A lonely hunting cabin deep in the woods. Friends with a terrible secret to hide. And a malevolent force seeking revenge. Yep, sounds like all you need for a gore fest called GUT PILE. From the fun-loving horror aficionados at Sub Rosa Studios comes this tasty little flick that probably won't get Charlton Heston/NRA approval. And so a-huntin' we will go....

Dan waits patiently in the woods, listening intently for the sound of approaching prey. Suddenly, a branch snaps! Dan quickly loads his 12 gauge and fires a shot at the source of the sound. Rushing to the cornfield nearby, Dan finds his shot was true...but the spurting fountain of blood is not from a buck - it's some poor schmuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. Freaking out, Dan drags the body back into the woods and buries it. A 'force' seems to leave the burial site and heads towards a scarecrow watching over the killing field.

One year later, Dan is back with his buddies Mike and Bob for the next hunting season. Dan goes out alone to check the gravesite as Mike and Bob ready for the following day's hunt. In the woods, Dan is grabbed by the corpse's hand - or is it just a hallucination of his own guilt? As he walks through the cornfield on his way back to the cabin, the scarecrow's head turns and follows. That night, the guys sit around, drinking beer, playing cards and bitching about life. The evil force moves from the field towards the house, causing havoc with the cabin's water supply. Bob is forced to do his 'business' in the old outhouse, but the force attacks the structure! Bob flees, but his lantern is knocked about and causes the outhouse to catch fire and explode in flames! (Damn that methane!) Mike realizes he's out of smokes, so he and Bob decide to go to the local store for more; Dan wants to go to bed and rest up for the next days' hunting. As the boys get into Mike's truck, the force renews its attack! Mike manages to start the vehicle and bolts, but poor Bob is not so lucky. Chased by the force, Bob is caught and slammed into the woodpile. Soon, he is strung up like a deer carcass, and the force picks up an ax. Meanwhile, oblivious to all this chaos, Dan slumbers on. What horrors will Dan face when (and if) he wakes? Bob is pretty much doomed, but will Mike escape the evil in the woods? Will the force exact its revenge? Inquiring minds do want to know.

Now I know what you're thinking - this plot seems awfully familiar to some other low budget film called EVIL DEAD. Well, according to director Jerry O'Sullivan, GUT PILE was made as homage to Sam Raimi's landmark horror opus, and its influence is all over this film. Much of the Ôevil force' is shot using the steady-cam techniques from EVIL DEAD, as well as many of the crazy angle and effect shots. O'Sullivan also insures GUT PILE has a weird sense of humor running throughout - I laughed out loud at the initial gore effect. Like Raimi, O'Sullivan realizes sometimes the best way to go is over the top. There are really only three actors, and each does a good job giving their character individual nuances; Dan is angst-ridden, Mike's over-bearing, and Bob is the wuss. Their dialogue and interplay comes across as completely natural, and it looks like they all had a fun time making the movie. The editing and directing are handled very well - shots are carefully constructed for maximum effect. The picture quality does have some slight variations depending on indoor/outdoor scenes, but the results are not really significant. Lighting, such a problem for many low budget film, is very good, especially the interior scenes. Sound quality does fluctuate a bit - there's some humm evident in the outside shots - but is over all fine and distinct. The music score adds a creepy dimension to GUT PILE's effectiveness.

Included on the GUT PILE DVD is a host of extras. Foremost is a 'behind-the scenes' featurette, which is very informative and entertaining. Tidbits like the origin of the film (from two 16mm films O'Sullivan made in his youth), and the 2-year weekend film shoot (everybody has a 'real' job, so they had to shoot around everyone's work schedule). Definitely worth watching. Also included are two Sub Rosa shorts - STUMPED, a clever twist on "The Hand," and I'VE KILLED BEFORE, about a young girl who wishes to apprentice to a serial killer. They're a nice addition to the feature, and STUMPED at least is worth your time to take a look.

Wholly influenced by San Raimi's EVIL DEAD, GUT PILE nonetheless is an intense, forbidding work on a low budget. A general spooky atmosphere and solid characters, story and production make this a cut above the usual gore film. Just do be careful where you step....