This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies, with some selections reflecting a specific day or event in November, and others chosen at random.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings feature Dracula, a giant zombie poodle, a golem, and more.
The Tomb of Dracula (1980)
Image: The Tomb of Dracula
Directed by Minoru Okazaki.
For World Television Day (November 21), Dracula followers as well as Marvel fans might get a kick out of the 1980 animated TV-movie based on the serialized comic series The Tomb of Dracula. Between 1972 and 1979, the iconic Count Dracula was reworked into a master antagonist who was routinely opposed by a team of vampire slayers. The same series also contains the introduction of popular Marvel character Blade.
Marvel and Toei Animation collaborated on a feature-length Japanese-language telefilm called Yami no Teiō: Kyūketsuki Dracula (Dark Emperor: Vampire Dracula). It was then dubbed into English and retitled Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned. Although it was once hard to find, a fansubber called Kineko Video got ahold of an original 16mm print and uploaded it to the internet not too long ago. So if you’re craving a wild and fun version of the Dracula myth, sink your teeth into this hidden gem.
The Territory (1981)
Image: The Territory
Directed by Raúl Ruiz.
It’s getting colder outside for a lot of folks, but that doesn’t mean camping is off the menu. Raúl Ruiz’s The Territory is a reminder that the great outdoors can be enjoyed even when the temperatures drop. And for Take a Hike Day (November 17), fans of survival stories should give this Portuguese psycho-thriller a watch.
Infighting quickly plagues these irritating characters as they rough it in the South of France. An unexplained force affects everyone, causing them to act strangely. After getting lost, the group then succumbs to a taboo human act: cannibalism. Go in expecting a sometimes violent art film that asks its audience what they’d do if put in the characters’ shoes.
The Territory is available on various but scarce DVDs. Luckily, someone has been kind enough to upload a digitization online. And despite its French setting, the movie’s dialogue is in English for the most part.
Door (1988)
Image: Door
Directed by Banmei Takahashi.
There is no better movie to watch on National Housewife Day (November 3) than Door. Banmei Takahashi’s domestic terror tale was considered long lost at one point, but it has since been rediscovered and remastered. Now everyone can cheer on Keiko Takahashi‘s character Yasuko as she fight back against an unexpected tormentor.
Housewife and mother Yasuko can’t be blamed if she’s a bit careless from time to time; her husband is either too busy with work or he’s too sick to help out at home. So when she accidentally injures an aggressive door-to-door salesman named Yamakawa (Daijirō Tsutsumi), the offense isn’t taken lightly. Instead, Yamakawa begins to stalk this poor woman inside her own apartment building. Shockingly, Door erupts into a symphony of household violence that ranks it high in the “home is hell” horror subgenre. It’s easy to see why this movie is gaining a legion of new fans.
Door is now streaming on SCREAMBOX. It’s also available on Blu-ray from both Vinegar Syndrome and Third Window Films. The latter physical media release includes the first of the two Door sequels as a bonus feature. Takahashi also directed Door 2: Tokyo Diary.
The Boneyard (1991)
Image: The Boneyard
Directed by James Cummins.
The Boneyard‘s reputation precedes it, but uninitiated viewers shouldn’t be too worried about this early ’90s horror-comedy not living up to expectations. Special effects artist and designer turned director James Cummins (House) turned in a wonderful directorial debut. Here a group of random characters get locked inside a coroner’s building with zombies.
This is not a typical or even serious story about the undead. It’s more in line with the Return of the Living Dead franchise. And anyone who’s seen the movie is sure to bring up the giant zombie poodle. And why wouldn’t they? Oh, and because Thanksgiving (November 23) is briefly mentioned in a throwaway line, the movie can be included in your Turkey Day horror watches.
While The Boneyard once faced the possibility of disappearing, this comedic chiller starring Phyllis Diller can now be easily found on sites like Tubi. It’s also been remastered for Blu-ray.
Clay (2008)
Image: Clay
Directed by Andrew Gunn.
Gateway horror is on the rise these days. Anyone wanting a more mature dose of formative frights, though, may be interested in the BBC adaptation of David Almond’s 2005 novel Clay. The TV-movie of the same name comes across as more of a coming-of-rage drama; two boys are tired of being bullied, so they and a new kid at their school create themselves an uncanny protector.
Clay plays out a bit like the ’80s Twilight Zone episode “The Shadow Man.” The two young protagonists and their classmate here eventually lose control of their creation, a golem made out of clay that goes too far to keep its masters safe. The boys also possess directly opposed ethics, which makes doing the right thing even harder.
Clay is currently streaming on Prime Video.
No genre is as prolific as horror, so it’s understandable that movies fall through the cracks all the time. That is where this recurring column, Deep Cuts Rising, comes in. Each installment of this series will spotlight several unsung or obscure movies from the past — some from way back when, and others from not so long ago — that could use more attention.
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