Shudder Day: The Vourdalak (2024)

I didn't get around to seeing Nosferatu yet.

In lieu of that, here's a freaky French Vampire Film.  Mon dieu!

Long ago, a man who's an Emissary for the King of France runs into trouble.

Off-camera, he's robbed and left alone in a foreign land.

A strange man tells him to go to a House down the road into the Forest.

He runs across a strange woman and follows her to her House.

He tries to woo her while the rest of the Family waits for the Patriarch of the Family to arrive.

Can he get into her pantaloons?

The Father arrives and...he's something.

I won't SPOIL what's up with him other than the fact that he's a form of Vampire.

To find out how the rest of his stay goes, stream the Film now.

A very strange Film- no question.

To be fair, it is a Period Piece Horror Film from France about a Vampire.

That's plenty of odd things together.

The best way I could describe this one is that it feels similar to a Jean Rollin Film.
That will probably tell you whether you're going to like it or not.

It is a tonally strange Film, alternating from Drama to Absurdist Comedy to Horror and then back again.

I won't SPOIL the effects used for the Vampire other than to tell you two things- it is freaky and I love it.

Will this one be for everyone?
Absolutely not.

Do I regret giving it a watch?
Absolument pas.

A strange, very French Film about another fringe kind of Vampire.  It's just not going to be for everyone- just like escargot.  

Tubi Thursday: Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dracula and The Wolfman

 Viva Conde Dracula!  Will this Mexican Dracula suck less than the last 2 I covered?

Here's hoping...

A bad man resurrects Dracula and The Wolfman.  Why?

For Satan, of course.

This is the same Dracula who fought Santo over his titular treasure (or sex, as the alternate Title implied)

Our Heroes take a break from Wrestling in a brightly lit, but otherwise empty room (it makes the Thunderdome look full) to help out when the Professor goes missing.

They leap into action...

...by which I mean they sit around and play Chess.

These guys miss people breaking into the House MULTIPLE times and the day is saved thanks to multiple Ex Machinas (mostly this magical dagger).

Don't get up, Champs.

The Plot gets complicated for them when the Werewolf romances a member of the family they are guarding in his human form.

To show how good they are, they leave him alone with her...and he immediately kills her.

*slow clap*

Oh and Blue Demon is captured.
Again.

At least he's not mind controlled to fight Santo...for a change.
He really is the Luigi of this Franchise though.

Can they save the day?  It sure doesn't look like they will.

Of course, they do...and make time for a quick Tag Match.  The End.

It isn't any more or less than you'd expect from them.

Have you seen an El Santo Film?  You've seen most of what this has to offer.

This one does have less prolonged fight scenes against goons, although it does have a couple.

It also has random bits of actual horror- especially once the little girl is left all alone for a bit- so that's nice.

That said, our Heroes are mostly useless.  At one point, Mobsters nearly defeat them.  In spite of that, they fend off like 14-20 Henchmen in the Finale- at least 3 of which are Werewolves.  

There's power creep (Google it) and then there's this!

The Film has a lovely HD Transfer, but it is also Dubbed.  I prefer Subbed (since it is the original Audio) myself, but I can deal with it.  There's also a certain charm to the fairly cheap Dubbing done by what sounds like 3-5 people.

Is the final showdown disappointing?  Yes.  Does that make it kind of funny?  Also yes.

This one is pretty fun, if slow at parts.  That said, here's some real Horror.  Look at this and see how long you can go without checking the nearest window...

A fun Film, either in spite of or because of the Dubbing.  The trade-off, of course, is the pristine HD Transfer.  Yum.

'60s Trash: Monsters Crash the Pajama Party (1965)

 At long last, a famous bit of nonsense...just with none of the fun charm that was supposed to be included.

Monsters Crash the Pajama Party is not really a Movie per se- it is the setup to a bigger Spookshow.  Needless to say, sitting at my Computer and watching it is not that thrilling.

Maybe at a Party it is better?
It is only 31 minutes long, after all.

The actual Film itself comes to us from David L. Hewitt, the man who also brought us Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horror(s), The Mighty Gorga and The Wizard of Mars.  Not the best Resume.

