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Movie review: Terrifier 2 (2022)

18 Friday Nov 2022

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It’s been 6 years since Damien Leone’s torturous creation Art the Clown inflicted audiences with his harsh and violent manner of dispatching victims with revel and glee. His silent mockery as the fatalistic few who encounter him is part of the shock manner which juxtaposes the brutal way that he delves into his maniacal fantasy. 

The sequel (currently screening in select cinemas) paves way for further immersion into the realms of macabre reverie with Art being resurrected by some unknown entity, lending itself to a more mystical approach to the narrative. In doing so, it stretches the reams of believability, where anything can be possible in this franchise. There are great moments involved in dream-like sequences and visions that would even make Freddy Kreuger envious, but where Freddy has the gift of the gab, Art has the gift of the gore.

Leone even marks time for humour to be included as Art (once again portrayed by David Howard Thornton) finds solace in an imaginary girl who is equally dressed in clown attire. In particular, there’s a quirky and quaint scene in a laundromat where Art goes to wash his blood-drenched clothes following a pretty gnarly murderous event. 

The tale picks up with a broken family dynamic centred on Sienna (Lauren LaVera), who may have magical qualities of her own, inherited from her now deceased father; her brother Jonathan (Elliot Fullam), who is subjected by misrepresentation and feels ostracised as a result; and the grieving, over-protective mother (Sarah Voigt).

There is something intrinsically drawing both Sienna and Art together, where their orbits will inevitably align among the clown’s killings,that will bring about an ultimate match up, but not necessarily a finality; a potential for further instalments yet to come.

The Prognosis

Dubbed by Director Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass) as the birth of the Megaslasher, Damien Leone has created an extension of the splatter movie, blending it with slasher tones. The gore factor has been dialled up to the max, which is also surprisingly peppered with macabre humour. Terrifier 2  goes above and beyond its predecessor with a bold and fantastical tale, providing an ARTform that cements its antagonist at the heart of modern horror.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: The Possessed (2021)

20 Thursday Oct 2022

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I have something of a love/hate relationship going on with the works of Australian film director Chris Sun. While I loved the brutality of Charlie’s Farm, I struggled to connect with modern ozploitation flick Boar, namely for the poor dialogue and weak acting.

His latest effort The Possessed boasts Wolf Creek’s John Jarratt as its lead, playing exorcist Jacob Chandler. The character of Chandler is based on a real life accidental exorcist and the inspiration behind the movie.

Jacob has been using his paranormal powers to rid the locals of unwanted demonic spirits, and is helped by his nephew Liam (Lincoln Lewis- Bait) to carry out this dark deed. The trouble is that these possessions are growing in number and seem to have a vested interest in Jacob, becoming stronger with each cleansing.

Throw in the mix, Liam’s girlfriend, Atalie (Lauren Grimson – Wyrmwood: Apocalypse) who also has the ability to see demons; and her friends Carissa (Simone Buchanan) and Orion (Jade Kevin Foster) and we have a team of untrained, inexperienced demon hunters to try and rid the town of evil.

The Prognosis:

The premise is an interesting one, and the growing menace that is plaguing Jacob and those he loves with the based on real events aspect grounds the film into a realm of watchability.

The issue however is one that appears to torment Chris Sun’s filmography; on-screen talent and weak scripting.

He continues to deliver a strong concept and in this case, some amazing effects, but beneath the surface, the old production scars run deep. Too often the audience is left drifting from one scenario to the next without any clear narrative to tie it all together. For this, The Possessed will always leave you wanting.

  • Saul Muerte

The Possessed is currently available to buy on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.

Retrospective: Monolith Monsters (1957)

16 Sunday Oct 2022

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As 1957 drew to a close, so did Universal’s stories around monsters, giant creatures, and supernatural events in the science fiction realm.

It wasn’t that the production company was short on ideas, and Monolith Monsters is a testament to this, pushing the envelope away from the known and into the unknown. When a meteorite crashes and its material then grows to epic proportions once exposed to water and turns anyone that crosses its path to ash.

Grant Williams who had already starred in the successful The Incredible Shrinking Man would star as the everyman turned hero, Dave Miller. Dave happens to be the head of San Antonio’s geological office, so he’s a man with smarts and just might have the answer to saving humanity from these monumental blocks of stone.

