Less Than Nothing

Director(s) - Reagan Henderson (The View Between Villages) and David Michan (El Vato, Price of Fame)

Starring - Samantha Shakira Clarke (Hyde and Seek, Suing the Devil), Gail Simpson (Nepo Baby, The Zeme), and Stew McLean (Arrow, Travelers)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Enjoy.  Consume.  Forget"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I just finished spending a tremendous amount of time reviewing every film in the Exorcismo set from my friends over at Severin Films.  There was so many movies in this set that it took me almost a month to watch and review them all plus an additional 5 hours to edit the reviews into a post.  I spent a lot of time on them which meant I took a lot of time away from indie horror.  I really fucking missed it and as soon as I finished my review for that colossal set, I immediately jumped onto the first indie horror flick I could find for review.  This just happened to be a short sent to me by David Michan after I reviewed his film The Girl Inside the Photograph.  I want to thank David for sending over Less Than Nothing for review!

     The film follows a successful woman who runs an organization that provides water to third world countries.  However, her success comes at a cost as she struggles mentally.  The things of luxury around her take on a life of their own and when they break down she is forced to dispose of them and easily replace them.

     After I posted my review for The Girl Inside the Photograph, I was contact by Michan to review this psychological short.  I didn't care for the first film but I can't turn away an indie horror flick to review and I'm glad I didn't because this short was a lot of fun.  It's not something I could rewatch multiple times but it was very enjoyable for what it was.  The acting in this one is very well done.  We only have two performing in a traditional sense while the rest of the cast delivering performances that the story needed to be affective.  I really enjoyed this cast and love how dedicated some of the "inanimate" objects were to their roles.  The story for this one is not really that horrifying but it could have been.  I like the American Psycho tribute and how the appliances watch the other appliances watch the "broken" appliances and other household items get disassembled or "dismembered."  With that being said, the film is way too clean and polish when the story has so much potential to be a real gritty horror tale.  Imagine a horror film where these objects are real in a Toy Story like film watching a person take the things apart.  It could be so fucking visceral.  Finally, the film has some blood but don't expect to see any memorable effects or gore.  The film clearly didn't have the budget for some great gore but adding that to what we have would have taken this one next level.  Overall, Less Than Nothing is a fun and entertaining short that has a very clever story.  It reminded me a lot of the meme about a Toy Story toy dying and the kids, unaware the toy has died, continues playing with the corpse.  It's fun as it is but could be so much more.  Check it out.  

After... Part Two: Tied Up and Tied Up Well

Director(s) - Cecilia Bartolome (Lejos de Africa, After...Part One: You Can't Be Left Alone) and Jose Juan Bartolome (En Pantalla, After...Part One: You Can't Be Left Alone)

Starring - Rafael Alberti (Teatro, Caudillo), Cristina Almeida (7 Vidas), and Santiago Bautista 

Release Date - 1983

Genre - Horror 

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I took the dive into this set for review, I never expected to see as many documentaries as this set contained.  What makes it even more surprising is the fact that the documentaries are for so many different topics besides the one sequel in the set.  Which brings me to the last film in the set which is the 1983 sequel After... Part Two: Tied Up and Tied Up Well.  The first doc was a bit lackluster but I was still excited to check this one out.

     This documentary continues to examine Spain after the death of it's dictator, Franco.  We look into how hard it was for the old powers at play to be removed, how the media played in big part in political, and social injustices that many citizens still faces after his death.

     While I wasn't really a fan of the first documentary, I was excited to check this one out.  I had hoped that it would fix it's inconsistencies the original had while making it a bit more enjoyable for international fans.  Sadly, that was not the case with this follow up feeling like it was made back to back with the first doc.  The interviews in this one is mostly from historians of the area or those that lived through the changes the country faced after Franco's death.  We also get interviews from people that are involved in different political parties, media, and so on.  It's a wide range of people being interviewed and they offer up a lot of insight into the matter.  The topics for this one pics up around the time the first film leaves off and we see the power vacuum from Franco's death and the subsequent consequences that followed.  It was a little more interesting in that regard but it's still a difficult doc to finish.  Finally, the editing in this one is rough and not very easy to follow.  Some of the interviews and topics bounce around creating some confusion.  Overall, After... Part Two; Tied Up and Tied Up Well is a documentary that I could see myself getting into if it was done a bit better.  The topics and interviews themselves are interesting but the confusing jump from topic to topic makes it a bit difficult to follow.  This is one from the set I would recommend skipping.  

