Alucarda (1978)

Alucarda is an unheralded gem and even within the horror community I don’t think too many people are familiar with this Mexican film by Juan López Moctezuma. This is a pity, because the film boasts beautiful visuals, controversial themes and violent deaths.

Alucarda is about two teenage girls living in a Catholic convent that also serves as an orphanage. Justine arrives at the convent after her parents die, leaving no one to care for her. Taken in by the nuns (who wear weird, mummy-like wrappings) Justine is placed in a room with Alucarda and the two girls quickly become inseparable. On a walk in the forest one day, they happen on a band of gypsies selling charms and trinkets. After a gypsy tells Alucarda and Justine they have only darkness in their future, the girls run away and stumble upon an enormous old crypt in the middle of the woods. While they are exploring, they open an old coffin and unleash a demonic force that possesses them. Back at the convent, the demonic force is unleashed upon the kind nuns and other inhabitants.

The visuals of the film border on gothic, with misty forests, decrepit crypts and Catholic imagery. The convent itself is lit by flickering candles and its sparse, utilitarian rooms are only decorated with crosses. Its church has rows upon rows of crosses, each fitted with an agonizing Christ. The stone crypt that the girls explore is festooned with faded red banners, creepy statues and lots of vines growing over everything. The gothic feel is reminiscent of many old Hammer films, with the subject matter just being a bit more dark and controversial.

For its time, the film was controversial, as it dealt with lesbianism, Satanism, sacrilege, the occult and more. While these themes are considered “tame” today, don’t be mistaken – the film still packs a punch. From a kiss that turns into Alucarda licking the blood off a naked Justine, to a gypsy Satanist that can invoke the Devil, to bloody psychic nuns to midnight orgies, to reanimated corpses to a fiery, Carrie-esque conclusion, this film will definitely keep your attention.

However, I feel like the above paragraph also does a disservice to Alucarda, as it is as not as exploitative as it may seen. The arresting visuals, engaging storyline and multi-layered themes heighten the film and make it into something much more substantial than your standard exploitative occult flick. The themes of evil corrupting even the most innocent, but also of redemption and ultimate faith, will resonate with viewers, regardless on their view of religion.

Alucarda is an underrated gem, and one that more fans of classic horror should definitely seek out.

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Black Death (2011)

According to Wikipedia, the Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history and is estimated to have killed 30% – 60% of Europe’s population, reducing the world’s population from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million in 1400. This has been seen as having created a series of religious, social and economic upheavals which had profound effects on the course of European history. It took 150 years for Europe’s population to recover.

The death and pestilence spread by this deadly plague was of Biblical proportions, and it seems that the dark mark it left upon history would be the perfect material for a horror film. Lucky for us, Magnolia Pictures’ Black Death has risen to the occasion.

The year is 1348. Europe has fallen under the shadow of the Black Death. As the plague decimates all in its path, fear and superstition are rife. In this apocalyptic environment, the church is losing its grip on the people. There are rumors of a village, hidden in marshland that the plague cannot reach. There is even talk of a necromancer who leads the village and is able to bring the dead back to life.

Ulric (Sean Bean), a fearsome knight, is charged by the church to investigate these rumors. He enlists the guidance of a novice monk, Osmund  (Eddie Redmayne) to lead him and his band of mercenary soldiers to the marshland, but Osmund has other motives for leaving his monastery. Their journey to the village and events that unfold take them into the heart of darkness and to horrors that will put Osmund’s faith in himself and his love for God to the ultimate test.

Black Death is a gripping film dealing with issues of faith, temptation, redemption, salvation…all huge issues back in the Dark Ages and still relevant today. It has a bit of Wicker Man-feel, only because of the dark secret the blissful and untouched village hides. It also has a much more somber feel and isn’t a film to take lightly. I liked how the film subverted the usual Christian vs. Pagan dynamic and made the pagans vicious instead of their usual hippie-dippy selves.

Speaking of viciousness, the film also boasts some wicked medieval battle scenes, complete with swords, maces, axes and even an iron maiden, among other torture devices. Despite the bloodshed being far and in-between, I was surprised how bloody the film actually was, especially in contrast to the subdued tone of the film and stark beauty of the cinematography.

The film looks stunning, from the cobblestoned streets of medieval Europe to the dark woods the characters travel through to the sun-dabbled village they finally arrive at. The mostly cold and bleak visuals echo the overall ominous atmosphere of the film. The grand scope of the cinematography makes me wish I had seen Black Death in a theater, but even on the smaller screen its grandiose scope wasn’t lost.

I liked the storyline because it had an epic feel and because of the themes it explored. As mentioned previously, I liked how the Christian vs. Pagan dynamic was flipped, with the pagans persecuting the Christians instead of the other way around. I also liked how the film showed unwavering faith in the characters as they were faced with temptations and challenges. The film ends on a brutal, downbeat note that was definitely disturbing and shows how evil can corrupt even the most faithful.

The actors gave performances equally intense to the storyline and visuals. Sean Bean is especially good as the God-fearing Ulric, but I also liked Eddie Redmayne’s performance as the conflicted Osmund. In my opinion, though, Carice van Houten stole the show as the village’s necromancer Langiva.

Director Christopher Smith has crafted another unique film with Black Death and is definitively one of the most versatile directors of the horror genre. He gave us the spooky Creep, the darkly humorous Severance, the intense Triangle and now the bleak Black Death. His films are always engaging, entertaining and original, and Black Death is no exception.

Buy it on Amazon!

Book Review: Lucas Manson by Thomas Hauck

“When Special Agent Mark Dylan investigates a gruesome homicide, he uncovers the terrifying world of the Kingdom Seven Family Temple and its leader, the charismatic and ruthless Minister Lucas Manson. As Dylan and his partner Jill Kelly penetrate the secret inner sanctum of the temple, they learn that friends cannot be distinguished from enemies. The vast and powerful temple holds dark secrets that will change their lives forever.”

Lucas Manson first starts as a typical crazy cult/serial killer/police procedural novel – still interesting and well-written, but nonetheless a little bland. However, as the book progressed it thankfully added some unexpected twists and turns that took the story in an entirely surprising direction. I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say that the book reinvents a classic monster archetype in an entirely new way!

Besides the unexpected surprises the book holds, Lucas Manson is thrilling and action-packed. It encompasses many locations, from Boston to Egypt to Arizona to New York, keeping the action moving at a quick clip. From unraveling an ancient mystery in Egypt to tracking the rock star-like U.S. tour of the Kingdom Seven Family Temple to breaking into the cult’s heavily guarded compound in Arizon, Special Agent Mark Dylan careens through an action-packed landscape of grisly murders and centuries-old mysticism.

The murders aren’t especially gory, but fit quite well into the overall tone of the book. Despite not being gory, they pack quite a punch, as victims are drugged in a very unique way and then bled through several incisions in their arteries until their bodies are drained of blood. And it just gets creepier after you learn why the victims are being drained of blood!

