Waxwork (1988)
I love a good campy horror-comedy, and boy does Waxwork deliver. It takes an interesting concept, and pairs it with silly writing and over the top performances, creating a masterpiece of 80's horror. It's like House of Wax with a strange magical twist, not to mention one of the best battle scenes between classic horror villains and a group of older men. That sounds like a good Friday night to me.
This movie follows a group of friends who are looking for some excitement and decide to attend a late-night tour of a wax museum. As they look around at the models of classic horror figures, they begin to be sucked into the displays and subjected to the horrific tales they depict. Two members of the group escape and attempt to figure out what could have happened to their friends. Conveniently, an old family friend, who is a member of a secret society) holds the answers and informs the teens that their friends' souls are being held as part of a ritual to bring about an apocalypse. They return to the waxwork with an army of old men to battle out the monsters who have come to life. With their help, they prevent the world from being consumed by the dead.
This movie is campy and fun and shows great appreciation for the classic monsters of horror past. The people who made it clearly love horror movies and used that love to make a silly piece of horror fun. Is it the best movie ever made? No, the acting is weak at times, the effects are so-so, and the logic behind the apocalypse and secret society is reaching at best. But it has some beautifully quotable lines, and the ending battle scene will have you laughing out loud.
I recommend watching this movie if you love silly horror comedies. It will stick with you for a while, in the best way possible. I don't know how this movie hasn't become a camp classic (or maybe it is, and I just didn't know about it), but I think this deserves way more attention than it gets.
Netflix available: DVD
Hulu available: No
Xfinity available: Yes
Amazon prime available: Yes
Rating: 3/5