Grindhouse Double Shock Show (Fright / Stark Fear) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is why I buy movies, two somewhat obscure yet competently made thrillers of the PSYCHO-era (late 1950's, early 1960's) appearing on dvd together from out of the public domain netherland!
Though STARK FEAR mentions that some picture anomalies are present due to the rarity of the film source I was quite pleased with overall product and didn't find myself disturbed in any way by a dark/light, jumpy/splicy print. The picture image and sound quality seemed no worse than any other public domain release and I didn't even notice the so-called "warning" until after I had seen the film and was then reading the box art.
Both films in my opinion (not that that's worth much) are gems of low budget film making, and as I stated above, that's exactly why I search out such things as this double bill dvd.
Imagine...FRIGHT being made by a major Hollywood studio at the time. I'm sure that's what the screenwriter had hoped for. And it would have worked if Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward had been cast in the lead roles with Hitchcock directing. I'm just suggesting that this could have been a very well known film and possible classic under the right circumstances. Eric Fleming and Nancy Malone are quite exceptional in their roles, much better than one would or should expect from a low budgeted film. And I've seen director Wilder's KILLERS FROM SPACE and PHANTOM FROM SPACE and though I like those films in a schlocky kind of way, I must say that his direction here seems much more polished and on a more professional par as he's able to draw good performances from all cast members.
Eric Fleming, a psychiatrist, becomes involved with Nancy Malone, a woman who may or may not be possessed by the spirit of an 19th century Austrian baroness. But then again it just may be a case of multiple personality disorder. Or is it really reincarnation? You have to see it to find out for yourself, though I will say again that handled by a major studio this has all the makings of another MARNIE or something similar.
As for STARK FEAR, this is another winner. Beautiful and talented Beverly Garland who should have been a major actress of her day is the abused suffering housewife of psycho hubby Skip Homeier (one of the classic psycho/killer types of his generation), who after Skip skips, goes looking for him back in his old home town only to get raped and abused by a really frightening lowlife. There's lots of gritty realism and sadism in this one but it's all very compelling, and once again, if only a major studio had taken on this property this may have become a well known classic, but for now it just has to settle for being a minor somewhat lost film.
So what you have here are two minor low budget lost films seeing the light of day on a double bill dvd release. They both, given proper treatment, could have been major motion pictures. They certainly have the potential. I strongly urge that you buy this dvd and see exactly what I mean. The cost is low, the entertainment value is high. I really enjoyed this dvd alot. This is exactly what I look for and hope to find, the rare and obscure, that which has now become almost unheard of yet deserves attention...by someone.
If you're a fan of PSYCHO, MARNIE, ...BABY JANE, THE THREE FACES OF EVE, etc. then you should enjoy these two lost minor classics. You at least deserve to see them.
Buy & enjoy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Grindhouse Double Shock Show (Fright / Stark Fear)

Click here for more information about Grindhouse Double Shock Show (Fright / Stark Fear)