Howls of the Week (10/29/23 - 11/04/23)

This will probably be a new feature, similar to the old monthly LUNAR CYCLE I used to do. I figured I would just post quick thoughts on films I've recently seen, while giving bigger/solo spotlights to more popular/important films. Let's see how this goes.

BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974)

Directed By: Paul Morrissey

Starring: Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Vittorio de Sica, Maxine McKendry

Genre: Horror/Vampires

Running Time: 103 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)

Plot: Deathly ill Count Dracula and his slimy underling, Anton, travel to Italy in search of a virgin’s blood. They’re welcomed at the crumbling estate of indebted Marchese Di Fiore, who’s desperate to marry off his daughters to rich suitors. But there, instead of pure women, the count encounters incestuous lesbians with vile blood and Marxist manservant Mario, who’s suspicious of the aristocratic Dracula.

Review:

Presented by Andy Warhol after the cult success of FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN, BLOOD FOR DRACULA is director’s Paul Morrissey’s superior follow up that focuses on Dracula and her servant traveling to Italy searching for virgin blood, as Dracula is severely ill from a lack of pure sustenance. While the acting is not great and the story isn’t the strongest, BLOOD FOR DRACULA is very worthwhile for a few reasons.

One, Morrissey’s direction is very good, as he uses many camera techniques and shot-scales to enhance the narrative. The cinematography is also well done, as this film is quite beautiful to look at.

Two, the subtext in this film is very strong and shows that a Dracula in a modern world probably wouldn’t survive for too long. There’s commentary on politics, class status [a rich Count is feeding on the poor to make himself richer] and the deterioration of religion when it comes to sex. The fact that this Dracula turns literal green after feeding on non-virgin blood twice within a supposed religious household says it all.

And three, this has to be one of the sleaziest DRACULA films ever put to screen. Incestuous siblings, a servant who forces himself on women [who ends up being the hero strangely] and disgusting acts like Dracula crawling on the floor to lick up virgin blood after a girl has been sexually assaulted to save her life from the Count. Not to mention, the epic finale that will probably make you lose a few limbs like you’re a Black Knight in a Monty Python sketch.

This is a DRACULA story that needs to be watched if you enjoy a memorable vampire flick.

VAMPYRES (1974)

Directed By: José Ramón Larraz

Starring: Marianne Morris, Anulka Dziubinska, Murray Brown, Brian Deacon, Sally Faulkner

Genre: Horror/Vampires

Running Time: 88 Minutes

Score: 2.5 Howls Outta 4 (6 out of 10)

Plot: A duo of bisexual female vampires prey on passing motorists, whom they seduce and murder in the English countryside. 

Review: 

A story of bisexual vampires luring people at night to satiate their bloodlust, Jose Ramon Larraz’s VAMPYRES is a visually stunning film that unfortunately doesn’t have much of a story to really invest in. This film is a sleazy slow burn, with the two lead actresses seducing characters and the audiences with their good looks and sexual chemistry with each other. Cinemax would be proud of the sex scenes displayed in this movie. The use of the film’s main setting, a mansion in the countryside, is well done. The forest outside of this mansion almost seems like a character in itself, as these beautiful vampires just lurk around waiting for victims. It’s just too bad there’s not much of a story besides the brutal opening scene and a love triangle of sorts between the two vampires and a male victim one of them is in love with. VAMPYRES is not a scary film, more focused on titillating the audience. But watching the male lead kiss one of the actresses multiple times was pretty nightmare inducing. Open mouth, flailing tongue and just nasty love making all around. Even beautiful vampires can have a lack of taste, I guess.

FASCINATION (1979)

Directed By: Jean Rollin

Starring: Franca Mai, Jean-Marie Lamaire, Brigitte Lahaie, Fanny Magier

Genre: Horror/Vampires

Running Time: 80 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)

Plot: A runaway criminal breaks into an eerie chateau, taking its two frightened chambermaids hostage. As night falls, a group of mysterious aristocratic women arrive and the criminal begins to realize the women are hiding a sinister secret.

