Night of the Blood Beast (1958)

After some time away from it, I decided to jump back into the Pure Terror Collection. After all, what’s better on a rainy evening than some great early Roger Corman schlock? My selection for the evening is the often overlooked 1958 Sci-Fi entry, Night of the Blood Beast.

Plot/ An astronaut is killed on re-entry to Earth, but his body is seeded with rapidly-gestating aliens.

This should be the centerpiece of classic 1950s Sci-Fi ultra low-budget campiness. While, like most movies from this era it suffers from the usual faults, uneven acting, poor lighting and horrible creature effects, those are easily overlooked in this entertaining piece of schlock. In fact, this Corman entry may be one of his best (although it is often overlooked), featuring a sound plot and a decent amount of characterization. In the end, this is a great example of the flicks that made the 1950s the greatest age of Sci-Fi matinee camp, if you get a chance, check it out!

Evil Brain From Outer Space (1965)

After a weekend full of action and zombie-like creatures inside the Resident Evil series, I decided to head a different direction last night as I was working in the man cave. My selection for the evening is from the Pure Terror Collection, in the 1965 made for television entry Evil Brain from Outer Space.  

Plot/ A monstrous evil brain from outer space leads his minions on a crusade to conquer the universe, and unleashes hideous monsters on Earth that spread deadly diseases. Superhero Starman must rescue Earth from the menace of the evil brain while battling armies of monsters the brain sends against him.

When I put this on last night, I had no idea what to expect and I honestly did not expect what I found on the screen. Technically, this film suffers tremendously, featuring overacting, ridiculous fight scenes, bad audio dubbing with some of the corniest dialogue and some of the most hilarious costuming ever (even from the early Sci-Fi era). Yet, that truly just added something to the overall fun and entertaining side of the movie. Plus, there were actually some very strange monsters and creatures that fit in perfectly.  Do not take this the wrong way, while entertaining and laughable, this is a BAD movie. However, if you are a fan of the great Godzilla films of the past, and loved the foreign Sci-Fi flicks with terrible dubbing at the classic Saturday afternoon spook shows, this film is worth watching, (but please, watch it with an open mind).

The Oval Portrait (1972)

After taking a day off to recover from the retirement ceremony, I decided to get back and finish off some of the flicks I watched last wee and never wrote up. The next film from the Pure Terror Collection that I will write on today is The Oval Portrait (loosely based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe) from 1972. Note: this one is also known as One Minute Before Death.

Plot/ This Civil War period film centers upon a young woman facing a struggle for her sanity. A portrait created by an insane painter appears to contain the soul of the woman depicted in it, the painter's wife. The young woman finds herself fighting off the portrait's spirit that wishes to escape from the painting by replacing the young woman's soul in her body and trapping her spirit in the portrait.

This film is definitely loosely (and I mean loosely) based on a story by Poe (which is usually the case). While there were some very bad moments with uneven acting (OK maybe poor would be a better way to describe it) and way too much lighting for a ghost story, there was also something interesting with it that made it at least somewhat tolerable (especially the ending which I did not see coming). In the end, there was nothing that was truly amazing with this film; it was just another strange Poe adaptation (albeit a loose one). I cannot truly recommend this one (unless you really have nothing else to watch).

Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (1972)

As I was preparing to watch the Steelers game today (which we won), I decided to continue with my Pure Terror Collection. It is funny, with tomorrow being Halloween (and my retirement ceremony), I could not decide on a flick at first. Eventually, I decided on the Paul Naschy entry Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf from 1972.

Plot/ A man tortured by the curse of the werewolf goes to London with a female companion in search of a doctor with a possible cure. The doctor turns out to be the grandson of the famous Dr. Jekyll and the two men begin researching a possible treatment involving the Mr. Hyde serum. When the lycanthropic man is injected with the serum, it causes a strange transformation in him that risks the safety of strangers and loved ones.

