CURSE OF THE EVIL SPIRIT-1971 -This is director Ray Dennis Steckler’s THE CHOOPER before he added about 40 minutes of meaningless rodeo footage because the original was too short. It’s also known as BLOOD SHACK and tells the story of a rundown shack haunted by “The Chooper” a vengeful Indian spirit who kills anyone who enters.
The story opens with a cool, acoustic rock-a-billy song courtesy of co-star/co-writer Ron Haydock (in his last movie). Then we meet ranch hand Daniel (Jason Wayne in his first and last film role) who warns two little girls (The Steckler’s own kids, Linda & Laura) to stay away from the shack or The Chooper will get them. He tells the same thing to a young (and seemingly stoned) hitchhiker but she stays anyway and gets killed by a mysterious killer in black brandishing a long knife in a very dark scene.
We then learn the story of a famous actress named Carolyn Brandt who as luck would have it is actually played by Steckler’s then wife Carolyn Brandt! She inherits the rundown, barren place from her uncle and goes to live there after “some bad experiences in the film business making horror films”! We are also introduced to “the ranch” foreman Tim (Haydock looking some what Ed Nortonish). After Brandt and Daniel discuss two of Steckler’s real movies she goes for a walk and meets the two little girls (they’re pretty good actresses ! ) who discuss The Chooper again. They seem to pop out of nowhere several times during the story to play with a chair or get into mischief. More narration and walking ensues. Tim shows up drinking a coke, wanting to buy the ranch. Then Carolyn wanders around at night.
Next day comes some of the infamous rodeo footage. The hitchhiker’s husband comes looking for his wife and boom The Chooper strikes again! Daniel runs around like Norman Bates cleaning up after the deaths and yelling things like “ Oh my god, I warned you! I told you The Chooper would get you!”. Carolyn talks to the kids again and whammo! Off we go to the rodeo! Tim shows up still trying to buy the ranch. A fat sheriff comes by and is killed by The Chooper in a dive off the roof attack. Meanwhile Carolyn takes the kids on an endless ride with Peanuts The Pony! More narration follows and on and on . Tim and Daniel have a fist fight that kills a few minutes and breaks up the monotony while the kids dig in the dirt. Then it’s back to the rodeo! Dudes bust their broncos while a not too bad James Bondish type guitar song (“Dream Your Dreams”) plays. Finally The Chooper’s real identity is revealed in the not so exciting climax and a rather blasé Brandt leaves. THE END!
his is not Steckler’s worst movie. It’s close but THE HOLLYWOOD KILLER MEETS THE SKID ROW SLASHER (1979) had even more talk and less action. It’s tedious for sure and the sound, editing and acting are sub-standard but like most Steckler projects it has some unexplainable appeal.
And Steckler is not a bad director! Scenes when The Chooper attacks are actually quite startling in a way. In the first murder he appears out of the darkness yelling. The second (in broad daylight) he cuts across the camera out of nowhere. It gets your attention! The best parts for me were the weird American Indian influenced title paintings and the music.
Co-star Ron Haydock had an “Ed Wood” type career writing lurid pulp novels,, editing a Sci-Fi magazine and acting in other movies by his friend Steckler (who also co-wrote, edited and photographed “Curse”) that was marred by mental illness. He was killed in 1977 at the age of 37. There is a great compilation album of his fun Gene Vincent inspired bop called “99 Chicks”.
Steckler made a lot of adults only movies (usually under a pseudonym) around this time. His next “real movie” was the aforementioned THKMTSRS. It’s kind of sequel THE LAS VEGAS SERIAL KILLER appeared in 1986. His last outing WARCAT (1987) was completed by TV Mikels.
Sad to report Ray Dennis Steckler died in January 2009.
"It is hard enough to remember my opinions without also remembering my reasons for them"-Nietzsche
Thanks for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment