Dreaming Purple Neon

From the beginning of the low budget horror movie Dreaming Purple Neon, two things are obvious; One, this is a well made movie where care has been taken to give the production real quality. Second, this has an actual story to tell. It is not just another slasher movie and has more going on than a typical splatter mess. Not to say that there isn't a huge amount of nasty gore and bloodletting. There is more here than probably a few horror movies combined, but there is also care given to characters and a pretty complicated set up. It takes about 15 minutes or so to introduce the characters and lay the groundwork for all that follows. One good thing is that it moves very fast. Not one frame seems wasted here and the dialogue in the movie is fun and memorable. The performances, while not award winning, are pleasantly organic for the most part. The bad guys are over the top and that adds to charm.

And what follows is pure horror bedlam. Once all our characters converge and interact, things take a very crazy turn and it never stops. A relentless display of effective shocks, creepy atmosphere some actual suspense, Dreaming Purple Neon takes so many twists and turns that at one point I paused the film to catch my breath and collect my thoughts, reflecting on what I had seen. It wasn't because the film is confusing, it is more that it really moves at a fast pace and so much is happening that I really wanted to take a minute to let it sink in. Actually, it is a very linear and easy to understand story with so much going on and I never got lost.

But most fans of these type of movies do not watch for deep characters or complex story lines. They want to know if the film delivers the thrills, gore and nastiness that director Todd Sheets is known for. It does. In fact, gore is abundant throughout the film. One super gross out scene in particular is so over the top in it's chunky excess that I could barely rewind it to watch again. A couple of times. My ass still hurts. There are very few movies today that walk the line between horror and exploitation as well as this one does. For all the graphic scenes of violence this film contains, at its heart there is a wink-and-a-nod sensibility that has the viewer both rooting for the bad guys and waiting gleefully for their comeuppance..

And they do that in ways that I not will spoil here. The blood is plentiful and shocking and the special effects are pretty nasty and impressive. As this movie gets closer and closer to the ending, I honestly had no idea where it would go next. It is one of the most pleasing films in that regard. You can not predict the nest scene. Every new door hides new craziness. And the ending was perfect, but I honestly never knew it was coming. And then there's Gene Simmons. In a movie full of twists and surprises, that scene tops everything else and is worth waiting for. Trust me. Best ending in a movie all year. As a matter of fact, that part alone has made the whole movie shoot up my list and I would call it my favorite low budget film of 2016.

Todd Sheets has done an exceptional job here, crafting a tight thrill ride that is ambitious, original and really over the top. He has done it all with a budget so small that you would not believe it. It's barely enough to buy a good HD TV to watch it on. The lighting and style remind me of horror flicks of the 70s and 80s but also of the old Italian horror movies like Suspiria. But that is not to say it is just a retro rehash. The real pleasure comes from watching a low budget filmmaker who truly has a grasp of their craft, who actually knows how to make a movie, attempt to get as much as possible from a good location and a tiny budget. It is a fantastic horror film that embraces the lack of money and uses new ideas and audacious gore to embrace the low budget horror crowd. This is unpredictable horror and is undoubtedly an impressive achievement.

Caught the world premiere screening of DREAMING PURPLE NEON and I must say I was surprised. Having seen the trailer, I really looked forward to seeing the whole film. The trailer was pretty nostalgic really, with a ton of gore and old school charm. I figured I should not get my hopes too high because there was no way the film would live up to this trailer. I was wrong. Not only did the film give me all I had hoped for, it went further than I thought. This film was truly a great Halloween gift for those in attendance. The story is epic, with twists and turns aplenty.

I found DREAMING PURPLE NEON to be a visually stunning film, that also has the distinction of being Mr. Sheets most ambitious project to date. He pulls out all the stops here, creating one of the most visually arresting and brave micro budget films ever made. Everything is designed to hit the viewer with maximum effect. It's truly such a beautifully shot film. And Todd really piles on the shocks on this film. Buckets upon buckets of blood and gore, with several show-stopping effects sequences all done with little or no money. In fact, as the effects get more and more ambitious, the unreal mayhem that the Effects Team pulls off is nothing short of maddening brilliance. This truly is a film that kicks into maximum overdrive about 15 minutes in and never stops. Todd Sheets lays waste to about every taboo you can think of, making no excuses and pulling no punches. Yet with all the insanity happening, the story never loses focus, the film never derails. The film is an unrelenting splatterfest for sure, but there is a playfulness to Todd's direction that really makes me smile. This is like an ultimate party film, a true love letter to the Horror genre that is an incredible fun and wild ride.

