Maniac Review

There’s just something about the 1980s. I can’t seem to move away from the decade when it comes to horror movies for review on this blog. I find myself with a list to go through and well, I’ll get through it eventually. Today we focus on a movie from 1980 that was shot on a tight budget, and features all the makings of a slasher, it’s called “Maniac”.

The plot is simple enough, we are introduced to a maniac, hence the title, who is on a serial spree of killing. The action starts up fast, and the first ten minutes give us an initial look at the villain and what he does, only for him to wake up from a dream lying next to a victim. The opening credits showcase our villain much like “Nightmare on Elm Street” did, giving us a look at the villain in different light, but mostly darkness. The movie flows well enough, focusing on various characters and their routines, only to come face to face with the killer. It’s a straight forward slasher in that way.

“Maniac” is an odd film at times, focusing on characters you can’t really invest in overall. It’s definitely a product of the time, and it flows well, with a focus on the brutality of the slayings, and good special effects from Tom Savini. I found that to be interesting overall, and the framework of the movie to be good. I didn’t find myself bored at any time, which sometimes happens with some of these older slashers. If there was a critique to this, it would be that the movie focuses on the killer more than any other character, so it really is a character study more than a  standard horror movie where you get a protagonist up front doing a lot of work to capture the villain.

There’s some gore, especially with the scalping that goes on. Tom Savini’s special effects are always great to see, and he does a good job with this one. I appreciated the practical effects, which you don’t always get with modern horror movies today. “Maniac” lives up to its name, it features a sick villain, and a story that is very much in the horror category. It’s an exploitation film for sure, and something that will rattle you if you’re not a fan of this type of horror film. That being said, I recommend “Maniac” for anyone that is looking for a cult film.

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Splatter University Review

We return to the 1980s and this time around we are going to take a look at a Troma Entertainment release. The budget on this was very low, and it shows, but hey, that doesn’t necessarily mean the movie is bad, right? “Splatter University” is a low budget slasher film, and it has a lot to offer, even with a limited budget, and it is a surprise I didn’t see it sooner than I did.

The plot revolves around an escaped insane asylum patient that goes on a killing spree. Through the movie, however, you don’t see where he lands and when the body count starts to rise, things get hectic and fingers start getting pointed. There’s a sense of “Giallo” in this one, as you only see the knife that kills, and nothing else. It’s interesting to see  how that works, but it’s an effective way to slash. After the body count starts to rise, there’s a reveal of the killer and you start to root for the final girl, even though this breaks tradition.

The pacing of the movie is a little slow at times. I found myself wondering when the next victim was going to take a fall. However, whenever I started to think that, something would happen and things would definitely ramp up. The music is good, the shots are ok, and the kills are creatively done in first person view. There’s a sense of suspense throughout and there’s even a misdirection with who the killer could be, making this an above average slasher if you ask me.

“Splatter University” is not going to win any awards, and of course it didn’t. It’s a movie that diehard horror fans are going to love, and casual viewers will watch once and move on. I for one think it’s not half bad, and would rate it a 3 out of 5, with some good overall action, and interesting premise. It’s straight to the point, gives you a good deal of shock, and well, I won’t ruin it, just watch the movie and see if it’s up your alley, I know it was up mine for sure.

Terrifier Review

Often times movies are slow moving engagements. That is true for modern horror, and a lot of the time I’m flabbergasted by what audiences will sit through to get a little thrill. When I saw the poster for this film, I wasn’t expecting a lot. I figured it would be a slasher, and well we all know that the mother of killer clown movies either comes from outer space or “IT”, but this was different, it felt different, and it started off innocent enough, and just derailed fast.

The premise is simple enough, a killer clown is hunting down individuals, and no matter what they do, he keeps coming back. A slasher of 1980s lore is what you get here, and not much else to really explain. Sure, there are moments where the story takes you to care about the characters slightly, as they have some peril outside of the killer clown, but it’s short lived. This is a straight forward slasher and it is fast moving. There is not a lot of room for filler in this one, and that’s something that I appreciated about it. It's a movie that knows what the audience wants, and knocks you in the teeth within the first act.

