Blu-ray Review: HOLLISTON: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (2012)

HOLLISTON: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (2012) 

Label: Image Entertainment

Region: A

Rating: Unrated 

Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) 

Audio: Emglish Dolby Digital 5.1 

Cast: Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Laura Ortiz, Corri English, Dee Snider, Dave Brockie

Director: Adam Green 

The Series: Here's a fun TV sitcom for the horror-set, the first original show on  FEARnet from HATCHET director Adam Green starring Adam Green and WRONG TURN 2 director Joe Lynch as two perpetually poor aspiring horror directors employed at the Mass Cable Network where they host a public access program called The Movie Crypt and make lo-budget cable commercials while sneaking equipment on the side to film their hockey-themed horror film SHINPADS - about an undead Mexican soccer whom return from the grave to exact revenge, "When they score, you die". Nice. Oh, and they're boss is Lance Rocket - an 80's glam rock reject with questionable sexual orientation who plays in a Van Halen tribute band mot to mention Adam's imaginary alien friend, GWAR's Oderus, who lives in his closet emerging every once in awhile to dispense terrible advice.

In matters of love Joe is dating Laura (Laura Ortiz, THE HILLS HAVE EYES) an adorably demented pixie of a woman who is a painter of macabre and disturbing imagery while Adam pines away obsessively for his high-school flame Corri (Corri English  UNREST) who has recently returned to Hollsiton.

There's a lot to here to love for the horror fans, quirky humor, bad taste, offbeat, sweet and sorta uplifting, plus we get some sweet horror film homages and the occasional bit of gore and some cool cameos from Tony Todd (CANDYMAN), Kane Hodder (FRIDAY THE 13TH), Danielle Harris (HALLOWEEN 5), Seth Green (RAT RACE), DEREK MEARS (FRIDAY THE 13TH), Bill Mosely (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE), Colton Dunn (MADtv) and director John Landis (AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN PARIS).

As for gore we get a very sweet SCANNERS homage and a grotesque scenario by which both Adam and Joe are sprayed by a skunk and end up in the bathtub together with Adam uncontrollably vomiting in the bathwater, gross and funny. At one point actor Tony Todd star of CANDYMAN visits the Movie Crypt and comes back to the guys house after a night out on the town and wont leave - what do you do when Candyman 

Episodes: 

The Hooker - When Adam discover's that his ex Corri is returning to town he dumps his current gal and in an ill conceived plot hires a hooker with a heroin-nod  to play his girlfriend on a double-date with Corri and her current boyfriend - a doctor. Adam makes a fool of himself, of course. We get a pretty great POLTERGEIST homage here, a fun start to the series. 

Camera Rental - In an attempt to generate some cash flow the boys pilfer a camera from work for the weekend and rent it out, meanwhile Corri and Laura are on the hunt for an apartment and end up leasing a haunted property from TWIN PEAKS' Ray Wise. This episode we get a cool Allister Crowley cameo who destroys Adam's face in a brutal dream sequence   

Skunked - When Adam's retarded cat Axle runs off the boys get sprayed by a skunk while searching for the feline and end up in a tub naked together covered in vomit. Meanwhile the girls head off to the convenience store in search of vinegar to rid them of the stench but wind up with an armful of feminine douche and suspected of running a brothel. Great guest appearance from Brian Posehn (SARAH SILVERMAN SHOW) as the clerk and a cool lesson on how to make fake blood, fun stuff. 

Candyman - Actor Tony Todd visits The Movie Crypt when the station airs CANDYMAN. The guys are super thrilled when the star invites them out for a drink but are less honored when he comes back to the apartment and will not leave... and he wants to fuck Corri which drives Adam completely nuts,

Laura's Little Twitter - Adorable and demented Laura posts a pic on twitter and is suddenly deluged by thousands of followers, why? It might have something to do with the moose-knuckle in the pic - this one reminded me quite a bit of Elaine's classic nip-slip episode on SEINFELD. Features a great Seth Green cameo as effects artists Gustav/Neil - he's got a split personality  there's also some fun commentary on the PUMPKINHEAD and HALLOWEEN sequels, plus remakes of DAWN OF THE DEAD and THE THING and the work of effects masters Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero

Weekend of Horrors - The season capper features the boys finishing the teaser trailer to their film SHINPADS and attend Rock N' Shock Weekend of Horrors in an effort to get it into the hands of filmmaker John Landis. Along the way the encounter a hostile Kane Hodder and freak out Danielle Harris. Definitely an episode that riffs on horror fandom and the more extreme convention going weirdos who are a bit obsessive. Lots of fun stuff here beginning with a sweet SCREAM homage, a GWAR concert clip and Adam masturbating to a clip from Sam Raimi's THE GIFT. 

Special Features: 

• Cast Commentaries
• Deleted Scenes with Introduction by Adam Green and Laura Ortiz
  - Episode 2 Deleted Scene (3:08)
  - Episode 4 Alternate Ending (3:24)
  - Episode 5 Alternate Opening (3:24)
• Bloopers (5:30)
• Behind the Scenes
  - Holliston History (3:08)
  - Meet the Cast (5:01)
  - Art Direction (3:33)
  - Make-Up and Wardrobe (3:19)
  - Guest Stars (5:45)
  - Horror Convention (4:19) 
  - Bathtun Scene (3:42)
• HOLLISTON: A Sneak Peak (19:51)
• The Road to HOLLSITON Promos

   - The Pitch (2:29)

   - Corri English Audition (9:03)

   - Network Notes (2:47)

   - Oderus Urungus Screen Test (2:15)

   - Dee Snider Make-up test (1:11)

   - On Set with Laura Ortiz (1:18)

Verdict: Weird, wacky and loaded with crude, juvenile humor but it's also pretty witty and smart. A sitcom for the horror-set with tons of great in-jokes and broad situational humor. I laughed my ass off and was pretty envious of the amazing horror-themed t-shirts Adam and Joe wore. Definitely looking forward to a second season, a recommend! The special features are pretty funny, too. You can tell how much fun the cast and crew had making this by how fun the bonus features are.
(3 Outta 5)