From Far & Wide, From High & Low Vol 16
100 films from diverse genres sitting on the shelf
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- DirectorStephen HerekStarsDee WallaceM. Emmet WalshBilly Green BushA group of small but vicious alien creatures called Crites escape from an alien prison transport vessel and land near a small farm town on earth, pursued by two shape-shifting bounty hunters.Director Stephen THE MIGHTY DUCKS Herek insists to this day that CRITTERS isn't a rip-off of GREMLINS. He's lying. CRITTERS also had it's klepto hands in GHOSTBUSTERS, GHOULIES & E.T.s pockets. That's not to say I didn't like it. Dee LORDS OF SALEM Wallace struggles to keep her family alive & the town safe when a dangerous, insatiable, & furry breed of alien makes it's way to earth with galactic bounty hunters in hot pursuit. This one's got some charm and cult appeal. Followed by 3 sequels and a 2019 SyFy reboot called; CRITTERS ATTACK!.
- DirectorMick GarrisStarsScott GrimesLiane CurtisTerrence MannEggs of the small but voracious alien creatures called Crites are left behind on earth and, after hatching, set their appetites on the small farm town of Grover's Bend.Mick PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING Garris cut his directorial teeth on this New Line Cinema follow-up to their cultish hit CRITTERS. CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE is a less fanciful, family adventure & more of a horror film. The special effects are improved and Garris manages to pull a few rabbits out of his hat that should leave you reasonably entertained. The 1st direct-to-video sequel hit store shelves in 1991.
- DirectorKristine PetersonStarsJohn CalvinAimee BrooksChristian CousinsThe tiny fur ball aliens that will eat anything or anyone set their sights on a Los Angeles apartment tower.Kristine KICKBOXER 5 Peterson directed this direct-to-video sequel concurrently with CRITTERS 4: IN SPACE to cut costs. Mostly it's remembered for being the film debut of Leonardo TITANIC DiCaprio. The bulk of the movie takes place in a slum where the critters have infested a tenement. Slightly below average as were the special effects and the cliff-hanger ending I could have lived without. This ain't KILL BILL.
- DirectorRupert HarveyStarsDon Keith OpperTerrence MannPaul WhitthorneAfter being cryogenically frozen and waking up on a space station in the near future, the Critters aim to have the unwitting crew for lunch.CRITTERS 4: IN SPACE has a surprisingly strong cast for a New Line Cinema direct-to-video pic. Angela INNOCENT BLOOD Bassett, Eric COLOR OF NIGHT Da Re, Brad HALLOWEEN II Dourif & Anders BLOODSTONE: SUBSPECIES II Hove play astronauts who intercept a cannister containing the last 2 surviving critters. When the ever-hungry fur balls escape everybody's life is at stake perhaps throughout the known universe. The special effects are ok and I'm giving it another star just for the cast. Followed by CRITTERS ATTACK! in 2019.
- DirectorByron HaskinStarsLizabeth ScottDon DeForeDan DuryeaThrough a fluke circumstance, a ruthless woman stumbles across a suitcase filled with $60,000, and is determined to hold onto it even if it means murder.Bryon THE WAR OF THE WORLDS Haskin directed this memorable B&W noir which starred Lizabeth THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS Scott as an unscrupulous femme fatale who finds a suitcase filled with cash & will stop at nothing to keep it out of the hands of the police, her husband & even the gangster who is the rightful owner. It's not the best the genre has to offer but if you're a fan you'll definitely want to give this one a look.
- DirectorFelix E. FeistStarsLee J. CobbJane WyattJohn DallA veteran homicide detective who has witnessed his socialite girlfriend kill her husband sees his newly-minted detective brother assigned to the case alongside him.Felix E. Feist who directed the 1933 disaster movie epic DELUGE helmed this minor film noir starring Jane AMITYVILLE 4: THE EVIL ESCAPES Wyatt as a devious femme fatale who murders her husband in cold blood then convinces her police detective lover to help cover up the crime. Lee J. Cobb who would later appear in THE EXORCIST co-stars as the complicit Lt. Cullen who fears their crime will be exposed by his brother; a new detective on the force played by John Dall who may be best remembered for Alfred Hitchcock's ROPE. THE MAN WHO CHEATED HIMSELF (aka: THE GUN) didn't make a big impression with audiences or critics. Filmed in B&W.
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesEdward G. RobinsonLoretta YoungAn investigator from the War Crimes Commission travels to Connecticut to find an infamous Nazi.Edward SOYLENT GREEN G. Robinson plays a Nazi Hunter in this stylishly directed noir. His target is a genocidal war criminal living a double life in an idyllic town in Connecticut under the name Kindler. Director/co-star Orson CITIZEN KANE Wells plays the Nazi turned clock-maker who will stop at nothing to keep his identity a secret as his wife soon discovers after viewing footage of the concentration camps which he oversaw. Loretta BULLDOG DRUMMOND STRIKES BACK Young plays the endangered wife in this classic thriller which helped cement the reputation of the legendary Welles as a creative force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. The film was a box office hit which earned an Oscar nod for writer Victor Travis who B-movie horror fans may remember for having directed the German horror movie THE HEAD. Filmed in B&W
- DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsBarbara StanwyckVan HeflinLizabeth ScottA man is reunited with his childhood friend and her husband who believes he knows the truth about the death of her rich aunt years earlier.Barbara DYNASTY II: THE COLBYS Stanwyck & Van AIRPORT Heflin are young lovers torn apart by the death of the girl's aunt. Martha and her childhood friend Walter played by Kirk SATURN 3 Douglas (in his film debut) conspire to cover up the death & eventually marry with lover Sam out of the picture. When Sam returns to Iverstown years later a dangerous love triangle unfolds with a decades old death hanging over their heads. This is a pretty terrific B&W noir directed by multiple Oscar winner Lewis Milestone & the cast is exceptional.
- DirectorIda LupinoStarsEdmond O'BrienFrank LovejoyWilliam TalmanTwo fishermen pick up a psychopathic escaped convict who tells them that he intends to murder them when the ride is over.Ida Lupino was a gifted film-maker & actress directing & producing her own movies long before it became fashionable for women to do so. As a young horror movie junkie I became aware of her through later roles in movies like THE DEVIL'S RAIN and THE FOOD OF THE GODS then worked my way back through her rather amazing career to this; the 1st Hollywood noir directed by a woman. THE HITCH-HIKER is loosely based on the crime spree of Billy Cook who murdered several people who were foolish enough to give him a lift. When two friends on a fishing trip pick the killer up it becomes a dangerous game of wits in order for them to survive the cross country trek. Blacklisted Daniel Mainwaring played an important although uncredited role in developing the screenplay. In 1998 the National film registry selected THE HITCH-HIKER for preservation because of it's cultural, historic & aesthetic significance. Filmed in B&W
- DirectorIrving PichelStarsMickey RooneyJeanne CagneyBarbara BatesAfter taking 20 dollars from his employer to go on a date with plans to repay it the next day, an auto mechanic falls into increasingly disastrous circumstances for more and more money which rapidly spirals out of his control.Mickey SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT 5: THE TOY MAKER Rooney financed this not-entirely-successful film noir to shed that wholesome image he'd acquired headlining a string of popular ANDY HARDY comedies. His co-star Peter THE RAVEN Lorre also helped finance the film which never really took off with fans or critics. Rooney plays a lonely mechanic who steals some cash from the till in order to treat a selfish but beautiful woman named Vera to a night on the town. Things spiral out of control after that when the crime is discovered & in order to make good on his debts he engages in more desperate acts of larceny to avoid jail. The premise never really works & while Rooney is rather fun playing off the villainous Lorre you'll never once believe he's capable of the crimes the script calls for him to commit. The female leads (Barbara Bates & Jeanne Cagney) also don't leave a lasting impression. The director; Irving Pichel, gained some infamy when he refused to name communists within the film community at the insistence of the House of Un-American Activities Committee & was subsequently blacklisted during the era of McCarthyism. Filmed in B&W
- DirectorEdgar G. UlmerStarsTom NealAnn SavageClaudia DrakeThe life of Al Roberts, a pianist in a New York nightclub, turns into a nightmare when he decides to hitchhike to Los Angeles to visit his girlfriend.Edward THE BLACK CAT Ulmer was a talented director who alienated Universal's Carl Laemmie after his dalliance with the top execs nephew's wife was discovered. Ulmer's career never really recovered after that & he was left making films for poverty row studios like The Producers Releasing Corporation who made DETOUR. The film begins as a flashback revealing how one man (Tom THE BRUTE MAN Neil) came to assume the identity of another while hitch-hiking across country. When the owner of the vehicle dies, fearing that he'd be accused of a murder he didn't commit, the unlucky drifter steals the dead mans cash & car. Along the way to California he picks up a beautiful woman played by Ann Savage who by coincidence knew the real owner of the stolen car & begins blackmailing the hitch-hiker. I didn't think Neil & Savage had much chemistry as an onscreen couple although they made a string of B movies together of which DETOUR is the best known. Modern critics adore DETOUR although it was never a favorite of mine. The storyline was ridiculously convoluted & although Neil had a busy career (until he nearly beat Joan Crawford's ex to death & was convicted of the killing of his own wife; Gale Bennett) he was never much of an actor. This black & white noir was honored by the Library of Congress to be included in the National Film Registry for preservation because of it's cultural, aesthetic & artistic contribution to film although I'd rate it only slightly above average.
