The Long Weekend (1978)

This low budget ’70s Australian film is something of a lost treasure and shows that sometimes having no money can almost be a blessing. There are no make-up or special effects to hide behind and this seems to have made all involved up there game to compensate.

The film only has two characters – Peter and Marcia, a married couple whose relationship is on the rocks. In an attempt to save their marriage they take a weekend break to a secluded beach and it’s their experiences there that make up the bulk of the film. Strange sounds at night and a mysterious shape in the water are just some of the terrors they encounter and, rather than bring them closer, their trip serves to drive them even further apart.

It gradually becomes clear that Peter and Marcia are the villains here, not just attacking each other but the idyllic beach environment as well and Mother Nature isn’t happy. The characters are brilliantly realised but you don’t sympathise with them – rather you observe with a sense of revulsion as their history of infidelity and abortion unfolds.

Given the assured direction, you expect director Colin Eggleston to have ascended to the heights of his fellow countrymen Peter (Picnic at Hanging Rock) Weir and George (Mad Max) Miller. Sadly, though, this is his career highlight – but what a highlight! He makes the environment a living thing. What you can’t see is usually far more effective than what you can and this is true here, where most of the time you don’t see anything; instead you hear sounds that turn the woods into an alien world full of unknown threats. He also shows a gift for character as he cuts open Peter and Marcia’s marriage and lets us see its dark innards.

As Peter and Marcia, John Hargreaves and Briony Behets are completely convincing. The structure of the film is such that you’re not sure who you’re supposed to be rooting for (Peter? Marcia? their marriage?) and the script gives them both the chance to be good and bad, not to mention downright ugly.

Also worthy of mention is screenwriter Everett De Roche. Patrick is probably one of the most well known Australian horror films of the ’70s and that to came from Roche’s pen and was made the same year. This film, though, is more of a character study, with Roche dissecting the couple’s relationship. Rarely do horror films have such keenly observed characters; these aren’t the usual stereotypes but real people, shown to us warts and all.

It’s a real joy when you discover a film as rewarding as this one and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Fans of ’70s horror owe it to themselves to check it out.

Wilderness (2006)

There is a new wave of British horror directors making films that are as good as (and often better) than anything produced across the Atlantic. Leading the pack is Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent) and hot on his heels is Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance). Wilderness’ director Michael J. Bassett isn’t so much tagging along behind as being dragged. His first film Deathwatch attempted to merge the horror and war genres with less than spectacular results. This time we get a blend of Dog Soldiers with that old chestnut, The Most Dangerous Game.

A group of juvenile prisoners are taken to a small island on a camping trip after a fellow prisoner commits suicide. Why do they get the pleasure of this little holiday? Simple, because the plot requires them to be on the island. The plot also requires that a group of young female offenders be camping there as well just so we can have a few cross gender confrontations and a (none too explicit) sex scene. Then people start dying and it’s clear someone else is on the island, someone who thinks the unwitting campers are fair game.

Wilderness is trying for a group dynamic similar to that of the squaddies in Dog Soldiers but without that film’s inventive, not to mention humorous, script. Sean Pertwee is even on hand as the prison guard responsible for the boys and the part is a virtual carbon copy of Harry Wells, the sergeant he played in Dog Soldiers. Sadly Pertwee’s character is taken out far too early and it’s left to the inexperienced young actors to carry the film, something they fail to do.

It’s not fair to blame them however. This film’s failure rests squarely with Bassett, who manages to create zero tension. Clearly bereft of original ideas, he relies on gore to keep the audience watching, and while there is plenty of ketchup splashed about, it’s not enough to take your mind off the flimsy plot and cringe-worthy dialogue.

Then of course we have the identity of the killer, a plot device so contrived as to beggar belief. Still by that point you’ll have given up hope and quite possibly the will to live. Avoid.

After a big opening action scene featuring a prison break that goes awry the film settles down to a more easy going pace with Walker travelling around looking for work, meeting artist Monica Alton (Anne Francis) and generally doing his best to avoid trouble. When he hooks up with Dan Ruffalo’s sideshow he takes the place of young sharpshooter Billy as the show’s main attraction. It’s here that the film really comes into it’s own as Billy, Ruffalo and Cain travel from town to town making an “honest” living. It’s Cain’s relationship with the two men that forms the cornerstone of the film.

