Far From the Trees

Director - Jacinto Esteva (Metamorfosis, Le Fils de Marie)

Starring - Manuel Cano (Law of Desire, Cake of Blood), Marta Mejias (Centro Medico, Sexperiencias), and Antonio Gades (Blood Wedding, Bewitched Love)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Documentary

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's wild how many documentaries I've been able to review recently and most of them have been thanks to Severin Films.  Near the end of last year they sent me The Ghost of Peter Sellers and The Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow.  Then I was sent over the documentary The Last Sacrifice from Shudder before I was sent the box set Exorcismo from Severin.  This set features several genre titles along with a couple documentaries.  I decided to start the set with Exorcismo from 2024 before moving on to the 1972 doc. Far from the Trees from Spanish filmmaker Jacinto Esteva.  Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!

     The film explores the rituals and folklore surrounding death in Spain in often secluded areas that has not developed like the more populated areas.  

     I went into this one completely blind and was confused by what I was watching.  I didn't realize it was supposed to be a documentary until I was well into the film and I have no been able to find much on the making of this one.  From what I can find is that this was made by piecing together old black and white footage from various recordings to create what some would consider to be an insightful yet disturbing look into folk customs and long forgotten superstitions.  While it was wild to see some of this stuff, years of reviewing horror and true crime documentaries has left me somewhat desensitized to the topics of death.  This documentary is not a documentary in a traditional sense.  We do not have interviews from experts that studied these customs nor do we have interviews from those that participated.  Instead, we have footage crudely pieced together to create a a look into something that most of the world is unaware of.  Overall, Far From the Trees is not going to be for everyone.  Hell, I didn't enjoy it myself but those that dig darker documentaries may enjoy it.  It is rough around the edges and dull through most of it but it does have it's moments.  

Tokugawa Sex Ban

Director - Norifumi Suzuki (Shogun's Ninja, Beautiful Girl Hunter)

Starring - Audrey Cruise, Ryoko Ema (The Transgressor, Graveyard of Honor), and Kaya Hozumi (Hiroshima Death Match, Terrifying Girl's High School: Lynch Law Classroom)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     I've reviewed a lot of films over the years and I'm always surprised when I get a film in for review that I have never heard of before.  This is often the case with releases from Mondo Macabro.  They tend to release films that are often overlooked on blu and that is something I really do appreciate.  I may not always like the movies they put out but at least they are giving genre fans something they had never seen before.  Several weeks back Mondo Macabro sent over a couple new releases for me to check out and they were all new to me.  However, one stood out more than the others and really peaked my interest.  That film was the 1972 Japanese sexploitation flick Tokugawa Sex Ban which is also known as The Erotomaniac Daimyo.  I really wanted to see all three of these films but I had to move this one to the top of my list.  I once again want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over!

     The film follows a lord of a powerful clan who is recently married.  However, he struggles with his intimacy and cannot consummate his marriage.  He is provided a French slave to take in as a mistress and after some time he learns that sex is the ultimate pleasure.  It's because of this that he puts in place a ban on sex as he believes that commoners and those under him should not be experiencing it.  

     I knew absolutely nothing about Tokugawa Sex Ban prior to watching it but the artwork used by Mondo Macabro really made my imagination work overtime.  What kind of film was I about to watch and what the fuck was a sex ban?  Only watching the film would answer these questions.  The acting in this one is solid but I found myself laughing at the cast during several of the scenes.  The cast is fully dedicated to their roles in several scenes but in others they act as if they are getting paid by how quickly they complete the scene.  They rush through their dialogue with zero attempts at trying to stay in character with straight faces.  These scenes were so funny to me due to how out of place they are.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting at all which may be why I enjoyed it so much.  This erotic drama follows someone who finds a mistress that opens the door to his sexual fantasies.  He then decides that this is something too good for common folk, so he bans it.  Honestly, the story works for an erotic drama that uses nudity to pick up the slower scenes and rich dialogue to carry the story the rest of the way.  It might not be everyone's speed but those that enjoy sexploitation and Asian cinema can enjoy it.  Finally, those looking for blood and gore will be very disappointed.  However, is awkward acting and some nudity is more your speed then you will enjoy this one!  Overall, Tokugawa Sex Ban is another great film that I would have missed if it wasn't for Mondo Macabro.  It's not the horror title I was hoping for but it was still very enjoyable.  Check it out on blu now!

I Am Frigid...Why?

