Welp, looks like it’s that time of the week again. So, here’s Part Three of Horror Boom’s Top Twenty The ABCs of Death Contest Entries for the letter T!  don’t think I’ve mentioned this before now, so as an  aside: I tried to avoid feedback before I watched almost every entry. I’m not being self-righteous about that fact, I actually regretted doing it after I watched too many lazy, shitty, hateful four-minutes wastes of time. Well, since it’s too late now and I can’t get the time back, I CAN at least say that I watched every single entry–over a hundred and seventy– that was available to me (perhaps a dozen were un-watchable because they’d been taken down, or made private).

OK, I’ve got one of the most NSFW picks on this week’s list, so be warned! I’ll put it at the end, and give you an additional heads-up! Hope you have fun —and find at least one entry with a “Holy Shit” factor. I’m pretty sure one of the picks will make you gasp.

First up was one of the top vote-getters, and for good reason.   This one is also pretty gruesome in parts …but also ultimately satisfying, and it’s easy to see why it was in the top ten. Turns out it really is based on a true story, but I want to avoid spoilers so I’ll put it far after the video (just the first line is a spoiler). I think it’s safe to say it’s NSFW.

T is for Tamales (photo above), was directed by Lex Ortega & Sergio Tello from Mexico City, MX.  The female’s lead’s acting was a definite standout. Because it’s from Vimeo, I can’t embed it like a can content from You Tube. I can assure you, though that T is for Tamales is well worth the extra mouse click.

Next up? T is for TV Casualty. This film, self-described as “an axe murderer has a Case of the Mondays” is directed by Jeff Nugent/Rob Neilson.  Here’s a pic or two first (great attention to detail):

and here’s the link to watch T is for TV Casualty on Vimeo. According to the directing duo, they “had to resort to the digital blood sadly, we tried to do some blood FX on set, but the air compressor we had up there was not up to the task!” Could have fooled me;  I never would have known it wasn’t a practical effect. This one is a little shorter, but it’s another (oddly) satisfying entry, and one of the ones I laughed out loud at on first (and second, and third) watch. Wish it’d gotten a few more votes – but you can still see it right here, just use the link above!

For the third entry, we have “T is for The Third.”  See what I did there? Actually, I didn’t connect the dots till I was typing that a few seconds ago.

Apparently, some viewers had trouble sleeping the evening after they watched this. It is one of the scarier entries, and I found it kind of refreshing after all the gross-out and torture-porn entries. Watch the end credits for some out-takes. Starring Ellen Gorrell and Mike Biddle, effects by Scott Biddle, and audio by Scott and Mike Biddle.

Finally, here’s the surprisingly nasty one, and this is an official heads-up. Hey, here’s a good way to tell if you’re going to be offended by it –check out the screen caps below for “T is for Thermometer”

“T is for Thermometer” was directed by Rafael Andrés Becerra. I love the split-screen technique the film-maker uses …good way to pick up the pace and give you the information you need to know. The result is a fast-paced, tight little film that I couldn’t second guess. Definitely NSFW – but if you’re feeling brave and/or very mellow, give it a watch.

Check out this sickie from Bogota, Columbia by using this heah link – T is for Thermometer!

Serious gut-punch of an ending …and sorry, I fucking love it!

Still pissed at me for picking this entry? Try the “Runner Up” short film below. Love the vibe, especially at the ending.

The only reason it didn’t make the top twenty is I found one of the actor’s performances a little lacking, but the story is great. This is another one with an EC comics vibe, though I’d say I get more of a Creepshow vibe (especially the final images). I had a feeling about who was going to die, which was correct, but it happened in a manner I never would have thought of.

Here’s the “true story” that Tamales was based on. I cannot find the author’s name, so if you see this, and want your props, drop me a line. I translated the story from Spanish to English (as you can see from my stilted, awkward writing.

In July 1971 c Portales, a lower middle class neighborhood created a more twisted stories from Mexico City.  

Mares Trinidad Ruiz lived with psychological violence and abuse from her husband, was the classic man remained alone that it kept scrubbing your partner, which to tamales to keep afloat the meager family income, husband, Pablo Days. Besides beating his wife, he also began to beat the children, which many assume was the straw that finally broke the fragile patience of Trinity.

In Mexico, if women have something, they can often hold out …but hurting her children wakes up a sleeping murder instinct in every woman.

That day had begun badly. Paul had taken money that Trinity had been saving to pay the monthly bills. When she tried to ask for the money back, he responded with the usual abuse. This time, however, he was not content with beating her and began to also beat his eldest son. Ms. Ruiz, unable to defend him, kept her temper while she waited for him to pass out from the alcohol he’d been guzzling …the same booze he’d spent the money on.

When he was sure he was fast asleep, she took a bat and unleashed  all her hate out on him. She dealt his head one hard blow after another until h gf

Although the evidence pointed to her husband’s actions as motivation, as she remained stoic and claimed responsibility for the crime.

She made her confession: she’d broken his legs and arms with the bat. She used the large knife that used to cut meat from tamales to finish cutting off his head.

She took the torso and limbs put them in the pot for tamales and put them to cook, to make tamales to sell that morning. The next night, she put the rest of his body in the car he used to sell tamales, then threw what was left of him  in a field near his home. Her husband’s head, however, was kept in a pot under her bed to be found by investigating officers.

And this is where the myth begins. Despite health warnings issued, no one reported to testify or claim they’d eaten the perhaps ashamed to be publicly named as a customer of the “tamalera killer.”

She says they asked the authorities to sentence her to  20 to 40 years for the crime committed. Her defense asked for the acquittal because of the high degree of abuse and stress that was inflicted to by her husband. She was acquitted.

I don’t have time to look on Snopes, and I will, but some facts on here are pretty specific for this to not have SOME basis in truth. I’ll keep you posted!

Hopefully for the final 10 coming up, I’ll be able to embed more, rather than make you click on a link to watch the entry. Hope some of the extra images make up for it. These are all worth that extra click. Enjoy… and watch out for that thermometor…

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