Retro/80's/90's/B-Movie Horror Reviews
Reviews
The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982)
01 year ago
by ScreamOrDie Admin
in Reviews
Plot
Joanne, Patty, Brian, and Craig prepare the old dorm building to be torn down. They are pursued by a serial killer with a wide range of murder methods, ranging from power drill to industrial steam cooker. Is it that spooky weird guy John Hemmit killing off the incidental characters, or is it someone/thing even more terrifying?
Review
An early slasher here from 1982 (released by Vipco as ‘Pranks’), came across this recently again so decided to give it another watch. The film hasn’t aged very well with some minor grain in most scenes but it’s more than watchable with a bonus kill at the start.
The performances are what you’d expect from an 80′s horror but take itself more seriously than other I think. With a little touch-up or remaster it’d be a nice little gem to have.
The only gripe I have is that you never know when it’s night or day as a kill could happen inside (when a few mins before it is night) and next it’s day, nothing big but made me back-track once to see if I missed a scene.
The story is a novel one and with the killer having some good inventive kills (baseball bat with barbed wire) you can’t go wrong for a good bloody night in.
The eerie moments are quite that, which can creep you out a bit – especially with the score that really sets the atmosphere for the stalking and killing off of the cast.
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Incubus (2006)
01 year ago
by ScreamOrDie Admin
in Reviews
Plot
Stranded after a car accident, a medical school student and her friends try to find shelter – only to cross paths with a deranged killer.
Review
Ahh Tara Reid this is where you ended up! In the good genre too! All fooling aside we really haven’t heard much from this actress in some time. Hopefully the film will be even half good…maybe.
You’re not actually sure what’s going on at the start as there’s a chase sequence involving two scientists and flashes of someone in a wheelchair who’s eyes suddenly open when one of them dies.
Fast forward a bit to what seems to be a crash that doesn’t seem to be that bad – although how did they end up crashing in a wide open mountain space anyway? Oh and cutting through a forest to ‘save miles’ isn’t a good idea, especially in a horror film (e.g. Wrong Turn). The group of hikers (I think) come across what looks like an old army facility as one of them sets off the lights – do I really need to say where this is going?
The story basically evolves around a ‘sleeping’ deranged killer that hunts each member dow one by one. I must admit the build up was good and the discovery of the two scientists was a nice touch, but really other than the blood and more chase scenes; it’s your average ‘teens in an enclosed space being hunted’ scenario.
Rent before you buy!
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Just Before Dawn (1981)
11 year ago
Plot
Five campers arrive in the mountains to examine some property they have bought, but are warned by the forest ranger Roy McLean that a huge machete-wielding maniac has been terrorising the area. Ignoring the warnings, they set up camp, and start disappearing one by one. If that sounds too run-of-the-mill, there’s a genuinely shocking plot twist half-way through…
Review
Wasn’t really expecting the punch this low budget slasher gave as it was they first time I had checked the film out after numerous attempts by one friend who shallr main anonymous haha.
The one thing you take away from all the camp slashing and scene splicing (you’ll see it when one second she’s at the bonfire and next second the guy is sat beside her) is the creep-tastic score. God it’s one of those show, brooding scores that builds up to something crazy.
The make-up effects as well were well done for being a bad print on the DVD I have (thin green lines every so often) so I’ll be looking for better print or if there’s a ‘remastered’ version floating about.
Screaming kids in a backwoods atmosphere is never nice and this just seeps and before you think something is abut to happen then BAM – something else does. Think Friday 13th or the weirdness of Black Christmas to truly appreciated this small gem of a film.
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Ninja Cheerleaders (2008)
01 year ago
Plot
Three college cheerleaders use their martial arts know-how to save their Sensei from mafia kidnappers, but must keep their extra curricular activities a secret in order to make it into an Ivy League school.
Review
What a fun film this turned out to be! I’d heard of it before but never gave it a second thought but damn it’s like a Mean Girls type crossed with some babe-tastic action. This is definitely one for the guys!
