October Belongs to Horror #7: Romasanta The Werewolf Hunt

Romasanta The Werewolf Hunt a.k.a The Werewolf Manhunt a.k.a Werewolf Hunter: The Legend of Romasanta a.k.a Werewolf Hunter 

Filmax, Future Films, Fantastic Factory (Filmax), Castelao Producciones, Spain, UK, 2004. 

Based on a true story about Spanish serial killer Manuel Blanco Romasanta, "The Werewolf of Allariz." 

1851 Spain. Young women are being torn apart by wolves. Merchant Manuel Romasanta (Julian Sands) returns to village to meet his girlfriend Maria (Maru Valdivielso). Maria has sister Bárbara (Elsa Pataky, known for "Fast and Furious"-series) and mute daughter Teresa (Luna McGill). As Bárbara  has crush on Manuel, jealous Maria moves to Santander with Manuel and Teresa, leaving Bárbara behind. But Manuel has dark and sadistic tendencies. 

Manuel Romasanta

Maria

Bárbara

Teresa and Maria are murdered. Charming Manuel targets Bárbara next. Unbeknowingly Bárbara falls in love with him, but soon starts to see that something is wrong. Wandering madman Antonio (John Sharian) believes that Manuel is a werewolf. Professor Philips (David Gant) is a phrenologist and believes that manuel is insane. District Attorney Luciano de la Bastida (Gary Piquer) does not know what to believe. Bárbara wants revenge and so she participates to hunt Manuel.

Not a werewolf

Antonio

Professor Philips

This is an unconventional werewolf-movie and leaves open the question if Romasanta was a real werewolf or not. Moody horror drama (point being on drama) has slow-burning suspense, nice cinematography and good actors. As the style is of period drama many horror-fans expecting werewolf action will be disappointed even if the killings are brutal. Julian Sands who is always cast as handsome but more or less dubious characters. If he is the Beast, then Elsa Pataky is the Beauty, giving romantic spice to the story. Director Paco Plaza later directed the effective [REC]-zombie movies.

Rating: Good

Starring: Julian Sands, Elsa Pataky, John Sharian, Gary Piquer, David Gant, Maru Valdivielso, Luna McGill, Carlos Reig-Plaza, Reg Wilson, Ivana Baquero, Laura Mañá, Sergi Ruiz, Itziar Fenollar, Carlos Sante, Jaume Montané, Arantxa Peña, Anna Estellés, Ben Temple, Tacho González, Pep García, Alejandra Juno, Jesús Berenguer, John Easthman, Macarena Gómez

Director: Paco Plaza

Movie Review: Silent Night, Deadly Night 2

Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 a.k.a Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2

Silent Night Releasing Corporation, USA, 1987.

The Killer Santa Billy got shot to death by police in the previous film. His little brother Ricky (Eric Freeman) is likewise insane. He is in mental hospital under the treatment of Dr. Henry Bloom (James Newman). The story of Ricky is shown using clips from the previous movie. Seriously, almost half of the running time consists of footage from "Silent Night, Deadly Night." Ricky blames sadistic Mother Superior (Jean Miller, Lilyan Chauvin in part 1) for death of Billy.

Dr. Bloom

Young Ricky (Brian Michael Henley) was adopted to surrogate family but he still feared nuns. When Ricky turned 15 (Darrel Guilbeau) his stepfather died. Seeing a scene of attempted sexual assault makes Ricky lose his mind and he commits his first murder. Later he continues punishing naughty evildoers. 

Ricky

Life starts to get better when Jennifer (Elizabeth Kaitan) hits Ricky's motorcycle with her car. Romance follows. Ricky and Jennifer go watch "Silent Night, Deadly Night" in the movies. That's a mistake. Jennifer's jerk ex-boyfriend Chip (Ken Weichert) finally pushes Ricky over the edge and he starts a vicious murder spree. Garbage Day!

Jennifer

Chip

Ricky as Psycho-Santa

Lazily done vigilante/serial killer horror that goes self-satirical. The first half is mostly redundant, basically showing the events of the first film in condensed form. Most of the film seems to occur in summertime and it only remembers in the end that oh yes, the movie's idea was about having a killer Santa Claus. The second half is pure cheesy horror campfest. Eric Freeman's over the top psychotic performance is what keeps the film interesting. Unintentional comedy, cheesy acting and some absurd death scenes have made this some kind of cult movie.

IMDB Trivia: Ricky's eyebrows move up and down 130 times.

Rating: Bad (First half) So bad it’s good (Second half)

Starring: Eric Freeman, James Newman, Elizabeth Kaitan, Jean Miller, Darrel Guilbeau, Brian Michael Henley, Corrine Gelfan, Michael Combatti, Ken Weichert, Ron Moriarty, Frank Novak, Randall Boffman, Joanne White, Lenny Rose, Nadya Wynd, Kenneth McCabe, J. Aubrey Island, Randy Post, Kent Koppase, Michael Marloe, Larry Kelman, Stephanie Babbit, Traci Odom, Jennie Webb, Janice Carlberg, Jher Turner, Jill K. Allen, Delia Lombardo, Stephen Parks, O.J. Ackson, Fred Griggs, Sally Bedding, Spud Plugman, Richard Levine, Dianne C. Weed, Amy Hamovitz, John Fitzgibbons, Scottie Simpfender, Erin Darini, Lara Davini, Brian Davini, Erika Lundquist, Harvey Genkins, Samurai Retz

Director: Lee Harry

Movie Review: Silent Night, Deadly Night

Silent Night, Deadly Night 

TriStar Pictures, Slayride, USA, 1984. 

If you are looking for fun Christmas movie for the whole family skip this one! 

