Franky and His Pals – review

Director: Jerald Cormier

Release date: 1991

Contains spoilers

We are in straight to video territory here, with a monster mash that generally fails to provide more than the most very basic of plot and relies instead on dubious humour to carry it forward. Nevertheless, with an appearance of Drak (Jerry Cormier Jr.) – Dracula, of course – there is a need to watch, document and review.

the mad scientist

It starts with a mad scientist (director Jerald Cormier under the adjusted name spelling Gerald Cormier) talking to whoever he works for on the phone and explaining that he can’t test the time machine yet. He needs gold to make the inner workings work. He is also distracted by the cleavage of his assistant (I think Kelli Gianettoni whose character is named Blonde Bimbo). After credits (that are designed to be self-effacing) we meet grave diggers Calvin (Russ Lowe) and George (Robert Lowe). As they dig, the legend of the monsters is told.

Jerry Cormier Jr. as Drak

Apparently the Monsters were reputed to have been in the area and became trapped in a cave by a landslide. Cutting to the monsters they are still in the cave and are Drak, Franky (Eric Weathersbee), Wolfie (Wilson Smith), Humpy (Keith Lack) the Hunchback, and the Mummy (Richard Sumner). The Mummy is mute but a midriff level parasite it carries, called Apophis, can speak. They pass their time playing poker. Elsewhere the town council have met and the town is in a bind – they owe over a million in property taxes to the IRS.

grave diggers

Playing poker (with multiple decks it seems), one of the stakes is a map that Humper has, showing the town and an x where a cache of gold is hidden. Drak wants the gold and, following a bean binge, fortuitously Franky’s fart clears the cave entrance. It is night (or so they suggest) and the monsters leave. They have been trapped so long they are astounded when they see horseless carriages. In one of an interminable number of musical interludes we get a “rap” (really not well done) that explains the plot thus far.

bite

Beyond scaring a driver and his date and the grave diggers, the monsters get to a hotel, where the gold is hidden and a Halloween party is going on. Of course this means they fit right in and start looking for the gold, sort of… they do tend to just wander around firing off crudely drawn gags and the base layer of misogyny in the script/gags is not supported by any true layer of sexploitation (the closest we get is a bikini contest) or any underlying funny humour. From a TMtV point of view, Drak at least manages to bite two women, the barmaid (Hester Simonis) and a party goer in Egyptian garb (Pauline Elliott). Both suffer no more ill effects beyond feeling weak and the slight amount of blood seen on one neck is really the only blood seen.

dancing Drak

And weak is what the film is but, the makeup seemed ok (at a distance at least) and there was an underlaying something that kept we watching, morbidly fascinated. The vast majority of the film is focused on the party, the grave diggers are scared occasionally, the town council appears right towards the end and the time machine is almost a coda, lining up a sequel that looks to have never happened. 2.5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK

Honourable Mention: All Wrapped Up

This was a low budget anthology film directed by Jason Liquori and released in 2007. It opens with Debbie Rochon as herself, negotiating with the production company’s mascot and directing us to a catalogue of films. The film is then made up of four segments that concentrate primarily on mummies – a bog mummy in the first, an Egyptian one in the second, an Aztec one in the third and, interestingly, a reinvigorated, cryogenic man in the final one. But as well as this we get brief moments of vampires, the Aztec mummy itself has a vampiric trope, there's a succubus and we even get an implied werewolf.

the succubus

It is in the third story, The Jaguar’s bite where we start with our vampires and more vampiric elements. The film starts with a couple in need of some guidance, one feels. She (Marcienne Dwyer) assumes he (Brian Prost) is having an affair but he wakes more tired than before he goes to bed and hires a paranormal PI, Stewart (Jason Liquori), to prove he is being visited by a succubus (Gina Markette). Stewart manages to see it through a video and, after a little tussle, gets rid by spraying water on her – not holy water, mind, but mineral water as though he is dousing an oversexed animal.

a vampire

The film goes on to him being hired to track down a stolen Aztec mummy (le Nguyen) – the museum believing that it was not a simple robbery/homicide as the police believe. The mummy was an Aztec warrior who would drink the blood of his enemies to take their strength and became an incarnation of a god. To defeat him, his enemies drained his blood. So the mummy is draining the blood of new enemies (those who disturbed his tomb) and that’s our trope. The vampires (Alberto Giovannelli and Christina Daoust) are led by monster hunter Rose Lenoire (Brunhilda Zekthi) to the mummy where one of them drains it (killing it) then explodes because he contained dead blood.

