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Category: Horror

  • Lurking Fear (1994)

    Lurking Fear (1994)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]After the success of 1985’s Re-Animator, director Stuart Gordon and writer Dennis Paoli wanted to adapt another Lovecraft story. They wanted to film Lovecraft’s 1923 short story The Lurking Fear, but Empire Pictures’ collapse canceled the project. Years later, C. Courtney Joyner, who previously wrote Prison for Empire Pictures, directed Trancers III: Deth Lives for Full Moon. Studio head Charles Band was pleased with the sequel, so he offered Joyner the chance to resurrect the Lovecraft adaptation. At the time, Band found success shooting in Romania after filming the Subspecies franchise, so they filmed at Buftea Studios. They brought on Empire/Full Moon veteran Jeffrey Combs, alongside Ashley Laurence, Vincent Schiavelli, and Jon Finch. Unfortunately, Joyner and Finch did not see eye-to-eye, as Finch disagreed with Joyner’s direction and made the experience rough. Despite these setbacks, Lurking Fear finally hit video store shelves in July 1994.

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    Synopsis

    After being released from prison, John Martense (Blake Adams) goes to his childhood town of Lefferts Corner. He meets up with family friend Knaggs (Vincent Schiavelli), a local mortician who’s been holding onto part of a map. The map shows the location of a hidden stash of money left by Martense’s father after his last heist. He follows the map to an abandoned church, where he meets Cathryn (Ashley Laurence) and Dr. Haggis (Jeffrey Combs). It turns out that underground monsters have repeatedly attacked the town, and Cathryn lost her sister to the creatures. Soon enough, master thief Bennett (Jon Finch) and his accomplice Ms. Marlowe (Allison Mackie), arrive looking for the stash. Soon enough, the underground dwellers make their way into the church, and the group has to make a stand. Who will survive the onslaught, and who will be the next victim of the lurking fear?

     

    Review

    Compared to other Lovecraft adaptations from Charles Band, Lurking Fear isn’t as good as Re-Animator or From Beyond. That said, this film has plenty going for it, from the moody atmosphere and the solid cast. Blake Bailey, who later starred in Head of the Family, gives a good performance as a rugged ex-con. Ashley Laurence stands out as the formidable female lead who’s willing to show some vulnerability without seeming weak. On top of looking good with a beard, Jeffrey Combs is fun as the snarky and pessimistic chain-smoking doctor. Vincent Schiavelli has some good moments with Blake Bailey, but his role is more like an extended cameo. Even if he was awful to work with, Jon Finch still makes for a great and imposing villain. Allison Mackie, who was also Joyner’s cousin, has a great femme fatale look and works well along with Finch.

    The movie has a similar “mobsters vs. monsters” vibe as 1985’s Transmutations, but Joyner does a much better job. While that film ruined its approach to combining horror with film noir, this one manages to balance the tone out. Even before the monsters show up, Joyner manages to create a foreboding mood that’s reminiscent of old gothic horror films. Once the monsters show up, it becomes a gruesome onslaught similar to the climax in From Dusk Till Dawn. If there are any problems with the film, I’d say that we don’t get to know our main characters much. We’re given just a basic setup for them before they’re thrown into an explosive climax with copious amounts of gore. While this doesn’t have the lasting power of Stuart Gordon’s adaptations, this one will provide enough entertainment for 75 minutes. Overall, Lurking Fear is an underrated gem that’s worth uncovering.

     

    Buy Lurking Fear from:

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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  • Frightmare (1983)

    Frightmare (1983)

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    Born in 1928, Norman Thaddeus Vane was a successful playwright turned screenwriter turned filmmaker whose career spanned several decades. His first play, “The Penguin,” featured a then-unknown Martin Landau and opened Off-Broadway in 1952 to stellar reviews. In 1960, he transitioned from playwriting to filmmaking by directing Conscience Bay, then writing The Fledglings in 1964. Vane mostly stuck to screenwriting throughout the late 1960s into the 1970s before returning to director in the early 1980s. In 1982, his second feature, The Black Room, featuring then-unknowns Linnea Quigley and Christopher McDonald, saw a West German release. Around the same time, he shot a film that combined tropes from horror films old and new. The movie initially saw a 1981 release as The Horror Star, but Troma picked up the distribution rights years later. Subsequently, Troma later released the film under the title Frightmare.

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    Synopsis

    Conrad Razkoff (Ferdy Mayne) is a once-respected horror star who now has to do commercials to make ends meet. A local film society invites him to their school, but unfortunately, he suffers a heart attack while on stage. Thankfully, he recovers, though knowing that death will be coming soon, he starts preparing his funeral. Following his death, the film students get drunk and decide to exhume his body despite objections from Meg (Jennifer Starrett). Conrad’s wife, Etta (Barbara Pilavin), learns that the body is gone, so she meets the psychic, Mrs. Rohmer (Nita Talbot). Rohmer discovers where the body is, and, through Etta’s chanting, Conrad rises from the dead to exact his revenge. One by one, each of the film students gets picked off in a sadistic fashion, more graphic than the last. Having risen from the grave, Conrad Razkoff has gone from playing a monster to being a monster.

     

    Review

    Frightmare is an oddity, bridging the gap between the atmospheric horror of the past and the rising slasher boom. It has the mood of an old black-and-white chiller and the gore and nudity of an early 80s hack-and-slash movie. It also shows how a once-prominent celebrity can lose relevancy over time and try to reclaim their lost status. As Conrad Radzoff, Ferdy Mayne revels in playing such a larger-than-life character, chewing as much scenery as possible. He’s easily the highlight of the cast as, unfortunately, the rest of the actors don’t particularly stand out. Luca Bercovici from Parasite 3D and Jeffrey Combs, famous for Re-Animator and From Beyond, make early appearances here. Also in the cast are Scott Thomson, who later appeared in Ghoulies, and famous character actress Nita Talbot. It’s odd how a Troma movie would have so many connections with Charles Band’s Empire Pictures and Full Moon Features.

    The cinematographer was Joel King, whose previous credits include being a camera operator for Carrie and The Beastmaster, which shows. He gives the film a surreal, dream-like quality that makes it feel otherworldly, like something out of a nightmare. For a low-budget production, the gore effects are surprisingly well done, the highlight being a decapitation done in slow-motion. Admittedly, the film’s most unique aspect is what somewhat hurts it, which causes an identity crisis. While the old-school atmospheric elements work, the slasher portions feel almost tacked on, likely to appeal to that crowd. Plus, there are hints of Conrad either screwing people over or people using him, but that’s never fully explored. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call this a forgotten masterpiece, it’s still a lesser-known gem worth watching. Overall, Frightmare isn’t perfect, but it has enough going to give it a mild recommendation.

     

    Buy Frightmare on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ruol4R.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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  • Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil (2002)

    Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil (2002)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]Alchemy Entertainment/Big City Pictures couldn’t generate enough revenue to sustain itself after only four movies despite its ambitious nature. Following the release of The Vault in 2001, Mel Johnson Jr. left the studio though Charles Band tried sustaining it. With Johnson gone, J.R. Bookwalter of Tempe Entertainment took over to produce a sequel to the label’s biggest hit, Killjoy. Rather than repeating the first film, Band and Bookwalter wanted to take the series in a new direction. Douglas Snauffer wrote the script, adding some inspiration from 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn, though he later regretted this decision. Unfortunately, the original actor Ángel Vargas couldn’t return for the sequel, so Troma veteran Trent Haaga replaced him. In her directorial debut was actress Tammi Sutton, who appeared in 2001’s Horrorvision and later directed six more films. After a short shooting schedule, Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil hit video stores in early 2002.

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    Synopsis

    Detention officers Denise Martinez (Debbie Rochon) and Lieutenant Harris Redding (Logan Alexander) must escort a group of juvenile delinquents. The group must spend 90 days at this location to help renovate a group home for fellow troublemakers. Unfortunately, their bus gets a flat tire on the way there, and they have no cell phone reception. Redding takes some of the delinquents to find reception when Raymon “Ray-Ray” Martin (Choice Skinner) finds a seemingly abandoned house. However, Ray-Ray gets shot by the home’s owner Lilly (Tammi Sutton), and the group manages to escape with him. They take refuge in the house of voodoo priestess Kadja Boszo (Rhonda Claerbaut), who says she can heal Ray-Ray. At the same time, delinquent Nicholas “Nic” Gordon (Austin Priester) asks Kadja to summon a revenge demon against the locals. She ends up calling the monstrous Killjoy (Trent Haaga), who soon wreaks havoc on our unlikely heroes.

     

    Review

    Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil does a lot to distinguish itself from the original, but it suffers from similar flaws. Like the first film, the pacing drags quite a bit, and it takes a while for things to pick up. Killjoy doesn’t show up until roughly 45 minutes in, but it gets much better once he does. Though Ángel Vargas’s performance is missed, Trent Haaga plays the demonic clown well and makes it his own. He doesn’t have the snappy one-liners of his predecessors, but he adds a menacing playfulness to the character. Not only that, but the makeup design is much better than how he looked in the first film. Admittedly, most of Haaga’s dialogue consists of laughing and chuckling, but it’s easy to see why he stuck around. Haaga would go on to play the character at least three more times.

    Unfortunately, the rest of the cast doesn’t stand out much, but they serve their purpose well enough. The four main delinquents are mostly there as cannon fodder for Killjoy, but none of them are particularly annoying. Debbie Rochon primarily acts like she’s pissed the entire time, which fits her character, though she has some human moments. Admittedly, having the story revolve around a group of delinquents being reformed is a nice change of pace. Plus, the forest setting helps this stand out from the primarily urban environment of the original. There are some pretty fun kill scenes, though they’re not as wacky or silly as in the original. At an hour and seventeen minutes, the movie does feel padded at times, but it gets out relatively quickly. Overall, Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil slightly improves upon its predecessor while having some of the same flaws.

     

    Buy Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil from:

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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  • The Gingerdead Man (2005)

    The Gingerdead Man (2005)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]William Butler started working at Empire Pictures doing make-up effects on films like From Beyond and Ghoulies II. He also had parts in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, Spellcaster, and Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. Wanting to do more, Butler would submit writing ideas to various studios, but nothing came of them. One idea he had revolved around a killer gingerbread cookie, which he presented to Mad TV, but they said no. Butler decided to take his concept to Full Moon Features, which by the early 2000s was not in good shape. Charles Band liked his ideas, but he wanted to take Butler’s script and rewrite it to be made more affordable. Charlie handed the rewrite to Domonic Muir, who also wrote Critters and worked with him for a few years. After a scrapped 2001 teaser, The Gingerdead Man hit video store shelves in late November 2005.

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    Synopsis

    It’s been two years since Sarah Leigh (Robin Sydney) watched Millard Findlemeyer (Gary Busey) kill her dad and brother. For his crimes, Findlemeyer is taken to the electric chair and vows revenge on Sarah even in death. With her alcoholic mother Betty (Margaret Blye), Sarah runs a bakery and pastry shop that’s on its last legs. One day, a stranger delivers a container full of gingerbread seasoning containing Findlemeyer’s ashes since his body was cremated. Unfortunately, Sarah’s co-worker Brick Fields (Jonathan Chase) gets cut, and some of his blood drips into the seasoning. After the dough’s finished mixing, Sarah makes a giant gingerbread man and cooks it in the oven, which comes alive. The gingerbread man becomes Findlemeyer and stalks Sarah, Amos (Ryan Locke), and Lorna (Alexia Aleman) throughout the bakery. Which of our heroes will survive, and who will fall victim to The Gingerdead Man?

     

    Review

    The Gingerdead Man is one of those movies that you’ll love or hate depending on your taste. The movie isn’t sweeping the Oscars, but it doesn’t need to aspire for anything more. Admittedly, this movie is a drastic drop in quality from Full Moon’s peak in the early to mid-90s. Their movies back then were undoubtedly low budget, but they made the most of the budgets they had. However, this has the trappings of direct-to-video movies from the mid-2000s, including one location, low-grade quality, and shoddy digital effects. The acting is pretty shoddy, though Robin Sydney easily shines as the female lead who steps up to the challenge. Of course, the big draw is Gary Busey, who is surprisingly low-key in his on-screen appearances. When he voices the Gingerdead Man, you can tell he’s having fun spouting some ridiculous lines. Though, I would’ve appreciated it if he was on-screen more.

