Where Have All the People Gone (1974)

It was a night. After dealing with so many issues of ineptitude and working on this mechanism for a 1949 alligator toy last night, I was unable to motivate myself into working on any type of listing for the shop. It sucks, as I was making such good progress on everything. I guess I will have to do double tonight. As background noise, I put on the 1974 post-apocalyptic made for television flick Where Have All the People Gone.

Plot/ Earth encounters a massive solar flare that decimates almost all life on Earth. Only people who were underground during the solar event are unharmed while the rest are dead or dying. A band of survivor’s cross country to seek others in a world laid waste.

I must admit, the premise of this story even though it is one that has been used quite a bit intrigues me. Ever since I was a kid and watched Night of the Comet for the first time, the whole idea is fascinating. While this one lacks the excitement and action factors of some of the more modern incarnations, it pulls off the story in a thought-provoking way with solid performances and a heavy and tense atmosphere. As usual, Peter Graves was superb and an outstanding choice for the lead in this more dramatic attempt at an apocalypse scenario. It is hard to believe that this was made for TV as compared to the schlock that populates many of the movies today. Yes, some of it may feel dated and the pacing somewhat slow, but those flaws are easily overshadowed by the content of the film. In the end, this entry is much better than the modern CGI infested films that are more mindless and background noise than quality. Check this one out, it would be worth your time.

The House of Seven Corpses (1974)

I have definitely been on a retro kick lately, although I did sneak in a viewing of Repo: The Genetic Opera. To continue my retro feel, I went way into my youth for the 1974 horror flick The House of Seven Corpses.

Plot/ A director is filming on location in a house where seven murders were committed. The caretaker warns them not to mess with things they do not understand (the murders were occult related), but the director wants to be as authentic as possible and has his cast re-enact rituals that took place in the house thus summoning a ghoul from the nearby cemetery to bump the whole film crew off one by one.

Horror movies of the 1970s were a mixed bag, as the genre seemed to be in a period of transition. While this one is not technically very good, I feel that is often overlooked as a piece of horror history. Yes, there are some flaws with the way the movie is scripted and paced, but there is a certain charm that will draw fans of early 1970s horror in. The cast is solid and there are some decent performances (John Carradine is definitely creepy), the atmosphere is dark and heavy, and the storyline is entertaining and interesting. Sure, there is not a lot of blood or gore, there is little action, there could have been some more supernatural elements added in, and the effects are nowhere near the quality of today, but for a lower budgeted film of that era, they are not that bad. In the end, this is a nice retro piece and a fun movie to help pass some time. Is it perfect, by no means, but it is a fun slow burn haunted house flick that is good on a cold windy night.

The Beast Must Die (1974)

Sometimes I like to stem into something different when I sit back to watch a flick. Last night was one of those nights, as I wanted something that was both fun and interesting. After some thought, I decided on the 1974 werewolf flick The Beast Must Die.

Plot/ Eight people have been invited to an island estate for the weekend. One of them is a werewolf. Can you guess which one?

I love mysteries and this one was a bit of a surprise. Plus, this is definitely a different take for a werewolf movie being both entertaining and intriguing. The concept was tremendous (yes, somewhat clichéd and familiar in other genres), but it works well as a whodunit. Led by Peter Cushing, the cast is awesome and the scripting works in their favor with a great combination of action and schlocky dialog. On top of that, the decision on how to create the werewolf is perfect for the lower budget, the pacing flows well, and there are just enough twists to make it fun. Sure, the “Werewolf Break” does not really fit (not enough clues) and the some of the baseline theories do not make sense, but those are easy to overlook. In the end, this werewolf flick from Amicus is a fun trip into the genre and a great way to pass some time. Give it a shot if you are in the mood for something a little different.

Nude For Satan (AKA Nuda per Satana - 1974)

Last night, after suffering through the Kids Choice Awards, I decided to venture back a few years for something different to watch. In my search, I stumbled upon a few interesting foreign exploitation flicks. What better than a combination of blood, boobs and Satan for an evening of entertainment?  Nothing, right… The flick is Nude for Satan or Nuda per Satana from 1974.

Plot/ Italian Gothic horror that tells the tale of a man who stops at a remote castle hoping to get medical help for an injured woman, only to find the inhabitants mirror the darker sides of the woman and himself.

It had bee a while since I sat down and watched a classic Italian exploitation film, and that is exactly what this one is (although there is a lot of gothic horror elements). That being said, the plot is uneven, although, the idea was there and decently interesting. Yes, it had a bunch of nude women frolicking about, but that played secondary to a tremendous atmosphere and typical Italian stylization throughout. Sure, the acting was rigid, and there was a lot of poorly dubbed audio, but for a 1970s exploitation flick, it all worked. If you love cult flicks, Italian gothic horror, boobs, or exploitation flicks, this one is definitely for you! Check it out!

The Eerie Midnight Horror Show (1974)

As many know, I love 1970s exploitation and horror, and sometimes flicks come out that should have / could have been much better. One such flick is the Eerie Midnight Horror Show (AKA The Tormented, AKA The Sexorcist, AKA Enter the Devil)  from the Pure Terror Collection.

Plot/ The story in this horror movie revolves around a strange religious icon and the demonic sexual influence it exerts on a young art student. After a gory dream sequence in which the woman imagines being nailed to a cross herself, the statue eventually comes to life and begins to sexually torment her.

