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Synopsis:
When his ex-wife (Diana Scarwid) drops off their daughter (Lulu Sylbert) and fails to return, an entomology professor (Paul Le Mat) visits Scarwid’s hometown of Centerville, Illinois, where he learns that aliens took over decades earlier. After being ridiculed by a government agent (Louise Fletcher) specializing in alien sightings, he enlists the help of a Z-grade reporter (Nancy Allen) and the distressed father (Michael Lerner) of an alien-abducted family in learning more.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aliens
• Journalists
• Louise Fletcher Films
• Nancy Allen Films
• “No One Believes Me!”
• Paul Le Mat Films
• Science Fiction
• Small Town America

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “follow up to Strange Behavior by director-producer Michael Laughlin and his co-writer, Bill Condon, is strange sci-fi.” He notes that the “first half of [the] film is really impressive, as [the] script is witty (i.e., alien Fiona Lewis pretends to be the Avon Lady):

… [the] direction is bizarre, [and] characters act uniquely.”

However, he posits that “the later scenes are sloppy and more conventional,” and “unfortunately, the final bit in the story virtually erases everything bad that happened earlier” (which is true, though I found this comforting rather than disappointing). Peary asserts that this movie has “a good premise, worth making into a film, but sadly, it doesn’t work.” I’ll agree that Strange Invaders doesn’t quite deliver on what it hopes to do (paying homage to 1950s alien invasion flicks), but I disagree that there are “too many disgusting shots of aliens ripping off their human skins”: they’re not too frequent, and actually really cool-looking.

I also appreciate the clever casting of Kenneth Tobey — star of The Thing (From Another World) (1951), The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953), and It Came From Beneath the Sea (1955) — as the lead alien in Centerville, who is either deadly serious or creepily smirking throughout many of his scenes.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Impressively gruesome special effects when the aliens reveal their true form
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a one-time look if you’re curious.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TV Guide Review
• Moria Review
• Spinning Image Review

Synopsis:
When Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) falls in love with a beautiful redhead (Mariette Hartley) working at an orphanage, he arranges a mass attack on her family — including her sister (Karen Erickson) — then hypnotizes her so she’ll forget what happened and come live with him. Meanwhile, a deaf caretaker (Yvonne Wilder) at the orphanage tries to convince a young boy (Philip Frame) to admit to what he saw happening, and a detective (Rudy De Luca) enlists help from his co-worker (Craig Nelson) in investigating the case. Will either Erickson’s fiance (David Lampson) or Hartley’s fiance (Roger Perry) be able to rescue their loved ones from a vampiric fate?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Horror Films
• Vampires

Review:
This sequel to the cult vampire flick Count Yorga (1971) offers more of the same: a handsome nobleman (Quarry) attempts to lure yet more beautiful women to his harem, this time falling authentically in love with a luminous woman (Hartley) who he hopes to turn into his lifetime mate. The framing device of a young orphan (Frame) chasing a ball through a cemetery and being influenced by dead women rising from their graves is effectively spooky but never really explained. (It’s strongly implied that he’s been brainwashed in order to help Yorga, but to what extent? Is he now a vampire, too?) Meanwhile, the incorporation of a deaf woman (Wilder) who can’t get anyone to believe her is a tired trope, and later scenes involving detectives De Luca and Nelson turn weirdly comedic. You can feel free to skip this one unless you’re curious or a fan of the original.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Some effectively creepy moments
  
  

Must See?
No; this one isn’t must-see.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review
• DVD Talk Review

Synopsis:
During a zombie apocalypse, a quartet of survivors — a helicopter pilot (David Emge) and his pregnant girlfriend (Gaylen Ross), as well as two SWAT team members (Ken Foree and Scott Reiniger) — hole up in a shopping mall.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• George Romero Films
• Horror Films
• Survival
• Trapped
• Zombies

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary argues that this “long-awaited sequel” to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) “has a message” but it’s “drowned in buckets of blood”. He posits that the “film fails on all levels, but what’s most infuriating is its extreme violence,” noting that while “Romero claimed that no one would be bothered by the graphic killings because everyone would understand that the film is a pop fantasy,” he “has characters being shot in the head… right at the beginning, before we are aware that Romero is working on a comical-fantasy level” — and thus “viewers eventually become numbed by the violence rather than taking it lightly as Romero intended.” Peary concedes that “opinion on the film is divided,” but asserts that he personally finds it “a dreadful, embarrassing picture by a director who should know better.”

I disagree completely with Peary on this film, which has become a cult classic in its own right. His description of Romero’s choice to set the film in a shopping mall — given that it represents “a gathering place, home-away-from-home, and self-contained community that, significantly, is minus only a church” — is, to be honest, over-thinking things. (Romero has said that his friend gave him a behind-the-scenes tour of the mall used in the movie and he simply thought it would be a good place to “hole up during an emergency.”) Meanwhile, the blood and violence throughout are so obviously fake (intentionally so) that it’s hard to get too upset about them. Instead, one simply roots for this motley group of protagonists as they face the truly freaky prospect of battling hundreds of undead creatures who move slowly but bite aggressively, causing near-certain transformation. All the leads do a fine job in their roles, and Tom Savini’s special effects are impressive given the budget and era. This one remains well worth a look.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Fine performances by the leads
  
  
  
  
• Impressive special effects
  
• Masterful editing

Must See?
Yes, as a cult favorite by a master director.

Categories

• Cult Movie
• Important Director

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• Moria Review
• re.View Video Review

Synopsis:
A Catholic priest (Richard Burton) sent to investigate the death of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) after his exorcism of the demon Pazuzu from young Regan (Linda Blair) finds teenage Regan being treated by a psychiatrist (Louise Fletcher) and cared for by her former nanny (Kitty Winn). Can Father Lamont (Burton) somehow connect Regan’s experiences with those of a possessed African boy (Joey Green) who has now grown into a scientist (James Earl Jones) fighting swarms of evil locusts?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Horror Films
• John Boorman Films
• Louise Fletcher Films
• Max von Sydow Films
• Ned Beatty Films
• Possession
• Priests and Ministers
• Richard Burton Films

Review:
This infamously awful sequel to William Friedkin’s blockbuster hit The Exorcist (1973) was directed by John Boorman, who brings an entirely different sensibility to the proceedings. As James Kendrick notes in his review for Q Network:

“Although Boorman should be commended for attempting originality in an arena that is usually marked by simple regurgitation of old ideas, in his zeal to impress, he created one of the most bloated, preposterous, and unintentionally silly films of the 1970s.”

The performances by esteemed actors Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, and James Earl Jones are passable at best:

… while Blair’s portrayal of adolescent Regan is laughably inadequate.

The actors aren’t helped by a screenplay that shifts away from the original film’s solid emphasis on Catholic guilt and demon possession towards a much more amorphous conceptualization of spirituality across various spheres and continents.

Meanwhile, the dialogue is uniformly awful; it’s challenging to pick out the most egregious stinkers, but here are just a few:

Regan: Come! Fly the teeth of the wind! Share my wings!

Young Autistic Girl: What’s the matter with you?
Regan: I was possessed by a demon. Oh, it’s okay — he’s gone!

Father Lamont: It was horrible, utterly horrible… and fascinating!

Dr. Tuskin [Fletcher]: It’s hard to live alone. Don’t you ever need a woman, Father?

With that said, this big-budget flick looks beautiful, and features some memorable imagery; it’s too bad the storyline fails it so badly.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Fine cinematography
  
• Some memorable imagery
  

Must See?
No; skip this one unless you’re curious. Listed as a Camp Classic in the back of Peary’ book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Q Network Review
• Moria Review
• Is It Watchable? Video Review

Synopsis:
After a fatal encounter with Count Dracula (Charles Macaulay), an African prince (William Marshall) is sealed in a coffin as the vampire “Blacula” and doesn’t emerge until centuries later, when two interior designers (Ted Harris and Rick Metzler) unintentionally bring him to L.A. Upon being freed from his coffin, Blacula begins a vampiric killing spree, then quickly finds his reincarnated wife (Vonetta McGee) and attempts to regain her love — but a police officer (Thalmus Rasulala) and his girlfriend (Denise Nicholas) are determined to find and capture Blacula before he’s caused too much mayhem.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• African Americans
• Elisha Cook, Jr. Films
• Horror Films
• Vampires

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “hip, fast-moving, erotic, clever, well acted” blaxploitation horror film “shouldn’t be dismissed so easily,” noting that “deep-voiced, tall, handsome, and intelligent William Marshall, a solid actor, is as sympathetic and aristocratic a vampire as there has been in movies.”

He points out that Blacula is a “vampire [who] can fall in love and can make love (how happy he is — you’ve never seen a vampire smile so broadly and sincerely — when McGee hugs him and asks him to spend the night).” Indeed, everything about this film works well — starting with the clever opening premise in which we learn that Marshall effectively gives up his life while attempting to end slavery, thus making it incredibly easy to sympathize with him from then on. We don’t blame McGee in the slightest for falling for Marshall, and their romance is surprisingly touching.

Action scenes and make-up are handled well, with some effectively spooky moments — including all the vampires Blacula has already managed to infect descending upon their new prey:

… and a former taxi-driver-turned-vampire (Ketty Lester) running after nebbishy Elisha Cook, Jr. (who doesn’t stand a chance).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• William Marshall as Blacula
  
• Fine supporting performances
  
  
  
• Atmospheric sets, cinematography, and make-up
  
  
  
• Creative opening credits
  
• An awesome funky score

Must See?
Yes, as an enjoyable cult classic.

Categories

• Cult Movie
• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TV Guide Review
• Spinning Image Review
• Lucid Nightmare Video Review

Synopsis:
A newlywed (Lynne Frederick) who believes an ex-con (Jack Watson) appearing in a traumatic childhood memory is stalking her receives support and advice from various people — including her husband (John Leyton), her friend (Stephanie Beacham), her housekeeper (Queenie Watts), and a psychiatrist (John Fraser).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Horror Films
• Newlyweds
• “No One Believes Me!”
• Serial Killers

Review:
This poorly titled slasher flick — surely attempting to bank on Psycho (1960) — gets its facts wrong from the opening lines, when an unseen narrator falsely informs us:

Schizophrenia: a mental disorder, sometimes known as multiple or split personality, characterized by loss of touch with environment, an alternation between violent and contrasting behavior patterns.

From there, we’re introduced to a sweet-looking young woman (Frederick) — purportedly a former ice skating champion (though this thread is never followed up on in any way) — who fears for her life when a recently released ex-con (Watson) seems hell-bent on seeking her out and destroying her newfound happiness.

What role, exactly, did Watson play in the traumatic childhood memories Frederick keeps flashing back on intermittently?

Is Frederick’s husband (Leyton) a good guy or scum, given his willingness to postpone their honeymoon by two weeks, and his overly affectionate attitude towards her bubbly friend Beth (Beacham)?

What will happen when Frederick’s housekeeper (Watts) invites her to a seance where her bespectacled daughter (Trisha Mortimer) serves as a medium?

Frederick is a sympathetic protagonist, and I’ll admit to being kept in surprise about the identity of the killer, but the storyline ultimately doesn’t cohere very well. Slasher flick fans may want to check this one out — but it’s not must-see viewing.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Lynne Frederick as Samantha
  

Must See?
No; you can skip this one. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• Moria Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A twenty million year old “missing link” primate known as the Schlockthropus (John Landis) goes on a killing spree and explores a town, leaving a trail of banana peels behind him. Will his new relationship with a beautiful blind girl (Eliza Garrett) put a stop to his murderous ways?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• John Landis Films
• Primates
• Satires and Spoofs
• Serial Killers

Review:
In a fun snippet for Trailers From Hell, writer-director-star John Landis says that he and 20-year-old makeup artist Rick Baker “made this movie in twelve days for $60,000. It’s bad — and appropriately named!” In another interview clip, he acknowledges that this low-budget satire of low-budget monster flicks is based on films like Trog (1970) — “because that was so stupid!” — and says once again, with some embarrassment, “Schlock’s a terrible movie, but there’s some funny things in it, and it’s charming.” He goes on to talk about what a formative learning experience it was for him on numerous levels, which makes sense (he was only 21 at the time). On its own, however, Schlock doesn’t stand up as anything other than a well-intentioned but utterly silly spoof, and isn’t must-see viewing for modern film fanatics. (Landis himself admits to not having seen it in decades.)

Fun fact: I grew up across the street from the woman (Eliza Garrett) who plays Mindy the blind girl (though she was ten years older and a mom by this point; my younger sister played occasionally with her son Keaton).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Rick Baker’s make-up
  

Must See?
No, unless you’re a Landis fan. Listed as a Sleeper, a Cult Movie, and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TV Guide Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Moria Review

Synopsis:
A detective (Albert Finney) and a terrorism expert (Diane Venora) investigate a mysterious rash of killings across New York City, which may or may not involve Native Americans and/or wolves.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Albert Finney Films
• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Horror Films
• Killer Animals
• Murder Mystery

Review:
Director Michael Wadleigh had a most unusual Hollywood career, helming just two wildly different films: the documentary Woodstock (1970) and this ultra-atmospheric horror film, often associated with two werewolf-themed movies from the same year — An American Werewolf in London (1981) and The Howling (1981) — but not itself a werewolf movie. Instead, it’s a murder mystery detective flick based on the debut novel by Whitley Strieber, featuring a subplot about a Native American (Edward James Olmos) who engages in non-supernatural “shape-shifting”. While many elements of the film are nicely handled — including solarized cinematography throughout to show the perspective of the predator(s) — it eventually becomes repetitive and builds to a less-than-satisfying conclusion. James Horner’s score is a stand-out, though.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Highly atmospheric sets and cinematography
  
  
• James Horner’s score

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a one time look if you’re interested.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review
• Spinning Image Review

Synopsis:
After a trip to Hungary, a political aide (Dean Stockwell) to the U.S. president (Biff McGuire) is turned into a werewolf and starts committing vicious murders when the moon is full. Can he convince those around him — including his former girlfriend (Jane House), daughter of the president — to keep him locked up, for everyone’s sake?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Dean Stockwell Films
• Horror Films
• “No One Believes Me!”
• Political Corruption
• Werewolves

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “odd blend of horror and political satire” — “concocted during [the] Watergate hysteria” — gives Dean Stockwell “another peculiar role” in “his weird career by playing the title character.” He notes that while “the film is technically erratic”, there “are a couple of inspired bits”, including “the werewolf trapping someone in a fallen telephone booth”, which is “reminiscent of Marilyn Burns sitting inside an immobile locked car while a ghoul tries to shake it open in Night of the Living Dead and Tippi Hedren being trapped in a phone booth in The Birds.” It’s too bad a would-be subplot about Stockwell wandering into a secret government lab run by a concerned midget doctor (Michael Dunn) is dropped completely, since this could have added some interest to the film’s narrative:

Instead, we must rely entirely on our sympathy for poor Stockwell, who clearly knows he’s a danger to those around him but can’t manage to convince Washington to take him seriously.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Dean Stockwell as Jack Whittier
  
• Some effectively filmed low-budget sequences
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for one-time viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TV Guide Review
• Four Word Film Review