Cinema Macabre Issue 1: Psycho Killers, Devil Worshipers, and Lesbian Vampires Lurk Within! - Page 3

The real jewel of Vampire Lovers is… well… the lesbian vampires and their boobs. They’re all over the place! Remarkably, they are always presented rather tastefully and not always just there for boob’s sake.

Chris Beaumont: Puppet Master (1989)

Back in the 1980s there was one name on everyone's lips when it came to independent, low budget horror and science fiction films, or at least that is what I would like to believe. That name is Charles Band (I'd also accept Full Moon Pictures). Give this guy $100 and he could give you ten full-length features that may show their budgetary roots, but rarely fail to deliver some entertainment. Amongst the hundreds of films to his name there is one that stands apart from the rest, Puppet Master. One of the standbys of horror is the creepy doll, as evidenced by the recent Dead Silence, the film that inspired me to revisit this horror classic.

The story concerns one Andre Toulon, played by William Hickey in a stroke of casting brilliance. He is a toymaker who has learned the magic art of giving life to inanimate objects, which he has done with a few of his favorite creations. Unfortunately, he is found by Germans seeking to learn the secret, and Toulon commits suicide rather than tell them. That all takes place during the WWII era. Fast forward to the present — a group of psychics have been summoned to the hotel by a man who has learned the secret and is using it to live beyond his death. Added to that, Toulon's puppets have gotten loose and are killing anyone perceived as a threat. And kill they do, in a variety of ways. Each puppet is specialized, offering its own take on death-dealing, including Leech Woman puking leeches onto people, Tunneler goring people with his head-top drill, Pinhead with his throat-choking hands, and Blade's blade hand.

What can I say? I love the movie. It is a little odd, and quirky, and populated with memorable puppets who have gone on to star in a number of sequels. It may not be deep, it may not always make sense, but it does deliver a vibe which is simultaneously  fun and creepy. The effects are well done and all done practically. Created before the CG boom and obviously crafted with love, this is a movie for low budget fans to treasure.

Ian Woolstencroft: Race With The Devil (1975)

Peter Fonda and Warren Oates join forces again for this tale of the holiday from hell. The pair first worked together on the elegiac western The Hired Hand and enjoyed the experience so much they jumped at the chance to make this film, about two married couples whose journey to Colorado in an RV is interrupted by a group of backwoods Satan worshippers after the holidaymakers witness a human sacrifice.

Article Author: Ian Woolstencroft

Ian Woolstencroft was brought up on a diet of John Wayne movies and Marvel Comics and still has a passion for both. Now as a blogcritic he finally understands what Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben meant when he said ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ …

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