Dreaming Purple Neon

Caught the world premiere screening of DREAMING PURPLE NEON and I must say I was surprised. Having seen the trailer, I really looked forward to seeing the whole film. The trailer was pretty nostalgic really, with a ton of gore and old school charm. I figured I should not get my hopes too high because there was no way the film would live up to this trailer. I was wrong. Not only did the film give me all I had hoped for, it went further than I thought. This film was truly a great Halloween gift for those in attendance. The story is epic, with twists and turns aplenty.

I found DREAMING PURPLE NEON to be a visually stunning film, that also has the distinction of being Mr. Sheets most ambitious project to date. He pulls out all the stops here, creating one of the most visually arresting and brave micro budget films ever made. Everything is designed to hit the viewer with maximum effect. It's truly such a beautifully shot film. And Todd really piles on the shocks on this film. Buckets upon buckets of blood and gore, with several show-stopping effects sequences all done with little or no money. In fact, as the effects get more and more ambitious, the unreal mayhem that the Effects Team pulls off is nothing short of maddening brilliance. This truly is a film that kicks into maximum overdrive about 15 minutes in and never stops. Todd Sheets lays waste to about every taboo you can think of, making no excuses and pulling no punches. Yet with all the insanity happening, the story never loses focus, the film never derails. The film is an unrelenting splatterfest for sure, but there is a playfulness to Todd's direction that really makes me smile. This is like an ultimate party film, a true love letter to the Horror genre that is an incredible fun and wild ride.

At the heart of DREAMING PURPLE NEON there is a very effecting love story going on, and before you die hard Horror freaks roll your eyes, think of the classic "Dead Alive." Another great Horror flick with a romantic center that delivered the Horror. Though very different, this film has something similar to offer. The characters are very well defined for a splatter movie, making you actually care when all hell literally breaks loose. I was impressed with the sincerity and honesty in the performance of the two leads, Jeremy Edwards and Eli DeGeer in bringing this relationship to life. It seems real, not forced, not hokey. I also really enjoyed all the villains in the film, the main baddie Cyrus Archer played with menace and humor by Jack McCord, Tyrone Kane played by Ricky Farr and his sidekick RayRay, played perfectly by long time Todd Sheets alumni Antwoine Steele were highlights of the film, and of course the two Demons - the Queen and her minion The Demoness. The supporting cast were equally strong, with Millie Milan a highlight as well. I was also very impressed with Jerry, the caretaker and henchman for Cyrus Archer. He chews scenery with a vicious attitude and a dark streak of humor.

Watching DREAMING PURPLE NEON with an audience was a TRULY amazing experience. The minute I thought that the film makers could not possibly go any farther "over the top" than they already had, something else happened that made me stare at the screen in astonishment and shock. This is a VERY original movie with a huge heart, crafted with love and care by a group of people that truly love Horror movies. It is modern and different but still nostalgic. Much like infusing his previous film, "House of Forbidden Secrets," with his love of Italian Horror, Todd Sheets has brought the VHS Generation into the new modern age of Horror, bringing us an homage to the classics of yesterday that also throws new ideas and images at the audience, many of them this reviewer has never experienced before. Track it down, plop your butt in a seat and be prepared for an incredible wild ride done with quality and passion. While shocking and likely to be quite upsetting in many ways for modern PC audiences, the viewer senses that the director has no agenda other than to entertain us and give us a good time. If you are a Horror fan, you should not miss it.

To be honest, I really don't know all the history of "splatter/gore horror", so it's a layman's review from me... You can see SO much work went into the creation of this film. You want more guts than an Oscar Mayer production line? Gallons of blood? Blaxploitation era heroes? Hellish demons? This will NOT disappoint. Part movie, part haunted house exhibit voyeurism, every scene takes you to a new encounter in horror. Even if I didn't know this was a Todd Sheets film, I'd be able to spot his signature, and that's a film that is as much audio as visual. Every death drawn out for maximum viewer experience, you can hear every wet squish, stretch and spray. There are moments of needed comic relief- from the kid in the video store buying all Sheets' movies, to one-liner comebacks. Watching clear through the credits (and you want to!) it clocks in at just under two hours, but the BTS photos makes you wish you were part of the cast and crew. You can see a lot of love in this film. Just check outside when you're done to make sure all Hell HASN'T broken loose....!

