Critically lambasted horror effort tells the tale of a manical pain-loving freakoid Captain Howdy (Dee Snider) who lures teenagers from internet chat to his house and proceeds to torture them using piercing, tattooing and other sharp impliments. However there's a detective who's daughter he kidnapped on his trail. Eventually Howdy is caught and supposedly reformed, but is he?

I'm going out on a limb here to proclaim this one of the best horror movies of 1998. The story written by ex-Twisted Sister (the glam rock band) leader Dee Snider is interesting and well done with Snider also giving a geniunely menacing performance as Howdy. Throw in a mix of unnerving and disturbing imagery, some stylish and strong direction and one of the more intriguing scripts in a while and you have a stellar effort that's only weakness is its somewhat weak finale.

Robert Englund plays his role as a demented redneck to the hilt. Not for all tastes, most definitely, but a surprisingly good and entertaining effort. Let's see what the mighty Dee can come up with next!

Directed By: John Pieplow.
Written By: Dee Snider.

Starring: Dee Snider, Kevin Gage, Elizabeth Pena, Brett Harrelson.