Topic: Jimmy's 2010 Horror Marathon

[Jimmy]

Title : Bad Dreams (1988)

Overview
In the mid-70s, the members of the love cult Unity Fields sought 'the ultimate joining' by dousing themselves with gasoline and committing mass suicide. A young girl blown clear of the fiery explosion was the only survivor. Thirteen years later, Cynthia ('Jennifer Rubin' of 'A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET' 3) awakens from a coma inside a psychiatric hospital with only buried memories of that horrific day. But now, her fellow patients are each being driven to their own violent suicides. Has the sect's hideously burned leader ('Richard Lynch') returned to claim his final child, or is something even more depraved lurking within her BAD DREAMS?

My Impression
An ok movie, but nothing special. The story is too predictable and the acting is weak (except for Bruce Abott but he can do much better and Richard Lynch), Jennifer Rubin is sure a good looking girl but she can't lead a movie, Dean Cameron is anoying like he always is, some things doesn't make sense at all and the cult aspect is deal with too fast.

Not bad per se but less than average.
 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Overview
The mind innermost fears become reality for the crew members of the Quest when they land on the barren planet Morganthus hoping to find the missing crew members of the starship Remus: only to discover something deadly waiting for them. Each member of the rescuing team must come face to face with their darkest fears or perish. The cast onboard the Quest includes Edward Albert (The House Where Evil Dwells), Erin Moran (Happy Days), Ray Walston (My Favorite Martian), Robert Englund (A Nightmare On Elm Street series), Zalman King (Blue Sunshine) and Sid Haig (House Of 1,000 Corpses).

My Impression
Must people seems to think that it's an Alien ripoff, but I must disagree on this. It sure had a strong resemblance with Aliens but it came five years before, in fact it's James Cameron who gets his inspiration from this movie (not surprising since he was the Production Designer of this production). Once again we have a good cast ensemble in this movie and all of them do a perfect job with their role. The strong point of this film is the special effects, this is a proof that you don't need computer to make realist effect (in fact CGI is basically for the untalented hack). The film countains some memorable death scene (the Taaffe O'Connell's one is sure something to see).

A great movie with an ending to reward the attentive watchers.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Blood of Dracula's Castle (1969)

Overview
A chilling, blood-curdling tale about a young couple that inherits an old castle but finds it already inhabited by a crusty butler, an obsessed killer and a couple of vampires, who kidnap and sacrifice young girls in order to live on and on....

My Impression
This is an Al Adamson's movie so it's weird and way too complicated for its own good. So here we go a couple of vampire (Alexander D'Arcy and Paula Raymond) with the help of the shapeless Mango (Ray Young) capture young girls for their blood (yeah they are blood drinkers not biters). Also living in their castle (who isn't their anyway since they rent it) with them are their butler (John Carradine) and a psychotic killer (Robert Dix) but only when the moon is full. They live an happy live untill the moment or a young couple (Gene Otis Shayne and Jennifer Bishop) inherit the castle and want to kick them out. I forgot sometimes they sacrifice a young girl to the God Luna when the moon is full. The synopsis is the only interesting part since the acting is really bad wich is surprising since the cast include a lot of veteran actors, nothing exciting happen at all (the most exciting moments happen in the beginning when the couple is at Marineland and we see the dolphins, the walrus and the sea lions), the vampires are incredibly easy to kill and the movie print is very at the end of the line (lots of green scratches, red spots, faded colors and jump cut). The only saving grace of this film are Robert Dix and John Carradine. To make the thing even worst Rex Carlton, the producer of this film, kill himself in 1968 (the film was made in 66, but released only in 69) because he was unable to to reimburse the money he borrowed from the mob...

I think you can pass this one

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Blood on Satan's Claw (1970)

Overview
This chilling tale takes place in the 17th Century England, where the discovery of furry remains believed to be the devil sparks a barrage of evil undoings in a small English town. Soon after their discovery, the devil's remains disappear, hampering the investigation by the local Judge (Partick Wymark). But the evil forces that take over are frightening proof that the devil may indeed be among the villagers. People start going mad and children, under the guidance of the sinister Angela Blake (Linda Hayden), begin participating in unspeakable rituals in which the young and pure are sacrificed and mutilated. It is up to the Judge to exorcise the demons that are destroying the village...

My Impression
I really want to like this one, but it just move too slow for my taste (but I don't usually like the film happening in the Middle Age). The story can be confusing by time, seriously it's the second time I watch this film and I don't know yet why the kids became devil's worshippers. But it isn't a bad film mostly due to the great performance of Linda Hayden who plays her character with the nuance needed, the satanic rituals and the devil's skin effect (but the devil himself isn't that impressive).

Jon if you have seen this one, your input would be appreciated.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Sorry for the few movie reviewed yesterday
Point of Terror wasn't an horror movie even if the trailer, the dvd cover and the synopsis make it looks like one...

[Jimmy]

Title : Cannibal Ferox (1981)

Overview
'They were cold, sadistic killers who thought they could hide from justice. But now they must face the harsh law of the jungle...'

Shot on location in the savage Amazon wilds of South America, CANNIBAL FEROX is one of the most violent and shocking films ever made. There are at least two dozen scenes of barbaric torture and sadisctic cruelty graphically shown. If the presentation of disgusting and repulsive subject matter upsets you, please do not view this film.

'They must now pay for their crimes with blood and pain. For what they have done, MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY.'

My Impression
One of my favorite
In the seventies and eighties the italian cannibals movie were big hit, but hard to find. It cost me a lot to buy this one the first time on vhs, it's hard to believe for the youngest here but when we were young the only way to get those films was to do a lot of research and had good contact, of course now it's easier since you can find almost everything by using your keyboard. This film is the typical cannibal movie filled with violence, blood, bad dubbing (sadly) and animal killing (please no comments on this, I don't want another useless animal debate). The film is shot on location in Colombia (in fact it's were Cannibal Holocaust and The Green Inferno were filmed also) wich bring a lot of realism since real indians tribe members act in the movie and also in New-York (wich give us the chance to see Robert Kerman again in a "mainstream" role). If you are familliar with the italian exploitation cinema you will recognize many visages : Giovanni Lombardo Radice (a great guy who is nothing like the image he shown in those films), Lorraine De Selle, Zora Kerova, Venantino Venantini and Perry Pirkanen among others. Some of the scenes are hard to watch and the hardest is definitely the death scene of Zora Kerova.

Great film (but not as good as Cannibal Holocaust is), but certainly not for everybody. This isn't for nothing if this is one of the few movies rated 18+ here.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Bite Me! (2004)

Overview
A crate of bio-engineered marijuana winds up at a strip joint after a drug deal gone bad, bringing with it a renegade DEA agent and a swarm of monstrous critters. Bite Me! Has “something for everyone: strippers, mutant bugs, violence, strippers, blood, car wrecks, marijuana, and lots and lots of laughs.”

My Impression
OK this one isn't scary, unless you are Pete and are frighten by the spider since it's a giant mutant spiders invasion. It's more a comedy than an horror movie, but who care? Certainly not me... Why would I ask for more than giant stop motion spiders (way better than any CGI), Misty Mundae, Erika Smith, Julian Wells, an over the top performance from John Fedele, action located in a strip club and a funny script... Did I say that Misty Mundae and Erika Smith are in this film?



Rating :

[RossRoy]

Title : Bite Me! (2004)

I've watched the trailer for this after watching Screaming Dead - it looks really interesting! I might just seek it out real soon.

[Jimmy]

If you don't have the other movies yet (I know you own Screaming Dead already) try to get the same set I have. You will get Bacterium, Bite Me!, Screaming Dead and Shock-O-Rama.

It's unavailable at Amazon Canada, but you can get it from amazon or Alternative Cinema.

[Jimmy]

Title : The Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)

Overview
The only sane survivor of the first incident, Courtney (Crystal Bernard), dreams of the driller killer returning in the first sequel, Slumber Party Massacre II. She cannot help shake the feeling that she and her friends will be viciously tormented by the killer. Her nightmare becomes reality when the killer returns, reincarnated as an evil rocker with a deadly guitar.

My Impression
One of those rare occasion where the sequel is better than the original, not that SPM I is a bad film of course. But this one had a more developped story (you can even interpret it more than one way) and Juliette Cummins from Friday the 13th Part V (who is my second favorite in this franchise). More humor is use in it (but not as stupid that the one in Evil Dead 2), the cast act better and there are a lot of great musical numbers in it (wich is why I doubt Pete will like it even if it's more bloody than SPM I). The killer is batshit insane and use a guitar with a drill to kill.

The big negative is that Robin Stille isn't back, since she survived also in the original (they even use another actress to play her role). Of course, there are a good reason for this but it's a deception anyway...

Rating :

Edit
While listening the commentary track the idea come to me to post a picture of Juliette Cummins to show you who she is.

[Jimmy]

Not a new review and I won't review the next batch I will watch since it's the Friday the 13th movies.

For those of you who bought the SPM set don't forget to watch the documentary after, most of those actresses had age really greatly. Debra Deliso and Heidi Kozak are way more beautifull now

[addicted2dvd]

I am thinking about it after I finish the Critters collection.