Notable largely as the directorial debut of Oliver Stone, this bizarre 1974 psycho-thriller is a nightmare horror film starring Jonathan Frid (of the original Dark Shadows) as a bestselling horror author whose fictional characters inexplicably break out of his dreams to terrorize family and friends during a weekend in the country. The trio of fantastic figures—Jackal (Henry Judd Baker), a masked executioner in fetish gear; Spider (Hervé Villechaize), a wicked dwarf (whose dialogue is largely incomprehensible); and the Queen of Evil (cult horror actress Martine Beswick)—torment and torture their prisoners, bringing out the worst in many of the shallow victims. The film was funded as one of the many "tax haven" productions shot in Canada, and Stone—like many other young filmmakers—used the opportunity of a low-budget horror film to push against expectations and surprise people. It's an interesting idea with imaginative twists but the film suffers from unfocused direction, confusing construction, and budget constraints. It does feature a fine cast, however, including cult actress Mary Woronov and one-time movie heartthrob Troy Donahue. Mostly a curiosity piece for viewers who want to see where the Oscar-winning director began (and how much he has evolved), Seizure! bows on DVD and Blu-ray in a remastered edition with extras including interviews with costars Woronov and Richard Cox. Optional. (S. Axmaker)
Seizure!
Kino Lorber, 91 min., PG, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95 Volume 30, Issue 1
Seizure!
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: