THE ZODIAC KILLER (1971) Directed by Tom Hanson | Review by Louis Fowler

The sheer balls these 70s filmmakers had, to exploit a serial killer while the bodies were still warm, all under the guise of "helping" to catch the bloodthirsty deviant.

Still, with no disrespect to the actual victims, 1971's THE ZODIAC KILLER (now available on Blu-Ray from AGFA and Something Weird) is an enjoyable piece of trash, for all the wrong reasons. Starting off with a title card practically saying this film was not made for awards and, instead, in the public interest, well, you mostly succeeded.

In a particle-board California community where every single man is apparently a misogynistic pig with a "bitch" ex-wife, a woman gets stabbed in the broad daylight as young children watch. I'm not really sure if this is the startling opening of the movie or a California tourism advertisement, but it's pretty effective on both counts.

As the supposed murderer reads off a generically psychopathic litany of stereotyped weirdness, the audience is meant to perpetually guess who the killer is; running through the large list of red herrings, is it the bitter postman put upon by harridans, the divorced daddy with a shrewish ex-wife or the one seemingly normal dude with a need to rant on about his future zombie slaves from the lost continent of Atlantis or some such junk.

Like a MGTOW spank-bank come to life, David Fincher it's not.

Still, when the Zodiac does appear on-screen, clad in his remarkably clean uniform with crosshairs on the front, it's darkly chilling to know that the acclaimed killer was probably in the theater, pleasuring himself to the clumsy filmmaking on bad film stock, languishing in the fictionalized outings of his silver screen alter-ego. That's gotta be a bigger rush than a double-murder on Lover's Lane, I'd suppose.

In addition to THE ZODIAC KILLER, included as a bonus feature is ANOTHER SON OF SAM (1977, written and directed by Dave Adams), which I know sounds like a wacky summer comedy about an inept serial killer and his dog pal going on a dingy New York murder spree, but instead is an equally garbage flick about a mental patient who knows some sweet speedboat stunts.

But, for the price of admission, it also features the public domain ramblings of lounge-singer extraordinaire Johnny Charro, whose concert footage is a might scarier than both films combined. – Louis Fowler

Louis Fowler is a longtime contributor to ER and The Hungover Gourmet as well as The Lost Ogle, Bookgasm and The Impulsive Buy. 

THE ZODIAC KILLER is available from Amazon and Diabolik DVD. 

"Filth is My Politics! Filth is My Life!" Or, A Wrap-Up of exFest 2017

John Waters introduces 1972's PINK FLAMINGOS at exFest.

So, I can check "seeing PINK FLAMINGOS on the big screen with an introduction by John Waters" off my cinematic bucket list.

Spent Saturday up in Philadelphia hanging out with pals and catching the annual Exhumed Films exFest, a 12-hour celebration of all things exploitation.

While I still refer to their 24 Hour Horrorthon each October as "my Christmas", exFest is always a highlight of the spring thanks to its complete anything goes grab bag of chop sockey, spaghetti western, bikers, sexploitation and whatever else they foist upon attendees.

After a quick trip to the city from Maryland we gathered provisions and settled into the steamy theater (temperatures were pushing 90 outside making for a sweltering viewing experience) for seven slices of sinema:

• DYNASTY (period martial arts mayhem with lots of gratuitous 3D action);
• DEATH RIDES A HORSE (quality revenge-driven Spaghetti western with Van Cleef and John Philip Law);
• NEW BARBARIANS (aka Enzo Castellari's WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND with Fred Williamson and "Timothy Brent" as they take on a band of gay post-apoc marauders led by George Eastman);
• COMBAT COPS (aka ZEBRA KILLER which was like an odd DIRTY HARRY rip-off via blaxploitation with Austin Stoker from ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 as a no fucks given detective on the trail of a deranged killer);
• Gregory Dark's STREET ASYLUM (a disappointing late 80s blend of action and sci-fi with Wings Hauser, G Gordon Liddy, Alex Cord and Sy Richardson that should have been MUCH better);
• 1972's LOVE ME DEADLY (slow moving but sorta intriguing movie about necrophilia from 1972 starring Mary Wilcox and Lyle Waggoner!); 
• and, finally, PINK FLAMINGOS with a surprise live intro from director John Waters. 

Alas, the whole experience was a tad bittersweet as it was the first Exhumed event after the tragic, way-too-soon loss of our friend James "Doc Terror" Harris. Seeing James' smiling face in line always brightened my mood at these events and we'd catch up as we browsed the offerings from Diabolik or poured over the mysterious lineup (Exhumed doesn't share the titles for the exFest or Horrothon in advance). Between flicks we'd share quick opinions on what we just saw (often accompanied by friendly debate) and guesses about what we'd see next. I'd like to think that just some of Doc's enthusiasm and love for sinema rubbed off on me over the years and made me a more forgiving cinephile and a better person.

RIP, Doc and oh, yeah, Fuck Cancer.

Exploitation Retrospect Returns with 130 Page 30th Anniversary Issue!

The Journal of Junk Culture and Fringe Media returns with a super-sized 30th anniversary issue clocking in at 130 pages! 

This time out the ER Crew looks at the world of horror anthology films with a special review section featuring SLAUGHTER TALES (2012), TORTURE GARDEN (1967), THE UNCANNY (1977), TOMB OF TERROR (2004), HOLIDAYS (2016), GRIM PRAIRIE TALES (1990), ASYLUM (1972), THE BURNING MOON (1992), CRADLE OF FEAR (2007), SCREAMS OF A WINTER NIGHT (1979) and many more. Plus, we look inside the world of 21st century anthology flicks with filmmaker Scarlet Fry.

We remember THE DESTROYER co-creator Warren Murphy with an interview by The Paperback Fanatic and examine the legacy of Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan (THE EXECUTIONER) and other men's action heroes via reviews, articles and an interview with author Mike Newton.

Obscure horror gets its due thanks to an interview with Gary Wallace (star of video store oddity THE JAR) while Evan Romero waxes nostalgic about Joe D'Amato's PORNO HOLOCAUST and breaks down the films of Jorg Buttgereit.

Longing for the sights, sounds and smells of old movie theaters? Take a trip through Kris Gilpin's theatrical scrapbook while Chris Poggiali examines the history of hot pants cinema.

And what would an issue of Exploitation Retrospect be without a bulging review section? Join Douglas Waltz, Mitch Lovell, John Grace, Devin Kelly, David Zuzelo, Jim Ivers, Evan Romero, Eric Miller, Neil Vokes, Robert Segedy, Mike Hauss and Dan Taylor as they dive deep into a video vortex of horror, action, exploitation and sleaze.

The new issue is currently available from CreateSpace as well as Amazon.

If you prefer to order direct from the publisher, please visit the ER website.

VHS WEDNESDAY: SKATEBOARD (1978) with Leif Garrett, Allen Garfield, Orson Bean

Allen Garfield is one of my very favorite character actors of all time. He's one of those guys whose very appearance, however brief, will enliven any movie. (I think my favorite Garfield performance was as Fishbine, the owner of the ambulance company in 1976's MOTHER, JUGS AND SPEED.) SKATEBOARD (aka SKATEBOARD: THE MOVIE) is a rare starring vehicle for him and he makes good use of his inflated screen time. He really milks his lovable loser character for all its worth but you only wish that the screenwriters (one of whom is future Law & Order czar Dick Wolf) gave him better material to work with.

Garfield plays a talent agent who owes his ex-wife a lot of money and a notorious gangster even more. Desperate for some quick cash, he cooks up a scheme to promote a skateboard team after he witnesses their ringleader jump over his car while riding a board. Garfield takes the kids up and down the coast performing in skateboarding exhibitions under the moniker "The Los Angeles Wheels". When his top skater leaves the team abruptly, the youngster Brad (Leif Garrett, yes, Leif Garrett) steps in at the last minute for the big downhill race.

This was made a few years before guys like Tony Hawk and the Bones Brigade made skating cool. Because of that, most of the skateboarding scenes showcase the skaters doing more freestyle types of tricks. Still, the shots of kids skating on downhill courses, in drainage pipes, and in empty swimming pools aren't bad for what they are.

That pretty much sums up the movie.  It's okay for what it is.  It's amiable for the most part, but ultimately it's harmless and forgettable.

Garfield's performance carries the film a long way.  It seems like THE BAD NEWS BEARS was probably the inspiration as it features a foul-mouthed loser in charge of a bunch of kids (except for the fact that these kids, unlike The Bears, are all good at what they do). Garfield's exasperated kvetching while bossing the kids around is good for a few laughs on its own. If only he actually had some legitimate zingers to toss out, the flick could've been a real winner.  espite the weak script, Garfield plays the role as well as you'd expect him to, and most of the kids are naturalistic and appealing.

Since it's a definite product of its time, you can have fun watching it and knowing that they would never be able to get away with some of this stuff nowadays.  or a kid's movie, there's a surprising amount of drug talk early on (a drug dealer tries to sell Garfield some Maui Wowie while he's in the unemployment line) and there's a subplot about Garfield having to keep his star skater from messing around with a younger teammate (you know, because nothing sells a kiddie flick like a couple of statutory rape jokes). I also got a laugh from the scene where the star skater was arrested for drinking and skating. (I'm not kidding.)

As a sports film, SKATEBOARD is predictable and formulaic. Even within that genre, it comes up short as the skateboarding scenes get a bit repetitive after a while. (Future Direct to Video star Chad McQueen was one of the skaters.) Thanks to the detailed vans, short-shorts, and bellbottoms it almost (pardon the pun) skates by on pure '70s nostalgia alone. I mean no matter how patchy and overlong it was, I can't completely hate any movie in which Orson Bean plays himself. – Mitch Lovell

Mitch Lovell is a frequent contributor to the print version of Exploitation Retrospect. He is also the editor of The Video Vacuum and author of several film books including the recent Double Vision: Hollywood vs. Hollywood. He last wrote about THE DOGFIGHTERS for VHS Wednesday.

SKATEBOARD is available from Amazon.

More Peep Shows and Nikkatsu Flicks Coming in November from Impulse Pictures

If you love Nikkatsu flicks we've got good news for you.

First, David Zuzelo (and other contributors) will continue to tackle the subject in the upcoming ER 53. Second, Synapse Films' Impulse Pictures label has announced the next release in their Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection, NURSE DIARY: BEAST AFTERNOON which is described as "wildly sexy and erotic... with strange science-fiction and horror overtones". You can pre-order the flick here.

In addition to ND: BA, Synapse/Impulse has also announced the 18th (!) volume in their 42nd STREET FOREVER: THE PEEP SHOW COLLECTION. And for those of us who were smitten with her back in the day, this installment – and Vol. 17 (due out in September) – features an appearance by the one and only Seka. You can pre-order Volume 18 here.

Looking for more on Nikkatsu flicks? Be sure to check out David Z's look at several volumes in the series in Exploitation Retrospect 52, available from our website and Amazon.

VHS WEDNESDAY: John Waters' MULTIPLE MANIACS (1970)

Welcome to another new feature here at the ER Blog... VHS Wednesday! Since we're all so spoiled with Blu-Ray releases of everything from the latest mega-hit and neo-trash to lovingly restored versions of such dubious classics as DR. BUTCHER, MD, I felt like a regular feature such as this would give contributors and myself a chance to dip into our dusty VHS shelves – and justify plunking down a couple bucks on something at the thrift store. Fittingly, the debut column features a film from the director interviewed for the debut issue of ER some 30 years ago. Read on as Evan Romero dishes up John Waters' MULTIPLE MANIACS...

So let me set the scene for you: I'm in the movie section of Amoeba Music – specifically, the director's section. Passing John Waters' name I decide to take a gander. Lo and behold, what do I find? MULTIPLE MANIACS! Ten bucks! Not on DVD! Ho ho ho! You bet your sweet ass I'm gonna snatch it up – partly because I wanted to make a friend of mine, who's a huge John Waters fan, green with envy (I succeeded); partly because I enjoy Waters' early work like FEMALE TROUBLE and, especially, PINK FLAMINGOS. Once home, and with the proper amount of pomp and circumstance, I shove it into my VCR, adjust the tracking, and hit PLAY.

Come one, come all – to Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversions where "sluts, fags, dykes, and pimps" run amok! See a pornographer go about his trade! See two men kissing! See a heroin addict go through withdrawals! See Lady Divine (Divine, of course) herself rob your ass of money, valuables, and narcotics! Wait, Lady Divine's boyfriend, Mr. David (David Lochary) is sneaking around with Bonnie (Mary Vivian Pierce), an auto-erotic coprophagiac and gerontrophiliac!? Lady Divine will have Mr. David's head on a stick. Unless Mr. David and Bonnie are able to off Lady Divine first!

Those expecting the Waters' usual shtick are going to sprout wood: we've got the psychotic characters, the swingin' music, the atrocities and grotesqueries, the absurdity, the celebration of outsiderdom – all in glorious black-and-white. And on VHS no less! And while we don't get the level of sickness and absurdity that Waters would achieve in PINK FLAMINGOS, there's enough on display here to keep his fans happy and watching the screen. I mean, where else are you gonna see two women getting it on in a church in the presence of a heroin addict? Where else are you gonna see Divine get a rosary shoved up her ass? Where else are you gonna see a woman get raped by a transvestite AND a giant lobster? Nowhere else but this sick little film.

However, between these and other scenes of perversions, MULTIPLE MANIACS does hit a few lulls as some scenes go on for way longer than they should, resulting in sighs and thoughts of mowing the lawn. I mean, seriously, how long does a scene detailing Jesus' betrayal and crucifixion need to be? We all know the story, so please get on with the good stuff. Or, why does it need to drag out Divine's breakdown? It would be fine if it were actually comprised of interesting scenes, but just showing Divine wander about the streets and take a hammer to a car isn't anywhere near exciting. Or, how long does it take for two people to profess their love for one another and decide to kill someone? One line will suffice: "I love you, let's kill her, then fuck upon her corpse." (However, that last bit DOES have the best line of dialogue in the movie: "I love you so fucking much I could SHIT." Priceless. I'm gonna have to keep that one in mind.) If 20-30 minutes were chopped from this flick, we'd be looking at a classic. But at 90 minutes, the whole affair doesn't have quite enough momentum to keep viewers from getting a little bored.

At the end of the day though, MULTIPLE MANIACS is still sick and twisted enough to delight fans of Waters, or lovers of off-kilter cinema. Worth checking out at least once, especially those who think Waters only does rubbish like CRY BABY. – Evan Romero

Evan Romero is a regular contributor to the pages of ER and spends much of his time reading morally-questionable books and watching movies no sane person would touch. He is the vocalist/bassist for the punk band Porno Holocaust (you can find them on Facebook and listen to some demos if you’re inclined). You can read more of his reviews at ReelAtrocities.com or at PopHorror.com. He last wrote about TROMA'S WAR for the ER blog's Troma Tuesday feature.

2015 Watch List and a Happy 2016 Filled with Trash and Sleaze

The other day I came to a conclusion... I had done a crappy job of keeping track of my movie watching in 2015. Despite a strong start to catalog my wallowing in the cinesludge, somewhere around oh movie #12 I stopped updating my spreadsheet and fell into a deep sinematic funk.

