Sunday, December 4, 2016

The Room

Promotional poster for the film.

Release Date: 2003
Director: Tommy Wiseau
MPAA Rating: R

"The Room" tells the tragic story of the love triangle between Johnny, Lisa, and Marc. Johnny and Lisa are soon to be newlyweds, and Marc is his best friend. When Lisa begins to seduce Marc, the relationships of them all become doomed, and their lives will never be the same.

The film stars Tommy Wiseau as Johnny, Greg Sestero as Marc, Juliette Danielle as Lisa, Philip Haldiman as Denny, and Carolyn Minnot as Claudette.

When reviewing "The Room," it is important to remember that the film is widely known to be the worst movie ever made. With that in mind, it is also one of the most entertaining cinematic experiences I have ever had. It has laughably terrible writing and acting, especially because of the mere existence of Tommy Wiseau. This man is one of the most gifted failures of all time, because even though his initial vision was nonexistent in the content of this film, a true masterpiece of b-movie crap was created. This film also has some of the most quotable dialogue in movie history. Lines like "Lisa you're tearing me apart," "Johnny is my best friend," "Oh hi Marc," "I did not hit her, that is bullshit, I did not, I did not," etc will forever be stuck in my head, and they are so fun to use on friends. So while this film is barely redeemable in terms of quality, it will brighten your day like nothing else.

If you are a lover of cinema, you must watch "The Room." It is truly the canon of bad movies, and it is just great to be able to bond with other people about the film.

B-Movie Grade: 11/10

Monday, September 26, 2016

RIP Herschell Gordon Lewis(1929-2016)



Today I found out on Facebook that Herschell Gordon Lewis passed away. He was 87 years old, and he departed peacefully in his sleep. A legend of horror/exploitation filmmaking, Lewis' works will always have a fond place in mine and many hearts.

Some of the famous works of Lewis' career were "The Wizard of Gore," "Blood Feast," "Two Thousand Maniacs," "Color Me Blood Red," and my personal favorite "The Gore Gore Girls." Each of these films tested the boundaries(and stomachs) of audiences, and they paved a new way for gore in entertainment. 

This tribute to Lewis is longer than a lot of my other articles about departed celebrities, and this is because of my love for his movies, and the fact that I once had the opportunity to interview him for this site. I was so grateful that him and his producer James Saito allowed me to conduct my article, and I will always remember it. 

Rest in peace Herschell, you'll always be a legend. 



Friday, May 6, 2016

Subspecies(1991)


Director: Ted Nicolaou
MPAA Rating: R

An evil vampire named Radu steals a powerful treasure called "The Bloodstone," which has an endless supply of blood, and his father and brother must stop him and his little minions "The Subspecies." Unfortunately, this is a hard task to complete, and the entire town is now at risk of being terrorized by the villains.

The movie stars Anders Hove as Radu, Angus Scrimm as the King, Irina Movilla as Mara, Laura Mae Tate as Michele, Michelle McBride as Lillian, and Michael Watson as Stefan. 

Being a Full Moon direct-to-video film from the 1990's, I did not have the highest standards for the quality of "Subspecies." I just wanted the typical B-Movie fun that I love. Luckily, I got that, and a whole lot more. This underrated gem features one of the coolest and freakiest vampires of all time(Radu), some amazing makeup and gore effects, wonderful stop animation by Dave Allen, and a very interesting story. I felt like the acting was hit or miss, with Hover being out of this world, but the girls being mediocre at times. The overall tone of the movie was outstanding, because it was like an amped up version of gothic classics like "Black Sunday." This was possible because of the beautiful filming location of Romania, the classical score, the mysterious cinematography, and suspenseful pacing. I thought that the ending was magnificent, because I was on the edge of my seat in excitement. There really wasn't anything that bad about the movie, outside of small flaws like acting that don't matter much for this kind of film. 

I totally recommend "Subspecies" to all fans of low budget cinema, because it is one of the finest of its kind. It is a top notch vampire flick, horror film, and movie in general. It will be a very enjoyable watch for all those interested, and I promise it will not disappoint. 

Grade: 9.5/10


Puppet Master(1989)


Director: David Schmoeller
MPAA Rating: R

"Puppet Master" tells the haunting story of a group of psychics that are tormented by murderous puppets, while they are investigating the hotel of their recently deceased colleague. 

The movie stars Paul LeMat as Alex, William Hickey as Andre, Irene Miracle as Dana, Jimmie F. Skaggs as Neil Gallagher, Robin Frates as Meghan, and Matt Roe as Frank. 

This Charles Band classic is a very fun installment of the horror genre. Being the first film of Full Moon Picture, it is cheesy with its low budget stop motion effects, which adds to its charm. There is some shocking scenes of gore and violence, the acting is very well done, and the overall story is creative and neat. Each of the puppets had their own personality, which made their characterization very successful. Their weapons of choice were also very unique. The conclusion was also super suspenseful, and extremely fulfilling for fans of this category of cinema. The only thing that I wish was different is that the first half should've have been paced a little better, because it was dry at times. 

