Don't Go in the House

Don't Go inthe House (Joseph Ellison - 1980)

Don't Go in the House is another take on a Psycho-like story. Mothers around the world surely have much to answer for.  

I was expecting the routine horror/slasher and pleasantly surprised. This film has an artistic vision and the craftsmanship to maintain a unique mood throughout the entire movie. The acting is somewhat “expressionistic” but plays well in the context. The main character really seems tormented and deranged and the film is creepy as hell despite the limited amount of gore.

Viewed on a DVD release from Arrow Films featuring a 1.85:1 AR x 16:9 image.

Bloody Birthday

BloodyBirthday (Ed Hunt - 1981)

Three children are born at the height of a total eclipse and naturally they turn out to become preteen homicidal maniacs. A couple of minutes into the feature I remember that I had seen it before, but it’s a charming little thing and I am more than happy to revisit the terrorized suburbia. 

When it comes to horror and slashers I have a particular affection for the early 80thies when the aesthetics of the 70 still lingers on, but the cheesiness of the 80ties is beginning to make an impact.

Viewed on a 16:9 enhanced DVD from VCI Entertainment. The cover claims the aspect ratio to be 1.78:1. There is a British Anchor Bay release with pretty much identical picture quality, but with the benefits of the superior PAL standard.

Switchblade Romance

Haute tension (Alexandre Aja - 2003)  

Suspense and brutality. Good looking film with decent acting and a twist ending.  

You have seen it all before, but it still is a terror/slasher film with moderate to high entertainment value.

Viewed on a Scandinavian DVD release from SF Norge AS

Wedding Slashers

WeddingSlashers  (Carlos Scott - 2006)

Another straight to video cheapo. This times video really looks like video and there is amateurism in all departments. Only hint at a connection with the film industry is a small appearance by Richard Lynch but he also seems eager to ham it up. 

It’s a far cry from Rob Zombie but it has some of the over-the-top humor/horror approach. There is some charm to it all and is suitable for late night viewing. There are some strippers to.  

Watched on anamorphic DVD from Hart Sharp Video

Don't Go in the Woods

Don't Go inthe Woods (James Bryan - 1981)

By chance I came stumbled upon a list ranking the 20 worst slashers ever. I realized that I had many of them in my collection already, and made an effort to complete that list. Acquiring Don't Go in the Woods was a part of that effort.

The film features: Campers, woods, killings and a villain. So far so good, but what’s missing is a plot. There is no effort to build up any suspense or drama, things just happen. There are killings and there are made some effort to run away. That’s it. Oh, yea: The evildoer is a caveman! No explanation for that whatsoever.  

On the plus side we really get the feeling of being in a wood. In an proper film we would have a foreground and a background and the characters framed into a composition. Her we just dive into the vegetation and in the long run it provides a feeling of Jungian disorientation and unease.

Watched on the 25^th Anniversary Edition from Code Red. Sharp picture, but presented in Full Frame.

Scarecrow Gone Wild

ScarecrowGone Wild (Brian Katkin - 2004)

What to say? It’s the third and last movie in this box. Not to be judged as good by any standards, it still is a step up from its predecessor Scarecrow Slayer. There is a plot, acting and competent technical department that make this look like a movie. It comes close to be enjoyable late night entertainment. 

Watched on Echo Bridge Home Entertainment's Midnight Horror Collection: Scarecrow/Scarecrow Slayer/Scarecrow Gone Wild. 

Blood Cabin

Murder Loves Killers Too (Drew Barnhardt - 2009)

It starts of as a traditional slasher. Five teenage friends have rented a cabin for a weekend. Then things happen really fast. Four of them are killed off in the first 25 minutes, but the killer has to make a 30 minutes long effort to catch the last girl. Eventually she ends tied up in a bed, as the killer has a plan for her.

