Anthony Pittore III (Shattered_Wake)
Don't let the title fool you: This is not a VH1 game show starring teams of washed-up musicians. Don't expect any Flock of Seagulls or Hootie and the Blowfish in this one. Instead, we meet a group of up-and-coming musicians, an all-girl punk band that's touring cross-country and preparing to record their first album, with hopes of a label release. After an 'animal' drives them off the road in the middle of nowhere, the band (along with their manager and a member's boyfriend) are stranded without any means of reaching help. Things take a turn for the worst when the members of the group start to disappear, one by one, at the hands of an insane axe-murderer. Will help find them? Or is it already too late? Stump the Band is a film of 'almost's. It's almost funny, but some of the jokes fall flat at the punchline. It's almost horrific, but the brutality is pulled back too fast. The actors are almost talented, but their lack of consistency is a bit distracting. The writing/direction/cinematography: almost good. . . but, the dialogue gets a bit annoying, the direction is a bit off, and the cinematography gives the film a very cheap look. However, the girls are cute and they do include the obligatory all-nude skinny dipping scene. Actually, they include a whole lot of 'obligatory' things: the creepy crowd at a drive-by diner, the shady gas station attendants, the 'animal in the road,' the car problems, the abusive/controlling/douche bag boyfriend with the too-sweet girlfriend who refuses to leave him, etc. However, as a film that is paying homage to the 80s-style slashers that it holds its similarities to, using more than a few clichés isn't entirely unacceptable. And, unlike a film like Hatchet, Stump the Band manages to pay homage without stealing directly from the films of the past. Mostly. Looking past the flaws and accepting some of the mediocrity, I actually very much enjoyed it. It's nothing new, but somehow it is (if that makes sense). It maintains a good level of quirkiness and entertainment value, and should be very much liked by fans of the Friday the 13th-style slashers, with a twist of comedy.Final verdict: 6/10.
eecsmilemore
I was first introduced to this film at the Hollywood Dv festival. As the movie began I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I mean at first impression it is a total guy flick with hot girls playing rock music in a band. However, as the movie progressed the plot takes some unexpected twists and turns and I started becoming way more invested in the characters themselves. It got to the point where I knew I had to finish the movie otherwise it would have haunted me not to have known what happened. The story keeps you hooked along with witty and cleaver dialogue throughout which even makes the film humorous at times. It is a film I would definitely see again!
sugarpick
Thank goodness these film makers live in a time when they have film as an outlet for their very unusual minds! Throughout the film I was afraid to watch but more afraid not to, for fear I would miss a laugh. And there are laughs and gore galore in this story of an all-girl band and their trials and tribulations of life (and death) on the road. Lessons to be learned by future girl bands are...try to get along with everyone, beware of the locals, even if you like dogs and if your car breaks down, always resist the urge to go skinny-dipping.I hope the film makers make a sequel. If nothing else it will keep them off the streets!
pzentertainment
This film has a number of outstanding performances with the true delight being Larry Wyatt as the stumper(although the dog guy is pretty great, too). Beautifully underplayed and as frightening as any character I've ever seen in a horror flick. The tongue-in-cheek writing is first rate with plenty of chuckles to relieve the nervous anxiety that the darker aspects of the story line brings on. The she-rockers make a very believable band and work well together. Their back stories were very convincing. The ensemble was a perfect mix of conniving blood-suckers and thick-headed hangers-on, just what every band should have in their cotillion.I thoroughly enjoyed this film and I would highly recommend this instant classic to any fan of the horror genre!
