StrangeLand

Rating:
Summary: A sadistic psychothriller from Twisted Sister's, Dee Snider.
Review: This video is a truly horrifying display of what can happen when you meet your on-line pal. Dee Snider, plays a ruthless, sadistic psychopath wonderfully. In the movie, Snider, frequents chat rooms under the name Captain Howdy. He lures people to his house where he then procedes to torture them. The movie picks up where he makes his first mistake. He lures the daughter of a police detective to his home. The detective and his partner go on a wild goose chase to catch this psycho.(You may remember the detectives partner as 'Buddy' from the sit-com Charles-in-Charge.) The detectives manage to catch 'Captain Howdy' but that's only the beginning. This movie is a graphic reminder of how twisted some people become. This is one movie you'll just have to see for yourself to believe it. Beware, this video is not for wussies or the weak of stomach.

Rating:
Summary: A nice try
Review: The reviews of Amazon.com reviewers will lead a potential buyer to believe that this film is either the best horror movie ever filmed or the worst piece of nonsense ever released to video. Neither is really true. Dee Snider's attempt at movie-making really could have been excellent. There aren't many horror films that attempt to produce empathy with the villain. In fact, Strangeland really surprised me with the whole lynch-mob attacks misunderstood figure scene. If the film had focused more on the relationship between the media and the mentally ill, Strangeland might have been quite the film.

Unfortunately, Dee Snider decided that this movie also needs a maniac torturing innocents while spouting off like Charles Manson on blow. Captain Howdy comes off more as a raving nut than a misunderstood schizophrenic. The silly one-dimensional characters (including a cop that basically asks an on-line Howdy "Where are you?" as if he expects a correct answer) don't add much to the insipid nature of Strangeland. Bottom line: This is a rental.

Rating:
Summary: just buy it if you like the type
Review: Heavy music....torture...blood....insanity......lags a bit but it's a cult movie....just buy it and then buy the soundtrack.........

Rating:
Summary: Unique and Entertaining!!!
Review: I must say that I purchased the Strangeland DVD based on the reviews I read here on Amazon, and I was not disappointed. It all began when Dee Snider, of the Twisted Sister fame, wanted to make a unique and actually scary horror movie. I would say that he reached his goal. He brings the story into modern day society by using the internet chatrooms as a way to lure in his victims. Here is where the story takes a twist. Normally, the killer would just kill his victims but not Captain Howdy. He lures them to his house where he pierces, scars, and tortures them until they die from the shock and pain. He also stitches their eyes and mouths shut. There are some very graphic scenes in this movie, and that's what makes it so scary. This could very easily be reality. Someone could be out there doing this right now. There are also a couple of twists in the movie. For example, Captain Howdy tries to become part of normal society but as you will see, this just doesn't work. I don't want to give the ending away but just know that it is interesting and you will be suprised!

As for the DVD itself, there are several special features on the disk. Included are: 16:9 widescreen Version, Digital Dolby Surround, Dee Snider Commentary, Digitally Mastered, Interactive Menues, Scene Access, Theatrical Trailer, Production Notes, Cast and Crew Information, and a Music Video. Speaking of music, this movie has a great soundtrack for those of you into hard rock/trance/gothic music. Movie is dated 1998 and the approx running time is 91 minutes. If you like the use of the internet in horror movies check out Fear Dot Com. It's another great movie that makes use of today's technology.

Rating:
Summary: Mullet man...with a vengeance!
Review: Dee Snider is back and this time, he's not just going to drive your dad insane with those fist pumping jams...he's got tattoos, a menacing pseudonym and he wants to pierce you with some really big needles in some really odd places!
Dee portrays the sadistic Charleton Hendricks (a.k.a. Captain Howdy) who lures girls from chatrooms to his suburban home where he tortures and pierces them.
I won't dissect the film...there's not much to it. There's blood and piercing and heavy music and that's about it. Really, the acting is mediocre at best, the script weak but it's a horror flick...who gives?
Let the viewer be warned that this film is very graphic, lots of S&M and heavily suggesting sexual assault (even I found it completely ridiculous at certain points). If you're at all squeamish, I suggest that you stay away from "Strangeland".

Rating:
Summary: A proverse, diabolical movie
Review: Dee Snider, of the Twisted Sister fame, wanted to make a movie. Okay, that fine, let him. In all fairness, this wasn't a bad movie. It had several distinctions that could include it in the horror genre. It was rather pyschotic, and let the viewer into the mind of a twisted mad man. Well, first off, there was virtually no blood, so gore hounds might not be interested in it. But it does have several squeamish scenes which could make some viewers cringe. Oh well, shouldn't of rented it.:)

Setting this movie in today's modern era was a plus. Using the chatroom environment was relatively a good idea. Every parents worse nightmare could of been Dee Snider in the flesh

The plot is this: A maniac uses a chatroom to lure kids to his home where he can physically torture them. Not a bad idea. Things go wrong when he kidnaps the daughter of a detective. There is actually only two deaths in the movie. One was "accidental" but it helped aid in the sick habits of CaptHowdy (Dee Snider).

