2019 was a huge year. Specially in the world of entertainment. Comic book movies devoured the box office. TV shows continued their upward trajectory in terms of talent and quality. Eddie Murphy came back and hosted SNL. There’s so many things you could write a giant list on it. Yet there is one moment that exploded across the internet after its premiere at Cinepocalypse and then ran and hid quietly in a cave, until now. I am speaking of Verotika, the film by Glenn Danzig. Yes, he of Danzig, Samhain and Misfits. Before we get into discussing the film, you must bare witness to even the briefest of snippets, in the form of this short trailer.
Yeah, so that’s a thing. What you see above is only a tiny glimpse into the insanity that is Verotika. A feature-length anthology film written, directed, produced, composed, co-edited and shot by Glenn Danzig. You could listen to someone try to explain film for hours, but actually seeing it is a different experience. For to see Verotika is to be forever changed. That might sound like hyperbole, sure, but it’s also absolutely true. If there is a badge of honor I’m happy to wear, it’s that I was one of the fortunate souls who was there for the world premiere. You can even attempt to decipher my rambling review on it, here. It may just be one of the weirdest films you will ever witness.
It’s difficult to discuss Verotika, in even the most basic terms. Some people are bound to enjoy the film, on a genuine level, enjoying the craft and story Just be forewarned that this film, once released, will gain instant midnight cult status. When the internet exploded sharing the initial reactions of people decrying it as “the horror version of The Room“. From an outside perspective that may have seemed mean. The one thing you have to factor in though, is by the third time the film had been screened, Danzig’s camp was selling “I saw Verotika and survived” t-shirts. That’s honestly the best and only advertising needed here. Mark you calendars for February 25th, when it lands on VOD, followed quickly by a blu-ray release on March 3. Better yet, should a theater near you plan on playing this, take everyone you know.
