Blood Capsule #256

SOUNDS OF SILENCE (1989)

Here we have a film begging for a Blu-ray release.  Vinegar Syndrome, are you listening?  Actually, any boutique label will do, so I won't be picky.  Sounds of Silence is exceedingly obscure, but strangely enough, it's readily available to stream if you check some of the more obvious platforms.  I didn't think to look before I watched my well-worn VHS copy.  Suffice to say, the picture and sound quality left something to be desired.  I was able to spot an agreeable supernatural thriller beaming through the washed out colors, though.  After inheriting a voluminous estate in Sweden, a photographer - Peter - and his writer girlfriend - Sarah - decide to check the place out.  With Sarah's deaf son in tow, they are met with the kind of acrimony you would expect to find in a small village that was seemingly lifted from Bram Stoker's Dracula (different country, same general idea).  To make matters more convoluted, the deaf son befriends an orphan named Bill.

I don't consider this to be a heavy-duty spoiler, but if you don't want to know anything about Sounds of Silence, stop reading...now.  That Bill bloke?  He's dead!  Oh my God!  Y'know, with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that I should have put a little distance between my spoiler and my spoiler warning.  Trust me, friend; this flick is still worth tracking down.  Certain scenes are relayed from the unique perspective of a disabled child.  That raises the stakes a bit.  Plus, director Peter Borg uses every fog machine in Sweden to ensure that the atmosphere is positively unearthly.  In terms of the storyline, most of the plot "twists" are fairly easy to predict.  This isn't a masterpiece, but I'm surprised that I had never heard of it until recently.  Recommended to fans of The Orphanage and handicapped placards.  This is a "no parking" zone, by the way.  Scram!

Random Match Alert

Remember Wrestling Society X?  I don't.  I mean, I never watched it, but it's fun to go back and find bizarro matches like this.  Tyler-Seth Rollins-Black and Jimmy Jacobs square off against Team Dragon Gate, circa 2007.  It's weird.  Enjoy?

Blood Capsule #255

REPTILICUS (1961)

If you look on IMDb, there are two people credited with directing this film.  That's a misnomer, as there are two different versions of Reptilicus.  From what I understand, they were shot together much in the same way that the Spanish version of 1931's Dracula was shot while Bela Lugosi was off brooding in a corner somewhere.  I'm reviewing the American cut.  I have yet to watch the Danish cut, but while the actors are speaking another language, the two movies are virtually identical.  Any discrepancies are negligible, aside from the fact that the monster flies in the Danish version.  Also, the American version adds splashes of "acid vomit," and cripes, I'm tired of typing "version."  Regardless of which Reptilicus you are babysitting, it's a hoot.  Well, it's a minor hoot.  I hate to sound like a world-weary critic, but in my opinion, there are better Godzilla knockoffs out there.

I'm getting ahead of myself.  How about a synopsis?  Mining engineers drill upon well-preserved chunks of a prehistoric giant.  The fossils, varying in (de)composition, are taken to a laboratory where scientists discover that the primordial flesh can regenerate itself.  It doesn't take long for the behemoth - dubbed Reptilicus by the media - to thaw out and begin destroying urban locales in Copenhagen.  As for the special effects, this b-quickie forgoes traditional methods (stop-motion, man in a suit, etc.) in favor of a marionette.  Friends, it's simply adorable.  If Reptilicus emerged from the Atlantic Ocean and demolished skyscrapers on the east coast, my gut reaction would be to ask my mom if I could keep it.  Naturally, anything that doesn't involve Reptilicus (y'know, in Reptilicus) comes across as mundane.  Characters are interchangeable.  On the acting front, the cast isn't anchored by any one performance, unless you're spellbound by old dudes in white coats.

I hate to end things on a downer, so I'll mention that Vinegar Syndrome's 4K/Blu-ray release of Reptilicus is splendid.  I guarantee that no one else is nerdy enough to point this out, but certain scenes are eerily reminiscent of an Outer Limits episode called "Tourist Attraction."  If you know what I'm talking about, we're automatically besties.