B-MOVIE OF THE MONTH - DEAD END (2003)

Made for less than a million dollars, the slightly obscure Dead End is a chilling little indie you don't want to miss. It might just be the best Christmas horror movie no one ever heard of and every dollar is up there on the screen. It's quirky, weird, funny, bizarre, and scary all at once. Black comedy for sure but much more, this would make a nice double feature with The Perfect Host, another movie we're big on around here. So, grab some eggnog and a snack or two and check out the inimitable Ray Wise with legendary Lin Shaye as they take their family down a wrong turn, what's up with this road? Why doesn't it end? After all, they're just trying to make it to Christmas Eve dessert at Frank's mother's house. Tubi, Plex, Freevee, enjoy! 2.75 stars/2.75

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

I ESCAPED FROM DEVILS ISLAND (1973) - ROGER CORMAN'S SHAMELESS TAKE ON 'PAPILLION'

 

Can anyone tell me what in this picture relates to Papillion? 

I suppose it should be mentioned first that I consider the original Papillion with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman to be the greatest prison movie ever made, second only to Cool Hand Luke. So, I'm probably going to be even more critical towards a Roger Corman version, especially one starring Jim Brown, the worst of the blaxploitation big name actors. (He's no Fred Williamson.)

A clunky stitch of scenes, Devils Island replicates just about every trope from the original - the officer, the guillotine, the jungle, lepers, etc. It's pretty pitiful stuff, bordering on "should never been made" territory. 

An obscurity up until recently,  Devils Island is now on Tubi, available for anyone to see, warts and all. It's worth at least one watch for B-movie lovers but expect to have that "I don't want to look at the car accident but I have to" feeling.   1.75 stars/2.75 

Link to a 3 min clip

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