Anatomy of a Psycho



Director - Boris Petroff (Shotgun Wedding, The Unearthly)
Starring - Ronnie Burns (the Honeymooners, Shotgun Slade), Pamela Lincoln (The Tingler, One Step Beyond), Darrell Howe (The Felony Squad, Teenage Idol)
Release Date - 1961
Genre - Crime
Tagline - "A terrifying searching expose"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

          I've been on a huge exploitation kick lately.  I started out by reviewing movies in the 80s a few weeks ago and that became a slippery slope to some bad exploitation flicks that are just too much fun.  I started working my way through my back log of AFGA releases when I got to The Violent Years which was written by the late and great Ed Wood Jr.  A bonus film on the blu was the 1961 crime thriller Anatomy of a Psycho which was supposedly written by Wood.  I had heard of this film beforehand but never had an opportunity to check it out.  Hell, I have two different releases of the film on DVD already.  One was from Something Weird and the other is a double feature from Vinegar Syndrome.  Thank you MVD for sending this one my way!

     The film follows Chet who is a bit of a rough one and is struggling with the fact that his brother was put to death for the murder of a man he tried to rob.  He vows to kill those responsible for convicting his brother and starts with the DA, the judge, before learning that his sister is about to marry the son of the eye witness that testified against him.  A series of unfortunate events leads to the murder of Chet's friend Moe and he pins the murder on the witness' son.  A rogue cop knows something is wrong and investigates the further and uncovers Chet's responsible for the murder and will stop at nothing to bring him to justice. 

     I went into this one with a bad taste in my mouth from The Violent Years but I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.  The movie was goofy as hell but I actually really enjoyed it.  In fact, I'm curious why this movie was the bonus feature on the release and not the main attraction.  The acting in this one is honestly not that bad but there was several scenes that left me scratching my head.  Especially the fight scenes.  I laughed at how bad they were and how awkward the cast was in them.  No choreography and you can tell the cast was afraid to touch each other.  The story for this one could be a pre-dated slasher in a way where someone wronged slowly stalks and extracts revenge on those responsible one by one.  It is not a horror movie, however, but it does work for the crime thriller angle.  Finally, there is one death scene but it is extremely boring and lackluster.  In fact, you will forget it before the movie is even over.  The effects are non-existent.  Overall, Anatomy of a Psycho is a flawed film but still well worth the watch.  It is definitely the highlight of The Violent Years release. 





The Violent Years

 



Director - William Morgan (Mercy Island, Secrets of the Underground)
Starring - Jean Moorhead (Death Valley Days, The Amazing Colossal Man), Barbara Weeks (Gun Girls, School for Girls), and Art Millan (Battle Hymn, The Man Behind the Gun)
Release Date - 1956
Genre - Crime/Drama
Tagline - "Teenage killers taking their thrills unashamed"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     Ed Wood is a filmmaker that had a huge impact on me growing up.  Like many people my age I discovered Ed Wood thanks to Tim Burton.  I had watched the film when I was younger with my grandmother and soon after discovered he was the same man behind the films Night of the Ghouls and Plan 9 from Outer Space which I had already seen with my grandmother.  Sometime ago the folks over at AGFA released the 1956 crime drama The Violent Years which was written by Ed Wood.  I had seen several movies directed by him but how would his brand of filmmaking be handled by a director that wasn't him?  I couldn't wait to see and thank you MVD for sending this one my way to review.

     The film follows a teenage woman who is neglected by her wealthy parents.  To kill time she forms an all female gang who rob and beat innocent people all over town.  They are instructed to trash a local school but the police catch wind of it and try to stop them.  A shootout ensues and a cop is killed before they are all caught bringing the blame back to the neglecting parents. 

