NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME! Based on the first issue of the graphic novel, Pulp Modern: Die Laughing is a horror anthology with a twisted sense of humor.
Directed by Scotch Rutherford, the anthology’s through line follows a KPLP DJ, Mr. C (Alec Cizak), on the night shift fumbling through a book, Motion Blur, which reveals random artifacts from the film’s five stories.
The first story, Overkill, is directed by Alex Montilla and features the Virgin (Amy Letcher), who is chased by a Killer (Will Doffin). Early on, she gets the upper hand and kills the Killer, but you never really kill the Killer.
Ryan Shovey’s Mirrored is the story of Dylan, who is delivered the wrong mirror for his home. Wrong in the sense that when the lights go off, the demon-version of yourself appears on the other side.
Based on a Stephen King short, for those of us who are overlooked for the big job promotion at work, Cameron Schwartz’s Rest Stop places in the hands of a nebbish John (Randy Havens) the chance to place himself in the shows of his alter ego, Rick Haden, the lead in the action novel, Motion Blur.
“…she gets the upper hand and kills the Killer, but you never really kill the Killer.”
Denny (Simon Laherty) is a young man living on the spectrum in Aaron McJames’ Cocky. Denny lives with his Grandma (Diana Greentree), spending his day teaching bad words to Grandma’s cockatoo, Cocky. So much so that Father Presley (Peter Berzanskis) is concerned about Denny’s mental state. What no one knows is that Cocky has been eavesdropping on everyone’s conversations and secretly unleashes some very dark secrets in a game of human chess.
Lastly, in Ryan Shovey’s Sloppy Seconds, Janet (Traycee King) wants to cook dinner for her husband, Philip (Clayton Bury), but Philip has to head off to an emergency meeting at work. What Janet doesn’t know is that Philip is really going to meet his mistress, Lizzie (Ashley Jade), instead. Yet, Janet insists Philip stay long enough for her home-cooked dinner.
Pulp Modern: Die Laughing is decidedly a horror comedy, which means that the comedy takes a bit of the bite off of the horror. For someone like me who is not a fan of horror, this is alright with me. Instead of relying on scaring the audience, each story features a strong premise and set-up, with a punchline at the end.
Overall, the stories are good. My favorite is Cocky, just because I like hearing cute animals swear. I also liked the opening Overkill as well, as these two contain the most humor.
Pulp Modern: Die Laughing makes for a strong feature for some light horror. As many of the creators involved in the graphic novel are part of the feature, the integrity of the storytelling remains intact. Take note, Marvel, but the main reason Pulp Modern: Die Laughing works is that each director used the graphic novel as a guide to not only compose shots but also create the ominous settings and look of each story. Comic books are essentially storyboards, so why not take advantage of comic books as cinematic resources?
Overall, Pulp Modern: Die Laughing makes for a strong feature for a Friday night chill. The film’s blend of horror and humor offers a unique anthology that stays true to its graphic novel roots. It’s a solid choice for those who appreciate a good scare with a side of laughs.
"…makes for a strong feature for a Friday night chill."
