Drain's Dramatic, Horrific Anthology

Drain's Dramatic, Horrific Anthology

Bruce Von Stiers

Jimmy Drain is a screenwriter, producer, director, and actor. He has more than seventy screen credits between all of those.

Drain has put together an anthology of stories that have drama and most of them have a horror / thriller aspect to them. The anthology is titled Realm of Shadows.

There is a common thread that ties all of the stories together. That is, the so-called Dagger of Destiny. You know, the one that supposedly pierced the side of Jesus Christ during the Crucifixion. Some of the histories claim it was a spear, others a dagger. In this film it is the dagger that drives the thread. According to legend, whoever lays claim to the dagger has immense power and can serve either the realm of good or the realm of evil.

The film begins as two priests walk down a street. One sees a wall with posters for a new album by Nalem Bramlett. There is quite a bit of consternation about her. We find out in a minute why.

A group of four women gather around a Ouija board. One of them is Nalem. They are about to perform some kind of ceremony. They are unaware that they are being watched via CCTV by a monk and a Bishop. They must figure out a way to stop the women from performing the ceremony. But how? The monk, Brother Charles, was played by Michael S. Rodriguez. He's directed several horror films, including Lake of Shadows. Mel Novak played Bishop Lucian. He has about ninety screen credits, including a couple of films I've reviewed, Ash and Bone and An Hour to Kill. Nalem was played by Erika Monet Butters. She has starred in the thrillers Within The Skin and The Spring Board Sessions.

After one of the women are replaced by an act of violence, they do some kind of chant and, with some dorky special effects, have enters a realm of shadows. Then the Ouija board spells out the name of a man, Mallick. Apparently, there's some kind of curse or something on him because he's been trying to find love the easy way.

As the previous part of the film was the beginning of the thread, this is the first story of the anthology. Robby Mallick is simply a guy who can't find love. His friend Hicks gives him a hard time at a bar, even making a move on a woman there, when Robby blows an opening line to her. Sarah, the bartender, can't believe a guy like Robby would hang out with a sleazeball like Hicks.

But a strange and mystical thing happens, and Robby ends up with the woman, Donna. But is it Donna whose love Robby is truly looking to find? This is more of a dramatic love tale with mysticism thrown in than a horror story. But that's okay. I liked the story.

Jimmy Drain played Robby. Tony Tucci played Hicks. He's appeared in several short films. Donna was played by Leah Saxon, who appeared in the short drama Someday Hero. A bartender with a special trait was played by Mike Apple, who has also appeared as a bartender in The Baxters. And Heather Tocquigny played Sarah. She appeared in Insidious and starred in A Haunting at Preston Castle.

Then the film turns back to the Ouija board. Now there is a new word engraved on the board. It says Hike.

Now is Jimmy again. This time he's playing a young man in love. He is with Morgan, played by Morgan Weaver. He has a ring in a box he's looking at, then there are quick bits of showing domestic bliss; watching TV, reading magazines, eating takeout Chinese, going to bed to sleep, not have sex.

Then he wakes up in the morning. He's alone. He goes to the living room. She's left him a note saying that she's waited so long. He sits down, grabs the ring box and opens it, only to find out there's no ring in it. What?

Then, possibly trying to reflect on his loss, he takes a hike into the mountains. Through a series of different camera shots, the man hikes his way up and down the mountain. Then a twist of fate, or perhaps a dream, makes the man realize something profound. Again, this is more of a drama and love story than anything else. And, again, I liked the story, even if it didn't have any horror elements in

With each new story, there is a new word that appears on the Ouija board. The next word is Abashed. This story is about a couple whose lives become distracted. Thomas and Jane have been drifting apart. A happenstance has them come across a voodoo doll that has a heart shape on the front. This plays into things later in the story. Jane devolves into some decadent behavior which Thomas can't abide with. Things escalate until there is an incident where they may be splitting up. But all is not as it seems. The story has drug use, voodoo and witches mixed in. It has drama but has horror elements in it. Black and white footage is mixed with color footage for stark effect. Cassie Kelso played Jane and Mark Mook played Thomas.

Then back to the Ouija board. This time the board spells out The Initiation of Professor Kimmer.

Jimmy Drain once again plays the male lead. He is a college professor, Danny Kimmer. He has a new position at a college and a student who's infatuated with him. There is a satanic ritual at the start of the story that makes sense at the end. We find out that the college has had a series of sexual harassment complaints against some professors there. And that Danny has had some prior dalliances with students. But he's being very careful to steer clear of controversy. That is, until one student, Starr, takes an unhealthy interest in him. This story has supernatural and possibly satanic overtones. But there are also an element of criminal enterprise melded into the story. Emily Absher played Danny's wife, Jamie. There is a lot more going on with her than Danny ever realized. Starr was played by Luba Bodian. Other characters in the story included the dean, played by Marc Bilger and the assistant dean played by Kasha Fauschett.

Next is the story, Cadaver.

There is a radio DJ, Pete, on some kind of occult themed station. He asks a caller to tell their favorite Halloween story. She wants to comment on a previous caller. And how the DJ said It's really a “family fun day.” She begs to differ.

Then there is a scene of a young woman walking into a supposedly abandoned warehouse. There is a pentagram, tarot cards and satanic candles. She is saying she was to be initiated into her coven that day. But she was made to do something horrific.

Then a message flashes on the screen saying “Based on true events.”

Peggy wants to be a professional dancer. As hard as she tries, she can't get ahead. She has an audition that she thinks got her a position in a dance company. But it doesn't. She becomes pregnant and her boyfriend leaves her. Peggy ends up resorting to something very desperate and sinister to become a great dancer and secure her spot in the dance company.

Peggy was played by Jodi Lynn Thomas. She appeared in an episode of Walker: Independence and starred in the comedy thriller Willa. One of the people who assist s Peggy is Necro, played by Amanda Reese.

Meet Michael is the next story. Artist Ashley Banks. played by Lauren Mayhew, makes some strange miniature sculptures. Besides starring several films, Mayhew appeared in episodes of The Blacklist and FBI: Most Wanted.

Ashley and her husband, once again Jimmy Drain stepping into the lead role, are with their daughter telling her good night. The window is open with the wind blowing the curtains around. Ashley tells the daughter to go get her is something bothers her.

Later Ashley hears something and gets out of bed to investigate. She goes downstairs and tells the daughter if she's hiding to come on out. The TV is on but is unplugged. What? Other incidents happen and the daughter keeps insisting that Michael is coming at night to frighten off the boogeyman. Priests come to bless the house and hopefully rid the house of bad spirits. But at the end of the story there is a revelation that proves what the daughter was saying.

Then it is once again at the Ouija board. This time it says Fate Upside Down.

The story begins with an animation of evil versus good, cross burning, black person almost murdered. Then there is a priest who is in a field, where someone brings the guy to him. The man who brings the priest the man also hands him a dagger. Is this the Dagger of Destiny? In the story there is also Robby and Sarah from the first story. Tony Todd played the priest. From starring in Candyman to a film I reviewed last year, Traveling Light, he has had a long and varied film and television career.

Now it's back to the Ouija board. The women have a toast to Ezarik. There is a flash to the scene from the start of the film with the poster of Nalum's concert. Then three of the women start choking. Have they been poisoned? Nalum pulls out the dagger, which apparently, she's had all the time. Then she has a phone call from Cypress, who had appeared early in the film. Supposedly a priest, he was not even close to that. Cypress was played by Vernon Wells, a veteran of many drama and horror films.

Brother Charles and Bishop Lucian may have failed to stop things. But maybe not.

Then after the ending credits start, there is a bit where two men of rivaling satanic brotherhoods are talking. One guy, Harley Wallen, says that they're coming for the rest of us. And the other guy,Richard Tyson, says not for his group and not for Lord Cypress, who is not only the priest from earlier but some kind of convict. Wallen is a producer and director as well as an actor. I've reviewed several of his films, including Betrayed, Ash and Bone and the series Tale of Tails. Tyson has well over a hundred screen credits, including You're All Gonna Die and The Blooming Sisters.

Vida Ghaffari is Cassandra, the soothsayer in one of the stories. A couple of the films she's appeared in are Eternal Code and Doll Killer 3. She also had the title role in Miranda Veil. Darren Boylen is the DJ in Cadaver.

Other actors in the film included Audrey Walters, Noah Anderson, Bob Bagnail and Dawn Lee Heising.

Bradley Kussey was co-cinematographer, along with some of the lighting and sound recording work. He was also the cinematographer for Shoot From The Hip. Trent Davala was the other co-cinematographer. He also had a small role in the film.

The film's music by Adrian Groom and Scifidelic, who had a minor role in the story, Cadaver.

Realm of Shadows has several very good stories melded into a supernatural framework. Is there actually a Dagger of Destiny? And if so, does it actually wield power beyond anything we could comprehend? The stories unfolded here take an intriguing idea and wrap it up in drama, romance and horror.

Realm of Shadows is available on VOD and streaming services such as Tubi.

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