Horror Crush: Lara Wendel

It's time to honor another beauty from our genre, as we once again, induct an actress into the Horror Crushes section of our site. For this induction we are go with German beauty Lara Wendel star of many Italian horror films. 

Lara Wendell was born in Munich, Germany on March 29, 1965. Her parents were German actress Britta Wendel and American football player/ actor Walt Barnes. At four, she was modeling for ads and by age seven she made her acting debut in 1972 with giallo flick My Dear Killer (1972, Mi Caro Assassino). She appeared in many ontroversial films like Maladolscenza (1977), La Petite Fille en Velours Bleu (1978, Little Girl in Blue Velvet), Mimi (1979), and Desideria: La Vita Interiore (1980). Why were they controversial? Well they featured underaged actors nude and/ or involved in sexual situations. 

At around the same time, in 1979, she appeared in a horror movie called Ring of Darkness, AKA Satan's Wife. Have any of you seeing this one? I haven't but would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section down below. 

Her next horror flick, is the one that I first saw and crushed on her in: Dario Argento's Tenebrae. One of my personal favorite movies, and Argento's third best film (after Suspiria and Deep Red) this stylish and bloody tale of an author who inspires brutal killings of beautiful women is an absolute masterpiece. It also might just be Argento's most gory movie with an incredible wall painting amputation via axe being an absolute highlight. It ends on of one the best finales in genre history. There is also some incredible camera work, a great soundtrack, and some truly gorgeous women. 

One of these stunners is, of course, Wendel, who plays a student and plumber who assists our main character with fixing his pipes. I mean this literally not figuratively. Who knew plumbers were this beautiful? The scene where she gets dumped by her date, then chased by an unrelenting doggy, and ends up at the killer's house is not just a great example of someone having a really shitty night. But, it's also a fucking killer scene from start to finish. Well, actually all of Tenebrae is!

In 1986, she came back to the genre in Lamberto (Demons) Bava's Midnight Killer. This is another one I have never seen but apparently is a giallo where a cop is suspected of being a serial killer. Anyone of you guys seen this one? If so let me know your thoughts below.

1987 saw her in Joe (Beyond the Darkness) D'Amato's Zombie 5: Killing Birds (AKA simply Killing Birds). Fuck, this movie is awful. It is incredibly stupid and, honestly, not very interesting. It fails both as a zombie movie and a killer animal movie. But, hey Wendel is in it, so it has that going for it. Oh and the poster art (right) is really cool, too. Oh wow, I came up with two nice things to say about this one!

Wendel continued to work with Italy's most renowned horror directors by appearing in 1988's Ghosthouse from Umberto (Cannibal Ferox) Lenzi. This movie is Italy's gore drenched answer to Poltergeist and The Amityville Horror. It's stupid as hell, for sure, but has some incredible splatter scenes including blades to the throat, acid meltdowns, body bisections, and more. It's ultimately good, braindead fun. Wendel actually plays the lead here, as she accompanies her boyfriend in investigating a haunted house.  

Her final horror role came in the form of The Red Monks, which would also end up being her second to last movie. This is another one, I haven't seen, but she again plays the lead. This time as a new bride, who wonders why her hubby spends more time in the basement than with her. OK, seriously, what is wrong with this moron?! Anyway, apparently this film also features some nudity from her. So, I definitely need to see this flick! Any thoughts on it, from you guys and gals?

And so, two years later, in 1991 she would appear in her final movie Husbands and Lovers. She would retire soon after. But, with her exquisite beauty and work with some of Italy's most legendary horror directors, Lara Wendel has achieved legend status, herself. It is with that, that I feel honored to induct her into Horror Crushes!

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The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1982

There is no doubt about this: 1982 ranks among the very best years in horror history (it's a pretty awesome year for sci-fi too with The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, Blade Runner, and the here ranked The Thing). Many legit classics were released, as well as some of the finest work from the genre's true masters. Slasher movies continued to dominate the genre, though you will notice that only one actually made the top ten (though they are more in the honorable mentions).

Honorable Mentions:
The New York Ripper
Alone in the Dark
Amityville II: The Possession 

10. The Slumber Party Massacre- A deliberate pace and better than usual acting, for this kind of flick, help to raise the bar on this slasher movie. Also helping the flick to stand out is the feminist undertones which play in sharp contrast to the more exploitative qualities of it. The girls are all gorgeous and there is frequent skin on display. Finally assuring its cult status is the the well done climax which is quite intense and suspenseful. In all, this is easily one of the best slashers of the 80s.

