True addicts of contemporary B-Movies will genuflect at the mention of Tim Ritter's name. As the creative force behind contemporary horror cult classics including the "Truth or Dare?" trilogy or the grisly features "Creep" and "Killing Spree," Ritter has been terrifying and entertaining audiences with his intense, envelope-pushing approach to filmmaking that liberally mixes pulse-banging suspense with unapologetic violence. If Alfred Hitchcock and Herschell Gordon Lewis had their genes spliced together, the result would easily be Tim Ritter.
Born on a Friday the 13th back in 1967, Ritter was still in high school when he scripted, directed and edited his first feature, a 1984 Super 8mm production called "Day of the Reaper." Shrewdly recognizing the potential of the then-nascent direct-to-video market, Ritter self-distributed his production to video wholesalers and, in the process, helped lay the groundwork for what is now one of the most important facets of the home video market. He followed up "Day of the Reaper" by co-directing the video anthology "Twisted Illusions" (1985) and wrote and directed (albeit without director credit) the first installment of the "Truth or Dare?" series that introduced one of the most indefatigable serial killers to slash his away across the screen, The Coppermasked Madman.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Ritter helmed his own productions (including "Wicked Games" and "Screaming For Sanity") and also served a variety of function on other works including stints as writer, editor, second unit director, narrator, and even "creative consultant." In 1995, he directed "Creep," a horrifying adventure following the crime trail of sibling serial killers. Even in the no-holds-barred world of B-Movie filmmaking, "Creep" cut more than a few nerves and remains a popular cult film to this day.
In the twenty-first century, Ritter has turned his attention to creating a variety of new projects, including books and movies. His novels include THE HAMMER WILL FALL (2000) and UNREEL (2004). His latest productions are TWISTED ILLUSIONS 2 (Dexter Deadbeat segment) and RECONCILED THROUGH THE CHRIST, both produced by his new SRU Ventures, LLC distribution company. "
I'm sure a lot of you guys probably have a few Tim Ritter films lying around somewhere. What his biography failed to mention is that Tim Ritter is a born again Christian. I honestly didn't know this until our paths crossed one December a year or two ago. How can a man go from making gore/exploitation films with tits and blood, to a born again Christian? Hey, God works in mysterious ways and this is one of them. I say more power to him. I also would like to say thanks for sending me his latest film, 'Reconciled Through The Christ, and the soundtrack that goes along with it. A very welcomed gift from one of the innovators of the home video market back in the day. Thanks, Tim, and keep making movies.
Copyright Tim Ritter TimRitter.comP.S. I'll pop up a review for this in the next little while.
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