     This was one of the films I was excited the most to review but it actually ended up being the first one so far that I was not a fan of.  The movie was honestly a chore to finish and the title, at least when compared to modern horror, was not that violent.  The acting in this one is great.  The cast is consistent and no one cast member outshines the other.  They work very well together which does make some of the scenes a little easier to swallow.  The story for this one is not really that violent.  I've seen movies from around this time and this film is nothing new or groundbreaking.  The movie moves at a snails pace and the "action" we do get is so lackluster that the viewer will find themselves playing on social media while ignoring the film.  The cheap and cheesy dialogue, acting, and sets that make Woods' films so much fun are nowhere to be seen leaving behind a boring experience.  Finally, if you want blood and gore you will need to go elsewhere.  There is a gun death but it is cheaply done with no effects.  Overall, The Violent Years is not the experience I was expecting.  The movie looks great but is not that enjoyable.  Fans of Wood will want to grab the blu from AFGA but if you are looking for something different to check out I can recommend several other films. 





Brawl Busters

 



Director - Jeong-yong Kim (Kung-Fu Party, The Shaolin Drunk Money)
Starring - Bruce Cheung (Bridge of Death, A Viper), Yong-seok Kang (Dracula Rises, Women's Fists), and Yeong-ran Seo (Bruce Against the Odds, Evil Spirit)
Release Date - 1978
Genre - Action
Tagline - "For the first time!  See the deadly flying razors"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I've been having the blast the last few days working my way through the AGFA releases to review.  I started with Bat Pussy which had the erotic sci-fi film Robot Love Slaves as a bonus film.  I then moved on to the amazing The Sword and the Claw which has the 1978 kung-fu film Brawl Busters as a bonus feature.  I absolutely loved The Sword and the Claw so I immediately took the plunge into Brawl Busters.  Once again I want to thank MVD for sending this one my way to review. 

     The film follows a young woman who is a master in kung-fu and trained by a shaolin monk after her father was murdered by an evil warlord when he refused to fight for him.  Now she is ready to get her revenge and she is bringing with her a group of female warriors all of which are just as deadly as her.



     I love the cheese and campy factor that you always get when you toss in a kung-fu flick.  Each one tries to outdo the next and usually delivers on a few unexpected laughs and some fun action scenes.  Brawl Busters was campy and not as well choreographed but still delivered on the fun.  The acting in this one is what you would expect from an international kung-fu flick.  The cast is very into their characters but there is a language barrier between how they act and what is translated into English.  It doesn't take away from the film.  In fact, it does add some unintentional humor to several dry scenes.  The story for this one is standard among kung-fu films.  In fact, it follows a similar story as The Sword and the Claw.  We follow someone that was orphaned and grew up into a powerful warrior only to get revenge on those that took their parents away.  The different between these two is that it does not have the humor that TWatC has.  Finally, if you want blood and gore you are watching the wrong movie.  Hell, if you want a great choreographed kung-fu flick you are watching the wrong movie.  The movie looks great and has a solid story with decent choreography but it is a flawed film.  Overall, Brawl Busters is a highly entertaining and energetic kung-fu film.  It is far from perfect but still a fun watch. 





The Sword and the Claw

 



Director - Natuk Baytan (Eagle House, Aladdin's Lamp)
Starring - Cuneyt Arkin (Burning, The Raid), Bahar Erdeniz (The Little Eye-Witness, Takip), and Charles Garret
Release Date - 1975
Genre - Action
Tagline - "Blood and guts action - from start to finish"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     When I was growing up I had a friend that loved kung-fu flicks.  While I was renting horror flicks and shitty family movies like Air Bud and Space Jam he would often grab those 70s king-fu flicks that you would have seen as a double feature at the drive-in.  I actually liked them as well but I didn't obsess over them like he did.  As I got older I started to appreciate them more and will toss them in from time to time.  I'm especially fond of Brucesploitation.  Sometime ago AGFA released the Turkish kung-fu flick The Sword and the Claw which was originally released under the title Lion Man.  After I started down the rabbit hole that is AGFA I had to toss this gem in.  Thank you MVD for sending this one my way.

     The film follows a man who was taken from his home as a child when his father, the king, is murdered by a man seeking to claim the throne for his own.  He is raised by a pride of lions and has adapted to their ways which includes using his hands as deadly paws.  Now he has returned to take back the throne that is rightfully his own and free his people from their tyrannical king. 

