FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996) at 30: The Vampire Cult Classic Still Has Teeth!

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996) d. Robert Rodriguez (USA)
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 2: TEXAS BLOOD MONEY (1999) d. Scott Spiegel (USA)
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3: THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER (2000) d. P.J. Pesce (USA)
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: THE SERIES (2014-2016) d. Robert Rodriguez (USA)

**CLICK HERE TO WATCH FULL YOUTUBE EPISODE**

Thirty years ago, From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) kicked open the saloon doors, ordered a round of tequila, and then revealed that everyone in the bar was about to be eaten by vampires. Of course, From Dusk Till Dawn is much more than its famous twist. It's a perfect snapshot of '90s independent filmmaking, bringing together Rodriguez's kinetic, resourceful direction, Tarantino's Fonzie cool dialogue, KNB's outrageous practical effects, and an ensemble cast led by George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Salma Hayek, and cameos from Michael Parks, John Hawkes, Tom Savini, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, and the Hammer himself, Fred Williamson.

THE BEST (AND WORST) SLASHERS OF 1981!! (Part 1 of 2)

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981) d. Steve Miner (USA)
HALLOWEEN II (1981) d. Rick Rosenthal (USA)
THE BURNING (1981) d. Tony Maylam (USA)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (1981) d. J. Lee Thompson (Canada)
MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981) d. George Mihalka (Canada)
THE FUNHOUSE (1981) d. Tobe Hooper (USA)
HELL NIGHT (1981) d. Tom DeSimone (USA)
THE PROWLER (1981) d. Joseph Zito (USA)
NIGHTMARE (1981) d. Romano Scavolini (USA)
JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981) d. Jeff Lieberman (USA)

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The early 1980s were a golden age for horror, and by 1981, the slasher subgenre had already exploded into a full-blown phenomenon, with producers and filmmakers eager to capitalize on the success of Halloween and Friday the 13th.

40 YEARS OF DAY OF THE DEAD (1985): THE ROMERO ZOMBIE CLASSIC!

DAY OF THE DEAD (1985) d. George A. Romero (USA)

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Following up one of the biggest worldwide horror sensations was no easy feat for writer/director George A. Romero. When the sequel to Night of the Living Dead, 1978’s Dawn of the Dead, turned out to be even more successful and arguably just as influential, other doors opened for the horror icon. But when it came to concluding his zombie opus, budget limitations forced him to scale back his original vision for what would ultimately come to be known as Day of the Dead.

MANIAC (1980): 45 YEARS OF SWEAT, SPLATTER, SLASHERS, AND SPINELL!!

MANIAC (1980) d. William Lustig (USA)

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Wildly controversial and undeniably influential, Maniac (1980) is one of the most unsettling slasher films of the early 1980s. Directed by William Lustig and starring Joe Spinell - who also co-wrote the screenplay - Maniac follows Frank Zito, a deeply disturbed and isolated man driven by trauma, navigating the grim streets of New York City.

FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984) ROUND TABLE!!!

FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984) d. Joseph Zito (USA)

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One of the most influential modern horror films, 1980’s surprise hit from producer/director Sean S. Cunningham, Friday the 13th, spurred a spate of sequels and imitators, launching an entirely new genre: the American slasher film. Unlike its most immediate influence, Halloween, where emphasis was placed on spine-tingling suspense punctuated by scenes of violence, here the body count was everything and audiences flocked to witness the mayhem.

CREEPSHOW (1982) UHD Blu-ray Review

Creepshow (1982) d. George A. Romero (USA) (120 min)

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“It’s the most fun you’ll have being scared!” So trumpeted the ads for George A. Romero’s CREEPSHOW, a live-action anthology film that echoed the pleasures found within the pages of such E.C. Comics titles as Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, and The Haunt of Fear, which pre-dated HBO’s series Tales from the Crypt and Romero’s own Tales from the Darkside, which premiered the following year.

TRAUMA (1993) Blu-ray Review

Trauma (1993) d. Dario Argento (Italy) (106 min)

David (Christopher Rydell), a graphic artist for a local news station, encounters a young Romanian runaway Aura (Asia Argento) contemplating suicide on a highway overpass. He convinces her to come in off the ledge, but when he tries to comfort her at a local diner, she reveals her bulimic tendencies, fleeing for the bathroom and into the waiting arms Dr. Judd’s (Frederic Forrest) Farraday Clinic cronies, from which she had recently escaped. Returning Aura to her spiritualist mother Adriana (Piper Laurie), the family reunion is spoiled when Adriana holds a séance in which she senses a murderer at the table and is herself murdered along with her husband by a mysterious serial killer known as “The Headhunter,” so dubbed for his/her decapitatory tendencies with a portable garroter. (Who knew there was a call for such things?) Aura flees again into David’s arms, and the two begin an investigation into the killer’s connections to Dr. Judd, Adriana, and the increasing number of victims, all of whom seem to be connected by a common thread…

Fool's Views (3/23 – 3/31)

Still a little unclear about this social distancing thing....

Greetings, my friends!

The last week of March was not quite as frenzied in terms of intake of the fluttering image. (Although some may debate this, based on the number of flicks consumed, there was a little more structure and pacing than the week prior.) In addition to increasing the All Things Bronson tally, Amazon Prime graced me with three worthwhile documentaries about fright flicks and the creative forces behind them while Shout! Factory delivered the goods both on physical media and streaming.

I also knocked out my Kryptic Army Assignment just in the final lap (inspired by personal fears, mine being of sickness and infirmity – nice timing, right?), and sampled the debut features from two filmmakers who would change the face of cinema, John Hughes and George Lucas.

As always, feel free to leave your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.

Enjoy!

MANIAC (1980) Blu-ray Review

Maniac (1980) d. William Lustig (USA) (88 min)

Renowned character actor Joe Spinell creates one of the most memorable (and certainly the sweatiest) psychopaths ever to grace the grindhouses. Constantly moaning, mumbling and crying, Spinell’s Frank Zito conducts a reign of terror on the NYC streets, murdering young women and tacking their bloody scalps onto his ever-growing collection of female mannequins. Working from a script by Spinell and C.A. Rosenberg and aided enormously by Tom Savini’s gut-churning and (literally) mind-blowing f/x, William Lustig directs this notorious bit of nastiness with the grime and degradation piled on an inch thick throughout. Gorgeous Caroline Munro also stars as a fashion photographer, although her attraction to and ensuing relationship with Spinell are the weakest elements in the film (not to mention the fact that his “normal” behavior is completely at odds with the remainder of his unhinged performance).

MONKEY SHINES (1988) Blu-ray Review

Monkey Shines (1988) d. George A. Romero (USA)

Following the lackluster reception of 1985’s Day of the Dead, Romero had a difficult time getting his feet and his next project. He found both – or rather they found him – in the form of producer Charles Evans (older brother of Paramount honcho Robert Evans) earmarking him to script and helm the screen version of Michael Stewart’s novel about a paralyzed accident victim Allan (Jason Beghe). In a classic science-gone-awry scenario, the “Helping Hands” support group provides him with a full-time live-in assistant, a small capuchin monkey named Ella who just happens to be Allan’s scientist pal Geoffrey’s (John Pankow) pet project, if you’ll pardon the expression. See, Ella’s been injected with a serum derived from human brain tissue in order to make her brainier; before you can say “Monkey Say, Monkey Kill,” Ella starts inexplicably sharing Allan’s headspace and all who arouse her new boyfriend’s ire meet with untimely ends.

DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) movie review

Dawn of the Dead (1978) d. George A. Romero (USA)

A decade after his groundbreaking Night of the Living Dead, Romero returned to the undead genre with a gory and thoughtful sequel that equals and occasionally surpasses its predecessor. While the ending of Night gives the impression that the undead uprising was coming under control, the opening scenes here indicate that this societal sigh of relief was breathed far too soon.

KNIGHTRIDERS (1981) Blu-ray Review

Knightriders (1981) d. George A. Romero (USA)

As the recognized godfather of the modern horror era, it’s a bit depressing to realize just how little joy George A. Romero derived from the majority of his genre output. Pigeonholed early on into the fright flick biz by an inflexible Hollywood, the great independent from Pittsburgh kept trying to wiggle his way out but found few doors open to him. However, following the worldwide success of Dawn of the Dead, he struck a three-picture deal with executive producer and distributor Salah A. Hassanein, securing creative autonomy under the sole contingency that one of the three would be a sequel to Dawn (the resulting film being 1985’s Day of the Dead). The other two were his 1982 EC Comics tribute with Stephen King, Creepshow, and a long, rambling, idealistic, at times naïve but extremely personal and heartfelt tale of motorcycle-riding knights attempting to live by an old-world code in a modern get-rich-quick world. One became a huge financial smash and beloved kitschy treat, while the other was virtually unseen by the movie-going public. The neglected foundling in this case, the one which Romero claims as his second personal favorite (behind 1976’s Martin), is 1981’s Knightriders.

CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES: Interview with Daniel Farrands and Thommy Hutson!

One of horror history’s most recognizable icons is given the star treatment in a brand new 6.5 hour (!) documentary, Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (based on the bestselling book by Peter M. Bracke). Writer/director Daniel Farrands and producer Thommy Hutson, who previously teamed up for 2010’s award-winning Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy, have assembled interviews on their four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack (two of each) with approximately 150 cast and crew members from all twelve Friday the 13th films. (When purchased through the Crystal Lake Memories site, buyers will also receive a bonus DVD with nearly 4 hours of extended interview material.)

DAY OF THE DEAD (1985) Blu-ray Review

 

Day of the Dead (1985) d. Romero, George A. (USA)

Following one of the biggest worldwide horror sensations was no easy feat for writer/director George A. Romero. When his sequel to Night of the Living Dead turned out to be as successful and arguably just as influential, one would think that finding backing for a third installment would be easy as falling off the proverbial log. But, lest we forget, Dawn of the Dead nearly didn’t find its way to the screening room, at least not without the threat of studio interference, until Italian horror icon Dario Argento and sibling Claudio stepped up with the bankroll. Long looked upon as the poor relation of the original trilogy, time and context (i.e. the even more divisive sequels that followed) have been kind to Day of the Dead, which has now earned its rightful place of respect and honor among its undead brethren.

DEATHDREAM (aka DEAD OF NIGHT) (1972) movie review

Deathdream (aka Dead of Night) (1972) d. Clark, Bob (Canada)

A skillful reworking of W. W. Jacobs' “The Monkey’s Paw” that manages to combine chills and social commentary with a surprisingly light touch. Richard Backus plays a Vietnam grunt slain in battle in the opening scenes, but who then shows up on the doorstep of his parents' (Lynn Carlin, John Marley) seemingly idyllic middle-class home. Initially overjoyed by his return, they soon begin to realize that their bouncing baby boy ain’t what he used to be, especially when he starts killing the family dog, offing the local doctor and decomposing before their eyes.

MARTIN (1977) movie review

Martin (1977) d. Romero, George A. (USA)

Romero, having already placed his indelible stamp on the zombie genre in 1968, took on the bloodsuckers nearly a decade later with equally impressive (if not as widely copied) results. Subverting the entire vampire mythology, the erstwhile Pittsburgh writer/director creates a sympathetic portrayal of a troubled teenager named Martin (brilliantly played by John Amplas) who believes himself to be an 88-year-old vampire.

INHUMAN RESOURCES (aka REDD INC) (2012) movie review

Inhuman Resources (aka Redd Inc.) (2012) d. Krige, Daniel (Australia)

Kelly Paterniti (a dead ringer for Danielle Harris) finds herself abducted by escaped killer Nicholas Hope and ensconced, along with five other unfortunate souls, in a sinister office drone environment. Literally chained to their desks, the hapless “employees” (all of whom played a part in Hope’s conviction for the “Head Hunter” murders) are instructed to review the facts in their captor’s legal case in order to catch the real culprit...with serious repercussions for lax results or proper etiquette.

MANIAC (2012) movie review

Maniac (2012) d. Khalfoun, Franck (USA)

Like many, I utterly rejected the notion that a worthy update could be made of William Lustig’s skeevy 1980 slasher, especially since the original – while an undisputed classic – isn’t really that great of a film, surviving primarily on Joe Spinell’s go-for-broke central turn and makeup maestro Tom Savini’s lunch-buckling effects. Minus those time capsule elements set within a pre-Disneyfied Times Square backdrop, a direct remake seemed pointless. But as positive buzz arose from its various festival screenings, I began to grow cautiously optimistic. The truth is that it’s neither the train wreck that it could have been nor the instant classic that had been proclaimed, but rather a competent reworking that lives somewhere in the slightly-better-than-average arena.

THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD (2012) movie review

On the audio commentary for this latest iteration of his groundbreaking behind-the-scenes Document of the Dead, filmmaker Roy Frumkes compares his film to Michael Apted’s Up series (7 Up, 14 Up, 21 Up, etc.) in that he feels that his life has somehow become intertwined with that of his doc’s subject, George A. Romero. While a pronounced exaggeration alongside with Apted’s landmark half-century-and-counting achievement, Frumkes’ point is that with each new version, he has to choose what archival footage to excise in order to make room for the new. Sadly, the truth is that this 2012 release (dubbed “The Definitive Document of the Dead”) shows only too clearly that – arguably like Romero’s work itself – the past is where the good stuff lies.

While teaching at the School of Visual Arts in New York in 1978, Frumkes was looking for a documentary subject and decided that, while there had been several behind-the-scenes films made for Hollywood studio efforts, there had not been many (if any) that covered the making-of an independent feature. Denied the ability to shoot in NY or California due to union rules, the instructor learned of Romero’s impending Dawn of the Dead shoot at the Monroeville Mall outside of Pittsburgh. Thanks to an already existing relationship with Dawn producer Richard Rubenstein, Frumkes was granted access to the set where he and a small crew (comprised mainly of SVA students) shot for several nights alongside Romero, Tom Savini, Ken Foree, et al., capturing delicious celluloid tidbits of a masterpiece in the making.

THE THEATRE BIZARRE (2011) movie review

Theatre Bizarre, The (2011) (1st viewing) d. Various

After all the hype and build-up over the prospect of six promising horror directors contributing their talents to an anthology film, the result is a crashing disappointment – a collection of not-bad shorts that bear no commonality except their unified missing of presumed dramatic targets.  There’s not a true stinker in the bunch (though Jeremy Kasten’s ridiculously literal, Udo Kier-featuring framing devices might just as well been left on the cutting room floor), and equally so, there is not one of the five tales that rises above its middlin’ brethren. 

All exhibit squandered promise, and the fault for the most part lies in the disparate scripts (written or co-written in five of the six cases by the directors) that lack a true punchy punchline among them.  Richard Stanley’s “Mother of Toads” has atmosphere galore – and Catriona MacCall – but drives a frustratingly straight narrative line of a witch bewitching her victims.  Buddy Giovinazzo’s “I Love You” has the opposite problem, wearing a hole in the carpet over its thin breakup story, and Douglas Buck’s polished “The Accident” lacks any real horror at all, content with depicting what happens when motorcycle meets Bambi.  Tom Savini’s “Wet Dreams” (with script by John Esposito) comes closest to actually delivering goods promised, as James Gill continually experiences nightmares of gruesome emasculation; by contrast, David Gregory’s “Sweets” has little to no story at all –just a calorie-busting freak show.  Karim Hussain’s “Vision Stains” possesses the most intriguing premise of the bunch – a female serial killer who steals the intraocular fluid of her victims and injects it into her own eyes, experiencing her prey’s “life flashing before their eyes” and documenting these stories – so when it sputters out with only the weakest EC-inspired comeuppance whimper, it’s doubly disheartening. 

Were these student films or rank novices, expectations might not have been so high, but the roster of talent on board deserves a higher level of scrutiny, and as such, disappointment reigns.