The Redsin Tower (2006)

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

A Masterpiece!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Fred Vogel, director of the (mostly) effective faux snuff August Underground trilogy, takes the basic plot of Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead—a group of people travel to a remote abandoned building where, one-by-one, they fall victim to an evil spirit that possesses their bodies—and gives it the ToeTag treatment: the characters are universally loathsome; there is plenty of swearing and female nudity; and, of course, Vogel (with help from make-up FX guy Jerami Cruise) delivers oodles of violence and general nastiness.Unfortunately, despite sounding like a gore-hound's dream-come-true, The Redsin Tower is actually a rather disappointing film that suffers badly from an uneventful beginning (a good 40 minutes pass before anything really interesting happens), some rather confusing moments and an unnecessary sub-plot (featuring a psycho ex-boyfriend of one of the girls), and bloody awful lighting that often makes it impossible to see what is going on.Vogel would have done much better if he'd 'borrowed' more than just the plot from Raimi's 1982 masterpiece for his first stab at a 'real' film. Had he emulated the actual structure and pacing of The Evil Dead, which was a non-stop horror roller-coaster ride, then the result might've been much more successful. Instead, the first half of the film is wasted watching a despicable bunch of losers do nothing but take drugs and talk about sex; the second half is spent watching them stumble around an old building in the dark before being killed. And with absolutely no-one likable in the whole movie, it's hard to give a damn what happens to them anyway.Even those viewers who settle down to watch this film purely for the gore will end up feeling a tad cheated. Although there are some violent deaths (my favourite being when a pretty goth chick gets axed), everything is shot in such poor lighting that it's almost impossible to see any of the bloodletting clearly. It's a shame that the only special effect that really sticks in my mind is a very silly looking bat creature.With his undeniably powerful faux snuff movies, Fred Vogel certainly made a name for himself on the underground horror circuit. However, if he wishes to create such a stir with fans of more 'traditional' horror films, then he really needs to come up with something better than this.

First thing I thought and said after finishing August Underground Mordum was "Well, that was f@ckin stupid." The first thought after watching The Redsin Tower was "Well, that was f@ckin weak." So I guess the difference between the two is one's a really negative remark and the other's a normal negative remark. So I guess, Toe Tag and Vogel did actually make a better film. But that's like me saying that piece of crap doesn't smell as bad as this one. Redsin Tower is just an average film, flat out. The movie is simply about a group of kids looking for a place to party, have sex and do the cliché things teenagers do in a horror film. They end up choosing the supposedly haunted Redsin Tower. There's another weak and pointless side-story about a psycho ex-boyfriend who has unbelievable investigative skills. God knows how the hell he found the Redsin Tower, or why he went there. Did they mention it? I don't know and I don't care. So yeah, that's the story. And guess what? It stunk. Before complaining about the flick let me say what I "liked". I thought the gore/effects were done pretty well. But can someone tell me what the hell was hanging from the ceiling when the fat kid with the lisp looked up? A flying lizard/dinosaur thing? That on the other hand was not a good effect, it looked like crap. Another thing that I liked.....hmmm...okay I enjoyed one performance. The girlfriend of the Burnout character. She seemed to be the best actress of them all, and actually exuded a "nice girl" feel. Besides that I didn't give a damn about any character. I especially disliked the psychotic boyfriend and goth girl. I also thought it was shot pretty well, it was nice and clear.But overall, the movie is just a weak, clichéd filled, amateurish movie that delivers no scares, unless the cheap loud sound effect trick was used. It's a completely average movie that a few people will enjoy, most likely independent horror fans. Only check out this flick if you're bored or if you're a fan of Vogel's previous work.

THE REDSIN TOWER is the much-anticipated follow up to director Fred Vogel's previous faux-snuff outings, AUGUST UNDERGROUND and AUGUST UNDERGROUND'S MORDUM. Those with an ear to the ground of "extreme" horror-films have already seen, own, or at least heard of the AU films, and they've achieved a bit of a cult status since their releases a few years ago. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the AU films - the FX are great but there was too much annoying filler in both films. As the Toe Tag crew have made clear since the announcement of the REDSIN TOWER project, this would be their first "traditional" film with a full plot, "serious" acting, actual cinematography - the works. Hearing this, I was both anxious and skeptical of how the final result would turn out.Kim has broken up with Mitch, and Mitch isn't taking the news too well. Kim is invited to a party by her girl-friend Becky, and the two stop off at a friend's house to meet up beforehand. Here we meet stoners Philly and Emily, and the dynamic-jock-duo, Steve and Carl. Mitch finds out that the ex is rollin' to the party, so he calls the cops and has it busted. With no where to hang out for the evening, Emily throws out the idea to head up to the Redsin Tower, the local town haunted-spot. The group agrees and their on their way. Mitch runs into Emily at a convenience store, and when he starts puttin' his hands on her, Steve and Carl jump in a beats the sh!t out of him - this just ain't poor Mitch's day. Back on the road to the tower, the group of partiers finally make it to their destination and start drinkin', smokin', and screwin' around. Things seem to be going pretty smoothly - until the curse of the tower begins plaguing the party-goers, and Mitch arrives with the intention of retrieving Emily, by any means necessary...I gotta be honest - I dug THE REDSIN TOWER quite a bit. I figured it would either be decent, or fall really flat - and luckily Vogel and crew were able to show that they could do more than just shot-on-camcorder no-plot gore. Not that there's anything wrong with those types of films, I just think it was cool to see Toe Tag try something a bit riskier and different, and to be able to pull it off well. Fans that are expecting a twisted AU style bloodbath may be disappointed. Though the blood flows liberally in THE REDSIN TOWER, it mainly gets gory in the last half-hour and isn't as depraved as the stuff on display in the AU films. The Toe Tag crew have opted for a more straight-forward mix of supernatural and slasher horror for this entry, and it works for 'em. Kind of reminiscent of a gorier EVIL DEAD with slasher elements thrown in - I'm pretty sure that this one will be a success for the Toe Tag crew, and I'm anxious to see what their future endeavors bring...8/10

