Sella Turcica (2010, Fred Vogel. Toetag, Inc)

Simply put, Sella Turcica surprised the hell out of me. I have been a long-time fan of director Fred Vogel since I first saw the infamous August Underground films which thrust him to the top of the heap when it came to infamy in the independent horror underground. Brutal, unflinching, and sometimes all-too-real, the August Underground were pseudo-snuff flicks that rivaled (and at times, surpassed) the notorious Guinea Pig series out of Japan in terms of sheer brutality. "Found-footage" horror films have become the norm in the mainstream, but Vogel was one of the first really using the format to push his violent cinema forward, following in the footsteps of underground classics like Cannibal Holocaust and Man Bites Dog.

Needless to say I was quite excited to finally check out Vogel in a more scripted, traditional atmosphere. I love the chaotic, improvised-yet-effects-heavy style of his early work, so I was definitely curious to see how he fared in a more straight-forward narrative. Let me say up front that the ToeTag team do NOT disappoint. Sella Turcica is a hybrid character study, family drama, and slow-burn horror film that paces itself deliberately. Do not expect the non-stop barrage of shocks that you would receive from August Underground, oh no;  Sella Turcica takes it's time to worm it's way under your skin and into your brain before it kicks you in the stomach and spits in your face. Vogel is obviously a director that enjoys showmanship and messing with his audience, and it is definitely part of why we love him. Here his mischievous nature is still at work, albeit in a much different style. In plain terms, he knows what the fuck he's doing.

Since the film takes a very relatable, tragically all-too-common situation and lets it unfold in a way you wouldn't expect, I'm not going to go into too many plot details. I'll let you know the basics, but Sella Turcica is a film that is best approached while knowing very little. Sit down, get comfortable, and just let it play out in front of you. It will surprise you. Trust me.

The film gives us the story of the Roback family in a rather difficult time. Karmen (Camille Keaton of I Spit on Your Grave), together with her offbeat and close-knit family, is trying to prepare things for the return of her son, Bradley; a Sargent in the Army who was in the Middle East. He's home for medical issues but details are hazy. The family, son Bruce (Sean P. McCarthy), and daughter Ashley (Jade Risser, all grown up from Murder-Set-Pieces) eagerly await, along with their significant others, the homecoming of their beloved brother. Brad's return and enigmatic health problems quickly start to disrupt the family and tensions start to slowly mount. That's all I will say, but just remember it IS a Fred Vogel movie, so you know wherever it is going is bloody.

No one can discuss this movie without discussing Damien Maruscak's brilliant turn as Brad. I had never seen this actor before (at least I don't think so), and I was blown away. He is able to switch between moods effortlessly; portraying true pain and eliciting intense sympathy one second, and can intimidate and frighten the next. There is no doubt that this is an exceptionally talented actor, and that's without mentioning the fact he had to do most of his performing through some level of makeup. Across the board, Vogel's approach to the characters and direction, overall, was one of sympathy, sensitivity, and honesty. He presents this family in a nonjudgmental light throughout everything, and allows the performances to speak truthfully to the audience what the characters are feeling. While there are some obvious flaws in the performances, what Vogel's cast are able to achieve on such a low budget is simply astounding.

The cast have a pretty damn good script to deal with, too. Written by Fred Vogel, Shelby Vogel, and Don Moore, the screenplay does not rush anything, and this is to it's advantage. While I can see some decrying the slow build up as, "boring," but these are also the same idiots who think Taxi Driver is boring. Sometimes non-stop splatter works, sometimes a more deliberate approach can create a very fantastic result, and this is one of those times. This film is all the more effective because of how much time we spend getting to know, like, and care about every single one of the characters. 

On a technical level, this is one of the better looking indies I've seen in a bit. Shot on either HD or high-end DV (I will be honest, I was watching on an old TV), the look is perfect for the small-town Americana warmth and feel generated by the home, lending a claustrophobic creepiness as the movie progresses. Vogel's direction and Gabe Spangler's cinematography unite to give the film a look that just fits the script perfectly. It's home, it's warm, it's loving, and that brings the horror home to an emotional level when it arrives. It should also go with out saying, especially to anyone who has seen ANY of Toetag's out put, but just in case; Jerami Cruise's makeup and special effects work is outstanding, and some of the best practical effects work in the business. Period.

Overall, I found Sella Turcica to be a well-crafted slice of independent horror that is honest and heartfelt. I was already a Vogel-fan due to the AU films, but this proves definitively that he is a force to be reckoned with when writing and directing in a traditional narrative structure, and I expect him to be getting some hardcore accolades from the critics whenever he makes more entries in this vein. It seems that from time to time his narrative films get overlooked in favor of his more balls-out gore films; I'm a prime example, this movie came out in 2010 and I just now saw it. His balls-out gorefests are without a doubt some of the best balls-out gorefests ever made, but horror fans need to pause and check out this meticulously crafted horror flick and be shocked in a very different way. Highly recommended.

