in_negotiations It's sad when the only good ratings a movie can get are from the filmmaker's family and friends. Well, here's the dead matter in a nutshell: The vampire (Andrew Divoff) wears a blonde lady's wig that looks like it's on backwards. The storyline is… oh wait, there is no story. The overweight zombies look worse than what you'd expect to see at a local haunted house run by high school kids. The music just drones on, but maybe it's better than nothing. The movie is described as a campy horror comedy, but there's nothing humorous at all about this film, except maybe the terrible acting. No boobs, very little blood and no interesting death scenes, nothing you haven't seen a million times already, and no hot chicks, just a few frumpy fat dudes. The actress that plays Gretchen is cute, but not in a "hot" way. And like I said, no boobs. I can't even recommend this train wreck for a beer and B-movie night. It's just a huge waste of time.

trashgang This is Edward Douglas first attempt to direct a flick. He surely knows his stuff because he is normally an music technician for a few horror flicks. By doing so he also knew the people inside the genre. By that we see Andrew Divoff (wishmaster) as a leading role and Tom Savini in a special role. The special effects were done by Robert Kurtzman, also known in the genre. It's a weird flick to watch because we have all elements in it that you can think about, zombies, vampires, ouija boards, supernatural effects...It's even sometimes a bit funny to see, a vampire being attacked by a zombie. It's really not your average horror flick. But the effects used are really well done and that makes it watchable. Strangely, Andrew Divoff couldn't convince me. Due the names in it it wasn't really my thing nevertheless I enjoyed it on the , for me, funny parts if you know what I mean. Gore 2/5 Nudity 0/5 Story 3/5 Effects 3/5 Comedy 2/5

Greg Tom Savini is the most noteworthy name in The Dead Matter, a new film promoted as 'From the producers of From Dusk Till Dawn'.The Dead Matter that throws vampires, zombies, horror, comedy and the Gothic occult at its audience in hopes that enough sticks to warrant a cult-status following.The Dead Matter throws vampires, zombies, horror, comedy and Gothic fantasy at its audience in a film that is promoted as being 'from the producers of From Dusk Till Dawn'. Tom Savini is the most noteworthy name in a film about a young woman named Gretchen (Sean Serino) who is desperate to connect with her dead brother and discovers an ancient amulet that has the power to control the dead.The amulet is of particular interest to Vellich (Andrew Divoff of Wishmaster fame) – an ancient vampire who has yet to read fashion magazines informing him that 1980's hair is long out of style – and Sebed (Tom Savini of From Dusk Till Dawn) who are at odds in a feud that has spanned for eons.Complicating matters for Vellich and Sebed is a vampire hunter named McCallister (Jason Carter) who will eventually team up with Gretchen and her three friends Mike, Jill and Frank in an attempt to keep the impending evil at bay. A confrontation of both parties will be the climax of the film's final chapters and will house a few surprises and some slightly above average make-up and special effects to keep The Dead Matter with the enjoyable range of the entertainment meter.The Dead Matter reminded us a lot of the old 1980 second tier horror films such as Warlock and Wishmaster. Its production values are good enough to keep us involved and the film knows well enough not to take itself too seriously which only adds to the enjoyment factor.Our particular liking was the storyline that dealt with a zombie that appears in Gretchen's bedroom and is controlled by commands by the beholder of the amulet. The zombie's attempts at drinking beer or eating snacks at the dinner table drive the humor at just the moment that The Dead Matter required an infusion of fresh air (zombie's are referred to as "Post-Mortem Americans" in the film's most noteworthy bit of humor).Directed and edited by Edward Douglas, The Dead Matter also features a musical score by Midnight Syndicate (which Ed Douglas founded in 1996) and the music is definitely notable and predominates throughout the film's 89-minute running time. It often adds to the mood and accompanying CD of tracks is well worth the additional purchase.Far from perfect, but far from an independent throw-away, The Dead Matter was a pleasant surprise – like a movie your eyes catch on a sleepless night and you can't turn away from.www.killerreviews.com

