”Emotional, honest, and utterly compelling. Absolutely engrossing, emotional, raw and a triumph of documentary making.“
James Whittington – Horror Channel
“If you truly love something, you have to admit its flaws. ... THE BRILLIANT TERROR is an act of true love: a by turns laudatory and—to my happy surprise—critical examination of the art and state of grassroots indy horror at the dawn of the 2020s. ... THE BRILLIANT TERROR is as heartwarming as it is thought provoking, and a documentary not to be missed.“
Preston Fassel – Daily Grindhouse
“It places the viewer in the trenches right there with [filmmaker and FX artist Mike] Lombardo. ... This exclusive look does not sugarcoat the experience. Often when we see behind-the-scenes, it’s as a part of the marketing for a movie and so some of the more strained moments are hidden. Kauffman and Hunt offer a counter perspective, unafraid to show Lombardo at his lowest ebb. ... Eye-opening and frank with its honesty, THE BRILLIANT TERROR presents a warts and all look behind the curtain of the lowest of low budget horror productions, demonstrating just how far you can get on sheer determination, passion, and commitment alone.“
Kat Hughes – The HolLywood News
“An illuminating watch. Very human and without fanfare, it’s nice to have such an intimate, close up look at filmmakers and their craft, and what makes them tick.“
Sabina Stent
“A lovely snapshot which is a testament to the indefatigable spirit of ordinary people with extraordinary dreams. ... This is more indie than indie. ... These projects can’t hide behind multi-million dollar CGI and hype and they look all the better for it. ... It's pleasing that the documentary takes the workmanlike approach to its subjects and and doesn’t even try to paint a glossy picture of the constant struggle endured by these hardy souls to get their projects beamed into the eager eyes of the horror community.“
Darren Gaskell – Love HorroR
“Hunt and Kauffman work to highlight the humanity behind the horror. It shows that low budget productions have to use more creativity and imagination to draw out visceral or emotional reactions, without relying on expensive CGI or visual effects.“
YGRAINE Hackett-Cantabrana – Moving Pictures Film Club
“This is an impressively thorough piece of work which manages to fit in a great deal whilst remaining fun to watch. ... Where genre documentaries like this often consciously appeal to the fans and focus entirely on the good things, this one is refreshingly at ease with taking on the negatives as well.“
Jennie Kermode – EYE for Film
“Often looked at as a lesser important genre than most others, horror filmmakers have always had to be more creative with smaller budgets to get their films made and seen. THE BRILLIANT TERROR is an insightful documentary that really exposes the effort that goes into putting a horror film together and how the passion of a filmmaker can make it a reality. ... It captures the community feel that I’ve always felt being part of the horror family.“
Pip Ellwood-Hughes – Entertainment Focus
“It’s a great look behind the scenes into the indie scene at the very lowest level.“
Martin Unsworth – STARBURST MAGAZINE
“... there has been a mushroom growth of hand-to-mouth horror movie production … the kind of kids who might once have formed a garage band that rehearsed but never gigged or put on a play with their friends can now make films and see them get something like a release. [This documentary is] not quite as essential as American Movie or Clapboard Jungle, which gain from being narrow-focused, but it’s breezily odd enough.“
KIM NEWMAN
“I also liked that these aren’t the same voices you’ll typically hear from: the grassroots movement are unfiltered and uncompromising.“
David Smith – Horror CULT FILMS
“The new documentary reveals how microbudget auteurs bring their most horrific visions to the screen.”
Michael Gingold – Rue Morgue
>> Read article @ ruemorgue.com
“Starting off with some great behind-the-scenes makeup-centric footage, we see what sorts of grueling situations those who make the magic of blood, gore, monsters, and all things scary come to life must go through for just a few precious minutes of the finished product. ... heartwarming and humanizing in a way we don’t often get to see when it comes to those behind the camera. ... I also came away with a new level of respect for bargain basement filmmaking.”
S Michael Simms – morbidly beautiful
“Instead of worrying about how society views them, the filmmakers here ... are the ones who push through and concentrate on a true vision. This movie inspired me to track down so many of their films, which makes me consider this movie a success.”
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