‘They walk. They talk. They kill.’

Dolls is a 1987 American-Italian horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, produced by Charles Band and Brian Yuzna and was written by Ed Naha. The movie stars Ian Patrick Williams, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Carrie Lorraine, Guy Rolfe and Hilary Mason.

Because Empire Pictures wanted the film to be more like Stuart Gordon‘s previous film, Re-Animator, additional gore footage was shot for the death of Rosemary. A shot was filmed where one doll used a pitchfork to pull out some of her intestines. The footage was eventually scrapped when the filmmakers decided that the scene didn’t really fit the overall tone of the movie.

Dolls was released on March 6, 1987, grossing $3.5 million worldwide against a reported budget of $2 million.

On November 11, 2014, Dolls was released as a Blu-ray Collector’s Edition by Scream Factory.

Buy: Amazon.com

• Toys of Terror: The Making of “Dolls”
• An all-new retrospective featuring interviews with Director Stuart Gordon, Producer Brian Yuzna, Stars Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Ian Patrick Williams, Executive Producer Charles Band, and Special Make-Up Effects Artists Gabe Bartalos, and John Vulich and more!
• Audio Commentary with director Stuart Gordon and writer Ed Naha
• Audio Commentary with cast members Stephen Lee, Ian Patrick Williams, Carolyn Purdy Gordon and Carrie Lorraine
• Storyboard-to-Film Comparison
• Theatrical Trailer
• Photo Gallery

Plot:

During a raging thunderstorm, six travellers arrive at the mansion of an elderly puppet-maker and his wife. It is eventually revealed that the puppet-maker’s puppets in the house are actually cursed immoral people who had been killed and imprisoned in puppet bodies for years in order to pay for their crimes…

Reviews:

“Dolls’ dark fairy tale aspect mixed with some surprising sharp character writing, fun effects and gore make a movie that really stands above the type of film you might expect from this era, with this subject matter.” Ain’t It Cool News

“The film’s delicate balance of dark fairytale and horror film tips towards the latter, but this is perhaps appropriate since its moral is directed at adults. Rolfe and Mason turn in appropriately warm yet authoritative performances […] while Bailey and Stuart are delightfully tacky.” DVD Drive-In

“We get clever dialogue and double meanings, puns and arch understatements, but so what, if we don’t care about the dolls? The haunted house looks magnificent, but so what, if it’s not haunted by great and frightening creatures? At some point Dolls remains only an idea, a concept.” Roger Ebert

“The best way to describe Dolls is as a fairy tale gone wrong. It’s a lively time and still holds up all these years later as an enjoyable time waster that just happened to be unfortunate enough to be wedged in between two of Gordon’s most beloved films.” Chris Hartley, The Video Graveyard

Cast and characters:

• Ian Patrick Williams … David Bower
• Carolyn Purdy-Gordon … Rosemary Bower
• Carrie Lorraine … Judy Bower
• Guy Rolfe … Gabriel Hartwicke
• Hilary Mason … Hilary Hartwicke
• Bunty Bailey … Isabel Prange
• Cassie Stuart … Enid
• Stephen Lee … Ralph Morris

Produced by: 

• Charles Band … executive producer
• Bruce Cohn Curtis … associate producer
• Debra Dion … associate producer
• Michael Wolf … associate producer
• Brian Yuzna … producer

Running time:

87 minutes

Production:

Principal photography was shot in Italy in 1985 before director Stuart Gordon’s next film, From Beyond. It was shot on the same sets, but released almost a year afterwards due to all the doll effects in post-production.

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Steve Dash – aka Steve Daskaiwisz – was an American actor and stunt person (March 14, 1944 – December 18, 2018). He is best known for playing Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981, wearing the sack) and Dr. Barkin in Alone in the Dark (1982).

“Monster Mania, the East Coast’s biggest horror con, is reporting that Steve Dash, who played Sack Jason in Friday the 13th: Part 2, passed away yesterday, December 18th 2018, due to complications stemming from a long battle with diabetes. Dash, who was a frequent guest at the popular con, was 74 years old at the time of his passing.”

Selected filmography:

• Emerging Past (as Detective Voorhees, 2011)
• Mr. Hush (as Mac, 2010)
• Equalizer 2000 (stunts, 1987) 
• Ghostbusters (stunt double for William Atherton – uncredited, 1984) 
• Alone in the Dark (Dr. Barkin … as Steven Daskawisz, 1982)
• Friday the 13th Part 2 (Jason Stunt Double … as Steve Daskawisz, 1981)
• Ms. 45 aka Angel of Vengeance  (Policeman … as Steve Daskaiwisz, 1981)

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Donald Moffat was a British born actor, best known for his roles in The Thing (1982), The Right Stuff (1983), The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) and Clear and Present Danger (1994).

Born December 26, 1930 in Plymouth, England, Moffat died on December 20, 2018 in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

Selected genre filmography:

Monster in the Closet  … General Turnbull – USA, 1986

The Twilight Zone ‘The Star’ – TV series, 1985

The Thing … Garry – USA, 1982

Exo-Man … Wallace Rogers – TV movie, USA, 1977

Logan’s Run – TV series, USA, 1977 – 1978

The Terminal Man – USA, 1974

The Devil and Miss Sarah – TV Movie, USA, 1972

Night Gallery ‘Pickman’s Model’ – TV series, USA, 1971

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‘The last day of the year… or the last day of your life!’

Bloody New Year – aka Time Warp Terror – is a 1986 (released 1987) British horror feature film directed by Norman J. Warren (Satan’s Slave; Terror; Inseminoid) from a screenplay co-written with Frazer Pearce.

The Hayden Pearce produced movie stars Suzy Aitchison, Nikki Brooks, Colin Heywood, Mark Powley, Catherine Roman and Julian Ronnie.

Plot:

Five shipwrecked English teenagers take refuge in an island hotel that is decorated ready for New Year’s celebrations. The problem is, it’s early summer, and soon enough, even the walls themselves are striking out against them…

Reviews:

“Bloody New Year’s biggest flaw is in actually attempting to find an explanation for the goings-on on Grand Island. While I’m prepared to accept that the crashing of an experimental plane might somehow be able to produce a time warp, I can’t really see how it could possibly turn a fishing net feral, or cause a table to sprout a monster from its midriff.” And You Call Yourself a Scientist!

“While Bloody New Year is a serviceably fun offering from Norman J. Warren, it doesn’t quite deliver all the mayhem and bloodshed we deserve. Sure, it has its moments, but the mood is never quite right. The hotel isn’t creepy or surreal enough…” Bleeding Skull!

“The film is missing several elements that make these ’80s bloodbaths fun […] Aside from a few memorable shots—particularly the fist through the sternum and chopped-off arm — Bloody New Year relies mainly on its all-out craziness to generate scares.” David Johnson, DVD Verdict

“It simply rushes you through scenes of ever escalating weirdness while employing creative (sometimes shoddy) DIY special effects that look like they were conceived of the day before shooting (by a genius). It’s like Jean Cocteau mixed with British children’s sci-fi programming and an episode of The Twilight Zone.” 30 Days of Horror

“I’ve never seen a movie give away all of it’s jump scares with the score before, but Bloody New Year does.” John Schatzer, Gutmunchers.com 

“Bloody New Year is wrong on so many levels, and by no means showcases director Norman J. Warren’s unique talents or prove a suitable swan song (he hasn’t directed since), but it’s incredibly imaginative for a film that clearly cost about sixty quid, and is enormously good fun, which is what it’s all about, really, isn’t it?” Island of Terror

“Even something like Inseminoid had pretty decent photography and production values (relatively speaking). All Bloody New Year can boast is a kitschy atmosphere and a well-worn concept involving a perpetual time warp, an old Twilight Zone standby…” Oh, the Horror!

” …the dime store make-up, with its fright wigs and putty scars, as well as a climactic scene that has the survivors clinging to a moving billiards table amongst a room full of ghostly beings, just come off amateurish, resembling an early MTV video trying to emulate Argento’s stormy style of colorful lighting and violence.” DVD Drive-In

“Ham handed acting rounds out this crapfest, making this an official beer night film to enjoy with all of your soused friends.” Cinema Fromage

“It’s an aimless excuse for a supernatural thriller, despite some scenes that manage to be fun. It really feels like he made a movie just for the sake of making a movie: no vision, no direction, little fun. It feels like by the time shooting commenced, Warren only had only written half the script, and the rest was made up on the spot as they went along.” Obscure Cinema 101

” …the movie never makes up it’s mind what it wants to be and quickly turns into a muddled mess […] not a whole lot of Bloody New Year makes much sense but it does have a few WTF moments that liven things up. There is one pretty cool scene where a chick gets sucked into an elevator wall as well as a random ass seaweed monster attack.” The Video Vacuum

Cast and characters:

• Suzy Aitchison … Lesley
• Nikki Brooks … Janet
• Daniel James … Spud (as Colin Heywood)
• Mark Powley … Rick
• Catherine Roman … Carol
• Julian Ronnie … Tom
• Steve Emerson … Dad
• Steve Wilsher … Ace
• Jon Glentoran … The Bear
• Val Graham … Housemaid
• David Lyn … Interviewer
• Rory H. MacLean … 1st Expert
• Nick Dowsett … 2nd Expert
• Steve Edison … Film Invader
• Roy Hill … Flying Cadillacs
• Chas Cronk … Cry No More band member
• Tony Fernandez … Cry No More band member
• Jenny Bayliss … Madame Zelda
• Ian May … Pilot
• Paul Barrett … Table Monster
• Victoria Smith … Snowball Girl

Buy: Amazon.com

Image credits: VHS Collector, Island of Terror and 30 Days of Horror for some images above.

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Waxwork Records is releasing the original motion picture soundtrack for The Prowler (1981) by Richard Einhorn. The movie is one of the early and seminal entries in the American slasher genre. It also features special effects by Tom Savini (Friday the 13th, Creepshow, Day of the Dead) and was directed by Joseph Zito (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter).

The film’s music by Richard Einhorn (Shock Waves; Don’t Go in the House) introduces the composer’s departure from the primitive, monophonic synth scoring of his earlier work, and implements a blend of orchestral cues and mature electronic soundscapes.

Waxwork Records worked with the composer to research and locate the master tapes that were thought to have been destroyed for decades. The tapes were restored, transferred, and the music was mixed, constructed into a cohesive soundtrack listening experience, and mastered specifically for vinyl.

This new, definitive double LP film score release of The Prowler features all of the film’s music composed by Richard Einhorn pressed to 180 gram Army Green Swirl with Rose Petal Red Splatter, new artwork by Ghoulish Gary Pullin, exclusive liner notes by director Joseph Zito, and a printed insert featuring Rosemary’s break-up letter. Order here

‘If you think you’re safe… you’re DEAD wrong!’

The Prowler is a 1981 American slasher horror feature film directed and co-produced by Joseph Zito (Abduction, Bloodrage, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) from a screenplay written by Glenn Leopold and Neal F. Barbera. It was filmed as The Graduation and also released as Rosemary’s Killer.

The movie stars Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Cindy Weintraub and Farley Granger as the sheriff.

Plot:

The end of the Second World War: newsreel footage of troops returning from Europe on board the Queen Mary. In a letter sent to her lover abroad, a woman named Rosemary writes that she can no longer wait for him.

On June 28, 1945 – Avalon Bay holds its graduation dance. G.I.s escort their girlfriends to the ball. Rosemary (Joy Glaccum) is attending with her new boyfriend Roy (Timothy Wahrer). The two go off and spend time together in a gazebo.

Ominously, someone approaches the couple. The stranger is wearing full combat gear and carrying a pitchfork. As Rosemary and Roy embrace, she looks up and sees the pitchfork over them. Rosemary screams and the stranger plunges it through the both of them.

Thirty five years later, the town prepares for another graduation dance…

Reviews:

“The performances are all way above par for an 80’s slasher, the score is wonderfully effective, and Tom Savini‘s visual effects are gruesomely convincing. The titular killer gets around in army fatigues and some sort of desert storm face covering. Whilst this is not as iconic as the kit that other 80’s slasher antagonists got around in, it’s still an effective way to keep the killer’s identity hidden until the movie’s finale…” Banned in Queensland

” …director Joseph Zito employs a very moody atmosphere, it is well shot with some gorgeous cinematography for a film of its ilk by Raoul Lomas and I think with more contribution from João Fernandes who is uncredited here and the musical score is filled with dread to a supreme effect. Above all else though, the big achievement here is the fantastic special makeup effects from maestro Savini.” Cinematic Shocks

“Uneven writing and a lack of originality aside, this is a competently made for what it is. And once it starts to settle down towards the end and our heroine has to face off against the killer by herself, the movie manages to actually generate some suspense. It’s also topped off with a Carrie-like final shock, which is surprisingly effective.” The Bloody Pit of Horror

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Cast and characters:

• Vicky Dawson as Pam MacDonald
• Christopher Goutman as Deputy Mark London
• Lawrence Tierney as Major Chatham
• Farley Granger as Sheriff George Fraser (So Sweet, So Dead)
• Cindy Weintraub as Lisa
• Lisa Dunsheath as Sherry
• David Sederholm as Carl
• Bill Nunnery as Hotel Clerk
• Thom Bray as Ben
• Diane Rode as Sally
• Bryan Englund as Paul
• Donna Davis as Miss Allison
• Carleton Carpenter as 1945 M.C
• Joy Glaccum as Francis Rosemary Chatham
• Timothy Wahrer as Roy
• John Seitz as Pat Kingsley
• Bill Hugh Collins as Otto
• Dan Lounsbery as Jimmy Turner
• Douglas Stevenson as Young Pat Kingsley
• Susan Monts as Young Pat Kingsley’s Date

Filming locations:

Cape May, New Jersey

Related:

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter – USA, 1984

More slashers

Tom Savini

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The Green Inferno – original title: Natura contra [“Contrary to Nature”] aka Cannibal Holocaust II – is a 1988 Italian action horror feature film directed by Antonio Climati (Sweet and Savage; This Violent World; Savage Man Savage Beast) from a screenplay co-written with Franco Prosperi, Federico Moccia and Lorenzo Castellano. The movie stars Mario Merlo, Fabrizio Merlo, May Deseligny, Pio Maria Federici and Bruno Corazzari.

Antonio Climati had no intention of making a sequel to Ruggero Deodato’s 1980 film and the Cannibal Holocaust II title was used by distributors of the film to cash-in on the success and notoriety of the earlier shocker. Ironically, Green Inferno was the working title for Cannibal Holocaust.

Certain scenes in Deodato’s 1980 movie have also been noted as being similar to scenes in Antonio Climati’s mondo film This Violent World (1976), specifically the scene in which the character Professor Monroe bathes sans clothes in the river and the scene of the abortion rite. The cinéma vérité style used heavily in Cannibal Holocaust was also used before in Climati’s first mondo film, Savage Man Savage Beast (1975) in a scene in which a tourist is attacked and killed by a pride of lions.

This was the last film directed by Climati, who had gained notoriety as a major player in the mondo ‘shockumentary’ film genre. Although fictional, the film deals with many common tropes of mondo films, including exotic customs and locales, and cruel violence.

In Tarantinoesque manner, Eli Roth re-used the title for his 2013 Italian-inspired jungle shocker, The Green Inferno.

British-based 88 Films is releasing Green Inferno on Blu-ray in 2019, date to be announced. Meanwhile, their remastered high definition trailer can be viewed below.

Plot:

Four friends head into the jungle to locate a lost professor but instead face off against treasure hunters who are torturing and killing natives…

Reviews:

“On paper an Italian jungle adventure film directed by someone of Climati’s exploitation pedigree sounds like a truly tantalising prospect, but for whatever reason his heart just doesn’t seem to have been in the project […] The Green Inferno is a thoroughly feeble, lifeless and tiresome Italian led trek up the Amazon, which even the most dedicated of Italian exploitation completists could probably live without embarking on.” Cult Movie Forums

“This film is surprisingly bad. Natura Contro came out after the cannibal genre had already lost its popularity, so it seems by this point Italians have completely forgotten how to make a cannibal film. The film is filled with countless subplots and idiotic characters.” Who The Real Cannibals Are

Cast and characters:

• Marco Merlo … Fred
• Fabrizio Merlo … Mark
• May Deseligny … Jemma Demien
• Pio Maria Federici … Pete
• Bruno Corazzari … Child Smuggler
• Roberto Ricci … Professor Korenz
• Jessica Quintero … Kuwala
• David Maunsell … River Fisherman
• Sasha D’Arc … Kuwala’s sister
• Roberto Alessandri … Head Hunter
• Sal Borgese … Juan Garcia (as Salvatore Borgese)

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

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Mary Lambert’s 1989 movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary is being released in the UK as a 30th Anniversary limited edition steelbook offering 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray versions. It will be available on March 23, 2019.

Disc One – 4K Ultra HD + special features:

• Fear and remembrance – A look back at this classic with the cast and crew of 2019’s Pet Sematary
• Revisitation – new interview with Mary Lambert. Director Mary Lambert shares memories of the movie
• Three new behind the scenes image galleries
• Including never before seen storyboards
• Commentary by director Mary Lambert

Disc 2 – Blu-ray disc + new and original special features:

• Stephen King Territory
• The characters
• Filming the Horror
• Commentary by Director Mary Lambert
• Fear and Remembrance
• Revisitation

‘Sometimes dead is better’

Pet Sematary – aka Stephen King’s Pet Sematary – is a 1989 supernatural American horror feature film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name. It was directed by Mary Lambert (Mega Python vs. Gatoroid; The Attic; Urban Legends: Bloody Mary) from a screenplay by King who also has a cameo role as a minister.

The movie stars Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Blaze Berdahl, Miko Hughes, Fred Gwynne (The Munsters), and Andrew Hubatsek.

A sequel, Pet Sematary II, was was also helmed by Mary Lambert but met with less financial and critical success.

In 2018, King’s novel was again adapted into a movie for a 2019 release.

Plot:

The Creed family moves into a new home, close to a road where high-speed truckers often carelessly drive by. They befriend their neighbour Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne) who tells them about a pet cemetery nearby.

Later, Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff), working at the University of Maine at Orono health center, treats Victor Pascow (Brad Greenquist), who’s been hit by a truck and has incurred massive head injuries. He dies on the examining table, but not before suddenly grabbing Louis, addressing him by name, and uttering a mysterious and cryptic message. He also promises to “come to” him. That night, in what is seemingly a dream, Victor visits Louis, warning him about the burial ground beyond the pet sematary. Louis wakes up to find his feet covered in dirt.

Church, a British Shorthair cat owned by Louis’ daughter Ellie (Blaze Berdahl), is run over by a truck on the road in front of their house while Rachel (Denise Crosby), Ellie, and Gage (Miko Hughes) are in Chicago. Jud takes Louis to an ancient Micmac Indian burial ground beyond the pet cemetery they visited earlier. He buries the cat underneath a cairn.

