Night of the Blood Beast

Director - Bernard L. Kowalski (Knight Rider, Blue Thunder)

Starring - Michael Emmet (Perry Mason, Attack of the Giant Leeches), Angela Greene (The Day of the Locusts, Futureworld), and John Baer (Terry and the Pirates, The Beverly Hillbillies)

Release Date  - 1958

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "No girl was safe as long as this HEAD HUNTING THING roamed the land!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've always looked forward to reviewing older titles.  When I saw older, I don't mean films released in the 80s and 90s.  While that may seem old to some, I don't see those films as "older" releases.  When I say I want to review older titles, I'm referring to films from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.  These are the movies I would sit up late with my grandmother watching with the lights out and a bowl of popcorn placed between us.  She loved sci-fi and would leave her television on the original incarnation of the Sy-Fy Channel before it was rebranded.  It was around this time that I first saw Night of the Blood Beast.  It's not the most memorable film but it just happens to be a film that was on television during many memorable moments.  The first viewing was with my grandmother, the second was when I was in college and needed some background noise while I was playing Fallout 3, and the third time was late at night with my daughter when she was a baby and wouldn't sleep.  It may not be my favorite movie but it's a movie that has a lot of fond memories tied to it.  That's why I jumped at the chance to review the new blu from Film Masters who I would like to thank for sending it over for review!

     The film follows an astronaut returning to Earth but something catastrophic happens.  He plummets to his death but his body doesn't show signs of decomposition.  As they begin to study it further they soon realize that an alien organism has taken control of the body and is now going on a murderous rampage.

     Night of the Blood Beast is one of the films that Roger Corman and his brother produced early on in their careers that found it's home in the drive-in circuit of the time.  With that being said, it's a film that most mock or ridicule for being bad.  While it is far from perfect, it still has it's own charm especially for later generations looking back at a bygone era.  I'm a millennial and watch these films a little differently than those who were alive during it's initial release in the same manner a younger generation will watch films from my youth.  It's a trip back in time where we get to see the different styles, slang, and culture of decades long gone before I was born.  Night of the Blood Beast is not perfect but I've always enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is classic camp.  The female cast in this one does that iconic scream that is often shown in vintage throwbacks to this time period.  They are overdramatic and ham up the screen.  The male cast is the exact opposite.  They are masculine to a fault and extremely corny.  This was the acting of the time but someone not from that era may find it unintentionally funny.  The story for this one melts horror and sci-fi themes of the time into a pretty solid, yet predictable, story.  Space travel and alien invasion films were taking over the drive-in circuit of the time.  Mix that with fears of infections an disease of the time and you have a great premise for a horror/sci-fi mash up.  While the film does have this great basis for a film in place, it does struggle with creating atmosphere and the lack of tension makes a lot of the more pivotal scenes fall flat.  Mix that with the editing, cheap sets, and campy acting and you have a film that may not be one of the most memorable films of it's time.  Finally, the film doesn't have the bloody deaths that many modern horror fans are looking for.  In fact, this is pretty mild for out standards.  We get a few make-up effects here and there but that is the extent of the carnage we get to see with this one.  Overall, Night of the Blood Beast is a film no one expected to have last as long as it did.  The Cormans were clearly cutting costs and rushing films out for various distributors with no regard to quality.  However, here it is.  A time machine for younger generations to see what horror and sci-fi films were like for the late 50s.  It is unintentionally funny an extremely cheesy but that's part of the charm.  I highly recommend checking out this release from Film Masters.  

Frankenstein's Daughter

Director - Richard E. Cunha (Giant from the Unknown, She Demons)

Starring - Sandra Knight (The Terror, Tower of London), Donald Murphy (Hands of Mystery, Strange Intruder), and Felix Locher (Curse of the Faceless Man, Star Trek)

Release Date - 1958

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "It reaches from the grave to relive the horror"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few reviews back I mentioned that I have a huge soft spot for the campier side of horror from the late 50s through the 60s.  I love modern technology but I would have loved to live through this era in movie history watching all these classic films at the drive-in.  Even if the movie sucked it was still an experience that you would always remember.  These movies, regardless of budget, always seemed to have big stories that always left the viewer laughing or in shock.  Frankenstein's Daughter is one of those films that has left viewer baffled but a certain breed of horror fan has kept this film alive at a cult classic over the years.  I remember watching this one when I was little on cable but I can't remember the situation around the viewer yet alone how I felt about the film.  Over the years I would get random scenes stuck in my head from the film but that's about all I remembered.  When I received the press release from The Film Detective about their blu release of it I was very curious about revisiting it.  I don't remember my initial impressions on it but it's always fun to spin this type of film late at night.  I reached out to MVD, who was handling the release, and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a older scientist who is working on an experiment in secret with the help of the mysterious Dr. Frank (Murphy).  Frank is often rude to the older man and refuses to divulge information about his past or who he really is.  However, Dr. Frank is really the grandson of mad scientist Dr. Frankenstein and is using his partner's research to further his family's legacy of reanimating the dead.

    Frankenstein's Daughter is not a good movie, and it's not a movie that I would consider to be so bad it's good, but it is an experience.  It's not a movie that I could rewatch over and over again but every couple years if I wanted something bad to watch with a few beers it would be a good choice.  The acting in this one is decent for the most part.  A few scenes are a little awkward but most of the film is solidly acted.  The cast does a great job at getting into character and they make the film that much easier to follow.  I do wish the monster and Dr. Frank had a little bit more personality but it's not something that breaks the film for me.  The story for this one could work as an unofficial sequel/ continuation of the Frankenstein story that most of us already know and love.  It was an interesting idea but the film itself peaks way too early and then you are left with an hour long of pointless scenes and a climax that is very uneventful.  It feels as if the film was shot and written on the fly or some of the scenes were edited out of order which threw the flow of the film and the story off.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  We do have some make-up effects for a monster in the film, as well as, the creature and both look ridiculous.  It was funny the first time around when I saw it but subsequent scenes left me rolling my eyes.  I've seen other films from this time with a smaller budget and they were able to accomplish so much more than this.  Overall, Frankenstein's Daughter is a cult classic and for good reason.  It's goofy, weird, and fun with a group of people and some alcohol.  It's not a good movie but it's a movie that is still fun to watch.  Just turn your brain off and hit play.  The blu from The Film Detective looks great.  I wouldn't recommend double dipping with this one but if you don't own a copy at all then I would suggest snagging this release over the DVD.  

Giants and Toys

Director - Yasuzo Masumura (The Hot Little Girl, Blind Beast)

Starring - Hiroshi Kawaguchi (Venus Wars, Crusher Joe: The Movie), Hitomi Nozoe (The Age of Marriage, Floating Weeds), and Osamu Abe (Gamera vs. Barugon, Pale Flower)

Release Date - 1958

Genre - Comedy/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I like to review strange films and movies that people would normally skip over.  I love the weird side of cinema and I can blame this fascination on Lloyd Kaufman and John Waters.  If I see something unusual and unique I find myself gravitating to it.  I got to see if regardless of the genre.  A few weeks ago Arrow Video announced that they would be releasing the Japanese dramedy Giants on Toys on blu.  The artwork painted a wild story that I had to see.  I reached out to MVD who was handling the U.S. release of the film and they were kind enough to send over a review copy.  After watching The Final Countdown for the first time I decided Giants and Toys would be a great follow up.  Thank you MVD and Arrow for sending this one over!

     The film follows a businessman with a candy company who has a plan to turn a space themed candy into the next big hit.  He brings on a beautiful young woman with a taste for candy and bad teeth to the be the face of the product.  With a spy implanted in a rival company, they set out to release the product while their model comes to terms with her new found popularity.

