Interested in serial killers? Check out our sister site SERIALKILLERCALENDAR.COM

VHS WASTELAND AD SPACE

VHS WASTELAND AD SPACE

VHS WASTELAND AD SPACE

VHS WASTELAND AD SPACE

VHS WASTELAND AD SPACE

 

 
 


VHS ARTICLES AND MOVIE REVIEWS
2017 FEBRUARY VHS SCANS
2017 JANUARY VHS SCANS
2016 DECEMBER VHS SCANS
2016 NOVEMBER VHS SCANS
2016 OCTOBER VHS SCANS
2016 SEPTEMBER VHS SCANS
2016 AUGUST VHS SCANS
2016 JULY VHS SCANS
2016 JUNE VHS SCANS
2016 MAY VHS SCANS
2016 APRIL VHS SCANS
2016 MARCH VHS SCANS
2016 FEBRUARY VHS SCANS
2016 JANUARY VHS SCANS
2015 DECEMBER VHS SCANS
2015 NOVEMBER VHS SCANS
2015 OCTOBER VHS SCANS
2015 SEPTEMBER VHS SCANS
2015 AUGUST VHS SCANS
2015 JULY VHS SCANS


TURN-VHS-COVERS-IN-TO-DVD-COVERS
TURN-VHS-COVERS-IN-TO-DVD-COVERS
MARCH 2016 POSTS
APRIL 2016 POSTS
MAY 2016 POSTS
SEARCH BY NAME
 
JANUARY 2012 POSTS
xx
FEB 2012 POSTS
MARCH 2012 POSTS
APRIL 2012 POSTS
MAY 2012 POSTS
JUNE 2012 POSTS
JULY 2012 POSTS
AUGUST 2012 POSTS
JANUARY 2011 POSTS
xx
FEB 2011 POSTS
MARCH 2011 POSTS
APRIL 2011 POSTS
MAY 2011 POSTS
JUNE 2011 POSTS
JULY 2011 POSTS
AUGUST 2011 POSTS
SEPT 2011 POSTS
 
OCTOBER 2011 POSTS
NOV 2011 POSTS
DEC 2011 POSTS
VHS ARTICLES AND MOVIE REVIEWS
SHARE THIS ON FACEBOOK Share on Facebook
TWEET ABOUT THIS SITE Click to Tweet This
EMAIL THIS TO A FRIEND
SHARE THIS ON MYSPACE Share on Myspace
DIGG THIS WEBSITE Digg This Website

SHARE THIS ON STUMBLEUPON


SUBMIT TO REDDIT

VHS ARTICLES AND MOVIE REVIEWS


 

 

VHS WASTELAND  

HELLO AND WELCOME TO VHS WASTELAND, YOUR HOME FOR HIGH RESOLUTION SCANS OF RARE, STRANGE, AND FORGOTTEN VHS COVERS. EACH OF THESE BIZARRE GEMS IS SCANNED AT 200 DPI. SIMPLY CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL OF ANY VHS COVER TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL HIGH RES FORMAT. WE WILL BE ADDING A NEW COVER DAILY, SO BOOKMARK THIS SITE AND CHECK BACK OFTEN. WE'D ALSO LOVE SUBMISSIONS FROM YOU. IF YOU HAVE A VHS THAT IS WEIRD OR RARE, JUST EMAIL US AT MADHATTERDESIGN@GMAIL.COM. REMEMBER TO SCAN THE FRONT, BACK AND SIDES OF THE VHS AT 300 DPI. WE WON'T ACCEPT LOW RESOLUTION FILES. WHILE YOU'RE HERE, GRABBING OUR AWESOME FREE VHS COVERS, FEEL FREE TO CLICK THE "DONATE" BUTTON ON THE LEFT. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE SEND US SOME CASH, WE MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE COOLEST, HIGH RES VHS COVERS ON THE NET. BUT IF YOU GREEDY, COVER GRABBING... I MEAN... YOU WONDERFUL VISITORS TO OUR SITE, DON'T COUGH UP A DONATION, MAYBE WE'LL JUST FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO WITH OUR TIME. LIKE GO MAKE NACHOS. MMMMM... NACHOS. SO HELP A BROTHA OUT AND DONATE A LITTLE DOUGH TO THE CAUSE.

LASTLY, WHY NOT VISIT OUR PARENT SITE (SERIALKILLERCALENDAR.COM). IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH VHS COVERS BUT I THINK YOU MIGHT BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY WHAT YOU FIND. OR NOT. I DON'T KNOW YOU. MAYBE YOUR NOT SURPRISED BY ANYTHING. MAYBE YOUR THE KIND OF GUY THAT SEES A COW FALL OUT OF THE SKY AND EXPLODE LIKE A PIÑATA AND YOUR ALL LIKE "HUH, THAT WAS WEIRD." MAN. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU ANYWAY? JEEZ. SOME PEOPLE.

BUT NO. SERIOUSLY. GO BUY SOME CRAZY AWESOME TRUE CRIME MERCHANDISE AT SERIALKILLERCALENDAR.COM. INCLUDING THE SERIAL KILLER MAGAZINE, THE SERIAL KILLER TRADING CARDS AND MUCH MUCH MORE! DO IT. DO IT NOW. CLICK THE LINK.


SERIAL-KILLER-CALENDAR-this-day-in-serial-killer-history  
serial killer merchandise serial killer merchandise serial killer merchandise serial killer merchandise
serial killer merchandise

SERIAL KILLER CALENDAR: THIS DAY IN SERIAL KILLER HISTORY BOOK
PRICE : $19.95

This perfect bound Serial Killer Calendar book includes detailed facts and trivia about serial killers for every day of the year. It also includes the best true crime artwork from around the world. Want to know what happened today in serial killer history? Its all in this one massive collection of true crime information. This is the perfect gift for any fan of history, murderabelia or the macabre.



 
serial killer merchandise
serial killer merchandise
 


Thank you to wildeyereleasing.com for sending us a big box of vhs tapes! As an extra thank you to them, we will be putting their banner at the top of the site for the rest of the month. Any person or company that mails us a box of VHS tapes, will have their banner moved to the top of our links page and get their banner put on the top of the homepage for several weeks. Plus MORE! Click here!
VHS WASTELAND LINKS   VHS WASTELAND LINKS
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE FOR VHS WASTELAND MAGAZINE

TONS OF CUSTOM VHS COVERS FROM VHS WASTELAND
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE

GOOD GUYS CUSTOM VHS COVER CHUCKY CHILDS PLAY, ACTION VHS COVER, HORROR VHS COVER, BLAXPLOITATION VHS COVER, HORROR VHS COVER, ACTION EXPLOITATION VHS COVER, SCI-FI VHS COVER, MUSIC VHS COVER, SEX COMEDY VHS COVER, DRAMA VHS COVER, SEXPLOITATION VHS COVER, BIG BOX VHS COVER, CLAMSHELL VHS COVER, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


CUSTOM DESIGNED VIDEO GAME COVERS FROM VHS WASTELAND
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE

BREAKING BAD CUSTOM NES NINTENDO VIDEO GAME GAME CARTRIDGE CUSTOM, ACTION VHS COVER, HORROR VHS COVER, BLAXPLOITATION VHS COVER, HORROR VHS COVER, ACTION EXPLOITATION VHS COVER, SCI-FI VHS COVER, MUSIC VHS COVER, SEX COMEDY VHS COVER, DRAMA VHS COVER, SEXPLOITATION VHS COVER, BIG BOX VHS COVER, CLAMSHELL VHS COVER, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
HELL PENITENTIARY - SUBMITTED BY MARK FISHER

HELL PENITENTIARY, AUSTRALIAN, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE LITTLE MERMAID BANNED COVER - SUBMITTED BY VIDEO SANCTUM

THE LITTLE MERMAID BANNED COVER, ACTION, HORROR, BLAXPLOITATION, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, SCI-FI, MUSIC, SEX COMEDY, DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE LITTLE MERMAID BANNED COVER - SUBMITTED BY VIDEO SANCTUM

THE LITTLE MERMAID BANNED COVER, ACTION, HORROR, BLAXPLOITATION, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, SCI-FI, MUSIC, SEX COMEDY, DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
RATS OF MANHATTAN - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

RATS OF MANHATTAN, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
LA BLUE GIRL - SUBMITTED BY DUKEOFNUYORKA1

LA BLUE GIRL, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE ALIENS ARE COMING - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE ALIENS ARE COMING, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
UNMASKED PART 25 - SUBMITTED BY ZACH CARTER

UNMASKED PART 25, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE AWAKENING - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE AWAKENING, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE BUG - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE BUG, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE BUTTERFLY REVOLUTION - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE BUTTERFLY REVOLUTION, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE BOYS IN COMPANY C - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE BOYS IN COMPANY C, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
WHITNEY HOUSTON - SUBMITTED BY VIDEO SANCTUM

WHITNEY HOUSTON : THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, ACTION, HORROR, BLAXPLOITATION, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, SCI-FI, MUSIC, SEX COMEDY, DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE HOKY POKY GANG - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE HOKY POKY GANG, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
THE RIP OFF - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

THE RIP OFF, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
AIR BUD : WORLD PUP - SUBMITTED BY JIM PREGLER

AIR BUD : WORLD PUP,  THRILLER, ACTION, HORROR, BLAXPLOITATION, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, SCI-FI, MUSIC, SEX COMEDY, DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS


APRIL 2 2016 VHS COVER SCAN - CLICK FOR HIGH RES VERSION
TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT - SUBMITTED BY VESTRON DAN

TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT, NETHERLANDS, VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL, BIG BOX, HORROR, ACTION EXPLOITATION, ACTION, HORROR, SCI-FI, MUSIC, THRILLER, SEX COMEDY,  DRAMA, SEXPLOITATION, VHS COVER, VHS COVERS, DVD COVER, DVD COVERS



42nd Street Pete's Grindhouse: 42nd Street Pete's Grindhouse - 12-25-10 - 42nd Street Pete


VHS WASTELAND POSTER OF THE DAY
VHS WASTELAND POSTER OF THE DAY

APRIL 2 2016 VHS MOVIE REVIEW : THE AWAKENING
From bloodygoodhorror.com

Charlton Heston was one hunky piece of bare-chested American made ape flesh. That he was a lanky, square-jawed, pillar of machismo may explain his appeal to some extent but if we are being honest his fame was built on sweaty pecs. In fact if one considers just 2 of his 127 credits “Ben Hur” and “Planet of the Apes” his bare torso screen time still eclipses the shirtless tally of the collective filmographies of all the actors in “The Expendables”. In 1980 Chuck Heston was approaching the tail end of a leading man run that lasted the better part of 30 years and included turns as John the Baptist, Moses, and the unforgettable Whip Hoxworth. At 57, it seemed unlikely that old Judah Ben-Hur would again be called onto unveil his swarthy breastplate to the world, but fans who admire the man’s oiled up skin were in for one more treat.

“The Awakening” sees Heston playing determined Egyptologist Matthew Corbeck, an academic cum treasure hunter who is looking for the lost tomb of an obscure and reputedly evil Egyptian queen. His pregnant wife Anne is begrudgingly whiling away her days in a not-so nearby villa as Matt scours the countryside side for Queen Kara’s tomb with his almost attractive assistant Jane Turner. Eventually Corbeck and his crew unearth Kara’s tomb. Simultaneous to this event a nearly comatose Anne miscarries in a Cairo hospital. Unbeknownst to Matt, moments after his baby is pronounced dead, he pops the cork on Kara’s sarcophagus and many miles away the deceased baby Margaret is miraculously restored to life. When Anne discovers that Matt returned to the dig as she lay catatonic in her hospital bed she leaves with Margaret for the U.S.

Eighteen years go by and through some shady dealings Matt manages to get Kara’s mummified corpse out of Egypt and back to his stomping ground in London. He also manages to get his daughter, theretofore sequestered by her spiteful mother, to visit him in London town. Margaret is bitten by the same bug that her dad is, namely the prophecy of Kara’s second coming. Together they decide to go and see Kara’s tomb in Egypt. While there they discover the previously missing canopic jars (urns containing Kara’s vital organs). Now completely obsessed with The Queen’s resurrection, Matt and Margaret smuggle the jars back to England so that they might complete a ritual and bring the cruel queen back from the beyond. Needless to say things go pear-shaped pretty quickly.

This movie is not quite the lost treasure that I remember it being. Thirty years have not been kind to the pacing and some of the acting, especially Stephanie Zimbalist as Margaret is too Shatner-esque. The latter accusation is interesting considering that it is Chuck Heston and Bill Shatner that seem to share the slack-in-tow-line style of dramatic interpretation. Not to worry Big Charlton has his fair share of performance potholes. Of course you may not notice if you are a fan of wet, bristly man-busts. I would guesstimate that our leading man goes without a shirt or at least unbuttoned for something like 25% of the film; no small feat for an HGH-less beefcake pushing 60. No small feat for any viewer that is not partial to the old ‘otter’ look being offered up here.

If it seems like I am spending an inordinate amount of time on the old man’s lack of wardrobe it is because at its core “The Awakening” is not that interesting. Even less so when one considers that the formula is exactly the same as Hammer’s delightful 1971 cleavage fest “Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb” with Heston’s hirsute bosom standing in for Valerie Leon’s huuuge…tracts of land.

The film does have some nice moments and technically speaking the sound design is really well done. I also appreciate director Mike Newell’s willingness to take more than an informational approach to the locations by lingering on landscapes, allowing the dusty Egyptian vistas to come to life and involve the viewer with a sense of place. As far as the horror elements go, the miscarriage/ dead baby sequence is truly chilling. Beyond that a couple of inventive kills dot a map of non-magnetic drama.

In the final analysis, the other adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Jewel of the 7 Stars” that being the aforementioned “Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb” is so much more fun than this film. The drag in the narrative, the awkward performances and the relative lack of action throughout relegate it to the realm of utterly forgettable. This may be a surprise to some viewers coming from a director like Newell who has made some memorable films like “Donnie Brasco” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”. But a closer look at his filmography and it becomes clear that even Newell can find it hard to manage elements (“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”). Do yourself a favor skip “The Awakening” and check out Valerie Leon’s incredible body…of acting talent. Or if you are really thirsting for some Heston go back to 1958’s “Touch of Evil” or 1982’s “Mother Lode”


APRIL 2 2016 VHS MOVIE REVIEW : THE AWAKENING
From movies.nytimes.com

I DON'T know how many times the movies have had to teach this valuable lesson: don't go rummaging in the tombs of malevolent dictators who would just as soon stay dead. These people have a way of coming back and making trouble. Nevertheless, ''The Awakening'' is a spooky, skilfully made horror film about archeologists who uncover the inscription ''Do Not Approach the Nameless One Lest Your Soul Be Withered'' and still keep on digging. There are withered souls before the adventure is over, and yours may be among them. ''The Awakening'' will give you a good scare.

It can't be said that a film that casts Charlton Heston in the role of an Englishman has gotten off on the right foot. But ''The Awakening'' is eerie enough to take the humor right out of lines like ''Fungus! Aerobic action! Viral Contamination!,'' which Mr. Heston delivers in his capacity as Matthew Corbeck, a British Egyptologist. Mr. Heston struggles hard perfecting his accent, though American audiences might find him miscast even if he sounded like Winston Churchill. (He doesn't.) In any case, Mr. Heston does well enough so that it's possible to forget he is Mr. Heston.

As the movie begins, Corbeck is at work uncovering the tomb of Queen Kara, a project with which he has become obsessed. He and his kittenish assistant, played by Susannah York, have been ignoring his pregnant wife, played by Jill Townsend. And the wife goes into premature labor just as the reluctant Kara is coaxed out of her grave.

The movie's director, Mike Newell, intersperses tomb-opening footage with shots of Corbeck's wife doubling over in agony, and each blow to the door of the tomb is accompanied by a loud, terrifying noise that seems to strike directly at the pregnant wife. Mr. Newell's tactic, here and throughout the movie, is to develop the horror indirectly, by suggestion and association, leaving most of it to the viewer's imagination. Sometimes ''The Awakening'' intimates a danger that never materializes, and sometimes it doesn't quite make sense. But for the most part the movie pays off.

''The Awakening,'' which opens today at the Gemini, the Cinerama and other theaters, is based upon Bram Stoker's novel ''The Jewel of Seven Stars,'' a novel that, like Mr. Stoker's ''Dracula,'' involves a father's efforts to save his daughter from a supernatural figure determined to possess her. In this case, 18 years after the discovery of the tomb, Corbeck must make sure his daughter Margaret, played by Stephanie Zimbalist, is not taken over by Kara's spirit. It seems that Kara seduced and destroyed her own father. If you're one smidgen smarter than the principals, you may realize Corbeck would be wise to stay out of Margaret's way.

