Still on the front page of iTunes! / July 15, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Nice! We released on March 1 and we're STILL featured in both Apple's Horror front page and Apple's Thriller front page. #iamaghost

New website! / June 19, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

It's been a while since the last update, so here's a quick video to get you up to speed on what's been happening with I Am a Ghost, merchandising and how I've caved into torrenting.

H.P.

Honorable Mention in Dread Central's Top Supernatural Films! / April 9, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Top 7 Supernatural Films That Haunt US

Click here to read original article.

By Scott Hallam
April 7th, 2014

Mike Flanagan wowed audiences with his feature directorial debut, Absentia, a few years back. Now he returns with an even creepier tale of supernatural terrors in Oculus (review). To celebrate the release of Oculus, we bring you a look at the Top Seven Supernatural Films that Haunt Us.

The funny thing about a really powerful supernatural movie, at least those that get wide theatrical releases, is they usually transcend the theater and become the talk of the nation for a while. And many of them even hang around our psyches for years and years to come.

We'll begin, as always, with our honorable mentions, and you'll see that many of them also took the country by storm. Low budget, found footage movies like Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project were absolutely larger than life during their theatrical releases.

However, bigger films can also reach out and grab you. Poltergeist and The Conjuring certainly come to mind. Some other haunting projects that are worth an honorable mention are Stephen King's 1408, a tiny indie called I Am a Ghost which had an incredibly freaky finale, cult favorite Session 9 that did for asbestos removal what Psycho did for taxidermy, and the ultra-creepy, ambiance-laden The Orphanage.

As you'll see, this list contains some legendary horror heavyweights because once you really scare us, we don't soon forget. Here are the Top Seven Supernatural Films that Haunt Us.

The Amityville Horror (1979)
The Amityville Horror kicks off this list not because it was so frightening or because of the slew of sequels and remakes it inspired, but the fact that this is a truly horrific mystery. For those who need a quick refresher, The Amityville Horror is based on a book written by Jay Anson which claims to be the true-life experiences of George and Kathy Lutz and their family after moving into the home at 112 Ocean Avenue. Just 13 months before, Ronald DeFeo, Jr., had shot and killed six members of his family. Anson's book and the original film are a representation of what happened to the Lutz family during their 28-day stay in the home... or is it? There has always been tons of speculation as to just what is real and what is fraud in the Lutzes' story, makingThe Amityville Horror a supernatural mystery of the highest degree.

The Shining (1980)
As tales of hauntings go, perhaps no one spins a better yarn than the great Stephen King. It's no secret that King has no love for Stanley Kubrick's vision of his classic novel, but somewhere between King's conjuring of the tale and Kubrick's mad scientist filmmaking techniques (not to mention a once-in-a-lifetime performance by Jack Nicholson), a masterful cinematic haunting was born. It's been nearly 35 years since The Shining was released, and even longer since the novel hit the stands, and still today it still stands as one of the most unsettling films of all time. This is another example of a truly excellent haunting being embraced by our culture. Sure, on the surface, The Shining looks like a slasher film to the uninformed eye. But a look deeper within the walls of The Overlook Hotel shows a much more haunted and supernatural environment. Great party, isn't it?

The Omen (1976)
Oh, young Damien. So cute. So innocent looking. But looks can be quite deceiving as Gregory Peck and company found out in this legendary Antichrist film. This was the original bad kid movie. Sure The Good Son and Orphan and plenty of movies featuring bastardly ankle-biters would follow, but Damien is the name that, to this day, is playfully reserved for those seemingly uncontrollable children we see at restaurants and shopping malls. And it's within this frivolity that the true haunting exists. It's because The Omen was such a powerful film, and it conjured the most terrifying of thoughts amongst parents, that still today the name Damien retains that power and The Omen remains such a haunting film.

The Sixth Sense (1999)
Four little words ("…I see dead people…") and a twist ending that blew audiences out of their seats made The Sixth Sense an absolute phenomenon. With every rewatch of the movie, even already knowing the fantastic surprise ending, you can't help but get chills when young Haley Joel Osment utters that iconic line. Director M. Night Shyamalan became an overnight superstar as The Sixth Sense chilled viewers and, in an absolutely amazing climax, rocked audiences beyond belief. The Sixth Sense would go on to be an absolute box office juggernaut, as many truly frightening supernatural films do. And that's because it's a damn impressive movie that works. You see something you've missed before in every re-viewing and are still haunted every time you hear those four words.

