Kattiera Nana I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Backlash007 The Outing is a textbook example of how great artwork can entice you to pick up a movie from your local mom and pop video store's shelf. Now, the status of the movie inside said case could be questionable, but how can you pass up that art? Luckily The Outing is not that bad. Granted, the acting could use some touching up and the formula is an old one, but the gore effects stand out and the sheer eighties-ness of the piece shines through. The Outing (aka The Lamp) is about a group of high school students who decide to spend the night at the local museum. Unbeknownst to them the newest piece at the museum is a genie lamp harboring an evil Djinn. Keep in mind that this was many years before Wishmaster was made. When the horny teens decide to split up and explore the place (and each other) the Djinn is set loose to work his evil magic. That's the formulaic part. But there are some interesting moments along the way. Highlights include: A man getting ripped in half under water, a scientist being thrown into a ceiling fan, and a nubile teen taking a bath with snakes. It's just campy enough to keep me watching and gory enough for me not to give it a bad review.

allison-159 This movie was filmed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. There are a few glimpses of the sign in the front of the building and current Museum patrons will notice that the Planetarium is mysteriously disconnected (pre- grand hall) and the "side door" where the kids get back into the building after the building is locked down now leads to a ramp and into the parking garage. I am the Museum's Overnight coordinator now and have spent the night in this same museum many times - unfortunately there is no jin to be found... or is there? Obviously we've updated the Museum a bit since this was filmed but if you grew up in Houston going to the Museum on field trips take a closer look at this movie for a good laugh. Don't worry - the laughs definitely continue as you examine the plot, dialog, special effects and fashion! This movie is beloved by HMNS staff and we were especially excited to find out about the secret bathtub/snake room!

Coventry "The Lamp" is incredibly stupid 80's smut that can be found in practically every video store in my country whereas other, much better horror gems from that same decade are nearly impossible to purchase anywhere! Such a thing annoys the hell out of me! All in all, there's ONE remotely good sequence in this film (defenseless girl killed in bathtub by snakes), but the remaining 84 minutes are a textbook example of what horror shouldn't be like. Dumb characters run around, doing & saying the most ridiculous things while threatened by an "evil" Djinn that appears to be made out of plasticine. Juvenile delinquents steal the titular lamp from an old lady's house and get killed. The ancient relic then becomes property of a national museum in Texas for further examination and exhibition. Some kids, among them the curator's daughter, develop the bright idea of spending their Friday night in the museum's basement (what can possibly be exciting about that?) and, naturally, they get killed by the djinn in various ways. End of story. The acting is horrible, possibly even among the WORST I've ever seen, and first-time director Tom Daley seems to leave out tension & atmosphere on purpose. The make up is even too cheesy to look charming and the romantic sub plots are intolerably tedious. One of the museum night guards sings opera songs during his shift until he gets speared. He's actually the most talented person involved in the whole production.

Tikkin There's no denying that The Lamp has its fair share of clichés and silliness but if you're a fan of the genre you can't help but love it. The story behind it is actually quite original and interesting, there's not many films out there about killer genies is there? And of course there's the typical "3 wishes" trap with the moral of be careful what you wish for (the girl at one point wishes her father was dead). The genie effects used at the end are ultra cheesy, but cool at the same time. I love the camera angles from the perspective of the genie as it floats along corridors. The best camera view is one that is apparently from 'inside' the lamp. Obviously they would have done this with a piece of red plastic over the screen, but it's still a cool trick. The deaths are decent, but weren't very gory (at least in the VHS version I watched). If you're a fan of slasher films, I would add this to your collection. It's unique in its own way and probably one of the only slasher films with a killer genie in it!