VOODOO DAWN (1990)
The unexpected passing of Tony Todd earlier this year pushed me to explore more of his resume. And I found this. I still don't know what to make of it, so you'll have to excuse my state of...bewilderment (?) as I try to parse my way through this Blood Capsule. I'm proud of the fact that I've turned uncovering obscure horror films into a gimmick, but it's not always a desirable gig. Sometimes, you encounter something like Voodoo Dawn, a film that should rock on paper (I need to figure out a way to work "scissors" into the next sentence...um, I'm open to suggestions). Get a load of this premise; Tony Todd plays a voodoo priest who is mining severed limbs to stitch together a Frankenzombie. This creature is meant to lead a zombie army, and no, I'm not kidding. That's the good news. The bad? Voodoo Dawn actively refuses to entertain the viewer.
I swear, the film itself was just as bored as I was. Gina Gershon shows up as a Southern belle who toils away on a farm in the middle of nowhere. I'm assuming she was also bored and that her Southern accent just stemmed from abject laziness. By the way, the script seems to comment on migrant labor, but I can't identify the actual comment. Anyway, she hitchhikes with a pair of students, and after accomplishing nothing together (we literally watch them fall asleep), they run into Candyman's confused cousin. Todd wields a machete, but I don't remember seeing much slasher-style gore. I don't remember seeing this movie, folks. 'Tis a shame. It could have been a contender. Why two Z'Dars? Well, there are traces of body horror in the guise of what can only be described as a "root demon." The effects are nice. That's all. I wouldn't reprioritize your life to hunt this one down.
My advice? Watch Candyman again.
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