abduktionsphanomen Reviews

Cannibals in the Streets (1980)

Living cannibal zombies in such an 80's way

[8/10 · 5 May 2024]

#195 Cannibal Apocalypse (AKA: (Italian: Apocalypse domani, lit. 'Apocalypse tomorrow', also known as Invasion of the Flesh Hunters) - 1980 (This Film Rates a B+ ) The film opens to the Vietnam War where two of the rescued POW's are infected with a disease and the appetite for human flesh. One POW (Charlie Bikowski) bites fellow soldier Norman Hopper. Suddenly, Norman wakes up as if it were a nightmare and yelling out "he was biting me again!". He starts to find himself struggling around the sight of blood. Norman then gets a call from his army buddy Charlie asking him to go out for a beer but is spooked and declines. Charlie's life turns out so chaotic after killing two people and going on a biting spree. The story unfolds into something more sinister and is played off as "a form of rabies" and "contagious cannabilism". Norman starts feeling as though his life is out of control, "there is something wrong with me and its getting worse everyday". The disease is spreading and infecting others who are bitten. The police worry that this could spread through the entire city. Soon the infected originals band together and escape into the night causing bloody mayhem along the way. They are forced into the sewer system where each are hunted by law inforcement. Can any of them escape the massive manhunt? The ending is predictable but very satisfying. The gore effects are decent and there are plenty of chomping and eating scenes plus the overlong saw to the leg sequence. The script is average and sometimes really dumb; like the having sex in a movie theater that is showing a war movie. Overall, this film has some nice intensity and build. There is plenty of action from the gruesome look at war, the chase sequences and that fight at the 1 hour 9-minute mark. It has sewer rats and a lot of police sirens. The sets are totally 1980's like no other movie could offer. The music is not what you'd expect from a horror film but more of an 80's action television show. This is completely acceptable. Plus, John Saxon is such a stud in this film.

Biohazard (1985)

Mediocre alien film with bad acting and a worse script

[6/10 · 28 April 2024]

#194 Biohazard - 1985 (This Films Rates a C ) In a remote research lab, scientists are working on experiments involving the transferring of matter from other dimensions. It's so remote that even the army has a hard time locating it. The film involves an army officer named Mitchell who teams up with a psychic, Lisa, who is a part of the experiments. "Her mental energy will receive and transmit to this location anything her mind can attract". But, because of a lose cable outside of the area is unsecured it brings back a large "metal trunk". The government wants the trunk and are going to cart it out through the desert in a military vehicle. The alien creature escapes into the desert of course. It is short, dressed in a black rubber suit and likes to kill. There is also a snake like creature that doesn't last long but is fun to laugh at. Meanwhile a group bans together to hunt it down. "You go down on him and when I hear your moans, I'll come running". They ultimately split up into groups as predicted. The crazy twist ending seems to fit even if wacky and tacky. It has beautiful desert scenery, which is a highlight of the film, plus the gore effects are a bit bloody. This is as good as a $250,000 budget can bring you. The alien creature ripping down and stomping on the ET movie poster was priceless. To its discredit however, the script and acting are dumb, jumpy and disjointed. It is truly terrible. One character has his throat ripped out but "they stopped the bleeding, and he is going to be ok" also they are about to kill this alien creature and instead get into a fist fight right in front of it, and then instead of killing this thing, he walks away? There is brief sex and psychic boobage but not enough to elevate the film. There is just so much that doesn't work here. It's just a romp into something mediocre.

Mutant Hunt (1987 Video)

It's a terrible sci-fi cyborg film but has enough craziness to entertain

[7/10 · 21 April 2024]

#192 Mutant Hunt - 1987 (This Films Rates a C+ ) New York, 1992. A futuristic view of the city run by newly developed killer cyborgs. The Delta7's contain an "alien molecule in their fuel system". Euphoron, a narcotic which allow the cyborgs to "kill for fun". A few of the cyborgs escape into the streets. One of the scientists flees the compound and seeks out a bounty hunter (Matt Riker) for assistance. He reluctantly accepts. Matt Riker and his gang start to hunt down some slimy gel headed "mutants! Psychosexual killers". Later he finds out that a 'for profit' sponsoring company is using them for a more sinister reason. Everything about this film is terrible. The over long comical fight scenes (and there are LOTS of them!), the fake gore and effects, the over the top acting, redicilous and unbelievable story lines that do not make any sense, a super low budget with crude sets (most of the streets were dark and virtually deserted), There are lasers, a man fighting cyborgs in his underwear while two women watch helplessly, drugs, awkward "romance" moments, gulliable men, easy women, cyberpunk costumes, and a cheese filled electronic rock soundtrack, Very brief T&A. Does any of that really matter? It is so bad that its mostly entertaining. Everything you ever wanted to see but never asked for. Sadly, the ending is anticlimactic, a letdown, and something that just missed elevating this film. "I hate it when men save me!

Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970)

A who dunnit that is just average

[7/10 · 14 April 2024]

#191 5 Dolls for an August Moon - 1970 (This Film Rates a C+ ) A group of drunken affluent socialite's party the night away at a mansion on a remote island. However, not everyone is happy to be on the island. The guests had planned to pressure Gerry Ferrell into selling an experimental formula he was working on. They offer millions by check. He refuses based on the fact that his "house boy" died with its creation. And then the murders begin. "Who could've dunnit?" The million-dollar check disappears, the phone system is out, the boat is gone and no way to escape. There is a lot of deception. "You're so different from the others", but no one to trust. It has excessive drinking, storing the dead bodies wrapped in plastic and placed in the walk-in freezer. Gerry is soon gunned down by an unknown assailant then dragged out to sea. Each guest turns up murdered and sent to the freezer. Meanwhile the secret formula is sold and well there isn't much else. The gore and effects are tame for the 70's horror genre. The script and acting are not spectacular and are just below average. "Thats a good girl...alright that's enough now, you know you're crying like a bad-tempered baby" and then the woman gets viciously slapped by a man. There is lots of fake crying. To its credit, the film is colorful and artistic in a sleek midcentury modern way. The marbles rolling down the staircase is most memorable. The soundtrack is great and has a fabulous groove. It's a big highlight for me. No T&A but a lot of teaser moments. Overall, there just wasn't enough meat for me.

Thirst (1979)

Underrated vampire film that isn't like everything else

[9/10 · 7 April 2024]

Thirst - 1979 (This Film Rates a A- ) The "Brotherhood" kidnaps a woman named Kate Davis. They have been studying her daily life and habits over a considerable period of time. She is brought to a research facility and interrigated. The brotherhood believe that she is an ancestor of Elizabeth Bathory and welcome her in as a fellow vampire. At first Kate is not interested. She is told that there are 70,000 of them around the world. The grounds of the compound are full of "workers" that are harvested for blood. She escapes but is captured. Kate is then regularly drugged, brainwashed and encouraged to drink blood. She starts losing touch with reality through hallucinations and past memories. The brotherhood put her on the verge of insanity until Kate drinks blood willingly. Sometimes the audience gets lost in what is real and what is fantasy. But will Kate become so broken as to accept being a full-fledged vampire? The ending does not disappoint. The film isn't as artistic as Jean Rollins yet it has some brilliant moments; The 27 min mark when Kate tries to escape or the 58 min mark where Kate is trapped in the library/study, there are times when it all seems outrageous, such as the 36-minute mark where a tour group gets to see the harvest farm. It's not very gory however it has the right amount for this story. The acting and script are competent with nice flow. The soundtrack is a bit over dramatic and enjoyable. There are no T&A. Overall this is not always the perfect film, yet it is above average and underrated.

The Slasher ...is the Sex Maniac! (1972)

Average slasher with lots of nudity but thin on gore

[7/10 · 31 March 2024]

The Slasher Is the Sex Maniac (So Sweet, So Dead (Italian: Rivelazioni di un maniaco sessuale al capo della squadra mobile) - 1972 (This Film Rates a C+ ) The films starts off with a nude woman who was already fatally slashed in the neck. There are photographs scattered around her body, Inspector Capuana is sent to investigate the murder. The initial suspects include prostitues, "pimps and whores", transvestites and homosexuals. Meanwhile, the masked killer takes photographs of a couple having sex and that night murders a woman who is having an affair with a married man. At the morgue the doctor recounts how the woman died as the creepy assistant fondles the dead womens breasts. He also takes pictures of their breasts and gets excited over them. Infact, he shows them off to the inspector. Now, the assistant is the primary suspect. The doctor suggests that the murderer most likely is a jealous homosexual. Impetient. The bodies start piling up with no viable leads. The morgue assistant confesses to the murders which are publiscide and makes the real killer angry. He phones threatening the inspectors wife. "You have no idea where your wife meets her lover". But who is the masked killer and why? There is lots of sex, nudity and sleeze. The gore is hit or miss with some effects being too dark to appreciate though it has some intense brutality. Sadly, the story seems to drag on a bit. The acting and script are typical and below average with no real highlights. The title seems to be the most exciting part of the film.

