Starting today, director Tyler Russel‘s star-studded horror comedy “Cyst,” starring Eva Habermann, George Hardy, Gene Jones, Greg Sestero and Jason Douglas, is available for purchase or rental from many VoD portals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The film, released on UCM.ONE‘s B-Spree Pictures label, was shot in Baltimore, the third most dangerous city in the US. At night there, gunshots can be heard regularly from neighborhoods that should be avoided at all costs. But at Harbor Craft Studios, where Dr. Guy’s 1960s office was designed and built as a backdrop especially for the film, the team and actors were able to feel completely safe.
Synopsis:
USA in the 1960s: dermatologist Dr. Guy (George Hardy) is obsessed with achieving a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of cytology. To this end, he has developed an apparatus that can remove cysts of any size, minimally invasively for the patient, by means of a laser beam and a suction device. The big day has come – after a failure at the first presentation, now the commission of the Patent Office is to be convinced of the functioning of the apparatus. Nurse Patricia (Eva Habermann), who has experienced first-hand that the device is far from being fully developed and who is therefore eagerly awaiting her last day at work and the end of her shift, assists Dr. Guy with the demonstration. For this, a patient has been chosen on whose back a huge cyst has grown. But the procedure goes wrong…
About Tyler Russell:
Tyler Russell first began his film career as a grip and camera assistant on various short films and shot his debut feature “Pac-Man: The Movie” in 2008. After working on TV formats such as “The Taste” (2013) in the interim, his first feature film “Here Comes Rusty” was released in 2016, followed by his short film war drama “Shilo” in 2017. That same year, he shot the short film “Texas Cotton,” which would become his second full-length feature in 2018. The main roles here were taken by Jason Douglas, George Hardy and Gene Jones, whom he also hired for his last feature film to date, “Cyst” (2020).
All effects in the film are “handmade”, i.e. not computer generated, in the style of the good old monster movies of the 60s. Sometimes the actors performed in parallel as puppeteers to breathe life into the cyst. The final fight between the eye of the cyst and Patricia was played by Eva Habermann herself. Otherwise, the smaller cyst was moved with threads that were later retouched.
“Cyst,” an excellent horror comedy following in the footsteps of H.P. Lovecraft in the style of the B-movie horror hits of a Roger Corman, Jack Arnold and William Castle from the 50s & 60s with uncompromisingly modern effects work, had its theatrical premiere at the Arrow-FrighFest Festival on Oct. 24, 2020 in London and also screened at the Splat!FilmFest horror film festival in Poland.
Press reviews:
– “I can’t stop being amazed. It’s the kind of monster nonsense I love.” (Letterboxd.com)
– “…Trashy horror comedy in the best Troma and Roger Corman style that should bring a smile to the faces of all fans of gross-out body horror.” (Filmfeed.com)
– “Trash fans, look no further! Tyler Russell’s vintage monster movie is a heap of fun filled with blood, chicks, and ominously slimy bodily fluids.” (HeyGuys.com)
– “One of those kinky and bloody horror films that just makes me want to puke.” (FirstShowing.net)
– “If Dr. Giggles and Dr. Pimple Popper were to merge their practices, “Cyst” would become their collaborative project.” (Flickattack.com)
– “If, on the other hand, you prefer it when things get right down to the nitty gritty, the blood is just splattering and one crazy idea chases the next, “Cyst” should be more to your taste.” (filmstarts.com)
– “”Cyst” is an homage to science fiction monster movies of the fifties and sixties, drenched in all manner of bodily fluids.” (filmfeed.com)
– “The real star of “Cyst” is the monster. Created by a mix of handmade effects and actors in suits, this hulking abomination looks like something straight out of John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” and every second it appears on screen is a reminder of the good old days of classic effects, before CGI ruined everything.” (dreadcentral.com)
– “All in all, “Cyst” is a fun and silly monster movie that pays homage to the monster movies of the 50s and 60s. It’s funny and well acted, the highlights being George Hardy and Eva Habermann.” (jumpcutonline.co.uk)
– “Be warned: a strong stomach is required from the moment the film begins!” (jumpcutonline.co.uk)
– “Delightfully level-headed, this B-movie style horror-comedy from U.S. director Tyler Russell is a delight. From the start, things get pretty nasty in “Cyst,” with cysts being squeezed out and pus pouring over people and walls.” (outnow.ch)
More information about the movie: Cyst
