Category Archives: Saturday is Horror Day

Saturday is Horror Day #88 – A Quiet Place Part II

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

A Quiet Place Part II


Following the death of Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) the family decides to move on, seeking to find safety or a solution to their problems. Now Evelyn (Emily Blunt) finds herself with two terrified teens and a newborn. But it’s possible they might have the answer to the question of how to defeat the sound-sensitive creatures…assuming they get the chance to implement the solution.

The second film in the franchise is a little slow but still contains the horror of the first. In this entry, the daughter and son (Regan Abbott and Noah Jupe) are actually key players who step up to do what is necessary even when others tell them not to. They are both strong and resilient, and resemble their late father in that respect. I can’t even imagine how I would begin to cope with this situation, especially having to give birth alone and then deal with a newborn. Face it, babies cry, and any sound could doom them all.

 

At the same time, I find myself not as interested in this film, not sure why. The Abbotts do encounter other people and discover that the creatures are not the only things they need to fear. Also in this film we see the first day and what happened then, even if we still aren’t sure why it did. I understand there will be a third film. I’ll probably watch it. I’ll give this one 3 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #87 – The Banana Splits Movie

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Banana Splits Movie

Harley (Finlay Wojtak-Hissong) loves the Banana Splits more than anything. So when his mother presents him with tickets to attend a live taping of the show as a birthday present, he is over the moon happy. He requests a classmate go with him. Zoe (Maria Nash) wouldn’t call herself a friend of Harley’s, thinks he is weird, but her mother says she has to go, so she has no choice. Harley’s mother goes also, as well as Harley’s father Mitch (Steve Lund) and his half-brother Austin (Romeo Carere). Also in the audience are a couple of would-be influencers, and a stage father who is intent on getting his daughter into show business via the Banana Splits. At the show, it’s announced that people with special tickets will be allowed private time with the Splits after the taping. Harley’s family don’t have the right tickets. But after Austin starts flirting with one of the members of the staff, Paige (Naledi Majola), she adds them to the list.

But all is not as it appears to be. For one thing, the new network exec, Andy (Daniel Fox) has decided to cancel the show, making this the last episode. But that only triggers a reprisal on the part of his cast, who are all animatronics, other than sidekick Stevie (Richard White), who spends most of his time being drunk. The Banana Splits have their own agenda, and it isn’t gonna be pretty.

I was skeptical when I saw the trailer for this film, wondering how a preview for a kids movie got onto a horror movie disk. But this is not kid’s movie, make no mistake about that. It’s a virtual gore fest. However, saying that, unless you just want to watch some assholes get what’s coming to them (and some innocents who don’t deserve it), there is little to commend this film. I am really surprised that Hanna Barbara allowed them to make this film, but they probably figured it was their last chance to make money off the franchise. Watch it for the blood and gore, watch it for the revenge, but don’t go looking for a good movie. I’ll give it 1.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #86 – Hellraiser (1987), Hellbound: Hellraiser II, The Collector (1965)

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Hellraiser (1987)

Frank (Sean Chapman) is on a quest for pleasure at any price. But he gets more than he bargained for when he purchases a puzzle box from a mysterious shop owner. In solving the mystery of the puzzle, he opens himself to the Cenobites, whose idea of pleasure might be considered pain to some. They tear him apart.

Larry (Andrew Robinson) and his second wife Julia (Clare Higgins) move into Larry’s childhood home, while his daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) takes a room nearby. Little does Larry knows that disembodies Frank is in the house. Or that his wife has carnal knowledge of his brother. Due to a freak accident, Larry’s blood feeds the hidden Frank, who begins to regenerate. He calls upon Julia to help him regain his full being. She is still enthralled by the memory of their time spent together and, although repulsed by his current looks, agrees to provide him with fresh blood.

Kirsty is protective of her father, and doesn’t have the best of relationships with his wife. She is

appalled to discover that Julia is taking men to their home when her father is away. But it’s worse than that, as she learns when she encounters the hideous form of her Uncle Frank, who tells her “Come to Daddy”. Kirsty isn’t sure what it means but she takes the puzzle box. Now she and her boyfriend have to figure out what’s going on, before it’s too late.

