Exploring Stake Land 

I was the costume designer of Stake Land and it was a life changing experience to be a part of

this movie was like if The Road, Road Warrior, and 30 days of night had an incredibly beautiful baby.

The fact that this film cost $625K to make and looks and feels top of the line shows how easily passion beats excess. Awesome.

A movie that deserves more attetion and a channel that deserves more attetion. I found you through Stuckmanns recommendation and I love your stuff! Keep it up!

Man, I've been binge watching your vids. You deserve more subs!

Love this movie. I remember renting it thinking it was a B movie version of stakeland and being surprised how awesome it is. Glad there's another coming out.

one of the best vampire apocalypse movies! I must confess, I had to stop and restart the movie a few days later because the opening scene was horrifying (infant was just too damned realistic!)... I'm glad I went back.

Man you do such an amazing job on these "Exploring" series videos, you deserve way more recognition dude. Props.

Stake Land is one of my favourite movies. It has everything I love: An apocalyptic wasteland, creepy vampires, calm moments and characters you just have to love. One of my best discoveries ever.

What a really interesting backstory. I love films like this, where cast and extras are just people they brought in for it. There's a documentary series about a zombie movie being shot in a small town over six years where practically the entire town get involved in the production in some way or another. And of course Bad Taste where the director got all his mates from work for the cast, and the extras were everyone's brothers and uncles and whatnot. I really enjoyed the vampire apocalyse angle. A sequel is good news, but jeez... Stake Lander?

"As God as my witness, i thought vampires could fly" - Les Nessman, probably.

This movie has, like the gamers say, a high replay factor. The area's where alot of Stake Land was filmed, Boyertown, Pottstown etc. is my stomping ground, my backyard. So cool recognizing places. Especially in such a cool ass movie!

I love this movie and have seen it more than a few times and had no idea Sister was Kelly McGillis! lol

once again you've done a wonderful job of informing me on a movie I would otherwise pass right over. can't wait to see this now. thanks Cecil!

Easily one of the best vampire movies ive ever seen.

Just saw it and loved it. It felt so unique and well-directed. I'm shocked at how small was the budget. It didn't feel like a small budget movie at all. this just goes to show that passion, vision, good storytelling are the true core components of a great movie, unlike those overblown Hollywood movies.

Your channel is an inspiration to film students like me. It is so sad more of us don't follow you. But I'm trying my best. Because seriously, you're the best.

everything about this movie are just right, the plot, the cast, the locations, everything just comes together nicely. really a underrated movie.

I prayed for the day Vampires would be apart of Horror again, and this has renewed my faith in it.

I watched this movie once and I still remember it being absolutely terrifying. I need to watch it again.

When I watched this movie for the first time I thought it was made by one of major Hollywood studios. The story, acting and post production quality were that yea high.

God these movies are hidden treasures

it's amazing how much each individual crew member did, like the credits on this movie are alike 2/3 shorter than I was expecting them to be for a movie so good. and all the actors and actresses were great. seriously awesome and high quality movie. I recommend it to everyone I know.

I loved how stake land is like the walking Dead and they should have made a series of the stake landers, that's what I have to say!!!

It is so encouraging to see filmmakers make the best use of all their resources to create great work.

this was the first movie I watched when I opened a Netflix account in 2012. The story is amazing! I love well written horror movies! Can't wait for the sequel!

Wow, I'm glad - and surprised to see so many people enjoying this movie. I kept telling every friend of mine about it, and they all were like "eh". To see, what's behind the scenes makes it even more enjoyable. Great Video!

8:42 - Ah, Chance Kelley - excellent actor and a real nice guy. Met him a couple of times at a small rifle and pistol range in NY.

years later this movies is still my all time favorite

As someone who doesn't even watch horror movies these day I watched this one by pure chance and was amazing movie, now seeing how they did it even more amazing. Reminds me of The Evil Dead which was an absolute passion project...

Wow $625k! Brilliant movie, and chillingly now

I was blown away by Stakeland. Like the werewolf, a good vampire movie is hard to find.