As Ruffalo, Vincent Price steals every scene he’s in. He may be a conman but Price also brings a twisted decency to Ruffalo; he may be exploiting Cain but you get the feeling he’s also trying to help the guy. At the time price was usually seen either in his trademark horror roles or as a guest star on TV shows like Batman and this must have made a pleasant change for the criminaly underused actor.

In the important role of Billy, the youngster who at first hero worships Cain before turning against him, Paul Hampton does a credible job. He may go a little over the top in a couple of scenes but he works well with Price and Walker. You know the character will come to a bad end but Hampton keeps you hoping he’ll wise up. He’s not a bad man just young and foolish but sometimes that will get you killed.

At the centre of the film is Walker’s performance as the rehabilitated Cain. It’s not hard to believe this hulking brute of a man could be a killer but with his easygoing charm Walker convinces you that  he’s a changed man who deserves another chance. There’s a nobility about Cain rarely seen in westerns of this era, the character most closely resembles Alan Ladd’s Shane in temperament (though certainly not in stature).

There’s a TV look to the film and it’s no surprise that director Robert Sparr was a veteran of the medium. He made his fair share of westerns (including Cheyenne with Walker) but his work wasn’t confined to the genre, he even ventured into SF with Star Trek and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He does a competent job here; just don’t expect the panoramic vistas of John Ford.

Sparr is helped no end by his cast who manage to elevate this above the norm and also by George Schenck’s script. Schenck delights in wrong footing the viewer, frequently going against conventional western movie lore but always remaining true to the characters. The ending will also leave you wondering what message he was trying to get across.

This is a film well worth seeking out if you’re a western fan particularly one looking for something a little different.

The 1.85:1 picture is decent if unspectacular and the print is in very good condition. The disc is dual sided with a 4:3 pan and scan version on the reverse, though why anyone would want it is beyond me. Sound is only mono but its very clear and gets the job done nicely.

The only extra is a trailer.

While Hollywood plays it safe with a diet of remakes, re-imaginings and rehashes of classic horror movies it’s down to independent filmmakers to give horror fans what they really want – original, thought-provoking films that stay with you long after the credits have ended. Lance Weiler’s second feature Head Trauma is just such a beast.

The basics are simple enough. After a 20-year absence, George Walker returns to his late grandmother’s home in the hope of saving the condemned building. Late one night he finds an intruder in the house. The ensuing struggle leads to George taking a blow to the head, and that’s when the fun starts.

George begins to experience dreams full of nightmarish imagery, including a mysterious hooded figure. Soon the lines between reality and imagination start to blur as the dreams bleed through into his waking world.

To go into more detail about the plot would be to do the film a disservice; one of its pleasures is the way the story slowly unfolds, giving us bits of information that we have to unravel in much the same way George does. Almost the entire film is told from George’s perspective and this gives the viewer a front row seat as George’s psyche becomes increasingly fractured.

While George Walker is the centre of the movie, he has two important relationships that help add depth both to his character and the film as a whole. Julian Thompson is a young African American who gets enlisted to help him clean up the house and while he at first resents it, he gradually builds up a relationship with George that allows the viewer some insight into what the man was like before he disappeared 20 years before.

Equally important although having far less screen time, is Mary Sherman, an old flame from George’s past. It’s clear from his scenes with Mary that George is trying to save more than just his grandmother’s house; he’s also trying to turn the clock back on their relationship. But, like the Moody Blues said “You can never go home” and Mary’s ultimate rejection acts as a sort of catalyst for the film’s climax.

These three central performances are the cornerstones of the film and thankfully all the actors acquit themselves well. Jamil A.C. Mangan as Julian appears relaxed on camera, giving his scenes a natural feel, most notably when he bonds with George. Equally good is Mary Monahan as Walker’s old girlfriend, a character who goes from being initially welcoming when George arrives back in town to severing relations when it becomes clear just how unbalanced he is becoming.

