The Pit and the Pendelum(1961)

8/10 

The movie begins with a man named Francis Barnard coming to the castle of his late sister and her husband Nicholas Medina. His sister Elizabeth has died very suddenly, and Francis wants to know what happened. Nicholas and his younger sister Catherine try to convince Francis that an illness took his sister, but he doesn't buy it at all. The thing that I really love about these scenes was the way that the filming was done. The shots of waterfalls and the castles were absolutely gorgeous, and they show high proficiency for a Corman flick. I also thought that the development of characters started to come off very quickly, and the conflicts could be sensed easily. 

The first thing that impressed me with this movie was the star studded talent in front of and behind the cameras. Vincent Price nails the character of Nicholas with his insane yet often likable personality that makes the viewer want to sympathize with his character. Barbara Steele is the "Queen of gothic horror" in my opinion, and she nails this role by portraying a selfish and sneaky person. Luana Landers is an actress I'm a fan of because of "Dementia 13," and she gave another good performance in this movie as the caring sister of Nicholas. John Kerr was also impressive as the hard and skeptical Francis, and while I'm not very familiar him, I thought he did a great job. The original story of this film came from Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name, so a good plot is basically certain. To make things even better, Richard Matheson adapted the tale into a screenplay, and he did a great job. Being one of the best horror writers ever, I thought he was a fantastic choice for this role, and he added so much to the movie. I also found Roger Corman to be a great director for the film, because he could use his campy style to keep the dialogue moments from being boring, and he had the shock value to make a successful work. 

Being the film movie was made in 1961, there wasn't much gore at all. Despite this, the filmmakers found many ways to make the film creepy. The first way was the psychedelic undertones. Whether it was the changes of screen color, or the paint running down during the intro, it gave an eerie feel, and made the movie all the more cooler. I also felt that the slow increase to the climax helped get the viewer more anxious, because there was no way of predicting what would happen. 

The climax/ending of this movie were absolutely shocking and amazing. The full circle has come through in the mystery, and a chain of sick events begin. As these last 20 plus minutes take place, there is an underlying question of if the endangered characters will survive. This pressure makes things more intense, and the plot twists gave more of an edge. I thought that the last shots of the film were insane, because I was not expecting them at all, and it was very morbid and cool. 

Overall, this is a fun movie to watch about betrayal, revenge, and genuine insanity. While it isn't my all time favorite Price movie ever, it is one of his better, and he gave the performance of the lifetime. I definitely recommend checking it out, as it is a movie of talent, thrills, and chills. 

Gamera Vs. Guiron(Attack of the Monsters)

5.5/10

"Gamera Vs Guiron" was a 1969 entry in the Gamera series. It took a very bizarre plot, and made it B-Movie fun. I personally can't put this movie even close to the original, but it is still a fun movie about one of the greatest monsters ever. 

The movie begins in space, as the narrator tells about the many stars, nebulas, etc in the sky. After describing them all, he said "a star is in trouble."  The movie then cuts to the opening credits, and some very trippy scenery of lava fills the screen. I thought this was pretty neat, because it had the very cool vintage 60's feel, and I was drawn in. After the credits, the narrator then talks about satellites, and how they get messages that may be from outer space. After the narrator is done, the movie goes into a huge astronomic meeting, where many questions are asked about these signals and space.  Soon after, the scene cuts to two boys named Akio and Tom looking through a telescope, where they see a spaceship.  These boys go to the spaceship after it lands, and they fly it around. In space, they find their friend Gamera, and he helps them fly around. Suddenly, Gamera gets freaked out, and they think that he is trying to help them stay away from something. The boys then land on a planet, and it is an interesting place where water runs backwards, and monsters take over the land. One of these monsters is named Guiron, and he is a unique looking monster with a knife for a nose, and strong body.  He has the power of shooting lasers, along with stabbing creatures.  After Guiron goes back into his home, the boys become curious, and they go into a mysterious building on the planet. This was a mistake though, as two women take control of them.  These ladies hypnotize the boys, in preparation to eat their brains.  The boys have no hope, except for Gamera. Luckily, Gamera attempts to save them, but it won't be easy, because first he has to fight Guiron...

Being the original Gamera film was the only one to have the monster as a villain, this one especially shows him to be a hero, and "child's best friend."  Personally, I don't find this isn't awful, but I thought that the character was much cooler as the bad guy. In this movie, he is basically like the dragon from "The Neverending Story," because he just flies around saving the kids. Personally this really took the series from its original horror background to being a "kiddie flick."  This was also very apparent in the writing, because of how ignorantly literal the dialogue was. One of the funniest lines was "I just found out that these people are cannibals."  It does fit the mouth of the young people well, but I just wish that the movie had a more mature way about it. 

Even though Gamera is good now, he still has some pretty cool battle scenes with Guiron to save the kids.  The fights were very exciting, as the monsters brutally threw each other around, and just smashed each other into a pulp. It was also cool to see the individual creature use their different powers at times, because it made them stand out more. I found it pretty awesome when "Guiron" shot ninja stars out of his head. I also thought it was good that their was a lot of concern as to whether Gamera could win, rather than it just being an easy match, because it gave some more suspense to the story, and made the movie cooler.  

I was quite surprised by some of the Communist undertones that came up in the film, because you would think that they would be better hidden. One of the most alarming lines showing this was, "when someone is useless, it is time for them to go." Even though a naive person could see this as a line to spice up the movie, I personally saw it as an extremist line that may have been sadly true to nations under the political method. 

