Shhhh....

 

 (imdb)

FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM-1987-A reporter Beth Chandler (Susan Tyrell) covers the execution of Katherine White (Martine Bestwick) in the town of Oldfield. After her execution Beth visits White's brother Julian (Vincent Price) and 4 tales are related. 

In story one: A nutty psychotic wimp Stanley (Clu Gulager) has a weird relationship with his sister. He's sweet on co-worker Grace. Some-how, they go on a date and he kills her. Later he has sex with her corpse. 9 months later he kills his sister. He seems happy until an undead demon baby (the result of his unholy intercourse) comes to kill him. 

In the second story an idiot (Terry Kiser) escaping from a gangland hit meets the swamp dwelling Felder (Harry Ceaser) who knows the secret of eternal life. 

In the third a glass eater at a carnival has problems when he wants to marry a non-carny woman. They escape but the owner (Rosalind Cash) vows revenge. 

In the last, set during the Civil War, some children take revenge on Northern soldiers (led by Cameron Mitchell) in defense of the insurrectionists who fought to keep slavery legal. 

This is a mixed bag anthology from director Jeff Burr who was later known for his sequels to horror movies (THE STEPFATHER 2, LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 3, PUMPKINHEAD 2: BLOOD WINGS, ETC.).

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Time For a Lecture

 

 (imdb)

DEATH DRUG-1978-Nice guy plumber and aspiring musician Jesse (Phillip Michael Thomas) is accepted by a music conservatory but two record producers convince him to forget that because he's going to be bigger than Donna Summers and The Bee Gees. He has a real meltdown Shatner style, while at a nursing home visiting his father who's rejected him because he wouldn't be a doctor. Later we hear from a TV broadcast that Jesse has hit the big time with his new album ("The kids love it!").

Unfortunately, he starts smoking angel dust and imagines his hairbrush is an alligator! He can't function at work (apparently not big enough yet to quit his day job) so he goes to his pusher to score. His assistant keeps his stash in the handle of his tennis racket. Later he gets very paranoid and attacks his boss and abuses his girlfriend. At a session with The Gap Band, he imagines they are making fun of him and rants at his producers ("Don't Mess With Me!") and winds up losing his contract. When his girlfriend gets pregnant her doctor (Rosalind Cash) takes her on a tour of PCP ward. Later Jesse tries to reform but freaks out in a supermarket and attacks an oncoming truck. Cut to a newscaster who informs us Jesse has been struck and killed by a truck. 

The newscast turns into a drug lecture. Girlfriend has her kid. 5 years later she and son (both dressed in white) visit Jesse's grave where she breaks down and the credits roll. Then Thomas comes back to speak again. 

What a mess! 

And DJ Frankie Crocker plays a drug dealer. Bad everything scare film. Director Oscar Williams also made THE FINAL COMEDOWN (1972) with Bill Dee Williams.

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Melinda

 (imdb)

 

MELINDA-1972-Frankie Parker (Calvin Lockhart; THE BEAST MUST DIE), conceited Karate asshole DJ meets and falls for Melinda (Vonetta McGee; in BLACULA the same year), an exotic mystery woman from out of town. While they have sex in his apartment, a guy jerks off in the hall. Later she's killed and Parker is arrested for her murder. His friend Tank (Rockne Tarkington; in BEWARE! THE BLOB the same year) gets him out of jail. Later after a woman who tried to kill him is murdered at his house, he goes on the run with his neglected ex-girlfriend Terry (Rosalind Cash; THE OMEGA MAN). It turns out Melinda was the ex-mistress of gangster Mitch (Paul Stevens; BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES) and she took something from him that he thinks Parker has. He has a henchman named Gregg (Ross Hagen). 

This messed up misguided blaxploitation movie is pretty tough going with its inane dialogue and outrageous acting until the whacked-out kung fu flying ending. Both Jim Kelly and Jeannie Bell make their screen debuts. Gene LeBelle in is there too. It's also the debut of director Hugh A Robertson, then a well-known editor (MIDNIGHT COWBOY, SHAFT). Theme song by Jerry Butler.

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