October Positivity: The Fort (dir by Jason Campbell)

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

2026’s The Fort opens with a group of children and teenagers huddled in what appears to be an empty classroom. The atmosphere is gray and bleak. One gets the feeling that this is a place where they have been hiding for a long time.

Billy Magnus (Kevin Sorbo) enters the room and sits down in front of the children. The viewer notices the graffiti written on the walls and the dry erase boards behind him. “2×4=7?” someone has written. As I watched the film, I have to admit that I had a hard time looking away from 2×4=7. Was that meant to indicate that the educational system had collapsed or was it an homage to Orwell’s claim that followers of the State will convince themselves that one plus one equals three? Or was it a call back to the numerology of the Bible, in which seven is presented as the perfect number?

Billy tells a story about what life used to be like, before whatever happened to send everyone into hiding in abandoned buildings. He talks about how normal society collapsed under the weight of financial hardship, civil unrest, and a pandemic that was used as an excuse to strip people of their civil liberties. (Hmmm …. sounds familiar.) Billy tells how a former army chaplain named Cooper (Tim Perez-Ross) lost his family to the pandemic and how he subsequently defeated Aamon (Richard Grieco), who claimed to be a follower of a group of people who called themselves the “Light Bringers.” Ammon died in his encounter with Cooper but was later brought back to life by a demon named Balthazar (Dean Cain) and then….

Okay, okay. I hear you snickering out there. Dean Cain as a demon? Richard Grieco as a wandering enforcer of evil? Yes, it’s easy to mock and I should point out that this is definitely a low-budget production so Balthazar brings Aamon back to life involves a very small electrical charge. And yet, it was more effective than I was expecting. The blank-eyed look of the demons was effectively creepy and Richard Grieco’s wasted appearance captured the character’s self-destructive energy.

Eventually, Cooper ends up leading a group of people to The Fort, a village that he runs with a firm but benevolent hand. Unfortunately, some citizens of The Fort chafe under all of Cooper’s rules and Cooper himself often doesn’t seem as if he truly wants the burden of being in charge of everyone. When a fallen priest shows up with a doctor (Eddie McClintock) who claims that he has the curse for the latest pandemic, the people of the Fort are tempted to reject Cooper’s rules.

The Fort is another low-budget film from Jason Campbell. That budget is noticeable in the film’s sometimes risible special effects. At the same time, there are other moments that effectively capture the isolation of being separated from the rest of the world. Tim Perez-Ross gives a pretty good performance as Cooper, playing him as a man who struggles with his own anger and doubts. In the end, I appreciated that this film was more about redemption and forgiveness than punishment. That’s an important theme that a lot of end-of-the-world films tend to miss.

Brad reviews WHEN MICHAEL CALLS (1972), featuring Michael Douglas!

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Bradley Crain

Today, I was browsing the “scary movie” titles on Amazon Prime when I came across SHATTERED SILENCE, with Michael Douglas featured prominently on the cover. Being a big fan of Douglas, I decided to investigate a little further. I went to my Internet Movie Database app on my phone, input “Shattered Silence,” and it pulled up the 1972 TV movie WHEN MICHAEL CALLS. The premise actually sounded interesting and creepy, and the running time was less than 90 minutes, so I thought I’d check it out.

Based on a 1967 book of the same name from author John Farris, the simple story focuses on Helen Connelly (Elizabeth Ashley), a woman who begins receiving telephone calls from her nephew, Michael. There’s just one problem… Michael died fifteen years ago! Even worse, Michael seems to know that bad things will happen to the people that Helen loves. When her loved ones start dying in horrific accidents, Helen reaches out to her surviving nephew, and Michael’s brother, Craig (Michael Douglas). Craig’s a therapist who tries to help her understand what’s really going on. What starts out seeming like a cruel prank turns into something much worse!

During the opening credits of WHEN MICHAEL CALLS, I was surprised to see that its screenplay was by James Bridges. Bridges was born in Paris, Arkansas, and he’d go on to write and direct movies like THE PAPER CHASE (1973), THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979), which also starred Michael Douglas, and URBAN COWBOY (1980). One of the reasons I really love Bridges is the fact that he wrote and directed the 1977 film SEPTEMBER 30, 1955, which was filmed in the Arkansas towns of Conway and Toad Suck, the very community I was raised in. Here, he crafts a creepy little story that makes good use of something as ordinary as a telephone to create a sense of dread. It’s a simple concept, but it’s darn effective.

