Unseen Terror 2018: Day 12

Ricky Thomas and Angela Baker are getting ready to head out to "Camp Arawak" for the summer. Though the former has attended multiple times before, this will be the first occasion for his female cousin. Initially, Angela's quiet, extremely introverted behavior makes her the subject of bullying from bunkmates and female counselors alike, but she begins to open up more when Ricky's friend Paul takes an interest in her. After a brief incident with a camp chef nearly gets Angela molested, the cook is later attacked by an unknown assailant, and severely scalded by a large pot of boiling water. It isn't long before things start to go wrong for others with foul intentions, especially if there's been a prior connection with the young girl herself.



Making the conscious decision to finally watch and review 1983's slasher standout Sleepaway Camp was more difficult than I expected it to be. Mind you, it has nothing to do with the quality of the picture itself, or the fact that it's following yesterday's highlight of the marathon (so far). Rather, it is solely because I've known about the film's rather infamous and shocking twist for many, many years. You couldn't open up a magazine or watch some television countdown without them mentioning it, and due to such a thing, I felt like immediate viewings weren't fully necessary. But as I inch closer and closer to that bizarre area in one's life known as the mid-30s, the time came for me to just stop being lazy and watch the damn flick already.


Much to my surprise, the tone of Sleepaway Camp is dismally cruel. For an environment that does contain at least some moments of pure joy, there always seems to be some underlying hostility amongst these campers and their counselors, especially when it comes to their treatment of young Angela, who serves as somewhat of an avatar for the audience. It's perfect for molding people who already may be slightly deranged, but not completely unhinged into something truly malevolent. The purest of souls, and I do use that term loosely, could arguably be Angela herself, or perhaps her cousin Ricky (played wonderfully by Jonathan Tiersten) and his friend Paul (Christopher Collet of The Manhattan Project), who seems to be the only other person at the camp who wants to treat the nearly-mute girl with respect or affection. For what most collectively believe is not the strongest of slasher movie franchises, I was pleasantly surprised by how memorable and colorful (if not slightly typical) this cast of characters was. The bullies and antagonists are rather rotten, and the fact that young Karen Fields, who portrays the snobby and mean-hearted Judy, didn't go on to star in other projects is a damn shame.


Now, don't get me wrong, all of that hyping about the attitude and mood of Sleepaway Camp that I just wrote about it is something that I firmly stand behind. But categorizing it as top tier material would be grossly inaccurate, as the movie is still very cheesy and riddled with some of the same problems that befell nearly every release in this 80s-centric subgenre. Most of the lines uttered from writer/director Robert Hiltzik's script won't likely be making it onto the AFI's list of most influential movie quotes, and some of the delivery is downright cringeworthy (looking right at you Mike Kellin). Hell, there's a very good chance that you'll piece together most of its plot and subsequent revelations if you have a brain that is still functioning after the past two years have nearly destroyed everyone's remaining cells. Still, it doesn't detract from the fun factor, and the final product ensures you that as long as you are patient, these fools are going to get what's coming to them and through unusual methods (one scene involving a beehive got under my skin).


Sleepaway Camp won't exactly blow your mind by any means, and there are some themes that could be misconstrued as gross even by today's standards, but the movie absolutely deserves its cult status. What it lacks in most of the acting department or extravagant kills (Pieces it ain't), it makes up with memorable characters, joyfully campy dialogue, and yes, some excellent twists that those who go in completely blind will be rather shocked by. Even with the most important details permanently etched in my memory, I still found it to be quite the enjoyable experience. You can stream this relic on Amazon Prime, and if you can put off spending money on that latest Apple product, use some of the cash on the Blu-ray that Shout! Factory released a little while ago.




Tomorrow, we aren't leaving the decade of decadence just yet, but what ground should be covered? Only time will tell...

