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HORROR 101: THE A-LIST OF HORROR FILMS AND MONSTER MOVIES VOL 1
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HOME - INTRO - REVIEWS - FEATURES - MYSPACE - BLOG - STAFF - CONTACT HORROR 101: THE A-LIST OF HORROR FILMS AND MONSTER MOVIES VOL 1
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A-C D-F G-I J-L M-O P-R S-U V-X Y-Z
(2002) Christina Ricci plays Cassie Grant, who is traveling through England on foot, when she is hit by a car driven by Kerry Fox. Strangely enough, she comes away from the accident with nothing more than a slight concussion and a lost of memory. Fox is so distraught over the accident, that she offers the hospitality of their home to Ricci, at least until she gets some of her memories back. Ricci agrees and hits it off well with Fox's two children, Michael and Jessica. At the same time, the Fox’s husband, played by Stephen Dillane, is hired by the church to investigate a ancient church that was recently discovered, which had been completely buried underground. He normally works on restoring works of art, but his knowledge in dating items could help them figure out how long that church as been there. So with the help of a priest sent to help him, they try to unravel the mysteries of this church and to figure out why the figure of Christ on the cross is facing away from the congregation and towards a wall of on-lookers. Ricci starts having visions of people from the small town bleeding or dying, including the young boy Michael that she is taking care of. Is this the after effects of her concussion, or are these premonitions of something terrible that is about to happen? And who are these strange people that she sees standing around watching her. I’ve always been fond of religious themed horror movies. Most tend to have the same old plot with demons and / or evil priests (not saying that is necessarily a bad thing). So I give a lot of credit for this movie being very different than what I was expecting, and coming up with something a little more original. Unfortunately, this really isn't a horror movie. Although, according to the box art, it's "One of the most original horror movies that I've seen in quite a while." Yes, I will agree that it is one of the most original STORIES, but horror? Don't think so. Please don't misunderstand that I am not criticizing the movie since it's not a horror movie. It is a very entertaining and original movie, with some horror elements to it. But it's really a mystery/drama. So don’t let that put you off. We enjoyed the story enough to keep us interested in what was going on. Sure, it doesn’t have any big demons popping out and swallowing souls, but I think there’s enough here for anybody that enjoys these type of religious / occult stories will be more than entertained. Released on DVD by The Weinstein Company Home Entertainment, the DVD is completely lack of any extras. No commentary, no featurettes, no nothing. So they definitely are lacking in that department. But besides that, the DVD looks nice and is well worth your time to watch. (2005) THE GARDEN is a fable, and a very old one at that. It's about temptation. A young boy named Sam is having problems. He had bad dreams that consists of strange visions, and then he ends up cutting himself. Could it just because of the divorce of his parents? Or the lack of attention from his recovering alcoholic father? On the way home from a psychiatric hospital, Sam and his dad are involved in an accident. When they awake, there are being taken care of by an old farmer, that could use some help around the farm for a bit. But the longer they stay, the more that Sam realizes that things are not as they seem. But when he brings up his suspicions to his father, he figures it's just part of his bad dreams. Okay, is it just me, or does it seem like Lance Henriksen is in every movie these days? It sure seems like he's popping up all over the place, especially a lot of the lower budgeted, straight to DVD titles. But none the less, that doesn't stop Henriksen from giving his all to the performance, and many times bringing what would normally be a flat and dull film into something much better. The rest of the acting is pretty strong. The young boy Sam, played by Adam Taylor Gordon, really looks like a male version of a young Anne Heche. But none the less, he does a pretty good job here. His father, played by Brian Wimmer, also does a pretty good job, though he just doesn't seem to get what's going on. But really, it's Henriksen that is stealing the show here. You're hard to find someone who is better at playing a someone where the evil is just below the surface of the character. Someone who can give you a nice smile or smirk, and at the same time give you a look to send chills down your spine. And for that reason, everyone should be grateful that he seems to like to work in the horror genre that much. Since the film does have a religious theme to it, I was interested right from the beginning. The only problem I had with the movie was the ending what somewhat of a let down. They do go in a direction that one might not have expected, which was nice and different. But it just seems to fall a little flat there. But what the ending may lack, the director does make up for it in the look of the film. There are some great shots here. When the Four Horsemen arrive, in what may or may not be a dream sequence, it's does very well. The film score was done by Jon Lee, and he creates a wonderful creepy score here. Lots of very creepy and eerie strings being used, that really gives the scenes even a more powerful effect. He was someone that I had not heard of before, but will have to keep an eye, or ear as the case may be, for some of his future work. The movie was release on DVD by Anchor Bay. It comes with an audio commentary by the director. Usually when the commentary is just the director by themselves, it can get pretty boring. But Paul does a good job keeping the information coming about the making of the film, whether it be about the actors, the score, or just working with a young actor. The disc also comes with a "behind-the-scenes" footage, which is just that. Like you were standing there watching the filming. While this can be pretty interesting, depending on what they're filming, most of the time, it can get pretty boring. There is also a trailer, still gallery, and a bio for Lance Henriksen.
GARGOYLES
(1972) For the longest time, this was one of those made-for-TV movies that was very hard to find. It had become one of those cult classic shows that we remembered watching in our youth, along with TV series like NIGHT GALLERY, NIGHT STALKER, CIRCLE OF FEAR and GHOST STORY. A couple of years ago, it was finally released on laserdisc and video, making a lot of collectors very happy. And now, VCI Home Video has brought it to DVD. An anthropologist, who specializes in demonology of ancient times, and his daughter come across something that was once thought of only as a myth. While investigating a old man's story about demons or devils in the area, and showing them his strange find, they are attacked by strange creatures. So after all these years, does the movie live up to the fond memories? For the most part, yes. The title creatures are not as scary as I had remembered when I had first seen it years ago. But the makeup, created by a young Stan Winston, is done really well. I still think the makeup for the lead gargoyle still holds up even today. There might be a little too much slow motion used for the gargoyles. The DVD release is in great quality, probably better looking than when it first was shown on television, back in 1972. But this version was taken from the longer European cut that was shown in theaters. It does contains some trailers, and cast bios. Although it's strange that there is no bio for a young Scott Glenn, one of the supporting actors, who has probably gone on to do more films than anybody else in this film. But no matter, this film does require watching, even if you don't want it in your personal collection. GHOSTS OF MARS
(2001) Yet another film that I wanted to see in the theater, but never made it. So when it hit DVD, not only picked it up right away, but also sat down and watched it pretty such the same night. People who know me, know that is something that very rarely happens with me. I remember hearing mixed reviews of this latest project from Carpenter, mainly that it was reworking of his ASSAULT ON PRECIDT 13, with a touch of THE THING thrown in there. So I wasn’t expecting another classic from Carpenter, but was just looking to be entertained. Was I? Yea, for the most part. The film is definitely not one of Carpenter’s best. I had enjoyed his last film, VAMPIRES quite a bit. So it would have been even more of a let down if I hadn’t heard some poor reviews when it was first released. The story is pretty simple, and nothing new. The dialog is pretty bad is some places, and in other times is downright stupid. The main characters, played by Ice Cube and Natasha Henstridge are very lame. But the film does have its high points, even though it’s just for some quality kills. Some of the gore and CGI effects are done really well. There are some decapitations that got a few cheers from me. And even though the makeup designs for the alien ‘invaders’ was a little tribal-trendy, I still thought some of the designs were pretty cool, especially the leader. The film’s theme was too similar with so many other films, including Carpenter’s own THE THING. There’s seems to be even a few nods to INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS as well, with the civilization begin taken over by an unknown alien force. The special edition DVD contains audio commentary by Carpenter and Henstridge, a video diary, Special Effects Deconstructions, and a featurette “Scoring GHOSTS OF MARS" Entertainment Value: You do have some pretty cool quality kills, but not much more that you haven’t seen before. This is one film that is a required viewing, since it is Carpenter after all. But I wouldn’t run out to see it, or even put it near the top of my “to-watch’ list.
GOJIRA (1954) / GODZILLA,
KING OF THE MONSTERS! (1956) Well, it’s nearly impossible for me to approach the subject of Godzilla with any objectivity, so I’m not even going to try. After all, it was my love for this fire-breathing, Tokyo-stomping behemoth from Monster Island that first piqued my interest in monster movies, from which my love for horror films consequently followed, ultimately leading me to my current state of affairs: Dutifully strapped to my television set every spare minute to take in the latest fright flick, then rushing to the computer to chat about it. So, it’s to the Big G that we must raise our glasses and shake our fists, because it all started there. 50 years, 28 official Toho films and one (unfortunate) American remake later, he still stands head and shoulders above the rest. Granted, my first encounter with the character in 1971’s GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (aka THE SMOG MONSTER) was a far cry from the dark and imposing figure introduced back in 1954. Throughout the 60s and 70s, G was a rambunctious fella, defending humankind from the evils of pollution, evil aliens, and the like. My Godzilla spewed blue animated flames, stomped, bellowed, and even flew or talked when the occasions called for it. But even before my shameless completist genes had been fully formed, I knew I would eventually have to find my way back to Godzilla’s humbler origins. (Or at least, one version of his origins, because as we all know by now, when the Americans adopted Godzilla, it was not without a few conditions.) When I finally caught up with GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! on television, he was certainly less spry, less colorful and less…fun. (By the way, even though its sex is never really specified, I’m going to refer to G as “him” rather than “it” for the purposes of this article. To me, Godzilla has always been an overgrown male child in a mutant dino suit.) He moved slower, his “atomic breath” seemed to be more of a misty spray than the fiery blast of later installments, and there were no other monsters for him to do battle with. But even more distressing, he was the bad guy, the villain. In this incarnation, Godzilla was not even a misunderstood victim like King Kong, but instead a vengeful spirit intent on nothing but destruction of people and property. Needless to say, I didn’t like the movie nearly as much as I hoped I would. Nonetheless, captivated by the big green stomping machine, I immediately trucked my way down to the public library and found as many Godzilla reference books as I could find. Ed Naha’s Horrors: From Screen To Scream was a wonderful source, and there were also Ian Thorne’s “Monsters” series of books for children, each about 50 pages, giving the spotlight to such famous icons as King Kong, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, etc. One thing that was immediately made clear was that the version of Godzilla that we Yanks were watching was not the original vision imagined by director Ishiro Honda – rather, it had been markedly altered with new scenes (directed by Terry Morse) featuring Raymond Burr shot and inserted throughout. It had also been shortened from a running time of 96 minutes to a lean 80. Considering that the Burr scenes constitute nearly 20 minutes of new footage, it didn’t take much figuring to realize that there was a lot that we were missing. But in the early 70s, viewers (especially of the 7-year-old variety) weren’t as fixated on uncut, original widescreen versions of films as we are today. We accepted the world of home viewing as imperfect but certainly preferable to nothing. Besides, as far as Godzilla went, there were already fifteen G movies released by 1975, as well as comic books, action figures and fan clubs, so we had plenty to keep us busy. We dutifully read up on little-known facts, such as in KING KONG VS. GODZILLA (1962), there were two different endings: one where a certain big monkey wins for the American audiences, the other with ‘Zilla wearing the crown for his hometown crowd. (You can imagine my frustration at not being able see the Japanese version, and there followed many a speculative schoolyard discussion on how it played out.) To be honest, however, as time went on, the notion of actually seeing the uncut version of the original Godzilla film became less and less of a priority. Oh sure, if it ever came along, that’d be great, but I wasn’t going to lose any sleep over it. However, when it was announced in 2004 that Honda’s version of GOJIRA would be released in its original form and distributed for theatrical release, I nearly lost my mind. This was history in the making: 50 years after he had first roared his way onto movie screens, the kaiju eija (giant monster) that started it all – launching a million guy-in-suit monster movies in the process – was about to be released from bondage. As fate would have it, the film opened at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre on June 30th (my birthday, no less!) It was sheer bliss to be sitting there in a crowded theater, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to watch my childhood hero crush and destroy in all his big screen glory. Or so I thought. Because when Godzilla first poked his head over the mountaintop to terrorize the natives of Odo Island, he was met not with the screams or shrieks of terror befitting the king of the monsters. Instead, the audience burst out with howls of derisive laughter. I was appalled. Sure, the puppet head was limited in its motion and wasn’t all that convincing, but surely these idiots could afford to be a little generous, right? After all, they had turned out and paid their money to pay homage the same as me, hadn’t they? They weren’t just coming to mock the Big G, were they? Sadly, as the film continued so did the laughter, and I eventually realized two things: 1) True horror fans are a rare breed, often willing to overlook technical shortcomings in order to immerse ourselves in the world of the film, and 2) Eija Tsuburaya’s special effects in GOJIRA are perhaps not all that impressive to a 21st century audience’s eyes. That damned goofy puppet head continues to make appearances for close-up shots, and the models (and fly-lines) of the ineffectual Japanese Air Force are painfully obvious at times. Additionally, the love triangle between the fair Emiko (Momoko Kochi) and her two suitors, naval officer Ogata (Akira Takarada) and atomic research scientist Dr. Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata) comes off as melodramatic and flat. In short, GOJIRA is not a perfect film, especially if one is expecting a good ol’ fashioned creature feature. But, as a side-by-side comparison (now available in a glorious 2-DVD set from Toho/Classic Media) of the two versions clearly illustrates, different agendas were at work at the time of their respective releases. One is a vivid condemnation of atomic weaponry – presented by the only nation on earth to endure such an attack – while the other is purely a giant-monster-on-the-loose movie. In the former, human struggles are on full display, while the latter follows a standard “Man vs. The Other” formula. One explicitly recreates the Geiger-clicking aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the other focuses on a bandaged American newspaperman in a hospital bed. Finally, the Japanese version has characters that vehemently oppose the destruction of Godzilla in favor of learning from it, as well as serious meditations on the ethics of creating an awesome weapon (the “Oxygen Destroyer”) to vanquish the immediate menace, knowing full well that such a weapon could be used for less benevolent purposes in the future. For the American release, it’s all about munching the popcorn, watching the monster stomp the living daylights out of everything in sight, and ultimately killing said monster in time to grab a burger and fries afterwards. There is expansive and informative DVD commentary – providing the listener with the necessary historical context for both features – by enthusiastic Godzilla experts/authors Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski, and it is to their credit that there is not a clear preference expressed for either version. While they defend the heartfelt and damning anti-war message of the Honda original, they also acknowledge that without the restructuring and streamlining of the American release, it is entirely possible that Godzilla might never have evolved into a worldwide cultural icon. Likewise, they are not shy about pointing out the technical snafus, but also laud Tsuburaya’s innovative expertise in creating something entirely new. When one considers the production’s time and financial restraints, the work of the special effects maestro and his team here is nothing short of miraculous. Also given his due is composer Akira Ifukube, whose “Godzilla March” and “Requiem” are two of the most recognizable anthems in horror history. (He is also credited with creating the mighty monster’s distinctive roar.) World cinema fans will also recognize Takashi Shimura, star of Akira Kurosawa’s IKIRU and THE SEVEN SAMURAI (released the same year as GOJIRA), as the wise and benevolent paleontologist Dr. Yamane. The commentaries and accompanying featurettes, “Godzilla: Story Development” and “Making the Godzilla Suit,” offer a welcome wealth of background info and trivia to fans and newcomers alike. As well as providing background for the various players involved in the “Americanization” of the film, elements such as the influence of Harryhausen’s THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS’ and the origins of Gojira’s name (a combination of the words “gorilla” and “whale”) are discussed. Additionally, discrepancies over the monster’s height (164 ft. in the Japanese release, while Burr reports it at a whopping 400 ft.) and the strategic use of Japanese actor doubles in the American version are pointed out. (Ryfle makes an amusing speculation regarding the auditions for these individuals: “All right, thanks so much for coming in. Now, please turn around.”) Even more impressive is the knowledge that for the Stateside release, only three actors were used to dub all the Japanese characters into English, one of whom was character actor Victor Wong (BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS). Also revealed is the fact that Godzilla’s scaly skin was not green but charcoal gray – not surprising since the film is shot in black and white. However, it may be a shock for some to learn that it was a shade he would retain – even after the G movies switched to color – until the 1984 remake. (Stunned, I quickly busted out my copies of GODZILLA VS. MEGALON and DESTROY ALL MONSTERS to confirm this and it’s true, the big green stomping machine is bluish-gray at best. Huh.) Regardless of which version you prefer, Godzilla’s significance to the giant monster genre cannot be understated and this DVD set is a blessing for suit-mation fans everywhere. While I will readily confess to enjoying the series’ goofier, Godzilla-as-hero installments of the 60s and 70s as much if not more so, it is good to see the big G finally given his/her/its due respect and reverence. Review by Aaron “Dr. AC” Christensen
GODZILLA
2000