The movie's budget was obviously very low, and it added to the hilariousness of everything. The costumes of the cannibals ladies were pretty corny, because they looked like silver Martians, and rather  than being scary, they were just goofy. I don't see this as bad in my eyes though, because I love the cheesiness, and it makes the movie more fun.  The movie had the typical voice dubs of foreign films, and they were actually pretty good. I don't know if it was that the amount of words in the Japanese language were closer to English or what, but the lips matched up pretty well, and it were easy to follow. The costumes of Gamera and Guiron were your "basic man in suit," and they were pretty sweet because of it. I especially liked the look of Guiron, because he had a campy menace to him. Overall, this low budget was a helping factor to the movie, because it was a silly premise overall, and would've been innapropriate as a big money film. 

The climax of the movie was pretty exciting, because the lives of the boys and Gamera were really at stake. Things looked terrible for all three of them, and many crazy fights take place. I was pumped by all of this, because the battles became more and more brutal, as did the pressures for the children. The ending was obviously happy, and this wasn't good or bad for me, because I knew it was going to happen, and it was the appropriate thing to do for a film of its nature. It would've been cool for a surprise ending though, because it would've really shocked people.  The message conveyed by the boys at the very end was so corny, and I was laughing my head off from their words. 

Overall, this movie has no merit to be a masterpiece at all. It is very cheesy, and it was nowhere near the quality of the original. Regardless, the movie was still enjoyable, and I spent a lot of the time with a smile on my face. The absurd plot, cool monsters, and laughable acting all make a fun B-Movie experience for all fans, and it is definitely worth a watch. 

Gammera the Invincible

7.5/10

Are you one of those people that gets all gushy at the sight of a turtle? If so, your opinion might be changed after your first encounter with "Gammera." "Gammera the Invincible" is a 1966 film from Japanese director Noiaki Yuasa, and it tells the story of a killer turtle that tries to take over Tokyo. I personally find this movie to be one of the most enjoyable monster flicks of all time because of it's awesome action, great creature, and hilarious elements of creativity. 

To start the movie off, there was just about the campiest and most hilarious theme song ever.  "Gammera..... Gammera.... Gammera." When this happened I was laughing so hard, and was drawn into the movie immediately. After this, the movie randomly goes to some Eskimos, and then a second later at a military base. Personally, even though this fast pace is mildly hard to follow, it also is kind of symbolic to the panic taking place in the scene. It also makes things more interesting. In the military base, the leaders are informed by the Air Force that the world is under "Red Alert," because of threat of atomic warfare, and that they need to take action right away.  As all of the planes fly around, the scene cuts to a sheet of ice that breaks from the explosion, and out of it comes "Gammera," a giant turtle that will take over the Tokyo as revenge for this interruption his two million year hibernation.  Now the people of the world must fight for their lives, or be done forever.....

While this movie is basically a "Godzilla" copycat, I really still thought it was cool in its own way. I think that the fact that "Gammera" is a turtle is quite hilarious, because in our real world, the animal is the most harmless and slowest creature, yet in this movie, it has the capability of making the world Hell.  I also like that there is a reason for the monster terrorizing the world, instead of just doing it for the film.  Something that is also original about the character is that he can make himself look like a UFO and fly. I like this a lot it adds to the campy outrageousness of the movie, and helps out stand out from its inspiration.  The movie has a political undertone like the former film, but in this one, it is much more isolated and conflict driven. In "Godzilla," the monster's attacks were just a trigger to memories of the 40's in Japan, but in this one, there is actually war taking place, and the fighting actually caused the problems with Gammera. The  For all of these reasons, I personally had more fun watching this movie than "Godzilla." 

In movies, the military meetings are often very boring for me, because of their lack of emotional connection. In this movie, this was different for me, because it was all very interesting. I like the fact that the leaders are skeptical about "Gammera" being real, because it makes the movie authentic since the idea of this creature is also unlikely in our society. It is also cool to see everyone butting heads, since they're from all over the world. This shows some cultural diversity in the movie that wouldn't be dared shown very often in the era. 

The acting in the movie is good for what the movie is, but not anything special. I think it is pretty amazing that all of the actors could keep a straight face while talking about the turtle, because honestly their lines are so hilarious that I would've broke. Everyone also gives a lot of emotion in their performance, and definitely put a lot of effort into their job. Albert Dekker was the standout for me as "Secretary of Defense," because he portrayed a tough man that can get things done very well. 

Watching the movie, I really appreciated practical effects even more than before. Gammera's costume was so cool, because even though it is a man in a suit, I would never believe it since he looks gigantic compared to everything else. This camera work was very skillful in my opinion, and I feel that is is much more impressive than using CGI to get things done. The scenes where the character fly are also pretty sweet for its time, because even though it's very fake, it still has a nice and vintage look that people like me really appreciate.  The action scenes were pretty fantastic in the movie, because they were full of destruction, and the monster showed a lot of threat. Buildings crashed, and fire flew through the air, and I was highly impressed in all ways. 

The climax of the movie is very cool, because it portrays the military doing everything they can to dispose of this monster.  While Gammera is obviously the villain, these scenes really gave a little bit of empathy for him, as the viewer doesn't want him to do(nor does some of the characters). These scenes are very action packed, and full of laughs the whole way through, and they kept me excited constantly. I thought that the ending was pretty awesome, because it was extremely outrageous and absurd, yet it was exactly what was needed for success. 