    The movie does have some similarities to Child’s Play, but that one at least explained things better. In that film, we were shown how the killer used voodoo to become the doll, and it made sense. Here, it’s not made clear exactly how the whole ritual of bringing the killer back as a gingerbread man works. Granted, this isn’t meant to be a serious horror film, but this leaves more questions than answers. The Gingerdead Man puppet itself looks fine for their budget, especially considering the original Pillsbury Doughboyesque design. There are some reasonably bloody kills sprinkled in, but none are particularly memorable or inventive. At roughly 70 minutes, this movie gets in and out very quickly and won’t take too much of your time. Overall, The Gingerdead Man is a movie where its concept is more entertaining than the movie itself. That said, you could certainly do worse.

     

    Buy The Gingerdead Man from:

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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    Where to watch The Gingerdead Man (2005)

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  • Carnal Monsters (2021)

    Carnal Monsters (2021)

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    Since the mid-2000s, Joe Cash has worked in special effects and stuntwork in big-budget films. He was a special effects assistant on the 2010 Wolfman, Underworld: Awakening, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Joe also performed stunts on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, World War Z, and Thor: The Dark World. Unfortunately, Cash was out of work with many major movie studios shutting down due to COVID-19. In the meantime, Joe set up Screaming Screening Productions, a low-budget company devoted to making B-movies. He got some work at Troma Entertainment directing segments for the anthologies Grindsploitation 9 and Grindsploitation 10: Milkin’ It. After filming the documentary Gorenography, Cash decided to make his first feature-length film on a small budget of £500. Despite some technical difficulties requiring them to discard 50% of footage, Carnal Monsters was released in late 2021.

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    Synopsis

    At the Tromaville Nuclear Research Center, Dr. Dilf (Ian Sen) consults with nurses Spanks (Alexxa Vice) and Meow (Laura Barker). Suddenly, a series of explosions force them to evacuate, but unfortunately, they die in a fiery car crash. Six months later, a group of five friends is enjoying their time together across the countryside. They play with beach balls, wander through the woods, have a sitdown, and talk about their lives. While walking past the remains of the research center, they find two girls who seem to be unconscious. The group takes them inside to treat their wounds, but the girls start going mad when they wake up. Before long, the group is picked off one-by-one by a group of masked assailants who the nuclear explosions have corrupted. Who will survive the incoming onslaught, and who will be the carnal monsters’ next victim?

     

    Review

    Before going any further, I’d like to thank Screaming Screening for sending me a screener copy of Carnal Monsters. They reached out and asked me to review this film for them and be as honest as possible. That said, this is by far one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen, and I’m not being hyperbolic. I want to be nice because this was made with no money by people making a silly movie. If all you’re looking for is copious amounts of nudity, crude jokes, and cheap gore, this is for you. While I enjoy these things as much as anyone else, that doesn’t make or break a movie. Here, it feels like these compensate for the film’s lack of a cohesive story and interesting characters. Even if it’s just brainless entertainment, you need a decent narrative to hold everything together.

    This thing is a pathetic excuse for a feature film even by Troma standards, and that’s saying a lot. Not only does it have a threadbare plot and no characterization, but it’s also a mess on a technical level. The audio is so bad that I had to turn down the volume whenever the sound would get blown out. Plus, there are several instances where they resort to using shaky-cam, making it even harder to watch. The movie also commits one of the biggest sins in cinema: never reference a better movie during your crappy movie. They use the theme music from Class of Nuke ‘Em High, add stock footage from Citizen Toxie, and even reference Frankenstein. Honestly, I can’t even recommend this as a so-bad-it’s-good movie because I’m sure this was made to be bad. Overall, Carnal Monsters is pure trash and not even fun trash.

