Category Archives: retrospective

Retrospective: Undead (2003)

12 Sunday Dec 2021

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Before the Spierig Brothers would take on what would be their second feature film as their writer, director, producer team with Daybreakers starring Ethan Hawke, and possibly their best movie to date. 

Before they would even attempt to expand the Saw franchise with Jigsaw and then to breathe further life into the Hammer Films productions with Winchester, they would craft their first feature, Undead; a schlocky, low budget, zombie / alien invasion feast set in remote Australia.
The movie has just been released by Umbrella Entertainment as a Blu-ray/Dvd edition for their Beyond Genres collection. Check out the extras at the foot of this article.

The movie itself is not exactly brain fodder, but I remember from its initial release back in 2003 that it was a lot of fun to watch and packed with that unusual blend of Aussie humour that always seems to lift the storyline. There are some iconic moments too, namely from Mungo Mckay’s character Marion, a doomsday prepper who has encountered a paranormal encounter before and has been subjected to being an outcast ever since. His performance channels somewhere between Ash Campbell for sheer resilience and his namesake, James Wayne, with a cowboy like approach to survival and armed with a triple shotgun among his many resources.

Interestingly though, Marion isn’t the hero of the movie, as our lead protagonist falls to meek Rene (Felicity Mason) who has been a downtrodden character most of her life and just wants to get the hell out of Kansas. When push comes to shove though, she soon shows her metal and comes out fighting.

To look at this movie and scorn the performances though which I have seen some people comment on is to miss the style that The Spierig Brothers were going for. Clearly, they wanted to experiment with some visual effects, something that the extras in this release shines a light on. Undead would be their showpiece and a playing field for them to experiment with what they could do through a feature narrative. The problem as always is budget, which there wasn’t a lot of. So knowing this, the filmmakers went with a ramped up melodramatic, pulp style 50’s invasion feel. One that, knowing this beforehand, takes the pressure of applying a highbrow response to and simply letting it flow and enjoying the ride.

The film is packed with a lot of set play, from zombies attacking, survival instincts, seedy characters, bullheaded police officers, aliens, infection and nods to the era that formed the base of these kind of movies, one that comes to mind are some of the earlier scenes in Village of the Damned. There are also elements of Night of the Living Dead at play here, all of which goes to show that The Spierig Brothers are lovers of their craft and with Undead shows a great introduction to the celluloid mainstream with a film that wears its heart on its sleeve. So while it may not be original or groundbreaking, Undead still offers enough to entertain and essential viewing for film lovers who are interested in following the journey of a couple of creatives in the rise.

  • Saul Muerte

Undead is released on Blu Ray and DVD by Umbrella Entertainment.

Details of the extras are listed as follows:

  • Original Soundtrack CD
  • Audio Commentary with Directors Peter and Michael Spierig and Cinematographer Andy Strahorn
  • On the set of the Undead
  • Attack of the Undead – Short Film
  • The Making of Undead
  • Homemade Dolly Video
  • Undead Camera and Make-up Tests
  • Stills Gallery
  • Theatrical Trailer

Retrospective: Possession (1981)

09 Thursday Dec 2021

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Possession marks one of those unsung movies from the early 80s that oozed its way along the grapevine, causing the occasional ripple among viewers and critics alike across the years. Recently the film celebrated 40 years since its release and is now considered a cult classic among some. Ashamedly, it is a movie that passed me by and I only recently caught the film in time for its anniversary. In a way, it’s not too surprising that I missed out on its initial release as it was criminally shafted into the video nasties group that so many were subject to at the time and perhaps the reason why it has become something of a forgotten gem.

Recently to commemorate this feature, Umbrella Entertainment released a Blu-ray/Dvd edition as part of their Beyond Genres collection and it’s jam-packed with over 4 hours of extra footage which I’ll list at the foot of this article.

So, why does it deserve such recognition?

Possession is a visionary film, where every scene is a spectacle and eviscerates the human soul and exposes every ounce of humanity at its most controlling. All the characters strive for power and control and with every movement, vibrating, convulsing, and straining to reach resolution but bound to repeat the cycle of events all over again. This raw energy stems from Director Andrzej Zulawski who would draw from personal experience to write the screenplay, and the anger and vitriol is part of what we see evicted onto the screen. 

