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  • In Search of Darkness: A Journey Into Iconic ’80s Horror (2019)

    In Search of Darkness: A Journey Into Iconic ’80s Horror (2019)

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    Horror is not only one of the oldest film genres, but one of the oldest fiction genres in history. The genre’s roots go all the way back to 1700s literature with Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto in 1764. With the dawn of cinema in the 1800s came the rise of horror films, namely The Haunted Castle in 1896. There was also the German Expressionist movement, which brought The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in 1920 and Nosferatu in 1922. From the Universal Monsters of the 30s-40s to the atomic horrors of the 50s-60s, horror has continued to evolve. In October 2018, CreatorVC Studios launched a Kickstarter campaign for a documentary exploring the horror cinema of the 1980s. Between its Kickstarter and IndieGogo campaigns, the project amassed over $450,000, making it an overwhelming success. After premiering at Beyond Fest in 2019, In Search of Darkness was released to backers.

    [/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=”95″ bar_bg_color=”#7CDA24″ _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

    The documentary covers some of the most iconic horror films, and some obscure ones, from the 1980s, year by year. Some of the films covered include Friday the 13th, They Live, Re-Animator, The Changeling, The Lost Boys, and Pet Sematary. Filmmakers and actors from these films interviewed include John Carpenter, Stuart Gordon, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, and Alex Winter. Also, various genre experts and commentators are interviewed, including Cecil Trachtenberg, Ryan Turek, Heather Wixson, and James A. Janisse. In between each year, they explore how various real-world events at the time affected the horror films being made. Various trends such as holiday horror, the rise in slashers, and the birth of the direct-to-video horror film are explored. At the heart of it all, they discuss the attraction to both 80s horror and horror in general. It’s over four hours of exploring 80s horror films and why people love them.

     

    Review

    In Search of Darkness lives up to what it promises and then some, being both informative and entertaining. As stated previously, they cover plenty of films you’d expect, plus some lesser-known ones that deserve more attention. While they gather tons of amazing guests for the documentary, it’s disappointing that there were some they couldn’t get. For example, it would’ve benefitted if they had effects artists like Rick Baker, Steve Johnson, and Tom Savini on board. Also, with its 4+ hour runtime, it can be an intimidating watch for people given all the information that’s presented. While it’s quite an undertaking, you start to not notice the runtime after a while and it goes by quickly. It flows at a good pace, the editing is tight, and it never feels like it drags to a halt. For hardcore horror fans, this is an absolute dream come true.

    What helps is that this a documentary that can be watched either in one sitting or in chunks. Each year is broken into its own 15-20 minute segment with an intervening 10-minute break to discuss various themes. Some fans might be disappointed that a film they’re hoping for isn’t covered, but they still cover some good ones. For burgeoning horror fans, this provides a great resource of films to watch that they may not have heard of. The discussions on what was going on during the 80s also offer further perspective on how these films were made. Given how much of a massive undertaking this one, the creators should be given credit for their hard work. It’s a testament to fans of the genre that so many were able to come together to make this happen. Overall, In Search of Darkness is a phenomenal love letter to 80s horror cinema.

     

    Buy In Search of Darkness from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4i2TrcJ.

    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 In Search of Darkness: A Journey Into Iconic ’80s Horror (2019)

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  • Dirty Dancing (1987)

    Dirty Dancing (1987)

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    In 1980, screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein was working on the script for It’s My Turn starring Michael Douglas and Jill Clayburgh. When the producers had an erotic dancing sequence cut, this prompted Bergstein to write a new story off of that. She decided to draw on her childhood memories of participating in dance competitions and traveling to the Catskills with family. Initially pitching it to MGM, the project was in limbo when Vestron Pictures picked it up for a reduced budget. Emile Ardolino, who won an Oscar for 1983’s He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’, was chosen to direct. Kenny Ortega, who was trained by Gene Kelly, was hired to choreograph the film’s many elaborate dance scenes. For the leads, they hired Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, who previously worked together on 1984’s Red Dawn. After an exhaustive 43 day shoot, Dirty Dancing was released to theaters in 1987.

