Being a fan of exploitation cinema, you learn pretty quickly that there are two kinds of distributors: companies that care about quality, and companies that want to turn a quick buck. The latter are much more numerous and the names of their companies tend not to stick. The former are fewer in number, and their products more expensive, but for good reason. These are the companies whose name denotes quality, uncut transfers of exploitation cinema. I'd like to share some quick notes about the best of the best:
Something Weird Video has been dedicated for years to providing the best in older underground cinema. In fact, all four of the Nasties made in the 1960s (Blood Feast, Love Camp 7, Night Of The Bloody Apes, Blood Rites aka The Ghastly Ones) are available from Something Weird on VHS and DVD. They also have the rights to Axe! aka Lisa, Lisa. You can check out their website here.
Grindhouse Releasing is run by film editor Bob Murawski and actor/director Sage Stallone. Their catalogue is smaller than some, but the quality is second to none. Exhaustive restoration, otherwise unavailable bonus features, and exquisite attention to detail are their hallmarks. Their Nasty output includes Cannibal Ferox and Cannibal Holocaust, and we have Sage and Bob to thank for bringing The Beyond to US shores in its' original, uncut, widescreen glory. For that alone, they deserve our praise. Throw in over-the-top shockers like Pieces and Un Gatto Nel Cervello, and you've got a reason to rejoice. For a full listing of titles offered by Grindhouse, plus a listing of their upcoming cinema screenings, check out their website.
Media Blaster's Shriek Show imprint collects an interesting sampling of Eurohorror, notably releasing Joe D'Amato's Nasty Antropophagus and his taxidermy love story Buio Omega, the Lucio Fulci/Bruno Mattei oddity Zombi 3, Lamberto Bava's Foto De Gioia, and (the most censored Nasty in terms of frames cut) Ruggero Deodato's The House On The Edge Of The Park. More on them can be found here.
Finally, no discussion of where to get the best in exploitation is valid if Blue Underground isn't mentioned. Founded by William Lustig (Maniac, Uncle Sam, the Maniac Cop trilogy) Blue Underground is the Criterion Collection of grindhouse cinema. Nasties released by BU include (but aren't limited to) The House By The Cemetery, Zombie Creeping Flesh aka Hell Of The Living Dead, Zombie Flesh Eaters aka Zombi 2, Late Night Trains and more. Again, high-quality, uncut, never any doubt that what you are getting is the best available version. Check out their catalogue (with full trailers for every film) by following this link.
There are other companies with quality product, of course, I don't want to malign anyone, but these are the Big Four. (I know I mentioned Criterion earlier, they have released one Video Nasty: Flesh For Frankenstein.) I write this little ol' series of articles on the Video Nasties not just for my own enjoyment and edification, but to encourage others to enjoy them and other forgotten cinema treasures as well, and y'all can't do that without the proper knowledge and tools, such as who to trust when it comes to procuring uncensored prints of exploitation cinema. You're welcome.
[As a side note to the free adspace I just gave those companies, you may not know that Google (which maintains the 'blogspot' domains) encourages its' bloggers to "monetize", meaning giving advertising space to whomever they choose on my page in exchange for payment of some kind. I don't do it because it's tacky, cheap, shallow, greedy and disrespectful. I don't want my readers suckered into clicking on some scam that I know nothing about just so I can grab a few extra pennies. There is no integrity in that kind of behavior, and you deserve more respect than that. You've taken the time to read my labor of love, and I appreciate that very much. Why should you be bombarded with hucksters, schemers and scam artists for that? The only correct answer is that you shouldn't. Period. However, if anyone wants to offer me writing work, that's another kettle of fish, and I will take any and all offers for writing (paid or pro bono) very seriously. Justin is stepping down from his soapbox now.]
Up next is Madhouse, so keep it dialed down and I'll keep a lookout. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Coming Up Next...
I love it when I find Nasties in the mailbox!
That familiar red envelope contains a copy of one I know very little about, Ovidio G. Assonitis' 1981 thriller There Was A Little Girl, aka Madhouse, which is both its' Nasty title and the title given on the recent DVD release. Assonitis' biggest claim to fame may be writing and producing James Cameron's directorial debut Piranha II: The Spawning. The story goes that Assonitis was dissatisfied with Cameron's progress after a week and took over the directing duties, allowing Cameron to film, but denying him access to dailies and editing. Upset about his loss of control, Cameron allegedly broke into the editing room over a weekend and assembled his own cut, but was caught (Apparently his version was released to home video). Mr. Assonitis' second biggest claim to fame is a well-respected film entitled Beyond The Door, and third would have to be landing a film on the Nasties list. Here's a trailer for Madhouse:
The other thing I received today was wrapped in brown paper with no return address. It was covered in odd handwriting and suspicious, rust-colored stains. It seems El Presidente has people who know people, because when I tore into the foul-smelling and hastily wrapped package, I found a worn VHS copy of Mardi Gras Massacre cut down to fit a grey clamshell case from its original big-box packaging. Along with it was a piece of paper documenting the slew of towns it had traveled through, including a weeklong sojourn in Honduras that apparently ended the lives of two couriers. Below that notation was scrawled what may have been a plea for help on the manifest, but I don't understand Garifuna and water damage rendered the rest of the information illegible. I can only hope whoever wrote it got home safely.