The cast of this TV movie is very good, especially Elizabeth Ashley, who does most of the heavy lifting. Ben Gazzara (ANATOMY OF A MURDER, ROAD HOUSE) is also good as her estranged husband, but looking back now, the main attraction is “guest star” Michael Douglas as her therapist nephew who helps her deal with these crazy phone calls. It was a lot of fun seeing him this early in his career, even before THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO. Knowing the heights his stardom would eventually reach, the novelty of this appearance is all the more interesting.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed spending an hour and a half of my life with WHEN MICHAEL CALLS. It delivers a creepy little story, and I enjoyed seeing it through to its ending. I’m almost ashamed that I didn’t figure it out a little bit quicker, but I guess that’s all part of the fun. I won’t pretend it’s a masterpiece, but it is an effective television thriller, and I recommend it.

Looking Back, Short Film Review, by Case Wright

Posted on October 14, 2026 by casewright

When I watched this short, not only was I entertained, I was uplifted. The short reminded me of the positivity films Lisa reviews.

The short opens with a large husband, beautiful wife, and the husband finding a positive pregnancy test on his counter. I was waiting for the traditional revenge or betrayal story, but I got something totally different.

The wife says that the pregnancy test is her sister’s, but that he said that he was ok with not having kids. He feels disappointed that he won’t ever be dad and goes to his “car” to run errands. The husband goes to his electric car (ughhhh) and sees a “The Ring” like ghost in his rear camera. The man and the ghost take on a father/daughter relationship and it is … really sweet. If you’re looking for a reason to have kids, this hits that spot.

Horror On The Lens: Black Friday (dir by Arthur Lubin)

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In today’s film, Boris Karloff plays a brain surgeon who makes the mistake of trying to save a friend’s life by performing an experimental procedure that involves combining bits of a gangster’s brain with the brain of an otherwise meek English professor. Bela Lugosi plays a rival mobster.

First released in 1940, Black Friday is an entertaining combination of sci-fi horror and gangster action. Originally, Lugosi was going to play the mad scientist and Karloff was going to play the mobster but Karloff, who felt he had been typecast as a villain, reportedly requested to be given the more sympathetic role. This noir-tinged fright flick was the last of the movies that Karloff and Lugosi would make together,

Horror Scenes I Love: Udo Kier in Suspiria

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today would have been the 82nd birthday of the great German actor, Udo Kier.

Today’s scene that I love features Kier in the only version of Suspiria that matters, the original one directed by Dario Argento. In this scene, Kier discusses witchcraft with Jessica Harper.

4 Shots From 4 Horror Films: Special Jack Arnold Edition

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

110 years ago today, future director Jack Arnold was born in Connecticut. Arnold started his film career making documentaries and he ended it directing episode of The Brady Bunch and The Love Boat. In between all of that, he directed some of the best-remembered “creature” films of the 1950s. Anytime you see a movie featuring giant monsters, you’re seeing a film that owes a debt to the work of Jack Arnold. Arnold also directed the classic Creature of the Black Lagoon.

Today, in honor of Jack Arnold, TSL is proud to present….

4 Shots From 4 Jack Arnold Films

It Came From Outer Space (1953, dir by Jack Arnold, DP: Clifford Stine)

Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954, dir by Jack Arnold, DP: William E. Snyder)

Tarantula (1955, dir by Jack Arnold, DP: George Robinson)

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957, dir by Jack Arnold, DP: Ellis W. Carter)

October Positivity: One More Round (dir by Chip Rossetti)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

2015’s One More Round tells the story of Jack “The Jackhammer” Taylor (played by Tommy Lee Thomas).

Once upon a time, Jack Taylor was a big-time boxer, a contender to be worldwide champ. But eventually, he burned out on boxing. On the night of the “big fight,” he failed to show up. Now, he works at a furniture store. He spends most of his time sleeping and having dreams of the life he once had. When he makes a big sale, his boss tries to steal Jack’s commission. That’s not a good thing because Jack really needs that commission. His wife is getting frustrated with Jack’s inability to get his life together. His scheming mother-in-law all sorts of lies about him. Jack’s in trouble!

Finally, Jack does the one thing that he swore he would never do again. He returns to boxing. He steps into the gym that is owned by his uncle (Kevin Sorbo) and asks for another chance. He trains with Franco Turelli (Franco Columbu). He prepares for the fight against the fearsome B.A. Fontana (T.C. Stallings), a fighter who is so aggressive that he even takes a swing at a referee at one point. Throughout it all, Jack prays and feels that God is leading him back into the ring.

