Phenomena (1985)

While I have been spending some time on the subject of shadow people and the hat man,  there are times when I need to take a break.  When I do,  I love to jump back in time to some of the horror films that made me love the genre.  This 1985 Dario Argento film is one of those,  Phenomena (AKA Creepers)

Plot: A young girl who has an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.

This has always been a polarizing work,  much like a lot of Argento's works. For me,  it was one of the first movies I encountered by him and helped me fall in love with his imaginative and stylistic approach to horror.  The cast is alright and the performances are uneven,  but this do little to bring diem things interesting story filed with the concepts, visuals,  and details that always cry out in an Argento film.  Yes,  the storyline does have some plot holes and there are side technical issues,  but this one is one of the better Argento films and one that everyone should see.  

Fright Night (1985)

After watching Coherence last night, I decided to kick back and watch something I had not seen in quite a while. In fact, I’m not sure if I have watched this one during the last 25 years. That movie is the original 1985 entry Fright Night.

Plot/ For young Charley Brewster, nothing could be better than an old horror movie late at night. Two men move in next door, and for Charley with his horror movie experience, there can be no doubt that their strange behavior is explained by the fact that they are a vampire and his undead day guardian. The only one who can help him hunt them down is a washed-up actor, Peter Vincent, who hosts Charley's favorite TV show, Fright Night.

As I mentioned, it had been some time since I watched the original version of Fright Night and I am glad that I decided to do that. This film is even better than I remembered it and is definitely light years ahead of the remake from a few years ago. Watching this was like taking a trip down memory lane for me. Having grown up in that era, I can relate to a lot of what is transpiring with the setting, soundscape, dialog, and even some of the thoughts that were discussed. When you couple that with some tremendous performances from an outstanding cast, awesome cinematography and direction, and a perfect mixture of dark atmosphere, creepiness, and special effects that were ahead of their time for 1985. Yes, some of the fashions seem dated and there is the typical cheese-factor that was prevalent in the 1980s, but other than that, this movie is one of the best vampire flicks of the decade. In the end, if you have not seen this one you are missing out. It is a perfect example of why classic horror films should not be remade, as there was no chance the reboot could live up to the bar set by this one. It’s on Shudder, so check it out!

Demons (1985)

With my evening winding down after working on some nonfiction writing samples, I decided that I needed a trip into something mindless to help keep myself focused. What did I watch to help keep me motivated, nothing other than the 1985 classic Demons?

Plot/ A group of people are trapped in a large movie theater in West Berlin that is infected by ravenous demons who proceed to kill and posses the humans one-by-one, thereby multiplying their numbers.

If you were around in the 1980s and a horror fan, you should definitely remember what real horror looks like. There was none of this watered-down PG-13 crap masquerading as horror flicks; there was blood, gore, violence, and nudity. Honestly, there was anything and everything, and personally, I long for those days of cinema. This movie captures all of the excess of that decade and creates a memorable trip into the horror realm. Yes, it makes little sense, but that was the point, it was just fun mindless horror in an era that needed it. Helped by Italian horror masters Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava, this one has blood, guts, gore, and the kitchen sink. Hell, it even featured an interesting soundtrack that is a perfect trip down memory lane. In the end, if you love 1980s horror, you have to watch this one if you haven’t seen it already. Yes, there may be some flaws and dated effects, but it is a mindless romp through a dark and twisted world.

Re-Animator (1985)

Sorry that I have been away from the blog for a while, with softball and college, my schedule has been excessively hectic to keep up. However, with this being October and with Halloween in the air, I decided it was time to venture back into some movies and writing. Hopefully, I can keep up. My first movie selection for the month is a movie that really does not need a review, it is a classic; 1985s H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator!

Plot/ A dedicated student at a medical college and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue when an odd new student arrives on campus.

This is one of the best examples of how someone can create a cult classic on a minimal budget. Shot for less than one million dollars in the 1980s, this H.P. Lovecraft entry is an amazing film to watch. Yes, it is filled with schlock, and there is a tremendous amount of gore, graphic nudity, and violent activities, but it is accomplished in a way that makes it fun and entertaining. This movie has a great mix of comedy and horror, with Jeffrey Combs delivering one of his best performances. Sure, some of the luster has worn off and there is definitely a 1980s feel to the wardrobe and styling’s, but those have no bearing on the film at all. In the end, Stuart Gordon created a memorable masterpiece that never gets old. If you have not watched this one yet, you are missing out. Check it out!

Creature (1985)

After spending most of my evening last night diving into archetypes and mythology for my college class, I decided that I needed something mindless to free my mind. To take care of that I found a piece of low budget 1980s Sci-Fi/Horror that hit the spot. What was that flick? It was the 1985 cheesefest Creature (AKA The Titan Find).

Plot/ An expedition to Titan uncovers an alien being, that goes on a rampage.

Is there anything better than 1980s Sci-Fi cheesiness? Well, technically most things are better, but this is a world all its own and one that is perfect for a mindless afternoon of blood and guts. Creature screams 80s, complete with the uneven script, clichéd moments, and large-scale gore. Yes, it is not perfect, but it does have some solid performances, an outstanding score, and some of the best over the top low budget gore from the era. In the end, this may not be the most memorable film from this genre, but it is a fun and mindless romp into the deep regions of space. If you love gorefest from the 1980s, you should definitely give it a shot.

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

I was quite amazed by the amount of Sherlock stuff I saw when purchasing my Underoos today. Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite detectives, although I have found it difficult to immerse myself into a book the way I did in my youth. Speaking of my youth, here is a flick that captures Holmes early on: Young Sherlock Holmes from 1985.

Plot/ When assorted people start having inexplicable delusions that lead to their deaths, a teenage Sherlock Holmes decides to investigate.

Young Sherlock Holmes is one of those 1980s flicks that have stood the test of time rather well. Not for anyone who is a Holmes purist, this one does take some liberties with the young detectives life that differ from the source material. However, this one is a rather entertaining trip into the detective story and created an alternate reality for him to grow. The storyline is simple and clichéd, the pacing works, sound track amazing, and incredibly the early CGI effects work better than some of those seen today. Sure, the acting is uneven, the historic aspects unbelievable, and the characters never truly develop, but that does nothing to bring this one down. In the end, this movie is entertaining, interesting, and fun to watch with the family, especially if you want to bring the genius of Holmes to life for a new generation.

Day of the Dead (1985)

Continuing with somewhat of a Pennsylvania theme, I chose my next flick. While it was not based in the Keystone state, it was once considered the conclusion of the original George Romero zombie trilogy that will forever be linked to South Western Pennsylvania. My choice for the morning is the Romero classic Day of the Dead from 1985.

Plot/ A small group of military officers and scientists dwell in an underground bunker as the world above is overrun by zombies.

I remember watching this when in came out in 1985. At 13-years old, this movie was dark and extremely complex in comparison to the mindless zombie flicks that had become the rage in that era. Today, looking back at it, it was way ahead of its time. More importantly, it demonstrated what could be done on a limited budget, especially if the right people are working on it. The effects by Tom Savini are some of the best seen and the gore factor takes it to a new level. Yes, the soundtrack has some uneven moments, some of the acting was too over-the-top, and the storyline was a touch disjointed in places, but not of that brought the film down. In the end, this may be one of the more impressive entries from the mind of Romero and could possibly be his best work in the zombie genre. With the extreme amount of gore, it is not for everyone, but it is a must see for fans of the zombie genre. 

Night Train to Terror (1985)

After spending some time at the lake at a youth fishing derby yesterday, I thought it was time to look back at one of the flicks that I suffered through before I left New Jersey. The flick is the God and Satan conversational anthology Night Train to Terror from 1985.

Plot/ God and Satan are on a train discussing the fate of three individuals. The stories of the people in question are told in a trio of very strange vignettes. One involves an insane anylum with some very interesting treatment plans. Another involves a 'death club'. The final story shows us the adventures of a server of Satan.

After watching this flick, all I could do is sit back and laugh, it was technically THAT BAD. On top of that, the storylines were so disjointed that no matter how many times you watch it, it still will not make sense. This anthology has a decent cast, but even that does not help. The acting is uneven to terrible, the gore is a mish-mash of poor special effects, the claymation is just BAD, and what nudity is there is pointless. Not to mention that the cinematography may be even worse.  Ironically, the film is decently entertaining and one that is just bad enough to create some memorable moments (in a bad way). In the end, I would not seriously recommend this one, but if you have some time on your hands and already own this collection, it may be worth the 90 minutes.

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Ghoulies (1985)

After rewatching Paranormal Activity  in preparation for Part II, it was time to watch something a bit tamer until Jillian went to sleep. Our choice for the evening, 1985s cheesefest, Ghoulies.

Plot/ A young man and his girlfriend move into thre man's old mansion home, where he becomes possessed by a need to control ancient demons.

I am a huge fan of the 1980s, yet, even for me this was not one of the better memories of the decade. Everything from this flick just cries bad, the plot is illogical, the acting, though not all awful, is poor, and the special effects look almost as bad. To me, the film spends way too much time building up for an ending that just is not there. Yes, it does mark the movie debut of Mariska Hargitay, but other than that it has very little to offer. Unless you are a true fan of everything 1980s, stay clear!

Lifeforce (1985)

 After watching The Lost Boys last night, I decided to stay close to the vampire genre with my next flick. Yes, it is not a true vampire take, but Lifeforce does have some elements that make it close and like the Lost Boys it too was filmed in the 1980s (1985).

Plot / A space shuttle mission investigating Halley's Comet brings back a malevolent race of space vampires who transform most of London's population into zombies. The only survivor of the expedition and British authorities attempt to capture a mysterious but beautiful alien woman who appears responsible.

While far from perfect, this is a good movie for late night viewing. Honestly, it has all of the elements that make you want to like this film. It is full of nudity, blood, gore, and special effects. Yes, it is a bit uneven, the pacing is a bit off and some of the acting is terrible. But, there are some decent performances and there are some intriguingly creepy moments that just seem to work within this story. In the end, it has to rate as one of the strangest films I have seen, especially in this sci fi/horror genre. Whether it is the solid yet unspectacular storyline or the unlimited amounts of nudity or just the large amount of violence that keep this going really does not matter, it works! This is a great flick for all Sci Fi or Horror fans to enjoy.