Director - Max Pecas (Brigade of Death, I Am a Nymphomaniac)

Starring - Sandra Julien (The Shiver of the Vampires, House of Cruel Dolls), Marie-Goerges Pascal (5 Kittens, Good Little Girls), and Jean-Luc Terrade (Dossier 51, Bel Ordure)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Drama

Tagline - "She was hot ice... learn how she melts"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sexploitation may not be everyone's cup of tea.  In fact, I've met an handful of fans over the years and while I am fairly knew to the exploitation sub-genre, I've been fortunate enough to review dozens of these films over the years.  It's a sub-genre that I never expected to like but once I dipped my toes in, so to speak, I was absolutely hooked.  Not many boutique labels cater to this type of filth but companies like Mondo Macabro has released several must see titles from the exploitation heyday.  Recently, they sent over a double feature of works from Max Pecas.  The films, I Am a Nymphomaniac and I Am Frigid....Why?, feature similar stories but told from very different aspects.  After I watched the first film in the set I quickly made my way to the second.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over.

     The film follows a young woman who finds herself being taken advantage of by a man and his sister.  This destroys her sex drive so she resorts to sleeping with everyone she can in hopes of re-awakening her sex drive.  

     I Am Frigid...Why? is a solid sexploitation film that does foster similarities to the other film included in this double feature.  Both of these films are rather enjoyable, especially for a first time watch, but I don't see myself revisiting them anytime in the near future.  These are the types of films that you can watch once every decade or so but anymore than that will leave you feeling a bit bored.  The acting in these fit the film very well but there was several scenes where the cast just didn't feel that dedicated to the film.  While these scenes were short in nature, they do stick with the viewer and become somewhat unintentionally funny.  The remainder of the film is well acted which makes these scenes in particular stand out more than normal.  The story for this one has a lot of similarities to I Am a Nymphomaniac.  The film follows a woman who suffers a traumatic experience and is sent down a lustful path in order to cure herself.  In I Am a Nymphomaniac, a woman suffers a horrible fall and awakens a nympho.  In this film, a woman is abused by a man and his sister and turns to sex in order to rekindle her sex drive.  While both stories are similar in that regard, they are very much different in how the scenarios play out.  We get a lot of sleaze and a surprisingly large amount of character development.  It's a well written film that has great pacing and a lot of skin to look at.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick that most of my readers would expect.  While the one scene may be unnerving for some, the remainder of the film is more mellow with lots of skin to look at.  Fans of sleaze will truly appreciate this one.  Overall, I Am Frigid...Why? is a solid sexploitation film.  It's not one that has a lot of replay value but if you are looking for something a bit different then this one is for you.  

Dr. Jekyll vs the Werewolf

Director - Leon Klimovsky (Trauma, A Dragonfly for Each Corpse)

Starring - Paul Naschy (The Night of the Werewolf, Mystery on Monster Island), Shirley Corrigan (Syndicate Sadists, Hard to Remember), and Jack Taylor (The Ninth Gate, Edge of the Axe)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been fortunate enough to review a couple dozen horror flicks over the years that featured the legendary actor and director Paul Naschy.  His career is nothing short of legendary having portrayed werewolves, monsters, mad men, and the like in dozens, if not hundreds, of films.  His a name I became familiar with early on in my youth once I became obsessed with the genre when a friend of mine introduced me to Horror Rises from the Tomb.  Since then I've watched several films of his including several that were sent my way for review.  What I find funny is that all of the films that were sent to me for review were ones I had never seen before.  That was until Mondo Macabro sent me Dr. Jekyll vs. the Werewolf for review.  This was the first Nashy lead film that I was sent to review that I had actually seen before.  I had seen this one sometime ago when Halloween was approaching and really enjoyed it and I was looking forward to revisiting it.  I want to take a moment to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over!

     The film follows a man who is searching for a cure to his lycanthropy.  In his search he meets a young woman visiting his homeland who has ties to a scientist.  The scientist has access to his grandfathers work and thinks it may come in handy in curing him of his curse.  However, his grandfather's serum does not work according to plan and unleashes his grandfather's alter ego, Mr. Hyde.  

