Blu-ray Review: THE DEADLY SPAWN [The Millennium Edition]

THE DEADLY SPAWN (1983)

Millennium Edition

Label: Elite Entertainment

Region Code: A

Duration: 81 mins

Video: Fullscreen (1.33:1)

Audio: English LPCM 2.0

Director: Douglas McKeown

Cast: Charles George Hildebrandt, Tom DeFranco, Richard Lee Porter, Jean Tafler

Deadly Spawn (1983) is an early 80's slice of sci-fi schlock cinema that's stuffed with gore, camp and unintentional hilarity. The story is quite simplistic:  a meteorite falls to Earth where it is found by two campers in a remote wooded area whom are torn to pieces by the toothsome alien parasite that arrived with it . The creature makes it's way into town where it finds shelter in the basement of a home and it's not long before the homeowners fall prey to it's toothy maw. The four remaining members of the household slumber completely unaware that an alien menace lays in waiting the basement.

The four remaining members of the home are a young teen named Charles, his older science-nerd brother Pete, their Aunt Mille and Uncle Herb. The character of Charles is a true horror nerd's horror nerd with a deep love of special effects and horror cinema. He's not far removed from Joey from Tobe Hooper's criminally underrated carnival-set slasher The Funhouse (1981) or Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman) which we would see just a year later in Joseph Zito's Friday the 13: The Final Chapter (1984).

As the film plays along the creature in the basement continues to grow with each new victim it consumes. While it grows it also unleashes hundreds of offspring that bare more than a passing resemblance to the chest-burster from Ridley Scott's Alien (1979). The slimy spermal offspring begin to wreak their own toothy menace within the house leading to a final showdown in the attic pitting the special effects wizardry of Charles against the main toothsome alien parasite.

The Deadly Spawn is a film assembled by people whom clearly did not possess a great deal of skill in front of or behind the camera. It's a rickety production from the top down with workman like cinematography, lacklustre editing, poor dialogue and sub-par acting but despite these technical deficits there's just something so damn charming about this film. 

The creature-design by John Dods (Black Roses, Monsters TV Series) is quite inspired,  a three-headed phallic hydra with row upon row of gruesome razor sharp teeth that ooze slime, it's terrific looking in every shot. Also super fun are the creature's spawn which slither across the floor, very cool lo-fi effects, great stuff. The gore is alsolow-budget but top notch with a some fantastic face shredding featuring the skin peeling right off the face and some gruesome decapitations, definitely low-budget gore done right.

There are some nice touches throughout including a chat between the Uncle (who's a pyschologist) and Charles as the uncle tries to understand the young boy's fascination with the macabe. I also enjoyed the use of miniatures during the films beginning and partricularly the ending, fun stuff that seemed to channel 1950's science fiction features like The Blob (1958) and Invaders from Mars (1952), fun stuff. The real hero of the film though is the creature design and bloody gore effects, outstanding.

While it's great to see this obscure 80's gore-classic get the high-definition treatment it's not really up to snuff in the audio and video department. Let's start with the transfer; it's been given an atomic-sized dose of Digital Noise Reduction (DNR) to the point that the 16mm grain of the film stock has all but disappeared leaving it pretty anemic looking in the fine detail department, visually it's a lacklustre affair and if you own the previous Synapse Films DVD edition which boasts a superior picture and includes an audio commentary with writer Tim Sullivan, director Douglas McKeown, actor Charles Hildebrandt, special effects artist John Dods, and executive producer Tim Hildebrandt which is not found here. Likewise the audio is unremarkable on every level, it's tinny and boxy with the audio dropping out completrely at one point for a split second.

Special Features: 

- Introduction with Ted A. Bohus (1:19)

- Audio Commentary  with Producer Ted A. Bohus and Editor Marc Harwood

- Effects Enhanced Opening Scene (4:43)

- Casting Tapes and Gag Reel (35:57) 

- Bloopers and Outtakes (4:56) 

- Local Television Coverage Footage (40:32) 

- "Take One" (24:58)  

- "Visit with the Deadly Spawn" (8:39)  

- Production and Promotional Still Photo Gallery (15:30)  

- Color Pages from the Upcoming Comic Book

- A Theatrical Trailer and a T.V. Spot (2:24) 

