A House in the Hills (1993)

Film Title: A House in the Hills
Released: October 1, 1993 (video premiere)
Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn
Written by: Miguel Tejada-Flores & Ken Wiederhorn
Starring: Michael Madsen, Helen Slater & Jeffrey Tambor

Plot: A housesitter gets taken hostage in the home of a wealthy couple who have gone away for the weekend.

IMDb: 5.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: No score
My Score: 2.5/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

A House in the Hills wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be. Not that its particularly good, mind you, it just isn't terrible, which is quite the compliment for a Ken Wiederhorn film. Its certainly his best since his freshman effort, Shock Waves. There are some story problems but also enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. Helen Slater is a struggling actress who takes a weekend job as a housesitter for a wealthy couple for a little extra money. Michael Madsen gains entry by impersonating an exterminator then takes her hostage, awaiting the return of the owners. As the weekend progresses, the dynamic of the relationship changes several times, leading to them becoming romantically involved. Madsen and Slater have pretty good chemistry even if there is no reason for them to have sex other than the script says they should. Added into the mix is Jeffrey Tambor, a new neighbor and unhinged killer who attacks Slater, thinking that she is the adulterous lady of the house. Mistaken identity, double crosses and the fact that no one is free of guilt by the end all give a nice film noir feel to the movie, which certainly helped me get more enjoyment from it. Co-starring James Laurenson and Elyssa Davalos as the couple who own the house. Watch the trailer below or the full film here.

Dark Tower (1989)

Film Title: Dark Tower
Also known as: Demons 7 (Japan) & The Curse V (bootleg title)
Released: March 29, 1989 (on video)
Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn & Freddie Francis (as Ken Barnett)
Written by: Robert J. Avrech, Ken Blackwell & Ken Wiederhorn
Starring: Michael Moriarty, Jenny Agutter & Theodore Bikel

Plot: An architect is being haunted in the new building that she has built.

IMDb: 4.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: No score

My Score: 2/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Filmed in 1987 but not released until two years later, just about everything in Dark Tower is terrible. Terrible editing, terrible photography and terrible acting by everyone. Its as if no one in the entire production cared about this piece. Hell, Michael Moriarty's name is even misspelled in the opening credits! The story itself isn't that bad and could have been developed a lot more successfully in the hands of someone with more talent than writer/director Ken Wiederhorn, who according to IMDb was replaced mid-production by Freddie Francis. Jenny Agutter is an architect who has just opened a new building in Barcelona, Spain. When a window washer plummets to his death while outside her window, Michael Moriarty is called in to investigate. Oh yeah, and Moriarty is kind of psychic. As the movie progresses, more and more events happen around Agutter leading Moriarty to deduce that she is being haunted by the ghost of her dead husband. This realization leads Moriarty to contact professor of parapsychology Theodore Bikel, who in turn contacts his friend the medium, Kevin McCarthy. During the final showdown its revealed that Agutter actually killed her husband and buried him in the concrete foundation of the building. Like I said before, the story, by Robert J. Avrech, isn't half bad, but the script, by Avrech, Wiederhorn and Ken Blackwell, is. Bikel whines about his life to the ghost, Moriarty's partner gets possessed and squeezes off eight shots from his six shot revolver in a failed attempt to kill Agutter (he literally hits everyone around her but leaves her unharmed), and Moriarty keeps having strange "psychic visions," most of which lead to nothing. The ghost also has the opportunity to kill Agutter on two separate occasions but allows her to escape both times without incident. Its just poorly constructed. Moriarty does this creepy voice over thing, too, every time he looks something up on his computer. It's bizarre. And there is this continually repeated shot of the elevator shaft with the car moving either up or down inserted over and over and over again. But at least there were no shots of Shock Waves in this one. Moriarty & Agutter are award winning actors and Bikel and McCarthy have both been nominated for Oscars but none of that acting prowess is on display here. I rated it a two for the story but really should be lower because everything else brings it so far down. I wasn't able to track down a trailer for this one but you can watch Jenny Agutter meet her end below or watch the full movie here.

Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988)

Film Title: Return of the Living Dead Part II
Released: January 15, 1988
Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn
Written by: Ken Wiederhorn
Starring: James Karen, Thom Matthews & Dana Ashbrook

Plot: When a military canister falls off of a transport truck, a group of kids accidentally open it and release a  mysterious gas that travels to the nearby graveyard. After that, the dead begin to rise from the grave, hungry for brains!

IMDb: 5.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 0/100
My Score: 1.5/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Trying to capture the comedy/horror tone of its predecessor, Return of the Living Dead Part II fails miserably, and from what I can tell, its largely the fault of writer/director Ken Wiederhorn. The set ups are nearly identical: a canister containing a zombie is accidentally opened near a graveyard and the gas inside begins to raise the dead. The similarities don't stop there; far from it. James Karen and Thom Matthews are leads once again and their characters share similar fates. Wiederhorn believes this to be so hilarious that not only do Matthews and Karen repeat dialogue from the first film (Karen: "You better watch your tongue, boy, if you like this job." Matthews: "Like this job!?") but Matthews says to Karen, "Its like we've been here before! Its like I dreamed this whole thing! You, me, them!" (motioning to the zombies). Hell, Matthews' girlfriend, played by Suzanne Snyder, won't leave his side as he turns into a zombie, just like Beverly Randolph wouldn't in the first film. Wiederhorn did add his own special, and in my opinion, terrible touches, though. Like Karen removing a reanimated dismembered head out from inside of a bag and sticking his finger in between the chomping teeth, zombies transfixed by TV aerobics and zombies who joyride in stolen vehicles just for a few examples. I will say this, though; he does change up the scenery in this one. This time we visit suburbia, a hospital and a power plant...so that's something. There are more varying zombie effects this time out, but unfortunately quantity does not equal quality as they are inferior to those of the first film. And at least the army doesn't nuke the city this time around to contain the threat. Instead, the heroes zap the zombies with electricity to kill them, because everyone knows that electricity beats zombie in rock, paper, scissors. I'm also not alone in thinking this one is a stinker. Did you notice the 0/100 Rotten Tomatoes score? Puppeteer Allan Trautman reprises his role as the "Tarman" zombie released from the cannister, Mitch Pileggi has a small role as an army sergeant and Forrest J. Ackerman and Doug Benson appear as zombies. It was nominated for a Saturn Awards for Best Music and two Young Artist Awards: Best Young Actor in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture (Michael Kenworthy) and Teenage Choice for Best Horror Motion Picture.

Meatballs Part II (1984)

Film Title: Meatballs Part II
Released: July 27, 1984
Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn
Written by: Martin Kitrosser (story), Carol Watson (story) & Bruce Franklin Singer (screenplay)
Starring: Richard Mulligan, John Mengatti, Kim Richards, John Larroquette & Paul Reubens

Plot: The kids and counselors of Camp Sasquatch have to pull out all the stops if they're going to avert a hostile takeover by the military minded Camp Patton from across the lake!

IMDb: 3.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: No score
My Score: 1/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

The sequel in-name-only Meatballs Part II has very little in common with the original except that it takes place in a summer camp and involves two rival camps fighting it out. The plot is thin, the jokes aren't funny and the characters range from ridiculous to offensive. An alcoholic French camp cook, a boy in an electric wheelchair who races the camp bus (and wins), the tough guy who becomes the nice guy to impress a girl, and a barely closeted stereotypical homosexual (complete with a full closet of women's clothing) are just a few of the characters we meet in this movie. Oh, and an alien. Really. An alien, whom no one notices throughout the whole film except a group of boys who find him in an outhouse. Here's a picture of him. They call him Meathead. Oh, and the big climactic final battle between the two camps? A boxing match where one of the contestants is in drag, literally flying through the air like Peter Pan in your mama's dress. I kinda wish I was making this up. John Mengatti from the White Shadow is the the tough guy, Kim Richards is the innocent girl he likes, Richard Mulligan is camp director Coach Giddy, Paul Reubens is the bus driving, deejaying, part time Hare Krishna boxing referee Albert, and John Laroquette is the cross dressing, hidden-in-plain-sight gay man, Lt. Foxglove. Child actors Jason Hervey and David Hollander co-star along with Archie Hahn, Donald Gibb and comedian Elayne Boosler (in a cameo as a camper's mother). And I almost forgot about Shock Waves! For the second time in as many of his films, director Ken Wiederhorn inserts portions of his freshman film for the characters here to watch. Can't say as I blame him as surely it stands as his strongest effort in his filmography. Here's a clip from the ridiculous final fight.