Such is the nature of the film that it stands or falls on the strength of its central performance. Vince Mola clearly relishes his role, immersing himself in true method actor fashion. To see just how much of a transformation he underwent for the part, just check out the interview with the guy in the DVD’s extra features; it’s not just a physical transformation but a mental one as well, with Mola in real life being extremely animated and enthusiastic – the opposite of George Walker.

Still, good as the performances are, the real star here is Lance Weiler. With The Last Broadcast he created an excellent pseudo-documentary that not only preceded the similarly themed Blair Witch Project but surpassed it in every way. This time he shows he can handle a regular narrative structure, hooking the viewer from the get-go and immersing them in Walker’s hallucinatory world.

It’s with George’s nightmares that Weiler gets to show how inventive he can be on a minuscule budget. These sequences have much in common with Japanese horror cinema and show how to use other films as a springboard for your own ideas in a way Hollywood could never imagine with its Ring and Grudge remakes. The movie contains at least one scene as effective as anything you’ll see in a modern horror film and one can only imagine what Weiler could do with a bigger budget.

Enhancing the film’s sense of dread is the score by Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey. Music and sound effects blend perfectly to create an oppressive atmosphere that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Sound is often underused by the genre but all concerned here clearly realise its importance and the sound design is one of the most impressive I’ve heard on a DVD.

The film may cover similar ground to such films as Polanski’s Repulsion and even Abel Ferrara’s Driller Killer but whereas those films offered no hope for the central protagonist, Weiler’s is far less bleak, giving us at least some hope of redemption for George.

If all you’re looking for is a high body count you’d better look elsewhere; this isn’t your usual dumb genre movie. It requires the audience to have a brain and rewards them for using it, yet doesn’t skimp on the scares.

I can’t wait to see what Mr Weiler comes up with next.

The DVD

Video

While sadly not anamorphic, the film’s transfer is pretty good given the low budget nature of the project; just don’t expect it to look like a Hollywood blockbuster.

Audio

On the audio front the film really delivers. You get the choice of a 2.0 and a 5.1 soundtrack. If you have the right set-up the 5.1 track won’t disappoint as it makes use of all the speakers to really enhance the viewing experience, showing just what can be achieved even with limited resources.

Extras

Several featurettes cover everything from blowing up a car (more complex than you might think on a film of this scale) to the scoring of the film. They’re informative if a little brief, with the longest only running about ten minutes.

The DVD’s best extra is a director’s commentary. Lance Weiler provides some background information on the film’s themes and production that will be of particular interest to any aspiring filmmakers. Lance is an engaging talker and rarely lets up for the film’s entire running time; there’s little dead air here. He’s clearly proud of the finished film and he’s got every right to be.

An early entry in the glut of stalk ‘n’ slash films that followed the success of Friday the 13th, this ranks as one of the weakest in the subgenre, lacking not only in suspense but also in those other staples of this kind of film – sex and gore.

The pre-credits sequence features a bit of kinky sex as a miner gets it on with a hot blond down in the mine. After she fondles his air hose (no, that’s not a euphemism) he spots her heart-shaped tattoo and decides rather than get off with her he’ll just off her.

The film takes place in the mining town of Valentine’s Bluff where several years before a group of miners were trapped underground. Only one man walked away from the tragedy – Harry Warden, who survived the weeks it took to rescue him by turning cannibal. A year latter Harry went on a killing spree seeking revenge on those responsible for the accident by cutting their hearts out on Valentine’s Day. Harry was found insane and should be spending the rest of his days in a padded cell but when people start dying as the town plans its first Valentine’s Day party in twenty years, Harry seems the obvious suspect, particularly as the victims bear the marks of his trademark open heart surgery.

This is clearly a Friday the 13th clone, with the action transplanted to the mine. It even tries to pull a similar “Who’s the killer?” style twist at the end, although unless you’re completely new to this kind of film you’ll have guessed who the real culprit is within the first half hour.

The film is populated by the standard bunch of nobodies, none of whom have gone on to great things subsequently. Still, they all manage to remember their lines and, as most are only there to provide victims for the pickaxe-wielding killer, that’s as much as you can really expect.

This kind of film stands or falls on the strength of the director but George Mihalka clearly isn’t up to the task. He’s given what must surely be a gift of a location for creating a suspenseful chase; dark, confined, and oppressive, the mine shaft where the climax of the film takes place is crying out for a John Carpenter or even a Steve Miner to make effective use of it, but Mihalka just gives us lots of running around in the dark.

