Charles W Jones

Beyond the Door (1974) also has the names Who are you? and Devil Within Her . There’s also a movie called The Devil Within Her (1976), aka I Don’t Want to Be Born, starring Joan Collins that is very similar. As the film began, the first thing that came to mind was who fucked up Dimitri’s beard? Seriously. Who did that? Hair and makeup did a number on it, and in every scene he was present, I was drawn to it. That aside, Beyond the Door is said to be a cheap knock-off of The Exorcist (1973), and I can see the resemblance. The children are exceptional. I love the totally unfiltered approach to parenting. I wished I could say what they did when I was their age. Another thing of note is the product placement. It’s not uncommon to see Coke or Pringles in a movie, but this movie took putting products in scenes to the extreme. Where would E.T. be without Reese’s Pieces? I paused the movie for a minute to Google one called Salad Cream. The possession effects are very similar to ...

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. An author goes to a secluded location to write a new novel. House on Straw Hill (1976) adds to the vast stack of films and books with this theme, but this one is slightly different because I think it’s soft porn. Oh, by the way, this film is also known as Exposé and Trauma. It starts with sex and ends with death, so I guess it balances out. Linda Hayden plays Linda Hindstatt, Paul’s secretary, who is quite the nymphomaniac; she was Angela Blake in The Blood on Satan’s Claw. Linda types while Paul dictates and serves him coffee at a specific time. I can’t say that there’s an actual story, though Paul’s nightmares are fun; maybe this is the original, and Dreamaniac (1986) is the remake because they are both very similar. Linda’s craziness level raises with every passing scene, which kept me enthralled with this film. House on Straw Hill is one of those films that usually I would turn off, but like a trainwreck, I couldn’t look away. I gave it...

I had contemplated not writing a review for Erasurehead (1977) because I’m not sure what I saw. It’s a black and white film probably to cover up the low budget factor of the effects. Also, in the beginning, I thought it was a silent film as no one speaks until Henry Spencer returns home and his neighbor tells him of a dinner invitation from his girlfriend. From what I’ve read about Eraserhead, it is considered ‘body horror,’ though it’s not like anything else I’ve seen in this sub-genre. The effects weren’t as bad as I originally led you to believe, I just can’t wrap my head around what I saw. I don’t know what “the man in the planet” had to do with anything. Even after sitting on writing this review for a few days, I still don’t know what this movie was about. The child that Mary X insisted was Henry’s was gross, so that’s a good thing. But again, it didn’t make sense. Well at least, it’s another film that I can take off my watch list. I’m not sure why this film was even ma...

The House That Dripped Blood ( 1971 ) is a horror anthology revolving around a rental house. Real estate agent, Stoker, tells Inspector Holloway about the four previous tenants. The interludes in between embellish the stories nicely. Be sure to pay attention to the small details; some of them are just divine. The first story is about writer, Charles Hillyer, who has lost his muse and rents the house with his wife to work on his writing. As he starts writing, he begins to see the character, Dominic. The hyper-dramatic acting reminds me of AIP films, even the setting is reminiscent of them, but they had no hand in this one. This story tripped me out because, from time to time, I’ve seen the characters I’ve created too. The twist in this one is fun and unexpected. Philip Grayson, a retired stockbroker and bachelor, is the next to rent the House That Dripped Blood. Peter Cushing is always great in his roles, and this is no exception. When her tours a horror-themed wax museum, he finds a wa...

Audrey Rose ( 1977 ) was adapted from the book of the same name by Frank De Felitta. Having not read the book, I don’t know if it’s as strange as this film. The idea of reincarnation is fascinating, but how this was depicted didn’t exactly work for me. This chilling tale explains how Elliot Hoover figured out that Ivy Templeton has the soul of his dead daughter. What I don’t understand is why so many years passed before Ivy began to show signs of her condition. The story is similar to demonic possession and acted that way in many parts with Ivy becoming more and more integrated with this other soul, well technically the same soul. There’s so much that didn’t make sense, maybe, if I’d read the book, it’d make more sense, but I doubt it. When the movie moves focus to Elliot’s trial, the tone changes, I was relieved that it didn’t last long because it was very boring. I’m not a believer in the outcome of events. Why, exactly, would Ivy have died? It just didn’t make sense. Parts of the en...

If Tower of Evil ( 1972 ) was intended to be an exploitation film, it didn’t really meet what my expectations of them are. They did start it out with creepiness with the over-filled fog on the soundstage as the two men go to the island to find the kids that went out there. Besides the opening craziness and a few flashback scenes from Penny, who is an amazing screamer, by the way, the thrills and mystery are mediocre at best. At times, I found my mind wandering, which I think caused me to miss some of the bland explanations. When they threw in a second Penny’s flashback, I was hopeful and excited with what I hoped was to come; too bad it took forever and was anticlimactic. In addition to the flashbacks and the screams, I loved the family photo, seriously, that is amazing (see the hero image). The creepy laugh from the killer/maniac reminded me of a few Scooby Doo villains, but at least it made me feel something. The gore was good, but could’ve been more than what was given. And then, th...

What’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys? Vampire Circus ( 1972 ). This one opens with the oiled down muscle dude hitting the giant gong, announcing ‘The Rank Organisation presents a Hammer Production,’ so you know it’s gonna be good. Well, you’d think. Vampire Circus is just strange for me and is longer than it needed to be. The vampire action and film trickery are exceptional as are the gore effects and blook, which is not the standard can of red paint that was popular in the 1970s. Even the acting is good. And the cast includes David Prowse as the strongman. The story revolves around a village with a vampire problem that they think is resolved after they stake Count Mitterhaus. Fifteen years later the town has a disease that is killing people off. Some think it is the count’s curse, but the doctor is more rational and disagrees. That’s when the circus comes to town with nefarious plans; somehow getting through the barricade to keep people from getting in or out of the town. There’s ...

After each time I see Phantasm (1979), it lingers in the back of my head for days. It has to be one of the most iconic movies for me for that reason. The beauty of the marble halls with the coffin drawers always delights my senses, but that’s not all that entices me into this world, and it’s also the flying chrome balls with blades zooming across the screen. With my most recent viewing, I’d forgotten the way Tall Man walks. Sometimes it’s heel to toe. On other occasions, it’s with wide strides. With each step of his fancy footwork, there’s a peculiar grace in his hand movements, even with the exaggerated swinging. Agnus Scrimm makes this icon of horror one of the creepiest and weirdest antagonists ever created; I can’t imagine anyone else taking the role and doing it justice. The dwarves always freak me out. Even knowing beforehand what/who they are, doesn’t change the unnerving sensation they exude. They are vicious things, and I wouldn’t want to cross them ever. Things get weird for ...

Moon of the Wolf ( 1972 ) was a made for TV movie that tried really hard, and I don’t know, maybe, if I’d seen it when I was two, I would’ve been terrified. It amazes me what, compared today, what was shown on TV; some of today’s TV shows are much more violent and gruesome than this even dared to approach. I like the tone that is set from the beginning, though there could’ve been more chaotic fright from the townspeople than the vigilante hillbillies going to hunt down the wild dog. Little is shown when the beast kills, which is cool, giving it a Psycho feel with the idea that less is more. A lot of the movie felt like a long episode of the Andy Griffith Show. When the werewolf is finally shown, I was impressed, and then as the camera came in closer, I could see that it was a plastic Halloween mask that was probably popular in 1971. It really wanted to be like a Lon Chaney, Jr. werewolf but didn’t even make it that far. I wish I could give Moon of the Wolf more than 2.5 out of 5 Stars....

Several countries banned The Devils (1971) for many years because of its content; not sure why, besides it was the 1970s. It appears that the version on Shudder is missing two minutes of the original 111-minute film, which could be compression, I guess. Another thing of great interest behind this film is that it originally had an X rating; you can imagine my expectations. Sexy AF Oliver Reed takes the lead role of Father Urbain Grandier and Vanessa Redgrave as Sister Jeanne des Anges. Both take on the historical roles amazingly, though neither have ever disappointed me. With 59 minutes left, I’m still waiting for the extremeness that caused all the hubbub back in the day. That’s not to say that I’m not enjoying The Devils because I am. The strangeness of each scene is off the charts. The visions, the mockery, and all the other stuff are extraordinary, reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange (1971) in styling. The set reminds me of something too, with its sterileness, that I still can’t put m...

Don’t worry dear, it gets worse. Dr. Mercer Boley Gargoyles ( 1972 ) is a made for TV movie with a classic 1970s musical score. I expected this film to be more low budget than it was since it was made for TV, but I was mistaken. I was impressed with how quickly it moved along with an intensity that lasted from beginning to end. The story is about the Nacatacachinco. (I’m pretty sure it’s a fictional Native American word since I couldn’t find anything on the internet about it.) And that’s the best part of the story as there isn’t really anything special about it; it’s very formula based. On the flipside, the costuming and makeup is spectacular, well most of them, some look like leftovers from the other gargoyles and they needed a few more to make the scene appear balanced. The sound effect when the gargoyles speak is like a hissing robot voice. I’m not sure what they were aiming for on that, it’s just weird. The thing that nagged at me the most was why the humans wanted to kill the garg...

Oh, God, help us. I won’t never sin again, never. Only don’t let no rats eat us. Please God. Mrs. Skinner The Food of the Gods ( 1976 ) is an American International Pictures gem that I’m so thankful to the Scream Factory for bringing back into the light. It’s loosely based, and I mean loosely, on H.G. Wells’ novel The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth. It’s super tacky with giant animals, but that’s what I love the most about it. The story itself focuses on Mother Nature getting revenge on humans for not taking care of the Earth. Of course, this is on a lot of people’s minds these days with Global Warming and Climate Change, the animals and insects growing to monstrous sizes are a little farfetched even with the effect being the best part of the film. That’s not the only thing that is nonsensical in this film as it seems that some of the backstory about the Skinners is missing. There are some sweet camera angles in this one. I wish they weren’t overpowered by the attempt with t...

Night of the Lepus ( 1972 ), aka Rabbits, begins with a believable newscast about the environment and rabbits’ overpopulation. Well, if you live where I do, you know the rabbit population is enormous. This film is like Empire of the Ants (1977) or Food of the Gods (1976) – rather, those films are like Night of the Lepus – with giant animals attacking humans. This has a strange Spaghetti Western vibe with a mix of early 70s Science Fiction, making an interesting combination that tried hard to work together. The cast is impressive with DeForest Kelley and tons of others that I know by sight but couldn’t tell you who they are or what else they took a role. What amazes me about the cast the most is that any of them agreed to be in a cheese-fest such as this. The amount of gore is satisfying. I love the 70s blood effects. It’s like they went to the hardware store and bought gallons of red paint. If anyone were to do blood this way today, they’d be snubbed so hard. I got bored wit...

The incredible story you are about to see is true, where it happened and how it happened; only the names have been changed. The Narrator The Town That Dreaded Sundown ( 1976 ) is an early slasher example, and one of the better ones that go on the top shelf with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and The Last House on the Left (1972). The opening statement is correct if you consider loosely based true. Either way this is a fantastic film that shouldn’t be ignored. The Town That Dreaded Sundown has the old documentary feel with a narrator (Vern Stierman) interjecting from time-to-time, adding more detail to the events. The comic relief from the deputy was unnecessary as it didn’t add anything to the film and is the only cheese in the film that wasn’t needed. The killer used several methods to kill his victims, and I wonder how close to real those were; it’s not like I’m going to read the real case files of the incidents that happened in Texarkana. This movie has some phenomenal scre...

From the bizarre opening to the end, I couldn’t help think that Deranged ( 1974 ) is a strange copy of Pyscho (1960), then later I saw bits of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) thrown in though they were released in the same year. The story revolves around Ezra Cobb, who lives/d with his mother and takes care of her until she dies. He doesn’t seem to have a high mental capacity to begin with, and once his mom dies, it goes further down. There are several visions in my mind about this movie that will probably remain with me until I die. One is that Ezra is in desperate need of a pedicure. The second is the almost magenta-tinted blood that flows relatively freely in this American International Pictures movie. I couldn’t take my eyes from Deranged, with each moment being tossed further down the hole in one of the strangest horror films I’ve ever seen. Being low-budget didn’t hinder it from being the best that it absolutely could. The cheese and corn are tossed around nicely too, making it on...

