Oddur B.T.Film Archive ⌕

Cult cinema, physical media, and strange films

Oddur B.T.
Film Archive

Notes from the darker side of the video shelf.

„Cult“ is where my comfort zone lies

I mostly enjoy writing about films that fit into the category „Cult“ in one way or another. It‘s, frankly, where my comfort zone lies. It would be easy to just focus on horror films, but the category also includes so many films that are truly un-classifiable.

Clear

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

Comedy, Horror, Mystery, Drama

At the Shady Rest nursing home in East Texas resides Elvis Presley, withering away as the days merge together. Still reeling from a broken hip from years before and with some grotesque puss on his genitals he fears may be cancer; the former King of rock and roll looks set to fade into the sunset with no fanfare. Known to the staff as Sebastian Haff, an Elvis impersonator, the King is a shell of a man who spends his days in bed reminiscing about the old days and how he messed things up and treate

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Death Becomes Her (1992)

Comedy, Horror, Drama, Fantasy

Fading stage and film star Madeline Ashton is struggling to draw a crowd in her latest musical. Old friend Helen, along with her fiancée Ernest, pays her a visit and introduces Madeline to her plastic surgeon soon-to-be. Madeline is smitten by Herman and swiftly steals him away from Helen. The scorn woman becomes an obese recluse and swears bloody vengeance on Madeline.

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Warning Sign (1985)

Sci-Fi, Horror, Thriller, Drama

A government run research facility called BioTek Agronomics deals, on the surface, with genetically engineered corn that will improve farming considerably. But what the government is really doing is sponsoring a germ-warfare program which be can activated should the Soviets launch an attack on the USA. At the end of a normal working day the biohazard alerts appear on the monitor and security guard Joanie follows protocol and effectively puts BioTek on lockdown.

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Alone in the Dark (1982)

Horror, Thriller, Drama, Slasher

Dr. Leo Bain runs a mental institute called The Haven. He believes in unorthodox treatments and refers to his patients as voyagers and maintains that they be treated as human beings. Most of the patients are considered relatively harmless apart from four individuals who are incarcerated on the third floor of the establishment and it’s the only floor with maximum security.

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The Brood (1979)

Sci-Fi, Horror

Frank Carveth is experiencing lousy times. His wife Nola is under the care of controversial psychiatrist Hal Raglan and requires complete isolation. Frank’s marriage is severely on the rocks and when their daughter Candy returns from a visit to her mother she’s covered in bruises.

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Moon of the Wolf (1972)

Horror, Thriller

“Moon of the Wolf” is quite the find for werewolf film lovers and fans of old TV movies. Shot on location in Louisiana and subsequently featuring some great authentic bayou surroundings that certainly add a lot of visual charm to this decently written lycanthrope mystery that’s very compact, to the point and well cast.

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House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Married couple Stephen Price and Evelyn have a toxic relationship. Once Evelyn sees that a supposedly haunted place that was once a famous psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane is available for rent she decides she wants to have her birthday party there….

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Teen Wolf (1985)

Comedy, Horror, Fantasy

Teenager Scott Howard has some growing pains. Living with single dad Harold and working part time in his hardware store; Scott is already fearing mediocrity and dreading it. He’s playing for the lousy school basketball team who haven’t won a game in years and pining for popular girl Pamela who won’t give him a second look. His lifelong friend Boof adores him but he doesn’t think of her in the same way. He just ain’t as popular or successful as he’d like to be.

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Halloween (2007)

Horror, Slasher

I’m a fan of Rob Zombie. He makes hard hitting films that are tough but enjoyable to watch, has a definite and very appealing visual style and is truly spectacular at creating violent set-pieces that pack a punch. He has a knack for creating interesting and memorable characters. And he contributes some great music too.

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Four Amicus portmanteau films

Horror, Drama, Fantasy

From way back I remember seeing the phrase; “A portmanteau film”. It was associated with a film made by Amicus Productions that I had on DVD. It was a double feature release that had “Tales From the Crypt” (1972) and “Vault of Horror” (1973). For years that word, portmanteau, stuck with me without me knowing at all what it meant. Turns out it’s just a fancy alternative for Anthology film. Amicus made seven portmanteau films in all and were active in the filmmaking business in the years 1962 to 1

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