Joining Millar is his girlfriend and teacher Cathy played by American singer Lola Albright who supported Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds in The Tender Trap and was only a few years away from acting opposite Elvis Presley in Kid Galahad. For Monolith Monsters though the lead characters Dave and Cathy would use their combined knowledge along with college professor Arthur Flanders (Trevor Bardette) to find a solution to stop the threat expanding into their town.

A particular highlight is the cameo performance from William Schallert as a benign meteorologist, happily carrying out his day without the slightest notion of the impending danger that is facing humankind. Also keen viewers will note a young Troy Donahue in one of his earlier roles playing a dynamite expert.

Whilst noted for its production design and special effects plus some noteworthy performances Monolith Monsters suffers with execution. It presents a unique story but fails to manifest or produce anything out of this grain of salt idea. As such the sands of time have been unkind over the years, left as a forgotten relic from a decade of dwindling success.

– Saul Muerte

Monolith Monsters is currently available as part of a double feature blu-ray with The Deadly Mantis at Umbrella Entertainment.

Movie review: Project Wolf Hunting (2022)

08 Saturday Oct 2022

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I can just picture myself now, sitting in the room when this movie was pitched.

“Okay, so picture the worst criminal degenerates known to humankind, being transported from Manilla in the Philippines to Busan in South Korea on a boat”

:So,,, an aquatic equivalent to Con Air?”

“Yeah… yeah! Only bloodier… and bigger. These crims are seriously fucked”

“Okay. sure. What else have you got?”

“Well these guys turn the tables and take command of the vessel…”
“So, a bit like Under Siege?”

“Kind of, but don’t forget, it’s gory as hell. So, anyway, just when you think things can’t get more fucked up, the passengers find out that there is something much darker and disturbed lurking in the ships bowels. Human experimentation of epic proportions on a war veteran that made him superhuman and relatively indestructible”

“So, something like Universal Soldier meets Resident Evil”

“Will you stop with the movie references and remember? This movie is gonna be bloody violent and pushed to the extremes of sensationalism purely for the entertainment value.”

“Yeah I get it. Sounds perfect for the midnight crowd wanting to be pushed to the edge. I’ll buy it.”

That’s essentially Project Wolf Hunting in a nutshell. It’s extreme because it can be. And it doesn’t hold back on going beyond the realms of reality for the sake of balls to the wall action. There are those that may find the nonsense approach to ramped up storytelling, a huge turn off. But then again, they’re probably not the right audience for this kind of film.

With supposedly 2.5 tons of blood used in the production of the movie, you can cement a picture in your mind of the tone that director Hongsun Kim was aiming for and he definitely doesn’t hold back. 

The film doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the characters involved either, with most of them blacker than black, crooked or corrupt and willing to bend the rules to gain the upper hand in this volatile world. Even those with slightly redeeming characteristics aren’t spared the grace of survival, leaving one to question just who or what deserves to thrive in this landscape?

When push comes to shove though, this is immaterial as only the fittest and the smartest will rise out of the quagmire of fury and even then, their chances of living to tell the tale is slim. The audience will care little for this though, as it is the relentless action that they would have paid money to see, and this is where the director doesn’t fail to produce.

The Prognosis:

Strap yourself in for a bloody, insane and gory ride on a boat filled with criminals on a war path to destruction and damnation.

This film is jam-packed with mindless fun with kills coming from every direction.

I’m a sucker for insane action flicks and Project Wolf Hunting is ridiculous to the extreme without falling short of pleasure on every level.

The adrenaline will propel you to the film’s conclusion and is the most entertained I’ve been in some time. 

  • Saul Muerte

Project Wolf Hunting is due for theatrical release in Australia from Oct 13th courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.

Movie review: Lieutenant Jangles

10 Sunday Jul 2022

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Lieutenant Jangles is one of those movies that you seriously have to take with a grain of salt. Like an infection boil, it may be tempting to squeeze out the pus and rid the unsightly presence, but its best to let it grow on you and succumb to the natural cause of events.

The writing, directing partnership of Nic Champeaux and Daniel Cordery may on face value feel like a bastardisation of good taste, but between them they have created a lovesong to 1980s Ozploitation action movies. They even set the film during this archaic time, where crime was at an all time high and rules were firmly out of the window.

It’s great to see Brisbane get a bit of lovin’ too on screen, and setting it in the heart of Queensland allows the warm sunshine glows to juxtapose the dirt, ridden and gritty streets that provides the tale of the film.

Our rogue-ish, protagonist and titular character is not the easiest to warm to, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever other than to get the job done, no matter what the cost.

When we’re first introduced to Jangles, he is in the throes of having an actual pissing contest with his partner. Only for the jokes and macho bravado to come to a painful end when his comrade is fatally killed in a gangland shootout.

From here on, we see the rise, fall and redemption of Jangles vengeful pursuit to bring down those responsible. Along the way, we witness crass toilet humour jokes, comedy that could be viewed as incredibly non PC, but to see it through this lens would miss the point of this venture 

Lieutenant Jangles wears its heart on its sleeve, and doesn’t shy away from its vision. It gives you all the usual ropes; the hot-headed chief; the buddy cops; the unusual camp, European villain; and the love interest.
All these elements play off one another with heightened virosity, amping up each of them to the extreme.  

The Prognosis:

It may not suit everyone’s tastes but Lieutenant Jangles does not excuse its position, thrusting the audience headlong into a world where action, law, and order has no rules. All of this is abandoned for balls to the wall entertainment. 

You’re either gonna dig it or not, but if you stick with it and embrace it, you cant help but be enamoured by the charm of LJ.

  • Saul Muerte

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

Movie review: Nightmares (1980)

17 Tuesday Aug 2021

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Nightmares is one of the pioneer movies from the Ozploitation scene, released in 1980 by director John D. Lamond who had set out to make the most gratuitous movie that he could.
The auteur of the genre would openly admit that it’s by far from being the perfect film and had room to be better.
Provided with the opportunity to make a low-budget, quick feature was in his grasp and the weaknesses are clearly on show here, but this is also part of its appeal.
A gritty, voyeuristic journey from the mind of a deeply psychologically scarred antagonist, a product of her environment, where it is little wonder that she would become unhinged. 

As a young girl, Cathy (Jenny Neumann) tries to prevent her mother from copulating in promiscuous behaviour with a strange man, but a car accident results in her mother’s fatality and her father is more intent on blaming her for the outcome than on the reasons behind his wife’s infidelity.

The story is possibly one of the weaker components without much drive for Cathy to enact her episodic killing sprees which centre on an acting troupe for a theatre production that she is one of the cast members of called Comedy of Blood. Among her fellow cast members is a certain Gary Sweet (Police Rescue) in his feature debut and possible love interest. It’s not all doom and gloom however as there are whispers of promise from screenwriter Colin Eggleston, who had notably directed another Australian classic two years earlier with Long Weekend.

The film trudges along to its own drum, and despite the misbeats, the kills are relentless and exposes humanity at its most vulnerable, and with the full frontal deaths doesn’t shy away from brutality.
It also throws in some interesting characters ripe for the kill into the mix, which you just hope will meet their due comeuppance, a hook that keeps you engaged to the end.

The Diagnosis:

The literal meaning of the words in this piece is unimportant… the beauty and the drama is contained within the drama and the opposite nature of the juxtaposition of the words . That and the comedy of death.

George D’alberg

The words of the theatre director in the movie sums Nightmares up nicely.

It’s the thin line between comedy and horror that blends in a gratuitous way, cementing the film firmly in the Ozploitation scene.

It’s either your thing or not, but for me, a solid night’s entertainment, especially if you take it for what it is, and not scrutinise too deeply.

Nightmares is currently available as a Blu-ray release as part of Umbrella Entertainment’s Ozploitation Classics collection.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Patrick (2013)

06 Friday Aug 2021

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While it’s clear that director Mark Hartley is a huge fan of the original 1978 feature of Patrick, and the Ozploitation scene, this is none more evident than in his fantastic documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! It seems an obvious choice for someone so immersed in the subgenre should take the helm and wield a reimagining of the classic Aussie feature, what is absent however, is the essence of the original feature that made it so iconic.

That’s not to say that it’s poorly constructed, the film is crafted well enough and Hartley does well to tap into the world of psychokinesis, and draw it out for a modern-age audience. It boasts a decent cast in Sharni Vinson (You’re Next), Rachel Griffiths and Charles Dance. All of whom manage to craft out some nice performances from dialogue that feels a little strained at times.