Church is brought back to life, but is an evil shell of himself. He attacks Louis and reeks of decomposition. Jud tells Louis about the grounds. Louis asks if a person was ever buried in the grounds. Jud is clearly upset by the question, knocks over some beer bottles, and forcefully exclaims “Christ on His throne, no. And whoever would?” But that is a lie, as Jud later reveals to Louis…

Reviews:

“The plot alone would make for a scary movie, but by injecting excellent atmosphere, capable acting and generally nightmarish scenes, Pet Sematary is a truly effective horror flick and well worth the price of admission.” Bloody Disgusting

“Pet Sematary marks the first time Stephen King has adapted his own book for the screen, and the result is undead schlock dulled by a slasher-film mentality – squandering its chilling and fertile source material” Variety, December 31, 1988

Cast and characters:

• Dale Midkiff …. Louis Creed
• Fred Gwynne … Jud Crandall
• Denise Crosby … Rachel Goldman-Creed
• Miko Hughes … Gage Creed
• Blaze Berdahl … Ellie Creed
• Brad Greenquist … Victor Pascow
• Michael Lombard … Irwin Goldman
• Susan Blommaert … Missy Dandridge
• Mara Clark … Marcy Charlton
• Kavi Raz … Steve Masterton
• Mary Louise Wilson … Dory Goldman
• Andrew Hubatsek … Zelda Goldman
• Lisa Stathoplos … Jud’s mother
• Stephen King … Minister
• Chuck Courtney … Bill Baterman
• Peter Stader … Timmy Baterman

Filming locations:

Pet Sematary was filmed in Maine. The house used for the Creeds’ home is a private residence near Hancock, while Jud’s house across the street was actually a facade constructed around an existing house that was insulated with fireproof material so that the mock-up could be burned around it. The approach to the Micmac burial ground was filmed at an abandoned granite quarry on Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, while a hilltop near Sedgwick was the site of the Micmac ground itself. Other locations included a forest near Ellsworth for the pet sematary, the hospital of the University of Maine at Orono, and Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor for the graveyard scenes.

Running time:

103 minutes

Release:

The film grossed $57 million in North America. Released in 1989 by Paramount Home Video, Pet Sematary was a best-selling video. Paramount released it on DVD in 2006 and on Blu-ray in 2012.

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‘Nothing can stop them, no one can help you. They know who you are.’

The Believers is a 1987 American supernatural horror feature film directed by John Schlesinger (Pacific Heights; Marathon Man) from a screenplay by Mark Frost (Twin Peaks, Scared Stiff), based on the 1982 novel The Religion by Nicholas Conde. The Orion Pictures production stars Martin Sheen, Robert Loggia and Helen Shaver.

Plot:

Following the seemingly accidental death of his wife Lisa by electrocution in Minneapolis (she touches a malfunctioning coffeemaker while standing barefoot in a pool of spilled milk), psychologist Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) moves to New York City with his son Chris (Harley Cross).

Cal finds employment as a police psychologist for the New York City Police Department. One of his patients is officer Tom Lopez, who worked undercover in infiltrating a cult and now lives in fear of the cultists.

Meanwhile, a series of brutal, ritualistic child murders, supposedly committed by members of a Hispanic cult practising a malevolent version of brujería, is occurring. The paranoid ramblings of Lopez start seeming relevant to the case…

Reviews [may contain spoilers]:

“What is initially a relatively subtle examination of primitive beliefs versus high-falutin’ rationalism devolves into pure Grand Guignol, with silly fight scenes and a frenzied hyperbolism that may actually provoke laughter in the more cynically minded.” Jeffrey Kaufman, Blu-ray.com

” …The Believers is well-crafted schlock that’s also deceptively heady. It might not have much to say about faith, nor does it ever quite shake its xenophobia, but it does make for a good reminder that the worst devils often wear a suit and tie.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

” …the closing act is where any cracks begin to show. Whilst never less than tense and jam-packed with incident, it never quite goes for the jugular in the manner in which is hinted and can be accused of playing it safe, as opposed to truly obliterating our fraying last nerves…” Rivers of Grue

“Once we get to the half-way point in the movie and the basics of the plot are properly established and characters properly developed, the movie goes for the ‘too much of a good thing’ approach and what started as a cerebral occult thriller quickly becomes too over the top to really work.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

“Featuring some taut direction, an urbanely creepy atmosphere, and a few memorable scares (such as poor Shaver’s face erupting with spider ants), The Believers is surely worth mentioning. However, a predictable climax and shallow post-script ending keep it from ranking with the great films of the ’70s that seem to have inspired it.” The Terror Trap

“It’s not all scary, but there’s one good bit where this bubo on a woman’s cheek bursts open and all these itsy bitsy spiders scurry out. The real mystery is what Schlesinger and Sheen are doing making this schlock.” Mark Sanderson, Time Out London

“Clocking in at nearly two hours, The Believers is overlong and clunky. The opening sets the stage nicely, but it just gets weaker and dumber as it goes along.  Like any ‘80s movie, it all ends with a showdown in an abandoned boiler room.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

“Sometimes, Believers achieves the pervading paranoia-inducing mood it aims for, mostly because the plot is so bloody vague, and Schlesinger fills the film with relics, crucifixes, flower petals and — you know — symbols. But the film foreshadows elements that never reappear.” Desson Howe, The Washington Post, June 12, 1987

Cast and characters:

• Martin Sheen … Cal Jamison
• Helen Shaver … Jessica Halliday – Poltergeist: The Legacy TV show; Tremors 2; The Craft; The Amityville Horror; Starship Invasions
• Harley Cross … Chris Jamison
• Robert Loggia … Lieutenant Sean McTaggert
• Jimmy Smits … Tom Lopez
• Malick Bowens … Palo
• Elizabeth Wilson … Kate Maslow
• Harris Yulin … Robert Calder – Ghostbusters II
• Lee Richardson … Dennis Maslow
• Richard Masur … Marty Wertheimer
• Carla Pinza … Carmen Ruiz
• Janet-Laine Green … Lisa Jamison
• Raúl Dávila … Oscar Sezine
• Geoffrey Kellett … Paramedic

Technical credits:

114 minutes | Dolby | 1.85:1 aspect ratio

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The post The Believers – USA, 1987 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘There’s no place left to hide.’

Scared Stiff is a 1987 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Richard Friedman (DarkWolf; Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge; Doom Asylum); Tales from the Darkside – four episodes) from a screenplay co-written with Mark Frost and producer Daniel F. Bacaner. The movie stars Andrew Stevens, Mary Page Keller, David Ramsey and Josh Segal.

Arrow Video is releasing Scared Stiff on Blu-ray via a brand new 2K restoration on April 22nd, 2019.

• Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements
• Original uncompressed Stereo audio
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary with director Richard Friedman, producer Dan Bacaner and film historian Robert Ehlinger
• Mansion of the Doomed: The Making of Scared Stiff – brand new documentary featuring interviews with Richard Friedman, Dan Bacaner, Robert Ehlinger, actors Andrew Stevens and Joshua Segal, special effects supervisor Tyler Smith and special effects assistants Jerry Macaluso and Barry Anderson
• Brand new interview with composer Billy Barber
• Image Gallery
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
• Limited edition O-card featuring original Graham Humphreys artwork
• Fully illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing on the film by James Oliver

Plot:

Singer Kate Christopher (Mary Page Keller) moves into an old colonial mansion with her son and psychologist boyfriend David (Stevens). However, when they make a strange and gruesome discovery in the boarded-up attic, it soon becomes clear that the mansion carries with it a dark and blood-stained past – and one that is about to terrorise them in the present…

Reviews:

“Andrew Stevens is woodenly amusing as the psychiatrist bad guy and director Richard Friedman (Doom Asylum) shoots the film well enough […] It’s all pretty cheesy.” 80s Horror Central

“Scared Stiff is definitely a film that most B horror fans should venture into seeing. It literally has everything. Horrible editing, awful acting, a script that goes nowhere, off the wall gore (at the end), and an incredible silly ending!” CMR Keyboardist

“Everything in the film is written to cliche – the heroine with the psychiatric history who is unsure whether she is seeing things or not, the banal hauntings, the house with the tortured past. In just about every way, Scared Stiff resembles a TV movie ghost story.” Moria

” …there are some suitably gooey monster makeup, and an exposed brain gag that I really loved. The effects are enthusiastically gross and the story unleashes them by the truckload during the totally bonkers finale. Scared Stiff tricks you into thinking it’s a horror movie when it’s really 83 minutes of the purest nonsense thrown at you.” Outpost Zeta

“Like the Freddy pictures there’s a bunch of really elaborate, gooey latex effects. A couple of them (like the talking puppet version of the hanging house painter) have a cartoonish look that reminds me of Beetlejuice or the early Peter Jackson stuff.” Vern’s Reviews

Cast and characters:

• Andrew Stevens … David Young – 10 to Midnight; The Fury
• Mary Page Keller … Kate Christopher
• David Ramsey … George Masterson
• Josh Segal … Jason
• Bill Hindman … Dr. Ben Brightman (as William M. Hindman)
• Jackie Davis … Detective Whitcomb (as Jakie Davis)
• Nicole Fortier … Elizabeth Masterson
• Brian Smith … Director
• Tony Shepherd … Wally
• Tom Kouchalakos … Michael Murphy
• Jennifer Hingel … Jennifer
• Richard Jason … Elizabeth’s Son
• Pete Conrad … Short Man
• Carol Gun … Sherry
• Ellen Simmons … Claire
• Chris Gilbert … Mover

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Dick Miller, the legendary actor who most famously played would-be beatnik artist Walter Paisley in Roger Corman’s A Bucket of Blood (1959), has died aged ninety years-old. Miller is survived by his wife Lainie, daughter Barbara, and granddaughter Autumn.

