Watch The Wizard of Gore

The Wizard of Gore is a horror film from 2007 directed by Jeremy Kasten and starring Kip Pardue, Bijou Phillips, and Crispin Glover. The movie is a remake of the 1970 film of the same name, directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The story follows a magician named Montag the Magnificent, played by Glover, who performs gruesome illusions on stage. The illusions are incredibly graphic and bloody, seemingly causing the death of Montag's volunteer assistants.

The film's protagonist is Edmund Bigelow, played by Pardue, a journalist who is investigating Montag's show. He is intrigued by the apparent realism of the illusions, and as the death count grows, he becomes increasingly determined to uncover the truth. Along the way, he meets a young woman named Maggie, played by Phillips, who becomes his ally in the investigation.

The Wizard of Gore is a visually striking film, with a distinct '70s aesthetic that relishes in its own sensationalism. The movie's vivid gore and over-the-top violence are both shocking and mesmerizing, creating a world that is simultaneously fantastical and terrifying.

Kasten's direction is bold, emphasizing the film's theatricality and morbid fascination with human anatomy. The movie's color palette is vibrant and lurid, with neon lights adding an otherworldly quality to the already surreal proceedings.

At the center of the film is Glover's performance as Montag. He imbues the character with a manic intensity that hovers somewhere between genius and madness. His hypnotic voice and wild-eyed stare are both chilling and captivating, making it easy to understand why so many people in the film are drawn to his macabre performances.

Pardue and Phillips are also strong in their roles, providing the necessary grounding for the film's more fantastical elements. Edmund is an everyman character, driven by a desire to uncover the truth behind Montag's illusions. Maggie, on the other hand, is a more complex figure, haunted by her own past traumas and drawn to Edmund's determination.

The film also features a number of standout set pieces that showcase Kasten's flair for spectacle. The illusions themselves are both stomach-churning and mesmerizing, and the film's climax features a stunning sequence that brings everything to a satisfyingly gruesome conclusion.

While The Wizard of Gore is undoubtedly not for everyone, those with a taste for extreme horror will find much to appreciate here. The movie is a gleeful celebration of excess, both in terms of its gore and its theatricality. It is a bold and unapologetic film that revels in its own depravity, creating a world that is simultaneously entrancing and terrifying.

The Wizard of Gore is a 2008 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.8.