RottenWorks

Deer Woman – Masters of Horror – Rating 4 out of 5

"Why does everything have to have a why with you people? You know, it’s a woman with deer legs, motive really isn’t an issue here."

An offbeat horror comedy about a series of murders where the victims are beaten into mince meat by their attacker. Without leaving any evidence the police struggle to understand what is happening with these bizarre trucker murders.

One of the better episodes in this series. Brian Benben makes this movie work as Dwight Faraday who is sent to investigate a bizarre trucker murder. What he discovers is a large bloody mess – apparently the victim and not much else. Dwight and his new partner "Jacob Reed" (Anthony Griffith) continue to investigate the murder even after homicide has picked up the case.

The two continue to check the evidence, come up with theories and stumble on the "Deer Woman", a Native American legend of a woman with deer legs who seduces men and leads them to their doom.

There is no mystery about "Whodunnit" since we know who the culprit is right from the opening scene, but it’s an amusing and simple movie with a quirky and dark sense of humor. The blood and gore is at a minimum which is good since the Masters of Horror don’t know special effects for shit and sloppy effects don’t ruin a humor romp.

Cinthia Moura is amusing in a completely non-speaking role. You have to note she simply smiles and nods her heads through the movie. That and show of her chest. But I have to say, it’s an amazing chest and the movie is worth watching just to have a look. Ay Dios Mio!

It’s a fun movie done in the same style as "American Werewolf in London". A little blood and guts to keep things interesting, a wacky story line and some offbeat characters. I have been disappointed in several offerings from MOH, but I like this one. Not the for the same reason I like "The Black Cat", but it has a certain charm that makes it worthwhile.

Technorati : american werewolf in london, brian benben, dark comedy, deer woman, john landis, moh

Dreams in the Witch House – Masters of Horror – Rating 3 out of 5

Based on an H.P. Lovecraft tale of a stressed out student in less than charming living accommodations who begins to hear sounds behind the walls and see strange figures. A rat with a human face gives him a warning about the strange events but he’s more concerned with getting in the pants of the single mom who lives in the same building. The movie is pretty predictable and the ending isn’t very satisfying, but there are some good jumps along the way and the old house certainly has its place for setting the mood.

Walter is a grad student who needs a quiet place to study. He takes a room at a run down house. He begins to hear strange noises and see visions. In a rather absurd assumption he thinks there is a gateway to another dimension in his room. Or maybe it was the rat with the human face there was a hidden dimension there. As a side note whoever is in charge of special effects for MOH needs to be stopped. They are the worse props and CGI work I have ever seen. They look tragically fake and childish. To put it simply, if it’s not blood flying around the room these guys have no idea how to make an effect and it’s really destroying their stories.

Anyway, Walter things there is an evil presence in the house and that it’s going after his neighbor’s baby. He sees visions of figures trying to sacrifice the baby. He is even seduced by a figure that looks like the baby’s mother (Chelah Horsdal).

The nightmares become worse and Walter finds out the crazy old man downstairs has some insight into the whole affair and why he has that pentagram scratched into his back.

Walter finally has had enough and breaks into the wall in the corner of the room and discovers a mass grave and apparently unleashes all hell.

Slow, simple and not much of a plot this movie really doesn’t go anywhere. Walter sees and hears things he can’t explain. The ending doesn’t sum things up and we are left hanging. Stuart Gordon directed the Black Cat which I really like, but this is nowhere near as good or tight. Too many loose ends and plot holes keep this from being too much of a keeper.

Sounds Like – Masters of Horror – Rating 3 out of 5

Predictable but still somewhat interesting, Sounds Like has an interesting premise but doesn’t really deliver a whole lot. It’s an interesting view of the world from the point of view of someone who can hear almost everything. Rain drops are a pounding menace, knives on a plate are deafening and the ticking of a clock can drive you mad. The sounds of Larry’s world are driving him mad and he’s starting to take steps to stop them.

This movie will make you think more than it will scare you. The amplified sounds of everything around you will be interesting and perhaps a little hair-raising when you realize what they are. But overall this movie is more like Office Space gone mad. Larry works at a tech support call center and it’s almost hard not to laugh at how close they have nailed the scenes. Larry is a jackass of a manager concerned with the tone of the voice and how long the call lasts. People hate him because of how he treats everyone and how he seems to hear everything.

Larry hates everyone because of the noises they make and because he’s lost his son. We see through the flashback scenes that Larry loved his son and their relationship was a solid one.

But without any particular reason (or is he just sinking after his wife says she wants another baby and then claims she’s pregnant) his hearing becomes more acute and he begins to hear everything – rain drops, knives on plates, knitting needles rubbing back and forth, the buzz of a light bulb, his wife’s eyes moving as she sleeps.

He begins to lose his grip and all he wants is a little piece and quiet. If it makes noise he needs to stop it. So he goes on an all out rampage to make the noises stop. Pretty much everything in his house gets destroy including his wife. He goes even further to make it so he can’t hear the noises.

Despite the lack of depth to any of the characters, very little suspense, and simple plot which really doesn’t go anywhere Chris Bauer does a great job with the role. His facial expression, the tone of his voice, his manners are all well executed. But overall this is a decent but far from great installment in this series.