The expected horror movie tropes live in with this one, including the final girl, albeit not without putting up one hell of a fight. You get the unstoppable villain, and you’re drenched in gore and blood as well. There’s nothing too complex about the movie, and it really draws you in with a powerful performance from David Howard Thornton as Art The Clown.

Terrifier isn’t brain candy, but it is a good slasher with an easy premise, and something that will have you thrilled and shocked at times. This is horror sliced up the way you expect from the 1980s and 1990s to boot, not “modern” day slow moving genre art. That’s just my two cents, you should pick up the blu ray
and make up  your mind on it, but I recommend it, so there’s that.

X Review

I wanted to see the movie “X” for quite some time. I first heard it was going to be in theaters, and for whatever reason I just never got around to seeing it. I then waited for it to be available for streaming, and finally got it, so that I can see the overall hyped up movie. The movie had a simple premise, and it followed through with it quite well, leaving nothing to the imagination, and it’s an interesting ride, albeit not one that I may want to revisit soon.

The movie is simple enough, a group of people set out to make an adult film on a farm that they rented and turned into a makeshift studio. They follow the protocols that you would expect, only they end up being thwarted by an elderly couple that is seriously creepy. The old couple find out what is going on and they don’t want that to occur, so instead of stopping production the old fashioned way, they do so with blood and guts.

Overall, the movie is shot well, it has decent cinematography and the acting isn’t horrendous. I found myself enjoying the movie for the most part, and there were definitely sequences that gave it a good measure of success in the scares department. There’s some limited gore too, and that’s definitely something to look out for with horror movies, and the likes.

The pacing was solid in this movie, leaving no dead air or boring spots, as the movie progresses. It does have a few jump scares, but it doesn’t rely heavily on those, and that’s something that I can appreciate overall. There’s a sense of homage to the film overall and you really do get this sort of feeling that the filmmakers are playing up to a smart audience. With that in mind, you don’t really get too deep with the characters, and they are taken out one by one.

“X” surprised me in a way. I thought it was going to be a bit more blatant in horror, and for some reason I just couldn’t get myself to want to watch it over again. It’s adequate, it has some gusto, and it definitely provides a good sense of dread, with great special effects that are modern and classic at the same time. I’d recommend seeing “X” for sure, but owning it, I don’t know, I’m on the fence about it still. 

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. 

Halloween (2018) Review

Halloween (2018) Poster

I waited for this movie to settle in my guts, and well, I finally saw it.

I took my sister to see this movie in a nice theater in Culver City, California and what I found was a trope that was very much in tune with the original movie, although with a lot of elements that are just, normal, in many ways. This takes on the idea of a sequel to the original movie, and it’s a testament to how creative people are today at times, but it also feels like a safe entry into the movie world that features one, Michael Myers.

You get a lot of people coming back to the series in this movie, and the plot revolves around a break out from the insane asylum, as per usual, and Michael shows up to his old haunts to look for Laurie and her kid. We catch up with Laurie, her kid, and the revenge that is going to be waiting Myers, if he shows up, and he does.

To say that Halloween is “safe” is an understatement. Every nook and cranny of this movie is predictable. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t entertaining, but in the course of horror movie sequels and attempts to revive narratives, this does nothing for me. Sure, it has a lot of nostalgia with the way it’s filmed, with some of the slow moving, cut away death sequences, but it also throws some notes to all the rest of the world of Halloween, including Season of the Witch. It’s easy on the eyes, but in the third act, it starts to get a little boring, and by the time you get to the end, you realize that you’ve been swindled into seeing the same movie again, only updated a few decades.

This is a movie that features what you want, death, mayhem, and of course, a nod to the past, without changing the future. It’s a solid entry, and it works for what it is, but let’s not look at this with rose colored glasses, because it’s not that great. The performances are good, Jamie Lee Curtis is great, and the rest is good, but the story suffers from formulas that are nothing short of paint by numbers. I don’t recommend spending money on this one, but hey, it’s part of a larger framework, so I guess it works to a certain degree. I didn’t think it trumped the others, and I don’t think it’s the best horror movie I’ve seen this year, or any year for that matter.

I could definitely wait for Blu Ray on this one, it’s that underwhelming and overrated for me. This, of course, after reviewing more than 900 movies for this blog.