I had a chance to watch this a couple years ago and passed thinking it was some B-movie. I will definitely be looking it up now. I love seeing directors staying passionate about a project and even manage to make something most would see as a negative somehow work in their favor. Glad to hear they are finding some success!!!

good flick - sequel wasnt so bad either

Just watched Stake Land II last night. It's an okay sequel, would have been better with a little more money but seems more like a series than a movie at this point.

Another great episode of "Exploring". I love this series. More informative than anything else out right now about movies. Thanks, as always, for all the hard work.

I just love your "Exploring..." Thank you. It's an enormous job of research and passion that i really admire. I'm checking out Stake Land in this very moment.

Jim Mickle and Nick Damici are awesome. I love all their films. And Larry Fessenden is just awesome. Love that guy too

i just discovered your channel and DEVOURED your "exploring" reviews, it´s amazing to know the work behind some movies... keep it up!

I love how in depth his videos are,sublime!

Stake Land is amazing. Yes, it's an awesome horror movie and apocolyptic movie, but the characters are AMAZING. By the end you really are totally invested in them and want to see everyone make it.

I always come back to this video every so often. Thanks for introducing me to Jim Mickles movies. Keep up the great work Cecil!

*SPOILER CHARACTER DEATH* I’m 16 now and my mother was watching this film back in around 2013 so I was about 10 at the time, I actually was kinda watching it but also was on my laptop watching RU-vid at the same time so I was sorta paying attention, none of it really scared me that much and I thought it looked pretty average, however.... there was one scene that fucked me up for YEARS, it’s the scene right near the end of the movie, where the main kid goes looking for the pregnant girl and he finds her wrapped up in barbed wire covered in her blood as it’s being drained out, the fact that they did that to a pregnant girl(and also the fact that I kinda had a lil mini crush on her)fucked my little 10yr brain up for years, didn’t help by the fact that the vampire says the creepiest line of the movie right after “I am your God now” that shit has always stuck with me, just that one scene, the rest of the movie is in my opinion a bit average, but that one fucking scene...

Stake Land and Stakelander are refreshingly awesome films. Thanks for all of the info on how it was made, though! It makes it all the more impressive.

damn I never heard of this movie I'm going to give this movie a watch

absolutely love these kind of videos, its fascinating and insightful to learn the motivation behind some films that I never really thought twice about, and to see that many of them were made with genuine passion

Late Phases is great, really fun werewolf flick with a neat twist on the concept. I remember enjoying Stakeland, might need to watch it again soon as it's been a while.

Joe Lansdale (Cold in July author) wrote a short story called "Dead in the West" about an alcoholic, gun-toting preacher who wanders into a small Texas town and helps fight off an Indian curse and an army of the undead. It's even more awesome than it sounds. I want nothing more than for Jim Mickle to do that film with Nick Damici in the lead role. Mickle and Damici also created the Hap and Leonard series, so I know they can handle Lansdale's work. Had I the money, I would produce that movie.

I would've never guessed that they had a limited budget, because it certainly doesn't show. Mulberry Street was really good, too.

Watching this on netflix right now because of your review. Feels like new life for vampire movies, much like You're Next felt for slasher-like movies.

Such a great horror film. A rare feat where deaths actually mean something other than a bigger body count.

This is a movie that I always see on Netflix, but I have always passed on it. I am definitely going to check it out. Great work as always.

I love your videos, man. Most critics hate on films, it is great to see someone actually defending them and showing what went on behind the scenes and how much the producers can affect the final product.

One of my favourite vamp films, and the sequel

I think that Stake Land is very entertaining. Enjoyed it very much.

Wow, I knew they worked on a thin budget, but only 625K? That makes it even more impressive considering this both looks and feels better than most vampire/apocalypse flicks I've seen. It's one of my favorite post-apolyptical movies (and favorite Danielle Harris movie to boot). I also liked how they made the creatures having more in common with braindead zombies than traditional vampires.

Glad you brought attention to this film. This is one of the best underrated horror movie i have seen and happy and excited for the sequel :)

They should have used the road,from the movie THE ROAD. Its an actual abandoned stretch of road in the back woods of MaryLand i think.

1:38 I use to have chairs just like that in my house!... Always love to see your Exploring series. Quick insights into how movies get made are really cool.