Overall, I highly recommend "Puppet Master" to fans of B-Movies and horror flicks. It is a very enjoyable and well made film, and it will not disappoint. 

Grade: 8/10

Friday, April 8, 2016

Day Of Anger(1967)

Theatrical Poster

Director: Tonino Valerii
Rating: M

"Day of Anger" is a Spaghetti Western film that tells the story of Scott Mary. Mary is a poor "bastard" that cleans the streets of his town Clifton. He is constantly bullied by everyone, until he meets Frank Talby. Talby is known to be one of the greatest gunmen ever, and Mary instantly begins to admire him. After saving Talby's life, Mary is taken under his wing to teach him to be the best at gun-fighting.  What Mary doesn't know is Talby's real motives, and no matter how much people warn him, he does not listen. A tale of betrayal and revenge then begins, making a climax one will never forget. 

The film stars Giuliano Gemma as Scott, Lee Van Cleef, Walter Rilla as Murph, and Christa Linder as Gwen. 

The Spaghetti Western genre has always been hit and miss for me, because there are the occasional movies that tell very powerful stories, and some that are just plain boring. Luckily, "Day of Anger" created a schema of what every Western should be. There was beautiful cinematography, wonderful scenes of action, engrossing characters, a grandiose and triumphant score by Riz Ortolani, and grit that will leave an impact on the viewer. I really love how the film balanced the action and story, because a lot of Westerns have too much of one of those, and not enough of the other. Also, the plot was much more than your typical "Cowboy flick," as it brought up themes of morality and corruption. I watched the hour and 53 minute Italian version of the movie, and while I believe it could have been a little shorter, there was not a moment that I was bored. 

Arrow Blu Ray Release

The copy of "Day of Anger" that I acquired was the Blu Ray/DVD set from Arrow Video. This three disc collection gives the viewer the definitive look at this film. On the Blu Ray disc, there is the original Italian version of the movie with option of Italian or English language, and there is also a shortened version that is only in English. All of these are available on the two DVD discs also included. The transfer for the film was absolutely beautiful, with a picture so clear that the movie didn't look its age, and the sound filled the air. The special features included are also good, with interviews with direct Tonino Valerii, screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi, and film critic/author Roberto Curti. Also featured is a deleted scene, trailers, a booklet by Howard Hughes, and a reversible sleeve with artwork approved by Reinhard Kleist.  This set is so worth the money, because it gives a full look at the movie, and truly does it justice. 

"Day of Anger" was a pleasant surprise in my movie watching, and I can honestly say its one of my new favorites in the Western genre. It is a very powerful and action packed flick, and it will not disappoint. Definitely check out this criminally underrated film, because it will blow you away.

Grade: 9.5/10
Blu Ray Grade: 10/10

Friday, April 1, 2016

Plan 9 From Outer Space(1959)

An image of a UFO in "Plan 9 From Outer Space"(can you see the strings?)

Director: Ed Wood
Rating: Not Rated

A trio of aliens come up with a plan to bring people back from the dead and use them as an army to save the world. 

The film stars Bela Lugosi as "Ghoul Man," Vampira as "Vampire Girl," and Tor Johnson as Clay.

I went into "Plan 9 From Outer Space" expecting the worst film ever made, and that is exactly what I got. With terrible acting, writing, directing, and laughable special effects, this movie is a clunker in every way. Luckily, the flaws that are present make the film much more enjoyable, resulting in one of the most hilariously entertaining movies of all time. Terrible dialogue like "Your stupid minds! Stupid, stupid," will forever be hysterical, and the string powered UFO's will always make me chuckle. I thought the narration was also extremely funny, because it gave the vibe of a cheesy movie trailer, rather than being the film itself. 

2012 Blu Ray release from Legend Films

The release of this movie that I purchased was a Blu Ray disc from Legend Films. This set includes B&W and color versions of the film, a commentary with Mike Nelson of "Mystery Science Theater 3000," Ed Wood home videos, commercials Wood made, and subtitles with trivia about the movie. This is a very worthy purchase, because it gives the definitive look at this historical film. 

Fans of B-Movies should look no farther than "Plan 9 From Outer Space," because it is the holy grail of the genre. The film is so terrible that it will charm you and have you laughing hysterically. Ed Wood was the master of bad movies, because he lacked the merit of film-making(to his advantage). So definitely check out this film, because it will not disappoint. 

Grade: 10/10 (A horrendously bad movie, but perfect for what it is).
Blu Ray Grade: 8/10

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Suspiria(1977)

Promotional poster of the film

Director: Dario Argento
Rating: R

A young girl named Suzy begins to attend a ballet academy in Germany, and is instantly terrified by the tragic occurrences taking place. She begins to look for help, and tries to uncover what the cause is. 

The film stars Jessica Harper as Suzy, Stefania Casini as Sarah, Flavio Bucci as Daniel, Alida Valli as Miss Tanner, and Joan Bennett as Madame Blanc. 