A loose remake of Blood Feast, Mardi Gras Massacre was directed, produced, written and shot by Jack Weis in 1978, who may have gotten the idea when he scouted locations for the Southern-fried James Bond outing Live And Let Die five years earlier. This one has never been rereleased in the UK after falling afoul of the OPA. Here's an anomaly for an unrated film - a television ad for Mardi Gras Massacre:
I'm excited to screen these, and I'm hoping that my quest for all 72 won't kill any more Central American messengers. But I gotta do what I gotta do. Someone needs to document it all if it's needed, and I'm the guy for the job. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
That familiar red envelope contains a copy of one I know very little about, Ovidio G. Assonitis' 1981 thriller There Was A Little Girl, aka Madhouse, which is both its' Nasty title and the title given on the recent DVD release. Assonitis' biggest claim to fame may be writing and producing James Cameron's directorial debut Piranha II: The Spawning. The story goes that Assonitis was dissatisfied with Cameron's progress after a week and took over the directing duties, allowing Cameron to film, but denying him access to dailies and editing. Upset about his loss of control, Cameron allegedly broke into the editing room over a weekend and assembled his own cut, but was caught (Apparently his version was released to home video). Mr. Assonitis' second biggest claim to fame is a well-respected film entitled Beyond The Door, and third would have to be landing a film on the Nasties list. Here's a trailer for Madhouse:
The other thing I received today was wrapped in brown paper with no return address. It was covered in odd handwriting and suspicious, rust-colored stains. It seems El Presidente has people who know people, because when I tore into the foul-smelling and hastily wrapped package, I found a worn VHS copy of Mardi Gras Massacre cut down to fit a grey clamshell case from its original big-box packaging. Along with it was a piece of paper documenting the slew of towns it had traveled through, including a weeklong sojourn in Honduras that apparently ended the lives of two couriers. Below that notation was scrawled what may have been a plea for help on the manifest, but I don't understand Garifuna and water damage rendered the rest of the information illegible. I can only hope whoever wrote it got home safely.
A loose remake of Blood Feast, Mardi Gras Massacre was directed, produced, written and shot by Jack Weis in 1978, who may have gotten the idea when he scouted locations for the Southern-fried James Bond outing Live And Let Die five years earlier. This one has never been rereleased in the UK after falling afoul of the OPA. Here's an anomaly for an unrated film - a television ad for Mardi Gras Massacre:
I'm excited to screen these, and I'm hoping that my quest for all 72 won't kill any more Central American messengers. But I gotta do what I gotta do. Someone needs to document it all if it's needed, and I'm the guy for the job. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
A Mounting Obsession.
I might be in trouble.
See, when I started doing this I had been talking about doing it for over a year. I researched and dug and read and researched some more. I compiled a spreadsheet listing the most pertinent facts about each Nasty: UK titles, Actual titles (some of these films have over fifteen titles bestowed by carnival barker distributors), Directors, Country of origin, Running time (as best I could figure), What company released it on video or DVD, anything else that seemed relevant. The scarcity of information about some of these films is one of my reasons for undertaking the project: If I can watch them all and find out all I can, then compile that information in one place, the research of others might be made easier, not to mention that I would have created the databank I spent so much time searching for and had some fun along the way. There are books on the subject, of course, but since I live in the United States where interest in the subject is minimal the books need to be imported, leading to pricetags that I as a working stiff and family man cannot readily afford.
But books aren't what I really need right now. I need Nasties. Netflix has about forty. I've got ten and there's a bit of overlap there (I might have eleven if El Presidente's connections are good). There's twenty-five of these things that I've got to procure in some other manner. I've been screwed by modern technology, and it is not within my power to fix this.
There aren't any mom n' pop video shops anymore. First Blockbuster forced the smallest ones out of business, then Netflix finished off all the shops that were keeping themselves afloat with porno, and now they've pretty much KO'd Blockbuster as well.
Which is okay with me. But it still doesn't fix the lack of video shops. The video liquidator that used to be around went belly-up five years ago when someone moved an "adult novelty" shop into the same tiny strip mall. Again, porn was keeping the guy afloat. He closed his doors, and now the only options are the local library with 90 copies of Top Gun at a quarter apiece, and the Goodwill shops that proudly carry 1500 copies of The Matrix.
I know I'll be digging through those Goodwill stacks at some point. I've already checked the library, and while I did see three Nasties and Dario Argento's Profondo Rosso, I didn't see the need to add duplicates to my personal collection.
It's finding the rarer ones that's tough. And expensive.
Video Nasties are not all expensive...but some of the rarer ones, like Frozen Scream, The Slayer and The Werewolf And The Yeti are, simply because they are so hard to find. Indeed, there are a handful (the three previously mentioned are in that elite group) that were released once on video in the early 1980s and have never been reissued in any form. Frozen Scream and The Slayer were (as far as I have been able to determine) released in the US only on "double feature" videocassettes with other low-budget movies, and with the price tag for one of those tapes at $49.99 in 1983, it's no wonder there aren't many around. That price has not dropped much, if at all, in the interim.
The one that really freaks me out is Expose, the only British film on the list. See, while I think it may have been released in the US for one pressing nearly thirty years ago, that version was edited to get an R-rating and is therefore unacceptable for my purposes. It's rumored that a Region 1 DVD is on the way, but other than a listing on Amazon.com for an as-yet unreleased pressing I have no hard information. If push comes to shove, I'll gear up with a PAL set and a Region 2 player, send off to England, and hope for the best.
Will I be able to finish this?
Yes...but there's no way I will shell out $200 for The Werewolf And The Yeti. It's ridiculous...but then again, this has become an obsession, and if I can't find something at a reasonable price, I will crack and find a way to shell out big bucks to complete my mission. I WILL do this. I have to. Because if I don't, who the hell will?
But the news is not all bad.
Point: While modern technology has wiped out a lot of mom n' pops, DVD also led to uncut, widescreen editions of classic exploitation that were never released on VHS, and that has increased the number of easy-to-find Nasties.
Point: Many of the Nasties are not too hard to find for just a few dollars online (and several are still in print). The best deal I found has been an American VHS of I Miss You, Hugs And Kisses (under its' US title Left For Dead) for $0.01. Like the title of the film, that's not a typo. One cent plus shipping. Fuck yes. That's the kind of thing we like...but on the downside, it's on VHS, probably not widescreen, and I have no idea if it has been edited or not. What the fuck is an Elke Sommer movie doing on the list anyway?
So I will continue to wake up every morning thinking about how to acquire them all. Like I said, Obsession. I cannot stop thinking about this. And I'm happy about that. Someone has to remember this stuff, and I want that to be my job. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
See, when I started doing this I had been talking about doing it for over a year. I researched and dug and read and researched some more. I compiled a spreadsheet listing the most pertinent facts about each Nasty: UK titles, Actual titles (some of these films have over fifteen titles bestowed by carnival barker distributors), Directors, Country of origin, Running time (as best I could figure), What company released it on video or DVD, anything else that seemed relevant. The scarcity of information about some of these films is one of my reasons for undertaking the project: If I can watch them all and find out all I can, then compile that information in one place, the research of others might be made easier, not to mention that I would have created the databank I spent so much time searching for and had some fun along the way. There are books on the subject, of course, but since I live in the United States where interest in the subject is minimal the books need to be imported, leading to pricetags that I as a working stiff and family man cannot readily afford.
But books aren't what I really need right now. I need Nasties. Netflix has about forty. I've got ten and there's a bit of overlap there (I might have eleven if El Presidente's connections are good). There's twenty-five of these things that I've got to procure in some other manner. I've been screwed by modern technology, and it is not within my power to fix this.
There aren't any mom n' pop video shops anymore. First Blockbuster forced the smallest ones out of business, then Netflix finished off all the shops that were keeping themselves afloat with porno, and now they've pretty much KO'd Blockbuster as well.
Which is okay with me. But it still doesn't fix the lack of video shops. The video liquidator that used to be around went belly-up five years ago when someone moved an "adult novelty" shop into the same tiny strip mall. Again, porn was keeping the guy afloat. He closed his doors, and now the only options are the local library with 90 copies of Top Gun at a quarter apiece, and the Goodwill shops that proudly carry 1500 copies of The Matrix.
I know I'll be digging through those Goodwill stacks at some point. I've already checked the library, and while I did see three Nasties and Dario Argento's Profondo Rosso, I didn't see the need to add duplicates to my personal collection.
It's finding the rarer ones that's tough. And expensive.
Video Nasties are not all expensive...but some of the rarer ones, like Frozen Scream, The Slayer and The Werewolf And The Yeti are, simply because they are so hard to find. Indeed, there are a handful (the three previously mentioned are in that elite group) that were released once on video in the early 1980s and have never been reissued in any form. Frozen Scream and The Slayer were (as far as I have been able to determine) released in the US only on "double feature" videocassettes with other low-budget movies, and with the price tag for one of those tapes at $49.99 in 1983, it's no wonder there aren't many around. That price has not dropped much, if at all, in the interim.
The one that really freaks me out is Expose, the only British film on the list. See, while I think it may have been released in the US for one pressing nearly thirty years ago, that version was edited to get an R-rating and is therefore unacceptable for my purposes. It's rumored that a Region 1 DVD is on the way, but other than a listing on Amazon.com for an as-yet unreleased pressing I have no hard information. If push comes to shove, I'll gear up with a PAL set and a Region 2 player, send off to England, and hope for the best.
Will I be able to finish this?
Yes...but there's no way I will shell out $200 for The Werewolf And The Yeti. It's ridiculous...but then again, this has become an obsession, and if I can't find something at a reasonable price, I will crack and find a way to shell out big bucks to complete my mission. I WILL do this. I have to. Because if I don't, who the hell will?
But the news is not all bad.
Point: While modern technology has wiped out a lot of mom n' pops, DVD also led to uncut, widescreen editions of classic exploitation that were never released on VHS, and that has increased the number of easy-to-find Nasties.
Point: Many of the Nasties are not too hard to find for just a few dollars online (and several are still in print). The best deal I found has been an American VHS of I Miss You, Hugs And Kisses (under its' US title Left For Dead) for $0.01. Like the title of the film, that's not a typo. One cent plus shipping. Fuck yes. That's the kind of thing we like...but on the downside, it's on VHS, probably not widescreen, and I have no idea if it has been edited or not. What the fuck is an Elke Sommer movie doing on the list anyway?
So I will continue to wake up every morning thinking about how to acquire them all. Like I said, Obsession. I cannot stop thinking about this. And I'm happy about that. Someone has to remember this stuff, and I want that to be my job. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
There's Something In The Basement...
Video Nasty #3
The House By The Cemetery
1981
READ THE FINE PRINT. YOU MAY HAVE JUST MORTGAGED YOUR LIFE.
