Diabolical_Shadow Blog

Under discussion:

The Thirst  (2006)

The Thirst (2006)

2006 – NR – 88 Min.

D: Jeremy Kasten

S: Matt Keeslar – Clare Kramer – Jeremy Sisto – Serena Scott Thomas – Adam Baldwin

Starz Home Entertainment / Anchor Bay DVD

Anamorphic widescreen / 5.1 Dolby Digital

Extras: Commentary – Deleted scenes – Photo Gallery

Kramer is Lisa, an ex-drug addict stripper with a terminal illness who manages to cheat death when a female vampire turns her because she likes the way Lisa dances. Keeslar is Maxx; the ex-drug addict boyfriend who meets up with his recently deceased love at a fetish club and is himself turned so that they can remain together. The vampire ‘family’ looks at the reunited couple as an experiment of sorts. Maxx responds to his new sanguinary cravings with the same obsessive recklessness that defined his previous addiction. Events quickly snowball out of control until Lisa and Maxx decide to seek help, a decision to which the original group is violently opposed. Much carnage ensues. Grimy, foul-mouthed movie meanders along reveling in its conceit while offering no sympathetic characters and attempts to make up for its shortcomings with an abundance of exaggerated splatter, nudity and sex. Inappropriate soundtrack consists of punk/goth/industrial/metal melange blaring obnoxiously while the kinetic flash cut editing style frustrates. The ridiculous ‘withdrawal’ scene shows the couple in their old apartment trying to kick the habit and ends with them eating their cats after sucking blood from a mattress doesn’t work. Brain Damage this ain’t. A friend commented that it was as if the filmmakers were trying to emulate Near Dark (FAIL!) with every bloodsucker acting the Bill Paxton part – this is certainly a valid observation. The running time is 88 minutes but it feels like 3 hours. Recommended only to the most indiscriminate splatter fiends.

Under discussion:

Final Exam  (1981)

FINAL EXAM

1981 – R – 88 Min.

D: Jimmy Huston

S: Cecile Bagdadi – Timothy L. Raynor – Joel Rice

BCI DVD

Anamorphic Widescreen / Dolby Digital Stereo

Extras: Commentary – Cast Interviews – Trailers

Final Exam is a lesser-known slasher that’s taken heat over the years even though it has a lot going for it. The setting is a secluded college as a semester comes to an end. There are very few people left finishing up whatever needs finishing up when a maniacal madman (Raynor) decides to drop in. Courtney (Bagdadi) remains unaware of what’s happening on campus until it’s too late. She’ll have to fight hard if she wants to escape the blade of the seemingly unstoppable psychopath that only wants her dead. Among the most repeated complaints about Final Exam is that the motivations of the killer are not explained. It seems some people are missing the point. The movie sets up this very idea, mostly through the semi-paranoid ranting of local bookworm Radish (Rice), and the fear comes from that; how random it all seems to be, how it could happen any place, in any town, maybe even your town. Another common gripe is how long it takes before a victim is claimed (aside from the opening). This is no body count movie. There’s story and characterization… Is that really such a bad thing? Yes, the acting is a little sub-par, but the entire cast operates on the same level and that helps. You don’t have a singular performance that’s either so impressive or so horrible that it unbalances the rest. When it comes time for the killer to let somebody know he’s there, he does it with style. These are some of the coolest reveals in stalk and slash history, always fun to watch. Final Exam is an easy recommendation for die-hard ‘golden age’ slasher fans, no question. If that’s not you, a rental is definitely the way to go. Better safe than sorry. The tagline says it all… “Some may pass the test… God help the rest!”

Under discussion:

Manhattan Melodrama  (1934)

MANHATTAN MELODRAMA

1934 – NR – 90 Min.

