The Manitou (1978)
After the commercial success of The Exorcist in 1973, the low budget independent horror films of Hammer and American International fell into decline. The major Hollywood studios started financing more expensive genre movies. Twentieth Century Fox scored a box office hit with The Omen in 1976 proving once again that the supernatural was financially viable. Subsequently several independent film financiers realized that they would have to invest in bigger budget projects if they wished to compete. William Girdler’s 1978 adaptation of the bestselling horror novel, The Manitou, was one such example of this.
After the commercial success of The Exorcist in 1973, the low budget independent horror films of Hammer and American International fell into decline. The major Hollywood studios started financing more expensive genre movies. Twentieth Century Fox scored a box office hit with The Omen in 1976 proving once again that the supernatural was financially viable. Subsequently several independent film financiers realized that they would have to invest in bigger budget projects if they wished to compete. William Girdler’s 1978 adaptation of the bestselling horror novel, The Manitou, was one such example of this.
The Manitou by Graham Masterton is an eminently enjoyable piece of pulp horror fiction despite its outrageous premise. However adapting such a book for the big screen can test an audience’s suspension of disbelief. It would appear that critics and cinema goers alike struggled with the plot of The Manitou upon its release. The story is about a 400 year old re-incarnated Indian Medicine Man called Misquamacus, who is growing in a tumour on a woman’s back. Her ex-boyfriend, a fake medium, turns to a contemporary Indian Medicine Man for help. The use of x-rays by the hospital staff cause birth defects in Misquamacus, resulting in him being born deformed.
Despite the bizarre nature of the plot, the production managed to assemble an impressive cast. Tony Curtis plays the lead role of Harry Erskine, with Michael Ansara as John Singing Rock and Susan Strasberg as Karen Tanday. There is a cameo appearance by Burgess Meredith as the anthropologist and Native American History expert Dr. Snow. The screenplay by director William Girdler and cast member John Cedar is a fairly good adaptation of the source novel, remaining true to the overall plot. The first act of the movie features some pleasant location work set in San Francisco. However once the story moves to the hospital where surgeons attempt to remove Karen Tandy’s tumour, the film becomes an entirely studio bound production for the remainder of its duration.
The Manitou is very much a movie of its time, with an extremely seventies production design. Flared trousers and shirts with unfeasibly large collars abound. The plot explores the clash between modern technology and ancient supernatural forces. As a result a great deal of the hardware on display, such as the hospital computer system and surgical laser are now somewhat archaic. The soundtrack by the ubiquitous Lalo Schifrin is steeped in the musical style of the time. The infamous birth scene created by the Burman studios is suitably ghoulish. Felix Silla best known as Twikki in Buck Rogers and Joe Gieb both play Misquamacus at various points during the film. Sadly some of the optical effects at the movies climax are a little lacklustre.
The Manitou despite its clumsy racial politics is never genuinely disrespectful of Native American culture and the central characters although verging on caricature, are still likeable. If you can look beyond the far-fetched nature of the initial premise there is an entertaining movie to be found. Sadly The Manitou was met with a lukewarm reception from both critics and the public upon its release and failed to live up to box office expectations. The proposed sequel based upon Graham Masterton’s second novel was subsequently abandoned during pre-production.
Lifeforce (1985)
It’s funny how the very name of certain films will get a noticeable response. Especially when talking to fans of genre movies and connoisseurs of the obscure and cult. If you mention Lifeforce to a film buffs of a certain age you’ll more than likely get one of following three reactions.
• Oh that’s the one where that woman wanders around naked all the time.
• Didn't that star Peter Firth? (Usually said with a degree of incredulity)
• That was one seriously fucked up movie.
It’s funny how the very name of certain films will get a noticeable response. Especially when talking to fans of genre movies and connoisseurs of the obscure and cult. If you mention Lifeforce to a film buffs of a certain age you’ll more than likely get one of following three reactions.
• Oh that’s the one where that woman wanders around naked all the time.
• Didn't that star Peter Firth? (Usually said with a degree of incredulity)
• That was one seriously fucked up movie.
Now all of these are true and totally justified. Remember that we are talking about a film featuring a naked female space vampire who’s found on a spaceship in Halley’s Comet, brought back to earth where she zombiefies half the population of London and confounds Shakespearean actors and an ex Double Decker (click here for clarification).
Before we proceed, let us quickly reflect upon the history of this cinematic oddity. Lifeforce was the last of a three picture deal between Canon Films and celebrated director Tobe Hooper. The other two films were a remake of Invaders from Mars and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Canon films had become big on the back of a string of cheap action films made in the early eighties and where now looking to hit the big league. Lifeforce was supposed to cater to the public’s appetite for both sc-fi and horror which were extremely marketable genres at the time.
The movie was originally filmed and promoted under the title The Space Vampires, based upon Colin Wilson’s novel. Cannon Film spent over $25 million on the production intending to create an international blockbuster. In an attempt to distance themselves from their own low budget past, the film’s title was changed to Lifeforce to try and avoid any exploitation connotations. However what was originally envisaged as sci-fi horror filled with American and European stars ended up as a curious over blown B movie with a distinctly British cast and flavour.
On paper the basic premise for Lifeforce was sound. Tobe Hooper was (and still is) a director with a reputation and the market was ripe for a blockbuster of this kind. Remember that Aliens came out the following year and was a massive commercial success. However Lifeforce was not destined to be a comparable movie. The production was extremely problematic. There were financial issues, continuous revisions to the screenplay, casting changes, further re-writes, arguments between the producers and the director, arguments between the producers and the effects team, arguments between the producers and the cast. Finally it ended with arguments between producer and producer.
After much blood, sweat and tears Tobe Hooper produced an initial cut of the film clocking in at 128 minutes. This was then trimmed down to 116 minutes, removing much of the early material set on-board the space shuttle. Due to poor test screenings the US version was further reduced to 101 minutes. This turned an already confused film into an incoherent mess. These factors along with the lack of any US actors of note (apologies to Steve Railsback) doomed the film. The critics turned on it with relish, the film tanked and Canon films moved a step closer to bankruptcy.
Let us take a few moments to reflect upon some flaws that can be found in Lifeforce. Remember that this movie was originally conceived to be a big budget, star driven, cinematic blockbuster. Consider the following:
• Since when have Frank Finlay, Peter Firth and Michael Gothard been A list box office stars?
• Why do the security guards try to apprehend the naked female space vampire by offering her a half-eaten biscuit?
• Why did the costume department think that SAS officers wear roll neck sweaters and flasher macs?
• Who thought casting Nicholas Ball was a good idea?
• Who the fuck wrote this dialogue?
• Exactly how big did the production designers think the space shuttle was?
• If a corpse sits up as you are about to carry out an autopsy, wouldn’t it be prudent to make like Scooby Doo?
• Why do the UK military have Bloodhound anti-aircraft missiles deployed on Blackheath, when they are supposed to be fighting a communicable contagion?
• Why does Mathilda May spend the whole film naked. Really, why? I mean I dig naked women (usual caveats and small print applicable) but this really has no relevance.
• Why is Halley’s Comet green?
Lifeforce has to be seen to be believed. The dialogue is appalling and yet the film is littered with British character actors of good standing. The effects work, particularly Nick Maley’s animatronics are superb. Henry Mancini’s score is also very effective and is wasted on such drivel. Yet this utter train wreck of a film still exudes a morbid fascination and can be compelling viewing. Furthermore you can see brief references and flashes of inspiration derived from wider genre works. The ending in particular has an uncanny similarity to Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass and the Pit. Yet Lifeforce ultimately fails because the producers, Menahem Golan Yoram Globus simply had no idea how to handle such material and a production of this size.
Once you have seen Lifeforce, you will begin to understand the reactions I listed at the start of this post. It's a film that stays with you for a long time after viewing. You may frequently find yourself musing on it and ending your thought process with the phrase “what the fuck?” Finally I’ll leave you with some dialogue from the film. It may entice you into watching it. I regularly do so, although I’m not entirely sure why.
Colonel Tom Carlsen: She’s resisting. I’m going to have to force her to tell me. Despite appearances, this women is a masochist. An extreme masochist. She wants me to force the name out of her. She wants me to hurt her. I can see the images in her mind. You want to stay? Otherwise wait outside!
Colonel Colin Caine: Not at all. I’m a natural voyeur.
NB The DVD and Blu-ray versions of Lifeforce currently available in the US and Europe, feature the 116 minute international print as well as the shorter theatrical release.
Zombi 2 (1979)
If you are a fan of horror movies then sooner or later Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2 (also known as Zombie, Island of the Living Dead, Zombie Island, Zombie Flesh-Eaters and Woodoo) will appear on your radar. For good or ill, this movie looms large within the genre and has a mixed reputation. Even by current cinematic standards, this movie is a gore-fest and it still has the ability to make viewers squirm. It is a curious phenomenon that a relatively low budget and obscure Italian cash-in on George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, has managed to achieve such an infamous, iconic and cult status.
If you are a fan of horror movies then sooner or later Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2 (also known as Zombie, Island of the Living Dead, Zombie Island, Zombie Flesh-Eaters and Woodoo) will appear on your radar. For good or ill, this movie looms large within the genre and has a mixed reputation. Even by current cinematic standards, this movie is a gore-fest and it still has the ability to make viewers squirm. It is a curious phenomenon that a relatively low budget and obscure Italian cash-in on George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, has managed to achieve such an infamous, iconic and cult status.
The film was released by Blue Underground on Blu-ray on 25 October 2011 with a 2K transfer. An alternative Blu-ray edition was released by UK distributors Arrow Films with a brand new high definition restoration of the original negative, recently. Both versions come with a wealth of interesting extras and documentaries about the movies production and chequered history. It’s rather ironic that a movie that at one time was labelled a “video nasty” in the UK and banned, is now subject to such a conscientious high definition transfer and scholarly analysis.
The relative merits of Zombi 2 ultimately come down to personal taste. I know fellow horror fans who hate the movie with a passion. It was rather interesting that Mark Gatiss’ recent Horror Europa documentary chose to not dwell on this or any of the director’s other movies. Personable I like the film although I do not consider it to be a cinematic masterpiece. Yet despite its obvious exploitation roots, Zombi 2 does have moments of creativity. The underwater zombie and its subsequent shark attack are truly surreal. The infamous splinter in the eye scene still shocks and it’s actually quite suspenseful. The film soundtrack by Fabio Frizzi and Georgio Cascio is very evocative and suits the movies ambience perfectly.
I have not yet seen the new UK restoration of the movie but I have seen the Blue Underground release. Zombi 2 has never looked so good and the lush tropical locations and mud caked, blood soaked, decaying corpses are extremely vivid. The high definition image does show some of the shortcomings of Gianetto De Rossi’ make up effects but considering the budgetary constraints and the environment the movie was shot in, he and his team worked miracles. To review this film in a formal fashion really is somewhat redundant. It has survived over thirty years of censorship, hyperbole and controversy and has proven to be indifferent to both criticism and praise. My advice is not to just see it but to “experience” it and then make your own mind up accordingly.