Grave Secrets

Director - Donald P. Borchers (Perfect Fit, Children of the Corn)

Starring - Paul Le Mat (Puppet Master, American History X), Renee Soutendijk (Suspiria, Eve of Destruction), and Lee Ving (Clue, Flashdance)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "It's going to be a hell of a night"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

    Every month I look forward to the newest Vinegar Syndrome releases.   It's not often that they release a movie I've seen before so each month I look forward to checking out some obscure releases from the 70s, 80s, and 90s through their various series.  Their VSA releases have been my favorite of theirs in recent years.  I love the hardbox sleeve and the addition of posters really makes for a nice release that is not aesthetically pleasing for collectors but also consists of some seriously fun and underrated titles.  When Vin Syn announced that the supernatural 1989 film Grave Secrets was getting a blu release as part of their VSA line I had to have it.  When my package arrived this was the first one I tossed in.

     The film follows a professor who studies the paranormal who is contacted by a young woman to investiate her new home that she is trying to renovate into a bed and breakfast.  He reluctantly agrees and soon finds himself in the middle of a real haunting but she is hiding a secret that she doesn't want out.

     Grave Secrets is goofy as hell but I found myself thoroughly enjoying it.  I wouldn't call this one an extremely scary or eerie paranormal film but the characters are engaging and the story works.  The acting in this one is solid but the cast does ham it up some.  Paul Le Mat and Renee Soutendijk were great in their roles and worked very well together.  Their chemistry on screen really tied the characters together making the story that more solid.  The supporting cast is just as solid.  The characters are entertaining and the cast really sticks with it.  I really enjoyed the cast even with the cheesy performances.  The story for this one is a haunted house film with family drama but lacking the atmosphere.  The haunted house story lacks the atmosphere and horror like the films Amityville Horror and Poltergeist but what it lacked in real horror it made up for in story and character development.  I loved the backstory we get on the ghost in the house and it's ties to the main character in the film.  I really enjoyed the backstories more than I would have the eerie atmosphere and suspense.  Finally, the film doesn't rely on blood and gore.  The film is more story focused but we do get some extremely outdated visual effects that will leave the viewer laughing.  Overall, Grace Secrets will not be everyone's cup of tea but if you like campy horror films of the late 80s then I would highly recommend checking this one out while you still can.  This VSA release is a must for horror fans and collectors alike.  I really enjoyed this one and Vin Syn did a fantastic job with the release.