After seeing the repulsive yet effective thriller, Tenement, I was interested to see more of director Roberta Findlay’s mainstream 1980s genre work, after a previous decade of working in exploitation and pornography. The Oracle (1985) is a low-budget supernatural horror movie that uses the planchette as its hook – a silver artificial hand in a book that works like an Ouija board, in that if you guide the hand will automatically write on paper, a getaway to the other side and ghosts seeking to communicate. In an apartment block, a new tenant, Jennifer (Caroline Capers Powers) comes into possession of the planchette through her friendly landlord, and then starts slowly becoming possessed by the spirit haunting this silver handed knick-knack.
A knock-off of Rosemary’s Baby and Poltergeist, this film shows that all you need to make a fun horror movie is to keep filming spooky scenes with green lighting gels, and throw in some goopy, gory practical special effects. My favourite part was that Caroline Capers Powers is always sporting make-up, even when she wakes from a nightmare in bed, rouge on her cheeks, and glistening lipstick. While Powers might do nothing more than continually scream at each haunting and supernatural visitation, or flail around hysterically from being chased by killers, she remains sympathetic as nobody around her believes in her story, or that people are trying to kill her. Especially her asshole Ned Flanders type boyfriend.
You’ve got New York locations, shaky audio quality across some scenes, a tour down a sleazy side of the street, an office Christmas party and a New Year shindig, a great vengeful ghost waiting to break some glass and melt some faces. This will appeal to certain horror fans who like their movies both goofy and grimy. Even if it doesn’t feel like a gut-punch the way that Tenement did, it’s a fun burst of horror schlock with an effective third act.
Streamed it on Tubi (USA). Recommended.
VHS Tracking 