THE BEAST
aka EQUINOX (1970)
Directed by Dennis Muren & Jack Woods
Wizard Video VHS
Reviewed 08.24.04
Review by Joseph A. Ziemba

THE FILM
Fact: The Beast aka Equinox, had its humble beginnings as a student film by a certain Dennis Muren (now a bigtime special effects guy with numerous Academy Awards). It’s quite impressive in that context.

Fact: Schlock producer Jack Harris covets thy film, hires Jack Woods to shoot additional scenes with original, aged actors and unleashes it to drive-ins (and later TV screens) across the country. Losing steam.

Fact: The Beast aka Equinox holds classic status by many nostalgic enthusiasts as a true inept classic with dream-like qualities; overcoming its obvious drawbacks and instilling chills, charms, weird film comfort. Uhhh...

After an amazing, couch-clenching opener, in which the final scenes of the film play out, our story begins in flashback. Dave (a dead ringer for The Brady Bunch's Robert Reed), who works closely with Dr. Waterman, has been summoned by said doctor to a cabin in the woods. Unbeknownst to our collegiates, the good doctor has discovered secrets of the “Book Of The Dead,” and needs some help keeping it in check. Bucket of KFC in tow, Dave and friends (Jim and two ladies) make their way out to the woods. Unable to find Dr. W, the “kids” stumble upon a cave containing: A) a cackling old man in a torn flannel B) a cheap plastic skeleton and C) The Book Of The Dead! What happens next is anybody’s guess, but it mostly involves running around the woods, possession, fending off lo-fi stop motion monsters, and lots of talk involving “what to do next.” They even encounter a drooling, evil Park Ranger with gigantic fake eyebrows, an over eager libido, and a nonsensical magic ring. Of course, all films must end at some point, and this one is no different. One straight jacket, coming right up!

The Beast has its creepy moments. With more than a passing resemblance to Evil Dead (preceding that film by eleven years) in plot and photography, Muren’s 16 mm project shares the same sense of shaky urgency and tense camera work. Unfortunately, that excitement is counteracted by dreadfully dubbed acting, lame dialogue, and several instances where things grind to an absolute halt. The set-up was engaging, but the follow through was underwhelming -- pretty much going nowhere and never delivering a proper capper to the weird festivities. Unless, of course, a roughhewn stop motion Devil Bat qualifies as your kind of payoff.

Fact: On a strange-trash level, I enjoyed this film for what it was: a goofy, sometimes creepy student film from the late 60s. A good watch, but nothing earth shattering.

AUDIO AND VIDEO
Pretty rough in the picture department. Blotches and scratches abound and there’s this odd bright/dark contrast problem going on throughout. Maybe it was the ol’ ex-rental burn? The mono sound was nice and loud, but seemed to fluctuate a bit. Sadly, the glorious big box is falling apart.

EXTRAS
Just a neato Wizard logo preceding the film.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Rumor has it that the DVD rights to Equinox are now in the hands of Criterion. Trust me, Antoine Doinel has nothing to worry about. Maybe worth a peek for curiosity’s sake, but other than that...

The "kids"


Right atcha!


Unfair fisticuffs


I'm scrapin'