Tuesday, June 25, 2013

STRIPPED TO KILL POSTER



I love the artwork on this poster.

One of the few things about the VHS era I miss, is the box cover art.

Most of the smaller companies used poster ART, or made their own ART for the VHS / BETA boxes.

I almost always preferred artwork to photos.

Unfortunately, most of the major studios preferred to slap INCREDIBLY SHITTY photos, or equally horrible photo collages, onto their box covers.

As you know, they're STILL DOING IT! However, now it's the DVD's and BLU-RAY's that are receiving the hideous covers.

Anyway, STRIPPED TO KILL stars, Kay Lenz, Greg Evigan, Norman Fell ( 1924 – 1998 ), and others.

There's a killer on the loose, and.... well, you know how the story goes.

It's a fun flick, but some of the stripping scenes are a little boring - I can't believe I'm saying that!

It's a hoot watching Norman Fell as the strip club owner.



I had a legit VHS that was released by MGM.

MGM seemed to care more about the presentation of their tapes than the other major studios. This movie had a great looking box.

A region one DVD of STRIPPED TO KILL was released by NEW CONCORDE ( OUT-OF-PRINT ).

MOVIE ADS: TUFF TURF



James Spader plays the new kid in school.

As expected, things do NOT go well. Especially after several run-ins with the school bad boy / gang leader, played by Paul Mones.

Mr. Spader's character becomes infatuated with the gang leader's girlfriend, played by Kim Richards, which only leads to more trouble.

He also becomes friends with another outsider, played by Robert Downey Jr.

Things get extremely ugly.



Even though I found myself laughing many times - and the gang portrayed in this movie would have been eaten alive in the real world - I still liked TUFF TURF.

As usual, James Spader is excellent.

Paul Mones, the man who portrays the gang leader, is also excellent. In fact, he plays his character with so much GUSTO, that he ends up being one of the most memorable things about this movie.



I had a legit VHS, but I don't remember which company released it.

TUFF TURF has been released on region one DVD many times.

As a solo disc by ANCHOR BAY.

As part of a double feature ( paired with UNDER THE BOARDWALK ), by IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT.

As part of a triple feature ( with HEATHERS and THE BOYS NEXT DOOR ), by IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT.

As part of an eight movie pack ( with ANGEL, GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, FRATERNITY VACATION, REFORM SCHOOL GIRLS, NIGHT PATROL, SOUL MAN, and BLACK MOON RISING ), by IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT.

Monday, June 24, 2013

MOVIE ADS: YOG MONSTER FROM SPACE



Not many folks remember this Japanese monster.

A giant squid sounds like fun to me, and I liked it.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to have the mass appeal of a dinosaur, or a giant flying turtle.



A legit VHS was released in the United States, but I do NOT remember the name of the company.

A region one DVD was released by TOKYO SHOCK ( MEDIA BLASTERS ). It's OUT-OF-PRINT, so you'll have to hunt for a grey-market DVD.

YOG MONSTER FROM SPACE is also known as SPACE AMOEBA, and MANY other titles!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

THE CHAIN REACTION



I love this movie!

It's about a nuclear waste spill that contaminates the water table, and the mayhem that follows.

This movie was written and directed by Ian Barry.



It stars Steve Bisley, Arna-Maria Winchester ( 1949 – 2008 ), Ross Thompson, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Ralph Cotterill, and others.

THE CHAIN REACTION is a great mixture of conspiracy and action.



THE CHAIN REACTION has some ties to MAD MAX... Such as Steve Bisley, Hugh Keays-Byrne, and Mel Gibson!... But, that's not all, George Miller also worked on this movie!

QUOTES FROM THE CHAIN REACTION.....

Heinrich - "You must warn the people"

Heinrich - "It can not be contained. If it reaches the water table, it can turn up anywhere"

Eagle - "This graveyard of nuclear waste, could become ours"

Eagle - "Chain reaction of contamination. You know, water, grass, cow, milk.... us"



A legit VHS was released in the United States by EMBASSY HOME ENTERTAINMENT.



CHAIN REACTION was also released on region one DVD by PLATINUM DISC ( aka ECHO BRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT ).

It's part of a four movie collection called 4 ACTION CLASSICS. All four movies are on one single sided disc. The other films are, THE DEATH MERCHANTS, EMBASSY, and DEADLY IMPACT.

This set contains a FULLscreen version of CHAIN REACTION.

A small PLATINUM DISC logo occasionally pops-up ( in the lower right corner of the screen ).



This movie was released in it's native Australia by UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT.




Well, it looks like a REAL LIFE VERSION of the CHAIN REACTION is happening here, in the United States.

I found out about this, after watching the CBS EVENING NEWS.

According to a "whistle blower", nuclear waste is leaking into the soil!... This whole thing has been a FIASCO for years!... And at a cost of BILLIONS per year!



Quotes from CBS NEWS ( June 21, 2013 ) - from an interview with Donna Busche.....
"Waste will be leaking into the ground water. It will continue to leak. It's an urgent problem that must be solved."

Quotes from CBS NEWS ( by Carter Evens - June 21, 2013 ).....
"It will take 40 years to treat the waste, and during that time, radiation will make parts of the plant inaccessible to humans"

How many other incidents have occurred that we don't know about?

If it wasn't for a "whistle blower" we probably wouldn't know about this disaster.

Whose bright idea was it, to put this type of dangerous material into GLORIFIED TIN CANS?!

It's FUCKING INSANE!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

VHS ERA ADS: RENTALS & SALES



ALL USED TAPES ARE 5 FOR $15.00!*

*except for adult titles ( priced as marked )

During the 1990s, those types of sales were common all over the U.S.A.




Traci in NOT OF THIS EARTH

I remember being in the Bronx or Queens, at a small second-hand shop. The older lady running the place, was selling tons of ex-rental tapes.

There were many Traci Lords titles on the tables. A young woman proceeded to gather them up, but there were far too many movies for her to hold. So she called her girlfriend over to help her.

Between the two of them, they managed to grab all the Traci tapes they could find.

They rushed towards the old lady, paid for them, and got the hell out of there in a hurry.

I told the old lady the tapes were illegal - she didn't know who Traci Lords was - and she was shocked.



In Chicago, there was one place that I went to a lot. If I remember correctly, it was located somewhere on Grand Ave ( a few miles from downtown ).

The guys that worked there, were usually watching porn in front of everyone.

I don't remember how much they charged for used tapes. It couldn't have been too much, because I refused to pay more than five dollars for tapes.



Meanwhile in southern California, video stores were everywhere and anywhere, and so were the bargains.

Most DRIVE-IN movie theaters held SWAP-MEETS on the weekends. Those were my favorite places to buy tapes, and other collectibles.



As for rentals, I never paid more than two dollars a day, I was never late, and I always rewound my tapes.



Currently, I can only find VHS tapes at local GOODWILL stores, SALVATION ARMY stores, some garage sales, and grungy flea markets. I've NEVER paid more than FIVE dollars! Hell, even that's too much!

On rare occasions, I'll find NEW tapes in stores like BIG LOTS, and DOLLAR TREE. Unfortunately, they're usually children's titles.

Sometimes, online stores like HAMILTON BOOK, will have NEW VHS tapes at $3.95 or less.

There are far too many folks paying ridiculous prices for USED tapes.

I've even read about some retards paying thousands of dollars just for one tape!... THAT'S INSANE!


VHS rental commercial made by PARAMOUNT

When I buy a VHS tape, it's because I love the movie, or love the art on the box.

VHS was, and still is, a CRAP format!

VHS tapes are movie memorabilia to me. They're for display only.....

Friday, June 14, 2013

MOVIE ADS: JOI LANSING


Joi Lansing as "queen of candy" ( 1964 New York World's Fair )

When I was a kid, I loved watching Joi Lansing perform.



Ms. Lansing ( 1929 – 1972 ), was an actress and singer.

It didn't matter if she was appearing in one of those horrible old tv shows, or a movie. I planted myself in front of the tv, like a thousand year old sequoia entrenched in forest soil, and nobody could move me from that spot!



BIG FOOT is one of my favorite Joi Lansing movies.

John Carradine ( 1906 – 1988 ), also starred in this film.

BIG FOOT is so deliciously cheesy, it should be sliced up and put into sandwiches!

This movie always puts a big smile on my face, and that's what movies are supposed to do..... make you happy.

It was released on VHS in the United States, but I don't remember the name of the company.

BIG FOOT only appears to be available on grey-market DVDs ( by various companies ).



One of Ms. Lansing's RAREST films is called HOT CARS. This movie is available on MOD-DVD by MGM.



Ms. Lansing even had a part in TOUCH OF EVIL

TOUCH OF EVIL was released on region one DVD several times ( by UNIVERSAL ).


Joi Lansing performing THE SILENCER in one of her music videos.


She also appeared in a BOWERY BOYS movie called HOT SHOTS.

Joi Lansing in HOT SHOTS

Joi appeared on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, and numerous other tv shows. I hated those shows. I preferred watching her in movies.


Joi Lansing performing WEB OF LOVE in a music video.

The WEB OF LOVE music video can be found on the HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND DVD ( by SOMETHING WEIRD ).



UPDATED ON JUNE 19, 2013.....

Well, I'm off to search for a cheap copy of ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ( seasons 5 / 6 - region one DVD - by WARNER BROS ).

Ms. Lansing appears in episode nine ( SUPERMAN'S WIFE ).

Thanks to a commenter for the info!

Saturday, June 1, 2013

MOVIE ADS: SUPERVIXENS



SUPERVIXENS is my favorite Russ Meyer movie.

Russ Meyer( 1922 – 2004 ), wrote and directed this super-silly, sexy, and fun flick.

Charles Napier ( 1936 – 2011 ), is one of the stars of SUPERVIXENS.

It's so much fun watching his character go bananas.



As usual, there are wall-to-wall hot babes in this movie.

I don't think any company in the United States currently has home video rights to his films.



There's a company in England that has released his films on DVD, but they're region TWO discs.



NOTE: As I write this, Russ Meyer's official website is selling SUPERVIXENS region one DVDs for the ridiculous price of $39.95!

Is the SUPERVIXENS disc made from platinum?, or gold?, or pure silver?, or some other precious material?

Remember folks, there's always someTHING else to spend your money on, and someWHERE else to spend it!