An
Ode To Halloween
Hola, muchachos del World Wide
Web! Que pasa? Are you feeling Patriotic yet? Me neither.
ANYWAY, on to a better topic I love Halloween because
its the only time of year that we Satanists can truly
be our evil selves in public. Just kidding. Actually,
I enjoy Halloween because its the one time of year
when the mostly forgotten genre of the horror film makes
a monthly comeback (or at least it used to be) and some
of the classic horror films of the past are featured
as the Movie of the Week on TV. Ive had a soft spot
for horror films for a long time. The love affair started
when my Mom took me to see Friday the 13th during its
initial release in 1980, and I can honestly say that
movie had as much or more impact on me as Star Wars
did just three years earlier. There was just something
so cathartic about that homicidal roller coaster ride,
I really felt baptized after leaving the theatre. Being
a lifetime devotee of leisure, I guess this was the
closest thing I had to a rite of passage. So, for this
months column, Im going to share with you some of
the more (or less) obscure horror films from the last
20-plus years that are available on video and come with
my seal of approval!
PARENTS (1989, Directed by Bob Balaban; starring
Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt and Bryan Madorsky.)
If you are a fan of the horror that festers in the imagination,
this film is for you! This was one of the first good
American horror movies at the time; it was a real first
class effort of high production value, excellent acting
and flawless period set designs. The story is just your
basic tale of cannibals in suburbia! The horror is
understated, but reveals itself at just the precise
moments for one genuine mind fuck of a film. The boy
who plays the emotionally assaulted protagonist is amazing.
The scene with his speech at school during show and
tell is one of my favorites in this movie. A must see
for all!
NEAR DARK (1987, Directed by Kathryn Bigelow; starring
Lance Henriksen, Jenny Wright and Bill Paxton.)
I remember seeing this feature in the theatres during
its original run when I was 16. I had great expectations
after reading the pre-release write up in Fangoria magazine,
and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. This rather
inventive take on the vampire story has above average
production value for the genre, passable acting and
a highly stylized look about it. Notable in the cast
are Lance Henrikson and Bill Paxton as a two of the
redneck undead. This movie has some great bloodletting
scenes and the one in the biker bar alone makes this
film worth the rental.
HABIT (1997, Directed by Larry Fessenden; starring
Larry Fessenden.
I found this NY boho vampire/love story infinitely more
enjoyable than the highly lauded erudite (read: boring)
version offered by Abel Ferrara. Like Ferrara, the director
uses real locations that lend a sense of authenticity
(and cost less to film in) but unlike Ferrara he has
written a script that maintains a compelling pace. The
familiar plot is played out with some great performances
by a cast of unknowns. My only disappointment with the
movie was the finale, which is hampered greatly by some
clumsy editing.
SHOCKWAVES (1977, Directed by Ken Wiederhorn; starring
Peter Cushing, Brooke Adams and John Carradine.)
I saw this film for the first time on cable back in
the early 80s and was quite impressed with it overall.
The story is interesting and the films good pacing
builds momentum to the climax quite well. The plot is
simple: Take a group of researchers and put them on
a remote island surrounded by the shallow, watery graves
of hundreds of nazi soldiers genetically altered for
maximum homicidal capabilities, THEN add to the mix
one mad doctor who wants to reanimate his fallen brethren.
The understated level of gore (despite some excellent
makeup on the waterlogged, undead SS) complements the
films overall subtle, yet successfully CREEPY approach.
The technical aspects here were much more memorable
than the acting, but in the horror genre that is usually
the way it works. This one is worth a look.
THE EXORICIST III (1990, Directed by William Peter
Blatty; starring George C. Scott.)
This film was a great thriller and featured some REALLY
scary moments (Patrick Ewing as an angel, the evil nun/nurse
chasing people around with the coroners bone cutter).
Scott's performance as a bleary-eyed homicide cop in
the twilight of a career plagued by memories of past
murders is dead on. My one complaint with the movie
is the totally unnecessary exorcism scene added to the
film after it was already complete. Apparently the studio
felt the audience would feel ripped-off seeing an Exorcist
installment without one included in the film. Big mistake.
As a side note, the film is nothing like the book --
which is quite scary in it's own right.
MOTHERS DAY (1980, Directed by Charles Kaufman III;
starring Holden McGuire and Billy Ray McQuade.)
Remember when the people at Troma actually made cohesive
films with actual plots and earnest attempts at acting?
Maybe Mothers Day will refresh your memory. Speaking
of memory, this movie has so many memorable moments!
A truly polished effort on the whole, it is well worth
watching for any fan of 80s exploitation horror. A
great idea for some truly nasty fare: A demented old
woman who lives out in the sticks with her two mentally
challenged sons. Mother allows the boys to procure nubile
young coeds as an outlet for their lascivious and homicidal
energies. My most memorable moment from this gem:
Brother One: "Punk sucks!"
Brother Two: "Disco's stupid!"
Enjoy!!
Celluloid
Junkie
Comment
on this article in the forum