Episode 31 - The Kiss (1988)
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The late 80's were flush with horror movies. Everyone trying to be the next Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street - every distribution company needed their slasher film franchise. With so much content and so many choices it's not surprising that a lot of the films simply fell into obscurity. Today we look at a film that was simply thrown away, something that just didn't make the cut, and it's a shame because it's a lot better than the majority of it's counterparts.
You might be surprised to learn that this movie was actually intended for a wide theatrical release. It's not bottom of the barrel VHS fodder here, this is a legit movie with a budget. Produced in Canada and anticipated for US theatrical distribution, it's release date kept getting pushed back until eventually it opened in a few select markets and was simply forgotten about.
The film actually garnered a positive review from the LA Times and lukewarm reception from Leonard Maltin. What sets this film apart from so many of it's counterparts is it's unique concept and some truly bizarre choices - including a scene where a girl is pretty much "mind-raped" during a science class, potentially by her own father.
On top of that, the insistence on pushing Coca Cola products in this movie is borderline insane. Coke is mentioned by name more than a few times, characters hold their cans and products label out and to the lens, and one scene actually has a character lamenting how her life would be better if she just had a "fucking diet coke". I'm not kidding.
Throw in a Demon Cat, some crazy African voodoo, and a weird love triangle that might or might not be developing between a father and daughter and you have one weird and wonderful horror film that was simply lost in the shuffle of the late 80's.
This Kiss is a movie that shouldn't be missed. It's not the best movie of it's kind but it's just something worth watching for no other reason than to see something that isn't derivative of a different franchise. It has fallen victim to the worst nightmare of a distribution company, presenting something new and trying to sell it to a built-in audience expecting the same old slasher tropes. We bet the fine people at Coca Cola were pretty upset to see all that beverage money go to waste. So in honor of them, grab a copy of The Kiss, poor yourself a fucking diet Coke, and watch some classic 1980's horror.
NEXT WEEK'S FILM: Watch our announcement video to find out!
