
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 5, 1993                   TAG: 9306050178
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: C10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Mike Mayo
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE HORROR OF IT ALL - THESE DAYS IT'S ON VIDEO

Horror movies aren't very popular in theaters these days, but they continue to be a strong force in video originals. Low budget supernatural thrillers have formed the basis of at least two successful series. And now another side of the genre is crossing over into kidvid.

Academy Entertainment's "Witchcraft" series has reached Roman numeral "V," and it continues to break new ground in alternative entertainment.

For those who haven't kept up with these films, they're about a fellow named Will Spanner (Marklen Kennedy) who's the son of Satan, but he's still a good guy. In this one, the bad guy is Cain (David Huffman), some sort of evil angel who looks like Richard Simmons and slaps people on the head like Ernest Aingley. When he really turns it on, no piece of scenery is safe.

The only notable facet of the screwy plot is the character of Will's girlfriend (Carolyn Taye-Loren). For a time, it is suggested that an attractive young woman can lead a normal active life and be a Christian. But before long, the film is filled with so much Satanic mumbo-jumbo -- not to mention the sex scenes -- that most religious videophiles will not be amused. For horror fans, though, the combination of bad writing and overemoting is truly memorable. "V" is a grand exercise in unintentional humor.

\ "Dracula Rising" is a variation on the ever-popular good-vampire/bad-vampire scenario from B-veteran Roger Corman's New Horizons studio. As is often the case with Corman productions, this one looks good; the low budget seldom shows through. The script never strays far from the formula, the pace is anemic; and though the cast is young and attractive, the acting is stiff.

A young art restorer, Theresa (Stacey Travis), is commissioned to go to Europe to work on an old painting. There she finds that Vlad (Christopher Atkins), the Byronic figure she met at an LA art show, is a vampire. But, hey, he's handsome, he's single and he loves her. His brother (Doug Wert), on the other hand, wants Vlad to kill her. His alleged Transylvanian accent is the film's comic high point. For fans, this one is an acceptable time-waster.

The good-vampire/bad-vampire bit was the premise of the 1991 Moonstone release,\ "Subspecies." That one ended with both characters temporarily out of commission. The sequel, "Bloodstone," begins with some really yucky grand guignol scenes wherein bad vamp Radu (Anders Hove) is, as it were, recapitated.

For those who came in late, Radu is this grotesque dude who's having one long bad hair day -- not to mention bad face, bad hands, bad drool. Again, there's nothing too original about the plot. The good vampire's American girlfriend (Denice Duff) steals the Bloodstone, a supernatural lava light, and heads for Bucharest. (Like the original, this one was made in Romania.) The rest of the plot meanders, but it contains enough imaginative, grotesque effects to keep even the most jaded fan happy and nauseous.

Both of the "Subspecies" films are products of Charles Band's Full Moon Entertainment organization. That outfit, noted for the first-rate production values of its genre films, has turned to children's entertainment with a new Moonbeam label.

The first release is "Prehysteria," due in stores on June 30, and it looks like a winner. It begins with a sure-fire concept -- miniature dinosaurs and contemporary kids -- and plugs it into a simple juvenile plot.

A comic villain (Tony Longo) steals some dinosaur eggs from Central America. He brings them back to California, where they accidentally fall into the possession of a widowed amateur rockhound (Brett Cullen) and his two kids (Austin O'Brien and Samantha Mills). Under the tender care of Ruby, the family's golden retriever, the eggs hatch.

The parts of the story involving Dad's romance with a pretty blonde (Colleen Morris) may not appeal to younger viewers, but everything else will hook and hold them. The critter effects may not be up to the highest Spielbergian standards, but they're much better than average, particularly for a video original.

If "Prehysteria" is too cute and simple for most adults, it hits just the right note for kids. Count on a sequel.

Next week: Sex? Comedy? Sex Comedy!

The Essentials:

Witchcraft V: ++ 1/2 Academy. 94 min. Unrated and R-rated for graphic violence, strong language, nudity, sexual content.

Dracula Rising: ++ New Horizons. 85 min. Rated R for violence, bloody effects, brief nudity, sexual content.

Bloodstone: Subspecies II: ++ 1/2 Paramount. 107 min. Rated R for bloody effects, strong language, brief nudity.

Prehysteria: +++ Paramount. 86 min. Rated PG for a little strong language.

by CNB