The Boneyard Collection (2008)
This ... comedy horror anthology consists of four separate short films connected by interwoven host segments featuring the late Forrest J Ackerman in his greatest role, Dr. Acula, and rising star Danielle James (HBO’s True Blood), as well as Dena Wilkenson and Andrea Gaspar.
Produced by Edward L. Plumb and L.J. Dopp, “The Boneyard Collection” consistently lampoons the various elements of show business. Two of the shorts are faux movie trailers. In one, an all-girl rock band is booked to play a gig in a town overrun by flesh-eating zombies. In another, a coven of beautiful witches conjures up Brad Dourif as The Devil, and endures the inept attacks of witch-killer Ken Foree. George Kennedy and Susan Tyrrell are also featured in this short, titled, “The Devil’s Due at Midnight.”
In the first long segment, “Her Morbid Desires,” written-directed by Plumb, based on a short story by Brad Linaweaver, an actress climbs to the top in Hollywood – thanks to advice from her aunt, played by Tippi Hedren – with the lead role in a vampire movie opposite Ronn Moss as Dracula and Kevin McCarthy as a Monk, only to discover starlets are being murdered on-set. Robert Loggia and William Smith play directors, and British horror goddess Barbara Steele plays the author of the romance novel turned cinematic bloodbath.
In another long segment, “Cry of the Mummy,” written-directed by Dopp, the reincarnated mummy, Shepseskaf, last pharaoh of the 4th dynasty, looks to sue the movie studios because he can’t work as a mummy. His new lawyer offers to represent him as an agent, but “Shep” will only work in film if he can direct. Candy Clark plays beastly literary agent Jane Torquemada, and The Improv founder Budd Friedman plays himself, throwing the mummy offstage for bombing at standup.
The eclectic cast includes eight Academy Award nominees (plus Oscar winner, Kennedy), and two Golden Globe winners – as well as three Emmy nominees and one winner.
The late Bobby “Boris” Pickett appears, as do Brinke Stevens, Hannah Harper, Peter Atkins, George Clayton Johnson, Rachel Melvin from Days of Our Lives, Wayne Kramer of MC-5, Ric Parnell from Spinal Tap, and many others – including several surprise guests. (http://theboneyardcollection.com/)
