Film Review - "Crispy's Curse"

I was honoured to receive an invitation to attend the World Premier of a new film, written and Directed by a film-maker local to my area.

It turned into such a fun evening that I thought I'd share my experiences with you all.

Before I get into that though, I feel I should introduce you to the instigator of my weekends entertainment.

Mr. John Williams

He is an independent Film-maker based in the Staffordshire area.  "Crispy's Curse" represents Johns' third independent feature film in the last three years.

His first two films, "The Mothertown" and "The Slayers" have been well received with "The Slayers" picking up a number of awards on the festival circuit around the world.

So let's get on with it then:

"Crispy's Curse"

This film tells the story of the spiritual return of a malevolent clown, hell-bent on exacting revenge for his murder several years previously.  

As he proceeds on his gruesome (and generally hilarious) killing spree he is pursued by three distinct parties who are intent on laying him to rest.  There are the police, bumbling, inefficient and with all the tact and grace of a well aimed half-brick.  Then there a group of self-styled paranormal investigators who call themselves the "Spirit Hunters International Team" or S.H.I.T. .........(need I say more?) .  Finally we have "Messiah Fist", a Christian, Thrash Metal band who see the appearance of Crispy as an opportunity to test their faith and preach the word of the Lord in their own inimitable style.

In case you hadn't guessed already, let me spell it out for you, this is a gloriously gory comedy horror drawn from the deepest recesses of Mr. Williams' decidedly warped imagination.

There is an awful lot of good to say about this film.  It is hilariously funny, with some superb dialogue and a ridiculous amount of blood and gore.  

It was nice to see Pete Bennet (formerly of Big Brother fame) returning to the screen with another wonderfully wacky performance that fit perfectly with the mood of this film.

The appearance of David Acorah (T.V. Psychic and currently a guest of the Celebrity Big Brother House) was also a very welcome surprise.

For me, however the real stars of this film were the wonderful Darren McAree whose portrayal of the "real" psychic was so deliciously camp it was wonderful, and "Messiah Fist" (and yes - there is an actual CD of their music!!)

This is definitely the best film John has produced so far and if the last two are anything to go by then this one is going to be very, very successful.

House of Sin

Following close on the heels of Cam Girl came the second venture into the film world for myself and Philip Gardiner .

House of Sin was intended to be an exploration of societies values and perceptions of what is and is not acceptable.  With a much larger cast and crew and a wider variety of locations than Cam Girl this definitely proved to be a far bigger challenge for us both and an incredible learning experience.

Ultimately we believe we delivered what we set out to deliver, although in the end it will be you, the public who will decide.

House of Sin is set for a release date on DVD sometime around June.  Please keep checking back for up-dates.

Cam Girl : The Movie - Information & Trailer

Mary O'Brian is a nursing student, she's struggling to make ends meet but it's proving difficult to pay her rent and tuition. She's never had any real luck and has no family to fall back on. She's tempted by the lure of being a cam girl, a girl who videos herself for Johns that pay good money for this strange type of entertainment to fulfill their fantasies. Should she, or shouldn't she? It's tempting, it's free and it pays well. But at what cost? Mary's world is about to get very complicated as a dark and sinister force becomes obsessed with her, watching her, waiting for the right moment and for Mary to go too far. ..




 A new film-noir thriller from award-winning filmmaker, Philip Gardiner. Featuring glamour model and actress Layla Randle-Conde. Written by Philip Gardiner with John Symes. Directed by Philip Gardiner. Producers Warren Croyle, Philip Gardiner, John Symes. Music by Corjan, No Redemption, Angellis, Freakhouse and Crystal Kovach. Produced by Reality Films. In association with Red Sky Productions and Chalk Productions. Sound engineering by Olive Grove Studios.

Debut Film Release

Cam Girl


The debut film Co-produced by myself through my company  Red Sky Productions goes on official DVD release in the US and will be available to buy through Amazon.

This is a great little thriller, short on budget but big on content and it is already receiving some great reviews.

Having taken the leap from acting in movies to forming my own production company and making movies, this is truly an exciting time for me.  I am very proud of my contribution to this film and very thankful to a man who has become a good friend and working partner Philip Gardiner for having trust and faith in me.

This is the first of hopefully many films to be produced by us so look out for us in the future.