Many independent films have been the big thing in the last few years, especially in the horror genre. Actually for a while now, with extra special thanks to the miracle invention of DVD, fans have been able to view the sickest of underground to Art-house, and foreign cinema. But there is one DVD release we are all waiting for (true horror fans that is).From Pseudo Snuff to a movie of this caliber, it's a huge leap for Toe Tag, and I believe a standing ovation is in order! From Director Fred Vogel and the infamous Toe Tag crew, comes a picture that will make you laugh your ass off, cringe in fear and beg for more…The Redsin TowerMitch (A.K.A. Mitch Bitch) is on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. After 6 years in a relationship with his now ex-girlfriend Kimberly, she has finally dumped his lame psychotic ass. His thoughts and wants of marriage and kids had began to freak her out, as she is young and wasn't too sure if this is what she wanted her life to become.Mitch gets to the point where he cannot live without her and goes on the hunt for her and her friends. Supposedly beginning at a party, it ends up that it is raided by the police. Kim and her friends decide to take the party elsewhere. Their decision for a new pot spot… The Redsin Tower.Built by a murderously deviant soul many years ago, the tower is believed to be haunted (and we all know how fun it is to party at a haunted place!) When Mitch finds out about their change of plans, his insanity and jealousy finally takes a turn for the worse. Now he is out for blood in attempt to get Kim back, either by taking her life out of fear of losing her to another guy, or just go all out and take his own life.Now, within the creepy walls and corridors of the Redsin Tower, the party begins. These kids are now on their way to unluckily discover what is in store for them, as well as you the viewer.Within the film, there were great guest appearances that took me by complete surprise; a viewing pleasure indeed. Blood, guts, gore, fear, claustrophobia, and straight up terror, this is what you will receive from this film and more… tenfold!Sorry folks, this is all you are getting from me. No movie comparisons or anything. Go see it for yourself or wait in anticipation (which I know you're all soiling your underpants) for the DVD release whenever that may be.Ratings:For screenplay and storyline, I give a 10. In my opinion there were no imperfections in this film. From beginning to end, be it the laughs or the scares, you are kept at the edge of your seat. Much writing credits are given to Fred & Shelby Vogel, although it mixed many influences from each of the Toe Tag members, many of which are brilliantly done with their own twists. If I mention any of these influences there is no point in seeing the film as it would ruin the whole thing. Going from the films Toe Tag had previously released, Fred and the crew have thrown us an extreme curveball to completely blow our minds. It's refreshing for any horror fan to view a film that does not telegraph anything ahead of time to the viewers. You are left almost completely unaware at all points as to what each scene is leading you towards. Oh! And just to add, the ending that was so twisted and mind-blowing that it will leave you thinking and wondering… what comes next?For acting I give a 9. Though very strongly acted, it did have some very minuscule weak points. Regardless of this, a meritorious job by this entire cast of newcomers. This is not always the case with an entire cast of newbie's. Outstanding!! Also, not to mention the cameos in the film played by non-newcomers, also worthy of praise.For FX I give a 10. Being that Toe Tag had quite a few able FX people on set, a huge merit for outstanding gore, makeup and all that is unholy goes out to the special FX master Jerami Cruise. Forget Savini, forget Nicotero… the master has now stepped up to his rightful place. The set and art designs done by Cristie (Crusty) Whiles were outstanding and completely believable. Watch the film and you will feel the eeriness and intensity not just from the story and FX, but the interior of the film as well. To all others involved (sorry, no listing for me to go by for names), a magnificent job done as well.As for the cinematography, I give a 10. Brilliantly shot! Scene by scene, angle by angle, the attention to detail, colors and all were outstanding. Cinematography alone can make or break a film. In the case of the Redsin Tower, it amongst everything else made the film. From looks of grime to colors and feel of Giallo, the blend was flawless.Overall, the Redsin Tower gets a 10. This film is a must for anyone who has any kind of love for the horror genre. A new stepping stone into horror that will take Toe Tag Pictures and their fans on a journey that will not be forgotten. The words 'horror' and 'terror', as of this moment, now combined create a new name… The Redsin Tower. The word 'accomplished' is also now renamed, and that name is Toe Tag Pictures. First rate horror, in the raw. This needs to be seen, needs to be known, and most definitely needs to be recognized.Copyright © 2006 Cinema Eulogiesnot my full review, for the whole thing and more visit www.cinemaeulogies.com i had to cut the profanity