Fueling these emotions is an incredible leading cast in Isabelle Adjani in her dual role of Anna, a domestiecised and sexuallay repressed wife, and Helen, a teacher and picture of innocence and virtuosity. Sam Neill also stars as Mark, a spy with a mysterious connection with the political underbelly of Eastern Europe, and a man who is set in his time, expecting that his home life should remain in a certain state and not alter. Threatened by change and a loss of identity, Mark constantly is fighting to remain at the heart of all that surrounds him, tightening his grip, only to watch it slip further from his grasp. 

There are many levels that are at play here, which elevates the movie into highbrow territory, none more so than the depiction of a city under political unrest with the physical divide between Berlin’s East and West. The constant threat of destruction in a world hinged on uncertainty. There are a series of doppelgangers at play too with Adjani’s Anna/Helen characters and Neill’s two versions of Mark, where one version symbolises all that is wrong with humanity, and the other, all that seems right, a yin and yang of balance and imbalance. The viewer is placed at the epicentre of the carnage. As the characters fight for their ideological past, they rip apart their very surroundings destroying all that once was. The infamous scene in the underground passage where we bear witness to Adjani’s electrifying performance as Anna experiences a violent miscarriage, is one of the most brutal scenes that I’ve seen on screen. This scene alone is a dark and disturbing depiction of the core being ripped out due to the trauma and conflict that humanity subjects itself to. Infused with cutting edge creature effects that would fit perfectly in any Cronenberg feature, spearheaded by Italian special effects maestro Carlo Rambaldi (Alien, Deep Red).

By the films conclusion as the world seems to be setting itself right again, we’re left with a dubious outcome with Mark and Anna’s son Bob in the wake of turmoil, afraid of both his ‘parents’ and the sounds of war and destruction in the background, a sign that we are all doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over if we insist on our ridiculous pursuits of perfection; possessed by this ideal and obsessed with fulfilling our desires, unwilling to relinquish control.

For more thoughts and discussions on Possession check out the Surgeons of Horror podcast here:

  • Saul Muerte

Possession is released on Blu Ray and DVD by Umbrella Entertainment.

Details of the extras are listed as follows:

  • Audio commentary with Director Andrzej Żuławski
  • Audio commentary with Co-writer Frederic Tuten
  • The Other Side of the Wall: The Making of Possession
  • Interview with with Director Andrzej Żuławski
  • US Cut of Possession
  • Repossessed – Featurette on the US Cut of Possession
  • A Divided City – Location Featurette 
  • The Sounds of Possession – Interview with Composer Andrzej Żuławski
  • Our friend in the West – Interview with Producer Christian Ferry
  • Basha – Poster Analysis Featurette 
  • International Theatrical Trailer
  • US Theatrical Trailer

Retrospective: Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)

19 Friday Nov 2021

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Celebrating 40 years since it’s initial release comes this exploitation flick from Director William Asher, can now be considered something of a forgotten gem, with some marked commentary on homosexuality, the oedipus complex, and twisting our expectations of the slasher genre.

It’s a curious tale that plays to the extreme and borderline incestious protection of an estranged mother figure towards a nephew. It is this relationship that borders on the strains of inappropriate behaviour.

The story is focused on Billy (Jimmy McNichol), a basketballer with promise of a future career in the sport is held back by his Aunt Cheryl (Susan Tyrell) in order to contribute to maintaining the house; a guide for fuelling her sexual desires.

Things turn sour when Cheryl invites local repairman, Phil to fix their tv set, she ramps up her lustful needs by forcing herself upon him. When this is not  received in kind, Cheryl turns to rage, murdering Phil in cold blood. This is witnessed by Billy, so Cheryl tries to convince him that it was self defence as Phil was trying to tape her. 

The story doesn’t wash up however when it’s revealed that Phil is gay, leading chief detective, Joe Carlson to believe that their is a love triangle involved between Phil, Billy and the basketball coach, Tom. This throws Billy into suspicion as a possible suspect, which isn’t helped by Joe’s narrowmindedness.

In the reversal of damsel in distress horror tropes, Billy is on the receiving end of evil pursuit and his only ally at this stage appears to be his girlfriend Julia. This relationship itself puts Julia into the firing line from Cheryl’s jealousy and amps up the complexities of the interweaving narratives towards a bloodied and crazed conclusion.

There is a heck of a lot of social commentary on display here disguised as an exploitation horror flick, which is why the film probably deserves more attention and love that it received. Yes if alls into shlocky territory, but the entertainment and intellifence that is on display is well worth your time.

