Betsy Palmer: An Actress Remembered. Part 1

The horror film world was shocked to hear that actress and icon Betsy Palmer passed away at age 88.
Fans will no doubt remember her as Mrs.Voorhees the mother of cinema serial killer Jason. When I met her the first time I was blown away by how nice and personable she was. She treated fans not as machines giving her cash for her autograph but like a friend, trust me that's a rare thing at a convention these days. I met her one other time, still the same warm gentle person. You could tell she was enjoying herself and she loved talking about her role as the Mother of the most famous film psycho of all time. I like so many fans were heart broken to hear the news. As a tribute to Ms.Palmer a few of her co-stars  and co-workers have donated their time to share some memories as well as fans that met her.

Part 1: Co-workers (co-stars, directors etc)

Ari Lehman (Friday the 13th 1980)

"Betsy Palmer made everyone around her feel special. No one could work a crowd like her, I have seen her make people laugh until they literally fell out of their seats. When she knew I was going to perform onstage she would always say "Knock 'em Dead, Ari, and Leave 'em Writhing in the Aisles!" and she meant every word of it. I love her madly forever..." - ARI LEHMAN

Shane Marr Directed Betsy in his film Bell Witch: The Movie

"I really enjoyed getting to know Betsy. One thing I admired about her was that wherever we were - from Los Angeles to New York to Tennessee - she took the time to stop and talk to her fans, answer their questions and tell them her stories. That was really what inspired me to develop the interview with her - "Betsy Palmer: Life in Her Own Words." I thought that would be a way for those who didn't have the opportunity to meet her to get to know her better. One time I asked her if she ever got tired of telling her stories and she told me, "Absolutely not." She genuinely loved people and appreciated her fans. She was a wonderful lady and will be greatly missed. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/betsypalmer

Piece of my Mind: Where are the legends at?

Piece of my Mind is a forum for the blog writers to discuss issues in the horror/cult realm. Here in Gorehound Mikes we try to do more than just reviews.

Topic: Where are the legends at? aka Directors Shelf Life?

My good friend and fellow blog staff William and I often talk movies (no surprise) and the subject came up about film makers we love and how the out put of there work has taken a huge nose dive in recent years. We talked about when Craven,Romeo and Argento etc made a film we knew we were in for something scary and all together different. Lately though it seems like the out put is less scare and more crap.

Argento is the perfect example. Right out of the gate with his first film "Bird with the Crystal Plumage" it was clear that this man had a unique style and showmanship that would later become his trademark. Films like Deep Red, Suspria just to name a few all master pieces in horror cinema ensuring a last legacy. Yet it seems lately hes doing everything he can to destroy that legacy. Its debatable where the decline started, for me his last truly great film was "Opera"  (sans the shitty last 3mins) With bombs like "Do you like Hitchcock" and the worst offender the infamously bad "Dracula 3D" (yes the one with a huge badly done CGI Praying Mantis.) not to mention the fact that he directed a rape scene involving his own daughter, it leaves fans wondering how someone who was such a horror force in the 70s and 80s could now be making such bad films today.

On the flip side of this we have George A Romero  I dont need to remind readers of his stellar films."Night of the Living Dead" 1968 not only introduced the post modern zombie but was a milestone in modern horror films in general. Now Romero gets my respect because he seemed to only do horror films that he feels strongly about. The man has only 20 credits and i`d rather see that versus someone who cranks out hundreds for Full Moon. Sure his last string of films have not been any where close to his glory days (though I really enjoyed Land of the Dead) but hes doing other things like writing and producing. Still its sad to think we may never have another truly amazing George A.Romero film. Maybe he is bowing out not wanting to totally destroy his reputation.

So my question is this. Why do these great film makers end up doing material that is so beneath them? Its not that the scripts aren't there. In fact Dario s episode of Masters of Horrors for both seasons were amazing. Maybe its age. Lets face it maybe its a younger persons game? Is it better to bow out like Romero and Carpentar rather than make sub standard product?

Please Note: To hardcore fans that feel like i`m slamming these directors, i`m not. In fact I love them. Its the films they made that got me into this genre and for that I will always hold them in the highest esteem. I complain because i`m frustrated like so many fans that feel they could be doing so much better. I'm not saying they should retire as directors, but maybe take a fresh look at what made them such titans, get writers with new ideas and good ones.

