751 Night of the Demons ( 1988 )

 This  is  pure unadulterated rubbish. No real plot, cheap effects and  uniformly terrible acting. A  group of teens decide to spend  Halloween night in a  haunted  house  and  wait  for  something to happen. It  does but not  in an interesting way.

Cathy Podewell ( as Judy )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Cathy  is  from Illinois. This  was  her  first  film  role. She  is  best  known  for  playing JR's  second  wife in  Dallas. After  that  finished, she  made a  few  TV appearances  before  retiring  into  private  life  to raise  her  family. Her  comebck  started with  a  brief  cameo  in  the  reboot of Dallas in 2013. She  has  made  occasional appearances since then.

Allison Barron ( as Helen )

Sex : No

Death : Killed offscreen by a demon

Allison  was  born in New  York. Her  first  film  role  was  a  walk on part in A Nightmare On Elm St 2. She   had  a  career  as  a  bit  part  actress on film  and  TV  up  to 1993.

Linnea  Quigley ( as Suzanne )

Sex : Suzanne  seduces  Judy's  boyfriend  as  a  prelude  to killing  him  

Death :  Suzanne  is  zombified

Linnea certainly  wouldn't  win  any  awards  for  her  acting  in  this  one.

Amelia Kinkade ( as   Amanda )

Sex : No

Death : Amanda  is  zombified

Amelia  was mor of  a  dancer and choreographer than  an actres and  had numerous  small  roles in  that  capacity  before this  one. She  quit  acting  after 1997  in  order  to  concentrate  on  her  writing. She  claims  to  be  psychic  and  able  to  talk to animals

Jill Terrashita ( as  Frannie )

Sex : Frannie  has  sex in  a  coffin with  her  boyfriend

Death : Her neck is  broken by a  zombified friend

Jill  is  from  Canada. She  had  a  brief  career as a  bit  part  actress then  became  a  stuntwoman. She  made  a  one-off  comeback  on  Canadian TV in 2017.

750 The KIss (1988)

 This  is  a  frustrating film which promises something more  interesting than it delivers. Two  little  white  girls in  Africa  are  separated in  the  early sixties, one  receiving a  sort of vampire  kiss  from her aunt. Years  later  her  arrival at  her  sister's home in America  spells big  trouble. The  premise  is  fine  but  the  film  repeatedly leaves potentially interesting plot lines  unresolved  in  favour of  flagrant larceny from Cat People and Shivers and  frustrates rather  than thrills  the  viewer.

Joanna  Pacula ( as  Felice)

Sex : Felice has sex with her widowed brother-in-law

Death : Dies  as a result of  a  parasite leaving her body

Few  actresses have  been  better-named  for  horror roles. Joanna  was  born in Poland but defected to America in the early eighties. She  is  best  known  for  her  English-speaking  film  debut  in  Gorky  Park and  her  modelling  work. Her  thick  accent  led  to  some  typecasting  as  European  femme  fatales  but  she  maintained a career  in  film  and TV until  at  least 2020.

Meredith Salenger ( as Amy )

Sex : Amy has a heavy period while her  father and aunt are having sex

Death : Survives

Meredith  is  from Mslibu  and made her film debut  aged 12 in  Annie. She made a big impression  in  her  next  film. taking the titular  role  in The Adventures of Natty Gann. Despite  that, adult  stardom  has  eluded  her. This  is  partly  due to other intrerests. She  went to Harvard  for  four  years  to  study psychology. She  later  qualified  as  a  mediator  and  has  been active  in  that  field in  Los  Angeles.  In  recent  years  she  has  done    lot  of  voice  acting.

Mimi  Kuzyk ( as Brenda )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Mimi  is  a  Canadian actress of Ukrainian descent. She  is  an  accomplished  dancer. She  is  best  known  for  her  TV work , particularly Hill Street Blues. This  was  her  first  film role, well into  her  career. She  remains  a  very  busy  actress.

Sabrina Boudot ( as Heather )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

This  was  Sabrina's  second  film  role. She  had  a  brief  career on  film  and  TV  ending in 2003.

Celine  Lomez  ( as Aunt  Irene )

Sex : No

Death : Expires when the parasite  passes to young Felice

Celine  was  from  Montreal  and  largely  appeared  in  Francophone  films  between 1970 and 2017.

Pamela  Collyer ( as Hilary)

Sex : No

Death : Run down by a truck

Pamela  had  a  brief  career as a bit part actress in the seventies.

Priscilla  Mouzakiotis ( as young Felice )

Sex : N/a

Death : See above

This  was  Priscilla's only screen appearance as a child but  she  did  make  a  brief comeback in 2001.

Talya  Rubin ( as young Hilary)

Sex :  N/a

Death : See above

Talya  had  a  brief acting  career as  a  child in the mid-eighties  and  has sporafically  reappeared since  then.

569 A Nightmare On Elm St 4: The Dream Master (1988)

 The  fourth instalment of the Elm St saga was  the  weakest  thus  far.  Freddy  resurrects himself  to  pick  off  the  three  survivors  from  the  previous film.( one  iof  them re-cast)   then  starts taking out members of  their  peer  group at school requiring  a  new  mousey  heroine to  tackle him. The  effects are  up  to  scratch  but  otherwise  the  film  is  a real mess  with  no  internal  logic; it  often feels  like  the  actors are  making  the  script  up as  they go  along and  there's a  glaring continuity error . A  complete dud.

Lisa Wilcox  ( as Alice )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Lisa is  from  California and made her film debut in 1984 with a minor role in Gimme An F. This  was her  next film and  is still  her  signature  role; she  appeared in the  next instalment of the franchise. She has been more  active on  TV  than film. In the early 2000s, she took a break from acting to develop Toe Bright a costume  jewellry  business she founded with co-star Tuesday Knight, She returned in 2007 and has mostly been seen in horror films.

Tuesday Knight ( as Kristen )

Sex : No

Death : Burns to death in a fire

Tuesday  was  born in Los Angeles and  made  her TV  debut in Fame in 1984. This  was her first  film, replacing Patricia  Arquette  as Kristen. She  subsequently  had  to  settle  for  bit  parts  in  films  but  has  been successful on TV in Sunset Beat and 2000 Malibu Road. She  is  also  a  singer but  her  success  has  been inconspicuous.

Brooke Theiss ( as Debby )

Sex : No

Death : Crushed by Freddy while doing weights

This  was  Brooke's second  film  and  it would  be  12  years  before  her  next. She  was  more  successfyul  on  TV with  regular  roles in Just The Ten Of Us and  Beverley Hills 90200. She is  married  to  actor  Bryan Gennese and  appears  to  have  retired.

Toy Newkirk ( as Sheila )

Sex : No

Death : Survives  

.

Toy  was born in Hollywood  and  gave  up  ice  skating  for  acting as a  child. This was  the  first  of  a  handful of film  roles but  she  was  more  successful on TV.  From 2005,  she  produced  a  number of   TV  shows  most  notably The  Morning  After and  Howard Stern On Demand  but  has  been  inactive  of  late.

Linnea Quigley ( as Soul from Freddy's Chest )

Sex : She is naked

Death : Already dead

Blink  and  you'll miss Linnea in  this  one.

Hope Marie Carlton  ( as Pin-Up Girl )

Sex : She  is  naked as part of a teen's wet dream

Death : n/a

Hope  Marie  was a  model's  daughter  from New  York  and  took  up  modelling  herself. She  was a  Playboy  playmate  in 1985  and  started  appearing  in TV and  films  shortly  afterwards. Apart  from  a  couple  of  appearances in Hotel Erotica in 2003, her  acting career  was  over by 1994. 

Kristen Clayton ( as  Little girl )

Sex : n/a

Death : She  is  an  apparition

Kristen  looks  slightly  older  in  this  one.

568 The Blob (1988)

 This  was  a  remake of  the  1950s B-movie  classic  although it  changes  the  plot somewhat to make the titular blob  a  result of  government  practice rather than extraterrestrial invasion.  Needless  to  say,  the  special effects  are  light  years  ahead  of  the  original  but  much  of  the  charm  has  been  lost.

Shawnee Smith  ( as Meg)

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Shawnee was  born in South Carolina. After  doing some  commercials , she made  her  film debut with  a  small role  in  Annie aged 11  in  1982. Her  career hit a bump in  the  early nineties when  she  outgrew teen  roles  but  resurrected  her  career on  TV  with  Becker  from 1998. Her  film  career was  revived by Saw in 2003  and she has appered in four  of  the  sequels.

Erika Eleniak ( as Vicki)

Sex : Vicky's boyfriend starts fondling  her  not  realising she's dead 

Death : Consumed - remarkably quickly and quietly-by the Blob.

