SPECHTREUM
~ III ~
By Draconis Blackthorne
POWDER
Indeed, a big fish in an extremely small pond! This movie is a meditation. The exceptional,
though unfortunately naive outcast, his sentiments barely burgeoning. It could be said that
Powder is a precious character, which, like electricity itself, must be handled with extreme care.
A pearl cast before swine into a brutish world of hicks, insensitive scientists, & over-bearing
"councelors".
This is a sad story about an intelligent, gifted young man who was holed-up in the basement of his
grandparents' home just because of his unique physical appearance. But this is the least of it. Besides his
Festerish visage, he attains the sublime ability of lightning & electro-magnetism. He's a human magnet &
lightning rod. It is really too bad that Powder never really got a chance to master his powers. Dr. Xavier
could use him with the X-Men back at the Mansion. With some support from Individuals like Satanists,
ideally, his powers could have been nurtured unto incredible ends.
Demonstrations of Powder's potencies are usually sporadic, except for the electro-magnetism & empathic
abilities. Because of his timidity, Powder is taken advantage of by some prejudiced, moronic imbeciles, who,
like the damned majority of the subhuman race, lack the compassion, insight, & open-mindedness that elevated,
truly evolved persons exhibit.
The Powder character should have been stronger. He should have persevered. He should have realized the
enormous potential he had, to benefit himself first, then the world, since he seems to be a more compassionate
character.
Powder is a gentle, tender soul, desiring only to be appreciated & loved. Most all of his childhood was spent
in that dark, dank cellar with only books as companions. Which in the end, made better friends than any of
those ignorant imbeciles could.
If this movie was a real-life sitution, I would not hesitate to jump to the aid of someone I knew to be so
special.
Alas, Powder was finally free. Matter into energy. How many of us can relate to this character? There are
plethoras of situations that resemble the outcast's, erego, portions of our own lives. Lights flickering on &
off, objects becoming charged & magnified, the rotten tray of fish staring, telepathic/empathic resonance, etc.
In all, the film angers one towards the simpletons of the mass populace. And this is the type of trash those
deluded ivory-tower blindlight charlatans want persons of quality to bother with? Where no respect is shown,
no respect shall be given.
Overall, Powder serves as a sort of ritual. It is Magical, in that all of the emotions come into play. One
comes away feeling spent, prideful, a bit melancholy, a bit more angry, but not as to disturb the underlying
feeling of serenity, as this film indeed places things into perspective in one's own life, in various personal
ways.
I saw this film twice. For Me, the second time was more profound. Although every time one views this
wonderful creation, it serves as a compassionate catharsis. By all means, rent it. It has a rather sad ending,
but instead, see it as a breaking forth from the low-levels of the simeon herdunto the stars of glory, & unto
One's Dark Godliness.
THE DEVIL'S ECSTACY
"The daemons are, the daemons were, & the daemons shall be again! They came & we are here.
They sleep & we watch for them. They shall slepp, & we shall die, but we shall return through
them! We are their dreams, & they shall awaken! Hail to the Ancient Dreams!"
--------- The Satanic Rituals.
And so begins The Devil's Ecstacy, in a ritual chamber, amidst fog & candles, the black altar, upon which
rests the "sacrifice" ----- a corrupted maiden, robed participants, & Marion Adaire, Satan's
Priestess-Witch, who reads from the mystical Book of Shadows.
Unlike most films of its kind, The Devil's Ecstacy manages to combine Horror & Porn with an actual plot,
but unfortunately, mediocre actors.
The Devil's Ecstacy is about a witch who lures unsuspecting male & female victims to her mansion, which
used to be a church of 'god', but has since been transformed into a 'church of the devil', where she pleasures
herself with them, then ceremoniously sacrifices them.
I found this movie to be more humorous, & very entertaining. Baphomet oversees the debaucheries &
sacrifices, although crowned with backwards horns.
The inheritress of the manion is charmed by the witch, & they have their escepade. She is later invited
downstairs to meet her relatives, who turn out to be zombies in cheesy make-up ----- they should have taken
tips from King Diamond! Then she's sacrificed, & resurrected to be a member of the coven of the horny
phallus.
A particularly annoying inconsistency is at the very end, when the two 'witches' salute eachother with the
cornu, & say, "blessed be!" in an attempted diabolical tone. Although the saying is everything but, as it is
used by the fluffy weaker bunnies in their ring-around-the-rosey romps.
One of the actors needs to improve on his aim, which makes for a hilarious scene. Most of the actors &
actresses are attractive, for that time {the 70's}, but the initial coitus is rather rudimentary. The more
intersting aspects are in the surroundings, & the dialogue.
Tales From The Crypt
- presents -
DEMON KNIGHT
Walking through the graveyard, in the dead of night, amidst the storm, we pass through the
creeking, iron gate, making our way up a twisting pathway, passing an old skeletal tree. We find
ourselves before an ominous structure of Victorian decrepidness, & enter therein. Down the
stairs, & into the crypt. Rising startingly from a rotting corpse, we are greeted by a screetching ,
animate, rotted corpse ----- The Cryptkeeper. {or is it Wally George?}
After the customary introductory salutations, the vault is opened, & a death-stench emminates, followed by a
comic book fluttering in the cold gusts of the grave.
Don't bee fooled by the title. It sounds great, but instead of the Demon Knight being the villain, it is the
good guy. The Demon Knight's primary weapon against the hordes of Hell is the blood of jeezwiz stored in a
bottle, in the shape of a key.
The best scenes in the whole movie were too fleeting to fully apprecite. Such as the writhing agony of the
nazarene. Stupidity & failure upon the cross. The lurking devils on Golgotha looked appropriately sinister,
but the ones in the rest of the movie looked ridiculous. Like rejects from a zombie movie.
This Beelzebub has a likeable personality, & an entertainingly cruel sense of humor. He tempts the residents
of this little town incessantly, using many forms of imaginative delights.
Demon Knight is semi-gory. The best grotesquery occurs when the devil punches a hole through the head of
one of his victims, face first.
Besides the occasional, exceptional special effects scene, & the always delightful beginning, Demon Knight
comes off as a B-movie overall. So unless you are a die-hard Tales fan, this movie would probably not be
worth that little chunk of your soul.
HIGHLANDER III
The Final Dimension
For those of you unfamiliar with Highlander lore, it all started with
Connor McLeod of the Clan McLeod, an immortal. These are a race of
superhuman warriors who go on from age to age battling for the ultimate
power of omniscience ----- to become the ultimate godflesh. The only way to
defeat another immortal is by decapitation. The victor absorbs the loser's
life-force by a process called The Quickening. At the end, their own
"Armageddon", as it were, they must engage in a final battle at The
Gathering, where the last one standing becomes THE ONE. Hence,
"There can be only one."
In this third episode, an evil Immortal arises from the snow-shrouded
wasteland of Tibet, to join the others at The Gathering. Connor McLeod,
the hero from who's land, the Highlands of Ireland, from which the
Highlander stories are named, must fight the savage barbarian in order to
prevent the world from falling into chaos. He travels to Tibet, where his
mentor swordsman Ramirez, warns him against the bestial shape-shifting
monster.
Without revealing too much, they end up in New York, where more mayhem
transpires.
What keep the movies going, is that they are continuously striving for The Gathering.
Unfortunately, Highlander III does not rival the original. The first was incredible.
Of course, this is a must for Highlander fans. If you wish to acquiaint yourself with
this non-stop action, Lex Talionis, & Magical tales, go rent the first two, they do not
dissappoint.
Wes Craven's
NEW NIGHTMARE
It's back. The EVIL that destroys innocence, which has existed far beyond man's recording,
the cutting up of existence known as time. In one form or another, it has incarnated again in the
form of Fred Krueger. Wickeder than ever, it has returned to haunt the realm of concious
mortals.
Much of the riduculous humor has been expiated, which transforms the B-movie quality into a
higher callibre of humor, adding a much more crystallized encounter in terror.
Also, the plot is much more compelling, where, if the Imagination runs a bit, you will be asking yourself,
"This could be a possibility!" It is done in a way where the sequence of events make practical &
parapsychological sense, by the power of the eternal story-teller. You'll have to see it to know what I mean.
Speaking of story-tellers, the man himself, Wes Craven, makes a cameo appearance as himself, & is as
magus, a-la Ben Kenobe, to Heather Langenkamp. He arms her with the knowledge & confidence to battle
the fiend from the World of Nightmares.
This release comes highly recommended, with its sudden switches betweem reality & fantasy, & if you are not
paying close attention, it will delude you. I detected several familiarities in those elusive transition periods.
The 3-D computerized effects are a marvel to behold, which makes it a wonderful Satanic spectacle for all
ghouls & boils to behold. See if you can spot the cryptic message in the end credits.
Francis Ford Coppolla
- presents -
Bram Stoker's
DRACULA
An absolutely fangtastic rendition of the legendary vampire. This version is far maore entertaining & visually
stunning than most of the productions made thusfar, due partly because Coppola kept as close to the original story
as cinematically possible. Which is what we are seeing a lot of lately. It is raw in its reality-prone situations, but
there still are scenes that are left up to the Imagination as well, which makes it that much more entertaining.
Particularly entertaining, are the awe-striking scenes in the beginning, which shows what made Dracula the
supernatural creature he has become. Emotional upheaval, rebellion, & empowerment.
Here is the classic story about a solitary vampire who falls in love with a beautiful mortal girl, who reminds him of his lost love
who met with a tragic & heart-wrenching death. He turns her into one of the undead, & they WOULD have been happy, but
meddling self-righteous mortals compelled by sanctimonious perfidity come encroaching along. Such is often the case. These
bastards attempting to make a name for themselves by trying to pull down a superior individual, thus hoping to use him or her
as a ladder to their ill-gotten recognition. They might steal credit, or be rotten enough to know that somehow they disrupted
someone else's peace of mind, albeit temporarily, until they themselves are exterminated. It makes them feel significant. These
psychic leaches, pathetic misdirected masochists.
This DRACULA is one of the best movies I have had the indulgence to have seen. The costumes are elegant & accurate,
thanks to Eiko Ishioka, & the panoramic vistas are breath-taking, & it is very well cast. Vlad Dracul, played by Gary
Oldman of Sid & Nancy fame, transforms throughout the picture into a bat-like demon, a werewolf, & even green glowing
fog. His humanistic forms vary as well. From a stoic, stately older gentleman, to a younger gentleman visiting London.
One thing is for sure, I have never seen Dracula with so much hair! I believe it is more accurate than the mode of appearance
potrayed popularly. Indeed, wood-carvings, particularly that infamous portrait of Vlad Tepes, shows the Prince/Count with
long hair, which was the mark of nobility in that time. Only peasants had to cut their hair, so it would not get in the way of their
common chores. The term "long-hair" can be looked up in most dictionaries as meaning an intellectual, a nobleman. Such was
the case from Mideival times, unto the Reinassance. It really is too bad that those damned hippies had to marr the perception!
True Long-Hairs would spit on those peace-nick peasants!
Satanic Witchery alert! Lucy, a gorgeous redhead, uses her feminine wiles to captivate her suitors, & manipulates them into a
frenzy of lust, while pristine Mina {Winona Ryder} looks on in envy.
VanHelsing {Anthony Hopkins} is accuratly portrayed as a stuffy, rude, raving madman who gluttonizes at every damned
chance he gets.
The soundtrack, oh, the soundtrack! Composed by Wojceich Kilar, is just amazing. Satanic to the hilt. Effectively
employabl;e for ritual use. You may find yourself being whipped up in the emotional tidal wave, in the rises & falls of this
masterpiece. As if taken within Leviathan's whirlpool, surrounding & penetrating.
DRACULA is a romantic, dramatic, horror monsterpiece that pleases & excites. After being submerged in this enchanting
dark world, this film promises an eventful night with a date, & may leave one in a higher state of mind, reminiscient of the
aeshetically-proliferous Victorian Era. Just think, such beautiful surroundings will be available to be experienced in the not-too
distant future. Though some of us have already created our own private totalized environments, it would also be pleasing to be
part of a whole community of like-minded individuals. Even a whole city, with arcane architecture with modern conveniences.
DRACULA is a must-see for all Satanists, Vampires, Werewolves, Ghouls, & the rest of you, whatever you are. Bring
the son of the devil into your darkened theatres, & let the nightmarish joy begin!
Felix Murnau's
NOSFERATU
Count Orlock appears in silence, long of nail, sharp of tooth, pale of flesh, bald of head. Creeping forward,
ghoulishly menacing, eyes shimmering in the darkness, plagueing his victims with fear & dread. There is no
escaping the morbid spell of the nosferatu.........
The wraith-like, captivating phantom played convincingly by Max Schreck, haunts one's visions &
rememberance as probably the most horrific incarnation of vampiric evil the world has ever seen. A remake by the
same name in Year VII A.S., & Stephen King's Salem's Lot, resurrected the eerie spechtre to re-terrify the
world of the living.
The original 1922 version of NOSFERATU scared people out of their skins. In that time of puritanical virginity, those
who dared to sit in a darkened theatre to witness this first of vampiric movies {up until then, there were only plays}, were in for
a scare they were not prepared for.
NOSFERATU is based upon Bram Stoker's characterization of Dracula, but a few names have been modified here &
there, which gave it a bit more of an original feel. The looming figure of Orlock still brings chills to the unprepared.
This is a good one to rent for vampire enthusiasts & archivists, who can still appreciate a horror classic. For those jaded, &
seeking a new thrill, concentrate on how it must have been like to live in that era, when motion pictures were relatively new, &
your life had been sheltered up to the point of walking into the theatre this night. The lights grow dim, let the horror
start.........
Clive Barker's
LORD OF ILLUSIONS
A familiar tale about a cult leader, or shall we say, "messiah", who runs a compound inhabited by creatures
who worship him. There are several simularities between the cult leader "Nix", & the nazarene. From some of
the phrases, such as "Suffer to come unto me, child, & I shall give you peace", & even unto the manner of
dress. No doubt, a jesus-possessed zombie would say, ".....there shall be many false prophets in the end
times....." parroting off the scriptures, of course, as such a miserable wretch is not worthy to evolve to become its
own god.
How clever it was for the lowly carpenter to state that there shall be many "false prophets" in "the end times". Thereby,
selfishly absolving themselves while condemning others who would probably become better messiahs than himself. But this
way, he can take all the credit, because any true genius who's efforts result in improving mankind in some way, can be attributed
to "God" or jeezwiz, because, of course, such a superior was brainwashed & programmed in catachism, &/or the redundant
droning & persecution of evangelistic "parents", "peers", & xian propaganda while young.
As the movie progressed, I also picked up simularities between Nix & his crowd, & with that of the Manson family, & the
Wacko Branch Davidians, in their twisted blindlight, commune isolationism = paranoia.
Back to the movie. LORD OF ILLUSIONS is a power-play between Sorcerers. One imprisons the other in a vice
mask, then entombs him. With the knowledge "the master" taught him, he goes out into the world, & seeks to profit
monetarily from his powers. Wouldn't you do the same? And he does for a time, becoming a very successful illusionist, much
like David Copperfield. Except this magician really DOES levitate, & demonstrates other supernatural skills. He becomes
rich & famous. Things seem to be going well for a time, when one of the cult's members, loyal to the master Nix, frees him
from his earthen prison. Then the vengence begins. This is where the film really comes alive. Nix materializes &
dematerializes, & exhibits feats of omnipotent proportions, finally gaining his revenge. Then the expected demoralization kicks
in.
During his investigations, a PI & his temporary partner, a novice prestidigitator, search for a Magic Casle for clues to a
murder linked to the cult, & are subjected to hokey, yet deadly traps that terrifies the novice into a whimpering fit. The
surroundings reminded Me of that jesting chapter in THE DEVIL'S NOTEBOOK. The Magic Castle is a
wonderful place, filled with the dark Imagination of the nocturnal persuation.
There's an interesting effect that appears as a marble, floating origami design, or as if the Puzzle Box from Hellraiser was
folded out into straight shards. The computerized effects in LORD OF ILLUSIONS work very well, unlike other
productions, such as 'Species' for example, when the animation just doesn't quite coincide with the reality-prone situations on
the screen, & the resultant look is rather fake.
The combination of Clive Barker's horror-genius, the stunning graphics, the make-up & prosthetics, & the jolting
scare-scenes make for another terror-filled, fun evening out.