cjh668908 The Dead Matter...This is the imagination of Gothic/Halloween band Midnight Syndicate founding member Ed Douglas at work. Being creative always starts with an idea and a vision. In the mid 1990s he had an idea. He had a vision. He had a dream. He had $2,000. He had...............a Super VHS camera that he borrowed. It was used to film the first version of The Dead Matter, released in 1996. You have to start somewhere. A decade later an opportunity to re-make The Dead Matter with a much larger budget was realized (about $1.5 million). The script was co-written by Ed Douglas and Tony Demci, just as it was in the original 1996 film. Shooting took place in August and September 2007 in the Mansfield, Ohio area. To make this movie, Douglas went to the well and drew on his many talents, knowledge, creativity, interest in horror films, and prior background as a filmmaker and musician/composer, not to mention a college degree in theater and filmmaking. The end result is a dream realized. An excellent independent horror film with excellent actors, an excellent musical score courtesy of Midnight Syndicate themselves, not to mention contributions from other artists in the form of rock & roll songs (Lazy Lane, Eternal Legacy, and HipNostic).This movie stars Andrew Divoff (CSI: Miami, Lost, also movies such as Wishmaster, Air Force One, The Rage, Indiana Jones 4), Jason Carter (Babylon 5, Beverly Hills 90210, Angel, Charmed, Third Rock From The Sun), special effects legend Tom Savini (From Dusk Till Dawn, Dawn Of The Dead, Lost Boys 2, Grindhouse, Friday The 13th), Sean Serino (The Rage), Tom Nagel (North Mission Road, Beast Of Bray Road), CB Spencer (Passions, Ally McBeal, the movie Ballistica) Christopher Robichaud (the original 1996 version of The Dead Matter, plus voices on Midnight Syndicate albums), Brian Van Camp (New World Disorder), Donna Williams (The Rapture), Jim O' Rear (Hell House, Vampyre Tales), Meredith Beardmore (CSI: NY, A Family Matter), Kenyatta Foster, and "Big Chuck" Schodowski (American Scary), to name just a few, along with special effects/makeup artist Alan Tuskes (Star Trek, Vanilla Sky, The Rage). The narrator is Richard "Count Gore De Vol" Dyszel (The Alien Factor, Chainsaw Sally).What is this movie about? It's about a grief-stricken young woman named Gretchen who will do anything to contact or "reconnect" with her deceased brother. She stumbles upon an ancient Egyptian occult relic that leads her into the dark world of vampires and the living dead. She gets more than she bargained for, as all hell breaks loose. Two warring vampire lords are in search of the relic, which can control the dead. A vampire hunter is trying to stop them from obtaining the relic. This movie is unique in that it mixes both zombies and vampires. If you're somebody who is a fan of the Halloween season and its darker aspects, yet also embraces the lighter side of Halloween, then this movie will entertain you, as it is both on the dark side and lighter side. This movie has horror, humor, twists and turns, and keeps you guessing. The atmosphere is dark and creepy in parts, while at other times everyday activities and locations are used, such as in houses, bars, office buildings, etc. Midnight Syndicate doesn't hesitate to embrace the lighter side of horror/Halloween once in a while, and this movie proves it. You can't go wrong. I don't want to reveal too much. Watch it and be entertained. It's destined to become a Halloween classic, one of those movies that you'll want to watch every year during the Halloween season or on Halloween night after the trick-or-treaters have gone home and the jack-o-lantern has been extinguished. While not that scary, it does have its moments that will catch you off guard.Ed Douglas and Tony Demci were inspired and influenced by horror films of yesteryear, particularly from the '30s, '60s, '70s, '80s, Creepshow, and the Hammer films, but the bottom line is that The Dead Matter is ORIGINAL. The movie takes the "old school" approach of yesteryear, and it works. I personally think it's a great movie and I think you will, too. It doesn't take a lot of money to accomplish the primary goal, which is to scare or at least entertain the audience. Think of films like Carnival Of Souls (1962), Night Of The Living Dead (1968), and Halloween (1978). These are perfect examples of independent films that make their point and get the job done by scaring and entertaining you and creating the perfect atmosphere with minimal money.The Dead Matter is 89 minutes long and is presented in widescreen format.The extras on the DVD are excellent. There are two Midnight Syndicate music videos ("Dark Legacy" and "Lost", both of which appeared on The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates album, released in 2008), three finalists' music videos from the Midnight Syndicate 13th Anniversary video contest, gag reels, audio commentary by Ed Douglas, Robert Kurtzman, and Gary Jones, a feature called Maximum Dead Matter that allows you to watch a scene in one corner of the screen while simultaneously watching the actual filming of the scene in another window, interviews with cast and crew members, locations, and concept art.Robert Kurtzman (producer, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Rage, Wishmaster), Gary Jones (Xena, Hercules, Boogeyman 3), and Ed Douglas all co-produced this movie.Yes, there is still hope when it comes to the making of quality horror movies. Thankfully, there are still a few people out there who actually have their own ideas and imagination. This is a standout independent horror movie gem released during the Age of Horror Remakes that we're currently living in. As good as this movie is, I believe that time will elevate this movie's status even more.