(1999) While I have enjoyed the Big G over the years, especially in my youth, I really couldn’t be called a huge Godzilla fan. But I really don’t think that has anything to do with my feelings towards this entry in Toho’s cash cow. This movie is so bad, I actually fell asleep in the theater. This is something that I haven’t done since seeing THE BRIDE back in ’85. There really isn’t that much of a story, the dialog (which I’m hoping isn’t the way the actual script is, but was due to the dubbing) is atrocious, and the acting is terrible. But even worse are the special effects. Now, before you try and remind me that this is a giant monster movie, with a guy in a rubber suit, you should check out some of the Gamera films that Toho’s competition has been putting out over the last couple of years. They are using state-of-the-art effects, even though it still is a guy in a rubber suit. There are a couple of scenes where Godzilla is standing in the water, but is slightly shifting back and forth, because they did a terrible job of superimposing him in there. There are other times when he’s doing the cartoon walk. For those who don’t know what a cartoon walk is, it’s when the character’s legs and feet are moving at a different speed then the ground that they are walking on. This was always due because their was a background cell and then the characters were animated on a different cell. But when you see it in a modern day Godzilla movie, it’s pretty bad looking. If Toho re-opened up their studios for this comeback, my guess is that they’ll be closing those doors once again. They really need to look at some of the technology that movie making has made in the last few years. Then they need to work on a really good story, and have some actors that can relay that onto the big screen. But with news of Shusuke Kaneko taking the helm of the next film, this could be the one thing that Toho needed. Kaneko is the one responsible for the new Gamera series. So with him aboard, this next one could be awesome. Let’s all hope. (2006) Normally, I would never, ever recommend that someone watch the special features of a DVD before they watched the movie itself. Heck, I tend to be nigh obsessive about not reading anything about a film before I see it, simply because I want my initial viewing experience to be preserved intact. However, in the case of GONE THE WAY OF FLESH, which comes courtesy of the crazy folk at Cut n’ Run Productions, I urge everyone to make the exception and watch the “Making of” featurette (which is nearly as long as the hour-long film itself) first. Why? So glad you asked. The plot consists of girls being murdered after they attend concerts featuring the rockabilly band, The Jason Martinko Revue. No, that’s not an encapsulation; that’s really all the plot there is. Much like Herschell Gordon Lewis’ features – whom the filmmakers cite as a major influence – there is nothing to spoil here. It’s just a matter of how things are (pardon the pun) executed and believe me, the Godfather of Gore would be thrilled to see what his legacy has inspired. We’ve got girls tied up, brains smashed against mirrors, disembowelments, decapitations, all done with the authenticity of a 6th grade puppet show. It’d all be heinously degrading if it wasn’t so patently fake and juvenile, and I mean that in a good way. The dramatic action runs the gamut of sloppily conducted murders, ineptly performed investigation scenes, and non-sound-synched snippets of concert footage featuring The Jason Martinko Revue, whose music is actually quite good. Oh, there’s also a fair smattering of semi-hardcore lesbian action as performed by adult entertainers to break things up. Yep, you read that right: Full frontal female nudity and sex toys on display, and I’m not just talking about the fuzzy parts – I’m talking about the fleshy tender bits. Definitely not one for the kiddies. In fact, the whole enterprise is so shoddily done, so obviously homegrown, so devoid of artistic composition and skill, that viewers will undoubtedly find themselves shouting to the open air: “Oh, my god. Do these guys know anything about filmmaking!” “Oh, my God. How much did this cost to make, like a $1.50?” “Oh, My God. The acting is terrible! Have any of these people ever acted before?” “OH, MY GOD. Why is the band is getting as much screen time as the rest of the so-called plot?!” The answers to these questions lie in the aforementioned making-of doc, “Sluts for the Slaughter,” featuring the writing/directing/producing/makeup f/x, et al team of Jason Martinko and Jordan McMillen, which proves to be even more entertaining that the movie itself. (By the way, the answers to the above Q’s are: 1) No, they didn’t, 2) about $700, 3) no, they hadn’t and 4) because the whole idea for the film was to create a marketing platform for TJMR to reach a wider audience.) As one watches, however, a very strange thing happens – we grow to really like these guys and their goofball, misguided attempts to make a piece of exploitation cinema. Because they poke as much fun at themselves as anyone, the duo inspires a great deal of goodwill. As they sit there and report straight-faced into the camera that yeah, people got hurt during the filming; yes, they were using real knives; yes, there was drunkenness and disorderly behavior on the set…well, it’s impossible not to cheer their oblivious DIY spirit. So, when we learn that the 2006 GTWOF premiere at Pittsburgh’s Rex Theatre was a monstrous sold out success, that the film has secured a distribution deal through Troma Films, and that plans for a sequel are already in store, it’s the perfect ending to an amazing underdog story. Along the way, there are ringing testimonials from folks like Fred Vogel of August Underground, Bloodtypeonline’s Ed Demko and Russ Rutter, Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman and so on…. By the end of it, you feel like these guys are friends, and that is how GTWOF should be viewed: As though your buddies have made a movie and sent it over for you to watch. If you’re expecting a legitimately well-made movie, you’re barking up the wrong tree. But if you’re in the mood for an hour’s worth of homespun, low-grade gore set-pieces, howlingly absurd performances (what is up with the band manager with the obviously fake wig and mustache??), plenty of writhing strippers, one of the goofiest bar fights on celluloid highlighted by an amazing table flip, drug overdoses, some pretty rockin’ good music and a kickass title credits sequence featuring a topless fire spinner, then look no further, my friends. For more info, check out the Cut n’ Run website www.cutnrunproductions.com/movies.htm and their MySpace page as well. (Warning: When one first pops in GTWOF, he/she is regaled with an incredibly repetitious main menu page, which declares, “Gone! The Way of Flesh!” followed by about 8 bars of guitar and drum riffing. And then it does it again. And again. And again. And again. For those of us who like to put in the DVD, then get a soda to have nearby, gather writing materials, put on our glasses, etc. while the disc boots up, this gets very, very old in a very, very short time. By the time I finally got my hands on the remote and hit “Play,” the sound byte had been burned permanently into my brain. Thanks, guys.) Review by Aaron “Dr. AC” Christensen (2004) Tom Savini. Rick Baker. Rob Bottin. Steve Johnson. All of these names are pretty well known to most horror fans. But what about Phil Leakey and Roy Ashton? I'm sure you're familiar with the films put out by Hammer Studios throughout the 50's to the 70's, right? If so, then even if you might not know their names, you know the work of Leakey and Ashton. Phil Leakey was man responsible for the early films Hammer Studios was putting out. And when Hammer moved into the sci-fi/horror genre, Leakey was there creating the effects for it. He was the man responsible for giving the new look to Frankenstein's creature. Not to mention doing some other great work on the THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, X-THE UNKNOWN, and the QUATERMASS films. When Leakey left Hammer after REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Roy Ashton took over, and gave audiences some more memorable creatures. Ashton created the REPTILE, the living dead in PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, THE MUMMY, and probably one of his best jobs, turning Oliver Reed into one hairy monster in CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. In 1998, Bruce Sachs and Russell Wall published a book called Greasepaint and Gore: The Hammer Monsters of Roy Ashton, which we have reviewed here on our site. But they didn't just stop there. They continued gathering information, along with info on Ashton's predecessor, Phil Leakey. And now, they have put out a wonderful double-documentary DVD, covering the years of work they both did for Hammer Films. The Leakey documentary has Leakey himself discussing how many of his effects were created and worked. Even some of those that never made it to the screen since they were too gruesome. There's even a couple of parts where Leakey is showing that he still knows how to do the work, as he's making up a burn effect on someone's arm. Leakey even still has the glass contact lenses that he used for Lee in the creature makeup from CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN! He goes over quite a lot about working for Hammer back in those days, with a limited amount of time and money, but was still able to come up with some incredible stuff. There's also interviews with Hazel Court, Val Guest, Jimmy Sangster, and Christopher Lee (who just can't seemed to not complain about something). The Ashton documentary is unfortunately lacking in actual video interviews with Ashton, though there is some footage of him but with no sound. But Ashton had made several audio recordings of his working with Hammer and on some of the different creations that he had come up with. Ashton was always sketching things out, trying to work out the different ideas. A lot of these sketches are shown here in the documentary in a still gallery. There is more interviews with Barbara Shelley & Eddie Powell as well more from Lee, Sangster, and the others. Some of Ashton's notes and recollections are read by his wife. All in all, for fans of Hammer Films, this DVD really is a must for your collection. There is a lot of history here, and these two guys were a huge part of what made Hammer Films what they are. And even if you are just a beginning makeup artist, this can really give you a great insight to the job ahead. Tomahawk Films produced and released this DVD in a region-free NTSC DVD. You can order it directly from them at there website HERE, but you pay a bit for overseas shipping. Or you can do what we did, and get it from our friends at Xplotied Cinema. It is a bit pricey for a single DVD, but if you figure you're getting over 2 1/2 hours of interviews with some of Hammer's key people, it's worth every penny. (2007) Okay, here we go. We had never got around to catching this film in the theater, but it was amazing to sit back and hear all the different reactions from the fans. There was the side that just hated the film, and then the side that loved it. And then there were a few in between that just thought it was okay, but these seemed to be a minority. I didn’t really spend that much time listening to the exact reasons for the praise and hatred, since I wanted to try to keep my mind open for when I did get to see it. So which side of the debate do I reside now that I’ve finally seen it? Read on see what you think. Rob Zombie stated that he wanted to make Michael Myers scary again. I think all he did with him in this movie was turn him into a standard run-of-the-mill psycho. Sure, an incredible big and strong psycho, but at the end of the day, just a psycho born of a bad childhood. By taking away the mystery (and even the supernatural element) of Myers, I think that took away a good chunk of the scare-factor. The first act of the film sets up the possible reason that the young Michael Myers develops into a psychopathic killer. There’s the typical attributes, like the killing of animals, the broken and unstable home life. To me, that just seemed a little to “by the book” for character development. And because his home life is such a