Vinegar Syndrome Review: Deathrow Gameshow (1987)

  “Chuck Toedan Wants You ... To Die Laughing!”

Chuck Toedan (John McCafferty) is the host of the popular yet controversial game show Live or Die in which the contestants are death row inmates who get one last shot at fame, freedom and prizes for their families (there's an idea for you President Trump!). After beheading a good old fashioned family man, Chuck is greeted by a rowdy group of protestors outside of the studio, one of which being the beautiful leader of the Women Against Anything Men Are For (WAAMAF for short or what we call feminists nowadays) group; Gloria Sternvirgin (Robyn Blythe). Their paths cross again when they guests on a chat show debating moral value of Live or Die. Their debate bleeds out in to the parking lot until they are suddenly attacked by a couple of armed goons. Making a quick getaway, Toedan makes the realisation that they are grunts from mafia trying to seek revenge for the death of the head of the Pappalardo family, a previous contestant on his electrifying game show. This puts both his and Sternvirgin's lives in danger and he is posed the biggest moral question of all – should he continue with the show or get his well groomed behind out of the picture before it's rubbed out by someone else? Well, money talks so he carries on, but when Luigi Pappalardo (Beano) is sent to finish off the job, maybe that will convince him.

  As you can tell by the concept and some of the names used in the film, this is one of those camp and off-the-wall late 80's comedies. As with a lot of these low-budget horror comedies, the humour is there, but doesn't always work. Some of the character's names did give me a giggle and there is a genuinely funny gag involving a children's crossing and a great moment of fourth wall breaking (probably my favourite segment of the film). That being said, there are many crude jokes, innuendos and all round childish gags that did make my eyes roll. As much as that aspect did often frustrate me, this film never takes itself too seriously and you do get the impression that this was a fun shoot to be involved in. The story is fairly simple, but works and is well paced. Quite well written actually. The actors put in a decent effort and have great chemistry (thanks to the fact that nearly everyone involved has worked with each other multiple times up to that point.), but there are moments that do make you cringe slightly. In terms of production value, I think everyone did a solid job. Craig Bassuk's cinematography is solid with some really nicely staged shots. Tim Shoemaker's editing is equally solid, if not better. As well as that, there's some great stunt work, practical effects and a great score / soundtrack from Gregg Cross (the film's opening theme is great and worth a listen on its own!). All in all, it's a very solidly crafted and executed piece of low-budget comedy. It may not be my cup of tea, but I can definitely see why this has a cult following.

  For fans of the film, you are in for a treat with this release from Vinegar Syndrome. The film is scanned, restored & preserved in 2k from the 35mm original camera negative in a DVD & Blu-ray combo release. The film looks and sounds great, especially the vibrant colours used throughout. As well as that, there's an introduction to film by Mark Pirro as well as a commentary track with himself, Blythe & McCafferty which I found to be both insightful and full of great trivia. To compliment that, there's the 2015 Director's Cut of the film which has some quite questionable additions and tweaks (Pirro does refer to it as a Lucas-like remaster), a trailer, TV spot, image gallery and a director bio. The main special features on this disc are the making of documentary (includes information found in the commentary as well as other entertaining nuggets) and couple of Pirro's short films. These are Buns (1978) and The Spy Who Did it Better (1979). Buns follows a serial killer who murders anyone eating a hamburger and The Spy Who Did it Better is a nice parody (correct music cues and all) of the James Bond films. Both films have the same bizarreness and often bad taste that we find in Deathrow Gameshow and are great additions to this release. I actually think The Spy Who Did it Better is my favourite thing on this disc. All of these wonderful extras are topped off with reversible artwork. All in all, this is a must for hardcore fans of the film and those who like the campy side of 80's cinema. The film wasn't great, but it was by far a dull experience and I have to give credit where credit's due; it's great to see that Pirro is still very active in low-budget scene today. How many times can you say that!?

Deathrow Gameshow is available as a DVD / BluRay Combo from Vinegar Syndrome as well as being streamable on Exploitation.tv.

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Vinegar Syndrome Review: Nightmare Sisters (1988, David DeCoteau)

  “Sex isn't their only weapon...”

Melody (Linnea Quigley, SAVAGE STREETS), Marci (Brinke Stevens, SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE) and Mickey (Michelle Bauer, LUST FOR FREEDOM) are your typical geeky college girls who just can't seem to find a man. When their fellow sorority sisters leave to have parties and spend time with their significant others, the nerdy trio are left to their own devices and decide to have a little party of their own. With slim pickings in the male department, they call the equally geeky Kevin (Richard Gabai, DEMON WIND) to come over with his friends Freddy (Marcus Vaughter, THE VISITANTS) and Duane (William Dristas in his only role). It seems perfect; three boys, three girls and a house to themselves. That is until they decide to have a séance with a crystal ball that flea market obsessed Marci bought earlier that day. The group unfortunately summon a succubus, possessing the girls in the process and turning them in to beautiful sex crazed demons who are hungry for blood. Thankfully, the boys have some breathing space when a trio of their overbearing frat housemates crash the party and find themselves on the receiving end of the beautiful yet deadly succubi. This gives them time to call rent-a-exorcist Perrin (Jim Culver, LADY AVENGER) to hopefully help them get out of this bind and defeat evil. College should be a safe space after all!

Now before I get in to what I think of the film, it should be noted that the film was shot in around four days using a script that took seven days to write and was shot using loose ends of film from DeCoteau's previous film; Sorority Babes in the Sliemball Bowl-O-Rama. With that out of the way, I have to say that Nightmare Sisters wasn't the greatest cinematic experience I've ever had. For an erotic horror comedy, it didn't really deliver on any of those aspects. Sure, there is a hearty amount of nudity, but it really didn't do too much for me, even though the female cast are easy on the eyes and probably the best thing about this movie. Although overly long, the scene involving nubile bath action did stand out however. Comedy wise, it was your typical schlock humour with more jokes missing than hitting. Aside from one genuinely clever and well executed reference to the The Exorcist, there's really nothing there that will even raise a chuckle. What this film does have going for it is a somewhat intriguing story penned by Kenneth J. Hall (CRITTERS) that ultimately suffered with pacing issues, but did bring something unique to the table. There were also moments that reminded me of Evil Dead that I got a kick out of. That's really all that I can say about this film to be honest. It's one of those films that isn't awful, but just quite dull. However, I will say that under the circumstances, they pulled off a film that actually looks like a film. So it's not all bad.

  Although the film is something to be desired, props should be given to Vinegar Syndrome for not only giving this obscure cheapie a proper release, but for giving it a release it probably shouldn't really have. The film is presented in 2k from the original camera negative. It looks and sounds great with the only visual issues coming from some the film's actual cinematography in places. In terms of extras there's a director's introduction and an intriguing commentary from DeCoteau and Quigley that is more enjoyable than the actual film. To compliment that, there is an alternate TV version of the film that pretty much tones down the sleaze factor and uses alternate takes, an interview with Hall, outtakes, bloopers and some really cool alternate artwork. If you're a fan of this film or those involved, you probably already own this. If not, you have to buy it. Those looking for an entertaining piece of 80's teen sex comedy, you may want to give this one a miss.

Nightmare Sisters is available as a DVD / Blu-Ray combo from Vinegar Syndrome.

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Arrow Films Review: Nightmare City (1980, Umberto Lenzi)

  Original title “Incubo sulla città contaminata”

“The Nightmare Becomes Reality.”
Whilst waiting at an airport to interview a scientist about a recent nuclear accident, American reporter Dean Miller (Hugo Stiglitz, 357 magnum) witnesses a military plane making an illegal landing. With police and armed forces on the scene, Dean knows himself and his trusty cameraman (Antonio Mayans, Zombie Lake) are going to potentially get some juicy material. Juicy material it definitely is, bloody too. Very bloody! Inside the plane are dozens of disfigured victims of the nuclear accident. These passengers aren't just casualties of an unfortunate event, they're also blood-thirsty maniacs and almost instantly wipe out the entire military personnel. As if butchering and battering their victims in brutal fashion wasn't enough, they also like to slurp on their blood to keep themselves going. Dean manages to escape and heads back to the studio to show the world what's happening. Unfortunately for him, the suits at work won't allow it because General Murchison (Mel Ferrer, The Longest Day) over at Civil Defence doesn't want the word out. Naturally, the infected are running amuck around the city and after they invade the television studio, Dean escapes once again and heads on over to the hospital where his wife Anna (Laura Trotter, Frivolous Lola) works. As he arrives, the hospital also falls under attack, but luckily, himself and Anna escape. What follows for the pair is a fight for survival. As if you didn't know that already....