I love Paul Naschy movies. Sure, they aren’t the highest quality, but they are usually pretty interesting.  This one, the sixth time he dawned the werewolf costume, falls definitely falls into that interesting category (as he plays Mr. Hyde as well). There are some very good moments and the story does present a challenging endeavor by taking on two legendary horror figures in a modern setting (nothing like w werewolf showing up at a disco). All is not perfect though as the acting is uneven, the editing in this version is choppy and there just seems like something is missing. In the end, this was entertaining, but I feel that watching an unedited version may be better. Unfortunately, I did not have that version. If I could find it, I would definitely watch it. This version, not so much!

Don't Answer The Phone (1980)

While the sleet and snow fell today and I was waiting to firm up plans for dinner with my family who have travelled in for the retirement ceremony, I sat down to continue on with the Pure Terror Collection. My selection for the early afternoon was the 1980 horror / thriller Don’t Answer The Phone.

 Plot/ A deeply disturbed photographer and Vietnam veteran terrorizes Los Angeles by going around strangling lingerie-clad young women in their homes. How long until the police finally catch-up up with this psychopath?   

So far in this set, there has been some good and some bad, but you actually sort of expect that. Unfortunately, some of the bad is so terrible that I see now why I had never seen it before. This is one of those cases, complete with the signature bad acting, laughable dialogue, terrible soundtrack and a simple yet unrefined plot that makes little to no sense. Hell, even the costuming is bad (even for the 1980s). Really, there is not much worth talking about with this one  (except that there is some random nudity), unless it was truly written as a comedy (which I doubt). In the end, stay away from this one (unless you just love a cheesefest), sure it has a great title, but that is about where the greatness (and any good parts) end!

The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1971)

Today seems like a blur, my Hail and Farewell Breakfast, followed by my retirement ceremony practice. Wow, Monday is almost here, and I can move on to bigger and better things. Since I really have no life lately, I decided to sit back and watch yet another flick from the Pure Terror Collection; this entry is The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave from 1971.

Plot/ A wealthy English lord is suffering a mental breakdown following the death of his red-headed wife, Evelyn, whom he feared was cheating on him. He tours local bars and dives, scouring for lovely red-heads willing to come back to his decaying castle in the country, where he seduces them, then tortures and kills them.

This 1970s combination Gothic Horror / Giallo is quite an interesting flick; full of just enough os these cinematic influences to an enjoyable and creepy atmospheric film. Filmed on a lower budget, the movie boasts solid acting, some disturbing moments, a decent soundtrack, awesome cinematography and decent characterization. Yes, the storyline is simple and there are some pacing issues (especially through the first section of the film), but overall those flaws are rather minor.  Throw in the great combination of some intelligent murders and nudity and you have a winner. In the end, this is not a great film, but it is an entertaining and very good flick that should be watched if you get the chance.

Satan's Slave (1976)

After watching some decent movies, it was time to get myself prepared for this weeks episode of American Horror Story (I am bummed, I missed last weeks and that halted my weekly review – but I will catch up Monday). So, I decided to sit back and watch some Satanic / Reincarnation goodness with the 1976 entry Satan’s Slave (AKA Evil Heritage)

Plot/ A young girl is caught up in a devil cult run by her evil uncle and cousin. She can trust no one and even people she thought were dead comes back to haunt her.

This flick was definitely one that I enjoyed. Any time you get bizarre twists with some mind-provoking imagery couples with equal amounts of nudity and bloodshed, you should have a winner. This one had all of that and more. In fact, other than some minor pacing issues and some strange illogical story twists that were a bit confusing, everything else worked. The acting and characterization were solid, atmosphere was creepy, the cinematography was on point and the effects were decent considering the age of the film (love the head smashing and pin to the eye). More importantly, the ending was quite an enjoyable twist that was not expected. In the end, this 1976 film seems to stand as a marker for the tragic end of the Hammer Horror monopoly, demonstrating that society had tired of the Hammer blueprint, and quality gore, horror and supernatural movies could come from other studio's as well. Overall, I would definitely recommend this one to horror fans or fans of the 1970s, and the great thing is, it is available for less than full price on a few Mill Creek Box Sets… A Win-Win for all!  

The Embalmer AKA Monster of Venice (1965)

Last night after the bizarre Death Warmed up, I continued with the Pure Terror Collection by watching the 1965 entry The Embalmer (AKA The Monster of Venice).

Plot/ A crazed killer is on the loose in the catacombs of Venice, Italy. He stalks beautiful women, drags them to his underground lair, kills them, then stuffs them and adds them to his collection.

I definitely got the idea that this was an early example of what would eventually hit the more mainstream as a giallo. Unfortunately, while that was an interesting twist to discover, the film as it is does not deliver in any way. Truly the movie makes little sense (come on a frogman grabbing women in the canals of Venice). The movie suffers from off pacing, terrible acting and possibly the worst dubbing I have seen since Godzilla. I will admit that there are some suspenseful moments and the manikins do provide some creepy moments, not to mention that most of this was extremely taboo for 1965. While I can say I will not be watching this one again, fans of 1960s murder mysteries may enjoy it more than I did. Do not run out any purchase this one anytime soon!

Death Warmed Up (1984)

After deciding to take a break last night to watch Monday Night Football and Castle, I decided to jump back into my Pure Terror Collection with the 1984 import Death Warmed Up.

Plot/ Michael is hypnotized by a scientist to kill his parents and ends up in a mental institution. Years later, as a grown up, the boy returns to seek revenge over the scientist.

Honestly, I have no idea where to begin with this flick. It is so weird and incoherent, that even the parts that make sense may not really make any. The storyline is choppy, full of bizarre twists (motorcycles in the tunnels, really?) and enough plot holes to make it like Swiss cheese. Sure, there is a ton of violence and gore (OK, not the best special effects), in fact, some of the killings are actually pretty vicious (shotgun blast to the crotch has to hurt), couple that with a variety of Saw-like brain surgeries and unplanned impalements and you have plenty of blood to go around (and I have not mentioned zombies yet, yes, there are even zombies). Unfortunately, all of those moments cannot save the viewer from the totally unbelievable conglomeration filmed. Sure, there are some interesting camera angles, decent editing and a respectable soundtrack that really work within this one, but the terrible acting, poor characterization and totally laughable dialogue (and did I mention bizarre plot and poor effects?) really bring this one down. In the end, I have to admit that I enjoyed this flick on some levels (especially the ending, I did not see that coming) and I may watch it again to try to understand it. That being said, I cannot recommend anyone running out to buy this one, but if you have it as part of a cheap box set, go ahead and give it a whirl. It may not be perfect, but it will make you scratch your head and laugh at the same time.   

The Eerie Midnight Horror Show (1974)

As many know, I love 1970s exploitation and horror, and sometimes flicks come out that should have / could have been much better. One such flick is the Eerie Midnight Horror Show (AKA The Tormented, AKA The Sexorcist, AKA Enter the Devil)  from the Pure Terror Collection.

Plot/ The story in this horror movie revolves around a strange religious icon and the demonic sexual influence it exerts on a young art student. After a gory dream sequence in which the woman imagines being nailed to a cross herself, the statue eventually comes to life and begins to sexually torment her.

This is one frustrating movie. Created as an Italian rip off of The Exorcist, this film boasts some very good moments and actually some originality. Unfortunately, all of that ends about the halfway mark (roughly 46 minutes into it), that is when the awesome Italian exploitation, horror and originality end and the Exorcist begins. In fact, in those 46 minutes, the pacing, effects, story and acting are so believable and entertaining that you truly expect a masterpiece (the S&M with long stem roses, the crucifix coming to life and the random sexploitation are awesome!). Once the filmmakers lose track of that originality and focus on ripping off the Hollywood classic, the film becomes utter trash killing any interest that had been built by the genius of the first half of the movie. For serious horror and exploitation fans, I truly recommend the first 46 minutes of the movie. Sure, that will leave you wanting more, but so will watching the rest of the garbage that they added onto this one.