The Plot, as it were, involves a Mad Scientist, a Gorilla, some girls and some truly terrible comedy.

To find out if you can enjoy some of this on its own, read on...

A Mad Doctor- with convenient name tag- introduces the tale and does the usual 'no refunds if you die' schtick.

Fun Note- this would be an easy Halloween Costume for me to do (if I did them).
Bad Note- this 31-minute Film has around 6 minutes of Credits at the start.  Fast forward is advised.

A bunch of young ladies (they at least don't all look 30) are staying the night at a 'Haunted House' for a Sorority Initiation.  Won't the Hillbillys need them out before they can move in?

The boys leave, but...I mean, you've seen one of these.  They'll be back.

It isn't Haunted- the Mad Doctor lives down there.

He experiments with his Gorilla (Big G) and Draculina

Who is she?  You're watching the wrong Film if you expect an answer!

The boys get a flat tire (off-camera) and get delayed.  We get a Scooby-Doo-style sneak around the House bit...only this Film predates the Show by 4 years!

The Gorilla catches one girl and the Doctor turns her into a Gorilla (off-screen).

It is her, because she's wearing a nighty...that is the wrong color.

The Gorilla freaks out and knocks out the Doctor, turning her back.  So that was completely pointless.

More drawn out wandering around before a never-before-seen Hunchback helps the Gorilla catch the remaining girls for the Doctor (who got better).

Draculina- who we haven't seen since her one bit in the beginning- picks the blond to be experimented on.

Just then, a Werewolf runs in, loses its pants and runs out.  Thanks for that.

The boys- in masks- run in and...immediately take their masks off.  Huh?

They fight off Big G and throw bombs...that they found (?!?) at the Doctor to escape.

The annoyed Doctor decides to go with Plan B.  He has the laser gun turned towards the Screen to 'blast his way out' and sends in his minions to 'get a new girl.'

If you saw this at an official Spookshow Screening, they would have a plant dressed like that in the Audience to be 'taken' behind the Screen and into the Film.

Neat idea, to be fair, but it means nothing now as an MP4 File, right?

The End.

A weird, but not great part of Film History.  To be fair, the Film removed from everything else is not how it was seen.

Also, to be fair, it is still a terrible, pretty unfunny experience all the same.  It's not like it is good and then stops.  It is bad.  It has 6 minutes of Credits at the start.

Did this work for the 'let's get drunk/high and see something stupid' market back in 1965?  I don't know- I was -18 years old then.  I would be curious to hear someone who actually saw it then though.

I get that he was trying to be silly.  I get that he was being META at times (like when he clearly dubs over the Old Lady and says that he 'read ahead in the Script').

That said, the Acting by the Writer/Producer/Director/Composer is bad.  He fumbles an early line and just left it in.  Was he the Editor too?

As an historical oddity, it's worth a watch.  The Film came with a bunch of Extras, which are probably way better than this.  Watch it once if you're curious.  Just don't expect a quick start.

Next up, let's get another Remake out there.  Will it be cutting or Satanic?  Stay tuned...

'70s Class: Dead of Night (1977)

 After 30 years and with a new Director, will this one be even better?

1977's Dead of Night is a TV Movie Directed by Dan Curtis.  All of the Segments (with one caveat) were Written by the late great Richard Matheson.  It was supposed to be a Series, I think.  There are conflicting reports on this, as Wikipedia references a 1969 Pilot Version (which I'll have to check out).  Why would there be a Pilot Version, no sale and then a TV Movie 8 years later?

To be fair, this is the same Dan Curtis who made 2 Pilots in the same Year for the same Station to hedge his bets.  One went to Series- Kolchak the Night Stalker- and the other- The Norliss Tapes- did not.  Even so, the timeline is weird and, well, I can't exactly ask Dan Curtis now, can I?

I'll tell you now that this one lacks the structure of the 1945 Film and is just a bunch of stories.  They couldn't even afford a Framing Device, apparently, as we just get a Narrator at the beginning and that's it!