  It's actually pretty pointless giving you a synopsis of this movie because I bet you have already seen it, probably multiple times. We all know that Nightmare City is a ridiculous film, but just in case you're one of the few people yet to experience this truly cinematic wonder, I won't go in to too much detail about some of the stand out moments and shortcomings. When I say shortcomings, I mean that in the greatest possible sense. In an (amazingly dark) age where yuppy hipster directors who are borrowing a nostalgia they didn't live and are creating purposefully bad low-budget films, this is a perfect film for the Kung Fury and Birdemic (I think / hope we're collectively over The Room by now.) crowd. The story is simple, but functions in the basic sense. At its heart, it's an anti-war and nuclear film. Does it actually work in that sense? No, not really. Aside from some rather forced sounding pacifist dire tribe, the action and absurdity on screen takes precedent. You're not here for intellectual content, you're here for bad acting, non-stop action and some tasty blood and guts. There's something happening pretty much all of the time. From Hugo Stiglitz giving us an acting masterclass on how to use the same facial expression for every emotion and situation to defaced super-strengthed ghouls slicing off nipples and following dinner table etiquette by wiping their mouths after slurping down a serving of blood. Speaking of bloodshed, there's gore by the bucket loads. Sure, the camera may occasionally linger a bit too long to expose the crudeness of certain gore gags, but it's just going to make you chuckle even more.

  As I briefly touched on it earlier, acting isn't anything to shout about, especially the mighty Hugo Stiglitz. That being said, the likes of Mel Ferrer, Francisco Rabal (Speed Driver) as well as eye candy such as Maria Rosaria Omaggio (The Cop in Blue Jeans) and Sonia Viviani (Women's Camp 119) all add something to the film. Even though this is a wonderfully absurd film, one thing is for certain; Stelvio Cipriani's (A Bay of Blood) score is a genuinely accomplished and effective piece of work and actually one of Cipriani's greatest. Overall, this is another winner from Umberto Lenzi. Say what you will about him in terms of his personally and his artistic vision and capabilities, he knew how to create an entertaining film. What more can I say? I am fan of this film for the right and wrong reasons. At this point, you've probably skimmed over the review looking for the most important information; is this Arrow Films release better or worse than the Raro Video release?

  Guess what? You're pretty much getting both transfers on this release. Out of the two, Arrow's new 2k restoration looks much sharper and vibrant, but suffers from irreversible print damage. The second transfer, the one Raro used for their release, is taken from a 35mm reversal dupe negative and although the print damage isn't there, it's a much softer transfer. Sound is of high quality on both versions and. Those who are privy to pointlessly complain about Arrow releases need not bother because you are warned about the damage before you even decide which version to watch. Arrow could have just lazily used the same Raro print or just use their own, but the fact you get to choose from the two is very commendable. In terms of on-disc extras there's an entertaining commentary track from former Fangoria editor Chris Alexander, interviews with Umberto Lenzi and Maria Rosaria Ommagio, Eli Roth (Hostel) unashamedly fanboying about the film and Umberto Lenzi, original theatrical trailer, alternate opening titles and a featurette about the restoration issues. Unfortunately, the lengthy interview with Lenzi that appeared on the Raro disc is nowhere to be seen, but the long list of extras here more than make up for it. As always there's wonderful newly commissioned artwork, this time from Graham Humphreys and a booklet featuring writing from John Martin (The Seduction of the Gullible: The Truth Behind the Video Nasty Scandal). The Raro booklet has a piece by Chris Alexander that doesn't appear here. All in all, the Arrow release is arguably the most definitive out there. It may be missing one or two extras, but wether this is the first time you're buying the film or the 3746328468^th time; this is a release you need to own.

Nightmare City is available as a DVD & Blu-Ray combo pack from Arrow Films.

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Severin Review: Vampyros Lesbos (1970, dir: Jess Franco)

VAMPYROS LESBOS
(1970, dir: Jess Franco)“Psycho-Sexadelic Horror Freakout!”

Young lawyer Linda (Ewa Strömberg, She Killed in Ecstasy) is haunted by an erotic recurring dream involving herself and her lover Omar (Andrea Montchal, Eugenie de Sade). The dream involves herself and Omar enjoying a stage show involving a young and beautiful seductress (Soledad Miranda, Count Dracula). After the show, Linda is beckoned, seduced and killed by the mysterious nubile. Her therapist, Dr. Seward (Dennis Price, Son of Dracula) seems to think that the recurring dream is down to Linda needing a new sexual partner. Fair enough! Unfortunately, there's no time for that as Linda is assigned to visit a woman by the name of Countess Nadine Carody, who has recently inherited property from none other than Count Dracula! Once she has arrived and settled in, it's on to business. Before she can get the Countess's signature and realise who she's dealing with, she is drugged, seduced and then bitten by the bloodthirsty Countess. As if it wasn't bad enough, Linda then finds herself with a case of amnesia and under the care of Dr. Steiner (Paul Muller, Lady Frankenstein). It's her lucky day however, as Steiner is more than just a doctor, he's also a vampire hunter. With the help of the doctor and Omar, Linda must put an end to Countess Carody's bloodthirsty reign. It's not going to be easy, but it sure is going to be bloody!

 
Where do you start with a film like Vampyros Lesbos? Jess Franco is one of my all time favourite directors and even though I find his back catalogue to be very hit and miss (with a filmography that size, it's understandable), I can safely say I enjoyed this greatly. Right off the bat, you can tell this is a Franco film. From the cinematography to the way the action is staged and played out. Some may find his overuse of the zoom to be annoying and the snobs out there will turn the nose up at the occasional out of focus shot, but these tiny things all play in to my compassion for Jess Franco. There's some absolutely gorgeous locations used here and the set design as well as the costumes are second to none. As cheaply made as this film is, Jess definitely has a good eye for style and working around budget constraints. You sometimes find yourself scratching your head when trying to follow the plot of a Franco film, but Franco with the help of Jaime Chávarri (To an Unknown God) and Anne Settimó (Jungle of Fear) have scribed a cohesive, yet abstract enough to stand out feminine retelling of Bram Stoker's Dracula, even if Chávarri now distances himself from the film. There's a real sense of atmosphere throughout that often makes the film feel almost dreamlike. The score from Sigi Schwab (The Devil Came From Akasava) and Manfred Hübler (Intercontinental Express) adds to that dreamlike atmosphere, but also ranges from haunting to out right funky. It's up there with one of Franco's best film scores and worth looking in to if you like jazz. The star of the show (both literally and metaphorically) is the Countess herself, Soledad Miranda. All she has to do is look directly in to the camera and the audience is eating out of her hands. Her performance is subtle, yet effective and fundamentally sensual. Right from the first few seconds where she is beckoning the viewer. This is her film. Don't get me wrong, everyone else puts in a good turn for the most part, even Franco himself appears as a somewhat mentally challenged and sleazy island local with his own secret, but the focus is on Miranda, even if this may not be her most demanding role. It's clear that if she hadn't had met her untimely demise, she would have made even greater waves in the film industry. Of course, those looking for bare flesh and blood will be very happy I'm sure as there is a good amount of that thrown in too. That being said, this is more classy than pure schlock or sleaze. A perfect film for the turtleneck wearing Franco fan!

