Totally C-grade acting, plot and special effects (maybe intended).You will need take a few drinks to really get into it.. However the overall effect is not without its charms. Definitely a late night flick with your mates.Not very PC.
24 Reviews
a solid 7 out of 10
dien17 January 2013
Two things attracted me to this film: Natasha Lyonne and a mix of horror and comedy. You can't go wrong with that combination, right? The film starts out as a comedy and even though it remains funny until the end, the second half is very dark and bloody. There are quite graphic killings and the ending is nothing short of a massacre. Yet, it still remains entertaining and keeps you guessing how it will all end.
The performances from all the leads are great. Natasha Lyonne totally disappears in her character as a somewhat demented auteur who gets consumed by her newly found fame. Cassandra Peterson puts on a very solid performance as a worried mother and there's even a nice little nod to her Elvira character.
If you can enjoy a mix of horror and comedy with a touch of the bizarre and macabre, definitely watch this film. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
The performances from all the leads are great. Natasha Lyonne totally disappears in her character as a somewhat demented auteur who gets consumed by her newly found fame. Cassandra Peterson puts on a very solid performance as a worried mother and there's even a nice little nod to her Elvira character.
If you can enjoy a mix of horror and comedy with a touch of the bizarre and macabre, definitely watch this film. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
mediocre horror but fun to watch for the references towards horror flicks
trashgang7 August 2013
I picked this up for two reasons, to see the fallen coming star Noah Segan in it, face it, he was to become big in the genre but somehow it all went wrong for him. Secondly for Cassandra Petersen we all know as Elvira. But if you don't know how she looks like in the real flesh then you wont recognise her.
What a great opening credits this has. I'm sure that a lot of horror buffs will get a boner by only seeing the credits alone. But once they are over this flick falls a bit down in silliness. It never really becomes scary at all and all types shown are a bit exaggerated.
The story itself is okay and the place it was shot if that is still in business that looks amazing too. But not all the acting was convincing. Cassandra did fine as did Natasha Lyonne as Deborah. But Noah failed a bit here laughing a bit with his own character.
On part of the horror itself of course all elements are included like for example the old man running after a goth victim and tearing of her blouse so she can reveal tattoos and titties. She's running around showing them in full glory for a while. The red stuff flies around sometimes and the killings itself are indeed full of the red stuff but there's no gore attached.
I should not recommend it as a family horror flick because some scene's are maybe to explicit but it's fun to watch, nothing more nothing less.
Gore 0,5/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0,5/5
What a great opening credits this has. I'm sure that a lot of horror buffs will get a boner by only seeing the credits alone. But once they are over this flick falls a bit down in silliness. It never really becomes scary at all and all types shown are a bit exaggerated.
The story itself is okay and the place it was shot if that is still in business that looks amazing too. But not all the acting was convincing. Cassandra did fine as did Natasha Lyonne as Deborah. But Noah failed a bit here laughing a bit with his own character.
On part of the horror itself of course all elements are included like for example the old man running after a goth victim and tearing of her blouse so she can reveal tattoos and titties. She's running around showing them in full glory for a while. The red stuff flies around sometimes and the killings itself are indeed full of the red stuff but there's no gore attached.
I should not recommend it as a family horror flick because some scene's are maybe to explicit but it's fun to watch, nothing more nothing less.
Gore 0,5/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0,5/5
Gory horror romp!!
kyleallencole918 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Finally got to see this after wanting to watch this for some years now! All About Evil is currently streaming on Shudder. This film was wicked fun and a blast from start to finish! Natasha Lyonne is incredibly awesome in her multi layered role. The entire cast did a great job as well, it was especially fun watching Noah Segan, he was a hoot!!
The murder scenes were gory and fun as well, plus the old theater atmosphere was a nice touch! The guillotine death scene was pure genius!
Definitely looking forward to this coming out on dvd or blu ray so I can add it to my collection.
This movie was so much fun!!
The murder scenes were gory and fun as well, plus the old theater atmosphere was a nice touch! The guillotine death scene was pure genius!
Definitely looking forward to this coming out on dvd or blu ray so I can add it to my collection.
This movie was so much fun!!
All About Evil
BandSAboutMovies8 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Following its world premiere at the San Francisco International Film Festival and a limited theatrical run in 2010, Peaches Christ's All About Evil disappeared. Now, it's back and coming out on blu ray from Severin during their mid-year sale and then will start streaming on Shudder June 13.
After a scene that echoes Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Yet also has a small child urinating all over a microphone and electrocuting herself - set the tone! - we meet Deborah Tennis (Natasha Lyonne) - pronounced Deb-or-ah - who takes over her late father's cinema and attempts to keep his dream alive. After disposing of her wicked stepmother (Julie Caitlin Brown), Deborah transcends her quiet librarian origins and discovers that she has a gift for cinema. Snuff cinema, that is.
With the assistance of her projectionist Mr. Twigs (Jack Donner, The Night God Screamed), identical and insane twins Veda and Vera (Jade and Nikita Ramsey) and Adrian (Noah Segan), she takes the Alamo Drafthouse pre-movie PSAs to the next level and creates short films during which she murders those who either annoy her or get in her way, making it look like Herschell Gordon Lewis gorenography. After all, the security camera footage of her first murder goes perfectly with Blood Feast.
As Deborah and the theater grow in popularity, the murders increase in frequency and intensity, including sewing a librarian's (Mink Stole!) mouth shut. The theater also begins to fascinate a high school movie nerd named Steven (Thomas Dekker, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) while upsetting his mother (Cassandra Peterson!).
If a warped director making a torture movie called A Tale of Two Titties - starring a guillotine - makes you laugh, if a marquee displaying Blood Orgy of the She-Devils makes you feel the vapors, if you like to see good people meet bad ends from worse people, All About Evil was made just for you.
After a scene that echoes Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Yet also has a small child urinating all over a microphone and electrocuting herself - set the tone! - we meet Deborah Tennis (Natasha Lyonne) - pronounced Deb-or-ah - who takes over her late father's cinema and attempts to keep his dream alive. After disposing of her wicked stepmother (Julie Caitlin Brown), Deborah transcends her quiet librarian origins and discovers that she has a gift for cinema. Snuff cinema, that is.
With the assistance of her projectionist Mr. Twigs (Jack Donner, The Night God Screamed), identical and insane twins Veda and Vera (Jade and Nikita Ramsey) and Adrian (Noah Segan), she takes the Alamo Drafthouse pre-movie PSAs to the next level and creates short films during which she murders those who either annoy her or get in her way, making it look like Herschell Gordon Lewis gorenography. After all, the security camera footage of her first murder goes perfectly with Blood Feast.
As Deborah and the theater grow in popularity, the murders increase in frequency and intensity, including sewing a librarian's (Mink Stole!) mouth shut. The theater also begins to fascinate a high school movie nerd named Steven (Thomas Dekker, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) while upsetting his mother (Cassandra Peterson!).
If a warped director making a torture movie called A Tale of Two Titties - starring a guillotine - makes you laugh, if a marquee displaying Blood Orgy of the She-Devils makes you feel the vapors, if you like to see good people meet bad ends from worse people, All About Evil was made just for you.
a watchable silly low buget horror film not good or bad just avg
buckeyefanohiostate4 July 2022
This movie to me isn't terrible or great its just you avg low buget horror film. The acting in this movie is by far not the best but its also not the worst either. The plot of the movie is kinda interesting even tho its been done a thousand times. I wouldn't ever recommend this movie its not that good im my opinion but it wasnt a complete waste of time there are a few good scenes and it even makes some good social commentary!!! I gave this movie a 4 because i didnt have to turn it off i could sit threw the movie atleast lol.
Delicious, Delicious Blood!
wordmonkey4 May 2010
Writer/director Josh Grannell, aka horror hostess Peaches Christ, has created a comedic bloodfest artfully designed to become a camp classic. Grannell pays overt homage to some of his favorite filmmakers, notably John Waters and gore auteur Herschell Gordon Lewis of "Blood Feast" fame, and gifts us with an enthusiastic romp to the dark side of film-making.
Natasha Lyonne, as librarian-turned-lunatic Deborah Tennis, channels various Hollywood grand dames to wild-eyed comedic effect; imagine if Bette Davis chewed scenery in one of Roger Corman's legendary Poe adaptations. Thomas Dekker of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" plays the star-struck film fan to boyish perfection. And satisfying cameos from the likes of Waters alumnus Mink Stole and fellow horror hostess Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira) round out a great cast. You're also treated to the best evil twins since "The Shining" played by Jade and Nikita Ramsey. And wildly entertaining turns from Noah Segan as dentally-challenged psycho Adrian, and Jack Donner (who's been in everything from "Buffy" to "Star Trek") as the crusty and overzealously murderous projectionist Mr. Twigs, round out Grannell's fantasy cast.
What's often most important to get from a film like this is the sense that cast and crew are enjoying themselves, and the fun shines through in every scene. Part of its delivered joy comes in spotting its numerous in-jokes, which touch on such diverse topics as horror film history or the local San Francisco drag scene. But an insider's knowledge of trivia isn't at all needed to appreciate the over-the-top and violently funny romp that Grannell delivers; instead, bring your love of exploitation and an enthusiasm for camp. Worth the price of admission alone are the parody film titles created by Tennis in the course of her filmicidal spree. And the movie has one of the best opening title sequences I've seen in years.
Much of the film was shot inside San Francisco's historic Victoria Theatre, a former vaudeville hall in the city's Mission district. Using such an authentic location is all part of Grannell's desire to create a red-inked love poem to the uniquely thrilling experience of watching horror films in a packed movie house.
Hopefully you'll get a chance to see "All About Evil" with its touring live stage show, featuring Peaches and her fright-inducing friends in person. It's a one-of-a-kind, in-your-face experience that's not like anything else you'll see in your local theater -- unless you've been going to Peaches' "Midnight Madness" shows in SF for the last 12 years.
Don't miss it -- hopefully coming to a theater near you!
Natasha Lyonne, as librarian-turned-lunatic Deborah Tennis, channels various Hollywood grand dames to wild-eyed comedic effect; imagine if Bette Davis chewed scenery in one of Roger Corman's legendary Poe adaptations. Thomas Dekker of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" plays the star-struck film fan to boyish perfection. And satisfying cameos from the likes of Waters alumnus Mink Stole and fellow horror hostess Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira) round out a great cast. You're also treated to the best evil twins since "The Shining" played by Jade and Nikita Ramsey. And wildly entertaining turns from Noah Segan as dentally-challenged psycho Adrian, and Jack Donner (who's been in everything from "Buffy" to "Star Trek") as the crusty and overzealously murderous projectionist Mr. Twigs, round out Grannell's fantasy cast.
What's often most important to get from a film like this is the sense that cast and crew are enjoying themselves, and the fun shines through in every scene. Part of its delivered joy comes in spotting its numerous in-jokes, which touch on such diverse topics as horror film history or the local San Francisco drag scene. But an insider's knowledge of trivia isn't at all needed to appreciate the over-the-top and violently funny romp that Grannell delivers; instead, bring your love of exploitation and an enthusiasm for camp. Worth the price of admission alone are the parody film titles created by Tennis in the course of her filmicidal spree. And the movie has one of the best opening title sequences I've seen in years.
Much of the film was shot inside San Francisco's historic Victoria Theatre, a former vaudeville hall in the city's Mission district. Using such an authentic location is all part of Grannell's desire to create a red-inked love poem to the uniquely thrilling experience of watching horror films in a packed movie house.
Hopefully you'll get a chance to see "All About Evil" with its touring live stage show, featuring Peaches and her fright-inducing friends in person. It's a one-of-a-kind, in-your-face experience that's not like anything else you'll see in your local theater -- unless you've been going to Peaches' "Midnight Madness" shows in SF for the last 12 years.
Don't miss it -- hopefully coming to a theater near you!
This one wore out its' welcome.
somf9 July 2023
All about Evil tries so hard to be a culty camp classic and at first I really enjoyed it. All the references to other cult classics, including my favorite awful film of all time, "Blood Feast" . John Waters drag stars, and a lot of blood, Elvira, all these elements show in a not so subtle way that the filmmaker was trying so hard to make a cult classic. On some levels they succeeded
I am not a huge Natasha Lyonne fan to start. Maybe that was part of the problem. I loved a lot of things about the film for sure. The sisters from "The Shining" was a terrific touch, but about halfway through I had had enough. Campy over the top acting becomes, well, campy over the top acting after 45 minutes or so. It is no longer funny or clever. It is just grating. The Grand Guignol blood scenes go from funny to gross. That is likely how this movie is probably going to affect you. You will love its' style from frame one to the very end, or somewhere along the line, and hopefully that is not from frame one. You will have had enough and start wondering when is this going to end.
I am not a huge Natasha Lyonne fan to start. Maybe that was part of the problem. I loved a lot of things about the film for sure. The sisters from "The Shining" was a terrific touch, but about halfway through I had had enough. Campy over the top acting becomes, well, campy over the top acting after 45 minutes or so. It is no longer funny or clever. It is just grating. The Grand Guignol blood scenes go from funny to gross. That is likely how this movie is probably going to affect you. You will love its' style from frame one to the very end, or somewhere along the line, and hopefully that is not from frame one. You will have had enough and start wondering when is this going to end.
Incredibly gory...and fun!
preppy-321 June 2010
Mousy librarian Deborah Tennis (Natasha Lyonne) inherits her father's beloved old theatre (the Victoria) which shows only horror films. Somebody pushes her too far one night...and she kills them in a VERY gory manner. The audience sees it...and think it's just a movie! Deborah realizes she enjoys what she's doing and decides to kill off other people and film it...and pass it off as fiction.
Wildly overacted with dime store gore but this sucker works! It pulled me in very quickly (cause I'm a horror fan) and I was loving it halfway through. It's chockful of black BLACK humor and throw everything they can think of up on the screen. It's a throwback to those incredibly gory horror films of the 1980s that actually got booking in respectful cinemas. Tons of blood and gore are in here but it's impossible to take it seriously. Also add a cast that includes Mink Stole and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) and u have a genuine cult movie! Also Lyonne chews the scenery again and again and AGAIN...but she's a LOT of fun. A must-see for horror fans. It was unrated at the film festival I caught it at...but this is NC-17 material all the way. Let's hope it's not cut down to an R. Also the writer, producer and director all GAY were there! It was playing in a gay resort town (Provincetown) and when the gratuitous female nudity came on the mostly gay audience roared and accepted it as a joke and not some sleazy turn on:)
Wildly overacted with dime store gore but this sucker works! It pulled me in very quickly (cause I'm a horror fan) and I was loving it halfway through. It's chockful of black BLACK humor and throw everything they can think of up on the screen. It's a throwback to those incredibly gory horror films of the 1980s that actually got booking in respectful cinemas. Tons of blood and gore are in here but it's impossible to take it seriously. Also add a cast that includes Mink Stole and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) and u have a genuine cult movie! Also Lyonne chews the scenery again and again and AGAIN...but she's a LOT of fun. A must-see for horror fans. It was unrated at the film festival I caught it at...but this is NC-17 material all the way. Let's hope it's not cut down to an R. Also the writer, producer and director all GAY were there! It was playing in a gay resort town (Provincetown) and when the gratuitous female nudity came on the mostly gay audience roared and accepted it as a joke and not some sleazy turn on:)
Camp horror
jmbovan-47-1601739 July 2023
Camp horror done well? Maybe to a degree, but I felt that something was off with the overall production. I got the references and enjoyed aspects of the film. But, it didn't come together as a whole. The direction seemed to focus acting on the staircase scene from Sunset Boulevard. The kills were grade B, and became redundant in execution. The sense of madness with murder is an old concept that doesn't play out well here. Yes, it has Mink Stole. Yes it satorizes other films and the horror genre. But it does it in a "blah" fashion. I was hoping for more seeing the plot and actresses, but it rang dull too loudly for me.
Horrific Fun!
foofighter208317 August 2010
I was fortunate enough to catch the 4-D All About Evil Experience in Milwaukee.
Not only was the pre-show with Peaches Christ and Mink Stole a blast, but the film couldn't have been more enjoyable!
There is a fine balance that Horror films of this genre run where the comedy and heightened acting can either be extremely entertaining and clever or completely immature and ridiculous. All About Evil definitely fell into the first camp and all of the performances were top notch for this style of film! I couldn't help but laughing constantly throughout the film even though parts of it got rather morbid.
Secondly, clearly this film has its inspirations and in some respects it becomes a homage to many great filmmakers and genres. I have seen many homage genre films fall apart and become a complete waste of time due to the lack of ingenuity and a lack of understanding of the genre. Clearly Joshua has done his homework and delivered a skilled and well-crafted film that not only does the genre-filmmaking justice but brought much fun to the style. His film even has enough of his personal touch that All About Evil supersedes being just another homage film and stands well enough on it's own freakish legs as a new, great installment to horror films!
Go check it out! It's a blast!
Not only was the pre-show with Peaches Christ and Mink Stole a blast, but the film couldn't have been more enjoyable!
There is a fine balance that Horror films of this genre run where the comedy and heightened acting can either be extremely entertaining and clever or completely immature and ridiculous. All About Evil definitely fell into the first camp and all of the performances were top notch for this style of film! I couldn't help but laughing constantly throughout the film even though parts of it got rather morbid.
