Screaming Stoner Video, Rare and Independent Movie Reviews #03

When I first saw The Redeemer: Son of Satan (1976) it was actually titled "Class Reunion Massacre" (video-only title) and I had rented it from my local video store. So when I came across this gem I had to purchase it for myself. This is a great movie for those of you who enjoy the "divine enforcer" concept. A local preacher calls on "The Redeemer" to help him rid the world of various sinners at their class reunion and the outcome is a great, surrealistic movie that is a fantastic find for those lucky to score a copy. I must confess, at times it may seem dated due to the styles of clothing the victims wear but it doesn't take away from the whole "feel" of the movie. This particular version of the film runs 80 minutes and is the unrated version. Directed by Constantine S. Gochis and his only known film. (

½)

Available only in Germany on PAL VHS as of January 2004

The Redeemer: Son of Satan (1976) PAL VHS

If you like gothic vampire movies, then Full Moon Entertainment's Vampire Journals (1997) is for you. This 92 minutes gem is actually for sale at video stores (many Full Moon Videos are not available) because they now distribute for themselves! This is another chapter of the Subspecies series and is directed by the same director, Ted Nicolaou. The story continues when Ash, an understudy of Radu, becomes more powerful and vicious as his master and the vampire-hunter must destroy him. The special effects are much more advanced in this chapter and you can actually see the vampire's "shadow morph" travel. This, like the other parts, was filmed in Romania and has a very ancient "feel" to it. The story is great, as is the filming. What else could we expect from our favorite company but another "must-have?" As always, a Video Zone is included. (

½)

Available @ Full Moon Direct on DVD as of January 2004

Keeping on the same path, we delved into another of Full Moon's tantalizing pictures. This time we checked out their latest achievement, Shrieker (1997). This 80-minute feature bears one similarity to Scream in that you are never quite sure who is responsible for calling up the arcane demon The Shrieker. And that is the basic storyline. Some idiot thinks they can obtain unworldly power by sacrificing 5 of his friends to the eerie, screeching hellspawn. The plot is filled with some interesting occult situations and has enough sexy hunnies to keep your eyes well occupied. The ending is somewhat refreshing but you will have to watch in order to see what we are talking about. In addition, although we enjoyed it, it is far from being our favorite Full Moon video, that would be a very hard thing to accomplish. Well directed by Victoria Sloan and boasting the ever-popular video zone, make sure you add this jewel to your video collection. Edited by J.R. Bookwalter and available on DVD as of 2004. Get this! (

½)

Shrieker (1997) VHS

An American Werewolf in Paris (1997) VHS

For this review we did something highly unusual. We actually watched a film that was put out in the late 90's. We entered into this viewing with a large amount of skepticism expecting it to be an overbudgeted fiasco. Imagine our surprise when An American Werewolf in Paris (1997) actually turned out to be pretty damn good. This 98-minute adventure starred Julie Delpy as a werewolf torutred by her own exsistence who inadvertently attracts the attention of Andy (Tom Everett Scott), an American tourist who just can't take NO for an answer. Poor Andy joins the world of the hairy and ferocious when he is bitten during an encounter with a werewolf. The story is surprisingly humorous which is probably the saving grace of the film. We feel that if they tried to be serious it would have flopped, so bravo to Anthony Waller (who?) for steering the film in a direction that worked. Ok, so it IS NOT the phenomenon that Landis' Werewolf in London was, but entertaining nonetheless. (

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We have been in a quirky mood lately, watching films from the 90's and detouring a bit from our favorite genre. For example, Eye of the Storm (1992) is not particularly a horror film, but since it had a Psycho type of feel to it, we decided it was close enough for our review page. It stars Craig Sheffer as Ray who unfortunately witnesses his parents being murdered during a robbery of their desolate, desert motel . Later in life he and his younger, blind brother maintain the hotel, from which guests seem to mysteriously disappear. Also starring the sexy Lara Flynn Boyle (who looks MUCH better as a brunette) and the insane Dennis Hopper, this movie is packed with a twisted plot and demented characters. Although not exactly a masterpiece, this 98-minute film is worth a glance. (½)

Alright little kiddies, sit down and head back to the classics with us as we tell you a little story entitled The Pit and the Pendulum (1961). This is the version that is strictly based on Edgar Allen Poe's story of adultery, torture and madness. What more could you want in a movie? This 80-minute version was directed by Roger Corman and stars Vincent Price as Nicholas Medina who's legacy in life is closely tied to the Spanish Inquisition. This mobid little tale is wrapped around the death of Medina's wife and keeps you in happy suspense until the very end (that is if you haven't previously read Poe's masterpiece). Superbly written and directed, this film proves that you don't always need copious amounts of gore or T &A in order to put out a fascinating horror show. Recommended for those winter afternoons spent lounging under the covers. (