- Ehren W.

If you would like to Purchase Sella Turcica or any other Toetag goodies, you need to head your ass on over to Toetag, Inc.

Snuff Perversions: Bizarre Cases of Death (1999)

Well, no picture to accompany my review this time. Why, you might ask? Well, because when I purchased the movie in question on eBay, I thought I was buying a legit DVD… I thought wrong. What I received was a bootleg DVD-R with shitty blurry artwork; not what I was expecting. Needless to say, that while eBay is the land of some kickass deals that sometimes if it seems too good to be true, it's because it is.

Anyway, the movie we're discussing is the late 90's slide of direct-to-video sleaze called Snuff Perversions: Bizarre Cases of Death. This was a Video Outlaw release consisting of a dozen faux-snuff films made by the likes of Marcus Koch, William Hellfire, and the wonderful perverts at W.A.V.E. The movie presents itself like a classic "death" tape of the period; meaning there is a very fake wraparound consisting of very fake "experts" attempting to make this seem redeemable or educational. In the case of this flick we have a cheesy cop who is a self-proclaimed expert on snuff films. He also looks curiously like disgraced former congressman and failed mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, but that is neither here nor there. Accompanying our poorly acted cop friend is an attractive female psychiatrist who offers insight into each clip and constantly rebuffs the advances of our man in uniform. Needless to say that these are some of the best segments in the movie.

The "snuff" segments obviously make up the bulk of the flick, themselves are obviously why anyone would get it in the first place. Frankly, they're all over the place. They run the gamut from atmospheric, creepy, realistic, and unsettling to flat-out laughably lame. Also, gorehounds and splatter junkies, take note; the emphasis in this is not on blood. This being a DTV independent title from the late 90's the focus is on a much more fetishistic bent. Bondage, verbal humiliation, and lots of strangulation. Strangulation, strangulation, strangulation. Why? Two reasons. First of all, there is a fetish for choking and that kind of shit, as multiple W.A.V.E and Factory 2000 products of the era show us. Second of all, strangulations are way cheaper to pull off than anything with special effects. You can make it look real with some practice and a few rehearsals, plus it's easy to do in one take to keep up the fake snuff appearances. So…yeah. Almost every scene is a strangulation with the exception of William Hellfire's segments where blades come into play. His are also among the best in the movie.

In terms of non-strangulation, aside from Hellfire's knife-play (one segment featuring an early Misty Mundae appearance), include a drowning in a pool, a very cheesy and fake autopsy of a supposed kidnapped kid (a mannequin), a quite funny sequence where some dumbass teenagers play Russian Roulette with a gun that isn't a revolver,  and a "Political Snuff" video in which a topless Tina Krause is electrocuted. The most effective sequence in the compilation, one directed by Marcus Koch, isn't really even a "snuff" scene per se, but a video suicide note. A young couple who have decided on suicide for a quite tragic reason say goodbye to the camera before hanging themselves. It is an eerily realistic scene made stronger by the fact that both of the performers involved are very, very good. 

Which leads me to the major downside of Snuff Perversions: the acting. The performers in most sequences are flat out not believable enough to make it appear convincing. The exceptions being the suicidal couple, as well as an art student serial killer who we see have necrophilic sex with a corpse in the tub while singing "Amazing Grace." While creepy the scene quickly turns hilarious as the actor slips on the floor and eats it rather hard getting out of the tub. A scene in which two teenagers strangle their friend merely for the thrill of it is another one strengthened by acting, being honestly chilling at times. The tension is broken at one point when the victim laughs while being strangled, however.  The sequence featuring the rape and murder of a young woman is quite harrowing in that her performance is very, very convincing, even though the scene is not graphic in the least.

Overall, this is an interesting snapshot of that very un-PC, sick, twisted, depraved, low-budget, and hilariously entertaining world of direct-to-video that was the late 90's. I saw this movie advertised all of the time in different magazines, especially Alternative Cinema, and right off the bat there were rumors about it. Nowadays, it's damn hard to find, and if you can find it it's pretty pricy. So is it worth it? Yeah, I think so.

This is trashy, sleazy, offensive, and well… weird. They don't make them like this anymore. While hovering somewhere between a parody of a 90's death tape and a series of 60's roughies which have been bred with 70's faux-snuff loops, this one manages to hit some sort of sick sweet spot. I can't deny it's entertaining. Maybe it's because i knew it was young filmmakers having a blast. Maybe it's because it's just so flat out sleazy. Maybe it's because I'm sick. Who knows? I just thought it was worth checking out.

Now I'm on the hunt for a legit, real deal VHS of this piece o' sleaze!