31 Days of Monster Mania: Day 18: Demon Knight

Written by Stu Cooper

It's time to meet up with one of my favorite characters in horror history, The Cryptkeeper! Last year I talked about some of my favorite "Tales From The Crypt" episodes but this year I'm going to address some of the feature films that the series created. The first "Tales From The Crypt" feature was known as "Demon Knight". The script was originally written almost 2 years before the show had even started, but it had been bounced around by multiple directors, never truly finding a home until Joel Silver got it. The film was initially supposed to be part of a Three-Part trilogy, but the other scripts weren't strong enough. "Demon Knight" was the only one out of the original 3 to get made. The other two proposed were called "Body Count" and "Dead Easy". Those two never made it to production and instead they made "Bordello of Blood" and "Ritual" as the follow-ups. The film was directed by Ernest Dickerson and released in January 1995, though the original intention was to release the film Halloween of 1994. The film stars William Sadler, Billy Zane, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The film also co-stars horror familiar Dick Miller, and Thomas Hayden Church.

"Demon Knight" tells the story of a man on the run from a demon. The demon wants an item that the man has in his possession, and he will do anything to obtain it. The film starts off with "The Collector" played by Billy Zane chasing a man named Brayker (Sadler). The two are involved in a high speed chase on the freeway which leads to a massive car crash. Brayker barely escapes with his life, while "The Collector" walks away with ease. Brayker goes to the nearest building he can find which happens to be a old crusty hotel full of colorful low-life individuals. The apprehensive hotel staff let Brayker stay there. This is when we are introduced to Jeryline (Pinkett) who is the rude degraded assistant at the hotel. She is apparently stuck there having to scrub the floors and clean up the beds (even after the prostitute is done with them). The film focuses heavily on Brayker, but also on the Jeryline character. Brayker joins some of the locals for dinner and that is when the hotel staff begin to suspect something is up with the guy. Soon after "The Collector" gathers the help of the police and tells them Brayker stole a very expensive item from him, and he aims to get it back.

After being introduced to a cast of misfits such as the disgruntled Postman (Charles Fleischer), the local prostitute (Brenda Bakke), the hotel Manager Irene (CCH Pounder) and many more, we get a true sense of the tone of this film. It's very slapstick in it's nature, but balances the slapstick with brutality. We get to know each of the guests in the hotel in some way or another. The postman goes on depressive rants, the prostitute shows she wants love but can't find it, Jeryline shows she wants an adventurous life. They each have some type of wish or hope.

When "The Collector" arrives at the hotel in search of Brayker, he uses the hopes and dreams of each individual against them. The Collector disposes of the police once he locates Brayker and the story escalates rather quickly from that point on. He makes it clear to the inhabitants of the hotel that Brayker possesses some type of antique key that he needs, and he is willing to grant any desire to obtain it. We find out through a series of conversations between Brayker and the hotel people that he is a chosen guardian. He is the guardian of the key. The key he is guarding actually contains the blood of Christ. It doesn't get anymore serious than that. I'd like to see somebody bring that thing into the Pawn Stars shop! The key seems to contain a semi-infinite amount of blood as long as it's in a guardian's hands. The blood can be used to created locked gates on property. If you put the blood on a doorway, it essentially blocks that doorway from allowing any demons inside. Brayker uses this to protect himself and the hotel people from The Collector.

The Collector quickly grows frustrated with the situation and decides to create an army of demons to patrol the hotel and take control of the key. The movie then turns into a zombie survival type situation where everyone is stuck inside the hotel, fighting for their lives against these bizarre demons. The demons themselves look a bit like the crypt keeper, which makes you wonder if they are somehow related to him. That unfortunately is never elaborated on. To provide some levity in the movie, The Collector is actually quite the goofball. Billy Zane plays the part perfectly. He balances a sense of demonic evil with a goofy comedian like persona. He often dances around and makes jokes, while threatening the lives of the humans. He also possesses the power to cause hallucinations, which can lead to possessing or manipulating humans into doing his bidding. He can make the humans see their deepest darkest desires, and he offers them a chance to grant that wish. Of course like any Faust or Devil character, he is full of shit. Any human that falls for his manipulation is doomed. It's up to those with strong will power to defeat The Collector.

