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.  

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.  

Eva Man

Director - Antonio D'Agostino (The Ceremony of the Senses, Fashion Movie)

Starring - Eva Robins (Tenebrae, Hercules), Ajita Wilson (Macumba Sexual, Hotel Paradise), and Ramon Centenero (Chocolate, Confessions of a Congressman)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Action/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm no stranger to sexploitation especially the sexploitation and erotica from Italy.  While I've only been reviewing these type of films for about a decade, there is still plenty of them that I've never seen.  A few weeks back I was sent over the Eva Man double feature from my friends over at Mondo Macabro.  Eva Man is an erotic action comedy from 1980 Italy starring trailblazer Eva Robin's (that is how it's really spelled).   I had never seen this one before and couldn't wait to see what kind of batshit crazy fun I was about to get into.  I want to take a moment to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for me to check out.  

     The film follows Eva (Robin's) who is a hermaphrodite with a scientific device planted inside her to make her more potent sexually.   Eva's sexual conquests eventually reaches the ears of an impotent crime boss who wishes to kidnap Eva so he cant obtain her magical genitalia for his own needs.  

     Eva Man and it's sequel were completely knew to me.  I recalled getting the press release for these films previously but didn't really remember a lot about them.  However, after I watched the film and started working on my review I quickly realized that these films, along with Eva Robin's and Ajita Wilson, were revolutionary especially for their time.  Boutique labels are important for many reasons especially in regards to preserving physical media but one of their biggest reasons in existing is to bring obscure films to the masses.  This is a huge release from Mondo Macabro and I'm glad they took it on.  The film is absolutely wild and a lot of fun especially for what it is.  The acting in this one is inconsistent with some high and lows.  Eva steals the show.  She is so charismatic in front of the camera.  Ajita is is great in front of the camera as well but some of the scenes doesn't have the same energy as the others.  The supporting cast is nowhere near as fun as these two and don't bring the charisma like these two ladies.  The scenes need one of these two to work which is a bit of a shame.  The story for this one is a sexploitation gold mine that still blows my mind.  I've lived in the U.S. my entire life and never traveled abroad but I have enough sense to know that the outside world is more open than most of those in America.  I can only assume the said can be said about the world during the late 1970s and early 80s or this film would have never found footing.  Here we are, 40 some years later, and many here in the states would never be open to check this one out now.  That's a bummer because this story is raw sexploitation that is a lot of fun.  While I would have loved a little more of Eva and Ajita outside of the sex scenes but I'm not stupid enough to forget what I was watching.  It's sexy, funny, and chaotic but all in a good way.  Like most sexploitation films, the sex scenes are not my main focus and usually throw the pacing of the film off for me.  The film is an even mix of sex scenes and story so fans of sexploitation cinema who really enjoy the sex will really love this one.  Finally, no real effects for genre fans to marvel at.  The film is all wild story and skin.  If you want blood, gore, or visual effects then you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Eva Man is not for those that are closed minded or not open to films that are a bit different.  I'm comfortable enough in my sexuality to enjoy this one.  From that aside, it's an important piece of queer cinema that really needs to be in any movie lover's collection.  Check out the release from Mondo Macabro now!

Harlequin

Director - Simon Wincer (The Phantom, The Lighthorsemen)

Starring - Robert Powell (Frankenstein, Jesus of Nazareth), David Hemmings (Deep Red, Faerie Tale Theatre), and Carmen Duncan (Turkey Shoot, Ash vs Evil Dead)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Fantasy/Horror

Tagline - "Are his powers more than magic?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm fairly new to ozploitation but I can, without a doubt, tell that these films are some of the most ambitious and entertaining films I have ever seen.  Where I'm new to these films I'm still being introduced to some of their most well-known films.  Most of these films are sent my way from Umbrella Entertainment as part of their Ozploitation Classics line.  Sometime back Umbrella sent over the 1980 fantasy horror ozploitation film Harlequin for review.  I was on the fence about the film but once I finally pulled the trigger on it I found myself loving it.  It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.  I want to thank Umbrella Entertainment for sending it over.  

     The film follows a political figure who is about to lose his young son to an illness that has stumped doctors.  A strange man, a faith healer of sorts, makes an appearance and cures the child.  Soon his family is enamored with the stranger but the political figure's fixer does not like him and tries to sabotage him.  Soon the political figure finds himself torn between the man that healed his child and a career in politics.  

