cult movie review

Jeepers Creepers 3 Makes the Cut

“Jeepers Creepers 3” is a rip-roaring monster movie. Exuberant with its gore and humor, it concerns what happened with the creeper between the first and second films. It brings back three actors from the first one: Brandon Smith. Gina Philips, and, of course, Jonathan Breck as the Creeper. Also starring is the legendary, green-eyed Meg Foster, from such classics as “They Live,” “Leviathan,” (1989) and “The Emerald Forest,” as well as Stan Shaw, a character actor from “Rocky” and many others. The film concerns a massive attempt to hunt down the Creeper by law enforcement. As the hunt continues, many innocent people get caught in the cross-fire.

I enjoyed the film’s sense of humor and that it is an old-fashioned B-picture. Particularly amusing is a customized tank that is utilized to fight the creature, as well as the booby-trapped The Creeper vehicle (which two characters get stuck in). The special FX are not as impressive as in the first two, but the film is still a great deal of fun.

This is a very controversial film because director Victor Salva is a convicted sex offender in a 1988 case involving a boy in his film “Clownhouse.” His crime was quite heinous and he was lucky to receive only a 3-year prison sentence. That said, does that have any bearing on his films? No. Victor Salva makes entertaining films. “The Nature of the Beast,” “Powder,” and “Jeepers Creepers” are good films. So, to a lesser extent, is “Jeepers Creepers 3.”

I saw the film at a special one-time only show. A lot of people went to see this film, so they added a special show for Wednesday, Oct. 4. If you’re a fan of the series, go see it!

One last thing: after the film, they showed an interview with Jonathan Breck, the actor who plays the Creeper. His warm memories of making the films combined with his enthusiasm for his fans and the series in general sent those remaining in the audience out on an up note.

Fever – 80’s Aussie Noir

Sometimes we find hidden treasures on VHS at Goodwill. This is the case with 1988’s “Fever,” a 1988 film noir from Australia that unexpectedly impresses. To fully appreciate it, you have to know that it is a remake of “Diabolique,” the classic French movie about 2 women who kill an abusive man. Or do they? In this movie, an honest cop (played by the great Bill Hunter) finds drug money and is promptly murdered by his wife and lover. Or is he?

This movie is good because it takes all the film noir clichés and transplants them to 1988 Australia. This film portrays Australia as a desolate place and so it becomes easy to understand why the characters want a way out. As the double-crosses and shootouts ensue, it becomes easy to get swept up in it because it is done really well.

Overall I really enjoyed the rad Australian desert setting of the car chase scenes. The love triangle in the film was sleazy, but memorable, as the cop comes home and finds his wife in bed with a stranger. The husband gets hit on the head, and assumed to be dead for most of the entire film – before popping up suddenly from the trunk at the end. Australian movies from the 80s and 90s always seemed to gave the right amount of boob action, didn’t they??

At the center of it all is the late and great Bill Hunter, a legendary Australian actor who has been in more than 50 films, including “Strictly Ballroom,” “The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” “Muriel’s Wedding,” and “Finding Nemo.” As a tough but honest cop, he provides us with a center for all the mayhem. “Fever,” which inexplicably went direct-to-video, is a thriller worth finding.

I Love Heartbeeps

Do you like robots? Also, have you ever wondered what a movie starring Andy Kaufman would be like? Then look no further than “Heartbeeps,” a futuristic science fiction romantic comedy about two robots in love. Played by Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters, these robots have wandered away from home, and they fall in love while taking in their new surroundings. There is also a stand-up comedian robot and a “baby” robot, the latter of which is voiced by Jerry Garcia. Randy Quaid appears as a man trying to bring the robots home. With remarkable, Oscar nominated makeup effects by Stan Winston and a terrific electronic score by John Williams, this 1981 sleeper you’ve never heard of is a precursor to “E.T.” Derided as a flop (by Andy Kaufman himself!) but available on widescreen DVD, this film by Alan Arkush (“Rock and Roll High School”) is far better than “Short Circuit” and way ahead of its time. Prepare to laugh and be amazed by this crazy cult flick!