Debbie Rochon as Mistress Misty

There is a further vampire in final segment Milleniman in which, to try and save his daughter (Chanel Bagwell) badly injured in the previous segment, businessman Sebastian Fairweather (Kevin White) is tricked into being a guinea pig for a cryogenic experiment. He is accidentally woken a millennia later where the human race has been decimated in wars and the survivors are physically weakened. He is wanted by the Mayor, Mistress Misty (Debbie Rochon), as he may hold the key to some of the medical issues they face – she, it is revealed at the end, is not human but a vampire.

the Aztec Mummy

And that’s it, we get a blood drinking mummy – it is suggested that spilt blood revived it but the blood drinking is mentioned as an M.O. and the dialogue makes it clear that it isn’t a vampire (in the traditional sense), a moment of an energy devouring succubus and three fleeting visitations of actual vampires. The film is straight to video and some of the effects are knowingly (or, at least I hope it was knowingly) terrible. Possibly the most interesting idea was that the man trapped in cryogenics was a mummy also, giving that monster a sci-fi edge.

The imdb page is here.

The National Mummy – review

Director: José Ramón Larraz

Release date: 1981

Contains spoilers

With bundles of sexploitation, psychosexual themes and a weird style, Vampyres by José Ramón Larraz is a definite favourite of mine within the megatext. That Larraz directed this, therefore, is a bit of a shock. Filmed in a transitional period in Spanish history this is a heady mix of monster mash, political satire (I think) and sexual comedy of the basest kind.

Saturnino and Felipe

So it is a comedy, with an opening soundtrack theme to make it sound like a children’s film (it really isn’t). A visitor arrives ay a country estate. It is Prof Felipe (Quique Camoiras) with his daughter, Ana-Mari (Azucena Hernández, The Night of the Werewolf) and he has a large crate with him containing the mummy of the daughter of Akhenaten (who was Tutankhamun’s father). There is, of course, a curse. They are visiting Saturnino (Francisco Algora) and within minutes we get the “gags” of Ana-Mari complaining that Saturnino is staring at her breasts and her accidentally hitting in in the nuts with a handbag.

the wolfman

Not long after arriving the matriarch of the house, Doña Perpetua (Lili Muráti), is brought a birthday cake and promptly collapses and dies face first in it. Saturnino blames the curse. She later resuscitates (no thanks to anyone else) and becomes somewhat homicidal. Unfortunately, proximity to the mummy has had an effect on Felipe and he becomes a werewolf. We also see the mummy come to life, later we see that the desiccation of her face is not mirrored on the rest of her body,

Carlos Lucena as The vampire

Having survived the night with a werewolf, Saturnino takes his friend to a local asylum, which is run by Dr. Vilaseca AKA Dr. Cabezas (Carlos Lucena), who is clearly modelled on the Kinski version of Orlok/Dracula. Felipe goes there peacefully but then escapes and finds women in coffin in the basement – yes vampire brides. It turns out Dr. Vilaseca sends these to a brothel where they suck… blood. The vampire ends up wanting the mummy, Saturnino and Felipe end up infiltrating the brothel (and getting distracted from their mission) and eventually hunting the vampires down. The mummy herself seems to have a couple of thousand-years-old itch to scratch.