  In terms of sound and picture quality, the film has been beautifully restored and presented here. Of course, being that this is a Franco film and the source material may have not been preserved at the most optimal of levels, there are some focus issues and the sound can get a bit questionable, it shouldn't be an issue at all. Those wanting special features will be very happy in my opinion. There's an interview with Franco himself talking about the film, his relationship with producer Artur Brauner and of course Soledad. Is it just me or is it like watching your granddad telling you stories when you watch a Franco interview? Sticking with Soledad, there's an interview with Amy Brown, founder of the official Soledad Miranda website, that goes in to the life, career and death of Soledad. The final major feature is an interview with Franco scholar Stephen Thrower which gives a bit more insight in to the film. Not only that, but we also get an extra clip of Franco talking about his experience with Stuart Freeborn (Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope)
and his true inspiration behind the look of Yoda, original German opening title sequence and of course, the German trailer. As if that weren’t enough, the film is packaged up with some gorgeous newly-commissioned art from Wes Benscoter. All in all, this is a must own for UK lovers of Jess Franco, Soledad Miranda and of course; Vampyros Lesbos. This would also make a great starting point for newcomers!

Vampyros Lesbos is available on DVD & Blu-Ray from Severin.
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Vinegar Syndrome Review: Frightmare (1981, dir: Norman Thaddeus Vane)

FRIGHTMARE
(a.k.a THE HORROR STAR, BODY SNATCHERS)

(1981, Norman Thaddeus Vane)

“There was Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, and Conrad Ragzoff! They were all stars who lived and died. But only one returned...”

  Fandom  takes on a whole new meaning when a group of film loving college students decide to pay the ultimate respects to their favourite horror icon, the recently deceased Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne, Barry Lyndon). How do they do this? Hold a memorial? Have a Radzoff horror marathon? Nope, they decide to steal his freshly buried body and give hime the ultimate farewell house party back in their mansion! Like most cases however, this is one of those instances were one of your heroes is actually an arsehole (Cough-Tom Savini-Cough!). You see, Radzoff had an often fatal temper. Not even a cameo from Leon Askin (The Robe) is safe! To make matters infinitely worse for our group of corpse stealing cinephiles, Mayne decides to carry on his bloody streak from beyond the grave. One by one, the students learn a valuable lesson; let sleeping corpses lie (see what I did there?, especially if they happen to be a bloodthirsty prima-donna!

  Frightmare is a somewhat unique experience. A supernatural slasher that although rather straight-faced, is still fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. That being said, in between Radzoff dying and him picking off the students, the film does plod a little. It's still a very solidly directed and written film however. There's some solid cinematography that utilises light perfectly from Joel King (The Mighty Ducks) and an atmospheric score from Jerry Mosely (Blood Tide) who should have gone on to do greater things as the score seems to take reference and pay homage to many horror film scores of yesteryear, as well as being contemporary with some fantastic synth work. All in all, aesthetically the film ticks all the boxes. The deaths, although not too graphic are staged and executed solidly thanks to the work of Jill Rockow (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Chuck E. Stewart (Con Air). The star of the show is of course Ferdy Mayne. Sure, he can be campy as hell in his performance, but it works perfectly within the context of the film. A role intended for Christopher Lee (Dracula: Prince of Darkness), Mayne fills the boots perfectly and even though we see clips of young Ragzoff, it takes a minute to realise it's actually footage of a young Christopher Lee. Although a despicable character, it's so satisfying to see him kill the group of unlikeable students. This isn't because of bad writing, it's because they are complete douchebags. Within the group of students we have performances from a young Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator) and Luca Bercovici (Drop Zone). The film is really well cast and everyone puts in a great performance, no matter how significant their role is.

  If you're a fan of horror cinema that deals with horror cinema, this is a film you must watch. Thanks to film historian David Del Valle, the film itself is littered with actual props and memorabilia. From the poster of Lucio Fulci's Zombie Flesh Eaters to the decapitated head of Frank Zito from Maniac. There is so much to ingest in that regard. Not only that, but there are typical horror tropes and references throughout for the seasoned horror fans out there to discover. All in all, I enjoyed Frightmare more than expected. Sure, it won't change your perception of the slasher genre, but it has enough there to warrant repeat viewings. In terms of the release, I can't say I've seen the previous Troma release, but from my research, Vinegar Syndrome have done a great job upgrading this film in both a visual and audible sense. Don't get me wrong, it's not Vinegar Syndrome's greatest effort, but it's still a lot more than most labels would do. On the disc we have two commentary tracks; one from The Hysteria Continues and one from David Del Valle and David DeCoteau. There's an archival audio interview from Vane himself prior to his death, an interview with cinematographer Joel King, original theatrical trailer and reversible artwork showcasing The Horror Star artwork. It's a great release for both fans and newcomers.

