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Chill (film)
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Wikipedia article
'Chill' is a 2007 horror film written and directed by Serge Rodnunsky and starring Thomas Calabro, Ashley Laurence, Shaun Kurtz, and James Russo.
Development and plot
The film was based on H. P. Lovecraft's "Cool Air". Similar plot elements include the fact that the doctor in the film (played by Shaun Kurtz) is named Dr. Muoz as in Lovecraft's story, and must live in refrigerated conditions in order to survive. There is also a mention of the Necronomicon in the film; while this does not occur in Lovecraft's "Cool Air", it does serve in the movie as a clue to its Lovecraftian inspiration. Part of the plot hinges on the refrigeration system breaking down, again as in the Lovecraft story. Physically, the character of Dr Muoz in the film does not resemble the character described in Lovecraft's story, nor does he speak with a Spanish accent.
Overall, however, the plot of the movie moves away from the Lovecraft story in depicting Muoz as the controller of a serial killer preying on prostitutes. Muoz lives in the back of a deli which he runs, and the protagonist Sam (Thomas Calabro), a writer who comes to work at the deli for survival money, gets dragged into the web of killings. Sam also falls in love with a woman named Maria (Ashley Laurence) who runs a clothing stores across the street and is being threatened by a local cop, Detective Defazio (James Russo), whom she dated once.
The DVD packaging for the Australian release through Flashback Entertainment does not feature Lovecraft's name anywhere, though the American packaging indicates that Lovecraft's tale inspired the movie. The film is omitted from Charles P. Mitchell's otherwise fairly comprehensive 'The Complete H.P. Lovecraft Filmography' (Greenwood Press, 2001), possibly because the makers of 'Chill' did not overtly capitalise on Lovecraft's name.
The 'Pittsburgh Post-Gazette' summarizes the plot as "Let's just say someone dies but cheats Death by harvesting flesh and dabbling in the occult."Allan Walton, "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07122/782697-390.stm 'Chill,' people]," 'Pittsburgh Post-Gazette' (May 02, 2007).
Cast
* Thomas Calabro as Sam
* Ashley Laurence as Maria
* Shaun Kurtz as Dr. Munoz
* James Russo as Detective Defazio
* Victor Grant as Tre
* Clark Moore as Tor
* Barbara Gruen as Mrs. Herrero
* Adam Vincent as Steven
Reception
The film won Best Achievement in Fantasy and Horror at the Worldfest International Film Festival, was nominated for Best Horror Feature Film at the Shockerfest International Film Festival, and was an Official Selection at both the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and World Horror Convention in Toronto.According to DVD case. DVD Verdict gave the film a reasonably complimentary review,Judge David Johnson, "[http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/chill.php Review of 'Chill']," 'DVD Verdict' (November 14th, 2008). while 'Home Theater Info' is definitely praiseful of the film asking readers of the review to "give this movie a chance and enjoy.""[http://www.hometheaterinfo.com/chill_(2007).htm Review of 'Chill']," 'Home Theater Info' (10/23/08). 'Slasherpool.com' described a number of positives (the casting and directing) and negatives (the pacing and atmosphere).AnthroFred, "[http://slasherp.nexcess.net/htm/reviews/chill.htm Review of 'Chill'] ," 'Slasherpool.com'.
References
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