Knight at HOME at the Movies
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Three More Terrifying Entries as our Month of Halloween Movie DVDs Creepy Crawls Along!
Here's comes the gore you've been begging for!!!! (Well, sorta...)
Here's comes the gore you've been begging for!!!! (Well, sorta...)
What is there left to say about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Tobe Hooper’s
1974 drive-in schlock-shock classic? Well maybe this: I’ve spent over 30 years
avoiding the movie because I assumed – wrongly as it turns out – that it was just
too gory for my, shall we say sensitive stomach. I’d seen many clips – the shot of
Leatherface slamming the steel door after grabbing the unsuspecting young wench,
for example, but was always too scared to watch the whole thing. Back in my
nightclub promoter days, I’d even hired Bill Johnson who played Leatherface in the
sequel to chase around a club full of drunken Halloween revelers with a real chainsaw
back in 1986. But something about the original kept me from seeing it (actually I
think it was the fact that my older sister saw it and it gave her nightmares).
But when a new, 2-disc Ultimate Edition arrived from Dark Sky I decided that wait was
finally over. It was time to head down to Texas and find out what exactly was in that
creepy house in the middle of nowhere. In true masochist-horror fashion, I turned
off the lights and dropped the disc into the player. Now I get it and am thrilled to
report that this story of a van full of innocents slaughtered by the craziest family this
side of the Addams' retains its power all these years later. And though there’s a bit
of gore – much more is left to the imagination (thank you). The screaming of
starlet Marilyn Burns as the hapless Sally is just as my sister reported (it goes on for
what seems like hours – the poor thing must have been hoarse for weeks) and the
cheesiness of some of the acting is offset by the craziness of the cannibal family.
Each time the film seems about to descend into camp it goes off into creepyville
instead. Though I have nothing to compare it to, the disc is fairly clean and was
struck from an original 16mm print (apparently, reading other reviews, this is the
best transfer yet). Sound was fine (also apparently the best of the many editions
already on the market). A second disc packed with retro featurettes and all new
documentaries was also welcome. That and a closer look at the case of serial killer
Ed Gein, inspiration for writer-director Tobe Hooper.
Rest Stop is the latest in a long line of unsuspecting teens getting more than they
bargained for when they foolishly head out into God’s Country in their beat up cars
(just once I’d like to see the process reversed). The movie, out on DVD from
Warner Home Video, was a Sci-Fi channel original and the home release is available
in either that less gory, less sexy form or the unrated which I’m halfway
recommending. Mainly because I’m big on female protagonists able to outwit their
seemingly unstoppable stalker/killers and because it will make for a nice
participation movie at your Halloween gatherings. In this instance, the lovely Nicole
and her boyfriend Jess (after some gratuitous outdoor lovemaking naturally), drive
into a deserted rest area so that Nicole can use the ladies room. The toilet literally
is a toilet. When she returns, Jess has disappeared (in a nod to The Vanishing).
Slowly it dawns on Nicole that the sick freak in the pick up truck with the big
headlights is out to get her and she must use her wits to escape this madman. The
movie tosses in a sideshow of a family who give her a ride in their RV, Joey Lawrence
as the cutest (and dumbest) cop ever, and a genuinely creepy encounter between
Nicole and one of the killer’s escaped victims. The movie, like Chainsaw, relies on
imagination (though there’s tons of bloods and a fair amount of gore) and the disc
has the fun of three alternate endings. Best extra is some Freaks style footage of
the RV family and a tantalizing back story that ties up some loose ends.
Finally, it’s time for a bit of camp and what other than that walking cartoon, horror
hostess Elvira? Shout! Factory has released six episodes from Elivra’s early 80s
horror show which consisted of her introduction and commercial lead in commentary
on the movies – all which nicely fall into the category of “drive in horror.” The titles
of these Elvira classics run the gamut from Dracula’s Great Love to Legacy of
Blood. There’s something for every aficionado of chesseball horror pictures (lots of
blood, gore and plenty of breasts). But none are nearly as spectacular as those
belonging to Elvira the horror hostess with the mostess (her appropriate slogan is
“gal that put the boob back in the boob tube"). I’m a longtime fan of the campy
persona that Cassandra Peterson has created in Elvira and watching these dreadful
but fun discs reminded me that my alter ego, Dick O’Day, had the pleasure of
hosting the Chicago world premiere of Elvira’s second starring feature, Elvira’s
Haunted Hills. Richard “Rocky Horror Picture Show” O’Brien had the unfortunate task
of trying to compete onscreen with Elvira’s top shelf with predictable results!
