Frankenthug

Director - Richard Tanner (Once Upon a Nightmare, Zombie Horror)

Starring - Soze Bagley, David Cairo, and Dante Sellers (The Goon and the Gamma Scout)

Release Date - 2017

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Get rich...die tryin'...repeat!"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The last few days I've spent some time reviewing indie horror flicks rather than checking out some older films that recently hit blu.  I love checking out these older flicks, usually for the first time, but indie no budget flicks is my true passion.  A few days back I checked out the indie flicks Pickaxe, Death House, and Dreaming Purple Neon.  One was entertaining, one was a shit show, and the other was decent but a missed opportunity.  I wanted to follow these up with another indie flick so I tossed in the 2017 horror comedy Frankenthug that was sent my way from MVD.  Thanks MVD for sending this one over!
     The film follows a young black man who recently lost his brother to a drug war with a group of bikers.  His body is stolen by a friend, Doc, where he conducts a series of experiments hoping to bring him back.  He succeeds to an extent.  He is able to reanimate the body but he lacks reason and can only say "Gucci" over and over again.  He starts to remember how he died and sets out to kill the bikers responsible.  He is able to escape Doc's lair and it's up to Doc and his brother to catch him before the bikers are able to kill him a second time.
     I was fully prepared to go into this one and write a negative review but I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting.  The movie has some laughs and stupid moments but I enjoyed it for what it was.  The acting in this one is a little rough.  The cast was having fun and really got into their characters but their performances definitely feel forced.  Some of the characters are really fun while others are a little on the annoying side but that doesn't take away from the film.  The forced delivery does make the movie feel awkward at times but the story still progresses.  The story for this one made me think I was about to dive deep into a blaxploitation flick.  Instead, it's more of a biker movie with a reanimated corpse...and bigfoot.  I love how absurd the film is and how just when you think you have a grasp of things something else ridiculous is tossed our way.  The movie does struggle with pacing issues but all things considered it still entertains.  Finally, if you are looking for gore you wont find it here.  This no budget horror comedy relies solely on character personality and story.  The effects we get are minimal and limited but not the key point of any film.  Overall, Frankenthug is a fun horror comedy that offers up some humor with a solid enough story but the acting does fall a little flat.  If you are looking for something different during a late night movie marathon I suggest grabbing this one.  

The Black Six

Director - Matt Cimber (The Candy Tangerine Man, The Witch Who Came from the Sea)
Starring - Robert Howard (War is Hell, Hitler), Cindy Daly (Beetlejuice, Carrie), and Mikel Angel (Werewolves on Wheels, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song)
Release Date - 1973
Genre - Action/Crime
Tagline - "Six times tougher than Shaft! Six times tougher than Superfly!"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last week I took my vacation.  It was mostly a staycation so I planned on spending time with my youngest daughter and watch as many movies as possible.  While I was looking through my review stack I wanted to check out something that wasn't horror.  I went through the sexploitation section and remembered that I had a blaxploitation box set that was sent to me from Mill Creek Entertainment.  I love horror but I will turn down a horror movie for a blaxploitation flick I had never seen before and this set of six had five I had never seen before.  It was a no brainer so I tossed it in.  The first one in the set is the 1973 film The Black Six.  Thanks Mill Creek for sending these my way.  

     The film follows 6 black bikers that travel around doing odd jobs for the elderly and other acts of kindness when one of them receives word that his little brother was murdered.  He returns home with his gang and starts investigating the murder where he uncovers that he was dating a white girl and her brother runs an all white biker gang.  After an encounter with them he realizes that his brother was murdered by the bikers for being black and dating a white girl.  The Black Six steps up and puts the biker gang down and gets revenge for the fallen brother.

     I love blaxploitation cinema.  I love the stories, the cast, the action, and the look of these films.  Some, like any other genre of film, are better than others but generally most blaxploitation films are entertaining.  The Black Six is one of the lower quality blaxploitation flicks I have seen but it was still very entertaining.  The acting in this one is fairly weak but far from ruining the film.  The characters are mostly comical from the main group in the Black Six but they are also the most awkward to watch on screen.  They are all professional football athletes and not actors so that makes sense.  The rest of the cast is drastically better and they do a much greater job in their roles.  The story for this one is similar to other blaxploitation following a black character that has lost a loved one (i.e. a brother, sister, parent, lover) and goes on the war path searching for the one responsible.  This one does mix it up a bit and takes the characters out of the urban setting and replace the drug pushers and pimps with bikers.  It has solid pacing and enough action to hold the viewer's attention.  Finally, this one has no blood or gore.  We do get some fight scenes with typical 70s exploitation fighting choreography that is goofy at times and fun at others.  Overall, The Black Six was a middle of the road blaxploitation flick that offered some excitement.  I recommend this for any exploitation or blaxploitation fan.  

