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Equinox (1970)
The film "Equinox" is a cult classic that is known for passing down its influence to help inspire films like the "Evil Dead" series and even "Star Wars". The film's creation began as a student film from Dennis Muren in the late 1960's. Soon after its initial beginning, Jack Woods and Jack H. Harris would team up with Muren to complete the film. The film was completed by Muren in 1967 but Harris became the film's producer as Woods filled the role of screenwriter and director. Woods shot additional footage and the film was released theatrically in 1970. The movie earned and obtained its status as a cult classic because of its imagination, creativity, and originality.
The story follows the flashbacks of a young man who has been committed to a mental ward. Figuring someone should hear his story, he begins to explain the events that led him to the nuthouse. The main character, David Fielding (portrayed by Skip Shimer), begins to narrate his odyssey to a reporter and his doctor. The film revolves around four college kids who decide to go out for a picnic in the mountains which are not far form their college. David accompanies his friend Jim (Frank Boers, Jr.), Jim's girlfriend Vicki (Robin Snider), and Vicki's friend Susan (Barbara Dewitt) who is David's blind date. The foursome heads to the mountains where most of David's recollections take place. Summing up the plot, the group of students end up receiving a mysterious book from a creepy old man that they discover in a cave. The book ends up being the gateway to another dimension that is filled with exotic monsters!
The visual effects in the film are particularly stunning. Especially when considering that the film had a very small budget and was made between 1967 and 1970. The films creator and visual effects designer, Muren, would go on to pioneer many breakthroughs within the visual effect aspect of film. He would actually team up with George Lucas to be the lead visual effects man on "Star Wars". Muren has also been the recipient of nine oscars for his visual effects achievements. Muren's talents truly shine in "Equinox". Considering his constraints, Muren's effects in the film still hold up today. Even though they're a little cartoony looking like moving clay creatures and don't look like anything from today's standards, considering the obstacles I'm sure Muren faced and for the time the film was made he did quite an amazing job.
A fan of Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" films will be able to immediately recognize the influence that "Equinox" passes on. I am a huge fan of "Evil Dead" which is why I think that "Equinox" really hit home with me. There are many similar plot points and both films display a rampant amount of demonic creatures from another dimension. Overall, the acting throughout "Equinox" is your standard low budget fare. No one does overly bad and, in contrast, none of the actors do particularly well either. The film is a definite must see for fans of the genre, especially since its visual effects and story have inspired so many fantasy horror films that have come along since. For a low budget movie that started out as a student film and was released in 1970, "Equinox" truly finds its niche in the genre's history.
Rating - **1/2
-Jared Bajoras
