RIP Paul Naschy

I always hate when I log on to Twitter or Facebook and get smacked in the face by sad news. Especially when you know the news was inevitable even if you wish it wasn't.

This morning's cold dishrag of reality came via the news that Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy (aka Jacinto Molina) had died at the age of 75. (Here's a link to a Spanish-language report of his death.)

Naschy, who starred in some of the most entertaining and original horror films I've ever seen, was instrumental in the rise of the Spanish horror film and a standout force in Eurotrash cinema, both in front of and behind the camera. A prolific writer, director and star, Naschy is probably best known for his frequent appearances as the cursed werewolf Waldemar Daninsky, but is also appreciated by this fan for roles like Alaric de Marnac in HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB and Gotho in the amazing HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE (whose DVD release was recently pushed by Mya from late November to January).

Do yourself a favor and discover some of Naschy's lengthy and entertaining filmography for yourself. No Eurotrash actor other than Klaus Kinski has brought me as much cinematic joy as Senor Naschy and that is high praise, indeed.

Check out our reviews of:
PANIC BEATS
NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST
WEREWOLF SHADOW
HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB
NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF
HUMAN BEASTS
EXORCISM
THE HANGING WOMAN
BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL
HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE

VIDEO: Bourdain Name Checks Kinski!

Finally got a chance to pull the clip from the recent episode of Anthony Bourdain's NO RESERVATIONS in which he travels to Thailand and name checks Klaus Kinski while dealing with grubby little monkeys that have surrounded his boat.

EVIL FACE vs. THE HAND THAT FEEDS THE DEAD

I recently took the opportunity to sit down and watch Sergio Garrone's mad doctor/face transplant thriller THE HAND THAT FEEDS THE DEAD starring Klaus Kinski. The only print I had of the film at the time was a dub of a Turkish VHS secured from Luminous Film and Video Works a few years ago.

I wasn't totally crazy about the flick and felt that there were plotlines that went nowhere and some questionable character motivations, not to mention subtitling courtesy of Luminous that I felt might be a bit dubious.

Well, I'm happy to report that the new Mya DVD version of the flick – titled EVIL FACE – is a vast improvement over such grey market versions in pretty much every facet of the presentation, including the original Italian audio and score (the Luminous version features Turkish dubbing and a different score) and an improved source video (possibly the old GVR Italian VHS?).

Video and audio improvements aside, the biggest improvements here are subtitles that make the dialogue and storyline almost logical (well, as logical as a story about face transplants and mad doctors can be) and the restoration of about 10-15 minutes of footage cut from the Turkish print. Though the new scenes don't provide any additional Kinski moments, they do eliminate a couple head-scratching moments early in the film.

For a quick look at how the Luminous and Mya versions compare, here are some screen captures that should convince any Kinski fans on the fence about the purchase to take the plunge and upgrade their copy.


Kinski gets top billing in the Italian credits (bottom), not so the Turkish credits which give top billing to Turkish star Ayhan Isik (also in Garrone's LOVER OF THE MONSTER which was filmed on the same sets with the same cast, crew and costumes).


The first appearance of Professor Nijinski (Kinski) as his handicapped man servant (Vania in the Mya version, "Johnson" [?!] on the Luminous tape) emerges from the woods on a mission from Tanja, the professor's mysterious, shrouded wife.


It wouldn't be 70s Eurotrash without some fine, feminine forms on display and EVIL FACE/ HAND THAT FEEDS is no exception. Here Sonia (Stella Calderoni) displays her wares for the relunctant Kinski. I wonder if another, even racier version of the film exists. The Mya DVD blog includes photos from an Italian eBay auction featuring clothed and nude versions of shots from this same scene.

What's this?! It's additional footage from the Mya disc as Katja (Marzia Damon) explores the castle's underground passages.

Here Katja searches Tanja's bedroom in a crucial scene missing from the Luminous tape. As she searches the room we see mirrors covered in black paint and candelabras without candles, sure signs that something is afoot in Castle Nijinski. The Luminous tape combines brief shots from this scene with scenes of Katja searching the castle library.


Here the Fake Kinski prepares to operate on Tanja and a poor, unsuspecting victim.


Future Oscar winner Carlo Rambaldi's burn effects look a bit grislier in the Mya version (bottom)...


...not to mention the peeled face of Nijinski and Tanja's final victim.


