Film Reviews by NP

This Spanish horror does exactly as it says on the tin. Featuring the bizarre and bloody activities of serial killer Antonio Frau (Fernando Acaso), released after 25 years in prison, he rids the world of the prostitutes he clearly feels need ‘cleansing’.

The failures of the leniency of the judicial system are explored and exploited here. Why the police don’t swoop on Frau the moment the killings begin is a bit of a mystery, but he’s living a respectably double life, seemingly as a cover. The ending comes as a slight disappointment after the terrors of the 95 minutes running time.

Other than that, this is a very well played, stylishly directed and compelling film. The acting is terrific, with some particularly enthusiastic torture scenes – we don’t actually see any graphic cutting or slicing, but we see the reactions to it, which might even be more disturbing; sometimes less is more. There’s a nice cameo from veteran actor Antonio Mayans too; it would have been nice to have seen more from him.

The setting is also a big part of why the film is so effective. Run down and evocatively filmed – lots of seedy greens and yellows – and frequently spattered with a lot of blood. My score is 7 out of 10.

Released in 1932 and directed by Robert Florey and starring Bela Lugosi. Both had moved on, or been moved on, from production on the previous year’s ‘Frankenstein’ once James Whale and Boris Karloff showed up – ‘Rue Morgue’ was based on a tale by Edgar Allan Poe. Poe stories would provide film goers with many thrills and chills over the following years.

‘Rue Morgue’ never achieved the popularity of ‘Frankenstein’, ‘Dracula’ or the forthcoming ‘The Mummy’, and while this is beautifully filmed and enthusiastically acted (especially by Lugosi and top billed Sidney Fox), it’s not difficult to see why. Whereas the other films have very clearly defined monsters/villains, here evildoings are shared between Dr. Mirakle (Lugosi), a mad scientist, and Erik, an ape. Equally, where the other films have straightforward stories, this often verges on the incomprehensible. We’re clearly meant to be booing Mirakle but it’s not clear exactly why.

Despite that, this is a triumph of mood, despite some misplaced humour that lacks the darkness of Whale’s touch. Florey was a fine director but seemed continually to miss out on opportunities – he makes a great job of this, but the story isn’t as polished as it might be. At Universal’s insistence, close-ups of man-in-a-suit Erik are provided by a real life monkey. The creature looks frightening, but is clearly a very different looking animal, and his movements often don’t match the action. Would the film have been more successful without this and other examples of studio interference? We’ll never know. My score is 7 out of 10.

Ranae (Madeline Conway) is employed to babysit Miller, a sleeping toddler of a family with a tragic past. Before long, her friends turn up – the usual collection of fairly objectionable teens – and things start getting nasty.

This is a fairly enjoyable slasher production. Nice to see the youngsters settling down to watch Bela Lugosi in ‘The Devil Bat’, even if they do scoff at it! Jeremy, the sole male, is the most objectionable of the lot, so as usual with these things, the audience is begging for him to be dispatched.

What transpires is quite an effective shocker featuring as a villain, someone who bears a striking resemblance to Samara from ‘The Ring.’ The killings are often quite satisfying and Christopher A. Micklos’s writing and direction keep things moving. My score is 6 out of 10.

This is an enjoyable haunted house story set in 1974 Yorkshire. It doesn’t take long after a new family move into the house, before creepy things start to happen. Focussing mainly on the daughter Sally (Tasha Connor), we’re spared arduous scenes of parents failing to believe her stories of ghostly reflections and misbehaving electrical items, because the poltergeist activity soon becomes widespread.

Based on a true story, the star of this show is its attention to period detail. While some long shots might reveal anachronistic satellite dishes occasionally, everything else is spot on. For those of who vaguely remember the 1970s, this provides a genuine nostalgic twinge every so often.

I liked all the characters, especially the juveniles, who are tricky to get right. A special mention for salty Father Clifton (Bernie Lewis).

Swinging light shades can be far more frightening than a wealth of CGI, as the finale proves. Low-key these frights may be, but they were enough to get under my skin a few times. My score is 8 out of 10.

