REST IN PEACE, TERI GARR - ICONIC 'YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN' ACTRESS PASSES AT 79, OUR TRIBUTE IS A LITTLE DRAMA CALLED "FIRSTBORN" (1984)

 

A stunningly beautiful woman and gifted actress (especially in comedy,) Teri Garr rocked the 70's and 80's like no other. 

Here we present a Paramount feature from 1984 where Garr plays a divorcee who starts dating a fast-talking charmer (Peter Weller) with a questionable character. He leads Garr into a druggy lifestyle which forces her older son (Christopher Collett, a couple years post-Sleepaway Camp and hands down his best ever performance here) to become the appropriate evictor of this bad man who has wormed his way into their house and life. 

This is a complete dramatic role for Garr, not much comedy here, I think it's a great pick to show another side of her talents. As far as the rest of the cast, I wouldn't even know where to begin - everyone is great here, especially a very young Sarah Jessica Parker, Corey Heim's debut and a very early Robert Downey, Jr , just a couple years before he would really break with Back To School and Less Than Zero. Weller would go on to Robocop fame just a few years after as well. 

Firstborn was big on the late-night cable circuit in the years following it's release. This is how most people were first exposed to the film. In contrast to our B-Movie Of The Month, Firstborn doesn't try to deliver any messages about the dangers of drug use and the lifestyle - act three shifts up to action mode between Collett and Weller. Some reviewers gave the film low marks because of this but I like the way this film just sticks to the suspense, acting and darkness of subject matter to drive it to it's happy if not 80's predictable ending. 

Rest in peace, Teri Garr. Streams on VOD only right now but trust me, this is worth seeking out, whatever format you watch in it.      3.5 stars/5

THERE''S ONLY ONE "RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD" (1985) - IT'S A DEAD MAN'S PARTY, WHO COULD ASK FOR MORE?

 

Greetings All & Horrific Halloween - This 1985 comedy-horror hybrid perfecto starring James Karen and Clu Gallager has yet to be featured as our B-Movie Of The Month. But it certainly should be, it's essential B-movie viewing ha ha. Check out the trailer above and then check out the flick itself on Tubi, Pluto or Freevee. 2.75 stars/2.75

Going to be an early wrap on the October issue, folks, as I have to attend to something for a few days. 

Here are a few more horror reposts from the horrific past >

GRIZZLY II (1983/2020) - VERY POSSIBLY THE WORST MOVIE EVER MADE NEXT TO BLOODSUCKING FREAKS 

WILLIAM H MACY IN "EDMOND" (2005) - A GUY WHO IS TOTALLY UNHINGED WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN LA AT NIGHT 

MY REVIEW OF "THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER" (2023)

Here are the three hints for November's B-Movie Of The Month-1 -it's one of the most (the most!) iconic TV movies of the entire '70's decade 2- That's not David Cassidy!  3-  the subject matter was once considered America's biggest enemy.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN C YOU SOON

MORE "NOTLD" ALTERNATIVES - "A NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD" (2014) "REBIRTH" (2020) & "A NIGHT OF THE UNDEAD" (2022) - ALL CLUNKERS

 

A NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (2014) - In one sentence - a super low-budget "Wales" remake. I lasted 22 minutes w this one. The best I can say about it is they were certainly passionate about the project, can always appreciate that. And it's kinda cool they made it in black n white. Official You Tube above.  0.75 stars/2.75

REBIRTH (2020) - Oh boy, this one is a trip alright. For some reason Barbra's character is a guy, I think he's gay but I'm not sure nor do I care. All the zombies have eyes that beam light, also have no idea what that's about. And worse of all, this moves slower than a snail travelling thru peanut butter. 0.5 stars/2.75

A NIGHT OF THE UNDEAD (2022) - For those that want to get even further out in the Twilight Zone of NOTLD remakes, check out this mockumentary with a premise I'm still not sure makes sense. It basically treats the 1968 movie like that was a documentary and the events depicted true instead of fiction and then this mockumentary explores whether or not it actually happened or was a hoax. Am I making sense? I didn't think so, I lasted 19 minutes with this one.   0.25 stars/2.75 

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990) - ORIGINALLY RECEIVED POORLY, TOM SAVINI REMAKE APPRECIATED MORE IN LATER YEARS...BUT NOT BY ME

 

1990 was a weird year for movies - many films from this year seem to have one foot still in the eighties but the other foot unsure of which way to walk. The only NOTLD official remake, directed by special effects extraordinaire Tom Savini, in collaboration with George Romero, is one such film. At the same time, it struggles within itself to stay in homage to the original but be something new at the same time. Originally audiences and critics gave it a thumbs down, citing this same misguided nature. Future decades would be much kinder to this unique remake, but I still have lots of problems with it. 

My biggest complaint of many is the casting and in particular Patricia Tallman in the lead as Barbra (not to mention her hairdo.) I understand in this version Barbra is not supposed to be a passive wimp like the original but a warrior instead, as merciless in killing the zombies as Ben and the rest. Still, I don't understand this casting choice. And even worse, the guy they chose to play Cooper - he just doesn't have that annoying vibe about him like the original, which btw, was played by one of the shareholders, he wasn't even a pro actor. Tony Todd, however, is awesome as Ben and one of the main reasons to watch this. 

The things that work - my biggest plus here is the exclusion of all the TV and radio reports from the original and just sticking to the action and rest of the plot. The zombies of course are awesome, thanks to Savini. Music is excellent but still doesn't come close to matching the original. The opening sequence in the graveyard, I like the little changes they make. 

I've come to realize over time with this and lots of the sequels how special the original farmhouse from 1968 is. That house in a lot of ways is one of the main characters of the original and it casts such a perfectly desolate and creepy backdrop that is just not there in any other version. Maybe it was haunted.

Savini never really found his footing as a director and to me, he is to blame for the mixed bag this ultimately became. Still, as a homage, and firmly putting down roots for the last three decades, it's too late now - Savini's version is part of NOTLD's permanent family history, like it or not.

Streams on Tubi and Pluto. 2.5 stars/5