Mini-review: Madhouse (1974)

Madhouse
Directed by Jim Clark

A fairly forgettable horror mystery with a decent setup marred by an uninspired twist ending and an unfortunate misuse of horror icons Vincent Price and Peter Cushing. When given the right material, both of these actors can be compelling, entertaining, and even quite chilling; but with what they were given here, neither of them shine at all, and the whole movie fails because of it. Price is given a mopey, uninvolved character, whereas Cushing isn't given much to do at all (until near the end, which is where the movie starts to pick up, despite being relatively predictable). No, this isn't a bad movie. It's decent. But it could have been much more, which is really its biggest problem.

Mini-review: Twins Of Evil (1971)

Twins Of Evil
Directed by John Hough

A beautiful-looking gothic vampire film from Hammer, and one of my personal favorites of their selection. Very dark and menacing, this movie is one of the most daring efforts from the horror studio, and an odd showcase for the two lead performances by Playboy centerfold twins Mary and Madeleine Collins -- who actually give a surprisingly strong pair of performances. Filled with multi-dimensional characters, awesome costume and set designs, great suspense and build-up, and yet another fantastic performance by Peter Cushing (notice a trend yet?). Incredibly underrated, and one of the best vampire movies out there.

Mini-review: Tales From The Crypt (1972)

Tales From The Crypt
Directed by Freddie Francis

Fun, spooky, and one of the better horror anthologies of its time, this movie switches from segment to segment without any weak spots. It's the right balance of creepy and silly that makes for a very entertaining watch. Some of the performances are over-the-top, but never in a way that's distracting or uneven with the tone of the whole movie, and some of the performances are actually really compelling. Peter Cushing's small role is a prime example of that (which is basically a no-brainer, because he's always awesome). I'm surprised more people haven't seen this movie -- I'd call it one of the most underrated horror films of the '70s.

Mini-review: The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

The Hills Have Eyes
Directed by Wes Craven

One of the earliest crazy hillbilly killer movies, and one of the most genuinely creepy. The acting is a bit stiff, but the characters are compelling enough to give you a reason to care what might happen to them (a statement that wouldn't apply to a majority of movies like this). Much like Wes Craven's first film, The Last House On The Left, this movie is violent, controversial, daring, and more than a little disturbing. It may not hold up as well as some others from its time, but still quite effective.

Mini-review: Blacula (1972)

Blacula
Directed by William Crain

With a title this amazing, this movie should have been so much better. Nowhere near as funny or silly as it ought to have been, a good deal of this movie is actually pretty straight-forward and dry. William Marshall gives a good performance, but this is over-shadowed by the fact that the movie itself is a bit of a joke, and his performance is far too good to belong in a blaxploitation flick. Don't get suckered in by the title; this movie is not particularly fun, funny, or even original at all.

Mini-review: The Last House On The Left (1972)

The Last House On The Left
Directed by Wes Craven

At times excruciating to watch, but completely worth struggling through if you have the stomach for it. Brutal, disturbing, and well-acted (David Hess is a particular standout), Wes Craven started off his directorial career with a bang. Though the tone is a bit uneven, the characterization is lacking, and the soundtrack leaves little to be impressed by, there are few other complaints I can make towards this low budget horror classic. Just don't watch it until you're ready for something that's really messed up.

Mini-review: Frogs (1972)

Frogs
Directed by George McCowan

A genuine surprise, if only for the fact that it's not nearly as silly and idiotic as it probably ought to be. Though obviously not the darkest, most horrifying of horrors, this is a movie that knows its limitations and doesn't make an ass of itself (if that's something a movie can even do in the first place). There were a few moments that actually worked, and though it's hard to find frogs even remotely terrifying, I appreciate the effort and relative effectiveness of this movie -- especially considering its inherent restraints. Also, bonus points for the poster.