kindertrauma

Five Underrated Monster Movies (Part 3)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

SHE CREATURE (2001) is the first in a short lived Cinemax series that utilized AIP (American International Pictures) movie titles as springboards for modern interpretations. The series was fittingly entitled “Creature Features” and this inaugural entry centers around a captured mermaid whose final boss monster form is beautifully realized by the late great Stan Winston. There’s a lot of cozy waterlogged atmosphere thanks to the story taking place mainly on a boat circa 1905 (In fact, it’s a bit of a cinematic precursor to THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER and the strong cast includes the likes of Rufus Sewell and Carla Gugino. Few cinematic monsters are as sympathetic as the exploited creature presented here and her ultimate true form reveal is surprisingly satisfying.

THE BEAST WITHIN (1982) had one of the most intriguing ad campaigns I can recall from my youth and even though the film doesn’t quite live up to its threatening, “we dare you to watch” reputation it still offers more than a few unforgettable sights. Heck, this is one of the few films that gave me nightmares BEFORE I actually saw it! Paul Clemens plays Michael MacClearly whose puberty is especially problematic due to his being the product of his mother being raped by a giant locust of some sort. Scriptwriter Tom (CHILD’S PLAY, FRIGHT NIGHT) Holland tries his best to make the murky material make sense but best to just go with the flow and appreciate the special effects (that cross the line into hilariously cartoonish at points) and the effectively swampy southern locale.

MOSQUITO (1994) can easily be mistaken for a by-the-numbers giant insect flick (please don’t confuse it with the previous year’s far inferior SKEETER) but it’s super fun, covertly clever and features some (literally) eye-popping effects. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a garden variety mosquito sucked the blood from an alien whose ship crash landed on earth, the outlandish answers you are looking for are here. You’ll also encounter an appearance by the lead guitarist of The Stooges (Ron Asheton) and a rousing tribute to THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE featuring original Leatherface Gunner Hanson. All in all, this is a rollicking good time you'd be wrong to swat.

PROPHECY (1979) had a movie poster and print ad declaring it “The Monster Movie” and with its giant mutant bear aberration (her name is actually Katahdin and it’s not her fault her mom ate mercury tainted fish), it did not renege on that promise. Director John Frankenheimer does his best to carve something dignified out of writer David (THE OMEN) Seltzers’ stew of Indian folklore, corporate greed and environmental reprimands and if he doesn’t quite succeed at least we get to see folks torn limb from limb. It’s unlikely critics were ever going to happily swallow this creature rampage hokum but let it be said that there’s at least one scene in this film (you all know I’m referring to the exploding sleeping bag incident) that had more impact on a generation than anything witnessed in far better received thrillers of its era. In any case, PROPHECY will always loom as an epic monster movie (and a fountain of nostalgia) in my mind and who needs critic’s approval when you got a giant mutated bear on your side?

THE BOOGENS (’82) are tricycle-sized varmints with glassy eyes and bodies that resemble a giant crab shoved into a turtle shell. These poor creatures were perfectly content to hang out underground twiddling their tentacles until some wise guys decided to re-open their mine that was specifically closed down due to multiple boogen-related deaths. Anyone who follows these pages knows this is my go-to winter comfort horror movie thanks to its super charming leads, quaint locale and commitment to spotlighting an adorable doggie named Tiger. I could go on and on and indeed I have HERE.

Five (More) Underrated Monster Movies

Posted on By unkle lancifer

DEEP RISING (1998) is a rousing horror adventure filled with intrigue, humor and plenty of sea serpent tentacles (courtesy of special effects master Rob “THE THING” Bottin). Written and directed by future THE MUMMY (’99)-helmer Stephen Sommers, this misunderstood mini-masterpiece also features an impeccable cast that includes Treat Williams (RIP, one of the true greats) Famke Janssen, Anthony Heald, Cliff Curtis, Kevin J. O’Conner and Dijon Hounsou among others. Back in my video store working days I was able to attend an advance sneak peak viewing of this fun flick and it remains one of my favorite movie -going memories. The crowd went wild, popcorn flew and all were riveted from the opening credits till the hopeful-for-sequel ending. I was a hundred percent certain it was going to be an unanimously loved hit but for some reason (I blame shockingly uninspired marketing) it did poorly at the box office. Over the years it has slowly collected the devout fans it deserves but if it has somehow evaded your grasp, consider this a reminder to dive into it as soon as you can.

THE KINDRED (1987). Family reunions can be a drag especially when your sibling is a giant fish mutant (don’t I know it!). Let’s face it folks, when 1950’s-style mad science mayhem meets 1980’s level make-up artistry and practical effects, the audience wins every time. Once a late night cable staple, THE KINDRED fell off many a horror fan’s radar after avoiding the jump from VHS to DVD but now that it’s on Blu-ray, there’s no excuse for missing this slime-dripping throwback gem. Sporting a cast of scene-chewing masters (Rod Steiger, Kim Hunter) and engaging then-newcomers (Amanda Pays, Talia Balsam), this agreeably overstuffed B-movie dynamo will have you checking the backseat of your car for creatures stowing away in watermelons for many years to come.

THE ALIEN FACTOR (1978) is simply not content delivering one mere monster from outer space, it delivers three, each being more absurd then the one that preceded it. Created by the unstoppable Don Dohler (FIEND, NIGHTBEAST), this backyard beast feast may be assembled by bubble gum and popsicle sticks but it’s charmingly earnest and more fun than most movies quadruple its budget. You know the drill: UFO crashes to Earth delivering murderous entities and small town sheriff tries to protect the locals while greedy mayor sabotages his efforts in order to insure plans for a future amusement park are not thwarted. I’ll admit the first time I caught this makeshift mock-buster on VHS, my poor soul internally whimpered for a refund, but over the years my aghast pity has transformed into unfeigned respect and slow-clapping, nodding approval. Sure, the creatures presented somewhat resemble oatmeal plastered Halloween costumes strutting down a Jr. High School assembly stage but damn how you can’t keep your eyes off them!

THE CAVE (2005) got slammed by critics and audiences alike and although it’s no masterpiece, much of the animosity towards it may have been due to it being released around the same time as Neil Marshal’s similarly set and far superior, spelunking suspense classic THE DESCENT. I had avoided it for years based one its bad reputation but a recent watch entertained me well enough and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a low emotional commitment monster mash that plays like an underground version of 2000’s PITCH BLACK. Heck, both pictures even feature the always reliable Cole Hauser (THE CAVE’s full deck cast also boasts Piper Perabo, Lena Headey, Morris Chestnut, Eddie Cibrian and Daniel Day Kim) It’s all rote, predictable and inconsequential for sure but the sets are splendid, the creatures (when visible) are cool, the stunts are impressive and I gotta admit that sometimes (maybe most the time) I find comfort in familiarity. Your world won’t be rocked but this is a fun diversion if you enjoy seeing disposable characters picked off one by one by less than humans beasties.

EQUINOX (1970) was warning folks (particularly KFC chomping picnickers) about the perils of reading from ancient Evil tomes a good decade before THE EVIL DEAD (’81) followed suit. Why didn’t anyone listen? Those lucky enough to stumble upon this eye-popping oddity on late night television (or preferably a drive-in) back in the day can attest to its amusing yet still somewhat eerie power. Fans of cabin-centric locales, Lovecraftian yore, Harryhausen-happy stop motion effects (we’re taking everything from flying winged demons to giant ape dudes), demonically possessed forest rangers and fashions befitting the B-52’s will be left perpetually smitten.

Five Underrated Monster Movies

Posted on By unkle lancifer

THE RUNESTONE (1991) is an over the top, sense-defying would-be epic adventure that juggles Norse legends, a possessed Pennsylvanian archeologist and a glorious rubber-suited monster that terrorizes an art gallery with hilarious results. It’s supremely stylized, super silly and an overall singular experience that deserves to be far more notorious among genre fans than it currently is (full review HERE).

