Split Second (1992)

It was busy around my shop yesterday with 3 online sales on top of the two packages that I had to send out. Fortunately, I have the time to focus on that on days when that happens. So far today has been quieter, allowing me to start rebuilding the workshop after neglecting it during my transplant hiatus. Once I finished yesterday, I decided to dive into the world of Rutger Hauer with the 1992 flick Split Second.

Plot: In a flooded future London, Detective Harley Stone hunts a serial killer who murdered his partner, and has haunted him ever since. He soon discovers what he is hunting might not be human.

I love Rutger Hauer movies and it is still hard to fathom that he is no longer with us. Onereason that i have always enjoyed his films is that he always seems to enjoy the project he was working on. This movie again shows that side of him. While this is clearly a B-Movie and far from a classic like like Blade Runner, he played his character perfectly. This is a lower budget film that has definitely built a solid cult following with a dark gloomy post-apocalyptic atmosphere, an interesting storyline, and decent scripting. Sure, this one will never boast great effects, truly believable moments, or being a cinematic masterpiece. But, if you enjoy fun, low budget, not bad but misunderstood movies and can appreciate schlocky Sci-Fi, this movie is for you.

 

Winterbeast (1991)

In the middle of my marathon of the original Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mystery Hour, I decided that I wanted to take a break and catch a movie (recovering from transplant surgery does have some perks). So,  after some debate with the voices in my head, I decided on the 1991 schlockfest Winterbeast.

Plot: People are being killed off near a popular mountain lodge, with a legend claiming that the mountain is haunted by a deadly Native American demonic curse.

I honestly don't know exactly what i watched and am quite torn.  On one hand, this no budget schlockfest offers very little fit the viewer. It has almost no plot, the scripting is incoherent, the effects teeter between bad and worse, and the performances are far from good.  Yet, i found this one rather entertaining on a so bad it's good level. This reminds me of what Mr. Lobo from Cinema Insomnia says,  "they're not bad movie,  they're just misunderstood." In many ways this is a movie that shows that anyone can make a true independent film, no matter hor good or bad, if they want to. With what I am sure is an extremely low budget (if any) and not a single know commodity (not to mention dated stop-motion effects), this one keeps you interested by wondering what features is coming next. Overall, yes, it is a bad film and a movie that on many levels,  should necessarily be seen.  But,  in this case,  check it out, you definitely find some of it hilarious.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Having watched the behind the scenes for the upcoming X-Files miniseries, I was already in a retro mood. When Jillian asked if she could watch The Silence of the Lambs, my night was made complete. So, for tonight’s review, I will touch on that classic, although, it needs no review.

Plot/ A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.

Since Jillian wanted to watch this classic, I felt it was time to finally kick back and absorb all that this classic has to offer. Having watched it dozens of times since first seeing it in the theatre when it came out, it is one of my favorites, and a movie that never grows old. In fact, it may be one of the best horror/thrillers to ever grace the screen, definitely deserving all of the accolades it received when it was first released. The scripting was outstanding, the cinematography, direction, and vision of the film were spot on, the subtle changes in atmospheres, the performances, and the exploration of the complex relationship between Hannibal, and Clarice was amazing. In the end, this is one of the best movies, regardless of genre, I have ever watched and it has left a lasting imprint on me. This one has stood the test of time, and is a movie that every fan of horror or thrillers must watch at least once in their life. If you fit that description, and have not watched it, you are wrong. Find it, and watch it!

Body Parts (1991)

After a long day of crazy weather prevented me from finishing what I had planned, it was definitely time to relax to a movie. Having finished my homework, I decided to see what was available on one of the movie channels I pay for. In the end, I decided on the 1991 thriller Body Parts.

Plot/ After losing his arm in a car accident, a criminal psychologist has it replaced with a limb that belonged to a serial killer.

It had been a long time since I saw this one and I could tell last night that age was not kind to this one. Originally, it did not have quite the B-Movie feel that it has today, but after two decades that is likely to happen to many films in the genre. The acting is uneven, the story somewhat cliché and the pacing is unbalanced. Yes, there is some gore in the final parts that at least make it fun, but that is about it. In the end, this does have some entertaining and interesting moments, but nothing truly original. If you love movies from the 1990s, give it a shot; it is not great, but not terrible either.

Mom (1991)

 

It was Mother’s Day, and how could I go through a holiday without enjoying a flick geared toward the holiday. With that in mind, I was lucky enough to stumble upon 1991s horror comedy Mom.