the mummy

I mentioned the political side, and this was filmed after the 1981 attempted coup d'état in Spain – it’s referenced – and in the transitional period post Franco. Many politicians are mentioned that mean nothing to me and the political jokes went over my head. I have read a description of nudity in Spanish films, in the transitional period, being an expression of freedom from censorship post Franco and part of a Spanish cinema movement of cheap end films known as destape. However, to me, the sex jokes were misogynistic and certainly out of date now (probably then also) – Ana-Mari fainting and so Saturnino having to bare her boobs and suckle her nipples is simply sexual assault rather than having a laugh. It took the Seaside Postcard and innuendo of Carry On (which, of course, had ended by then) and pushed it steps beyond. The closing scene is a Benny Hill style chase.

staking

The political aspect went into the vampire lore also, and I really don’t quite know what to make of it either. Dr. Vilaseca is faced with a cross and so, to counter it, he crosses a red hammer and sickle, in response Saturnino’s diminutive butler Agapito (José Jaime Espinosa) holds up a red swastika and this kills the vampire, who disintegrates. What they were trying to say with this was way over my head but felt pro-fascist. Beyond that, a stake through the heart will do (Agapito telling Saturnino to aim above the left breast of a vampire woman, as he initially looked to stake the pubic area) and the vampires have green blood and no reflection.

Azucena Hernández as Ana-Mari

This is bizarre, no doubt about it. It would probably have worked better if I understood the political context and people mentioned. I still think the sexual side probably went too far as comedy – though some may disagree. The film threw in the kitchen sink, merging more Victorian aesthetics (including costumes and carriages) with mentions of the coup and motorbikes (in the final scene). Strange and probably only worth 3 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

Hotel Transylvania the Series – season 1 – review

Director: Robin Budd

First aired: 2017-18

Contains spoilers

Based on the popular franchise Hotel Transylvania this forwent cgi and used a traditional drawn animation style. Most of the episodes contained two standalone stories but occasionally the episode would only contain one double length story.

The series concentrates on Mavis (Bryn McAuley) the daughter of Dracula (Ivan Sherry) as she lives (and works) in the eponymous hotel. The series is set 4-years before the first film and Dracula has been called to sit a term on the vampiric council. Rather than land the responsibility of the hotel on her, he has handed the reigns over to his elder sister Lydia (Dan Chameroy) – a traditionalist vampire.

Dracula and Mavis

Mavis is normally in the company of Wendy (Evany Rosen) a blob, Hank (Gage Munroe) the son of Frankenstein and Pedro (Joseph Motiki) a mummy. Aunt Lydia is fearsome, and accompanied by Diane a chicken who used to be human. Talking of which, this is when the monsters are still scared of humans and a family have moved into a house in eyeline of the hotel. The other main vampires are Uncle Gene (Patrick McKenna), a wheelchair using, computer game obsessed vampire and Klaus (Carter Hayden), a cousin who tries to one-up Mavis constantly.

the gang

Dracula is noticeable by his absence (he appears in a few segments) but the show follows a simple pattern, mostly, of something Mavis and the gang are doing going wrong and putting it right or an outside agency causing something to go wrong and putting it right. It is simple cartoon fare but watchable enough. That said I have been watching season 1 on Netflix for a few years, dipping in and out when I want something quick and uninvolving. Kids (the target audience) might approach with more staying power. 5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

The Cat Creature – review

Director: Curtis Harrington

Release date: 1973

Contains spoilers

A made for TV film, I wish I had seen this before submitting a chapter for a forthcoming book as it would have fit right in. It isn’t a bakeneko film, in that it isn’t based on the rough story that underlines that Japanese genre, but it is certainly one for the bakeneko fan. It does suffer for being quite 70s US police procedural but it has some fab ideas – and a devilishly queer subtext even though the studio made Harrington remove the references to lesbianism.

Kent Smith as Frank Lucas

It starts with a car approaching a mansion. It is night and when the driver, Frank Lucas (Kent Smith, the Night Stalker), enters the building he discovers the electric is off. He goes to an office and starts a recording. He is an appraiser brought to the Drake estate by the attorneys and is working at night to meet their deadlines. He just has the special collection to do. He goes there and it is all Egyptian artifacts.

the amulet

He makes a beeline for a sarcophagus and pries it open. There is a mummy inside and he notes the golden amulet she wears, with the likeness of a cat and emeralds for eyes. He puts the lid back on and seems to leave. Out of the shadows comes another man, Joe Sung (Keye Luke, Gremlins 2: The New Batch), who steals the amulet and sneaks off as Lucas returns. Lucas starts to record about the newest part of the collection (the sarcophagus) describing the amulet. He then notices that the sarcophagus is empty, there is the shadow of a cat and cat noises as he screams.

