
Greetings, all. Ambush Bug here with another AICN HORROR: ZOMBIES & SHARKS column. Let’s get right down to the horror reviews!
(Click title to go directly to the feature)
Retro-review: FAUST (1926)
Retro-review: NEON MANIACS (1986)
Retro-review: TROLL (1986)
Retro-review: WHITE OF THE EYE (1987)
Retro-review: CANNIBAL CAMPOUT (1988)
KANTEMIR (2015)
INNER DEMON (2014)
DEEP DARK (2015)
Advance Review: THE BLACK TAPE (2014)
Advance Review: BALLET OF BLOOD (2015)
And finally…Power Records’ “A Story of Frankenstein” Recorded Comic Book (1975)!


FAUST (1926)
Directed by F.W. MurnauWritten by Gerhart Hauptmann, Hans Kyser, from a play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Starring Gösta Ekman, Emil Jannings, Camilla Horn, Frida Richard, William Dieterle, Yvette Guilbert, Hanna Ralph, Werner Fuetterer, Hans Brausewetter, Lothar Müthel
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
The age old tale of the deal with the devil is presented in its earliest cinematic forms as Kino Lorber releases a Bluray of F.W. Murnau’s silent masterpiece FAUST.

F.W. Murnau’s silent film is simplistic in story. Though over an hour and a half long, the film moves surprisingly quick as Mephisto guides Faust through what life would be like if he signs away his soul. But maybe the pace of the film was so brief because of Murnau’s creative and vivid filmmaking talent which is on full display pretty much during the entire runtime of FAUST.

This Bluray contains all sorts of whistles and bells including; the restored German version (with optional English subtitles) and the previous U.S. release version, a piano score by Perez de Azpeitia, adapted from the original 1926 orchestral arrangement, orchestral score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, plus the score by Timothy Brock, performed by the Olympia Chamber Orchestra which accompanied the American release of the film, a making of documentary entitled "The Language of Shadows: Faust,” and never released screen test footage. If you’re a fan of music, silent film, and the original tale, this is one BluRay you’re going to want to sign your soul away for.


NEON MANIACS (1986)
aka EVIL DEAD WARRIORSDirected by Joseph Mangine
Written by Mark Patrick Carducci
Starring Clyde Hayes, Leilani Sarelle, Donna Locke, Victor Brandt, David Muir, Marta Kober, P.R. Paul, Jeff Tyler, Amber Denyse Austin, James Acheson, Chuck Hemingway, Bo Sabato, Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, John Lafayette, Gene Bicknell, Katherine Heard, Frank X. Baleno, Trish Doolan, Teri Ralston, Dick Frattali, Cynthia Sprink, and our Neon Maniacs; Joseph Shirley as Ape, Barry Buchanan & Scott McKenna as Archer, Douglas Markell & James H. Smith as Axe, Mark Twogood as Decapitator, Andrew Divoff as Doc, Robert E. Veilliux as Hangman/Juice, Scott Guetzkow as Juice, Chuck Cohen as Mohawk, Zac Baldwin as Punk Biker, Solly Marx as Punk Biker/Samurai, Doyle McCurley & Mario Valdez as Samurai, Jerome L. Dennae, Kathy Hooker & Chuck Secor as the Scavengers, Daniel Burrell & Joel-Steven Hammond as Slasher, and Allan Aperlo as Soldier!
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
NEON MANIACS is in no way a good film. It’s actually a shoddily produced, horribly acted, narratively ridiculous movie. I also find it to be fascinating as all get out.

Where do these maniacs come from? Who are they? Why are they allergic to water? Why do some maniacs look different from one scene to the next? According to the behind the scenes featurette talking with those responsible for the production, the answer to all of these questions is “Don’t know/don’t care.” As the producers filmed this turd over the course of a few years and things like continuity and having things make sense were not really important. They only wanted to put a cheap horror film on the shelves, who cares if it makes any sense? But because of this, NEON MANIACS is so broad that it allows the viewer to answer these questions themselves. No motivation or cause of the maniacs are provided. It’s one of those films that if someone with a lick of creativity could ever get a hold of it, they could make a pretty kick ass remake because details are so vague. The blueprints of something cool are there.

