The Leather Boys

Director - Sidney J. Furie (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Iron Eagle)

Starring - Rita Tushingham (Mysteries, Black Journal), Colin Campbell (I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes), and Dudley Sutton (Cockney's vs. Zombies, Fun at the Funeral Parlour)

Release Date - 1964

Genre - Drama/Romance

Tagline - "The frustrations of sexual conflict"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When American Genre Film Archive announces a new film I often jump on it without a second guess.  They have released some of my favorite films over the years but sometimes they do release something that I just don't care for.  When I saw that AGFA was teaming up with Shout Factory I immediately tossed it in my cart without even reading the title.  When it finally arrived I had to work The Leather Boys into my schedule because I couldn't wait to spin it.

     The film follows a young motorcycle enthusiast who becomes a young newlywed.  His honeymoon starts off on shaky ground and after a few months the shine of marriage is quickly fading.  He finds himself falling out of love with his wife Dot who spends all her time on her looks and not enough time playing housewife.  He soon finds companionship in a fellow leather boy and when his grand-father suddenly passes away he invites his new friend in to stay with him and his grand-mother.  This friendship then blossoms into a romance that shakes the very foundations of his family and marriage.  

     I knew that The Leather Boys was an early piece of queer cinema from the mid-60s which made me really excited to check it out.  I had heard it mentioned by other cult cinema fans but after finally getting to see it I was not a fan.  Don't get me wrong because this is not a bad movie.  In fact, it's a phenomenal movie but I found myself bored through most of it.  I like bad movies and most people know my love for trashy cinema and this is not one of them.  I recommend it for fans looking for mid-60s cult flicks but if you are like me and enjoy exploitation then you will find yourself underwhelmed with it.  The acting in this one is great.  The cast is absolutely brilliant and they work so well together.  Their on screen chemistry is unmatched and the characters are perfectly portrayed.  With that being said, I found myself struggling to actually like the characters.  The cast does a fantastic job and the characters fit the film very well but they were boring to me.  I was expecting much more personality.  The story for this one does take a bit to get going but it does take risks especially for a movie in the mid-60s.  It's not often that you find a movie from this time that deals with sexuality in this manner.  Though the sixties were known as the generation of free love it was mostly meant for straight love.  Having a film take on something so taboo as homosexuality was almost unheard of at this time.  The risk does work but it takes some time to get to the meat of the story.  Finally, don't expect a blood bath with this one.  The film is character and story driven with no blood and gore for you sick fucks out there.  Overall, The Leather Boys is an important piece of cinema and some will enjoy it.  However, I was bored to tears through most of it.  I recommend it for cult movie fans but if you are like me and enjoy the sleazier side of cinema then I would skip it.  The release from AGFA and Shout Factory looks absolutely fantastic.  Collectors will want to snatch this one up.  

Walking the Edge

Director - Norbert Meisel (Night Children, The Devil Made Me Do It)

Starring - Nancy Kwan (Streets of Hong Kong, The Last Ninja), Robert Forster (Vigilante, Alligator), and Joe Spinell (Maniac, Rocky)

Release Date - 1985

Genre - Action/Crime

Tagline - "All hell broke loose when they stopped..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Vinegar Syndrome has been known to destroy wallets and break up relationships with their steady stream of monthly releases.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm a huge fan of Vin Syn and I would be lying if I said I wasn't addicted to their monthly releases.  With that being said, I'm also obsessed with their partner labels.  Sometime back Vin Syn introduced the world to Fun City Editions and I've been hooked ever since.  This fairly new label has really impressed me with their releases of Jeremy, Alphabet City, and Smile.  When they announced the release of Walking the Edge I knew this would be yet another first day purchase from the rising label.

     The film follows city taxi driver Jason (Forster) who picks up Christine (Kwan) and soon finds himself in the middle of a shoot out between Christine and group of thugs that is responsible for killing her husband and son.  With a hit on his head, Jason soon finds himself hiding and fighting for survival as homicidal thugs search for him.

     Walking the Edge is a film I was only recently aware of after someone on Facebook shared the original poster for the film.  I love artwork from the mid-80s and I instantly wanted to see it.  Sadly, copies for this one were out of my price range which only fueled my day one purchase of the film from Fun City.  The movie did live up to the artwork and I really enjoyed it.  FCE did a fantastic job with this one and I can see why Vin Syn has partnered with them.  The acting in this one is great.  I assumed that Forster would be the one carrying the film but he's not.  He does deliver a memorable performance here but Kwan is the real star.  She's a woman that was pushed too far and witnessed the death of her son.  I've seen crazy before and Kwan does one hell of a job at portraying it on screen.  There was several occasions where her performance gave me chills.  It's also great to see another performance from the late Joe Spinell.  He was one hell of an actor and did a fantastic job here.  The story for this one is almost a female lead version of Death Wish.  We follow a woman who had her family ripped apart by gangsters who then goes on a killing spree to avenge their deaths.  Pretty similar to Death Wish except it's not as gritty and more character driven than story driven.  It was fun but there was a few scenes that felt rushed and very uneven.  I don't know if the crew was under a deadline or something but these scenes do stand out and interrupt the flow of the film.  Finally, the film has some bloody and some gun wounds but that's the extent of it.  The film is more concerned with the characters over blood.  Overall, Walking the Edge may not be the most action packed action flick to come out of the 80s but it does entertain which is all we can ask from it.  It has a great cast and a solid story that works.  The release from Fun City is gorgeous and should be on every collector's shelf.  

