Night of the Eagle (1962)

October 01, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Norman Taylor (Peter Wyngarde) is a psychology lecturer whose career has taken off since he and his wife, Tansy (Janet Blair), returned to England from Jamaica. His students are doing well and he is socially climbing within the school’s administrative hierarchy. Some other members of the faculty are jealous of his success. One night he is shocked to discover curious artefacts hidden around his home and to learn that his wife is practising obeah. Tansy claims that the charms are responsible for his rapid advancement and also protect him, as she has found a similar but malicious item left in their home after a bridge evening. Norman, a consummate rationalist, demands that the charms are destroyed but Tansy warns him she is not responsible for what may happen next. The next day events take a turn for the worse. A student accuses Norman of rape and another threatens him with a gun due to his poor grades. During the night, a freak storm batters Norman’s cottage. Is it just bad weather or something more sinister?

Comment 0 Likes

categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, Night of the Eagle

Ghost (1990)

September 29, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Banker Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and his girlfriend, artist Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), move into a Manhattan loft apartment and begin to renovate. They are helped by Sam's friend and co-worker Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). One night, after attending the theatre with Molly, Sam is fatally shot by a mugger who tries to steal his wallet. Sam is shocked to discover he is a ghost but refuses to move on to the afterlife because of his love for Molly. In the following weeks he observes his funeral and Molly’s unhappiness. However, when the mugger (Rick Aviles) who shot him breaks into their apartment and searches it, Sam suspects that his death was not just a robbery that went wrong. During his travels Sam discovers a fake medium, Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), who can hear him. Sam desperately tries to convince her to help him as he believes that Molly may be in danger.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Supernatural, Ghost

House (1986)

September 27, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Horror author Roger Cobb (William Katt) inherits his aunt’s house after she commits suicide by hanging herself. She raised Roger as a child when his parents died. Under pressure from his publisher to complete another horror book, Roger decides to move into the gothic property and write about his experiences in Vietnam instead. He hopes the process will be cathartic, not only for his PTSD but because his son Jimmy, vanished from the house without a trace. The trauma of which caused himself and his wife, Sandy (Kay Lenz), to separate. It’s not long before Roger is haunted by dreams of Vietnam and how he was forced to abandon a fellow soldier, Big Ben (Richard Moll), to die. After seeing supernatural apparitions are seen around the house, Roger attempts to photograph them with the assistance of his neighbour and fan, Harold (George Wendt). Is Roger succumbing to mental illness or is the house genuinely playing upon his fears?

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, House

Thirty-One Days of Horror Movies

September 17, 2023 / Roger Edwards

It would appear that quite a few bloggers write horror movie themed posts throughout the month of October and the lead up to Halloween. Krikket over at Nerd Girl Thoughts has already planned a very interesting viewing schedule of 31 horror films and I am most interested to read her thoughts in the days to come. As a blogger I like a series of planned articles, as I find that it keeps me engaged and focused. So, I’ve decided to write 31 horror movie reviews over the course of October. There is no rhyme or reason to the list of films and they’re not in any specific order. Some are classics that I’ve had on my review “to do list” for a while. Others are titles that have been lurking, unwatched, on my media player for a while. “Thirty-One Days of Horror Movies” presents a golden opportunity to address these. Overall, there’s a broad spectrum of titles from around the world, which will hopefully provide a degree of variety.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Horror, Movies, 31 Days of Horror Movies

The Conspiracy (2012)

September 08, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Filmmakers Aaron (Aaron Poole) and Jim (James Gilbert) decide to make a documentary about online conspiracy theories Terrance G (Alan Peterson), mainly due to the amount of attention he attracts online. Terrance explains in detail how many global events all appear to be linked to an NGO called the Tarsus Club. Jim remains sceptical of such theories, but Aaron is more willing to accept them. During an interview, Terrance becomes agitated and points out a man whom he believes to be following him. A few days later Terrance vanishes. Aaron searches through various newspaper clippings left in Terrance’s apartment and finds a reference to a Time magazine article about the Tarsus Club written by Mark Tucker (Bruce Clayton). As the pair of journalists search for Tucker, they see the same man that was following Terrance. They are also menaced by a Black SUV that parks outside Jim’s house at night. Finally, Tucker contacts them online and it becomes clear that he has more to reveal about the Tarsus Club. Aaron suggests that they try to infiltrate the next meeting, but Jim is reluctant to do so, due to the possible danger.