Raw Force (1982)

Boobs and Kung Fu Zombies

[8/10 · 24 March 2024]

Raw Force - 1982 (This Film Rates a B- ) On a remote island women are captured and held captive, the reject girl is killed by a dead man and his sword. Meanwhile the Burbank Karate Club sets sail for the remote, Warrior's Island. "It's where martial artists go to meet their maker". They are warned not to go but of course continue anyways. The boat is attacked in the middle of the night and several of the passengers are murdered. Chaos onboard ensues. The ship is set on fire and one of the women is kidnapped. The rest abandon ship and into the inflatable life raft. Eventually landing on the forbidden island. From there it becomes the ultimate in survival. The island is full of misfit monks that are not so normal. In fact, they like to kill and live off female flesh. The captives are barbequed and eaten. Thats right, cannibal monks! The group needs to fight for their lives as the kung fu dead rise. The gore and effects are not extensive, but the water and air scenes are really the star of the film. The acting is laughable for so many reasons, the good, the bad and EVERYTHING is absurd. All of the cast act clueless and dumb. Even the script is terrible. The fight scenes are plentiful, over dramatic and entertaining as hell. They make this film come together, even though everything is so over the top fake! There are lots of boobs and butts just in case you weren't satisfied with the above storyline. "When we get together the way to get by is pull out the booze and let's get high".

The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)

Giant spiders. Just as bad as you think it is!

[6/10 · 17 March 2024]

The Giant Spider Invasion - 1975 (This Film Rates a C ) A comet hits a small rural town and there are several witnesses. After a military aircraft encounters a magnetic anomaly, it loses radar and crashes. Heavy gamma ray activity is reported by an observatory near by. Meanwhile the local sheriff gets calls from the towns folk about electrical problems. It starts off with a field of dead cows. The rock hatching spiders start out small but quickly grow into GIANT halloween props. "Looks like our black hole has turned into an open doorway from hell". The towns people band together to destroy the 50 foot spider in a mob fashion. But before they can get there the spider attacks a backwoods carnival and then the persuing mob. Everything is all mumbo jumbo from there. The attacks are over dramatic and somewhat unexciting. There isnt much blood or gore effects and what is present is PG-13 worthy. The acting is mainly terrible but there are some fun moments such as the preacher's sermons and Barbara Hale in general (Perry Mason). You also get lines such as "Sometimes the only way I know you're alive is when you flush the toilet". "There isn't a drop of booze in this house, and I just can't stand it. I'm really desperate would you bring me something?" The low budget brings you fake windstorms, hokey explosions, and overly absurd situations. A brief scene of T&A but nothing to save the film. This is as bad as you think it is.

The French Sex Murders (1972)

nothing here makes this a stellar film.

[6/10 · 3 March 2024]

The French Sex Murders (Italian: Casa d'appuntamento) - 1972 (This Film Rates a C ) An angry and sloppy jewelry thief named Antoine is blamed for the murder of a prostitute. He slaps her around quite a bit after she refuses to stop whoring herself out. The police inspector arrives to view the murder scene and thinks its "pretty obvious what happened". Antoine is eventually caught and sentenced to death by guillotine. In court he promises to return and kill all those who helped get him convicted. He escapes but winds up decapitated in a motorcycle accident. Shortly after a scientist acquires his severed head and uses it for experimentation. But is his head actually alive? Is Antoine killing people or is it some weird science experiement? By the time you get to the end of the film you wont care. The story builds too slow and there are a lot of filler scenes. The gore and effects are ok for 1972 but whats up with the murders being seen 3-4 times with psychedelic flashing colors? The kills are decent but not realistic, though the eye ball cutting scene isnt for the squimish. The English dubbing is horrendous and at times its still in Italian. The acting and script are average at best. The music is hit or miss but fits the film quite well. There is sex and a fair amount of nudity but also a lot of scenes of women being slapped around and taken advantage of. Enough to offend some. But nothing here makes this a stellar film.

