Florida filmmaker Jason Liquori of Hocus Focus Productions, who have given us films like All Wrapped Up, Death Plots, and The Lunar Pack, bring us this unique canine horror flick with a twist.

Debbie Rochon stars as Maria, a woman caught up in an abusive relationship looking for a place to escape the wrath of her ex-boyfriend. Thinking she’s found an environment that’s safe enough, she gets a job as a house sitter and befriends the house pet, a canine named Lotus that appears normal enough at first. While alone at the house and looking after the dog, things start to get spookier as an animal of some kind (a bear?) is running around the neighborhood killing townsfolk and Maria accidentally lets Lotus out and Lotus doesn’t come back. She is then deluged with phone calls from her mother and a series of desperate sounding text messages from her ex-boyfriend. The police look for the loose bear. Things become more intense as it becomes more apparent that the bear may not be the biggest threat Maria and the neighborhood are faced with.

Perhaps it’s something near and dear to the household?

Savaged is a well-acted, suspenseful and creepy film with Debbie Rochon perfect in the lead role. The film doesn’t rely a whole lot on gore and places much of its focus on scares and suspense and the ending is very satisfying as well. The film has a style that’s very similar to that of older dog-themed horror films such as Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell, The Pack, Slaughter (aka Dogs), and to a certain extent, Cujo. However, Savaged is for the most part its own beast and has its own originality to set it in its own league other than being just a copy of other killer dog films, mostly the fact that it’s not the upfront animal attack film that it looks like from a distance.

For info on ordering a copy of Savaged, go to Hocus Focus Productions’ website at www.hocfodprod.com.

Director: Freddie Francis
Cast: Peter Cushing, Chrsitopher Lee, Donald Sutherland, Jennifer Jayne, Roy Castle, Bernard Lee, Max Adrian, Michael Gough
Odeon Entertainment / Certificate PG / PAL Region 0 / 2.35:1 Widescreen (Anamorphic) / Dolby Digital Mono / 93 Minutes

Anthology horror never runs a jolt of excitement through me as I have hardly any in my collection to begin with. The ever growing count of zombie and slasher films in my stash could surpass any major rental chain yet I lack seriously in short story horror. However, I’m not all ignorant of anthologies as I do have Romero’s and King’s collaborative Creepshow DVDs (1 and 2, of course) and a few other notable ones. For me, I’m a continuous story kind of guy; the idea of many characters and plot lines in one setting has me at a bore. When the U.K. distributor Odeon Entertainment sent me one of their new releases, a horror anthology, I immediately thought to myself, “I can’t wait to review this” in a facetious tone. There wasn’t much motivation for popping in this DVD into my player, but I forced myself because I knew it had to be done. My eyes lounged lazily in their respective sockets during the viewing and when it was all said and done, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors instantly became one of my favorite horror anthologies ever.

Five men board and sit in a train car awaiting the departure. Another man joins them; a dark and mysterious fellow who holds a furtive gait about him. Come to find out that the cryptic fellow, Dr. Shrek or informally Dr. Terror, as he calls himself, is a tarot card reader. He invites the men into hearing their fates when after their train ride has come to an end, but as the gentlemen realize that the end of the line for the train is the end of their life as well, they seek more answers for the stranger whom is more than just a wandering traveler.

For once, the roles nicely reverse for Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing – the main stars. Christopher Lee plays an uptight art critic with practical reasoning much unlike his usual characters such as the legendary “Dracula”, “Fu Manchu” and some kind of other evil practitioner. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Cushing plays the enigmatic “Dr. Terror”; his scruffy, white facial hair and bizarre, gypsy-like attire make Peter Cushing almost unrecognizable. Most films have Cushing as the hero such as multiple “Stan Helsings” portrayals and we are very rarely treated to a “Grand Tarkin” type role.

Five men equal five different and unique ill-fated fortune stories each with an unexpected twist at the end. The finales stick with you as in an unpleasant way without using any kind of gore tactics to try and bring you in cheaply. A reason I love watching Amicus and Hammer films is a well known fact that they hardly use or don’t use at all any blood. The sole purpose of these studio horror films relies mainly on their stories; a chilling tale that can make anyone fear the dark or unknown more whereas blood, guts and puke does nothing else but make you feel sick to your stomach. Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors won’t stun a horror crowd with any kind of revelation, but there can be some “ooo’s” and “aaahhs!” Peter Cushing’s remarkable and unfamiliar role is surprisingly spooky even though very predictable, but then again, you have to think about the time period – somewhat fresh and original in the 1960′s to a much broader television watching audience. Odeon Entertainment’s release of the Amicus production is presented quite nicely except for a couple of saturated grainy scenes. Check out this DVD release of one of the classical horror anthologies ever to be made in the U.K.!