However, the book does have its flaws. It gets off to a rocky start, including an awkward introduction of lead character Mark Dylan when he’s working undercover that has no bearing on the rest of the book. It then jumps directly into Dylan and his wife’s problems with getting pregnant, a character development ploy that doesn’t really go anywhere and drags on far too long. It doesn’t really have any impact on the rest story, and it didn’t help me feel more for the lead character either.

Despite these bumps in the road, once the novel takes off it really takes you for a ride! It may start off as a typical killer cult book, but it has plenty of twists and turns that elevate it far beyond any “standard” horror fare.

Check it out on Amazon!

Book Review: Demon Days by Richard Finney and D.L. Snell

Demon Days offers up a hearty serving of end-of-the-world conspiracies, Biblical prophecy to the End Times, a clever spin on near death experiences and plenty of political intrigue. And after reading Demon Days cover-to-cover in one sitting, I was asking for seconds.

While on a romantic vacation, journalist Sandy Travis and fiancé Tom are in a deadly helicopter accident and Tom has a terrifying near death experience. When Tom finally comes to, he tells Sandy that he was spoken to by the “Angel of Light”, who told Tom his work on Earth isn’t finished.

Meanwhile, Sandy is covering the attempted assassination of a high-ranking official who is being championed for trying to bring peace to the war-torn Middle East. As she delves deeper into the mystery of the assassin, a man she once knew, she uncovers a horrifying correlation between her husband’s story and the assassin’s.

With the help of Catholic priest Father Olsen, Sandy uncovers a plot of prophecy and possession that is moving toward triggering the End of Days. Can Sandy stop certain events from happening before they set off Armageddon or is she already too late?

This novel by authors Richard Finney and D.L. Snell is one fast-paced thrill ride! One part church-conspiracy novel, one part assassin thriller, one part possession horror story and one part gum-shoe noir, Demon Days is an intense and gripping read. I was so engrossed in its fast-paced story that I finished it in one sitting! Not very many books can hold me in their thrall like that, but Demon Days completely sucked me in.

I especially liked the sinister stance the authors took on near death experiences. The idea that the “light at the end of the tunnel” could actually be evil rather than good is a unique perspective I’ve never seen explored before! I love the concept of demons being able to possess people through near death experiences and think that Finney and Snell have introduced a very scary scenario with this idea.

It’s not only the intriguing story with its many twists and turns that enthralled me, but also the well-developed characters, all of whom I came to care about. There is a shocking and grisly death that occurs in the book that completely caught me off guard and was genuinely upsetting. It happens to a character we’ve come to love as much as the main character Sandy loves, so it’s quite startling when the death occurs.

Speaking of deaths, there are a few gruesome ones that happen in the book, but don’t expect a blood-soaked story. Demon Days works on a more psychological level, though the characters do suffer some rather violent attacks. One of the creepier scenes happens when Sandy discovers a hidden underground lair of the assassin, which is covered in excrement, vomit and other bodily liquids. Her descent into this dark pit of inequity was truly hair-raising! There is also a demon-possessed boy stalking Father Olsen (who happens to be blind) and his sudden appearances always got my pulse racing! The end boasts a mind-numbing twist that I did not see coming and sets up for the sequel, Demon Days: Angel of Light, which I eagerly await!

If demon-possession, near death experiences and church prophecies about Armageddon intrigue you, then I wholeheartedly recommend Demon Days! It is expertly written by Richard Finney (The Wind Raider) and D.L. Snell (Roses of Blood on Barbwire Vines) and is a nail-bitingly good novel that is hard to put down.

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Book Review: The Picture of Contented New Wealth by Tariq Goddard

The Picture of Contented New Wealth is an intellectual horror story set in a creepy old house in the English countryside. Something evil has been lurking in its dark paneled walls for as long as the house has stood, but ever since the Conti family has moved in the presence seems more…malign.

The evil presence soon reveals itself as demonic in nature, no matter how unbelieving the secular family is. Mrs. Conti soon becomes possessed and her young son falls under her power. It is up to the incredulous Mr. Conti to find a way to save his family.

Here is the official book description:

“In the brilliant red doom of a Hampshire Sunset, Brigit Conti can hear a voice behind her ears that is not her own. Bed-bound, and complaining of a rare bone disease that no Doctor can diagnose, her husband fears that the house they have purchased is a portal through which an older, more malign energy has passed, possessing his wife and son. Through their successive deterioration, his secular and agnostic world-view undergoes a metamorphosis, drawing him to a strange man from the hills: the Rector, their unlikely saviour. Or are he and his family merely victims of their own self-serving yuppie way of life?

The Picture of Contented New Wealth is a gothic tragedy set in the nineteen eighties, bringing proper characterization and a literary sensibility to the traditional horror story. Its mix of generic elements and mystical realism deal with the irreducibility of evil and its successful normalization in to our daily and dominant reality.” 

This eloquent novel is not your typical haunted house or possession story. Author Tariq Goddard weaves some heavy philosophical and religious themes throughout the novel, yet “heavy” shouldn’t be taken to mean that they weigh the book down. These themes help bolster the book’s story and make perfect sense in the grand scheme of things.

Goddard makes wonderful use of the large house the Conti’s move into, called Tyger Tyger, which, of course, brings to mind William Blake’s poem The Tyger (“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright/ In the forests of the night,/What immortal hand or eye/Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”). And Tyger Tyger House certainly does burn bright…with all the fires of Hell! Its long, shadowy corridors, whispering voices, shadowy figures and things that just don’t seem right certainly sent shivers up my spine! The experiences the family members face in the house are downright unsettling, including their son claiming to play with the family’s long-dead cat or their au pere’s horrifyingly real nightmares.

Equally horrifying is the possession of Mrs. Conti. Her husband is so disbelieving of the supernatural that he thinks she is just mentally ill, but after his continued experiences with both the house, strange occurrences and his sick wife, comes to believe in the supernatural. Mrs. Conti’s attacks keep getting worse, her appearance changing along with her demeanor. Her transformation is chilling to read and yet you can’t help but wanting to read more.

I haven’t personally read any of author Goddard’s previous works, but I sincerely hope that in his literary future he decides to write another horror novel. The Picture of Contented New Wealth crawled deep under my skin and remained there long after I had finished reading it. Its metaphysical horror story will certainly get you thinking all the while you cower under the covers!

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End of the Line (2007)

Young nurse Karen (Ilona Elkin) has had a rough night with patients behaving more oddly than usual and has had some startling premonitions (right off the bat we are treated to an unsettling scare). As she boards the nearly-deserted subway, a blond-haired freak harasses her, but good guy Mike (Nicolas Wright) tries to calm her frazzled nerves. Once on the subway, the train breaks down and Karen and Mike are stuck under the flickering lights. They are soon joined by a sweet old lady…but after receiving a message on her cell she tries to attack Mike with a knife made from a crucifix. Other people stuck on the subway are attack by people wielding these knives, as they are all members of a religious cult called The Church of Hope and by killing people they hope to “save” them from the end of the world. Karen and Mike escape and meet up with other survivors as they try to escape the labyrinth tunnels of the subway and reach the surface. Yet, what if the cult is right and death is better than what awaits them?

