Tag Archives: 90s Horror

Candyman Day of the Dead Offers No Sweets For Fans of The Original Movie

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Somewhere between the 90s classic Candyman and the recent, equally good remake of the same name, two Candyman sequels made their way to the direct-to-video market. Neither of these sequels generated much in the way of positive buzz. However, the first of those sequels, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh at least had some positives, earning a small following amongst horror fans. In contrast, the 1999 sequel Candyman Day of the Dead saw the quality of the hopeful franchise dive straight off a cliff. If there were plans for a fourth movie, Day of the Dead killed them off pretty fast. Neither critics nor horror fans were impressed with a second attempt at recycling the Candyman myth.

Synopsis

Twenty-five years have passed since people whispered about the legend of Candyman. However, a Los Angeles gallery owner inadvertently provokes the legend when he exploits Daniel Robitaille’s art and suffering in a Candyman-themed exhibition. Now the Candyman is back and he wants his great-granddaughter to give him life.

Candyman Day of the Dead a Listless Recycling of the Original

Where to start with Candyman Day of the Dead? If Farewell to the Flesh was a disappointing maybe even lackluster, follow-up to a horror classic, Day of the Dead borders on inept. For writer and director Turi Meyer (Sleepstalker) this poorly conceived sequel is the second stinker he helmed in the 90s. Just in terms of basic filmmaking quality, Candyman Day of the Dead is a flat-looking that misses the intensity and haunting atmosphere of the original. Also missing is Philip Class’ classic score, which was practically a character itself in the original. In the place of these elements, Meyer includes a handful of decent gore scenes that also lack any scares. Moreover, the sequel follows an odd pace where things just sort of happen.

Just in terms of basic filmmaking quality, Candyman Day of the Dead is a flat-looking that misses the intensity and haunting atmosphere of the original.

And this brings us to a big problem with the sequel – the story itself. Let’s face it, horror sequels don’t really need much of a reason to exist. Meyer, and co-writer Al Septien, also take the most obvious narrative direction by following the daughter of Farewell to the Flesh’s Annie Tarrant. Too bad not much more though was put into the sequel. By and large, the sequel seems content to recycle ideas and dialogue from the original movie with no sense of purpose. In addition, Meyer and Septien’s screenplay lacks much in the way of logical. Ultimately, the writers take a ‘kitchen sink’ approach throwing in a Candyman-worshipping gang and a pair of racist police officers. None of these elements make the sequel remotely interesting.

Candyman Day of the Dead Surrounds Poor Tony Todd With Some Terrible Performances

Poor Tony Todd (Hell Fest). Ever the epitome of professionalism, Todd is arguably the only bright spot of this dreadful sequel. That’s hardly surprising as Todd has a presence that even a bad movie can’t dull. Sadly, Todd isn’t in Candyman Day of the Dead enough to make it remotely watchable. Instead, former Playboy model and Baywatch star Donna D’Errico takes center stage. Neither a Virginia Madsen nor a Kelly Rowan (The Gate, The O.C.), D’Errico lacks the emotional range to be taken seriously as the great granddaughter of Daniel Robitaille. In fact, D’Errico’s performance is almost painful in some scenes.

…D’Errico lacks the emotional range to be taken seriously as the great granddaughter of Daniel Robitaille.

But D’Errico’s not even the worst actor in Candyman Day of the Dead. Though he’s not around long, Mark Adair-Rios, who plays an exploitative art gallery owner, is pretty terrible for his handful of onscreen moments. The worst of those moments comes early when Adair-Rios and his lover attempt some wooden screams of terror as the Candyman guts them. Slightly less wood is Jsu Garcia (A Nightmare on Elm Street) who still feels out of place. Like everything else about this sequel, the cast is almost universally a downgrade from even the poorly received Candyman Farewell to the Flesh.

Dreadful Late 90s Sequel Made Horror Fans Its Victim

Though Candyman Farewell to the Flesh wasn’t a ‘good’ movie by any objective standards, it had some moments – it was also watchable. Comparatively, Candyman Day of the Dead is a cheap-looking and dull retread of ideas. Little about the sequel ever gels together to from a coherent story with a sense of purpose or urgency. And Donna D’Errico makes for a poor protagonist regardless of the actresses who came before her in the franchise. Not even Tony Todd can save this one. Ironically, the sequel accomplishes what D’Errico’s ‘Caroline’ struggles to do in the movie – kill the myth of Candyman.

Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge Takes the Straight-to-Video Series Down the Prequel Route

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Like the Children of the Corn and Leprechaun movies, the Puppet Master franchise has quietly chugged along on the straight-to-video market for about 30 years. Since the first Puppet Master released in 1989 there’s been a total of 14 sequels and/or reboots. In fact, just last year, the latest spin-off movie, Puppet Master: Doktor Death, found its way onto VOD platforms. Admittedly, the Puppet Master series has a narrow appeal just based on its subject-matter and style. And it’s hard really picking out an objectively good entry once the series stretched out onto the video market. But early 90s prequel, Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge is surprisingly decent.

Synopsis

In 1941 World War II Berlin, the Nazis have tasked German scientist Dr. Hess with finding a way to re-animate dead soldiers to fill their ranks. When his experiments fail to produce results, Hess’ superior, Major Krauss, takes notice of local puppeteer Andre Toulon. His puppets look lifelike for a reason – Toulon has discovered a formula that gives them life. But when Nazi soldiers arrest Toulon, they inadvertently kill the puppeteer’s wife. After Toulon escapes with his puppets, he vows revenge against Krauss and his soldiers.

Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge Substitutes Puppet Action for Actual Scares

On most objective measures of film quality, Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge isn’t going to score high with critics. In fact, this early 90s horror prequel absolutely epitomizes the straight-to-video movie from the era. Whether it’s the dull picture quality and saturated colors or the lack of urgency in story-telling, journeyman director David DeCoteau competently executes a screenplay credited to three writers. Franchise fans have pointed out that Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge introduces some timeline problems previously established in Puppet Master. Cleary, someone didn’t do their homework. Arguably, however, the ‘Lazy Sunday’ stroll toward the climax presents a bigger problem.

What matters most to anyone invested in third entry of a low-budget horror series about killer puppets should be the puppets themselves.

While DeCoteau does a decent job moving things forward, Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge is neither scary nor suspenseful. Not much happens that should be shocking to anyone, not even diehard series fans. What matters most to anyone invested in third entry of a low-budget horror series about killer puppets should be the puppets themselves. In this regard, Toulon’s Revenge is pretty satisfying stuff with Six Shooter and Tunneler repeatedly stealing the show. Whether it’s silly stuff or not, one can’t deny that there’s plenty of fun to be had watching these animated mini-killers wreak havoc on despicable Nazis.

Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge Finds a Bit of Human Drama Amidst Puppet Action

Not surprisingly, it’s the animated puppets who are the big draws in Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge. Series fans likely have their favorite puppets and a prequel offers the chance to see one or two character origins. Though it’s a 90s straight-to-video horror movie, the puppets largely look pretty impressive. That is, the effect impress for what’s obviously a 30-year-old, low budget movie. In this prequel, Six Shooter and the Tunneler get the best spots. Both The Leech Woman and Blade get origins in Toulon’s Revenge. And fans of Blade will likely figure out his human lifeforce source fairly early.

Though it’s a 90s straight-to-video horror movie, the puppets largely look pretty impressive. That is, the effect impress for what’s obviously a 30-year-old, low budget movie.

Yes, human actors actually play living and breathing characters in this Puppet Master prequel. After the character resided in the background for the first two movies, Guy Rolfe brings Andre Toulon to life, transforming him into a sympathetic character. Don’t expect much emotional depth – this is a straight-to-video movie about animated killer puppets. But Rolfe – who previously starred in another killer dolls movie, Dolls – at least gives you someone with whom to sympathize. Veteran character actor and perennial villain Richard Lynch (Rob Zombie’s Halloween, The Sword and the Sorcerer) makes for a credible evil Nazi. And Seinfeld fans will recognize Ian Abercombie, playing Nazi scientist Dr. Hess, who would eventually go on to play Mr. Pitt.

Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge a Better-Than-Expected Entry to the B-Level Series

Puppet Master III Toulon’s Revenge is a quintessential early 90s, straight-to-video horror movie. Dull picture quality, languid pacing, veteran character actors – this is vintage 90s video horror. And for a third entry into a B-level franchise – and a prequel on top of it – this one’s surprisingly good. No, it’s not likely to turn casual fans onto the Puppet Master series. Younger horror fans probably wouldn’t be impressed. Still the practical visual effects are better than they have any right to be. In addition, the puppets themselves make for admittedly compelling characters so it is fun for series fans to see some of their origins.

Spawn An Early Comic Book Adaptation That Fails to Bring Hell to Earth

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Looking back, the year 1997 was not a good one for superhero movies. Of course, Joel Schumacher’s (Flatliners) Batman & Robin is the fiasco with which cinephiles are most familiar. But 1997 is also the same year that dropped Mortal Kombat: Annihilation later in the fall. Somewhere in between these two turkeys, New Line Cinema teamed up with comic creator Todd McFarlane to adapt McFarlane’s Spawn for the big screen. Though its story of an assassin turned into a Hellspawn in the Devil’s army would certainly fit in the superhero-saturated movie market today, audiences showed only modest interest in the late 90s. Neither were critics who hated the adaptation.