Director: Fred C. Brannon
Cast: Judd Holdren, Aline Towne, Wilson Wood, Lane Bradford, Stanley Waxman, Leonard Nimoy
Music Video Distribution & Cheezy Flicks / NTSC Region 1 / Not Rated / Black & White / 1.37:1 Full Screen / English / 167 Minutes

Today’s current term for the word “zombie” is defined as a deceased individual who is brought back to life by supernatural forces. You could also toss in some Romero key words in there like cannibalism and apocalyptic. Most of my generation only knows this type of zombie and doesn’t realize that George A. Romero only re-innovated the undead. There were two vastly different groups of zombies pre-1968: the voodoo zombie and the automaton. The voodoo zombie, similar to that of the Romero zombie, still resurrects from death but only for objective purposes; in other words, the zombie will do the dirty work for the resurrecting practitioner. You’re shit out of luck on this review because we will be discussing the automaton zombie like that from the Zombies from the Stratosphere.

Larry Martin works for a United States top secret authority agency and when a mysterious rocket lands on Earth, he takes flight in his rocket suit to investigate. Evil emotionless martians led by Marex plan to set off a nuclear device that will spin the Earth out of control into the darkest voids of space. Their reason for this world ending plan is to save their own planet, Mars, from total atmospheric decay. Larry, along with sidekick Bob, must stop the martians and his lackeys from constructing the device at any cost – even if it means his life. Power boat pursuits, sky high rocket fights and an intense battle against a robot packs this serial full of action, adventure and science fiction.

Does any of this sound familiar? Misery’s Annie Wilkes spoke so passionately about the Rocketman serial, “…my favorite was Rocketman, and once it was a no breaks chapter. The bad guy stuck him in a car on a mountain road and knocked him out and welded the door shut and tore out the brakes and started him to his death, and he woke up and tried to steer and tried to get out but the car went off a cliff before he could escape! And it crashed and burned and I was so upset and excited, and the next week, you better believe I was first in line. And they always start with the end of the last week. And there was Rocketman, trying to get out, and here comes the cliff, and just before the car went off the cliff, he jumped free! And all the kids cheered! But I didn’t cheer. I stood right up and started shouting. This isn’t what happened last week! Have you all got amnesia? They just cheated us! This isn’t fair! HE DID’NT GET OUT OF THE COCK – A – DOODIE CAR!” Well, Annie was right. Somehow, someway Larry managed to wake up just in time to get out of the car, the boat, the plane, etc. to escape his demise. The purpose of serials is to keep you on the edge of your seat until next week’s episode, intentionally leaving out scenes of the heroes courageous escape. I’d like to see a serial where the hero actually does die and would want to see happens next week. That would be better than knowing he would wake up from his short term unconsciousness, jump out of a car going 80 plus mph and living to fight again another day!

There must be some credit given to the early Columbia Pictures’ production. The special effects were ahead of its time. I never thought I would be so impressed by an obviously man-in-suit robot. I was in a paralyzed state of awe. Oh, did I mention the rockets? These phallus looking fireworks, I mean rocket ships, sped through the air with such explsoive fierceness. The over sized helmet for Larry Martin’s rocket suit was a definite aphrodisiac, oh yes! As you may have noticed, all this is satirically sarcastic, but Zombies of the Stratosphere is a fun little serial that gives us a throwback look on how martians were perceived before there was Mars Attacks or Independence Day. Before there was Rocketman, there was Larry Martin. This 1952 serial paved the way for many science fiction films to date. You can also thank this serial for giving Leonard Nimoy one of his first acting roles as an automaton alien; without it, there may have never been more unenthusiastic Spock for the Star Trek series and films!