Frightmare is available as a DVD & Blu-ray combo from Vinegar Syndrome and available to stream on Exploitation.tv

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Vinegar Syndrome Review: Madman (1981, dir: Joe Giannone)

MADMAN
(1981, dir: Joe Giannone)

“Deep in the woods, lurks a hideous evil... Don't even whisper his name!”

Regular readers will know that I am not a big fan of the slasher genre. A lot of the times, I am just bored to tears. I would much rather watch a giallo when it's at its most convoluted, than a 'classic' slasher. That being said, I'm a fair guy. I believe every film should be watched at least once before you offer your opinion. Thankfully, the lovely folks over at Vinegar Syndrome have been sending over many films that I have never heard of and films that I wouldn't usually check out. Last year they released the slasher classic, Graduation Day. I was pleasantly surprised by the film (Christopher George hamming it up always helps). Fast forward to today, they have recently released another cult classic from the slasher genre. That film is Madman from 1981, directed by Joe Giannone. This is a film I have seen pop up in discussions for years. Thanks to Vinegar Syndrome, I can finally see what all the fuss is about. I won't bore you with a retelling of the film because I'm guessing you will have already watched it. I will however, do a good old fashioned cut and paste job of the synopsis because I am a true professional:
“Years ago, Madman Marz violently murdered his family only to escape into the woods before his execution could be completed. Legend has it that anyone who calls his name above a whisper can summon him back to continue his bloody rampage. But teenage Richie, away at camp, doesn’t believe the old legend and calls his name. As night falls, strange things start happening at camp and soon Madman Marz is back, axe in hand, to finish the killing spree he started decades ago.”

Overall, I found Madman to be a very enjoyable film. The concept of an urban legend coming to life is simple, yet ingenious. Of course nowadays, it's a played out plot device. What Madman does that many films haven't managed to do for the most part, is create a mythology that actually has some weight to it. Madman Marz is a brute of a character that deserved to have a franchise just as much as Freddy, Jason or Leatherface. For the most part, it's your typical slasher film. That being said, one thing that is clearly evident is that Madman wasn't a film made out of purely cashing in on the slasher boom at the time, but a genuine passion project from all those involved. There is actual care and effort put in to what is essentially an independent horror film. Instead of a quickly shot and thoughtlessly staged effort, we have a stylish production lensed by James Lemmo (Ms.45). Although not brilliantly acted, the cast do a good job throughout, especially Frederick Neumann (Reversal of Fortune) as the camp leader and Madman Marz himself, Paul Ehlers (Ink & Steel). The film isn't as brutal as other slashers, but the kills are varied and bloody enough to satisfy the gore-hounds. One thing that stood out to me was the score which is brooding and electronic. It adds to the tension of the film. Speaking of which, Madman is full of tension and has a genuinely creepy atmospheric feel that helps the film stand out. This isn't just another schlocky slasher with a cheap gimmick and over the top gore. It's easy to see why Madman has a cult following. I've been more entertained by this film than I have by all of the bigger franchise efforts combined. It's not a perfect film and I'm not suddenly an advocate of the genre, but Madman is a competent enough effort that has charm. I was very pleasantly surprised, but then again, my expectations are always low for films like this. If you haven't seen the film before, give it a try.

In terms of picture and sound quality, the film is newly restored in 4k from the camera negative and I think have Vinegar Syndrome have once again done a stellar job. My only reference to previous releases of Madman are from screen-grabs, but boy this presentation wipes the floor with what was perviously available. A film like this shot entirely at night is always going to be a cause for concern when it comes to restoring, but fear not! The blacks are solid enough the colours are nice and crisp. Vinegar Syndrome have done one of their best restoration jobs here. The sound is also just as solid and helps lifts the synth score to another level. I'm only going off the DVD by the way, you're really in for a treat with the Blu-ray! You may want to sell off your old Anchor Bay DVD, but this release and use the change to buy some pizza and beers for a weekend screening! The best aspect of this release for me is the wealth of extra features. Naturally, you get the theatrical trailer, TV spots and vintage still gallery. There are also commentaries from The Hysteria Lives! As well as the producer, director and cast. Alongside the usual extras you get Victor Bonacore's feature length documentary The Legend Lives: 30 Years of Madman which includes a wealth of information and anecdotes. There's also featurette celebrating 35 years of Madman as well as new interviews with cast and crew, some conducted by the folks over at Deadpit Radio. To top if off, you also get a selection of songs inspired by the film which is the icing on the cake. Yep, this is as definitive of a release as you will get.