Unseen Terror 2018: Day 11

If you've ever visited this blog during my yearly marathons, you'll know that I have a few requirements (other than the obvious "never seen" aspect). There's stuff like watch one anthology, watch a Kaiju flick, and watch a foreign film to name a few. After finishing 1988's Brain Damage, which is the sophomore effort from Basket Case director Frank Henenlotter, I've started to believe that there's one additional requirement: view at least one motion picture that will just leave you feeling slightly unclean, yet will set the stakes rather high for other movies to follow during that October. In 2015, From Beyond took the cake. One year later, it was Street Trash. Last year, it was Brian Yuzna's Society. For my eighth year, this story of an average joe named Brian who wakes up one day to discover a talking parasite on his neck that can inject hallucinogenic liquids into his brain (but requires brains to satiate its own hunger) takes the cake. Because man oh man, while I'm certain that more technically proficient pictures will appear here on later dates, nothing can top this in terms of sheer weirdness and manic entertainment.


First and foremost, Brain Damage feels very dirty. While this depiction of New York City doesn't feel as gross as what was seen in Henenlotter's previous film, there is a very seedy underbelly on display, which is kind of perfect for a concept such as this. Everything feels slightly unconventional and off-kilter, so much so that things don't exactly unwrap the way that you may expect them to. It lends a very punk rock attitude to its running time, and that isn't just due to one sequence of a very high Brian heading to a rock club, or spotting posters for The Cramps, Bauhaus, and Slayer in his room. It's a very nice surprise and helps keep Brain Damage fresh for most of its running time. The obvious metaphors for drug usage and dependency are out there in the open, though there's nowhere near as much subtlety about it as there are in other major releases. Would people with problems such as heroin or cocaine addiction really even bat an eye at someone with a brain-eating parasite, or would they just wonder to themselves about how they can get one of their own?


On the human side of things, the cast makes the best of some admittedly cheesy dialogue. Lead performer Rick Hearst puts far more heart into his performance than most others in this field likely would. You feel for the guy, and even sympathize with him when he begins to go through withdrawal. But as one would hope, the real standout performance comes from the inhuman creature named "Aylmer," voiced to absolute perfection by beloved horror television host John Zacherle. Unlike most similar organisms, Aylmer is undeniably charming and quite well-spoken. He can hold a conversation without losing his cool, and even comes across as the best friend or "dealer" that you could ever hope for. Over time, those layers are peeled away and you see that despite his appearance, he is quite cruel and has earned his right to be called a "monster" by modern day fans. Through the use of good puppetry and camera trickery, he seems like something that you could legitimately encounter in the darkest parts of the city. He also takes part in what will EASILY be the top death of any flick featured in this year's Unseen Terror, but I won't spoil anything about that moment other than it made me clap my hands due to its pure insanity.


I don't know how much more I can sell Brain Damage to those of you who have yet to witness its magic. It's such an oddball picture, with wild death sequences, a wicked sense of humor, trippy visuals, and most surprisingly of all, a large amount of fascination that keeps your eyes glued to the screen. Perhaps my only complaint is that it is a tad bit too short, and that the ending feels abrupt, but hot damn those are SMALL gripes. If you're new to Henenlotter's filmography, this is just as good of a place to start (though if you skip Basket Case, you may not find as much amusement with a particular cameo that occurs in the third act). If you're still curious and haven't clicked the "x" button on your browser by now, there's a packed Blu-ray out there for purchase from Arrow Video. Much like their release of The Hills Have Eyes, this bad boy is CRAMMED with special features, including a great commentary track from the director himself, tons of "making of" and behind the scenes featurettes, and even an interview with arguably the biggest fan of the flick that you'll ever meet.



Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have some wonderful dreams of my own that may or may not be courtesy of a tiny friend.



……..it's Nyquil in case you're wondering. I'm not crazy enough to seek out brains to consume (anymore).




Tomorrow, I feel the need to possibly come down off of my trip, so let's see what nighttime slashers are out there to help me kick this habit...

Unseen Terror 2018: Day 10

The space shuttle Churchill is investigating a mysterious ship found within the coma of Halley's Comet. Once inside, the crew discover not just hundreds of dead bat-like creatures, but three naked humanoid bodies, who seem to be in suspended animation. They gather the specimens and plan to head back to earth, but contact is lost during their return journey. As a rescue mission is launched, the Churchill returns to our planet, but while the ship is severely damaged, the three pods containing the bodies are in perfect condition. They are taken to a research center in London, and after an autopsy is attempted on the lone female of the trio, she awakens and completely drains the life from her would-be coroner. Escaping the facility, she sets out in search of goodness knows what, while those left in shock find that her victims may not necessarily stay dead after she has absorbed their essence.



