Saturday, February 26, 2011

AMERICAN GRINDHOUSE



DIRECTOR:
Elijah Drenner

WRITERS:
Elijah Drenner
Calum Waddell

APPERANCES BY:
Robert Forster ( Narrator )
Joe Dante
John Landis
Allison Anders
Larry Cohen
David Hess
Jack Hill
Herschell Gordon Lewis
Plus many others....

This documentary is divided up into many creatively titled sections. Such as, "Let he who is without sin... see our movie", "It's not vulgar... it's educational", "Perversion... for profit" and "Gore-galore".

It covers movies from the silent era to the present. Even burlesque and pulps are featured.

Directors, actors and film historians make appearances. All the folks being interviewed, share their memories and opinions.

There's tons of clips and photos on display.

I highly recommend you watch it.

Quote from the movie LORD LOVE A DUCK ( Tuesday Weld as Barbara Ann ): "It's periwinkle pussycat, don't you just love it?..."

Quote by director Herschell Gordon Lewis: "The campaign is more important than the film itself"

Quote by actor David Hess ( referring to THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT ): "I had a subway car empty out on me once... When I was just sitting there, and this was because all the posters were up in the subway"

Quote by director Jack Hill: "People criticized COFFY and FOXY BROWN for being almost racist from the black point of view, and my feeling was, why not?... We've been watching racist movies all our lives... Why not see what it looks like from the other side, and enjoy it?"

VIDEO INFO
Online
WIDEscreen & FULLscreen
Color & black and white
Region - Not applicable
Company - Lux Digital Pictures
NOT rated
Extras - Not applicable
Inserts - Not applicable

OBTAINED AT - HULU

PRICE - Free

DO I WANT MY MONEY BACK?:
NO!... I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this film.

There's a shitload of alleged "GRINDHOUSE" documentaries out there. Far too many times, it's just somebody interviewing friends, acquaintances and co-workers. AMERICAN GRINDHOUSE seems to be the "real deal" folks.

As far as I know, this documentary is NOT availbale on region one DVD.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

BLINK



DIRECTOR:
Michael Apted

WRITER:
Dana Stevens

CAST:
Madeleine Stowe
Aidan Quinn
Peter Friedman
James Remar
Laurie Metcalf
Louie ( Emma's dog )
Bruce A. Young
Matt Roth
Heather Schwartz
Marilyn Dodds Frank
Paul Dillon


Emma Brody ( Madeleine Stowe )


Detective John Hallstrom ( Aidan Quinn )


Dr. Ryan Pierce ( Peter Friedman )


Detective Thomas Ridgely ( James Remar )


Ralph ( Louie )

Emma's a musician and she lives with her guide dog Ralph. She's been blind ever since her mother bashed her head against a mirror.

Emma gets a surprise call from her doctor. He informs her that they may be able to restore her vision, but they need to operate on her immediately. So she rushes to the hospital.

The next day, her bandages are removed. The operation was a success. Her vision is extremely blurry, but at least she can see. Unfortunately, she's having delayed visions. When someone comes up to her she sees nothing, but hours later she sees them when they're NOT there.

Murders start occurring, and they all end up being connected to Emma. She ends up being the only "eye witness".

Things become even more complicated when a romantic relationship develops between Emma and Detective Hallstrom. In addition, doctor Pierce is also in love with her.

Meanwhile the killer is taking more victims, and now he's after Emma....



QUOTES:
Emma: "I think you're more excited about this than I am"

Candice: "Can I say fuck in here?"

Detective Ridgely: "You're a sick bastard, John"

Emma's mother: "You little whore!"

Emma: "My eyes are filled with someone else"

The killer: "I'm taking back the eyes you stole..."

VIDEO INFO
DVD
WIDEscreen & FULLscreen
Color
Region one
Company - New Line Cinema
Rated R
Extras - Trailers for BLINK and a few other films.
Inserts - Yes. Contains a two sided sheet.



OBTAINED AT - Edward R. Hamilton

PRICE - $5.95



DO I WANT MY MONEY BACK?:
NO!... I like Madeleine Stowe tremendously, and I think she's one of the most UNderrated actresses in Hollywood. I like this movie more now, than I did when it was new.

A few times during the movie, it felt like I was watching a tourism infomercial for the city of Chicago. I did not like that the first time I saw the movie, and I still don't.