- Full Color Insert featuring Liner Notes by Producer Ted A. Bohus

Verdict: As a fan of 80's horror and schlock cinema I think you need The Deadly Spawn on your shelf, it's a gruesome low-budget alien-chomper that's surely inept but also pretty kick-ass. The poor transfer makes it hard for me to say this is worth an upgrade if you own the Synapse DVD but if you are currently without this in your collection and can pick it up on the cheap I say it's a no-brainer - get it because they just don't make 'em like this anymore.
 3 outta 5

DVD Review: BIO SLIME (2010)

 

BIO SLIME (2010)

Production Company: Forward Motion Entertainment
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 87 mins
Video: 16:9 Widescreen
Director: John Lechago
Cast: Victoria DeMare, Vincent Bilancio, Ronnie Lewis, Micl Bartluci, Gia Paloma, Magic J. Ellingson

BIO SLIME comes from the mind of KILLJOY 3 director John Lechago who also directed BLOOD GNOME and MAGUS. His latest entry is a sci-fi horror b-movie that begins with a drug deal gone bad on the seedy streets of LA when a double-crossing drug dealer ends up a stiff and his girlfriend Donna flees the scene with a mysterious briefcase. Running scared she ends up at her friend Jack's (Magic J. Ellinson, RED SANDS) meth-lab located in a converted apartment building that now houses a low-rent porn operation as well as the paint studio of Troy (Vincent Bilancio, RAT SCRATCH FEVER), a once rising star in the LA art scene who's now just a sad drunk with waning options. Also in the building are porn director Chuck, porn actresses Mary (Victoria DeMare, KILLJOY 3), Annie, Troy's abused niece Shannon, art dealer Hal, the landlord Jimmy (Al Burke, KILLJOY 3) and his young mail-order bride Costanza.

While certain drama's unfold within the building, including Jimmy evicting Troy, Donna's curiosity about the contents of the briefcase results in her accidentally releasing what's inside and what's inside is a slimy, flesh-eating blob which make her it's first victim. The creature takes up residence in the building's plumbing and crawlspaces and the next to fall prey to the blob is a porn actress showering away the day's slimy activities. At first it's victims disappear unnoticed but when Shannon's abusive boyfriend Brandon (Mark Stefanovski) is driven outta the complex by force he returns with vengeance on his mind trapping everyone inside with not just him but the tentacled alien blob as well. With no way out and no cellphone reception (of course) it's an all out siege as they try to avoid being absorbed in the alien slime.

The acting pretty typical of a low-budget b-movie, there's some decent performers and some not so decent and in the former category we get a strong performance from Vincent Bilancio as the likable alcoholic painter Troy who just so happens to go cold turkey this particular day, as you can imagine it's difficult to fight of an alien infestation with the DT's which leads to some desperate measures on his part. Also turning in a solid performance is Victoria DeMare as porn-actress Maria whom Troy totally has the hots for. You may recall DeMare from her memorable performance as Batty Boop in Lechago's KILLJOY 3 and this is a fun part, particularly after she is absorbed into the creature and interacts with Troy playing on his desires for her. There's a fun group dynamic throughout the film, and while at times there are perhaps too many characters onscreen for my tastes Lechago does his best to make it work despite some awkward dialogue and stilted acting.

Tom Devlin's (SOMEONE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR) special effects make-up on the film are of the 80's old school horror variety with some cheap CGI thrown in which tends not to be the greatest but overall the practical effects are top-notch for what surely must have been a limited budget. The creature effects are slimy, gloopy and really call back to Chuck Russells's THE BLOB and with a bit of SPIDER-MAN 3's Venom thrown in. The way that it absorbs it's prey and incorporates them into  itself is pretty creepy stuff.