     Dr. Jekyll vs the Werewolf is the sixth time that Naschy has played a werewolf.  I can't confirm if they are a continuation of the other characters or not but it's still fun to marathon them all.  When it comes to Naschy's films, and he's had a lot, this is probably the most bizarre and absurd story I've seen.  While it's far from perfect, it still has it's own charm and is well worth a watch.  The acting in this one is very uneven but still very enjoyable.  Naschy isn't the star of the show but he is fantastic as always.  He delivers what I would consider a classic Naschy performance which blends a commanding performance with classic horror tropes.  The remainder of the cast, including the film's lead, is great as well but there was times when their performances just didn't fit the energy of some of their co-stars.  The story for this one is wild and I couldn't imagine what it was like to genre fans during the early 70s.  Pinning two legendary horror creatures against each other has been done since the early days at Universal Studios.  Even Naschy has pitted classic movie monsters against each other.  However, a film where a werewolf is given Dr. Jekyll's formula is something no one has expected.  This can be said over 50 years later.  It's a wild story that really does hold the viewer's attention from beginning to end.  Finally, the film has some blood and a decent enough looking werewolf mask but the lack of gore and practical effects is a bit disappointing.  Naschy's mask and make-up effects are solid but it's not enough to satiate the diehard gore fans.  Overall, Dr. Jekyll vs the Werewolf may not be the best werewolf flick to hit store shelves but it's still extremely entertaining.  I highly recommending grabbing this oddball release from Mondo Macabro.  It's well worth it.  

Ravishing Dany

RAVISHING DANY original English trailer from Mondo Macabro on Vimeo.

Director - Willy Rozier (Sin and Desire, The Girl in the Binkini)

Starring - Sandra Julien (House of Cruel Dolls, Nada), Jurgen Drews (Short Night of Glass Dolls, Night of the Flowers), and Michael Paulin (The Masters of Time, The Man Without a Face)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Comedy

Tagline - "The story of a girls adventure on the road"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love pairing movies and have marathons or double features when I can finally sit down to enjoy one. That’s why I love the boutique labels like Mondo Macabro, Vinegar Syndrome, Severin Films, and so many more. Sometimes they pair like minded films or works from the same filmmakers together to give genre fans and collectors more bang for their buck. Mondo Macabro has released several double features over the years and recently put out Ravishing Dany that had a bonus second film titled The Girl Can’t Stop. While I did watch The Girl Can’t Stop first I decided to go ahead and follow it up with the second film. While I did enjoy The Girl Can’t Stop, Ravishing Dany is the prize of this set. Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for review. 

      The film follows an aspiring model named Dany that hitchhikes to the various destinations that she needs to visit. This results in some random nudity and awkward situations as the various patrons that pick her up reveal their true intentions with the beautiful young lady. 

      I went into Ravishing Dany after watching The Girl Can’t Stop and was pleasantly surprised to find that the film was nothing like the bonus film included on the disc. With that being said, I fucking loved it. The humor doesn’t always find it’s mark but I laughed more at this one than I have any sleazy comedy in the past. The acting in this one is decent but it does get awkward at times. The cast is having a lot of fun with the film which shows but the acting is very loose here. It doesn’t take away from the film but it does lack from memorable characters aside from Dany herself. The story for this one is simple and the perfect set up for a sexploitation film. While it’s not as exploitative as most sexploitation films it does have plenty of humor. In fact, I was very surprised by how funny it is. It is a bit too long but it doesn’t over stay it’s welcome. It would greatly benefit from some clever editing to remove some of the more pointless scenes. Finally, don’t expect blood or gore here. We have humor and skin so if that is your thing then you are in luck. Overall, Ravishing Dany is one of the more entertaining films released by Mondo Macabro. This release will go mostly unnoticed by genre fans but if you dig exploitation or foreign film then I highly recommend it. It’s a lot of fun.

The Way of the Dragon

Director - Bruce Lee (The Story, Game of Death)

Starring - Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris (Firewalker, Invasion U.S.A.), and Nora Miao (The Big Boss, Fist of Fury)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Action/Crime/Comedy

Tagline - "once more colosseum echoes the sound of a fright to the death"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I remember watching a lot of sci-fi and horror films with my grandmother as I was growing up.  My dad would leave town a lot to attend auto auctions and would often leave my sister and I with her while he was out of town.  I remember watching several martial arts films during this time.  I remember her mocking the films but I recalled actually liking them.  Like most fans of kung fu flicks, I really liked the intensity of Bruce Lee and how well choreographed the fight scenes are.  I watched several of his films with her but since then I've not really revisited them until they were sent over for review.  A few weeks back Umbrella Entertainment sent over Lee's The Way of the Dragon.  I remember my original viewing of this was something that stood out due to the amazing fight scene between Lee and Chuck Norris.  I couldn't wait to revisit it.  Like always I want to thank Umbrella for sending this one over.

     The film follows a martial arts master who visits some friends and family in Italy.  They own a restaurant and they are being pressured  to pay for protection from a local gangster.  However, he intervenes to put a stop to the corruption and soon finds himself forced to fight several martial artists hired by the gangster to end his life.

     I don't remember a lot about this one before my revisit aside from the epic battle between Lee and Norris.  Sadly, that's because the film is a tough one to sit through aside from the action scenes.  The movie's blend of dry humor and over-dramatic dialogue made it difficult to finish.  I wanted to love it but it's a movie that I don't want to watch again unless I was just fast forwarding it through to the fight between Tang and Colt.  The acting in this one is split into two different groups.  The first is the dialogue heavy scenes where the cast interacts with one another.  The dialogue is flat and extremely heavy.  It has no emotional connection for the viewer to hold onto and the cast has very little enthusiasm.  We then move to the fight oriented scenes where the choreography is the key component of the scene.  The fights are fantastic and the final showdown is something that truly is apart of movie history.  Honestly, I feel like the distance between the cast and the camera is due to Lee taking over director responsibilities and is unable to pull decent performances from his cast.  The story for this one is obviously written and adapted to the screen by Lee himself.  His since of comedic timing is all wrong and the jokes written into the script feel like they were written for a select niche group of viewers.  They never find their mark and after all these decades later they almost feel cringy.  Honestly, the film would have benefited to a more serious approach to the film instead of the comedic take.  Finally, don't expect a bloody flick.  It does have a a few drops of the red stuff but it's not a bloody flick.  Instead, it's focused on the fight scenes which really hit the spot.  Overall, The Way of the Dragon is an iconic film due to the showdown between martial arts titans Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris but the film itself is barely mediocre.  Umbrella Entertainment's release is solid for fans but if you are looking for something new to watch I would recommend something else.  

All About Alice

Director - Ray Harrison (Always on Sunday, Spy on the Fly)

Starring - Warren Fremming (Mondo Rocco), Chuck Bratton, and Wallace Fredericks

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     After a couple days I've finally reached the end of my adventure.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into when AGFA and Something Weird announced the release of What Really Happened to Baby Jane? and the films of Gay Girls Riding Club.  The films, mostly shorts, have been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs but I was surprised by how much fun I actually had with these.  As I begin the last film in the set I can't help but wonder what else Harrison and the group did after the decade they spent making films.  Anyway, the bitter end is here with All About Alice which was a parody of All About Eve.  

     The film follows Alice who is an awarding winning actress that remembers all the struggles, along with the betrayals and double crosses, before she found the success now.

     All About Alice is unique in this set for several reasons.  The first, and obvious reason, is that it is the only one to be filmed in color.  When you combine that with an actual film with dialogue and a much better production value it definitely stands out.  The acting in this one is surprisingly the best out of all the films in the set.  The cast is actually tasked with portraying real characters with personalities and somewhat developed back stories.  The cast does a fantastic job with what they were given while still delivering that high energy and charisma that made the other shorts so much fun.  The story for this one, as I stated earlier, was a parody of All About Eve, which is another film I am not familiar with.  However, I can say that this drag parody is very clever and funny.  The sexual humor was not too common with films of this sort in the early 70s so it's nice to see that every generation has a group of filmmakers that have their heads in the gutter.  However, the film does hit a rut from time to time where the story just lacked something other than characters hamming it up with nothing else productive going on.  I did like the characters but the story given was stretched a bit too thin.  Finally, as you would have guessed it, it's not a bloody flick.  It's a character driven story that has some humor and a lot sex jokes.  Overall, All About Alice is one of the better shorts in this set right behind What Really Happened to Baby Jane?  It's funny and I loved the characters.  It's a damn shame they never followed up this film because I would have loved to see them explore the drag parodies later in the 70s.    

The Cannibal Man

Director - Eloy de la Iglesia (The Creature, The Priest)

Starring - Vicente Parra (Daddy's War, El Transexuale), Emma Cohen (The Dumfounded King, Alone in the Dark), and Eusebio Poncela (The Ministry of Time, Sleepwalker)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "When the butcher goes berserk..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     With October quickly approaching I'm trying to knock out as many movies sent to me for review before I start on my 31 Days of Horror challenge.  Most of the movies sent my way are horror but a few that trickle in from here or there are not.  A few weeks back Severin and MVD sent over two new Severin releases that included The Cannibal Man and Overboard.  Though The Cannibal Man was obviously horror the second film was clearly not.  So, before October arrives, I wanted to knock these two releases out real quick so Overboard wouldn't be sitting around until November.  Like always I want to thank MVD and Severin for always supporting Horror Society.  

    The film follows a man that works at a meat processing plant who accidentally kills a taxi driver while on a date.  The killing is in self-defense but his girlfriend starts to feel guilty and requests that they turn themselves in.  Fearing a life in prison he reluctantly kills her too to cover his tracks.  However, this murder begins a chain of murders for him to cover his tracks eventually leading to him becoming overburdened.

