The Void – Right Next Door to Hell

From the directing team of Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski—the latter of which directed indie hit PG: Psycho Goreman—The Void is a tension-fueled ride that relies heavily on practical effects and pace to maximize its sense of dread. It works.

And it is worth your investigation, especially if you are a fan of Lovecraftian horror. Those inspirations are quite evident. The Void involves a cult, a small town, and the cosmic terrors that lie outside our consciousness. That conceit isn't all that original, but its execution is what sets the film apart.

From its ominous opening onward, Gillespie and Kostanski build an uneasy atmosphere—an uncertainty akin to what lurks beyond. The answers, of course, come, but when they do, you almost wish they hadn't.

This is due in large part to its creature designs, which are some of the more inspired in modern horror. Most impressive, they were accomplished on a shoestring budget. They crowd-funded $82,000 on Indiegogo to make them.

With a low production cost and a good reception (77% on Rotten Tomatoes with 75 reviews), it should've been a hit. But due to a limited release, it grossed just $149,365. Trust us, don't sleep on this one.

Now sit back, open a portal to your tastebuds with either a Poker Face Black IPA from Necromancer or a Cosmik Debris Double IPA from Creature Comforts, and don't approach the man in the robe! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and our beer bros from Hop Nation USA are joining a cult to unlock our best selves!

This Week’s Segments:

• Introduction/Plot Breakdown – The Void nails atmospheric horror and is an excellent ode to the works of H.P. Lovecraft. (00:00) 
•  Lingering Questions – Though it never received a wide release, did this film achieve what it set out to? More important, which of its gnarly creature effects was the most stomach-turning? (29:38)
• The "Avoid the Void" Trivia Challenge – Chumpzilla challenges the field to a series of questions relating to people involved with the movie. (1:03:50)
• Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We kick off "Hops and Fantasy Flops" with the disastrous 2011 reboot of John Milius' 1982 classic, Conan the Barbarian. (1:15:21)

And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—an interview with the directors and more—from this week’s episode!

You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

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