Of course there’s the obvious scenes of cheerleaders strutting their stuff, strip clubs, oh yes and ninjas…what makes this film a ‘fun night in’ watch. Quite a good number of action scenes follow (Army guys for one) and the ‘profile’ scenes are quite well done too.
The sailor scene was a bit of a wash-out (their acting) but the girls see them off in good fashion – plus I mistakingly thought that the actor ‘Omar J. Dorsey’ was someone else completely (it’ll come to me).
George Takei plays his role well as Hiroshi who trains the girls, as well as running a strip club and in his spare time trains people in karate. Phew that was a lot.
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Grave Encounters (2011)
11 year ago
Plot
Lance Preston and the crew of “Grave Encounters”, a ghost-hunting reality television show, are shooting an episode inside the abandoned Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, where unexplained phenomena has been reported for years. All in the name of good television, they voluntarily lock themselves inside the building for the night and begin a paranormal investigation, capturing everything on camera.
Review
Right so really this is sort of the same plot as ‘Atrocious’ but slightly better. We’re introduced quickly to the characters of the TV show that is their ‘final’ one due to, well, this being another ‘found footage’ film.
A lot of the footage is mixed from various cameras that’s installed within the building and catches a lot of spooky noises – especially the night vision shots which are quite cool.
The film touches on EVP and EMF which I thought to be very interesting and piqued my own brain into writing a web series (well it’s I’ve been thinking about it for months).
Arguments start to happen as they can’t seem to find a crew member and with the lights out it get’s very creepy. Never go walking alone in a Mental Institute or you’ll fall on your face – like one member.
It’s actually a good premise for a film but if too many of these come out in the next few months (‘Evidence’ for instance) then the novelty will die very quick, if it hasn’t already.
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Not released in the UK at present.
Blood Snow (2009)
01 year ago
Plot
In 2009, six friends arrive at an isolated cabin to enjoy a long weekend in the snow. An epic snowstorm interrupts their vacation, trapping them on the mountain and resurrecting the haunting ghosts of the Donner Party.
Review
The first thing you’ll probably recognise is one of two actors; the first is James Kryson-Lee (from Heroes) and the bald guy from the original ‘Hills Have Eyes – sorry his name escapes me at the moment!
Well the story takes place on a snow mountain and we get some good scenery shots of the landscape but that doesn’t last long as someone (almost always) rolls down a small snow hill. Frightened and wanting to get back they start go back but Jerry (James KL) sees a ghost or spirit in the bushes as he got off his snowmobile.
The Donner Party Massacre starts being explained in the cabin which turns out to be a story about cannibals who haunt that area.
It’s a step above a B movie with some good scares and the action ain’t half bad really. The generator goes as usual and strange noises come out of the blue, oh and did I mention a dead body is found? No reception as usual on their mobiles with some sexual tension going on but I like the tension that builds and the character changes stand out quite a bit.
Definetely worth a rent and if you find it (like I did) for cheap then I’d recommend a purchase.
Oh and nice job on the poster, the title ‘Necrosis’ looked far better.
Trailer
Links
IMDB (also known as Necrosis)
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Paranormal Ascendancy (2008)
01 year ago
Plot
Wake Up Its Time To Die. A Film Inspired by terrifying true events. Housemates Michael and Kenny have experienced some strange events in the middle of the night and Kenny is now convinced that he has a ghost living in his room who becomes active at 3.00 am every night. Expecting to see nothing but a few tricks, Michael visits Kenny’s room himself one night and is totally freaked out by the experience.
Review
First of the bat it’s a very low budget ‘let’s jump on the bandwagon’ of the Paranormal Activity success. Even from the start of the film you can see the production values and it can be quite hard to watch sometimes.
Green hues on the lens is sometimes that should have been used less in this film as it just lowers whatever tension or horror that it tries to put through.
Anyway, now the story starts about a ghost visiting one of the characters at 3AM every night (or is that morning?) but the actors are so wooden it’s totally unbelievable if you just picked it up or watched online and it was labelled ‘found footage’ – thank god it wasn’t marketed that way.
