Cthulhu In Salem - 2047 - R'lyeh

Cthulhu In Salem - 2047 - 5/10

 
A hazing ritual gone bad, an initiation taken too far.
Stultus Fortis fraternity pleads accident. Behind the smiles, “accidentally on purpose.”
Bound and blindfolded, pledges were submerged in freezing waters.
One was held under until his lungs filled. His last gasp, however, was “Fanglue muggle calla you relay wha-fatgen.”
Afterward, frat members – and girlfriends – die or disappear mysteriously.
The blotched rendition of the classic “Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn” is one of numerous errors.
Warning:  This is a variation on “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” and NOT “The Call Of Cthulhu”.
Also, Innsmouth is transplanted to Salem.  Either producers did not know HPL or did not care.
Actors from a local college.  Hockey team and Phi Pi Phi girls.
Effects surprisingly good.  Fog for mist, creatures backlit or shadowed.  Eerie music and sound field.
Derivative story is, yet pacing is crisp and tension builds.  One can see why this is a hit on the Dark web.
Acolytes?  Cthulhu is never seen nor mentioned.

The Stone Tape - 1972 - UK

The Stone Tape - 1972 - 5/10

 
The old castle provides the new location for the research laboratory.
One room, however, well … it’s haunted.  Screaming, sightings.
Anyone with common sense might go, “OK, close this off and leave it alone.”
These are lab coats, mind you, so they drag their gear inside and begin investigating.
Dawdling narrative, elements of Horror and clunky science.
Looks cheap.  Actors strive their best, but they deserved a sharper script.
This was a real theory, by the way = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Tape_theory

Necromancy - 1971 - USA

Necromancy - 1971 - 5/10

 
Frank accepts a job in isolated Lilith, dragging a reluctant Lori along.
The small town is a gated community, inhabitants mostly twenty-year-olds.
Well-garbed hippies, New Age occult dabblers.
Ruling all is Mr Cato (Orson Welles, why oh why?), pining for his dead son.
Lori it seems, has gifts, second sight along with visions.
In a town full of wannabe witches, she is the genuine article.
Promising concept, poorly executed.
“Witchcraft is the only honest religion, that makes things happen now, in this life.”

Curse Of The Dog God - 1977 - Japan

Curse Of The Dog God - 1977 - 6/10
AKA - Inugami no Tatari  // 犬神の悪霊

 
Three men, racing down the backroads, Geiger counter suddenly clicking like mad.
So excited, they accidentally smash into a small shrine, then run down and kill a dog.
Yes, they brought this on themselves.  Even though they are ignorant for a while.
Nevertheless, one marries a village girl who soon realizes her husband is under the curse.
Trying to protect him drives her insane, and she is possessed.
Above, the husband about to succumb to the intruder inhabiting his wife.
Twin evils throughout: ancient curse, modern uranium.  Village superstitions, motorcycle thugs.

Arachnid - 2001 - USA

Arachnid - 2001 - 5/10

 
An experimental stealth fighter locates and shoots down … an alien spaceship!
Jump ahead several years, when a scientific expedition flies to a remote South Seas island.
Natives are being decimated by some sort of mysterious venom dissolving them from within.
Oh-my-God, does that mean there was a big, intelligent spider piloting that craft?
Half-baked ripoff of Predator finds a team beset by various, deadly insects.
Locations reminded me of Ramar and Jungle Jim.
You like junk food?  Here’s something to watch with it.

Dearest Sister - 2016 - Laos

Dearest Sister - 2016 - 6/10
AKA - Nong Hak

 
Nok leaves the small village for large city Vientiane to care for a distant relative, Ana.
Ana, married to Westerner Jakob, is going blind, and suffers from passive aggressive servants.
A side-effect of the failing eyesight, Ana is soon seeing the dead, and receiving messages.
Numbers, winning lottery numbers, which the poor village girl exploits for material goods.
Nok is soon snooping, eavesdropping, losing small town morals.
Yes, there are some cloudy dead souls, but this is limited Horror, more a slow burn thriller.

Nadja - 1994 - USA

Nadja - 1994 - 6/10

 
Modern take on Dracula, actually his daughter, and this bears little resemblance to the 1936 film.
The look is Noir / Gothic, although “vampiric” scenes are pixilated.
The pixilation is overused, gets repetitive, ultimately tedious.
A Van Helsing descendant is jailed after driving a stake (finally) through Count Dracula’s heart.
Dracula’s daughter retrieves the body, then parties begin scrambling across New York.

 
Acting is dominated by a loose, swinging Peter Fonda and a mesmerizing Elina Löwensohn.
Back and forth, I was riveted to the screen and bored out of my mind.
Arthouse vampires, in line with Only Lovers Kept Alive.