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Fear Eats The Seoul: THE AWARD-WINNING FILM!!

Today is November 11, 2012.  One year ago I made a decision to leave Korea and find my way as a filmmaker.  This led me back to the states where I struggled to identify with “Home.”   I had no idea how to proceed now that the film was finally finished.  

“Do I move to Hollywood?  Do I move back to NYC?  Do I fly back to Seoul?”  

Nothing felt right at the time…  And that is what I have spent the last year of my life trying to explore.  ”What is right for me?  What do I want to do?  Where do I want to be?”

More importantly, “Who am I?”  

Twelve months become a year faster than we’d all like to admit.  But it should never be the method in which we measure our time.  Time is measured in the scars left behind when we fight tooth and nail for what we believe in and the dreams we choose to honor.

2012 has been a journey of rebirth for me, as an artist and as a youth discovering his adulthood.  There have been many bumps along this road… Yet there have been far too many blessings to compensate for the bad.  And though the year has some way to go before it closes its curtain, one thing I know for certain is that nothing will be quite the same after this year.  20XII 

One year ago, around this same time, I finished my first feature film.  I have spent the last year, sometimes in auto-pilot mode, trying to push my film out into the world.

With the help of ultra-generous Kickstarter Contributors (many of whom I still owe rewards to), we were able to raise $ 3,000 dollars to throw the film at as many festivals as possible.  

I remember dragging friends with me to “support parties” where they grabbed Sharpie markers and helped me label disc after disc after disc for festival submissions, envelope after envelope after envelope.  There were times when I sat in a fast food joint with my mom, the two of us quietly labeling DVDs and shipping envelopes, but laughing about our “Korean Sweat Shop.”  

Back in April, upon my 25th Birthday, Fear made its way onto the festival circuit for the first time in Chicago.  There were about 15 people in that theater.  And I still wish I could have grabbed them all and given em big kisses and hugs and taken em out to drink and eat deep dish pizza.  They cared enough to sit through my film.  Who cares if they hated it, were bored, or had no idea why they walked in… they were there.

As the months passed, I continued my push of the film, with lots of rejection along the way.  The film was then received by the Action On Film International Festival in California.  As the film began to get accepted into more festivals I just couldnt believe that Fear was making its way in the world.  But it was.  I received my first nominations at that festival including: Best Horror Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Direction.  I remember jumping up and down, but feeling still grossly under-qualified to receive any nominations at all.

We didnt win any.  

And life went on.^^  The film made its way into Syracuse, Georgia and even arrived on local California TV for two nights.  

Around this time I departed the States to return to Korea after much soul searching on the streets of New York.  This came as no shock considering what my next film is about and where I needed to be in order to do it justice.  So I arrived back in Korea and I found myself confused by my constant shifting back and forth between homes (Worlds, really).  Naturally, I have had some doubts about the choices Ive made in the last few years.

It has become clear to me that the only feeling I truly understand right now is the feeling of floating.  

And for once, I am okay with it.  I understand the secret to success.  I am experiencing it as I write this, as I live through each minute of the day.  

If I remain honest to myself and I continue to just move forward, no matter how slowly or how painfully, then I am succeeding.  There is nothing more to it, than to be present and to not stop.

And today, one year to the day since I left in search of “Me,” I have the proud honor of announcing that little piece of shit film I have been carrying around for the last three years in my back pocket is now:

The Award-Winning Feature Debut by Nick J Calder

But not only has the film won a single award.  Today, I get to smile with my head held high and announce Six Wins:

2012 Official Winner: Best Horror Feature - Zeddie Award

2012 Official Winner: Best Screen Story - Zeddie Award

2012 Official Winner: Best Editing - Zeddie Award

2012 Official Winner: Best of Festival - Horror Quest Film Festival

2012 Official Winner: Best Cinematography - Horror Quest Film Festival

2012 Official Winner: Best Horror Feature - Midnight Black International Festival

“Fear Eats The Seoul is a very creepy film to watch. At first glance you might overlook it thinking it is just another zombie film, but there is a lot going on here. The combination of visual style and the dubbed over voices gives the feeling of a nightmarish dream. This is a fun and creepy flick that we hope finds a well deserved home in the hearts of horror fans. ”

-Horror Quest 2012

I also get to announce that the film has been accepted into its 8th Official Festival Selection and will Premiere in the UK on Friday January 18th, 2013 at the Horror On Sea Film Festival. 

This year, 20XII, closes a big chapter in the life of Nick Calder.  Fear is both an ending and a beginning.  

The process of rebirth is complete.  There is nothing more I could possibly demand of my first born film, Fear Eats The Seoul.  Three years ago when I first started, I would never have imagined that I would be able to call my first film an award-winning film.  Or even that it would be a feature.  Or that anyone would watch it.  

But life is good.  Life is beautiful.  Dont give up on it.  Be the magic you want to see in the world.  And stay brave.

If this year was about rebirth, then next year is about the Phoenix Rising.  

Were making magic.

-Nick Neon (XII)

Complete List of Awards and Selections:

2012 Official Winner: Best Horror Feature - Zeddie Award

2012 Official Winner: Best Screen Story - Zeddie Award

2012 Official Winner: Best Editing - Zeddie Award

2012 Official Winner: Best of Festival - Horror Quest Film Festival

2012 Official Winner: Best Cinematography - Horror Quest Film Festival

2012 Official Winner: Best Horror Feature - Midnight Black International Festival

 

2012 Official Nominee: Best Horror Feature - Action On Film

2012 Official Nominee: Best Produced Screenplay - Action On Film

2012 Official Nominee: Best Cinematography - Action On Film

2012 Official Nominee: Best Art Direction - Action On Film

 

2012 Official Festival Selection: Chicago Fear Fest

2012 Official Festival Selection: Action On Film International Film Festival

2012 Official Festival Selection: Syracuse Horror & More Film Festival

2012 Official Festival Selection: ShockerFest

2012 Official Festival Selection: Horror Quest Film Festival

2012 Official Festival Selection: Zed Fest

2012 Official Festival Selection: Midnight Black International Festival

2013 Official Festival Selection: Horror On Sea Film Festival

Watch Fear Eats The Seoul

September 15, 2011

Fear Eats The Seoul Accepted Into Fourth Festival!!!!

While waiting for my transfer flight in Shanghai, I was very pleasantly surprised to receive news of our FOURTH Festival Acceptance!!!  We started in Chicago back in April, moved to Cali in August, Fear moves up to Syracuse Mid-September, and now Atlanta, Georgia in October!!!

Fear has an official screening date & time for the Syracuse Horror & More Festival!  We screen Saturday September 15, 2012 at 4 PM.  ONE YEAR to the day that I completed the entire film.  Audrey Dimola, Producer & Rebel, will be in attendance to represent on my behalf!

More information on ticketing can be found here:  http://srscinema.com/horrorandmorefest/

Fear premieres in HOTLANTA opening night of HorrorQuest, Friday October 19 at 9  PM.  The festival is completely free so please spread the word for anyone who may know family and friends in Georgia!  

More information: http://www.thehorrorquest.com/2012_SCHEDULE.html

In other news, I have safely arrived back in the land of the Morning Calm to begin work on my next feature, A World Long Gone.  

The story has been rapidly evolving over the last few months and it keeps getting better.  Im really proud of the story Im crafting and I cant wait for everyone to experience the next film.  But for now Ill just have to pace myself.  First things first, a good script.  

Expect a series of Concept Artwork for A World Long Gone to begin trickling in the coming months as well as another big film announcement by the end of the year!^^

In all of my poverty and struggle, keep moving forward.  :)

XII

FEAR EATS THE SEOUL Receives FOUR AOF Award Nominations!

Debut in The Windy City

It all happened too quickly to process and now it’s over as I wander around downtown Chicago where juggernauts like The Dark Knight, Spider-Man, and Transformers have filmed.

