Back in the 1970s, Mike Evans played the recurring character Lionel Jefferson on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons". Eventually, he was replaced on "The Jeffersons" by a guy who looked nothing like him...and I always wondered why this happened. Well, after reading a bit, it seems that he quit acting temporarily in 1975 because he was the co-creator and writer for "Good Times". However, just before quitting acting, he accepted a leading role in "The House on Skull Mountain". Perhaps Evans should have considered giving up acting a year sooner-- since his role in the film was rather one dimensional and silly. Of course, the film itself is one dimensional and silly!!
The film begins with an old black lady dying. Various relatives who don't know each other have all been invited to her estate for a reading of the old woman's will. However, before this occurs, there is a death--and things start to get really scary. Lots of snakes appear and disappear, the Grim Reaper keeps popping by to visit and there's an underground voodoo cult that meets there for their little dance parties. Who will survive the stay at Skull Mountain?
If I had some distant relative die and I was invited to their estate at Skull Mountain, I might just think twice. After all, 'Skull Mountain' doesn't exactly sound like a friendly place! And, when various folks in the home start seeing weird hallucinations of death, you'd think they'd skedaddle--I sure know I would! But, being a cheesy exploitation film they don't and the results are rather predictable and silly. I also wonder if most Black-Americans who might watch this today might just feel a bit embarrassed by all this silliness and these stereotypes. And, it really is silly--just the sort of guilty pleasure bad movie fans might enjoy. Others, however, should watch at their own risk--Shakespeare this isn't!
The film begins with an old black lady dying. Various relatives who don't know each other have all been invited to her estate for a reading of the old woman's will. However, before this occurs, there is a death--and things start to get really scary. Lots of snakes appear and disappear, the Grim Reaper keeps popping by to visit and there's an underground voodoo cult that meets there for their little dance parties. Who will survive the stay at Skull Mountain?
If I had some distant relative die and I was invited to their estate at Skull Mountain, I might just think twice. After all, 'Skull Mountain' doesn't exactly sound like a friendly place! And, when various folks in the home start seeing weird hallucinations of death, you'd think they'd skedaddle--I sure know I would! But, being a cheesy exploitation film they don't and the results are rather predictable and silly. I also wonder if most Black-Americans who might watch this today might just feel a bit embarrassed by all this silliness and these stereotypes. And, it really is silly--just the sort of guilty pleasure bad movie fans might enjoy. Others, however, should watch at their own risk--Shakespeare this isn't!