wreck, and the characters were such that we could care less about, we’re damn near sympathetic with Michael when he kills them. So if Michael is a product of a broken home, and we’re made to feel sorry for him, how does that make him scary? But now I will actually argue against my own point, with the sequence with young Michael’s revenge on the school bully. Once again, we are first made to hate the character of the bully outright, so when the payback comes we’re glad. But here was a real twist for me. This is once sequence where the violence is simple and not way over the top. But it comes across with much more of an effect. And when the bully starts to whimper and cry, pleading for his life, this is when we see the true evilness of this young boy. We also go back to the significance of the mask here. The mask comes off briefly, so Michael can look at this bloody figure below him, begging for his life. But then the mask slowly comes back on, and the evil returns to finish the job. One of the comments that I had heard in praising this movie was that it was a hell of a lot better than the last few HALLOWEEN sequels that had been made. Okay folks, that’s not that great of a compliment there. And that’s no way to defend this movie. Just because it’s better than the previous ones, doesn’t make it good. Just…not as bad. If anything, that just makes your expectations a lot lower, which may make it seem good to you. I’ve also heard comments about that this film, about the character of Myers, is much more violent than in the previous sequels. That reminds of me of how some people responded to Christopher Lee’s portrayal of Dracula in Hammer’s HORROR OF DRACULA (1957). No longer was he the suave and debonair character, but a mean and vicious monster. And here in Zombie’s HALLOWEEN, when Myers is attacking, its’ pretty violent and pretty brutal. But yet again, new and different does not automatically mean good in my eyes. In the past, I always commended Zombie for casting genre greats in his films, even if only for bit parts and cameos. I always figured that if I was making a movie, I’d be doing the same thing. But as my buddy Dr AC pointed out, it now has become more of a “Where’s Waldo” game while watching the movie, trying to spot all the cameos. And that really can take you out of the story that is trying to unfold in front on you, since your mind will pause for the appearance of Sid Haig or Bill Moseley. So I do think that he should spend more time working on the story and dialog than figuring out which genre icon he can put where. Which brings me to the dialog. I am the last person that would be bothered or offended by the use of harsh language. But if you were to develop a beer drinking game for every time you heard the word “fuck”, I think you’d be dead of alcohol poisoning by the end of the first act. The foul language just seems so forced, like they are trying to go out of their way to use more and more of it. I felt the breakfast sequence was just awful. The dialog was just so over-the-top, seemingly trying to be offensive, but instead came off more like a very lame sort of “we’re trying really hard to offend people” way. Taking the supernatural element out of the character really gives the logic of the story an even bigger run for the money. If Myers is just your standard psychopath, how does he know where his sister is? She was adopted and has a different name. So how does he know where she lives and even what’s she looks like? I also don’t understand his reasoning for coming back to kill her now, when it seemed like she was the only one besides his mom that he had a loving relationship with. So why would he all of a sudden decide that he need to return home to kill her? I will say, however, that I really enjoyed the whole mask element that Zombie created. Out of the whole “re-imagining” concept that was the one part where I think Zombie came up with something new and different. It gave a nice development to the young Myers darker side, where possibly the innocent part of him can hide behind when the violent side comes out. Also the homemade masks I thought were a great idea, and some even pretty creepy. A very nice touch. So has Zombie delivered us a bad movie? Not really. I have seen much worse. But a great movie? No. A good one…..well, maybe. Especially if you were to compare it to the last few sequels. But, if you are fans of this movie, then you should be very happy with this 2-disc DVD coming out from Genius Products. The film itself is the unrated director’s cut, which runs 11 minutes longer than the theatrical release. This includes some of the scenes that were too graphic or too violent for the original release. This disc also contains audio commentary by Rob Zombie. The second disc has plenty of extras for Zombie and HALLOWEEN fans. Here you will see the alternate ending & deleted scenes (with optional director’s commentary), casting sessions, Laurie Strode screen test, and a few featurettes that cover the making of the film, the cast, and the masks of Michael Myers. There is also a blooper reel that is quite amusing, especially with scenes with Malcolm McDowell. So for Rob Zombie fans, you will definitely want to add this release to your collection. If you haven’t seen the movie, you could do a lot worse. But since the opinions of this film have been so varied across the board, the only way you’re going to be able to tell is by watching it yourself. (2007)
Director Paolo Fazzini has done a great job by gathering some of the biggest names in Italian horror to talk about their work. And even more amazing, that it's a genre that really isn’t that popular in their own country. We get to hear from directors like Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Ruggero Deodata, Michael Soavi, writers like Franco Ferrini, and even the legendary makeup artist Giannetto De Rossi, plus many more. They all give their insights as to why they make the movies they do. We hear great stories of them getting into the business and why they stay. I did have one small issue with this documentary, and that was with the subtitles. Since all the dialog here is in Italian, everything is subtitled. But the subs are white and are very hard to read at some points. Plus, most of the time, they are on the bottom of the screen. But then at times, they switch to the top. That can get a little bothersome when you’re not sure where you should be looking for them. Plus, I know my Italian isn’t the greatest, but there were times when I heard an Italian movie titles or certain words that I do know, but never seen those words in the subtitles. Maybe I just missed them. But besides that minor thing, I would recommend this 60-minute documentary for all levels of fans. Sure...for some of us older fans, there might not be that much new information. But even still, you get to see some real genuine Italian masters here speaking freely of their art. And if you’re a younger fan, this is a great opportunity for you to learn about some of these filmmakers and give you something to seek out. Consider it homework. But this is homework that you will enjoy! The DVD is distributed by The Cinema Guild and can be contacted at their website: www.cinemaguild.com (1990)
"The worst possible drug trip." That is how director Richard Stanley described his first movie. For me, it's usually "Visually stunning!" That’s how I usually start off my discussion of Stanley’s debut. Each time I watch it, I come across something new or different that I hadn’t noticed before. Stanley’s look at the future is very bleak and dismal, but probably not too far off. The part that sets this movie apart for me, and Stanley for that matter, is the sense of style. Some directors, like using shades of black and white to add atmosphere. For example, the way Alex Proyas used it in his movie THE CROW. Here Stanley uses orange and red colors, and everything between them. This gives the film a very different feel to it. Is the air really that color due to the pollution? Is it because of the sun’s rays? In either case, it paints a very different look for the future, and for this movie. But it’s not just the look of this film that makes it special. Or even the set design, which also adds quite a bit to the look of the film. This is not the clean and shiny utopia that a lot of movies portray the future. This is a time of misery. A time of poverty. A time when the government wants to pass a law making it illegal to have too many children, in an attempt to slow down the population explosion. Or as one of the characters points out, to bring a child up at this time is “Stupid, sadistic, and suicidal.” Not a pretty picture, huh. Stanley makes the viewer see a more realistic and gritty view of what the future really might hold for us. As described by a cab driver, who happens to be played by Motorhead's lead singer Lemmy Kilmister, "Fucking bunch of shit what these people are doing to their fucking world." Well, enough of that psycho-babble, let’s get to the movie! The basic premise is that McDermott plays a marine or some sort of a military guy out on leave from the combat zone. Before going back to see girlfriend Jill (played by Stacey Travis), he picks up part of a robot of some kind from a junkman. His girlfriend is a sculptor, who works with metals and whatever else she can find, and figures this would make a nice present. This piece of robot, happens to be the brain of a robot called the Mark-13, who’s sole purpose is to kill humans. And the brain is still functioning….meaning it’s still alive! During the night, the robot comes back online and starts to re-build itself with whatever parts in can find lying around in the apartment…such as drills and saws. And once its finished, it starts to seek out victims. William Hootkins’ role here has to be of one of the most sleaziest characters I’ve seen. He plays a Peeping Tom in the building across the street and is infatuated by the Jill, watching every thing she does through a huge telescopic lens, that has a camera, infra-red and everything. He seems to always be sweating and wearing latex gloves. Like I said, very sleazy. But he plays it perfectly. Iggy Pop is the voice of Angry Bob, a radio DJ that always seems to emphasize the better points of the day….well, maybe not exactly. To quote Bob, “As for the good news, there is NO FUCKING GOOD NEWS!”. And of course, you also have Lemmy from Motorhead as a cab driver, listening to who else…Motorhead! Nice little cameo, and he fits the part so well. This is a film where the music plays a big part in giving it even more life. Simon Boswell, formally of the band Alien Sex Fiend, uses music pretty much throughout the movie. Some times as if it’s part of the what’s going on in the film, almost like a sound effect. So if you're looking for a real "feel good" movie...then you might want to pass this one up. But if you're looking for a look at the future, through all the dirt and grime and gritty outlook, try HARDWARE. And if you're looking for a film that is just a visual treat on the eyes, then check out HARDWARE. The DVD reviewed here was the German release, put out by Laser Paradise, which we picked up from our friends at Xploited Cinema. This film was cut when it was released in the theater and on video here in the States. But there was only one scene that was cut, and it really was for only a few seconds. This German release has a segment showing several cut scenes, possibly what was cut from the German release. But none the less, this DVD is the full uncut version! The disc also contains a written interview with Stanley, but it is all in German. The disc does come with the original English audio track. If you are a fan of this movie and also of Richard Stanley's work, check out this website dedicated to HARDWARE. Click HERE to check it out!