METAMORPHOSIS: THE ALIEN FACTOR (1990) is a science fiction horror hybrid that delivers a smorgasbord of deliciously old school special effects from stop motion animation to eye-popping puppetry. Not since THE DEADLY SPAWN (’83), (which this film was originally conceived to be a sequel to), has an alien invasion been so delightfully demented. Pass it by if you’re seeking out a heady plot or competent acting but if you’re of fan of monster mayhem, it’s a generous provider (More HERE).

THE RELIC ('97) wants to know what would happen if you combined a giant rhinoceros with some kind of spider/crab and let it loose on a well populated charity ball in the Chicago Natural History museum and frankly, so do I. Directed by the underrated Peter Hyams (CAPRICORN ONE, OUTLAND, the ever important STAY TUNED) and featuring one of the greatest casts ever assembled in the form of Tom Sizemore, Penelope Anne Miller, Linda Hunt, Audra “Mrs. Roper” Lindley and somehow even EGOT recipient James Whitmore. Although frustratingly dark and murky at times, THE RELIC still features an impressively gnarly beast and a highly appreciated decapitation or two (full review back HERE).

CREATURE (1985) may be yet another ALIEN (’79) rip-off but as far as wannabes go, it’s one of the best. Sure, you’ve likely seen all this before but unlike many of its brethren, CREATURE showcases some nifty set design, compelling characters (especially the wonderful Diane Salinger as Security officer Melanie Bryce), a formidable sharp toothed space baddie and plenty of freaky gore (More HERE)

UNDERWATER (2020) is drug down by an abysmal title and apparently not everyone is a fan of its divisive lead (Kristen Stewart, who’s actually great in this) but it’s still one the best sci-fi, horror, disaster thrillers of recent memory. It also ends up being quite the monster movie before the end credits role. Exploiting the universal fears of confined spaces, drowning and well, literally exploding, this beautiful to behold well-oiled suspense machine also offers some poignant thoughts on loss, recovery and the noble act of simple perseverance. I can’t recommend it enough and by golly, I’ve just convinced myself to watch it again as soon as possible (Full review yonder HERE).

The Horrors of 2023

Posted on By unkle lancifer

TALK TO ME takes this year’s cake for me by a large margin. Danny & Michael Philippou’s merciless dunk into an unfriendly afterworld chilled me to the bone (and when I viewed it a second time it done my psyche equal damage). A wonderfully performed, freshly directed goosebump inflictor unafraid of exploring the complexities of grief and guilt, this is a truly frightening film that gives even an old codger like myself, great hope and anticipation for the next generation of horror. Much applause.

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER is a rare treat that truly transports you into an another (wonderfully gloomy) time and place. I’ve had a lifelong love of seafaring horror films and Andre (TROLL HUNTER, SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK) Ovredal’s take on “The Captain’s Log” chapter of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is right up my rain-soaked, waterlogged alley. It certainly doesn’t hurt that this particular cruise features the most alarmingly frightening vision of a vampire since SALEM’S LOT (’79).

THANKSGIVING is a devout homage to eighties slashers (particularly of the Canadian variety) that impishly high-fives every beloved trope before it stomps on home plate AND is the best thing to happen to the titular holiday since green bean casserole was invented. Extra points earned for it’s opening mob scene take down of rabid consumerism. Many had been waiting for this flick since Eli Roth’s faux trailer of the same name appeared in 2007’s GRINDHOUSE but I feel like I’ve been sadly missing out on its existence since about 1981.

WHEN EVIL LURKS came around just in time to disprove my premature belief (aka wishful thinking) that I had outgrown my lifelong fear of possession films. Turns out that in the right, thoughtful hands there’s plenty of life (and death) left in the sub-genre that had me quaking in my bobo brand shoes as a child. There’s a wild, frenzied, uncontrollable spirit to Demian (TERRIFIED) Rung’s backyard epic that kept me happily grinding my teeth throughout.

M3GAN was built to last and pretty much achieved icon status before her films release based on her meme-baiting trailer alone. For decades, many have tried and failed to rival fan favorite, Chucky in the killer doll department and this smirky, knowingly campy, yet still uncannily creepy robotic hellion is the first to come close. None of this should work and yet its circuitry runs smoothly with zero glitch. I don’t know how they pulled it off but just as Megs did with a poor unfortunate bully’s ear, they happily did.

SCREAM VI leaves its predecessor in the dust and what more can you ask for from a slasher sequel? It’s New York City setting certainly did much to breath new life in the long in the tooth franchise but more impressively, it changed the trajectory of a few of its characters from snoresville to somewhat engaging. I’d rank this much higher if it actually had the cojones to off some of its leads but I thought it was a surprisingly invigorating (yet wildly implausible) jaunt just the same.

THE CONFERENCE is a Swedish black comedy that continues 2023’s slasher revival. It takes its time revving up but once its game pieces are securely in place, its a joy to watch them get mischievously knocked down with sly sight gags, clever editing, highly rewindable kills and a Bob’s Big Boy-esque masked killer with a hard to argue with motive.

INFINITY POOL is quite the challenging, slippery fish and I think we’ve established that I’m leaning toward tried and true comfort horror in my current mental state but I’m also easily mesmerized by both Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgard so here we are. I’m not sure I can explain the plot of this latest surreal mind-screw from Brandon uber-Cronenberg but suffice to say, it expertly stoked my fear of traveling to foreign lands and left me with a lingering feeling of unease.

EVIL DEAD RISE bravely takes its mother franchise into unfamiliar urban territory and although it may not utilize the full potential of its fresh environment, its penchant towards extravagant splatter is hard to argue with. If Alyssa Sutherland’s wickedly demonic grimace doesn’t get under your skin, director Lee Cronin’s gloriously gory (not to mention groovy) climax certainly will.

TOTALLY KILLER & THE BLACKENING are slasher comedies that I actually found genuinely funny. The former mixes BACK TO THE FUTURE time travel with neon eighties horror excesses to charming effect and the latter pointedly pokes fun of the genre’s sketchy history with black representation. Perhaps even more so than horror, comedy is highly subjective so don’t sue me if you ribs are more resistant to tickling than mine. I mean, I also found THE POPE’S EXORCIST hilarious so maybe don’t go by me!

COBWEB deep dives into childhood fears (especially of parents) and has a crisp, spooky Halloween vibe that’s hard to resist. Visually, it’s an eye-candy stunner, although it may have fared better in the scares department if it was more grounded and less precious and artsy (I’m also extracting points for including yet another home invasion by folks in animal masks bit). The direction and cast are great (Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr are memorably unnerving) but best to take this one in as a dark fantasy akin to MATILDA or CAROLINE rather than straightforward horror for full effect.

THE BOOGEYMAN and THE NUN 2 are audience-friendly jolt dispensers that may not have what it takes to set the world on fire but graciously delivered the well-oiled horror escapism that I (almost medically) require. Rob (HOST) Savage’s stab at Stephen King’s short story is more creature feature than its more psychological (and slim) source material and that’s way OK by me. The cast is top notch, the scares work and it does a fine job of representing those fears of things that go bump in the night. As for the latest cinematic run-in with the demon nun known as Valak, this sequel easily outdoes the original outing, features an awesome giant goat monster (!) and I have to admit I found myself strangely invested in the plight of its main characters. Both are about as mainstream as they come but still deserve kudos for delivering the goods. Additionally, I also had a pleasant enough time with the family drama leaning INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR though it may say something that my favorite part of that film was Patrick Wilson & Ghost’s cover of Shakespeare’s Sister’s “Stay” over the closing credits.

NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU involves an alien abduction and therefore I’m automatically intrigued. Written and directed by Brian Duffield (SPONTANEOUS) and starring the effortlessly expressive Kaitlyn Dever, this marathon-like take on the home invasion flick is brazenly in your face (there’s no cruel waiting for the final reel for a momentary glimpse of the intergalactic interlopers), non-stop startling and delightfully low on dialogue. It may not permanently destroy your well being like FIRE IN THE SKY (’93) but its captivating its its own stellar way none the less.

THE OUTWATERS and SKINAMARINK are the troublemakers in class this year and I don’t mind giving them props for willfully singing their own tunes no matter what’s on the radio. Both flicks are confounding puzzle jumbles at times (OUTS is a patience pusher, SKINS brings new meaning to the term vague) and yet, this devious duo delivered images (OUTS with its gruesome decapitated head sticks, SKINS with its diabolical Fisher Price phone) that will be burned into my brain forever and as a horror fan, I can’t help appreciating that. Additionally, I’m thinking Mark Jenkin's THE WICKER MAN wannabe ENYS MEN is a spiritual sibling to this off-center duo though as much as I loved that film’s poetic visuals, the rest of it pretty much flew kite-like right over my poor addled head.

KNOCK AT THE CABIN and SICK despite boasting the impressive pedigrees of KNOCK being directed by the periodically great M. Night Shyamalan and SICK being written by SCREAM’s Kevin Williamson, failed to make much of an impression on me. Still, both were entertaining enough watches thanks to heavy-lifting performances by Dave Bautista (KNOCK) and quirky Jane Adams (SICK). I wouldn’t be opposed to giving both a second viewing in the future because it’s highly possible I simply watched them on a zombie-mode off day.

SAW X was met with open arms by both fans and critics so I figured I’d give it a shot. I never had much motivation to keep up with the franchise but since this offering took place between the first and SAW II, I figured I’d be all up to date. Turns out that even though I dig the work of Tobin Bell and especially the great Shawnee (THE BLOB) Smith, even this above average sequel is still not my bag. I’m not feeling the industrial warehouse vibe or the moralizing (the pig mask is cool though!). I mean, this film opens with Jigsaw fantasizing about vacuuming some dude’s eyes out of his head all because he briefly considered stealing a watch! Talk about  being tightly wound! I appreciate a good grudge, I guess I just like my killers to be a little more stoic and a lot less scold-y. 

EXORCIST: BELIEVER is one of the few true clunkers that I witnessed this year and I’d like it to go sit in the corner and think about what it's done. What can be said about a legacy sequel that not only disappoints on a storytelling level but also frustratingly squanders the amazing cast it fails to deserve? But hey, let’s not end this ramble on a negative note, I will begrudgingly admit that it did feature some impressive make-up effects (even if much was jettisoned to the cutting room floor) and a competent performance or two. Plus, think of all the animals dear Linda Blair helped with her paycheck!

What were your favorite horror films of 2023? I know I’ve missed more than a few so leave a comment with your thoughts! Recommendations, opinions and dire warnings appreciated!

My Kindertrauma:: Seth S. on Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas ('77)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Growing up this time of year – as close as it is to the holidays – it was almost daily that I would return home from elementary school to find an errant rain check for a Christmas toy waiting for my parents in the mailbox; or to find the house toasty warm against the cold, snowy afternoon; or to see yet another screening of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas on HBO. And one year, for at least that holiday season, it was the cinematic milk & cookies that accompanied every school day afternoon. I all but came to expect Emmet & Ma and their timeless story of family & holiday cheer waiting for me when I got home. 

The short film – based on a 1971 children's book by Russell Hoban and inspired by O. Henry's “The Gift of the Magi” – was directed by Jim Henson (yes, that Jim Henson) and imbued with all the magic of the maestro’s muppetry. It tells the story of young Emmet (an otter) and his widowed Ma (also an otter), both working odd jobs in order to make ends meet in Frogtown Hollow, even when they're taken advantage of for the work that they do. The two are possessed with an unwavering love for one another, but they're also quietly consumed this year by memories of Christmases with their deceased Pa. He taught them to ensure the happiness of the family, even when his own longing was greater than his entrepreneurial plans.

