Wuchakk

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Reviews

The Big Easy
(1986)

Good ol' boys on the take in New Orleans with Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin
A new DA assistant (Barkin) arrives in town and zeroes-in on corruption in the force. While the head detective (Quaid) cozies up to her, they try to solve a curious mob-oriented slaying. Ned Beatty, John Goodman, Lisa Jane Persky and Ebbe Roe Smith are on hand as members in the agency.

"The Big Easy" (1987) has the office camaraderie of Burt Reynolds' "Fuzz" from fourteen years prior meshed with the milieu and more serious tone of "Cat People," Eastwood's "Tightrope" and Gere's "No Mercy," the latter of which came out just months before this. "Cop Land" was obviously influenced by it a decade later.

It's rich with the ambiance of NOLA, including Cajun, zydeco, R&B, and gospel music in the soundtrack. Many praise Quaid's thick Cajun accent while others view it as overdone. I side with the latter but, then, I tend not to care about accents in movies, so it's all good (for me). It just seems Dennis' head detective comes across too convivial, but this can be explained by the fact that Quaid later admitted to being coked-up during the shoot in which he was only sleeping one hour a night. Nevertheless, both Dennis and Ellen consider this the favorite of the many films they've made.

While it was overpraised at the time of release and I'd watch "Cat People" and "Cop Land" over it any day, it's superior to "Fuzz" and certainly worth checking out for those interested. Aside from the amusing (and sometimes grisly) dramatics, not to mention Barkin's beauty, I liked the insightful commentary on legalism: If you want to get technical about it, people break laws every day, like jaywalking. But what if you ARE the Law? Where do you draw the moral line? How much is too far? Where is the proverbial point of no return?

It runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in New Orleans.

GRADE: B-

The Wraith
(1986)

Hammy 80's motorhead thriller with Charlie Sheen and Sherilyn Fenn
A ruthless (but comical) gang terrorizes a town in southern Arizona, forcing guys to drag race in order to 'win' their vehicles; that is, until a young man comes to town (Sheen), along with a mysterious black sportscar and driver. Randy Quaid is on hand as the Sheriff.

"The Wraith" (1986) is like a meshing of the contemporaneous "Top Gun" with the campiness of "Lost Boys" (which came out the next year), just trade the pilot ace flying with drag racing and the vampires with a thug gang. The hammy approach mainly applies to Skank (David Sherrill), Gutterboy (Jamie Bozian) and tech-geek Rughead (Clint Howard) whereas Nick Cassavetes is more subdued about it as the lead bully, but still cartoonishly exaggerated. Nick, by the way, is the son of John Cassavetes & Gina Rowlands, which is odd since John was only 5'7" while Nick is 6'6", but I guess it happens.

I'm not a fan of the hammy tone and think it would've worked better if done more seriously, like "Top Gun." However, if you can roll with the goofiness, it's entertaining on several fronts. For instance, the Arizona locations are spectacular, Sherilyn Fenn's beauty is well captured and there's a lot of thrilling vehicle mayhem.

It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in the Greater Tucson area, including the Sonoran Desert National Monument in Gila Bend, which is 92 miles northwest of Tucson (and just southwest of Phoenix).

GRADE: B-

Parasite
(1982)

Run-of-the-mill post-apocalyptic mayhem in desolate SoCal distinguished by the female cast
A doctor/scientist in post-nuclear America (Robert Glaudini) heads to a remote desert town north of Los Angeles to find a way to eliminate a new strain of parasitoid. He runs into a gang of desperate delinquents (led by Luca Bercovici) and teams-up with a young woman (Demi Moore). But a government-linked "merchant" is on his trail (James Davidson).

"Parasite" (1982) is a 'B' flick by Charles Band that only cost $800,000, which would be $3 million today (factoring inflation). It takes the chestburster scene from "Alien" and mixes it with the milieu of the TV flick "Where Have All the People Gone," as well as "Mad Max," along with the gang thugs of "The Warriors" and bits of "Gargoyles." While it lacks the bigger budget artistry of "Alien" and "Mad Max," it's more thrilling than the mundane "Where Have All the People Gone," albeit more comic booky. Still, I'd watch it any day over Roddenberry's lousy "Genesis II."

This was Demi's second movie, which she called the worst film she's ever done in a 2019 interview. It was likewise Cherie Currie's second movie, after "Foxes," although she didn't go on to cinematic success like Moore. (For those not in the know, Cherie was the lead singer of The Runaways from 1975-77). I shouldn't fail to mention Natalie May, who's notable as the petite early-teens girl, Shell. She appeared in three movies at the time before dropping out of acting, except for giving it another stab a decade later in three episodes of a UK TV series.

"The Hidden" came out five years later and was obviously influenced by this. It's obviously the better film but, then, its budget was five times greater.

The flick runs 1 hour, 25 minutes, and was shot in the dry hills northeast of Los Angeles at Piru and Agua Dulce (Vasquez Rocks) with a 40-minutes drive between the two.

GRADE: B-

Hack-O-Lantern
(1988)

A bad 80's Halloween flick, but at least it tries to entertain
As Tommy grows up in rural SoCal, he's negatively influenced by his dubious grandfather (Hy Pyke). When he's 21, the old man has a ritual scheduled for him on Halloween night. Naturally, his mother (Katina Garner), sister (Carla B.) and cop brother (Jeff Brown) oppose this. Everything culminates at the town's Halloween party.

