(1973)
Dir - David Lowell Rich
Overall: MEH
The largely moronic television movie Satan's School for Girls from producer Aaron Spelling takes an admirable stab at being atmospherically engaging, but it is too flawed to pull off such a thing. Pamela Franklin, Kate Jackson, and Cheryl Ladd make up the notable cast of TV actors and this was one of four such films from director David Lowell Rich in 1973 alone. All parties involved get us from point A to point B soundly enough, but unintentional humor creeps in and the meandering plot emphasizes the low budget. With such a fetching title, the central mystery plays out more as a waiting game for Franklin's character to catch up on what the viewers knew was happening before the film even started. Watching her walk around conveniently, (for a horror movie), dark hallways and interact with people who are clearly hiding something takes up a predominant amount of the running time and this is only interjected by silliness like a guy drowning by a couple of students poking him with sticks and a cop blowing a door's chain lock off with a handgun. The ending would be a little creepy if it was not so predictable or did not feel as if it took too long to get there, but alas, such is not the case.
(1974)
Dir - Paul Maslansky
Overall: GOOD
The only directorial effort from producer Paul Maslansky, Sugar Hill is one of the more unintentionally silly blaxploitation horror films on the short list of them. An American International Production cashing in on the success of their Blacula films, (and also featuring Count Yorga Robert Quarry as a vile, southern mob boss), it has all of the cheap, laughable charm inherent with such movies including crude production values, asinine dialog, and amatuerish acting. Don Pedro Colley turns in a particularly cartoon-character performance as Baron Samedi, a wide-gazed, cackling, Haitian voodoo spirit who is ridiculous and amusing in equal measures. In the title lead, Marki Bey is no Pam Greer, but she has a sexy, schlocky charm that works well enough with the proceedings. Surprisingly, the racoon-eyed zombie makeup is a genuine highlight and is especially creepy during a massage parlor scene as well as in the end when they descend upon a white woman who is left helpless in a car. Story-wise, it is as simple as they come with no surprises whatsoever, but Maslansky keeps things moving and there are plenty of notable, ghastly moments, hilarious lines, and "Supernatural Voodoo Woman" by The Originals is quite the jam.
(1976)
Dir - Brian De Palma
Overall: MEH
Brian De Palma returned to straight Alfred Hitchcock worship with Obsession, essentially an unofficial Vertigo remake which followed up his wackadoo, financially disappointing cult musical Phantom of the Paradise. Co-scripted by Paul Schrader, it originally featured a completely different third act which jumped ten years ahead of where the film ended. De Palma's reworking of the story to fit a more reasonable running time and sense of structure did not fit well with Schrader who practically disowned the final result. While it is lushly photographed by Vilmos Zsigmond and has a strong performance from Geneviève Bujold, it is primarily flawed in every other department. Cliff Robertson is unnaturally stiff in the lead, a traumatic role that would logically dictate more than the bare minimum of emoting which he gives off here. Bernard Hermann's score is obnoxiously over the top and plays continuously throughout the entire movie. Mostly though, the story is rather hare-brained and features a ridiculous twist ending that is surprisingly predictable in its stupidity. Certainly harmless and nothing to take all that seriously, it is still a haphazard entry for De Palma.
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