     

    Follow Screaming Screening on all of their socials: https://linktr.ee/screamingscreening

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  • Retro Puppet Master (1999)

    Retro Puppet Master (1999)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]Curse of the Puppet Master was a massive letdown for many of Full Moon’s established fans, and Band knew this. He knew he had to think of something to get the fans back, so he decided to go back. Looking over the initial art from the first film in 1988, he noticed some puppets that they didn’t use. Charles Band decided to use these puppets and craft a prequel that explored Andre Toulon’s origins pre-WWII. Like many of Full Moon’s films at the time, shooting would be in Romania at Castel Film Studios. David DeCoteau, under the pseudonym Joseph Tennent, was hired to direct after directing two entries, including Puppet Master III. For the role of young Andre Toulon, the filmmakers cast a then-unknown Greg Sestero after considering James Franco. A few months after the last film, Full Moon released Retro Puppet Master in November of 1999.

    [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_circle_counter title=”Rating” number=”65″ bar_bg_color=”#EDF000″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_circle_counter][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

    Synopsis

    In 1902 Paris, Andre Toulon (Greg Sestero) is running a puppet show called “Theater Magique,” which is quite popular. After a performance of Dante’s Divine Comedy, Toulon meets Elsa (Brigitta Dau), a young socialite wanting to see the country. The two start to hit it off until a man who’s nearly beaten to death arrives looking for help. The stranger is Afzel (Jack Donner), an Egyptian sorcerer who’s stolen the secret of life from the god Sutekh. He passes his knowledge along to Toulon, allowing him to bring life to his puppets with human souls. Meanwhile, Sutekh sends three of his mummified followers to track down Afzel and kill him before passing his knowledge on. Before long, Toulon assembles a puppet army to take on Sutekh’s forces while falling in love with Elsa. An elder Toulon (Guy Rolfe) in 1944 Switzerland shares this story with his puppets.

     

    Review

    Retro Puppet Master is a slight improvement compared to the last installment, but not by a whole lot. The Romanian filming locations add plenty of production value and make the film look more expensive. Also, introducing the new retro puppets is an excellent way to keep things fresh and exciting. It’s interesting to see what Blade, Pinhead, and Six Shooter looked like before getting a new design. Admittedly, the film plays with the continuity from the other movies, but this series never had a consistent continuity. Even though he hardly resembles Guy Rolfe, Greg Sestero does a decent job playing a young Andre Toulon. He also deserves some credit for adding a French accent considering the character’s name, even if it doesn’t match Rolfe. Speaking of, while he’s only on-screen for a few minutes, Guy Rolfe does an excellent job for his final role.

    Brigitta Dau, known chiefly for doing voiceovers for Ranma 1/2, has decent chemistry with Sestero and is quite lovely. The late character actor Jack Donner gives the role of Afzel more dignity than it otherwise deserves. Another notable actor is Stephen Blackehart, who was previously in Tromeo & Juliet and later became a James Gunn regular. In terms of his direction, David DeCoteau does a decent job and takes advantage of the Romanian locations. Like the last film, the lack of stop-motion animation is unfortunate, but the puppets have more screen time here. The puppet effects are decent, though there are quite a few moments where you can see the strings. Sadly, for all the improvements made here, the series would continue to go further downhill from where it started. Overall, Retro Puppet Master does some things right but does plenty more wrong.

     

    Buy Retro Puppet Master from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4mb2Jov.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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  • Halloween II (1981)

    Halloween II (1981)

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    On a meager $325,000 budget, John Carpenter’s Halloween was a smash hit, grossing $47 million at the box office. The critical response was somewhat mixed, but it was clear that the filmmakers had struck gold. Producer Irwin Yablans wanted to make a sequel, but John Carpenter wasn’t interested, feeling the original worked on its own. Carpenter eventually agreed to work on the sequel as a writer and producer alongside his partner Debra Hill. Since he wouldn’t be directing, Carpenter wanted his friend Tommy Lee Wallace to take over, but he declined. Instead, they hired relative newcomer Rick Rosenthal, who impressed Carpenter with his short film, The Toyer. With a budget of $2.5 million, the film was produced under Dino De Laurentiis and distributed through Universal Pictures. On October 30, 1981, Michael Myers returned to slash his way through the big screen in Halloween II.

