Review - From Beyond (1986 - Dir. Stuart Gordon)

When I recently rewatched Re-Animator, I was a little disappointed by it. My memory of the film, on its first release, was so much better. Whereas I saw From Beyond on video in the eighties and I could hardly remember a thing about it. Strange how watching it now, it's actually a pretty good film.

Based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft this is Stuart Gordon's second foray into Lovecraft territory (but not his last) after the aforementioned Re-Animator. I say it is based on a short story but in reality the nine page story forms the prologue to the film where we meet Crawford Tillinghast (the always excellent Jeffrey Combs) and Dr Edward Petorius (Ted Sorel) both larking around with a strange electrical machine that can stimulate the pineal gland in the human brain, allowing them to gain a sixth sense and 'see' the world around them as it really is. Funnily enough, this involves floating fish and creatures that rip your head off. The Beyond was never going to be filled with marshmallows, cushions and My Little Ponies, was it? Getting the prologue out of the way so quickly allows the director space to slightly embellish on the facts of the original story. And embellish he does...

Barbara Crampton. Leather gear. Not in the original story. But should have been.

Yep. Barbara Crampton appears again in a Stuart Gordon film but this time her role is reversed with that of Jeffrey Combs. She plays an ambitious psychologist, willing to go to any lengths to get what she wants. Her desires gradually drag her from fulfilling her job professionally into total insanity. Combs, meanwhile, is along for the ride (a ride which includes developing a filthy little head proboscis and an appetite for sucking human eyeballs out of their sockets - another embellishment).

Another horror icon appears in the form of Ken Foree. He plays an everyman kind of guy who even gets to prance around in just his undercrackers. A much lighter role than his one in Dawn of the Dead  then.

The cinematography and effects look stunning even now (well, most of them). Inspired by The Thing, the main creature is a mass of pulsating, morphing flesh. The creature's head, suspended on its spindly neck, is so convincing that it was a while before I actually considered how they'd accomplished the effect. It's fairly simple, but really effective. The stop-motion animation doesn't fare as well under not-co-close scrutiny. But as with films like The Gate and Hardcover it all adds to the atmosphere and appeal.

The recent Blu-ray from Second Sight is a joy to behold. The image quality and colours are a showcase for the Blu-ray format and the extras complete a very comprehensive package. (There's even an interview with Barbara Crampton looking back at the film, and she's still as gorgeous as ever. Maybe her involvement in these films has led her to become privvy to a Lovecraftian youth potion?) 

So, From Beyond is far better than I remember and goes to prove that it's sometimes worth going back and seeing initially forgettable films again. (Can't see that I'll bother with Ong-Bak 2 though.)
7/10
evlkeith



If you liked this you could also try:
Re-Animator, Dagon, The Whisperer in Darkness.

Review - Re-Animator (1985 - Dir. Stuart Gordon)

When I saw that Re-Animator was being shown at the festival this year, I was surprised to realise that I had only seen it once before, when it was first released. I remember enjoying it at the time and thinking that it was really excessive. Which is good. With that in mind I was looking forward to seeing it again on the big screen.

Based (very loosely) on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, Re-Animator is an important landmark in horror cinema. I can see why I thought it was excessive. When the final scenes in the morgue kick off, there is some quality zombie action. A headless corpse and the previously attached head of Dr Hill are heavily involved, including a scene of severe dirtiness where his head is lowered between Barbara Crampton's naked legs. Dirty little tinker. I can't remember that being in any of Lovecraft's books.

Watching it now though, after such films as Braindead and Inbred, it all seems quite quaint and dare I say, tame. Granted, your average person would still probably think it has a certain harsh quality and turn it off in disgust, but in the horror world it doesn't go far enough for my tastes.

Re-Animator has dated. The special effects are not totally convincing now. Dr Hill carrying his own head is the worst offender. The monstrosity looks more like Dr Hill, carrying his own head, sat on a Tesco's shopping trolley. The sets also look completely cheap; the high camera angles don't help matters. It all looks a bit like it was filmed in the Crossroad's morgue. (Trust me, there was one. Benny was lurking around in there all the time. Not sure what he was up to...) Saying that, we don't need a remake; Re-Animator is a pleasant reminder of simpler times.

It is still eminently watchable. The ubiquitous Jeffrey Combs is in it. He could make an episode of Glee watchable. Maybe not. If you haven't seen this for a while be prepared for a slight disappointment but then sit back and enjoy some of Stuart Gordon's best work.

7/10

evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:

Dagon, Castle Freak, Return of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead 3, Braindead.

Review - Fortress (1992 - Dir. Stuart Gordon)

I originally bought this to be part of the 80s Prison Season. Then I saw when it was made. Grande pantaloons. Never mind, I'll review it anyway.

Made by Stuart Gordon in the time between Re-Animator and the career killing Space Truckers when the studios trusted him with bigger budgets. The budget can mostly be seen in the look of the fantastic Fortress prison. There is a sense of scale and verticality that is not seen in other prison films. 

Death is always close by: either by falling off a retractable bridge, another inmate pushing you into the laser bars on the cells or death by Intestinator. Ah, the Intestinator. Virtually the only reason for the film's existence. The Intestinator is implanted into the inmates when they first enter the Fortress. If you cross a yellow line you get pain. Cross a red line and your intestines suddenly appear on the wrong side of your skin accompanied by a loud bang. Very funny.


I've never been that keen on Christopher Lambert (Highlander)  and I'm still not after this film. He's a bit of a personality bypass. Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, Castle Freak), meanwhile, is great as D-Day. Looking like a male version of Professor Twelawney, he draws you into the film's world with his mechanical tinkerings. You really don't want him to die. I'm not telling you whether he does or doesn't. Kurtwood Smith is fairly creepy as the Prison Director, Poe. Not as good as his top sweary performance in Robocop, but not too bad.
  

  

Stuart Gordon knows how to make a fun film and he probably should have gone on to greater things, but without Space Truckers we wouldn't have had Dagon. Which would have been a shame.
6/10
evlkeith




If you like this you could also try:
Screamers, Nemesis, Escape From New York, The Hidden.