Winners Tape All: The Henderson Brothers Story (2016)
*** (out of 4)
This mockumentary tells the story of Michael and Richard Henderson. These stepbrothers from West Virginia found success during the VHS boom of the 80s with a film called CURSE OF THE STABBERMAN but their follow-up CANNIBAL SWIM CLUB. This film features interviews with the filmmakers as they discuss their rise and fall.
If you're a fan of films like THIS IS SPINAL TAP then you'll probably enjoy this piece, which is a homage to the direct-to-VHS slasher films of the 1980s. Of course, these are fake characters talking about fake movies but at the same time this thing comes across so authentic that if you weren't already aware that these were fake things you'd think you were watching the real thing.
What really impressed me was the fact that it was so authentic. The actors certainly do a great job selling their roles. These redneck brothers aren't the smartest people in the world and they sell that perfectly but they also perfectly sell how anyone could make a movie during the 1980s and sometimes those with no talent ended up with a hit video. The documentary also sells the clips from the two movies. I've seen a lot of direct-to-VHS movies and I must say that the footage here from the two films are a lot better and more entertaining than anything that was actually released.
There are a few minor issues with the film but nothing overly major. Stuff like the brothers not having aged from the 80s is an issue if you want it to be but lets be honest. This here isn't going to effect the entertainment value. Fans of the horror genre will certainly want to check this out as it really is a fun and charming movie.