For those unfamiliar with the narrative, Patrick tells the tale of Kathy (Vinson), a nurse who starts work at a psychiatric clinic where she meets the titular character, Patrick, a comatose patient who has the ability to move objects with the power of his mind. 

Patrick is also being systematically abused by Dr Roget (Dance) and the Matron (Griffiths) through a series of Electroconvulsive therapy. This is like kicking the hornet’s nest and stirring a world of hatred in Patrick, who also becomes dangerously obsessed with Kathy and begins to manipulate things and people who come close to her, so that he can have her for himself.

The Diagnosis:

The film is slick enough, perhaps too slick, not harbouring the grit of its predecessor, but the cast are engaging and tied to the script despite its flaws and bring life to the fore. 

Stand out for me will always be Vinson, who deserves more praise than she currently receives and Dance happily chews up the scenery and gives across condescending like no other performer that I know. For that it’s worth the watch.

Currently this feature serves as a double feature blu-ray alongside the original in a current release by Umbrella Entertainment.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Patrick (1978)

05 Thursday Aug 2021

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Patrick, which was released back in 1978 sits firmly in the centre of the Ozploitation scene, a genre of Australian exploitation films that are filled with a mix of low-budget horror, comedy, sexploitation and action that wears its heart  on its sleeve.

Directed by Richard Franklin under the penmanship of Everett De Roche (Long Weekend), Patrick could easily be dismissed as farcical but it’s precisely the absurd nature of the storyline that is its appeal.

The film opens with the titular Patrick (Robert Thompson – an actor who should be applauded for his ability to keep his eyes open for an elongated period of time) kills his parents in an oedipal act, throwing an electric heater into a bathtub. 

Somehow Patrick ends up in a coma, something that is never fully explained, but is arguably irrelevant when it comes to the telling of the tale and to get said subject into the setting of choice, the Roget Clinic in Melbourne with all the hallmarks of the Bates house in Psycho. This is of no surprise as Franklin is a self-confessed fan of Hitchcock and would go onto direct Roadgames for his follow up feature, a film heavily inspired by the premise of Rear Window.

Surgeons of Horror podcast: Roadgames (1981)

Franklin would even go to direct the sequel to Psycho in 1983.

We follow the film through eyes of nurse Kathie Jacquard (Susan Penhaligon) who is appointed at the hospital to look after Patrick and soon encounters that there more to her patient than meets the eye and that in spite of being physically bound to his bed, has learnt to explore other sensory means through the power of psychokinesis. Her infatuation with this discovery fuels Patrick’s own lustful desires towards Kathie and thus throws those nearest to her into his wrathful rage.

There are some notable support performances on show here that warrant recognition, namely the larger than life Robert Helpmann who plays Dr. Roget and hams up his role, injecting some much-needed melodrama into the mix and moulding the tone of the film despite Franklin’s efforts to tone it down. Equally Julia Blake’s  Matron character is suitably insipid, casting a wonderfully dark light across the spectrum of the hospital; and Rod Mullinar who plays Kathie’s wayward husband in contrast to Bruce Barry’s egocentric and potential love interest Dr. Brian.

Perhaps one of the greatest things about this movie is Franklin’s depiction of male empowerment at the heart of the film. With Kathie seemingly trying to break down this impregnable barrier in her life, from her adulterous husband, the cocksure Dr. Brian, to the deranged Dr. Roget..Even Patrick himself who is incompacitated throughout the bulk of the film is trying to exert his will over Kathie, who must ultimately rise above this all.

Upon its release in Australia, Patrick did not receive the praise that it deserves but instead saw greater success abroad, but controversially was heavily dubbed Stateside, in spite of Franklin deliberately casting English actors to gain greater appeal abroad. The irony being that this very move is partly what isolated its homegrown audience.

Since then however it has reached a cult following and even gained a fan from acclaimed American director Quentin Tarantino.

For me, I went in expecting a certain kind of film, which it is, but was happily rewarded by the sheer enjoyment and direction. 

It would go on to inspire a sequel in Italy called Patrick Still Lives and then more recently in 2013 a remake would transpire, the latter of which would star Charles Dance and Sharni Vinson (You’re Next) and serves as a double feature alongside the original in a current release by Umbrella Entertainment.

  • Saul Muerte