Like tattoos and plenty of gruesome horror? Hit the Byrd Theatre this weekend.

"Degenerates Ink," is an independent tattoo horror film shot in the Richmond/Petersburg area.

Director Jim Stramel says it's about "tattooing, killing and tattooing, in the exploitation/grindhouse flavor."

The movie was written and directed by Stramel and stars local artist/musician Wes Freed and local tattooer George Archer Jr., as well as several other Richmond actors, musicians and tattooers.

"I've been working on the movie a long time," Stramel said. "Initial writing began about four years ago. When I realized that the script was going to be too difficult for us to shoot with our means, I retooled it and stripped it down."

"Filming started two years ago in October of 2008," he continued. "The plan was a 12 day shoot ending by Halloween but things went wrong pretty much immediately and filming continued through the cold winter. The entire movie takes place outside or in a van. we finally wrapped on Valentine's Day 2009.

"Degenerates Ink" premieres at the Byrd Theatre at Midnight on Saturday, Oct. 23. Admission is $6. The movie is unrated but carries the warning: "Contains Foul Language and Tattoo Violence." Don't bring the kids.