Review by Dr Karen Oughton
Stars John Amplas, Melanie Verliin, Lawrence Tierney, Robin Walsh | Written by John A Russo
UK certification 18 | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 94 minutes | Directed by John A Russo
A salivating, sweaty, sexed-up step-father and a scared girl hitching a lift across the highway and stumbling upon satanic siblings ... it’s John A Russo’s Midnight.
Midnight is a disjointed film. Commanding religious scenes in the opening sequence slide into a sickly (rather than sexy) seediness as our heroine, Nancy (Melanie Verliin) resists the advances of her cop stepfather (Lawrence Tierney) before running away. She meets two petty crooks who attempt a reefer-induced race inequality commentary before becoming embroiled in a Texas Chainsaw-style waking nightmare that bears the hallmarks of good, old-fashioned ‘80’s fun.
The lovably ludicrous storyline is marred by some earnest acting that isn’t bad enough to be funny, with Reverend Carrington (Bob Johnson) being a particular offender. The rest of the actors represent the characters rather than play them, which poses problems for the political points the film takes a stab at.
Having said that, at Midnight’s heart are some fab photography and sound effects. The land itself creates a sense of unease that feels both predatory and nihilistically indifferent.
Midnight might be disjointed, but if you fancy fun and a little food for thought, it’s certainly on the "kick back and relax" list.
EXTRAS ★★★ Introduction by star John Amplas; Vampires, Rednecks and Zombies: The Fear Career Of John Amplas; Midnight At Your Door: The Shocking Sacrifices Of John Russo; collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA.