Alligator (1980)

While I have been on a Sci-Fi kick lately,  I still love to go back to my youth for some of the horror movies that shaped my love for the genre.  To me,  some of the classic creature features from that era still hold their weight.  Yes,  there is some cheese and schlock,  but wasn't that part of what made the 80s awesome? Last night I went for one of those creature features, 1980's Alligator.

Plot: A herpetologist helps a detective track her flushed-away pet, now a king-size mutant called Ramone.

The creature features of the 70s and 80s were the best. Yes,  there are some duds, but there were also some classics that sprung up. While this one is not as memorable or as mainstream as Jaws or even Piranha, Alligator remains one of the better low budget creature features of the time.  Boasting an interesting storyline,  dark atmosphere, a solid cast,  decent performances, and some creative effects,  this one takes an urban legend to a new culture classic level. If you love classic low budget creature features and can overlook some of the flaws, you will definitely enjoy this fun B-Movie.

Nightmare City (1980)

I have really enjoyed getting back into the blogging scene and have found a new enjoyment with watching different facets of the horror genre. Unfortunately, I am not all the way back as many things seem to be the same stuff just repackaged and I am not there yet. One thing that was different was this 1980 entry Nightmare City.

Plot/ An airplane exposed to radiation lands, and blood drinking zombies emerge armed with knives, guns and teeth! They go on a rampage slicing, dicing, and biting their way across the Italian countryside.

Let me ask, is there anything better than low budget Italian horror from the 1980s? Personally, I find it extremely entertaining and always fun. Honestly, you never know what you are going to get. That is the case with this one. Yes, the effects are cheesy, the performances are all over the place, and the plot from the start is unbelievable at best. Really, from the first scene with the aircraft, it is insanity. Sure, the storyline does open some valid questions, there is a touch of humanity, there is a lot of action, and the characters are somewhat believable (and aren’t afraid to show skin); all positives for a movie that is often overlooked. In the end, this one is worth watching (especially with it being available on Amazon Prime. If you are like me and love low budget Italian horror, give this one a shot. You are missing out if you have not seen it.

Metamorphosis (1990)

With Halloween around the corner, it is nice to finally see the weather changing. In fact, the chill has been a refreshing change from the heat we had a few weeks ago. It is also a great excuse to watch horror movies of some type every night. My next selection is the 1990 entry Metamorphosis.

Plot/ Dr. Peter Houseman is a brilliant geneticist who is working on a serum, which will stop human aging, but his colleagues don't believe in his work. When his skeptical benefactors threaten his university funding, the doctor takes a desperate measure to justify his work. He administers the serum to himself, but the results are unexpected and horrendous.

This is one that I had no recollection of from my formidable years in the late 1980s, so I expected some low budget cheese. Guess what, that is exactly what I found with this one, and therefore, it may not have been quite as disappointing as many other viewers will say. While this is nowhere near a good movie, it isn’t terrible either. Sure, the production values may not be the best with the movie feeling like it was produced a decade earlier, but it still was not that bad. The performances were decent, the storyline (while predictable) was interesting, and there were a few moments where everything seemed to come together. Unfortunately, the pacing was terrible, which drug the movie down tremendously, the special effects were bad, and the overall feel of the movie was uneven. In the end, there was potential in this one, but they never came close to being achieved. Yes, the movie isn’t terrible, but I wouldn’t recommend watching it more than once (if you decide you want to give it a shot).

Charlotte (2017)

I debated this evening whether I was going to finish September off with a review or not. Spending all day at the softball field in barely 60-degree weather took more out of me than I expected. After some thought, I decided on the 2017 flick Charlotte.

Plot/ A teenage girl is babysitting at a new house when she is accosted by a vicious doll. In bondage, she is forced to watch terrifying stories on the television magically controlled by the unfriendly toy, each story graver than the next.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this one out the other day on one of my streaming services, but what I can say is that this is nowhere near, what I thought it would be. This horror (Actually closer to comedy) anthology is nothing close that a killer doll movie and honestly that is what I figured it would be. While that was a nice surprise, my overall joy did not last long as many of the elements were average at best and really felt incoherent throughout. Yes, there were some entertaining moments and there was some blood, but that only seemed to fill in the disjointed feel. The pacing was off; the head-scratching moments were plentiful, and the performances were uneven (although that was somewhat expected). In the end, there is really nothing much that I can about this one and there is no way I can recommend it to anyone. Stay away.

The Wasp Woman (1959)

After diving into the They Crawl set yesterday, I decided that I needed to find something mindless to help me truly process the end of Twin Peaks: The Return. With that in mind, I dove back into the 12 Creature Features set for the 1959 Roger Corman entry, The Wasp Woman.

