Franchise Corner Entry: [REC] [REC] ***** Spain 2007 Dir: Jaume Balaguero / Paco Plaza. 78 mins Part of the Spanish horror renaissance of the early 21st century, this outstanding exercise in sustained dread was beaten to UK / US release by two other “found-footage” zombie films (THE ZOMBIE DIARIES and…
Browsing: Franchise Corner
TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD **** Spain 1971 Dir: Amando De Ossorio. 97 mins The debut appearance of Amando De Ossorio’s “Blind Dead” is Spain’s answer to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, trapping a disparate bunch of characters in a confined space with the slow-moving undead outside in a bleak…
Franchise Corner Entry: HELLRAISER HELLRAISER ***** UK 1987 Dir: Clive Barker. A relatively huge hit in a late-80’s marketplace starved of decent British horror films, Clive Barker’s feature directing debut was also a visceral breath of fresh air for VHS-weaned horror fans of a certain age. It has aged well,…
Franchise Corner Entry: SLEEPAWAY CAMP SLEEPAWAY CAMP **** USA 1983 84 mins At the Crystal Lake-ish Camp Arawak, a grinning, leering paedo-cook unhooks his belt as he leches over an underage girl, complimenting “You’re a sweet-looking little cupcake…” Shy, sweet, largely silent Angela (Felissa Rose) suffers a persecution similar to…
SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT **** USA 1984 86 mins “So it’s not all phoney sentiment, is it? A lot of it is genuine greed…” Although various other movies had already featured a homicidal Santa (Amicus’ 1972 flick TALES FROM THE CRYPT uses the idea to creepier…