Another “horror” movie that I find awful Nothing But Night ( 1973 ). It opens with sexy music and ocean-scapes as the credits pop on and off the screen, followed quickly by a fiery car accident, a man being pushed off a balcony, and then a woman being shot in the face. My favorite is the bus driver catching on fire when he lights his cigarette. Unfortunately, he crashes the bus filled with orphans and three adults. This movie has moments that I adore, though, they are very few and far between. The majority is a murder mystery. The strange actions of Anna Harb are comical and melodramatic. Mary Valley is Anna’s daughter who was taken away from her and put in a children’s home on a remote island that is funded by the Van Traylen trust. As with many movies, nothing is revealed or happens until the end, well except the excitement at the beginning. This one was eye-opening in the fact that I believe Jordan Peele used Nothing But Night for his inspiration for Get Out; both suck by...

This one is odd, is it named Night Terror ( 1977 ) or Night Drive, Googling finds both? The guide with my television provider says Night Drive, but the tile is Night Terror as is the opening title screen, and Amazon lists it as Night Drive, too. Either way, I was impressed that MGM-HD showed it. I remember seeing it when I was a kid, well bits of it, like the guy with the voice modulator. Made for TV movies always hold back on what they show, and this is no different. This movie, though, has great thrills and drama. There are things that happen in this movie that make little sense, like her stopping and having a conversation with a drunk dude, then she decides to walk along the highway; um, there’s a dude following you in a car, how far do you think you’re gonna get? Valerie Harper has always had a special place in my heart since I was a kid because I loved her as Rhoda in the TV series of the same name and the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Seeing her in a different role was very cool. All in...

Deliverance ( 1972 ) is in the top five of the most bizarre thrillers I’ve ever seen. For those who’ve never seen the film, it’s a nice wholesome movie about four friends who go on a canoe trip down the Cahulawassee River before a hydroelectric dam is completed and floods the land. Well, that’s how it starts. The movie stars Burt Reynolds (without his iconic mustache, but don’t worry, he’s still sexy as fuck) as Lewis, who instigated the trip. Jon Voight, who I’d forgotten was in this, has top billing for his role as Ed. Ned Batty and Ronny Cox make their film debuts in their roles of Bobby and Drew. The rape scene is probably one most people know about in reference though they’ve never actually seen Deliverance. Also, fans of The Revolting Cocks are obviously aware of it because of the soundbites taken from this scene in their song Beers, Steers and Queers (1990). In truth, besides that, there isn’t much to this thriller besides the fight for survival. The excitement and the edge of t...

The Blood on Satan’s Claw ( 1971 ) isn’t the strangest film I’ve ever seen, but close. Someone called it “folk horror,” which I guess is as good of a term as any. The beautiful Linda Haydan plays Angel Blake, who is at the center of the turmoil happening in this rural area after she finds a claw in the soil that a plowboy had just turned and ran off afraid with his findings. Damn you, you old pagan. Would you like to know what happens to your precious pupils? Angel Blake A young woman grows a claw in the night, and when her fiancé, Peter, goes into the attic after she’s gone, he’s attacked by something living in the space below the floor. In his terror, he cuts off his own hand. These are just a few of the strange occurrences that happen in The Blood on Satan’s Claw. The revelation of what has caused all the young people to go mad, and a few of adults too, is weird, but not unexpected, well, mostly because of the title of the film. The special effects are well done for 1971 ...

Black Noon ( 1971 ) is a low-budget, made for TV Western Horror film that has some very rocky acting and sets that look like were made for a high school presentation of Oklahoma. That being said, it’s still a great movie and I’m quite surprised the content was allowed on TV. The ultra-dramatic musical score adds the cheese that this movie probably would miss if it weren’t present. The story is about Reverend John Keyes and his wife Lorna who are traveling through the desert and almost die from the heat. Townsfolk rescue them, and take them in to revive them. Deliverance (Yvette Mimieux) is mute, and does strange sign language to communicate. It doesn’t take long to figure out what she’s up to, and not because she has an orange cat; when you see this you’ll understand. There’s a touch of voodoo injected with the other magical happenings. The good Reverend even has some tempting sex dreams to fill the time in this dusty town. What would a western be without a bad boy gunslinger, donning ...