Ron Ford Movies
Horror film veteran Stephanie Beaton's debut film as producer was this low-budget chiller based on a bogeymen-like fable which her mother told her when she was a little girl. It also appears to be based on every teen slasher film ever made (particularly The Burning and Terror Train), as the plot concerns a young man who, many years ago, was tortured by his peers, had his house burned down, and was finally murdered due to his freakish burnt appearance. Now he has returned to the site of his humiliation with a canvas bag on his head reminiscent of Friday the 13th, Pt. 2 in order to wreak his bloody vengeance, slaughtering teenagers one by one until he gets his comeuppance, which -- as might be expected -- leaves the door open for the inevitable sequel. Genre filmmaker Ron Ford (Mark of Dracula) plays the Bagman; Beaton has a sex scene atop a stove; a dog is killed; there are murders by meat-grinder, machete, and knife; and fans of the late Lucio Fulci should be sure to watch for a rather nasty scene of eyeball violence recalling his Lo Squartatore di New York. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 2000
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A consistent hitmaker in the mid- to late '60s, Tommy James and his current edition of the Shondells perform a set of their best-known songs in this live video, recorded at the famous New York nightspot the Bitter End in 2000. Tommy James & the Shondells: Live! At the Bitter End features 12 songs, including "Crimson & Clover," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Hanky Panky," "Mony Mony," "Crystal Blue Persuasion," and "Draggin' the Line." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy James
Framed by interviews with real life celebrities, director Ron Ford's Hollywood Mortuary chronicles the tale of recently fired horror make-up artist Pierce Jackson Dawn, whose method of exacting revenge is the invocation of an ancient voodoo ritual designed to resurrect horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi from the dead. Although Dawn's intent was for the zombies to help revive his career, the infighting between the rival stars leads to a decidedly more violent conclusion than what he bargained for. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randal Malone
- 1997
Fans of the Batman TV series may giggle at seeing Burt Ward as the Omnipresent Praxima, ruler of a distant planet, in this silly sci-fi effort from Ron Ford, the director of Mark of Dracula. The real star is Tyrone Wade, as an alien warrior sent to Earth to get an egg containing the energies of a near-extinct race of parasitic bad guys. Roxanne Coyne finds the egg in Los Angeles and Wade must save her from an FBI agent possessed by one of the parasites, as well as from her psycho boyfriend, before the egg unleashes all the evil creatures to take over the world. Those familiar with Ford's other films may be either delighted or dismayed to see film star Randal Malone, whose mincing portrayal of Raleigh here would make Franklin Pangborn turn over in his grave. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
A weekend encounter group session goes dreadfully wrong in this campy thriller done in the tradition of an old Ed Wood movie. Richard, a disturbed, but serious student who has been having strange recurring dreams, has just received the go-ahead for his research project. With a group of subjects, he will travel to his forest cabin to hold a "fear confrontation" session. The subjects are an eclectic fear-filled group, and much of the movie focuses on their discussions as they begin to face them. The thrills begin when Morty, a mysterious old-fashioned dime store wooden Indian suddenly appears in a closet. Morty is not a friendly fellow, nor is he as inanimate as he seems. When the group goes to a local amusement park, people begin to die. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
