Blue Monkey – 1987, Canada, 96m. Director: William Fruet.
Brain Dead – 1990, US, 84m. Director: Adam Simon.
A Day of Judgement – 1981, US, 93m. Director: Charles Reynolds.
Humanoids from the Deep – 1980, US, 80m. Director: Barbara Peeters.
BLUE MONKEY (1987) (AKA: Insect) An infection caused by a plant originating from a volcanic island in Micronesia causes its host to barf up a parasitic organism. The doctors at the local hospital—which is also the location of an experimental computer that can produce lasers, I think—are baffled, especially when the parasite metamorphoses into a weird bug. Luckily, one of the doctors knows an entomologist. This proves a feeble attempt at help when the bug is accidentally exposed to a growth hormone and transforms into a ginormous grasshopper, subsequently going on a killing spree by tearing the patients and staff asunder. Fortunately for the rest of the potential bug chow, straight-laced detective Steve Railsback is on site and ready to Serve and Protect, especially after the city enforces a building quarantine. Convenience is something the script of Blue Monkey has in strides. What it doesn’t have are interesting characters, intelligence, suspense, or convincing special FX, most of which are hidden within bad lighting. As for the title, it’s a reference to a recurring dream mentioned by a child. Sneeze and you’ll miss that plot point entirely. C– (Currently streaming on Tubi.)
BRAIN DEAD (1990) Neurosurgeon Martin (Bill Pullman) is asked by college friend Reston (Bill Paxton) to study the brain of schizophrenic murderer Halsey (Bud Cort), who resides at mental institution, Lakeside, owned by Reston’s employer. Before his mind snapped and he killed his family, Halsey came up with some kind of formula that would’ve made the company millions. He destroyed his work but Reston believes the information still resides in Halsey’s brain, which is where Martin comes into play—to do selective brain exploration. Reality begins to blur when Martin wakes up as a patient at Lakeside, bringing into question whether he’s insane or part of some diabolical corporate plan. More cerebral thriller than anything else, Brain Dead is an interesting film, but it’s also a frustrating one. The fine line of Reality vs. Dreams isn’t quite as refined here as in other movies dealing with the subject—Lost Highway (1997), for example. But the film manages to overcome most of its obstacles thanks to a tight pace and strong acting by Pullman and Cort. It’s nothing special, but you’ll never be bored. B– (Currently streaming on Tubi.)
A DAY OF JUDGEMENT (1981) Southern-based independent filmmaker Earl Owensby made a name for himself in the seventies by producing, writing, directing, and acting in several low-budget movies primarily made in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina. The majority of Owensby’s films were action and exploitation titles, but by the eighties Owensby dipped his toe into the world of horror, starting with Wolfman in 1979 and ending with Rottweiler 3-D in 1983. In between came A Day of Judgement, a well-intended but meandering horror-melodrama. The advent of the swinging 1920s in a small Southern town turns the once God-fearing residents into unrepentant sinners. The departure of the disillusioned town priest is met with the arrival of a mysterious, scythe-wielding figure who gives the narcissistic residents a taste of their own medicine—after an old battleaxe poisons her neighbor’s dog, she’s pulled into her precious flowerbed by disembodied hands and down to the fiery pits of Hell. More naughty townsfolk are eventually collected into the Grim Reaper’s grip and dragged to Purgatory, where they repent and are given a second chance in the form of the tiresome “It Was Only a Dream” plot twist. A Day of Judgement wallows in its soap opera subplots to the point where I was starting to look at the clock. However, the film gets some credit for trying something different during the height of the slasher heyday, with the filmmakers placing an emphasis on character over splatter—although there is an impressive on-camera decapitation for the gore enthusiasts. According to Stephen Thrower (author of the terrific Nightmare U.S.A.: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents), the film failed to secure theatrical distribution and was release direct to video. It’s easy to see why. C (Currently unavailable.)
HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980) A small fishing community is besieged by a horde of aquatic creatures, which descend upon the town during its summer festivities. The deaths of several beach-goers interrupts the otherwise mundane interactions of the locals, including a racial spat between a group of bumpkins lead by Vic Morrow and a Native American fisherman. The watery beasts eventually move from murder to rape, impregnating their female victims to insure the continuation of their kind. It’s a colorful conglomeration of underwater horror titles like Creature from the Black Lagoon and Jaws, with added nudity and gore. The participation of a woman director (Barbara Peeters) gives the film an edgier vibe, but most of the splatter and T&A was shot by an uncredited Jimmy Murakami. The climactic attack on a beachfront night carnival is both funny and gruesome, and features impressive make-up FX courtesy of Rob Bottin. Great fun! B+ (Currently streaming Prime, Shudder, and Tubi.)