Les Rubie Movies

In this off-beat, suspenseful Canadian fable, an introverted, repressed young writer becomes obsessed with peeping into the apartment of a beautiful rock singer. She becomes his whole world until he finds himself witnessing her murder. Shocked back to reality, he attempts to stop peeping. He attends the singer's funeral and there meets an intriguing woman. They become lovers, but as time passes, he begins suspecting that she and the late singer are somehow inextricably linked. Meanwhile, his involvement with the new woman, does little to strengthen his resolve to quit spying on others. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This slick throwback to the giant-mutant-insect movies of the 1950's has built a small reputation solely on its irrelevant title -- the film contains no monkeys, blue or otherwise -- which confused both reviewers and viewers alike. (This dilemma was solved in its second video incarnation, under the more honest title Insect.) The story begins when a gardener becomes infected with a plant-borne insect larva, which he disgorges upon his arrival at the County Memorial Hospital. When the bug-baby ingests a large dose of growth hormone called NAC-5 (hospitals are always leaving that stuff around where bugs can get at it), it immediately bulks up to the size of a bulldozer. The plot quickly shifts into Alien mode, as scientists, police (namely wild-eyed cop Steve Railsback) and hospital personnel creep down the hospital's labyrinthine corridors in search of the insectoid monster, which they hope to destroy with conveniently-provided experimental laser equipment before it can test the capacity of the maternity ward with a few million larvae. Despite the lurid promotional materials (showing pretty nurses SCREAMING IN HORROR!!), the story is played quite straight -- more of an homage to films like Them! than a parody of same -- and benefits from good performances (John Vernon is great as the hospital director), a tight script and a strong emphasis on suspense and action from director William Fruet. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Based on a true story, Mrs. Soffel is set in Pittsburgh near the dawn of the 20th century. Peter Soffel (Edward Herrmann) is the warden of a top security prison, and his wife Kate (Diane Keaton) often comes by to read the Bible aloud to the inmates, despite her fragile health. While making her rounds, she makes the acquaintance of the Biddle Brothers, Ed (Mel Gibson) and Jack (Matthew Modine), who are sentenced to death for murder and robbery. Ed has become something of a celebrity thanks to his letter-writing campaign, in which he appeals in the letter-to-the-editor columns of the popular press to stay the execution of his brother and himself. His good looks, intelligence, and charm make a strong impression on Kate, whose marriage offers her little excitement. In time, Kate finds herself falling in love with Ed, and she discovers that she's unexpectedly receptive to his suggestion that she help him escape. Mrs. Soffel was the first American film from noted Australian filmmaker Gillian Armstrong. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

William Fruet directed this odd Canadian horror film based on a novel by Michael Maryk and Brent Monahan. Wealthy Jason Kincaid (Oliver Reed) has a telepathic link to a mysterious snake god called N'Gana Sunbu. A strange cult sets the snake free after it grows to monstrous size, whereupon it terrorizes a college town. Kincaid joins its list of victims before a parapsychologist (Peter Fonda) puts the creature out of its misery with a machine-gun. Al Waxman, Kerrie Keane, and Marilyn Lightstone co-star in this occasionally entertaining shocker featuring gruesome special effects by Dick Smith. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

A low-key, atmospheric Canadian production, Funeral Home (aka Cries in the Night) makes effective use of the title setting, which has been converted into a bed & breakfast by Maude Chalmers (Kay Hawtrey) after the demise of her less-than-popular husband -- known throughout the town as "Chalmers the Embalmer." Maude's pretty granddaughter Heather (Lesleh Donaldson) arrives for a summer visit, and soon begins to hear weird, guttural moans and sobs from the padlocked cellar; before long, assorted obnoxious guests at the inn find their welcome revoked -- violently. Despite a nerdy deputy's obvious crush on her, Heather is unable to convince him that evil forces are lurking beneath the Chalmers house, and she decides to investigate on her own (instead of just hitting the road like any sane individual). What she finds there will come as no surprise to anyone paying attention, since this quaint little inn is clearly modeled after a certain well-known Hitchcockian motel... Despite this obvious twist, this is not a bad little suspenser, with effective camerawork and good performances, especially from Hawtrey and Donaldson (who resembles a buxom Ally Sheedy). ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Although this Canadian production saw its widest U.S. cable TV distribution in the early '80s (primarily under the title Stranger in the House) to capitalize on the phenomenal success of Halloween and its offspring, this effective suspense-thriller actually predates John Carpenter's film by four years. The story involves a dangerous psychopath hiding out in the attic of a sorority house who torments a small group of pretty young sisters (including Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder) who are staying behind over Christmas break. His tactics range from making obscene phone calls from their house-mother's phone, to stalking the terrified boarders with sharp objects and murderous intent. Director Bob Clark, who mistook dreariness for tension in his previous horror effort Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things! (1972), here demonstrates a tight, aggressive style that generates some very original shocks -- particularly the surprise ending -- which clearly influenced dozens of similarly-themed slasher films to follow. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi