The Chair (movie)

The Chair (movie) 
2016 (NR) 94 min. 
http://bit.ly/2cPSQbV 
Director: Chad Ferrin; Writers Erin Kohut and Peter Simeti 
Featuring: Bill Oberst Jr., Roddy Piper, Naomi Grossman, Timothy Muskatell, Noah Hathaway, Zach Galligan, Ezra Buzzington, Kyle Hester, Derrick Damions, Kin Shriner, Susan Eisenberg, Jacob Banser, John Siciliano, Tomas Boykin, Robert “Corpsy” Rhine, Joe Laurinaitis, Joseph Pilato, Jack deLyra, Harley Burks, Zebadiah DeVane, Christian Hutcherson, Michael Berthold, Brent Anthony, and Andrew Marheineke. 

On death row no one is innocent…including the guards. In this film adaption of the Alterna Comics’ graphic novel of the same name http://bit.ly/2dGtjYY, inmate Richard Sullivan (Timothy Muskatell) finds himself on death row surrounded by murderers, rapists, and pedophiles. His pleas of innocence echo hallow off the filthy prison walls as Murphy (Roddy Piper) and other sadistic guards abuse Sullivan and the others in the most horrendous ways they can imagine, all under the approving eye of the merciless Warden (Bill Oberst Jr.)! Make no mistake about it, this is one brutal movie. The maddening isolation of the caged inmates is only overshadowed by the vicious torture they endure at the hands of the guards and warden once they are taken out of their cells! 

This movie works on several different levels. The creepy prison set design and sinister props and wardrobe all contribute to a feeling of dread and despair. The lighting makes effective use of heavy shadows to frame desolate looking rows of prison cells where inmates and guards alike are bathed in pools of pale gray, broken only by the crimson splatter of blood. The musical score used throughout the film maintains a haunting theme that reverberates from scene to scene like mad screams down an empty hall. The acting is convincing and all of the actors are fully committed to their characters. Timothy Muskatell thrives in his role as a condemned man going crazy as he proclaims his innocence to deaf ears. Bill Oberst Jr. brilliantly portrays a damaged boy that has grown into a sadist with absolute power over the helpless. Roddy Piper (in what had to be one of his last roles) delivers a resounding role as the cruel guard bent on administering his own unique punishment to those he thinks are deserving. And then there’s Naomi Grossman (the mother). Probably best known for her role as Pepper in American Horror Story, in this movie she provides an emotionally charged performance that’s truly disturbing and hard to shake! 

There’s a lot to The Chair. Realistic horror, distressing cruelty, and a solid story that’s well developed and brings all the pieces together! Start your Halloween season off with a visit to The Chair in a city near you! Tickets at http://bit.ly/2cPSQbV

via Almost Normal Comics on Tumblr at http://bit.ly/2cPRUVc