Original Italian Title: Quella Villa Accanto al Cimitero
NTSC Running Time: 86:22
Directed by Lucio Fulci
Story by Elisa Livia Briganti (Mrs. Dardano Sacchetti)
Screenplay by Dardano Sacchetti, Giorgio Marruzzo and Lucio Fulci
Produced by Fabrizio DeAngelis
Starring: Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Giovanni Frezza, Ania Pieroni, Dagmar Lassander, Daniela Doria
Body Count: 6ish, plus a bat and a mannequin (Trust me, the mannequin counts.)
Availability: Uncut DVD available from Blue Underground,
BBFC Status
Why it's a Nasty: In your face GORE as only Lucio Fulci could bring it.
What was cut: Over a minute was cut when first submitted for cinema classification in December, 1981. 4 minutes 11 seconds were cut for the first formal video submission in March, 1988. For these releases, information on what exactly was shorn was unavailable, but it's safe to say that the murders of the realtor and babysitter were the primary targets. On April 3, 2001, 33 seconds were cut from the aforementioned sequences, and the film was awarded an 18 certificate.
Current BBFC Status: The uncut version was finally awarded an 18 certificate on February 11, 2009. Available on DVD from Arrow Film Distributors, Ltd.
The House By The Cemetery was successfully prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act, making it one of the DPP39.
Cobwebbed halls, forgotten tombs, a mysterious little girl...and an ageless monster picking off all who enter. In 1981, Lucio Fulci released the third of his Gothic horror films set in the then-present-day United States. The first, Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi was set in Dunwich, Massachusetts, stomping ground of H.P. Lovecraft (although it was filmed in Savannah, GA). The second, E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore...L'Aldila made stunning use of its' Louisiana locations. L'Aldila (better known as The Beyond) also made the Nasties list. It is the best of the Fulci Gothics, and some would argue that it is Fulci's most accomplished work. The last was Quella Villa Accanto al Cimitero, taking place and filmed in Massachusetts. The exteriors of the House of the title is the Ellis Estate House in Scituate, MA and it is frockin' creepy, friends, but the interior was filmed in good old Rome, Italy. The three films all share a twisted sense of dreamlogic that makes for an ethereal viewing experience. No person, place or thing behaves as it should, throwing you off completely, putting you in the perfect position to be shocked by the violence that receives pride of place.
The violence is why we're here, of course. The House By The Cemetery is more than your average Nasty, it's a piece of art. However, the two scariest moments are due not to the violence, but the editing. The violence is the message.
"Violence is Italian art!" ~ Lucio Fulci.
The film opens with shots of the house at night. Inside we find Daniela Doria, the perpetual victim, buttoning her shirt and calling out to her boyfriend. She finds him beaten to death and hanging behind a door. Her scream is cut short when a hand attached to who-knows-what plunges a butcher knife into her occipital plate, the tip of the knife exiting out her mouth. And then she's dragged away.
Roll the opening credits.
In a nutshell: Family (Father, Mother, Son) moves into the house for six months while the father (Paolo Malco as Norman Boyle) carries on the research into suicide left behind by his colleague...who committed suicide after murdering his mistress. The wife (Catriona MacColl as Lucy Boyle) has anxiety issues. The son (Giovanni Frezza as Bob Boyle) has made friends with an odd little girl named Mae. A babysitter (Ania Pieroni as Anne) appears from nowhere (she says the realtor sent her, but there's never any proof of that), people in town seem to think that Norman has been there before, and a name keeps coming up: Freudstein.
I hate spoilers, so I don't want to say any more...but I don't know how much there is to spoil, as the type of "answers" one normally expects from a film do not apply here. The House By The Cemetery is not interested in reality, it doesn't care what you want, and it doesn't want you to feel safe at any time. Example: the unseen monster that lurks in the house does away with a supporting character in spectacular fashion forty-five minutes in, stabbing her in the chest twice with a fireplace poker, then going for the throat in a blood-drenched effect that really delivers. However, the real shock comes after the butchery. Anne is cleaning the large spill of gore and brains. A freshly awoken Lucy comes in and speaks with Anne as if it were a normal morning. Anne's only response is "I made coffee" as she wrings out a bloody rag. Lucy goes to Norman and mentions how odd Anne is. The viewer, meanwhile, is screaming at the screen, wondering why no one is asking about the foul stench of death.
The film is chock full of Fulci trademarks: children in peril, gut-busting violence, and extreme closeups of the actor's eyes, particularly those of Malco and Pieroni, both of whom have arresting eyes to begin with. In House their eyes are almost seperate performers, called upon to fill the screen and express the inner feelings and thoughts of the characters with no help from any of the performer's other features, and it works! Not many filmmakers would have the stones to even attempt such a cinematic feat; Lucio Fulci did it in every film. No wonder I'm so fond of his work.
Needless to say, I recommend The House By The Cemetery to anyone who appreciates weird cinema with a healthy dollop of blood and guts. If you're the type who demands rationality, realism or resolution in your movies, you'll probably be disappointed and you should go rent a Spielberg picture instead. Me? I'll be right here waiting for that copy of Mardi Gras Massacre that El Presidente just shipped out. Can't go anywhere, cuz what if the mail comes while I'm gone? That wouldn't be in line with how I roll. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
What was cut: Over a minute was cut when first submitted for cinema classification in December, 1981. 4 minutes 11 seconds were cut for the first formal video submission in March, 1988. For these releases, information on what exactly was shorn was unavailable, but it's safe to say that the murders of the realtor and babysitter were the primary targets. On April 3, 2001, 33 seconds were cut from the aforementioned sequences, and the film was awarded an 18 certificate.