Review: 

My first Jean Rollin film ever, believe it or not, the French-language FASCINATION is a vampire movie that surprised me with how well shot and how well told it was. The plot is super simple, with a thief hiding inside a chateau with two beautiful servants who obviously aren’t as they seem. The film is romantic, melodramatic and has very memorable moments throughout. I think the iconic scene is the scythe sequence, which is full of tension and suspense. It’s also quite stunning to look at. For an 80 minute film, it sets up a lot for the first two acts before crashing into a sinister and bloody final act that feels mostly ironic to what we knew of these characters and their situations before. It’s also interesting how they tried to make the thief into an anti-hero of sorts by the end, even though it doesn’t really feel earned. But love will make you do some strange things, whether it’s returned or not. FASCINATION proves that there’s beauty in horror.

THE HUNGER (1983)

Directed By: Tony Scott 

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, Cliff DeYoung, Beth Ehlers, Dan Heyada

Genre: Horror/Drama/Vampires

Running Time: 97 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)

Plot: Miriam promises her lovers the gift of eternal life, but John, her companion for centuries, suddenly discovers that he is getting old minute by minute, so he looks for Dr. Sarah Roberts, a researcher on the mechanisms of aging, and asks her for help.

Review: 

The late Tony Scott’s directorial debut, this cult classic adapted from a novel didn’t get a lot of love 40 years ago. And while it’s definitely imperfect, it shows Scott’s style that would only improve in his future works like TOP GUN and TRUE ROMANCE. It’s visually sleek, looking atmospheric and moody like those early MTV music videos, with quick editing and juxtapositions to make certain moments pop. While the story could be stronger, I do appreciate the themes addressed in the film. Having the man deal with the effects of aging instead of a woman is an interesting touch, especially when this struggle also seems to be a commentary on the AIDS epidemic that had only just become known two years prior. The performances are very good with Catherine Deneuve being a strong presence as Miriam, who gives her lovers the promise of an eternal life but had all of them age on her quickly for some reason. David Bowie is captivating as Deneuve’s husband, John, getting to play with aging makeup and a pretty messed-up murder sequence. And Susan Sarandon is stunning as the doctor who is studying these aging effects, but gets caught up in Miriam’s web to bad results. Any film that starts out with a Bauhaus performance definitely deserves one’s attention.

Howls of the Week (10/8/23 - 10/14/23)

This will probably be a new feature, similar to the old monthly LUNAR CYCLE I used to do. I figured I would just post quick thoughts on films I've recently seen, while giving bigger/solo spotlights to more popular/important films. Let's see how this goes.

TOTALLY KILLER (2023)

Directed By: Nahnatchka Khan

Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, Charlie Gillepsie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, Kimberly Huie, Randall Park

Genre: Horror/Science Fiction/Slasher

Running Time: 106 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)

Plot: Thirty-five years after the shocking murders of three teens, an infamous killer returns on Halloween night to claim a fourth victim. When 17-year-old Jamie comes face-to-face with the masked maniac, she accidentally time-travels back to 1987. Forced to navigate the unfamiliar culture, Jamie teams up with her teenage mother to take down the psycho once and for all.

Review: If you like FREAKY or HAPPY DEATH DAY, you'll get a kick out of Amazon's TOTALLY KILLER. While it should have used its BACK TO THE FUTURE premise better, I still had fun with it. The 80s needle drops are always welcomed, the characters were colorful and the mystery of the killer kept me guessing [decent twist at the end]. I wish Kiernan Shipka’s character didn't keep mentioning how things in the 80s were problematic like they are in 2023. Saying it once or twice is fine, but every five to ten minutes wasn’t necessary. I also wish the film was a bit funnier. Still, I didn’t feel like I wasted my time.

PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES (2023)

Directed By: Lindsey Beer

Starring: Jackson White, Forest Goodluck, Jack Mulhurn, Henry Thomas, Natalie Anne Lynd, Isabella Star LeBlanc, Pam Grier, David Duchovny, Samantha Mathis

Genre: Horror/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Zombies

Running: 87 Minutes

Score: 1 Howl Outta 4 (3 out of 10)

Plot: In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to Ludlow. 

