Mausoleum

My review was written in May 1983 after a Times Square screening.

Filmed in 1981, "Mausoleum" is engag+ing minor film concerning demonic possession, presenting variations on "The Exorcist" format. Not the stab 'n slab genre picture one might infer from its title, film should please aficionados of old-fashioned B-horror films, but lacks the scares to yield more than modest returns in the current fright market.

A beautiful blond actress Bobbie Bresee (vaguely resembling Susannah York) toplines as Susan Farrell, a 30-year-old woman who has been possessed by a demon at age 10 after strolling into the family mausoleum, carrying on a centuries-old family curse affecting the first-born. Twenty years after, the demon has finally taken over, going on a killing spree that arouses the suspicions of her husband Oliver (Marjoe Gortner). Friend and psychiatrist Dr. Andrews (Norman Burton) is enlisted to help Susan and ultimately bests the demon.

The filmmakers (it's not entirely clear, who did what, since the press kit information does not agree with credits on screen) have adhered to traditional horror film motifs, updated with tantalizing displays of Bresee's physical charms plus modern makeup effects and gore. Too slowly paced and decorative rather than suspenseful, "Mausoleum" is nonetheless a well-told tale.

Bresee is extremely seductive here in the femme fatale role, complete with stock victims such as the shady gardener, unwary delivery boy, etc. Star Gortner's role is written for a bland Kent Smith type, never tapping the actor's evangelical background despite the opportunities in "Exorcist" country. LaWanda Page is hilarious as their maid, exclaiming: "There's some strange s--t going on here" and evoking fond memories of the fun generated decades ago by Willie Best in similar situations.

Lensing in a handsome mansion and on California locations is attractive, replete with Steadicam work and unusual overhead tracking shots in the mausoleum. Makeup effects, especially the varied monster masks for Bresee, are solid for a low-budgeter and her glowing green eyes' effect during telekinesis scenes is quite realistic. A nice little picture.

Well-shot, atmospheric chiller. Bobbie Bresee, in her first horror film, doffs her blouse at every available opportunity. Marjoe Gortner (FOOD OF THE GODS) is very effective as Bresee's hubby. The late John Buechleur does an outstanding job on makeup effects. His female demon has to be seen to be believed.

"Mausoleum" follows Susan, recently turned thirty, who is plagued by an ancestral demon she encountered after her mother's death in the family mausoleum. This pesky parasite causes her to transform into a grotesque monster and kill everyone around her.

This retro 1980s schlockfest is one of the better possession/"Exorcist" knockoffs, blending elements of slasher films with possession horror and the monster movie. The result is potent with campiness, but it's really all in good fun. Bobbie Bresee plays the lead Susan, who falls in and out of her possession with a complete lack of awareness; her eyes glow green when she's under the influence of the demon, and green smoke rolls out under the door of her bedroom. At her most extreme, she morphs into a revolting creature that predates Angela in "Night of the Demons." What's surprising here is that by and large, the special effects (helmed by the famed John Carl Buechler) are very good given the time period. There are some effective levitation sequences, and the monster effects are impressive and practical.

The film also boasts solid cinematography that is at times legitimately nightmarish and recalls Italian horror cinema of the '60s and '70s, and is tied together with a moody score that adds to the ambiance. Where the film falls flat is the writing and acting, which are both mixed bags. Bresee is alternately decent and awful as Susan, but her character is so vacant that it hardly matters. Norman Burton is serviceable as her psychologist, and LaWanda Burton provides short-lived comic relief as the maid who gets the heck out of dodge before becoming demon mincemeat. It seems to me that part of the pitfalls in the performance have to do with the dialogue, which feels stilted many times throughout. Then again, this is an early-'80s monster possession flick, so I'm not sure the bar is to be set quite so high.

Overall, I found "Mausoleum" an effective early-'80s supernatural horror film. Save some lazy writing, there is a lot of fun to be had here, and the movie is chock full with gruesome murder scenes and all sorts of other supernatural (and green-glowing) mayhem. Fans of other "Exorcist"-esque horror such as "Beyond the Door" will have a riot with it, and in some ways it's better. 7/10.

I am a horror movie fan, so believe me, I went through a lot of trouble looking for this movie after seeing it at my aunt's house. The movie was very well put together. I liked the deep voices that Susan had when she encountered NOMAD. Rather humorous, and scary (only if you watch it in the dark)!

Mausoleum is a strange and somewhat interesting film about demonic possession. The special effects for the gore were exceptional, however, the special effects for other aspects were quite poor and low budget. The acting is fair and the storyline is a little far-fetched but the movie itself is pretty good. The movie has its creepy moments and it has a tendency to keep your interest. This is a fairly good B film and if you get a chance check it out.