A Blade in the Dark (1983)

After spending a lot of time binging on a few different television series, I decided that it was time to take a look at something a touch older and in ways darker. That is when I stumbled on the 1983 giallo A Blade in the Dark in Shudder.

Plot/ A killer stalks a composer staying at a posh Tuscany villa while writing the score to a horror film which has an incriminating clue to the killer's identity.

To me, there is nothing more fun in cinema than sitting back and taking in a classic Italian giallo flick and that is what this Lamberto Bava entry is. This one has enough mystery and suspects to offer many different avenues for Bava to orchestrate the formula perfectly. While there are some flaws (which we will get to), it is the positives that make this one an entertaining watch.  The pacing is solid, the atmosphere dark, and heavy, the performances are decent, and the storyline is detailed and layered (plus, there is a decent amount of blood and gore). Sure, there are some head scratching and uneven moments, the body count is relatively low (up until the ending), and there are times where things do feel a touch rushed with the dubbed dialog, but those elements are easy to overlook when thinking about the entirety of the film. In the end, this is both an entertaining and finely crafted thriller that is a solid entry into the giallo archives. Sure, there are things that could be debated, but for me, I think it is a great entry in the Bava catalog and a movie that should be seen.

Cujo (1983)

As I prepare to finally break down and head out to see IT in a couple days, I figured that it was time to immerse myself in a mini Stephen King marathon. My first selection in this endeavor is the 1983 thriller Cujo.

Plot/ Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.

Movies based on Stephen King novels are often hit or miss and unfortunately more seem to miss. I was a huge King fan growing up and read all of the books he put out, so maybe, that is why I find the adaptations uneven at best. Most of the movies never seem to capture the characters as well as they were written. This one was a movie that when I first saw it in the 1980s didn’t meet my expectations. Watching it today, while I still find it a touch uneven, it does have a tension that I didn’t remember existing when I first watched it. The cinematography was solid, the cast and performances worked, the storyline was believable, and this was much better than the majority of animal attack films that came out during that general era. I have to admit that the realistic feel and the tone definitely took me back to my youth and the grainy look of the drive-in classics. Sure, some of the movie feels a touch dated, but that is somewhat expected after all these years. In the end, this may not be the best adaptation of his work, but it does rank in the top half. If you have not seen it, you should check it out.

The Dead Zone (1983)

After last night, I wanted to watch something that was both older and entertaining. After some searching on my streaming services, I decided on the 1983 thriller The Dead Zone.

Plot/ Johnny Smith wakes from a coma due to a car accident, only to find he has lost five years of his life, and yet gained psychic powers. Foreseeing the future appears to be a gift at first, but ends up causing problems.

This movie often is overlooked when talking about David Cronenberg and his resume. Yet, this one may be one of his best films, albeit one that is nowhere close to being as graphic of some of his other films. Based on the novel by Stephen King, this one is definitely more of a thriller than straight horror film and it sits near the top of the King adaptations. Incredibly, this film holds up rather well considering its age and is a flick that is both atmospheric and enlightening. The performances are solid with Christopher Walken not only embracing his role, but also carrying the sadness of the part perfectly to add to the atmosphere. The entire cast works, the cinematography is outstanding, the soundtrack adds depth to the film, and the storyline is well constructed. Yes, there are some costuming elements that feel dated and the pacing is a touch slow, but for a thriller, neither of those do anything to damage the feel of the movie. In the end, I am not usually a fan of King adaptations, but this is a story that I loved when I read it, I loved the first time I saw the movie, and I still enjoy today. Plus, with it on Prime, it is a great movie to catch for free and feel a sense of dread.

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

There is nothing like sitting back and catching a classic from my youth. Having grown up in the 1980s, there are plenty of movies and genres to choose from. Of course, nothing truly compares to the slasher film, and the way they made you think twice about camp. One of the most memorable films of that genre is the 1983 cult classic Sleepaway Camp.