Born in the Bronx on December 25, 1928, Miller settled in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s, where he was noticed by producer/director Roger Corman. His association with Corman, which began with movies such as Apache Woman (1955) and It Conquered the World (1956) would lead to many more notable appearances in the prolific filmmaker’s movies such as The Undead (1957) The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and The Terror (1963). Sometimes he was credited as Richard Miller.

Corman’s protégés furthered the connection over the rest of the cult actor’s lengthy career, with him often using the same character name, Walter Paisley, that made him famous in cameo roles. Hollywood Boulevard (1976) The Howling (1981), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and Chopping Mall (1986) all have Miller playing Walter Paisley.

Indeed, Miller’s final role in the upcoming comedy slasher movie Hanukkah has him playing the character one last time, this time as a rabbi! His parents, Isidor and Rita Miller, were Russian Jewish immigrants.

However, most mainstream audience will probably know Dick Miller for his roles in Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins: II: The Second Batch (1990) as the go-to-it neighbour named Murray Futterman. It is his character who first warns Billy of the potential dangers of the gremlins.

Ultimately, Murray’s home is destroyed by the mischievous monsters, with an implication that and his wife died in the monster mayhem. However, both characters were so popular they would return in the sequel, with Miller taking on an even bigger role battling the beasties. Although he’s best known as Walter Paisley, Murray Futterman runs that a close second.

Ultimately, whatever movie Dick Miller appeared in, the final product gained massively from his involvement, even if he had just a minor walk on part. He is particularly memorable in The Terminator, The ‘Burbs, Matinee and Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight.

Selected filmography:

• Hanukkah … Rabbi Walter Paisley (2018)
• Burying the Ex … Crusty Old Cop (2014)
• The Hole … Pizza Delivery Guy (2007)
• Trail of the Screaming Forehead … Eddie (2007)
• Trapped Ashes … Max (story segments “Wraparound”) (2006)
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action … Security Guard (2003)
• Route 666 … Bartender (2001)
• Small Soldiers … Joe (1998)
• Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight … Uncle Willy (1995)
• Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 Women … Officer Murphy (1994)
• Matinee … Herb Denning (1993)
• Amityville 1992: It’s About Time … Mr. Andersen (1992)
• Evil Toons … Burt (1991)
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch … Murray Futterman (1990)
• Ghost Writer … Club Manager 1989
• Freddy’s Nightmares (TV series) … Al Kramer (1989)
• The ‘Burbs … Garbageman 1988
• Angel III: The Final Chapter … Nick Pellegrini (1988)
• Innerspace … Cab Driver (1987)
• Night of the Creeps … Walt (1986)
• Chopping Mall … Walter Paisley (1986)
• Amazing Stories (TV series – ‘The Greibble’)  … Fred (1986)
• After Hours … Waiter (1985)
• Explorers … Charlie Drake (1985)
• Tales from the Darkside (TV series) … Seymour Furman (1985)
• The Terminator … Pawn Shop Clerk (1984)
• Gremlins … Murray Futterman (1984)
• V: The Final Battle (TV mini-series) … Dan Pascal (1984)
• Space Raiders … Crazy Mel (1983)
• Twilight Zone: The Movie … Walter Paisley – segment ‘It’s a Good Life’ (1983)
• White Dog … Animal Trainer (1982)
• Heartbeeps … Factory Watchman (1981)
• The Howling … Walter Paisley, Bookstore Owner (1981)
• Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype … Irsil / Orson (1980)
• Rock ‘n’ Roll High School … Police Chief (1979)
• Piranha … Buck Gardner (1978)
• Hollywood Boulevard … Walter Paisley (1976)
• Death Race 2000  … Chicken Gang (1975)
• The Trip … Cash (1967)
• X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes … Heckler (1963)
• The Terror … Stefan (1963)
• The Premature Burial … Mole (1961)
• The Little Shop of Horrors … Fouch (1960)
• A Bucket of Blood … Walter Paisley (1959)
• War of the Satellites … Dave Boyer (1958)
• The Undead … The Leper (1957)
• Not of This Earth … Joe Piper (1957)
• It Conquered the World … Sgt. Neil (1956)

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Actress Julie Adams has died aged ninety-two. She is best known to horror fans as the love interest of the Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Confirmation of her demise came from Ricou Browning, the actor who played the Gill-Man in the underwater scenes for Universal’s iconic monster movie.

Adams died early on Sunday in Los Angeles, her son Mitch Danton told The Hollywood Reporter. In more than six decades in film and on television, Adams also starred with the likes of Elvis Presley, Dennis Hopper and John Wayne. Her TV roles included The Jimmy Stewart Show in the 1970s – playing Stewart’s wife – and 1960s detective series Perry Mason.

Born in Iowa in 1926, Betty May Adams moved a lot as a child before heading to Hollywood. As regards other genre appearances, she was also in Psychic Killer (1975), The Fifth Floor (1978), Black Roses (1988), the Night Gallery TV series (‘The Miracle at Camafeo’ episode, 1972), One Step Beyond TV series (1959), and three episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

But it is as the swooning Kay Lawrence in Creature from the Black Lagoon that she will most fondly be remembered by horror fans. As a publicity stunt, Universal Studios once even declared her legs “the most perfectly symmetrical in the world” and insured them for $125,000.

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‘If you scream… you’re dead.’

Night of the Creeps is a 1986 American science fiction horror feature film written and directed by Fred Dekker (The Predator; The Monster Squad). The movie stars Tom Atkins (Apocalypse Kiss; The Fog; Halloween III), Jason Lively, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow.

Scream Factory is releasing Night of the Creeps as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on May 28, 2019 . The package will feature a reversible sleeve with the original VHS cover artwork on one side and the original poster on the other.

Additionally, a deluxe edition will include a NECA eight-inch action figure of Detective Cameron (Tom Atkins’ character); a poster (18 x 24 inches) featuring artwork by Devon Whitehead plus and a second slipcover with Whitehead’s art. The deluxe edition is limited to 3,000 and is only available to order via Shout Factory

The Collector’s Edition will include both the theatrical cut and the director’s cut. Full details will be announced nearer the release date, although it is certain that all previous Blu-ray extras will be included, plus additional new extras.

Plot:

In 1959, an alien experiment crashes to earth and infects a fraternity member. They freeze the body, but in the modern day, two geeks pledging a fraternity accidentally thaw the corpse, which proceeds to infect the campus with parasites that transform their hosts into killer zombies…

Reviews:

“Too  bad it doesn’t have a single original idea […] Atkins (Cameron) is very good as the hard-edged unorthodox cop, and is supported by a decent teen cast […] Above average for its type.” John Stanley, Creature Features, Berkley, 2000

” …it’s an energetic, enjoyable mishmash of standard B-level science fiction themes, action buddy film antics, syrupy youth movie influences (the budding romance between Chris and Cynthia) and of course, the fact that parasitic-controlled zombies are thrown in doesn’t hurt it any (you also get to witness a zombified cat and dog!).” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“I certainly know this is not a great movie, not fine cinema, and it still has a decidedly campy, horror vibe that is obviously from the ’80s. Nonetheless, if you give it a chance you’ll find it fun, gory, and compelling. It’s a great flick that deserves its cult status, but it also deserves more.” Eric Profancik, DVD Verdict

“This is an overall great flick that suffers only from some cheap looking f/x as a result of the year/decade it was made in. Good horror-comedy hybrids are almost impossible to find, and this one is the best. Dekker merges the sci-fi, horror, comedy, and thriller genres into one seamless movie that you will watch over and over again.” Goregirl’s Dungeon

” …Night of the Creeps may not have been the scariest or goriest film to claw its way out of the neon blur that was 1980s, but it sure was the most fun. And I can totally see why I watched it so many times back in the day when I did nothing but fondle my malnourished puppy. The way it combined the gratuitous nudity and frat boy shenanigans of your average teenage party movie, with the walking corpses and exploding heads of an intergalactic zombie epic, was obviously very appealing…” House of Self-Indulgence

“Night of the Creeps is unpretentious and nostalgic bliss for those who enjoy a good old fashioned B movie. Viewers will no doubt enjoy the plethora of in-jokes and references to other fan favourites. Even those who aren’t complete horror geeks will still get a kick out of this irresistibly barmy and no holds barred romp.” James Gracey, No Holds Barred

“Its chief drawback is that it’s far too leisurely paced so that the real Night of the Living Dead-style menace doesn’t occur until too late in the day (or night) to truly be to the film’s advantage. That said, Dekker exhibits welcome imagination in what is your basic zombie science fiction flick from this decade.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“It’s little wonder why Creeps is (generally) so overrated as a cult fave: the broad humor, sub-jarhead one liners and over-the-top action (relatively new in the mid ’80s) would echo the tone of horror for the next two decades.” The Terror Trap

“Neither Dekker’s sloppy direction nor the cheapo make-up and effects do justice to the hand-me-down but sporadically lively script. Not the most sophisticated or scary horror film of the year, perhaps, but enjoyable enough in a ramshackle sort of way.” Nigel Floyd, Time Out

Choice dialogue:

Detective Cameron: “I got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here.”
Sorority Girl: “What’s the bad news?”
Detective Cameron: “They’re dead.”

Trivia:

Though not shown theatrically upon its original release, the original ending showed Chris and Cynthia standing in front of the burning sorority house, then moved to the street where police cars race down the street.

The charred and ‘zombified’ Cameron is shuffling down the street when he suddenly stops and falls to the ground. His head explodes and the slugs scamper out and head into a cemetery, as the spaceship from the beginning of the film has returned with the aliens intending to retrieve their experiment.

Releases:

On 15 October 2018, Night of the Creeps was released in the UK as a dual Blu-ray and DVD combo by Eureka! Entertainment.