      I noticed that a few of my friends on social media stated that they didn't care for this one but I absolutely fucking loved it.  The movie was a solid mix of dark fantasy, horror, and even a bit of political thriller.  I can see why some people wouldn't dig it but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  Robert Powell is absolutely amazing as the enigmatic faith healer.  His character made the film for me and I couldn't imagine the movie being as entertaining if someone else was cast in the role.  It's also great seeing David Hemmings in another genre film.  I've reviewed several films of his previously but they were not horror films.  Sure, I have seen him in several horror films but they were not movies sent my way for review.  He's such an amazing actor that really carries the scene.  When you pair him with Powell you get something truly entertaining. The supporting cast is solid but they don't touch a candle to these two in this film.  The story for this one is a political thriller with horror and fantasy elements.  The film has a false sense of who the real villain is that really works.  The twist at the end works and the movie makes you think it's predictable before pulling the rug out from under you.  There is a few slow scenes that will try your patience but the film as a whole is very well written.  Finally, the film has some blood and some very impressive gun shots but that's the extent of it all.  If you want a movie with a high body count and memorable practical effects then this one is not for you.  Overall, Harlequin was a pleasant surprise and one of the better ozploitation flicks I've seen so far.  I loved the story and the cast is amazing.  I highly recommend this release from Umbrella Entertainment.  

Schizoid

Director - David Paulsen (Savage Weekend, Dallas)

Starring - Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre, Venom), Donna Wilkes (Angel, Jaws 2), and Marianna Hill (Star Trek, The Outer Limits)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Dear Julia; Don't let me do it again..."

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's not often that I get in movies to review from companies like Arrow Video, Vinegar Syndrome, and other boutique labels that I had previously seen before.  When it does it for movies that countless other genre fans have seen and are mostly classic among the genres.  However, this time its a little different.  When Vinegar Syndrome announced the release of Schizoid and X-Ray on UHD I was excited and a little confused.  Both films, if I'm not mistaken, received blu releases from Scream Factory several years ago.  Not a lot of genre fans have seen these films and the Scream Factory releases were not the most popular releases.  In fact, the release came and went with very little acknowledgment.  I surprisingly snagged a copy during this time and watched it.  I enjoyed both for the most part and wondered why so many slept on the release.  I was looking forward to upgrading my copy with Vin Syn's release but I was also curious why they would put it out on UHD knowing that the blu didn't do too well.  Anyway, I snagged a copy and after my Billy Blanks marathon I decided to revisit Schizoid and this time on UHD.

     The film follows a woman who writes for an advice column in a local paper.  She is currently going through a divorce and when other women in her therapy group goes missing only to turn up dead she uses her influence in the paper to try and draw the killer out.  However, she soon learns who the real killer is and they are closer to her than she expected.

     Schizoid is not a slasher that fits into one of the many sub-genres.  When you toss in a slasher you expect to find a masked maniac stalking teenagers in the woods or a mentally unstable man or woman killing teenagers or college students on campus.  Instead, Schizoid plays out almost like a made for television murder mystery with some slasher elements but lacking the tone and atmosphere that makes them so much fun.  Don't get me wrong.  Schizoid was a fun horror film but it's not what you expect when you hit play.  The acting in this one is nothing special but its not bad.  I liked seeing Christopher Lloyd in one of the film's many red herring roles.  The same can be said for Klaus Kinski.  The remainder of the cast is decent as well but almost all the performances are easily forgettable and blend into the background.  The film doesn't have any stand out performances or characters that you actually enjoy.  The story for this one tries too hard with the red herrings thrown at the viewer making them try to predict who the real killer is.  It's not predictable like so many other slashers but these characters, like Lloyd's and Kinski's, were false flags that are obvious and took away from the actual story.  I liked that you never truly know who the killer is and the reveal is worth the wait.  Finally, the deaths are a huge disappointment.  I love a slasher with deaths that fit the theme of the film.  Schizoid doesn't really have a theme perse but the deaths could have been a little more imaginative.  The effects are limited when we do get to see the deaths but for the most part they are off screen.  Overall, Schizoid has it's flaws but I enjoy it.  The Vin Syn UHD release looks absolutely fantastic.  Collectors really need to snag this one while they can!

Alligator

Director - Lewis Teague (The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Time Trax)

Starring - Robert Forster (Walking the Edge, Vigilante), Robin Riker (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stepmonster), and Michael V. Gazzo (Last Action Hero, The Godfather Part II)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "It lives 50 feet beneath the city.  It's 36 feet long.  It weighs 2,000 pounds.  ...and it's about to break out!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Jaws was not the first "when nature attacks" horror film but it's popularity did "inspire" other films like it.  In the wake of Jaws we saw some aquatic horror before moving to land with films like Orca, Piranha, Claws, Grizzly, along with the dozens blatant Jaws rip-offs.  When I was in high school I snagged a copy of Lewis Teague's Alligator on VHS when my local video store was going out of business.  The tape only cost me 50 cents but it wasn't worth that much.  The VCR decided to eat the tape during my first viewing after about 20 minutes into it.  I had always wanted to check out this Jaws inspired horror tale starring Robert Forster but the opportunity never presented itself again until Scream Factory was kind enough to send the UHD release my way for review.  Like always, I want to thank my friends over at Scream Factory for hooking me up.  

