Miami Golem

My review was written in April 1988 after watching the film on Twin Tower video cassette.

Previously titled "Cosmos Killer" and "Miami Golem", "Miami Horror" is the belated video release of a 1985 Italian horror pic. Disappointing treatment wastes an interesting sci-fi plot line, further done in by bad dubbing.

British thesp David Warbeck plays a tv reporter, reminiscent of Edward Judd in the classic "The Day the Earth Caught Fire", who's covering the story of scientists studying the origins of life by cloning bacteria from meteorites. Gangsters led by John Ireland steal the bacterial culture, which they plan to develop into a superhuman, alien being.

Script injects equal parts sci-fi and mysticism, as Warbeck is befriended by pretty Laura Trotter, who links a weird message he has received to Martians, Atlantis and the ancient Etruscans. Ultimately she concludes that we're being warned by folks from a different dimension of another universe to cool it with these dangerous genetic experiments. The culture develops into a fetus and then a monster baby (nice special effects by Sergio Stivaletti) called a golem. Disappointing ending features a spaceship as well.

Pic doesn't hold together; it needed a few more rewrites and a bigger budget. There is some okay location footage in Florida but not enough special effects.