She's Dead (2012) Review

Artwork by Fwah Storm.

So I just got finished watching the new film from Nik Box. If you follow the blog or my Youtube then you will already be aware of Nik's films, especially this one. I have already done a post on the making of and the story of the film which you can check out in the archives. I have known Nik for a couple of years now and have been a fan of his films ever since watching the first entry into his Christsploitation trilogy, Brutal Jesus which is a riot and I am sure you will see a post on that sometime in the future. She's Dead is a completely different kettle of fish and is actually a completely different direction of most of Nik's filmography. Usually Nik's are reeking of pure, unapologetic campy cheese with the comedy just as fantastically slapstick. She's Dead however, tones down the comedy and is much darker experience.

The film follows Ben who wakes up from a heavy one the night before. He has a problem, there's a dead woman in his company. We've all bee there chaps and lasses I think you'll agree. Understandably Ben is confused and in a panic as to what to do and how he got in this situation. This leads him to get in touch with a big, bearded guy by the name of Mr. Clean who has a ponytail and short fuse. He does appreciate a good cup of tea though! Together, Mr. Clean and Ben start trying figure out just how they're going to get rid of the body. It goes from bad to worse as Ben's friend Barry unwittingly gets involved into the equation much to Mr. Clean's distaste. Barry is a, let's say sick motherfucker who not only revels in the situation but also has a few ideas with his new friend, the corpse. What happens from there is something you will have to see for yourselves. I will however say that what happens takes this already solid film to another level.

Overall, what we have here is a darkly comedic story that starts off bad for our main character and just gets even worse. This film looks and sounds fantastic. This is thanks to Nik's direction, especially his eye of setting up a scene and the choice of music throughout. Every song has a different feel and genre and compliments the situation in the relevant scene perfectly. Not only is the film technically solid (the film took 4 days to shoot and it still feels like it IS actually filmed in real time thanks to Nik's editing) but the performances from all those involved is just as good. The dialogue from Barry and Mr. Clean is where the comedy lies. A big hats off to the woman playing the corpse too.

If you like independent horror that is dark, you will love this. If you like Nik's previous work you are in for a treat because yes, this film is a big break from the norm but probably the best thing is, you can tell it's a Nik Box and Dead Good Films Like production. It could have really missed the target but Jesus Christ did this deliver. It's a welcomed change in pace and style that I hope to see more in Nik's work. This is a job well done especially when you take in to consideration that there was a crew of one (Nik himself), a cast of 4, a 4 day shoot and of course an £800 budget. Not many directors deliver when they a couple more 0's added on to that budget. A fantastic, easy flowing piece that takes a brilliant concept into an even more brilliant finished piece that you can easily watch more than once.

You can preorder the film by checking out the store here.

Here is the trailer:

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She's Dead- A Real Time Horror Movie Completed

UPDATE (03/09/2012)I am too lazy to completely edit this post (yeah, professional I know) but over the past couple of days Nik has released a trailer which I will be putting at the end of the post for you guys to watch. Thanks guys.

 For those who are not aware of the work of Nik Box or his production company Dead Good Films Like, you definitely should. Not only is Nik a nice guy and good friend of Mondo Squallido but he's a bloody talented director. Look out for future posts where I talk about some of his films, you can click links down below to all sorts of goodness including the website where you can purchase his films. Recently, Nik wrapped up on his latest production, She's Dead which is a real time horror short and is a more serious horror film than his usual tongue in cheek cheese fests that friends and fans love, myself included. I am yet to see the film as it is still in it's editing stages so this is not a review, you can expect one as soon as I get to see this gem.

The film is essentially about a guy who wakes up after a one night stand and finds a dead woman next to him. What follows is the guy and his friends trying to figure out what the hell happened and what the hell to do. That's as much as I will say about the synopsis but from the sounds of it, it's going to be a genuinely interesting experience from the guy who gave us no budget future classics such as Brutal Jesus and Wrath Of The Violent Vicar. A very different direction indeed.

 Nik had more of a budget at his disposal for this one and actually started a Kickstarter page to raise awareness and funds for the film. Unfortunately, he didn't reach his full goal but with help of friends, Youtubers and brothers in cheese he managed to raise a good portion of the budget, enough to get the ball rolling. I have followed the progress of the film and I can say that it sounds like it was a fun and successful shoot, it's what you expect from the King of cheese and cult childhood films. Nik is definitely a guy I would love to work with in the future but that's another story. As you can see from the stills in this post, you have blood, eye candy and a man with an awesome beard... what more can you ask for?

 So that's the film update out of the way, now to some more exciting news. To celebrate the release of the film there will of course be a premier. The world premier of he's Dead will take place on October 25th at the Central Cinema in Torquay at 9 pm. The venue holds 200 people and there aren't tickets as such, the way you can get yourself a place is by donating, yes that's right. To get your place to watch what promises to be a nice little flick all you have to do is donate what you think is a reasonable price. The reason for this is to cover the costs for the premier which is roughly costing about half of what the film actually cost. So be a good sport, get in touch with Nik by checking out the links below and be part of what promises to be a special evening.

So there you have it guys, just a little post for a good friend of mine and a very talented director. If the poster above or the screenshots don't tempt you then you don't have a functioning brain. If you are interested and want to know more about the film you should check out the official Facebook page for updates and exclusive content. If you want to know more about Dead Good Films like or wnat to get your hands on some of the films then the links to the shop and to the Youtube page for trailers and of course go sub to Nik's personal page on Youtube for some great content, updates and all round good times.

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She's Dead Facebook
She's Dead Premier Info
Nik's Youtube
Dead Good Films Like Youtube
Dead Good Films Like Store