Mad Ron's Prevues from Hell

Mad Ron’s Prevues from Hell
Directed by Jim Monaco
Released: 1987
Starring Nick Pawlow, Happy Goldsplatt, Michael Townsend Wright, Anthony Kelly, Ron Roccia
Running Time: 83 minutes
DVD Studio: Virgil Films



Two zombies walk into a movie theater- stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Hey gang, Mad Ron (Ron Roccia) is chained to the projector and is playing all of his favorite horror trailers! So sit back and enjoy the show. Our hosts Nick Pawlow and his zombie pal Happy Goldsplatt, are here with some ghastly jokes and ghoulish quips-uh oh- what’s that? It seems like those two zombies brought along their undead pals and things are getting out of control. Um, maybe you shouldn’t sit back too far, the ghouls in the back row aren’t content with their bloody popcorn anymore.



This makes me so angry! Where the hell was Mad Ron’s Prevues from Hell when I needed it the most? I was 11 years old when this hit VHS and I realize that missing out on it stunted my horror growth. This compilation of trailers with its cheesy hosts and gory goofiness plus my steady diet of junk food and thrash metal could have made me into a horror man instead of the horror boy I am today.



The collection of trailers here are perfect for a good time. Selections like the standard Texas Chainsaw Massacre are here alongside the more obscure picks like (the “stomach shocker of your life”) The Ghastly Ones, The Diabolical Doctor Z, and Mad Doctor of Blood Island. Of course, Lady Frankenstein is here which is always good for a devious grin and oh man, the trailer for Love Me Deadly is a dang riot. Also, the trailer for the double feature, I Drink Your Blood/I Eat Your Skin, is here and it is simply perfect.



The only thing that got on my nerves are the inclusion of Man from Deep River featuring real animal violence and Africa – Blood and Guts which features real human and animal violence. I know a lot of horror folks don’t bat an eyelash at these things but I personally count them as a detraction from the entertainment value of Prevues from Hell. Who is a wet blanket? Me!



So if you like your trailers wet and sloppy, then check this out. The interruptions from the hosts are pretty amusing (in a kitschy eye-rolling, ironic knee-slapping kind of way) and they come bearing gifts: dozens of classic trailers, gory setpieces, and goofy zombie antics. Mad Ron’s Prevues from Hell is a perfect party favor when you have some fiends over with short attention spans and a lust for trash.



DVD Stuff

First of all, this disc has a fucking great menu. It’s simple, it’s cheesy, and it’s awesome. Prevues from Hell looks and sounds okay all things considered. The full frame transfer looks like a grubby video production but it is definitely watchable. Once this party gets started, you’ll tell your HD TV to shove it and your Blu-ray player to get bent. Extras include two behind the scenes reels, a poster gallery, promos for the DVD release of Preveues from Hell (apparently, someone from Avatar was involved), and deleted scenes (actually a couple of bonus trailers).