Since it originally came out, I've introduced this film to a number of people (have even shown it twice outdoors on my digital projector). Didn't know there was a sequel coming, looking forward to that. I'll mention this review on the digital radio show I cohost, The Skullz Show on FCCFREERADIO, later tonight.

Jesus Christ I didn't know the same guy directed this late phases and cold in July. I love those movies

Damn, I would've never guessed this movie only had a budget of $650k. Those film makers have some mad skills.

Really like that film production details and crew biography info which you provide, I probably will never know these facts if not have seen them in this video.

I live in one of the towns in PA where the movie was shot in. I was upset to see that I wasn't one of the extras. XD

Do The Wailing! It's a Korean horror-ish, suspense-ish, mystery-ish movie. But it is such a refreshing take on the horror genre. The twists are superbly done and the comedic relief definitely falls in place masterfully. It is 2:30 long but it's definitely worth a watch.

I think the reason i watched this was cause of a recommendation from you, and i definitely did not regret that choice as i enjoyed the movie thoroughly. Love your videos and hope you keep them coming.

“We are what we are “ and “Cold in July” and really good films too.

I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. I picked it up thinking it probably wouldnt be any good but maybe worth a watch. I found the characters interesting... it was suspenseful and had some great fight sequences. It felt like a long episode of the walking dead with vampires instead of zombies

this movie, we are what we are, late phases and cold in july are all fantastic movies

I love this movie!! For a low budget horror it is very well produced and the acting is great!

I remember watching this on chiller a few years back and I was in love with it, first time a horror movie of all things made me cry. This movie if you think about it, has a last of us feel (the first 1 anyway)

I love your Exploring series. Without your fantastic channel, I would have missed so many great movies. Thank you for the great show!

I like vampires, I like post apocalypse. So for me, this was a match made in heaven :)

You know what gets to me about this movie which isn’t talked about. When the vampire eats the baby. Idk why that keeps me up at night still sometimes.

This is actually a good film. Found this movie by accident.

I genuinely liked this movie and I was impressed at its quality considering its budget

Sequel to Stake Land is out later this year, didn't know that. Awesome.

Dude! Yet ANOTHER awesome recommendation from GBF - I cant wait to see it. I love love love binging your show. Please don’t stop.

I love when these guys introduce me to flicks I might had missed when they initiated came out!

Just the thing I needed to get me to finally watch this film

That was a very good vampire movie very few have seen most recently.

The short that was the little boy's film project was the best short.

Another excellent movie and interesting take on vampires, love the different species and it pulls no punches on the dread that permeates throughout the movie. I think if I did a top ten vampire movies list it would definitely be on there.

You have a gift for digging up underrated gold.

This was an awesome movie and deserves more attention

I remember looking forward to its release. Good vampire movie. Rarely get any these days

amazing review as usual. Your ability to gather info and put it together is truly uncanny.

This film is terribly underrated

2 minutes in and I already want to see this movie again. I guess I'll have to leave this video for later.

I loved Stakeland, and if anyone else wants to see it, last I checked it was still on Netflix! Also, totally didn't recognize Martin from Gossip Girl.

A film I'd most likely have passed on... until now. Very interesting video dude, well done.

Been meaning to watch "Cold in July." Doing that tonight!

I've never heard of this movie. I love stories like this though. Resourceful filmmakers are my heroes.

This movie reminds SO MUCH of Last of Us! It like a LOU film with a different spin. I saw this on SyFy and immediately started thinking, "this is too much Last of Us

I remember watching this about the time it came out, and at the same time I was reading The Passage by Justin Cronin. I kept thinking how awesome it would be if the people who made Stake Land would get picked to do a film adaptation of that book, since there's a ton of similarities.

I have not seen this movie but I shall rectify that immediately as it looks wonderful.

I watched We are What We Are earlier and loved it. Stake Land is on Netflix, and I may have to watch it now. Goddammit, Cecil lol. Netflix has consumed my life.

I really like Glass Eye Pix. Wendigo & their other stuff is awesome.

I love this movie! So glad you did an exploring Cecil!! BTW I just saw Larry Fessenden in this cool horror flick called Carnage Park this weekend... the ending was kinda weak but it was pretty decent overall, def worth the watch....

Stake Land is good movie i can't help but wonder if this is where they got the idea for Days Gone.