Evil Laugh (1986)

   
Produced & Directed by: Dominick Brascia

Written by: Steven Baio & Dominick Brascia

Starring:

Kim McKamy .... Connie
.... Barney
.... Johnny
Tony Griffin .... Sammy
.... Tina
.... Mark
.... Betty
.... Mr. Burns


Release Date: Direct-to-Video: 1986

Rating:

 

A group of Med students fix up an old house over a weekend. Where a mass murder occurred 10 years earlier. Mayhem ensues.

 

While first spotting the film I knew it was going to be a badly done amateurish slasher flick as it shows residents moving into the home as well as later on a back camewra shot on the mysterious killer with a knife approaching one of the victims as this wasn't done in good horror style at all but there's a shocking gruesome result to it which can mildly please some gorehounds but there's better slashings in other flicks.
After the opening credits there's lame situations with three buddies fixing a tire as well as one of them whom is the clown of the bunch Johnny needing to take a whizz and accidentally urines on a biker type dude and his girlfriend enjoying some sun as this was supposed to be funny but it was utterly stupid to watch. During the beginning of this flick Barney is reading a Fangoria magaine with good close up shots revealing that there's a chapter of Friday the 13th Part V - A New Beginning as of course the filmmaker had a brief effective supporting role in that one.
While all of this was happening there's other incidents on people trying to find their way to the home in which there's cheesy and trashy discussions which is typical for a lame brained slasher flick such as this one.
Then another murderous moment starts to occur with one of the victims tied in a chair which looked terribly amaterishly done in which this was supposed to be slapstick but this was laughable but not in a good way. Yet there's good circling up shots on the mysterious killer activating a drill to do this person in since this is necessary to use in a story such as this one.
When the group of friends get together and enter the home the fun stuff happens when they tidy up the place and put stuff together in which they listen to music on their ghetto which seems common in films as this didn't look too shabby. Then Barney let's everyone know one of their vehicle has been missing when someone puts a different tape in the ghetto. Then while they leave when it's playing there's horrifying sounds on the tape with nice brief shots on horrifying incidents which psyched me out a bit and I had to admit for this bad flick looked quite impressive.
Then a bedroom scene takes place with a knife stabbing through the bottom which made me wonder if this was the mysterious killer waiting to do in the next victim and then a couple enters and has a lusting moment which is typical for a slasher flick but these moments looked incredibly lame to watch.
Later on it's dinner time and after their meals a real burly police officer talks to them as well as telling them as to what went on there which isn't serious to watch at all.
When this officer arrives back in his car he contacts one of his dipstick deputies as he tells him someone else is in his car which was supposed to give you the chills but this looked too obvious. Yet when he goes down to check up on the vehicle the results looked decent for a low budget slasher flick.
I was amused when Connie sits near a fireplace of the home and tells the others the history of the house as this seemed well put in to the story and can seem mildly entertaining to watch.
More horny teens but this time a couple gets kinky and ties his girlfriend to a bed wearing leather etc but then he has to leave the room for a sec which isn't a good idea since something always happens during these situations. Yet this didn't look overly suspenseful as well as wooden to watch all of this.
More amateurish moments when Mr. Burns goes down to the cellar of the house to check something out and spots the killer only revealing to him which looked too campy but his killing looked pervertedly painfuol at the same time and a bit shocking to watch too. However in this day and age moments like this looks a bit tame.
Alot of the stuff seemed lame to watch but there's a scene that drew me in which Johnny has a discussion towards Connie thinking she likes him and he comes on too strong as this looked mildly effective.
While this happens there's a makeout scene with Mark towards bimbo Betty along with a slaying incident but the moments here on what happens and how one of these people reacts to the slaying looked pretty stupid and you will see what I mean if I dare you to watch this movie.
The next killing is the stupidest of them all in which the killer fries someone's head in a microwave as the door is open to put his head in it and activates it. We all know a microwave can't operate unless the door is shut DUH!!! I think this killing was used in another lame horror flick but I can't remember the name of it on the top of my head.
Then Connie discovers the killings and freaks out which looked lame but yet good shots on her trying to survive as well as her surroundings plus things looked okay when the killer is revealed but the intensity could've been improved during these matters like they should be in a mysterious horror flick.
The ending of this story offers a different twist but it was nothing to brag about either in other words more amateurish junk.
Bottom line is that the film seems fun to watch at times and terribly stupid with the comedy in other spots along with some of the killings and one liners. I can somewhat understand as to why this flick was obscure. Making this piece was a total waste of effort and time but I've seen worst.

The acting is quite bad. Kim McKamy (Connie) seemed to show some spunk and enthusiasm at first with her outgoing behavior along with her sarcasm and odd bubbly behavior. She also did a fine job when telling a tale on what went on at the home in which she concentrated this in a fair fashion. Yet when she gets emotionally scared, freaked out or upset she bombs big time and it looked humiliating as well as showing a different twist towards the end of her performance which was just as bad. I can see why she worked in the porn industry later on in life.
(Barney) was the best out of the cast in which he seemed to pull off his role pretty convincingly as a horror geek. He shows some good enthusiasm acting like a clown and pulling off pranks and things like that. Shows a good energetic and hyperactive attitude when discussing horrific moments and getting into this big time. He seemed to jost pass as a character type of a performer.
(Johnny) was very wooden in his role and didn't meet up to his brothers talents to say the least. He seemed to try hard to get into character with his anxious attitude as to what he discusses and stresses to other but just couldn't do the trick whatsoever. He wasn't overly terrible but no credit for him unfortunately.
Tony Griffin (Sammy) seemed to shine off onto the camera with his presence and somehwat macho attitude but like the rest he's too over the top within whatever he did and quite wooden too as he just couldn't get into his role. He had the somewhat right brawny looks and appeal but that's about it.
(Mark) was another pretty face who had the jock type looks and can do an okay job with his charm as well as his cocky attitude but I mean he was just okay not great. Seemed to pull some effort here and there but nothing too terrific.
(Betty) seemed to have the looks as a typical bimbo but can't act worth shit in which she really came across as perfectly annoying by what she did with her whiney type of speaking and attitude. She got on my nerves big time.
(Mr. Burns) was annoying as hell as the somewhat landlord in which he tries to pull off a kookie role but he wasn't funny at the least. He tried way too hard and was making a fool out of himself by everything that he did here.

A woman takes off her top breasts exposed as well as a guys butt later on while getting it on with her.
Breasts are exposed in a shower near the close ending of the flick.

Heart is stabbed out.
Officers throat is slit.
Blood splatters on someone's face.
Blade is stabbed through a person's crotch.
Axe is stabbed in someone's head.
Face bloodily fried in a microwave with blood smeared on the floor later on.

David Shapiro isn't all too special or memroiable with what he brought to each scene in which there's some interesting toned out music for when there's a discussion on what happened at the home as it sounds like a wind up toy box. Also there's some low and odd high synthesizer playing especially for the the killer is about to do away the victims along with the odd beats but nothing much more than this folks.

Barney: These things don't happen in New York! I just hope a guy in a hockey mask named Jason doesn't show up!

Barney: Why does that guy in Halloween try and kill Jamie Lee Curtis?... Why do those dumb kids keep going back to Camp Crystal Lake- letting Jason hack and chop them?

Johnny: Guys, I gotta go drain the lizard.