B Movies and Beyond

Skew (2011, Sevé Schelenz)

2012-01-11T23:17:00.005-05:00

Skew is a new "found footage" horror film that has been making the rounds at film festivals over the past year. Being the hermit that I am, I was fortunate to receive a screener of the film. Ever since seeing The Blair Witch Project in the theater I have been a fan of this sub genre and jump at the chance of seeing new "found footage" films.

Skew is about three friends, Rich (Richard Olak), Eva (Amber Lewis) and Simon (Rob Scattergood) who go on a road trip to their friend's wedding. Rich and Eva are dating and we learn that Simon and his girlfriend (who was supposed to come on the trip) are having some problems in their relationship. Simon brings along a videocamera to record the trip, much to his friends' dismay. As their trip commences, strange things start happening and soon people (and animals) that they meet along the way start dying. Simon finds a connection with the murders but is afraid to tell his friends. To complicate matters more, Simon and Eva start showing that they have feelings for each other, causing a rift between the trio.

Skew reaffirms my faith in the "found footage" genre by featuring everything that makes these films great. It is filled with creepy atmosphere and effective camerawork, some jump shocks and also complicated characters that are far more developed than your normal horror film. Sometimes the build up for these films drags and you can't wait for something to actually happen, but the interaction between Skew's characters is just as gripping as the rest of the film. The actors excel at their roles and make the film believable. This is simply one of the best "found footage" films I've seen.

RATING: 9/10

Skew is now available to stream on NETFLIX

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, Rupert Wyatt)

2012-01-07T01:11:00.004-05:00

Who doesn't love Planet of the Apes? Whether it be Charlton Heston seeing the crumbled Statue of Liberty or Roddy McDowall's roles as Cornelius and Caesar, you can't deny the awesomeness of this series. Though many thought the series was dead with Tim Burton's needless remake, we can now rejoice at a proper continuation to the Ape saga with Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes stars James Franco as Will Rodman, a scientist who is working on finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease. Just when he thinks he has perfected the serum, the ape that was being tested goes crazy and smashes the lab. The project gets shut down but Rodman continues experimenting and finds a cure, which he gives to his father (John Lithgow) who is suffering from the disease. The second test ape he used, Caesar, begins getting much smarter than normal apes and after being sent to an ape sanctuary, he starts teaching the other apes in hopes of rising up against mankind.

I'm sure everyone has their favorite Apes film and I wouldn't be surprised if most people would say the first is their favorite. Though it was definitely a classic, I much prefer Escape and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes to the original. Rise of the Planet of the Apes shares some similarities to Conquest but they are two completely different films. Considered a prequel and also a reboot to a new series of Apes films, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was brilliant. The story was very modern (as I'm sure the originals were in their time) and though it was definitely science fiction, not once was my belief dispelled while watching the film. That to me is the most important aspect of why Rise of the Planet of the Apes was so successful. The cast here is first rate, especially Franco and Lithgow but the real star was Andy Serkis's motion capture performance as Caesar. I usually poo poo CGI but the unbelievably realistic Apes created for this film are amazing. In some ways this film surpasses the originals and overall I'd say it's tied as my favorite Apes film with Escape and Conquest. The Rise of the Planet of the Apes DVD from 20th Century Fox is a must have for fans of the film with three very enjoyable extras - Deleted Scenes, Mythology of the Apes documentary and The Genius of Andy Serkis. Even if you aren't a fan of the series, you will find something in this film you will like.

RATING: 9/10

To Be Twenty (1978, Fernando Di Leo)

2011-12-29T02:47:00.000-05:00

Released this year by Raro Video for the first time in the U.S., is To Be Twenty (Avere vent'anni) from the master of Italian Crime films Fernando Di Leo. Though nothing like his classic polizioteschi films included in Raro's Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection, To Be Twenty is no less interesting (and shocking). Being a fan of Di Leo, I had to see this one especially after hearing about its controversial ending (which luckily wasn't spoiled before watching it).

To Be Twenty stars Lilli Carati as the loud mouthed, promiscuous Tina and the beautiful Gloria Guida as the more soft spoken Lia. After being left behind at a hippy beach party, the two decide to hitchhike to a notorious commune where they can live for free and have all the free love they want. When they get there, they realize that the owner Nazariota (Vittorio Caprioli) is nothing more than a scam artist and the girls are forced into prostitution if they want to stay (something they don't seem to mind). Their "Young, Hot and Pissed-Off" ways eventually catch up with them in a shocking ending that has to be seen to be believed.

Contrary to what I've read, the ending, though definitely shocking, is less unexpected than I had originally thought it would be. Without giving anything away, the girls are actually pretty annoying and unlikeable and to see their selfish and careless ways catch up with them is almost like a sick sort of justice (though perhaps a little harsher than what they deserve). From the synopsis I had read, I expected the girls to be more innocent in their wild ways, which turned out to be not so true. One thing I really liked about the film is how the Lia and Tina's personalities are revealed as (or become) the exact opposite of our initial impressions. We find Tina to be all bark and no bite while Lia's quiet personality turns out to be more carefree. I have read that Di Leo's intention with the film is to show the power of feminism and free love, but for me the end result was the exact opposite - that free love and selfish actions will end in disaster. The supporting actors in the film all helped flesh out the story with one of my favorites, Ray Lovelock, playing the burnt out druggie Rico and Giorgio Bracardi as the no-nonsense commissario who busts the commune. Raro's 2 disc presentation of To Be Twenty is another example of why we are so lucky to have them finally releasing films in the United States. We are graced with the director's cut of the film (featuring the notorious ending) as well as the theatrical cut, which drastically changes the film into an incoherent mess. Unfortunately though the theatrical cut's presentation is much better with a beautiful transfer while the director's cut is a little more worn, though still very watchable. Despite this, the extended cut is definitely the one to watch regardless of condition. Also included is a photo gallery, director filmography/biography and the film's screenplay. The best feature though is a half hour documentary on the film featuring interviews with Di Leo and some of the film's cast and crew. Definitely a good companion to the film. Overall, the film isn't perfect but it is definitely a fascinating example of an exploitation film with a message (despite how obscured the message is) and is a must have for fan's of Fernando Di Leo.

RATING: 9/10

To Be Twenty is available directy from Raro Video HERE

Murder Obsession (1981, Riccardo Freda)

2011-12-17T00:25:00.000-05:00

Murder Obsession (Follia omicida), just released by Raro Video, is a hard film to categorize. Sure it's a horror film mostly, but it also has supernatural/occult elements as well as a hint of giallo mixed in for an added kick. This eclecticism shouldn't be surprising though considering the various genres director Riccardo Freda dabbled in - everything from horror (The Horrible Dr. Hichcock) to spaghetti westerns (Death Doesn't Count the Dollars) to sword and sandals (several Maciste films). Two things that attracted me to this film, besides the genres presented, were Stefano Patrizi, who I have enjoyed watching in several polizioteschi films and Anita Strindberg, the beautiful star of many fine giallo films.

Murder Obsession stars Patrizi as the horror film star Michael Stanford who, along with his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio) decides to visit his estranged mother. Along for the trip are some of the cast and the director of their current film. Michael's mother (Strindberg) is overjoyed to see her son for she has been very lonely since Michael's father was killed. We soon learn that it was Michael who killed his father when he was a child and after spending many years in a psych ward is now starting to have strange visions and blackouts. Soon, each of the guests start dying one by one and Michael is the main suspect.

Murder Obsession was a weeeeeeird film. The mixture of different genres worked well for the most part, though the one major supernatural scene had some flaws. Granted it was supposed to be dream-like, I'm not sure fake giant spiders and bats on strings can constitute dream-like. The real chicken having his head cut off though was definitely cringe-worthy and effective. I have two other minor gripes with the film, the first being a couple of the major deaths in the film (one by chainsaw, one an axe to the head) were pretty poorly done. The second, which is just me being picky is the film's title, not only does it not really pertain to the film but it just sounds awful. Other than that, I actually enjoyed the film. As I mentioned previously, I liked the cast a lot. Even Laura Gemser who I've only previously seen as eye candy in Joe D'Amato's sleazefests held her own. The film also had a decent story with a lot of suspense and I really couldn't guess the ending until the big reveal - and even then it kept you on the edge until the final disturbing frames. Raro's DVD is quite satisfactory and other than a little bit of grain, the picture is very good. The film is presented in English with a few scenes that abruptly switch over to Italian (with English subtitles), which was a little distracting but didn't really detract from the film. Lastly, this DVD comes with a 10 minute interview with makeup FX man Sergio Stivaletti who worked on the film. Though not without its flaws, Murder Obsession is a fun watch with more than enough gore, atmosphere and plot twists to please most horror fans.

RATING: 7/10

Wanna see a Toxic Avenger 5 music video?

2011-12-14T23:17:00.002-05:00

The band is called Reason and they made the song for the Toxic Avenger 5 soundtrack, titled "The Toxic Avenger" (No joke, they've been in contact with Troma for 3 years about it). Now they are making a music video for it. But before they do that they need to raise money.

Here is the link to help: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reasonofficial/reasons-the-toxic-avenger-music-video

Legendary singer Sean Peck is featured on the song and they also got Dennis Woodruff to star in the music video, and in the fundraising video.

So help out this worthy cause if you can.

All God's Creatures (2011, Ryan Cummings & Frank Licata)

2011-12-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

All God's Creatures is an independent, micro budget film ($25,000) that made its premiere at the 2011 Hoboken International Film Festival. Though not available on DVD yet, I was lucky enough to receive a screener from the producer. It's always fun getting screeners of low budget, indie films because you never know what you are going to get (and I've received plenty of stinkers before). Occasionally, a film really stands out and reminds me how important independent films can be in this world of Transformers and pointless remakes. This is one of them.

All God's Creatures stars Josh Folan (who also wrote the screenplay) as Jon Smith, a seemingly normal young guy who works at a coffee shop. Though looks can be deceiving because Jon has a little problem...he likes to bring girls back to his apartment, kill them and dismember them. After a few meetings with some innocent victims, Jon meets Delia, another seemingly normal person who has her own secret life. Delia is a prostitute who posts ads on Craigslist. She is trying to get some money together so she can take her sister out of the abusive home she is currently living in. After initially rejecting Delia, Jon finally relents and opens up to her (without revealing his biggest secret). He soon decides that he will quit his murderous ways so he can be with Delia. However, the past soon rears its ugly head and they both must face their demons.

All God's Creatures was a disturbing, violent film focusing on addiction, acceptance and the power of love. I couldn't help but be reminded of American Psycho when introduced to the character of Jon, but the film is much more than just some yuppie who kills people. It was really a love story that happened to focus on two characters with dangerous secrets that were willing to give it all up for each other. The dialogue was well written and the story had some nice unexpected twists. For such a low budget picture, the cinematography and the acting were both very professional and I didn't find myself confused or bored as I normally am. Usually a film like this would show its budget but All God's Creatures is an exception. Overall, I enjoyed the film and hope that it gets wider distribution.

RATING: 8/10

http://www.allgodscreaturesfilm.com/

Streets / Angel in Red (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-12-14T03:30:00.000-05:00

Released last month by Shout! Factory, here is another great disc from what is probably my favorite line of DVDs out there - Roger Corman's Cult Classics. This line features films either produced, directed or distributed by Roger Corman over the last 50 years (though most of the titles are from the 70s and 80s). Streets and Angel in Red were both released in the early 90s and both deal with similar themes of trying to make ends meet in the slums, doing what ever you have to do to survive.

Streets stars a young Christina Applegate as Dawn, a teenage streetwalker who we later find out is also a heroin addict. She witnesses another prostitute being attacked and after being spotted by the attacker, she narrowly misses being killed. A young runaway named Sy (David Mendenhall), who is aspiring to be a musician comes to her rescue and together they wander through the dangerous streets trying to avoid the attacker, who is looking for them....and who is also a cop!

Angel in Red tells the story of Mickie (Leslie Bega of the Sopranos fame), a young streetwalker who lives with her brother Robby (Jason Oliver). Robby was abused by their father and now has brain damage. Sharkey (Jeffrey Dean Morgan in his screen debut) plays Mickie's dangerous pimp Sharkey, who Mickie loves and Robby looks up to as a father figure. After beating up one of Mickie's prostitute friends and after another gets beat nearly to death for not making enough money, they try to leave Sharkey which starts him on a rampage.

Streets and Angel in Red both provide a frightening look into the dark underbelly of life on the streets. Streets has a great cast, an interesting story and a lot of action. Applegate proves that she is more than a one trick pony by displaying a lot of emotion and not just being "the dumb blonde". David Mendenhall and Eb Lottimer also do a more than adequate job supporting Applegate. Angel in Red, which is actually a remake of another Corman Classic film, 1985's Streetwalkin' (starring Oscar winner Melissa Leo and Pet Semetary's Dale Midkiff). Though basically a re-tread of the original with not much more to add, the main standout in the film is a very young Jeffrey Dean Morgan who plays the psychotic pimp Sharkey. Though Dale Midkiff's performance in Streetwalkin' is terrifyingly brilliant, Morgan definitely holds his own. Interestingly enough, director Katt Shea went on to popularity with a few more films with women as the leads (Poison Ivy with Drew Barrymore and The Rage: Carrie 2).

RATING:

Streets: 8/10

Angel in Red: 7/10

This is a nice entry in the great Roger Corman Cult Classics line, which is a Shout! Select title, meaning it's only available directly from Shout! Factory HERE

Body Puzzle (1992, Lamberto Bava)

2011-12-13T23:29:00.000-05:00

Released December 6th from Raro Video USA, is an Italian, post-giallo thriller called Body Puzzle. Directed by Lamberto (son of Mario) Bava (Demons, A Blade in the Dark), I didn't know too much about this film before watching it. I have seen a couple of Lamberto's films and this one sounded like it had an interesting plot. I am always skeptical of horror movies made after 1985 because that is when horror started moving away from the realism and into the fantastic (and ridiculous sequels). There are several films from that era that are classics but for the most part I usually aim for older films. I thought I'd give this one a shot anyway.

Body Puzzle stars Joana Pacula as Tracy, a widower whose husband died in a motorcycle accident. After someone breaks into her house and puts a severed ear in her refrigerator, a detective named Michele (Tomas Arana) is assigned to the case. Simultaneously, a murder victim is found missing an ear which proves to be the severed ear's owner. Tracy begins finding more body parts left in her house, each one accompanied by another murder. After establishing that the person leaving the "presents" has a key to the house and is most likely tied to her late husband in some way (whose grave was robbed), it is up to Michele to put the pieces together (no pun intended) and find the killer before he gets to Tracy.

Body Puzzle was a stylishly gory film with a surprisingly fresh story. Well thought out with lots of twists and avoiding many of the genre trappings, I would almost call this film a classic. I was very surprised (based on my snobbery of newer horror films) how much I enjoyed this, which only proves that, among other things, it's always a good idea to keep an open mind about movies and their genres. The cast all played their parts well, especially the three leads (Pacula, Arana and Francois Montagut as the killer) and there were plenty of stabbings, severed body parts and blood for us horror fans. Also, for us Italian film fans out there, there are a few noteworthy cameos that just add to the fun. Giovanni Lombardo Radice (aka John Morghen in his English friendly films), who we all know from Cannibal Ferox, Cannibal Apocalypse and City of the Living Dead, plays a gay acquaintance of Tracy's deceased husband. Also making an appearance here is Spaghetti Western legend Gianni Garko, best known as his role in many of the Sartana films. Raro's release of Body Puzzle has a beautiful widescreen transfer along with a nice, informative booklet (why can't all companies include booklets with their DVDs?). I definitely recommend this film to fans of Italian horror and giallo films.

RATING: 9/10

The Nickel Ride / 99 and 44/100% Dead! (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-12-13T23:19:00.000-05:00

Out today from Shout! Factory is another spectacular Action Double Feature finally bringing two long lost classics to DVD for the first time. Being the huge fan of 70s action films I am, this release was a must have for me. Starring the likes of Jason Miller (The Exorcist), Richard Harris (Orca...yes, I picked Orca out of his illustrious career), Edmond O'Brien (The Wild Bunch), Linda Haynes (Rolling Thunder), Bradford Dillman (Piranha) and Chuck Connors (Tourist Trap...yes, I picked Tourist Trap out of his illustrious career), I was sure I wouldn't be disappointed with these two films, which frankly I had never even heard of before this release was announced.

The first film in this set is The Nickel Ride, which stars Jason Miller as Cooper, a mobster who has been in charge of the same block of town for many years. Friendly with all of his neighbors, he soon becomes paranoid that he is out for "a hit" after a few of his deals fall through. His boss assures him that he is safe and that his new driver (Bo Hopkins), a loud mouth cowboy is there to assist him, but he can't help feel that something is askew. Cooper takes his girlfriend (Linda Haynes) out to the country to let things cool down, but the worst is yet to come.

The other film in the set is the oddly titled 99 and 44/100% Dead! Starring Richard Harris as an aging hit man named Harry Crown (looking eerily similar to Michael Caine in his Harry Palmer films), he is hired by crime boss Uncle Frank (Edmond O'Brien in his last role) to kill rival kingpin Big Eddie (Bradford Dillman). He is assisted by his jealous girlfriend Buffy (Ann Turkel) and young protege Tony (David Hall) but when Buffy is kidapped, the job becomes personal. Out to get Harry is the dangerous assassin Klaw Zuckerman (Chuck Connors), who has a personal vendetta of his own.

I just can't get enough of Shout! Factory's Action Double Features. After the Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and Race with the Devil set and the Fighting Mad and Moving Violation two-fer, I didn't think it could get any better - but I was wrong. The Nickel Ride and 99 and 44/100% are both quirky, unconventional mobster films that exemplify why the action genre in the 70s was so great. Though similar in theme, The Nickel Ride and 99 and 44/100% could not be more different. The Nickel Ride is a dark, low key, character driven drama that has surprisingly little action - though when it does, it delivers. Miller and Haynes are great as the troubled couple, unsure of what the future will bring. Bo Hopkins turns in a great performance too as the eccentric Turner and would easily steal the show if it weren't for Miller's complex portrayal of Cooper. I can't help but compare The Nickel Ride to one of my favorite films, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, for its focus on the characters more than the action. Like Mitchum's role as Eddie Coyle, Miller's brooding Cooper is a classic example of a tragic hero who knows his days are numbered. 99 and 44/100% Dead! is a more quirky and off beat affair, though no less entertaining. At first I was unsure if the film was a spoof or not, with its strange introduction and Henry Mancini theme song. As the film gets going though, the tone definitely becomes more serious. There are some nice shoot outs, stand offs and an amazingly dangerous looking car chase, not surprising considering director John Frankenheimer's filmography. Harris pulls off the role of Harry Crown quite well, blending a perfect mix of coolness and danger. Connors as the appropriately named Klaw is also a highlight of the film.

In closing, for fans of 70s action films that don't follow all of the boring, derivative formulas, you can't go wrong with The Nickel Ride and 99 and 44/100% Dead! This double feature also includes trailers for both films and the widescreen transfers are crisp and virtually pristine. Offered up at a low retail price, this set is too good to pass up.

RATING:

The Nickel Ride - 8/10

99 and 44/100% - 8/10

Purchase this set directly from Shout! Factory HERE

Nightmares (1980, John Lamond)

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Nightmares, released by Severin Films concurrently with Bloody Birthday, is another 80s horror classic, this one coming from down under. Because of where it was made, most would just categorize it as an Ozploitation film and leave it at that. Nightmares is however much more than that. I would describe it as a cross between Ozploitation and a Slasher movie, but it also has many similarities to the Italian Giallo films of the 70s. Despite what kind of film it is, let's look at if it's worth the time it took you to read my rambling first paragraph.

Nightmares stars Jenny Neumann as Helen Selleck, an aspiring actress who lands a role in a play with a group of misfit actors. The real oddball though seems to be Helen herself who frequently has flashbacks of her mother sleeping with various men, leading to her accidental death caused by Helen. She has never been able to be with a man before until she meets cast mate Terry Besanko (Gary Sweet), who she starts falling in love with. All is not fine though when each of the cast members starts dying horrible deaths at the hands of a black gloved killer who uses broken glass as a murder weapon.

