TERROR NIGHT (aka: BLOODY MOVIE) (director: Nick Marino (Andre De Toth-uncredited); screenwriters: Murray Levy/Kenneth Hall/story by Nick Marino; cinematographer: John V. Fante /R. Michael Stringer/Howard Wexler; editor: Art Luciani; music: Bruce Hanifan; cast: Alan Hale Jr. (Jake Nelson), Cameron Mitchell (Det. Sanders), John Ireland (Lance Hayward), Staci Grerson (Kathy), William C. Butler (Chip), Timothy Erwell (Angel), Dan Haggerty (Ted Michaels), Aldo Ray (Captain Ned), Michelle Bauer (Jo), Ken Abraham (Greg), Jamie Summers (Sherri); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Nick Marino; YouTube; 1987)
“A below average but watchable for the faithful quirky teen slasher flick.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A below average but watchable for the faithful quirky teen slasher flick. Andre De Toth(“Crime Wave”/”The Bounty Hunter”/”The Indian Fighter”) is the uncredited co-director to the inexperienced Nick Marino, his first and only time directing. It’s based on a story by producer Marino and is written with nonsense dialogue by Murray Levy and Kenneth Hall.
The film wrapped in 1987, but sat on the shelf for 20 years. The reason is supposedly over copyright issues with the older footage used in the film. There’s also a rumor that it was financed with mob money.
Before the dilapidated Hollywood mansion of 1920s legendary silent star Lance Hayward (John Ireland) is to be torn down by the new owners, many unauthorized folks sneak in to get a peek at it. What they don’t know is that Lance, who would be in his 90’s if alive, is still living there in secret even if not seen for the last 40 years. The actor has become crazy and plans to slash to death all visitors.
The plot revolves around a group of playful and sex hungry teens, 3 couples, who spend a night in the Hollywood Hills mansion of the former screen idol. Lance thereby dresses in costumes from his old movies and systematically kills them off one at a time, as they seek privacy by taking different rooms. At each murder, Lance appears in a mask and a costume from one of his films that is shown while the murders take place. Also crashing the mansion are leather-clad biker Angel (Timothy Erwell) and his hot naked babe Jo (Michelle Bauer).
The mostly amateur and porn star cast erotically reveal their bodies and give the pic a goofy flavor, while has-been actors like Aldo Ray (playing a crazy old drunkard), Cameron Mitchell (a detective who is strangled and hung ) and Alan Hale Jr. (a security guard who lives) pick up an easy pay check for their hammy cameos running from 3 to 5 minutes. For those looking for gore, the film won’t disappoint. Someone gets a spear to the stomach, another gets their head lopped off, a chick falls into a bed of spikes and an estate agent gets ripped in half when tied to a car.
REVIEWED ON 4/15/2016 GRADE: C+
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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