What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[MrBarlow]

The Bloody Pit of Horror 1965.

A writer and photographer and his enterage finds an ideal location for a new horror novel, the owner of the castle is a retired actor, he allows them to stay for the night and informs his guests the dungeons are off limits.

This wasn't a bad flick, may not be the greatest but watchable, the gore is lame and laughable and the antagonist looked liked a masked wrestler. The dungeon itself does live up to its stylish gothic castle from the witch trials. Mickey Hargitay plays the retired actor pretty well and creepy who believes he is the reincarnation of the master torturer. 6 out of 10.

[MrBarlow]

Horror Castle 1963

Arriving at a castle which has been in her husband's family, Mary begins to suspect something is not right and begins to see someone or something in a hood.

Under the title of The Virgin of Nuremberg, this had it all, dark gothic atmosphere, moments of suspense and Sir Christopher Lee. The film builds up to a great creepy factor with good camera work, the director Antonio Margheriti done a brilliant job directing this and knew how to use decent lights for this with a great score by Riz Ortolani. Lee only has a small role but his great at his performance and down side his voice is dubbed. 7-8 out of 10

[MrBarlow]

And Now The Screaming Starts 1973.

In England 1795 a young woman marries into a wealthy family unaware of a Curse the be holds the ancestry house and its females.

This has always been a great classic film from start to finish from the studio of Amicus, Stephanie Beacham plays the lead role Catherine who is marrying into the Fengriffen family who hide a dark secret. Ian Ogilvy plays Catherine's new husband Charles who is a non believer on the Curse. Peter Cushing, Patrick Magee star as the baffled doctors and a small sinister role provided by Herbert Lom. One certainly worth a watch.

[Paul Zombie]

last House on The Beach(1978)

Sister Cristina(florinda bolkan) is at a remote beach house practising a shakespere play with a bunch of Catholic schoolgirls, and end up getting terrorised by a gang of crooks who have just robbed a bank.

Another of the Italian rip offs from Last house on The Left. With a great performance from Florinda Bolkan and Ray lovelock as the charming bad guy.

Not quite as nasty as you would expect from this type of film as most of the nastiness happens off screen. but it still wallows in sleaze and has a very grim tone, especially when a young girl(sherry buchanon from Zombie holocaust) is raped to death with a cane.

But overall, this is still quite a compelling watch and well directed by franco prosperi who made those mondo films. 71 out of 100.

[MrBarlow]

The Ghoul 1975.

Former clergyman Dr. Lawrence harbors a dark secret in his attic and fears his secret will come light when a party of people arrive during a cross country race.

Good stylish gothic atmosphere film starring Peter Cushing as the recluse Dr Lawrence who's house seems always shrouded by thick fog which makes a great setting. John Hurt plays the ex soldier grounds keeper who seems to be calm and then snap which helps him to be more mysterious. This was another decent British horror that starts off slowly but builds up the suspense quickly and at steady peace. 6-7 out of 10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Shrine (2010)

A group of American journalists go to a village in Poland to search for a backpacker who has mysteriously gone missing. Upon arrival they find a place steeped in stories of strange cults and human sacrifice.

Second time around i still enjoyed this film. The film is undeniably derivative making me think of The Wicker Man and Hostel Part 2 among others with echoes of Bava's Mask of Satan thrown in. But this time i was struck at how much the film makers were influenced by The Exorcist. The statue in the woods looks similar to the one seen at the start of Friedkin's film and the clever finale of The Shrine pits what are basically exorcists against people possessed by demons.

After a slowish start which enables us to get to know the journalists the pace picks up with the discovery of a strange mist on the outskirts of the village, and within it a grotesque statue. These scenes are beautifully done and an eerie atmosphere at once bleeds from the screen.

The Shrine is classified 18 which had me mystified throughout until we arrived at the climax when all hell breaks loose and the bloody sfx come into their own. The creature design is thankfully all prosthetic and the devilish dudes look really effective.

Recommended.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Oasis of the Zombies (1982)

I can't help but love Eurocine productions especially the messier ones like this Jess Franco effort.

Made up of scenes cobbled together from other movies - or are other movies cobbled together from scenes from this movie? - it's inept at best and yet also rather fun. It lacks many of Franco's trademarks (No long zoomy sex scenes here, okay, just one) and possesses none of the lurid gore the Italian zombie films were splattering us with at the time and although it's well photographed it's not particularly atmospheric.

In fact Oasis of the Zombies doesn't have an awful lot in it's favour...except the zombies themselves. I love the way they look. All gnarled and (live) worm ridden, just as if they'd actually come out of the ground. Knowing Eurocine, they probably had.

Not recommended but i did find some sort of perverse pleasure in it's shoddiness.

[Rik]

I’ve got both that and Zombie Lake on blu and I liked one, but hated the other, trouble is I watched them one after the other and I’ve no idea which is which now

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rik

I’ve got both that and Zombie Lake on blu and I liked one, but hated the other, trouble is I watched them one after the other and I’ve no idea which is which now

Zombie Lake was the one with the green skinned zombies whose make up washed off when they were in the water. It's the better of the two in my opinion.

That really isn't saying much though.

[Demoncrat]

How fortunate for you Rik. Zombie Lake is seared onto my memory

Rewatch!!!!!!!