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    Synopsis

    In 1963, Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) is spending the summer on vacation with her family at Kellerman’s. While there, she sees the owner Max (Jack Weston) talking down to the staff, saying they romance the guests’ daughters. She soon makes her way to the staff quarters and meets Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), the head dance instructor. Despite not being welcome, she decides to help when she learns that Johnny’s dance partner Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) is pregnant. Because of this, however, Penny and Johnny can’t perform at a nearby resort, so Baby volunteers to help. While Johnny is initially reluctant and frustrated trying to teach her, he starts warming up to her despite her background. Unfortunately, their blossoming romance is interrupted by Baby’s father Jake (Jerry Orbach), and Johnny being threatened by his boss. But soon, their love endures and they have the time of their lives.

     

    Review

    Admittedly, Dirty Dancing is not my kind of movie, but I can see why it captivated so many people. It has a love story we’ve seen plenty of times before involving class warfare and two opposites coming together. It’s a format that’s timeless and has been used for centuries, dating back to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Then again, much of the film was based on the real-life experiences of its writer, so it has that going. This gives the film a more personal quality given that some of the material stems from real life. Not only that, but it tackles issues that were considered taboo back in 1963 and even in 1987, namely abortion. Not many films in the 1980s covered this topic, so it’s certainly interesting seeing it tackled here. Then again, it is more a subplot to get the main plot going that’s quickly glossed over.

    Of course, what makes the film work as well as it does is its stars, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. They both give very strong performances and have phenomenal chemistry with each other, even if they had problems early on. It helps that they did much of the dancing themselves and had to go through weeks of training. That’s not to say the rest of the acting is bad, but everyone else gets overshadowed by Swayze and Grey. There are a few standouts, such as Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach, Jack Weston, and a pre-Jurassic Park Wayne Knight. The late Emile Ardolino does a great job filming the dance numbers, and Kenny Ortega’s choreography is on-point. Like I said before, I don’t normally cover this genre, but I can still tell this is a good one. Overall, Dirty Dancing deserves its status as a classic and timeless romance film.

     

    Buy Dirty Dancing from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cbVY4x

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  • Luther the Geek (1989)

    Luther the Geek (1989)

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    While at the dinner table, writer/producer Carlton J. Albright was talking with his children about geeks, specifically circus geeks. In the early 1900s, geeks were circus performers who would bite the heads of chickens to get some cheap booze. The idea intrigued Albright, so he teamed up with producing partner David Platt and wrote a screenplay as “Whitey Styles”. Albright decided to film in Illinois and hiring students from the University of Iowa’s film department for the crew. For the title role, Albright hired Edward Terry, who he had previously worked with on The Children in 1980. The special effects were handled by William Purcell (RoboCop) and Mike Tristano (Evil Dead II), who chose to go uncredited. Following a limited release in 1989, the film got a VHS release in the early 90s before Troma released it. Originally titled The Freak, let’s take a look at Luther the Geek.

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    Synopsis

    In rural Illinois in 1938, young Luther (Carlton Williams) is taken to see the local geek show and becomes obsessed. After losing his teeth as a child, he gets a set of metal teeth and becomes a geek himself. Years later, an adult Luther (Edward Terry) is released from prison on parole after serving time for murder. Soon after, he makes his way to a grocery store, where he attacks and kills an old woman. While trying to escape the authorities, he hops in the back of a car driven by local Hilary (Joan Roth). Once at her house, Luther ties her up and holds her hostage when her daughter Beth (Stacy Haiduk) arrives. With her boyfriend Rob (Thomas Mills), she and her mother become Luther’s next would-be victims along with their chickens. A local trooper (J. Joseph Clarke) arrives, but will he save them from Luther the Geek?

