EDGE OF SANITY (1989) Before Anthony Hopkins was Hannibal Lector, Anthony Perkins was the modern face of evil thanks to his unforgettable turn as Norman Bates, and here he’s well-cast as a serial slasher in this colorful but garish variation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Experimenting with cocaine in his sleek, ’80s aesthetic-chic lab, the respected Dr. Henry Jekyll (Perkins) accidentally discovers a solution that transforms him into the libidinous psychopath, Jack Hyde, whose sexual mayhem within the local brothels grants him the nickname Jack the Ripper. Perkins manages to rise above the ostentatious material, and there’s an interesting suggestion that Jekyll/Hyde is bisexual, indicated in a scene where Hyde masturbates while watching a man getting seduces by a prostitute. Unfortunately director, and former pornographer, Gérard Kikoïne focuses so much on the sex and nudity aspect, it creates too much of a sleazy atmosphere. But, maybe that was the point? A robust score by Frédéric Talgorn and a brutal, mean-spirited ending help to keep the flick slightly above mediocrity. C+
MARTIN (1977) Loner teen Martin (John Amplas) goes to live in the decaying town of Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, with his superstitious cousin, Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), who believes the young man to be a vampire. Martin may not be your garden variety vampire, but a sociopathic killer he is—Martin spends his days preying on vulnerable women before eventually drugging and raping them, and afterward feeding on their blood. Martin assumes Braddock will help him to put his blood lust at bay, but instead finds the place a hotbed of helpless, lost souls, and spiritually defenseless—even the Church has up and left the dying town. A unique and undeniably cerebral film, Martin is a solemn, character-driven horror drama that casts a spell on its viewer. With its claustrophobic, guerrilla-style camera work by longtime Romero collaborator Michael Gornick, haunting score by Donald Rubinstein, and ironic, downbeat ending, Martin is in a class by itself and perhaps Romero’s most mature film. Amplas is excellent and Christine Forrest is sympathetic as Cuda’s granddaughter. A–
PET SEMATARY TWO (1992) Unfairly criticized sequel to the 1989 original is not as bad as its reputation suggests. After his movie star mom (Darlanne Fluegel) dies in an on-set accident, young Jeff (Edward Furlong) moves with his dad, Chase (Anthony Edwards), back to dad’s hometown of Ludlow, Maine, where the events of the earlier movie took place. When Jeff’s new friend, Drew’s (Jason McGuire), dog dies and they bury the animal you-know-where, the dog comes back a beast from hell and kills Drew’s stepfather (Clancy Brown). Guess what happens next? More of a black comedy than straight up horror, Pet Sematary Two has a few scares, but the intensity of the first film is replaced with a more goofy vibe, especially when Brown’s zombified remains start playing house with his wife and kid. Furlong and McGuire are likable, but Brown steals it in a good performance that may have been inspiration for future zom-coms like Shaun of the Dead and Warm Bodies. B–