Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)

As I sat down to find something to watch in honor of the great Horror Icon Peter Cushing’s Birthday, I had nothing pop into my head. That is when I searched Netflix, and found a perfect flick the 1965 Amicus Anthology Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors.

Plot/ Five strangers board a train and are joined by a mysterious fortune teller who offers to read their Tarot cards. Five separate stories unfold: An architect returns to his ancestral home to find a werewolf out for revenge; a doctor discovers his new wife is a vampire; a huge plant takes over a house; a musician gets involved with voodoo; an art critic is pursued by a disembodied hand.

Being the first of the great Amicus anthologies, this is an important horror film. More importantly, it was the perfect film to celebrate the great Peter Cushing’s 98th birthday. To me, this is one of Cushing’s best roles, and he is brilliant with his performance. The five odd stories featuring a Disembodied Hand, Werewolves, Vampires, Voodoo and Creeping Vines were creepy and featured some tremendous pacing and most importantly atmosphere. Personally, my favorite was the Disembodied Hand featuring Christopher Lee. While not perfect, it is a great example of traditional British Horror and the weird fun that made the era of Classic Horror so much fun.

FrightWorld (2006)

Before I got to my late night evening viewing of Troma’s The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven from 1998, I watched FrightWorld (a movie that may have impacted my review if Chosen One).

Plot/ Nine people find themselves trapped in a warehouse that contains the remains of the old Frightworld Amusement Park - a place haunted by the spirit of Verden Fell, a serial killer who died there a year before.

As I have mentioned before, I truly love low budget independent horror, there is something about the freedoms that come without the major studios. With that in mind, one has to look past some of the typical downfalls, poor sound, uneven acting, strange scripting and some misguided storylines and plots. Yes, this movie suffered from all of those (especially the storyline and poor acting), but it was not all bad. Some of the effects (nice but incoherent gore/torture porn), sets and cinematography were decent and created an engaging film at times. Unfortunately, those moments could not overcome the sound issues (Really, Really Bad Sound) and overall length (it was about 20 minutes too long), which brought down the entire film. In the end, it offers very little to the viewer, which dampens an idea that had a lot of potential. Stand clear!

The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven (1998)

Before I get to my review of FrightWorld, I decided to review the second film from my late night evening Troma’s The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven from 1998.

Plot/ When a serial killer mysteriously and savagely murders a young Indian woman in rural Los Angeles county, her sister McKenna must replace her as the keeper of an amulet, the sacred crescent. Reluctantly, McKenna accepts the role of chosen one. With the amulet and after the rigors of the ritual, she takes on the spirit and powers of the raven, the good forces in the battle against evil, the wolf.

One of the things that I love when I sit down to watch a Troma flick is their truly amazing disregard for political correctness. They are original and do not care what mainstream people think. Yes, many movies lack the major production values, but they still provide entertaining flicks while giving a voice to the independent cinema. While this is not a great (OK maybe even good) super hero movie, it was interesting. While absurd, especially the fascination with milk, there was a comic factor that overtook the film. Do not get me wrong, you laugh at the movie and its illogical moments, poor script, uneven acting and strange plot more than with it, but it is mindless fun. All of that and I have not even mentioned Carmen Electra’s awesome Super Hero Costume, awesome! I am sure that many critical reviewers will hate this flick, but I liked it and I liked it a lot. I am not saying it is a masterpiece ot even as good as some of Troma’s Classics, but it is kind of fun. Will I watch it again? Maybe in a few years, but it is not so bad that I would never watch it again.

Eyes of the Mothman (2011)

As I was sitting here with an empty shadowbox in front of me, I was determined to find something that could give me inspiration for my latest creation. In my mind, I keep thinking Mothman, as that was the last one I did and I like it a lot. With that in mind, I decided to venture into a world of Native Americans, Strange Creatures, UFOs, and the Men in Black: the true story of the Mothman, with the documentary Eyes of the Mothman (2011).

Plot/ Feature length documentary of the real story behind the legend of The Mothman.