Hail to the Deadites

Director - Steve Villeneuve (Stories of a Gravedigger, Under the Scares)

Starring - Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, Bubba Ho-Tep), Betsy Baker (American Horror Story, Brutal Massacre: A Comedy), and Dan Hicks (Porkchop, Evil Dead II)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror/Documentary

Tagline - "A documentary about fans of The Evil Dead"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Tom Savini's Night of the Living Dead is the film that sparked my life long love of horror but The Evil Dead trilogy was my first obsession.  I had already seen Evil Dead II when I was little before my mom left but it wasn't until I had picked up Army of Darkness that I fell in love with the trilogy and the character of Ash.  I went on the hunt that summer and snagged both Evil Dead films on tape and a few years later I upgraded them to DVD.  I've watched them more times than I can count and I've met some pretty cool people online through various fan pages and message boards.  A few days ago Scream Factory sent over a press release for the documentary Hail to the Deadites which follows hardcore fans of the series and what they love about the film so much.  I shared the article on the site and a few days later I was sent a link to check it out for review.  I want to thank Scream Factory for allowing Horror Society early access to the film!

     The documentary follows fans of the Evil Dead trilogy as they talk about when they first saw the films along with how it has impacted them from that day forward.

     I love documentaries but I've learned over the years that I enjoy documentaries about certain subject and I greatly enjoy when the documentary is informative or educational.  In recent years I've found myself going out of the way to check out horror docs and the cryptozoological and paranormal docs from Small Town Monsters because I learn something.  With that being said, I'm not fond of the docs that are centered around fans.  They do have some entertainment value but I often find myself rolling my eyes than watching the movie.  Hail to the Deadites, along with films like Ghostheads, puts focus on the fans and not the films.  It's interesting to look at for a short period of time but not for a an hour and a half.  As a fan of The Evil Dead I couldn't fathom getting in front of a camera and talking about it expecting people to listen.  Films like this is for a very niched market but collectors like myself will want to own it to sit beside my copies of the Evil Dead films.  The interviews in this one are all personal with several people relaying their love of the film and how much of an impact it has had on them.  In some cases it spawned a life long hobby of collecting, cosplaying, and some even find more like love.  The topics discussed range from collecting props, copies of the films, rare items, and even props and artifacts from filming locations.  We then move into cosplaying as Ash, to convention appearances, and how the cast did not expect to see the film grow like it did.  Finally, the film is edited together nicely and flows very smoothly.  I was expecting a little bit of an amateur quality when I went to check this one out but it is nicely put together and flows very well.  Overall, Hail to the Deadites is a look into the lives of hardcore Evil Dead fans and how they go to great lengths to show how much they love the film.  Fans of the Evil Dead may not be the target audience for this one but more so the fans that have spent a considerable amount of disposable income to collect items from the film or cosplayers.  Regardless, it was a decent watch but I would have enjoyed a doc about the film instead of one on the fans.  

The Slayers

Director - John Williams (Crispy's Curse, Mothertown)

Starring - Darren McAree (There's Something in the Shadows, Dead Town), Matthew Sandland (Beneath Still Water, The Director), and George Newton (Predator Dark Ages, Whiteblade)

Release Date - 2015

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "2 men, 2 weeks to live, too many vampires"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I fucking love a good horror comedy that finds a fun balance between horror and comedy.  Films like Evil Dead II, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Dead Alive, and so many more has entertained thousands if not millions of fans over the years with their unique blend of horror and comedy.  A few weeks back I saw that MVD was handling the release of Wild Eye's The Slayers.  I'm familiar with John Williams after reviewing his film Mothertown sometime ago so I was really curious about this one. I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send this one over.  Like always, I want to thank MVD and Wild Eye for always supporting Horror Society and allowing us the opportunity to review their films.  

     The film follows two nitwits who are part of a doomsday cult.  When the other members of the cult kill themselves they decide to not to and spend the next two weeks checking off their bucket list.  They buy an old bus and make out on a trip across the UK where they find themselves in Scotland where they cross paths with a stranger.  After an incident they suspect he is a vampire and decide to follow him where they watch a vampire hunter kill him.  Soon they are tossed in the middle of a war between the living dead and a small band of vampire slayers. 

     The Slayers is not the film I was expecting but I had a lot of fun with it.  The humor worked and the horror, though light, was still very entertaining.  The film is a little heavy on the humor but it is still charming and fun.  I can see some of the more hardcore and blood hungry genre fans not caring for this one but those of you that are more focused on story and character development you will really enjoy it. The acting in this one really surprised me.  The supporting cast is all in and deliver some very enjoyable performances.  A lot of the character stood out and the cast was phenomenal in their roles.  With that being said, Darren McAree and Matthew Sandland are the stars of the show.  Their portrayal of the two idiots that are part of a doomsday cult is fucking hilarious.  I really enjoyed the energy they brought to the film and their characters are so much fun.   The story for this one is simple but I enjoyed it.  Two idiots find themselves in the middle of an ancient war between vampires and slayers.  I liked it but some of you may not enjoy a film that is more humor than horror.  The horror aspect takes the backseat through a lot of the film in the same way that it does in Lesbian Vampire Killers.  I enjoyed it and found it funny but only about 70 percent of the jokes found their marks.  I would have loved to see a little more focus on the horror and a little less on the jokes that felt forced.  Finally, the film has some funny gags with plenty of blood and some visuals that didn't look too bad.  Most films with this kind of budget usually employs some of the worst visuals imaginable but this one doesn't.  They looked decent for what they were and the practical effects did as well.  Overall, The Slayers is an enjoyable indie horror comedy that may not be for everyone but if you enjoy the light side of the genre then you will love this one.  Check it out now on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing.  