Shot in the second half of November, 1986, "Hack-O-Lantern" wasn't released until late March, 1988, and then only in the UK, although it was eventually released to video. Alternative titles include "Halloween Night," "Death Mask" and "The Damning." Despite its low-budget vibe, it actually cost a whopping $5.5 million. I say 'whopping' because the hailed "Halloween" was shot just 8.5 years earlier and only cost $325,000.

Yet don't expect the sense of artistry of that popular film. This is cartoonish and low-rent by comparison, characterized by the hammy acting of Hy Pyke as grandpa. Meanwhile Gregory Scott Cummins is a little too long in the tooth to portray 21 years-old Tommy (he was 30 during shooting), but that's a minor cavil.

If you can roll with the cheesiness, there are several highlights. For instance, the soundtrack features the catchy song "Devil's Son" by DC Lacroix from Seattle/Los Angeles, who released two albums in the mid-80s before disappearing. Their style is akin to WASP meets The Runaways, basically catchy hanging chord anthemic hair metal. Meanwhile the cut "Against the Law" is performed by no-name band The Mercenaries at the Halloween party. Both tracks resurface for the closing credits. The other songs and score were done competently enough by Greg Haggard.

Comedian Bill Tucker is thrown in for a surprise routine outside the party, which is amusing ("Gobble, gobble").

Sharp blonde Carla B., aka Carla Baron, stands out on the feminine front as the protagonist. Jeanna Fine is also alluring as Nora, the one with the short wild hair; she's unnecessarily shown fully nude, no doubt in an attempt to make up for subpar filmmaking. She unsurprising dabbled in porn before marrying a Hebrew and converting to Judaism. The rest of the exploitive nudity could be classified under what Seinfeld called "bad naked."

It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot in the rural outskirts of Los Angeles.

GRADE: C.

Chemical Peel
(2014)

Six women in a cabin-in-the-woods of SoCal and... something toxic
"Chemical Peel" (2014) only cost $20,000, but it's so proficiently made it doesn't feel like a micro-budget Indie. It comes in the tradition of "Carriers" from five years earlier with the main difference being that this is a 'confined location' flick. In other words, the bulk of the runtime involves the house-in-the-sticks and the dramatics of the females.

Speaking of which, blonde Natalie Victoria stands out on the beauty front as protagonist Rae. Meanwhile statuesque redhead Arielle Brachfeld is a real biyatch as Angela, but it happens. Leigh Davis is also worth a mention as Kimberly. Too bad the director didn't know how to shoot women.

At about the 18-minute mark the situation takes a life-or-death turn and the story becomes very compelling. It morphs into a body horror flick and is hampered by the one-dimensional location, but it's worth checking out for those interested.

It runs about 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in the Greater Los Angeles area at Glendale, Ojai, Semi Valley and Hollywood.

GRADE: B-

The Chill Factor
(1993)

Cabin in the snowy woods of northeast Wisconsin
Six snowmobilers have no recourse but to find succor at a long defunct summer camp facility. But curiosity killed the cat and they may not make it out alive.

"The Chill Factor" was shot in the winter of 1989, but not released to video until 1993. It has also been released as "Demon Possessed" (USA) and "Demon Snow" (Canada). The actors are unsurprisingly no-names, but they do a serviceable job. Meanwhile the (too loud) score is competent, but kind of unfitting, yet it grows on you and becomes part of the movie's Indie charm.

Blonde Dawn Laurrie stands out in the female department as Jeannie while brunette Connie Snyder is worth a mention as Karen, along with Eve Montgomery as Lissa, a black lass. Their beauty is effectively captured on camera in a respectable way.

Besides them, the best part of the flick is the remote Great Lakes ambiance in the dead of winter (pun intended). The snowmobiling sequences are reminiscent of the same in "A Simple Plan," shot eight years later. The bar sequence in the first act is great (disregarding some less-than-stellar acting), involving a drunken jerk who has to be confronted and reprimanded.

The second half becomes increasingly spooky. The voiceover narration from the 'final girl' effectively ties the story together, obviously influenced by Captain Willard's narration in "Apocalypse Now" (at least a bit here or there, anyway).

If you require a blockbuster budget in your viewing experience then I suggest staying away, but if you appreciate proficiently made Indies with a modest budget, this delivers the goods.

It runs 1 hour, 26 minutes, and was shot at Eagle River in northeast Wisconsin and nearby Sugar Camp, which is 11 miles southwest of there. The border of Upper Peninsula Michigan is only a half hour away.

GRADE: B.

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
(1981)

A teen guy, his crazy aunt, Julia Duffy and Bo Svenson
An orphan lives with his peculiar aunt (Jimmy McNichol and Susan Tyrrell) while seeking a basketball scholarship and pursuing a winsome blonde (Duffy). When someone ends up dead, it draws the attention of a narrow-minded detective (Svenson).

The oddly titled "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker" (1981) comes from the novel on which it was based. The author got it from the old rhyme about three men in a tub and, specifically, the line 'The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker.' The flick's also known as "Night Warning."

There are some bits reminiscent of "Psycho," but it mixes in a lot of droll humor, which is genuinely amusing, not to mention politically incorrect (which works for me). The last act is over-the-top with hammy acting and loads of blood that influenced future movies like "Scream" and Tarantino films.

Duffy is a highlight in her pre-Newhart days. She has a brief top nude scene (just a heads up).

