Movie Review: Marta (1971)

Once again, I made the trek to the Alamo Drafthouse in Yonkers, NY, to bear witness to a screening of a rare old movie projected from 35mm elements. The movie is Marta and it is one that I knew absolutely nothing about before sitting down in the theater. Now, having seen the entire movie, I still know absolutely nothing about it. It is the sort of film that when it is over, you look at the person next to you and say: What the hell was that?. It was a bizarre experience of watching a movie I can say I like but am not sure exactly why. It is not particularly good, but it has these strange qualities that make it eminently watchable.

Movie Review: Who Can Kill a Child?

So, this past weekend some friends put on a horror marathon at a local drive-in, digital projections of some classic and not so classic horror films. It was an eclectic mix of titles, with only one likely known by mainstream audiences (that being Prom Night), filled with movies I had never sen before, for better or worse. One of those movies, while far from being the most outlandish, had an interesting effect on my mind. As it ended, I walked over to my promoter friends and said “What the F--- did you just make me watch?” I was serious too, the movie was really rather demented and effective. It is the sort of movie you may wonder what sparked the idea (or the novel, in this case).

Movie Review: Revenge from Planet Ape (aka Tombs of the Blind Dead)

If you are familiar with Armando de Ossorio's Tombs of the Blind Dead, you know just how slow that movie is. You also know how nicely atmospheric it is, as well as how beautifully designed the blind dead creatures are. What you may not know is that in the late 70's (I believe), it was thought to be a good idea that it receive a new edit, a new title, and be transformed into a Planet of the Apes sequel. It is true. If you are not familiar with either, just know that films (foreign and domestic) were often retitled, re-edited, and made to be something it is not all the time. Often at the discretion of money hungry drive in owners, or “creative” distributors.

Movie Review: Vengeance of the Zombies

Jacinto Molina Alvarez. There is a name that trashy horror films needs to be familiar with. Rather, it may be a bit more appropriate to know him by his theatrical name, Paul Naschy. He has appeared in over 100 films, written over 40, and directed 15. Granted, I have only seen but a handful of them and have a long way to go, but there is something about seeing this guy on screen that just feels right. The man exudes confidence, even in the face of ridiculous material. Case in point, Vengeance of the Zombies is a ridiculous excursion into the world of Naschy.

Movie Review: The Ghost Galleon

The Ghost Galleon, also known as Horror of the Zombies, was released way back in 1974 and was the third film in the blind dead series, following 1972's Tombs of the Blind Dead and Return of the Evil Dead in 1973. They all seem to be connected by style but not by narrative, more or less exercises on a theme. All of the films were written and directed by Amando de Ossorio and were successful to wildly varying degrees. In this case, we are given some nice atmosphere and great looking dead, but everything else is half baked.

Horror-A-Day: Devil's Kiss

As October temperatures begin to finally settle in and colored leaves are starting to dot the trees, I am keeping up my movie diet. A steady stream of old school horror and exploitation titles is flowing out of my Netflix queue, for better or worse. Fortunately it is usually for the better. Still, even when the ones that are bad still add something to the tapestry of my movie watching experience. Unfortunately, this latest movie is not one I think I will feel the need to revisit. It has is moments, but overall, you would not be missing much.