The Skull

Truly a classic here, and an interesting vehicle for Peter Cushing. Even Christopher Lee puts in an appearance, though this is clearly Peter's film. Amicus is known for producing great horror films, and this is one of their best single story efforts.

The story begins in the mid 1800s but jumps almost immediately to modern England (Then 1965). Audiences get to see Peter Cushing in a non-period piece for once--a true rarity. Despite the modern setting and a very small budget, The Skull has plenty of atmosphere. It's environment actually serves to point out an unusual quality of Mr. Cushing's: The man appears to be late middle-aged no matter how old he actually is. Viewers may not have noticed this trend in earlier works, but Peter spends most of his acting career playing men who walk just the other side of the hill. On the rare occasions when his character must lash out, it gives his physical force a surprising quality, while at the same time displaying an almost feminine frailty about the performer. I mean this with no disrespect. In fact, I consider Mr. Cushing one of the top five horror actors of all time.

The rest of the cast round out the film well by simply being interesting and talented. Even the largely unknowns play their parts in a convincing way, and their faces will stand out in the horror fan's memory. You can also catch more than a peek of April Olrich in film's early scenes. An excellent actress and stage performer in her own right, she does much to set the mood for The Skull.

Though the plot involves the skull of the Marquis De Sade, it doesn't limit the story in any way. Those with no interest in that historic figure can still enjoy the film. The only real drawback to this piece is a bit of unexplained inconsistency. When the skull exorcises its power over mortal men, it often gives off a bright light. This light is sometimes steady, sometimes pulsing. It comes in shades of green, white, and yellow. There is apparently no rhyme or reason to these differences, save perhaps the constraints of budget.

For those who wish to see this classic, I can recommend the newer DVD release. The film has been restored to its original format and the colors come through brilliantly. Of course, for those who feel compelled the own a piece of horror history, the DVD print is what you'll want on your shelf--just hope it stays there....

Fatal Fickle Fate

It was a not-so-funny bit of irony.

As we've been speaking of mortality, the very instrument that I've used to compose these entries has up and died. That is to say, a computer has met its end.

But life goes on. Another instrument has arrived to produce new works. May it last longer than the previous infernal machine....

For now, I promise you another regular entry within mere days. Be watchful!

Loving Labors Lost

It's been a while since my last post. I had written about those for whom death is merely work, and it started me thinking about those who work themselves to death.

So, I decided to take a vacation.

Now that I've returned, I present to you this little item in honor of my time away. You'll notice the emblem affixed to the front. It contains the Japanese word,"Karoshi," which means "death from overwork." Yes, the Japanese actually have a word for that. Perhaps every language should. The complete text reads, "Karoshi: be careful not to work too hard."
That's a concept I can get behind. If it appeals to you as well, you can purchase one of these fine shirts from J-List. You'll find their ad banner on this very blog, and you'll be looking for item number SHIRT-OVER1 .

Just think of all the fun you'll have explaining your new motto to the tired masses.

Dead Like Me: Life After Death

Dead Like Me.... Ah, a series that really spoke to me. It deserves
a place here, and since the long awaited conclusion has finally
arrived, this seems a good time to mention it.
Life After Death is the name of this new production. Not a lot can be said about the plot without spoiling the entire movie. I'm going to just break it down to a few Pros and Cons.

Pros: It wraps up the series. Period. There aren't really any
important questions left unanswered by the end of the film. Yes, some viewers will want more, but trust me, the series is best left right here. Fans of the series will be glad they finally came back to put the lid on, so to speak.

Cons: For one, the dead don't age well (Sorry George). For another,
there's a good five year gap between the end of the series and this
film. A lot is glossed over. It doesn't hurt the movie, but it
doesn't help. Also, the film seems a bit choppy. It's barely longer
than a regular episode and perhaps they should have taken a full two
hours to tell the story. The worst flaw, in my opinion, is a very
unfortunate bit of re-casting for the character of Daisy.