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What a surprise! When going to our mailbox on Christmas Eve we found two videos sent by independent film-maker Jeff Vilencia. The first video was titled Getting High (1995) and it is a surrealistic journey (or dedication) into the joys of smoking pot. This 16mm film short is both entertaining and funny. Freddy the Talking Bong is a classic! The second film, Shopping for 78's (1994) and was equally as great. Witness President Clinton smoke some bud and deny inhaling! This journey centers around a mans' hunt for classic 78 RPM records and his final puff of smoke! Both of these killer films are destined to become classics and are great watching when you and your buddies are sitting around rolling joints! (

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Army of Darkness: The Medieval Dead (1992) is actually the Japanese version of Army of Darkness (it has subtitles along the bottom of the screen), the director's cut and the alternate ending all in one. This rare gem is a must-have for any fan of director Sam Raimi (Darkman) or actor Bruce Campbell. You know the story; this is actually part #3 of the Evil Dead series and is the most big-budget of them all (and maybe the funniest)! The alternate ending is very interesting because it actually left the story open for another sequel (never released) and also made the film run at 86 minutes because they removed (or hadn't filmed) the "S Mart" battle between Bruce and the "she bitch." The quality of this flick is excellent and the clamshell box and art is beautiful! You need this baby, just try to find it! Not available in the United States. (

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Army of Darkness: The Medieval Dead (1992) VHS

Stepping outside of our regular genre we sat down to watch The Odyssey (1997) from Hallmark Home Entertainment. Surprisingly, we were pleased to see that this film was produced by Francis Ford Coppola and it is very good work. This 165 minute film centers around Odysseus and tells the story of Homer's Odyssey. The special effects and monsters were created by Jim Henson's Creature Workshop and are of a high caliber. This VHS video originally ran as a mini-series on television even though it is rated PG-13 for violence and sexual themes. The cast stars such greats as Armand Assante, Greta Scacchi, Isabella Rossellini, Vanessa Williams and tons of other cameos and guest spots. Summing up, don't be put off by the fact that this movie was made for television. If you liked Clash of the Titans, you'll love this! (

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Considering all the hype that surrounded I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), we decided to give it a chance. Written by the same guy who did Scream, it was hailed as a "pure fright machine." But we have another description for it, "CRAP!" This 101-minute bore told the story of a group of teenagers who "inadvertently" murder some guy while celebrating on the 4th of July. Jennifer Love Hewitt delivers an overacted performance that leads us to believe she would have a better career as a porn star. The plot is similar to Scream in that you spend half the movie trying to identify the killer. But just like Scream, in the end you realize that there was no way to determine who the murderer was since the plot takes a twist into utter stupidity. So there were some good gore scenes, but overall this film was an over budgeted mess! (

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I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) VHS

You remember The Blob (1958), it's the movie that you mom and dad told you scared them so much at the drive-in theatre. This is the film that starred the then-unknown "Stevie McQueen" in his first starring role. This is also the film where they do battle against a swelling chunk of cherry Jello and try to prevent it from taking over the small town. Well, it still is very enjoyable. From cardboard cutout movie scenes to little boys in pajamas shooting capguns at the girth, The Blob still rocks and it's worth a spot in your horror collection. This 86 minute classic also had Burt Bacharach doing the funky opening song that you'll find yourself humming days after you've rewound the tape. Our recommendation is simple; if you didn't get a chance to see this film years ago (or when it was new) grab some Jello and settle down with The Blob. (

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Stalked (1994) is the kind of movie you neither hate nor love. It has a witty appeal that forces you to continue watching, but a feeling of "yeah, right!" We must confess, Daryl the stalker had his gig down and sure knows how to ruin a girl's life (that's the good part), but Brooke the stalked (played by Maryam D' Abo) needs to find another career. We're not saying that she's a bad actress, she just has a bad screen presence. Her son we cannot blame because his lame routine of throwing a ball at Daryl can only be blamed on the script-writers (or whomever wrote this nugget). We can't find any notation of this flick in any of the film guides or on the internet so it tends to make us believe it was either a mistake that the film company is trying to rectify (Republic Pictures) or it's a rare gem. All in all, this 95 minute film is worth watching once. (

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We actually found the widescreen version of Fallen (1998) and hoping for a decent horror offering from the 90's we bought the tape and ran home to watch it. This movie stars Denzel Washington and John Goodman trying to stop a serial killer (who may be a fallen angel) from continuing his reign of terror. Very interesting. We do have a few complaints though. Firstly, why do most current films run too long? This film ran at a painful 125 minutes and could have been done in 80. Secondly, who writes this cheese? Granted, Fallen had a few clever moments but overall had no gore, no suspense and a boring storyline. Lastly, why does Denzel come off on screen as being a self-serving asshole? Who knows. Either way, this movie is good to watch but you'll find yourself wishing for the days of Jason or Freddy and real horror movies. Good ending however! (

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