Baphomet

Director - Matthan Harris (They Came from Hell, The Inflicted)

Starring - Colin Ward (The Face of Evil, Trick Shot), Rebecca Weaver (Winter Guest, June Falling Down), and Matthan Harris

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The ultimate terror has awakened"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     We don't get enough horror films centered around cults.  We get a few here or there but we don't get nearly as much as we do slashers and zombie flicks.  I would love to see horror films about cults and witches become the newest trend because I absolutely fucking love them.  A few weeks ago I received a press release for the horror film Baphomet starring Dani Filth of Cradle of Film.  I'm not much of a CoF fan but I was really interested in the film.  I saw that this was yet another titled that MVD was handling so I reached out to them for a review copy which they were kind enough to send over.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a family who live on a ranch that has been in their family for some time when a young stranger approaches them to buy it.  When the father refuses to sell it he soon finds himself and his family cursed by a cult that needs that land to perform a Satanic ritual.

     I was very curious about this one and enjoyed it for the most part but it was extremely goofy at times.  Hell, it was very goofy but I found it very enjoyable.  The acting in this one is very cheesy at times but I have a fondness for cheese.  Actor and director Matthan Harris made me laugh several times throughout the film with his performance.  These unintentionally funny moments really caught me off guard and it's clear he wrote the character of Mark for himself to portray.  He's fully dedicated to his role but the character's attempt at being a hero mixed with the tone of the film made it feel extremely goofy.  It almost had that same hero vibe as those films you can find on the Christian network.  The rest of the cast delivers solid performances that fit the film very well.  The characters are well written and work.  With that being, the entire Dani Filth cameo should be cut.  It's a cheap ploy to get a recognizable name in the film but having him only appear in a video call really takes the impact away.  He shouldn't be billed in the film if he only appears for two quick Skype calls.  The story for this one is fun but nothing that really sticks out.  A family, who has been on the property for decades, is suddenly terrorized and cursed by a Satanic cult.  I dig the premise but why is the Satanic cult suddenly interested in the property?  It would make more sense to have a new family moving in to the home.  Regardless, I really liked the cult angle and the curses inflicted on the family.  There were really fun and worked well with the story.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments with some simple yet effective practical effects.  It's not gory but the practical and make-up effects looked great.  The only downfall to this is that the demonic creature looked so good but only had a small amount of screen time.  Overall, Baphomet is going to be hit or miss with the genre fans.  Personally, I enjoyed it but the uneven tone of the film and the goofy character did take away from the overall film.  

Virus Shark

Director - Mark Polonia (Ghost of Camp Blood, Bride of the Werewolf)

Starring - Yolie Canales (Sharkenstein, Queen Crab), Steve Diasparra (Bigfoot vs. Zombies, Jurassic Prey), and Sarah Duterte (Deadly Playthings, Invasion of the Empire of the Apes)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've seen some wild shark flicks over the years but they seem to keep getting stranger and stranger as time goes on.  Sharknado sparked the imagination of so many genre fans some years back and the creativity some of them has brought to the table is truly impressive.  Over the years we've seen Shark Exorcist, Sharkenstein, Raiders of the Lost Shark, Spirit Animal, and many more than eludes me.  I love a clever no budget horror film so when SRS Cinemas announced the release of Virus Shark I knew I would have to see it.  I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send a DVD of the film my way to review.  Thanks guys!

     The world as we know it as fell when a virus called SHVID-1 spreads through mankind turning them into flesh eating zombies.  SHVID-1 began from a shark bite so a team of scientist go to an underwater lab to find a cure as the world above them begins to crumble.  However, deadly sharks and weak structure forces the remaining crew to flee to the world above forcing them to face those that have been changed by the virus.

     You don't go into a movie like Virus Shark, or any of the other shark movies I mention beforehand, expecting a genre defining film that shakes up the horror community.  You go into a movie like this for a cheap laugh and watch no budget creativity.  Sadly, the film had a really interesting idea that not only combined sharksploitation with the recent pandemic but it failed to deliver anything more than a no-budget spin on a SyFy original.  I can count on one hand how many films has put me to sleep but this one almost knocked me out.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent with some people really dedicating themselves to their roles while others have some of the driest dialogue delivery I have ever seen.  Hell, one of the characters in the film acts as if she is high or drunk while giving her dialogue with a confused look on her face the entire time.  The uneven acting makes for an extremely long film while pointing out the flaws in the story.  The story for this one has so much promise.  We get a shark story mixing with the pandemic which is extremely clever.  However, it seems as if the clever writing ended there.  The movie has drawn out scenes with clunky dialogue and extremely predictable.  I found myself dozing off several times throughout this one.  It really needed more action sequences along with a bit more horror.  Finally, the film has some blood and a lot of make-up effects but the incredibly bad visual effects makes it laughable.  I really enjoyed the make-up effects and the colors that was used but the visuals and lack of fun gore made it a bit disappointing.  Overall, Virus Shark feels like one of the many movies that started out as a joke among friends that soon gained traction and became a film.  Sadly, its missing a good chunk of story with a lot of missed opportunity. SRS has so many more entertaining films to check out so skip this one.  

Flakka 666

Director - Luis Antonio Rodriguez (Border Cartel, The Final Blow)

Starring - Erik Alamia (The 13th Friday, The Blood Tapes), Anna Aparicio, and Nikki Aparicio

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Wild Eye is one of the few companies that give indie productions a voice.  I love getting in new Wild Eye releases.  Even if I don't care for the film I still enjoy watching something that people put a lot of time and hard work into.  It's impossible for me to love everything Wild Eye releases but I do respect a lot of the films I didn't like.  Sometime back I saw that Wild Eye was releasing another installment in their Raw and Extreme line.  Flakka 666 had one of those posters that really caught my attention and I wanted to see it.  I reached out to MVD who was handling the release and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a Mexican drug dealer who is smuggling product across the border when he gets his hands on something a little special.  His drug manufacturer also dabbles in black magic and crafted up a new drug.  However, this new drug is turning the users into flesh-eating zombies.