Secondly, clearly this film has its inspirations and in some respects it becomes a homage to many great filmmakers and genres. I have seen many homage genre films fall apart and become a complete waste of time due to the lack of ingenuity and a lack of understanding of the genre. Clearly Joshua has done his homework and delivered a skilled and well-crafted film that not only does the genre-filmmaking justice but brought much fun to the style. His film even has enough of his personal touch that All About Evil supersedes being just another homage film and stands well enough on it's own freakish legs as a new, great installment to horror films!
Go check it out! It's a blast!
Natasha Lyonne, Mink Stole, Elvira, what more could a cultist ask for?
JimmyCollins28 December 2011
Hehehehe, oh gee what a fun time All About Evil is, for starters this movie has a dream cast for a film destined for a cult following, Natasha Lyonne is probably the coolest and looniest indie actress, Mink Stole is cult royalty and Cassandra Peterson, need I say more? That woman is beyond fab!!!! So yes anyway, this movie will appeal to all types, horror buffs, campy queens and indie fans. The story is as follows Deborah Tennis is an awkward and reserved librarian who also works at her fathers movie theatre, she one evening transforms into Deb-Or-A!!!! An alter ego with a murderous streak and a psychotic and diva like personality, Debora decides to make short films of real murders to play at her theatre which eventually turn the once floundering theatre into the hippest place in town, thus many horrific hilarious mishaps ensue.
This really is a dream come true for a film buff, there's so many things that are great great great about it, mainly though the best part if the film is the cast, each person puts in a terrific performance, in particular Natasha who is truly bonkers as the villianess DEBORAH! Thomas Dekker is also a great leading man, he is slightly annoying in other things but he suits this kind of film a lot.
The only thing I would want more of is The Gruesome Twosome, they are swell in many ways, but their characters are a little underused. So if you are in the slightest interested in All About Evil I would highly recommend getting the DVD, it's worth it!!!!! Lots of fun to be had! It's excellent in every way. :) long live filmmakers like Peaches Christ! Enjoy.
This really is a dream come true for a film buff, there's so many things that are great great great about it, mainly though the best part if the film is the cast, each person puts in a terrific performance, in particular Natasha who is truly bonkers as the villianess DEBORAH! Thomas Dekker is also a great leading man, he is slightly annoying in other things but he suits this kind of film a lot.
The only thing I would want more of is The Gruesome Twosome, they are swell in many ways, but their characters are a little underused. So if you are in the slightest interested in All About Evil I would highly recommend getting the DVD, it's worth it!!!!! Lots of fun to be had! It's excellent in every way. :) long live filmmakers like Peaches Christ! Enjoy.
"ALL ABOUT EVIL" is the next cult classic!!!!!!
catcole19715 May 2010
OMG!!! I went to the San Francisco Premier and it was amazing!! I haven't had such a great time at the movies in years! I was totally entertained! I even took my kids ages 12, 13 and 15 and they loved it too! There was nothing I would have changed and nothing that disappointed me from start to finish.
There is a fantastic cast! I am a huge Mink Stole and Cassandra Peterson fan myself! But now I can add Natasha Lyonne and Jack Donner to that list! They were terrific! And of course Peaches Christ was a DIVA!! The story was original and never a dull moment! Go see it!! I plan on seeing it again and again!
There is a fantastic cast! I am a huge Mink Stole and Cassandra Peterson fan myself! But now I can add Natasha Lyonne and Jack Donner to that list! They were terrific! And of course Peaches Christ was a DIVA!! The story was original and never a dull moment! Go see it!! I plan on seeing it again and again!
All About Evil and fun!
gregsrants10 August 2010
When Walter Tennis passes away, he leaves a single screen theatre named the Victoria to both his daughter Deborah (Natasha Lyonne) and estranged evil mother Tammy (Julie Caitlin Brown). Deborah and the elderly projectionist Mr. Twigs (Jack Donner) want to carry on their father's tradition of showing horror films, while mother Tammy wants to sell the property for a quick profit.
When both family members collide in conversation to discuss the future of the Victoria in the theatre lobby, Tammy loses control and kills her mother with the very pen the mother offered to sign over ownership.
What Tammy doesn't know is that the security cameras caught the murder on tape and thanks to her inexperience in operating the projection equipment, she inadvertently projects the homicide on the screen much to the delight of the paying audience that believes they are viewing a horror short film.
Most admiring of her work is horror film fan Steven (Thomas Dekker), a regular at the Victoria and dotting fan of elder Deborah. Steven will continue to visit the Victoria as Deborah builds on her fame established with grisly shorts. And as fans begin to line up and sell out the theatre, Deborah begins her murdering rampage while creating such great film titles as A Tale of Two Severed Titties, Gore and Peace and Slasher in the Rye.
All About Evil is the directorial debut of Joshua Grannell who works the camera and moves his actors and story along like a seasoned veteran. From the opening credits (which we just loved!) through the bloody meta ending.
Contributing in supporting roles are Cassandra Peterson (don't make me tell you) as Steven's mom and Noah Segan who seems to be in just about every other obscure film I have watched in the past month. Noah's character Adrian will work as part of Deborah's filming rampage crew alongside homicidal and pale twins Veda and Vera (Jade and Nikita Ramsey).
With films like The Maiming of the Shrew and The Scarlet Leper titillating packed houses, we as a viewing audience get treated to the making of films inside the film with all the fun and camp exploited without excuses.
The film may go down occasional paths of expectedness – in particular when it comes to the investigating detective who is looking for missing schoolgirl Claire last seen at the Victoria, but there is little stereotypical in All About Evil.
It is at times horror, at times spoof, at times meta and it is very much a throwback to some of the campy horror films that paved the way to today's standards. As the body count increased, I could only imagine a packed house of theatre patrons engulfed in the horror premise – cheering and laughing with each new development.
All About Evil is headed to Canada in August 2010 as part of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. I will be attending the Festival and I look forward to revisiting the experience with a couple of hundred strangers. For not only is All About Evil a fun and ultimately rewarding film, but it is also a definite must to enjoy in the company of others.
www.killerreviews.com
When both family members collide in conversation to discuss the future of the Victoria in the theatre lobby, Tammy loses control and kills her mother with the very pen the mother offered to sign over ownership.
What Tammy doesn't know is that the security cameras caught the murder on tape and thanks to her inexperience in operating the projection equipment, she inadvertently projects the homicide on the screen much to the delight of the paying audience that believes they are viewing a horror short film.
Most admiring of her work is horror film fan Steven (Thomas Dekker), a regular at the Victoria and dotting fan of elder Deborah. Steven will continue to visit the Victoria as Deborah builds on her fame established with grisly shorts. And as fans begin to line up and sell out the theatre, Deborah begins her murdering rampage while creating such great film titles as A Tale of Two Severed Titties, Gore and Peace and Slasher in the Rye.
All About Evil is the directorial debut of Joshua Grannell who works the camera and moves his actors and story along like a seasoned veteran. From the opening credits (which we just loved!) through the bloody meta ending.
Contributing in supporting roles are Cassandra Peterson (don't make me tell you) as Steven's mom and Noah Segan who seems to be in just about every other obscure film I have watched in the past month. Noah's character Adrian will work as part of Deborah's filming rampage crew alongside homicidal and pale twins Veda and Vera (Jade and Nikita Ramsey).
With films like The Maiming of the Shrew and The Scarlet Leper titillating packed houses, we as a viewing audience get treated to the making of films inside the film with all the fun and camp exploited without excuses.
The film may go down occasional paths of expectedness – in particular when it comes to the investigating detective who is looking for missing schoolgirl Claire last seen at the Victoria, but there is little stereotypical in All About Evil.
It is at times horror, at times spoof, at times meta and it is very much a throwback to some of the campy horror films that paved the way to today's standards. As the body count increased, I could only imagine a packed house of theatre patrons engulfed in the horror premise – cheering and laughing with each new development.
All About Evil is headed to Canada in August 2010 as part of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. I will be attending the Festival and I look forward to revisiting the experience with a couple of hundred strangers. For not only is All About Evil a fun and ultimately rewarding film, but it is also a definite must to enjoy in the company of others.
www.killerreviews.com
drag cult glory!
melastica9 September 2010
A midnight movie for the new millennium! Peaches Christ and co. present an amazingly fun horror film. I attended the New York City premiere (or 4-D show as they described it) and it was like "Rocky Horror" back in the day. Natasha Lyonne is fantastically demented as Deborah Tennis, and the rest of the cast is also exceptional. The twins are as creepy as they look on the poster. Mink Stole and Cassandra Peterson as the "straight men" of the movie are just plain great. It definitely has a John Waters feel to it, plus. The camp of it all only adds charm. If you can, see it on its current tour. The live show beforehand is fun on a bun!
A demure young woman inherits a old movie house.
jlissabeth5 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
All About Evil is nothing short of pure orgasmic bliss for connoisseurs of B-Movies, Horror Films, and John Waters fans. Upon leaving the world premiere, I overheard several declaring it "the best written film in years" and this more-often-than-not disappointed movie-goer has to agree. Forget the capitalistic-driven run-of-the-mill Hollywood machine movies of summer and DEMAND your local theater bring All About Evil. This is pure cinematic artwork at its peak.
The ensemble of bizarre characters is played by an equally eccentric cast, including Mink Stole (Hairspray/Female Trouble/Pink Flamingos), Noah Segan (Still Green/Self-Medicated), Jack Donner (Star Trek) and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) who once again shows us she is a very talented actress. It also includes a young cast who are definitely on their way to becoming major film players - Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Jade and Nikita Ramsey, Ariel Hart, and Ashley Fink.
At the center of the film is the very talented Natasha Lyonne's who almost seems to channel Faye Dunnaway in Mommie Dearest and deliver a performance on par with Nicole Kidman in "To Die For". This performance is deserving of any and all acting awards.
For those who have had the privilege of attending San Francisco's Midnight Mass with Peaches Christ, they will not be disappointed with this instant "cult classic" (as it has been called by several magazines and newspapers - less than a week after its world premier). Peaches Christ is a bona fide institution in San Francisco - honored by the Museum of Modern Art - and those unfamiliar can reveal in the mastermind behind this Diva, one Joshua Grannell.
All About Evil is a film that will not be appreciated, or even seen, by mass audiences. But, like John Waters films, it was never intended to. This reviewer is excited to see what Writer/Director Grannell creates next!
The ensemble of bizarre characters is played by an equally eccentric cast, including Mink Stole (Hairspray/Female Trouble/Pink Flamingos), Noah Segan (Still Green/Self-Medicated), Jack Donner (Star Trek) and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) who once again shows us she is a very talented actress. It also includes a young cast who are definitely on their way to becoming major film players - Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Jade and Nikita Ramsey, Ariel Hart, and Ashley Fink.
At the center of the film is the very talented Natasha Lyonne's who almost seems to channel Faye Dunnaway in Mommie Dearest and deliver a performance on par with Nicole Kidman in "To Die For". This performance is deserving of any and all acting awards.
For those who have had the privilege of attending San Francisco's Midnight Mass with Peaches Christ, they will not be disappointed with this instant "cult classic" (as it has been called by several magazines and newspapers - less than a week after its world premier). Peaches Christ is a bona fide institution in San Francisco - honored by the Museum of Modern Art - and those unfamiliar can reveal in the mastermind behind this Diva, one Joshua Grannell.
All About Evil is a film that will not be appreciated, or even seen, by mass audiences. But, like John Waters films, it was never intended to. This reviewer is excited to see what Writer/Director Grannell creates next!