Review: The less said about PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES, the better. 87 minutes and felt longer than that, as I had to sit through multiple sittings just to get through this. Great actors [Pam Grier, Henry Thomas, Samantha Mathis, David Duchovny] were wasted in their roles. The story dragged towards an unsatisfying resolution. The novel and even the ‘89 version told this story in a more effective way in a much lesser time span. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the 2019 remake, but I thought maybe this prequel could have improved on that. The people behind this forced franchise should realize that sometimes, dead is better. 

SHE CAME FROM THE WOODS (2022)

Directed By: Erik Bloomquist 

Starring: Cara Buono, Clare Foley, Spencer List, William Sadler, Michael Park, Tyler Elliot Burke

Genre: Horror/Supernatural/Slasher

Running Time: 101 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)

Plot: In 1987, a group of counselors accidentally unleashes a decades’ old evil on the last night of summer camp.

Review: Caught this modern slasher on Tubi before it left the service and I dug it quite a bit. Set in 1987 [besides the modern language and the appearance of an Apple Watch - whoops], this supernatural slasher involves a camp being terrorized by a watch who possesses children and campers after a ritual gone wrong. Good performances [Cara Buono and William Sadler especially], decent gore effects considering its small budget and a lore that’s nicely built but doesn’t end in a real satisfactory way makes this one worth looking for whenever it pops back up on Tubi or another streaming service. Recommended for FRIDAY THE 13TH, THE BURNING and MADMAN fans.

DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936)

Directed By: Lambert Hillyer

Starring: Gloria Holden, Otto Kruger, Marguerite Churchill, Irving Pichel, Gilbert Emery, Edward Van Sloan

Genre: Horror/Drama/Fantasy/Vampires

Running Time: 71 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)

Plot: A countess from Transylvania seeks a psychiatrist’s help to cure her vampiric cravings. 

Review: The first sequel to the immortal 1931 Universal Studios classic DRACULA, I slightly like this film more due to the filmmaking style. This feels more like a real movie than the stagey DRACULA does. The story with the Countess dealing with not wanting to be like her father, trying to find ways to stop being a vampire, was actually pretty interesting, Plus for a film from this era, having a lesbian angle was quite brave and surprising in a good way. I thought the performances were okay, with only Gloria Holden really standing out as the title character. And learning she hated being in this film because she thought she was above the material, it makes her performance stronger and more legit in my opinion. Plus, the film is short and sweet and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

BLOOD OF DRACULA (1957)

Directed By: Herbert L. Strock

Starring: Sandra Harrison, Louise Lewis, Gail Ganley, Mary Adams, Malcolm Afterbury, Barbara Wilson, Lynn Alden

Genre: Horror/Vampires

Running Time: 69 Minutes

Score: 2 Howls Outta 4 (5 out of 10)

Plot: A crazed teacher at a respectable girls’ school draws power from a medallion she has obtained from the Carpathian Mountains, and uses it to experiment telepathically on the school’s newest young pupil.

Review: Pretty much the same template as I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF, this “vampire” movie feels more like a teen drama with supernatural elements in it. Honestly, this film didn’t do a whole lot for me. It sort of meanders towards the finish line, with the main character being hypnotized and controlled by her teacher, for whatever reason, until we see the main reveal in the last moments of the movie. I thought the main character’s relationship with her father and her indifferent stepmother was interesting at the start, but it just felt flatter as the movie rolled on. Not bad, but nothing I would rush out to watch again.

THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (1970)

Directed By: Roy Ward Baker

Starring: Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, George Cole, Kate O'Mara, Ferdy Mayne, Douglas Wilmer, Madeline Smith, Pippa Steel

Genre: Horror/Vampires

Running Time: 91 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)

Plot: In the heart of Styria the Karnstein Family, even after their mortal deaths, rise from their tombs spreading evil in the countryside in their lust for fresh blood. Baron Hartog whose family are all victims of Karnstein vampirism, opens their graves and drives a stake through their diabolical hearts. One grave he cannot locate is that of the legendary beautiful Mircalla Karnstein. Years of peace follow that grisly night until Mircalla reappears to avenge her family’s decimation and satisfy her desire for blood.

