'60s Trash?: Shock Treatment (1964)

 A Movie I picked out for Horror Movie Madness Month, but was too interesting to not review.

This is 1964's Shock Treatment, a Film that followed in the wake of Psycho and other Films about the mentally ill.
This is viewed as a bit of a knock-off, but that's only true in Theme.

Plot-wise- they are miles apart!

A crazy guy is put away, but someone is convinced that he's hiding money.  An Actor is paid to find it, but must face off with a Nurse Ratched-like figure to do so.

To note, the Book in question- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- came out in 1962, but the seminal Film was stuck in development hell for 13 years (It ended up doing alright though).

This Film has a bunch of big Stars like Stuart Whitman, Lauren Bacall and Roddy McDowall in it.
So why was the only copy I could find of it a so-so German release?

To find out, read on...

A crazy Gardener- McDowall- casually kills his Boss with Garden Shears.  My German Copy was retitled to 'The Killer with the Garden Shears.'

He casually turns himself in and gets committed.

While a bunch of burned up money was found at the Scene, a man is convinced that McDowall actually hid more of it.

He pays an Actor- Whitman- to get the information from him inside of the Institution.

He studies plants- to get close to Roddy- and then casually commits a weird crime pretending to be some sort of confused beatnik.

This somehow gets him sent to an Institution, which feels silly.

He eventually makes friends with McDowall, but has to keep up the act inside.

Between that, he has a romance with a young blonde.

One night, he's told to take some pills and he does.

He wakes up strapped to a table and is given, well, Shock Treatment!

The woman- who also testified about McDowall- explains afterwards that she knows he's faking it.

When he threatens to out her for torturing him, she gives a dose of a drug that will make him comatose!

It seems to work too well as time passes with him not recovering.

McDowall- who is being coerced by Bacall to share the money- tries to kill Whitman, but he's saved at the last moment.

As it turns out, he was faking being still comatose and escapes!

However, the guy that hired him is dead and nobody will believe his tale now.

He goes back to find Bacall confronting McDowall about the money- it's all ash!

That's what you get for trusting a crazy guy.

He tries to kill Whitman in the Garden with a pitchfork (a weird Clue set), but is tripped and impaled on some metal stakes!

In the aftermath, Bacall snaps.
She did all of this for money...that never existed.

And so, our Tale ends with Whitman apparently striking a deal to not face prison time for his crime in exchange for exposing Bacall's misdeeds.

Now she's in the same Institution she once ran.
The End.

A pretty enjoyable Film, even if it doesn't exactly elevate the Genre.

At its core, this is a simple Mystery Film with a simple hook- can a sane man survive in an Institution?
He does pretty well, to be fair, until the shock treatment.

The Acting is good, if a bit melodramatic.  The Actors will often go big when not doing so might be a better choice.  It makes more sense for McDowall, whose Character is supposed to be crazy and erratic.

Even so, it comes off more like a Soap Opera than it should.

The whole look at the mentally ill here is not exactly ideal, as they tend to just be either fully zoned out or dangerously erratic.  Most people in there are more of a danger to themselves than others.

While it's not an amazing Film, it features many Stars- including a young Ossie Davis!- and feels like the kind of Film that should be on Svengoolie someday.  Maybe it will happen.

I'll leave you with the best bit from watching a German Version of this Film...

***The Film cuts between the real shot and this German Language Insert Shot.  Neat.***

Next time, it's a return to Bond and Moore is still here saving the day.  I guess I have to figure out what the hell an Octopussy is, I guess. Stay tuned...

Shudder Day: Theatre of Horrors- The Sordid Story of Paris' Grand Guignol

 I like to think that I can enjoy classy, informative stuff and not just Horror/Action Movies.

As someone with passing knowledge of the place, why not cover a full Documentary on the infamous Grand Guignol?

If you don't know, the Grand Guignol was a small, but influential Theater in Paris.

