Halloween Edition
The Devil Rides Out
Charles Ray and Christopher Lee are two World War One veterans who have agreed to keep an eye out on the son of a fallen comrade. They meet together once a year on the anniversary of the death of Simon's father but one year in the early 1930's Simon breaks the appointment. The two men journey to Simon's new home, only to find that he is already hosting a party, a meeting he says of an astronomical society he has been planing to join. Lee is suspicious, he insists on seeing the observatory that has been added to Simon's home, there he discovers space set up for a Satanic ritual. Ray and Lee knock Simon out and take him to Lee's home (all the homes in this movie seem to be mansions). Lorene Green, leader of the Satanic cult is not pleased.
Ray is unconvinced of Lee's assertions, Simon escapes and the two friends return to his home to look for clues as to his current whereabouts, theyencounter an evil spirit, Ray becomes convinced. Ray tries to seduce a young lady he saw at Simon's party in the hopes of finding his whereabouts before he can undergo his satanic initiation (which mustbe performed in conjunction with a lunar cycle that is about to end).The young women (Nike Arrighi) escapes as Ray attempts to sequester her at the home of Lee's niece (Sarah Lawson) and her husband (Paul Eddington, yeah). Ray has learned that Nike has yet to undergo the satanic initiation that would rob her of her soul and being smitten by the lass hopes to save her too.Lee and Ray meet up, they find the location where the black mass is to be celebrated, thy disrupt it and rescue Simon and Nike whom they take to the home of Lee's niece. Lorene Greens wants his two would-be acolytes back, though they have now recognized the danger to there Souls. A final confrontation is in store.
This was good, a little campy undoubtedly but enjoyable. I've never seen a film quite like it, Satanists are a surprisingly underused horror movie villain. Guilty pleasure.
Grade: B-
Fail Safe
A remake of the sold 1964 film of the same title doesn't seem necessary but the form it takes makes it worthwhile. This film, made for television and shot in black and white was mentas an homage to the classic teleplays of the early years of television. That it was a live broadcast lends it a certain extra energy and quality of immediacy. The cast is all star, Richard Dryfuss, Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Hank Azaria and more. At first maybe a little stiff, but the strength of the story and dialogue (much lifted from the original film) careis it. Worthwhile effort, I'm glade they made this.
Grade: B
The Omen
This is a classic, semi-revered, and I'd never seen it. The story is familiar, diplomat Gregory Peck adopts a child in Italy who is destined to be the anti-Christ. Years later while Peck, his wife (Lee Remick,so beautiful) and the child Damien (Harvey Stephens) are stationed in London strange things begin to happen, the child's nanny kills herself, animals go mad in Damion's presence and Damon goes mad when he's brought to a church. Peck receives cryptic warning from Catholic Priest Patrick Troughton, and later embarks on a search for Damien's origins with freelance photographer David Warner. Surprise, there is a final confrontation.
It wasn't all that good at first, felt kind of hollow, slow and predictable, but it picked up. It's one you should see just to say you've seen it. A tad disappointing, but significant to its genera.
Grade B-
Berserk
A late career Joan Crawford slumming in horror. She's the head of a traveling circus in England, her high wire artist dies a grisly death in front of an audience, he is quickly replaced by thirty-seven year old Ty Hardin, who improbably pins for sixty-two year old Crawford. There are various circus types including dwarf (George Claydon), human skeleton Ted Lune (who would die the year after the films release), as well as Crawford's comely daughter (Judy Geeson). More members of the circus die, Scotland Yard investigates, and the murdererturns out to be somone whom it would be basically impossible for them to commit all those murders. Watchable but little more, harmed by the ending.
Grade: D+
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment