The Horror Show
Cool as Hell
by James Balasamo
The horror genre is a vast, deep realm. While the mainstream public might think of horror as a blanket concept that sweeps through theaters around October, there's a whole world out there. I love all different types of horror: slashers, zombies, hauntings, just to name a few... However, if I were to pick two main interests within the horror genre it would definitely be brutal shockploitation and campy B-movies. The latter is being made much more than the former, but finding a quality campy movie that's worth your time is a Russian Roullette situation from which the outcome cannot be known until you've already hit 'play.'
I had the luck of attending CT HororFest in Danbury this year and while I was there I had the opportunity of meeting a group promoting their latest movie. This movie was Cool as Hell, a horror/comedy promising to feature several different recognizable people. What I wound up watching was a fun reminder of why I love campy movies so much and why they can be the purest form of entertainment.
Cool as Hell concerns Rich (writer/director James Balsamo) a down on his luck guy who's decent enough but is not taken seriously by anyone. Quite the opposite, the vast majority of people in his life end up being downright awful to him. He spends much of his time with his friend Benny (Dan E. Danger) who has the similar problem of having the track record with women of Tennessee Willams. They end up coming into contact with a demon named Az (Billy Walsh) who touts himself as a genie of sorts. He tells them that he can make things happen for them.
Rich uses the demon to his advantage the best he can. The world still seems to beat down on him but he stays upbeat enough, happy for what the demon can do for him. One day at his comic book store, Rich's attention is piqued when he meets a nice young woman with similar interests as him. Unfortunately she comes with a boyfriend who seems to be running for mascot of the “League of Total Assholes.” Rich takes everything in stride, but things get a little out of hand when the demon takes his work to more sinister areas.
I think it's safe to assume thatCool as Hell works with a small budget, but one universal truth I've found is that made on the cheap is not at all the same thing as lazy. And this film is a prime example of that. It revels in its campiness and clearly a lot of love went into making the film. Every actor seems to be having a hell of a time and it shows. Because of this, I had fun watching it.
No character wastes their screen time and the more outrageous the dialogue is delivered the more on-board I was for the film's loose, “keep it fun” style. The interplay between the demon character Az and the rest, especially Rich and Benny, is the highlight of the film for me. Billy Walsh really dives into the role and it adds to the overall humor of the story.
Cool as Hell is the type of film that I could technically criticize but I wouldn't really want anything to be different. Sure, sometimes the audio is a little rough and a few performances are animated, but it all makes the film what it is. None of it feels bad so much as having personality in a weird way. The comedic style of the film keeps things moving and it never stops to be dull for too long. The metal soundtrack adds a nice touch to the overall effect of the project and seals the fate of what the movie is as a whole: just a bunch of fun.
Sure, Cool as Hell isn't a film that everyone will dig, but those are the types of films that I remember. With creative projects, no matter the intended effect, the creators have to go for broke however they can to get that message across. Cool as Hell does this by knowing what it is and keeping the energy going in any way it can. The film also features cameos by such well-known individuals as Tom Savini, Laurence R. Harvey, and Andrew W.K.
It's a crazy little story, but I mean that in a good way. It's the kind of film I hope to run across on my ongoing B-movie quest. So, if you're looking to have some fun and low-budget camp is your thing, I would recommend checking out Cool as Hell
P.J. Griffin, HMS
The Horror Show Menu.