(2001) This is the long awaited return to filmmaking from the East Coast King of low budget filmmaking, Don Dohler. Dohler is responsible for such classics as THE ALIEN FACTOR and NIGHT BEAST. While Dohler didn’t direct HARVESTERS, he was co-writer, co-executive producer, cinematographer, and editor. So while not calling “action”, it does seem that he had his hands full anyway. Joe Ripple took on the role of director, as well as co-executive producer and co-writing the script. But then he also took on an acting role, playing a U.S. Marshall on the trail of the wanted criminals. That shouldn't of been a difficult role for Ripple, since his day job is that of a police detective. With Dohler being a full-time editor for a newspaper, it is amazing that they could get this film together. While this plot does seem very similar to the last film Dohler directed, BLOOD MASSACRE, it still is pretty entertaining, combining a straight forward story with a little bit of a twist. Two U.S. Marshals are on the trail of a wanted criminal, played by Donna Sherman. She is an ex-marine and is as tough as nails. Her and her gang are going through small towns knocking over strip clubs and convenience stores. After a robbery attempt goes bad, and trying to hide from the law, her gang stops a car on the road makes the young girl take them to there house. Once the gang arrives at the seemly normal household of the Peelman’s, there is something strange going on here. And once they found out just what that hidden secret, it might be too late. Dohler regular George Stover plays Herbert Peelman, the father and head of the family ‘business’. Being that he has been in every one of Dohler’s previous films, it was nice to see him show up for Dohler’s return to filmmaking. Stover’s quiet and subdued manner is great when you find out the secrets behind him and his family. He seems like the nice, quiet, friendly neighbor…until it’s too late. There's a great little segment in the behind-the-scene documentary, where Stover explains why Joe Ripple is good at directing. Pretty funny guy. The only part of this film that I didn’t care for were the computer effects that were used. With the age of CGI (computer generated images), when they’re not done well, it looks pretty bad, kind of like seeing the zipper on the monster suit. In HARVESTERS, CGI is used on a few occasions, such as a bullet hit to the head, and looks just terrible, very cartoonish. There’s even a scene where they used a CGI for a car driving down a road at night, or of a news van park outside a house, or at least it sure looked like it was CGI. If I’m not mistaken, they even used CGI fog in some scenes. All that did was make it look like the camera lens was dirty. But there are some great good old fashion makeup effects that are done really well. One person gets skewered on a large tree branch, right through the chest. Even though it’s really a simple effect, it’s done really well. A knife in the neck of another person is another effect that is done quite well. These are much more impressive to me than anything they did with the computer. With really only the CGI effects that bothered me, I still found this film to be pretty entertaining. It has some nice gore sequences, and not only some great gratuitous nudity, but also having one girl taking a blood bath. And while it was filmed on video, the quality of the filmmaking makes you forget that very quickly. The DVD features a very entertaining and informative 30-minute documentary about the making of the film, with commentary by Ripple, Dohler, and the Director of Effects, Sean Quinn. It really shows just what goes on behind the scene of a low budget film. From having to make last minute changes to how scene are shot, to having to carry a shit load of food for about a mile to where the crew is, it’s not all fun and games. It also comes with trailers. It can be purchased directly from their website, TIMEWARP FILMS. If you’re going to order it, I highly recommend that you also pick up a copy of B MOVIE HORRORS. This is a great book that covers the all of Dohler’s earlier work, and is very informative, and entertaining.
(2003) We finally got around to seeing this intense little film. We were waiting for an uncut print that either had English subs or dubbed, and we finally got one. So we promptly sat down and watched to see what all the hype was about. The basic plot is two college girls are going to one of their parent's house in the country to do some studying. But during that first night there, a killer drops by and starts a reign of terror for the two young women. Okay, let’s get the any negative remarks quickly out of the way. There’s talk that this film is very similar to a novel from Dean Koontz. Haven’t read the novel, so have no idea about. But the only thing that I seen that seemed similar to anything was the killer’s truck. It had a strong resemblance to the truck from JEEPERS CREEPRS. A very strong resemblance. Okay, now that’s out of the way, we can get to the real meat of the review. It’s been a lot time since I’ve seen movie that had me very quiet while viewing it. I think the last time was when I watched HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER for the first (and only) time. This is a brutal little film. And the best part of it that it puts the viewer behind the eyes of someone who is basically witnessing these horrible murders. Once the killing starts, there is no humor, no stupid jokes, no place where the viewer can take relaxing breath. The gore and makeup effects were handled by Giannetto De Rossi. Fans of Italian horror movies might recognize his name from working with Lucio Fulci on some of his most famous films, such as ZOMBIE. And it looks like de Rossi hasn’t loss anything over the last 20+ years. The gore is done very well, and very, very red. The story is a little different, where there’s not a lot of background as to what’s going on. And for me, I didn’t mind that at all. I didn’t need to have everything explained to me. This has an ending that will have you pondering about it for a few days, trying to figure it out. I'm sure there's more than one theory or explanation of what's going on. Remember, this didn't come from Hollywood where everything is all tucked in nice and tidy. If you are looking for a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat, or grabbing hold of the person next to you, or especially making you checking your doors at night before going to bed, this is the perfect movie for you. With a very limited cast, all of them perform very well. Especially the main lead, Cécile De France, who I thought was cast perfectly because of her eyes. Since she is the one who is witnessing all of this violence, we see her reaction in her eyes, stretching wide with fear. Sometimes those reactions can be as unsettling as what she's actually seeing.