Trip with the Teacher

Director - Earl Barton
Starring - Zalman King (Galaxy of Terror, Blue Sunshine), Brenda Fogarty (The Candy Tangerine Man, Fairy Tales), and Cathy Worthington (Monster Squad, Dallas)
Release Date - 1975
Genre - Crime
Tagline - "How far should a teacher go to protect her students"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've enjoyed exploitation flicks my whole life.  I can remember when I was little and my dad was traveling when a man approached him at a gas station.  The man claimed to be broke down and strapped for cash.  When my dad refused to give him money he offered my dad a box of VHS tapes.  My dad knew I was a movie fan and took him up on the offer. When I got home I found several movies I had never heard of.  The ones that stood out to me was Headhunter and Truck Turner.  Truck Turner was a popular film in my home.  My dad was a western junkie but he would always watch Truck Turner with me.  This love for Blaxploitation opened the door to exploitation and I've been watching sleazy flicks ever since.  Vinegar Syndrome is a company that has made a name for themselves releasing exploitation of every flavor.  Sometime ago Vin Syn released the classic exploitation flick Trip with the Teacher.  This is a movie I had actually never seen before but owned in several different box sets.  Vin Syn was kind enough to send me a review copy.  Thanks guys.

     The film follows a teacher and a group of teenage girls who go into the desert as part of their school trip.  On the way there they encounter a group of bikers who follow them looking for a little tail.  Innocent flirting turns deadly when one of the bikers doesn't get his way and he kills the bus driver.  Another biker they had picked up along the way is not into violence and tries to stand up to them but fails.  Now the teacher and the students are the biker's playthings unless they can work together to get away from the deranged men.

     I've seen this flick tossed into several horror and exploitation collections but I never took the time to check it out.  Honestly, I had no idea what it was about and the title was not that appealing to me.  Hell, if I wasn't asked to review the film I still wouldn't have seen it.  I'm glad I did because this is a film that I'm sure I will be watching occasionally until the day I die.  The acting in this one is hit and miss.  Like most of the exploitation flicks the cast in this one doesn't try to create a character that is genuine or natural.  Instead, they casually say their dialogue while trying to capture the perfect mood with their face.  With that being said, Zalman King made the fucking movie.  His performance is fucking insane and intense.  He brought a character into film that will never be forgotten.  In fact, I'm shocked I've never seen shirts and other merchandise with his character on it.  It was an amazing performance that deserves more credit than it gets.  The story for this one is simple but very effective.  A teacher and a small groups of students out in the desert with no supplies is unrealistic but no one will pay attention to that small detail.  Instead, they focus on the secret bloodlust of one of the bikers and what he is going to do with those young woman.   Finally, the film has a few death scenes but they are low quality and offer up little to no entertainment value.  If you want a flick with the red stuff you may want to check out another Vin Syn release.  Overall, Trip with the Teacher is a fucking fantastic exploitation flick that only lacks in the blood and gore department.  Sexually depraved and counter-culture like any good exploitation.  Check it out.  

Bad, Bad, Gang

Director - Donn Greer (Alice in Acidland, The House of the Red Dragon)
Starring - Bert Davis (Without Warning, The Disco Dolls in Hot Skin), Andy Bellamy (Teenage Lovers, Strangers), and Rene Bond (Violated!, Betrayal)
Release Date - 1972
Genre - Exploitation
Tagline - "An innocent camping trip...bloodthirsty sex craved bikers!"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I have a lot of movies in my collection and sometimes I get a little too excited and find myself with more movies to review than I do time.  In previous years I would stop reviewing horror for one month twice a year and review everything else that was sent to me.  This was fun but would get boring before the month was over so I recently stopped this.  Instead, I toss this movies in whenever I can.  After I watched Frankenstein Created Bikers I wanted more biker mayhem.  I ventured to my collection and decided to go with the sexploitation biker flick Bad, Bad, Gang.  This one was sent my way from my friends over at Impulse Pictures.  Thanks for letting me check this one out guys!

     The story for this one is simple.  The film follows two young couples who head out to the lake for a camping trip.  The girls are very close to each other and sneak behind their men's back and fool around while the men are outdoors.  They decide to go visit the lake where they are abducted by a group of bikers who take them back to their place and have their way with them.  The men follow and are turned into play things for the biker's old ladies.




     I knew this film wasn't going to be anything like Frankenstein Created Bikers.  I knew it was going to be more porn that plot but the film basically skipped the plot.  The acting in this one is non-existent.  The cast is here to fuck and get paid which is exactly what they did.  I can see why they get paid to fuck because they are damn good at it!  The story for this one was tossed out the window.  The film follows a biker gang that rape women and men alike.  That's it.  The film does a great job at holding the viewer's attention even with the lack of a story.  Finally, as you could tell, this one is void of all blood and gore.  The film itself is more porn than anything but should not deter those of you that prefer exploitation to sexploitation.  Overall, Bad, Bad, Gang is a sexy yet simple film that has no replay value but does deserve a watch.  It is essential viewing for all grindhouse fans.  Check it out.

     

Frankenstein Created Bikers

Director - James Bickert (Dear God No, Dumpster Baby)
Starring - Jett Bryant (Dear God No), Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede II: Final Sequence), and Tristan Risk (American Mary)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "A 35mm exploitation epic"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Back in 2011 I married a woman I never thought I would find in my lifetime.  She was someone that not only put up with my horror obsession and movie collecting but she also allowed me to embrace it.  She judged but deep down she still loved me and wanted me to be happy.  I was working a damn fine job and we literally had no bills so all money went into savings with the exception of $200 a month in which I used to buy movies.  I picked up an exploitation flick titled Dear God No mostly because it had bigfoot in it.  I had no idea I would love it and boy do I love it.  It's one of my favorite movies in my collection.  I sought director James Bickert out on Facebook where I could be nosey and follow him as he announces new films.  It was not long after that he started sharing news on Frankenstein Created Biker, his sequel to DGN.  After several years of waiting the film was finally available and James was kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thank you James!
     The film picks up sometime after the events in Dear God No.  Jett and his biker gang The Impalers have been brought back to life by the Dr. Marco aka Dr. Frankenstein.  Dr. Marco is using a special serum to keep them alive and it is because of this serum that he has a hold on them and they are forced to do his bidding.  The doctor has enlisted the help of another doctor to track down bigfoot and aid him in finding a suitable body for his daughter's head.  What they all don't know is that Jett's ex girlfriend and a group of bounty hunters are now looking for The Impalers, as well as, a state wide manhunt by the local police.

     Dear God No is easily one of the best sleazy exploitation flicks I have ever seen.  The film is vile, vulgar, profane, and I love every fucking second of it.  My poor wife has dealt with me quoting this movie for years and the day I received this film in the mail she said I looked like a child at Christmas.  Excited for this sequel is an understatement.  I had a fucking hard on for it.  I needed it.  When I tossed it in I was a little let down.  The film is not bad by any means.  Hell, its better than 90% of the films I've reviewed over the years but it doesn't hold a candle to the ass of DGN.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  We get amazing performances from Jett Bryant, Ellie Church, Laurence R. Harvey, Paul McComiskey, Madeline Brumby, and all The Impalers but I just wasn't feeling Tristan Risk in her role as Val.  I can see how she is trying to channel her inner Frigga but she just feels forced and unnatural.  I honestly think the role of Val should have been handed off to Church with Risk taking over her character.  The biggest surprise in regards to acting actually came from Laurence R. Harvey.  His performance in Human Centipede II is iconic and he will forever be known for that role which is sad considering he doesn't really get to show his acting chops.  His scenes are very straight forward and he's not able to showcase his talent.  All the films I have seen him in since are very similar and is clearly being typecast.  Bickert gave Harvey plenty of room and Harvey delivered on the character.  I really enjoyed his role and hated to see it end.  However, my favorite role belonged to Jett Bryant who absolutely killed it.  He was one of my favorite parts of the first film and brought that intensity to this film.  If we don't see him return in a third film then Trump really did win.  The story for this one truly makes sense considering how the first film ended.  The mad scientist angle that was barely touched upon in the first film is fully explored with some nods to Bride of Frankenstein and The Brain That Wouldn't Die.  The film is also home to some of the best one liners I have ever heard.  Even more so than DGN.  The film had me laughing pretty hard but some of the scenes went on a little too long ruining the joke.  This film would benefit from having some of the fat trimmed.  Finally, this film is an absolute gorefest.  The film is full of imaginative kills that use some solid practical effects.  Some of the kills had me cheering at the television which is rare for indie horror.  The effects are all good but some gags were better than others.  The effects are not consistent but far from something to complain about.  Overall, Frankenstein Created Bikers is one of the best mad scientist runs amuck with bikers and bigfoot exploitation films I have ever seen.  Solid follow up to Dear God No! and made with love for all you gorehounds out there.  Check it out.

Psychomania (Arrow Blu-Ray)

http://mvdshop.com/products/psychomania-blu-ray-dvd-blu-ray
The United States gave motorcycle-mad cinemagoers Easy Rider, The Wild One and The Wild Angels. The United Kingdom gave them Psychomania, the tale of zombie bikers run amok is southern England. The Living Dead are a delinquent biker gang, fond of causing havoc on British roadways and making out in graveyards. Gang leader Tom (Nicky Henson) also has a Satanist for a mother, and when he discovers the secret of immortality, the name of his motley crew takes on a more literal meaning... Directed by Hammer veteran Don Sharp (The Kiss of the Vampire, The Devil-Ship Pirates) and co-starring Beryl Reid (Dr. Phibes Rises Again) and George Sanders (Village of the Damned), Psychomania is a wonderfully offbeat gem, outlandish and eccentric in equal measure.
Bonus Materials
2K restoration from preservation negatives
High Definition (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original 1.0 mono audio (uncompressed on the Blu-ray)
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Brand-new interview with star Nicky Henson
Return of the Living Dead, an archive featurette containing interviews actors Henson, Mary Larkin, Denis Gilmore, Roy Holder and Rocky Taylor
Sound of Psychomania, an archive interview with composer John Cameron
Riding Free, an archive interview with 'Riding Free' singer Harvey Andrews
Hell for Leather, a brand-new featurette on the company who supplied the film's costumes
Remastering Psychomania, a look at the film's restoration from the original 35mm black and white separation masters
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet containing writing by Vic Pratt, William Fowler and Andrew Roberts

All Hell Breaks Loose

Director - Jeremy Garner
Starring - Mike Bazanele (The Children of Terra Firma), Nick Forrest, and Joshua Lee Frazier (Grimm)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror/Action/Comedy
Tagline - "Get the girl...save the say"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     In 2011 the indie horror scene saw a rise in exploitation films that tried to pay tribute to the grindhouse films of yesteryear and we have the Grindhouse double feature to thank for that.  I personally love these type of films because they offer up so much absurd humor and story lines with films like Dear God No!   Sadly, these biker-fueled exploitation flicks did not last long as a trend but we still see a few of these films pop up here and there and I welcome them with open arms.  Recently, I came across a link for a crowd funding campaign for the film The Cemetery People from Frenetic Films.  I reached out to them about the crowd funding and checking out their other films and they were kind enough to send me a review copy of their 2014 film All Hell Breaks Loose featuring Danger Ehren from Jackass.  

     The film follows a biker gang as they kill and plunder across America killing everyone they encounter and picking up women that have not been tainted by penis.  They cross paths with some newlyweds and kill the groom while abducting the girl.  They take her back to the bar where they plan on performing a ritual on her for Satan.  The leave the groom for dead and a man in white walks up to him and he rises from the dead.  He then tells the groom that he has to get his woman back before they complete the ritual.  He sets out to save his wife and is once again murdered.  The man in white then resurrects him again and has him partner up with a priest to get his wife back.  This plan also falls part and he is murdered.  The man in white resurrects him once again and this time the groom partners up with a sheriff where they hit the bar hard and gain the upper hand until they realize they are all demons and need the virgin to complete the ritual.  The groom then realizes that in order for the demons to die that he has to kill his bride instead of saving her.

     Before I go any further I have to confess my love for biker films from the late 60s and 70s with films like Werewolves on Wheels, Psychomania, and The Savage Seven.  These films were fun and serious in tone but the modern rise of the exploitation biker flicks threw in a lot of over-the-top stories with a lo of humor.  All Hell Breaks Loose takes us back to the time when these films were serious in tone but was able to add a few laughs in just so it couldn't be taken too seriously.  The acting in this film is great by the entire cast.  The bikers were perfectly cast.  They all fully immersed themselves in the role and for the most part they look authentic.  We also get some much needed humor from Danger Ehren.  The rest of the cast is great as well with the film's hero, the groom, who just happens to look like Zack Ward of A Chistmas Story Fame.  He does a great job portraying a reluctant hero.  The story for this one is one I have seen before even in outlaw biker films. However, none have the Heaven and Hell touch which is really something I did not see coming.  This is a great way to make the film stand out while paying tribute to the biker films of a time long forgotten.  Finally, the film does have several on screen kills but nothing that would satisfy the typical gorehound.  The point of this flick is to not shower the viewer in blood and guts but to give the viewer a great grindhouse experience.  Overall, All Hell Breaks Loose is a great film that has rich dialogue, solid story, and a few laughs.  The film feels like it should have Tarantino's name plastered somewhere above the title. This film has to been seen!