     The film follows a police detective who is investigating a string of murders tied to the city sewers when he discovers that an alligator is living there.  When his superior is reluctant to believe him he stumbles upon pictures of the beast.  Soon a city wide hunt is out for the gator as it works it's way through the city using the underground tunnels to satiate it's appetite.  

     Alligator is often compared to Jaws and referred to by a lot of genre fans as a rip-off but I don't see that at all.  Sure, inspired by maybe or heavily influenced but not a direct rip-off.  With that being said, I can see why so many genre fans call it a Jaws clone.  Honestly, I greatly enjoyed it and would love to revisit it sometime soon.   The acting in this one isn't the best but I'm rather surprised by how lazy it feels especially considering the film's budget.  Robert Forster was the high point of the film.  He has never let me down before now and still hasn't.  His character was great but a little cliched.  The supporting cast wasn't as entertaining and there was times where it felt like they were just trudging through the scene to get that paycheck.  The story for this one is great but not as original as it could have been.  Forget that you've seen Jaws and imagine a horror movie set in the city where animals are killing people in the sewer.  By 1980 it had been done several times but I find it difficult not to compare it to the 1971 classic Willard instead of Jaws.  I liked the angle where the testing facility was using dogs to test a growth hormone on before tossing them into the sewer where the alligator was eating the corpses and growing to gigantic proportions.  It's a great set up for an "when nature attacks" horror film following a creature from the sewer.  The film flows well but my biggest complaint is how dark the sewer scenes look.  It's extremely difficult to follow what is going on during these scenes.  Finally, the film has several death scenes that fit with the film with solid enough practical effects but they are not as gruesome as you would expect from a film featuring a 30 foot long alligator.  The effects are solid and the film uses miniatures and perspective shots to give the alligator it's enormous size.  Overall, Alligator is a fantastic film that I feel doesn't get the credit it deserves.  It's a great early 80s nature horror film with a little sci-fi flair that makes it stand out ever so slightly.  Genre fans really need to snag this release from Scream Factory.  It's a must see.   

Navajeros

Director - Eloy de la Iglesia (El Pico, The Cannibal Man)

Starring - Jose Luis Manzano (El Pico, El Pico 2), Isela Vega (Conan the Adventurer, The Bloody Monks), and Veronica Castro (Tell Me When, The House of Flowers)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Crime/Thriller/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I didn't know what was awaiting me when Severin sent the Eloy de la Iglesia Quinqui Collection but from the moment I tossed in El Pico I was hooked.  El Pico and it's sequel are two of the most riveting and compelling films I have ever seen.  I can't imagine finding two films that hook me like these two films.  However, my quinqui experience was not over yet.  I still had the 1980 film Navajeros left to dig into to.  

     The film follows El Jaro (Manzano) who is the leader of a group of deliquents that steal, assault, and do drugs.  El Jaro's mother left several years prior and his life has been a fight ever since.  He meets the older prostitute Mercedes who tries to help him but he soon falls in love with the beautiful but drug addicted Toni whose introduction spirals El Jaro's life out of control.

     Navajeros is a fantastic film but it's not on the same level as El Pico and it's sequel.  This is one of Iglesia's first film in Quinqui and one of the first films to be credited in the sub-genre but you can see how much he has grown as a filmmaker focusing on the young in Madrid between this film and his 1983 classic El Pico.  The acting in this one is just as great as any of the other films of Iglesia.  He is a fantastic director and you can tell he works very closely with his cast in order to achieve the performances he is looking for.  Manzano, may he find peace, is fantastic once again as a young man looking to make his mark on the world while struggling with living in horrible conditions among the civil unrest in Madrid.  The supporting cast is just as dedicated but the character of El Jaro is the one that stands out and carries the film for me.  The story for this one is a deep look into the underprivileged life of the younger generations in Madrid in the late 70s and early 80s but it doesn't deliver that extremely emotional connection with the characters like El Pico but it's still a dramatic look at how another country was struggling then and how the youth was adapting to it.  Its wild at times but others is filled with heavy dialogue that seems to be going nowhere.  Finally, don't expect a bloody film but there is some violence and some nudity.  Overall, Navajeros is a wild ride that has heart but doesn't have the story that pulls you in like some of the other quinqui.  It's fun but the weaker of the three films in the set.  

Nightmares

Director - John D. Lamond (Felicity, True Files)

Starring - Jenny Neumann (V, Hell Night), Gary Sweet (Hungry Ghosts, Dust Storm), and Nina Landis (Komodo, Neighbours)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Many motion pictures promise you terror but this one is truly frightening!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I've met several reviewers over the years that took on the rather ambitious task of reviewing every slasher to come out of the 80s.  I've subscribed to several YouTube channels that attempted the task along with a few blogs that tried.  Many of them tapped out after several years but it was fun reading and watching their thoughts on these films I had never seen or heard of before.  I've been fortunate enough to review some of those slasher since then after they received a mass release from companies like Shout Factory, Vinegar Syndrome, Umbrella Entertain, and so on.  A few weeks ago Umbrella Entertainment announced the blu release of Nightmares aka Stage Fright.  I had never seen this one before but I was familiar with it after seeing a few YouTube reviewers talking about it.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to ship a copy my way for review.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a little girl who is inadvertently responsible for the death of her mother when she was young.  Now, she has changed her name and is an aspiring stage actress.  Mentally, she has moments where she breaks down and to make matters worse someone is going around and killing members of the cast.  

     I'm not going to lie, I was extremely excited to check this one out.  I absolutely fucking love slashers and it's a rush when I get one in I had never seen before to review.  Sadly, not all slashers were created equally.  Nightmares was one that I just couldn't get into.  It had a few moments that I enjoyed but just couldn't deliver on the style and characters that make so many slashers enjoyable.  The acting in this one was a little underwhelming.  The characters lacked personalities and a lot of time they would blend into the background.  I'm used to slashers having at least one or two characters that the viewer could attach to.  However, here we get extremely cliched and one dimensional.  The cast doesn't try to do do anything memorable and several scenes were lazily done.  The story for this one has that slasher like story but somewhere along the way the cast and crew lost track of what they were doing resulting in a heavy film that doesn't do anything to stand out from the other slashers of the decade.  It looks like a rushed production that was intended to cash in of the slasher craze of the early 80s.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and some boobs.  The death scenes have a lot of blood, and at times a lot of skin, but don't expect great practical effects and memorable kills.  Overall, Nightmares just didn't do it for me.  I was really looking forward to it but it was a film that offered up very little for the viewer aside from some skin.  Slasher fans may want to check it out but this is one I can't recommend.  

The Children

Director - Max Kalmanowicz (Dreams Come True)

Starring - Martin Shakar (Invasion U.S.A., Blood Bath), Gil Rogers (Luther the Geek, Another World), and Gale Garnett (Mad Monster Party?, Friday the 13tgh: The Series)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Pray you never meet them"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've collected Troma films for almost as long as I've been collecting movies in general.  My first viewing of The Toxic Avenger in high school turned me into a lifelong fan.  I fucking love what Lloyd Kaufman has done to indie cinema and I'll be a fan of his until I die.  Many moons ago I got a copy of The Children on DVD from a used record store.  I watched it a time or two while drinking so I didn't remember a lot about it.  A year or so ago Vinegar Syndrome released the film on blu so I was quick to snag a copy for my collection but I never did get around to watching it.  Last month Troma released their own blu of the film so this was another must own for me.  I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send over a review copy for me.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a small town where a nuclear turns a bus load of children into murderous radiated creatures with black fingernails.  The town sheriff and a local father are on the hunt for the kids when they come across several bodies severely burned.  Their search for the missing children soon puts them face to face with the nuclear nightmares.

     I don't remember a lot about my initial viewing of The Children but after watching it sober I have to admit that I fucking loved it.  It's one hell of a movie and even though it has several glaring flaws it still finds a way to be fun.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to actually watch it again.  The acting in this one is uneven but not bad.  Martin Shakar and Gil Rogers deliver great performances.  They do a great job with their characters and make the film as entertaining as it is.  With that being said, a lot of the supporting cast members do deliver some flat performances.  Not all of them but a few.  The story for this one is a nuclear powered spin on the Romero classic Night of the Living Dead which was loosely inspired by the Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend.  We get a sheriff, a father, and his expecting bride in a home while children try to get in so they can hug them to death.  You read that right...hug them to death.  These kids were exposed to a leak from a nuclear plant and are now able to burn people by just a simple touch.  It sounds completely idiotic but it really was great fun especially for an early 80s film that still had great influence from late 70s style.  Finally, the film has several deaths scenes but they don't use the greatest practical effects.  Hell, the effects we get are pretty laughable at best.  They knew their limits and worked the no blood aspect into the story which ALMOST works.  This was my only issue with the film.  Overall, The Children is easily the most underrated title in the Troma catalogue.  The story is goofy but it's still very appealing.  I highly recommend snagging this release from Troma but if you have the Vin Syn release it's hard to justify the double dip.  Both are exceptional releases with slightly different special features.  