And Christmas is only days away. Emmet yearns for a new $40 guitar, and Ma dreams wistfully of owning a piano again. Good fortune comes in the form of a local talent contest, then, and both Emmet and Ma commit to winning the grand prize, even if they must secretly compete against one another. To that end, Ma hocks the tool chest used for Emmet's odd jobs so that she can sew a nice dress to wear on the night of the contest. And Emmet, meanwhile, punctures a hole in the base of Ma's wash tub (also used for her work as a laundress) so that he can put together a jug-band with his friends.

From there, the 1977 children’s film is wrought with enough dramatic irony and existential dread to trouble any young person who watches it, even when it's laced with charming backwoods duets performed by the show's two protagonists. (And what grownup viewer hasn't felt some sort of existential dread during the holiday season?) But the film seems to save its greatest nightmares for the narrative’s musically-gifted villains: the Riverbottom Nightmare Band. When they're not obnoxiously revving their motors in town or gleefully terrorizing the citizens of Frogtown Hollow with their overall apathy and disregard for order, they're also a hard rock band not to be underestimated by anyone …

… Especially those hoping to win a talent contest.

Led by the surly Chuck Stoat, Stanley Weasel, Fred Lizard, Howard Snake, and "Pop-Eyed" Catfish also enter the local talent show. The band appears to be the only obstacle standing in the otter family's way for a merry Christmas. Yet what makes the band so horrifying is their complete antipathy to everything that the otters – and the viewer – appreciate. Family, hard work, optimism, devotion – these are foreign concepts to the likes of the Riverbottom Gang, who sing that they despise everything they don't understand, which included young me then .. and even you today.

To the young viewers watching this puppet-populated plot unfold, Chuck and his entourage embody a garish, rebellious response to everything that represents normalcy, especially the spirit of the holiday season. The Riverbottom Nightmare Band doesn't apply to the talent contest out of a heartfelt need to nourish good will, like that of Emmet or Ma. There is nothing selfless and charitable in their desire to perform. Rather, their performance looks and sounds like something that will simply win – and it does (spoiler alert!) – because it can. Like the most unconscious slasher in a horror film, the band outperforms our lovable, musically ambitious heroes simply because that's the way this particular story was meant to end, as a scary story more akin to Halloween than Christmas Eve.

Especially today.

It can sometimes feel today as if the bad guys are always going to win, that the good guys can do nothing to save the day. What's worse, we're sometimes made to feel this way not because we – the good guys – lack the heart or skills or talents or tools, but because the darkness seems to so frequently nudge out the light, no matter how bright its glow.

So even as we reflect upon those childhood moments that taught us that the fight against evil was an insurmountable one, we should try to remind ourselves that no evil truly triumphs when we embrace the strength that we have with friends and family. Perhaps it's only natural that we're reminded of the power of those near & dear at this time of year, even when we sometimes forget that that power is with us throughout the year, not exclusive to the holiday season.

And would that every day be like the one demonstrated in this children's film, however mature in its storytelling. Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas dramatizes a message that should resonate with us all:

Where we simultaneously hope to win an impossibly challenging talent contest and discover that everything we ever needed to be happy was always within the reach of our own open arms.

Traumafession:: Writer/Director Christopher Wesley Moore on Poltergeist (1982)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Around the age of 4, I was spending time at my Mamaw and Papaw's house which certainly wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Some of my happiest childhood memories took place inside their home and, usually, on the carpet in front of their RCA TV set or behind their recliners where they kept a handy dandy VHS rewinder so that they could always rewind the tapes before returning them to the video rental store. Yes, fine upstanding citizens, my grandparents. Beverly Sutphin approved! On this day, we were only stopping by for a few minutes and I headed into their wood-paneled TV room to see what they were watching. On screen, I saw a bespeckled man grabbing a late-night snack in a kitchen when his steak started moving across the counter with an icky squishing sound. Before long, the steak had erupted with all kinds of disgusting looking worms and guts and, to make matters worse, the chicken leg he'd dropped after seeing the shock of this spooky steak had maggots crawling all over it.

Thankfully, someone came in and changed the channel before I could see any more, but the damage was done and I was haunted. I figured I'd never be brave enough to watch this entire movie. Who could be? I couldn't even imagine how scary the rest of the movie had to be. It was several years before I got the courage to rent POLTERGEIST and watch it in its entirety and the rest of this scene, where this man rushes into the bathroom and starts pulling off chunks of his face, caused me to run out of the room with a shriek and come get my parents to take the tape out of the VCR for me, because I didn't even want to go back in that room. I was convinced the titular poltergeist had gotten out through the TV during that scene and was about to run amok in our home. Boy, was I glad I didn't see that full scene during my first encounter with the movie! As the years have gone on, I've certainly seen far more graphic films than POLTERGEIST, but I can't say that I don't always gulp and take a deep breath when I'm rewatching it and this scene's about to come on. Some of those early scares have a surprisingly long shelf life.

UNK SEZ: Thanks for the awesome and relatable traumafession, Chris! POLTERGEIST sure offered a plethora of indelible traumas! Folks, make sure you track down our pal Chris Moore’s latest film, the slash-tastic WHEN THE TRASH MAN KNOCKS! It’s currently stalking Amazon Prime and you can check out the menacing trailer HERE! 

Recommended Double Features By Ghastly1 (Part2)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

DeathDream (1974) and Fiend (1980)

Two movies that are almost the same movie. DeathDream is one of the few truly scary films ever made in my opinion. The plot revolves around a soldier killed in Vietnam returning home to his family but not as he was, no, now he is a sort of zombie-vampire hybrid in need of blood to stave off decomposition. It is oneiric, unsettling and genuinely creepy, as are all of Bob Clarks horror outings. Fiend concerns a supernatural entity which possesses the corpse of one, Mr. Longfellow, then proceeds to move into suburbia and begins murdering and eating its neighbors in order to forestall decomposition. The film creates an atmosphere, not wholly unlike Deathdream which I suspect it drew heavy inspiration from. Sure it has it's flaws, but damn it, I like it.

The Penthouse (1967) and The Swimmer (1968)

Two totally tripped out 60's films. The Penthouse sees an adulterous couple in being terrorized in the titular penthouse by a bizarre group of criminals named Tom, Dick and Harry. The Swimmer recounts the increasingly surreal metaphysical journey of Ned (Burt Lancaster) as he swims home through the pools of his friends and neighbors, or rather, who he thinks are his friends and neighbors and comes to realize home might not always be where the heart is, if you don't have one. 

Twisted Nerve (1968) and Straight on Till Morning (1972) 

Two films about deranged lovers. Twisted Nerve tells the story of a disturbed young man and the insane things he will do in order to woo the woman of his dreams. Straight on Till Morning flips the script a bit and shows the obsession women have with insane men and the lengths they will go in order to be with them. 

Blink (1993) and Mute Witness (1995)

Two movies that show murderers don't discriminate against the handicapped. Blink tells the story of a blind musician who receives an operation to allow her to see, but what she sees she doesn't want to; the murder of her neighbor and that now she is being stalked by the killer. Mute Witness takes place in and around the set of a slasher film in Russia where a mute makeup artist is pursued by the makers of a snuff film she happened upon. 

Blind Date (1984) and Nothing Underneath (1985)

Two movies about guys who witness murders. In Blind Date, we follow a blind guy as he tracks a serial killer in Greece by way of a tape player that allows him to see and Deanna Troi gets naked. Truly, what more do you need? In Nothing Underneath, an American forest ranger witnesses his model sister's murder in Milan. 

A Shock to the System (1990) and American Psycho (2000)

Two horror comedies about killer yuppies. Following an electrocution and after being passed over for a promotion at the large advertising firm he works at for a younger rival and for which his wife berates him, Graham Marshall (Michael Caine) decides to set his life in order by removing from it, all those who have made it miserable, this film was surely an inspiration for the following. No introductions necessary…Patrick Bateman, played by Christian Bale- who coincidentally would work with Michael Caine on his Batman films- just wants to fit in and does so by being rich, powerful, physically perfect and sadistically killing people.