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk

• High-definition remaster of the director’s cut
• Original stereo soundtrack and 5.1 surround audio options, presented in PCM and DTS-HD MA respectively on the Blu-ray
• Audio commentary by writer/director Fred Dekker
• Audio commentary by actors Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow
• Thrill Me: Making Night of the Creeps: an hour-long series of video pieces on the making of the film featuring new interviews with cast and crew
• Tom Atkins: Man of Action featurette
• Video Interview with Fred Dekker
• Deleted Scenes
• Original theatrical ending
• Trivia track subtitles
• Theatrical trailer
• Limited-edition booklet featuring a new essay by critic Craig Ian Mann
• Limited Edition O-Card slipcase

Cast and credits:

• Jason Lively … Chris – The Possessed; Ghost Chase; Brainstorm
• Steve Marshall … J.C.
• Jill Whitlow … Cynthia – Swamp Thing TV series; Freddy’s Nightmares TV series: Twice Dead; Ghost Chase
• Tom Atkins … Ray Cameron – Apocalypse Kiss; Halloween III; Creepshow; The Fog
• Wally Taylor … Detective Landis – Escape from New York; When a Stranger Calls
• Bruce Solomon … Sgt. Raimi – The Twilight Zone TV series ‘Monsters’;
• Vic Polizos … Coroner – C.H.U.D.
• Allan J. Kayser … Brad
• Ken Heron … Johnny
• Alice Cadogan … Pam
• June Harris … Karen
• David Paymer … Young Scientist
• David Oliver … Steve
• Evelyne Smith … House Mother
• Ivan E. Roth … Psycho Zombie

Image credits: House of Self-Indulgence

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‘Alone… terrified… trapped like an animal. Now she’s fighting back with the only weapon she has… herself!’

The Seduction is a 1982 American psychological thriller feature film written and directed by David Schmoeller (Netherworld; Puppet Master; Crawlspace; Tourist Trap). It was produced by Irwin Yablans (Halloween, 1978) and Bruce Cohn Curtis (Hell Night). The Romantic Venture/Avco Embassy production stars Morgan Fairchild, Michael Sarrazin, Vince Edwards, Andrew Stevens, Colleen Camp, and Kevin Brophy.

Lalo Schifrin (Tales of Halloween; The Manitou; Eye of the Cat; et al) composed the soundtrack score and Dionne Warwick sang the title theme song.

The Seduction is released on Blu-ray on May 21 via Scream Factory. Extras are in progress and will be announced at a later date.

Plot:

Los Angeles-based anchorwoman Jamie Douglas (Morgan Fairchild) seemingly has it all: a glamorous career on a top-rated news show, a luxurious house in the hills, and a devoted young fan named Derek (Andrew Stevens).

However, when Jamie rebuffs his romantic advances, Derek becomes a stalker who plays out an increasingly psychotic courtship with the frightened newswoman. Soon, he is threatening every part of her life, secretly watching even her most intimate moments and her tough-talking lover (Michael Sarrazin) can’t console her.

A by-the-book cop (Vince Edwards) can’t protect her either. But Jamie is far from helpless. She’s ready to fight back with all the weapons at her command…

Reviews:

Aside from Stevens, who gives a surprisingly solid performance as the psycho, the other primary actors (Fairchild included) are left to flounder their way through this mess […] The bulk of the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Schmoeller, whose poor direction and script manage to bring out the absolute worst in his performers…” The Bloody Pit of Horror

“A sudsy, terribly written, horribly acted time capsule of the early ’80s era of blow-drying and huge sunglasses. Amid the froth, however, there is one inspired scene where Stevens sneaks a dark message onto the news teleprompter. Fairchild’s hysterical (in every sense of the word) on-air breakdown is an unqualified highlight.” Horror 101 with Dr. AC

” …it’d like to be a Hitchcock type thriller, but it doesn’t have the class, or the devilish plot twists to pull that off. … It fails as a slasher movie or even an exploitation flick- think Knots Landing crossed with Straw Dogs (with added lip gloss) […] The Seduction is a 24 carrot yawner- a fore-runner to all those Shannon Tweed movies and nothing else.” Hysteria Lives

“There is also an extraordinary hypocrisy to the film. It is in large part set up around a prurient appealing to the same voyeuristic desires in its audience that it condemns in Andrew Stevens’ character on screen. Much time is spent languishing over the naked or near-naked body of Morgan Fairchild and a large part of the appeal the film has is set up around seeing this...” Richard Scheib, Moria

“When The Seduction finally stops the teasing, and gets down to the action, it’s not bad at all. But unfortunately, we’re only talking the last ten minutes of the movie. When Fairchild prepares to battle Stevens (by first getting naked for us—thank you—and then slipping into a slinky black negligee with full makeup), The Seduction at last kicks into gear.” Movies & Drinks

“The Seduction is a glossy vanity production. But it’s hardly an effective thriller. The performances are wooden, the pacing slipshod, and much of the action seems focused on getting Fairchild to undress. None of it’s ever very good, but to be fair, it’s also not the absolute bottom of the barrel.” The Terror Trap

“Fairchild was good as the terrorized TV star and wasn’t shy about skinny dipping in her pool or taking baths. Stevens was suitably twisted as the tormented voyeur who stops at nothing to win the object of his affection. He also bought a sense of vulnerability to the character…” The Video Graveyard

“Why the heck is it even called The Seduction?  Stevens doesn’t seduce Fairchild, he stalks her. I guess you could make a case that Fairchild seduces him in order to lure him to her house so she can get her revenge, but I’m not convinced. ” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Cast and characters:

• Morgan Fairchild … Jamie Douglas
• Michael Sarrazin … Brandon – The Reincarnation of Peter Proud; Frankenstein: The True Story; Eye of the Cat
• Vince Edwards … Maxwell – Return to Horror High
• Andrew Stevens … Derek – The Fury
• Colleen Camp … Robin
• Kevin Brophy … Bobby – Hell Night
• Wendy Smith Howard … Julie
• Woodrow Parfrey … Store Salesman
• Betty Kean … Mrs. Caluso
• Joanne Linville … Dr. Weston
• Marii Mak … Lisa (as Marri Mak)
• Richard Reed … Floor Manager
• Bob DeSimone … Photographer (as Robert De Simone)
• Michael Griswold … News Anchorman
• Marilyn Staley … Newscaster
• Diana Rose … Mrs. Wilson
• Shailar Schmoeller … Ricky Wilson
• Marilyn Wolf … Waitress
• Jeffrey Richman … Technical Director
• Cathryn Hartt … Teleprompter Girl
• Brinke Stevens … Sauna client (uncredited)

Related:

Eyes of a Stranger – USA, 1981

Visiting Hours – Canada, 1982

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‘There is no defence.’

Wolfen is a 1981 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Michael Wadleigh from a screenplay co-written with David Eyre and [uncredited] Eric Roth. It is an adaptation of Whitley Strieber’s 1978 novel The Wolfen. It was co-produced by Wadleith [uncredited] and Rupert Hitzig (Jaws 3-D). The movie stars Albert Finney (Night Must Fall), Diane Venora, Gregory Hines and Edward James Olmos.

The film’s soundtrack score was composed by James Horner (Humanoids from the Deep; Deadly Blessing; Aliens). The special effect makeup  was provided by Carl Fullerton.

Plot:

A disused church in the Bronx proves to be central to a string of savage murders in the area, which seem to be the work of a huge pack of wolves.

Detective Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is assigned to track down the urban lycanthropes. Wilson enlists the help of a criminal psychologist (Diane Verona) and the city’s coroner (Gregory Hines) and together they discover that an ancient Native American legend, about a satanic group of changelings known as the Wolfen, is in fact true…

Reviews:

“As a whole, the film is damn solid, with a unique take on the werewolf concept, but I could easily see horror fans growing tired of the procedural-like plot and/or not quite digging the not-quite-werewolf schtick.  It’s well worth a watch if wolves are your bag or you like the darker crime thrillers out there.” Kyle Saubert, Allusions of Grandeur

“Wolfen is definitely an interesting horror movie with a different perspective.  The horror builds nicely and the movie is very tense.  You might be expecting a true werewolf movie when you see the title, but with Wolfen, you get something entirely unexpected.” JP Roscoe, Basement Rejects

“After seeing it on first release, Wolfen has remained a memorable and repeatable experience. As much for the gritty approach (the matter-of-fact pathology lab scene is full of edgy moments) as the locations and ideas. Like a leftover eco-thriller from the 70s, a Soylent Green set in modern day.” Mark Hodgson, Black Hole

“Marvellous contemporary reinvention of the classic werewolf myth; taken initially from an excellent source novel by Whitley Streiber, though it’s clear that director Wadleigh and co-screenwriter David Eyre took a degree of creative license – retaining only about 50% of the source novella and managed to inject a whole new series of themes…” Digital Retibution

“Wolfen goes through the paces of a typical detective thriller, but I’ll bet you’ve never seen anything like it … My mother calls Wolfen ‘a werewolf movie from the werewolf’s point of view,’ and that’s not a bad take on it, since the homicidal title creatures are in essence the good guys of the piece.” Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central.