If you haven't seen the original series, this movie will mean nothing
to you. It's definately not a stand alone. It serves almost no
purpose beyond giving the fans what they wanted--a proper burial for a good show. If you have seen the series, prepare to bite your tongue a bit, but don't skip this one. Take a refresher course on the series first if you like. Every episode is available on DvD.

Dead Like Me: Life After Death. Do I have to write it down for you
on a little yellow Post-It?

A Charming Charm

I'm a bare bones kind of fellow, and so I was quite taken with this little charm.
This skull is carved from a block of wood and then connected to a cord so that it might be hung up almost anywhere. It's crafted in Japan, and The Living there often use them as keychains or to dress up cell phones, knapsacks, and purses.

I, personally, like to hang them all around my abode. They add such a festive whimsy any time of year, and guests are always pleasantly surprised to discover one peeking out at them from the most unexpected places.

If you'd like one or two of your own, you can find them at J-Box. Their ad banner can be found right on this page, and once there, you'll be looking for the Box Tree Skull Netsuke item SZ134.

The Asphyx

The Asphyx came out sometime around 1973, but I don’t remember seeing it until much later in the 80’s. It left an impression, though I’d forgotten the name, and for years I wondered just what that crazy film had been. When you see the movie, you’ll wonder how the name could have slipped my mind. I make no excuses.

I’d rate this film a guaranteed must-see for all fans of Gothic Horror.

It’s true that the movie is not without its flaws. The dialog, for example, is often laughably bad. Certain makeup effects are absolutely pathetic—I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll leave it at that.

However, Sir Robert Stephens gives a charged performance. He really carries the film with only the aid of beautiful period sets. And understand, the sets are truly gorgeous. If you can view the film in widescreen, please do so. There are DVD copies available now that have done a great job of restoring the color and sharpness of the original.

Also of note are the special effects. For 1973, they are pretty good even if simple. The overall combined effect of the sets and special effects puts the Gothic in Gothic Horror. The atmosphere is excellent, and that’s what really stuck with me all these years.

One final note about the Asphyx itself: Is that thing Slimer’s ugly stepsister, or what? When you see the floating critter, you can’t help but think of Ghostbuster’s little green mascot. I’ve often wondered if the firehouse crew got the idea for Slimer from this film. Anyone have proof?

Final Verdict: Quotable stumbles aside, this is one to own.

Phenomena

Let's kick the lid off with a little movie review.




Phenomena (originally titled “Creepers”) came out in 1985, and it was a must see for me, because I like to catch anything with Donald Pleasence in it (though I sometimes ask myself “why”: afterward). This film, while simple and far from scary, has its merits.

For one thing, we learn that The Don can’t speak with a Scottish accent for more than three seconds without blowing it.

We also learn that the young Ms. Connelly, who grew into quite an attractive woman, had some disappointing stick legs back in the day.

Upon viewing the film, we also discover that while bugs are prominently featured on the movie posters, they don’t pop up often in the movie itself. In my opinion, that’s a good thing. Not wanting to give any spoilers, I can say that the bugs are still a very important part of the plot. In fact, the movie could not move forward in the same way without them. This could have been another “bug attack” movie, but it didn’t turn out that way, and I’m grateful.

Also on the plus side is the absolute train wreck of an ending. By “train wreck,” I refer to the individual elements that had all been barreling toward the climax coming together in a massive pileup. I honestly laughed out loud. It would not have been surprising if a large safe or grand piano had fallen out of the sky during the final action sequence.

While you’re watching, take note of the soundtrack. Actually, you’d have a hard time missing it. While the volume sometimes spikes in an annoying way and the music doesn’t seem to fit the movie at all, it was a pleasant surprise. For those of us old enough to remember, most of the movie’s pieces are so extremely 80’s, they cause flashbacks. More than once, I wondered if David Bowie would make a singing appearance via some Labyrinth connection with Ms. Connelly. Most of the pieces are done by a group called Goblin. Look them up. They’ve scored Italian films for years. Call me strange, but I’d actually like an MP3 of the ending theme. It made me stay to read the credits.

Final verdict: If you’re knocking out the classics, don’t skip this one. If nothing else, there’s a monkey in it, and we all like monkeys, right?