Will this Trilogy of tales of Terror be as memorable as those other Trilogies of Terror by Curtis?  To find out, read on...

Our one-time Narrator explains that 'Dead of Night' is not a time or a place...well, not exactly.

It is the part of our minds that can handle the dark, scary stuff...or something.  Look- it's a good title.  Moving on...

Our Hero- Ed Begley Jr- buys and restores a very old car that was once wrecked when its Driver tries to cross in front of a train.  He takes out for a drive one night (with the shutters exposed).

He sees a similarly old car drive by and is surprised.

When more drive by, he knows that something is up!

As it turns out, the Car took him back in time to when it was wrecked in the 1920s.  The Car is stolen from him while he's gawking at people in Town.

He wakes up the next morning like nothing happened, meets a girl and later meets her grandparents.

Grandpa gives him an old Car- the same one from before.

He slowed them down briefly when they took the Car and that made them not hit the train and die, so now a whole family line exists.

Hey Narrator- you still back there?  

Anything to say?
Nope.  Awkward Cut it is then to...

A woman is convinced that a Vampire is targeting here, as she keeps waking up feeling weak, her blood missing and strange wounds on her neck.

Her Husband- the original Avenger- is a skeptic, while their Housekeeper- the big-head guy from House on Haunted Hill- is a believer.

To make a long(ish) story short, it turns out to all be a long con by the Husband.

He invites an Expert over, but drugs him that night.  He takes blood via syringe from the wife and puts some on the guy's mouth.

He drags him upstairs and puts him in a coffin for the Housekeeper to find and kill.

He monologues to, well, nobody that the man was his Wife's Lover and... that's it.  Evil wins.

One last chance?

Any Commentary on that Story?  A pun?
Anything?

A woman is done mourning the death of her Son- named Bobby, duh- and has now moved on to Black Magic.

Her entirely offscreen Husband is in the dark about this whole thing as she does the ritual...

...which works, or seems to, at least.

Bobby is really weird and suddenly turns violent.  He chases her around the House and tries to attack her!  He taunts her the whole time, to boot.

She shoots him and he falls out a window...but he won't stay down.

In the closing moments, he reveals that since she killed Bobby, he didn't want to come back, so he sent a Demon in his place!

Cut to black and... yeah, that's it.

A very random collection of Tales in search of something more.  Am I the only one who likes/needs/prefers some sort of connective thread in my Anthology Films/Shows?

The Tales here are all fine, but there's also nothing that they really have in common.  One involves a time traveling car and a closed loop Plot.  One involves a Vampire...or does it and a general bit of Gaslighting.  The final one involves a bit of accidental demon summoning- as you do.

Is there a Theme here that I missed?
This, again, could be alright if the Story is the Theme- see The Vault of Horror, Tales from the Crypt or Dr. Terror's House of Horrors.  Hell, even Tales That Witness Madness was connected by the Asylum.

For better or worse, this is just 3 Stories that Richard Matheson had Written (although he actually just Adapted the first one) and Dan Curtis liked.  I guess they couldn't work in any other Format and these Anthologies were still popular at the time.

I like the Stories, Actors, Writer and Director all fine, but this just needed something else.  Maybe if they did them again.  Oh right- 'Bobby' was redone in 1996 for Trilogy of Terror II...

Next time, it is back to the DVD pile to clear up some room.  Maybe something nice and foreign will do the trick.  Stay tuned...

Five (Sometimes Obscure) Films to be Thankful For

 Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks.
That and Turkey.
And...Stuffing.
And that weird canned Cranberry Sauce.

How about we give Thanks for Movies that don't get enough praise for what they did?
Let's do that now...

1) Blood and Black Lace (1964)- Creating Slasher Films

Mario Bava's 1964 Classic a Murder Mystery involving Fashion Models being killed by a masked man.  You get stylish stabbing and a general vibe that would inspire a number of Giallo Films.
Those, in turn, would inspire Films like Halloween and...well, you get the rest.

2) The Shadow Strikes (1937)- The First Superhero Film

Marvel and DC are fighting over who can make the most money.  Well, they owe it all to this Film.

