Movie Review: DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (1981) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

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Dark Night of The Scarecrow (1981) is one of those "quiet horror" films that sneak up on you. At first glance, the film looks like a hundred other dated, unpolished, made-for-TV movie from the late 1970s and early 80s. And the opening sequence, with its maudlin performances and rushed pace, doesn't help change that first impression. But then a brutal execution of a mentally challenged character by an angry mob takes place, and the film takes a turn into a whole different class of moviemaking.

On the one hand, it has the trappings of a typical revenge from beyond the grave thriller. But as it moves along, it becomes more psychological, darker, and nastier. With a minimalist script by J.D. Feigelson (who originally wrote it as an independent feature film before CBS bought it), and unfussy but effective direction by Frank DeFelitta, it works quite well, with an assured pace, an eerie mood, and an ending that is the stuff of nightmares.

There is a reason why Dark Night of the Scarecrow remains a cult favorite to this day, and that is, decades on, it still has the ability to haunt and frighten without resorting to jump scares, dramatic histrionics, and fancy cinematography. This is American Gothic stripped to the core, and a movie that manages to work despite its shortcomings. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Review: Fright Night: The Complete "Now" Comic Books (1988-1990)

The NOW Comics adaptation and continuation of the fan favorite Fright Night (1985) movie (written and directed by Tom Holland), which ran from 1988 till 1990, starts off with a bang, with a two-issue adaptation of the original movie, written by Joe Gentile, that manages to capture the spirit and humor of the film and offer enough fresh touches to make it enjoyable for even the most hardcore fans.

The comics then move on to what would become a staple of the series: a number of stand-alone stories of varying mileage, starting with issue#3, The Dead Remember, a fun and atmospheric tale, pitting Charley Brewster and Peter Vincent against a horde of blood/brain-sucking bats from another dimension.

After two underwhelming issues that bear little resemblance to the tone of the original movie, the series gets back on track with issue#6, The Legion of Endless Night, introducing the formidable vampire legion of the title, and which will become the main villain throughout the series. This issue and its sequel, issue#7, are a joy to read, taking our heroes through a fast-paced adventure packed with plenty of vampire action.

Next, the series re-introduces fan favorite Evil Ed in issues#8 and #9, The Revenge of Evil Ed, who is revealed to be alive (undead?!) and well, and out for revenge against Charley and Peter. These two issues are fun, if not very inventive, and by now the problems with the series start to show, chief among them the overly humorous tone and occasionally silly plotting, as the intended audience seems to be within the PG-13 range, with the writing lacking the wit, warmth, and menace of the original movies. The writers involved, including Tony Caputo,  Katherine Llewellyn, and James Van Hise, don't seem to be too interested in capturing the essence of the characters and the delicately balanced tone of the original movie. Instead, we are introduced to a number of forgettable side characters, including a truly forgettable new love interest for Charley.

The cracks really start to show with the next four issues, a series of lame and truly jarring stories that try to stretch the range of the series in all the wrong ways (monsters out of Greek mythology in issue#12 and a child serial killer in issue#13???). The series then recovers a little bit with the amusing two-parter The Resurrection of Dracula (issues# 14 and 15).

Then comes the final stretch of books, with the final seven issues focusing on the resurrection of Jerry Dandridge, starting with issue#16, Potion Motion. But, sadly, the plot is mishandled by the writers, with the resurrected Dandridge barely resembling the much beloved villain as portrayed by Chris Sarandon in the original movie, and the series ends with a clumsy and forgettable finale in issue#22, Reign of Terror.

The NOW Comics adaptation of Fright Night has its fans, but it also has its detractors, and reading the entire run of the series, it's easy to see why. The characters from the original movie aren't handled with care for the most part; the humor is occasionally off-key; and the quality of the stories varies dramatically from issue to issue. But the art is always good, and some of the charm of the original movie and its characters rubs off on the series, providing a number of issues that are worth the fans' time. But Fright Night, one of the greatest horror movies to come out of the 1980s, deserved better than this.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2020.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer.

Movie Review: THE ZERO BOYS (1986) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

One of the smarter and more original slasher films to come out of the eighties, The Zero Boys (1986) is a somewhat obscure horror\thriller that is worth a revisit.

The plot: a group of rich California college kids obsessed with survival games, go out on a camping weekend and start to be picked off one by one by a bunch of psychopathic rednecks.

On the surface, this looks like a typical slasher movie of the era. There are pretty young people, the proverbial "cabin in the woods", and a bunch of killers wielding big knives. But co-writer/director Nico Mastorakis seems to have more on his mind than mere slasher tropes. From the mock-macho opening titles, which mimic and parody the opening of an eighties action blockbuster, Mastorakis seems intent on jumping from one genre to another, commenting on each in turn. And the above-average script has some witty dialogue, and characters that are a bit more than fodder for the psychopathic killers, and seems to have a point to make about the reactionary, macho male posturing of the eighties, painting the male characters as egotistical young adults who think they are invincible behind their machine guns and semi-automatic pistols. But as the movie progresses, the male characters, especially, become more and more helpless, realizing that their worldview maybe askew. Also, the female characters, although not very memorable, are painted as somewhat complex and not just damsels in distress.

The film also boasts stylish cinematography by Steven Shaw, and there's a terrific suspense sequence near the end of the film, featuring a slowly approaching killer and several characters trapped with a rattle snake. But, despite flashes of wit and an effectively ominous tone (helped by a moody score by Stanley Myers and Hans Zimmer), what brings the film down several notches are a number of dumb decisions by the main characters that just defy logic. Also, the ending, though admirably dark and unexpected, is abrupt and mildly unsatisfying.

Flaws aside, The Zero Boys is an entertaining, occasionally smart, and eerie horror film that deserves to be rediscovered by fans of the genre.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2020.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon.

Review: COOTIES (2014) - ***&1/2 out of four

One of the best horror-comedies you've never seen, Cooties (2014) is a fun lover letter to 80s horror/zombie movies. Like Final Girls (2015), Cooties' strengths lie in its near-perfect mix of reverence and send-up, with the filmmakers paying tribute to a genre they both love and find silly at the same time.

The plot: A group of teachers get stuck in a school where the students suddenly start turning into cannibalistic monsters (i.e zombies), and they have to do everything they can to survive, including facing their own fears and weaknesses. Saying anymore would ruin the fun for you, as this is a film filled to the brim with funny scenes, surprisingly hardcore gore, and a number of hilarious lines, not to mention a cast (that includes Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, and Leigh Whannell) that seems to be having a blast. The score by Kreng is also retro-synth music at its best.

This is also a rather conspicuous debut for Leigh Whannell as an actor/writer without his partner James Wan, and he proves himself admirably, delivering, along with co-writer Ian Brennan, a script that is original, funny, scary, and memorable.

Even if it is a bit lacking in technical merits - the direction is occasionally too conventional for its own good - this is an energetic, fun, tense, and endlessly entertaining horror-comedy, and a must see for fans of the zombie movies of the 70s and 80s. Unmissable.

N.B. Look out for a great appearance by none other than Peter Kwong (Big Trouble in Little China) as Mr. Hitachi!

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2017

Review: PHANTASM: RAVAGER (2016)

As a lifelong "Phan" of the Phantasm series, my heart lept with joy at the announcement of a new, and final, installment in the franchise, with the involvement of the entire cast from the 1979 original. After several delays, Phantasm: Ravager (2016) was released in theaters and VOD, and I got a chance to watch it.

My disappointment was staggering. Produced almost thirty years after Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998), I expected a tight, polished, poignant final chapter that would finally answer at least some of the many questions posed during forty years of filmmaking. What I got was an amateurish looking, incoherent movie, with surprisingly unpolished performances, and one which lacks much of the surreal, hypnotic atmosphere and style that made the series so special in the first place.

A huge part of the blame has to rest on co-writer/director David Hartman's shoulders, whose direction is adequate at best, and sloppy at worst. The special effects also leave a lot to be desired, which is shocking, considering what creator/writer/director Don Conscarelli managed to pull off decades ago with next-to-none resources, delivering four films that had plenty of style, and effects that always captured the imagination.

The lack of closure is also very disappointing for a die-hard Phantasm fan. Being the final chapter, there's little that seems "final" about this film, with its open-ending and unresolved storylines dating back to the very first film in the series. Yes, Reggie Banister's character gets a moving and bittersweet send-off, but that's about it. The Tall Man's tale seems far from finished, and the rest of the characters don't have much to do throughout the story.

One has to wonder why Coscarelli, who co-wrote Ravager, didn't just direct this final chapter, as the final product sorely lacks his touch and his mastery of low-budget filmmaking.

It is fun and heartwarming to see the gang back together again, and there are a couple of moments when the film manages to capture some of the magic of the original, but, as is, Phantasm: Ravager is heavily flawed and underwhelming, and a failure as a finale to one of the most popular and stylish horror franchises in history. To me, the true final chapter remains Phantasm: Oblivion (1998), in which Coscarelli gave us an open-ending that was mystifying yet satisfying on many levels, and one which was truly haunting.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2017

Review: THE WOMAN IN BLACK (1989)

The first adaptation of Susan Hill's classic ghost story is an atmospheric, nuanced horror film that lingers in the memory long after you finish watching it.

From the performances, to the confident direction by Herbert Wise, to the terrific screenplay by none other than Nigel Kneale (The Quatermass Experiment), this is a near-perfect ghost story, which draws its power from its ability to suggest (with sound design and good cinematography) rather than show, and its terrific use of location shooting. Some of the technical aspects have aged a little bit, but considering that this is a modestly budgeted production made for British TV in the late 80s, this is an impressive, stylish, and surprisingly elegant film.

Reportedly disowned by Susan Hill because of the changes Kneale made to the original novel (including the shocking ending), this is arguably the best adaptation of the story (superior to both the popular stage version and the extravagantly produced 2012 feature starring Daniel Radcliffe). A must see for fans of ghost stories, British cinema, and the original novel.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2017

Flashback Review: THEY LIVE (1988)

Original Theatrical Poster

One of John Carpenter's most popular and fondly remembered cult films, They Live (1988) is a film that, upon revisiting, doesn't hold up to close scrutiny. As a die-hard fan of the master filmmaker, I revisit this film every couple of years, hoping to find something that would make me change my mind about it. That's not to say this is a bad, or even mediocre, movie. Not at all. Carpenter is incapable of making an unwatchable movie, as his voice/style always shines through, but They Live is truly one of his lesser works.

The concepts presented here, including staunch criticism of uber-capitalism and consumerism, are admirable and still hold up to this day. It is the execution that's less than stellar, as this is Carpenter at his most uneven, with the film starting out as a focused criticism of Reaganomics and the plight of the working class during the reign of conservative governments, and then, once the protagonist, an immensely likable Roddy Piper as Nada, puts on the "special sunglasses" and discovers the true shape of things, the film shifts tones and become a somewhat cheesy and technically conventional thriller, with less and less of Carpenter's storytelling prowess shining through.

It might be that Carpenter got so caught up in the politics and conceptual ambitions of the story that he somehow mishandled or let drop other aspects needed to make this a complete success. The performances, with the exception of Piper, are lacking, with the always reliable Keith David and Meg Foster delivering performances that are surprisingly unpolished. As for the film's technical merits, something that Carpenter always excels at in his pictures, they are below standard, as the film lacks Carpenter's usual visual panache, while the effects are, for the most part, not very impressive. Even the score by Carpenter and his associate Alan Howarth is unmemorable.

They Live also seems to have been a turning point for Carpenter, as he took a four year break after the film's release, returning in 1992 with the problematic studio picture Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992). In the years since, Carpenter has arguably produced some good work (1994's In The Mouth of Madness, and 1998's Vampires, for example), but he seems to have lost some of his passion after They Live.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2017

Flashback Review: HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (1982)

Co-produced, co-written (uncredited), and scored by John Carpenter, this one-off sequel to the classic chiller is a quirky, original supernatural thriller with plenty to offer, including a compelling mood and some truly scary visuals. Director/co-writer Tommy Lee Wallace channels Carpenter's style with surprising efficiency, and the cast, headed by an earnest Tom Atkins, is good. The ending is deliciously tense and disturbing. A must-see for horror fans.  Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Quick Review: RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 2 (1987)

Uneven sequel to the cult classic. It lacks focus and features some truly unfunny gags. But it's slickly made, with a fine cast and plenty of energy. A fun if forgettable watch. Written and directed by Ken Weiderhorn.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Quick Review: PUMPKINHEAD (1988)

Visually alluring, poignant, and haunting dark fantasy/horror movie, with a riveting central performance by Lance Henriksen as a bereaved father who summons an ancient demon to hunt down those responsible for his son's death. But the unsteady direction and lack of a clear protagonist make this more of an interesting failure than a winner. The directorial debut of effects wizard Stan Winston.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Quick Review: NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (1988)