This opens with a pastiche of the first few moments of 1931’s Frankenstein, when one of the cast steps on stage to address the audience and warn them of the horrors to come.

It takes a while to get going, despite the mix of events happening in real time and flashback. Two gas station attendants working the night shift are terrorised and subjected to various brutal horrors, and their isolation is well realised by Director Søren Juul Petersen.

What follows is an entertaining ride, with a fair bit of gore thrown in. The nature of the horror would be to drift into spoiler territory. The situation is not a new one, and might have been conveyed more stylishly than here, but I enjoyed this ride, especially as I didn’t know which way events would turn. My score is 7 out of 10.

Three paranormal investigators explore an abandoned house: older, occasionally prickly Scott (Jeffrey Thomas), easy going Liam (Jed Brophy) and noticeably underplayed Holly (Laura Peterson). Holly is keen on wearing shorts and thigh-length socks – when she changes into more standard jeans, her acting seems to come to life!

Director and co-writer Jason Stutter goes for a slow burning atmosphere, where the regularity of gentle scares becomes increasingly creepy, and the familiarity of the excellent haunted house set/location allows us to anticipate that things are going to get scary even before they do. There’s a reasonably effective twist too, but once that has been revealed, the action steps up and things aren’t quite as successful. For a leisurely moving horror, the pay-off is disappointingly brief and non-conclusive, although on second viewing, I enjoyed it more, knowing what was to come.

This isn’t the only story where the journey is more interesting than the destination, but it’s a shame that a carefully layered story should feature a finale that casts a comparatively lacklustre shadow over it all. My score is 7 out of 10.

An independent feature, clearly a passion for Steven M. Smith, who has a hand in all levels of production, and plays the role of the uncommunicative taxi driver. The story ultimately seems to be inspired by The Wicker Man, but with a manic living doll thrown in.

Brendan Cobbs is a writer suffering from ‘the block’. Naturally in a horror film, it is suggested he temporarily relocates to an isolated cottage with no phone or internet – a situation that leaves him vulnerable to the oncoming nastiness.

I quite enjoyed this, although the storyline seems deliberately vague and the dialogue is often filled with apocalyptic dialogue nobody would actually say. Technically, it’s very good for a low budget horror, with some creepy cinematographic moments and some good performances; Jon-Paul Gates is good as Brendan, as is Kit Pascoe as The Seductress. 6 out of 10.

I have to admit it: the appeal of Roger Corman’s films are mostly lost on me. Despite its flaws, I enjoyed his ‘comeback’ ‘Frankenstein Unbound’, but every other production I have seen under his name I have found uninvolving, stagey and a bit of a chore to get through.

This effort boasts the charms of Hazel Court and a very young looking Jane Asher, and they both are excellent but strangely without much in the way of character. The same may be said of Prospero, played by the mighty Vincent Price, who saunters and sneers wonderfully through it all. For all his evildoings, his villainy is strictly pantomime in nature.

The story is the weakest link for me. A mash up of Edgar Allan Poe, with references to ‘Hop Toad’, the Raven and even the Pit and the Pendulum, without doing much that is interesting with them – Hop Toad being the exception, due to Skip Martin and Patrick Magee.

A series of set-pieces do not make a riveting story, and despite the visual colour and vigour of the theatricality, I couldn’t muster up much in the way of enthusiasm for this, sadly. My score is 5 out of 10.

The first few scenes (after the pre-credits bloodbath) didn’t inspire a lot of confidence, but I ended up having quite a lot of fun with this. Four young ladies coming to the end of their community service are invited into the house of a seemingly nice old lady who, to be fair, puts up with a lot of nonsense from some of the girls, and, when he arrives uninvited, Paul, the drug dealer.

This is all played knowingly, as if inviting the audience not to worry about the micro budget and just to enjoy the ride.

Co-writer Roger Conners plays one of the main characters with a lot of gusto and camp humour. Also very appealing is Victoria, played by KateLynn E. Newberry. Perhaps Newberry overdoes the wide-eyed cutesy thing but the character is very appealing. In fact, I grew fond of all the characters.

