Minds of Terror

I'm beginning to get tired of movies with the same script that was used in a lot of other movies. The only thing that changes is the character names. MINDS OF TERROR is a example of what is possible to do something original and different enough with such a low budget. It's very good to know there is people trying to make the difference on the genre.

Really good editing, camera work and some quality acting, specially Randy Allen and Joe Estevez. The "farm story" is a great little short feature to this great little horror movie. I was only a bit disappointed because i read a plot summary talking this was a anthology horror movie, something i think it wasn't. The other two stories are way too short, even if they feature people like Conrad Brooks (clearly enjoying himself and having fun with the bit part), Eric Spudic and Robyn Griggs.

The plot is complex and a bit hard to follow sometimes, but you can do with MOT what you do with the majority of David Lynch movies. Simply enjoy the imagery, the journey and, more important, the atmosphere that director Mark Adams printed in almost every frame.

Check out the DVD. The extra features also makes this one different from other low budget horror releases.

Claustrophobic horror at its most un-nerving, Smells of GOTHICA and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest , If one could pigeon hole this authentic SCARE ! The lead is played by Randy Allen, (Who reminds us of the unearthly Michael Berryman) Sympathetic - yet pathological . The names are JOE ESTEVEZ , who shows up late in the picture, But gives a performance unseen on West Wing. Eric Spudic, does the cameo of gore throwaway scene and Eric knows why we feel this way. This is a tight movie, It has great story and camera work, the ultimate set, unknown leads WHO CAN ACT !

We totally believed the film and story enveloped us in it's padded walls. This film will cost Sanitoriums vacation dollars, seriously makes you think twice about kitchen utensils as harmless.

What I didn't like, is the sorry cover or ad-mat? Work on this, MOT and Adams deserve a better introduction.

Minds of Terror was shot on a low budget (we're talking less than $100,000 here). That, however, does not slow it down or hinder filmmaker Mark Adams, who does a splendid job here. The performances are terrific, especially that of Joe "Don't Call Me Martin Sheen" Estevez. Once you've seen Estevez in drivel like The Catcher or Blood on the Badge, it's somewhat easy to discount his ability. That, however, would be wrong. With some real direction here, Estevez delivers a powerful performance that would make brother Marty blush. Newcomer Randy Allen is also interesting here as he seems to somehow channel The Hills Have Eyes's Michael Berryman. (Something about his misshapen head and crooked ears makes him creepy indeed.) He comes across as something like Berryman playing the Angus Scrimm Tall Man character from Phantasm...

Minds of Terror is an extremely creepy atmospheric film. Similar to films like The Others and the original Robert Wise version of The Haunting, director Adams works wonders with shadows and darkness--implication if you will--but without any real special effects. This little film is brilliant. At times the performances are a bit wooden and some scenes are a bit too slow, but make no doubt, Minds of Terror is the real deal. If there was anything I didn't like it might have been the title, which fails to properly convey just what the film is about. Had a friend not showed me the film I doubt I would pick it up in the video store based on the title alone. That, however, would have been a big mistake. Don't let it happen to you, horror fans!