Some of the characters are kind of sketchy, so you have to read between the lines; the book provides details, if you want 'em. Bill Paxton has a side role as the protagonist's rival at school. I suppose it's a 'bad move,' but it's entertaining enough as a throwaway flick.

It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B-/C+

Attack on the Iron Coast
(1968)

Cinematic account of Operation Chariot, aka the St Nazaire Raid
In late March, 1942, the Brits concoct an audacious operation to destroy the Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German-occupied France, which would involve 611 Royal Naval personnel & commandos in a surprise attack against an embedded German force of 5000. Lloyd Bridges and Andrew Keir star as the key officers in the raid.

"Attack on the Iron Coast" (1968) tackles what has been called 'The Greatest Raid of All' and is worthwhile if you don't mind 'B' productions with unconvincing miniatures. I liked how the flick establishes that an operation like this is 78% planning, training, traveling and anticipation and 22% dynamic execution. I'm going by the fact that the actual raid in the movie involves only the final 18 minutes of runtime.

While it can't compete with WW2 greats from the 60's like "The Dirty Dozen" and "Where Eagles Dare," or even quality ones such as "The Devil's Brigade" or "Anzio," it nevertheless gives you a good idea on what went down, not to mention keeps the memory of the bold raid alive.

It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot at Millwall Dock, St Katharine Docks, and the London Docklands, along with studio work done at MGM British Studios in Borehamwood, northwest of London.

GRADE: B-

Fighting Mad
(1976)

Land developers vs. Rural property owners in Arkansas
A man returns from the big city to his traditional family ranch in northwest Arkansas (Peter Fonda), only to discover that a determined land developer (Philip Carey) is buying up land nearby for strip mining and, of course, wants his dad's ranch. When beloved citizens turn-up dead, the kid gloves are off.

"Fighting Mad" (1976) comes in the tradition of "Walking Tall" and would influence "First Blood" six years later. Car crash movies from the 70s are also comparable, like Fonda's own "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry." This is the least of 'em, however, because the dramatics are curiously boring and needed a rewrite to flush out the potential, but it's still worth catching if you like Peter and these types of flicks. The best parts are the vehicular mayhem and the closing confrontation at the castle-like manor of the tycoon.

It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in Washington County, Arkansas, and the corresponding town of Springdale, which are in the northwest corner of the state. The jail scenes were shot in the studio in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B-

The Hitchhikers
(1972)

Lindsey Buckingham & five hippie girls living in a ghost town in SoCal
Two summers after the Manson Family murders, a nonconformist dude enjoys his own li'l harem in the Southwest desert, but they have to make money somehow and so prey upon men stopping for the alluring girls as they pretend to be hitchhikers.

"The Hitchhikers" (1972) belongs to the counterculture genre that ran from the late 60s to early 70s. While the outlaw biker flicks from that same period were a separate genre, there was some crossover. For instance, there's a biker dude here that visits the hippies in the ghost town. Or take "Angels Hard as They Come" from the year prior, which likewise features nonconformists living in a SoCal ghost town. Thankfully, this is superior.

It only cost $223,200, which would be equal $1.6 million today. By Comparison, "Vanishing Point" from the previous year had 6.5 times as much money with which to work. The best part is the three main females and how their beauty is effectively captured on camera without getting too sleazy (although there's a little tame nudity).

My favorite is the redhead, Karen, whom I'm assuming is Tammy Gibbs (it's hard to tell because the credits ambiguously list three of the girls simply as 'hitchhiker'). Meanwhile blonde Misty Rowe plays protagonist Maggie and brunette Linda Avery plays her rival Diane. All three are physically stunning. But how long can their outward beauty last living in such conditions? What will they look like in a mere ten years?

"Easy Rider" was easily the best of the counterculture flicks, although "Billy Jack" was a worthy Indie contender, whereas "The Wild Angels" was arguably the best of the outlaw biker movies. All three contained great depth beneath the surface entertainment. "The Hitchhikers" is playful fluff by comparison, but works as a snapshot in time of the 'free love' counterculture movement and what happened after their 'peace and love' ideal was destroyed overnight with the 1969 Manson Family murders, followed by the Altamont Free Concert fiasco four months later.

"The Wild Angels," "Easy Rider," "Vanishing Point" and "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry" showed the inevitable consequences of counterculture folly, but this one uniquely keeps a playful spirit. However, you could say that what the group is forced to do in order to make a living is their own perdition, not to mention their primitive, drug-addled living conditions in the ghost town. Down the road, I'm pretty sure they're going to realize that holding up men with guns-which is a form of abuse, even torture-is evil. Maybe they justify their actions on the grounds that their victims were lustful males, but what about the minister, who seemed to stop simply to do a good deed by giving a pedestrian a ride?

The soundtrack is of the Woodstock variety, upbeat folk rock, except by no-names. There's zero hard rock, let alone heavy metal, the latter of which had only existed for about a year when this was made in 1971.

It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot in Thousand Oaks, California, which is 35 miles west of Hollywood and 20 miles northwest of Malibu.

GRADE: B-

Just Before Dawn
(1981)

"Friday the 13th" meets "Deliverance"
Five friends take a trip out to Silver Lake in the Great Northwest because one of them has inherited property in the remote hills, but the ranger warns them of ambiguous dangers (George Kennedy) and there are questionable inbred locals. Will any make it out alive?