Nightmares was a stylish, hallucinogenic, gory little cult film. It had a lot of suspense and it was fun trying to figure out if the killer's identity really was as obvious as it seemed. I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending but it was definitely an original take on the slasher/giallo movies I am used to. This film further solidifies the weirdness that seems prevalent in most every Ozploitation film I've seen (in this case, not a bad thing). The film does work and with the gore and girl quotient high, its a nice oddball for anyone's horror collection. Severin's disc of Nightmares is superb with a beautiful widescreen transfer, a short documentary on Slasher films, an audio commentary by John Lamond and Ozploitation expert (and Not Quite Hollywood director) Mark Hartley, as well as an excellent trailer reel of John Lamond films.

RATING: 7/10

Order Nightmares directly from Severin HERE

Bloody Birthday (1981, Ed Hunt)

2011-12-08T00:59:00.005-05:00

Released earlier this year from Severin Films is a creepy little movie from the year of the slasher - 1981. Though not technically a slasher, this is more of a "killer kid" film, but it does possess some of the traits that define a slasher. Though I had never seen Bloody Birthday before, I had heard the title several times over the years and the DVD's brilliant cover artwork (taken from the original movie poster) made it one I had to see.

Bloody Birthday tells the story of Curtis (Billy Jacoby), Debbie (Elizabeth Hoy) and Steven (Andy Freeman) - three children born 10 years ago during a total eclipse. As it turns out, the eclipse caused the trio to be missing part of their personality - their emotions. The kids start murdering the townspeople one by one, carefully covering their tracks after each kill. Only their neighbors, classmate Timmy Russell (K.C. Martel) and his teenage sister Joyce (Lori Lethin) suspect that the kids are responsible.

Bloody Birthday is one of the finer examples of the early 80s horror boom. The story is more original than the Friday the 13th clones being released weekly at the time and the acting was also surprisingly good (especially since half of the cast were children). You can't deny the influence of past films such as Village of the Damned and The Bad Seed, but instead of ripping off those films, Bloody Birthday updates some of the themes into a contemporary setting with new ideas. The kids here are gun-toting, opportunistic, manipulative murderers. The film is well made all around, with enough violence and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. And let's not forget Earth Girls are Easy's Julie Brown in the peephole. Classic. Severin's release of Bloody Birthday is excellent, with a nice anamorphic widescreen picture that looks great. Also included is a 51 minute audio interview with director Ed Hunt, a 10 minute interview with star Lori Lethin and a 15 minute documentary on the history of slasher films. Throw in four trailers from other Severin discs and you have a great film in an equally nice package. Did I mention it has the original poster art too (not the ugly cover on the old VCI release)?

RATING: 9/10

Purchase this DVD directly from Severin HERE

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXII (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-12-05T23:50:00.001-05:00

Here we go, another great collection of terrible movies made bearable only by the hilarious crew of the Satellite of Love. Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot take the worst movies imaginable and rip them to shreads, making light of the bad acting, shoe string budgets and confusing story lines (assuming they actually have a story) that make these true B movies. This collection, available from Shout! Factory on December 6th, collects more forgotten gems and puts them in a handy 4 DVD set.

Starting off the set is a Japanese Planet of the Apes rip-off, derivatively titled Time of the Apes. What starts off looking like a bad Toho Monster film, our main characters (two kids and a scientist) get trapped in cryogenic freezers while the world collapses. When they wake up, the world is overrun by apes. This was originally a Japanese TV series from 1974 but was edited down in 1987 to one feature length film. I must admit that I rather liked the ape masks/makeup. They were pretty well done. The rest of the film? Boring, ridiculous, pathetic, confusing garbage. Just the stuff I love to see on MST3K. This film gets the riff treatment to full extant...and it deserves it. Some big laughs but the stinkiness of the film starts to drag and even the SOL crew have a hard time making it watchable.

Next we have The Brute Man. Is it me or does this sound like a cheap cologne commercial. Oops, wrong Brut(e). My mistake. This film stars horror legend Rondo Hatton, an actor who had a memorably disfigured face (caused by a disease called Acromegaly) and often appeared as thuggish characters. This day and age, this would seem like exploiting someone but back in the 30's and 40's it was just a way for Hatton to make a buck. Just look at Michael Berryman, another character actor known for his distinctive appearance caused by a rare genetic condition. Anyway, here Hatton plays The Creeper, a man who is out to get revenge on those that disfigured him. He befriends a blind woman and begins stealing to raise money for an operation for her. The Brute Man, the last film Rondo Hatton made before his death, is a suckfest to the highest degree. The film is boring and the acting is pathetic. Hatton's appearance definitely fits the character but it definitely seems a little (ok, very) politically incorrect. Before the film however is one of my favorite parts of MST3K, a short. This one, entitled The Chicken of Tomorrow, shows the fascinating(ly boring) way technology has improved chicken farming. Mike and his robot pals are in fine form here, cracking jokes left and right for this cinematic tragedy.

Next we have Mighty Jack What is Mighty Jack? I'm really not sure. Some sort of Japanese sci fi spy series condensed into a film. The movie's plot was about as interesting as watching grass grow but the Satellite's crew make it a fun watch. Not the best episode of the set, but the worse the film, the better the riffs and this film was pure crap.

With The Violent Years I have saved the best for last. Written by famously bad film maker Ed Wood comes a tale of a teenage girl who is neglected by her parents so she and her friends start robbing gas stations. The crimes soon progress into murder and the girls are starting to get greedier too. The film's end has a tender message that I won't give away, showing that crime (and casual sex) doesn't pay. Also included with The Violent Years is another short - Young Man's Fancy. According to this little educational picture, the more electricity you use, the more a guy will like you (sounds kinky). Young Judy tries to impress her brother's nerdy friend Alexander Phipps (what a name) when they come home for school break. He shows more interest in going to a lecture on electricity so Judy uses all of their fancy schmancy electrical appliances to whip up a delicious meal. After all, a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right? Whatever. With Young Man's Fancy and The Violent Years, this episode is one of the best MST3K episodes I've seen and the clear champion of the set. The well timed riffs seem constant and you'll find yourself laughing outloud at this one.

So, to wrap up this review you really can't go wrong with this set. With one of the funniest episodes of the series and four of the worst movies ever made, MST3K fans will not be disappointed. Also included in this set are intros, a making of MST3K documentary, a Rondo Hatton documentary, interviews and more. Plus there are the cool Steve Vance mini posters that are always a nice addition.

RATING: 7/10

Order your copy direct from Shout! Factory HERE and you'll receive a free MST3K Stress Ball (while supplies last).

Astron-6 (2011, Troma Entertainment)

2011-12-02T23:17:00.002-05:00

What the @#*! is Astron-6? Well don't ask Troma head Lloyd Kaufman because he can't even remember the name in the DVD's hilarious intro. The real question though is WHO the @#*! is Astron-6? Astron-6 is made up of 5 young Canadian film makers (Matthew Kennedy, Adam Brooks, Conor Sweeney, Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski) who got together to create films, shorts, fake trailers, real trailers and other such nonsense. So who is the 6th member of Astron-6, you might ask? According to an interview I read with one of the Astrons, it's the viewer. I feel privileged.

This DVD, coming December 13th from Troma, is a two disc compilation of these above mentioned movies, shorts and trailers that span pretty much every genre you can think of. The main focus though is the group's love for the 1980s which seems to influence much of their output. Whether they are spoofing an 80's teen comedy, an 80's Italian horror film or an 80's Sci Fi film, the 80s seems to be the most prevalent element in this collection.

So let's talk about what is actually included in this DVD. According to the DVD case, the running time is 80 minutes however Troma's site lists it at 300 minutes. I really have no idea if either of these are accurate but there is definitely a lot of stuff on here. If you like low budget cult films or anything from the 80s, I guarantee you will find something in this set that you like. The longer films in the set definitely were my favorites, which included an 80s comedy on crack called Cool Guys, an Italian zombie spoof called H.I.Z. (Erection der zombi) and the dramatic teen comedy mash up Punch Out. Of the trailers included, my favorites were the Zombie spoof Inferno of the Dead (one of the funniest things on the set) and cheesy Sci Fi spoof Lazer Ghosts 2: Return to Lazer Cove. The series of shorts comprising the Gore Blade: Warrior King of the Universe segment, a spoof of Barbarian films was also very entertaining. The remaining titles were hit or miss for me but with a collection like this, there is more than enough great stuff to make it worth your hard earned dollars. The films are all low budget but you can tell that the film makers love what they are doing and definitely have some experience in movie making. I am really looking forward to their future output.

RATING: 8/10

For more info on Astron-6 or to buy this DVD, check out the links below:

http://www.astron-6.com/

http://www.troma.com/films/astron-6/

Chillerama (2011, Adam Green, Tim Sullivan, Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin)

2011-12-02T01:31:00.000-05:00

The first time I heard about Chillerama I knew I had to see it. I was familiar with the four directors involved and being a fan of anthology horror films, it was refreshing to see another one come along that might actually be good. I had seen Adam Green's Hatchet and Frozen, Tim Sullivan's 2001 Maniacs and Adam Rifkin's Detroit Rock City and liked them all a lot so I had faith. Just released on DVD and Blu Ray this week from Image Entertainment, I was finally able to see it and definitely was not disappointed.

Chillerama begins at a drive-in theater that is about to close down. The owner (Richard Riehle from Hatchet and Office Space) is going to play a few never before seen, "lost" horror films to make it a special last night. The first film is about a giant sperm destroying New York called Wadzilla. The second film is called I Was a Teenage Werebear and concerns a sexually confused high school student (Sean Paul Lockhart) who gets bitten by bad boy Talon (Anton Troy) and becomes his inner beast when he gets aroused. The third film is called Diary of Anne Frankenstein and stars Avatar's Joel David Moore as Hitler and Kane Hodder as the Jewish monster Meshugannah. Between the films we see a zombie epidemic break out at the drive-in.

Chillerama is probably the best horror anthology film to come along in the last 25 years. Not only does it have buckets of blood and gore but it will also have you rolling on the floor laughing. The stories all take classic monsters (Godzilla, Frankenstein, the Wolfman and Zombies) and put a fresh twist to them, usually rooted in dirty humor. I can't pick a favorite segment because they were all great, but Adam Rifkin gets bonus points for not only directing Wadzilla but for also starring in it (as the lead character who "spews" forth the monster). Each film has it's own special qualities though. Tim Sullivan's I Was a Teenage Werebear wins in the "message" category, using the classic werewolf story as a metaphor for coming of age and dealing with your true feelings. It also had some nice catchy (and hilariously inappropriate) songs and lots of silly, over-the-top gore. Adam Green's The Diary of Anne Frankenstein wins as the funniest segment with a mixture of a poor use of the German language, a Jewish, dancing Frankenstein and a noticeable continuity error with a particular stuntman. Joe Lynch's wraparound segments titled Zom-B Movie ties everything together nicely with a bunch of horny zombies, neon blue zombie jizz and the perfect setting for all the madness. Image Entertainment should be praised for not only releasing this great anthology but also for its many extras included. We get behind the scenes footage of the films along with deleted scenes, director's commentary and interviews. I read some talk about there being future installments of Chillerama using different directors and if they are anything like this, I am all for it!

RATING: 10/10

Visit the official Chillerama website to order the DVD or Blu Ray HERE

Thankskilling (2010, Jordan Downey)

2011-11-26T08:41:00.000-05:00

What better way to celebrate the festive holiday of Thanksgiving than a movie about a foul mouthed Turkey who kills college kids during their Thanksgiving break? Well, I can't think of any other way! MVD brings us this cult classic just in time to sit our bloated asses on the couch, pry the remote out of Grampa's sleeping hand and dig in!

Thankskilling is the story of a 500 year old turkey named Turkie who comes back from the dead to get revenge on the "white man" who killed him after the first Thanksgiving (I calculate that to be less than 500 years ago, but who's counting?). Kristen, Ali, Darren, Billy and Johnny are 5 college kids coming home for Thanksgiving break when their car dies in the middle of nowhere. They decide to camp out for the night and meet up with Turkie. They must get home and find a way to kill Turkie before he kills them.

With a tagline of "Gobble Gobble Motherfucker!, it's pretty obvious that this film is not meant to be taken seriously. Thankskilling was a lot of fun and the comedy really worked. Turkie was one of the funniest villains I've ever seen in a horror film and his one liners were hilarious. Throw in some surprisingly good makeup FX and lots of bad acting and you have an instant cult classic. The film was only 67 minutes too so there was no time for any slow parts. Sure the film was ridiculous and you have to be in the right mood to watch it, but it definitely worked and was one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in a long time.

RATING: 10/10

Thankskilling is available directly from MVD HERE

Jessicka Rabid (2011, Matthew Reel)

2011-11-25T23:43:00.000-05:00

Coming December 13th from Troma is a disturbing little horror film called Jessicka Rabid. Unlike anything I've ever seen before, this is a rough film and definitely not your typical goofy Troma film. It seems lately Troma has been picking up more outside low budget films as opposed to self made films (for better or worse) and in this case I'd say the risk paid off.

Jessicka Rabid is about a family of sadistic low lives who keep a girl as their pet. This girl, Jessicka, has been abused and mistreated so long that she thinks she is a dog. She is abused by the family and any visitors that come to their house seem to know her and abuse her too. Jessicka finally gets loose and goes on a killing spree against those that imprisoned her.

Jessicka Rabid is a disturbing little film that goes beyond your average horror title. Not overly gory but unbelievably brutal and sick. You can't help but feeling bad for Jessicka and all of the abuse that she goes through. A very dark film with some of the most revolting characters you'll ever see, this one is not for the faint of heart. Director Matthew Reel uses a fuzzy, hand held camera to film all of the brutality, giving it a news reel like quality, a la Last House on the Left. Whether this film style is due to budget or not, it works incredibly well, making the horrific story that much more real. Some of the acting is noticeably amateurish but almost in a good way because it really seems like these people aren't acting, but just living out another day in their twisted world.

RATING: 8/10

Pre-Order Jessicka Rabid directly from Troma HERE

News Flash: Shout! Factory announces holiday event 100's of home entertainment titles on sale now

2011-11-22T20:18:00.000-05:00

NEWS FLASH… NEWS FLASH… NEWS FLASH

Attention Loyal Fans, Pop Culture Enthusiasts and Collectors…

SHOUT! FACTORY ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY EVENT

100’s of Titles on sale!

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Shout! Select Sale

In celebration of this collection, we’ve lowered the price of all Shout! Select titles 20% off! Due to popular demand, these offers have will be extended and available through 11/28/2011.

Never Too Young to Die (1986, Gil Bettman)

2011-11-17T00:54:00.000-05:00

What is the weirdest movie you've ever seen? Before an hour ago I don't know what I would have said but now I do. It is Never Too Young to Die. What makes this seemingly typical bad 80's movie so weird? Pretty much everything. From the completely random cast to the mishmash of genres to the fact the title has absolutely nothing to do with the movie, this one takes the cake. Is it bad though? Very. But is it so bad it's good? Read on.

Never Too Young to Die starts off with the one time James Bond, George Lazenby playing (shock!) a secret agent named Drew Stargrove who is trying to stop a madman from polluting the city's drinking water. The madman ends up killing Stargrove but needs to find a diskette that Stargrove has hidden. Enter Stargrove's son Lance played by the eternally cool John Stamos, a (23 year old) high school student. Lance meets one of his father's accomplices, Danja Deering, played by 80s singer/model/actress Vanity and together they get into trouble with the madman who killed Lance's father. Oh, did I mention that the madman behind all of this is a leather clad, heavy metal-cabaret singing hermaphrodite named Ragner played by none other than GENE SIMMONS?!?

Seriously. What the fuck? Throw in Robert Englund as Ragner's right hand man and you have one of the most awesomely non-sensical casts ever assembled. To be honest though, the cast is the only reason I decided to watch this movie out of the millions of movies out there. It was just too strange to pass up. Other than the cast, the fact the film makers tries to mix so many genres into one movie is another factor in its weirdness. I guess I'd call it a secret agent, romantic action film with a post-apocalyptic look, a little bit of gore and a drag musical number for good measure. Now for the title. Ok, so it was uttered by one of the characters in the film, but it really has nothing to do with it. But I guess it's kind of a catchy title so I can see why they kept it. It's probably better than my title Stargrove vs the Heavy Metal Hermaphrodite. So, what's the verdict? I actually must admit that I enjoyed this film way more than I should, but honestly it was the cast that did it. None of the actors are actually talented but just seeing them thrown in together seemed like a stroke of genius. If you don't like the cast then I would stay far away from this movie because it is pretty bad. But it definitely fits into the so bad it's good category. You even get a touching moment where Stamos tells Simmons that he is pretty and Simmons tries to kiss Stamos in return. There is also a big reveal at the end that I predicted shortly after the movie started. There is much to laugh at and probably sitting around with a few friends and a case of beer is the best way to watch this trainwreck. I guess I'll give it a slightly above middle of the road rating only because the film was really bad but also quite enjoyable.

RATING: 6/10

As far as I know this film has never been released on DVD but you can get old VHS copies relatively cheaply. Why this isn't on DVD is beyond me because I'm sure there is a niche of weirdos who would eat it up....or should I say...LICK IT UP. LICK IT UP. OH OH OH. IT'S ONLY RIGHT NOW!

Klown Kamp Massacre (2010, Philip Gunn & David Valdez)

2011-11-11T20:22:00.000-05:00

Coming December 13th from Troma, Klown Kamp Massacre is a low budget horror film using one of the most tried and true subjects in horror - CLOWNS (or in this case, KLOWNS). I was lucky to have a childhood where clowns didn't plague my nightmares but I know plenty of people who did and it wasn't pretty. Having to avoid the circus and anywhere else a clown might pop up doesn't sound like a fun childhood for me. Klown Kamp Massacre isn't your typical killer clown movie though. Read on and see what I mean.

The best way for me to describe Klown Kamp Massacre is to call it Friday the 13th with clowns. Basically an aspiring clown named Edwin gets ridiculed many years ago at a clown camp and then goes on a killing rampage, offing all of the fellow clown campers. Now, it's the present and the clown camp is being reopened by an aging clown named Bonzo. Edwin makes his way back to camp and starts knocking off the clowns in training, one by one.

Klown Kamp Massacre has a good mixture of horror and comedy. The death scenes are expertly done with scalpings, sliced throats, beheadings and several more grisly sights to make your stomach turn (the blown off face and the headless female clown are two stand outs). The use of practical effects (as opposed to CGI) really makes a difference in delivering the gory goods. The film also benefits from an over-the-top script using silly characters (they are clowns remember), juvenile humor and zany sound effects. One other pleasant surprise was the quality of the cinematography. It seems like a good HD camera was used and the directors were obviously schooled in their craft so the film definitely looked better than what a paltry budget usually delivers. Throw in a twist ending, a spoof (or was it?) on the whole rapping clown/Insane Clown Posse scene, some clown fornication and Lloyd Kaufman and you have a funny, gory, well made horror film. Obviously this isn't high art, but it's watchable and entertaining if you're looking for something different in the over-crowded horror genre.

RATING: 7/10

Pre-Order Klown Kamp Massacre directly from Troma HERE

Fan of the Dead (2008, Nicolas Garreau)

2011-11-11T02:11:00.000-05:00

Raise your hand if you've never seen George A. Romero's Dead trilogy (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead)....

Ok, now those who raised your hand can go wallow in shame while the rest of you can continue reading this review. One of the best loved and most important trilogies in horror history, Romero's zombie trilogy mixes political and humanist themes with oodles of blood, gore and entrails. It is not surprising then that fans would want to see the locations used for these masterpieces...and if you (like me) are one of those fans, this is the DVD for you.

Fan of the Dead is a travelogue of sorts, filmed by French Romero fan Nicolas Garreau who traveled to the United States (mainly the Pittsburgh area) to visit all of the filming locations used in the Dead trilogy. We see the basement where Night of the Living Dead was filmed, the Monroeville Mall where Dawn of the Dead was filmed and the underground bunker used in Day of the Dead. We also follow Garreau as he travels to a convention featuring many of the stars of Dawn of the Dead as well as a tour through the Monroeville Mall by Dawn of the Dead star Ken Foree. Almost every location used (even minor locations that are briefly seen) in the films are visited and shown to see how different (or similar) they look now, as well as a few nearby locations used in the Night of the Living Dead remake and Romero's Creepshow.

Fan of the Dead shines for a few different reasons. The first is just how many different locations we get to see and people we meet along the way (cast, crew, locals). Garreau's optimism and excitement for traveling across the Atlantic to visit these sacred horror grounds is apparent and his enthusiasm is contagious. I found myself very entertained throughout the film and anxious to see where I would be taken next. This is a great companion piece to Roy Frumke's Document of the Dead documentary and a must have for all Romero fans. I could complain about the shaky camera work and the English narration, but for what the film is, it's perfect. Though casual fans might not get as much out of the film as die hard fans would, I'd say it's still an important piece of film making.

RATING: 8/10

You can buy the Fan of the Dead DVD directly from MVD HERE

The Death of Andy Kaufman (2011, Christopher Maloney)

2011-11-11T01:40:00.000-05:00

Andy Kaufman, star of Saturday Night Live, Taxi and (in a lesser known role) Larry Cohen's God Told Me To, is one of the wildest, hilarious and brilliant comedians of all time. Much has been written about Kaufman and there was even a biopic starring Jim Carrey. Kaufman's mysterious death has long since been a topic of discussion among fans and conspiracy theorists. I have been a fan of Andy Kaufman for a long time and always wanted to know the truth about his death so this DVD seemed like the perfect way to find out the truth.

The Death of Andy Kaufman features director Christopher Maloney on a pilgrimage to find out what the truth is surrounding Kaufman's mysterious death. There have long since been rumors that he faked his death and is still alive. Maloney displays many inconsistencies with the reports of his death and how he actually could have faked it. He travels to places that he has heard Kaufman was spotted recently to see for himself if there is any truth in the rumors. After all the facts are laid out and the conspiracies mostly debunked, the film shifts into a loving tribute to one of the greatest comedians of all time.

The Death of Andy Kaufman is a smart, well made documentary on a much disputed topic. Death conspiracies always interest me and this is no exception. The way the film shifts from the conspiracy theory to a film about Kaufman's contributions to the entertainment business makes it quite original and uncovers more about Kaufman than just his death. There is a lengthy interview with Kaufman's brother that shows that even he can never be completely sure that Kaufman is dead but that it's more important to just remember him for the genius and kind person that he was. This documentary also features a half hour interview with the director and trailers.

RATING: 9/10

This DVD can be purchased directly from MVD HERE

Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power Live (2011, MVD Entertainment Group)

2011-11-11T01:32:00.000-05:00

Iggy and the Stooges have long since been one of my favorite groups of all time. The Stooges, Funhouse and especially Raw Power were constantly in rotation in my teenage years and still manage to pop up in my MP3 player frequently. Hearing that the band were going out on tour last year to perform Raw Power with guitarist James Williamson was very exciting and getting to actually see it on DVD is even better. Recently released from MVD, this important document was a must see for a long time fan like myself.

Raw Power Live is not your average concert video. 6 fans were selected to film a performance of Raw Power at the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival on September 3rd, 2010 from different angles, which would be edited down into this here video. The fans also got to interview the band, which is included here too along with liner notes by the band's current bassist Mike Watt (The Minutemen, fIREHOSE). The band rip through the entire album and encore with some of the group's other classics like I Wanna Be Your Dog, No Fun, 1970 and more.

Iggy Pop, who was 63 years young when this was filmed last year, proves here that he still has it. Shirtless (as usual), Iggy runs around the stage, dancing, jumping and just going nuts. His voice doesn't seem to have aged at all and his band mates (Watt, Williamson and original drummer Scott Asheton) are all in top form. After hearing this material played over the last 30 years by different groups of musicians backing Iggy, it's great to hear them played by 3 of the originals (and Watt, who can do no wrong in my book). The interviews filmed by the 6 competition winners were also great to see. Hearing these guys speak out, especially Williamson who has been out of the music business for 30 years, was a fan's dream come true. Overall, this DVD is a must for fans of Iggy and the Stooges, classic punk and just good old dangerous rock n' roll.

RATING: 9/10

This DVD is available directly from MVD HERE

Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore (2010, Frank Henelotter & Jimmy Maslon)

2011-11-08T23:17:00.000-05:00

Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore, released by Something Weird and Image Entertainment is a new documentary by Frank Henenlotter (Basket Case) and Jimmy Maslon. Considered to be the creator of the Gore genre with his 1963 film Blood Feast, Lewis has a huge cult following and a legacy spanning over 50 years.

The Godfather of Gore follows HG Lewis's beginnings in the film industry, partnering with producer/soundman David F. Friedman to make a bunch of Nudie Cutie films. Soon after, the pair released one of the first "Roughies" (Scum of the Earth!) and then the infamous Blood Feast. After the huge success of Blood Feast, Lewis and Friedman released two more infamous Gore films (2000 Maniacs and Color Me Blood Red) before splitting up their partnership. Lewis continued on with more splatter films, including A Taste of Blood, Wizard of Gore and Gruesome Twosome until he dropped out of the movie business with 1972's The Gore Gore Girls. This documentary features lengthy interviews with Lewis, Friedman, Frank Henenlotter, John Waters and many of the cast and crew of Lewis's films, chronicling every one of the Godfather's films through The Gore Gore Girls.

The Godfather of Gore is a brilliant documentary on the career of one of the film industry's most prolific, influential and adventurous film makers. With a running time of an hour and 46 minutes (plus an extra hour of outtakes), this film is as in depth as you could get on Lewis's career. Besides the loads of interviews and film clips, we also get an HG Lewis trailer reel, a rare Lewis short (Hot Night at the Go Go Lounge) and a gallery of HG Lewis Exploitation Art! Anyone who has an interest in the origins of horror and exploitation NEEDs this in their collections!

RATING: 10/10

Order The Godfather of Gore DVD directly from Something Weird Video HERE

Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010, Mark Hartley)

2011-11-02T01:41:00.000-04:00

Mark Hartley, director of the much loved Ozploitation documentary Not Quite Hollywood, returns for another film about a criminally under-looked genre - Filipino Exploitation. Though this genre may sound obscure even for the seasoned exploitation fan, we learn that the Philippines were actually used for some of best loved examples of the genre. Dark Sky Films finally brings us the long awaited U.S. DVD release of this brilliant new documentary (released November 1st).

Machete Maidens Unleashed! illustrates how the Philippines were used to great effect (and little money) during the boom of 60's and 70's drive-in exploitation films. Famous film maker Roger Corman explains how he chose this country because he knew he could get "more for less" (exotic locations for a cheap price). Along for the ride are Corman proteges Jack Hill (The Big Doll House, The Big Bird Cage), Cirio H. Santiago (TNT Jackson, The Muthers), Joe Dante & Allan Arkush (Hollywood Boulevard, many of Corman's trailers) as well as local Filippino director Eddie Romero (Beast of Blood, Black Mama White Mama). Also included are the stars of these films: Sid Haig, Judy Brown, Pam Grier, Margaret Markov, Christopher Mitchum and many more.

Machete Maidens Unleashed! leaves no stone unturned in the history of Filippino exploitation. We learn about the many hardships the actors and directors faced when filming in the dangerous jungles where the gun-toting army soldiers and dangerous animals were lurking around every corner. The interviews go quite in depth, especially for such a niche topic, making this a dream for exploitation lovers. Hearing the stories the interviewees had, especially the ones of the dangers they encountered, will keep you glued to your seat through the whole film. Besides the film itself, this new DVD is packed with hours of bonus features including a reel of trailers of the films discussed (some of which are better than the films themselves), extended interviews, production stills and much more. One of the most entertaining and informative documentaries I have seen on any subject, this DVD (with all of its bonus goodies) is a must have for exploitation, drive-in, horror, cult and B movie fans.

RATING: 10/10

http://machetemaidensunleashed.com/
http://www.darkskyfilms.com/
http://www.mpimedia.com/
Order Machete Maidens Unleashed! directly from Dark Sky Films HERE

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Touch of Satan (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-10-31T22:05:00.000-04:00

Along with The Atomic Brain comes another lost MST3K gem, The Touch of Satan. Mike Nelson, Crow and Servo are back in this season 9 episode of demonic possession. Another Shout! Select title only available on their website, The Touch of Satan was a must see for me mainly because of my love for MST3K and 70s satanic films.

The Touch of Satan follows young drifter Jody who pulls down a rural road to eat his lunch by the river. He is spotted by Melissa, a young woman who lives in a nearby farmhouse. Jody and Melissa soon fall in love but Melissa has some secrets that she can't hide much longer...like the hideously deformed old woman also living in the farmhouse killing anyone who enters.

The Touch of Satan could definitely be considered a lesser entry in the satanic horror movies of the 70s and once again, the worse the better for MST3K since this turns out to be one of the most enjoyable episodes I've seen. Frequent cracks about the film's awkward pauses and overall slow pace provide many jokes for the crew. Though the film had some promise of not being terrible, it turned out to be just that but it really didn't matter because it just made the episode funnier.

RATING: 9/10

Order The Touch of Satan along with The Atomic Brain and you'll receive a free MST3K Stress Ball (while supplies last).

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Atomic Brain (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-10-31T21:34:00.001-04:00

Once again Shout! Factory brings us a great lost episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Atomic Brain. From MST3K's season 5, this feature stars Mike Nelson along with his robot co-hosts Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo. This episode is a Shout! Select title only available through Shout! Factory's website.

The Atomic Brain follows an devious older woman who wants nothing more than to be young. She has employed a mad doctor to transplant her brain into the body of a young woman. 3 beautiful young women are selected to stay at the woman's home and laboratory. Which woman will be chosen as the body donor and will the transplant be successful?

The Atomic Brain is another horrid, no budget film that proves as fodder for the crew of the Satellite of Love. The laughs come frequently, targeting the ridiculousness of the movie's plot. One of the biggest laughs comes from the crew's hilarious quips about one of the young women's horrid attempt at a British accent. Also included with The Atomic Brain is another great short titled What About Juvenile Delinquency? This short follows a group of derelict kids who beat up an older man that turns out to be the father of one of the gang members they were on their way to pick up. The MST3K shorts are always my favorite thing about the series and this one is no exception. Overall this is another episode that gets laughs from start to finish and is sure to please MST3K fans.

RATING: 8/10

Order The Atomic Brain now along with Touch of Satan and you'll receive a free MST3K Stress Ball (while supplies last).

Lethal Ladies Collection (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-10-26T02:15:00.002-04:00

The brilliant Roger Corman's Cult Classic line continues with this fantastic three film set - Lethal Ladies Collection. This set includes two films by Filipino exploitation great Cirio H. Santiago - Firecracker and TNT Jackson, as well as a female spy film Too Hot to Handle. I had never seen any of these films before so it was a treat getting three hard to find exploitation films in one set.

Firecracker (1981, Cirio H. Santiago) stars Jillian Kesner as Susanne Carter, a martial arts expert who goes to the Philippines to find her missing sister. While she is there, she meets up with Rey (Raymond King), a local fighter and Chuck Donner (Darby Hinton), another karate expert who works for the local mafia. Susanne tries to infiltrate the mob and get close to Chuck to find out what happened to her sister.

TNT Jackson (1974, Cirio H. Santiago) stars Jeanne Bell as Diana "TNT" Jackson, another martial arts expert who goes to Hong Kong to find her missing brother (sound familiar?). While she is there she gets entangled with a drug smuggling ring, a double agent and her brother's killer.

Too Hot to Handle (1977, Don Schain) features Cheri Caffaro as secret agent Samantha Fox. Samantha uses her physical prowess and martial arts expertise (yes, again) to kill some gangsters in the Philippines. She seduces every man she meets and eventually falls for the local policeman who is following the trail of bodies she is leaving.

So in case you couldn't tell, these three movies are all pretty similar, especially Firecracker and TNT Jackson, which are basically the same film. Regardless, the three leads all do terrific jobs of kicking ass and seducing the villains. Fortunately the films have enough martial arts action, bloody deaths and good performances to make them all must see pictures. Plus they all fly by in less than 90 minutes, so there are really no slow parts. Of the three, I'd probably say TNT Jackson was my favorite, but they are all quality exploitation films. Special features include a handful of trailers, as well as an audio commentary with Cheri Caffaro. The prints are all in surprisingly great shape with just enough grain to make them feel authentic. Shout! Factory did a magnificent job with the transfers and sound, which is becoming expected based on their previous output. Overall, this set is a must have for martial arts, female revenge, exploitation, cult and B movie fans.

RATING:
Firecracker: 8/10
TNT Jackson: 9/10
Too Hot to Handle: 8/10

This set is available directly from Shout! Factory HERE

Dead Cert (2010, Steven Lawson)

2011-10-26T00:03:00.000-04:00

Recently released by Shout! Factory, Dead Cert is a new cult film that crosses the British Gangster genre with the Vampire genre. Sounds like it could be really good or really bad. I was intrigued when I read the premise and the cast of cockney tough guys like Craig Fairbrass, Jason Flemyng and Danny Dyer made for what I would suspect to be worthwhile.

Fairbrass plays Freddy Frankham, the owner of brand new gentleman's club who has a run in with some gang that turn out to be vampires. It seems that the club was built on sacred vampire land and after a bet, Freddy loses the club to head vampire Dante Livienko (Billy Murray). Freddy and his gang decide to get the club back, not knowing what they are getting themselves into.

Dead Cert is a good mix of gritty British crime, similar to Guy Ritchie's films, and modern day vampires. The movie is stylishly filmed with lots of fast paced editing and decent vampire effects. The story is pretty simple but the performances of the lead actors make Dead Cert a lot of fun to watch. My only gripe with the film is that some of the characters are a little underdeveloped (especially the vampires) but I would still recommend the film to horror and crime movie fans.

RATING: 7/10

Dead Cert can be ordered directly from Shout! Factory on DVD HERE or on Blu Ray HERE

The Dead (2010, Howard J. Ford & Jonathan Ford)

2011-10-24T23:25:00.000-04:00

The Dead is a new zombie film which is receiving a limited theatrical release this month. Released by Global Cinema Distribution, this gut wrencher has been getting rave reviews for its use of terrifying, slow moving zombies and its dangerous African locations. Directed by Howard J. Ford and Jonathan Ford, this one is poised to be a cult classic.

The Dead stars Rob Freeman (Saving Private Ryan) as Army Lieutenant Brian Murphy who crash lands off the coast of Africa. He barely makes it to shore, but once he does, he has to make his way through a swarm of flesh eating zombies. He eventually meets up with an African Army Officer named Sgt. Dembele (Prince David Oseia), who is searching for his young son. They attempt to make it to the closest airport in hopes of finding a salvageable plane (Murphy is a engineer who fixes Army vehicles). But they must also avoid being bitten by the zombies that have begun to take over the world.

The Dead succeeds on many levels. First is the Zombie FX. There is a nice mix of practical and CGI FX that blend well together and look pretty realistic (and very nasty). You will see severed limbs, nasty bites, bullets to the face and different states of decomposing dead. Another aspect of the film that brings it a step above your typical zombie movie is the beautifully shot exotic locations. Filmed on location in Africa, we see everything from the stunning shorelines to the lush forests to the barren deserts and the impoverished villages. Though the story is pretty simple and the film moves along at a leisurely pace, what you are a left with is a very respectable addition to the over crowded zombie genre. One other tiny gripe is that some of the acting seems a tad amateur but overall, this is definitely worth a watch (and better than most zombie films coming out now).

RATING: 8/10

http://www.the-dead-movie.com/

Check HERE for upcoming screenings.

Vampires, Mummies & Monsters Collection (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-09-28T00:07:00.003-04:00

Just in time for Halloween comes Vampires, Mummies & Monsters, a 2 disc collection from Shout! Factory's Roger Corman's Cult Classics line. Included are (as the title states) four obscure gems that run the gamut of the horror genre. I get excited every time a new Corman Classic release comes out and this set is no exception.

The Velvet Vampire is a modern day (well, modern for 1971 when it was released) vampire story about a couple (Michael Blodgett and Sherry Miles) who are invited to stay the weekend at a mysterious woman's lavish home in the middle of the desert. After arriving, their host Diane (Celeste Yarnall) starts invading their dreams and tries to seduce them. The longer they stay, they realize that their host is much older than they first thought...like centuries older. Oh, and she's a vampire

Lady Frankenstein takes the classic story and adds a new element to it - Dr. Frankenstein's daughter. After her father (Joseph Cotton) fails at his experiments and dies, his equally mad daughter (the beautiful Italian actress Rosalba Neri, billed here as Sara Bay) takes over her father's lab. She employs her father's assistant Dr. Charles Marshall (Paul Muller) who is in love with her and will do anything she wants. Unfortunately he's a little too old for her so Lady Frankenstein decides to take their mentally retarded but physically perfect handyman's body and put Marshall's brain into it.

Grotesque (1988) stars Linda Blair as Lisa, a young woman who is going for the weekend to stay at her parent's vacation home with her friend Kathy (Donna Wilkes from Jaws 2). Lisa's father (Guy Stockwell) does makeup effects for horror movies so he loves to scare the girls with his masks. After a gang of punks break into the house and start terrorizing the family, they find something much more terrifying than masks hiding in the house.

Time Walker (1982) follows a college professor (Ben Murphy) who is about to open a Mummy's coffin found in King Tut's tomb. After noticing something hidden in the coffin after X-raying the mummy, one of the students breaks in to steal the treasure, which turns out to be 5 mysterious gems. What he doesn't realize is that the radiation from the X-rays reanimated the mummy, sending it on a deadly rampage to recover the stolen gems.

What I like best about this collection is how varied it is. Other than the Roger Corman connection, there isn't much these films have in common besides the fact they are all low budget horror films. We have a 70s vampire film, a Hammer-esque gothic horror film, Sci-Fi horror and a good old 80s slasher. To be honest, none of these were necessarily great films and individually wouldn't be something I'd probably seek out but together here, they are well worth the price. Grotesque was quite cheesy and I had some problems with it but there were also many elements I really liked about the film (Linda Blair being the main one). Time Walker too was a little cheesy but the far out story saves it and it actually turned out to be pretty original and interesting. The Velvet Vampire and Lady Frankenstein were both actually quite good films that had good acting, scenery and gore. The transfers from all 4 films look amazing, especially considering the budgets and age and the set is full of special features (trailers, interviews, commentaries and two different cuts of Lady Frankenstein). So don't go in expecting a bunch of classic horror films but I would still highly recommend this set to horror/exploitation fans for its sheer scope of the genre, the obscurity of the films included and the wealth of bonus features.

RATING: 8/10

Order now directly from SHOUT! FACTORY

Mystery Science Theater: "Manos" The Hands of Fate (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-09-12T23:59:00.000-04:00

Considered by many as the worst film ever made, "Manos" The Hands of Fate is truly a sight. I'd say it makes Plan 9 From Outer Space look like Citizen Kane in comparison. For MST3K lovers though, the crappier the movie - the funnier the show. Joel, Tom Servo and Crow certainly have their work cut out for them here. Coming September 13th from Shout! Factory is a Special Edition of this MST3K fan favorite.

"Manos" The Hands of Fate is the tale of a couple who go on vacation with their daughter and their dog. The family gets lost or something and winds up at an old house. A creepy character named Torgo (John Reynolds) is there to greet them and agrees to let them stay the night. Soon we find out that the house is actually a den of sin where "The Master" (Tom Neyman) and his stable of brides live. The vacationing family become prisoners and must do whatever they can to survive the wrath of MANOS!

