Editorials
Exhumed & Exonerated: ‘Wishmaster’ (1997)
Every decade has its ups and downs when it comes to cinema, no matter the genre. Horror fans love to loft on high the output of the ‘30s & ‘40s, the ‘70s & ‘80s, and the more recent decades. More often than not, however, the 1990s are labeled as the worst decade for the genre. Not only that, but ‘90s horror tends to be written off as a whole, beyond a handful of undisputed classics. The purpose of Exhumed & Exonerated: The ‘90s Horror Project, is to refute those accusations by highlighting numerous gems from the decade. Stone cold classics will be tackled in this column from time to time, but its main purpose will be to seek out lesser-known and/or less-loved titles that I think deserve more attention and respect from fans. Let the mayhem begin!
WISHMASTER
Directed by Robert Kurtzman
Screenplay by Peter Atkins
Produced by Pierre David, Wes Craven, Russell D. Markowitz, Clark Peterson, Erik Saltzgaber, David Tripet, and Noël A. Zanitsch
Starring Tammy Lauren, Andrew Divoff, Wendy Benson, Jenny O’Hara, Rico Ross, Chris Lemmon, Tony Crane, and Robert Englund
Released on September 19, 1997
Wishmaster follows the malicious quest of an ancient dark being, the Djinn (Andrew Divoff), who is accidentally freed from his centuries-long confines by an unaware appraiser named Alex (Tammy Lauren). In order to unleash his dark plague upon humanity, the Djinn must convince Alex to make three wishes for him to grant. Along the way, he must also collect the souls of passers-by by offering them single wishes, all of which are made reality in increasingly horrifying ways.
I’m sure some will scoff at the inclusion of this film, but I’ll counter by saying that it is a lot more fun than some of you remember. Wishmaster is far from perfect. The direction is fairly pedestrian and the budget a little low, causing the concept to lack the scale it needs at times to truly sing, but the good outweighs the bad.
Tammy Lauren has an ‘80s Linda Hamilton thing going on and makes for a capable lead. She is well-supported by co-stars Wendy Benson (as Alex’s sister Shannon), Chris Lemmon as her overzealous boss Nick Merritt, Jenny O’Hara as a mythology expert, Aliens’ Ricco Ross as a befuddled cop, and Tony Crane as Alex’s best friend/would-be lover, Josh. And, as always, Robert Englund knocks his role as the somewhat sleazy Raymond Beaumont out of the park.
The star of the show, however, is Andrew Divoff. Generally stuck playing henchman or simply just “third goon from the right”, Divoff fares well as the scenery-chewing villain. His performance is filled with so much ham that you might still find store shelve under-stocked on the pork product this Thanksgiving, but it suits the film. Given the otherworldly and inhuman nature of the Djinn, the hamminess and mugging constantly flooding forth from Divoff helps to create a disconnect whenever he graces the screen.
In his human form as Nathaniel Demerest, he looks normal at the outset, but there’s instantly something of about him due to the malicious grin constantly adorning Divoff’s face. In his true form as the Djinn, Divoff’s over-animated facial tics carry through the prosthetics and make-up wonderfully, giving us one of the few new iconic horror performances of the ‘90s. It’s really no wonder that this film ultimately spawned 3 low budget sequels, although the third and fourth entries sadly were not smart enough to retain Divoff in the role. I suspect that’s probably the exact reason we aren’t still seeing further DTV entries made to this day.
Back to the style and concept, the film’s rather Clive Barker-esque leanings come as no surprise once one realizes that it was penned by Peter Atkins, the screenwriter of the first three Hellraiser sequels. Pair that with a bit of Warlock-style Anthony Hickox flavor in terms of the film’s look and we have a solid supernatural horrorfest that piles on both the dark magic and the gore. KNB clearly had some fun crafting the deaths in this film, most of which are quite gruesome.
Then we have the cameos, of which there are PLENTY. When horror icons and recognizable genre actors are given bit roles in films such as this, more often than not there is a temptation to fill their scenes with winks and bad references. Wishmaster thankfully eschews this pitfall, instead simply trusting its audience to recognize some (if not all) of these actors. If you aren’t aware of who they are, their appearances still play out organically, instead of jarring the viewer. Chances are I’ve missed a few, but let’s take a look at the full tally…
- Angus Scrimm (Phantasm 1-5) as the narrator.
