June 18th Horror Trivia Watchlist.

To all those who came here from the event or the Trivia FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog. Here's a selected list of titles mentioned at the last event. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing. Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here.

Shivers (1975)

Manborg (2011) 

Frankie Freako (2024)

The Stuff (1985)

Fear Street Part Two - 1978 (2021)

Scream, Queen! (2019)

Madman (1980)

The Burning (1981)

Backcountry (2014)

Sleepaway Camp II (1988)

Sleepaway Camp III (1989)

The Witch (2015)

I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu (2019)

Death Proof (2007)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

The Invisible Man (2020)

The Menu (2022)

Ready of Not (2019)

Shark! (1969)

The Last Shark (1981)

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Bait (2012)

Devilfish (1984)

Buried (2010)

Under Paris (2024)

In Canada, No One Can Hear You Scream.

Hey all! I'm back with another VHS. With Canada Day approaching, it was enough of a kick in the butt to do a few Canuxploitation posts leading up to one of my favourite holidays. This one is a title I've been meaning to crack into for some time now, Bill Fruet's 1987 creature feature, Blue Monkey.

The denizens of a hospital attempt to survive a viral outbreak caused by a giant insect. A doctor (Gwynyth Walsh), a cop (Steve Railsback) and an entomologist (Don Lake) must race against time before everyone is infected.

It was not a surprise to see the title card "INSECT" appear onscreen, as Blue Monkey always seemed like an odd title, even with my only cursory knowledge of the movie. The movie itself is amusing, but I have to admit a lot of the appeal comes from how Canadian it is. Forgive me for blathering on about the CanCon, but as a kid who grew up in the eighties, there are so many homegrown faces here. Joe Flaherty, John Vernon and pretty much the entire fucking cast of The War of the Worlds TV show. It was also not lost on me that Blue Monkey featured not only the Nabob Coffee guy (Michael J. Reynolds) but also the Contact C guy (Don Lake). I mean, this movie even had Sarah Polley in it for Christ sake.

Sarah Polley, already a veteran.

But I digress, after some setup and the introduction of what seems like a million characters, things do get going. Following the appearance of the hospital's "Laser Research" area, I was getting worried that we wouldn't get back to it, but thankfully Walsh & Railsback do eventually takes turns waving the laser gun around. It is delightfully awkward and the kind of stuff that makes my heart sing.

Lasers make everything better.

Let's be real though. Despite things getting set in motion by an exotic plant - and several B-plots involving boozy bitties, unsupervised sick kids, and a pregnant woman with her overzealous husband - it does become apparent by the third act that this is yet ANOTHER Alien clone. And that's fine, but Blue Monkey is just not as interesting as Fruet's genre-bending Killer Party or his bonkers psychic snake joint Spasms. Oh, I almost forgot the probable nod to The Thing, as well?

I am, of course, sympathetic to its budget restraints, but even I can't overlook the fact I was largely watching Pertwee Dr. Who level creature effects get waved around in front of the camera. I mean, they didn't even deliver on the bug I thought FOR SURE was going to rip itself out of the pregnant lady's vagina - ala Humanoids From The Deep. 

In closing, I will ask you this. Is there anything more Canadian than having inebriation be the cure to the virus? Save perhaps injecting poutine drenched with maple syrup directly into their veins?

May 28th Horror Trivia Watchlist

To all those who came here from the event or the Trivia FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog. Here's a selected list of titles mentioned at the last event. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing. Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here.

Killer Party (1986)

Deranged (1974)

Road Games (1981)

Tremors (1990)

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Horror Express (1972)

The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

The Brides of Dracula (1960)

The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974)

House of the Long Shadows (1983) 

Inside (2007)

Pearl (2022)

30 Days of Night (2007)

Ready or Not (2019)

Rabid (1977)

House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

Puppet Master (1989)

Ghoulies III (1991)

Subspecies (1991)

Dollman vs Demonic Toys (1993)

The Gate (1987)

It Lives Again (1978)

The Brood (1979)

Troll 2 (1990)

Apr 30th Horror Trivia Watchlist

To all those who came here from the event or the Trivia FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog. Here's a selected list of titles mentioned at the last event. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing. Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here.