Comment 1 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Found Footage, Mockumentary, The Conspiracy

Nope (2022)

September 05, 2023 / Roger Edwards

In Agua Dulce, California, the Haywood family trains horses for film and TV productions. One day at the Haywood ranch, small metal objects unaccountably fall from the sky. One of which, a nickel, kills Otis Haywood Sr (Keith David). His children, Emerald “Em” Haywood (Keke Palmer) and Otis “OJ” Haywood Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya), continue to run the business. However, due to the loss of a contract, they have to sell some of the horses to Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun), who operates a Western theme park called Jupiter's Claim. One night, the Haywood’s notice the electricity supply fluctuating and their horses violently reacting to an unknown presence. They discover that something has been taking their horses and regurgitating inorganic matter, which OJ believes caused their father's death. The Haywood’s decide to obtain proof and subsequently ask electronics store employee and UFO enthusiast, Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) to set up surveillance cameras.

1 Comment 1 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Creature Feature, Nope, Jordan Peele

The Return of “Walter Watches”

August 31, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Anyone who writes regularly, sooner or later will have the following epiphany. The realisation that the post you consider your best work seldom finds an audience. Furthermore, the most inconsequential, disposable things that you have written on a whim, will often end up being the one article that gets a big response. It can be very frustrating but it is a reality of writing. It is with that idea in mind, I wish to move on to the matter of “Walter Watches”. In late March 2019, I took a picture of Walter sitting in his chair, watching a classic episode of The Twilight Zone. I subsequently Tweeted this image along with a descriptive caption. This gained a number of “likes” and retweets, so a day later I posted another. This time Walter was watching the film Krull (1983) and I added a humorous caption. Let’s just say I got more of a response for that one Tweet than I had for anything else I had posted over the previous nine years when promoting a blog post.

Comment 2 Likes

categories / Movies, TV, Walter Watches, Walter

Fallen (1998)

August 30, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) visits convicted serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas), prior to his execution. An unrepentant Reese poses a riddle for Hobbes then lapses into a strange language. He goes to his execution singing “Time Is On My Side” by The Rolling Stones. Shortly after, Hobbes receives an anonymous tip by phone of a murder. On arrival at the crime scene, Hobbes and his partner “Jonesy” (John Goodman) find that the murder victim has been killed in an identical fashion to those killed by Reese. Furthermore, the same riddle has been written on the wall. Despite warnings from his senior officer, Lieutenant Stanton (Donald Sutherland), not to pursue solving the riddle, Hobbes persists in his investigation. It leads to a highly decorated policeman who killed himself under mysterious circumstances and a pattern of events not dissimilar to those that Hobbes is currently facing.

3 Comments 2 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Fallen

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

August 25, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Back in 2018 I wrote the following about The Meg in my review. “My interest doesn’t go so far as a sequel. This sort of movie is the equivalent of a greasy burger you buy at the funfair. It’s fine once in a while as an indulgence, despite the fact that you know it’s bad, but you would soon tire of them being a regular part of my diet”. Five years later, I foolishly thought it may be “fun” to give the sequel, Meg 2: The Trench (2023), a go. Especially in light of the fact that it’s directed by Ben Wheatley. Surely such a filmmaker would bring some creativity and a fresh perspective to this franchise? Nope. Turns out he didn’t. Meg 2: The Trench lacks everything that made its predecessor tolerable. This superfluous sequel is an uninspired, poorly written mess which confuses turning everything up to eleven with entertainment. It gets nowhere near “it’s so bad, it’s good” territory. Instead it makes the biggest mistake a film of this nature can do. It’s dull.