From that synopsis, you might think the film isn't half bad. Well, it's not half bad. It's about 8,000 times bad. To have a reputation like this film is quite an achievement (or damnation). Luckily, we get to watch it in the Satellite of Love where bad movies are shown to torture Joel and his friends. The crew absolutely rip this films to shreds. Widely considered one of the best episodes of the series, this latest installment in the MST3K collection is absolutely hilarious. A tough movie to sit through on its own, this 2 DVD set features both the original version of "Manos" The Hands of Fate, as well as the MST3K version. That's not all though. This set also has a boatload of bonus features, including a documentary on the making of "Manos" as well as interviews with the MST3K cast and crew re-living the horrible experience of this film. Take those, along with some MST3K Hour Wraps, exclusive mini poster by Steve Vance and more and you have one of the best MST3K sets available. If you are new to the show then this episode is the perfect starter and if you're a fan than you already know how good it is.

RATING: 10/10

If you order this set directly through Shout! Factory's site HERE then you get a free MST3K stress ball!

The Exterminator (1980, James Glickenhaus)

2011-09-12T00:27:00.001-04:00

Eagerly awaited by many genre fans, The Exterminator finally hits Blu Ray (in a combo BD/DVD 2 disc set) from Synapse Films on September 13th. This little horror/exploitation/revenge film has a huge cult following and (with its unforgettable cover art) was a staple in the classic days of VHS. I'm sure many folks remember seeing this in your local mom and pop video stores back in the 80s. I sure do. Amazingly, I had never seen the film before and held off after hearing about this exciting new release.

The Exterminator takes place in the slums of NYC where two ex-vietnam buddies, John (Robert Ginty) and Michael (Steve James) get in a fight with a local gang. After winning the fight, they come back and get revenge by crippling Michael. This enrages John so much that he snaps and goes on a rampage to try to wipe out not only the gang that crippled his friend but also the kingpins who are responsible for the dangerous city streets. John, being a trained fighter and weapons expert makes these criminals pay for the wrongs that they've done.

The Exterminator is a Grade A revenge film that not only has lots of action, but also some interesting characters and some great Gore FX. Check out the first 5 minutes of the film and you'll know what I'm talking about. The characters, especially John the lead, are well developed and much more human than you would expect from a film like this. Robert Ginty does a great job as John and it's fun seeing genre vets Christopher George (City of the Living Dead) and Samantha Eggar (The Brood) trying to figure out the Exterminator's identity. Synapse's new release is the Unrated Director's Cut, featuring more gore and violence as well as a director's commentary and (for the first time in the US on home video) the original 2.0 stereo track. I'd rank this one right up there with Death Wish and Vigilante as one of the most violent and brutal action/revenge film. I can't really think of any flaws in this film. The film kept me interested and really delivered everything I was hoping for (and then some!).

Now....where's Exterminator 2 on DVD or Blu Ray?

RATING: 10/10

Pre Order The Exterminator DVD/BD 2 disc set HERE from Synapse Films.

Haunting at the Beacon (2009, Michael Stokes)

2011-09-11T01:19:00.000-04:00

Coming September 13th from Take 2 Releasing, Haunting at the Beacon is a modern day ghost story starring Teri Polo (Meet the Parents/Fockers series). The interesting thing about this film is that it was filmed at an actual haunted hotel (Rogers Hotel in Waxahachie, TX) and the cast and crew reportedly experienced some supernatural occurrences.

Haunting at the Beacon is about Bryn (Teri Polo) and her husband Paul (David Rees Snell) who move into a new apartment after their young son disappears and is presumed dead. After trying to cope with her loss, Bryn starts seeing a little boy running through the hotel and hears voices from a vacant apartment. Is Bryn slowly going crazy over the guilt she has for her son's death or is something really haunting the Beacon?

Haunting at the Beacon definitely has some good things going for it. First of all is the strong cast, including Polo, Snell, Elaine Hendrix (as their seductive neighbor) and genre vet Michael Ironside (Scanners). The creepy atmosphere of the apartment/hotel was also beneficial to the film's spookiness as were the impressive makeup effects by Vincent J. Guastini (Requiem for a Dream). The climax caught me off guard and the shocking ending was a nice finish too. My only real complaint is that the film could have been a little scarier but overall it is a worthwhile film that should please supernatural horror and haunted house fans.

RATING: 7/10

The Caller (2011, Matthew Parkhill)

2011-08-25T00:22:00.000-04:00

Coming this Friday (August 26th) from Samuel Goldwyn Films, is a supernatural thriller entitled The Caller. Starring Stephen Moyer from True Blood and Rachelle Lefevre from Twilight, this is a dream come true for modern day Vampire fans. Only this isn't a modern day Vampire film. But who cares because this is way better. Trust me.

The Caller is the story of a recently divorced woman named Mary (Lefevre) who moves into a new apartment by herself. Shortly after moving in, she gets a call from an old woman looking for a previous tenant....or is she? After repeated calls, Mary decides to talk to the woman and soon learns that she is actually calling from the past. After giving the woman some advice, Mary soon finds herself involved in murder and realizes that if she doesn't keep answering the phone, bad things will happen to those she loves - including her new boyfriend John (Moyer).

The Caller proves that not all new horror movies have to be remakes or reboots. The story is original, creepy and provides goosebumps galore. From the dreamy atmosphere, to the sudden loud jump scares, The Caller will put you on the edge of your seat and leave you there until the end credits. Moyer exudes charm in the first role I have actually seen him in and Rachelle Lefevre (who I used to watch on What About Brian?) does a credible job as the tormented Mary. The rest of the cast, including Luiz Guzman as the mysterious maintenance man, Ed Quinn as Mary's violent ex and Drag Me to Hell's Lorna Raver as The Caller, help to create a solid picture. The story's progressions are smart and mostly unexpected (as is the ending), so I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone looking for something new and original.

RATING: 8/10

The Caller makes its (limited) theatrical debut this Friday August 26th. Check local listings for showtimes and keep an eye out for an upcoming DVD release.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Red Zone Cuba (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-08-23T21:26:00.000-04:00

Another Shout! Factory Select title (only available through their website), Mystery Science Theater 3000 takes on the 1966 film Red Zone Cuba (just released August 16th, the same day as another MST3K title - The Unearthly). Red Zone Cuba is something that is hard to put into words, but one thing that I can say is that not only does it feature screen legend John Carradine but he also sings the theme song! Now that's something. As far as the movie itself though....that parts not so exciting.

Red Zone Cuba really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Actually it didn't make any sense. I have no idea what the movie was about and watching it, I didn't really care. I know it had something to do with Cuba (only because of the title) and it looked like something to do with the army and I think it took take place in the midwest. Wait, I thought it was Cuba? Crap, now I'm not sure. Does Cuba touch the midwest? I quit.

Skipping over the synopsis because I don't think the film had any discernible plot, I'll go straight into the highs and lows. The only real highs I can think of (besides John Carradine's brief involvement) would be that some of the shots in the film (mostly of the dusty midwestern/cuban/wherever the hell it is terrain) were actually pretty nice. Of course those shots lasted only a few minutes at most so really the film itself was otherwise poo poo. Once again, Mike and his robot sidekicks do their duty of ripping the film apart. Jokes such as one of the characters resembling Curly from the Three Stooges makes this episode a good addition to Shout!'s already expansive DVD catalogue. Also included is a hilarious little short about public speaking called Speech: Platform, Posture and Appearance that also proves as a perfect target for the Satellite of Love's insults.

If you order Red Zone Cuba along with The Unearthly HERE , you'll receive a free MST3K Stress Ball (you'll need it to get through this film).

RATING: 7/10

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Unearthly (2011, Shout Factory)

2011-08-23T21:22:00.000-04:00

August 16th brought us two more exciting MST3K episodes sold exclusively through Shout! Factory's website, as part of their Shout! Select line. Both featuring B movie veteran John Carradine, the films couldn't be more different (well except the fact they are both terrible). Red Zone Cuba is the first and the other is The Unearthly, which is the subject of this review.

The Unearthly features Carradine as a mad scientist (that's a first) who thinks he has found the fountain of youth. Not literally, but he thinks he can stop the process of aging by implanting a gland into his subjects. The patients/victims he selects are to have no relatives or connections to the outside world, avoiding any problems should the experiments fail. As you would expect, things don't work out the way the mad scientist expected and his victims turn into horrific freaks. Two of the patients figure out what's going on and try to stop the doctor before he can use them as guinea pigs.

The Unearthly is undoubtedly a god awful turd of a movie, which proves to be perfect fodder for Joel, Crow and Tom Servo's hilarious criticisms. As with many terrible movies, the title is misleading since there are no aliens in the movie. The jokes come fast and make the task of sitting through this shambolic waste of celluloid not only bearable, but enjoyable. Perhaps even more enjoyable though are the two shorts included before the feature. The first is called Posture Pals and explains the importance of good posture. The second is called Appreciating Our Parents and teaches you how not cleaning up your toys will make you a bad person. Ah, the glorious 50s. Nowadays I'm sure such public service announcements would involve Facebook bullying or saying no to crack but the times are different I guess. Anyway, definitely pick up this fun episode for a laugh or better yet, pick it up along with Red Zone Cuba and you can get a free MST3K Stress Ball! ( click HERE to order The Unearthly direct from Shout! Factory)

RATING: 7/10

The Secret of Dorian Gray (1970, Massimo Dallamano)

2011-08-11T00:43:00.000-04:00

New from Raro Video USA is an Italian production of Oscar Wilde's classic story of eternal youth - The Secret of Dorian Gray. Starring Helmut Berger as the title character, this version is different from the novel by incorporating contemporary (for the time) themes of sexual liberation and fashions. Considered shocking when released, the film definitely has its moments but is still pretty tame by today's standards.

Dorian Gray (Berger) is a wealthy young man who falls in love with an amateur actress. After modeling for a friend's portrait, Dorian sees his own beauty and realizes that it is more important than anything else in the world. After his love commits suicide over his rejection of her, Dorian begins to live a life of debauchery; relishing in his own beauty and wealth. He is shocked to find that as he remains youthful over time, his portrait grows old in his place. He hides the portrait from the world in hopes of staying young forever.

The Secret of Dorian Gray is a nice slice of the taboo-smashing 70s, featuring a wonderful performance by Helmut Berger. Updating the story into the (then) present time works well and proves how timeless Wilde's story is . Dallamano's use of vibrant colors, hallucinogenic lights and an attractive cast makes the film a joy to watch. The supporting cast features such notable names as Herbert Lom, Richard Todd, Margaret Lee and Maria Rohm and they all do a great job creating the excess-filled world of Dorian Gray. Included in this new release by Raro Video USA is a new Digital HD transfer from the original 35mm negative, an interview with the assistant director Maurizio Tanfani and a fully illustrated booklet.

RATING: 8/10

MST3K Vs. Gamera: Mystery Science Theater 3000, Vol. XXI (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-08-02T02:03:00.003-04:00

On August 2nd every MST3K fan's prayers will be answered when Shout! Factory delivers MST3K Vs. Gamera, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Vol. XXI. This set includes all 5 episodes featuring the Japanese monster Gamera (think Godzilla crossed with a turtle). These episodes all premiered in 1991 during the show's 3rd season and are collected here for the first time. Before this set, I had only seen the first Gamera film (review HERE) so it is fun to revisit it again with the MST3K treatment along with 4 of its sequels.

The first Gamera film came out in 1965, launching a much loved franchise featuring a giant turtle monster wreaking havok in Japan. After the first film however, Gamera became a good guy, fighting off other monsters and being "a friend to children everywhere" (enter Gamera theme song here). In Gamera vs Barugon, a bunch of treasure hunters search for a giant opal which turns out to be an monster egg. Once the monster is unleashed, Gamera must come to save the world from the creature. In Gamera vs Gaos, a giant blood thirsty bat creature (Gaos) is awoken from an erupting volcano and Gamera must stop it when a group of scientists' plan fails to lure the bat with fake blood. Gamera vs. Guiron begins when some annoying kids are kidnapped by female aliens for sinister purposes. Gamera must save the kids (and the world) from a monster unleashed by the aliens. Lastly, in Gamera vs Zigra, the earth is threatened by a fish-like monster who wants revenge on our planet for ruining his home planet's water.

Though the Gamera films have some charm, they are pretty terrible and prove to be easy targets for Joel Hodgson, Tom Servo and Crow. The quips come fast and furious and I found myself laughing throughout. Each of the five episodes were top notch and it is great to have them all together in this box set. Sitting through the films back to back might be a chore so I recommend watching them spread out. Also included in this set, which comes in a collectible tin case, are 5 exclusive mini posters by artist Steve Vance. The set also features a slew of bonus features including a look back at MST3K & Gamera, a documentary on Gamera by Japanese monster expert August Ragone, Gamera vs. The Chiodo Brothers (Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Pee Wee's Big Adventure), MST Hour wraps and the original Japanese trailers. I highly recommend this set for MST3K fans, monster movie fans and bad movie fans.

Order it now from Shout! Factory HERE and receive a free MST3K Stress Ball and an Exclusive Postcard Pack.

RATING: 8/10

Trailer

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976, Ruggero Deodato)

2011-08-02T01:39:00.002-04:00

Directed by Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust and Last Cannibal World) and written by Fernando Di Leo (Milano Calibro 9, The Italian Connection, The Boss), Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man takes the already violent Italian crime genre and takes it to a new level. Just released by Raro Video USA, this film is finally available in the states, providing us with another missing piece in the director's varied filmography. Deodato has done everything from the aforementioned Cannibal films, Disaster films (Concorde Affair), Sword and Sorcery films (The Barbarians) and Revenge films (House on the Edge of the Park) so it is only appropriate that he dipped into Italian crime films too.

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man follows Fred (Marc Porel) and Tony (Ray Lovelock), two cops who believe that the only way to fight crime is with violence. Though their boss (Adolfo Celi) doesn't approve of this method, he still assigns them to the new special force where they try to catch dangerous gangster Roberto "Bibi" Pasquini (Renato Salvatori). Fred and Tony use every method they can, from blowing up a parking lot full of cars to "seducing" Bibi's sister Lina. But will their dangerous tactics pay off or end up getting them killed?

Definitely the most violent polizioteschi I have seen, Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man is also one of the best I have seen. Porel and Lovelock do a great job as the carefree cops who not only ride together on one motorcycle and share an apartment but also share and try to seduce the same women. From a surprisingly vulgar conversation with their boss's secretary to the previously mentioned "seduction" of Bibi's sister, the duo's clean cut, pretty boy image proves to be the complete opposite of their tough, misogynistic demeanor. The action begins with an epic motorcycle chase (right after the title song sung by Ray Lovelock) and doesn't let up for more than a few minutes at a time throughout the film. The only flaw I really found with the film was some of the dialogue, which was a little campy and over the top. On the other hand though, I feel that without this break from the violence and action, the film may have been a little too dark and wouldn't have allowed the audience to breathe. Included on this disc from Raro Video is a new 35mm transfer, a documentary on the film with director and star interviews, as well as some early commercials by Deodato.

RATING: 9/10

Dead Cert coming September 27th from Shout! Factory

2011-07-31T08:59:00.000-04:00

You Think You Know Vampires? Think Again.

DEAD CERT

OWN IT ON BLU-RAY™ and DVD
SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

This Fall, get ready for a bloodthirsty mix of From Dusk Till Dawn and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels when Dead Cert debuts for the first time in the U.S and Canada on Blu-ray™ and DVD September 27, 2011 from Shout! Factory, in association with Black and Blue Films. Jam-packed with all the ingredients of both a vampire flick and a gangster film -- creepy monsters, scantily-clad women, tough-talking wise guys, gratuitous bloodshed and a seemingly crazy vampire hunter, Dead Cert features a star-studded cast of familiar British acting talent including Craig Fairbrass (The Bank Job), Dexter Fletcher (Kick-Ass), Billy Murray (Rise Of The Footsoldier), Lisa McAllister (Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes), Steven Berkoff (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Dave Legeno (Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince), Jason Flemying (X-Men: First Class) and Danny Dyer (Dead Man Running).

Produced by horror specialists Black and Blue Films and directed by Steve Lawson, Dead Cert marks a welcome return to the fun, almost-traditional British horror filmmaking style that affectionately evokes the spirit of the contemporary-set movies of Amicus and Hammer -- particularly the latter’s Dracula A.D. 1972 and The Satanic Rites of Dracula.

Dead Cert is a bloodsucking feast with more bite than most and one that horror fans will definitely enjoy sinking their teeth into. (Blu-ray, $24.99 SRP / DVD, $19.97 SRP)

When respected but small-time gangster Freddie ‘Dead Cert’ Frankham (Craig Fairbrass) is unexpectedly given the chance to make a tentative leap into the big leagues with the opening of his new nightclub in London’s East End, he doesn’t quite realize what he’s getting into. Unknown to Freddie and his partners, the club stands on the former site of a Black Church, established as a temple of evil in the 17th Century by a Romanian warlord-turned-vampire known as The Wolf. Flushed out of the city by emissaries of the Vatican during the Great Fire of London, and since then exiled in mainland Europe, The Wolf and his undead disciples have now returned to England to continue their diabolical plans to expand their legions and overcome mankind.

On the club’s opening night, Freddie is approached by an uninvited guest in the form of Dante Livienko (Billy Murray), an Eastern European businessman, gangster and drug-dealer with a fearsome reputation. Livienko and his associates want ownership of the club and are prepared to make Freddie an offer he can’t refuse in order to get what they want. But to Freddie, his new, legitimate business means far more to him than money and he’s not about to give up his hard-earned turf without a fight. What he doesn’t know, but is soon to find out, is the man he is about to cross is a 500-year-old vampire determined to rebuild his empire of evil on its original, unhallowed site.

BONUS FEATURES:

· Audio commentary

· Making-of Dead Cert

· Theatrical trailer

Dead Cert (2010)

Black and Blue Films/Raw Film Productions

Starring: Craig Fairbrass, Dexter Fletcher, Billy Murray, Lisa McAllister, Steven Berkoff, Dave Legeno, Danny Dyer, Perry Benson and Jason Flemying as “Chelsea Steve”

Directed by Steve Lawson

Executive produced by Will Horn and Steve Lawson

Produced by Jonathan Sothcott and Billy Murray

Written by Ben Shilito and Jonathan Sothcott, based on an idea by Garry Charles

Director of Photography: James Friend

Editing by Jason de Vyea and Wade Jackson

Not Rated

Running time: 82 minutes

Special features are not rated

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Dead Cert Blu-ray™ and DVD

Street Date: September 27, 2011

1080p High Definition/ 2:35:1

Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions

English 5.1

Bonus content: standard definition, 2.0 stereo

Evil Things (2009, Dominic Perez)

2011-07-26T23:11:00.000-04:00

Coming August 9th from Inception Media Group, is a low budget,"found footage" horror film from new director Dominic Perez. Ever since I saw The Blair Witch Project in the theater and got the shit scared out of me, I have been on the lookout for similar followers that deliver the scares. I liked the Paranormal Activity films and thought this might be a good addition to this genre.

Evil Things follows 5 friends who are going away for the weekend to stay at a secluded vacation house to celebrate one of their birthdays. While driving on the snowy back roads, they come across a black van that appears to be following them. After one of the group confronts the driver, he takes off and they think their problems are over. Once they finally reach their destination, they talk, drink and have fun. Until they realize that they are not alone.

Evil Things does an incredible job of building up tension and also spends a good amount of time with characterization. Unlike your typical slasher film, you really care about the characters here which is why the scares are more effective. The amateur cast are all very convincing, which made the "found footage" angle really work. There wasn't one time that it felt like I was watching actors as oppossed to real people in peril. The film is bloodless but it will keep you on the edge of your seat. My only complaint is that the film ended too soon. I wished the climax went on a little longer, but overall it was a strong film that hopefully will get some recognition.