     I never expect my reviews to help determine if someone should watch a movie or not.  People have already made up their mind when they see the poster or title for a film.  I respect that because I'm the same way.  If people told me that Flakka 666 was a bad movie I wouldn't care because that title and Wild Eye's artwork already peaked my curiosity.  With that being said, Flakka 666 did not live up to it's title and artwork.  It was a very interesting premise that had so much potential but the final film just fell short.  The acting in this one is not bad but it's very inconsistent and at times the cast seems to be lacking energy.  No one can question their dedication to the film but their inexperience shows at time with awkward dialogue.  When you mix this with the slow scenes and lack of character development you get a difficult film to finish.  The story for this one is one that has been done before but with a fantastic Satanic angle.  There has been several films where drug use has lead to the users becoming zombies.  However, the black magic mixed in with it opened up the door to so many possibilities that was never explored.  I would have loved to see more of the black magic explored.  Instead, we get a film that is choppy at times with random scenes put together of people doing drugs and turning into zombies.  Indie productions are plagued with problems from casting, scheduling conflicts and so much more.  The movie plays out like certain scenes were filmed at various times and then put together with little regard to the actual story.  This could be due to issues with filming but I feel as if something is missing.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood but it's not as gory as you would expect from a zombie flick.  The practical effects works fairly well for most of the gags but there is a few times where the effects do show the film's budget.  Overall, Flakka 666 is an interesting idea that falls apart from the script to the camera.  It has some fun moments but the lack of energy and story makes it really hard to finish.  I would love to see this story approached with more attention to the occult and zombies.  

Nobody

Director - Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry, The Medic)

Starring - Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), Aleksey Serebryakov (Pilgrim, Furious), and Connie Nielson (Wonder Woman, One Hour Photo)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Action/Crime

Tagline - "Never underestimate a nobody"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Bob Odenkirk became well known in recent years after portraying Saul in AMC's Breaking Bad and the spin-off Better Call Saul.   The comedy legend has spent decades writing for television and starring in several sketch comedy shows before taking on more serious roles.  Not long ago I saw the trailer for Nobody and was all in.  Odenkirk taking on a John Wick type role sounded absolutely amazing.  When the press release came in for it I was quick to request a copy.  The day I got the UHD in I immediately tossed it in to watch.  It did not disappoint.  

     The film follows Hutch (Odenkirk) who is a seemingly harmless father and husband.  That is until two burglars break into his home and rob him at gunpoint.  This awakens a part of him that he thought he had long since buried.  He caves in and goes out looking for some excitement where he beats up a group of thugs who were about to harass a woman on a bus.  He finds himself beat and bruised but the victor.  However, what he doesn't know is that one of the young thugs he beat up is the brother of a Russian gangster.  Soon he has the entire underworld searching for him.

     Nobody is one of those movies that hits like a truck and will unjustly be compared to films like John Wick.  Both are fantastic films in their own way with similar stories but where John Wick takes the viewer into the glamourous world of highly paid and trained assassins, Nobody takes the viewer into the world of a man who likes inflicting pain and he's very good at it.  Both films are amazing but for different reasons but viewers will compare the two from the jump.  The acting in this one is absolutely fantastic.  Odenkirk delivers one of his most memorable performances that overshadows everything he has done in the past.  Most people will always remember him as a funny man or as Saul but he is solidifying himself as an unlikely action star.  The world deserves a sequel starring Odenkirk.  The supporting cast is just as fun.  Some have bigger characters that have a lot more screen time but there is no weak links in this one.  The story for this one is so much fun.  We follow a normal, everyday dad living in the nice part of town.  His son sees his father as a weak man who lets people walk all over him while his daughter is his world.  However, a switch is flipped and this mild mannered man becomes deadly.  It was so much fun watching this character go from the father most of us knows to a trained killer.  It is predictable but the wild ride makes up for it.  Finally, the film is fucking bloody and full of great fight scenes.  The practical effects used look great and the choreography was fantastic.  There is plenty of blood to go around and the action is non-stop once it gets going.  Overall, Nobody is my favorite film of '21.  I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to watch it again.  If you are sleeping on this one I suggest you wake the fuck up and check it out!

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One

Director - Chris Palmer (Voltron: Legendary Defender, Superman: Man of Tomorrow) 

Starring - Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, My Bloody Valentine), Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Touristas), and Naya Rivera (Glee, Frankenhood)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Crime/Horror

Tagline - "Naughty or nice.  Trick or treat.  Hero or villian"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     DC has really impressed me over the years with their animated films.  Honestly, I avoided these releases until Gotham by Gaslight and from that moment on I was hooked.  Hell, I even went back and started grabbing the older releases because they are that fun.  When I received the press release for Batman: The Long Halloween Part One I was too damn excited to check it out.  I jumped at the email asking for a review copy and when I saw other reviewers get it in and I didn't I was concerned.  However, the next day it showed up and I was shitting my pants.  Thank you WB and DC for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young Dark Knight as he investigates a serious of murders during the holidays by a serial killer dubbed the Holiday Killer.  His investigation leads him to a member of a crime family and his old enemy The Joker before his trail runs cold.

     The Long Halloween Part One was a pretty entertaining "who done it" set in the early years of Batman's career but It's far from the best animated DC film I've seen.  In fact, it wouldn't even scratch in the top ten.  However, as far from perfect as it is I still enjoyed it.  I just wish there was more to it.  The voice acting in this is great.  As a Supernatural fan I loved hearing Jensen Ackles as Batman/Bruce Wayne.  For years fans have begged to see Ackles wear the cowl but hearing him as Batman was just as fun.  He did a fantastic job as did everyone else in the film.  The entire film features amazing voice acting from seriously talented actors.  The story for this one is, obviously, split up into two segments with Batman working with Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon to find the Holiday Killer.  Through several dead ends we end with Batman chasing the suspected killer.  The story as is takes a long time getting started only to end.  I'm sure if you were to combine both parts into a three hour film it would make a more enjoyable film but as is the cliffhanger is very disappointing.  Finally, the animation didn't sit well with me.  Don't get me wrong, everything looks great but a lot of the characters were illustrated the same which created some confusion.  It wasn't until the characters actually spoke that you could tell them apart.  As I said, the animation doesn't look bad but it looks like some of the male models were recycled.  Overall, The Long Halloween Part One is another great Batman animated feature but it takes too long to get started and once it does the film ends with a cliffhanger.  It's fun but I would have rather watched both segments together.  

Siberia

Director - Abel Ferrara (Ms. 45, Body Snatchers)

Starring - Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, John Wick), Dounia Sichov (The Sleeping Beauty, Happy End), and Simon McBurney (The Conjuring 2, Being Human)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     With the pandemic slowing the everything down I rarely expect to get a movie in for review anymore.  I guess I should explain what I mean.  Companies like Blue Underground, Vinegar Syndrome, Severin, and so on release older titles on newer formats.  The pandemic didn't really slow them down as they were already filmed.  However, I don't expect to to get many new films in for review.  A few weeks ago I received the press release for the Willem Dafoe film Siberia.  This one was filmed in 2019 prior to the pandemic and just received a physical release.  I was grateful to get this one in for review and couldn't wait to check it out.

     The film follows Clint (Dafoe) who lives alone in the frozen tundra.  He moved there to find himself and seek piece but his journey takes him into his dreams and nightmares.

     Siberia is a tough film to watch.  It's very confusing and at times it felt conflicting.  Some people may not enjoy it all all but I had fun with it WHEN I understood what was happening.  Regardless, I think it deserves your time.  The acting in this one is great.  Dafoe is center stage through this entire film and he does not disappoint.  He really submerges himself in the role and delivers, what I would consider, to be his trippiest performance yet.  The supporting cast is solid but they are only on screen for a short period of time.  The story for this one is a bit of a mess but there was some fun moments.  Actually, a lot of fun moments but it was very confusing at times.  I would have to take my socks off to count the times I was left baffled by what was going on.  From reading the reviews on imdb I can see I'm not the only one.  The movie would have been a lot more fun if it actually made sense or had a story that was more straight forward.  If confusing the viewer or insulting their intelligence was what they were after then they were successful.  Finally, the film has a lot of trippy scenes.  Some has nudity, male and female, others have nightmare sequences with a grizzly.  The movie bounces through a lot of different scenarios but there isn't any fun death scenes that most horror fans are looking for.  There is a few death scenes that are fun but they don't really deliver the gruesome imagery that we are always on the lookout for.  Overall, Siberia is going to be a frustrating watch for a lot of you but if you stick with it the payoff is worth it.  I enjoyed it but I will never dive back into this one sober.  

The Deep Ones

Director - Chad Ferrin (Parasites, Tales from the Crapper)

Starring - Gina La Piana (Ali G Indahouse, 30 Days to Die), Johann Urb (Arrow, Resident Evil: Retribution), and Robert Miano (Elvis from Outer Space, Legend of Fall Creek)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Terror lies deep"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Like many genre fans, I'm a huge fan of H. P. Lovecraft.  When I was in middle school I started reading Goosebumps and when I ran out of installments to read I found myself checking out Stephen King and some of the collections of local ghost stories from the school library.  While in a library near my brother's I found a collection of Lovecraft's work and that was it.  Soon I was reading his stories and watching his adaptations like Re-Animator and From Beyond.  A few weeks ago I saw that The Deep Ones which is based on Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth.  I was really interested in this one so I reached out and was able to get a copy to review.  I actually received a pretty rad care package that included some tentacles, an awesome mug, and some Kraken rum.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a young couple who rent a house in a beachside community.  However, their neighbors are extremely old fashioned and take care of themselves.  Their strange encounters with them continue until the young man starts abandoning his wife to be with them leaving her alone until her friend arrives.  Soon she discovers that they are a cult of sorts that worship a creature in the sea.

     I've seen some extremely effective and horrifying Lovecraft adaptations over the years.  I've also seen some bad ones.  The Deep Ones lands itself somewhere between the two.  It's watchable but I could recommend several others that are better.  The film is able to craft a solid story but lacks in other ways.  It wasn't a bad first time watch but I will probably never watch it again.  The acting in this one isn't bad but I really hated the characters.  They were all very annoying and extremely flat.  They all lacked depth and the film gave them no development.  I don't want to blame the actors because I'm sure they did the best with what they were given but I was expecting them all to die.  The story for this one was actually pretty solid.  It had good pacing and even though I was familiar with the story I was still unable to completely predict everything.  With that being said, the film lacked atmosphere and tension to make the story effective.  I enjoyed it but it could have used a classic horror touch.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  We get some cool tentacles props and some visual effects but nothing as appealing to Lovecraft fans as Dagon and The Resurrected.  Overall, The Deep Ones was a honest attempt at a Lovecraft adaptation.  The story had plenty of promise but the flat and unlikable characters meshing with the straight scenes with no tension made for a film that just doesn't cut it.  It's alright for a first time watch with a few fun moments but nothing more.  

The Walking Dead: World Beyond Season One

Creator(s) - Scott M. Gimple (The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead) and Matthew Negrete (The Walking Dead, Power Rangers R.P.M.)

Starring - Alexa Mansour (Unfriended: Dark Web, The Resident), Aliyah Royale (Strange Calls, Major Crimes), and Nico Tortorella (Scream 4, Odd Thomas)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The end of the world was our beginning"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in high school a substitute science teacher and I was talking about horror movies which quickly spilled into horror novels.  It didn't take long for the conversation to land on comics.  Due to where I lived I was unfamiliar with a lot of comics because nowhere near my hometown carried them.  He told me about several and a few days later he showed up with a couple for me to check out.  Among them was The Walking Dead. I fell in love with the comic series and when I was in college AMC premiered the television adaptation of the comic.  I loved the show but by season 4 I was burned out.  I've watched up to season 8 I think after I was sent them for review but the show has pretty much ran it's course.  With that being said, when I received the press release for World Beyond I was very curious about it.  I reached out and AMC was nice enough to send over a review copy for me to check out.  Thanks!

     The film takes place 10 years after the day "the sky fell" with a community of survivors living in a fortified university.  The adoptive daughters of one of the community's leaders decide to leave in search of him along with two friends.  He was helping a secretive organization who was trying to put an end to the zombie outbreak but after they received some cryptic messages they left to look for him.  Soon after their departure they are followed by two other survivors from their community.  One is a brother figure to the young girls while the other is secretly a plant who is trying to sabotage their mission.

     The Walking Dead series has been using the same plot outline for almost a decade and it's became stale.  It's not as dramatic as it once was and the predictability has killed the show.  However, World Beyond doesn't really step out of the standard Walking Dead premise but it does go about it in a different way which makes it a little more enjoyable.  Hell, I actually enjoyed this first season and I look forward to the second.  The acting in this one is very well done with the characters being the highlight of the show.  The cast is very young but their filmography speaks volumes.  Some of them have been attached to some fantastic projects prior to World Beyond and they used that experience to deliver some seriously impressive performances.  The characters, as I stated earlier, is the highlight of the series and the cast does a fantastic job bring them to life.  Everyone involved should be very proud of the characters they created.  The story for this one mixes what the original uses with the survivors fighting other survivors while the dead wreak havoc with a much younger cast of characters that grew up in this world.  The way the story is approached we still get the mankind is the real monster angle but the focus on the young characters who was forced to adapt to a new world at a younger age made the dull story fun again.  The story is a still predictable but the journey is fun.  Finally, the series wouldn't be part of The Walking Dead universe if it didn't have amazing practical effects.  We get many of the iconic make-up effects with most of the zombies looking absolutely fantastic.  The bee-hive zombie is a new favorite of mine.  With that being said, there is a few times where the masks on the zombies looked extremely goofy but these are few and far in between.  Overall, World Beyond may be beating a dead horse by this point but it does bring a little life to a series that I felt has been dead for some time.  It's fun and if you are like me and gave up on the original Walking Dead series then I would recommend giving this one a shot.  

True Story of a Woman in Jail: Hell of Love

 

Director - Koyu Ohara (Rope Hell, Fairy in a Cage)

Starring - Hitomi Kozue (Sanctuary in the Night, Nasty Relationship), Mihoko Arikawa (Lesbian World: Ecstasy), and Kumi Natsuki 

Release Date - 1975

Genre - Crime

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Impulse Pictures has released some solid sleaze over the years but I'm forever obsessed with the Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection line they have.  These Japanese "pink" films has been some of the most entertaining sexploitation flicks I have ever seen with a few of them becoming some of my favorite films.  A few days back MVD sent over a few Impulse releases with one NEFC release in it which was 1975's True Story of a Woman in Jail: Hell of Love.  This is the third film in a trilogy following the character of Mayumi.  Sadly, I had not seen the previous two films but I was told that I can still enjoy this one without seeing the first two.  Thanks again MVD for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young bride who finds her husband in bed with another woman.  Her temper gets the best of her and blood is spilled.  She quickly finds herself in prison filled with lesbians, torturous guards, and more lesbians.

     Hell of Love may be the third film in a trilogy but it definitely stands out.  With that being said, I'm looking forward to checking out the first two films.  I really enjoyed this slice of Japanese sexploitation, or pink.  It was a lot of sleazy fun with just enough story to keep me watching.  The acting in this one is good enough to make the film watchable but bad enough to make it awkward at times.  I liked the characters and a few of them had a lot of fun in front of the camera.  However, you don't toss in a pink flick expecting to see award winning performances.  You do so for the skin...perverts.  The story for this one is the basis for so many women in prison films from all around the world.  A woman does something, usually killing a cheating lover, then finds herself in prison with a evil warden or guard and plenty of same sex love scenes.  I've reviewed at least a dozen films with the same plot from the U.S., Italy, Spain, and so on.  It's nothing knew but the fun characters and energetic love scenes makes it very enjoyable regardless of how many times you've seen the premise.  Finally, the film does have a little a little blood but the focus of this is more on the skin and the set up than blood.  Horror fans will not enjoy it but cult cinema fans will know exactly what to expect.  Overall, Hell of Love may not be one of the most well known Japanese pink films but it is one that fans will thoroughly enjoy.  Collectors will want to add this Impulse release to their collections!

Around the World with John "The Wadd" Holmes"

Director - Donald U. Canard 

Starring - John Holmes (Nasty Nurses, Disco Sex Party), Gloria Adams (Welcome Stranger), and Colleen Brennan (Killer Teens, Street Heat)

Release Date - 1975

Genre - Erotic

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Modern adult cinema has seen the rise and sometimes fall of several notable names ranging from Jenna Jameson, Peter North, Stormy Daniels, and so many more.  Its a billion dollar business and a lot of big names are attached to that.  However, during the late 70s and 80s the adult film world consisted on very few known names but one that always stands out is Johnny Wadd.  John Holmes is a name that many people still talk about when adult films is mentioned.  I've been lucky enough to review several films he appeared in over the years.  A few days back MVD sent over the DVD release of Around the World with John "The Wadd" Holmes from Impulse Pictures.  Once again I want to thank MVD for sending this one my way.  