The original Hellraiser stands the rest of time, thanks to the imagination of Clive Barker. I like Andrew Robinson as the hapless Larry, who doesn’t realize what a viper he has married, and I liked him as the tailor Garak in Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Frank and Julia make quite the evil couple, while poor Kristy is at her wit’s end trying to save her dad. Creepy, definitely, and the Cenobites are unique, especially Pinhead. I’ll give this 4 Stars.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II

Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) finds herself in an institution after the events of the first film, with no idea of why she is there and her boyfriend nowhere in sight. A young doctor named Kyle (William Hope) tries to keep Kirsty calm, but she wants to leave. But she doesn’t seem to have much choice. The institute is run by Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham), and he seems very interested in what Kirsty has to say, although he dismissed her story out of hand. Afterward, he has the mattress from Kirsty’s father’s home brought to his office and “persuades” one of his patients to bleed on it, thereby reviving Julia (Clare Higgins). When Kyle, who believes Kirsty, takes her to Channard’s home, tragedy ensues.

Kirsty meets another patient, a young girl named Tiffany (Imogen Boorman) who doesn’t speak. She is very good at puzzles though. Channard and Julia kidnap her and force her to open the box. The Cenobites comes, but Pinhead persuades them not to kill Tiffany, as she did not summon them, Desire did.

The Cenobites allow Kirsty to explore the Labyrinth, and she runs into Frank (Sean Chapman) again, up to no good as always. But Julia gets her revenge on him, and Dr Channard doesn’t fare very well either.

Much as I like the first Hellraiser, I think I like the second one a little bit more, especially Pinhead. We see his origins in this one, although we are far from knowing what the Cenobites are all about. Kirsty is plucky as ever, and now she has an ally in the silent Tiffany. And of course we have our old friends Frank and Julia, with their new friend Dr. Channard. Look for more good times with this sequel! I’ll say right now the third movie isn’t very good, and I’ve been advised to avoid numbers four through ten, so I will. I’ll give this one 4.5 Stars

The Collector (1965)

Freddie (Terence Stamp) is a quiet young man, a loner who collects butterflies. When he sees art student Miranda (Samantha Eggar), he decides he must have her, so he kidnaps her and holds her hostage. He doesn’t mistreat her in any way, makes no demands, physical or otherwise. He only wants to have her near, so she can fall in love with him and they can be together as man and wife. But Miranda only sees that she has to escape at all costs.

This movie is a little known underrated gem. Director William Wyler gives us a very subtle but powerful story in the interplay between hostage and captor. Terence Stamp is especially brilliant as Freddie, the naive sociopath who believes that if she gets to know him, Miranda will love him and all will be right with the world. Even so, he will do whatever it takes to keep her with him forever.

Sometimes you can’t help but hope that Freddie wins her heart, but at the same time you root for

Miranda to make her escape and reclaim her life. The tension is subtle but palpable, and the wonderful score only serves to emphasize what is going on. Nothing explicit, nothing overt, but powerful all the time.   I’ll give this film 4.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #85 – Hellraiser (2022), V/H/S 99

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Hellraiser (2022)

Riley (Odessa A’zion) has a problem with addiction. She lives with her brother Matt (Brandon Flynn) and his boyfriend Colin (Adam Faison). Even though he is concerned for her welfare, she likes to push him to test his limits too. One night she goes out with her boyfriend Trevor (Drew Starkey) to help him with a little job, one that involves robbery. They break into a container only to find a safe. Riley manages to open the safe with brute force, but inside they only find a smaller ornate box. Disappointing to say the least. But  Riley takes it anyway. Afterward she gets into a fight with her brother, who throws her out. She plans to sleep in her car but isn’t tired, so she takes the box to the park, where she manages to open it, cutting herself in the process.

And then the weird things begin to happen…

This is a reboot of the original 1987 Hellraise by Clive Barker. I’ll be frank – it could have been so much better. In this version, we have a new Pinhead, a female Pinhead, played by Jamie Clayton. I think the role had so much potential, but it was wasted. The plot was rather lackluster, and the Cenobites less menacing. I found myself not caring about anyone, especially not Riley, which makes it hard to care about what happens. I was thrilled to see Goran Visnjic as a greedy millionaire with more money than common sense, and he does fine, but his is not a sympathetic character either.

I think there were a few nods to the original Hellraiser films. I just found out there were ten of those,

which I didn’t know, but the first two are the best and the third is tolerable, with the rest forgettable. This one could have been so much better. I do think they used the original composer, so the music gets a nod. But otherwise, don’t rush to see this. I’ll give it 2.5 Stars.

V/H/S 99

V/H/S is back with a new collection of found footage gems designed to unnerve the most discriminating of horror palates.

In “Shredding”, a punk rock band with a high opinion of themselves known as R.A.C.K. like to perform pranks. They decide to look into the legend of a band called Bitch Cat, who supposedly died under their fans’ feet, trampled to death during a fire. They even go so far as to prank one of their members by pretending to be possessed. But their actions come back to haunt them.

In “Suicide Bid”, a college freshman named Lily has her sights set on a particular sorority, and does

even bother applying to any others, although she knows that is considered to be a suicide bid. The girls watch her video interview and then meet with her. They tell her she has to perform a dare in order to be admitted – she has to spend the night inside a coffin. She agrees, despite learning that another student who did the same thing mysteriously disappeared. But then things go upside down….

In “Ozzy’s Dungeon”, a children’s competitive game pits two kids against one another. But just when Donna is about to win, the other contestant injures her badly and wins himself. A few years later, Donna’s angry family decides to wreak their vengeance against the horrible host of the game show by kidnapping him and forcing him to compete in a dungeon of their own making.

In “The Gawkers”, teenage Peeping Toms get a lesson as they spy on the young woman who lives across the street.  In the last segment, “To Hell and Back”, two friends are hired by a cult to video them on the eve of Y2K. But they end up fighting for their lives in Hell. And this is where they meet Mabel.

Also, threading through the other stories, is another story involving a young man who is filming his toy soldiers in action. I did like this new addition to the VHS series. I am a huge fan of found footage films, as you can tell by the many I have reviewed. I especially liked Ozzy’s Dungeon, but I have to say Mabel steals the show. I’ll give this 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #84 – A Quiet Place, Annabelle Comes Home

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

A Quiet Place

Monsters have invaded our world, terrifying blind creatures with preternatural hearing. At all costs, don’t let them hear you or your life is forfeit. Survival is the name of the game for the Abbott family. Lee (John Krasinski), his wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and their three children. They are always on the move, staying ahead of the creatures, keeping silent in order to not be heard. But little children sometimes do stupid things, and the Abbotts’ youngest is taken from them. Daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) feels guilty for what has happened, and feels that her father blames her too, and doesn’t love her as much as her brother Marcus (Noah Jupe).

The Abbotts have a farm where they have set up a system of lights that warn of danger if the lights are red. Lee works with electronics and sound and has devised ear plugs that two people can use to share music. He takes his terrified son out one day and explains to him that if there is a louder noise, that noise will attract their attention every time. Evelyn becomes pregnant, which brings its own problems with it, such as a crying baby, but they have provided for that with a special place for the newborn. However, when plans go awry, the whole family finds itself in danger.

 

This film demands you give it a certain amount of attention because so much of it is visual as the people dare not speak. It’s a post-apocalyptic world, although I’m not really sure how the creatures got there. But they’re there, and the world is in serious danger. It’s bleak and somewhat horrifying. I can’t imagine having to deal with this kind of life. I know if I can’t listen to my music at the office, the silence drives me nuts. They can’t talk to one another, play music, and they always have to worry about making any sound. John Krasinski is also the director of this film, and I think he did a good job. I’m looking forward to the second one. I’ll give this film 4 Stars

Annabelle Comes Home

Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren are going on a business trip so they engage local teenager Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman). Mary Ellen’s classmate Daniela (Katie Sarife) learns of her job with the Warrens and invites herself over to the house. She befriends Judy Warren (McKenna Grace), who doesn’t have many friends. Daniela is excited to be in the Warrens’ home and asks a lot of questions, especially about where the haunted items they collect are. She is told they are downstairs, but the door is locked and no one is allowed down there.