- Ted Raimi (Evil Dead 2, Darkman) as Beaumont’s douchey assistant.
- Joe Pilato (Day of the Dead) as the drunken dock worker.
- Verne Troyer (Austin Powers trilogy) as the newly-reborn Djinn.
- George “Buck” Flower (The Fog, They Live) as the angry homeless man.
- Reggie Bannister (Phantasm 1-5) as the asshole pharmacist.
- Peter Liapis (Ghoulies) as a pharmacy customer.
- Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th 7-10) as Merritt’s security guard.
- Tony Todd (Candyman trilogy) as Beaumont’s security guard.
- The Pazuzu status (The Exorcist 1-4) as itself!
The nods don’t stop there. The majority of the characters have horror –centric last names, although instead of the usual “name them after horror directors” routine (which grows more stale with each passing year), Atkins was sly enough to adorn them with the surnames of horror authors. Derleth, Leiber, Beaumont, Finney, Etchison, etc. Once again, these are names that will ring a bell with some fans, but not in a way that should take them out of the film itself.
It may not be Hellraiser, A Nightmare on Elm Street, or Candyman, but Wishmaster remains a fun horror romp that manages to offer up an interesting concept, an enjoyable cast, buckets of blood, and an intriguing new horror icon, something that we rarely get anymore. Unlike his more well-known brethren from the ‘80s, the Djinn will likely never see his franchise resurrected in theaters in a big way. That said, this does little to diminish the entertainment he offered up for a short time in his debut decade.
Up Next: Alien 3 (1992)
Previously On…
Species | Mute Witness | Popcorn | Wishmaster | Alien 3 | Cast A Deadly Spell
Disturbing Behavior | The Sect | The Addams Family
Editorials
‘Immaculate’ – A Companion Watch Guide to the Religious Horror Movie and Its Cinematic Influences
The religious horror movie Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney and directed by Michael Mohan, wears its horror influences on its sleeves. NEON’s new horror movie is now available on Digital and PVOD, making it easier to catch up with the buzzy title. If you’ve already seen Immaculate, this companion watch guide highlights horror movies to pair with it.
Sweeney stars in Immaculate as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith who is offered a fulfilling new role at an illustrious Italian convent. Cecilia’s warm welcome to the picture-perfect Italian countryside gets derailed soon enough when she discovers she’s become pregnant and realizes the convent harbors disturbing secrets.
From Will Bates’ gothic score to the filming locations and even shot compositions, Immaculate owes a lot to its cinematic influences. Mohan pulls from more than just religious horror, though. While Immaculate pays tribute to the classics, the horror movie surprises for the way it leans so heavily into Italian horror and New French Extremity. Let’s dig into many of the film’s most prominent horror influences with a companion watch guide.
Warning: Immaculate spoilers ahead.
Rosemary’s Baby
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The mother of all pregnancy horror movies introduces Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), an eager-to-please housewife who’s supportive of her husband, Guy, and thrilled he landed them a spot in the coveted Bramford apartment building. Guy proposes a romantic evening, which gives way to a hallucinogenic nightmare scenario that leaves Rosemary confused and pregnant. Rosemary’s suspicions and paranoia mount as she’s gaslit by everyone around her, all attempting to distract her from her deeply abnormal pregnancy. While Cecilia follows a similar emotional journey to Rosemary, from the confusion over her baby’s conception to being gaslit by those who claim to have her best interests in mind, Immaculate inverts the iconic final frame of Rosemary’s Baby to great effect.
The Exorcist
William Friedkin’s horror classic shook audiences to their core upon release in the ’70s, largely for its shocking imagery. A grim battle over faith is waged between demon Pazuzu and priests Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). The battleground happens to be a 12-year-old, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose possessed form commits blasphemy often, including violently masturbating with a crucifix. Yet Friedkin captures the horrifying events with stunning cinematography; the emotional complexity and shot composition lend elegance to a film that counterbalances the horror. That balance between transgressive imagery and artful form permeates Immaculate as well.
