Horror Express (1972)

Before I got distracted last night by the news of the unknown aircraft that was shot down of the coast of Alaska, I did find some time to watch a classic horror flick.  My selection for the afternoon/evening was 1972s Horror Express.

Plot: While on the Trans-Siberian Express, an anthropologist and his rival must contain the threat posed by the former's cargo: a prehistoric ape which is the host for a parasitic life-for.

This movie has to be one of the best films of 1972. Starring horror icons Peter Cushing and Christpher Lee, what more can you ask for? This one comes complete with an intriguing storyline,  an array of classic scares, and enough claustrophic atmosphere to keep you entertained throughout. In many ways, this movie is really more than a horror flick touching on a wide variety of topics throughout.  Unfortunately,  as good as the storyline is,  it does have some holes (a lot) and there are a bunch of head-scratching moments,  but those are easy to overlook. In them end,  this is a must see for horror fans.  Yes,  there are some things that may feel dated, but that doesn't matter. Sit back and enjoy!

Scream and Scream Again (1970)

Having spent many evenings working on these radio-drama scripts I have been contracted to do, I have found myself diving into many different genres over the past few weeks and it has been fun. Older movies seem to have such a wider appeal than the typical slasher or paranormal flicks that have overtaken horror and Sci-Fi in recent years. A perfect example of this is this 1970 entry, Scream and Scream Again.

Plot/ A serial killer who drains his victims' blood is on the loose in London; the police follow him to a house owned by an eccentric scientist.

It is funny, for years I thought I had already watched and reviewed this flick. For me, it was a great surprise when I decided to watch this bizarre weirdness. Starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing, this movie has everything you need to make a camp classic. It is truly a great mixture of horror, mystery, thriller, and Sci-Fi and most importantly, it was an easy watch considering the number of layers that are woven into the story. Honestly, you may feel lost at the start, but it is well worth watching and letting everything fall into place. The story is fun, interesting, and somewhat complex, the effects are solid (a little campy but solid), and all the performances are fun especially Price playing a mad scientist to perfection. Sure, it does have a few low budget head scratching moments and Price, Lee, and Cushing could have had larger roles (their screen time makes you want to see more), but overall the movie works on multiple levels and any flaws are easily overlooked. In the end, this is by no means the movie I expected or thought it was and that is a great thing. If you haven’t watched it, it will make great viewing as Halloween approaches. If you have seen it, check it out again.

And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)

Last night I decided to continue venturing down that retro path and turned to Shudder to find something interesting. After some debate, I decided on the 1973 gothic ghost story And Now the Screaming Starts!

Plot/ England, 1795: the young Catherine has just married Charles Fengriffen and moves into his castle. She becomes the victim of an old curse that lays on the family. On her wedding night, she is raped by a ghost and gets pregnant.

This was a different film than I expected and I was actually quite entertained by the odd elements that were added in. From Amicus Studios, this gothic ghost story offers an interesting (albeit somewhat clichéd) storyline that was brought to life by an outstanding cast led by Peter Cushing. The performances were solid, the cinematography and setting were captivating, the atmosphere was heavy, and the visuals and color pallet used was amazing. Yes, the special effects were lacking in quality and the end game was a bit drawn out, but those are small flaws in what is definitely an underrated film in the studios' catalog. In the end, while there were some contradictory moments in the storyline and some of the low budget flaws rise up, for the most part, this one delivers. Yes, it is not perfect, but it is an entertaining movie and one that can be found on Shudder for free if you are in the mood for a classic gothic ghost story.

The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

Yesterday was one of the final long softball days of the season and will admit it took its toll on me. I was beaten down and just wanted to sleep. When I finally cleared my head, I decided to watch something older. After some searching, I decided on the 1958 classic film, The Revenge of Frankenstein.

Plot/ Baron Frankenstein escapes from the guillotine and goes to Germany. There, he names himself Dr. Stein and plans to restart his experiments by using parts of dead bodies.

