Jeffery Combs plays Crawford Tillinglast, a brilliant lab assistant to a Dr.Edward Pretorius. The two are working on a device called the Resonator. The Resonator uses magnetic waves to stimulate the mind and the pineal gland, the mystic third eye that is supposed to give humans and enhanced extra sense. Pretorius runs the machine too long and causes a rift into another dimension which shows that there are creatures of all kinds that swarm around us at all times. The creatures look like eels and jelly fish, but Pretorius goes even farther and draws something else out and something much larger and deadlier. The creature consumes Pretorius and sucks him back into it's own dimension, Crawford shuts down the machine and runs for his life.

Once the machine is reactivated Catherine like Petorios becomes trapped under it's power and wants to always see more. The machine begins to pull more and more baddies from beyond, until finally Pretorius himself returns in a new ghastly form. It is up to Bubba and Crawford to stop the machine and save Catherine from the now mad Pretorius who is gaining in power every second.

This one is kinda out there, based on a Lovecraft story, but still pretty decent. Combs is great as always and the effects are not shabby for the year it was made. This film had a good idea to begin with but it drifts away from the main motive as the story goes along. There is a great transformation however, no not from human Pretorius to monster, but from straight laced Dr. Catherine McMicheals to Catherine "S&M, Kink Whore, Ball Sweat Licking, Comatose Dry Humping" McMicheals. I gotta admit that scene was kinda rough and erotic grrrrrrrrrrowl. Not a bad rent but not a keeper unless you are a true Lovecraft fan, so there ya go Paynecraft.

4/10

In the Stuart Gordon timeline, this came just after Re-Animator and before Castle Freak. The usual suspects are involved with this flick. In addition to Stuart Gordon and Jeffrey Combs, you have Barbara Crampton, Brian Yuzna, Charles Band, and Richard Band. Ken Foree is just gravy.

This is a pretty good flick. Most of Lovecraft's stories are fantastic and quite hard to imagine on the big screen. Some of them are a little dated also, from a scientific standpoint. Gordon seems to have a knack for nailing it though. The actual short story is good also, so get up off your ass and read it. It's like only 8 pages or something.

Anyway, I thought this was a good adaptation. As Prime mentioned, Crampton in lingerie was pretty sweet also. The storyline was good and interesting. What I liked is that they had quite good explanations as to why all this weird shit was happening (no magic medallions, for all you purists out there). I could almost half believe it, though the crazed Pineal glands were a bit much.

Overall, a good unique flick, with good effects. This is also considering the budget and the fact that it is just under 20 years old. I give it 7.5 out of 10 doctors that carry bombs around with them.