CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN*JUNGLE WOMAN*JUNGLE CAPTIVE

Paula Dupree, the Ape Woman

CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN (1943). Director: Edward Dmytryck.

JUNGLE WOMAN (1944). Director: Reginald Le Borg.

THE JUNGLE CAPTIVE (1945). Director: Harold Young. 

In Captive Wild Woman, the first in the Paula the Ape Woman trilogy, Beth Colman (Evelyn Ankers) puts her neurotic sister Dorothy (Martha Vickers) in the care of glandular expert Dr. Sigmund Walters (John Carradine). Walkers turns out to be a deranged murderer who hits upon the utterly insane idea of using Dorothy's glandular extracts to inject into the big female gorilla Cheela (Ray Corrigan) in order to change her species! Before long, Cheela is looking like a rather attractive if exotic human female. But she retains her animal instincts. She is able to assist Beth's boyfriend, Fred (Milburn Stone), a lion tamer, when one of his feline charges gets out of line, and also develops an intense jealousy over his relationship with Beth. 

Acquanetta as Paula

Captive Wild Woman is a completely absurd horror film with enough holes in it to sink an ocean liner. Nobody ever wonders why Paula never utters a word, for instance. (The film is only an hour long, but even so!) Director Dmytryck keeps things moving, the film is well edited -- with Clyde Beatty (from The Big Cage) standing in for Stone in the long shots -- and there's plenty of animal action, if not quite enough of the murderous ape woman. This was Acquanetta's third film (out of only eleven), and she was not Hispanic as suggested but probably African-American, born Mildred Davenport of Philadelphia. 

Richard Davis and Acquanetta

Paula returned in the first sequel, Jungle Woman, which also featured Acquanetta in the title role. Dr. Fletcher (J. Carrol Naish), intrigued by the ape Cheela, who apparently died saving Fred at the end of the last film, claims her body and discovers a spark of life in her. Before too long Cheela disappears, and Paula returns, fuzzy-headed and initially incommunicative, although she begins to speak when she catches sight of Bob (Richard Davis), the attractive fiance of Fletcher's daughter, Joan (Lois Collier). Joan ignites Paula's jealousy and the gorilla girl begins to stalk her, attacking her when she's out on the lake in a canoe and trying to break into her cabin. Paula claims the good doctor is abusing her and wants Bob to take her away, and she isn't pleased when he refuses. Jungle Woman is the rare sequel that is better than the original, with a more interesting storyline, much more action, and much more of our delightfully dangerous title character. Evelyn Ankers and Milburn Stone reprise their roles but don't have much to do with the main plot this time. Douglass Dumbrille and Pierre Watkin have small supporting roles. Richard Davis was a handsome, adept actor but he only appeared in two films, this and Hat Check Honey. An intriguing aspect of the movie is when it is suggested that Paula was originally a human being who was turned into an ape (then back again), along the lines of "The Island of Dr. Moreau," but although this is mentioned by Fred it isn't followed up on. 

Vicky Lane as the unfortunate Paula

The Jungle Captive is the last film in the trilogy. This time the scientist who brings Paula the Ape Woman back to life is Mr. Stendahl (Otto Kruger), an evil son-of-a-gun who even uses his pretty assistant Ann's (Amelita Ward) blood to help revive the hairy Paula Dupree. Rondo Hatton, with his sad, sensitive face, plays a brutal assistant of Stendahl's, Moloch, who develops a soft spot for Ann. Vicky Lane replaces Acquanetta as Paula Dupree (Lane appeared in one TV episode after this and then left show biz). In her Ape Woman make up Lane looks more like a wolf woman. The script gives her very little to do. Jerome Cowan plays Inspector Harrigan, who is investigating the theft of the Ape Woman's body from the morgue and the murder of one of the attendants, while Phil Brown is Ann's co-worker and fiance. This is the last and least of the Ape Woman films, only proving that Universal had no clue as to how to handle the character, completely failing to exploit any of the Ape Woman's distinct possibilities. The actors do their best with fifth-rate material.

Verdict: Captive Wild Woman: Farfetched but fun enough. **1/2.

              Jungle Woman: Some real suspense in this. ***. 

              The Jungle Captive: Disappointing to say the least. *1/2.  

