This one is more of a time-capsule snapshot. It didn’t make it to full-feature release, basically a third of an anthology of 3 stories that got shitcanned before release called Pulse Pounders. The other two segments, featuring continuations of other Charles Band films Dungeonmaster and Trancers, never made it to release. Lost/destroyed film? Evil Plottenings? Or...if this was the best of the 3, then maybe...a mercy killing. There. I said it. Despite the Twilight Zone-esque short format and the Re-Animator reunion casting of Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, David Gale, PLUS David Warner? Loosely based on an H.P. Lovecraft story?!? Holy shit, how can you lose? Well. This one rolled the snake-eyes.
A Suspect Woman goes back to visit her old apartment she was kicked out of. An old landlady that may or may not have been kindof whooorish back in her day? The sordid history of the suicided priest in that very same attic apartment. And a rat. An evil, horny creepy little rat.
Yeah, this one didn’t quite fire on all cylinders, even with Crampton looking very fine and curvy. Taken from a VHS workprint or some shit, it’s awful looking, but not just from the 4:3 analog format. Basically single-room set-up. There’s a rat Familiar with a human face that is...less than intimidating. The plot is shoestring. If you’re gonna shoot a short story and get good actors involved, for the love of Cthulhu, do better. Was gonna watch both Dungeonmaster and Trancers for context to be a completist, but after this? I’ll probably skip em. Unless of course it’s lampooned on Sleazy’s Pictures After Dark. Then I MIGHT watch em. Maybe. If I don’t have the rickets or something that night. Even as an Optimistic Lovecraft Adaptation Enthusiast, this one...pretty rough.
