Brainscan (1994)

After a few duds over the past few days,  I decided it was time to reach into the past for something I haven't watched in years. My selection was the fun horror film from 1994, Brainscan.

Plot: A teenager is part of an interactive video game where he kills innocent victims. Later, the murders become real.

This is a fun movie and one that screams 1990s. The cast is decent and there are some great performances, especially that of the Trickster. Sure some of it feels dated today, the storyline, while fun, is outlandish, and the early special effects are hit and miss, but after that,  there is a lot to like. The atmosphere sittings,  the pacing is great,  and the overall feel really works. I am so glad that I decided to revisit it.  In the end,  this one may be leaving Tubi soon,  and that's a shame. If you are looking for a great throwback,  give this one a shot,  you would likely enjoy it.  

Stargate (1994)

Over the past few days, I have been part of some interesting conversations on Nibiru and hollow earth. While both subjects are fascinating, they are no more fascinating than our own ancient histories, where cultures such as the Egyptians and Mayans create intricate artifacts that have stood the test of time. How did they accomplish that? Who really knows, but Stargate (1994) does venture into one possibility.

Plot/ An interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra.

Stargate is such an amazing story and does provide a science fiction explanation to some of the real life mysteries that haunt our ancient past. While there is an interesting and layered plot, some solid performances and the cinematography and score blend together in a seamless fashion, it is the historic detains of the story that draw me in every time. As a researcher, the potential questions (and answers) it brings to life makes it a must see, Plus, the action and atmosphere are not bad either. Sure, if you are closed minded, it may not appeal to you as it does to me because you must suspend reality to accept the possibilities, but that is part of the realm of science fiction that makes the genre amazing. In the end, this movie may not be for everyone, but if you are open minded and love plot driven science fiction this one is for you. Give it a shot!

Lurking Fear (1994)

One of the best things I have done during this Halloween season, especially as I am swamped with hamlet practice at the Phoenix Arts Center (I am the narrator), was sign up for ScreamBox on YouTube. It is so nice being able to pop in an obscure low-budget horror flick as the kids are practicing. One such movie is my next select, the 1994 entry Lurking Fear from Full Moon Entertainment.

Plot/ The town of Leffert's Corners has been plagued by unearthly beings for decades, and now there is only a few people left, including the local priest and a woman traumatized by the death of her sister. But when John Martense turns up to claim his illicit family fortune, with bad guys in pursuit, the last stand had become a lot more complicated.

When this is advertised as an H.P. Lovecraft adaptation I had to watch. Unfortunately, I also laughed. To say this one is even loosely based may honestly be a stretch. From the archives of Full Moon, this low budget entry is not for everyone, as it suffers through the same elements that haunt these flicks. While this did have an interesting idea, the execution fell flat. There were some positives with the creatures, and some of the performances (Jeffrey Combs), but that is about it. The editing was choppy, the cinematography all over and the characterizations were not a hit. More importantly, it stagnated throughout and felt extremely forced. In the end, this entry from Full Moon did not age well and will not appeal to any true Lovecraft fan. Yes, as a straight horror flick, it does have a minimal appeal, but not one that can be more than minimally watch able.

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Fall is my favorite season and October my favorite month. As we venture down the path toward Halloween, it is always great to visit the different genre’s that make this time of the year great. Whether it is monsters, space aliens, serial killers, vampires or zombies, this is an awesome time of the year. With that in mind, I decided to venture into the world of the undead, with the 1994 Anne Rice classic Interview with the Vampire.

Plot/ A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger..

I remember reading this book for the first time some years ago and I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere and the storyline. Of course, I will admit that I soured on Rice after that, leaving Interview with the Vampire as the only one of her works that I enjoyed. The film adaptation was good, creating atmosphere, with subtle characterizations and embracing the layered storyline. While the cast worked and they had some solid performances, I did feel some disconnect with the overall philosophical nature of the book. In the end, this was an entertaining movie and one that should be seen. Yes, it is not perfect, but at least the vampires do not sparkle.

Natural Born Killers (1994)

 

 

After Dark Watchers, I was able to finish the research on my latest HAARP related piece, the one that draws a line from weather manipulation to martial law. Crazy, right? In preparation for publishing that, and waiting on one of my confidants to get back to me, I decided on something with some violence. My decision was the 1994 Oliver Stone entry Natural Born Killers.

