Welcome to one of the main features of 'Castle Dracula,' the movie reviews section.
The reviews placed here are from all around the world, from the USA to the UK Japan
and everything inbetween. The formats reviewed are video and DVD. I have included the
origin of the film reviewed so you can check your player for compatibility. You may
also notice that there are some DVD-R reviews. These are not 'bootlegs' or 'copies'
but official screeners that I have been sent containing an as yet unreleased film to 
review. All the reviews here have been reviewed either by myself or my current movie 
reviewers. If you're an avid watcher of horror movies then why not join 'Castle Dracula'
as an official 'staff member' reviewing them. To do so, just click on the 'Join My Staff'
link in the menu to the left for details of this and other vacancies.
New reviews are normally placed here once a week, check my front page for under 'Castle
Dracula Updates' to see what latest movie reviews have been placed.

- House of 1000 Corpses - US Theatrical Release -  

Rob Zombies 'House of 1,000 Corpses' finally found its way into movies theaters.
Those of you who have seen it probably have already formed a strong opinion of it.
Unfortunately, many who have not seen it also might have formed strong opinions on this bizarre,
absurd, and unique film. Here is my take on it.
Two young couples are driving the country. They are in search of road side stops that they wish
to include in an offbeat travel guide. Their journey brings them to 'Captain Spauldings Museum.'
This is a run down tourist trap that specializes in gasoline and chicken. An amusement ride 
dedicated to infamous murders is a main attraction. 'Spaulding' has an assortment of strange and
unsettling artifacts and collectables on display in his moody store. 'Captain Spaulding' is a 
clown with a foul mouth and a manic sense of humor. Through 'Spaulding' the young couples 
discover the legend of 'Doctor Satan.' 
Years earlier the deranged Doctor was lynched by local citizens. It seems that they did not take
a liking to his experiments on the mentally unbalanced. 
The couples, using a crude map drawn by 'Captain Spaulding,' take a drive to where 'Doctor Satan'
was rumored to be hung. Legend has it that his corpse vanished. 
A rainstorm blankets the area as the two couples take off. They pick up a female hitch hiker on
the back roads. Of course, this is a bad move. Their vehicle develops a flat tire and things go
quickly downhill.
The two couples find themselves first guests and then prisoners of a bizarre, demented, and totally
dysfunctional family. The family has some interesting members. 'Otis' is easily the sickest of the
lot. He passes his time by engaging in kidnaping, torture and of course, murder. 'Baby' is the 
sensual and kooky daughter of the clan. She has an annoying high-pitched bimbo-like laugh. She 
enjoys her brothers work and helps out at times. 'Tiny' is horribly disfigured. His father 
poured gasoline over him and lit the poor fellow on fire. 'Mother' is an aging sexpot who enjoys
the oddities of her family. 'Grandpa' and 'Rufus' round out the household.
'House of 1,000 Corpses' is what I would refer to as a pseudo-sequal to 'The Texas Chainsaw 
Massacre.' The state of the familys house and the grounds are very similar to TCM. This movie is
not a blatant rip-off of the 1975 classic. Rather, it borrows bits and pieces. Rob Zombie gives
us too much originality to call this one an imitation of TCM.
Writer/Director Rob Zombie gives all horror fans enough to keep our interest. At times the 
atrocities seem to want to take us to places where we really have not gone all that much. Zombie
obviously wants to push us to our limits. Several scenes never completely make it. Some particularly 
disturbing torture scenes stop well before they were finished. I think these scenes were edited 
to make an R rating possible for the film. This wet my appetite to see what Mister Zombie has in
store for us with the DVD version. I think that many scenes will be pushed even further on the DVD
than they were in this gruesome theatrical release. At least I hope the scenes go further.
I feel that there is going to be quite a bit of debate and negative criticism of this movie. But
there are many positive aspects about this movie. The movie begins with quite a bit of humor. It 
almost appears as if 'House of 1,000 Corpses' is designed to be a spoof. Zombie is able to quickly
put any of those thoughts aside. Too much gore, suspense, blood, sickness, depravity, and anguish
keep it from going in the wrong direction.
This movie is visually stimulating. Images resonate across the screen. Some of these are the 
strangest sights I have even witnessed in my life. They are so off the wall that many in the audience
might not understand what is before them. I would like to tell you what they are but they are too
enigmatic to even try.
One facet of the movie that I did not like is the number of subplots. The plot becomes too intricate
and has too many perplexed characters for a 90 minute movie. Just when we think we know who the major
players are, a whole set of new and eerie characters is flung at us. Without giving up too much, 
I wish 'Doctor Satan' had been treated only as a legend. I also wish that either the father of the
family had never been mentioned, or we find out more about him. Also the character of 'Tiny' is never
explored as fully as it needs to be. The end comes too abruptly and never really clears up anything. 
We leave the theater feeling that somehow half of the movie is remaining on the reel.
Some great sets and scenes are in this film. 'Captain Spauldings Museum' and murder ride is something
to see. The familys house is actually well conceived. At times I swear I could smell the stench of 
death in the dilapidated home. The underground caverns are good for a thrill or two. 
Among the other things that all horror fans will like are skinned bodies, beaten and carved up corpses,
and bloodied and beaten victims in rabbit suits. Yes, rabbit suits. Plenty of other outstanding scenes
exist. Unfortunately too many of these scenes are not linked tightly together and exist without a direct
correlation to the overall scheme.
Some of the acting was very good. Sid Haig stole the show as 'Captain Spaulding.' I wish this role had 
been more strongly involved in the plot. This humorous and somewhat demented clown has a much darker 
side than we were let on to. He could have brought so much more to the movie and would have played well
against the family. Bill Mosley was fine as the lunatic 'Otis.' I enjoyed watching Karen Black play the
role of the 'Mother Firefly.' I wish that Michael J. Pollard had more then a bit role. 
Rob Zombie proves that he does understand horror and knows how to bring it to the screen. I think he 
just does not know what to bring to the screen. 
Jumbled in this movie, are the plots to two or possibly three movies. For his next film Zombie needs
to hire a talented screenwriter to help him sort out the details. Keep in mind these two things when
you think of 'House of 1,000 Corpses.' This is only Rob Zombies first major release. Also, we have not
seen the uncut DVD version of this flick. Another problem is that we all waited for so long to see this.
If it had come out on its original release date, I think this movie would have been received less 
negatively. This movie does have a lot to give. I think everybody needs to decide how they feel about 
it for themselves. I do recommend it. If you go into this movie with an opened mind and just let the 
movie happen, you can get quite a bit of enjoyment from it.
I think I have said enough, even though I feel as if I have only skimmed the surface. To quote the guy
who sat in front of me, "that was a messed up movie." That is just what Rob Zombie wants us to think.   

Reviewed By Scal Williams.

Click here to read how this page is protected by copyright laws.