  • Saul Muerte

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker is currently screening on Shudder.

Retrospective: Werewolves on Wheels

19 Friday Nov 2021

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On paper, this flick leaps off the page with it’s fierce title and promise of a pack of motorcyclists like the infamous Hell’s Angels who are consumed with lycanthropy.
It feels like the kind of movie that would be jam packed with ferocity and lascivious behaviour. Unfortunately this proclamation couldn’t be further from the truth as the viewer is presented with experimental filmmaking as was typical of the early seventies, and a meandering of hope in pursuit of the boundaries of humanity. 

In many ways, this could be depicted as a variant of those who challenge authority and question the American Dream through the eyes of outlaws who take up more than they bargained for when they encounter a curious cult.
These hooded priests lead them into a deep, drug infused state, where they lose all senses, and have a curse placed upon them. Once infected, members of the gang start to turn into werewolves at nightfall, rampaging through the vast landscape.

The film escalates as the lead players try to find an end to the curse, only to be thrust into a time loop, throwing everything into question.

I’m usually a big fan of experimental filmmaking but this one left me trailing in the wind like a tumbleweed being tossed around in no man’s land. I really wanted to connect with this film, and there were elements that could easily have drawn me in. Instead though, there wasn’t enough substance for it to pay off, and appeared to focus on resting on its premise, with an Easy Rider’s vibe. A missed opportunity that could warrant another rewrite, with an amped up narrative that lives up to that cracking title.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

24 Sunday Oct 2021

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I didn’t realise that Dark Night of the Scarecrow had been initially released as a straight for tv movie forty years in 1981. The film whenever I first watched it back in whatever time that I had initially stumbled across it, (possibly when perusing through the aisles of my local video store) had always seemed to be polarised by the image of Bubba Ritter (Larry Drake) decked out in full scarecrow disguise to hide from Charles Durning’s Otis and his hoodlums, only to be gunned down in cold blood. 

Upon my most recent viewing, there was evidence to support this low-budget style approach to the production values, but this does not belie the quality and impact that the narrative has on its audience. 

This in part is down to the combination of the screenplay by J.D. Feigelson who essentially invented the Killer Scarecrow subgenre, and the direction of Frank de Felitta, (a screenwriter himself behind Audrey Rose and The Entity) who was able to tap into the eerie tone of the film to present a dark look at small town America and the corruption that can occur deep within.

The whole film plays out as a power complex within the community and how Otis exerts his power to dominate the social scene. He also has a troublesome yearning for the young Marylee Williams; feelings he tries to keep buried but he is also harbouring some jealousy over her friendship with the mentally challenged Bubba. Bubba is actually a sweet and gentle giant, misunderstood by the locals who regard his friendship with Marylee as unsuitable. So when Marylee meets with a mishap from a savage dog, ‘naturally’ people suspect the worst. Cue the afore-mentioned ‘witch hunt’.

The rest of the film plays out as a revenge flick, when a curious scarecrow turns up to haunt and kill off Otis’ crew one at a time. But is this an apparition, or has Bubba come back from the dead?

The film is tightly knit together and weaves enough mystery and intrigue out of the confines of a small community that is ripe with foul play, festering at its core.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: The Pit (1981)

23 Saturday Oct 2021

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Mark this one for the curiosity basket, as Canadian Horror film The Pit is something of an odd film.

The film follows the journey of a strange little boy Jamie Benjamin (Sammy Snyders) who is an outcast in society due to his peculiar ways, often the subject of ridicule among the neighbourhood. His only friend is his teddy bear, who he has imaginary conversations with. We actually hear the dialogue between Jamie and the stuffed toy throughout the film serving as an inner consciousness to Jamie’s darkest desires. The movie has also been known as Teddy in some cases due to this component of the film, but it is the pit that is the centre to the mystery and the creatures called Trogs that lurk within. 

As Jamie’s wild obsessions begin to manifest along with his sexual awakening, he is driven to rid those who have tormented him in the afore-mentioned pit. Each time he does so, the manner in which he lures the bullies to their fate becomes even more ridiculous to the point that it starts to abandon the suspension of disbelief. It is such a jarring thing that I found it completely removed me from the film. 

One redeeming feature is through psychology student Sandy O’Reilly (Jeannie Elias) who is the main focus of Jamie’s lust and just so happens to be his babysitter. She provides the hope that maybe Jamie can be sedated through her kindness and understanding but only if this act is not misguided as deeper emotions from our wayward boy.

There is something in the subject matter here that could warrant another look and I’m intrigued by the novelisation that the film is based on called Teddy by John Gault which supposedly allows for a stronger character development (always an important thing for me) and a much darker tone (again, something that as a horror fan entices me in). So it would have been more interesting had they decided to stick closer to the novel and the original screenplay despite heralding a pretty cool ending that switches the focus nicely. As it stands though, The Pit always feels a little out of place and hard to connect with, much like our lead antagonist, Jamie. 

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Daughters of Darkness (1971)

22 Friday Oct 2021

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Admittedly it’s been a while since I watched this film ahead of writing up this retrospective and as such the cobwebs of familiarity had gathered clouding to the point that i had forgotten which 70s erotic horror film I was about to discuss,

This led me to initially think that Daughters of Darkness had little impact on me but when I came to research the film once more, I was instantly flooded with its striking and stylised images captured by Director Harry Kümel and his cinematographer Eduard van der Enden. I suddenly remembered that feeling of watching an effective European feature that projected a juxtaposition of harsh and fluid scenery and characters that ooze a psychologically unhinged gothic vampire tale loosely based on the infamous historical figure Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

The film is heavily entrenched in surrealism and expressionism with a curiously noir aspect in places. Set primarily in the Belgian coastal city Ostend, a character in itself and a place I’ve been fortunate to visit so there was a spark of physical and visual nostalgia created when I watched the film.

The film follows the misogynistic Stefan (John Karlen), born of aristocracy as he travels through Europe with his newly-wed wife Valerie (Danielle Ouimet) to introduce her to his mother. 

He appears apprehensive about doing this as though his attitude towards women stems from this fear or apprehensive relationship he has with his mother.
What struck me is that the film, despite its aggressive approach to women, who are often the subject of sadomasochistic views, actually is a feminist film, with a strong message about women establishing their own identity in the wake of degradation. This is none more evident than through the character Valerie.

It is with the arrival of Elizabeth Bathory (Delphine Seyrig – The Day of the Jackal) along with her secretary Ilona (Andrea Rau) that this is truly awakened in Valerie. At first cautious about this charismatic Countess, but similarly finding her charms irresistible, Valerie begins to see her husband Stefan in a new light with a brutally sadomasochistic encounter. Furthermore Stefan becomes sexually drawn to Ilona too and in doing so, pours forth his animalistic, aggressive side with fatalistic consequences leading the trio of Stefan, Valerie, and the Countess to clean up the mess, but it doesn’t stop there. In order to really cleanse their souls further drastic actions must occur and bring Valerie into a further awakening.

What becomes apparent by the film’s conclusion is that Daughters of Darkness is not to be judged on face value. It may not be to everyone’s taste but its a visual treat that resonates with the time but there is definitely more going on beneath the surface.  

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971)

17 Sunday Oct 2021

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The last quartet of movies to be released in October by Hammer Films Production in their 70s evolution would pit their new blood, new generation actor Ralph Bates in the lead for their reinvention of Robert Louis Stevenson’s short novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Their bold approach to the story, especially for its time, would fuse a gender-bending with Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel Murders of the late 19th Century.

It’s setting would combine the gothic themes of yester-year upon which Hammer forged its name with this twist in the tale that was an extremely modern approach to storytelling.

Charged with steering the direction was Hammer regular, Roy Ward Baker (Quatermass and the Pit, Scars of Dracula) alongside screenwriter Brian Clemens (Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter; The Professionals) who between them managed to tread the fine line of humour and horror with what is essentially a delicate subject.

As the title suggests, Dr Jekyll is set on finding the elixir of life using female hormones due to their longer life expectancy when compared with men. In order to do so, much-like Dr Frankenstein looks for fresh cadavers to perform his experiments upon, so employs known grave robbers Burke and Hare (Ivor Dean and Tony Calvin) to carry out the deed. 

When the need for more fresh cadavers arise, Burke and Hare take to killing women in the name of Jekyll’s science.

Things take a drastic turn for Jekyll however when his experiments transform him into a female version of himself who he calls Mrs. Hyde (Martine Beswick). Part of the film’s appeal and one which allows for a stronger sense of believability is that Beswick has a strikingly familiar appearance to Bates. The idea is well executed and the shifts and changes in the narrative are incredibly advanced for its time, marking this film as a significant movie in the Hammer Films canon.

