31 days of Horror 2012 Extra 06

31 days of Horror 2012 day 10

The Funhouse
1981
4 Movie Marathon Cult Horror Collection Universal DVD

For many years this was the one Tobe Hooper film I had not seen. Not really sure why. I can remember seeing the VHS in various video stores. I just never rented it. Then I found this 4 movie set for $5. Since I didn't have The Funhouse or Serpent and the Rainbow on DVD I picked it up. I know plenty of online horror fans that claim Tobe has only done one good film. But really beside the original TCM,TCM 2,The Funhouse,Lifeforce and Toolbox Murders are all good to great films from a guy who is one of my favorite directors.

Amy and her best friend Liz go to the local carnival with their boyfriends. After wandering around the midway for a few hours. Liz's boyfriend comes up with the great idea of them all spending the night inside the carnival's dark ride. While this is all happening We see that the guy wearing a Frankenstein's monster mask,who runs the dark ride,has gotten the fortune teller to come to his home. Which is inside the dark ride,it seems this guy has something wrong with him and he pays the fortune teller to let him fuck her. But as soon as she touches his penis he ejaculates. She tells he it is over and he freaks out and kills her. Amy and her friends see all this threw some cracks in the floor. They also see when this freak's father shows up and tells him he knows he isn't allowed to kill anyone from the carnival. While Amy's friends are watching this happen ,one of their cigarette lighters drops through the cracks in the ceiling,thus alerting the freak and his father that someone is watching them. So we get a nice long chase through the funhouse. We get to see what the freak looks like without his mask on and whoever did the FX work did a great job.

After seeing the film the first time I did some research online and found out that Dean Koontz did a novelization of the film under a different name. Well my local library happens to have the novelization on the shelves. So I checked it out to read. Wow the novelization adds a bunch to the film. In the novel we find out that Amy's mom at one time was married to the freak's dad. And the freak is Amy's half brother. We also learn that Amy is pregnant. And get more back story on the freak and the carnival. So if you enjoy The Funhouse track down the novelization and give it a read it will really add to your enjoyment of the film. The Funhouse gets a B-.

31 days of Horror 2012 Extra 05

American Horror Story
2011
20th century Fox Blu ray

Now last year during my 31 days of Horror I talked about the first 2 or 3 episodes of this new series. For some reason I watched the first 6 and never watched the last half of season 1. But the day it hit Blu Ray I bought it and over the past 3 days been marathoning it.

The Harmon's are a some what normal family. The father is a shrink,the mom has just suffered from a miscarriage and their daughter Violet is a moody brooding teen. After Ms Harmon catches her husband cheating on her,they end up moving to California to get a fresh start.

Turns out the house they buy has a long an gruesome history. Pretty much everybody who has lived in it is now dead. And if you die in the house your ghost will haunt the house forever.

Well right off the bat we get clues that this isn't gonna be your normal FX drama. The first episode is packed with strange images and camera work that isn't the norm.

Each episode of the season starts off with a flashback. And it is through these flashbacks we get a bunch of the back story filled in. Like in the first episode the neighbor,played by Jessica Lange,tells the maid "Don't make me kill you again!" Now we already know something is strange about the maid. Cause to the husband she looks like the young woman in the picture at the top. But everyone else sees her as an old lady with a wonky eye. A few episodes later we get a flashback where Jessica Lange kills the Moira the maid. Cause Jessica thinks the maid is screwing her husband.

Each episode is filled with stuff designed to unnerve you. Like the Rubber man. In the first episode the Harmon family finds a latex bondage suit in the attic. It belonged to the previous owners. A gay couple who died in the house. And someone keeps showing up wearing the Rubber Man outfit all through out the season.

What I really liked about the show is seeing some of these episodes for the second time I can see all the little clues and foreshadowing that was in them. Stuff that if you know what to look for lets you know what will happen later on in the season.

The Blu Ray set looks amazing. The sound is well done and helps set the mood. I haven't watched any of the extras. But did listen to the commentary on the first episode. One drawback to that is there is some major spoilers in that commentary. But oh well. American Horror Story season 1 Blu Ray gets a A-.

31 days of Horror 2012 day 09

Tender Flesh
1997
Lust for Frankenstein/Tender Flesh double feature Shock-O-rama Cinema DVD

I first heard about this Jess Franco film thanks to the late Alternative Cinema magazine. They did a long review of it and talked about how the limited edition VHS release was gonna be the only release of the fully uncut version. At the time I had just discovered Jess Franco and really wanted to see Tender Flesh,but the price for the VHS was more than I was willing to pay. Fast forward to 2009 and I find on eBay a DVD that not only has the fully uncut Tender Flesh but the Jess Franco film Lust for Frankenstein. I ordered it. And ended up having to wait about 2 weeks before I finally got it.