RATING: 8/10

Bloodsucking Nazi Zombies (1981, Jesus Franco)

2011-07-26T23:04:00.004-04:00

I remember shortly after getting into zombie cinema via George Romero's films, I was on the lookout for anything that may be similar. I was walking through the old Woolworth's store at the Dedham Mall (R.I.P.) in Dedham, MA and found a bin of bargain video tapes. This was probably 1996 and as I perused through this pile of mostly public domain garbage, I happened upon one with the word Zombie in the title. I remember picking up the tape and seeing a horrible cover with a close up of an eyeless zombie drooling blood and the title OASIS OF THE ZOMBIES with a little swastika at the top. The thing that really grabbed me though was what was written at the bottom of the cover - "THIS VIDEO FILM SHOULD NOT BE RENTED TO OR VIEWED BY PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE". That tagline actually frightened me a little, thinking maybe viewing the film with my underage eyes would corrupt me for life. I actually put the tape down and decided I would think about it. I showed it to my mother but was unsure if I'd get it or not. Before I made up my mind, my mother comes out of the store with the tape and hands it to me. Thanks Mom, you're the best (*sniffle*).

Bloodsucking Nazi Zombies (aka Oasis of the Zombies - in case you didn't guess) is about exactly what you'd expect. A group of nazi soldiers carrying gold across the African desert during WWII are attacked by Americans troops. Both sides kill each other except for one American survivor. The survivor is nursed back to health and has a child with a beautiful native woman who dies giving birth. The soldier and his baby come back to the states and many years later the soldier dies before going back after the gold. His son finds out and decides to take 3 friends over to Africa with him to find the gold. What he doesn't know is that the gold is being protected by the undead corpses of the Nazi soldiers!

After watching this film for the first time in 1996, I was a little underwhelmed. The movie was ok but didn't blow me away or anything. I thought it was a pale imitation to the "classic" zombie films I had seen. Re-evaluating this film 15 years later (and after seeing some of the worst zombie films ever made), I can definitely appreciate the film more now. It's definitely not a classic nor even close to being a great film, but there are three things that make it special for me. The first is the great zombie makeups used. Sure they're nowhere near the best zombies I've seen, but they are effective and actually pretty nasty looking. My favorites are the guy with the bug eyes and the half skull/half zombie. The second thing was Jess Franco's direction. Some of the film is too dark and the use of handheld cameras is ever present but he manages to get several shots in that are absolutely breathtaking. When two of the characters are frolicking on the beach as the sun is setting, you'd swear you were watching anything but a low budget french/spanish zombie movie. Franco can always be counted on for this. The last (and most important to me) is nostalgia. Just remembering the story I wrote above chokes me up a little and brings me back to a time when life was simple. Put out by Cheezy Flicks, the presentation here is not much better than my old vhs (the soundtrack's constant hiss makes you think you have a cobra stuck in your eardrum) but anything else just wouldn't feel right.

RATING: 7/10

The Exterminator - coming to DVD / Blu Ray in September from Synapse Films

2011-07-22T21:13:00.001-04:00

SYNAPSE FILMS

The Dead and the Damned (2010, Rene Perez)

2011-07-22T21:06:00.003-04:00

Coming 7/26/11 from Inception Media Group is a new cult film which takes two of my favorite genres (Zombies and Westerns), throws them in a mixer and crafts a delicious brew of violence, action, gore and everything else you'd hope for. The film is called The Dead and the Damned and was directed by newcomer Rene Perez.

The Dead and the Damned starts off in a small town in California 1849. A bounty hunter named Mortimer (David A. Lockhart) is trying to capture an Indian named Brother Wolf (Rick Mora) for an unknown reason and buys a beautiful young woman (Camille Montgomery) to use as bait. After heading off on his quest, the small town of miners find a mysterious, glowing rock. Thinking it might be filled with emeralds, they decide to break it open with a pick axe. The rock turns out to be a meteorite and it unleashes a green gas turning the town folk into the undead. After capturing Brother Wolf, the trio find themselves stalked by the zombies and have no choice but to band together to survive.

The Dead and the Damned does a great job of mixing two contrasting genres into one fun, action-packed romp. The zombies look great and the Western settings/costumes are well done. Even with a running time under 90 minutes, the simple story had a few nice twists and turns but it could have been filled out a little (there are several long stretches with just music and the characters walking around). Other than that I have no gripes with this movie. The CGI gore FX are surprisingly good (considering CGI is my kryptonite) and the acting is also convincing. For a low budget horror/action film, this one stands out above the rest of the seemingly endless DTV garbage being released today.

RATING: 7/10

The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer (1993, David R. Bowen)

2011-07-22T21:01:00.000-04:00

Another title just released by Intervision Pictures Corp. fairs a little better than Things in the fact it actually feels like a real film and not a series of random images that you would see from a food poisoning hallucination. The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer is a little seen, low budget documentary from 1993 starring Carl Crew (who also wrote the screenplay) as one of the world's most infamous serial killers.

The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer follows the subject from the time he was young and used to disect road kill to the end of his murderous reign, when he was finally caught. In between, we see inside the mind of the killer and how a bad home life, alcohol abuse, self loathing and just a demented soul caused Dahmer to commit the unspeakable acts that he did. We see how he used to lure strange men and boys to his home with the promise of taking their picture for money and then drug them before torturing, killing and dismembering them.

The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer is a very well done and factual depiction of the homicidal cannibal. Crew does an impressive job as Dahmer, displaying how vile and sad he was and the situations with his victims more often than not have a very candid feel. The low budget film making style and dated fashions actually help the movie feel more authentic, especially considering it was made shortly after the killer was caught (and before he was murdered in jail). Some of the killings are pretty brutal and the make up FX are pretty realistic (for the most part). Intervision put out a nice disc here of an obscure film which comes with a trailer and commentary with director David R. Bowen and Carl Crew.

RATING: 8/10

Things (1989, Andrew Jordan)

2011-07-22T20:50:00.002-04:00

Just released by Intervision Pictures Corp. is a rare slice of late 80's Canuxploitation that has to be seen to be believed - Things. What is Things? Is it any good? Will I need to see a therapist after viewing this film? These are all very hard questions to answer, but I will do my best.

Things is a no budget horror film made by Andrew Jordan and Barry J. Gillis and what I assume to be a bunch of their friends/relatives. Oh yeah, 80s porn star Amber Lynn is in it as a Newscaster (filmed in what looks like the back room of a pawn shop). Don and Fred (Gillis and Bruce Roach, respectively) go up to Don's brother's house in the middle of nowhere on a road trip. When they get there, brother is acting really weird. It turns out that him and his wife were having trouble getting pregnant so the local doctor used her as an experiment and artificially inseminate her. What hatches from her pregnant womb is not human....and begins a bloody rampage on anyone it encounters.

My inital review for Things was going to consist of three letters and punctuation mark: W T F ?

Is Things any good, you ask? It depends on what you consider good. If your weekend plans are to see Transformers 3 then I would say definitely not. If you like watching terrible movies that are beyond comprehension to the normal, non-lobotomized brain then you are in luck! There is no denying that Things is probably the worst movie ever made. Luckily though, unlike some other bad movies - Things is so eye-poppingly, brain-meltingly bad that it's almost brilliant. How a film like this made it beyond the film maker's (and I use that term loosely) house (or the parent's basement that they most likely still lived in at the time) and not only onto home video - but to amass a cult following and be released by a reputable DVD label is mind boggling. Still, I can't deny that it deserves all of this. Though probably best watched with a group of friends and as much alcohol as you can consume without blacking out, fans of cheesy cinema will undoubtedly be sucked into the parallel universe of hand made puppets, terrible dubbing and a double assault of mullets and mustaches that is THINGS! Intervision Pictures Corp. gives Things an unbelievable abundance of bonus features including two commentaries, a cast reunion, and several interviews. So once the dizziness caused from watching the film ends, you are left with these features to try to make sense of the whole thing. Good luck with that!

Rating: 7/10

(This rating is based on sheer fucked-upedness and enjoyability, as opposed to actual film quality)

The Sweet Life (2003, Rocco Simonelli)

2011-07-12T23:26:00.000-04:00

Now available from Synapse Films is a little known romantic comedy from the writer/producer of Street Trash (Roy Frumkes). Yeah, I know what you're thinking but there are no people melting in this film. The Sweet Life is actually a pretty straight forward movie, which I have to give Synapse a lot of credit for (considering the rest of their catalog). It's an odd film to be put out by a company that usually focuses on horror and exploitation but I must commend them because it is actually a really good film. Honestly, I didn't have very high expectations but I was pleasantly surprised.

The Sweet Life follows smooth talking, womanizer Frankie (Robert Mobley) and his shy, pessimistic brother Michael (James Lorinz). They couldn't be more different but after Frankie dumps his hard partying girlfriend Lila (Barbara Sicuranza), Michael befriends her and soon their relationship escalates. Michael encourages Lila to follow her dreams of becoming a massage therapist, which ends with disastrous results (for both of them). They soon question their compatability while trying to keep their relationship a secret from Frankie, who wants Lila back.

The Sweet Life takes everything I hate about romantic comedies and flushes them down the toilet, replacing it with wit, humor and believable situations. Your typical Jennifer Aniston dreck this is not. The characters are easy to identify with and I found myself laughing out loud consistently. James Lorinz does a great job as the grumpy, self deprecating and Barbara Sicuranza is also very believable as the sweet but rough around the edges Lila. I must also mention Joan Jett's hilarious performance as Lila's drunk biker roomate Sherry. For a low budget film with a mostly no-name cast, Frumkes and director/co-writer Rocco Simonelli construct a fun and rewarding movie experience. Like I said, there are no melting people in this film, but it might just melt your heart (*sniffle*).

RATING: 8/10

Second Quarter Review 2011

2011-07-01T23:59:00.002-04:00

Yes folks. Here were are again. Second Quarter review of 2011. Hard to believe the year is half over but it's even harder to believe that I started this blog almost 3 years ago. As always I've been watching a ton of movies and I'd like to share what I watched over the last 3 months.

Here is my quarterly review of films watched from April through June:

4/2
Bob Dylan Revealed

4/3
Crippled Masters 3
Brian Eno: 1971-1977 -The Man Who Fell to Earth

4/4
Anywhere USA

4/9
State of Grace

4/10
Some Kind of Wonderful

4/11
At Close Range

4/13
The Wild Life

4/14
Career Opportunities
Fresh Horses

4/16
Don't You Forget About Me (John Hughes documentary)
Scream 4

4/18
...About Last Night

4/21
Against All Odds
Dorm that Dripped Blood

4/22
Real Cannibal Holocaust

4/23
Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969

4/24
St. Elmo's Fire
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times

4/26
Breakfast Club

4/27
Trading Places
NOFX-Backstage Passport

4/28
Kentucky Fried Movie
I Vinti (The Vanquished)
Blue City

4/29
NOFX - Ten Years of Fuckin' Up

4/30
The Night Shift

5/1
Jackson County Jail

5/9
Rituals

5/11
Embodiment of Evil

5/12
Poor Pretty Eddie
The Passenger

5/13
The Switch

5/14
Gutterballs
Eyes of the Chameleon
Dahmer vs. Gacy

5/15
Zabriskie Point
Killer Yacht Party

5/17
Silent Running

5/22
Flipside Vol. 5
Decline of Western Civilization
Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years

5/23
Hangover
SLOG movie

5/24
Rockers

5/25
Yesspeak

5/26
(500) Days of Summer

5/27
Trailers From Hell Vol. 2

5/28
Scavenger Hunt
Boys Next Door

5/29
The Searchers

5/30
Red River

6/1
Rio Bravo

6/2
Magnificent Seven

6/4
The Burning

6/5
Bullet for the General
Welcome to Blood City

6/6
Stranger's Gundown (aka Django Il Bastardo)

6/7
Dudes

6/8
Little Shop of Horrors

6/10
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

6/11
Duck You Sucker

6/12
Fistful of Dollars

6//13
For a Few Dollars More
The Nesting

6/16
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gunslinger
Once Upon a Time in the West

6/18
Rio Conchos
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Hamlet

6/19
Today We Kill...Tomorrow We Die
Take a Hard Drive

6/20
Damnation Alley

6/22
Red Sun

6/23
Gordon's War

6/25
Danger: Diabolik
Tattoo

6/26
Brotherhood of Satan
Gator Bait

6/28
Last Summer

6/29
Keoma

6/30
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
Oblivion

Damnation Alley (1977, Jack Smight)

2011-07-01T12:52:00.006-04:00

Coming 7/12 from Shout! Factory is a film that many folks have been waiting a long time to get their 70's, post apocalyptic, sci-fi lovin' hands on - Damnation Alley! First announced by Anchor Bay several years ago as finally hitting DVD, it never happened (sons of bitches). Finally, Shout! Factory comes to the rescue and adds another great title to their already-fantastic catalogue. I had read about this film a few years ago because it has two of my favorite actors from the 70's and 80's - Jackie Earle Haley and Jan-Michael Vincent (gotta love those girly first names). Anyway, after realizing that I would probably have to seek out a crappy VHS version to see this film, the Gods reached down and placed a copy of this DVD in my mailbox. Amen.

Damnation Alley takes place in the near future after a nuclear attack has shifted the planet off of its axis, causing all kinds of weird shit. A group of army officers surive in their bunker and venture out in their survival vehicle (The Landmaster) to find civilization. The team - Maj. Denton (George Peppard), Lt. Tanner (Vincent) and Keegan (Paul Winfield) - find themselves in an endless number of obstacles, including giant scorpions, mutant cockroaches and some backwoods creeps.

Damnation Alley is admittedly not a great movie. Some of the special FX are laughable and there is an slight lack of depth in the story and characters. That said, you'll be hard pressed to find a more fun sci-fi post-apocalyptic film than this! A definitely cult classic, Damnation Alley has a great cast, an awesome vehicle for them to ride around and kick ass in and some really cool scenes (the cockroaches being my favorite). Shout! Factory does an incredible job here with a beautiful new transfer and a bunch of bonus features (commentary with producer Paul Maslansky, producer, screenwriter and car designer/stunt coordinator interviews, trailer and TV spot). Though the film is definitely flawed, it's fun and well worth a watch - especially for a seemingly lost cult classic like this.

RATING: 8/10

Pre-Order the DVD and BLU RAY directly from Shout! Factory and receive a free 8x10 lithograph! (while supplies last).

Oblivion (1994, Sam Irvin)

2011-07-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

Cowboys and Aliens? I'm sure most of you think that new movie with Indiana Jones and James Bond battling ET in the Wild West is the first time these two crazy genres were melded together? WRONG! Coming July 5th from Shout! Factory is Oblivion, a 1994 low budget sci-fi western from Charles Band's Full Moon Entertainment. I thought the idea of Cowboys and Aliens was interesting and, though not expecting much considering it was made by Full Moon, I decided it would be worth a watch.

Oblivion, a futuristic western town is being taken over by hideous alien cowboy Redeye (Andrew Divoff) and his horde of baddies - femme fatale Lash (Musetta Vander), boneheaded Bork (Irwin Keyes) and more. The town's sheriff is gunned down by Redeye and it looks like the townsfolk are doomed. Enter the sheriff's estranged son Zach Stone (Richard Joseph Paul - three first names?) and his Native American friend Buteo (Jimmie F. Skaggs - now that's a name!) to clean up and fight for justice.

Oblivion was a silly, action-packed, sci-fi romp with a fun story and great cast. The film is like a who's who of b movie stars and has-beens - Catwoman Julie Newmar as Miss Kitty, Star Trek's George Takei as hard drinking Doc Valentine (using as many allusions to Star Trek as possible), The Addams Family movie's Lurch Carel Struycken as the grim reaper Gaunt and They Live's Meg Foster as cyborg Stell Bar. The special FX in Oblivion are surprisingly well done, especially the "Night Scorps" scene at the end. The story is hokey but it works and has its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. The DVD from Shout! Factory looks pretty good but I can tell the source was not the best to work with (very common for the seemingly endless DTV output from Full Moon in the 80s and 90s).

RATING: 7/10

Pre-Order Oblivion directly from Shout! Factory HERE

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man and Pasolini's The Anger coming from Raro Video

2011-06-27T23:16:00.003-04:00

LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN LIVES UP TO ITS REPUTATION

AS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT FILMS EVER MADE

PASOLINI’S THE ANGER OFFERS A UNIQUE LOOK AT TWO

RADICALLY different ITALIAN VIEWPOINTS IN

THE CONTEXT OF A POST WORLD WAR II GLOBAL SOCIETY

BOTH Available on DVD JULY 26 FROM RAROVIDEO U.S.

LOS ANGELES (June 23, 2011) – Referenced in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 2, Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976) is one of the most violent, censored and unconventional Italian style detective films of its time. The credit goes to both the director Ruggero Deodato, extremely apt at telling stories in a strong tone (he made the infamous Cannibal Holocaust), and the scriptwriter Fernando di Leo, author of the best Italian noir films (Recently released in a DVD boxed set as The Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection – All four films will be available as individual breakouts on July 14 from RaroVideo). Above all, the psychological and behavioral description of the main characters, the two policemen, members of an anti-crime squad who have complete freedom in their actions against crime, had never been seen before. Not only do they not hesitate to brutally kill the criminals they are hunting down, but Alfredo (Marc Porel) and Antonio (Ray Lovelock) do so while maintaining a cynical and light-hearted attitude even in the most threatening situations.

RaroVideo U.S.’s restored version of Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, will arrive on DVD for the first time ever on July 26. The extensive DVD extras include the documentary entitled, Poliziotti Violenti and a fully illustrated booklet containing critical analysis of the film.

RaroVideo U.S. will also release Pasolini’s THE ANGER on DVD July 26 with extensive extras. Tapping into topics from the 1950’s and the early 1960’s such as racism, the Middle East, Cuba, Stalinism, the Atomic bomb, and the death of Marilyn Monroe it is understandable why the U.S. government has been afraid of this film for so long. The directors and commentators of The Anger (1963), two of the most important opinion makers and intellectuals in post WWII Europe, employ documentary footage from this era and an accompanying commentary, in which they attempt to answer, quite elegantly and poetically, the existential question: Why are our lives characterized by discontent, anguish, and fear? The film is in two completely separate parts, and the directors of these respective sections, left-wing film director and poet, Pier Paolo Pasolini and the conservative journalist and film director, Giovanni Guareschi, offer the viewer contrasting analyses of, and prescriptions for modern society. This release is an exclusive, uncut, restored version obtained from the Cinemateque of Bologna.

Both LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN and THE ANGER have been restored through a new digital HD transfer from the original 35mm negatives. **Please note that RaroVideo’s release of The Secret Of Dorian Gray has moved from May 17 to June 28**

Antonioni’s The Vanquished, Fellini’s The Clowns, The Perfume of the Lady in Black, Adua and her Friends and The Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection are all available now from RaroVideo U.S. The label will continue to spotlight the works of major Italian directors this year with plans to release Carmelo Bene’s Our Lady of the Turks (Nostra signora dei Turchi) and many more rare titles.

RaroVideo’s Company Mission Statement

RaroVideo’s eclectic and interdisciplinary approach aims to recognize and publish quality works found in the cinema and visual art world.

About RaroVideo U.S.

RaroVideo U.S. is devoted to producing high-quality DVD, BLU-RAY and VOD releases for American audiences. The partnership behind the company formed in 2010 when Stefano and Gianluca Curti, owners of RaroVideo Italy, teamed with Nico Bruinsma, owner of U.S. DVD label Cult Epics. Stefano and Gianluca Curti started RaroVideo Italy in 1999. Hailed by cinephiles for expertly restoring rare films by influential filmmakers from a wide range of genres, the company has earned an outstanding international reputation for the quality of its high-definition transfers. Its releases are also known for their original uncut versions and exclusive supplemental content as well as the critical analysis and superb booklets that accompany each film. Among the directors featured in the RaroVideo catalog are: Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rosselllini, David Lynch, Derek Jarman, Shinya Tsukamoto, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Jean-Luc Godard, Werner Herzog, Lars von Trier, Lucio Fiulci, Mario Bava, Francesco Barilli, Tinto Brass, Jean Cocteau, Pedro Almodovar and Martin Scorsese to name just a few. RaroVideo was also the first company in the world to release on DVD Andy Warhol’s: The Chelsea Girls, My Hustler, The Nude Restaurant and Lonesome Cowboys. RaroVideo’s U.S. branch is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN

Price: $29.98 (DVD)

Street Date: July 26, 2011

Pre-Order Date: June 28, 2011

Running time: 95 minutes

Distributor: ENTERTAINMENT ONE

DVD UPC: 816018010142

Language: Italian with optional English subtitles

Rating: NR

LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN – SPECIAL FEATURES

-Documentary: Poliziotti Violenti, running time 40 min.

-TV advertisement directed and commented by Ruggero Deodato

-Director filmography and biography

-A fully illustrated booklet containing critical analysis of the film

-New digital transfer from original 35mm negative

-Digitally restored and remastered

-New and improved English subtitle translation

THE ANGER

Price: $29.98 (DVD)

Street Date: July 26, 2011

Pre-Order Date: June 28, 2011

Running time: 104 minutes

Distributor: ENTERTAINMENT ONE

DVD UPC: 816018010135

Language: Italian and English with optional English subtitles

Rating: NR

THE ANGER- SPECIAL FEATURES:

-Original Trailer of The Anger (La Rabbia)

-A documentary about the genesis of the film by Tatti Sanguineti entitled La Rabbia I, La Rabbia II, La Rabbia III... L’Arabia – running time 50 min.

- A rare and exclusive short Pier Paolo Pasolini film entitled Le Mura di Sana’a "The Wall of Sana'a"– running time 16 min.

-Extended fully illustrated booklet containing rare Pasolini drawings and critical analysis of the film, included are images of some never-before-seen color paintings and drawings by the contemporary Italian artist, Renato Guttuso

-New digital transfer from original 35mm negative print supervised by the Bologna Cinemateque.

-Digitally restored and remastered

-New and improved English subtitle translation

Rio Conchos / Take a Hard Ride (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-06-20T12:34:00.000-04:00

Coming June 21st from Shout! Factory is a pairing of two Western classics - Rio Conchos and Take a Hard Ride. Two very different films but still a treat for western fans, especially in this low price set. I had heard of Take a Hard Ride before because of its great cast but had never heard of Rio Conchos. I've been watching a lot of westerns lately so I couldn't pass it up.

Rio Conchos stars Richard Boone as an ex-confederate army officer named Lassiter. He is found with a stolen army rifle and is thrown in jail. A Mexican bandit who is also an old aquaintance (Tony Franciosa) also shares his cell and Lassiter makes a deal to show the army where the rest of the stolen guns are if they let him and his cell mate accompany them. The pair, along with army Captain Haven (Stuart Whitman) and Sgt Franklyn (Jim Brown) travel through the west to find Colonel Pardee (Edmond O'Brien), who Lassiter claims to have the guns, all the while fighting off attacks from Apaches.

Take a Hard Ride also stars Jim Brown, this time as Pike, who is attempting to transport $86,000 to the widow of his recently departed boss. Along the way he meets up with Tyree (Fred Williamson), a smooth gambler, a prostitue (Katherine Spaak) and her half breed, mute friend Kashtok (Jim Kelly) who also happens to be a kung fu master. Together they fight off a mysterious bounty hunter (Lee Van Cleef) and a whole slew of other baddies.

Shout! Factory delivers the goods once again on this great entry in their Wild West collection. The true winner of the two films here is definitely Rio Conchos. One of the most oddly heart wrenching westerns I have seen, especially the scenes with the baby, Rio Conchos also delivers in action, vibrant characters and a great story. I have heard that the film is very similar to the John Wayne film The Comancheros (both films share a screenwriter) but I haven't seen it so I can't comment as to if it is a ripoff or what. Regardless, it is a great film and a true gem of the genre. Take a Hard Ride, though not a classic, is still pretty damn watchable. Jim Brown, Jim Kelly and Fred Williamson team up again as a trio of badasses trying to right the wrong. Williamson's jive talk and some pointless scenes (the fist fight at the end of the film) hamper the film but it is still worth a watch just to see this great cast in action. The climax is exciting and the humor lightens the tone of the film. Overall, this set is a must for western fans, blaxploitation fans and action fans. Also included are insighful new interviews with Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly, as well as trailers.

RATING:

RIO CONCHOS: 9/10

TAKE A HARD RIDE: 6/10

Pre-Order Rio Conchos / Take a Hard Ride directly from Shout! Factory HERE

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Hamlet (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-06-20T12:25:00.001-04:00

Here we have another episode of the great Mystery Science Theater 3000 put out by Shout! Factory. This time, Mike Nelson, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo tackle a laughably dubbed, German, made for television production of Hamlet, starring Maximilian Schell. Being the poorly read chap that I am, I have never actually read Hamlet nor seen any movie adaptions so this is probably the worst way to first see Hamlet. Then again, I couldn't give two shits about Shakespeare so this is really the only way I would.

For anyone interested, Hamlet is the story of a guy whose father has been killed by his uncle, who then marries Hamlet's mother. Hamlet then sees his father's ghost and goes crazy. At least that's what I got from it. I could be totally wrong, but once again I just couldn't care less about the story. What I do know is that Mike and his robot sidekicks seem to know the story well because they do a good job of narrating and keeping the characters straight, all while killing the dark, serious tone of the film with their machine gun fire quips.

Like I stated before, I don't know much Shakespeare so what's great about this episode is that it is both hilarious and a learning experience. The MST3K boys usually are forced to sit through low budget sci fi, monster or other b movie oddities so Hamlet is not what one would expect to see on the show. True it is a cheesy, low budget Hamlet but it's still Hamlet. That to me proves how inventive and brilliant this show is. This episode is quite funny and I found myself laughing out loud several times throughout. The movie was hard to sit through but Mike, Crow and Servo (I'm sorry, I mean Sirveaux) made it tolerable, even enjoyable. There were some parts that were even a little too slow for the crew's comical anecdotes, but it's still definitely worth a watch.

RATING: 7/10

MST3K: Hamlet is a Shout Select title, only available through Shout! Factory's website. You can pre-order it HERE or it is also available in a bundle with Gunslinger with free shipping and a free MST3K stress ball HERE and a 4 DVD Select Bundle with Gunslinger, Beginning of the End and The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies HERE with $10 off, free shipping and a free MST3K stress ball.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gunslinger (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-06-20T12:23:00.000-04:00

Coming June 21st from Shout! Factory is another wonderful episode of the funny and fact filled series Mystery Science Theater 3000. This time around, the subject is Roger Corman's western Gunslinger. I previously reviewed the MST3K Vol. XX set and after enjoying it very much, I couldn't in my right mind resist an MST3K episode featuring a Corman film. It would be heresy.

Gunslinger is the story of a typical western town whose sheriff is gunned down. His wife (Beverly Garland) takes over as sheriff and goes to get revenge against the man who hired his killers (whom she has already killed). In the meantime a stranger appears whose motives are questionable and takes an interest in the new sheriff. Also in the equation is a trampy bar owner who immediately clashes with sheriff and who has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Joel Hodgson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot rip this admittedly crappy film to shreds and deservedly so. Gunslinger is a sub par western made with a miniscule budget and the guys provide a hilarious commentary to the stupidness they are forced to watch by the evil scientists. Frequent cracks about a "wormy" character, some exotic dancers and the other laughable characters are well delivered and guaranteed to make you laugh until it hurts.

RATING: 8/10

MST3K: Gunslinger is a Shout Select title, only available through Shout! Factory's website. You can pre-order it HERE or it is also available in a bundle with Hamlet (review coming soon) with free shipping and a free MST3K stress ball HERE and a 4 DVD Select Bundle with Hamlet, Beginning of the End and The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies HERE with $10 off, free shipping and a free MST3K stress ball.

The Nesting (1981, Armand Weston)

2011-06-14T22:50:00.000-04:00

Hard at work releasing many of their classic titles on Blu Ray, Blue Underground is releasing their first new title in quite some time on June 28th - The Nesting. A little known horror film from 1981, this one is a welcome addition to Blue Underground's fantastic catalog and sure to be a hit among horror fans. I'll admit that I had never heard of this film before but when I saw the announcement for it, I instantly knew I had to get it.

Robin Groves plays mystery author Lauren Cochran, who suffers from Agoraphobia. After suffering from a panic attack on a crowded street, she decides to go out into the country to try to write her next book. She accidentally stumbles upon an old mansion that looks exactly like the one she had visions of and used for the cover of her last book. She meets some of the locals, including Colonel Lebrun (John Carradine) who has what seems like a stroke after getting some bad vibes off of Lauren. While staying in the old mansion, Lauren starts having visions of awful things that have happened there. Soon enough, more awful things start happening to those around her and it seems like the house itself is causing these deaths.

The Nesting was a neat little forgotten gem from one of my favorite periods of horror. The film is a blend of not only the haunted house films of the 70s (Legend of Hell House, The Changeling) but also on the recent 80s slasher craze. There are some nasty deaths in this film (that I won't give away) which should please any gorehound. The strongest aspect of the film however is definitely the use of atmosphere. The old mansion is used perfectly as a creepy haven for supernatural occurrences and the visions Lauren has are quite scary. The film lost some steam in the second half but it is well worth a watch, especially for those who love haunted house movies or atmospheric horror.

Blue Underground is releasing The Nesting on both DVD and Blu Ray. The copy I watched was DVD and I must say that for a 30 year old film, I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful transfer. The film elements must have been kept in pristine condition because it is hard to believe just how good it turned out. The picture is crystal clear and the sound is also very crisp (and loud at just the right moments). Also included is a series of deleted and extended scenes, as well as trailers, tv spots and a poster & still gallery. For such an obscure film, Blue Underground has gone above and beyond to deliver such an incredible release. Hopefully they continue releasing more interesting new titles like this.

The Nesting is available for pre-order on DVD and BLU RAY direct from Blue Underground.

RATING: 8/10

Trailers from Hell Vol. 2 / Little Shop of Horrors (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-06-13T22:41:00.003-04:00

From Shout! Factory and Joe Dante's website Trailers from Hell comes Trailers from Hell Volume 2. Not only does this DVD include 20 exclusive trailers with director commentaries but it also includes a brand new Anamorphic Widescreen transfer of Roger Corman's classic original Little Shop of Horrors. No, I'm not kidding. How could anyone pass this up? I know I couldn't. For anyone unfamiliar with Trailers from Hell, it began as a website created by famed director Joe Dante (Piranha, Gremlins) where he gathered up several genre directors to provide commentaries for classic movie trailers - mainly horror, cult and exploitation.

Trailers from Hell Volume 2 is another great collection of trailers only this time they weren't previously available on the TFH website (as the first collection's trailers were). Dante assembles some very well known directors and screenwriters to give insightful commentaries on everything from well known classics to not so well known gems. The roster is as follows:

-Roger Corman on trailers for Ski Troop Attack and Premature Burial
-Joe Dante on Donovan’s Brain and The Invisible Ghost
-Guillermo Del Toro on Deep Red and The Hunchback of Notre Dame
-Ernest Dickerson on The Creeping Unknown
-Mick Garris on Fire Maidens from Outer Space and Flesh Gordon
-Jack Hill on Pit Stop
-Larry Karaszewski on Last Summer and The Tenant
-Lloyd Kaufman on Terror Firmer
-Mary Lambert on Godzilla vs. Mothra
-John Landis on Gorgo
-Josh Olson on Jaws and The Lineup
-Michael Peyser on Seven Days in May
-Brian Trenchard-Smith on Devil Ship Pirates and Stranglers of Bombay

As anyone can see from this exciting group of films and those providing the commentaries, this collection is terrific. The commentaries are filled with little known facts, anecdotes and humor. My favorites were John Landis' Gorgo (the funniest of the bunch), Jack Hill on Pit Stop (one of my favorite directors doing one of my favorite movies) and Brian Trenchard-Smith doing two little known Hammer Horror films. The best thing about this collection is finding new movies I've never even heard of that are now on my must-see list. So I highly recommend this collection for any horror, cult, B movie, exploitation and trailer collection fan. Let's not forget though that you also get a beautiful new Anamorphic Widescreen transfer of Little Shop of Horrors too! I'll be the first to admit that this movie is pretty dumb but it's fun, silly and the scene with Jack Nicholson at the dentist is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. This new transfer is like a Michael Bay film compared to the other public domain junk versions out there so this is definitely the way to see the film.

RATING: 10/10

Pre-Order Trailers from Hell Volume 2 HERE direct from Shout! Factory and receive a copy of Trailers from Hell Volume 1 FREE! (while supplies last)

Yesspeak (2003, Robert Garofalo)

2011-06-13T00:04:00.003-04:00

Whether you like or dislike Yes, there are a few things that are undeniable. 1) they are great musicians and 2) they are innovative. My short attention span doesn't always enable me to appreciate prog rock bands like Yes as much as others, but I know talent when I see it. I would say I am a casual fan of Yes. I know a few of their singles (I See All Good People, Owner of a Lonely Heart, Roundabout) and I know Rick Wakeman from some of his other projects (David Bowie's Hunky Dory album and the soundtrack to the 80s slasher film The Burning) as well as Steve Howe playing on Lou Reed's first solo album and being The Replacement's Bob Stinson's guitar hero. Ok, so those are pretty loose ties to the band, but it makes me more interested in learning about them.

Yesspeak is a 3 hour documentary/concert film released by MVD that focuses on the band's 35th anniversary tour with their classic lineup of Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Alan White (drums). We are shown lots of behind the scenes footage of the band talking from their homes about the tour as well as backstage views of the band members warming up and traveling. There is also lots of great concert footage mixed in to entice fans.

Yesspeak is a dream come true for Yes fans and anyone who likes rock documentaries. The mix of music and interviews is perfect and the band members all have interesting stories to tell about the past, present and future of Yes. The one aspect of the film that might put off casual fans is the long running time. For Yes fans though, this just makes it that much better. I did find myself fast forwarding through a couple interviews that dragged but for the most part they were quite interesting and informative. The fact that this film made me want to hear more of Yes's music proves that it was well worth the watch and I highly recommend it to music fans of all genres.

RATING: 7/10

Dahmer Vs. Gacy (2011, Ford Austin)

2011-06-13T00:01:00.003-04:00

Everyone knows who Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy are. The cannibal and the portly killer clown. Well who would have thought someone would think to make a movie about them as rivals? Actually there is much more to the story than that (which I will get into in a second) but that's the gist of it. Interesting concept at least. Released by Walking Shadows and Virgil Films & Entertainment, this wacky horror film stars and was directed by Ford Austin, a character actor who has been in the business for many years.

Dahmer vs. Gacy begins with a top secret government operation whose purpose is to create a super killer. To do this, they have gathered DNA from some of the most deadly serial killers in history and cloned them. Of course with every top secret government operation, something goes wrong and two of the clones escape - Jeffrey Dahmer (Ford Austin) and John Wayne Gacy (Randal Malone). Enter Ringo (Ford Austin again), a drunk hillbilly who hears the voice of God (Harland Williams) in his head, telling him he must kill the deadly clones. Meanwhile, the Dahmer and Gacy clones begin a killing spree which turns into a competition.

Dahmer vs. Gacy was a silly, bloody, offensive low budget film which was actually pretty good. I'll admit some of the scenes (especially the gay overtones) went a little overboard, but judging by the over the top nature of the film, I'm sure that was the point. Every aspect of Dahmer vs. Gacy went for the balls, from the gallons of blood to the endless use of the F word. With such a silly premise, any other approach probably would have failed so I would say the film makers succeeded. I would say most horror fans will get a kick out of this little oddity, especially those who don't mind crude, bloody humor and off the wall antics. Oh yeah, there are some ninjas thrown in for good measure too! Can't go wrong with ninjas.

RATING: 7/10

An American Demon - a memoir by Jack Grisham (2011, ECW Press)

2011-05-27T00:42:00.000-04:00

What's better than when one of your favorite musicians/singers/artists for half of your life writes a memoir? Not much. Jack Grisham, the singer for legendary punk band T.S.O.L. (True Sounds of Liberty), The Joykiller, Tender Fury and Cathedral of Tears has had quite an interesting past. I've read more than my fair share about stories, legends, rumors and surely many lies about him and was glad to finally hear the truth from the man himself. I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Grisham back on August 4th 2001 when T.S.O.L. reunited after a long hiatus and came to play at the Met Cafe in Providence, RI. He was gracious, appreciative and kind - everything you wouldn't expect from a punk legend. I first heard of T.S.O.L. when I found an old Thrasher compilation (Blazing Wheels and Barking Trucks - Thrasher's Skaterock Vol. II) which had two songs by the band on it. It wasn't until many years later, when I finally found a copy of the Return of the Living Dead soundtrack (one of the greatest soundtracks of all time), which had another T.S.O.L. track on it. Oddly enough, these songs were all recorded after Grisham had left the band but when I did start buying their records, the stuff with Grisham instantly became my favorite.

Though An American Demon is a memoir, to call it non-fiction wouldn't be completely accurate. Grisham has defended that the terrible, unbelievable and shocking stories in this book are true, it's just the way they are told that is fictional. Grisham presents himself as a demon, a true creature from hell that has an untamable rage and hated for people. Motivated only by self serving actions (stealing, fighting, fucking), this demon uses his powers get what he wants, when he wants and where he wants. He even decides to become a singer as a way to attract a group of followers to carry out his mission of destruction.

The way Grisham tells his story is inventive, compelling and hilarious....in a demented sort of way. Using the guise of one of Satan's servants, he does an incredible job of bringing us into his world of sadism. The best part about the book is that Grisham doesn't use this method to defend his actions, but rather to just tell a story. There are parts that are embarrassing and despicable, but the author should be praised for his honesty. Instead of most autobiographies, where the author tells about his troubles and tries to make excuses ("it was the drugs, man!"), Grisham makes no apologies. Though I would have liked to have read more about Grisham's musical projects (which was apparently in the first draft of the book that he threw out), An American Dream is a book that you won't be able to put down once you start.

RATING: 10/10

http://jackgrisham.com/book/ - signed copies of the book are available here

http://www.ecwpress.com/

Poor Pretty Eddie (1975, Richard Robinson)

2011-05-27T00:27:00.004-04:00

Released on April 26 by Cultra/HD Cinema Classics, Poor Pretty Eddie is a long lost, backwoods horror film. I honestly hadn't heard of this film before recently but since I love "oh crap my car broke down in the middle of nowhere and the only people around are bat shit crazy" movies, I had to see it. The fact it was being released in a DVD/Blu Ray combo pack and featured a bunch of bonus features also helped my decision to check this one out.

Singer and Actress Leslie Uggams (The Love Boat) plays Liz Weatherly, a famous singer who goes on a road trip to have some time alone. Unfortunately her car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and she seeks refuge at an isolated, run down set of cabins. The owner is a washed up, ex-celebrity named Bertha (Shelley Winters) and she is accompanied by her wannabe country singin' boy toy Eddie (Michael Christian) and her servant Keno (Ted "Lurch from the Addams Family" Cassidy). Bertha wants Liz gone asap because she is afraid Eddie will go for the younger woman. Well folks, that is an understatement as Eddie assaults Liz and after one of the oddest court cases I've witnessed on film, he seeks to make Liz his bride. Oh, did I mention Eddie has a thing for Rhinestone-Studded Elvis suits?

Poor Pretty Eddie is a shining example of how fun, sick and weird 70s exploitation cinema could get. Filled with slow motion action scenes (even the actor's voices are in slow motion), some great performances by a great cast (look for Slim Pickens as the no good Sheriff) and a script that seems to go where you least expect it to - Poor Pretty Eddie is a wild rollercoaster ride. My only real gripe with the film is that it gets a little too weird at times and loses focus (Eddie's "musical performances" for example). Overall though, it should please any fan of backwoods horror, grindhouse, exploitation and 70's cult. HD Cinema Classics breathes new life into this old B movie with a fantastic release. The picture quality (especially for such a low budget film) is stunning and it includes a nice set of special features (commentary by film historian Joe Rubins and the film's cinematographer David Worth, an essay on the film, a trailer and a demonstration showing the restoration of the film for this DVD/Blu Ray release).