The Final Countdown

Director - Don Taylor (Damien: Omen II, Escape from the Planet of the Apes)

Starring - Kirk Douglas (Tales from the Crypt, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), Martin Sheen (Firestarter, The Dead Zone), and Katharine Ross (Donnie Darko, ABC's Afterschool Special)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - War/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Trapped outside the boundaries of time and space - 102 Aircraft... 6,000 men... all missing"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I first started collecting DVDs seriously I found myself drawn to Blue Underground.  They were the company that brought movies like Zombie, Two Evil Eyes, and Deathdream to my attention during my teenage years.  As I got older I've watched this company grow and release some of the best releases I've seen.  They were quick to jump over to blu while most companies were hesitant and now have made the plunge into UHD.  When they announced the UHD release of The Final Countdown I found myself torn.  I love Blue Underground and most of their releases are fantastic films.  However, The Final Countdown doesn't look like a movie I would enjoy.  Regardless, I love the company and let curiosity take over.  I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send a review copy of the release my way.  I'm glad they did because I absolutely loved this film.  Thank you MVD and BU for sending this one over!

     The film follows the crew of the USS Nimitz who find themselves traveling through a weird storm while performing drills at sea.  When the storm passes they find themselves isolated and unable to radio back to the mainland.  To make matters even more strange, they start receiving strange signals reminiscent of those from the early 40s.  Soon they realize that the storm had taken them back to the day before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor giving the crew the incredibly difficult choice of allowing history to run it's course or intervening and saving all those American lives.

     When I think of Blue Underground I usually think of movies like Maniac, Zombie, and Two Evil Eyes.  These fun, late night horror staples that many of us can watch over and over without getting tired of.  The Final Countdown does seem like an odd title for BU to release but I fucking loved it.  It was a first time watch and I can't stop thinking about it.  I've seen a lot of historical war films but I don't think I've seen one with a sci-fi spin like this one.  It was a very entertaining film that I would recommend to any movie fan.  The acting in this one is amazing.  This one features one hell of a cast.  We have the legendary Kirk Douglas as the aging captain of the vessel trying to get a grip on everything going on while Martin Sheen delivers one of his better performances.  The supporting cast is just as great and everyone brought something to the table.  The characters are all enjoyable and memorable creating a great movie experience.  They really don't write characters in movies like this anymore.  The story for this one is a military drama at it's base with a lot of character development with just a dash of sci-fi to mix it up.  I really enjoyed it and I loved how a movie with this many characters didn't fee like a mess.  The story has a steady progression that uses it's time wisely and doesn't drag.  The pacing is steady with no downtime.  This is the kind of story you can watch several times and never tire of it.  Finally, the film has a few deaths scenes that are all gun wounds.  The effects are basic but they work for the gag.  The film also uses dated visual effects that didn't age very well but they didn't look that bad.  Overall, The Final Countdown is one hell of a film and this release from BU is a must have for movie fans.  It may not be a horror film but it's still a phenomenal flick.  Hell, it was even produced by Troma's Lloyd Kaufman!  Be sure to snag this release from Blue Underground.  You will not regret it!

Toxic Zombies

Director - Charles McCrann

Starring - Charles McCrann, Beverly Shapiro (Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship, and Videotape), and Dennis Helfend (Silent Madness, Naughty Nurse)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "They thought they were just killing some weeds.  Instead, they grew a whole new kind of crop"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was getting into horror during my late elementary and middle school years I often found myself renting zombie movies from my locally owned video store Dewey's Video.  I snagged so many direct to video and indie horror releases through him for years and loved every minute of it.  I've always had a soft spot for zombie movies and I have Romero to blame for this.  When Massacre Video announced that they would be releasing the 1980 zombie flick Toxic Zombies I found myself very excited to check it out.  The film is notorious for being the founding father of the "redneck zombies" sub-genre of zombie films and was released under several different titles like Bloodeaters and Forest of Fear.  When I ordered my copy of Mahakaal I went ahead and snagged a copy of this to check out.  

     The film follows a group of marijuana farmers who are harvesting their crop when an experimental chemical is crop-dusted over their fields by a government agency with hopes of killing the crop.  Instead, those that ingested the chemical turn into mindless zombies hellbent on killing everyone they cross paths with in the woods.  