The Ring (2002)
It's not often that we give credit to an American remake over the original film, but Gore Verbinski's reimagining of the Japanese Ring truly haunted American audiences who, for the most part, would have never made the effort to see the original movie so we can thank Verbinski for bringing a very nice retelling to the American public. That being said, Samara making her climb out of the television was indeed an iconic horror moment of the 2000's. The huge box office take and the fact that the mystery and eeriness of The Ring drew audiences in, and it continues to be a staple of horror, are a testament to the brilliant writing of the original movie and the quality adaptation of the American version. The Ring is one of the few times a foreign film has been redone and captivated and haunted domestic audiences so thoroughly.

The Exorcist (1973)
Haunting?! Sweet Jesus H. Christ, when you say "haunting supernatural movie," could there be another? Believe us when we say we do try to keep The Exorcist off these lists, but it fits so well on so many of them. If you want to talk about supernatural movies that still, over 40 years later, haunt us, then look no further than The Exorcist. Sure, we all still go back and give it a viewing once a year or so, but it's still with great trepidation that we press that "Play" button and expose ourselves to the horrors we know we're about to experience. The Exorcist hasn't lost a step in four decades. It's as effective today as it was when it opened in theaters the day after Christmas in 1973 (how fucking festive). It is indeed the one true haunting that we cannot seem to shake. Pazuzu dug his claws into us, and it doesn't seem like we'll ever get them out.

Carrie (1976)
They keep trying to recapture that moment, that Carrie moment, but it just cannot be recreated. No offense to the beloved Angela Bettis (who is one of horror's most amazing assets) or Chloe Grace Moretz, but it can't be done. There was something magical between Sissy Spacek and director Brian De Palma in that original imagining of Stephen King's novel. In fact, Carrie was the first of over 100 television and movie projects based on or adapted from King's writings. So you know there was something incredibly special going on here. Carrie was the original tortured student. She was "Jeremy" as Pearl Jam sang of him. She was all the unfortunate friendless, directionless, antagonized souls we see lashing out at society today. Carrie is absolutely more pertinent now than it was when King wrote it or when the film was released. Indeed, this is an instance of foreshadowing that no one could have expected. Perhaps, with all that our society has become, Carrie haunts us more today than anything.

Now available on DVD! / March 20, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Finally, the DVDs are finally available! Sorry about the delay/mishap!

Click HERE to BUY DVD!

- REGION FREE
- 1.85:1 (Enhanced for anamorphic TVs)
- English 5.1 / Spanish 2.0
- English subtitles for the hearing impaired
- NSFW Audio Commentary with H.P. Mendoza, Anna Ishida and Mark Del Lima
- I Am a Ghost Scrapbook: Featurette featuring deleted/extended scenes, behind the scenes footage and interviews with H.P. Mendoza and Anna Ishida
- Live Performance of "Emily's Theme" by Carolyn Oliss and Sandy Mix at The Castro Theatre
- and more!

Buy now on DVD or
Watch I Am a Ghost on Digital HD!

Rent or own I Am a Ghost in full 1080p, Dolby Digital 5.1 from iTunes/Apple TV! Be sure to rate us, too!

Also available on:
Amazon Instant Video
Google Play
Playstation

"SENSATIONAL! Inventive and intellectual." - Chris Via, Horror Dose / March 14, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Click here to read original article.

Had it not been for a recent perusal of The Jaded Reviewer (in my usual fashion, however, I did not read the review before watching the movie; just sought out the title), there's no telling when I would've finally caught wind of I Am a Ghost. At first I was disappointed because it appeared too old to be a candidate for this year's top DVD releases, but then I saw that the non-film festival USA release date on IMDB says March 1, 2014, so I'm going with that data to justify this flick's 2014 candidacy (mostly because I loved the film and want it to appear on one of my end-of-year lists). Still, as technology progresses, my "DVD release" list is quickly becoming a bit of a misnomer, as I technically watched this on a VOD platform (VuDu). But I'll sort out semantics later. For now, allow me to share a few words about a film that seemed tailored for me, and urge you to check it out too.

The first thing I noted about the film was its cover art, which appears to be a throwback to an old Penguin paperback:

*This is a cropped picture of my TV taken with my iPhone.*

If you know me at all, you know that I hold an MA in Literature and Writing, which formally represents a voracious appetite for reading and aspirations of becoming a published writer; so this image not only caught my eye as a reader; it worked to charm me before I even started the film. Plus, if you look at the upper left-hand corner, you'll notice that I had a $3.99 credit from VuDu, which made renting I Am a Ghost even sweeter. (The credit comes from an incident on Halloween night of last year. I watched The Shining with a friend--we were at our respective hosues, watching it in sync and texting--only to have the iconic zoom-in on the portrait at the end cut short by VuDu's "Please rate your experience" screen. I couldn't believe it! But their stellar customer service kindly credited my account. And, looks like they did the right thing to secure a customer relationship, because, well, I came back!)

