"Cemetery of Terror" follows a group of students in medical school who decide to spend Halloween in an abandoned mansion. As a quasi-prank, they steal the corpse of a Satanic serial killer from the university hospital morgue, and try to resurrect it from the dead (did I mention the abandoned house also happens to belong to the serial killer?). Bad things ensue.
This little-seen horror movie is a potent mix of old-fashioned, "Scooby Doo"-esque hijinx, zombies, plus elements of a gory splatter flick. Think Lucio Fulci's "The House by the Cemetery" mixed with "Halloween" and you will have an idea of what this film offers. It is chock full of genre tropes, massive lapses in logic, and a supernatural plot device that is never quite fleshed out (no plot intended), but weirdly, "Cemetery of Terror" never manages to frustrate or bore its audience. Director Rubin Galindo Jr. Mixes a number of these elements together surprisingly well, and the end result feels equal-parts slasher, '60s TV horror movie, and Lucio Fulci zombie flick.
The film is nicely shot despite its low production values, and the house and cemetery locations are very atmospheric. There are a number of gruesome murders in the film, and the special effects are handled nicely. The screenplay makes a major shift at the midway point that is unexpected, but it surprisingly works, and the villain--a demonic zombie/serial killer--is at times very menacing.
All in all, I found this film highly enjoyable despite its flaws. There is an inncocence and playfulness to it that belies the gore and darker elements. Even when it's not making perfect sense, the film has an undeniable entertainment factor. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of slasher films and zombie fans alike. 7/10.
This little-seen horror movie is a potent mix of old-fashioned, "Scooby Doo"-esque hijinx, zombies, plus elements of a gory splatter flick. Think Lucio Fulci's "The House by the Cemetery" mixed with "Halloween" and you will have an idea of what this film offers. It is chock full of genre tropes, massive lapses in logic, and a supernatural plot device that is never quite fleshed out (no plot intended), but weirdly, "Cemetery of Terror" never manages to frustrate or bore its audience. Director Rubin Galindo Jr. Mixes a number of these elements together surprisingly well, and the end result feels equal-parts slasher, '60s TV horror movie, and Lucio Fulci zombie flick.
The film is nicely shot despite its low production values, and the house and cemetery locations are very atmospheric. There are a number of gruesome murders in the film, and the special effects are handled nicely. The screenplay makes a major shift at the midway point that is unexpected, but it surprisingly works, and the villain--a demonic zombie/serial killer--is at times very menacing.
All in all, I found this film highly enjoyable despite its flaws. There is an inncocence and playfulness to it that belies the gore and darker elements. Even when it's not making perfect sense, the film has an undeniable entertainment factor. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of slasher films and zombie fans alike. 7/10.