HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES

Filmed in 2000 and shelved for three years due to NC-17 rating concerns and being dropped by BOTH Universal and MGM studios after they saw the finished movie (and later picked up by Lionsgate, home of Saw – go figure!), rocker Rob Zombie’s directorial debut, House of 1,000 Corpses, is an all-out assault on the senses and good taste. It’s disjointed. It’s sick. It’s depraved. It’s disturbing. And it’s fantastic.

The story concerns a group of four friends who are traveling the country backroads in search of serial killers and other local legends – most notably, the one of a sadistic madman known as “Dr. Satan”. When they stop at an intriguingly weird gas station/circus sideshow hybrid, they unknowingly step into a world of murder, cannibalism, sadism, torture, and Satanic worship at the hands of the Firefly family led by the gleefully twisted Captain Spaulding.

What transpires on-screen for the next 90 or so minutes is a rollercoaster of nervous humor, dazzling visuals, unsettling atmosphere and a wonderfully haphazard plot that keeps everything moving rather quickly. The movie’s style covers quite a wide array of the genre. The first half of House of 1,000 Corpses is an enjoyable throwback to the late ‘70s/early ‘80s era of slasher films, while the second half is reminiscent of the pacing of late ‘80s  and early ‘90s entries. Rob Zombie, who at the time of filming this movie had only directed a few music videos, does an effective job of blending flashy lights, quick cuts, and old archival-type footage into a workable finished product that will stand out on the merits of its style alone (one point of interest: Director of Photography, Alex Poppas, also serves as Director of Photography for SyFy’s ‘Ghost Hunters International’ - awesome!).

While the violence and realistic gore is definitely in strong supply, it is the subject matter of House of 1,000 Corpses that people will find most disturbing. The fact that its stars Sid Haig, Sherri Moon Zombie, Karen Black, and Bill Moseley all seem to be having WAY too much fun as the cannibalistic clan of murderers makes the film even that much more sickly enjoyable.

House of 1,000 Corpses is not for everyone. But if sick humor and twisted horror is your cup of tea (it certainly is mine), then grab some biscuits. The perfect movie for you has arrived.

 My Score: 8 out of 10

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WOLFEN

Veteran director Michael Wadleigh delivers a heavy-handed horror film about the consequences of man’s encroachment on nature and society in probably one of the finest examples of a great “werewolf” movie to ever hit the screen. Released in 1981 (the same year as the wildly-popular werewolf movies An American Werewolf in London and The Howling), Wolfen is one of those rare horror films from the 80’s that showcases great skill – both in front of and behind the camera.

Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, and Gregory Hines star as members of the NYPD embroiled in a gory murder mystery surrounding the death of a successful architect, his wife, and their chauffeur. At first, the murders appear to be the work of a ritualistic killer, but soon appear to be caused by the hands of something more supernatural – an ancient species of “super wolves” bent on protecting their ever-dwindling land and hunting grounds.

While the slow pacing of Wolfen may initially dissuade some viewers, the intriguing storyline and strong moral values about society and man’s callous behavior towards both nature and wildlife should keep many viewers glued to their seats. This is a “thinking” person’s horror movie – the fear comes not from what actually transpires onscreen, but rather the “what-if” scenario caused by urban sprawl that we are experiencing more and more in our real, everyday lives.

Superior in all aspects, Wolfen delivers the goods. It is a well-written, somber, horror tale sprinkled with just enough supernatural elements and Native American customs to make for a highly-rewarding movie watching experience. This is truly a great film that you will undoubtedly want to revisit numerous times. It’s definitely worth a spot in your home DVD library.

My Score: 9 out of 10

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SILENT SCREAM

This odd horror film is neither scary nor bloody but, rather, a fairly entertaining thriller that was released in 1979 (which, by the way, was a GREAT year for horror movies). While Silent Scream is undoubtedly a “bargain-basement” cheapie, the story is actually pretty solid.

Four college students rent rooms at an old mansion run by a creepy family with some dark secrets of their own. When the teenagers start showing up dead, two detectives set out to uncover the mystery. Although the ending is a bit of a letdown, the journey getting there is actually pretty entertaining. The film is competently made and its entertainment value has not waned over the years (remarkably, it has aged extremely well). However, it does seem to suffer from an ending that tries to be better than it actually is, which seems oddly out of place with the tone set by the rest of the movie.

The casting is odd as well; Yvonne De Carlo (“Lily” of TV’s The Munsters) and comedian Avery Schreiber are cast alongside a bunch of no-name kids who all fall victim to a perfectly creepy Barbara Steele (in probably the most disturbing role ever with no dialogue) - her facial expressions alone are enough to make your blood run cold. Her performance shows why she was one of Europe’s “scream queens” and it is her performance that helps to slightly elevate Silent Scream above many of its peers. In fact, some of today’s better horror films seem to have taken a page from this film (for example, the idea of unsettling classical music playing is alluded to for several scenes in 2001’s Jeepers Creepers).

While Silent Scream is certainly not fast paced, it isn’t boring either. Characters are enjoyable, the story is interesting and (at least up until the lackluster ending) the story delivers exactly what it should – no more, no less. It’s no classic, but you could do much worse. It’s definitely worth checking out.

My Score: 6 out of 10

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