     Toxic Zombies is historical for several reasons.  The first is that the film's director and star Charles McCrann perished during the 9/11 Twin Tower's attack where he was working.  This is heartbreaking to read about as I putting my review together and I hope his family and friends were able to find peace after this.  The film was also notoriously part of the Video Nasties and banned in the UK in the 80s and was featured in the Video Nasties documentary from 2010.  If that wasn't enough the fact that it is credited for the redneck zombie sub-genre that spawned films like Troma's Redneck Zombies is pretty damn impressive.  The movie itself is far from perfect but I fucking loved it.  The acting in this one is not the worst I've seen but the cast's lack of experience was evident.  Like I said, the acting isn't that bad but there is a few scenes where the dialogue and "action" is extremely awkward to watch.  It doesn't really take away from the overall film but it does make the scene lose it's impact.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward and a solid premise for a zombie flick.  Having pot growers getting covered in an experimental chemical and killing people is pretty damn clever and painfully late 70s.  It does have a little I Drink Your Blood vibe with the "zombies" wielding machetes like the satanic hippies but with that being said it was still very well done.  It does slow down from time to time but it doesn't lag enough to make the viewer lose their attention.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood with minimal effects but if you want some gut munching gore you will be very disappointed.  The film is very low budget and it looks like the effects was the aspect of the film that suffered the most.  Overall, Toxic Zombies is going to be a turn off for some of you looking for a well polished horror title.  However, if you dig fun no budget horror then you will really appreciate this one.  The Massacre Video blu looks absolutely fantastic and I would recommend snagging this one regardless if you are a collector or a first time watch.  It's worth every cent.  

Thundarr the Barbarian

Director - Steve Gerber (Howard the Duck, Dungeons and Dragons)

Starring - Henry Corden (The Simpsons, Return to the Planet of the Apes), Robert Ridgely (Night Court, DuckTales), Nellie Bellflower (Police Woman, The Last Unicorn)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was growing up in the 90s I lived on Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps, Ren and Stimpy, Beavis and Butthead, and the tapes I would rent every weekend.  I was a movie junk then and I am now.  When I was in elementary school my uncle gave me a tape of Conan.  This started my obsession for the next few years of fantasy sword and sorcerery flicks.  I was then introduced to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe from my older brother.  The show was long gone by the time I was getting into television and movies but he was able to track down a few tapes for me.  Then one day I found a box of tapes at a yard sale and inside was a few tapes with shows recorded from television.  The box was extremely cheap and my dad bought them for me.  On one of the tapes was maybe 5 minutes of an episode of Thundarr the Barbarian.  This was all I ever saw of the show so when Warner announced the blu release of the complete show on blu I jumped on it.  Horror or not I wanted to see this one and I want to thank them for sending this one over!

     The film takes place on Earth in the year 3994 where the world has been ravaged by a passing meteor in 1994.  The world is a desolate wasteland with areas controlled by wizards.  We follow Thundarr, his friend Ookla, and Princess Ariel as they travel the wastelands fighting for good.

     Fantasy films of the 80s were really their own sub-genre.  Conan the Barbarian, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Beastmaster, and Thundarr the Barbarian along with many more were mindlessly fun.  They were packed with characters that looked like they were ripped from the indie wrestling circuit and tossed into a land of myth and legend.  Thundarr, much like He-Man, has that myth and magic feel mixed with a sci-fi element.  It was extremely fun and one that you will enjoy binge watching.  The voice acting fits the show very well but there was several occasions where the voice cast was a little underwhelming.  In fact, there was a few episodes where the cast was a little monotone which created a bit of an odd, yet unintentionally funny, episode.  The stories for each episode follows the same formula as a lot of the Hanna Barbara episodes for shows like Scooby-Doo and Josie and the Pussy Cats.  We follow the three as they encounter different foes that they must defeat to save the people, or person, of the region that are in danger.  It's a tried and true formula but it works here especially with the string of fun characters and different recognizable settings.  Finally, the animation is similar to the other cartoons of the late 70s and 80s.  The characters are all colorful but the background images are absolutely amazing.  I'm sure these served as inspiration for a lot of the pictures that would later become painted on the side of vans in the mid to late 80s.  Overall, Thundarr the Barbarian is a must see for fans of retro cartoons or fans of the fantasy genre in general.  I had an amazing time binging this show and the blu from Warner looks absolutely amazing.  The downside to this set is the lack of bonus features.  

Fade to Black

Director - Vernon Zimmerman (The Unholy Rollers, Deadhead Miles)

Starring - Dennis Christopher (It, Tales of the Unexpected), Tim Thomerson (Near Dark, Trancers), and Gwynne Gilford (Masters of the Universe, Satan's School for Girls)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror/Crime

Tagline - "Eric Binford lives for the movies... Sometimes he kills for them, too!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in college I was buying movies from several thrift stores and pawn shops from around town.  A lot of time I would find some pretty awesome big budget flicks that I refused to spend more than $5 on.  However, every once in a while I would find some no budget indie flicks and some awesome out of print ones.  One day I was doing my normal around town routine when I stopped by a little pawn shop to see what they had.  This same pawn shop is where I scored the workprint DVD of the indie horror flick Blood Junkie.  I assume a fan or collector was in the area and would pawn these off occasionally for some extra cash.  This particular trip was fruitful when I scored the OOP DVD of Fade to Black along with $1 copy of Black Dynamite.  I watched Fade to Black sometime later and I don't remember shit about it.  When Vinegar Syndrome announced a blu release I figured I would upgrade and revisit it.

