Looking for a unique way to give a movie gift this holiday season?

Give A Great Movie Night!

I love the idea of a couple of movies wrapped in a popcorn container with specialty salts and some great wine! But it has to be the “right” kind of film. If your cinephile is looking for something more sophisticated than “The Ugley Truth”, then look no further than here:

Weng Weng’s Got You Covered!

Yes, it’s time for giving gifts to those you love – so why not surprise them with one of these five wild wild wild movies?

Let’s get started – first, hands up!

MEET 2 FEET AND 9 INCHES OF PURE MAN!

You are in good hands, because the legendary action hero “Weng Weng” is on the case!

For Your Height Only!

Now here is a classic film to slip under someone’s Christmas tree: a James Bond rip-off starring the legendary “littlest action hero” Weng Weng!

Take a look:

This classic slice of campy action stars Weng Weng, the legendary diminutive action hero…first, the plot:

Mr. Giant has kidnapped the brilliant Dr. Van Kohler and is planning to use the Doctor’s invention, the N-bomb, to hold the world hostage. The only one who can foil Mr. Giant’s evil scheme is Agent 00:

A 3-foot-tall filipino martial arts master, expert marksman, top-class romancer and all-around super spy!

That’s right: SIZE DOESN’T MATTER!

“For Your Height Only” is a play on words on “For Your Eyes Only”, the title of the James Bond film released that same year. I mean, look at this Bond-ish poster!

And of course, just like James Bond, Weng Weng is also a lady-killer…

Every movie lover would embrace Weng Weng! This movie was so successful that a sequel was produced in 1982, titled “The Impossible Kid”. Weng Weng is known as the shortest man to ever be a lead in an action film/martial arts film; he stands at 2’9″ (less than one meter).

The answer to the question you are thinking is “yes, it is as crazy as you imagine” – but isn’t that the point of giving it to a loved one?

From Weng Weng to Lloyd Kaufman!

Yes, it’s the perfect transition, because while Weng Weng is a small slice of heaven, Troma stands tall once again with their latest “Tromasterpiece!”

“Return To The Class Of Nuke ‘em High Vol. 1!”

The Maestro of Troma has unveiled his latest classic – check out the trailer!

WARNING! FULL FRONTAL NUDITY IN THIS TEASER – VERY VERY NSFW – ONLY FOR YOUR OWN EYES!

Well, hard to argue about this one…it’s Troma in spirit and execution – and of course green foam and blood….

“Return To The Class Of Nuke ‘em High” was ultimately divided into two parts, with “Vol. 1″ arriving this year…you can find it at Amazon as well as the official Troma store…and “Vol. 2″ will be released in 2015…

If you head to Troma.com, you can buy this terrifically fun movie and see the hundreds of films they have in their library –

Support legendary filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman by checking out more of my “Return to Nuke ‘em High Vol. 1″ here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/09/schools-out-rock-n-roll-high-nuke-em-high-and-alice-cooper/

Now, time to shift from Troma, home of the classic “Surf Nazis Must Die” – yes, another great Troma classic, to a more serious Nazi film…

“The Sequel You Did Nazi Coming!”

Yes, you read that right! You need to read about some of the craziest movies being made today – the raucous blend of zombies and Nazis! I’ve got a sequel to a movie you may not even know exists!

First: did you happen to see this classic film?

“Dead Snow”! Nazi Zombies, Of Course!

Leave it to the Norwegians to corner the market in wacky “nazi zombie” movies! You get the idea here: Nazis were never wiped out in WW2, they were just frozen solid – and once they thawed out, they were ravenous zombies! The success of the “Dead Snow” comic zombie gorefest has led to, you guessed it – THIS!

Read this inspired plot summary by the brilliant minds at IMDB:

“If the worst day of your life consisted of accidentally killing your girlfriend with an axe, chain-sawing your own arm off, and watching in horror as your closest friends were devoured by a zombified Nazi battalion, you’d have to assume that things couldn’t get much worse. In Martin’s case, that was only the beginning!”

Check out the trailer:

These are wacky cult films that are actually good! And of course, if you didn’t read my original post, here is the link to the “Citizen Kane” of Nazi Zombie movies, “Iron Sky!”

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/23/bad-taste-this-halloween-nazi-zombie-halloween-horror-halloween-party-movies/

Ok, let’s get away from war films and head to the far east, where there are entirely different kinds of zombies to fight!

Helldriver!