Bad Channels (1992 Video)

A quality B film that is absurd enough to work

[8/10 · 25 February 2024]

Bad Channels - 1992 (This Films Rates a B ) A silly over enthusiastic radio station promotion where listeners need to guess the combination to the locks Dangerous Dan is strapped in. He keeps playing the same polka record over and over until someone gets the right combo. Eventually someone guesses the combination of 1 2 3. But was this promotion all a fraud? It took 20 hours and 14 minutes for the solution. A television reporter (Lisa - Martha Quinn) thinks it is a scam and of course needs to investigate. Suddenly, "We just got buzzed by a UFO!" Aliens land and plan to use the radio station to abduct female listeners in a really bizarre story line that is entertaining enough. The large alien has a little robot friend but that proves to be a strained relationship. The alien is referred to as "It looks like a turd with a port hole window!". The whole encounter is played out live over the airwaves. Of course, the listeners all think it's another joking promotion for money and ratings, and no one takes the broadcast seriously. They all become mesmerized by the drama being played out. It also has the most ridiculous ending that will make you laugh out loud. There are some great overlong rock scenes highlighted with the Blue Oyster Cult and others. It's a superb soundtrack in that 1990's sort of way. There are some really terrific splices of cinematic art; The Russian newscaster at the 12 minute and 36 min marks, the hot wheels cars running around the orange vinyl at 22 min 49 second mark or the live band inside the diner at the 36-minute mark. Sadly, the script is pretty bad, and the acting isn't much better. It tries to be too funny which slightly cheapens the overall film but it's the little things that make it succeed. Everything is absurd but it's a quality B movie.

The Beast Must Die (1974)

Mediocre werewolf film that has some suspense but not effects

[7/10 · 18 February 2024]

The Beast Must Die - 1974 (This Films Rates a C+ ) A guessing game where the mystery is to solve and kill who is the werewolf. A group is invited to a rural English estate where it is revealed that one of them is actually a werewolf and the others have to "guess" and kill this werewolf. Of course, the guests aren't happy with the news but there is no escaping the vast property. We even have a back woods car chase with a Land Rover versus Mercedes that ends as expected. The entire house and woods are being monitored from a controlled location that is anything but safe. There are various tests from a combination of a full moon with Wolfsbane pollen or touching/putting silver in your mouth. But before any other tests can be completed, people start getting mauled by the "dog" beast. It does feature a 30 second "werewolf break" to think about who "you" the viewer believes is the werewolf. However, there isn't much character development to really make the choices challenging enough. Eventually we see the true werewolf and well it's a bit underwhelming, but it does have a twist ending that involves "one bullet left". There are some nice builds (48-minute mark) but it's mainly overlong. The effects are mostly nonexistent and too quick to appreciate. A big, missed opportunity. The soundtrack is so 1970's and perfectly timed/fitting. It winds up being a highlight. "Tonight, the beast must die."

The Killing of Satan (1983)

Super low budget Filipino versus Satan fight film

[7/10 · 11 February 2024]

The Killing of Satan (AKA: Lumaban ka, Satanas) - 1983 (This Films Rates a C ) A crazy super low budget Filipino film where a mustachioed man named Lando fights to save his daughter from Satan. "You're yellow Satan!" But first he is unknowingly summoned by his dead uncle to battle The Prince of Magic and his evil posse. The prince has these rays from his hands that can incapacitate. The dead uncle guides Lando through his journey. Eventually learning of his true superhuman powers and learning he can heal plus withstand bullets. The film gets kind of weird from there. There are fake explosions, fake rockslides down a mountain, snake slapping and tying the body into a knot, shape shifters, phony yet entertaining combat scenes including fisticuffs and hand rays, the defeat of Satan and lots of snakes. The script and acting are not meant to be funny but are, mainly due to the extremely absurd dubbing. There are too many examples of this. Sometimes the storyline gets lost and often times it's just plain bad. The gore and effects are mild and not anything exciting. There are boobs. It is ok for what it is.

The Love Butcher (1975)

What you expect from low budget 70's horror.