 

 

Plot/ Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and psychopathic serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.

 

 

Let me start by saying, when I first watched this, it was not my favorite flick. However, all that changed now that I have aged and finally gave it another chance. Sure, it is a surreal and implausible venture into the depths of darkness, but damn, it is one Hell of a ride. Yes, there is violence, maybe too much, but that is no different from the slasher genre, except for the mainstream ties. The performances are solid, the cinematography and visuals awesome and there is a strong marriage of story and pacing. Is it a perfect movie? No, it is not. However, it is one of the best movies of the 1990s and one that should be seen.

 

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

As I sat here last night thinking of what to watch, part of me was still caught up with the rumors of the rapture (on tap for Saturday 21 May 2011) making their way into the national news. With that in mind, I decided to venture into a world that talks about the potential end of mankind, John Carpenter’s Lovecraftian In the Mouth of Madness  from 1994.

Plot/ An insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.

Revisiting this film after a few years may have been one of the better decisions I have made in some time. I have to admit that this is much better than I had remembered and was very impressed by what I found. This movie really has it all, wit, intelligence and scary moments and some great effects. This amazing tribute to horror writers (the Stephen King and Nigel Kneale references throughout) and something definitely inspired by the horror master H.P. Lovecraft, has a very haunting and heavy feel throughout. The script, soundtrack and acting are solid, but it is Carpenter’s direction that creates a bizarre world that lies somewhere between sane and insane. This movie is a perfect flick for the dark of night, especially in this week prior to the upcoming rapture. Enjoy!

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)

Continuing to watch movies that have shaped me and starring some of the people I met at Monster-Mania, like A. Michael Baldwin. With that in mind, I decided to dive into the third installment of one of my favorite horror franchises, Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead from 1994.

Plot/ The Tall Man, that imposing menace from Morningside Mortuary, is back and once again haunting the thoughts of the now-adult Mike and his friend, ex-Ice Cream vendor Reggie. The two continue their hunt for the mysterious figure and in his path of destruction encounter a variety of dangerous situations, friends and enemies. They also must contend with the resurrected dead plus a growing number of the infamous and deadly silver spheres which aid the Tall Man as he sets his sights on indoctrinating Mike and finishing the fight begun so many years ago.

If you are like me and enjoy this series, you should enjoy this installment. Yes, it is again a bit different than the previous installments, but it does a great job at keeping true to the original idea. It is definitely a gory and exciting entry in this creative horror fantasy. Again, the scenery, acting and plot are solid. The scripting is inventive, mixing the darkness and story of the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) with a slight dose of dark humor. Is it a perfect flick, No! But, it is definitely fun and a movie that should be enjoyed by fans of horror and the Phantasm series.

Roswell (1994)

After suffering through the movie Rottweiler (which although it sport Paul Naschy, it does not even warrant a review), I wanted to watch something different from my usual stuff. That is when I decided to head for one of my favorite subjects, UFOs. Oh, and what did I find on Showtime? Roswell, a perfect movie about one of the greatest conspiracies in history and one of the biggest cover-ups the world has ever seen.

Plot/ Beginning at a 30-year reunion for members of a military nuclear bomb unit, flashbacks are presented that follow the attempts of Major Jesse Marcel to discover the truth about strange debris found on a local rancher's field in July of 1947. Told by his superiors that what he has found is nothing more than a downed weather balloon, Marcel maintains his military duty until the weight of the truth, however out of this world it may be, forces him to piece together what really occurred. Adapted from real-life events portrayed in the book The Truth about the UFO Crash at Roswell by Kevin Randle and Donald Schmitt.

There have been so many stories about Roswell and the mysterious debris that was discovered on the ranch. Being from SW Pennsylvania where we have our own UFO mystery in Kecksburg, it would be nice if someday the truth would come out. For me as a researcher in things of the unexplained nature, this movie is accurate with what eyewitnesses have been saying for years. With that in mind, believers in this phenomenon will love the movie. However, if you are an skeptic who really doesn't care about the subject at all, then you will find little, or no entertainment value here. As a docudrama, the film is slowly paced, but that is to portray the story in a specific manner. The acting, script and directing is top notch all the way around and it definitely keeps your attention. Overall, this movie is informative, and enjoyable, a perfect afternoon flick for the UFO and Conspiracy Buffs out there!