The Refrigerator

Stars: Julia McNeil, David Simmons. An offbeat sense of humor occasionally lifts this low-budget horror comedy about a young couple who rent an apartment in Manhattan only to discover that their fridge is more than just on the fritz, it's downright carnivorous. Written and directed by Nicholas Tony Jacobs, the film stars David Simmons and Julia McNeil as yuppie couple Steve and Eileen Bateman. He works in advertising, and she is an aspiring actress. They'd like to get off to a good start in both their marriage and their careers, but with an icebox that does double duty as the gate to hell, it's a little difficult. Eventually, under the malign influence of the refrigerator, Steve starts acting weirder than usual, and Eileen is forced to fend for her life. Although there's a nice paint-the-kitchen-red payoff at the close, The Refrigerator is too bland to offset the fact that it's obviously a low-budget film (compared to say, The Evil Dead, which was also low-budget, but went way over the top in morbid humor). Writer/director Jacobs may be a talent to look for...in the future. Audience: Horror fans whose standards aren't terribly high.