HELLMARE is a new horror movie from RFN (Reel F*cking Nightmare) Pictures being released by Troma Entertainment. You may know Troma Entertainment from the company that brought you The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nuke ‘Em High, and countless other horror-comedies since 1974.
Troma Entertainment is legendary for their over the top gore, vulgarness, and hysterical humor. HELLMARE’s comedy and gore is on pace with Troma and fans of the company won’t be disappointed.
HELLMARE stars Lloyd Kaufman, one of Troma Entertainment’s founders and a national treasure in the horror community. Kaufman plays the Grandpa in the film, and his scenes are hilarious.
HELLMARE was shot in various locations in and around the Detroit area on a budget of just $10,000. Cinematography by Vincent Peters with original music from Gory Rory. The special effects were done by Kait Brayden.
The movie stars Laura Reyes, Zach Hill, Dale Dobson, Jordan Causey, Brandon Voight, Maddie Reardon, Justin Travis, Ali Issa, Victor Gabriel, and Lloyd Kaufman.
HELLMARE takes place in Detroit in 1997 and is about a video store (Occult83 in Dearborn) worker Phillip (Brandon Voight) who inherits a house from his grandpa (Kaufman). The house may be haunted and came with fabled horror VHS tape HELLMARE. Phillip throws a viewing party to watch HELLMARE, and suddenly the party goers are sucked into the movie.
Phillip and his group of friends face characters from the HELLMARE VHS movie and trailers while the partygoers are hunted one by one by the killer horse head HELLMARE (Zach Hill).
HELLMARE’s set-up is an absolute blast to watch. The film does not drag at any point, and every scene is action-packed full of humor, horror references, and a killer soundtrack. My favorite song in the movie is by a band called Re-Buried, “Jagged Psyche.”
The vampire character (Dale Dobson) Graf Orlock is named after the seminal grindcore/powerviolence band. There are great references like this throughout the movie which made HELLMARE a blast to watch. The characters from the VHS tape are my favorite element of HELLMARE, especially all the Witchcraft Cop (Kozmo) scenes.
There are plenty of meta moments, but they never seem too silly or out of place. The kill scenes are stunning visually to watch, and if you are a horror movie fan who loves practical effects, you are in for a treat!
Fans of VHS tapes, horror movies, and ripping soundtracks will absolutely love HELLMARE. I recommend watching this movie, as I am sure it will be a cult favorite in the years to come. Currently the film is showing in the festival circuit in Poland, Italy, and Switzerland. Troma Entertainment will be releasing the film.
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Photos courtesy of RFN Pictures