Daniela persists and finds an opportunity to stay at the house while Mary Ellen and Judy are gone. She immediately begins snooping, and manages to find the key, letting herself into the forbidden area. She is fascinated by what she sees, especially the creepy looking doll in the glass case which has a sign warning not to open it ever. But as she’s looking around, the doll seems to move, and curiosity gets the better of the girl, and she opens the case.

 

This isn’t the worst film of the Conjuring series, but it isn’t exactly good either. Somewhat predictable, it 

utilizes cheap jump scares. We do find out why Daniela is obsessed with the Warrens, as she wants to contact her late father, who died in a car accident while she was driving. I think the film suffered from the lack of the Warrens, but then it would never have happened either because they would not have allowed access. If you are just into watching the series, go ahead. Otherwise, not worth it. I’ll give it 3 Stars, mostly because I like Patrick Wilson.

Saturday is Horror Day #83 – Speak No Evil (2022), The Curse of La Llorona, House at the End of the Street

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Speak No Evil (2022)

While on holiday in Italy, Danish couple Bjorn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) meet a Dutch couple, Patrick (Fedja van Huet) and Karin (Karina Smulders). They hit it off well. Each couple has a child. Bjorn and Louise have Agnes (Liva Forsberg) while the other couple has Abel (Marius Damslev). After the holiday, Bjorn and Louise receive an invitation to visit the other couple in the Netherlands, an invitation that includes Agnes. They decide to drive, as it’s only 8 hours and cheaper than flying.

On their arrival, they found Abel to be a bit sullen and nonverbal, but don’t think much of it. The visit begins well, but then begins to go downhill. Patrick and Karin invite Bjorn and Louise to dinner at a nearby restaurant, but don’t tell them until the last minute that it’s adults only and they’ve arranged for a babysitter. They unwillingly go along with the plan, but dinner becomes awkward at best, perhaps because of too much alcohol.

More red flags appear and the couple thinks perhaps they should just leave. But little do they realize what they are actually up again.

This was a very interesting film, although my friend and I kept yelling at the couple not to ignore the red flags and get the heck out of Dodge. But did they listen? Of course not lol Until the end, we didn’t know why these things were happening and speculated as to the cause, but as it turned out we were wrong. The reality was worse than what we imagined. Very creepy film, and the music added to the ambience, becoming rather chilling during otherwise innocuous scenes. I give this film 4 Stars

The Curse of La Llorona

Anna (Linda Cardellini) is a social worker who sometimes has to make difficult decisions. When she goes to visit one of her clients, Patricia Alvarez (Patricia Velasquez) because of her two boys truancy, she finds the boys locked in a closet and has no choice to but have them removed. She doesn’t listen to the mother’s pleas that it’s for their safety.

However Anna soon finds herself in a similar predicament when her children begin to display bruises she can’t account for and certainly didn’t inflict. She talks to Father Perez (Tony Amendola), but he tells her the church cannot help, and gives her the name of someone who can. Anna and her children find themselves plunged into a supernatural world, and a witch named La Llorona, who steals children in compensation for the ones she lost. Can they fight against her? And can they defeat her once and for all?

This film is part of the Conjuring series, but only tangentially, through Father Perez. So if you don’t

watch it, it won’t detract from the Conjuring. There are definite flaws here and not enough good points, I’m afraid. Linda Cardellini, who you may remember as Samantha from ER, isn’t a strong enough actress to carry the lead role, and Patricia Velasquez, whom I last saw in The Mummy, does okay. But the plot is painfully thin, the scares are primarily jump scares, and the witch isn’t really all that scary. Unless you’re like me and want to watch the whole series for closure, I would skip this one. I am giving it 1.5 Stars.

House at the End of the Street

Four years after a double murder, Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) and her mother Sarah (Elisabeth Shue) move into the house next door, unaware of the murders. Thinking the house to be unoccupied, Sarah is shocked to see a light there in the middle of the night. She asks a police officer at the hospital where she works about that and learns that the dead couple’s son Ryan (Max Thieriot), who wasn’t living there at the time of his parents’ deaths, now lives in the house and the neighbors are not happy about that. They think having a murder house in the neighborhood is bad for real estate values.

Wanting to make friends and fit in, Elissa meets Tyler (Nolan Gerard Funk), who invites her to a party. But things don’t turn out well and she begins to walk home. That’s when Ryan drives by and offers her a ride home, so she reluctantly accepts. She learns that he is really a nice guy, just misunderstood, and they begin to grow close. However, Sarah is suspicious of him and goes out of her way to let him know it.

Rumor has it that Ryan’s sister Carrie Anne, who was responsible for the death of their parents, is hiding out in the woods, which is a creepy thought. But just maybe things aren’t what they appear to be.

This didn’t turn out to be the predictable film I thought it was going to be, it was actually better. Not great, but decent. I don’t regret having seen it. It’s hard to know whose side to be on here, or who is good or bad. It’s not clear-cut. Jennifer Lawrence is good as Elissa. I think this came out before she got onto the A list. I’ll give it 3 Stars

Saturday is Horror Day #82 – Let the Right One In, Carnival of Souls, The Intruders

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Let the Right One In

Oskar (Kare Hedrbrant) lives with his mother in an apartment building. The delicate-looking 12-year-old is something of a loner, and is bullied by some of the boys at school. He meets a most unusual girl name Eli (Lina Leandersson). She doesn’t go to his school, he only sees her at night, and she is always asking to be invited in. But she isn’t judgmental, and he finds himself attracted to her as they grow closer.

But Eli has a secret, one she can’t afford to have discovered. One that keeps her and her guardian constantly changing locations. When the unthinkable happens, and Eli is forced to fend for herself, Oskar is afraid he will lose the most important person in his life.

This Swedish film puts a new spin on an old theme. It’s done quietly and seductively, and yet the horror shines through. It’s darkly romantic and also visceral. Well written and directed and acted, I would highly recommend it. I’ll give it 4 Stars

Carnival of Souls

A drag race between two cars filled with young people leads to tragedy when the car containing three young women plunges off a bridge. At first there are feared to be no survivors, but then Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) emerges from the water. Mary makes a fresh start, moving to a new town to become the church organist, although she insists that the church is just a place of employment, nothing more. She rents a room from Mrs. Thomas (Frances Feist), which is more than adequate for her needs. The only other resident is John Linden (Sidney Berger), who is more than a little weird.

After learning of an abandoned carnival, Mary visits the site with her employer, the minister (Art Ellison), but he won’t be party to entering the grounds. Mary returns later and wanders about. She finds she is drawn to this place and can’t stay away. But unsettling things are happening, most frightening of which is a strange man who appears at the oddest times and places, including inside her own home. But no one else seems to notice him. And there are times when people seem not to hear or see Mary herself…

This film came out in 1962 and is in black-and-white, which adds to the eeriness of what’s going on. It

doesn’t rely on blood and guts to produce a feeling of horror. Even though the ending is not difficult to figure out, watching Mary reach that conclusion is worth the price of admission. I can see why it’s considered a cult classic. I’ll give it 4 Stars.

The Intruders

Rose Halshford (Miranda Cosgrove) and her father Jerry (Donal Logue) relocate from California to Chicago following the death of Rose’s mother. Rose is less than pleased with the move but had no say in the matter. At the suggestion of her psychiatrist, she is taking off a semester from school. But Rose doesn’t like this new house. It’s creepy and old and needs a lot of work. When she meets the girl across the street, Leila (Jenessa Grant), the girl wonders how can they even stand to live in that house. What does that even mean?

Rose’s father has hired people to work on repairs to the house. One morning Rose comes upon one, unaware he has keys to the house, and hits him with her phone. Afterward, she apologizes to Noah (Austin Butler) and they become friends. Rose has been given medication to help her deal with everything, but she stops taking it, although she lies to her father and tells him she is taking it. She hears things in the house, and strange things are happening when her father isn’t home, which is most of the time. But no one believes her, and she’s afraid they’re going to convince people she’s crazy and lock her up. Her mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia before she died…

Rose goes into the basement and almost gets locked in. She finds a name carved into the wall, and wonders who Rachel is. Turns out Rachel used to live in that house. She was taken in by the previous owner who lived there with her son. But Rachel disappeared. More and more, Rose is convinced that something happened to Rachel, but what? But everything she does seems to end badly, and she’s afraid her father doesn’t believe her any more. Can she convince him of the truth before it’s too late?

This is a fairly decent movie that isn’t obvious from the beginning, like some are. I had various theories as to what was going on, and they were all wrong. I am a huge fan of Donal Logue, and he does his usual good job, not to mention looking pretty good. Miranda Cosgrove is good as Rose, sufficiently confused and horrified and determined to not get on your nerves. I would recommend watching it. I’ll give it 3.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #81 – Home Sweet Hell, Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Home Sweet Hell

Life seems sweet for Don Champagne (Patrick Wilson). He has a successful home furnishing store that he runs with his partner Les (Jim Belushi). He has a beautiful wife, Mona (Katherine Heigl) and two great children. But life in suburbia isn’t what it appears to be. A pretty young thing named Dusty (Jordana Brewster) applies for a job at the store, and he hires her, to Les’ delight, because Les’ wife has Crohn’s disease and he likes to have eye candy to look at when he’s working.

 

Mona is rather controlling of  everything in their lives. She even has a book of goals she means them to achieve, and she schedules everything, including their lovemaking. Starved for attention, Don is an easy prey for Dusty, and he begins a torrid affair with her. But when she turns up pregnant, now it’s a whole new ballgame. What’s a guy to do?

 

The premise of this movie is an interesting one, what with Mona doing the dirty deeds that Don can’t 

find it within himself to do. But at the same time, there is something that doesn’t quite ring true in this dark comedy.  It’s slow to find its pace and the acting is somewhat stereotypical. Mona is unlikeable – too controlling and too psycho. It’s hinted that she suffered some sort of trauma as a child but when Don asks her about it, she gets defensive and warns him that if he asks her that ever again, she’ll end him.

Jim Belushi’s character spends most of his time drunk and whining about his poor wife with the Crohn’s Disease (and btw, those jokes are very insensitive and not funny) Jordana Brewster, whom I haven’t seen since she was in As the World Turns, plays a femme fatale with an agenda but no real personality. And Kevin McKidd is Dusty’s boyfriend’s friend, Freeman. Typical thug types.

I didn’t dislike the film but I feel it could have been better. If you’re like me, you’ll google the ending to figure out what happened. Guess there won’t be a sequel. I’ll give this 3 Stars, mostly because I like Patrick Wilson.

The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It

 

Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren are a married couple who know a little something about demonic possession. Called to assist with the exorcism of an 8-year-old boy David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard), they are successful in ridding him of his demon… but only because the demon has unknown to them transferred itself to Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor). Arne invited the demon in to save David. Be careful what you ask for. After returning home, he ends up getting into an altercation with his friend Bruno (Ronnie Gene Blevins) and kills him. Up on trial for the murder, Arne’s lawyer pleads not guilty…by reason of demonic possession. The Warrens have to prove this is so.

The Warren’s search for the truth is hampered by Ed’s ill health when he suffers a serious heart attack. But nothing will stop Ed in assisting with the investigation and looking after Lorraine.

 

This is the third film in the series about real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. I 

 can’t vouch for how accurate the films are compared to the real couple, or how much of the stories are true. But they are interesting. And again, we have Patrick Wilson to look at. Nuff said. I don’t find this series as scary as Insidious but I do enjoy them. I have another Annabelle movie to watch and the Curse of La Llarona (from the same universe). I would recommend the series as worth watching. Also, look for actor John Noble in this one.  I’ll give this film 3.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #80 – Hangman, Bad Ronald

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Hangman

Will Ruiney (Karl Urban) is a homicide detective who finds himself on the trail of a serial killer who is playing a sadistic game of Hangman with his victims. He calls his own partner Ray Archer (Al Pacino) out of retirement to assist in the case. Nosy reporter Christi Davies (Brittany Snow) inserts herself into the case and insists on following the detectives around, despite the potential danger to herself. Each victim is found hanging, with a letter carved onto them. 

I’m not gonna beat around this bush – this is not a good movie. In fact, it’s fairly awful. The only saving grace is that it’s short. And I’m saying this despite the fact that I do like both Pacino and Urban. But even they couldn’t save this disastrous formulaic boring film. Urban basically phones in his part, Pacino is just playing Pacino and he seems to be amusing himself as much as anything. And Brittany Snow isn’t much of an actress, at least not in this.

 

The writing is awful, the plot boring. I read someone’s description of it as imitating the film Seven (which was good, btw). I almost turned it off, I was so bored. The killer doesn’t appear until the end, and he isn’t very good either. I’m just going to give this 1 Star because I do like Pacino and Urban, but I recommend you not watch this horrible movie.

Bad Ronald

Ronald Wilby (Scott Jacoby) is a rather shy, introverted young man who lacks some of the social graces. It doesn’t help that his peers have a tendency to tease him mercilessly and relentlessly. Ronald lives with his ailing mother Elaine Wilby (Kim Hunter) in an old Victorian mansion. One day, Ronald cracks and accidentally kills a young girl. He confesses to his mother, not knowing what to do. Together they devise a plan whereby they make the downstairs bathroom into hiding place, remove the door and replace it with drywall so no one will know it is there and Ronald can live there until it’s safe for him to surface again. He does the work himself and adds a small opening in the walk-in pantry where his mother can give him his food.

But things go wrong after his mother goes into the hospital for routine surgery…and dies. The house is sold to a couple with three daughters – the Woods (Dabney Coleman and Pippa Scott). In his hideaway, Ronald continues his hobby of drawing and painting the fantasy world he has created, with himself as the hero. He spies the Woods and becomes immediately drawn to one of the daughters, Babs (Cindy Fisher). He spies on her and her family through holes he has drilled himself, and fantasizes about Babs. Sometimes he takes a chance and goes into the house when no one is home. But the nosy neighbor Mrs Schumacher (Linda Watkins) spots him one day, and things are about to go downhill

 

This film is from 1974, a time when films didn’t show as much violence as many do now. This film is 

no exception, but still manages to convey a very creepy vibe. Imagine someone living behind the wall in your house? And not just anyone but a murderer. Spooky, right? Scott Jacoby gives a chilling performance as Ronald, the titular character, just the right combination of naivete, nerdiness, and downright creepiness. This is an early role for Dabney Coleman, and for once he isn’t the creepiest in the room lol

I really enjoyed this film, but it is really short, about an hour and a quarter. I think it’s well worth the watch, and thanks to my friend Vinny, who recommended I watch this. I give this film 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #79 – Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead

In pursuit of the Tall Man, Reggie (Reggie Bannister) and Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) run into a few snags in their plan to prevent his unholy invasion. Mike is kidnapped and Reggie has to find him. But along the way he acquires a couple of new friends – a little boy named Tim (Kevin Connors) and a young woman named Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry). They also keep seeing Mike’s dead brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) who seems to be residing in one of the Tall Man’s silver balls.

 

 

The third entry in the Phantasm series is weaker than the first two, and some of the acting leaves something to be desired. The Tall Man is becoming very one note, and the special effects aren’t so special. I hope this is not an indication of what is to come as I see a few more films ahead in this series. I’ll reserve judgment on them, but this one gets 1.5 Stars.

 
 
Not really a lot to say other than watch at your own peril, but I found it to be not very frightening.