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Amazon.co.uk Review
In Waxwork a waxwork museum appears overnight in an American small town and sinister showman David Warner invites a group of typical teens to a midnight party. However, as expected, the place is home to nasty secrets, and the blundering kids find themselves transported via the exhibits into the presence of "the 18 most evil men in history". What this means is that the film gets to trot out gory vignettes featuring such horror staples as Count Dracula (played inaptly with designer stubble and a Clint croak by ex-Tarzan Miles O'Keefe), the Marquis de Sade, an anonymous werewolf with floppy bunny ears (John Rhys-Davies in human form) and the Mummy. Nerdy hero Zach Galligan appeals to wheelchair-bound monster fighter Patrick MacNee for help. Waxwork is strictly a film buff's movie--with Warner and MacNee turning in knowingly camp performances, and references to everything from Crimes of Passion to Little Shop of Horrors cluttering up its very straggly story line. It's not without ragged charms, though the tone veers between comic and sick (the de Sade scene, although inexplicit, features some lurid dialogue) more or less at random. The effects are likewise variable, and in any case rather fudged by direction, which frequently fails to point up the gags properly. It winds up with a scrappy Blazing Saddles-style fight between the forces of Good and a whole pack of monsters, and the budget runs out before the climactic burning-down-the-waxworks scene. The episodic approach echoes the old Amicus omnibus horrors (Dr Terror's House of Horrors, The House that Dripped Blood etc.), and various cameos allow director Anthony Hickox to parody/emulate the styles of Hammer films, Night of the Living Dead and Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe adaptations.
On the DVD: It's a nice-looking and sounding print, but fullscreen format. The only extras are filmographies taken from the IMDB and the trailer.--Kim Newman
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The only reason I am writing this review is because I disagree with the other review. Though not a classic, I thought that this film was really good fun and it is one of the horror films I remember from my youth . Its also good solid horror with a decent and nicely cheesy story. The sequel (Waxwork 2: Lost in Time) is good also and very funny in places with some interesting cameos.
So check them out cos they are good fun and worth a look.
So check them out cos they are good fun and worth a look.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Great little fun horror from the 80s
Effects are good and a good Saturday night movie to watch with friends for a laugh.
Effects are good and a good Saturday night movie to watch with friends for a laugh.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Waxwork is an overlooked gem of a 1980's take on a 1950-60's horror/fantasy b-movies. It has an entertaining story-line of a group of teenagers visiting a Waxwork. Crossing the tape, the teens find themselves transferred into the reality of the waxwork monster exhibits, which includes The Werewolf, The Mummy, Dracula and Romero-style Zombies. If all 6 of the remaining exhibits claims its victims 'there will be nowhere left to run'!!
There are scenes of horror/bondage and bad language but for these days the 18 certificate is a bit on the harsh side so don't expect gross realistic gore or abject terror. This film is good fun as it pays homage to so many elements of the horror genre. Waxwork has a solid beginning, middle & end type script with some great costumes, set design and old style gore visuals. The ensemble cast are classy and there is no ham delivered where there isn't supposed to be. A film to watch over and over again due to all the tipping the hat to other films, books, genres, directors etc you might miss first time round.
Reasons for 4 star rating & a few niggles to consider~
The transfer from video to DVD is average, there is no remastering and it remains in its BBFC cut state. The opening scene with Mark and his Mother is still muffled as with original video release. The video master during this scene is also showing tracking problems, causing a momentary 'trouble with video' wobble! Also the screen ratio is in full screen 4:3 and not 16:9 which is available on the double feature Waxwork/Waxwork II: Lost in Time [DVD] NTSC version. Unfortunately there is no double feature in region 2 released at this time. Its release was back in the day and on a budget, therefore there are very few extras included on this DVD version, the original trailer and main cast's 'filmography' is all that is available.
So niggles aside, if like me you just want to watch this film a fresh without the fear of hearing your treasured old video version whining as it gets 'chewed' or if you want to experience for the 1st time a nightmarish scenario of creepy waxworks coming to life then it is well worth the purchase. To the powers that be please release the double feature Waxwork/Waxwork II: Lost in Time, uncut & widescreen DVD version here in Region 2!
There are scenes of horror/bondage and bad language but for these days the 18 certificate is a bit on the harsh side so don't expect gross realistic gore or abject terror. This film is good fun as it pays homage to so many elements of the horror genre. Waxwork has a solid beginning, middle & end type script with some great costumes, set design and old style gore visuals. The ensemble cast are classy and there is no ham delivered where there isn't supposed to be. A film to watch over and over again due to all the tipping the hat to other films, books, genres, directors etc you might miss first time round.
Reasons for 4 star rating & a few niggles to consider~
The transfer from video to DVD is average, there is no remastering and it remains in its BBFC cut state. The opening scene with Mark and his Mother is still muffled as with original video release. The video master during this scene is also showing tracking problems, causing a momentary 'trouble with video' wobble! Also the screen ratio is in full screen 4:3 and not 16:9 which is available on the double feature Waxwork/Waxwork II: Lost in Time [DVD] NTSC version. Unfortunately there is no double feature in region 2 released at this time. Its release was back in the day and on a budget, therefore there are very few extras included on this DVD version, the original trailer and main cast's 'filmography' is all that is available.
So niggles aside, if like me you just want to watch this film a fresh without the fear of hearing your treasured old video version whining as it gets 'chewed' or if you want to experience for the 1st time a nightmarish scenario of creepy waxworks coming to life then it is well worth the purchase. To the powers that be please release the double feature Waxwork/Waxwork II: Lost in Time, uncut & widescreen DVD version here in Region 2!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"..80'S CLASSIC.."
This is another cool 80s horror film with a good original story and great effects and lots of blood and gore, starring Zach Galligan who is probably most famous for being in the... Read more
Published 8 days ago by S. Drury
Brilliant special effects in this sweet horror film
Waxwork is a surprising achievement. This little known movie from the late 80's reminds me of the old Amicus offerings of the early 1970's. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Colonel Decker
Black waxy comedy that deserves respect
I love this film! You get so much for your money. Zach who was in Gremlins plays a rich brat kid. He and his friends get midnight invites to the opening of a waxworks museum, only... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Jackiesmackie
The good old stuff
This film is great it is fun and easy to follow, as i watch alot of horror films i would not really class this as scary, just one of them good old retro movies that all horror fans... Read more
Published 15 months ago by pete77star
delivery
the delivery was excellent and within the ststed time the DVD was about average, but the service I could not fault
Published 20 months ago by munchkin
old horror stars reunite
Basic plot. Some teens go to a newly opened waxworks that has only horror attractions. If you step over the railings you are transported to that creature time and are left at its... Read more
Published on 21 July 2007 by A. C. Edmondston
Dis-Sade-pointment...
This film was recommended in a letter to a magazine, on the basis of the fetishistic content of the 'De Sade' scenes. Read more
Published on 19 April 2002
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