Synopsis

Al Simmons, a CIA operative and world-assassin, has grown increasingly weary with the nature of his work. Fearing Simmons has become a liability, his superior Jason Wynn orders his death. When Simmons finds himself banished to Hell itself, he agrees to return to Earth as a Hellspawn – a soldier in Malebolgia’s army – in return for seeing his wife again. Caught in the middle of an ongoing war between heaven and hell, Simmons must choose between justice and his personal quest for vengeance.

Spawn And Its Obscure Comic Property Were Released 20 Years Too Early

When Spawn hit the cineplexes in the summer of ’97, audiences weren’t used to a never-ending carousel of superhero movies. Kevin Feige and Marvel can throw together B- and C-level comic book characters into big-budget movies today and audiences will show up. However, Batman was the only A-list superhero showing up in big-budget movies in the 90s. And even the Caped Crusader wasn’t bulletproof. Comic creator Todd MacFarlane’s Spawn was an odd choice for a big budget summer release. Its grim mix of horror and action worked for the very good HBO cartoon adaptation. Yet 90s’s filmgoers didn’t seem too sure what to make of a ‘serious’ comic book movie starring a largely unknown character and a rotund demon clown as the villain.

…Dippé seems more interested in visual spectacle and, as a result, Spawn plays more like a music video than proper narrative.

None of these strikes necessarily doomed Spawn to disaster. No, director Mark A.Z. Dippé and writer Alan B. McElroy (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Wrong Turn) took care of that themselves. With dialogue that’s almost entirely dedicated to exposition and world-building alongside an oddly paced and edited story, Spawn often borders on incoherence. That is, Dippé strings together his scenes in ways that sometimes feel random. ‘Stuff sort of just happens’ feels like the best way to describe the movie. In fact, Dippé seems more interested in visual spectacle and, as a result, Spawn plays more like a music video than proper narrative.

Spawn Is Probably Best Remembered For Its Soundtrack, Not The Movie Itself

And the music video label seems pretty fitting. Twenty five years since its release, audiences arguably best remember Spawn for its soundtrack that fused together the biggest acts in heavy metal and electronica at the time. It was a similar approach adopted by the Judgment Night soundtrack a few years earlier that featured collaborations between hip hop and rock artists. Near the end of 1997, much of the 90s alternative and grudge movement was coming to an end. Nevertheless, Spawn The Album, which featured metal acts like Korn, Silverchair, Metallica, and Marilyn Manson collaborating with trip-hop bands including The Crystal Method, Sneaker Pimps, and The Prodigy, was a hit with music fans. Arguably, the album’s legacy far outpaced the movie itself.

This should have been a Rated-R mix of action and horror. Instead, Spawn showed up in theaters with a PG-13 tag and suffered for it.

Another major problem that emerged with Spawn was its treatment of the violent subject matter that defined the comics upon which it was based. To be fair to Dippé and McIlroy, the studio neutered the movie. This should have been a Rated-R mix of action and horror. Instead, Spawn showed up in theaters with a PG-13 tag and suffered for it. Outside of the soundtrack, John Leguizamo (Violent Night) shines under a lot of makeup as the irreverent Clown/Violator. Though he often veers toward being a bit too much, Leguizamo is consistently a fun part of a movie that feels like a slog. Everyone else in the cast feels wasted. Worst of all, Spawn’s state-of-the-art visual effects have aged poorly. This leaves little to recommend to contemporary audiences.

Spawn Feels Like a Comic Property Ripe for a Reboot

From start to finish, Spawn stands as an absolute mess of an action-horror movie. Simply put, a multitude of problems plagued this early superhero adaptation. Among its major problems, McElroy’s story is borderline incoherent and Dippé’s direction makes it worse resulting in an oddly paced, poorly edited mess where each subsequent scene feels only loosely connected to the previous one. What passed for state-of-the art effects now look terribly dated. And only Leguizamo walks away unscathed with his wildly fun performance. Well, Leguizamo and its electronica-metal mixed soundtrack survive intact. But Spawn is 90s movie that absolutely benefit from a reboot to cash in on the superhero craze before it runs out of gas.

THE FINAL VERDICT: LEAVE IT IN THE 90S

Dracula: Francis Ford Coppola’s Risky Vision Remains As Poignant Over 30 Years Later

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At the time of its release, Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a risky venture. Coppola was coming off the disappointment of The Godfather Part III, which capped off his mafia trilogy on a somewhat sour note. And Dracula hadn’t been on the big screen since the moderately success 1979 adaptation starring Frank Langella. Notwithstanding the massive success of Silence of the Lambs, horror was also on a downswing at the time. Certainly, there didn’t seem to be much public appetite for lavish, big budget Gothic horror romance. Yet Dracula was a critical and commercial success – an eccentric mix of sensual horror, love story, and inventive effects and camera trickery. It remains a version of Dracula you likely would never see get made today.

