TWO GHOULS & A SEX PERVERT: THREE FILMS BY BOB CLARK REVIEW
The 70’s was an incredible time for counter-culture movements. It’s that period of history which we most closely associate with the greater populace starting to take more radical action against their oppressors, and when we finally had undeniable proof that JOHN WAYNE was an irredeemable piece of shit. Using the groundwork laid down during the 60’s, a raft of fiercely independent artists rose to prominence in the fields of music, literature, art, and film. However, one director, even to this day, remains somewhat anonymous despite his contributions. That man was BOB CLARK.
Now, I wouldn’t blame a large percentage of you for exclaiming “who the flying fuck is Bob Clark?” nor would I blame a smaller percentage of you for exclaiming “Bob Clark?! The director of BABY GENIUSES?” because you’re right - - he did write and direct BABY GENIUSES; a film with a poorer rating online than “Weinstein’s Mini-Cab Hire”. But putting aside BABY GENIUSES (and LOOSE CANNONS…oh, and RHINESTONE…and THE KARATE DOG, actually), BOB CLARK at one stage in his career crafted three very fine and very influential additions to the horror genre which are now available in the U.K. courtesy of the fine folks at 101 FILMS.
Let’s break them shits down…
Six pricks in a theatrical troupe dig up a real corpse in order to perform a mock satanic ritual only to find that the dead really are coming back to life…
To be fair, that’s an oversimplification. CHILDREN… is an effective little shocker which is absolutely jam packed with atmosphere and slow burn tension. It feels like a natural extension to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD but spends more of its time establishing the pay off than it does with shining a light on the failings of disparate people trapped in an impossible situation. Special note goes out to CARL ZITTRER for his foreboding and appropriately discordant musical score which evokes similarly spectral feelings to that of BEBE and LOUIS BARRON’s work on FORBIDDEN PLANET and which portend to GOBLIN’s future, electronic mitherings which feature in ROMERO’s DAWN OF THE DEAD. There are also some truly great shots which beautifully draw the eye to what CLARK wants you to focus your attention upon in the given moment, and this skill would be repeated and refined as his career progressed.
This is an under-appreciated gem of a film which has likely gone unsung due to its clunky, schlocky title and unfortunate labelling as a “comedy horror”. Pithy dialogue and outrageous trousers do not a comedy horror equal. It’s also worth pointing out that lead actor and future scribe ALAN ORMSBY’s make up effects for the film are actually really rather wonderful.
RICHARD BACKUS plays Andy Brooks, a soldier gunned down in the jungles of Vietnam only to turn up at his family’s home one night seemingly a-ok.
A potent and unsettling anti-war film which not-so-subtly demonstrates and draws attention to veterans’ dissociation through PTSD upon returning from battle. Andy, a literal zombie, extracts his victims’ blood via syringe only to mainline it into his own body in order to live (another none-too-subtle reference to veterans who returned home with crippling opioid addictions they’d developed to counteract the horror and the misery of their situation). He exclusively attacks and kills characters who demonstrate even the slightest degree of empathy towards him, thereby hurting the people closest to him - - yet another example of how psychologically disturbed marines unwittingly impacted their own lives.
Slow, considered, and utterly miserable, it is a horror film in the truest sense of the term. The movie also features special make up effects by some up-and-comer by the name of TOM SAVINI whose personal experiences in Vietnam greatly affected his prosthetic work. Andy’s zomb-make up, ironically, hasn’t aged and looks as repulsive today as it did in 1974. Wicked stuff.
OLIVIA HUSSEY and MARGOT KIDDER star as two of the four sorority girls who are being stalked and sexy-crank called by a psycho pervert called Billy during their Christmas break. Interestingly (at least to me), BLACK CHRISTMAS also features an uncredited performance by NICK MANCUSO, who played everyone’s favourite CIA piece of shit Tom Breaker in UNDER SIEGE and UNDER SIEGE 2: DARK TERRITORY, as the voice of “Billy” (for fucking serious, look it up).
Also joining KIDDER, HUSSEY, and the real MVP MANCUSO, are genre-stalwart JOHN SAXON as Police Lieutenant Ken Fuller, and KEIR DULLEA as tortured artiste Peter who, despite the grotesque age difference between him and HUSSEY’s character, Jess, brings a steely, barely contained manic energy to the affair.
Some would say this is the crown jewel of CLARK’s back catalogue, but put alongside the other movies in this set, BLACK CHRISTMAS seems positively basic in comparison. While hugely influential towards the making of HALLOWEEN, and a fabulous, seasonal shocker, it lacks the depth of DEAD OF NIGHT and the low budget charm of CHILDREN…
Sporting probably the most accurate movie tagline in existence (“If this movie doesn’t make your skin crawl, it’s on too tight!”) given its incredible seediness, BLACK CHRISTMAS is THE proto-slasher (yes, I’d argue even more so than PSYCHO) and should be a main staple of any self respecting horror fan’s festive viewing.
This, number 29 in 101 FILMS’ BLACK LABEL series, continues their upward trend of bringing the weird and wonderful to U.K. audiences via superior limited edition sets. I’m honestly unsure as to whether these are ported over from transfers previously available stateside, but when the package is this good, who gives a shit? The box design could have done with going through a few more quality checks prior to them having committed to it, but that’s honestly the least of your concerns. In addition to the films themselves, you get a plentiful supply of extras which include a newly commissioned, full length documentary, DREAMING OF DEATH, mini-documentaries, commentaries and other nonsense such as music videos. The collectors art cards are also a fine addition to the overall package and feature startling and fittingly grimy artwork courtesy of…(checks notes) are you fucking serious? Ok, so there’s literally no information about the artist anywhere online…Huh…well that seems fucking rude.
PQ and AQ are excellent across the board with CHILDREN… and BLACK CHRISTMAS faring the best due to their respective atmospherically lit and gaudily coloured tableau’s. DEATH DREAM by comparison, is, as it should be, a colour drained nightmare of creams and beige; truly the stuff of paralysing melancholy.
Shoddy box art aside, this is a fine collection of lesser-seen horror movies from one of the modern genre’s founding fathers, and more than adequately justifies the price tag.
The BOB CLARK HORROR COLLECTION is available to buy now from 101 FILMS here
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