Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    HORROR SCREAMS VIDEO VAULT – SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR
    • Home
    • Film Reviews
      • Films Beginning With Numbers or Symbols
      • A – C
      • D – F
      • G – I
      • J – L
      • M – O
      • P – R
      • S – U
      • V – X
      • Y – Z
    • Book Reviews
    • Franchise Corner
    • Competitions
    • Horror Screams Podcast
    • Contact Us
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    HORROR SCREAMS VIDEO VAULT – SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR

    Peter 'Witchfinder' HopkinsBy Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins21st July 2019Updated:21st July 2019No Comments2 Mins Read

    NEON MANIACS **** USA 1985 Dir: Joseph Mangine. 91 mins

    A very likeable and very 80’s teen horror with more monsters than it can handle: 12 nocturnal creatures with self-explanatory names like “Ape”, “Decapitator”, “Doc” (played by Andrew Divoff) and “Samurai” massacre a bunch of partying teens in San Francisco, leaving surviving virgin Leilani Sarelle to convince the authorities of the unlikely truth. Also along for the ride are a musician (Allan Hayes) who fancies Sarelle and a tomboy horror fan (Donna Locke) who has posters of GREMLINS and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON.
    There are plenty of 80’s horror clichés and standards, from extended nightmare sequences and hand-on-shoulder scares to the virginal heroine who looks good in a swimsuit and intentionally camp humour (notably the pink-slippered dog-walker troubled by a severed arm falling from a passing bus). It also has considerable charm, with an eager-to-please goofiness reflected by the busy climax in which limb-loppings and beheadings alternate with amusingly absurd images of cops arming themselves with water pistols and hoses to destroy the water-fearing monsters. The cheese highlight is an extended “Battle of the Bands” party sequence in which the drippy hero dresses up like Shakin’ Stevens and sings a lame pop tune that starts, appropriately enough, with the line “Let me ruin your evening…” The ending predictably sets up a franchise that never happened, and this remains your only chance to see an over-crowded but engaging showcase for Hangman, Mohawk and chums.

    Review by Steven West

    FacebookLikeShareTweetPin

    Related Posts

    Indie Underground Filmmakers unite for Amityverse: End Game – The Curse Ends Here?

    15th May 202502 Mins Read
    Read More

    First Images From NEW The Return of the Living Dead Movie, Trash’s Revenge

    15th May 202502 Mins Read
    Read More

    Voodoo Horror Thrives In “Bitter Souls” – Official Trailer

    15th May 202502 Mins Read
    Read More

    “SHOOT FROM THE HIP: RISE OF THE PHANTOM” starring Jimmy Drain, Natasha Coppola-Shalom, Mohawk Bob Bagnall,Dawna Lee Heising, & more has its red carpet premiere

    15th May 202502 Mins Read
    Read More

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Recent Posts
    • Indie Underground Filmmakers unite for Amityverse: End Game – The Curse Ends Here?
    • First Images From NEW The Return of the Living Dead Movie, Trash’s Revenge
    • Voodoo Horror Thrives In “Bitter Souls” – Official Trailer
    • “SHOOT FROM THE HIP: RISE OF THE PHANTOM” starring Jimmy Drain, Natasha Coppola-Shalom, Mohawk Bob Bagnall,Dawna Lee Heising, & more has its red carpet premiere
    • This Christmas Horror will give you a SHIVER
    Archives
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.