PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Emmett Alston’s New Year’s Evil helped spawn an entire iconic era for the horror genre. Horror was just making a comeback after years of terrible films. Let’s face it, we all know there are some pretty bad blockbusters out there. There is no imagination anymore unless you are making a splatter fest. Which I am not complaining about; however, sometimes I just miss my love for bad movies.
Let’s get into the review.
Synopsis
During New Year’s celebrations, a killer calls a disc jockey hosting a telethon. The killer with a voice changer admits his guilt murders one reveler at midnight in each time zone. The killer takes victims on a goose chase change as he threatens of murders at the stroke of midnight in different time zones.
The idea for New Year’s Evil was certainly creative at the time. Every filmmaker wanted to hold on to the old days until monsters and killers became real. As soon as people saw the success, every film company cashed in, making dozens of really horrible films. Ideas like this were pushed to the side so we could make room for more supernatural killers with one motive: revenge.
New Year’s Evil didn’t have to try too hard to become a beloved film. It was a very simple concept in the early ’80s to kill with class. You saw some mild gore; however, they never even showed the kill. Producers were on edge with the idea. It worked really well. You can see the signs in this film that became a B-movie legend.
Through A Killer’s Point of View
You got to see the killer from a new point of view. Will he ride in silence, or would he be the wildcard? He kind of does both. The killer is constantly changing his identity just to get what he wants. Preying on people, letting them get to know him before striking like a rattlesnake. There was no hiding in the shadows, or siliently waiting in a bush. Before you realize who he is, its too late. This is just downright 80’s The one thing I wish could have been saved was the “punk rock” band’s playing.
New Year’s Evil, of course, is not the best film out there. However, it speaks to fans of these films, such as New Year’s Evil. The story wasn’t the best either, but it paved the way for an entire influx. The film’s idea was something very real and different. It took the face of the killer, and how to distort your voice. At the time, this idea was for high rollers who were getting noticed. New Year’s Evil is much better off being a warm memory of how things used to be. We will never see so many movies with bikers and hippies. It’s because we want so much more. I, for one, cherish the scenery and that wildly.
In The End
In the end, I wasn’t exactly let down by this film, no matter how many times I have seen it. Of course, if it pops up as background noise while I work, it keeps me a bit dedicated. I won’t scrunch my pouty face. We were lucky to have so many legendary films within a 20-year spree. So many slashers were popped out like toy soldiers, ready to offend mothers. The film fell through the cracks, however, at the same time it has gained a bit more followers, dedicated the the “Good ol’days.”
I am one of those people who always has to reflect on what horror films were like as a kid. New Year’s Evil is going to show you the way.