"Just Before Dawn" (1981) came out a year and a half after "Friday the 13th" and mixes the basics of that movie with "Deliverance." The underrated "Trapped," aka "Baker County, USA" came out the next year and was no doubt influenced by it. I suppose this is the least of these four movies, but it's very effective and far superior to the contemporaneous "Don't Go in the Woods," which is a lousy example of the genre. It surely inspired "The Final Terror," "Berserker" and "Blood Hook" but none of those are as good.

What makes it so good? The northwest Oregon locations are outstanding and the dramatics are compelling enough with a quality no-name cast (except, of course, for the well-known Kennedy). Like "Madhouse" (1981), there's an element that didn't come into vogue with slashers until fifteen years later in "Scream."

On top of all this is Deborah Benson as Constance, aka Connie. She comes across as a rather plain blonde from next door in the first half, but emerges as the stunning main protagonist in the second half. That's all I'll say, except that she has an interesting character arc à la "Lord of the Flies." Meanwhile, redhead Jamie Rose is worth a mention as Megan. She's reminiscent of Nicole Kidman eight years before Kidman broke out into the public eye with "Dead Calm." There's also an interesting inbred girl named Merry Cat.

It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot at Silver Falls State Park, which is located a half hour drive east of Salem, Oregon, and about an hour's drive south of Portland.

GRADE: B.

Breaking Away
(1979)

Hanging out at the local quarry the year after high school and much more
The son of a working class family in Bloomington (Christopher Dennis) is obsessed with Italy and bicycling as he hangs with his three "cutter" buds (Dennis Quaid, Jackie Earle Haley and Daniel Stern). He deals with his amusing parents (Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie) while chasing a college lass (Robyn Douglass). Everything leads to the Little 500 bicyclist race at Indiana University.

"Breaking Away" (1979) wisely focuses on the characters rather than bicycling and is comparable to "Dead Poets Society" from a decade later. It's a coming-of-age drama with lighthearted bits, but it's definitely not a comedy, as I've seen it wrongly designated.

It's about young people facing the rest of their lives just after high school and trying to figure out what they're going to do with their lives. I can relate because, when I was 19, I spent the entire summer bicycling the landscapes. The longest day-trip I took was 60 miles. I was starting to think I was hot stuff until I met a fellow cyclist the next day who was traveling across several states.

The scriptwriter graduated from Indiana University in 1965 and drew from his experiences there for the story. The protagonist was modeled after David K. Blase, who had an Italian fixation and led his team to victory in the Little 500.

It runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in Bloomington, Indiana, as well as nearby highway 37 (due south of there).

GRADE: B.

Hitch Hike to Hell
(1977)

Simple-but-effective tale about a mentally ill mama's boy preying on hitchhikers
As female runaways turn up dead in a town of Greater Los Angeles, the chief of police and his partner (Russell Johnson and Randy Echols) zero-in on an unassuming delivery man for a laundry cleaning business (Robert Gribbin).

"Hitch Hike to Hell" (1977) is a 'B' flick with a simple story and prosaic delivery featuring an antagonist reminiscent of Clark Kent and the police chief played by The Professor from Gilligan's Island.

Speaking of whom, the captain makes a reference to three serial killers that were popular at the time: The Zodiac Killer in San Francisco (who has never been identified), The Skid Row Slasher in Los Angeles (who turned out to be Vaughan Greenwood) and The Houston Mass Murderer, Dean Corll. Yet, the movie is actually loosely based on Edmund Kemper, The Co-ed Killer whose victims in 1972-1973 were six female students hitchhiking in the vicinity of Santa Cruz County, which is an hour's drive south of San Francisco.

The movie was originally advertised as a fun Crown International hot-chicks-and-cars flick, but it's nothing of the kind. Despite its modest budget and pedestrian technique, it's a serious take on a psychologically messed-up serial killer in which sympathy is worked up for the murderer. Don't get me wrong, there's no excuse for what Ed Kemper did in real-life or what the fictitious killer does here, but it all comes down to the consequences of serious mental-spiritual illness, not to mention a questionable relationship with one's mother.

The tone is similar to "Targets" meshed with "The Toolbox Murders." While it's easy to look down on these kinds of films, there are some well-done parts here that are respectable and even moving, such as the lieutenant's hesitancy about bringing children into a world where such wicked things happen. Then there's the climatic depiction of the shock/grief of the girl's mother, which is actually moving.

Russell Johnson's role in Gilligan's Island ended a decade before this, but he looks basically the same, just slightly older.

It runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Encino, Los Angeles, which is located 7-12 miles west of the iconic Hollywood Sign.

GRADE: B-

The Witchmaker
(1969)

Cabin-in-the-swamp... where witches dwell
A team of paranormal investigators venture deep into the swamps of Louisiana to find out why numerous young females have been found dead, drained of their blood. They're unaware that a sabbat-master lives there. Will any of them make it out alive?

"The Witchmaker" (1969) came in the tradition of films like "The City of the Dead" (1960), "Masque of the Red Death" (1964), "Devils of Darkness" (1965) and "The Witches" (1966), aka "The Devil's Own." That last one took the topic a step further by depicting a devilish ceremony more explicitly, which might strike modern viewers as cheesy and amusing. This one does a better job with a surprisingly well-done black ceremony in the last act (which smacks of a hedonistic Viking celebration more than anything else).