I was in the mood for some type of classic last night and decided to turn to Hammer Studios and that decision was rewarded. This is one of the more underpublicized films from the catalog, but it offers everything you could ask for from one of the early Frankenstein films. More atmospheric and creepy, this movie looks amazing. The sets, the lighting, pacing, and the cinematography are perfect, the performances were outstanding, and the storyline was full of twists and turns and added some depth that many entries in the historic life of Frankenstein do not have. Yes, it may be more of a drama or thriller than a horror film and as usual, the story is more about the doctor than the creature, but any fan of Hammer Horror should already expect those elements. In the end, this is an entertaining movie to watch and a perfect movie for a quiet night with Doctor Frankenstein. If you have not seen it, check it out.

Asylum (1972)

After spending the day with my beautiful and talented daughter Genesis in Morgantown today, I decided to kick back and find something interesting to watch. Incredibly, while searching Shudder, I accidentally stumbled upon a movie that has eluded me for decades (I could only remember the scenes with the tailor). That movie is the 1972 Amicus anthology Asylum.

Plot/ In order to secure a job at a mental institution, a young psychiatrist must interview four patients inside the asylum.

I love the horror anthologies put out by Amicus during the 1970s, and this one is falls in line with those. While this one may not be the best of its kind, it holds a special place in my heart, as it is the film that made me a fan of horror back decades ago. Yes, it is nowhere near as scary as I remember it as a child; this one has stuck with me (especially the story of the tailor). In fact, I have searched many years and watched many horror films trying to rediscover this one. The cast is outstanding, the performances solid, and the framing story does a great job at setting the atmosphere inside the dark and dismal asylum. Plus, with the stories coming from Robert Block, it is hard to imagine it not leaving an impression. Sure, some of the effects did not age well, and the material does seem a little tame in comparison to some of the other films of the era, but those flaws are easily overlooked. In the end, if you love the vintage anthologies from one of the best periods of horror cinema, give it a shot. It may not be the best, but it is entertaining and a fun watch.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

After diving into a documentary last night, I wanted to finish off 2016 with one of my favorite movies of the year and a movie that everyone should see. What is that movie? It is arguably one of the best movies to be released all year, Rogue One!

Plot/ All looks lost for the Rebellion against the Empire as they learn of the existence of a new super weapon, the Death Star. Once a possible weakness in its construction is uncovered, the Rebel Alliance must set out on a desperate mission to steal the plans for the Death Star. The future of the entire galaxy now rests upon its success.

Being the first Star Wars movie to take place outside the existing familial storyline, it was interesting to see what Gareth Edwards would create to fall into this important canonical spot. What I found was an amazing entry that fit perfectly into the given timeframe and created the prequel that many of us have longed for. Rogue One has so many elements that are impressive and more importantly creates an adult oriented film that is darker and shows the harshness of the Empire and the horrors of what a true rebellion would be. The performances are outstanding, the action and pacing flowed in a way that was on par with the classic Star War entries (especially Empire Strikes Back and A New Hope), and the storyline was perfectly placed within the confines given as a direct lead-in to A New Hope (plus seeing Grand Moff Tarkin was a great surprise). While some of the CGI was a touch shaky and the addition of some of the fighter footage, as homage to A New Hope was not needed to complete the project, they were but minor flaws. In the end, Rogue One is one of my favorite entries in the saga falling second only to the best in the series Empire Strikes Back and is a movie that must be seen by everyone (not just Star Wars fans).  

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.

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (1973)

As I start 2014, it is nice to reflect on the past, while looking forward. 2013 was a busy year, both at the institute and here at the house. The daughters are growing faster than one could imagine and they are becoming independant thinkers, I am so proud of all four of them. I started school again in a creative writing program and Bren saw an increase of freelance design. All positives. Work here at the Ringmaster's Realm did hit a slow period, but once I worked through that, it was full speed ahead; the same as it was for Steelers 101. Here's to hoping 2014 brings the same satisfaction. For my first review of 2014, I am going to do the last Frankenstein entry from historic Hammer Studios, Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell. 

Plot/ Baron Frankenstein is hiding out in an insane asylum, so that he may continue his experiments with reanimating the dead, along with inmate Dr. Helder, who has been institutionalized for conducting such experiments.