Dracula Defied Expectations and Succeeded In Spite Of Itself

When Dracula was released in 1992, it marked a significant departure from Francis Ford Coppola’s previous work. It also came at a lull for more traditional horror fare. To add to its own obstacles, Coppola and writer James V. Hart (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein) envisioned their adaptation as mix of Gothic horror and romance. Decades earlier Universal Studios had created a legacy of sympathetic monster movies and even flirted a bit with a tortured monster’s yearning for companionship in Bride of Frankenstein. Nonetheless, Coppola’s Dracula was following on the heels of a decade defined by teen slashers. Despite the success of early 90s horror movies like Silence of the Lambs and Misery, Coppola and Hart’s vision for a big budget Gothic horror adaptation of Stoker’s classic work represented a huge risk. To complicate things further, Coppola insisted on using practical effects and optical illusions to create his film’s effects.

Nonetheless, Coppola’s Dracula was following on the heels of a decade defined by teen slashers.

Each of these risks paid off in turn as Dracula proved to be a bombastic re-imagining of the classic tale in all the best ways imaginable. Similar to the epistolary style of Stoker’s novel, Hart’s screenplay weaved in narration from its central cast throughout the movie. One one hand, Coppola’s adaptation was one of the more faithful re-tellings of the Dracula story. Yet Hart’s decision to incorporate some historical elements of Vlad Dracula into its story and then twist this altogether into a tragic romance elevated the movie to something that matched Coppola’s bold visual style. After countless versions of the vampire, this version felt different and fresh. This more sympathetic take on the title monster also produced a much more powerful finale that resonated with audiences beyond the final credits.

Dracula a Visual Triumph of Sight, Sound, and Spectacle

As much as Hart’s adaptation of Stoker’s novel added a new layer to the familiar intellectual property, most filmgoers will likely cite Coppola and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus’ distinctive visual style. Almost immediately Dracula is an assault on the senses with each scene seemingly competing with the previous one to capture your attention. Both the costume and set design completely re-imagined what popular culture had taught us about Dracula from the cape to the arched Eastern European eyebrows. From its opening scene depicting Vlad Dracula’s war against the Ottoman Empire, Ballhaus plays with lighting, shadows, and perspective to put on screen things that were unlike anything you had previously seen.

Almost immediately Dracula is an assault on the senses with each scene seemingly competing with the previous one to capture your attention

Over its two hours of runtime, Coppola and Ballhaus don’t just re-invent the Dracula mythos, they challenge the parameters around which horror movies had been previously been defined. Some of the movie’s best moment emerge from Coppola’s use of camera trickery and lighting – whether it’s elongating a coachman’s arm or startling audiences with where Dracula is (or is not) standing in a room. Years later, computer-generated effects would dominate even smaller movies. Almost everything we see in Marvel movies is set against a green screen. All of this makes the visual achievements of Dracula all the more impressive. Alongside these visual triumphs, Wojciech Kilar’s score remains one of the more epic musical arrangements found in the horror genre.

Casting Proved to Be a Blessing and a Curse for Dracula

Much was made about the casting – and mis-casting – at the time of its release. Notably, audiences and critics alike eviscerated Keanu Reeves’ (Constantine, Knock Knock) casting as Jonathan Harker in Dracula. In 1992, we were still over a decade away from the Keanaissance in which we’re currently reveling. Most viewers still saw Reeves as something of a bonehead surfer dude not unlike his ‘Ted’ Theodore Logan character. Though Reeves was (and is) certainly a good actor, he was clearly out of his depth in Dracula. No amount of love for Keanu could obscure just how bad his British accent sounded. Maybe he would have been better off just dumping it altogether like Kevin Costner in . While co-star Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) fared better both actors found themselves outshined by their more senior cast.

Notably, audiences and critics alike eviscerated Keanu Reeves’ (Constantine, Knock Knock) casting as Jonathan Harker in Dracula.

Even under a lot of make-up Gary Oldman delivers a career-defining performance as Prince Vlad/Dracula. Consistent with Coppola’s visual style, Oldman invests Dracula with an explosive rage reminding audiences that the character is to be feared. In fact, Oldman’s performance recalls a sense of regality, pride, and trauma not previously seen in the character. To date, Oldman’s interpretation of Dracula remains the most layered and unique committed to the screen. As Dracula’s foil, Abraham Van Helsing, Anthony Hopkins gives an over-the-to-performance that almost constantly threatens to veer off course. But it’s exactly this scene chewing that fits so well with Coppola’s style. And while Hopkins constantly threatens to go too far over-the-top, he reigns it in enough to be memorable without hitting that campy quality.