With no scares, no nudity, and practically no gore, there’s absolutely no reason to watch this film.

The film gets a decent transfer on DVD, with daylight scenes looking particularly good. Mono is the only audio option and it does a decent, if unspectacular job.

No extras, a common occurrence on Paramount releases.

Valentine (2001) Region 2

Jump forward twenty years and the stalk ‘n’ slash movie is given a new coat of self-referential paint thanks to Wes Craven’s Scream. As with Friday the 13th the film generated a rash of Scream wannabes – I know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and Cherry Falls, just to name a few. Unlike the ’80s however, this time it was familiar faces who were meeting a gruesome end, as well-known Hollywood names were queuing up to be offed. Directed by Jamie Blanks (Urban Legend), Valentine came in towards the end of the craze but was still able to boast a cast featuring Denise Richards, Katherine Heigl, and David Boreanaz.

What’s most surprising about this is that although it was based on a novel, there doesn’t seem to be enough plot here for even a short story. Geeky kid gets rejected by all the girls at a high school dance except the fat girl and when he’s caught practising mouth to mouth with her, a gang of boys beat the crap out of him after she claims he attacked her. Jump forward twenty years and he’s back for revenge. That’s it for the plot.

While the acting talent has improved, the characters remain as clichéd as ever with one of the girls even referring to them as “the popular one”, “the brainy one”, “the fun one”, “the sexy one”, and “the big, fat one”. An attempt at the knowing humour of Scream? Possibly, but if so, it falls flat as do the numerous references to other horror flicks of which Carrie and Halloween are only the most obvious.

While the identity of the killer is clear even from an early stage (and gets more obvious as he kills the other possible candidates) the film still tries to keep us guessing even to the extent of pulling a double bluff at the end that you’d have to be deaf and blind not to spot coming.

One day someone may make a good Valentine’s Day horror movie, till then we’ll have to make do with this. While it may not be scary it does feature Denise Richards in a hot tub (sadly not naked) and that must weigh in its favour. Unfortunately it’s all that does.

The film gets a first rate presentation on DVD in both video, with an excellent anamorphic transfer and audio, with an active Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack.

Extras include a decent commentary by Director Jamie Blanks, the video for Orgy’s ‘Opticon’ and a shallow behind the scenes featurette that reveals nothing of interest.

Next Week: Long Weekend and Wilderness.

After a quick introduction showing us his idyllic home life it’s not long before Benedict’s entire family are butchered my raiding Comancheros. He only takes enough time to bury them before riding off in pursuit of the bad guys, first with a posse and then, when they turn back after the trail leads into Texas, going on solo. Realising he’s going to need a little help he breaks a group of disparate felons out of prison and enlists their at first reluctant, assistance.

Holden is reunited with his Wild Bunch co-star Ernest Borgnine but unlike that classic, Borgnine is used here mostly for comic relief. Woody Strode as the one honest man in the bunch is as underused as Borgnine, in fact only Holden’s part has any real depth to it and that has more to do with his ability as an actor rather than the quality of the script.

Director Daniel Mann tried his hand at several different genres with some success. Horror (Willard), spy spoof (Our Man Flint), comedy (The Teahouse of the August Moon) , you name it he’d have a crack at it. He might have made a decent western had he been working with a better script, although there are moments of laziness like the transitional shots as the film jumps forward a year. Made up of riders in silhouette galloping back and forth across the screen with members of the gang having a poorly scripted conversation, full of exposition, over the top it’s made worse when Woody Strode is still impeccably dressed in the same  bright purple shirt at the end of it.

Most of the band behave out of character at times merely to forward the storyline – one minute leaving the next coming back or trying to kill Benedict in one scene then saving his life in another. With a better writer this might have been explained, as it is we have to take it on faith.

And over everything is Pino Calvi’s score. Calvi clearly doesn’t believe in subtly enhancing a scene with his music, preferring instead to beat the viewer over the head and into submission. It never leaves you in any doubt what you’re expected to get from a scene; if it’s a comedy moment we get silly comedy music or cloyingly sentimental accompaniment for a romantic moment between Holden and Susan Hayward then.

