It's been quite a while since I've posted, so I can only hope that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and not fungus, as the Barenaked Ladies would say. While I've bought and watched quite a bit over the last few months, I haven't really felt compelled to talk about them at length. So, as I've done in the past, this is more of a video round-up, giving my brief thoughts on several movies, in hopes of steering your time and hard earned bucks in the right direction.
A Thousand Cuts--what a snoozefest. Luckily, I had a free Redbox rental, but sadly, I wasted it on this. Another movie that became background viewing while on the internet and I remember very little about.
Girls Against Boys--I didn’t have very high expectations for this, but it was a decent flick. Nothing really new as far as premise, but executed well enough to keep my attention, and the geisha scene was kind of creepy. Something I’d pick up if found on the cheap.
Demon Queen--while I’m sure Massacre Video used the best possible film source for the transfer, a lot of the picture was dark and sometimes muddy. This is the first and very obscure shot-on-video movie from 1985-86 by Donald Farmer, who also did Savage Vengeance (also being re-released by Massacre Video) and Cannibal Hookers. The biggest mystique around Demon Queen is that for such a forgettable movie, original VHS versions would sell for hundreds on Ebay. There’s nothing great about this movie, but for fans of DIY cinema, it’ll complement their SOV collection, with some blood and boobs to boot.
Junk Films--Oh, Junk Films, I wanted you to trump anything I’d seen before, and put the beloved Orozco the Embalmer to shame. I hoped you’d make me queasy and hang my head in shame, then feel compelled to hide you when others came around. But, rather than make we scream like a little girl, I got bored, and thought I was just watching another Traces of Death or Death Scenes rip off. Sadly, A&E’s Death Detectives: The LA County Coroner brought more (demented) pleasure.
While there are some interesting scenes, and the limited hardbox from Massacre Video is totally badass, the contents didn’t live up to the hype. What you’ll see are several accident scenes from India and Thailand, with bashed-in heads, loose organs, and blood trails. There’s also suicide, a few death rituals, and cremated remains, but much worse can be seen on the internet.
It serves as a good companion piece to Orozco (same director/photographer) and is worth having to complete your gross-out collection, but I know there’s much more Asian underground shock just waiting to be discovered.
American Fetish--this is a pretty tame look at the industry, following the story of a son exploring a murder and his father’s fetish films. It felt like a Cinemax After Dark movie, which come a dime a dozen and get little attention other than when T&A flash on the screen.
Bunny Game--If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was a Lucifer Valentine film, which much like his films, became tedious. What is it with bunny-titled movies and BJs? Brown Bunny had a full-on BJ and so does Bunny Games. Cocaine + prostitution + torture, sexual perversion and head shaving + lots of screaming = Bunny Games. Watch for sheer curiosity, then follow it up with your favorite comedy.
Blood Beach--I’m really surprised this hasn’t been released on DVD here in the states, seeing that it has John Saxon and Burt Young. This was my first viewing, and yeah, it’s not a great film, but does have a kick-ass poster and tagline (Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…you can't get to it.). This probably ran on late-night TV and was a big hit, but when lumping it with all the other horror films of the time, it’s pretty forgettable (other than the title). So, what’s taking people out on the beach? Is it a sandshark? A tremor? Someone living in an underground bunker? I won’t ruin it for ya, but I will say, the reveal wasn’t worth the wait. I’m sure it’ll be released in the future, but if you can’t wait, there are plenty of bootlegs running around, and you might even score this alternate artwork.
So, I'll try not to be such a stranger, and if you have any suggestions on what you'd like for me to review, please let me know. Don't forget, we do have a Facebook page, and thanks for reading!
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