     I've seen a few Korean dramas and comedies but when it comes to Japanese cinema I tend to lean to the horror side of their cinema.  With that being said, I was very interested in this one but it made itself quickly clear that it was not as wild as I had hoped.  In fact, it was pretty dull and somewhat predictable.  The acting in this one is really fun but the cast is on different wavelengths.  Most of the male cast is stern and serious.  Their character's have personalities that are very grounded and down to Earth.  They rarely get excited and could be described as stiff for the most part.  However, on the other side of the coin we have the female cast who delivers a more light-hearted and energetic performances. The two contrasting performances works well on screen but watching some of the characters bouncing around on screen did make for an exhausting experience.  The story for this one is very interesting and well done but it's extremely boring and predictable.  You know what is going to happen before it happens  which takes the impact of the scene out.  I could see this being fun for the time but after half a decade of films using the same formula it is a bit dull.  Finally, this is not a blood and gore soaked film if you can't tell by this point.  The film relies heavily on story and character development to get through to the viewer.  Sadly, the story was lacking.  Overall, Giants and Toys was not for me.  I wanted to like it but I found myself struggling to stay awake.  With that being said, the video quality of this release is absolutely fantastic.  There was several instances where I completely forgot the age of the film.  Arrow really did a fantastic job on this one.  

Giant from the Unknown

Director - Richard E. Cunha (Frankenstein's Daughter, She Demons)

Starring - Ed Kemmer (The Spider, Space Patrol), Sally Fraser (One Step Beyond, War of Colossal Beast), Bob Steele (Gunsmoke, The Magical World of Disney)

Release Date - 1958

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "It came from another world"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last week and over the weekend I spent my time watching and reviewing some films from the sleazier side of cinema.  Since October I have been spending all my free time watching and reviewing horror releases and kind of burnt myself out.  However, after spending some time with sexploitation I've returned to my beloved genre with a classic that I had never seen.  Sometime back I received a press release about the Film Detective release of Giant from the Unknown.  This is one I had heard about before but never had the time to check it out.  I want to thank Film Detective for sending this one over!

     The film follows a professor and his daughter who visit a small mountain town looking for the remains of a giant conquestedor that is rumored to have enslaved the Native Americans of the region.  They get assistance from a local hunter with knowledge of the area and spend a few days looking without any luck until they come across some remains.  However, they are unable to find the resting place of the giant until they actually do.  They then realize that he is still alive and is responsible for murdering some of the locals forcing the local police to form a mob to hunt it down.

     The late 1950s was a strange time for cinema especially horror.  The drive-in was still a very popular spot for movie goers with many offering up double bills of cheap movies that gave the viewer a sense of "getting their money's worth."  Some movies, like The Curse of Frankenstein, took a more serious and grounded approach while movies like Giant from the Unknown offered up cheesy and unrealistic stories.  Honestly, I believe I prefer the cheesy horror classics that you would often find on a double bill at the local drive.  Giant from the Unknown was good and cheesy fun.  The acting in this one was surprisingly well done.  There was a few instances where the cast hammed it up but for the most part they did a fantastic job.  It really does have that 50's flair and the cast does an amazing job at bringing their characters to life.  With that being said, Buddy Baer as Vargas was a bit of a disappointment.  We spend the entire movie hearing about the evil Vargas and how menacing he was but he looks like a lovable oof.  His performance was not that great as well.  The story for this one is bad but it's fun.  A mineral in the dirt has suspended Vargas while keeping him alive only to be awakened by lighting some hundred years later.  This is pretty goofy but I had fun with it.  I love bad movies but these kind of outlandish stories makes movies like this entertaining in my opinion.  Finally, there is a few deaths but don't expect blood and gore.  In fact, don't expect much of anything in this aspect.  The deaths are mostly off screen with no practical effects at all.  Gore hounds will be very disappointed with this one.  Overall, Giant from the Unknown is a cheesy classic that deserved the attention to detail Film Detective gave it.  The transfer looks great and the suplemental material is a great addition to a great release.  Check it out.  

Vertigo

Director - Alfred Hitchcock (Rear Window, The Birds)

Starring - James Stewart (Rear Window, Anatomy of Murder), Kim Novak (Tales That Witness Madness, Malibu), and Barbara Bel Geddes (Dallas, Alfred Hitchcock Presents)

Release Date - 1958

Genre - Thriller

Tagline - "A tall story about a pushover"

Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was riding a high after watching Rear Window for the first time.  I had watched several Hitchcock flicks prior to receiving this 4K collection for review but Rear Window was one of the few I had never seen until now.  After seeing how amazing it truly was I couldn't wait for the next film in the set which, coincidentally, was another Hitchcock flick I had never seen before.  Vertigo was released in 1958 and also starred James Stewart.  Rear Window was amazing so I went into this one with high hopes.