Gale Sondergaard as Hestor

We see Joe in the city, and he enters an occult establishment called the Sorcerer’s Shop. The proprietor, Hester Black (Gale Sondergaard) speaks to him as he tries to sell the amulet as a family heirloom. We discover later that she was a fence and she smells trouble and refuses him – he leaves with the amulet but leaves the briefcase. Hester’s assistant, Sherry (Renne Jarrett), comes through to get paid and she gives her the briefcase. The viewer sees a cat shadow at the window, the shrewder viewer will see a lesbian subtext to the conversation on the part of Hester, who suggests a meal with her assistant. It was after watching the film that I picked up, on IMDb, that the studio had ordered the removal of lesbian aspects from the character, but they certainly are still there in the inferences in the dialogue.

cat eye mojo

Sherry refuses the meal and the offer of a lift home. As she walks down an alley there is a noise but it is a cat knocking over a trash can. Sherry speaks to the animal and then picks it up as a stray she intends to feed. She gets to her apartment and gets the cat a saucer of milk and then notices blood in its fur. The cat stares at her and starts making growling noises. The girl, blank eyed, responds with nods and then walks in a trance to her balcony and throws herself off.

Meredith Baxter as Rena

A woman, Rena (Meredith Baxter), goes to the Sorcerer’s Shop and gets offered Sherry’s job. Meanwhile the police, in the guise of Lt. Marco (Stuart Whitman, Ghost Story: Concrete Captain) has the university send someone who knows about Egyptology to the Blake Estate. That is Prof Roger Edmonds (David Hedison) and he notes that the sarcophagus was for a worshipper of Bast. Marco takes him round pawnshops, looking for the amulet, and they end up in the Sorcerer’s Shop speaking to Rena. Hester comes through and Marco knows her as a fence. When she protests that she has gone straight he responds “Straight eh? .Why you could sleep on a corkscrew.” The double meaning is strong with this one.

John Carradine as the clerk

So, the police manage to track down Joe at a flophouse (run by John Carradine) but are too late, hearing his screams and then finding him dead. So far we have a missing mummy and a cat (apparently) killing people. However, the coroner (Milton Parsons) says the bodies have been drained of blood and this leads to a determination that the worship of Bast was outlawed because the priesthood were committing blood sacrifices to gain everlasting life and could turn into cats. The police, of course, don’t believe that. As for Roger, well he’s falling for Rena (which leads to Hester being sharp with him, as she asks her new assistant out for a meal also).

Egyptian garb

I now need to totally spoil the ending as the lore round this is ahead of its time. Rena is the priestess of Bast and the amulet was to keep her trapped in the sarcophagus. Once removed she has returned to life, she is feeding on blood and trying to find the amulet so that she can’t be trapped again. She seems scarred of cats, and they get agitated when she is near. They also gather near where she is staying. When the amulet is put back on her she suddenly is wearing Egyptian garb and then turns back in to a mummy. Stumbling outside, the cats attack her and reduce her to dust. All this pre-empts the similar lore in Sleepwalkers, and though they turned into cat creatures, rather than cats, and were energy drinkers one can’t help wonder if this had an influence on that story?

cats attack the mummy

As I mentioned at the head of the review, there is something very 70s police procedural about this that does mar a really interesting film. It feels episodic almost and it’s a shame as the performances are solid enough, Carradine has a 2-minuite appearance that is a joy, and they could have got a really (American) Gothic flick out of this. But if you are a bakeneko fan (as this is at least adjacent), a cat vampirism fan or want an interesting take on the mummy genre it is worth tracking down. 5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

Four Nights in Fear Forest – review

Director: Mark Polonia

Release date: 2024*

Contains spoilers

*2024 according to IMDb, however the Blu-ray came out in 2025 and the copyright on the film says 2025

I’ve generally not held the work of the Polonia brothers in high regard, as pieces of cinema, they are definitely at the low-budget end of the spectrum. However, they have a place and a fandom and, I have to admit, I participated in the crowdsourcing of this film. The Blu-ray perk recently arrived and from there comes my review. It does need noting that there isn’t actually a vampire in this – rather an animatronic of Dracula (Jeff Kirkendall, Shadow Tracker: Vampire Hunter, The Temptress, 3 to Murder, Bloodlust & Sharkula).

animatronics

Animatronics is a good place to start as the film title clearly apes Five Nights at Feddy’s, and the plot apes the recent rash of AI gone bad/possessed animatronic slashers. What causes the four monster animatronics to go bad isn’t definitively explored. They are at a Haunt called Fear Forest (we get a lot of documentary guest comments on the place, too many perhaps) and there is a flashback scene to 1995 where there were a group of kids killed and that is put down to satanists but, whether they managed to have the animatronics possessed is debatable. They are noted for random (dangerous) movements beyond that, mention is made of the genius builder of them (and so it could be down to him) and we also get a lightning strike in the contemporary timeline that seems to bring them to life.

prisoners

The contemporary timeline sees Fear Forest shutting down and park owner Malachi Bones (also Jeff Kirkendall) is working with prisoner rehabilitation to remove the exhibits. To that end Emma Brown (Yolie Canales, also Sharkula) has brought a group of prisoners to the theme park and their four days at the park will end or knock time off their sentences. They are Serenity (Greta Volkova, Tales of Dracula), Luca (Tim Hatch, Terror of the Master, also 3 to Murder, Shadow Tracker: Vampire Hunter, The Temptress & Sharkula), Skylar (Jamie Morgan, also Sharkula) and Caleb (Michael Korotitsch, also The Temptress & Sharkula). Because of their prisoner status, and because Skylar plans on running, the threat of the killer animatronics does not come immediately to light.

Dracula

I’ve mentioned that Kirkendall also plays the Dracula animatronic but the others are also played by one or more of the central cast. So, Greta Volkova and Michael Korotitsch both play the Mummy, Jamie Morgan plays the Bride and Tim Hatch plays the wolfman. The animatronics look rubbish (replete with cheap Halloween masks) but, other than comments on the exquisite craftmanship, that doesn’t matter – you can imagine them in a cheap end Haunt. The film is pretty much a slasher and it is only the fact that it is styled after a vampire that gets it onto the TMtV radar.

Jeff Kirkendall as Malachi Bones

Now I mentioned the Polonia brothers’ films at the head of the review and, startlingly, this turned out to be one of the better ones that I've seen. It doesn’t make it good cinema but it flowed that bit better. There are issues that could have been avoided; Michael Korotitsch gave an admirable performance despite the awful fake facial hair, as a for instance. Talking about performances, Jeff Kirkendall gave a weird but deliberately understated performance as the odd Malachi Bones (and the reason he looks the same age as a video from 30-years before is addressed), which was perfectly suited to him and one of the best I've seen from him. There is a place for low budget filmmaking such as this, there is a market for it. If you are part of that market I suspect you’ll get a kick out of this. 3 out of 10 reflects a realistic score but the film remains ideal for that z-grade malarkey.

The imdb page is here.

On DVD @ Amazon US

Monster Mash – review

Director: Jose Prendes

Release date: 2024

Contains spoilers

The Asylum is not known for quality productions but they have hit the formula of pumping the films out with a name attached – in the case Michael Madsen, who is playing Dr Frankenstein, who happens to be the bad guy in this film that literally is a monster mash. The Asylum’s effort is perhaps better than I hoped for, but my bar was pretty darn low. It has practical effects (mostly in makeup) that work better than I could have hoped for – though when they move to cgi it is dire.

