Directed by: Howard R. Cohen
Starring: Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss, Jeffrey Tambor, Severn Darden, Kari Michaelsen, Kevin Brando
I saw Saturday the 14th recently on a B-movie channel for the first time since I saw it in theaters decades ago. I knew it was a cheap horror comedy, and I didn't expect any Oscar-caliber production values or performances, but maybe it would be amusing and silly. It's silly, yes, but Saturday the 14th is simply not good even with the low expectations.
The movie barely clears 75 minutes of running time (thank goodness). The plot is: The clueless Hyatt family inherits a spooky house in Eerie, PA (get it?) with the parents John and Mary (real-life married couple Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss) not seeming all that concerned that supernatural goings-on are happening. Meanwhile, Dracula (I assume that's who he is) and his wife want the house because it contains a book of evil which they want to get a hold of. Meanwhile, Van Helsing (Darden), a supernatural exterminator, also wants the book for his own nefarious reasons. Both want to rule the world, although I always thought Van Helsing was supposed to be a hero. Here is a worse villain than Drac.
I guess Saturday the 14th was meant to be a spoof, but there aren't any laughs. There are talented actors in it who are set adrift. Maybe they thought the project would be fun. They try. They really do, but the whole enterprise just doesn't work. I even tried to view it nostalgically, hoping I could maybe enjoy it on that level. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
No comments:
Post a Comment