The thing that reeled me in as a kid was definitely the box art and the difference in the maniacs themselves. There’s a sense of nostalgia I have with this film that is solely due to its lack of detail. I didn’t know the producers didn’t really give a fuck. With all of the remakes out there that prove to be unnecessary or unable to top what was done before, my advice is to shoot for the bottom of the barrel and make it better. Any attempt to do something with this film would be better than the movie itself. Most likely, anyone interested in NEON MANIACS are those like me who remember the box from the video store. Anyone else will shirk nostalgia and realize it for the piece of shit cinema it is. Still, I can’t look away.


TROLL (1986)
Directed by John Carl BuechlerWritten by Ed Naha
Starring Michael Moriarty, Shelley Hack, Noah Hathaway, Jenny Beck, Sonny Bono, Brad Hall, Anne Lockhart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Gary Sandy, June Lockhart, Barbara Sciorilli, and Phil Fondacaro as Torok the Troll!
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
There’s a lot of endearing qualities about TROLL, and that doesn’t even include the spastic “Rat burgers!!!!!” moment!

This film is a lot of fun and seems to have a well intentioned aim for a younger audience. That doesn’t mean that it’s not something adults can enjoy. It’s just that the film is basically told as if it were an Amblin film where the only people with a clue are the kids, with the adults are either stumbling into trouble/death or completely naïve as to what is going on right under their noses. While the film lacks a lot of the story and production know-how as those kiddie films, the spirit is there and while there are some somewhat grisly moments, the overall feel of the film is simply fun.

And while TROLL 2 gets a lot of flack for being the worst film ever made, the original is not without its WTF moments. Most notably is Michael Moriarty who is obviously not giving a shit about how he looks or acts in this film. He enters the scene wearing a goofy hat, which for a while, was a Moriarty trademark in every movie he showed up in. But only Crispin Glover’s dance in FRIDAY THE 13TH THE FINAL CHAPTER compares to Moriarty’s interpretive dance moves he busts out with in this film. Add an awkward scene where Wendy Anne asks Phil Fondacaro (a little person) if he’s an elf and then invites him to dinner where her family talks about his height challenges. The film actually gets kind of poignant and touching as Fondacaro explains what it is like to be a little person. I don’t remember seeing a film give this much time to give time to bring some understanding to the life of a little person and it definitely highlights a depth of performance I didn’t know the actor had in him.

I’ll be covering TROLL 2 in a future column as it accompanies this film in the two pack. Also included is BEST WORST MOVIE, a doc on TROLL 2 that I’ll also give a look see to. While John Carl Buechler may not have achieved the magic that was in those Amblin films of old, he gave a noble effort. Quirky and simply weird performances and some great effects make this something rather spectacular.


WHITE OF THE EYE (1987)
Directed by Donald CammellWritten by China Kong , Donald Cammell, Andrew Klavan, Laurence Klavan
Starring David Keith, Cathy Moriarty, Alan Rosenberg, Art Evans, Michael Greene, Danielle Smith, Alberta Watson, William G. Schilling, David Chow, Marc Hayashi, Mimi Lieber, Pamela Guest, Bob Zache, Danko Gurovich, China Kong, Jim Wirries, Katie Waring
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
This is more of a thriller than anything else, but WHITE OF THE EYE’s adoration of the gloved killer GIallo film is prevalent throughout and while many wouldn’t associate it with the Italian murder/mystery movement at the time, I feel that it is a worthy and potent homage to that genre of film. It’s also bugnuts crazy.

Taking copious amounts of pages from the Italian gloved murder Giallo films, WHITE OF THE EYE is a fantastically warped little mystery that throws some steamy torch song noir in for good measure. Moriarty is, as usual, sultry with her smoky voice and sideways glances that remind me of IT FOLLOWS star Maika Monroe in many ways. She is both tough and vulnerable here and while a lot of her actions in the latter part of the film don’t make a lot of sense, she is a woman in shock, so I give her and director Donald Cammell a pass for making it all look cool even though it’s crazy. David Keith is outstanding here as the morally conflicted, mentally unstable burly man who swoops in and snatches Joan away from her hum-drum world and seems like the perfect husband. Moriarty and Keith are absolutely fantastic here as textured and troubled characters.