Erika  was born in  California  and  made  her  film  debut  in  E.T when she was 12. This  was  her  first film role as an adult. She appeared in Playboy in 1989. That same year  she  started in Baywatch  which  made  her one  of  the  top sex symbols of the early nineties. She  had  difficulty being taken seriously as an actress  but  has always  found  work. She  has  also  appeared on reality TV.

567 Monkey Shines (1988)

 After Link, here's  another film  about  an over-intelligent ape running amok. This  was  George  Romero's  first  film  for a major  studio and not an entirely  happy one  for  him  with  the  syrupy  ending  being forced  on  him, 

Jason Beghe plays Allan, an athletic man who becomes  quadriplegic  after  being hit by  a  truck. His  scientist  friend  Geoffrey ( John Pankow ) brings  him   Ella, a  trained  Capuchin monkey to  assist  his  routine   and, as  a  by-product, a  new  love  interest  but  doesn't  tell  him  everything  about the  ape's  capabilities. Ella  soon finds  murderous  ways  of  avenging  Allan's  frustrations. The  film  is  too  long  and  the  kills somewhat predictable but  on  the  plus side  the  characters  are  engaging  which  isn't  always  the case  with  Romero.

Kate McNeil ( as Melanie )

Sex :  Melanie  receives  cunnilingus  from Allan

Death : Survives 

This was Kate's last  horror  outing.

Janine Turner  ( as Linda )

Sex : Linda  has  sex  with  her  boyfriend

Death :  Perishes in a house fire  caused by Ella

Janine  is from Nebraska  and  began  modelling as  a  teenager. Her  acting  careeer began with  a minor  role in  Dallas in 1980.  Film  roles  followed  but  her  career  really  took  off  on  TV  as  Maggie O' Connell in  Northern Exposure. Her  most  prominent  film  role  was  Sylvester Stallone's love interest in Cliffhanger. She  is  also  a  motivational  speaker  and  a  writer on political topics.

566 Phantasm II (1988 )

 This  sequel  arrived  nine  years  after  the  origial and  still feels  under-developed  as  though  some  random  ideas  from  a  whiteboard  have  been  thrown  together  in  the  hope  something  coherent might emerge. Starting  where the  last one  left  off, though with  James le Gros taking  over  the main  role, this sees Mike and  his  mate  Reg  heading  off  to  find  the  Tall  Man and  save  a  telepathic damsel  in  distress . There isn't  much  more  to the  plot  than  that, just  a   parade of gruesome violence when  they  find  him.

Paula Irvine ( as Liz )

Sex : No

Death : Uncertain - the film ends with Liz and Mike being  dragged out of  a  limo  by  the  Tall Man 

Paula  did  some  voiceover work  for Disney as a child  but  first appeared on TV in 1987. This  was  the  second of only three film roles but  she  had  a  two-year run  in  Santa Barbara  in  the  early  nineties. She retired in 1994  to  pursue a career in  corporate  communications.

 Samantha  Phillips ( as Alchemy )

Sex : Alchemy has sex with Reggie

Death : Alchemy is revealed to be an agent of the Tall Man so presumably he killed her in the past

Samantha  was  born  in  Maryland  and  worked as a model  before  turning  to  acting. This  was  her  second  film  role. She  did  a  shoot  for  Penthouse in 1993. From 2001 onwards she  diversified into  being  an  adult  talk  show  host  and  her  appearances  have become  less  frequent. She  is  the  producer  of  the  Busty Cops series.

Stacey  Travis  ( as Jeri )

Sex : No

Death : Presumed abducted and killed by the Tall Man but this is  never confirmed

This  was  Stacey's   first  film  role  but  she  has  had  a  steady unspectacular career in film and TV ever since.

565 Poltergeist III (1988)

 The  third  and  final film in  the  original Poltergeist  franchise  and  by  far  the  worst. Only  Heather   O Rourke  and,  regrettably,  Zelda Rubinstein return from the first two films and the  absence of  the  rest of  the  family is  circumvented by having Carol Anne  relocated  to  Chicago to attend a  special school. Her  psychiatric treatment  unleashes the  evil force of  Kane from  the  second  film  once  more. In  casting terms, the  absentees are more than adequately replaced and  the  special  effects, all  achieved  through prosthetics  and live camera work are  impressive. The  real problem is the script. It  starts  promisingly allowing Carol Anne some  personality  then completely  abdicates in  favour  of  the  effects with  the  dialogue  largely  consisting of  characters shouting each  others' names. The ending, which  could have occurred at any point in the last hour,  is really  tame.

