Monday, July 17, 2017

The Corrupt Half, A Japanese Ghost Story American Style

We all love those Japanese ghost stories. The ominous women coming back from the dead seeking revenge from some past evil deed. In life, the antagonist was beautiful and vulnerable...in death, ominous and creepy. Hair covering her face and a homicidal attitude always makes this specter seem invincible. Throw in some young, good-looking protagonists and the Japanese have hit on timeless horror themes.  Wait...enter Rod Wess!  This isn't a Japanese film, but one from Colorado. Later in 2017, "The Corrupt Half" will be screened at various film festivals around the world (hopefully that includes Japan).  If the Japanese can scare you with tales of Geisha women, pagodas, and bamboo...well...Rod Wess will creep you out with tales of ghosts in town-homes, laptops, and pretty women.
Alas, pretty damsels don't fare will in this film. Natalie (Ashley Abendschein) has committed suicide...or has she?  She was young, nubile, and in love.  Her evil sister pushed her to do the ultimate deed...and now Natalie is back. When the dead return, it is never good. The carnage starts before we meet Ashley (Kendra Buck) and Sarah (Felicia Tassone). The two unwitting babes move into the town-house and find a laptop and HDTV have been left. Natalie begins to communicate with us the viewer immediately and fills us in on her story...at least part of it.  Her suicide won't be the last at this address as Natalie goes to work on Sarah's vulnerable boyfriend, Scott (Danny Bohnen)...he'll off himself in Sarah's bedroom.
No spoilers here, but the suicides continue as Natalie picks her victims to work her evil on.  Very pretty Jodi (Mariah Salazar), a horror blogger, tries to help...but Natalie isn't into good Samaritans and Jodi's fate will be horrific.  But wait!  Is Natalie really evil?  Or is there something else on the other side seeking vengeance? As our two protagonists are hurled further and further into otherworldly terror, Natalie's actions become more bold and her true intentions are revealed...and they are even more terrifying than revenge.  Will our beautiful duo survive long enough to have a house warming party? What did happen to Natalie and is she really the evil antagonist that decimates fair young ladies?
Fans of Japanese horror will be right at home in Rod Wess' "The Corrupt Half." The actresses are fantastic and the menacing spirit will pop up in your nightmares. Revenge and vengeance are great themes in ghost stories, but this one is a bit more complicated and eerie...you'll see. Oh yes, the fate of the horror blogger Jodi has put me on edge, so I leave you with a warning...see "The Corrupt Half" and if you are a horror blogger, it will be at your own peril.
"The Corrupt Half" link on IMDB The Corrupt Half on IMDB
Trailer on YouTube Trailer for The Corrupt Half

1 comment:

  1. This sounds like a bit of found footage like The Dark Tapes mated with The Grudge or The Ring. I took a look at the trailer & I can definitely say I would watch this movie.
    The trailer is particularly effective because it sucks you in. You want to know who in the hell the creepy hair in face girl is & why she torments people.
    It is a paranormal fact that any place that harbors a tragedy has residual energy. Sometimes that energy can manifest in omnious ways.
    Good review, Christopher.

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