PETER FONDA AND WARREN OATES GO ON A MOTORHOME OUTING WITH THEIR GIRLFRIENDS ONLY TO WIND UP IN A "RACE WITH THE DEVIL" (1975)

 

Peter Fonda and Warren Oates play a couple of motorcycle-loving pals who take their two girlfriends (Loretta Swit of Mash fame and Lara Parker from Save The Tiger) on a vacation in their 1975 state of the art motorhome. On their first night camping out the two boys witness a satanic cult across the river conducting a ritual where a young woman is murdered. Their cover is accidently blown and the chase is on between the cult leaders and the motorhome party. Every time the young couples escape the cult's horrific grasp and actions, the cult just keeps coming back with more vengeance. 

This drive-in gem had a lot of great talent attached to it. The lead actresses were perfectly cast and as a foursome the lot may be one of my favorite in horror movies. On the other side of the camera, Wes Bishop, a cinematic talent never given enough credit writes and produces here. The pace of the film once the chase is on does not let up till credits roll. Truly a drive-in horror 70's masterpiece, Race With The Devil is available on all the major outlets.  2.75 stars/2.75

A MOVIE-BUFF IS TRANSFORMING HIMSELF INTO CLASSIC MOVIE CHARACTERS AND ON A KILLING SPREE IN "FADE TO BLACK" (1980)

 

Dennis Christopher kills it as a disgruntled film services worker who lives in Venice and is a super movie geek. Problems getting along at work and rejection from a Marilyn Monroe lookalike sends him on a killing spree where he impersonates classic characters like The Mummy, Dracula, etc. The film features killer Los Angeles locations (love those old Victorians!) and a very early performance by Micky Roarke who looks like he just walked off the set of Body Heat, another film he was in that year. The script is excellent, very clever how they tie in Marilyn Monroe and the classics and Christopher completely goes to town relishing in his role. A total B-movie horror classic, Fade To Black is available on Shudder, AMC+ and VOD outlets. 2.75 stars/2.75

REST IN PEACE, ANNE HECHE - HERE'S ONE OF HER LESSER KNOWN PERFORMANCES AS A CONVICT'S PEN-PAL IN "AUGGIE ROSE" (2000) AKA BEYOND SUSPICION

 

Oh man, such a sad story and turn of events. I literally have not been myself since last Friday but am glad she is in peace now and didn't have to spend the rest of her life with those burns. I hope she rests in peace.

As has become kind of a tradition here at the B-Movie Gazette, we are showcasing a lesser-known performance by the artist that is worthy of attention from those who haven't seen it or those who may have forgot about the film and want to revisit it. And this one is a doosie, funny enough I had just watched this the same week she had her accident. 

Jeff Goldblum plays John Nolan, a married insurance salesman. He stops at a liquor store on the way home one night and witnesses a robbery and killing of a stock boy named Augie Rose. Rose dies on the way to the hospital and Nolan can't figure out why no one is coming forward to claim the body. Turns out Rose is a ex-con who has a pen-pal (Anne Heche) who is arriving on a bus to meet him for the first time the next week. Nolan steps in and takes the ex-con's place, the rest I won't give away. Trust me, it's a great drama or sleeper thriller if you will and both leading performances are awesome. Goldblum stepped in just two weeks prior to principal after William H Macy the original star had to bow out. 

Beyond Suspicion has unfortunately not entered the streaming world as of yet. DVD is the main route.  3.0 stars/5

WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED : A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR (2021) - MEET THE NEW HOLY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FOLK HORROR

 

Greetings All - Sorry for the delay in posting, crazy month. On sale right now for only seven dollars on Vudu is an epic documentary on the history of folk horror from it's beginning and it's ultimate impact on culture around the world. At over three hours in length and covering over 200 films, there simply has never been a documentary this thorough and comprehensive on the subject. Starting with the basic forerunners like Wicker Man and Witchfinder General the genre is tracked through the '70's (I loved the little segment on Psychomania, AKA Death Wheelers) and forward. The film is the brainchild of Kier-La Janisse and she is to be absolutely commended on a complete collection of folk horror movies she has included. I had to get a pen and pad out to jot down all the movies that caught my eye for whatever reason and I want to see. Which is pretty much what this blog is all about so I would recommend this documentary to any regular blog visitors here.   4.0 stars/5

LAWRENCE FISHBURNE IS AN EX-CON TRYING TO LIVE A CLEAN LIFE BUT IS "ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED, ALWAYS OUTGUNNED" (TV 1998)

 

Those in the over 50 crowd may remember these huge paperback ordeals called the VHS movie guides that were put out every year for a while. It was through one of these books that I first discovered this HBO made-for-cable gem. I remember the paragraph saying Fishburne commanded every shot and you wouldn't be able to take your eyes off him and they were right. Through the years I've turned many a movie lover onto this one, a film with a big heart and lots of dedication from the people that made it. Namely Fishburne, Walter Mosley and the legendary Bill Cobbs. Another one of the many big pluses is a stunning cameo from Isaiah Washington as a hood who chooses the wrong day to mess with Socrates Fortlow (Fishburne.)

Fortlow is an ex-con who strives to live a better life but due to a lot of his circumstances is yep, always outnumbered, always outgunned. He's trying hard to graduate from his can-collecting life and get a real job in West LA but the supermarket manager there (Laurie Metcalf) keeps showing him the door. Meanwhile, he befriends a neglected neighborhood boy who's fallen in with the wrong crowd. His best friend (Bill Cobbs, just incredible) is dying and the movie's ending sequence where they go out for one last drink together is about as real as it gets. 

This is one of those films I will never tire of singing it's praises. Enjoy.  2.75 stars/2.75