"Shock-O-Rama" is a very entertaining anthology film with a lot to like about it.
**SPOILERS**
Tired of being in low-budget horror films, Rebecca Raven, (Erin Brown) decides to take a break at a summer home, forcing studio bosses Frank, (Michael R. Thomas) and Gaylord, (David Fine) to find a replacement. One tape of an actress they consider features aliens crashing into a scrap-yard owned by Jedd Callahan, (Rob Monkiewicz) when his girlfriend Linda, (Caitlin Ross) arrives to collect her payment. Constantly being under attack by the creatures, the two hole up together in the scrap-yard until the aliens unleash a gigantic robot at them. Unimpressed, Frank still wants Rebecca back, who has accidentally unleashed a killer zombie that relentlessly attacks her at the house. As she battles the creature, the other tape shown features Dr. Carruthers, (Julian Wells) a doctor experimenting on a group of sorority sisters having trouble sleeping, and a gigantic brain starts to attack them and forcing them to take a stand against the experiments and the creature.
The Good News: This one really surprised me with how much fun it was. That sense of fun is most apparent than in the comedy. There's a lot of really humorous lines in here, from the rant at the beginning that takes on all comers of the business to the throwaway joke before a character enters a bathtub, there's a lot of pretty great lines that do come off as funny. The lines during the chase around the farm-house contains some amusing lines as well, and the second segment is full of campy lines and situations that recall the old science fiction classics of the past very easily. The cheesy effects, the nod to the makers of the past, and a great feel and tone make it a really fun watch. The fact that the main creation in the segment is a wonder of stop-motion, and it fits in rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. The other special effects aren't all that bad either. The zombie make-up looks really great. The gray skin on the face, the welts, the scarred appearance and the slow, stumbling walk create a really effective monster. The mood created during it's segment is also really great. The concept of the creatures resurrection is pretty believable and clever, the house for the main action is nicely designed with plenty of shock opportunities, and the fact that there's a couple of decent stalking scenes gives it a higher degree of suspense. The sequence in the bedroom is the best, being a great twist on a classic convention and really being the film's best sequence. Rivaling it for sheer fun is the cabin sequence, as it features a ton of gore, chainsaw dueling, dismembering, and a wild hallucination sequence that mix together so many elements that it really takes a life of it's own. The special effects in the final sequence are quite nicely designed, featuring some really graphic body melt-downs, scaring, hearts ripped out and much, much more in a really impressive sequence. The dream-like quality of the images is really effective, adding bizarre shots and ideas into the mix with the traditional horror elements present in the rest of the film. This is a really impressive film with lots to like about it.
The Bad News: There isn't a lot here that doesn't work in the film. The only thing that really seems off is the final segment, which is a little too dark for the rest of the film. The others are a light and cheesy, while it is a much more serious one with far less jokes and corn-ball attitude. It's also the most sluggishly paced, feeling a little too padded out and full of scenes there to increase running time. There's too much talking about possible scenarios without really doing anything about them. But other than those two minor affairs, this was really enjoyable.
The Final Verdict: This one was a really entertaining and very enjoyable film that really couldn't have been any better. The fact that this features so much entertaining and worthwhile scenes and ideas makes it an easy recommendation for just about any occasion or genre-fan, as something here will please everyone.
Rated R: Graphic Language, Full Nudity, Violence and a mild sex scene
**SPOILERS**
Tired of being in low-budget horror films, Rebecca Raven, (Erin Brown) decides to take a break at a summer home, forcing studio bosses Frank, (Michael R. Thomas) and Gaylord, (David Fine) to find a replacement. One tape of an actress they consider features aliens crashing into a scrap-yard owned by Jedd Callahan, (Rob Monkiewicz) when his girlfriend Linda, (Caitlin Ross) arrives to collect her payment. Constantly being under attack by the creatures, the two hole up together in the scrap-yard until the aliens unleash a gigantic robot at them. Unimpressed, Frank still wants Rebecca back, who has accidentally unleashed a killer zombie that relentlessly attacks her at the house. As she battles the creature, the other tape shown features Dr. Carruthers, (Julian Wells) a doctor experimenting on a group of sorority sisters having trouble sleeping, and a gigantic brain starts to attack them and forcing them to take a stand against the experiments and the creature.
The Good News: This one really surprised me with how much fun it was. That sense of fun is most apparent than in the comedy. There's a lot of really humorous lines in here, from the rant at the beginning that takes on all comers of the business to the throwaway joke before a character enters a bathtub, there's a lot of pretty great lines that do come off as funny. The lines during the chase around the farm-house contains some amusing lines as well, and the second segment is full of campy lines and situations that recall the old science fiction classics of the past very easily. The cheesy effects, the nod to the makers of the past, and a great feel and tone make it a really fun watch. The fact that the main creation in the segment is a wonder of stop-motion, and it fits in rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. The other special effects aren't all that bad either. The zombie make-up looks really great. The gray skin on the face, the welts, the scarred appearance and the slow, stumbling walk create a really effective monster. The mood created during it's segment is also really great. The concept of the creatures resurrection is pretty believable and clever, the house for the main action is nicely designed with plenty of shock opportunities, and the fact that there's a couple of decent stalking scenes gives it a higher degree of suspense. The sequence in the bedroom is the best, being a great twist on a classic convention and really being the film's best sequence. Rivaling it for sheer fun is the cabin sequence, as it features a ton of gore, chainsaw dueling, dismembering, and a wild hallucination sequence that mix together so many elements that it really takes a life of it's own. The special effects in the final sequence are quite nicely designed, featuring some really graphic body melt-downs, scaring, hearts ripped out and much, much more in a really impressive sequence. The dream-like quality of the images is really effective, adding bizarre shots and ideas into the mix with the traditional horror elements present in the rest of the film. This is a really impressive film with lots to like about it.
The Bad News: There isn't a lot here that doesn't work in the film. The only thing that really seems off is the final segment, which is a little too dark for the rest of the film. The others are a light and cheesy, while it is a much more serious one with far less jokes and corn-ball attitude. It's also the most sluggishly paced, feeling a little too padded out and full of scenes there to increase running time. There's too much talking about possible scenarios without really doing anything about them. But other than those two minor affairs, this was really enjoyable.
The Final Verdict: This one was a really entertaining and very enjoyable film that really couldn't have been any better. The fact that this features so much entertaining and worthwhile scenes and ideas makes it an easy recommendation for just about any occasion or genre-fan, as something here will please everyone.
Rated R: Graphic Language, Full Nudity, Violence and a mild sex scene