THE FIRST OMEN

Nell Tiger Free as Margaret

THE FIRST OMEN (2024). Director/co-screenplay: Arkasha Stevenson. NOTE: This review reveals important plot points.

Raised in an orphanage and supervised by Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy), Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) is brought to another orphanage in Rome to help out as she prepares to take her vows. Margaret is contacted by the strange Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson), who tells her an unbelievable story: a faction in the Catholic church, dismayed by how so many people have abandoned the church, has decided upon an outrageous scheme to create more of the faithful and bring them back into the fold -- bring the anti-Christ into the world! Understandably Margaret finds this hard to believe, but when she investigates uncovers some highly disturbing facts. Has she been chosen to give birth to the anti-Christ? 

Bill Nighy as Cardinal Lawrence

The First Omen is, of course, a prequel to The Omen (1978) and its sequels. In the original film, it was Satanists who wanted their very own anti-Christ, but in this, it's a secret group within the church (although the film implies that it is pretty much the Catholic church itself). The whole notion of unleashing a great evil into the world to bring people back to the church -- creating more problems than it solves (for one thing won't the formerly faithful possibly be attracted to the anti-Christ?) -- is fascinating but fairly ludicrous. Are none of these nuns, priests or even the Cardinal able to see the sheer evil of their actions, which include murder? (Admittedly, I'm no great fan of the church but this is ridiculous.)

Sonia Braga as Sister Silva

As for the movie itself, its main strength are the performances, with Tiger Free offering a compelling portrait of the increasingly frightened and confused Margaret. Nighy and Ineson are also on target, and Sonia Braga is a stand-out as the rather demented Sister Silva. Andrea Arcangeli also scores (literally!) as Paolo, the handsome man in the disco who comes to a bad end in the film's grisliest sequence. Tawfeek Barhom, Nicole Sorace, and Maria Caballero also offer some good work. Charles Dance appears briefly in an early scene. The First Omen is slow-paced, but full of interesting (if familiar) and ghastly images. One could argue that the film's best moment is when we hear Jerry Goldsmith's great music from The Omen on the soundtrack. 

Verdict: Creepy moments, good performances, but not nearly as good as the original Omen. **1/2. 

CULT OF CHUCKY

CUL

CULT OF CHUCKY (2017). Writer/Director: Don Mancini. 

In this inferior sequel to Curse of Chucky, the killer doll is on the loose in a mental institution where, naturally, no one believes the "loonies" that the deaths of inmates and staff are caused by a walking, talking doll. Nica (Fiona Dourif), the heroine of the last film, is now housed in the psych ward after being convicted of murdering her family members, the deaths actually caused by nasty little Chucky. While this is a great setting for a Chucky movie, the ultra-goriness only takes away from the effectiveness of the film, a cheap way of exciting some audience members who have no interest in plot or craftmanship (aside from the logistics of, say, a beheading). I must say that the puppetry is very well-done and Brad Dourif is still on top of things as the voice of Chucky. Don Mancini's camp sensibility does nothing for the picture, and neither does the freak queen Jennifer Tilly. Followed by the TV series Chucky. 

Verdict: Hopefully the last Chucky movie. **1/4. 

CHILD'S PLAY 3

 CHILD'S PLAY 3 (1991). Director: Jack Bender. 

In this sequel to Child's Play and Child' Play 2, Andy, now played by Justin Whalen, is 16 and living in a military academy. Somehow the spirit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) winds up back in a new "Good Guy" doll, fresh off the assembly line, named Chucky. After killing off the head of the toy company (Peter Haskell), Chucky manages to mail himself to Andy at the academy, and of course havoc ensues. Chucky kills off creepy people as well as the innocent and bonds with the likable black kid Tyler (Jeremy Sylvers) because he wants to transfer his mind into Tyler's body. 

Child's Play 3 is an acceptable if minor-league horror film, but at least it doesn't descend completely into idiotic camp as a couple of the later films did (Beware any Chucky vehicle that has Jennifer Tilly in it!) Travis Fine makes an impression as the despicable Shelton, who orders everyone about as if they were in boot camp, and Perrey Reeves is effective enough as a feisty female cadet. The climax to this, set in a funhouse, is both dragged out and exciting, as Tyler, Andy or Chucky face extinction at the blades of a huge revolving fan. 

Verdict: This should have wrapped up the series, but there was more to come! **1/2. 

STEPFATHER II

STEPFATHER 2 (aka Stepfather 2: Make Room for Daddy/1989). Director: Jeff Burr. 

"Jerry Blake" (Terry O'Quinn) somehow managed to survive being shot and stabbed at the end of The Stepfather, and is trying to become part of a new family after escaping from an institution. Somehow he has managed to acquire a beautiful house in the suburbs and become a psychiatrist who is running an encounter group for women! (Where he gets the money for this is never explained.) He has set his sights on a neighbor, Carol (Meg Foster), a divorcee with a young son named Todd (Jonathan Brandis). Things are proceeding well for Jerry (under a new name, of course) but there is a hitch in the person of Carol's friend and the neighborhood mail carrier, Matty (Caroline Williams), who is suspicious of Jerry and learns something incriminating about him. But will she live long enough to tell Carol? 

Stepfather II is as entertaining and engrossing as the original film, and also features fine performances, with O[Quinn generally handling things with aplomb. Meg Foster, who has weird if beautiful eyes, offers a somewhat strange performance that works very well with this movie. Brandis and Mitchell Laurance as Todd's father are also credible. Stepfather II features perhaps the wildest wedding sequence I've seen in a long time. 

Verdict: Another grim if amusing flick starring O'Quinn. ***. 
 

CURSE OF CHUCKY

CURSE OF CHUCKY (2013). Writer/director: Don Mancini. 

Nica (Fiona Dourif), who is in a wheelchair due to a condition she was born with, lives in an old house with her mother. When her mother is brutally murdered, Nica's sister, Barb (Danielle Bisutti of Insidious Chapter Two), suggests she go to a special home and they sell the place, as she and husband Ian (Brennan Elliott) need the money. Ian doesn't know it, but Barb is having an affair with their daughter, Alice's, nanny, Jill (Maitland McConnell). Nica comes to realize that there may be something strange and sinister about little Alice's doll, Chucky. The family priest (A Martinez) is killed in a grisly auto accident, then other people in the old house also start dying as Chucky -- or rather serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) -- gets his long-awaited revenge on the family. 

Curse of Chucky is better than the Child's Play sequels, including Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky. For the most part Curse eschews the camp approach of the other Chucky flicks until the very end when -- alas -- Jennifer Tilly shows up again. Until then, Curse is suspenseful and creepy. Some of the gore is overdone, of course -- far too many modern-day horror directors rely too much on blood and guts instead of building suspense -- but Curse delivers some of the scares and creepiness that true horror fans enjoy. The acting in this is also very good -- Fiona Dourif is the daughter of Brad Dourif, and eventually she would sort of play Charles Lee Ray; Father Dourif's voice acting is excellent. The cinematography (Michael Marshall) and music (Joseph LoDuca) are also top-notch.

Verdict: Little Chucky has a pretty good vehicle in this. ***.  

STEPFATHER III

Priscilla Barnes and Robert Wightman

STEPFATHER III (1992 made for cable movie). Director: Guy Magar.

The psychotic stepdaddy from Stepfather and Stepfather II escapes yet again from an asylum (this is not shown) and has a discredited plastic surgeon give him a new face (after which he dispatches him, of course). Now known as Keith Grant (Robert Wightman), the psycho again manages to get a very nice house in a wonderful neighborhood. (One also has to wonder where he got the money to pay the surgeon.) As usual, he sets his sights on a divorcee, Christine (Priscilla Barnes), with a young son (David Tom) in a wheelchair. The boy suspects that there's something "off" about Keith and teams up with a reluctant priest (John Ingle), to find out all he can about him.

David Tom and Robert Wightman

When the son goes off to stay with his father and attend a special computer school, Keith sees his dreams of a perfect family falling apart, and zeroes in on a widow, Jennifer (Season Hubley), who also has a young son. It's fun in a sick sense watching Keith juggle both women who could run into each other at any moment and finally do, leading to an exciting climax wherein both ladies are imperiled and the allegedly crippled boy comes to the rescue. It could be argued that Stepfather III is just another dip in the well, but there are enough variations and enough suspenseful situations to make this work. Wightman is fine as a kind of demented overgrown boy scout and the others in the cast play with veracity, especially young Tom. 

