Monday, November 3, 2008

Terror in the Aisles (1984)

...aka: That's Shock
...aka: Time for Terror

Directed by:
Andrew J. Kuehn

BLOODY PIT OF HORROR regulars Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen sit around in a simulated movie house and introduce clips from 75 horror, sci-fi or suspense movies (mostly from the 1970s and 80s) as a fake audience "ooohs" and "aaahs" at the proceedings. Many of the clips used are either famous or highly regarded, but basically lose their impact when taken out of context of the film. There's really no rhyme or reason here, and no particular insight into horror movies or what goes into making a classic horror movie; just a bunch of clips. Pleasence (who is also seen in clips from the first two HALLOWEEN movies), Allen (who is seen in clips from DRESSED TO KILL) and the audience begin to grate on the nerves after awhile, too, which I chalk up more to the cheesy commentary they're forced to say than the actors' actual hosting abilities. This was actually something of a novelty back in 1984 and played theatrically, which wouldn't happen in this day and age since there are hundreds of similar documentaries and compilation tapes available. If you are simply looking for a sampler of clips from vintage horror flicks, then this might do the trick. Just don't expect much.

For the sake of completeness, here are the films:
.
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)
ALIEN (1979)
ALLIGATOR (1980)
ALONE IN THE DARK (1982)
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)
THE BIRDS (1963)
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)
THE BROOD (1979)
BUG (1975)
THE CAR (1977)
CARRIE (1976)
CAT PEOPLE (1982)
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954)
DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)
THE DEADLY MANTIS (1957)
DRACULA (1979)
DRESSED TO KILL (1980)
THE EXORCIST (1973)
EYES OF LAURA MARS (1978)
FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966)
FIRESTARTER (1984)
THE FLY (1958)
THE FOG (1980)
THE FOOD OF THE GODS (1976)
FRENZY (1972)
FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981)
FROGS (1972)
THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
THE FURY (1978)
THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940)
GRIZZLY (1976)
HALLOWEEN (1978)
HALLOWEEN II (1981)
HOLD THAT GHOST (1941)
THE HOWLING (1981)
THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957)
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS remake (1978)
JAWS (1975)
JAWS II (1978)
KING KONG VS. GODZILLA (1962)
KLUTE (1971)
KONGA (1961)
THE LEGACY (1978)
MARATHON MAN (1976)
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1978)
MS. 45 (1981)
NIGHTHAWKS (1981)
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
NIGHTWING (1979)
THE OMEN (1976)
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974)
PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971)
POLTERGEIST (1982)
PSYCHO (1960)
ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968)
SATURDAY THE 14TH (1981)
SCANNERS (1980)
SCARED STIFF (1953)
THE SEDUCTION (1982)
THE SHINING (1980)
THE SILENT PARTNER (1978)
SISTERS (1973)
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951)
SUSPIRIA (1977)
TARANTULA (1955)
TAXI DRIVER (1976)
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)
THE THING remake (1982)
THE THING WITH TWO HEADS (1972)
THIS ISLAND EARTH (1954)
TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)
VICE SQUAD (1982)
VIDEODROME (1982)
WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967)
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE (1962)
WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979)
THE WOLF MAN (1941)

★★

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