Amber Newman plays a stripper,and her and her mega sleazy boyfriend are invited to a private party on an island owned by a very rich woman. What they don't know is this woman wants them to come so she can hunt them down. This is Jess Franco's version of the classic story "The Most Dangerous Game". The cast has a few people that if you are into cult cinema you will know. People like Amber Newman,Monique Parent and the late Lina Romay. Now while this is a sleazier version of the most dangerous game,what makes it stand out in most people who have seen it's minds is a scene where a woman marinades a steak by pissing on it. And you can tell this scene isn't faked. Yeah I know it is pretty gross. And I bet that scene is the one that was supposed to be removed from the non-limited edition VHS releases. No idea if there ever was a non-limited edition release. Overall the film isn't bad. Amber and Monique are both nice looking ladies. The acting is all over the place,with some of the actors doing good jobs. And some of them being worse than a kindergarden production of Peter Pan. Tender Flesh gets a C-.

31 days of Horror 2012 Extra 04

From WING in 2001 here is Leatherface vs Jason.

31 days of Horror 2012 day 08

La lengua asesina AKA Killer Tongue
1996
4 pack Source One Entertainment DVD


Back in 1995 or 1996 I read an article in Fangoria about an upcoming horror film. It was being filmed in Spain and had Robert "Freddy" Englund,Doug "Pinhead" Bradley and Melinda "Return of the Living Dead III" Clarke. This movie was La lengua asesina AKA Killer Tongue. From the article and the various pictures it looked like it was gonna be a fun little horror comedy. Well I never saw it for rent in any video store in my area. And it wasn't until sometime in 1999 that I found it for rent in Hollywood Video. After one viewing it quickly became a favorite of mine. I never did see it on DVD,then in 2008 I found a DVD four pack that had it,the Fear,The Fear Halloween Night and Grim on it. And the DVD was only $5. So I had to get it.

Melinda Clarke is hiding out in the desert with her four poodles. Her boyfriend and her have done a bank heist job. He got caught,but not before he could hide the money. So she is waiting on him to get released so they can get the money and live a life of freedom. One night she sees a meteor crash not to far from her home. Part of it ends up in her food. Which Melinda and her four dogs eat. This causes Melinda's tongue to gain super powers and a mind of it's own. And her four dogs turn into are transformed into drag queens. But the tongue is a killer tongue and makes Melinda go out and kill people. Her boyfriend escapes from jail,and is pursued by the warden and one of the guards. These two are played by Robert Englund and Doug Bradley.

Killer Tongue is a film I am surprised doesn't have a big cult following. It has all that is needed to attract a devoted cult following,but it seems even among hardcore film fans the film is pretty much unknown. I think it is one of the better horror movies of the 90s and majorly under-rated. Killer Tongue gets a B.

31 days of Horror 2012 day 07

Last Man on Earth
1964
Last man on Earth/The Devil's Messenger double feature Digiview Entertainment DVD

Ever since I saw the original House on Haunted Hill one Halloween night when I was very young, I have been a fan of Vincent Price. So after seeing the Omega Man,and that cinematic abortion that was  I am Legend with Will Smith, I had to see the first film based on the classic Richard Matheson 1954 novel I Am Legend. Found this at Walmart in their selection of $1 DVDs.

It is 1968 and Vincent Price spends his days going out to get supplies and killing all the vampires he can find. And his nights walled up in his house hoping the vampires  can't get in and kill him. Filmed in Rome this black and white film has a very dream like feel and look to it. Mr Price does a great job in the lead. Which  is good cause the film is pretty much a one man show. While the film does change some stuff from the novel so far it is the closest to the novel any film has gotten. The cinematography really helps capture the loneliness that Vincent is suffering from. One day he sees a dog while out making his rounds. He chases after the dog and finds out there is other people out there . They are infected but haven't become vampires thanks to some vaccine. One of them goes back to his house with him. And when the others of her group show up she tries her best to keep them from killing Vincent. But it doesn't work. These other semi infected people finally impale Vincent with a spear on the altar in a church. With his dying breath he declares himself the last man on Earth. Last Man on Earth gets a B.

