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Review

Gay horror meister David DeCoteau returns to the successful formula he began with Voodoo Academy and perfected with Brotherhood II with this latest film that features hunky boys in their underwear, high camp, vampire-like creatures and the occult. Filled with a pulsing pop soundtrack and enough pretty boys to make any gay man or teenage girl happy, Ring of Darkness is DeCoteau's best offering in a few years.

It all starts when the lead singer of a boy band just doesn't fit into the team anymore. So they do what all good boy bands do, the underwear-clad studs gather round the singer and suck his blood dry. To replace the lead singer the band, and their manager played with calm poise by Adrienne Barbeau (the actress, currently on "Carnavale" on HBO, is known for creating the role of Rizzo in Grease and playing Maude's daughter in the '70s TV show) decide to hold public concerts. Creating a sort of reality TV situation they select three contestants and invite the hunky boys to their private island where they will select the new singer. Immediately, there's friction with a girlfriend, a hero boy with a guitar on his back and lots of 6-pack abs and raised shirts. When the "good" contestant Shawn finds a secret cave with voodoo dolls, tons of candles, a torture rack and mysterious band photos, there's hell to pay.

Please don't expect Oscar material in this cheesy horror film. Take the movie for what it is -- campy, sexy fun. The boys shuck their clothes several times, raise their shirts whenever the action gets slow, so there's plenty of skin. Nothing gay, but if like to look at pretty boys (and who doesn't?) you won't be dissapointed.

 -- Scott Cranin