This no doubt makes the film sound like a total dog but in fact it’s a passable timewaster that’s worth seeing for William Holden’s performance. Some actors could make a poor film watchable purely on star power alone and Holden is clearly one of them, he’s an actor who got better as he got older even if the films weren’t always worthy of him.

The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 but it’s non-anamorphic and lacks detail, here is also a strange flickering effect during some scenes. The mono sound is clear enough if unspectacular.

As with many of Paramount’s back catalogue releases this features no extras.

Corey Haim out acted by a dog shock! Come to think of it Corey Haim out acts a dog would have been more of a surprise. Haim plays the teenage hero in this adaptation of the Dean R. Koontz bestseller. When he finds a lost dog he takes it home with him little suspecting the mutt has escaped from a secret research lab or that it’s probably more intelligent than he is. It was part of an experiment to create the perfect killing machine, the dog itself acting as a lure to draw another genetically engineered creature to its victim and that other creature is free as well and looking to carve itself a little Haim sandwich.

While the novel this is based on had an equally silly premise it was still able to craft some effective moments most notably the climax which manages to elicit the reader’s sympathy for the “bad” beastie. There’s none of that here, everything is black and white. With the best moments of the novel excised this has been turned into a simple boy and his dog tale albeit with horror/SF slant. Nothing wrong with that per se, I’ve enjoyed many a shaggy dog story but then they never starred Cory Haim. He’s all 80′s hair and zero acting ability, I really wasn’t kidding about the dog having superior thespian abilities.

Helping to make things slightly more bearable is horror stalwart Michael Ironside, an actor capable of great performances when given something decent to work with. On the other hand when he knows he’s making a dog (pun intended) he can be so over the top that he’s worth watching just to see how much of the scenery he’ll chew. Here his performance is equal parts ham and cheese and while he doesn’t make the film worth watching he does liven things up if you are unable to avoid it.

The film gets a decent anamprphic transfer and plain old mono sound.

Zero on the extras front.

Phantoms (1998) Region 2

Another Koontz book gets the movie treatment but at least this one has a decent cast. We may have seen the “everyone in the town’s gone missing” thing before yet, while this may not be original, the first half of Joe Chappelle’s film is at least effective, creating a nice creepy atmosphere that has you wondering what the hell is going on. It only starts to fall apart when it starts to reveal its secrets.

Sisters Lisa (Rose McGowan) and Jennifer (Joanna Going) arrive in Snowfield, California to discover most of the residents missing and the rest dead. While looking around town the bump into Sheriff Bryce Hammond and two of his deputies. Hammond is played by Ben Affleck, who appears far too young to be an ex-FBI agent turned small town peace officer. Liev Schreiber gets to act nuts as Deputy Stu Wargle and you get the impression Wargle didn’t have both oars in the water even before things went crazy so it’s not much of a surprise that the unseen enemy uses him to work through.

As I said, this is all enjoyable enough but things begin to fall apart with the introduction of Peter O’Toole as a scientist who’s the only one who knows what’s going on. He arrives in town with the military and starts spouting about “ancient evil” and the like. It’s clear his character is only there to explain what they are up against while the military are there just to provide more victims. It’s a thankless role and one not worthy of an actor of O’Toole’s stature. Still he does his best with what he’s got, delivering lines like “But this thing is what wiped out the dinosaurs! Which were pretty tough fucking customers!” with tongue firmly in cheek.

Not a bad film but one that leaves you with the feeling it could have been so much more had it not stayed so slavishly close to its source material.

Being a film that takes place mostly at night a good transfer is essential and thankfully gets it, with dark scenes not lacking in detail. The 5.1 Dolby Digital audio adds to the atmosphere, with placement used to great effect during the more confined scenes.

Once again no extras.

Next Week: My Bloody Valantine and Valentine

It’s a simple story – Jess Carlin (Murphy) returns to the town he was driven out of by Luke Starr (a past his prime Broderick Crawford) when he hears that his brother has been killed in a gunfight, I bet you already guessed that Crawford’s the man who killed him, right? Throw in a little romance with Kit O’Neal (Spanish actress Diana Lorys) a lady Crawford also has his eye on (the dirty old man) and that’s about it for the plot.

