by Bone Jawnson
"Holy crapola, what did I just watch," is what I said to myself after initially viewing "Bubba the Redneck Werewolf." My answer? A horror comedy masterpiece. I discovered this film much like how I found most of the films I viewed on Tubi TV. I have been having great luck finding extreme independent films such as this and "Odd Noggins" by Joe Sherlock and his team at Skullface Astronaut. When I discovered "Bubba the Redneck Werewolf," I said, "Yeah, ok, throw it on the list." The advertisement was striking enough to pull me into it. I initially thought this would be a throwaway viewing with a limited blog write-up, much like my viewing of "Uncle Sam." Boy was I way off during my initial assessment.
"Bubba the Redneck Werewolf" is a fast-paced spiral into the maddening and intelligence-quotient-questioning world of writer Mitch Hyman. The film, which is based on the mid-1990s comic of the same name and was also written by Hyman, is a camp movie superfan's dream. Hyman himself plays a wonderfully animated version of The Devil that takes over a backwood area called Cracker County with shifty and soul-stealing contracts. The main character, the love-sick Bubba Blanche, signs a contract to become a stronger version of himself to win back his past love, Bobbie-Jo. When he wakes up the next day, he realizes that he has turned into a werewolf. Much to his delight, Bubba relishes in the fact that he is strong, handsome, rough, and ready to fu....I mean party, yeah, party...like with beer and not eating people, probably maybe.
While Bubba seems to be living his best life, The Devil seemingly takes over Cracker County with his used-car salesman-like tactics into getting the residents to sign over their souls for their "dreams." The movie eventually climaxes with help from a mysterious biker, Bubba, bar patrons (with and without their testicles... you will just have to watch it), and townspeople who had enough of The Devil's wicked dealings. From a seemingly low budget, based on an internet search, Bubba's werewolf makeup and the special effects were awesome. Every cast member of the film sells and invests in their character. I could tell that this film was a labor of love and care from everyone involved.
Since I started viewing and chatting about indie-horror film movies, I have watched some that I loved and some that I felt "meh" about, but this film quickly shot to my current Top 10 list. Viewing and chatting about indie horror/horror-comedy is a constructive hobby for me. I have the opportunity to connect and chat with some amazing, headstrong directors and writers. In my experience, the overarching theme of indie horror is defying the odds, doing what you were told you cannot do, and reaching for the stars. I suggest that you watch indie horror through the lens of uninhibited freedom.