Terror Circus/Barn of the Naked Dead

Kim Bruun · 09-30-2012, 09:33 PM

Any fans of this?

I sat down with the 2009 Media Blasters release (which looks pretty darn good) again a few days ago, and I had the same reaction to it when I first saw it a couple of years ago: I was surprised to enjoy a movie that is mostly disliked and ignored (at the time of writing, it has a 2.6 average from a measly 287 voters on IMDB). Honestly, it's not that bad.

The plot is familiar wrong turn protoslasher stuff: Three girls going to Las Vegas for a gig have car trouble and are assisted by a friendly stranger (Andrew Prine) who turns out to be not so friendly.

Buoyed by that grimy drive in feel so specific to lowbudget 70's horror, it plays like cheaper riff on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but still with a great use of location, a game cast, and a fair bit of gore.

The makeup is done by Byrd Holland and Douglad J. White, who also did the makeup on the drive in gem Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural. They did a great job, especially considering what the budget must have been. We get some cheap blood, a cut off head in a birdcage, and one awesome, gnarly radioactive mutant dad!

Some bemoan that the exploitive title Barn of the Naked Dead is misleading, but in all fairness:

Obviously, this is an authentic grindhouse experience, and even if it does not match The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in thrills, it still has some enjoyably disturbing moments and picks up speed for a nicely downbeat finale. Oh, and there's even a cool theme ballad!

Marshall Crist · 09-30-2012, 09:35 PM

Yeah, that theme song is great. Decent film. Thanks for pointing out the LEMORA connection.

russweiss · 09-30-2012, 09:46 PM

I own the DVD but haven't watched it yet.

Kim Bruun · 09-30-2012, 09:52 PM

I've always liked the makeup effects in Lemora. They are perhaps modest, not completely veristic, but creepy and effective nonetheless. They are also of a different school than gory effects of Don't Torture a Duckling and Torso, for instance (movies I like IN SPITE of their effects - it's as if the film makers wished to please the audience with graphic images but failed to realise that human flesh does not have the consistency of hardened resin).

Also, Lemora is actually quite an artistic movie, and Barn is less so, but I still find myself enjoying a little of the same atmosphere in both.

Kim Bruun · 09-30-2012, 09:57 PM

Oh, and that's a cool poster, Russ, so thank you for sharing. Doesn't it make you just a little bit curious?

Katatonia · 09-30-2012, 10:05 PM

I have the old Code Red/Media Blasters DVD, which surprisingly has a ton of bonus features.

The film itself is quite tame even by 70's exploitation standards. It's certainly not great, but is still enjoyable trash.

russweiss · 09-30-2012, 10:28 PM

Of course I'm curious which is why I purchased the DVD. It's just a matter of getting around to watching it.

crikan · 10-01-2012, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim Bruun

Some bemoan that the exploitive title Barn of the Naked Dead is misleading, but in all fairness:

The title is misleading because the screenshot you post is the only nudity in BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD and its of the "blink and you missed it" variety.

Despite the lack of nudity it is incredibly sleazy and mean spirited. It's worth watching for Andrew Prine's performance as the psychotic ring master.

Kim Bruun · 10-01-2012, 07:24 AM

True, crikan - perhaps they should have called it Barn of the Occasionally Naked Dead? Anyway, the selling point for me was the hideous radioactive mutant - can't get enough of those!

msw7 · 10-01-2012, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim Bruun

True, crikan - perhaps they should have called it Barn of the Occasionally Naked Dead? Anyway, the selling point for me was the hideous radioactive mutant - can't get enough of those!

Why, Barn of the Barely Naked Dead sounds almost Christian.

russweiss · 10-01-2012, 11:29 PM

Barn of the Naked Dead would get me into the theater back in the days before home video whereas Terror Circus probably wouldn't. Exploitation title at its finest. Also the poster for Barn of the Naked Dead makes you want to see it.

dave13 · 10-02-2012, 12:56 AM

is it just me, or does it look like madman mars is hovering above everybody else in that poster? (i haven't watched the movie yet, so don't know if that actually corresponds to a character in the film).

shockwave · 10-04-2012, 12:02 AM

There seem to be a few different versions of this movie on DVD, anyone know what the best version(s) is?

Katatonia · 10-04-2012, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shockwave

There seem to be a few different versions of this movie on DVD, anyone know what the best version(s) is?