Poppers

Director - Jose Maria Castellvi

Starring - Giannina Facio (The Hunger, Spanish Fly), Agustin Gonzalez (The Ugliest Woman in the World, Blood Hunt), and Conrado San Martin (The Black Duke, The Beast and the Magic Sword)

Release Date - 1984

Genre - Action/Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've finally reached the final two films in this set and I'm seriously surprised by how long this set has taken me to review.  I started this journey weeks ago but I wanted to give each film the same attention regardless if they were horror or not.  This next to last movie in the set is the 1984 action horror film Poppers which was also released under the title Hunting.  This is another one I had heard about prior to it's release after I saw it on Tubi when browsing 80s horror flicks.  I never took the time to check it out but I'm glad I finally did.  It was among the better films in the set.  

     Th film follows a musician who becomes jealous one night in a club while performing and accidentally kills a man.  He serves his time but when he is released he finds himself being hunted by a mob wanting him dead for the murder he committed.  At first he is running for his life but before long he starts fighting to survive and the mob is put on the run.

     I went into Poppers with the mindset that I was about to check out an action thriller set against the backdrop of a gay club.  The artwork for this release and poppers, which is what many in this area call whip its, is common among the LGBTQ party scene.  However, that was not the case and I found myself actually enjoying it.  The acting in this one if probably the best acting in the set.  The characters have a little more depth and the cast really does a great job at bringing their characters to life.  I would have liked to see some characters with a bit more memorable personalities but the cast does a great job with what they were given.  The story for this one reminded me a lot of an urban spin of the first Rambo film, First Blood.  A man being hunted by a group of people only to flip it on them by hunting them one by one.  It's fun for what it is but it doesn't have a lot of replay value.  We have good pacing and enough action to hold our attention.  Finally, the film has several bloody scenes but the effects are very limited.  The deaths are not that imaginative or creative which is a bit of a disappointment.  Overall, Poppers is a solid film that may not be original but it was fun.  This is the kind of film I could really enjoy with a few friends and some drinks.  Check it out.  

Supernatural

Director - Eugenio Martin (Bad Man's River, Order to Assassinate)

Starring - Cristina Galbo (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, Elvira's Movie Macabre), Maximo Valverde (Holet Fear, Cave of the Sharks), and Ramon Lillo (The Naked Target, El Crack)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I have three films let in this set and coincidentally this one, along with the previous film, happened to be an Eugenio Martin double feature.  After I watch his That House in the Outskirts, it was time to watch the 1981 supernatural fantasy thriller Supernatural or Sobrenatural as it was originally released.  While most of the films in this set are new to me, this was one I had heard about prior to the set getting released.  I think I stumbled across it when I was looking up something for the CW show Supernatural when I found the poster for the film.  Regardless, I was excited to finally see it and want to thank Severin for sending this set over.

     The film follows a young woman who married a man a lot older than her.  She started seeing someone closer to her age around the time he takes a terrible fall.  After spending some time bedridden from his injuries, he eventually passes.  The young couple think they have everything to look forward to until the young woman becomes haunted by her former husband.

     I had seen the poster before and I'm sure I had looked up the synopsis when I found it but I didn't remember what it was about.  Honestly, it's a bit of a dull story that is similar to a lot of the mid to late 60s gothic horror tales but it has enough of the late 70s Spanish vibe to make it stand out.  The acting in this one is decent enough but no one really stands out.  The cast works well with each other and they do enough to move the scenes along but it's nothing memorable.  With a story that rivals several films starring Barbara Steele, I was expecting performances that would be on her level.  The story for this one is not that original but it was done in such a different style that it stands out in a way.  I can name three films that follows a woman, her lover, and a haunted or fake haunting that drives one of them and most of them would star Barbara Steele.  The pacing is pretty consistent and the story is rather predictable for what it is but what I loved here was the atmosphere and location.  It helped the story along so much and I really enjoyed it.  Finally, this is another one that isn't bloody or that violent which will be a turn off for many genre fans.  However, it is character driven and works if you are looking for something late at night with an eerie feel.  Overall, Supernatural is not going to be listed as anyone's favorite film but it's a solid watch especially if you find yourself wanting something atmospheric late at night.  Check it out.  

That House in the Outskirts

Director - Eugenio Martin (Horror Express, A Candle for the Devil)

Starring - Javier Escriva (Climax, Forbidden Love Game), Silvia Aguilar (Jaguar Lives!, The Night of the Werewolf), and Alida Valli (Suspiria, Eyes Without a Face)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've slowly made my way through the Exorcismo to this point when I tossed in the 1980 horror film Aquella Casa en las Afueras which is in the set as That House in the Outskirts.  This is a title that I knew absolutely nothing about but the title did absolutely nothing for me.  I decided to look at the poster for this one before I hit play on it and was once again not impressed by it.  I start to think this was going to be a lame ass movie with no imagination but I was wrong.  It was a simple film that had a lot of tension that absolutely worked.

