Earlier this year Hollywood was rocked by the independent slasher film Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Rhys Frake-Waterfield, the movie’s director, writer, and producer showed the world for the first time it was possible to take advantage of children’s franchises after they enter public domain by turning them into gruesome horror films.
A rushed film with a budget of only around $100,000, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey was a worldwide success that made over $5 million at the box office.
The film is now set to have a sequel as well as multiple spin offs based on other literature for children such as Bambi and Peter Pan.
There are a lot of controversial aspects surrounding the slasher flick.
From abusing iconic children’s franchises, to poor quality control, to even the overuse of cheap gore, but none quite as shocking as the film casting a porn star in a leading role.
Natasha Tosini stars as Lara, a university student who is staying in a rural cabin with her friends.
Natasha, as well as now being an accomplished movie star, is a porn star.
On a website known for adult content, Ms Tosini has branded herself “your hot celeb” who you can see nude for a low monthly price.
This sets a dangerously trashy precedent for the future of cheap horror flicks
Pornography is typically a pit of failed actresses who fell victim to their constant need for attention in one of the worst ways possible, and mostly nothing more.
Now, the industry is likely to be used as a pit which can be plucked from to put together cheap trashy movies with an even cheaper cast.
The 84 minute horror experience chose to be as distasteful as possible to the beloved children’s franchise in pretty much every way imaginable.
On one hand, I respect the innovation and unprecedented hustle which went into the film, but on the other, I wish they had classed it up by even a tiny bit.
There is a market of people who love buying tasteless horror flicks, but a part of me hopes Rhys Frake-Waterfield and his team will strive for something more substantial in the future.
In the meantime, expect to see A LOT more trashy horror with trashy stars. Thanks to Winnie-the-Pooh of all things, they aren’t going away anytime soon.
