The Black Cat (Directed by Lucio Fulci-1981)

Having been a fan of Fulcis for years its rather refreshing to find yet another brilliant film to add to the collection. I don't think this film will appeal to fans of New York Ripper so much, but more to fans of The Beyond and House By The Cemetery (ie:the classics)as it relies heavily on atmosphere and dialogue (surprisingly good for a fulci film). Plus, as usual the cinematography is incredible, especially in the opening rooftop scene and the cats eye view as he stalks the streets at night, which are some of the best scenes in any Fulci film. David Warbeck (The Beyond)and Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange) also make this surprisingly interesting viewing. If your a fan of these films, I recommend this one. It's good to have finally discovered it.

Last House On The Left Remake (Directed By Dennis Lliadis-2009)

The remake of Hills Have Eyes was great and in some ways improved on the original. This, however is just sleep inducing and incredibly boring. None of the actors, besides Sara Paxton (Mary) are remotely interesting or memorable and it seems at times like none of them, particular the Krug character, even bothered to watch the original. That, plus the film runs at least half an hour too long! I think the scenes in the woods are convincingly done and some of the cinematography is impressive but seeing as Wes and Sean were both involved with the production, I was hoping for something a lot less slick and middle of the road. This film simply made me want to view the original again instead and remind myself how groundbreaking and powerful it still is. Oh, and the ending was just ridiculous.

The Last Exorcism (Directed by Daniel Stamm-2010)

I saw this film at frightfest and I have never witnessed such a hilariously disappointed audience in my life. Despite a promising start nothing could prepare you for the massive let down of this film. People even seemed uncomfortable clapping when the film had finished. The fairly competent documentary fly on the wall style directing was simply let down by terribly bad and misleading advertising. I'm sure the problem with this film was once again Eli Roths involvement as the end was hysterically cliched and out of place. Avoid.

The Blood Spattered Bride (Directed By Vicente Aranda - 1972)

Weird, perverse, backwards and bloody as hell, Vicente Aranda's sleazy vampire tale The Blood Spattered Bride may not be for all taste but it's a rather enticing Euro horror fest that is probably best seen more than once in order to get to grips with just what is really happening on screen.
Based on the vampire novel "Carmilla" by Joseph Sheridan la Fanu, our story kicks off with newly wed Susan (Maribel Martin)and her husband (Simon Andreu)being stalked outside their honeymoon hotel by a mysterious veiled woman (the truly creepy Alexandra Bastedo). Upon being left alone in their room for a few moments, Susan has a violent fantasy in which she is raped by a strange unidentified man and insists they leave immediately. The story of Carmilla unfolds further when they move into the childhood home of her husband.
A lot of the film from this point is made up of sinister set pieces and very bizarre scenes, though highlights of course being the discovery of Carmilla on the beach and the incredibly erotic murders that are carried out by the two female leads. (Susan is soon falling under Carmilla's spell and joins her in a blood drinking, lesbian vampire rampage and lets the terror level ride high). Susans husband, however, isn't so easy to snuff out and the film climaxes in him awakening them from their coffined slumbers and killing the pair of them. Rumors abound that the end killing is far more graphic and bloody than Anchor Bays DVD shows but I think these are just rumors as it ends in such a bizarre fashion I don't think even the BBFC could edit something so abruptly. As good as it looks, Blood Spattered Bride is no classic. It doesn't work on all levels and the camerawork can at times feel claustrophobic. However, it feels effortlessly put together and at times rather beautifully dreamlike. A suitably eerie organ score by Antonio Pérez Olea's subtly compliments the film and leaves it a recommended atmospheric romp for fans of old school horror and sleaze, though perhaps too arty and grim in tone for everyone.

The Blood On Satan's Claw (Directed By Piers Haggard-1971)

A film deserving of its cult status and following, Blood On Satan's Claw is an incredibly well crafted British horror tale that is vastly superior to other Tigon Produced horrors of the 70's and ranks highly as one of the creepiest on screen depictions of witchcraft and devil worship ever made. Ignoring the sensationalist title which doesn't do the film itself justice, this is one good old frightfest that really doesn't fail to deliver the goods.
Set in rural 17th century England, the remains of a decomposing inhuman corpse are found by the local farmer Ralph (our heroic male lead played with a compelling desperation by Barry Andrew's)who, upon informing the local judge (Patrick Wymark, appearing drunk throughout the film) of his findings, realises the remains have disappeared and his story is cast off as supernatural nonsense. However, members of the village slowly begin to fall under a strange spell that turns the local school children into a clan of Satan worshiping upstarts. Blood On Satan's Claw has so many great performances it's hard to mention them all, but obviously the most memorable performance is that of Lindas Hayden, who plays Angel Blake, the vicious and manipulative ringleader in the devils playground. At 17, and braving a full frontal seduction of her school teacher and local preist, this must be a career highlight for her as she helped create not only an iconic female character by odorning most of the films gorgeous publicity artwork but one of the greatest demonic children in horror history. Dressed in her crown of thorns and o.t.t face paint, she leads the villages children on a rampage of rape, murder and sacrificial evil doings all in the name of Satan himself. Who, I must point out makes a particularly frightening appearance during the films showdown when Wymark interrupts the children's ceremony.