Billy (Robert Brian Wilson) had a troubled childhood. In 1971 grandpa (Will Hare) who is in mental hospital scares young Billy (Jonathan Best). Santa Claus will punish Billy! Soon robber dressed in Santa's costume murders Billy's parents (Tara Buckman and Jeff Hansen). 

Grandpa

Billy and his family

Three years later Billy (Danny Wagner) and his brother Ricky (Max Broadhead) are in orphanage. Traumatized Billy draws violent pictures and gets in trouble with fanatically strict Mother Superior (Lilyan Chauvin). Harsh upbringing methods only make Billy feel worse. 

Mother Superior

Ten years later friendly nun Margaret (Gilmer McCormick) gets Billy a job at toy store an for a while life smiles. He has a crush on Pamela (Toni Nero) who works also there. When Christmas approaches old traumas return. When Billy is forced to wear a Santa Claus costume, he snaps, grabs an axe and begins to slaughter folks. Naughty! Punish!

Billy

Santa and Pamela

Santa will punish!

As a slasher film it is not bad. Also the makers tried to add some psychological aspect to make Billy's mental detoriation more understandable. Billy seems even sympathetic before going into murderous mode. After that the film goes into standard psycho-killer mode with cruel and gory murders and some nudity. As a Holiday themed horror it is not bad and the backstory makes it a bit more interesting than regular masked killer- movie. When this was released it raised a moral panic although it was not the first or last Christmas-themed slasher film. Still the controversy helped to make it a cult video film followed by four sequels. 

Rating: Good 

Starring: Lilyan Chauvin, Gilmer McCormick, Toni Nero, Robert Brian Wilson, Britt Leach, Nancy Borgenicht, H.E.D. Redford, Danny Wagner, Linnea Quigley, Leo Geter, Randy Stumpf, Will Hare, Tara Buckman, Geoff Hansen, Charles Dierkop, Eric Hart, Jonathan Best, A. Madeline Smith, Amy Styvesant, Max Robinson, Vinc Massa, John Michael Alvarez , John Bishop, Richard C. Terry, Oscar Rowland, Richard D. Clark, Tip Boxell, Angela Montoya, Molly Cameron, Jayne Luke, Joan Forster, Betsy Nagel, Barbara Stafford, Paul Mulder, Spencer Ashby, J. Paul Broadhead, Alex Burton, Max Broadhead, Melissa Best, Dan Rogers, Spencer Alston, Kristi Ballard, Jacob Peterson, Jonathan Wilde, Susie Massa, Sarah Stuyvesant, Aron Kincaid, Judith Roberts, Jean-Paul Rodrigues, Micheline Rodrigues, Monique Rodrigues, Don Shanks 

Director: Charles E. Sellier Jr.

Movie Review: Jack the Ripper (1976)

Jack the Ripper (Jack the Ripper - Der Dirnenmörder von London) 

Elite Film, Ascot Film, Cinemec, Switzerland, West Germany, 1976. 

Dr. Orloff, MD a.k.a Jack the Ripper (Klaus Kinski) murders prostitutes in London. Simple-minded woman Flora (Nikola Weisse) helps him dispose of "the broken dolls." During daytime Dr. Orloff is well liked by everyone. He is so unselfish that he helps the patients for free. His landlady Mrs. Baxter (Olga Gebhard) would like to know him better but Orloff could not care less. 

Dr. Orloff a.k.a Jack the Ripper

Flora

Mrs. Baxter offers some tea to Dr. Orloff

Inspector Selby (Andreas Mannkopff) interviews the two witnesses: old maid Miss Higgins (Ursula von Wiese) and blind man Pritchard (Hans Gaugler) who has a superior sense of smell. Selby's relationship with ballet dancer Cynthia (Josephine Chaplin) is not going well, as Cynthia values her career and Selby is too possessive. 

Pritchard and Inspector Selby

Cynthia

Charlie the Fisherman

Dr. Orloff sees weird fantasies about temptress. It is hinted that he hates women because his mother was a prostitute.  After that he goes into Ripper-mode again. Charlie the Fisherman (Herbert Fux) catches a severed hand from the river. Cynthia tries to help Selby catch the killer but gets in danger. 

Mary Stevenson (Lina Romay)

Cynthia gets in danger

Euro-sleaze auteur Jesús Franco goes on to explore the dark mind of the notorious serial killer. One of the victims, Mary Stevenson, is acted by Lina Romay who became later Franco's wife. For most part this feels more a detective drama film although there is nudity and grisly murders. This is not the best or the most historically accurate movie about Jack the Ripper there is. Much of the film is saved by Klaus Kinski who brings explosiveness to the role being a mild-mannered gentleman during daytime and turning into perverse maniac at night. The Victorian costumes and interiors look good for the most part and the film has the look of 1970s British horror films. However the movie is quite dull and unexciting slasher movie. 

The Finnish DVD contains only English dubbed version. The dubbing is sometimes comically bad and seems to omit some of information of the original German dialogue. 

Rating: Average 

Starring: Klaus Kinski, Josephine Chaplin, Andreas Mannkopff, Herbert Fux, Lina Romay, Hans Gaugler, Nikola Weisse, Ursula von Wiese, Francine Custer, Olga Gebhard, Angelika Arndts, Peter Nüsch, Esther Studer, Regine Elsener, Lorli Bucher, Mike Lederer, Otto Dornbierer, Walter Baumgartner, Gerd Duwner, Almut Eggert, Markus Gehrig, Norbert Gescher, Peter Holliger, Roman Huber, Rolf Kunz, Fred Maire, Arnold Marquis, Angela Ritschard, Wolfgang Ziffer 

Director: Jesús Franco (as Jess Franco)