- DirectorSteve SekelyPaul HenreidStarsPaul HenreidJoan BennettEduard FranzPursued by the big-time gambler he robbed, John Muller assumes a new identity, with unfortunate results.Paul EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC Henreid stars as a mobster on the run from a dangerous killer who finds refuge in a psychiatric clinic owned by a man with strikingly similar features. Joan SUSPIRIA Bennett co-stars as the lovelorn receptionist who falls for the imposter only to later discover he killed her employer. This ponderous & unlikely B&W noir offers no happy endings. Original director Steve REVENGE OF THE ZOMBIES Sekey was replaced early into production by star Henreid citing creative differences. HOLLOW TRIUMPH is better known in North America as THE SCAR or THE MAN WHO KILLED HIMSELF where various cuts of the film exist since it fell into public domain.
- DirectorRudolph MatéStarsEdmond O'BrienPamela BrittonLuther AdlerFrank Bigelow, told he's been poisoned and has only a few days to live, tries to find out who killed him and why.Rudolph WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE Mate directed this classic B&W film noir for the poverty row studio Cardinal Pictures. It starred Edmond THE HITCH-HIKER O'Brien as an innocent man who discovers he's been fatally poisoned with a radio-active substance & must backtrack in order to discover who committed the crime & why. There's enough twists & revelations in the plot from Academy Award winners Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene to hold viewer interest along with some interesting acting turns by Pamala MY FAVORITE MARTIAN Britton & Beverly AIRPORT 1975 Garland. D.O.A. was remade in 1969 as COLOR ME DEAD & again in 1988 as a star vehicle for Dennis JAWS 3D Quaid.
- DirectorAlex ProyasStarsBrandon LeeMichael WincottRochelle DavisA man brutally murdered comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée's murder.The 1st thing everyone goes to is: This is the movie where Brandon Lee accidentally shot himself in the head! He did and in a role which would propel him into stardom after his death. With some clever editing, body doubles & CG the studio was able to complete THE CROW. It really is a testament to director Alex GODS OF EGYPT Proyas that he was not only able to salvage the film but to present to audiences a movie as distinctive & stylish as Tim Burton's BATMAN. Likewise praise belongs with Lee who gives a breakout performance of the magnitude of Sharon Stone in BASIC INSTINCT. If he'd lived to be 80 THE CROW would always be his signature role. This comic book based superhero/action pic was about a goth rocker who comes back from the grave after him and his girlfriend are murdered by gangsters. This is a terrific movie loaded with gorgeous visual effects and an excellent soundtrack. If I were to write a top ten list of comic book movie heroes, THE CROW would be on it. Highly recommended. Followed by 3 sequels, a television series and a 2022 remake.
- DirectorTim PopeStarsVincent PerezMia KirshnerRichard BrooksThe spirit of the Crow resurrects another man seeking revenge for the murder of his son.Music video director Tim Pope scored the honor of making this sequel to the cultish superhero pic; THE CROW. His vision for the film included creating a 1940s noir look with a desaturated color palette courtesy of sepia lights. It's hideous and I'm taking a star off just for that. David BLADE TRINITY Goyer wrote the functional and familiar screenplay that copies THE CROW without disrespecting the memory of Brandon Lee's interpretation of the character. The end result was an ugly but passable sequel that never connected strongly with audiences. Vincent QUEEN OF THE DAMNED Perez also fails to make an impression as the supernatural avenger pulled back into the world of the living to right a terrible wrong. Pope & Goyer complained the studio was responsible for THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS poor reception but I'm thinking it was the sepia.
- CreatorBryce ZabelStarsMark DacascosMarc GomesSabine KarsentiA deceased street musician returns to life, and must restore the balance between good and evil to be reunited with his dead girlfriend.Mark AGENTS OF SHIELD Dacascos starred as Eric Draven (aka; THE CROW) in this short-lived continuation of the occastionally popular superhero franchise. Eric is resurrected as a supernatural vigilante who must right the wrongs here on earth if he hopes to be reunited with the spirit of his girlfriend. A very generic rotation of guest stars including Donny Most and Corey Feldman didn't help the floundering ratings which led to THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN being cancelled after one forgettable season. A handful of episodes were edited together and released to European home video as features called THE CROW: NEVER SAY DIE and THE CROW: WITCH CROW.
- DirectorBharat NalluriStarsKirsten DunstWilliam AthertonDebbie FanAlex Corvis returns to the world of the living to solve the murder of a young woman that he was wrongly accused of.Eric Mabius who may be best know for the popular SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED post office mystery movies on Hallmark does an ok job as THE CROW, a young man falsely accused of murder & put to death who returns as a scarred vigilante with supernatural & superhuman power. Dimension produced this very generic B movie sequel that tested very badly with audiences. Between the lackluster screenings and the recently cancelled THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN series, the studio opted to cut it's losses giving THE CROW: SALVATION a weeklong engagement in one theatre. I didn't hate it. It's arguably the best of the sequels.
- DirectorLance MungiaStarsYuji OkumotoMarcus ChongTito OrtizOn his way to becoming an immortal demon, a gang leader orchestrates the murder of an ex-con and his girlfriend.Edward Furlong has retained none of the charm or charisma he had to burn in TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY. His pouty, physically unimposing interpretation of THE CROW will leave fans scratching their heads. Other actors left to wallow in the muck include David BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Boreanaz as a satanic biker who believes the vicious murder of the Crow and his girlfriend will transform him into a demon, UFC brwler Tito Ortiz and THE LAST SHARKNADO's Tara Reid. Dimension let this sit on a shelf for 2 years before dumping it in one theatre for one week on it's fasttrack towards a desperate plunge into the home video market where those poorly choreographed fight sequences & from scratch speccial effects probably didn't help. A franchise reboot is scheduled for release in 2022
- DirectorYang-Ming TsaiStarsFei MengLin-Lin LiYasuaki KurataA gifted but proud young martial arts student injures and kills an opponent. In retaliation , his father is killed. The young student vows revenge and begins to prepare for his epic face-off.A young man studies Kung Fu to avenge the death of his father who was murdered by the Masters of the finest martial arts school in the province. The action sequences are well staged & within the realm of possibility adding some weight to the dramatic storyline which cumulates in a Tournament of Death with our charismatic hero taking on not only the Masters but their entire class of trained assassins. Above average.
- DirectorShi-hyeon KimYueh-Lin LiuStarsRyong KeoQiu YuenCheng ChiangDragon is trusted to deliver a list containing name of anti-Ching revolutionaries to the Ming leaders but is challenged by Ching loyalists along the way.The Kung Fu sequences in DRAGON LEE VS THE FIVE BROTHERS are fanciful & outrageously over-the-top lending this otherwise mundane tale some energy. A warrior carrying important documents must navigate his way through route filled with martial artists determined to kill him. The tiny budget holds it back somewhat but genre junkies should find it reasonably entertaining.
- DirectorJen-Ping SuStarsHua TsungKuang YangDean ShekThis non-stop Kung-Fu action/comedy film is about a young man whose father forbids him from continuing his martial arts training. Leaving home, he soon falls under the guidance of a Kung-Fu master who prepares him for the fight of his life.KUNG FU ON SALE features some wonderfully choreographed fight sequences & the action don't slow down for a minute. The downside is that for every truly well staged Kung Fu battle there's also a bevvy of slapstick gags which fall flat & kill the momentum the slight knock off of better films like Jackie Chan's DRUNKEN MASTER may have had. In this ultimately juvenile & low brow adventure a young man defies his family in order to become a Kung Fu expert.
- DirectorStan WinstonStarsLance HenriksenJeff EastJohn D'AquinoAfter a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.Legendary make-up artist Stan A GNOME NAMED GNORM Winston not only directed this grotesquely beautiful EC Comic come to life but he designed the magnificent PUMPKINHEAD which rivals H.R. Giger's ALIEN in ferocity. Lance PIRANHA PART II: THE SPAWNING Henriksen plays a shopkeeper consumed with vengeance when his young son is accidentally killed by a group of kids racing dirt bikes. The grieving father enlists the aid of a swamp witch to raise a demon known as PUMPKINHEAD to have his revenge. The art direction & set design are exceptionally well done for a relatively low budget horror film. The costumes also feel authentic. This is one of the best horror films of the 1980s & also one of the most under-valued. It's a perfect showcase for Henriksen & Winston who obviously poured his heart and soul into this one. Followed by 3 inferior sequels to date and an announced remake set for 2022 release.
- DirectorJeff BurrStarsAndrew RobinsonAmi DolenzSoleil Moon FryeThrill-seeking teenagers resurrect a demon from his grave and a bloody rampage for revenge begins.Jeff MIL MASCARAS VS THE AZTEC MUMMY Burr directed this giant step down sequel to Stan Winston's 1988 cult classic; PUMPKINHEAD. In a flashback we're introduced to a disfigured boy who falls to his death down a well after being tormented by a gang. Decades later a witch loses her spell book to unruly teens who plan on resurrecting the disfigured boy as the demon of vengeance PUMPKINHEAD. By co-incidence, the fathers of the teens are members of the Blood Wings gang; the very same group who caused the boy to fall to his death. PUMPKINHEAD II: BLOOD WINGS benefits greatly from having a terrific monster but the film isn't scary and doesn't have an ounce of atmosphere which is strange considering how gorgeous the 1st film was. You'd think someone would have made some effort.