1974 drive-in schlock-shock classic? Well maybe this: I’ve spent over 30 years
avoiding the movie because I assumed – wrongly as it turns out – that it was just
too gory for my, shall we say sensitive stomach. I’d seen many clips – the shot of
Leatherface slamming the steel door after grabbing the unsuspecting young wench,
for example, but was always too scared to watch the whole thing. Back in my
nightclub promoter days, I’d even hired Bill Johnson who played Leatherface in the
sequel to chase around a club full of drunken Halloween revelers with a real chainsaw
back in 1986. But something about the original kept me from seeing it (actually I
think it was the fact that my older sister saw it and it gave her nightmares).
But when a new, 2-disc Ultimate Edition arrived from Dark Sky I decided that wait was
finally over. It was time to head down to Texas and find out what exactly was in that
creepy house in the middle of nowhere. In true masochist-horror fashion, I turned
off the lights and dropped the disc into the player. Now I get it and am thrilled to
report that this story of a van full of innocents slaughtered by the craziest family this
side of the Addams' retains its power all these years later. And though there’s a bit
of gore – much more is left to the imagination (thank you). The screaming of
starlet Marilyn Burns as the hapless Sally is just as my sister reported (it goes on for
what seems like hours – the poor thing must have been hoarse for weeks) and the
cheesiness of some of the acting is offset by the craziness of the cannibal family.
Each time the film seems about to descend into camp it goes off into creepyville
instead. Though I have nothing to compare it to, the disc is fairly clean and was
struck from an original 16mm print (apparently, reading other reviews, this is the
best transfer yet). Sound was fine (also apparently the best of the many editions
already on the market). A second disc packed with retro featurettes and all new
documentaries was also welcome. That and a closer look at the case of serial killer
Ed Gein, inspiration for writer-director Tobe Hooper.
Rest Stop is the latest in a long line of unsuspecting teens getting more than they
bargained for when they foolishly head out into God’s Country in their beat up cars
(just once I’d like to see the process reversed). The movie, out on DVD from
Warner Home Video, was a Sci-Fi channel original and the home release is available
in either that less gory, less sexy form or the unrated which I’m halfway
recommending. Mainly because I’m big on female protagonists able to outwit their
seemingly unstoppable stalker/killers and because it will make for a nice
participation movie at your Halloween gatherings. In this instance, the lovely Nicole
and her boyfriend Jess (after some gratuitous outdoor lovemaking naturally), drive
into a deserted rest area so that Nicole can use the ladies room. The toilet literally
is a toilet. When she returns, Jess has disappeared (in a nod to The Vanishing).
Slowly it dawns on Nicole that the sick freak in the pick up truck with the big
headlights is out to get her and she must use her wits to escape this madman. The
movie tosses in a sideshow of a family who give her a ride in their RV, Joey Lawrence
as the cutest (and dumbest) cop ever, and a genuinely creepy encounter between
Nicole and one of the killer’s escaped victims. The movie, like Chainsaw, relies on
imagination (though there’s tons of bloods and a fair amount of gore) and the disc
has the fun of three alternate endings. Best extra is some Freaks style footage of
the RV family and a tantalizing back story that ties up some loose ends.
Finally, it’s time for a bit of camp and what other than that walking cartoon, horror
hostess Elvira? Shout! Factory has released six episodes from Elivra’s early 80s
horror show which consisted of her introduction and commercial lead in commentary
on the movies – all which nicely fall into the category of “drive in horror.” The titles
of these Elvira classics run the gamut from Dracula’s Great Love to Legacy of
Blood. There’s something for every aficionado of chesseball horror pictures (lots of
blood, gore and plenty of breasts). But none are nearly as spectacular as those
belonging to Elvira the horror hostess with the mostess (her appropriate slogan is
“gal that put the boob back in the boob tube"). I’m a longtime fan of the campy
persona that Cassandra Peterson has created in Elvira and watching these dreadful
but fun discs reminded me that my alter ego, Dick O’Day, had the pleasure of
hosting the Chicago world premiere of Elvira’s second starring feature, Elvira’s
Haunted Hills. Richard “Rocky Horror Picture Show” O’Brien had the unfortunate task
of trying to compete onscreen with Elvira’s top shelf with predictable results!
