Skinned Alive, a film that makes cannibal hookers look even hotter than they were in the first place!





Whether it is safe to say that the erotica of cannibalism is missed by the common denominator of horror fans, and filmmakers, is conjecture. For most, the fleshly hungers of the cannibal, as well as those of the zombie for that matter, are nothing more than an optical journey into the indulgence of the damned within an unnatural crimson visceral feast. Generally speaking, the catalog of both zombie and cannibal cinema chronicle nothing more than the base natures of flesh feeding and contain no implicit sexual meaning. Therefore, beyond an in depth analysis on possible erotic subtexts within these two genres of film, cannibal and zombie cinema may be interpreted superficially as just what one sees. Yet beneath this hungering for pulsating extremities and organs, the feasting upon human flesh contains a great deal of primal psychosexuality.
The psychological roots of cannibalism vary depending on religious belief, culture, and geography. One must also differentiate between the various manifestations of cannibalism. The most common example of cannibalism in the horror film is that of survival cannibalism, where the motivating factor is the satiation of a deep rooted primal need. As cinema illustrates, this hunger manifests in both the living (jungle exploitation) and the undead (zombie cinema).
Sexual cannibalism, a phenomenon that falls under the broad academic classification of criminal cannibalism, is something less touched upon within contemporary horror film. The differentiation between atypical and sexual cannibalism is that the latter deals solely with sexual and emotional gratification through physical consumption of human flesh where the former simply feeds a physical need. Although Skinned Alive may not blatantly deal with sexual cannibalism per se, it is a film whose erotic natures, embodied within the physical metaphor of a cannibal prostitute, artistically blur the lines between sex, violence, and death.
With that said, welcome to Carnal Cadaverous, the Skinned Alive Edition. Within the bowels of this edition you will find my interview with Joshua Nelson, actor and writer of the film Skinned Alive. Joshua took some time to sit with me on my couch, you know, the couch filled with the intestines of my ex-girlfriends? Maybe some certain severed body parts too but who knows by now because decay is such a bitch (unlike my ex-girlfriends?) to talk about what he is working on. Following the blood trails of our interview you will also find my analysis on the film because I know you all care what I think. If you don't, you should because I am way cool..even my mom says so...





TCM_Necro: What was the inspiration for Skinned Alive?

JN: Hmmm, it was probably that hooker that I hired that bit a whole in my stomach…actually I wanted to play with the concept of what people will accept in someone that they love…how far will they go…and instead of drugs or alcohol I used flesh eating.

TCM_Necro: The original title of the film was "Eat Your Heart Out". Was there any reason for the name change?


JN: That's just the business. I really thought Eat Your Heart Out was a very clever title for a zombie love story, but Lions Gate felt Skinned Alive would attract more people.



TCM_Necro: What was the budget for the film and were there any technical snags in terms of budget limitations?

JN: Lower than you can imagine…really,much lower…and it sucks because you want to pay people and get better locations and everything else but you do what you can with what you have. Thankfully I had a great cast and crew that understood that…but we fed everyone well!

TCM_Necro: What was the most difficult aspect in writing and making of Skinned Alive?

JN: Now laughing when I watched Melissa eat gross things…she is such a girlie girl!!!! Actually it was a fantastic experience, one of the best I've had. If anything, financial limitation mean time limitations and that's never a good thing for filmmaking.

TCM_Necro: How did you become involved with James Tucker as the director?



JN: He bailed me out of prison for public nudity and we made films ever since…actually, had I written a play called 'Savage Roses' that had a nice but short off-off Broadway run. A short time afterwards, I saw an ad online from a director looking for a low-budget, character driven script. I thought, if I could put it onstage I'm sure I can film it for a VERY low-budget. He read the script and liked it enough to want to shoot it. We were in correspondence over the internet for like 8 months, then he flew to NY and we shot the entire film in 6 days. After that we went straight to horror films…we've made 6 films together!

TCM_Necro: The film may be said to be one dealing with the limits one may have to face in love and relationships. Do you feel that through the metaphor of cannibalism that Skinned Alive actually deals with such an emotional subject?