Underwater (2020)

Screamboat (2025)

Parasite 3-D (1982)

The Rule of Jenny Penn (2025)

The Lift (1983)

The Tower (1985)

Behind The Mask (2006)

Rubber (2010)

Absentia (2011)

You Might Be The Killer (2018)

Why Horror? (2014)

Trick 'r Treat (2007)

Suitable Flesh (2023)

Frankenhooker (1990)

Iced (1989)

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

Sting (2024)

The First Omen (2024)

Grizzly (1976)

Day of the Animals (1977)

Jaws of Satan (1981)

Frogs (1972)

Alligator (1980)

Night of the Lepus (1972)

Razorback (1984)

Nightwing (1979)

The Swarm (1978)

Squirm (1976)

The Nest (1987)

What the F*ck Is a Nutria?

With this week's tape off the pile, we continue our parade of covers featuring people (or beings in this case) looking through windows. I do remember 1985's Terror in the Swamp from my video store, but it seemed too bargain basement at the time to give it a go. Well, better late than never!

An experiment gone wrong escapes in a Louisiana swamp and starts preying on the nearby townsfolk.

When the cast list came up for Terror in the Swamp (or T.I.T.S. for short), I wondered if this was thinly disguised porno. I mean with names like Chuck Bush, Chuck Long and Claudia Wood, what the hell am I supposed to think? But no sir, this is just your average Bigfoot-but-not-a-Bigfoot-in-the-Bayou movie.

I have to admit I was a little confused because the word Nutria kept being said with drinking game-like frequency that I had to look it up. I'm from the Great White North, we have beavers here. I guess the critter in question was the swamp rat I had the displeasure of seeing annihilated by a hunter's shotgun at the hop. He got his though, don't you worry.

So, as far as I can hack it, this fur company paid some scientist to breed bigger nutrias in order to make more fur, but it mutated in to a... NUTRAMAN! This was apparently the original title, but the filmmakers were like, “what the fuck is that? People are gonna think it's about a soft drink, or maybe that Hazelnut spread that looks like diarrhea.” And rightly so. I'm just trying to wrap my head about these fur conglomerates. Aren't there like a million other animals with more lucrative pelts than mid-sized rodents?

On the surface, this looks and feels like a Z-grade dollar-fifty production, but as it went along, I noticed a few things. First, the cast balloons as it goes on. A single ranger turns into an entire police force AND a team of Green Berets. A guy who could be Hillbilly Jim wrangles his crew, as well as dozens of gun-toting poachers wanting to collect the bounty for Nutraman's head. That's not even counting the scientists, who delightfully get offed by Crazy Sally (who I like to think is related to Mama from Friday Part 5). 

Claudia Wood as Crazy Sally in Terror in the Swamp.

Second, in the third act, there are all kinds of boats, planes and helicopters flying everywhere. Like, those aren't cheap, right? Plus, the characters are often knee deep in marsh, which means the CREW are also knee deep in marsh. I would imagine that slowed things down. Then, they even pull out a bazooka to potentially take down our beast Grizzly style!

Terror In The Swamp is objectively shit, making Frogs look like Jurassic Park, but I have to commend the ambition of the last third, even it doesn't really ever give you a good look at its monster. I just hope Frank (Billy Holliday) was able to take his lady to the Saints game on Sunday.

May 29th Horror Trivia Screening Guide

To all those who came here from the event or Storm Crow's FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog. Here's the selected list of titles mentioned at the last event. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing.

Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here. If you're not local, we do occasionally stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

Hell House LLC (2015)

Puppet Master (1989)

The Witch (2015)

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

The Final Terror (1983)

Body Count (1986)

Backcountry (2014)

Pyewacket (2017)

The Ritual (2017)

The Crazies (1973)

Shakma (1990)

Stopmotion (2023)

Alice Sweet Alice (1976)

Dead Snow (2009)

The Voyeurs (2021)

Nocturne (2020)

The Perfection (2018)

Invitation to Hell (1984)

House of Usher (1960)

The Terror (1963)

Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Forbidden World (1982)

Humanoids From the Deep (1980)

Piranha (1978)

Horror Movie Guide: Bog

Next up in the Guide was Don Keeslar's 1978 movie Bog. I had no previous knowledge of this movie, but wagered I knew what to expect, as everything by appearance screamed Z-grade. But hey, maybe I'd be lucky and get something orbiting the oeuvre of Don Dohler.

An aquatic prehistoric beast is awoken by fisherman using dynamite and starts to pick off the townsfolk.

Sadly, Bog was a bore. It kind of plays like a PG version of Humanoids From The Deep, where the beast is killing dudes and using the ladies to lay its eggs. Although, that is merely heresay, as absolutely none of it is onscreen. You get the ol' zoom-in-to-screaming-face and cut to red time and time again.

This movie has many similarities to Bigfoot, a film from the Guide I watched about this time last year. It's a lot of people talking and walking, is largely bloodless and has one recognizable character actor keeping things mildly interesting - in Bog's case, Aldo Ray. They both also have a pleasing theme song, as well.

Aldo Ray as Sheriff Rydholm in Bog.

You do at least get more shots of the creature, even if it does look like it came from the set of Pertwee-era Dr. Who. I'll also give credit to Gloria DeHaven who I never clued in to that in addition to playing the scientist, was also the forest hag, Adrianna. I also have a question - this movie was shot by Wings. Like Paul McCartney's band Wings??? I assume that can't be true otherwise the end credits would've spooled out to Live & Let Die...

In Bigfoot's defense, it had a few buxom ladies in swimsuits. Bog gives us a couple of harpies off the hop that I couldn't wait to get slimed. It also featured the most unappealing middle-aged make-out scene this side of Nightbeast. 

Yes, my reaction to this scene too.

Overall, I give the edge to Bog, but they are both pretty joyless affairs. The Guide would seem to agree with me, although they make it sound way more extreme a movie than it actually is. Hell of a font though!

Oct 18th Horror Trivia Screening List

To all those who came here from the event or the FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog.

If you heard a title while at the last event and thought “oh that movie sounds cool, I should check that out”, here's a comprehensive list of all the films that were mentioned. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing.

For everyone else, maybe there's one or two here you have yet to catch. Though we were at Offworld Bar last night, Horror Trivia Night also happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Click their links to register. If you're not local, we do often stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

Deadly Eyes (1982)

The Brain (1988)

Of Unknown Origin (1983) 

The Gate (1987)

The Woman in Black (2012)

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Tenebrae (1982)

The Faculty (1998)

The Blob (1988)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Dark Star (1974)

Altered States (1980)

Brightburn (2019)

Underwater (2020)

Deep Rising (1998)

Lake Placid (1999)

Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

Feast (2005)

Island of Lost Souls (1932)

Sep 20th Horror Trivia Screening List

To all those who came here from the event or the FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog. 

If you heard a title while at the last event and thought “oh that movie sounds cool, I should check that out”, here's a comprehensive list of all the films that were mentioned. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing. 

For everyone else, maybe there's one or two here you have yet to catch. Our Horror Trivia nights happen monthly at Offworld Bar and twice monthly at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Click their links to register. If you're not local, we do often stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

Cat's Eye (1983)

Don't Look Now (1973)

Night of the Creeps (1986)

The Monster Squad (1987)

Prey (2016)

Forbidden World (1982)

Contamination (1980)

Creepozoids (1987)

Life (2017)

Syngenor (1990)

Alien 2: On Earth (1980)

Inseminoid (1981)

DeepStar Six (1989) 

Species (1995)

Pitch Black (2000)

Sunshine (2007) 

Saturn 3 (1980)

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Aug 16th Horror Trivia Screening List

To all those who came here from the event or the FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog.

If you heard a title while at the last event and thought “oh that movie sounds cool, I should check that out”, here's a comprehensive list of all the films that were mentioned. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing.