"Gammera the Invincible" is definitely not a cinematic masterpiece in any standard, but it is one of the most enjoyable movies ever. There are so many moments where I was sucked in by the action, and laughing at the goofiness of the filmmaking. I definitely recommend this movie to all fans of the classics, because it is one of the greatest monster movies of the "golden era." 

The Brain That Wouldn't Die

6.5/10

What would you do if a love one was injured in an accident? Would you do anything to help them be better, even kill?  This 1962 classic tells this story to high extreme, and while I enjoy it a lot, it definitely isn't as good as "The Killer Shrews, and other films like it. 

The movie begins by showing Dr. Bill Cortner attempting to save a man in operation. Sadly, this does not work, and the man dies. Cortner is broken up about this, and he decides to try something different on the body.  Miraculously, he actually saves the man, and is applauded for it. The only man that seems to be against Bill's methods is his own father, who believes that experimenting on a human is wrong. After leaving the office, Bill and his fiancée Jan drive home, and they get in a terrible car crash.  In the accident, Jan is decapitated, and Cortner is absolutely heartsick.  The only thing he can think of doing is bringing the head back to life, and making a new body for her.  He would die to do this for her, and even kill.....

The plot is very cool in my opinion, because while some aspects of it are absurd and familiar, it is also very dark and interesting.  I think it is very cool to see how Cortner's love for Jan drives him to his insanity, which gives him the idea to make this new body.  I feel like this is kind of a less scientifically accurate version of the Frankenstein plot, but it gives its own twist. It was definitely more complex than most storylines to B-Movies, because it had many unexpected elements that threw me off the first time I saw the movie. On the other hand, I kind of feel like this movie was made to show off a bunch of hot womens' bodies, being that is basically what 90% of the movie is about. 

The cast in the movie is good for the most part, and while no one was Oscar-winning performances, they all do there job, and convince the viewer that they are their character.  Jason Evers is amazing at the character of Bill, because he has such a downfall from the nice guy he was in the beginning. One can really tell this in the hardness he gets in personality. Even as becoming a potential murderer, he still keeps a suave way to his talking to the women. His character almost reminds me of Macbeth for all of these reasons. Virginia Leith did a good job as Jan, but it was uncomfortable to watch her the whole time. The fact that her head doesn't move around much was very hard, because it is almost claustrophobic to see her. Leslie Daniels was very likable as Kurt, because he was the very happy go lucky sidekick to Dave. He portrayed the intelligence of the character very well, and gave some great emotions later on in the film. Adele Lamont was very unique as Doris. She had such a seductive way about her, yet at the same time she portrayed insecurity that made her character very bitter. I'm pretty sure she was one of the first open lesbian characters in movie history. 

While there isn't a plethora of violence in the movie, the scenes that featured it were actually surprising for their time. One scene involved someone's arm getting ripped off, and there was blood all over their arm as they struggled. While everything was extremely fake, it was still somewhat shocking, and I liked it a lot. 

The ending of the movie is pretty cool, because it was something that had been built up the entire time, yet it was even more shocking than I would have ever thought it to be. I think the sudden change in course during the movie was pretty cool, because it saved the film from going into the typical happy ending. 

The weaknesses of the film were existent too, sadly. The first is that while the plot is very cool, there are a few scenes that get very boring.  Things get too talkative, and there isn't enough action.  The next weakness is that the music was a little out of place, being the same theme was used at least ten times, even though it's context was only good for three. While these weaknesses weren't movie ruiners, they were definitely things that the filmmakers should've been more careful with. 

Overall, this movie is good, but not the best. As a B-Movie, there are a lot of impressive qualities, but at the same time there were flaws too. I definitely recommend giving the movie a chance, because it's one that you'll love or hate. 

Dracula Has Risen From the Grave: Movie Review

8.5/10

The year was 1968, and Christopher Lee was back for his fourth Hammer Dracula movie.  "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave" really stuck out in the series for its gruesome violence, it's great display of terror, and some beautiful camerawork too. I can definitely call it one of the better in the series, and one of the coolest horror movies of all time. 

The introduction credits were really awesome in my opinion, because they were super psychedelic, with the dripping colors running all over the place.  While this could be considered dated now, I really find it cool, because I love the vintage films of this time. On these credits, there is also some amazing music in the background that may be one of the most epic scores ever.  When the movie actually starts, right off the bat comes shocking horrors. A man is walking through the church, when he finds a dead woman hanging and covered in blood. The question is who did this, and why?  The presumption is Dracula, because of the lines said by a priest. Soon after, the movie moves forward a year forward to 1906, and a man named Monsignor Ernest Mueller claims that Dracula has been destroyed.  Mueller decides to check on East European Village, and is surprised to see what has happened. The first person he ran into was an altar boy that had now become a mute. The second person is a priest that has really lost any belief in his own religion. The two of them talk about concern that Dracula is back. They then take a journey to a mountain, and the priest decides to turn back about half way through. As he goes back, he falls and hits his head. In this moment, the blood from his body falls into the mouth of dead Dracula, and he is revived.... This foolishness begins a chain of attacks at the hand of this vampire, and the control that he puts on them.