At the heart of DREAMING PURPLE NEON there is a very effecting love story going on, and before you die hard Horror freaks roll your eyes, think of the classic "Dead Alive." Another great Horror flick with a romantic center that delivered the Horror. Though very different, this film has something similar to offer. The characters are very well defined for a splatter movie, making you actually care when all hell literally breaks loose. I was impressed with the sincerity and honesty in the performance of the two leads, Jeremy Edwards and Eli DeGeer in bringing this relationship to life. It seems real, not forced, not hokey. I also really enjoyed all the villains in the film, the main baddie Cyrus Archer played with menace and humor by Jack McCord, Tyrone Kane played by Ricky Farr and his sidekick RayRay, played perfectly by long time Todd Sheets alumni Antwoine Steele were highlights of the film, and of course the two Demons - the Queen and her minion The Demoness. The supporting cast were equally strong, with Millie Milan a highlight as well. I was also very impressed with Jerry, the caretaker and henchman for Cyrus Archer. He chews scenery with a vicious attitude and a dark streak of humor.

Watching DREAMING PURPLE NEON with an audience was a TRULY amazing experience. The minute I thought that the film makers could not possibly go any farther "over the top" than they already had, something else happened that made me stare at the screen in astonishment and shock. This is a VERY original movie with a huge heart, crafted with love and care by a group of people that truly love Horror movies. It is modern and different but still nostalgic. Much like infusing his previous film, "House of Forbidden Secrets," with his love of Italian Horror, Todd Sheets has brought the VHS Generation into the new modern age of Horror, bringing us an homage to the classics of yesterday that also throws new ideas and images at the audience, many of them this reviewer has never experienced before. Track it down, plop your butt in a seat and be prepared for an incredible wild ride done with quality and passion. While shocking and likely to be quite upsetting in many ways for modern PC audiences, the viewer senses that the director has no agenda other than to entertain us and give us a good time. If you are a Horror fan, you should not miss it.

Expect No Mercy from this movie! I was simply amazed by its bloody outrageousness. For audiences unaware, this film will be a shock, a kick in the ass to people that are used to the current slate of "safe" horror films that plague our cinemas. You will be treated with gruesome moments which certainly make you cringe and wince, you may cover your eyes or even gasp. This movie goes all the way in more ways than one! Director Todd Sheets brings us his latest indie horror movie and Dreaming Purple Neon is full of sights and sounds that will certainly stick in my mind for a long time to come. Amidst this insane bloody mess, the movie somehow works in a pretty convincing romance between two likable characters we care about that ends up fairly well done, not forced. All of the "Hero" characters actually come off pretty realistic and natural. No one is over the top and the performances are kind of subdued, like real people would act. The bad guys on the other hand tear through the scenery with chaotic glee, and every time they are on the screen I found myself grinning and laughing. They are seriously fun with some GREAT one liners and dialogue.

Dreaming Purple Neon really worked for me. It was an engine firing on all cylinders. It was actually one of the best Low, low, maybe even MICRO budget films I have seen in years. What director, writer, producer, cameraman and editor Todd Sheets and his cast and crew do with such little money is incredible. They make up for lack of funds with imagination, ingenuity and obviously very hard work and attention to things like Camera shots, lighting and set design. In this age of movies playing it safe and being politically correct, this is truly one of the most ridiculous, over-the-top, blood and body fluid soaked messes in modern horror cinema. The blood spurts out of necks, backs, mouths, heads, throats, asses and pretty much any place you can think of, and maybe some you would NEVER think of, in angry geysers like an exploding volcano. By the end of the movie, a simple office building and basement have been transformed into one of the slimiest slaughterhouses ever shown in a film. Thank you to the talented people involved for making one of the most entertaining movies I have witnessed in a long time. A fun, wild, entertaining ride. Those interested in super-polished, Hollywood style Horror should take note: This movie plays like an homage to Drive In Movies and the VHS horror films of yesterday. And it is all the better for it.

