‘She sucks the life from the bodies of men’

Night of the Cobra Woman is a 1972 American horror film co-produced by New World Pictures that was shot in the Philippines. It was directed by Andrew Meyer and stars Joy Bang and Marlene Clark.

Plot teaser:

After being bitten by a very unusual cobra, a beautiful nurse can turn herself into a snake and remain eternally young. However, to keep her youthful exterior, the cursed priestess requires a steady supply of venom — and lusty young men at her beck and call to steal their youth! But trouble occurs when she falls for the boyfriend of a beautiful snake expert, and he brings along a pet eagle. Can she make a choice between a mortal male and her cobra god Movini ?

Roger Corman expressed great disappointment in the final product and thought its main problem was the script badly lacked logic.

Buy Night of the Cobra Woman on DVD from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“It does have sex, nudity and enough bizarro qualities to make it an appealing ‘B’ level quickie, but it never feels assured of what it wants to be from one scene to the next. Just when it’s on the cusp of wrapping itself around its inherent trashiness, it slithers into other territory. If only there were more scenes as squirm-inducing as the ‘skin stripping’ sequence, we’d have something with a bit more fang for the buck. Cool Ass Cinema

“I can get behind this film to some degree, but it still suffers from terrible acting, choppy editing, and some general sloppiness. So, Night of the Cobra Woman is a bit of a mixed bag. Poorly executed to say the least, but somewhat creepy in a cheesy kind of way.” Forgotten Films

“I enjoyed this very much. Not because it’s great, but because I can’t believe whoever made this intended on producing a serious film. Complete terrible dialogue, bad acting, and the movie being all over the place when it comes to a plot, but with that being said, this can be a fun experience if you can tolerate it.” Icons of Fright

Wikipedia | IMDb | Related: Cult of the Cobra | Snakes on Horrorpedia

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‘Lock up your fathers’

Father’s Day is a 2011 American-Canadian action-horror comedy film directed by Adam Brooks, Jeremy Gillespie, Matthew Kennedy, Steven Kostanski, and Conor Sweeney, aka the Astron-6 collective (The Editor). Along with several of the directors it stars Amy Groenig and Mackenzie Murdock. Originally made as a short horror film, the feature length version had its world premiere on October 21, 2011 at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, where it received multiple awards.

Plot teaser:

Ahab, a man obsessed with exacting a brutal, violent revenge on the man who murdered his dad, joins John, an eager priest, and Twink, a hot-headed street hustler, on an epic quest to find and defeat this mythical monster known as Chris Fuchman AKA The Father’s Day Killer…

While passed uncut in the United Kingdom by the British Board of Film Classification, Father’s Day was banned in its uncut form and in a censored form in Australia by the Australian Classification Board before a second censored version was eventually passed with an R18+ rating.

Despite being produced and distributed by Troma Entertainment, it bears no relation to Mother’s Day or its 2010 remake.

 Buy Father’s Day on DVD from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

 Reviews:

“As crass as it is crazy, Father’s Day certainly isn’t a film for all tastes but it is one that shows some seriously impressive creativity and ambition. More than just a throwback to seventies drive-in pictures it’s a trip to the lunatic fringe and a ridiculously entertaining one at that.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

“Father’s Day is exquisitely grotesque creation that is occasionally too bonkers for its own good, however Astron-6 and Troma have still created a better grindhouse homage than Rodriguez or Tarantino ever could. It’s gleefully gory and sickening, whilst at the same time adept at taking the piss out of the genre it so clearly loves.” Digital Retribution

“Father’s Day will not be for everyone. Those who are easily grossed out or offended (hell, even those of hardened sensibilities will find themselves cringing) will most likely avoid it. For me though, this is one of the best exploitation tributes I’ve ever seen, and is a must for fans of Troma or warped comedy in general.” Talk of Horrors

Wikipedia | IMDb

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Empire of the Dead, also known as George Romero’s Empire of the Dead, is a limited series of comics by Marvel Comics, that began publication in 2014.

It is written by George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead; Day of the Dead; Land of the Dead), and features zombies similar to those in his ‘living dead’ series of films. One way the series departs from Romero’s films is that vampires are also part of the storyline.

The series was announced in October 2013, as a 15-issue mini-series, split between three 5-issue acts. Act One launched in January 2014, with art by Alex Maleev, and ended in June 2014. Act Two launches in September 2014 and features art by Dalibor Talajic.

Buy Empire of the Dead comics from Amazon.com

Wikipedia | Marvel Comics

Mourning Grave (Hangul: 소녀괴담; RR: Sonyeogoedam; literally. “Girl Ghost Story”) is a 2014 South Korean comedy horror film directed by Oh In-chun. It stars Kang Ha-neul and Kim So-eun. It was released domestically on July 3, 2014.

Plot teaser:

Though it is the place where his unwanted ability to see ghosts all began, teenager In-su returns to his hometown in order to face his demons. He had tried to stay away, but his ability, which led vengeful ghosts to seek him out, drew too much attention around him and forced him back to his childhood town. He goes to his uncle Seon-il for advice, who also inherited the same supernatural abilities from his great grandfather, but he is of no help. Beyond his ghostly visions, In-su’s life is also made hell at his new high school, where a gang of bullies cruelly pick on the weaker children. All that In-su has in his life is a mysterious ghost girl who lurks around him.