     

    Review

    By splatter film standards, Luther the Geek doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from the rest of them. What makes this one stand out is its central character of a circus geek who clucks about like a chicken. Edward Terry easily gives the best performance in the film as Luther as he’s clearly fully committed to the role. With dialogue mostly consisting of chicken noises, he comes off as terrifying and sadistic, yet strangely sympathetic in a way. While the film never endorses what he’s doing, you can’t help but feel bad given his obvious mental condition. Then again, this film isn’t interested in the character’s psychology, but rather going for the jugular both literally and figuratively. For splatter fans, there’s plenty of blood spilling and flesh ripping to please fans looking for something messy. It helps that the gore effects are, mostly, really good considering the low budget.

    Aside from Terry, the rest of the acting is about what you’d expect from a low budget B-movie. None of the performances are downright awful, but many of them are somewhat bland and forgettable, though they’re clearly trying. Joan Roth is alright as the captive mother, and future TV actress Stacy Haiduk enhances the film with her “assets”. At roughly 80 minutes, the film goes by pretty quickly and there are never any dull moments dragging it down. Even if the script is super thin, Albright manages to at least make the film visually interesting and well-paced. This is what I’d call a “party movie”, the kind that’s best enjoyed with friends and plenty of booze. While there’s nothing remarkable about the film, it’s definitely an interesting entry in Troma’s catalog, even if it’s a pickup. Overall, Luther the Geek is a gory shocker worth at least a one-time watch.

     

    Buy Luther the Geek on Amazon: https://amzn.to/38TVrlC

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  • Promising Young Woman (2020)

    Promising Young Woman (2020)

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    In 2017, actress Emerald Fennell started to work on a concept for what would become her directorial debut. After pitching the opening scene, she sold it to LuckyChap Entertainment, a production company owned by actress Margot Robbie. Two years later, actress Carey Mulligan was cast in the lead role, alongside Bo Burnham and Alison Brie amongst others. Focus Features acquired the film for distribution in February 2019, and filming started in March, wrapping after 23 days. Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, the film was scheduled for wide release in April. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the film was pushed back before being released theatrically on Christmas 2020. The following month, the film premiered on video-on-demand, so people could enjoy it from the comfort of home. So, with the introductions out of the way, let’s talk about Promising Young Woman.

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    Synopsis

    Cassie Thomas (Carey Mulligan) is a med school dropout living with her parents Stanley (Clancy Brown) and Susan (Jennifer Coolidge). She works at a coffee shop with her boss Gail (Laverne Cox), but she leads a secret life at night. At night, she goes to local clubs, acts drunk, finds a “nice guy”, and teaches them a lesson. Her motivation for doing this is because of something that happened to a close friend of hers at medical school. While working at the coffee shop, Cassie runs into Ryan Cooper (Bo Burnham), a former classmate turned successful pediatrician. The two start dating and things seem to be looking up for Cassie, but her second life keeps interrupting her. Things escalate when Cassie starts targeting people who were responsible for what happened to her friend Nina at med school. How far will Cassie be willing to go to find closure?

     

    Review

    Promising Young Woman is a strong directorial debut from Emerald Fennell, showing plenty of potential for her as a filmmaker. She uses bright colors to accentuate the visuals, making the sets and characters pop without feeling too distracting or garish. Carey Mulligan does a phenomenal job in the lead role, perfectly balancing comedy with terror while also being sympathetic. Bo Burnham is very funny and likable, and he and Mulligan have fantastic chemistry with each other. Clancy Brown and Jennifer Coolidge do a good job as Mulligan’s parents, perfectly playing disappointed parents trying to hide it. There are also some solid appearances from Adam Brody, Alison Brie, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, and Alfred Molina. Though they only have about one or two scenes in the film, they each give great performances, Molina especially. All in all, the cast does a terrific job bringing the script to life.

    Admittedly, the film is somewhat tonally inconsistent, starting rough, then turning lighthearted, only to get rough again on a dime. Granted, that was probably what Fennell was going for, but it comes off as a little jarring and disorienting. That said, the story is very strong, gradually giving you more and more information without having to spell everything out. However, while the story is mostly strong, the last 10-15 minutes are somewhat lackluster given everything leading up to it. Given what’s happening and the music used, I understand what the director was going for, but it didn’t quite work. This is a case where the film is more about the journey than the destination without spoiling too much. Issues aside, I still say this is a film worth watching and worth supporting especially as someone’s directorial debut. Overall, Promising Young Woman doesn’t 100% deliver, but it shows plenty of promise.

     

    Find out how to watch Promising Young Woman on FocusFeatures.com: https://bit.ly/2XJ9vYT

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  • The Caller (1987)

    The Caller (1987)

    [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=”{}”]Despite releasing some solid sci-fi and horror films, Empire Pictures was facing financial problems and were fearing bankruptcy. Many of their films were either breaking even or losing money, and they were overspending hoping to find a hit. During this time, they were experimenting with different genres, including action with Enemy Territory and comedy with The Princess Academy. Michael Sloan, best known for creating the popular TV series The Equalizer, wrote a screenplay that revolved around two characters. Frank Yablans, who had a working relationship with Charles Band, brought the script to him and he saw potential. Arthur Allan Seidelman, who worked on shows like Hill Street Blues and Murder, She Wrote, was hired to direct. He happily took the challenge of making a film with only two characters and one main set. Originally released in 1987 at Cannes, The Caller wasn’t released in the US until 1989.

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    Synopsis

    A young woman (Madolyn Smith) is living alone at a cabin in the woods waiting for someone to arrive. One night, a mysterious stranger known only as ‘the Caller’ (Malcolm McDowell) arrives asking for help after his car crashes. She invites him inside to contact a tow truck, but she becomes suspicious of his intentions almost right away. Over the next few days, the two keep running into each other and engage in a battle of wits. He accuses her of murdering her husband and daughter, while she thinks he wants to torture and kill her. As he keeps asking her questions, she reveals more about her past, including her daughter Allison and her dead husband. Soon, she starts plotting to kill him and put an end to his games once and for all. It all culminates in a finale that you won’t see coming.

     

    Review

    Compared to Re-Animator, Trancers, and Ghoulies, The Caller is an atypical film by Empire standards, but that’s a good thing. This film plays as more of a straight psychological thriller that’s surprisingly sophisticated and keeps you guessing throughout. Malcolm McDowell gives a great performance as always, coming off as charming while also having a dark side to him. Madolyn Smith also gives a solid performance, balancing off of McDowell really well and showing plenty of emotional range. Given that they’re the only actors in the film, they carry the film and have great back-and-forths throughout. Seidelman’s direction is fantastic, taking full advantage of the single set and using fluid camerawork to keep the visuals interesting. Some scenes take place near an auto shop and on a hilltop, but it’s mostly just the cabin set. It’s a challenge that Seidelman managed to tackle effectively.

    At slightly over 90 minutes long, the film manages to maintain a sense of tension and dread throughout the runtime. Even in scenes where nothing is happening, you get the sense that anything could happen at any moment. This is also a film that doesn’t give the audience a lot of information, which can be frustrating. Without giving away the ending, let’s just say that you’ll have more questions than answers before the movie’s over. Effects maestro John Carl Buechler contributed some effects to the film, and they look fantastic as per usual. Unfortunately, I can’t say what effects work he did on the film without giving away the big twist. If you consider yourself a Charles Band fan and have seen all the well-known movies, you should consider watching this. Overall, The Caller is an effective thriller with two great performances and a strong story.

     

    Buy The Caller from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CkEL7M.