     You go into a kung-fu flick from the 70s expecting a certain level of cheese but this Turkish production took it to a whole new level.  I laughed until it hurt while watching Bat Pussy but The Sword and the Claw had me on the ground hurting because I was laughing so hard.  The acting in this one is bad but it is the kind of bad that is still very enjoyable.  Especially when you take the poor dubbing into consideration.  the cast is extremely dramatic and the dubbing does not match the characters or scenarios at all.  Some of the scenes had me fucking gasping for air after I watched the scene with the dubbing.  The story for this one is one you have seen in countless kung-fu films throughout the 70s but this time they add the Turkish touch to it.  The kung-fu skilled man who is a mystery to those that encounter them who then using his skill to stop the film's villain is nothing new but it does make for a very enjoyable film.  It's goofy as hell but so fucking satisfying.  Finally, this one has blood but its nothing you haven't seen before.  The kills are fast, often too quick to enjoy, with just blood splatter and no other practical effects.  They fit the film and offer up even more unexpected laughs.  Overall, The Sword and the Claw is another film you have to see to believe and the blu looks great from American Genre Film Archive.  Check it out.  

    

 



Robot Love Slaves



Starring - Sandy Carey (A Touch of Sex, Sex Delivery), Adam Ward (Pit of Perversion, Sky Pilot), and Candy Samples (Cock Robin, Disco Sex Party)
Release Date - 1971
Genre - Erotic/Sci-fi
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     

     Shit is getting weird in my house.  The week that I was off on vacation saw some Italian horror films, a 90s serial killer flick with Traci Lords, a drive-in classic, and an Australian horror film released by Wild Eye.  I decided to follow all this up with some sleaze.  I decided to go with the AGFA and Something Weird release of Bat Pussy which has a 2K restored release of Robot Love Slaves as one of the special features.  After I watched the hilarious Bat Pussy I decided it only made sense to watch and review Robot Love Slaves.  Thank you MVD for sending this one my way!

      The film follows a scientist who had a paralyzed wife and fantasizes about engaging in intercourse with her.  What he doesn't know is that she is faking her disability and has been cheating on him.  He has been working on robot sex slaves with human skin for others in the same situation like him.  He succeeds in making gorgeous sex robots but they have no off switch and take the sex too far.
     I knew this one was going to be another wild flick in the same way that Bat Pussy was but I actually found myself enjoying this one.  In fact, since I first watched it I've watched it three complete times.  It's so weird and out there but I fucking love it.  The acting in this one is hilariously bad.  The cast stumbles through their lines and stand awkwardly in the middle of the scene.  I loved how little an effort they put into their roles.  The story for this one is straight out of a late 60s drive-in classic with a sleazy twist.  The movie does drag a bit and the story is never fully explored as it should have.  Instead, they rely heavily on the sex scenes which are some of the worst to ever be filmed.  Finally, if you want blood you will be disappointed.  The same can be said for the horrible sex scenes.  Overall, Robot Love Slaves is one of those films people proclaim that are so bad they are good.  It was fun as fuck and highly entertaining even though it was shit on film.  Check it out as a bonus feature on Bat Pussy from AGFA and Something Weird. 



Bat Pussy

 



Starring - Sara Dildo
Release Date - 1973
Genre - Erotic/Comedy
Tagline - "dirty motherfuckas, fucking in my holy Gothum City!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I watch a lot of weird movies.  Mostly horror but I do dive into the twisted end of exploitation.  Personally, I love exploitation a little too much.  Maybe even more than I love horror.  Blaxploitation is easily my favorite of the sub-genres but I'm starting to warm up to the absurd world of sexploitation.  Sometime ago I got the Batman parody Bat Pussy in for review from MVD.  This AGFA and Something Weird collaboration looked entertaining but I always forgot I had it to be honest.  Recently Blood Lake was released by AGFA and I remembered I had several releases to review.  Thank you MVD for sending this one my way.  I really enjoyed it. 

     The film follows Gothum's caped crusader who has to defend the city from people having sex.  When a hillbilly couple sets out to get intimate Bat Pussy has to bounce into action and get in the middle of the action.

     I knew I was going into a very cheap porn parody but I had no idea I would laugh as much as I did.  The movie was horrible but I had a fucking blast with it.  It was well worth it.  The acting in this one is hilarious.  The cast has no idea what they are doing but that doesn't stop them from doing it.  The direction is completely gone so the cast is left to do what they think is right.  It works for a funny porn experience but for someone looking to get their rocks off may find it a struggle.  The story for this one is fucking brilliant for a porn parody.  The execution is really the only hang up.  The movie is extremely boring as a fuck film but the dialogue is fucking golden.  This movie is something I will be quoting until the day I die.  Finally, those of you looking for a bloody flick will not find it here.  Hell, if you want some solid dick slinging you wont find it here either.  This is some of the worst sex to ever be filmed!  Overall, Bat Pussy is more fun than you can shake your dick at.  I honestly laughed until it hurt.  You have to see this film to believe it. 





Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla

 



Director - Stuart Simpson (Dragon Force X, ABCs of Death 2.5)
Starring - Glenn Maynard (Fags in the Fast Lane, Neighbours), Kyrie Nunan-Jackson (The Wizards of Aus, Timeless), and Aston Elliot (Killervision, Under the Kaleidoscope)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror/Comedy/Drama
Tagline - "The ice cream man is coming"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

 

     I've spent the better part of a week indulging in horror and exploitation flicks from the 70s and 80s.  After working my way through my stack of Severin Films for review I decided to check out something newer.  I went to my Wild Eye collection and decided to go with the 2014 Australian black comedy Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla.  I received this one sometime ago but never could get it worked into my schedule but I had to fix that.  Once again, thank you Wild Eye for allowing myself and Horror Society the opportunity to check out this strange film!

     The film follows Warren (Maynard) who runs an ice cream truck.   He is a lonely man who adores his pet that he accidentally kills.  His only flash of light in his bleak life is his ice cream truck is his favorite daytime soap.  His humdrum life is tested when a drug dealer moves into his favorite spot to sell and starts to bully him.  When he has almost had enough he meets the star of his favorite soap and begins to fall in love with her.  She frequently visits him after taping the show and he gets the courage to ask her out and she accepts.  He prepares for the date and goes to the studio to pick her up only for her to act confused and state she had never seen him before.  Was Warren daydreaming or was she toying with him?  This sends Warren over the edge and he kills the drug dealer that has been harassing him before walking away from the crime while undressing. 

     I went into this one expecting a bloody Australian horror flick and was given a solid dark drama that does not reflect anything horror related until the last 10 minutes of the film's run time.   That doesn't make this a bad film.  In fact, it's far from it but it was not the horror experience I was expecting.  The acting in this one is top notch.  The supporting cast is awesome but this movie really is a one man show.  Glenn Maynard is absolutely outstanding is the backwards Warren.  He does a phenomenal job at bringing this character to life and this is one film in which I won't be forgetting the main character any time soon.  He went above and beyond and it shows.  The story for this one is solid for what it's worth but it's not the horror film many of you may expect.  The film is mostly a drama as we follow the life of Warren.  We follow his ups and mostly downs.  The movie feels like a rather entertaining dark drama with a few chuckles tossed in here and there.  The horror, as I stated earlier, is only in the film the final moments but the movie is still well worth your time.  Finally, there is one death scene but the filmmakers milk it.  The kill is fucking brutal and it has some of the best practical effects I've seen in an indie production.  The kill looks fantastic and we get plenty of screen time with it.  Overall, Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla is a fantastic film.  Sure, it lacks horror but it deserves your undivided attention.  Check it out now on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing. 





Invasion of the Blood Farmers

 



Director - Ed Adlum
Starring - Norman Kelley, Tanna Hunter, and Bruce Detrick
Release Date - 1972
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "They plant the living and harvest the dead!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I've been obsessed with movies from the 70s and 80s the last few days.  I was always a fan of 80s horror, sci-fi, and action flicks but I never really ventured into the 70s that often and if I did it was usually to check out an exploitation or Blaxploitation film.  I recently watched and reviewed the Joe D'Amato films Anthropophagous and Absurd.  These were fun early 80s Italian horror films.  I followed that up with an early 90s serial killer film Skinner.  I wanted to follow that up with something a little older.  I was already having a Severin Films' movie marathon so it only made sense to toss in their recent release of the 1972 drive-in classic Invasion of the Blood Farmers.  I never had the opportunity to check this one out before now and I was looking forward to it. 
     The film follows a group of blood harvesting druids that has infiltrated a small farming community in order to obtain the red substance they need complete a ritual to raise their queen.  A local scientist discovers the blood of one of them and upon running tests concludes that it is from something not human.  Now he is tossed in the middle of their blood hunt with his daughter and her boyfriend.   


     I had heard mixed things about this film which only excited me.  Most people know me as the guy that likes bad movies.  I can see where they get that but these so called "bad" movies are fun.  They don't reinvent the genre but they do contribute to it in ways other films cannot.  Invasion of the Blood Farmers is one of those films that is severely flawed but I really enjoyed my time with it.  The acting in this one is very questionable.  The cast really tries to get into their roles but their experience shows.  Most of the cast has no previous experience in front of the camera and it shows.  The characters are very entertaining for what it's worth but there could be so much more if they had more direction and on camera experience.  The story for this one really impressed me.  I was not expecting the druid angle and the amount of cleverness that went into it.  Sure, the film is unable to pull it all together into an effective horror film.  It is fun for what it is even with the flaws.  Finally, the film does not have the best effects.  We get buckets of bright red blood and clear tubes but that is the extent of it.  Overall, Invasion of the Blood Farmers is a fun drive-in flick that works for a late night watch with a few beers and some stale chips.  I highly recommend checking out the blu from Severin Films.  

 



Skinner

 



Director - Ivan Nagy (Deadly Nightmares, Jane Doe)
Starring - Ted Raimi (The Midnight Meat Train, Ash vs. Evil Dead), Ricki Lake (Serial Mom, Crybaby), and David Warshofsky (Fear the Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy)
Release Date - 1993
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "He'll get under your skin"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I kept the Severin Films' train rolling on through my vacation.  After I watched Anthropophagous and Absurd I decided to toss in another newer Severin release.  This time I went with the 1993 Ted Raimi lead film Skinner.  This Ivan Nagy directed serial killer film also featured John Waters' regular Ricki Lake and Traci Lords.  This was one I had never heard about prior to receiving the press release.  I reached out to Severin Films and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thank you Severin for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to review this release. 

     The film follows nomad Dennis Skinner (Raimi) who acquires about renting a room from Kerry Tate (Lake) while her husband is out of town for work.  Dennis gets a job a janitor during the day but at night he moonlights as a serial killer who has a knack for skinning his victims.  When Kerry goes missing her husband is forced to look for her when he crosses paths with a former victim of Dennis' who now is fixated with him.  Will Kerry's husband find her before Dennis can show her the real him?

     I went into this one with no knowledge of what I was about to watch.  Ted Raimi is a name I'm very familiar with due to his work in the horror genre, Evil Dead II and being brother's with director Sam Raimi.  I also knew of Ricki Lake and Traci Lords due to their involvement with John Waters.  I was excited to say the least.  The movie did not disappoint but there was several aspects I wish was different.  The acting in this one is great.  Ted Raimi as a murdering madman was fucking genius.  He does a phenomenal job in the role and makes the movie what it is.  The supporting cast is fantastic as well.  Ricki Lake is an amazing actress and it's a damn shame we don't see her in more films especially horror.  It was also great seeing Traci Lords.  Her performance was fun but it is strange seeing her take on a more serious role over a seductive one.  She definitely has acting chops and it still extremely sexy even with prosthetics on.  The story for this one is fairly simple and relies heavily on character development.  I'm actually alright with this because the characters were very fun.  They made the movie worth watching.  With that being said, the movie does move a little on the slow side.  Several scenes seem rather pointless when they fail to develop the character's backstory or further the story along.  Finally, the film is not really that gory but it does have several fun scenes with some solid prosthetics and practical effects.  Overall, Skinner is a solid early 90s horror film.  Fans wanting great effects but not looking for a gory flick will enjoy what KNB brought to the table here.  Check it out now on blu from Severin Films.