Weekly Film Rec: From Beyond

I was going to apologize for yet another horror film, but A) one should never have to apologize for recommending horror films and B) I haven't really recommended that many. So while The Bad Sleep Well would have looked good for diversity and done much for my film geek street cred, I'm going to go with Stuart Gordon's From Beyond (though The Bad Sleep Well is pretty awesome).

Taken from a story by H.P. Lovecraft (much like Gordon's Re-Animator), From Beyond is about scientists who unlock access to a sixth sense by using a machine to stimulate the pineal gland thereby gaining access to a new plane of existence (and allowing those things within this plane access to you). I'm not entirely sure about the science of all of this (or the existence of a "pineal gland"), but if this is what it takes to play with some fantastic practical effects, then I'm more than willing to go for the ride.

Mainstay of Gordon's films, Jeffrey Combs, is the lead and even though he can sometimes be a bit too over-the-top (I'm looking at you, The Frighteners), I always love watching him. He's got this great manic energy that's perfect for a mad scientist type. Of course, he's not the mad scientist in this one, or at least not the maddest. There's at least two other that are more insane than he. One who gets to turn into a wicked beasty and Barbara Crampton, most notable because she was in Chopping Mall the same year.

I'd be completely remiss if I didn't mention genre all-star Ken Foree. He plays the comic relief here and does it quite well. It does feel a bit cliched having the sole black person being the funny one, but dammit, it's Ken Foree! Dawn of the Dead!

The film is by no means great, but it's a bit of fun with some disturbing effects. Great for a night of high quality cheese.