Then the movie opens with a quote from one of my favourite poets, Emily Dickinson:

ONE need not be a chamber to be haunted,
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.

How perfect is that quote for a ghost movie? This quote not only sets the tone for a subtle, creepy movie; it promises not to deliver another movie where an object (i.e. material) is haunted. Who's tired of haunted cameras/TVs/video tapes/pictures/etc. or the perceptive of a character being in a hauntedhouse? And the quote is supplemented by a score that is exactly what I love in a horror movie: minimal (nonexistent is really OK for me, too, but I don't think it would've worked in this film). It's mostly a sluggish drone with some light bells here and there, and, yes, some musical stings. Now, typically, I'm not one for musical stings--I feel the content should whig the audience out--but I'll take them when employed cleverly.

I had already noted the runtime at 75 minutes, which is 15 minutes below the usual standard, so I wondered if it would either make extensive use of padding (usually with lengthy opening credits) or grope to cram in too much in an effort to keep it fast-paced. Luckily, it did neither. It achieved that delicate balance that is so hard to attain in a movie of this nature. Ti West comes to mind as someone whom people complain about when it comes to this slow-burn fare. And though I definitely understand the argument for some of his movies (The Roost, Trigger Man), I think he finally found a great rhythm for his later movies (The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers). I Am a Ghost is in the vein of the pacing of these movies, but it does something different, something clever that won me over. Instead of a linear and consistently steady time sequence, we get a repetition of events that snap to black between each event. We're shown all of the events that constitute Emily's day, and then it repeats. But--and, oh, how I savoured this!--when they begin to repeat, we are given different camera angles, and, steadily, the pace begins to quicken.

This is all we get for opening credits. A single, quickly displayed page. So don't worry about any of those precious 75 minutes being wasted here!

The set design, lighting, and photography are sensational. First off, the screen is framed in an old tube-TV screen (the type with the rounded corners) to give it an old-fashioned feel (remember the throwback Penguin paperback cover art, and note those ornate opening credits!), which helps illuminate the lush, colour-rich set. Though everything takes place within the house (the movies does open with a striking exterior shot of an old, drab Victorian), you will not care because everything seems to be meticulously placed to capture that quaint, old, haunted feel. And in the same manner of the repeating events, the colours change throughout the film to match the mood of the content. Superb! And as if that weren't enough, we get a climactic split-screen reminiscent of Brian de Palma's 1976 masterpiece with a sweeping character perspective in one frame. Then, as the multiplicity unveils itself, a Brady Bunch-style screen to give a sense of the enormity of paralells, followed by quick jump-editing that assaulted my senses. What details this filmmaker has taken into account!

It's no secret that I loved this movie, but let me talk about 2 areas where I thought it was going to break down. First, I couldn't help but wonder how the film was going to sustain the revolving events throughout. Something had to happen to break up the monotony, and I was afraid it was just going to get chalked up to the ghost being a repeater and left at that. Not so! In fact, H. P. Mendoza (whose choice of initials recalls the name of H. P. Lovecraft, an immortal author whose influence is here apparent) secured a fan for life with excellent writing. He creatively takes us into psychological and time-and-space-bending territory that can so easily become a mess of a plot. The second part that I thought would ruin the experience was the voice of Sylvia (Jeannie Barroga). It was much too rigid and theatrical most of the time, but, thanks to a great performance by Anna Ishida, this annoyance was easily overlooked.

Speaking of Anna Ishida: wow, what a task for a first-time feature-film actress (the theme of never-before-seen-by-me lead actresses continues). For the most part, she's the only person we see on the screen, in nearly every frame nonetheless. And since the movie is certainly not dialogue-heavy, the weight of the runtime rests on Ishida's ability to convey information to the reader through body language and facial expression. Thankfully Ishida maintains a perfect cold, almost expressionless face for much of the movie. This, combined with the absence of score and other characters and cheap thrills help to create a space in which our imagination as an audience can run wild with terrifying possibilities. (Things unseen are far more frightening.)