Here, Kinski delivers his price-of-admission scene as he commiserates with Tanja's beloved doll about how they've been pushed aside, discarded.

The Mya disc provides a significant upgrade over the Turkish print from Luminous and gets a definite thumbs up from The Klaus Kinski Files.

EVIL FACE Has Shipped!

Just got word through Amazon that my copy of Mya's new disc for EVIL FACE (aka THE HAND THAT FEEDS THE DEAD) has shipped.

While a recent viewing of the flick didn't exactly bowl me over, it's always good to have new prints of these available legitimately.

I'll be sure to post thoughts on it as soon as the flick arrives.

31 DAYS OF FRIGHT: Rigor Mortis Setting In

As some of you might know I used to publish a food and drink zine called The Hungover Gourmet. I say "used to" because the latest issue of the zine also happens to be the last issue of the zine.

There were many reasons for pulling the plug on the publication – time, money, turnaround, ennui – but the biggest reason was that I really didn't have the passion for plugging away at a print publication anymore. And I'd promised myself that when the passion wasn't there it was time to get out.

So, for the first time in almost 25 years I'm not publishing a zine. Oh sure, I've got three blogs and two websites, but no empty Quark layout on my computer staring back at me, no bulging folders of clips, article ideas, notes, found stuff and artwork just itching to make its way into print. And, like I said, no passion to make it happen.

Luckily, that passion is still out there for other publishers. I don't follow the zine scene as closely as I used to, back when zines like SLIMETIME, HI-TECH TERROR, VIDEOOZE, WET PAINT and GORE GAZETTE were showing up in my mailbox on a regular basis, hipping me to the most outer limits of the trash universe. These days, it seems like a lot of the genre mags are almost pro-zines, with their color covers, glossy paper and handsome layouts.

Which makes it especially nice when a good old photocopied horror film zine like RIGOR MORTIS lands in my hands. This is the second installment of the Baltimore-based zombie-centric publication and it's a nice expansion on the all-zombie-focused first issue. Yes, the 60-page digest is still heavy on living dead content (including a nice comparison of the two versions of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD as well as an exploration of zombie comedies or zom-coms that sadly fails to include the great NIGHT OF THE CREEPS) but there's also a look at Carpenter's THE FOG, paranormal reality shows and more.

Even our main man Klaus Kinski gets a nice nod, with a five page article on Kinski's performance in Herzog's NOSFERATU and how it compares to other portrayals of the vampire mainstay. Unfortunately, there's no exploration of the trash-tastic NOSFERATU IN VENICE.

While my passion for producing zines may have waned, I'm happy to report that my passion for consuming them – like a zombie chomping down on some brains – is still as strong as ever. Here's hoping Dread Sockett, DeadVida and Co. keep the RIGOR MORTIS fires burning.

Joe Bob Tweets About Klaus

Leave it to the one and only Joe Bob Briggs to somehow wrap the one and only Klaus Kinski into the Steve Phillips sex addict storyline. Earlier today Briggs tweeted the following:

Steve's a sex addict? / If that's true, here's my question: / What was Klaus Kinski?

Follow Joe Bob's twitter feed here.

31 DAYS OF FRIGHT: Post-Exhumed Report -- Alas, No Kinski

Got home about 24 hours ago from the 3rd Annual Exhumed Films 24-Hour Marathon and I think I'm returning to "normal". This was my third year in attendance and I have to say that while this year's rundown came awfully close to besting the first outing, it fell short ever so slightly.

Seriously, how do you beat GODZILLA VS THE COSMIC MONSTER, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, PHANTASM, HELLRAISER, PIECES, BURIAL GROUND, TEENAGE MOTHER, DEMONS and GATES OF HELL, just to name a few?

Still no Kinski but this year's lineup was a winner...

CREEPSHOW: after kicking off the last two years with Carpenter flicks the organizers promised an A-list flick but no JC to start the event. I hadn't seen this anthology in 20 years or so and the stories still hold up nicely. Leslie Nielsen sorta steals the show in his segment and I was impressed by how much more involved "The Crate" was from what I remembered. A fun-packed way to start the festivities.

GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND: though I don't remember it a friend suggested to me that I actually had seen this Godzilla flick many years ago. Described by one pal in attendance as "arson porn" it's largely long monster mashes interspersed with some ludicrous plot about bug-like aliens taking over the earth.