Verdict: Could give stepfathers a bad name! ***. 

A QUIET PLACE

Emily Blunt

A QUIET PLACE (2018). Director: John Krasinski. 

In the near-future the world seems to have been virtually wiped out by strange, fast-moving creatures that are attracted by sound. Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt of Irresistible) and her family -- husband Lee (John Krasinksi, who also directed), daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and son Marcus (Noah Jupe) -- periodically leave their isolated home for food raids in the nearby town, but one afternoon their little boy (Cade Woodward) is snatched and never seen again. Evelyn is pregnant, and the family -- while remaining as quiet as possible -- must figure out a way to keep the screams of an infant from attracting the monsters when the baby  arrives ... 

In the grain bin

A Quiet Place has an interesting premise and other notable attributes. The film is well-cast with actors who not only have talent but great expressive faces, which along with the script help add a strong emotional component to the movie, something missing from most monster flicks. At times there's a Perils of Pauline quality to the movie, with one desperate incident piled on top of one another, and memorable scenes include the grisly sacrifice of one major character, a harrowing sequence set in a grain bin, the birth of the baby, among others. The film also boasts striking cinematography by Charlotte Bruus Christensen.

However, there's no getting around the fact that the film features contrived situations made to maximize the suspense and tension, so the moody film won't work for everyone, but in general it's a worthwhile thriller with several good sequences. I was hoping that the sequel would go in a different direction and offer some explanation for the creatures' existence, but instead I hear that this is simply a continuation of the first film. In other words, more of the same. 

Verdict: Sort of like a high-class Roger Corman movie. ***. 

INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 2

Patrick Wilson

INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 2 (2013). Director: James Wan. 

This sequel to Insidious begins with a prologue showing an incident in the boyhood of Josh Lambert, who incurred the interest of a nasty dead spirit early on. Back in the present day we learn from the first that Josh (Patrick Wilson) has been possessed by the consciousness of a serial killer transvestite (of sorts) named Parker Crane. As in the first film, weird things begin to happen in the house owned by Josh's mother, Lorraine (Barbara Hershey), where Josh and his family are currently residing. Josh's wife, Renai (Rose Byrne), is freaking out, but "Josh" tells her to remain calm -- nothing is wrong. Eventually Lorraine seeks help from Carl (Steve Coulter), a psychic who was friends with the late Elise (Lin Shaye). Before long another trip into the hell-like dimension called the Further is in order to finally put this family straight again and return Josh to his body. 

Something's off: Wilson and Rose Byrne

Insidious: Chapter Two begins well enough but about halfway through it sort of falls apart, with clumsy scare tactics, some inconsistencies, and a lot of confusion (not helped by the way time is apparently fluid in the story). The movie becomes too convoluted and tedious and despite its creepiness, it isn't especially scary. There are some good things in the picture, however, such as the art direction for Lorraine's house, with its old-fashioned furniture and an atmosphere that is both cluttered and claustrophobic, perfect for this movie. The acting is sufficient, although Danielle Bisutti has been directed to over-act outrageously as Parker's crazy mother, giving the film a camp veneer that may not have been the intention of the filmmakers.

Verdict: Will have to think about watching chapter three and four of this series. **1/4.    

INSIDIOUS

Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson

INSIDIOUS (2010). Director: James Wan. 

Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) seem to have perfect lives when one of their children, Dalton (Ty Simpkins), falls unconscious and doesn't wake up. It is not a normal coma, but medial science is at a loss to explain it. The couple are resigned to keeping Dalton safe in bed at home, but strange things and unearthly visitors further disturb their serenity. Even moving into a different house doesn't help, so Renai's mother, Lorraine (Barbara Hershey), brings them a psychic named Elise (Lin Shaye). Elise tells them that Dalton's astral body is lost in a dangerous dimension called "The Further" and that Josh has to go in and get the boy out before his body is inhabited by something ... horrible. 

Barbara Hershey

Insidious is an effective horror film that is perhaps more creepy than scary, but it is absorbing and builds up suspense nicely. The film has been overpraised in certain quarters, as the Poltergeist-inspired picture is not exactly strikingly original in either plot or images, but as an imitation it is more than okay. Screenwriter Leigh Whannell plays one of the psychic investigators. The film was popular enough to engender three sequels. Patrick Wilson appeared in Phantom of the Opera as well as in Wan's Aquaman. Wan also directed Dead Silence.

Verdict: Achieves the dubious distinction of adding menace to Tiny Tim's rendition of Tiptoe Through the Tulips! ***.   

THE TELEVISION HORRORS OF DAN CURTIS

THE TELEVISION HORRORS OF DAN CURTIS: Dark Shadows, the Night Stalker, and Other Productions. Jeff Thompson. McFarland; second edition 2019. 

Although producer/director Dan Curtis was also responsible for the mammoth and critically acclaimed mini-series The Winds of War and its sequel War and Remembrance,  he will always be primarily remembered for his prodigious output in the horror field. This includes Dark Shadows and its reboot as well as the big-screen adaptations; The Night Stalker, which introduced Carl Kolchek (Darren McGavin); the notable theatrical film Burnt Offerings; videotaped adaptations of literary classics such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dorian Gray, Frankenstein etc.; and numerous horror telefilms, some of which were quite effective (Scream of the Wolf) and others which were merely mediocre (the over-rated Trilogy of Terror and others). Author Jeff Thompson provides lots of behind-the-scenes details in several chapters that explore these various projects, as well as a chapter on projected projects that never came to be. Although at times Thompson writes as if Curtis can do no wrong -- and despite some good work I'm not necessarily convinced Curtis was some kind of horror genius -- the book is still well-written and very entertaining.

Verdict: If you love the work of Dan Curtis, this is the book for you. ***.

HAPPY DEATH DAY

Israel Broussard and Jessica Rothe

HAPPY DEATH DAY (2017). Director: Christopher Landon. Screenplay by Scott Lobdell.

After the death of her mother, college student Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) has turned into a self-absorbed and rather unlikable person. She meets a young man named Carter Davis (Israel Broussard) and finds herself tangled in a Groundhog's Day-type time loop where she relives her birthday over and over. Each time a mysterious figure wearing a goofy clown mask (which somehow makes him more sinister) attacks and kills her. Tree finally figures that only by unmasking and killing her killer can she get back to her normal life. 

Charles Aitken and Jessica Rothe

Happy Death Day has perhaps too many moments of black comedy to sustain tension, but it does hold the attention, and there are a couple of good twists at the end. Rothe is okay as the heroine, who develops a nicer personality throughout her ordeal, and Broussard is appealing as Carter. Ruby Modine makes her mark as Lori, Tree's long-suffering roommate, and Charles Aitken is fine as a teacher with whom she has an affair. Despite the lack of gore, Happy Death Day was a big enough hit to engender a recent sequel Happy Death Day 2U. 

Verdict: Some good surprises help put his over. **1/2. 

HALLOWEEN (2018)

Michael

HALLOWEEN  (2018). Director: David Gordon Green. 

Forty years after his killing spree in Haddonfield, IL, Michael Myers is transferred to a different facility and, naturally, escapes. His sister, Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis), who has turned her home into a fortress in preparation for his return, sets out with her shotgun to kill him. Meanwhile, Michael murders several individuals. Will Laurie finally wipe out the brother who tried to kill her? 

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie

Who cares? I was never a particularly big fan of the original Halloween, only saw a couple of the mostly mediocre sequels, and found this one (which, I believe, ignores the events of the previous "sequels") to be distinctly unoriginal, and eventually, rather dull. The script is disjointed, the pacing is off, and there are only a couple of moments of suspense and very few thrills. Oddly, critics seemed to like the movie even more than the fans, some even finding it "terrifying" and "well-directed." I can only imagine they fell asleep and had a scary nightmare. 

Laurie's daughter and grand-daughter in the cellar

One critic liked the film because of its suggestion of female empowerment, since Laurie, her daughter, and her grand-daughter, all square off against Michael at the climax, but apparently this very young reviewer hasn't seen many slasher films and has no awareness of the whole "final girl" trope. There are a couple of likable kids in the movie: a young boy who tells his father that he likes spending time with him hunting, but would rather go to dance class that night (Billy Elliot?) -- too bad that he doesn't -- and little Julian (Jibrail Nanttambu), a black kid whose babysitter comes to a bad end. 

Verdict: The film doesn't have enough energy for its own good. *1/2.