     The film follows a woman who is expecting as she travels to a mansion her husband has rented on the outskirts of Spain.  They plan on delivering the baby there but she is shocked when she realizes that the place he has rented was once an illegal clinic that was secretly performing abortions several years before where she had one prior to meeting her husband.  To make matters worse, one of the residents of the mansion is the former assistant of the doctor that performed the abortions.  Now, the expecting mother is forced to relive the experience while trying to stay calm during her pregnancy only for the former assistant, now suffering from schizophrenia, sends her late term pregnancy into madness.

    I went into That House in the Outskirts expecting a generic and unforgettable but that was not the case.  It was a well craft atmospheric horror thriller that had a simple story that was very effective.  Honestly, I wish it had a catchier title and artwork that stirred your imagination because it really deserves your attention.  The acting in this one is very consistent but very middle of the road.  The entire cast is on the same page and deliver some solid performances but no one really delivers something memorable.  The characters are very well written and fit the story very well but the performances are not near what I was expecting.  The story for this one is very clever for what it is but it is somewhat on the goofy side.  A man renting out a mansion for his wife to relax during the last leg of her pregnancy is kind of sweet.  However, having this big spacious manor being the location of an illegal abortion clinic is a bit of a stretch.  However, if you can look past this then you have a solid story with a bit uneven pacing.  It's fun and I really appreciate the story for what it is.  Finally, this one doesn't have any blood for genre fans to enjoy.  The movie relies heavily on the story and character development over blood and guts.  Overall, That House in the Outskirts is a great entry in the Exorcismo set.  I loved the story and the characters but the acting is a bit lackluster, Regardless, it was a lot of fun.  Check it out.  

Triangle of Lust

Director - Hubert Frank (The Story of the Dolls, Disco Fever)

Starring - Patricia Adriani (The Nest, August Moon) Barbara Rey (Dirty World, Little Lips), and Jose Antonio Ceinos (Black Venus, The Brother from Space)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Action

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The Exorcismo set from Severin Films really shows how fast the movie industry in Spain was quick to capitalize on the death of their dictator.  We went from films being heavily censored to films with gratuitous amounts of nudity.  This set features a few horror films, a couple documentaries, and a handful of action flicks but almost every one of them had some nudity for the sleazy fans to enjoy.  I've been working on this set for sometime and made it to the last five or so films with the next movie being the 1978 action flick Triangle of Lust from 60s and 70s erotica filmmaker Hubert Frank.

     The film follows a beautiful young woman traveling by a small plane when she finds herself having to jump for her life.  She is nowhere near her destination and her jump takes her to a small, secluded island.  She is not the only person there as she finds that a small group of criminals on the run have claimed the island as their own.  The group consists of rough and rowdy men and women afraid of clothes who see the new body as one they can play with when they are not fighting over her.

    This is one, like many, from the set that I knew absolutely nothing about.  I went into it only knowing the title and the film pretty delivered on exactly what I thought it would.  It was mildly fun for a first time watch but it's easily forgettable and not something I would want to watch again anytime soon.  The acting for this one is surprisingly well done which really surprised me.  The characters are, once again, not that very likable but the cast does a solid job.  They really work well with each other and in several scenes they brought out the best of each other.  I do wish a few of the characters had personalities that stood out but these types of films are not made to be memorable and a lot of time is never spent on the development.  The story for this one is fucking perfect for a sexploitation action flick that is light on the action.  An isolated island with a group of criminal and a beautiful woman falling from the sky just screams sleaze.  With that being said, the story is a one trick pony that relies heavily on the nudity to carry the scene over actual story telling.  While this may be enough for fans of sexploitation and nudie flicks of the late 60s and 70s, cinema fans need a bit more to grab onto.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  We have some skin, some fights, and more skin but that is all we have to see here.  If you want memorable deaths and great effects then you will need to look elsewhere.  Overall, Triangle of Lust is a solid entry in the sexploitation sub-genre but doesn't have the memorable story or performances that makes the others so iconic.  It's solid for a first time watch but doesn't have replay value.

