Strangeland

1998 "Wanna come to a party?"
5| 1h26m| R| en| More Info
Released: 02 October 1998 Released
Producted By: The Shooting Gallery
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

A pierced and tattooed sadist, Captain Howdy, trolls the Internet for naive teens, luring them to his home to torture and defile them. When Howdy kidnaps and tortures the daughter of police Detective Mike Gage, he is caught. Deemed insane, he is sent to an asylum but is released soon after, seemingly better. However, Gage knows it is only a matter of time before Howdy strikes again, and he's ready to unleash his own form of retribution when the time comes.

Genre

Horror

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Director

John Pieplow

Production Companies

The Shooting Gallery

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Strangeland Audience Reviews

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.
Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
himself2121 This movie really surprised me. I expected it to be a violent porno from what I've heard. But it surprised me, it actually was very interesting. Dee Snider did a very good job. He definitely created a new horror icon. He was like Buffalo Bill, Freddy Kruger, And others mixed. He put on a very creepy Performance. He did a great job. The ending was pretty cool too. It was a fight scene between Dee Snider and Gage. In the end, Dee dies. The movie has a great soundtrack. With music by bands such as Sevendust, Marilyn Manson, Kid Rock, Twisted Sister, and many more. I purchased the DVD, as well as the amazing soundtrack. I suggest buying both. Overall, this was a great film, and i highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Silence of the lambs, Seven, Nightmare on elm street, and others similar films. The reason i gave the film a 7 is because there were some mistakes, Some of the acting was kinda cheesy. But beside that, this was a great film, and i highly recommend it to all.
miotas-sisceal Strangeland seems to have a love/hate relationship with many of its viewers. I personally loved the movie, and everything about it.The acting in some places could be improved upon, but the filming adds to the atmosphere where the acting can't. In some areas, the dialogue is a bit cheesy and over dramatic, but really, what do you expect from the late 90s? Over all, Dee did an amazing job in writing what I believe to be one of the most terrifying thrillers I've ever seen. It plays on the fears of many age groups--adult, parents, and children. Every parent fears that their children will get too involved with chat rooms and will meet strangers from the internet. And it *does* happen in the real world. And every child and adult fears being kidnapped and tortured against their will; that happens too in the real world. Which is what makes this movie such a sensitive subject for many.My only warning is if you *know* you are sensitive to things such as strong violence, visible torture, and gore, then you do *not* want to see this movie. If you are unsure about if this movie will entertain you, then read as many reviews as you can, ask people you know who have seen this movie, and be prepared to turn the movie off at any time should you become disturbed.
tonymurphylee 1/2 out of ****This film has officially taken the beauty of a human body, and made it something ugly. It's really too bad. This film is very stupid and really quite unpleasant. Sure, it may not be no CHAOS(2005), but it is certainly very cheap and dumb. At least it actually has a real message though. Beware of strangers on the internet. This is a good lesson and a good message, so for that, the film at least has something to be proud of. But otherwise, i feel that the film is a waste of time and money.The plot revolves around Captain Howdy, a foolish goofy looking man who enjoys kidnapping young people, tying them up, and... piercing them?!?! now obviously, this guy is a sadist, but not in the traditional sense. You see, this is all he does. He doesn't kill them(at least on purpose as it seems), he doesn't appear to sexually violate them, he doesn't even really threaten them all that much. At least at first! There comes a point in the film where a particular thing happens to him for a particular reason by some particular people. I don't dare to reveal what, but somehow this causing him to not only pierce, but rape and kill. It doesn't really make much sense.Listen, if you are a fan of horror movies or Dee Snyder, you deserve better. I just happen to think that one of the most attractive people in the movie making business is Linda Cardellini, and she is in this film. But she is wasted and used and her body is shown being distorted and destroyed in this terrible film. I think that it is awful that she was used that way in a film like this. I find this film to be very boring and ponderous and not at all scary. don't watch it.Rated R for strong graphic torture/violence, language, nudity and sexuality.
gavin6942 The sadistic Captain Howdy (Dee Snider) lures kids to his lair of torture and bondage via the Internet. After being caught (by the police father of one of the victims) and released, will the reformed Howdy be accepted into society? Will he accept the society? Is he reformed? I call this a 1990s horror film because unlike any other horror film that I can think of, this one really drove home the 90s underground scene: piercing, tattoos, leather, industrial music, bondage. These things existed in the 1980s and the 2000s, but as someone who grew up in the 90s, I can tell you that they were by far the most prominent from 1994 until 1999. My friend Jason even goes so far as to say this film is more of an advertisement for a lifestyle than it is a horror film. He may be right.Another great thing about this as a 90s film is the use of the Internet. It may not be the first horror film to utilize the Internet, but it stands out for me as one of the earliest to really make it a central theme. Later films would use the Internet and computers as killers or as tools for killers ("Stay Alive", "Pulse", "Watch Me", and even "Memory" with Billy Zane). But the late 90s were the days of the Internet boom, and this really shows the danger of online chatting before even MySpace existed. (Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year I would meet most of my online acquaintances.) The film draws on a history of horror with its use of the "Captain Howdy" name (the ghost from "The Exorcist") and the inclusion of Robert Englund, as well as some subtle (or not-so-subtle) "Nightmare on Elm Street" references. The movie knows it really isn't covering any new ground, and pays proper tribute to its ancestors.I don't think this one should be dismissed as just a period piece. Sure, it can be described that way, but look at what it set up. There's the computer aspect I already mentioned, but also look at the bondage and torture. Today, torture in films is big business ("Hostel", "Saw") and this film beat them to the punch. Again, it's likely not the one that started the torture subgenre, but I think it may have been one of the biggest films of its time.I recommend this film. If you grew up in the 1990s, you might have a better appreciation for it, but overall it's a good exploration of horror and Gothic themes. Dee Snider knows his stuff, and he has earned his place as the DJ for Fangoria Radio. I only wish he would make another film, if he has it in him to match or improve upon what he laid down here.