Short Attention Span Review - Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Short Attention Span Review - Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Last week, I reviewed Forbidden World, a low-budget horror/sci-fi/action hybrid from cult cinema icon Roger Corman.  This week, I went back to the archives for another exercise in schlock from this producer with a passion for exploitation, Galaxy of Terror.  To call this zany outing a superior effort to Forbidden World would be a tremendous understatement, but that still doesn't make it a good movie.  The big difference is entertainment value, with this kooky affair delivering a lot fun for a couple of distinct reasons.  First, there is a lot of creativity involved, both in terms of plot and craftsmanship.  Secondly, Galaxy of Terror is batshit crazy.  A minute in, the picture goes off the rails.  In truth, it wasn't until the very end that the movie made any sense, and it's still a bit of a mess.  Fast-paced, gory as hell, and operating with a minimum of character development, this oddity's real saving grace is the cast.  Genre faves like Robert Englund, Sid Haig, and Grace Zabriskie are on board, with solid performers like Eddie Albert and Ray Walston leading the way.  They are menaced by an assortment of ghoulies, with the effects work that brings these oddities to life varying from shabby to . . . well, not too shabby, I guess.  The production design is far more impressive, but that should come as no surprise: that's where the one and only James Cameron cut his teeth.  I most certainly could have done without seeing Taaffe O'Connell getting raped by a giant maggot (you read that correctly), a scene good old Roger views as a shining accomplishment.  And there were definitely about five cartwheels too many in the big finale.  What can I say?  Galaxy of Terror is trash, good people, but it's also a good time at the movies for the right kind of crowd--namely, my kind of crowd.

Final Grade: C-

Wonky, silly, and cheap, Galaxy of Terror is nonetheless an entertaining B movie with a nifty cast and an abundance of gore.

Halloween in the Land of Way - Short Attention Span Review: Bone Tomahawk (2015)

First off, I recognize that a movie like Bone Tomahawk isn't for everyone.  Secondly, I'm about to do some serious raving about this wicked western/horror hybrid, because it's almost as though this one was tailor-made for me.  Some will not like the deliberate pace that grounds the first two acts, which (after a brief but suitably gruesome opening sequence) are surely classic western fare.  Some will be totally disgusted by the third act, when the riveting character study becomes a no-holds-barred descent into pure terror that houses what may be the most gruesome death ever depicted on film.  Still others won't like the Tarantino-esque dialogue or the minimalist score.  Yet novelist S. Craig Zahler scored a direct hit with each of these choices in my book, and the end result is an involving and even moving tale that allows you to bond with a quartet of prickly leads before they march into a hellish fate with the best of intentions.   The plot concerns a posse's efforts to rescue a female doctor and a deputy from a mysterious clan of cannibalistic monstrosities masquerading as men.  Kurt Russell is both the sheriff and the star of the picture, and to say that he is stellar here isn't quite enough.  He's pretty damn sublime, operating as the heart of the picture while frequently giving way to his fellow performers with the knowledge that the audience will be fully invested in his performance regardless.  Patrick Wilson is great as a rugged cowboy who just so happens to be the female doctor's husband.  He's also saddled with a broken leg and an iron will that won't allow him to sit this one out, and his struggles with his injury lead to some of the most brutal moments in the picture.  Matthew Fox is the dandy of the bunch, a slick killer in fancy duds who is quick with a gun and supremely arrogant.  Yet he's also a man with a purpose, and like everyone else involved, he shines in the part.  Finally, there's Richard Jenkins as Chicory, Russell's trusted deputy.  This is definitely one of those "last but not least" scenarios, as Jenkins brings incredible timing to his rich part and is directly responsible for most of the laughs and the warmth in Bone Tomahawk.  We come to know and love these characters as they ride toward their fate, and the horrendous conclusion that awaits them elevates a potent picture into something more.  No, it's certainly not for everyone, but I think that Bone Tomahawk is a powerful film with tremendous impact.  As someone who loves westerns, horror movies, and Kurt Russell, I can honestly say that I enjoyed this grim shocker as much as any film that I have seen in 2015.

Final Grade: A+

Kurt Russell has a great time hitting the trail and meeting new people in Bone Tomahawk.