One day, the bullies at the school begin to be attacked one by one by a girl in a gruesome mask. In-su is able to sense the powerful presence of a ghost’s grudge and discovers a link to a girl who was bullied at school and took her own life as a result. Looking to come to terms with his supernatural affliction and to get to the bottom of the murder mystery, In-su dives into the case…

Reviews:

“Mourning Grave is a smooth ride from start to finish, boasting a smatter of good laughs though failing to offer any real scares. The bar is admittedly low but Oh delivers one of the most satisfying recent entries into the K-horror pantheon. However, he is also the latest filmmaker to shy away from doing something original with the genre, and his film exudes a sense of caution. Given the prowess he’s demonstrated in his short films, Oh appears to be holding back, careful to deliver something studio friendly on his first big outing. Mourning Grave may harbor modest ambitions but given the current state of K-horrors, it’s refreshing to see one that meets expectations.” Pierce Conran, Twitch

“With Mourning Grave, director Oh In-chun uses his experience of blending horror and humour (as seen in his 2012 short Metamorphoses) and extends it to also include romance and melodrama; thereby ensuring that this horror/comedy/romance fulfils the almost requisite Korean cinema merging of love, loss and laughter elements in a single narrative. Feeling utterly classic from the first frame to the last, Mourning Grave is frankly one of the best Korean horror films of the past few years.” Paul Quinn, Hangul Celluloid

“The film fulfils every criteria needed for a summer blockbuster in Asia with its, love story, Asian style ghosts and humor but it’s these exact traits where the film falters with its inability to break out of the mold making it some what predictable yet still a fun ride. Just enough laughs and jumps to keep you interested but lacks the chills to make it a real ‘spine tingler’.” Word from the R.O.K.

Wikipedia | IMDb | KMDb

‘Blood madness… out of the fog… into your heart!’

Valley of the Zombies is a 1946 American horror film directed by Philip Ford for Republic Pictures from a screenplay by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. It stars Robert Livingston, Lorna Gray (The Man They Could Not Hang), Ian Keith (The Phantom of Paris; Fog Island), Thomas E. Jackson, Charles Trowbridge (The Mummy’s Hand), Earle Hodgins, LeRoy Mason, William Haade, Wilton Graff, Charles Cane.

The film makes reference to a zombie cocktail drink.

Plot teaser:

A shadowy figure climbs up and across a roof top toward the office of Dr. Rufus Maynard (Charles Trowbridge). Inside, Maynard informs his partner, Dr. Terry Evans (Robert Livingston), and Terry’s girl friend, nurse Susan Drake (Lorna Gray), that blood has again been stolen from the laboratory. Once Terry and Susan leave, Maynard is abruptly confronted by the top-hatted figure. The threatening man identifies himself as Ormand Murks (Ian Keith) and reminds Maynard that five years previously, the doctor had placed him in a mental institute. Two years later, Murks was brought to Maynard for treatment, but he apparently died on the operating table of no apparent cause…

Reviews:

” …it’s a spooky house movie, and a vampire movie, and a voodoo movie, and a mad science movie, all in just under an hour! With all those elements crammed so tightly together, I can almost forgive Valley of the Zombiesfor its conspicuous lack of both valleys and zombies. It’s even sort of a murder mystery …The latter probably made Valley of the Zombies look distinctly retro even in 1946; in any case, its reliance on early-30’s styles of presentation is plainly apparent from the vantage point of the 21st century. Today, what’s most interesting about this movie is probably its sense of humor on one hand, and Ian Keith’s portrayal of Ormand Murks on the other.” 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting

” …this is yet another one of those post-war 40s efforts where noir was swallowing horror a bit. You can feel that genre’s influence more than any other, with Murks’s undead status being the only thing that even pushes it into horror territory. Hailing from Republic Pictures (basically a conglomerate of other Poverty Row studios), it’s no surprise that it feels like a quick attempt to cash in on the early zombie craze (which was already on its last legs at this point) and film noir.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

“Wearily predictable, the script seems to have exhausted its supply of wit in finding the name Ormand Murks for its mad undertaker.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

Choice dialogue:

“You’re more stubborn than my wife!”

“Dying is getting to be a habit round here.”

“You might need help. And I’m good at screaming.”

IMDb

‘Two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead.’

A Good Marriage (aka Stephen King’s A Good Marriage) is a 2014 American horror film directed by Peter Askin and adapted from Stephen King’s novella. It stars Joan Allen, Anthony LaPaglia, Stephen Lang, Kristen Connolly, and Theo Stockman.

In the US, Screen Media Films have announced an October 3, 2014 video-on-demand release, plus and limited theatrical release.

Plot teaser:

When her husband (Anthony LaPaglia) of more than twenty years is away on one of his business trips, Darcy Anderson (Joan Allen) looks for batteries in the garage. Instead she discovers the stranger inside her husband. It’s a horrifying discovery, rendered with bristling intensity, and it definitively ends a good marriage…

Stephen King on Horrorpedia: Bag of Bones | Carrie (1976 film) | Carrie (2013 film) | Cat’s Eye| Children of the Corn | Christine | Creepshow | Creepshow 2 | Cujo | The Dead Zone | Firestarter | It| The Mist | Needful Things | Pet Sematary (film) | Pet Sematary (song) | Salem’s Lot (TV mini series)| The Shining | Sleepwalkers | The Ten O’Clock People | You Can’t Kill Stephen King

The Forbidden Door (Indonesian: Pintu Terlarang) is a 2009 Indonesian horror film, directed by Joko Anwar, and starring Fachri Albar, Marsha Timothy, Ario Bayu and Otto Djauhari. It is based on the novel Pintu Terlarang, written by Sekar Ayu Asmara.