- DirectorJake WestStarsLance HenriksenDoug BradleyDouglas RobertsResidents of a small backwoods community summon the murderous demon of vengeance himself for revenge against a local mortician who wronged their deceased love ones, while a town physician seeks to kill those involved in its summoning.Jake THE ABCS OF DEATH West directed this tv movie sequel to PUMPKINHEAD which aired on the SyFy channel. A slimy mortician played by Doug HELLRAISER: DEADER Bradly turns to murder when the vengeance demon known as PUMPKINHEAD is unleased to punish him for the desecration of corpses. Lance THE QUICK & THE DEAD Henriksen reprises his role as Ed Harley the ghostly soul of the murderous beast. That creature design is a lot better than this movie is. Bradly is especially disappointing as an actor without his signature Pinhead make-up. Without he holds almost no stage presence.
- DirectorMichael HurstStarsLance HenriksenRob FreemanAmy MansonWhen the true love between two young lovers is threatened by their families violent feud, their only chance at peace leads them to summoning the monstrous pumpkin head, who brings even greater horrors.PUMPKINHEAD 4: BLOOD FUED finds the McCoys summoning the demon of vengeance to kill the Hatfield family in order to end their eternal feud. Prolific character actor Lance ALIEN 3 Henriksen cameo's as the ghostly remains of Ed Harley who is now destined to remain by the side of the demon he once raised. It's a slight step up from PUMPKINHEAD III: ASHES TO ASHES. Followed by a franchise reboot in 2022.
- DirectorTso Nam LeeStarsJim KellySing ChenTao-Liang TanAn American insurance investigator goes to Hong Kong to retrieve a famous diamond stolen by a local criminal organization.This very well done action film from Hong Kong has nothing whatsoever to do with Jim Kelly's 1974 blaxploitation hit BLACK BELT JONES although both are certainly worth a look for fans. In this in-name-only sequel, Kelly is a CIA agent dispatched to China to recover stolen diamonds while exploring the seedy underbelly of the city. The American cuts of the film can be a distraction because of the goofy humor distributors forced on the film via substandard dubbing..
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceLisa BlountJameson ParkerA group of graduate students and scientists uncover an ancient canister in an abandoned church, but when they open the container, they inadvertently unleash a strange liquid and an evil force on all humanity.Turns out Jesus was an alien who contained Satan in a swirling jar of green water at the time of the flood. The jar has been stored in the basement of a dilapidated church owned by The Brotherhood of Sleep. The priests in the brotherhood receive transmissions from the future via sub atomic particles traveling backwards through time. No one knows exactly what the dreams mean because reception is terrible but everyone's in agreement that nothing about it's good. Things go from bad to worse when light from an ancient supernova begins showering the earth with mysterious quantum energy which excites the jar of evil water & it begins to leak; dripping upwards to the ceiling. This is where our story begins; A priest (Donald ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN Pleasence) requests a professor of theoretical physics (Victor TREMORS Wong) & his brilliant students to investigate the supernatural events occurring inside the church & on the lot it stands which has become infested with demonic homeless people & ravenous bugs. Once there director John Carpenter turns the whole thing into a siege style remake of RIO BRAVO; a well from which he's drawn numerous times over the years. Carpenter's rabid fanbase like this one a lot more than I did. The science is goofy & the male lead (Jamison SIMON & SIMON: IN TROUBLE AGAIN Parker) is weak. Some of the supporting cast including Anne CREATURE Howard, Dennis BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Dunn & Alice FREDDY's DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE Cooper will help pass the time. I didn't hate it but it's also hard to recommend wholeheartedly.
- DirectorDennis DonnellyStarsCameron MitchellPamelyn FerdinWesley EureA ski-masked maniac kills apartment complex tenants with the contents of a toolbox.Cameron NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR Mitchell plays a crazed serial killer stalking the residents of an apartment complex following the death of a young female family member. His loss drove him to insanity & now he hammers & stabs sinful women to ease his pain. It's a repulsive low-budget slasher pic which enjoys a tiny cult of admirers among sadists. Tobe THE FUNHOUSE Hooper directed a flashier, decades later remake.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsAngela BettisBrent RoamMarco RodríguezA historic Hollywood hotel houses a supernatural evil. It's been subdued for decades, but when renovations start, a series of murders take place.Genre favorite Tobe POLTERGEIST Hooper directed this passable remake of the 1978 exploitation pic THE TOOLBOX MURDERS which deviates from the original by introducing elements of the supernatural to explain the presence of a murderer identified as the Coffin Baby bumping off residents of a hotel with drills, hammers & saws. Angela CARRIE Bettis stars as a tenant who traces the satanic killer to his secret lair filled with corpses and instruments of torture. There's enough violence to hold your attention but this is far from Hooper's best work and it may have been damaged late in production when financing fell through. An unofficial sequel called COFFIN BABY was produced in 2013.
- DirectorDean JonesStarsBruce DernBrian KrauseClifton PowellSamantha is kidnapped by a serial killer, locked in a cage, and forced to witness dozens of people being killed. After 10 days in captivity, the killer begins to fall in love with her until she is rescued by police.Christopher TOOLBOX MURDERS Doyle plays the sadistic & depraved COFFIN BABY in this unauthorized sequel to Tobe Hooper's 2004 horror remake which was also distributed as TOOLBOX MURDERS 2. This low budget entry in the series was further hamstrung when financing fell through because the producers failed to secure the rights to the property. What eventually made it to DVD was a sordid tale of kidnapping, rape and cannibalism starring Bruce SWAMP DEVIL Dern, Brian CHARMED Kraus and Clifton BLACK LIGHTNING Powell
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDennis WeaverJacqueline ScottEddie FirestoneA business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.That lowliest of art forms known as THE ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK very occasionally spawned a masterpiece & DUEL is just that; one of the greatest television movies ever produced. A young Steven CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND Spielberg who may have caught the eye of network execs because of his work on the classic pilot episode of NIGHT GALLERY was hired to direct this adaption of the Richard THE NIGHT STALKER Matheson short story about a man driving through the desert pursued by a 18 wheeler driven by a relentless, unseen maniac. Dennis EMERALD POINT: NAS Weaver gives one of his best performances as a driver desperate to survive this ultimate act of road rage. The film is unadulterated white knuckle suspense which is no easy task in a medium riddled with commercial breaks & censorship. DUEL would later be released to European cinemas & was honored for Best Sound Editing at the Emmys for reasons known to those who've had the pleasure of watching.
- DirectorKôji ShiraishiStarsChinatsu WakatsukiMiku UenoEriko IchinoheJapanese school girls die violently after seeing a man wearing a black hood.If you've enjoyed J-Horror classics like JU-ON, RINGU & HONOGURAI MIZU NO SOKO KARA (DARK WATER) there's no good reason to cheapen their memory & waste your time on this low budget knock off which steals liberally from each. Kojo SADAKO VS KAYAKO Shiraishi isn't a bad director but JU-REI: THE UNCANNY is uncannily familiar & telegraphs itself every step of it's disjointed way. The screenplay reverse engineers itself, working it's way back to an origin that offers no real explanation & holds no impact for viewers. Close, but no cigar.
- DirectorJaume Collet-SerraStarsVera FarmigaPeter SarsgaardIsabelle FuhrmanA husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl who is not nearly as innocent as she appears.ORPHAN is an okay thriller from HOUSE OF WAX director Jaume Collet-Serra & screen-writer David Leslie AQUAMAN Johnson-McGoldrick. After adopting a 9 year old named Esther played by 13 year old (at the time) Isabelle Fuhrman, family misfortune follows close on her evil heels. The gimmick here is that the 'bad seed' isn't a child but is a psychotic, 33 year old dwarf who murders all her host families. Fuhrman convinces as a child but can't hold the illusion she's 33 which damages the ending somewhat IF you were willing to suspend your disbelief that she was a murderous homunculus to begin with (which I was not). The trick ending just failed to convince. A prequel film has been announced.