Filled with surprises, End of the Line is an overlooked horror film that shouldn’t be missed! From the beginning to the end the film is chock full of unexpected, creepy surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Director and writer Maurice Devereaux has crafted an intriguing and entertaining horror film whose images won’t leave my head anytime soon!

I liked how Devereaux developed the cult member’s characters. They weren’t just smiling and singing automatons, but he portrayed their inner turmoil as well. Some of them just couldn’t go through with killing others while others had doubt about what they were doing. Some enjoyed killing and wanted to get their kicks before it was their time to go and others truly believed they were saving the masses from a much more terrible fate. The characters that did suffer a bit in character development were the protagonists. Besides Karen, we don’t know that much about anyone and so it’s a little hard to get fully invested in their predicament.

Still, the lack of the protagonists’ development didn’t damage the story as a whole too terribly. I loved how this is not just a “cult-run-amuck” flick, but something much, much creepier. I don’t want to give too much away, because the film is most effective when you don’t know too much about it, but believe me when I say that there are some jarring, unsettling moments where you’ll be thinking, “what the hell did I just see?” I also liked how Devereaux raises the issue of faith and whom (or what) people place it in. The only detracting factor with Devereaux’s writing is some of the questionable dialogue. Though there are some instances where he tries to ease the tension (like the infamous “I have to take a dump” line), it just doesn’t work and interrupts any kind of dread that had been building.

Despite some cringe-worthy dialogue, End of the Line is an incredibly effective horror film. There are shocking scares aplenty but they are never overdone. Devereaux capitalizes on the creepy factor when we get just a quick flash of something creepy-crawly under the stairs or a flash of someone (or something) down a dark tunnel. Plus, there are plenty of blood-drenched scenes, including a disturbing beheading scene as well as the death of a woman and her unborn baby. All these instances, plus the threat of the cult members, add to an every-increasing sense of dread until the chilling finale.

End of the Line is a little-seen gem of a horror film that definitely deserves more attention. Featuring plenty of thrills and chills, it is definitely worth a look!

Available from Amazon!

Martyrs (2008)

If you’re a horror fan, you’ve no doubt heard the buzz behind Martyrs, a French film from writer/director Pascal Laugier. Though you may have heard plenty about it, no manner of preparation could ready you for the raw, unpleasant ferocity of this film! If you are looking for a fun horror flick, Martyrs definitely isn’t it. It is a grim, relentlessly violent film that will have you flinching at your own shadow by the time it is through with you.

The film opens with young Lucie, battered, bruised and bloody, escaping her tormentors in a warehouse-type building. She is placed by authorities in a church-run foster home where she meets Anna. The two quickly become inseparable and Lucie confides to Anna that something is still afflicting her.

Fifteen years later, Lucie thinks she’s tracked down her tormentors, a seemingly loving husband and wife who have kids Lucie’s own age. Lucie brutally kills them all, but just can’t seem to appease a disfigured creature that continues to attack and physically harm her. Anna comes to Lucie’s rescue, not sure if Lucie is hallucinating or if what she says is true. But Anna is about to find out the excruciating pain that Lucie went through at the hands of her tormentors and the limits of torture that a body and mind can handle…and the reasons behind it all.

Martyrs is one of those films whose opening scenes will make you feel like you’ve been hit over the head with a baseball bat…and repeatedly pummeled with a sledge hammer. Its brutality is just relentless, and once you think that it can’t get any worse…it shocks you with the next scene. There are countless scenes of violence in Martyrs, most of them cringe-inducing, but the most effective scenes are when Lucie is attacked by the disfigured creature. The first few times we see nothing but shadows and quick movements, but each following scene involving the creature shows a little more and a little more…until we see it in its frightening entirety.

The disturbing images don’t stop at the creature, though (who is really only in the first half of the film). People get blown away by guns, stabbed, scratched, punched, beaten, a throat is slit, wrists are slit, people’s heads are bashed open, thick staples are removed from someone’s head to get rid of a metal blindfold, a person is flayed alive…I could keep going, but you get the idea; Martyrs features some extreme gore!

What I like about the film is that it offers a compelling storyline along with many visceral moments. The intriguing storyline just pulls you in and you want to find out why Lucie was tortured and just why a seemingly normal family would have a secret basement and just who is behind it all and why. It’s not just another exploitative film bombarding us with gore for no reason except to titillate; Martyrs has a very powerful ending that will actually make you think!

I really don’t want to say too much, because Martyrs is a film best experienced by going into it knowing as little as possible. It is a challenging film, both in regards to the violence as well as its message, but overall it is very rewarding to watch. I will say that I did have a problem with how the storyline flips from Lucie’s perspective to Anna’s perspective in the middle. It kind of makes it feel like two separate movies and the switch is a little bit jarring, especially considering that the second half is so much slower and methodical than the first. I even found myself a bit bored, but the beginning and ending of the film more than make up for the lull (you could even call it a chance to catch your breath) in the middle.

Martyrs is a grim, nihilistic film that is a witness to the many great horror films currently coming out of France (though it can’t really be compared to any of them). This is not a fun film and won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy dark, traumatizing horror stories Martyrs will be right up your alley.

Available from Amazon!

Red Door (2008)

Red Door is a vividly surreal portrait of Hell from writer/director David Pike. This short 34-minute film is full of symbolism but allows the viewer to come to his or her own conclusions about just what and/or where the Red Door leads to.

We meet lead character Todd (Bilal Mir) at 9am as he settles into his drab office. From his briefcase he takes out a folder and a voice recorder, placing them on his sparse desk. His office is boring and colorless except for a blood-red door that seems out of place and even has a large padlock on it. Shortly after, Todd receives a phone call telling him to stay put because there are bombings and some sort of catastrophe outside.

Todd unquestioningly stays put and we flashback to how he got this job in the first place. We also learn that his wife was murdered and he turned to drinking to numb the pain. At his old job he almost burned the office building down because he fell asleep with a cigarette in his mouth. He tells the HR rep named Charlotte (played by Tiffany Shepis) he isn’t quite sure how he escaped the fire. Despite his “history,” Todd is hired, though he has to sign a contract in blood and Charlotte suddenly turns into a leering demon covered in blood.

We come back into the present as Todd records his mundane actions and deep thoughts onto his voice recorder. Stuck in his office, Todd is determined to find out just what is behind the red door once and for all, whether it be darkness or salvation.

Red Door is a stunning-looking film that is just drenched in color symbolism, from the nameplates on the characters’ desks to the colors of their offices. Director David Pike is serious about putting meaning behind everything used in the film and says “Red Door is a film where every shot, every line, and every object has meaning.” The scenes are very simple and don’t include much except for the characters and a few pieces of furniture, but the sparse atmosphere makes you wonder what exactly is going on because there is obviously more than meets the eye. Red Door is a simple yet complex film all in one.

