Movies
The Gate
“Vaguely exploring tweener issues such as grief, peer pressure, and social embarrassment, it’s clear that The Gate intends to be more than just a forgettable kiddie horror flick. In fact, there are some moments early on, before the haunted tone gives way to screeching mayhem, that manage to tap directly into the fears of pre-adolescence. It’s a kid’s movie that somehow manages to be both raw and cheesy.”
It was 1987 and Satan was back in vogue. Following a 10-year period of relative seclusion, a sudden increase in reports of Satanic ritual abuse allowed the Dark Lord to come roaring back to the scene. It didn’t take long for Hollywood to pop a monster rod for demons, eagerly pumping R-rated Satan fare like Witchboard, Witchcraft, Night of the Demons, and 976-EVIL into movie theaters.
But hey, man, what about the children of 1987? Don’t they deserve a demon movie that they can relate to?
Director Tibor Takacs—the man behind Mansquito, Mega Snake, and two of the more popular Sabrina the Teenage Witch TV movies—proudly answered the call with The Gate, one of the rare PG-13 rated horror films from the late 80s, a period when studios were still tentatively test-driving the new MPAA rating.
Stephen “The Dorff” Dorff plays Glen, a 10-year-old boy who inadvertently opens a gate to hell while digging for pretty rocks in his backyard. With the help of his nerdy friend Terry and his big sis Alexandra, Dorff must find a way to close the gate before his absent parents return to town or the demons take over the universe, whichever comes first.
More than anything else, The Gate is a product of its own time. From the quaint 80s hobbies (model rockets were the shit, yo), to the well-lacquered cloud bangs (updated to meticulous crimp jobs for the big party scene), to the use of a Barbie doll as a stabbing weapon, it’s a movie that evokes wave after wave of soothing nostalgia.
The home-spun special effects were considered impressive at the time, but it’s important to remember that the horror cinema of the late 80s took place in a pre-digital no-man’s-land that vanished when films like 1990’sThe Abyss took the world by storm. Rather than relying on the lazy green-screen of its predecessors, The Gate’s special effects consist primarily of forced perspective shots (in the DVD Extras, Darby O’Gill and The Little People is cited as an influence), which work to fantastic effect in the scenes featuring the devil’s minions, little rubbery-bald creatures that bust out of hell to terrorize The Dorff and his posse. This attention to detail may explain why the minion scenes are frequently considered the most memorable of the film.
Vaguely exploring tweener issues such as grief, peer pressure, and social embarrassment, it’s clear that The Gate intends to be more than just a forgettable kiddie horror flick. In fact, there are some moments early on, before the haunted tone gives way to screeching mayhem, that manage to tap directly into the fears of pre-adolescence. It’s a kid’s movie that somehow manages to be both raw and cheesy.
DVD Extras: A Creatures/Effects doc, a Writer/Director doc, and a blurry trailer that gives away every single money shot from the movie.
One of the all-time foundational fixtures in horror is the vampire. That means over a century’s worth of bloodsuckers in film, in various styles and mythology, from across the globe.
As prominent as this movie monster is, with dozens of adaptations of Bram Stoker’s Dracula alone, there’s an overwhelming selection of vampire fare that makes it easy for many worthwhile gems to fall through the cracks. This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to underseen vampire horror movies worth seeking out.
As always, here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Mr. Vampire – The Criterion Channel – Plex, the Roku Channel
This supernatural genre-bender from director Ricky Lau stands far apart from standard vampire fare thanks to its comedy, martial arts, and jiangshi. Taoist priest Master Kau (Lam Ching-ying) guards the realm of the living by maintaining control over the area’s hopping vampires, and other restless spirits. When Master Kau is hired to oversee the reburial of an affluent town elder, he and his two bumbling assistants find themselves in a supernatural battle to the death when the elder’s corpse resurrects as jiangshi. Produced by martial artist and Hong Kong cinema legend Sammo Hung, Mr. Vampire was a huge box office success in Hong Kong and launched a franchise. Still, it’s a charming, lively horror comedy that could use more love among contemporary audiences.
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To – Plex, Prime Video, SCREAMBOX
Writer/Director Jonathan Cuartas‘s feature debut feels like a spiritual sibling to We Are What We Are in many ways. Both offer meditative, brooding depictions of isolated families far removed from the rest of the world. Both families are willing to commit unspeakable acts on behalf of their loved ones. In this case, siblings Dwight (Patrick Fugit) and Jessie (Ingrid Sophie Schram) find themselves routinely tasked with murder so their sickly younger brother Thomas (Owen Campbell, Super Dark Times) can have the fresh blood to survive. In the vein of The Transfiguration or Martin, this brooding debut feature grounds its vampirism in reality and focuses on the constricting, devastating toll of familial obligation.
The Night of the Devils – Kanopy
A disturbed man, Nicola, recounts the story of getting stranded in the woods, only to find refuge in a charming family’s house. The longer he’s there, the more he uncovers something is deeply amiss. Witches, vampires, and sordid family secrets ensue. Like Mario Bava’s anthology segment “The Wurdulak” in Black Sabbath, The Night of the Devils is also based on The Family of the Vourdalak by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy. Director Giorgio Ferroni balances the gore and sleaze with haunting Gothic atmosphere and stunning cinematography. While it’s methodical in its buildup, the craftmanship and grim ending make this underseen Italian and Spanish co-production worth the watch.
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat – Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Plex, the Roku Channel
Director Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Hellraiser III) has a blast with his high concept horror comedy that sees vampires living in the reclusive desert town Purgatory. They seek a peaceful life, with the plan to get an artificial blood factory in operation. Everything goes off without a hitch until Van Helsing’s descendant, Robert Van Helsing (Bruce Campbell), arrives in town. It’s a vampire western horror comedy that lovingly pokes fun at vampire tropes. The simple setup becomes anything but thanks to town politics, new tourists, and Van Helsing’s irresistibility to a vampire (Deborah Foreman). David Carradine presides over the vampire hijinks as Count Jozek Mardulak. For those looking for something fun and lighthearted, this pick is your best bet.
Vamp – AMC+, Plex, the Roku Channel, Shudder, Tubi
This highly entertaining horror comedy features a vampire that doesn’t get nearly enough attention; Grace Jones exudes raw power as vamp Katrina. Robert Rusler and Chris Makepeace star as two fraternity pledges that venture into the city to hire a stripper, all to impress their frat brothers. They find themselves in a shady part of town, unaware that the dive bar they’ve entered is full of vampires. Naturally, they find themselves in an all-night battle for survival. The neon haze-soaked urban setting makes for a refreshing change of pace. The bromance between the leads is as sweet as it is funny. Most of all, though, watch for Grace Jones’ riveting performance.
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