9. The Beast Within- This has to be one of the most bat-shit crazy monster movies ever made. A newly married woman (Bibi Besch) is raped by a swamp monster and gets pregnant. Fifteen years later the son, which resulted from said rape, slowly begins to turn into a hideous cicada-like monster. There is a lot more, but that is kind of the cliff-notes version of the story. It has strong acting, incredible FX work by Tom Burman, and some spectacular gore. For more on my love of this wacky flick check out my write-up here.

8. Q: The Winged Serpent- This is, in my humble opinion, Larry Cohen's best movie (at least from the ones that I have seen). The flick is one of the most wild and bloody American made giant monster flicks, ever. Sure the FX work ranges in quality, but you won't care, as it is a genuinely good time. Plus, it has superlative performances from itcast, especially Michael Moriarty.

7. The Living Dead Girl- Jean Rollin's beautiful, haunting, and enthralling tale of a gorgeous, living dead girl (Francoise Blanchard) is his masterpiece. The acting is excellent and the gore is gruesome. It also has an ending that is one one of the most nerve shattering finales that you are likely to ever see, and one that will haunt you long after it is all over.

6. Cat People- While, the original is the better film, this remake is still excellent in its own right. It also happens to be one of the sexiest horror movies ever made. Natassja Kinksi drips sex from every pore in her body and is excellent in her role. Here she plays a beautiful, young lady who turns into a panther if she has sex with a normal human man. The rest of the cast is great as well, in this erotic, stylish, and gory movie. Throw in a wonderful soundtrack and the result is one best remakes ever, as well as a movie that gets better with each and every viewing.

5. Creepshow- An incredibly fun anthology from director George A. Romero and writer Stephen King that is one of the very best movies of its kind. The stories vary in quality but all are at least good. It really picks up steam with the third tale, "Something to Tide You Over". This leads to the two last ones, the monster fun of "The Crate" and the skin-crawling final tale that is "They're Creeping Up on You" (my personal favorite even if it never fails to gross me out!). Tom Savini's excellent work is quite possibly the finest of his career. And, the wonderful cast is excellent. Romero's directing keeps the movie a blast to watch throughout, plus it looks like an actual comic-book (further showcase its love for EC horror comics of the '50's).

4. Basket Case- This is a wonderful example of ultra-low budget horror at its very best. This highly unique flick is often hilarious, sometimes scary, and always original. It is also a gory and fun time, that could only come from the 70s/ early 80s. And, that I mean in the best way possible. Truly one of Frank Henenlotter's best movies, which of itself, is a tall compliment from me, as he is one of my favorite directors.

3. Tenebrae- Dario Argento's third best movie (after Suspiria and Deep Red, respectively), Tenebrae might also be his goriest. His barque style is on full display with dizzying and extraordinary camera work. His vibrant kills are blood rushingly good, including a spectacular, wall painting amputation via a crashing ax. It also manages to be a very suspenseful flick, especially in its spectacular climax. with a killer soundtrack. Complimenting the look of the film are the gorgeous women that inhabit the excellent cast. This movie also has what is definitely one of, if not my actual favorite role of the late and great John Saxon. And, finally the unnerving ending is one of the best in horror from any country.

2. Poltergeist- First off, let's fucking drop the whole Tobe Hooper didn't direct, but instead Steven Spielberg directed this classic. As Joe Bob Briggs, himself, has said, it is disrespectful to Hooper. And, honestly watching the movie you fucking know what parts were definitely made by the guy who made The Texas Chain Saw Massacre! Honestly, its second only to that classic as far as his amazing career goes. The movie is exhilarating, thrilling, and scary, with amazing special FX. Yet, it never lets this get in the way of the fright and heart (which greatly helps to elevate it) it has. These are things that barely any ghost movie can accomplish, especially in the last couple of years. The acting is excellent specially from the gorgeous Jo Beth Williams, one of the greatest moms in horror history.

1. The Thing- When I was younger, Halloween was my favorite John Carpenter movie, but in recent years, something changed. I began to see that it is this superior (to an already great classic in the form of The Thing from Another World) remake that is without a shadow of a doubt, his true and finest masterpiece. Rob Bottin's amazing and jaw dropping FX should serve as true examples that you don't need fucking CGI in a movie. Drenched in graphic gore, cool monstrous forms, and a feeling of paranoia throughout, this is a masterclass in sci-fi/ horror film making. The cast is great, with Kurt Russell being one of the genre's greatest heroes ever. The ending is pitch perfect, as is the classic Ennio Morricone score collaborating with Carpenter. In short, this is one of the true classics of the decade. And, as close as Poltergeist came, it is The Thing that reigns supreme in 1982!

What are your picks for the 10 best of 1982? Let me know in the comments section below. And, be sure to check out the earlier years by clicking on the links below!

The Best Horror Movies of 1980
The Best Horror Movies of 1981

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The 20 Best Horror Movie Endings Ever

An ending can make or break a movie. While, a shitty one could greatly hurt or even kill it, an awesome one can raise it to the next level. Even an OK or mediocre movie is elevated by a great ending. In the case of the horror film, a great ending can deliver that extra shock, scare,twist, or kick in the fucking teeth. Here then, are the best of the best, finales that their respective films on an exceptionally high note. Also, let me make this abundantly clear: these rankings are based solely on the endings, themselves, and NOT the movies as a whole.

WARNING: SPOILERS are all over this since, as we are talking endings. You have been fucking warned.

Honorable Mentions: The Sixth Sense, They Live, Carrie (1976), Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, Halloween (1978), The Thing (1982), Halloween III: Season of the Witch, In the Mouth of Madness, Bride of Frankenstein 

20. Deep Red (1975)- We start off the list with this killer cap-off from Dario Argento's giallo masterpiece. As crazy mom is revealed to be the actual killer, she tries to off our hero (David Hemmings). Only to have her necklace get caught on the elevator leading to an original and exciting decapitation. Throw in a reflection in a pool of blood and the awesome music of Goblin and you have one kick ass sendoff.

19. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)- In my humble opinion, the best take of the Body Snatchers is this 70's classic. The ending has Veronica Carlson's character going to meet-up with Donald Sutherland's character. Only to have him point and scream at her, as he too has been replaced by the aliens. This is a mega-classic scene that is still memorable and chilling all these years later.

18. The House of the Devil (2009)- This slow burn, modern classic ends in a terrifying and chilling manner. As, our lovely heroine (Jocelin Donahue) is scarified to Satan, after she discovers the truth about the couple she works for.

17. Night of the Living Dead (1968)- George A. Romero's masterpiece has our hero (Duane Jones) hide in the cellar, the place he was avoiding all night, and seemingly survives the zombie hordes that very night. Only, to get shot by a zombie hunting posse and tossed in a fire with the other corpses. It's an ironic, bleak, and politically charged ending to one of the greatest horror movies ever made,

16. Rosemary's Baby (1968)- Rosemary (Mia Farrow) enters a room filled with old people who worship Satan, and sees her new born son. Who apparently has some fucked up eyes. And, that is cause he is Satan's kid! Our devil worshiping old geezers praise Lucifer, while our heroine goes from scared to accepting motherhood, in what might be the best ending of that decade.

15. Ready or Not (2019)- More Satan worship, as a rich, evil, family cult fails at killing the gorgeous Samara Weaving. They end up blowing up and splattering everywhere, including on her. She then steps out of the mansion, sits down, and smokes a cigarette in the best ending of the last decade.

14. Don't Look Now (1973)- Donald Sutherland returns to this list, this time as victim. The dude thinks he sees his dead daughter but nope. It's just a hideous lady dwarf, who proceeds to stab him to death in this amazing 70's classic.

13. Black Christmas (1974)- Olivia Hussey's character seems to have survived the night, the killer is dead, and the cops leave. But, the truth is the dude who died ain't the killer. The real killer is still inside the house and in the attic. We see one of the victims, with a plastic bag on her head sitting on a rocking chair. This chilling ending still packs a punch all these years and viewings later.

12. Nekromantik (1988)- Our main character. a now lonely necrophiliac, commits harakari suicide with a knife. His erect dick shoots out blood and cum, in one of the most jaw dropping and shocking finales ever. Jorg Buttergergeit sets himself as the type of genre director who makes endings no else ever fucking would.