[7/10 · 4 February 2024]

The Love Butcher - 1975 (This Film Rates a C+ ) The public is upset because there have been six murders and no suspects. There is a lot of anger, yelling and shouting. From there we meet, Caleb who is an odd "crippled gimp" gardener for the snobby. He goes home to an already deceased brother (Lester) who torments and belittles him in a delusional like state. Or is this reality? Seems like Lester is the stud and Caleb is the dud when it comes to women. Lester just can't help but kill them though. Caleb slowly delves into madness and the lines are blurred until the twist ending. It isn't awful. The women in this film are portrayed as dumb and stereotypical as are the police officers. The kills aren't gory but there is some intensity behind the actions. Plus, the drowning by having a garden hose shoved down your throat was fun. The music is pretty bad, the acting is juvenile, and the script is lacking. There are some moments that were meant to be funny that really aren't, for instance, challenging a killer by stating "I can outperform you 10 days in a week". But there is sex and boobs.

Maniac Killer (1987)

A truly so bad its bad film

[6/10 · 21 January 2024]

Maniac Killer - 1987 (This Film Rates a D ) After getting slapped in the face by a jerk of a man, Rosalee walks home in the dark alone and is stalked by an unknown assailant. She is drugged and carried away. Rosalee wakes up chained to a wall then stripped and tortured. The next day word gets around town and rumors start. A man is thought to be "experimenting on animals and women until they die". Meanwhile there is a town "half wit" named Matthew. He collects a cat/rabbit/bird in a canvas bag and is fascinated with fireworks. Matthew is snatching these creatures for Professor Roger Osborne who is a molecular biologist. This guy never takes off his lab coat. Anyways, he needs the animals for "new fresh blood". The professor teaches Matthew how to speak. There are also interludes of Occultist torture scenes that break up the monotonous and painful storyline. These feel very disjointed. The group of occultists torture women into confessing they are possessed by Satan and to "purify their souls". There are no real connections with either story except the local police investigations which intertwine both. By the time it ends you won't care about any of it. The acting is pretty terrible, but it is a French film. This is highlighted by the shootout scene at the 45-minute mark or the knockout scene at the 1 hour 6-minute mark. The poor doorman gets knocked out twice. No real gore but has some teaser moments that just do not pan out. So many gunshot to the stomach death moments. On the positive side there are a few boob shots. Do not waste your time here.

The Suckling (1990)

When toxic waste and an aborted alien baby meet

[8/10 · 14 January 2024]

The Suckling (AKA: Sewage Baby) - 1990 (This Films Rates a B ) A nice wholesome story about an illegal abortion clinic and whore house. One day the sketchy staff decide to improperly dispose of a forced abortion. It ends up in the sewer system where, of course, comes in contact with toxic waste. Meanwhile there is laughable kink that is slightly over the top happening on the other side. Hell, everything here is over the top. The whore house becomes out of control with a customer being shot and a prostitute being punched. Everyone there gets locked into the house as the alien looking fetus seemingly grows instantly right before our eyes. It soon emerges killing them one by one. The remaining come up with a few dumb plans to stop the creature from utilizing the pipes throughout the house. They are forced to ban together and made to hunt the creature instead of trying and escape. They shoot their own, there is a suicide, the ending contains a rape scene, it's just all despair. Everything here is absurd but there are some good builds and has moments of intensity. But there are sequences that become buzzkills (the dumb fight at the 39 min mark, the crazed gun scene at the 50 min mark) The script is bad in an amusing way however the comedic moments are hit and miss. There are no shortage of fetus and "baby" shots, but the budget couldn't afford anything more. The acting is subpar and very amateur. It's a negative that cannot be overcome. The soundtrack delivers on many levels and is a highlight for me. This film is horror, comedy and sleazy trash. It has some brief boob shots. Just know what you are getting yourself into. This is not a movie for prolife advocates.