This is an interesting film to watch in many ways. It certainly is not the best Frankenstein film in the Hammer catalogue, but it is both entertaining and graphic. Actually, it may be the bloodiest film in the series.  Peter Cushing again proves to be one of the best and provides another great turn as the Baron. There are solid performances, outstanding scenery, and blood throughout, not to mention an awesome brain experiment scene. Unfortunately, while entertaining, there are some flaws that cannot be overlooked. The make-up effects of the creature do not do the film justice, as it looks more like an animal than a human. Yes, that may have some merit, but it definitely feels more Planet of the Apes than Frankenstein. On top of that, the atmosphere  and scripting never  reach their potential, leaving a viewer wanting more.  In the end, this one is campy and entertaining, but could have been much more memorable. If you are fan of Hammer Studios or Peter Cushing, you should definitely check it out. It is worth watching at least once. 

The Creeping Flesh (1973)

Yes, it has only been a couple days, but it feels like an eternity since I last watched a good horror flick. Today, I decided it had been long enough and dove into the Peter Cushing / Christopher Lee well with The Creeping Flesh from 1973.

Plot/ A Victorian-age scientist returns to London with his paleontological bag-of-bones discovery from Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, when exposed to water, flesh returns to the bones unleashing a malevolent being on the scientist's family and friends.

Any time that Cushing and Lee work together, it seems that something magical happens. This film is no different. This is pure atmospheric gothic horror featuring a solid script, an interesting storyline, an eerie soundtrack, some stellar performances and some philosophical questioning. Throw in one of Cushing's best roles, a complex plot and some good effects and you have one of the best British horror flicks of the decade.  This is an awesome flick that is definitely worth watching. Check it out!  

Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)

As I sat down to find something to watch in honor of the great Horror Icon Peter Cushing’s Birthday, I had nothing pop into my head. That is when I searched Netflix, and found a perfect flick the 1965 Amicus Anthology Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors.

Plot/ Five strangers board a train and are joined by a mysterious fortune teller who offers to read their Tarot cards. Five separate stories unfold: An architect returns to his ancestral home to find a werewolf out for revenge; a doctor discovers his new wife is a vampire; a huge plant takes over a house; a musician gets involved with voodoo; an art critic is pursued by a disembodied hand.

Being the first of the great Amicus anthologies, this is an important horror film. More importantly, it was the perfect film to celebrate the great Peter Cushing’s 98th birthday. To me, this is one of Cushing’s best roles, and he is brilliant with his performance. The five odd stories featuring a Disembodied Hand, Werewolves, Vampires, Voodoo and Creeping Vines were creepy and featured some tremendous pacing and most importantly atmosphere. Personally, my favorite was the Disembodied Hand featuring Christopher Lee. While not perfect, it is a great example of traditional British Horror and the weird fun that made the era of Classic Horror so much fun.

ETSY Update

As I have had some more time to enjoy my recovery, I decided to put a little more effort into stocking my ETSY page. While none of the items are Earth-shattering, there are some interesting and weird items that I have picked-up from time-to-time.

Bouncy the Clown

Gizmo

The Curse of Frankenstein

Torture Garden (1967)

Sitting here in my recliner, it will be nice to start watching some more horror flicks. Luckily, I have had some time now to catch-up on some of the flicks that I enjoyed here lately. Next up for review, the 1967 Amicus entry Torture Garden.

Plot/ A special sideshow torture exhibit has the power, according to the showman Dr. Diablo, to warn people of evil in their futures. The skeptical customers are shown the greed and violence they're hiding.

This Amicus entry is an interesting anthology, and actually decently entertaining. Based on the works of horror icon Robert Bloch, the stories vary from dark to humorous, with a very sound atmosphere throughout, the cast is solid and all have some very good performances (especially Jack Palance and Peter Cushing in The Man Who Collected Poe) and it carries a decent feel throughout. In the end, this is no masterpiece, Hell, it may not be the best Amicus Anthology, but it has enough moments and twists to keep it interesting (not to mention the eerie carnival music). While far from perfect, it is a must see for horror fans.