Welcome Home Brother Charles

 



Director - Jamaa Fanaka (Penitentiary, Emma Mae)
Starring - Marlo Monte, Reatha Grey (The Terror of Hallow's Eve, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Stan Kamber (The Fiend Who Walked the West, Warlock)
Release Date - 1975
Genre - Action
Tagline - "They tried to take everything...even his manhood"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love horror and I could never deny my obsession for the genre.  I've been a fan of fright flicks for almost 20 years and I have no desire to turn my back on the genre.  Many know me because of my love for these films but very few people know how much I love Blaxploitation flicks.  This started when I was a kid and my dad bought Truck Turner on tape.  From that point on I was often rented what few tapes the local video store had along with my normal horror selection.  Vinegar Syndrome has never let me down.  Their horror releases are superb but their Blaxploitation releases are top notch.  I can't think of another company that could outdo them in terms of Blaxploitation.  Not long ago they released the Blaxploitation double feature featuring two film from director Jamaa Fanaka.  The first in the set is the oddball Welcome Home Brother Charlie.  Once again I want to thank Vin Syn for sending this one my way. 
     The film follows drug pusher Charles (Monte) who is arrested for his crimes.  The arresting officer is racist and roughs him up before attempting to cut his penis off.  We jump three years and Charles is released from prison and wants to start over with his girlfriend but learns she has moved on and is dating his old partner.  Distraught he turns to drinking but quickly runs into a woman that tried to help him get away when he was getting arrested.  They become a couple and try to live a clean life but he is struggling to find a job due to his record and this pushes him over the edge.  He blames the police, the judge, and the prosecuting attorney for his misfortunes and sets out to kill them.
     I have a hard time explaining to people why I love Blaxploitation so much.  The stories are always fun, the characters are very colorful and unforgettable, and the action never lets me down in the cheesiest way possible.  Welcome Home is no different except this is one of the few Blaxploitation flicks that made me say "what the fuck" on more than one occasion.  The acting in this one is solid.  The cast really get into their roles which made the scenes really fun to watch.  I liked Monte as the film's star but aside from the death scenes his character is overshadowed in almost every scene.  The story for this one plays out like a traditional Blaxploitation flick until the death scenes where we have those "what the fuck" moments rearing it's head.  These scenes did feel out of place but I loved them.  They are so unexpected and make the film unpredictable.  Finally, the film does have a few deaths scenes that are void of blood and gore.  Instead, you get originality with some hilarity.  Overall, Welcome Home Brother Charles is a mediocre Blaxploitation flick that will draw the viewer in with shock value.  If you want to see big black dick then this is the film for you!  Check it out. 

 



Prey

 



Director - Norman J. Warren (Bloody New Year, Satan's Slave)
Starring - Barry Stokes (Enemy Mine, Hawk the Slayer), Glory Annen (Supergirl, Spaced Out), and Sally Faulkner (Vampyres, Confessions of a Driving Instructor)
Release Date - 1977
Genre - Sci-Fi/Horror
Tagline - "A terrifying encounter with the unknown"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I've been on a good run lately with some awesome movies that I've reviewed.  Usually a good run is hit with at least three shitty flicks.  It's a trend I've noticed for sometime now.  I recently reviewed Star Time from Vinegar Syndrome and Ash vs. Evil Dead Season 3.  I needed to get back in Vin Syn's good graces after taking some time off when my laptop crashed so I decided to have a little movie marathon of their releases sent my way for review.  The next flick I tossed on the chopping block is the 1977 sci-fi horror flick Prey which was originally released under the name Alien Prey.  Thank you Vin Syn for sending this one my way!

     The film follows a lesbian couple who find a man trespassing on their property one evening.  Josephine, or Jo for short, attempts to force him to leave but her girlfriend Jessica-Anne convinces her to let him stay.  He is an unusual man who seems confused about everything so they bring him in to help him but what they don't know is that he is actually an alien that has taken the form of the man he recently killed.  He was sent to Earth to find a suitable food for his race of aliens and it looks like humans will work just fine.

