by When I heard the new movie from independent film company Wicked Pixel Cinema was called “Ratline,? I pictured maybe a rodent infestation flick, or possibly a killer in a series of underground sewer lines.
Boy, was I wrong.
?Ratline,? Wicked Pixel?s fourth major release, is now out on DVD and highly recommended for those who love a cheesy, disgusting B-movie for Halloween (like me!).
The story revolves around a not-so-innocent young woman (played by a terrific Emily Haack) who discovers an unsettling connection to the occult research and experimentation of Nazi Germany. Along her journey of discovery, moviegoers are greeted with Satanic worship, graphic mutilations, immortal Nazi murderers, and dark and disturbing sexual overtones (Be clear, there is not a five minute space in the film that is suitable for children?or the weak-stomached!).
Without giving too much away, Jason Christ, who also serves as executive producer, plays the main antagonist with a cold, unsettling tranquility. As his ties with 1940s Germany become clear, the movie displays different levels of evil and depravity with a subtle nod and wink. Weaving the mystery of the Nazi ?Blood Flag,? a real artifact that is still unaccounted for to this day, into the film?s physical manifestation of fear works well.
Another high point that elevates this film above much of the ultra-low budget drivel on Chiller is the terrific soundtrack. Both the incidental music as well as the nu-metal selections fit well and are mixed to create just the right off-balance disturbia.
I watched ?Ratline? with radio personality Steve Potter, who brings a stark humanity to the character he himself plays in the film (during a very realistic 1940s propaganda film about the Nazis). We also enjoyed spotting the recognizable footage filmed in Alton, Edwardsville, and the infamous Milton School, an old building rumored to be crazy-haunted and just minutes from my home (and where regular readers of my blog will recognize as the place I received my ?phantom bite?).
Anyone expecting a CGI-filled, polished, star-studded horror movie will be disappointed. However, if you love the old 60s drive-in exploitation classics, sub-standard effects and all (as I do), then ?Ratline? is just the popcorn-fueled, blood-and-guts splattered demon fest perfect for the witching hour on Oct. 31!
Learn more and see the trailer at wickedpixel.com here!
More Halloween-themed blogs coming soon!
B Movie? I’m slightly offended by that! Call it what it is! An Independent Movie!
Hey Allison! I use the term “B-movie” in the highest regard!! I tend to group all movies that are not high-cost, slick-production blockbusters in that category, and nine times out of ten, those are the movies I prefer. I think the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is a better movie than all of the “Saw” entries put together, and give me John Waters over James Cameron ANY day! My blog is very complimentary of “Ratline,” and, to quote Cecil B. Demented, a film dedicated to underground cinema, “DEMENTED FOREVER!”
I love B-Movie’s in the horror genre and have come to think that being a B-movie is a very good thing! I will be checking this one out as soon as I can get my hands on it!! Thanks Fred!