(1990)
Dir - Roger Corman
Overall: MEH
Returning from a near twenty year hiatus from at least officially directing films, Roger Corman was coaxed into making what would eventually end up being the adaptation of Brian Aldiss' novel of the same name Frankenstein Unbound. Some of Corman's famed trademarks are present, particularly random and honestly unnecessary be they stylized dream sequences that are straight out of his Edgar Alan Poe/Vincent Price collaborations from the 60s. It is also horrendously schlocky at times, falling perfectly in line with the type of B-movie camp that Corman was known for producing, let alone directing himself. Some of this works to the film's benefit such as comical moments of gore, but, (very), ham-fisted dialog, hokey performances, and the logistical fact that the story itself is rather bull-dozed through to fit it into a compact eight-five minutes makes it a messy affair. The themes of two men from two different eras toying with nature and the chaotic side effects of such meddling are bypassed quite a bit to make way for more and more laughable line-readings. By the end of the movie, every character is speaking exclusively in cornball cliches, nearing the point of ruination. Some of the set design is less convincing than others, but the technical aspects are generally better than would be expected, with Nick Brimble's pretty sub-par Monster at least having a unique creature design. Michael Hutchence is also in it for about fifteen seconds so there is that.
(1994)
Dir - Don Coscarelli
Overall: WOOF
Three entries in and Phantasm is still the reigning champion of illogical storytelling in arguably the most frustratingly moronic horror franchise of all time, (which is saying all the somethings). This time, a woman on foot ends up untold miles ahead of a car that left before she did, a kid is left out to sleep in that car while all of the whatever monsters are after them so a perpetually horny main character in a race against time can get laid, and there is still absolutely no rhyme or reason to anything the Tall Man is doing or can do. He teleports to get someone to go with him yet still has to drive around a hearse to move dead bodies who come alive as zombies immediately anyway and his master plan this time seems to be capturing the horrible kid from the first movie who still cannot act so that he can drill one of those spheres in his head. Which he has in his head too. Also so does a character that died in the first movie. Tall Man still captures, recaptures, and chases random characters while standing still or ignoring others that he has already captured or just chases later. There is even a new obnoxious penis kid this time, Satan help us. It is truly amazing how the more Don Coscarelli tries to flesh out this asinine universe, the more convoluted it gets. Worse yet, the comic relief is jacked up the farthest yet while still trying to be strange, dark, and nightmarish, making Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead even more tonally askew than the previous two entries. Just as the Tall Man says, it truly never ends.
(1997)
Dir - Mark Pavia
Overall: MEH
Falling somewhere in the lukewarm category of Stephen King adaptations, The Night Flier was based off of the author's short story of the same name that was initially published in the Prime Evil anthology collection, eventually finding its way in King's own Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Done on a low budget and only having a limited theatrical release after debuting in the US on HBO, it has many B-movie hallmarks such as borderline cheap sets, unknown, subpar actors, and a kind of late night TV movie atmosphere. None of these things really get in the way of the curious story which follows a tabloid reporter, (King's trusty author stand-in), and a tweak on the vampire mythos by having one that flies around in a black Cessna 336 Skymaster filled with his native soil. Making the protagonist as unlikable as possible is a bit of a bold move, but having Twin Peaks' own Miguel Ferrer play him is a wise one as the actor can convincingly convey the asshole about as good as anyone. The script follows a pretty linear path and only really gets into surreal territory near the end which is only slightly flawed by how somewhat out of place it feels thematically. Even though it is also the creepiest set piece overall. It is a shame that the dialog is mostly poor with too many characters repeating one-liners to themselves on the regular. It is certainly not a bad piece of work, but a bit faulty all the same.
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