway. In the film, several horror icons came together for a comedy, horror anthology that included four stories: "Zom B Movie" began the film, with "Wadzilla," "I Was a Teenage Werebear," and "The Diary of Anne Frankenstein" to follow. The humour was juvenile, but this critic could not help laughing. A werewolf, gay musical, really? Much of the humour is sexually based and the crowd in the theatre seemed to light up through much of the showing. Dedfest's shift to a new, grander location was a good choice and so was Chillerama as part of the schedule.

"Zom B Movie" is your standard zombie b-movie with some sexual humour added in. Fornicating with the dead not only removes your penis, but causes others to turn into nymphomaniacs from a character's dispersal of bodily fluids. Semen in your popcorn? It is all here and so is a charming love story. "Wadzilla" is the first feature to be shown at this fictional drive-in. This story, from Adam Rifkin (Detroit Rock City), deals with a man with sexual dysfunction. His sperm count is low, so the local doctor recommends some experimental medication (not FDA approved). The result is a giant sperm that just gets bigger and bigger and messier and messier. The final sperm covered kiss is a little awkward. "I Was a Teenage Werebear" was a gay musical whose theme involves the coming out of a young man as gay and as a werebear. What is the difference between a werebear and a werewolf? They are both hairy, but the werebears have a habit of wearing chaps and killing the local bully with their penis. Yes, there is more enjoyable juvenile humour here. Adam Green's "The Diary of Anne Frankenstein" is shot in black and white. The setting is World War II and actor Joel David Moore plays Hitler. This despot raises a Jewish Frankenstein (Kane Hodder), who spouts: "oy vey," while dancing awkwardly.

It is hard to say which short was the best, but "Zom B Movie" and "Wadzilla" stood out to this film fan. The gross out humour in "Zom B Movie" was over the top and the film is great for reminding horror fans not to sleep with corpses. "Wadzilla" used more low brow humour to effect. This critic could not stop laughing at all the awkward situations e.g. a sperm humping the Statue of Liberty, a man becoming aroused on a date and needing to relieve his sexual desire solo in his date's bathroom. The laughs come often with the humour juvenile, sexually based and very politically incorrect!

"Zom B Movie" also uses lots of film references from Scarface to Terminator to Robocop and lots of other films. Actor Richard Riehle delivers most of these lines as his drive-in turns into an undead orgy. Apparently there still is a lot of life after death. Each of the reels is short enough that if you do not enjoy one of the films, then you will likely find yourself laughing at another. The faux film "Deadification" was a little disturbing and most people will squirm when seeing projectile feces thrown about. This film might not be for everyone.

Chillerama has already finished its run in Victoria. However, the film will show at several more film festivals before becoming available on home theatre formats in November. There is a lot of talent and a lot of cameos in this picture. There are also a lot of laughs and this reviewer would recommend you take a look at a film "that spits in the eye of Hollywood."

Overall: 7.75 (lots of great actors, funny dialogue and situations).

The fan page for Chillerama:

Chillerama on Facebook

Another review of this film at Movie Cynics (The Vocabularist):

Chillerama at Movie Cynics

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Posted in: 2011,2011 release,adam green,comedy,horror,movie review,tim sullivan,werewolf