I love japanese exploitation films: they are wildly imaginative, and offer more excessive bloodshed than you will find anywhere else! Need proof?

“Helldriver” offers up one of the wackiest plots ever, as a zombie plague turns Japan into a bloody war zone…

Did I Say “Bloody?”

Yes, these classic “j-sploitaiton” films – japanese exploitation, a genre that offers garden hoses full of blood – a campy excess that keeps the films firmly in “tongue in cheek” territory – they are well done, and very fast and frenetic….never a dull moment in these movies!

It’s more a bloody action spectacle than a horror film, but it is indicative of the imaginative approach to moviemaking that is going on in Japan and Asia…

It’s what every movie buff would want under their tree!

To read all about “Helldriver”, just click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/01/female-ninja-warriors-extreme-asian-cinema-updated/

From “J-Splo” To “Oz-Splo”!

As much as I love “J-sploitation”, I think “Ozsploitation” may be even better!

Yes, let’s head to Australia for a legendary film that lives up to its hungry name!

Strap Yourself In For “The Bed That Eats!”

Yes, it is time to discover the wonder of “Death Bed!” First, let’s see a few choice moments thanks to “Saibot216″ on youtube….

It is referred to as the “worst film ever made!” But c’mon, if you’ve see “The Room” or “Birdemic”, you know that’s not possible…and now, thanks to the great home video distributor CultEpics, there is a new blu-ray that gives YOU the chance to decide for yourself!

Patton Oswalt’s Favorite Film!

This cult classic was lost to camp movie buffs for years, and comic Patton Oswalt actually went on a riff about the film – and people thought he was making it up!

He wasn’t of course – “Death Bed” is a terrific horror comedy that deserves to be seen by the cinephile in your family!

Read all about this incredible movie AND see Patton Oswalt’s love affair with it by clicking on my whole story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/28/classic-cult-horror-death-bed-the-bed-that-eats-patton-oswalts-obsession-is-here/

So there you have it: five wildly entertaining films that deserve to be on everyone’s holiday gift-giving list!

It’s Anniversary Time! Let’s Celebrate!

Today is the third year anniversary of this blog, and I want to take a moment to thank everyone who visits – and if you don’t want a piece of “bacon cake”, then maybe this will do:

Yes, this is a chicken wing cupcake, and I share this photo for a reason: it was three years ago when I shared the recipe for making them yourself…

http://johnrieber.com/2012/02/03/buffalo-chicken-wing-cupcakes/

Three years of posting stories about food, travel, movie, music, books, concerts, great adventures both personal and professional…and yes, stuff like this:

The Majesty Of A Cheesesteak Doughnut Burger!

Yes, I post about burgers a lot. Because many of you seem to enjoy these unique foodstuffs. And yes, there is much more to come. But before we devolve into a discussion of “Cheesesteak Doughnut” burgers, let me thank the person behind this story – and behind this blog.

Three years ago, my wife and ongoing inspiration Alex told me to write a blog and have some fun…and that fun included stories about our adventures in Spain, Provence and more, including the Cannes film festival…

That’s my wife Alex and I along with our good friend Michael Castner in a Cannes hotel stairwell waiting to interview a celebrity. I have shared a number of fun stories from the past, including the story behind this photo of Michael interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger, while I watch in the orange shirt:

You can read the entire story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/14/cannes-2014-my-classic-arnold-schwarzenegger-encounter-big-star-planet-hollywood-shenanigans/

Alex has been amazingly supportive of this blog, letting me share some of our adventures with you – but she couldn’t have imagined it would lead to this:

The Tokyo Burger Tower!

Little did Alex know that, as I looked for things that interested me enough to write about, I would find a world full of crazy food – from a “Tokyo Burger Tower” you see above to the best burger currently being made in Cambodia!

Some people love these burger posts – so thank you for your feedback – and one, Jeff Greenfield, HATED a food story I posted: showcasing the spaghetti-stuffed hot dog!

Not sure why, but Jeff said this freaked him out a bit…so now I have to keep looking for more wacky food mashups just to keep him on his toes…you know, like the “bacon cheeseburger-stuffed doughnut!”

Read all about the majesty of this by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/25/bacon-glazed-cheeseburger-doughnut-amazing-burgerbacon-mashup/

Yes, it has been a tasty three years…and I promise moving forward there will be much more of this:

Yes, this bacon cheeseburger has 1,000 slices of bacon, which is appropriate since this is a post all about numbers:

Closing In On One Million Views…

In the three years I have been posting, these stories have collectively generated almost one million views – it is exciting to see the response to new stories as well as stories posted a year ago or longer – and from the comments I have gotten, it’s nice that a wide range of topics are of interest…from amazing travel memoirs like this:

Read about this incredible Author and her year on a south pacific island by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/05/faraway-lucy-irvines-castaway-sequel-more-amazing-island-escapes/

And of course, I have posted many times about my favorite musical group of all time!

The Beatles Are #1!

The greatest musical group in history is also making history for me! Here is the single most viewed post I have ever published:

The Beatles Lost Rooftop Concert Film!

Yes, you can never go wrong when you’ve got The Beatles helping you out! My “Let It Be” post continues to be the most viewed story of all time on my blog, which I love because this Beatles documentary is probably the greatest “lost” film of all time, and you can read my entire post about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

And yes, I own a VHS copy of the movie, which is one reason I love The Beatles so much!

Now, onto a “different” kind of movie…

Three years ago, I discovered that certain stories got a lot of interest, like films from the “grindhouse” era of New York’s 42nd street: it was almost three years ago when I actually warned people which movies NOT to show at a family holiday gathering!

Which, I will reiterate, is NOT a film to be shared with relatives…although “The Sinful Dwarf” is a classic example of “euro-sleaze”, a rough type of 70’s film…classic cult cinema that lives on thanks to DVD and on demand services – and I do have a fondness for wacky exploitation movies, like this:

Grindhouse Cinema Lives!

Yes, it’s an acquired taste, but I have met a ton of passionate exploitation fans who enjoy stories about his unique time in movie history…and look, not only did I share the plot of “Mantis In Lace”, but I found this picture as well!

The fact that the President and Vice-President would be eating in front of a “Mantis” poster…I love the internet! Ii you want to more, just click on my “grind house gift guide” here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/23/sex-violence-grindhouse-have-a-purient-holiday-an-exploitation-gift-guide/

There are a lot of people who enjoy this unique era of film, and I thank all of you who read my posts about this weird and wild world of cult cinema…

But I also love to travel, and Alex and I have been lucky enough to have some great adventures, which I have shared throughout the years:

Here is Alex harvesting a fresh eggplant from the Patricia Wells garden in Provence, where we cooked with this legendary cookbook Author:

We got to cook on Julia Childs’ original provincial stove, and you can read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/10/tasting-provence-cooking-with-patricia-wells-food-and-travel-unite/

No matter how great cooking with Patricia and her husband was, it pales in comparison to the fun I’ve had with my kids as well…

This is my daughter Jessica, who came along on a work trip to Tokyo and got to see some crazy japanese food…

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/06/tokyos-build-a-burger-wacky-japanese-burger-ads-wildest-food-for-sale/

We had a great time eating our way through some of Tokyo’s great food…but it paled in comparison to this hilarious trip, which I call:

The “London Grind!”

My son Jeff went with me on a work trip to London, and got to work with the crew for a few days as well…which led to what we call his “London grind” adventure – a hilarious night out with some very drunken British business people, highlighted here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/18/alison-haislip-the-london-grind-travels-with-alison/

This was a trip to film for G4 with Host Alison Haislip, and thanks to Alison for being such a great talent, and so much fun to work with in London!

And Let’s Never Forget The Bacon!

Yes, I have posted about ALL kinds of bacon as well…that’s because bacon is funny, and you “never cut funny”…so whether it’s a bacon wedding cake…

Or perhaps it is bacon that is utilized in a more “fashionable” manner…yes, bacon has proven to be very very popular, and the stranger the better!

Thanks to Sara Underwood for wearing a bacon bikini – all for the good of television. Of course, bacon fits best right here:

Burgers!

I have also enjoyed posting lots of burger posts…like the Brazil burger sold in an edible wrapper:

I haven’t been to Rio to have this, but cannot wait to get there! Read all about this edible adventure here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/20/brazils-edible-burger-wrappers-go-brazil-go/

I have also shared my love of music – and of course my admiration for the music and career of Todd Rundgren!