“…a case of a director’s pretensions toward making a big message overbearing an idea to the point of ludicrousness. Certainly, Wadleigh creates an often haunted atmosphere, suggesting animals constantly lurking and creeping through the shadows. The solarised and Steadicam shots supposedly from the wolves’ point-of-view were novel at the time the film was made.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The performers are all fine, but it’s the film’s otherworldly look and sound that give Wolfen the frequently stunning effect it has. Not since Nicholas Roeg’s Don’t Look Back has there been such a beautifully mounted and designed scare movie […] Wolfen is so good-looking that one tends to ignore a certain but very real inner vacuity.” Vincent Canby, The New York Times

“Wolfen is a thriller that doesn’t quite fit easily into a defined genre. It plays primarily as horror, but as the mystery as to what is behind the killings unravels, thriller and fantasy elements begin to take over. It’s an uneven experience, but does have its rewards…” Vince Leo,  QWipster’s Movie Reviews

” …the releasing studio, United Artists, which would have preferred a sleazy exploitation picture (and is releasing Wolfen as if it were one). That’s a shame. Love, thought, care and craftsmanship have gone into this film, which is now, so to speak, being thrown to the wolves.” Roger Ebert

” …the cinematography was excellent throughout, with Wadleigh taking full advantage of the widescreen compositions, which was all very well but remained creaking under the weight of the director’s right-on messages. Plenty found much to resist about Wolfen at the time, not least the studio, but over the years its idiosyncrasies have brought it a well-deserved interest.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“Maximizing the harshness of the urban ghetto that serves as its backdrop – and dotting it with creatures who only attack because they’re protecting their turf – Wolfen forgoes a dramatic ‘transformation scene’ in favor of a well-handled socio-political message. But gorehounds, don’t be disheartened: there’s plenty of red stuff afoot here…” Terror Trap

“Instead of reducing itself to a creature feature, serial killer thriller or cop procedural, the script is an artful combination of all three, layering a deeper message about man’s precarious relationship with the environment. Wolfen has a bold visual sheen and breathtaking production value as well…” This Distracted Globe

“From a cinematography viewpoint, Wolfen has some impressive scenes, particularly those of the Manhattan landscape. For a city that doesn’t sleep, the streets as they’re filmed here are barren, with lots of shadows […] I also love seeing New York City in the early 80’s, where most of the Bronx and Brooklyn looked like war zones.” Leonard Wilson, Through the Shattered Lens

“The setting is two New Yorks: that of the multinational, politically-amoral corporations, and that of the slum wastelands, both with the same landlords. The camera’s vision is a fresh one, and though the wolf’s eye view sequences threaten at first to become a nuisance, they are soon justified as a dramatic device, and ultimately as essential to the plot.” Time Out

“Wolfen is an intelligent, insightful, and visually creative twist on the werewolf legend. Although occasionally preachy, it is a fascinating horror tale that is as engrossing as it is horrifying. The visual effects are sensational, introducing to the screen a previously unseen “Wolfen vision” that, through a variety of optical printing techniques, conveys the wolves’ heightened awareness of heat, smell, movement, and texture.” TV Guide

“Wadleigh creates a surreal point-of-view for the killers that works effectively, accented by handy digital sound. Overall, Paul Sylbert’s production design is also a major plus. Add to that a splendid performance by Finney and a solid film debut for Diane Venora as his psychologist sidekick.” Variety

“This was way more intelligent than I was expecting going in and while it does have some mild comic relief courtesy of Hines things are played completely straight. Its solid performances and smart script […] elevate this to a level rarely seen amongst (were) wolves. I loved the way Wadleigh staged the wolf perspective (yes, it does feel like Predator – six years beforehand)…” The Video Graveyard

“It plays on the typical werewolf movie and adds its own distinctive twist, it uses stunningly ugly locales to create a near fantasy realm in New York City, and it even manages to decapitate nearly every single actor in the film. All of those help make up for the mistakes you’ll encounter throughout the film, because while Wolfen will take you on an incredible journey…” Matt Gamble, Where the Long Tail Ends

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

“There are small problems as well, such as overuse of solarised effects to signify “wolf view”, obvious gratuitous gore, and clichéd false alarms that turn out to be cats or birds. Michael Wadleigh is a competent director, and particularly good at spotting dynamic “found” images, but his virtues cannot overcome the screenplay’s built-in flaws.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

Cast and characters:

• Albert Finney … Dewey Wilson
• Diane Venora … Rebecca Neff
• Edward James Olmos … Eddie Holt
• Gregory Hines …Whittington
• Tom Noonan … Ferguson
• Dick O’Neill … Warren
• Dehl Berti … Old Indian
• Peter Michael Goetz … Ross
• Reginald VelJohnson … Morgue Attendant
• James Tolkan … Baldy
• Donald Symington … Lawyer
• Tom Waits … Drunken Bar Owner [uncredited]

Some image credits: Basement Rejects | Black Hole

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Schizoid (working title: Murder by Mail) is a 1980 horror whodunit feature film produced by Yoram Globus, and Menahem Golan for their Cannon Group. It was written and directed by David Paulsen (Savage Weekend).

The movie stars Klaus Kinski, Marianna Hill (Messiah of Evil), Craig Wasson (Ghost Story, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3), Donna Wilkes (Jaws 2, Grotesque), Joe Regalbuto (Invitation to Hell), Flo Gerrish (Don’t Answer the Phone!), Richard Herd and Christopher Lloyd (The Addams Family).

Plot:

Julie (Marianna Hill) is an advice columnist for the city newspaper who begins to receive anonymous notes threatening murder and worse. At about the same time, female members of the group therapy session she attends are being stabbed, one by one, by an unknown assailant. Is there a connection? If so, why do the notes talk about murder with a gun, while the murder victims are being stabbed?

At first, the police, her ex-husband, her therapist and her friends all assure her that the notes are probably unrelated, and hoax; but with time, it becomes apparent that someone close to her is responsible. Is it her therapist, Pieter (Klaus Kinski), who takes advantage of his patients just before they are murdered? Or Pieter’s daughter (Donna Wilkes), who resents Julie for Julie’s romantic involvement with Pieter? Is it Julie’s ex-husband (Craig Wasson), who never really wanted their divorce? Or maybe Gilbert (Christopher Lloyd), the eccentric building maintenance man?

Reviews:

” …you’ll guess the slayer if you follow this simple, time worn formula: (familiar actor) + (limited screen time) = killer. Hell you’ll probably get there without it, but that’s never stopped anyone from enjoying a little murderous mayhem. The cast are all onboard; Hill is a resilient heroine, Wasson is solid, Lloyd is terrific, and surprise, surprise, Kinski is considerably subdued to fit in on the other actors’ wavelength.” Scott Drebit, Daily Dead

” … Schizoid makes a good-faith effort to function as a murder mystery; it focuses the story primarily on adult characters; it makes at least a ritualistic bow in the direction of having some sort of official interest in solving the crimes. It also takes most of its stylistic cues from earlier Italian thrillers, right down to the fetishisation of the killer’s black leather gloves. And like a great many gialli, it is both intermittently effective and intermittently hilarious.” 1000 Misspent Hours… and Counting

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“The film has a couple of decent scares, though it’s a fairly squirm inducing outing most of the time. There’s one patent rip off of the infamous Psycho shower scene, this time transported to a hut tub, replete with Bernard Herrmann-esque sul ponticello strings (lovingly aped by an eighties’ era synthesizer). And while Schizoid tips its hand just a bit too early for its own good (at least with regard to some of what’s going on), the film at least does something a little creative with its denouement… ” Jeffrey Kauffman, Blu-ray.com

“Schizoid has quite a few things going for it: a twisty turny plot, some nice American giallo-esque stylings, some Craig Wasson goodness, and of course, the incomparable Klaus Kinski.” Ain’t It Cool News

“Unfortunately, the affair is handled so clumsily that the various characters might as well have “Suspect” or “Victim” superimposed above their heads, along with a percentage value of the odds.” Aaron Christensen, Horror 101

“Despite some less than stellar acting, the movie is a delightful reminder of why the ‘80s were the best decade for horror movies. It is equal parts gore, mystery and melodrama. Not only that, but it manages to create an intriguing mystery that will keep you guessing until the killer is revealed.” Anthony Benedetto, Retro Slashers

” … there’s little doubt that Paulsen was well-versed in gialli—it just so happens that his familiarity didn’t quite help him make a particularly great one. Schizoid is quite functional and proceeds along with just enough intrigue to remain interesting, though I’m not exaggerating too terribly when I say it’s mostly driven by Kinski’s creepy on-screen relationship with his daughter …” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

“Kinski’s scenes with his disturbed teenage daughter or those where he prowls relentlessly through the house have a visual and dramatic resonance quite absent from the rest of the film…” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

Buy The Slasher Movie Book from Amazon.com

Buy Kinski Uncut from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Cast and characters:

• Klaus Kinski … Pieter Fales
• Donna Wilkes … Alison Fales
• Marianna Hill … Julie
• Craig Wasson … Doug
• Richard Herd … Donahue
• Joe Regalbuto … Jake
• Christopher Lloyd … Gilbert
• Flo Lawrence … Pat (as Flo Gerrish)
• Kiva Lawrence … Rosemary
• Claude Duvernoy … Françoise
• Cindy Donlan … Sally
• Jon Greene … Archie
• David Assael … Barney
• Richard Balin … Freddy
• Fredric Cook … Willy

Trivia:

This film should not be confused with Lucio Fulci’s A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971), which was released in the USA as Schizoid.

Image credits: Horror 101 for some of these images

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Child’s Play is a 1988 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Tom Holland (Rock Paper Dead; Twisted Tales; Thinner; Fright Night) from a screenplay by Don Mancini, who went on to write six sequels, directing three of them. The movie stars Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent and Brad Dourif.

The official taglines were “You’ll wish it was only make-believe” and “Something’s moved in with the Barclay family, and so has terror.” The plot was inspired by the story of Robert the Doll, which was supposedly possessed by evil spirits.

With a budget of $9 million, the film took $44,196,684 at the box office worldwide, even before massive video rentals ensured that it developed a cult following. In the Child’s Play series it was the only one released by MGM/UA, as the rights to the series were sold to Universal in 1990, right before production started on Child’s Play 2.

Subsequent sequels were Child’s Play 3; Bride of Chucky; Seed of Chucky; Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky. A TV series is in development for the Syfy channel.