The Curse of Bigfoot (1978)

Now that my weekend at the New Jersey Zombie Walk and Undead Festival are done and I started reading the awesome book Silent Invasion by Stan Gordon that my mom picked up for me about the 1970s UFO/Bigfoot Flap in South Western Pennsylvania, I decided to do some Bigfoot watching of my own. Of course, here in New Jersey, it is mostly Jersey Devil hunting (although, that owl last night was pretty creepy here at the office). My selection is the 1978 (or 1858, I am so confused) campy entry The Curse of Bigfoot  from the Pure Terror Collection.  

Plot/ A group of high school students on an archaeological dig discover a century’s old mummified body in a sealed cave. Removing the mummy, it soon comes back to life, revealing itself to be an inhuman beast that terrorizes a small California town.

Incredibly, this made for television Bigfoot flick from the 1970s took almost 20 years to make. Really, this campy and entertaining stinkfest started out originally as the flick, Teenagers Battle the Thing in 1959 before morphing into this mess. Honestly, they should have left the footage alone instead of using it as a crazy flashback. Perfect for the vintage afternoon creature feature scene, this film is just BAD.  The acting is poor, the soundtrack does not match the scenes and the costuming creates probably the worst Bigfoot I have ever seen. Couple that with an unbelievable premise and some poor dialogue and you have the idea; bad, bad, bad. But, to be honest, all of that actually makes an entertaining flick (albeit for all the wrong reasons). If you are a fan of drive-in classics, creature features, camp or horror host specials this movie is definitely for you! All others stay far away!

The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)

With the New Jersey Undead Festival kicking off tomorrow night (I will be manning the ticket booth in the evening), I decided to get into mood by checking out some great zombies of a different kind. My selection is the campy 1960 Sci-Fi entry The Amazing Transparent Man from the Pure Terror Collection.  

Plot/ A crazed scientist invents an invisibility formula. He plans to use the formula to create an army of invisible zombies.

Ahhh, there is truly nothing like classic Saturday matinee Sci-Fi and Horror. Really, this was an era all its own, an era when movies were the focal part of entertainment regardless of the budget (and sometimes quality). This one falls directly into that category. Sure, you have to watch it with zero expectations and an open mind, but it remains an entertaining journey into the weird. Running close to an hour, the storyline has everything you could imagine and more, and it is all laughable. Actually, most of the film is laughable. The sets are beyond bad, the acting fluctuates from poor to way However, all those flaws scream classic low-budget camp and add up to some good entertainment for a Saturday Night Horror Host crowd. Not for everyone, but I totally recommend it to low-budget Sci-Fi fans.

The Thirsty Dead (1974)

After taking a day off to travel back to New Jersey, I decided to sit back and relax while I prepare for the New Jersey Zombie Walk and Undead Festival this weekend (not to mention my retirement which is a mere 10 days away). My movie selection for last evening was the 1974 action/adventure/horror flick The Thirsty Dead. 

Plot/ Beautiful young girls are kidnapped off the streets of Manila by a death cult that needs their blood to remain immortal.

When I looked at the promo booklet and noticed the PG rating, it kind of raised an eyebrow. With the movie being from 1974, to me that was unheard of in the horror genre from that era. I gave it a shot anyway (not really expecting much), and honestly was not taken in any way. Sure, it was not a horrible movie, but it also was not that great. There really were not any chills, thrills or scares, and certainly there was no terror. The acting was decent, the sets interesting and there was actually a tad bit of action scattered throughout (especially toward the end). However, with no blood, gore, language or nudity, it was more of an after school special than horror flick. I would definitely pass on this one unless you truly have no other options.