But I like the rest a lot, especially the camera work. I also like the "angry-love" that Emma and Detective Hallstrom feel for each other.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

THE PYX



DIRECTOR:
Harvey Hart

WRITERS:
John Buell
Robert Schlitt

CAST:
Christopher Plummer
Karen Black
Jacques Godin
Yvette Brind'amour
Jean-Louis Roux
Donald Pilon
Louise Rinfret


Detective Henderson ( Christopher Plummer )


Elizabeth ( Karen Black )


Meg ( Yvette Brind'amour )


Superintendent ( Jacques Godin )


Keerson ( Jean-Louis Roux )


Sandra ( Louise Rinfret )

Detective Henderson is investigating the apparent suicide of a woman named Elizabeth. But he quickly realises there's a lot more going on.

In continuous flashbacks, we find out that Elizabeth was a high priced prostitute and drug addict. We also find out she has a sister named Sandra ( she's also an addict ).

During the investigation, Henderson encounters a lot of interference from people trying to keep their secret from being exposed.

That secret involves a religious cult, and the people responsible for many murders...



QUOTES:
Meg: "You can't do shit to me!"

Detective Henderson: "She was on drugs. If she didn't kill herself, someone pushed her off the balcony. Someone killed her!"

Elizabeth: "I went out and he followed me. What's going on?"

Keerson: "We all have to pay for the important moments in life"



VIDEO INFO
DVD
WIDEscreen
Color
Region one
Company - TGG
Rated R
Extras - None
Inserts - None

OBTAINED AT - Walmart

PRICE - $5.00

DO I WANT MY MONEY BACK?:
NO!... This is a rare movie from Canada.

Many scenes have a surreal quality, but that only made it more enjoyable for me. I also had fun seeing 1970's era Montreal. Half the story is told in flashbacks, but I had no problem with that.

I found THE PYX in a 15 movie collection called HORROR: DO NOT WATCH ALONE ( by TGG ). The movies are on two double sided discs. The quality is NOT great. THE PYX is in rough shape, but it's better than not having it at all.

There's another DVD by SYNERGY ENTERTAINMENT but I have NOT seen it, and I do NOT know anybody who has. So I can't tell you if it's worth buying. I recommend you look for the cheap-ass version by TGG.

A "legit" VHS was released by PRISM ENTERTAINMENT.



The movie is based on a book by John Buell.
Published by POPULAR LIBRARY
ASIN: B00005XRFS

FYI: Karen Black performs some of the songs in this movie ( she also composed them ).

This movie is also known as THE HOOKER CULT MURDERS

THE COLD ROOM



DIRECTOR:
James Dearden

WRITERS:
Jeffrey Caine
James Dearden

CAST:
Amanda Pays
George Segal
Renée Soutendijk
Elizabeth Spriggs
Warren Clarke
Anthony Higgins
Ursula Howells
George Pravda


Carla / Christa ( Amanda Pays )


Lili and Hugh ( Renée Soutendijk and George Segal )


Frau Hoffman ( Elizabeth Spriggs )


Wilhelm Bruckner ( Warren Clarke )

Carla is living in London ( at a boarding school ). She leaves to meet her father in West Berlin. After they reunite, they cross the border into East Berlin.

Carla's mother is mentally ill and in an institution.

Hugh is a writer and he wants to experience the real East Germany, so they stay at a small unknown hotel. Later on they meet up with Lili ( Hugh's East German girlfriend ).

Carla quickly becomes rude, thoughtless, and rebellious. She ends up causing a lot of problems.

Carla begins having visions that take place in nazi era Berlin. In nazi era Germany her name is Christa, and her father is a disturbed butcher named Wilhelm. She's helping a Jewish man hide from the authorities.

As Carla travels back and forth in time, she becomes more desperate. She's convinced that her visions are real.

Is Frau Hoffman hiding the truth about the past? Or has Carla inherited her mother's mental illness?...



QUOTES:
Hugh: "If you won't act like an adult, then we'll just treat you like a child"

Carla: "I was raped by my father"

Herr Bruckner: "Shut up and sit down!"



VIDEO INFO
Online
FULLscreen
Color
Region - Not applicable
Company - HBO
Rated R
Extras - Not applicable
Inserts - Not applicable



OBTAINED AT - Retrovision

PRICE - Free

DO I WANT MY MONEY BACK?:
No... Read on... I like this movie a lot. I thought everybody did a great job.