- DirectorPiraphan LaoyontThodsapol SiriwiwatStarsChon WachananonWichan JarujindaChidjan RujiphunA group of sexy nurses who harvest organs are haunted by the vengeful spirit of one of their dead patients.A sinister doctor and his cult-like harem of nurses conspire to sell the organs of patients who die while under their 'care'. When one of the women becomes jealous she breaks ranks, threatening to go to the police but is murdered before she has the opportunity to do so. The vengeful spirit of the murdered nurse returns to eliminate her rivals in a bloody slasher movie rampage that reminded me a lot of HELLO, MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT II. SICK NURSES has enough gore & suspense to hold viewer interest but it's slightly below average. Filmed in Thailand.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsJeff BridgesKaren AllenCharles Martin SmithAn alien takes the form of a young Wisconsin widow's husband and makes her drive him to his departure point in Arizona. Distrustful government agents, along with a more ambivalent scientist, give pursuit in hopes of intercepting them.STARMAN is the one and only John Carpenter film to receive an Academy Award nomination. Jeff THE LAST PICTURE SHOW Bridges was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars for his portrayal of an alien drawn to earth after encountering the Voyager 2 probe. When his spaceship's shot down by the military in hot pursuit, the alien transforms itself into the likeness of a recently widowed woman's husband. Nancy DRESSED TO KILL Allen plays the distressed widow who comes to love the new incarnation of her deceased partner and helps him evade authorities on a cross country road trip towards his rescue coordinates before his human life force is depleted. The charisma of the leads and a sure & steady hand by director Carpenter made this a crowd pleasing hit. It's passing similarity to E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL couldn't have hurt, either. A weekly sequel series aired briefly on ABC during the 1986 season.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsChevy ChaseDaryl HannahSam NeillAfter a freak accident, a company executive turns completely invisible, goes on the run and becomes hunted by a treacherous CIA official, whilst trying to cope with his new reality.MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN was a great big Hollywood studio backed event picture based on the best-selling novel of the same name by H.F. Saint produced as a star vehicle for the (then) white hot Chevy NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION Chase. After a revolving door or screen writers & potential directors came and went, the studio (and Chase) selected horror film director John Carpenter who had impressed audiences with the surprisingly successful STARMAN to helm the project. Legendary writer William THE MARATHON MAN Goldman contributed largely to the final screenplay & took a credit for the script although there many contributors seeking approval by the film's star. The story concerns a man who accidentally becomes invisible after spilling a cup of coffee on his office computer. From there he is relentlessly pursued by a government agent played by Sam THE FINAL CONFLICT: OMEN III Neill. Along the way Chase befriends the lovely Daryl KILL BILL Hannah & together they run for their lives with Neill close on their heels. The leads are terrific in their roles although Chase and Hannah were a 'nightmare' to work with according to Carpenter. The special effects were astonishing at the time of it's production surpassing even the 1933 classic THE INVISIBLE MAN from director James Whale. The movie however flopped & received poor reviews which is unfortunate because it's also one of Carpenter's best & most polished films. It would have been interesting to see what he could accomplish in the more mainstream Hollywood system. I liked this one more than most and recommend it highly.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellLee Van CleefErnest BorgnineIn 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.Kurt BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Russell plays the swaggering anti-hero Snake Plissken who is ordered to infiltrate the prison island of Manhattan to rescue the president of the united states. Lee DEATH RIDES A HORSE Van Cleef is the Government commissioner who makes Snake the offer he cannot refuse while Isaac SHAFT Hayes is the leader of the prison inmates who have taken the president hostage. John Carpenter has loaded his cast with genre favorites like Donald Pleasance, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Aitkins & Ernest Borgnine who add to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK's appeal. I enjoyed this cult classic action film despite it's flaws. A belated sequel was released in 1996.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellSteve BuscemiStacy KeachSnake Plissken is once again called in by the United States government to recover a potential doomsday device from Los Angeles, now an autonomous island where undesirables are deported.ESCAPE FROM L.A. is arguably a better movie than ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. It's a more ambitious & extravagant film. John Carpenter sells & resells his cliches like the very talented hack he sometimes can be. The only real difference between the two movies is that New York enjoys a cult classic status whereas the sequel does not. L.A. bombed in theatres despite a terrific cast led by Kurt THE THING Russell as Snake Plissken who must fight his way through the decadent Beverly Hills underbelly concentrated in the disaster ravaged remains of California. A large part of the failure of the movie was the shockingly poor CG special effects. Those effects had no business being in a movie that cost $50 million to produce! I'm taking a star off for the pitiful optical effects. A proposed sequel called ESCAPE FROM MARS was extensively refurbished into the similarly themed GHOSTS OF MARS. GHOSTS OF MARS was another big budget John Carpenter movie which felt damaged by the inferior quality of the CG.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsFaye DunawayTommy Lee JonesBrad DourifA famous fashion photographer develops a disturbing ability to see through the eyes of a killer.Jack THE BLOB Harris & the relatively unknown (at the time) Jon Peters (Barbara Streisand's hair-dresser/boyfriend) produced this stylish slasher movie based on a script by John HALLOWEEN Carpenter (although it received a thorough rewrite by David LOGAN'S RUN Goodman). The beautiful fashion photographer Laura Mars (Oscar winner Faye BONNIE & CLYDE Dunaway) is tormented by psychic visions of a serial murderer stalking her & her circle of friends killing each by stabbing at their eyes. Tommy Lee Jones (another Oscar winner for THE FUGITIVE) plays the smitten detective assigned to protect the celebrity and solve the case. The stars crackle together with chemistry onscreen despite persistent rumours of tension on the set. The supporting cast is equally superlative; Rene KING KONG Auberjonois, Brad THE EXORCIST III Dourif & Raul KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Julia providing the ample number of red herrings along the way. Irwin THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Kershner manages to give the film a gorgeous contemporary look & feel right down to a 1970s disco soundtrack. It's not so much scary as it is fascinating and may be appreciated by horror junkies more than most. It has a lot of cult appeal.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsNatasha HenstridgeIce CubePam GrierIn 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become a charnel house.Ice BARBERSHOP 2: BACK IN BUSINESS Cube plays 'Desolation Jones'; a knock off of the Snake Plissken character played by Kurt Russell in ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK & ESCAPE FROM L.A. The story goes that GHOSTS OF MARS was initially pitched as a continuation of the 'Escape From...' franchise but after '...L.A.' bombed no studio would finance it. Carpenter re-imagined it as another one of his siege-style RIO BRAVO adventures set on Mars to get green lit. Co-stars include Natasha SPECIES II Henstridge, Jason THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS Statham & Pam JACKIE BROWN Grier who are settlers on the terraformed Mars colony who are attacked by the ghosts of a dead civilization which resided there eons ago. The director should have been able to knock this one out of the ballpark with a reasonable cast & adequate budget but the special effects are poor & as cool a name as Desolation Jones is Ice Cube brings little to the table as an action hero. After the film flopped in theatres Carpenter took a decade long hiatus from film-making.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsRoddy PiperKeith DavidMeg FosterThey influence our decisions without us knowing it. They numb our senses without us feeling it. They control our lives without us realizing it. They live.THEY LIVE has a large cult following and has been over-praised in the years since it's initial mediocre release. When the director/writer opts for the use of a pseudonym (as John Carpenter did under the name Frank Armitage as screenwriter) you know you're skating on cinematic thin ice. Wrestler Roddy HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN Piper gives a WWE style performance as a lummox who finds a pair of sunglasses which when worn reveal the world to be an alien controlled utopia of propaganda with the human population reduced to slave labor. It's a slight premise told with a lethargic pace and some uninventive special effects.
- DirectorArchie MayoStarsGeorge RaftConstance CummingsWynne GibsonA successful ex-boxer opens a high-class speakeasy in what once was the childhood home of a formerly rich society girl.Prolific B-movie director Archie UNDER EIGHTEEN Mayo introduced the world to Mae West via this pre-code comedy about the owner of a vaudevillian theatre who becomes smitten with a showgirl (not West) who is only after his money. George Raft & Constance Cummings may have been the stars of the show but scene-stealer West (writing her own dialogue) won over audiences instead.
- DirectorWesley RugglesStarsMae WestCary GrantGregory RatoffCircus performer Tira seeks a better life pursuing the company of wealthy New York men with improbable comic complications along the way.When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad, I'm better. I'M NO ANGEL was very good and one of the top grossing films of 1933. Controversial star Mae West vas at the peek of her fame & celebrity and enjoying slipping some rather sophisticated material into these pre-code comedies which weren't as heavily censored. West plays a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who falls in love with socialite (star Cary Grant). The two wind up in court over a broken engagement but fall sweetly in love again. A genuine classic.
- DirectorAlexander HallStarsMae WestPaul CavanaghGilbert EmeryFormer dance hall queen Cleo Borden, newly rich, falls for and pursues an upper-crust Englishman.Mae West is a drag queen's fantasy come to life in this vampy, campy cult classic West not only stars in, but wrote! Here, she plays a grieving dance hall moll moving to a new city to manage her late husband's affairs and maybe begin one or two of her own along the merry way. B&W
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsMae WestWarren WilliamRandolph ScottA movie star, stranded in the country, trifles with a young man's affections.Legendary sex symbol Mae West starred in this delightful campy 1933s comedy as Hollywood actress who becomes stranded in the country when her rolls breaks down but passes the time trying to romance the young mechanic played by Randolph RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY Scott. It may seem rather tame by today's standards but back in the day West was considered quite scandalous for flaunting her sexuality and this is a perfect example of her fine work.
- DirectorEdward F. ClineStarsMae WestW.C. FieldsJoseph CalleiaAfter a scandal runs a gold-digger out of town, she meets a con artist and becomes embroiled in a string of petty deceits.Edward Cline directed W.C. Fields in a number of comedies before making this enormously popular cult classic co-starring the aforementioned Fields and I'M NO ANGEL herself; Mae West. Both were at the peak of their Hollywood careers and they are magical onscreen together even if they hated each other off the set. West plays a singer who meets an old con man named Twillie & how the two stage their marriage handily generates the comedic results you'd expect. B&W
- DirectorKen HughesStarsMae WestTimothy DaltonDom DeLuiseOn the day of her wedding to her sixth husband, a glamorous silver screen sex symbol is asked to intervene in a political dispute between nations, which leads to chaos.Former 1930s sex-pot Mae MYRA BRECKINRIDGE West delivers a harrowing homage of herself that is equal parts cringe-worthy and grotesque courtesy of director Ken CASINO ROYALE Hughes and Crown International who financed this cinematic stink-bomb. West jumps the toothless old shark as a newlywed fending off the advances of celebrities such as Tony SOME LIKE IT HOT Curtis, George DYNASTY Hamilton & Ringo SGT. PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND Starr while preparing her marital bed for Timothy THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS Dalton. As campy and cult-worthy as SEXTETTE is even the gays won't embrace it because it's so heart-breaking to see what a self-parody West has become in this incredibly bad DOG.
- DirectorEli RothStarsJay HernandezDerek RichardsonEythor GudjonssonThree backpackers head to a Slovak city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.Eli DEATH WISH Roth directed this repellant slasher movie which was marketed as 'torture porn' in the wake of the profitable SAW franchise. Jay MAGNUM P.I. Hernandez plays one of 3 college students traveling through Europe who are stalked by a group of anonymous businessmen who belong to an exclusive club which allows it's members to torture and mutilate tourists to Slovakia. Roth filmed HOSTEL so cheaply it couldn't help make a substantial profit but it's only average at best.