     I really liked The Cannibal Man but the movie is not as gruesome as I was hoping for.  In fact, it's not as horrifying as I was expecting.  It's actually fairly tame considering the films artwork, title, and taglines.  Regardless, I liked it a lot and can see other genre fans enjoying it just as much as I did.  The acting in this one is great.  I really liked Parra as the lead.  His character always seem calm and collected even after the bodies start to pile up he still seems relatively cool about the entire situation.  I really loved that and his demeanor made the film for me.  The supporting cast is just as fun but the characters doesn't carry the film quite like Parra's.  The story for this one is more of a character piece with a body count.  We follow Parra's character as he goes through his day to day life and how the one murder spirals out of control as he tries to cover up each murder with another murder.  It does have these 6 or so kill scenes that are not that graphic with the exception of one but the overall story is not really that terrifying.  Finally, the film has several on screen kills.  The kills, aside from one, are not that gruesome but a few do offer up some blood.  We get some strangling, one hit with a rock to the dome, another has their throat sliced, but the hatchet to the face is the most graphic and rewarding death.  I loved the effects used in this one.  However, if livestock being butchered is something you are against then you may not enjoy this one.  Overall, The Cannibal Man was a little milder than I was expecting but I really enjoyed it.  Parra brought the film to life and it was great fun.  I highly recommend this one to genre fans.    

Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space

Starring - Sherry Alberoni (Sisters of Death, Super Friends), Jerry Dexter (DuckTales, Sealab 2020), and Jackie Joseph (Small Soldiers, Gremlins)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Warner Archive has been releasing some pretty solid releases over the last few years and it seems like they are only going to get better.  A couple weeks ago I received the press release for their newest batch of releases coming up and one title really caught my eye.  It's not a horror title but I was still extremely curious about it.  I was born in the mid-80s and grew up in the 90s.  I was part of the Orange Years at Nickelodeon and Goosebumps was my introduction to the genre.  However, I was still a heavy VHS collector.  I had accrued several older shows on tapes that I had picked up in random places.  One of these tapes was episodes of the original Josie and the Pussy Cats.  So when I saw the blu release of Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space I had to check it out.  I want to thank Warner for sending this one over.  

      The series follows Josie and the gang who find themselves accidentally tossed in a space ship and sent out to space.  Each episode follows the crew as they find themselves on a different planet battling a different cosmic foe.

     I remember watching the few tapes of Josie and the Pussy Cats when I was in elementary school and liking it but I never had a chance to see in Outer Space.  Hell, I didn't know it was a thing until I received the press release for it.  It was a fun short lived series that takes the same Scooby-Doo like antics of Josie and the Pussy Cats and puts a sci-fi spin on it.  I enjoyed it but it's not a show I would recommend binging.  The voice acting in this one works for the show but fans of the original show and Scooby-Doo will recognize these voices fairly quickly.  With that being said, I absolutely loved the off world voice acting of the new characters that were introduced.  The stories for these episodes mostly follow the same formula.  We follow the crew as they land, or crash land in some instances, on a planet where they encounter an alien race in some sort of turmoil.  It's really fun for a few episodes but after three or four you find yourself waiting to watch something else.  It makes sense this series only lasted one season.  Finally, the animation is exactly what you would expect from an early 70s Hanna Barbara production.  It's fun for a children's show but as an adult you can appreciate it for what it is.  Overall, Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space is a fun spin off of a popular Hanna Barbara property that is fun for a first time watch but I wouldn't recommend binging the entire series.  It's very repetitive.  The blu release from this one looks great but the lack of supplimental material is a big disappointing.  

     

The Murder Mansion

Director - Francisco Lara Polop (Exit: Dead End, Perversion)

Starring - Evelyn Stewart (The Psychic, War of the Zombies), Analia Gade (Exorcism's Daughter, Four Nights of the Full Moon), Lisa Leonardi (All the Colors of the Dark, The Case of the Scorpion's Tail)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Welcome to home bloody home"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When Vinegar Syndrome announced the third volume of their Forgotten Gialli series I started looking them up one by one.  The first film, Autopsy, is one I had heard about but I had never had the chance to check it out.  However, the second film in the set, The Murder Mansion, really peaked my interest.  I absolutely loved all the posters that I found online and it looked extremely interesting.  After I watched Autopsy I immediately tossed in The Murder Mansion and was not disappointed. 

     The film follows several people who find themselves unable to travel at night with a thick fog rolls in.  They all find themselves at an old mansion where a young woman lives alone.  She welcomes them in and tells them a story about the history of the mansion and how the locals years ago believed that the inhabits were vampires.  As the night rolls on they go to their own rooms and one by one they fall victim to something supernatural presence roaming the home.

