This movie reeks. No money, no acting, no nothing. I caught this on on the 3am late show movie tonight and felt compelled to comment on it. This movie has nothing to recommend it. I can't believe it ever got released to US television! Nobody in this movie can act their way out of a paperbag. The lame attempts at comedy fall flat on their face, the special effects consist of a worm-like handpuppet "monster"... I can't even begin to tell you how rock-bottom this production is. It looks like it cost maybe $50,000 to shoot, but only because it is on 16mm, and that is probably a generous estimate! Anyway, I lost interest rapidly and had to settle for watching "Matlock" reruns instead of finishing it. That's how BAD this movie is!!!
8 Reviews
Good example of bad film
rzajac5 April 2014
Kamillions is a great film for practicing your skills at studying a film for general narrative flaws. It's a welter of poor scenario and character development work, tepid writing, and fine-to-merely-OK acting held together in a pudding of pretty good technical production work (e.g., good editing, OK music/sound).
It's a disconnected series of comic/spooky/horror scenarios loosely derived from an opening, "kick-off" premise involving a portal to another world, with invaders coming from that world.
I've seen a few films that fill out the same contours, failing on the same grounds, and with even better production values (e.g., "John Dies at the End"), so there appears to be a strange market that directs funding to produce this kind of low-budget drek. Its one saving grace is that it gives budding film folks an opportunity to exercise and refine their chops.
By-the-by, I dug seeing Hal Robins, and love hearing his voice.
It's a disconnected series of comic/spooky/horror scenarios loosely derived from an opening, "kick-off" premise involving a portal to another world, with invaders coming from that world.
I've seen a few films that fill out the same contours, failing on the same grounds, and with even better production values (e.g., "John Dies at the End"), so there appears to be a strange market that directs funding to produce this kind of low-budget drek. Its one saving grace is that it gives budding film folks an opportunity to exercise and refine their chops.
By-the-by, I dug seeing Hal Robins, and love hearing his voice.
Something for everyone!
lyrch2 July 2008
Kamillions is that rare film that truly offers something for the film fan of every ilk. We have scares that will make you jump right out of your seat, side-splitting laughs, unflinching eroticism, and awe inspiring FX work! The plot of this film is rather similar to that of the horror blockbuster the Mist, or possibly the Thing. A scientist is experimenting with interdimensional...something. As a result, the doctor is sucked into his interdimensional...thing, and the Kamillions are unleashed on a group of unsuspecting houseguests as well as the scientist's own family! The events that transpire from this point on are almost too incredible to be believed! The box art said that the film reminded one reviewer of Cronenberg's the Fly, but I personally think that this is the superior film by far. Say what you want about Cronenberg's masterpiece of body-horror, I don't recall a religious fanatic being killed by his own penis in THAT picture! I've never heard of any of the people involved with the production of this masterpiece, but it is a damn shame that none of them rose to the heights of stardom that this film should have elevated them to. I am giving this film 10 out of a possible 10 stars because it is as close to cinematic perfection as you are likely to see. Catch Kamillions, before they catch you!
a virtual smörgåsbord of film!
deaddeerguts2 July 2008
this movie is AMAZING!! Kamillions teeters so delicately between genres, and at times i am frightened by how good it is. horror, romance, social satire and just enough comic relief to give this "frightfest" the perfect balance. countless plot twists, a stellar cast, and elaborate, mind-blowing special effects make this movie absolutely a MUST SEE. this movie will keep you guessing and guessing until you don't know which way is up. the soundtrack is a sparse and shifting tempest of synth swells, backed up by a cavalcade of oldies hits. think, the Mist meets the Fly meets Gremlins meets any other awesome movie you've ever seen! TEN!!!
"Funny enough to make you laugh at those new Gremlins..."
polysicsarebest2 July 2008
With some of the most hilarious box art I've ever seen and a back cover making references to the Fly and Gremlins, I was expecting a cheap knockoff film... with a cool cover. Instead, what I got was something that is not only as entertaining as those two films mentioned on the back, it actually might be BETTER than than those two films, combined! This film is about a fat guy doing experiments, something we've all seen before. In fact, it starts out just like any other horror-comedy... but quickly turns into some bizarre art film... the whole film kind of turns upside down as we suddenly see eyes through the life of some kind of weird bug, who crawls around and searches out the lab and spits acid at people. Then, the "film" (with all the plot and such) restarts, and nothing is the same anymore. We see insane penis monsters, people's whole bodies horrifically shoved inside fishbowls, people being violently electrocuted, and more! There is not a boring moment to bad had, especially when the lead "kamillion" chews up the scenery... this guy looks a really young Bruce Campbell meets a really young Jim Carrey, and he has to be one of the best characters to ever appear in a film. He just kind of stalks around, killing people for no apparent reason, using his fingers as sharp knives, teleporting all over the place, making his face turn completely blue, and throwing knives into turkeys. It's worth seeing the film just for this character.
