“HORROR33” was made by Moorestown High School alumni and brothers Lou (left) and Yler Munar and was inspired in part by their own nightmares.
Filmmaking brothers and Moorestown natives Yler and Lou Munar are set to unveil their independent horror film “HORROR33,” marking their entry into the cinema industry.
Produced on a shoestring budget, but bursting with cinematic flair, “HORROR33” features eerie cinematography and sound design. Every aspect of the film has been meticulously crafted by the Munars to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
“As independent filmmakers, we have the opportunity to literally control what we want the audience to hear, feel or experience,” Yler explained. “We really wanted to focus on what the Fear Marvelous brothers (Yler and Lou) is all about, so we really took the ‘not normal’ and the freedom that we had to be able to put what we really wanted to do with this movie without five or six people telling us, ‘You can’t do that, you can’t do this.’”
Yler and Lou immigrated from the Philippines as children to pursue the American dream. With a shared passion for storytelling, the Moorestown High School alumni want to push the boundaries of the horror genre.
Driven by a love for adventure, the brothers are always seeking new challenges. Whether documenting events or creating movies, they’ve learned that success is about passion. Yler and Lou find inspiration in self-taught legends like directors Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and others who never attended film school, according to www.fearmarvelous.com.
“My father had all the gadgets – from drums to keyboards to camcorders – so we would take (a) camcorder while he was at work and we would just goof around as brothers. In thinking about it now, we’re realizing that now it’s called reels or shorts (video clips) right, and we used to do that with a camcorder like (make) mini clips,” Yler recalled.
“Fast forward to when the pandemic hit,” he added. “We really wanted to work on a movie, so we started writing the script six months into 2021 and we kind of put the movie to the side … A year later we were like, ‘Alright, we’re ready to make it.’ And then we hit a wall in a sense of we weren’t happy with the screenplay (and) the screenwriting as well, so we decided to hold it off.
“We started doing a lot of commercials for businesses … but at the same time, we were like, ‘You know what, this year we’re going to film ‘HORROR33.’ And here we are.”
“HORROR33” was filmed in only two locations, New Jersey’s Wading Pines Camping Resort in Chatsworth and the former Pennypack Elementary School in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.
In “HORROR33,” paranormal debunkers Lawin and Alon investigate the ancient Cloth of Resurrection, rumored to summon the undead. When the artifact falls into the hands of Dima, a potential descendant of Judas, they face terrifying consequences delving into the supernatural realm, testing their beliefs and existence.
“Drawing inspiration from their own nightmares and the darkest corners of the human psyche,” the film’s description says, “they have created a film that is as captivating as it is haunting.”
“Yes, it is an experience working with your sibling, your brother,” Yler acknowledged. “But I’ve realized that we both have a certain skill set that makes us stronger – the two as one. The most important thing about working with each other is, we’re stronger as one versus separate, so … it’s truly, truly an amazing feeling to one, work with your brother, but also, I know that I’m stronger.
“I’m better at my craft with my brother.”
Shot in just two locations – New Jersey’s Wading Pines Camping Resort and the former Pennypack Elementary School in Hatboro, Pennsylvania – “HORROR33” was filmed day-for-night, a cinematographic technique in which a crew films in a high-contrast situation, typically in the early morning or late afternoon, with a blue filter, causing scenes to look as if they were shot in moonlight, according to the website for YourDictionary.
Yler and Lou are dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the world through that kind of visual storytelling.
“Don’t be afraid,” Lou pointed out, “and whatever talents you have, it just comes out naturally. Let your passion and creativity come out, and don’t let anyone stop you from what you want to do, because we experienced that in the beginning …
“We knew that we were creative, and we knew that we had the passion, and it’s been sitting there for a while … Just go for it.”
For more information on the Fear Marvelous brothers’ “HORROR33,” visit www.fearmarvelous.com/horror33-movie.
