Movie Review: The Devil's Honey

For as wildly inconsistent as Lucio Fulci can be, almost all of his films (at least the ones that I have seen) have something of interest about them. Granted, as much as love and enjoy many of his outings, I realize I have only seen a small slice of his filmography. With that said, when I saw Severin Films announce the release of a Fulci film called The Devil’s Honey, I was immediately intrigued. Besides the opportunity to get more Fulci on Blu-ray, it was a movie I had never even heard of. What is this mysterious Devil’s Honey? Turns out it is an erotic thriller that eschews in your face blood and gore and turns it's attention to in your face, melodramatic, sleaze.

A Night at the Metropol - Examining Demons 1 and 2

Beware of spoilers…..

In 1985 a movie exploded out of Italy that provided genuine frights and genuine fun at the same time. It is that rare movie that succeeds at all turns. The sort of movie that you can watch over and over again and not get sick of. That movie is none other than Demons. It is a blend of action, horror, and (unintentional) comedy that just tantalizes the senses. It churns the stomach as it causes a giant grin on your face. Filled with memorable characters and some of the best practical gore effects this side of The Thing, it is easy to get into, yet it is not exactly a simple movie. Demons gives you the beginnings of a new world while not bogging you down in the details. It sets up a horrific world full of possibilities waiting to be filled in by your imagination.

Movie Review: Rawhead Rex

Rawhead Rex. Think about that title, Rawhead Rex. There is something about that movie title that just sticks in your head and knowing nothing else about the movie makes you want to see it. Right? It is a name that just promises to be all sorts of awesome. Then you read a bit more about it and learn that it was written by Clive Barker. Well, that just about seals the deal, doesn’t it? It is like a match made in horror heaven. You get a little excited about Barker and an all out, guts on the wall movie called Rawhead Rex. Then you learn a bit more about it, Barker actually hated the movie and it is set in a small rural Irish town. Say what? Begins to lower those expectations.

Movie Review: Demons 2

In 1985 Dario Argento, coming off the release of his insect driven horror film Phenomena, teamed with Lamberto Bava (son of the great Mario Bava), coming off of Blastfighter, to create an absolute splatter classic. The movie was called Demons and it is an amazing, surreal, stream of consciousness gorefest that sees the events taking place in a horror movie crossover and start affecting the audience in the movie theater. It was a successful release a sequel was put into production and released just a year later. Demons 2 came out in 1986 and for a long time I thought it to be by far the inferior film. Things change.

Movie Review: Trick or Treat (1986)

As you know, it took a long time for me to get into horror movies. In my early days of movie fandom, but before I truly become a horror aficionado, I would peruse the horror racks at the video store where I worked. I would check out the mainstays like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween, but I would also check out things like The Surgeon, The Dentist, and Dr. Giggles. Then there was Trick or Treat. It was an odd little title that liked to trumpet the cameos of Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne, looking for some metal street cred. It is a campy movie that is easy to dismiss, but you shouldn’t.

Screening Report: Hudson Horror Invades the Alamo III (Alamo Drafthouse, 9/19/15)

If you did not know, the Hudson Horror Show is a pretty big deal. You go somewhere and mention them, people know what you are talking about, their eyes light up with excitement. There is a growing camaraderie amongst the horror marathon that is amazing. Go to these shows and you instantly become a member of the family. Anyway, this past weekend the Hudson Horror crew spearheaded their third invasion of the Alamo Drafthouse, and it was a sold out affair. This double feature played to a lively crowd and went over extraordinarily well.

Movie Review: Trick or Treat (1986)

The horror genre probably has the most dedicated fanbase of any genre. Period. I really don't think you can argue that (maybe, but that's not the point). Even within the beloved genre, there are movies that should always be remembered, those that should be immediately forgotten, and those that are worth bringing up once in awhile. Yes, that pretty much covers anything, but when you are a big fan of a genre, it takes on a lot more meaning and I am pretty sure many of you had titles jump immediately to mind. One of those once in awhile movies is Trick or Treat, the 1986 heavy metal horror/comedy notable for appearances by Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne.