Awash with an unnerving sense of dread, Blood On Satan's Claw also boasts one of the more memorable and addictive soundtracks of it's time. Mark Wilkinsons rhapsodic theme really does get under your skin and lingers in the subconscious long after viewing, as all good film scores should. The Repetitive use of certain musical phrases contributes greatly to the films overall presence, and as with Dario Argento's best known films, it's hard to imagine the picture, as powerful as it is, working quite so well without it.
Founded by Tony Tenser in 1966, Tigon was a British Horror film production company that found popularity after the initial success of Hammer and the growing demand for scares and chills on the big screen. Alongside the fabulous Amicus films, Tigon never quite equalled the prolific output of Hammer or left such a vast and dizzying legacy but did, however, strike gold with the Vincent Price Cromwell(ian) gorefest Witchfinder General. Causing uproar with the censors in 1968, director Michael Reeves brave and daring portrail of witch hunting in 16th century England is nowadays accepted as a gratuitous yet almost endearingly camp slice of horror. Flawed yet deserving of its place in the pantheons of nastiness.

Blood On Satan's Claw has a similar demonic atmosphere but chooses to skip the romantic subplot and instead goes straight for the throat with its tales of forbidden folklore, bloodlust and the taboo breaking use of children as the evil doers.

The Loved Ones (Directed By Sean Byrne-2009)

Ever wondered what would happen if you mixed elements of Carrie, Pretty in Pink and the black comedy tones of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, combined it with an Australian Freaks and Geeks esque high school coming of age drama and threw in a dash of intentionally hilarious torture porn? (a genre I really don't rate, but here it's more akin to 2008 British horror Mum & Dad) Well, the result would probably look a lot like Sean Byrne's The Loved Ones, a film that plays out like a sarcastic and hyper violent kick in the head, but somehow also works as a horribly fun hour and a half that cant be taken that seriously. Even when the film uncomfortably hints at incest and family tragedy the tone is strangely light and aware of it's comfort zones. Also, whilst Loved Ones is no bona fide classic, its a good, solid and inspired slice of horror that gets progressively more interesting and entertaining as it goes on.
Although Twilight's Xavier Samuels is given top billing on the films fantastic poster, the most memorable performance has to be that of Robin Mcleavy. The role of Princess can't have been an easy one but she pulls it off with such a huge surge of vigorous energy and excitement, I hope she continues to play similar parts in the near future. In Loved Ones, she plays the high school odd one out who after being denied a prom date with Samuel's emotionally damaged stoner character Brent, concocts a rather extreme revenge plan, lures him to her fathers home and proceeds to mentally and physically torture him whilst hosting a twisted prom of own. Byrne's film contains some almost supernatural elements and considering this is his first feature, works wonders with his young cast. Also, one of the films most memorable high points is how brilliantly he combines his ideas with cinematographer Simon Chapman. The final scene of Mcleavy running screaming across the fields, dressed lips to toes in neon pink and wielding a huge carving knife in pursue of her recently escaped hostage bring to mind the final doomed ending to Wolf Creek and linger in the mind long after viewing. The use of scope photography and sun drenched roads are at times mouth watering. Mcleavy's subtle recital of the films title song also gives the final sequence a melancholic air of sadness that may make you question whether your meant to feel sympathy for her, despite her insane antics.
I'll probably be watching this one again as I'm pretty sure one screening doesn't quite reveal all the films twists and obscurities.

Don't Go In The House (Directed by Joseph Ellison-1980)

One of the more memorable films in the long line of "Don't..." horrors that plagued the late 70's and early 80's, Joseph Ellison's infamously misogynistic drive in favourite delivers the sleaze but lacks a certain flare(Pun intended).
In an obvious nod to psycho, the film centralizes around paranoid mummy's boy Donny Kohler(Dan Grimaldi)who's job working at a local incineration plant has left him with an unhealthy obsession with fire. We also learn in an early flashback that his mother held his arms over the kitchen stove whenever she felt he was doing wrong.
All this back story is simply an excuse to lead the film up to it's most notorious moment. In it's defence Don't go in the house has one of slasher cinema's more demented and impressive moments in which Donny chains up and burns an innocent florist he has offered a ride home. The special effects used during this scene are so well done it not only makes the rest of the film seem quite lame in comparison but apparently highly distressed the cast and crew when watched back after it was originally shot. The film tries to make the most of its budgetary restrictions in a similar way to Abel Ferrara's Driller Killer and is helped greatly by it's Saturday night fever-esque disco soundtrack. However, it's a bleak and at times uncomfortable viewing experience and probably not one to be repeated often. The downbeat tone and dreamlike direction add to Donny's lonely character, though at no point does he come across as a particularly likable character, his unusual relationship with his mother also pushes the film into strange territories that may explain why it's still unavailable uncut in the UK. Though I'm fairly sure the reason the prudish BBFC censors didn't like this one is because of that one particular sequence that really does look a little too realistic.