The Code Red/Media Blasters DVD. It has the best transfer and bonus features.

Kim Bruun · 10-04-2012, 09:44 PM

There is indeed a striking resemblance to Madman Marz, Dave. It is very tempting to think that those who designed his makeup took a gander at Radioactive Dad:

Right down to being visually impaired on their right eye...

But hey, I can still appreciate both of them.

09-30-2012, 09:33 PM	#1
Kim Bruun Maniac Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 930	Terror Circus/Barn of the Naked Dead Any fans of this? I sat down with the 2009 Media Blasters release (which looks pretty darn good) again a few days ago, and I had the same reaction to it when I first saw it a couple of years ago: I was surprised to enjoy a movie that is mostly disliked and ignored (at the time of writing, it has a 2.6 average from a measly 287 voters on IMDB). Honestly, it's not that bad. The plot is familiar wrong turn protoslasher stuff: Three girls going to Las Vegas for a gig have car trouble and are assisted by a friendly stranger (Andrew Prine) who turns out to be not so friendly. Buoyed by that grimy drive in feel so specific to lowbudget 70's horror, it plays like cheaper riff on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but still with a great use of location, a game cast, and a fair bit of gore. The makeup is done by Byrd Holland and Douglad J. White, who also did the makeup on the drive in gem Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural. They did a great job, especially considering what the budget must have been. We get some cheap blood, a cut off head in a birdcage, and one awesome, gnarly radioactive mutant dad! Some bemoan that the exploitive title Barn of the Naked Dead is misleading, but in all fairness: Obviously, this is an authentic grindhouse experience, and even if it does not match The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in thrills, it still has some enjoyably disturbing moments and picks up speed for a nicely downbeat finale. Oh, and there's even a cool theme ballad!

09-30-2012, 10:05 PM	#6
Katatonia Hellbound Heart Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Missouri Posts: 16,002	I have the old Code Red/Media Blasters DVD, which surprisingly has a ton of bonus features. The film itself is quite tame even by 70's exploitation standards. It's certainly not great, but is still enjoyable trash. __________________ "Through unlit corridors of purest oblivion. Submerged in a sea of darkness without end. To feel nothing...hear nothing...for a thousand eternities." - Evoken - Quietus DVD Profiler Collection

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09-30-2012, 09:35 PM	#2
Marshall Crist Stalker Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 289	Yeah, that theme song is great. Decent film. Thanks for pointing out the LEMORA connection.

09-30-2012, 09:52 PM	#4
Kim Bruun Maniac Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 930	I've always liked the makeup effects in Lemora. They are perhaps modest, not completely veristic, but creepy and effective nonetheless. They are also of a different school than gory effects of Don't Torture a Duckling and Torso, for instance (movies I like IN SPITE of their effects - it's as if the film makers wished to please the audience with graphic images but failed to realise that human flesh does not have the consistency of hardened resin). Also, Lemora is actually quite an artistic movie, and Barn is less so, but I still find myself enjoying a little of the same atmosphere in both.

09-30-2012, 09:57 PM	#5
Kim Bruun Maniac Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 930	Oh, and that's a cool poster, Russ, so thank you for sharing. Doesn't it make you just a little bit curious?

09-30-2012, 10:28 PM	#7
russweiss Maniac Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 783	Of course I'm curious which is why I purchased the DVD. It's just a matter of getting around to watching it.

10-01-2012, 07:24 AM	#9
Kim Bruun Maniac Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 930	True, crikan - perhaps they should have called it Barn of the Occasionally Naked Dead? Anyway, the selling point for me was the hideous radioactive mutant - can't get enough of those!

10-02-2012, 12:56 AM	#12
dave13 HackMaster Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,804	is it just me, or does it look like madman mars is hovering above everybody else in that poster? (i haven't watched the movie yet, so don't know if that actually corresponds to a character in the film).

10-04-2012, 12:02 AM	#13
shockwave Stalker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Joplin, MO Posts: 203	There seem to be a few different versions of this movie on DVD, anyone know what the best version(s) is?

10-04-2012, 09:44 PM	#15
Kim Bruun Maniac Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 930	There is indeed a striking resemblance to Madman Marz, Dave. It is very tempting to think that those who designed his makeup took a gander at Radioactive Dad: Right down to being visually impaired on their right eye... But hey, I can still appreciate both of them.