Elisabeta enthroned

After a view of a castle, we see a woman with bite marks on her neck, sat against the leg of Elisabeta (Emma Reinagel) – Dracula’s Daughter. After playing with a music box, she tells the woman she can leave, who in turn wishes her mistress goodnight. Someone enters the room; Frankenstein’s Monster (Erik Celso Mann) who we later discover is called Boris. Elisabeta does not know who he is and says that he doesn’t belong there. They fight and he overpowers her and takes her to Frankenstein. In a cell, she warns that her father will come for her and Frankenstein is delighted, she is, after all, bait.

Ethan Daniel Corbett as Dracula

Dracula (Ethan Daniel Corbett) gets back to his castle and discovers the aftermath of the fight, including a bead from a bracelet that was broken, and is right royally pissed as we go into credits that, with the female crooned vocals, sound more like a Bond credit sequence than anything else. After the credits, Boris brings bread for Elisabeta, which she cannot eat of course, but she decides to try and befriend him. He is then sent on his next job, where he needs the repaired bracelet. The bracelet is an imitation of one that the Mummy, Ramsis (Adam Slemon, Bloodsucking Bastards), gave to his beloved and it lures him into the open in the catacombs he lives in. Boris fights with him and takes his heart, rendering the Mummy to dust.

the mummy and invisible man

Dracula questions the servant/meal, who suggests that his daughter had been consulting Mila Severine (Bix Krieger) a local witch. He goes to her and she recognises the bracelet stone and sends him to Ramsis, who he resurrects (using a mouse heart, some potion or other and his own blood, as Dracula’s blood is stronger than a curse). Frankenstein, we soon discover, is after monster parts – as well as the heart he wants Dracula’s blood, the skin of the invisible man (Gabriel Pranter) and the limbs of the wolfman (Ian Hummel) – and with them he will build an unstoppable monster and transfer his consciousness into it.

Ian Hummel is the Wolfman

So, we have a monster team up with all bar Frankenstein drawn as anti-heroes. The film hasn’t got the greatest narrative in moviedom, by a long shot, but it is surprisingly watchable for an Asylum production. The monsters are played straight but scratch the surface and the story has issues. For instance, why is it that Dracula knew the whereabouts of all the monsters but has never heard of Frankenstein and his monster? Also, we get the new idea that a werewolf, in human form, who has his limps chopped off immediately grows them back! This doesn’t rock the world but overcomes its pedigree to be at least watchable. 4 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Blu-Ray @ Amazon UK

Honourable Mention: Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood

Directed by Rick Morales and released in 2016, this film merged the wholesome wackiness of Scooby-Doo with the equally wacky Lego brand of films to create a fun, if ultimately fluff, Scooby-Doo property.

The story sees Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby (Frank Welker) win a competition (an eating contest) and being awarded a prize of a Hollywood vacation with tour around the Brickton movie studio. However, the studio, financially on its knees, is being haunted by the ghost of one of its great horror actors.

Cassandra Peterson voices Drella

The ghost appears as a Mummy, Headless Horseman and zombie but the reason for the mention is, firstly, that the studio filmed a vampire movie – The Vampyre Bites – and we see a poster for it, and more for horror hostess Drella Diabolique (voiced by the wonderful Cassandra Peterson) who dresses in a vampire type outfit, with fangs. So, acting like a vampire (and a fleeting poster visitation).

The imdb page is here.

On DVD @ Amazon US

On DVD @ Amazon UK

Honourable Mention: Rick and Morty: Mort Ragnarick

Season 7 of Rick and Morty actually had two vampiric visitations. I have previously featured Rickfending Your Mort but the second episode with a vampire was episode 9, Mort Ragnarick.

Like all the previous episodes to feature vampires, we are looking at a fleeting visitation only and, in this case, it is Dracula (as well as the other Universal monsters)

The premise of the episode sees Rick (Ian Cardoni) experimenting by killing Jerry (Chris Parnell) repeatedly and bringing him back – proving that there is an afterlife and that it contains infinite energy. 

summoned Universal monsters

To tap into that energy he goes to Norway in order that he might get to Valhalla and set up a power relay, but a faux pas with Bigfoot sees Rick and Morty (Harry Belden) fighting the Pope, who has usurped the energy and, at one point, Rick summons the Universal monsters to be a part of that battle… will they succeed? As their appearance is fleeting, I suspect you can work out the answer to that.

