Runtime: 85 minutes
Directed by: James W.
Roberson
Starring: James Houghton,
Albert Salmi, Lynn Carlin, Larry Pennell, the amazingly named
Jacquelyn Hyde
From: Carolco, of all
companies
More than one mutual on Letterboxd have given rave reviews to this
otherwise obscure 80's horror film, thus I figured it was worth a shot.
It is not something I love but for something that was obviously made on
the cheap and something that was not just another 80's slasher, “fine”
is a designation I can give this Canuxploitation movie, which was
presumably set in New England but was actually filmed in the Silver Lake
area of Los Angeles. Literally part of Superstition can be said to be
set under the Silver Lake as the basement of an old house is a critical
location.
The story is simple yet effective: a witch is burned at the stake in 1692; unlike typical, this young woman actually is evil and ever since, the ground has been sour as the area has had many deaths over the years... despite a church owning the land now and residing on it for many years are caretakers... an old lady named Elvira and her brute son, who I'll describe as “mentally handicapped.” A trouble priest and his family move in, but no time is wasted and deaths start happening. Another priest tries to rid them of their problems by doing all he can, but the family still suffers. Not even a grumpy middle-aged cop can do much here.
The film does have some plotholes and some subplots that are developed perhaps could have had more time and/or been resolved a little differently. That said, it was still a fun horror film which never wore out its welcome at only 85 minutes in length. There manages to be some suspenseful moments and for those that like bloody moments, there definitely is that with some of the kills... and colorful deaths, they were. When I heard this described as being “Italian-like”, that does not mean it is bats*** insane (no, that is more like what I will be reviewing in a few hours); rather, there are some giallo-esque moments, and I mean giallo as in the latter half of when they made those films in the 70's. As a means of comparison, while I haven't watched that motion picture before, several people have compared this to Fulci's The House by the Cemetery.
Thus, if you like such movies...
The story is simple yet effective: a witch is burned at the stake in 1692; unlike typical, this young woman actually is evil and ever since, the ground has been sour as the area has had many deaths over the years... despite a church owning the land now and residing on it for many years are caretakers... an old lady named Elvira and her brute son, who I'll describe as “mentally handicapped.” A trouble priest and his family move in, but no time is wasted and deaths start happening. Another priest tries to rid them of their problems by doing all he can, but the family still suffers. Not even a grumpy middle-aged cop can do much here.
The film does have some plotholes and some subplots that are developed perhaps could have had more time and/or been resolved a little differently. That said, it was still a fun horror film which never wore out its welcome at only 85 minutes in length. There manages to be some suspenseful moments and for those that like bloody moments, there definitely is that with some of the kills... and colorful deaths, they were. When I heard this described as being “Italian-like”, that does not mean it is bats*** insane (no, that is more like what I will be reviewing in a few hours); rather, there are some giallo-esque moments, and I mean giallo as in the latter half of when they made those films in the 70's. As a means of comparison, while I haven't watched that motion picture before, several people have compared this to Fulci's The House by the Cemetery.
Thus, if you like such movies...
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