PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Back in early 2024, we sat down with filmmaker and actress Spooky Madison to talk about her career and upcoming film projects. When we asked her what she was looking forward to most, she said it was an unnamed project with StreetRat studios, but she couldn’t talk about it at the time because it was a secret. Well, the cat, er, rat, is out of the bag. As it turns out, she was referring to What’s Wrong, Wendy? a new comedy-horror feature film that just made its world premiere at Horror Hound Weekend in Cincinnati, September 12th.
It’s no wonder she was excited. She wrote it, co-directed it, and stars in it. Oh, and it’s pretty darned cool to boot! We got a chance to check it out at the show.
Read on for our review!
Pizza Party
Wendy (played by Spooky Madison) is a pizza delivery driver who gets more than she bargained for when the first call of her shift is to a house party hosted by Victoria (Alexandra Boulas), a ghost from her past. It isn’t long before Wendy is attacked by a creature of the night and finds herself turning to the dark side, fangs and all. As the story unfolds, we find out there’s more to Victoria than meets the eye, and this ass kicking redhead and a band of misfits band together to rid Wendy and the town of their ever growing vampire curse.
Into The Buffyverse
It’s no secret that Buffy The Vampire Slayer provided heavy inspiration for What’s Wrong, Wendy? They don’t even attempt to hide it. There are Slayers. Watchers. Even a Hell-ish-mouth mention. The film leans wholesale into nostalgia in that regard. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? You’ll have to decide for yourself. If you were a fan of Buffy and, to a lesser extent Charmed, you’re going to feel right at home here. I, personally, loved it, but I imagine there will be some who will be turned off by the references which, at times, can feel a little on the nose.
It Doesn’t Suck
The best praise I can give this film is it’s a shit ton of fun. It’s campy, gory, and full of clever dialogue. The test audience I saw it with erupted with laughter on several occasions throughout. It’s just a hoot. As comedy-horror goes, this one’s a winner.
Normally in a low budget film like this, the acting is a hindrance. Not so with What’s Wrong, Wendy? The cast is superb and everyone more than carries their weight on screen. Even down to the most minor characters. You can tell the actors were having fun, too. They all brought their characters to life (and undeath) on the screen.
The film is expertly shot and scored and features some top notch blood and gore FX work. The first time you see a vampire meet its super crazy demise, I can guarantee it will bring a smile to your face.
It’s hard to believe this film was originally envisioned as a short, because they pretty much set up an entire universe and fantasy mythos over the course of 90 minutes. It sounds like they are working on a sequel and are hoping to ultimately make it a trilogy, so this world building will undoubtedly be put to good use.
Final Thoughts
What’s Wrong, Wendy? is a campy good time. It’s a 90s time capsule that will leave you feeling nostalgic for those awesome nights we all spent with the ol’ Scooby gang all those years ago. Co-directors Spooky Madison and Dusty Austen and all involved should feel very proud of the crowdfunded queer indie gem they made and what they’ve set up for the future of their new franchise. I’m here for it and I can’t wait to see more.
Check out What’s Wrong, Wendy? on the festival circuit. We’ll let you know when it makes its way to a well deserved wider release.
