 I’m writing these words with a slightly elevated heart rate, a parting gift from the nightmare fuel that is [REC]. This Spanish-made film, directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza and released there in 2007, had no formal U.S. theatrical run—thanks to Sony Pictures’ decision to concentrate its energy on the English-language remake QUARANTINE instead. I’d passed up QUARANTINE in favor of viewing what I’d heard was the far superior film completely unspoiled, and having seen Sony’s U.S. DVD of [REC] (coming July 14) at long last, I have only this to say: It’s completely worth the wait. I tend to deem a horror movie as a success if I find myself gnawing on my nails while watching it, but with this doozy, I had to forcibly extract my fingers from my mouth on multiple occasions.
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Tuesday, 30 June 2009 17:42
Michael Gingold
Film
 VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL is exactly what you’d expect from a teaming of the directors (Yoshihiro Nishimura and Naoyuki Tomomatsu) who gave us TOKYO GORE POLICE and STACY: a supergory collision between schoolgirls and the undead that represents the zenith of extreme Japanese splatter satire. And it has arrived at the New York Asian Film Festival just in time to show up BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, which opens July 10 and represents a nadir in English-language adaptations of Far East fright fare.
 When Marianne (Yvonne Monlaur) frees the captive Baron Mienster (David Peel), she unwillingly unleashes all hell…or, just one really bad vampire. One way or the other, village people begin dropping like flies, and the charming Baron Mienster is responsible. Fortunately for our naïve female lead Marianne, the wise Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) arrives just in the nick of time. After assessing the situation, Van Helsing quickly determines there are vampires to blame for the mysterious deaths; it’s not long after, before the good Doc also realizes the mysterious Baron Mienster is the culprit.
 So what it’s only been two years since the release of THE MIST? The movie rocks - and merit’s repeated viewings. Even the delusional Stephen King haters can’t deny that! If you (for some reason) opted to avoid this flick upon it‘s initial release - take a few minutes to read this, then slap yourself in the face, get into your car - hit your local Blockbuster and rent this fine piece of work!
 Directed by Beyond the Doors Ovidio Assonitis and bearing its original title There Was a Little Girl, MADHOUSE (Dark Sky) is a forgotten '80s gem that, while a little dated, still offers a solid 92 minutes of entertainment. Perhaps it's the two decades since the film's first release that make it so enjoyable; it can be viewed with a bit of nostalgia, and the over-the-top performances and occasionally cheesy FX seem like products of the time. Julia (Trish Everly in her only role) is a devoted teacher who, we learn in short order, has a) a twin sister, Mary, currently residing in the neighborhood insane asylum and b) a birthday coming up.
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