Head Count Review

I love a good creature feature, and when presented with an option to watch I jump at the chance. That’s what I was told about “Head Count”. It was supposed to be a creature feature, and when I sat down to watch it, I was treated with something else, and while it may be creative, it definitely was not what I was expecting. In fact, it could very well be one of the worst executions of a film in a long time.

The premise is simple enough at first glance. A group of teens go to the desert for a party, and they begin to drink and have fun. In their fun, something sinister appears, and they can’t figure it out. It turns out that it’s a shapeshifting creature that emulates each one of them, and causes them to attempt suicide. This occurs after a chant is accidentally spoke of, similar to “Candyman”, if you recall that film.

There are no deep connections in this movie. The characters talk a lot, and not in a good way, it just falls flat. The creature is awful CGI and the story is convoluted at best. There are moments of dread, but it falls short of impact because there is something missing here, and I am not sure how to put my finger on it.

Overall, “Head Count” tries to be different. It has some gusto at times, but overall it’s a movie that you can skip. I haven’t seen a movie this bad in a while, and honestly, I don’t know if I’d recommend this to anyone unless you really like bad convoluted horror. It’s got horror elements, it just falls flat.

Eaten Alive Review

The year was 1976 when the movie “Eaten Alive” came out, and it was directed by Tobe Hooper. The movie is a mix of genres, but it is definitely a horror movie. It is a fast moving genre flick that mixes a creature feature with a slasher. It plays with several emotional elements that was easy to get away with at the time, but is definitely hard to watch in modern times. That’s why you have to really consider the time frame, 1976, and try not to apply modern cliché to it.

The plot of the film surrounds a hotel proprietor that is insane, and feeds people to a killer crocodile that lives near the hotel. We are not introduced to him right away, instead we focus on a side character that is played by Robert Englund. He is at a brothel and tries to go too far, that forces what looks to be a main heroine to get banished from brothel. She ends up going to the hotel, and the rest of the movie lies within that location. She goes in, and the proprietor tries to grope, leading to a fight, and away we go, to the crocodile! The crocodile is hidden in the shadows a bit, and you have to remember we are in the 1970s, so there is no CGI or anything that is going to cause this to be too much or anything. Instead, it’s a rubber creature, and it’s laughable at times, but there’s nuance to the cinematography so you don’t dwell too much on it. You also have to contend with the main slasher, Judd, who comes through with a scythe to cause issues. He’s lurking, the crocodile is eating dogs, and people, and you are thrown into the mix as new people come to the hotel.

This is a crude slasher flick, but it has a creature feature element to it. It also has some gratuitous nudity, harsh sexual elements, and redeeming qualities here and there. You’ll be surprised by how far some of the acting goes, and how believable the fights can seem at times. Tobe Hooper’s direction really does well in these sequences, and you really get a good sense of horror and dread throughout. As the movie progresses, we get some taboo moments, including a near killing of a child.

“Eaten Alive” gives you a sense of dread, a bit of creature feature glory with the crocodile, but also hinges on slasher with Judd and the scythe. You are going to find this to be a worthy addition to your collection as it pushes all the buttons of a good horror movie. It’s a slasher at heart, but the crocodile makes it a bit more redeeming, especially in the final act. It’s a good romp, solid acting, and classic Hooper direction. It’s a good one to watch at random, especially for a young Robert Englund.

Pick up Eaten Alive on BLU RAY Here. 

The Sleeper Review

The slasher genre is not what it used to be. It is not getting as many releases as it once did, but they are still out there. In fact, if you look below the mainstream, you will find that there are a lot of options to select from, and some that aren’t even that old. Today, we look at one such film, which is none other than “The Sleeper”. 

“The Sleeper” will immediately catch you off guard, it looks like it was filmed in the 1970s or 1980s. The film grain is such that it definitely lends itself to a different era of cinema, and it follows through the entire movie. It also shares a lot in common with other horror movies in that it immediately throws you into the scares, with a kill happening right away. We are introduced to the villain and his hammer. He immediately goes after someone at a sorority house, and then we get to the crux of the film. There are prank phone calls that come through the sorority house on a night where they will have a party. They continue to move forward with a party, including a pretty lame sex scene, and each new victim is called out. 

As far as slasher movies are concerned, this is one that is standard. It features your killer that is faster than most, the weapon which is a hammer, and the milky eyes that you see here and there. What caught me was the use of “Giallo” elements. You get that throughout with the focus on black gloves and the hammer. The camera follows the black gloves a lot, and you don’t see the face of the killer a lot, even though it happens. 

The movie is not without criticism. There is some slow pacing here and there, the killers motives are never revealed nor his back story at all, and we just get straight forward nonsense. The Joe Bob Briggs cameo was good though, but the overall sense of dread and slashings are trumped up and you get some gore effects here and there. 

“The Sleeper” is soaked in nostalgia. From the way it is filmed, to the way it is paced, to the kill spots and even ending. There is something for those that love that era here, meanwhile nothing for the modern horror fan. I did not find this to be updated in anyway, but that doesn’t mean it is a bad movie. In fact, I liked it a lot. It is a throwback, and it’s one that takes a little getting used to, considering we are in modern times. Filmed in 2012 from Gamma Knife Films, this is one movie that really goes for the gusto at times, and works well in the frame of nostalgic slashers. Outside of that, I’m not sure it works or holds up well, but maybe it doesn’t have to. It’s a fine film to check out, especially when you’re out of ideas on what to watch via streaming.