Movie Review: Anguish (1986)

So, the other night I was in the mood to watch a movie. Not just any movie, mind you. I was looking for something a little bit older, something I hadn't seen before, and something with the potential to be a little weird. My search stumbled across a little movie from 1986 that I had never heard of that might fit the bill. The movie is called Anguish, seems like a winner based on the name alone, right? It is a thriller/horror oddity that features Zelda Rubenstein (Poltergeist) and was written and directed by Spanish director Bigas Luna. It is one of those movies that probably would not get a theatrical release today, and one that makes me wish I saw more like this theatrically.

Movie Review: Dreamaniac

The 1980's saw an explosion in the movie industry, an aftermarket appeared and the videostore was born. This opened up another new market, low budget films, many shot on video, made specifically for these video stores. Now, I am not going to get into this history, but I will say that some men knew how to tap into that market, Charles Band is one of those guys. With Empire Pictures and later Full Moon Pictures, he filled the market with what they wanted. Not always good, but they were there. Dreamaniac is one of those features, produced by Band and directed by David Decoteau.

Movie Review: Mountaintop Motel Massacre

While looking for a grimy little horror movie to watch, I stumbled across Mountaintop Motel Massacre. It was released in 1986 after apparently sitting on a shelf for three years. Considering all of the horror being released during this period and the surprisingly decent film that it is, it is surprising that it sat around like that. I wonder what caused its delay? My suspicion is that whoever owned it had financial issues and got bought out. I guess it doesn't really matter, the movie is here and it is pretty entertaining. It is hardly the best example of its genre, but then again, it kind of blends a couple of sub-genres together into a concoction that is not really either.

Movie Review: Jason Lives - Friday the 13th Part VI (1986)

Despite the number one opening weekend, A New Beginning failed to get anywhere near the box office success of its two immediate predecessors. The poor reaction to the different direction the series took led the studio to rethink its plans for the franchise. Rather let the cash cow fade away (the modest budgets and solid rental market seemed to always ensure decent profit), Paramount went back to the drawing board and a little over a year later delivered Jason Lives to the theaters. Apparently the fan base had already started to slip over th apparent bad taste left by A New Beginning. This was the first of the series not to open at number 1 (it was second behind the third weekend of Aliens).

Sci Fi Invasion: Future Hunters

When approaching a massive box set, like the Sci Fi Invasion set, you have to be prepared to sit through a large number of stinkers. Through the first few disks of the set I have sat through some movies I would not wish on my worst enemy. Why do I do it? Why should anyone do it? For the experience, of course. Every movie adds to the experience and you have to believe that something interesting is going to come along. Fortunately, I have stumbled across something interesting. Not good, mind you.

Movie Review: Hands of Steel (1986)

With disk one of the Sci-Fi Invasion box set complete, I have moved on to disk two. I approach it with a little trepidation as the first disk offering were, well, less than stellar. So, with the fifth movie watched in the set, I have finally found one worth watching, maybe even revisiting. Don't get me wrong, this is still squarely B grade material, so your personal enjoyment will definitely hinge on own ow much you like this sort of thing. The movie in question is Hands of Steel, aka Vendetta from the Future, aka Atomic Cyborg, aka Paco (yes, Paco).

The Movies of Brandon Lee: Legacy of Rage

It is hard to believe it has been 20 years since Brandon Lee was tragically killed on the set of The Crow. The movie has gathered a cult following and I consider to be one of my all time favorite movies. It is a shame that his life was cut down at such a young age, just as he was about to become a big star, in my estimation anyway based on his iconic performance in The Crow. In any case, I have decided to revisit his brief filmography.

The CritCast watches Rawhead Rex

The CritCast returns with a modified format. The CritCast will now take a look at a single film in a video, likely a more onscure genre film. This time out I check out the pre-Hellraiser Clive Barker outing Rawhead Rex. Is it worth your time? Watch on!

Netflix'ns: Ghost Warrior

Do you remember that blast from the past Encino Man? You know, the movie where a caveman, played by Brendan Fraser, is thawed out on modern day California to hang out with none other than Pauly Shore? Of course you do. Everybody loved that slice of comic brilliance, that intelligent take on the fish out of water tale. Well, maybe not. Now, what if I told you that years earlier the same idea was used but played straight and instead of a caveman you get a samurai? Sounds great, right?