Along with Kevin Sorbo, there are some familiar faces in One More Round. Jeremy London appears as Brock Thornhill (now there’s a villainous name!), a man who courts Jack’s wife during their separation. Donald James Parker of Gramps Goes To College fame appears as one of Jack’s co-workers. It’s actually interesting to see Parker here because this is one of the few Donald James Parker performances in which he’s not playing a character who comes across as being super-aggressive and bitter. Instead, he just comes across as being a nice old man who reads the Bible and offers up spiritual advice. Parker’s character here comes across as who Parker was trying to play in Gramps Goes To College before that film became about Gramps telling off all the pointy-headed, liberal intellectuals who make up the academic world. This film features the nice version of Gramps!

That said, the majority of this movie is taken up with boxing. I actually like most boxing films. There’s something thrilling about watching two men punch each other until one of them collapses. I mean, it’s the type of thing to which I should probably object on humanitarian grounds but I can’t help myself. Boxing is (usually) exciting. The best boxing films present the fight as being modern-day gladiatorial combat. Unfortunately, the boxing scenes in One More Round aren’t particularly impressive. The low-budget is obvious as the film cuts from scenes inside the ring to shots of people in the audience, all pretending to be watching a boxing match. Neither one of the actors playing the boxers is particularly believable as a professional fighter.

In the end, I always have my doubts about any film that suggests that God picks sides when it comes to sports. I’d like to think that God would be like me and just hope that both teams have fun.

SOV Horror Review: Limbo (dir by Tina Krause)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In 1999’s Limbo, Katherine (Jessica Krause) is a young woman who lives in a city, perhaps in an abandoned warehouse. At night, she goes to the bar, where the regulars eye her with a mix of suspicion and lust. Sometimes, she takes someone home with her. Every night, she appears back at the bar and almost the same dialogue is repeated by those who see her. She takes someone home. She kills them… or does she? The waitress (Tina Krause, who also directed) appears at Katherine’s home. Voices are heard. Sped-up images are randomly spliced through the film. The camera tracks down empty hallways and through desolate alleys. Sometimes, the images are so dark that you can’t even make out what’s happening onscreen. Voices are heard, but it’s not always easy to tell who is speaking or why. The imagery becomes increasingly bizarre. Are we seeing the inside of Katherine’s head, or are we seeing something else? The viewer will have to decide that for themselves…

Actually, for all of the bizarre imagery and strange dialogue, it’s not that hard to figure out what’s happening with Katherine. The film itself is called Limbo, and the film’s final twist isn’t really a surprise. But I also think it’s fairly obvious that this is a film that’s more about visuals and style than anything else. The story is less about what happens and more about how it’s all visualized. The film plays out in a frenetic, dream-like fashion, with the dream sometimes crossing the line and becoming a nightmare. The film’s visual style captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by sensation and giving yourself over to the chaos of everyday life. The film doesn’t always make sense because it takes place in a world that doesn’t particularly make sense. I’ve read a few online reviews that have compared this film’s imagery with the work of David Lynch. I wouldn’t go that far. Lynch may have been a surrealist, but regardless of how odd his films got, there was always a feeling that he was in control and that each image reflected something he wanted to say. Limbo, on the other hand, always feels like it’s one scene away from spinning away from both the cast and the director. Occasionally, that’s kind of exciting.

In many ways, Limbo represents everything I like about SOV filmmaking. It’s a passion project, one made free from the constraints of having to please the biggest possible audience. The stark images capture the grunginess of life on the outskirts of society, and the imperfect sound design fits in perfectly with the bizarre visuals. It’s a film that keeps you off-balance. When Jessica walks along city streets, more than a few passersby stop to stare straight at the camera. It gives the entire production a raw authenticity. Director Tina Krause was herself a veteran of many SOV horror films. For her directorial debut, she took the SOV format to its logical, self-indulgent extreme. The resulting film is occasionally compelling, occasionally annoying, sometimes shallow, and sometimes insightful. It’s a chaotic mess, but it’s also the type of statement that could never be made by a mainstream studio. It’s Limbo.

October Hacks: Truth or Dare? — A Critical Madness (dir by Tim Ritter)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The 1986 direct-to-video epic Truth or Dare tells the story of Mike Strauber (John Brace). One day, Mike came home from work and discovered his wife (Mary Fanaro) having sex with his best friend, Jerry (Bruce Gold). Needless to say, Mike is not happy about this development. Mike wanders aimlessly around town, thinking about his past with Sharon and also remembering a childhood game of Truth or Dare. (In the flashbacks, young Mike is played by AJ McLean, who would grow up to be a Backstreet Boy.) Mike considers suicide but, instead, he picks up a hitchhiker and then spends a while mutilating himself at her request.

