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This Month's Featured Equipment Reviews |
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Past DVD Hardware / Software News |
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Horror-Thriller
Tuesday, 14 December 1999 |
Written by
Bill Warren
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title:
Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan)
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document.open();
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studio:
Image Entertainment
MPAA rating:
NR
starring:
Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Ivo Garrani, Andrea Checchi, Arturo Dominici, Antonio Pierfederici, Tino Bianchi
release year:
1960
film rating:
Four stars
reviewed by:
Bill Warren
Although the title on screen is "The Mask of Satan," this Italian
horror film is best known under its original American title, BLACK
SUNDAY, and that's the title on the DVD box as well. Moody,
atmospheric, sexy and violent, it established the 46-year-old Mario
Bava, a cameraman and effects technician, as one of the great horror
directors. This DVD is the second in the Image "Mario Bava Collection;"
the intention is to present the most complete version of each of Bava's
principal films (all of which were cut for American theatrical
release), with notes and other supplementary material entrusted to the
reliable Tim Lucas, editor of the essential Video Watchdog magazine,
and author of a forthcoming book on Mario Bava.
Classic horror ...
Tuesday, 02 November 1999 |
Written by
Abbie Bernstein
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title:
Embrace Of The Vampire
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studio:
New Line Home Video
MPAA rating:
R
starring:
Martin Kemp, Alyssa Milano, Harrison Pruett, Charlotte Lewis, Jennifer Tilly
release year:
1995
film rating:
Two Stars
sound/picture:
Three Stars
reviewed by:
Abbie Bernstein
‘Embrace of the Vampire’ is a quasi-erotic horror thriller that winds
up being kind of endearing despite itself. Director Anne Goursaud and
star Alyssa Milano, who teamed in the same year on ‘Poison Ivy II:
Lily’ are at least in the genre ballpark on this one. The
vampire-in-love theme allows for active silliness rather than the other
film’s relentless blandness, but this is a good thing – ‘Embrace’ is
consistently entertaining, even (make that especially) when it goes
bananas.
Tuesday, 26 October 1999 |
Written by
Abbie Bernstein
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title:
Salem's Lot
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amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10');
amznwin.focus();}
document.open();
document.write("");
document.close(); <br>
studio:
Warner Home Video
MPAA rating:
PG
starring:
David Soul, James Mason, Lance Kerwin, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres
release year:
1979
film rating:
Three-and-a-Half Stars
reviewed by:
Abbie Bernstein
Based on one of Stephen King’s earliest novels, ‘Salem’s Lot’ was one
of the first made-for-TV horror miniseries. Despite the passage of
years and genre conventions since its 1979 debut, parts of this tale
continue to provide genuine chills.
Tuesday, 26 October 1999 |
Written by
Bill Warren
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title:
House On A Haunted Hill
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amznwin.focus();}
document.open();
document.write("");
document.close();
studio:
Warner Home Video
starring:
Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Alan Marshall, Carolyn Craig, Elisha Cook, Jr., Julie Mitchum
release year:
1958
film rating:
Two and a half stars
reviewed by:
Bill Warren
Like The Haunting, this older horror movie got a big-scale remake in
1999; unlike The Haunting, the remake was quite watchable, despite some
plot problems. But also unlike The Haunting, the original is no
classic. It's entertaining, to be sure, with a great, silken, purring
performance by the irreplaceable Vincent Price, but it's basically just
a surprise-ending murder mystery with some haunted-house trappings.
Tuesday, 28 September 1999 |
Written by
Bill Warren
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title:
The Mummy
function popUp(URL,NAME) {
amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10');
amznwin.focus();}
document.open();
document.write("");
document.close(); <br>
studio:
Universal Studios
MPAA rating:
NR
starring (voices):
Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan, Bramwell Fletcher, Noble Johnson.
release year:
1932
reviewed by:
Bill Warren
Universal continues its series of DVD releases of classic horror films
with this handsome edition of the 1932 THE MUMMY, though overall this
isn't quite up to the level of the FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE OF
FRANKENSTEIN DVDs. The accompanying documentary, "Mummy Dearest,"
skimps on some details, while strangely focussing heavily on costar
Zita Johann. From the comments, it's clear she was a very colorful
figure, but I'd rather have heard more about director Karl Freund, the
makeups and the effects.
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