The Cellar (1989)
Starring: Patrick Kilpatrick, Chris Miller, Suzanne Savoy,
Ford Rainey, Lou Perryman, Nick Gomez
Plot: Comanche Indians have trapped the evil of their land
in a monster made up of a mixture of other animals. The Comanche have placed a
protective spear in the ground to contain the evil.
My Review and Thoughts:
Here is another forgotten little horror gem from the late
80’s that seems to have vanished from most horror movie lovers mind. A run-down
house, a new family decided to buy the fixer upper out in the middle of the
desert. Now the place has a history and a legend and most of all an old Indian
curse. White man came and destroyed the land, but also woke up an old vengeful
creature.
The Indians trapped the monster of their land, inside many
animals, all combined into one. A young boy during the oil period removes a
spear and takes a talisman from the top of the spear, releasing a darkened
liquid. You then flash to present time when the new family moves into the
house. There, a boy, like the boy in the past finds a spear and removes it from
the ground where a mysterious Indian had been doing a ritual, and then that
same liquid bubbles again.
The family soon finds a cellar hidden behind an old shelf.
The father explores finding a huge underground puddle of black water. This has
all the wild over the top classic reality that 80’s horror films so
interestingly displayed. An unimaginable creature, a family in a house filled
with secrets and the darkness waiting for them.
This is directed by the prolific horror director of the 80’s
Kevin S. Tenney. Tenney was a stable in the 80’s with such amazing horror
classics like wonderful over looked Witchboard (1986), the one of kind cult
horror film Night of the Demons (1988) and the lessor known but still equally
memorable Witchtrap (1989). Tenney led his talent into the 90’s with the one
and only ultra-cheesy Sci-Fi classic Peacemaker (1990) and continuing the
wonderful Witchboard series with Witchboard 2: The Devil's Doorway (1993) and
the ultra b-movie Pinocchio's Revenge (1996). He still directs today but is not
as prolific as he was in the 80’s and early 90’s with truly cult status horror
films that leave a lasting mark.
Interesting to note is Kevin stepped into this film after 8
days of it already begin directed by John Woodward. He took over to finish the
film.
Now this star the one and only b-grade action star and
horror fiend and all-around actor Patrick Kilpatrick. I grew up with countless
films of his in my childhood of the 80’s and 90’s and he always owned his part
from villain, to good guy, to robot and beyond. Such ultra-Drive-In classics
like The Toxic Avenger to the ultra-robot Sci-Fi Class of 1999. From awesome
Death Warrant to my personal all-time favorite Scanner Cop 2. Anything and
everything he acts in shines in his persona of true bad ass, or ultra-cool
character. Over 100 acting performances from TV to movie to miniseries. In The Cellar,
he plays Mance a down in the luck father who moves his family in hope of a home.
Mance is father to Willy. Willy knows what is happening. A creature in the
cellar but no one believes him. His dad thinks he is making it up. Soon people
start to disappear and all the ultra b-movie glory seeps in.
This also stars Chris Miller as Willy your young believer
and one who takes it upon himself to try and save the day from the creature and
legend. Now Chris Miller can be known through cinema history. He is often a
voice actor to many popular animation films. Most notable he is the story artist
for the Shrek series. He was responsible for story artist and voiced many
characters in the Shrek series. He also directed Shrek the 3rd and Puss N
Boots. He played the voices of Geppetto and the Magic Mirror in Shrek. In Shrek
2 he was Magic Mirror and Humphries, Shrek the 3rd he was Puppet Master, Mascot
and others. In Shrek, Forever After he was the Royal Guard, Magic Mirror, and
Geppetto. He also was the voice of Kowalski in the popular Madagascar series.
He acted in all the wonderful cheesy glory of a young kid
facing a cellar monster in this movie. This is an 80’s forgotten about drive-in
b-grade film of wonderful cheesy horrid acting and ultra-cool b-grade puppet
monster.
This is a cross between Troll and Ghoolies and Devil Dog
Hound from hell. An ultra-classic cheesy b-movie of fantastic stupid over the
top effects, and horrid, and I mean horrid acting, but that is what makes it a
wonderful drive-in piece of classic pooh to enjoy. This is so cheesy you need a
bag of nachos to dip it in. I loved this silly, simple, dorky wonderment of
ultra 80’s horror cheese. A perfect addition at the Drive-In, where it belongs
on the Double-bill late night marathon of 80’s forgotten horror.
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The Paperboy (1994)
Starring: Alexandra Paul, Marc Marut, William Katt
Plot: Young Johnny McFarley rides his bike delivering
newspapers. He appears happy, but his innocence disappears when he enters the
house of his elderly neighbor and suffocates her in hopes of seeing Melissa, her
daughter. Johnny is obsessed with Melissa, despite her previous rejection to
his advances. Melissa must fight to survive before the police can arrive.
My Review and Thoughts:
Oh yes here we go inside a film from my childhood. I
remember the Ma and Pa video store on Broadway in Knoxville Tennessee. Ails and
ails of VHS covers with glory of cinema films. The back section I would linger
in, scan, just be in awe of the horror selections for my mind of imagination.
Roll after roll of sun baked, faded covers of monsters, killers, satanic demons
and devils. From killer kids, to mutated creatures of radiation. I remember the
first time I came across The Paperboy. I was always scared of my real-life
Paperboy that delivered in my neck of the woods, because he was the school
bully that would always tease, kick and humiliate me. So, the idea of a
deranged killer kid paperboy was right up my alley.
Starring a wonderful early 90’s cast of characters that
where stables for the time. The one and only William Katt from my love of the
80’s horror classic Stephen King’s Carrie and the ultra-cool Comedy horror
classic House. Always a treat to watch as he creates his characters in a
wonderful way. He plays Brian in this cheesy wonderful killer Paperboy movie.
Also starring the very beautiful and stunning Alexandra Paul
who is most remembered from Baywatch fame, but I will always know her in
countless 80’s films. She starred in the ultra-cool and pure classic John
Carpenter’s Christine. In Paperboy, she plays the character of Melissa Thorpe
who is the focus of The Paperboy. The Paperboy goes to extremes to get Melissa
back to the neighborhood. It starts out with him suffocating Melissa’s mom to
death, showcasing just what you’re getting into.
The Paperboy is a serial killer that gets what he wants and
if he doesn’t you end up dead in many wonderful sadistic ways, that only a
child could do. Now the crap hits the fan when Melissa who is heart broken by
the death of her mom, returns home. Her sadness soon becomes terror and horror
as The Paperboy moves in for the affection he so graves, wants, and in his mind
ultimately needs.
This is written by a prolific writer David E. Peckinpah,
which sadly passed away at the very young age of 55. He was a stable in writing
for films and most of all TV. Now he is the nephew of the one and only Master
Director and Visionary himself Sam Peckinpah. David wrote for such TV classics
like Beauty and the Beast and Silk Stockings, Sliders, Farscape. He also was a
major producer for the shows of Beauty and the Beast, Silk Stockings and
Sliders. He also directed many episodes of Silk Stockings and the sci-fi
Sliders show. He was a very talented man and had a wonderful way of creating
his characters in written form that shined on screen for the viewer.
Now as Melissa and her young daughter go about the funeral
and life back at home, objects start to disappear. Soon Johnny makes himself
known and is constant stable at the house of Melissa. Soon Johnny starts to
control Melissa’s young daughter scaring her and ultimately the big bully
brother type. Johnny needs a new family, a new mommy, and Melissa is his
obsession.
Now the true acting job must go to the Paperboy himself
Johnny McFarley. Played by actor Marc Marut. He gives and owns this part in an
over the top, fantastic, bratty, twisted, serial killer insanity silliness.
Marc Marut has always been a very underrated actor and never really got the
push he deserved. He starred as the character of Elbert in the series Avonlea.
He always aced his characters and made you believe in them. He gave the
character of Elbert life and one I still remember to this day. Something I
remember him greatly in is one of my favorite series growing up Goosebumps in
the two-part episode Welcome to Dead House, which I am proudly looking at on my
movie DVD shelf right now. One of my most memories of the 90’s is The Action
Pack Television Series, of films that ran for many years. One of those series
of films was William Shatners TekWar films, which starred Marc Marut as the
character of Danny Cardigan.
I will always know Marut for his character of the Paperboy.
It left a lasting impression upon me when I first saw it back in 1994.
