"The Turnpike Killer" DVD Review - Written by Anthony T

“The Turnpike Killer”
Year: 2012
Directors: Evan Makrogiannis and Brian Weaver
Stars: Bill McLaughin, Edgar Moye, Lyndsey Brown
Studio: New York Horror Film Productions
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 89 Mins.

Film Synopsis:

It’s been a while, since yours truly has done a full independent horror review that hasn’t been released from a major distributor. But once the package for “The Turnpike Killer” came in, I knew that I had to review this film.

The film is about a killer (Bill McLaughin) who has been on a murderous rampage for the last ten years in the city that never sleeps. His murders have been so sadistic that he has been coined as “The Turnpike Killer”. He has been searching all these years for the chosen one, but he thinks he’s closing in on that person. But unknown to him, NYPD Homicide Detective Lloyd (Edgar Moye) is on his trail and closing in on him. “The Turnpike Killer is sure to horrify you one way or the other. The film also features special appearances from Ruby Larocca (The Lost, Porkchop) and Manoush (Barricade).

Film Review:

“The Turnpike Killer” is one of the most shocking horror films that I’ve seen in a long time. Directors Evan Makrogiannis and Brian Weaver do a very good job keeping your interest. One of the reasons is, the way that they handled the direction. I liked how, they kept everything serious. When watching low budget slashers, the violence usually isn’t scary or shocking. It sometimes hurts my experience, when watching a serious horror film. This film is different though. From the tone of the film to the horrifying sequences, Makrogiannis and Weaver did a very good job making me horrified watching the film’s action. It’s very hard to do when watching a film of this nature, because violence in a low budget horror film usually isn’t scary or that shocking. The directors pull it off very well. The other thing that I liked about the direction was the way that the film was shot. It had the feel of an eighties micro budget horror film with a grainy looks and ultra violence. It helped the film achieve what it was set out to do.

The acting here was also very good. I liked how, the directors focused on getting the best performances possible to fit the film’s very dark tone. By doing that, it makes the terror feel real. The other thing that I liked was Bill McLaughlin’s performance. It’s very menacing. He does a very good job making the character, as a person that you would literally fear on the streets. It helped the film work as a whole for me, because if the performance isn’t that way then the film doesn’t work.

Makrogiannis and Weaver’s screenplay does a very good job making you feeling horrified at the film’s action. What makes this screenplay good was the way that they spend time developing the film’s characters. The writers spend time to develop them, so you feel horrified when a character is killed off. It’s needed, because if don’t care about the characters then you’re not interested with the story. The other thing that I liked about the screenplay, the film ends with a surprising twist. It works very well here, as it answered a lot of questions that I had with the main character for the majority of it. When that happens, then you feel like everything in the story makes sense.

DVD Extras:

The first extra on the DVD is the feature length documentary “Donuts and a Double Homicide: The Making of The Turnpike Killer”. I enjoyed this very much. I liked, how this was more than just a documentary on the film. The documentary focuses on the film’s two director’s Evan Makrogiannis and Brian Weaver, from their love of the horror genre to the making of the film. It does a good job keeping your interest. You also get interviews from most of the film’s cast, as they discuss their time on the set of the film and about the film’s subject matter. This is definitely worth a viewing, as this is one of the better behind the scenes featurettes that you’ll see from any independent film that’s currently on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Next on the DVD is a short film called “Devil Moon”, which is directed by Evan Makrogiannis and features appearances from Manoush and Ruby Larocca. It’s very different from “The Turnpike Killer, but still it’s worth a viewing, as deals with werewolf subgenre.

There are also some added bonuses to the package. First there’s a VHS copy of the film, which fits the eighties style of horror that is presented here and the film’s poster which is autographed by Ruby Larocca, who is one of the film’s co-stars. Overall, this is a very good package.

Final Summary:

This is worth seeking out for fans of eighties micro budget horror. “The Turnpike Killer” is a horror film that is filled with shocking violence and a twist that you won’t see coming.

To purchase this film, you can visit the film’s official website at: http://www.turnpikekiller.com

Also, the film will be playing at this friday night at the Macabre Film Festival, which takes at the at the Best Weston on 173 Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre, NY. Screening time is 11pm.

Review Rating: Four Stars

DVD Extras: Three and a half stars