I’ve always liked Audie Murphy but he was never the greatest actor in the world and rarely got the chance to break out of the western hero stereotype, The Quiet American and No Name on the Bullet being rare exceptions. Here, with just two films left before his untimely death, he seems to have accepted his lot and gives a workmanlike performance as Jess Carlin.

Crawford on the other hand was an Oscar nominated actor but by this stage of his career (he was in his mid 50′s) he couldn’t convince as a fast gun let alone as a romantic rival to Murphy. He’s clearly only there for the money and possibly some Spanish sunshine and sleepwalks through most of the film.

Director Lesley Selander was a western B movie veteran who’d been churning out oaters since the late 30′s. He probably enjoyed the change of scenery shooting in Spain provided and makes the most of the location but this is just one in a long line of by-the-numbers westerns with nothing to make it stand out from the crowd.

The film is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio but the picture lacks clarity, although some of the blame may be down to the low budget nature of the film. The sound is mono and presents the terrible dubbing clearly enough.

There are no extras.

What we have here is an attempt to merge Alien with Arachnophobia, with a secret government experiment to combine extraterrestrial and spider DNA. A dim-witted reporter and her equally intellectually challenged crew stumble on to the scheme and end up trapped in a secret base with the hybrid spider.

The DVD sleeve says this is from the FX team who created From Dusk Till Dawn, Spawn and Wishmaster. That may be so but here they are responsible for some of the worst CGI effects I’ve ever seen. It’s bad enough when the film stays in the confined space of the base but when things head outside for the over the top climax with a spider of King Kong sized proportions, it’s so bad it’s not even funny.

Ineptly directed by Gary Jones, a man whose career highlight was working on the Xena and Hercules TV series, this was a real chore to sit through. Lead actress Lana Parrilla is a familiar face having had recurring roles in 24, NYPD Blue and Boomtown but here, with everything working against her, she’s not up to the task of saving a very bad movie, still even Sigourney Weaver couldn’t have salvaged this one.

Hard as it may be to believe they actually made a sequel to this abomination – Spiders II: Breeding Ground. Needless to say I’ll be avoiding that one like…well like a spider.

The film was shot in 1.85:1 but is presented here in a 4:3 transfer, perhaps this cropping of the image has turned a classic into a turkey but somehow I doubt it. The audio is stereo and clear enough for you to hear every badly written word of dialogue.

The only extra is a trailer.

Arachnid (2001) Region 2

Several rungs up the ladder from Spiders but still firmly in B Movie territory, this alters the mix replacing Alien with Predator as a group of intrepid scientists and soldiers head for an isolated island to find out what’s been killing the natives.

Jack Sholder made the extremely enjoyable low budget SF movie The Hidden and while this comes nowhere near that’s level of competence he knows how to generate some tension. What lets this down most is a badly written script with some poorly realised characters. There is also an ill conceived plot twist that ties one of the characters to a plane that went down on the island years before.

The effects are pretty poor, although compared to Spiders they’re the height of realism. This time it’s the special effects crew of Species and The Abyss doing the business. Those films showed what they could do when a ton of Hollywood money was thrown at the film, here we see what they can do on a shoestring budget and they deserve an A for effort even if the finished product is a little lacking.

The cast is the usual bunch of nobodies that you’ve never heard of and probably never will. Given a script that requires the characters to act in the most ridiculous manner it’s not fair to blame the actors too much and no one stands out as particularly bad. Or particularly good either.

Produced in Spain by Re-Animator‘s Brian Yuzna this must rank as one of the low points of his career as it must for Jack Shoulder who never fulfilled the promise of The Hidden.

The film gets a decent 1.85:1 transfer on DVD. The picture quality is even good in the night scenes, of which there are a lot. The Dolby Surround soundtrack gets the job done, although a 5.1 track could have added a lot to the atmosphere.

No extras.

Next Week: Watchers and Phantoms

The real bad guys here aren’t the Indians but a couple of greedy whites played by Walter Matthau and Lon Chaney. Matthau is probably best known for his later comedy roles but he could be a convincing villain and he makes the most of a fairly limited part here. Lon on the other hand just gets to act big and dumb.

