THE HORROR SHOW
US, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Bryon James, Lance Henricksen.
Directed by James Isaac.
The Horror Show comes rather late in the day in using the conventions of horror genres of the '80s: elements of the Halloween series, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th. This one has an ugly and mad cleaver murderer executed but his spirit still living and haunting the policeman who arrested him as well as his family. There are the expected horrors, atmospheric frights, blood and gore. Bryon James is sufficiently horrendous as Max Jenke, the murderer - enough to start a horror series. Lance Henricksen is the policeman.
The film was produced by Sean S. Cunningham, the director of the original Friday the 13th film.
1. The '80s genres of horror, the conventions? mad-killers? Ghosts? The police thriller? The
2. The household, the city, credible? The prison, the execution? The interiors for the murders, the electric plant for the final confrontation? Special effects and stunts? Editing? Score?
3. The title and the use of the horror conventions?
4. The basic situation for Lucas: at home, his dreams of Max Jenke, his police experience, the deaths of his fellow policemen? The credits?
5. The build-up to the execution, Peter Campbell present, the high voltage, the repetition of the voltage, Jenke's defiant death? The visit to the morgue and the escape? The theory of evil and electricity? Jenke going into the house basement? His death through the electric plant?
6. Lucas and the psychologist, the discussion about the Catholic Church and stigmata, the family, his shooting the television, stabbing the turkey, the drive with the ghost beside him, becoming obsesses, shouting at the ghost in the basement?
7. The portrait of Max Jenke, the vicious killer, the horror of his execution, defiance, the repeated voltages, his death? His reappearances, in the seat in the car, in the face of the turkey, pretending to be Bonnie and so killing Vinnie?
8. Peter Campbell, meeting Lucas in Jenke's house, the explanation of his theory, the death from Jenke? Lucas's arrest, the interrogations, his escape?
9. Scott and hit music, his death? Bonnie being raped? Donna following the girl with the cat from the initial killing? Their reappearance and so their being killed in Lucas's dream world?
10. Lucas and the opening, his partner and his fear, the deaths in the restaurant, Jenke with the little girl and beheading her? Chasing Jenke in the plant, with Donna, the electricity, the shooting?
11. Dreams, reality? The exorcism of evil? Jenke as being part of Lucas's psyche?
12. The opening credits with the household videos, the happy ending?
