A grand retirement home in a secluded patch of the French countryside serves as the setting for this somehow quirky and mean spirited tale. Martine (the insanely beautiful Isabelle Goguey) has just arrived at the Deadlock House a day ahead of schedule. Nicole, the current nurse, thinks that she’s about to get fired but the … More The Merits of Sin: Night of Death (1980) (France)
As a fan of world horror there’s a few regions on this stupid rock I’m absolutely in love with. Mexico offers some of the best genre output this gringo has ever come across. They can get wild but if you’re in the mood for some serious pants shitting horror they throw it out with equal … More A Magical Evening in Indonesia
Gallery of Horror aka Dr. Terror’s Gallery of Horrors (1967) (USA) **1/2 Lame ass anthology is not without its cheapjack charms. John Carradine rambles on in a tuxedo and introduces five tales of minimal terror. The Witches Clock finds a young married couple moving into a Massachusetts house that belonged to an executed witch. They … More (Amazon) Prime Grime: A Rogues Gallery of Crap Part Two
There’s a shit ton wrong in the world today but my faith remains intact. “Why is that?” you may ask as you roll your eyes so hard it’s somehow audible. Well, it’s because Steve Barkett wanted to make a movie to show how bad ass Steve Barkett is. And I thank my lucky stars he … More The Merits of Sin: Empire of the Dark (1990) (USA)
In this addition of Short Cuts, we got a handful of ghosts, a demon or two, and a stuffed pig with a homicidal streak. What a gallery of rogues! Attack of the Killer Hog (2003) An explosion of ideas sadly never gels and just left me a bit confused but mostly pissed off. Two detectives … More The Merits of Sin (Short Cuts): Attack of the Killer Hog (2003) (Argentina) Pyewacket (2017) (Canada) Hell Mountain (2016) (USA) We Go On (2016) (USA) Muirhouse (2012) (Australia)
In a dystopian future ruled by a chunky dollar store Emperor Palpatine with 666 carved on his belly, an experimental super soldier by the name of Jacob Stryker has just escaped the prison center he has been held captive in. This is bad news for the head of the empire’s military (and “do-it-yourself” Darth Vader … More The Merits of Sin: Moonchild (1994) (USA)
The menagerie of supernatural entities found within Japanese folklore is expansive. That’s just what happens when you’ve been around as long as the land of the rising sun has. For every folkloric hero, you’ll find a bevy of grotesque horrors just outside of view…ready to pounce. Asia (and believe me I know I’m slipping into … More The Merits of Sin: 100 Monsters (1968) (Japan)
Depressing and disturbing Swiss flick manages to make you feel yucky all over but is so well done it’s hard to dismiss it as exploitive crap. So… win? Beaten deaf and dumb by his abusive, sister molesting father, our introverted protagonist (?) goes about his life excelling at his accounting job and living a quiet … More The Merits of Sin: Mosquito the Rapist aka Bloodlust (1977) (Switzerland)
Indonesian slasher. That’s all you had to say. Indonesia has been a constant source of joy in my trip down the horror rabbit hole and I was teethed on slasher flicks so I was all in when Waterfall of Pengantin first bleeped on my radar. Luckily it wasn’t that hard to track down and here … More The Merits of Sin: Air Terjun Pengantin aka Waterfall of Pengantin aka Lost Paradise: Playmates in Hell (2009) (Indonesia)
I rarely get angry. It’s just not in my nature. I worked over a decade in the construction business and even in dealing with customers who knew everything there was to know about home remodeling thanks to catching a few seasons of whatever garbage HGTV was shitting out, I always kept my cool. Frustration would … More The Merits of Sin: Deep Blood (1990) (Italy)
