These
unprecedented times are a motherfucker. The
state of the world today is a constant source of misery and depression for
me. Add to that the fact I constantly have
to put a brave face forward day in and day out as my wife undergoes her chemo
treatments makes things especially rough.
All this kind of wears me down after a while.
We
all have our coping methods during the dark times. Mine used to be alcohol. Sometimes it still is. Some habits are hard to break. I’ve tried to find a healthier alternative to
heal my sadness and gloomy outlook. The best
thing I’ve found is to curl up at night on the couch and watch a bunch of movie
trailers. It’s kind of like a moment of
Zen for me. I can tune out my problems
and the problems of the world, and for a few hours, I can find my center as I
enjoy bite-sized bits of exploitation goodness.
As
far as trailer compilations go, Drive-In Delirium: Maximum ‘80s Overdrive is one of the
best. It’s a sequel to Drive-In Delirium: ‘60s and ‘70s Savagery, and it surpasses that
admittedly stellar collection in just about every way. It’s not as jam-packed as that compilation (it
runs almost four hours compared to its predecessor’s whopping six hours), but
pound-for-pound, it’s tough to beat.
The
first half contains an eclectic mix of Kung Fu flicks (Shogun Assassin, Raw
Force, Nine Deaths of the Ninja), Chuck Norris movies (Code of Silence,
Invasion USA), vigilante actioners (The Exterminator, Ms.45, Death Wish 2),
comedies (Up the Creek, Used Cars, The Ice Pirates), Charles Band productions
(Metalstorm: The Destruction of
Jared-Syn, The Dungeonmaster, Zone Troopers), and Italian splatter (Zombie
Holocaust, Nightmare City, and Cannibal Holocaust). This stretch of the collection is a lot of
fun, but it really kicks into gear in the second half when it unleashes a
non-stop barrage of ‘80s horror goodness.
There are just too many classics to list here. Just know there are tons of slashers (Terror
Train, The Burning, Pieces), sequels (Halloween 3: Season of the Witch, The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre 2, Evil Dead 2), zombies (Return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead,
Night of the Creeps), and Stephen King adaptations (Christine, Children of the
Corn, Cat’s Eye) represented here. I
especially have to tip my hat to whoever thought to follow up the trailer for
The Children with Friday the 13th since both films use the exact
same score. Not only that, but many of
the trailers are narrated by guys like Don LaFontaine and Adolph Caesar, whose
voices are like a salve for the soul.
In
short, Drive-In Delirium: Maximum ‘80s
Overdrive was about the best security blanket I could ask for.
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