Plot/ After a horrible boating accident kills her family, Angela, a shy and sullen young girl, moves in with her eccentric aunt Martha, alongside her protective cousin Ricky. One summer, Martha sends the kids to Camp Arawak. Soon after their arrival, a series of bizarre and increasingly violent accidents begins to claim the lives of various campers.

There is nothing like the slasher craze of the 1980s, and Sleepaway Camp is a must see for fans of the low budget 80s slasher. While not the best movie out there, it is a great example of what made the era of big boxes VHS so fun. This one offers very little gore, a somewhat predictable storyline, and a ton of dated costuming and dialog, but those flaws are easily forgettable with the twist ending that made this one a cult favorite. There are some interesting kills and although some of the performances are uneven, it does capture the 80s in all its glory (it definitely takes me back to my youth). In the end, this movie may not reach the level of the classics from the Friday the 13th franchise, but the ending alone makes it a film that should be listed in slasher canon. If you have not seen it, give it a shot!

The House on Sorority Row (1983)

There is nothing like diving into the classic slashers of the 1980s. Having grown up in that era, it is always fun to revisit the movies that helped shape my movie interests. Tonight was one of those nights, and I decided to revisit one of the cult classics, the 1983 slasher The House on Sorority Row.

Plot/ After a seemingly innocent prank goes horribly wrong, a group of sorority sisters are stalked and murdered one by one in their sorority house while throwing a party to celebrate their graduation.

One of my favorite eras in cinema is the 1980s and the great slasher craze that littered the shelves of our local video stores, and The House on Sorority Row has to be regarded as one of the better low budget entries from that time. This film features some decent performances, solid cinematography, creepy imagery, and enough atmospheres to create some tension throughout. Sure, some of the effects may seem a touch dated today, but this is definitely one of the better entries in the genre. In the end, any fan of the slasher genre must see this movie. If you have not seen it, check it out.

V (1983)

After some horror, action and thrillers over the weekend, I decided to find something different to watch. In my search, it was an awesome surprise to run across something from my youth. In fact, it was one of the first miniseries that I can remember watching; the alien invasion flick V from 1983.

Plot/ When aliens come to Earth to ask for our help, a few suspicious humans discover their horrific true intentions and prepare to resist.

Kicking back last night, it was a blast watching the original two-part miniseries V commercial free. While the special effects and some of the dialogue was dated, it became even clearer that the miniseries was ahead of its time. Sure, no giant spaceships have become known over major cities, but, the undertone of the storyline is extremely relevant in today’s tyrannical society. Of course, many believe that V was just a Sci-Fi take on the Holocaust, which is understandable with some of the symbolism, to me; I saw Agenda 21 and the “sustainability” rhetoric that is being pushed by the United Nations and the globalist backers. The overall feel of the movie is tremendous, the acting solid and the storyline really worked (maybe had they not tried to modernize it, the reboot would have worked). More importantly, it kept you entertained throughout and left you wanting more. With the rise of tyranny around every corner and the rise of informational resistance is growing, and like 1984, V could be a great primer in defeating the global takeover. 

Videodrome (1983)

With January in the books, it is hard to believe how fast that month went by. Of course, it does help when you are focused on a goal or an agenda. For me, it has been spreading the word about the Constitution and how no one has the right to walk on our greatest document. Unlike some people, I plan to stand against the tyranny and work to keep our liberties in tact. Tonight, I decided to venture back into a simpler part of my life, 1980s, with the David Cronenberg classic Videodrome.

Plot/ A sleazy cable-TV programmer begins to see his life and the future of media spin out of control in a very unusual fashion when he acquires a new kind of programming for his station.

It had been a while since I had enjoyed this Cronenberg classic. This was one of the first surrealistic flicks that I watched as growing up in the 1980s, and I believe it is still one of the best of the genre. By all accounts, this is a great film, and one that has stood up to the test of time quite well. In fact, it may be quite relevant today. I understand that this is not truly about mind control, but, some of the horrors outlined in this flick are almost commonplace today. For some, the layered storyline may be confusing and turn them off, but as a fan of surrealism, this one is right on the money. The cinematography was awesome, the visual effects work, and the performances are solid, especially James Woods and Debbie Harry. More importantly, the storyline is amazing, featuring multi-layered journey into another realm. In the end, this one is definitely not for everyone, especially the close-minded. However, it is a true piece of cinematic history that must be seen. 

Double Exposure (1983)

As I waited patiently for American Horror Story to start tonight, I decided to continue on with the new Pure Terror Collection. My choice for the evening was Double Exposure from 1983.

Plot/ A photographer for a men's magazine is disturbed by a recurring dream he has that he is killing his models by various gruesome means. Then he discovers that his city is being terrorized by a slasher who is stalking and murdering women on the streets. He begins to suspect that he may actually be the killer.

This flick surprised me by playing out like more of a 1970s giallo than a 1980s anything. Part mystery, part slasher, part thriller, complete with strange plot twists, violence and nudity.  All is not perfect, as the pacing seems a bit off, there is too much over-the-top acting and the plot has a ridiculous amount of holes (not to mention weird characterization). In the end, it is a decent flick, not great but not that terrible. If you like giallo’s or early exploitation flicks, you may enjoy it.

Curtains (1983)

Being home in Pennsylvania, I decided to grab a couple more low-budget movie collections to help pass time as I continue to build the man cave. Today’s entry came from the Midnight Horror Collection: Bloody Slashers, it is the 1983 often overlooked slasher Curtains.

Plot/ Six young actresses auditioning for a movie role at a remote mansion are targeted by a mysterious masked murderer.

Let me start by saying that this is one entertaining slasher film and one that often goes unnoticed in the grand scheme of the slasher genre. The acting is solid, the story enjoyable and there are some unpredictable moments that truly pull you in. Sure, it has all of the typical elements, like the nudity and a masked killer (which is creepy), but it seems to come together a lot better than some others from the era. Yes, there are definitely some noticeable production and editing flaws, but to me, those were easily overlooked. In the end, this film deserves to be remembered and adds a tremendous amount of value to a low-budget collection like this one.

Frightmare (1983)

After spending Saturday in a Zombie mindset, I decided to go with something different last night. My choice was the 1983 homage horror Frightmare with Jeffrey Combs and now released by Troma.

Plot/ The film follows a group of drama students who decide to kidnap the corpse of a recently deceased horror movie star. Unfortunately, by disrupting his tomb, the kids have released an ancient black magic that begins consuming them one by one.

While I was excited to see the Troma Logo and the name Jeffrey Combs on this at the start, I soon realized that this was definitely not typical Troma as I did not get the satisfaction that I usually get from their flicks. The movie had its moments like some decent cinematography, the lead character, Ferdy Mayne is well cast as the horror icon, and there is a touch of creepy atmosphere. However, that is about where the positives end. The pacing is terrible and the movie creeps slowly, most of the characters are rigid, the audio quality is dreadful and most of the kills are just blah. In the end, this low-budget 1980s flick was watchable but nothing more. Watch at your own risk!

Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983)

  

I have actually had enough of the Drive-In Classics: 50 Movie Pack. So, the 1980s flick, Prisoners of the Lost Universe will be the last movie from that set I review for a while.

Plot/ Three people are transported into a parallel universe. There they find that they must use modern technology, but medieval weapons, in order to save the citizenry from a murderous warlord.

Let me start by saying that this is not a great movie. In fact, it may not be that good. Really, it is just a typical low-budget Sci-Fi / Fantasy flick from the 1980s. The acting is so-so, the plot outlandish, the effects are bad and the script is laughable (actually it may possibly be the high point). However, it is actually pretty entertaining when you get past all of the flaws and in the end, it is what it is… A cheesy fantasy B-Movie and nothing else.