HAXEN
(1922) This is one of those films that you always heard about, or would see clips of during documentaries on the horror genre, but never seemed to be able to find a copy. Now that has changed. With demons and devils running around, witches being tortured, this film has some wonderfully dark imagery. Christensen’s film starts out with some history about the first appearances of witches, demons and devils in art. The film then goes on to show how the witch hysteria came about, and just what was done to them. This is one of those topics that I find so interesting, because it shows what can happen to humanity when religion is taken too far. It’s amazing to me to what the good and religious people back then did to basically innocence people, just because of what someone might of said (probably while being tortured) about them, or maybe just because they didn’t like them. And because of this type of hearsay, people were tortured to the point of death, and then finally burned at the stake. While the film does have it’s dark and macabre moments, there are some very humorous parts, such as the witches kissing the devil’s behind, which was taken from an early work of art. But some of the darker imagery still leaves an impact. Originally released in 1922 with a running time of 104 minutes, it was re-released in 1968 in an edited version that ran much shorter running time of 76 minutes long. William S. Burroughs narrated this edited version, which had a different soundtrack. Criterion has released this film in yet another awesome edition. The disc features the original full length version of the film, that is a new digital, speed-corrected transfer of the Swedish Film Institute’s tinted restoration. The music is from the original Danish premiere, and presented in Dolby Digital 5.0. The disc also features a very informative audio commentary by Danish silent film expert Casper Tybjerg. Along with a very interesting introduction by the director himself for the 1941 re-release. His discussion of the different types of witches was very humorous, but also very disturbing. But there’s even more extras. The disc also has some outtakes, a photographic exploration of the historical sources that director Christensen used for the film, called Bibliotheque Diabolique. There is also a still gallery. The disc features both the original full version of the film, along with the 76-minute version. For those fans of early horror films, or more importantly, those who have interests in early history of witchcraft and the trials and methods of the early days, you will find this movie very interesting and enlightening. (2006) I want to say that I remember hearing/reading that makeup maestro Bob Keen had got behind the camera to direct his first film. But that's about it. So when this DVD of HEARTSTOPPER showed up, I was pretty excited. Since most makeup effects artists know quite a bit about shooting film, we figured this could be a nice change to see some cool stuff, or at least some top notch effects. We were wrong in all cases. The story is very, very unoriginal. A mass murder is executed by electric chair. Or so they thought. Apparently this killer has some sort of supernatural power. Strange that he couldn't use it to not get caught in the first place, but I digress. Once they get to the hospital, the killer wakes back up and starts his killing spree again. He in search of a young girl who was close to suicide, so he can take over her 'soul-less' body and then continue his bloody work. About the only good makeup effect in this movie is the look of the killer's face after the electric chair. With his lips all curled back, showing the teeth, it looked pretty cool. Unfortunately, this look didn't last long, and he changed back to his normal looking self after killing the doctor who was trying to perform the autopsy. The killer's specialty is ripping the hearts out of his victims, hence the title of the film. But these effects were done pretty poorly. I guess with Keen behind the camera, I would have thought it would be done much, much better. Keen really tries to put some style into his direction, but seems like he's trying too hard. From little killer's glowing eyes, to the double exposures showing the killer looking at the young heroine, it just seems like Keen is really trying way too hard to have style, where is should just come out naturally. But I do have to say that one surprise that I didn't expect was Robert Englund's performance. Since he is playing the good guy here, the sheriff who caught the serial killer, I figured he would be lost not playing the villain. But he gives the best performance here. Let me re-phrase that again, since that's not really a compliment. Englund does an excellent job portraying an old and slightly grizzled sheriff. He plays the role very straight and doesn't go over the top, like some would have expected. The rest of the characters are basically fodder for the killer. The main lead, played by Meredith Henderson, just seems to be there to either look sad and depressed or yell at people for not believing her. The killer, played James Binkley, is about as flat as they come. From the silly dialog that he gets to spout, to his attempts to look evil, make his role very forgettable. The DVD does come with an very entertaining interview with Robert Englund who talks about the making of this film and his role as a horror genre star. There is also an interview with Bob Keen as well. I think the biggest disappointment is that we just expected so much more from Keen. Maybe he should stick with the makeup work. At least then it was always impressive to watch. (1986) Most horror movies made years ago tend to lose their edge over time. Not to say they're not entertaining, but I think we watch them now out of fondness, as oppose to actually hoping to be frightened. Yes, I know they're exceptions to this, but I'm talking on a general scale. The Universal classic monsters are viewed now more with nostalgia than actually scaring us. The 80's monster movies, usually filled with tons of gruesome and gory effects, when watched today also seemed more nostalgic than scary. The special makeup effects just don't have the same effect on us as they did when we first watched them. Or that we've seen a throat slashing or rubber monster so many times, that it loses it's terror power. But not HENRY. I haven't watched HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER since it first hit video back in the late 80's. It was a movie that I had heard a lot about when it first came out, so I had to see it. This is not a movie that I could watch over and over again. Why? Because it's too damn real. HENRY doesn't sugarcoat or glamorize it's serial killer, like the Hannibal Lectors or even Freddy Krugers. Henry is a guy that you could very well be living next door to and not know just how close to death you may be. When this 20th Anniversary 2-disc set came out, I figured it was about time that I revisited HENRY and see if the movie still had the impact it had on me all those years ago. And the answer is still a big YES! Filmed on a incredibly low budget, with very real actors, McNaughton gave us an insight into the mind of the worse kind of murderer. One that murders just because. I guess probably one of the main reasons the film works as well as it does is because of the actors. Michael Rooker couldn't have played this character more colder than he does. He fits the part to perfection. His performance is one of those that if you were to meet this actor in real life, I think you would feel uneasy around him. Tom Towles also gives an outstanding performance as the dim-witted friend and partner-in-crime Otis. And Tracy Arnold comes across so real, that as the movie progresses, you really start to feel for her as she starts to move down a path that there is no coming back from. While the movie does have some amount of gore and effects, they are really kept to a minimum, which makes the death seem all more real. The soundtrack is incredibly simple, but extremely effective. Especially with is drumbeats, much like that of a heartbeat. Dark Sky Films has done an incredible job with this 2-disc special edition. The film comes with audio commentary by director McNaughton. there is also a great documentary that covers the whole history of the film, from it's first inception to the final release. Not only are the director and cast included, we also hear from many others involved, which gives us a great look at how low budget films can be made. There is also the documentary on the real life serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas, where this movies was based on. There are also some deleted scenes and outtakes, with commentary by the director. The disc sleeve is also double sided, with one side featuring the original artwork by Joe Coleman, which was pulled from the original posters for being a bit too much.
HELL
NIGHT (1981) PRAY
FOR DAY This was another little quick film to tie in with the success of HALLOWEEN. But what differs here compared to all the other quick rip-offs is that this one is actually a pretty good film. Four sorority pledges have to spend the night in an old house where twenty years ago to the day, the previous owner had murdered his entire family, and the house is suppose to be haunted by their ghosts. But the guys running the Hell Night prank intend to make sure the four inductees are too scared to make it through the night. While having a Van Patten in a movie is not plus in my mind, thankfully it’s only in small doses. The rest of the cast are good, especially Linda Blair, continuing her horror genre stardom. What really surprised me in this movie is the amount of atmosphere. When most of the lighting in the house is done by candlelight, it does add quite a bit to the mood. It also says something for whoever was working in the lighting department. There’s one scene where the killer rises out the floor, underneath the rug, which is also done really well, and is very effective. The DVD release of this film is a great buy. The quality is sharp, and in 1.85:1 ratio. It also features commentary by Linda Blair, director DeSimone, and producers Irwin Yablans & Bruce Cohn Curtis, which gives some great details into how the film was made, and shows a lot of insight of the film. It also comes with the trailer for the film.
HELLRAISER
(1987) Then I started hearing about these special “Tin Editions” that Anchor Bay was going to be putting out. I also heard that the special edition of HELLBOUND, which was going to be part of the HELLRAISER Special Tin Edition, would not be released on it’s own until some time next year. So I plopped down my $50.00 for this Special Tin edition when it came out. What a waste of money. The DVDs themselves are pretty good. The quality of the picture and sound are great. I’ve only listened to a little bit of the commentary, and already can tell it’s a lot more interesting than hearing Clive ramble on by himself for 90 minutes, which was on the original special edition laserdisc. The featurettes are pretty good too. Except for the obvious fact both were made the same time with the same people and just basically divided up per film. Although it’s not a good sign when Barker starts off the HELLRAISER documentary saying “This is the last time I will talk about that son-of-a-bitch movie.” He then says, “I’ve exhausted my observations, probably exhausted them five years ago.” And that’s only in the first couple of minutes. So I guess we’re not going to get a lot of info from Clive during the documentary and the audio commentary. I can hardly wait. But overall, the documentaries for both films are done really well. They talked to quiet a few people besides Barker, who were involved with the film, such as Ashley Laurence, makeup effect artist Bob Keen, Cenobites Doug Bradley (Pinhead), Nicholas Vince (Chatterer), Simon Bamford (Butterball), and Oliver Smith who played skinless Frank, as well as the psycho patience in HELLBOUND who slices himself up with a straight razor. Below are the features
