Invaders From Mars (1986) #389

Incredibly campy and comically overacted, the 1986 remake of"Invaders from Mars" is a both a let down and yet an entertaining gem of classic sci-fi fare. The fact that the screenplay was written by Dan O'Bannon ("Alien"), was directed by Tobe Hooper ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Poltergeist"), and starred horror veterans Karen Black and James Karen should have been more than enough to ensure a thoroughly frightful and creepy movie, even if it was rated PG. Perhaps it was because the movie DID star horror veterans Karen Black and James Karen is why the movie felt over the top and campy? Or maybe it was because most of the aliens looked more comical than frightening? Hunter Carson (Karen Black's real son) delivers a fairly strong performance that is comparable to the 1950's source material that the movie is based on. Further more, the scenes between Carson and Louise Fletcher (who plays the alien controlled school teacher) are the most genuinely intense scenes in the film. Overall, "Invaders From Mars" is a fun film that brings back memories of watching it during summer afternoons as a child and is still entertaining enough for kids today.

Young David Gardner believes that a UFO landed behind a hill near his house during a meteor shower. He soon believes that his dad, and soon his mom, have become pawns of the alien's invasion of his small town. One by one, the population of the town is assimilated and only David and Linda, the school nurse, are left to warn the military about what is going on. Will the military save the town and David's parents or are they already too late?

Apt Pupil (1998)

"Apt Pupil" is in the similar vein as "Misery", a horror movie that explores the horrors that can be found in human nature. There is a violent murder that occurs at the end of the second act but the film foes not revolve around this event; the horrors found within this film includes an unhealthy obsession with those who committed atrocities during World War 2.It also deals with multiple cases of blackmail and the very serious allegations that are held over the characters' heads. This was the third major film directed Bryan Singer and had an impressive cast lead by Ian McKellen who appeared with horror actors such as James Karen ("Poltergeist" and "Return of the Living Dead"), Elias Koteas ("The Prophecy"), Bruce Davidson ("Lords of Salem" and "Dahmer"), and Joshua Jackson ("Cursed" and "Urban Legends"). Bryan Singer would work with both Ian McKellan and Bruce Davidson in the "X-Men" films.

Todd Bowen is a disturbed young man who has an unhealthy obsession with the Holocaust and the atrocities that the Nazi regime committed. Todd discovers that an elderly neighbor is a former member of the SS and is a wanted war criminal. Todd complies enough evidence to prove to the police that this old man, Arthur Denker, is actually Kurt Dussander. Todd then blackmails Arthur into telling him stories in full detail about his time at the extermination camps and everything that happened there. Todd even buys an old SS uniform and makes Arthur model it and march in his kitchen. Arthur gets the upper hand when Todd asks him to pose as his grandfather and talk to a guidance councilor when his grades sharply fall. Arthur blackmails Todd to improve his grades or else he'll tell Todd's parents about their son's obsession. Arthur blackmails Todd again when he claims that he has a safe deposit box at a bank that contains a twelve page confession of Arthur and Todd's unique relationship. Things begin to fall apart when Arthur attempts to kill a homeless transient who saw him wearing his SS uniform. During the attempted murder, Arthur has a heart attack and calls Todd for help but locking Todd in the basement with the wounded man. Todd finishes what Arthur started and calls the medics. While in the hospital, Arthur's roommate recognizes Arthur from the War and contacts the police. Arthur's secret is revealed and Todd is able to convince everyone that he never knew who Arthur really was. The final act of blackmail takes place when Todd's guidance councilor threatens to tell the police that Todd does know who Arthur was; Todd is able to turn the tables and make his own threats to take the councilor down with him by telling everyone that the councilor is a pederast.

Poltergeist (1982)

“Poltergeist” is still one of the best ghost movies ever made. How a PG rated movie ended up being so frightening is still a mystery; everything is so simple and yet so very effective. Just the opening scene where five year old Carol Anne is talking to the static of the television, with the flashing strobe light like effects, can be spooky if you’re in the right mood. Some of the special effects and the dangerous situations that involve the children are particularity effective. Even the music adds the right amount of suspense at the perfect moments. Both Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg were involved in this film, as director and producer respectively although there is debate about how much Hooper actually directed when Spielberg was on the set.

It’s interesting to see plot devices in this film that would later be the main focus for future ghost related films like “White Noise” and “Pulse”. I would not be surprised if the scene where Steven shows the children’s room to the paranormal research team possibly influenced a scene or two in “Evil Dead 2”.

The Freelings are a happy family of five living in a planned community in California. There is Steven who is a real estate developer; Diane is a stay at housewife, and the children Dana, Robbie, and Carol Anne. One day Diane and Carol Anne discover odd occurrences taking place in their kitchen, and then that night a tree in the back yard becomes animated and tries to eat Robbie. While Steven and Diane save Robbie, Carol Anne is “kidnapped” and taken to the Other-Side. Steven and Diane bring in a paranormal investigation team to help them Carol Anne. After witnessing several events, the team adds a spiritual medium, Tangina, to help bring Carol Anne back. With her help, Diane goes over and brings Carol Anne back, after which Tangina declares that the house is clean. But it’s not….

 Carol Anne as she is being taken.

Tangina

How did this scene make it into a PG movie?

Steven picks up Diane and Carol Anne after they cross back over.

Return of the Living Dead (1984)

There are some many wonderful things about “Return of the Living Dead” that I don’t know where to begin. For a long time this was one of my favorite guilty pleasures but that recently changed when I found out how many other people I know who also love this film. This movie is one of the reasons why I began writing this blog because it’s one of the movies that I love to talk about often and seemingly endlessly! This is the first time that it’s explained why zombies eat people; by consuming brains, the pain of rotting goes away for a little bit. This is brilliant! This movie also has zombies that can run, talk, use radios, and act just like they’re alive…except for the eating brains part. I find this completely acceptable because I like the all or nothing approach; they can be stumbling, slow, and relentless or they can be like the zombies in this film. Or maybe I accept this movie’s version of zombies because I first saw it when I was nine, my first zombie movie ever!  

I love how this movie directly mentions “Night of the Living Dead” several times, mainly in the beginning. I always thought that they could do this because of the lack of a copy right for “NOTLD”. Not so; I found out that John A Russo co-wrote both films! Romero did sue Russo for his part in “Return” but it obviously didn’t damage the movie I know and love! One of the best references of “NOLTD” occurs when Bud, Frank, and Freddy are trying to kill the reanimated corpse in the freezer. They decide to impale it in the head with a pick axe and when it doesn’t die, they begin to panic.

Bud - “I thought you said if we destroy the brain that it would die”

Frank - “It worked in the movie”

Bud - “Well it ain’t working now, Frank”

Freddy - “You mean the movie lied?!”

“Return of the Living Dead” begins with Uncle Frank showing his nephew Freddy around the medical supply warehouse where the two work. To impress his nephew, Frank tells Freddy how they have canisters that were involved in real life events of that inspired the movie “Night of the Living Dead”. They go downstairs to see the canisters and when Frank slaps the side of one, the pressure within bursts and a poisonous toxin fills the warehouse. They pass out and when they come to, the find that the dead bodies have come to life; first seeing a dog that’s cut in half barking and then hearing the dead body in the freezer pounding on the door to get out. The warehouse owner comes to help them, and after they manage to neutralize the reanimated corpse (by cutting him up into pieces with a bone saw); they go over to the mortuary across the street in hopes of using the furnace to burn up the evidence. The embalmer, Ernie, eventually agrees and the body is burnt to nothing but the fumes (and toxins) go into the air and come back in the rain, affecting all of the corpses in the graveyard and bringing them back to life!

Meanwhile, in the graveyard are a group of friends who are waiting for Freddy to get off of work so they can go party. They start to have a good time in the cemetery, including Trash who takes off all of her clothes and dances around. When the rain begins to fall, it burns their skin so they run to find shelter. Freddy’s girlfriend Tina is already at the warehouse when it begins to rain. She goes into the basement and comes across the zombie from inside the canister. She hides in a metal closet and screams. Her friends hear her and come to the rescue, but one of them dies when he’s bitten in the head. They run back to the mortuary for shelter. There Tina finds Freddy, but Freddy and Frank are feeling sick and have been infected by the toxins. They soon turn and then it becomes a free for all as to who lives and who dies when the dead return back to life!

Favorite moment – One of the scariest moments I’ve ever seen in a horror movie was when Zombie Freddy is asking Tina to be nice and open the doorway to the attic that she’s hiding in so he can eat her brains. I was nine when I saw this and it still gives me shivers! His pleading, so sweet and gentle, quickly turns to rage. As Ernie moves himself behind Tina, you can see him raise his pistol to her head, ready to kill her before Freddy can get to her. It’s super intense!

Bud is ready with a bat to kill canister zombie!

Bud calls the military for help. Spider uses a sledgehammer, just like I would!

Frank and Freddy have been told that they're dead. Not the best news to hear...