FrightFest 2020: CYST Review – A Delightfully Disgusting Old School Monster Movie
David Gelmini
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Starring George Hardy, Eva Habermann, Greg Sestero, Jason Douglas
Directed by Tyler Russell
If you enjoy being grossed out, you’ll probably love Cyst, because this is a film where pus literally sprays in every direction. The filmmakers clearly wanted to create something which would make viewers want to throw up, and they no doubt succeeded.
The reason why we see so many shots of pimples and boils being sliced open is because the plot of Cyst focuses on a mad doctor who wants to make a fortune by zapping away spots with his new laser, although sadly for him, the laser actually causes a patient’s boil to transform into a practical effects monstrosity which then embarks on a murderous rampage throughout the clinic.
Fans of Troll 2 will be delighted to see George Hardy in the lead role as Dr. Guy. Since he’s playing a mad doctor character, Hardy clearly hams his performance up to eleven, and the result is glorious to watch. And seeing as Greg Sestero has only had a handful of serious acting roles since The Room, it was refreshing to see him not only having a significant amount of screen time here, but also delivering a completely serious performance despite the absurd and comedic tone of the film. Eva Habermann was also on top form as the nurse who puts up with Dr. Guy’s antics before finally coming to accept that she probably needs to find a new job.
But the real star of Cyst has got to be the monster. Created through a mixture of practical effects and actors in suits, this hulking abomination looks like something straight out of John Carpenter’s The Thing, and every second it appears onscreen serves as a reminder of the good old days of practical FX before CGI ruined everything. Seeing the actors physically interacting with the creature on-set was incredibly satisfying, and despite the sixty-eight minute runtime, the monster was still onscreen for a considerable portion of the film. And when you take into account the 1960s period setting, Cyst really does feel like a product of its time, and we mean that in the best way possible. Because who doesn’t love an old school monster movie?
Cyst was like a pus-filled blast from the past, and as connoisseurs of horror from all eras, we appreciated it for that. So if you’re not afraid of being covered with pus, we highly recommend Cyst to all our readers. Just remember to bring along a sick bag.
Summary
We love old school monster movies with a passion, and Cyst served as a welcome reminder of why we fell in love with the subgenre in the first place. So we think our readers will love Cyst, but we also recommend wearing a wetsuit. Because pus will definitely be on the menu.