      The film follows John Holmes in his day to day life as an adult film star.  Secretly, he's looking for a woman that can take all of his schlong.  He continues his search as he travels the world working.

     I've seen some fun sexploitation flicks that had small roles from Holmes but I had never seen a film that was actually starring him.  This was filmed during the height of his popularity and I have to admit that it's one of the goofiest films I have ever seen.  I would often argue that there is no movie that is so bad that it's good and that if a movie is fun then it's doing it's job.  However, this movie is so fucking goofy that I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.  Aside from the laughs, I was struggling to finish this one.  The acting in this one is simple and straight forward.  Ever scene begins with a little introduction by Holmes before a little acting then we move to the hardcore sex scene that is either narrated by Holmes or the woman he is fucking.  These narrations is the funniest shit I have ever witnessed.  I was in stitches listening to the women narrate their scenes with Holmes.  The movie is worth a watch just for this.  The story is just as straight forward as the acting.  Holmes "travels" to different places around the world and fucks.  The set up is always different but the basic premise never changes.  It's fun for the set up of the first scene but it's gets old fairly quick.  It's the same basic set up that Joe D'amato uses in Crazy Nights where we jump to different points of the world for nudity.  Finally, no blood or gore in this one.  However, we get plenty of skin and a lot of Holmes' sex face.  Overall, Around the World with John "The Wadd" Holmes is extremely funny but offers nothing else.  I would highly suggest giving this one a spin with some friends and a lot of booze but if you are wanting a serious sexploitation to check out then this one is not for you.  

The Girl in the Basket

Starring - Candy Allison, Rene Bond (Country Hooker, Flesh Gordon), and Ric Lutze (Different Strokes, Midnight Eyes)

Release Date - 1975

Genre - Thriller

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Over the last few years I've found myself really enjoying more and more sexploitation flicks.  I've discovered that there is a lot of these films out there that are able to combine hardcore sex scenes with a story.  They are fun mix of cheap stories and sleaze.  A few days ago MVD sent over a box full of films they were handling and among those were a sexploitation flick from Impulse Pictures that I had never seen before starring a very familiar name.  I want to thank MVD and Impulse Pictures for sending over The Girl in the Basket starring the always lovely Rene Bond!

     The film follows a gorgeous "virgin" (Bond) who goes for a walk after a taking a long bubble bath.  However, she soon finds herself the victim of an abduction by Daddy and Honey.  They sexually assault her and Daddy forces himself on her.  After sometime she warms up to the couple and actually starts to enjoy their treatment of her.

     I was very excited to spin this Rene Bond flick that I had never seen before but this was not the movie I was expecting.  In fact, I wouldn't really call this a movie.  It has the makings of a sexploitation flick but just feels like an extended sex scene with nothing else to offer.  I was very disappointed in this one.  The acting in this one is pretty much non-existent.  The cast is small, consisting of only three, but there really isn't any "acting."  The movie goes from Rene Bond in the tub to the three fucking.  The sex scene has a lot of energy but no acting in a traditional sense.  With that being said, it's always nice to see Rene Bond on screen.  The story for this one starts out with a great sexploitation beginning but the film doesn't follow up with it.  It's mostly an hour long sex scene with nothing else to offer.  I love watching Rene Bond but after 15 or 20 minutes I was ready for the film to progress.  Finally, no blood or gore here.  We have a little bit of rough sex at first before moving on.  This is for people looking for skin over practical effects.  Overall, The Girl in the Basket could have been one hell of an exploitation film but in the end it's just an hour long sex scene that wears out it's welcome early on.  This is one I would skip unless you are a fan of Rene Bond.  

Angel of Death

Director(s) - Andrea Bianchi (Fleshy Doll, Burial Ground: Nights of Terror) and Jess Franco (Bloody Moon, Hell Hole Women)

Starring - Christopher Mitchum (Tombstone, Summertime Killer), Suzanne Andrews (Maniac Killer, The Far Side of Jericho), and Fernando Rey (Blood and Dust, Voyage of the Damned)

Release Date - 1987

Genre - Action/Drama

Tagline - "The blood of millions is on his hands... the power of evil is on his side"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's rare that I get a stand alone film from legendary filmmaker Jess Franco.  Typically, when a company releases a Franco film they do so with a second film and as a movie fan that is fantastic.  Over the years I've received Franco flicks from Blue Underground, Severin, and several more with all of them coming in pairs.  Full Moon's Franco releases are the same.  When MVD sent over Night of the Eagles they also sent over the 1987 film Angel of Death which features one of the coolest poster designs I have seen for any film.  Luckily, the film lives up to the artwork.  Like always, I want to thank MVD and Full Moon for sending this one my way for review.

     The film follows a young man and woman who meet up with a woman who was once a "working girl" that found an older rich man that took her in to live with her.  However, things are not as glamorous as she had hoped for.  The man became rude and cruel to her at times while forbidding her to go to certain rooms of his giant estate.  Curiosity gets the best of her and she goes into a room where she finds a meeting between secret Nazi members and her older man.  After hearing her tell this story, the young man reports back with what he has heard and is soon putting together a team of Nazi hunters to invade his fortress and capture him as it's suspected that he is the famed Nazi doctor Josef Mengele.

      I always enjoy a Franco double feature but I've never had one like this.  Typically, you toss in a Franco film and expect some sleaze.  However, these two films are centered around Nazis with Angel of Death having that mid-80s action feel where Night of the Eagles is a wartime period piece.  I was not expecting this type of film and I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is extremely campy even for a mid-80s action flick.  We get some unintentionally funny one-liners and the cast really hams it up.  The characters are mostly forgettable but you can tell the cast was having a lot of fun on set with this one.  It's such a strong contrast to Night of the Eagles and the cast.  The story for this one mixes Nazi history with 80s direct to video action flicks.  If you are a fan of straight to video action flicks then you will really enjoy the campy action meets horrors of the holocaust.  Taking someone so despicable as Mengele and turning him into an action villain is pretty god damn genius if you ask me.  It gives the story so much more depth than you would normally get from a straight forward action flick.  We still get the cheesy action and gun fights that you would expect but the characters, though forgettable, work very well with the story.  Finally, the film has a little blood and some gunfights but nothing that will stick out to the viewer.  It's focus is the story and it does that very well.  Overall, Angel of Death is a different spin on the 80s action flick that actually works.  I really enjoyed it and the Full Moon release looks fantastic.  As always, it's a damn shame that this one doesn't have any special features to supplement the release.      

Night of the Eagles

Director - Jess Franco (Revenge in the House of Usher, Night of Open Sex)

Starring - Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man, Taste the Blood of Dracula), Ramon Estevez (Alligator II: The Mutation, The Dead Zone), and Mark Hamill (The Guyver, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - War/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's been a few months but here I am back reviewing another Jess Franco flick.  Franco is one of the most prolific cult filmmaker at all time with over 200 films under his belt.  It's safe to say that with that many films in his catalogue that it would be impossible to like them all.  Franco and I have a strained relationship.  I like some of his films and I dislike just as many.  He's a very inconsistent filmmaker but you can't deny his passion for cinema.  When I saw that Full Moon was releasing two more Franco films on blu I was quick to reach out to MVD for review copies. 

     The film follows two German men who are fighting for the affection of a wealthy banker's daughter. One is already a ranking officer in the Nazi army while the other enlists to impress her.  However, she has higher ambitions and enlists in the Nazi army as well in hopes of entertaining the soldiers as a singer.  Things take a dark turn when her train is attacked and she finds herself in the middle of the war.

     Most of the Franco films I've reviewed in the past were sexploitation flicks with very little story and a lot of skin...and bush.  Franco loves his ladies young and energetic which is reflected in his films.  However, I've never seen a World War II film from Franco so I was very interested in that.  The fact that the film had Mark Hamill and Christopher Lee in starring roles made it even more appealing to me.  The film did not disappoint but I do believe Franco left a lot on the table with this one.  It could have been so much more especially if he would have added his own spin to the story.  The acting in this one is pretty solid but I do feel that it was a little underwhelming at time.  Mark Hamill is world famous for his role in Star Wars but he will always be Max Reed from The Guyver and the Joker.  With that being said, he doesn't really deliver a memorable performance here.  He gets into character and goes through the motions.  Hell, the same can even be said about the legend that is Christopher Lee.  They are committed to their roles but there is no energy and it's strange watching a film with Lee in it and not see his iconic intensity.  The story for this one is a bit unusual in many ways but still entertaining.  When it comes to World War II films, especially those coming out of America, we always see the movie from the point of view of the Allied powers.  It's rare to get a film from the Nazi's point of view.  It does allow certain opportunities with the story that you would not expect to see from an Allied centered film.  However, Franco's Night of the Eagles focuses on a love triangle in a war epic that is void of his sleaziness.  It's clear he was a hired gun in this one and had little to say in the writing process but it's still a fun war drama.  However, if you go into this expecting the bush and artistic visions Franco is known for you will be very disappointed.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one.  We have some gun fights here and there but don't expect to see amazing practical effects and bloodshed.  Overall, Night of the Eagles is a solid film if you are into war drama but if you are going into this one expecting the standard Franco fair then you are barking up the wrong tree.  Honestly, I enjoyed it but it did catch me by surprise.  The blu from Full Moon looks great but I do wish they would add some special features to these releases.  

Crazy Nights

Director - Joe D'Amato (Cannibal Love, Porno Holocaust)

Starring - Amanda Lear (Dance Challenge, Love Reinvented) and Marina Hedman (The Devil in Mr. Holmes, Cop in Drag)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Documentary

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Full Moon has released some wild movies over the nearly 40 years that they have been at it.  Some horror, sci-fi, kids friendly, and even sexploitation.  If he can make a buck off of it you can bet your sweet ass Richard Brand will sell it.  I've seen a few sexploitation and skin flicks from Full Moon and, honestly, they are pretty damn fun.  A few days back I reached out to MVD about reviewing Full Moon's release of the two Emanuelle films.  When they arrived I was surprised to see the blu release of Crazy Nights tucked in the package as well.  I had heard of Crazy Nights sometime ago when I was doing a review for one of the many Joe D'Amato films.  It didn't really look like a movie I would dig but since MVD and Full Moon took the time to send it over I might as well review it!  Thanks guys.

     The film follows Amanda Lear as she hosts a documentary following different popular areas and their dance clubs where we see what the popular erotic and sexy dances of the time are.

     I honestly didn't know what to expect when I tossed in Crazy Nights but it did live up to it's title.  However, I'm unsure who the target audience is for this one.  I have no idea who Amanda Lear is or who would want to watch a documentary of sorts featuring various people dancing.  I found myself laughing a few times but aside from that I seriously struggled to finish it.  It was very difficult to finish this.  The acting, or lack there of, is nonexistent just like the story.  We follow our host Lear as she introduces each segment before moving on to the dance numbers from around the world.  No acting, no story, just dancing and Amanda Lear.  No interviews or topics to discuss like a normal documentary as well.  The film is edited together nicely with smooth transitions and nice leads into each segment but that's not enough to really save this one.  Overall, Crazy Nights is not really aimed for the traditional Full Moon fan or even fans of sexploitation.  If you dig burlesque then you may dig this one.  Otherwise, then you may not enjoy this one.