In The Web Series Thriller L.A. Macabre - A Terrifying Cult Awakens

L.A. Macabre unnerved the hell out of me.

Set in Los Angeles as a series-within-a-series, we follow a trio of young documentary filmmakers as they produce a web series investigating a defunct Manson-like cult called "The New Family."

Show host Ryan (Ryan Hellquist), director Colin (Aidan Bristow), and Ryan's younger sister Jamie (Ryan Bartley) make contact with Callie (Corsica Wilson), an ex-member of The New Family.

Callie reluctantly agrees to be interviewed on condition of anonymity.

However, Colin soon becomes captivated by her, and Callie quickly begins exerting a disturbing control over him.

Exacerbating matters further, eerie events begin to occur signifying The New Family may still be operating - and targeting the filmmakers.

Is Callie truly out of The New Family, or does the dangerous cult still have a hold over her?

L.A. Macabre excels in building an unrelenting sense of tension and dread.

From the group's initial meeting with Callie to the pulse-pounding season finale, the series maintains its spooky, uncomfortable vibe.

Adding to the chilling tone is the incorporation of real historical details about the Manson Family's ghastly exploits.

On the production side, the entire cast gives superb performances as ambitious young filmmakers in way over their heads.

Watch the compelling series trailer here ...

The producers launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund a second season of the series. Since season one ended on a major cliffhanger, knowing a second season is planned is terrific news.

To watch the series, visit its YouTube channel.

To learn more about the show, visit its Facebook page.

L.A. Macabre is a compelling and creepy psychological thriller.  Definitely check it out to discover why it has earned numerous well-deserved accolades.

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Shadow Bound The Web Series - A Stylish Noir Tale of Horror

Shadow Bound is the extraordinary web series that pays brilliant homage to the halcyon Hollywood era of silent movies and film noir - while also being heavily influenced by the delirious horror of Lovecraft.

Set in the fictional city of Veritas in 1931, the series tells the story of Jack Pickman, a famous pulp magazine writer of horror and suspense tales.

Having left town as a young man, Jack returns to investigate the strange circumstances surrounding the death of his father, a veteran police detective, and the subsequent mental breakdown of his younger brother.

As he digs deeper into the horrific last case his father was working on, he stumbles into a nightmare involving ritualistic murders and the occult.

Something very dark and dangerous is happening in Veritas. An unspeakable evil bound to the shadows long ago is breaking free ...

Shadow Bound is a sensational combination of style and substance.

True to classic noir, the series is filmed entirely in gorgeous black and white.  The adroit cinematography helps give the project an authentic retro look.

The interplay of light and shadow creates an eerie, slightly ethereal atmosphere, effectively giving rise to a palpable sense of dread necessary for this kind of horror.

Another series standout is the production design.  

Like The True Heroines, another exceptional period web series, it's obvious tremendous effort was made to reproduce everything from hairstyles, to props, to costumes as period accurate as possible.

However, the project's main hallmark is its narrative structure.

Outside of the elegant musical score, there are no other sound effects, and not a word of dialogue is spoken.

Authentic to silent films of yesteryear, dialogue is presented using title cards. While this may sound distracting to our modern sensibilities, it's not, and it works perfectly to complement the project's aesthetic.

Of course, this device would fail miserably if the actors' performances were not up to par.  

No worries there.

The entire cast, led by series creator and writer Nathan Shelton, turn in magnificent performances.

With just their facial expressions and body language, the actors impressively convey a full range of emotions necessary to communicate the terror of Mr. Shelton's chilling script.

With its visual flair and panache, Shadow Bound is a genre standout.

Here is the intriguing series trailer ...

Frankly, I was blown away by Shadow Bound's lush production design, sensational performances, and sharp script.

The entire series is available for viewing on YouTube.

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Haywire: The Series - A Horror Story Where The Mundane Becomes Monstrous

Often the most bone-chilling horror stories are derived from tales of average people having to cope with extraordinary circumstances. 

