Michael_Elliott Warlock Moon (1973) * 1/2 (out of 4)Jenny (Laurie Walters) and John (Joe Spano) are in love with one another and decide to ride out into the country for some time alone. They end up at on old house and on the inside is the ultra creepy Agnes Abercrombi (Edna MacAfee) who seems to have a few secrets.William Herbert's WARLOCK MOON is a film that seems to have been forgotten by a lot of people except for the fans who probably saw it on VHS back in the day. That small group of fans have often talked about what a creepy movie it was but I'm going to guess a lot of this might have been due to the age they were when they first saw it.I say that because the film just isn't all that good for a number of reasons but I will say that I give Herbert credit for at least trying to do something different. During this era of the "drive-in" picture there were all sorts of films that dealt with young people getting lost in some sort of location where they meet "nice" people who turn out to be murderers. That's certainly nothing new but I give Herbert credit for at least trying to do something different with it.Here he slowly tries to build up the tension of what "horrors" this told woman is hiding but I think it just didn't work in the end. For this type of slow-burn horror you really need an atmosphere and you need to feel the terror but neither thing happens here. Another problem is that the slowness is really drawn out because the majority of the running time is nothing but dialogue. An even bigger problem is the fact that neither character is all that interesting and this means that you really don't care about them or anything they're chatting about.WARLOCK MOON was obviously done on a very low-budget and there are some decent things in it but sadly they just don't really come together and in the end we're left with something a bit too boring for its own good.

Scott LeBrun Future TV names Laurie Walters ('Eight is Enough') and Joe Spano ('Hill Street Blues') headline this obscure but reasonably amusing micro budget horror flick. Laurie plays Jenny, a college student aggressively courted by the theatrical John (Spano). After a picnic lunch in the boondocks, they end up at an isolated, run down former spa that has been closed down for four decades. They also meet a resident: affable old lady Mrs. Abercrombi (Edna MacAfee). Laurie must soon dodge attempts on her life and comes face to face with some sort of oddball ritual that must take place within a certain time frame.Written, edited, produced & directed by Bill Herbert (his only credit as a filmmaker), this is no great shakes but it entertains in decent enough fashion. It is notable for a goofy sense of humor at times: Johns' idea of impressing Jenny is wearing Groucho glasses and doing a bad Inspector Clouseau imitation. He also launches into a re- enactment of a classic horror trope in a later part of the picture, just for *beep*s and giggles. Although it has no warlocks, and the moon doesn't play into the plot (the original title, "Bloody Spa", would have been more accurate), it's got enough weirdness & atmosphere, and fun moments of grisliness to make it mildly enjoyable. Although the cast largely consists of no-names, the acting is sincere, with Walters and Spano making for an engaging primary couple. Ms. MacAfee is a gas as the supposedly harmless old biddy who does have a secret to hide. Steve Solinsky and Richard Vielle are adequate as two axe wielding goons who scowl, stalk around, and commit bloody mayhem.Before the movie / night is over, we'll also have been treated to some face painting, quail hunting, exposition, haunting, and, funnily enough, a lecture early in the picture on human "deviancy".The closing credits actually begin before the story is really over, which was supposedly an attempt by Herbert & company to get people to actually READ the damn things.Six out of 10.

goods116 If you like those low budget, atmospheric, bell-bottom heavy 1970s films, if you like creepy films, then take a look at this, otherwise, it is simply not worth your time. The settings, some of the characters and some of the events are well done, but much of the movie is not interesting at all. The actions of the girls are also quite annoying at time, she is simply dumb. Why do so many horror movies rely on really stupid and unexplainable actions by its victims (example below after the spoiler warning)? The ending added a little spice. Reasonable low budgeter.(SPOILER: the girl tells the guy she is dating that she called his office and they said no one heard of him. She accepts his lame excuse without question, and then agrees to go with him again to a place which creeped her our last time)

stevenw-1 I think it was 1982 when I saw this on late night TV, Channel 2 KTVU from San Francisco Bay Area. I was living in Nevada at the time but thanks to (then) cable TV I was able to enjoy all the gems/classic horror movies that were featured on late night TV from the Bay Area. When one is up at midnight watching TV alone in the dark you tend to remember moments that shock the hell out of you and make you want to dive under your blanket and clutch your pillow for comfort...such as the very opening sequence of this film. The best that can be said about the Shriek Show DVD is that it retains the '70's luster, look and feel that I remember. The print used has not been offered in a flawless transfer and that's fine by me. I love seeing these films as if they were playing on the drive-in screen complete with lines, speckles and reel change 'jumps'. I'm not thrilled, however, upon finding out the Shriek Show DVD has some sort of "bug" where approx. 11 minutes of footage are skipped over and completely missing. I think you can somehow see the footage but you have to scan to it first and then let it play out. Very, very odd and the issue was never resolved with that company as far as I know. I'm sure they're still selling the flawed DVD right now without corrections for the fans of this film. Anyway - a shout out to the filmmakers of this film who posted here: whatever bad experiences you had making this film it was NOT all-for-not! You have some fans who really appreciate the effort and find this film almost essential '70's film viewing. The two lead actors are great, the opening is scary, the middle is intriguing and the ending is a downbeat humdinger. THANK YOU! - A fan forever