Expect No Mercy from this movie! I was simply amazed by its bloody outrageousness. For audiences unaware, this film will be a shock, a kick in the ass to people that are used to the current slate of "safe" horror films that plague our cinemas. You will be treated with gruesome moments which certainly make you cringe and wince, you may cover your eyes or even gasp. This movie goes all the way in more ways than one! Director Todd Sheets brings us his latest indie horror movie and Dreaming Purple Neon is full of sights and sounds that will certainly stick in my mind for a long time to come. Amidst this insane bloody mess, the movie somehow works in a pretty convincing romance between two likable characters we care about that ends up fairly well done, not forced. All of the "Hero" characters actually come off pretty realistic and natural. No one is over the top and the performances are kind of subdued, like real people would act. The bad guys on the other hand tear through the scenery with chaotic glee, and every time they are on the screen I found myself grinning and laughing. They are seriously fun with some GREAT one liners and dialogue.

Dreaming Purple Neon really worked for me. It was an engine firing on all cylinders. It was actually one of the best Low, low, maybe even MICRO budget films I have seen in years. What director, writer, producer, cameraman and editor Todd Sheets and his cast and crew do with such little money is incredible. They make up for lack of funds with imagination, ingenuity and obviously very hard work and attention to things like Camera shots, lighting and set design. In this age of movies playing it safe and being politically correct, this is truly one of the most ridiculous, over-the-top, blood and body fluid soaked messes in modern horror cinema. The blood spurts out of necks, backs, mouths, heads, throats, asses and pretty much any place you can think of, and maybe some you would NEVER think of, in angry geysers like an exploding volcano. By the end of the movie, a simple office building and basement have been transformed into one of the slimiest slaughterhouses ever shown in a film. Thank you to the talented people involved for making one of the most entertaining movies I have witnessed in a long time. A fun, wild, entertaining ride. Those interested in super-polished, Hollywood style Horror should take note: This movie plays like an homage to Drive In Movies and the VHS horror films of yesterday. And it is all the better for it.

Recommended!!!!!

Plenty of blood flowing, slime spewing and arterial spraying keep the levels of horror high throughout with the occasional moment for character development makes Dreaming Purple Neon tick all of the boxes in a "What makes a good horror movie?" survey. This film is an experience like no other. Featuring a pulsating and incredibly catchy score that drives the action and suspense, Dreaming Purple Neon end up being a surprising, intense and original movie experience. A script filled with quirky characters and snappy dialogue, a truly over the top amount of offensive gross out moments and it is a fun, gory rattlesnake of a film that contains just as much charm as it does slimy, grimy set pieces. Because while it has often darkly funny moments, it is also often crude, violent, and even disturbing.

One promise: you will see things in this crazy movie that you might not be able to forget. No budget, no problem. It's a Punk Rock finger in the face of traditional cinema and it dares you to guess what may be around the next corner. It is truly like a out of control dark ride at some seriously twisted carnival during much of it's running time. The exploitation, action and horror genres mix perfectly together here. The underlying romance, while well done and earnestly acted, gets lost amidst the chaos of the overall movie, but that is my only small nitpick. And if that is all I can say negative, you know this is a gem of a low budget epic. Well done everyone!

One of the most striking aspects of this movie is its wonderful ability to top each shocking moment with imagination and a true sense of never knowing when it can go too far. Nothing seems to be off the menu in Dreaming Purple Neon, a horror film that goes over the top and does so with no apologies or regard for good taste. And that is a good thing.

Director Todd Sheets, known for being a pioneer of microbudget gore movies has crafted a sort of low budget epic here, a wildly entertaining demon movie cramming a handful of incredible effects scenes with thought-provoking themes and some actual interesting political views poking through all the bodily fluids. At the heart of the film is a pretty strong story about a guy, Dallas, returning home to make amends with his ex girlfriend Denise, played by genre vet Eli Degeer. But the town is not the same as he left it. Seems an evil cult has taken control of everything through the spreading of a demonic drug known as PURPLE NEON. The cult is led by Cyrus, played with marvelous menace by newcomer Jack McCord. He makes a deliciously evil bad guy, only topped by another fresh face, Ricky Farr as Tyrone Kane. Ricky, along with Sheets' mainstay Antwoine Steele as his side man Ray Ray, truly have the best bad guy scenes in the movie, with their banter back and forth coming straight out of the glorious action movies of the 70s.

The breakout performance for me was Millie Milan as Cat. Her character seemed to be the reason the two story lines meet in the middle and all hell breaks loose. Millie makes Cat a likable character despite her flaws and we really feel for her as the story progresses and she pays for her mistakes. And so do all her friends, including Dallas and Denise. Another great character is the Dentist, played by Nick Randol. I enjoyed watching him go from mild mannered nice guy to demon ass kicking hero.

It's a horror exploitation film deep in its twisted soul and it certainly delivers. For every instance of naked flesh, blood and gore, there's an insightful sequence that propels the story and makes you give a damn about the characters involved, some scenes explore the nature of humankind and our nasty addictions, and the depiction of sex as an evil tool that leads to further corruption of the body. And there is an abundance of nudity here. Both men and women. Full and in your face with no regard for political correctness. I truly applaud the actors and actresses who had the guts to do these scenes. Some of them are truly shocking in a modern horror film. And the scenes do not feel gratuitous. It actually MAKES SENSE why they are naked, not like many horror films that just throw in nudity because they lack talent to do anything else. Not the case here. Director Todd Sheets shows true skill at making these scenes matter and doing so with a assured hand and some real style.

But this movie isn't really here to deliver a character study or deep, thoughtful moments between damaged people. It's about horror, splatter, gore and having fun at all costs. And with Dreaming Purple Neon, Todd Sheets delivers as much as his no doubt meager budget will allow. There is blood, gore, splatter, goop, slime and more blood. I have to give a special moment to the special effects team for all of this wonderful, old school effects work. It is all practical. And truly most of the film never uses CGI. There are some computer generated effects, but they are perfectly integrated at the end of the film, and considering the budget, they are very impressive. Without giving away spoilers, I will just say that the effects succeed in bringing Hell on Earth.

And Dreaming Purple Neon is a great looking movie. The visual approach points towards Suspiria, Alucarda, The Devil's Rain and other 70s demonic movies while also adding original artistic touches. The use of color is smart, not overdone, and emphasizes mood and atmosphere in important areas of the movie. The camera-work and composition show a great eye for detail that is both pleasing and busy enough to keep your attention visually. The location work, and the huge complex sets are lush by comparison with many other microbudget horrors, and Sheets makes sure to utilize them to their fullest potential. In many ways, these locations become almost as important as any of the characters in the film. In addition, even though it is an homage to 70s and 80s horror and drive in movies, The film shows some shocking originality throughout its running time. Clocking in at 1 hour and 49 minutes, it never feels slow or padded. Every minute of the running time seems needed to tell the epic story.

The final thing I want to mention is how much fun this movie was. It was actually a really good time! The pacing was perfect, really creating a rhythm that works. The editing is sharp, the composition is tight and the effects are perfectly splattery. This is one of my favorite movies of 2016 and I am ready to watch it again, this time with a room full of friends, a few beers and pizza. No better movie to watch with a group of horror fans! Part homage to classics of a bygone time and part modern horror with no rules, Dreaming Purple Neon certainly lived up to my expectations and actually shocked me a few times as well.