5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good gem-to-dud ratio for cheap public domain offering, May 4, 2008
This review is from: Psycho-Rama (DVD)
How Awful About Allan (1970)--TV movie starring Anthony Perkins whose guilt over a family tragedy leaves him blind and mentally ill. At the start of the film, he is released to the care of his sister, but does she have an agenda of her own? Perkins is good, but it felt extremely long at 74 minutes. **
Dementia 13 (1963)--An ax murderer at a family reunion in an Irish castle and a daughter-in-law who is trying to cover up her husband's death to keep from losing her portion of the inheritance. Produced by Roger Corman and Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it will remind you much more of one of Corman's Edgar Allen Poe movies than anything Coppola did, but not bad if you don't go in expecting The Godfather. ***
Maniac (1934)--Barely coherent movie about a lab assistant that murders his boss. Has some nudity, which was taboo back then (the Hayes Code don't ya know), but women were ugly back in 1934, so it will bring you no joy to see it. Highlight is title character plucking out and eating cat's eye. Sucks hind teat. *
The Screaming Skull (1958 b/w)--Opening scene shows coffin and explains that the film studio insured patrons against dying of fright watching the movie. You'll probably be all right. Recent widower marries former mental hospital patient and takes her to "charming" villa in countryside where she hears spooky sounds and sees spooky things, but then in the morning, they're all gone, she can't prove them, and there are leering suspicions she might be slipping back into insanity. But could it the supernatural? Or her husband (hint: almost certainly yes)? Leading lady has the face of a middle-age woman, but a dynamite body, so the director has her moping around in lingerie a lot. Tedious, but not completely unwatchable. **
The Killing Kind (1973)--John Savage stars as anti-social psychotic who is released from prison after serving time for rape. He lives with his mother with whom he may be carrying on an incestuous relationship and in his spare time kills the people who put him behind bars. Then, he kills some other people for no particular reason at all. A movie in exquisitely bad taste, it should satisfy exploitation diehards. Look for small role by Cindy Williams of Laverne & Shirley fame. ***1/2
Anatomy of a Psycho (1961 b/w)--A 50's-ish JD film about a teenager out for revenge against the people who testified against his brother, who was justly convicted and executed for murder. He frames another teenager for a crime he himself committed. Actors playing teenagers were in their mid-thirties, but one scene in high school reveals that they're students. Pretty dull. No psychos. I think they titled the film as a cross between Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and Psycho (1960). *1/2
Tormented (1960)--In opening scene, Tom's sexpot mistress Vi threatens to expose their affair if he abandons her for the gawky, plain jane fiancé Sandy. Vi loses her footing and dangles from ledge. Tom neglects to save her ("How unfortunate you accidentally fell to your death Vi and couldn't blackmail me"). She haunts Tom as he prepares for wedding on small island off California coast. Directed by Bert I Gordon, who also directed dopey monster movies Empire of the Ants and Earth vs. the Spider. This one is a little long, but is actually pretty entertaining, with a nice noir vibe running through it, which is supported by some modern jazz. ***
Craze (1974)--Jack Palance runs an antique store in England and worships an idol in the basement. The idol delivers good fortune when Palance offers human sacrifices. Although an obvious whack job, he has a cute chubby girlfriend about 20 years his junior. Pretty dumb, but watchable. **1/2
Twisted Obsession (1989)--Story pretty murky, as is the lighting on this one. Jeff Goldblum plays screenwriter in Paris, who agrees to write a screenplay for young filmmaker because he sleeps with the filmmaker's attractive younger sister. A twisted obsession ensues, but coherence does not. Would have been a nice low budget thriller if it did. **
The Sadist (1963)--Serial killer played by Arch Hall Jr. is based on the exploits of Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend Carol Ann Fugate. They take three people hostage at a rural California gas station. This film is a cult classic and the image is decent. Truth be told, it's pretty dated and Arch Hall Jr. overacts throughout, but it's still worth a look. ***
Overall, I thought this was pretty good public domain stuff at a very reasonable price. I bought it mainly to get cheap copies of The Sadist and Dementia 13, but I'm really glad I got to see Tormented and The Killing Kind as well, which I had never even heard of before.
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