A few of the action set pieces felt a bit awkwardly staged but Lechago makes up for it with some very effective creature effects and some sleazy nudity courtesy of the porn operation. BIO SLIME is a flesh-eating blob flick that's not too original and not nearly a stunner but its definitely a fun b-movie with some elements of THE BLOB, THE THING, SPECIES and SPLINTER. The film as of yet has no distribution but hopefully will see a DVD release sometime in the near future, this would be a great rental. 3/5

http://www.bioslimethemovie.com/

ALIEN 2 ON EARTH (1980) coming to DVD from Midnight Legacy

ALIEN 2 ON EARTH Coming to DVD and Blu-ray 

on March 22 via Midnight Legacy

ALIEN 2 ON EARTH (1980)

Release Date: March 22nd 20111

LABEL: Midnight Legacy

REGION CODE: All Region

DIRECTOR: Ciro Ippolito

CAST: Belinda Mayne, Mark Bodin, Roberto Barrese, Benny Aldrich, Michele Soave

Classic Italian Horror / Sci-Fi Film Never-Before-Released in the United States

For their inaugural release, Midnight Legacy is presenting the first-ever widescreen release of Alien 2 On Earth. The uncut, English language, 1.85 widescreen release of the 1980 Italian Horror / Sci-Fi film directed by Ciro Ippolito (Sam Cromwell), is coming to DVD and Blu-ray on March 22.

This film has never been released in the United States... Only a handful of countries saw a cropped and edited VHS release nearly thirty years ago. This definitive version, transferred from the original 35mm negative, runs longer than any other version seen throughout the world. It is the presentation that finally represents the intended vision of Alien 2 On Earth.

"We are immensely pleased to have partnered with MVD as it presents a strong opportunity for strategic market penetration for our releases with a distributor who shares our vision for preserving and delivering films of the highest technical quality," said Dolph Chiarino, Co-Founder of Midnight Legacy. "MVD possesses a rather unique model within key business sectors bringing Midnight Legacy titles to the broadest possible audience."

For the past 10 years, Chiarino and Bill Knight (founders of Midnight Legacy) has been the go-to people for independent genre labels to release European horror and sci-fi titles on DVD. Whether it is to provide elements, ensure a title was uncut, or to advise what titles would be choice candidates, their knowledge proved to be quite lucrative for companies such as Anchor Bay, Blue Underground, Synapse, Media Blasters, and quite a few others.

"When we started this venture, we knew we had to be fully committed to going the distance when preserving many rare films without the typical cost cutting procedures employed throughout the industry," said Chiarino. "A rather distinctive hands-on approach encompassing personally supervising the transfer work in Rome, the disc work here, and simply building relationships with some of the most respected film and post-house individuals that share our vision. These are all key facets that deliver a measurable benefit to the viewer. As far as we are aware, we are the only genre company creating Digital Intermediates (DIs) for all of our titles. The results are more of a major restoration rather than simply a "new" transfer, and it certainly is visible to our viewer base."

Midnight Legacy's most fundamental principal was to establish a trust between the consumer and the brand... One that ensures all titles are fully uncut, properly framed, and presented in a definitive version of the absolute highest quality. With over 23 years experience dealing in these types of films, Midnight Legacy is proud to bring many rarely seen titles to the their collection. They pride themselves on respecting the original intentions of the filmmakers, and preserving the legacy these films have created.

"MVD is proud to represent Midnight Legacy," said Ed Seaman, COO of MVD Entertainment Group. "Between the classic content they are uncovering and their commitment to excellence, they separate themselves from the pack. MVD has a lot of experience representing classic horror, and Alien 2 On Earth is a great start with Midnight Legacy, particularly considering the great job they have done with the restoration, transfers and packaging."

"Alien 2 On Earth" SYNOPSIS:

A group of cave explorers are confronted in an underground cavern by a mysterious living rock. Little do they know that it bears home to deadly, flesh-eating creatures, intent on wiping out the entire human population. Can they survive and ultimately prevent earth's total annihilation? The film stars Belinda Mayne, Mark Bodin, Roberto Barrese, Benny Aldrich, Michele Soavi and Judy Perrin.

Blu-ray FEATURES:

- Brand new 1.85:1 high definition transfer from the original 35mm negative featuring significant additional footage not seen anywhere in the world.

- Ultra high bitrate AVC encode @36 MBS, on a BD-50, faithfully representing our 2k scan and preserving the integrity and look of film.

- English DTS MA 2.0, fully restored from the original audio masters, and respectful of the original sound design.

- Special features include the only surviving trailer from the mega rare Dutch VHS , and effects outtakes transferred directly from the negative B-roll in full HD.

- Limited Collector's Edition designed as a true collector's item.