At the first annual Chicago Fear Fest, watching all these other films and the directors behind them made me find peace with myself and boil my dreams down to the bare essence. I can only do me. I have a voice and it is my responsibility to take charge of it.

Telling the stories only I can tell, that’s the path for me. Amongst the clouds and passing planes I caught my next film in a net. Waiting for money is never a reason to hold off. Leap and the net will appear.

It’s starting to rain, I’m waiting for the train and it’s long ride back to NYC.

Fear was always the practice round, the warm up. The Mixtape.

Now I have joined the “My Film Played In A Movie Theater” club. Not a horrible way to start a future. Being the youngest of the group of directors, I was awkward at first. But as many of the supportive filmmakers finally pointed out, I have only turned 25. “You definitely have a career ahead of you.”

And I have every intention of proving to everyone who has supported me or dissuaded me that I am here to stay. And you will know it when you see it.

You can’t hit the bottom when all you believe is up.

[A World Long Gone] will be my first “real” film. The first LP.

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

NJ

Film Bizarro Reviews Fear Eats The Seoul

Reviewed by Ronny

“Nick Calder is definitely a perfect balance of artist and horror movie director. This means that he has all the potential in the world to achieve great things in his future endeavors.”

Plot:
English spoken foreigners are stuck in Korea after an epidemic breaks out. Demons are roaming the streets, and the group have to struggle to stay hidden from them. Soon they find out what the government is planning, and they realize they can’t continue to hide if they want to survive.

Our thoughts:
I’ll get this out of the way. “Fear Eats the Seoul” is the debut feature of Nick Calder, and no matter what people’s opinion is on the actual film in question they have to see what a great, slick production this is for a first-timer. It packs a lot of things that you rarely see in debuts, and while I don’t know what he has spent his life doing before making this film I still feel that the production values and ideas in this film are much greater than most people’s first films. It’s extremely professional in most aspects, and I’ll get more into details later on. That said, there will also be some negative things to bring up, but it’s important to realize what a great effort this truly is.

“Fear Eats the Seoul” essentially shares most things with your typical zombie movie, but the monsters in this one aren’t really zombies. Unlike some films that have questionable zombies, these are definitely not just brain-eaters. They’re fast, vicious, with weird Joker-esque faces (made by scars/wounds) and huge claws on their hands. So they’re not zombies, but the easiest comparision is with that genre. We have a number of English spoken people in Korea. Out main lady, for example, is an English teacher is Korea. They all have to take shelter once the city is over-run by these bloodthirsty demons that we don’t really know much about. But when they stumble upon a Korean woman, she tells them that the government is planning to nuke the city to get rid of the infection that is spreading. The group realize they have to get out of there.

Like I said, it’s a very zombie-ish story, but there is no question about the monsters - they are definitely not zombies. The movie is quite interesting, though, because while it is frequently action-filled already from the beginning, it feels more like a drama piece than horror/action. They often have to fight off these demons, and that brings a lot of stressful situations, but at the same time it focuses so much on the characters, their relationships and their backstories. This is both good and bad - I think the fact that it’s basically the same from the beginning to start, going from action to drama and drama to action through-out, gets a bit boring. It doesn’t have a build-up of the break-out because it’s already there when we start the movie. We basically have to sit through the same stuff up until the end, and it gets tedious.

However, the stories that the characters tell are rather interesting and I think the idea is very interesting too. It’s not easy to perfectly balance these things, and I think even though “Fear Eats the Seoul” is a bold attempt it doesn’t really work for full 99 minutes. Had it been a more linear story, where it goes from early infection, to full infection and finally the escape, I would’ve been more involved in the entire story and its characters. When we are given too much too early, and it stays at that pace, it’s hard for it to be exciting through-out.

I really liked the action scenes, though. The demons are simple but still very interesting to watch - they come off as rather animalistic and that’s just great, and a lot more scary. The action scenes are shot in handheld so it does get a bit shakey at times, but overall I feel that they work well. You can say these scenes could vary a bit more as you can almost figure out what will happen.

The acting goes from bad to great, and that was a bit annoying. I think the narration was top class, but many of the lines spoken in dialogue feel misplaced at times. I couldn’t really feel for the main lady, she seemed a bit like a prude and wasn’t very relatable, and that does hurt the film a bit as well. I don’t know if she was written this way or if it’s something that came out of the actress, but it made it even more tedious to get through.

“Fear Eats the Seoul” isn’t fantastic and the reason for that is because it stays too much the same during the entire movie. The character backstories work, but the present time isn’t going through many changes and it tends to get boring at times. But the film overall is both visually great and ambitious, and I have to congratulate Nick Calder for his creation. It’s a lot bigger and professional than expected, and there’s no cheesiness to be found except for a few lines here and there. I think it’s a lot better than majority of zombie/vampire movies of recent years, and Nick Calder is definitely a perfect balance of artist and horror movie director. This means that he has all the potential in the world to achieve great things in his future endeavors.

Negative things:
- Couldn’t really care for the lead lady.
- It stays too much the same through-out. Would’ve wanted more of a progression.

Positive things:

- Great production values.
- I really did like the demons, even if I wasn’t sure what they really were.
- Good narration, which can sometimes be hard to pull off right.
- Has some great ideas.
- A lot of effort is put on the little things, such as end credits.

(Source: filmbizarro.com)

HORROR TALK REVIEWS FEAR EATS THE SEOUL

“Nick Calder has created something very different to what is normally expected from an epidemic movie and although it has its flaws, it shows promise for Calder’s career as a filmmaker.”

Reviewed by Charlotte Stear

“Fear Eats the Seoul tells the story of four English teachers in Korea who, after an unexplainable demon epidemic takes over the country, are forced together to stay alive in the most incredible of circumstances.

This is the first film from director Nick Calder, which was surprising to find out as it has a fresh look and interesting story that does not hint at a first effort. The cast does not let it down in that respect either, and it manages to have an all-round polished feel to it.

Some may be deterred from watching another monster movie like this, but Fear Eats the Seoul promises something different with its demons. They snarl and chase their prey like animals with Edward Scissorhand-like claws that at first glance are a bit ridiculous, but the style of shooting the action scenes means we never see too much and they become creepy and threatening. In fact, the way the demons move and stalk around is very reminiscent of the velociraptors inJurassic Park, they are not dumb zombies; these are things to be feared as they seem to know what they’re doing.

The way the camera moves during action scenes does create a good atmosphere, you never see too much so it doesn’t ruin the illusion, but it is so rapid and clumsy it gets quite confusing as to what is happening. Although it is a good device to heighten the panic of a situation, it made me quite nauseous at times as I’ve never been good with motion sickness, so maybe have some sea sickness tablets to hand just in case.

The story mainly surrounds lead character Nadia and her reasons for being in Korea, she is hot-headed and opinionated which makes her a tough lead to connect to. At times it is hard to stick with the film because it’s difficult to sympathise with her. But then again, it would be hard to react differently in her situation and as the film progresses she does thaw out, but not as much as she possibly could to connect with the audience.

We are also given background stories to the other main characters through flashbacks, which is a good way of breaking up the action and tension and connecting more with the characters. It is particularly interesting to see why these people are in Korea, and it will appeal to anyone who has traveled as the confusion and excitement that they all go through is something to identify with. These are five lost souls trying to find their way when something unbelievable happens to them, making it all the more sad and gripping.

Nick Calder has created something very different to what is normally expected from an epidemic movie and although it has its flaws, it shows promise for Calder’s career as a filmmaker.”

THREE out of five STARS

(Source: horrortalk.com)

FEAR EATS THE SEOUL WORLD PREMIERE

I’m so very excited to announce our first official festival selection in CHI-TOWN, USA!!!  This marks the first time the film is going to play before an audience that is completely unexposed to the film until now.    

You can check the official website for more details:

http://www.chicagofearfest.com

We screen on Saturday!

There is so much to say, so instead I will make it simple:

Don’t give up dreaming.  Eventually, someone else jumps onboard too.  :)

Thank you to everyone who supported Kickstarter again, this is possible through you.  

XII

ANDYERUPTS.COM Reviews Fear Eats The Seoul

“Many of the component parts here are truly well-done; Calder gets the most out of his cast with some convincing performances from those involved, the effects, mood and tone of the film are pitch-perfect…”

Reviewed by John Milton

“Zombie flicks are ten a penny with “the infected” storyline becoming more and more favoured by film-makers these days. How about demon zombies then? Ok, that got my attention too… Director and writer Nick Calder takes us to South Korea in his genre offering Fear Eats the Seoul.

Nick Calder’s own website offers the following synopsis by way of introduction:

‘We All Have Our Demons…

When South Korea is ravaged by a massive demon epidemic that nearly wipes out its entire population, four foreigners are forced to stick together to survive the fallout. After they encounter a Korean survivor who informs them that a nuclear purge of the country is imminent, they realize that escape is the only option. But nothing comes free, and to make it out alive they must overcome their differences and work together to confront not only the flesh-hungry demons waiting for them around every corner, but also the personal demons hiding within themselves.’

Setting aside my dislike for the pun-tastic title, I was looking forward to this film and within the first few minutes, I was drawn in to the story instantly. Proceedings open intriguingly and show a view of a nightmarish vision of Seoul with imagery that reminded me of something from Silent Hill- no mean feat since Silent Hillstill stands as the only computer game to actually give me the creeps.

As the story unfolds, we are introduced to a number of Americans living in Korea, teaching English; and how they are coping with the subsequent outbreak/epidemic/demonic plague a month after the initial incident. The group themselves, although sharing a common job, are the usual mixed bag of disparate individuals but such an assortment allows Calder to tell his story.

I was most appreciative of the fact that all the effects were practical in nature, lending an element of realism to the film that may have been absent in a bigger budget project that may have employed CGI. There was a particularly nice kill involving chopsticks that I will leave you to find out about for yourself!

My only problem with the effects employed were the fingers of the infected/demons. They just seemed comical when I think they were meant to be claw or talon-like.

As for Calder’s undead/demons, I had no issue with them on the whole. My sole concern arose when one of the survivors came across one of the demons, who was still wearing spectacles and high heels. I know women that can’t last a Saturday night without breaking heels that big, what chance would a demonic zombie have in them after a month? I digress…

Within the first few scenes, I thought I was to be treated to a story that was perhaps a little more like a play: set within the survivor’s flat and dealing with their own emotions, fear, hunger; and their own personal demons. This was not to be the case as the film progresses to repetitive scenes of the survivors scavenging and inevitably having to fight the undead.

The film itself was shot using handheld cams and results in many shaky scenes, close-ups, off-centre shots and generally trying my patience and giving me a headache; leading to a lack of comprehension on my part as to what is going on.

Fear Eats the Seoul is overall narrated by the protagonist and has some interesting moments. Nick Calder has created an impressive tale for his first feature film but for me, the movie really failed to satisfy. Many of the component parts here are truly well-done; Calder gets the most out of his cast with some convincing performances from those involved, the effects, mood and tone of the film are pitch-perfect but I can’t help but feel that the story could have been a little tighter, reducing the length of the movie, upping the pace and negating some of the more redundant scenes.

I look forward to seeing what Nick Calder has to offer the genre in the future.”

(Source: andyerupts.com)

MJ SIMPSON REVIEWS ‘FEAR EATS THE SEOUL’

“An impressive, original, sincere and mesmerising horror film.”

Review by MJ Simpson

“Well, here’s something you don’t see every day: a Korean/American miserabilist slacker zombie film.

Fear Eats the Seoul is very artistic and very indie. It’s all shot handheld and mostly framed off-centre or super-close so that characters are partially cropped. It’s 100 minutes long and much of that consists of people sitting around talking, or sometimes standing around talking, generally in a flat, listless monotone with lots of pauses before and after. And then, every so often, the pace picks up a bit when someone fights a zombie.

This makes the film sound pretty poor and in truth it’s not. It’s an impressive, original, sincere and mesmerising horror film. But if the previous paragraph puts you off, this probably isn’t the movie for you. It’s not conventional horror, it’s not for gorehounds. It’s for horror fans who want to see something different and who like to, you know, think.

Amber Green stars (and narrates) as Nadia, an American living in Seoul for a couple of years teaching English. Something unspecified has happened and the city is now virtually deserted except for roaming, hungry, animalistic zombies. Referred to as ‘demons’ in the publicity, we never get a really clear look at any of these as the zombie attacks are very fast-cut and very shaky. We can see that they have very long, sharp fingernails/claws. It’s a different look for what are, to all intents and purposes, zombies - and it works well. All credit to make-up FX designer Cho Young Hwa.

Nadia, a strong, bitter woman, is holed up in her flat with three other American EFL teachers that she has met since the unspecified disaster: grumpy Rufus (Miles Meili, also in ‘deep south horror’ Zydeco), meek Mary (Elinza Pretorious, who is actually South African) and relaxed Alex (writer/director Nick Calder, who was also DP and editor). They make occasional forays out into the city in search of food, where they target private property, so presumably the shops are by now all empty. Occasionally they have to face off against demons/zombies, smashing their heads in with whatever implement is to hand. The rest of the time, they sit around and mope. Not a lot else to do in Seoul these days, it seems.

On one excursion they come across Miji (Kim Hyun Do), a Korean nursery school teacher, and accept her into their group. But that’s four, now five, people holed up in a tiny one-bedroom flat and tensions are inevitable. Miji brings news that the zombie/demon problem is confined to South Korea and that a nuclear strike is scheduled a few days hence to wipe out the threat. Nadia proposes heading for the coast and commandeering a boat but first they need to find a car. This isn’t some dumb American thing where automobiles are routinely left with the key in the ignition when zombies go wild, or can be easily hotwired by any passing idiot. No, they actually need to find a car and the car keys that go with it. It’s not easy, but Miji thinks she can help.

Before this happens, they visit Olympic Park, just to get away from the confines of the apartment, but the fenced-in area is not as secure as they think it is and they are attacked, leading to tragic problems later on. I won’t reveal the ending, or whereabouts it lies on the bleakness-to-optimism scale, but it is slightly anticlimactic. Although I suppose that is in keeping with the generally bleak and depressing nature of the story and characters.

The film is divided into four sections, with title cards, and contains several flashbacks to earlier times, before the disaster. For example, after Alex realises that he has passed his 24th birthday without noticing it, there’s a scene of his older sister visiting him when he turned 23. The movie also has the unique schtick of dual subtitling: English subs for all the Korean dialogue and Korean subs for all English. I suppose that means it’s easily marketable in both territories…

Despite the violence of the zombie attacks (and the tension of trying to avoid them) this is a slow-moving, grim film, not unlike Andy Parkinson’s first two features in its outlook. If you reduce it to the core plot, it’s not too different from a hundred other zombie pictures but the mixture of western and eastern - both on screen and in the general approach - plus the restrained, pessimistic tone throughout (leavened only by the flashbacks of When Things Were Better) mark Fear Eats the Seoul as something unique. And yes, the title is a crappy pun, but this is a film about people’s crappy lives so I think it’s kind of appropriate.

A few cast/crew points of interest. New York-born Calder actually did work as an EFL teacher in Korea. However, he doesn’t speak Korean. Furthermore Kim doesn’t speak English so all conversations with her had to be translated (via Jo Young Hoon). Green and Pretorious starred together in Suicides in Vegas, a played which premiered in Seoul before touring Canada. Producer Whitney Thompson is not the skinny bit from America’s Next Top Model. Associate producer Raoul Dyssell is South African but now lives in Seoul. William ‘Sonny’ Sonbuchner, credited with ‘Demon Sound Design’ makes short comedies at www.thesonnyside.com. And there’s even a British contribution because the effective score was provided by my mate Scott Benzie!

Fear Eats the Seoul premiered in September 2011 with a Korean theatrical release the following month and a US premiere in New York in December. It’s a very impressive debut from Calder, who is still only 24, and it will be interesting to see where he goes next.”

MJS rating: A-

(Source: mjsimpson.co.uk/reviews)

Hacked In The Head Reviews ‘Fear Eats The Seoul’

Review by Mark Bullock

“Nick Calder’s Fear Eats The Seoul offers an interesting and original spin on the zombie (more like demon in this case) apocalypse scenario.

I was excited to check out this movie after viewing the trailer. It looked dark, creepy and action packed and the setting of a bleak and desolate South Korea gave it a fresh look. Although the film turned out to be a lot more dialogue heavy and lower on the action than I anticipated it was still an involving and original watch. 

The story centres on four English teachers who had travelled to Korea to work only to eventually find themselves in a devastating and terrifying predicament with seemingly no hope for rescue. It turns out that in the time since the four arrived, the whole of South Korea has been afflicted by a mysterious horror , turning the population into freakish demons with the scariest looking claws you will likely see in a horror movie. Being lucky enough to be alive and thus far unaffected by the epidemic the four must figure out a way to get to safety or face the gruesome transformation into demons as they have seen happen to so many others. One break of the skin from one of these creatures and that’s exactly what will happen. Add to this the personal demons of the four characters and effective flashbacks to their arrivals in Seoul before the horror began and you have a far more complex and layered movie than it might have been. Watching to find out if any of these characters would be lucky enough to make it to safety and normality makes for tense, edge of the seat viewing. I wont spoil anything by eleborating on this though!

The demon effects in Fear Eats The Seoul are incredible. The makeup work is second to none on the facial disfigurements and as previously mentioned, the claws are indeed scary. Think Freddy Kruegers glove mutated x10 and you have it!  

The actors all do a great job in the movie. I found Amber Green as sarcastic ‘Nadia’ to be extremely natural and she has some great/funny lines. Elinza Pretorius as ‘Mary’ also has a brilliantly acted scene involving an uncomfotable conversation with a slighty, shall we say crazy, young lady. 

The movie is extremely well shot and absolutely looks like a big screen release. Nick makes the most of the setting to create a sprawling and treacherous wasteland. The score is also both haunting and appropriate for the dire situation unfolding. 

I really look forward to hearing more about a wide release for the movie and would highly recommend checking it out. You can find out more about the movie over at the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fearseoul”

(Source: hackedinthehead.blogspot.com)

DEAD DERRICK Reviews ‘Fear Eats The Seoul’

Review by Derrick Carter

“Independent zombie films are a dime a dozen and it takes some real creativity to make an apocalyptic horror film that maintains the viewer’s interest. The disaster that befalls South Korea in FEAR EATS THE SEOUL is actually demon-related rather than involving zombies or nuclear war. It’s a bold idea that pays off in many ways and has a lot of ambition.

The film is narrated by our protagonist, who is one of a group of four English teachers who traveled to South Korea. Unfortunately, this was a mistake on their part, because a demonic epidemic is spreading across the country and soon our group are some of the only survivors left. With the impending threat of the county being blown to smithereens to contain the plague, our heroes must trek across a savage landscape where death could come at any moment. The film also shows moments from the characters’ past to give us more of a backstory on what kind of person they are.

Director/writer/actor Nick Calder realizes that to have a successful end-of-days type movie, you have to focus on one particular thing: your characters. If we don’t care about the lives at stake, then the movie will be boring and we will lose all interest within the first 20 minutes. I cared about these people and they spoke like a normal person would in this unthinkable scenerio. They make snide remarks and become even more desperate, reaching their emotional limits when the situation keeps going from bad to worse.