Heather O' Rourke ( as Carol Anne )

Sex : n/a

Death : Survives

The whole film was  overshadowed by  the  tragedy of  Heather's death before  the  film  was  released.  Although the  film  was  already in  the  can , the ending was re-shot, because she  originally appeared to be lying cold at one point, with a  substitute looking away from the camera. As it was, Heather was only in the first half of  the  film with  her face  puffy  from the misprescribed drugs she  was  taking which  adds to the  difficulty in watching it.

Nancy Allen ( as Trish )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

This  was Nancy's  first  horror  film  since  Carrie.

Lara Flynn Boyle  ( as Donna )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Lara  was  born  in  Iowa  and  this  became  her  first  film  role  after  her  scenes in Ferris  Bueller's Day Off were  culled. She  made  her  name  as  good  girl  Laura  in  Twin Peaks  and  had  some  good  film  roles off  the  back of it  without  becoming a  true  star. She  had  another  TV  triumph in THe  Practice  between 1997 and 2003 for  which  she  was  nominated for an Emmy. She  has  been  married  twice  and  romantically  linked with Kyle McLachlan and Jack Nicholson.

Meg Weldon ( as Sandy )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

This  was  the  first  of  Meg's  two screen apppearances.

Stacy Gilchrist ( as Melissa )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

This  was  Stacy's only  screen appearance.

564 The Nest (1988 )

 This  one  was  a  so-so adaptation of  a  shlocky  novel  about a swarm of  carnivorous  cockroaches  threatening a  small  island town. It's  thunderingly predictable from start to finish though it  does  save  its  best shocks till  the  end  which  is  a  plus.  Robert Lansing plays  the  dour  mayor  who  lets  a  dodgy  research  company  loose on his  island  and  his  daughter's  boyfriend , the  local  sheriff ( Franc Luz )  is  the  one  who  has  to  clear up  the  mess.

Lisa Langlois  ( as  Elizabeth )

Sex : Elizabeth sleeps with her boyfriend

Death : Survives

Lisa  is  the  female lead in this one.

Terri  Treas ( as Dr Hubbard )

Sex : No

Death : A  cockroach/human mutant crushes her head in its  jaws

Terri  is  from  Kansas. Apart from this one, she  never really got past bit parts in films but  she  had more success in TV ,notably in the Alien Nation series. She is still active.

Nancy Morgan ( as  Lillian )

Sex : No

Death : Freezes to death adfter shutting herself in a refrigerator

Nancy  was born  in  Minneapolis   and  started  appearing on TV in  the  mid-seventies. She was  married to comic  actor John Ritter  for  19 years  and  took a  long break in  the  nineties to raise  their  three children. She returned to acting in 2004 and  is  still active.

Heidi Helmer ( as Jenny )

Sex : No

Death : It's implied she may be the next victim but it's not shown or confirmed

Heidi's acting career  lasted 18 years  from  1982  with  long  breaks for raising  5  children. She  is best known for the TV series  Starting From Scratch. She  died in 2010 aged 45.

Karen Smythe ( as female diner )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Karen had a brief career as a bit part actress in the mid-eighties.

563 Maniac Cop (1988 )

 This  Larry Cohen film  lacks  much of  a  satirical element and, for  better or worse, Michael Moriarty instead  relying on bludgeoning  violence  to  entertain  and  largely  failing. Halloween III's  Tom Atkin plays a  morose  detective  on  the  hunt  for  a  homicidal maniac dressed as a cop and  killing  people indiscriminately. He  identifies  him  but  stopping him is another  matter.  The  film  really  fails  when  it  kills  off  the  only  sympathetic protagonist  too  early  and  we're supposed to  care what  happens to  a  cheating  husband  and  his  girlfriend  instead,

Laurene Landon ( as Theresa )

Sex : Theresa sleeps with a  married fellow officer

Death : Survives

Laurene  was  born  in  Canada  but  later moved  to  California  where she started  police training. She abandoned that  to work as a model and film extra, first appearing in 1979's Bitter Heritage. She soon moved to more  substantial roles  requiring  physical action and  this  was  her  fourth appearance in a Larry Cohen film. She  took a  long  sabbatical after 1991  but  returned  to  acting in 2006 and has been busy  ever since.

Nina  Arvesen ( as Regina )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Nina  was the daughter of  a  Norwegian  diplomat  and  had  a  successful TV career in Norway before relocating to the  US in  the  mid-eighties. This  was her  third and  final film but  she  had  more  success on TV with long  runs in  The  Young And The Restless and Santa Barbara.

Victoria Catlin ( as Ellen )

Sex : No

Death : Killed by  the  maniac offscreen

Victoria  was born in Illinois but  travelled  widely in Latin America  as  a  youth.  Her  acting  career was  relatively  brief , the  highlight  being  appearing in seven episodes of Twin Peaks. She  went  behind  the  scenes  as  a  photo  editor  and  script  conultant. She  died  in 2024.

Jill  Gatsby ( as Cassie )

Sex : No

Death : Throttled by the maniac

Jill  was  Larry  Cohen's  daughter and  her  film  career  was  largely  confined  to his  films.  She  is  also  a  singer-songwriter and acting  coach.

562 Friday the 13th Part VII : The New Blood

 The  rather  desperate  title gives  away its  makers' insecurity  but  there  is  one  new  twist  here. The  final  girl  has  telekinetic  powers  with  which  to  defend  herself  making the  climactic  scene  a  bit  less predictable. The  bulk  of  the  film  though  follows  the  formula, an  unlikely  resurrection of  Jason  who slices  and  dices  his  way  through  a  group  of  interchangeable  horny  teens  before  a  showdown  with  his  nemesis.

Lar Park-Lincoln ( as Tina )

Sex : No

Death : Survives

Lar was born Laurie Park in Dallas. She made her acting debut on TV in 1985 and  this  was  her  third  film.  Lar  returned  to  TV  afterwards  and  played  two  roles on Knots Landing in  the  late  eighties. She  took a  ten  year  sabbatical from acting  following  her  husband's death in 1995 but  could  still be seen presenting on the  QVC  shopping  channel. She  has  also  dabbled  in  fashion  and  runs  her  own  acting studio  in  Dallas. Her  recent  work has all been  in  the  horror  genre.

Susan Jennifer Sullivan ( as Melissa )

Sex : Melissa initiates sex with  a stoner but doesn't go through with it 

Death : Jason plants an axe in her head

Susan  was  from  Massachusetts and  only  had  a  brief  acting career. In 2012 , a  documentary  on  the  franchise  erroneously reported that she  had  died.

Heidi Kozak ( as  Sandra )

Sex : Sandra strips off for a skinny dip. The underwater scenes are a body double

Death : Jason drowns her in the lake

Heidi appears to be  wearing  the  same oufit as in Slumber Party Massacre II.

Elizabeth Kaitan ( as Robin)

Sex :  Robin has sex with her boyfriend

Death : Robin is thrown out of  a window

Elizabeth was born in Hungary and  moved to America at 18 to become sn actress. She  was  a  model  and stage actress before making  her  screen debut  in 1983. She had a small role in Twins  but otherwise  was  confined  to B-movies, her  career lasting til 1999. She  is  now  a  politician's secretary.

Diana Barrows ( as Maddy )

Sex :  No

Death : Jason slices her open with a sickle

Diana  is  from  New  York  and  this  was her  first film  role. Since  the  early nineties her  screen  appearances  have  been sporadic  but  she  does  a  lot  of  stagework. She  is  a  fluent French  speaker  and   is  active in French  theatre.

Diane Almeida  ( as Kate ) 

Sex : Kate has sex with her boyfriend

Death : Jason drives a party horn through her eye

This  was  Diane's  only  film role  but  she had a  reasonably  successful  TV career. In 2000, she won an award from  the  Pan African Film Festival as a producer on  the  film Raising Tatiana.

Staci Greason ( as Jane )

Sex : No

Death : Jason drives a tent stake through her throat

This  was  Staci's  first  film  role. She  joined  Days Of Our  Lives  in 1989  and  made  over 450 appearances in it. She  retired from  acting to  concentrate on  writing  in 1999 but  made a  return to  the soap in 2010 to  wrap  up  her  character's  storyline.

Debora Kessler ( as Judy )

Sex : No

Death : Jason smashes her against a tree

This  was Debora's only film role.

Jennifer Banko ( as young Tina )

Sex : n/a

Death : Survives

Jennifer  was 9  years  old at  the  time  of  filming. She worked steadily, mainly  on  TV until she  was  eighteen. She made  a  comeback in 2014 and  is  still active.