1980's horror movies 2

*** " Poltergeist III ", (1988), is the final chapter in the horror trilogy. Written by Gary Sherman, (Dead and Buried, 1981), and Brian Taggert, the movie begins with Carol Anne, (Heather O' Rourke), staying with her uncle, Bruce Gardner, (Tom Skerritt), and aunt, Patricia Wilson-Gardner, (Nancy Allen), who live in a high-rise building. When the supernatural forces take over the building, Carol sees Reverend Henry Kane, (Nathan Davis), who seeks revenge after the events of the second movie. Carol is protected by Donna Gardner, (Lara Flynn Boyle). *** Doctor Seaton, (Richard Fire), doesn't believe Carol Anne's story of poltergeists. When Tagina, (Zelda Rubenstein), helps her, she dies in the process.  " Poltergeist III ", is short on scares, and is a good horror movie, that completes the cycle of movies. ***

*** " They're back! ", Carol Anne, (Heather O' Rourke), says. Set a year after the original movie, the Freeling family, that include Steve, (Craig T. Nelson), and his wife, Diane, (JoBeth Williams), and their son, Robbie, (Oliver Robins), move into the house of Gramma Jess, (Geraldine Fitzgerald). Because their first house disappeared, they think the horror is over. Suddenly they see an old man named Kane, (Julian Beck), who is skeletal looking...and wants everyone dead. Consequently, they seek the help of Tagina, (Zelda Rubenstein), who goes to The Other Side to help the family. *** Kane, (Julian Beck), is the main focus of the horror as he is after Carol Anne...Brian Gibson's "Poltergeist II: The Other Side", (1986). *** The sequel also concerns Steve who is sick. He becomes the victim of a creature. The Old Indian, (John P. Whitecloud), also attempts to help them. In all, the sequel is scary, well written, acted, and produced. In short, it sets ...

*** The family seeks help from paranormal experts that include Doctor Lesh, (Beatrice Straight), and other people, Tagina, (Zelda Rubenstein), a psychic who helps get Carol Anne back. Marty, (Max Casella), and Ryan, (Richard Lawson), try and get evidence of the poltergeists. "Poltergeist", (produced by Frank Marshall, Spielberg, and Kathleen Kennedy), is a scary movie which spawned two sequels, and a remake. *** The music by Jerry Goldsmith is great, and adds tension. *** I recommend "Poltergeist"...and you should forget the 2015 remake. It is rated 'M' in Australia. Page 2.

**** The US Blue ray of Tobe Hooper's "Poltergeist", (1982). *** As a child, the original "Poltergeist", scared me. I was nine year's old in 1982. Written and produced by Steven Spielberg, it tells the story of an American family whose house in haunted by poltergeists. Firstly, they communicate via the TV, and having contact with Carol Anne Freeling, (Heather O' Rourke); Steve and wife, Diane, (Craig T. Nelson and Jo Beth Williams), have other children: Dana, (Dominique Dunne); and Robbie, (Oliver Robins). *** When Carol Anne utters the immortal line: "They're here!!!", "Poltergeist" became an American horror classic. *** When Steven wonders why his house is targeted, the phenomena increases. Chairs move by themselves, and Robbie is attacked by a tree outside his own bedroom. When he blames Mister Teague, (James Karen), he sees that their house is on Native American land that has been build over by rogue developers. Co-wr...

*** The killer strikes....Paul Lynch's "Prom Night", (1980). *** The killer is like Michael Myers without the eerie mask from John Carpenter's Halloween, 1978; the music is like John Badham's "Saturday night fever", 1977, with John Travolta; and Stephen King's "Carrie", (1976)-Brian de Palma, that starred Sissy Spacek, and Travolta as well. As people die, the last thirty minutes of "Prom Night", is on the disco floor, where the horror ends. *** The acting by Curtis, Nielsen, and the young Jeff Wincott, is excellent. "Prom Night", is on US Blue Ray, uncut.

*** Paul Lynch's "Prom Night", (1980), begins in 1974 Canada. When a group of children make fun of their friend, she falls to her death. Six year's later, a killer on the loose gets revenge. *** The beginning of "Prom Night", (1980), in which a girl is a victim of a prank. *** Written by William Gray, the movie begins in 1980, in which Kim, (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her friends are preparing to go to a Disco Ball party. There's Nick, (Casey Stevens); Wendy, (Anne-Marie Martin); Drew, (Jeff Wincott); and Alex, (Michael Tough). *** Kim, (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her friend hear a strange sound...Paul Lynch's "Prom Night", (1980). *** The school principal, Mister Hammond, (Leslie Nielsen), and his wife, Mrs. Hammond, (Antoinette Bower), want to bury the past. Unfortunately, there's a killer on the loose, and intent on murdering the teenagers as revenge for the girl's death. *** Pranking that gets out of hand...Paul Lynch's...

*** Amy and her friends have a good time...Tobe Hooper's "The Funhouse", (1981). *** The Funhouse monster...Tobe Hooper's "The Funhouse", (1981). *** "The Funhouse" is a good, scary, low-budget horror movie. It isn't gory, but it has enough scares to make the audience interested in the movie. I recommend it. *** Page 2.

**** After the success of 1969's "Eggshells";  "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", (1974); "Eaten Alive", (1976); and Stephen King's "'Salem's Lot", (1979), Tobe Hooper made "The Funhouse", (1981). It was less extreme as his previous horror movies in the 1970's. The movie is more mainstream, stars Elizabeth Berridge as Amy Harper, a teenage girl who looks after her younger brother, Joey, (Shawn Carson), in their house. Their parents, Mister Harper, (Jack McDermott), and his wife, Mrs. Harper, (Jeanne Austin), are normal working parents. When the carnival comes to town, the children decide to overstay their visit. They are met by Liz Duncan, (Largo Woodruff); and Richie Atterbury, (Miles Chapin), who pay for the rides....and stay on...while the Funhouse owners, (Kevin Conway), and the Carnival Manager, (Herb Robins), oversee the fun of the sinister place. *** Welcome to The Funhouse....Tobe Hooper's "The Funho...

**** Set in the late 1970's New York, William Lustig's "Maniac", (written, produced, and starring Joe Spinell), begins with a couple being killed. The Maniac, (Spinell), called Frank Zito, is a man who family issues that has a Psycho, (1960), feel to it. He then meets Anna D'Atoni, (Caroline Munro), who forms a relationship with him. Frank Zito, (Spinell), works on the mannequins...William Lustig's "Maniac", (1980). *** The grimy, New York setting, is an unsettling feel to the movie. The viewer watches as The Maniac kills a disco couple, (including a young Tom Savini-who provides the special effects); The Maniac attacks several women in various places, that leads to the cemetery chase late in the film that has a deep, psychological horror aspect to the movie, where the Maniac's victims get their revenge on Frank, in the end. *** "Maniac" is a cult horror classic that plays on the fears of his victims...and spawned a re-make in 2...

*** By 1980, director Lewis Teague, and writer John Sayles, made "Alligator", a creature feature that has a lot of humour, action, and horror. The movie begins a man who flushes a baby alligator down the toilet. Twelve years' later, it mutates into a giant alligator that wreaks havoc on the city. Starring Robert Forster, (as detective David Madison), and Robin Riker, (as Marisa)-an expert in alligators, they strive to get rid of the beast before it's too late. *** The alligator comes out of the sewer...Lewis Teague's "Alligator", (1980). *** The rest of the cast include: Dean Jagger (as Slade); Michael V. Gazzo, (as Chief Clark); Henry Silva, (as Brock)-a hunter; and Sydney Lassick, (as Gutchel). *** When guests are attacked by the alligator during a wedding party, Detective Madison is running out of time to stop the alligator. After several deaths in the murky sewer, everyone wants a result in the case, including the Mayor, (Jack Carter). ...