The most fascinating aspect of this film is that the killer looks and behaves just as a regular Joe. When he addresses his female captive it’s with a deadpan attitude and expressionless voice.  “You see, I have a sexual problem… Call me dad”. Before he can abuse his daughter by proxy she tries to escape. She gets knocked in the head and placed in the trunk of his car for later disposal. 

Then the film completely breaks off in another direction.  The killer goes home to his family – an unfaithful wife, a troubled teenager and two mortgages. There are a couple of scenes that dramatize his subdued personality and troubled personal life before the ending with a not too surprising twist. If there is a surprise element it’s the abrupt termination of the story, and the whole thing clocks in at 75 minutes.  

There is a ludicrous voice over narration at the start that putts me off, but when that’ forgotten this feature has much going for itself. Its shot on video (what isn’t these days) and looks like it, but the photography is nice. The soundtrack is all over the place. The fast pacing, efficient gore moments and thrilling “hide and seek”-segment live it up. One of the girls has a tattoo on her back that says “Enter here” and an arrow pointing downwards. That’s not very subtle, even by my standards.

The ending does not work for me. It’s a blatant break with Aristotle's demands for unity of place and action. It cuts of any emotional involvement from my side.

Watched on anamorphic DVD from Label: 4 Digital Media

The Hills Run Red

The Hills Run Red (Dave Parker - 2009)

When I pick up a DVD solely based on the cover, the thrill is that I never know what I get. Is it an amateurish effort made in a weekend or is it a professional product? Both have their pros and cons. This time it was a more elaborate film featuring real actors and skilled cinematography.

Some students embark on a quest to trace a lost 80thies slasher. It’s a bumpy ride into the merciless woods and very bad things happen. The structure is a bit like Cannibal Holocaust and numerous others “making a movie about a movie”. The today overused ” talking to the camera” element is toned down and otherwise successfully integrated into the narrative.

It has its bizarre and gory moments and the villain is genuinely creepy. There is some nudity. The film has a primitive energy and fast pacing and there is no time to reflect on the implausible story.

Viewed on Warner Home Video release with 16 : 9 enhanced picture

Mustang Sally's House of Horror

Mustang Sally (Iren Koster  - 2006)

Another entry from the bargain bin. I just had to give this one a chance. With a title like that and the one liner: “Hell hath no fury like a mad hooker” how could I give this one a miss?

It’s about some college guys visiting a whore house. Before they get the chance to do the dirty deed, they realize that they have been lured to the honey trap to pay for their fathers sins. The Rape & Revenge story is far-fetched, but in the end it actually adds up. He acting is perhaps not worthy of the academy award jury, but there is done a nice effort to give the many characters distinguishable personalities. The whole enterprise has energy and playfulness that makes this an amusing experience. 

Viewed on Boulevard Entertainments full screen release

Head Cheerleader Dead Cheerleader

HeadCheerleader Dead Cheerleader (Video 2000 - Jeffrey Miller)

This Easter I got myself an iPad and due to bad weather I sat indoors much of the time. Inspired by a review of a blu ray release of Halloween I embarked on a shopping spree. I searched for titles containing Massacre, Cheerleader and Camp. I ordered the one with lowest price and cheesiest cover.

But why? I wanted to test out the hypothesis that this strain of films is so firmly based on conventions that it can’t go wrong. Like driving a train – the direction is given and the only question is whether you arrive sooner or later. A subsidiary notion was the anticipation the viewing would recall the positive emotions and found memories of watching Sleepaway Camp, Sorority House Massacre, Friday the 13^th and their sequels. 

And the conclusion? It worked for me. The narrative, acting and cinematography leaves something to be desired, but there is a charm to it all. No suspense, no thrills and no emotional involvement, but that can be nice too. I seem to be more and more drawn to cinematic experiences that are meditative or just provide the experience of being "somewhere". Art-house or lesser exploitation movies can give me that and Head Cheerleader Dead Cheerleader provided a slasher-flavored walk down the memory lane.