that each of the DVD’s have: HELLRAISER
HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2
My advice would be to just buy the single DVD for HELLRAISER, and then patiently wait until next year when HELLBOUND comes out. It’ll save you $10.00, plus you’ll be able to store them with the rest of your DVD’s instead of this stupid tin box. This is the first and last of these “special” editions that I’ll be buying. I have noticed that the Tin Box editions of THE BEYOND are out all over the place, but nobody has got the single DVD edition. My guess is that Anchor Bay knows they made a mistake with these things and hope people can’t wait and buy the Tin box. For me personally, I’ve waited for quite a few years for THE BEYOND to come out on laser or DVD. I can wait a few more weeks. Directed by John Borowski The types of films we usually review here at the Krypt are just your basic movies. Nothing venturing into the real world such as documentaries, unless they are about the movies. So this documentary on a serial killer isn't the norm for here. But after hearing some very good things about it, I figured I could give it a look and see what the hype was about. I had never heard of H. H. Holmes until I started seeing people at conventions with t-shirts promoting the movie. But after you watch this excellent documentary, you will learn more about this monster of a man than you may want to know! The man designed a house of horrors and had it built in Chicago. It had rooms specifically designed to torture, kill and dispose of people. Holmes did just that. And this was way back in around 1890's. Borowski has done an incredible job with this documentary that has taken him 3 years to get completed. If I didn't put the dvd in the player myself, I would of sworn I was watching the History Channel. He combines interviews with author Harold Schechter (who wrote the book Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer) & criminal profiler Thomas Cronin, along with re-enactments that are shot in foggy black & white, which just adds even more atmosphere to an already creepy story. Adding even more to this already bizarre tale is the musical score by Douglas Romayne Stevens. Combined with the vintage looking re-enactment footage in the documentary, this could have easily have been part of a classy horror film from the 30's. The dvd contains the 64 minute documentary, along with a 20-minute "Making of", commentary by the director Borowski, trailers, outtakes, poster designs, and more. Fans of serial killer history will definitely enjoy this film. But even horror fans would enjoy it if only for the great little clips used to show Holmes' deviant atrocities. For more information about this documentary, check out the official website - H.H HOLMES
HOMICIDAL
(1961) This was William Castle’s answer to Hitchcock’s PSYCHO. Made shortly there after, Castle brings us the tale of a young woman named Emily, who in the opening minutes of the film, brutally stabs to death a Justice of the Peace. So right away, we know who the murder is. Or do we? There are no spoilers in this review that will reveal the surprise ending. But if you have never seen this film and intend to, I would avoid reading anything about the film elsewhere, since it might give away the ending. It was an interesting idea, a different kind of twist then in a film like PSYCHO. Since you see the murder right in the beginning of the film, the rest of the film the audience is trying to figure out just what is going on. We know that something is wrong with Emily right from the start, but we’re not sure. Plus the way she treats the wheelchair bound Helga, we know that she’s a bit crazy. But her friend Warren doesn’t seem to notice her strange behavior. The best part of this film is Jean Arless (aka Joan Marshall). Her portrayal of the demented Emily is great. She looks as if she just walked off the set of the Ozzie and Harriett TV show. But when she loses her tempter, or just when she is tormenting Helga, the rage and intensity really shines through in her character. Joan Marshall was actually the original wife of Herman Munster in the pilot episode. The gimmick Castle used for this film was the Fright Break at the end of the movie. Right before the heroine enters the dark house, where we are to discover the real truth of what’s going on, this clock appears on the screen. We then hear Castle’s voice telling us that if we are too scared to find out what happens, now is our chance to leave the theater. During the original release at the theaters, there would be a “Coward’s Corner” in the lobby for people who left during the Fright Break. While not as clever or interesting as his past ideas, it still is funny to think what the reactions where back during the original release. This may not be one of my favorites of Castle’s films or even one of his better films; but I still found it very enjoyable to watch. Even by today’s standards. It's definitely better than the negative reviews that it normally gets. The DVD was released by Columbia Pictures, and in a digitally mastered audio and anamorphic video presentation, re-mastered in high definition. Besides the trailers, it features a short featurette called PSYCHETTE: WILLIAM CASTLE AND HOMICIDAL. (1964) Like beach party movies? Even better with big headed monsters that look like they have hot dogs in their mouth, right? Well then look no further. Producer / director Del Tenney did just what he set out to do. And that was make a entertaining little drive-in movie that was a combination of two popular types of films at that time. And not only did he do just that, but he made a very successful film in the process. And one that is still remembered over 40 years later. Thanks to those wonderful corporations who have been dumping toxic waste into our waters, this time one of the barrels opens up when it hits bottom. And just like toxic waste tends to do, it turns some skeletons at the bottom of the water into large fish-man type creatures. And the promptly set about attacking the beach loving kids partying, doing all those wacky dances, like the Zombie Stomp. Ahhh....the youth back then... These creatures have always had a special place in my memory, since I can remember watching this film on TV when I was about 13 or 14. The creatures are very humorous looking, especially by today's standards. And then when you add in the 'hot-dog' mouth, it's even better. But as silly looking as they might be, they are memorable. And isn't that really the important thing? Sure, you can't take this movie as a 'serious' horror movie. But what beach party movie out there can you take seriously. This movie was made for simple entertainment. You have monsters, you have the dancing on the beach with the band playing surfer music, you even have the obligatory biker gang, even though they're only in the beginning. What more could you ask for? What more could you need? This type of film is something you won't see any more. So it's great that they are being released on DVD for both the generation that grew up on it, as well as the newer one. So they can ask, "just what the hell were those people doing back then?" Dark Sky Films have done a wonderful job with this release. The print probably hasn't look this good since it's original release, and maybe even better. But not only do you get this fun little movie, but you also get it with another Tenney feature, CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE. There is also an interview with Tenney, where he discusses his filmmaking history, and how these two films came about. There is also audio commentary by Tenney, with the help of Dark Sky's Shade Rupe. Some of the info from the documentary is repeated on the commentary, but there is still lots of interesting and entertaining stories on here. I have always loved and be in awe of some of these stories of filmmaking back in the 60's. I watched this film with my 13 year old son and we both enjoyed it. It was very cool watching this film again, with him being the about the same age of when I first seen it. Though, I think he was more terrified from the dance sequences then the actual monsters! Like the Universal monster classics, this is a great film for all ages. If you're into old monster movies, you need this one for the collection. Kudos once again to Dark Sky Films for putting out such a great little double feature. Either one of these films would have warranted a single release disc. But keeping in the double feature them that the actual movies were played, they've combined them here together. Great job, and a great DVD.
HORROR
BUSINESS Garetano spent a few years following the exploits and work of several low budget filmmakers. This documentary shows us just what these people are trying to do, and the trials and hardships they go through for their art. And then, of course, some would have a hard time considering what they are doing is...art. I'm kind of in the middle of the road on this documentary. I really enjoy what Garetano shows us, and does give us a great behind-the-scenes look at some of these struggling filmmakers. But the problem is that a majority of the filmmakers covered aren't that entertaining, and especially the clips of the films that they show. Granted, some of these filmmakers are going for the "in-your-face" assault, and I'm sure they do have their audience. Just not with me. But I also want to say that anybody that has that drive and passion to put all of that time and money into something that they love, then for that I have to give them credit for. It's all a matter of taste. So with that out of the way, Garetano does do an excellent job covering these filmmakers. Each of them talk of their passion and motivations on why they are doing what they're doing. Whether you agree with them or not isn't the point. They are creating their work for others to see and make them think. Out of the people covered, the one that I was most impressed with was David Stagnari and his short film "Catharsis", which looked very bizarre, but a nicely shot black and white film. Stagnari also reminisces about seeing movies at the drive-in every week and the impact and influences that it had on him. Another filmmaker covered is Mark Borchardt, mostly known from the documentary AMERICAN MOVIE. It's really a shame for him, since the shots of him trying to film his newest movie looks about as unorganized as you can get. But once again, he has the passion. There are also little snippets of advice from such cult favorites such as Lloyd Kaufman, H.G. Lewis, Sid Haig, and even Joe Bob Briggs, who gives some great pointers for up-and-coming filmmakers. The most important one is that you shouldn't hire your friends! And I 100% agree with that one. So if you are one of those people out there with dreams of breaking into the low budget horror film business, then you should definitely check this one out. It will give a great insight of what these people are going through and all the hard work that is in store for you. But just remember folks, passion doesn't make talent. But without the passion, no amount of talent is going to help you. HORROR OF FRAKENSTEIN and TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN - TRAILER DVDS I’ve always loved trailers, both the early ones from the 30’s and 40’s, and even more the ones from the 60’s and 70’s. So the news of these DVDs from All Day Entertainment had me pretty excited. These discs are not prefect. The quality of the trailers vary. More on that later. But for now, for those looking for a quick review, let me say this: For fans of Hammer Films, Frankenstein films, or just the horror genre, these two DVDs are simply a must! Here’s a breakdown of each disc and why they’re a must. For TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN, the extras besides the trailers are enough for the purchase. You get Hammer’s rare, and completely uncut, television pilot TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN, starring Anton Diffring. It even has optional audio commentary by Ted Newson (director the awesome Hammer