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From Beyond
Stuart Gordon 1986 USA

Director Stuart Gordon made a couple of superb horror films and then lapsed into a slump which happened to many other horror directors like John Carpentar, Tobe Hooper and Wes Craven to name a few.  Gordon made this horror make-up effects spectacular and the even better Re-animator which is considered one of the best horror films ever made.  Then Gordon fell through and tried to make films like the blatant Dolls, sci-fi shit like Fortress and medicore films like Castle Freak which was'nt bad on a particular level.

From Beyond has an older scientist named Doc Pretorious who invents a machine called the Resonator.  This device provides the sixth sense or ability to see into another wacked out dimension which inhabits all sorts of nasty stuff like monsters, light reacting killer organisms and the like.  Pretorious opens up the dimension one evening and gets sucked in.  The authorities arrive on the scene and arrest his assisstant Crawford Tillinghast played by my fav genre actor Jeffery Combs.  Tillinghast gets thrown into a mental hospital for his actions and crazy assed story.

While in the hospital Combs character meets Dr. Roberta Bloch (Barbra Crampton) whom he tells his story to.  The Docter decides to investigate Combs story so they both go up to the old house where everything happened but this time they're accompinied by Ken Foree of Dawn Of The Dead Fame for protection(hah!)

Once in the house a lot of awry shit goes down.  Barbra Cramptons character turns into a sex kitten persuaded by the presence of horny old Pretorious, Foree gets ripped to shreds by those nasty little organisms, Combs' body gets inhabited by some creature which sticks out of his forehead until Crampton bites it off.  The machine creates amazing looking monsters and the finale of the film has Combs doing battle with Pretorious butt ugly creature by going inside of it and sacrificing himself while fighting in a puddle of its guts and goo.  Crampton is the only poor soul who makes it out alive but with a busted knee and only by jumping out of a house window before the house explodes.

This is an OTT (over the top, another little note to let you know) grand splatter flick with a loose H.P Lovecraft adaption of a short story.  The characters names like Tillinghast and Pretorious are Lovecraftian if you didn't notice.  Great characters, make up effects and an interesting story delivered at a fast pace and with lots of energy, what more could you ask for in a horror film.

RATING: 41/2 Skulls

Richard Taylor