PopHorror Let's Get Scared
We at PopHorror are no strangers to the moviemaking whims of Filmmaker Dustin Ferguson. We’ve reviewed Moon Of The Blood Beast (2019), Frames Of Fear 3 (2020), Mondo Shock (2017), Amityville: Evil Never Dies (2017), Demonoids (2017), and Meathook Massacre (2017), and we’ve brought you news for Stale Popcorn And Sticky Floors, 5G Zombies, Tales From The Campfire 3, Hell Of The Screaming Undead, Los Angeles Shark Attack, and Orville In Space: Sorority Space Massacre. Today, we’re taking a look at The Beast Beneath, his 2020 film about an underground monster wreaking havoc in the desert.
Synopsis:
A 2,000-year-old beast with a taste for human flesh is awakened by an earthquake in a small, desert town.
The Beast Beneath was written, shot, edited, and directed by Dustin Ferguson and stars Mel Novak (Bruce Lee’s Game Of Death 1975, Eternal Code 2019 – read our review here), Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre 1982, Teacher Shortage 2020 – read our review here), Alana Evans (Moon Of The Beast 2019 – read our review here), Eric Prochnau (Clown Motel: Spirits Arise 2019), Appetite For Sin’s Sheri Davis (read our interview with her here), Malvolia: Queen of Screams herself, Jenn Nangle (read our most recent interview with her here), Shawn C. Phillips (Night Of Something Strange 2016 -read our review here), and Erik Anthony Russo (Toilet Zombie Baby Strikes Back 2021 – read our review here).
What Works
What a fun idea this is! The Beast Beneath is about a toothy, tentacled creature that was trapped beneath the earth but was released during an earthquake. It lies in wait in a deep fissure in the dry desert ground waiting for its prey to come it it. And believe me, the prey is all about walking around next to this thing, even after they realize what’s there. There are so many familiar faces in this film, and they all take their characters to the next level of scenery-chewing goodness. I especially enjoyed Mel Novak’s Mayor Reid and his “We can’t close the park because this town depends on the tourist season to survive” Mayor Vaugh from Jaws rhetoric.
There’s also the movie that Jake (Shawn C. Phillips) is watching—another Dustin Ferguson film called Angry Asian Murder Hornets (the Hornet-Vision was totally inspired). Speaking of Phillips, his movie collection made another appearance in The Beast Beneath. I feel like it’s going to need it’s own IMDb page soon. There were little things like Aaron (Eric Prochnau) Googling the TPS Report from Office Space and the clip of Boris Karloff in The Veil. The FX might be considered bad by people who don’t love B horror, but I thought they are gloriously cheesy.
What Doesn’t Work
I have to admit that there is not much of a plot in The Beast Beneath. The story is mostly about random people walking around in the desert and getting eaten by the monster. There is a slight plotline following Aaron, Cheryl (Sheri Davis), and Aaron’s sister, Charlene (Brinke Stevens) trying to solve the mystery of the disappearing hikers, but it’s pretty thin. But no one watches these films for the plot.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an hour’s worth of cheesy fun and familiar indie faces, check out Dustin Ferguson’s The Beast Beneath. Do yourself a favor and grab a few of his other films while you’re at it.