The aliens were labeled zombies for their lack of emotions toward Earth and it’s inhabitants. Their destructive plan was a bit far-fetched. When they finished the device, I don’t even think it could have blown a hole bigger than a in ground swimming pool, but you have to keep in mind the time frame of which this serial was released. In 1952, atomic energy was new and was a big issue and the Cold War was still fresh in the minds of U.S. government officials. And is it any coincidence that the martians whom come from Mars, a red planet, may be referenced to that of Russia whom unofficially labels their army as the red army?

This is a campy little serial that is filled with obsolete everything: acting, special effects, plot, etc. However, one could pull out some entertainment value from this serial as it does have non-stop action and plenty of gunfights. In fact, every episode had a gunfight which then led to the chase which then led to the near death of the hero – very consistent yet very patterned. You’ll enjoy it for the cheesiness as the Zombies from the Stratosphere come to take over the earth…in a non-cannibalistic kind of way!!!!!!

While out in the desert seeking thrills and racing their cars, three sexy and tough go-go dancers meet a nice young couple just looking to run some time trials for their car. Varla (Tura Satana), the leader of the gang of go-go dancers, wants to emasculate the guy and show how big her balls are so she challenges him to a race. Of course she cheats a little and a fight ensues in which she kills him with her bare hands. Instead of leaving any witnesses, they drug and kidnap his girlfriend.

While fueling up for their getaway, they see a huge, muscle-bound man loading up his truck and are told by the attendant that the guy lives on a farm with his father and they just came into lots of cash and they keep it right there on the farm. This gives Varla a bright idea; they follow the big dude to his farm. Make up a story about how the girl they kidnapped was in a car accident with her boyfriend and her parents paid Varla and Co. to find and bring her back home. But they need a place to freshen up and rest and the farm looks like a great place. All the while, they will look for the stash of cash.

Review by Greg Baty of Playground Movie Reviews

Continue Reading Faster, Pussycat! Kill!…Kill! (1965) The Playground Movie Reviews

If Psycho is the grandfather of the slasher film, then Homicidal should be considered the crazy great-uncle of the genre. When William Castle, master showman and Hitchcock rival, saw the box office returns on Psycho he wasinspired to make a similar film. Castle handed the scripting duties to
frequent collaborator Robb (House on Haunted Hill) White. Then, Castle devised a great advertising campaign. Homicidal would feature a “Fright Break” so terrified audience members could run screaming up the aisles before the showing of the film’s ghastly conclusion. Anyone too frightened
to finish the viewing could receive a complete refund but had to stand in “Coward’s Corner” first.

A mysterious blonde (Joan Marshall hiding behind the name Jean Arless) checks into a motel and offers a bell hop $2000 for a quickie marriage and divorce. During the late night ceremony, the blonde pulls a knife from her purse and guts the justice of the peace like a hog before escaping in a
stolen car. The blonde is soon revealed to be Emily, a nurse charged with the care of Helga, an old cripple left mute from a stroke, and Warren, a wealthy young playboy destined to inherit millions from his father’s estate in a few weeks. Warren’s sister Miriam (Patricia Breslin) is worried Emily
is plotting Warren’s death but Warren refuses to listen to his sister’s allegations. Emily has murder on her mind, alright, but her plan is much more devious than anyone could imagine.

At first glance, Homicidal appears to be just another Psycho imitation with a Marion Crane clone acting as killer instead of victim. But Homicidal can stand on its own because of the incredible twist ending and Castle’s showmanship. Besides including a Fright Break right before Homicidal’s conclusion, Castle also adds more violence and blood to the murder scenes. These murders are tame compared to slasher films from the 1980′s but they horrified audiences in 1961. Castle also throws a quick jab at Hitchcock by naming the first victim Alfred and casting a heavy-set, bald man to play the part.

The dvd from Columbia Pictures features a nice documentary on William Castle and the making of Homicidal. Don’t watch the documentary first because it features several major spoilers and gives away the ending. Director Fred Olen Ray and horror fans Don Glut and Bob Burns are interviewed and
reminisce about the first time they watched Homicidal in a theater and the audience reaction to the interactive experience. The documentary is dripping with nostalgia and makes the viewer long for the days of old when producers and directors used creative titles, ad campaigns, and movie
posters to lure audiences.