Current BBFC Status: The uncut version was finally awarded an 18 certificate on February 11, 2009. Available on DVD from Arrow Film Distributors, Ltd.
The House By The Cemetery was successfully prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act, making it one of the DPP39.
Cobwebbed halls, forgotten tombs, a mysterious little girl...and an ageless monster picking off all who enter. In 1981, Lucio Fulci released the third of his Gothic horror films set in the then-present-day United States. The first, Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi was set in Dunwich, Massachusetts, stomping ground of H.P. Lovecraft (although it was filmed in Savannah, GA). The second, E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore...L'Aldila made stunning use of its' Louisiana locations. L'Aldila (better known as The Beyond) also made the Nasties list. It is the best of the Fulci Gothics, and some would argue that it is Fulci's most accomplished work. The last was Quella Villa Accanto al Cimitero, taking place and filmed in Massachusetts. The exteriors of the House of the title is the Ellis Estate House in Scituate, MA and it is frockin' creepy, friends, but the interior was filmed in good old Rome, Italy. The three films all share a twisted sense of dreamlogic that makes for an ethereal viewing experience. No person, place or thing behaves as it should, throwing you off completely, putting you in the perfect position to be shocked by the violence that receives pride of place.
The violence is why we're here, of course. The House By The Cemetery is more than your average Nasty, it's a piece of art. However, the two scariest moments are due not to the violence, but the editing. The violence is the message.
"Violence is Italian art!" ~ Lucio Fulci.
The film opens with shots of the house at night. Inside we find Daniela Doria, the perpetual victim, buttoning her shirt and calling out to her boyfriend. She finds him beaten to death and hanging behind a door. Her scream is cut short when a hand attached to who-knows-what plunges a butcher knife into her occipital plate, the tip of the knife exiting out her mouth. And then she's dragged away.
Roll the opening credits.
In a nutshell: Family (Father, Mother, Son) moves into the house for six months while the father (Paolo Malco as Norman Boyle) carries on the research into suicide left behind by his colleague...who committed suicide after murdering his mistress. The wife (Catriona MacColl as Lucy Boyle) has anxiety issues. The son (Giovanni Frezza as Bob Boyle) has made friends with an odd little girl named Mae. A babysitter (Ania Pieroni as Anne) appears from nowhere (she says the realtor sent her, but there's never any proof of that), people in town seem to think that Norman has been there before, and a name keeps coming up: Freudstein.
I hate spoilers, so I don't want to say any more...but I don't know how much there is to spoil, as the type of "answers" one normally expects from a film do not apply here. The House By The Cemetery is not interested in reality, it doesn't care what you want, and it doesn't want you to feel safe at any time. Example: the unseen monster that lurks in the house does away with a supporting character in spectacular fashion forty-five minutes in, stabbing her in the chest twice with a fireplace poker, then going for the throat in a blood-drenched effect that really delivers. However, the real shock comes after the butchery. Anne is cleaning the large spill of gore and brains. A freshly awoken Lucy comes in and speaks with Anne as if it were a normal morning. Anne's only response is "I made coffee" as she wrings out a bloody rag. Lucy goes to Norman and mentions how odd Anne is. The viewer, meanwhile, is screaming at the screen, wondering why no one is asking about the foul stench of death.
The film is chock full of Fulci trademarks: children in peril, gut-busting violence, and extreme closeups of the actor's eyes, particularly those of Malco and Pieroni, both of whom have arresting eyes to begin with. In House their eyes are almost seperate performers, called upon to fill the screen and express the inner feelings and thoughts of the characters with no help from any of the performer's other features, and it works! Not many filmmakers would have the stones to even attempt such a cinematic feat; Lucio Fulci did it in every film. No wonder I'm so fond of his work.
Needless to say, I recommend The House By The Cemetery to anyone who appreciates weird cinema with a healthy dollop of blood and guts. If you're the type who demands rationality, realism or resolution in your movies, you'll probably be disappointed and you should go rent a Spielberg picture instead. Me? I'll be right here waiting for that copy of Mardi Gras Massacre that El Presidente just shipped out. Can't go anywhere, cuz what if the mail comes while I'm gone? That wouldn't be in line with how I roll. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Hey! Wait a minute...
Yes, my last two posts are gone.
The first has been deleted because I have experienced a delay in getting my hands on Axe! and I do not want to jump the gun. The most recent was deleted because I believe that my thoughts on the subject of the exploitation film's treatment of male sexuality needs to be scrutinized and revised before I alienate everybody.
Thank you for your understanding. Now! On to new business.
Our next Video Nasty is Lucio Fulci's Quella Villa Accanto Al Cimitero, better known as The House By The Cemetery to us English speakers. Lucio Fulci is a legend in the world of Eurohorror, and the films he produced between 1979 and 1982 are some of the finest to be found. Fulci is one of only two directors with three films on the DPP list (the other is Jesus Franco of Spain), and we will also be exploring some of his other films that did not make the list. Fulci, known to his fans as "The Godfather Of Gore", is either a misunderstood genius or an overrated hack, depending on who you ask. I recently asked Deran Sarafian, star of Fulci's Zombi 3, about his opinion of Lucio, and his answer was not a glowing remembrance...but anyone who has heard the story of Zombi 3's production knows that the situation was less than ideal. Producer Claudio Fragasso brought in Bruno Mattei to shoot supplementary footage, with the resulting film representing a uniquely turgid experience. However, I don't think Mr. Sarafian is alone in his opinion, and when Fulci died in 1996 of complications stemming from his diabetes, he hadn't made a film in five years and few in the Italian film industry attended his funeral. But love or hate the man, his work is another story. With a directing career spanning over 30 years, he directed films in every genre, but the Gothic horrors of the early 1980s remain his most well-known and beloved work amongst his fans. The House By The Cemetery employs the most iconic of the Gothic motifs: the creepy old house, of course. Here's a trailer for this 1981 classic:
The stars are folks we'll be seeing again: Catriona MacColl is the female lead in Fulci's other Gothic masterpieces Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi and E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore...L'Aldila. Paolo Malco shines as the criminologist in Lo Squartatore Di New York. Ania Pieroni is featured in Dario Argento's two entries on the Video Nasties list, Inferno and Tenebrae. Also on hand are Daniela Doria, who Fulci described as "one of my favorite actresses...I killed her so many times!", and Giovanni Frezza, who should have sued the production company over the awful dubbing he received.
Anyone interested in learning more about Lucio Fulci's life and work is directed to the book Beyond Terror: The Films Of Lucio Fulci by Stephen Thrower, an exhaustive overview loaded with photos and descriptions of many harder-to-find films along with the many "classics". My hat goes off to Mr. Thrower for his hard work, which has produced an invaluable reference volume that no fan of Eurohorror should be without.
I'll see you soon, dear friends, with Video Nasty #3, so take all necessary precautions: lock the doors, shut out the lights, and grab a knife...I think I hear something in the basement. I'll go check it out. You wait here. And here's the phone if you need 911. Cuz my name's Justin. JustinCase.
The first has been deleted because I have experienced a delay in getting my hands on Axe! and I do not want to jump the gun. The most recent was deleted because I believe that my thoughts on the subject of the exploitation film's treatment of male sexuality needs to be scrutinized and revised before I alienate everybody.
Thank you for your understanding. Now! On to new business.
Our next Video Nasty is Lucio Fulci's Quella Villa Accanto Al Cimitero, better known as The House By The Cemetery to us English speakers. Lucio Fulci is a legend in the world of Eurohorror, and the films he produced between 1979 and 1982 are some of the finest to be found. Fulci is one of only two directors with three films on the DPP list (the other is Jesus Franco of Spain), and we will also be exploring some of his other films that did not make the list. Fulci, known to his fans as "The Godfather Of Gore", is either a misunderstood genius or an overrated hack, depending on who you ask. I recently asked Deran Sarafian, star of Fulci's Zombi 3, about his opinion of Lucio, and his answer was not a glowing remembrance...but anyone who has heard the story of Zombi 3's production knows that the situation was less than ideal. Producer Claudio Fragasso brought in Bruno Mattei to shoot supplementary footage, with the resulting film representing a uniquely turgid experience. However, I don't think Mr. Sarafian is alone in his opinion, and when Fulci died in 1996 of complications stemming from his diabetes, he hadn't made a film in five years and few in the Italian film industry attended his funeral. But love or hate the man, his work is another story. With a directing career spanning over 30 years, he directed films in every genre, but the Gothic horrors of the early 1980s remain his most well-known and beloved work amongst his fans. The House By The Cemetery employs the most iconic of the Gothic motifs: the creepy old house, of course. Here's a trailer for this 1981 classic:
The stars are folks we'll be seeing again: Catriona MacColl is the female lead in Fulci's other Gothic masterpieces Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi and E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore...L'Aldila. Paolo Malco shines as the criminologist in Lo Squartatore Di New York. Ania Pieroni is featured in Dario Argento's two entries on the Video Nasties list, Inferno and Tenebrae. Also on hand are Daniela Doria, who Fulci described as "one of my favorite actresses...I killed her so many times!", and Giovanni Frezza, who should have sued the production company over the awful dubbing he received.
Anyone interested in learning more about Lucio Fulci's life and work is directed to the book Beyond Terror: The Films Of Lucio Fulci by Stephen Thrower, an exhaustive overview loaded with photos and descriptions of many harder-to-find films along with the many "classics". My hat goes off to Mr. Thrower for his hard work, which has produced an invaluable reference volume that no fan of Eurohorror should be without.
I'll see you soon, dear friends, with Video Nasty #3, so take all necessary precautions: lock the doors, shut out the lights, and grab a knife...I think I hear something in the basement. I'll go check it out. You wait here. And here's the phone if you need 911. Cuz my name's Justin. JustinCase.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Nine Years Ago Today...
What in the hell do the terrorist attacks on New York City nine years ago have to do with the Video Nasties?
Charles McCrann.
Charles McCrann worked for Marsh & McLennan, a financial services company whose offices were floors 93 - 100 of 1 World Trade Center. American Airlines Flight 11 struck Marsh & McLennan's offices and killed all inside, including Mr. McCrann.
Charles McCrann loved movies, and he even made one. He wrote, produced, directed, edited and starred in Bloodeaters, also known as Toxic Zombies and (its' Video Nasty title) Forest Of Fear.
Here's to you, boss.
My name's Justin. JustinCase.
Charles McCrann.
