Retribution ** (1987, Dennis Lipscomb, Leslie Wing, Hoyt Axton, Suzanne Snyder) – Classic Movie Review 13,462

Dennis Lipscomb stars as a suicidal painter possessed by a vengeful spirit and sent through LA on a ghoulish quest for vengeance, in Guy Magar’s 1987 American horror film Retribution.

Dennis Lipscomb stars as a suicidal frustrated painter who is possessed by a vengeful demon and sent shambling through LA on a ghoulish quest for vengeance, in Guy Magar’s 1987 American horror film Retribution.

Shamelessly silly and loaded with laughable dialogue though it is, Retribution still somehow works and entertains, thanks to Guy Magar’s energy and imagination as director and co-writer (with Lee Wasserman), great 80s special effects, and a certain intriguing and attractive weirdness in the story and scenes.

In hospital on Halloween after attempting suicide by jumping from a hotel roof, George Miller is possessed by the vengeful spirit of Vito Minelli, who dies there after being shot and set on fire by the mob for not paying his gambling debts.

George survives and his psychiatrist (Leslie Wing) thinks he is mentally ill but Lt Ashley (Hoyt Axton) believes he is responsible for a series of brutal murders. It turns out George has been possessed by Vito, who has been killing the gangsters responsible for his own death.

The cast

The cast are Dennis Lipscomb as George Miller, Leslie Wing as Dr Jennifer Curtis, Suzanne Snyder as Angel, Jeff Pomerantz as Dr Alan Falconer, George Murdock as Dr John Talbot, Pamela Dunlap as Sally Benson, Susan Peretz as Mrs Stoller, Clare Peck as Carla Minelli, Chris Caputo as Dylan, Hoyt Axton as Lt Ashley, Ralph Manza as Amos, Mario Roccuzzo as Johnny Blake, Harry Caesar as Charlie, Jeffrey Josephson as Joe Martinez, and Tony Cox as Hotel Resident.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,462

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