Whether it keeps the identity of the killer secret or not, the film’s ending is pretty damn outstanding. The killer goes Travis Bickell on everyone and paints his face and makes a suicide bomber vest. Pair his bizarre Native American look with the killer’s tendency to do Tuvan Monk throat singing in the right acoustic areas, and the final moments of this film make for a visual and audio spectacular. What starts out as a murder mystery turns into a tale of twisted love and lunacy unhinged. I loved this unpredictable and deliciously sounding and looking little film. Moments feel like it belongs on Cinemax programming at 3AM as there is a heavy sultry tone, but the ass-backward craziness of the final moments make this something that will shock and entertain you.


CANNIBAL CAMPOUT (1988)
Directed by Tom Fisher, Jon McBrideWritten by Jon McBride
Starring Jon McBride, Amy Chludzinski, Christopher A. Granger, Carrie Lindell, Nancy Sciarra, Ray Angelic, John Farrell & Richard Marcus as Rich the Cannibal, Gene Robbins as Gene the Cannibal, and Joseph Salheb as Joe the Cannibal!
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug
This BASEMENT Collection, which gathers lost shot on video films and puts them together into one collection is a rough set of films to get through. Sure I do have an appreciation for the low budgeters, but even I have limits. I’ve reviewed THE BASEMENT and CAPTIVES in previous AICN HORROR columns and this week, I’ll be enduring CANNIBAL CAMPOUT.

No subtle comments on the human condition or even nuanced performances depicting the duality of man are given here in CANNIBAL CAMPOUT. This is a straight up stalk ‘n slash with bad acting, bad effects, and bad directing. It’s a film that tries to emulate and even imitate TCM and THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, but never really has the skill or moxie to do it.

While THE BASEMENT and CAPTIVES suffered from a lot of the same setbacks CANNIBAL CAMPOUT does (bad acting, slow pacing, and shoddy editing), at least they were going for something inventive in terms of story. CANNIBAL CAMPOUT simply cuts and pastes badly made scenes that rip off better slasher films with not an ounce of originality. Here’s hoping the last two films in this set; VIDEO VIOLENCE and VIDEO VIOLENCE II, at least have more redeeming qualities than this one.

KANTEMIR (2015)
aka NIGHTMARE AT HORROR CASTLEDirected by Ben Samuels
Written by Mark Garbett, Ralph Glenn Howard
Starring Robert Englund, Diane Cary, Daniel Gadi, Justine Griffiths, Alanna Janell, Stuart Stone, Sean Derry, Joshua Elijah Reese, Neil Samuels, Bingo O'Malley, Cindy Jackson
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
Robert Englund became a household name through his performance as Freddy Krueger in the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET films, but that type of notoriety can often be a cage when it comes to getting other roles and continuing one’s career. KANTEMIR touches upon that topic as it places Englund in a situation that challenges him with a role he is trying not to be too overcome by.

Mixing the real world within the movie with a fictional world within that real world within the movie can often lead to much head scratching, but director Ben Samuels and writers Mark Garbett & Ralph Glenn Howard keep everything simple and followable by having Robert Englund’s John be the eyes and ears of the viewer, noticing that the cast is acting like the characters in the play and trying to get through to them. By keeping the cast in a single gothic locale and having the timeline move quickly, it doesn’t leave the viewer or John much time to wonder what’s happening, but enough exposition is dropped here and there to keep the viewer from being lost. There may be a few too many heart to hearts between John and his estranged wife (Cary), but these seem to be necessary in order to allow even the most dim-skulled of viewers on board.

I loved this film for it’s rather ingenious plot as well as the fantastic performance by Englund. It’s a sure indication that despite the stigma attached to the NIGHTMARE films, Englund’s performance and acting skill are what carried the series. This isn’t an extravagant film, but one that relies on strong performances in order to get across the tension and thrills. KANTEMIR highlights the talents of one of horror’s best actors and here’s hoping this solid little dark fantasy will lead to more meatier roles for Englund to dive into.