Faces

Director - Juan Ignacio Galvan (El Embarazado)

Starring - Carmen Sevilla (The Devil's Cross, The Glass Ceiling), Juan Pardo (Escala en Hi-Fi, Dias de Viejo Color), and Barbara Rey (The Night of the Sorcerers, The Ghost Galleon)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I've been reviewing these movies in this Exorcismo set for what feels like weeks now and it's been a wild ride to say the least.  Some of these films were a lot of fun while others were a bit difficult to finish.  I didn't mind the negative ones because these films were pioneering for Spanish cinema after the death of Franco.  As I work through the last leg of the set I find myself about to watch the 1978 horror film Rostros, or Faces, from filmmaker Juan Ignacio Galvan.  I was unaware that Faces was the film Rostros but I had seen the original poster for this one in the Upcoming Horror Movies message boards many years ago.  I never had a chance to see it or knew the alternate title was Faces but once I realized it was the same film I was excited to check it out.

     The film follows a struggle artist who has mad a career out of sculptures.  However, he has worked so many faceless sculptures that he now struggles seeing the faces of the people around him.  This changes while on a flight when he encounters a woman of unimaginable beauty.  He becomes infatuated with her and tries to pursue her but the closer he gets to her the weirder things are as their lives are turned upside by a strange woman in white.

     Faces is nothing like I expected.  Honestly, I liked the basis for the story but the unlikable characters and poor pacing made this one extremely mediocre.  I can see why it would be included in the set and why it was mentioned on the UHM message boards back then but this one was not for me.  The acting in this one isn't bad.  In fact, it's pretty well done by most of the cast.  The cast really gets into their roles and the characters are written very well for the story.  Sadly, the characters are not that likable and the decent performances are lost to the scene.  The story for this one is very interesting when you look at the film as a whole but it's execution, similar to other films in the set, doesn't reach it's full potential.  The sculptor lost to his own creations only to find obsession with a random woman is poetic.  You then have the voodoo aspect tossed in that adds some layer to the story but is not fully explored like I had hoped.  With that being said, the story doesn't really want to commit to any aspect of the story.  We bounce around from theme to theme without dedication to any of it.  Personally, I wish it would have fully embraced the voodoo aspect and gave us a chilling folk horror tale about the artist and his love interest.  Finally, this one doesn't really have a body count or a gore.  It's a character driven piece with a story that is meant to hold the viewer's attention.  Fans of the red stuff will be very disappointed with this one.  Overall, Faces has a story that was pretty fucking clever and surprised me with the little voodoo angle but it couldn't put it all together into something enjoyable.  I seriously wanted to like it but couldn't.  

Morbus

Director - Ignasi P. Ferre (Sitges-Nagasaki, Sota el Signe De)

Starring - Roman Ferre (Bloody Sex, Porno: Situacion), Carmen Serret (The Gypsy), Joan Borras (Change of Sex, Teatre)

Release Date - 1983

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Over the years I've learned that the 80s truly was a high point in horror cinema.  I'm not saying it was the best decade for the genre, because it honestly wasn't, but there was a lot of memorable moments.  Sometime during the late 70s several genre titles were released where they tossed in so many different horror tropes.  It never really caught on with some of these films falling into obscurity while others became cult classics.  However, this trend came somewhat popular with a lot of movies, especially direct to video titles, throwing "everything including the kitchen sink" into the story.  The writers couldn't make their mind up with which way they wanted the movie to go and we were given some wild films with stories that are extremely unpredictable.  As I work my way through this Exorcismo set I'm hit with another early 80s horror title that does the same thing.  I thought Morbus was another nudie flick due to the poster but once I hit play on that disc I realized it a nudie flick with an everything horror has to offer story.

     The film follows a prostitute who is running for her life when her friend, also a prostitute, and a John are killed by zombies after a scientist has created a serum that brings the dead back to life.  She finds her way to the home of a struggling writer.  The two try to leave before they are overrun by zombies but discover that his assistant has sabotaged their ride.  They are forced to stay and fight but zombies are the least of their worries as they soon encounter a Satanic sex cult.  

     I went into Morbus completely blind and while several films in this set surprised, none shocked me like this one did.  Morbus is not what I would call a good movie.  It's campy, with stiff acting, and a story that is all over the place but I had so much fucking fun with it.  This is the kind of movie that itf it was made in the US I could see Joe Bob hosting a showing of.  The acting in this one is extremely campy.  The characters are one dimensional and we don't get a lot of emotional range but it works for the film.  We don't have any memorable characters or performances but the story more than makes up for it.  The story for this one is all over the fucking place and that is why I enjoyed it so much.  We have an evil scientist, zombies, prostitutes, aspiring horror writers, Satanic bikers in a sex cult, and so much nudity.  The film does struggle with pacing and it has no idea how to put them all together in a coherent story but the unpredictable and absurd ride makes it worth your time.  Finally, the film has some blood, some decent make-up effects, and a lot of skin.  The zombies look decent in a way but are not that memorable while the effects are minimal.  They fit the film but nothing that most of us genre fans are looking for.  Overall, Morbus is a film that has so much going on and while is struggles with it's own identity, is still delivers on an experience.  It reminds me a lot of films like Spookies and Neon Maniacs.  It's a good film but far from perfect.  Check it out. 

Bloody Sex

Director - Manuel Esteba (Trampa Sexual, You Are a Traitor and I'll Kill You)

Starring - Ovidi Montllor (El Pico, 13 x 13), Mirta Miller (Santo vs Doctor Death, Ninja in the Claws of the CIA), and Diana Conca (Bloody Sect, Madame Olga's Pupils)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I opened up the Exorcismo set from Severin Films one title caught my eye.  As I stated in a previous review, I knew that some of these titles would be horror but I also assumed that several would be other genres.  One of the film had a title that summed up everything that I loved about horror when I was a teen.  The film, Bloody Sex, was a new one for me but the title had me sold on it.  An early 80s Spanish horror film with a title that brash had to be fun.  I've been keeping an eye on it as I progressed through the set and the second I could finally check it out I quickly hit play on it.

     The film follows a weird woman and her son who live in an old building many assume have been vacant since the world war.  They find unexpected guests with a lesbian couple and their friend arrive thinking the place empty.  A fun getaway then turns deadly when the mother and son starts picking them off one by one.  

     Bloody Sex is not the highlight of the set which I knew it wouldn't be.  It's one that is rough around the edges and struggles with it's own identity but I really enjoyed it.  It's a movie I could see myself tossing in again with an edible or a few drinks.  The acting in this one is very even and consistent.  It's not the best acting I've seen but it works for the film itself.  The characters are not that well written but the cast does the best with what they have along with what I can only assume is lack of direction.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting.  I assumed it was going to be a lot of sex and a lot of blood but that wasn't really the case.  We have a weird family dynamic, a lesbian couple and their odd third wheel, and the weird way people are murdered.  The film does have an issue with pacing and does not have to be as long as it is.  A lot of the more slower scenes could have been trimmed down a lot.  Finally, the film has some bloody sex as the title suggests but it's not as gruesome or as memorable as I had hoped.  We have some skin, some blood, and minimal effects but nothing that is noteworthy or enjoyable.  Overall, Bloody Sex could have given us a lot more blood and sex as the title suggested but it's still an enjoyable film.  I really enjoyed it but I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon.  

Dimorfo

Director - Rodjara (El Pequeno Vagabundo, Sabado Sabadete)

Starring - Rodjara, J. Caracuel (Pepe Carbalho, El Fin de la Inocencia), and Alex Fontsa 

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Honestly, I have no idea what I'm going to watch as I move from movie to movie in this Exorcismo set from Severin Films.  I knew many of them are going to take full advantage of the removal of the strict laws that were enforced during Franco's reign.  I was expecting a few horror titles due to the releases artwork and I knew that a couple sexploitation flicks would find their way onto the release but I was not expecting a film like Dimorfo, or Dimorphic, to be on there.  It makes sense that it was included but this story was one I was not expecting at all.  

     The film follows a Jewish recluse who flees his home after Nazi's occupy his small village.  He flees into the mountain and eventually comes across a small farm.  He seeks refuge there and they welcome him in, however, things take an unexpected turn.  The mother and son pair start to reveal their sexual tensions to him forcing him into some unexpected situations with them.  

     I went into Dimorfo completely blind but nothing would have prepared me for this crazy ass movie.  It reminded me a lot of the farmer's daughter sexploitation films that I've reviewed in the past with a few twists tossed in for shock value.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it but it is similar to other films from the mid-to late 70s.  The acting in this one is very uneven but not bad.  The main cast is fairly small but the characters have a lot of personality.  The cast does a great job at bringing them to life and work very well with one another.  Sadly, there is a few scenes where the dialogue feels forced and not genuine.  The story for this one is a bit wild but it's not really that original.  I've seen sexploitation, comedies, and even horror movies following a man who trespasses onto a farmer's land and is forced to wed, sleep with, and make pregnant the daughter of the farmer.  Dimorfo switches this up some with the stranger being a fleeing jew seeking refuge in the mountains and the farmer being a mother with a secretly gay son.  Honestly, it's a wild story that works.  It has great pacing and works for what it is.  Finally, the film is not one with memorable deaths and great gore.  It's a character piece with some skin and a story that is not expected.  Overall, Dimorfo deserves to be in this set.  It's sexploitation and naziploitation with a story that may not be original but has a unique spin to it.  I highly recommend it.