Some people might not like the film’s ambiguous ending, but it does give the viewer a chance to actually decide for themselves what they just saw. Was Todd already dead? Did he exist in Purgatory or was he already in Hell? What happened to his wife? Was he the murderer? Who really was Charlotte? And why did Todd have to “protect” his office? All of this is basically left up to the viewer to decide, and while some people may not be satisfied by this, it works.

A stunning film debut from writer/director David Pike, Red Door is one that should be opened and embraced by genre fans.

Visit Red Door’s Official Site!

Book Review: The Lobby by Christopher A. Durish

WALLS CLOSING IN

CROWDING BLOOD SOAKED RECOLLECTION

NESTLED IN THIS TORMENT ANOTHER DAY

A TASTE OF SIN

THICK ON THE TONGUE OF CANNIBAL LUST

CHOKING BACK THE BREATH OF SANITY

SWALLOWING MINUSCULE TOKEN REMAINS OF SUCH

A LUNATIC’S PRAYERS

DISEASED WET SYLLABLES

COLLECTED ON THE CEILING OF A GRAND CATHEDRAL

OH WHY DID I ABANDON THEE MY LORD

FOR NOW I AM SIMPLE PREY CRIMSON SOLDIERS

THEY HAVE COME TO CLAIM MY SOILED SOUL

ETERNAL SLUMBER

ESCAPE

PEACE

MERCY

This opens Christopher A. Durish’s The Lobby, a novel that had me engrossed from beginning to end. It covers themes in religion like Heaven and Hell, damnation and salvation, sin and redemption and, of course, demons and the Devil. Durish’s novel has a strong story-telling style and is a fast-paced book that puts you smack-dab in the sinful shoes of the main character.

The Lobby tells the tale of Zachary Bell, a rising young star in the world of advertising and his trendy, often controversial commercials that are a direct reflection of his personal affairs. A married father of two daughters, Zach is anything but a family man. A blossoming career and a sordid lifestyle of infidelity and Hollywood-style parties are a common substitute for school plays and family picnics. One stormy September night, while driving home from a party with his co-worker and mistress Judith Sample, Zach falls asleep at the wheel. When he awakens a few seconds later, his car is careening out of control toward a steep embankment. As the car plunges over the hillside, it plunges Zach’s life into a realm of unspeakable terror. While in a comatose state, the result of trauma suffered during the accident, Zach experiences an evil only Hell itself could unleash.

The book gets off to a rocky start in the first chapter or so (it starts off a bit generic for me after the stunning prologue), but once you get past that bump in the road it is a fast-paced ride to Hell in a handbasket! Durish keeps the reader on their toes and never lets us know what is behind Bell’s suffering (though we all have a pretty good idea!). Like Bell, we aren’t sure if what he is experiencing is a nightmare, a vision of what’s to come or what has already happened…essentially we don’t know what is real and what isn’t. This creates a real thrill of tension throughout the book that had me racing through the pages to find out the Truth in the last few pages.

Bell’s anguish is also artfully articulated by Durish. The reader can almost feel his confusion and fear in response to what he has seen and experienced. Durish’s expansive imagination of Hell is also very effective and I liked that he didn’t just stick to “fire and brimstone” visuals. The first paragraph alone should give you a good sense of the tricks and treats you are in store for. The rest of the book is sure to give you plenty of chills and thrills as well (I know that’s what it gave me!). As mentioned earlier, I like the fact that the reader, along with Bell, is lost in what is seemingly a nightmare. This creates a disorienting, disassociated feeling that really ramps up the tension!

Christopher A. Durish’s The Lobby is definitely a place I wouldn’t mind waiting in…as long as you are okay with shadowy demon figures polluting your periphery and horrifying scenarios that drive you madder and madder constantly playing out right before your eyes.

Available from Amazon!

The Exorcist III (1990)

After the bad taste that Exorcist II: The Heretic left in my mouth, I decided to check out the next Exorcist film, appropriately titled The Exorcist III. Surprisingly, The Exorcist III is a decent flick and left me with that minty-fresh taste I was looking for.

Lieutenant Bill Kinderman (George C. Scott) is investigating a serial killer stalking the streets of Georgetown. The killer has a habit of decapitating his victims and leaving behind religious iconography. The lieutenant believes that somehow the Gemini Killer, who was executed for his crimes 15 years ago, is back and responsible for the murders. He discovers a mental patient, Patient X, that looks exactly like his friend Father Karras (who died falling down that long flight of stairs in the first film, with Jason Miller reprising his role) who has been locked in a padded cell for 15 years, but claims he is James Venamun, The Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif), and that he is killing again. As the body count climbs, Lt. Kinderman comes to realize that something much more demonic has taken over Father Karras’ body…

Some might say that any sequel after Exorcist II would be like a breath of fresh air, but I found that even as a stand-alone film The Exorcist III works. Let’s just try and forget that Exorcist II was ever spawned.

Exorcist III starts off like a crime drama or a serial killer movie, but it’s got some nice touches of horror that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The movie unfolds slowly, building momentum with creepy dream sequences featuring religious iconography (Jesus is watching you!), howling winds and some character interactions that really pull you into the story. It also features two of the most startling scenes you’ll witness in a horror film! One involves a prolonged, tension-filled scene involving a nurse late at night in the hospital while the other shows an old woman crawling on the ceiling. Both are genuinely shocking, scary and come out of nowhere!

The film’s dialogue is sharp and witty, especially between Lt. Kinderman (George C. Scott) and Father Dyer (Ed Flanders). It is truly a joy to see these two characters, who are old friends, make delightful verbal jabs at each other. The dialogue gets a whole lot darker when Lt. Kinderman visits with Patient X/The Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif), but it’s no less intriguing. The chemistry between George C. Scott and Brad Dourif is fantastic and their scenes together are very eerie. The actors are definitely at the top of their game here, as the script gives them plenty to work with.

The script was written by William Peter Blatty and adapted from his book Legion, the sequel to his popular The Exorcist novel. Blatty also directed this film and should be proud of the damn fine horror film he’s created. It doesn’t rely on blood and gore to gross the audience out, but instead a creeping dread that permeates your very core.

Of course, the film isn’t perfect. On the onset, things are a bit confusing when Patient X reveals himself alternately as Father Karras (Jason Miller) and Gemini Killer James Venamun (Brad Dourif). While the film explains that the Gemini Killer took over the Father’s body as he died, the vacillation between the two is distracting. The ending wasn’t my cup of tea either. After slowly building dread and tension, the finale just seems over the top. The silly inclusion of exorcism priest Father Morning (Nicol Williamson) didn’t help either, as he doesn’t really serve a purpose in the film until the end.

Overall, though, The Exorcist III is an excellent, underrated horror flick that is a proper successor to The Exorcist. Now, if we could just imagine that Exorcist II was never made…

Available from Amazon!

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Some movies have a reputation that precedes them, a reputation that has marked them as being “bad” movies. Most everyone you talk to about these movies tells you they are awful…The Exorcist II: The Heretic is one such movie that is loathed by most horror fans and critics (oftentimes called “the worst sequel ever made”), but I was curious to see if it was really as horrible as everyone claimed.

