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.  

Sasquatch Within

Director - Gregory Hatanaka (Beyond Files, Jeffrey Epstein: The Bad Sleep Well)

Starring - Sofia Papuashvili (Robot Girls, Body of Nurses), Jamie Grefe (Sasquatch Attacks, Maid Robot), and Dawna Lee Heising (Dick Reno: Monster Slayer, The House That Zombie Built)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

      I tend to review anything that catches my eye regardless if it's horror or horror adjacent.  I don't care if it's a thriller, sci-fi, sci-fi thriller, or so on.  I love indie horror and I'm always looking out for the next thing to review.  Several weeks back I received a press release for the 2026 survival thriller Sasquatch Within from director Gregory Hatanaka.  The press release was announcing the film's release on Tubi.  The title caught my eye and I made a note to check it out when I could.  I wish I would have skipped it instead.

     The film follows two assassins who awaken in a room they are unfamiliar with.  While they try to collect themselves, they look around the room only to discover that they are locked inside.  They star reminiscing about former missions they had together but before long they soon learn that in order for one of them to survive then the other must die.  

     I went into this one expecting what I'm sure a lot of disappointed viewers did and that was a sasquatch centered horror film.  Instead, what we get is a claustrophobic film with one of the laziest written stories I have ever seen.  I went into this one very excited but found myself very disappointed.  This is easily one of the worst films I had seen during my time here at Horror Society.  The acting in this one is extremely flat and one dimensional.  The cast is fairly small and the two leads have zero emotional range.  The dialogue is delivered in a way that it almost felt like they were reading their lines off something out of the the sight of the camera.  They do seem very comfortable together but there is very little attempt as creating or establishing a character.  The story for this one is basically nonexistent.  We follow two women, with no memory of how they got there, try to figure out how to escape and what the motive is for locking them away together.  The title is very misleading and what we are given is a feature length film about two unlikely assassins reminiscing before a cat fight breaks out.  It's painfully dull and damn near impossible to finish.  I have no idea what the point the director originally had in mind for this one but it couldn't have been this.  Finally, don't go into this one expecting campy kills and someone in a bigfoot costume.  You will not find a body count or memorable deaths here.  Overall, Sasquatch Within is not what I expected at all and was an experience I hope I never have to relive.  Skip it.  

Saurians

Director - Mark Polonia (Four Nights in Fear Forest, Trail Cam Sasquatch)

Starring - Mark Polonia, Maria Davis (Feeders, Peter Rottentail), and Matthew Satterly (Church of the Damned, Night Crawlers)

Release Date - 1994

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "The age of the dinosaurs is reborn"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed several films from Mark Polonia and his late brother John.  Some of their films are cult classics that many genre fans adore while others are what I would consider barely watchable.  The movies from the pair that I like, I really like, but those that I don't are extremely difficult to finish.  Over the years I've seen dozens of Mark's films and I always look forward to checking out one I haven't seen before so I jumped at the chance to see the sci-fi adventure film Saurians from 1994 when my friends at Visual Vengeance asked if I wanted to review.  I want to take a moment to thank my VV for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a group of amateur archeologists who find themselves running for their lives when a nearby construction site accidentally unleashes two prehistoric creatures hellbent on eating everything they cross paths with.  

     I went into Saurians knowing a little about the film and how it spawned several sequels.  Sadly, I never had the opportunity to check any of them out until now.  I went into this one very excited to check it out but once the film started rolling I found myself not enjoying it like I would have liked.  The acting in this one is rough around the edges but the cast is dedicated to their roles.  I know I often say this with no budget genre flicks when the cast has no experience but it sums up a lot of these films that I review.  The cast struggles with their dialogue and the intended emotion that the scene calls for but they are giving it everything they have.  I wouldn't call this the worst acting I've seen but a few of the scenes had me laughing with unintentional humor.  The story for this one reminds me a lot of the dinosaur flicks from the drive-in era.  We have a group of archeologists who find themselves face to face with the dinosaurs they are hunting the very fossils of.  It's a simply enough story but the slow scenes and tough dialogue makes it difficult to finish.  Finally, the film uses a lot of classic filming techniques that was a little bit of fun but the lack of fun deaths and memorable effects makes it easily forgettable.  Overall, Saurians is not the fun no-budget film from Mark Polonia that I was looking forward.  I wanted to love it but it just wasn't for me.  I can recommend so many other Visual Vengeance films for you to check out.       

Projection

Director - Ari Groobman (Snapped, I Solve Problems)

Starring - Preslea Elliott (Growers, Nine), Diego Garijo (35, The Long Way Home), and Mikey Gray (Under the Bed, Totally Becky)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I go through spells where I never get to review a short but then I'll find myself with several to check out.  Sometime back, a month or so now, I was asked to review the horror short Projection from director Ari Groobman.  I tried to check it out in a reasonable amount of time but the end of the school year and life got away from me.  I was able to recently check it out and I hate that it took so long to see it because I actually enjoyed it.  I want to thank Ari for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows a young woman and her sister who find themselves renting a new apartment after leaving their parents behind.  However, a fresh start for the pair takes a deadly turn when someone takes a sinister liking to them resulting in a hostile confrontation their first night. 

     I went into this one very blind and found myself very surprised by what I saw.  It was visceral and sort of straight to the point.  I love when a short doesn't waste my time and this one did not.  The acting in this one is very well done.  It's a rather small cast with the supporting cast doing a solid job while the film's protagonist, Mikey Gray, delivers a pretty intense performance during the short's last leg.  I really enjoyed her performance and I hope she returns to the genre again.  The story for this one fits the title perfectly and doesn't over stay it's welcome.  We follow a woman leaving an abusive home life where she finds herself at what could be a potential home invasion.  However, once her life is threatened she projects her abuse onto her potential abuser.  It's a clever short that has great pacing and a fitting title.  With that being said, the title itself is not that appealing which could prevent it from getting the views it deserves.  Finally, the film does have a very bloody moment during the film's final minutes before ending.  It's not gory but the effects work for the film.  I enjoyed it and appreciate how it was handled.  Overall, Projection is a fun little short that doesn't waste your time.  It's got some blood and solid acting but it doesn't really deliver enough to make it memorable.  It's fun but not something you will want to revisit again anytime soon.  Check it out.  

It: Welcome to Derry Season 1

Creator(s) - Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman, It: Chapter Two), Andy Muschietti (Mama, It), and  Barbara Muschietti (Mama, They Will Kill You)

Starring - Taylour Paige (The Toxic Avenger, Brothers), Jovan Adepo (Overlord, Watchmen), and Stephen Rider (Daredevil, Luke Cage)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Go back to where IT all began"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've read a lot of Stephen King's work over the years.  His novels and short stories, along with Goosebumps, was one of the reasons I fell in love with the horror genre.  He's a titan in the horror and literary worlds but I would be lying if I said I was an expert in his work.  Sure, I've read a lot of his work and watched many adaptations over the years but I can't verify how close these adaptations are to their source material.  What I can say is that a lot of his written work and their adaptations are a lot of fun.  Sometime back I was sent word that IT, specifically Andy Muschietti's two films starring Bill Skarsgard, was getting the television treatment.  I didn't follow it closely but I knew I would eventually be checking it out.  Fast forward to a few weeks back and I was lucky enough to get the blu release sent over for review.  I wasn't able to get to it right away but made time for it as soon as I could.

     The series takes place in the town of Derry in 1962 where a young boy went missing.  Several months later three more were brutally murdered in a theater where only one girl survives.  One of the theater's employees, a black single father, is arrested for the murder.  His daughter, the lone survivor, and two other students start looking further into the missing student and the blood soaked history that Derry shares where they uncover the truth about Pennywise.

      I know I paraphrased a lot with the show but it throws a lot at us without over doing it.  It did take some time to gain some traction with me and it wasn't until episode 3 or 4 that I actually started getting into it but once I did I was really hooked.  The acting in this is great for the most part.  Some of the characters are very unlikable and it's not because they were written that way.  The cast is really dedicated to their role and deliver some seriously impressive performances especially from the young cast.  As the series progresses we have some intense performances that shows why everyone was cast in their respective roles.  The story for this season serves as a prequel of sorts to It and It: Chapter Two.  We get a lot of insight into some of the previous feeding cycles of Pennywise along with why he took on the appearance of the clown.  We also get a lot of social commentary from the early 60s mixed in with the character development.  It's very well written and works well but my biggest issue with the show was how long it took to get going.  The first three or so episodes could have been condensed to give the viewer more to grab onto.  Finally, this series doesn't hold back with the visual effects.  I know practical effects can be pricy especially when you have a show with eight episodes   However, a good deal of the visual effects look like shit.  They are very noticeable which was good for a laugh the first few times but they do become eye rolling as the show moves on.  Overall, It: Welcome to Derry Season 1 was a great continuation of what the 2017 film and it's sequel established.  While I can't remember exactly how accurate those films are to the written work, I can safely say that I enjoy it very much.  I do hope we have a season 2 eventually but until then I highly recommend checking out season 1.  

     

House of Seven Belles

Director - Andy Milligan (Blood, Dragula)

Starring - Dolores Barcia, Peter Barcia (Legacy of Blood), and Elaine Boies (Legacy of Blood)

Release Date - 1979

Genre - Drama/Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     As I prepared to toss in the final film in this set from Severin Films, I wondered if it would be a film that could be followed or another abysmal watch.  The movie was a bit different than the previous films in the set as it was shot in the late 70s before he ran out of money to finish it while the other unfinished films were shot in the 60s and fell on the cutting room floor as he moved on to other projects.  The film, House of Seven Belles, s a period piece horror drama that did not have an ending.  This intrigued me and made me think that it would be watchable until the last leg of the film.  I was mostly right.

     The film follows seven southern belles whose family was once prosperous but has since fell on hard times since the civil war.  However, they are all fighting for the little bit of inheritance that is left and along their journey is a various characters ranging from rapists, wounded soldiers, and a murderer who is stalking the property killing people one by one.

     I went into this one knowing absolutely nothing about it besides the fact that it was completely shot aside from the ending.  I had no idea it was a period piece about the deep south and filmed in New York but I found myself really enjoying it.  The acting in this one is very loud and stiff.  The cast is inexperienced and not really into their roles in a lot of the scenes.  We have a lot of screaming, flat dialogue, and no emotional range.  I really wanted to like these characters but it felt like a stage play with an anger management group.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting and found myself really drawn into it.  It's a period piece drama that has some slasher elements tossed in randomly.  It does not make a lot of sense and some of the scenes left me scratching my head but it held my attention which says something.  On the opposite side of the same coin, the lack of an ending is a bit disappointing.  Finally, the film does have a few deaths but they are not that memorable.  Honestly, I enjoyed them in the film itself but they don't really stand out and use minimal practical effects.  Overall, House of Seven Belles is not the film I was expecting from Andy Milligan.  It's an odd period piece set after the civil war with slasher tones and a lot of unlikable characters.  It's the biggest surprise in this set and one I would recommend watching.  It's still far from perfect and a movie I will never revisit but it's still wild for what it is.