    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 Caller (1987)

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  • Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

    Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

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    Following the success of King Kong vs. Godzilla and Mothra vs. Godzilla, producer Tomoyuki Tanaka wanted to include more monsters. Due to production on Kurosawa’s Red Beard running behind, Toho decided to push forward with a new Godzilla film. For the next film, they reunited Godzilla and Mothra, as well as bringing in Rodan, who first appeared in 1956. To push things further, a new monster was introduced called King Ghidorah, based on the legendary Yamata no Orochi. Director Ishiro Honda returned once again, though he didn’t agree with the direction the series was going towards. He was uncomfortable giving the monsters personalities when he felt they worked better as metaphors for the atrocities of war. Once again, Eiji Tsuburaya directed the special effects sequences alongside assistant Teruyoshi Nakano, though Ghidorah was designed by Akira Watanabe. Eight months after the last film, Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster was released in 1964.

    [/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=”85″ bar_bg_color=”#7CDA24″ _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

    Meteor showers start appearing around Japan, the largest meteor landing in Mount Kurodake where Professor Miura (Hiroshi Koizumi) investigates. Meanwhile, Detective Shindo (Yosuke Natsuki) is assigned to be the bodyguard for Princess Salno of Selgina (Akiko Wakabayashi). An assassin named Malmess (Hisaya Ito) has been hired to kill her and attempts to by blowing up her plane. Fortunately, an alien entity from Venus saves her before the plane explodes, though it takes over her body. The entity uses her to try and warn humanity of an impending threat, but no one believes her. Soon enough, Godzilla and Rodan show up and start causing havoc across Japan, Mothra trying to take control of things. At the same time, the meteor near Mount Kurodake explodes to reveal King Ghidorah, a monster who destroyed Venus. It’s up to Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra to try and stop Ghidorah from destroying the world.

     

    Review

    Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster is one of the most important entries in the Godzilla series for several reasons. For one, King Ghidorah would go on to be one of Godzilla’s most popular foes, arguably his biggest foe. Also, this would be the first time Godzilla was a good guy, though he still causes tons of damage. Unfortunately, as Honda predicted, this would start the trend of making the monsters characters and giving them human personalities. While it does lead to some comedic moments, it definitely is a far cry from the original’s dark tone. That said, while it does take a while to get going, the climactic battle towards the end is pretty fun. This film helped to introduce the monster rumble, with Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra going toe-to-toe with King Ghidorah. It’s one of the best fights in the Godzilla series so far.

    As for the human plot, it’s surprisingly captivating with plenty of subplots going on to keep things moving. The whole political assassination plot ties in well with the monster plot and features plenty of twists and turns. Akiko Wakabayashi does a solid job as the princess turned prophet as she tries to warn people about Ghidorah’s arrival. Yosuke Natsuki is also good as the sympathetic hero trying to do his job and has some fun banter throughout. At roughly 94 minutes, the film moves at a decent pace, though it does tend to slow down at points. Thankfully, there’s plenty of monster mayhem and political action to keep audiences invested without having to shoehorn anything superfluous. For kaiju fans, this is an essential entry as it introduced elements that would carry into later entries. Overall, Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster is an entertaining monster movie that’s worth a watch.

     

    Buy Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Lqrh0k.

    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 Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

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  • The Family Tree (2020)

    The Family Tree (2020)

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    Jorge Ameer is an independent filmmaker originally from Panama and has been working in the industry since the early 1990s. In 1994, he directed The Truth Within and later founded his own distribution company Hollywood Independents in 1997. In 2001, he founded the International Gay Film Awards, aka the Glitter Awards, to recognize foreign and independent gay films. Additionally, he was responsible for re-opening the Vogue Theater in Hollywood for a brief period to showcase some independent films. Ameer has been very active in bringing cinema to Panama, having curated festivals, and started a high school film program. Unfortunately, in 2017, his mother, Sybil B. Ameer, passed away, and the two had a very close connection. Since the two bonded over the holidays, Ameer decided to make his next film in memoriam of her passing. So in 2020, Ameer’s film The Family Tree was released in theaters and various festivals.

