Evilspeak (1982)

Best movie ever!

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

I couldn't really put aside my urge to review this film. For me it falls in the 'so bad it's good' category. I mean we have seen a lot of horror titles from the early 80s, but this one takes the cake for it's genuine but hyper imaginative plot. I don't know how Eric Weston and the writers conceived this idea, but overall 'Evilspeak' is a solid entertainer and worth the money spent. I was so moved by its plot that Evilspeak and its character stayed with me for a long-long time and I really don't want to forget them for they are wonderful in their own right.A nerdy but intelligent student in a military school Stanley Coopersmith (Clint Howard) is actually studying on a scholarship. Being an orphan, he has no background for tale telling. Since he is studying on scholarship, his classmates Bubba (Don Stark) and his gang of spoiled brats keep demeaning Stanley by addressing him with derogatory names. The management and the staff isn't on Stanley's side too as we see their coach (Claude Earl Jones) and Principal Colonel Kincaid (Charles Tyner) keep seeking opportunities to bereave Stanley from his general rights. Stanley often confides in Kowalski (Haywood Nelson), who somehow understands Stanley's miseries and unjust attitude of the others and school staff towards him. Once Stanley is punished for coming late into the class (a part of routine prank against him) and is asked to clean the cellar of the school. Once there, Stanley finds a 500 year old diary of Father Esteban (Richard Moll) written in old Latin. Stanley being a computer wizard translates the journal and to his amazement finds that the diary may contain solution to end his miseries in the most brutal way. As his research on the diary continues, Stanley becomes affirmed that he may have the key to unlock the doors of the netherworld to let the hungry evil spirits come to his assistance. When Stanley's research is over, he summons the evil spirit of Father Esteban to wreak havoc on those who wronged him.Evilspeak is a collector's gem for everyone who is impressed by the horror films of the early 80s. The signature background music is simple and one of its kind and also unforgettable. I really wish Eric Weston should have made a sequel to entertain horror lovers like me, but I think Evilspeak was lost somewhere in the multitude of horror films that were released in the early 80s. However, unlike regular slashers that are loved for death scenes and gore, Evilspeak should be loved for its eccentricity. Despite being a slow-paced violent bonanza, I give it a 10 for the solid entertainment if offers for 97 minutes.

A military cadet who happens to be a social outcast (Clint Howard) taps into a way to summon demons and cast spells on his tormentors through his computer.What a strange film this is. A military academy, a long-dead occult priest, a computer that taps into Satan's power, flesh-eating pigs... and somehow, though not necessarily well, this all makes some kind of sense.Although a generally enjoyable movie, it may be a bit too hyped by its fans. There is that 1980s fun to it, and it was exquisite gore that should be experienced at least one (easily rivaling what Tom Savini did for "Maniac"). And Clint Howard is incredible (especially alongside R. G. Armstrong). But the build up is really slow, and it could have been edited down by a good five minutes or more... the payoff is great, but it requires more than a little patience. This is not a "slow burn", but a lukewarm crawl at best.

Clint Howard is a military academy cadet who is constantly being belittled and picked on by a group of his peers. Coopersmith, Howards character is extremely likable, and elicits plenty of sympathy, so when he gets his revenge it is very satisfying. There is a lot of hocus pocus relating to his computerized demonic possession, but once he gets down to business, it is so bizarre and laughable that you have to love it. The strongest point about "Evilspeak" is nothing, and I mean nothing can be taken seriously. Thus the possessed rampaging piggies, and flying Coopersmith, are simply part of the fun. Recommended as over the top entertainment. - MERK

Evilspeak is a 1981 horror film which was classed as a "Video Nasty" here in the UK, meaning it was originally banned from release. Is it such a bad thing that the main reason this film came to my attention and sought it out was because of that fact? The film starts with a brief introduction set sometime during the Spanish inquisition, as satanist Esteban and his followers are banished from the land. The scene then changes to present day 1981 America, at West Andover Military Academy and we're thrust into the middle of a football game about to be lost mainly due to Stanley Coopersmith's errors.The coach talks to the principle about dropping Stanley from the team to improve results, but is denied so decides to take things into his own hands... or should I say the hands of four jocks on the football team who are also fed up with Coopersmith's mistakes. He strongly hints to them that if Stanley were to have some kind of "Accident" then he would be unable to play anymore, solving both their problems. The four take up the coach on his proposal, and proceed to make Stanley's life then on a living hell.After turning up to class late one too many times, Stanley is assigned to to clear up the Academy's chapel as punishment. There he meets "Sarge", an old, depressed, quick tempered drunk who lives in the chapel to maintain it. As Stanley explores the basement of the chapel he comes across an undiscovered room full of creepy looking statues, ancient books with pictures of devils and the like. One book somehow grabs his attention, the one that Esteban held at the start of the film which you'd know if you've been paying attention up to this point, he grabs it and quickly gets the hell out of there after being spooked.While all this is happening, the reverend is explaining to a minor character along with the audience that the whole academy is built on the land Esteban presided hundreds of years ago. Stanley then delves into the book, using the academy's computers to translate the Latin text. The rest of the film shows Stanley go through life at the academy, while leading a sort of double life as he comes closer to completing the ritual. The chapel basement becomes a sort of safe place for him, no matter how dark and eerie it looks to the viewer.As a character, Stanley gains your sympathy and respect as you see what he has to put up with from the other characters throughout the film. While the other teens are there for going off the rails or misbehaving, we find out Stanley is there as an orphan as his parents died in an accident when he was younger. In other words, Stanley has more depth as a character than the entire cast of "Friday The 13th" put together. The characters in 'Evilspeak' are there for more than just to be killed in as many ways as possible like your typical slasher, you connect to them on an emotional level more.When you see Stanley's puppy get stabbed by Bubba, the main bully and antagonist, you really feel disgust and resentment towards him. ...Yes, a puppy does get killed in this film, although it isn't shown directly of course. Is it unnecessary violence? Maybe, but this film is called 'Evilspeak', not 'Cute puppy dogs and rainbows' and the scene does fit in with the theme of the film.Like in 'The Omen', animals are used for some horror scenes as they become possessed by the evil force Stanley is tapping into. To be more specific, the swine at the academy's farm, who take particular objection to Esteban's book being tampered with when it comes into the hands of the secretary. This climaxes in a scene where a few of the demon pigs burst uninvited into the secretary's bathroom, while she's still in a towel fresh from the shower in what might be a small nod to 'Psycho'. They then happily rip her apart in the bathtub. The pigs, for the three parts of the film they star in are mostly convincing, especially at the end as they seem quite aggressive and hungry for flesh.The music is good as a whole, as it sets the mood and atmosphere pretty well. It's not the best score I've heard in a horror film but it did its job.Apart from a decapitation at the start, 'Evilspeak' really hadn't been too bad of a film in terms of body count and gore. But don't be fooled, the whole film builds to a spectacular finish of blood at the end: think 'Carrie', but with a large sword. Overall, although it was ultimately predictable, I enjoyed 'Evilspeak' for the most part. As I'm quite a big fan of horror films, most of the so called "horror films" released these days are so cliché and contrived they depress me more than anything else. So although 'Evilspeak'wasn't about a haunted house, or someone getting killed every five minutes, I'd happily say it was a successful horror film. It had characters you could connect with, villains you start to hate, suspenseful moments, gore and good acting all round.6/10