Right from the start of "Suspiria," I knew I was viewing a very special piece of art. The wild colors and loud music gave such an intense emotion, and there was a underlying tone of suspense that instantly captivated me. When I saw the first murder, I was jawdropped at how unrelenting and warped Dario Argento's paranormal masterpiece actually was. While the overall storyline is nothing extravagant, Argento used his distinct style to make one of the scariest and technically beautiful movies of the horror genre. There were so many times where I could do nothing but stare at the screen because I was so shocked about what happened. While the violence was not frequent, it really left an impact on its viewer, because there were instances that I had never seen before. The acting was also amazing, with an amazing leading performance by the stunningly beautiful Jessica Harper. One of the things that stuck out to me the most(along with the crazy lighting and colors) was the wonderful soundtrack by Goblin. The heavy and intense progressive sounds were absolutely perfect at making the viewer even more scared than before, because they captured the raw emotion of the characters' fear. 

South Korean Blu Ray release

The release of "Suspiria" I bought was a copy from South Korea. This Blu Ray is quite bare bone when it comes to special features, but I can honestly say that the transfer is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The picture was clear as water, and the sound blared to make everything scary as can be. I honestly would recommend this release, because while it only comes with a trailer, it definitely gives the experience of the movie that it deserves. 

I honestly can't recommend "Suspiria" enough, because it is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen, and it is also extremely scary. On top of being the best Argento film I have seen thus far, I may be able to call it my favorite horror movie. Definitely check out this masterpiece, because it will blow you away. 

Grade: 10/10
Blu Ray: 7/10

Monday, March 21, 2016

Wake Up and Kill(1966)

Arrow Video Blu Ray Release
Director: Carlo Lizzani
Rating: Unrated

"Wake Up and Kill"(aka "Wake Up and Die") tells the story of infamous criminal Luciano Lutring. Lutring was a jewelry thief during the 1960s in Italy, France, Amsterdam, and other places around the world. After meeting the love of his life Candida, more pressure is put on him to steal, because he wants to impress her with riches. Candida heavily disapproves of the criminal activity, but it is hard for her to leave the life she is leading with him. She then begins to realize that the only thing she can do is help the police find her husband, but she does not know how to do this without Luciano's life being taken.

The movie stars Robert Hoffman as Luciano, Lisa Gastoni in her Golden Globe winning performance as Candida, Gian Maria Volonté as Inspector Moroni, and Claudio Camaso as Franco. 

"Wake Up and Kill" was a total shot in the dark for me, as I had never heard of the film before seeing it on Amazon. The plot was intriguing enough in text, so I felt like the movie was worth a chance. I'm so glad for trying it though, because this film is a criminally underrated masterpiece. Even with a long running time of over two hours, there was not one moment where I was anything less than engrossed with what was happening. The main success of this film is the emotion and intensity that the cast and Lizzani's direction enabled. There is not an abundance of action, and there is not a lot of excess throughout, but there is the constant threat of Lutring being caught, which keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. The film is also much more than a crime flick, and the focus of Lutring and his wife really helps the viewer form an emotional connection. While it is apparent that their marriage is not healthy at all, there is still a lot of power in seeing how far Candida would go to protect her troubled husband. Every member of the cast gave Oscar worthy performances, because their emotion and characterization were beyond authentic. Hoffman became Luciano, and it was amazing to me that he was able to portray the decay of his character. Gastoni excelled as Candida, because she depicted the pain and stress that the wife of a gangster would be under in a convincing manner, and she made the audience care about her. Stylistically, this movie was quite flawless. There were amazing heist and car chase scenes, the cinematography was beautiful, and the score was very effective at portraying the emotions the characters were feeling. The ending was extremely suspenseful, and it left the viewer at an abrupt conclusion. As a viewer of this film, there was nothing I would change about it, because it was very enjoyable and beautifully made. The only thing that could have been improved was the title. I understand that "Wake Up and Kill" was a way to draw in audiences, but there was so much more substance and complexity to the story than this name suggests. 


Full View of Blu Ray Release

The version of the movie that I purchased was Arrow Video's release. This two disc set includes Blu Ray and DVD transfers, which feature the uncut Italian and shortened English versions of the movie. I watched the Italian cut on Blu Ray, and I have to say I was very impressed by the overall look. There were occasional specks throughout, but for the rarity of this film, this was more than acceptable. Most of the picture was clear as can be, and the sound was great too. The special features were quite scarce, with only a trailer being on the disc. While this was a little bit disappointing, I would not discourage buying the set, because it is still the definitive way to own this wonderful movie. The booklet that was included with the film was extremely interesting, and it gave information about the fact vs. fiction of the movie, Lizzano's career, more about Lutring's life, information about the cast and crew, a description about the restoration process of the film, etc. The reversible artwork for the sleeve is also very well done, and it adds to the physical appeal of the package. I would definitely recommend buying this copy of "Wake Up and Kill," because I think that it is great that a company like Arrow would take this little known movie, and make it available to the public. 

I cannot recommend "Wake Up and Kill" enough, because it is a very engrossing crime-drama that will leave an impact on its viewer. I am so glad that I was able to experience this film, because it gave me even more appreciation of Italian cinema, which I had already loved. All cinephiles should view this movie at some time, because it is a hidden treasure that needs to be uncovered. 

Grade: 10/10
Blu Ray Grade: 8/10

Friday, March 18, 2016

Spider Baby(1968)

Arrow Video Blu Ray
Director: Jack Hill
Rating: Unrated

"Spider Baby" is a horror-comedy about the Merrye siblings and their guardian Bruno. Each member of this family has been plagued with a disorder called "Merrye Syndrome," which makes them mentally regress back to the pre-natal stage, causing them to be crazy and cannibalistic. Bruno tries to watch over them, because he made a promise to their father long ago, but as their antics become more erratic and brutal, he knows he has to put a stop to it. 

The movie stars Lon Chaney Jr. as Bruno, Jill Banner as Virginia(aka "Spider Baby"), Sid Haig as Ralph, and Beverly Washburn as Elizabeth. The supporting cast includes Carol Ohmart as Emily, Quinn Redeker as Peter, Karl Schanzer as Schlocker, and Mary Mitchel as Ann. 

"Spider Baby" captivates its viewer right from the beginning, because of the wildly creative and frightening theme song by composer Ronald Stein, which includes vocals by Lon Chaney Jr. As the menacing music fills the atmosphere, and the wildly disturbing animation graces the screen, the audience knows they are in for a bizarre treat. What makes the theme song especially memorable though is the grand laughs from Chaney, and the piercing screams from an unknown woman, because they were so sinister and mindblowing. This quirky and creepy nature is really the basis of the entire film, because "Spider Baby" is the most unpredictable and infectiously fun hour and a half one could spend in the cinema. With off the wall humor, truly freaky scenes of horror, and powerful moments of unconditional love, this low budget treasure has everything. If you mashed together "The Addams Family" with "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and put a little bit of drama in too, then that would be a pretty accurate depiction of what "Spider Baby" is. The cast was absolutely wonderful, because each actor was so deep in their character that one would believe that the movie was actually real. The standouts for me were Chaney, because of his deep conviction and heartbreaking emotion in the character of Bruno, Haig, because of his absolutely hilarious insanity throughout, and Banner as Virginia, because she was so evil at times, yet she would still seduce you into loving her with her unreal beauty and innocent persona. Hill's direction in this movie was quite brilliant, because he nailed the macabre aspects of the story, and also kept such a lighthearted and goofy vibe throughout. Finally, the ending was awesome, because it left the viewer to their imagination, and gave a good laugh to conclude.  

Full View of the Arrow Release
Arrow Video has done nothing but impress me with the items I have bought from them, but this product went even farther beyond the others in quality. With both DVD and Blu Ray versions of the movie, a fantastic 39 page booklet about the film that includes writing by writer Stephen R. Bissette and interviews with the cast and crew, a reversible sleeve with two stunning artworks, and an outstanding amount of special features, this set gives "Spider Baby" the definitive tribute it deserves. The Blu Ray transfer of the film is absolutely beautiful, with completely clear picture, and wonderful sound. The booklet is so interesting, and it was the longest and most in depth that I have seen from the company so far. The special features had me hooked, and for once I actually watched them all in a row. They include a short film by Jack Hill called "The Host," which was a bizarre but intriguing student movie that he made starring Sid Haig. Director Francis Ford Coppola actually called this little known film his inspiration for the last parts of "Apocalypse Now." Also included were an audio commentary with Jack Hill and Sid Haig, an extremely interesting panel discussion that took place at the Academy's FILM-TO-FILM Festival, a very informative documentary about the movie called "The Hatching of Spider Baby," a short but wonderful featurette about composer Ronald Stein called "Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein," an extended scene, an alternative title sequence, the official trailer of the film, a featurette about the house "Spider Baby" was made in called "The Merrye House Revisited," and a photo gallery. I have never bought a Blu Ray that was so beautifully put together, and I will honestly say it is worth every cent. 

"Spider Baby" may not be a household name, but it is a cult classic for a reason. This gem from the 1960's is one of the funniest and most atmospherically creepy movies I have ever seen, and I was blown away from the start to the finish. I cannot recommend this film enough, because it should be seen by every fan of the cinema. 

Grade: 10/10
Blu Ray Grade: 10/10


Monday, March 14, 2016

Pit Stop(1969)

Arrow Blu Ray and DVD collection

A drag racer named Rick Bowman is bailed out of jail by a Figure Eight racing sponsor named Grant Willard. Throughout the film, we see the highs in Bowman's new-found fame, and the lows that show his true character.

The film stars Richard Davalos as Rick Bowman, Brian Donlevy as Grant Willard, Ellen Burstyn as Ellen McLeod, Sid Haig as Hawk Sidney, and Beverly Washburn as Jolene.

A large amount of B-Movies are technically bad films that the audience loves, but this picture beat that stereotype. "Pit Stop" is a brilliant early work by exploitation director Jack Hill. It has a really groovy blues soundtrack, awesome acting by Haig, Davalos, and Burstyn in particular, amazing scenes of racing and action, and a plot-line that is powerful and haunting at the same time. There is also a great balance between the humor and drama, which keeps the movie interesting throughout. I thought the black and white picture was a great idea for the film, because it showcased the vibe of a 50s drive-in movie. This also gave more grit to the atmosphere, which definitely wouldn't have been present in color. What stuck out to me most though was the ending of the film. There was such a deep and heartbreaking look at the person that Rick really is, and it left me with chills. I also liked how the conclusion left plot elements to the imagination, because it created a more realistic look at how the supporting characters would have felt. There wasn't really anything I disliked about "Pit Stop," because it was a brilliant and nearly flawless B-Movie that left me entertained the entire time.


Full view of the Arrow Release

Arrow Video's release of "Pit Stop" was an absolutely amazing collection, because it gave this little known film the release it deserved. The set includes both Blu Ray and DVD copies of the movie, which were approved by Hill himself. While the picture on the Blu Ray isn't flawless(there were occasional specs of dust and such), the transfer is still quite impressive being the available prints are most likely low quality. The extras in this set are much more extensive than any other release, and they include a booklet by critic Glenn Kenny and musicologist Gray Newell, a reversible sleeve, a featurette with Hill called "Crash and Burn," interviews with Sid Haig and Roger Corman, etc. This collection is one of the cheaper from Arrow, and it is definitely worth the money, because it gives a better experience of "Pit Stop" than ever before. 

"Pit Stop" may be an obscure film that most people haven't even heard of, but that does not mean that it should be passed up. I honestly feel that this movie is one of the finest in the underground, and it instantly has become a favorite of mine. There just weren't many films that could express so much in such a simple way, which shows its brilliance fully. I highly recommend "Pit Stop" to any cinephile, because it is a hidden treasure that needs to be found. 

Grade on a B-Movie: 10/10
Blu Ray Review: 9/10

Friday, March 11, 2016

A Note To All Readers

Hello to all of the readers of this website,

As you may have noticed, I have changed the name of my site to "The Good, The Bad, and The B-Movies." In the past, my page has only been horror reviews, but I began to think that maybe that was unfair. There are so many genres in the underground that deserve recognition, so I decided that the focus of this site will be about all B-Movies and cult films. There will still be plenty of horror to come, but there will also be glimpses of science fiction, action, blaxpoitation, etc. I hope you enjoy this change to the page, because that is what matters the most.

Sincerely, 
Ryan Gavalier- Author of "The Good, The Bad, and The B-Movies."

The Mutilator(1985)

Arrow Video Blu Ray

Director: Buddy Cooper
Rating: Unrated

Many years after accidentally killing his mother, a college age boy named Ed and his friends go down to his father's condo to lock it up for him. This invitation from Ed's father was peculiar, since him and his son became estranged after the tragedy that plagued their past. Everything seems fine and fun for the kids, until they are killed one by one by a mysterious stalker. 

The movie stars stars Matt Mitler as Ed, Ruth Martinez as Pam, Bill Hitchcock as Ralph, Connie Rogers as Sue, Frances Raines as Linda, Morey Lampley as Mike, and Jack Chatham as Ed Sr. 

"The Mutilator"(aka "Fall Break") is the canon of the slasher movies of the 80s. While it isn't at the quality level of classics like "Halloween," it is at the top of the second pedestal. The film's plot is very predictable, but this does not hurt the overall product at all, being its a low budget slasher. The movie is so enjoyably cheesy, with hilarious acting/dialogue, and a very upbeat soundtrack including the theme song "Fall Break."  What makes this movie especially memorable is the unrelenting and creative violence and gore. Makeup artist Mark Shostrom really went above and beyond with making the blood flow like wine. There were some truly shocking images that occurred, and I even noticed myself cringing occasionally. There was also a great build up of suspense before kills, and a truly freaky last twenty minutes. 

Full view of the Arrow Video release
The Arrow Video Release of "The Mutilator is an absolutely amazing product. It comes with a great Blu Ray transfer, a DVD copy, a booklet by Ewan Cant, and a reversible sleeve with two original artworks of the film. Along with these great features, there is also a plethora of extras including a wonderful hour and fifteen minute documentary called "Fall Breakers: The Story of The Mutilator," another documentary about the special effects called "Mutilator Memories," a feature about the music called "Tunes for the Dunes," trailers, screen tests, and much more.

Honestly the slasher genre does not get much better than "The Mutilator." This classic movie will shock you, make you laugh, and keep you entertained throughout its entire showtime. I can honestly say that I would watch this over some of the more famous films like "Friday the 13th." Any fans of horror and B-Movies needs to see this gruesome treasure, because it will hook you right from the start.