The episode's imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK

Satan’s Menagerie – review

Director: Gary Griffith

Release date: 2001*

Contains spoilers

*Actually shot in 1995 but not finding a release until 2001, this is a budget straight to video affair but, you know what, it was really enjoyable. A tad convoluted perhaps and the poor transfer and photography hid some of the excesses but, nevertheless, it had a certain something that punched above its weight.

Andy Zeffer as Arcon

As the film started the scene seems to be a hellscape with Satan, as per the title. Actually it seems like it was more a temple on Earth millennium past, where the demon god Jeramin (Kyle Derek) held court. Explained later was the idea that his high priest, Arcon (Andy Zeffer), betrayed him and so was skinned alive – he is the mummy-like figure we see – and Arcon’s love, Lenora (Alexia Kouros), was killed. Subsequently the other priests bled and banished Jeramin and, drinking his blood, became the progenitors of the monsters.

Thomas V. Powers as Craymore

Dr Craymore (Thomas V. Powers) is a psychologist, parapsychologist and believer in monsters. He has been working with Gustav Markov (Arthur Cwik), a man with amnesia but whose re-emerging memories are about monsters. There is a claim that he can detect them and hunted them in the past. A nearby cemetery has been the scene of disturbances and the guard claims to have seen a monster. Craymore intends to test Markov’s alleged powers. Markov won’t be manipulated and used, he says, but the presence of Veronica (also Alexia Kouros, and later we discover she is Lenora’s reincarnation) persuades him.

the ghoul feeds

He has already sensed the monster but, en route, he has a mental flash of a vampire with a woman – we later discover this is a memory. The monster is in a nearby cave and is a ghoul (Anthony Timpone), which they kill. Markov is torn by this, although he was a monster hunter once he now realises he (a warlock) is a monster (one of the blood) and does not want any part in killing them. As such he tricks the cemetery owner into looking in a crypt for treasure.

vampire awakens

In the crypt is a coffin and, in the coffin, the preserved corpse of Elektra (Wendi Winburn). The grave robber clearly has never watched a vampire movie as he removes the cross laid over her breast and soon she is awake and feeding on him. Elektra was Markov’s lover, turned as revenge against him – he couldn’t bring himself to stake her and so trapped her with the cross. It was her, with the vampire who turned her, that we saw in his flash of memory. A bath in blood later and she restores her beauty.

Alexia Kouros as Veronica

Veronica wants to use Markov to find monsters and we get segments looking at them. There is a fishman, Brax (Chuck Szatkowski), held as a freak and (it is implied) gladiator who manages to escape but finds that the oceans are too polluted to return to. There is also the curmudgeonly, wheelchair bound Vietnam vet Stavros (Peter Papageorgiou), who is a werewolf (and thus has mobility when the moon is full). Veronica is able to summon Arcon, who is bound by love to obey her request to bring Jeramin back to earth in a rite involving the monsters.

bathing in blood

Despite being a tad convoluted this was great fun. The print was horrible, and the photography betrayed the budget, yet despite this it remained watchable. The cgi would have looked pants when filmed and certainly does now, and yet it fit the aesthetic of the film – indeed that aesthetic is one that a modern budget filmmaker might try to ape but was natural to this. The practical effects were at times rubbish too (though the same aesthetic point stands) and yet some worked well – a regrowing hand that had been blown off was one where it was obvious how they did it but it still looked pretty cool.

Arthur Cwik as Markov

The acting chops varied across the cast but Arthur Cwik stood out for me as the forlorn warlock. This, as I said at the head of the review, punched well above its weight. It should not be as enjoyable as it is, but it was a romp of a monster mash. 6 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Blu-Ray @ Amazon US

On Blu-Ray @ Amazon UK