This was directed by Douglas Jackson. He directed many
movies and TV film movies that stand out. A great director that knows how to
work the camera and how to direct the persons he is filming. I remember not
only The Paperboy but also, he directed many TV films of the mystery, suspense
and thriller nature, that I always enjoyed watching. I enjoyed his TV films
like 1992’s Dead Bolt, 1994’s Stalked, 1997’s Twists of Terror, 2000’s Someone
is Watching, 2005’s The Perfect Neighbor, 2005’s The Killer Upstairs. He also
directed the underrated 1990’s Dean Koontz’s Whispers. I love the way he adds
tension and terror and mystery to his films. He can make that fear grow for the
viewer.
The Paperboy is an ultra-throwback to the idea of the bad
seed child. A child wanting whatever he wishes and when he can’t get it, he
goes to extreme measures to favor himself through unsettling actions of murder
and terror. A fun b-movie film of cheesy terror and an unrelenting child
killer.
Bodies pile up. Johnny’s paper route ends up soaked in blood
and mayhem as the innocents are stalked and eradicated at the hands of the
killer Paperboy.
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The Godsend (1980)
Starring: Malcolm Stoddard, Cyd Hayman, Angela Pleasence,
Patrick Barr, Wilhelmina Green, Joanne Boorman
Plot: The story concerns the Marlowe family and an abandoned
child named Bonnie, who they take into their home after being left with them by
a mysterious woman they meet on a day out to a nearby lake. The father of the
family, gradually starts to suspect that the subsequent tragic deaths of his
children were caused by Bonnie.
My Review and Thoughts:
The concept of evil children. The concept of the bad seed.
This plays out like all the killer kid films of the 70's and 80's. The Omen
style reality. These movies seemed to run rampant in the 70's and 80's and even
the 90's, well hell even up till today. They always seemed to showcase a child
with extra abilities or something that's not right. A spawn of something
greater and more vivid then we can imagine.
The Godsend is a forgotten film. A film that many don't even
know exist. It's an odd old school style horror. A little blond girl with evil
tendencies.
You start off with a husband-and-wife with many kids. A
loving family living in the outskirts. Living in the country. A pregnant woman
shows up one day and soon goes into labor. The strange woman gives birth in the
family’s house. The next morning, she vanishes, but the little baby girl
remains, and soon the family adopts, accepts the child.
Strangely and mysteriously one by one the family’s children
die in freak accidents. One after the other, crib death, drowning, falls, just
a regular twisted example of an unknown force that now has come into the lives
of their peaceful existence.
This has many genres to it, from drama, mystery, and
ultimately tendencies of horror. A nice slow-burn story. You the viewer know
what's happening; or do you. A nice mysterious film from the 80's, but has been
forgotten by time and is often overlooked, and seems to be lost with the
countless others of its nature.
There were many disturbing kid films and I feel many are
overlooked from the wonderful, Child of Darkness Child of Light and even this
one, The Godsend, just to name a few, which are about children with interesting
persona's that are forgotten about.
This star a truly wonderful actress that's been acting from
1960 and still today. From small screen to feature film Angela Pleasence. She
owns and creates all her characters in flawless ways. Her short performance in
The Godsend as The Stranger is amazing in all its weird and odd reality. She is
the daughter of the late great acting persona Donald Pleasence who was a master
actor and most will remember him as his most prolific character Dr. Loomis in
the Halloween movie series.
This is directed by Gabrielle Beaumont. She started
directing in the 1970's and this was her first feature film. Here career would
consist of TV shows and TV films throughout the 80's and 90's. She directed all
most all the top shows in the 80's and 90's directing episodes for: The
Walton's, Mash, Dynasty, The Dukes of Hazard, Hart to Hart, Remington Steele,
Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, LA Law, Doogie Howser MD, Law & Order, Star
Trek the Next Generation, The Pretender, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Star Trek
Voyager, Baywatch, Melrose Place and many others. She also directed the cheesy
b-movie classic Beastmaster 3: Eye of Braxus. Now Beaumont's husband Olaf
Pooley wrote the screenplay for the Godsend Film. Olaf is a prolific actor,
acting in over 80 performances.
This film is based on the novel by the same name written by
Bernard Taylor. Taylor also wrote the novel for the very underrated film
Mothers Boys starring Jamie Lee Curtis in the film adaption. Although the movie
and book are totally different. The movie version of The Godsend stays right
with the book but changed the ending in the film. The Godsend was Taylor's
first novel written and given to the literature world.
This is a strange odd and weird film playing on the idea of
the kid with powers, or of a different nature. A fun wild drive-in late night
b-movie of excitement and entertainment.