The verdict?

Yes, it is as bad as everyone claims!

It cinches its title as one of the worst sequels ever made with a ridiculously unbelievable script, horrible dialogue, bad acting and taking itself way too seriously. The result is a self-important but tiresomely dull movie.

Four years after a demon was exorcised from Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), Father Lamont (Richard Burton) is put to task by the Catholic Church to get to the bottom of Father Merrin’s (Max von Sydow) death during the exorcism.

Meanwhile, Regan has grown into a chipper chubby-cheeked teen with no recollection of the exorcism, or at least that is what she claims. Her psychologist, Dr. Gene Tuskin (Louise Fletcher, who looks uncannily like Ellen Burstyn), thinks those memories are locked deep within her and wants to get to them. She introduces Regan to synchronized hypnosis (a process that involves little more than a tabletop machine with flashing lights that’s connected to electrodes), which will allow her to see into Regan’s subconscious (gee, sounds like a whole lotta unbelievable crap to me!).

Father Lamont comes to visit Regan and gets put in “synch” with her mind. He can see what happened that night and that the demon Pazuzu is still dwelling inside Regan. He then travels to Africa to hunt down Kokumo (James Earl Jones), the only known survivor (besides Regan) of an exorcism at the holy hands of Father Merrin. Add mumbo-jumbo about “good” and “bad” locusts, psychic connections that span continents and a big locust explosion at the finale and you’ve got an idea about the absurdity of the plot.

It’s sad, really, because director John Boorman, who wanted to create something wholly different than the first Exorcist, succeeded, but at the horrible cost of making a pompous, meandering and boring film. Visually, the film has its moments, with eye-catching aerial shots of red, rocky cliffs, plains and fields in Africa and the swarms of locusts, but those small moments do little to alleviate the pain of watching the remaining 95% of the movie.

The acting is cringe-worthy, with Linda Blair coming off as horribly annoying and the other actors faring no better. Of course, the source material, written by William Goodhart, could be the root of all the trouble. The dialogue (“When the wings have brushed you… is there no hope once the wings have brushed you?”) is atrocious and the situations and circumstances are just ludicrous. Not even the score, by the great Ennio Morricone (whom I usually love), is any good. It’s tribal sounds and demon-screeching just serve to grate nerves, very much like the rest of the movie.

This film had a grand scope when it first started, setting out to investigate exorcisms the world over from Africa to South America and beyond, but somehow its grand story became muddled and bogged down, both from the mythology laid down by the first film but also from its own preposterous storyline that became weighted with far too many questions it sought to answer. Between Father Lamont’s visits to the tribes in Africa and his “synching” with Regan’s mind, things become pretty unbelievable pretty quickly. And don’t get me started on the dream sequences!

Years of warnings from viewers and critics alike didn’t deter me from seeing this stink-bomb of a film, but hopefully it will save you the trouble. Unless, of course, you’re masochistic and enjoy being put through pain…then, by all means I would highly recommend Exorcist II: The Heretic!

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Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil (1992)

The only thing consistent with the Prom Night series is how inconsistent the films are. The first film, with its standard slasher storyline and horrendous disco music is nonetheless still a fun film to watch. Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II completely discarded the first Prom Night’s story and introduced us to Mary Lou Maloney, a malevolent ghost that comes back to claim her prom queen crown. The third installment, Prom Night III: The Last Kiss, continued with a new Mary Lou story, but Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil yet again ditches the previous storylines.

Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil is about Father Jonas, a possessed, homicidal priest that kills two horny teenagers on prom night in 1957 (the same night Mary Lou was accidentally killed at the prom). The Catholic Church locks him in the basement of a church and keeps him sedated so he can do no more harm. In 1991 a new, young priest is put in charge of Jonas. Thinking he can help the homicidal maniac, he stops administering his meds and even gives him a nice, close shave. Jonas wakes up and busts outta the church, looking for more promiscuous teens to kill and “save.”

Lucky for Jonas, it is prom night! Two couples are getting ready for the big night (complete with a funny lesbian interlude), but instead of going to prom they decide to ditch it and spend the weekend at one of their parent’s weekend getaway houses. Problem is, the house used to be Father Jonas’ seminary home and he’s on his way back there also! Can the four horny teens survive the Father’s wrath?

Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil isn’t a slasher masterpiece, but I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it. The acting was alright, the characters didn’t get on my nerves and the villain was fun to watch! Of course, there wasn’t that much gore to speak of, there were more than a few inconsistencies and plot holes as well. For example, if it was prom, why was it snowing?? And, of course, there was the problem of Father Jonas not aging a day since he was imprisoned by the Church. Maybe years of solitary confinement are the solution for younger looking skin!

The characters were all very fun to watch. The innocent Meagan (Nikki de Boer) played well against the “experienced” Laura (Joy Tanner). The male characters weren’t as developed, but they did okay as well. It was surprising that there were no annoying characters to root for to die, which I thought was a nice change from your standard slasher fare. The villain of Father Jonas (James Carver) wasn’t necessarily scary, but he was very intense and did well in his role.

The kills really weren’t that interesting or memorable, but I did enjoy how slowly and methodically Father Jonas stalked the characters. On the downside, the film took about 45 minutes before the teens started getting knocked off. There are a few kills beforehand, but by the time the first teen “disappeared,” I was getting antsy. With just four people in an isolated house to kill, things did get a little slow.

Despite its problems, though, Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil is a decidedly fun, underrated slasher film. I’m not sure why the filmmakers decided to affiliate it with the Prom Night series because it would have done much better as a stand-alone film. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t let dreaded “sequel-itis” stop you from checking out Prom Night IV.

Available from Amazon!

Book Review: Meat by Joseph D'Lacey

Everyone has their different viewpoints on eating meat and vegetarianism. Some people can’t imagine living without eating tasty, tasty meat while some people can’t imagine eating meat from such cute wittle animals! It’s true that some slaughterhouses have appalling conditions for the animals that become many people’s dinners and most people don’t even know how their meat is really prepared or what additives are put in it.

Do you know exactly what is in your “meat” that you buy at the grocery store? Where did it come from and how did it get there? These terrifying questions are examined in Joseph D’Lacey’s debut novel, Meat. Like a hammer to the back of a cow’s head, Meat will stun you. It’ll open your eyes and just might jolt you from complacency to action. One thing is definitely for certain, you’ll never look at a piece of meat the same again.

The decaying and desolate town of Abyrne sits in the middle of a vast wasteland. As far as the townsfolk are concerned, there is nothing beyond its borders. Abyrne was build upon the promise that their god would provide them with meat from The Chosen, cattle sacrificed especially for the religious people of Abyrne as long as they followed the religious teachings of the Gut Psalter and The Book of Giving texts. Something is going wrong in Abryne, though. People are beginning to get sick. And certain man named John Collins has been leading a resistance on the outskirts of town, proclaiming that meat is not necessary for survival.

