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Members Club
UK 2024
produced by Gav Mukerji, Kevin Harvey, Antoine Dixon-Bellot, Marc Coleman for Blackwater Pictures, Matte Black London Productions, Double Dinner Films
directed by Marc Coleman
starring Dean Kilbey, Perry Benson, Liam Noble, Mark Monero, David Alexander, Barbara Smith, Juliet Cowan, Jade Johnson, Steve Oram, Emma Stannard, Peter Andre, Alan Ford, David Schaal, Charley Burling, Sally Kennington, Luke White, Reis Daniel, Paul Trussell
written by Marc Coleman, music by Peter Blyth, creature design, masks and prosthetics by Mind Magic Studios, stunt coordinator: Ermar Alexander
review by Mike Haberfelner
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The Wet Dreams - Alan (Dean Kilbey), Neil (Perry Benson), Ratboy (Mark
Monero) and Carly (David Alexander) - have once been one of the hottest
quartet of male strippers around ... but that was 30 or so years ago, and
now they're all in their 50s and not nececcarily in the best physical
shapes anymore, and still they're performing, but mainly at small venues
and for peanuts. And even their loyal manager Deano (Liam Noble) wants to
drop them ... when out of nowhere, Alan manages to score an exceptionally
well-paying gig. Sure, it's in the middle of nowhere, but they boys have
their own dressing room, their own buffet, and unlimited tab at the bar.
So what could possibly go wrong?
Well, for one that their employer, Christine (Emma Stannard) is an
actual witch, for the other that she needs the four strippers for a ritual
to bring back a witch, Agnes, who has been killed centuries ago. Our
heroes start to notice there's something wrong when they're drugged and
wake up tied to chairs, but they really notice how desparate their
situation is when their handler (Juliet Cowan) is killed before their very
eyes, then resurrected as a monster, and before you know it, Carly and
Ratboy are killed, Joanne has lost control over the situation, and her two
helpers turn out to be Alan's daughter (Barbara Smith) and her best friend
(Jade Johnson) - which makes things really awkward for Alan, too. And
what's worse, Agnes has more tricks up her sleeve than either of them,
even Joanne, could even have dreamed of - and all these tricks only
increase the threat she is to our motley crew ...
Now Members Club is a film that's not to be taken
wholly seriously - the premise already suggests as much, and
writer/director Marc Coleman is apparently well aware of this, as the
film's full of comedic bits and awkward situations - and most of this is
actually pretty hilarious. But that said, the film really packs a punch
when it has to, all the fiolence feels real and is bloody, the effects
work is definitely up to par, and the film isn't short on jump scares. And
combine this with a relatable cast in on the joke but mostly playing it
straight, and you've got yourself a very entertaining piece of genre
cinema for sure. Members Club will
be available on digital download from 21st October 2024.
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