Behind The Mask Interviews the Twisted Twins

Riverman & The Lush welcome you to Behind The Mask, a podcast that will bring you everything from Film Noir to the most Extreme Cinema!

It's true, boys and grrls. Heck, I'd go as far as to say it's VERY true. These boys cover it all and in the most entertaining and informed manner. We had the esteemed pleasure of chatting with these gents recently and had a fantastical time. Wanna hear our charming inane banter as we cover all things Twisted and express every single thought that pops into our delightfully demented minds? Oh, then do we EVER have a treat for you.

Please listen and enjoy our VERY in depth interview with the Lush and Riverman. Start your 2012 off with your daily recommended dose of wicked awesome ;)

LISTEN NOW RIGHT BLOODY HERE!!!!

Bloody Best!
Jen

Mangled Matters' Justin Hamelin Looks at Back 2011 & Dead Hooker Tops the List!!

There is few big a thrill as having a fellow horror nerd & writer dig what you are doing. Jen and I are hopeless horror geeks, it's our crack and our pipe can always be stuffed mores (don't do crack, girls & boys, just watch lots of horror), and when we made DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK it was in the hopes that people who grew up on the insane flicks we did would feel a certain throwback to those flicks and see something that left them feeling thoroughly entertained.

As 2011 takes its final dirt nap, we find our DEAD HOOKER has done just that and may I introduce you to Justin Hamelin of Mangled Matters and Ravenous Monster, if this fine gentleman has yet to grace your horror loving lives --

"I am a horror fanatic who has been writing since I was able to hold a pencil (albeit the 'incorrect' way to many teachers in my lifetime). I absolutely love the horror genre and am slowly getting up the courage to call myself a horror aficionado. Writing, learning, horror and the arts are my passion."

And if I do say so, type so, blog so, myself - a really fucking cool guy. We've had the pleasure of chatting much in the past and it's always a fucking blast. So, when I woke up this morning to his Top Ten List of 2011, I was fucking ecstatic to see DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK had made the cut in a very coveted position (hookers know all the rad positions).

"I cannot wait for the next twelve months. There will be short stories, screenplays, short films and horror conventions to be conquered. There are over fifty interviews that will be posted to celebrate the amazing Women In Horror. There will no doubt be a ton of stories and memories along the way. I'm going to love every minute of it.

With all of that being said, let's take a look back at what I deem a pretty solid year in horror. We were treated to independent gems, arguably the best haunted house film since 'Poltergeist', and enough blood and guts splattered across the calendar to keep us rolling into the new year!"

And what did the fabulous Mr. Hamelin have to say about DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK?

"The indie scene hasn't produced a flick as downright kick ass as 'Dead Hooker In A Trunk' since John Carpenter introduced the world to a boogey man named Michael.

The minds behind this ode to the gritty grindhouse glory of yesteryear are fast becoming the leading ladies of independent horror.

Jen and Sylvia Soska envisioned this film as a one-finger salute to a crappy film school experience. What they created was a bloody, fun and truly amazingly bad ass movie that is only the beginning for the ridiculously talented Soska twins.

Hollywood, take notice.

'Dead Hooker In A Trunk' friggin' rocks!!"

So, that turns out to be one of the best compliments of our twisted little lives. Check the whole rad list here - a lot of my favourites are here too that you should totally check out. Thank you, Justin, for bestowing this ginormous honour to us. I am so happy that DEAD HOOKER hit home and thank you for taking the time to get the word out about the project.


If it wasn't for the support of people like you - true horror fans - the film would never have been able to spread as far as she has and give us the ability to live our dream of being able to make our very own horror movies. We can never thank you enough, so we promise to keep making strange and entertaining flicks that will hopefully brighten any shitty day, much like a real good hooker!

~Sylv

Kristian Hanson, The Craptastic Writer, Makes Our New Year

In this business, true friends are hard to come by. There's a shit ton of bullshit out there and you get fed it by the heaping spoonfuls if you're not careful to recognize it early on.

When my hetero life mate, Sylv, started trash talking a Black Hawks fan, I never suspected in the least it would build into one of the truest and greatest friendships we've ever had. Kristian Hanson, the Craptastic Writer, and father/creator of my now betrothed and beloved Assly (Assly.tv), is a profoundly talented writer, reviewer, and friend. He is one of those rare people who refuses to settle and chases after his dreams despite all the nay sayers out there and we respect the hell out of him for it.

We met in the flesh this past October in LA during the Aliens To Zombies Convention (seriously, if you missed that insanely awesome weekend chalk full of the most talented effects artists to ever crawl the Earth make DAMN sure you'll be there next year, I know we will be). Not only did he take us around LA, which is something, believe it or not, we never get to do as we're always booked solid with business, he and his beautiful now missus, Fernanda, brought us to meet Clive fucking Barker and Bryan 'Tate' Steinsiek. We got to see the Universal Walk, chug Duff energy "beers", eat at Bubba Gump Shrimps, and see the outstanding New Bev Cinema , owned by everyone's favorite stylish badass film genius Tarantino, where DHIAT got to rock.