Suspiria
Jessica Harper stars as Suzy Bannion, an American newcomer at a prestigious dance academy in Germany who uncovers a supernatural conspiracy amid a series of grisly murders. It’s a dance academy so disciplined in its art form that its students and faculty live their full time, spending nearly every waking hour there, including built-in meals and scheduled bedtimes. Like Suzy Bannion, Cecilia is a novitiate committed to learning her chosen trade, so much so that she travels to a foreign country to continue her training. Also, like Suzy, Cecilia quickly realizes the pristine façade of her new setting belies sinister secrets that mean her harm.
What Have You Done to Solange?
This 1972 Italian horror film follows a college professor who gets embroiled in a bizarre series of murders when his mistress, a student, witnesses one taking place. The professor starts his own investigation to discover what happened to the young woman, Solange. Sex, murder, and religion course through this Giallo’s veins, which features I Spit on Your Grave’s Camille Keaton as Solange. Immaculate director Michael Mohan revealed to The Wrap that he emulated director Massimo Dallamano’s techniques, particularly in a key scene that sees Cecilia alone in a crowded room of male superiors, all interrogating her on her immaculate status.
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
In this Giallo, two sisters inherit their family’s castle that’s also cursed. When a dark-haired, red-robed woman begins killing people around them, the sisters begin to wonder if the castle’s mysterious curse has resurfaced. Director Emilio Miraglia infuses his Giallo with vibrant style, with the titular Red Queen instantly eye-catching in design. While the killer’s design and use of red no doubt played an influential role in some of Immaculate’s nightmare imagery, its biggest inspiration in Mohan’s film is its score. Immaculate pays tribute to The Red Queen Kills Seven Times through specific music cues.
The Vanishing
Rex’s life is irrevocably changed when the love of his life is abducted from a rest stop. Three years later, he begins receiving letters from his girlfriend’s abductor. Director George Sluizer infuses his simple premise with bone-chilling dread and psychological terror as the kidnapper toys with Red. It builds to a harrowing finale you won’t forget; and neither did Mohan, who cited The Vanishing as an influence on Immaculate. Likely for its surprise closing moments, but mostly for the way Sluizer filmed from inside a coffin.
The Other Hell
This nunsploitation film begins where Immaculate ends: in the catacombs of a convent that leads to an underground laboratory. The Other Hell sees a priest investigating the seemingly paranormal activity surrounding the convent as possessed nuns get violent toward others. But is this a case of the Devil or simply nuns run amok? Immaculate opts to ground its horrors in reality, where The Other Hell leans into the supernatural, but the surprise lab setting beneath the holy grounds evokes the same sense of blasphemous shock.
Inside
During Immaculate‘s freakout climax, Cecilia sets the underground lab on fire with Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) locked inside. He manages to escape, though badly burned, and chases Cecilia through the catacombs. When Father Tedeschi catches Cecilia, he attempts to cut her baby out of her womb, and the stark imagery instantly calls Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s seminal French horror movie to mind. Like Tedeschi, Inside’s La Femme (Béatrice Dalle) will stop at nothing to get the baby, badly burned and all.
Burial Ground
At first glance, this Italian zombie movie bears little resemblance to Immaculate. The plot sees an eclectic group forced to band together against a wave of undead, offering no shortage of zombie gore and wild character quirks. What connects them is the setting; both employed the Villa Parisi as a filming location. The Villa Parisi happens to be a prominent filming spot for Italian horror; also pair the new horror movie with Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood or Blood for Dracula for additional boundary-pushing horror titles shot at the Villa Parisi.
The Devils
The Devils was always intended to be incendiary. Horror, at its most depraved and sadistic, tends to make casual viewers uncomfortable. Ken Russell’s 1971 epic takes it to a whole new squeamish level with its nightmarish visuals steeped in some historical accuracy. There are the horror classics, like The Exorcist, and there are definitive transgressive horror cult classics. The Devils falls squarely in the latter, and Russell’s fearlessness in exploring taboos and wielding unholy imagery inspired Mohan’s approach to the escalating horror in Immaculate.
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