Plot/ A cosmetics queen develops a youth formula from jelly taken from queen wasps, failing to anticipate the typical hoary side effects.

No one can draw me into classic no-budget horror/sci-fi than Roger Corman. I know that I grew up a little late to enjoy the classic Saturday afternoon matinee, but I did have a chance to enjoy the afternoon and midnight Horror Hosts and his movies were a staple. This one may be one of his more creative efforts and a flick that is extremely entertaining. Most importantly, it has become a staple on multiple box sets that are readily available. This one has an interesting, yet predictable storyline that actually shows some depth with some small subtle twists. It also features some solid performances, decent pacing, and some suspense. Yes, there are some uneven effects that push the limits and the overall cinematography does suffer from the extremely low budget, but what else would you expect from the era of schlock-filled sci-fi gems. In the end, this one is better than most flicks on this latest box set and a movie that those who enjoy classic sci-fi schlock should enjoy. If you are a Corman fan or a person who just loved the classic creature feature, check it out.

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

As I wait for the final two episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return to start tonight, I decided to finish up one of the flicks I watched yesterday. That film is the 1959 low budget/ no budget entry Attack of the Giant Leeches.

Plot/ A backwoods game warden and a local doctor discover that giant leeches are responsible for disappearances and deaths in a local swamp, but the local police don't believe them.

How can you not enjoy anything that Roger Corman is involved with? Honestly, just the name alone should draw you into a low budget schlockfest. That is exactly what this film is, although it actually offers some depth in the scripting department (albeit with some plot holes). This movie offers a solid combination of comedy, drama, and even some horror elements and a decent understanding of the cultures involved. Yes, the production values are limited by the low budget and there are some (okay many) laughable moments with uneven performances and low dollar effects, but that is part of the charm. In the end, this is a decent flick to spend some time on, even if it is a time that you are just searching for a few laughs.

Horrors of Spider Island (1960)

It was such a dreary day outside today. Fortunately, that gave me a chance to kick back and watch so no budget creature features. The first one up is the 1960 entry Horrors of Spider Island (AKA Body in a Web).

Plot/ Survivors of a plane crash on a remote island find spiders cover it. When bitten, the survivors start turning into spiders!

When I decided that I needed a trip into the classic era of low budget cinema tonight, little did I expect to take a trip into the abyss of the no budget misery? This one is bad; maybe the worst flick in either of these creature feature sets. While the cast was intriguing, there was not a lot of depth for them to work with. The movie features terrible editing, a ton of filler, and many of the effects are below low budget. Sure, the spider man make-up is decent for that era, but that in no way is enough to save this one. The unfortunate part is that the movie had potential and would be an interesting flick to see rehashed by the creativity defunct studios in Hollywood. In the end, this one is nowhere near a good movie; unless you are looking for a schlock-filled way to pass some time, stay away.

The Crater Lake Monster (1977)

Yesterday, I decided to pick up a great collection of low budget gold in the 12 Creature Feature box set. For me, this is a perfect set of movies that fit with the mindless entertainment binge I have been on when not watching Twin Peaks: The Return. The first movie from that set that graced my screen was the 1977 entry The Crater Lake Monster.

Plot/ A meteor that crashed into Oregon's Crater Lake unearths a dinosaur egg. The heat from the meteor causes the egg to hatch, and the emerging dinosaur takes to snacking on the locals.

Before I start this review, if you watch this and expect something phenomenal and/or Oscar caliber, it is time for you to turn away. That is not saying that this is terrible, but it is a no-budget creature feature from the 1970s and it definitely comes with the typical flaws that plague this type of schlockfest. There was a lot to like with some tremendous stop-motion animation considering the budget and the era. Plus the decision to use a Plesiosaurus was awesome considering the connection to some of the Loch Ness Theories that exist. Yes, the performances the film feels dated, were uneven, the lake is definitely not the real Crater Lake, and the storyline is all over the place and incoherent at times, but that just adds to the classic drive-in campiness that came with this eras low budget creature features. In the end, this is a movie that any fan of 1970s stop-motion animation will love. Sure, the schlock factor is high, but if you can suspend reality for a short period of time, you may get a kick out of this sci-fi creature feature.

The Undying Monster (1942)

While my plans for this first weekend of vacation are still a bit up in the air, I decided that I would watch some classic horror in case that I don’t make it to Monster Bash. My selection was the 1942 werewolf flick The Undying Monster.

Plot/ A legendary monster threatens surviving members of an aristocratic English family when they venture out on chilly, foggy nights.