- DirectorEli RothStarsLauren GermanHeather MatarazzoBijou PhillipsThree American college students studying abroad are lured to a Slovakian hostel and discover the grim reality behind it.Lauren LUCIFER German stars as Beth, one of a trio of women lured to a Hostel in Slovakia where tourists are tortured and murdered by wealthy sadists who indulge every unholy whim from necrophilia to cannibalism. The briefly white-hot Eli THE GREEN INFERNO Roth directed this borderline garbage for producer Quentin ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Tarantino who appears to have hitched his star to the wrong bandwagon. HOSTEL: PART II was leaked online damaging it's box office total significantly.
- DirectorScott SpiegelStarsKip PardueBrian HallisayJohn HensleyFour men attending a bachelor party in Las Vegas fall prey to the Elite Hunting Club, who are hosting a gruesome game show of torture.Scott FROM DAWN TILL DUSK 2: TEXAS BLOOD MONEY Spiegel directed this final entry in the increasingly cheap and awful torture porn franchise which began with 2005s hit HOSTEL. A group of young men are lured to an exclusive gambling resort and casino in Las Vegas where they face mutilation & death at the hands of the sadistic patrons and staff. Earlier entries weren't believable but now and then you might allow yourself to suspend dis-belief depending on the intensity of the gore. It's a trick this direct to video sequel can't manage even once. Blame notorious writer Michael Fleiss who created tv series like THE BACHELOR & it's spin-off THE BACHELORETTE. Given that Fleiss beat his pregnant wife & stalked MELROSE PLACE star David Charvet it's difficult to endorse any project he's involved with.
- DirectorMichael CrichtonStarsAlbert FinneyJames CoburnSusan DeyThree of four models, who had plastic surgery done by Larry after a computed list, are dead. Neither the cops nor Larry believe they're suicides. Larry investigates and stays with the fourth model. Who's behind the lists and murders?Albert WOLFEN Finney stars in this slightly futuristic thriller about computer animation & advertising from Michael THE TERMINAL MAN Crichton. A plastic surgeon is drawn into the mystery of several suspicious deaths linked to his clinic. Models are going under the knife to meet the specific demands of a client named Digital Matrix. Once made perfect the women are killed. James HUDSON HAWK Coburn plays the cold-blooded corporate executive using computer animations in advertising to exert a form of mass hypnosis on the population. Susan EMERALD POINT: NAS Day plays Finney's latest patient who's life is in mortal danger because of her enhancements. LOOKER is a very slick looking but empty headed production. The concept never really explains itself & Finney (at 60) was simply too old for the heroic lead. The CG used in the film was considered quite cutting edge for the early 80s.
- DirectorBernard RoseStarsVirginia MadsenXander BerkeleyTony ToddThe Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.Often under-used character actor Tony NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Todd gives the kind of performance that defines a career within the genre like Christopher Lee's DRACULA or Robert Englund's Freddy Kruger in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. It's a shame the franchise burned out so suddenly because he is unforgettable in the role of Candyman; a free black man murdered by a racist mob at the turn of the 19th century who exists now as a vengeful spirit summoned if you speak his name aloud 5 times while looking into a mirror. It's a deceptively simple premise for a horror movie based on a short story written by Clive HELLRAISER Barker but as it eloquently unfolds under the steady hand of critically acclaimed director Bernard IMMORTAL BELOVED Rose you come to appreciate how the film resonates with dread & beauty. Virginia DUNE Madsen is perfectly cast as a university student who unwittingly evokes the spirit of Candyman while investigating a series of crimes tied to the urban legends floating around the tenements of Cabrini Green. Philip Glass is said to have been less than thrilled his terrific musical score ended up being used in a 'slasher movie' but I cannot imagine the film without. CANDYMAN is a modern classic of horror cinema that deserves a much wider audience & a much higher profile than it currently enjoys. Sequels followed in 1995, 1999 & 2020.
- DirectorBill CondonStarsTony ToddKelly RowanCaroline BarclayThe Candyman arrives in New Orleans and sets his sights on a young woman whose family was ruined by the immortal killer years before.Bill Condon is a very talented & openly gay director I very much admire but as much as I like CANDYMAN 2: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH I didn't love it. Between Condon and producer Clive NIGHTBREED Barker this really should have been much better. The very charismatic Tony THE PROPHECY: FORESAKEN Todd is galvanizing as the vengeful spirit of Daniel Robitaille who's tempestuous affair with an aristocrat's daughter leads to his death at the hands of a racist mob. The screenplay tries to construct a backstory for Candyman which not only gives away too much thereby de-mystifying the character somewhat but also offers up a rather pat solution explaining how to kill him on par with your basic silver bullet to kill a werewolf. These elements are tied to a script which further goes on to explain the bloodline of the monster as if everyone involved was trying to lay a solid foundation for a franchise ala A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. They should have spent their time trying to scare the crap out of their audience instead of prepping for future installments. The story is engaging & Bill Condon tries his best but the end result is far less than what fans deserved and a noticeable step down from the original.
- DirectorTuri MeyerStarsDonna D'ErricoTony ToddAlexia RobinsonThe Candyman is back, trying to convince his descendent, an artist, to join him.Following the failure of CANDYMAN 2: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH to connect with audiences Sony Pictures abandoned plans for a sequel and rights went to Artisan who cranked out this direct-to-video horror pic which lists star Tony Todd as a producer. Todd plays a specter named Candyman who murders the friends of a descendant (BAYWATCH NIGHT's Donna D'Errico) in order to drive her to madness & death thereby uniting them for eternity. Not even the usually reliable Todd can sell this inferior material. This boring film put a nail in the franchise's coffin for 2 decades until the release of CANDYMAN in 2020.
- DirectorOley SassoneStarsAlex Hyde-WhiteJay UnderwoodRebecca StaabWhen dosed with cosmic rays, four intrepid explorers are given incredible powers.Alex SUPERCARRIER! Hyde White starred as mutant Reed Richards along with Former Beauty Queen Rebecca Staab as Invisible Girl, Jay THE ADVENTURES OF FORD FAIRLANE Underwood as The Human Torch & stuntman Carl Ciarfalio as The Thing. Joseph BADASSSSS! Culp plays the perfect nemesis for THE FANTASTIC FOUR; Doctor Victor Von Doom! Roger Corman got his hands on the film rights & the rest is Hollywood history. Marvel was so horrified it had another DOG like CAPTAIN AMERICA or HOWARD THE DUCK the comic book giant bought the film back to prevent it from ever being seen. Years later pirate copies of this cultish film began making the rounds. In 2014 a documentary was produced called; DOOMED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ROGER CORMAN'S THE FANTASTIC FOUR. A perfectly fine night's entertainment for cinematic masochists such as myself. Others, beware.
- DirectorTim StoryStarsIoan GruffuddMichael ChiklisChris EvansA group of astronauts gain superpowers after a cosmic radiation exposure and must use them to oppose the plans of their enemy, Doctor Victor Von Doom.Tim SHAFT Story directed this successful live action adaption of the famous Marvel comic created by Jack Kirby. Reed Richards, Ben Grim, & Susan & Johnny Storm become transformed into THE FANTASTIC FOUR after exposure to cosmic rays. CHARMED star Julian McMahon makes for an imposing Doctor Doom who is determined to subjugate the world. The special effects are of the standard you'd expect from a major adaption of a Marvel classic but the movie wasn't as big a hit with critics as it was with fans.
- DirectorTim StoryStarsIoan GruffuddJessica AlbaChris EvansThe Fantastic Four learn that they aren't the only super-powered beings in the universe when they square off against the powerful Silver Surfer and the planet-eating Galactus.Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, & Chris Evans returned to their roles of THE FANTASTIC FOUR for director Tim Story. A powerful alien called The Silver Surfer arrives in our solar system to guide his master Galactus to planet earth so it may be consumed by the godlike celestial behemoth. The Silver Surfer doesn't translate well to the screen because it's a CG performance. Worse, it looks like a CG performance! Lawrence Fishburne is the voice actor behind the Surfer and he's fine but the animations used simply don't carry the load. Also, the decision to depict Galactus as a dangerous cloud broke a lot of fanboy hearts. I gave the pic an extra star for a perfectly fine performance by Julian McMahon as Dr Doom which is one of the few bright spots in this ambitious but flawed action movie. A reboot was released in 2015.
- DirectorJosh TrankStarsMiles TellerKate MaraMichael B. JordanFour young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.Relatively unknown director Josh Trank bitterly blamed studio executives for the box office catastrophe that was FANTASTIC FOUR. While that may have been true there's also truth in seeing that what Trank filmed only goes to prove he simply didn't have a solid grasp of the characters or how they should look. The re-invented supergroup squares off against Dr Doom in his least impressive screen incarnation since the 1994 Roger Corman film courtesy of Toby WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Kobbell. Visually, despite top special effects none of it has any style. Nothing about the film is especially eye-catching which only adds to viewer misery. A surprising misstep for the license holders of this durable Marvel franchise.
- DirectorTibor TakácsStarsStephen MarkleDon FrancksStan WilsonA corporate executive is taken prisoner by an underground organization known as The Movement, and is turned over to a ruthless interrogator.This dreary low-budget Canadian science fiction pic sat on the shelf for 4 years before a cable network picked it up for distribution. Tibor THE GATE II Takacs blandly directed this drama about a businessman imprisoned & tortured by a powerful government agency called The Movement.