Dracula Has Established Itself As a Genre Classic

Over 30 years since its release, horror fans – and cinephiles in general – regard Coppola’s Dracula as a horror classic. Yet at the time of its release, Coppola’s vision for Stoker’s classic literary vampire was a massive risk. Everything from the visuals to the story itself bucked genre trends at a time when horror was hitting a lull. Few horror movies in the years since it was released have possessed the same level of grandeur as Dracula. While we’ve seen horror deserving of awards consideration, few horror movies have blended Gothic traditions with contemporary sensibilities like Coppola. Few movies today would take the same risks, with the same results, as Dracula.

Jason Goes To Hell Makes a Strong Case for Being the Franchise’s Low Point

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Once Paramount Pictures resurrected Jason Voorhees with lightning in Jason Lives, the franchise was running out of options for subsequent sequels. But increasingly ridiculous sequel setups weren’t the biggest problem for Friday the 13th. Audiences were losing interest and, as a result, Jason Takes Manhattan saw declining box office receipts. By 1993, New Line Cinema – The House That Freddy Built – owned the distribution rights to Jason Voorhees. The big plan was a Freddy vs Jason matchup on the big screen. Before that happened, Jason Goes to Hell promised a ‘Final Friday’ for slasher fans in 1993. Unfortunately, no one much liked the supernatural re-imagining of the iconic character and a series low at the box office delayed the crossover plans for a decade.

Synopsis

Several years after Jason Voorhees apparently died in Manhattan, a SWAT team seemingly destroys the relentless killer at Camp Crystal Lake. At the morgue, however, the coroner eats Jason’s still-beating heart, allowing the indestructible madman to possess him. Now only a living relative can end Jason Voorhees’ killing spree.

Jason Goes to Hell is a Stupid Movie … Even The Ninth Entry in a Tired Franchise

Just writing out the above synopsis felt painful. Now imagine watching the movie based on that ridiculous premise. Yes, Friday the 13th veered into the supernatural with Jason Lives and continued the trend when Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood ripped off Carrie. Still writers Jay Huguely and Dean Lorey did their best to put the ‘Final’ in the sequel’s ‘The Final Friday’ title. Somehow the writers managed to concoct a way to continue the slashing that was more asinine than the ending to Jason Takes Manhattan. And it’s not just a singularly dumb idea. This is a premise that fails on multiple levels.

Somehow the writers managed to concoct a way to continue the slashing that was more asinine than the ending to Jason Takes Manhattan.

By and large, slasher sequels ask us to suspend a lot of disbelief. We just have to accept that killers can get up from fatal wounds to continue the death count. If The New Blood and Jason Takes Manhattan were lazy in their set-up, Jason Goes to Hell feels a bit insulting. Why a coroner would consume a killer’s heart stretches the franchise to cartoonish levels. Moreover, the sequel commits the same mistake made in A New Beginning – we don’t really get Jason Voorhees. Instead, we get characters possessed by Jason’s spirit committing atrocities alongside some sort of demonic slug. Last but not least, Jason Goes To Hell lazily cribs off of Freddy’s Dead, retconning what we know and giving us the extended Voorhees family.

Jason Goes to Hell Lacks Defining Death Count and Fun – Intentional or Otherwise

In addition to being one of – if not the – dumbest of the franchise sequels, Jason Goes To Hell disappoints on even the basic slasher requirements. Yes, Friday the 13th sequels stopped being scary long before this 1993 entry. In fact, some horror fans may point out that scares and suspense never defined the series. Nevertheless, director Adam Marcus can’t even cobble together basic jumps or simple thrills. What hurts even more is the lack of well-staged kills that most certainly defined the franchise. No sleeping bag kill. No machete to the crotch. Even Jason Takes Manhattan had a couple of decent over-the-top death scenes. There’s also no humor in Jason Goes to Hell – intentional or otherwise.

What hurts even more is the lack of well-staged kills that most certainly defined the franchise.

Maybe Friday the 13th still offered value to character actors looking for credits because a couple of familiar faces turn up. Buck Rogers alum Erin Gray can say she’s related to Jason Voorhees courtesy of retconning. And Richard Gant (Rocky V), Steven Williams (21 Jump Street, The X-Files), and the late Leslie Jordan (American Horror Story) all turn in small supporting performances. In fact, Williams continues a tradition of Friday the 13th sequels faking out audiences with characters teased as ‘heroes’ who end up dying unceremoniously. Perhaps the only thing that makes Jason Goes to Hell noteworthy is that it marks Kane Hodder’s (Death House, Victor Crowley) last appearance as Jason.

Jason Goes To Hell May Be The Worst of the Long-Running Series

Debate whether Jason X is a guilty pleasure or just poorly conceived movie, but there’s little good to say about Jason Goes To Hell. Bottom line, this is a bad movie on any objective measure of quality. On one hand, it’s a thoroughly stupid sequel that unnecessarily retcons and overburdens the original movie’s simple slasher formula. While it’s a braindead movie, Jason Goes To Hell is also a boring effort that lacks imagination, scares, and suspense. What’s worse, the sequel makes the same mistake the franchise already committed with Friday the 13th: A New Beginning – it sidelines Jason for most of the movie. If you can’t fit all the movies into a Friday the 13th marathon, this would be the sequel to skip.

THE FINAL VERDICT: JUST A BAD MOVIE

Sleepstalker May Be The Quintessential 1990s Straight-to-Video Horror Movie

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Traditionally, horror movies, particularly the slasher genre, have played fast and loose with rules the serial killer that populate their movies. Neither Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers are supernatural killers. Yet that hasn’t stopped the Friday the 13th and Halloween series from bringing their respective killers back from sequel to sequel. Other horror movies skirted the problem by just outright adopting supernatural origins for their killers. Unfortunately, not every slasher villain can be a Freddy Krueger or Chucky. In the 1990s, the supernatural serial killer trope got lots of mileage. From Ghost in the Machine to Body Parts to Fallen, slasher villains found plenty of ways to cheat death. Obscure straight-to-video slasher Sleepstalker took a somewhat unique approach.

Synopsis

Seventeen years ago, a brutal serial killer known as ‘The Sandman’ killed Griffin’s parents before police finally caught up with him. Now the day of The Sandman’s execution has finally arrived. But a voodoo priest offers the killer a supernatural resurrection to continue his killing spree. To exist in a supernatural vessel, however, The Sandman must kill his remaining blood relative to severe his mortal coil – his younger brother, Griffin.

Sleepstalker Buries a Good Idea In An Incoherent, and Often Silly, Story

Believe it or not, there’s a good idea buried somewhere in Sleepstalker. Yes, the whole supernatural serial killer premise was tired by 1995. Still the idea of a serial killer patterned after the Sandman fairy tale comes with lots of ‘creep’ potential. Too bad writer and director Turi Meyer, and co-writer Al Septien, fail to really tap into any sort of mythology. Instead, Sleepstalker offers up huge lapses in logic and unintentional laughs. Maybe it’s the ageless detective who takes an unarmed civilian on a hunt for a serial killer – and who’s also retired. And just how and why did a voodoo priest find an abused serial killer-in-the-making to turn into the ‘Sandman’? From where does the killer’s powers emanate? According to the silly dialogue, they come from the ‘bowels of the Earth’. What does that mean? It doesn’t really matter.

Instead, Sleepstalker offers up huge lapses in logic and unintentional laughs.

If there’s a big problem with Sleepstalker, however, it’s not the incoherent screenplay. No, Sleepstalker’s big problem is that it’s a poorly paced borefest that clocks in at an unnecessary one hour and 45 minutes. Meyer mixes in bits of horror and police procedural drama into an unconvincing effort. This is a case of wanting to ‘have your cake, and eat it, too’. Would Sleepstalker work better if it embraced some of its more campy elements? Maybe. But it could also have worked played straight had Meyer cut it down by 20 or 30 minutes and leaned into some of the more disturbing bits of the premise. As it stands, what we get is an often boring thriller that is often unintentionally funny.

Sleepstalker Is a Product of Its Time and Format

Released straight-to-video in 1995, Sleepstalker is a textbook illustration of the state of the genre at that point in time. One look at the flat picture quality and you know you’re watching a straight-to-video that’s peak mid-1990s. Despite its subject matter, Sleepstalker never feels transgressive and it never pushes boundaries. What Meyer puts on screen is pretty benign stuff. Later in his career, Meyer would go onto direct episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and produce episodes of Smallville and Stargirl. And you can see flashes of innovation here and there. While Sleepstalker clearly has a low-budget, Meyer and his effects team do a decent job of turning their serial killer into the ‘Sandman’. In particular, one scene where the ‘Sandman’ emerges from a pool of sand actually impresses.

One look at the flat picture quality and you know you’re watching a straight-to-video that’s peak mid-1990s.

Most of the performances in Sleepstalker are pretty middle-of-the-road, at best. Not surprisingly, William Lucking of Sons of Anarchy fame turns in a reliable performance that outstretches the screenplay. Neither of the lead performances are particularly good. Both Jay Underwood and Kathryn Morris are fine in their roles, but they’re both clearly background actors out of their depth even in a low-budget B-movie. Arguably, Michael Harris – playing the ‘Sandman’ – acquits himself the best of the cast. Meyer and Septien’s screenplay clearly tries to position the character as something of a follow-up to to Freddy Krueger. Even if the handful of cheesy one-liners don’t really work, Harris occasionally invests the character with a bit of menace.

Sleepstalker Offers Tepid Thrill for Only the Most Die-Hard

In many ways, Sleepstalker is the quintessential 90s straight-to-video horror movie. It checks off many of the boxes that made the genre so frustrating in the mid-part of the decade. Flat aesthetics, mostly middling performances, and laughable gaps in logic alongside the overused supernatural serial killer trope instantly date this thriller. Ultimately, Sleepwalker most suffers from excessive length making it more dull than anything else. And it’s too bad because the premise is promising, Harris is decent enough as the title villain, and Meyer mounts a couple of capable scenes. Only die-hard horror fans and completists will find much to enjoy here.

On The Second Day – Silent Night Deadly Night 4: Initiation May ‘Bug’ Fans of the Series

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If Silent Night, Deadly Night is something of a Grindhouse cult classic, its sequel inexplicably became a belated meme classic. What you may not know is that the sequels kept coming. Like other B-level horror franchises, Silent Night, Deadly Night lived on with a handful of straight-to-video sequels. Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects) turned up with a fish bowl on his head for the first of these sequels. At least this sequel remembered the premise from the first two movies. By 1990, the franchise took a weird turn away from its ‘Killer Santa’ concept to explore covens and … bugs. More chintzy than sleazy, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation failed to make much of an impression on fans or critics.

Synopsis

Stuck running the classified ads for a Los Angeles newspaper, Kim Leviit dreams of being an investigative journalist. But she faces constant sexism from a boss who favours the ‘old boys’ network in the office. When a woman falls to her death, half her body burning in a bizarre instance of spontaneous combustion, Kim secretly chases down the story. Her investigation uncovers a coven of witches who worship Lilith … and who may be looking for a new victim to initiate in a ritualistic sacrifice.

Silent Night Deadly Night 4: Initiation Defines Early 90s Straight-To-Video Horror

None of the Silent Night, Deadly Night movies are going to fool anyone into believing that they are good movies. And it’s not so much that each sequel is incrementally worse than the previous entry. Rather each move in the series seems to find its own way to be uniquely bad. Case in point, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation takes itself more seriously than the notoriously bad Part 2. And director Brian Yuzna (Society, Return of the Living Dead 3) actually delivers a fairly interesting opening scene minus some miscasting (more on that below). From that point onward, however, Initiation looks and feels like an early 90s straight-to-video horror effort. By the way, that’s not a compliment. Everything looks and feels flat in this sequel – from the color palette to the score.

This style shift means Initiation can’t cash in on some inventive Yule-inspired kills, thus making its connection to the franchise even more tenuous.

Despite its official sequel status, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation bares no resemblance to the earlier franchise movies. This is a sequel in title only with screenwriter Woody Keith barely even working Christmas into the story. Aside from its lack of narrative connection to the other movies, Initiation also abandons the slasher format entirely in favor of a pseudo-supernatural tale. This style shift means Initiation can’t cash in on some inventive Yule-inspired kills, thus making its connection to the franchise even more tenuous. Moreover, it leaves the sequel to lean on a convoluted take on covens and mythology around Lilith … and bugs.

Silent Night Deadly Night 4: Initiation Weird, But Not Weird Enough for Cult Status

Prior to Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation, Yuzna cut his teeth on the bizzarro satirical horror movie, Society. Later Yuzna would add a belated sequel to another horror franchise – Return of the Living Dead 3. These movies, and Initiation, include bits of surrealist and body horror to varying degrees. Neither as ‘cultish’ as Society nor as strangely compelling as Return of the Living Dead 3, Initiation mostly feels flat even when it’s odd. Yes, there’s some gross out body horror courtesy of giant cockroaches and an oozing larva that’s vomited out at one point. How are these bits connected to the overall story? That proves difficulty to pinpoint. So while there’s some weirdness in this sequel, it feels random and not nearly strange enough to elevate this to cult status.

Yes, there’s some gross out body horror courtesy of giant cockroaches and an oozing larva that’s vomited out at one point.

Though horror veterans Reggie Bannister (Phantasm) and Clint Howard (Evilspeak) turn up in supporting roles their impact on the final product is mixed. On one hand, Bannister barely registers in what’s little more than a cameo. And Howard feels miscast in a role that might work better if played by someone just a tad more menacing. As it stands, Howard seems to get that the whole sequel is ridiculous and plays it that way. But Yuzna plays the tone rather straight-faced, which makes Howard’s performance feeling even more incongruent. Classic Bond girl Maud Adams fails to add much as the Lilith-worshiping villain. And the less said about lead actress Neith Hunter’s performance, the better.

Straight-To-Video Sequel Bares Little Resemblance to its B-Franchise Inspiration

In addition to ditching both the ‘Killer Santa’ concept and slasher format, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation eschews logic. It also discards with scares, decent pacing, and compelling performances among other things. In fact, the Christmas backdrop feels forced to allow the sequel to just tag along with the series. Though Yuzna had a knack for offbeat horror movies, Initiation is weird but seldomly interesting. There’s some gross out moments but Yuzna opts to play it straight rather than embrace the sequel’s silliness. As a result, this straight-to-video sequel is the kind of forgettable 90s schlock that only the most nostalgic fans will embrace.