RATING: 7/10

Embodiment of Evil (2008, Jose Mojica Marins)

2011-05-16T23:51:00.000-04:00

COFFIN JOE IS BACK! Those are the only words I needed to hear to get excited for this release, the final piece of the Coffin Joe trilogy started in 1964 with the classic At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul and 1967's This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse (which I regrettably still have not seen). Embodiment of Evil was originally released in 2008 and was finally released in the US by Synapse Films on March 29th. But can it hold up the originals? Most fans would fear after such a long hiatus that this would be nearly impossible. We'll see.

Embodiment of Evil takes place 40 years after the supposed death of Coffin Joe (aka Zé do Caixão aka Josefel Zanatas - read the last name backwards). We soon find out that Joe has actually been in a heavily guarded prison for the last 40 years and is to be released. Though many people are against this, Coffin Joe is let go and instantly begins his evil ways. Accompanied by his servant Bruno (Rui Rezende) and a group of devoted followers, Joe continues his lifelong goal of finding a woman to bear a son for him. Soon the police, as well as relatives of some of Coffin Joe's previous victims are out for revenge and to put a stop to the inevitable bloodshed once and for all.

Jose Mojica Marins (who also directed and co-wrote the film) makes a welcome return as Coffin Joe in this long awaited sequel. Marins doesn't miss a beat in portraying the "Embodiment of Evil" in this grisly tale of psychedelic horror. All the nastiness from his previous performances is still there (even more so actually), as are those long fingernails! *shiver* Those things creep me out! Vividly filmed in color (with some black and white mixed in the form of flashbacks and hallucinations), Embodiment of Evil's picture pops off the screen. Also on display are some really sickening scenes of gore (entrails, eye gougings, impalements and much more!) that bring Coffin Joe into the 21st century. Armed with a delightfully macabre script and a strong cast of victims, this film proves to be exactly what Coffin Joe fans have been waiting for. Even those who haven't seen the previous CJ films will be able to follow along with his back story explained in detail. Synapse's new DVD/Blu Ray combo release is impeccable featuring a crystal clear picture, 5.1 surround sound and a nice helping of bonus features including a making of featurette, footage of Marins at the Fantasia film festival and a trailer).

RATING: 8/10

Bob Dylan Revealed (2011, MVD)

2011-05-10T22:56:00.003-04:00

Here we have another Bob Dylan documentary released by MVD - Bob Dylan Revealed (check out my review for MVD's Bob Dylan: The Never Ending Narrative 1990-2006 HERE). MVD has released several Bob Dylan documentary DVDs and usually they focus on a specific time in Dylan's career. This one however is an overview of Dylan's career from its inception to his Never Ending Tour. Still, if someone is deserving of having every aspect of his career picked apart, it is Dylan.

Bob Dylan Revealed is an intimate portrait of one of the most important musicians of the last century. This disc is comprised mostly of personal stories by those who have played with, traveled with, photographed or produced Dylan over the years. The films starts with the early days of Dylan's career including how he was almost dropped by Columbia Records after his first album but was kept based on his songwriting skills. Next is one of Dylan's most important periods - when he decided to go electric. Then we are treated with stories about Dylan's infamous "motorcylce accident", the Rolling Thunder Revue tour, Dylan's beloved Desire album and the background of the song The Hurricane, becoming a Born Again Christian and more. Featured are producers Jerry Wexler, musicians Scarlet Rivera, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Winston Watson, Pastor Bill Dwyer and many more.

Bob Dylan Revealed is a unique documentary, one that relies mostly on input from those people around to tell stories of their times with Dylan. Obviously with this type of character study, many of the anecdotes could be construed as subjective but the stories are entertaining enough to keep viewers enthralled. Other than the many interviews included, this DVD is chock full of rare performances and footage of Dylan from each period discussed. As previously stated, this film spotlights several different parts of Dylan's career but some parts may be a little too specific for casual fans. If you are a Dylan fan or love music documentaries like myself, then you can't lose with this one. I personally thought it was a great watch and each personality was very entertaining and their stories important to the Dylan myth.

RATING: 8/10

Brian Eno - 1971-1977: The Man Who Fell To Earth (2011, MVD)

2011-05-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

Coming May 17th from MVD, the first ever documentary on one of the most important musicians/artists of the past 40 years - Brian Eno. Best known as an early member of Roxy Music and as a producer for Coldplay and U2, Eno's influence over music as we now know it is incalculable. I first found out about Eno through his collaborations with David Bowie and from there delved into his solo albums. I was very excited to finally be able to learn more about this enigmatic genius courtesy of this DVD. I have been a fan of his music for more than half of my life and used to fall asleep to it every night (and still do on occassion).

The Man Who Fell To Earth is an appropriate title for a Brian Eno documentary, mainly because he is such a unique artist who seems almost otherworldly. Starting out as musician with no formal training and unable to read sheet music, Eno manipulated instruments and recorders to make new sounds never heard before. After tensions arose between Roxy Music front man Bryan Ferry, Eno left to start his own solo career. After a pair of well received rock albums (Here Come the Warm Jets and Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy), Eno released his masterpiece, Another Green World, which single handedly introduced Ambient music to the world. Eno continued by producing emerging avant garde groups and releasing a series of albums under his own vanity label Obscure Records (distributed by Island Records), further spreading this new sound to the public. Finally, David Bowie hired Eno to help him move towards the music Eno had already been creating on three of Bowie's best loved records (Low, "Heroes", and Lodger).

MVD should be applauded for releasing this well deserved documentary on the most important years of Brian Eno's career. At a whopping 154 minutes, this DVD collects lots and lots of rare performances, interviews and footage filmed in the studio showing Eno doing what he does best. Also included are interviews from several of his collaborators, friends and music journalists. No stone is left unturned here in this compelling look at how Eno came to be a purveyor of electronic music and an innovator in the recording studio, proving that you didn't have to be accomplished to make important and beautiful music.

Pre-order Brian Eno - 1971-1977: The Man Who Fell To Earth HERE

RATING: 10/10

The Night Shift (2010, Thomas Smith)

2011-05-10T22:30:00.002-04:00

Based on their well received short film from 2009, The Night Shift marks the first feature film from independent film making group Fighting Owl Films. A new entry in the Zom-Com genre (or I guess Rom-Zom-Com), The Night Shift was directed by newcomer Thomas Smith and features a talented cast of actors, many of whom also did work behind the camera as well. The film has been getting some good reviews and has started screening at festivals (go HERE for upcoming showings). I was lucky enough to receive a screener for the film, allowing me to avoid the contact of other humans. Yay!

The Night Shift follows the cleverly named, undead cemetery guard Rue Morgan (Khristian Fulmer) whose job is to not only keep people out of the graveyard at night, but keep the residents in! He has a major crush on Claire Rennfield (producer Erin Lilley), who is his boss during the day and is unfortunately still alive. Rue's friend, a limbless skeleton named Herb (voiced by Soren Odom), helps to keep him entertained when things are slow. Too bad the pesky zombie Roderick (Jonathan Pruitt) is planning some supernatural hi jinx in order to win over Rue's job and take advantage of a portal to another world that happens to be in the cemetery. Did you catch all that?

The Night Shift was a funny, action packed little film with a lot of potential to be a cult classic. The story was unique and the acting was all very professional. I'd have to say my favorite part of the film was definitely Herb. There is just something about talking skeletons that makes me laugh until it hurts. My only minor gripe about the film was that at 2 hours long it could have been a little shorter. Don't get me wrong, the story definitely had enough substance to fill out the running time and there weren't really any slow points but I just have trouble sitting still for 2 hours. Overall, I really enjoyed the film and hope that it finds an audience that feels the same way I do. With all the crappy DTV horror garbage being put out today, it's nice to see something as original and entertaining as The Night Shift.

RATING: 8/10

Ron Howard Action Pack (Eat My Dust! / Grand Theft Auto) (2011, Shout! Factory)

2011-05-09T23:02:00.008-04:00

Coming May 24th from Shout! Factory's Roger Corman Cult Classics line is a 2 DVD collection featuring Eat My Dust! (1976) and Grand Theft Auto (1977), two of Corman's best loved films. Best known for their star Ron Howard, Grand Theft Auto also marked Howard's directorial debut for which he would eventually be acclaimed for. At the time these films were made, Ron Howard was a hot commodity thanks to his appearance on the popular TV series The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, so it was only natural for Corman to scoop him up to star in Eat My Dust!, which went on to be a big money maker. This set features both films and a ton of bonus features, some of which are brand new!

Eat My Dust! stars Ron Howard as trouble making teen Hoover Niebold who works odd jobs at the local racetrack. Hoover is in love with Darlene, a beautiful blonde who he would do anything for, which he proves by stealing a race car and taking her and some friends for a joyride. Hoover's father, the sheriff, tries to protect his son while also trying to catch him by enlisting a group of racers, including the stolen car's owner Big Bubba Jones (The Partridge Family's Dave "Reuben Kinkaid" Madden). Hoover proves to be an ace behind the wheel, destroying anything in his path (including an entire farm!), but will it be enough to win Darlene's heart?

Grand Theft Auto stars Howard as Sam Freeman and Nancy Morgan as Paula Powers, a pair of lovebirds from different backgrounds. Nancy is from a wealthy family and is supposed to marry rich snob Collins Hedgeworth (Paul Linke). Sam and Paula decide to steal her father's Rolls Royce and elope to Las Vegas. Of course Paula's parents are outraged and put up a reward over the radio to whoever can catch her. This causes a mass hysteria for anyone with a set of wheels, which only gets worse when her intended husband puts up his own reward. Can this young Romeo and Juliet make it to Vegas or will they be caught by one of the bounty hunters?

Shout! Factory have outdone themselves again with this exhaustive set of two 70s Drive In Classics deserving of a special release. Collecting numerous special features from previous releases (interviews, trailers, making of featurettes, commentary with Ron Howard and Roger Corman and a separate commentary with Rance Howard, Joe Dante, Allan Arkush and Ben Haller) as well as a brand new interview with Ron Howard and new Anamorphic Widescreen Transfers, this 2 DVD set is a must. Of the two films, I prefer Eat My Dust! for its non-stop action and more innocent feel, but they are both a lot of fun. Car chases (and crashes) and zany characters make these films perfect for any fan of drive in flicks, cult movies, car chases, action or comedy pictures.

Pre-order this set from Shout! Factory HERE

RATING:

Eat My Dust! - 8/10

Grand Theft Auto - 7/10

I Vinti (The Vanquished) (1953, Michelangelo Antonioni)

2011-05-02T01:05:00.000-04:00

Have you ever loved a director before seeing any of his/her films? I have. Michelangelo Antonioni. This probably makes no sense to most of you and you are wondering if I've been sniffing roach spray again. This crazy notion of mine began with Antonioni's Red Desert. When that film was released last year by Criterion, I read a little bit about it and was intrigued. I still haven't seen the film but I started reading more about it and checked a few of his other films out of the library (L'Avventura, La Notte, L'eclisse, Blow-Up, Zabriskie Point, The Passenger). Once again though, for some reason I just never got around to watching them. Now, with I Vinti just released by Raro Video, I finally made it a point to check out this great director. It was a wise choice.

I Vinti (The Vanquished) begins with a prologue describing how the well off youth of today (by today I mean the 50s when this film was made) were turning to delinquency, partially to rebel against their well-to-do families and partially out of their inability to distinguish between media (films, books, news) and reality. This perfectly sets up the three parts that comprise the film. The first, set in France, centers around a group of friends going on a hike in the country. Though seemingly innocent, it turns out that the group is plotting against one of the teens. The second story, which takes place in Italy, is about a family whose college age son has gone missing. After calling the police to investigate, it turns out that the missing boy is not the innocent lad they thought him to be. The last story, based in England, follows a fame-hungry man who acts as if he won the lottery because he stumbled upon a dead body and gets his story in the local newspaper.

I Vinti is pretty close to being a masterpiece of "misunderstood youth" films. The stories all have important messages and they all keep the viewer guessing throughout. I'm not a big fan of Hollywood remakes but the whole time I was watching this, I kept picturing an updated version with today's biggest actors (especially Simon Pegg in the role of the "lucky" corpse finder). Though like all classic movies, this film really doesn't need to be improved upon. The way the youth are portrayed in this film, basically spoiled young brats who turn to crime out of boredom and rebellion, is not your typical "teen drama". Raro's new DVD is another excellent release, complete with a slew of bonus features (interviews, short films, extensive booklet) as well as a beautiful looking uncut print of the film (as presented at the 1953 Venice Film Festival). Needless to say, not only will I continue looking forward to Raro's future releases, I will finally start checking out some of Antonioni's other works.

RATING: 9/10

The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982, Stephen Carpenter & Jeffrey Obrow)

2011-04-28T00:07:00.000-04:00

Just released this week on a Blu Ray/DVD combo set from Synapse Films, comes the long lost early 80s slasher film The Dorm That Dripped Blood. Also known under the title Pranks (and not to be confused with the 1971 Christopher Lee/Peter Cushing film The House That Dripped Blood for which it was obviously named after), horror fans should be glad to finally get a proper US release of this classic - especially from a great company like Synapse. Due to the rarity of the film, I was never lucky enough to see it until now, though I had heard the title many times in the happy days of VHS and I was always on the lookout for a copy.

The Dorm That Dripped Blood starts out like your typical 80s slasher. Four college students stay at their school during break to prepare it for renovation. Joanne (Laurie Lapinski) is in charge and decides that staying there instead of going skiing with her on again/off again boyfriend is a good idea. WRONG! As Joanne and her three helpers - Craig, Brian and Patti - prepare the building to be torn down, someone else is there with them. Lurking in the shadows, this unseen psychopath starts killing off anyone who comes near the dorm, including fellow student Debbie (a young Daphne Zuniga from Spaceballs) and her parents. Assuming it is the town weirdo, they try to take matters into their own hands but that proves deadly as the killer stars knocking them off one by one.

I'll be the first to admit that this film is not terribly original and I think that is actually a good thing. There are a few odd twists along the way but for the most part, The Dorm that Dripped Blood is a straight forward, grisly, creepy slasher film. It doesn't try to be different or terribly original. Instead it focuses on the two most important things - atmosphere and gore. A good percentage of the film is dark and some of the scenes are almost entirely black. This really amps up the creepy factor and makes the scares more effective. As far as the gore goes, makeup FX artist Matthew Mungle creates some really nasty (and surprisingly realistic) deaths - the most memorable of which involve boiling water, a spiked bat and a power drill. If that doesn't make you want to see this film, then your gorehound card should be revoked. I should also mention that this new version is the unrated director's cut (titled Death Dorm on the main title screen) so it is uncut and was supposedly lost for the last 30 years. The picture quality is very good, especially considering the film's age and the sound (especially with the one of the first scores by the now-well known composer Christopher Young) really adds tension in the right places and is very clear with minimal hiss. Other than a few slow spots, The Dorm That Dripped Blood is another classic example of why the early 80s was the best time for horror.

RATING: 8/10

The Real Cannibal Holocaust (1974, Akira Ide)

2011-04-24T00:55:00.001-04:00

The Real Cannibal Holocaust, just released by One 7 Films (distributed by CAV Distribution) was a bit of a mystery to me when I first heard about it. I had read online that it was actually a Bruno Mattei directed ripoff of Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust but then found out it was actually a 70s Japanese/Italian Mondo film. Honestly, I was much more interested by the latter. I did a little poking around and found that this seems to be the first U.S. release of the film (at least on DVD) and that it is the full uncut 99 minute version (previous releases have been cut down under 90 minutes). So, about that title though? I'll admit that it could be considered a terrible title, basically trying to trick viewers into thinking it is similar to Deodato's classic. Though a little misleading, it's an intriguing title that is sure to pique the average horror fan's curiosity. Plus, the title fairly accurately describes the film - it's a Mondo film containing (mostly) real footage and it also has a theme of cannibalism throughout.

The Real Cannibal Holocaust, or it's original title Nuova Guinea, l'isola dei cannibali, is a documentary showing the rituals and lifestyles of the native tribes of New Guinea. A large part of the film focuses on death and cannibalism, as we see a woman eating maggots from her husband's rotting corpse, a group of natives smoking a corpse on an open flame to preserve it and several other scenes involving corpses. Other than dead bodies, we are also shown footage of lepers, real animals being killed (though not pointlessly) and old customs including the tattooing, scarring and piercing of various body parts.

The Real Cannibal Holocaust is actually one of the best Mondo films I've seen. Though it may not be as beautiful to watch as Mondo Cane, it did cut out a lot of the bullshit and get down to business. There were very few scenes that were boring or pointless, another rarity with these types of films. Real Cannibal Holocaust also seemed to have a higher percentage of real footage with only a couple scenes that looked faked or questionable. The music and end theme song "Why?" by Riz Ortolani (who did the music for the Mondo Cane films) was also a great asset to the film and it made a nice contrast to the ghastly images on the screen. As I stated before, I am sure that plenty of gorehounds are going to check this out based on the title, and I hope that they will be pleasantly surprised by the watchability of the film as well as the nauseating images displayed. I have a strong stomach and I'll admit that there were several scenes that I had to look away. The DVD from One 7 Movies is a treat, mainly just because it exists. Though the picture shows some wear and the sound has a hiss to it, it didn't detriment the film at all. In fact, it made it feel more authentic. There are no special features on the disc but the film is the uncut version and worth picking up for Mondo fans and fans of extreme Horror.

RATING: 8/10

2 Double Feature DVD sets coming from Shout! Factory this June 14

2011-04-21T23:05:00.001-04:00

Paul Winfield in

GORDON’S WAR

Also Starring Carl Lee, Tony King and Grace Jones

OFF LIMITS

Starring Willem Dafoe, Gregory Hines, Fred Ward and Amanda Pays

Featuring Special Appearance by Scott Glenn

ACTION-PACKED DOUBLE FEATURE DVD

LANDS ON HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHELVES NATIONWIDE JUNE 14, 2011 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

This summer, get ready for more high-octane action as two memorable classic films Gordon’s War, starring Paul Winfield, and Off Limits, starring Willem Dafoe, Gregory Hines, Fred Ward and Amanda Pays, arrive in an action-packed double-feature DVD on June 14, 2011 from Shout! Factory. Featuring anamorphic widescreen transfers and all-new commentaries, this double-feature DVD set is a must-have for movie collectors and is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $19.97.

GORDON’S WAR (1973)

Gordon (Paul Winfield, The Terminator) spent four years in Vietnam as a Green Beret fighting someone else’s battle . . . now he’s come back home to fight his own. He returns to a Harlem that has changed — drugs and prostitution have taken over his neighborhood, and his wife even overdosed from drugs. Along with his former army buddies, he takes on the Mob to wipe out the corruption that has taken over the city. Also starring Carl Lee (Superfly), Tony King (Bucktown) and singer Grace Jones (A View To A Kill). Directed by Ossie Davis (Cotton Comes To Harlem).

GORDON’S WAR Special Features:

Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer (1.78:1)
Audio commentary by cinematographer Victor J. Kemper and actor Tony King
Theatrical trailer and TV spots

Twentieth Century Fox presents A PALOMAR PICTURE Starring PAUL WINFIELD in GORDON’S WAR

Executive Producer EDGAR J. SCHERICK Produced by ROBERT L. SCHAFFEL

Directed by OSSIE DAVIS Written by HOWARD FRIEDLANDER & ED SPIELMAN

Color by TVC Prints by DE LUXE®

OFF LIMITS (1987)

Being a cop is tough. But in war-torn Saigon in 1968, being a cop is crazy. Someone is brutally murdering Vietnamese prostitutes with children by American fathers, and plainclothes military cops Sgt. Buck McGriff (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man) and Sgt. Albaby Perkins (Gregory Hines, The Cotton Club) are put on the case that no one wants solved. But things are never what they seem in ’Nam, including a novice nun (Amanda Pays), a deranged colonel (Scott Glenn) and a twisted trail of clues that takes McGriff and Perkins from back alleys to battlefields in search of a serial killer who's ready to make them the next victims. Fred Ward, Keith David and David Alan Grier costar in this explosive action thriller.