Strange knocks, lots of screaming ensues but really that’s all the film is.
Trailer
Links
IMDB (appears under the title of 3 A.M.)
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Episode 50 (2011)
01 year ago
by ScreamOrDie Admin
in Reviews
Plot
Focuses on two television crews of paranormal experts: one team of skeptics looking to de-bunk myths about ghosts and another consisting of believers looking to prove their existence. Teaming up for the first time for a special episode, the crews get more then they bargained for when they actually make contact with a spirit of tremendous power and must band together to stop it before it destroys them all.
Review
Another ‘found footage’ film I picked up recently, think along the same vein as ‘Atrocious’ and you get the picture. It reminds me a bit of ‘Haunted Changi’ which is far superior.
I love films that take place in mental institutions or asylums and some of the scenes can be vaguely ring-esque with blue hues and their ‘top of the line primo equipment.
It takes a different approach though as the film is about two TV crews, one trying to capture paranormal activity, and the other trying to de-bunk it. Well that’s basically the plot right there again but the (hate using this word) cheapness of the film reminds me a lot of ‘Paranormal Activity’ – think that’s the vibe they were going, trying to unsettle the viewer but failing unfortunately.
The first part of the film has interviews with some of the TV crew which is a nice touch ut the ‘distressed house owner’ didn’t look or sound distressed at all, this took away some of the tension that was building a bit.
It so happens that this is a ‘missing’ episode of ‘Paranormal Inspectors’ wasn’t aired by the parent TV company but now it’s out and the so-called truth can be known. Or the fake truth. Quick edits can be a bit too much as well when interviewing people but suffered through it I did.
Honestly it’s a maybe-rent or if you get it any other way…check it out to tide you over until PA3 comes out on October 21.
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Atrocious (2010)
01 year ago
by ScreamOrDie Admin
in Reviews
a·tro·ciousAdjective/əˈtrōSHəs/
1. Horrifyingly wicked: “atrocious cruelties”.
2. Of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant: “atrocious weather”
Plot
The Quintanilla family was found dead. Recorded evidence was discovered by the police. Production company acquires the confidential material and edits it into a Horror Movie.
Review
So the just of the film is that these young students had to spend a holiday at (yes) this old creepy house with a secret back bit that you see the dog run by just a few minutes in. It’s not as ‘blair witchy’ as I thought it would be but the spanish have a knack for knocking out good flicks (check out REC and their sequels).
The build up increases the tension but sometimes it just doesn’t check out. I’m still trying to figure out if the Well they find is a real one or not.
They go walkabout in the forest out the back but guess what? One of them gets lost but half of the character know he’s dead and they didn’t think of telling each other.
The outdoor footage is quite creepy at times and reminds me of ‘The Last Broadcast’ a bit.
The last half an hour has them running around shouting each others names in the maze scene, good night-vision work but it does tend to drag on a bit.
Good for a rental I’d say but a purchase if it’s a good price.
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Urban Legend: Final Cut (2000)
01 year ago
Plot
Urban legend-style killings begin to occur on a movie set, in this non-sequel sequel to “Urban Legend”.
Review
Where do I begin with this’non-sequel’? I t would be better to have brought the last actress back in so to show some attachment other than just the end. It was a nice touch but no, it’s the same plot again (the killings are based on urban legends) and takes place on a film set – a bit like Stab from the Scream series.
I must admit the ‘death by electric pole’ scene was quite good – this is all the while the main actress is floating around on a mine shaft, oh and there’s another death as well in the same scene. The only remaining member of the cast is the cop Loretta Devine who plays Reese Wilson. Still wuite funny seeing her impersonate Foxy Brown.
The film actually has a good score (which is anyone knows where to get it I’d be more than grateful) and some good loud scares (as in girl screaming after killer sees her).
This would have been better off as a stand-alone film, a bit like the third entry which we’ll not talk about.
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