Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Jason Watches Sleazy Sundays--April 8: Infernal BEaster

That's right, I spent Easter evening watching Satan-worshipping movies. I'm so going to hell. So before I burn in agony, let's review the ecstasy:

First up was the ultra-rare British occult flick, "Crimson Cult". Starring Christopher Lee (which filled me with thanks that he's still alive) and Boris Karloff (which filled me with regret that he's not anymore). Robert Manning (Mark Eden) is an antiques dealer whose brother is missing. His last correspondence leads him to the remote country manor belonging to Morley (Christopher Lee). While inviting (especially Morley's niece Eve, played by Virginia Wetherell), the Morley family is obviously hiding something. It probably has something to do with the old witch Lavinia Morley (Barbara Steele). And, yup, satanic hijinx ensue. Karloff enters as the creepy, wheelchair-bound Professor John Marshe, an expert on local history and particularly the trial of Lavinia. In fact, he remembers when the Manning family lived in town.

Next up the occult continued with "The Dunwich Horror", based on an H. P. Lovecraft story and starring Sandra Dee and Dean Stockwell. Classic traditional Lovecraft, with Miskatonic University, the Necronomicon, and the Old Ones. Stockwell plays Wilbur Whateley, who poses as a scholar wanting to study the Necronomicon. In reality, he just wants it to open a portal to allow the Old Ones (in short, gods from another world) into this world. He also needs Nancy Wagner (Sandra Dee) as a sacrifice. Specifically, as a virgin sacrifice, although she's 28 at the time. Riiiiight.... At least the "special effects" (POV shot of the monster seeing in photo-negative) are spectacular!

Okay, and finally the weird-as-hell treat, "Werewolves on Wheels". A gang of bikers raises hell. Or rather, hell comes up to meet them after they mess with the wrong monastery. Turns out, it's a satanic monastery. Soon weird things are happening. Weirder than just the standard nights of drunkenness, drug use, and sex. In the morning, people are dead. Then after a cursory funeral ("he was a bastard!"), they move on. That is, until the nightly attacks become too much, and they return to the monastery to put an end to the curse. Unfortunately, their leader morphs before they get too far. And then the bike chase begins!

And that was how I spend Sunday. Sorry for the somewhat cursory post. Obviously, I'm behind in my writing.

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