HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, DEVIL'S REJECTS & 3 FROM HELL: Rob Zombie’s Firefly Trilogy

HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES (2003) d. Rob Zombie (USA)
THE DEVIL'S REJECTS (2005) d. Rob Zombie (USA)
3 FROM HELL (2019) d. Rob Zombie (USA)

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Tonight we’re discussing writer/director Rob Zombie and his most beloved onscreen creation: The Firefly Family Trilogy, one of the most controversial and influential horror sagas of the 2000s. From the grindhouse chaos of House of 1000 Corpses (2003) to the brutal outlaw horror of The Devil’s Rejects (2005), and the divisive return of the Fireflies in 3 From Hell (2019).

3 FROM HELL (2019) Movie Review

Scare-A-Thon Totals to Date:

Total Movies Watched: 14
Total First Time Views: 5
Amount raised for AMAZON WATCH: $1,069.04

3 from Hell (2019) d. Rob Zombie (USA) (111 min) (1st viewing)

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 14 years since Rob Zombie established himself as a genre icon with only his second feature film (especially since it was ostensibly a sequel to his debut, House of 1000 Corpses). Generating rave reviews from some of the nation’s top critics and eliciting genuine conversation about the complexity of nihilism in the age of Hostel and Saw, The Devil’s Rejects exploded onto the scene and established the rock star-turned-filmmaker into a genuine hero for the black t-shirt-wearing masses.

PIT STOP, STRAY CAT ROCK and CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES Blu-ray Reviews

If there’s one thing I recognize from exploring the horror genre over the past 15 years, subjecting myself to everything from the slickest Hollywood remake to the barest-of-bones backyard indie feature, it’s that my appreciation and/or tolerance for weird and wild cinema has deepened and grown. Where once poor dubbing, acting, or penniless production value would have instantly turned me off of a film, I now find myself able to gaze into the abyss for hours at a time; similarly, bizarre aesthetics and unconventional narratives are no longer received with frustration, but with the excitement of a new, fresh taste for my cinematic palate. Not to say I love everything I encounter, but these days, I’m far more likely to remember and appreciate that which is foreign to my sensibilities as opposed to any highly processed computer-generated, star-powered multiplex fare.

SPIDER BABY (1967) Blu-ray Review

Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told (1967) d. Jack Hill (USA)

Horror fans only familiar with Sid Haig from his millennial Rob Zombie flicks or with Lon Chaney, Jr. from his hairy heyday of The Wolf Man should do themselves the favor of experiencing these two genre legends toward the beginning and end of their respective careers. Writer/director Hill’s fascinating blend of macabre humor and bizarre chills revolves around the Merrye family, stricken with a “progressive age regression” disease that leads to childlike behavior and cannibalism. (This was Hill’s first credited feature directing gig, even though it didn’t come out for several years after principal photography had wrapped in 1964.)

BLOOD BATH (1966) movie review

Blood Bath (1966) d. Hill, Jack/Rothman, Stephanie

Like several other Corman quickies, the story behind this b/w flick is more interesting than the muddled one that unfolds before us. Apparently writer/director Hill was fired by exec producer Roger Corman midway through the shoot, whereupon Rothman took over. (It’s not readily apparent who shot which parts, especially since footage from a Yugoslavian film, Portrait in Terror, was also employed.) William Campbell stars as a tortured artist who believes himself to be a vampire, so much so that he runs around murdering young lasses to appease this fantasy. On the other hand, the question is whether it really is a fantasy, since we see him fang out on several occasions. On the other other hand, the question is who really cares? The whole thing only takes an hour, but I’ll be darned if I didn’t keep nodding off and having to rewind. I’m not sure if the Netflix streaming print is wonky or what, but the opening couple reels are shot in this weird jerky style that is surprisingly atmospheric at times. There’s a pretty nifty swimming pool attack, you get to see Jack Nicholson’s ex-wife Sandra Knight as the pretty young damsel in distress, Little Shop of Horrors’ Jonathan Haze, and a youngish Sid Haig (with hair). Other than that, it’s pretty slim pickings.

CREATURE (2011) review

Creature (2011) (1st viewing) d. Andrews, Fred M. (USA)

A sextet of young dumb pretty ones heading for New Orleans take a detour to visit a tourist trap attraction concerning a half man/half alligator swamp legend known as Grimley. After a brief encounter with grizzled storekeeper Sid Haig (aka Captain Spaulding goes South) and cronies, they discover the fabled cabin in the woods and foolishly decide to camp nearby. Exploitation and evisceration ensue. Roll credits.

Considering the amount of rage and bile spewed in its direction upon release last year, I was fully expecting this to be absolute torture to sit through. But with dialed down expectations and a firm beer n’ pizza mindset, Fred Andrews’ directorial debut (co-scripted with Tracy Morse) proves entirely watchable, with plenty of boobs, blood and beasts to go around. Is the mossy monster clearly a guy in a suit? Sure. Are the characters lame? Yes. Is the happy ending ridiculous? Absolutely. Are there more than a couple logistical leaps and skeevy character quirks? Ayup. And yet, and yet... While I would never call it a “good” movie, I’ve certainly seen less done with more. It’s puzzling that fans can get all gooey over “old school” throwbacks like Hatchet and its goddawful sequel, but substitute a mutated Gator Man for Victor Crowley and the goodwill spirals down the drain.