If you only see one spooktacular extravaganza this year, it should be this spooktacular extravaganza...
pengd0t9 September 2010
Low-budget, independent horror movies are often either so horribly acted as to become unwatchable, or so financially restricted that their silly effects prevent the movie from being taken seriously... but All About Evil suffers from none of that. The production values really shine throughout, and with such a surprisingly strong cast, there's never any bad line-reads that take you out of the scene or anything of that sort.
Long-time Elvira fans may find themselves pleasantly surprised and impressed by Cassandra's Peterson's ability to change tones and actually play a "straight" character role for a change, but she makes the transition look easy. Vera and Veva, the evil twins, were even more surprising. They're genuinely creepy throughout, in a sort of slasher-Wednesday Addams way, but most of their other work seems to be stuff like this:
http://bit.ly/9PTkae
Those "Brit twins" were not exactly an obvious choice for this sort of role by any means, but the result speaks for itself.
Ultimately, what I think I was most impressed with was the tasteful handling of wink/nod distribution concerning all the little genre references sprinkled throughout.
The logo's font is a derivative of the Evil Dead font for example:
http://bit.ly/9LIUwc
While not everything is quite as subtle as all that, you get the idea. Considering that such subtlety usually seemsout of reach to horror-comedies (and, come to think of it, drag queens too for that matter...) this reserved sort of homage-handling was one of the most surprising and appreciated aspects for me.
I don't think enough good things can be said about Joshua Grannell's first attempt at direction here. I left this thinking that it's pretty much exactly the sort of thing that any genre-respecting filmmaker trying for a horror-comedy should aim for, and that's certainly not a bad standard to set with your first try at making a film.
As I recall, there was only one small technical detail that bothered me with this movie. There were a couple of times (one of which I remember was in the very beginning when Deborah's mother comes by) when the hand-held camera shot was uncomfortably wobbly to me. That only happens about two or three times as I recall, but it just always bothers me when tiny things like that pull my attention away from a story that I'm really enjoying otherwise.
I can't wait to hear more about Grannell's possible upcoming new project that may be in the works. In the meantime, if the All About Evil spooktacular extravaganza comes through your area, be sure not to miss out.
http://www.reelbad.net
Long-time Elvira fans may find themselves pleasantly surprised and impressed by Cassandra's Peterson's ability to change tones and actually play a "straight" character role for a change, but she makes the transition look easy. Vera and Veva, the evil twins, were even more surprising. They're genuinely creepy throughout, in a sort of slasher-Wednesday Addams way, but most of their other work seems to be stuff like this:
http://bit.ly/9PTkae
Those "Brit twins" were not exactly an obvious choice for this sort of role by any means, but the result speaks for itself.
Ultimately, what I think I was most impressed with was the tasteful handling of wink/nod distribution concerning all the little genre references sprinkled throughout.
The logo's font is a derivative of the Evil Dead font for example:
http://bit.ly/9LIUwc
While not everything is quite as subtle as all that, you get the idea. Considering that such subtlety usually seemsout of reach to horror-comedies (and, come to think of it, drag queens too for that matter...) this reserved sort of homage-handling was one of the most surprising and appreciated aspects for me.
I don't think enough good things can be said about Joshua Grannell's first attempt at direction here. I left this thinking that it's pretty much exactly the sort of thing that any genre-respecting filmmaker trying for a horror-comedy should aim for, and that's certainly not a bad standard to set with your first try at making a film.
As I recall, there was only one small technical detail that bothered me with this movie. There were a couple of times (one of which I remember was in the very beginning when Deborah's mother comes by) when the hand-held camera shot was uncomfortably wobbly to me. That only happens about two or three times as I recall, but it just always bothers me when tiny things like that pull my attention away from a story that I'm really enjoying otherwise.
I can't wait to hear more about Grannell's possible upcoming new project that may be in the works. In the meantime, if the All About Evil spooktacular extravaganza comes through your area, be sure not to miss out.
http://www.reelbad.net
deliciously gory for the biggest horror fans' appetite
justinowill18 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
A group of friends and I Just saw this movie at the Seattle premiere last night and was easily held captive before the movie even started. Having never attended Peaches Christ's Midnight Mass, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. To my delight, this movie had comedy, suspense, and all of the blood you could wish for. Humor for all different tastes, from over the top acting to subtle references to the San Francisco drag scene. The writing is very true to the classic horror movies. And I must say, I'm a whore for the gore.
If it's showing in your city, I would recommend getting tickets in advance as it is sure to sell out.
If it's showing in your city, I would recommend getting tickets in advance as it is sure to sell out.
All About Fun!
carterbloom27 November 2017
Really fun horror/splatter comedy from Joshua "Peaches Christ" Grannell. The repertory movie house setting is perfect, the cameos from genre favorites like Elvira are welcome, and the gore effects are out of this world. It's clear Grannell has much love and affection for the horror genre and it shows. This is a labor of love and a great midnight movie. Can't recommend enough for fans of slasher flicks and John Waters offbeat comedies.
Sooo fun!!! And well done
dgonzalez-4079715 June 2022
Camp Done Right
jonasstroud17 August 2022
All About Evil is a joyous celebration of low budget horror cinema with Natasha Lyonne giving an entertaining go for broke performance as a psychotic, fame-hungry librarian who turns to murder to save a historic cinema. Great effects, a smart and sassy script, and a great lineup of actors.
A highly enjoyable and fun campy slasher
kannibalcorpsegrinder1 July 2022
After becoming the heir to a Grindhouse movie theater, an unhinged wannabe starlet finds success when the recording of a murder is accidentally played and becomes a success, prompting her to make more snuff films with the various patrons of the theater and using those around her as the victims.