D: W.S. Van Dyke

S: Clark Gable – William Powell – Myrna Loy

Warner Home Entertainment DVD – Released as part of the Myrna Loy And William Powell Collection

Fullscreen / Dolby Digital Mono

Extras: Comedy Short – Classic Cartoon – Theatrical Trailer

Though most notorious for being the film John Dillinger was gunned down after seeing, Manhattan Melodrama has more to offer than its notable connection with historical trivia. The now overly familiar plotline tells the story of two boyhood friends who helped each other navigate through some amazing hardships only to end up on opposite sides of the law in adulthood. Familiar though it may be, these particular plot conventions have rarely been used in quite this way. Blackie (Gable) has nothing but respect and admiration for his old buddy Jim (Powell) and wants only the greatest success for him. They remain fast friends, but that friendship becomes more complicated (and strained) as Jim’s political career begins to take off. Also, there is Eleanor (Loy). She begins with Blackie but soon finds herself in love with Jim and the happy, secure, life he can offer. Not even this turn of events can sour the friendship between the protagonists. When murder enters into the scenario Jim will find himself, and his relationship, nearly crushed beneath the weight of his moral quandaries. Excellent performances and tight direction save this from becoming silly and overwrought. The first section of the film, featuring Mickey Rooney as the young Blackie, seems to be heading down that very path, but as soon as the characters reach adulthood we are treated to a relentlessly engaging tale that is as powerful as it is satisfying. Loy is fantastic, as always, and this marked her first pairing with Powell. Also of interest; a musical number performed at a club, The Bad In Every Man, was the original incarnation of the song Blue Moon before it was rewritten to be more commercial friendly. Whether you are a classic movie fan or just love seeing Powell and Loy together on screen, Manhattan Melodrama comes highly recommended.

Under discussion:

Hit the Deck  (1955)

HIT THE DECK

1955 – NR – 112 Min.

D: Roy Rowland

S: Walter Pidgeon – Ann Miller – Tony Martin – Debbie Reynolds – Vic Damone – Russ Tamblyn – Jane Powell – More.

Warner Home Entertainment DVD – Newly released as part of the Classic Musicals From The Dream Factory: Volume 3 collection.

Anamorphic Widescreen (Cinemascope) / Dolby Digital 5.1 And 5.0 / Dolby Digital 5.1 Music Only Track

Extras: Comedy Short – Classic Cartoon – Outtake Song – Theatrical Trailer

Three sailors on a 48-hour shore leave fall in love, get into trouble, and must sort out their relationships with family, embittered girlfriends and the Navy itself. Will it all work out in the end? What do you think!? Bright and attractive Cinemascope title features a lot more singing and dancing than plot. What there is to the story will bring a strong sensation of deja-vu to just about any fan of Hollywood musicals. Redundancy aside, Hit The Deck’s many catchy set-pieces are fun, though they feel somewhat reserved, and certainly offer less to take in than many of the more popular MGM musicals that preceded it. There are several bright spots as well; the fun house number and just about any of the comedy scenes that feature Kay Armen are notable standouts. This is the sort of movie that improves a little as it rolls along. A definite slow starter, it’s above average at best, mundane and predictable at worst, but never takes itself altogether too seriously and that’s a good thing. Though it would serve most fans of the genre better to revisit On The Town instead, Hit The Deck is still an agreeable way to pass a couple of hours as long as expectations aren’t very high to begin with.

Under discussion:

Strange Behavior  (1981)

STRANGE BEHAVIOR (1981)

Tangerine Dream’s evocative music gives way to opening moments that are shaped by silhouettes, dimly lit staircases, and dark corners. Not a bad way to be introduced to a horror movie. A young man, home alone, sits back in his room enjoying a cigarette he isn’t supposed to have while listening to the radio. When the power goes out, he heads downstairs for a candle, tobacco in hand; it’s the last one he’ll ever get to enjoy. He’s stabbed in the head several times, seemingly by one of his peers; we watch it happen on the wall, in shadows. We listen to his death throes while the wide-eyed psychopath extinguishes the candle’s flame. There now, how’s that for firmly establishing a mood? No doubt about it, it’s a grabber.

As the film gets underway, a picture of a happy, friendly, carefree town is clearly painted for us. Well, as all of us dedicated horror fans know things are very rarely as they appear in places like this. The Mayor’s son (kid at the beginning – Bill Condon) is missing and there’s some uproar around town about it. If they only knew, right? Elsewhere in town, Pete Brady (Dan Shor) is in need of some fast cash, though he isn’t having a lot of luck acquiring it. A close friend of his, Oliver (Marc McClure - remember the guy who played Jimmy Olsen in the Superman/Supergirl movies?), knows a way to make some quick cash. It seems that they are paying pretty well for volunteers over at Galesburg College. All you have to do is undergo two sessions and you get two hundred dollars. Pete accompanies his buddy to the college that day after school. He meets Dr. Gwen Parkinson (Fiona Lewis) who accepts him instantly; “We always welcome the chance for new blood.” She instructs him to come back the following afternoon and takes Oliver away for his second “treatment.”

A really bizarre scene comes out of nowhere to invade the movie here; Oli and Pete hit a party where nearly everybody is wearing costumes and all of these crazy party-animal teenagers do some synchronized early eighties-style dancing to the old Lightning Strikes song. Huh? Well, as inexplicable as that scene is, other more nefarious events are taking place elsewhere in the house. Fat Waldo (dressed up to look like Hoss from Bonanza) throws up into the sink while his thirteen year-old date, Lucy (“Lucy Brown gets around”), tells him to knock it off. A girl in a Flying Nun costume yearns for Pete’s affections and declares quite openly that she isn’t wearing any underwear. Man, I don’t remember going to any parties this out-there back in the day. I suppose I should be grateful! Enough of this; a little bit later in the evening Waldo is in his car trying to coerce his date into living down to her reputation. Outside, a masked party guest (a Tor Johnson mask yet) approaches the car, knife in hand. An especially brutal attack leaves Waldo very dead and Lucy injured. The disguised murderer runs away and after retreating to a safe distance removes the mask. The killer, it was… it was…

Well, this leaves me in a difficult situation in terms of the rest of this piece. The flow is calculated and intentionally paced. It’s a movie that builds with steady determination and gives you only a little bit at a time. I’ve decided to cut short the descriptive portion of this particular review in favor of a more standard plot overview. Let it never be said that I was the one who ruined a movie for potential fans! Now, what’s probably already a heavy suspicion for most viewers is exactly the case. Those experiments at the local college, they leave the participants changed, and not for the better. To the folks at large it appears as though there is a serial killer at work, one whose standard procedure seems to be mutilation and viciousness. The sheriff is a certain John Brady (Michael Murphy), yep, Pete’s dad. John has no clue that his own son has been drawn into his town’s horrific secret. The murders continue and Pete is now a part of it. Before things get really bad, there’s time for a little romance in the shape of Caroline (Dey Young), a receptionist for Doctor Parkinson. All of these scenes are intended to disarm the viewer; you fall into complacency and are then shaken out of it, hard. The murder scenes are jarring. Though Craig Reardon’s special effects are not extravagantly gory, they’re violent and very brutal. Some general investigating eventually leads John to Parkinson, but is it too late to stop that which has already been begun?

There is a voyeuristic quality about this one that helps to immerse you in the goings-on and keeps everything from ever getting too mundane. You feel like you are there and that’s one of the best things a movie can do for us. There is a disquieting edge to everything taking place, and it’s in this way that Strange Behavior succeeds in what it sets out to do. Atmosphere is the key to all the important elements on display – suspense, fear, horror, nervousness, etc. Without that you have very little, and fortunately director Michael Laughlin supplies plenty throughout. There are moments, particularly those scenes in the various medical chambers, that make you think you’ll find the name David Cronenberg somewhere in the credits. It might be more associative than visual, but it’s still present, and that’s definitely a compliment. In no way does that mean that Laughlin is lacking his own style, he isn’t, and I credit him for the restraint applied in the storytelling that helped to make Strange Behavior such a memorable movie. It’s on a perfectly even keel with itself and never once do you get the impression that Laughlin was even close to misjudging the balance that he needed to achieve what he did. The performances are all strong, though Louise Fletcher did seem a little flighty and it was difficult to tell if she was supposed to come across that way. Doesn’t matter, it worked and that’s what counts in the end. Fiona Lewis was the real standout and I wish she’d had a few more opportunities to be quietly sinister. I loved those moments.

Oh yeah, don't bother with the vapid remake, Disturbing Behavior.

Under discussion:

Frontières  (2007)

FRONTIER(S) A.K.A. FRONTIÉRES

2007 – NR – 108 Min.

D: Xavier Gens

S: Karina Testa

Lionsgate Home Entertainment DVD – Released as part of the After Dark Horrorfest collection.

Anamorphic Widescreen / Dolby Digital 5.1 French with English or Spanish subtitles. No English track.

Extras: Trailers

A group of criminals escape with their bag of money during riotous political unrest in France. All of them end up (some sooner and some later) at a secluded inn run by a group of cannibalistic nazi psychopaths. The plot is not quite as simplistic as that, but little more needs to be said. Testa is the heroine, Yasmine, and spends most of the second half of the film channeling equal parts Marylin Burns and Bruce Campbell. Don’t take those references as an insult, Miss Testa is terrific. As for the film itself, is it as over-the-top as everybody says? You bet. The frequent explicit gore is convincing and unpleasant, but not as intense as some recent French horror releases; make no mistake though, this is strong stuff. It’s the emotional hooks that penetrate deepest. Frontiers left me feeling drained and contemplative. I think this is where the film with either succeed or fail for most… depending on what you’re looking to get out of it. It’s savage, cruel, and unrelenting. It’s also very well put together, though absolutely not the best choice for group viewing; a party-flick, this isn’t. Disturbing in ways you might not even connect with on the first watch, Frontiers kicks it’s own genre in the butt and giggles all the while. The times we live in have left many of us disturbingly desensitized; it takes a story with a solid emotional core to leave any kind of lasting impression and Frontiers has that. The downside would be that the characters are either bad (our heroes are thieves with tendencies towards violence) or horribly bad (delusional nazi misanthropes with a taste for human flesh looking for breeding options). Another round of applause for Karina Testa, she makes you forget all that and root for her anyway. While not for everybody, if you’ve been enjoying what France has been up to lately, this is an easy recommendation.

Under discussion:

The Cook  (2007)

THE COOK

2007 – NR – 82 Min.

D: Gregg Simon

S: Kit Paquin – Mark Hengst – Brooke Lenzi – Nina Fehren – Makinna Ridgway

DVD courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment

Anamorphic Widescreen / Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras: Trailers – Commentary – Behind The Scenes – Cook Audition Footage

The successful melding of comedy and horror has proven time and time again to be a difficult and risky proposition for filmmakers. This generally flat and uninspired title proves once more how tricky it can really be. Plastered across the back of the box is the following…. Sorority Babes: The OTHER White Meat. Yeah, it’s hard not to know what you’re getting into. Sorority girl stereotypes, gratuitous nudity, soft-core sex/masturbation scenes, lesbian bondage action, and a slightly better than modest amount of graphic splatter are the ingredients The Cook has on offer. A new temporary cook arrives at a sorority house and starts whittling away the cast so he can serve them up to the survivors. That’s really about it for plot, there just isn’t much going on in terms of story. The acting is decent, but it doesn’t matter since it’s really all about the blood and boobs. It’s not that funny, and it’s not that terrifying, but it’s well made; you could do worse. The Cook is a throwaway so give it a rent for a quick nudie-gore fix, but it’s little more than empty calories so you’ll probably be hungry for a real horror movie an hour after it’s over.