In the eyes of the Grand Bishop and the Meat Baron, Collins’ words are blasphemy. Yet to others, others who see a frightening resemblance in themselves and the Chosen, Collins makes sense. One who comes to believe Collins is Richard Shanti, the Meat Baron’s top slaughterer of Chosen.

Those who don’t follow the religious teachings and don’t eat meat are stripped of their status…or stripped of their own skin. As both the Grand Bishop and the Meat Baron hunt for “blasphemer” John Collins, Richard Shanti’s world becomes more perilous as well. Can Shanti continue his job killing the Chosen and therefore continue living a lie? Will the Meat Baron discover his secret? What is his special connection to the Chosen and to John Collins?

Joseph D’Lacey has crafted a fine page-turner that, to loosely paraphrase former U.S. president Teddy Roosevelt, speaks softly but carries a large stun gun. His prose is so eloquent, so well-written, that when the blood really starts to flow you are left stunned and shaken. And this is coming from a life-time horror fan!
From the first paragraph I was hooked, as D’Lacey crafts both sympathetic and horrendous characters, ones we come to both love and loathe. The characters of John Collins and Richard Shanti are well-developed, with many layers to both men. The Meat Baron and the Grand Bishop are also humanized instead of just being caricatures of “Evil” with a capital E. In the end, you may even be sympathetic towards them because they can’t “see the light.” Even the voiceless Chosen are characters we care deeply about.

The feelings we develop for the characters make the horrors contained within all that more terrifying. There is plenty of sadistic torture that is sure to make even the most hardened of horror fiction fans squirm in their seats. For example, the Meat Baron makes sure his enemies and any of his employees that misbehave suffer a very painful, very prolonged death. The torture first begins with puncturing the vocal cords so the person cannot even scream as their bodies are methodically broken down. The torture scenes are pretty graphic and will cause you to recoil in your seat! D’Lacey also writes very vivid imagery of the slaughterhouses themselves. I have watched some devastating real-life slaughterhouse videos, but D’Lacey’s graphic descriptions were almost worse because of the emotion he added.

Even though Meat may sound like a novel that tries to shove vegetarianism and/or veganism down your throat, that isn’t the case at all. In fact, there are so many layers to the book that you can choose to read it for its many subtexts and social commentary (on everything from big corporations, religion, mass consumerism, conformity, etc.) or just read it for pure, bloody entertainment. Still, you cannot read this book without being disgusted and appalled at the slaughterhouse and meat plant conditions contained herein. I’m not a vegetarian, but after reading Meat I’m seriously tempted to become one. That alone speaks volumes about the power of this book.

[Update: Editor and founder Sarah "Fatally Yours" Jahier in fact went vegan and credits Meat to making her more aware of the cruelties of animal agriculture as well as making her more aware of what she puts inside her body.] 

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Believers (2007)

There are many different beliefs out there, with each cult, religion and following claiming to have the absolute truth. Each says their way is the only key to life everlasting. Most people dismiss cults, religions and belief systems that aren’t their own, but haven’t you ever wondered if, just what if, the supposed “crazies” were actually right? What if the End Times ARE here? What if the Hale Bopp comet really took the Heaven’s Gate crew to a better place? What if Jim Jones, David Korsesh and all the other suicide cults were, in fact, correct? To some, these are preposterous questions to even ponder, but the film Believers, co-written and directed by Blair Witch co-creator David Myrick, really makes you think about those questions and reevaluate your own beliefs.

Paramedics Dave (Johnny Messner) and Vic (Jon Huertas) answer an emergency call from a young girl (Saige Ryan Campbell) who says her mother (Deanna Russo) has lost consciousness. When they arrive at the deserted area, they try to save her life, while the daughter, named Libby, warns them that “they” are coming. Before they can administer CPR, a group of men with guns pull up and forcefully take Libby and her mom, then kidnap Dave and Vic. The men soon find themselves prisoners in an isolated building and begin learning more about the people that kidnapped them. The group is actually a secretive cult that follows their leader, The Teacher (Daniel Benzali), who claims he has cracked a mathematical code that tells when the world will end. The cult believes that they alone are responsible for perpetuating the human race, albeit from across the universe after their “rebirth.” Dave and Vic are kidnapped on the cult’s eve of “departure” from Earth. Vic, a devout Catholic, and Dave, an atheist, find their personal beliefs challenged as the cult members begin preparations for their “rebirth.”

Raw Feed has really put out some fine releases lately. The surreal and eerie Sublime was released to DVD a while back, and now comes the tense and thought-provoking Believers. I was really quite surprised at the high quality of Believers. I expected it to pander to the lowest common denominator and take a sensationalist and tabloid-esque look at cults, but instead it took the intelligent high road. By taking a more subtle approach, the film actually becomes more terrifying.

Director Myrick wisely leaves the cult shrouded in mystery, and builds dread with the eerie atmosphere and cult members themselves, who seem to know a little two much about the two paramedics. Strange experiments happen behind closed doors, one involving bringing Libby’s mom back to life, all the walls (and even some of the cult members) are scrawled with mathematical formulas and a sinister and distorted voice plays over a speaker system in the compound. Everything is kept dark, dim and grimy, which takes its psychological toll on both the two paramedics as well as the audience.

The acting is another thing I wholeheartedly enjoyed. Both Johnny Messner and Jon Huertas put on excellent performances. Their two characters are complete opposites and each makes his struggle with the cult’s beliefs distinctly his own. Daniel Benzali is sufficiently creepy as The Teacher, soft-spoken and utterly convincing as a leader. All of the characters are well-developed and we actually care about what happens to Dave and Vic, even when we are intrigued by the cult’s beliefs.

It’s refreshing to see a horror film that relies on atmosphere and an original story that doesn’t require buckets of blood to make it frightening. Believers is a thought-provoking, intelligent horror film that avoids the current “gore core” trend and succeeds in being genuinely frightening, with an ending that’ll knock your tin-foil hats off!!

Believers comes highly recommended to those that enjoy “thinking horror” like Sublime and Bug, or for those that want some psychological thrills.

Available on Amazon!

Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

Alice, Sweet Alice (also known as Communion and The Holy Terror) has recently been re-released on DVD by Hen’s Tooth Video. After hearing about the creepy killer in this film so many times over the years, I couldn’t get my hands on the DVD quickly enough!

Alice (Paula Sheppard) is a sullen, plain girl who is jealous of her younger sister Karen (a very young Brooke Shields). Karen is obviously the favorite, getting new clothes from their mother, a special veil for her first communion and even a gold cross necklace from their priest, Father Tom. Alice, on the other hand, is a troublemaker. She frightens Father Tom’s housekeeper, Mrs. Tredoni, by wearing a scary translucent mask and yellow rain slicker, steals Karen’s dolls, yells at her mother and teases the creepy and overweight pedophile landlord.

At Karen’s first communion, someone in a yellow rain slicker and translucent mask strangles Karen, places her inside a pew and lights her on fire. Suspicion falls on Alice, especially after her Aunt Annie starts accusing her of killing Karen.

