The title alone turns heads. Psycho Goreman. It's the little pandemic indie that could; an instant cult favorite propelled around the cinesphere by horror and gore fans' zealous word of mouth. A big part of this success could easily be attributed to how Psycho Goreman taps into nostalgia for the '80s and '90s.
The irony shouldn't be lost on the viewer that the film's titular character is referred to as "PG" in a chaotic sci-fi/horror romp that's anything but. You show up for the title's blood-and-guts guarantee, but what hooks you is the nostalgic charm. Beyond the decapitations, melting faces, and even the literal walking bucket of blood and body parts is an aesthetic that hearkens back to the days of hovering around the ol' CRT with your friends, hooting and hollering at the goofy hilarity on screen as you choke down Doritos and Mountain Dew. Psycho Goreman is the type of movie you'd convince your mom to rent for you after the cover art caught your eye on the shelf of your local mom-and-pop video store.
Bringing together the delightful characteristics of an '80s kids-befriend-a-creature flick like E.T. or The Monster Squad with the absurdity and masterful practical effects of '90s genre gems like Dead Alive and Popcorn, PG ticks all the boxes for a good time. It even has an obligatory original end credits rap song that recounts the entire film.
It's no accident that Psycho Goreman lovingly captures the zeitgeist of '80s and '90s B-movie romanticism. Writer-director Steven Kostanski carries the torch for a very specific genre niche, abundantly clear with each of his releases, like 2011's Manborg and 2016's The Void. "With every movie I make, my intention is to fill in a gap on the video store shelf that I'm not seeing anyone else attempt to fill anymore," he tells CBR via email. "I'm worried that lower budget mashups that pull from the sci-fi/horror/fantasy genres are going to fade away and be forgotten, which would be really sad."
If the various ways in which this film finds more footing are anything to go by, Kostanski should have nothing to worry about when it comes to keeping the low budget dreams alive. Similar to ubiquitous '90s properties like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PG has spawned indie merch galore, with everything from action figures, to a bedding set, party supplies and more. If a kid in the year 2021 wanted to, they could deck out their entire room in Psycho Goreman merchandise. The same can't be said for nearly any current properties outside of major mainstream cinema. Fittingly, the movie also received a limited release on VHS from Witter Entertainment and Broke Horror Fan, which might just make for the ultimate Psycho Goreman viewing experience.
Kostanski's mission goes beyond bringing buckets of blood and bones to screens big and small. He hopes that his contributions to this weird little corner of cinema will inspire others to follow in his footsteps, ultimately keeping the B-movie heart beating. "[Psycho Goreman] is the type of movie that sparked my creativity as a kid and made me want to devote my life to making monsters and bringing them to life on screen," he reflects. "My hope is some kid will watch my movies and be inspired in a similar way, and hopefully carry on the tradition of movies like PG by making their own bonkers monster movies."
Psycho Goreman premiered on Shudder on Jan. 22, 2021. It's currently out on Blu-ray and VOD.
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