In 2019, Child’s Play has been remade by MGM/Orion Pictures, although none of the original filmmakers were involved.

Plot:

Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon), dying murderer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky — which Karen Barclay (Catherine Hicks) then buys for her young son, Andy (Alex Vincent).

When Chucky kills Andy’s baby sitter, the boy realises the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he’s institutionalised. Now Karen must convince the detective of the murderous doll’s intentions, before Andy becomes Chucky’s next victim…

Reviews:

“Technically this one doesn’t disappoint. Sure it’s a bit dated, but with the decades to pass comes a certain nostalgic charm that intoxicates. This movie looks and feels like the best of ‘80s horror and it’s difficult to deny that. Solid acting, direction and screenwriting go a long way.” Matt Molgaard, Addicted to Horror Movies

“It has some slow points once Chucky is introduced because you just want more Chucky. The scene in which Catherine Hicks’ character discovers Chucky is alive is a classic and still a great jump.  Much like Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Child’s Play’s ability to balance humor and horror with Chucky is great.” JP Roscoe, Basement Rejects

” …the basic premise of Child’s Play is undeniably “preposterous”, but perhaps for that very reason the film has attained a cult status. The Child’s Play franchise may have ultimately tipped more toward the humor than the horror side of things, but the first film, while silly and probably unintentionally funny at times, packs occasional startles and offers an undeniably creepy mood.” Jeffrey Kauffman, Blu-ray.com 

“The visual effects are still pretty solid after all this time, using a combination of puppets and a little person in costume. In fact, the entire package, including the acting, is top-notch. The great, rat-faced character actor Dourif only appears onscreen for a brief time, and then only gets to speak during the climax, but he’s a major part of the film’s success.” Combustible Celluloid

“Mr. Holland treats his audience intelligently. You don’t believe in killer dolls, he suggests, and neither do the perfectly reasonable people in this film; it’s all a game. He creates an artifice with just a tiny chink to admit true horror: the most reasonable people on the screen believe in the living, murderous doll.”  Caryn James, The New York Times

“Child’s Play is better than the average False Alarm movie because it is well made, contains effective performances, and has succeeded in creating a truly malevolent doll. Chucky is one mean SOB. The movie also has an intriguing plot device, which is that nobody, of course, will believe that the doll is alive.” Roger Ebert

“Child’s Play has that typical, late ’80s wisecracking, smartass attitude that dumbed down audiences seem to love. Yes, we’re being too highbrow here. But if the primary objective of a horror film is to scare, Child’s Play proved ineffectual for us: it’s blustery, gassy comedy that might thrill, but it never truly chills.” The Terror Trap

“While some of the supernatural stuff about witch-doctors and Mojo dolls is a bit daft, Holland’s sure handling of the suspense and shock moments lends the film a sharp and scary edge.” Nigel Floyd, Time Out Film Guide

“The best of the series mostly because Chucky isn’t so much a cartoon here and is a quite menacing children’s toy – the punchlines hadn’t quite taken over yet. Manages to build decent suspense during the first murder (the babysitter) and when Sarandon is caught in a car while Chucky’s knife plunges into his seat.” The Video Graveyard

“Once revealed, Chucky goes bananas and the subsequent effects vary from the inane and silly to the shocking, with just enough humor to keep things level. The acting is decent, with Sarandon solid and subtle as the detective, Catherine Hicks genuine as the mother and Vincent pretty believable as the 6-year old (well, he is 6).” Richard Harrington, The Washington Post

Cast and characters:

• Catherine Hicks … Karen Barclay – Honeymoon from Hell; Ghost Phone: Phone Calls from the Dead; Death Valley
• Chris Sarandon … Mike Norris – The Resurrected; Bordello of Blood; Fright Night; The Sentinel
• Alex Vincent … Andy Barclay
• Brad Dourif … Charles Lee Ray / Chucky (voice)
• Dinah Manoff … Maggie Peterson
• Tommy Swerdlow … Jack Santos
• Jack Colvin … Dr. Ardmore
• Neil Giuntoli … Eddie Caputo
• Juan Ramírez … Peddler
• Alan Wilder … Mr. Criswell
• Richard Baird … News Reporter at Toy Store
• Ray Oliver … Dr. Death (as Raymond Oliver)
• Aaron Osborne … Orderly
• Tyler Hard … Mona
• Ted Liss … George
• Roslyn Alexander … Lucy
• Bo Kane … Male TV Newscaster (as Robert Kane)
• Leila Lee Olsen … Female TV Newscaster (as Leila Hee Olsen)
• Ed Gale … Chucky Stunt Double

Related:

Child’s Play 2 – USA, 1990

Child’s Play 3 – USA, 1991

Seed of Chucky – USA, 2004

Curse of Chucky – USA, 2013

Cult of Chucky – USA, 2017

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‘Don’t bury me… I’m not dead!’

The Serpent and the Rainbow is a 1988 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Wes Craven (Scream and sequels; A Nightmare on Elm Street; Last House on the Left) from a screenplay by Richard Maxwell and Adam Rodman. The movie stars Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, Zakes Mokae, Paul Winfield and Michael Gough.

The movie is loosely based on the non-fiction book of the same name by ethnobotanist Wade Davis, wherein Davis recounted his experiences in Haiti investigating the story of Clairvius Narcisse, who was allegedly poisoned, buried alive, and revived with an herbal brew that produced what was called a zombie.

Plot:

During a period of prolonged social and political unrest in Haiti, anthropologist Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman) travels to the torn country to study a Voodoo drug used in religious practices to turn victims into living zombies.

With the help of a witch doctor (Brent Jennings) and a fellow researcher (Cathy Tyson), Dennis pieces together the deadly mystery. However, as Dennis uncovers the secrets behind the mysterious powder, he must evade the Haitian authorities who view his research as a potential threat…

Reviews:

” …The Serpent and the Rainbow is a nicely entertaining flick, a solid modern take on the throwback zombies and the mysterious Voodou hoodoo that spawned them (which would be covered again shortly in The Believers, among others). Not bad at all…” kyle Saubert, Allusions of Grandeur

“It was a lot more frustrating the second time around, with all the silly horror elements shoehorned in, the horrid voice-over, and the general silliness. It’s too bad, because there’s a serious and quite freaky thriller in here trying to get out. The first time I saw it I was quite spooked by several elements, but this time I knew they were coming and the rest of it just seemed much sillier than I recall.” Cinema de Merde

“Along the way, there are scenes worthy of a classic. A very impressive (to say the least) scene has Pullman tortured by the evil Peytraud via a ten-penny nail hammered through his scrotum. After that, most attempts to shock pale in effect, and we wonder why Pullman doesn’t either make himself scarce from Haiti as the bad guys demand, or organize some better security. The hallucination scenes are excellent, all using simple camera tricks and bizarre imagery to put us in the mood for scares. ” Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant

“Mixing religious beliefs with real life zombies is a mixture that could have turned hokey real quick. And adding the political strife into the plot made the story somehow relatable or at least identifiable. I always enjoy a film where I’m learning something new, and The Serpent and the Rainbow gave that to me.” Michelle Sabato, Film Inquiry

” …the muchly underrated The Serpent and the Rainbow represents the finest hour-and-a-half we have had yet from Wes Craven. Not a lot in The Serpent and the Rainbow always makes sense but then Wes Craven films often operate on a dream logic of surprise shocks more so than they ever do rational linear explanations. Craven lets loose with an astounding procession of surreal and horrific images…” Richard Scheib, Moria

” …the film suggests and overly decorated haunted house, its art direction excessive to the point of implausibility, its literal evocation of the supernatural disappointingly leaden and unimaginative. Many of these flaws are relative but they nonetheless thirst for personality. From Pullman’s clumsy narration to the complete lack of context for the narrative’s central political conflict, the film amounts to little more than a lethargic tour guide.” Rob Humanick, The Projection Booth

“The visual look of the movie is stunning. There’s never the sense of sets, of costumes, of hired extras, but more of a feeling of a camera moving past real people in real places. Even the obviously contrived scenes, including some of the hallucinations and voodoo fantasies, have an air of solid plausibility to them.” Roger Ebert

“Unfortunately, the political parallel between the ideological repression of Baby Doc’s regime and the stultifying effects of the zombifying fluid is only sketchily developed, leaving us with a series of striking but isolated set pieces.” Derek Adams, Time Out

“Unfortunately, the movie goes a little off-the-rails during its finale, where it becomes almost as silly as the endings to Craven’s Shocker or the numerous Nightmare on Elm Street films. For a movie that went so far for realism as to shoot on location in Haiti, it’s a shame the film tosses all plausibility out the window for a ridiculous, effects-heavy final showdown.” Austin Trunick, Under the Radar

“Offers a few good scares but gets bogged down in special effects.” Variety

“This movie has way too many dream sequences and bad voodoo trips to be effective. It’s actually kinda irritating the more I think about it.  I mean Bill Pullman will see a snake or something and he’ll wake up screaming, then he’ll turn around and see another snake and he’ll wake up screaming again. This sh*t gets old after awhile.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

“Things speed towards an “Omen” finale, via some stunning dream sequences. People get thrown against walls, objects move around. Then, the Hollywood Emergency Ending Team rushes in. And you breath a sigh of relief because you realize there was no evil to worry about, it was just Special Effects all the time. It’s a pleasure, for the most part, to see Craven mature.” Desson Howe, The Washington Post

Cast and characters:

• Bill Pullman … Dennis Alan
• Cathy Tyson … Marielle Duchamp
• Zakes Mokae … Dargent Peytraud
• Paul Winfield … Lucien Celine
• Brent Jennings … Louis Mozart
• Conrad Roberts … Christophe
• Badja Djola … Gaston
• Theresa Merritt … Simone
• Michael Gough … Schoonbacher
• Paul Guilfoyle … Andrew Cassedy
• Dey Young … Mrs. Cassedy
• Aleta Mitchell … Celestine
• William Newman … French Missionary Doctor
• Jaime Pina Gautier … Julio (as Jaime Piña Gautier)
• Evencio Mosquera Slaco … Old Shaman

Filming locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, Santo Domingo and Haiti.