Honestly, there is nothing better than the B-movies of the early sci-fi and horror that came out during the cinema’s infancy and this is a great example of that. This 1942 werewolf entry has all the elements that made those films popular. With its dark and heavy atmosphere, some solid performances, and a storyline that does a great job mixing mystery into the werewolf genre. Yes, some of the dialog is a bit off, the characterizations are uneven, and there are some of the typical flaws that plague movies from that era, but those are easily overlooked. In the end, this is one of the better B-class werewolf films and a movie that those that enjoy classic horror/mystery should enjoy. Check it out!

Slugs (1988)

After spending the weekend camping at a softball tournament, it was nice to finally kick back and watch something mindless tonight. After some thought, I decided on the 1988 schlockfest Slugs.

Plot/ People are dying mysteriously and gruesomely, and nobody has a clue what the cause is. Only health worker Mike Brady has a possible solution, but the authorities laugh at his theory of killer slugs.

There is always a place in my movie library for mindless pieces of schlock that do not take themselves seriously, and that is exactly what type of movie we have here. Is a good movie? Technically no, but it is an easy watch and a great example of 1980s creature feature gold. On a positive, I have always loved the clichéd storyline, the excessive low budget gore, and the killer slugs. Unfortunately, the close-minded horror fan that is searching for a Oscar-worthy piece of cinema will probably not agree with me and point out the flat characters, the uneven performances, and the choppy editing. Yes, there are flaws, but this is the type of film that paved its way into the so bad its good garage. In the end, if you are looking for a fun, entertaining, and mindless example of 1980s schlock, give this one a chance. Especially, if like me, you have Shudder and could watch it on a push of a button. Check it out.

Embryo (1976)

As the weather turned cold last night, I decided to turn back the clock and watch something from my childhood. No, it isn’t Disney or any type of cartoon (so, my childhood was not normal), it was the 1976 Sci-Fi/Horror flick Embryo.

Plot/ A scientist doing experiments on a human fetus discovers a method to accelerate the fetus into a mature adult in just a few days. However, the "adult" fetus turns into a homicidal psycho and looks for a new formula to prevent her from aging further.

When I saw this one was the part of that movie set, I was interested to see how it stood the test of time. Unfortunately, it did not fair very well, as the technology in the movie was completely outdated. That being said, the idea involved with the storyline (yes, a bit Frankensteinish) being interesting. The cast and performances were solid, the scripting and pacing were on spot, and the effects were better than expected. Yes, the technology (especially the computer) seemed ancient and the ending seemed a bit off, but those flaws were commonplace during the 1970s in smaller budgeted horror. In the end, this one was an entertaining and intriguing movie to look back on. While it is far from perfect and rather tame, it is still worth watching on a cold winters night.

The Craving (2008)

Now that I am settling into a groove with the blog to start the year, it is fun to get back into some of the low budget horror flicks that I have always enjoyed. The next movie up for review is from that nine-movie set I picked up over the holidays. It is the 2008 no-budget entry The Craving from Brain Damage Films.

Plot/ A group of college students embarking on a cross country road trip to the Burning Man Festival find themselves stranded in desert. Come nightfall a vicious predatory monster comes out searching for a meal.

This is another micro-budget flick that I found on that nine-movie set and a movie that I expected to suffer from many of the same flaws that the other films of this budget suffer from. This movie does have its share of flaws and is somewhat clichéd, but there is some positive elements that I would not have expected at first glance. The scripting was not bad and the pacing allowed the tension to build throughout, the atmosphere matched the scenery, and there was enough blood and violence sprinkled in to overcome some of the clichéd moments. Yes, there are some strangely placed sex scenes, the sound quality was all over, and the performances were uneven, but I have seen a lot worse in movies with larger budgets. In the end, this may not be a perfect flick, but it is a decent no-budget entry. Sure, it will fall into the love/hate vein, but don’t most horror flicks do that?

They Crawl (2001)

With the holidays over and everyone (including me) back at school, it was time to dive into some low budget horror. After some debate, I decided to break into the $5 bin at WalMart, with the nine-movie horror set featuring the 2001 low budget entry They Crawl.

Plot/ After a terrifying incident of man, a police detective needs to find a way to stop the creepy horde of roaches before it can kill more people.

I knew that it had been a while since I went down the no-budget indie horror trail, but I couldn’t resist when I saw a nine movie set at WalMart after the holiday that featured some interesting titles. In the case with the first entry, it is exactly what one would expect from a low budget insect infestation flick. What could go wrong with that? While the movie suffers from many of the flaws that plague this genre, there were a couple of interesting elements that made it at least tolerable. The storyline, although it does have some holes, is interesting and to be honest, it is a lot more violent than I would have expected from this budget. Yes, the plot has issues and is more confusing than it should have been, the ending is uneven at best, and the CGI was not good at all. In the end, this movie is far from good, but it is also nowhere near the worst film in the genre. If you are like me and love no-budget horror, it can at least help you pass some time.

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!