Remakes: Redux, or Ridiculous -- Mothers, Mannequins & Maniacs

 

In December, 1980, William Lustig's controversial horror favorite, MANIAC, was unleashed onto an unsuspecting world. It caused a critical uproar and media frenzy in relation to the films unrelenting array of savage violence and misogyny. It's among a handful of rough and rowdy genre pictures whose reputation is warranted -- remaining a powerful work some 33 years after its initial release. 

Fast forward to 2011, French filmmaker Alexandre Aja produced (along with his frequent writer/producer collaborator, Gregory Levasseur) a remake of the infamous slasher/character study with a mostly French crew and Franck Khalfoun directing. Below are my thoughts in how the new picture compares to the original shocker, and also notations of some of the similarities and differences between the two films.

THE MOVIES

MANIAC (1980) is a brutal, uncompromising motion picture that dwells on its viciousness. When it's not depicting women being terrorized, strangled, stabbed and scalped, its story unfolds almost entirely from the perspective of the title psychopath. Technically not a slasher movie, the movie begins much like a typical stalk and slash picture, but quickly descends into the all-encompassing madness of its title character for the remainder of its 90 minutes. This dedication to unsettle and nauseate the audience works perfectly. The slummy tinge of the 80s NYC only enhances the raw ambiance. However, the oppressive mean-spiritedness may leave some viewers cold to its touch. And therein lies the power and divisiveness of Lustig's movie. Much of the original films power lies in its lead star, Joe Spinell.

This shot, a reflection of the killer, is an homage to the original films iconic poster artwork.

The MANIAC remake evokes a faithfulness to Lustig's original that is commendable, and, like Aja's own HILLS HAVE EYES (2006) remake, installs a handful of alterations (some bigger than others) that deviate from what has come before. Moreover, its glossiness fails to achieve any semblance of reality that was captured the first time around. While visually striking and beautifully photographed, it's no match for Joe Spinell's soul-shattering one-man-freakshow that permeates every frame of the 1980 movie; which leads us to this particular films meat and potatoes...

THE MANIACS

Freddy Krueger was nothing without Robert Englund and Frank Zito just doesn't feel right without the irrepressibly lovable Joe Spinell filling those psycho killer shoes. He is the heart of the picture, so it's difficult to imagine anybody else essaying this role other than Spinell. His character quirks and nuances are stamped all over the film. MANIAC is literally 90 minutes of cinematic Joe onscreen. He does a magnificent job becoming this epically deranged character. So finding the right actor to even come close to emulating Spinell's unstable performance is no easy task.



Unfortunately, the filmmakers went for a daring choice in casting Elijah Wood, of all people. Apparently, a lot of folks who've seen the new film feel Wood does a great job in the part; and he does, only I had difficulty feeling any sense of revulsion emanating from his portrayal of a wacko with a mother complex. Spinell's serial killer is ripped from the headlines. Wood is little more than a standard horror movie villain enhanced by an ambitious gimmick (discussed below).

There have been some very successful remakes such as THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003) and DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004) and some duds like FRIDAY THE 13TH (2009) and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010). So what makes a FRIDAY THE 13TH movie? It's Jason, but moreover it's the violence Jason brings to those horny teenagers. People go to see the kills and the remake didn't deliver any that stood out. So what makes a NIGHTMARE movie? It's the wicked personality, and nightmarish world of Freddy Krueger, and the limp remake didn't have those, either.



Frank Zito, as played by Joe Spinell, is what makes MANIAC (1980) an unsettling experience. Tom Savini's splattery gore effects stand out as appalling displays of latex craftsmanship; but without that frighteningly effective portrayal of Frank, the gore is all you got. And for all the glossy bells and whistles, and tip o' the hat from the remake, that's ultimately all it has, too.



Elijah Wood (Frodo in the LORD OF THE RINGS movies) plays Frank much differently in the remake. The mother complex remains, but his insecurities emerge when in the company of women (see above photo). He not only hates them, but he's terrified of them; all but Anna, at least. This is in direct contradiction with Spinell's interpretation of the character. He's very friendly and something of a ladies man on occasion, at least till his evil side surfaces. In regards to Anna, both Frank's want to kill her, but they're intrigued by her because of their shared interest in "keeping beauty alive forever."



In Lustig's movie, Frank was anything but indifferent towards the fairer sex. He was a charmer. He could mask that evil behind his smile. This is what made Spinell's Frank Zito real and frightening -- he could be your neighbor, or blend in with the crowd virtually unnoticed. Not so with Wood's depiction of Frank, who draws attention to himself, and stumbles around in broad daylight suffering from recurring headaches.

Khalfoun's movie integrates a unique innovation that, at least in my eyes, proves to be the films biggest detriment when compared with the original movie. It's shot almost entirely from a first person perspective. A lot of reviewers state that this approach made them feel compliant, or taking part in the murder scenes as if they were the killer. I never felt this way. I guess I couldn't get past the fact that Elijah Wood was nowhere near the ballpark where Joe Spinell was hitting home runs with his skin-crawling rendition of the composite killer he wrote for himself.

We rarely ever see Wood -- save for reflections in mirrors and objects; and moments when he's committing some of the kill scenes. We barely ever see Wood actually acting out the role of Frank. We hear him occasionally, but all the jittery mannerisms, odd bodily movements, groans, heavy breathing, and unnervingly teary delivery brought to life by Joe Spinell is totally lost here. 

Furthermore, Frank Zito's past isn't visualized via flashbacks in Lustig's picture. We get just enough information through Spinell's line delivery. On the remakes side of the coin, we are shown a series of flashbacks as opposed to envisioning his sickening upbringing in our minds. Ironically, we're denied Frank's pain exuded from the actors body language in the new film since we hardly ever see him.



For me, this was the portion of the movie I was partially intrigued and leery of prior to seeing it -- wondering just how Elijah Wood's interpretation was going to turn out. He didn't seem the right actor for it, and after seeing the film, I maintain that opinion. I recall the original films director, William Lustig suggested Tom Sizemore for the role, which was an interesting, and more logical choice. Still, it was an unusual, and brave gamble the filmmakers made in casting the title role. Most seem pleased with it; only in my opinion, it wasn't the right decision.

THE GORE & VIOLENCE




The original movie uses all practical effects. There was no choice, obviously. Tom Savini's juicy exploding heads, severed limbs, scalpings and other latex 'n blood magic still look good today. Despite the extreme nature of the gore, only the exploding head scene is lingered upon for any length of time. The camera stays on it till the last piece of brain matter and scraps of skull rest against the blood-stained car interior. There's also a fairly uncomfortable strangling that seems to go on forever. Suffocation is one of the numerous plot details imported from William Lustig's original movie.




The new film mixes practical gore with (occasionally) unconvincing computer generated violence. The scalpings are front and center here, and we see a few of them in graphic detail. The original only had one that was shown (see insert), but we never saw the entire skin and hair removal. The new film revels in them. However, some of the scalping effects are a bit cartoony; particularly the one at the beginning. Frank has barely cut into the girls forehead and her entire scalp comes loose like a wet band-aid. One of the later scalpings is far more grotesque, and that's because it appears to give Frank some trouble cutting it off.



Compared to other remakes that are as good as, or, dare I say, better than their originals, the 2012 MANIAC is, while very well made, an average remake. For me, this is based solely on what made the original movie so memorably reprehensible -- Joe Spinell's skin-crawling portrayal. Elijah Wood just doesn't do it for me. Below are a list of ten comparisons and alterations between the two movies -- a few of which were mentioned above.

1. The 80s MANIAC showcases a Frank Zito with a disturbing fascination with mannequins and bloody scalps of the women he kills. Not only does he use them as bizarre examples of art, he also sleeps with them. While we spend the entire film with Frank, we never see him at a job other than stalking and killing women. He later tells Anna (Caroline Munro) that he's a painter. We do see various paintings adorning his walls presumably done by him (see background of insert photo).

The MANIAC of 2012 inherits his family's business where he partakes in antique restoration with an accent towards repairing mannequins. Unlike the first movie, we actually see our killer at work performing duties that don't always involve butchering women. His usage of mannequins mirrors that of the 1980 movie.

2. The locale of MANIAC (1980) was NYC. The limited, but grimy settings added an element of societal decay that only reinforces the films raw brutality.

The new MANIAC (2012) takes place in Los Angeles. Aside from a couple street shots in and around a theater marquee, the locations are as glossy and clean as the film stock. This is a stark contrast to the squalidity seen in Lustig's movie.



3. The character of Anna (played by Caroline Munro in the original and Nora Arnezeder in the remake) is a photographer in both pictures. She's single in the 1980 movie and there are hints she's possibly attracted to Frank on a romantic level.

In the 2012 version, you're led to believe Anna's single, and possibly interested in Frank; he's definitely interested in her, but an abrupt revelation late in the film reveals she has a boyfriend already.

4. In the original movie, Frank's attraction to Anna stems from her photographic profession. His "profession", twisted as it is, involves capturing a woman's beauty by removing their scalps and attaching them to store mannequins. His works of art are completed by dressing them in the dead women's attire. As short-lived as their relationship is, Anna is the first woman he shows any level of moderate affection for. When he's around her, he's strikingly debonair in this respect -- the antithesis of his evil alter ego.

Frank meets Anna much sooner in the remake; at approximately 20 minutes in (as opposed to 50 minutes into the original). Frank's infatuation with her is also more profound in the new film. The new Frank is not the suave ladies man of Lustig's film. He never appears confident, and is overly nervous and rattled during close, intimate encounters with females.

5. Spinell's Frank relays to Anna that his mother was killed in an automobile accident when he was a young boy. Through some of Frank's monologues, we can speculate that he may have actually killed his mother at some point. We also see (and hear) that his mother was abusive to him both physically and mentally.



Wood's version of Frank explains to Anna that his mother passed away the previous summer. Unlike the first movie, we see a few flashbacks showing Frank's mother prostituting herself in front of him. The physical abuse aspect is vague, or absent altogether. So we're left with a child whose mother's sexual proclivities drove him to become unhinged.

6. Both films have great scores -- the original films soundtrack is a synth driven collection of haunting vocal orations and stinging chords that raise a goosebump or two. The new film is likewise synth driven, and while familiar, it's more melancholy than nerve-jangling. The music by the single named Rob in Khalfoun's movie is extraordinarily good.



7. Joe Spinell's MANIAC is a lumbering slob of a man. He talks to himself, talks to his mannequins, both loves and hates his mother. His body bears scars of an abused upbringing. He even has a couple of shrines to her in his room amidst a gallery of toys, dolls and other childhood paraphernalia. His mannerisms evoke a deeply disturbed individual. He looks scary, and even more so when he turns on his face of normalcy.

Elijah Wood's MANIAC is of slight build, short, and doesn't look threatening at all till he has a bladed implement in his hands. He's withdrawn, gets nervous around women, and also loves and hates his mother. Aside from his bloody mannequin collection, there's nothing else in his room that divulges a twisted connection to his early years. His bodily mannerisms are difficult to ascertain since we rarely ever see him other than hear his voice, or see his hands (which often look really dirty). This love/hate character trait is the only shared emotional quality between the two killers.




8. Both MANIAC's have a fondness for scalping their victims and nailing them to the heads of mannequins. The newer maniac adds some CGI flies swarming around the bloody scalps giving the impression that Frank's domicile might not smell very pleasant. Even so, he lives in the back of his workshop, yet nobody who enters (we only ever see Anna inside the shop) seems to smell anything unusual.




9. MANIAC (1980), outside of a couple brief snippets, unfolds entirely from the killers perspective. The camera rarely leaves his face. The viewer spends 90 minutes with Joe Spinell. We watch him have conversations with himself, to his "collection" -- vocalizing as if his mother is in the room with him. This startling performance is the films greatest strength.

MANIAC (2012) is likewise told from the killers perspective, but takes a novel approach by enabling the viewer to see everything the killer sees from his POV. Save for a handful of scenes, the entire movie unspools from a first person view. This device is an original approach for this sort of movie, but we're robbed of a visualized emotional rollercoaster from the lead actor; or as close to emulating the tour de force that was Joe Spinell. 



10. The original MANIAC concludes with Frank returning to his apartment after chasing, and attempting to kill Anna. Once there, he imagines himself being torn apart by his victims. He's discovered by two cops apparently dead from a self-inflicted stab wound.



The finale of the new MANIAC ends structurally the same way, but dramatically changes some key elements. The only alteration I'll mention is that the finale occurs during broad daylight versus the dark of night from the original.

THE LAST WORD

MANIAC (1980) may not be a mainstream horror favorite, but its notoriety is well deserved. Despite what you may think of it, or how the picture makes you feel viewing it, there's no denying the punch to the gut you receive from watching Joe Spinell masticate scene after scene of one of horrors most vile movies. The violence gets most, if not all the attention, but there's a bounty of expositional loot lying just under the surface.

The new version of MANIAC lacks the wallop of a Spinellian performance, but treats the material respectfully -- much like Aja's prior remake projects. Aside from two major deviations (the POV motif and a portion of the finale), and a few alterations here and there, this would never be mistaken as anything other than a remake of the 1980 movie. It takes some gambles that, in this viewers opinion, never totally pay off. It's a middle of the road remake, but succeeds in regards to production value, direction and a string of creatively gruesome scenes. The latter of which, is the one area where the successor surpasses its descendant. The 2012 interpretation is recommended on its fresh approach, even if this reviewer feels it's not entirely successful in its ambitions.

Movies That Dripped Blood: 12 of the Best Anthology Horror Films

Anthologies in the horror genre have averaged around ten per decade since the 1960s. The format enjoyed its first burst during those years after the moderately entertaining DR. TERRORS HOUSE OF HORRORS (1965) made an impact at the box office. From there, omnibus horror exploded in the 70s and beyond. Many of the cinematic compendiums that followed varied wildly in quality. The following are my picks for the Best Anthology horror films. There are others that are good, but you can't go wrong with this sampler of a dozen fang-tastic fear features of multi-tiered terror tales.

1. DEAD OF NIGHT (1945)

This British B/W feature is one of the earliest attempts at an omnibus format; and unfortunately, this vintage spooker is seldom spoken of in horror circles. It would seem to be highly influential on the genre, most noticeably THE TWILIGHT ZONE television series. It's more unsettling than scary, and much of what is here has been done many times over. Still, it's well worth tracking down just to see such an early example of the anthology style. The chiaroscuro cinematography captures a mood color rarely seizes, and ends up as one of this films strongest assets.

 

The five tales (not counting the framing device) deal with a race car driver's encounter with a hearse after a serious accident; a woman who discovers a cherubic specter in a haunted house; a wife buys her husband a supernatural mirror previously owned by a murderer; a love triangle involving a ghostly game of golf; and a sincerely creepy tale of a ventriloquist and his dummy who may or may not have a life of his own.

The wraparound concerns a man stopping over at a country house where the revelers all detail their macabre dreams. The finale could be deemed derivative, but considering this was 1945, it's totally fresh, surreal, and definitely disturbing.

Creepiest Tale: Britain's premiere portmanteau picture saves the best for last. The story revolving around the ventriloquist and his devilish dummy usurps the others in sheer grim atmosphere.

 Throwaway Tale: Easily the comedic entry with the spectral golfer and his rivalry with a living friend is the weakest link of this antiquated, and visually striking horror movie from across the pond.

2. BLACK SABBATH (1963)

Mario Bava's gloriously ghoulish anthology is rife with atmosphere, and, in its original Italian form, not necessarily for children -- at least some of the films subtext and violence didn't sit well with co-producers from AIP. Through the magic of alternate footage and scissor-like editing, much of this adult tinged material was made safer for the monster craving kiddies infiltrating matinee showings.

In its original form, Bava's trifecta of terror contained tales of a revenge seeking husband on former lesbian lovers, a family terrorized by a vampiric patriarch and a night nurse whose theft of a dead mediums ring proves costly. There's no framing device outside of an intro and outro by Boris Karloff. In contrast, the fascinating, deliriously compiled US cut features intros to each segment by Karloff.

Creepiest Tale: 'A Drop of Water' is no flash in the pan. Truly one of the most terrifying pieces of horror cinema ever constructed and still packs a wallop today. Dialog is minimal and confined to the beginning and last few moments leaving sights and sounds to relay the pure horror Mario Bava created in this marvelous goosebumper.

Throwaway Tale: The inaugural item here, 'The Telephone' is moderately at odds with the more supernatural elements of the proceeding two entries. Taken into context with the original Italian title (THE THREE FACES OF FEAR), it fits, but nonetheless, it's the least horror inducing of the three.

3. KWAIDAN (1965) 

Masaki Kobayashi's 3 hour visual assault is macabre poetry in motion. Artistically inclined, the film is punctuated by an unusual morbidity that resonates in all four ghost stories. What makes KWAIDAN stand out from other multi-story format films is its frequent lack of dialog married to surreal, painted landscapes brilliantly echoing a Kabuki style theatricality. There are long stretches where no dialog is uttered -- visuals are saturated in dissonant chords and nerve-jangling sound effects. It's really a remarkable movie that was unjustly ignored in its native Japan.