Overall, this is an essential release for both lovers of the film as well as those wanting to experience this cult classic for the first time. Like I said, I am no real fan of slashers, but I have to thank Vinegar Syndrome for making me experience and enjoy a film I wouldn't have rushed out to see any time soon. Go buy this release, but remember to breathe his name no louder than a whisper!

Madman is available as a DVD / Blu-Ray combo from Vinegar Syndrome.

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88 Films DVD Review: The Corpse Grinders (dir: Ted V. Mikels, 1971)

"They Went in People and Came Out Hamburger!"

It is I once again! Got some more devilishly delightful treats from the good folks over at 88 Films. This time however, it's not cheesy Full Moon fare but the schlocky goodness of the maestro himself, Ted V. Mikels. I have to confess and potentially put my Psychotronic Film Club membership card on the line here and say, I had never seen a Ted V. Mikels production until the films I am about to review in these next posts. I know, I know, shame on me. As much as I love exploitation cinema, films like this from filmmakers like H. G. Lewis and Mikels from the late 60's to early 70's just don't appeal to me. They can be too campy even for me but hey, some people don't like biker movies and some people don't like comic book adaptations... Each to their own. I was very apprehensive about Corpse Grinders based off the trailer and various clips of other Mikels productions but... as a lover of cinema, you have to be open minded! 

"Human bodies are fed into a bone crunching meat grinder, mashed into a bloody pulp, poured into cans and shipped out to market as Lotus Cat Food. Unsuspecting pet owners are being attacked and killed by felines driven into blood lust by their newly acquired taste for human flesh. The corpse-grinding cat food moguls have been running low on dead bodies and are on the lookout for fresh meat. Enter Angie, a nubile young nurse whose cat is acting up after eating out of Lotus cans. Angie comes to the factory looking for answers and is abruptly taken to the blood-soaked conveyor belt that feeds the insatiable grinder."

Overall, I enjoyed Corpse Grinders. It was a fun little schlock-tastic (if that wasn't a word already, it is now!) horror comedy. Sure both the horror and the comedy were lacking but I did chuckle and the meat grinding scenes actually worked sometimes. The whole concept of cats going bat shit (or should that be cat shit?) insane amuses me no end. I love cats, so seeing them kick some human ass was quite satisfying. I want to wrestle with cats... NOW! It's a really simple concept with some neat touches and you can tell that it was a fun, laid back shoot to be involved with. The acting wasn't great even by B-movie standards but there's a lot worse out there and it just adds to the all round charm. Needless to say, my first experience with Ted was a fun one. The 75 minute run time was just right and I am so glad they didn't try and pad it out to 90 minutes (hate indie directors doing that nowadays). It's a fine example of a drive-in movie.

88 Films have done a stellar job with this release. The print of the film itself is murky and fuzzy in places but to neaten a film like this too much would just completely take away from it. The sound levels are a little bit to be desired but this was a low budget production from 1971 so it would be harsh to harp on about it. Special features include one of the calmest and laid back director's commentaries I have ever heard which was nice, it was like your granddad talking about his film making days. You also get a small interview with Ted talking about the film and of course the usual trailers. I did genuinely love the menu artwork on the disc, very nice presentation all round, you also get reversible artwork which always makes me smile. Overall, if you are a fan of schlock, then you can do much worse than this release!

You can check out the 88 Films page for the film here, the IMDB page here and of course purchase the film itself from Amazon UK.

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Fulci-Fest: Remembering The King Of Gore

Today (as of writing this of course) marks 17 years since we lost the great Lucio Fulci. Fulci died just as he was experiencing how appreciated and adored he was by us horror fans. I would have been 7 years old when he died and that to me is a crazy thought. My experience with the work of Fulci is a pleasurable and he has provided me with many an hour blood soaked, flesh ripping cinema. I don't just love him for his horror work. I have seen only a fraction of his work but I can say with hand on heart (let me just check... yep, it's still there!) that I have enjoyed every film I have seen from a whole spectrum of the genres. I thought that it would make sense to spend a day watching nothing but Fulci films. As I'm writing this, Four Of The Apocalypse is playing in the background. This is one of Fulci's westerns and what a film it is but I will get to that later on.

I thought I would just spend a little time talking about Fulci and his impact on my life. The first film I watched of his was a film you the reader probably watched first too, Zombie Flesh Eaters. This was such a great experience as I had only just recently watched the original Dawn Of The Dead for the first time. This was when a film was just a film to me. I hadn't really taken an interest up until that point but as I discovered more and more Italian cinema from the 70's and 80's such as this I was hooked. I can't exactly recall my whole journey with Fulci but let me say this, I don't think I would be this interested in film if it wasn't for Fulci. His work will always have a special place in my heart and I look forward to watching more and more of his work. As I said earlier, I have spent the day watching Fulci films so I thought I would write a little about each one.


Contraband (1980)
I started the marathon with one of my personal favourites. Contraband is a crime flick starring Fabio Testi. I won't give a full review for this or any of the films only my thoughts and why I love them. I am a massive Italian crime fan and this attempt here is just fabulous. Think of signature Fulci gore and violence mixed in with a great story about greed, treachery and violence in Naples. Some of the highlights are a great use of a Bunsen burner, a Godfather like execution montage and old school mafia bosses from another time showing that it doesn't hurt to be a gentlemen in the mafia game. A great start to the marathon I think you will agree... capiche!?

Manhattan Baby (1982)
I thought it would be only right to follow up with a film from the genre he is most known for, the horror genre. The film I picked was the criminally underrated Manhattan Baby. Yeah it might not have that level of violence most of his other films have but damn! What an atmosphere this film has! Sure, there are some insanely laughable moments but the whole Egyptian portion of the film is genuinely creepy... especially that damn blind woman! This is magnified with Fabio Frizzi's phenomenal score. If you haven't got round to watching this one, you should do right away.

Conquest (1983)

Conquest is the only film that I watched today that I hadn't seen before and unfortunately I had to watch this online here. I love cheesy post apocalyptic films from the 80's and this did not disappoint at all. Within 12 minutes of the film I was majorly confused and a woman was ripped in half... I knew I was in for a treat. I came out of this still majorly confused at what I had seen but it didn't matter. It's films like this that make me smile like a kid in a sweet shop. Film snobs need not watch because this isn't for you! Watch it anyway because it's just awesome!

Four Of The Apocalypse (1975)
I decided to finish my Fulci-thon with this gem. A story about a group of misfits who become good friends and come across many obstacles including Tomas Milian doing Captain Jack long before Mr. Depp... seriously, he looks just like him! Once again, this isn't one of Fulci's most violent outings but there are some nasty scenes in this one. The film isn't really about that sort of stuff though and it's one of Fulci's more straight faced films. Highly enjoyable and one of the few times you genuinely care about the characters on screen and not just wonder how and when they die. This also boasts a really solid score from the likes of Fabio Frizzi.

So there you have it! I didn't want to just watch the same Fulci flicks I usually go to. I adore the likes of Zombie Flesh Eaters, House By The Cemetery (possibly my favourite film in the filmography so far) or The Beyond but I wanted to watch the films I enjoyed that often get overlooked or at least hardly mentioned in peoples lists.

Thank you all for reading this and sharing the love and passion for the work of Lucio Fulci. I still have a long way to go before I have a complete collection of films but it's a journey I am absolutely loving so far. I want to also thank Lucio for providing me with hours of entertainment and inspiring me creatively. I don't care if you see him as a hack or a one trick pony, dig into his filmography and you can't help but marvel a guy who directed so many films from so many different genres and keep a high quality throughout. They don't make them like him anymore and probably one of the saddest aspects of his death is he never really got to see how adored he was my genre fans and who knows, he would probably still be making films now.

Thanks again Mr. Fulci!

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