William Castle is remembered today for House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler, 13 Ghosts, and his production work on Rosemary’s Baby. Homicidal is largely ignored by critics when discussing Castle’s career, which is a shame considering Homicidal is really a good film. Joan Marshall’s performance,
while overly theatrical when brandishing a butcher knife, gives Homicidal an added edge of intensity and seems to have had a minor influence on Girls Nite Out. Homicidal is definitely a good time for fans of old school horror and early slashers. – Thomas Ellison

The “Critic Exchange” is about spreading our love for horror and introducing fans to both new and older horror gems. We just want to share our passion for horror movies and are happy to be part of the horror community. We believe horror publications should work together and have fun doing so! – Fatally-Yours.com

Italian filmmaker Mario Bava influenced countless directors and cinematographers with his unique style, set design, and camera angles. The essence of Bava can be easily identified in films as diverse as “Alien,” “Austin Powers,” and “Friday the 13th.” With the film “Blood and Black Lace,” Bava single-handedly created the “giallo” film genre that overtook Italian cinema in the late sixties, dubbed “giallo” (Italian for yellow) in reference to the yellow-covered crime novels that were popular at the time.

The “giallo” genre focused more on the violent deaths of the victims rather than on the investigation that lead to the killer’s eventual capture, which was unusual at the time but commonplace in today’s cinema. Bava was one of the first directors to adapt a comic book into a movie. With “Diabolik” he predated today’s trend of turning any four-color hero (Spider-Man, Batman) into a silver-screen icon. While Bava set the standard for experimental and exploitative Italian cinema, his work is virtually unknown to the masses. Although many of the directors that he inspired–Tarantino, Lynch, Fellini, Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro, and Italy’s own Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento–have become well known and discussed icons, Bava himself was pushed to the background. But with Anchor Bay’s release of “The Mario Bava Collection: Volume One,” featuring five films that showcase the esoteric genius that Bava possessed behind the lens, perhaps the master is finally going to get his due.

The cases for the five-disc set are lovingly adorned with multiple international posters and lobby cards for the five films and further encased in a beautiful slip cover featuring a striking image of Bava on the spine. “Black Sunday” (1960), “Black Sabbath” (1963), “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” (1963), “Knives of the Avenger” (1966), and “Kill, Baby…Kill!” (1966) are all films that would be at the top of any Bava fan’s wish list and are a great example of the diverse genres Bava handled expertly. While “Sunday,” “Sabbath,” and “Kill” follow in the footsteps of the gothic British Hammer films, “The Girl” was written as a slight parody of Hitchcock, and “Knives” is a unique Viking action flick that is far better than it has any right to be. Perhaps it was Bava’s inability to stick with one genre that lead him to never find the successes he looked for in life; his own death in 1980 was overshadowed by Hitchcock himself who passed on a mere four days later.

Bava’s films have played all over the world and have been presented under multiple titles with a wide variety of edits, score changes, and dubbing. Volume one of “The Mario Bava Collection” attempts to do the maestro justice by including the international, uncut versions when available. Most of the five films feature only the original Italian language tracks, while a couple include the badly dubbed English tracks. Thankfully, only “Black Sunday” forces the terribly dubbed track on us without any other option. One of the causes for Bava’s films not gaining the acceptance they deserve rests largely in the way the audio for Italian films was created in the sixties and seventies. Most Italian films of the time featured actors from multiple countries. Rather than have everyone speak in a language they were unfamiliar with, most were filmed without sound and later had their dialogue dubbed for whatever country the film was being shown in. Even when watched with the original Italian dialogue track, a Bava film still has the notoriously hard-to-deal-with lack of synchronicity between the dialogue and lips. In movies made by lesser filmmakers, this can be frustratingly distracting, but in a Bava film, it’s just something worth overlooking.

“Sunday,” “Sabbath,” and “The Girl” all feature commentary by Tim Lucas, author of the definitive Bava biography “All the Colors of the Dark,” a book thirty years in the making that will finally be released this summer. While the commentary for “Sunday” was included on a previous release by Image Entertainment, the other two commentaries are entirely new to this box set. Also new is a twenty-minute interview with actor/producer Mark Damon included on the “Sabbath” disc, as well as ten minutes with an animated John Saxon on “The Girl” disc. The well-written Barbara Steele and Boris Karloff bios that are included on “Sunday” and “Sabbath” respectively, are welcome additions to their discs. However, the inclusion of the same Bava bio on all five discs seems redundant, especially since the films aren’t being sold separately from this set. While all five films feature their own trailers, “Sunday,” “Sabbath,” and “The Girl” go the extra mile with the inclusion of poster and still galleries.

