Abruptio

Les Hackel is a guy down on his luck who wakes to find an explosive device has been implanted in his neck. He must carry out heinous crimes in order to stay alive while trying to identify the mastermind manipulating the now twisted and strange world around him.

The film is enacted entirely using lifelike puppets.

-- One of the best horror movies of 2023 -- whatculture.com --

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS (2023):
Santa Monica International Film Festival
Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival
Fantaspoa - International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre
Days of the Dead Film Festival
Panic Film Fest
Dundead Film Festival (Scotland)
Malibu Film Festival
Lighthouse International Film Festival
Film Invasion LA
Dark Bridges (Canada)
Fantastic and Terror Film Festival in Tàrrega - GALACTICAT (Spain)
Desertscape International Film Festival
HorrorHound Film Festival
Popcorn Frights Film Fest
Motor City Nightmares Film Fest
Atlanta Underground Film Fest
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Fest
Macabro (Mexico)
Grimmfest (England)
Fright Nights (Austria)
Chicago Horror Film Festival
Ramaskrik (Norway)
Atlanta Horror Film Festival
Fargo Fantastic Film Festival
Nightmares Film Festival
Curtas, Festival do Imaxinario (Spain)
Cine-Excess (England)
Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival
Tysvær Skrekkfest (Norway)
TOHorror Fantastic Film Fest (Italy)
Tucson Terrorfest
South African Horrorfest

  • Evan Marlowe
    Director
    Horror House, Blood Rush
  • Evan Marlowe
    Writer
    Horror House, Blood Rush
  • Kerry Marlowe
    Producer
    Horror House, Blood Rush
  • James Marsters
    Key Cast
    "Les"
    Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • Jordan Peele
    Key Cast
    "Danny"
    Get Out
  • Christopher McDonald
    Key Cast
    "Chief Richter"
    Thelma & Louise
  • Sid Haig
    Key Cast
    "Sal"
    House of 1000 Corpses
  • Robert Englund
    Key Cast
    "Salk"
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Hana Mae Lee
    Key Cast
    "Chelsea"
    Pitch Perfect
  • Rich Fulcher
    Key Cast
    "Dummkopf"
    The Mighty Boosh
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Horror, Sci Fi, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 34 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 10, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    400,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital (PMW-F3)
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Santa Monica Film Festival
    Santa Monica
    United States
    February 1, 2023
    World, online
  • Cinequest Film Festival
    San Jose
    United States
    March 1, 2023
  • Fantaspoa
    Porto Alegre
    Brazil
    April 13, 2023
    Latin America
  • Panic Film Fest
    Kansas City
    United States
    April 15, 2023
    Midwest
    Audience Choice Award: Best Effects
  • Dundead Film Festival
    Dundee, Scotland
    May 12, 2023
    European
  • Malibu Film Festival
    Malibu
    United States
    May 21, 2023
  • Lighthouse International Film Festival
    Long Beach Island
    United States
    June 9, 2023
    East Coast
  • Days of the Dead Film Festival
    Indianapolis, LA
    United States
    June 23, 2023
    Best Actor (James Marsters), Best Director (Evan Marlowe
  • Film Invasion LA
    Burbank/Los Angeles
    United States
    June 22, 2023
    California Theatrical
    Grand Jury - Best Horror Feature, Best Feature Director, Best Feature Screenplay, Best Cast
  • Dark Bridges
    Saskatoon
    Canada
    June 4, 2023
    Canada
  • Xth Fantastic and Terror Film Festival - GALACTICAT
    Tàrrega
    Spain
    June 26, 2023
    Spain
    Best Effects
  • Desertscape International Film Festival
    St. George, UT
    United States
    June 23, 2023
    Utah
  • HorrorHound Film Festival
    Indianapolis
    United States
    August 18, 2023
  • Popcorn Frights Film Festival
    Florida
    United States
    August 10, 2023
    Southeast
  • Motor City Nightmares Film Festival
    Nova, MI
    United States
    July 28, 2023
    Michigan
    Best FX
  • Atlanta Underground Film FestVial
    Atlanta
    United States
    August 4, 2023
    Georgia
    Best Horror Feature
  • Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Fest
    Providence
    United States
    August 7, 2023
    Rhode Island
  • Macabro
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    August 18, 2023
    Mexico
  • Grimmfest
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    October 6, 2023
    England
  • Fright Nights
    Pasching
    Austria
    October 18, 2023
    Austria
  • Chicago Horror Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    Illinois
  • Ramaskrik
    Oppdal
    Norway
    October 19, 2023
    Norway
  • Atlanta Horror Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    October 14, 2023
  • Fargo Fantastic Film Festival
    Fargo
    United States
    October 12, 2023
  • Nightmares Film Festival
    Columbus
    United States
    October 26, 2023
    Ohio
  • Curtas, Festival do Imaxinario
    Vilagarcia
    Spain
    October 27, 2023
  • Cine-Excess
    Birmingham
    United Kingdom
    October 27, 2023
  • Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival
    Providence
    United States
    October 25, 2023
  • Tysvær Skrekkfest
    Tysvær
    Norway
  • TOHorror Fantastic Film Fest (Italy)
    Turin
    Italy
    October 20, 2023
    Italian
  • Tucson Terrorfest
    Tucson
    United States
    October 22, 2023
    Arizona
  • South African Horrorfest
    Cape Town
    South Africa
    Africa
Director Biography - Evan Marlowe

Evan Marlowe is a screenwriter and director, as well as an author publishing under the name E. Stuart Marlowe. He lives in Southern California with his wife Kerry, who is a producer raised in the UK.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As background, I'd let you know that I conceived of this idea around 2014, and worked from 2015 to 2022 to bring it to fruition. That's seven long, long years. I wanted to make something never before seen: a horror film starring only lifelike puppets. Literally, there's been nothing like it before. And having worked with puppets now for seven years, I can see why. I appreciate your time watching my film and do hope you enjoy.