This one was a really enjoyable and entertaining effort. Most of the films' positives are certainly helped along by the fact that this one has such a different energy that it becomes all the more appealing as it goes on which is based solely on the campy approach taken by the material. While it's played more for laughs than anything, especially in the manner that the killer behaves towards the victims and in how the fans react, the whole concept of going through the motions of the success here is driven entirely by the accidental reveal of the security camera footage of the initial death and that being an absolute hit with patrons, which is definitely on the cheesier side. Even with the recruitment that goes on taking on her additional crew and the reaction of the patrons to watching everything unfold and not realizing what's going on, there's an incredibly fun time had throughout here. As well, there's a lot to really like once this one starts actually going through with filming the shorts for the exhibit. That the actual stalking is still a bit more suspenseful and played straight makes for some interesting times when she and her crew stalk individuals in the attic of the theater, the attack on the librarian inside the library, and the series of attacks in the theaters who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to take part in the videos unexpectedly. This sets the stage for the massacre at the end where the premiere engagement makes for a great ending with plenty of fun action chasing everyone around the theater. As all of these allow for a mean streak with its kills so there's some fun to be had there, this one manages to come off quite nicely overall. There's not a whole lot to dislike with this one but it does have some minor problems. Among the main issues found in this one is the strangely unfocused story that tends to favor the camp at the expense of realistic behavior. Although this does incredibly well with the idea of using the people in the community for her projects unknowingly, the fact that the film doesn't really make a lot of sense when it comes to how the victims disappearing doesn't alert the authorities who have more of an interest in questioning the hero because of his love for Horror movies seems incredibly off-putting. There's a decided lack of genuine motivation to figure out what's going on to further that kind of commentary on genre fans which causes that utterly futile investigation, but beyond that, it's a bit more fun than expected.
Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and Nudity.
This one was a really enjoyable and entertaining effort. Most of the films' positives are certainly helped along by the fact that this one has such a different energy that it becomes all the more appealing as it goes on which is based solely on the campy approach taken by the material. While it's played more for laughs than anything, especially in the manner that the killer behaves towards the victims and in how the fans react, the whole concept of going through the motions of the success here is driven entirely by the accidental reveal of the security camera footage of the initial death and that being an absolute hit with patrons, which is definitely on the cheesier side. Even with the recruitment that goes on taking on her additional crew and the reaction of the patrons to watching everything unfold and not realizing what's going on, there's an incredibly fun time had throughout here. As well, there's a lot to really like once this one starts actually going through with filming the shorts for the exhibit. That the actual stalking is still a bit more suspenseful and played straight makes for some interesting times when she and her crew stalk individuals in the attic of the theater, the attack on the librarian inside the library, and the series of attacks in the theaters who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to take part in the videos unexpectedly. This sets the stage for the massacre at the end where the premiere engagement makes for a great ending with plenty of fun action chasing everyone around the theater. As all of these allow for a mean streak with its kills so there's some fun to be had there, this one manages to come off quite nicely overall. There's not a whole lot to dislike with this one but it does have some minor problems. Among the main issues found in this one is the strangely unfocused story that tends to favor the camp at the expense of realistic behavior. Although this does incredibly well with the idea of using the people in the community for her projects unknowingly, the fact that the film doesn't really make a lot of sense when it comes to how the victims disappearing doesn't alert the authorities who have more of an interest in questioning the hero because of his love for Horror movies seems incredibly off-putting. There's a decided lack of genuine motivation to figure out what's going on to further that kind of commentary on genre fans which causes that utterly futile investigation, but beyond that, it's a bit more fun than expected.
Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and Nudity.
A Homage that Becomes its Own Thing
nickyak2 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
In 1984, Deborah Tennis' father ran The Victoria Theatre, a revival house that also featured vaudeville-like mini-shows, especially at the kiddie matinees. One day he made Deborah sing for the kids and she was so nervous she ended up peeing herself on stage and was nearly electrocuted when the stream hit a frayed electrical line.
Flash forward to present day: Deborah is now a librarian. She keeps the Victoria Theatre alive at night out of love for all her father had taught her about show business. Then her witch of a mother comes by one night to tell her she's putting the theatre up for sale. Having enough of her mother's abuse (which has been going on since childhood) Deborah Tennis (pronounced, Deb-bore-AH Ten-Niece) takes a pen and jabs it into mom's neck. As rage takes over, she jumps on her body and begins stabbing her multiple times until the lobby floor is covered in blood.
Meanwhile, the audience is chanting for the film to start (a revival of BLOOD FEAST). The Victoria's projectionist is out getting something to eat, so Deborah runs upstairs (covered in her mother's blood) and attempts to put the film on. She accidentally hits the security camera button, and the audience is treated to an unusually realistic film: the footage of Deborah killing her mother.
With growing insanity and a father-taught love for entertainment, Deborah (along with her trusty projectionist, Mr. Twigs) begins to shoot short films that they show every Friday night before the main feature; the films also serve as Public Service Announcements. A highlight is when one unlucky patron is forced to star in a little ditty they title A TALE OF TWO TITTIES (Deborah bases all her films on literary classics she spends most of the daytime reading).
The gruesome twosome eventually recruit a derelict cameraman named Adrian (after watching him beat down an old woman in the street) and sexy Goth-looking twins named Veda and Vera (on they day they're let out of prison). After several shorts the crew plans their first full-length film, GORE AND PEACE, and what they have planned for the audience itself is, in the words of one theatre patron, "So Jonestown!" Thomas Dekker plays Steven, a young film fanatic who is infatuated with Deborah's films until one of his friends (the non-horror fan Judy) goes missing and he believes she's being held hostage at the Theatre. Cassandra Peterson (yes, the legendary Elvira) plays Steve's clueless mother, and cult film icon Mink (Pink Flamingos) Stole plays Deborah's librarian boss (and what happens to her body during the ending is the stuff gore-film fans live for).