Okay, that's probably not true, but it was the first Film in the Genre, so...you're welcome.

3) Nosferatu (1922)- The First Vampire Film

This isn't exactly the most obscure one, but its historical importance is key.
It is the first Vampire Film, beating Vampyr in 1923 and the official adaptation in 1931.

It is also the first 'Mockbuster,' inspiring such Asylum Classics as Atlantic Rim and Snakes on a Train.

4) Westworld (1973)- The first full CGI Shots

While people will usually go right to Young Sherlock Holmes for this, as it features the first fully CGI Character.

That said, you have to learn to walk before you can run and the fully-CGI shots of Brenner's perspective in the Film are very important.

5) The House of the Devil (1896)- The First Horror Film

Melies was a groundbreaker in many ways and Edison stole his glory (and profits)..

Before your Grandparents (or possibly even Great Grandparents) were born, however, he was making this (short) Horror Film before Cinema was truly an Art Form.

There are many, many more Films to highlight and be thankful for.  

Watch yours today.

Shudder Sunday: V/H/S/94 (2020)

 As my final bit of penance for last week's absence of Shudder Sunday, here's...the Film that came before their latest new thing.

Gotta look back before you look forward, right?  It is...

In the Framing Device, a SWAT Team is breaking into the compound of some sort of Cult.

They all appear to be dead, mutilated and...watching TV.

In the first Tale, a Reporter goes all out to get the story of Ratman, a City's local (unseen) menace.

Let's just say that some legends are best left alone.

In the second Tale, a young woman is left to run an empty Wake.  What's that knocking sound?

Now the lights are out and...uh oh.

In the third Tale, a Mad Scientist is experimenting upon hapless victims in Malaysia. 
What's his master plan?

How do things get *worse* when help arrives?!?

In the final Tale, some (do I need to say White) Militia Men are planning an attack on a Government Building.

What is their secret weapon?
What will happen when it is turned on them?

As for what happens in the ever-stranger Framing Device, well, you'll have to stream and see.

A pretty strange and mixed set of Horror Shorts.  In case you're new to the Site (in which case, welcome!), you'll know that Found Footage is not my favorite thing.  The Films get too reliant on certain clichés and are usually too drawn out.

Well, if you put 4 (arguably 5) shorter ones together, that's...actually better.  Each one is by different people and thus has many differences.

As far as ranking the Segments, I'd say my most favorite is probably the first one, although the third one is right up there.  The second one has a few genuinely-good moments, but it spaced out a bit too much for me.  The final one is good too, while it also has more trouble explaining the 'why is this being filmed' issue.  The third one sure plays fast and loose with that aspect.

V/H/S 94 is all over the place, going from atmospheric horror to claustrophobic terror to splatter fest and (sort of) revenge tale throughout its pieces.  Regardless, they're all pretty good, as is this take on an Infinity Shot...

As an Anthology Film, it could do with more cohesion.  That said, each part is good and memorable in their own way.

Poor Bastards of Cinema: Dracula's Daughter (1936)

 Let's go back to the Golden Age of Cinema to see a random schmuck get killed.

In 1936's Dracula's Daughter (also the first Universal Horror Sequel, Film Trivia Buffs), we see the titular character show up to burn/bury her Father.

She has been afflicted with his same curse and hopes that his death will end it.

Sadly, that bit of lore had not been made up yet.

Pressed on by her Man Servant, she goes out to see if she can resist temptation.
A man walks into her range...

She does not succeed at her check and approaches the man...

She does her trick involving her hypnosis ring on him.

She also has her Dad's face-covering thing down.

...and I guess he's dead.

They didn't show fangs in a Vampire Film until the 1950s, so I guess this is for the best.

While he is an intended victim, his appearance is sudden, he is never named (not even in the Credits AFAIK) and only gets a passing mention as 'a previous victim' before the Film's end.

The lesson- avoid strange ladies in dark alleys.  I guess big rings too.

Next time, I go back to a previous Holiday Review to memorialize some real ancillary Characters.  They aren't important, but their deaths sure are violent!  See you then...