Overall, not bad if you can get a cheap copy like I did. It's not even bad as a weekend rental. There wasn't a part in the movie that didn't actually let me down. The ending was fine, but you don't really expect it to stellar. It's a nice, cuddle up with a lady movie. The title gives into it all....It's strange....but likeable.

Rating:
Summary: not everybody's cup of tea
Review: I bought this movie for two reasons - one, it's by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame, who happens to be one of my favourite musical artists of all time. Second, it's a horror of a nature which appeals to me. I'm a geek and any net-related things usually pique some interest in me.

The Dee Snider fan in me wasn't disappointed at having bought it, but the horror fan in me was.

It's good, don't get me wrong, but I think that because it was packed into 90 short minutes, Snider had to make a few adjustments to the script. The movie is way too short for what it's trying to portray. That's why there are a few coincidences, obvious cheese and not so subtle force feeding of the plot to viewers and cast alike.

If this was a miniseries, it would have completely rocked. The fact that Snider still pulled it off in the 90 minute timeframe still astounds me. Not many amateur writer-directors would have. Although he's been playing with this story in his mind since Stay Hungry was released in 1984, he's still new to making movies.

It's a job very well done and I only hope that it is released in the future as a mini series or full TV series. That is the only way to give it justice.

Being a TV series would also open it up to a broader audience who feel that a "cheesy" horror isn't their thing.

Rating:
Summary: So much flesh...So little time...
Review: I'm not even going to apologize for liking this movie. Being a horror fan and a heavy metal fan, the movie as a whole fell comfortably into that dark spot inside me and left me with a satisfying taste in my mouth.

Carleton Hendricks, aka Captain Howdy, (played by Dee Snyder) is a twisted fiend obsessed with finding a higher spiritual plain through piercings, tattoos...and torture. He doesn't wish for the death of his victims, he wishes for his own death, which makes him a nasty antagonist indeed.

When Captain Howdy lures young Genny Gage into his lair, it seems he has selected the wrong victim, for Genny's father Mike (played by Kevin Gage) is a police detective. Mike hunts down Captain Howdy and rescues his daughter, but Howdy is insane and gets sent to an asylum rather than prison.

Without giving too much away, the movie will go on to question whether the beast inside can be contained, or whether it is just held behind the bars of medicine. Another very interesting dilemma brought to light, is whether or not it is a crime to ignore a crime; and what would the consequences be for you if you did.

Although the movie is a little bit flat in some facets such as dialogue and some weak plot smatterings, overall it is richly filmed and well acted. Kevin Gage, Robert Englund, and Elizabeth Pena hold up the cast with skill, and Snyder does a rather decent job himself; especially as the psychotic Capt Howdy half of Carleton Hendricks. Look for a brief but well done job by pretty girl Amy Smart. (Road Trip)

Rather than compare this movie to Silence of the Lambs, I would say it was closer to The Cell (but with better acting), or perhaps the original Manhunter, in that it gives us a brief glimpse of the lamb inside the wolf.

As for the horror, the movie makes up for its lack of blood by terrifying us with an unwelcome and horrifyingly disgusting buffalo shot of Robert Englund in his underwear. That alone made me toss my lunch harder than any brain eating scene could have done.

If you like creepy horror villains, scenes of torture, and a glimpse into the psychotic all set to a heavy metal soundtrack, then you will probably like this movie. Watch for Captain Howdy's full size puppet scene! Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Scary for those with a strong stomach
Review: This movie was recommended to me by a friend, who thought it would help change my mind on meeting people from the internet. And yes, oh yes it has. This movie is very twisted and scary as hell. Captain Howdy could be lurking around on the internet trying to lure you into his house to torture you like he did all the girls and oh yes, boys, in this movie. I have the DVD and Soundtrack in my collection now. It is a really awesome movie.

Rating:
Summary: Gothic Fun!
Review: I love this movie! but let me start of saying that it shows lots of nudity! as much, if not more, then the return of the living dead. but its an awesome movie! if torture scares you, then this will scare the hell out of you! i personaly didn't think it was scary, just cool!

Captin Howdy surfs the teen chats for victims...torture victims. he tells them to come to his house (and of course the idiots do) and ties them up, sews there mouth shut (sometimes there eyes to), and he pierces/sometimes tattoos them until they go into cardiac arrest. he gets caught and blames his crimes on insanity. 4 years later he's let out and he just wants to be like everyone else. but the people still hate him and drive him back into his "insane" ways. anyways he finds the people that tried to kill him and he tortures them..but doesn't kill them! ITS SO COOL!