31 days of Horror 2012 day 06

Cherry Falls
2000
Cherry Falls/Terror Tract Alliance Atlantis Canadian DVD

Before it came out Cherry Falls was getting lots of press in genre magazines and online. Rumors said that the first cut of the film got a NC-17 rating. So it was edited five times until it got an R rating. For some reason it didn't get any kind of theatrical release and finally after what seemed like years made it's premiere on the USA network in a heavily edited version. I saw it when it first aired on USA and even  with it edited for cable could see that it had potential to be a pretty good modern slasher film. Well I kind of forgot about the movie until around 2005. When I heard it had gotten a DVD release. As a double feature DVD along with Terror Tract,an anthology horror film starring the late John Ritter. Well I could never find the DVD. It seems like it quickly went out of print. And when I would find a copy online for sale it was selling for way more than I was willing to pay. So I just gave up on owning a copy. Then earlier this year my Aunt had asked me to make a wishlist of stuff I wanted for my birthday. I was making the list at Amazon and discovered that someone was selling this DVD brand new for about 10 bucks. So I threw it on the wishlist,thinking that if my Aunt didn't buy it for me I would buy it for myself.  Well since she is such a great lady,for a midget,she got it and some other DVDs for me. One thing I noticed about the copy I have is it is a Canadian release and it comes in one of those stupid ass new eco-amray cases. So I have no idea if this is a new release or maybe a bunch of copies were found in some warehouse and repackaged. I am just happy to finally have a copy.

Set in the quiet town of Cherry Falls Virgina,the film starts off with the late Britney Murphy in a car with her boyfriend. Britney gets in trouble for coming home after curfew and is grounded by her father who is the town sheriff. Turns out that same night two other teenagers that go to the same school as Britney are killed. After being checked out by a medical personal it turns out that the girl was still a virgin. And the killer has carved the word virgin into both of the victims bodies. Word quickly gets out about the killer and their apparent M.O. and the teenagers plan a huge orgy at an old abandoned house. Figuring that the killer is only killing virgins,so if there is no virgins the killer will have no one to kill. We also find out that Britney's dad and some of his old high school buddies have a dark secret. And maybe this secret has some connection to the murders.

I love how this movie takes the slasher tropes of only the sexually active teens being killed and turns it completely around. Plus I have always thought Britney Murphy,before her personal demons got the better of her, was a very good actress. The cast is pretty good with Jay Mohr,DJ Qualls and Michael Biehn being the stand outs. The FX work is well done and best of all it is all practical FX no fucking CGI. I would love to see the original cut of the movie released. But it looks like that isn't going to happen. At least the DVD is the R rated cut. Cherry Falls gets a B-.

31 days of Horror 2012 Extra 03

From IWA Japan in 1997 here is a short fun match between Leatherface and Freddy.

31 days of Horror 2012 day 05

Chopping Mall
1986
Horror Collection 8 Movie pack Lionsgate DVD

Chopping Mall is a film I would always hear about from my friends in school. It seems it was played on one of the various premium movie channels a bunch back in the late 80s. But since the area I grew up in didn't get cable till the end of 1990 I never saw it. I had always wanted to rent it,but never saw the VHS in any video store. So when I got the multipack that had this on it I was pretty happy.

Directed and co-written by Jim Wynorski,Chopping Mall was originally titled Killbots. The film was first released under the Killbots title and did horrible. Then it was released as Chopping Mall and made a nice profit. The cast actually has some semi well known stars for such a low budgeted film. We got Kelli Maroney,Tony O'Dell who is better known for being on the ABC sitcom Head of the class,and cameos from Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov. Even Roger Corman regular Dick Miller shows up in a small part.

Set in the Park Plaza mall,we see that they had just installed a new state of the art security system. Which includes 3 robots that are armed with tasers and tranquilizer guns. A handful of couples decide to throw a party in in the furniture store,where some of them work,after the mall is closed. Most of the couples sneak off to have sex. But Tony O'Dell and Kelli Maroney end up watching old science fiction films on TV. While the party is going on a lightning storm hits the computer that is in control of the security robots,causing them to become killers. One of the couples leaves the store to go get some cigs and is killed by the robots. So the remaining guys go break into the sporting goods store,which is named "Peckinpah's" , to get some guns to protect themselves. At the same time the ladies arm themselves with some road flares and gasoline. After some wild misadventures the only people left alive are Tony and Kelli. And between the two of them they come up with a plan to destroy the robots and hopefully escape the now deadly mall. I have no idea who designed the robots but they did a very good job. They have a unique look,and each one seems to have it's own personality. The movie is a nice blend of horror,science fiction and comedy. And since it came in a pack of 8 films for $5 that means it only cost me about 65 cents. It is more than worth that amount. Now they print they used for the DVD shows some wear and hasn't been remastered. But for the cheap price it is not that big a deal. Chopping Mall gets a C+.