Comment 1 Likes

categories / Movies, Creature Feature, Meg 2: The Trench, Jason Statham, Ben Wheatley

Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

August 22, 2023 / Roger Edwards

I was surprised to learn that a fifth film had been made in the Insidious franchise. However, I like this series sufficiently well enough to indulge a further entry, especially in light of the fact that the story has returned its focus on the Lambert family. It is also worth noting that lead actor Patrick Wilson who plays Josh Lambert in the first two films directs Insidious: The Red Door. Perhaps the story, which explores the emotional fallout of the previous events, appealed to him both in front and behind the camera. It is this approach to the fifth instalment which keeps things fresh and ensures that the film doesn’t solely revisit familiar territory. That also might also be the reason why this latest instalment didn’t quite get the same critical and commercial traction that previous entries did.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Insidious The Red Door

Holocaust 2000 (1977)

August 21, 2023 / Roger Edwards

The commercial and critical success of The Exorcist upon its release in late 1973 led to an increase in major studios investing in big budget, star driven horror films. The Omen (1976) further established this horror renaissance, which moved away from the traditional gothic horror of Hammer Studios and Roger Corman’s AIP releases. Horror was now about evil and biblical predictions manifesting in the modern world. As ever, with any successful film or genre, there are those subsequent productions that seek to imitate and cash-in. Holocaust 2000 is such a film. A British-Italian co-production, it features Kirk Douglas (who does much of the film’s heavy lifting), several well known British character actors and some notably violent set pieces. It takes the fashionable theological threat of the Antichrist and also adds an interesting nuclear angle, where a fusion plant built to solve the energy crisis could prove to be a harbinger of doom.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Holocaust 2000

The Deadly Mantis (1957)

August 20, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Not to be confused with the Shaw Brothers martial arts film of the same name from 1978, The Deadly Mantis (1957) is a creature feature in the idiom of Them! (1954). Unlike that film’s mutant ants, the monster on this occasion is not the product of the atomic age but a giant prehistoric praying mantis that has been released from the polar ice caps. Exactly how a creature associated with more tropical regions came to be at the North Pole is never explained. In fact precious little is in The Deadly Mantis. The film’s overall scope is somewhat limited with a basic story, limited action scenes and a rather dull cast of generic characters. There is an over reliance upon stock footage from period military documentaries and previous Universal Studio feature films. The film’s biggest failing is the giant praying mantis which does most of its rampaging conveniently off camera. It’s all rather disappointing.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Creature Feature, The Deadly Mantis

Amityville 3-D (1983)

August 19, 2023 / Roger Edwards

The Amityville Horror (1979) performed extremely well commercially upon release. Hence a prequel, Amityville II: The Possession (1982), was made three years later to capitalise on that box office success. Both films are allegedly based upon real events. The first film depicts the haunting of the Amityville house and the events that befell the Lutz family that moved in. The second explores the original DeFeo murders which took place earlier, although here the family is renamed Montelli. A third film, Amityville 3-D, was released in 1983 and is a curious sequel. Unlike previous instalments, it was an original story and did not attempt to mine the wealth of books associated with the Amityville case. It also jumped on the 3-D revival bandwagon that was popular at the time with such films as Friday 13th Part III and Jaws 3-D. It is a very workmanlike production, directed by Richard Fleischer.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Amityville 3-D

Needful Things: Extended TV Cut (1993)

August 11, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Fraser C. Heston’s 1993 adaptation of Stephen King’s Needful Things did not fare well upon release. Despite having a robust cast of character actors and good production values, it was neither a critical nor commercial success. In more recent years there has been a growing critical reassessment of the film and its lack of success has mainly been attributed to audience fatigue. The eighties and nineties saw a wealth of King adaptations on both the big and small screen. It is also worth noting that condensing the sprawling and character filled books of Stephen King is an incredibly difficult thing to achieve within the parameters of a two hour movie. Which is why the TV miniseries has often proved a more successful format. Which brings me to the extended version of Needful Things that was prepared for television shortly after its theatrical release.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Needful Things, Stephen King

Dead Heat (1988)

April 11, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Throughout the eighties, two of the most commercially successful genres in Hollywood were buddy cop movies and horror films. Therefore it was inevitable that someone, somewhere would eventually combine them. Dead Heat is a comedy action movie with both horror and science fiction elements. If you think such an eclectic blend of themes is a little incongruous, then watching the movie will validate your assumption. All things considered, Dead Heat is a bit of a mess. However, despite its faults, of which there are several, it remains quite an enjoyable film. A textbook example of the over the top eighties action movie, utterly removed from established police procedures and indeed reality. It is also one of two feature films directed by renowned film editor, Mark Goldblatt, whose credits include Rambo: First Blood Part II, RoboCop and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Comment 1 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Dead Heat