     When I posted a picture to Instagram that I was watching Star Time I was hit with several people telling me the movie was too weird and slow to enjoy.  However, after watching it I can safely say they are dead wrong.  When I posted a picture of Prey to Instagram I was then told that this film was amazing and one of the best flicks in Vin Syn's catalogue.  I strongly disagree with this.  Vin Syn has several titles that are so much better than this one.  Prey isn't a bad film but it is a bit of a struggle to finish.  The acting in this one is decent.  Stokes does a solid job at portraying a clueless man who is learning everything for the first time.  His character then switches gears and becomes a deadly predator.  He does a great job in both aspects.  With that being said, the true stars of the film are Glory Annen and Sally Faulkner.  Their performance was very intense at times and very demanding.  They both did a fantastic job and make the film very enjoyable.  The story for this one is stretched way too thin for the running time we are given.  The film moves at a painfully slow pace before actually getting to the meat of the story.  I don't know if they had to cut something due to budget constraints or what but the running time is just too long.  I like the story but there isn't enough meat on the bone for a feature length running time.  Finally, the film does have a few deaths scenes but they are easily forgotten.  They have no originality and the effects are minimal.  The blood is the bright red 3m blood that makes the kills even more forgettable.  Overall, Prey is not a film I would put on a list of my favorite movies but I can't deny how much fun I had watching it.  The story is predictable but I liked the cast and the look of the film.  It is a little too long for the story we get but it still deserves a watch.  Check it out. 



Ash vs. Evil Dead: Season 3

 



Series Creators - Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell) and Ivan Raimi (Darkman, Army of Darkness)
Starring - Bruce Campell (Bubba Ho-Tep, My Name is Bruce), Ray Santiago (Meet the Fockers, Trash Fire), and Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Will and Grace)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "Evil is about to get schooled"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I had a rather unique childhood but I can't say it was all bad.  In my reviews from the past, especially my season 2 review of Ash vs. Evil Dead, I mentioned how she forced my little sister and I to watch various horror films.  This was around the time I was 4 or 5.  This wasn't a family activity where we watched movies together and sang songs.  She believed these films were informative and would often preach to us afterward.  When I was in middle school, a few years after she abandoned us, my love of horror took hold and before long I found myself watching Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy where I recalled Evil Dead II as being one of the films my mom forced us to watch.  I fell in love with the series and didn't let the torture my mother put me through take away from the film.  I've loved the films for almost 20 years including the remake.  When Ash vs. Evil Dead was announced I was on cloud 9.  I couldn't wait.  Now we are three seasons in with the third just hitting blu and dvd. 

     This season begins with Ash taking over his father's hardware store.  Pablo is running a fish taco stand in the hardware store and Kelly is MIA.  Everything seems to be working out in their favor until someone uncovers the Necronomicon sticking out of the mod and takes it to an antique roadshow to have appraised but the passages in the text are read aloud releasing the evil once again.  Ruby can sense the book and tracks it down while she works on her plan to finally kill Ash so she can use her own spawn to take over for once and for all but standing in her way is Ash, Pablo, Kelly, Ash's daughter and the Knights of Sumeria.

     I've seen some stupid decisions come from people with money.  I've watched the Day of the Dead remake, listened to film with no picture except a kleidescope effects while the actors spoke their dialogue, and now I've lived through The Walking Dead get a spin off while Ash vs. Evil Dead gets the axe.  I've seen several amazing horror related shows but this one is by far one of the better ones but the access of the channel and provider makes it difficult for everyone to watch it without a physical release.  Sadly, others struggle like I do to get the channel resulting in the show to be cut which sucks considering how amazing it is.  The acting in this one is damn near perfect.  Every character stands out and has their own personality which is brought to life by the amazing cast.  At this point Bruce is no longer acting, he is Ash Williams.  For as long as I can remember he has been one of my favorite actors and this film shows just how fun he is to watch on camera.  He supporting cast is fantastic as well.  Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, and Lucy Lawless are fantastic.  Their characters are fun to watch and not easily forgettable.  The story for this one even more expands on what was established in the original films, comics, and video games.  The writing in this one is fun and the film has amazing pacing.  The laughs and wit are placed perfectly between the horror making for the perfect mash up of the two.  Sadly, the series ends on what could be the beginning of the most epic fourth season if it wasn't cancelled.  Finally, this season is just as gory as the others.  The kills and gore is very imaginative and fun while keeping the true humor of the show alive.  There is a fair amount of CGI.  Some of it looks decent but a good portion of it looks horrible.  The other two seasons had the same problem and it looks like the powers that be didn't learn their lesson.  Overall, Ash vs. Evil Dead: Season 3 is a fantastic slapstick filled horror adventure that features an amazing cast and plenty of gore for you sick fuck.  Check it out now on blu and VOD!



