Equinox

• Directed by Jack Woods and Dennis Muren (uncredited)
• May 6, 1970 (Dallas, Texas)

Four young people picnicking in a canyon come across a book used to conjure demons and unleash a horde of evil creatures. Sounds a bit like a later movie.

Add this to my list of movies that I learned of via social media. The first mentions of Equinox that I encountered referenced it as similar to or perhaps even the inspiration for The Evil Dead. You cannot miss the similarities. Isolated area. Demons. A book that calls them and the moronic kids that think it’s a good idea to read out loud from a mysterious book with weird writing and demonic imagery.

Equinox is a movie made between two eras. The old styles of mood and atmosphere and supernatural horror that is more weird than frightening. They push the blood as far as they can but being the times it is more candy apple red than anything. The demons featured would certainly fit in nicely with the first three Evil Dead films but executed in a way closer to something that might pass the Saturday morning sniff test. Gore? This came out in 1970 but there is a scene of sexual assault.

The opening certainly sets the tone. It may be a weird clock montage but once it gets beyond that we also get an intrepid reporter trying to figure out just what went down a year and a day before. I question a mid-torso shot during this period containing extended dialogue where we NEVER see the heads of the actors. And then it goes into a guy overacting and running like Steven Seagal.

Our story is about a bunch of friends who go up into the mountains to an isolated cabin which is a geology professor’s house. Weirdly though when they get there and find the place in ruins with the professor M.I.A. they decide to proceed with the picnic they were also going to have anyway. You find a house caved in and the guy you’re looking for is gone and you decide a picnic is still a good idea? The level of indifference they showed when they decided to have the picnic is kind of funny in an unintentional way.

Strange oddities and the bizarre elements and a park ranger named Asmodeus (Jack Woods) show up. Even if everything else hadn’t occurred I would be very curious why somebody has a name like ‘Asmodeus’. They either are a weirdo or some demon because that is not a normal name. It does not pass the sniff test that nobody reacted to it.

Equinox is a student film that got converted into a feature film. And some of it works better than others which may or may not be indicative of the student film elements or just generally the meshing of the two. Some of the discussion of the situation is fine while the old guy in the cave is almost funny despite being meant to be creepy. A house gets destroyed by tentacles bursting out but looks to have caved in when seen.

For me the weirdest part is seeing Frank Bonner (listed as Frank Boers Jr.) playing Jim Hudson. He is best known as lovable office creep/station sales manager Herb Tarlek in the classic sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. I had no idea he had ever done anything like this until I saw his face. Love the show and this is a completely different animal for the actor. Just an interesting bit of casting. And an indication Bonner had some range.

I’m a fan of stop motion animation used in film. Just something about it appeals to me but only when done adequately at the minimum. Done well and it adds a whole other level. Done adequately and it’s just enjoyable to watch. We get some adequate to well done stop motion animation to accomplish the monsters that are encountered in this movie. These effects are just unique for the time.

Featured is a powerful book which summons dark things in the possession of a character named Dr. Arthur Watermann (Fritz Leiber). But why? He is supposed to be a geologist. There’s no explanation why a geologist would want a mystical book. And if he’s not a geologist then how did the geology student David (Edward Connell) meet up with a guy who’s not a geologist other than him going to the school where the guy taught.

Equinox is weird and imaginative. Never scary and sometimes odd but strong on atmosphere. It tries to creep you out rather than scare you and the oddness of it all will make you feel a little uneasy. I’m sure 50+ years ago it was quite effective but today it’s not nearly as much. I’m not calling it bad by that. But because of modern sensibilities it’s not as scary as it possibly once was. It is quite good though.

Part of me even thinks this movie could benefit from a remake. No huge changes but a little more polish on the acting and some newer special effects would certainly benefit the story. There is the strong sensation of a great deal happening in a very short period. I get that it was a student film so money is an issue but given the time that MAY have passed we never encounter the hint of dusk.

Equinox is a very interesting old effort. Maybe not terrifying but certainly bizarre and entertaining. If you’re a horror connoisseur this is worth your time. Others should move on.