The Chair

Warden Edward Dwyer (Paul Benedict of THE JEFFERSONS) re-opens a dilapidated prison with the help of 8 trustee inmates. Along for the ride are psychologist Dr. Langer (James Coco) and his assistant Lisa (Trini Alvarado), who try to help the prisoners with some 80s "I'm okay, you're okay" therapy. Of course, this prison has - I hope you have already guessed - a history and there is a ghost out for revenge. Believe it or not, this is one of the few flicks produced by Angelika Films, a production company offshoot that predated NYC's famous Angelika Film Center (same logo and everything). For a group known for having its finger on the indie pulse, they sure didn't know crap about making a viable commercial product. Actually, husband and wife industrial filmmakers Waldermar Korzenioswsky and Carolyn Swartz are mostly to blame here as they never make it horrific enough, unless you count their terrible attempts at comedy and the ill-fitting piano score and opening blues tune. Just what the hell was the film supposed to be? And how can you waste such a good location and actors? The film ends with an on screen dedication reading "For Jimmy" as Coco died during filming. Poor Jimmy (in both regards). Co-starring Mike Starr, Brad Greenquist, Stephen Geoffreys and a underutilized Richard Edson.

One thing there wasn't a shortage of during the late 80s were horror movies set in prisons and featuring electric chairs. "The Chair" is already the fourth I've seen, after the superior "Prison", the enjoyable "The Horror Show", and the lousy "Shocker".

Of those, "The Chair" is most reminiscent to Renny Harlin's "Prison" in terms of plot and storyline, but certainly not in terms of quality level and entertainment value. In fact, this might even be one of the weakest and dullest horror movies of the 1980s, and that is saying a lot. You know you're in trouble when an allegedly blood-soaked and grisly horror film opens with the mushiest tearjerker blues-song you ever heard. Those boring opening credits seemingly go on forever, by the way.

The set-up is decent, the locations and set pieces are more than adequate, and the cast is excellent. So where did the unknown and inexperienced director Waldemar Korzeniowsky mess up? Well, maybe partially because he's inexperienced, his film is woefully incoherent and uneven. It's harrowing drama mixed with (unintentional?) comedy and cheesy horror. For example, there are dead-serious psychiatric therapy sessions as well as goofy stop-motion eyeball in a light bulb. One scene luckily compensates for a lot namely, the electrocution footage in which we witness - in extreme closeup - eyes popping out of their sockets and exploding. Yay. Rewind this particular scene a few times, because the rest of the film is dreadfully boring.

This film is okay for a 1988 B-movie. Feature released on HBO and direct to video in the day.

I remember renting it at a Blockbuster because Stephen Geoffreys (Fright Night) starred. The other core cast, Trini Alvarado, James Coco, Paul Benedict hold their own. The direction is mediocre at best, but Interesting. With the prisoners inflected in some lame rehabilitation program that lacks luster and goes nowhere. The plot surrounds the gruesome murder of the prison's former warden. And strange things begin happening. Which is typical for a horror suspense thriller. It has its moments. One area seems to highlight a potential romance between the female intern and a streetwise inmate.

i was hoping trini would be more hornier and suggestive.her character was the only woman in a men's prison.men who haven't had the pleasures of the flesh in years.she could've had any man she wanted but never did.this was a missed opportunity for skin and sex.she could've been in the showers, naked and soap dripping between her breasts .i was hoping trini would be more hornier and suggestive.her character was the only woman in a men's prison.men who haven't had the pleasures of the flesh in years.she could've had any man she wanted but never did.this was a missed opportunity for skin and sex.she could've been in the showers, naked and soap dripping between her breasts .

An idealistic psychologist Dr. Harold Woodhouse Langer re-opens an abandon prison to hopefully change the mindset of some hardened criminals. Warden Edward Dwyer thinks very little of the program, but begins to be haunted by the prison's horrific past which he personally knows about. Soon the prisoners break into fear with the strange things going on, but Dr. Langer doesn't believe them.

Soon after the Renny Harlin's 1988 horror flick film 'Prison', came this very cheap, uneven and non-effective prison supernatural horror yarn. It never breaks away from the overall silliness, to storm up anything that resembles thrills. The problem was I don't know if it was trying to be humorous or not, because of how quirky the story and performances came across. Too bad it wasn't funny either. What was the deal of that over-extended opening sequence with that weepy blues song? I had to check the video again to make sure I was watching the right film, because it felt totally out-of-place. This can be said the same for Eddie Reyes' makeshift (carnival sounding) music score, which would go out of its way to butcher some scenes. What drag it out was that it had a slim, ponderous plot that takes ages to get going, and when it does its rather anticlimactic. The talky script might want to be character-based, but it couldn't have been anymore redundant and vapid in detailing the characters and their plights. Batty acting amuses, with the likes of Paul Benedict, Mike Starr and Stephen Geoffreys. Holding her own is Trini Alvarado. Director Waldemar Korzeniowsky clumsily stages it with nothing but routine tools and techniques. The special effects are sparse, but the execution is goofy. I could've gone without it. Very weak.