I want to feel the kind of excitement for a Wes Craven movie like I use to. Not disappointment like "Cursed"

Blood Splatted Blu: Dont Go in the Woods

Title: Dont Go in the Woods
Director:James Bryan
Company: Vinegar Syndrome
Written by: Joe Mazzella

Well the fine folks at Vinegar  Syndrome have done it again with the new bluray release of the cult horror classic Don't Go In The Woods ...Alone ! The 1981 film directed by the master James Bryan ( The Executioner Pt 2) is a tremendous cult classic dealing with a deeply disturbed maniac carving up all that enter his woods. 

Plot: A group of people and their  guide begin there camping trip there unaware of the bloody massacre that's taking place . When they start getting picked off one by bloody one things get even more interesting in this non stop gore-a-thon . They try to avoid the maniac at all costs and escape his clutches time after time. Two make it back (Jack McClelland and Mary Gail Artz) to town trying to warn the sheriff (Ken Carter) and Dr Maggie (Laura Trefty) but meet up with town politics as the are slow to investigate.  They believe there friends still could be alive and they head back to the woods to confront the truth. Some of the killings are still quite graphic and some are humorously done especially the killing of a newlywed couple celebrating there nuptials in the woods . The ILL fated  Dick (Frank Millen who appears in most of James Bryan films even working behind the camera) and his bride get cut and dispatched in truly memorable fashion as does most of the cast , that is made up of most of the crew. The Killer( Singer Tom Drury)   is truly a cold hearted bizarre looking man whose blood thirst is never satisfied. This film has a very high  body count ,some strange and many poor performances but its campy style and fast pace keep it rolling along and all this under 90 minutes . 

Picture: Released on DVD by code red a few years ago in a full screen version that was passable it included good special features and an introduction by the director. Now Vinegar has a gorgeous Widescreen  Version available here with stunning bright colors and all the night scenes are now viewable with awesome sound and a virtually scratch less print.  This is the best the film has ever looked and it definitely won't get any better than this . 

Special Features: There is numerous special features some old from the code red Dvd including a cast and crew featurette than features many behind the scenes stories and a where are they now segment of who is doing what these days. The Autograph signing party Featurette is a must to watch as well and we have. 3 commentaries with the director and Mary Gail Arts ( Ingrid) and Frank Miller.   All in all if your a super fan of this cult classic like me this is the definitive version to own . It is a great tribute to the film as the quality and content in this bluray are hands down totally excellent , I highly recommend you buy this now before they all disappear.   Enjoy!!!

Films in the Attic: The Ruins

Films in the Attic is a segment that I haven't done in awhile but I always liked it and since the re-launch I was thinking of bringing it back. During these segments will be exploring strange little known or talked about films and films that had a wide release but were over looked and deserving to be rediscovered by fans. All of these films are released in some form. DVD or Blu. VHS only titles are going to get its own segment. 

Film: The Ruins

Directed By: Carter Smith

Written By: Scott B Smith

Year: 2008

Released by: Paramount Pictures

Both a Unrated DVD and Blu release. 

The Ruins is a perfect example of a horror film produced by a major studio can be really good yet somehow get lost among the pile of films that came out that year. On the surface The Ruins seems like another movie about hot 20 somethings going off into the unknown with horrible consequences. Yes it is that but its so much more. 

The Plot: Two young couples are soaking up some fun in the sun in Mexico. Whiling relaxing poolside they meet a German tourist Mathias. He tells them he is going to visit his brother at a Mayan ruins that is totally off the map and according to him very "VIP" He offers to take them and they decide that its something to good to pass up. Dimitri Mathias friend joins them, using a crudely drawn map. After a Taxi ride and a short hike they get to a hidden entrance which leads them to a rather impressive Mayan temple. However they are not alone and a group of villagers armed with bows and one man (who I assume is the leader) is armed with a gun. Dimitir is killed and the rest run up the steps of the temple. What started out as an interesting and exciting adventure quickly turns into a nightmare as more villagers camp out below leaving the group of friends stuck up top. 

When I first saw this film I was expecting to hate it, thinking it was just another film about hot people in danger in a foreign land. Boy was I wrong. First lets talk about the source material. "The Ruins" was based on a book by the same name written by Scott Smith. Stephen King called it "the best horror novel of the new century" Smith also did the screenplay and what we get is non stop action and horror that weaves twists and turns that "leaves" you guessing til the last frame. Besides a small section at the beginning the whole film takes place in one location the Mayan temple, any film that confines itself to one set runs the risk of getting stagy yet Ruins pulls it off seamlessly. The pace is break neck and it never lets up til the end credits. You will be hard pressed to find a more original horror concept. This film has no masked serial killer, monster or vampire yet still shocks yet still has the power to creep its audience out. I also love that the girls are smarter than most of these films. For example when the group get to the secret entrance Amy says hey this is weird and that somethings not right about it. Nobody believes her of course but It speaks volumes and I love when female characters are given a brain rather than just body count fodder. Speaking of Amy she starts out kind of whiny but wisely this is eased up a lot, which is important when your film is confined and you have a tiny cast. Its nice to see the women in this film be proactive and given something to do rather than just screaming and being naked. 

Ruins has a small but talented cast of actors. Jonathan Tucker (Texas Chainsaw 03) Jena Malone (Sucker Punch, Hunger Games) Shawn Ashmore (The Following,X-Men) Laura Ramsey (Lords of Dogtown) play the four friends and between them are some very impressive film credits. They all do a great job and never go over board and take their roles very serious. Chemistry between the couples are believable even though Jena Malone would be so out of Jonathan Tuckers league (but hey its a movie) 

The effects are very effective with its blend of tastefully done CGI and practical. The corpse make up are realistic and obviously handled by someone who knows what they are doing. I don't want to give a lot away but its just skin crawling. 

2008 saw a lot of terrible remakes and just awful horror films. Sadly "The Ruins" got passed over and forgotten about. I hope that someday the film finds its audience and takes it place as the classic that it is. 

British Spotlight Amicus: The Creeping Flesh

Amicus produced a lot of gems, a lot of which were over shadowed by more popular films like "Tales From The Crypt" Vault of Terror etc. In recent years however it has found an audience and gained a cult following.

In our third part series on Amicus "The Creeping Flesh"

Directed by:Freddie Francis

Written by: Peter Spenceley and Jonathan Rumbold

Year: 1973

Starring: Peter Cushing,Christopher Lee,Jenny Runacre etc

Emmanual Hildern (Peter Cushing) is a Victorian age scientist who returns to London with what he believes is the find of the century. While in Papa New Guinea he found a very strange set of bones that pre date the oldest fossils found. He along with his assistant discover that when wet these bones grow muscle and flesh and produce very strange blood cells when reviewed under a microscope. He believes he has discovered true evil embodied and therefore it can be cured. He aims to win the blank prize with his findings, but it seems his brother James Hildern (Christopher Lee) who owns and runs a Mental Institute is also in the running as well. It seems that blood isn't always thicker than water and James will stop at nothing to beat him with his "groundbreaking" book on mental disease.

Meanwhile Hildern's mousy daughter Penelope lives an extremely sheltered life, never leaving the house and taking care of things while her father is away. She believes her mother died a long time ago, yet in reality we learn that she recently died at James Hildern Institute. Penelope is desperate to know more about her mother but is kept in the dark for fear she will be upset by what she learns. Using his daughter as a human genie pig he secretly injects her with an experimental "evil antidote" But of course things back fire horribly.

You cant help but be in awe when you see the two titans of horror Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing on the screen. Its a lot of fun watching the two both try to out do the other. The result is as always pure entertainment.Alas that is the only thing that makes this movie worth watching. Someone should have reminded the film makers that this was a "horror" film. Creeping Flesh plays more like a melodrama than horror, with only splices of fright mixed in. I really dug the beginning of the film and how Lee was playing a Dr Frankenstein like character i.e tinkering with dead limbs etc. But what followed was very a very flat family drama. Its heavy handed without any sense of irony or black humor to balance it out. I`m all for developing characters but its just boring and lacks any fun. Films like this can benefit from a dose of the serious but this is way over kill or in this case under kill.

What makes me most troubled about this is they take a brilliant concept and do nothing with it. You see the skeleton which is very bad ass looking and like me your excited for the pay off which when it comes is very disappointing. As I said this film has gained a small cult following and I really don't understand why. Its like a movie that fails on so many basic levels.

Lets talk effects. They are BAD! When the finger of the skeleton grows muscle and flesh it looks laughable. Its fat and veiny and when put in the jag it looks like a penis. I`m sure they were working on a low budget but even a 1st year effects major could have done a better job.

"The Creeping Flesh" would have worked much better as a segment in an anthology rather than a padded out full feature film. Even Chris Lee and Peter Cushing as good as they are cannot fix this very limp melodrama. While I never spoil an ending, its very predictable which I figured out in the first 5 minutes.

Hollyweird Here I come! "Maps To the Stars" Review

Maps To the Stars

Directed by David Cronenberg

Written by Bruce Wagner

Year 2014

With such genius films as "Shivers" "Scanners" and "The Brood" just to name a few, Cronenberg is the last and final word in body horror, the man single highhandedly made the sub genre. In recent years however he has shifted from this but still retained his razor edge weird style that fans have came to love. With his latest he takes a stab at Hollywood..Or maybe Hollyweird?