     The film follows Scottie (Stewart) is a former detective that suffers from vertigo and a fear of heights after witnessing a suspect fall to his death.  Unable to work, he spends most of his time travelling around town.  He is approached to follow a beautiful young woman who the man suspects may be in danger.  He becomes obsessed with her and this obsession sprawls into another obsession with a different woman that is the mirror image of the young woman he was tasked with following.  

     Rear Window, though predictable, did a fantastic job pulling the viewer in and holding their attention.  The suspense and tension is fucking perfect and the final is so satisfying even though you see it coming.  Sadly, Vertigo was nothing like that.  It's still an entertaining watch but the mindfuck Hitchcock throws at the viewer just feels clunky and chaotic.  It's a fun watch but a movie I don't see myself watching that often if at all again.  The acting in this one is so good.  James Stewart and Kim Novak are absolutely stunning together.  Both characters feed off each other and the two work so well together.  The supporting cast is solid as well but these two characters really carry the story on their backs.  The story for this one is solid on paper but Hitchcock tries to throw some twists at the viewer but those twists are predictable and drags the flow of the film down drastically.  If the story was more of a straight forward story it would have been much more entertaining.  Finally, this is not a bloody mess that most modern horror fans look for.  Instead, it's very story focused.  Overall, Vertigo was fun but nowhere near as entertaining as other Hitchcock works that I had previously seen.  With that being said, the 4K upscale looked just as good as Rear Window and really surprised me.  

Horror of Dracula

Director - Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein, The Hound of Baskervilles)
Starring - Peter Cushing (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Dalek's Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.), Christopher Lee (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Wicker Man), Michael Gough (Batman & Robin, The Little Vampire)
Release Date - 1958
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Who will be his bride tonight?"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've stated a few times about how much Hammer shaped me when I was getting into horror during my high school years.  I've collected several on VHS and when I started my DVD collection I was quick to jump on the Hammer DVD sets for my collection.  Over the years I've collected and watch several of the films and miss the days before I was reviewing movies when I could just toss in any movie I wanted to enjoy.  Several years ago I worked my way through Hammer's Dracula series and really enjoyed myself.  Sometime ago I started getting in several of the Dracula films on blu for review from Warner Brothers and Scream Factory.  After getting most of the series in I decided it was time for a marathon!  First up is the blu from Warner Brothers.  This release of Horror of Dracula is part of their Archive Collection.  Thanks WB for sending this one my way.
     The film follows Doctor Van Helsing (Cushing) who is tasked with protecting his late friend Jonathan Harker's family from the evil Count Dracula after Harker was murdered after he killed one of Dracula's brides.  Dracula has is sights on Harker's future wife Lucy and once she falls prey to his bite he sets his sights on Mina forcing her husband Arthur and Van Helsing racing to stop Dracula before Mina becomes another bride.
     I love the look and feel of the Hammers films of the 50s and 60s.  Their gothic atmosphere and sets are absolutely brilliant.  Horror of Dracula is a classic, not only among Hammer's releases, but also among horror films in general.  When people use the phrase "they sure don't make them like they used to" they are referring to this film.  The acting in this one is great.  The entire cast is top notch.  We get two iconic performances from legends Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.  Both deliver performances that are now considered historical.  Cushing's Van Helsing is been imitated for decades now.  His performance is amazing and his character, along with Lee's Dracula, is what makes this film so much fun.  The story for this one takes liberties with the original Dracula story.  It skips several scenes from the novel but still works.  Horror of Dracula does set itself apart from the previous Dracula films with the gothic atmosphere and the amazing performances.  Finally, those of you looking for blood and gore will be disappointed.  We do get some blood but the small drops you typically find from early vampire films.  The effects are minimal and the lack of carnage may turn some of you off of this beautiful film.  Overall, Horror of Dracula is essential viewing for any horror fan.  This beautifully shot film is look decent on blu from WB.  I've seen the film on DVD and can tell it was remastered somewhat over the previous release but there was still plenty of room for improvement.  Check it out now.  