This is one frustrating movie. Created as an Italian rip off of The Exorcist, this film boasts some very good moments and actually some originality. Unfortunately, all of that ends about the halfway mark (roughly 46 minutes into it), that is when the awesome Italian exploitation, horror and originality end and the Exorcist begins. In fact, in those 46 minutes, the pacing, effects, story and acting are so believable and entertaining that you truly expect a masterpiece (the S&M with long stem roses, the crucifix coming to life and the random sexploitation are awesome!). Once the filmmakers lose track of that originality and focus on ripping off the Hollywood classic, the film becomes utter trash killing any interest that had been built by the genius of the first half of the movie. For serious horror and exploitation fans, I truly recommend the first 46 minutes of the movie. Sure, that will leave you wanting more, but so will watching the rest of the garbage that they added onto this one.

The Thirsty Dead (1974)

After taking a day off to travel back to New Jersey, I decided to sit back and relax while I prepare for the New Jersey Zombie Walk and Undead Festival this weekend (not to mention my retirement which is a mere 10 days away). My movie selection for last evening was the 1974 action/adventure/horror flick The Thirsty Dead. 

Plot/ Beautiful young girls are kidnapped off the streets of Manila by a death cult that needs their blood to remain immortal.

When I looked at the promo booklet and noticed the PG rating, it kind of raised an eyebrow. With the movie being from 1974, to me that was unheard of in the horror genre from that era. I gave it a shot anyway (not really expecting much), and honestly was not taken in any way. Sure, it was not a horrible movie, but it also was not that great. There really were not any chills, thrills or scares, and certainly there was no terror. The acting was decent, the sets interesting and there was actually a tad bit of action scattered throughout (especially toward the end). However, with no blood, gore, language or nudity, it was more of an after school special than horror flick. I would definitely pass on this one unless you truly have no other options.

Voodoo Black Exorcist (1974)

I have found another snoozer while watching the Drive-In Classics: 50 Movie Pack. The dull entry is the Euro-horror / Blacksploitation / Exploitation flick Voodoo Black Exorcist from 1974.

Plot/ The mummy of long dormant, but powerful Caribbean voodoo priest Gatanebo gets revived on a luxury South Seas ocean liner as a big buff bald guy and proceeds to terrorize the passengers. Gatanebo beheads several folks, occasionally reverts back to his prune-faced mummified state, and falls for the ravishing Sylvia, who reminds him of his old flame Kenya.

After two pretty good movies, I was destined for a snoozer and this dull Euro-horror / Blacksploitation / Exploitation flick definitely fell into that category. The movie is slow, the acting so-so, the editing terrible and the effects are horrid (Paper Mache heads anyone?). Truly the movie is THAT BAD! Its only redeeming quality is the abundance of flame- swallowing exotic dancers and a nice array of topless Voodoo Rituals. Watch at your own risk, I cannot recommend it to anyone.

Black Christmas (1974)

After taking a night away from the computer to work on some Christmas items, it was back at it with the Bob Clark forgotten classic Black Christmas from 1974!

Plot/ A sorority house is terrorized by a stranger who makes frightening phone calls and then murders the sorority sisters during Christmas break.

This is a true horror classic! To me, it is clearly one of the biggest influences of the slasher genre and a film that helped shaped horror as we know it today. The atmosphere created does a masterful job of carrying a feeling of terror and dread throughout the film. Amazingly, this classic has stood the test of time, with a decent array of acting, believable plot, and a great use of sound and visual elements that really work. Truly an often overlooked masterpiece that may be the greatest holiday horror flick ever made and one that is a MUST see!

It's Alive (1974)

As I sat last night working on packaging some vintage Creepy Magazines for the upcoming New Jersey Zombie Walk and Zombicon, I decided to fill my mind with some classic 1970s horror. My choice for the evening was the hungry mutant baby minor classic It's Alive from 1974.

Plot/ Heavily pregnant Lenore Davis tells her husband, Frank, that she is in labor. They leave their eleven year-old son Chris with their friend Charley and they head to the Community Hospital. Lenore feels that something is wrong and delivers a monster that kills the team in the delivery room and escapes through a skylight. Lieutenant Perkins comes to the hospital to investigate the murder and the press divulges the identity of the parents. Frank discovers a dark secret about Lenore and the baby.

This was a pretty good low-budget exploitation horror flick that is A LOT better that the redux. While it features a simple idea and storyline, the execution of the film as an entirety is what sets it apart. The make-up effects (especially the mutant baby by Rick Baker), the creepy atmosphere that focused on sound effects and shadows vice straight gore, the pacing, and the solid acting performances come together perfectly and demonstrate how a small budget film can work if done properly. I will admit that I did not like the shaky double vision film work that came from the baby’s perspective, although the majority of the cinematography was top notch. While not a proverbial classic, this is a very entertaining horror flick that definitely deserves its due. This is definitely a movie that is a must see for fans of 1970s horror or horror in general.

Blood For Dracula (1974)

After watching Flesh For Frankenstein, I decided that it would not be a complete week if I did not follow that up with Blood For Dracula AKA Andy Warhol’s Dracula from 1974. To me, Warhol’s influence on society and the art world is often overlooked and these films are great vehicles of that genius.

Plot / Count Dracula know that if he fails to drink a required amount of pure virgin blood, he will not survive. His assistant suggests that the Count and he pick up his coffin and take a road trip to Italy, where families are known to be particularly religious, and therefore should be an excellent place to search for a virgin bride. They do, only to encounter a family with virgins ready for marriage. Unfortunately, the Count discovers one-by-one that the girls are not as pure as they say they are.

Filmed directly after Flesh For Frankenstein, this play on the Bram Stoker classic definitely has its moments. While lacking in the overall gore of the pre-mentioned film, this one has some great moments and is really an artistic period piece with superb setting and costume. Udo Kier as Dracula is excellent in his over the top rendition of the count and the gratuitous sex scenes are always appealing. However, the pacing is a bit slow and uneven at times and some of the acting is way below average. It is what it is, a campy romp into the realm of Dracula, one that is definitely more entertaining thanTwilight ever could be.