Posts Tagged ‘m-1980s’

May 2nd, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

Wacko (1982) Review

Director: Greydon Clark
Writer: Dana Olsen, Michael Spound

I didn’t know quite what to expect from Wacko. Horror comedies are all over the place these days, but they were still a fairly new concept in the 80s. And like many 80s comedies viewed today, I couldn’t help but worry that the jokes would fall entirely flat. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case (mostly).

Wacko begins with a flashback to prom night. Two young lovebirds are torn to shreds by a super-powered lawnmower driven by a killer wearing a pumpkin on his head. Thirteen later, one child who witnessed the gruesome murders is set to attend prom night. The trauma inflicted on her at an early age ensures she freaks out anytime she hears or sees a lawnmower.

The silly story doesn’t really go very far, but it provides a surprising amount of laughs along the way. I for one was fond of their out of left field reference to The Elephant Man. Horror-centric humor reigns supreme and the tropes of the genre ensure that the jokes are still relevant today.

It’s hardly the best horror comedy out there. Still, it’s a decent effort that is more enjoyable than it should be. If nothing else, it’s clear that it was made by people who adore the horror genre.

February 7th, 2019 Featured, Movies No Comments »

Macabre Review

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Director: Lamberto Bava
Writer: Antonio Avati, Pupi Avati
Year: 1980

It’s a pretty rare occurrence when a horror movie shocks me. Macabre managed to do so. Not by being scary, but by being absolutely ridiculous. It starts off at a breakneck pace with a woman’s son dying and her adulterous partner getting decapitated in a car crash. Things slow down a bit after that, before ramping up for a finale that just makes you go “WHAT?!?” as it unfolds.

Despite the hilarious nature of the film, there are a lot of lulls in between the fun. It almost feels like Lamberto Bava wanted to create a serious mystery. However, from moments like the closing shot, it’s clear that this entire film was made with a sense of humor at the forefront.

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I would have liked to see more character development for anyone (except the daughter who is perfect as is). It would have also been enjoyable if the entire movie goofed around rather than masqueraded as serious fare for a while. As is, it often bored me outside of the engaging intro and finale.

Macabre is still worth watching simply for the campy moments. However, when it comes to Bava films, I’m admittedly much more into his Demons series than this one. Those movies maintain an entertaining (if vapid) storyline, awesome practical effects, and still feature a fun, silly flair.