Plot/ During a time when the city of Los Angeles is terrorized by animal attack style murders, a kindly elderly lady provides a nomad with room and board. It turns out that he is a werewolf and is responsible for the recent killings. He bites the elderly woman, turning her into a hungry werewolf. Now her adult son must try to prevent the both of them from doing any more harm.

I have to admit, I was actually pretty surprised by this flick, it was a lot better than I expected. Yes, it definitely seemed like the title was a bit off, but I understood it. There were some bad moments and the cinematography could have been better. However, there were more good moments than bad. The acting is solid, the characters and script were decent and it definitely had a few shots of gore. It was sure a different take on the horror comedy creature feature. In all, this was a pretty good flick and an awesome way to close Mother’s Day.

Popcorn (1991)

  

Every once in a while a title that you had long forgotten pops up and you are almost forced to watch just for nostalgic reasons. A film just like that popped up for me this weekend, Popcorn.

Plot/ A group of teenagers preparing an old horror movie show in an abandoned theatre discover a recording made by an actual murderer who died long ago. Very soon a shadowy figure resembling the killer starts stalking them one by one.

This was a very cool little flick, one that was part horror, part teen, part comedy and actually really fun. In all it featured some light gore, a rather interesting storyline and script, and some decent special effects. Yes, there are times where some of the story seems a bit too repetitive and the ending is a bit of a downer, but for the most part it was very entertaining and fun. Check this one out; it’s worth the 90 or so minutes.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1991)

After enjoying Dorian Gray, I was finally able to sit down and watch another period piece, the 1991 Stuart Gordon adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum.

Plot/ It is the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Maria does not like what is going on during the "Auto De Fe". When she speaks out, she is arrested and accused of being a witch. Torquemada has plans for her!

Like many, I strayed from watching this adaptation of the classic Edgar Allan Poe tale. To be, honest, I thought that the Corman / Price classic was perfect in so many ways that an updated version was not needed. However, after sitting down to this flick last night, I may have been wrong. Director Stuart Gordon crafts a tale of atmosphere and dread, which is truly better than I ever imagined. True, it does not feature a tremendous amount of gore or violence, but it does contain an interesting blend of scenes that are terrifying. The acting is solid with Lance Henriksen maybe having his most powerful performance. In the end, this is much better than many believe and recommended to fans of Poe, Gordon and anyone into historical based atmospheric horror.

Brain Twisters (1991)

This weekend is it, I am going to finish the Gorehouse Greats Collection! Tonight I watched Brain Twisters from 1991 and tomorrow I will finish the last two flicks Nightmare in Wax and Stanley.

Plot/ College student Laurie Stevens gets a crash course in horror when she discovers that her favorite professor's computer-game research is really a series of mind-control experiments. Pushed by a software company to accelerate his research, the unethical teacher ignores the fact that students become violent after exposure to the game. Soon, Laurie teams with police to investigate a series of seemingly unrelated on-campus murders and suicides.

Again, I am amazed at how this ended up on this box set, because this movie totally lacks any type of gore. In fact, my first thought was this was a made-for-TV flick that ended up on video. In the end, it is just another mediocre movie that is destined to be forgotten (until it ends up on another one of these box sets). For horror fans, there is very little to like and it is missing many of the elements that at least made the low budget movies tolerable. There are very little (if any) blood, no guts, no nudity and only a couple of kills that take place on screen. The acting is OK and the video effects look more late 1970s early 1980s. To be honest, this one is a mess and I cannot recommend it at all.

Servants of Twilight (1991)

After spending most of the past couple of days dealing with a family medical issue, it was nice to get back to something interesting; diving into a late-night movie on FearNet. My evening selection was the 1991 adaption of Dean Kootz's Servants of Twilight, a book I read more than a few yars ago and a subject that always makes me smile.

Plot/ Based on the novel by Dean R. Koontz, this action packed thriller features Bruce Greenwood as a private detective hired to protect a little boy from a fanatical religious cult that believe he is the antichrist fortold in the book of Revelations.

Having read the book years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. Yes, it does vary from the original literary workm but it does work and is a pretty good thriller (although, I may be biased because I love movie that deal with the antichrist). In all, I would have loved to have seen the movie done with a larger budget, the material is definitely better than the cash spent (which is usually the case with movies based on Koontz's work). That being said, there are some great moments that are tense and draw you in. The script, acting and cinematography are solid and the movie comes off decently for an adaptation. It makes a great addition to any horror collection and is a especially worth watching for free on FearNet.