Mac Ahlberg – Cut To The Chase

Directed By: Paul Nicholas
Written By: Paul Nicholas & Vincent Mongol
Cinematography: Mac Ahlberg
Editor: Nino Di Marco

Cast: Linda Blair, John Vernon, Sybil Danning, Tamara Dobson, Stella Stevens, Henry Silva, Sharon Hughes, Louisa Moritz, Robert Miano, Nina Talbot

Young Carol Henderson ends up in prison where she must learn how to survive in an environment plagued by violence, murder, rape, racism, drugs and staff corruption and brutality.

This is so sleazy this can almost be a set-up for a porno film. There is enough sexual innuendo and nudity for it. Luckily the plot and characters take over and make it into an overall b-movie exploitation film. That does go over the top in a couple of places but stays entertaining.

This is an exploitation classic that is dirty and cheesy. Where few characters are actually good as all are pretty bad some just happen to be worse and some actually have hearts.

There is action but the film seems more concerned with what it chooses to sell itself on with see and nudity and when there is action it is certainly violent.

The shocking aspect of these types of films is that it exploits their Female characters’ looks and bodies, but by the end try to come off as a female empowerment tale full of feminism. That feels only there to give the film some likable appeal and give the female prisoner characters something and someone to fight against other than each other eventually.

I will admit this is another Linda Blair revelation film for me. As I slowly go through her film

Appearances and performances. Showing she is quite an adept actress who is more than a one-hot wonder of sorts from THE EXORCIST. Though for a time period she was at least still getting more leading roles.

If you are a film fan this is a feast of a kind of character actor and b-movie all-star cast.

Grade: C+

A group of people stop by a mansion during a storm and discover two magical toy makers and their haunted collection of dolls.

Directed By: Stuart Gordon
Written By: Ed Naha
Cinematography By: Mac Ahlberg
Editor: Lee Percy

Cast: Ian Patrick Williams, Stephen Lee, Guy Rolfe

This is a sick film. That keeps a creepy tone by showing disgusting graphic violence but keeping a child-like mood and innocence while it is happening. From the score to the colors of the background it is an achievement and scary at the same time. Which is why I openly admire this film.

I remember first hearing about this movie on ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT at 10 years old. They showed an infamous scene, Where a character who is dead with no eyeballs holds up doll’s eyes as they’re own. A true show stopper in the film. It was shown on E.T. as a story about over the top violence in films. Which made me want to see it in the first place. I got my wish 5 years later when I first saw this film at first on television in a censored version and became so fascinated by it I hunted it down to see the full Uncut theatrical version. Watching it I was horrified but happy

It’s a very macabre film but for horror aficionados definitely a must-see.

The film Stars the very likable Stephen Lee. The film is about a little girl and her abominable Father and stepmother who get stranded on a trip and end up staying overnight at a bed & Breakfast until they can get they’re car fixed in the morning, As the night goes on another driver and two punk-rock British hitchhikers end up stranded there too. The elderly couple who run the place have a collection of antique dolls that the little girl adores, But the doll creeps everyone else out as do the elderly couple and as the night goes on, They’re fears come true as not everyone survives the night.

The film was actually filmed after RE-ANIMATOR but before FROM BEYOND and used the same sets but it came out one year after FROM BEYOND because the Doll Special Effects took so long to master that once it was done it was decided to keep it on the shelf for another year. The producers wanted more gore in the film and were actually filmed but the footage was thrown out once all agreed that it really didn’t fit the tone of the film. At one point Stuart Gordon considered making a sequel but unfortunately abandoned that idea as he thought this film spoke well enough for itself. Though he did really like the characters and felt a need to see what they were up to after all these years.

I find it funny that the films Screenwriter wrote not only other horror films such as C.H.U.D. II and TROLL but then went on to write Disney Films Such as HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KID and now writes biblical films. He did at least stay within that fantasy and Fairly tale world.

One of the reasons this film is enjoyable is it feels like a dark fairy tale. It takes a premise you have seen before and injects it with some originality. This is for the most part an unpredictable film. It’s not like similar films that followed in it’s wake such as CHILD’S PLAY and PUPPET MASTER. Both of these are fine films but in a totally different way as those films are more literally one line movie plots Killer toys. Whereas this film takes you into an otherworldly universe.

This is a film that deserves to be part of your film library.

GRADE: B+

Tag: Mac Ahlberg

CHAINED HEAT (1983)

DOLLS (1987)