This is an all action western with little time for character development. We never really learn why Douglas changed from Indian fighter to Indian lover (literally). With a star of lesser magnitude this might be a problem but Kirk carries the film with charisma to spare.

The movie is short and many of the scenes feel truncated but whether this is down to director André De Toth or interference from star/producer Douglas (this was the first venture for his new production company Bryna) I don’t know. One thing is for sure the film may lack depth but it doesn’t lack pace with eighty-five minute flying by. Toth made several westerns both for the big and small screen (he even directed a couple of episodes of Peckinpah’s short lived The Westerner series) but is probably best known for being at the helm of the Vincent Price version of House of Wax.

Special mention is due to Elsa Martinelli as Douglas Indian love interest, the only squaw with an Italian accent. She’s pleasing on the eye (no doubt the reason she was cast) but the minute she opens her mouth all suspension of disbelief is gone, luckily she has little dialogue.

The Indian Fighter is a fun timewaster, it won’t change your life or stay with you long after it’s over but there are worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon.

On DVD we get to see the films full 2.35:1 image and while the print used is in good condition the transfer looks a little soft and lacking in detail.

There are no extras and even the menus are of an extremely basic nature, with only symbols for the options.

This is similar in structure to Rober Wise’s The Haunting with a group of paranormal investigators spending a few days in a haunted house and like that film was based on a novel, in this case Richard Matheson’s Hell House. The films also share similar plots with the groups gradual deterioration as the oppressive atmosphere of the house weighs on them evident in both films. Hell House is the less subtle of the two films, there’s nothing here to compare with the classic ‘holding hands in the dark’ scene in Wise’s classic.

What it does have going for it is a powerful sense of dread generated by the inventive direction of John Hough, who uses odd angles and reflections to keep the viewer off balance. Hough was also responsible for Hammer’s underrated Twins of Evil but sadly most of his work was in TV.

Adding to that oppressive atmosphere is an exceptional score by Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire both of whom worked on the BBC’s Doctor Who in the early years of that show. Here they mix electronic sounds with more conventional instrumentation to great effect.

As for the actors all give decent performances with Roddy McDowall relishing the chance to take a more central role as Benjamin Franklin Fischer the only survivor of a previous expedition. I’ve always been a fan of McDowall and this is one of his best parts (at least out of ape make-up) and he’s clearly having a ball.

The film degenerates to silliness towards the end with a twist that falls flat, yet it still deserves a place among the best haunted house movies.

The films transfer to DVD could be better. Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ration the film looks soft and lacking in detail, although this could be due, in part, to the low budget nature of the production. The sound is 2.0 Surround but there is little activity in the rear speakers and they may as well have used the original mono.

Extras consist of only a trailer.

The Haunting of Hell House (1999) Region 2

No relation to Legend, this takes Henry James classic story as its source. Produced by the king of low budget horror, Roger Corman, this is a lesson in how not to make a haunted house movie. Mitch Marcus direction is flat and fails to generate even a little atmosphere.

Where as Legend of Hell House had a score that added immensely to the tension the music here removes whatever chance there might have been of any scares. Sometimes silence is far more effective than music and this is something composer Ivan Koutikov and the director fail to grasp, filling every moment with a score that is so clichéd it would have seemed dated in one of Corman’s 60′s Poe films.

The story deals with two ghosts, one real one imagined. Michael York plays Professor Ambrose whose daughter (played by Claudia Christian) he believes is haunting him. Andrew Bowen is the other hauntee who seeks out York for advice. He believes himself haunted by his girlfriend who died after undergoing a backstreet abortion.

Michael York is really slumming it here but he tries his best as does Claudia Christian unfortunately they can’t surmount the films glaring faults. This is a movie that simply fails to deliver as a horror movie; it’s more likely to send you to sleep than keep you awake all night.

Relying on the old Corman standby of the cheap exploding house for it’s big finish this is a film bereft of original ideas and is best avoided.

The film is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and looks as cheap as it no doubt is, with a picture that looks soft. The sound comes in three varieties – Stereo 2.0 , 5.1 and DTS, the latter two completely superfluous.

Extras are limited to a trailer, biographies for York and Christian and film notes.

Next Week: Spiders and Arachnid.