Starring: Zach Galligan, Deborah Foreman, Michelle Johnson, David Warner, John Rhys-Davies, Dana Ashbrook, Patrick Macnee, J. Kenneth Campbell, Miles O'Keeffe, Jennifer Bassey, Joe Baker, Eric Brown, Clare Carey
Review: When a mysterious wax museum appears a group of friends (Zach Galligan, Deborah Foreman, Michelle Johnson, Eric Brown, Clare Carey, and Dana Ashbrook) attend a private showing and it doesn't take long to see why these exhibits are so life-like.
I first saw Waxwork on late-night TV when I was a kid. I loved it then, and I love it even more now! It's a cult classic in every sense. It's got monsters, horror, shocks, gore, humor, over-the-top moments, and a spirit that only a low budget movie with big ideas could.
Zach Galligan, of Gremlins fame, is our lead and the great David Warner is the villainous proprietor of the waxwork. The entire cast looks to be having a great time here and it's easily to see why... The plot is that this waxwork needs live victims to cross the ropes and literally enter the exhibits, die, and become part of the display. Once all the displays are completed the they will come to life and wreak havoc on the world. It's a silly premise, but it's original and clever, and for having such a small budget, it's executed quite well.
If you like horror comedies, '80s cult movies, or looking to relive the days of finding a hidden gem on late-night TV or at your local video store, Waxwork is definitely worth a closer look.
Fun Fact: Deborah Foreman and Anthony Hickox were dating during the making of this movie. They had, what Hickox describes as, a "messy break-up" prior to filming Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992), so she declined the offer to reprise her role.