Tag: 1989

Directed by Michael Hawes [Other horror films: N/A]

I hadn’t really heard of this one before watching it, and thus, had no expectations one way or the other going in. I am happy to report that despite the lower budget, this movie is something that’s probably worth watching.

It’s a bit of a slow beginning, but it’s bolstered by the fact that the actors really feel like a family in a stressful situation. Mel Novak did well as the father, and occasionally came off with an Amityville Horror vibe. A.J. Woods and Kaylin Cool did great as the bickering younger brother and older sister. Neither of them had any other roles in anything else, so it’s especially impressive. It was a well put-together cast, so despite the sluggish beginning, I was still glued to the screen.

The story itself was moderately fascinating also. At times, it felt more like one of those 70’s devil worshiper movies, and because the movie lacked much of the lighter tone normally found in 80’s films for a drier, 70’s feel, it felt somewhat authentic, in a disjointed, ‘what’s-going-on’ way.

As far as problems go, my main one is that the police subplot. It didn’t really go anywhere, despite a good twenty-five minutes, if not more, being spent on it. Not only that, but those portions at the police station were actually pretty cool, in a Storm of the Century-type way. Shame, really, that it didn’t play more into the plot.

Still, the downbeat conclusion was fun. I wouldn’t say that this film is amazing, but it felt unique. I wish it had some better death scenes, but I liked what we got. If you want a movie that’s a bit more out there, I’d recommend maybe giving this a look. I can’t guarantee you’ll love it, but I think that most would find it interesting, despite the lower budget at their disposal.

7.5/10

Directed by Christopher Reynolds [Other horror films: N/A]

So, you all know me: if it’s an 80’s slasher, chances are high that I love the movie. And this late 80’s addition to the genre is no different.

After a prank goes awry, those involved are slaughtered ten years later. Plot-wise, there’s not much going on, and I thought it worked out just fine. This independent Oklahoma rip-off of Halloween was a lot of fun. It’s low-budget, but has a lot of heart (think HauntedWeen, and this won’t be the last time I make the comparison). The musical score is a complete copy of Halloween’s, and the final twenty minutes (along with the fact the killer is mute, and just escaped from a mental institution) takes heavily from Halloween also.

Even so, there’s some memorable stuff in here, from hammy acting to decent kills. While the gore was kept to a minimum, there was some decent blood during a few scenes (which is definitely one area where HauntedWeen one-ups this film).

The acting was about how you’d expect, but I got a kick out of it. Our main girl Gretchen (played by Loretta Leigh Bowman) did her part well, and was an attractive young lady to boot. We got two zany side-characters, one being a mortician’s intern (played comically by Mark Massey – his only other role was in the SOV horror film The Ripper from 1985) and the other being Deputy Buddy (played by Barry Brown – his only other film being an early 90’s crime/thriller, which, worth noting, is the only other film the director of this movie directed). Both were zany goodness with strong Oklahoma accents (which is a trait shared by almost every cast member, our lead girl with the most notable accent).

Perhaps my favorite character, though, is Sheriff Chism. He’s a genial, nice guy, who actually tries his best to help the girls out. Really, Chism’s a great character, and I had fun with him. The actor who portrayed him, G. Michael Smith, has only this single movie under his belt, which is a shame. Most likely, he’s just a citizen of Oklahoma City (where this was filmed) who the director thought fit the role best, and boy, does he ever.

This movie had a few comedic scenes thrown in (including one juxtaposition near the end which I laughed aloud at), and overall, Offerings was a fun film. While lacking in the gore department, I got a kick out of this one, and while it might appeal purely to slasher fans of the bygone era, it’s a movie I recommend.

7.5/10

Directed by Jeff Kwitny [Other horror films: Beyond the Door III (1989)]

I’m not ashamed to say that I find Iced an enjoyable slasher. Of course, since I like 3/4’s of all 70’s and 80’s slashers, perhaps that doesn’t come as a surprise.

Iced is a low-quality late addition to the slasher genre, and doesn’t really have much to add. The kills vary in quality (weakest, by far, was a hot tub electrocution, but both the icicle kill, along with the bear-trap death, were quite fun), but for the most part, they were all good fun. The setting, a secluded cabin in the snowy wilderness, was delightful also (reminiscent, almost, of 1984’s Satan’s Blade).

None of the cast did particularly amazing, but I will say, many of the folks in this flick have been in other classic (and not so classic) films around the same time. Debra De Liso (Trina), who did, in my opinion, pretty decently throughout, was in The Slumber Party Massacre (1982). Doug Stevenson (Cory) was briefly in The Prowler (1981). Ron Kologie (Carl) was in the mess Cards of Death (1986). Joseph Alan Johnson (Alex) was also in The Slumber Party Massacre, along with 1987’s Berserker (a slasher I’ve not had the pleasure to view yet). Lastly, Lisa Loring (Jeanette) was in Blood Frenzy (1987).

So while not great, those actors and actresses certainly got around the horror genre, and all things considered, no one really did terribly in Iced (the nudity certainly didn’t hurt matters). Oh, the conversations were often awkward or stilted, but isn’t that half the fun? And don’t get me started on that utterly ridiculous ending…

Iced is one of those flicks that would probably only appeal to slasher fans. It’s not the bottom of the barrel, as far as quality goes (1986’s Night Ripper! might get that accolade), but Iced is certainly no Friday the 13th. That said, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie, legitimately. Not an A+ slasher, but an all-around solid viewing.

(One last side-note: this movie has no DVD or Blu-Ray release currently – it’s on VHS only. Damn shame).

8/10