By: debbie lynn elias
You all know how much I love horror films (and if you knew my brother Ed you would understandwhy) which is why I would be remiss to not give a special Festival not-to-be-missed shout-out for LAST RITES.
Directed by Santa Monica resident Duane Stinett and co-written by Duane and Krissan Shipley, LAST RITES is the first film of its kind where zombie horror (ooooohhhh!!!) meets gangster thrillers. Making its world premier at the LA Film Festival, LAST RITES debuts at 11:59 p.m./midnight on June 30, 2006 at the Majestic Crest in Westwood, tickets are still available for this MUST SEE destined-to-become a classic flick.
One of the “Dark Wave” selections at the Festival, LAST RITES is indeed “dark.” Just think about it. . .what happens when deadly, and dangerous, rivals are thrust into a situation so far out of their control that one thinks Armageddon is coming? (Uh, oh.) Well, that’s we get here.
Seems that LA street gangs, El Diablo Muerto from East LA and The Lords of Crenshaw from South Central simultaneously arrive at a warehouse downtown. Obviously up to no good, LAPD ruins their party but not for the reasons you think. Rather than make arrests, take down the bad guys and prevent some more drive by shootings, drug trafficking and gang warfare, all three groups find themselves forced to band together to protect themselves against a mysterious mob of deadly flesh-eating zombies.
Barricaded in the warehouse, it’s a war of the worlds as gangs, cops and zombies collide.
Noel Gugliemi and Reggie Banister, as Caesar and Mitchell, respectively, are not only familiar faces to horror fans, but for the rest of you undead as well. Gugliemi has had frequent appearances on CSI while Banister has graced our tv and movie screens for over 40 years and has had recurrent roles in the “Phantasm” franchise.
Brian Ollman steps in as Special Effects Supervisor and believe me, his work is exemplary! After becoming so jaded by big budget effects, it’s refreshing to see the raw skill and talent of an artisan like Ollman provide the same – if not better – effect in the film, and for the audience, in a small film like LAST RITES as that in big budget cousins. You can also catch more of Ollman’s production design in theatres now with “Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.” (Talk about versatility.)
But the key to any good horror flick is the make-up and creature features and in LAST RITES, we have some of the best. Veteran of two of my faves, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”, creature creator Christopher Burdett parlays his talents into gold when he teams up with frequent partner special effects make-up magician Robert Hall. Hall, who I believe is one of the best special effects make-up designers in the business today, and particularly when it comes to ghouls and goblins, takes on the role of “gore effects designer” here with some phantasmic results.
According to director Stinett, “LAST RITES walks that fine line between over-the-top, and somber, apocalyptic. But, the bottom line is that this is a film that we wanted to make to entertain audiences in the same way that we were entertained when we sneaked into those R-rated scary movies back when we were kids. LAST RITES has that raw energy that will keep audiences scared and excited at the same time.” Let me tell, he succeeded.
LAST RITES, a must-see, not-be-missed, scare-the-pants-off-you fright flick. Friday, June 30 at midnight at the Majestic Crest. Part of the Los Angeles Film Festival Dark Wave Selections. For tickets, contact www.lafilmfest.com.
Directed by Duane Stinett. Written by Duane Stinett and Krissann Shipley. Unrated.
