It’s one from the 1970s and one from the 1980s, neither of which I’d ever seen before. Were they worth the blind buy?
DEVIL TIMES FIVE (1974)
Another entry in the evil children subgenre, this movie is so 1970s….especially the cheesy music cues that make it feel like you’re watching a whimsical episode of The Brady Bunch. I would love to see a recut with a genuine horror soundtrack that lends itself to the tone of the proceedings—a nun and four mentally ill children that escaped a van accident take refuge in a snowbound resort then begin killing off the guests.
Cast highlights include Leif Garrett of “I Was Made for Dancin’” fame as one of the kids, Rosario from Will & Grace as one of the guests, and Boss Hogg as one of the guests.
This mess of guests includes an alcoholic, a sleazy real estate mogul, a mentally challenged dude, a slutty woman, our main straight couple, and more. There are love-making scenes, a cat fight in which tits pop out, and one of the boys in drag. It’s definitely 1970s weird. As a bonus, we get a sexy blond dude with a 70s mustache, furry chest, and a great tan line, even though they are in the middle of a snowstorm.
As for the kills, there’s a great slow motion scene in which all the kids and nun brutally beat a man to death, an axe murder, piranhas dumped in a tub, a swing booby trap, a victim lit on fire, bear traps, and my favorite kill of them all with a spear.
There’s even a great body reveal party right at the end. If only it weren’t for that horribly hokey soundtrack, this would be a winner.
HELL’S TRAP (Trampa Infernal) (1989)
This Mexican backwoods slasher was giving me The Final Terror vibes.
Two rivals decide to settle their differences with a challenge—they and their friends agree to go into the woods where people have been found dead to kill the bear authorities believe is responsible.
We get the classic trope of the old weirdo who tries to warn them away in the form of a guy selling weapons and ammo in a trailer home. The killer is a dude in a creepy mask who wears saw blade finger knives that are clearly made of a soft material that bends every once in a while. But the mask sure is fierce and oddly pretty…
Soon after arriving in the woods, the kids find human remains and a trap and realize they have to track the nut down and kill him or die.
At first they seem to do the smart thing and stick together, but pretty soon they leave one girl behind in their vehicle while they go hunt the killer. Idiots.
The kills are fun, but this is definitely more of a survival horror action flick than straight up horror considering all the kids have guns. I have to admit I was disappointed that no bear ever showed up to complicate matters for the kids, which would have been awesome.
The killer is finally unmasked briefly at the end so we can see what exactly he’s hiding under there. He’s no Jason, that’s for sure.
