A suburban home is invaded by supernatural entities: an investigation begins. Tonally-awkward mashup of Hooper‘s satiric horror sensibilities and (involved co-writer and producer) Spielberg‘s everyday wonder. There’s charm in the now-period 80s setting and effects work, and a couple of great moments. Two sequels and a remake followed.
Here’s the trailer.
A boy magician quests with a warrior to retrieve a magic ring and avenge his father’s murder. Family-oriented sword and sorcery on a budget: sets, footage, and music recycled from other Corman productions, plus half an eye on wider 80s fantasy tropes. Dayglo and unabashed, mind, so tolerable for the undemanding. A sequel followed in 1989.
Here’s the trailer.
A family inherits a house containing a grimoire: others want the book too. Anaemic cheapskate horror spoof, focusing on classic Universal monsters, but with occasional almost-contemporary reference points like Jaws. There’s a funny running gag about owls, but that’s about it. A sequel somehow followed in 1988.
Here’s the trailer.
A grandfather reads a fairy story of true love to his ill grandson. Excellent distillation of the William Goldman novel, with the right balance of thrills, jokes, well-sketched characters, and a cast that knows exactly the movie they’re in. Lots of fun throughout.
Here’s the trailer
A boy befriends a stranded alien. Still-powerful Christ allegory dressed up as a child-friendly sci-fi comedy. Works in all kinds of ways, and is technically astounding throughout. What shines is the quiet confidence on display, and Spielberg’s ability to tell story through character moments and shot composition. Recommended.
Here’s the trailer
A vengeful 23rd-century ex-cop is sent to 1984 LA to capture the man who killed his wife. Zesty low-budget The Terminator variant with a sense of humour and of being playful with its budget limitations. Loads of fun, a few satiric jabs, and great lead performances. Five sequels followed.
Here’s the trailer.
A continuation of the documentary exploration of 1980s-made (mostly) US horror. Much more (4.5 hours) of the same, though with some deeper cuts this time around. Depth is sacrificed for breadth, and the pattern of trailer clip plus talking head per movie gets repetitive, but there’s affection on display for the genre throughout.
Here’s the trailer.
Five students spend the weekend in a remote shack: demons are unwittingly raised. Gleeful no-holds-barred horror. What’s most striking is the sheer confidence on display, plus Raimi’s grasp of camerawork and the spectrum of lo-fi practical effects possibilities. Sequels, a remake, and a TV series followed, each taking a more comic route through the core material.
Here’s the trailer.
Teenagers steal a cadaver, and unwittingly cause a zombie outbreak. Generally sprightly loose sequel, played squarely for laughs this time out. A surprising amount of it works, even if the loose plot is little more than a frame for gag sequences. Contains one of the few John Huston jokes in horror cinema.
Here’s the trailer.
A cop, a photographer, and a charity worker each investigate the disappearances of New York street people. Quirky horror-comedy with an anti-authoritarian streak. Benefits from location shooting and a solid cast in depth, even if the story is slight. A sequel followed.
Here’s the trailer.
![E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial [AKA E.T.] (1982, dir. Steven Spielberg)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/et-uk-quad-poster.jpg?w=800)
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