Into the Pit:
The Shocking Story of Deadpit.com (2009)
By Adam Beck • MovieMassacre.com
Directed by: Kelly Marcott
Written by: Kelly Marcott and Natalie Milbrodt
Released by: Rusty Robot Productions
In '07, the crew at Rusty Robot Productions took a road trip, traveling deep into the Appalachian mountains, to a small town in Eastern Kentucky called Prestonsburg (Population 2000). It is here in this montane community, where two lone horror fans by the name of Wes Vance and Aaron Frye would make history...launching the first ever "Horror Talk Radio Show" via the internet in December of 2005. What started out as a small hobby for these two genre enthusiasts, would eventually morph into a worldwide phenomenon in which neither one could have ever expected.
Since the inception of their "Deadpit Radio" program, Vance and Frye have managed to gain a huge amount of fame and recognition amongst the horror community and it's fan base. Under the radio persona's of "The Creepy Kentuckian" (Vance) and "Uncle Bill" (Frye), the duo takes to the airwaves every Friday, sharing their often brutally honest opinions on various horror titles and subjects; as well as speaking directly with some of the biggest names in the industry, including John Carpenter (Director of 'Halloween'), George A. Romero (Director of 'Night of the Living Dead'), Angus Scrimm (Star of 'Phantasm') and countless others. What this documentary essentially provides the viewer is an inside look into the inner-workings of Deadpit's home based radio program and its fun loving hosts, "CK" and "Uncle Bill".
I have to be perfectly honest in that I had no idea what to expect upon viewing this documentary. I'm quite familiar with Deadpit, having been an avid listener for the past four years and having appeared on their show countless times...however when I heard that someone was doing a documentary on their show, I immediately wondered "why?" Where is the story in all of this? I have to say though, having finally watched the film, I was completely blown away by how well it turned out.
Anyone who considers themselves a "hardcore horror fan" will immediately find themselves drawn to Wes and Aaron, as they are two of the most knowledgeable people you'll ever come across when it comes to horror movies. With their excessive knowledge and their politically incorrect brand of humor, Deadpit Radio is one of the most hilarious and intriguing programs you'll ever come across...but at the same time, the two of them also make for great documentary subjects as well.
Here you have two guys living out in the middle of nowhere, who are basically outcasts of their surroundings. As stated by Aaron in the documentary, "Nothing that I've ever done or liked has fit in with this place. I don't like country music, I don't like NASCAR, I don't like horse racing, I don't like hunting, I don't like fishing. You know, I like Metal and horror movies and just none of the stuff that people around here are really into." Besides the show itself, a portion of the film focuses on the town of Prestonsburg and their dying coal mining industry, as well as the citizens of Prestonsburg, who tend to look down on the horror genre and it's fans, as this form of entertainment often goes against their ultra conservative Christian values. On top of that you have Aaron who is in the process of completing his college education and often wars within himself as to whether or not he should continue co-hosting the Deadpit radio show, or move on with a career in counseling which is something he's always wanted to do.
Overall 'Into the Pit: The Shocking Story of Deadpit.com' is an incredible documentary and the ultimate tribute to a radio show, which in my opinion, is one of the greatest things to happen in horror in quite sometime. The documentary itself is beautifully shot and edited and includes a ton of great cameo appearances from celebrities such as Kane Hodder, John Landis, Betsy Palmer, Kevin S. Tenney, Uwe Boll and many others. If you're not familiar with Deadpit Radio you'll become and instant fan after watching this...and if you're already a fan of the show you'll become an even bigger fan than you already were. Make sure to catch this at a film festival screening or on DVD when it's released in the near future!
For more information on the documentary, make sure to check out the official website www.intothepitthemovie.com
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Written by: Kelly Marcott and Natalie Milbrodt
Released by: Rusty Robot Productions
In '07, the crew at Rusty Robot Productions took a road trip, traveling deep into the Appalachian mountains, to a small town in Eastern Kentucky called Prestonsburg (Population 2000). It is here in this montane community, where two lone horror fans by the name of Wes Vance and Aaron Frye would make history...launching the first ever "Horror Talk Radio Show" via the internet in December of 2005. What started out as a small hobby for these two genre enthusiasts, would eventually morph into a worldwide phenomenon in which neither one could have ever expected.
Since the inception of their "Deadpit Radio" program, Vance and Frye have managed to gain a huge amount of fame and recognition amongst the horror community and it's fan base. Under the radio persona's of "The Creepy Kentuckian" (Vance) and "Uncle Bill" (Frye), the duo takes to the airwaves every Friday, sharing their often brutally honest opinions on various horror titles and subjects; as well as speaking directly with some of the biggest names in the industry, including John Carpenter (Director of 'Halloween'), George A. Romero (Director of 'Night of the Living Dead'), Angus Scrimm (Star of 'Phantasm') and countless others. What this documentary essentially provides the viewer is an inside look into the inner-workings of Deadpit's home based radio program and its fun loving hosts, "CK" and "Uncle Bill".
I have to be perfectly honest in that I had no idea what to expect upon viewing this documentary. I'm quite familiar with Deadpit, having been an avid listener for the past four years and having appeared on their show countless times...however when I heard that someone was doing a documentary on their show, I immediately wondered "why?" Where is the story in all of this? I have to say though, having finally watched the film, I was completely blown away by how well it turned out.
Anyone who considers themselves a "hardcore horror fan" will immediately find themselves drawn to Wes and Aaron, as they are two of the most knowledgeable people you'll ever come across when it comes to horror movies. With their excessive knowledge and their politically incorrect brand of humor, Deadpit Radio is one of the most hilarious and intriguing programs you'll ever come across...but at the same time, the two of them also make for great documentary subjects as well.
Here you have two guys living out in the middle of nowhere, who are basically outcasts of their surroundings. As stated by Aaron in the documentary, "Nothing that I've ever done or liked has fit in with this place. I don't like country music, I don't like NASCAR, I don't like horse racing, I don't like hunting, I don't like fishing. You know, I like Metal and horror movies and just none of the stuff that people around here are really into." Besides the show itself, a portion of the film focuses on the town of Prestonsburg and their dying coal mining industry, as well as the citizens of Prestonsburg, who tend to look down on the horror genre and it's fans, as this form of entertainment often goes against their ultra conservative Christian values. On top of that you have Aaron who is in the process of completing his college education and often wars within himself as to whether or not he should continue co-hosting the Deadpit radio show, or move on with a career in counseling which is something he's always wanted to do.
Overall 'Into the Pit: The Shocking Story of Deadpit.com' is an incredible documentary and the ultimate tribute to a radio show, which in my opinion, is one of the greatest things to happen in horror in quite sometime. The documentary itself is beautifully shot and edited and includes a ton of great cameo appearances from celebrities such as Kane Hodder, John Landis, Betsy Palmer, Kevin S. Tenney, Uwe Boll and many others. If you're not familiar with Deadpit Radio you'll become and instant fan after watching this...and if you're already a fan of the show you'll become an even bigger fan than you already were. Make sure to catch this at a film festival screening or on DVD when it's released in the near future!
For more information on the documentary, make sure to check out the official website www.intothepitthemovie.com
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
