The eighties were apparently a time where summer camps were dens for psychopaths and murderers, and “The Burning” displays no exception. Even more vicious than the first “Friday the 13th,” Tony Maylam’s slasher revenge film is a violent and very creepy horror film steeped in eighties slasher tropes, but still manages to feel fresh and unique to this day. Maylam’s direction keeps the film at a brisk pace, while Tom Savini’s special effects inspire quite the cringe, even today. Cropsey is one of the more underrated slasher icons from the eighties.
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
Witchboard (1986) [Blu-Ray/DVD Combo]
Director Kevin Tenney’s “Witchboard” is a spooky, but damn silly supernatural mystery that really works in the context of the eighties and really nothing else. Unlike “Night of the Demons,” you really have to consider the time period in order to enjoy “Witchboard” for its elements that will give you occasional chills, while also inspiring a few eye rolls here and there. This is a decade where the Ouija Board was still considered something of a mystic item, so director Tenney plays with such a superstition.
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Sexual Dysfunction (2013)
Director Jacob Viness definitely has some interesting directorial skills, displaying the madness about sexual addiction and what chaos it can wreak. Director Viness spotlights a young man named Paul who is hopelessly addicted to sex to where it’s painful, often ending in nights spent with diseased prostitutes and strangers he meets on the streets. He’s anxious to find a way to end his suffering and find a path in life, and through this he uses his religion to help him on his path. But that’s where the narrative goes off the rails, unfortunately.
Google Doctor (2013)
What’s horrifying about “Google Doctor,” is that I’ve had doctor sessions like this before. Save for the final scene involving the penis. Nonetheless “Google Doctor” from Bluetack Studios is a hilarious short comedy that’s simplistic in premise and hilarious in its delivery.
Sparks (2014)
Director David McCool’s short horror film is a nice and clever little interruption of reality, that explores the idea of alternate states and the paradoxes of time. McCool plays a man at his computer who gets a mysterious call, and is disturbed by a sudden power outage. In an effort to test out a new odd device in a socket, he is electrocuted, and awakens to learn he’s facing an enemy he never expected.
The Beast Within (!982) [Blu-Ray]
It’s an understatement to call “The Beast Within” one of the more unusual horror anomalies of the eighties. Director Phillipe Mora’s film garners an inherent subtext, but what kind, I’m still not sure. “The Beast Within” operates on an almost fever dream kind of narrative that takes twists and turns without ever even trying to form a coherent story thread. Even once. I’m still not sure why there’s a giant anthropomorphic bug monster roaming around, but nonetheless, it’s a pivotal plot point.
Captain Phillips (2013)
One thing that director Paul Greengrass seems intent on exploring is that “Captain Phillips” by no means turns in to “Air Force One.” Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips doesn’t fight people, he doesn’t gain the ability to operate hand guns, and there isn’t a catchy one liners he spouts at his Samalian kidnappers. Captain Phillips is first and foremost a human being under very stressful conditions, doing whatever he can to keep his crew alive. Even if it means sacrificing himself. Tom Hanks gives one of the most amazing performances of his career, playing what is one of the most average men thrust in to a perilous situation.