     I've enjoyed the previous Forgotten Gialli releases for the most part but there was some of the films I liked more than others.  With that being said, I believe that The Murder Manson was probably my favorite out of all the releases so far.  I loved the sets, the atmosphere, and the characters.  It really was a solid giallo.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  The characters are painfully generic with nothing memorable brought to the screen.  However, the story has just enough to it to hold your attention.  The cast does their best with what they had but you will not remember the characters over the story.  The story for this one is a fun mystery fueled haunted house type film that keeps you guessing who the killer is...or what they are.  It really is a giallo through and through which is mostly a murder mystery with style.  I really enjoyed the story and how it all ended.  I was not expecting the reveals and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Finally, the film has several deaths.  We get plenty of blood but the practical effects are pretty laughable.  If the kills were a little more memorable then this film would be among the best.  Overall, The Murder Mansion isn't going to make the top of anyone's giallo list but I really enjoyed this one.  The blu looks fantastic as well from Vin Syn.  A solid entry in the Forgotten Gialli series.   

Naked Girl Murdered in the Park

Director - Alfonso Brescia (Iron Warrior, Star Odyssey)

Starring - Robert Hoffmann (A Black Veil for Lisa, The Lonely Violent Beach), Irina Demick (The Longest Day, Tragic Ceremony), and Pilar Velazquez (Novela, Thunder Over El Paso)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Crime/Mystery

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few weeks ago I was looking at the Full Moon Features site when I saw they an upcoming release for the 1972 giallo Naked Girl Murdered in the Park.  I was not familiar with this one so I reached out to them about it.  The film wasn't available just yet but Chris Alexander requested me a review copy to check out.  Most of you may have noticed the giallo kick I've been on since last October so I was extremely excited to give this one a spin.  I want to thank Chris, Bob, and Full Moon for sending this one my way to check out.

     The begins with the murder of a wealthy man the day after he takes out a million dollar life insurance policy.  The insurance firm finds this very suspicious so they send out a detective to look into the death.  The family is recieving strange phone calls and soon the man's oldest daughter is found murdered in the park.  

      I went into this one extremely excited but after about 15 minutes or so I found myself bored out of my mind.  The movie doesn't fit into any real genre and feels like a made for television movie with some audio issues.  I've watched some pretty low brow gialli over the years but this one was one of the dullest and poorly put together I've seen in awhile.  The acting in this one is just as dull as the story.  The cast is extremely unenthused and have no energy at all.  Even the scenes that require the smallest amount of energy just feels slow and drab.  The story for this one is a murdery mystery crime drama that is almost paint by numbers.  The "twists" you can see coming from a mile away and the length between the murders is so far apart that you are stuck with almost an hour of scenes between the detective and the murdered man's daughter doing very little to move to story along.  I don't know much about the history of this film or any of the behind the scenes going ons but I feel like this movie was intended to be something else and then edited differently in post.  I couldn't imagine someone went into this with the intent to make the movie the way it was released.  Finally, the kills in this one are off screen and boring as hell.  They are approached in a manner you would expect death scenes would be handled in a made for television movie from the early 70s.  A little spot of blood and that's the extent of it.  Overall, Naked Girl Murdered in the Park was a huge let down.  I respect Full Moon and if you look at my other reviews you will see that I am a huge fan but this is one I cannot recommend.  The blu doesn't look bad but is close to DVD quality and the film suffers from audio glitches throughout the running time of the film.  I stopped counting around 5 when the audio would dull or change in tone.  Skip it.  

My Dear Killer

Director - Tonino Valerii (Brothers in Blood, Taste of Killing)

Starring - George Hilton (College, Macho Killers), Salvo Randone (Chronicle of a Homicide, Machine Gun McCain), and William Berger (Hercules, Devil Fish)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     The Girl in Room 2A, the first film in the set, had me believing that this second giallo box set from Vinegar Syndrome was going to be a bust.  However, The French Sex Murders really surprised me and put hope back into the release.  As I toss in the third film, My Dear Killer, I quickly see that the set ends on another high note.  I had heard some negative things about the film in various horror and collector's groups but I found myself really enjoying this one.

     The film begins with a man getting decapitated by heavy machinery. The investigator assigned to the case soon finds himself overwhelmed with several different murders designed to look like suicides and all are connected to the disappearance of a little girl.