The stories are: A destitute samurai abandons his loyal wife to marry a wealthy lords daughter. Years later, he realizes the wrong he's done, and returns home to find his seemingly ageless wife still waiting for him; a woodcutter near death in a snowstorm is pitied by a lady specter who promises to spare him so long as he never reveals what he's seen; a blind musician's instrumental abilities attracts the ghosts of dead samurai; and finally, a swordsman finds the reflection of a dead samurai staring back at him in his cup of tea. There is no framing device.

 

CreepiestTale: While the first two entries are inherently spooky, the third, 'Hoichi, the Earless' is the longest, and ghastly of the quartet. The segment is so memorable, its main shock proponent turned up as a plot device in Kuei Chi Hung's HEX (1980). 

Throwaway Tale: 'In a Cup of Tea' has a few moments of distinct hauntedness, but never quite wraps things up in a sufficiently satisfying way. The ambiguous ending is appreciated by some, but I was hoping for a more direct instance of closure.

4. THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (1970)

Amicus cornered the market on anthologies for an eight year period between 1965 and 1973. This one is their best, and most consistently entertaining of the lot. The quality of their horror compendiums varied, but they were all different in some way. HOUSE benefits from a unique, experimental, and sincerely eerie music score; and a stellar cast of British horror familiars including Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

The segments are built around a house of death and the fates of those who live there. The four stories detail a horror novelist whose newest creation has seemingly come to life; a waxworks museum hides a gruesome secret discovered by two friends who loved the same woman; the husband of a witch learns his daughter has taken up her dead mother's activities; and a horror film actor seeks an authentic cloak for use in his new vampire picture. The framing device concerns an inspector investigating the house and the deaths of its occupants. At the end, he finds what he's looking for.

Creepiest Tale: Picking just one in my favorite of Amicus' anthologies is a difficult task, but I'll go with 'The Cloak'. Not only is it occasionally eerie, it also sports a sardonic wit and self-awareness absent in the others. In addition, it contains a humorous jab at Christopher Lee's interpretation of Dracula.

Throwaway Tale: While I do like the episode, 'Waxworks' gets the pick for the sole reason that it is the only story that doesn't take place within the title abode. It's boiling over with unsettling imagery, just the same.

5. TALES FROM THE CRYPT (1972)

A favorite of many, it seemed only natural that if there were to be an anthology based on the controversial EC comic books, Amicus would be the logical studio to bring it to life. Another fine cast is assembled, and a uniformly grim atmosphere grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go for a hundred minutes. The familiar tones of Douglas Gamley resonate on the soundtrack with that signature Amicus sound of his. The gore is subtle and the tales are all rather faithful to their source material.

A wife has just killed her husband on Christmas Eve as a madman in a Santa Claus suit stalks outside; an adulterer abandons his family for his lover which leads to disastrous consequences; an old man is tormented by a neighbor and gets his just desserts from beyond the grave; a statue grants wishes to a couple having financial troubles and get more than they bargained for; and a group of blind elderly men gain retribution on an insensitive manager of a rest home.

Creepiest Tale: Tough call, but 'Blind Alleys' wins for building a suitably self-serving, callous villain whose just desserts is unusually cruel, but elaborate in its creation and execution by a mob of blind men out for retribution.

Throwaway Tale: 'Reflection of Death' is easily the lesser of the five evils seen here. Its cyclical, premonition reveal is executed unenthusiastically by director Freddie Francis. But then, there wasn't much meat on the bones of the original EC comics story.

6. FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (1973)

Prior to embarking on movies about lost worlds and dinosaurs, producer John Dark and director Kevin Conner collaborated on Amicus Studios final cinematic compendium. Thankfully, the company was able to go out on a high note with these four pieces of macabre maleficence.

Customers buy unusual items at 'Temptations Limited' run by Peter Cushing. The way the patrons acquire their purchases reflects how their stories turn out. The entries are -- a mirror harboring an evil spirit compels a man to murder; a war medal leads a frustrated husband to the home of a creepy former soldier and his daughter; a couples home is invaded by an evil Elemental; and a sinister looking door belonging to an occultist magically opens up the devil worshipers domain.

 

Creepiest Tale: All four are good, but my favorite would be the second, 'An Act of Kindness' with Donald and Angela Pleasence. It has the most surprising sting in the tail of the four. The performances of father and daughter Pleasence resonates an unsettling air just by their limited expressions alone.

Throwaway Tale: The lesser of the four would be 'The Door' -- the last story -- based solely on the fact that it's essentially a re-working of the segment that opens the movie; but substitutes a door for a mirror. It's an entertaining, well photographed segment, but the familiarity with the opening tale is unmistakable.

7. TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975)

Dan (DARK SHADOWS TV series) Curtis directed this terror-ific Made For TV triple threat that obtained a cult following akin to Spielberg's superb suspenser DUEL from 1971. The fan love for TOT comes unanimously from its third segment, 'Amelia', the films third and final story. That segment was so terrifyingly memorable, it was later released solo on VHS tape in the early 1990s as TERROR OF THE DOLL. The first two stories are moderately engaging, but inferior to the implacability of the final segment. If not for the ferocity of this entry, TOT would likely be forgotten. The late Richard Matheson wrote the three stories.

The segments deal with a student who develops a fascination with his English teacher, only to learn she isn't all that she seems to be; a doctor becomes embroiled in a rivalry between two malevolent sisters; and a woman purchases a Zuni fetish doll that comes to murderous life.

Creepiest Tale: Without question 'Amelia' hits the horror home run here. The killer Zuni doll is among the most memorably frightening creations of old school horror. It's so unforgettable, Dan Curtis revived it in a direct sequel story in the 1996 Made For Cable TRILOGY OF TERROR 2 as 'He Who Kills'.

Throwaway Tale: 'Julie' is fairly uneventful. Actually, the first two stories together aren't all that enthralling. Still, Karen Black's performance in all three stories is exceptional, and varied.

8. CREEPSHOW (1982)

George Romero and Stephen King joined forces for this superlative EC comics tribute that packs five stories and a wraparound segment into a 2+ hour horror smorgasbord. The devotion to William Gaines's controversial four color fear books is apparent throughout in a unique visual palette that emulates the panels found in comics. The gore level is high, the comedy is dark, and the cast is incredible.

These five tales concern a dead man who returns from the grave for a vengeance fueled holiday; a lonesome hillbilly finds a meteorite thinking it will bring him fortune, but instead brings him a lot of bad luck; infidelity leads a husband to devise a gruesome revenge on his wife and lover; a professor discovers a decades old crate hiding a very hungry secret; and finally, a bigoted, self-centered clean-freak's fear of cockroaches materializes in his specially made apartment. The framing device -- such as it is -- sees a brutish father tossing out his son's "crap" copy of the Creepshow comic, and pays for it during the concluding moments of the film. 

Creepiest Tale: This honor goes to 'The Crate' -- a great monster, a lovely in-joke, juicy Tom Savini gore and believable characters all amount to a compact, 37 minute monster flick.

Throwaway Tale: While it's hilarious watching Stephen King play a hillbilly outcast, 'The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill' is more comedy than horror. It's fun, but flaccid; its finish is more pinch than sting. Still, the utterance of "Meteor shit!" is one of the more memorable moments from the movie.

9. FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM (1987)

Easily the most grotesque anthology of the 1980s. Jeff Burr's inaugural movie is rife with creativity and nauseating subject matter. Grim from start to finish, it never lets go. All the stories are relatively strong with powerful punchlines. While CREEPSHOW had an air of macabre frivolity about it, Burr's movie is simply ferocious. Only the framing device contains a darkly humorous tone about it.

The four sordid stories of Oldfield, Tennessee consist of -- a disturbed man has a thing for dead women; an injured criminal meets an old codger in the swamp who has the key to eternal life; a traveling band of carnival freaks are terrorized by their voodoo practicing boss; and a group of Civil War soldiers run afoul of a band of peculiar children living in isolation in the woods. The framing device provides a slight surprise, but lacks the nasty tone of the actual stories. Boasts a stellar cast, too.

Creepiest Tale: To say the fourth episode is repugnant would be redundant where Burr's movie is concerned. It's not only revolting, but it's frightening, too, mainly because of the creepy commune of children. Think Lord of the Flies meets CHILDREN OF THE CORN (1984) and you get a general idea, just far more unsettling.

Throwaway Tale: It's difficult to nail down a lesser segment here, but the carnival story would be it for the sole reason that the shock ending is the least shocking.

10. TALES FROM THE HOOD (1995)

The first black-themed anthology horror film comes from Rusty Cundieff. It's a socially relevant picture that touches on a number of topics from racism to child abuse to inner city violence and drug dealing. Despite its obvious liberal leaning politicizing, the makers had enough forethought to not saturate the entire movie in propaganda. The last tale at least makes an effort to cover territory the media seldom traverses.

The four stories begin with black vengeance from beyond the grave on three racist cops; the second is about a young schoolboy named Walter who says there's a monster in his house; the third deals with an ex-Klan member turned politician who is besieged by a grisly group of dolls possessed by spirits of dead slaves; the last concerns a drug dealer who, after being shot, must confront his victims as part of a bizarre series of experiments, or is it? The framing device reveals the fate of our three young drug dealers. If you're familiar with some of the more well known anthology pictures of old, you can guess the finish.

Creepiest Tale: Two stories (the 2nd and 4th) vie for the most satisfying segment; but for me, the second story, 'Boys Do Get Bruised' roughs up the rest mainly for the soul-breaking performance of David Alan Grier. His career as a funnyman is erased with this heated, brutal performance.

Throwaway Tale: 'Rogue Cop Revelation' wimps out as little more than a standard revenge yarn; and neither an accent slipping villain portrayal by Wings Hauser, or the decent shock ending can salvage it. The only average entry of the bunch.

11. TRICK 'R TREAT (2009)

Michael Dougherty's intriguing compendium of seasonal spookery went virtually unseen for two years before it found a home on DVD, bypassing theatrical release altogether. It's limited circuit run allowed horror fans to ponder exactly why it wasn't given even a nominal release in theaters. I did see the trailer at the multiplex, but the film never debuted. Instead of the usual omnibus template of stories unrelated to one another, these four entries (and the framing device) overlap one another -- unraveling in a non-linear fashion over the course of Halloween night. The running theme concerns the rules of Halloween -- break them and suffer at the hands of Sam, a holiday creature hidden behind a nightmarish burlap shroud.

 

The terror begins with a single parent, child murdering school principal trying to dispose of his new victim; next, five young teens travel to a rock quarry where a busload of mentally handicapped kids were sent to a watery grave; a vampiric killer meets a group of young lovelies en-route to a special kind of Halloween party; and an old scrooge with a murderous past gets a mysterious visitor. The framing device literally ties all the stories together. The opening murder sequence, just before the segments begin to unspool, is reminiscent of a slasher picture.

Creepiest Tale: The story with the party girls and their one "virginal" member -- she's dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and encounters a fang-toothed killer. It's the one segment that has the most candy in its sack yielding one heckuva sting in the tail.

Throwaway Tale: None of the entries are lacking, but the last with the old man engaging in a bloody battle with Sam (like Samhain) has the least amount of plot till the last few minutes when it ties itself up with an earlier tale. It also recalls the 'Halloween Candy' episode from the first season of TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE (1983-1988).

12. THE THEATER BIZARRE (2011)

One of the best, and eccentric of the current crop of omnibus horror, as well as the most focused, mature, and experimental. Akin to the multi-director pattern applied to 1945s DEAD OF NIGHT and 1990s TWO EVIL EYES, this ghoulishly bizarre theatrical experience packs in six macabre stories with six different directors; seven if you include Jeremy Kasten's wraparound segment. Artistic flourishes abound here; and melded with gruesome gore and subject matter. These ingredients make for a startling marriage of unique imagery. It's not entirely successful, of course, but it's well worth your investment. Udo Kier and Catriona MacColl are among the cast for added enthusiasm.

A couple vacationing in Europe are enticed by a strange woman who claims to own a copy of the Necronomicon; sexual dysfunction leads a woman to split with her husband, only he isn't ready to let go; an abusive husband divulges to a psychologist his recurring nightmares of vagina dentata; a mother and daughter discuss the nature of death; a disturbed woman extracts ocular fluid from near dead druggies, then injects the juice into her own eyes so as to see what they experienced; a food obsessed couple's relationship is about to end till the doting boyfriend begs her not to leave and regrets it later. The framing device that gets the show on the road involves an artist who enters a rundown theater that has inexplicably opened across the street. A living marionette indulges the girl as the stories unfold.

Creepiest Tale: The nasty number titled 'Sweets' takes the cake. You'll likely eventually pick up on where this episode is headed, but the surreal imagery of people stuffing their faces with food may turn some off before the scrumptious, culinary conclusion.

Throwaway Tale: It's provocative in its way, but 'The Accident' is bereft of horror; and while it's well shot and directed, it simply does not fit within the parameters laid down by the other segments.

Since 2010, there's been an influx of anthology horror films that shows the format to not be slowing down any time soon. Here's hoping this style of motion picture maintains fresh blood in its veins in the coming years.