As a believer in unknown creatures such as Bigfoot, The Jersey Devil and The Mothman, I often enjoy movies and documentaries that dive into these legends. For me, as history has shown these unexplained cryptids can exist and often do exist. Having watched and read John Keel’s The Mothman Prophecies, this documentary seemed like a perfect companion. Yes, it seemed a tad too long at almost 2.5 hours, but surprisingly, the cinematography, story and pacing kept things flowing in an entertaining yet informative way and shed some light on some things that I had not previously known (Like the Chief Cornstalk Legend). Complete with some interesting interviews, logical comparisons (to The Jersey Devil), decent visual effects and some solid reenactments, this documentary should have enough appeal to anyone interested in the Mothman, whether you are a seasoned researcher or discovering the famed creature for the first time.

The Silent Scream (1980)

Growing up during the slasher craze of the 1980s, I always enjoy watching any movie from the era. Any time that I can find something that I have not seen is even better. One such flick is 1980s the Alfred Hitchcock influenced The Silent Scream starring Cameron Mitchell and Barbara Steele.

Plot/ Scotty moves into Mrs. Engels' seaside mansion where three other college students are boarding. Mrs. Engels prefers to stay in her room in the attic, but her son Mason helps the students get settled. Soon one of the students is killed. The policemen on the case begin uncovering the Engels family secret as the remaining students become endangered.

This was definitely more me, than Kick Ass. This early 1980s entry is an underrated flick that relies more on creepy atmosphere than gore, and delivers. The performances are solid (especially Barbara Steele who may steal the show with silence), the plot is sound, and the soundtrack and cinematography create a truly heavy and uneasy feeling throughout. All is not perfect, some characterization is off and the pacing maybe a little slow, really nothing major. In fact, in my opinion the pacing is a key to building tension. All-in-all, this early slasher, while not original (a modernized Psycho?), is one of the better entries in the genre and a definite must see for fans of atmospheric flicks and Hitchcock.

Kick-Ass (2010)

  

I decided to truly change things up last night (at least for a few hours). My choice for the evening (well, late night) was 2010s Super Hero romp Kick-Ass.

Plot/ Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan with a few friends and who lives alone with his father. His life is not very difficult and his personal trials not that overwhelming. However, one day he makes the simple decision to become a super-hero even though he has no powers or training.

When I decided to change things up last night, I never expected to find such a quality all-around flick. This was truly a movie that had so much more to offer than what the original trailers demonstrated. The script was amazing, combining graphic violence and comedy almost seamlessly. The effects, cinematography, soundtrack were very good, but the acting and characterization is what truly set this apart (especially Hit-Girl). This movie really was not what I expected, in fact, it was a lot more than I expected. Yes, some elements may not be for everyone and the storyline may turn some people off, but it is truly one of the better movies to hit the screen in some time and should be enjoyed.

The Tomb (2009)

After somewhat enjoying the Fangoria Frightfest entry Dark House, I decided to go back to the well while looking for something to help pass some time as I was waiting for signs of the rapture. My selection was 2009s retelling of the Edgar Allan Poe classic Ligeia in The Tomb.

Plot/ Successful writer and scholar Jonathan Merrick falls under the spell of the irresistible, bewitchingly beautiful Ligeia. She's fighting a fatal illness and she will stop at nothing to defeat death, her one true enemy. She steals other people's souls and on her quest to immortality she tricks Jonathan into supporting her work, breaking him apart from his fiancé Rowena and pulling him into her dark, mysterious world. They settle down in an old manor by the Black Sea where Ligeia's everlasting presence slowly drives Jonathan to madness.

Any time a movie attempts to capture Poe’s greatness, they usually struggle. It seems like an impossibility to recreate the dread and heavy atmosphere that was always a calling card. This flick is no different. While there were some nice locations, decent effects and some solid art direction, there is not much left after that. The acting is uneven, there is no character development, the plot is riddled with holes and the pacing is way too slow. In the end, if you are awake in the middle of the night and are looking for something to help you pass time, this one is for you. If not, stay clear.