The Monster Squad (1987) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been waiting for this DVD to come into print for years, and now the wait is finally over. Thanks to Lionsgate for finally stepping up, straightening out the rights issues, and putting together a nice 2-Disc special edition of this classic 80s kids flick.
The Monster Squad, much like the Goonies and the Lost Boys, is a kid's flick at heart, but it doesn't come off as if it were written and directed down to children. The flick stars Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert (of Kids Incorporated fame), Brent Chalem, Michael Faustino and Robby Kiger as a group of kids that have a secret Monster club where they pontificate on all things monster related. Quick, two ways to kill a werewolf? Stumped? That's right, everyone knows you need to shoot `em with a silver bullet. Anyway, the group runs into trouble when unbeknown to them the all too real rouges gallery of the classic Universal monster movies are converging on their town looking to destroy an amulet that can prevent them from taking over the world. Sean, the leader of the club, lucks into a copy of Van Helsing's diary, which provides the instructions to a ritual that will banish the monsters into limbo. With the help of "Scary German Guy" (played by the always excellent Leonardo Cimino) a concentration camp survivor and resident German diary translator, the group bands together to save their families, their town, and quite possibly the entire world.
The film was directed by Fred Dekker and co-written by Fred Dekker and Shane Black (of Lethal Weapon and Predator fame) with amazing special effects and make-up by the legendary Stan Winston. This DVD was made possible by the director, actors, and fans who banded together in the past year through letter writing campaigns and revival screenings which proves just how much of a cult classic this flick is. If you are a generation X'er who's into action, horror or nostalgia the Monster Squad is sure to be a perfect addition to your DVD collection.
The 20th anniversary special edition set is reported to contain 2 audio commentary tracks, deleted scenes, an making of featurette, trailers, as well as a vintage interview with Tom Noonan (who played the Frankenstein's monster.)


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Blood Scarab (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Blood Scarab" is a really terrific homage to classic monster movies and vampire films! It is definitely the best film famous cult movie director Don Glut ("Dinosaur Valley Girls") has made to date! Lots of creature feature action, awesome FX make-ups, tons of vampire girls. . . . . with tasteful, erotic, full nudity. . . .and some surprisingly good CGI for a low-budget horror film. The actors all do a great job, especially Monique Parent and Natasha Diakova.

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To exist in daylight, Countess Elizabeth Bathory -- the infamous Blood Countess and widow of legendary vampire Count Dracula -- makes a blood pact with an Egyptian goddess involving three lovely victims and a living Mummy. A centuries-old craving collides with an ancient curse in this horrific climax to Frontline Entertainment's Countess Dracula and Mummy's Kiss movie series! Theatrically released.DVD Bonus Features:-- Commentary track with director Donald F. Glut, and stars Monique T. Parent, Del Howison and Natasha Diakova.-- Original Trailer-- Making Of documentary-- Deleted Dancing Handmaidens -- Theatrical Premiere Video-- Cast and Crew Interviews-- Graveyard Theatre Stars-- Harvey and Bob Show Review-- Countess Dracula and Mummy's Kiss Archives-- Six Still Galleries

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Horror Classics Collection (The Curse of Frankenstein / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy / Taste the Blood of Dracula) (1959) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a list that will help new fans of the Hammer hoorrors keep track of the series. First the Dracula series.
1) HORROR OF DRACULA (aka DRACULA) The first Dracula to feature Chris Lee as the count and Peter Cushing as Prof. Lawrence Van Helsing.
2) BRIDES OF DRACULA No Dracula here but Van Helsing returns to fight the Counts remaining deciples in this first sequel that is just as good as the first.
3) KISS OF DRACULA (aka KISS OF THE VAMPIRE) More stray vampires terrorize tourists. Good, but no Lee or Cushing. (aka KISS OF EVIL in Britain , KISS OF THE VAMPIRE in US theatres and was retitled KISS OF DRACULA for some US TV showings.)
4) DRACULA- PRINCE OF DARKNESS Lee returns to the role. This time the Count is revived by the devilish Mr. Klove. Dracula is silent in this film. Not one word is spoken by Lee.
5) DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE Starts with a prologue that takes place during DRACULA- PRINCE OF DARKNESS, then jumps to several months later when Priests accidentaly free Dracula from his watery grave during an exorcism. (We see Drac's reflection in the water. OOPS!!) One sequence is tinted in psychedelic colors.
6) TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA picks up right were the last left off.
A group of wealthy thrill seekers, led by Ralph Bates, resurrects the count.
There are two versions. The US cut on VHS was rated PG.
The US DVD is the uncut R rated version which has nudity.
7) SCARS OF DRACULA Dracula returns to his carpathian castle, where, aided by his henchman Klove, he stalks busty girls in sheer nighties. With a phalic dagger no less, and with Bob Todd, Benny Hills tall balding sidekick, who dresses as if he's from the 1500s (?!?). (Has nudity)
8) DRACULA A.D. 1972 During a coach chase both Van Helsing and Dracula are killed. 100 years later Dracula is revived and stalks sexy mini skirted girls and other mod types in 1970s London. Lorimer Van Helsing (Cushing again) , grandson of the original, shows up with his
beautiful granddaughter Jessica (Stephanie Beacham) to stop him. Some of the plot is lifted directly from
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA. (This was called DRACULA IS DEAD AND WELL AND LIVING IN LONDON in some US TV prints)
9) THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA (aka COUNT DRACULA AND HIS VAMPIRE BRIDE) Is a direct sequel to the last film. Dracula, back with no explanation, is now a wealthy London businessman who controls a wide spread satanic cult. They are attempting to wipe out the human race with a deadly viras.
Lorimer and Jessica Van Helsing lead Scotland yards new team of vampire hunters.
Joanna Lumley replaces Stephanie Beachum as Jessica. Dracula uses Hell's Angels to do his dirty work
and some of the plot is, again, lifted from TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA.
(The title was changed to THE RITES OF DRACULA for its US VHS release in the 80s. In North America this
movie is considered in public domain, even though Hammer still holds the copyright.)
10) LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES (aka THE SEVEN BROTHERS MEET DRACULA) Back to basics. In the early 1800s Dracula's vampire plague spreds to China. 100 years later a chinese village seeks out Lawrence VanHelsing and his son Leland for help against the growing army of the dead, led by 7 golden vampires and a high priest who is possessed by Dracula himself. (There are two distinctly different edits
of this film. The US DVD/VHS has both versions on it.)
The Frankenstein Saga..
1) THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (aka FRANKENSTEIN) Cushing is the selfish science student and Lee is his monster. Victor is portrayed as arrogant and villainous.
2) THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a direct sequel with Cushing returning to create a new creature.
He is much nicer, yet, still corrupt. He creates himself a new , lookalike, body. But this is never refered to
in the series again (!?!).
3) TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN (THE FACE IN THE TOMBSTONE MIRROR) is an unsold pilot for a Hammer/Screen
Gems Frankenstein series. Anton Diffring replaces Cushing as a goodhearted, but still criminal, Victor and stock shots from Universal's horrors are used in the opening credits (In public domain in the US.
Some of the plot was later reused in FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED.)
4) THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN Cushing returns to his castle and discovers a previous creation (One we've never seen before) to still be alive. This time Victor is a good guy and some of the plot, and art direction, is lifted from Universal's Frankenstein Series. A US TV version had new scenes shot by Universal added to expand the running time. These scenes were not included in later TV showings and are not on any DVD/VHS.
5) FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN Victor survived the fire at the end of the last film, but it left his hands horribly scarred. His surgical techniques hindered, he attempts a new experiment. Transpant of the soul or mind from a man to a woman. Victor is arrogant but still, basically a generous good guy.
6) FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED Still crippled, the increasingly mad Victor blackmails a young couple into assisting him. Victor is depicted as completely evil and a cold blooded killer. A brief "semi-rape" scene
(Victor beats a girl up, tears her dress and kisses her) was cut from US theatrical versions. (The movie works better without it.) The US VHS/DVD is uncut.
7) HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN is just a remake of CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN with Ralph Bates replacing Cushing as
a blase' but evil Victor. David Prowse is the creature.
8) FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL Back to basics.
Cushing is Frankenstein again and now he runs an asylum full of loonies and potential spare parts. This was Cushings last performance as Victor and it is a brilliant descent into total madness. He is a kindly old man at times but also ruthless. He is still blackmailing people to get what he needs.
The Mummy series...
THE MUMMY Cushing is the archyologist who unnearths a curse and Kharis the Mummy played by a very scary Christopher Lee. Its really a remake of Universal's THE MUMMY'S TOMB with bits of THE MUMMY'S HAND, THE MUMMY'S CURSE, THE MUMMY'S GHOST and the original THE MUMMY thrown in. Similar to today's "re-imagining" remakes. Lee is quite good as the heartbroken Kharis, despite it being another silent part.
THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB Is another mummy (not Kharis) on the loose.
The US trailer and TV ads for this movie had a funny "beat-music" "jingle"!!!
THE MUMMY'S SHROUD a third egyptian is revived as a living mummy.
BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB has a very busty & sexy brunette female mummy tempting men,
and women as well, to their doom.

