From 2011, this is one of my most popular Bad Movie reviews, so here it is again, 14 years later. Deafula is yet another of those bad movies that has such a bizarre premise that many used to believe the film to be an urban legend, like the turkey-monster flick Blood Freak. Get ready for a deaf vampire, a very odd witch and the most joyously goofy hunchback in cinematic history.
DEAFULA (1975) – Category: A neglected bad movie classic that deserves a Plan 9-sized cult following
Good intentions go horribly wrong in this film. Much like with Blood Freak, there were people who insisted this film was just an urban legend and that it didn’t really exist. Those people were wrong. This horror film is in black and white and, as the title suggests, the vampire as well as everyone else in this movie’s world are deaf and communicate through sign language, billed as “Signscope” in the movie posters and in the opening credits, as if this was a pioneering technical gimmick on a par with Sensurround. (Although considering how lame Sensurround was there may be something to that)
Never fear, though, there is also voice-over narration provided by different people for each actor so that people who don’t know sign language can follow the story. Obviously this is all very noble, and in fact Peter Wechsburg, who produced this film and stars as Deafula, was responsible for an all-sign language newscast for the hearing impaired. That newscast originated in Portland, OR which is also where Deafula was filmed. Continue reading




NAIA BEATS NCAA DIVISION TWO – Once again an NAIA team – in this case the KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS – has defeated a team from the higher Division Two of the NCAA – in this case the CENTRAL STATE MARAUDERS. The Knights parlayed their 7-0 1st Quarter lead into a 28-14 advantage at Halftime. From there, they consummated the Upset 35-27.
NUMBER FOUR TAKES A FALL – Staying in the NAIA for the moment, this game pitted the NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS against the visiting number 4 team in the nation – the MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie was unchanged at the Half. After the break, the Red Raiders toppled Morningside 14-13.
AND ANOTHER NUMBER FOUR FALLS – Down in NCAA Division Three, the 13th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS welcomed the number 4 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT LACROSSE EAGLES. A 21-14 Pioneers edge to end the 1st Half became a 28-14 lead in the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th, UW-Platteville put away the Eagles 38-21. 
GHOST RIDER – Daredevil biker Johnny Blaze makes a deal with the devil: Johnny’s soul in exchange for Satan curing the cancer in the body of Blaze’s mentor “Crash” Simpson. We all know how deals with the devil go, and not only does Crash die anyway, but Johnny Blaze is cursed to periodically transform into the flame-headed monster called Ghost Rider.




GANJA & HESS (1973) – Duane Jones, immortalized as “the black guy who got screwed over at the end of Night of the Living Dead“, also starred in this offbeat, artsy vampire film which was also released as Blood Couple and many other titles.