The Evil Dead is just as infamous for the furore surrounding the film as it is for the actual content. I grew up in the midst of the Video Nasties storm in a teacup in which the Tory government led by Herr Thatcher thought that the commoners who watched certain horror movies would grab a …
Continue reading ABC of Horror- Day 5- E- The Evil Dead (1981)
Dawn of the Dead takes place ten years after the events of Night of the Living Dead. The mysterious phenomenon of the dead coming back to life to feed off the living has continued unabated. Social order is dissipating and the situation is becoming worse. Fran, a TV producer is planning to escape with her …
Continue reading ABC of Horror- Day 4- D- Dawn of the Dead (1978)
A recently widowed mother gives her son a new toy- a doll that just so happens to be possessed by a serial killer. Child’s Play is a very effective late 80’s horror movie that has the right balance of horror and dark humour, thanks to the very funny dialogue spouted by the murderous Chucky doll. …
Continue reading ABC of Horror- Day 3- C- Childs Play (1988)
Cropsey, a summer camp caretaker is burnt alive as an unfortunate consequence of a prank that goes horribly wrong. After five years he returns to the summer camp with vengeance in mind. This is the slasher movie that helped form Miramax Films and gave a young Harvey Weinstein a career as a film producer. The …
Continue reading ABC of Horror- Day 2- B- The Burning (1981)
I was nominated by Zachary P. Stahlman to participate in The ABC of Horror where I pick a different horror film every day starting with the next letter of the alphabet. So, here it is! One of the first video sleeves I ever saw was for The Amityville Horror which just so happened to be …
Continue reading ABC of Horror- Day 1- A- The Amityville Horror (1979)
OK, so this movie is based in New Zealand rather than Australia but... Murderous aliens have invaded Kaihoro and want to turn humans into extraterrestrial fast food. I remember seeing Bad Taste when it was released on video here in the UK. Unfortunately, this coincided with a reprise of the earlier Video Nasties moral panic …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 27- Bad Taste (1987)
Jackie goes for a drive and suddenly finds herself back in 1944 (!) at a place called Frenchman’s Farm. She witnesses a murder and then finds herself back in the present day. She starts to go to local libraries to try and research the place. This movie is the epitome of a mild, tame and …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 13- Frenchman’s Farm (1987)
Turkey Shoot follows three new inductees to a futuristic totalitarian torture camp for 'deviants'. It's presided over by Thatcher, who organises what he calls a 'turkey shoot' in which a handful of inmates are set free but then hunted for sport by himself and his similarly psychopathic guests. A stellar cast (Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey, …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 10- Turkey Shoot (1982)
A runner, Laura, literally drops dead after winning a 200-meter race. Her sister, who is in the Navy, comes to town for the graduation ceremony in which her sister will be honoured. A killer then starts bumping off Laura's teammates. But who is this murderer and what is their motive? I still can't believe that …
I was quite the A Nightmare on Elm Street fanboy back in the day. The film was *possibly* the video tape I rented the most in the 80's (although Supergirl and Watcher in the Woods came very close). The sequel was released with startling artwork by the genius artist Graham Humphries here in the UK, …
Continue reading Review- A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
Meathook Cinema 