JN: Absolutely and that goes back to what I was mentioning earlier. It's about acceptance. People deal with their partner's promiscuity, gambling addiction, drug addiction…work addiction…and sometimes you have to find a way to accept those that you love. If cannibalism was a sickness, like depression, would you accept that? Could you?

*Necro addds that he WISHES he had a chick with cannibal predispositions...


TCM_Necro: What can you tell us about the special effects in the film?




JN: Jeremy Selenfriend from Monster In My Closet is amazing! He is the only person I want doing my special FX.




He works his ass off and always comes through and he does this with very limited funds compared to what other FX people charge. He was worked on 3 of my films now…My favorite is the fake head of me…My daughter (she's only 2) always looks at it and says "Daddy Night Night"…of course it's just my severed head with the eyes closed. Jeremy did head casts and body casts for this film and made all the ripped flesh look very good!


TCM_Necro: How did you become involved with Jeremy Selenfriend?

JN: actually heard about Jeremy and Monster In My Closet from a friend...I met with Jeremy and saw his book from the work he had done and all the crazy heads in his studio and I knew I found the right place. A plug, if I may...www. monsterinmycloset. com



TCM_Necro: How do you feel that Skinned Alive differs from other cannibal films?

JN: It's a love story…and we never actually know if she is a cannibal, or a zombie…or a hot chick with a really nasty eating disorder!

TCM_Necro: Do you feel that there is a turning of the tides in terms of women becoming the predators as opposed to victims in horror films?

JN: Sure, horror films were made of female victims…so it's nice to have a sicko woman stalking men…not to mention the fact that there are a lot of guys out there that would love to have Melissa Bacelar coming after them…even if they did lose some flesh. (Some already have)

TCM_Necro: Are there any personal messages within the subtext of the film? Would you stay with a lover with cannibal tendencies?



JN: Yes, that's the underlying question…that or the fact that I'm just a little fucked up.

TCM_Necro: How did you meet Melissa Bacelar? Why do you feel she was the right choice for the character of Pandora?



JN: It was at a fetish/cocaine orgy at Corey Feldman's House…Melissa was tied laying naked on a swing screaming that Jason Alexander was the Anti-Christ! Actually, Melissa auditioned for a play that I wrote many years ago…she was the first and ONLY actress that I offered the role to immediately after her audition. There were like 20 more girls waiting to read for her part but I knew she was perfect. I wanted a super sexy woman that could be sweet, mysterious and deadly…Melissa has like 19 dogs so I knew if anyone could do it, she could. She was perfect…wouldn't have wanted anyone else.

TCM_Necro: As your role of "The Stalker", did you base the character, in terms of writing and acting, on anyone specific?



JN: No, I just thought about some of my ex-girlfriends and the murderous rage took over.

*Necro must add that he loves that answer!

TCM_Necro: If you could eat the flesh of any one person who would that be?

JN: Ya know…good question, but I don't even like to eat food, so flesh would be a problem for me…

TCM_Necro: Have you been involved in any other horror genre films or projects?

JN: A fan of horror my entire life, literally since like age 2…But professionally I was a vampire in Strange Things Happen At Sundown, an evil Scumbag in Aunt Rose, A Nazi-Zombie hater in Zombies Anonymous, another vampire in Schism and a redneck, mentally challenged, insane, childlike killer in The Blood Shed. All children's films.

TCM_Necro: What has been the fan reaction at the screenings?

JN: They LOVE it…really love it…because it's gross enough for horror fans, enough of a human love story for non-horror fans, TONS of T&A for 15 year olds and in a VERY dark way, it's pretty funny.


TCM_Necro: What originally inspired you to pursue a career in the film industry? Do you prefer acting over writing, or will you attempt to be a jack of all trades?

JN: It's probably the worst industry to be in if you actually want to make a living, EPSECIALLY if you're a father, like I am...BUT, I don't do it because I want to, I do it because I have to...since I was a child I have had a love for movies that has never left and I would never be happy if I wasn't in this industry, overdue bills and all!

TCM_Necro: Being a parent, and besides your daughter interacting with your severed head, Will you allow her to watch a lot of horror films as she grows up?

JN: HELL YES! And My wife tells me she can't, even Mike Gingold from Fangoria thinks I should wait...but as long as it doesn't scare her I totally want her watching horror films with me...I saw Night Of The Living Dead at 3, so she's on her way!


TCM_Necro: What projects are you working on now?

JN: It's a really scary project called the diapers and formula massacre…where I have to keep buying baby products without any money. Actually my film Pink Eye will be coming out in September and I am actively looking to act in more horror films!!!!


TCM_Necro: What can you tell us about your upcoming film Pink Eye?



JN: Pink Eye was about a lunatic Albino but although I searched and searched I couldn't find a great, authentic Albino Actor...so we changed him to a deformed, masked lunatic. Pink Eye is set in a small town in upstate New York, at a prison-like, dilapidated insane asylum where secret drug testing has gone inexplicably wrong. Patients are dying in sick and twisted ways and those who survive are becoming raging, homicidal lunatics. It's only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose and the patients begin to crave freedom to take their vengeance out on the world outside. When one patient does escape deformed, angry and far beyond insane, he brings death and terror to an unsuspecting town and everyone in it. It comes out on September 30th from HALO 8.

TCM_Necro: Name your top five horror films you want to be buried or burned with?


JN: And I DO want to be buried with them;
1) The Exorcist (Original)
2) Maniac
3) Mother's Day
4) Basket Case
5)Night of the Living Dead (Original)


TCM_Necro: Where may we find Skinned Alive?

JN: Glad you asked! It comes out on August 26th...available to buy at Amazon. com or TLAVideo. com. It's totally worth buying, trust me...but if you're broke, or cheap...you get also get it now from netflix. com


TCM_Necro: Any last words for our readers?

JN: Yes, every filmmaker says go out and buy my movie, it's great – it's original – it's bloody…and then you watch it and it sucks…but I'm here to say…go out and buy my movie…it's great! It's original…it's bloody…come on…a Zombie hooker tearing up New York City? What's not to love!

Necromagickal and the Chainsaw Mafia would like to thank Joshua Nelson for taking time out of his busy schedule of hanging out with hot cannibal hookers and Corey Feldman NOT being on set with Corey Haim to spend some time within our crimson stained chambers...read on for my analysis on the film...And remember, you cannot have an analysis without the anal...

For more information on Skinned Alive, follow the link to some sexy, sexy bloodshed...And viscera and intestines too!

.. --> m -->http://www.myspace.com/eatyourheartoutmovie.. --> m -->





Skinned Alive is a rare gem within the annals of cannibal cinema. It is a film that visually captures familiar cannibalism, yet veils a morality tale about the limitations and tests a psyche infected with loneliness, despair, and self loathing must face. The main character Jeff Shapiro, played with excellent professional insecurity by Jack Dillon, portrays the perfect embodiment of the psychological conflicts experienced by lonely oedipal co-dependent men plagued with low self worth.



The continual rejection by women that Jeff experiences furthers his grocery lists of psychological issues. His repeated failures with female co-workers and former acquaintances not only strengthens his subconscious Freudian complexes, but fuels his despair to procure the services of prostitutes. To continue his psychosexual downward spiral, Jeff is continually rejected, post coitus, by the prostitutes as well.
Whether from an unhealthy obsessive perseverance or from an expression of repressed oedipal co-dependency laced with some abandonment issues, Jeff continues his attempts to find something, or someone to live for within the shopping center of escort services. After repeated failure with hookers that are all business and no beyond pleasure, enters the character of Pandora. Pandora is played with a fierce sexuality by Melissa Bacelar, who is no stranger to film and television and may be seen in the forthcoming film Pink Eye. Melissa also acted as executive producer on the film indicating she is more than just Scream Queen material and that the role of women in horror will soon be castrating the testoterone of a once male dominated genre.



Pandora is a character with psychosexual issues of her own. She is a prostitute that mixes her subconscious sexual, and purely physical needs, with cannibalism. Melissa as Pandora will make every man watching the film think it would be pretty hot to date a cannibal hooker, especially for those with vouyeristic tendencies! What's a little flesh and blood as the price paid to hang with someone like Pandora! Yeah...that's right!
Although it is never established whether Pandora finds sexual gratification within her cannibalism, the subtext of her mixing sexuality with a feasting on flesh suggests, behind the scenes at least, that she is feeding more than a baseline non-sexual physical hungers. Of course one may pose a superficial interpretation that her utilizing of prostitution as a means of acquiring her nourishment does not immediately suggest she is experiencing sexual gratification from her actions. It may simply be seen as the perfect method of procuring flesh without leaving any traceable evidence to otherwise illegal activities. No one will miss a victim that was somewhere they were not supposed to be in the first place. The ultimate diagnosis on the sexual aspects of Pandora's motive is of course left up to the viewer to decide.



The immediate relationship between Jeff and Pandora suggests kindred souls. Both are experiencing similar emotional disorders, albeit wearing somewhat different flesh eating masks. Within each others arms do they both find something that they were seeking; acceptance and nurturing. Jeffrey finds someone who seems to care for him and actually eat dinner with him, and Pandora finds someone who brings out her repressed compassion and humanity.
As the relationship between Jeffrey and Pandora evolves, she must reveal her cannibalistic secret if they are to remain together. Love knows no secrets and if being a cannibal hooker was the extent of secrets kept in todays relationships, the world would be a much better, and bloody sexier place!
At this point in the story, its scripted depth shows as one chronicling the possible limits one may face, and transgress, in terms of personal morality and ethics. How far would the individual go to perpetuate the satiation of inner needs, here expressed as the enabling of codependency and acceptance. In the case of Skinned Alive it is Jeffrey assisting in Pandora's need for flesh. Any conflicting emotions he may experience are repressed beneath his overwhelming need to be loved. As shocked and repulsed as he is watching, and participating in Pandora's actions, he cannot walk away. In this regard Skinned Alive is a macabre version of a classic dysfunctional love story.



It is this depth of character development, and the believability of their various neuroses, that separates Skinned Alive from most cannibal films. We are drawn into the emotional plights of both Jeffery and Pandora regardless of their mental deficiencies or the horrific actions they are involved with. The character simply known as "The Stalker", played by writer and producer Joshua Nelson, is a pivotal antagonist within the film.



Nelson's character, played with quintessential mobster like hostility, seeks out Pandora because she had previously killed his disabled brother. The Stalker character will manifest mixed emotions from the viewer as he is someone we despise, because we do not want him to destroy Pandora, yet we can sympathize with his motive. It is the Stalker's finding of Pandora that ultimately leads to Jeffery discovering the true natures of her condition. Being a cannibal hooker was only the tip of the iceberk in the case of Pandora. It is at this point in the film that the internal psychological world of Jeffrey unravels beyond repair. His despair and co-decency faces an awakening at the notion that Pandora is more than a human cannibal. He is in fact uncertain as to what she is. This uncertainty sends Jeffrey into questioning his sanity and the very reality of Pandora. He now believes he is suffering from delusions and that Pandora is a figment of the utter despair of his imagination. Jeffery utters a last desperate plea for one more night of nurturing from his delusion, his one last moment where he may give someone his heart. This supplication is of course fulfilled within the last fitting scene of the film. For Pandora, the climax of the film is a melancholic substantiation, acceptance, and surrendering unto the complexities of her nature and its interrelationship implications.
Skinned Alive, originally titled "Eat Your Heart Out" was directed by James Tucker whose resume of independent horror includes films such as "Aunt Rose" and "Addiction". The cinematography by Brian Fass of the various New York landscape captures both the beauty and underbelly of the city perfectly as a backdrop to the film.
The special effects within Skinned Alive, by Monsters In My Closet FX led by Jeremy Selenfriend, are well done and impressive for an independent release. The effects are dished out in the right amount and do not attempt to circumvent development of plot.
In conclusion, Skinned Alive is a cinematic statement that independent horror is an evolving entity to be dealt with. It is an example that with the alchemy of good writing, acting, and technical ability independent horror can and will equal huge budget commercial films lorded over by the corporate hierarchy. In terms of the film engaging personal revelations on the natures of love and relationships? I end with the statement that Skinned Alive is a film inspiring one to transform sensuality into something more carnivorous…