One of Bava's most unusual films. It was so different in fact that the producers felt audiences would be confused by it. The film was reshot with a new plot and lead actor, using only a few scenes from the original movie and released as House of Excorcism.
The original film has finally been restored and Lisa and the Devil and House of Exorcism are available on a single DVD. Lisa and the Devil has nothing to do with Exorcism, but rather a beautiful young woman (Elke Summers) who is seemingly trapped in a strange mansion with some very peculiar people. Strangest of all the butler (Telly Savalas) may or may not be controling everyone and every event that occurs in the house.
This is a beautifully photographed and well acted film. The DVD contains deleted scenes of sex and violence and a trailer for Lisa and the Devil that was never completed (It has no voice over, only music). This is a must for Bava fans and those who would like to see just how much his work influenced directors like Dario Argento

In 1942, RKO hired Val Lewton to head their new horror unit. With almost not budget he managed to make a series of films which are concidered by many including director Martin Scorsese to be the best examples of film making ever created.
I Walked with a Zombie was Lewtons Second film, the first was the highly regarded classic, The Cat People. In my opinion I Walked with a Zombie is his best film.
A young nurse travels to the Carribean to tend to the catatonic wife of a bitter and cynical plantation owner. The islanders who practice Voodoo believe the stricken women is a zombie, but the truth of her afflection seems to be an unspoken secret

This film loosely adapted from Jane Eyre, bored me as a child who expected horror films to have cool monsters and action. when I was older this film captivated me with it's atmosphere and pacing. The photograhy is both beatiful and eerie and it treats the subject matter in a very serious and believable way.

An orphaned teenage girl leaves her opressive boarding school and travels to New York City to search for her socilite sister who has suddenly vanished, seemingly without a trace. As she delves into her sisters past she uncovers a cult of Satanists who may be responsible for her sisters disappearence.
This was Lewton's third film for RKO and his darkest. The Satanic cult theme was an unusual one for the 1940's and the film's ending must have startled audiences then, as it still does today.
The Seventh Victim was rarely shown on TV in the 50's and 60's, but the Turner Classic Movies channel now runs it occasionally.
The cast includes Kim Hunter and Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver of Leave it to Beaver).
Fans of Film Noir will enjoy this film as well. Despite it's rather ordinary beginning, this is one you will not soon forget

This is one of the most bizarre films I've ever seen and the title may well discribe the director, screenwriter or most of the actors in this film! When was the last time you saw a film that claimed to be both a serious medical documentary on various types of mental illness and an adaption of an Edgar Allen Poe story?
This is one of those films you will be glad you saw, but may never want to see again. And while Maniac would be great to throw in the VCR at a party, it does contain nudity and one scene at least, that might upset the squeamish.

A group of Canadian farmers blame a nearby U.S. Air Force installation for their misfortunes. First it's just the jets scaring their cattle that upsets them, but then some of the locals are found murdered in a strange way and the townsfolks suspect there is a homicidal lunatic on the Air Force base.
Like there couldn't be a homicidal Canadian lunatic committing these crimes? Well, maybe not ... come to think of it, I'd probably suspect the Americans too!
This movie is considered by some (although not me), to be one of the first gore film. It does however contain some of the coolest monsters in any 1950's horror film.
The first half of the film drags a bit, since it focuses on a bunch of Canadian farmers, but the last half is worth the wait.
Released by Repbulic Pictures, with production values along the lines of the 1950's Universal films.
One of my all time favorite monster movies,

A volcano erupts in Mexico followed by an eartqauke. Soon giant scorpions crawl from a fissure in the ground and begin devouring people.
Not much of a plot, but then none is really needed here. This is a 1950's "Big Bug" movie and what counts is how well the giant monsters are done. This was one of Wilis O'Briens last films and a few of the scenes are as good as anything he did in King Kong or Mighty Joe Young.
If you don't like seeing scorpions big enough to derail freight trains, eating folks, then pass this one up. But fans of this type of film should really enjoy it

Mild mannered sorcerer Dr. Craven (Vincent Price), resides in his castle with his lovely daughter (Olive Sturgess), pining away for his late wife Lenore (Hazel Court). That is until a Raven comes a tapping, tapping at his chamber "window". Tis a raven, nothing more?
Nope it's really sneaky Dr. Bedlo (Peter Lorre), an inept fellow sorcrer who had been turned into a raven by Evil Dr. Scarabus!! (Boris Karloff)
What follows is a fun time for all, with great performances by Karloff, Price and Lorre. The cast also includes a young Jack Nicholson as Dr. Bedlo's heroic, though somewhat bumbling son.
Unlike the other Poe inspired films of this series, The Raven is comedy that will entertain even younger viewers.

The best version of this story ever put on film. How good is it? This was the only horror film up until Silence of the Lambs, to win a Best Actor Oscar, The Academy could not avoid giving the award to Fredric March for his perfomance so they gave out two Best Actor Oscars that year.
This was once considered a "lost film" due to the fact that in 1941 director Victor Fleming ordered all copies of this film destroyed before he began filming his own adaption of the story.
Their are a several unique features to this film such as during the fiilm's opening scenes everything is seen from Dr. Jekyll's perspective, the only time you see his face is when it is reflected in a mirror.
The transformation scenes uses an old theater technic. In this case March is filmed with a colored light on him which causes the makeup he is wearing not to show up. When the color of the light is changed his features appear to change. Because this is a black and white film, the light change is not really noticable and the effect is very good.
This was a big budget vehicle by MGM and everything about it shows. This is a film that still leaves an impression on audences today.

A low budget Sci / Fi gem, that is (or was) a bit dificult to find on VHS.
The premise is an interesting one for the time and very much like Blade Runner.
In the future androids known as Humanoids serve man. They are human in appearence except for their eyes which are shiny metal and a vague simalarity in there facial features. This is done because otherwise you would not be able to tell a Humanoid from a real person.
Humanoids have gained certain rights in this future world and an underground group of anti Humanoid extremists want to have the Humanoids made less human and reduce them to the level of emotionless robots.
One day after a meeting the leader of the extremists learns to his disgust, that his sister plans to marry her Humanoid companion. A scheme is devised to convince the world leaders that Humanoids pose a threat to mankind and must be forever dsmantled and destroyed.

This was a pretty heavy topic for me when l first saw this film on TV in the early 60's. It is well acted and done in a fashion that any Sci/ Fi fan would enjoy.
The make up effects for this film were done by Jack Pierce who created all of the Universal Monsters of the 30's and 40's.

A Scottish police sergeant travels to a remote island off the coast of Scotland to investigate the disapearence of a child. He soon discovers that the islanders are pagans who still practice the "Old Religon".
This psychological horror film is one that will stay with you for a long time and the climax is unforgettable.
A suburb piece of film work with outstanding performances by Edward Woodward of the TV show The Equalzer, as the police sergeant and Christopher Lee as the jovial Lord of the island. The cast also includes Britt Ekland and Hammer Scream Queen Ingrid Pitt.
Be advised there are two edited versions of this film that may still be around in some video rental stores. Look for the 102 minute version, you will not be disappointed by this film.