VIDEO REVIEW: Salem's Lot

VIDEO REVIEW: Graveyard Shift

REVIEW: Maximum Overdrive

Maximum Overdrive

Director: Stephen King

Year 1986

Maximum Overdrive is a ridiculously fun and entertaining film which blends horror, action, comedy and science fiction, into one total package which thrills to no end. Directed by the legendary horror novelist and first-time filmmaker Stephen King, the movie takes an airy approach to the material, opting to engage in a campy interpretation of some rather extraordinary events. Basking in a tongue in cheek attitude, yet played entirely serious, Maximum Overdrive is a curious gem which goes against the grain and the stereotype of its famous author and creator. In its unorthodox approach the film plunges forward into a mad-cap world filled with interesting characters, otherworldly situations, and absurdly dark filled humor. As Stephen King's one and only attempt at film-making, I have to say that he came and went with one hell of a bang.

The film opens to a string of strange events where machines begin to rise up and attack their human creators. Coinciding with the appearance of a mysterious rogue comet which is passing the Earth, the planet is suddenly and violently thrown into chaos as man and machine clash, sending humans on a crash course to extinction. Surrounded by an army of various vehicular monstrosities, a small group of survivors hold up in a truck stop as they desperately try to come to terms with these most unexpected turn of events. Armed with their wits and a few surprises in the form of fire-power, the motley group band together in order to survive this nightmarish reality. A reality where creations hunt their creators.

Emilio Estevez plays the role of Bill Robinson, a troubled youth whose rotten job at a gas station is about to get a whole hell of a lot worse. Estevez is exceptionally great in this role as he plays off of the campy elements of the film with sincere affection and validity. Bare in mind that there is nothing Oscar worthy in his performance, but it is the sheer fact that he gives the material respect and injects a sense of fun into the proceedings without bogging it down with the usual camp trappings and unintentional winks to the audience. He is immersed and engaged in this world through and through, and it does wonders for allowing the viewer to get wrapped up in all of the shenanigans and come along for the ride. Estevez plays a great underdog in the flick and his enthusiasm helps to up the fun factor tremendously, without pushing the movie and his performance into camp territory.

Of course this is not a one man show and the assortment of characters that inhabit this movie are as diverse as they are amusing. Laura Harrington plays Brett, a drifter who just so happens to be at the truck stop the very instant the shit hits the fan. She's feisty and highly capable, and her role in the film is quite a substantial one as she is paired with Estevez's character as the story begins to escalate. Another great paring of the flick is Yeardley Smith and John Short as the newlyweds, Connie and Curtis. These two are a riot, as they bicker and react to all that is going on, often plunging into some rather comical and memorable moments. It was also interesting to see Short's Curtis character grow, from a quiet and conservative guy with a nagging wife, to a daring badass, of course also with a nagging wife. The rest of the cast is equally impressive with Pat Hingle playing the scumbag owner of the truck stop Bubba Hendershot, Ellen McElduff taking on the role of the spirited waitress Wanda June, Christopher Murney playing the sleazy salesman Camp Loman, and Holter Graham taking on the role of the young heroic kid Deke Keller. All in all, it's not hard to see why this movie is so damn enjoyable and the cast nail their roles to perfection.

As for the tone and atmosphere of the film, it is a mixture of foreboding moments and whimsical adventure. Stephen King infused the soundtrack of the movie with the very distinct sound of the rock band AC/DC, giving the production a strangely catchy soundscape to display its carnage and comically infused antics against. It is an unusual mixture that I'm sure isn't for everyone, but for myself I found the combination to be extremely entertaining and tons of fun. In fact the soundtrack is so vivid against the imagery in this film that I find myself replaying the movie in my head whenever certain AC/DC songs come on the radio. With this whimsical approach, you lose a great deal of horror from what is essentially a horror driven story, but in the end the added absurdity only amplifies the charm of the movie.

The main location of the film, centered around the truck stop, is also another asset of the production. I've always been a fan of George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead and the fact that an ensemble cast of characters are trapped in a farmhouse surrounded by the walking dead, and essentially we have that same plot playing out in Maximum Overdrive. Instead of zombies though, we have massive trucks and various machines attempting to overcome our main characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed that interesting twist on the genre staple. The combination of that and the added dark humor of the film is enough to get my attention, and when you add that with the extremely realized characters of the movie you've got yourself the perfect ingredients for one hell of a good time.

Maximum Overdrive is a demented amalgam of genre film elements that combine to make an irresistible hybrid flick that entertains more than it horrifies. Unique and unfaltering, this obscure gem opts to tread lightly on the horror aspects of its story and instead focus on its more outlandish and diverse world. With its Rock interlaced soundtrack and adventurous nature, Maximum Overdrive comes off as a sci-fi adventure more than anything and that's alright by me. Having not read the short story, Trucks, that it is based on, I had no preconceived ideas on what the movie should or shouldn't have been, allowing for me to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

What really makes this film work though is the inclusion of a highly capable cast that is as colorful as the movie's premise. As the film veers from its horror origins, it relies on its lively characters to take the reigns and steer it to its course, and from that perspective it succeeds tremendously. Across the board the cast carries the film, as the story focuses on their trials and tribulations as they struggle to survive this most unusual turn of events. It is a peculiar choice on director Stephen King's part, seeing that he is an almost exclusively horror-centric writer, but in my opinion the gamble paid off for I am always and will forever be enthralled with this camp classic. Maximum Overdrive is without a doubt.....

What are you looking at weirdo?

God NO! Not her melons! Not her beautiful melons!

What do you think you're doing you little shit? WE MADE YOU!!!!

Now that's a crotch shot!

Your hat looks stupid. Look who's talking.

The crew couldn't stand how Emilio sipped his tea.

And so began Emilio's life long fear of clowns.

Hey! Fuck you too buddy!

Say hello to Bubba's big friend!

Curtis! I have to take a pee!!!!!

So that's where all the powdered donuts went you little sneaks.

Who knew that Wanda June was a fan of opera? Sing it girl!

Yeeeehaawwww!!!

Bubba sure does love him some rockets.

This guy is a real prick!

Damn! That goblin truck needs some Visine Drops.

I would kill to see this price the next time I get gas!

Well there goes the neighborhood. WE MADE YOU!!!!!!

REVIEW: Graveyard Shift

Graveyard Shift

Director: Ralph S. Singleton

Year 1990

Graveyard Shift is a highly entertaining horror adaption of a Stephen King short story. Filthy to the core and respectively portrayed, this underrated little yarn packs quite a unique punch with its rustic locations, colorful characters, and abominable monster. Amassed with an abundance of atmosphere and a sly dark comedic tone, Graveyard Shift amuses to no end as we are presented with a cinematic world that is off the wall, yet still strangely congruent with the cast of unusual characters that reside within its disheveled walls.

The film is set within the confines of a small country town and its centralized textile mill, where the factory serves as the only source of employment for the struggling town. A stranger named John Hall strolls in looking for a job and because of a recent death at the textile mill, Hall is able to be hired rather quickly. Unknown to him though is that the mill has had a sordid history of accidental deaths, all which have happened to men who have had Hall's job before him. An unspoken evil dwells in the dark of the old mill. Something that lives in the underbelly of the aged factory. An ancient evil that lurks below in the shadows and only surfaces to feed on the flesh of men. Will John just be another tasty snack for this mysterious beast, or will his presence in this dead town finally bring about some much needed change?

 

David Andrews takes on the role of John Hall, the lone wanderer with a heart of gold who has just swept into town. Andrews does an excellent job with the underplayed role, giving it a subtle nuance that doesn't overwhelm the audience or take us out of the story. He seamlessly blends in with the look and feel of the film, making you believe that this fictional place and time that he inhabits could be the real McCoy. Often at times he takes the lead role with impeccable fortitude, making you wonder why you haven't seen him in more films other than this wonderfully wild entry. In Graveyard Shift, he simply nails it as he gives a commendable performance that is truly genuine and noble.

Collaborating beautifully off of Andrews subdued performance is Stephen Macht as the boastful and over the top boss man, Warwick. As owner of the textile mill and the most powerful man in town, Macht makes good with the tyrannical flavor and he milks it for all it's worth. You'd be hard pressed to find a more arrogant, intimidating asshole in all of cinema, and Macht does a truly remarkable job with the stereotypical character. You love to hate him and that is ideally what he is there for, but there is an added flare to his performance that really makes you stand up and take notice whenever he bursts on to the scene. The guy is a wild man and the character of Warwick allows him to go all out in highly entertaining fashion.

Aside from the living breathing counterparts of this film, the true eye-catcher of the picture would be the old textile mill itself. The location begs to be explored and the filmmakers do everything in their power to showcase to us its labyrinth-like corridors, endless sub-basements, and unexplored caverns. With a breadth of visual ammunition, the film unloads with a cacophony of wonderfully macabre locales which just ooze with atmosphere and seem drenched in rot and rust. As measures of authenticity go, Graveyard Shift has some of the most impressively lived in locations that I have ever had the privilege to witness on the screen. The natural decay and age of the old mill is astoundingly genuine and the fact that we are taken on a wild journey throughout this foreboding structure, from top to the very bottom, is an admiral display of imagery which push along the narrative into uncharted territories.

At the heart of this story though is the illusive, but very real, beast of the film. Shrouded in mystery and mostly kept out of view, this monstrosity is a wonder of practical effects, proving that you don't have to go all out with computer graphics in order to instill life into a fictional cinematic creature. Deliberately built up as the movie moves along, the filmmakers make a tremendous effort in slowly revealing the beast until the closing moments of the film. The tactic works perfectly, as you are always guessing to what this thing truly is. Even when we are revealed to the overall look of the monster, we still aren't sure as to what we are looking at. A combination of various animals and monstrosities, the beast of the film has an exceptionally original look to it, and it is through this unfamiliar appearance which makes the horror that much more real and bona fide. With the combination of outstanding creature effects, remarkably entertaining characters, and a wholly believable rotten textile mill, you end up with one of the most enjoyable little unknown gems to have ever snuck by audiences in years.

Graveyard Shift is an unbelievably fun film which takes its meager origins and runs with it. Based off of Stephen King's work and oozing with atmosphere, this modest entry genuinely portrays its setting in the most succinct of ways, allowing for the viewer to be soaked right up into the proceedings without a single thought. David Andrews and Stephen Macht do a fantastic job with their characters, and the contrasting nature of the two frontrunners makes for some explosive and tense filled moments. As an added bonus, Brad Dourif, Kelly Wolf, Andrew Divoff, Vic Polizos, and Robert Alan Beuth all give extremely memorable performances that really help to round out the denizens of the town.

On the visual front the film has the goods, boasting outstanding production value in its locations and creature effects, while relishing in the unkempt look of it all. Balanced with an unrestrained handle, the production vividly portrays a mind-boggling tour of the mill's grounds as we are taken to the very depths of the foundation's structure in the most brash of ways. Uncommonly, when it comes to the revealing of the monster in the movie the filmmakers go in the opposite direction, opting to gradually build up its beast with small reveals as the story moves along. The end result is nothing less than spectacular and it is the combination of all of these factors that equate to the film being so damn entertaining and enduring. If you're looking for a creature-feature that is just as determined to wow you with its effects as it is to engage you with its characters and locations, then look no further because this overlooked beast is just what the doctor ordered. Graveyard Shift is.....

Job Interview Staring Contest...... GO!

Brad you are just greasy.

Are you going to pull my finger or am I going to have to fire your fine ass!

Don't do it!

I ordered a mouse-burger, not a rat-burger.

Oil change this you piece of shit car!

That fat doofus is checking my ass out again isn't he?

Who the hell do you think you are..... Bart Simpson?

Four-Way Staring Contest.... GO!

Get your stank-ass feet off of my desk Bradley.

Shows OVER!

Say cheese.

How about a light buddy?

Someone put the coins on his eyes cause he sure don't believe what he is seeing.

The rat whisperer.

You damn kids and your hip hop music!

Look into the eyes of pure evil.

REVIEW: Salem's Lot

Salem's Lot

Director: Tobe Hooper

Year 1979

Salem's Lot is a fantastically atmospheric made for television movie that is based off of Stephen King's novel of the same name. Filled with genuine dread and primarily focused on the inhabitants of the sleepy country town of Salem's Lot, the film does a tremendous job in establishing its location and diligently crafting its characters in an authentic light. With its foreboding tone, iconic visuals, and hair raising creature effects, Salem's Lot is a cinematic adaption that, though changes up a few things, never compromises the overall scope of King's original story.

The film follows a young novelist named Ben Mears, who after returning home to Salem's Lot to start work on his next novel, begins to be haunted by a vivid moment in his past. Brought on by the central focus of his book the Marsten House, a real life house from his childhood that Mears considers to be a beacon for malevolent men, Ben becomes obsessed with the stately manor and its sordid history. Curiously, the Marsten House has just acquired a new tenant in the form of Richard Straker, an antique dealer, who Ben believes is all together evil. Ben's fears become all too real when a series of unfortunate incidents begin to occur within the quaint country town and Straker seems right at the heart of it. With the townsfolk of Salem's Lot quickly turning up dead and then surprisingly coming back to life to feed on the living, it's up to Ben and a collection of surviving citizens to stop this mysterious plague of vampirism before it consumes the entire town.

David Soul takes on the role of Ben Mears, the Salem's Lot native who decides to come home in order to cull inspiration from his childhood memories for his new novel. Soul is astoundingly sympathetic in the underplayed role, and his naturalistic approach to the character makes for an inspiring choice. This was my first introduction to the actor's body of work, and I think my unfamiliarity with Soul as a thespian combined with his genuine portrayal of Mears, made for a tremendous combination that just cranked up the believability factor for my own personal viewing. His natural reactions to all the supernatural events that are taking place around him, as Salem's Lot slowly begins to turn into a ghost town, are perfectly acted out and respectfully somber and gradual.

The same can be said for the rest of the cast, as even the most robust and wildly camp of characters stay grounded within their small town settings. From Bonnie Bedelia's sweet and innocent performance as Susan Norton, to Julie Cobb's flirtatious desperate housewife Bonnie Sawyer, to Geoffrey Lewis' and Elisha Cook Jr.'s spaced out portrayals as the local idiots, everyone has a specific role to play that helps flesh out the denizens of this unique little town of Salem's Lot. Lew Ayres, Ed Flanders, and Lance Kerwin especially give great performances as the last remaining few of the town that decide to stand up and battle the vampire menace, in their own individual ways.

Of course amidst all of these sympathetic characters is the arch villain of the piece, and that honor goes to James Mason as Richard K. Straker, the mysterious antique dealer who recently took up residence in the old Marsten House. Mason delivers a stark performance which is drenched in unfaltering chillness. He is calm, cool-headed, and above all deceptive to the people of Salem's Lot. What is even more interesting about this film is that Straker is not the only fiend that we are presented with. The other side of this dark coin is Straker's partner Mr. Barlow, who is only hinted at over the course of the movie's runtime. I don't want to give too much away, but what Straker lacks in menacing grotesqueness, Mr. Barlow more than makes up for it. The guy is a frightening nightmare come to life.

Speaking of nightmares, the creature effects for this film are disturbing at best and the practical way in which they bring these things to life are mesmerizingly cool. With pale faces and glowing dead eyes, the vampires of Salem's Lot are an intimidating bunch. There's just something unsettling about seeing a darkened figure standing in the shadows, staring at you, with only their piercing eyes giving way to their presence. The moments in which the normal everyday citizens of Salem's Lot come back from the dead, changing into these hideous ghouls, are always memorable and are highly enjoyable sequences that just keep getting better as the film moves along.

I credit the pacing of the movie to be the main reason these moments are so palpable. Director Tobe Hooper deliberately sets up these moments with long breaks in between in order to ratchet up the tension and make these instances really pack a punch. This restrained pacing also enables the film to take its time in introducing us to all the assorted citizens of Salem's Lot and believe me there are a bunch. With things slowed down, we're able to inhabit the same space as these colorful characters and actually feel as if we are a part of all that is going on. It's the little things that make the film so engrossing, like witnessing the various character interact with each other on a day to day basis, and to see how each relationship grows or is destroyed throughout the course of the film. In the end, what you get with all of these varying elements is a vampire film that is unlike anything that came before it, and that is a wholly good thing.

Salem's Lot is a surprisingly slow burn of a horror flick, which opts to gradually introduce you to the horror before unleashing the true nightmare that this film eventually does become. With a stellar cast of excellently portrayed characters, the film has a distinct advantage of being able to delve down into the relationships that connect all of these New England residents together, and actually spend a great deal of time getting to know what they are all about. David Soul, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres, and James Mason all go above and beyond the call of duty in order to bring their characters to full life and the effort does wonders for the vivid nature in which this film is presented.

The creature effects and overall imagery of the quiet town of Salem's Lot is without a doubt one of the film's strong points, giving clear validity to all the supernatural things that are thrown at the audience. Restrained and respectful, the production oozes atmosphere, allowing us to just be swept up in the moment and take it all in. With a strong sense of paranoia and genuine foreboding, Tobe Hooper's adaption of Stephen King's haunting tale is a thing of morbid beauty. It may be to gradual for some in its approach, but for me the ultimate payoff is well worth it. If you are a fan of vampire tales or just a lover of slow mysterious horror, then give this one a chance. You're in for a unique treat. Salem's Lot is.....

Hell of a vacation spot to pick Ben. Jackass!

I suck at writing.

Straker takes some time away from killing, to just chill.

Fra-gee-lay...... That must be Italian.

Who likes short shorts? She likes short shorts.

Hi. Can Billy come out to play?

You mind getting off of my bed asshole?

Back you vampire pervert!

Shit! You woke up Old Man Jenkins!

Hello there. Enjoying the show?

That is one happy vampire.

Save me Popsicle Stick Gods!

Listen, we're probably going to die tonight, so lets get this naked party started?

Vampire hunting staring contest...... GO!

Death by antlers!

I'm going to bash your skull in! Get ready for Straker's Fright Night!

What's a guy have to do to get some sleep around here?

Come here you little shit!

Say cheese!