I included the year of release of those flicks to show the cinematic progression of witch-oriented movies in the '60s. "The Crimson Cult" from 1968 is yet another example, aka "Curse of the Crimson Altar." "Mark of the Witch" came out the year after this one, 1970. Then came "The Brotherhood of Satan" and "Race With the Devil" in the early/mid '70s. LQ Jones was involved in the production of this one and "The Brotherhood of Satan." He even appears in both, although his role here is uncredited.

Now, someone might criticize that I'm mixing up witchcraft with satanism, but so do all of these movies. Take this one, where an idol of satan is used in their diabolical ceremony.

On the feminine front, blonde Thordis Brandt is sharp as Tasha and Sue Bernard is notable as Felicity (you might remember her as the winsome bikini girl in "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" from 3 years prior). Brunette Warrene Ott is also worth noting as young Jessie. There are others but, for the most part, the director didn't know how to shoot women (no pun intended), such as was done passably in "Mark of the Witch."

The ending is kinda eye-rolling but, otherwise, this is way better than I thought it'd be for such an obscure occult-oriented flick from the '60s.

It runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in Marksville, which is in the heart of Louisiana; interiors, however, were done in the studio in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B-

Blame
(2017)

Great drama about six students and a teacher at a high school in Anytown, USA
A girl returns to her school at the start of the new school year after several weeks at a mental health facility (Quinn Shephard). While some of the kids persecute her, the new drama teacher perceives her maturity and offers support (Chris Messina), which stirs up the ire of the cheerleader from hell (Nadia Alexander).

"Blame" (2017) was helmed by the actress who plays the protagonist, Shephard, when she was only 20 years-old (shot in July, 2015, in 19 days). While a few armchair critics have derided it as 'a Lifetime movie with edge,' it has the artistry and dramatic pull to place it with the top flicks of the genre, such as "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Footloose," "Clueless," "The Virgin Suicides" and "The Rage: Carrie 2," even the micro-budget "Love Everlasting" (2016). While some of those feature light comedy and even horror, they're all great dramas covering the high school experience in all its glories and shames.

This one includes bullies, a supportive teacher, absent or abusive parents, a hateful rival, teen sex, questionable actions by those in authority, refusing to participate with bullies, slander and potential redemption. The soundtrack is a plus, including choice cuts like "Pretty Face" and "The Lion" by OH CHILD; and more.

People who claim that a certain character is guilty of pedophilia apparently don't understand what the word means, which is sexual attraction to kids under 11 years-old. Meanwhile hebephilia refers to attraction to post-pubescent minors in the 11-14 bracket. At most he could be accused of ephebephilia, which concerns attraction to fully developed teens 15-19. I'm not playing down his imprudent actions as the authority figure in the classroom, just pointing out that he's in no way, shape or form a pedophile.

Which brings us to the actuality that this is more than a psychological coming-of-age drama since the teacher is one of the key characters. He's in his late-30s or early 40s and facing an early mid-life crisis. He can't deny how he feels about a certain person, but he has to look within and without in order to make wise decisions about his life and the course it will take.

The ending could've been better, less ambiguous, but I'm thinking Shephard was running out of money and therefore time and so she just wrapped it up in an ambiguous way. Still, upon reflection, the pieces are there for viewers to figure out what happened and what will likely take place from there.

It runs 1 hour, 40 minutes, and was shot in Metuchen, New Jersey (Quinn's hometown and high school), which is located 35 miles southwest of Manhattan.

GRADE: A-

El gran amor del conde Drácula
(1973)

Spanish cabin-in-the-woods, except it's castle-in-the-woods and the monster is Drac
In the Tihuta Pass of the Carpathian Mountains north of Transylvania, a stagecoach consisting of five travelers, one male and four females, breaks down and they have no recourse but to seek sanctuary at a nearby sanitorium. They are welcomed by Doctor Marlowe (Paul Naschy), but could he really be...

"Count Dracula's Great Love" (1973), aka "Cemetery Girls," is basically a Spanish sequel to Hammer's Dracula flicks up to "Scars of Dracula." It's most reminiscent of "Dracula, Prince of Darkness," but also contains bits that bring to mind "The Satanic Rites of Dracula," which was released after this one.

Naschy was of course the king of Spanish horror from the late 60s to the 2000s. This was his only stab at playing Dracula and the first cinematic depiction of the Count in a more romantic light, which would influence Frank Langella's 1979 version and Coppola's 1992 movie. Here, Paul sorta looks like Brando when he was younger.

Haydée Politoff stands out on the female front with her glorious locks of auburn hair. She ends up being the main female character but, ironically, Naschy didn't 'click' with her.

Interestingly, this is essentially a cabin-in-the-woods flick, as pointed out in my title blurb. The 'cabin' just happens to be a castle or, more specifically, a sanitorium; and the era just happens to be the early 1900s. There's even a skinny-dipping sequence.

If you're in the mood for a Hammer-esque Dracula flick with crumbling castles, eldritch woods, stagecoaches, spooky rumors spoken in hushed tones, women in Victorian apparel, bloodsucking vampires, Dracula's 'brides,' diabolical rituals and female breasts, this fills the bill. The ending's unique and I loved it, but there are some questionable things, like the corny booming voice that curiously comes out of nowhere and the overkill top nudity (which smacks of shallow exploitation).

It runs 1 hour, 25 minutes, and was shot in Madrid.

GRADE: B-

The Watchers: Revelation
(2013)

Entertaining enough no-budget flick that mixes sci-fi with Biblical revelations
An archeological dig at Cahokia burial mounds in southwest Pennsylvania manifests a tablet linked to the Anunnaki, supposedly technologically advanced extraterrestrial beings who interact with world leaders, including the President of the USA. As their true nature and plan is exposed, they come after those responsible, including a 9 years-old prodigy.

"The Watchers: Revelation" (2013) is an Indie costing only $50,000. "Beyond the Darkness," aka "Heaven's War" (2018), was actually shot before this, but it took 7 years for it to be released due to how long it took to add the CGI effects (which were done really well for a non-blockbuster). I mention that movie because this one is cut from the same cloth, just with less funds. Despite that, the effects are certainly serviceable.

The people complaining about the acting must not have seen many spare-change Indies because I thought they did a respectable job for no-names. Remember, when you only have $50,000 to work with, you have to get the shot done and move on. You can't wait around for the perfect delivery and so forth because time means money in this biz.

At the end of the day, this is a watchable low-rent sci-fi movie with an interesting story that includes exposition on the Sumerian Anunnaki and Igigi. Kaitlin Lory does well as the blonde protagonist, Sarah, and Carissa Dallis is precious as the girl, Kara.

It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in areas south of Dayton, Ohio, including Kettering, Trenton and Hamilton.

GRADE: B-/C+

Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle
(1974)

The real-life story of the mysterious Kaspar Hauser put to film by Werner Herzog
A young man shows up in the square of a town in Bavaria in 1828 (Bruno S.), but he can only speak a few words and can hardly walk. The note in his hand was from someone who cared for him near the Bavarian border since he was an infant. It stated that he had never been let outside the house and wanted to be a cavalryman, like his father. The teenager finds himself becoming a 'hit' and stirs up much attention.

"The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser" (1974) was Herzog's follow-up to his acclaimed "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" from two years prior. While I think Herzog's forthcoming "Fitzcarraldo" is great, I found this a little disappointing. For one thing, Bruno S was 42 years-old during shooting whereas the real-life Hauser was only 16 when he was found. I guess that's why Herzog changed his birthdate from 1812 to 1810 for the movie. Since it was common in cinema at the time to cast way older actors as teenagers (which is still done occasionally today), I suppose this can be forgiven.

Besides, Werner realized after writing the script that it would be challenging to find an actor to play such an extreme role convincingly. However, when he saw Bruno S. In a documentary and learned of his difficult childhood, the son of an abusive prostitute and spending many years in institutions, even being the subject of Nazi experiments on mentally-disabled kids, he decided to cast him because of his extraordinary mental circumstances.

A couple of other issues are that Hauser's cell in his youth was reported to be 4 feet by 7 and not high enough for him to stand upright, which are of much bigger dimensions in the movie. Plus, the flick supports the idea that Hauser's captor is one-and-the-same as the person who supposedly attacks him with a knife after he acquires fame, which doesn't jibe with the known possibility that Hauser was addicted to the attention he got for being "special" and committed the stab wounds himself in order to work up interest when his popularity started to wane. Since we don't know the facts, this element should've at least been kept ambiguous in the film.

While you can't beat the authentic locations, I found the proceedings a little boring with a highlight here or there. This wasn't helped by the one-dimensional portrayal of the title character but, then, how else would such a peculiar individual be depicted? So, I guess it comes down to how interested you are in the subject matter. At the very least, the movie gives you a decent visual of what actually happened 200 years ago in Bavaria.

A more compelling '70's Euro-flick that takes place in a comparable setting and has a similar 'feel' is "Mysteries" from 1978, based on Knut Hamsun's 1892 novel. For entertaining exploitation in the same general milieu, see Klaus Kinski's "Jack the Ripper" from 1976.

It runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot in Dinkelsbühl, which is an hour's drive southwest of Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany.

GRADE: B-

Black Noon
(1971)

Weird Western Tale with Roy Thinnes, Ray Milland and Yvette Mimieux
In 1871, a young couple traveling West get lost in the wastelands (Thinnes and Lynn Loring), but are fortunately helped by the kind citizens of a remote town of settlers from New England. The man happens to be a pastor and the hamlet coincidentally just lost their Reverend. The patriarch wants them to stay (Milland) while his mute daughter seems interested in the minister (Mimieux). This can't end well.

"Black Noon" (1971) is a made-for-TV Western that's eccentric enough to make it worth checking out for those interested. You'll suspect an occultic element from the opening scene, but the less you know the better; all is revealed at the end, which is genuinely creative. The movie makes you care about the two protagonists, which is good, but... well, you'll see. Let's just say it obviously influenced a popular 1973 British flick, but maybe it was just inspired by the same 1967 novel as that other movie.

Thinnes' character gives a surprisingly good sermon revolving around the Sermon on the Mount, such as Matthew 5:11. Clearly, the scriptwriter knew the Scriptures because there are other quality biblical quotes, such as from Isaiah and the Song of Songs.

Thinnes and Loring were husband & wife for a few years at the time of shooting, but their marriage would only last until 1984.

It's short 'n' sweet at 1 hour, 14 minutes, and was shot in the desert area of the high country north of Los Angeles.

GRADE: B.

Black Pumpkin
(2018)

Entertaining low-budget Halloween slasher delivers the goods
After a kid goes missing in a Southern California town, the legend of 'Bloody Bobby' develops, fueled by some alarming slayings on a few Halloweens. Thirty years later, two You-Tubing boys inadvertently unleash the violent, malevolent spirit (?) once again.