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvwVFDNDXcg

Blu-ray Info: www.seeofsound.com/p.php?s=MLBD001

DVD Info: www.seeofsound.com/p.php?s=MLDVD001

DVD REVIEW: There's Nothing Out There (1992) Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition

THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE (1992)

Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition

LABEL: Troma
RATING: Unrated
DURATION: 91 Min.
REGION CODE:  All
DIRECTOR: Roffe Kanefsky
CAST: Craig Peck, Wendy Bednarz, Marl Collver, Bonnie Bowers
TAGLINE: A Horror Film of Comic Proportions

PLOT: We don’t need a Maury Povich paternity test to prove what we’re talking about! THERE’S NOTHING OUT THERE is the original, self-referential, horror-comedy cult classic that planted the seed in Kevin Williamson’s egg-head for SCREAM! Rockin’ social stereotypes like they’re going out of style, seven teens take off to a lake house for spring break and drive into a horror film. With fellow teen Mike, the dorky horror movie buff to guide them, they know what is coming – they just can’t avoid it! One-by-one they are hunted down by a horny taco-shaped alien determined to mate with all the girls and annihilate all the boys! (from Troma.com)

Rolfe Kanefsky's THERE’S NOTHING OUT THERE  opens in a VHS rental shop. We get some great shots of classic VHS cover art for GRIZZLY, RATS and EVIL DEAD as the young woman is attacked by an assailant. She ends up wrapped in a mess of 3/4" VHS tape only to awaken - it's only a nightmare. The problem is she awakens to find she's fallen asleep behind the wheel of her car and careens off the roadway into a wooded area just as a green glowing orb descends from the sky and lands in a puddle of water right next to her car. Is it the Loc-Nar from HEAVY METAL (1981)? No, it's an amphibious alien creature that looks like a vicious green-skinned Angler fish with two limp tentacles. It's definitely a Troma-riffic prop, that's for sure. The chic sees that something has landed aside her car and exclaims "Oh my God, a falling cloud!". Oh yeah. she's gonna die. Cue the opening credits and a score that recalled John Carpenter performing the Dr. Who theme.

We have a group teens on their way to a cabin in the woods by the lake for spring break. The cabin belongs to the parents of the preppy Nick who's brought along his girlfriend Stacy. They are joined by his nerdy companion David and his Russian exchange student girlfriend Janet, jocko-erectus Jim and his blonde girlfriend Doreen and our main guy, the ultimate horror-geek Mike (Craig Peck). En route they pass the scene of the accident from the prologue as police and paramedics search for the body of the young woman. Right away Mike recognizes that this is what is known as the warning stage in every horror film. Upon arriving at the cabin the group are settling in when a group of heavy metal stoners show up in a minivan and take to the lake for some skinny dipping. They pull up and immediately take of their clothes and splash around the water, gratuitous nudity right from the start. The film doesn't skimp on the nudity either and there are some nice 80's ladies here. Nick confronts the group who explain that they thought this was the lake by the camp, perhaps a reference to Friday the 13th, hmmmmm. Once again Mike sees this as foreshadowing as the stoners are prime candidates for death in a slasher film. The teens proceed to do pretty much everything you're not supposed to do in a horror film; skinny dipping and going for walks in the woods and they of course end up being picked-off one by one by the alien creature as Mike dispenses useful but largely ignored warnings. As people start to disappear and it becomes quite clear that there is something out there Mike arms himself with ...shaving cream , cuz after all not even an alien wants a mouthful of shaving cream, right? The character of Mike as played by Craig Peck made the film for me, I truly enjoyed his witty dialogue, comedic delivery and riffs on the horror genre, good stuff. The goofiness works against it at certain points but overall a fun watch.

The film is definitely of modest means. It's from a then first time director (nineteen at the time of filming) and it sufferes a bit for it but it. The creature design and effects are pretty shit throughout including a green hypno-beam that emminates from it's eye which render victim subject to it's control. Thankfully, the film is less about the creature than about the character of Mike, the ultimate horror nerd who comes to actually realize he's in a horror film. At one point a character uses a visible boom mic to swing to safety. Obviously more a comedic send-up of the horror genre than an actual horror film this was a lot of fun. It's cheesey, campy and very tongue-in-cheek. It's been said that this film may have been the inspiration for Kevin Williamson's SCREAM screenplay. I can definitely see it but what Williamson improved upon was to provide a better villian. Here Kanefsky crams in a ton of slasher cliches but tosses us an alien insteads of a masked killer and storywise and given the budget I think it could've been better.

DVD: Rolfe Kanefsky's THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE (1990) gets a deluxe 2-disc edition from Troma, and it's quite a package. The film is presented in a 16x9 enhanced 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio with a Dolby Digital stereo mix. The image is soft and lacks fine detail but this is probably the best the film has ever looked. There's great array of bonus features including a fun short starring scream queen Tiffany Shepis called MOOD BOOBS wherein a woman inadvertently wishes for problematic magical breasts. A lot of the features have intros by director Rolfe Kanefsky. Obviously a man in love with the genre he recounts giving a copy of the film to the son of Wes Craven whom a few years later would hit it big with a similarly self aware slasher film you may have heard of called SCREAM.

SPECIAL FEATURES: DISC 1
- New Introduction by Lloyd Kaufman (5:13)
- New Introduction by Rolfe Kanefsky (1:13)
- Original Director's Commentary with director Rolde Kanefsky, editor Victor Kanesfy, actors Craig Peck and Mark Colver, and crew members.
- New 20th Anniversary Director's Commentary with Rolfe Kanefsky 


SPECIAL FEATURES: DISC 2
- There's Nothing Out There Music Video with Intro (5:15)
- Behind-the-scenes with writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky
- Rolfe Kanefsky's short film MOOD BOOBS starring Tiffany Shepis with Intro (19:36)
- Rolfe Kanefsku short film JUST LISTEN with Intro (14;36)
- Behind-the-Scenes of Mood Boobs (16:07)
- Screen Tests Original Cast Auditions with optional commentary (11:59)
- Pre-Production Footage and Storyboards with optional subtitles (7:11)
- Rehearsal Footage and Bloopers(10:38)
- Animation Test Footage and Deleted Scenes with optional commentary (3:26)
- Production Stills Gallery with optional commentary (4:17)


VERDICT: This is a fun little horror film. Director Kanefsky's love for the genre is abundantly clear, he gets it and this send-up of horror cliches and tropes is an endearing love letter to the genre. Did SCREAM rip-off this film? Well,  it's sense of irony and self-referential humor is very similar without a doubt. I don't think it out and out ripped it off but There's Nothing Out There is most assuredly a proto-ironic slasher and many films in it's wake shared similar qualities. I give the a definite recommend and good on Troma for giving it the deluxe treatment.
**1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)

www.troma.com

DVD REVIEW: Resonnances (2006)

RESONNANCES (2006)

STUDIO: Synapse Films
YEAR: 2006
REGION: 1
RATED: Unrated
GENRE: Horror, Sci-Fi
RUNNING TIME: 83 Min.
DIRECTOR: Philippe Robert
CAST: Johanna Andraos, Marjorie Dubesset, Vincent Lecompte, Sophie Michard, Franck Monsigny, Patrick Mons, Romain Ogerau, Livane Revel, Yann Sundberg, Thomas Vallegeas
RELEASE DATE: December 14th 2010
TAGLINE: Watch Your Step!


PLOT: A perfect getaway for a group of friends turns into a nightmare in this amazing French micro-budget horror/sci-fi film! Thomas, Yann, Vincent and three female friends hop into their cars and travel to the French mountains for a relaxing weekend trip. On their way, a dangerous psychopath escapes from prison and there’s even talk of a ghostly female apparition haunting the area. After picking up a suspicious hitchhiker, a thick fog envelops their cars and sends them all over a steep cliff! Barely surviving the fall, they soon discover something even more horrifying. An ancient creature lives under the ground… listening and waiting. It’s ready to devour anyone and anything in its path and this group of friends is very much on tonight’s menu! (from http://synapse-films.com/)


FILM: Every so often we're treated to the indie film that despite (or because of) it's meager beginnings transcends it's micro-budget and slaps you upside the head with it's great writing, good acting, surprising visuals and winning indie-spirit ...enter RESONNANCES (2006) from French filmmaker Philippe Robert. There have been a good number of great horror titles coming outta France this past decade including HIGH TENSION (2003), INSIDE (2007) and LA HORDE (2009), all stylish and unflinching stuff. RESONNANCES is not as polished as nor as bloody as these films but what the filmmakers have been able to put to film is truly fantastic stuff.

The film opens in the French countryside in the year 1663 as a young woman is walking through a wooded she witnesses a meteor slam into the earth. She's knocked unconscious by the impact. When she awakens the ground swells beneath her, something is stirring. Startled she runs for her life through the wood pursued by creature which travels underground in a way that disturbs the soil a'la TREMORS (1990) by way of  CADDYSHACK (1980). Stumbling terrified through the woods she comes to a stone wall, clawing and scrambling she is unable to climb the facade. The thing violently slams into the wall and the ground erupts in a shower of dirt and stone. We don't see it but we know she's a goner for sure.

Present day we're introduced to three friends - Yann, Thomas and Vincent. Three pretty average late-20's dudes 'cept for Vincent who's the most hardcore gamer I've ever seen. He comes quipped with a Gameboy holster at his side and festooned with a kick-ass Elektra t-shirt he's a bit of a smart-ass and sarcastic as hell. The three are on on their way to a BBQ with Yann's girlfriend Karine, Elodie and Tina. The latter having a bit of an unrequited crush on gamer Vincent who jerkily refers to her as "Tuna" and explains he'd rather jerk-off to Lara Croft than stick his dick in "Tuna". I really enjoyed the interactions of the characters, the dialogue is light and fun with good natured ribbing between the guys, very snarky and natural. After dinner the  group hit the road en route to a mountaintop getaway. The guys lose sight of the girl's car and end up running out of gas on a forested route known as The Road of the White Lady, a place of legend where for years there have been reports of a ghostly white apparition and missing travelers. The trio push the car to a gas station that appears unattended and when Thomas goes inside to leave payment he is startled by a mysterious stranger who tags along with them (bad idea). Back on the road the foursome see what appears to be the fabled White Lady and lose control of the car careening off a steep embankment only to be conveniently saved by a tree. From there a passenger is extracted by the creature and the shit hits the fan, let the fun begin. 

The story itself is hardly original. There are elements of EVIL DEAD (1981), the aforementioned TREMORS (1990) and NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986). Lack of originality aside what makes RESONNANCES so much fun is it's winning spirit and loving homage to genre films.

The creature itself is digitally rendered with Syfy grade effects that more or less work without drawing attention to themselves. I'd put this on the level of a kindred-spirited indie horror film called INFESTATION (2008). There's very little gore here, but great use of miniature sets and decently rendered lo-fi digital effects, good stuff. What Writer-Director-Editor-Cinematographer Phillipe Robert has been able to muster here is pretty miraculous and a hell of a lotta fun.

DVD: The SYNAPSE FILMS DVD release of RESONNANCES (2006) comes with a non- anamorphic 1.85:1 letterboxed transfer stemming from the fact the the film was shot on non-anamorphic standard definition video. The film definitely shows it's limitations during the night scenes (i.e. 95% of the film) but the film is engrossing and it works despite it's technical shortcomings.  Two audio options are included; a French language Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 stereo soundtrack with optional English subtitles. The only supplemental material being a Theatrical Trailer. I would have enjoyed a commentary, this is an indie horror feature that has a lot of love put into it and a commentary would have been appreciated.


VERDICT: RESONNANCES is a fantastically satisfying sci-fi horror romp that oozes passion project from  start to finish. It's funny without being stupid and it's tense without taking itself too seriously. If you're a fan of TREMORS, THE THING, or INFESTATION I know you're gonna enjoy this. A high recommend from me, if you're in my area look me up and we'll watch it together, bring some beers and we'll have a blast...or pick-it up when it comes to DVD from Synapse Film on December 14th 2010. ***1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)


- McBASTARD

VHS Review: TerrorVision (1986)

TERRORVISION (1986)

“People of Earth, your planet is about to be destroyed… We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience”

RATED: R
RUN TIME: 83 Min.
DIRECTOR: Ted Nicolaou
CAST: Diane Franklin, Gerrit Gragam, Mary Warnov, Chad Allen, Jon Gries, Bert Remsen, Alejandra Rey, Randi Brookes, Jennifer Richards, Sonny Carl Davies

SYNOPSIS: When Stanley Putterman installs a brand new, state-of-the-art satellite dish in his backyard, his family ends up getting a lot more than just ESPN. Unfortunately for Stanley, his satellite is a perfect receptor for a load of extraterrestrial garbage that just happened to be converted into energy and zapped into his backyard: a hideous, two-ton alien blob with eyes and a never-ending appetite

Horror-host Medusa

THE FILM: Oh, 1980’s – how I miss your neon glow. Before Full Moon Pictures there was Charles Band’s now defunct Empire International Pictures, of the two I prefer Empire International Pictures body of films; RE-ANIMATOR (1985), FROM BEYOND (1986), DOLLS (1987), and GHOULIES (1985) to name a few. TerrorVision begins as the garish 80’s family the Putterman’s are installing that most 80’s of conventions – the satellite TV. Unbeknownst to them their newly installed satellite dish has picked up an energy beam from the planet Pluton, infecting their TV with a creature from beyond their universe, known as the “hungry beast”. The Putterman’s are comprised of father Stanley (Gerrit Graham, C.H.U.D. II), mother Raquel (Mary Warenov, HOUSE OF THE DEVIL) both of whom are swingers, their daughter Suzy (Diane Franklin, BETTER OFF DEAD) a neon-maned metal chick with a leather and W.A.S.P. t-shirt clad rocker boyfriend, O.D. (Jon Gries, MONSTER SQUAD), Grandpa (Bert Remsen) a heavily armed WW2 vet with a bomb shelter in the basement, and their son Sherman (Chad Allen) is an imaginative horror fan, and the only one who realizes what’s going on. A really great cast, putting Mary Warnov and Gerrit Graham together as the mom and dad was a stroke of pure genius, and Bert Remsen as the grandfather is a lot of fun.

Sherman’s parents and sister both go out for a night on the town, leaving him and gramps to watch some late-night creature feature hosted by the serpentine-haired Medusa. Both nod off and awaken to the “hungry beast” in their living room, narrowly escaping to the fallout shelter in the basement where they arm themselves to the teeth. Gramps is no match for the hungry beast and is absorbed by the creature, leaving behind a slimy cesspool. Soon after Sherm’s parents and a swinging couple they’ve picked-up arrive back at the house, followed by his sister and her rocker boyfriend. No one believes him, despite the pile of slime on the floor, in the movies no one ever believes their kids. When the creature kills it can emulate the deceased, creating decoys and mimicking their voices, thereby conveniently fooling the unaware into believing the victims are alive, but Sherm knows better.

Hungry Beast - Intergalactic pet post-mutation.

Suzy comes to realize that her brother is telling the truth and she and Sherm decide to reach out to TV horror host Medusa (Jennifer Richards), to help destroy the creature, much like Charlie reaching out to Peter Vincent in FRIGHT NIGHT (1985). At the same time here are also transmissions on the TV from the planet Pluton warning Earth of the danger. The transmissions come by way of Pluthar, an extraterrestrial trashman from Pluton whose job it is into atomize the mutated “hungry beast” of his planet and beam them to the edge of the galaxy. He’s made a mistake and the hungry beast has instead been beamed to the Putterman’s home. Pluthar beams himself into Putterman’s home to set things right, however, when Medusa reluctantly arrives she screws up everything by mistakenly identifying Pluthar as the creature. She knocks him upside his head and he implodes.

Pluthar the Intergalactic Trashman prior to implosion.

Hats off to the L.A. band THE FIBONACCI’S who provide several songs for the soundtrack, including the awesome new-wave 80’s theme song, it’s pretty great. The creature effects are low budget but effective for the film, the Hungry Beast and special effects were created by John Carl Buechler who's done special effects work on films such as FROM BEYOND (1986), DOLLS (1987), BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR (1990) and HATCHET (2006). He also directed FRIDAY THE 13th PART VIII: The New Blood (1988) and GHOULIES III: GHOULIES GO TO COLLEGE (1991).


DVD: No DVD release of TERRORVISION is available to my knowledge. Yet another lost 80’s classic not yet released on DVD. There's always VHS, right?

VERDICT: By no means is TERRORVISION a great film, it however incredibly fun and pure 80’s cheesiness in the best possible way. Mary Warnov and Gerrit Graham are great as the parents, and the cheesey 80’s special effects work is very nostalgic for me. Great stuff. A high recommend from me. RATING *** (3 out of 5 stars)

-McBASTARD