Grade on a B-Movie Scale: 10/10
Blu Ray Grade: 10/10


Thursday, March 10, 2016

Contamination(1980)

Arrow Blu Ray Release of "Contamination"

Director: Luigi Cozzi
Rating: Unrated

Military colonel Stella Holmes, former commander Ian Hubbard, and NYPD lieutenant Tony Aris investigate the mysterious epidemic of alien eggs that have deadly acid blood, which causes anything that it touches to explode.

The movie stars Ian McCulloch as Hubbard and Lousie Marleau as Holmes.

While "Contamination" has been known as an Italian ripoff of the 1979 classic "Alien," I saw it as much more. The story did have similarities to the latter film, but it was also much more elaborate, and it blended much more genres including scifi, horror, comedy, action/adventure, and romance. The movie is honestly everything that could be wanted in a B-Movie. There is laughable dialogue(intentional and unintentional), cheesy special effects, excessive gore, mediocre acting(with the exception of a great performance by McCulloch), and pure entertainment. I was honestly interested the entire time, because the movie had a perfect balance of serious and silly moments. I thought the body explosion scenes were extremely impressive, because while the gore was cheesy and obviously fake, it was still shocking. Goblin performed a really awesome prog-rock score, which gave the movie a psychedelic and futuristic feel. The only thing that I would have liked to see more of was tense moments with the alien eggs. The scenes that took place with them were actually very suspenseful, and they were some of the biggest highlights of the film. While I don't think the movie suffered from not having more alien scenes, I think it definitely would have been an improvement. 


Reversible cover of Arrow Release

The version of "Contamination" that I viewed was the uncut release from Arrow Video. I was highly impressed by the quality of the product, because it featured Blu Ray and DVD copies of the movie, great cover artwork that is reversible, a nice slip cover, a booklet, and loads of special features. The picture and sound of the Blu Ray transfer were both beautiful, and they both projected greatly. Some of the extras included were a Q&A with Ian McCulloch and Luigi Cozzi, a documentary with Cozzi about the film, a commentary with Fangoria editor Chris Alexander, a featurette with Goblin keyboardist Maurizio Guarini about the music, etc. Arrow really succeeded again with this great release, and it is the definitive copy of the movie.

While  "Contamination" is not a masterpiece, it is a very fun B-Movie that will keep you entertained for its hour and a half run. If you are a fan of underground cinema, then it is a must see.

Grade on a B-Movie Scale: 9/10
Blu Ray Grade: 10/10

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Zombie(1979)


Director: Lucio Fulci
Rating: Unrated

A group of strangers travel to a tropical island called Matul to find a girl's father, and are startled when they are exposed to the mass population of zombies that terrorize the area. They just fight these monsters with the civilians of the island, and do their best to survive. 

The movies stars Asa Farrow as Anne, Ian McCulloch as Peter, Al Cliver as Brian, Auretta Gay as Susan, and Richard Johnson as Dr. Menard.

"Zombie" is a slow burn to start off, but when it kicks in, it kicks in big time. This undead masterpiece from gore master Lucio Fulci is one of the most graphic and violent films of horror history. With throat ripping, eye gouging, and the eating of raw flesh, there is something that will make every viewer cringe. All of these scenes of terror were conducted very well, and they look quite convincing. The rest of the movie is really well done also. There is a nice, eerie vibe that gives the viewer chills, likable characters(even if the actors aren't all the most talented), an awesome music score, and some really beautiful filming. The film's ending was also very nice, because it left the viewer hanging to an extent, and was also a little bit humorous. I would overall say that I was very impressed by this movie, because there wasn't really anything I disliked, and the entire product was extremely enjoyable. 

I highly recommend giving "Zombie" a chance, because it is one of the most important zombie films in history. It is an in your face, brilliantly made, and exciting movie that will leave you at the edge of your seat until the very end. I honestly feel like this was Fulci's best of the subgenre, and it gives further support to why he brought the zombie formula into a much more edgy and unrelenting style. 

Grade: 9.5/10

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers(1988)


Director: Dwight W Little
Rating: R

Michael Myers escapes from a hospital after a ten year coma, following the terrible events on Halloween in Haddonfield. He is on a new killing spree, and his main target is his young niece Jamie, whom is the daughter of the recently deceased Laurie Strode. Jamie's foster sister Rachel, Dr. Loomis, and the town of Haddonfield must fight to protect her, and themselves. 

The movie stars Danielle Harris as Jamie, Donald Pleasance as Dr. Loomis, and Ellie Cornell as Rachel. 

