The Black Waters of Echoes Pond (blu-ray)

When popularity strikes, I never pay attention or care. It's just something that never peaks my interest, as with being an underground horror fan, I can't care about something being mainstream or loved by the masses. It's not in my nature. As is the case with Black Waters of Echoes Pond, this film was pretty much forgotten by everyone when it made it all the way to theaters. Including the drooges that occupy space in our beloved horror community. When Nicole and I were living in Champaign, there was a random afternoon when I was at work, sitting at my computer looking up movies in the theaters for us to go see that weekend. One of them was this. I had no idea what it was, but it sounded cool. I texted her and asked if she wanted to see it. She agreed. We went to the theater, and much to our joy and advantage, we were the only ones in the theater watching this. We had our feet up on the seats in front of us, talking regular volume and just having a fantastic time. We had such a great experience that we waited for it to be released on dvd and blu-ray. And waited. And waited. It seemed like it would never make it to store shelves when one day there were copies of it at Best Buy, and I bought the blu of it. Who knew an evil version of Jumanji would make for a nostalgic horror flick.

Of all the things to find mining in 1927, in Turkey, is a board game. A cursed board game.

This could easily be a scene from a Bioshock movie, if such a thing ever existed. Andrew Ryan.

I had a feeling that Heath Ledger had a younger gay brother.

    This "friend-pizza" has the thickest layer of salt that I've ever tasted.

Cool story, bro.

At least he didn't fall up the stairs.

Is that a world map of Tamriel?

You look a little hungry. Have a bite of this peanut butter and jealous sandwich.

B-movies are awesome. Shakespeare isn't.

  Yes, Satan?

Greed begets greed. And getting chunked with a chainsaw.

 When this charade finally puts itself to bed, I actually enjoy Black Waters of Echoes Pond for what it is at face value. It's literally if the board game of Jumanji worshiped Satan. And the situation of all of the main characters huddled together in this random cabin on an isolated island sort of reminds me of Evil Dead. Everyone ends up wanting to waste one another for some secret they have against their best-est of friends, and the game brings it out in everyone. There are some pretty brutal deaths contained herein, and even limbs and fingers get severed here and there to round the visceral violence out to boast this thing up to a respectable level of competence. Zits and zombies, if your mother wants to watch Jumanji, but you would rather be holding a seance' or praying to the Gods of death and violence-come to a happy medium and put on Black Waters of Echoes Pond. You'll both be satisfied. Remember that box of Cheez-its. It's all about those snacks.