The first forty minutes were very slow. There was a couple little shocks here and there, but a lot of it was used for character development and such. I really didn't mind this, because all of these scenes were done very well, and they set up the later parts to be even more shocking. This becomes very apparent during the forty five minute mark, because there is a very intense and amazingly done scene that takes place in the woods. This actually happens to be one of my favorite parts of the series, because it was so claustrophobic, and it was filmed very well to the point where one feels like they're experiencing it. I also love the setting of the woods in this moment, because even though there are places to run, there is no one there to help. 

Even though the idea wasn't first used in this movie, I really liked how apparent that the film made it that the victims of Dracula became his slave in a sense. You can really tell this in the ways that their sanity is compromised, and by the smiles on their faces when he comes by. They become mindless minions that have no problem at all in do exactly what he wants.  I think that this is much darker than just killing people, because it shows how the people that were loved at one point became evil in a sense. The other part of it that is really crazy, is that even though signs of the people going mad happen, a lot of the public don't care to say anything or even notice.

To make the movie even better, the cast was absolutely amazing. Starting off with my favorite horror actor ever, Christopher Lee completely kills it as Dracula in this installment.  He was darker than ever in this movie, because he didn't have to say anything, but just give a look with those sinister eyes, and stand there in the presence of scared people.  He was also extremely well at portraying the seductive side of Dracula for this movie in particular, because you can show how much the characters take pleasure in his advances that lead to their bite.  Even though we know he is bad, and the people probably do too, he just has a way of drawing them in with his suave nature, and there is really no going back for them.  Rupert Davies gave a very good performance as Ernest, because he was extremely likable with his aura and personality, and he was very convincing at showcasing his fear and such. Veronica Carlson was really neat as Maria Muller. She was an extremely beautiful girl, and you can initially sense a very pure nature to her.  This changes though, because when Dracula comes into her life, she becomes a very intense and romantic girl because of his seductions. Ewan Hooper gave a very realistic and suspenseful performance as the possessed priest, because one can totally sense how much change happened to him in his life, and even though he turns somewhat, you can tell that he has a want to be good, as he battles for his own life. 

When I first saw that this movie was rated G, I was worried that it was a weak movie with low caliber attacks. I was very surprised when I saw the actual product though. There is no way that this film would be G now, and it may actually be closer to PG-13 or R. There was some pretty gruesome scenes, especially one that features blood spraying everywhere.  This is a prime example of how censors really missed the mark at times, and I find it quite humorous to be honest. 

 I was actually super impressed, because the film had a much darker tone than a lot of the ones before, whether it was because of the violence itself or the atmosphere. I think part of this was the camerawork too, because the red tinted screen made very trippy and crazy feeling when it happened a couple times. 

The last half of the movie was pretty epic, and it blew my mind. There was constant pressure about Dracula, and there was a lot of fighting too. The ending was also pretty intense, and gruesome for sure, and it left the audience at a shock, which is always the best way to finish a horror film.  All of these scenes really shaped the movie to be one of the most exciting of the genre. 

Overall, this movie really made my day.  It was a high quality, and extremely intense horror movie, and even though it started off slow, it ended up blowing me away.  There was a great cast, great technical aspects, and it is worth the time of every horror fan.  Definitely give this film a chance, because I guarantee that it will blow your mind away. 

The Last Man On Earth Review

9/10

Vincent Price has been proclaimed as one of the heroes in the horror genre. He was known for his dark yet witty personality, and he made some of the most famous movies of all time.  This 1964 film was actually known by many as his best work, and it has been remade twice("The Omega Man" and "I Am Legend"). 

The movie begins with showing the world as a ghost town. Buildings are destroyed, and there are no people in sight. Then we meet the last man on earth; Dr Robert Morgan.  Morgan wakes out of his bed, gets his weapons, and begins to hunt vampires.  I absolutely love this beginning, because it sets the viewer up for a lot of tensity. It also introduces the narration by Price.  This was a genius idea in my opinion, because if Robert actually talked to the viewer in the movie, he'd look really stupid, because it would make him be talking to himself.  The narration gives the vibe that the words are really his thoughts, and this was extremely effective. 

The first thing that I found really great about this film was the flashback sequences with Robert's wife and daughter. The reason I like this a lot is that we see how important they were to his life. Even though the world had been going down hill, he still had the people he loved, and could still function because of this. When they became ill and passed, he had nothing left in the world, and life didn't even matter anymore. I think this was a great move for the character development of Morgan's character, because it helps explain his hard and near insane personality. 

Personally, I don't think there could've been anyone better than Vincent Price for the role of Robert Morgan.  The character really needed a tough man that could shift emotions very well, whether he was dark, happy, sad, or powerful. Every one of these qualities were possessed by this amazing actor.  I feel that one of the scenes that shows this best was when he watched the home movies of his family. At first he watched with a straight face, but then he began to laugh crazily, and finally he broke down and cried like a baby.  While other actors could perform this scene, there really wasn't anyone that could pull it off so genuinely. 

One of the things that surprised me with this film was how true "I Am Legend" stayed to it. While they were very different films in nature, there were certain plot points that were in both movies.  One of the biggest giveaways in this is the relationship that Morgan has with his dog. This canine is just about the only thing that Robert has left in the world, and he loves it dearly.  Then the heartbreak comes for him when he has to kill the puppy because it is too infected with the bacteria that causes creature to become vampires.  What truly blew my mind was when Robert repeatedly said "Everything's gonna be alright."  The significance in this is apparent if the viewer has also seen "I Am Legend," because the theme song of the movie is "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley, which utters those same exact words. I found this to be truly amazing, because it showed the intricate brilliance of the more recent movie. 

The loneliness of Robert is soon ceased when a young girl named Ruth comes along.  Ruth has been infected by this bacteria, but she has a vaccine that takes away the symptoms. The actress in the role Franca Bettoia was absolutely stellar in the movie, because she had such a great way of showcasing the emotions needed for the role.  She could've been considered melodramatic for her performance, but in this character, this was absolutely necessary because of all of the strife she had gone through. 

Something that puzzled me about this film was the fact that the infected humans were classified as "vampires." While this wasn't terrible, it doesn't make much logical sense. First off, there are never any fangs shown at all.  The second thing is that none of these creatures are seen to have a blood lust, but a love for human flesh. The last thing that bugged me about this was that they walk very slow, and there appearance was somewhat decayed. All of these factors really lead me to believe that "zombie" is a much more appropriate title for these sad life forms.  So while this doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the film, I found it quite confusing, and I wish the filmmakers had been more careful with this.  

Honestly the ending of this film may be one of the best(if not the best) in any genre. It has the action, the emotion, and the most powerful monologue I have ever heard.  I was so mindblown by this last ten minutes, and it gave me a feeling of awe that has never shown up unless I was watching the end of the original "Planet of the Apes."  To be frank, any flaws that had dragged down the rest of the film were made up by this, because it set the whole tone of why this movie was made. 

While this may not be the gruesome horror flick a lot of people look for, this movie has a lot more to it than most.  There is a power behind it that makes the viewer become engrossed, and it is one of the most subtly brilliant movies ever made.  I highly recommend it to any fans of horror, scifi, or classic cinema in general, because it is a piece of art that cannot be missed.   

The Ghost Review

8/10

Barbara Steele is literally the queen of Italian horror, and this 1963 classic is another prime example of that point. Directed by Riccardo Freda, the film tells the story of greed, murder, and a revenge that one would have nightmares about. This movie is shocking, gruesome, and a great gem that is overlooked by many. 

As the film begins, we meet Margaret and John Hitchcock.  John is a doctor, and he is bound to his wheelchair. Margaret is having an affair with John's doctor Charles Livingstone, and she wants to get rid of John. Charles is very hesitant, but Margaret convinces him to let her go through with it. Charles then gives John a lethal injection, and he dies.  I really found this scene to be painfully sad, because John really did love Margaret, and he was completely helpless. 

As the film continues, the two lovers try to make the death of John seem as natural as possible, and we then see the will being read.  Charles and Margaret then look for the fortune of John's, but they cannot find it.  Regardless of this, the two of them believe that they're off the hook, but they were very wrong....  Even though these scenes are extremely slow, I could tell that things were really going to get good, because small occurrences started to happen occasionally.  

The actual paranormal scenes are very crazy in my opinion, and even though they're quite simple, I still found a lot of terror in them. The way that John's body comes back and haunts them was just done so well, because he had such a sluggish quality to the way he moved, and his face was cold as ice. I really feel that rather than the hauntings being physical, that the paranoia coming from the guilt of murdering him created these thoughts and images, which made them go crazy. Along with my experience of watching "An American Haunting"(which I already reviewed), I became very enlightened on what the reality of ghosts really is. 

Outside of the parts revolving around paranormal activity, there was some other scenes that contributed to the freakiness of the movie. What really gets to a viewer is the way the cinematography gets close ups of things so they become frightening. One of the greatest examples of this is the scene where Margaret is in the basement, and she sees a bunch of skulls.  The greatest virtue of what the filmmakers did was that after the shots of the skulls, the viewers get to see the reaction of only Steele's eyes, which gives a very raw depiction of fear. 

Another thing that I loved about this film was the cast. To start things off, it stars Barbara Steele, whom is slowly becoming one of my favorite actresses in the horror genre. She gives such a great performance in the sense that she can be very dark, and can give a very convincing portrayal of paranoia.  Peter Baldwin was also great as Charles Livingstone, because he was very stern, and often angry because of the darknesses in his life. "The Ghost" John Hitchcock was portrayed by Elio Jotta, and he was extremely fit for this role. His voice has such a haunting tone to it, and he went from a helpless old man to a powerful source of evil very proficiently. 

The climax of this movie was absolutely INSANE!  I couldn't believe how far things got, and the murder of a main character completely blew my mind.  The way it was done was so perfect too. Instead of just normal gore, the blood actually splattered on the screen, and there was a lot of it. I think it might have been one of the coolest kills in horror history because of its innovative technique, and the brutal emotions that were portrayed. 

The ending of the movie was very masterful and shocking. In these last few minutes, we see what really happened to Dr Hitchcock, and we see the insanity of Margaret hit a peak.  I love how sudden the ending is, because it doesn't add stupid fluff to ruin it.  It brought so many questions to my head, and I think that flow of imagination is the greatest result of a horror movie. 

PLEASE CHECK THIS MOVIE OUT FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. It is such an underrated and amazing movie, and it truly shocked me at many points. While some parts are mildly slow moving, they only do this for the build up, and I promise you that you won't be let down. 

Nightmare Castle Review

8.5/10

"Nightmare Castle"(aka "The Faceless Monster) is a 1965 Italian gothic film that was directed by Mario Caiano.  It starred horror legend Barbara Steele, and it is one of her most remembered movies. It was extremely shocking for its time, and I found it to be one of the coolest B-Movies ever.

The film starts off showing the unhappy marriage between a scientist named Dr. Steven Arrowsmith and his wife Muriel.  Muriel walks into Stephen's lab as he is working, and he becomes angry with her. The scene then skips forward a little bit, and we see the affair of Muriel and her lover. The two of them seem extremely happy, but then Steven takes them both, and a chain of brutal horrors begin.  I really feel that this beginning was fast moving, and that the supposed build up was almost immediately.  Regardless, these scenes of torture were quite shocking for their time, and there is a surprising amount of bloodshed. 

After the hearts of Muriel and her secret lover are removed from their bodies, Steven marries Jenny, this institutionalized sister of Muriel.  He does this because Muriel's will was only giving to her, and he wanted some of the money.  Jenny tries to be happy in the house of Steven, but she begins to go crazy again because of terrifying nightmares she has.  While this plot line isn't really an original, it truly gives a lot of mystery that really makes the viewer wonder about what is going to happen. 

One of the great positives of the film is the cast. Barbara Steele was truly the real deal in Italian horror films, because she had so much depth in her performances. This is shown to a great extent in this movie, because she plays both Muriel and Jenny. The thing that I really love about this is that she never failed to confuse me as to which character she was acting as.  Paul Muller was also quite amazing, because he was extremely dark, and he gave off the vibe that something was up the entire time.  Laurence Clift was very likable as Dr. Dereck Joyce, because he had the best interest of helping Jenny, and would do anything to help her figure out what is wrong. 

I love this paranormal elements of this story a lot. The taking over of bodies makes one heck of a shock, and I feel that for 1965, it was a pretty innovative plot twist.  All of the actors conveyed these possessions very well, because you almost forget that they aren't themselves, and it's very freaky. After the possessions, the actual bodies even come back, and it is quite amazing how haunting the once peaceful Steele suddenly became.  In fact, the last fifteen minutes of the film created one of the craziest endings ever, because all hell broke loose, and a plethora of outrageous and gory occurrences take place.  This is the absolute perfect climax to a horror movie, and I am utterly impressed in every way. 

I definitely recommend this film to any fan of the classics, because it has the perfect amount of shock value to make you go wild.  While some parts were arguably slow, they really help the build up for complete hell, and they're easy to look past.  There was also great performances by everyone, especially Steele, and it was just one heck of a fun movie. 

Dementia 13 Review

9.5/10

In 1963, Francis Ford Coppola made his debut as a major director with the movie "Dementia 13."  This obscure film was one of the first of its kind, being a forerunner of the slasher genre.  I absolutely love this movie, because of its great horror scenes, awesome direction, and creativity. 

The film starts out with a husband and wife on a boat.  The man John is talking to Louise about how if he dies, then she is out of the family, and will not get anything out of it.  Quite coincidentally, John dies of a heart attack right after this.  Not knowing what to do, Louise throws him right off the boat and pretends that John has went back to New York.  This whole beginning scene is really awesome, because it has such an authentic feel to it.  Elvis Presley plays in the background(in the form of a creaky radio that is on the boat), and there is a lot of realistic portrayals of tensity in it.  The coolest thing is that when Louise throws John into the water, the radio goes with him, and it suddenly starts to malfunction. Such a subtle thing was genius, because it gives a chilling feel to the scene. 

Louise then gets in touch with the family of John, still keeping the fake story going.  Louise is afraid though, because the Halloran family is quite insane as she says.  The first person she gets in touch with is Billy, and he seems to be very normal actually.  He too is scared of the "Castle Halloran," which is where his mother and brother live.  The two of them still go there though, and we then meet Lady Halloran, Richard Halloran, and Richard's girlfriend Kane.  Right off the bat, you can tell there is something very suspicious about the first two, because they have a very dark personality to them. 

The cast in this movie was very well chosen, and the character development is perfect.  The late great Luana Landers was stellar in the role of Louise.  She was one of the most beautiful girls in the business, and she had so much talent too. I love how her character is almost an "anti-hero" of a sort.  Even though we are supposed to be rooting for her, she is quite a rotten person herself.  She lies to the family because her greed, and she shows a lot of darkness in her character.  William Campbell was a very safe pick for Richard Halloran, because all he needs to do is speak to give an aura of terror.  He was also a veteran of the B-movies, so this film was right now his alley.  Bart Patton was cool in the role of Billy Halloran, because he seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but you can tell that he is delusion and insane. While this isn't true to Patton's real life, he does a great job of making it seem like it was genuinely him.  Mary Mitchell was very likable in the role of Kane, because she is sweet, and quite innocent.  She is also absolutely beautiful, and this is used in a way to show Richard's shallow personality. I also really liked Patrick Magee in the role of Dr. Justin Caleb, because he was very stern, and a complete jerk most of the time. 

Being released in 1963, the violence shown was completely shocking. There was some really brutal ax murdering, and while they weren't as graphic as now adays, they had a bite to them like nothing else. The first attack may be one of the coolest scenes ever.  The aggressiveness that comes from every chop really makes things crazy.  I really feel that this was one of the first slasher films, because of the way the kills take place.  You have a mysterious man using axes to butcher helpless people.  Another thing that works in defense for this argument is that most of the attacks happen because of immoral behavior exhibited by the "victim."  I also really like how we don't know who the killer is for most of the film.  It gives so much more terror to the film, and makes it a great mystery.  Outside of just the murders, I really love the way that creepy things pop up throughout the movie.  A great example was the little monkey doll that was swinging the ax. It was almost like a foreshadowing for the future of the movie, and it was super cool. This really shows how much care Coppola put into making the film, because he knew that every little thing counted.

