Meridian (1990)

Memorable, crazy movie

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Give Charles Band a little credit for stepping outside his genre comfort zone. Here he attempts to create a deadly serious Gothic romance. While it's going to be much too slowly paced to suit some tastes, others will appreciate the heavy atmosphere, and the incredibly sincere performances.The premise is essentially a variation on the classic Beauty and the Beast theme. Two art school graduates, Catherine (Sherilyn Fenn), and Gina (Charlie Spradling), travel to Italy. Gina goes to work restoring paintings, while Catherine goes to live in the opulent castle that she has inherited. Soon, Catherine finds herself caught up in a love triangle with twin brothers (Lawrence and Oliver, both played by handsome Malcolm Jamieson). Lawrence is cruel and controlling, Oliver is the much more sensitive one. Yet Oliver is the one suffering a sad curse.The movie is worth watching for Ms. Fenn. She's absolutely beautiful, as always, but also delivers an appealing performance. Fenn and the equally ravishing Spradling do show off quite a bit of their bodies in some extended love making scenes. Jamieson does a respectable job at portraying these two wildly contrasting characters. The strong supporting cast includes Hilary Mason as the wise and loving old nanny Martha, Phil Fondacaro as the dwarf, Vernon Dobtcheff as the priest, and Alex Daniels as the beastly incarnation of Oliver.Pino Donaggio composed the haunting and lovely score, the lighting is by genre veteran Mac Ahlberg, and the castle sets look pretty good. There aren't that many visual effects to speak of, but the beast makeup by Greg Cannom is reasonably impressive. Another enjoyable element is watching a painting reveal itself under another painting, as Gina goes about her business of restoration.Worth a look for people seeking a change of pace from more typical Full Moon product.Seven out of 10.

...this is 80s horror cheese to the core. Delicious.That said, while the STUNNING beauty of the two actresses probably brought you here (and do make the whole thing worth it) the best reason to stay is to see 80s horror cheese try SO. DAMN. HARD. to be a 'work of erotic Gothic film.' There's a special charm to such efforts if you watch for it. There are enough spoilers in the other reviews, so I'll elaborate on how this isn't just another 'so bad it's good' kind of charm. Specifically, while the slow motion shots and synth music must have seemed cliché even at the time, there is never one tongue in cheek or 'we know we're bad so go easy on us' moment. This is a recipe for pretentiousness or misguided sincerity, take your pick. Take it the same way you'd chose to be frightened or swindled out of your aloof cynical money at a carnival spook house.

Kiss of the Beast (1990) was a film that I saw many times late night on cable. The movie itself is pretty weak. Who cares about twin dudes who turn into some haggard looking hairballs? The only reason you'll want to watch this film is to see the awesomely hot Sherilyn Fenn (as a brunette!) in various stages of undress and the smoking Charlie Spaudling in the buff as well. Why hasn't this movie ever been released on D.V.D.? Sherilyn Fenn is one of those actress during the eighties that has always been overlooked. I mean she's one attractive lady, and she can act with the best of them. Whatever happened to her career? She was destined for greater things instead of appearing in Lifetime Network movies she should have been a star. Oh well, Hollywood's loss is D.T.V.'s gain.Recommended for Sherilyn Fenn fans.

This film will not challenge anyone intellectually. The castle where a good portion of the movie is filmed does have an eerie feel about it. Charlie Spradling and Sherilyn Fenn play the two women who are drugged at the castle where they live by some weird circus performers. The leader of the group takes Fenn into a back bedroom and strips her down and looks like he is going to have a good time with the nubile, lovely lady but then he passes her over to his twin brother. The leader then goes and strips down Charlie Spradling and and ravages her body while his brother gets it on with the drugged Fenn. Weird!