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    Synopsis

    Victor (Keith Roenke) is an animal rescue worker living in Panama who celebrates the holidays using makeshift exploding dolls. He’s friends with his ex-girlfriend Alina (Anaïs Lucia), who he decides to cheer up with a holiday greeting. Said greeting comes from Roy (Michael Joseph Nelson), who shows up dressed as Santa to deliver a heartfelt message. Later that night, he gets mugged, found by Victor, and taken back to his place to rest up. Victor soon learns that Roy is homeless, so he decides to help by proposing they enter a civil union. But while Victor has feelings for Roy, Roy admits that while he’s grateful, he doesn’t love him the same way. Soon, Roy enters into a relationship with Alina and even proposes to her much to Victor’s heartbreak. Soon, their lives will be changed forever when Roy and Alina try to have a child.

     

    Review

    Going into this, I had no idea what to expect since I never heard of Jorge Ameer until fairly recently. Having now seen The Family Tree, I recognize that this film was a passion project that he really cared about. Conceptually, the film is sound, being a complex love story with LGBTQ themes that deal with love, family, and death. The main actors all do a solid job, Michael Joseph Nelson being the highlight and easily delivering the best performance. For a low budget film, the cinematography is strong, the use of Christmas lights adding color and dynamic lighting. It’s a very unconventional love story, so it’s certainly worth watching for those who are feeling adventurous and daring. You can tell that the director is big on the holiday season given how much Christmas paraphernalia is on display. It’s certainly something to admire and there’s clearly love put into this.

    Unfortunately, despite the love and passion put into the film, it’s sadly marred by technical flaws and very slow pacing. The biggest technical flaw is the audio, which often sounds hollow and tiny as if none of the actors were miked. There are several scenes where the sound echoes, and it gets distracting as the film goes on, ruining the experience. Honestly, there were times where I turned up the volume because it was difficult to understand what the actors said. Technical problems aside, the film’s biggest flaw is that it’s boring as not much happens for the over two-hour runtime. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a slow film so long as there’s something to keep your interest. It’s not until the last 20 minutes of the film that things pick up, and by then, it’s disorienting. Overall, The Family Tree tried but ultimately failed under its ambitions.

     

    Buy The Family Tree on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nr0Wfr

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  • The Beastmaster (1982)

    The Beastmaster (1982)

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    In 1979, filmmaker Don Coscarelli achieved critical and commercial success with the release of his indie horror film Phantasm. Following its success, Coscarelli decided to do something outside of the horror genre that would be even bigger. Growing up, he loved the sword and sorcery films from the 50s, particularly the Hercules films starring Steve Reeves. Coscarelli and his Phantasm co-producer Paul Pepperman worked on a story loosely based on the 1959 novel The Beast Master. Rather than adapting the book, they took the basic concept and set it in a Bronze Age fantasy world. Producer Sylvio Tabet signed on to finance the project after a Conan the Barbarian film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was announced. With a $9 million budget, this was Coscarelli’s biggest project at the time, but also one of his most frustrating. After a grueling production, Coscarelli’s The Beastmaster was released to theaters in August 1982.

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    Synopsis

    High Priest Maax (Rip Torn) learns that the unborn son of King Zed (Rod Loomis) is destined to kill him. He sends one of his witches to kidnap and kill the child but is stopped by a villager (Ben Hammer). After killing the witch, he raises the child as his own, names him Dar, and teaches him how to fight. Years later, Dar (Marc Singer) is the lone survivor after his village gets raided by Maax and his barbarians. Swearing vengeance, Dar acquires animal companions Sharak the eagle, Koto and Poto the ferrets, and Ruh the tiger. Along the way, he also meets Kiri (Tanya Roberts), a slave girl who’s to be sacrificed by Maax. Dar teams up with the king’s younger son Tal (Josh Milrad) and his bodyguard Seth (John Amos) to rescue her. Will Dar defeat Maax, or will Dar and his friends fall victim to Maax’s minions?