Review: Part of the Karnstein trilogy, this Hammer production is quite titillating with its lesbian undertones and an Ingrid Pitt performance that commands the spotlight and captivates the audience. Nicely paced, with a Gothic atmosphere and good performances that balance the horror with the melodrama. Probably not one of the best Hammer films out there, or even one I would think of whenever the studio is brought up. Yet, this one is definitely worth watching if you’re into sexy vampires.

TWINS OF EVIL (1971)

Directed By: John Hough

Starring: Peter Cushing, Dennis Price, Madeleine Collinson, Mary Collinson, Isobel Black, Kathleen Byron, David Warbeck

Genre: Horror/Vampires

Running Time: 87 Minutes

Score: 3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)

Plot: While dabbling in Satanism, Count Karstein resurrects Mircalla Karnstein who initiates him into vampirism. As a rash of deaths afflicts the village, Gustav the head of Puritan group leads his men to seek out and destroy the pestilence. One of his twin nieces has become inflicted with the witchcraft but Gustav’s zeal and venom has trapped the innocent Maria, threatening her with a tortuous execution, whilst Frieda remains free to continue her orgy of evil.

Review: The third film of Hammer’s Karnstein’s trilogy, I thought TWINS OF EVIL was a lot more fun to watch than THE VAMPIRE LOVERS. Better action. Better effects. More compelling performances, especially by Peter Cushing, David Warbeck and the Collinson twins. The title is misleading [only one evil twin really] and it isn’t as titillating as THE VAMPIRE LOVERS. But I liked this film quite a lot and would definitely watch this again.

SANTO VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN (1962)

Directed By: Alfonso Corona Blake

Starring: Santo, Lorena Velazquez, Maria Duval, Jaime Fernandez, Augusto Benedico, Ofelia Montesco, Xavier Loja

Genre: Horror/Action/Fantasy/Vampires/Werewolves

Running Time: 89 Minutes

Score: 2 Howls Outta 4 (5 out of 10)

Plot: A professor recruits a professional wrestler to protect his daughter from vampires intent on kidnapping her and marrying her to the devil.

Review: If you’ve ever watched a horror film starring Lucha Libre star Santo [or Samson in the English dubbing], you know exactly what you’re getting. Silly, campy and just oddball story and action involving a coven of female vampires and their male minions who want to kidnap the daughter of someone who escaped their grasp many years prior. The grandfather hires Santo to protect her, leading to many goofy action scenes, including a wrestling one involving a vampire/werewolf person(?). Considering this was an episode of MST3K, I don’t think the film is that bad that it earned that honor. While pretty dumb, the dubbing is actually funny and the action scenes are amusing. Plus I thought the final act was a lot of fun, especially with Santo driving that sweet convertible. Better than what its reputation would tell you, to be quite honest.

Lunar Cycle - April 2022

Since I don’t have as much time to write longer reviews than I used to, I figured I would just post shorter reviews for horror/cult films that I feel deserve your attention.

Directed By: Tony Maylam

Starring: Rutger Hauer, Kim Cattrall, Michael J. Pollard, Alastair Duncan, Alum Armstrong, Pete Postlethwaite, Ian Dury

Genre: Horror/Science Fiction/Serial Killers/Supernatural/B-Movie

Running Time: 90 Minutes

SCORE - 3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)

Plot: In a flooded future London, Detective Harley Stone hunts a serial killer who murdered his partner and has haunted him ever since. He soon discovers what he is hunting might not be human.

Review:

Directed by the man who brought us the 1981 slasher classic THE BURNING, Tony Maylam’s 1992 sci-fi/horror film SPLIT SECOND is a solid B-movie that wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Take some atmosphere and aesthetics from BLADE RUNNER [including star Rutger Hauer], add some monster action like PREDATOR and ALIEN, put them all together and you have this cult flick that’s not perfect but has enough going for it to make it watchable.

SPLIT SECONDS’s dark and gritty dystopian set pieces create an atmosphere that Batman would feel more than comfortable living in. With the main character being an out-of-control detective who has burned more than a few bridges in his professional life, his stories of this serial killer, he’s obsessed with being more than human, creates this level of paranoia and mistrust throughout the film. It’s also helped by Maylam’s direction, as he keeps the killer’s appearance hidden for much of the film, so you’re left wondering if the killer is just really creative with his murders or is something more supernatural. While Maylam keeps the death sequences off-screen, the aftermath of these events are pretty gory, which makes up for it. And the action scenes, for the most part, are directed well despite the obviously low budget. Unfortunately, the final act seems like it was directed by someone else, as it feels rushed and doesn’t conclude the film in any impactful way.

What makes SPLIT SECOND worth the watch is Rutger Hauer as Harley Stone, who acts like a badass and recites dialogue that would only sound cool coming from him. He fleshes out your generic hard knocks detective with charming quirks, like drinking tons of coffee while stirring it with random pens he borrows from other detectives. Hauer also portrays paranoia well, while coming across convincingly as a man obsessed with his work, not caring if he lives or dies apprehending his target.

Rutger has some comical moments with the supporting cast as well, especially Alistair Duncan who plays Dick Dirkin - the by-the-book nerdy detective who starts becoming more reckless and gritty as the hunt for the killer deepens. Rutger also has some nice rapport with Kim Catrall, who is there to play the damsel-in-distress but has her moments to shine.

While I did expect SPLIT SECOND to wow me more than it actually did, considering how many of my friends have recommended this film to me, I did have fun with this flick. Despite its modest budget and disappointing finale, it had good action, memorable gory moments and actors who seemed to be having a blast making a silly sci-fi B-movie.

Directed By: Paul Norman

Starring: Clint Howard, Olivia Hussey, David Warner, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sandahl Bergman, David Naughton 

Genre: Horror/Comedy/Mystery/Thriller

Running Time: 84 Minutes

SCORE - 1.5 Howls Outta 4 (4 out of 10)

Plot: Young Gregory Tudor sees his local ice cream man murdered and later grows up to inherit his business, opting to inject gruesome ingredients—including human body parts—into his frozen confections. When one of the neighborhood boys goes missing, the local kids suspect Gregory and band together to get to the bottom of things.

Review:

ICE CREAM MAN is a really odd film that one would think would be better considering the cast. But it never really comes together due to so many different tones, weird character choices and the fact that the movie never knows if it wants to be a scary movie or a PG-13 teen adventure film in the vein of THE GOONIES, STAND BY ME or THE MONSTER SQUAD. There are even moments where the creepy and murderous Ice Cream Man is given moments where we’re left to sympathize with how people see and treat him, despite the fact that he kills people and uses their body parts in his ice cream servings. I was never sure what I was supposed to be getting out of this film, if anything at all.

The direction by Paul Norman is just as odd, as Norman seems confused as to what he wants to express with ICE CREAM MAN. If he’s going for a comedy, it doesn’t work because the film isn’t all that funny. If he’s going for horror, that doesn’t work because there’s nothing about the film that’s creepy or scary. And if he’s focused on making this a teen adventure, that doesn’t work either because the kids aren’t all that interesting enough to invest in them. The film isn’t all that stylish or interesting to look at either, looking like your standard 90s direct-to-video feature. The film is also oddly paced [those flashback moments ruin the flow in the film’s last act] and it cuts away from the murder scenes, which would have bumped up my rating if I was allowed to see at least some cool gore here and there. Considering Norman was a pretty prolific adult movie director, he sure had no idea how to complete the money shot with this flick.

What keeps ICE CREAM MAN from being totally terrible are the actors, who all seem to be having fun in their roles no matter how small and/or quirky they are. Clint Howard is the best thing here, giving this villain role so many layers that you’re torn on how to feel about the Ice Cream Man. And that’s not a terrible thing because, what could have been a one-note character, Howard makes into a three-dimensional human being who clearly feels justified and damaged in believing what he’s doing is right. While the other actors don’t really get to shine as much as Howard does, at least they all add memorable moments to the film. David Naughton is a cheating husband. David Warner is a priest who is the father of one of the teens. Olivia Hussey is oddly playing an older, kooky nurse in an amusing role. And Jan-Michael Vincent plays a cop - at least I think he is considering he looks like he would rather be somewhere else. I know the actor was dealing with substance abuse at the time, but Vincent doesn’t even bother trying to hide his lack of enthusiasm here. Lee Majors II makes me wish his father was in this film instead. And the younger actors are fine, although I’m not sure why one of them was forced to wear a fat suit or pillow. Did the film really need a kid pretending to be overweight? Oh, those Hollywood stereotypes!

If you’re looking for something brainless and dumb for 90 minutes, I guess you could do worse than ICE CREAM MAN. But if you want to watch a good movie, I’d steer away from this one. This is a film not worth getting brain freeze over.

Directed By: Beverly Sebastian, Ferd Sebastian

Starring: Claudia Jennings, Sam Gilman, Douglas Dirkson, Clyde Venture, Don Baldwin

Genre: Thriller/Action

Running Time: 88 Minutes

SCORE - 2.5 Howls Outta 4 (6 out of 10)

Plot: Desiree lives deep in the swamp and supports herself and her siblings by poaching. Ben and deputy Billy hope to get a little sexual comfort from the “Cajun swamp rat” when they catch Desiree trapping ’gators, and give chase. Desiree outsmarts them but Billy accidentally shoots Ben and tells his sheriff dad that Desiree did it. Ben’s dad and sons join them in the search party and quickly get out of control. Soon the hunters become the hunted as Desiree exacts her revenge for their violence against her family.

Review:

1974’s GATOR BAIT is an exploitation drive-in movie that doesn’t come close to reaching the heights of films that inspired it, like 1972’s DELIVERANCE - nor is it as upsetting and controversial to watch like later films such as 1977’s I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. However, there’s something oddly charming about this low budget flick that makes it worth a look for 1970’s cinema lovers.

GATOR BAIT is definitely a film that would never fly in today’s society, as it’ll probably offend those ready to cancel anything they can get their minds on. This movie has incest, misogyny, humorous exchanges about raping and sexually assaulting women and depicting backwoods folk as toothless, dumb, violent and just horny all the time. Even the police are corrupt, which will make modern audiences probably root for the female lead and her family by default. Those looking for good taste and progressive themes will probably want to steer away from this one.

Considering the film’s themes, however, GATOR BAIT is fairly tame and almost PG-13 compared to other films just like it. While the acts committed in this movie are kind of gross, there’s a vibe of fun surrounding it all that makes you feel both dirty and entertained at the same time. It kind of plays things like your typical rape-revenge movie, where the good guys suffer but get their vengeance while the bad folk suffer both physically and emotionally. It’s a simple science and GATOR BAIT pulls it off fairly well, even if it does drag at points in its short runtime.

The direction by Beverly and Ferd Sebastian isn’t going to win any awards, but it does the job fine. The cinematography is competent, the soundtrack is actually quite good, and the pacing is done well enough for the film to never wear out its welcome. And the acting isn’t the greatest, but that’s part of the charm with GATOR BAIT. Former Playmate of the Year (1970) Claudia Jennings is really the most memorable person in this film. She looks fantastic in every frame of celluloid she’s in, with her Daisy Dukes and her shotgun making her look like a woman you don’t want to mess with. I do find it funny that, in this world, the men are dirty and not really all attractive while all the women look like they got hired from a modeling agency. There must be something special in that swamp.

GATOR BAIT is a sleazy and exploitative 88 minutes of backwoods men doing dumb, violent things while a woman sorts them out with swift punishment. Not the greatest film I’ve seen of this type, but it definitely has an odd charm about it that makes it worth a look if you’re into this kind of movie.

The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974)

DIRECTED BY

Jorge Grau

STARRING

Christina Galbo - Edna

Ray Lovelock - George

Arthur Kennedy - The Inspector

Jeannine Mestre - Katie

Jose Lifante - Martin

Genre: Horror/Science Fiction/Zombies

Running Time: 95 Minutes

PLOT

When a series of murders hit the remote English countryside, a detective (Arthur Kennedy) suspects a pair of travelers (Christina Galbo and Ray Lovelock) when it is actually the work of the undead, jarred back to life by an experimental ultra-sonic radiation machine used by the Ministry of Agriculture to kill insects.

REVIEW

A zombie film with so many different names that it’s hard to decide to what to ultimately call it, THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE [also best known as LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE] is one of the first George A. Romero zombie rip-offs after the success of 1968’s classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Fortunately, while not up to the quality of the 1968 film, THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE still manages to be a good time for the most part - linking up the Romero-type zombies with a bit of social commentary of its time that play very importantly in the film’s narrative. It’s easy to see why this one has retained a cult following, as it does a lot more right than wrong.

The structure of the narrative brings both positives and negatives. One of the many complaints about the film’s screenplay is how long it takes the film to really delve into the zombie action, going for a slow burn during two-thirds of the film to present us with the main characters before putting them in eventual danger. And I do kind of agree with that opinion because the first half of the film does drag a bit at times. But it allows the film to give these characters some backstory, personality and other characteristics that make us either care or not care about them. It also explains the reason why the zombies exist to begin with and makes it a central part of the story. A lot of zombie films don’t even bother explaining anything, so the fact that technology [with the intent of doing the right thing] is causing all this terror, and no one is aware of it until it’s too late, makes the scenario that more terrifying. Everyone other than the two leads who are constantly victimized by what’s going on thinks this radiation to kill parasites to help the countryside is a great thing - not realizing the radiation is affecting them all as well in life and death.

The whole radiation aspect of the narrative lends to the social commentary THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE is trying to express. The 1970s were a time where people really started to care about the environment and the danger of all these chemicals that were polluting the Earth within the air and sea. The scientists trying to rid of these insects that are destroying the local crops believe their radiation experiment is beneficial in the long run, not realizing that destroying one aspect of their surroundings is leading to a greater danger. Sometimes bad things can be done with good intentions, and it seems the filmmakers are saying that some environmentalists have their hearts in the right place, but are only making things worse by only being near-sighted. 

There’s also this struggle between the older folk and the younger characters, as their generational gap creates this conflict that ends up bad for everyone. The detective is a gruff, older gentleman who sees the world as black and white, right or wrong without considering the grey areas in between. He’s convinced from the start, without evidence, that the younger characters in the film are murderers because they found the dead body. It doesn’t matter whether a couple of the characters were related to the victim, or the fact that two of them weren’t even present during the murder, he treats them as suspects. When the leads discover the zombie infestation and learn that burning them will get rid of them, the detective finds the charred corpses and believes the suspects are Satanist serial killers! He even makes remarks about his dislike for hippies and the youth movement of the time, instantly making him an unlikable and biased investigator. This even extends to the nearest hospital, where the head nurse [an older woman] feels annoyed by the traumatized characters, ignoring their pleas and screams for help because she thinks they’re just being hysterical. Talk about malpractice!

While I enjoy the social commentary and the fact that the film is willing to give us depth for these characters, the film is hurt by the fact that these characters are actually pretty unlikable and kind of annoying to really follow for about an hour before all hell breaks loose. Edna is hard to root for because she comes across as needy and a bit of a nag for much of the film. Her first impression isn’t good either, as she reverses into George’s parked motorcycle and doesn’t even bother to exchange any sort of information to help him pay for the damages and the inconvenience she has presented him. In fact, she wants him to drive her to her sister’s house because she needs to urgently see her, rather than driving George to where he needs to go because - well, it’s the right thing to do after hitting his motorcycle and delaying his business meeting. So George has to be her chauffeur, help Edna deal with her family drama and get caught up in being the detective’s main target because he’s actually innocent and makes it known. It doesn’t help that Edna is easily scared and traumatized by what’s going on, letting George or anyone else do the fighting for her. Yeah, she could have gone and kicked rocks for all I care.

Not saying that George is portrayed any better. The fact that he’s smart and proactive makes him more rootable than Edna. Yet, he comes across as a jerk for most of the film, verbally lashing out at Edna and unwilling to listen to any sort of authority even if it’ll help him in the long run. The film takes a weird turn in which George starts to have feelings for Edna, but it doesn’t connect because he’s so hostile and annoyed by her from the moment they meet.

The rest of the living characters aren’t rootable either. Katie, Edna’s sister, is a heroin addict who is pretty much suffering through her addiction and being in shock for much of the film. Her husband Martin adds nothing of note but a body count. And I already mentioned the cops and hospital staff in this film. And the scientists, while meaning well, are just clueless to what’s happening. Honestly, the zombies are the most likable characters. Chew on that one.

Speaking of chewing on something, the gore effects in THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE are pretty good for a 70s zombie film. We get some juicy moments where zombies feast on people, ripping them open and eating their insides - which looks pretty realistic. The fire effects are done really well, with brave stuntmen and women doing great work. The aftermath with the charred skeletons and remains adds to that effect. And I love that you know who a zombie character is by their red pupils, which has seemed to have inspired later infected zombie films like 28 DAYS LATER. I don’t think zombie effects got elevated until 1978 with DAWN OF THE DEAD, but this film does a good job showing the violent aftermath of these attacks. 

Director Jorge Grau does a nice job in presenting a zombie film that feels like a logical progression from what Romero had presented years earlier, but still doing it his own way. While the film has pacing issues due to that long first half before exploding with an action-filled second half, Grau makes sure to keep your attention with the gorgeous and colorful European landscape and the interesting ways things are shot. Grau’s best contribution is giving the film a ton of tension during the zombie scenes, creating a lot of terrifying atmosphere and mood to match the level of danger these characters are in. The morgue and hospital scenes, in particular, are just presented extremely well with dim lightning that add to the terror. And I already wrote about the effects, which Grau also directs well. For one of the first zombie films to display the kind of gore that would later become commonplace, it’s a solid job. And the sound design, especially the wheezing from the zombies, is pretty disturbing in the right way. Good stuff overall.

The acting is a little tougher to rate since I watched a dubbed version, and well - the voices are a bit over the top that it almost becomes an unintentional comedy. Arthur Kennedy, as The Inspector, is probably the worst case of this as the dubbing pretty much yells every line he says. Still, Kennedy overshadows all his fellow actors in the film due to his portrayal of a gruff detective not taking crap from anyone, even if he’s completely wrong about the entire situation. Both Christina Galbo and Ray Lovelock are fine in their roles as the main couple of characters, getting the most to do and having some tense scenes against the zombies. Too bad their characters were annoying, but the two made the most of it.

THE FINAL HOWL

One of the better zombie films in-between 1968’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and 1978’s DAWN OF THE DEAD, Jorge Grau’s THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE [also known as LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE] is a competent Euro-horror flick that does more right than wrong. The direction is well done, showcasing some nice zombie gore [rare for the time] and presenting tense and suspense moments in the film’s final half that hold up nicely. The dubbing makes it a bit tough to judge the actors, but they do fine enough in their roles - in particular Arthur Kennedy as the hard-nosed inspector, who steals the spotlight in any scene he’s in. And the social commentaries on chemicals and technology secretly destroying the earth while thought as an aide, as well as the struggles of a generational gap that refuses to understand the other, are quite interesting and actually add to the narrative and the explanation for the zombies. However while it’s nice to have a slow build to introduce characters and give them a bit of depth, the first two-thirds of the film drags a bit while featuring main characters who aren’t really likable and probably deserve to be eaten by the undead. But despite its flaws, THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE is worthy of its cult status and still manages to be a fun time once the zombies show up to mess everything up in a satisfying way. 

SCORE

3 Howls Outta 4