Midnight

[Andrew]

Reader review by the indomitable, but unhappy about this film, RetroRussell.  Reading his description, it's hard to blame Russell for not enjoying the movie.

Click here to go to the Review

[monoceros4]

Ebert gave LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT a two-and-a-half star review in the Sun-Times.

[retrorussell]

In his original review back in 1972, Ebert gave Last House On The Left 3 and a half stars.  He may have changed his mind at a later date and re-rated it 2 and a half stars, which is still far too kind a rating.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19720101/REVIEWS/201010318/1023

[Skull]

3 1/2 or 2 1/2 stars are way too many stars for a movie that has no script or intentions for being smart... Gees the teens go into the "Big City" and end up being rape and then the attackers car happens to break down by the victims parents house... wow... I do agree Ebert was high.

Thanks for the review of Midnight... I'll might watch it because of this:



Although I'll use caution since we both agree on "Last House on the Left" and you kind of referred this movie almost equally bad.

[Joe the Destroyer]

I remember renting this pile of garbage on VHS some eight or so years ago.  If I had smoked crack instead that night, it would not have been such a big waste of money, time, and braincells. 

[Sitting Duck]

As a note, Leonard Maltin doesn't actually watch all the films listed in his movie guide. One person viwewing all those just isn't humanly possible. He has a staff who aids him in his endevour. Anyway, I've found that it's impossible to find a reviewer who you will agree with all the time. Some might be more likely to match your preferences, but a 100% rate just can't be done.

[Scott M.]

ROFL !!!  The song from Hell was AWESOME !!!  That tune is as evil, if not MORE evil than "Afternoon Delight" is !!

[Harpo Marxist]

Eh, the book was an okay read in high school, one of many half-assed paperbacks John Russo crapped out at the time. Evidently they didn't have enough money to shoot half the plot, with involved an investigator infiltrating the cult, which turned out to be a much larger, more organized nationwide network. On the other hand, other changes hurt by avoiding a bleak, harsh ending:

BOOK-RELATED SPOILERS FOLLOW

1. The stepfather finds Nancy, realizes she's going to be killed...and leaves. Happy to be off the hook.
2. The investigator gets punked. The town doctor, a member of this larger cult, snaps his neck without killing him. The cult gathers around to mutilate his paralyzed body, using the blood as a lube for their big orgy. Cynthia starts off by stabbing him in the dick.
3. Nancy doesn't make it, but as she watches the next-to-last girl get sacrificed from her cage, in desperation she finds Jesus and thinks she's happy. (It is suggested that this is just as delusional as the psycho-clan's belief--shown at the bear-trap beginning--that their victims are otherwordly.)

That would've been...well, maybe not better, but at least memorable movie. This is just forgettable.

[retrorussell]

Yeah, I heard the book was much better by a lot of people.  But since the author also directed the film version, I'm not going to look it up.  He owes me some of my life that he screwed me out of with his god-awful waste of celluloid.  D*ckhead!

[Trevor]

Also, this cult is stupid. Satan should want nothing to do with these lame-os. And that fat brother did nothing but giggle throughout the movie. If it was intended to scare me, all it did was make me hate the film even more. I'd call this film spare toilet paper, but that would be an insult to my @$$. Please, if you have any sense of self-respect, avoid this crappy film, then go egg Leonard Maltin's house.

Karma for the great review, Russell. 

I have a book by John Russo in our library here called Making Moviesin which he discusses the making of Night Of The Living Dead and Midnight at length. When he talks about Midnight, you would swear he's talking about the making of Lawrence of Arabia, not some lame-ass film with an ABBA song for a theme tune. He also has a still of a sheriff pointing a huge revolver at one of the actors, calling it "a dramatic up angle shot".

To me, it looks like the camera's just been thrown on the floor. 

[retrorussell]

Also, this cult is stupid. Satan should want nothing to do with these lame-os. And that fat brother did nothing but giggle throughout the movie. If it was intended to scare me, all it did was make me hate the film even more. I'd call this film spare toilet paper, but that would be an insult to my @$$. Please, if you have any sense of self-respect, avoid this crappy film, then go egg Leonard Maltin's house.

Karma for the great review, Russell. 

I have a book by John Russo in our library here called Making Moviesin which he discusses the making of Night Of The Living Dead and Midnight at length. When he talks about Midnight, you would swear he's talking about the making of Lawrence of Arabia, not some lame-ass film with an ABBA song for a theme tune. He also has a still of a sheriff pointing a huge revolver at one of the actors, calling it "a dramatic up angle shot".

To me, it looks like the camera's just been thrown on the floor. 

Thanks Trevor.

Yep, sounds like Mr. Russo should have stuck with writing books.
"A dramatic, up-angle shot".. what a douchebag. 

[Independent Witness]

@Trevor. "I have a book by John Russo in our library here called Making Moviesin which he discusses the making of Night Of The Living Dead and Midnight at length. When he talks about Midnight, you would swear he's talking about the making of Lawrence of Arabia, not some lame-ass film with an ABBA song for a theme tune."

I've read this book.  Yeah, Russo actually does talk like 'Midnight' is something he's really, really proud of– in fact, he keeps using it as an outstanding example of how to make a quality film on a low budget.  The funny thing is, you can somehow tell even from what he says about it that the film is in fact utter garbage.

[Trevor]