Mass media musings and pop culture nonsense filtered through the brainpan of yours truly, with a special focus on the line of dialogue most used in film!
This saucy British sex comedy was made in 1973, and brought over to American shores two years later by Ron Popeil's company - branching out from selling products like the Smokeless Ashtray and the Pocket Fisherman. I haven't seen it - but I'm sure it would be fitfully amusing.
Alice's Restaurant (United Artists, 1969)
Arlo Guthrie plays himself in the film version of his counterculture song. Certainly a time capsule of its era, but earnestly made and entertaining for those in the mood for its funky vibe.
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (American International, 1963)
I love this Roger Corman sci fi flick - cool idea, great cast, neat special effects - well worth checking out!
Until next post - you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
George Hilton does beyond the shadow of a doubt - so this it must be:
Nobody did batcrap crazy "homage" (read: ripoff) movies like the Italians did in their heyday! Here's another Mad Max type flick with the late great Christopher Connelly as the imported American star. I actually haven't seen this one - but I love movies like this - if you want to come check it out with me - give me the word - even for tonight! Now, this one is in the video vault on a VHS tape - but really - isn't that kind of the preferred format for a movie like this?
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
This one seems to be a slightly underrated Stephen King adaptation - but I saw it in the theater during its release and I think it's a corker flick. Mom, kid, rabid dog, non-starting car. Go.
Hercules and the Captive Women (Woolner Brothers Pictures, 1963)
I have never seen this muscleman epic (or "peplum") - but I'd check it out. Sometimes though, there sure is an awful lot of (dubbed) talking and not a lot of strongman action, though.
Maniac (Analysis Film Releasing Corporation, 1980)
As the good reviews for the remake starring Elijah Wood start to pour in - I'm still bummed that getting my buddy Ray his Gunnar Hansen autograph at Mad Monster Party in March cost me seeing a screening of that remake - let's not forget the original - one of the seamiest, grimiest movies ever made. I love it of course, since first seeing it on VHS back in the day. I own it on Blu-Ray (!) now - and it looks pretty damned amazing.
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Tony Todd will if you say the movie's title five times - or so I've heard...
Experience taught me in the late 90's to be a little wary of any movie with "Wes Craven Presents" above the title - as there were some fairly crappy movies in the WCP library. But this one turned to be a pleasant surprise when I saw it on VHS - a gleefully nasty flick about an evil genie - played to the hilt by the always entertaining Andrew Divoff. Throw in some cool effects - and appearances from a half dozen well known horror actors - and you've got a fine night's entertainment to me.
And why don't we fulfill our wish for more evil djinn - I know just the tonic - we'll do a...
Saturday Night at the Movies Double Feature!
Intermission!
And here's the second movie now!
The success of the first movie made the producers and studio wish for a sequel - so of course they made one. It's a little underbudgeted for what it tries to pull off - but they got Andrew Divoff to come back which makes up for quite a bit. So, a not bad sequel, well worth a watch.
(Yes, there are indeed two more sequels - and they could have made this a "Dawn to Dusk Marathon" except - Divoff took a hike after the second go-round - replaced by the underwhelming John Novak - and having seen Part 3 - you're welcome that I'm keeping it to these two flicks. They're not in the video vault anyway - which disqualifies them from appearing here.)
Both of these movies are in the video vault twice - on a flipper DVD and a more recent multipack horror set - so there's bound to be a copy in easy reach at any time - even tonight - if you want to come check them out with me!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
I generally won't tell you any tall tales - but you kinda can't help it with this guy. No, I don't mean stories that stretch the truth. We're talking height here. I risked a nosebleed for this one - but you all need to know that my Mane man likes a good blog...and that's what I'm here to Tyler....
The first celebrity we met at the Mad Monster Party - and one of the nicest.
Thank you Tyler Mane!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
I like producer Val Lewton's approach to horror - let the audience imagine more than it sees - consequently I'm very fond of this movie - with Simone Simon trying to convince anyone who'll listen that she'll transform into a large predatory cat if she experiences deep emotions - like anger...or love.
Curse of the Cat People (RKO, 1944)
After the first movie was a hit, Val Lewton was pressed into a sequel - but he didn't give them more of the same. Instead - he carried on the story with the daughter of the couple in the first film. She is visited by Irina's ghost - or is it just her imagination? For the novelty of the change in tone alone I recommend this movie.
Cat People (Universal Studios, 1982)
Paul Schrader took a script from Alan Ormsby (Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things) and made one of the most erotic horror movies ever. My brother - in the throes of a one-sided love affair with Nastassia Kinski that continues to this day - took me to this at the theater when I was 15. That's a pretty perfect age to see a movie like this. It's also full of atmosphere and dread - and amazing makeup effects - and is highly recommended to anyone who likes a little spice with their frights. Oh, and look at THAT crane...
Meow! Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