But, thanks to piles of notes, social media posts and streaming services that track my activity, I was able to cobble together what is a completely incomplete snapshot of my 2015 Movie Watching. As expected, the list features numerous anthology flicks (due to the upcoming issue of ER) and documentaries (which are easy to flip on in the background while I work).

What's surprisingly missing are re-visits with old favorites like RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, DEMONS, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH and LIFEFORCE, so I clearly anticipate catching up with all of them over the coming months.

Having just pulled this list together I won't impulsively pick out a Top 10 Favorites as I often do but I will make a note to swing back around in the next week and highlight some flicks that entertained me in what was an unmotivated year.

Here's hoping your 2016 is safe, happy, healthy and filled with all the action, sleaze, gore and horror you wish!

[REC]3

[REC]4
30 FOR 30: TROJAN WAR
A CHRISTMAS DETOUR
ALTERED STATES
AN HONEST LIAR
ATARI: GAME OVER
BACK ISSUES: THE HUSTER MAGAZINE STORY
BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM
BIG HERO 6
BLOODSPORT
BRAIN DAMAGE
CANNIBAL FEROX
CHANNEL 13
THE DAMNED: DON'T YOU WISH THAT WE WERE DEAD
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
DEADTIME STORIES
DEATH BY VHS
DIRE WOLF
DISASTER ON THE COASTLINER
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO
ELVES
ENEMIES CLOSER
THE EQUALIZER
FAST 7
FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY
FUTURE JUSTICE
GODZILLA 1985
GONE WITH THE POPE
THE GOOD DINOSAUR
GOON
HI-8
HOMEFRONT
HORROR OF PARTY BEACH
HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD
HOW TO SAVE US
INSIDE/OUT
ISIS RISING: CURSE OF THE LADY MUMMY
ISLAND OF THE LIVING DEAD
JACK REACHER
JOHN WICK
JUNK FOOD HORRORFEST
KRAMPUS: THE RECKONING
LIFE ITSELF
LOST SOUL
MARTIN
MASSACRE MAFIA STYLE
THE MINION
NEAR DARK
NEVER LAKE
NIGHT OF THE DEMONS
NIGHT TERRORS
NIGHTFALL
NIGHTHAWKS
THE OCTAGON
OUT OF FOCUS
PIRANHA 2: THE SPAWNING
QUARANTINE
QUARANTINE 2: TERMINAL
RAGE
RISE OF THE BLACK BAT
SCAREWAVES
SCOOBY-DOO & KISS: ROCK & ROLL MYSTERY
THE SHIEK
SHOCK VALUE
SILENT RAGE
SPECTRE
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE
STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
SUPERSTITION
TALES FROM THE CRYPT
TERROR VISION
TORTURE GARDEN
THE UNLIVING
VAULT OF HORROR
WE ARE GOING TO EAT YOU
THE WRECKING CREW
ZOMBIES: THE BEGINNING

Farewell Leatherface

Sorry to hear about the passing of Gunnar Hansen after a bout with cancer.

The original TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE was one of the first things I ever rented on VHS and it immediately became part of the heavy rotation that also included THE EVIL DEAD, BLOODSUCKING FREAKS, THE TOOLBOX MURDERS and RE-ANIMATOR.

Many nights after my pals and I had pulled an all-nighter of trash film viewing we'd head outside to get some much needed fresh air and do "The Leatherface Dance" under the streetlights. RIP.

And, oh yeah, cancer sucks.

BLACK EMANUELLE, WHITE EMANUELLE aka VELLUTO NERO (1976)

I have to give credit to Brunello Rondi for somehow keeping me watching 1976's BLACK EMANUELLE, WHITE EMANUELLE (aka VELLUTO NERO) a plotless softcore romp through Egypt. It's hard to even classify this as an Emanuelle flick as star Laura Gemser isn't playing the same photo-journalist character as in EMANUELLE IN AMERICA or EMANUELLE AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE.

This time out she's "the world's most famous model" and is in Egypt for some reason with boyfriend / photographer Carlo (played by real life husband Gabriele Tinti), a repugnant douchebag who verbally, physically and sexually assaults Laura when he's not making her pose next to rotting dog corpses or piles of dead bodies. And, if that's not enough to make you hate him, in one scene he wears a Boston Bruins shirt!

On the plus side all four of the female leads including a nympho mother and her two daughters – one a borderline psychotic, the another a manipulative minx with Annie Lennox's haircut – all get nude. Frequently.

Al Cliver (ZOMBIE, DEVIL HUNTER) shows up as some kind of mystical deep thinker who gets oral from the mom then gets it on with her and the oldest daughter (the oddly hot Ziggy Zanger) while an aging Hollywood queen caresses them all. The whole perplexing thing climaxes at some Egyptian ruins, though Laura is nowhere to be found, probably exhausted from the previous night's hypnotism and goat sacrificing.

While the flick has a beginning, a middle and an end that's about the only things it shares with, you know, movies. The story meanders along at its own head-scratching "pace", teasing the viewer with the thought that something of consequence might happen, only to toss in some nudity and then move on. By the end I found myself so fascinated by this non-film that I couldn't turn it off or guess what happens.

A wildly different type of flick than Joe D'Amato's EMANUELLE IN AMERICA, though I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. – Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor and publisher of Exploitation Retrospect. He is old enough to remember when Emmanuelle had two m's in her name and was played by Sylvia Kristel. For more reviews check out the ER website, like us on the Facebook and follow us on the Twitter.

BLACK EMMANUELLE, WHITE EMMANUELLE is available from Amazon.

TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO (1977)

After reading the story about the tarantula escaping from a plane in nearby Baltimore, I knew it was time to give the furry stars of the 1977 tv movie TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO (Frematle Media) some exposure.

Filmed before he became a tv star via WKRP IN CINCINATTI, TARANTULAS briefly features Howard Hessman and dependable Tom Atkins (NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, THE FOG, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH) as a couple of gringoes with heads full of get-rich-quick dreams. So when they pour out of a taxi at a South American airport looking drunk and hanging all over some slatterns, the Federales eye them up as easy marks for an “export tax” on their cargo of Ecuadorian coffee beans.

In an unfortunate turn of events, Detective Cameron listens to Johnny Fever and his plan to get the money they need to get back to the States. And that’s the first sign of trouble. Well, that and the tarantulas that have crawled into the bags of beans. Oh, and the three illegals who get on board and promptly fall ill and get bitten by the spiders that spring from the bags during a storm. Other than that it’s a great plan.

After the plane crash lands in a small town filled with orange groves, the tarantulas – actually the Wandering or Banana Spider – make life a living hell in very JAWS-esque fashion, threatening the local industry (oranges instead of tourism) and turning Pat Hingle into Roy Schieder’s character.

Unfortunately, TARANTULAS is as slow moving as the titular characters and nowhere near as much fun as DISASTER ON THE COASTLINER, a 1979 made for tv flick also co-starring Hingle that I caught via Netflix earlier this week.

Oh sure, there are minor moments of hilarity like the woman who mistakes a tarantula for her boyfriend (in her defense his chest was pretty hairy) and lines like “hey you punk kid, get away from there” but most of the 96-minute running time is devoted to watching 70s tv stars wander around a warehouse shoveling up spiders – did I mention they’re motionless spiders – while wasp sounds buzz through the speakers.

If that sounds like your idea of a good flick then by all means run out and grab TARANTULAS from the cheapie DVD rack at your local supermarket. If not, do yourself a favor and watch the genuinely creepy KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS instead. – Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor and publisher of Exploitation Retrospect and The Hungover Gourmet (where this review originally appeared in a slightly different form). Spiders give him the heebie jeebies, but not as much as eye violence.

Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo is available from Amazon.

31 Days of Fright: Slashers, Sleaze and Losing My Milligan Virginity, or, An Exhumed Horrorthon VIII Recap

For the last eight years, the holidays have arrived early here at ER HQ. And no, I don't mean Christmas or Thanksgiving – though I do love the opportunities they present to eat, drink and gather with family and friends (and maybe even offer up some Holiday Horrors).

No, I'm talking about Halloween, or, more precisely, the annual Exhumed Films 24 Hour Horrorthon. Launched back in 2007 to celebrate the DelVal film group's 10th anniversary, they have treated (and occasionally tricked) us with eight 'round-the-clock cinefests designed to delight, shock, scare and enthrall us... and 2014's edition was no exception. (For more on Exhumed VIII including some live sound check out Cinesludge episode 3.)

After spending Friday evening handing out hundreds of pieces of candy – and winning the pumpkin carving contest – at my daughter's grade school Boo Bash (think Trunk or Treat held inside), I downed a few beers and hit the hay to embrace the last sleep I'd get until late Sunday afternoon. With Horrorthon partner-in-crime Bruce Holecheck (of Cinema Arcana) along for the ride we made our way to Philly, ditched the car in the over-priced hotel garage, though secure in the knowledge it would be there for a quick, painless departure the next day.

Our approach to the show has changed over the years. The first year was truly uncharted territory and friends called us "crazy" for going. Until we reported back how fun the event was and, oh yeah, that we saw PIECES, BURIAL GROUND, DEMONS and PHANTASM – just to name a few – on the big screen. I remember drinking gargantuan amounts of coffee and Mt. Dew that first year and stashing a small pizza under my seat for late nite noshing.

These days my "go bag" is packed with bottles of water, Cliff Bars and 100 calorie packets of roasted almonds for when hunger hits at an inopportune time. Even my beloved Wawa Italian hoagie has been replaced with a chicken salad sandwich on rye with bacon and I drink more water than coffee. But it certainly paid off this year as the urge to doze was far less frequent and I only snuck out for fresh air and caffeine twice, but more on that later.

The pre-show line is always fun as you end up chatting with the folks around you about the event's secret lineup – films are not announced in advance and a program (and ballot) with vague clues is your only insight into what's in store. After seven years of pathetic shots in the dark I've given up on making guesses and handed my ballot over to Bruce. I've seen a lot (A LOT) of movies in my day, but I don't possess an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure gore and insane slashers... plus, I tend to convince myself that every clue is really going to finally for reals mean a showing of a beloved flick like LIFEFORCE, BLOODSUCKING FREAKS or NIGHT OF THE CREEPS.

Quick "hellos" to pals like Doc Terror and Chuck Francisco complete, we're in our seats for announcements (Most Important: No talking! This isn't your living room and, despite what you may think, you're not a writer for MST3K.) and door prizes, anxiously awaiting the first of – gulp – 15 flicks over the next 24 hours and change.

1. THE KEEP (1983)
Previous fests have typically launched with more of a straight horror flick, so this atmospheric slice of WWII horror/sci-fi from writer/director Michael Mann was a bit of a departure. I hadn't seen THE KEEP since the days when it played PRISM (Philly's local movie/sports pay cable channel) but I remembered it had a rocky road to the big screen and online reports suggest that about half its original running time was chopped for theatrical release. While the studio interference certainly shows, the cast is great, the Tangerine Dream score is haunting and brought to mind Mann's MANHUNTER, and it features a somewhat good guy-esque role for the usually villainous Jurgen Prochnow. Available on what looks like a grey market DVD.

2. BLACK MAGIC (1975)
Martial arts star Ti Lung headlines this 1975 Shaw Brothers classic complete with battling magicians, countless potions, erect talisman, a supporting German Shepherd and rice-encased privates. A rich schemer sets her eyes on a young, engaged engineer and hires a sinister magician to cast a love spell. Followed a year later by the even crazier sequel, BLACK MAGIC 2 (aka REVENGE OF THE ZOMBIES). Available on DVD.

3. GODZILLA'S REVENGE (1969)
I vaguely recall having seen this kiddie-oriented Godzilla flick when it aired on UHF back in the 1970s, but doubt I've seen it since. A latchkey kid daydreams of trips to Monster Island, where Godzilla lives with his son Minira and a bevy of other kaiju critters. The kids and a subplot about some bank robbers are a little annoying but even recycled Godzilla flick footage is a treat on the big screen. The flick's moral seems to be that the path to happiness is fighting and pulling pranks, and that just seems odd. Available on DVD.

4. LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 3 (1990)
I've never been a fan of Tobe Hooper's over-the-top, Cannon-financed sequel, much preferring Jeff Burr's take on the family of cannibal killers roaming the dark back roads of the Lone Star State. Featuring Viggo Mortensen, Ken Foree and Kate Hodge in her first starring role, LEATHERFACE is a perfect example of late 80s/early 90s horror cinema, complete with dated styles, quippy dialogue, a hard rock soundtrack (Laaz Rocket!) and – unfortunately – harsh MPAA cuts to achieve an R rating. Still, even when neutered this is a fast-paced and occasionally harrowing minor classic. Available on DVD with R-rated and Unrated versions.

5. BLUE MONKEY (1987)
Each Exhumed Horrorthon contains at least a couple flicks I simply never, ever expected to see on the big screen. This year featured several of those "Whoa!" moments, the first of which was William Fruet's 1987 paean to the big bug monster flicks of the Atomic Era (reviewed on our website many years ago). An innocent finger prick ends up producing a monstrous bug – thanks to a growth agent added by some too cute kids – and it's up to off-duty cop Jim Bishop (Steve Railsback) to save the day with the help of an ER doc and her entomologist pal. Shifting effortlessly between comedy, action and goo-drenched horror, BLUE MONKEY also features SCTV regulars Joe Flaherty and Robin Duke as comic relief and a pre-teen Sarah Polley (DAWN OF THE DEAD remake) as one of the kids. Available on VHS only.

6. PET SEMATARY (1989)
The Stephen King novel that inspired this stiff, stagey flick may have been the last book I read from the prolific author – and I recall not being able to put it down. Maybe that's why I've never warmed up to this adaptation and always preferred the way over-the-top sequel featuring Clancy Brown as the world's craziest living dead sheriff. At least that flick knows what it is and embraces it... PET SEMATARY wants to be taken seriously (Dale Midkiff is ponderous as the lead) while its attempts at horror produce more titters than terror. Sometimes, Wawa is better and once I was sure we were getting this overrated entry I made my way down the street for coffee and fresh air, knowing I'd get back in time for the meat of the flick and that killer title tune from the Ramones that plays over the end credits. "I don't wanna be buried... in a pet cemetery..." Available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

7. THE GATE 2 (1990)
The festival's 80s block comes to a conclusion with Tibor Takacs' follow-up to his 1987 metal-and-monsters original (which opened the 2012 Horrorthon). Louis Tripp returns as Terry, the metal-loving teen intent on giving another go at conjuring the demons that emerged from the titular gate in his friend's backyard years earlier. When he's joined by a trio of delinquents, they find themselves able to grant wishes... until it all turns (literally) to shit. Co-star/love interest Pamela Adlon (billed here as Pamela Seagall) went on to a prolific career as a voiceover actor, even winning an Emmy for her work as Bobby Hill on the beloved KING OF THE HILL. "All sloppy... and no joe." Available on VHS only.

8. LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET (1977)
With the Horrothon nearing its halfway point, the tone shifted dramatically from the more innocent late 80s/early 90s to the dank, dark and dangerous 1970s thanks to the very "WTF?!" LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET, an orgy of sleaze and violence that makes Wes Craven's LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT look like a Disney flick. Directing as Victor Janos and starring under the name Steven Harrison, gutter auteur Roger Watkins packs this surreal head-scratcher with images of sex and pseudo-snuff that put it miles ahead of similarly "controversial" flicks like SNUFF. I'd be hard pressed to synopsize LAST HOUSE but suffice it to say that it kept the audience in stunned silence for its mercifully short running time (and I mean that in the best way possible). Available on DVD.

9. GURU THE MAD MONK (1970)
To be frank, I'm not sure exactly what could provide an adequate palette-cleanser after the sensory onslaught of DEAD END STREET, but this Andy Millgan "period piece" was probably as good a choice as any. Surprisingly, despite wallowing in the cinemuck for 40 years (?!) I have never had the "pleasure" of watching an Andy Milligan film. Oh sure, I've read about his work in everything from FILM THREAT to SLEAZOID EXPRESS, but I never pulled the trigger on one of his polarizing, anachronistic epics. As Bruce put it while the credits rolled, "it's like a filmed stage play put on by insane people". I'm not sure I can do GURU more justice than that – and I'm not sure I'll be seeking out more Milligan in the future – but I'm glad I can finally say that I'm no longer a Milligan virgin. Available on DVD.

10. BOG (1983)
Looking every bit like it was filmed in the 1970s – because it was! – BOG has the dubious distinction of being the one flick that desperately wanted to seduce me into a late night snooze. I wasn't sure if it was the timeslot or the movie itself (Bruce insisted on the latter), but BOG's long takes, geriatric love story and deliberate pacing kept wanting me to accept sleep's sweet embrace. "Be gone, harlot!," my brain screamed as I fought to stay awake and cross the threshold from that dangerous 2 AM to 5 AM slot into the sinematic homestretch. And once BOG's creature was defeated – or was it? – I got a second (or, perhaps, third) wind. Available on DVD.

11. MOTHER'S DAY (1980)
People have asked me if the Exhumed Horrorthon features breaks to grab dinner, use the bathroom or simply stretch your legs from the International House's not quite comfortable seating. And while the answer used to be a qualified "yes", recent years have seen the show feature little more than five to ten minutes of trailers jammed between flicks. In other words, just enough time to use the john, grab a smoke or hike down to the nearby Wawa for a sandwich and coffee. Naturally, it's wise to wait and see what film begins next, so when the trailer reel after BOG suggested that the "satirical" horror on tap was from the folks at Troma, I waited with bated breath. Was this the year that my beloved BLOODSUCKING FREAKS would finally appear on that big ol' screen? Or, was it going to be a more likely candidate such as the mean-spirited, though at times intentionally funny, MOTHER'S DAY. Unfortunately, it ended up being the latter so I waited through the opening 20 minutes or so and ducked out for some invigorating 5 AM in Philly air, returning in just enough time to see the trio of gals from the "Rat Pack" take their revenge on mama and her boys. Available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

12. HELLO MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT 2 (1987)
The homestretch of any Exhumed Horrorthon is always dicey. At that point you've fought off sleep, rounded the corner towards home, gotten your xth wind and can kinda see that finish line. But will you sprint across, propelled by the power of LADY TERMINATOR, THE CHILDREN, PIRANHA and RE-ANIMATOR (a la 2009) or be dragged kicking and screaming like 2011's quartet of BLOOD DINER, THE BURNING, MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE and MEET THE FEEBLES? (Full disclosure, that was the only year I actually left the event before the last film was over, embracing a hazy ride home over Peter Jackson's ho-hum puppet flick.) This year's closing quartet definitely delivered the goods, kicked off by this supernatural – and in my opinion – superior sequel to the more ballyhooed original (recently reviewed by Chuck Francisco). Barbecued prom queen Mary Lou Maloney possesses the body of good girl Vicki Carpenter (who may be afraid of what's happening to her but isn't afraid of some full frontal nudity) and even sets her sights on former beau Billy Nordham (Michael Ironside), now the school's principal and the father of Vicki's boyfriend. This flick is absolutely 80s and absolutely one of my underrated faves, though I can't believe there are two more PROM NIGHT flicks! Available on DVD.

13. NIGHTMARE AT SHADOW WOODS (1987)
Probably better known under the title BLOOD RAGE (which apparently sports a different cut of the film), SHADOW WOODS is a rare Holiday Horror set on Thanksgiving. Set off by seeing his mother (Louise Lasser) hook up at the drive-in, a young boy murders another patron with an axe and promptly blames his twin brother, who gets locked away for the crime. Fast forward to Thanksgiving night when the locked up (but innocent) brother escapes from the mental facility and mom announces her engagement to Brad the apartment complex manager. Evil twin Terry – now a college student – is set off by the announcement and begins butchering his way through friends, family and hospital staff sent to retrieve his brother. Never quite by the numbers, SHADOW WOODS benefits from performances by the quirky Lasser and Mark Soper (as both of the a bit bonkers brothers), plentiful gore, some nudity, early 80s fashion crimes (it was filmed in 1983 but not released until 1987) and a script that isn't afraid to repeatedly use a blood/cranberry sauce gag. I'd love to see this obscure gem get a nice release. Available on VHS.

14. KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (1977)
I still remember my skin crawling when I watched this NIGHT GALLERY-worthy tale of aggressive spiders attacking a remote Arizona town when it hit UHF back in the late 1970s. And unlike some horrors of the period, KINGDOM holds up extremely well, benefitted greatly by a top-notch B-cast headlined by William Shatner, Woody Strode and David McLean. Shatner – as veterinarian Rack Hansen – never overdoes it as the horseback riding hero and the whole cast plays the grim tale straight. The final shot is haunting and reminds you of a time when ending horror flicks on a down note was a-ok. Available on DVD.

15. NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986)
"Thrill me." I've been waiting almost 30 years to see Det. Cameron (Tom Atkins in a movie-stealing performance) utter those words on the big screen and the wait was totally worth it. Part of a personal 80s Trinity that also includes RE-ANIMATOR and DEMONS, NIGHT OF THE CREEPS remains one of my favorite horror films ever made and – for me, at least – one of the few horror-comedies that deftly juggles exploding heads and one-liners with equal aplomb. I rated it five stars upon seeing the VHS back in the 80s and it ranks that high to this day. And, thanks to the guys at Exhumed Films, I can cross another masterpiece off my Theatrical Bucket List. Available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

So there you have it – a quickie recap of a great event featuring one of the most solid Horrorthon lineups to date. Kudos to the entire Exhumed Films crew who bring together a great annual event that comes off almost seamlessly, though I know that there are probably plenty of hiccups along the way.

I just have one request for next year or the next or even the next. BLOOD! SUCKING! FREAKS! In the meantime I suppose I can settle for the new Blu-Ray...!

Kick Off Holiday Horrors with CHRISTMAS EVIL Coming from Vinegar Syndrome

With Halloween just over two weeks away it feels like the fall is already zipping by. Before you know it we'll be stuffing our faces with turkey and watching viral videos of enraged shoppers trampling one another for that last Singing Snow Glow Elsa.

Good times, good times.

And you know what that means – the Holiday Horrors spirit will be kicking into high gear and trash film fans everywhere will be pulling out their copies of the SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT flicks and basking in the glow of Mickey Rooney's greatest performance while they fill their Wish List with Blu-Rays, books and the latest issue of Exploitation Retrospect ('natch).

But Christmas comes a little early this year thanks to our friends at Vinegar Syndrome (quickly establishing itself as the premiere label for trashhounds and sleaze aficionados).