INNER DEMON (2014)
Directed by Ursula DabrowskyWritten by Ursula Dabrowsky
Starring Sarah Jeavons, Kerry Ann Reid, Andreas Sobik
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
A simple cat and mouse chase extended over the course of an entire film might have sounded crazy before FURY ROAD, but now it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. This low budget Australian abduction film is in no way the size and scope of George Miller’s adrenalin shot flick, but INNER DEMON does seem to emulate the non-stop forward momentum of it. This is a sneaky little film that does its best to creep up on your expectations and give them a good jolt.

This is one of those films that takes a turn in the latter half hour and becomes a completely different movie. Personally I don’t mind these FROM DUSK TIL DAWN style flicks which mix and match genres as they sometimes can lead to say interesting things about both types of films it is trying to be. The crucial factor for both of these portions of the films to work is for both parts to feel genuine and INNER DEMON does this very well. The first half of the film is a tense, rapid-paced nightmare told from the perspective of the mouse frantically running from the dangerous cat with murder pointing from every fang and claw. This chase through the woods has been seen before in many films, but there’s a jagged and unconventional manner to these scenes that really does hit its mark. After Sam eludes her captors, the film literally stops dead in its tracks and becomes a claustrophobic thriller as Sam becomes trapped in a cupboard and is forced to witness horrific things go down. Still, this aspect lays in the real world and these scenes, which focus mainly on the film’s promising star Sarah Jeavons, will make you bite your nails to the nub.

So if you don’t mind genre flips and are looking for some nice chase sequences, you’ll want to give INNER DEMON a try. For me, 66% of the film was astounding with the latter 33% only slightly less so. Jeavons is a true find and definitely has a Khaleesi feel to her as she balances the frail victim role with a cornered animal aspect in performance. I don’t want to lump it in with another Australian flick, but it does have a WOLF LAKE feel to it as it really does make the land and culture a part of the threat pretty successfully. All in all, INNER DEMON is a solid entry in abduction subgenre with points for some twists and solid performances by the very small cast.

DEEP DARK (2015)
Directed by Michael MedagliaWritten by Michael Medaglia
Starring Sean McGrath, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Monica Graves, Anne Sorce, David Loftus, Tabor Helton, Simos Kalivas, Cassandra Parigian, Mark A. Wooley, Michael Medaglia, Johanna Hart, & Denise Poirier as The Hole!
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
There seems to be an abundance of films out right now about artists and writers looking for inspiration and finding dark things. There are two in this very column alone in KANTEMIR and BALLET OF BLOOD, and I recently reviewed another film about a comic book artist and the strength of creativity fighting back against those who would try to shut it down in BLOODY KNUCKLES. This isn’t a new concept. Corman did it way back in 1959 with A BUCKET OF BLOOD. And now we have another starving artist looking for fame and fortune in DEEP DARK; a twisted tale that is bound to make you squirm while still be somewhat inspired by the often dark places from which creativity sprouts from.

A lot actually, because this film is filled with all kinds of “that’s just plain wrong” moments. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic testament to the desperation an artist often goes through, but the depths this film plunges to are going to lose some people. Let’s just say that the vaginal qualities of this hole are not lost in this story and the tasks Herman must do for the hole in order to become famous are rather grody. There is also a nice grimy feel to this film that reminded me of the films of Abel Ferrare and Frank Hennenlotter who captured the grimy nature of the New York 70’s and 80’s like few others in films like MS. 45, BASKET CASE, and DRILLER KILLER.

Coming up with good ideas is difficult, be they painting, stories, or ways to review the million and oneth horror movie you’ve seen. DEEP DARK does a great and gory job of illustrating the heft of despair an artist goes through. If you’re an artist, these feelings are going hit a little too close to home. DEEP DARK has some pitch black humor, as well as some very twisted moments of pure desperation. While the main character isn’t the most likable, the film itself illustrates the abyss all artists must plunge into in order to be pure to their craft.