The Blob

Director(s) - Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. (The Flaming Teenager, Dinosaurs!) and Russell S. Doughten Jr. (Face in the Mirror, The Hostage)
Starring - Steve McQueen (Bullitt, The Great Escape), Aneta Corsaut (The Andy Griffith Show, Blazing Saddles), and Earl Rowe (Naked City, Kojak)
Release Date - 1958
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "Indescribable...indestructible!  Nothing can stop it!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I remember going to my grandmothers as a kid and watching a bunch of horror and sci-fi flicks.  Some I would rent while others I would catch on the Sci-Fi Channel before the name change.  She loved sci-fi films and most of my time with her was in front of the television watching the stuff.  I remember when I was in elementary school I watched the 1988 remake of The Blob.  I can't remember if we had rented the tape or it was television but I remember watching it and telling her that I really liked it.  She shrugged her shoulders and said the original was better.  Sometime later we were able to see it and I loved it.  Both were great for different reasons but these two movies always stood out to me.  Scream Factory recently released The Blob remake on blu and I wanted to revisit the original before I tossed in the remake so I ordered the Criterion release of the origianl to check out. 

     The film follows two teenagers who are out on a date when they spot something falling to Earth.  They rush out into the woods to find it when they come across an old hermit with something on his hand.  They rush him to the town doctor and he begins treating it while the young couple goes back to where they found him in hopes of finding clues that will lead to what happened.  While they are gone the thing on the hermit's hand begins to grow and consumes the old man before moving on to the doctor and his nurse.  Before long the blob is growing in size and starts taking over the town inch by inch.  It's up to the young couple and the police to stop it but what can stop a gelatinous blob that seems impervious to man-made weapons? 

     The Blob is a classic.  Sure, it looks cheap and the acting is far from perfect but you can't deny how much fun it is.  The acting in this one is what I like to call drive-in gold.  The cast does a decent enough job but they do ham it up a lot.  Some of the scenes are extremely awkward to watch while others are unintentionally funny.  Personally, the acting is one of the many reasons I love this one so much.  The story for this one works on several many levels.  A giant red blob eating people and devouring buildings was easy to adapt using miniatures and a array of practical effects without breaking the bank.  The film does feel dry at times but the action is fairly consistent throughout.  The simple story works well with the film's low budget and the cheesy acting helps move it along.  Finally, those wanting blood and gore wont find it here. However, if you are a fan of mid-century visual effects and camera tricks then you are in the right place.  The miniatures, practical effects, and so forth may look cheesy but it works with everything else going on.  Overall, The Blob is one I recommend all horror and sci-fi fans should check out.  I know not many of you out there have not seen it but if you are on the fence about checking it out I highly suggest you do.  It's worth the time.  

Night of the Blood Beast

Director - Bernard L. Kowalski (Attack of the Giant Leeches)
Starring - John Baer (The Beverly Hillbillies), Angela Greene (Futureworld), and Ed Nelson (Police Academy 3: Back in Training)
Release Date - 1958
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "No girl was safe as long as this head-hunting thing roamed the land"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (15 Horror Movie Set Volume 3)

Rating (out of 5):

      When anyone thinks of classic monster and sci-fi movies they often think about the drive-in b-movies from the 50s and 60s.  Those times are now long since passed but the charm of those films still remain regardless if you are a fan of the bloodiest and goriest films Italy has to offer or the campy and cheesy films of America.  When you think of the films from that time you often think about Plan 9 from Outer Space, Attack of the Giant Leeches and so forth.  Until I grabbed this box set I had no idea that this one existed but I was pretty damn excited to see it with hopes that I had discovered a classic monster movie gem.

     The film follows John Corcoran, the first man to travel to space, as he prepares to head back to Earth.  However, things do not go according to plan and the spacecraft crashes killing John.  A response team head to the wreckage along with John's lover to recover the body.  The body shows no signs of trauma and they take it back to examine.  A doctor discovers that he is indeed dead but the body is not dying.  After sometime John awakens and the team discovers that an alien has snagged a ride to Earth and impregnated John with a lizard-like fetus.  As the team scrambles to kill the giant beast, John tries to talk them out of harming it and instead study the creature from another world.  Things turn bleak when the creature kills members of the team forcing the survivors to eradicate the beast.
     If anyone can call me anything it would have to be stubborn.  When I come across movies I have never seen before I often get excited.  Not because it is new, but because it is new to me.  I should have learned the lesson by now that if I have not heard about a film released in 1958 then it is probably a big load of shit on film.  That is what happened with this one.  I started watching it and quickly discovered it would be a chore to finish.  The acting is atrocious even by b-movie standards.  The acting also added to the difficulty of watching it.  The story is original but not very entertaining.  Who would really want to watch a movie about about a male astronaut carrying an alien's baby?  Dennis Quad could barely make a movie with that storyline entertaining so this one had no chance.  If I knew before hand that this was what the film was about then I would have avoided it regardless of how bad I wanted to complete this box set.  Finally, those looking for amazing special effects and an amazing monster might want to look somewhere else because you will not find it here.  The monster is completely absurd and laughable but not in a campy and cheesy way.  More artistic thought and know-how could have been applied to the monster's costume but if that happened it would not have been a Corman production.  Overall, this is a low budget flick that offers nothing entertaining but does succeed at killing time.  Ignore it like that rash you have...

       

 
 

I Bury the Living

Director - Albert Band (Ghoulies II, Dracula's Dog)
Starring - Richard Boone (The Hobbit: Animated Movie), Theodore Bikel (Star Trek: The Next Generation), and Peggy Mauer (Peter Pan)
Release Date - 1958
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The most spine-chilling cry that ever froze the blood" "Shocks that challenge the imagination" and "Out of a time-rotted tomb crawls an unspeakable horror"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (15 Horror Movies Volume 1)

Rating (out of 5):

     I assume that independent cinema in the 60s was very similar to independent cinema now.  So many films were produced that a lot of them slipped through the cracks.  What really pisses me off is that a good bit of the films that do get recognized is pure shit.  That brings me to this little film.  I'm determined to watch all the films in my public domain box sets that I have never seen before and after finishing Carnival of Souls I found it only fitting to finish up that same disc which contains this little gem and the James Earl Jones' film Blood Tide.  I had no idea this movie existed until I grabbed this box set and was surprised to see it was directed by the father of one of my favorite directors, Charles Band.

     Robert Kraft (Boone) is given responsibility of the local cemetery after the board members force the caretaker to retire.  The caretaker has the entire cemetery mapped out and uses pins to mark the graves.  He uses black pins to mark the graves that are occupied and white pins to mark the ones that have been purchased but the owners are still alive.  When newlyweds stop by the cemetery to purchase two plots Kraft mistakenly marks them with a black pin.  The couple soon die in a car crash.  After learning of his mistake, Kraft believes that the young couple died because he marked their graves as filled.  He switches another white pin with a black just to test his luck.  The owner of that plot turns up dead solidifying his outlandish accusation.  Kraft asks the board to let someone else take over but they refuse.  He informs them of the deaths and they fail to see the big picture.  The board forces Kraft to change their white pins to black to prove to Kraft once and for all that he does not hold sway over life and death.  However, their experiment fails horribly and everyone dies.  The caretaker arrives and tells him that he was the one responsible for all the deaths as revenge for the board forcing him to retire.  The police arrive to arrest the caretaker and find him dead.  If he was responsible for all those deaths then who is responsible for his?

     I honestly do not understand why so many shitty films can stand the test of time while others are left behind.  I absolutely loved this movie and because I have never heard anyone mention this before I can only assume it is because many do not know it exists.  Anyway, this movie has great acting and Richard Boone gives a superior performance.  The story is very well written and delivered which is something rare of the 50 and 60s drive-in circuit.  The film does not jump around and follows the story perfectly.  For the time period the movie is very original, however, so many movies have borrowed similar ideas making this one slightly predictable.  Finally, this film does lack in special effects, blood, and on screen deaths.  The film replaces these three with great scenery and even better atmosphere giving this film the perfect midnight movie vibe.  Overall, this is an amazing film that is sadly overlooked by the masses.  If you ever come across this one I highly recommend picking it up.