husk - dynamite

The beauty of the double-feature drive-in movie experience was that you doubled your chances of seeing something worthwhile. And no one knew how to entertain the drive-in crowd better than Roger Corman. The mid-‘70s exploded with car culture pictures featuring stunts, sex and vehicular destruction all across America’s highways. Shout Factory’s Action Packed Collection cherry-picks three titles: Georgia Peaches, a TV pilot released theatrically overseas starring Dirk Benedict and Tanya Tucker in a Dukes of Hazzard-type scenario. Smokey Bites The Dust, with former child-star Jimmy McNichol (Kristi’s brother) as a good-natured car thief. And the top pick of the set, The Great Texas Dynamite Chase, starring 1970’s Playmate of the Year Claudia Jennings as a bankrobber who picks up another female partner and proceed to blow their way through the Lone Star State. There’s a whole lotta Thelma and Louise in Dynamite’s DNA, but director Michael Pressman (a prolific but non-descript TV vet) manages to cram in everything you could want in a drive-in quickie: sex, explosions, sex, car chases and sex. That sounds demeaning, but the film is actually such a beautifully produced encapsulation of the drive-in era it should be on display in the Smithsonian.

Cornfields are creepy…even when they’re not filled with supernatural scarecrows. And Husk, part of the After Dark Originals, takes full advantage of the fact; and the inherent fear of getting lost between those endless rows with unseen “somethings” stalking you. Writer / director Brett Simmons adapts his short film into feature length but doesn’t add any extra filler. Husk starts fast and keeps scaring you for its entire 83 minute running time. Five kids get stranded somewhere in the sticks and head for a deserted farmhouse, only to find themselves trapped there by vengeful scarecrows which not only come to life, but are looking to recruit new members. Husk ditches the traditional character backstories; we know little to nothing about our victims. And they don’t die in the traditional guy-girl order, either. By the time the film starts introducing the scarecrow mythology (exactly why are people are coming back as zombies and sewing their own scarecrow suits?) you’ll be hooked. And if you’re like me, probably wondering why this thing didn’t get a theatrical release in the first place?! Husk is so much better than the endless horror remakes and re-imaginings released each month, you need to move this to the top of your Netflix queue NOW.