It started out doing 'Naturalist Plays.'

In essence, the Plays were dark, a bit morbid and rarely had happy endings.

That was 'natural.'
Freaking French.

As time went on, the Plays changed from being just about crime and sometimes murder to something more.

Plays began to feature regular killing of Characters, deconstruction of positions of power and lots of fake blood.
Well, real (cow) blood at first.

The Theater- which is likely the size of your average House- grew in fame and soon brought in many Guests.

Legit figures in Literature, Medicine and Films worked there, studied there or spoke there.

You see the influence in people like Tod Browning and James Whale (who acted in 1 Play at least).

The Documentary is narrated by Barbara Steele, who brings a certain gravitas to proceedings, even if she also says 'controvesy' and not 'controversy.'

We also hear from an Actress from its later days and the son of Gypsy Rose Lee, whose Mom took him there when he was SIX.

With a limited amount of footage (film degradation, lack of storage and WWII happened), they act out certain Scene with Puppets...which is somehow worse.

They also cover the lasting legacy of the Theatre, like how it inspired Films that led to entire Genres being created.

For as crass as it could be, it created Art and Entertainment for over 60 years.

What would Cinema be without the Grand Guignol?  Boring.

To find out way more details than I could squeeze in here, stream it now!

A very informative Documentary that is full of gross stuff and definitely for the faint of heart.

This is about a Theater famous for gory, violent and disturbing works.  They show footage of it, reenactments and other violent Scenes from Films inspired by it.

Oh, and an ass-load of Nudity- pun fully intended.

I say that to tell you that if it is not for you, absolutely skip this Film.  There's no way to show this/talk about this without showing what they show.

I had a passing understanding of this place- knowing the name and many references to it across Shows like Penny Dreadful- but was no expert.
Thankfully, this Film is FULL of them.  It is very informative.

I love Film and information about the Arts.  This definitely scratched that itch for me.

If you're in the mood (and not squeamish), take a look back at this stuff...

A very informative and fascinating Documentary.  Just know that it is full of naughty stuff and blood, so avoid it if you're squeamish.

Holiday Flix: Night of the Demons 2 (1994)

 A Direct to Video Sequel, you say? 
Call Brian Trenchard-Smith!

This is Night of the Demons 2, the 1994 Sequel to the Cult Classic.  As noted, it is by Mr. Trenchard-Smith.

If you don't know, he's Directed such Sequels as Leprechaun 3, Leprechaun in Space and Megiddo: The Omega Code 2.  
He just needed to work with the Queen of Sequels She Wasn't in the Original Of- Sarah Douglas- to make bank!

The Plot involves the return of Angela, who is apparently the only Demon of note.  Years later, fate brings her never-before-mentioned Sister to the House that she is trapped in.

Will this one up the ante?
Will it at least be a bit of ridiculous fun?

To find out, read on...

In the Cold Open, a pair of random Christian people show up to the infamous House.

Angela- who definitely looks different- lets them in and kills them.

The actual Plot involves a bunch of people at a Catholic High School/College who are getting ready to celebrate Halloween.

Naturally, most of the girls are horny and the guys are...also horny.

And yes, that is Christine Taylor in the middle.

One of the girls- Melissa- is revealed to be the never-once-mentioned Sister of Angela.  She keeps having bad dreams about her Sister.

There's also a bleak backstory involving both Parents killing themselves after getting a Halloween Card from Angela a few years back.

This is a Horror-Comedy, by the way.

One of the guys is also into the study of Demonology.  Specifically, he's trying to learn it in order to counter it.

What luck for this Movie's Plot.

He accidentally almost summons Angela, but nobody believes him.

After being 'grounded,' the rebellious teens go to an off-campus Party.  

They are tricked into going to Hull House, which naturally freaks out Melissa!

After some (only female) nudity and some scares, they...leave Hull House?  Alright.

One of them takes a lipstick applicator with them and this allows Angela to be summoned outside of the House.

She possesses everyone by kissing, which feels...like a convenient Plot Point for the likely horny teen demographic that this Film was going for.

Angela and the turned girl create chaos at the Party on-Campus and kill a few people.

They possess Taylor, but she's force fed Holy Water and saved...from being in the rest of the Movie.

They go back to Hull House to deal with Angela, bringing the Priest and the mean Nun along with them.

Some get killed and immediately turned.

Angela's big plan is to sacrifice her Sister, because something something evil.

She nearly kills the Nun, who then agrees to take her place.

Melissa stabs her Sister and she's killed...

...before she returns as a Snake Lady...somehow.

She's defeated again and explodes.

In the aftermath, everyone returns to Campus and the day is saved...until the lipstick applicator gives us some blatant (CGI) Sequel Bait.

The End.

A bloody fun rehash with a few new ideas thrown in.

The Plot is a decent excuse to get people to go back to the House and create carnage.  There are some creative kills, good visuals and bizarre moments.

If you go into this just wanting more, then you're absolutely the right audience.

I was genuinely impressed by many of the make-up effects here, both in scope and execution.  If you know the limitations, you can spot the cheats...but most people aren't as OCD about it as I am.

I will note that Angela- who I guess is the Freddy of this Series now- does not ever quite look the same as she did in the last Film.  Without makeup, I get it- lots of time has passed.

When she's fully made up, it's still...off.  Not bad, just off.

Regardless, this offers what you'd expect from a Direct to Video Sequel to a Cult Classic Film.  Mr. Trenchard-Smith strikes again.

If you're expecting more, well, get a grip...

A Film that gives you exactly what a Sequel to this kind of Movie has.  We'll see if future ones raise the stakes or just rehash it...next Year.

Fiction vs. Fiction vs. Fiction: The Thing- Films vs. Short Story

 I love The Thing.  The 1982 one to be clear.

I'd never read the original Short Story that it is based on until I found it in a Short Story Hardback Collection from 1985.

How does it compare to the 1951 Film and Carpenter's Classic Film?

Let's find out...

****VS****

****VS****

What's the Same?

Arctic Researchers accidentally run across a frozen alien and it thaws out.  It starts to kill everyone until they manage to take it out...but at what cost?

What's Different?

In the Short Story and 1951 Film, our group is the one that blasts open the ship and finds the creature.
Carpenter's Film has the creature infiltrate their base as a dog, having been found by a Swedish group.

In the Story, the creature is a strange, blue guy with head tendrils and three eyes.
In the 1951 Film, it is a big dude played by James Arness.
In the 1982 Film, we never *really* see its true form.

In Carpenter's Film, it kills the dogs directly, revealing itself to the group.
In the Story and 1951 Film, it attacks the dogs and is wounded by them. 
In the Story, the rest of the dogs die due to eating part of the creature during said attack.

****

In the Story and Carpenter's Film, the creature can impersonate the Crew (after killing them) and grow freaky new tendrils/claws/blades.
In the 1951 Film, it is a big, old Vampire and never changes shape.

In the Story, they can burn it with an electric torch, last killing the final creature after it pretended to be Blair in isolation.
In the 1951 Film, it is electrocuted and turned into ash.
In the Carpenter Film, it is a flamethrower.

In the Story, McReady is described as a bronze giant, complete with red beard and giant frame.
I guess Jonas in the 2011 Prequel of the same name is the closest fit.
Weirdly, McReady is replaced with 'Patrick Hendry' in the 1951 Film.

****

In the Story, they defeat the creature and learn that it was making a jetpack to escape with when they stopped it.
In the 1951 Film, the creature is defeated and they go all 'Watch the skies!'
In the Carpenter Film, they are famously ambiguous as to whether either survivor is truly human.

Thoughts

The original Story is a true classic, giving you a good balance of intrigue, creature feature and isolation.  The 1951 Film is still good, but definitely doesn't go as far as you'd hope for after reading the Story.

