Movie Review: Luther the Geek

Genre movie fans owe a debt of gratitude to boutique distributors such as Vinegar Syndrome. Thanks to them, some truly bizarre films are being preserved and made available to the public. In some cases this is their first ever home video release and in other cases it is in a beautifully restored version, where the movie looks as if it were brand new. The movie at hand today is called Luther the Geek. It is a truly odd feature from 1988 that features a clucking killer who never says a word, and some truly unsettling atmosphere. No, it is not the best film, but it is surprisingly effective and certainly worth the effort to watch.

Screening Report: Brain Damage w/ Frank Henenlotter (Alamo Drafthouse, Yonkers, NY, 10/29/15)

So, this past week I made one of my frequent trips down to the Alamo Drafthouse in Yonkers, NY. It should really go without saying that I attend this theater pretty frequently. You can thank the selection of classic and cult films, with many screened from 35mm prints. There is no other theater remotely like this in my area. Sure, i wish they were a bit closer, but you can’t have everything. On top of the movie being screened, it had the bonus of having the writer/director in attendance. That is another cool thing about this theater, the bonuses like this.

Movie Review: Bloodsport

There was a time (probably ongoing in some circles) when everything was an either/or decision. Coke or Pepsi. Star Wars or Star Trek. Superman or Batman. Jason or Freddy. Schwarzenegger or Stallone. Seagal or Van Damme. It is this last one that brings us to today. You see, sometimes when you make a choice you dismiss the output of the other almost out of hand. That is what I did with Van Damme, I was a Seagal guy. This dismissal of many Van Damme films has led me to discover, so many years later, that I never saw Bloodsport. I have no idea how I got this far in life without seeing this classic mini-masterpiece of martial arts cinema.

Movie Review: Return of the Living Dead Part II

So, the other night I decided to spend some time with old friends and popped in my Blu-ray of Return of the Living Dead. This movie, from Dan O'Bannon (Alien), John Russo (Night of the Living Dead), and others, is an absolute classic. The zombie comedy comes out firing on all cylinders, delivering laughs and scares alongside some of the most recognizable characters in all of horror. It was a great start to the darkening evening. I decided to follow it up with the 1988 sequel, Return of the Living Dead Part II. Then something happened that I did not expect, I did not recognize anything. I don't think I've ever seen the movie before! I know, right?

Movie Review: FleshEater

FleshEater is a movie I have been aware of for many years now, but had never gotten around to seeing. Frankly, it was never really that high on my must see list. Granted, I have never really investigated it that deeply, but I never ears that much positive,stuff about it. Even this day, watching it in the midst of a 35mm marathon (under the title Revenge of the Living Zombies), I heard some mixed word on it. One friend loves it and said it was the best of he day, while another quickly dismisses it as trash. Personally, I think the answer falls somewhere in the middle, although it does lean towards the rash end of the spectrum in my estimation.

Critical Capsule: Demonwarp

Have you ever heard of a movie called Demonwarp? I am pretty sure the vast majority of you said no. And that is probably a good thing if you value things like quality and, well, quality. This is not a good movie on any level, but that does not mean it does not entertain. This odd little movie definitely entertains, especially if you are with a crowd of like minded souls. Fortunately, I was in a room full of them as I sat down for my first experience with Demonwarp. Seriously, though, the movie makes little sense and does not really hold together. It is the sort of thing that makes you wonder if anyone read the script before signing on to the project, or if there was more of a script that was cut out. Who knows.

Movie Review: Phantasm II

In 1979 the world was taken by storm when Don Coscarelli unleashed his unique vision of horror upon us. Phantasm introduced us to the evil of the Tall Man as well as the heroes, Mike, Reggie, and Jody. The film delivered a nightmarish world upon the screen where an evil creature, disguised as a mortician would take the dead and change them into dwarf slaves, which he would send through a gate to another dimension. It was a scary film that tackled themes of loss, death, and abandonment. It is a movie that has grown on me, gotten under my skin, and proven itself worthy of my love. Now, it only took nine years but a sequel was finally made, the aptly titled Phantasm II.

Movie Review: Friday the 13th Part VII - The New Blood (1988)

In 1986, Paramount brought to us the conclusion of the Tommy Jarvis arc, which began in 1984 with The Final Chapter (funny, “Final”). That movie was made not just to close the sequence, but as a reaction to the displeasure with which A New Beginning had been received. The studio heard and responded with a return of the real Jason Voorhees, thus kicking off the next era of one of our favorite mass killers. Jason Lives introduced us to the zombie Jason! A relentless, reanimated killer corpse. What's not to love? Anyway, after taking 1987 off, the franchise returned with a new actor behind the mask and a set of victims for the machete wielding slasher in Friday the 13th: The New Blood.

Movie Review: Pumpkinhead II - Blood Wings

Way back in 1988 legendary make up and special effects guru Stan Winston decided to try his hand at directing. The result was a horror movie that has become something of an underrated classic. Seriously, it is a movie that I frequently forget about and forget about how awesome it is, or at least parts of it. The movie is Pumpkinhead and it features a great creature and a great lead performance from Lance Henriksen. It was perfectly set up for a sequel and seemed like the perfect choice for a franchise. Unfortunately, it took six years for one to materialize and it went straight to video! On top of that, it appears they chose not to pay attention to what came before.

Movie Review: Zombi 3

Note: I originally reviewed this film back in 2007, a recent viewing encouraged me to go back and make some revisions...
Producer Franco Gaudenzi, after the success of Fulci's Zombi 2 (unofficial sequel to Romero's Dawn of the Dead), wanted to get another zombie movie into theaters. He approached Lucio Fulci about making Zombi 3. He agreed. The end result is a film that is only partially Fulci's and one that he has said that he does not particularly like. Now, if the director doesn't like the film, why should we? The answer is we probably shouldn't, and it really isn't all that good. Still, there is something about it that holds an unexplained attraction.

Movie Review: Top Line (1988)

My march through the Sci-Fi Invasion has slowed a touch. Yes, it has been a few days since I last visited the set, but rest assured, I am still aiming on completing the challenge, no matter how much of a chore it turns out to be. I am honestly still holding out hope that there are still some gems in there. Unfortunately, the latest film is not one of those hidden gems. It is a movie that if I were to recommend it, I would say to fast forward through the first 70-minutes and just watch the last third.