Holocaust 2000 (1977) aka Rain Of Fire aka The Chosen aka The Hex Massacre

3.5 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: The world will be destroyed in a rain of fire. It is written.
Directed by: Alberto De Martino
Written by: Sergio Donati, Alberto De Martino
Actors include: Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Length: 106 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Sure this isn't the movie for everyone, it's very cheesy implausible and over the top but I think that's why I liked it. At first I thought it was going to be a dull talky with Kirk Douglas in it...that is until they stabbed his wife in the groin violently! (p.s. I didn't know that could kill someone?) Turns out Mr. Douglas is in charge of building a Nuclear Power in the Middle East. Douglas' creepy ugly son Angel seems to have very definite plans of his own, and doesn't mind taking over either. When Douglas meets and impregnates a new girlfriend things get even worse...especially when he hears that "his seed is evil"! Let's just say he doesn't want her to have the baby because he thinks it will be evil, but what if it isn't? Really I guess you could say this is an Italian take on The Omen with touches of Rosemary's Baby only way more ridiculous and campy. This is a must for those who love bad film that is entertaining, but a pass for those who like films that make sense.

Availability:  On DVD

Eye Of The Devil (1966)

3.5 / 5
Tagline: we've got your number!
Directed by: J. Lee Thompson
Written by: Robin Estridge, Dennis Murphy
Actors include: Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Donald Pleasence
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 96 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is a rather elegant picture with beautiful black and white photography really quite well made. Sharon Tate actually makes her first appearance here even though I think they dubbed over her voice oddly enough. What it has also working in it's favor is that it's actually rather creepy...some of the imagery is impressive and eerie. It's sort of a precursor for The Wicker Man in some ways, it's about Philippe de Montfaucon who is summonzed back to his hometown castle leaving his wife and children behind. Of course they get lonely and show up at the castle, but something isn't quite right. Especially when his wife walks in on some sort of black magic rite with everyone in hoods. It's better than I had expected yet the lead character is so square that it's kind of annoying in some ways unfortunately. Still a stellar story and really they did do a good job making it unsettling which I liked. Recommended but maybe not something to rush out and try to see.

Availability:  Not currently on DVD
Eye of the Devil

Orphan (2009)

3.5 / 5 Oct '10
Tagline: Can you keep a secret?
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Written by: David Johnson
Actors include: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Length: 123 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well, having just seen the wretched film Case 39, I was expecting this to be basically the exact same idea. It was, however this one is far superior, it's not as predictable (though it's not exactly surprising) and they actually bothered to explain what was happening which I appreciated. At any rate, a couple who have a deaf little girl and a little boy are having a hard time after a stillborn comes there way. They decide to adopt, so they go to an Orphanage and find Esther, a particularly unusual and bright 9 year old girl sitting off by herself. They fall for her and take her home and adopt her, and at first everything seems perfect. From there it basically goes into a retread of The Bad Seed only there is something different about this tale. It's not the most horrific film ever, in fact yes it's more of a thriller but I have to give it credit, it's over 2 hours long but it held my attention. That being said, in no way did it need to be that long but just the same probably worth a viewing on a rainy day.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray