Film Review: THE HORROR SHOW (1989)

Max Jenke (Brion James) is a cleaver and ruthless killer responsible for more death and killing than any other known serial killer and he’s just been captured by Detective Lucus McCarthy (Lance Henrickson) and this is just the beginning of what is to come in The Horror Show (1989).  After capturing Jenke and seeing his partner die, McCarthy’s professional and personal life begins to unravel and he thinks that being present for the execution of Jenke is the only way for him to get his life back. 

There is more to death then just dying as pure evil such as Jenke just doesn’t die but can transform into something else.  Jenke becomes a being of energy that manipulates the things around him to tease and torture McCarthy.  Now McCarthy, with the help of an eccentric scientist Peter Campbell (Thom Bray) who understands what Jenke has become, must find a way to destroy Jenke before he continues on his killing spree.

James, as usual, knows how to play to his strengths as a crazed killer with menace in his blood.  Henrickson gives 110% and the two of them together make for formidable opponents.  As produced by Sean S. Cunningham (the man behind the Friday the 13^th franchise and House films (of this was originally conceived as the third film)) and directed by James Isaac this is a fun and entertaining film that should appease fans of ‘80s horror films.

Film Review: THE DARK (1993)

In the ‘90s it was very common for horror films to have giant monsters and depending upon the type it could either be good or bad.  In The Dark (1993) there is a prehistoric subterranean rat-like creature that feeds off the dead corpses buried in a cemetery. 

Character actor Stephen McHattie is a researcher searching for this creature for its regenerative abilities that could revolutionize science.  Close on his tale is a disgraced federal agent played by Brion James and caught in these two hunters close fire are a couple local cops (one played by Neve Campbell in an early role) and two grave diggers.  The night is long as the two hunters fight each other over the fate of a giant creature that may kill them both just to survive.

Written by Robert C. Cooper and directed by Craig Pryce the film is actually quite entertaining and hasn’t aged as badly as some other films of the ‘90s.  One of the reasons for this is the presence of McHattie and James who play off each other really well and are great character actors that drive the film.  There are also some interesting moments with the creature who makes its home underneath the cemetery (and there is some great production value added in the subterranean tunnels) and the creature for the most part is kept in the dark, so the low budget doesn’t betray the film too much.

There have been other films that have used a similar theme since this one was released in the ‘90s but this film retains a charm of the ‘90s that doesn’t betray its low budget roots too much because any film with McHattie, James, and Campbell can be all that bad.