Scream, Baby, Scream

Director - Joseph Adler (Sex and the College Girl, Convention Girls)
Starring - Ross Harris (Night of the Living Dead, The Crazies), Eugenie Wingate, and Chris Martell (Flesh Feast, The Gruesome Twosome)
Release Date - 1969
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Cosmetic surgery can change the way you live...and die"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     This holiday week is going by way too fast.  With July 4th quickly approaching I realized that I am now hitting Tromatic Thursday time.  I've been diving deep into the Toxie's Blood Bank box set and decided to go with the 1969 classic Scream, Baby, Scream.  This is a film that a lot of Troma fans tell me to check out and one that I was actually asked to check out in one of my earlier Tromatic Thursday reviews.  Will it live up to the hype?

   

     The film follows a couple who are aspiring artists with two different world views.  One is very talented but he believes he will never make it as an original artist so he has his sights set on becoming an illustrator.  His girlfriend has bigger dreams and wants to become a well known artist like her idle Charles Butler who mixes the macabre with beauty.  She meets her idle and becomes even more infatuated with him but she doesn't know that he abducts beautiful women and turns his horrible paintings into living works of art.

   

     I didn't know what to expect from this one but I do have to say that I was excited for it.  The movie reminded me a lot of the classic The Undertaker and His Pals which is a favorite of mine.  The film was fun but the quality of this particular DVD release from Troma left a lot to be desired.  I really liked the acting in this one.  The character's are a little clichéd even for 1969 but the cast has fun with it which really makes the movie just as fun.  The cast works very well with each other and it shows in each and every scene.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting.  The film is definitely a product of the time.  The story and imagery is a time capsule to the late 60s and early 70s but the story just didn't fit the setting.  I could see this story taking place earlier in the century.  It still works but a missed opportunity was had here.  The film does drag for a good portion of the film but several interesting ideas are mentioned in the film.  Sadly, a lot of those awesome ideas are never followed up with.  Finally, this one isn't that bloody but it does have some practical effects make up.  The disfigured looks cool but you can see their budget.  Overall, Scream, Baby, Scream is a fun watch.  It is far from Troma's best but I really enjoyed it.  Check it out.