THE FLY (Cronenberg): more bugs, this time in the form of Jeff Goldblum. While the program guide's clue about a "science fiction/horror modern classic" from the 80s had my hopes up for LIFEFORCE, I can't hold a grudge for showing this flick (plus I can rationalize a Halloween week screening on DVD). Great storyline, fabulous acting from the three leads, icky effects and the damn thing is paced like lightning.

THE OBLONG BOX: was one of the few flicks this year that made me feel "meh". Clues suggesting a "old school gothic horror starring two genre favorites" had me crossing my fingers for HORROR EXPRESS, but we got this AIP Poe adaptation with Vincent Price and Christopher Lee instead. Unfortunately, proper appreciation probably required me to pay more attention than I wanted to at this point. And, frankly, a lot of those British people look alike.

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 4: THE FINAL CHAPTER: here's where things really got rolling. This is easily my favorite installment of the F13 series and I had a smile from ear-to-ear during this one. "Teddy, you know where that corkscrew is?" THWACK!

RAW FORCE: definitely the highlight of the weekend and this coming from somebody whose favorite film ever made closed out the event. I'd seen bits and pieces of this on VHS but never imagined I'd witness what is easily one of the craziest pieces of cinema ever unleashed on an unsuspecting public on the big screen. Cannibals, zombies, kung-fu, inane dialogue, rampant nudity, Cameron Mitchell and the Asian Hitler all team up for what can best be described as a Filipino flick made by Troma. Amazing. Needs to come out on a special edition two-disc DVD from Criterion tomorrow.

THE NEXT VICTIM (aka BLADE OF THE RIPPER): another revelation for me. A stylish and fun Sergio Martino giallo with George Hilton, the scrumptious Edwige Fenech, Ivan Rassimov (described by a pal as the lovechild of Charlton Heston and Klaus Maria Brandauer). Nicely follows some of the great Eurotrash Maxims established through the years. Such as, "If George Hilton is in a giallo, he's guilty of something".

CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (aka NIGHTMARE CITY): not my favorite Italian splatter zombiefest, but one whose empty-headed plot plays better with a crowd than alone at home. Some great price-of-admission scenes but too much blah-blah-blah pessimism from the female lead for my taste.

HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD: a (mostly) beautiful print of this dreamy Bava flick starring Reg Park as Hercules and Christopher Lee as the villain. I'd seen this one on DVD and one viewing was probably plenty for me, but it was a nice 2 AM palette cleanser.

TRAUMA (aka HOUSE ON STRAW HILL): another first viewing, though certainly not as good as THE NEXT VICTIM. One friend informed me that the STRAW HILL cut is longer and sleazier than what we saw, which means more nude Linda Hayden and Fiona Richmond if that's possible. Too easy to figure out what's happening, especially after the challenging NEXT VICTIM. Being remade under one its other alternate titles, EXPOSE.

LADY TERMINATOR: to say I never, ever expected to see this on the big-screen would be an enormous understatement. Like RAW FORCE it's a crazoid blend of action, kung-fu and damaged creative forces, but the drawn-out gun battles are a little too repetitious to elevate this one to RAW FORCE level madness. Still, a gorgeous print of a flick I never thought I'd get to see in a theater.

THE CHILDREN: I'd have been impressed by this one simply because it had one of my buddies totally stumped for a good five minutes and he seems to know every 70s and 80s horror flick like the back of his hand. When a school bus passes through a radioactive cloud, the children are turned into murderous monsters (zombies?) who can deep-fry an adult with a touch of their hands. Though it drags a bit in spots, high marks for such a rare treat and for dealing with the taboo of subject of chopping kids' hands off!

PIRANHA: I'm a sucker for nature run amok horror so I would have loved just about anything they threw at me (GRIZZLY, ISLAND CLAWS, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS, etc.). Plus, I'd been awake for about 26 hours straight and had just watched 12 other movies so I was pretty mentally pliable. But this remains one of my favorite of all the post-JAWS rip-offs, with a great cast of genre vets, decent late-70s gore, a witty John Sayles screenplay and tight, fun-loving direction from Joe Dante.

RE-ANIMATOR: what can I say? Not just my favorite horror film but quite literally my favorite film ever made. A near flawless blend of dark comedy, relentless gore and nudity that perfectly capped a great weekend of trash cinema.