Plot: The Gold Spike Mine has been closed down for a while, but all signs point to it still being rich with mining potential. Some think the stories about unexplained events are to blame, as rumors of strange sightings and eerie encounters abound. The locals seem to believe all the stories, but business is business, so a small group comes together to look into the mine’s potential. They’ve heard the tales of unusual accidents and workers vanishing without a trace, but they’re determined to finish the assignment. And one of them plans to write about the mine’s exploration, hoping to put the rumors and folk tales to rest once and for all. Once the group has ventured inside however, their rope snaps and they are forced to find a new exit, if one exists. As the push in deeper, they begin to see signs of strange things and the tension mounts. Is the mine just a little unsafe or is there some kind of dark, buried secret within?

Entertainment Value: The 80s gave us a few horror movies centered on old mines, including this one, The Strangeness. A group goes inside to explore and of course, wind up trapped and facing some kind of dark presence. This one has a slow build, but once the rope snaps, the tension is solid. The pace is still on the slow side, but the cramped confines of the mine provide great atmosphere. This is not a slasher by any means, there’s little violence and bloodshed, more of a slow burn that gives little glimpses, but holds back the full blast until the finale. I don’t mind a slower pace, but I do know some dislike that approach, so I wanted to mention that. I like the claustrophobic feel at times here, especially as time passes and not only does an exit not seem likely, but this dread of the unknown sweeps in. The cast is fine, but only a couple of the characters are all that memorable. The guide proves to be the stand out, adding some humor and great facial reactions. The movie’s infamous monster doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but it is a lot of fun and used to effective ends. I’d recommend this to fans of 80s horror or monster movies, especially if you appreciate stop motion creations.

Some impressive camel toe thanks to some tight pants, but sadly no nakedness. The blood quotient is low here, only seen in minor doses and usually mixed in with ooze from acid melting effects. The melting scenes look cool though, so no complaints there. There’s not much violence at all in this one and what little there is, takes place off screen. The real effects draw here is the monster, which was created old school stop motion techniques. The creature looks cool, with a dripping vagina face, but the low rent roots are obvious. But who cares? The monster is a fun creation and adds to the entertainment, plus its just always fun to see stop motion, I think. The guide has most of the memorable lines here, usually related to the gold and how everyone is out to get his share. Not many memorable lines in this one however, as the tone is usually serious and dialogue isn’t a real focus. I have to give some craziness points for the vagina face creature, but aside from that, this one’s pretty grounded. But it does deserve a couple points, as the vagina face beast is pretty awesome.

Nudity: 0/10

Blood: 1/10

Dialogue: 1/10

Overall Insanity: 2/10