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Love at First Bite (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well, as far as the movie itself goes, this movie deserves 10+ stars, because not since, Young Frankenstein, has a movie so poignantly and perfectly, captured the true feel of the original classic, of which it so lovingly satires.
George Hamilton plays Dracula, like no one else (except maybe, Jack Palance, but that's another review altogether :) doing Bela Lugosi, proud, whilst still putting his own stamp on the character.
And who can forget, Arte Johnson, as Dracula's , "Cockroach eating friend" (he-he-he... :) Renfield, and Richard Benjamin as their foil, Van Helsing ("Dracula's stolen my girlfriend, and I think he's better in bed with her, then I am...")
This movie is a hands down, no, if-ands-or-buts, classic, from, "Children of the night, shut up", to the end credits.
So why did I only give it 4 stars then?
Well, when this great homage to the classic Dracula films was first released to the big screen (I went to see it with my first girlfriend) there was this great show stopping dance sequence where Dracula seduces Cindy ("The only woman that I have ever loved") on the dance floor to the tune of the disco classic, I Love The Night Life, but then, years and years later, when the movie finally came out to video, I was dismayed to discover that this song had been replaced by some generic disco song.
Now don't get me wrong here, this new song is pretty good, and had it been the original choice for the dance sequence, then I would have had no complaints, but that's not the case here, I Love The Night Life, is the song that defined this movie for all of us who remember seeing it at the theater, and its apparent non-inclusion, on this highly awaited, DVD release, is just another slap in the face to the fans who have been waiting for over 20 years, to finally hear the right song, put back in the movie...
I mean, could you imagine if Star Wars had been released without the opening music, but instead, replaced by some stock music (in order to save a few bucks on the licensing rights) sure, it would still be Star Wars, but there would be something missing. I mean jeepers; it would almost be as bad as say, Greedo, getting off the first shot..., oh right... lol, never mind...
We the fans, should petition MGM, just to let them know that we are not happy with the omission of our beloved song, but alas, seeing as the DVD's have already been manufactured, and will be in stores in a couple of weeks, I'm afraid that the only way in which, I Love The Night Life, will ever be heard in this movie again, is if you sync up the CD of the song, and turn down the DVD's volume during the dance sequence.
It's a darn shame, if you ask me... :(
***NOTE: Just got my copy of this DVD, and as feared, "I Love The Night Life" is missing in action, on both the widescreen and full screen versions (as I had secretly hoped that it made it onto one of the two versions, but alas, no :(
But here's the rub, as there's a rather lengthy trailer for the movie, included on the DVD, and guess what song is used through out this trailer, yep, none other then, "I Love The Night Life".
What a slap in the face to the fans of this great film, to have to endure the generic disco song during the actual movie, only to have the original song, dangled in our face, over and over again in the trailer (there are even snippets of the dance sequence, with the proper music, in the trailer :(
FYI: you'll probably want to watch the movie in the full screen mode, because the widescreen mode it simply the full screen mode, matted to widescreen, and not the other way around, so there's more top and bottom info on the screen in the full screen mode, as opposed to less right and left screen info with movies cropped to fit full screen.