Eyes of a Stranger (1981)

Film Title: Eyes of a Stranger

Released: March 27, 1981
Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn
Written by: Eric L. Bloom & Ron Kurz (as Mark Jackson)
Starring: Lauren Tewes, Jennifer Jason Leigh & John DiSanti

Plot: A news anchor starts to believe that her neighbor is the serial killer that has been terrorizing the city!

IMDb Score: 5.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: No score
My Score: 2/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

In Eyes of a Stranger, Lauren Tewes (of Love Boat fame) is Jane, a Miami news anchor caring for her deaf, blind and mute younger sister, Tracy, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh in her feature film debut. The afflictions are apparently psychosomatic. She has suffered from them since she was kidnapped, severely beaten and left for dead as a little girl, which Jane feels responsible for. Meanwhile, a serial killer is stalking women in the city, raping and beating them before killing them. Before he attacks them, he usually calls them on the telephone repeatedly, toying with them, making increasingly obscene comments and threats. Due to what happened to Tracy, Jane is deeply affected by the story. When Jane sees a man in the parking garage of her apartment building change his shirt and put on a belt as he's getting out of his car, she suddenly becomes very suspicious. No, really, that's what she has to go on. She suddenly becomes convinced that this man, whom she finds out is named Stanley Herbert (played by John DiSanti), is a killer then sets out to prove it. Of course she's right but it takes a little breaking and entering into his apartment in order to try to gather evidence of his guilt. He comes home while she's in his apartment, of course, and she escapes by hanging off his ten story balcony and jumping onto the balcony below his. She then gets his phone number and decides to call and try to terrorize him in the same sort of way in which he does his victims. In the era before caller ID or even *69, anonymous calls were easier to make, apparently. She snidely refers to him as a "phone freak" while talking to him on the telephone then uses the same phrase the next night while delivering an editorial on the killings. He's able to connect the dots immediately! What's any respectable serial killer/rapist do? Break into her apartment, of course, and when he does, he finds Tracy home alone and attacks her. But wait! What's this? The trauma of being attacked again is evidently strong enough to counteract the trauma of her being attacked before and suddenly Tracy can see and hear again! Enough to grab Jane's loaded gun and shoot her attacker, anyway. As Tracy goes into the bathroom to clean up in the aftermath, she sees herself for the first time in years and takes a few minutes to look herself over. This gives Herbert enough time to reappear and attack Tracy once more in the bathroom. But Jane comes home to save the day, using the gun that Tracy used earlier, to shoot Herbert right in the forehead. As they embrace, Jane is shocked but overjoyed to hear Tracy stammer out, "Jane," the first word she has said since before her incident. This film reunited director Ken Wiederhorn with several of his previous collaborators. Writer Ron Kurz (credited here again as Mark Jackson) and actors DiSanti, Ted Richert, Robert Small, Dan Fitzgerald, Herb Goldstein and Sonia Zomina all had roles in King Frat and actor Luke Halpin was in Shock Waves, Weiderhorn's debut film. Scenes from Shock Waves appear here on TV as a late night monster movie. Effects wizard Tom Savini did the special make up effects, most of which were toned down to receive an R rating upon release. In a little nod to his work, a poster for Dawn of the Dead is seen outside of a movie theater. There is really only one scene which really goes over the top with the violence, one where DiSanti decapitates a man with a meat cleaver in one swipe. Other than that, the violence is treated in a much more realistic manner. According to the film's Wikipedia page, it debuted at number one in its open weekend at the box office, earning nearly half ($546,724) of it's total revenue ($1.1 million) in the opening weekend alone. I wasn't able to track down a trailer but here's a scene from the film.

King Frat (1979)

Film Title: King Frat

Also Known As: Campus King & Delta House
Released: July 1979
Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn
Written by: Ron Kurz (as Mark Jackson)
Starring: John DiSanti & Dan Fitzgerald

Plot: This raunchy college comedy follows the misadventures of the Pi Kappa Delta fraternity, which includes an entry into a farting contest and other equally lowbrow hi-jinks.

IMDb Score: 4.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: No Score
My Score: 1/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

In the wake of Animal House in 1978 came King Frat just one year later. It not only tries to be John Landis' debut film but it also tries to outdo it in about every way possible, too. More boobs, more fart jokes, more drinking, more general gross out factor. The result, however, leaves much to be desired. I can do lowbrow comedy but this movie is just trying too hard to be crass and offensive. The plot concerns (in no particular order), the Pi Kappa Delta brothers driving around town mooning everyone they see, causing the death of the Yellowstream University (yep, that's the name of their school) president before the end of the title sequence; entering a farting contest, complete with "fartometer"; a couple that inadvertently have sex in the back of an ambulance only to get stuck together (the guy is in a gorilla suit and the girl, in order to hide her identity while being wheeled through the hospital, has a paper bag put over her head); the president of the fraternity (John DiSanti as the aptly named "Gross-Out" Gumbroski) and his relationship with his blowup doll he's named Grisselda; and of course the ubiquitous rivalry with the preppy frat that culminates in an all out brawl near the end of the film. These plot elements don't even include the glaringly racist portrayals of the one black actor in the film (who works as some sort of janitor for the preppy frat, going so far as to even call them "master" when he speaks to them) and a white guy (Dan Chandler) playing a Native American Pi Kappa Delta named Chief Latrine of the Kissawong tribe (complete with terribly stereotypical dialogue and delivery: "I no eat that! That white man food."). King Frat is supposed to be a comedy but the problem is that it's just not that funny.

Shock Waves (1977)

Film Title: Shock Waves
Also known as: Death Corps, Almost Human (UK)

Released: July 15, 1977

Directed by: Ken Wiederhorn

Written by: John Kent Harrison, Ken Pare & Ken Wiederhorn

Starring: Peter Cushing, John Carradine & Brooke Adams

Plot: A group of tourists on a pleasure cruise run aground on a deserted island. They soon discover that the self-exiled Nazi commander who lives there is being attacked by undead soldiers that he sent to a watery grave years before.

IMDb: 5.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes: No score

My Score: 2.5/5

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Shock Waves is the 1977 directorial debut of Ken Wiederhorn, who also co-wrote the film. It stars Peter Cushing and John Carradine in really ancillary roles and focuses more on the group inadvertently trapped on the island. Carradine is the captain of a small vessel that has taken a group of vacationers on a pleasure cruise. Their ship is damaged by a the rotting remains of a "ghost ship" it encounters and they must head to a nearby island for repairs. On the island they believed was deserted, the group encounters Cushing, an SS commander who tells them they need to leave at once. But after they tell him of the mysterious soldiers they have seen lurking between the trees, he tells them that it is too late; the Death Corps have arrived! The premise of the film is decent but the execution lacks quite a bit. Carradine doesn't survive the first twenty minutes but Cushing is good in the scenes he's actually able to act in, not just run around in circles looking for the "zombies" he sent to the bottom of the ocean decades before. I disagree with the assertion that these guys are actually zombies in any sense in which we are familiar with so I refer to them as the Death Corps, which is what Cushing calls them. There are some pretty glaring inconsistencies regarding the rules of the universe presented in the film. For example, Brooke Adams seems to kill one of the Death Corps by knocking off his goggles. Okay, goggle removal equals death, I can live with that. But not more than a few scenes later, there are several other Death Corps members clearly running around without their goggles with no negative effects. The underwater photography of the Corps members walking toward the island is nicely done and the first shot of them rising from the water as a group on the beach is significantly creepy. But once the action switches to the jungle and rivers, there are repeated shots of Corps members going into or out of the water over and over and over again, weaken the impact each time. The one thing I liked the most was the repeated human errors. Every time the castaways almost made their getaway, it always was human folly that caused the escape to be foiled. Heightened emotions, lack of training or something similarly human was to blame no the monsters, as is so common in most horror movies. Watch the trailer below or the whole movie here.