- DirectorDamian LeeStarsJesse VenturaSven-Ole ThorsenDamian LeeAn alien "policeman" arrives on Earth to apprehend a renegade of his own race who impregnates a woman with a potentially destructive mutant embryo.Damien GNAW: FOOD OF THE GODS II Lee directed this odd sci-fi action pic starring pro wrestler Jesse BATMAN AND ROBIN Ventura as an alien cop in pursuit of a rogue agent searching for the anti-life equation. Using a powerful box device he's able to scan humans for the secret to the annihilation of the universe but discovers he must impregnate an earth woman & extract the formula from the child she births. Comic book geeks might find it a little too similar to DC's The New Gods. Film-goers will find it a little too similar to garbage. Ventura is as terrible as the special effects.
- DirectorDon DohlerStarsDon LeifertTom GriffithRichard DyszelA science ship with three dangerous specimens collected from around the universe crash lands on Earth. A mysterious stranger named "Ben Zachary" shows up claiming to be able to save the day. Can he do what he claims?Regional film-maker Don NIGHTBEAST Dohler filmed this cheapie way back in 1972 but it never found a distributer until 1978. 3 bigfoot like aliens crash land & begin terrorizing a backwoods community. In 1999 Dohler directed the equally bad ALIEN RAMPAGE which was marketed as a sequel by Fred Olin Ray under the alternate title THE ALIEN FACTOR 2.
- DirectorNorman J. WarrenStarsBarry StokesSally FaulknerGlory AnnenA deadly shape-shifting alien infiltrates a country house occupied by two lesbians, and proceeds to study their behaviour, for a sinister purpose.Low budget British horror director Norman INSEMINOID Warren doesn't offer a lot of plot or special effects with this tale of a kind of space cannibal who's invasion of earth is largely confined to the bedroom of a pair of swinging lesbians.
- DirectorSandor SternStarsRobert ConradKaren AustinRichard YoungA former government operative is called out of retirement to battle a new super weapon gone bad, a cyborg. Reluctantly, the retired operative trails the cyborg and tries to destroy it.Richard FLAMINGO ROAD Young played a robotic assassin pursued by a pair of secret agents in this formulamatic tv movie directed by Canadian Sandor AMITYVILLE 4: THE EVIL ESCAPES Stern. Despite the Terminator style teleplay and star Robert THE WILD WILD WEST Conrad a proposed weekly series failed to find a spot on the fall schedule
- DirectorRoland WestStarsGeorge BerangerCharles HerzingerEmily FitzroyA masked criminal who dresses like a giant bat terrorizes the guests at an old house rented by a mystery writer.THE BAT is a rather stylish B&W silent era mystery based on the 1908 Mary Rinehart novel The Spiral Staircase. A murderous jewel thief taunts the authorities & his intended victims before enacting his villainy. This was once considered a lost film until a copy surfaced in the latter half of the 20th century to the delight of film historians. The movie was remade twice beginning with 1930's THE BAT WHISPERS and again with 1959's THE BAT starring Vincent Price.
- DirectorCrane WilburStarsVincent PriceAgnes MooreheadGavin GordonA crazed killer known as "The Bat" is on the loose in a mansion full of people.Prolific writer/director Crane I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI Wilber made this turgid B&W mystery based on the 1908 novel The Spiral Staircase by Mary Rinehart. A masked killer stalks the town at night killing women while a secondary plot involves the theft of a million dollars from a local bank. Veteran character actors Agnes HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE Morehead & Vincent TOWER OF LONDON Price breathe some life into this stagey production but it felt unfashionable the day it was released and the identity of the killer will come as no surprise.
- DirectorMikhail KaryukovAleksandr KozyrFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsIvan PereverzevAleksandr ShvorinKonstantin BartashevichTwo countries race to have the first successful landing on Mars.Legendary film-maker Roger Corman obtained the rights to a relatively well made Russian science fiction film called NIBO ZOVYOT then hired a very young Francis APOCALYPSE NOW Ford Coppola to Americanize it. Coppola rather notoriously filmed additional material featuring a monster vaguely reminiscent of a penis battling another sort of suggestive of a vagina on an asteroid orbiting Mars. The original film has been dubbed, padded with stock footage & edited within an inch of it's life but genre junkies will want to give it a glance.
- DirectorPrimo ZeglioStarsLang JeffriesEssy PerssonLuis DávilaA team of astronauts is sent to the moon to rescue an alien who is seeking help to save her dying race. They are attacked by a force of bandit robots and discover that enemy spies are out to kill the alien.MISSION STARDUST is a bit of sci-fi Eurotrash based on the phenomenally successful German Perry Rhodan novels. Lang Jeffries stars as Rhodan who embarks on a mission to the moon aboard the rocket ship Stardust to rescue an alien & her robotic crew from Arabic spies. Slightly above average Italian space opera with a generous side order of cheese..
- DirectorJohn SaylesStarsJoe MortonDaryl EdwardsRosanna CarterA mute alien with the appearance of a black human is chased by outer-space bounty hunters through the streets of Harlem.Writer/director John PASSION FISH Sayles helmed this charming and genuinely funny take on racism & race relations starring Joe GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS Morton as an escaped alien slave laying low in in New York while being pursued by the Men in Black. This allegorical satire is presented as a series of vignettes that are frequently as insightful as they are delightful. THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET somehow managed to fly a little under the radar of audiences despite some terrific critical reviews and remains somewhat obscure. It's worth looking for. You'll be glad you did, I bet.
- DirectorJohn 'Bud' CardosStarsJim DavisChristopher MitchumDorothy MaloneAliens visit the solar-powered house of a middle-class family, and the house is suddenly sucked into a time warp that transports it back to prehistoric times.John THE DARK Cardos directed this slight science fiction adventure for Charles Band of Full Moon Entertainment fame/infamy. A pleasant multi-generational family living in the desert find their happy lives disrupted by reports of a triple supernova somewhere in the universe which has mysteriously caused earth to be enveloped by a timewarp. Soon their light fixtures are glowing with otherworldly green light, UFOs are buzzing around in the distance and stop motion monsters are duking it out behind the barn. The sparse special effects are distractingly low end and nobody in the cast seems especially interested. Jim Davis & Dorothy Malone star.
- DirectorLuigi CozziStarsMarjoe GortnerCaroline MunroChristopher PlummerAn outlaw smuggler and her alien companion are recruited by the Emperor of the Galaxy to rescue his son and destroy a secret weapon by the evil Count Zarth Arn.Cultish Italian hack Luigi HERCULES II Cozzi scored a minor hit with this trashy cash-in on the 70s STAR WARS craze starring Caroline THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD Munro as the adventuresome Stella Star who has been assigned the task of saving the known universe from the despotic Count Zarth Arn. Joe MANIAC Spinell is the evil count who flies through space in an iron-fist shaped craft. A lot of the special effects are colorful and exciting despite the low-end budget. Marjoe THE FOOD OF THE GODS Gortner & David ANACONDA 3: OFFSPRING Hasselhoff are Stella's mercenary pals along for the ride at the bequest of the Solar Emperor played by Christopher THE SOUND OF MUSIC Plummer. An in-name-only sequel hit drive-in theatres in 1981.
- DirectorBitto AlbertiniLuigi CozziStarsSherry BuchananFausto Di BellaDon PowellThe crew of a space ship confronts an evil galactic ruler out to rule the universe.ESCAPE FROM GALAXY 3 was widely marketed as STARCRASH II although the only connection between the films is that this in-name-only sequel features special effects which were stolen in their entirety from the 1978 Luigi Cozzi hit. Adalberto BLACK EMANUELLE 2 Albertini directed this Italian space opera which starred Sherry DOCTOR BUTCHER, M.D. Buchanan as a sexy adventurer who falls in love with her co-pilot; Lithan played by EMANUELLE IN BANGKOK's Faustino Di Bella. The two are on a mission to destroy a hand-shaped Death Star which transforms into a fist in times of battle. Don EMANUELLE: AROUND THE WORLD Powell is the flamboyant villain who bills himself as The King of the Night.
- DirectorMario GariazzoStarsRobert HoffmannNathalie DelonMartin BalsamA photographer and his model are on a photo shoot in a forest when they get the feeling they are being watched. The feeling becomes so strong that they decide to cut their session short and leave.Mario THE EERIE MIDNIGHT HORROR SHOW Gariazzo directed this Italian film which is almost certain to put even the most ardent admirers of B movie sci fi to sleep from boredom. A photographer Robert SPASMO Hoffman believes that aliens are keeping tabs on him since an encounter he had with a UFO. The special effects are almost nonexistent and the dubbing is atrocious. Martin PSYCHO Balsam co-stars.
- DirectorJuan Piquer SimónStarsIan SerraNina FerrerSusana BequerA young boy in the woods discovers a lovable alien...or is it?Juan PIECES Piquer Simon directed this bottom of the barrel Spanish rip-off of Steven Spielberg's classic E.T.: THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL sometimes marketed as E.T.: THE SECOND COMING. A charmless young actor discovers an alien egg which soon hatches into a cheap special effect monster which seems harmless enough however it's brother engages in a bloody murder spree a few blocks over.
- DirectorMinoru KanayaKiyosumi KuzakawaStarsTatsuya AzumaMiyuki TanigawaJô ShishidoAn alien is pursued as a traitor by his own race because he refuses to kill humans.STAR-WOLF was a kitschy 1978 Japanese science fiction series based on a 1960s trilogy of pulpy adventure novels by American author Edmond Hamilton. the 24 half hour episodes were produced by Eji Tsubuaraya who rose to fame as a special effects artist working on many classic Godzilla films in addition to various Ultraman series over the years. The story concerns an alien who defies protocol becoming a defender of earth. This feature length film was edited together from 3 episodes & released in North America as FUGITIVE ALIEN.
- DirectorMinoru KanayaKiyosumi KuzakawaStarsJô ShishidoTatsuya AzumaMiyuki TanigawaIn this second film compiled from a Japanese TV serial, Captain Joe, the marauder Ken and their crew set off to destroy an alien super-weapon, face off with Ken's vengeful ex-lover Rita and confront the leader of the marauding Star Wolves.STAR-WOLF was a kitschy 1978 Japanese science fiction series based on a 1960s trilogy of pulpy adventure novels by American author Edmond Hamilton. The 24 half hour episodes were produced by Eji Tsubuaraya who rose to fame as a special effects artist working on many classic Godzilla films in addition to various Ultraman series over the years. The story concerns an alien who defies protocol becoming a defender of Earth. This feature length film was edited together from 3 episodes & released in North America as STAR FORCE: FUGITIVE ALIEN II.
- DirectorWilliam SachsStarsStephen MachtAvery SchreiberJ.D. HintonIn the 31st century, sexy blonde android Galaxina helms the crew of a space cruiser on a mission to find the Blue Star, a mystical gem that holds unlimited power.This cultish Crown International release is mostly remembered for having been a rare star-vehicle for Dorothy Stratten who was murdered by her abusive boyfriend shortly after the movie's completion. Her tragic life & death was recounted in Bob Fosse's bio pic STAR 80. Stratten plays a sexy android enjoying risque adventures in the style of BARBARELLA: QUEEN OF THE GALAXY while ripping off the popular STAR WARS & STAR TREK movies at the top of the box office. William THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN Sachs manages to keep the film rolling along despite the somewhat inferior special effects on display.
- DirectorSergio MartinoStarsDaniel GreeneJanet AgrenClaudio CassinelliA cyborg is programmed to kill a scientist who holds the fate of mankind in his hands. He fails and hides in a diner in a desert run by a woman who likes him. The people who sent him are after him and so is the local arm wrestling champ.Sergio 2019: AFTER THE FALL OF NEW YORK Martino directed this average Italian action movie starring Daniel Greene who may be best known for playing Emma Channing's hunky dolt of a boyfriend on the long running prime time soap FALCON CREST. Here, Greene plays a Terminator style cyborg determined to take down an evil industrialist played by John BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS Saxon. HANDS OF STEEL delivered a lot of low brow action for your VHS rental buck back in the day and genre addicts will enjoy it more than most. Co-star Claudio HERCULES II Cassineli died during production when the helicopter he was on filming a scene crashed.
- DirectorJoseph GreenStarsJason EversVirginia LeithAnthony La PennaA doctor experimenting with transplant techniques keeps his girlfriend's head alive when she is decapitated in a car crash, then goes hunting for a new body.THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE is the 1st horror movie I remember vividly seeing as a child & that scene where the lab assistant has his arm torn out by the roots gave me a trauma for life! I love this B&W DOG a lot even though it almost certainly belongs on every cinematic masochist's list of The Worst Movies Ever Made. A mad scientist stalks a stripper in order to use her body to host the still living head of his insane girlfriend who was decapitated during a car accident. The head meanwhile has developed a telepathic link with a deformed brute caged in a nearby closet and they have their own sinister plans. This gory, violent cult classic received a from poverty remake in 2020
- DirectorVictor TrivasStarsHorst FrankKarin KernkeHelmut SchmidA scientist invents a serum that keeps a dog's head alive after its body dies.Oscar winning writer Victor THE STRANGER Trivas does an reasonable job directing this 2nd rate material which reminded me a lot of the B-movie sequels to many of Universal's classic monster features...in a good way. An insane lab assistant uses the preserved head of a brilliant scientist to cure a hunchbacked nurse of her deformity. It rips off everything from THE HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN to DONOVAN'S BRAIN but I didn't hate it. Filmed in B&W.
- DirectorFelix E. FeistStarsLew AyresGene EvansNancy ReaganThree scientists unlawfully remove the still living brain of a dead tycoon and experiment with it but the evil brain begins to telepathically control the lead scientist.Curt FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN Siodmak adapted his classic novel DONOVAN'S BRAIN for the screen but the directorial position unfortunately was filled by the less extraordinary Felix THE MAN WHO CHEATED HIMSELF Feist. When an evil businessman is found clinging to life following a plane crash, a scientist (Lew DAMIEN: OMEN II Ayres) uses experimental techniques to preserve Donovan's brain after death unaware the organ possesses telepathic abilities and an unquenchable thirst for revenge. This fondly remembered B&W film was the 2nd adaption of Siodmak's book following THE LADY AND THE MONSTER & proceeding THE BRAIN. HAUSER'S MEMORY & GABRIEL'S BODY were novels continuing the story by the original author with the former produced as a television movie in 1970.
- DirectorGeorge ShermanStarsVera RalstonErich von StroheimRichard ArlenA millionaire's brain is preserved after his death, and telepathically begins to take control of those around him.Ver Ralston who was nominated by the authors of The Golden Turkey Awards as the Worst Actress of All Time does what she can in this OK adaption of the Curt Siodmak sci-fi classic DONOVAN'S BRAIN. Her lover; scientist Dr. Patrick Cory (played my MINESWEEPER's Richard Arlen) has become the pawn of a telepathic brain preserved in a lab after the death of it's evil owner. The brain now demands absolute obedience & bloody revenge unless Ralston can sever the ties. This was B-movie director George Sherman's final film for poverty row studio Republic. Filmed in B&W.
- DirectorFreddie FrancisStarsAnne HeywoodPeter van EyckCecil ParkerAfter the mysterious crash of a millionaire's private airplane, three scientists secretly harvest the dying man's brain and keep it alive in a laboratory in order to communicate with it through telepathy.Freddie THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE Francis directed this bone-dry bastardization of the classic Curt Siodmak novel DONOVAN'S BRAIN for German cinema which may be better known as EIN TOTER SUCHT SEINEN MORDER and stars Peter THE THOUSAND EYES OF DOCTOR MABUSE Van Eyck as a scientist who develops a telepathic link with a brain kept alive in his laboratory. Below average B&W horror.
- DirectorPeter R. HuntStarsDennis HolahanSydney PennyRosie MarcelThree aliens from the planet Taros land on Earth and are befriended by a Wyoming rancher's son.This was a rare starring vehicle for Ricky Paull Goldin who genre fans remember best for PIRANHA PART TWO: THE SPAWNING and THE BLOB. He plays 'Dirt', a handsome farm boy who befriends and falls for a pretty but strange girl who happens to be an alien. She, her young friend & a furry creature with 3 legs escaped their secret moon base to explore Earth. This Canadian/British co-production is a saccharin sci-fi romance that generally fails to impress. Directed by Peter ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE Hunt.
- DirectorEugene FrenkeJames P. HoganStarsOnslow StevensLois WilsonValerie HobsonA doctor who has spent his career working on ways to revive the dead sees his chance to prove his theory by performing his procedures on a recently deceased dog.James BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S SECRET POLICE Hogan & Eugene MISS ROBIN CRUSOE Frenke wrote/directed this dull B&W medical suspense drama about researchers attempting to bring a dead dog back to life. Hard pass!
- DirectorMike HodgesStarsMel SmithGriff Rhys JonesJoanne PearceA trio of moronic aliens crash-land on Earth and become celebrities, while a fourth alien, who arrives separately, finds himself ignored.Mike FLASH GORDON Hodges directed this dismal & unfunny British box office bomb about a trio of aliens who become pop culture icons after accidentally crash landing on Earth. Hodges later bad-mouths producers for damaging the film in the editing room but it's cripplingly bad from start to finish without a laugh to be had and the lion's share of the blame rests with him in my opinion.
- DirectorMatt CimberStarsLaurene LandonCihangir GaffariMaría CasalBorn in a tribe of fierce warrior women, the archer and sword fighter, Hundra, has been raised to despise the influence of men. Superior to any male, Hundra takes a vow of revenge until one day she finds love.Matt Cimber who directed wife Jayne Mansfield in SINGLE ROOM FURNISHED & Pia Zadora in BUTTERFLY tried his hand at the sword & sorcery genre with this surprisingly good adventure starring Laurene IT'S ALIVE III: ISLAND OF THE ALIVE Landon as the sole survivor of her Amazon tribe on a quest to get knocked up to ensure the continuation of her bloodline. The cinematography is striking & the score by the legendary Ennio EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC Morricone is better than you'd expect to find in a CONAN THE BARBARIAN/RED SONJA rip off. A sequel; YELLOW HAIR AND THE FORTRESS OF GOLD was released in 1984.
- DirectorMatt CimberStarsLaurene LandonKen RobersonCihangir GaffariFiery blonde half-breed Yellow Hair and her easygoing sidekick the Pecos Kid are after a fortune in Mayan gold. The courageous duo have run-ins with an army of Mexican soldiers, a gang of dastardly bandits, and a lethal tribe of Aztec warriors while searching the countryside for said gold fortune.Laurene SAMURAI COP 2: DEADLY VENGENCE Landon never became much of a star outside cult film-maker Larry Cohen's steady rotation of actors although she was very lovely & statuesque. Landon plays the warrior HUNDRA; the last survivor of her Amazon tribe who quests to Mexico seeking a fortune in gold while fending off deadly attacks from militant soldiers & Aztec assassins. I enjoyed this cultish Crown International pic almost as much as the original. Director Matt Cimber pays homage to those wonderful adventure serials many of us grew up with as kids from it's casually bravura beginning to it's unexpected cliffhanger conclusion. It looks like it cost a lot more than it probably did. Also known as YELLOW HAIR AND THE FORTRESS OF GOLD.
