Published via Ecency

(source: tmdb.org)

It’s good to be talented if you want career in Hollywood, but it is even better when you have luck and notable parents. Anthony Hickox, son of British director Douglas Hickox and “Oscar”-awarded editor Anne V. Coates, had both when he crashed into the car belonging to producer Steffan Ahrenberg. Hickox talked him into producing his script, which ultimately turned into his directorial debut, 1988 horror comedy Waxwork.

The plot takes place in small town where a mysterious wax museum has just opened and whose owner David Lincoln (played by David Warner) has invited two college students – China Webster (played by Michelle Johnson) and Sarah Brightman (played by Deborah Foreman) – to attend special exhibit at midnight and bring four friends. They are joined by China’s ex boyfriend Mark Loftmore (played by Zach Galligan) and their friend Tony (played by Dana Ashbrook). Two friends – Gemma (played by Clare Carey) and James (played by Eric Brown) are too intimated by the occasion and decide not to attend at the last minute. During the exhibit four notice that wax museum displays depictions of various monsters and murderous people committing horrible acts, while some of those displays lack victims. While looking at exhibits Tony gets sucked into another dimension where he becomes victim of werewolf (played by John Rhys-Davies), while China does the same and becomes victim of vampire (played by Miles O’Keefe). After seeing two of their friends disappearing without explanation, Mark and Sarah unsuccessfully try to alert the police. It would take Mark’s eccentric grandfather Sir Wilfred (played by Patric Macnee) to help them realise true nature of wax museum and stop Lincoln’s evil plans.

Hickox wrote the original script in three days and the even those who aren’t experienced cinephiles would see that such hastiness resulted in less than optimal quality. Characterisation is poor, some dialogue lines are atrocious and certain jokes simply aren’t funny. Thankfully, Hickox is much better as director than screenwriter. Despite low budget, he managed to create couple of interesting scenes featuring good combination of gallows humour, plenty of gore and simple but practical special effects. He also used the film and concept of wax museum as opportunity to pay homage to various horror film icons ranging from Frankenstein’s Monster till modern-day axe murderers and aliens. The cast did decent job, although younger cast (which featured Hickox’s then-girlfriend Deborah Foreman) is visibly inferior to the veterans like Warner or Macnee. Problems with budgets actually worked in the film’s favour, especially near the end when the final battle with wax monsters had to be rushed, resulting in unexpectedly comical result. Film became quite successful at video market, gaining something of a cult status and allowing Hickox to continue career in 1990s as director of somewhat unusual horror films, including predictably inferior sequel to this film.

RATING: 6/10 (++)