VHS Visions: Rocktober Blood (1984)
Published on February 28th, 2014 in: Horror, Movie Reviews, Movies, Retrovirus, Reviews, VHS, VHS Visions |
When you really get into VHS collecting it does two things to you: First, you get to see some crazy, weird titles that are not spoken about too often (if ever). It feels good to discover and watch these movies and tell your other film friends about the gems you have seen. Second, it’s very depressing. It’s depressing because some movies have been lost and will never be seen or heard of again. You probably think that you can find the film somewhere, either online through a torrent or a DVR in another country. You’re wrong. There are some titles that are gone and people just can’t find them.
In Rocktober Blood, Billy “Eye” Harper is the front man for a heavy metal band and one night he goes insane killing people in the recording studio. On that same night, Billy Eye dies after a blood-soaked battle with one of the band members. After that the band continues on with the female singer fronting the band. One year after Billy’s death, he is back and is intent on killing his former band members.
Blu-Ray Review: Punk Vacation
Published on February 28th, 2014 in: Blu-Ray, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies, Retrovirus, Reviews |
Punk Vacation is on Blu-Ray. Say it with me, Punk Vacation is on Blu-Ray.
Blu-Ray Review: The Doll Squad/Mission: Killfast
Published on February 21st, 2014 in: Blu-Ray, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies, Retrovirus, Reviews, Underground/Cult |
Ted V. Mikels is one of the best things to ever happen to film. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but Mikels did have a couple of cool films back in the day that have recently been released in a collection from Vinegar Syndrome: The Doll Squad and Mission: Killfast. Vinegar Syndrome put these two films in a beautiful Blu-Ray combo and it is definitely the highlight of my year so far. Until they released this Blu-Ray, I had seen Mikels’s film The Corpse Grinders, but nothing else, and now I want to seek out everything that he has ever done.
DVD Review: The Legend Of The Psychotic Forest Ranger
Published on February 21st, 2014 in: Comedy, DVD, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Horror, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews |
Eighties throwback films are getting more and more popular every year. Some of these films are pretty incredible while others fall flat and just don’t hit the notes. You sometimes have a film that falls in between and that is exactly where The Legend Of The Psychotic Forest Ranger ends up.
VHS Visions: Deadly Dreams (1988)
Published on February 21st, 2014 in: Horror, Movie Reviews, Movies, Retrovirus, Reviews, VHS, VHS Visions |
Back in the ’80s there was an actress named Juliette Cummins who has remained one of my favorites until this day. Bringing up her name probably won’t ring a bell, but she was in such flicks as Friday The 13th Part 5: A New Beginning, Psycho 3, Slumber Party Massacre 2, Running Hot, and Deadly Dreams. (Psst. . . this post is about Deadly Dreams.) Ever since I can remember, Juliette Cummins has been a favorite of mine and I love every film she is in. Yeah, the films are pretty badass to begin with, but she makes the films better.
DVD Review: Birth Of The Living Dead
Published on February 14th, 2014 in: Current Faves, Documentaries, DVD, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Horror, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews |
When I was little, one of the first films that I can remember seeing and buying on VHS was Night Of The Living Dead on the Blockbuster Exclusive label. You know the one; the one with the big red label on the side. . . Night Of The Living Dead is one of the most important and influential films that exists. It has impacted not only the film industry but also the world, inspiring many people along the way. First Run Features recently released a documentary based on the events leading up to the making of this important film. Birth Of The Living Dead sheds a lot of light on the making of Night Of The Living Dead including stories of its successes and mishaps.
VHS Visions: Valet Girls (1987)
Published on February 14th, 2014 in: Comedy, Movie Reviews, Movies, Retrovirus, Reviews, VHS, VHS Visions |
Sex comedies are my forte. I’m in love with them, even the bad ones. It doesn’t matter to me if they’re bad because I find something enjoyable out of each of them. There are a lot of sex comedies but there are some real gems hidden about all the boobs and sand. One of those flicks is Valet Girls.
With these films you can’t go on expecting a plot. Usually there’s a very simple story with lots of boobs and running from the villain or trying to overcome some obstacle and having to raise money for it. Valet Girls is about a singer who wants to make it big so she becomes a valet girl? What?
Interview: A Conversation With Director Steven DeGennaro
Published on February 14th, 2014 in: Found Footage, Horror, Interviews, Movies, Upcoming Movies, Upcoming Releases |
When I first heard about the upcoming horror movie, Found Footage 3D, I immediately got on Twitter to make fun of it. Oh, don’t act like you’re shocked. The real surprise for me happened when the director of the movie, Steven DeGennaro, saw my tweet and engaged me in a civil conversation. That’s the inherent joy and terror of Twitter; you never know who’s reading. After talking to Steven for a while, I moved out of mockery mode and into curiosity. That led to research.
Steven DeGennaro previously directed the short film, First Date. For his new movie, he is working closely with horror icon Kim Henkel, co-writer of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That certainly intrigued me. Then, I had the opportunity to talk to Steven DeGennaro at the end of last month.
DVD Review: Concussion
Published on February 7th, 2014 in: Current Faves, DVD, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Feminism, LGBTQ, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews |
The tagline on the DVD for Concussion is the kind of lurid text that implies we’re going to watch a Lifetime movie from the 1990s: Wife. Mother. Escort. When you examine the plot—middle-aged wife and mother gets hit on the head and then creates a secret life as a prostitute—it doesn’t do much to dissuade that notion. Yet Concussion isn’t a cautionary tale and the head injury doesn’t produce dissociative fugues; no one gets blackmailed, kidnapped, or murdered. It’s a frank examination of dissatisfaction and desire that could easily be transposed onto a heterosexual relationship, but in Concussion the married couple are lesbians with two kids.
DVD Review: Violet & Daisy
Published on February 7th, 2014 in: Comedy, Current Faves, DVD, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Feminism, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews |
With more than 300 films screening in a ten-day time period, the Toronto International Film Festival makes time management a challenge. Rumor has it that some film critics will leave a screening after ten minutes if they’re not fully engaged. I’m going to bet that there were quite a few who walked out on Violet & Daisy at TIFF 2011. That would have been a big mistake.