When someone in a yellow rain slicker and mask attacks Aunt Annie, violently stabbing her in the foot and putting her in the hospital, suspicions of Alice only deepen. Alice is already a strange child, preferring to play in the dank basement with her jar of roaches, pilfered dolls and jewelry, and, of course, her yellow rain slicker and creepy translucent mask. It doesn’t take long before she is subjected to a lie detector test by the police, where she claims that Karen is back from the dead and responsible for the killing. To the adults, this is crazy talk and she is placed in a children’s psychiatric hospital.

Meanwhile, Alice’s estranged father doesn’t believe Alice is the killer and sets out to find the real culprit. His search leads him to believe Alice’s cousin is the murderer and he is lured to investigate an old abandoned building. He indeed discovers the killer’s identity (as do we), but only just before he is killed.

Alice is released from the hospital and the film takes a slight turn for the worse now that we know who the killer is. The climactic and suspenseful ending makes up for the premature revelation of the killer though!

Alice, Sweet, Alice is a pretty solid horror film from 1976. It starts off great, with some very memorable characters (including the sleazy and gross landlord) and some great red herrings and twists. Unfortunately, it loses some stream when the killer is unmasked and it goes off on a religious zealot rant. Still, the ending is more than adequate with a pleasant surprise and the rest of the film is also very well done.

Alice, Sweet Alice almost plays like a giallo film – it has a mysterious killer, many red herrings and a more grown-up, crime/family drama feel than most typical slashers. It also tackles some weighty issues, such as the transformation from a girl to a woman through puberty and menstruation, pedophilia and religious zealotry/guilt within the Catholic Church.

The direction by Alfred Sole is gritty and very realistic. There are many shots of the Catholic Church and its icons. This is definitely not a flashy film, but the straightforward shots give it a raw sense of realism. Sole also co-wrote the script (along with Rosemary Ritvo), and with the exception of kind of losing it during the second part of the film, they’ve done a fantastic job, especially with the character development and many sub-plots.

If you’re looking for a film that’s equal parts crime drama, slasher and heavy on the religious iconography, I suggest Alice, Sweet Alice. The shocking child murder and creepy translucent mask was enough to sell me!

Buy Alice, Sweet Alice

Requiem (2006)

Requiem is a German film that is based on the same events that inspired the film The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Unlike Emily Rose, Requiem is a slow, methodical study of how one woman’s upbringing and environment may have lead to her demonic possession.

Michaela (Sandra Huller) is a devout Catholic that struggles with what has been diagnosed as epilepsy. After taking a year off school, her parents hesitantly allow her to attend university as long as she keeps taking her pills. Michaela arrives at school to study pedagogy and quickly strikes up a friendship with an old acquaintance, Hanna (Anna Blomeier) and starts dating sweet Stefan (Nicholas Reinke). As the pressures of college, her home life and her religious life clash, Michaela finds herself having more frequent attacks. She sees faces and hears voices that tell her not to touch the cross and forbid her from praying. She is convinced she is possessed, but her family, friends, doctors and even her priest believe that she is descending into madness. When Michaela turns violent and confrontational, her loved ones finally allow a priest to perform an exorcism.

Requiem tells the same story that The Exorcism of Emily Rose does, but in a very different way. It focuses on Michaela’s strict upbringing and how it clashes with her new life in college. The audience is never privy to what she sees and hears. There are no creepy parts with flashes of demon’s faces and we never hear the demons speak to her. Her pain and her suffering are her own, just like it must have been in real life. Requiem is a very subtle and slow film, and most will call it art house fare.

The cinematography (by Bogumil Godfrejow) is beautiful and has a very austere, naturalistic look to it. There are many shots of the patchwork fields of the countryside, as well as gardens and trees. Yet, there is a pallor to everything that gives the film a very cold, detached feeling. There is a distance between the subject being shot and the viewer, done purposefully by director Hans-Christian Schmid to portray the story objectively and unobtrusively.

The acting is extremely well-done, with special mention going to Sandra Huller who plays Michaela with a vast emotional depth. Her transformation from devout Catholic to college student and finally to possessed woman is so subtle you might not even realize it has happened until she is spewing obscenities and breaking her mother’s china. Huller portrays both Michaela’s strong faith and vulnerability with great realism and believability.

This is a very slow-moving film that does not deliver the scares or creeps that The Exorcism of Emily Rose delivers. I do not even consider it a horror film, but instead think of it more as a character-driven drama. Many people will be turned off by its slow pace and lack of payoff at the end. I was initially disappointed that the end didn’t deliver the punch I was looking for, but I realized that this film isn’t about shocking the audience. It is about portraying the life of a girl that ended up possessed or insane. Her life and her transformation leading to the exorcism is what this film focuses on, not the demons or the exorcism itself.

I cannot easily recommend this film to the horror crowd, as it is so slow-moving and doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Heck, even I was bored watching it and almost fell asleep. Yet, it stuck in my head after I had watched it and it is a very well-done film. If you enjoy dramatic artsy films that are heavily character-focused, this is bleak German film is worth checking out. If you are looking for a fast-paced, blood-drenched, nudity-filled exorcism flick, definitely skip this one.

Available on Amazon!

Evil Behind You (2006)

Have you ever heard something, only to turn around and find nothing there? Could you have sworn that someone was watching you, only to find no one when you looked? Have you felt a cold breeze where there shouldn’t have been one? Evil Behind You questions the unseen, making the audience consider the possibility of another realm.

Two women wake up in a dank, dark, windowless room with no recollection as to how they got there. After groggily getting up, Lisa (Hilary Kennedy) and Debra (Gwendolynn Murphy) realize that their significant others have been operated on and are locked to their hospital beds, being monitored by electrodes. Two seemingly dead men occupy opposite ends of the room, rounding out their happy little tea party. When Lisa’s boyfriend David (Manuel Velazquez) and Debra’s husband Tony (D.C. Lee) finally come to, the four try and figure out how and why they ended up there. David and Tony soon begin to see and feel things that the women can’t…things that are evil and want to do them harm. Tony swears there is something behind him, only to have Debra look and find nothing. Then he suddenly turns ice cold and yells that something cold is on top of him. These intense moments continue throughout the film as the guys and their unbelieving girlfriend and wife try to figure out what’s happening. Meanwhile, we meet who kidnapped the couples. It’s a terrorist organization trying to perfect biological warfare. Unfortunately, they’ve only succeeded in opening up another realm.

This film has been faced with a lot of controversy, but not because it features the standard bucketloads of gore, blood and nudity, etc. The controversy stems from the exact opposite – the lack of gore and nudity and the fact that it features Christian themes. Some Christians are furious because some don’t think Christians should watch or be involved in the making of a horror film. Most horror fans, on the other hand, turn their noses at anything that is tagged “Christian” for fear of being preached at. Jim Carroll, who wrote and directed this feature, has had a hard time garnering support, distribution and publicity because of the stigma the words “Christian Horror” embody. If people would just give this film a chance before refusing to watch it, they would realize it is neither blasphemous nor preachy. Bottom line, the film is enjoyable whether you’re a Christian or not!