THE BLACK TAPE (2014)
Directed by Ramone MenonWritten by Ramone Menon
Starring Elina Madison, Allen Marsh, Oto Brezina, Melanie Thompson, Parker Coppins, Viktoria Paje, Bryan Mordechai Jackson, Cassi Ellis, Douglas Olsson, Glen Ratcliffe
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug

What I liked about THE BLACK TAPE is the fact that it isn’t really a found footage film. Though it is amateurishly made and rudely edited, this is a home movie of a killer. Yes, there is shaky, hand-held cam work, but for the most part, this is a film telling a story. It’s a confession tape that only shows its hand at the very end, but because it is so crudely done, it really does feel pretty authentic, which in turn makes it all the more effective.

There are a few inconsistencies here. The killer seems to be acting alone, but there are some scenes which suggest there are two people involved as one person is holding a camera while another is doing the killing. If this were actual evidence, I would say the tape doesn’t tell the whole story but what the killer wanted us to see. Since this is a movie, it feels more like a blunder, but again, the amateur way it is put together gives it an authentic feel. It may seem like I’m giving this film more credit than it is worth, but there are some twists and turns that only the savvy will pick up on and the story is rather complex in the way this plays out. This leads me to believe that the folks behind THE BLACK TAPE knew what they were doing in making things kind of murky and misleading as to the identity of the killer/killers. THE BLACK TAPE does unnerve and it takes found footage to another level, which is essential because if I have to watch another run of the mill, by the numbers found footage film I’m likely to gouge my eyes out.

BALLET OF BLOOD (2015)
aka BALLERINA ATTACKDirected by Jared Masters
Written by Jared Masters
Starring Sydney Raye, Mindy Robinson, Jessica Knopf, Dallas Chandler, Dawna Lee Heising, Christopher Arias, Julia Faye West, Robert Evans, Jacqueline Marie Alberto, Kimberly Cohen, Laura Amelia, Marla Martinez, Shelise Hufstetler, Rubi Garcia, Georgie Borchardt
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
I know longtime readers may be sick of my “low budget doesn’t necessarily mean low quality” speech, but I feel it’s something that needs to be repeated, especially at a place like AICN which specialized mostly in big budget films. I say this because despite rough edges, some solid ideas can be found in low fi films; such is the case for BALLET OF BLOOD.

Let’s get the rough stuff out of the way. First and foremost, the scope of this film is way too big for the abilities of all involved. There are just too many characters in BALLET OF BLOOD and the fact that most of them are non- or semi-amateur actors and actresses make it hard to distinguish one flat performance from another. There are way too many times where the actors struggle to spout their lines or even glance at the camera here and some more takes and a solid edit might be necessary in order to make this film a bit more watchable. There are also a lot of extraneous scenes in between the opening massacre and the final one. Multiple scenes of just two gals talking just go on and on and there are numerous party scenes which seem to simply be put in there to fill out feature length.

BALLET OF BLOOD doesn’t forget the baser needs of the horror audience as it supplies copious amounts of blood and boobs within its runtime. But while the story is rather complex and intriguing, I wish the filmmakers would have been a bit more choosey with who they cast and taken more time to get better takes. That said, if you’re an appreciator of the art of low budget horror, BALLET OF BLOOD delivers big ideas and intriguing scenes of bloody bodies in motion.
And finally…last week I was able to bring you a fun issue of Marvel’s TOMB OF DRACULA brought to you from Power Records as a record and comic from 1975. This one is simply called “A Story of Frankenstein”, though I am not completely sure what comic it is from. This is an awesome little story about Vincent, nephew of Baron Von Frankenstein! Enjoy!
See ya next week, folks!
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/writer of wrongs/reviewer/interviewer/editor of AICN COMICS for over 13 years & AICN HORROR for 4. Follow Ambush Bug on the Twitters @Mark_L_Miller.
Look for our bi-weekly rambling about random horror films on Poptards and Ain’t It Cool on AICN HORROR’s CANNIBAL HORRORCAST Podcast every other Thursday!