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The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 3 (Abbott & Costello Go to Mars / Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion / Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein / Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man / Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer / Comin' Round the Mountain / Lost in Alaska / Mexican Hayride) (1950) Review

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(More customer reviews)This set is as solid a value as Volume One, perhaps more so. There are more weak films in this package than in the first volume but the strongest films included are among the pair's best. The transfers, once again are excellent. Because the material is newer the audio quality is better. This should be a must for all fans of Bud and Lou.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein ****
This is (without a doubt) one of their best features. Between the presence of the full line of Universal Studio's famous monsters and the duo in top form there's hardly a moment in this film that doesn't work. The film features one of their strongest takes on the "moving candle" routine. The interplay between the pair while they read the about the legends of the monsters is fabulous. Lou's scene in the Monster's lap is not to be missed.
Mexican Hayride ***
This is a bit off the beaten track for Bud and Lou. It's one of the few times that Bud played somebody who was actually bad as opposed to just being frustrated with and (prone to) taking advantage of the slow-witted character Lou played. It is funny though. The bullfight is not to be missed. There's also the logic of how the stock " has to be good" and the bit with the "Mother-lode". It's not their best but is far from their worst. What it lacks in consistency it often makes up for in warmth.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer **
This should have been far better. The plot is sound enough and the cast was strong. Boris Karloff wasn't used nearly as well as he could have been. He's central to the film's best (and funniest) scene but languishes as a secondary character afterward. There aren't enough of the regular exchanges that take place between Bud and Lou. The ones that are there are too short. Because of it the film relies mainly on slapstick to generate laughs, a device which, without the character development created by those exchanges, doesn't work.
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion ****
There's a level of spontaneity here that makes this one of the crown jewels of the set. It's true that some of he special effects look badly dated but that's not a big problem. This film, unlike a few of their vehicles (A&C meet the Killer to name one) gives plenty of opportunity for the two to play off each other. Even better, a lot of it looks to be "off the cuff", as if they were given a framework and allowed to run. Whatever was the case they're in top form. Hilarious!
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man ****
This is probably second in stature only to Bud and Lou meeting all of the monsters. It deserves that ranking-it comes very close to being just as good. Lou's reaction to Tommy Nelson turning invisible is priceless. The big fight is a hoot. The special effects, for the time, are great. What's really impressive is how well the film maintains an atmosphere of mystery around outrageous comedy. Hats off to (Director) Charles Barton and the crew for that.
Comin' Round the Mountain ****
This one is a riot from the pair's first appearance to the end of the film when they finally get to the treasure. The sequence with the love potion is hysterical. That "clean country air" Lou got courtesy of the skunk in his suitcase was a howler. A lot of people writing about this movie complained about Dorothy Shay and her singing. I thought she was great. For the most her numbers ran with the flow of the story and helped keep the mood bright.
Lost in Alaska ***
Leave it to Lou to get into trouble with a piece of Whale meat. This film is uneven mostly because some of the gags are repeated too often. The boomerang episodes are one example; Lou's sinking for the third time is another. On the plus side there are times when the humour is right off the wall. Lou's attempt to save Tom Ewell is one. His encounter with the Alaskan Crabs is a riot. The incident with the Eskimo Medicine man is a replay of a scene with the Monster from the boys' meeting with Frankenstein but it's just as fresh as the first time. It's easy to imagine that the guy playing the witch doctor had just as much trouble getting through this scene as Glenn Strange did the first time around.
Abbott and Costello go to Mars **
The premise for this one is completely preposterous. A spaceship couldn't be built by a private company without government knowledge of it. The 1950's special effects don't stand up at all. The sequences they're used for are lame. It's far from being all bad though. Bud and Lou bring hilarity to the unbelievable. The Mardi Gras scenes and the interstellar lie detectors are pure fun. The sentiment the Venusian's Queen feels for Lou is something we all identify with. Weak outing or not the boys' charm is still there.

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