ALL ABOUT EVIL is the product of Peaches Christ (a.k.a. director Joshua Grannell), he a cult-film fan who has finally delivered his own full-length feature; but unlike the countless films out there that TRY to be something special, this one actually is. Sure, it's a tribute to the films of H.G. Lewis and Ted V. Mikels, bit it doesn't stop there. Grannell has taken what inspired him, and by adding a fantastic cast (especially the hysterical Natasha Lyonne as Deborah) has created what could potentially become a genuine cult hit. The characters are all memorable, the gore scenes are over the top but not done tastelessly, and most surprising, being a horror comedy, the film works quite well. The audience I saw this with laughed when they were supposed to and gasped during the more serious kill scenes. While there are posters of the director's favorite films seen in the background during most of the film, cult-film fans will have a ball when they notice on-screen tributes to everything from BLOOD FEAST to BLOODSUCKING FREAKS to CHAINED HEAT's toilet-stall kill sequence all the way down to the finale's ode to KING KONG.
In a nutshell, ALL ABOUT EVIL is a pure blast of comedic cult-horror fun.
I was among the lucky few who saw this complete with the "Peaches Christ Experience in 4-D!" which is a Rocky Horror-like pre-show featuring Peaches and a theatre full of monsters and drag queens who sing, dance, and introduce the film (and being Natasha Lyonne is a New Yorker, the NY screening had a wonderful introduction to Natasha's work, right before she came out in character as Deborah Tennis and rocked the place to the ground).
But opening stage show aside, ALL ABOUT EVIL (the film itself) is highly recommended if you like horror comedies that are actually funny and if you want to see how a "tribute/homage" film can still go on to become its own thing (hey Rob Zombie take notes!).
With a first feature so well done, Joshua/Peaches has surely set the bar quite high for himself here's hoping he has another one this cool hiding up his dress or in his super-bouffant hairdo.
Flash forward to present day: Deborah is now a librarian. She keeps the Victoria Theatre alive at night out of love for all her father had taught her about show business. Then her witch of a mother comes by one night to tell her she's putting the theatre up for sale. Having enough of her mother's abuse (which has been going on since childhood) Deborah Tennis (pronounced, Deb-bore-AH Ten-Niece) takes a pen and jabs it into mom's neck. As rage takes over, she jumps on her body and begins stabbing her multiple times until the lobby floor is covered in blood.
Meanwhile, the audience is chanting for the film to start (a revival of BLOOD FEAST). The Victoria's projectionist is out getting something to eat, so Deborah runs upstairs (covered in her mother's blood) and attempts to put the film on. She accidentally hits the security camera button, and the audience is treated to an unusually realistic film: the footage of Deborah killing her mother.
With growing insanity and a father-taught love for entertainment, Deborah (along with her trusty projectionist, Mr. Twigs) begins to shoot short films that they show every Friday night before the main feature; the films also serve as Public Service Announcements. A highlight is when one unlucky patron is forced to star in a little ditty they title A TALE OF TWO TITTIES (Deborah bases all her films on literary classics she spends most of the daytime reading).
The gruesome twosome eventually recruit a derelict cameraman named Adrian (after watching him beat down an old woman in the street) and sexy Goth-looking twins named Veda and Vera (on they day they're let out of prison). After several shorts the crew plans their first full-length film, GORE AND PEACE, and what they have planned for the audience itself is, in the words of one theatre patron, "So Jonestown!" Thomas Dekker plays Steven, a young film fanatic who is infatuated with Deborah's films until one of his friends (the non-horror fan Judy) goes missing and he believes she's being held hostage at the Theatre. Cassandra Peterson (yes, the legendary Elvira) plays Steve's clueless mother, and cult film icon Mink (Pink Flamingos) Stole plays Deborah's librarian boss (and what happens to her body during the ending is the stuff gore-film fans live for).
ALL ABOUT EVIL is the product of Peaches Christ (a.k.a. director Joshua Grannell), he a cult-film fan who has finally delivered his own full-length feature; but unlike the countless films out there that TRY to be something special, this one actually is. Sure, it's a tribute to the films of H.G. Lewis and Ted V. Mikels, bit it doesn't stop there. Grannell has taken what inspired him, and by adding a fantastic cast (especially the hysterical Natasha Lyonne as Deborah) has created what could potentially become a genuine cult hit. The characters are all memorable, the gore scenes are over the top but not done tastelessly, and most surprising, being a horror comedy, the film works quite well. The audience I saw this with laughed when they were supposed to and gasped during the more serious kill scenes. While there are posters of the director's favorite films seen in the background during most of the film, cult-film fans will have a ball when they notice on-screen tributes to everything from BLOOD FEAST to BLOODSUCKING FREAKS to CHAINED HEAT's toilet-stall kill sequence all the way down to the finale's ode to KING KONG.
In a nutshell, ALL ABOUT EVIL is a pure blast of comedic cult-horror fun.
I was among the lucky few who saw this complete with the "Peaches Christ Experience in 4-D!" which is a Rocky Horror-like pre-show featuring Peaches and a theatre full of monsters and drag queens who sing, dance, and introduce the film (and being Natasha Lyonne is a New Yorker, the NY screening had a wonderful introduction to Natasha's work, right before she came out in character as Deborah Tennis and rocked the place to the ground).
But opening stage show aside, ALL ABOUT EVIL (the film itself) is highly recommended if you like horror comedies that are actually funny and if you want to see how a "tribute/homage" film can still go on to become its own thing (hey Rob Zombie take notes!).
With a first feature so well done, Joshua/Peaches has surely set the bar quite high for himself here's hoping he has another one this cool hiding up his dress or in his super-bouffant hairdo.
Can't believe I saw this in 2022
arrmeen12 August 2022
I am big horror movie buff and it surprises me that aucha good movie slipped my radar. I saw it yesterday on Shudder and Loved everything about it. The cast, story , screenplay full of fun and gore. It's an homage to old school horror, slasher and thriller genre. Full credit to the director and writers for doing their research and they nailed it with the humor and terrific acting by all cast.
Watch this one,, if like me you still hadn't until now and you'll love it. It deserves a higher rating than 6 my rating a solid 8.
Watch this one,, if like me you still hadn't until now and you'll love it. It deserves a higher rating than 6 my rating a solid 8.
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