The Hunters of the Golden Cobra

Director - Antonio Margheriti (Killer Fish, Death Rage)

Starring - David Warbeck (Breakfast with Dracula, Sudden Fury), Almanta Suska (The New York Ripper, The Gravy Train), and Luciano Pigozzi (Strike Commando, Robowar)

Release Date - 1982

Genre - Action/Adventure

Tagline - "The Mission: Recover the world's most priceless treasure.  The odds: impossible"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    I'll be completely honest here when I say I didn't know what to expect when I took a dive into this box set from Severin Films.  I was familiar with Antonio Margheriti and his horror titles so I knew I was going to see some campy writing and a rushed story that somehow finds a way to be cheap fun.  So far that has been exactly what these Indiana Jonesploitation films have been in this set.  Movies, much like the women I love, are a lot of fun when they are cheap and these three films are just that.  After Jungle Raiders and The Ark of the Sun God, I was left with the final film in the set which was the 1982 flick The Hunters of the Golden Cobra.  I once again want to thank Severin for sending this one over.

     The film follows an American soldier who partners with a British officer on a mission.  Things happen and the American soldier is left for dead.  Fast forward a few years and the British officer finds the American soldier in an Asian country.  After a quick scuffle, the pair make ammends an agree to once again team up to retrieve an ancient artifact said to have a supernatural power.

     The Hunters of the Golden Cobra is the only film in the set where we have well written characters but lacked story.  This one was shot in 1982 and I would almost wager that it was rushed into production to cash in on the Indiana Jones craze while writing it as they went.  It's the weakest in the set but does have it's moments.  The acting in this one is easily the most inconsistent but my favorite of the set.  David Warbeck delivers my favorite performance of the three films.  It looks like he is having a lot of fun on set and that shows in each scene.  His on screen chemistry with John Steiner is fantastic.  The pair feed off each other and make the film as enjoyable as possible.  The supporting cast is hit or miss with some showing zero acting experience while others were clearly locals paid to fill space in front of the camera.  The story for this one, like the other three, starts out promising enough but does run it's course fairly early on.  We once again encounter rush stories with everything from Indiana Jones and other like it tossed at the viewer hoping something sticks.  It's clear it was only made to make a quick buck off fans.  Finally, the action is fiarly enjoyable in the early portion of the film but it's nothing original or memorable.  Those of us looking for fun deaths will be disappointed as well.  Overall, The Hunters of the Golden Cobra got my hopes up at the beginning with the fun characters but was once again a cheap watch with some fun moments but is easily forgettable.  It's worth a watch especially if you bring some beer.  

The Ark of the Sun God

Director - Antonio Margheriti (The Last Blood, Treasure Island in Outer Space)

Starring - David Warbeck (The Beyond, Razor Blade Smile), John Steiner (Tenebre, Sinbad of the Seven Seas), and Susie Sudlow 

Release Date - 1984

Genre - Action/Adventure

Tagline - "He is looking for action..."

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I didn't know what I was getting into when I tossed in the first film in the Antonio Marghertiti - The Jungles of Doom: His 80's Adventure Films.  Jungle Raiders was a decent watch but didn't offer up anything original.  Honestly, all it did was give us stuff we had seen already in Indiana Jones and the copycat films that followed.  That didn't stop me from wanting to dive deeper into this set where I tossed in 1984's The Ark of the Sun God.  Once again, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a professional thief working a big score when he realizes that he has been set up.  Someone far more influential knows about him and his talents and plan on using him to get an ancient relic with unlimited power.  He is then forced to steal the Ark of the Sun God which is the sceptre believed to have belonged to Gilgamesh.  

     I went into this expecting to find a painfully generic Indiana Jones clone but found myself really interested in the story even though it did fizzle out.  With that being said, it was still a little fun fora first time watch.  The acting in this one is just as uneven as Jungle Raiders but the unintentionally funny moments are not there.  Honestly, I was looking forward to some of the laughs that I enjoyed in Jungle Raiders and was a bit disappointed that they were not here.  The main cast does a decent enough job with their roles while the supporting cast and extras were clearly locals plucked to be in the film.  The story for this one was surprisingly intriguing for the first half of the film but it does run out of gas before we hit the hour mark.  When you toss in the unlikable characters and bland action you are left with a film that just doesn't go the distance.  Finally, don't go into this one expecting a lot of action and memorable deaths.  We have some quick deaths with no effects and low budget action scenes but that is the extent of it.  Overall, The Ark of the Sun God is an easily forgettable film but it does have it's moments.  Stick with it and enjoy it.  

