DR. HORROR'S EROTIC HOUSE OF IDIOTS
PLOT-A pair of old washed-up television actors pretend to be sex therapists, using their skills in telling horror stories to solve their patients' problems.
VIOLENCE-A couple of bloodless stabbings occur.
SEX/NUDITY-Some bikini and lingerie shots here and there, but that's as far as things get.
WHY I WATCHED IT-The unbelievably huge incredible cast, which includes this reviewer's all-time favorite actor, Debbie Rochon.
THE DOPE-One of the pitfalls of being a B-movie fan who grew up in the 80's is that my idea of what makes an entertaining piece of schlock is skewed considerably from what such films originated as. Sure, I might have caught THE TINGLER once or twice, but the majority of what I saw were sex comedies with wall-to-wall T&A, or slasher flicks with chainsaws hacking limbs off left and right, blood painting the walls and guts hanging from the ceiling fan. Hell, if you got lucky, you'd see all those things in one movie!
But before it became all about shocking and titillating audiences seeking cheap thrills, there was a time where filmmakers concerned themselves with telling great stories and crafting the best movies they could, implementing monsters and beautiful women, mixing in corny jokes, and entertaining the audience in the best possible way despite having z-grade production value. Back then, it was more about hard work and less about how many naked lesbian vampires you could cover with a bucket of sloppy fake intestines. Not to detract from what has been achieved since the days of Ed Wood, but it seems to me that all too often, B-filmmakers take the easier route and stick with a formula that sells versus trying to get out there and really be ambitious.
Director Paul Scrabo, together with the regal indie horror legend (and co-writer) Brinke Stevens, has crafted an epic tribute to old-school B-filmmaking with the hysterical, awe-inspiring DR. HORROR'S EROTIC HOUSE OF IDIOTS. While the title itself is a definite parody of the slew of films with the word "erotic" in the title that have flooded the indie horror film market in the last few years (I think I've reviewed every single one of them, actually), the movie itself is both a celebration of a style of movie-making that has been overlooked and goes largely underappreciated by today's audiences (who seem to only be excited by the prospect of counting severed limbs and lesbian sex scenes on score cards or something) and a flat-out funny comedy as well.
DR. HORROR's plot is as much a lament for monster movies and corny comedies of eras past as it is a modern day take on a classic theme. The script is fun, witty, and well-crafted indeed...but it's the incredible cast of DR. HORROR that will truly amaze you. It's a mix of actors from the heyday of B-movies (star Conrad Brooks was in PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE) and current indie favorites like Trent Haaga, Barbara Joyce, and of course our beloved Miss Rochon. On top of that are tons more cameos by actors most any fan of current independent horror will instantly recognize, rounded out by the presence of the immortal Zacherle, who provides some of the film's most howlingly funny lines.
DR. HORROR'S EROTIC HOUSE OF IDIOTS puts most of the independent films I see these days to shame, and should serve as an example of the kind of movies that hard work and imagination can produce. It's not only a labor of love, but downright entertaining as well. I absolutely loved it!
NOTES-To find out more about this film, visit The Official Site.
(January 2004)