November 18th (just in time for Thanksgiving gatherings with family!) brings the Blu-Ray debut of Lewis Jackson's CHRISTMAS EVIL (aka YOU BETTER WATCH OUT), a film we called "a movie just as effed up as it sounds" in last year's Holiday Horrors review. The disc also includes a DVD version if Santa hasn't delivered your Blu-Ray player yet.

No less a trash film authority than the one and only John Waters has long been a champion of the flick (his beloved commentary track appears on this as well as other special editions), so you know you're in for a real treat.

Other features include:

• New 4K restoration from 35mm elements 
• Three commentary track options with director Lewis Jackson, actor Brandon Maggart (father of Fiona Apple!) and the aforementioned John Waters 
• Archival video interviews with Jackson and Maggart 
• Original theatrical trailer 
• Deleted scenes
• Actor screen tests 
• Storyboards gallery
• Vintage test screening comment cards

CHRISTMAS EVIL is available for pre-order from Amazon. If you're firmly entrenched on Santa's "Naughty" list, Vinegar Syndrome is releasing the double feature of CHAMPAGNE ORGY/FANTASTIC ORGY – featuring John Holmes and Annette Haven – the same day.

31 Days of Fright: COUNTESS DRACULA (1971)

With Halloween right around the corner it's little surprise that the studios are trotting out their horror flicks for a movie audience looking to be scared silly. DRACULA UNTOLD – a new take on the Dracula legend that might end up dovetailing with Universal's rebooted monster universe – premieres this Friday, but we asked Chuck Francisco to take a trip back in time to the early 1970s for a look at the recent Synapse Films release of COUNTESS DRACULA.

By the 1970s Hammer Studios faced an increasingly difficult cinematic horror landscape, leaving them empty coffered. A red tide of bloodlust swept across the American movie market, breaking over with Romero's Night of the Living Dead in 1968, then growing steadily more splatter-centric as films competed to up the ante. Stuck between the dagger-equipped doors of shifting snuff sensibilities and the lethally spiked backing of the English censors, Hammer was quickly being engulfed in an iron maiden of irrelevance. Far from being an inert body to rest in piece, Hammer unnaturally extended their life by drastically increasing the one element they had unrestricted control over: the nudity quotient.

Branching out from the reliable stable of Dracula and Frankenstein (who no one wished to see in the buff), Hammer decided to water the seed of a much lesser known (at the time) monster, this one actually real. Despite the title, COUNTESS DRACULA details the exploits of Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who believed that bathing in the blood of virginal girls was the key to eternal youth. By most reckonings the true countess tortured and murdered at least 600 girls before meeting a horrific brand of justice that would make Edgar Allen Poe giddy (ok, maybe morose and misanthropic). The writers at Hammer keep the primary thrust intact, but come at it from a slightly different angle.

COUNTESS DRACULA sees the titular Elizabeth, a shriveled old woman (the lovely Ingrid Pitt hidden beneath heavy makeup), recently widowed. We open on her late husband's funeral and are quickly whisked ahead to the execution of his will. Of those gathered to receive the good stuff, only one is an outsider: the upstanding Lt. Imre Toth (Sandor Eles, who was also in personal favorite THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN). Toth is the son of the late count's army BFF, and is bequeathed all of his horses, the stables, and the adjacent cottage. This angers Captain Dobi the castle steward, who himself receives only a paltry amount. Played by leonine British actor Nigel Green (Hercules in JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS!), he has been in amorous waiting for the lady Elizabeth to be single and open to his advances for twenty years. Green's performance is the deepest and most engaging of the film.

After an angry outburst against a servant slings a splash of blood on her face, the countess comes to realize that the blood of young girls will return her to youthful vitality. Now, with the help of her maidservant and Dobi, Elizabeth conspires to compulsively kill young girls to remain youthful, kindle a romance with Lt. Toth (whom she is enamored by), and arrange the kidnapping of her daughter in the countryside so that she can continue impersonating her. It's a complex spider web of deceit, and all of the moving pieces guarantee that the plot will come crashing down around the characters in spectacular fashion (which it absolutely does), but not before there's plenty of lovely nudity to titillate and tease.

While this isn't as maligned a title as something like CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER, it does nonetheless belong to that later Hammer era which is generally looked down upon in a poor light. This has always seemed odd to me, as the films themselves continue to come with far more lavish gothic trappings than their budgets would ever belie, and the style is always substantive. COUNTESS DRACULA has gotten more adoration recently in retrospect, and deservedly so. This is a solidly tense love triangle murder fest, with interesting and quirky characters, lavish sets and costumes, and all the nudity you could shake your stick at (just don't do so in public).

On the technical front, Synapse Films offers up a vividly color saturated transfer which retains the rich film grain texture that pings the nostalgia pleasure points of all true genre film lovers. A superb feature detailing the cinematic life of Ingrid Pitt (who only recently passed away in 2010) is the best of the special features offered. Also included are a commentary track featuring Pitt, director Peter Sasdy, screenwriter Jeremy Paul, and author Jonathan Sothcott, an archival audio interview with Pitt, reversible cover art, and more. This release is a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack, so you can enjoy it in pretty much any setup at your house unless you're still rocking a solo VCR somewhere.

COUNTESS DRACULA has a very specific Hammer fan niche to which it appeals. Those folks should race to pick this up before it's bled dry out of print, as should anyone who enjoys the stylish vibrancy of Hammer horror or those who are still exploring all that the studio has to offer. If you're generally not a fan of Hammer then this is certainly a pass, though I earnestly suggest you give earlier films from their house another go.

Chuck Francisco is a columnist and critic for Mania.com, writing Shock-O-Rama. He is a co-curator of several repertoire film series at the world famous Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, PA. An avid beer brewer, rock climber, and video gamer, you can hear him drop nerd knowledge on weekly podcast You've Got Geek, and follow him on twitter @CyanideRush. He recently wrote about Nazi Zombies, Spaghetti Westerns and American Hippies for Exploitation Retrospect #52 (available from our website).

COUNTESS DRACULA is available at Amazon.

Exploitation Retrospect 52 Now Available!

Just a quick note on a Friday afternoon to let you know that Exploitation Retrospect #52 is officially available for purchase!

I didn't want to promote it too much till I saw an actual printed copy and made sure I wasn't yanking it from Amazon due to some horrific oversight (though my wife did mention that because I cut my editorial I neglected to thank her in the issue... doh!).

My initial copy arrived last night and despite some nit-picky stuff like a too small gutter margin and some cropping issues with the pages I'm very pleased with how the issue turned out.

Contents include:

• David Zuzelo's penetrating look at Nikkatsu erotic cinema
• John Grace on Hollywood bully Burt Lancaster
• Jonathan Plombon's examination of WAVE  Productions, death fetish films and the cult of pseudo-snuff
• Chuck Francisco on those naughty Nazi Zombies
• A beefy review section featuring manly action flicks and men's action novels – in particular Remo Williams aka The Destroyer – with many contributions from Mitch Lovell
• Plus, tons of reviews on the best and worst in horror, sci-fi and sleazery from Douglas Waltz, John Grace, David Zuzelo, Chuck Francisco, yours truly and many more

It's all wrapped up in a beautiful glossy cover featuring exclusive artwork from Rondo Award-winning illustrator Neil Vokes with colors by Matt Webb.

You can order from CreateSpace, Amazon or directly from ER HQ.

And stay tuned for a new look – and new content – coming to the website soon!

SNOW JOB (1972)

SNOW JOB (1972) features a thin, transparent plot with Olympic gold medalist Jean-Claude Killy starring as a ski instructor who cooks up a plot to steal a quarter of a million dollars from the resort where he works.