Charles McCrann worked for Marsh & McLennan, a financial services company whose offices were floors 93 - 100 of 1 World Trade Center. American Airlines Flight 11 struck Marsh & McLennan's offices and killed all inside, including Mr. McCrann.
Charles McCrann loved movies, and he even made one. He wrote, produced, directed, edited and starred in Bloodeaters, also known as Toxic Zombies and (its' Video Nasty title) Forest Of Fear.
Here's to you, boss.
My name's Justin. JustinCase.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Glad That It's Over...
Video Nasty #2
Faces Of Death
1978
BANNED IN 43 COUNTRIES!
NTSC Running Time: 104:39
Directed by Conan Le Cilaire (Real name: John Alan Schwartz. Conan The Killer, get it?)
Written by Alan Black (Schwartz again. He is also credited with 2nd Unit Direction as "Johnny Getyerkokov". Sigh.)
Produced by Rosilyn T. Scott
Starring: Dr. Frances B. Gross (With an umlaut over the "o". Michael Carr portrays "Dr. Gross".)
Body Count: 12 (That's humans who meet their end onscreen. Including corpses and animals, the number would be several times larger.)
Availability: On DVD from Gorgon Video as "The Original Faces Of Death 30th Anniversary Edition"
BBFC Status
Why it's a Nasty: Besides the obvious? Animal cruelty. Lots of it.
What was cut: 2 minutes 19 seconds of animal footage comprising an illegal dogfight between two pitbulls and a monkey being "beaten to death"...although the BBFC acknowledges that the monkey was not actually harmed.
Current UK status: Received an 18 certificate in cut form on August 22, 2003. Available from International Trading (UK) Ltd.
Faces Of Death was successfully prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act, making it one of the DPP39.
Fuck this movie.
I never wanted to see Faces Of Death. Not at all. Before last night, I had seen the first fifteen minutes at a party as a teenager. I grew bored and annoyed quickly (It was following a screening of nine inch nails' The Broken Movie which is entirely fabricated but much more realistic and effective), and left the room for a much more important endeavour: finding some weed. I didn't find any weed, but I had at least saved myself from watching this atrocity.
Or so I thought.
One of the reasons I'm so fascinated by the saga of the Video Nasties is that the films on the list were not selected with any rhyme or reason. Different distributors had released a wide spectrum of low-budget and obscure films independent of each other, and when the shit hit the fan, it was a matter of chance what had been released and which of those fell afoul of the law. Well, one of the titles that (rightly) landed on the DPP list was Faces Of Death, and shitfire, I had to watch it. As I said, I did not want to see it one iota and I am thrilled to have it over and done with.
Presented as a "Mondo" documentary, the film is narrated by Michael Carr as "Dr. Frances B. Gross" (pronounced Groose due to the umlaut I don't know how to type on here). Dr. Gross claims to have been inspired to show the world the face of Death because of a recurring dream of an endless funeral, and his comments throughout are probably the best thing about the film, as (though it is an actor reading a script) he does try to be helpful and his intentions to help others come to terms with what death is seem sincere. But it's still an actor reading a script, not a dedicated pathologist following his dreams as he claims. In what is supposed to be a buildup to the rough stuff, the first half hour is devoted to "hunters", which is an excuse to show footage of slaughterhouses, tribal ritual animal slaughter, the dogfight and monkey-bashing that the BBFC took issue with, and finally, the clubbing of baby seals for their fur, a practice that I believed to be extinct...until I looked up "Hakapik" and learned that the practice is still very much alive. Wow.
There is footage of autopsies, surgeries, morgues, accident victims. The most disturbing footage for me was the montage of naked, elderly corpses stacked on morgue tables presented just before Dr. Gross' introduction, and the black-and-white newsreel footage of Nazi holocaust victims, corpses so emaciated they resembled a bundle of sticks being heaved from grave to grave by unidentified workers (whether Axis or Allies, I couldn't tell).
The film is often touted for its' footage of "real" human deaths. Well, it's true...but don't believe that all of what you see is genuine. The multiple angle sequences belie the fakery, and Schwartz has admitted to augmenting real footage with reenacted aftermath. Example: Mary Ellen Brighton was filmed jumping to her death from a building. The footage of her jump and impact is real, and stands out as the only sequence in the film that feels genuine. Schwartz augmented this footage with a shot of a "corpse" on the ground in a pool of blood. Other than Ms. Brighton, the only death shown that appeared real to my eyes was that of a protester at Three-Mile Island who immolated himself in a show of disdain for nuclear power...but even that might have been faked.
Listen, if you're a ghoulish type and you want to see someone die on camera, go to YouTube and type in the words "Budd Dwyer". The few minutes of footage you find there will be much more disturbing and graphic than anything in Faces Of Death, and you're welcome to it. Mr. Dwyer's story is quite fascinating and his final act and the reasons behind it are thought-provoking (and inspiring, as both Filter and Rapeman have recorded songs about him). On the subject of televised suicide, if Mr. Schwartz had been able to track down that of newscaster Christine Chubbuck, that would have impressed me, as her on-camera swan song was performed several years before the advent of the VCR, and the master tape has been given to her family, who have never divulged its' fate.
The film ends with a "birth" (a woman on a table is shown from the neck up moaning, followed by the sound of a baby crying, wow, what verisimilitude) and the closing credits roll over life-affirming scenes and music, supposedly helping us see how wonderful it is to be alive and how we need not fear death since we've now witnessed so much. Sorry, fellows, that doesn't fly. Faces Of Death was made by sick fucks for sick fucks, and having so much of it be faked just makes me feel even more animosity towards the makers. I suppose there are folks who really appreciate Faces, and others who think it is a "fun" movie (like parties comprised entirely of teenage boys who don't know where to get good weed), but I am not one of them. I urge you not to waste your time, and again, if you really feel the need to watch someone die, look up Pennsylvania State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer, a man who wanted you to witness his death.
Whew! Thank goodness that's over! I'm now getting ready to get to the good stuff. The next one will be lots more fun, I promise. I've got a few that I own that are old favorites...and loyal reader Sally (that's her over there with Robert Englund) just gave me a DVD copy of The Burning in all its' uncut glory. Thanks, Sally! Until next time, I'll keep on keeping on. Because my name's Justin. JustinCase.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Due To Circumstances Beyond Our Control...
Something died in my house. A creature of unknown species burrowed its' way into the depths of our home and expired, leaving behind an unholy stench. There is no way to retrieve the rotting corpse without destroying the house completely, so I am not at home. I tell you all this by way of explaining why you are not reading about the horrific and unnecessary spectacle that is Faces Of Death right this very minute. It seems that I cannot see the face of Death when confronted with the stench of Death. My deepest apologies, and you will be returned to your regularly scheduled Nasties later this week. Until then, I would like to recommend a quick trip down memory lane...
When was the last time you watched Halloween III: Season Of The Witch? I'm dead serious. This much maligned film is worth another look. Yes, you can drive a truck through the plot holes...but the same is true of every other Halloween film, especially those sad attempts that came after III (We're talking original series here, Rob Zombie's films are a separate beast...and he knew enough to stop at two). The first two films told the entire story of Michael Myers, period. The only way to continue the series was with new stories, and Season Of The Witch (not to be confused with the George A. Romero film of the same title) delivered the shocks and grossouts that the Myers films did not. Tom Atkins is an underrated actor, and his performance here is pitch-perfect as the everyman who discovers a twisted conspiracy to kill thousands of innocent children. Also of note is Dan O'Herlihy, the mastermind who wants the kids dead, and the "Two more days 'til Halloween" jingle that runs throughout the picture.
I had been told repeatedly that I should not see Halloween III, so I made sure to see it as quickly as possible, sure that it had been unjustly panned and its' true merits overlooked. As usual, I was right. The film took me on a ride I enjoyed thoroughly, and the ambiguous, probably-a-downer ending brought a maniacal laugh to my lips. Put down your own expectations, watch the film on its' own terms, and see the beginning of what should have been: a series of films telling different scary stories that all take place on Halloween.
For the record: Michael Myers died in Haddonfield Hospital on Halloween, October 31, 1978, both eyes shot out by Laurie Strode, consumed by the flames from a gas explosion triggered by Dr. Samuel Loomis. Any films featuring Michael Myers that have a number higher than II after the title are utter bullshit and inferior to the first three films. I should point out that I've seen 4-8 and enjoyed them all, even though they were fantasies and did not contain the words "John Carpenter" on the opening credits, a distinction that the first three can all lay claim to. (Okay, theme song credits excluded.)
I'll shut up about this now, but I wanted to check in and let all three of you know that I'm not slacking, I'm temporarily closed due to a slight case of DEATH. I should have been prepared for this, but even the best can't see the future. But I'll make preparations for next time. Cuz my name's Justin. JustinCase.
When was the last time you watched Halloween III: Season Of The Witch? I'm dead serious. This much maligned film is worth another look. Yes, you can drive a truck through the plot holes...but the same is true of every other Halloween film, especially those sad attempts that came after III (We're talking original series here, Rob Zombie's films are a separate beast...and he knew enough to stop at two). The first two films told the entire story of Michael Myers, period. The only way to continue the series was with new stories, and Season Of The Witch (not to be confused with the George A. Romero film of the same title) delivered the shocks and grossouts that the Myers films did not. Tom Atkins is an underrated actor, and his performance here is pitch-perfect as the everyman who discovers a twisted conspiracy to kill thousands of innocent children. Also of note is Dan O'Herlihy, the mastermind who wants the kids dead, and the "Two more days 'til Halloween" jingle that runs throughout the picture.
I had been told repeatedly that I should not see Halloween III, so I made sure to see it as quickly as possible, sure that it had been unjustly panned and its' true merits overlooked. As usual, I was right. The film took me on a ride I enjoyed thoroughly, and the ambiguous, probably-a-downer ending brought a maniacal laugh to my lips. Put down your own expectations, watch the film on its' own terms, and see the beginning of what should have been: a series of films telling different scary stories that all take place on Halloween.
For the record: Michael Myers died in Haddonfield Hospital on Halloween, October 31, 1978, both eyes shot out by Laurie Strode, consumed by the flames from a gas explosion triggered by Dr. Samuel Loomis. Any films featuring Michael Myers that have a number higher than II after the title are utter bullshit and inferior to the first three films. I should point out that I've seen 4-8 and enjoyed them all, even though they were fantasies and did not contain the words "John Carpenter" on the opening credits, a distinction that the first three can all lay claim to. (Okay, theme song credits excluded.)
I'll shut up about this now, but I wanted to check in and let all three of you know that I'm not slacking, I'm temporarily closed due to a slight case of DEATH. I should have been prepared for this, but even the best can't see the future. But I'll make preparations for next time. Cuz my name's Justin. JustinCase.
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