A Morte Veste Vermelho

Amy is a spinster in making - a wallrose (albeit played by Mädchen Amick!) whose Ivory soap purity and sweetness is exploited by everyone. Then the bright red fabric falls into her hands.

This is the last TV films shot in film, one of those films where the plainly dressed modern protagonists live in the well-dressed Victorian mansions, and the evil things happen during stormy nights. It is directed by Tobe Hooper, bur it has no sleazy, gross ambiance of Texas Chainsaw Massacre - this is actually quite clean film, without foul language, gore or other gross-out filth and depravity for your viewing pleasure. Mädchen Amick is a striking beauty, and there is a hilarious scene, where she and the actor playing her boyfriend fight against the the wardrobe of woe, while she is dressed only in her underwear - plain white, of course. She definitely looks good, but otherwise the scene will guarantee laughs.

Amusing diversion.

Long have I been an Anthony Perkins fan, so I looked forward to seeing this movie when it came on the television in a recent horror-thon. I was left disappointed with his role, but intrigued by the writing and cinematography of the rest.

Horror is typically a slice 'em and dice 'em film fest where the viewer doesn't care who lives and who dies as long as the movie ends. "I'm Dangerous Tonight" supplied little in the way of well-known talent, but show-cased some unknown actors that did fairly well despite small, insignificant roles.

Dee Wallace Stone had great on-screen charisma in this movie as a woman possessed, proving once again that she is truly the queen of the low-grade horror films. Peter Brooks was mismatched in his role as self-centered football legend; he would have made a better Joker-wannabe in some "Batman" remake. Mädchen Amick, who lost a lot of brownie points when she broke into soft erotica a few years ago, is both innocent and refreshing in her role as Amy, and plays well off of her on-screen love Corey Parker, despite a script which is noticeably weak and shaky.

The flaws with this movie remain mostly in the lack of real characterization, and cheap theatrics. A horror movie is supposed to be either so real it scares you to death, or so cheesy you can barely stop laughing. "I'm Dangerous Tonight" manages to fall short in both categories, merely leaving you scratching your head and going, "Huh?" The script bandies around some heavy terms, but doesn't bother to explain them properly, and it's easy to leave the viewers scrambling for a dictionary to figure out what is going on.

All in all, the movie rates a 7 on a scale of "good movie VS. bad movie", but only 3 on the scale of "good horror VS. bad horror". Tobe Hooper has directed a number of excellent horrific films and shorts throughout the years, but "I'm Dangerous Tonight" (as well as the 1993 TV horror "Body Bags") is definitely not one of his better endeavors.

Amy, a college psych student comes across a red garment in a chest she just bought to use in a play. She keeps it and makes it into a party dress. However the first time she puts it on, it influences her and changes the way she acts. By bringing out her darker side. Soon everyone seems to want a piece of this garment. From her college professor she finds out it's an Aztec cloak that was used in sacrificial ceremonies.

I'll go to say that I never even heard of this Tobe Hooper supernatural thriller opus. Striking and strange, but the one-idea premise and languidly cut n' dry script doesn't really build upon its interesting background and teetering imagination enough. Maybe this is due to its restrictions of being a cheaply produced made-for-TV production, but I seem to doubt it as it could be associated to material being adapted from a short story. On the other hand it's probably best to not really delve deep into it though, because of uneven logic and it borderlines on tacky. The plot does have a 'Cinderella' touch to it, and seems to have that everything, but the kitchen sink drama quality to it. All the characters that come and go are stereotypically painted, but the performers were better than the material. The gorgeously fixating Madchen Amick confidently grows from her sweet performance as Amy. Anthony Perkins keeps it professional and likes to just pop up randomly as the suspicious college professor. Dee Wallace Stone is great in her minor role that reeks of attitude. R. Lee Ermey in a small role engages with his sombre detective. Corey Parker makes for a likable love-interest for Amick. Also appearing are Natalie Schaffer, William Berger and Jack McGee.

You can really see Hooper's able illustrative style shining through this work. He subtly mixes the eerie violence together with sexual seductiveness. Sure it can become silly and lousy with its jolts, but still it stays dangerously ominous and tautly handled with its imagery. It might not have the biting flair of some his previous early work ('The Texas Chainsaw Massacre', 'Eaten Alive' and 'The Funhouse') though. He milks it out slowly, letting the atmosphere unfold and the possessive force evolve. For a TV production the film is smoothly shot, very well lit and effectively scored.

A modest TV feature, which has some obvious and stodgy patterns.

Billy Ocean sung "Red Light Spells Danger" in the late 70s already, but if he had seen this movie in 1990, I'm sure he would have altered the title slightly and re-released his catchy dance hit!

"I'm Dangerous Tonight" unites four of my favorite people in the horror/cult industry. We have director Tobe Hooper (although this is one of his more inconspicuous efforts), the iconic Anthony 'Norman Bates' Perkins (but regrettably in a rather small role), Dee Wallace-Stone (in a marvelously psychotic role), and the astoundingly beautiful Mädchen Amick (at the peak of her success in between the two seasons of "Twin Peaks").

The film can be considered unremarkable and mediocre overall, but nevertheless it's engaging and fun from start to end thanks to the great cast, simple but effective plot, and a few grisly moments. The plot revolves around an ancient red cloak that was worn by evil Aztec Priests during their sacrifice rituals. Psychology student Amy O'Neill processes the cloak into a sexy prom dress that everyone in her surrounding wants to wear. The dress, however, brings the vilest and most sadistic fantasies of its carrier to the surface.

Definitely a decent late 80s/early 90s made-for-television thriller, made slightly more intriguing by the insertion of two unusual time lapses. After a nasty car accident, the dress mysteriously vanishes but reappears on the lovely shoulders of Dee Wallace-Stone, and it takes a while before we figure out how it got from A to B. During the finale as well, there's a bizarre moment when Amy seems defeated but then she comfortably wakes up in her bed with the dress. The explanation for that is also rather cuckoo. I don't know if these lapses were intentional or due to sequences getting cut, but it helps to keep you alert in a film that is unfortunately (because a TV-movie) rather low on graphic violence and bloody make-up effects.

Known mainly for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Poltergeist", Tobe Hooper also directed this TV movie about an Aztec cloak that brings out the wearer's evil side. Kinda far-fetched, but it's pretty entertaining.

However, there is something REALLY surprising about "I'm Dangerous Tonight". It co-stars Anthony Perkins (aka Norman Bates in "Psycho"), Natalie Schafer (aka Lovey Howell on "Gilligan's Island"), R. Lee Ermey (aka Sgt. Hartman in "Full Metal Jacket") and Dee Wallace-Stone (aka the mom in "E.T."). Yes, this absurd horror flick has a man who worked with Alfred Hitchcock, a man who worked with Stanley Kubrick, and a woman who worked with Steven Spielberg. As for the other co-star, Mrs. Howell plays the infirm grandmother, and looks how Norman Bates's mother must've looked...while co-starring WITH Norman Bates (along with Sgt. Hartman and E.T.'s mom)! Double brain freeze!

Anyway, the rest of the movie didn't really catch my attention. Mädchen Amick and Corey Parker are OK, but the mind-blowing supporting cast was what really caught my eye. My possible final statements are:

*So yes, a boy's best friend IS his mother.

*In conclusion, this ain't no three-hour tour!

*So yes, what IS your major malfunction?

*In conclusion, E.T. ain't phoning home!