Well, seeing as how I'm only one hour removed from turning thirty-three, I figured that if I was going to close out the final hours of being thirty-two, it should be with a bigger picture from the year that I was born. Plus, according to the wonderful cesspool known as the internet, the number one movie in the world during the day of my birth was Commando, which is the furthest thing from a horror movie and something that is disqualified from my marathon. Perhaps that will be saved for another day.


Prior to his passing, Tobe Hooper had been quite vocal about his love and passion that was put into Lifeforce, which at the time took quite a beating from critics and some fans. Too weird to be properly marketed, yet nowhere near as gratuitous as the slasher pictures that dominated the box office, it's considered to be a bit of an anomaly amongst fans of horror/science fiction hybrids. After finishing it up, I think that while it's very easy to understand why people have been very critical of the final product, it's also makes for one heck of a fun ride if you know what you're in store for. Doing some research for this review, I discovered that Lifeforce was one of three motion pictures that Tobe Hooper was attached to direct after signing a three picture deal with Cannon Films. Even more surprising was the revelation that Dan O'Bannon, who wrote the screenplay for Alien and The Return of the Living Dead, was one of two individuals who put pen to paper for this project and in charge of reworking/retooling the science fiction novel The Space Vampires (I'll never badmouth romance authors for their titles again) for the big screen. The results are a very kooky, often-times dumb, but altogether entertaining flick.


Most of what drives Lifeforce is the idea of style over substance, because when you chip away the very appealing images and set pieces, the story is padded out by a bit too much exposition. There are a lot of moments that could have the audience asking why they chose to explain things that previously occurred in great retail rather than, I don't know, show it, but those moments are occasionally followed up by something strange that takes you by complete surprise (ex: a man running into a prison cell and exploding into sand). While we're on the subject of that, the first half of Lifeforce sports some of the more fascinating visuals that I've seen during this year's Unseen Terror. It's quite apparent that this is where most of O'Bannon's best ideas were set in motion, because they feature events that I'm certain are most of what the fanbase gushes over. People turn into dried-up husks, light shines down from the heavens, giant bat creatures pop up, and actress Mathilda May does her best Rogue from X-Men impression to name a few. They recall pictures of yesteryear like the aforementioned Alien, but with enough of their own identity to avoid being accused of plagiarism.


Cast-wise everyone is perfectly fine, though Peter Firth (Spooks) does slip into overacting mode once in a blue moon. French actress Mathilda May manages to say so much without speaking for a large chunk of her role, and her body language and cold, yet oddly welcoming demeanor feels like what the filmmakers behind Terminator 3 wish they could have accomplished with their antagonist. It's somewhat like a precursor to what actresses such as Olwen Catherine Kelly were able to do in flicks like the excellent The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Steve Railsback is one of the lone American performers found in Lifeforce, but has easily the most compelling and important arc. His confusion, fear, and subtle interest with all of the events that surround him help elevate this movie more than most would expect him to. But oof, as long as we all live, nobody should ever ask the man to take part in any flicks that feature "hypnotizing" again. As the cherry on top, Sir Patrick Stewart (yes, the very same) has a bit part as the manager of a psychiatric hospital, and I always welcome the chance to see him let his guard down and have some fun in a "B" movie.


Lifeforce is far from a perfect flick and is certifiably insane, but it's very watchable. Sporting a very unique take on vampirism (name another "bloodsuckers in outer space" flick from the 80s please), some rad visuals, and a storyline that just gets progressively stranger as time goes by, it's the perfect film to put on in the background at your next Halloween party or whenever you just want another crazed SciFi/Horror flick for your own monthly marathon. As of this writing, it's available for free on both STARZ's On-Demand service and Amazon Prime. If you're feeling a bit more dangerous however, there's a rather cheap Blu-ray out from Scream! Factory, and it features two different cuts of the picture, as well as a plethora of extras.



Gotta wonder if it contains Mathilda May's phone number though......hey, I might as well TRY....




Tomorrow, it's my god damn birthday, and I'll review whatever the hell I want to. I think I'm feeling something Henenlotter...