Reformed Vampires

 

 (imdb)

SUNDOWN: THE VAMPIRE IN RETREAT-1989-A prologue tells us that a community of vampires (Purgatory) live somewhere out west, no longer drinking human blood, using sunblock and other modern devices so that someday they can live in harmony with humans. David Harrison (Jim Meltzer), his wife Sarah (Morgan Brittany) and their 2 monster loving daughters come to town to help make artificial blood for the vampires. The town is run by Mardulak (David Carradine). Meanwhile, Jefferson (John Ireland) is planning a revolt and is gathering a vampire army. Another vampire Shane (Maxwell Caulfield), a former rival of David's ìs in league with Jefferson and invents wooden bullets to kill Mardulak's followers. Another visitor is Robert Van Helsing (Bruce Campbell), who's helped by Sandy, a waitress vampire (Deborah Foreman). Of course, Mardulak is really Dracula and there's a huge shootout between the two factions as a finale. 

Dabbs Greer is a German vampire. John Hancock is the sheriff. Emmett Walsh is a gas station attendant who decapitates a punk and Bert Remsen is his brother. Buck Flower is impaled with an umbrella. 

The story is part horror parody and part serious horror and it doesn't always mesh but Carradine, Campbell & Ireland are good. “Town Without Pity” and “Earth Angel” are played over the closing credits. 

This was director Anthony Hickox's second feature (after WAXWORK in 1988). His dad, Douglas directed Vincent Price in THEATER OF BLOOD (1973).

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The Original

THE EVIL DEAD-1981-Ash (Bruce Campbell) and 4 jerky friends (1 guy, 3 girls) go to a secluded cabin. There's a lot of strange noises and there seems to be something in the woods. In the basement (where there's a THE HILLS HAVE EYES poster) they find some ancient books, artifacts and a tape recorder. The tape has a doctor talking about Sumeria, The Book of The Dead and resurrecting the deceased. The taped chanting of the doctor seems to bring up some force and a tree crashes through a window. At night one of the women Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) is attacked by tree branches then chased through the forest by an unseen force. On the tape the doctor says his wife is possessed. Cheryl becomes a ghoul and threatens the rest, stabbing Ash's girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker) with a pencil. They lock her in the basement. The third girl Shelly (Sarah York) becomes possessed and attacks Scott (Richard Manincor), the other guy. Shelly gets partially burned, has her hand cut off, then dies after being dismembered in a very gory scene. Then Linda becomes a giggling demon. Ash yells: “You bastards! Why are you torturing me like this?!”. When Scotty dies, Ash is left alone to fight the demons. 

There's a lot of bloody effects, decapitation, demon attacks and of course poor Ash is beaten, stabbed and generally terrorized but manages to destroy the demon and survive....or does he? 

This was director Sam Raimi's first feature film (he'd only made short films before this) and seems to be influenced the low budget horror film EQUINOX (1970). It still packs a wallop today. Followed by two sequels and a cable TV show many years later.

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Evil Remake

EVIL DEAD-2013-Sam Raimi's classic low budget horror masterpiece is given the big budgeted Hollywood treatment. Some stupid young people decide to take their drug addicted friend Mia (Jane Levy) to an isolated cabin in the woods to cure her. Bad idea. No really, it's idiotic even if one of them is a nurse. After one dork reads some passages from The Book of The Dead, Mia starts acting real weird. She sees dead people, spits blood, levitates and talks in a Linda Blair/Exorcist. It sorts of copies the original in some respects but as usual with so many modern horror stories you don't about the characters, the SFX are more disgusting than horrifying and the acting sucks.  

It was the first feature made by Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez (who also co-scripted). He had previously made a Sci-Fi short ATAQUE DE PANICOL (PANIC ATTACK) which debuted on You Tube. You can see it here and decide whether it was a good enough to warrant him a debut film costing 30 million dollars:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dadPWhEhVk .


But the movie did well so I guess it doesn't matter.

Original director Sam Raimi and original producer Robert Tapert were to of the producers for this remake as well as original star Bruce Campbell (who has a cameo).

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Was This Ever In A Theater Near You?

THE WOODS-2006-A problem teenager named Heather (Agnes Bruckner) is sent by her parents (Emma Campbell and Bruce Campbell) to a mysterious girls school run by Patricia Clarkson (who whispers a lot). Besides having trouble with the usual bullies and strict rules Heather sees a ghost and learns the legend of three witches who once emerged from the foreboding woods that surround the school.

This spooky story features some very weird SFX and although a little talky it’s entertaining and has a few twists. With all the crap thrown in theaters these days I was surprised to read that it took 3 years to get it released! Director Lucky McKee had previously made a horror film I like a lot called MAY. T

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ELVIS! (not really)

BUBBA HO-TEP-2002-Disregarding the jokes about a boil on a penis and senile senior citizens this is a pretty clever and funny horror spoof.

In an old age home Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell), who may actually be a Elvis impersonator or the real Elvis who traded identities with an Elvis impersonator teams up with John F. Kennedy (Ossie Davis!). He says that after he was “assassinated” they dyed his body and filled his head with sand! They battle an Egyptian mummy dressed like a cowboy who steals souls.

Director/screenwriter Don Coscarelli (who made the PHANTASM series) adapted it from a short story by S.F. writer Jon Lansdale. PHANTASM regular Reggie Bannister runs the old age home. There may be a sequel in the works.

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