Tag Archives: voodoo

Halloween Horror Fest, Vampire

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Pull up a chair, settle down, here’s the next batch of scary movie reviews…

Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)

Now this is more like it! Late 60s/early 70s vampire film on a budget, Count Yorga, Vampire is something of a cult classic. Just the sort of nonsense I love! Set in California, we meet Bulgarian aristocrat Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) as he conducts a seance for a bunch of groovy kids.

Afterward, a couple of the groovy kids, Erica and Paul, give the Count a lift home to his foreboding estate. On the way back, their van gets stuck in the mud, and they’re attacked by the Count in full vampire mode. The next day, they remember nothing, though Erica has lost blood and is examined by a doctor friend.

Erica succumbs to vampirism, and is whisked away by Count Yorga. The race is then on to rescue her and destroy the Count and his minions.

It’s a simple film, but effectively breathes new life into the old vampire legend. Quarry is enigmatic and powerful as Yorga, looking part Terence Stamp and part Christopher Lee. Count Yorga, Vampire is low budget, dated, and rambles on a bit, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants to explore the kitsch and uncanny.

8/10

Child’s Play (1988)

On the other hand, whilst retro cheapo vampire movies are always to my taste, Child’s Play was never something that appealed to me. I’ve never really had much interest in the more modern American horror/slasher movie. However, I’m often proved wrong in this regard, and Child’s Play proved me wrong again.

Serial killer Charles Lee Ray is reincarnated by Voodoo spells as Chucky, an innocent looking Good Guy doll. Young Andy is desperate for one of these dolls for his birthday, and his mother manages to scrape together some cash to buy a dodgy one. This of course is Chucky, and he’s out for revenge on his former partner and anyone else who gets in his way.

Murder ensues, and of course none of the adults believe Andy when he claims Chucky is to blame. Yet slowly, his mother (Catherine Hicks) begins to suspect the truth. The lead detective on the case (Chris Sarandon) eventually comes to realise what’s going on, too. They need to keep Andy out of harms way and stop Chucky from becoming human again…

After all this time, I finally watched Child’s Play a few years ago, and wouldn’t you just know it – old Chucky grew on me. It’s actually quite a fun, engaging supernatural horror with lots going on, and some neat observations on the furor caused by toys like Cabbage Patch Dolls. Forget your incredulity and enjoy!

8.5/10

Vault of Halloween Horror Fest

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Welcome back, horror fiends! Let’s take a look at a couple more spooky movies for Halloween Horror Fest…

Vault of Horror (1973)

For our first film tonight, we’ll venture into the Vault of Horror, a portmanteau film from Amicus. Like its predecessor Tales from the Crypt, the five short stories that compose Vault of Horror are inspired by the classic, notorious EC Comics of the same title.

In this movie, we journey to a vampire café, witness an obsessively neat bully get his comeuppance, and see a nasty stage magician mess with forces he should’ve left well alone. Then there’s the tale of an insurance scam gone wrong with the protagonist buried alive, and an impoverished artist resorting to voodoo to enact his revenge.

The stories vary in their effectiveness, but all have a charm and entertainment value. My favourite segment is probably the first, the bistro of the undead – but the last two have the more chilling narrative. Great performances from a cast including Terry-Thomas, Glynis Johns and Tom Baker keep everything on track.

Obviously I’m a huge fan of both the old EC Comics and Amicus films in general, so I enjoyed every second of Vault of Horror. It may be dated, but class like this never goes out of style.

8/10

Rec (2007)

Rec is a Spanish horror movie in the found footage genre. It follows a TV reporter and her cameraman filming a local crew of firefighters, who end up trapped in a residential block. They’re effectively quarantined inside the building with several residents, while an outbreak of some unknown disease starts to spread and the infected attack and kill survivors.

As the situation intensifies, Rec does a fine job of keeping the viewer on the edge, ramping up the scares as we go. The found footage approach works excellently to give a sense of realism and immerses the viewer in the confined surroundings.

Rec was remade in the US (as they do) as Quarantine, though I’ve never seen it. Don’t let the subtitles in this version put you off – if anything, it’s another effective way to make the viewer feel isolated. Like Blair Witch does 28 Days Later, Rec is a harrowing, unnerving film. Rec-ommended! Hahaha!

8/10

Dr Terror’s House of Halloween Horror Fest

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Good evening, fiends! Welcome yet again to my abode, come inside and warm your bones by the fire. Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. Forget the howling wind and lashing rain outside. My faithful servant, Ygor, will bring you refreshment. And when you are ready, I’ll begin my tale…

Halloween Horror Fest 2023 is upon us – which means watching lots of spooky movies and sharing my mini reviews with you, lucky reader. As always, I intend to view a variety of films that are in the Halloween tradition. Whether old or new, frightful or fun – let’s indulge in a season of entertainment that’s truly fantastic!

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965)

A British horror classic, this film was made by Amicus Productions – not Hammer, as many would assume – though this rival picture features some familiar faces in it’s starry cast. Amicus are well remembered for their anthology movies, featuring several short stories within a framing narrative, a device that’s well utilised here.

Five strangers on a train journey meet Dr Schreck (Peter Cushing) – his name being German for “terror” – and his deck of tarot cards (his “House of Horrors”). Each passenger in turn has their future told by Schreck’s cards. There are tales of werewolves, vampires, voodoo and malevolent plants, as the passengers fates are revealed.

Some tales work better than others. The voodoo based segment, starring none other than Roy “Record Breakers” Castle and Kenny Lynch, is simple but effective with garish lighting and exotic jazz. You can’t go wrong with the legendary Christopher Lee, in his art critic/revenge from beyond the grave story, nor a young Donald Sutherland as a New England doctor with a vampire bride – even though the stories can seem too short, due to the portmanteau style.

I was less intrigued by the tale featuring Alan Freeman (yes, “Fluff” Freeman!) and his dangerously intelligent plant, so I guess even my ability to suspend disbelief can be pushed too far.

Despite the rushed nature of the stories, I consider Dr Terror’s House of Horrors a must see. The film looks great, boasts a formidable cast, and goes all out to entertain – even if it’s sometimes a bit creaky and dated. Worth watching for Cushing and Lee alone, there’s actually a lot more to enjoy in this Amicus thriller.

9/10

The Devil Commands (1941)

We’re going further back for our next spooky movie, where we’ll meet another horror legend, the one and only Boris Karloff! In this B&W B-movie, dear old Boris is less mad scientist, more frustrated professor led astray by the machinations of others.

Dr Blair (Karloff) is researching brain waves, when following the shock death of his beloved wife, he decides to use his research to speak to the dead. Under the conniving influence of a fraudulent medium, the doctor’s research becomes more dangerous and deadly…

I prefer my horror supernatural rather than sciencefictiony, but this is a neat, stylish little film. Despite a simple, perhaps obvious plot, the performance of the wonderful Karloff the Uncanny entices the viewer to keep watching, The Devil Commands is a great watch for those, like me. who like a bit of old school scary.

7/10

The Plague of Halloween Horror Fest

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Halloween may be over, but Platinum Al’s still got a couple of movie reviews for ya! Well, I didn’t get time to write ’em up before bed time on the 31st – so here they are!

The Plague of the Zombies (1966)

In a small, remote village in Cornwall, a series of deaths from a strange disease has baffled local doctor Peter Thompson (Brook Williams). He requests assistance from his mentor, Sir James Forbes (Andre Morell), who is accompanied on his journey by his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare).

When exhuming the plague victims graves reveals a lack of bodies, the doctors are stumped even further. Adding further complication is the tragic and mysterious death of Peter’s wife, Alice (Jacqueline Pearce). Soon, it becomes clear that the local Squire Hamilton (John Carson) – and his band of hedonistic goons – are mixed up in proceedings; with a mixture of voodoo and black magic…

Fans of the Walking Dead, or other modern zombie movies, may find this Hammer production somewhat tame by today’s standards, but there’s a lot to enjoy. The Plague of the Zombies takes a more traditional path with its tale rooted in voodoo, with a clever script that veers away from the usual Gothic creatures employed by Hammer.

Neither Lee or Cushing make an appearance, sadly – but the acting is particularly good never the less, with Andre Morell shining. The Plague of the Zombies is successful entertainment and shows Hammer trying to be innovative with it’s output.

8/10

The Crow (1994)

Our final film for this year’s Halloween Horror Fest is a 1990s classic that made a massive impression on me, when I first viewed it in the cinema.

In a city overrun with crime, musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée are ruthlessly murdered by a criminal gang. One year later, Eric is revived through the spirit magic of a crow, to enact revenge on the killers. One by one, the perpetrators meet brutal ends, but the complicated web of crime continuously unravels, leading Eric to the gangster overlord, Top Dollar (Michael Wincott).

The Crow is a magnificently macabre, dark tale – a violent, action-packed revenge story with gothic supernatural elements. It may not be pure horror, but this twisted superhero drama is definitely pure Halloween. Brandon Lee is the soul of the movie, he’s both prefect and unforgettable in the role of Eric. Sadly, his accidental death during filming adds a haunting tone to the film. Even so, The Crow is a fine testament to Lee.

Visually stunning on the screen, the soundtrack is also fantastic: one of the greatest soundtrack albums ever compiled, it’s a classic of it’s time.

The Crow still has an incredible emotional impact. It’s a simple, moralistic fable wrapped up in a bloody revenge movie – with a sympathetic anti-hero and melancholic tone. Absolute class.

R.I.P. Brandon Lee

10/10

Hallowe’en Playlist

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All these posts about horror movies, it’s about time there was a post devoted to music for Hallowe’en!

I have a couple of Hallowe’en compilation CDs, this playlist puts together various songs not on those collections.  Some of the choices are obvious horror themes (“The Number of the Beast”, “Nasty”); others are more tenuous (“Devil in Disguise”, “Hotter Than Hell”).  Other selections are related, directly or not, to great scary movies: you know where “Bad Moon Rising” is from, right?

Either way, there’s a variety of styles here – suitable for (most) Hallowe’en gatherings…

  1. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Bad Moon Rising”
  2. The Damned – “Nasty”
  3. Elvis Presley – “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise”
  4. Ramones – “Pet Semetary”
  5. Motorhead – “Hellraiser”
  6. Johnny Cash – “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky”
  7. Iron Maiden – “The Number of the Beast”
  8. The Misfits – “Vampira”
  9. Kiss – “Hotter Than Hell”
  10. Rolling Stones – “Sympathy for the Devil”
  11. Zombina & The Skeletones – “Nobody Loves You (When You’re Dead)”
  12. Ozzy Osbourne – “Mr Crowley”
  13. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – “I Put a Spell on You”
  14. GBH – “Horror Story”
  15. Van Halen – “Runnin’ with the Devil”
  16. David Bowie – “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)”
  17. The Cult – “The Witch”
  18. Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”
  19. Alice Cooper – “I Love the Dead”