Dark Heritage (1989) – David McCormick.

Amiable investigative journalist (Mark LaCour) and two goofy companions gamely overnight at the dilapidated, ill-fated Dansen estate, hoping to find a positive link to a series of brutal local murders, only to disturb vile, subterranean horrors, worthy of Lovecraft himself! In my opinion, unjustly obscure, Low budget indie horror Dark Heritage has much to recommend it to deep-digging, schlock-savvy 80s horror freaks. While the moth-balled text is creakier than a waxworks guillotine, the lively performances are, by and large, competent, and director McCormick ably peppers the prosaic chatter with some atmospheric, palpably eerie escapades. A watchable, mostly credible, if somewhat undernourished adaptation of of H.P Lovecraft's 'The Lurking Fear', Dark Heritage's failings are, perhaps, largely due to meagre funding, rather than a paucity of earnest film-making ambition. With a greater SPFX budget, and a more robust score, this stolid attempt at lurid Southern Gothic may have been a tad more monstrous. In closing, Dark Heritage delivered more than I expected it to, the dopey dialogue and deliciously cheapnis evocations of Lovecraftian wyrd proved strangely compelling, and due to the persistently dim lighting, they 'almost' got away with the dime store Halloween masks! In an era when all too many contemporary horror films are so patently recycled as to be wholly redundant, I can't think of a more opportune time to worthily gussie up largely forgotten midnight features like 'Dark Heritage'.

 The Settlement (1998)– Mark Steilen.

Opportunist insurance hacks Jerry (William Fichtner) and Pat's (John C. Reilly) hopes of avoiding bankruptcy after purchasing beautiful cancer victim Barbara's (Kelly McGillis) policy ultimately provides them with a wealth of misfortune. With glistering dialogue, Steilen's peppy, blackly funny crime thriller finds Kelly McGillis, John C. Reilly and William Fichtner on especially lively form. The engaging text, zippy direction, flashes of mordant humour, and on-point performances strongly suggest that The Settlement deserves to be emancipated from its wholly undeserved bargain bin DVD status. This appealingly smart, seemingly neglected 90s gem is a comedy-Noir treat, with sinfully slinky siren McGillis an absolute delight as firecracker femme fatal Barbara.

'WTF is a very powerful philosophy once you get going!'

 Doll House (2020) - Steven M. Smith.

A pale, mute, prodigiously strange child is given shelter in a foster home run by a kindly, yet no less troubled, equally mute psychologist, and once ensconced, the eerie girl, and her malevolent dolly wreak supernatural havoc. The meagrely budgeted Doll House is yet another iteration of the spooky child trope, one that starts off promisingly enough but soon descends into limpid mediocrity. It should be noted that Doll House is one of very few horror films shot in Essex, the usual fare being thuggy, potty-mouthed shoot 'em ups, which admittedly lends it some additional curiosity value. Doll House certainly has a credibly creepy premise, perhaps hampered by its modest budget, the fearful elements never truly ignite. The compelling first act is well executed, buoyed with credible performances, and I would have enjoyed seeing more of Toyah Willcox, in the non-biblical sense natch!

 Don't Go Into The Attic (2003) James Shanks.

The legendarily stentorian actor Brian Blessed and the no less charismatic Julie T. Wallis provide much-needed gravitas to mostly tepid low budget British supernatural shocker 'Don't Go into the Attic'. Not long after a bland, quarrelsome young couple move into a rustic Cornish farmhouse, the local legend of Dagon becomes disturbingly manifest, and apostate cleric (Brian Blessed) must do mortal battle with this ancient evil! Anything with Brian Blessed is worth a shout, and while Don't Go in The Attic is frequently hampered by a conspicuous lack of budget, the attractive gothic locale is sinisterly steeped in Folk horror atmospherics, and the Blessed-fuelled climax proved zesty enough. Not the most credible example of Lovecraftian horror, but a valiant effort nonetheless, with Blessed's enjoyably noisome theatricality diverting attention away from the pointed fact that Lord Dagon remains wholly submerged throughout! aka Devil's Harvest.

 Slomatics:Canyons.

While not quite so mortally bombastic and evilly primordial as Conan, deeply immersive emerald isle riff shamans Slomatics heftily deliver some expansively heavy, trance-like doom-shapes. Fungoid, smotheringly dense guitars exude a darkly resinous tone, like the slowly coagulating gore accumulating thickly at the monstrous, blood-glutted mouth of a slaughterhouse drain.

 Head Hunter (1988) – Francis Schaeffer.

A gruesome, Nigerian-borne, head-loppingly evil entity is running bloodily amok in Miami, and it is down to distractingly delicious cop Kay Lenz and her permanently angsty, pleasingly moustachioed partner Wayne Crawford to arrest its grisly shenanigans. Instant forgotten 80s cult classic, with a truly mental chainsaw chooglin' finale NO ONE ever mentions!!!!! While there is argument suggesting Head Hunter acts as a close rival to fellow voodoo slasher 'The First Power', there can be absolutely no doubt as to the brilliance of Kay Lenz's sublime acting performance! My appreciation of Schaeffer's enterprising shocker is somewhat heightened due to Wayne Crawford's deliciously delivered line 'All right, Ooga Booga, let's dance!!!!!.

 Urbania (2000) - Jon Shear.

'Heard any good stories lately?

A young gay man's (Dan Futterman) lover is brutally murdered, leading him on a boozily self-destructive odyssey through the seamier vectors of NY night life. I hadn't seen this exceptionally fine drama since its original release date, and, happily, Urbania has lost little of its dazzling intensity. The raven dark, hugely compelling narrative is both emotionally wrenching, and frequently very bloody funny indeed, blessed with a fascinatingly charged performance by Dan Futterman. I have a tremendous affinity for cinema based on plays, since they quite often display a deliciously acidic wit, and Urbania's expressly lively text doesn't disappoint,'I wouldn't kick him out of my ass!' being one of my favourites!