     I didn't know what to really expect with this one when I tossed it in.  On one hand, I was very disappointed with The Girl in Room 2A, but on the other I was really impressed with The French Sex Murders.  My Dear Killer was a solid giallo that really caught my attention.  There was a few things I didn't care about but this was made during a different time where some of these things were considered appropriate.  Regardless, I really enjoyed this one.  The acting in this one is pretty consistent and fairly well done but the characters blend into the background way too easily.  They are cliched and stereotypical of murder mysteries from the time.  The story for this one is a beautifully shot giallo.  What fans love about giallo's is the beautiful cinematography and how the shots are glued with the story.  My Dear Killer does just that.  The shots are beautiful and work so well with the mystery aspect of the film.  With that being said, the story does hit a few dry spells causing the viewer to struggle through a few scenes.  However, if you can stick with it you will really enjoy the overall film.  Finally, the film has several death scenes but the effects are far from perfect.  In fact, a few of the death scenes will cause some unintentionally laughing.  Especially the first death of the film.  I loved the scene but it was a little on the funny side.  Overall, My Dear Killer is not the best giallo movie I've seen but it was fun.  I really enjoyed it and I'm glad it was included in the Forgotten Gialli: Volume Two.  

The French Sex Murders

Director - Ferdinando Merighi (His Colt, Himself, His Revenge; Il Sole Tornera)

Starring - Anita Ekberg (Bad Girls, Deadly Trackers), Rosalba Neri (The Arena, No Way Out), and Evelyne Kraft (The Mighty Peking Man, Assassination Attempt)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When Vinegar Syndrome announced their Forgotten Gialli Volume Two box set and the contents of it I was pretty fucking pumped.  One of the films, The French Sex Murders, was the only film in the set that I had heard about previously thanks to Mondo Macabro who put it out on DVD.  I never got the chance to see it but knowing that Mondo released it on DVD and a lot of their fans loved it spoke to me.  I couldn't wait to dig into it and hopefully wash the taste of The Girl in Room 2A out of my mouth.

     After a judge wrongfully convicts a man for killing a prostitute they soon find themselves stuck with a string of murders.  The police and a local professor start investigating the murders and uncover that the murderer is closer than they suspect.

     I knew nothing about this film besides what a few genre friends have told me about it.  I often see friends share pictures of their DVD on social media talking about it but story wise it was new to me.  After hitting play I soon found myself in love with the film.  The opening death and onward I was hooked.  This is, hands down, the best film in the set.  I absolutely loved it.  The acting in this one is solid for the most part but a couple of the scenes were unintentionally funny.  The supporting cast would give very forced reactions that reminds me a lot of an adult who would listen to a child tell a story.  It was very forced and not genuine at all.  Aside from a few instances of this the acting is pretty solid.  No one actor/actress stands out but they all work fairly well together.  The story for this one throws a few twists at you.  At first you think the movie is going to end quick then it pulls out this supernatural vibe before revealing the real killer.  I really liked how the story had a lot of ups and downs to keep the viewer paying attention.  However, I was not a fan of how the film ended after the killer was revealed.  There was no follow up or real conclusion to the film.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments and one of the most ridiculous decapitations ever filmed.  The blood is super bright red, which I really enjoy, but the decapitation is so funny.  The fake head is pretty piss poor but it adds a few extra laughs to a pretty serious film.  Overall, The French Sex Murders is a little cheesy and has a few unintentional laughs but the story really does satisfy the serious giallo fans.  This one is well worth your time.  

Love Hunter

Director - Seiichiro Yamaguchi (Love Hunter: Lust, Love Hunter: Hot Skin)

Starring - Hidemi Hara (Night of the Felines, Affair at Twilight), Mari Tanaka (The Naked Seven, Survivor of the Massacre), and Ryuhu Oizumi (Crazy for Love, Female Coed: Sexy Dynamite)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The last few months I've been working hard on reviewing horror movies.  In fact, I think I may have horror'd myself out a little bit.  I love watching and reviewing movies but I've watched so many horror movies since Halloween that I'm a little burned out.  I still love watching movies so I decided to give horror a break for a few days while I watch a few movies that was sent my way from Impulse Pictures.  The first on the chopping block is 1972's Love Hunter from Seiichiro Yamaguchi.  This was a controversial release in Japan when it was released and several laws were put in place after it's release.  Thanks Impulse for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young man who is in love with his college girlfriend.  However, his sexual side is intrigued by the married woman who has sexual fantasies she wants fulfilled that her husband doesn't understand.