Totally selfless, supportive, and never one to give you a "where-have-you-been-I-don't-care-if-you're-filming-you-have-to-see-what-my-cat-did-today-you're-such-a-shit-friend" message, we love him and Fernanda and ALL the Craptastic Puppets that each deserve a place in a horror history museum more than words can say. Even if he IS a Black Hawks fan. Let's face it, no one's perfect ;)

He's started our New Years off with a happy explosion of awesome-y awesome-ness with this gore~geous Examiner article. Read the full meal deal right HERE.

Thank you, Kristian. We cannot wait to share AMERICAN MARY with you.

Happy fucking New Year, you wicked awesome bastard, you~!!

Bloody Best!
Jen

Daily Grindhouse Decrees Dead Hooker as the Best Film of the Year!!

"HEY BASTARDS.

Damn. Was this a good year for film or what? There were easily 20 or so other films I could have tossed up here but I went with the tried and true formula of the Top 10. Now, the rules of the game; The Best Film of The Year was given to the film we were most impressed with, the one we couldn’t wait to watch again, the one that smacked us square in the geek. As for the other 9, they’re in no order of importance although I will say the last film on the list will be in heavy rotation for a long, long time. Now let’s get ramblin’ and see what kind of trouble "

I read on and I see DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK. I look to see where I am on the list. I stare. If I had a higher fibre diet and took better care of myself, I would have shit my pants. Daily Grindhouse which has been a staple in our household for the flicks we love has just bestowed the biggest motherfucking honour by dubbing DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK the Best Film of the Year. These guys know their flicks, we adore their taste, and now I have the biggest fangirl grin on my face that has no hope of leaving.

"Jen and Sylvia Soska created an ambitious film that gave the finger to popular DIY convention. DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK is 100% exploitation that knows its roots but never relies solely on the shock of the situations. It knows it’s force but doesn’t stand around for 90 minutes beating you up and leaving you bleeding on the road. It’s a well-balanced film that clicks along at a fast clip, using dialogue like bullets, never wasting a single moment."

In case I was a bit subtle earlier. I love the team at Daily Grindhouse. If this is the first you are hearing of them, you're welcome for the intro and I apologize for the hours you will spend like a bewitched zombie reading their articles and falling more deeply in love with your favourite flicks and finding new ones to obsess over. Click here to catch up on wicked interactions with DG.

"The Soska twins know their film history; they know what works and what doesn’t work. They have studied people like Robert Rodriguez and have taken notes about how to get the most bang out of your independent buck, and this bastard looks like a million dollars. DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK has been watched at DG HQ 3 times now and each time it gets better and better. Each time something else is picked up that I dig even more than the viewing before. This film is a fucking blast and I can’t wait to see AMERICAN MARY, the Twisted Twins follow up to DHIAT. They just bought themselves some giant shoes to fill."

Jen and I cannot thank you enough for this. When we created DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK it was so that it would be seen by a group of people like you that grew up on the flicks we did and wanted to have some insane fun back in their flicks. I am so happy that we did not disappoint and we promise you this - AMERICAN MARY is going to be like nothing you've ever seen before, in the most best of ways.


Now, dear reader, who is fucking radcore for reading these blogs (like a boss), read the entire article here and check the 9 Other Flicks That You Need To See, if you missed them, you totally have some catching up to do! It's like homework except it doesn't suck ass - quite the opposite.

~Sylv

Stolen Peek at American Mary

So, I was walking between set while we were filming AMERICAN MARY and I saw this guy at the end of the street. I love and know my cast and crew very well and thought, whose this dude, never seen him before, then rushed off to do something else. My favourite is the picture of Jen looking directly at him wondering the same thing.

He was snapping some shots for this site - zimbio.com - and although we are keeping the word on the film mute until a full on press assault of everything to do with the flick upcoming the first festival screening, I can't help but be a little flattered that someone would come onto set to get a couple pictures of Jen and me looking rather goth in a normal directing attire. It's all badass, boys and girls. Here are the pics for those of you that missed it!



That's Owen Pierson, our hair stylist and hugely fucking talented guy, and Nikki Simpson, our uber awesome Swing Hair and Makeup, and I love them very very much. They did a fabulous job on the flick! Here's the link to zimbio.com's original article, those cheeky monkeys.