Capitalizing on this fact is what has helped make Stephen King one of the world's most successful authors. 

Director Scott Klein has followed suit with his creation Haywire: The Series.  The result is a  very unsettling tale of a suburban community gone mad.

Insanity's Herald

This project has a very unique and compelling premise: one bright, sunny Saturday afternoon in the city of Monroe, NY,  an explosion of brilliant light occurs high in the sky.  

Everyone who witnesses this strange phenomenon immediately suffers a horrible side effect:  their minds becomes acutely fixated on the last task they were involved with.

No matter how routine or mundane the task is (walking the dog, mowing the grass, jogging, etc.), the victims are compelled to perform it over and over.  

What's even more bizarre? Those affected will become homicidal with anyone who attempts to interfere.

Those unaffected by the light phenomenon must deal with a world gone completely "Haywire."

The series follows various groups of survivors as they attempt to navigate their new, terrifying existence. 

A Disturbing Vision Well Executed

I found the compelling premise to be the chief selling point of this series. Director/Series Creator/Executive Producer Scott Klein has constructed almost every episode to end with a mini-cliffhanger, which gives the project a sense of forward momentum.

The acting is often wildly uneven, with some performers far more convincing than others. But as a whole,  the cast succeed in conveying a sense of disorientation, paranoia, and fear  essential in selling the central premise.

The makeup effects for the victims, or "raccoons" as they are referred in the series, is minimal yet very effective in serving as a visual cue for their madness.  

Another production highlight is the use of comic book inspired artwork for the fantastic opening title sequence.  

Kudos to the art team including pencils by Victor L. Castro, Jr., inks by Steve Hoveke,  coloring by Hassan Godwin, with lettering by Arlene So (who also is a series producer).

Finally

Haywire: The Series is an independent production of the Lights Out! Film Group.   

So far, two seasons have been completed - 19 episodes in total. This alone is quite an achievement for a sci fi web series produced with a limited budget.

 I enjoyed this ambitious series, and want to continue to explore the mysteries presented. My hope is there will be more episodes produced so the journey can continue. 

Below are two series previews: 

You have a few options for viewing the complete series:

On YouTube 

For more information about the production, please visit the official web site:  

Haywire: The Series 

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Blood And Bone China - A Chilling, Gothic Vampire Web Series

No one can deny vampires are the superstars of the horror genre. 

However, many feel these once most terrifying of monsters have lost their edge.  Vampires  in popular media have now mostly become sympathetic, romantic anti-heroes, the objects of desire instead of a source of terror - see Twilight.

So when a tale based on actual Eastern European vampire folklore arrives on the scene,  it can seem like a breath of fresh air.

Blood And Bone China is just that sort of story.  This 12-part gothic web series delivers on all fronts.  

Set in the English city of Stoke-On-Trent in 1897, the series reveals a citizenry under siege by dark terrors.  

Drawn into the mystery are a trio of unlikely heroes:  a skeptical country veterinarian,  a progressive female journalist determined to make a name for herself, and a mysterious man in black - who has secrets of his own.

Written and directed by Chris Stone, Blood And Bone China showcases a chilling script,  phenomenal cast,  deft cinematography, haunting score, and authentic Victorian-era props and costumes.

However, the crowning achievement of the series is it being filmed on location in the city of Stoke-On-Trent.  

The town itself is a character in the story, seemingly frozen in the 19th century. The result is you feel as though you have actually been transported back in time to Victorian England. 

In fact, many of the buildings used during filming were built in the 1800s.  Also, the director based the story on an actual incident which occurred in the city in 1972.  

He was so intrigued by the case, he also created a short documentary entitled Vampire of the Villas. 

My main criticism of the project is the unfortunate use of a rock song as the main theme.  The track is at jarring odds with the Victorian setting of the series. An instrumental piece contemporary to the period may have been been a better choice.

Still, this is a minor quibble with a terrific, well executed horror series.  

For your convenience, the first two episodes are available below:

For more information about the project, and to view the complete series, please visit its official web site:  Blood And Bone China.

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