Plot teaser:

The life of a successful sculptor is turned upside down when he begins receiving mysterious messages from someone who asks for his help…

Reviews:

“The gore freak in me was pleased at the final part of the movie where family and friends are seated at dinner and our lead character exacts some much needed revenge. The whole scene is set to some Christmas music and it’s a funny balance of pretty gruesome violence and happy songs playing in the background. Overall a very enjoyable flick with plenty of really twisted ideas and shots in it.” The Film Reel

“It’s been a long time since a film has come along that’s been so playfully weird and yet so skillfully constructed. For fans of David Lynch and even Alejandro Jodorowsky (comparisons cannot help but be made) this is one for you, a twisted and gleefully bizarre tail. It’s a mystery full of unexpected turns that confound expectations and keep one glued to the screen for the full two-hour running time.” Quiet Earth

“The Forbidden Door is a movie that truly deserves multiple viewings to be better appreciated and understood. It is far from being perfect (some plot points drag a bit too long and the editing has a few problems as well) but I, for one, cant wait to see what’s next for Joko Anwar.” Daily Dose of Horror

 Wikipedia | IMDb

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‘Evil lives here.’

2 Bedroom 1 Bath is a 2014 American horror film written and directed by Stanley Yung. It stars Michelle Hicks, Andrew W. Walker, Eric Roberts (Raptor; Halloween Hell), Costas Mandylor, Dee Wallace (The Howling; Critters).

The film will receive a limited theatrical US release on September 5, 2014.

Plot teaser:

Rachel (Hicks) and Kevin Foster (Walker) have finally found the ideal apartment where they can build a future and raise their children. It’s a fresh start for their sometimes troubled marriage, but as they begin to settle into their new home, their plans are quickly interrupted. Strange occurrences in the apartment begin to invade Kevin’s dreams and challenge Rachel’s sanity. The hauntings are so terrorizing that Kevin is forced to delve into the history of their new home, and he uncovers a shocking past that threatens to destroy his and Rachel’s future…

IMDb | Official site | Facebook

“Royal Jelly” is a short story by Roald Dahl first published in the February 1983 issue of Twilight Zone Magazine. It was included in Dahl’s books Tales of the Unexpected, Kiss Kiss, and also published as a standalone volume in 2011

Although known by many as simply a famed author of childrens’ stories, Roald Dahl had long produced tales of varying lengths, the majority aimed very clearly at adults. His collection of short stories, Kiss Kiss, first published in 1960, saw the first appearance of “Royal Jelly”, two decades before it was to be recreated on-screen as one of the most chilling episodes of the long-running ITV series, Tales of the Unexpected. This collection is particularly notable for being one of Dahl’s most macabre collections, nearly all of the the stories going on to be adapted into other forms:

• “The Landlady” – later to be televised not only on Tales of the Unexpected but also Alfred Hitchcock Presents
• “William and Mary” – later screened on the oft-forgotten Way Out and also Tales of the Unexpected
• “The Way Up to Heaven” – featured as part of the TV series, Suspicion, produced by Alfred Hitchcock
• “Parson’s Pleasure” – dramatised as part of a BBC Radio 4 series, featuring Charles Dance
• “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat” – screened as part of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, directed by Hitchcock himself
• “Royal Jelly”
• “Georgy Porgy” – filmed for Tales of the Unexpected and starring Joan Collins
• “Genesis and Catastrophe: A True Story” – televised on Tales of the Unexpected and made into a short film by Jonathan Liebesman, before he inflicted The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Wrath of the Titans upon an unsuspecting public
• “Edward the Conqueror” – adapted for Tales of the Unexpected‘s first series
• “Pig” – sadly, this segmented tale has yet to be re-told – it is, in fairness, likely to upset many viewers
• “The Champion of the World” – later expanded to Danny, Champion of the World, his well-loved childrens’ tale

“Royal Jelly” is a story about the Taylor family: Albert, Mabel, and their newborn baby daughter. Mabel is frightened because the child won’t eat and has been losing weight since birth. Albert, a bee-keeper, devises a novel solution by adding royal jelly, used to make bee larvae grow, to the baby’s milk. The baby begins to drink ravenously, getting fatter. Albert admits to putting royal jelly in their daughter’s milk, and Mabel tells him to stop. However, despite his wife’s wishes, Albert continues to add royal jelly to his daughter’s milk, resulting in her growing larger. Finally, Albert admits that he himself ate royal jelly (something of an understatement, he’s utterly addicted)  in an effort to increase his fertility, which obviously worked as their daughter was conceived soon after. Mabel realises how much her husband resembles a gigantic bee, and their daughter looks like nothing but a big grub but with “yellowy-brown hairs” on her stomach. At the end of the story, Albert says, “Why don’t you cover her up, Mabel? We don’t want our little queen to catch a cold.”

