roberthaynes

Although it never quite commits to the reality based horror format of say the FAR superior Grave Encounters this is still a passable enough time waster.

Some solid back-story and some so-so effects work raise this one slightly above average. What prevents Episode 50 from reaching the heights of Grave Encounters is that the film-makers fumble with mixed messages and their rather cumbersome and vomitous attempt to drum home a Christian message.

This sort of shameful religious grandstanding offends me and it really has no place in the horror genre, so this diluted the whole experience for me somewhat and lost the film an immediate 2 marks out of ten.

Nice try guys but please next time lose the heavy handed religious overtones and give us some good solid scares instead. It's a shame since there was some real potential here.

The American producers of the show need to make sure that they study the British format down to the finest detail.

This felt flat overlong, indulgent and worst of all BORING with a capital B - whereas the British show - which has fewer "name" judges this year what with the American launch is kicking the American version's proverbial behind all the way up and down the television superhighway.

All the stories in episode one felt contrived - the pace was WAY off - I actually almost nodded off once or twice - all the sickly sweet American sentiment was dripping like treacle but there was just NO drama, nothing -no suspense. The editing team need to be fired for this - it's a great format that's been screwed up by lazy post-production.

There's also no flash - a really dodgy final mix on the show and please don't let me get started on the presenter of the show. Where in God's name did they dig him up from - he is without a doubt one of the most appalling excuses for a TV presenter I've ever seen - and I've seen some pretty bad ones in my time.

Seriously - yanks - pull your fingers out or this is one viewer that's going to stick with the British version.

And Simon, shame on you, you should know better than this as Executive Producer of the show.

So I sat down to watch this expecting a waste of 90 minutes of my life. Surprisingly I found myself actually enjoying this seedy little mid seventies sexsploitation piece.

The plot is nothing to speak of - journalism major decides to do a piece on swinging cheerleaders and their jock boyfriends.

Where the film surprises is in it's scripting - surprisingly liberated considering this was 1974 and somewhat witty with a bevy of interesting performances from a game cast, this turned out to be far more entertaining than expected.

Fun seventies drive-in fair and somewhat more layered than you may think. A solid six out of ten.