Peeping Tom (1960)

"I dont trust a man who walks quietly"

[9/10 · 31 December 2023]

Peeping Tom - 1960 (This Film Rates a A- ) A wannabe British documentary director and voyeur named Mark films his kills and gets off watching what he records. He then records the police coming to a murdered prostitute's apartment and finding her dead body. Mark also spends time photographing scantily clad women as part time employment. He continues to film women and their everyday life. It arouses the kinky exploitative nature of sexuality without T&A. The story eventually reveals that Mark's father filmed his entire childhood and at some point, has some significantly poor parenting skills. Mark lures and kills with ease. The police become involved and soon understand that the expression of each victim seems to be the same...of terror! "Whatever I photograph I lose". There is no high body count. There are no gore effects and no on-screen violence however what is implied becomes believable and intense. There are a lot of great visuals with sets, setting and colors. It's well photographed, and this is what makes the film work. The soundtrack is mainly piano music but really adds a nice layer of suspense. It fits in all the right places and is quite a highlight. The film can be somewhat overlong in some places (and is the only downside), but there are enough thrills to make this all come together. A sample used by Clock DVA - "The Act" (at the 1 hour 36-minute mark) was a surprise. "I don't trust a man who walks quietly".

Hallucinations (1986 Video)

Bloody, low budget, 1986, shot on a video camera. Its all good!

[8/10 · 26 December 2023]

Hallucinations - 1986 (This Film Rates a B+ ) A super low budget film that was shot on video during the winter. Three young and odd brothers (One adopted-Todd, one cognitively impaired-Mark and one sexually preoccupied-John) are left at home as their mom has to work a double shift, per her note. She won't be home until late, but dinner is in the fridge. Mark receives a frightening phone call and later that evening has wild hallucinations involving violence and mayhem in their basement. He wakes up with blood on his hands, but it quickly vanishes. Mark recounts the nightmare with his two brothers and John goes to the basement to inspect. He comes back up to confirm but the bloody scene disappears after Todd and John go down a second time. Meanwhile, Mark continues to have horrifying visions and these begin to spread. The storyline gets a little confusing from there. What is real and what is a hallucination are blurred. "You're not real, you're not real"! It takes a while to get to the only logical conclusion. Mind over matter. Yet, the film has good build and a fair amount of suspense. The bloody hallucinations are intense even if overlong and with very fake looking gore. But it's all very satisfying. Truly. There is snow, snow shoveling, and lots of cold winter goodness plus you get a ton of vomiting and one peeing plastic elf. Some of the sound effects are truly terrible (26-minute mark). I wonder if the cat in the litter box just about bad timing was or super well played (2-minute mark). Nothing here should work. Nothing! It all seems so absurd, but if you know what you are getting into, it's all a fun 60-minute ride into 80's horror.

The Sadist (1963)

Low budget 60's torture that works overall

[8/10 · 24 December 2023]

The Sadist - 1963 (This Film Rates a B ) Two dorky male high school teachers and a clueless female math teacher have car trouble on their way to see a Los Angeles Dodgers game. The trio stop at what seems like an abandoned gas station. They pop a coke, chit chat and eventually get suspicious. Unfortunately for them they run into Charlie and his girlfriend Judy. Charlie approaches the teachers with a gun and gets a little rough with them. The torture and brutality are genuine and with conviction. One of the teachers is shot in the head. Eventually the police arrive on two motorbikes but die as quick as they arrive. At some point the other two survivors try to escape, a plan that doesn't come to fruition. Its a fight for survival. The film has good intensity and build right to the very end. This really makes the film a winner. There are no gore effects and no blood to be seen. The acting is crude, not the worst but does have a somewhat competent script. There are some really cheap scares tactics that are hit or miss. Let's not forget the snakeskin scare at the 9 min mark. There are also lines like; "We don't like teachers do we Judy"? Or "Surely blowing my head off can't give you a thrill?" and "It's a beautiful day for a ball game!". The overall quality of the film is lacking but don't let that detract your attention to this one. With all of the films limitations this one is able to overcome.

