Deathmaster – 1972, US, 84m. Director: Ray Danton.
The House on Skull Mountain – 1974, US, 89m. Director: Ron Honthaner.
Winterbeast – 1992, US, 78m. Director: Christopher Thies.
DEATHMASTER (1972) Robert Quarry, who sank his fangs into audiences as Count Yorga, Vampire, once again returns to the role of bloodsucker in this deathly dull retread. Quarry is vampiric guru Khorda who, through spouting nonsensical free-thinking mumbo jumbo, brainwashes a group of empty-headed hippies into becoming his vamp followers. Quarry is good in the role, even though he’s given very little to do other than flash his fangs and make goo-goo eyes at the women, resulting in a movie that feels little more than a second-rate Count Yorga for the Manson generation. As it is, Deathmaster has no bite. C–
THE HOUSE ON SKULL MOUNTAIN (1974) Voodoo and mysticism are at the center of this And Then There Were None-inspired body count thriller shot in Atlanta. Relatives gathering at a hilltop mansion for the reading of a will are done in by black magic conjured by the place’s butler (Jean Durand), the first to go being The Jeffersons‘s Mike Evans, who plunges to his death in an elevator shaft. The next victim is chomped by a rattlesnake while snooping in a hidden bedroom laced with bones and animal parts. Little House on the Prairie‘s Victor French plays the wise anthropology professor who dabbles in the occult and tries to figure out the plot—with predictably bad results. Technically well done, but the movie is too deliberately paced and often feels like one of the weaker subplots from the Dark Shadows television series. C
WINTERBEAST (1992) A mountain range becomes host to a Native American curse, which terrorizes the residents in the form of demonic monsters. Tourist disappearances are investigated by a forest ranger (Tom R. Morgan) and his deputies but their characters don’t have much to do other than spout needless exposition and walk around the woods in a daze. Morgan tries to shut down a popular lodge, but in the tradition of Jaws is thwarted by the disgruntled owner. The demons are a variety of weird creations with no real comprehensible reason for why they exist other than to present a showcase for some truly bargain-basement stop-motion special effects. The rest of the film’s makeup is just as abysmal, as are the acting, editing, continuity, and basically everything that went into this incessantly bizarre production. But the most surprising aspect of Winterbeast is that it never fails to be entertaining. Even when it’s not working (which is quite often) the movie manages to keep the viewer interested. That’s either a testament to the filmmakers or just pure luck. The film was apparently shot on and off over the course of nearly a decade, which would explain the constant changes in hair styles, seasons, and film stock. The original video release’s tagline (“The Evil Dead meets Northern Exposure!”) is both hilarious and accurate. B–