     

    Review

    The Beastmaster gets unfairly criticized as a Conan the Barbarian rip-off, which couldn’t be further from the truth. While both are sword and sorcery epics about a revenge quest, Conan was more adult-oriented while Beastmaster is more lighthearted. That’s not to say this film doesn’t have its darker moments, but it’s more of a fun, lighthearted adventure. Given what Coscarelli took as inspiration, this comes off more like a 50s adventure film with 80s sensibilities. There’s some fairly dark imagery including child sacrifice, corpses on stakes, and even people being dissolved or turned into monsters. Along with some mild nudity thrown in, it’s fascinating to see how different PG films were compared to now. Though it’s commendable that Coscarelli would push the boundaries, the somewhat disjointed tone might be why it didn’t succeed theatrically. Even still, there’s plenty of great things that help elevate the film to cult status.

    The story is fairly simple and moves at a solid pace, though it drags in a few places. The action sequences are pretty fun, with plenty of sword fighting, hand-to-hand combat, and some epic battles during the climax. Marc Singer makes for a good hero, having a great physique and tons of wit while also being dramatic. Tanya Roberts, on top of looking great, has good chemistry with Singer and has some pretty cool moments. Rip Torn makes for a fun, over-the-top villain, especially with his line delivery, and John Amos is also memorable. The animal companions are remarkably well-trained and a major highlight, especially the two ferrets, who are cute and mischievous. At the end of the day, the filmmakers wanted to make a simple and fun adventure film, and they succeeded. Overall, The Beastmaster is a relic of a bygone era of filmmaking that’s worth rediscovering.

     

    Buy The Beastmaster from Vinegar Syndrome: https://bit.ly/399dG5q

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    This review is dedicated to the memory of actress Tanya Roberts, who passed away on January 4, 2021, at the age of 65.

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  • The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989)

    The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989)

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    After The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke ‘Em High were hits, Troma hoped Troma’s War would be another hit. Unfortunately, the film was severely trimmed at the behest of the MPAA, and the cut version released was a flop. Because of this, any hope of Troma being able to compete with the major studios was quickly dashed. Moving forward, Troma would be reworked into an independent studio, putting more emphasis on doing their thing rather than competing. To try and bounce back, Lloyd Kaufman decided to make a sequel to his most popular film at the time. It was decided to film a large part of the film in Japan to expand its reach in foreign markets. Unfortunately, none of the original cast returned, and there were some issues regarding the Japanese actors’ ability to speak English. Eventually, The Toxic Avenger Part II was released in 1989.

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    Synopsis

    Tromaville has become a nice place to live since The Toxic Avenger (Ron Fazio) cleaned up all the crime. Unfortunately, Toxie is severely depressed since there’s no evil to beat up, though his blind girlfriend Claire (Phoebe Legere) helps. However, the evil organization Apocalypse Inc, led by the Chairman (Rick Collins) and his assistant Malfaire (Lisa Gaye), is emerging. After losing some of their men to Toxie, the organization tries figuring out how to get Toxie out of Tromaville. Thanks to his psychologist, they learn that Toxie has father issues and that his father lives in Tokyo. Toxie is convinced to travel to Tokyo to find his father, along the way meeting Japanese local Masami (Mayako Katsuragi). With her help, he finds his long-lost father Big Mac Junko (Rikiya Yasuoka), who’s been smuggling drugs with fish. Will Toxie have to kill his own father, and what will happen to Tromaville?

     

    Review

    While it expands on what the original established, The Toxic Avenger Part II feels somewhat excessive and longer than expected. There are fun and ridiculous action sequences, but many of them go on for longer than they should. At times, it feels like the filmmakers were more concerned with doing something goofy rather than moving the plot forward. For instance, the opening sequence has at least three to five fight sequences that go on for roughly 10 minutes. Admittedly, there are some moments of silly over-the-top gore thrown in, but they drag out the runtime considerably. Things don’t change much once Toxie’s in Tokyo, as the same emphasis on action and violence over the story continues. At slightly over 90 minutes, it feels longer due to the messy pacing and scenes that seemingly never end. It feels like excess for the sake of excess rather than delivering a message.