Through out the film we are given some background on Brayker and the key that he has in his possession. We find out that this key contains the blood of christ from his actual crucifixion and the demons were actually present for that moment. The war for good and evil has been waged ever since. If the demons get a hold of the key, they will win the war and essentially conquer humanity. Brayker is one of many in a long line of guardians that have existed since the time of Jesus. He is actually ready to pass on the key to a new guardian, which is where Jada Pinkett comes in. I'm not a huge fan of her, so the fact that she is the next guardian in line didn't do much for me. Her acting is pretty bland, and her character is really obnoxious. You will find yourself wondering what makes her special enough to carry such a heavy burden.

I don't want to spoil the end result for you, but I will say the film is full of action and classic Faust story telling. It's one part zombie movie and one part "Bedazzled". The supporting characters also provide a lot of fun dialogue, and most of them are good actors. Thomas Hayden Church is always good in whatever he does, and Brenda Bakke is incredibly sexy in her role. William Sadler does a good job playing the role of Brayken and at this point he was actually a "Tales From The Crypt" veteran. He had appeared in a couple episodes, and even appears as The Crypt Keeper's mummified friend in "Bordello of Blood". Sadler is a quality actor and it shows. Billy Zane is the perfect counter for Sadler's serious attitude.

Overall "Demon Knight" is a fun and entertaining horror movie. I find myself watching the film often, and I never get sick of it. It has a great cast, an interesting story, and a truly kick ass soundtrack. I'd actually recommend picking up the soundtrack by itself. It features a lot of good rap and even some Henry Rollins. Out of the three "Tales from the Crypt" films that were released, this one is by far the best. If you want a spooky story with a little bit of humor, this is an excellent choice.

31 Days of Monster Mania: Day 15: Tremors

Written by Stu Cooper

Today's entry is another childhood favorite of mine. This is a film I discovered on TV late at night around age 8. I fell in love with the film then and nearly 20 years later I still feel the same. You'll have to make sure not to make any noise reading this review, because today's entry is "Tremors"! "Tremors" was released in January of 1990. It was directed by Ron Underwood with a budget of 11 million. The film starred Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Michael Gross, Finn Carter, and Reba McEntire among many others. The film is notable for being a 90's cult classic and is universally liked. I've never met a person who watched "Tremors" and didn't like something about it. I would go as far as to say it's one of my top 10 favorite horror films of all-time. "Tremors" is a gem because of the casting, the concept, and most importantly the cheese factor.

"Tremors" is all about two handymen named Val and Earl. The two of them do various handyman jobs, mostly in the small town of Perfection,Nevada. Perfection is a tiny ex-mining community that consists of mostly trailers and a small town area. Needless to say, the boys are struggling for money and both men seem like broke down cowboys. I would say the two men are best friends, but it seems like they annoy each other more than anything. The two men are not content with their current lifestyle, so they often mention moving to Bixby. Bixby being the nearest "big city".

On their way to Bixby the guys stumble upon a bizarre crime scene. A local man named Edgar has climbed an electrical pole, and died from apparent starvation. This means that he stood atop that pole for so long that he died. The guys forgo their journey to Bixby because they have to warn the town about a possible killer. As the duo heads back to Perfection, the rest of the town begins experiencing some gruesome events. One man witnesses his sheep being pulled into the ground, another couple has their entire vehicle pulled into the ground, and some construction workers experience a similar fate. Val and Earl seem to be missing all of this just by a few minutes. When the guys get back to the town, the phone lines are down, and the guys are forced to improvise. It's decided that the two men will ride by horseback into Bixby and get the police.

After riding for a few miles the guys run into the buried car, then are confronted by the attackers. It was no man that did all this, no natural disaster, it was...worms! That's right, worms are going on a homicidal killing spree in this small town. Not just any kind of worm, a worm that burrows underground and has the power to pop up at anytime and grab you! Earl later names them "Graboids" because of this very reason. The creatures have no eyes and travel by sense of sound. The creatures also have living snake like tongues that come out and feel around for the freshest meal. The graboid grabs the horses the guys are on, and the guys decide to make a run for it. After running onto an aqua duct, the graboid pursues. The graboid ends up accidentally killing itself by running out the side of the duct. This means Earl and Val can now further inspect the creature.

On their way back to town the two meet a woman named Rhonda. Rhonda is some type of geological expert who has been studying recent anomalies within the ground. After the guys share their story, Rhonda believes them and they begin to connect some dots. They eventually figure out that the creatures sense everything by hearing ground movement and that there is 3 worms remaining. The three of them are confronted by another graboid which leads to them running to the nearest thick rock, which appears to be one of the monster's weaknesses. After playing mind games with the graboid, the three of them make it back to town and try to warn them. Obviously the townspeople have a hard time believing the story until they are confronted with the creatures. The remainder of the film takes place mostly at the local shop and the home of the Gummers.

Speaking of The Gummers, they are a local couple who are certified badasses. You have Burt Gummer (Grossman) and his equally hardcore wife Heather (McEntire), and both are a force to be reckoned with. Burt in particular has been waiting for this kind of day. The couple live in a armored fortress of sorts with a variety of guns and hunting equipment. Unfortunately they never could have anticipated an underground attack, and that's what they are faced with. The couple manage to take down a graboid after it crashes into their den, but they have to use half their weapons to do it. The couple play a huge part in the film, and are very interesting editions to the group. Val and Earl are obviously the main characters, but in my opinion Burt is the best character. Thankfully the writers agreed and Burt is a huge character in the Tremors mythos from this point on.

I don't want to spoil the third act of film (if for some ungodly reason you haven't seen this film) but let's just say it's action packed. The graboids are incredibly scary and intimidating. It is kind of the "JAWS" idea of the monster hidden beneath your feet. Nothing more frightening than a villain you can't see until your death. Like "Gremlins" these creatures have rules and through encounters with the townspeople we slowly find those rules out.

I remember first finding out about "Tremors" on USA's "Up All Night" with Rhonda Shear. The busty blond would show cult movies or B movies late at night, and I happened to see this one. The film actually didn't do all that great in the box office but saw massive sales and rental numbers on Home Video. You could definitely say it earned it's hit status through VHS. The concept of the film was also unique at the time, tho it does borrow heavily from films like "JAWS". I believe it's merely an homage to classic 50's-60's science fiction mixed with "JAWS". The combination of absurdity is perfect.

The cast of characters is also something that works really well. Kevin Bacon is great as Val, despite the fact that he actually put down the film before it's release. He apparently told his wife that he thought his career was at it's all-time low because he was doing a movie about worms. Just like his Friday the 13th performance, it would see cult success despite his lack of support. Fred Ward as Earl is very fitting. Ward plays a hard ass cowboy with ease. You may remember him playing an equally grumpy southerner in "Road Trip". I enjoy his grumpiness and it is the perfect balance to Bacon's goofiness. The highlight of the film for me was Michael Gross's performance as Burt. Gross had begun filming this movie immediately after his last day on "Family Ties". I find that hilarious considering Burt stands for everything the wholesome father role on "Family Ties" stood for. Gross is such a great actor tho and he has no problem transitioning. His role as Burt is very lovable and he stands out as a true hero in the film. His wife Heather is played by Reba McEntire and this was actually her first acting role. She was becoming a popular country music star by this point, and this was a great first choice for her. If you're looking to appeal to southerners, shooting sand worms with automatic weapons is a good start! Bacon's love interest Rhonda played by Finn Carter is fine, but nothing special. She is a cute woman, and has fine chemistry with Bacon. Neither her nor Bacon would return for any of the sequels. If you like the Earl and Burt characters tho, you will be happy to know they continued to show up in the sequels.

Overall "Tremors" is an absolute gem. The film is very memorable for it's action, one liners, and unique creature design. It's a great example of good sci-fi horror and it delivers in pretty much every way. If you're looking for a B monster movie that leaves you completely entertained, then there is no question "Tremors" is for you.

31 Days of Monster Mania: Day 10: Night of the Creeps

Written by Stuart Cooper

This is a day I've really been looking forward to. Day 10 is all about one of my favorite horror films. Hell, I'd say one of my favorite films of all-time. It is the perfect storm of cheesy horror and I love every bit of it. Today we are discussing the cult classic 1986 horror comedy...NIGHT OF THE CREEPS! And there is good news and bad news for ya, the good news is, your review is here, the bad news is, I only get one day to talk about it!

Night of the Creeps was released in August of 1986. For some reason 1986 was a magnet for the horror genre. The film did poorly in the box office, but thanks to television viewings, the film seemed to develop a cult following. The film was directed by Fred Dekker who famously did "House" before this, and later Monster Squad, Robocop 3, and is working with Shane Black to create a Predator sequel. Needless to say, this film was in good hands. The film starred Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, and the stunning Jill Whitlow.

The plot revolves around an alien worm that crash lands to earth and creates a zombie-like viral problem. The crash landing happens in a town full of college kids, and a bad-ass self loathing detective who can't seem to get a break. The plot jumps from the 1950's to the 1980's, which thanks to the slugs, leads to a subplot where the Detective kills the same guy twice. It's all remarkably cheesy, but it is fully self aware. The film has a lot of homages to early zombie films and tropes that have developed in the science fiction and horror genres. It takes that premise and runs with it!

Jason Lively plays your lead college kid Chris, as he like most college kids, is on a quest to get laid. With the aid of his handicap comedian friend J.C., he attempts to woo a seemingly random sorority girl named Cynthia. This leads to a love story that blooms at the worst possible time. In an attempt to be more manly, Chris and J.C. rush a fraternity. As a form of hazing the two friends are asked to do something extreme. This leads to the guys discovering a cadaver in a college science facility. The cadaver happened to be a body from the 1950's with a space worm inside of it. The boys, like total morons, take the body out and accidentally trigger a worm-fest on their campus.

The worms begin to inhabit local residents, starting with painfully douchey frat guys who happen to be on their way to a formal. The bus full of frat guys get's taken over by the slugs, and leads to a full on invasion. The invasion starts at the sorority house. But thanks to one liners and quick gunshot camera pans, Tom Atkins saves the day as Detective Ray Cameron! This poor Detective has been through hell and he takes out every bit of frustration on these worm zombie bastards. It's truly a sight to behold.

The remainder of the film is an all out war between the college friends, the detective, and the worms! We get to see Chris (Lively) and Cynthia (Whitlow) dawn shotguns, flame throwers, and lawn mowers! It's extreme zombie killing action before it was the horror norm. You also have Tom Atkins bringing his true acting chops to this role. His character is pretty similar to cop roles he has played in other films, except for the fact that he is incredibly depressed and willing to do just about anything. There is actually a pretty depressing subplot where Detective Cameron is about to kill himself, before Chris runs to him with this zombie problem. It provides a nice layer of seriousness in a pretty silly film. There is also a sad monologue from J.C. which I can't elaborate on. I don't want to spoil some of the movies biggest hit points.

Night of the Creeps is just plain fun. If you want a horror movie where you don't have to think, you get a good laugh, and you get gore thrown in, it's the perfect balance. Tom Atkins is by far the highlight of the film, but there are several charming things that leave me smiling. The goofy dialogue is delivered with straight faces, and it makes for some really memorable laughs. The characters are also lovable and heroic, so you root for them the whole time. It was a fun take on the zombie genre and left a memorable impression on me as a child. I sought out the film throughout the years, and like most horror fans, I MAY have found a way to obtain it. Thankfully the film got a full release on DVD after massive demand. The bluray conversion looks quite nice, but there was always something charming to having the old TV recording. It's worth noting there is also two endings to the film. Depending on the way you obtain the film, you may get different ones. I don't want to spoil either one, but I'm sure youtube has them. I know the Netflix one ends with the alternate ending (to the theatrical cut).

The film is mainly a giant tribute to the horror genre. Almost every character's last name is the name of a famous horror figure. The students go to Corman Univesity (Roger Corman) and some of the scenes are clearly knock-offs of classic 50's sci-fi "makeout point" kind of scenes. The film starts off with a lot of dated 80's comedy tropes, but if you stick with it, the film turns it up to 11. Atkins killing zombies and Jill Whitlow using a flame thrower makes the movie for me. There is also some really clever camera angles and shots in this film. You can tell Fred Dekker had a true vision, and he sticks to that vision. It pays off, and provides a memorable spooky experience. The film heavily inspired the 2006 film "Slither". It actually lifts most of the main plot points from this film. Overall, this film is a lost gem and deserves some spotlight. I suggest anyone who loves horror find this movie immediately, and watch it. I believe it's currently available on Netflix! It's the best zombie related thing you can watch right now. That's right Darryl fans...I said it.

Monster Mania Day 4: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

Written by Stu Cooper

After viewing this film it immediately became one of my favorite horror films ever. It's a horror comedy, and certainly one of the best in that style. It is a satire of the backwoods redneck killer horror films with an element of madness to it that leaves you in awe. The film is called "Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil" and it was released in 2010. It was written and directed by Eli Craig and Mark Jurgenson. It starred Alan Tudyk as Tucker and Tyler Labine as Dale. I must say the casting was absolutely perfect and this is one of those films where you can't picture anyone else in the roles after watching it.

The plot follows two redneck best friends by the name of Tucker and Dale. They are on their way to Tucker's new cabin to remodel and do some maintenance while relaxing in the wilderness. These guys are on their way when they run into a group of college kids and the kids immediately assume Tucker and Dale are psychotic killers, because ya know...everyone in hill country is. Dale attempts to introduce himself to the group but is immediately mistook for a sickle fielding maniac. One member of the group named Allison (played by Katrina Bowden) is actually rather smart and does not see Tucker & Dale as anything out of the ordinary. Later in the film she becomes a critical part of the story when she injures herself in a local lake and is about to drown but she is saved by Dale. Over the course of the film Dale nurses her back to health and they form a bond. Unfortunately for Tucker & Dale the college group assumes they have kidnapped their friend, and they vow to rescue and avenge her. I don't want to spoil much more than that because from that point on the film turns into a complete madhouse, almost of slapstick proportions. It is absolutely brilliant and something I've never seen before in a film.

I watched this film with my brother who is not a horror fan, and he found it incredibly entertaining. I can remember a few moments where he was laughing so hard he was almost crying. It truly does elicit that kind of reaction. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are really the highlight of the film. Their on-screen chemistry is remarkable and you really do see these guys as being the best of friends. Since this film has seen some moderate success I'm hoping we get to see future adventures with the pair. I realize this all sounds rather odd, it's kind of hard to type out how ridiculous this movie is. It's all about perspective, and that is something you can't really describe in words, so all I can say is PLEASE watch this film and see for yourself. The film is available streaming on Netflix right now and the blu-ray is under 10 dollars, so no excuses for missing this one. I can't recommend it enough. If you like fun horror films with a satirical comedic smart spin, this one is for you.