    [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_circle_counter title=”Rating” number=”75″ bar_bg_color=”#EDF000″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_circle_counter][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

    Synopsis

    After being shot out of a window, Michael Myers escapes, much to the worry of Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance). He teams up with Sheriff Brackett (Charles Cyphers) to find Michael and stop him before he kills more people. Unfortunately, Brackett leaves Loomis after learning that Michael killed his daughter, and Loomis accidentally gets a young man killed. Meanwhile, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is taken to the hospital for her injuries, barely surviving Michael. Before long, Michael learns where Laurie is being treated and heads to the hospital to finish the job. As Loomis continues his investigation, he learns more about Michael, including his connection to Samhain and the occult. Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens) informs Loomis that he must return to Smith’s Grove by the governor’s orders. However, Loomis decides to go to the hospital to save Laurie from Michael after learning the awful truth.

     

    Review

    While John Carpenter’s film wasn’t the first slasher, it was the one that started the trend that would soon follow. If the original was a trendsetter, Halloween II feels like one of the many cash-ins that came afterward. The original did have some brutal kills and some nudity, but this film doubles down on those elements. Admittedly, they were trying to keep up with the emerging slashers at the time, so I can’t blame their decision. Plus, the kills are some of the stand-out moments of the film, even if some of them are ridiculous. Director Rick Rosenthal does try to maintain the same look and feel as the original, which is admirable if derivative. There are some suspenseful moments, and the hospital setting adds some dread and a sense of isolation to the mix. It helps that much of the same crew returned to work on the sequel.

    Like the first film, Donald Pleasance adds plenty of class to the production, even with a few questionable moments. Unfortunately, Jamie Lee Curtis spends much of the movie in bed and doesn’t do much until the third act. Most of the runtime is devoted to the hospital staff, who are memorable in their way, especially Leo Rossi’s Budd. You’ve also got Lance Guest as the likable EMT pining for Laurie, who would later star in The Last Starfighter. Dick Warlock replaces Nick Castle as The Shape, and he does an excellent job with his body language and movements. My only other major gripe is with the film’s twist, where we learn that Laurie is Michael’s long-lost sister. It’s a twist that somewhat undermines the fear from the original and would, unfortunately, taint future installments. Overall, Halloween II is a step down from the first, but it’s an entertaining enough slasher.

     

    Buy Halloween II from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lSROTo.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Halloween II (1981)

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  • Beware: Children At Play (1989)

    Beware: Children At Play (1989)

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    Mik Cribben has been in the industry since the 1970s, working as a soundman or a camera operator. Like many at the time, he got his start working in the adult film industry and some B-movies. He worked on notable titles like Squirm, Eyes of Laura Mars, Nightmare, and blockbuster movies like Annie and Wall Street. At some point, Cribben was working with a guy who had made a low-budget horror film about a Vietnam veteran. The two were collaborating on a new project, but the director wanted to make it a studio film. Cribben commissioned his friend Fred Sharkey to write a new screenplay using the extra money from the collaboration. On a $200,000 – $300,000 budget, Cribben and company worked on what would become one of Troma’s more controversial pictures. In late 1989, Troma distributed Cribben’s only directorial effort, Beware: Children at Play.

    [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_circle_counter title=”Rating” number=”45″ bar_bg_color=”#E09900″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_circle_counter][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

    Synopsis

    During a camping trip with his son, Professor Randall (Bernard Hocke) accidentally gets his leg caught in a bear trap. After he succumbs to his wounds and dies, his son Glenn (Eric Tonken) eats him and goes insane. Ten years later, John DeWolfe (Michael Robertson) is driving with his family to New Jersey to visit some old friends. Chief among them is Ross Carr (Rich Hamilton), the local sheriff, dealing with numerous reports of missing children. Meanwhile, local farmer Isac Braun (Mik Cribben) believes Glenn is still alive and taking their children to join his cult. It turns out that Glenn is indeed living, now calling himself Grendel (Danny McClaughlin), and has been brainwashing children. As the kids carve a path through the town, John and Ross try to figure out a peaceful solution. Will John be able to rescue the kids, or will the townsfolk deliver some vigilante justice?