Hype as we all know can be a slippery road. Sometimes it can be well deserved and other times its full of hot air.  The buzz was louder than on the set of "The Fly" and the verdict was that "Maps to the Stars"was a film not to be missed. But atlas even us critics can be wrong at times.  In the case of this film, it was not. This dark twisted comedy satire on the horrors of Hollywood is the most fun watching a film in a long time. I`m someone who already loves films about how dirty and sleazy the business is and Cronenberg takes this to a whole other level, taking sheer mad delight in rubbing our noses in it. I think it taps into the huge fascination with celebrities and the the "glamour" of Hollywood and plays like total camp. Not since Billy Wilder's "Sunset Blvd" has there been such a genius, disturbing and humorous take on the underbelly of tinsel town. Wagners screenplay is powerful with compelling characters,great drama blended perfectly with surreal comedy that gets pretty black. You have all the Hollywood types in the film, the bratty child star, the has been wanting her come back etc. Even the young jaded girls in the club that think anyone over 20 is an old hag. And lets not forget the working stiff trying to become an actor and screenwriter (of course.)

The use of recurring themes and the "haunting" as personal demons metaphor is another stroke of brilliance. It is weaved into the plot and doesnt feel like it was just random weirdness. The cast of Maps is top notch with Julianne Moore, John Cusack,Mia Wasikowska and Robert Pattinson (yes the Twilight heart throb) along with a fun cameo by Carrie Fisher playing who else Carrie Fisher. Moore lately has been making better film chooses and she is fearless in the role of Havana Segrand a washed up actress whose legacy is mainly built on her Mothers cult fame and tragic death. She really lets it all hang out and really gives it her very best. Also nothing tops seeing the now Academy Award winner taking a shit while talking to Agatha Weiss (Mia Wasikowska) fart noises and all. Funny sure, but it also takes a lot of balls to do that. Even Cusack whom I`m not a big fan of, does a very good job as a hacky shrink who cares more about the dollars than actually helping people. He and Mia have a scene together; its a reunion of sorts and he plays it both ice cold and strangely tender, the two worked so well together it makes for a very weird moment. The only actor I thought was the weakest was Pattinson whom it seems Cronenberg has found a muse in.  Honestly its not the fact he was in the tween vampire series that colors my opinion of him, hes just simply is not a very good actor. When you are in the movie with so many heavy weights you really need to bring your A-game and what we get is very wooden phoned in performance.

Maps to the Stars is one the best movies i`ve seen recently and I can honestly only see myself viewing this another 100 times or so. Cronenberg peels back the slick polish of the Hollywood system to show a very dark perverted rotten side that will surely leave you with a mixture of feelings but overall its a thrilling ride!

Blood Splattered Blu: Latest Blu Ray Review: Vampyros Lesbos by Joe Mazzella

Film: Vampyros Lesbos

Director: Jess Franco

Company of Release: Severin

Written by: Joe Mazzella

Well after long last we have the long awaited blu-ray release of Jess Franco's female vampire classic Vampyros Lesbos (aka Les Vampiras)  an absolutely stunning film with the extremely sexy Soledad Miranda as the vampire vixen ,all of Soledad Miranda's scenes are both sensual and haunting as she is the reason to enjoy this great work.  

Plot: Our story concerns Linda (played by Ewa Stromberg ) who travels to see the vampire at her home that she inherited from Dracula himself and while there falls under the unstoppable spell of Soledad. Linda is eventually turned into a crazed victim in need of her new love but ends up in an insane asylum as her doctor (Dennis Price from Horror Hospital) tries to figure out if her tale about a vampire is true and how can he contact her so he to can cross to the. Other realm. Not to give so much away we do have a highly erotic and bloody film with great love scenes and an amazing cast that also includes Paul Mueller as Linda's psychiatrist and also Jess Franco himself as the hotel clerk with a secret passion for torture murder and bloodletting . I highly recommend this Jess Franco film .  

Picture: As for the transfer it is crisp sharp and amazing. It is in German language with English subtitles and the music score is truly amazing . 

Extras: The special features are also excellent :A featurette about Soledad Miranda with Soledads  historian Amy Brown is very informative and entertaining covering her entire career. There's also Vampyros Jesus-An interview with Jess Franco. Also a very good feature covering a lot of background on Soledad and the film.  There's also a German trailer and an alternate German opening title sequence which I enjoyed .  

All in all its was amazing viewing and I definitely recommend seeking it out.    Enjoy!