Star Time

 



Director - Alexander Cassini (Black Scorpion, The Incredible Genie)
Starring - Michael St. Gerard (Hairspray, Great Balls of Fire), John P. Ryan (Class of 1999, It's Alive), and Maureen Teefy (Supergirl, Grease 2)
Release Date - 1992
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "A serial killer stalks Hollywood...and he wants to be a star!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Vinegar Syndrome is one of the few companies that releases consistently great content from different genres.  Vinegar is my home for blaxplpoitation and sexploitation.  When I want one of those I can count on Vin Syn to hook me up.  Their selection of both sub-genres is legendary and the releases are top notch.  With that being said, Vin Syn is known for releasing rather obscure horror releases.  Most are fantastic but several are rather unique.  Sometime back Vin Syn sent me to 1992 directorial debut from Alexander Cassini.  Star Time is an odd horror flick but was still a fun watch.  Thanks guys for sending this one my way!

     The film follows Henry Pinkle (Gerard) who has reached his limit.  He is an avid television fan and his favorite show was just cancelled which sends him into a suicidal depression.  He attempts to jump off a bridge but is approached by the mysterious Sam Bones (Ryan) who offers to help Henry get out of his funk and find his way in Hollywood.  He tells Henry to kill for him and he will make him a star on television.  Henry believes him and starts murdering for him.  Caught in the middle of the bloody rampage is Henry's socialworker who wants the best for Henry but feels he is being exploited by Sam.  She tries to track Sam down to discover his true intent but learns that Henry may be far too gone to help. 
     I've seen some oddball horror flicks with the Vinegar Syndrome brand on the spine and this one is no exception.  This movie was not what I was expecting and I actually liked it.  The slow moving scenes worked in its favor.  The acting in this one is great.  I really loved the cast.  Michael St. Gerard is a familiar face in my home.  I'm a huge John Waters' fan and most of you may recognize him from Hairspray.  I'm also a fan of the Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire and Gerard portrays Elvis in the film.  He is outstanding in both films but it was great to see him take center stage with this one.  His character is different than I am accustomed to and he killed it.  I really enjoyed seeing him as the killer.  I was also shocked to see John P. Ryan in a film one day after watching Class of 1999.  He is a phenomenal actor and this film is no exception.  The story for this one is rather different when compared to other films of the same name.  Sure, the film does borrow some from Psycho but it still puts enough of its own unique spin on it to stand out from the other films.  The movie does move fairly slow but the character development is enough to hold the viewer's attention until the story gets moving.  Finally, the film is bloody but doesn't have any gore.  The kills we get make heavy use of camera tricks to work but the effects we so are solid.  They are easily forgettable but they work for the film itself.  Overall, Star Time is one of the kind of releases that I'm proud to own.  The film is unique and worth a late night viewing.  Check it out. 



A Plague So Pleasant

 

Director(s) - Benjamin Roberds and Jordan Reyes

Starring - Eva Boehnke (The Wanderer), David Chandler, and Maxwell Moody

Release Date - 2013

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The dead are the endangered species"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've always had a love for zombie flicks.  Night of the Living Dead is what started my love for horror so I'm always open for a new zombie experience.   I somewhat ignore them in recent years due to the lack of heart and originality.  So many no budget zombie flicks tries to cash in on the Walking Dead craze.  I shouldn't do that because there is still some fun zombie flicks out there that is well worth your time.  Sometime ago, many moons ago, Wild Eye sent over the 2013 zombie flick A Plague So Pleasant.  I've had the flick for sometime and was in the mood for some zombie fun.  Thank you Wild Eye for sending this one my way.

     The film follows a small community a year after the zombie apocalypse.  The government has placed laws around harming the undead and protects them.  The undead don't harm the living but that changes one day when a young man shoots his sister's deceased boyfriend to free her from her unnatural love affair.  The other zombies react violently and start murdering the living.  His choice to put her boyfriend down may bite him in the ass. 

     Sometimes you just gotta stick with it.  I've watched so many indie horror flicks that was painful to watch and this was consistent throughout the entire film.  A Plague So Pleasant is one of the few films that has a rough first half that changes gears and makes up for it during the second half.  The acting in this one is far from perfect but considering the cast had no prior experience.  At least not on imdb.  There is a few scenes where the cast is awkward but they still are able to pull it out and deliver a solid job.  The story for this one is an interested take on zombies but the writing is a little messy.  I loved the hive mind mentality of the zombies and how any aggression toward one resulted in bloodshed.  That was a clever take on zombies that offered up some originality.  Sadly, the first thirty minutes of the film is a struggle to make it through.  The characters have no detail or personality and the story is moving at a snails pace.  Patience is key with this film and sticking with it pays off.  Finally, this one has some blood and some practical effects but the effects shows the film's budget and experience of the crew.  It could have worked if the film would have stayed black and white but in color some of the gags was rough.  Overall, A Plague So Pleasant is a different zombie movie in a sea of replicas.  The film is fun but you have to stick with it to really enjoy it.  Check it out. 

Class of 1999



 



Director - Mark L. Lester (Firestarter, Commando)
Starring - Bradley Gregg (A Nightmare on Elm St. 3: Dream Warriors, Explorers), Traci Lind (Fright Night Part 2, My Boyfriend's Back), and John P. Ryan (Star Time, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown)
Release Date - 1990
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "The ultimate teaching machine...out of control"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My horror education was fairly limited due to where I lived.  The local video store was family owned and had a solid horror collection but nothing really that obscure. Mostly movies like the Leprechaun series, The Lost Boys, Fright Night, and a few Puppet Master movies stand out in my mind.  One movie they did have that I really enjoyed is Class of 1999 the sequel to director Mark L. Lester's Class of 1984.  I liked the movie a lot and would eventually buy the tape when the video store closed.  A few years later I found the movie in one of those cheap dvd sets with a few other future Vestron blu releases.  Sometime ago Vestron Video released the film on blu and I had to have it.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way!
     The film follows the students of Kennedy High School which his in a free fire zone and not under police protection.  The area is controlled by rival gangs and school is not longer a priority.  As a result the Department of Education Defense is created.  The principal of the school partners with MegaTech to create three teachers able to educated in this harsh environment.  The teachers are hard on the students but are able to teach but something is wrong with their program.  Before long they are orchestrating a gang war and killing students that they feel are breaking the rules.  Science has went too far and now the two gangs must work together or die.
     I remember liking this movie a lot when I watched it all those years ago but I have to admit that I love the film after revisiting it.  I love post-apocalyptic gang flicks and this one was just as fun, if not better, than most of the other film's I had saw.  The acting in this one is solid.  The teachers are all fun to watch but most of the cast deliver decent performances but nothing special.  The story for this one is what holds the viewer's attention.  I had seen Class of 1984 sometime after watching this film and it's safe to say you can watch these out of order.  This one is a very intriguing story that has just as much action as it does story.  The film moves at a good pace and the viewer never loses focus.  Finally, the film has several kills scenes.  Some are more brutal than others but they are all almost unforgettable.  The effects looks great for the kills which makes them stand out even more.  Overall, Class of 1999 is a very underrated sci-fi horror flick.  The cast is underwhelming but the story and the deaths are fantastic.  I cannot recommend this film enough.  Check it out. 



Gothic

 



Director - Ken Russell (The Lair of the White Worm, The Devils)
Starring - Gabriel Byrne (Ghost Ship, End of Days), Julian Sands (Warlock, Arachnophobia), and Natasha Richardson (Nell, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)
Release Date - 1986
Genre - Drama/Horror
Tagline - "Conjure up your deepest darkest fear...now call that fear to life"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror has many legends ranging from historical to fictitious.  Horror history has many legends like that of Vlad the Impaler and Baron de Rais along with many fictitious like Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  Both are literary masterpieces that have stood the test of time with Shelley's work being one of the first horror films ever made by the Edison Company.  Her work, which was controversial during it's release, was almost as controversial as Shelley herself.  During her career she visited Lord Byron at Villa Diodati and the two wrote their iconic stories Frankenstein and The Vampyre.  A few months ago Vestron Video released the film adaptation of their meeting from 1986 titled Gothic on blu.  I was lucky enough to get a review copy. 
     The film follows intellectuals Lord Byron (Byrne), Percy Shelley (Sands), Mary Shelley (Richardson), Claire Clairmont (Myriam Cyr), and Dr. John Polidori (Timothy Spall).  The meet at Villa Diodati where Lord Byron was staying unannounced.  They partake in drink and opium resulting in several hallucinations before all their fears and sexual desires are bought out in the open before them. 
      As much as I love what Mary Shelley created and the legacy that story has within the horror community I have to admit that I have very little interest in her personal life.  The exploits of the elite and their hardships after drug abuse is not interesting to me.  I was curious to see Gothic would handle this literary historic moment.  The acting in this one is damn near perfect.  I have seen so many horror films this year that had amazing casts but this film was delightful to watch.  Byrne and Timothy Spall were fantastic but the highlight of the film is Warlock's Julian Sands who not only steals the show but shows why he is the right man for the job.  The entire cast was fantastic and I could spend all day going over the cast.  The story for this one is a bit of a slow burner.  You feel invested in the story because of the characters but the film does move at a snails pace.  The cast is able to bring the scenes to life because the story is pretty much just a longwinded encounter of a night of debauchery.  The film does have some aspects that could be deemed horror but calling this a horror film is a bit of a stretch.  A dark drama is the best way to describe this one.  Finally, if you want gore you are in the wrong place.  The film has very little blood and no real effects.  Instead, it relies on story and the cast to carry the film.  Overall, Gothic may have a forgettable story but the cast is unforgettable.  The movie is far from perfect but you still have a great time with this one on.  Check it out on blu from Vestron Video. 



Slaughter High

 



Director(s) - Mark Ezra (Savage Hearts, House Swap), Peter Litten (Living Doll, Heaven's a Drag), and George Dugdale (Living Doll)
Starring - Caroline Munro (Maniac, The Last Horror Film), Carmine Iannaccone (Moonlighting, Split Decisions), and Simon Scuddamore
Release Date - 1986
Tagline - "Marty majored in cutting classmates"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm tanking through my list of reviews that I have put on the back burner once my laptop crashed and my daughter was born.  I've worked through some very interesting horror, strange sci-fi, and oddball exploitation.  I wanted to go with something I think I would have enjoyed as a kid.  I wanted a zombie or vampire flick but the slasher Slaughter High caught my eye.  I had never seen this slasher but I decided to give it a go.  I absolutely adore slashers from the 80s and I really needed to get this one reviewed due to the fact that Vestron Video sent me this one months ago.  Thanks for letting me check out this classic slasher!
     The film begins with a group of popular high school students tricking science nerd Marty (Scuddamore) into thinking that the love of his life wants to have sex with him in the lady's locker room.  He is humiliated but the group responsible is caught and forced to serve out their punishment.  This only fuels their hatred for Marty and while he is working on a science experiment they prank him again and this results in the science lab catching fire and Marty is severely burned.  Several years pass and the group reunited for a class reunion at their now abandoned school.  A room has been decorated for the occasion and they find some items of their own there along with alcohol.  One dies while drinking the alcohol and they soon realize that a killer is stalking the old halls of the high school with his sights on them.
     Slashers come in many different colors and flavors.  Some are modeled after old made for television murder mysteries that play out more like a drama than a horror movie.  Others are teens in the woods getting stalked while at summer camp.  We have some centered around a sorority or fraternity being stalked by an unknown killer.  All of these slashers may take place in different surroundings but they all mostly include a masked killer who is stalking those that wronged them.  Slaughter High is no exception and I love that aspect of it.  The acting in this one is solid.  Nothing special from the cast but it does role like most slashers of the time.  We have clichéd characters that are not that well written.  The cast does the best with what they have to work with but in the end they only appear in slashers with the expectation that they will die.  The story for this one does follow the traditional slasher formula where someone is wronged and comes back to kill.  I liked how this one approached this traditional slasher formula.  There is very little down time and every scene only builds upon the story or backstory of the characters.  I enjoyed the writing even the few plot holes.  Finally, the film has several on screen kills.  Some of the kills are fun but require very little practical effects while a few others use more.  I really liked the practical effects in this one.  The burn scene is fantastic and the tainted beer scene is fucking perfect.  The effects in this one is very underrated.  Overall, Slaughter High does fall in with the other slashers of the time but that doesn't make it any less entertaining.  The film has a clichéd slasher story which is still effective and the effects are top notch.  Do yourself a favor and check this one out.   



Yor, The Hunter from the Future



Director - Antonio Margheriti (Cannibal Apocalypse, Last Blood)
Starring - Reb Brown (Captain America, Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf), Corinne Clery (The Devil's Honey, The Humanoid), and Luciano Pigozzi (Castle of the Living Dead, Exterminators of the Year 3000)
Release Date - 1983
Genre - Action/Adventure/Fantasy
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was little I was your typical 90s kid.  I loved Space Jam, Heavyweights, and Ghostbusters.  I lived on Nickelodeon and would sneak out of my room at night to watch Tales from the Crypt.  For my 8th birthday my uncle stopped by with two tapes he was taking back to a video store out of state on his way home.  These two tapes were Conan: The Barbarian and Jason Goes to Hell.  I liked them both but Conan was where it was at.  I watched it so many times that year.  It is because of this that I have a soft spot for these sword and sandal fantasy flicks.  A few months ago Mill Creek Entertainment released the oddball flick Yor, Hunter from the Future.  I remember bits and pieces of this one growing up but I couldn't remember much else.  I reached out and they were kind enough to send the blu my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows warrior Yor (Brown) who is wandering the planet alone when he comes across a small tribe who is under attack from a dinosaur.  He defeats the beast and wins the love of one of their own.  That night they celebrate his arrival but a rival tribe attacks killing many and kidnapping the woman.  He goes after them and gets her back and takes her with him, along with a survivor of the tribe, with him while he searches for answers to where he comes from and the answers behind his unusual medallion. 

     I love a good fantasy flick and I love cheese with my 80s movies so this felt like a movie made just for me 3 years before I was born.  It has so much going on and embodies the 80s just like some of my favorite films.  The acting in this one is cheesy and fun.  The cast has the difficult task of portraying larger than life characters that go through so many genres from sci-fi to fantasy and then adventure.  The cast does a decent job but the campiness of the story rubs off on the characters.  The story for this one is everything 80s had to offer and then some.  We have a sci-fi fantasy film that borrows heavily from Star Wars, Star Trek, and even a little Flash Gordon and mixes it with films like Conan, Beastmaster, and Deathstalker.  With that being said, the film does have a lot going on and we jump from segment to segment a little too quickly.  The film tried to toss everything but the kitchen sink and by doing so it creates and overactive film that may need some sort of medication.  Finally, the film isn't a bloody one but is home to several visual effects that are out dated and sci-fi sets and props that seem cheap but are pretty fun to look at.  Overall, Yor is not your typical fantasy adventure film.  It tries to be more and by doing so becomes less.  It is still a fun watch so check it out!