While the idea of bringing Michael Myers back after being shot six times and lit on fire was stupid, this film is a slasher sequel, and the logic only matters so much. "Halloween IV" is an extremely exciting, gruesome, and at times freaky installment to my favorite horror franchise, and it is a guaranteed good time. There is great acting from Harris, Pleasance, Cornell, and most of the supporting cast, the kills are very creative and gory, and the movie is just extremely interesting. After the first film, the scariness of the series was gone for a little while, but there really are some intense and heart racing moments throughout this sequel. At times, with the ending specifically in mind, the darkness reminded me of "Friday the 13th Part 4: the Final Chapter," because everything felt very claustrophobic and real. The visual effects were also very nice throughout, with some clever slow motion and practical effects making the film have technical proficiency. The only thing that bugs me about the movie is that it does not almost feel like a feature film. Some of the vibe comes off as a direct to video or TV movie, and I know that they could've done better. My favorite part of the entire film is the ending, because it is such an insane plot twist, and it really ties into the original's plotline well. I will honestly say I was jaw dropped when it happened, because it was just so out there. 

While this installment of the "Halloween" series isn't perfect, it is a very enjoyable film that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. As long as you can look past some flaws of logic and other imperfections, then I guarantee a lot of fun. 

Grade: 8/10 

Halloween III: Season of the Witch(1982)


Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
MPAA: R

A doctor witnesses the mysterious murder-suicide that takes place at his hospital, and begins to investigate with the victim's daughter for the reason of this death. As they search, they find the responsible people are an evil CEO of Silver Shamrock and his henchmen. This business giant has a horrible and morbid scheme in mind, and the protagonists must do whatever it takes to stop it from happening. 

The movie stars Tom Atkins as Daniel, Stacey Nelkin as Ellie, and Dan O'Herlihy as Conal Cochran.

"Halloween 3: Season of the Witch" is an unfairly maligned film, because it is actually quite brilliant. It has a completely insane yet creative plotline that could not get past censors nowadays, great acting, good special effects, a truly creepy atmosphere, and it is just a lot of fun. Even if it doesn't have Michael Myers, it took the "Halloween" series in a really different and interesting direction. Tommy Lee Wallace did an awesome job as director, because he made a stylistically and technically great movie, which is better than any of the other sequels. What also made this a strong horror film was its gore and kills. While there wasn't a constant flow of violence, it really had a strong bite to it when it happened. Finally, the ending of the movie is one of the most outrageous and classic of horror in my opinion, and it leaves the viewer with their imagination. 

I can't stress it enough that anyone that hasn't seen "Season of the Witch" definitely should. The whole bandwagon of hate for this movie is unfair, because it is one of the finest horror films of the 1980s. If you go in with an open mind and you don't expect Michael, I feel that it will not disappoint.

Grade: 9.5/10

Thursday, March 3, 2016

The Blood Trilogy(1963-1965)



Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis
MPAA Rating: Unrated


"Blood Feast"(1963)




A psychotic Egyptian caterer kills women and uses their body parts to conjure up the Egyptian goddess Ishtar. After he is hired to cater a birthday party, he then has the task of the ritualistic "Blood Feast," which he takes much more literally than the hostess would've ever imagined. 

"Blood Feast" is in no respects a high quality film. It has terrible acting, mediocre writing, and cheesy direction. But even with these flaws, I could honestly call this movie one of the best in the B-movie genre. The plot is so outrageous and interesting, and the imperfections just add to the charm and occasional hilarity. Along with this, the film was groundbreaking with being the first real gore movie. There was certainly an excess of blood and guts, and this makes the film inaccessible for those with a weak stomach. 

Overall, anyone that loves low budget horror will fall in love with this movie immediately. It is such a fun and interesting treasure from the golden age of B-Movies, and is now one of my favorites. This installment is also the best in "The Blood Trilogy," although the others are extremely close in quality. 


Grade on a B-Movie scale: 10/10


"Two Thousand Maniacs"(1964)




A group of young 'yankees' are tricked to come to a Southern town called "Pleasant Valley" for a Centennial celebration, and they are then tortured and killed in outrageous ways as revenge for the town's fall during the Civil War. 

"Two Thousand Maniacs" was a really neat movie, because the plot was such an evil and clever one that no one other than Lewis would've thought of. The film shared the same crappy acting and production values as its predecessor, but it also comes up with many different ways to make the audience still love the movie. First off, the kills and gore are out of this world. Without giving any spoilers, I can honestly say that situations I have never even imagined came up in the movie, and they added to the overall shock value. Another aspect of the film that was neat was the Southern score. The theme song "Rebel Yell" by Herschell himself gave a dark but hilarious atmosphere, and it really captured the Southern feeling well. 

While "Two Thousand Maniacs" didn't surpass "Blood Feast" in my eyes, it still has a lot to offer as a fun B-Movie, and I would also include it in my favorites of the genre. 

Grade on a B-Movie scale- 9.5/10


"Color Me Blood Red"(1965) 



A painter with serious anger issues begins to kill people to use their blood for his art after discovering how nice it looks on a canvas. 