Being a low-budget film, the acting is a little campy at times, but two great stand-outs were Hilary Kennedy playing sweet but kick ass Lisa and Manuel Velazquez as her boyfriend. The two made a very convincing and caring couple. The demon effects were a bit cheesy for me, but they don’t ruin the whole experience. I enjoyed the story and the flashbacks of each character were a nice way to build empathy for them and bring some real heart into the story. I thought the story and flashbacks could have flowed and transitioned together a little better, but overall a well-done job. The atmosphere created in the small room with the unseen evil was intense and I’d love to see what the cast and crew do next.

Fans of low-budget thrillers should definitely give this film a look, as should fans of paranormal films. The idea behind Evil Behind You is definitely frightening, as there just may be a whole other realm we cannot see but only catch glimpses of from the corner of our eyes.

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The Gathering (2002)

For a release that has been held back so long (it was finished in 2002!) and finally released direct-to-video, The Gathering ain't half bad. It kept me entertained throughout, the performances were great and the story was solid.

While walking through the English countryside near the small town of Ashby Wake, Cassie (Christina Ricci) is hit by a car and suffers amnesia. Close by, a 2,000 year old church, long buried in the English countryside, has just been uncovered and has a very unusual crucifixion scene. Instead of facing the congregation, a statue of Christ on the cross sits with its back to the church. Surrounding the altar are other statues of people, all facing Christ. This arrangement has some very ominous undertones, and the Catholic Church wants to keep it hush hush. Helping with the restoration of the church is Simon Kirkman, whose family takes Cassie in after his wife Marion hits her with a car. After her accident, Cassie begins having strange and bloody visions. She forms a close bond with the Kirkman's young son, Michael, who is still suffering after his real mother's death and also hears and sees strange things. Cassie soon finds out that the Kirkman's large house used to be a child's home run by the Catholic Church. It was shut down after the clergy were accused of molesting young boys. Simon also discovers some disturbing things about the figures in the church. Are Cassie's visions connected to the old church and the past of the children's home or is Cassie just suffering from a large knock to her noggin'?

From beginning to end, this movie never bored me. The unraveling mystery coupled with the three different stories (of Cassie, of the old church and of the history of the Kirkman estate) had me enthralled the entire time. The picture looks great, with large, sweeping vistas of the English countryside contrasted against the dark and claustrophobic church scenes. The director, Brian Gilbert, crafts some fine scenes of suspense and the actors, including Christina Ricci, all do a great job. My only complaint would be the predictability towards the end of the film and a few muddled plot points.

It's really a pity that this film took so long to be released, as it is quite good, especially compared to all the crap being released. This supernatural thriller reminded me of The Others with a touch of the Da Vinci Code. The figures and visions that Cassie sees, the religious secrecy and the town's dirty secret all made for a thrilling ride and The Gathering is a great way to spend an evening.

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Population 436 (2006)

The idyllic town of Rockwell Falls is a place you wouldn't want to leave - the townsfolk are friendly and welcoming, the countryside is lush and verdant, there is never any crime and, of course, their apple pies are scrumptious! If you'd want to leave, you must be crazy!

Which is what the townspeople believe...they lobotomize anyone who decides to leave the town, thinking they must be crazy to leave! They call this "the fever," and characterize it by a certain look in someone's eye. If someone is suspected of having the fever, they are hauled off to be "treated" at Doctor Greaver's. If anyone does escape, they are killed, not by the townsfolk, but by "divine intervention."

The population stays at 436, and has for the last hundred years. Steve Kady (super sexy Jeremy Sisto) with the U.S. Census Bureau is sent on assignment to investigate the town and it's odd population. He arrives outside of Rockwell with some car trouble, but Deputy Bobbie (Fred Durst! I didn't even recognize him until I saw his name in the end credits!!) gives him a ride into town. News of the newcomer travels fast, and soon Kady is the talk of the town. While his car is in the shop, he begins investigating the population of the town and interviewing people for the census. He can't seem to find one particular family and no one wants to give him a straight answer. As the town prepares for a big festival, Kady uncovers more and more of the truth, as he simultaneously grows closer to Deputy Bobbie and the woman Bobbie plans to marry, Courtney. Can Kady find out the truth before he too is struck with "the fever" and treated by Doctor Greaver? Is it already too late for him to leave?

Watching this movie I was immediately reminded of the Shirley Jackson short story "The Lottery," as well as the films The Wicker Man (minus the nude musical numbers) and 2001 Maniacs (minus the blood, sex and the hilarious Robert Englund). It was an effective thriller, but I wish the story had been a bit more developed. I think, like Sisto's character Kady, that we should have been left in the dark about the town's beliefs. It would have been much more suspenseful if I hadn't figured out the townspeople were evil before the opening credits ran. Nonetheless, that plot point was never meant to be hidden from the audience (heck, the blurb on the DVD box says, "The residents of Rockwell Falls are dying for you to visit...").

The acting is great...Jeremy Sisto looks hot as usual, and puts on a wonderful performance as Kady. Fred Durst is the big surprise in all this - I loved his character of the conflicted Deputy and he did a really stellar job. Dude, quit your day job and pursue acting! The rest of the cast is well developed and enjoyable to watch as well.

The direction and cinematography are top notch. The film takes in all the gorgeous countryside...man, I just wanted to jump right in and roll around in that green, green grass! The director, Michelle Maxwell MacLaren, definitely knows what she is doing and frames her shots with care and attention to detail.

Still, this movie didn't quite thrill me as much as I wanted to be thrilled. Believe me, I did enjoy watching Jeremy Sisto run around for an hour and a half, but it was just lacking something, even for being so well-made. I suppose I wanted something less predictable with a little more surprise to it.

Overall, a very well-done movie but unfortunately, unmemorable.

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The Church (1989)

Originally titled Demons 3, The Church was produced by Dario Argento and directed by Michele Soavi (who later would direct Cemetery Man. This film starts off strong, but after the first opening scene it kinda just dawdles along. While this does hurt the film a bit, I believe this is still one original flick worth watching.

It begins in the 13th century, with the Knights Templar wiping out a village of pagans. They bury all the bodies in a gigantic pit, and decide to build a cathedral atop the mass grave to keep the evil at bay. Flash forward to present day, where the cathedral still stands. Unfortunately, the cathedral is undergoing some renovation, which reopens the the crypt where the evil dead are buried. A bunch of people (including an old couple, a young couple, a group of school kids, a model and her photographers, and the priests) get trapped in the cathedral as one by one they become possessed and turn into demons (much like the movie Demons, duh).

It's all good and fun, but the middle of the movie just drags...The different characters don't feel like they are developed enough and it took a while for anything to happen. There were some pretty cool concepts, like the fact that the architect of the building built a device that would lock down the cathedral if the crypt was opened. And the gore was pretty good. Soavi also included memorable and haunting images when the cathedral goes into lockdown mode. The surreal, creepy images, the creative use of gore and the original story make up for the fact that this film loses some "oomphf" near the middle.

Good to watch on a hot summer day with a Bloody Mary in hand.

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