Another part of the film that I really liked was the score. It was an extremely haunting soundtrack, and I feel that it followed a theme throughout the movie.  I noticed that the music from "Halloween" had some similarities, and that there must've been some influence. 

The ending was extremely shocking during my first viewing of the movie, because it is a huge trick, and the killer turns out to be someone that I didn't completely expect. The choices were narrow for who it could be, and the person ran through my mind a couple times, but it was so skillful that they made one of the other characters do something suspicious right before the true criminal was revealed.  

I really recommend this film to anyone interested in the cinema, because it is a true masterpiece. There is great characters, direction from Coppola, horror sequences, and a fantastic ending.  The movie was nothin like the other competitors of its time, and it set a whole different bar for the future of the horror genre.  So take a chance with this movie, because it is possibly the greatest B-Movie of all time, and a very worthy pick in the horror category. 

Carnival of Souls Review

9/10

I honestly feel like when people make a movie, they think that it won't be anything special.  The cool thing is when even decades later, the film is still recognized by people as a masterpiece. One of the great examples of this is the 1962 thriller "Carnival of Souls." The film was never meant to be anything more than a B-movie, but even today, critics still hail it as a landmark in the genre.

The movie starts out with a terrible car crash.  Of all the people In the vehicle, only one comes out of the water in a reasonable time. This person is a girl named Mary, and she is shown to be deeply saddened and shocked by the events that had taken place. In the next few minutes, time skips forward a bit, and we see Mary trying to live her life normally.  She seems pretty good, and she goes for a drive. Things get freaky for her though, because she starts to see ghosts all over the place.  A battle now begins for Mary, and it is to beat the fear of these freaks surrounding her.

One of the things that I really love about this film is how subtle the horror is. There isn't attacks and gore, but there is true grit and terror.  The movie was made on such a small budget and I really appreciate this, because the film rocks!  The emotional toll that the ghosts are creating for Mary is extremely suspenseful, and makes such a feeling of isolation.  Actress Candace Hillgoss really helps this work even more, because she does so well at portraying the paranoia that she acquired. I also love the look of the ghosts, because they're simple and human like, but still creepy at the same time.  The makeup almost looks like the makeup that would soon be used in "Night of the Living Dead." A scene that showed all of these factors perfectly was when Mary is playing organ in the church, and she has visions of the carnival full of ghosts.  It is one of the most electrifying scenes parts of the movie, and I really loved it. 

I really like the organ soundtrack throughout the film, because it gives a haunting and intense feel.  Even when Mary is at the church, if the music comes on; I get a feeling that something weird will happen.  It also brings a weird trippiness to the movie, and I like that a lot. I really appreciate the instrument choice, because it wasn't common, yet it worked so perfectly.  The rest of the instruments are great too, because they bring such darkness, and the songs are extremely original. 

The supporting cast is quite good at keeping a balance for Hillgoss' performance.  Sidney Berger plays the slimy neighbor of Mary named John Linden. He is great because he is partly comic relief, partly annoying, and occasionally a nice guy.  Frances Feist gave a very safe performance as a sweet old lady named Mrs Thomas. She didn't reach any acting achievements in the performance, but she was extremely enjoyable. Herk Harvey was absolutely horrific in the role of "The Man." He had such a perfect walk for the part, and the faces he could make were terrifying. He was an amazing pick for the ghost in my book. 

The ending of this movie was one of the most shocking and brilliant things I have ever seen. There was such a craziness in the carnival part, and as the ghosts chase Mary, there is a feeling of claustrophobia that made me sick. Then directly after, my mind was blown even more when there was a complete plot twist. So many films owe to this ending, because it set a huge standard for the genre. 

Overall, this movie was genius.  It took a budget lower than most films, and made a complete masterpiece.  I have trouble even calling this just a "movie," because it is really a gorgeous piece of art. I highly recommend it to any fans of horror, because it definitely deserves a spot in a list of the greatest horror flicks ever made. 

  

The Bloody Pit of Horror Review

6.5/10

The 1960's were quite the time for B-Movies in the horror genre. They were cheesy, fun, and often hysterical. "Bloody Pit of Horror" is no exception to this, because it is about as corny as you can get. Along with this though, you do get a really morbid film that I enjoyed in a sense.

The film starts out in the 17th century, with the execution of a man in red. It is heard that he had been a sadistic person, and he was killed in a spiked tomb. His body is meant to stay in this tomb, and before he died, he said that he would one day get revenge. The scene is cool, but the costumes are near laughable.  The criminal's cloak makes him look like a character in that old arcade game "Rolling Thunder." 

The movie then skips to the 1960's, and a group of people are looking for somewhere to take model photographs. They find a castle that they believe to be empty.  As they walk around, they find out that the building is in fact inhabited. At first, the owner tries to immediately kick out the posse, but he then changes his mind and let's them stay the night. They begin to work on their modeling in he lairs of this castle, and seem to be having the time of their lives.  What they don't know is what lies in the walls of this building, and the fact that crazy things are about to happen to them.

This film is a typical Italian B-Movie of the time for many reasons. There is terrible voice overdubs for the characters, a lack of plot, a trippy soundtrack, beautiful women in bikinis, and a lot of laughs.  It is in no way a well made film, but instead of being crappy, it's more of a "so bad it's good" movie.  It's so funny to see these people actually taking themselves seriously, regardless of the fact that they're in one of the most absurd movies ever made. 

Much to my surprise(not really), the man in red came back.  Even though the film jumped three  hundred years, "The Crimson Executioner" is supposedly still alive, and looking better than ever.  I nearly cried laughing when I saw him, because he looks even more hilarious shirtless. It's almost like a cross between Aquaman and a professional wrestler.  He can't possibly be scary because of this, but he's still an enjoyable villain. 

Regardless of the cheesy surface of the film, it still stands to be one of the most sadistic films of its era. There is burning in ovens, lava poured on bodies, etc.  The torture was way ahead of its time, and it is one of the few parts of the movie that makes it stand out from others. There is also some decent gore for a 60's film, and while it is tame now, it must've been shocking during its original release. 

The last quarter of the film is quite a climax, as the main character Rick is trying to save everyone from the killer.  There is some big fighting, and it is kind of exciting. The actual ending was quite predictable though, with a happy realization that two of the people got to live. 

Overall, I enjoyed this film for its awesome cheesiness.  This isn't going to be something for everyone, because not a lot of people actually enjoy these low quality movies. I felt that the movie was really sick and twisted, yet hilarious at the same time. If you like B-movies, then check this out, but if not, definitely skip it because it will disappoint you greatly. 

Night of the Living Dead(1968) Review

10/10!!!!

George A. Romero is the king of the zombies(no pun intended).  Even though there were films before his time that had the topic, he was the true innovator. He made the first gruesome zombie flick ever, and it was a 1968 film called "Night of the Living Dead."  This is one of my favorite horror movies ever.  It is a shocking, and extremely fun piece of cinema, and it was the first movie of its kind that I had ever watched.  

The movie starts off with a bang, and it engrosses the viewer right off the bat.  We meet Johnny, and his sister Barbra.  The two of them are visiting their father's grave, and they converse with each other.  Things seem completely normal, until a man starts walking around the graveyard. Johnny walks over to him, and the zombie kills him.  Barbra runs away, and she locks herself in the car. The zombie tries to break in, and Barbra runs away until she finds an abandoned house.  This first ten minutes is so iconic, mainly because of the car scene(which has been mocked and repeated so many times).  Everything is just so exciting though, and it is one of my favorite beginnings ever.

As Barbra hides in this house, an African American man named Ben comes in. He is also hiding from the zombies, but he is a very strong and capable man.  He takes it upon himself to board up the entire house, as a way of saving themselves.  What they don't know yet is the strength of these zombies, and the number of them that will try to take them down.  The viewers also meet five other characters later in the film. Two of their names are Harry and Helen, and they are husband and wife.  Their daughter is also featured, and her name is Karen. The other two are a couple, and their names are Judy and Tom.  Throughout the rest of the film, these seven characters try their best to save each other, but their chances are not likely at all.  The plot is such an intense story, and although it's been used many times after, it was very original for its day of age. 

The cast was extremely talented, and each of them really gave a convincing portrayal of fear and anger.  The standout for me was Duane Jones as Ben.  It was uncommon for an African American to be to the hero of movies at this time, but he did such a great job. He was smart, resourceful, and extremely tough. He was also the most likable character of the film, and it was easy to admire his tenacity.  Judith O' Dea was the other lead in the film, and while she did a good job. Her character was absolutely terrible.  While revolutions were made with Ben, the character of Barbra is one of the most sexist and stereotypical roles I've ever seen. She was weak, dumb, and annoying as she could possibly be.  She is shown to be incapable of doing anything, and it was a wonder she lived as long as she did.  The other actor I really liked in the film was Karl Harden(Harry). He was a very angry man, and it made me laugh a lot.  Harden was a great character actor, and he gives everything you could want in the role.

Even though the film is quite tame by today's standards, it was extremely graphic for its time. There is gory wounds, eating of body parts, stabbings, etc, and it is still quite a gruesome film. I really give a lot of credit to it for this, because a lot was risked.  There was the chance that people were going to hate the movie, and that it would flop immensely.  Even though critics didn't like the gore at the time, this has changed, and it is now known as one of the greatest horror films ever. 

Being the film was made in the late 60's, black and white footage was still used. I really like this for the movie, because it gave a very grainy and dark look, and it was surprisingly realistic to life.  Instead of watching a movie, I feel like I'm actually there, and it adds to the horror extensively.  I honestly don't know why the black and white is special in this one, but it really set itself apart from other films of its type, and it was the best in my opinion. 

One of the things that I really liked in the film was the way that the radio and televisions in the house almost work as a narrator to what is happening. It made things very tense, and it was a genius move.  I feel that it was influential, because "American Graffiti" did a very similar practice years later. 

The most amazing part of the film in my opinion is the closing scene. I have never been so shocked by anything before. I remember watching the movie for the first time, and I literally yelled at the tv because of what happened.  There has never been a better ending of a movie before, and I don't think there ever will be again. 

I will make this conclusion very simple. Watch. This. Film.  If you want to be a true horror film, then there is no escaping this.  It is the absolute gateway to all films of the genre, and it is a true masterpiece. I may have to call it my second favorite horror flick, only behind "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." I promise all of you that this film will not disappoint you in any sense. Be prepared for a gruesome, shocking, and iconic film from the master himself..... George A Romero.