Also worth noting are the versions of the five films Anchor Bay chose to include on these discs. This “Black Sunday” is the uncut and uncensored international version known as “The Mask of Satan,” thankfully featuring the original Italian score and sadly the English dubbing. The “Black Sabbath” included in the set is also the original, uncut, international version entitled “The Three Faces of Fear,” featuring the original score and Italian language track. “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” contains the first-ever presentation of Bava’s original, uncut, Italian-language international version. And “Knives of the Avenger” has been remastered and features the first DVD release with the original Italian language audio track and the poorly dubbed English one. Finally, “Kill, Baby Kill” contains a remastered print that has never been released in North America.

A great many of the themes and story lines might seem a bit too dated for today’s music-video-fed theatergoers, yet all five of these films are prime examples of the legitimate brilliance of Mario Bava. The opening scene of “Black Sunday” alone has become one of the most iconic moments in horror history. It’s the image of Barbara Steele’s beautiful face twisted in terror as the spike-coated mask gets lowered onto her head, as a shirtless muscle-bound giant swings towards it with a hammer. And that’s just the first five minutes of Bava’s official first film as a director! The additional four hundred and twenty-five minutes spread across these five discs are just as delightful.

Although Anchor Bay hit the nail on the head by including fan-favorite films like “Black Sabbath” and “Black Sunday” in volume one, I hope they follow through with an equally well-put-together volume two. My five film Bava wish list is “The Body and the Whip,” “Blood and Black Lace,” “Planet of the Vampires,” “Danger: Diabolik,” and “Five Dolls for an August Moon.” Hopefully, the success of this set will lead to additional collections for other Italian-horror directors like Fulci and Argento, who definitely deserve the excellent treatment Anchor Bay has shown Mr. Bava.

“Black Sunday” 9/10, “Black Sabbath” 8/10, “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” 7/10, “Knives of the Avenger” 6/10, and “Kill, Baby…Kill” 7/10.

Read all of Tyler Shainline’s articles and reviews in his Archives

“Two Thousand Maniacs” is the second film in director Herschell Gordon Lewis´s infamous “Blood Trilogy.” “Maniacs” was often bundled together with his earlier film “Blood Feast” and the 1965 release “Color Me Blood Red” at drive-ins and budget theaters across the country, although these films were narratively unconnected to each other. Lewis is a relatively unknown filmmaker to anyone outside of horror fans who have rightfully dubbed him “the grandfather of gore.” During the early sixties, Lewis, along with longtime collaborator and producer David F. Friedman, reinvented drive-in exploitation horror with the aforementioned “Blood Feast,” which ignited the flame of profitable gore flicks. “Two Thousand Maniacs” kept the torch burning brightly until Lewis and drive-in theaters dropped out of sight in the 1970´s.

Generally regarded as Lewis´s best film, “Two Thousand Maniacs” follows the story of three young couples driving through the South on their way to a teachers´ conference in Georgia. As is the case in most horror films, their plans hit a slight detour that lands them squarely in the middle of Pleasant Valley´s centennial celebration of the Civil War. Putting common sense out to pasture, the carload of young Yankees don´t even question why a Southern town would celebrate the end of the Civil War, let alone make a bunch of Yanks the guests of honor. If I were behind the wheel pulling into a town full of hillbillies waving confederate flags and kids swinging little nooses over their heads, you´d still be picking Colonel Sanders ties and giant belt buckles out of the car´s grill when I finally stopped in Arizona. But, of course, the couples do stop; after all, they don´t want to spoil the town´s centennial, what with them being the guests of honor and all.

Mayor Buckman, played with great zeal and delight by Jeffrey Allen, puts them up in the best and only hotel in town, which is, needless to say, without a working phone. The terror begins the first time one of the “guests of honor” steps out with a local alone. Pleasant Valley resident Harper takes the visiting Bea out for a walk, and soon wedded Bea makes her intentions known with the line “give me a country boy every time.” An expected make-out scene ensues, interrupted by Harper unexpectedly slicing Bea´s thumb clean off. Feigning repentance, Harper rushes the solo-thumbed Bea to the doctor´s office, only to be met by the equally fraudulently concerned Mayor. Once Mayor Buckman soothes and comforts Bea, her arm is hacked off without warning by crazed ax-wielding local, Rufe. “We´ve got ourselves the makin´s for a barbecue,” Buckman declares, as Bea lies dying in a pool of her own blood.

Surrounded by the musical stylings of the Pleasant Valley Boys and the dancing locals, and unknown to the remaining five visitors, a rack of Bea is on the spit, and everyone can´t help but have a good time. Even Bea´s unconcerned husband, John, loopy on bathtub gin, gets into the spirit, agreeing to judge a horse race before passing out in a drunken stupor. John wakes up to discover that in this equestrian competition the judge has each of his limbs tied to a different horse racing in different directions.

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The next day the post-party vacationers are missing two of their group and still haven´t caught on that something is very UNpleasent in this valley town, so another member of their group goes off alone with the town folk to participate in the barrel-roll competition. Perceived by fans as the movie´s crowning moment, tourist David is loaded into an open-ended barrel and set for an innocently fun trip down the hill. Mayor Buckman asks David “to hold still, while we do something to this barrel.” That “something” is to drive several long nails into the wooden barrel before unceremoniously shoving the spike ridden keg down the hillside, turning David into a bloody pulp of mess. What could have been a horrifying scene is transformed under Lewis´s direction of the enthusiastic townsfolk into a moment of comedic uneasiness.

The deaths continue to mount up when vacationing Beverly is forced to participate in a revised version of the old dunk-tank booth game. In Pleasant Valley´s version, instead of the helpless victim falling into a tank of water, a giant boulder falls on the unsuspecting would-be dunkee. Finally, a reason to go to the county fair besides the cotton candy and corn dogs! Now that the Yanks´ ranks have been thinned down to two–Tom, played by the aptly named Thomas Wood (it´s like watching a redwood two-by-four trying to emote) and Terri, played by “Playboy´s” favorite playmate, Connie Mason (who´s even worse than Wood)–discover Pleasant Valley´s secret. In 1865 the entire town was slaughtered by those no-good Northerners, and now the town reappears every hundred years to extract revenge on any Yankees they can get their claws on. As expected, Tom and Terri escape only to have the nearby town´s police officers administer a “Breathalyzer” test to the suspected drunken couple claiming to have been attacked in a town that hasn´t existed for a hundred years.

Filmed on location in St. Cloud, Florida, where the garish Walt Disney World now stands, “Two Thousand Maniacs” offers charming shots of scenery lost to the ironclad hand of Uncle Walt´s empire of themed rides. Obviously inspired by the 1954 Broadway musical “Brigadoon,” Lewis does more than borrow the film´s premise of a town that appears every hundred years; he also swipes the musical aspect. Throughout “Maniacs” the audience is treated to great country folk songs preformed by the guitar trio, the Pleasant Valley Boys, playing classic standards and even a few originals written by Lewis himself. The songs are so catchy that days later you´ll find yourself belting out yeeee-ha´s and proclaiming the South´s gonna rise again!

Presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio “Two Thousand Maniacs” is easily the best-looking of all of Lewis´ films. For a flick shot in 1963 on a budget under forty grand, it looks amazing. In both day and night scenes the images are crisp and clean, and the blood is as red as that on any confederate flag.

Again, for a low-budget independent film from the early 60´s, the sound is surprisingly sharp and clear. With the Dolby Digital 2.0 mono presentation the crowd scenes seem occasionally garbled, but otherwise every hoot, holler and bloodcurdling scream comes through with alarming clarity.

As always, Something Weird Video does their best to dig up any possible extras to include on their discs. Thankfully, the original theatrical trailer is included, as are rare outtakes, a gallery of exploitation art, and a feature-length commentary. Less necessary than the trailer, the twelve minutes of rare outtakes end up being almost ten minutes of Connie Francis combing her hair. It´s only worth viewing if you want to hear the Pleasant Valley Boys one more time. Similar in lack of worth is the seven-minute-long collection of stills and gallery of exploitation art that add up to little more than a collection of print ads for old shock films and only worth viewing by the hardcore fans of the genre. While entirely unnecessary viewing, it is very gracious of Something Weird to go to the trouble of collecting and releasing these outtakes and stills.

