Skull Heads (2009)

 

Here we have another film from the mind of director/writer/producer/chief/cook/and bottle washer Charles Band called Skull Heads.  Skull Heads is about an eclectic (to put it nicely) family that has shunned society and is holed up in an Italian castle.  The movie features Robin Sydney who has been in a ton of Full Moon features so I guess it is safe to say she is a Charles Band girl.  Sydney plays teen-aged Naomi who is often punished by her father who ties her up on the medieval torture device called "The Rack".  Also in the castle is the father's mentally retarded half brother Peter who is portrayed by Italian film veteran Giacomo Gonnella who the father emotionally abuses.  The Skull Heads end up being little creatures with big heads that are in the castle and are considered by Naomi's grandfather to be the family's guardian angels.  

 

One day three Hollywood producers show up wanting to use the family's castle as a place to shoot their upcoming film.  The father tells them they cannot use the castle and demands they leave.  Naomi, wanting any distraction she can get from her life, invites the group  over for dinner.  Of course her father doesn't know about this until they show up the next day.  While having dinner the producers hear noises and ask what is making the noise.  The family explain that the Romans buried the dead in catacombs under the castle and the guardians that are making the noise were created by witchcraft to protect the catacombs and the resting dead.  The family then give the producers a tour of the castle and the producers are very happy that they can film their movie there.  Now here's the rub; they are not movie producers but art thieves who believe there is plenty of chances to make a killing with some of the stuff in the old castle.  The Skull Heads are having none of it and will protect the family at all costs.

 

The Skull Heads are of course more puppets made by the Full Moon productions special effects team.  So Charles Band.  In an old castle.  With a weird ass family, just wait until you see Grandpa.  With puppets?  I say "Yes, please.", because this is where Band shines.  So why isn't this better than it is?  On paper it's classic Full Moon/ Charles Band stuff so I know what to expect.  Problem is the Skull Heads in the movie basically do nothing so I don't know what all the hype and build up was for.  Some comical moments and some good "WTF?" horror moments notwithstanding this one is a dud otherwise.  I'll give it two very special brother/sister relationships out of five.