For everyone else, maybe there's one or two here you have yet to catch. Though we were at Offworld Bar last night, Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here. If you're not local, we do often stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

Knock at the Cabin (2023)

The Thing (1982)

Talk To Me (2022)

Basket Case (1982)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

M3GAN (2022)

Alien (1979)

Alien 2: On Earth (1980)

Alien 3 (1992)

Splice (2009)

Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Lifeforce (1985)

Videodrome (1983)

Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Jason X (2001)

Life (2017)

Event Horizon (1997)

Fire in the Sky (1993)

The Fourth Kind (2009)

Almost Human (2013)

Altered States (1980)

Planet of the Vampires (1965)

Annihilation (2018)

Altered (2006)

Starship Troopers (1997)

Mimic (1995)

The Mist (2007)

The Fly II (1989)

The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)

Ice Spiders (2007)

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)

Them! (1954)

Arachnophobia (1990)

Creepshow (1982)

June 14th Horror Trivia Screening List.

To all those who came here from the Storm Crow FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog.

If you heard a title while at the last event and thought “oh that movie sounds cool, I should check that out”, here's a comprehensive list of all the films that were mentioned. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing.

For everyone else, maybe there's one or two here you have yet to catch. Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here. If you're not local, we do often stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

Cujo (1983)

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Martyrs (2008)

Frontiers (2007)

Inside (2007)

High Tension (2003).

Cabin In The Woods (2011)

Intruder (1989)

Body Bags (1993)

Grizzly (1976)

Cocaine Bear (2023)

The Shining (1980)

Backcountry (2014)

Day of the Animals (1977)

Grizzly 2: Revenge (1983)

Prophecy (1979)

Winnie The Pooh: Blood & Honey (2023)

Berserker (1987)

The Edge (1997)

Man's Best Friend (1993)

Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1988)

Blind Alley (2011)

Lake Mungo (2008)

X (2022)

The Uninvited (2009)

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

The Witch (2015)

Army of the Dead (2021)

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Day of the Dead (1985)

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Zombie (1979)

Creepshow (1982)

The Sadness (2021)

Madman (1981)

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

City of the Living Dead (1980)

Night of the Creeps (1986)

Horror Movie Guide: Bigfoot

The next entry in the Guide was Robert R. Slatzer's 1970 movie Bigfoot. I remember the coverbox from my video store, but it wasn't something I would have ever considered watching. To be honest, Slatzer's other film Hellcats sounds like more my speed. But I said I'd watch every movie in the Horror Movie Guide so here we are.

When a tribe of Sasquatches kidnap a few scantily clad ladies (Joi Lansing & Judith Jordan) a biker gang, some hunters and a swindling salesman (John Carradine) looking to cash in on the legend head into the mountains in pursuit.

So I am assuming this movie was the winner of the race to make a Bigfoot film, that famous “actual” footage only having appeared three years earlier. It shows. Bigfoot might be the biggest dud I've seen in the Guide so far. I mean, I wasn't expecting much, but this movie is pretty threadbare. I'd say it's at least fourty-per cent characters walking through the forest, in amongst women screaming and sasquatch grunting. At least there were some banging guitar tracks courtesy of illustrious musician Richard Podolor over all these montages.

At first I had hope because the cast listed at the hop was like thirty characters. I thought perhaps it might be a bodycount slasher, but with a Bigfoot? I was quickly assuaged of that by remembering that beyond H.G Lewis, that genre was yet to be a thing in 1970. This was more like some anemic drive-in biker movie with some creatures in it. But, it's not even drive-in material because nothing really happens. No one dies, threre's no gore as only as much skin as they thought they could get away with.

Joi & Judith; a few reasons to watch.

I think there was one cool scene where one of the Bigfeet(?) fights a bear. At least I think he did, it was kind of just two brown blobs thrashing around in a sea of night. I bet they spent half their budget on that bear and you can't even see it.

Thankfully, John Carradine does what John Carradine does. He spices up his sub-standard material, actually doing more than the walk-ons I often see him play. And for a dude who was in his sixties, he's pretty spry. I am assuming this show didn't have money for stunt doubles so I wager that was him climbing all those hills. He even gets to deliver the King Kong-esque groaners at the end.

Bigfoot is far from great - and certainly no Yeti: Giant of the 21st Century - and the Guide would seem to agree.

Jennifer! *whispers* Jenniferrrrr!

I have to admit that my pile was getting on the low side, but fortunately I was able to replenish my VHS stash by visiting a tape market in Hamilton last weekend. I've got some beauties that you'll likely see show up in the next few weeks, starting with today's entry, Jennifer from 1978.

A bullied schoolgirl named Jennifer (Lisa Pelikan) finally puts her God-given ability to control snakes to good use.

First off, let's just digest that coverbox for a second. Putting aside that whichever video store rented this tape put it in the Action section, I feel the need to point out that at no point during this movie does a tiger fight snakes and/or Jennifer. Unreal.

Moving on from that though... Funny thing here. I thought I hadn't seen this, but almost immediately I was hit with a wave of déjà vu. Turns out I watched this not too long ago at one of my Zoom movie nights, but somehow it slipped my mind. There was no denying it though, for if that catchy theme song hadn't jogged my memory, seeing that kitten and recalling its brutal end surely did. Then of course, when Bert Convy showed up, I remembered chatting about the Love Boat.

But anyway, for a Carrie rip-off, Jennifer is serviceable fare. Director Brice Mack (who started out as an animator on some of Disney's greatest hits) made the wise decision that if you're going to tread on familiar ground, you need to up the ante. The Mean Girls here were so diabolical, they made their De Palma counterparts seem like pussycats. For instance, the queen bitch Sandra (Amy Johnston) straight up tries to murder Jennifer in one scene and then, when one of her minions intervenes, she later has her boy toy rape her so-called friend in an elevator. Cold shit.

Aside from placating us with some disco, Mack waits a considerably long time to serve up the serpents. Thankfully, it does payoff in the end. There isn't much explanation as to the how or why of Jennifer's powers - controlling snakes is an easy enough leap, but being able to materialize them out of thin air is a tad perplexing - but is there ever? 

What's important is the bad folks eat shit and Jennifer gets to continue her life unfettered because good news, her religious parent doesn't try to murder her in this one. Redder IS better, amirite?

A Wolf In Creep's Clothing.

This week's VHS was 1995's Project: Metalbeast. I'm nearing the bottom of the pile, as evidenced by this merchant copy complete with hole-punched barcode and intermittent burn-in's of “for screening purposes only”.

An unstable CIA agent (John Marzilli) who injected himself with werewolf blood is cryogenically frozen for 20 years and then thawed out for use in military experiments involving synthesized skin. It doesn't go well.

You know, I was in good shape at the start of this movie because I knew that Project: Metalbeast could not possibly as awful as the trailer that proceeded it for Paul Rodriguez's dramedy(?) A Million To Juan. Man, the shit they put out on tape in the nineties. The eighties I understand, but we should've had the hang of this by '95.

Anyhoops, Metalbeast starts off with musician Conrad Pope doing his best Elfman impression, giving us some overly dramatic music during the opening credits. Then, enter a pretty decent looking - or at least way better than I would have expected - werewolf. Until the aforementioned CIA agent with a haircut you could set your watch to, blows it away with silver bullets. After extracting its blood, he makes the completely rational decision to inject himself with it. goes haywire and is then put on ice by his boss, Barry Bostwick.

-“It shrinks?” -“Like a frightened turtle!”

More than some of this movie is a bore, which is why I actually nodded off in the middle. It's actually unusually quiet in the second act, while science people do science things. And complain several times about having to eat PB&J sandwiches. Hey, fuck you dude. I've literally eaten ten PB&J's a week for decades and still love 'em to death. Thankfully, the eventual screams and death snapped me back into consciousness.

As you might have guessed, the metal skin somehow gets on werewolf dude and viola - METALBEAST. And he looks pretty badass, even though every time he was onscreen I wanted to yell, “Fuck you Honey Badger” like in that Love, Death & Robots episode. What's funny is there's a shot of it walking down a hallway and I thought to myself, “hey that guy walks like Kane Hodder”.

Turns out it was actually Kane Fucking Hodder! Until he gets exploded with a silver rocket. Lastly, Kim Delaney was looking pretty hot in this and I'm glad she booked her role on NYPD Blue shortly after so no one was tempted to make a Metalbeast 2.

Horror Movie Guide: Ape Double Bill.

The next entry in the Horror Movie Guide was the 1940 Boris Karloff film, The Ape. Additionally, since the next listing was Bela Lugosi's subsequent picture, 1943's The Ape Man - and each over just an hour - I decided to do them both at the same time, much like with those two Abbott & Costello flicks earlier this month. 

