The Monster Mash

Well that was an experience, and not a good one. I don't mind a 'so bad it's good' movie every so often but this was just poor. Low budget obviously but a 6.8 score on here. That's just a bit laughable. The film comprises three short stories with a wraparound provided by a strange, Germanic evil doctor type. Not scary, not funny, not original. Bad acting, editing, camerawork, acting and just about everything else including the very poor makeup and effects. Sorry to be such a downer on this but others have made decent and original horror films on a limited budget. There really isn't any excuse.

While working on a cadaver, a late-night movie host three segments while trying to get his latest creation to life.

The Good Stor(ies): Whispering Hollow Road-Picking up a stranger hitchhiking in the countryside, a man offers her a ride to make her the subject of his next snuff film where he films himself murdering hookers and hitchhikers, but when she has other motives finds himself in a dangerous situation. This was a fairly solid way to kick things off. The brief bits here where the early stages of his proclivity to film his serial killer antics get this off to a grimy beginning, while the ensuing meetup and conversation in the car offers the kind of uneasy tension that signals how each one has ulterior motives the other is unaware of. The final reveal of this is the only stumbling block, seeming to come out of nowhere and feels more like a shock-surprise ending than anything naturally built up throughout the segment's running time and is only made worse by the goofy effects to pull it off that are understandably evocative of the format's influences, but otherwise, there's not much else to dislike here.

The House-Aftrer visiting a house in the countryside, a couple looking for a place to move into are taken captive by the eccentric owner who's looking for a way to carry on his werewolf bloodline using them as his means of doing so. This was another solid if somewhat slightly flawed segment. The opening setup with the couple trying to find a way of getting them out to the house where everything goes down and manages to offer up something creepy as the interactions seem friendly enough even though something is lurking beneath the surface. That comes about in the reveal of the lycanthropic owner who sets about a rather dark and creepy plotline for the couple involving a solid bit of werewolf make-up for the transformation sequence as well as it wandering around, decent gore, and enough to like that overcomes the bizarre matter of how matter-of-factly the werewolf reveal is treated like it's supposed to be common knowledge they exist but not that he's one of them. This is a strange setup with the way it comes off, but on the whole, this was quite fun.

Homebound Horror-Getting mixed up in a mob battle, a returning solider is captured and brutalized for a mistaken identity by the criminal gang, only to then be resurrected by an alien parasite that sends him on a gruesome revenge-based rampage against those who wronged him. This was a likable if convoluted way of ending things. The fact that there are way too many subplots going on here, with the military tracking the alien ships, the veteran returning home to propose to his girlfriend, the thug in hot water with the criminal gang, and the cop looking to retire being way too much happening at the start to try to figure out what's happening. Thankfully, when it me concerned with unleashing a slew of gruesome grindhouse-style revenge sequences this one becomes an absolutely over-the-top blast with the numerous shootouts, gruesome kills, and fantastic scenarios present as the rampage that takes place is brutal and cathartic in the best way possible. Needing to connect everything together is also a bit overdone, but there's not a lot to dislike here.

The Bad Stor(ies): The wrap-around with the doctor is really the only big drawback amongst the stories, with little point to the experiments, serves no point in introducing the stories as a whole, and is a one-note joke that's not even funny in the slightest. Still, it's the only thing that's remotely wrong with this one.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and Brief Nudity.

The Monster Mash is a nostalgic throwback to the golden age of practical effects driven horror. This vintage anthology delivers a mix of grim, tightly woven tales, each packed with eerie atmosphere and satisfying payoffs. The film celebrates the artistry of monster movies, showcasing creatures brought to life with hands on craftsmanship. While the stories embrace a bleak tone, they remain engaging, making it a love letter to fans of classic horror. With its solid narratives and delightfully grotesque visuals, The Monster Mash feels like stepping into a time machine bound for the heyday of creature feature cinema.

OMG this film is SOOO bad it is actually good (in a bad way). Firstly, the acting sucks. I have seen dead twigs and plain curtain put up a better performance than this ensemble. Everyone acts like they are acting, which is of course bad acting,. Second, the CGI is primitive although I must say that the werewolf transformation was impressive, even though it is obvious that it use a stop motion action sequence with parts added to the whole every time the camera stops. And how is it that when a werewolf is being beaten to dead,it sounds like a deranged cat? Finally, the stories seem to be written by pre-schoolers. Even porn has better dialogues that this mess.. Verdict: You just have to watch it to believe how legendarily lousy it is!!! Good fun if trashy, abysmal, super low-budget horror flick is your thing.