‘Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep’ VOD Review
Stars: Edward Furlong, Corey Shane Love, Brandon Kirk, Steve Railsback, Susan Priver, Ginger Lynn, Lew Temple, Robert Rhine, Bai Ling | Written and Directed by Chad Ferrin
Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep closes out the trilogy writer/director Chad Ferrin began with The Deep Ones and continued in H. P. Lovecraft’s The Old Ones. This time out Ambrose London, (Edward Furlong; American History X, Terminator 2: Judgment Day) a world famous expert on dreams, is summoned to Arkham Asylum (no not where The Joker is kept between Batman films), to study the case of James Fhelleps/Joe Slater.
The story begins in 1998 when Jim Fhelleps (Corey Shane Love; Deadly Garage Sale, Girl Lost: A Hollywood Story)is admitted to prison for a crime he claims he didn’t commit. His cellmate Sturgis (Brandon Kirk; The Purgation, Scalper) attempts to force him to give him a BJ. As horrific as that sounds it gets worse when what pops out of his pants looks more like a pissed-off lamprey with a mouth full of teeth. He promptly bites it off and puts a beat down on Sturgis and proclaims that he is Joe Slater.
He’s sent to the Asylum where Dr. Willet (Steve Railsback; Deadly Games, The Stuntman). Years later renowned oneirologist, that’s a dream expert in less fancy talk, London arrives on the request of Dr. Barnard (Susan Priver; Dead Mail, Night Caller) to examine James Fhelleps/Joe Slater now played by Robert Miano (Bloodslinger, Legend of Fall Creek). It seems both men are somehow present in the same body. As London tries to unravel the mystery he begins to have nightmares of his own when his wife Sonia (Ginger Lynn; Murdercise, New York Ninja) tries to comfort him he sees the same mutant dick we saw at the start of the film spring from between her legs.
Very loosely based on Lovecraft’s story, Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep is the film we expected Suitable Flesh to be, a bloody, twisted tale that at times evokes memories of Re-Animator and From Beyond only here the other reality is reached through sleep, no Resonator required.
Ferrin serves up a demented tale of hillbillies, incest possession, cannibalism and horny nuns as these entities from another world run amok in ours intent on bringing on the return of the Old Ones. Helping to keep this all from going completely off the rails is an unexpectedly well-done performance from Furlong who I hadn’t seen in so long that I thought he’d retired. He stands out in a cast that also includes Lew Temple (The Devil’s Rejects, The Black Mass), Robert Rhine (Bound X Blood: The Orphan Killer 2, Fangs Out) and Bai Ling (The Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms, The Crow) who looks more grotesque than the alien creature when it makes its appearance.
Speaking of grotesque Joe Castro (Pater Noster and the Mission of Light, The Summer of Massacre) provides plenty of that both in terms of creatures, mutant cocks and plain old gore as the story unfolds. The film’s budget, or lack thereof shows here though as there doesn’t seem to be enough extras for the scenes of rampaging inmates on their killing spree effects in front of the viewer, and the final apocalyptic images are a bit on the cheesy side. The film still manages to put a lot of impressive effects in front of the viewer and cinematographer Jeff Billings (American Dream, Pig Killer) is there to make them look as horrific as possible.
Despite its budgetary woes, Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep manages to be one of the best takes on Lovecraft’s work to hit the screen in a long time, fans of the author, or of horror in general should have a fun time watching it.
**** 4/5
Breaking Glass Pictures released Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep on digital platforms worldwide on March 4th.
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