"Color Me Blood Red" was such a fantastic movie, because the plot was once again out of this world. It was very simple in words, but it worked so well to just blow the viewer's mind. The acting was very hit and miss throughout, because some of the performances were actually good, while others were unspeakably terrible. The bad acting doesn't hurt this film though, in conjunction with the previous two installments, because it makes a lighthearted charm that the viewer can chuckle at. The gore and kills were actually pretty awesome, and they were definitely on par with the other movies. I think what stuck out to me most with this installment was the teen storyline that was parallel to the main plot. This added  a whole different vibe to the film, as they did crazy stuff on the beach and drove around town. 

Overall, "Color Me Blood Red" was a solid sequel in the "Blood Trilogy" series. I would call equal with "Two Thousand Maniacs," because while the previous installment was more epic, this one possessed more charm. This movie cannot be missed though, because it is so much fun, and another one of the best B-Movies ever. 

Grade on a B-Movie scale: 9.5/10


Conclusion: 

"The Blood Trilogy" is such an awesome horror series, because every movie was consistent and highly enjoyable. The viewer really got to see Lewis at his filmmaking peak, because his stories were more creative and interesting than ever. I can't recommend this trilogy enough to B-Movie fans, because it definitely will not disappoint. 


Side Note: 

The entire "Blood Trilogy" can be purchased in a three-in-one Blu Ray pack on Amazon for about $11. There is only one disc in the case, but the picture and sound quality are absolutely beautiful. There is also a multitude of special feature including trailers, short films, commentaries, and outtakes. This is a very affordable and quality set that will be worth every cent. 

Series Grade: 9.75/10
Blu Ray Grade: 9/10

Friday, February 26, 2016

Black Sunday(1960)


Director: Mario Bava
Rating: Unrated

A woman and her lover are executed for witchcraft, and before she dies she lays a curse on the family of her killers. 200 years later, she comes back for her revenge as promised. 

The movie stars Barbara Steele as Katia and Asia, John Richardson as Andre, and Andrea Checchi as Thomas. 

"Black Sunday" is a beautifully filmed Italian gothic horror movie with a great atmosphere and score to add to the intensity. While it runs dry at times, scenes like the ending make it a very watchable film. The blood and violence were quite brutal for the time, foreshadowing how unrelenting the Italians of the genre have been since. I really liked Barbara Steele in the movie(as I usually do), because she can go from being calm to scary in the blink of an eye. 

"Black Sunday" is an important film of horror history, and it is definitely worth a watch for its style and notability. While it's not one of my all time favorites, it is definitely recommendable.

Grade: 7/10

Sunday, February 21, 2016

The Gore Gore Girls(1972)


Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis
Rating: Unrated

A reporter investigates the mysterious and heinous murders of dancers from a club in his town. Along the way, he is helped by employees of the club, old friends, and new acquaintances. 

The film stars Frank Kress as Abraham, Amy Farrell as Nancy, Hedda Lubin as Marlene, and Russ Badger as Lt. Anderson. 

I have been watching "The Wizard of Gore" for a while now, and while I love the movie, there are many flaws that throw me off. While "The Gore Gore Girls" is not a cinematic masterpiece, all of the problems from the previous film were fixed. While "Wizard of Gore" felt like gore with a plot, "The Gore Gore Girls" felt more like a good movie with some awesome gore. The plot was interesting, the characters had personality and memorability(even though the acting was nothing high class), the gore was out of this world and very creative in the ways it was used, the overall atmosphere was very cool and appropriate to the story, and the mystery and revealing of the murderer both had me very surprised. To top everything off, this movie was both intentionally and unintentionally hilarious to the point that I was laughing my head off 90% of the time. I was extremely impressed by how much this film improved upon "Wizard of Gore," because this was a much more entertaining and lively project in Lewis' catalog. 

Any lovers of B-Horror flicks will go crazy about how awesome "The Gore Gore Girls" is. The genre doesn't get much better than it. It is an outrageous, hilarious, and entertaining movie that kept me occupied the entire time. I highly recommend. 

Grade on a B-Movie Scale: 9.5/10(An excellent low budget horror film). 



Friday, February 19, 2016

Dominique(1979)


Director: Michael Anderson
Rating: PG

A greedy man drives his wife to suicide to acquire money from her will, and the plan comes back at him negatively when her spirit haunts him. 

The movie stars Cliff Robertson as David Ballard, Jean Simmons as Dominique Ballard, Jenny Agutter as Anne Ballard, and Simon Ward as Tony Calvert. 

"Dominique" is a slow burn, but there is a very strong and chilling atmosphere that keeps the viewer interested. The lighting, music, and camera angles all showed technical proficiency, because they were perfect for the moments of terror in the film. While the dialogue, writing, and acting are only mediocre, this doesn't make the film less enjoyable, because it is still interesting and thrilling. The ending was a humongous twist that I hadn't expected, and heightened my opinion of the movie greatly. 

"Dominique" is not a masterpiece in horror, but it is definitely worth a watch for lovers of B-movies. It is thrilling, technically beautiful, and an overall cool movie. 

Grade: 6.5/10(pretty good B-movie).

Fangs of the Living Dead(1969)