Greg brought a copy of 2001 Maniacs. It's a remake of the original by Herschell Gordon Lewis. I had seen the 1964 version in the mid 80's and had never wanted to see it again. It's a low-budget gore fest that people really seem to take to. I thought it was pretty poorly made and, especially in the mid-80's, I wasn't really interested in that sort of film. The remake is much better made, and not too bad a film. A second one is listed on the IMDb, 2002 Maniacs: Beverly Hellbillies, with some of the same cast returning.
Robert England, Lin Shaye and Giuseppe Andrews all stand out on the townies side. There's also a nice scene with Travis Tritt. The story is pretty much the same. Northern folk get caught up in a southern town's revenge. The town people are all still mad they were killed in the civil war, so they comeback and barbeque some yankees. The original had the town return on it's 100 anniversary. The new version makes it an annual event with pickled people parts stored in year labeled jars in a pantry. Good attention to detail. When Hershell made the original there weren't the gore techniques that are available today. He tried but they were often fake looking. The new film has fairly good effects, but nothing to write home about. Nor the script, it ranges from tolerable to amusing. The better cast members carry it off , beat the tar out of it and stab it in the eye. It's a darn violent place that Pleasant Valley. You gotta be plum lucky to survive. And you ain't that lucky. So, stay outta the fuckin' south. Been my motto for years.
Joe wanted to see a giant monster movie. Specifically, an American giant insect movie, from the 1950's. Sperhauk had The Black Scorpion on laserdisc, so we watched that. Richard Denning and Carlos Ravis are scientists investigating volcanos. One explodes and creates a mountain. A crevise forms and some giant scorpions get out. They kill people and cattle. On the way to take in the new volcano our heroes stop to see what happened at a house. They find a wrecked police car and rescue a baby. Some big hat wearing vaqueros are fearful for their lives but the beautiful land owner Mara Corday sweet talks them back to doom work. Luckily, only a few are killed by the giant scorpions. The two docs do some spelunkin' with a trouble some kid. There is a nest of the buggers down below. They blow the mountain but a few giants escape and head for Mexico city. Well, really, who wouldn't? After attacking a train and eating all the people the scorpions turn on each other and the big one kills all the rest. In the city the military lures the big guy with a truck full of cow carcasses and kills him. 
During all the hectic activity Richard Denning and Maria Corday fall in love. Giant scorpions always make me hot. I have always liked Richard, also in The Creature From The Black Lagoon, he usually does a good job. He's fine here, and so are the rest of the cast, except for that annoying kid. The animated scorpions are a mixed bag. Designed by Willis O'Brien of King Kong fame and animated by Pete Peterson. The movement and sets varies from good to fair, not too unusual for a low budget 50's monster movie. They over use a shot of the creature. The camera zooms in to the monster, the music goes nuts and the drool streams out of the creature's mouth. It's not a very good shot. The rest of the movie is much better. It's not the best of it's era but it's still fun.
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