Curse of the Headless Horseman

Curse of the Headless Horseman (1972)

BOMB (out of 4)

Mark Callahan (Marland Proctor) inherits his uncle's old ranch so he takes his acting troop as well as various other hippies out there. It doesn't take long for them to realize that the legendary Headless Horseman is stalking the grounds.

I kinda lied with my plot description because it did take a very long time to see the Headless Horseman because he didn't show up until the fifty-minute mark of an eighty-minute movie. CURSE OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN is the perfect example of why filmmakers shouldn't be dropping acid or other drugs whenever they're making movies. It might be unfair for me to accuse the filmmakers of taking drugs but that's the only logical way to explain this awful film.

This film is pretty awful on all levels but it's just downright shocking at how stupid the entire film was. It almost seemed as if the director wanted to show off these various acts that range from acting shows to musical performances including one lady covering a Bob Dylan song. All of these scenes are just downright annoying and worst of all is the fact that the film drags so poorly. There's really not a single good moment to be found in this film so one can only hope that they manage to find something to laugh at.

As I said, it takes forever for the Headless Horseman to finally appear and when he does it's very quick. I'm really not sure if they named the film this just to try and get people into the drive- in but as a horror movie it's pretty awful.

I don't know how to fix it, but the director is Leonard Kirtman, who also made Carnival of Blood and then dozens of adult films in the 1970s for his own company. Kirtland has his own IMBD page and this film should be listed there instead of under Kirkland.

I suppose the lighting director named Kirkland is somebody else and whoever entered the name missed a letter ore selected the wrong one from a menu.

The film itself is incredibly low budget but worth a look by fans of underground cinema. Especially noteworthy is the presence of Warhol factory superstar Ultra Violet in an non-Warhol project. The cinematography and sound are definitely on the amateur level and the story seems to have been written under the influence of something.

Nonetheless, I find this to be absolutely hilarious. It's got all kinds of great things. The narrator is one of the most incomprehensible that I have ever seen. Half of what he says is more or less incomprehensible, and the other half is usually irrelevant to what's going on. I'm really not sure how we're supposed to be menaced by the bad guy. All he does is go up to people and shake his head at them spattering a little blood on them. Why would anyone bother doing that? To be honest, I think that even Scooby and Shaggy might have the courage to look at this guy for a while. Most of the dialogue is idiotic too, and clearly not written by any of the "right on hepcats" who really "know where it is at". There are definitely a lot of sequences that you will be wishing for an end to. The strange improv comedy routine (I think) from Unfunny and Unfunnier would definitely be an example. The acid trip is a little bizarre too. Also, it's hard to know where to go with a scene that has a rape scene going on with cool folk music in the background. I think we're supposed to be okay with it, but I'm really not. Anyway, this is a pretty hilarious movie. I recommend, if you can deal with the seventy six minutes of pain that it will cause you. Washington Irving need have no fear, though.

Can't argue much with the previous reviewer, only to add if you like REALLY bad movies, you might get a few kicks out of this one. Featuring some unintelligible dialog, seriously cheesy visual "effects", and beyond confusing plot developments, this movie contains enough dated "hippie" music and catchphrases guaranteed to make you laugh. Plenty of technical goofs abound, like shooting at night (or is it day? hard to tell with all the colored filters), head scratching jump cuts, and awful voice overs. Throw in some drug use, thoroughly unexciting gun play, and curious "blood less" gore, and you've got a great way to snicker for an hour and change.

First of all, the plot summary is wrong. That is not what this movie is about. Second, it doesn't matter because this is the worst movie ever. I think the actors had microphones in their shoes because the dialogue was all muffled and their foot steps were extremely loud. Never see this movie.