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX presents WILLEM DAFOE GREGORY HINES “OFF LIMITS”

FRED WARD AMANDA PAYS Special Appearance by SCOTT GLENN

Music by JAMES NEWTON HOWARD Directory of Photography DAVID GRIBBLE

Production Designer DENNIS WASHINGTON

Produced by ALAN BARNETTE Written by CHRISTOPHER CROWE and JACK THIBEAU Directed by CHRISOPHER CROWE

Produced in association with American Entertainment Partners L.P. Color by Deluxe®

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OFF LIMITS Special Features:

Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer (1.78:1)
Audio commentary with writer/director Christopher Crowe and Willem Dafoe

GORDON’S WAR – 90 min./OFF LIMITS – 102 min.

The Weapons Of The Future Are Alive . . .

SHOUT! FACTORY IN ASSOCIATION WITH FULL MOON ENTERTAINMENT

PRESENT

GIANT ROBOT ACTION PACK

CRASH AND BURN

A Film by Charles Band

Starring Paul Ganus, Megan Ward, Bill Moseley,

Eva La Rue, Jack McGee and Ralph Waite

ROBOT WARS

A Film by Albert Band

Starring Ron Michael Paul, Barbara Crampton, James Staley and Lisa Rinna

DOUBLE FEATURE DVD AVAILABLE IN STORES

NATIONWIDE ON JUNE 14, 2011 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

Buckle-up for double dose of science fiction adventures filled with heart-stopping action and suspense as Shout! Factory brings CRASH AND BURN and ROBOT WARS in a GIANT ROBOT ACTION PACK double-feature DVD this June 14, 2011. A must-have for fans of sci-fi classics and film collectors, own two of latest sci-fi classic at an attractive price of $14.97.

CRASH AND BURN (1990)

It’s the year 2030, and man’s worst nightmares have become an oppressive reality in Crash And Burn. Big Brother has come to life in the form of Unicom, an all-powerful conglomerate that emerged in the wake of a devastating global economic collapse. A group of dissenters has surfaced to fight Unicom’s autocracy and stop the murderous Synthoid—a humanlike robot programmed to kill all those who pose a threat to the organization.Starring Paul Ganus, Megan Ward (Dark Skies), Bill Moseley and Ralph Waite (Cliffhanger), and directed by Charles Band.

FULL MOON ENTERTAINMENT presents CRASH AND BURN Starring PAUL GANUS, MEGAN WARD,

BILL MOSELEY, EVA LA RUE, JACK McGEE and RALPH WAITE Director of Photogaphy MAC AHLBERG

Special Makeup Effects by GREG CANNOM Special Visual Effects by DAVID ALLEN

Music Composed by RICHARD BAND Executive Producers CHARLES BAND & DEBRA DION

Written by J.S. CARDONE Produced by DAVID DeCOTEAU & JOHN SCHOUWEILER

Directed by CHARLES BAND

ROBOT WARS (1993)

The ultimate battle between metallic giants begins in Robot Wars when a malicious foreign dignitary hijacks the last mega-robot on Earth, the MRAS-2, and threatens to unleash its crushing powers against the people of the Eastern Alliance. There’s only one force magnificent enough to stop the MRAS-2 — a MEGA-1 robot hidden under the city. It’s up to a renegade pilot, his engineer and a brilliant archaeologist to revive the MEGA-1 and reestablish world peace. Starring Don Michael Paul (writer/director, Half Past Dead), Barbara Crampton (Re-animator) and Lisa Rinna (Melrose Place)

FULL MOON ENTERTAINMENT presents ROBOT WARS

Starring DON MICHAEL PAUL, BARBARA CRAMPTON, JAMES STALEY, LISA RINNA, DANNY KAMEKONA, YUJI OKUMOTO, J. DOWNING and PETER HASKELL as Rooney Based on the original idea by CHARLES BAND Production Designer MILO Director of Photography ADOLFO BARTOLI, A.I.C. Music by DAVID ARKENSTONE Line Producer KEITH PAYSON Edited by MARGERET-ANNE SMITH Visual Effects by DAVID ALLEN PRODUCTIONS Produced by CHARLES BAND Casting by MacDONALD/BULLINGTON CASTING Screenplay by JACKSON BARR Directed by ALBERT BAND

Crash and Burn, 85 min./Rated R

Robot Wars, 80 min./Rated PG

Hüsker Dü: The Story of the Noisepop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock (2010, Andrew Earles)

2011-04-13T22:52:00.011-04:00

Here it is - my first book review. I know, this is a movie review site, but why limit myself? I was never really a big reader of books but have always had a fondness for biographies, particularly about movies and music. To inaugurate my book reviews, I chose a new book about one of my favorite bands of all time - Hüsker Dü. For anyone not familiar with the band, they begin in the late 70's as a hardcore punk band and eventually shed most of the hardcore and replaced it with pop, while still holding onto the punk. Though never really getting the attention or fame that they deserved, shortly after their dissolution the kind of music they had been playing for years eventually became popular, with bands like Green Day and the Offspring becoming platinum selling artists.

Hüsker Dü: The Story of the Noisepop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock (long, but fitting title) explores the history of the band's humble beginnings playing local shows and eventually touring across the country in a van, before many other bands realized they could do it too. Along with Black Flag, Hüsker Dü helped pave the way for touring bands to support themselves without the backing of a major label. Eventually, Hüsker Dü's popularity within the underground and college rock scene grew and they became one of the first punk bands to be signed to a major. Two albums later, tensions within the band became unbearable and Hüsker Dü was no more. This book focuses on the band's formation, the bumps along the way and the overall impact it had on the independent punk scene and the way bands today function.

Author Andrew Earles' biography of one of the most important and sadly underappreciated (by the mainstream at least) bands focuses mostly on the history of the band in terms of their actual music, instead of the band member's personal lives. This was definitely the right decision and helped put the focus on why the band was so great, instead of making it a gossip-y tell-all. There are many stories floating around about the band members, most of which are one-sided or rumors, so it is good that that aspect was (mostly) left out of this book. Giving a little background on the band members is important but the focus here is as should be - the music. The one main detractor for the book is that Bob Mould (guitarist/vocalist) didn't participate, though this is of no fault to the author. Mould is in the middle of writing his own memoir, which perfectly explains his lack of cooperation. Fortunately the other two members, Grant Hart (drummer/vocalist) and Greg Norton (bassist) were willing to relate their stories. There are several other musicians, producers and those around at the time (Mike Watt, Peter Jesperson, Joe Carducci, Terry Katzman, Lou Giordano) on hand as well to shed light on this legendary band. Other than a few minor factual discrepancies and repetitions, this book was well researched and well written. I didn't find myself bored at all and actually learned quite a bit that I didn't know about Hüsker Dü. There was a nice section at the end detailing what the band members did after the break up as well as a intricate discography (including mix tape suggestions). Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of music biographies or underground music lovers.

RATING: 8/10

http://www.voyageurpress.com/
http://www.quaysidepub.com/

http://www.andrewearles.com/

THE SECRET OF DORIAN GRAY and ADUA AND HER FRIENDS - coming soon from Raro Video

2011-04-12T22:46:00.009-04:00

A rare masterpiece and a wonderful example of Italian Cinema starring two European film icons, Simone Signoret and Marcello Mastroianni, Adua and her Friends tells the story of four prostitutes forced to fend for themselves when a new law closes the bordellos of Rome. They pool their savings to open a trattoria, but find they cannot get a license. A prominent fixer with connections obtains the license for them, on the condition that they conduct their old business upstairs and pay him an exorbitant monthly fee. RaroVideo U.S. is proud to present this work of Antonio Pietrangeli, one of the most talented members of the Italian neo-realism movement.

RaroVideo U.S.’s restored version of ADUA AND HER FRIENDS, will arrive on DVD for the first time ever on April 26. The extensive DVD extras include a documentary on the restoration of the film and a booklet containing critical analysis of the genesis of the film.

ADUA AND HER FRIENDS

Running time: 118 minutes

Distributor: ENTERTAINMENT ONE

DVD UPC: 816018010111

Year: 1960

Language: Italian with English subtitles

Rating: NR

ADUA AND HER FRIENDS – SPECIAL FEATURES

-Introduction by Italian film historian Maurizio Poro

-Documentary: Before and After restoration

-Booklet including critical analysis of the film

-An episode from the film, Amori di Mezzo Secolo, entitled Girandola 1910

RaroVideo U.S. will also release THE SECRET OF DORIAN GRAY on DVD April 26. Never before released on DVD in the U.S., this is a seventies classic Italian film restored to its original splendor. In London, a wealthy, god-like, young man, Dorian Gray, loves Sybil, an aspiring actress; thanks to her, he’s momentarily less self-centered. He’s also sitting, scantily clad, for a portrait painted by his ascot-wearing friend, Basil. When it’s done, Dorian complains he’ll grow old while it stays unchanged- the classic plight of the vain. On the same night, as if he has sold his soul to the devil, exchanging vanity for morality, he ends it with Sybil, and then accepts the seductive offer of a party’s hostess to sleep with her. The next day, the painting looks slightly older. In horror and fascination, Dorian hides it away and continues a life of degradation. Over time, as the portrait becomes hideous, he’s unchanged by his ever-increasing libidinal life; finally, he and Basil face the painting. The exceptionally groovy score by Giuseppe De Luca enhances the seventies milieu.

THE SECRET OF DORIAN GRAY

Release Date: April 26, 2011

Pre-Order Date: Now

Running time: 93 minutes

Distributor: ENTERTAINMENT ONE

DVD UPC: 816018010128

Year: 1970

Language: Italian with English subtitles

Rating: NR

THE SECRET OF DORIAN GRAY- SPECIAL FEATURES:

- Interview with the assistant director Maurizio Tanfani

Blood Oath (2010, David Buchert)

2011-04-11T23:20:00.001-04:00

Blood Oath, another new offering from Troma Entertainment, is an 80's flavored, slasher in the woods flick. Though I love this sub genre of horror films, I'll be the first to admit that few of the recent entries are worthwhile. As with any genre, there is only so much you can do with it before recycling the same tired formulas. Occasionally though, something original (or at least interesting) comes along.

Blood Oath follows two couples going into the woods for a camping trip. They then decide to go look for a house supposedly inhabited by a badly-burned girl (though now grown up), who was the result of a deal made by her parents involving black magic. We soon learn that there is someone out there, slaying anyone who comes in their territory, including the ex-girlfriend of one of the campers and a separate trio as well. As the two couples finally find a house, it isn't long before they realize what a bad decision they made.

Blood Oath is a fun throwback to the horror days of yore, but at the same time adding some fresh elements. The campers in the woods searching out an urban legend plot isn't that original but the origin of the killer itself is a fresh change of pace. The killer is actually one of the best things about this film. It is just so grotesque and creepy that it is sure to be appreciated by slasher fans who idolize Jason or Michael Myers. The makeup FX (especially the burns on the killer) are very well done and the killings, though not always graphic, look professional. Another thing that makes this film stand out from the crappier slasher entries of recent years is that it actually focuses on the characters more than just endless scenes of people getting hacked to pieces. When the killer finally meets up with the group, we feel like we can identify the characters. One drawback is the stiff acting by some of the cast, which makes it hard for the film to be seen as anything other than amateur. An exception to this is scream queen Tiffany Shepis, who makes an all to brief appearance as an ill-fated ex-girlfriend. Overall though, the film was quite a fun, entertainingly creepy slasher and its meager running time of 75 minutes made it easy to sit true without the filler that longer horror films sometimes carry.

RATING: 7/10

DVD Release date: May 10th, 2011
http://www.troma.com/films/blood-oath/

Alien 2: On Earth (1980, Sam Cromwell aka Ciro Ippolito)

2011-04-09T00:09:00.001-04:00

Just released on DVD and Blu-Ray on April 5th, Alien 2: On Earth is the first release by Midnight Legacy, a promising new independent label distributed by MVD. An Italian production originally released in 1980, this film was obviously an attempt to cash in on the ALIEN craze (most films weren't as obvious as billing themselves as sequels though). Hardly seen until now (even on home video) it is amazing Alien 2 has stayed undiscovered for so long. When I first read about this film (which I too had never heard of before), I was instantly curious but then I saw the trailer and I thought to myself HOLY FUCK I NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE! (view trailer HERE)

Alien 2: On Earth begins in a TV News studio where a rocket ship returning to Earth comes back empty...or so we think. The news crew tries to cover this up by showing stock news footage. For some reason (this part...and several others...confused me) some geologist is being interviewed and suddenly has a debilitating migraine. Soon after, she goes bowling with some friends and then they put on spelunking gear and descend into some underground caves. Oh, I forgot to mention that on the way, one of the spelunkers picks up a blue, pulsing rock and brings it with him. Hmmm. Of course while inside the caves, we are made aware that the rock actually came from outer space and contains an Alien presence, which somehow comes out of the rock and infestates the caves as a tentacle-like creature which melts people's faces into a pile of goo only to return them to their normal state...and then burst out of their faces. *Gasp*.....*Exhale*

Alien 2 didn't make too much sense - the characters, the random excursions...well pretty much everything. That said, I actually enjoyed the film a lot. Maybe it was the anticipation, maybe it was a carbon monoxide leak in my house, who knows? The three things that really made this film a winner for me were the Splatter FX, the cinematography and the almost hallucinogenic/dream-like feel. Starting with the red stuff, Alien 2 delivers with some nasty exploding faces, decapitations and other gooey stuff. As far as the cinematography goes, surprisingly there are shots that are absolutely breath-taking (the best of which involves the shimmering lights of the cave explorers' headlamps as they descend into the cave). As far as the "feel" of the film, the whole thing just seems like one, long fever dream. The way the film was put together, most of the dialogue, the random shifting from one location to another, incomprehensible stops along the way...it just seems like a dream. Most people would say that this haphazard style is a negative but I thought it just made the film more unique. I doubt this was in any way intentional, but it worked for me. So if you still aren't convinced to check this film out, who can resist Aliens exploding out of people's faces? Midnight Legacy's treatment of their first release is incredible. I couldn't tell you a single film I have seen that is 31 years old and looks like it was filmed yesterday, other than Alien 2. My guess is that the film was so obscure that the print just wasn't played too many times, so it was still in pristine condition. I am behind the times so I watched this on DVD and the picture was positively stellar. From what I've read, the Blu Ray is superb as well. I am really anxious to see what this exciting new company has in store for its sophomore release.

RATING: 7/10

Crippled Masters 3 (1981, Kei Law)

2011-04-08T23:32:00.001-04:00

You may recall that I reviewed a film called Crippled Masters 2 a few months ago. Well, here we have the sequel, featuring more crazy martial arts action from our handicapped heroes Jackie Conn and Frankie Shum. Conn can't walk and Shum has one diminutive arm (he, or whoever dubbed the film, refers to it as a flipper). Fists (and political incorrectness) aplenty fly in this wacky slice of Asian cinema.

Jackie Conn and Frankie Shum play two crippled villagers living in a rural town. They decide to travel to the city of Taipei so Conn can learn a trade to support them. Shum, the older brother, tries to get a job as a taxi driver (employing his armless-friendly motorbike-taxi contraption) but has no luck. Shum takes a job as a wood carver's apprentice but is constantly pre-occupied with his dreams of becoming a kung fu expert. After initially being rejected by the local kung fu master, he proves himself worthy and enters himself in the big kung fu tournament. In the meantime, Shum tries to become a street performer using his unique skills at balancing stuff and picking up coins with his feet, until a group of gansters rough him up for invading their turf.

Crippled Masters 3 is a much different film than its predecessor. I would say it's original title "Fighting Life" perfectly sums up the story of two down-and-out disabled brothers trying to make a living, despite life's obstacles. There are some amazing martial arts action sequences but the film is more of a drama overall. Most of the film highlights the trouble these heroic brothers have finding employment (and paying their bitchy land lady) and trying to prove that they are capable of handling everyday responsibilities. Unfortunately, some of the over the top preachiness and stabs at political correctness end up being nothing more than preposterous. I mean, it's a fucking movie about two handicapped kung fu masters! Show them kicking ass! This focus on drama over action is probably a disappointment for most fans of the genre, but for the lover of off-kilter oddities, it's mix of drama and action work. Perhaps the balance could have been a little more equal but it was still a fun watch and witnessing Jackie Conn defying gravity by flying through the air in the final fight is worth the price of admission alone!

Crippled Masters 3 and its predecessor Crippled Masters 2 are both available now from Apprehensive Films, whose catalog features many other weird and wonderful cult films.

RATING: 7/10

First Quarter Review 2011

2011-04-04T01:26:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe we are already through the first quarter of 2011. Seems like just the other day New England was being pummeled by snow.....oh wait, it was! Regardless, as usual here is a list of the films I watched from 1/1/11 to 3/31/11. Always encouraged are comments regarding any of the films or really anything in general.

1/1 True Grit (original)
1/3 Rollercoaster
1/4 Rolling Thunder
1/5 True Grit (remake)
1/6 Black Swan
1/9 Swinging Cheerleaders
1/10 Sorceress
1/15 Social Network
1/15 Saturday the 14th
1/16 From Corleone to Brooklyn
1/16 Deadly Blessing
1/18 City on Fire
1/19 UKDK (punk documentary)
1/20 Garden State
1/20 White Line Fever
1/22 Greenberg
1/22 High Ballin'
1/23 Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
1/23 Squid and the Whale
1/23 Closer
1/25 Bad Ronald
1/26 Match Point
1/27 My Blueberry Nights
1/27 Annie Hall
1/28 Vicky Cristina Barcelona
1/29 Wicker Park
1/29 Hannah and Her Sisters
1/29 I Knew it Was You (John Cazale documentary)
1/30 Sleeper
1/30 Crimes and Misdemeanors
1/30 Husbands and Wives
1/31 Manhattan

2/1 Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Sex...
2/2 Godfather
2/4 Dog Day Afternoon
2/5 Night Moves
2/5 Scarecrow
2/5 Whatever Happened to Pink Floyd?
2/6 Sacred Triangle: Bowie, Iggy and Lou 1971-1973
2/6 Godfather part II
2/6 Deer Hunter
2/9 Cisco Pike
2/10 The Mechanic (remake)
2/10 Downhill Racer
2/11 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
2/12 Vampire Circus
2/12 Honky Tonk Man
2/12 Get Carter (original)
2/13 Spacecamp
2/13 Dogfight
2/15 Heaven 17 - Live at Scala 2005
2/15 History Lesson vol. 1: Punk Rock in Los Angeles 1984
2/15 Running on Empty
2/16 Little Nikita
2/17 Detroit 9000
2/17 Thing Called Love
2/19 Abby
2/19 Depeche Mode Rewind documentary
2/20 Mystery Science Theater 3000 XX
2/20 Sweet and Lowdown
2/20 Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde
2/22 Lorna the Exorcist
2/26 Kidnap Syndicate
2/27 Mafia Connection
2/28 Young Violent Dangerous
3/1 Caliber 9
3/2 Italian Connection
3/2 Big Guns (aka Tony Arzenta)
3/3 Capone
3/3 The Boss (Il Boss)
3/3 Rulers of the City (aka Mr. Scarface)
3/5 Dead Space
3/5 Crazy Mama
3/5 Love and Other Drugs
3/6 I Clowns
3/6 Terms of Endearment
3/6 Rachel Getting Married
3/7 PS I Love You
3/8 I Saw the Devil
3/9 Lady in Red
3/9 The Messenger
3/10 Big Bad Mama
3/11 Big Bad Mama 2
3/12 Defcon 4
3/13 Beaches
3/15 Soylent Green
3/16 Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious
3/16 Georgia Peaches
3/17 Smokey Bites the Dust
3/17 Great Texas Dynamite Chase
3/18 Billy Bragg and Wilco: Man in the Sand
3/19 Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
3/19 Race with the Devil
3/19 Brothers
3/20 Georgia
3/20 Macon County Line
3/21 Not of this Earth (1988)
3/23 Up From the Depths
3/23 Demon of Paradise
3/23 Perfume of the Lady in Black
3/24 Attack of the Crab Monsters
3/26 Suburbia (Corman Classics)
3/26 Bob Dylan The Neverending Narrative 1990-2006
3/29 Alien 2 on Earth
3/30 Blood Junkie
3/31 Blood Oath