THE ORACLE (1985) Directed by Roberta Findlay
Media Blasters/Shriek Show DVD
THE FILM
This year, all I wanted for Christmas was the company of a humongous, psychotic lesbian. Yeah, I know -- I'm picky. So is Roberta Findlay.
In 1985, veteran smut filmmaker Roberta F. turned over a new leaf. Liquid A$$ets was out. A new regime was in. Beginning with The Oracle, Roberta churned out a handful of ratty, disorientated trash-horrors, thus capping her career...and birthing junk such as Lurkers. However, I'll let that one slide. For on this holy night, I've watched The Oracle. Christmas dreams really do come true.
Hark! It's Christmas Eve. Naturally, the perfect day for moving into a new apartment. While Jennifer and her husband are tied up with that, the aforementioned behemoth lez, Farkas, is busy murdering a prostitute in a scummy NYC sex den ("Lick the knife."). Yet, when Farkas stops for a burger, Jennifer discovers The Oracle, a gaudy porcelain hand which interprets messages from a recent "suicide" victim. Coincidence? Not likely. Christmas passes. The apartment is supernaturally trashed. Monsters appear. Gore flows sloppily, moistly, and freely. There's all sorts of screaming. Suddenly, it's New Year's Eve. Farkas is driving a car on the sidewalk! Roberta, where are we?!
There's nothing like the lovely fragrance of nonsense. Similar to Findlay's later Prime Evil and Lurkers, The Oracle masters the art of disorganization. However, unlike those two squares, this one keeps the disorder focused. In turn, my attention span never wavered. How could it? Manic, ad-libbed compositions, an abnormal plot, shocking violence, booming mustaches, sudden hilarity...and Farkas. Sweet, sweet Farkas and her expertly pitch-shifted insults. Beautiful. The Oracle breathes the same skanky, mid-80s air as John Russo's strange-yet-laughable The Majorettes, but with more attention paid to technical stuffs and an added teaspoon of New York grime. And better synths. In other words, it's pretty damn good.
As for the insignificant Christmas setting? Only Roberta Claus -- I mean Findlay -- knows for sure. Wink.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
The magic continues. The full frame print bursts with bold colors, impressive clarity, and very few signs of decay. Pretty fantastic. The mono sound brought out the very best in pitch-shifting technology circa 1985.
EXTRAS
"I just love blood pumps." Roberta Findlay speaks. And it is good.
Over the course of "Interview: Roberta Findlay" (30 minutes) and her thorough, stream of consciousness commentary track, Findlay sheds a lot of light on everything "Oracle" and then some. She's got spunk. She doesn't like horror movies ("...and that includes George Romero. Horrible."). She likes Jack Daniel's. Plus, she's a classical pianist. We also learn about the film's penchant for mustaches, frequent technical details, and sadly, defeating secrets of the almighty Farkas. I won't sully her for you.
Also included are the film's theatrical trailer, a 30 second TV spot, and trailers for Blood Sisters, Tenement (both from Roberta's late 80s canon), All The Colors Of The Dark and Choking Hazard.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ask and ye shall receive. The Oracle is not the best-wrapped gift under the Trash-mas tree, but it still gives. Scuzzy, unassuming, and slightly hilarious, it's a walk on the friendlier side of Roberta Findlay's brief sojourn into bizarre horror. Don't be a stranger. Especially around Christmas.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 12.21.07 | 
We wish you a merry mustache
Madame Farkas
Kell?
Even the gore is festive
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