The Cursed (2010)

 

The Cursed is a 2010 horror film directed by Joel Bender and starring brothers Costas and Louis Mandylor, Francesca Cecil and Brad Thornton.

Ever since the early 20th century, people in a small rural town have been disappearing and animals have been slaughtered mysteriously. Denny White visits the town in present times to stay with a friend, meeting the local sheriff on the way. However things get confusing when the sheriff and his wife vanish, and the appearance of a shadowy entity has been seen lurking. Animals have been killed and Denny is getting the blame.    

The title of the film must not be confused with others of the same title! This film was going to be called "Tenebrous". It's also called "The Fog Returns" on Bluray. There is plenty of blood and gore but still unanswered questions to the baffling mystery. I give this is a rating of 2/10.

Blood Strawberry

Crowhaven Farm

 

A 1970 supernatural film made for television, directed by Walter Grauman, and starring Hope Lange, John Carradine and Paul Burke. 

A woman inherits a house after the sudden death of a relative. She soon moved in with her husband and became convinced that she knew the place and  might've lived there before in a past life. There are strange visions she has of villagers in 17th century clothes involved in piling bricks on somebody. There's a number of weird neighbours and a history of witches. Also not forgetting the star character of the film, a creepy girl named Jennifer.

As a kid I first saw this movie and was scared of its chilling atmosphere. It was a pleasure to watch it again recently. Most of the actors have done Twilight Zone before. John Carradine plays one of the villagers in a minor role but also he's the father of David Carradine who starred in the epic TV series Kung Fu. 

Don't underestimate TV horror films, because this one is spooky. I rate this brilliant horror a 8/10.

Blood Strawberry       

The Phantom from 10,000 Legues

 

A 1955 science fiction directed by Dan Milner, and starring Kent Taylor, Kathy Downs and Michael Whalen. In black and white, yet you would think it was in colour by the stunning sunny beach scenes. 

A mad scientist put a dangerous device in the sea to find out what radiation does to marine life. It resulted in a mutated creature that was created from the radioactive energy given off by the machine in the sea. When people are found dead on the beach, it draws attention to biologist Dr Ted Stevens and the local authorities. Meanwhile, there is a mystery to unravel and it isn't just the sea monster to watch out for!

The pier seen throughout the film got destroyed by a giant wave years later. The biggest star of the film was the sea monster, played by Nina Hanson, who appeared in Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2001. The film is quite a decent sci-fi flick for summer and it gets a 5/10.

Blood Strawberry

 

White Zombie (1932)

White Zombie is a 1932 horror film directed by Victor Halperin, with stars that include Bela Lugosi, Joseph Cawthorn and Madge Bellamy. 

A young couple travel to the island of Haiti for their wedding but something weird is going on there. Zombies are all around and it's scaring the locals. When the couple are married, the bride becomes focus of unwanted attention and sinister magic is used on her. A powerful witch doctor on the island has hypnotic eyes and keeps a pet vulture. There is a castle on a cliff that everyone stays away from because it's filled with zombies!   

Beautifully made film and it was scary too! Bela Lugosi directed some of the film and, according to his son, this was one of his favourite. White Zombie is the first horror film to portray zombies as evil. The heavy metal band White Zombie was named after this particular old movie. I rate this atmospheric film a 8/10. 

Blood Strawberry