     

    Review

    As a whole, Beware: Children at Play is a very flat and boring movie struggling to reach feature-length. While there are a few cheesy kills here and there, most of it is just dull scenes of meaningless dialogue. It doesn’t help that much of the acting is pretty uninspired, though I’m not expecting Oscar-worthy performances here. Some notable characters include a Bible salesman with a sailor’s mouth or a psychic who loves saying “dearie” a lot. There’s also Isac Braun, played by the director, wearing some unconvincing old man makeup with powder in his hair. But aside from that, most of the characters are pretty generic, and you’ll quickly forget who’s who. Honestly, it was difficult for me to keep up with what was happening, considering how dull it was. That is until the last five minutes when all hell breaks loose, and the film earns its notoriety.

    As uninteresting as the rest of the movie is, the ending almost makes watching it worthwhile just for the carnage. What follows are five minutes of several child characters being shot down and killed in various ways. Kids get their heads blown off, stabbed with a machete, pinned to walls with pitchforks, and shot with arrows. Granted, kids getting killed in movies isn’t anything new, but the volume of child deaths is staggering. It makes sense that the trailer mostly has scenes from the last few minutes since they’re the most exciting. The ending almost warrants a viewing, but that requires sitting through so much uninteresting stuff to get there. Hardcore Troma fans will want to check this out, but otherwise, you can just watch the scene on YouTube. Overall, Beware: Children at Play is a dull experience that only gets interesting towards the end.

     

    Buy Beware: Children at Play from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mcwVmp.

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  • Rawhead Rex (1986)

    Rawhead Rex (1986)

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    After how disappointing Transmutations turned out, Clive Barker had his reservations in working with George Pavlou again. Still, the studio convinced Barker to adapt one of his short stories from the Books of Blood, Rawhead Rex. He agreed and wrote a screenplay that was a straight adaptation of his story, but the troubles started again. Once he turned in his script, Barker was barred from the set and not allowed further creative input. Additionally, the studio decided to film in Ireland during the rainy season instead of the original English summer setting. While Barker’s original story had tons of sexual subtext, the final film turned into a standard monster-on-the-loose picture. Though he did have some kind words during production in interviews, Barker has since disowned the film. Though premiering in the UK in 1986, Empire Pictures released Rawhead Rex to the US in 1987.

    [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_circle_counter title=”Rating” number=”55″ bar_bg_color=”#EDF000″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_circle_counter][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

    Synopsis

    American Howard Hallenbeck (David Dukes) travels to Ireland with his wife and kids, searching for religious artifacts. Meanwhile, a local digs up an ancient column, accidentally freeing an ancient demon called Rawhead Rex. Declan O’Brien (Ronan Wilmott) touches the altar at a nearby church and is driven mad by Rawhead’s influence. Rawhead starts rampaging through the Irish countryside, killing anyone in its path while O’Brien grows more insane. Howard catches a glimpse of Rawhead and tries to explain it to the police, but they don’t believe him. He decides to take his family back on the road when his daughter Minty (Cora Lunny) needs a bathroom break. While Howard and his wife Elaine (Kelly Piper) check on her, Rawhead kills their son Robbie (Hugh O’Conor). Now enraged, Howard takes it upon himself to confront O’Brien and find a way to destroy Rawhead Rex.

     

    Review

    Considering how poorly Transmutations turned out, it’s shocking that Clive Barker would be willing to try again. To his credit, Rawhead Rex is a much better film, but you can see why Barker wasn’t happy with this. The film takes itself super seriously, but tons of unintentionally campy elements hinder any tension. For one, Rawhead Rex himself looks utterly ridiculous with its bulging eyes, flared nostrils, and misshapen mohawk. From a distance, it looks fine, but whenever you get a good look at its face, it’s too funny. Considering that the original short creature was a 9′ phallus, I can see why they changed it. Admittedly, I would be okay with the creature design if the whole movie was just as ridiculous, but it isn’t. Also, I’m surprised they had any sets left, given all the scenery-chewing Ronan Wilmott was doing with his performance. At least he’s not obnoxiously hammy.

    Speaking of acting, most of it ranges from being decent to being pretty dull and uninspired. David Dukes does a pretty good job in the lead role, even if his character makes some dumb decisions. He and Kelly Piper have some decent chemistry, although she’s not given much to do until the very end. Directing-wise, George Pavlou takes full advantage of the Irish countryside and manages to create an effectively spooky mood. It’s evocative of the look and feel of Hammer films from the 50s and 60s, though not as good. There’s also plenty of bloody and gruesome kills for the average gorehound, and it was risky to kill a kid. Parts of the film work as a cheesy monster movie, but it could’ve used more insane moments. Overall, Rawhead Rex isn’t terrible, but it could’ve been so much better. Thankfully, this led to Clive Barker helming a horror classic.

     

    Buy Rawhead Rex from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ps0diH.

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  • Halloween Kills (2021)

    Halloween Kills (2021)

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    Before the 2018 Halloween was released, co-writer Danny McBride said he and co-writer/director David Gordon Green pitched two films. They proposed filming two movies back-to-back, but they ultimately decided to wait for how audiences reacted to the first one. Thankfully, the film made over $250 million against a $10 million budget and received universal acclaim from critics and audiences. Scott Teems, who gained attention for 2009’s That Evening Sun, was added to co-write the sequel with McBride and Green. Filming commenced in September 2019, primarily in Wilmington, North Carolina, with most of the surviving cast returning. Reports surfaced that Kyle Richards, Charles Cyphers, and Nancy Stephens would reprise their original roles. Principal photography wrapped in November 2019 with a scheduled release in October 2020, but the COVID-19 Pandemic delayed the release. Finally, Halloween Kills saw its release in theaters and Peacock in October 2021.

    [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_circle_counter title=”Rating” number=”50″ bar_bg_color=”#EDF000″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_circle_counter][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

    Synopsis

    Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), daughter Karen (Judy Greer), and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) believe they’ve finally killed Michael Myers. Unfortunately, as they’re going to the hospital, a group of firefighters unknowingly save Michael from the burning house. Soon, word gets out of Michael’s survival, and grown-up Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) leads a mob to find him. He recruits fellow survivors Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens), and Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet) for the hunt. While Laurie is recovering in the hospital, Karen decides not to tell her that Michael is alive for her protection. As Michael continues carving a path through Haddonfield, the mob gets increasingly frustrated with the police and starts rioting. Laurie tries to help but succumbs to her wounds, leaving Karen and Allyson to go out and confront Michael instead. Will Michael’s reign of terror be stopped, and who will he kill next?

     

    Review

    Despite a few issues, I enjoyed the 2018 sequel/reboot and was excited to see where things would go. Unfortunately, Halloween Kills might be one of the most disappointing sequels I’ve seen in quite some time. This film can’t decide between having over-the-top kills or having a more thought-provoking message, and it ends up failing both. While the film does have some inventive and bloody kills, they feel out of place in a Halloween film. Most of these kills would be fine in a Friday the 13th sequel, but here, it just feels gratuitous. It reminds me of how Halloween II felt more like the copycats of Halloween, and that’s not the only comparison. Like that film, Jamie Lee Curtis spends most of her screen time in bed while everyone else does stuff. When she does do something, it’s mostly just monologuing about whatever random nonsense the writers think up.

    I will give the film credit for trying to make a statement about the dangers of mob mentality. Granted, it fails at its message and comes off as needlessly pretentious, as if it needs to be relevant. Also, while it’s nice to see some of the original cast return, their roles are ultimately just extended cameos. Admittedly, Judy Greer was much better in this than the last film, playing her role much more seriously. Anthony Michael Hall also does a pretty good job, though I would’ve preferred if they had brought back Brian Andrews. Green tries to inject some of the suspense and tension John Carpenter utilized, but the gratuitous gore undermines those moments. They’re planning on another installment soon, and I hope they learn from their mistakes here, but I highly doubt that. Overall, Halloween Kills is a massive disappointment to such a promising start.

     

    Buy Halloween Kills from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4pfbsa5.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Halloween Kills (2021)

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