This pretty much sets up the pattern that dominates the rest of the film. Mike mutilates himself and gets sent to a mental hospital. Mike gets released from the mental hospital and immediately does something that gets him sent back. Mike has hallucinations that lead to him mutilating more and more of himself. He cuts off his face and is soon walking around with a copper mask. Mike gets released due to overcrowding and budget cuts. Mike gets sent back to the asylum. Mike goes on a rampage. Eyes are poked out of their sockets, people are run over by Mike’s car, and—in the film’s most infamous scene—Mike drives around while holding a bloody chainsaw right out the driver’s side window. Surprisingly, people are more than willing to stand still and wait for Mike to reach them. This is definitely a case where maybe they shouldn’t have been so polite.

This is one of those independent horror films that wins points on the basis of pure audacity. One gets the feeling that writer/director Tim Ritter was eager to see just how far he could push things and things do indeed get pushed very far. At the same time, the film is so amateurish in its execution that it’s impossible to really get offended by it. Despite some decent self-mutilation effects, you never get the feeling that the movie is trying to trick you into thinking that you’re watching anything that could be considered realistic. It’s an elaborate and, at times, rather juvenile joke. It’s about as pure a film as you can get, one that was made with absolutely no consideration given to what most would consider to be in good taste. Films like this could never be made by a studio but they could be made by someone who had access to a video camera. That was the whole appeal of indie horror filmmaking.

That said, I should note that Tim Ritter has said that he was actually replaced a day into filming by producer Yale Wilson. So, how much of the film’s vision is due to Ritter and how much of it is due to Wilson is anyone’s guess. Tim Ritter was seventeen when he wrote and sold the script and 18 when the film went into production. He’s still making films to this day. The unique aesthetic of Tim Ritter lives on!

The TSL’s Horror Grindhouse: Amityville 3-D (dir by Richard Fleischer)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In 1983’s Amityville 3-D, Tony Roberts plays John Baxter, a journalist who is a professional skeptic. He made his fame by exposing con artists who pretend to have had supernatural experiences. He doesn’t buy that the famous house in Amityville is haunted. In fact, he’s so confident that there are no such things as evil spirits that he buys the house and moves in with his teenage daughter, Susan (Lori Loughlin). Soon, Susan and her best friend Lisa (Meg Ryan)—HEY! THAT’S MY NAME!—are fooling around with a Ouija board and people close to John are dying.

Now, I wish I could tell you that this Amityville film featured either Lori Loughlin or Meg Ryan getting possessed by the Amityville demon, because that probably would have made for a cool movie and it would also give me a chance to make some jokes about why Loughlin was later cursed to appear on Full House. (No, I would not have made any jokes about the college acceptance scandal because, as far as I’m concerned, Loughlin did nothing wrong.) Playing a teenager possessed by a demon would have also been quite a way for Meg Ryan to make her film debut. Unfortunately, neither one of them gets possessed. Instead, the evil in the Amityville house all has to do with a haunted well in the basement. A lot of people do die in this film. The deaths, though, tend to be a bit random. None of them are as disturbing as the deaths from the second film. That’s probably a good thing, as Amityville II is one of the few horror films that I really have a hard time watching.

When Amityville III went into production, Orion Pictures was being sued by George and Kathy Lutz, the two people who lied about the house being possessed in the first place. The Lutzes claimed they owned the term “Amityville.” Eventually, a court ruled that you can’t own the name of a town, especially one that you fled because the Devil was after you. Still, because of the lawsuit, Amityville III was specifically written to avoid mentioning anything specific that happened in the previous films. I guess the studio did this so that the film could be sold as just another haunted house film if the court ruled in favor of the Lutzes. As a result, Amityville III feels rather generic. There’s really only one scene that works, in which the ghost of a character who has just died makes a sudden appearance and smiles sadly before going on their way. Otherwise, things are pretty dull. Not even the presence of Robert Joy can liven things up.

Realizing that they would need a gimmick to get audiences to sit through another Amityville film, Orion decided to shoot this film in 3-D! Just imagine that Amityville Realty sign swinging back and forth and nearly taking off someone’s head in the audience. Scary! This movie came out around the same time as Friday the 13th 3-D and Jaws 3-D. Wow! I hope everyone kept those cardboard glasses that they used back in the day. It’s good to have a souvenir.

The third Amityville film was panned by critics and, while it made money, it didn’t make that much money. Still, the Amityville franchise continued. There are now probably over a hundred Amityville films out there and, God help me, I’m going to watch every one of them.

Previous TSL Amityville Reviews: