CEMETERY GATES

Two animal activists break into Dr. Belmont's laboratory and take a crate containing a Tasmanian Devil that has undergone genetic experiments. During their escape, they let the animal loose, which immediately unleashes its aggression on anyone in its path. Meanwhile, Hunter, Dr. Belmont's son, goes to a cemetery with his friends to finish filming a school movie. But the Tasmanian Devil has found refuge in the underground tunnels of that cemetery! It's one of the few animals missing from the roster of beast movie monsters, and it's strange that no one thought of it before! This is the Tasmanian Devil, the black bear-like creature with shark-like teeth that lives south of the Australian continent and inspired one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, Taz. In reality, the Tasmanian Devil is not as dangerous as depicted in 'Massacre at the Cemetery,' as it mostly feeds on carrion. However, thanks to science, which has always been a great condemnation of humanity in beast movies, even the Tasmanian Devil has become a monster to be feared. Standing nearly two meters tall and possessing immense strength, the monster in 'Massacre at the Cemetery' is a war machine that fights and kills anyone in its path. One of the most surprising aspects of this film is that the monster is not created digitally (as one might expect from a recent low-budget production) nor is it depicted in the characteristic 'seen but not seen' style of those who cannot afford a 'whole' monster. In this case, the production could not afford a believable monster, but despite the ridiculous effect, it portrays a Tasmanian Devil that is essentially a person in a costume, moving awkwardly on all fours. The effect is undoubtedly comical because it is clearly fake, but it is immediately apparent that credibility is not the director's intention, especially since the film includes nods and references to Z-grade cinema. For example, the greatest inspiration for 'Massacre at the Cemetery' is certainly 'The Creature of the Cemetery,' a film not exactly 'memorable' for its artistic quality. The various characters in the film are the epitome of teen horror movie stereotypes: a fragile protagonist with a past, a difficult relationship with his scientist father, perpetually horny co-leads, violent country bumpkins... and so on. What can be appreciated about this film is its unabashed low-budget nature, which is continuously flaunted and adds a touch of mischief to the entire operation. Beyond the ridiculous monster design, there are a series of genuinely excellent splatter effects, all rigorously handmade but highly impactful, and the splatter level is quite high. For all lovers of old horror films, it's worth noting Reggie Bannister, star of the entire 'Phantasm' saga, in the role of Dr. Belmont. In short, 'Massacre at the Cemetery' is a film that should be approached with caution: if you're looking for a 'real' well-made horror film capable of scaring you, it's better to look elsewhere. If you're just looking for a splatter toy to laugh at and have fun for an hour and twenty minutes... well, then 'Massacre at the Cemetery' might be the ideal candidate. Warning: although distributed in Italy by No Shame, 'Massacre at the Cemetery' lacks an Italian audio track and is therefore viewable in English with (or without) Italian subtitles.