"Black Pumpkin" (2018) is a low-budget Indie that comes in the tradition of the original "Halloween" and "Trick 'r Treat" (2007). It's similar to "The Barn" from two years prior, just with a more compelling script and better observance to the genre's staples. The trick or treat ambiance is great, as it was in "The Barn" and "Halloween," but this is the more entertaining movie, although "Halloween" is more artistic (naturally because it had John Carpenter and way more money with which to work).

Ellie Patrikios (Laurie) and Alix Lane (Ashley) stand out in the feminine department and the director doesn't fail to capture their beauty without getting too raunchy. Ellie was a little too old to play a high school girl, though, at 24-25 years-old during shooting, but that's not uncommon and this is just a cavil.

The antagonist is kinda reminiscent of Sam from "Trick 'r Treat," just fiercer. His violent streak coupled with a mischievous nature make for a memorable villain.

"Bloody Bobby" (2016) preceded this movie, but it's not necessary to see it to follow this one. A prequel came out in 2021, "Legend of Fall Creek," wherein the events take place after "Bloody Boody." This is the only movie I've seen in the franchise. It's self-contained.

It runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot in Inglewood, California, which is 10 miles south of Hollywood.

GRADE: B.

The Dyatlov Pass Incident
(2013)

Trying to discover the truth about the Dyatlov Pass Incident of 1959
Five students from the University of Oregon obtain a grant to conduct an expedition to the infamous pass in the northern Ural Mountains to try to figure out what happened to the nine Russian hikers who perished there 53 years earlier. While the excursion starts out promising, things go from bad to worse.

"Devil's Pass" (2013) is found footage adventure/horror/sci-fi that's way better than I thought it'd be, speaking as someone who's generally not big on found footage flicks, unless they're done right. What's great about this one is that the cast & crew literally went to the snowy mountains in Russia to shoot the film.

Yet it wasn't shot anywhere near the Dyatlov Pass, but rather in and around Kirovsk, which is in extreme northwest Russia not far south of eastern Sápmi, aka Lapland. This is roughly 3400 miles northwest of the infamous pass, by vehicle. They obviously shot here because it was more accessible and cheaper compared to filming near the remote pass, not to mention the Khibiny Mountains are generally more scenic in a rugged sense compared to the Urals.

I like how various theories are thrown around in the story with commentary on The Philadelphia Experiment circa 1943. However, that alleged event had zero to do with teleportation, but rather attempted to make the USS Eldridge 'invisible' to radar detection by manipulating magnetic fields.

As for what the students find at Kholat Syakhl, aka Dead Mountain, let's just say that the scriptwriter Frankenstein-ed the concept of Nightcrawler of the X-Men.

This movie is, of course, a fantastical account, but what really happened at Dyatlov Pass in 1959? The top theory is that 3 feet of shifting snow during the snowstorm suddenly fell on the tent at night, which panicked the nine inhabitants. Fearful of an actual avalanche, they cut themselves out of the tent and fled without proper attire. When they realized an avalanche wasn't going to happen, some tried to make it back to the tent but died of hypothermia in the -13 degrees Fahrenheit weather (it was no doubt difficult to find the camp in those conditions). What happened to the others is well explained in an 11-minute documentary called "Is Dyatlov Pass Mystery Finally Solved," available for free on Youtube (jump to 7:33 to skip the recap of the entire incident).

It runs 1 hour, 40 minutes. Additional scenes were shot in Krasnaya Polyana in Sochi, Russia, by the Caucasus Mountains, just northwest of Georgia.

GRADE: B.

Straw Dogs
(1971)

How far can a civilized man be pushed?
A well-to-do couple from America (Dustin Hoffman and Susan George) move back to the wife's hometown near Land's End in western Cornwall, England, and settle into the vacant homestead. They enlist some roofers whom she knows from her school days, one of them being a former boyfriend (Del Henney). Rivalry is in the air as the laborers try to emasculate Amy's brainy husband and she questions his manhood. Havoc ensues.

Based on Gordon M. Williams's novel and helmed by Peckinpah, "Straw Dogs" (1971) is a psychological thriller and so there's a lot of drama and subtle suspense build-up; things don't blow-up until the final act, so to speak. Consequently, anyone looking for mindless action should stay away. There are bits reminiscent of "Of Mice and Men," like the mentally challenged guy (David Warner) who doesn't know his own strength.

The conflict here is basically brawn vs. Brain or Lynyrd Skynyrd vs. Bach. David (Hoffman) is a meek, civilized man of below average stature (almost 5'6") with an intellectual occupation who is forced to shed all his cultured conditioning and revert back to the barbarism of his ancestors.

The story spurs some questions: Why does a rape-victim keep silent? Why is the local teen hottie interested in the mentally-challenged hunk? But a little reflection will answer these and other questions. I like it when films don't spell everything out and make you think. Certain added bits are interesting, like the subtle rivalry between gang members Charlie (Henney) and Norman (Ken Hutchison).

The flick is sophisticated and sneers at binary good/bad characterizations, rubbing the viewer's face in humanity's animalistic (or fallen) nature, which lies just beneath the veneer of civilized proprieties. There's an effective 2011 remake, which switches the setting to the modern day of the Deep South, America. Anyone who appreciates Rural Gothic or Southern Gothic will likely appreciate either. I should add that there's an unpleasant rape sequence à la "The Wild Angels" and "Last Summer," not to mention the mayhem of the climax, but it's mostly an intelligent drama that slowly builds tension, obviously influenced by "The Shuttered Room" from four years prior.