The effects are surprisingly good and gloriously bloody, and various creepy moments remind us that although there are light-hearted moments, this is not a comedy. My score is 7 out of 10.

Nicely atmospheric and well played, this gets harder to follow as things play out. Many dramatic revelations and flourishes are robbed of their impact because you’re less and less sure of what’s going on.

Producing a film with a complex storyline is commendable, especially in horror, when the inability to fully comprehend what is going on can actually add to the unsettling nature, but here, we’re introduced to so many convincing and well-rounded characters, we want to follow their journeys. It isn’t made easy for us.

We have some beautiful Latvian locations, a good feeling of isolation, some creepy performances and, if made slightly less confusing, we would have had a really good film. My score is 6 out of 10.

Featuring the wettest, most simpering leading character I have ever seen. Perpetually crying and whining, Philip does not inspire much in the way of empathy. When not blubbing, he spends a lot of the film delicately nibbling at various meals that are made for him. Sadly, as the film goes on, he only becomes more irritating, deeply so, and that hurts the film throughout.

His girlfriend, far more resolute and personable, is also the preferred meal for the resident demon. Admittedly, Philip goes through the wringer - such is the nature of horror films - but at the end, I couldn't warm to him, and didn't really understand what I'd just watched.

Nice to see veteran actor David Bailie as Father Andrew though, in one of his final roles. My score is 4 out of 10.

This is a low budget venture. I say that to get it out of the way. There are reviewers, and plenty of them, who will attack a low budget venture because it doesn’t have multi-million dollar CGI or effects – which is ludicrous.

I understand parts of this were Crowdfunded. What we end up with is clearly made with passion and, as far as I’m concerned looks good, features solid acting throughout and an engaging story. Occasionally, some of the dialogue is obscured by the music, and some of the fight scenes don’t quite convince.

For all that, we have well written and really nicely played characters, and an effective villain (a Vampira-esque Kerry Browne as The Sorceress) and some good set pieces.

Director Philip Todd and other assorted Todds responsible for production and writing have done a commendable job and created something with passion and heart, enthusiastically played. My score is 7 out of 10.

This is a fairly enjoyable, restrained horror story which employs a very creepy, well thought-out reason for the little figures and their violent tendencies. It also features a range of characters who remain pretty unlikeable throughout. It should be said though, that the daughter Sammey’s sassy attitude is genuinely hilarious at times, and Trinity Simpson’s delivery completely sells it. Precocious and potty-mouthed she might be, but she frequently raises a smile.

Dolls are notoriously difficult to make frightening, especially on a low budget. I do feel the scares are too infrequent, but they do occasionally pack a punch. My score is 7 out of 10.

It’s amazing how many horror films open up with a pretty young lady running scared through a forest. At least the one that opens this film is allowed to wear some clothes. From those first moments, the pace never lets up in this hidden gem of a movie.

Louis Morneau directs events wonderfully well, creating a lush, eerily fairytale-type setting for the story. Everything is very moodily lit and the sets are wonderfully detailed.

The acting is powerful throughout, especially Adam Croasdell, who makes a powerfully, self-adoring Stefan – and it’s always good to see Stephen Rea in these kind of productions.

My only gripe is the CGI, which comes into play for the more athletic lycanthropic scenes. I’m not a fan of CGI, unless there are enough millions of pounds or dollars to make it truly convincing. Otherwise, great fun. My score is 8 out of 10.

Lots is going on in this low budget shocker. A family move into a farmhouse during a local killing spree. The three daughters are precocious, sardonic and stunning, mum Bernice (Amanda Wyss) copes with it all, and dad Tom (Jay Mohr) doesn’t have any lenses in his spectacles. Unwisely, you might think, the daughters are left along in the house.

As the story rolls along, it becomes apparent that we’re not invited to take things entirely seriously. This never lapses into comedy, but many moments are distinctly tongue in cheek. All the double-entendres about a girl’s ‘first time’, for example, are given extra meaning within the context of various revelations, which are a long time coming.

What we get is just under 80 minutes that are entertaining enough, but probably don’t warrant a second viewing. My score is 6 out of 10.