Rob Zombie is stepping into the world of original horror filmmaking with Lords of Salem, and it’s probably hip to mock it, but there’s something great about Satanic messages in vinyl records that spin mysteriously backward – even if that idea itself isn’t all that original.
Fortunately for those genuinely interested (and those interested in more fodder for their mockery), Zombie has unleashed a ton of information about the film including a synopsis, some location scouting photographs, a few shots of a creepy mask being made by Wayne Toth (for all you special make-up effects nerds out there), and a long-form Q&A about the project.
CHUD has gathered all of this together in one handy post, and here’s the synopsis (originally via Shock Til You Drop):
Heidi, a blond rock chick, DJs at a local radio station, and together with the two Hermans (Whitey and Munster) forms part of the “Big H Radio Team.”
A mysterious wooden box containing a vinyl record arrives for Heidi, a gift of the Lords. She assumes it’s a rock band on a mission to spread the word. As Heidi and Whitey play the Lord’s record, it starts to play backwards, and Heidi experiences a flashback to a past trauma.
Later, Whitey plays the Lord’s record, dubbing them the Lords of Salem, and to his surprise, the record plays normally and is a massive hit with his listeners.
The arrival of another wooden box from the Lords presents the Big H team with free tickets, posters and records to host a gig in Salem. Soon, Heidi and her cohorts is far from the rock spectacle they’re expecting. The original Lords or Salem are returning and they’re out for blood.
“The Two Hermans” was a folk band I knew back in high school.
There is definitely some rotting cheese to be found here, but with a project like this, it’s all in the execution. If audiences have lambasted Zombie for a lack of subtlety or craftsmanship since Devil’s Rejects, this might be a perfect opportunity for him to respond to that my making a truly tense slow-burn flick. Here’s hoping he does.
What say you?
Related Topics: Horror