I'm sure there are many things I've overlooked, but I try to keep my rants as short as possible. In the end, I Am a Ghost delivers the exact type of horror movie I love. If you look through my #1 picks over the years, you'll see the theme: slow, psychological, off-beat, inventive. I also happen to be a sucker for things set in older times (I'm something of a Luddite). The writing and execution (both the work of Mr. Mendoza) couldn't be in more perfect harmony. I felt that I was in the hands of a master filmmaker who was both inventive and intellectual but who also had an eye for composition and form. This is one that will please those who care mostly for plot and those who care mostly for asthetics--and, well, all those in between, in my opinion. For more information, including highly intriguing facts about the making of the film (using an iPad to light Anna's face!), be sure to check out the Filmstitute interview at http://iamaghost.com/. I'm off to read other reviews and maybe petition Mendoza to make another film as soon as possible.

"I AM A GHOST patiently lures you in to its seemingly harmless confines before burrowing into your soul." - Ain't It Cool / March 7, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Click here to read original article.

If you’re the type of filmgoer who likes everything explained out in a cookie cutter manner, the experimental immersion that is I AM A GHOST is not going to be something for you. But if your definition of film is a bit looser, a bit more accepting of uncommon narrative structure, a bit less reliant on the typical, I’m thinking it’s going to have the same impactful effect on you as it did me.

The film opens silently as a woman wakes from her bed, goes about her daily chores, makes breakfast, and goes out for some grocery shopping. Everything focuses on this one woman, who we eventually come to know as Emily (Anna Ishida), who walks around in the same white dress in the same house doing the same routine over and over. Soon we see Emily look at something in a room we can’t see into, scream, and then run away. Then Emily and the viewer hear a noise in a scene that happens some time later. Then we cut to Emily getting sick in the sink and moaning painfully. Then there’s a shot of her holding a knife as if she is about to stab something that isn’t there. Then back to the same old routine, incorporating these more bizarre moments.

It isn’t until deep into the routine that Emily hears the voice of a medium, who clues Emily in that she is (as the title of the film suggests) a ghost and that the medium is there to guide her to her next destination—wherever that may be. Reluctant to believe the voice, Emily tries to rationalize this situation which leads to a dissection of her own mind and the reason why she is stuck in this old house reliving the same moments over and over. It’s a heady reason. One with not an easy answer. And the viewer must have a lot of patience to get to it.

The thing is, though it may take some patience to sit through the first three quarters of I AM A GHOST, the last quarter of this film contains images and actions that scared me in ways that took me back to childhood. Without giving away the final moments of I AM A GHOST, I will say that the horrific trip Emily takes is one that will jolt you right out of your seat. Actress Anna Ishida carries this entire film as she is, for the most part, the only one the camera focuses on and must convey a broad range of emotion here as a ghost trying desperately to find her way out of this house of horrors.

Presented with rounded edges as if it is being presented in an old timey picture album and filmed on grindhousey aged film stock, I AM A GHOST is a unique independent gem which saves its scares for last, but WHOA NELLY, what scares they are. I can’t recommend this film more. I AM A GHOST will definitely have your hairs standing on end in the final moments and patiently lures you in to its seemingly harmless confines before burrowing into your soul.

This twitter thread made my day. / March 7, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Hey, everyone. H.P., here, and I know I normally post stuff to the blog that is published by film critics but I could not NOT share this exchange I stumbled upon while searching for my own film. (Yes, we do that.)

For those of you who also know my undying love for Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, you'll understand why I had to share this. :)

SOOOO...if I were to make a blurb from all of this, it would be as follows:

"FAAAAAAAANTASTIC!
I'm liking it! This movie has gotten really fucking boring. WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE STAIRS????? JESUS!! The last fifteen minutes of this were FUCKING FANTASTIC!"
The IPC, theipc.me

Watch I Am a Ghost on Digital HD!

Rent or own I Am a Ghost in full 1080p, Dolby Digital 5.1 from iTunes/Apple TV! Be sure to rate us, too!

Also available on:
Amazon Instant Video
Google Play
Playstation

NOTE: There has been a delay with the physical discs so expect DVDs by April. Apologies for any inconvenience.

H.P.

I Am a Ghost, Now on Digital HD and VOD! / March 1, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

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Still on the front page of iTunes! / July 15, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

New website! / June 19, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Honorable Mention in Dread Central's Top Supernatural Films! / April 9, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Now available on DVD! / March 20, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Click HERE to BUY DVD!

Buy now on DVD orWatch I Am a Ghost on Digital HD!

"SENSATIONAL! Inventive and intellectual." - Chris Via, Horror Dose / March 14, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

"I AM A GHOST patiently lures you in to its seemingly harmless confines before burrowing into your soul." - Ain't It Cool / March 7, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

This twitter thread made my day. / March 7, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

I Am a Ghost, Now on Digital HD and VOD! / March 1, 2014 by H.P. Mendoza

Buy now on DVD or
Watch I Am a Ghost on Digital HD!