     Most of the Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection is more on the torture and rape side with horror elements randomly placed.  I think these films were the starting point for torture porn within the extreme horror community.  However, Love Hunter is not that at all.  I'm not a scholar for the Nikkatsu films but I am making an assumption off the movie's I've reviewed in the past.  Love Hunter is a sexual drama that almost feels like an obscure romantic adult film with a love triangle.  Regardless, I actually enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is actually pretty well done.  The characters are very focused on the sex scenes but the acting leading up to it is actually solid.  The characters are cliched but the cast makes the scenes fun even when they are story focused and not focused on the sex.  The story for this one is a love triangle of sorts BUT centered around hedonism and sexual gratification.  It sounds like something that would run it's course before the hour mark is up but the movie is able to hold your attention with beautiful imagery, scenery, and character interaction.  It's not boring.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  However, if you want nudity, sexual intercourse, and beautifully shot scenes then this film is for you.  Overall, Love Hunter is a fun and sleazy film.  The story is entertaining and this transfer from Impulse looks absolutely amazing.  It's a shame that this one is lacking bonus content because it's a wonderful release that needs that little push to make it a contender.  Check it out if you are fans of other Nikkatsu releases.  

Pervertissima

PERVERTISSIMA - Coming soon to Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro on Vimeo.
Director - Jean-Louis van Belle (The Lady Kills, Made in Sex)
Starring - Maelle Pertuzo (Wife Swapping: French Style, Forbidden Paris), Albert Simono (Triple Cross, Cheech and Chong's the Corsican Brothers), and Charles Buhr (Forbidden Paris)
Release Date - 1972
Genre - Thriller
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I wanted to keep the sleazy movie fun going after watching and reviewing The Lady Kills.  It only made sense to toss in the second film in the set which is 1972's Pervertissima.  This film was also directed by van Belle and featured on the same blu release.  I once again want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over!




     The film follows a journalist who is tasked with going around to different hot spots to see what really turns people on.  After several sexual experiences, like a lesbian sauna and swingers club, she soon finds herself at the hands of a mad scientist looking for specimen to turn into his mindless sex drones.

     I was really looking forward to this one after watching The Lady Kills but I found myself very underwhelmed with it.  In fact, the movie felt like it was stretched way too thin for what it was.  The acting in this one is cheesy but fun.  The characters are just like the ones in the previous film.  They are fun to watch but very one dimensional.  They lack personalities and are easily forgettable.  The story for this one doesn't have enough meat on the bone so to speak.  It would be fun if the film was only around 30 or 40 minutes but at feature length time it is a bit of a strain to finish.  Editing out some of the filler would greatly benefit this one.  Finally, if you want blood and gore you should look elsewhere.  However, women and masks are a plenty here.  Overall, Pervertissima is not as fun as The Lady Kills but it does have some redeeming qualities.  It deserves at least one viewing but it is not the rose of this release.  

The Young Seducers 2

Director - Erwin C. Dietrich (Caged Women, Rolls-Royce Baby)
Starring - Evelyne Traeger (Angels of Terror, The Innocent Abroad), Rena Bergen (Bed Bunnies, The Sinful Bed), and Melitta Tegeler (Nurses Report, Overnight Models)
Release Date - 1972
Genre - Erotic
Tagline - "They do anything to get what they desire"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's Christmas Eve and I've reviewed four movies now.  I've worked my way through a couple holiday themed horror flicks before returning to some Erwin C. Dietrich sleaze.  Not too long ago I had a Dietrich double feature with Swedish Gas Pump Girls and The Women of Inferno Island.  Both were sleazy fun with more nudity than plot.  After watching a few horror flicks I decided to toss in another Dietrich flick from Full Moon.  This time it was a follow to an erotic anthology that I previously reviewed.  Thank you Full Moon for sending over the 1972 film The Young Seducers 2 for review!

     The film follows an author who gets a new assistant who will help him write some new stories.  The two collaborate and we follow several women who find themselves in some strange and usual sexual situations.






     I never expect to watch a sleazy film with a compelling story when I toss in a sexploitation flick.  What I do expect is to see some cheesy acting, awkward softcore dry humping, and a unintentionally funny story.  The first Young Seducers was full of skin but the story was somewhat interesting.  The Young Seducers 2 follows in it's predecessor's footsteps.  The acting in this one is what you would expect from an international skin flick.  The cast, for the most part, struggles to find their footing but seem more natural in the nude in front of the camera rather than fully clothed while acting.  The story for this one works for a softcore skin flick.  We follow an author and his assistant as they work together on several stories all featuring sexual situations.  It works to hold these segments together and offers up some entertainment value aside from the breasts.  I actually enjoyed this aspect of the film and wished more anthologies took this approach.  Finally, no blood and gore in this one.  However, there is more breasts than a man could eat for those seeking out the finer things in life!  Overall, The Young Seducers 2 is a worthy follow up to the original sleazy classic.  I highly recommend checking this one out the next time you need some skin.  It's available now on DVD from Full Moon!