Remember WATCHERS?

WATCHERS (Blu-ray)

1988 / 91 min

Toy Robot Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😾

Do you remember Watchers? It took me a while, but roughly 20 minutes into it, I recalled paying to see this in theaters on a weekend when a horror movie sounded good, but not necessarily a specific one. That was easy to do back in the 80s, when at least one or two would be showing at your local multiplex during any given week. And I didn’t give the film another single thought afterwards until revisiting it for this review. 

Watchers has been resurrected by Toy Robot, a new offshoot of Arrow Video that, so far, appears to specialize in obscurities that have been largely forgotten by all but their most argent fans. In that respect, this one certainly qualifies, and for good reason. There’s nothing particularly memorable or noteworthy about it.

Based on a novel by overly-prolific author Dean Koontz, Watchers is a sci-fi/horror hybrid about a classified government experiment that goes fatally wrong. In this case, it’s a dog with enhanced intelligence and a creature bred from the same DNA with enhanced anger issues. After an explosion at the research facility, both escape, and the dog befriends teenager Travis Cornell (Corey Haim), who names it Fur Face. Meanwhile, the creature (referred to as OXCOM), is hell-bent on killing the dog, as well as anyone who comes in contact with it. That’s when the bodies start piling up.

"Not on the first date, Corey."

Michael Ironside is the NSO agent tasked with recapturing both beasts and keeping the experiment under wraps. He also turns out to be violently psychotic, murdering the local sheriff who asks too many questions about the NSO's activities. As with a lot of B-movies back in the day, Ironside is the best part of the film, attacking his villainous role with abandon. Sure, it’s typecasting, but who cares? When you find your niche, you roll with it, and few career bad guys at the time rolled quite like he did.

Elsewhere, the performances are perfunctory and the narrative efficiently moves from scene to scene. But there’s little in the way of atmosphere, tension or the kind of gratuitous onscreen bloodshed that has made even crappy creature features fun to watch. While competently made, Watchers is as generic as ‘80s horror gets. However, the few who do remember this one might get a nostalgic kick out of revisiting it, as well as the enjoyable bonus features that are included (outlined below)..

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.  

INTERVIEWS - All new, fairly extensive individual interviews with director Jon Hess, actors Michael Ironside (who’s candid about his opinion of the film), Barbara Williams & Lala Sloatman.

TRAILER & TV SPOT

IMAGE GALLERY

MARSHMALLOW Exists for the Twist

MARSHMALLOW (Blu-ray)

2025 / 93 min

Toy Robot

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

A subsidiary of Arrow Video, Toy Robot is a new boutique label that, so far, appears similarly committed to releasing cult classics and newer indie films. Marshmallow is one of the latter, a 2025 horror movie directed by Daniel Delpurgatorio, who I’d never heard of until now. But he might be someone to keep an eye on…

…though I certainly didn't think so during the first half of this thing. My first thought was, God, yet another slasher movie taking place at a summer camp in the woods. And no, the story doesn’t unfold like an homage or parody. You’ve got your usual collection of douchebag counselors, campers who are misfits or bullies, and of course, the ol’ scary campfire story about an urban legend, all presented as though Delpurgatorio and writer Andy Greskoviak invented these tropes. Yawn. 

Then something begins to happen, slowly at first. Initially, it appears that the aforementioned urban legend is gonna turn out to be true…lots of stalking and kids running, screaming & hiding. In fact, nearly all of the terror is inflicted on children…and as it turns out, there’s a reason for that. To elaborate further would ruin some cool story twists and a final revelation you won't likely see coming. But it will have you re-thinking some few of the glaring implausibilities of the first half.

"First rule of Fight Club, kids..."

Is it worth the wait? Yeah, I think so. Overall, Marshmallow still has a few liabilities, such as weak characters, occasionally dumb dialogue and what might be the most overbearing music score I’ve ever heard in a horror movie. And I still don't know what the hell the title means. But despite the familiar setting, it’s pretty atmospheric, well-directed and doesn’t rely too much on jump-scares and gory shocks.

Marshmallow clearly exists for the big twist, which is pretty original and ultimately elevates this one a bit above the usual “there’s something in the woods” slasher film. I don’t know if I would ever be compelled to watch it a second time, but any horror movie that manages to throw a surprise my way can’t be dismissed entirely.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Filming the Dream Sequence

PODCAST INTERVIEWS - Featuring director Daniel Delpurgatorio, screenwriter Andy Greskoviak and actor Dylan Friendman.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Daniel Delpurgatorio and actors Kue Lawrence & Kai Cech.

SHORTS - “Other” and “Body(s)” are two early shorts by director Daniel Delpurgatorio.

STORYBOARDS, STILLS GALLERY & SCRIPT PAGES

REVERSIBLE COVER