It runs 1 hour, 58 minutes, and was shot in southwest England at St Buryan, near Penzance, with studio stuff done at Twickenham Studios in London.

GRADE: B.

The Barn
(2016)

All-around entertaining trick or treat flick, but no meat on the bones
On Halloween, 1989, some teens in southwest Pennsylvania make the mistake of entering a forbidden barn, which unleashes three diabolical creatures: a miner boogeyman, a pumpkin man and a scarecrow.

"The Barn" (2016) only cost $80,000 and was a life-long dream project of producer/writer/director Justin M. Seaman. I've seen several such movies by Indie filmmakers shooting in their beloved local areas and you have to understandably brace yourself for the worst, like stilted acting, lousy sound, questionable editing, cheesy effects and unconvincing action sequences. Considering the limited budget, this scores proficiently in all the above with 'B' queen Linnea Quigley showing up for a one-day gig. It's colorful and has a great rockin' soundtrack by no-name artists. The key actors take a relatively serious approach while some of the peripherals ham it up in an amusing way, like Sam's dad.

Where it drops the ball is the writing. There's not enough depth beyond the descriptive blurb above and so I found myself bored with the story and characters in the second half. A similar Indie production, "Angel" (2018), featured stilted acting and lousy action scenes, but it at least had an interesting story (and great cinematography and locations), which made it more rewarding even though "The Barn" is technically superior and delivers the goods for fun Halloween ambiance.

Lexi Dripps (Michelle) and Nikki Howell (Nikki) are serviceable on the feminine front, but more shoulda been done with them. A body double was, incidentally, used for the latter's brief top-nude scene.

It runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in various areas of southwest Pennsylvania, including West Alexander (main location), Claysville (street scenes), Washington (roller rink) and Emsworth (Dr. Rock sequence).

GRADE: C+

An Unknown Compelling Force
(2021)

What happened to nine Russian hikers on Dyatlov Pass in early February, 1959?
British-American documentarian Liam Le Guillou travels to the area in question in the northeast Ural Mountains to talk to the locals and examine the best theories as to why the nine athletic Russians (seven men and two women) left their tents in the freezing cold of the night without adequate attire, with most perishing of hypothermia far away and a few others revealing signs of blunt force trauma.

"An Unknown Compelling Force" (2021) is worthwhile for learning about the nine victims, as well as the inaccessible region in general. Yekaterinburg is the closest city, which is 340 miles to the south; and the closest town like 60 miles away. Seven of the nine hikers were college students with the other man a healthy veteran of WW2, fifteen years their senior. They left behind undeveloped film and diaries up until the day of their deaths for evidence of what went down, not to mention their grisly remains and the autopsies thereof.

While Le Guillou wisely leaves the mystery open at the end, he also doesn't fail to point out what he thinks likely went down with the help of various experts and investigators, Russian and American. Certain popular theories, including the outlandish ones, are ruled out for one good reason or another, which leaves the most obvious scenario, according to Liam and his experts. Simply put, they believe the hikers were murdered, possibly by a savage band of Khanty living in the area, who wouldn't take kindly to Soviet invaders, especially if they inadvertently marred one of their shrines.

While this theory is interesting, there wasn't any evidence at the scene of these supposed assailants, like footprints. The better theory is that 3 feet of shifting snow during the snowstorm suddenly fell on the tent at night, which panicked the nine inhabitants. Fearful of an actual avalanche, they cut themselves out of the tent and fled without proper attire. When they realized an avalanche wasn't going to happen, some tried to make it back to the tent but died of hypothermia in the -13 degrees Fahrenheit weather (it was no doubt difficult to find the camp in those conditions). What happened to the others is well explained in an 11-minute documentary called "Is Dyatlov Pass Mystery Finally Solved," available for free on Youtube.

This film runs 1 hour, 46 minutes.

GRADE: B-

There Was a Little Girl
(1981)

Slow slasher set in Savannah pays off with the last act
A teacher of deaf kids is haunted by her upbringing with her crazy twin sister. When it's discovered that she's escaped the institution, people around her start dying. This builds up to the sisters' birthday.

While technically an Italian production, "Madhouse" (1981) was shot in America with American actors and is also known as "There Was a Little Girl." While the first hour is mostly unhurried drama, this is the foundation for the crazy last act. The producer/director/writer Ovidio G. Assonitis gives hints of what's really going on, but doesn't spell it out. He respected the viewer to put the pieces together.

The film should also be esteemed for featuring something that didn't become in vogue until fifteen years later with "Scream," although the contemporaneous "Just Before Dawn" did it as well. Meanwhile the ending borrows something from "The Night Strangler" from eight years prior.

This was protagonist Trish Everly's only proper film and starring role, which is strange since she's a convincing actress. She happened to be a member of Dean Martin's singing/dancing group the Golddiggers from 1969-1971 and had bit parts in several TV series and a few TV movies. Her real name is Patricia Mickey. Also worth mentioning on the beauty front is blonde Morgan Most as Helen.

Interestingly, James Cameron believed that Assonitis (listed as Oliver Hellman in the credits) would hire American directors to get funding from studios for his projects and then find an excuse to fire them and direct himself. The proof for this, it is claimed, is "Beyond the Door," this movie, and "Piranha 2: The Spawning."

It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot in Savannah, Georgia.

GRADE: B-

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