Directed by Stuart Gordon
Jeffrey Combs - Crawford Tillinghast
Barbara Crampton - Dr. Katherine McMichaels
Ken Foree - Leroy "Bubba" Brown
Ted Sorel - Dr. Pretorius
Carolyn Purdy-Gordon - Dr. Bloch
Bunny Summer - Neighbor Lady
Bruce McGuire - Jordan Fields
Del Russel - Ambulance Driver
Dale Wyatt - Paramedic
Karen Christenfield - Nurse
Andy Miller - Patient
John Leamer - Shock Therapy Tech.
Regina Bleesz - Bondage Girl
Writer - Stuart Gordon
Writer, Producer - Brian Yuzna
Writer - Dennis Paoli
Executive Producer - Charles Band
Executive Producer - Bruce William Curtis
Cinematography - Mac Ahlberg
Original Music - Richard Band
Film Editor - Lee Percy
Casting - Anthony Barnao
Production Design - Giovanni Natalucci
Costume Design - Angee Beckett
Makeup - William Forsche
Sound - Teressa Longo, Tom Villano
Special Effects - John Carl Buechler,
Anthony Doublin, John Naulin, and Mark Shostrom
Stunts - Mauro Gasperri
Ted Sorel as Dr. Edward Pretorius
PLOT
Doctor Pretorius experiments on the pineal gland using a resonator which causes monsters from beyond the realm of reality to attack and kill him. His trusty assistant Crawford is left insane as he cannot convince the authorities that the monsters exist. Enter Dr. McMichael, a young hot shot doctor, who wants to help Crawford by recreating the experiments. Released into her care along with Officer Leroy 'Bubba' Brown they arrive at the house and proceed to recreate the experiment. They fire up the resonator and guess what MARTHA STEWART appears. No the monsters appear and attack Bubba. Fearing that the machine is dangerous (NO it's not possible) they decide to work on it after eating lunch. A few hours later they resume their work but this time Pretorius rears his ugly head (and I do mean ugly). He has been transformed into a hideous monster. They succeed in resisting him and shut off the resonator. They decide it's time to leave but Dr. McMichael is compelled to continue to use it. Bubba is set against it and he and Crawford must fight off a huge snake-like monster in ooze before pullinng the plug on the matter. McMichael cannot pull herself from leaving and gets decked out in S&M gear. YES thank you! Bubba attempts to fight the re-activated machine (it now is controlled by Pretorius) but he is killed by a swarm that it has released. Crawdford and McMichael are both admitted into the hospital after Bubba's death. Crawford manages to escape and starts to suck people's brains out through their eyes. McMichael is to be given shock therapy but it's postponed after Crawford's escape. She escapes too after the tech carelessly loosened one strap. Crawford and the Doc arrive at the house where he is prepared to destroy it. He suceeds in doing so but he is killed in the ensuing explosion. Doctor McMichael survives the explosion but goes insane afterward.
This a well made follow-up by the people who brought us Re-Animator. Stuart Gordon is behind the lense and provides another great looking low budget horror film. He gets the most out of all three actors. Jeffrey Combs' portrayal of Crawford is the polar opposite of his manical Herbert West. He is the quiet man trying to perfect his superior's work. When he can't convince others of the work he relies on others for help. Barbara Crampton, looking as beautiful as ever as the Doctor trying to help Crawfor and ends up getting her freak on in the S&M outfit. She switches from controlled to uncontrollable quickly. Ken is great as the unforetunate Bubba Brown. He does have some great action scenes but does not have too many lines. This is a great film which should be viewed by fans of Ken, Combs, Crampton, and Stuart Gordon's Lovecraft movies.
I was fortunate to find this on an import DVD from Hong Kong. It was affordable by any one's standard (under $15). If you can find it definitely pick it up.
Movie Rating