~Sylv

Truly Disturbing's Top 5 Best/Worst of 2011

We twisted twosome are huge fans of the team at Truly Disturbing Horror and what a coincidence as they dig our DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK. Kristian Hanson, whom you may know better as the horror comedian whose hand is shoved up those Craptastic Puppets - including Jen's plush boy toy (literally) Assly, wrote his pick for Best 5 and Worst 5 of 2011 and imagine our delight when our dead whore graced its list. Where? Read on, gentle reader --

"4. Dead Hooker In a Trunk- A film made on a shoe string budget by a couple of twins and horror fiends, this is a movie that you need to watch a couple times to make sure you see everything that is added. It is a fun film to watch with friends as the group goes on a trek trying to dispose of a Dead Hooker they found in their trunk. As they do this, they come across drug dealers, a puking Goody Two Shoes and possibly love for two of the stars. Oh, and an amputation of an arm. Twisted good time!"

FUCK YEAH!!! Thank you for this privilege and all the support of our flicks throughout the years. You gentlemen fucking rock hard. Now for the entire sweet ass list - click here and find some flicks that you should check out and some you should avoid like a dirty whore.

~Sylv

"Fucking Awesome" - IFC Is Bringing It With Three New Horror Flicks for 2012

"IFC Midnight is gearing up to release THREE different tales of horror to DVD this January. Whether your into hookers, squatters, or just plain old illegal immigrants - you better bet your ass that IFC is ready to deliver the goods. Each film premiered at various major film festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance, New York, AFI, SXSW, L.A., and San Francisco, and will soon be available for purchase."

This January, IFC is starting 2012 off with a heaping serving of motherfucking stupid awesome radness. This is the truth. And Horrorbid.com is giving up the goods.


January 17th, UNDOCUMENTED is the first release. What is UNDOCUMENTED?

"There are estimates that more than a million people attempt to cross illegally from Mexico to the United States every year – some succeed, some don’t. In his riveting debut as writer-director, Chris Peckover reveals the horror faced by one unlucky group of border crossers. In this suspense-filled drama, an aspiring documentary director Travis (Scott Mechlowicz, Mean Creek, EuroTrip) and his crew set out to record firsthand the injustices and inequities faced by those trying to make it into the U.S., but what they encounter is a horror worse than any they had imagined."

Sweet. Next on the docket are two big releases for January 31st. Firstly, is SPIDERHOLE. Haven't heard about SPIDERHOLE? Allow me to be the cool chick to tell you about it -

"Molly, a vivacious young artist, and her three friends embark upon a mission to find an empty house in London where they can live as squatters, free from rent and free to party. After finding what seems like the ideal place, they turn the house into their home. But darkness pervades their new dwelling, and a malevolent force soon sets to work ridding the house of its unwanted residents SPIDERHOLE, an IFC Films theatrical release, presents a nightmare world that traps the viewer and protagonists alike in a terrifying and unforgiving new reality. Who or what is orchestrating their bloody demise and why? The house appeared to be empty and yet a malevolent force is clearly at work. An impressive debut from writer-director Daniel Simpson, SPIDERHOLE stars Emma Griffiths Malin (Wallander, Agatha Christie’s Poirot), Reuben-Henry Biggs (The Illusionist) and newcomers Amy Noble and George Maguire. Sky Movies’ Tim Evans said, “Writer-director Daniel Simpson ratchets up the tension, fully acquainting viewers with the soon-to-be victims before letting fly with an all-daggers-stabbing orgy of violence."

And last, but not least - DRUM ROLLLLLLLLLLLL - also to be released January 31st, 2012 - DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK!! What does Horrorbid.com have to say about our loveliest of rotting prostitutes?

"Four friends set out on an everyday errand and end up in a fight for their lives when they discover the body of a dead hooker in their trunk. Led by sexy, impulsive Badass, her distant twin sister Geek, their bible-thumping friend Goody Two Shoes and chaotic rock star pal Junkie, the group must put aside their differences to dispose of the body as they face off against persistent police, a sleazy motel manager, chainsaw-wielding triads and a brutal serial killer. All while being followed by the mysterious Cowboy Pimp, who wants to claim the corpse for himself.

Identical twins Jen and Sylvia Soska (upcoming American Mary) wrote, directed, produced and star in this explosive ride filled with gun fights, extreme violence, blood, guts, gore … and goats. Also in the cast are Rikki Gagne (Dark Moon Rising) and John Tench (Tooth Fairy). With the exploitation sensation DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK, the Soska sisters join the ranks of neo-grindhouse masters Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth, who bestowed his high honor on the movie by calling it “fucking awesome!"

That's right, girls and boys, HOOKERS for everyone! Even the Mayans couldn't predict such gorgeous gorgosity. Perfect gift for mom, dad, the grandparents, those hard to shop for individuals, those easy to please - DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK just pleases em all... or pisses them off, but usually she's quite welcome!

~Sylv