[THE ARCHIVE] Dead Man Chopping

The past is a dreaming moment, but what if it becomes a nightmare that taints our present and shrouds our future? 

“The Horror Show” (1989) is director James Isaac’s directorial debut that swings a cleaver at this question. It’s a B-movie shockfest that’ll show you that you can forget, but you’ll never forgive.

Detective Lucas McCarthy’s nights are restless. “Meat Clever Max” Jenke plagues his dreams. Lucas is surrounded by his family in a new home. He caught Jenke. He watched his execution. However it still wasn’t enough to destroy evil, and now it’s in his home. Lucas will either rise out of his past or his family will be next on Jenke’s chopping block.

This is one of those movies that isn’t trying to break new ground. It’s a mixture of tropes from popular horror movies. The boiler scenes and Jenke’s verbal crutch for the word “bitch” are borrowed from the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. The way Jenke slowly walks and teleports is similar to Jason’s movement. It combines these classic slasher elements within a haunted house story. It’s a cocktail of shocking mayhem. 

Lance Henriksen is fantastic as Lucas. His performance captures the mental decline of his character. A surprise performance from Greg Finley as Tom Ippolito from Internal Affairs had me breathless. He’s locked into character so much that his anger seems genuine. 

This is a film with simple pleasures. I recommend this for people looking for a quick shocking watch. 

 This is the third installment in the “House” series, rebranded in the U.S. to launch a new horror franchise. It kept the “House III” title for its international release. 

Sean S. Cunningham wanted to remove the film after “House II” underperformed. The messy production explains why the movie turns from a slasher into a haunted house movie. Original director David Blyth was replaced a week into shooting after Cunningham was disappointed with the dailies. Director James Isaac replaced him, but can’t be blamed for the mess. His specialty is in special effects such as “Gremlins” and “House II.” He went on to direct “Jason X.”

My problem with this film is the lack of identity it has. The tropes from other films handicap the movie from creating its own. Jenke is a big looming figure where his advantage is his size and speed. This competes with his need for one-liners and laughter. The two traits don’t blend well, coming off to me as a big goofball. Jenke, being an insane spirit, didn’t blend in with him also being a large brute. There were too many hats. 

It isn’t mandatory for a film to be completely original, but emulation isn’t a substitute for personality. I felt like I was thinking about a better movie instead of the one in front of me. The boiler scenes were very similar to the ones from “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2” (1985). The only difference is this movie returns to the boiler excessively without it having any real purpose to the story. Jenke’s powers aren’t confined to it. 

The troubled production is to be blamed for the messy presentation. It felt like two merged, undercooked movies.

I’m mixed on this movie. Most of the cast sell it. It’s a hack and slash haunted house fusion. For every underwhelming scene, a stellar performance steals the show. I wouldn’t call it a worthy sequel to the “House” series, but it was entertaining. If you want to see a train wreck, The Horror Show can be found on Tubi.

4 cleavers to the neck out of 10