You know, it's a shame that this isn't available on DVD. Rarely does one find films more imaginative or more entertaining -- there are more good ideas in this single 90 minute film than Hollywood releases in one year! All the effects were really well-done; you can tell a lot of heart went into this release. It's a shame it's not more well-known; see it at all costs.
You know, it's a shame that this isn't available on DVD. Rarely does one find films more imaginative or more entertaining -- there are more good ideas in this single 90 minute film than Hollywood releases in one year! All the effects were really well-done; you can tell a lot of heart went into this release. It's a shame it's not more well-known; see it at all costs.
Campy, deliberately stilted, hilariously bad.
grassyno22 December 2006
The critics hate it... but only the ones with no sense of humor. This film will probably be to our generation what Plan Nine From Outer Space was to our parents. It's so bad it's good, deliciously good! The mad doctor is frumpy and completely self absorbed. The monster is-- well-- beyond words! The first time you see it, you think "what the f--" But by the second time, it gets to be like the Rocky Horror Picture Show. You want to shout out replies and retorts to the actors! If you're a fan of the weird and wonderful, this is a must-see film! I had the same feeling after seeing "Eraserhead". I hated it. But I felt I had to see it again, despite my better judgment. Now I look forward to any opportunity to see either film again and again. These dark comedies are an acquired taste, but well worth it.
good performances in fine SF comedy
Kabumpo19 August 1998
Warning: Spoilers
Unknown Christopher Gasti gives a tour-de-force performance in a dual role as practically perfect Count Desmon and a creature from another dimension who has copied his body. It would be a spoiler to give away what makes his performance so brilliant, but it also helps make the film rewarding for multiple viewings. Although it contains some mildly raunchy humor (in about three scenes), there is almost no violence in this film (which was only screened theatrically in South Amercian and Arabian countries, and a few others, Ning-Ping Chan tells me, and thus never submitted for rating), and it is mostly suitable for families, particularly considering much of the PG-13 fare parents take their kids to these days. The film contains references to Lovecraft (as in Miskatonic University) and Hubbard (Larry, the hypocritical preacher and Nathan's best friend, preaches "Dynagenics," and promises God to make it cheaper after his great sin). It also deals effectively and humourously with extradimensional creatures adapting to human bodies and American culture, sometimes in a retro-fifties style. The film also has a beutiful new age score by Kent H. Randolph, and only once, for Desmon, does the synth based ensemble create a pale imitation of an orchestra, nor is it merely synthesizer droning. Although the characters sometimes seem stereotypical, they are often allowed to show multifaceted personalities. The kids, of course, are the ones who know what's going on, like _The Night of the Hunter_ with teenagers. The film never takes itself too seriously, but the naturalness of the dialogue, the flowing camera movements, and simply-decorated mansion make Nathan's fiftieth birthday party preparation seem like a real birthday party preparation. Nothing is ever presented as very sinister, save for the possibility of an earth -shattering explosion, and with good reason. It is a shame the video release of this film was limited, making it hard to find and impossible to order. It's a delightful bit of normalcy affecting the genuine humdrumness of a supposedly-exciting family gathering.
Why isn't this a huge cult classic?
VinnieRattolle22 June 2017
On the night of his birthday party, scientist Nathan Wingate discovers another dimension through a contraption he's built in his basement. Unfortunately, just as the guests begin to arrive, the good doctor gets sucked into the other world and two shape-shifting bugs with magical powers enter ours. One is good-natured, the other's a sadistic prankster, and the Wingate family and their eccentric guests are unknowingly caught in the middle.
Every once in a while, I'll see some old movie and say, "WHY have I never heard of this before?!" That was certainly the case here. Don't get me wrong, on the surface it looks like "MST3K" material - the acting is generally bad, the FX are super-low-budget, the pacing is off, and some of the gags fall flat. But man, the characters have enough individuality that you wanna root for them, the FX are impressively inventive, and a lot of the stuff is genuinely funny (it was co-written and directed by a now-longtime alum of "The Simpsons"). It's intentionally campy but teeters on a tightrope where it's simultaneously creepy and it boasts a clever twist too (assuming you haven't read the film's tagline!?!).
If Scream Factory or some other distributor would unearth and complete the director's cut of this endearing obscurity, there's a huge audience out there which is waiting to discover it. Until then, it's worth seeking out online if you're into '80s movies with extra corn!
Every once in a while, I'll see some old movie and say, "WHY have I never heard of this before?!" That was certainly the case here. Don't get me wrong, on the surface it looks like "MST3K" material - the acting is generally bad, the FX are super-low-budget, the pacing is off, and some of the gags fall flat. But man, the characters have enough individuality that you wanna root for them, the FX are impressively inventive, and a lot of the stuff is genuinely funny (it was co-written and directed by a now-longtime alum of "The Simpsons"). It's intentionally campy but teeters on a tightrope where it's simultaneously creepy and it boasts a clever twist too (assuming you haven't read the film's tagline!?!).
If Scream Factory or some other distributor would unearth and complete the director's cut of this endearing obscurity, there's a huge audience out there which is waiting to discover it. Until then, it's worth seeking out online if you're into '80s movies with extra corn!
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