Filmed for television as part of Tales of the Unexpected, the Royal Jelly episode opened the second series. Dramatised by Robin Chapman and directed by Herbert Wise (famed for his adaptation of the TV movie, The Woman in Black), it starred Timothy West (husband of the actress Prunella Scales and star of Fawlty Towers and many other TV shows himself) as the ‘inventive’ father and Britain’s biggest female genre star of the 1970’s, Susan George (Die Screaming Marianne, Straw Dogs, Fright) as his beleaguered wife. Both are terrific actors, even to the extent that the audience may not query how the gorgeous George has ended up with the significantly older, less attractive, West. Both budget and the actors’ skills negate the need for significant glimpses at the child, West’s ‘buzzing’, surely a goofy trait waiting to happen, is utterly chilling and somehow completely believable.Dahl, as is his wont, explains the story’s genesis in the episode’s prologue:

“Back in the winter of 1959, I saw in a shop window in New York a little white jar with a notice on it saying, ‘Royal Jelly, 2 ounces, $350′. I’d never heard of the stuff – the shop told me it had magical properties and it undoubtedly has…so I wrote a story about it.

Years later, Dick Van Dyke, who had read the story, sent me from France a box of small glass phials containing pure Royal Jelly. I drank them one by one but I’m not going to say what they did to me or I’ll ruin what you’re about to see now.”

Daz Lawrence, Horrorpedia

‘Be warned… be very very warned…’

Phoonk (translation: ‘Blow’) is a 2008 Indian Hindi horror film directed by Ram Gopal Varma (nicknamed RGV and also director of Raat; Kaun?; Bhoot) and produced by Praveen Nischol starring Sudeep (also in Phoonk 2).

A sequel, directed by Milind Gadagkar, was released in 2010.

Plot teaser:

Civil engineer and atheist Rajiv (Sudeep) lives in Mumbai with his family of wife Aarti (Amruta Khanvilkar) and two kids, Raksha (Ahsaas Channa) and Rohan (Shrey Bawa), with Rajiv’s mother and the housemaid Laxmi (Anu Ansari). Rajiv’s most trusted colleagues are Anshuman (Kenny Desai) and Madhu (Ashwini Kalsekar), whom everyone, including Rajiv’s friend Vinay and Raksha feel are not normal.

At a party at his house, when he comes to know that the husband and wife duo have cheated him on a valuable contract for an IT firm in Delhi, Rajiv fires both of them. Humiliated and angry, the two decide to take revenge.

A series of strange events soon take place in and around Rajiv’s house. Mandar (Bharat Kaul), who is appointed to take the place of Madhu and Anshuman is mysteriously killed at the construction site. Raksha starts to talk and behave weirdly. Doctors are called, but the strange behaviour continues, with Raksha flying in the air, talking in a manly voice, acting in pain. The superstitious and religious grandmother repeatedly says that someone is using black magic…

Reviews:

“Phoonk is easily amongst RGV’s finest works [although Bhoot was scarier] and it holds your attention all through. As a viewer, you’re keen to know how RGV would culminate this story. The culmination, of course, would meet with extreme reactions. Some would rubbish it, but the believers might endorse the finale. In my individualistic opinion, it’s outstanding!” Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama

“The second half of this film features most of what has come to be regarded as emblematic of every bad Varma film — character overload, unnecessary repetition of scenes and sequences, disjointed editing, jangling score, rehashed special effects and the most unsatisfying creative choice for the climax.” Elvis D’Silva, Reddiff.com

“The only good thing about the movie are performances by Kannada actor Sudeep and the child artiste, Ahsaas Channa. The girl has done a very good job, portraying a girl taken over by evil spirit… she is convincing and scary!! Sudeep plays the role of an atheist business man, who is a doting father and a good son! He fits the role very well and with his arrogance and attitude – he seems tailor made for this role! The role of his wife is played by Amruta Khanvilkar. She is quite awkward in the initial few scenes and slowly as the movie moves forward, she improves.” The World As I See It

Cast:

• Sudeep…… Rajiv
• Varun…… Raj
• Amruta Khanvilkar…… Aarti
• Ahsaas Channa…… Raksha
• Kenny Desai…… Anshuman
• Ashwini Kalsekar…… Madhu
• Ganesh Yadav…… Vinay
• Anu Ansari…… Laxmi
• Shankar Sachdev…… Shyam
• K K Raina…… Dr. Pandey
• Lilette Dubey…… Dr. Seema Walke
• Zakir Hussain…… Murtaza Kapasi
• Bharat Kaul…… Mandar
• Geetanjali…… Teacher
• Kishore Kadam…… Devappa
• Jyoti Subhash…… Amma
• Shrey Bawa…… Rohan
• Dhiraj Regmi…… Mani

Wikipedia | IMDb

Aenigma is a 1987 Italian horror film. It was directed by Lucio Fulci and stars Jared Martin, Lara Naszinsky, and Ulli Reinthaler.

Plot teaser:

Kathy is an outcast at an elite New England boarding school whom lands in a coma resulting from accidentally being hit by a car during a cruel practical joke against her by several car loads of her tormentors. A little later, Eva, a new arrival to the school, takes over Kathy’s old room and begins socializing with some of the girls responsible for Kathy’s condition. It turns out that Eva is a pawn under the control of the comatose Kathy from her hospital bed in seeing revenge against those whom did her wrong, while Kathy’s physician, meets and begins dating Eva whom also targets his latest girlfriend..

The film was actually released theatrically in its native Italy in 1988. Lucio Fulci has a cameo role as a police detective at the crime scene of Fred Vernon’s death.

Buy Aenigma on DVD from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“In terms of sheer entertainment, however, the film simply flies by, feeling half the length of even some arguably better lesser Fulci efforts like Manhattan Baby. Its blend of eighties silliness and off-the-wall nastiness make Aenigma prime late-night viewing for Italian horror fans.” Anchorwoman in Peril

“The effects and makeup do effectively create an eerie atmosphere. In particular I’ll say that comatose Kathy resonates an aura of malice (as seen above), and anyone who is even slightly uncomfortable with bugs will be squirming at the slug scene. Though it is a far cry from one of Fulci’s greatest films, Aenigma is still certainly an entertaining watch.” Blood Sucking Geek

“When Aenigma finishes the only reaction for the viewer is to let out a sigh and mumble, “well, that’s over I guess.” When that’s the only lasting impression of a film there’s definitely something wrong with the film in question. There’s plenty wrong with Aenigma, but not enough to really rile up the viewer. Aenigma fails to impress or enrage, it sits in the middle as a hollow and empty experience masquerading as a horror film.” Sound on Sight

Buy Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Wikipedia | IMDb

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Takut: Faces of Fear is a 2008 Indonesian anthology horror film with episodes directed by Rako Prijanto, Riri Riza, Ray Nayoan, Robby Ertanto, Radithya Sidharta, and The Mo Brothers (Macabre, an expanded version of their short Dara which is included here). It stars Fauzi Baadila, Eva Celia Latjuba, Shareefa Daanish and Mike Muliadro.

Brian Yuzna was one of the producers, having set up a production company in Jakarta, Indonesia called Komodo Films.

Plot teasers:

Show Unit: A man investigates an intruder in his house only to become the victim of a deadly game of extortion and murder.

Titisan Naya: During her family’s traditional sacred dagger cleansing-ritual a skeptical teenager discovers that her ancestors are not just a faded memory.

Peeper: A peeping tom who finds his comeuppance in the backstage of a Wayang Orang dance theatre.

The List: A scorned woman engages a ‘dukun’ to use black magic to satisfy her appitites for revenge, in a short that features special effects by Orloando Bassi and Aghi Narottama’s music that is an homage to Indonesian 1980’s exploitation cinema.

The Rescue: A fast-paced chase through an apocalyptic Jakarta inhabited with cannibalistic ‘sub-humans’. A patrol of mobile brigadier Gegana Special Forces must lead civilian survivors to safety before they are all infected.

Dara: One woman. Three men. Let the feast begin… A story about haute cuisine and the lengths which a beautiful chef will go to in order to satisfy her customers.

Reviews:

“Normally I cringe at directors with cheesy DJ nicknames, but here “The Mo Brothers” (Kimo Stamboel and Timothy Tjahjanto) pull off one of the best short films I’ve seen in ages, titled Dara. Daanish completely steals this film with a wonderfully creepy china-doll performance that puts similar efforts to shame. This 26 minute short has been playing festivals, so if you have a chance to see it, don’t even worry about the other shorts in Takut. This is a must see and showcasing it is probably the entire reason Takut was put together in the first place.” Video Junkie

“Not perfect, but a good and almost poetic collection of short films. I liked it. A lot.  Fred Anderson Ex-Ninja

IMDb

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The Fly II is a 1989 science fiction horror film starring Eric Stoltz (Haunted Summer; Anaconda) and Daphne Zuniga (The Dorm That Dripped Blood; The Initiation). It was directed by Chris Walas from a screenplay by Frank Darabont (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3; The Blob) and Jim and Ken Wheat (Pitch Black) as a sequel to David Cronenberg’s 1986 film The Fly, itself a remake of the 1958 film of the same name.

Stoltz’s character in this sequel is the adult son of Seth Brundle, the scientist-turned-‘Brundlefly’, played by Jeff Goldblum in the 1986 remake. With the exception of stock footage of Goldblum from the first film, John Getz (Killer Bees; Zodiac) was the only actor to reprise his role.

On the DVD commentary track, Chris Walas, states his belief that screenwriter Frank Darabont wrote Bartok to represent the worst aspects of corporate America. The Fly II fared well financially, taking $20,021,322 at the US box office and a further $18,881,857 worldwide, but reviews were largely negative. Many believe that Walas (who was the special effects engineer for the Oscar-winning make-up and creature effects in the first film) set out to repeat the success of the original by relying more on heavy gore and violence than on plot and atmosphere.

However, it is appreciated by many horror fans for its great visual impact. Walas has stated that the film was designed to be much more of a traditional (albeit gory) monster movie than Cronenberg’s horror/tragic love film.

Plot teaser:

Several months after the events of The Fly, Veronica Quaife is about to deliver the child she had conceived with scientist Seth Brundle. Anton Bartok, owner of Bartok Industries (the company which financed Brundle’s teleportation experiments), oversees the labor. Veronica dies from shock after giving birth to a squirming larval sac, which splits open to reveal a seemingly normal baby boy.

The orphaned child, named Martin Brundle, is taken into Bartok’s care. Bartok is fully aware of the teleportation accident which genetically merged Seth Brundle with a housefly, a condition that Martin has inherited, and he secretly plans to exploit Martin’s unique condition…

Reviews:

“The Fly II is produced with such conviction that it’s difficult not to enjoy its pantomime villainy and bloody excess. It’s not in the same league as its predecessor, inevitably, but there’s a sense that Walas knows this; while clearly respecting what Cronenberg did before (a loving tribute to the Canadian auteur can even be spotted in one scene, where a security guard reads a book called The Shape of Rage), Walas appears to understand that what he’s making isn’t high art, but a fun horror flick.” Ryan Lambie, Den of Geek!