Technical credits:

98 minutes | 1.85: 1 | Dolby

Release:

The Serpent and the Rainbow was released theatrically in the United States by Universal Pictures on February 5, 1988.

Box office:

The film took $19,595,031 against a reported budget of $7 million.

Image credit for Ghanian poster: CineMaterial

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‘Now there’s a new name for terror’

Cujo is a 1983 American horror feature film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. It was directed by Lewis Teague (Cat’s Eye; Alligator) from a screenplay by Don Carlos Dunaway and Lauren Currier.  It was produced by Daniel H. Blatt and Robert Singer. The Sunn Classic Pictures-TAFT Entertainment Pictures production stars Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro and Daniel Hugh Kelly.

Cujo will be released on Blu-ray for the first time ever in the UK in a Special Limited Two-Disc Edition as part of the Eureka Classics range on 29 April 2019. The release will feature a Limited Edition Hardbound Slipcase, with artwork designed by Graham Humphreys, a Limited Edition Collector’s Booklet and Bonus Blu-ray disc (first 4000 units only).

Plot:

The Trenton family have recently moved to Castle Rock, Maine, to escape the pressures of city life. When Donna Trenton (Dee Wallace) and her son Ted (Danny Pintauro) break down in the middle of nowhere, they are attacked by the normally docile neighbourhood dog, Cujo. The huge St. Bernard has been transformed into a rabid animal after being bitten by a bat…

Reviews:

“Cujo is still worth a pat on the back for its thrilling last half-hour but it’s really too bad that the whole of the film wasn’t tight enough. More rabid dog attacks; less dumb moves and more likeable characters would have done the trick.” Arrow in the Head

“Cujo is one of the better adaptations of Stephen King stories.  It is probably the lack of supernatural that helps Cujo and has allowed it to hold-up better than some of his other movies.” J.P. Roscoe, Basement Rejects

“This is a solid, well-made example of why early King adaptations were consistently entertaining.” Trevor la Pay, CHUD.com

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

” …if you compare Cujo to Pet Sematary, The Shawshank Redemption, or The Green Mile, there is a lot left to be desired in the heart of this movie. Again, with the pure selfishness of the characters, it can be difficult to find these characters genuine or to even empathize with their situations. Many viewers will be exacerbated by Donna’s lack of motherly instinct…” Steph Howard, Daily Dead

“Much of its effectiveness rests in director Lewis Teague’s gritty, claustrophobic direction during the extended Cujo siege. King’s personal choice to helm the film after seeing Alligator (how great is it that King is one of us?), Teague carries over the gnarled nastiness of that film to capture the harrowing nature of the Trentons’ encounter with the beast.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

“When Cujo attacks a few people as the rabies is setting in, they are people who have it coming, which does not result in making the dog to be the hound of hell it could have been. By the time he gets to Wallace and Pintauro, Cujo seems like an animal confused by how he is going mad rather than the malicious cold-blooded killer that the DVD cover suggests.” The Video Graveyard

Production:

John Carpenter was apparently asked to direct but expressed no interest. The original director was Peter Medak (The Changeling), however he left the project two days into filming, along with his director-of-photography Tony Richardson. They were replaced by Lewis Teague and Jan de Bont respectively.

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk

Main cast and characters:

• Dee Wallace … Donna Trenton
• Danny Pintauro … Tad Trenton
• Daniel Hugh-Kelly … Vic Trenton
• Christopher Stone … Steve Kemp
• Ed Lauter … Joe Camber – Python; Magic; Satan’s Triangle
• Kaiulani Lee … Charity Camber
• Billy Jacoby … Brett Camber
• Mills Watson … Gary Pervier
• Jerry Hardin … Masen
• Sandy Ward … George Bannerman

Technical credits:

93 minutes | 86 minutes (alternate) | Mono | DTS | 1.85: 1

Release:

Cujo was a modest box office success for Warner Brothers. The film was released August 12, 1983 in the United States, opening in second place that weekend. It grossed a total of $21,156,152 domestically, making it the fourth highest grossing horror film of 1983 behind Jaws 3-D, Psycho II, and The Twilight Zone movie.

Related:

Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell – USA, 1978

Dogs – USA, 1976

Rottweiler: The Dogs of Hell – USA, 1982

The Pack – Australia, 2015

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‘If you’re frightened by the unknown… wait ’till you face reality!’

Scared to Death is a 1980 science fiction horror feature film written and directed by William Malone (previously chief designer at the Don Post mask studio), based on a storyline co-written with Robert Short (The Scream Team). The Lone Star Pictures production stars John Stinson, Diana Davidson, David Moses and Toni Jannotta.

In 1990, a belated sequel titled Syngenor was released. Malone has also directed Creature aka Titan Find; House on Haunted Hill (1999) and Parasomnia.

Plot:

A monster stalks Los Angeles as a Bio-Engineered creature called a Syngenor (which stands for SYNthesized GENetic ORgansism) takes refuge in the city’s sewer system and then hits the streets at night in search of human spinal fluid…

Reviews:

“William Malone’s maiden monster movie is nothing overly special, but does have some good qualities and a nicely constructed, if derivative monster. A few moments of suspense, a decent score (also derivative) and a good lead performance add up to a minor footnote in 80’s creature features.” Cool Ass Cinema

“Climax takes place in a factory and finally the film becomes harrowing. The characters, unfortunately, are all contrived and boring.” John Stanley, Creature Features

“One thing Creature did have going for it was far better visual direction. The camera angles, direction, and editing in Scared to Death are appallingly bad.” E.C. McMullen Jr, FeoAmante.com

“Most of the acting and dialogue is terrible and one can certainly do without all the “homages” to well-known names in the genre […] Still, the killings here are inventive and nasty, and that silver-eyed monster is scary enough to warrant a sequel.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1980s, McFarland, 2007

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

“I can imagine that some will have a problem with the pacing which is kinda slow but I liked it. The sewer setting is pretty creepy and claustrophobic. The violence is lame and there’s no gore in this. The creature FX design is cool and I love that it’s a man in suit design.” Independent Flicks

“As a novice director, Malone’s directorial style is crude and far removed from the masterful suspense generated by Ridley Scott. He draws the suspense scenes out in over-obvious ways and lets the film plod in between. Indeed, the opening scene with a camera peeping in on a girl undressing, hearing noises and the lights going out gives you the impression that you are watching a slasher film rather than a monster movie.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The production values are also low, given the budget this is understandable, but it gives the film a shoddy look, not helped by the fact that everything is so dark. Plus it’s dull. The promise of monster action is a false one as you’re cheated out of getting anything gory or half-way exciting.” Andrew Smith, Popcorn Pictures

“So we have the expected long sequences setting up potential victims, including a bit of nudity, a long rollerskating sequence (really), a monster that looks like a cheap version of one of Giger’s Aliens, right down to the extra thingy in its mouth that comes out when it’s planning to feed and a lot of monster cam, complete with heavy breathing.” Mark Cole, Rivets on the Poster

Cast and characters:

• John Stinson … Ted Lonergan
• Diana Davidson … Jennifer Stanton
• David Moses … Detective Lou Capell (as Jonathan David Moses)
• Toni Jannotta … Sherry Carpenter
• Walker Edmiston … Police Chief Dennis Warren
• Pamela Bowman … Janie Richter
• Mike Muscat … Howard Tindall (as Michael Muscat)
• Freddie Dawson … Virgil Watson
• Tracy Weddle … Kathy Sperry
• Joleen Porcaro … Kelly – Victim #5
• David Daniels … Michael, roller skater (as Joseph Daniels)
• Stephen Fanning … Scott, roller skater
• Greer Justin … Sandy, rollerskater
• Johnny Crear … Victor Colter
• John Moskal … Police Lab Man (as John Moskal Jr.)

Filming locations:

Los Angeles, California

Technical credits:

93 minutes | 1.85: 1

Alternate titles:

Originally known as The Aberdeen Experiment and also released as Scared to Death: Syngenor 

Release:

Scared to Death was shown at the Paris Festival of Fantastic Films in November 1980. It was released theatrically in March 1981.

In the UK, the film was passed uncut by the BBFC censorship body with an ‘X’ certificate and a running time of 87m 25s on 21 May 1981.

In the US, Retromedia released Scared to Death on DVD in a widescreen 16×9 anamorphic transfer from 35mm on April 22, 2008.

Related:

Syngenor – USA, 1990

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Richard Band’s original soundtrack score for Re-Animator (1985) is being re-issued on collectible vinyl by Waxwork Records in a suitably lurid new colour scheme.

“This is the album that started it all for Waxwork Records and was originally released in 2013 as our very first album. This deluxe re-pressing of the official score to the 1985 cult-classic horror film features a completely new mastering and plating job and was sourced from the original master tapes. The music of Re-Animator has never sounded better!

Features include 180 gram Crystal Clear Vinyl with Neon Green and Yellow “Re-Agent” Splatter, original artwork by Ghoulish Gary Pullin, exclusive liner notes by director Stuart Gordon and composer Richard Band, behind the scenes photos from the film set and score recording session, and a printed inner sleeve.”

Order via Waxwork Records here

Related:

Re-Animator – USA, 1985

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The post Re-Animator – original soundtrack score re-issued on vinyl appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.