The Roger Corman Cult Classics Double Feature DVDs are little slices of gold. For those of us who either 1) Remember these films from when they came out or 2) Remember these films from the VHS and Mom & Pop video store boom of the 80s and 90s these discs are a treat. For this particular outing, we shall examine the New Horizon films The Evil (1978) and Twice Dead (1988)… a couple of effective (and semi-effective, respectively) haunted house chillers from the broad era we like to call vintage.
Twice Dead (1988) is a decade younger than its double
feature counterpart and, as we’ve seen, the quality of filmmaking slipped from
the seventies to the eighties (and then to the nineties and then the 21st
century and we’re now left with things like the Nightmare on Elm Street remake).
The Cates family (led by Tom Bresnahan) inherits a home from a deceased theatre
performer, and psycho, of distant relation. The thespian’s ghost is still
around to make a little mayhem. This film isn’t nearly as effective as The
Evil and, like the post Amityville Horror-world, was very derivative
and predictable. DVD features a commentary with director Bert Dragin and
Bresnahan.
For my money, the gold in this set is The Evil but
there are still a few enjoyable moments from Twice Dead. Like some of
the other Corman doubles, it is a true drive-in feel where we’re treated to a
first run film and then we just sit through the ‘bonus’ feature to get our
money’s worth.
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