“Sadly all the action takes place in these colorless fake looking science labs where you don’t ever get a glimpse of the sun, but you do have to bump into Daphne Zuniga from time to time. There are plenty of mean scientists and security guards all over the place that act in such a way as to secure their own doom when Seth gets his insect on near the end of the picture and seeks revenge for his under a microscope upbringing and being secretly videotaped bumping uglies with Zuniga. There is nothing resembling a pace or even a pulse here, and you just sort of wait and wait for special effects artist turned director Chris Walas to get to the underwhelming finale.” Kindertrauma

“It’s bad enough when a botched experiment leaves a dog mangled and deformed, but how about when Eric Stoltz later discovers his old pet is still alive, living in a dungeon, barely able to lick food out of its bowl. It’s heartbreaking to watch the dog, which looks like living road kill, start to wag its tail and whimper upon sight of its old human friend. And even more heartbreaking when Stoltz ends its pain. Seriously. You want horror? Forget The Exorcist. Screw The Blair Witch. Try and make it through the dog scene in The Fly II. I dare you.” Into the Dark

Cast:

• Eric Stoltz as Martin Brundle
• Daphne Zuniga as Beth Logan
• Lee Richardson as Anton Bartok
• John Getz as Stathis Borans
• Frank C. Turner as Shepard
• Ann Marie Lee as Jainway
• Garry Chalk as Scorby
• Jerry Wasserman as Simms
• Lorena Gale as Woman
• Saffron Henderson as Veronica Quaife
• Jeff Goldblum (uncredited archive footage) as Seth Brundle

Wikipedia | IMDb

US one sheet

It! (aka It, Anger of the Golem and Curse of the Golem) is a 1966 (released 1967) British/American horror film made by Seven Arts Productions and Gold Star Productions, Ltd. that features the Golem of Prague as its main subject. It is directed by Herbert J. Leder (The Frozen Dead) and stars Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes; The Legend of Hell House; Embryo), Jill Haworth (Tower of Evil; The Mutations) and Paul Maxwell (How to Make a Monster; Aliens). It was Ian McCulloch‘s debut film – he later starred in Zombie Flesh Eaters and a slew of Italian horror films.

Plot teaser:

After one of their store houses burnt down, museum director Grove and his assistant Pimm (McDowall) find everything destroyed – only one statue withstood the fire mysteriously undamaged. Suddenly, Grove is discovered lying dead on the ground – killed by the statue? Pimm finds out that the cursed statue has been created by Rabbi Loew in the 16th century and will withstand every human attempt to destroy it. He decides to use it to his own advantage…

Director Herbert J. Leder apparently wanted the film to have the style of the Hammer horror films that were popular. He directed the camera work and audio effects to have the characteristics of a Hammer film. Although it was shot in colour, U.S. theatrical release prints were in black-and-white.

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Reviews:

“This colorful, whacked out version of the classic tale of the Golem is really fun and finely acted. Sure, it seems a little slow and outdated, but that just makes it all the more charming. It’s a classy little horror show with just enough eccentric and sexy touches in it to keep you interested.” Brutal as Hell

“McDowall is so over the top, the characters so odd and the plot so loopy that it’s actually fun to watch, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys a good bad movie.” DVD Verdict

“Some amusing touches to kiddie-orientated plot which progressively becomes more ridiculous to thoroughly ludicrous conclusion.” Castle of Frankenstein

“With echoes of dozens of other films, It stands on its own as a delightfully dark, tongue-in-cheek horror film that’s riddled with low budget nonsense, over-the-top hammy performances, and enough cheese to feed a third world country for decades.” Dread Central

Wikipedia | IMDb

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‘Hell is hungry.’

The Demon’s Rook is a 2013 American horror film directed by James Sizemore (Goat Witch) from a screenplay by Sizemore and Akom Tidwell for Tribeca Film. It stars James Sizemore, Ashleigh Jo Sizemore, Josh Gould, Melanie Richardson, John Chatham, Sadé Smith, and Dustin Dorough.

The Demon’s Rook will be available on VOD platforms from September 30, 2014.

Plot teaser:

A young boy named Roscoe finds a portal to another world where he is taught magic by an elder demon known as Dimwos. Dimwos raises the boy into manhood, revealing to him many secrets… Although there is one dark secret that Dimwos keeps from Roscoe. When Roscoe discovers what his master has been keeping from him all these years, he revolts against him, inadvertently unleashing three malevolent demons. Through desperation, Roscoe is forced to escape the demons’ wrath by way of the portal leading back to our world. Unbeknownst to Roscoe, he leads the demons to discover the portal for themselves. The demons pass through, and a nightmarish foray of summoned monsters are unleashed…

Reviews:

“The Demon’s Rook’s heart and earnest spirit override any limitation. Frankly rougher aspects like performance give away to imagination and positivity. While happy to gleefully revel in practical FX and gory spatter, the film will not wallow in it.” Samuel Zimmerman, Fangoria

“All the performers, Sizemore, Ashleigh Jo Sizemore as Eva, and all the supporting cast put their heart and souls into it; they match their acting to the style and level of the film without making light or fun of it. This is a rare and great case of a labour of love that is incredible accomplished, without falling into the usual traps of DIY filmmaking. There is great time and care in this film, and above all, great fun. So sit back, relax (spliff optional) and enjoy what is sure to become a classic.” Shelagh M. Rowan-Legg, Twitch

“ …gut-flinging monster mash that you won’t soon forget.” Dread Central

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Italian Locandina

Cannibals (also known as Mondo Cannibale, Die Blonde Gottin, White Cannibal Queen and Barbarian Goddess) is a 1980 French/Spanish/Italian cannibal film by prolific Spanish exploitation director Jesús Franco which starred a 17-year-old Sabrina Siani . It is one of two cannibal films directed by Franco starring Al Cliver, the other being Man Hunter (aka Devil Hunter, aka Sexo Canibal).

Plot Teaser

Doctor Taylor, his wife Elizabeth and their teenage daughter Lana go to an isolated hospital in the Brazilian jungle. They are attacked by savages and the doctor witnesses them kill and eat his wife, and abduct his daughter. Taylor manages to get back to civilization, but he needs psychiatric help; only Doctor Ana believes his story about cannibals, and takes the risk of going with him and a few rich people who can pay for a safari in the remote jungle. The cannibals decimate a number of the safari members in a succession of attacks, and only Taylor, Doctor Ana, and a photographer reach the cannibal tribe – only to discover that his daughter is now the wife of the tribe leader, and considered a goddess…

The film is notable for the fact that it shares an amount of footage with Cannibal Terror. While many sources suggest that Franco’s footage was ‘borrowed’ for Cannibal Terror, a closer examination reveals that there are more connections than this between the two films. Both films share a number of locations, cast, and even dubbing actors. Some connections which suggest more than a mere borrowing of footage are:

Sabrina Siani is the eponymous White Cannibal Queen of Cannibals, and also appears (as a fully clothed adult) in a bar scene in Cannibal Terror. Several shots of the dancing cannibal tribe in their village are common to both films, and several shots appear only in one or the other. One actor with a very distinctive face and large Mick Jagger type of mouth is seen in Cannibal Terror in no less than three roles (two cannibals and one border guard) and is also quite visible as one of the cannibals devouring Al Cliver’s wife in Cannibals. Porn star Pamela Stanford plays Manuella in Cannibal Terror, and has the brief role of the unfortunate Mrs. Jeremy Taylor in Cannibals. She also appeared in a number of Jesus Franco’s other films around this time period, perhaps most notably, Lorna the Exorcist. As well, the actor who plays Roberto in Cannibal Terror is the captain of the boat at the beginning of Cannibals.

Cannibals is considered even by Franco himself to be the worst cannibal film ever made, due to its slow pacing, bad acting, terrible special effects and awful camera work. Franco said that he only did the two cannibal films for the money, and admitted he had no idea why anyone would want to watch them. He said that Sabrina Siani was the worst actress he ever worked with in his life (second only to Romina Power) and that Siani’s only good quality was her delectable derrière which he shows off to good effect in this film.

Buy Cannibals on DVD from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Reviews

“Franco’s film is no masterpiece by any means, but it certainly deserves its place in the pantheon of cannibal films that appeared in this period of exploitation film history. Omitting the animal cruelty, that seemed to be part and parcel of so many of the Italian entries, Franco actually brings in a reasonably competently made slice of cannibal mayhem without resorting to such shock tactics. The cannibal attacks are also quite nightmarish and unpleasant and very effective, as they play out in close-up slow motion.” Sex Gore Mutants

“This film is one of the most uninspired that I have seen in while from Jess Franco and I was totally caught off guard how tame and restrained he made the cannibals. Ultimately is you have climbed to the top of the cannibal mountain with films like Cannibal Ferox or Cannibal Holocaust then a film like Cannibals might be to tame and uneventful for you. 10,000 Bullets

“If you are one of those people who clings to the misguided belief that Uwe Boll or Paul W.S. Anderson are the worst directors in history you need to watch more Franco. Seriously. Cannibals is a piece of shit, and is really for cannibal completists only. Not even rabid Francophiles will find much value from this bland atrocity.” Digital Retribution

Read : Jungle Holocaust: Cannibal Tribes in Exploitation Cinema

Buy Murderous Passions : The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Wikipedia | IMDb

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‘You will pay for your sins’

See No Evil 2 is an American slasher horror film directed by the Soska sisters, written by Nathan Brookes and Bobby Lee Darby, produced by Michael Luisi. It stars professional wrestler Kane (WWE’s Glenn “Kane” Jacobs), Danielle Harris and Katharine Isabelle (American Mary).

It is the sequel to the 2006 See No Evil. Unlike the original, which had a theatrical release, this film will be released in October 2014 direct to VOD, DVD and Blu-ray. The film’s world premiere will be this October at L.A.’s Screamfest.

Plot teaser:

A group of friends pays a late-night visit to the city morgue to surprise Amy (Harris) on her birthday. But the surprise is on them when the one-eyed corpse of brutal psychopath Jacob Goodnight (Jacobs) unexpectedly rises from a cold sub-basement slab. Their wild party quickly turns into a terrifying slay-fest as the sadistic mass-murderer resumes his savage rampage complete with hooks, surgical knives and power saws…

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Evil Feed is a 2013 Canadian action horror comedy film directed by actor/stuntman Kimani Ray Smith from a screenplay co-written with Aaron Au and Jana Mitsoula, based on a story by Ryan Nicholson. It stars Laci J Mailey, Terry Chen, Alain Chanoine, Alyson Bath, Derek Gilroy, Bishop Brigante, Curtis Lum, Sebastian Gacki, David Milchard, Carrie Genzel, Johnson Phan.

Plot teaser:

Steven spent his entire life being the good son, dedicated all his time to the family business, The Long Pig Restaurant, known in the underground world for cannibalistic cuisine. When Steven hears that his father would rather sell the business to a stranger than pass it down to his own son, Steven has no choice but to chop off his head. With his father’s head safely displayed in a cabinet, Steven and his nymphomaniac girlfriend have big plans for The Long Pig. They capture elite MMA fighters and force them to battle in the restaurant’s new “Pit of Gore” where blood thirsty customers get to watch their meals being tenderized. Steven calls this, “Tendertainment!”

Meanwhile, Jenna returns to her father’s karate dojo and discovers him missing. Calling on the help of his students, they set out to find their Sensei, kicking ass and taking names. Their quest takes a turn for the worst when Jenna is kidnapped by the Triads. She awakes in a holding cell at The Long Pig Restaurant only to discover what Steven serves for dinner…

Reviews:

“This film could easily be the by-product of a focus group of stoned teenaged male horror fans, such is its pungent mixture of martial arts, gleefully over-the-top gore and titillation. To once again labour the food comparison, this is the perfect Friday night takeaway movie. Undemanding, a touch predictable, but entertainingly so. All in all there’s not much not to like about Evil Feed if you have a craving for something more substantial to accompany that post-pub kebab.” Matt Harries, Brutal as Hell

“It’s not an idea without potential – though perhaps not as a comedy, and certainly not the sort of comedy where the height of wit is in naming a character Phat Phuk. In any case, whatever hope you may have had from reading a synopsis is abandoned in the first five minutes, when we’re already getting bogged down in terrible dialogue, racial stereotyping, desperately ‘cool’ set ups (this is the sort of film that introduces characters in slow-mo, as if that wasn’t an idea done to death) and poor visual set ups – however much this cost to make, not a lot went on lighting.

As it goes on, we jump from the restaurant to the antics of the martial artists, while the viewer tries to decide if everyone involved is supposed to be a complete loathsome dick or if that is just a problem with the writing – the latter I assume, but you never know. There’s gore a-plenty, all delivered excessively but without having any impact, and sex scenes that are too clumsily handled to be at all sexy.” David Flint, Strange Things Are Happening

“The action is good, but there could have been more of it. The filmmakers had great martial arts talent, but seemed more interested in gore than great action. It would also have been nice if there was a single female character who wasn’t either entirely helpless or naked most of the time.” Trista Devries, Toronto Film Scene

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The Harvest is a 2014 horror film directed by John McNaughton (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer; The Borrower) from a screenplay by Stephen Lancellotti (Digger) for Elephant Eye Films. It stars Samantha Morton, Michael Shannon, Natasha Calis, Charlie Tahan, Peter Fonda, Leslie Lyles, Meadow Williams.

Plot teaser:

A couple who keeps their sick son in a secluded environment find their controlled lives challenged by a young girl who moves in next door.

Reviews:

” …an eccentric, character-rich chiller more akin to classic Stephen King (think Stand by Me) than anything being done in horror these days … Adding to the film’s refreshingly timeless quality is a series of old-fashioned decisions that serve to set the tone, as McNaughton insists on shooting on celluloid, ordering a full orchestral score and working with first-rate actors instead of expendable nobodies.” Peter Debruge, Variety

“While there are several standout moments in the film, it’s constantly marred by an underwhelming screenplay that has a few too many inconsistencies to support the development of tension or believability. The insistent need for extravagant twists undermines the logic of the narrative, something unnecessary here considering the intensity of the performances.” Nicholas Bell, ION Cinema!

Filming locations:

New York, USA

IMDb | Official site

‘See the unholy feast of the damned!’

Legacy of Satan is a 1974 American horror film written and directed by adult filmmaker Gerard Damiano (The Devil in Miss Jones). It stars John Francis, Lisa Christian, Paul Barry, Jarrar Ramze, Ann Paul, James Procter and Deborah Horlen.

Plot teaser:

A satanic cult chooses an unwitting young girl as its new queen…

Buy Blood Bath 2 Collection on DVD from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“It was originally shot as a porn-horror by writer-director Gerard Damiano, only to be de-humpified by outlaw 1970s distro outfit Bryanston. Dirt cheap. Totally confused. It’s like Runaway Nightmare mashed into Satan’s Black Wedding with Jess Franco consulting. In other words, Damiano should be very proud.” My Duck is Dead

“The sets and costumes are generally colorful. The photography, although inconsistent and sometimes badly lit indoors, is quite lovely in the outdoor scenes. Even though nearly everyone in the entire cast seems to have made only this one picture, the acting is on a par with that of some Lifetime TV movies and above that of most non-professional no budget films. In fact, being directed by porn film legend Gerard Damiano, it’s possible many of these folks were low level porn actors.” Going for Broke – The Christa Helm Story

“The master says things like “You pitiful worm under my feet!” and mutates at the end. This slow movie has an irritating buzzing synthesizer score that sounds like ELP outtakes.” Michael J. Weldon, The Psychotronic Video Guide

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