Nightmares (1983)

April 10, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Due to the commercial success of George A. Romero’s Creepshow in 1982 and the Twilight Zone: The Movie in 1983, there was a resurgence of anthology horror films in the eighties and nineties. Nightmares is one of many “portmanteau movies” that followed and is neither the worst, or the best that the genre has to offer. Originally conceived as a pilot for a NBC TV show, the completed film was deemed too “intense” for television and eventually released theatrically with an “R” rating. Judged by today’s standards, it is not especially violent and the strongest content is in the first chapter of the four part story. Written by Jeffrey Bloom and Christopher Crowe, both of whom have a background in popular seventies television, Nightmares has the look and feel of a TV production.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Portmanteau Horror, Anthology, Nightmares

Crawl (2019)

April 09, 2023 / Roger Edwards

It is no secret that the film industry relies on a handful of common tropes as the mainstay of their cinematic output. It uses timeless themes, storylines and archetypes that have featured in folk tales, plays and literature throughout history. Hence their familiarity with audiences around the world. Where the skill in filmmaking lies is to take a common, well known idea and interpret it in a new and innovative fashion. Akira Kurosawa took Shakespeare’s MacBeth and retold the tale through the prism of Japanese feudalistic culture. The result, Throne of Blood, is considered a masterpiece. Similarly, The Lion King retells the same story through the medium of animation and anthropomorphic wildlife. All of which proves that the key to successfully retelling a familiar tale is to be creative with regard to setting, presentation and perspective.

Comment 1 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Creature Feature, Crawl

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

January 01, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a bold and inventive take on Carlo Collodi's classic story of the puppet that aspires to be a “real boy”. As you would expect from the director, it is a far cry from Disney’s 1940 version, taking a more bleak and sinister tone. Despite songs and exuberant set pieces, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is an exploration of grief, death and even fascism. The screenplay by Guillermo del Toro and Patrick McHale also tackles the complexities of the relationship between parent and child. It is a remarkable example of stop motion animation and is visually very striking. However, it is a somewhat niche market adaptation and is not exactly easily accessible to children or the furiously hard of thinking. It comes as no surprise that this cinematic venture was green lit by Netflix, which appears to be the new home of the experimental, rather than a mainstream studio.

Comment 2 Likes

categories / Movies, Animation, Guillermo del Toro, Pinnochio

Speak No Evil (2022)

September 17, 2022 / Roger Edwards

The plot of Speak No Evil is an exploration of what can happen when someone driven by a cultural urge to be polite and avoid any form of confrontation, encounters a psychopath who exploits their very nature. Speak No Evil is a very European psychological horror and I stress that point because this film will not necessarily play well to audiences who are not so familiar with such institutionalised deference or passivity. Danish writer and director Christian Tafdrup skilfully and slowly builds the tension, but the plot contrivances of the final act do somewhat mitigate its credibility. Hence realism gives way purely to threat and suspense. If you’re the sort of viewer who can countenance that different cultures, age groups and political leanings can dramatically impact upon one’s behaviour, then you may well get through Speak No Evil. If you struggle to come to terms with the poor decisions made in an episode of Scooby Doo then Speak No Evil will leave you screaming at your TV.

1 Comment 3 Likes

categories / Movies, Horror, Speak No Evil

Treasure of the Four Crowns (1983)

August 21, 2022 / Roger Edwards

“In the universe there are things man cannot hope to understand. Powers he cannot hope to possess. Forces he cannot hope to control. The Four Crowns are such things. Yet the search has begun. A soldier of fortune takes the first step. He seeks a key that will unlock the power of the Four Crowns and unleash a world where good and evil collide”. So reads the Star Wars-esque opening crawl for the 1983 3D action movie, Treasure of the Four Crowns. It’s worth noting that when it appears on screen, this text is written in capitals and devoid of any punctuation. The movie is also a Cannon Films production. These facts may give viewers an inkling of what is to come over the next 100 minutes. It is certainly best to abandon expectations of linear, narrative filmmaking. Treasure of the Four Crowns is unique, batshit crazy and yet curiously entertaining.

Comment 0 Likes

categories / Movies, Treasure of the, Four Crowns, Fantasy, 3D

Filtering by Category: Movies