    That said, this is still an entertaining film that’ll more than satisfy any hardcore Troma fan and then some. While not as good as Mitch Cohen, Ron Fazio makes for a good Toxie, even if his voice is off. Rick Collins and Lisa Gaye make for fun over-the-top villains, clearly chewing up every bit of scenery around them. Phoebe Legere can be a bit grating as Claire, but she provides enough fan service to satiate any Tromaholic. It’s somewhat difficult to judge Rikiya Yasuoka and Mayako Katsuragi’s performances since they’re dubbed, but they’re very expressive and active. Jessica Dublin, returning from Troma’s War, is fun as Toxie’s mom, though she isn’t given much to do. While the sequel is a bit of a mess, but it’s still just as entertaining as any other Troma film. Overall, The Toxic Avenger Part II is a flawed but enjoyable follow-up to the original.

     

    Buy The Toxic Avenger Part II on Amazon: https://amzn.to/355KBqn

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  • The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure (2012)

    The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure (2012)

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    Kenn Viselman was the American producer of Thomas & Friends and The Teletubbies, which he wanted to adapt to film. Series creator Anne Wood refused, so he decided to create something similar loosely based on the series My Bedbugs. He got the idea for audience interactivity after seeing a screening of Madea Goes to Jail with an overactive audience. Viselman wanted to have kids be able to get up, dance, and sing along with the movie in the theater. In the director’s chair was Matthew Diamond, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary for 1998’s Dancemaker. Originally filmed in 2009, the film sat on the shelves for years because Viselman wanted to patent the film’s interactivity. Its production budget was $20 million, but an additional $40 million was spent on marketing, totaling around $60 million. In August 2012, The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure was released.

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    Synopsis

    The Oogieloves, consisting of Goobie (Misty Miller), Zoozie (Stephanie Renz), and Toofie (Malerie Grady), are putting together a surprise party. It’s their pillow Schluufy’s birthday and they got some magical balloons, but their vacuum J. Edgar (Nick Drago) loses them. With help from him and Windy Window (Maya Stange), the Oogieloves set off to get the balloons back. Along the way, they meet several eccentric characters, each with their own quirks and song numbers to help them. They meet Dotty Rounder (Cloris Leachman), Milky Marvin (Chazz Palminteri), Rosalie Rosebud (Toni Braxton), and Bobby Wobbly (Cary Elwes). Along with Lola and Lero Sombrero (Jaime Pressly and Christopher Lloyd), each offers a gift along with the balloon. It’s a race against time as Schluufy’s birthday party is coming up very soon and they need all the balloons. Will they succeed, or will they not be able to get the balloons on time?

     

    Review

    The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure is one of the worst movies I’ve ever had to review. Granted, I’m not the target audience for this, but I can’t imagine anyone over the age of 5 enjoying this. This comes off as more of a corporate attempt at creating marketable characters than someone with a message to tell. Obviously, not every family/children’s film needs a message to be good, but this isn’t even good children’s entertainment. For a film that had a $20 million budget, the production values are incredibly cheap between the sets and puppets. Sure, there’s tons of color and everything looks bright, but it has a flat and boring look to it. It would be excusable if this were some direct-to-video kids movie, but the fact that it was theatrical is shocking. Guess it’s no wonder the film was such a massive flop.

    The budget probably went to the cast they assembled, who all look like they’re embarrassed to be there. Chazz Palminteri and Christopher Lloyd in particular look confused as if they’re unaware of what’s happening around them. Toni Braxton isn’t too bad, and her song isn’t awful, but she clearly deserved better than this given her talent. Cloris Leachman and Jaime Pressley are making the most of the material, and Cary Elwes is either spacey or self-aware. His performance is so bizarre that it makes you wonder if he knew what kind of movie he was in. Anyway, the film’s attempts at trying to add interactivity come across as annoying and make the overall experience more grating. Granted, the story is pretty uneventful, so it’s not like you’re missing out on anything whenever you’re told to stand. Overall, The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure is best avoided at all costs.

     

    Buy The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure from Amazon: https://amzn.to/38b7kU0

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