     The film follows movie fanatic Eric Bindford (Christopher) who is often the butt of many jokes and bullied.  However, when he meets a filmmaker and he tells him his idea he believes his life is going to turn around and his love of movies is going to make him rich.  Soon he discovers that the filmmaker has taken his idea and made it his own.  This sends Eric over the edge and he starts snuffing out everyone that has wronged him while dressed as memorable movie characters.  

     Fade to Black is a solid movie that is well made and features one hell of a cast.  Sadly, in my opinion, it's one that is easy forgettable and one that I can't watch re-watch right away.  Don't take it the wrong way, it's a good movie but it's just not one that sticks with me like other horror movies. The acting in this one is extraordinary.  Dennis Christopher is no stranger to the genre.  In fact, my first encounter with Christopher was in the 1990 adaptation of It.  He's an amazing actor and watching him slip mentally into other iconic film characters was absolutely amazing.  He made the film what it was.  The supporting cast is great as well but they shine nowhere near as bright as Christopher.  The story for this one is not really a straight forward horror film.  In fact, it almost feels like a dramatic thriller.  It has a slight slasher vibe but plays out like a fun spirited murder mystery.  What makes this one stand out is how the main character is a movie buff with a soft spot for horror.  We can all appreciate seeing a character like him on screen that we can associate with.  Hell, we've all fantasized about getting revenge on someone in some of the ways we've seen in movies.  It's only natural.  It's a fun film but I cant see myself watching it any more than once a year maybe.  Finally, the deaths in the film are expected but not the focus of the film.  The movie is a character piece and the deaths work for the story but are nothing that stand out.  Fans love 80s horror because of their imaginative deaths but the cleverness in this one is focused on the story itself and not the story.  Overall, Fade to Black is a very entertaining film that a lot of movie goers are going to enjoy.  Sure, it's not something I'm going to obsess over like other horror releases but I do enjoy it.  This release from Vin Syn is exactly what collectors have been after for years so be sure to check it out.  

Carnal Highways

Director - C.H. Howard
Starring - Fernando Fortes (Come Under My Spell, Lusty Princess), John Seeman (The House of Strange Desires, Forbidden Desire), and Seka (Lesbian Bra Busters of the 1970s, Dracula Sucks)
Release Date - 1980
Genre - Erotic
Tagline - "Your road to total sexual satisfaction"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror is always my go to genre but sometimes I need something different.  No one will question my dedication to the genre but sometimes I need something to break it up or I will find myself becoming tired with it.  After watching a few no budget productions a supernatural cop flick I decided that it was time to have a sleazy double header.  I went with one of the more recent Peekarama Vinegar Syndrome releases.  The first one on the chopping block is the 1980 film Carnal Highways.  

     The film follows two men who purchase a semi in hopes of finding sexual adventures.

     You never toss in a sexploitation flick looking for an enlightening story and acting that tugs on your heart strings.  You toss these movies in for some nudity and a half ass story that is unintentionally funny but ties the nudity together.  When I was younger I found myself not caring for these films so much but as I get older I really like them for what they are.  Cheap, sleazy, and sometimes funny.  Carnal Highways is far from perfect but it was highly entertaining.  The acting in this one is what you would expect for a sexploitation flick from the early 80s.  The film's leads are funny and over enthusiastic when it comes to the possibility of getting laid.  I really liked the energy they brought to their character even when it wasn't a sex scene.  The supporting cast is clearly there just for the sex scenes but their performances was not that bad.  The story for this one is simple.  Two dudes thinks driving a truck gets you laid.  They go and buy a truck and soon find themselves swimming in it.  Silly but still works for a sexploitation flick.  Finally, no blood and gore for this one but there is plenty of beautiful women and lots and lots of skin.  Overall, Carnal Highways doesn't deliver an unforgettable sexploitation but it does deliver entertainment.  If you want something sleazy this one will not disappoint.  

Friday the 13th

Director - Sean S. Cunningham (The New Kids, Spring Break)

Starring - Betsy Palmer (Penny Dreadful, Friday the 13th: Part II), Adrienne King (Saturday Night Fever, Psychic Experiment), and Jeannine Taylor (The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Tagline -"They were warned...they are doomed...and on Friday the 13th, nothing will save them"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's weird to sit here and type a review for a film as iconic as Friday the 13th but here I am.  Like many horror fans, I grew up watching the Friday the 13th films.  My introduction into the slasher franchise was Jason Goes to Hell when my uncle gave my mother the movie on tape along with Conan the Destroyer.  When I was in middle school I would finish watching the rest of the films in the series with my grandmother and uncle.  I still have an appreciate for JGtH that most horror fans do not but, as I've said before, my taste in movies is very different than the normal horror fan.  A few weeks ago I was sent the 40th Anniversary Steelbook for the first Friday the 13th for review.  Honestly, I wasn't expecting it but I can never pass up another reason to watch the film that started it all.  

