From Euro Horror, published 2024
When The Exorcist was released in 1973, evangelist Billy Graham reportedly insisted that “the Devil is in every frame of this movie” and evil is “buried within the celluloid of the film itself.” To Graham, it wasn’t just scary – it was infected, endangering the very souls of the people who watched it.
Sounds like a great plot for a horror film.
Continue reading “Fury of the Demon (2016)”
From Euro Horror, published 2024
A title like Bloody Pit of Horror conjures up all sorts of gruesome imagery, especially when the filmmakers claim it’s based on the writings of the Marquis de Sade. Will there be dismemberments? Disfigurements? Rivers of the red stuff?
Not exactly. Even by 1965 standards, this exploitation flick is fairly tame – there’s more blood in the title than on the screen – but it has just enough loony creativity to make it a cult favorite. The shock metal band Gwar named an album after it, which must confer some kind of street cred. It’s also filmed in PsychoVision, whatever that means (probably nothing, but it sounds cool).
Continue reading “Bloody Pit of Horror (1965)”
From Unsung Horrors Has Risen from the Grave, published 2024
When RKO hired Val Lewton to run its horror unit in 1942, its executives had fairly simple expectations: His films had to be cheap (no more than $150,000), short (just over an hour), and based on pre-approved titles like The Cat People and I Walked with a Zombie. As long as he stayed within those parameters – and made a profit, of course – the cultured, perfectionist producer could do pretty much as he wished.
The suits had no idea what they were in for. Lewton was a true auteur, and he hired directors who would fulfill his vision. He drew on art, literature, and folklore to offer audiences much more than cheap scares. He could handle that part, too, but it was never the point. His work was more in line with the film noir and social dramas of the era, with their challenging themes and dark aesthetics.
Continue reading “Bedlam (1946)”
From Spotlight on Science Fiction, published 2022
The human survival impulse is extraordinary, and apocalyptic fiction could not exist without it. No matter how bad things get, certain characters push on, determined to keep the species going into an uncertain future. There’s no alternative.
The Girl With All the Gifts would like to challenge that assumption. In Colm McCarthy’s virus/vampire/zombie mashup, the girl of the title isn’t entirely human, but she’s certainly the future.
Continue reading “The Girl With All the Gifts (2016)”
From We Belong Dead, Issue 31, published 2022
If you live in a place like New York or Tokyo, you’re used to seeing your hometown destroyed on screen. It’s a slow year if the Statue of Liberty isn’t decapitated in at least one movie.
I’ve spent most of my life in Kansas City, a mellow Midwestern town that’s often overlooked in popular culture. Except that one time in 1983, when we got obliterated in a nuclear war.
Continue reading “The Day After (1983)”This terrific documentary has a regional connection for KC readers, but it’s pretty universal.
Since I’m only seeing movies when/if I want to now, I’m not feeling qualified to pick a Top Ten this year. Instead, I’m going to fill in my review archives with some choices from previous years. First up is a great noir from J.C. Chandor that didn’t get nearly enough attention when it came out in 2014 (locally in 2015).
I’m watching more movies for fun, now that I’m not getting paid for reviews. Periodically, I will publish my reactions, just because. Also, you will probably like this more if you’ve seen the film in question. A detailed plot synopsis is on the Wikipedia page, if you want a shortcut. Here, there be spoilers…
Continue reading “Rambling Thoughts on “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019)”
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