Carpenter's Film is great.  Duh.

Which is Better?

The Carpenter Film.

The original Story really holds up well.  You can tell that Carpenter and company wanted to honor the spirit of it and made some tweaks along the way.
Not 100% faithful in Story, but 1,000% faithful in spirit.

Tubi Thursday: Scary Movie (1991)

 A Film forgotten to History thanks to a Parody of a Slasher Film.

Confused?  It will make sense...

A man named Warren is not a big fan of crowds and social events.

Even so, he's invited by his friend to go on a double date to a Haunted House...on Halloween!

Nobody seems to like him.  He's socially awkward.

When people keep spooking him, it only gets worse.

Elsewhere, a man escapes from a transport from a Mental Hospital.

Warren sees a masked man in the House after he finally goes inside.

Is this the escaped Patient?!?

Mind you, he finally goes in about halfway through the Film.

Inside the House, he's freaking out over the news of the escaped Patient.  He can't contain himself!

He chops off the masked man's hand and calls for help, but nobody believes him.

Outside, the Cops and News are covering the Story of the escaped Patient.  

This does speak to how well (or not) the WNUF Halloween Special nailed the look.

As poor Warren is jumping at every shadow and every sound, he tries to avoid the killer.

When he shoots the killer, is he the Hero?

SPOILER Below

Not so much.  He was actually attacking innocent people and shot the Sheriff.  Whoops.

The End.

A Film with many good ideas and a few really bad issues.

The premise is a good one.  Follow one guy as he loses his mind in the worst place at the worst time.

John Hawkes is really good here.  It's a fully committed performance that reminds me of a Crispin Glover performance or that of the Lead in My Soul to Take.

Will you necessarily like him by the end?  Maybe not.  He's a lot to take in.

I wish that there was someone else nice to work with him.  Look at stuff like Sleepaway Camp and not, say, Return to Sleepaway Camp to see what works and what doesn't.

I wish that this Film worked better (for me at least) than it did.
It took so long to get past the setup that engagement is an issue.

It's a genuinely good idea that needed a rewrite, a bigger Budget and...dare I say it...a Remake?

A Film with an interesting premise and a very strong performance by John Hawkes.  I just wish it was shorter or just paced better.

Shudder Day: Hallowarrior (2026)

 It's been a busy week and, besides, getting this one out closer to Saturday is ideal.

This is...

It is Halloween.

Everyone can celebrate, right?

Not so much.

A worldwide plague has apparently killed most of the people on Earth.

The plants and environment are also dying.

It's been 4 years for our Heroine and she's trying to enjoy the Holiday all alone, with only memories and grave markers.

She gets her wish for company when a Couple arrive with a young woman in tow.

The Wife leaves to get the rest of her Family, but it soon becomes clear that they have bad intentions.

Our Heroine uses her Mom's gun to stop the Husband.

...but the Family arrives before the duo can leave.

If you've got someone in a Tilda Swinton mask staring through your window, things have gone south!

Can her and her new friend trust each other enough to work together?

Will they survive the night?

Is this also Channing Tatum?
To find out, stream the Film now.

A good to great example of making the most of a low-budget with creativity and style.

The Film looks great.
You accept that many shortcuts are taken - Tell Don't Show with the plague, for example- and realize that they spent the money where it was needed most.

Putting in a House surrounded by, well, nothing really helped the feeling of them being trapped, in spite of the wide open space.

This definitely feels more than a bit inspired by The Strangers and/or The Purge. 
That's not to say that it is a bad thing if they managed their own unique looks.

Pacing is a bit weird, but also not terrible.

It is a good, low-budget Thriller with a Halloween vibe that is a bit short.
That said, I felt what they were going for.

A Film that falls short of being a truly amazing Film.  It might make your Halloween rotation in the future, depending on your mood though.