Director Neil Meschino’s Mold, his first feature horror film, is a disgusting yet unique throwback to the 1980s filmmaking with an exquisite messy gore-fest in the sci-fi genre that satisfies all horror fans. In addition, an incredible treat for the b-movie audience that craves this type of production, the legendary actor Edward X. Young (Mr. Hush [2010]), knowing he lends his talents to the flick only solidifies the cheesy fun that Neil created. In fact, Neil took the time to do almost every job behind the camera and a small acting credit in the film.
Set in 1984, during President Ronald Reagan’s war on drugs media blitz, do-gooders create a weapon to wipe of the cocaine fields, however during the demonstration to both the military and a political rally something goes very wrong. Mold itself proves toxic to inhale it, and the bleakest look repulses anyone; a bubbling greenish color and transforms it into a deadly contagion to humans – through flesh eating portions. The reasoning, spores of mold spread quickly due to smallest vapors of water in air, and in humans, making it an impossible doomsday weapon, perhaps deadlier than zombie hordes. The actors each do a standout performance in placing themselves in the believable mindset of an underground military testing site bombarded with a massive buffet of murder, torture, mutilation, melting eyes, oozing organs, collapsing heads, vomit, partial nudity, blood and sheer violence. There’s nothing off limits, nothing goes too extreme, for no boundaries exist, especially with grotesque situations occurring in a tsunamic like manner, reminiscent of Return to Nuke ‘Em High Volume 1 (2013), however this film predates that bloody pulse pounding orifices exploding greatness. The two actors that really turn up the b-movie charm to a hilarious level is none other than Jim Murphy (as the Congressmen Stu Blankenship) and Edward X. Young (as Colonel) the latter actor is no stranger to the horror genre. Meanwhile, the concerned doctors hold and run the experiments for the military and the President, and act extremely narrow-mind overlooking the problems of their mold virus. Each character that the actors represented, take the cue from Edward, and bring exceeding over-the-top rabid-like performances, which borderlines on bad acting but yet in a fun enjoyable manner for the horror fans and general viewing audience.
Neil’s attention to detail goes to great lengths to the creation of the lab, all done in a warehouse, and then uses 1980s props donated from family and friends to present a more authentic film. Adding that the special effects from Jeremy Selenfriend (The Shed [2019]) fit nicely into the group of 99% practical except for a moment of CGI in the scene where a red light shines to expose the spores visible in the air for the variation of blood test and level of containment. This gross out film keeps the audience entertained with a skillful tongue in cheek capturing the spirit of fun for the audience, his crew, and the actors. Neil’s splatter punk roller coaster ride has no letdowns and launches into endless spirals at a breakneck speed with the help of SFX also from Jeremy, creating only practical effects. Many horror fans will see numerous comparisons to John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), such as with the blood testing for infection, a remote base, confinement plaguing the cast, raises paranoia and mistrust quickly. However, unlike Carpenter, Neil shows stress, with an inconsistent tone, likely due to budget constraints, though the DVD box artwork reeks of flashback to Troma style films complete with a zany outrageous design.
Very enjoyable and entertaining b-movie horror movies, which will delight fans, of both creature features and sci-fi genres, as the gore, blood cover everything by the time the credits roll. Lastly, the formula for this film is a mixture of Re-Animator (1985) and Evil Dead (1981), with a heavy dose of the Creepshow (1982) segment called, The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill, a dash of out doing the Alien (1979) stomach-exploding scene, and final ingredients of Andromeda Strain (1971) and Warning Sign (1985). Now stir in 1980s thrash metal with lots of references to other films from that decade and you have Mold from Wild Eye Releasing!
A follow-up note, Neil’s advancing his blood splattering joy to his newest project called, Maggots, for a grosser adventure than Mold delivered.
This review was originally published on the now defunct Rogue Cinema website in March 2015 and garnered a view count of 1,746.
TAGLINES:
- It Will Grow On You.
- You Breathe. You Die.
- This isn’t science … it’s MURDER!
https://www.facebook.com/MOLDmovie
http://www.wildeyereleasing.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1367236/
IMDb Rating: 5.0/10
Baron’s Rating: 5.0/10