Question: The movie is from 1984, so why is it in the public domain?

This movie was released on "legit" VHS by MEDIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT. "Bootleg" VHS tapes also exist.

The companies listed below, have all released region one DVDs of THE COLD ROOM....

MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT has it in their SUSPENSE CLASSICS 50 moive pack. I've viewed MILL CREEK's version and recommend it.

EAST WEST ENTERTAINMENT has it as part of a double feature with BYE BYE BABY. I have NOT seen this version.

PC TREASURES has it as part of a double feature with ARCH DE TRIUMPH. I've seen PC TREASURE's copy of the movie, and I recommend it.

DIGIVIEW has it as part of a double feature with DEADLY DRIFTER. I have NOT seen their version.

It's also available as a VOD by SYNERGY ENTERTAINMENT ( via AMAZON ).

You can also watch it for free online. However, some of those websites are highly questionable ( they're full of viruses ).



FYI: The movie is based on a novel written by Jeffrey Caine.
published by Ballantine Books
ISBN ( 978-0345273390 )

Saturday, February 5, 2011

MODERN GIRLS POSTER



I really like this poster. It's pure 80's

MODERN GIRLS was officially released on VHS ( by KVC Home Video ). Unfortunately it's one of the many 80's flicks that NEVER officially made it onto region one DVD.

The past couple of years, it's been airing on THIS TV.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

EROTIC ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO POSTER



I don't know how many different posters they issued for this movie. Of all the versions I've seen, this one is my favorite.

I remember watching this as a kid ( on "bootleg" VHS ).

THE EROTIC ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO is available on DVD by two companies. From OBSESSION ENTERTAINMENT and J4HI.COM. I do NOT own either version, so I can't give you any details about the quality ( or lack thereof ).

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

DAMES, DOLLS AND DELINQUENTS



DAMES, DOLLS AND DELINQUENTS: A COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO SEXY PULP FICTION PAPTERBACKS is a lot of fun to look at.

The emphasis is on the art, but each chapter starts off with comments by the author. Speaking of pictures, there's a TON of them!... both paperbacks and digests.



There's even a few samples of books from other countries ( Canada, Australia, England and Sweden ).

One of my favorite parts, shows art that was "tamed" before it was used on a VHS cover.



Every photo has a descriptive caption under it.

You can check-out examples of art by Robert A. Maguire, Rafael M. DeSoto, Paul Rader , Norman Saunders and many many others.

Even a few recent HARD CASE CRIME books are pictured.



The book is divided into the following sections:
"GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS" ( pages 4 - 6 )
"THE ARTISTS AND THEIR ART" ( pages 7 - 8 )
"ORIGINAL ART" ( pages 9 - 19 )
"CONDITION, VALUES AND PSEUDONYMS" ( page 20 )
"GRADING" ( page 20 )
"PRICE VALUES" ( page 21 )
"A NOTE ON PSEUDONYMS" ( page 21 )
"SEXY PIN-UP GIRLS" ( page 22 - 75 )
"SULTRY STREETWALKERS ( page 76 - 97 )
"BAD GIRL DELINQUENTS" ( page 98 - 119 )
"DEADLY FEMME FATALE" ( page 120 - 135 )
"WOMEN IN PERIL" ( page 136 - 157 )
"WOMEN AND VIOLENCE" ( page 158 - 179 )
"LUSCIOUS LESBIANS" ( page 180 - 191 )
"FETISH COVERS" ( page 192 - 205 )
"HEATED EMBRACES" ( page 206 - 217 )
SPECIALIST BOOK DEALERS ( page 218 - 220 )
COLLECTOR SHOWS ( page 220 )
INDEX BY ARTISTS ( page 221 )
INDEX BY TITLE ( page 221 - 223 )
ADVERTISEMENT FOR KRAUSE BOOKS ( page 224 )



BOOK INFO:
ISBN ( 9780896899681 )
AUTHOR - Gary Lovisi
COVER ARTISTS - various
COMPANY - KRAUSE PUBLICATIONS
OBTAINED AT - Edward R. Hamilton
PRICE - $7.95
SOFTcover
COLOR pages
SIZE - approximately 8.5" wide by 11" tall
PAGES - 224

DO I WANT MY MONEY BACK?:
NO!... It's a beautiful book to look at, and I think it's worth every penny!... I highly recommend it!