THINGS is the quintessential basement horror film and if you’ve endured it, you are most definitely aware of its low-budget charms and transcendent surrealism. At first glance the film seems supremely crude and amateurish, but beneath it’s oozing façade lies a sincere mediation on suburban boredom. From scene one, THINGS takes you back to the time you and your middle shool metal friends toyed in the backyard with ketchup and retractable knives. But did you make it to 90mins with Uncle Ned’s camcorder? Did you post-dub the dialog? And sell the home video rights to Mel Lieberman? Co-Directors Barry Gillis and Andrew Jordan did. And they got the film distributed throughout North America, scored a cameo performance from then adult film star Amber Lynn and landed two(!) major local network news interviews (as seen above).

In the upcoming the special edition DVD (in-stores everywhere on July 12th), Co-Director Andrew Jordan says, “THINGS really isn’t a horror film, it’s a post-modern film about filmmaking.” Now let that sink for second. Ok. That might sound preposterous, but really, if you’ve seen the film and digested it, it mostly really is! THINGS is the cinematic process of two metal friends who bonded in the horror VHS era (many of which were banned in Ontario at the time), having fun drinking beers, referencing George Romero and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and splashing blood, slime and red and blue lighting schemes around Mom’s house. That compounded with its chronic technical clumsiness, THINGS plummets blissfully into Intervision’s outsider cult cinema canon. Now, enjoy Co-Director/Co-Producer/Co-Writer/Star Barry J. Gillis’ one of two television appearances promoting THINGS. Note: Chyrons were added to the TV spot later by Gillis and Jordan.

Have a great holiday weekend everybody!