Equinox (1970) – Episode 124 – Decades of Horror 1970s

"If you knew what was in that book, you'd turn to jelly! It's not meant for worms like you!” Doesn’t that make you want to read it even more? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they give their unforced perspective on the legendary film, Equinox (1970).

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 124 – Equinox (1970)

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Four friends are attacked by a demon while on a picnic, due to possession of a tome of mystic information. Told in flashbacks by the sole survivor.

IMDb

 

• Directors: Jack Woods, Dennis Muren (uncredited), Mark Thomas McGee (co-director) (uncredited)
• Writers: Mark Thomas McGee (based on a story by), Jack Woods
• Producer: Jack H. Harris
• Special Effects: David Allen, Dennis Muren, Jim Danforth
• Visual Effects: David Allen, Dennis Muren, Jim Danforth, Ralph Rodine, David Stipes
• Camera and Electrical Department: Ed Begley Jr. - assistant camera (uncredited)
• Production Staff: Conrad Buff IV - production staff (uncredited)
• Selected Cast:
  • Edward Connell as David Fielding
  • Barbara Hewitt as Susan Turner
  • Frank Bonner as Jim Hudson (as Frank Boers Jr.)
  • Robin Christopher as Vicki
  • Jack Woods as Asmodeus
  • Fritz Leiber as Dr. Arthur Waterman

A group of people with little or no experience decided to make a movie and they called it Equinox. What they did know how to do were special effects and stop motion animation. The people who worked on it became some of the most legendary special effects artists in movies and had shelves of Oscars to prove it. Bill even calls it one of the greatest movies ever made, professing it changed his life. Jeff gets into the differences between the original cut and the longer theatrical version with the additional footage that was shot. The whole idea of a book opening the door into the unknown intrigued Chad and he loves Equinox! Doc was not impressed the first time he saw the film but came to really respect the forced perspective and the stop motion animation elements. 

The more the 70s Grue-Crew talks about Equinox, the more they are rendered dumbstruck by the cutting edge nature of the special and visual effects and they give it their highest recommendation. If you haven’t seen it, please do so now! 

As of this writing, it is currently available to stream on HBOmax, the Criterion Channel, and Kanopy. Equinox is also currently available on physical media from Criterion.

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972). 

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