Almost as much fun as the film itself is the feature-length commentary with Lewis, Friedman, and representatives of both Something Weird Video and Shock Films. The commentary is dominated by the always pleasant Lewis and story-filled Friedman, with little input from the others except to ask the occasional “fanboy” question. Lewis, who´s a delight on every film commentary he´s featured on, offers up great insight into the production of the film–from Connie Francis´ terrible driving to the town´s reaction to being featured in such a bloody piece of film. Friedman chimes in with many a story and an occasional vicious jab at actor Jerome Eden, who portrayed horse aficionado John.

While a Herschell Gordon Lewis film will never be confused for a work of art, even the most elite movie watcher would have a hard time finding nothing to enjoy in this town full of maniacs. YEEEEE-HA!

9/10 Stars

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A group of dumb, cool young people in a rad Jeep just out trying to have some fun on a lovely summer day are about to run into Mr. Slausen, a crazy old fucker played by Chuck Connors, who has an obsession with animated mannequins and wax figures, and keeping his goofy ass museum “slausens lost oasis” open in spite of the governement building a new highway that diverted traffic from his stupid ‘lost oasis’. Kind of like the same trouble that the later years of the ‘bates motel’ had…goddamned government and dumb new highways!

As the film opens the good-looking young people are actually traveling in two vehicles. The couple in the first vehicle have a blowout and the boyfriend in said vehicle walks ahead to get air in a spare that had no air, fucking idiot. He finds a gas station and in the first five minutes of this movie he is attacked by supernatural mannequins, doors, and a cabinet of paint…its creepy and goofy at the same time. I love it.

Meanwhile, the second group has caught up to the stranded car in the afformentioned rad jeep, they move on to find the boyfriend, but when they stumble across a lovely waterfall-fed swimming hole (after the jeep breaks down of course) that one of the halter-topped chicks calls “paradise”, he is all but forgotten. The girls skinny dip, although the film shows no nudity, which is dumb, and quite surprising, and very dissapointing for a slasher film of the late 70s.

Enter Mr. Slausen, he shows up quickly and out of nowhere at the swimming hole and scares them with his big hat, overalls and shotgun, but befriends and charms ‘em at the same time with his kindness and crazy, nostalgic old fella ways. He then lures them into “slausens lost oasis” with a promise to help them.

Of course, the waterheads fall right into his trap and one by one become the victim of this whacked old koot who, during the kill scenes, wears various mannequin-like masks/wigs/outfits and adopts a fucking retarded voice while in “character” while all the figures around him in his museum come to life complete with animated gaping mouths and fucking beyond absurd “aaahhhh” voice effects. To me, this is howlingly funny, but I’m a weirdo so you might find it just dumb. A scene in which Slausen is having soup with a mannequin is side-splitting…while he and the dummy are discussing how good the crackers are, the mannequin’s head falls off…it kills me and I laugh and laugh! You can see a big influence from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre throughout various scenes in this film. A few moments are so similar its jawdropping. See if you can spot the Psycho influences as well…not too hard to find. One of the animated wax figures (an indian) even gets a kill in the later stages of the movie via an airborne tomahawk in the neck. I won’t giveaway the details of the final scene, but I will say that its a comedy of errors that is rivaled by none. Blood and gore is non-existent in this film, but weirdness, bad overacting, and general silliness rounded out by some truly creepy scenes are abundent.

This DVD is presented in widescreen but I had to set my player to letterbox see it that way on my TV. The film looks very good, some very minor grain and scratches show up, but for the most part it looks great. The colors (especially outdoor scenes) are nicely saturated, a property I like in movies. The audio is stereo 2.0, so if you have surround, its all up front. The score is goofy, dated, dumb, and brilliant. At times very fitting and creepy, other times so out of place and jarring its hilarious.

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Tourist Trap DVD Menu Screen

Extras include various trailers for 80′s tits and ass masterpieces such as ‘assault of the killer bimbos’ and ‘cannibal women in the avacado jungle of death’, as well as a short interview with the director, a commentary track with the director, and other shit you probably don’t care about. The feature trailer is also included.

In closing, this film is by no means an exceptional piece of movie-making as far a mainstream audiences and critics go, but to me its and hour and a half of sheer stupid entertainment and an underappreciated slasher classic.

Review by Music Editor Shane: