Vineyard-Set Australian Thriller “Crushed” (2015) Makes Its North American VOD Debut on November 1

Back in June, I had the pleasure of reviewing writer/director/producer Megan Riakos’ gripping Australian thriller Crushed for Gruesome Magazine (read it here)  while it was still on its festival run, stating that the film is “an ambitious effort that aims high and succeeds rather well, thanks to solid performances and writer/director Megan Riakos’ deft direction of her own compelling screenplay.” Viewers in North America finally have the opportunity to see the film themselves when this award-winning mystery has its North American digital release on November 1, 2016.The film was acquired by 108 Media for international rights earlier this year.

Crushed, set and filmed on location in the stunning Australian wine region of Mudgee, is about Ellia (Sarah Bishop), a young woman who returns home to her family vineyard after her father dies in an accident on the winery. When his death is ruled a murder and her mother becomes the prime suspect, Ellia is compelled to stay and discover the true story behind her father’s death; however, the family- and small-town-secrets that emerge are more than she bargained for.

This debut feature from Australian writer/director/producer Megan Riakos (50-50, The Shed) was also produced by Robbie Miles and Sarah Bishop, and it boasts an impressive cast that includes Bishop,  Les Hill, Roxane Wilson, Millie Spencer-Brown, and Remy Brand.

Crushed is available in North America on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, and Xbox. In Australia and New Zealand, it can be found on  iTunes, Google Play, and Ozflix. For more information, visit www.crushedfilm.com.

Joseph Perry

Joseph Perry fell in love with horror films as a preschooler when he first saw the Gill-Man swim across the TV screen in "The Creature from The Black Lagoon" and Mothra battle Godzilla in "Godzilla Vs. The Thing.” His education in fright fare continued with TV series such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits," along with legendary northern California horror host Bob Wilkins’ "Creature Features." His love for silver age and golden age comic books, including horror titles from Gold Key, Dell, and Marvel started around age 5.

He is a contributing writer for the "Phantom of the Movies VideoScope" and “Drive-In Asylum” print magazines and the websites Horror Fuel, Diabolique Magazine, The Scariest Things, B&S About Movies, and When It Was Cool. He is a co-host of the "Uphill Both Ways" pop culture nostalgia podcast and also writes for its website. Joseph occasionally proudly co-writes articles with his son Cohen Perry, who is a film critic in his own right.

A former northern Californian and Oregonian, Joseph has been teaching, writing, and living in South Korea since 2008.