THE FINAL VERDICT: LEAVE IT IN THE 90S

Howling VI: The Freaks Slightly Improves Over Really Bad Sequels

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To date, The Howling remains one of the best werewolf movies ever made. What you may know is that The Howling was followed be several sequels. Like The Puppet Master or Children of the Corn, The Howling spawned a seemingly never-ending series of straight-to-video sequels. Unlike those B-level franchises, The Howling sequels have absolutely no narrative connections to one another. They also haven’t extended on as along as these other franchises, making it something of a C-level franchise. Spoiler alert – most of the sequels are terrible. Like really bad. For some reason, The Howling VI: The Freaks re-surfaced briefly on Disney Prime and people watched it. Should you check it out or is this Howling sequel best left in the 90s?

Synopsis

Canton Bluff is a dying town – every day another resident leaves and a building goes empty. And then a British drifter, Ian Richards arrives, and everything changes. In exchange for a place to stay and food, Ian helps the local pastor, Dewey, to restore the town’s church. When a travelling carnival arrives, however, Ian recognizes a familiar evil that threatens the town and himself.

The Howling: VI The Freaks Does a Bit With Very Little

It would be easy to just label The Howling VI: The Freaks as a bad movie. And to be perfectly honest, it’s not a ‘good’ movie based on any objective standard. But from its opening scene this low-budget sequel is at the very least watchable. Maybe it’s low expectations. Keep in mind, this sequel has nothing going for it. Director Hope Perello and writer Kevin Rock did nothing before or after this movie. This is also the fifth sequel to a great movie followed by unrelated and increasingly bad sequels. In addition, The Howling VI: The Freaks is a straight-to-video sequel starring absolutely no one you will recognize.

But from its opening scene this low-budget sequel is at the very least watchable.

Those are just the immediate issues with The Howling VI: The Freaks. Maybe Perello knew their budget didn’t extend very far. Or perhaps Rock thought they were writing a more emotionally complex story. Regardless of the reason this werewolf has very little werewolf action. In fact, there’s not much action of which to speak. Expect to wait until the bitter end before the movie’s vampire faces off with the werewolf. The results are also underwhelming. In addition to its perfunctory climax, The Howling VI: The Freaks is riddled with plot inconsistencies. That is, writer Kevin Rock seems to have little to no understand of werewolf or vampire mythology. Even basic real world law kind of stuff evades this sequel. Why does no one in this movie think it’s wrong that a carnival barker puts abducts and confines a human being?

The Howling VI: The Freaks Won’t Make Horror Fans Forget the Joe Dante Classic

Lead villain Bruce Payne would go on to play the big heavy in Wesley Snipe action flick, Passenger 57. And that’s it. No one else among the cast is remotely recognizable. As R.B. Harker, Payne adds what amounts to the most professional performance in the film. It’s a better performance than what you’d expect in this sort of movie. And last name, ‘Harker’, amounts to something of a clever wink to audiences. Maybe some viewers will recognize a young Deep Roy (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). As the love interest, Michele Matheson stands out like a sore thumb amongst mostly wooden performances. While most of the supporting cast are subtly bad, Matheson is clearly poor in the role.

In all likelihood, The Freaks dials down the werewolf action to avoid overexposing its low budget.

Before playing our British werewolf, Ian, Brendan Hughes co-starred with George Clooney in Return to Horror High. Outside of that career highlight, Hughes didn’t do much after The Howling VI: The Freaks. Certainly, Hughes is the least of this sequel’s problems as he’s more than adequate in the role as long as the screenplay doesn’t place too much of a demand on him. In all likelihood, The Freaks dials down the werewolf action to avoid overexposing its low budget. However, the makeup effects on screen are actually not bad. Despite the sluggish pace, the character focus and small budget atmosphere make this one watchable.

The Howling VI: The Freaks Sort of Exceeds Very Low Expectations

On just about any technical level, The Howling VI: The Freaks isn’t a good movie. Think of what you consider important qualifications for a good movie. Acting – it ranges from middle-of-the-road to terrible here. Logical story – don’t expect any internal consistency. And this sequel is often dull. Yet in spite of all its limitations, The Howling VI: The Freaks isn’t an outright terrible movie. While it’s not saying much, this is probably the best of The Howling sequels. Moreover, The Freaks is a watchable movie that doesn’t overextend itself. This is a bad movie that knows exactly what it is. Lover of bad cinema may find something to enjoy. Just don’t expected an early 90s version of Underworld.

THE FINAL VERDICT: LEAVE IT IN THE 90S