Jungle Raiders

Director - Antonio Margheriti (Yor: The Hunter from the Future, Cannibal Apocalypse)

Starring - Christopher Connelly (1990: Bronx Warriors, Night of the Sharks), Marina Costa (The Final Executioner, Greggio e Pericoloso), and Lee Van Cleef (Escape from New York, For a Few Dollars More)

Release Date - 1985

Genre - Action/Adventure

Tagline - "In the heart of the tropical rain forest lies a world of endless danger, mysterious romance, and wild adventure"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The 1980s was a wild ass time and I hate that I was born halfway through the decade.  I would have loved to have lived through the entire 80s as an adult so I could truly appreciate everything as it was being released.  The first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released in 1981 and immedately became a hit.  So much so that it inspired a series of copy cat films which really took hold in Italy.  Director Antonio Margheriti helmed several of these films and my friends over at Severin released three of them in a box set.  They were kind enough to end it over for me to review and when I could I tossed in the first film that I pulled out which was Jungle Raiders from 1985.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one over.

     The film follows Captrain Yankee (Connelly) who scams rich adventurers into thinking they are exploring uncharted jungle for undiscovered treasure.  His easy meal ticket is thwarted when a real adventure presents itself and he is forced to uncover an ancient ruby for someone else. 

     I watched a few of these action adventure films growing up but I never realized that they were Jonesploitation.  However, now I can totally see that these films are and kind of appreciate them more than I originally did.  Jungle Raiders was a new one to me and I was excited to see it but it was a film that lost it's steam fairly early on.  The acting in this one is fairly inconsistent and unintentionally funny at times.  Connelly and Van Cleef deliver solid performances but the remainder of the cast is comical for the most part.  I went into this one sober and still found myself laughing during a few of the scenes due to the acting.  The story for this one borrows all the fun stuff from movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark but forgets to add a protagonist that the viewer can get behind along with something new for the viewer to enjoy.  The film starts out strong enough with the fake tours scamming the rich but soon loses it's gas as the film progresses.  The unlikable characters and predictable story makes this one difficult to finish.  Finally, the film is not one that memorable deaths or fun effects.  We have some cheap effects here and there but nothing that really stands out.  Overall, Jungle Raiders is a alright if you want something to watch but don't have access to Indiana Jones.  I wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.  

Cradle of Fear

Director - Alex Chandon (Inbred, The Perv Parlor)

Starring - Dani Filth (Baphomet, Dominator), Emily Booth (Doghouse, Evil Aliens), and Stuart Laing (Halo, Silent Witness)

Release Date - 2001

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "It's not if they die, it's how..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in high school I had a friend that was really into Cradle of Filth.  I couldn't get into their music but it wasn't without giving them several tries.  Anyway, that same friend was a huge genre fan and was telling me about a British horror film that starred Dani Filth.  I found that pretty interesting at the time and was able to snag a copy of the DVD super fucking cheap from eBay.  Sadly, I didn't care for the film at the time and over the years I completely forgot about it.  A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of Unearthed Film's release of the film on blu for review.  Honestly, I don't remember a damn thing about the film aside from Dani Filth starring in it.  I decided to revisit it with this release and I would like to thank Unearthed for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows the unexpected spirals of several people with one unknown connection.  We follow a detective investigating a string of brutal murders.  A young woman hooks up with a goth guy at a club and soon discovers that she is carrying his child and can see visions of demons.  The detective's son works for an internet company who finds himself becoming obsessed with snuff films.  A amputee finds a leg and has it sewn back on with unexpected results.  Two women break into a home to steal some cash where they are confronted by the owner resulting in a bloodbath.

     I went into this viewing with an open mind because I absolutely hate giving a movie sent my way for a review a negative score.  I didn't remember a lot about my initial viewing of the film except I wasn't really a fan at the time but I had hoped that the film would sit with me a second time.  Sadly, that wasn't the case and I found myself not enjoying it the second time around.  The acting in this one is extremely stiff and flat.  Most of the cast delivers their dialogue with little to no conviction.  We have no emotional range and most of the dialogue delivery is extremely awkward to watch.  It's almost as if we are watching a high school play for most of the film.  There is a few scenes where we get some decent enough performances but not enough to make up for the akward ones.  The story for this one looks great on paper but wasn't executed that well.  I like the idea of all these people and the suffering they encounter is connected to a serial killer.  However, the film itself jumps from person to person which can be a bit confusing at times.  I wish the film was shot like a typical anthology as to make it easier to watch.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood and there is a few moments that try to be shocking but does not have the impact they wanted.  While they effects look decent, they are not that memorable.  Overall, Cradle of Fear has a fantastic idea but the way they went about it made it a bit difficult to finish. I seriously wanted to like this one but it's not for me.  

CarousHELL 4

Director - Steve Rudzinski (A Meowy Halloween, Amityville Christmas Vacation)

Starring - Steve Rimpici (Shingles: The Movie, Easter Casket), B. Barnabei (I: Scream - A Minty Musical, The Survivors), and Aleen Isley (Head Case, A Cheesy Christmas)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "It has all led to this"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     About a decade or so ago I was asked to review the indie slasher CarousHELL by director Steve Rudzinski.  It's not a by the numbers slasher but it still did thing very well and is one  I often referenced when I would review other films of his.  Since then he has released some seriously fantastic movies ranging from family friendly holiday films to several sequels to CarousHELL.  While the sequels were solid entries, they just didn't scratch that itch like the first one did.  Steve recently hit me up to review his latest installment in the CarousHELL franchise with part 4.  I couldn't pass up this opportunity and agreed to check it out.  I want to thank Steve for sending this one over for review.

     The film once again follows Duke (Rimpici) and his son Robbie (Barnabei) who looking for a little getaway so the pair can bond.  They rent a cabin but learn on the ride to it that it has a tragic history.  They ignore the warnings and go anyway only for Robbie to read from the Nekkomeownicon in order to speak with his late mother unleashing waves of the undead with ties to Duke and his bloody rampage.  

     I knew absolutely nothing about CarousHELL 4 prior to reviewing it but I never expected it to be a damn near perfect tribute to Sam Raimi's masterpiece Evil Dead II.  I had just returned home from watching Evil Dead II at my local theater as part of their Flashback Cinema series when I decided to check it out which is kind of a coincidence in a way.  I was not prepared for what I was about to watch and while I've always said his film Captain Z and the Terror of Leviathan was my favorite film of his,  this film has surpassed it.  The acting in this one is great all around.  The voice acting is top notch.  I couldn't imagine anyone other than Rimpici voicing Duke and Barnabei will forever be Robbie.  They brought these characters to life and made them iconic.  The supporting cast is solid as well with some returning faces reprising roles from previous Silver Spotlight films.  They do a great job getting back into character which makes this one so much fun.  The story for this one does a great job at continuing the connection between several other Silver Spotlight films while furthering the story for Duke and Robbie.  It's not a return to the slasher sub-genre that I enjoyed in the first one and was hoping for but it does everything it can to surpass my expectations.  The occult angle and heavy influence of Raimi's classic really caught me off guard the first time I watched it.  The second rewatch while I wrote this was just as fun.  I loved seeing the returning characters and how they were incorporated perfectly into the story following their horrific deaths in previous films.  With that being said, the movie does get a bit repetitive with the character reveals.  We really only needed a few instances of this before moving on.  Finally, the film makes great use of some practical effects and a lot off make-up effects.  The effects are absolutely fantastic and easily the best I've seen from Steve's films.  The undead deadite things look fantastic and the deaths we do get fit the film perfectly.  While it's not the goriest film I've seen, it still looked fantastic by indie movie standards.  Overall, CarousHELL 4 is not the slasher follow up to Steve Rudzinski's CarousHELL that I was hoping for but it was so much fucking fun.  This is a loving tribute to Evil Dead II and easily my favorite indie horror release of the year.  I cannot recommend this one enough.