Beyond Evil (1980)

Possession and the occult but not a great film

[6/10 · 17 December 2023]

Beyond Evil - 1980 (This Film Rates a C- ) An Izod polo shirt wearing architect named Larry and his wife Barbara travel to a small native island. There they find out the expected accomodations are not ready, "it needed a whole bunch of repairs". They subsequently are to stay at a local hotel but soon find out there were no accomodations to begin with. After an arguement about Larry's business partner "lying again", Larry and Barbara ultimately end up at a creepy mansion named Casa Fortuna. The house is paid for and free for them to stay at. It has not been lived in for 100 years. That should be the first red flag. Of course the house is "haunted" after the previous husband and wife murdered each other in a twisted tale involving the occult. Barbara starts having nightmares and hallucinations of the murdered wife (Alma). She starts acting bizarre and succumbs to being possessed. Each death winds up looking like a freak accident. The effects are pretty lame with nothing extensive. There is some blood but lacks any punch. In one scene you see the car catch on fire before it goes over the cliff and is engulfed in flames. The acting isn't atrocious but it's not spectacular. The story takes a long time to develop and when it does it just isn't exciting. Plus, the ending is a letdown. There are no T&A. You do get lines such as "I asked for a bride, and you sent me a witch" and "He's dynamite in bed if that is what you mean" or "I don't feel like being touched right now". But that is about it for excitement.

Messiah of Evil (1974)

Underrated artistic 70's horror film that is above average

[9/10 · 10 December 2023]

Messiah Of Evil - 1974 (This Film Rates a A ) A woman named Arletty goes to visit her father whom she has not had contact with for some time. "His letters became more and more bizarre until they stopped". Arletty arrives at his home only to find it abandoned. There she finds a diary addressed to her. He wrote about grotesque images and hallucinations and "my mind letting go". He warns not to look for him but of course we know she doesn't obey these wishes. Meanwhile, a group of odd sexually provocative people all wind up staying at the abandoned home with her, and it all gets bizarre from there. The story slowly devolves into madness. From ritual bonfires on the beach with dead people who are "moonlighting", crazy towns people, meat eating, bleeding paintings, and eventually losing sanity. "There is no escape from spreading their sickness". The blood moon rising makes way for the dead to rise and for the return of "Messiah of Evil" who is a zombie cannibal demon god that promised to return 100 years later!? The gore runs red fairly early though not extensive it fits the film. Most of the killings are aftermath and/or off screen. The script can be wordy at times but its above average for horror. There are some great lines such as "Her fingers moved like a pale spider over my face" and "each of us dying slowly in the prisons of our minds". There are some humor moments that are subtle enough to work, (such as) going to see a movie entitled "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" just before you are eaten alive. The film progresses well and builds with genuine and effective intensity. The scenes and setting are artistically brilliant in that 70's sort of way. The pop art is definitely a highlight and makes a great backdrop, plus, the soundtrack adds to the films overall build. No T&A. Not everything here is perfect but there are enough highlights to make this film a must see.

The Alien Factor (1978)

What do you expect from a $3500 budget horror film?

[6/10 · 3 December 2023]

The Alien Factor - 1978 (This Film Rates a C ) An alien spaceship crashes on earth and its captured cargo menaces a small scenic town. The aliens are pretty grotesque looking even if completely fake and laughable. The first few murders are thought to be the result of a wild animal attack which includes a group of dumb kids who get mauled by the aliens. The police become involved, but they want to call in the army. Why does everyone want to wander aimlessly through the woods in the winter? Doesn't that sound like a bad idea? The acting is crude crap and it's just a terrible storyline overall. The ending seemed so quick and rushed. There is so much overlong fattening filler (The bar band at the 31-minute mark), while some of the scenes are too dark and you can't see anything. The gore and special effects are bad with minimal blood. A cheap low fi soundtrack that fits the film overall. No T&A. There are some nice snow-covered scenes, but the film is just to damaged to find something remotely redeeming. But what do you expect for a $3500 budget horror film?

Cellar Dweller (1987)

This film is just as bad as you think it is!

[6/10 · 26 November 2023]

Cellar Dweller - 1988 (This Film Rates a C- ) 30 years into the past a young comic book artist named Colin creates horror filled drawings that seemingly come to life. Its entitled "Cellar Dweller". He and the killing beast of his drawings perish in a fire. Fast forward to modern times as a young woman named Whitney Taylor interviews at the building where it is now a college art institute. She was also a big fan of "Cellar Dweller" and wants to use him as her next influence. Whittney has visions of how things actually happened but is warned to stay out of the haunted room where Colin died. She then accidentally on purpose releases the evil cellar dweller and only has brief control of its murderous actions through the drawings. And people start dying. The twist ending worked but the magic was a little too late. The film fell apart way before it was any good. It's filled with foolishness and dumbness from everyone involved. Its predictable. The gore effects are tame and not very exciting but there is one nice moment ie beheading. Not so great acting and a mediocre sophomoric script that tries to be funny but really isn't. The comic art drawings are fun to see and flesh out the storyline but some of the supposed "artwork" is just terrible (51-minute mark). There is some decent tension highlighted by the musical score and contains some brief nudity. Sadly, this film is just as bad as you think it is.

The Zodiac Killer (1971)

Decent low budget 70's slasher without a lot of frills

[7/10 · 19 November 2023]

The Zodiac Killer - 1971 (This Film Rates a B- ) This film portrays the Zodiac Killer. It also features a drunk and high divorced truck driver named Grover who has a really bad hair piece and Jerry the disgruntled mailman. The two meet in a diner. Meanwhile various people are being shot to death. Grover of course becomes a suspect and is interviewed by police. He is eventually killed by the police after taking his daughter hostage and exclaiming that he is the zodiac killer. The real killer sends a letter to a journalist that describes unsolved murders. As the story progresses the supreme zodiac devolves into a crazed murderer with self-righteous religious overtones. Apparently, he is collecting slaves and kills at will all the while being able to fool the police. The police get so desperate that they seek out assistance from a psychic. Slowly you learn what the killer's motive is though it's not so fantastic but completes the story. The gore and effects are rather tame and minimal but there is still some intensity to the murders overall. The script is rude, crude and somewhat crappy plus the acting is pretty lackluster but none of this really matters. It's all fun in the end. "If you get any extras or leftovers, I like them plumb and juicy and dumb!", "proceeded to urinate in customers drinks yelling the fountain of youth lives". Sadly, no T&A. It does beg the question, how many serial killers have you actually met and never knew.

Splatter University (1984)

Its Troma, what do you expect??

[8/10 · 5 November 2023]

Splatter University - 1984 (This Films Rate a B+ ) What do you get from a horror film with a $50,000 budget? Troma of course!

A mental health patient kills one of the dumb and deserving psychiatric staff with a knife to the groin. Flash forward three years later and the same patient kills again. Meanwhile Julie accepts a teaching position at a religious college and is warned about the classroom being jinxed. Of course she does not believe the rumor and accepts the position. Elsewhere a group of beer drinking college teenagers attend Intro to sociology with Julie as the new professor. There are several suspicious subjects who seem guilty. Julie becomes suspicious and does her own sluthey investigation which places her in danger. She attempts to move out of her apartment only to be caught in this crazy double twist ending. The ending actually makes this film completely enjoyable and ties in the whole outrageous story line. The murders arent high end but are effective enough and have plenty of blood. The film does not care if you think youv'e guessed the killer half way through only to find out that nothing made sense. The acting is terrible but I am not 100% sure this was not intended. It creates funny moments that are so absurd that you actually love them. Sometimes these moments are stereotyped and offensive. However, there are enough serious scenes that make this film a winner. The script is juevinile crap with a lot of off the wall dialogue (11 min mark). Do not miss out on the jordace jeans, lots of beer and just plain old dumb kids. The garage rock soundtrack if superb for the 1980's. "Why dont you kiss my left cheek. I would if you shaved it!"

The Child (1977)

Decent with many limitations.

[7/10 · 1 November 2023]

The Child - 1977 (This Film Rates a B- ) The film opens in the 1930's with a storm and a young girl offering a kitten to something demonic behind a gravestone. Flash forward to a silly car accident involving a rogue steel drum. Here we meet Alicianne who took a job as a nanny to young Rosalie Nordon. The family there is odd, but we eventually understand why. People are also afraid of "animals" in the woods which turns out to be something other than animals. We also start to see the not so nice side to Rosalie. Alicianne cleans up after a Halloween party (which we don't get to see anything) and is frightened by a moving jack o' lantern. Seems like Rosalie can move objects and command demonic forces to kill for her. "They do me favors". And when she gets angry no one is safe and with no escape. There are zombies, helpless women and a not so surprising ending that fits. The acting is pretty poor, and the script is not that great however the story builds well. The soundtrack isn't spectacular musically, but it layers nicely with the overall foreboding atmosphere. Sadly, there are too many areas where it was too dark to see anything. The gore isn't plentiful but there are a few moments. None of it is real looking. No T&A. The film is decent with a lot of limitations.