     The film follows an old camp that is being remodeled by a group of camp counselors for the upcoming summer camp.  The camp was once home to a long running summer camp but the counselor's neglect results in the death of a little boy.  Now years later someone is picking these would be camp counselors off one by one.  

     Friday the 13th is a huge part of horror history and a defining film of the slasher sub-genre.  Honestly, I would be more pressed to find someone who hasn't seen the film over someone who just doesn't like it.   Regardless, it's a huge part of horror history which is why I'm still shocked I was ask to review the 40th Anniversary Steelbook release.  The acting in Friday the 13th is what I often compare other slashers to.  I sincerely love the cast of characters that we get.  Sure, they are generic for a slasher but in 1980 there wasn't THAT many to compare to.  Not like the sudden wave to follow the summer after.  The cast hams it up at times but knows when to bring the right emotion for what the scene calls for.  The story for this one is what I consider to be a slasher in it's purest form.  The early days of slashers followed a simple formula.  We get a character that was wronged and then jump forward several years, or even decades, and then people die as a result.  I absolutely fucking love this type of story.  We get a hack and slasher film that feels like a whodunit type of flick.  The twist is now iconic but first time viewers will never see the reveal coming.  Sure, that does take the fun out of subsequent views but it is still a damn fine slasher to revisit.  Finally, the death scenes in this film are legendary.  A few do take place off camera leaving it up to the viewer's imagination but the ones we do get are memorable.  Effects were handled by the legendary Tom Savini so they insanely fun.  Overall, Friday the 13th is a damn near perfect but you are not here because you haven't seen the film but curious about the 40th Anniversary release.  The blu looks great.  In fact, it's leagues better than my DVD release of the film.  The steelbook is simple enough in design but nothing that stands out.  The black background with blood splatter is kind of cool but not cool enough to double dip.  

Beyond Evil

Director - Herb Freed (Dead Punkz, Graduation Day)
Starring - John Saxon (Black Christmas, A Nightmare on Elm St.), Lynda Day George (Mortuary, Pieces), and Michael Dante (Star Trek: The Original Series, Winterhawk)
Release Date - 1980
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Even screaming wont help"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     With the world on lock down I still have to work.  At first I wasn't too worried about Covid-19 but everyday is marked with a higher concern for my wellbeing and that of my family.  I have three little ones at home and I'm worried about a customer dragging the virus into the store and then I carry it home to my little ones.  I've turned to horror to take my mind off the entire situation which may be a good or bad thing depending on how you slice it.  I checked out a few indie productions before turning my sights on a few blu releases that I've been sitting on.  The first on the chopping block is the 1980 Troma flick Beyond Evil that was sent my way from Vinegar Syndrome.  I own the VHS and DVD release of this film but I never made the time to check it out.  Thanks Vin Syn for sending it my way!

     The film follows newlyweds as they move into an old mansion with a dark past.  As he continues his life as the head of a construction company building condos on an isolated island she finds herself being haunted by the spirit of a murdered sorceress that is using her body as a gateway to the mortal world.

     I mostly never made time for the film because other Troma fans had told me that it was a huge waste of time with Saxon being the only redeemable aspect of the entire film.  I love Troma but they do release some duds.  I was still optimistic with this one but at the end of the day I was very disappointed.  The blu is a stellar release from Vin Syn like always but all this work did go into a rather lackluster film.  The acting in this one is painfully one sided.  Saxon delivers an amazing performance but his acting is very inconsistent.  In some scenes he gives the role everything he has while others he hams it up big time.  The supporting cast is rather dull and boring.  They lack personalities and are painfully generic.  I just finished the film last night and I couldn't tell you about any of the others characters because they fade into the background.  The story for this one has an interested take on the possessed/haunted house sub-genres but fails to pull it together. The film lacks any dire tone or sense of urgency.  The dude's wife is possessed but we never get a sense of dread or impending doom from it at all.  We just watch the characters handle the situation in an almost nonchalant manner.  It almost feels like an episode of Dark Shadows over a horror film.  Finally, if you are looking for blood and gore  you will be very disappointed.  We do get some very dated visual effects that I actually love but that is it.  Overall, Beyond Evil was just a let down to be completely honest.  The slip and work put into the release from Vin Syn makes it a must for any collector but this is one release I doubt I will ever toss in again.  Sorry, but this is one I cannot recommend unless you need it to complete your Troma or Vin Syn collections.