Mr. Newell's direction of ''The Awakening'' recalls the first portion of ''The Exorcist,'' with its emphasis on finding scientific proof for events that are unexplainable, and its cool, reasonably classy method of keeping the audience mystified and nervous. To his credit, Mr. Newell keeps a tight rein on the scariest effects, saving them for just the right moments and building to an ending that, in view of the way such movies almost inevitably end, is a surprise. The movie has a slow middle, but by the last moments it has more than rallied.

Much of the action has an Egyptian setting, and the scenery, not surprisingly, is beautiful. The actors are convincingly frightened and baffled. Miss Zimbalist's increasing creepiness is more a matter of makeup than of attitude, but she fares nicely in lighter, funnier scenes. Near the end of the story, when it's clear something about her is amiss, she visits the obligatory psychiatrist, declaring ''I don't feel like me anymore.'' Bah, he tells her. We all feel that way sometimes. Well, she certainly shows him a thing or two!

Egypt Underground
THE AWAKENING, directed by Mike Newell; screenplay by Allan Scott, Chris Bryant and Clive Exton; based on the ''The Jewel of Seven Stars'' by Bram Stoker; director of photography, Jack Cardiff; film editor, Terry Rawlings; music by Claude Bolling; produced by Robert Solo; released by Orion Pictures. At the Gemini Twin, R.K.O. 86th Street and Cinerama theaters. Running time: 100 minutes. This film is rated R.


APRIL 2 2016 VHS MOVIE REVIEW : THE AWAKENING
From thesingingcritic.blogspot.com

There is something undeniably spooky about walking into an enclosed tomb that has housed dead people for centuries. Around every corner, you expect a disembodied hand to reach out and grab you by the throat. And the subtle sounds from deep within the rock are enough to make you imagine all the horrors of hell awaiting you, if you dare to touch something you shouldn’t. Is it any wonder that I have bad horror movies on the mind while I tour Egypt?

The Awakening (1980) is another schlocky horror movie about Egypt, based very loosely (and I do mean, very loosely) on Bram Stoker’s novel The Jewel of the Seven Stars. English archaeologist Matthew Corbeck (Charlton Heston) undertakes an expedition to find the forgotten tomb (don’t they all?) of the Egyptian princess Kara, despite the rumor of the awful, hideous, terrible, miserable, spooky curse to befall anyone who disturbs the tomb. Eighteen years later, his daughter Margaret (Stephanie Zimbalist), who was born at the very moment of the tomb's opening, begins to behave very oddly. Could it be that the spirit of Kara now possesses Margaret? Or has Margaret just arrived at that very cranky time of the month?

In 1976, The Omen was a big hit, so Warner Brothers jumped on that bandwagon and tried to create their own big budget horror hit. But The Omen was kinda, sorta good, while this movie is not. It’s a good looking movie, shot on location in Egypt, but you can feel your I.Q. plummeting with each passing minute. First of all, it’s odd that an ancient princess would bother with a lowly archaeologist, even if he did disturb her eternal rest. I mean, couldn’t she have found a crown prince or at the very least a young, strapping fortune hunter to bedevil instead? Why did it have to be Charlton Heston? If that weren’t bad enough, Zimbalist, once possessed, starts looking at daddy with something more than daughterly love. Ewwww.

This movie’s idea of riveting suspense is to have Heston rambling on and on in his stentorian tones about the history of the tomb. Zimbalist then seems to roll her eyes back into her head, and I couldn’t tell if she was suddenly beset by a princess possession or merely bored into a coma. The movie does have a few effective, grisly deaths, but even here the details aren’t quite right. A woman gets punctured by a huge piece of glass, first seen as the sharp pointy edge enters her torso. In the very next shot, the sharp pointy edge is sticking out of her torso, as if suggesting to the idiots watching the movie that, indeed, that must have hurt like hell. Funny, I thought her screams of agony did that.
- by Jonathan Lewis


VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND
VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND
VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND
VHS WASTELAND VHS WASTELAND

VIEW OLDER VHS COVERS