The Babysitter Review

The Babysitter (2017) Poster 

I’ve seen my fair share of babysitter movies, and no, I don’t mean porno. But this is not the same thing that you are going to get from the 1980s adventures, or the mid 1990s babysitting movies or sitcom shows. This is a rated R horror movie and it is perhaps one of the best horror movies to come out of any studio in the year 2017. I know high praise, right? But for whatever reason the Netflix people were able to pull off what many mainstream studios haven’t been able to put together, and that’s a solid horror movie with a lot of elements that make sense, rather than getting to the nonsensical route. I’m not going to say that this is ultra realistic, but there are enough elements to make you think twice about nominating another movie as the best of 2017.

The movie is simple enough, starring Samara Weaving as a babysitter, and Judah Lewis as the pre-teen that is in love with her. The two have a good chemistry together, and are friends. But things go awry when he comes out of his room to see the babysitter and her friends doing a cult satanic ritual. They figure out that he saw something, and they want to kill him because he’s a virgin, and that’s where things take a turn. He’s not going to play dead, he’s going to fight back, and as the teens try to kill him, he turns the tables and while “Home Alone” had funny moments, this takes those funny elements and kills off the villains one by one, until the finale leaves your jaw on the floor, because this is not your average horror movie. It has consequences, and those consequences are absolutely thrilling at times.

The gore is turned up. This is not a kid’s movie. The villains get brutally taken care of, and our main character is not without punishment either. He gets beat up a bit, he’s slapped around, but the villains aren’t nearly as smart and end up getting beat up a lot, and eventually, man, you have to see the movie because there’s a sick stunt at the end to really make you question where McG and Brian Duffield came up with this idea.

All of the movie’s elements are well thought out. You get explanations for most of the movie, and when the thrills go down, they are filmed with a precision that only McG could bring forth. He throws in a lot of action that is very well done, giving this a killer production line, and a stellar focus of driving, burning, and gun play. Oh, did I mention the gore? Holy crap, this is a hard R if it were to be rated for theatrical release.

Overall, “The Babysitter” is perhaps the best horror movie that I personally saw in 2017. It has everything you want, without going with gratuitous nudity which is the only reason I won’t say that this is a perfect movie. Other than that, this is a great romp, fun, and comedic, with incredible stunts and a story that actually makes sense overall.

I would recommend that you get this on Blu Ray or something, but it’s only available on Netflix streaming. A service that I’m going to have to buy again, because the company keeps putting out some stellar horror and other stuff.

I do want to shout out Stay Still Reviews, as I was looking through images and found their blog, and it's awesome, go read that!

Jeepers Creepers Review

buy jeepers creepers

Another entry from 2001, the movie Jeepers Creepers came out to a lot of fanfare. I didn’t catch it until after it was popular, and in fact, I didn’t remember to pick it up until I had moved to Seattle in 2007. The movie is a classic monster movie and it’s done very well, with a lot of emotional ties to the characters involved, without making it a drama filled boring loop. The movie has a solid little niche, and while it doesn’t have a huge cast, it still works out well, much like “House of Wax” did, the updated version that is.

The movie centers on a couple of young adults that are trying to get home from college. They get run off the road by a seriously bad guy and then uncover that he may be dumping bodies and doing far worse than just driving people off the highway. When they uncover that this is in fact a serious murder mystery, they get thrown into a cycle of hell that drives up the suspense a whole lot.

The movie twists and turns through suspense, and leaves the gore out at times. It is more of a mystery or a thriller than it is a straight up horror movie. It has supernatural elements which are nice, and the effects are good for what they are. Justin Long does a good job here, far better than that crap from Raimi that was pg-13 a while back. I don’t even remember the name, something about going to hell or whatever, it sucked, and he sucked in it. (Terrible writing, I know)

We get some nice thrills, and a good duality angle that involves law enforcement, but this is not going to be as memorable as some of the other entries into the 2000s horror line up. It still has some solid acting, good timing, and narrative that isn’t too terrible. It spawned a sequel, but this original is a solid entry point for anyone that wants a horror movie that isn’t all gore and splatter. I liked it, and I think it deserves a second shot for those that haven’t seen it in a while. Jeepers Creepers isn’t going to win awards, obviously, but it has a certain cult like status in my book so scope it out today.

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