After a slow start, this turns into a fun, energetic little horror/comedy, with impressive make-up effects and an enjoyable atmosphere. The climax is surprisingly tense. Followed by two sequels and a remake. Directed by Kevin S. Tenney.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Review: FRIGHT NIGHT PART 2 (1988) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Fright Night (1985) is one of my favorite movies of all time. It has everything I love about the 80's: electronic music; flashy lighting; optical special effects; and latex monsters. With a good script and tight direction by writer/director Tom Holland, Fright Night has stood the test of time and proved to be a minor masterpiece wrapped in the guise of a lover letter to the Gothic horror movies of the 1950s and 1960s.

Following such a commercial and artistic success was never going to be easy, but with Fright Night Part 2 (1988) co-writer/director Tommy Lee Wallace and co. sure gave it their best shot.

William Ragsdale is back as Charlie Brewster, and so is the ever charming Roddy McDowall as Peter Vincent, the "fearless" vampire killer, and their performances are as good and lively as they were in the original Fright Night.

The problems with Fright Night 2 mainly lie with its script and budget. Reportedly produced on an even smaller budget than its predecessor, the sequel suffers from a script that is functional enough, even occasionally inventive, but one which lacks the punch and effective characterization of the original, especially when it comes to the villains. Regine - who is revealed to be the sister of the late Jerry Dandridge, the vampire master from the original (wonderfully played by Chris Sarandon) - and her pack of vampires and familiars, just aren't as memorable and charismatic as Jerry Dandridge was. Add to that the feeling that the film is somehow smaller in scope than the original, with slightly less action - probably because of the reduced budget - and you have a sequel at a disadvantage.

But that's not the whole story, as Fright Night 2, despite its faults, is a tremendously entertaining and stylish horror film, with gorgeous cinematography by Mark Irwin, and tight, kinetic direction by Tommy Lee Wallace. The pacing is a bit problematic, and the humor-horror mix doesn't work as well as it did in the original. But Ragsdale, and especially McDowall, are in top form, giving the movie an energy and liveliness that lift it above its shortcomings.

The special effects are uneven, with fantastic matte paintings but less than stellar optical effects, while the make-up effects are mostly inventive and impressive. But, to me, the film's main power lies in its hypnotic atmosphere, bolstered by a terrific, ageless score by Brad Fiedel. Simply put, this is one of those movies that you just don't want to end. It's that entertaining. And the climax, though a little rushed, is more than satisfying.

All in all, Fright Night 2 is a horror sequel that works on many levels, even if it stumbles on a few, and is one of the most memorable horror sequels to come out of the 1980s.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Quick Review: TERROR TRAIN (1980)

Entertaining if slow-going slasher from the 80's, with a strong climax and capable performances. But it hasn't aged well. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Quick Review: THE HORROR SHOW [a.k.a House III] (1989)

Lame, silly supernatural thriller about a psychic killer who comes back from the dead to torment the cop who caught him. Poorly directed and boring. Avoid.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Review: TO DIE FOR (1989) and SON OF DARKNESS: TO DIE FOR II (1991)

Poorly scripted and blandly performed, To Die For (1989) is a passable horror/romantic thriller from the late 80's, notable for its failed attempt to update the Dracula myth to modern times, pitting Vlad Tepes, masquerading in Los Angeles as a wealthy bachelor, against his evil brother Tom(!), who wants to kill Vlad's latest lover, Karyn. Sloppy direction and terrible dialogue make this a slow-going watch, but some of the make-up effects are impressive.

For some reason To Die For garnered a sequel, which is surprising, since it barely registered at the box-office upon release and is hardly considered a cult classic. The sequel, Son of Darkness (1991), fares a little better, with genre veteran Michae Praed (Nightflyers, Robin of Sherwood) replacing Brendan Hughes as Vlad Tepes. Son of Darkness benefits from adequate direction by David F. Price and stylish cinematography by Gerry Lively (Waxwork, Warlock: The Armageddon), and the first half of the movie is fast-paced and atmospheric. The movie stumbles in the second half, as the emphasis shifts from horror to romance, and the plot becomes incoherent. Still this is a better movie than its predecessor, and a diverting 90 minutes for a rainy night.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.