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Released by: Sarcophilous Films
Released on: December 19, 2008.
Director: Michael J. Murphy
Cast: Becky Simpson, Joseph Sheahan, Colin Efford, Steve Longhurst, Catherine Rolands
Year: 1982/1983
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The Movie:
British filmmaker Michael J. Murphy has been responsible for over twenty-five films so far in his career. He's never had much of a budget to work with but continues to toil away on various projects showing a devotion to horror films that a lot of filmmakers lack, and you've got to give the guy credit for keeping at it long after others would have called it quits. Sarcophilous Films has started releasing some of Murphy's films on DVD, their first effort a double feature containing these two pictures:
INVITATION TO HELL
Shot for peanuts out in the British countryside and always intended as a straight to video release, Invitation To Hell starts off when a young woman named Jackie, who we learn is a virgin, is driving out to a friend's house for a party. Along the way, a guy in an Incredible Hulk mask runs up to her car and growls. When Jackie (Becky Simpson) arrives, her old college pal, Laura (Catherine Rolands), tells her that this is actually going to be a costume party, which at least partially explains why there's a guy in a Hulk mask running around outside. At any rate, she gets settled in and dressed up like The Bride Of Frankenstein, the party is underway. Unfortunately for Jackie, the other guests take her outside where drug her as part of a Satanic ritual.
Loads of other people are running around the house, we assume they're all cult members of some sort. The guy in the Hulk mask turns out to be a mute named Maurice (Colin Efford) who works as a handyman at the home and who enjoys hanging pictures of naked ladies on the wall of his room and periodically throwing darts at them and working out. Maurice's roommate, also a dude, likes to watch. A guy named Rick (Russell Hall) is running around trying to get Jackie to spread her legs for him - his motivation is, of course, that if he deflowers her then the cultists won't want to kill her anymore. She takes her top off at one point but she's really not very much to look at. Eventually people start getting killed by an awesome demon in a rubber mask with glowing eyes, all while poor Jackie is trying to escape.
Invitation To Hell is primitive by any standard but it's got its own berserker charm that works in its favor. Random acts of insanity, like the mute Hulk guy at the beginning, ensure that the film is never dull and even the talkier bits of the movie have enough weird dialogue that they're not boring. The movie kicks along at good pace and at only forty-some minutes in length it doesn't over stay its welcome. Not much of it makes a whole lot of sense but anytime you get a movie with a guy in a rubber demon mask with glowing eyes ripping the heart out of a mute bodybuilder crucified against a wall of porno magazines spreads you know you're in for a good time. The wooden acting, non-stop synth score and quirky camera work are just the icing on the cake. If ever there was a screwy horror film that deserved a wider cult audience, this is it!
THE LAST NIGHT
When this film begins we learn that two psychotic inmates have escaped from Broadmoor Prison where society had hoped they'd spend the rest of their days. These crafty lunatics make their way into a small theater where they figure they can hide out for a while until the heat blows off. What they don't realize is that the theater is getting ready to host the final performance of a play called Murder in the Dark. The performers in the play give their all and do their best to appease the house, while the two inmates decide to use the play to their advantages and start rouging up performers and audience members alike.
A couple of moderately gory deaths highlight this otherwise pedestrian effort from Murphy. It's a bit sluggish as far as the pacing goes and doesn't have nearly the screwball charm that Invitation To Hell has. There's some cult value here, as the dialogue is at times pretty random and a few logic gaps in the plot are puzzling, but it's really little more than a fifty minute time killer and not likely something you'll need to see more than once.
Video/Audio/Extras:
For transfers that claim to be taken from the original negatives, it's curious to see obvious tape roll show up during playback. Regardless, the 1.78.1 transfers, both interlaced, are watchable enough if far from remarkable. Considering the obscurity of these two films it's easy to be a bit more forgiving but keep in mind that there will be some color fading and print damage evident on both films. Originally shot on 16mm, it's doubtful that either one of those older, low budget films looked amazing to begin with and the rough look of the picture somehow fits the films' trashy aesthetics.
It's Dolby Digital Mono across the board here and the audio quality is on par with the video - it's far from fantastic, but it's serviceable. There are spots in both pictures where you might here a bit of hiss but generally the levels are well balanced and the dialogue easy enough to follow.
Michael J. Murphy contributes commentary tracks for each of the two features on the disc with occasional input from a couple of other contributors. Murphy proves to be a pretty amicable guy, owning up to the films' shortcomings without any pretense but also pointing out what he thinks works about the films. He covers the effects work, shooting locations, working on a microscopic budget, dealing with some of the actors and his creative process. Both tracks are pretty interesting and worth listening to if you enjoyed the movies.
There's also a documentary on the DVD that features interviews with Murphy as well as cohorts Phil Lyndon and Sally Duncan. Conducted in Murphy's backyard, the discussion is pretty informal and covers much of the same ground as the commentary tracks do. The focus is geared more towards Invitation To Hell than to The Last Night but both movies are covered here.
Rounding out the extras are a massive still gallery of behind the scenes photos, trailers for the two films on this set and trailers for two other Murphy films, Skare and Atlantis.
The Final Word:
While neither film is a masterpiece, they're both a lot of fun, especially Invitation To Hell, which is a surprisingly awesome piece of low budget schlock. The audio and video are a bit rough around the edges but the extras are decent and pretty interesting making for a pretty well rounded release. If you're interested in this one, act fast, it's limited to only 1000 copies.
