Contamination (1980)

Sometimes, I need to take a trip down memory lane to my youth and the big box VHS flicks that made the 1980s one of the best decades for no-budget horror cinema. One such movie is my next review; the 1980 horror/sci-fi entry Contamination (AKA Alien Contamination).

Plot/ A former astronaut helps a government agent and a police detective track the source of mysterious alien pod spores, filled with lethal flesh-dissolving acid, to a South American coffee plantation controlled by alien pod clones.

There is really nothing better than horror from the 1980s and the gore that often accomplished in before the political correct censorship establishment took control. While this is not the best of the era, it is a movie that offers a unique combination of gore and schlock that makes it a fun watch. Couple those elements with an entertaining storyline (albeit somewhat predictable), some solid performances, and enough classic Italian cheese to make it watchable. Yes, some of the gore effects are overused and a little dated today, and some of the movie would seem cliché with many scenes mirroring other films from the era, but that was common back in the days of big box VHS. In the end, if you love European horror from the 1980s, you have to check out this version; it is worth watching. Be warned though, this schlockfest is not for everyone.