The Ghouls - Cannibal Dead

First and foremost, the distributors fooled me. The box implied that this was a large scale zombie movie and that there would be a handful of survivors in a ravaged city. This was simply not the case. However instead of being angry as would generally be the case, I was taken aback. This movie is no zombie fest, but it was a very dark and thought provoking movie. I was pondering it long after the very odd and fitting credits rolled. Ghouls, is about a sleazy paparazzi reporter who makes his pseudo-living by filming scenes of crime, murder, and tragedy. The gruesome sights never bother him until he finds himself on the receiving end of the horror. Ghouls come in two varieties here: the flesh-eating type and the social type. There are some powerful themes running throughout this gem, largely about the media but also some other ideas, like smoking, identity and overall moral standings in our society. I had some trouble warming up to the "hero", but I realized we aren't meant to like him. You might pity him, sympathize with him, even feel concern for him, but you never truly like him. Much better than I would have expected, but this IS a thinking movie-goer's zombie film, action isn't the real point. If you're thinking about buying this solely to see scads of the undead, look elsewhere.

I can't say enough for this movie. You can tell it's low budget, but it doesn't disappoint. The acting, cinematography, editing and the directing never strike a false note. How many films can you say that for? I rented this movie at Blockbuster, and even though I'm a horror fan, I have to say, Blockbuster has become a maven for low-budget bad horror films. And, for some reason, horror fans seem to accept less than other movie-going audiences would accept in terms of budget, plot, direction, cinematography and character (maybe because gore is a category in and of itself, as is being bad in all above mentioned categories). Anyway, this movie has it all...good character development (give the first 30 minutes time), good acting (dispicable characters that you somehow feel for), good editing (flawless, actually), good cinematography (wait for that alley car scene), a good script to unite it all and, to make it all come together, I have to give credit to the director. Really an excellent, although low-budget, horror film.

I recently watched the low-budget film The Ghouls (2003) on Tubi. The storyline follows a broke man in the media who is trying to capture activity on tape that he can sell for his big break. When he discovers something is eating the homeless, he thinks he's found an avenue for success but faces significant risks trying to capture the creatures eating people...

This film is written and directed by Chad Ferrin (Night Caller) and stars Trent Haaga (Slice), Timothy Muskatell (Jurassic City), Gil Espinoza (High School High), and Tiffany Shepis (Victor Crowley).

This movie was pretty entertaining for a film made on a $68,000 budget. The storyline is reminiscent of C. H. U. D. and executes the horror elements fairly well. The opening stab scene and eating sequences are outstanding and well executed. The gore in this film is surprisingly good. Unfortunately, the acting ranges from mediocre to bad, and the main character is quite annoying. The cinematography also reflects its low-budget nature. The highlight of the film, beyond the gore, is a kid with down syndrome who steals the show in every scene he's in.

In conclusion, The Ghouls suffers from its low budget but has some worthwhile scenes. I would score it a 5/10 and recommend it only to horror enthusiasts.

Minutes after watching Chad Ferrin's newest classic, I was hit with the thought that this film, The Ghouls, could well be the best horror film of the past couple of years. It left me with a strange taste in my mouth. It begs to question "WHO really are the ghouls? Are they the monsters, hiding away in the dark, waiting to tear you limb from limb? Or rather, are the ghouls the men who feed you this mythology, the men who will go to any means to give you what they want you to see, to believe?" Chad Ferrin has created a true vision of horror, one that you will not soon forget. The story follows Eric, played with perfection by Timothy Muskatell, a "stringer" who videotapes crimes and sells them to the media for the publics consumption. One night, in a drunken haze, he witnesses what he thinks to be a rape taking place. He runs in with his camera, only to see that the woman is not being raped-no, she is being torn apart by "The Ghouls", people that live underneath the city who eat human flesh. Realizing that he missed his opportunity to film the act that would make him rich, he enlists the help of Cliff, another stringer, to hunt down and film the ghouls. Cliff is portrayed by Trent Haaga, probably the finest actor working the B-movie industry today. Trent brings along his quick wit, and ability to steal a scene, to make the character of Cliff a fun guy to watch. What happens over the next few hours will test Eric's faith, and make him question who he is-WHAT he is. Chad Ferrin decision to shoot the film on DV, giving the film an authentic, scary look, was genius- it's almost as if you are right there, watching as the horror unfolds. Ferrin's take on the demorilizing aspects of the media and the depths to which some men will go to capture the truth is a true testament to his ability as a writer/director. Scary, thought provoking, and utterly unforgettable, THE GHOULS should be required viewing for those about to venture into the world of low budget filmmaking. This is how it should be done. I love this movie. And the ending-well, the ending is one for the books. Who are The Ghouls? See this movie, and decide for yourself.

Heh, to start this all off.. This movie was packaged along with Hannibal Rising. My friend and I thought to ourselves, "Oh, a free movie! Hey, this looks pretty cool." Unfortuantly, we were wrong. The whole 30 minutes that we wasted (Honestly, me nor her could sit and watch the whole thing,) was horrible. Not just the subject matter but the filming. I know that it had a strong underlying subject, but I (as well as almost everyone else who saw the cover and read the back summary) was fooled.

Just as a warning.. Don't buy Hannibal Rising (Unrated) that comes with The Ghouls. It's just a waste.