He enlists his rich girlfriend (real life wife Daniele Gaubert) and an American pal (Cliff Potts) to help with the scheme and all's well until a charming insurance investigator played by Italian cinema legend Vittorio De Sica arrives to find the stolen cash.

Director George Englund takes his time with SNOW JOB's setup and heist, showcasing the skiing skills that made Killy an international star. Unfortunately, the skier is no actor and is largely outshone by both Potts and De Sica and has surprisingly little chemistry with his wife, who would disappear from the big screen after this flick.

Working from a script by first-time scribe Jeffrey Bloom (who would go on to write and direct such 80s schlock as BLOOD BEACH and FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC), Englund somehow manages to make SNOW JOB feel both languid and rushed. Clocking in at an even 90 minutes, he crams the film's best part – Enrico Dolphi (De Sica) arriving in town to investigate the heist – into the last 15 or 20 minutes while too much time is spent watching Killy and Co. schush around the mountain to Jacques Loussier's jaunty score.

I suppose SNOW JOB is supposed to capture the same crackle as heist flicks like GRAND SLAM (1967) but Englund never creates much tension with either the robbery or its aftermath. If you've watched a couple of similar European "caper" flicks you're bound to see the twist coming from miles away. This was Killy's only dramatic role though he would make an ill-advised appearance as himself in the 1983 Jim Carrey dud COPPER MOUNTAIN, co-starring Alan Thicke and Dick Gautier.

Available via streaming on Warner Archive and Amazon, SNOW JOB is one of those obscure flicks that's itching for a proper remake.

June 3rd is Ralphus Day! BLOODSUCKING FREAKS Comes to Blu-Ray!

Gasp!

Few films of the VHS era ever spoke to me quite like Joel Reed's hysterical BLOODSUCKING FREAKS (aka THE INCREDIBLE TORTURE SHOW).

Thanks to its softcore antics, seedy veneer, absurd plot, outrageously ridiculous gore effects and over-the-top acting from everybody involved it never fails to entertain.

And now it's coming to home video in all its sleazy, re-mastered glory!

June 3rd is officially Ralphus Day as Troma releases (unleashes?) a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack featuring:

• High-Def Transfer from the Original Materials
• Widescreen 1.85:1 Presentation and Dolby 2.0 Stereo
• New Bonus Features including interviews with Eli Roth and wrestling star Chris Jericho (?!)
• A Never Before Seen Deleted Sequence 
• And, a Original Title Sequence for Sardu, Master of the Screaming Virgins

July brings a 30th anniversary Blu-Ray Edition of THE TOXIC AVENGER but as great as that flick is (and it definitely put Troma on the map) it can't hold a candle to BSF for me.

THE SNAKE GOD Will Slither Its Way Into Your Heart

Happy Friday trash fans! While yours truly plugs away on fun stuff (like final layout duties on ER #52 which will be available for pre-order soon) and not as fun stuff (the jobs that pay the bills) our good pal David Zuzelo takes over the review reins for a look at the latest from Mondo Macabro. It's THE SNAKE GOD... and if ever there was a flick that has "Damn You, David Z!" potential, this is it!

Mondo Macabro sure knows how to grab my attention! Promising me "AN EXOTIC INFERNO OF SEX AND VOODOO" with the release of the hard-to-find THE SNAKE GOD certainly makes me eager to pop that disc into the player. Add in that it stars the beautiful Nadia Cassini and the instantly recognizable allure of Beryl Cunningham (Bruno Mattei's ISLAND OF THE FISHMEN aka SCREAMERS) and I'm doubly there. But the main thing I was interested in was seeing another film directed by Piero Vivarelli!  Vivarelli was behind the camera for the fumetti-inspired films SATANIK and MR. X so expectations ran high, but what I got was far more than expected. THE SNAKE GOD was definitely an inspiration for several Italian sleaze films to come (Joe D'Amato fans should take note), but it's got some decidedly different flavors mixed into its witches brew of voodoo, allegory and bare bodies.

Paola (Cassini) is married to Bernard Lucas, a very wealthy man who brings her to the Caribbean for what at first seems like romance, but it quickly becomes obvious that he wants her as another possession to show off to his high society pals. Once he promises her that all the beauty she sees will be hers, "if she plays her cards right" then it is definitely trouble. The pair frolic for a bit in the exotic locations, slurping J&B and eventually stumbling upon a voyeuristic opportunity to watch what appears to be some natives engaged in sex and shimmying in the sand. Paola is definitely curious to learn more and Lucas tells her about Stella (Cunningham), the woman she is admiring. After assuming that she was "just" a native, she learns that not only was she her husband's secretary at one point, but that she was a teacher. After a few days he leaves her on the island to her own devices; Paola is immediately drawn to Stella and the pair become fast friends.  Where Paola is seemingly naïve, Stella is centered and one with the island culture around them. With Stella's astro sign medallion wisdom and carefree attitude, Paola can't help but want to know not just her, but all about the island, and opens up about herself in the process. Paola left her fiancé to marry the wealthy industrialist and has been batted about by what she thinks is her own "luck." But luck may not be on her side any longer, or is it?

THE SNAKE GOD co-starring A Bottle of J&B

After persuading Stella to take her to a local ritual that involves a whole lot of sexy voodoo possession dancing and gyrating, Paola begins to have dreams and visions of snakes and sex and they begin to affect the island world around her. As she starts to miss her husband he turns up dead thanks to a bizarre plane crash witnessed by a local fisherman. In a last ditch effort to stay connected to her previous life she brings the man she had ditched to the island. What poor Tony doesn't realize is that Stella has already met him...in a VOODOO VISION! The situation spirals out of control as things go from a lover's triangle of the flesh between the three and into an unearthly love square that features Djamballa, The Snake God and the lines between civilization, magic and reality bend and blur.

Honestly, this has a happy ending all said... at least I think so. Everyone finds satisfaction and a place in the world.  At least the weird world of Il dio serpente!

THE SNAKE GOD is a film that works fairly well as a guide for some later sun and sex exploitations from Italy, but its interest goes much deeper. Where D'Amato would indulge in surfside sapphic grinding (on a log!), this goes further explores its characters and works as a surreal drama that wears its weightier aspirations to talk about the expectations of "civilized" characters when placed in an exotic environment where danger and desire seem to mix magically with darker forces. The script is playing with the stereotypical "white girl goes native" tropes in the best possible way by making her foil – the incredibly dark-skinned and beautiful Beryl Cunningham – the more intelligent and educated of the two. When the Island God and the people make their choices it brings a great balance to the film as everyone gets what they desire, though one ends up in slightly stranger circumstances than they could have imagined.

That's one elegantly composed shot... is 7:16 AM too early for some J&B?

But it isn't all just allegory and deeper meaning! There is some groovy music composed by Augusto Martelli and many soundtrack enthusiasts will know the theme as soon as the first bass note has you (island) grooving on your couch. Fans of sexy women are well served; Beryl Cunningham will make you want to book your next vacation to the Caribbean for sure, and Nadia Cassini goes from playful and hopping on a bed to sweaty solo gyrations under the influence of the snake god. And hey, you get a snake wiggling about in the sand. Snakes are cool by me. Vivarelli put together a film that will definitely tickle the brain while never neglecting to get behind your zipper for a few snake tongue licks as well!  An achievement for sure, and a film that every fan of trashy European cinema will enjoy as both a film and a nice bit of Italian genre film archeology.

The DVD from Mondo Macabro is a gem as usual. There is an interview with Piero Vivarelli (oh, please get me a double feature of those earlier fumetti films!!), a really strong essay on the film's production and history and a nice widescreen transfer that lets us focus on every drop of sweat that rolls off the nose of Nadia Cassini!

