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Reviews
Driven (2019)
Unique, Genre-Mashup
Equal parts horror, comedy, and thriller, Driven is a unique genre-bending film. Co-stars Richard Speight, Jr. and Casey Dillard share a nice screen rapport. I laughed audibly during several of their exchanges. A clever idea by actor-writer Dillard and director Glenn Payne for a contained story, where the audience never has the opportunity to grow bored in one setting.
The Dinner Party (2020)
A macabre mix of fine culture and savage violence
An artfully crafted, contained horror film that fuses high society and shocking gore. Of particular note is the performance by Sawandi Wilson and the film's musical score. Rather than slum the depths of the horror genre, Doleac chooses to transcend with The Dinner Party instead. For those who prefer a touch of class with their scares.
Spent (2017)
Well-made Indie Film
Imaginatively shot and edited, Spent is a comedy that ultimately warms the heart. Special kudos to the film's production design.
Virus (1980)
Vintage Zombies
Not really sure one might consider this a "fun" zombie picture, though it is a personal favorite of mine, having watched it as a kid (thanks, dad!).
Various comments have mentioned the documentary footage used in the movie. The footage is, in fact, real. It was taken of a New Guinea tribe preparing a burial ceremony. If interested, the footage can be viewed in its entirety in the shockumentary called OF THE DEAD (DES MORTIS).
I don't know if this fact makes the movie that much more reprehensible or depraved. I guess you can decide for yourself.
Des morts (1979)
Tame
Agreed.
This is a pretty tame entry into the death reality genre. I'm not sure it belongs as a shockumentary, either, although there are some disturbing images present.
The only real notoriety concerning this movie is the fact that some of the footage (obviously in the public domain) was used in the z-grade flick NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIES. More specifically, the footage detailing the funeral preparations of a tribal person.
This may serve as a good primer for those with weak constitutions, yet still curious about death. Otherwise, this documentary is pretty boring and without shock (not necessarily a bad thing).
Death Scenes 2 (1992)
Worst of the worst..
Out of all the shockumentaries I've seen, this one by far was the worse. The classic of the genre, Faces of Death, at least gives the audience a few breathers and campy humor between scenes of death and carnage. No such safety net for this film, which immediately bombards the mind with the most gruesome scenes of death captured on film until total numbness sets in. Just shot after shot easily snuffing out the worst sights you could ever imagine in your own mind.
After the watching the film, I just wanted to seek human contact. I have never watched another shockumentary after seeing this video over a decade ago, nor have I ever forgotten many of the scenes witnessed here.
Most people share a curiosity of death. This film, however, will assault your senses to the limit.
555 (1988)
Wicked Awesome
OK. We've all been titillated to the brink by a movie's video box. This has one of the all-time greats in terms of sheer, animalistic exploitation appeal (decapitation by machete). I must have passed this movie 200 times during trips to the local mom and pop video store in the 80s before finally deciding I just HAD to check this thing out.
The film (woops.. can't really say that, can we?), or video, rather, is surprisingly much worse than one might expect.
The plot is extraordinarily complicated (no, I don't mean in an intelligent way) for a production this amateurish. The effects are on par with Blood Feast (except, worse). And the sight of an actor (looking amazingly like John Astin of Victor Kiriakis/Days of Our Lives fame) succo'ing another actress, as well as our villain's knife getting stuck in an actress's prop chest during a kill scene are instant scene classics. To top things off, the video feel of the movie lends a strangely arousing aesthetic quality (thanks 80s porn!).
This is surely one of the great party films (see also: Back from Hell). So much film transfers!
Mausoleum (1983)
Fun, nostalgic '80s flick!
Pay no mind to the many troll user comments listed herein. If you're the kind of person who might rent such a movie as Mausoleum based on its posterart (or, furthermore, its very title), comments made about acting, budget, and special effects limitations are completely misguided.
Mausoleum is strictly for those of us who cut our canines on '80s direct-to-video horror shinola, and who wax nostalgic for clam shell video cases.
Bobbie Breese is stunning in the film, and how could you NOT appreciate Marjoe Gortner having his intestines eaten away (nevermind the fact that he's simply IN the film in the first place!) by Breese's monstrous, double-breasted chompers.
The gardener is a cinematic wonder/McGuffin to behold, and LaWanda Page doing an incredibly un-PC Steppin Fetchit routine has to be seen to be believed! The movie is a definite throwback to classic '70s horror films (moreso in the beginning), before really taking off in the film's third act. Dugan's direction is especially atmospheric and under-appreciated. It's a shame his film career output was so limited.
If any of these comments sound appealing to you, and you know who you are, help keep the memory of this little cinematic footnote alive in the new millennium.