These were two films I had no knowledge of existing, but was more than willing to partake in some more silver scream horror, as it were. As I've said before, since this book was published in 1985, I'm going to be seeing a lot of movies from before my time. Let's dig in.

I enjoyed both movies, but it was sadly apparent that Karloff and Lugosi were beyond their best years here - both were at the end and start, respectively, of long contracts with lesser studio Monogram at the time. Though both movies weren't connected, they share a lot of similarities with maverick scientists trying to cure diseases (Karloff is seeking a cure for polio and Lugosi... well I have no idea, male pattern baldness?) using spinal fluid, apes in not as integral roles as the titles would suggest, and also share an actor named Henry Hall in a supporting role.

It could just be the YouTube rips, but The Ape seemed to be the newer picture, despite being made three years before The Ape Man. The former's narrative had a bit more purpose, but I wager that was also because it was based off a play - and one that was already adapted as The House of Mystery in the thirties - whereas the other seemed a bit more of a riff. It obviously made enough for a sequel. as Return of the Ape Man came the following year, this time with John Carradine in tow with Bela.

Boris Karloff in The Ape, Bela Lugosi in The Ape Man.

The Ape opens with some pretty enthusiastic big band music that would have been at home in a Looney Tunes cartoon, after which we get introduced to two separate storylines that seems to take forever to converge. When watching these old movies, it's usually amusing to see the antiquated gender relations - The Ape Man has some charming back-and-forth between the reporter and his dame photographer for instance - but there are gasp-inducing exchanges in The Ape. Divorce was not a thing in 1943 I guess.

The storyline gets surprisingly convoluted for 1940, but I have to admit that ape suit was pretty bad-ass - much more convincing than the one in The Ape Man, why didn't they just reuse it? - but I still have no idea where Karloff got it. Oh well, at least Frances (Maris Rixon) was cured at the end. To be honest, I was more concerned about that Guinea Pig that peaced out.

The Ape Man was definitely the weaker of the two with Lugosi's role being significantly less dignified than Dracula. I was surprised to learn that not only was stem cell research a thing in the forties, but also apparently telephone traces and security cameras. I think the only thing I was waiting around for was the purpose of that weirdo who mugged from the bushes and peeped in windows the entire movie. And boy, did I get my answer.

So not bad watches for a Saturday and Sunday afternoon, but not the pinnacle of fourties cinemas either. HMG seems to concur...

Next week, I'll be watching something decidedly more modern in 1979's The Attic.

N is for The Nest (1987)

When Lisa Langlois was at Horror-rama, she talked about this film and I was reminded that I had never actually seen it. So I dug deep into “the pile” and pulled out the DVD with that instantly recognizable cover art.

Sheriff Johnson (Richard Lansing) and old flame Elizabeth (Lisa Langlois) battle super cockroaches on the picturesque island of North Port.

The Nest was a typical Roger Corman joint. This Piranha template (which was lifted from Jaws, the granddaddy of all animal attack pictures) was utilized many times over his career from Up From The Depths to Humanoids From the Deep. Speaking of the latter, I'm pretty sure that truck driving off the bridge scene in The Nest was lifted from HFTD. Oh well, I guess at least the lead actresses should be thankful the cockroaches weren't as amourous as the the cover would have you believe.

Richard Lansing and Lisa Langlois in The Nest.

The first half of the movie is pretty standard, as we see roach-POV shots chomping their way up from cats & dogs to people. We get introduced to the characters, some of which are garbage humans like Dr. Hubbard (Terri Treas) who wasted no time announcing themselves as the villain. Oh sure, she'll say her misdeeds are in the name of science, but this chick is clearly a masochist. Or is a sadist? I get them mixed up. Langlois has talked at length about her bad experiences filming this picture, but she does her job like a pro.

To be honest, this movie doesn't get good until the third act, when all the gnarly creature effects appear. Though there are no giant cockroaches, there are some pretty awesome hybrids, including a cat and the Queen, which gave me Blair-Thing vibes. Cockroaches are gross to be sure, but the hybrid effects here by James Navarra are truly top notch.

Overall, The Nest didn't knock my socks off, but I'm glad I can cross it off the list.