Recommended!!!!!

The movie starts off with a little bit of character development, to give some more story to the insanity that will be following. Expect a major shift a little ways in, some very good times to start when it reaches the point in the movie where it starts to deliver the goods at about a half hour or so in. Oh the glorious insanity & fun that comes up soon after (w/a lot creative ways to deliver the loads of blood & gore). This movie also fills your screen with full on frontal nudity from both men & women though it's nothing sexual happening, just people playing the part of nude cult members except one woman that gets, uhm, eaten, lol. It has a fun plot that this revolves around. The plot plays on a connection of drug use & drug dealing that's tied to an evil religious plot from the villain. This movie dips into a little blaxploitation and gets into a bit of religious exploitation you could say but not to be confused with being a blasphemous film though, darn it, lol. But hey, you get to see a woman with demonic horns for nipples. ;)

Many people will notice influences from various past films, so much so that it will feel like it's giving a nod to a lot of other good films that came before it but yet, remains to do it's own thing and not lose it's creativity while showing it's influences and/or nods.

The gore in this is spectacular and off the charts, just wild, creative, insane and over the top fun. I can't stress that enough. Often you will have your screen filled with "disgusting" scenes but so entertaining/humorous that you can't look away and will be wondering "what the heck is this going to throw at me next" on screen. A lot of the story and things I could describe would sound dark and morbid but it's actually more comic book like, really over the top and far from seeming like something dark & morbid though there's a hint of such in some scenes of some darker elements but nothing too long lasting or deep in that way. And that ending, that's probably the most dark/morbid part of the whole movie and you won't be expecting to see that when it comes but I don't want to say more to spoil anything. It's just off the charts as well but a bit in a different way than how the film had been.

Some example hints of what you will see in the gore dept here include a full on nude woman being eaten out, in both meanings of that saying. Another is when they pull a part of man's a** insides out through his a**hole and it's humorously sick to see. Another involves what I think was a sanding machine and another is a Gwar looking birth scene that's disgustingly fun and what happens after the birth is something a movie will rarely do due to being too much taboo for a film maker wanting to get into. I can only think of a couple films off hand that many people may have heard of that such a taboo thing wasn't shied away from.

Another thing worth a mention (especially because of the title) is that this movie uses some different neon color tones of lighting in some scenes that add more flavor to this. There's also some computerized effects used as well but only briefly in a couple scenes it seems. Don't worry, such is minimal compared to all the practical effects and it truly does add to the experience where used. You won't see much of that though except for the KILLER ending where it does use such more heavily but you will be happy they did so when you see that ending.

Oh and the movie has a few black actors, something I felt was nice to see in this type of film. I truly found that to be enjoyable (having at least a few black actors), especially with so many all white meat gore movies that are pouring out. Those actors did a good job in their roles too and added another level of entertainment to this. A couple of actors I didn't care for their performances and of course some people did way better than others and the one guy was great with his role.

Get with some buddies, light up the green stuff, pop open a beer, shoot up some "Neon Purple" into those veins ;) and have a good time with Dreaming Neon Purple. Even if you don't do any of that stuff and heck, the Neon Purple isn't even a real life thing, you are still in for a fun, wild ride. Now how that drug is made in the movie, that is quite an interesting concept. I wouldn't be shocked if some religious nut thought that stuff could be real just like some think the earth is flat, lol.

So I sat at the premier for this, knowing it was going to be a pretty gnarly film when it came to graphic content, however the plot was pretty damn well done as well. The acting was for the most part pretty excellent considering it was many of the casts first time ever acting, and you can tell people just had a very good time with it. I was surprised how much I ended up loving this film, and snagged a bluray the first chance I got (at the premier), and whenever you get a chance you should definitely check it out too. Lots of homage to 70's and 80's grindhouse horror flicks, awesome sets, crazy monster/demon designs, and a freakin rad soundtrack to top it all off. Thanks Todd Sheets, this was a great film!

Keep it up man!