documentary FLESH AND BLOOD), Gary H. Smith (author of UNEASY DREAMS: THE GOLDEN AGE OF BRITISH HORROR FILMS), and Stuart Galbraith IV. There is small interview with Michael Carreras about getting the pilot made. Then there are also two different interviews with Boris Karloff. The first one is an interview that was done late in Karloff’s career and is very entertaining, but is a little short. The second is a radio interview that is 38 minutes long and is also both entertaining and very interesting to hear Karloff talk about his career. There is a brief interview with Peter Cushing that was actually taken from the documentary PETER CUSHING: A ONE WAY TICKET TO HOLLYWOOD. There is also a radio interview with Glenn Strange, who also played the monster many times, which is over an hour long. The disc also has bloopers and TV appearances of Abbott & Costello with Frankenstein, the re-issue trailer for FRANKENSTEIN, and a double bill trailer of HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER / TEENAGE CAVEMAN. The disc is also supposed to have Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein for your DVD-ROM, but for some reason the disc doesn’t work on my computer. Of the 21 original theatrical trailers, they include most all of the Universal films, some of the Hammer films, and oddities like FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER, LADY FRANKENSTEIN, and DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN. For THE HORROR OF HAMMER, you get a total of 53 theatrical trailers. You get everything from the Dracula films, the Frankenstein films, vampires, werewolves, mummies, and a whole lot more. There is also alternate trailers for BRIDES OF DRACULA, DRACULA A.D. 1972, and COUNTESS DRACULA. You can also watch the trailers with audio commentary by Ted Newson, Gary H. Smith, and Stuart Galbraith, who give you a great history lesson of Hammer Studios and of those who worked there. But that’s not all. You also get to see two great featurettes, which show the Hammer publicity machine in action. The first one is called Beauties and Beasts. It is about the making of WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH. You see James Carreras going over dozens of photos looking for his next starlet, who turns out to be Victoria Vetri. The second one is Prince of Terror, which is about the filming of DRACULA A.D. 1972. You get to see Cushing and Lee on the set of the film, with director Alan Gibson showing Lee how to hold the wagon wheel that stakes him. It’s really interesting to see these little docu-promo reels that Hammer use to put out to promote their films. And now for the bad news, and that would be the quality of the trailers. About a year ago, Anchor Bay released a promo DVD with 20 trailers, all that been re-mastered, and in beautiful quality. Compared to that DVD, the trailers on these two are not that great. Not saying that they’re all terrible, for the most part, there pretty good. But some of them are pretty dark, such as FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED; some are washed out such as OLD DARK HOUSE. If this had released on video 5 years ago, the quality wouldn’t have been a big deal. But since the advent of DVD, everybody seems to expect perfect quality with everything. To be quite honest, with a lot of these trailers, such as the Universal titles, I don’t know if I’d want them to be perfect quality. It really adds to the nostalgic feel to them. The DVDs also sees to be a little difficult to maneuver around a bit. If you go to play the trailers individually, the chapter stops are not completely at the end of the trailer. If playing them all, it’s not that big of deal. It would have been nice to start at any particular trailer and continually play from there. But when selecting individual titles, it goes back to the main menu after the trailer. I also couldn’t play the Frankenstein disc on my DVD-ROM for some reason, but it did play fine in my regular DVD player. So the bottom line is that yes, the quality of the trailers are not mint or even great in some cases. But does that take away the enjoyment from me? Not at all. If you are a fan of the genre that loves trailers, and behind-the-scenes information, these two DVDs are great buys. Both titles go for $24.99 each, and can even be ordered directly from All Day Entertainment. I love trailers. The more cheese, the better. Like they say, sometimes watching the trailers were as entertaining (if not more in some cases) then watching the whole movie. They promised to show us terrifying monsters. Scenes of horror that might drive you insane. Not to mention some glorious and gratuitous nudity thrown in for good measure. And they did they’re job. They got us to come see the films when they finally came out. Watching these classic trailers now is probably more entertaining for me now then when I watching them back in the 70’s. The folks at Ban 1 Productions have taken a bunch of horror and exploitation trailers from the 60’s and 70’s, re-mastered them to awesome quality, and have collected them here together in one great little DVD. HORROR ON 42nd STREET is a celebration of sleaze, horror, exploitation, and everything else that was wonderful in those B-movies from that time period. These were not mainstream movie titles that Hollywood was putting out. But the underside of Hollywood, churning out low budget quickies, with a lot of them turning out to be damn entertaining little films. On this first volume, Ban 1 have compiled 40 trailers, that have been digitally re-mastered from the 35mm masters, from movies like MUTATIONS, WONDER WOMEN, CREATURE WITH THE BLUE HAND, DEVIL'S RAIN, FREAKS, VIGILANTE FORCE, and many more. They is also a still gallery of some poster art, video box art, and the great ad campaign for the FOOD OF THE GODS. My only complaint about the disc is that the title, HORROR ON 42nd STREET, is kind of misleading, since only about 1/2 the trailers are from horror films. But none the less, they are all entertaining. So if you are like me and enjoy watching these classic and timeless entertaining 'shorts', I would recommend picking up this disc. It is a fun time. Check out their website HERE.
HORROR
HOSPITAL (1973) Michael Gough was born to play roles of demented madman and psychopaths. He was excellent in the 1959 movie HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM, as well as being the true bad guy in Hammer’s PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In this film, continues to perfect his dementia of psychotic characters. In HORROR HOSPITAL, he plays Dr. Storm; a wheelchair bound scientist who runs a ‘health clinic’ for young men and women. Robin Askwith (who starred in several of Peter Walker’s earlier films) plays a young musician who leaves the club scene after a fellow musician steals one of his songs. He decides he needs a holiday and goes to Dr. Storm’s clinic. Along the way, he meets up with a young woman, played by Vanessa Shaw, on the train. Since her mother has recently died, she is going to the clinic to see her Aunt, who is Dr. Storm’s assistant, that she’s never seen before. The ‘clinic’ is really where Dr. Storm is experimenting with mind control through surgery. Those who are "guests" at the clinic are pale and in zombie-like trances, with blank expressions on their faces, waiting for instructions. Those who try and escape are chase down by Dr. Storm’s car, which has a wonderful decapitation device, complete with a basket to catch the heads. Wonderful stuff here, folks. There are many wonderful characters in this film. Skip Martin plays the dwarf assistant Fredrick, who seems to come with some of the comedic relief, while also taking some beatings from Dr. Storm. Then you have Ellen Pollock, who plays the Aunt, who is about as deadpan as you can get. There’s a great scene where she tries to tell Dr. Storm that she is tired of these experiments and is going to leave. She starts to tell him, "I’ve been thinking . . .", when Storm cuts her off by replying, "Have you my dear? I’ve been thinking for many years. And I’ve achieved quite a lot in that time, don’t you think?" And of course, there's Dennis Price, in a great bit part, playing a flaming travel agent, who sends the young ones to Dr. Storm’s clinic. (1959) Michael Gough has always been a personal favorite of mine, who's usually in bit parts or B-pictures. But that's not to say that he still doesn't give on hell of performance in whatever he's in. From smaller roles in Hammer's HORROR OF DRACULA or PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, to leading roles in KONGA or HORROR HOSPTIAL, Gough is always entertaining. Even in the role of Alfred the butler from the BATMAN movie series. HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM is probably one his better known films that featured him in the leading role. The film is also known for the opening sequence with the binoculars with the spikes that pops out. Gough plays Edmond Bancroft, a crime journalist that loves to make the police look like idiots when they can't seem to solve the recent string of crimes. These crimes involve people being killed by unusual weapons, just like the ones found in Scotland Yard's famous Black Museum, which houses a collection of macabre tools of the trade for murders. Geoffrey Keen plays the police superintendent who is in charge of finding the twisted murderer causing fear amongst the city. For fans of the James Bond series, you might remember Keen from playing the Minister of Defense in all of the Moore films. Of course, I remember him from Hammer's TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA. HORRORS was the brain child of producer Herman Cohen. Cohen was the one responsible for creating I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF and I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN, and many, many more. Starting in the theater business, he knew who the audiences were, and what they wanted to see. And he was more than happy to provide them with the thrills. VCI Entertainment has released HORRORS on a special edition DVD, where they really have come up with some great extras. First of all, the film is presented in an anamorphic 2.35:1 ratio, and is the European re-mastered version. Now there have been complaints that the print had been taken from a PAL transfer. I will say that the print is not as sharp as I would have hoped for, but this is not to say that it's still a very nice print. But those who might be disappointed about the quality of the print, should be very excited about the extras. Here is where this VCI disc really shines. First you have the audio commentary by film critic David Del Valle and music composer Gerard Schurmann. They cover a lot of ground about the making of the film, and those involved. Del Valle has some very interesting comments about Gough, including a story about a scene from Hammer's HORROR OF DRACULA where Gough throws up after Cushing has staked his sister. That's a new one for me. There is also an audio commentary by producer Cohen, except is taken from archival materials. But it's still very interesting. There is also a video tribute to Cohen that was done by film journalist Tom Weaver and Didier Chatelain, who was a very close friend and associate of Cohen. This really gives you a insight to the man, and is very informative. The disc also has the original Hypno-Vista opening with psychologist Emile Franchel, who explains to everybody the basics of hypnotism, and just effective the power of suggestion can be. What a great publicity stunt for the film. There is also a phone interview |
I think I’ve said
this before, but I’m a sucker for documentaries on the horror genre. So what
would be even better than a documentary on the Italian horror genre? Especially
when done correctly, they can really help to educate their audiences. For more
experienced fans, it can even be entertaining just to see some of your favorite
directors talking about their movies and the genre in particular. And that is
exactly what you get here with HANGING SHADOWS.