11. The Kill List (2011)- This British horror/ crime drama has a cult trick our main character into killing his own wife and child, in an ending that delivers one hell of a punch to the balls. My friends and I were fucking shocked beyond belief after we saw this. It really elevates the movie to near classic level.

10. Nekromantik 2 (1991)- This superior sequel to the arthouse extreme gorefest from Germany comes to us from the same filmmaker Jorg Buttergergeit. The ending, like the rest of the proceedings. is also better. The gorgeous Monika M. (one of the hottest women to ever grace our genre, mind you) is riding her current boyfriend. Then she slices his head off with knife and replaces it with decayed head of the first movie's lead character. After this splattery climax (pun intended), we cut to the doc's office to learn she is knocked up. Yup, no ends their fucking movies like Buttergergeit, nobody!

9. The Wicker Man (1973)- Our hero, played by the original Equalizer, himself Edward Woodward, get well done inside the Wicker Man, which is set ablaze by a cult. Said cult (damn lots of those in this list, huh?) is led by Christopher Lee's character. It's one of the greatest moments in all of horror, quite honestly.

8. The Vanishing (1988)- This Dutch horror thriller will haunt you for days with its nihilistic ending. Our hero, who has been searching for missing girlfriend, ends up discovering the truth of what happened to her: by being buried alive! This ending is ignored in the shitty American remake which deserves to be buried itself, under a pile of feces.

7. The Mist (2007)- Frank Daranbont's adaptation of Stephen King's novel delivers one of the greatest downbeat endings ever. Confronted with no escape from the nightmarish monsters of the titular mist, Thomas Jane's character is forced to kill the people who escaped the supermarket with him. Among them is his little son, but seconds later the Army comes in killing the monsters, clearing the mist, and bringing with them survivors. If had only waited a teensy bit longer...

6. The Return of the Living Dead (1985)- To end the zombie horde, the army drops a nuclear bomb on the town. As the charred remains of it raises to the sky, it rains, meaning the dead will raise again! But, even if they didn't, it ended with a motherfucking nuclear assault (and, I don't mean the thrash metal band)!

5. Se7en (1995)- As our hero (Brad Pitt) gets a box ("What's in the box?!) with his wife's (Gwenyth Paltrow) decapitated head, he releases his "wrath" on Doe, who "envied" our hero. He does this by blowing Doe's brains out. This completes John Doe's master plan of the seven deadly sins, in this absolutely searing finale.

4. Tenebrae (1982)- In this Dario Argento giallo classic, we learn that our killer faked his death, and he offs the cop investigating the brutal murders. Daria Nicoldi's character decides to go back in the house. The killer (who she had feelings for and hooked up with earlier in the movie) is waiting to off her. But, as she opens the door, a piece of modern art impales the bad guy, as he he bloodily dies in front of her. She lets loose a blood curdling scream that long resonates as the movie ends. It's one of the most unnerving finales in all of Euro-horror!

3. Sleepaway Camp (1983)- We learn that not only is our killer the quite and sweet Angela (Felissa Rose), but that she is actually a he. As, we see that Angela has a knife and a cock! It is the greatest twist (and admit ably shocking) endings in all of horror! Sorry. M. Knight Shyamalan, but this is how it is.

2. Friday the 13th (1980)- Alice (Adrienne King) is on a rowboat thinking all is fine, and with the serene music we do, too. But, nope, it ain't! Little Jason (Ari Lehman) jumps out of the water and drags her down. She wakes up screaming and says that he is still out there. Fuck yeah, he is as a franchise is born. And, regardless, whether you love those movies or not, this still remains a killer ending, even in repeated viewings. It is also, is I say, the greatest jump scare on God's green earth.

1. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)- Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) ends up getting sucked into the middle ages. There he blows a flying deadite's head and gets looked up as the promised one by the people. He isn't happy about this, to say the very least. This ending is so wild and utterly innovative that one cannot help but love it. It took years for it to be resolved by Sam Raimi's very own Army of Darkness, but this is still one of the coolest moments in all of the genre. It had such a huge impact and still gets me pumped all these years and viewings later!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my list. Am I missing any? Let me know in the comment section below. Also, have a good Memorial Day weekend and please stay safe.

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