- DirectorJack PerezStarsLorenzo LamasDebbie GibsonVic ChaoThe California coast is terrorized by two enormous prehistoric sea creatures as they battle each other for supremacy of the sea.Jack WILD THINGS 2 Perez directed this atrocious movie under the alias Ace Hannah. 80s pop star Debbie MEGA PYTHON VS GATOROID Gibson & Lorenzo FALCON CREST Lamas try to corral two behemoths of the deep terrorizing Tokyo & San Francisco. The special effects were unmitigatedly bad 10 years ago & haven't aged gracefully. This DOG got a significant boost thanks to some slick marketing via David Letterman's late night chat show. Distributer The Asylum followed this up with a handful of equally worthless sequels beginning with MEGA SHARK VS CROCOSAURUS.
- DirectorChristopher RayStarsGary StretchJaleel WhiteSarah LievingA megalodon battles with a crocosaurus causing massive destruction. The US Army has to try and destroy the havoc creating monsters.Christopher 3 HEADED SHARK ATTACK Ray (son of B-movie icon Fred Olen Ray) directed this DOG continuation of the click bait hit MEGA SHARK VS GIANT OCTOPUS from poverty row studio The Asylum. A megalodon with an atomic bomb lodged in it's intestines develops a taste for the eggs recently laid by a giant crocodile who was awakened by diamond miners in Africa. The two beasts are lured to an active volcano in Hawaii by the commander of a military aircraft carrier (STAR TREK: VOYAGER's Robert Picardo) where the shit hits the fan. To save money on the already rock-bottom special effects budget stock footage was culled from other films including MEGAFAULT. MEGA SHARK VS MECHA SHARK hit PPV sites in 2014.
- DirectorEmile Edwin SmithStarsChristopher JudgeElisabeth RöhmMatt LaganA new mega shark threatens to destroy humanity. The government creates an exact robotic copy of the shark, either equal to or greater than the original. Now they must fight to the death while people and whole cities get in the way.Prolific special effects artist & occasional director Edmile ICE SHARKS Edwin Smith directed this DOG from mockbuster studio The Asylum which reunites star Debbie MEGA PYTHON VS GATEROID Gibson to the inexplicably popular franchise. A megalodon meets it's match when the US military designs a Mega Shark shaped battle submarine. Unfortunately, the sub goes rogue, rampaging through the city attacking humans on sight leaving the government agents to pin their hopes on their original target to save the day. Ridiculous and awful but never entertaining.
- DirectorChristopher RayStarsIlleana DouglasAmy RiderBrody HutzlerIn search of a new energy source, Russia accidentally reawakens the Kolossus - a giant robot doomsday device from the Cold War. At the same time, a new Mega Shark appears, threatening global security.This 4th DOG in the MEGA SHARK franchise finds not one but two horrors released upon the world when miners plundering the seas looking for a dangerous substance called red mercury awaken a megalodon & a powerful amphibian robot called Kolossus entombed by Russia during the Cold War to protect their supply of the element. Naturally, the US dispatches a team to bring the situation under control but they are unaware there's an insane environmentalist in their midst who wants to save the mega shark & used the giant mecha for his own nefarious purposes. Patrick CARNIVALE Baucheau, Brody DAYS OF OUR LIVES Hutzler and Illeana THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH Douglas star in this preposterous & unappealing flick from The Asylum & director Christopher 2 HEADED SHARK ATTACK Olen Ray.
- DirectorCharles BandStarsSherilyn FennMalcolm JamiesonCharlie SpradlingTwo American girls in Italy are drugged and raped by an evil magician and his twin brother who suffer from a curse that turns them into beastmen each day. One of the girls falls for the good twin and decides to help him break the curse.Charles EVIL BONG 666 Band directed this puppet-free variation of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST which starred Sherilyn TWIN PEAKS Fenn as a woman torn between twin brothers living under a terrible family curse. It's a more traditional gothic flavored horror pic than Full Moon fans are used to. Pino Donaggio lent a subtle & atmospheric score and the production benefits from authentic Italian locations. Average.
- DirectorJustin DossettiStarsKirk HarrisJack RubioClifton Collins Jr.A psychotic man stops taking his medication and goes on a killing spree after having bloody visions.Boxer turned actor Kirk Harris plays a nut case indulging his bloodlust & narcissistic tendencies AMERICAN PSYCHO style on a Happy Meal budget. The dearth of talent on both sides of the camera hammers the nails into the coffin on this one, ensuring it's obscurity.
- DirectorJoaquin F. PalmaStarsZachary Ryan BlockRay RozmiarekBalbinka KorzeniowskaA group of friends head out for a mountain retreat only to witness a gruesome murder at a near by cabin. They head home wanting to forget the experience... but are followed home by the murder.A group of young people on a camping trip witness a murder being committed in a nearby cabin but fail to intervene or even report the crime to police. The killer (who demonstrates a far greater understanding of his role in society) follows the idiots home to eliminate any witnesses. It's not the worst backyard movie you'll ever see but my advise is don't waste your time.
- DirectorShawn HazelaarWayne SchottenStarsLeon AcordMichelle BellaverBob BrindleyThree college students and a local drop-out break into a mortuary, which harbors a serial killer.Four college students find their lives endangered by a psychopath while trespassing in a mortuary after dark. It's one of the cheapest movies I've ever watched but not one of the worst. Not something I'd ever recommend though, either. Amateurish & boring. Not to be confused with the Tobe Hooper film released about the same time.
- DirectorC. Courtney JoynerStarsJon FinchBlake AdamsAshley LaurenceThe town of Leffert's Corners has been plagued by unearthly beings for decades, and now there is only a few people left... what everyone is not aware of are the humanoid creatures lurking underneath the holy grounds.Writer/Director C. Courtney CLASS OF 1999 Joyner made this Full Moon release loosely based on the H.P. Lovecraft story; THE LURKING FEAR. HELLRAISER's Ashley Laurence & BE-ANIMATOR's Jeffrey Combs cross paths with criminals who obtain a treasure map from a local mortician played by Vincent DEATH TO SMOOCHIE Schiavelli. None of these stock characters have an inkling of the existence of the blood thirsty creatures that live in the cemetery where the loot has been buried. It's a shame producer Charles PUPPET MASTER: LEGACY Band didn't pump a little more cash into LURKING FEAR because the low end production values kill whatever potential that promising cast brought to the table.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsDan ByrdDenise CrosbyStephanie PattonA family moves to a small town in California where they plan on starting a new life while running a long-abandoned funeral home. The locals fear the place, which is suspected to be on haunted ground.Denise PET SEMATARY Crosby plays a widowed mortician who relocates her young family to the country to open a funeral home unaware the place is built over an abandoned well containing a tarlike substance which re-animates the dead. Meanwhile, the previous occupant of the house; a ghoulish full grown 'graveyard baby' stalks the cemetery nearby looking for prey. This was cultish director's Tobe THE FUNHOUSE Hooper's 2nd to last film and fans will enjoy it's twisted logic & energy even if it's far from his best work. Not to be confused with the indie horror pic MORTUARY also released in 2005.
- DirectorRichard ValentineStarsKim TylerMatt BorlenghiDanni RavdenWhen a group of psychiatric hospital nurses invoke the spirit of Bloody Mary-a supposed urban myth-the slaughter begins. First, a young nursing assistant disappears, her body never found. Now, patients are turning up dead-battered beyond recognition, soaked in blood, their eyes ripped out. Mary's wrath has begun. Freed from her eternal prison behind the mirror's reflection, she unleashes a murderous, maniacal fury upon the asylum. Moving at will through mirrors, she strikes when her victims are unsuspecting, defenseless, and alone. Bloody Mary's legend is real, her vengeance is fatal, and to free her, all you have to do is say her name.A group of nurses accidentally unleash the murderous spirit of BLOODY MARY while hazing a new member of their staff at a psychiatric hospital. When the newest nurse goes missing her sister goes under cover to investigate her disappearance. This 2nd rate rip off of CANDYMAN offers the prerequisite number of flashed tits & bloodshed but nothing about it will make a lasting impression. Forgettable.
- DirectorLeigh ScottStarsMatthew WolfAmy WeberShaley ScottA race of alien robots have conquered Earth and forced humanity underground. After 400 years, a small group of humans develop a plan to defeat the mechanical invaders in the ultimate battle between man and machine.300 years after a robotic invasion of earth, pockets of humans live in underground bunkers hoping the resistance can find a way to shut the giant mecha down and reclaim their world. A cyborg living among them may hold the key to their salvation. This micro budget rip off of Michael Bay's smash hit; TRANSFORMERS from mockbuster studio The Asylum cost about 150 million dollars less to make and appears to have autism. A prequel to this DOG was produced in 2009.
- DirectorScott WheelerStarsBruce BoxleitnerJennifer RubinShane Van DykeIn this present day prequel, the robot invaders attack the Earth, forcing a small band of humans to seek refuge below the surface of the planet.Jennifer A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 3: THE DREAM WARRIORS Rubin & Bruce SNAKEHEAD TERROR Boxleitner starred in this impoverished DOG from mockbuster studio The Asylum which exists solely to cash in on the popularity of the Michael Bay hit TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN. This prequel to TRANSMORPHERS depicts the onset of a robotic invasion of our world leading to an environmental cataclysm which drives the surviving human population underground. Dick Van Dyke's grandson Shane wrote this lousy adventure that owes more to TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES than the Japanese line of toys.