The acting ranges from good to a little shaky in places. Also, there is quite a bit of shaky cam which may turn some people off. The look of the demons is pretty neat and you can really tell that the cast and crew made the most with what they had and put all their effort into making this idea come to life. The film is very professionally shot and looks much better than a lot of indie horror flicks out there right now (which look like they were shot in someone’s backyard with props from the dollar store). It’s a nice change of pace to see an indie effort come out that mostly succeeds in creating an original and well-written story.

Grade: B: FEAR EATS THE SEOUL is a good horror flick. I can’t think of another movie out that works exactly like it. It’s not a ripoff or a remake, just original. Sure, there are some of the usual pitfalls with independent film (some wavery acting and shaky-cam), but in the end this one is competently made and well-constructed. If you get an opportunity, check out FEAR EATS THE SEOUL!”

(Source: deadfilm.net)

FIRST US REVIEW of FEAR EATS THE SEOUL

“Calder skillfully pieced together a horror flick, ripe with depth and subtle original twists to the genre.”

Review by

Film & Television Critic Michael Stahl

Fear Eats the Seoul debuted in the United States last night to a quaint group of twenty-to-thirty-somethings, who could not have known what to expect from the cherubic NJ Calder on his maiden feature film effort.  With a budget of $4500, Calder skillfully pieced together a horror flick, ripe with depth and subtle original twists to the genre.  Set in Seoul, South Korea, it is about four English teacher transplants trying to survive a sudden zombie apocalypse, while facing their own unsavory character flaws.  Mirrors are a prevalent symbolic presence, representing a forced reflection that the protagonists must have of themselves if they are going to deal with the “demons” and get along with each other.  After locking themselves into a safe haven, the foursome find that, aside from hunting for food and debating what their next move will be, there’s not a whole lot to do.  The stress and tension build as the realtime vignettes pull viewers into a setting saturated with conflict.

In the spirit of 28 Days Later, Fear Eats the Seoul is better characterized as a drama with zombies as opposed to a traditional gore fest, like Dead/Alive and Dawn of the Dead.  With expected budgetary constraints, Calder knew he had to piece together images that suggest devastating violence instead of putting it on gratuitous display.  The result proves Calder a prodigy in that often overlooked editing portion of the filmmaking skill set.  Couple the quick cuts with near seizure-inducing focus shifts, throw in a sickly tense score, and voila: a highly entertaining, gripping movie emerges.

Another applaudable aspect of the film is Calder’s awareness of the need for the zombies to be stylized.  He challenged himself to be original.  Though inspired by Freddy Krueger, the “demons” as they are called (a play on the “inner demons” that the characters must face), are different from the monster predecessors that fans of the genre have seen countless times before.  Once transformed, the demons develop a predatory tool with their fingers having turned into elongated root-like claws.  The faces of the demons resemble a somehow even more horrifying version of Heath Ledger’s Joker of The Dark Knight fame and these zombies are fast and smart too.

Calder appeals to the horror die hards though by lifting the premise that once a human’s skin has been broken by a demon, they too turn into one.  This sets up the inevitable moment where a character must choose to become malevolent towards someone who, moments earlier, were quite dear to them.  Perhaps the best example of Calder’s ability to be true to the genre, yet unique is the kill method that must be employed, which involves pinpoint blows to an undead head, originating from the unquestioned foundational film Night of the Living Dead, but with a symbolic variation that astute viewers will find themselves pondering in between late night shuddered looks around their apartment.

Opportunities to view NJ Calder’s Fear Eats the Seoul may be limited, but should you over the course of the next year or so find it listed on the queue of a local indie film festival, a download of a couple of etickets to your smart phone should happen as quickly as you can say “Soju Hangover.”

More reviews and information on Michael Stahl over @ http://wpeckepa.wordpress.com/

(Source: wpeckepa.wordpress.com)