To hook the audience further, there is the potential love interest between Jekyll and Susan Spencer (Susan Brodrick), and similarly the seduction of Susan’s brother Howard (Lewis Flander) towards Mrs. Hyde. Both relationships are predominantly on the tipping point of danger as the murders increase and police start honing in on their suspect.
Can Jekyll find the formula to reverse the transformation, or will it ultimately lead to ruin?

Looking at the movie now, it has admittedly aged but there is something incisive about the way Hammer Film Productions and its creatives chose to deliver the narrative that lends weight to the final product. The performances are on point and direction cutting to the point that this film should be praised and is one of the last great films that the production company released in its final years before they would be resurrected again in the 2000s.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Just Before Dawn (1981)

14 Thursday Oct 2021

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If there was a year of slashers, it would be 1981.

Pamela Voorhees had just set the tone and formula for which all slasher films would inherently adopt and with her own offspring Jason carving up the screen halfway through 1981, it was inevitable that other killers would walk in his shadow and dominate.

It says something though that it’s not just about a token killer roaming the woods or alternate location killing promiscuous teens left, right and centre. There is another magical ingredient, that when struck right will bring the audience into the cinema and generate a cult following.

The 80s was ripe with this dedication to the genre with a no-holds barred approach to filmmaking that would provide creatives with free license to explore their craft. 

In steps Director Jeff Lieberman who had already made waves with his eco-horror film Squirm in 1976 and his experimental drug horror Blue Sunshine in 1978 to add his own twist on the sub-genre.

Unfortunately, whilst the ingredients are there, it is missing that magic to hook you into the fold. 

Set in the mountainous range of Oregon, there are the usual teen victims who take no heed of warning from Forest ranger Roy McLean (George Kennedy) to venture into the mountains. Of course, they come a cropper from some The Hills Have Eyes style hillbillies who pick off the characters one by one. You can clearly see inspiration for future films here though, especially in Wrong Turn which uses a similar plot device.

What it does boast though is some stunning cinematography by Dean and Joel King who manage to capture the remote landscape and activate some disturbing scenes into the mix. And the musical score by Brad Fiedel (The Terminator, Fright Night) using the haunting whistling motif from the movie with an unsettling effect.

If like me this one passed you by and you’re a fan of slasher films, definitely check it out but don’t expect too much as it does wander of the path too much, sticking too a very mediocre approach to sub-genre.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb (1971)

14 Thursday Oct 2021

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October would prove to be a prolific time for Hammer Film Productions as far as output goes as they looked at ways to reinvent themselves and draw in a younger generation of audience. The month had already seen the release of double feature Twins of Evil and Hands of the Ripper and for their third release the British film company would look again to the movies that shaped them, inspired by the Universal horror films that were so successful in the 1930s.

In spite of three previous films released based on The Mummy, Hammer would once again look to the source for creativity in Bram Stoker’s The Jewel of the Seven Stars shaped for a modern audience courtesy of screenwriter Christopher Wicking (Scream and Scream Again).

The film itself would be seeped in tragedy with its initial star Peter Cushing stepping aside to play the role of Julian Fuchs (replaced by Andrew Keir) after one day of filming to be by his wife’s side, following her diagnosis with emphysema. Furthermore, the film’s director Seth Holt (Taste of Fear, The Nanny) suffered a heart attack five weeks into the shoot and producer Michael Carrerras would step in to complete the shoot.

Despite all this, there is a visual style to the narrative that is in keeping with the direction that Hammer was hoping to achieve which stands up. Despite its obvious deviations from Stoker’s novel, there is a level of tension that is successfully established with the dispatch of the archaeological team (consisting of great actors in James Villiers and Aubrey Morris) who unearthed the tomb of evil Egyptian queen,Tera (Valerie Leon).

Throw in the added component that Julian Fuchs’ daughter Margaret bears a striking resemblance to the villainess, then we’re presented with a body possession flick into the equation too. Coupled with an ambiguous ending that leads us to question which personality survived as the closing credits roll

There may be questions around a potential curse surrounding the films’ production which clouded peoples’ perceptions. There are also glaringly obvious misbeats in the muddled storyline strung together by Carreras in an attempt to fill in the blanks not yet captured in the films shoot, but for me Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb climbs above Hammer’s previous two Mummy outings for its bold and and visual approach to an age-old tale. 

  • Saul Muerte