And if you like spotting J&B bottles then I assure you that you will LOVE this film. Vivarelli shoots some scenes featuring the familiar yellow label like a true advertising artist would.

It's sexual liberation for all...and the liberation of a hard-to-find film for all connoisseurs of exotic sex films. THE SNAKE GOD has slithered its way into my heart! – David Zuzelo

THE SNAKE GOD is available from Amazon and Diabolik DVD.

Want to know more about the exploitation roots of the man I affectionately call 'Damn You, David Z!'... check out this interview in The Cape Cod Examiner.

I Survived the 7th Annual Exhumed Films Horrorthon!

Just woke up after sleeping for 12 hours to recharge my batteries. Got up at 6 AM Saturday to head to Philly for the 7th Exhumed Horrorothon. Doing a blow-by-blow writeup for Weng's Chop #5 but the flicks screened (all prints mind you) included:

• DEMON KNIGHT
• MONKEY SHINES
• REVENGE OF THE LIVING ZOMBIES (aka Bill Hinzman's FLESH EATER)
• MANSION OF THE DOOMED
• INFERNO
• WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE
• TINTORERA
• the original HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW
• NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR
• THE PARASITE MURDERS (aka THEY CAME FROM WITHIN)
• GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD
• TOXIC ZOMBIES
• DARKMAN
• DEMONS 2

Thought this was a really consistent, solid lineup without any of the staggering lows of previous years (SON OF BLOB and DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN I'm looking at you) though without any super high points (I definitely loved seeing FLESH EATER, NIGHT TRAIN, TINTORERA, WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE and DEMONS 2 on the big screen).

Have to adjust my blood-to-caffeine levels and get back to work... look for more 31 DAYS later as we head towards the Halloween finish line!

31 DAYS OF FRIGHT: Never Bring an Axe to a Chainsaw Fight and Other Lessons of PROPHECY

Made in that more serious time known as "the 1970s" when everybody was ginned up on post-Watergate suspicion of the government and environmental causes like "no nukes", PROPHECY was one of those flicks I'd always passed on in favor of something more, well, fun-sounding. Plus, I'd never heard anybody rave about it, John Frankenheimer seems like an odd choice for a monster thriller, it's rated PG, the cast of minor-league all-stars doesn't exactly inspire enthusiasm (Armand Assante aside), and I'd always kinda confused it with THE MANITOU. So there you have it.

But when a copy turned up in a box of DVDs I was sorting through I knew it was time to finally break down and give it a watch.

Rob (Robert Foxworth) and Maggie (Talia Shire) are the world's most depressing couple to hang out with. He's a permed, self-righteous do-gooder doctor that treats inner city babies and wants to punch out landlords for the crappy conditions of their buildings. She's a sour-faced orchestra cellist who recently discovered that she's pregnant but is afraid to tell Dr. Perm because he's anti-bringing-children-into-this-horrible-world.

When his buddy (Graham Jarvis) offers an opportunity to do a nebulous-sounding environmental survey in Maine, Rob jumps at the chance for a getaway (despite the fact that Maggie has to come along for the ride).  Arriving in the secluded Northeast forest, the pair find themselves in the middle of a land rights tussle between the paper company with designs on logging the shit out of the forest and the original people (or "OP") who want to protect the land... possibly at all costs. This leads to things like Armand Assante – armed with an axe – taking on a logger with a chainsaw and Foxworth wondering why the fish are so damn big.

After a lot of talking about land rights (from the mill's mouthpiece played by Richard Dysart) and OP rights (from the aforementioned Assante as a downbeat American Indian named John Hawks) we eventually get down to business when a gaggle of characters and their pilot get stranded and stumble across some kind of mutant bear cub. Naturally, this brings out the mama "bear" who begins chasing the survivors through the Maine wilderness.

Despite a preachy, heavy-handed and talky first hour, PROPHECY eventually ramps it up and delivers some solid PG action including an exploding sleeping bag, decapitation, multiple inside-out-mutant-bear attacks and some Grade A "He's Gone Apeshit" acting from Foxworth and his perm. (The perm is especially spectacular.)

It's too bad the first part of the flick is such a downer, with lots of talk about mutant babies, Foxworth looking at everyone disapprovingly, Assante pontificating and Talia Shire screaming lines like "You were too busy playing God to be a HUMAN BEING!" and doing The Talia Shire Face she perfected in the ROCKY movies.

Complaints aside, the last half hour is classic "nature run amok" with bonus points given for the Inside Out Mutant Bear and my guess is that PROPHECY would probably play pretty good with an enthusiastic crowd. – Dan Taylor

PROPHECY is available from Amazon.

31 DAYS OF FRIGHT: Retro Shock-O-Rama Al Adamson Double Feature

Happy Monday folks and welcome to the latest installment of 31 DAYS OF FRIGHT! It's finally starting to look like fall around here with my gutters filling with leaves, cooler temps forecast for the upcoming weekend and my beloved Philadelphia Flyers getting off to their traditionally slow start (0-3 in their first three games with 1 even strength goal). Personally, I'm still shagged out from a weekend of barbecue, Goblin, Secret Chiefs 3 and Chowderfest so I've turned over the reins this morning to Divine Exploitation's Doug Waltz and his look at a Shock-O-Rama double bill from the one and only Al Adamson. Take it away Doug...

Shock-O-Rama serves up a double bill from one of the great directors of low-budget pictures of days gone by. I'm talking about Al Adamson and his 1978 shocker NURSE SHERRI – included in this set – is one of the staples of low-budget horror.

But first we get a rarity of Al's. FIVE BLOODY GRAVES is more the kind of picture that Al liked to make. A western. And since it's from Al Adamson we don't find it strange that the film is narrated by Death himself.

Basically we get a renegade tribe of bloodthirsty Indians on the war path when along comes our hero, Ben Thompson, who has a grudge to settle with Satago, the head of the evil Indians. Seems that Satago murdered Ben's wife on their wedding day and now he seeks vengeance.

A pretty basic western that, while not anything extraordinary, works well within the confines of the genre. You could see the loving detail Al gave to the flick and that he was probably pretty happy making something that wasn't a cheesy horror flick.

And speaking of cheesy horror flicks, that makes for a perfect lead in for the second feature, NURSE SHERRI, or THE POSSESSION OF NURSE SHERRI, if you prefer.

In this one we get a necromancer who is attempting to bring the dead back to life. It starts to work, but then he has a heart attack. His spirit possesses the titular character and sends her on a bloody rampage throughout the hospital and surrounding area to destroy all those who contributed to his death.

This is a classic of the seventies, a true staple of the drive-in circuit in its time. The lead, Jill Jacobson is gorgeous and all the nurses in the picture fill out their uniforms quite nicely.

The DVD package that Shock-O-Rama has put together for these two flicks is nothing short of spectacular. On the first disc we get the two features with the theatrical version of NURSE SHERRI. In addition we get commentary from Sam Sherman and these are nothing less than required listening. Sam remembers more about the film business than anyone out there. It's like getting a film history course with your exploitation flicks.

The second disc gives us the original cut of NURSE SHERRI and it's quite different from the one that we all know so well. There are three scenes missing that were shot after the fact for the actual release of the film. Instead we get a ton of nudity and it's all good.

As for additional extras we get trailers and some old school drive-in intermission filler. And there is an interview with ebony beauty Marilyn Joi who still looks damned good after all these years.

Shock-O-Rama has managed to put together the definitive Al Adamson double bill in this set. A must have for any true fan of low-budget films. – Douglas Waltz

FIVE BLOODY GRAVES/NURSE SHERRI is available from Amazon.