I have been a lifelong fan of this musical Artist, and have posted many stories about his unique career. For example, did you know that he created MTV? Read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/02/todd-rundgren-inventor-of-mtv-a-hollywood-square/

And one of my favorite stories about Todd Rundgren was his special musical friendship with the late Singer/Songwriter Laura Nyro…

You can read it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/25/brilliant-laura-nyro-todd-rundgrens-muse-their-beautiful-musical-history-together/

Laura is an under-appreciated Artist, and her body of work is amazing to listen to. Here is a story about a recent tribute CD that is currently nominated for Three Grammy Awards!

http://johnrieber.com/2014/09/09/re-imagining-laura-nyro-a-brilliant-map-to-the-treasure-laura-nyros-beautiful-tribute/

Congrats to Billy Childs for the success of this project, which highlights great Laura Nyro music!

Todd Rundgren AND Laura Nyro fans have been hugely supportive of the site, and I truly appreciate it. I’ve also met a lot of great people who have great blogs as well, and I appreciate everyone’s support and interest…

Stevie Wonder Live!

I also shared my review of Stevie Wonder’s “Songs In The Key Of Life” concert in Chicago, including this live performance of “Saturn” with India Arie:

And there is so much more to share!

Year Four Sneak Peek!

With more than 700 posts, I just keep finding more stuff of interest to me. So what else can you expect going into 2015? Here are some clues:

Behold “Zolton”!

Yes, I’ve got some classic movie posters to share, thanks to an incredible website that helps to keep these alive…that will be posting soon, and I also have some great stories about classic Hollywood, such as the legendary sex kitten Jayne Mansfield:

I also have a bunch of travel stuff to share, like more of my adventures with Sasha Grey in Australia, where she got photo bombed by a shark!

Thanks to Sasha for always supporting these posts, and allowing me to tell all the fun stories about working with her, like this classic clip of Sasha finding out just how cold the water at Bondi Beach was!

Check out all of her adventures by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/11/sasha-greys-new-novel-sasha-grey-shark-dive-outtakes/

And yes, there are more food adventures to come as well:

One of Barcelona’s most innovative restaurants is coming soon to the blog…as well as a look at some of the best ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day!

There are a lot of fun adventures still to come…my goal is to share more stories about interesting people, classic movies, adventurous travel, wacky movies and more bacon!

Thanks again for the million views and I hope you enjoy what is still to come!

Let me know your thoughts!

“God, she’s beautiful. She’s got the prettiest eyes. She looks so sexy in that sweater. I just want to be alone with her and hold her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her and take care of her. Stop it you idiot, she’s your wife’s sister.”

Affairs Of The Heart!

That is dialogue from one of Woody Allen’s greatest films, and it touches on a subject he has tackled in both his personal and professional life…infidelity.

Sex, Infidelity And Murder!

Yes, Woody Allen has had an “unruly” life. Accusations come up time and again about allegations made years ago against Allen, and these stories threaten to overshadow the work of one of America’s greatest filmmakers.

It is Allen’s messy personal life that has clouded his professional work for many, especially since he has touched on some of our darkest instincts in his later films.

Allen’s ability to attract some of the world’s biggest stars, like Scarlett Johansson, allow him to make and release a new movie every year. Some of great, some aren’t, but every so often he will make a movie that tackles the darkest part four souls…

His controversial breakup with Mia Farrow has brought added attention to the content of some of his films, and I wanted to focus on three of his movies that deal with infidelity, betrayal and revenge…dark subjects that just happen to be at the core of three of his greatest films…

Woody’s Infidelity Trilogy!

The Director has taken on the subject of infidelity in increasingly dark ways….it all began in the 80’s with one of his masterpieces:

Hannah And Her Sisters

In 1986, Allen introduced us to Hannah, an Actress with a heart of gold who is the one who keeps her family grounded – we also meet her sisters, quirky and troubled women with tensions always simmering just below the surface. the movie focuses on the bonds between them and the infidelities that drive them apart. Here is the trailer:

Hannah is played by Mia Farrow, and in the film her husband, played by Michael Caine, falls in love with Hannah’s sister, played by Barbara Hershey….here is what he thinks as he sees her…beautifully written and emotionally devastating…

“God, she’s beautiful. She’s got the prettiest eyes. She looks so sexy in that sweater. I just want to be alone with her and hold her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her and take care of her. Stop it you idiot, she’s your wife’s sister.”

Michael Caine won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his work in this film…

Dianne Wiest plays the other sister, who is also struggling to find love. Wiest also won a supporting actress Oscar for this role. Her performance as the troubled but funny sister contrasts nicely with Hershey.

One of the best parts of the film is Allen’s use of poetry in the film. For example, in one scene Michael Casine gives Hershey an e.e.cummings poem, which contains the line:

“nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands”

Allen was still with Mia Farrow at the time, and the themes of lust and desire in this film certainly carry more weight based on what was happening privately. Farrow also starred in his next examination of lust and betrayal – but now he has added another, even more sinister layer – murder…

Crimes & Misdemeanors

This just might be my favorite of Allen’s serious films: a dark look at lust, betrayal and how someone can justify the evil of murder…here is the trailer:

Martin Landau has never been better as a successful Dentist whose affair with flight attendant Anjelica Huston threatens all that is dear to him…

Anjelica Huston is terrific as the mistress who demands more from Landau than he can give her…you really feel the pain she feels when she realizes he will never leave his perfect family for her…and when her pleas turn to threats, Landau turns to his brother for help. Jerry Orbach is also terrific as the brother who knows people who can take care of the problem…

Every single person in this film is at the top of their game: Landau especially gives the performance of his life – and the rest of the cast is flawless as well, Mia Farrow and Alan Alda included…

“Crimes And Misdemeanors” is a dark meditation on the evil in all of us, and the events in our lives that unleash it…soon after this film, Allen and Farrow broke up in a shocking scandal, as Allen ended up marrying Farrow’s adopted daughter.

The Director’s personal life has clouded his films ever since…with much more of a focus on subjects that he chooses to tackle in his films…which leads to what I consider to be his darkest film ever…

“Passion Temptation Obsession”

As you can see, the Director hasn’t shied away from the issues that have dogged him in his personal life – these three words describe his own life as much as they do this film, and “Match Point” just may be his darkest look at lust and infidelity ever…

Match Point

Tennis becomes a metaphor for life in Allen’s most serious film ever. First, take a look at the trailer:

Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as a tennis instructor who hits the motherlode when he marries Emily Mortimer, the daughter of wealthy businessman Brian Cox. His future is assured, until he begins an affair with Scarlett Johansson…

Of course, the affair puts everything at risk…kudos must go to Scarlett Johansson, who has never been better – her portrayal of a woman who won’t be pushed aside by a cheating husband is as emotionally raw as you’ve ever seen her…

“Match Point” is brilliant – and a perfect end to this infidelity trilogy: each film explores the darkness inside each of us, but by “Match Point”, Allen has offered up the most unsettling scenario of all…I don’t want to say more, but this cast is up to the challenging material – all three of these are must see films!

And don’t forget that the best film of 2013 was Allen’s brilliant “Blue Jasmine” – read all about it here…

http://johnrieber.com/2013/09/01/blue-jasmine-best-film-of-2013-woody-allens-bumpy-road-to-brilliance/

Let me know what you think!

Double Your Pleasure!

Sometimes, one classic movie just isn’t enough…

Yes, when one great film isn’t enough, it’s time for a double bill! Let’s go back to a simpler time, when most movies were shown in theaters as “double bills”…a main film and a co-feature…that’s right, two great movies for one low admission price!

Kudos To The Rio!

Look at that classic movie poster tagline:

“No car or man was too hot to handle!”

I was inspired to tell this story because of the terrific Rio Theatre social media sites, where they are trying to keep cult cinema alive by sharing classic grindhouse posters for our enjoyment!

“No Man Could Satisfy Her!”

As you can see from this poster for “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me!”, the film is:

“Bolder, franker, more intimate than anything ever seen before on the screen!”

Thanks to The Rio, classic sexploitation movie posters live forever! As they say on their twitter account:

“Original movie posters from Toronto’s last grind house!”

And are they ever!

“Zolton” Commands You!

If you never knew that Dracula had a “hound”, then this movie is for you, and thanks to The Rio, you can enjoy these classic cult movie posters forever!

You can enjoy these great postings of posters by going to The Rio’s twitter account:

@TheRioTheatre

These cult posters would be lost forever except for the hard work of this couple, Mark Ulster and Caroline Kubela. Their whole collection comes from his grandfather’s theatre, which was in downtown Toronto on the Yonge Street Strip – what the Rio folks call Toronto’s version of 42nd street!

Toronto Runs “Amuck!”

Yes, it’s an “explosion of sexual frenzy!”

The Rio theatre was in business from 1915-1991, and this married couple has an incredible collection of original movie posters, which they are willing to share with us!

Check out their Facebook page to see great stuff like this:

Check it out here:

https://www.facebook.com/RioMoviePosters

They also have classic movie posters like this for “Part Time Wife”:

I love the stuff they share on their social media, and as I said, it inspired me to check out double features like this one:

“To Rip Out My Guts Indeed!”

Sometimes films like this were combined to help their box office draw, and they were pretty awful films, but at least you got two of them! And in many cases, while the first movie on the bill was brand new, the second one was a year or two older – and usually they had a similar theme, like these two classic B-movies:

The End Of The Double Feature!

With the release of “Jaws” in 1975, all major Hollywood films started being released as a single feature, and double features moved over to the domain of the drive-in:

Carmen, Baby!

Many of these double bills were low-budget sexploitation shockers like “Carmen, Baby!” Whether in drive-in theaters or America’s seedy grind houses, campy sex shockers like this made tons of money!

Of course, these movies were also playing in legendary grindhouse theaters in New York’s Times Square as well, rows of seedy dives “grinding” out sexploitation movies 24 hours a day like these:

Just like the classic Rio Theatre in Toronto, these New York 42nd street movie houses were the home to many of the classic 70’s sexploitation movies, like Christina Lindberg’s “They Call Her One Eye!”

“Thriller” AKA “One Eye” AKA “Hooker!”

This film was also called “Thriller: A Cruel Picture”, and Lindberg was of course the most famous “artsploitaiton” movie queen of all time…and because this was an era where there were NO rules, a greedy distributor released the same film AGAIN and AGAIN – not only called “They Call Her One Eye” and then “Thriller”, but this time they called it “Hookers Revenge!”

It was, of course, on a double bill!

I have posted about Christina Lindberg before – read all about this amazing “Queen Of Artsploitation” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/swedish-sex-kitten-christina-lindberg-the-original-queen-of-artsploitation/

And of course, grind house lives forever!

To read all about the classic era of grindhouse movies, click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/31/forbidden-flesh-dirty-girls-the-unsatisfied-classic-sexploitation-cinema/

Several years ago Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez paid homage to this era in film by creating two separate movies, and releasing them on one grindhouse double bill!

Thanks to great home video companies like Vinegar Syndrome and Something Weird Video, you can find lots of great double bills to watch at home….and thanks to The Rio Theatre for sharing their bounty of exploitation posters…so it’s always time for some classic sexploitation double bills!

“HELL HOLDS NO SURPRISES FOR THEM…”

What happens when you take one of England’s most controversial Directors, one of their country’s heaviest drinkers, and add that to a volatile mix of possessed Nuns? Something that looks like THIS:

Behold The Controversial and Brilliant Film “The Devils!”

If you haven’t seen this wildly creative and controversial movie, you have missed a forgotten masterpiece! “The Devils” was directed by one of England’s wildest Directors, Ken Russell – and was released by Warner Brothers in 1971.

Talk about controversial! Movie fans around the world are demanding that this little-seen masterpiece finally gets released on DVD or blu-ray in its uncut glory!

First, watch the provocative trailer:

Here is the plot: Cardinal Richelieu and his power-hungry entourage seek to take control of seventeenth-century France, but need to destroy Father Grandier – the priest who runs the fortified town that prevents them from exerting total control.

Oliver Reed stars as Father Grandier – Reed was known as a legendary drinker…and a madman on the set…but with this controversial subject matter, Reed was just what visionary Director Ken Russell needed for this masterpiece…

As Cardinal Richelieu’s thugs take control of the town, Reed is set up as a warlock in control of a devil-possessed nunnery – and let the craziness begin!

Vanessa Redgrave starred as the sex-crazed Nun – who charged Reed with witchcraft…setting in motion a series of controversial scenes that garnered the film an “X” rating when it was released!

Yes, A DEVIL-POSSESSED NUNNERY!

This film was banned from Italy and its stars Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed were threatened with three years’ jail time if they set foot in that country. Reed described this film as his best performance ever…

A major sequence in which the nuns tear down and ravish a life-sized icon of Christ in an orgiastic frenzy was cut from the film and subsequently vanished. Film critic Mark Kermode discovered the footage many years later.

One reason movie buffs are clamoring for a new blu-ray release is that Director Russell was keen to reinstate the scene but found that Warner Brothers were not interested in doing a director’s cut. The footage can be seen in a documentary Kermode made about Russell.

Here’s more great trivia from that documentary: while preparing for the climactic demolition of the city walls, a technician mistook a signal from Ken Russell and detonated the explosives before the cameras were rolling. A large chunk of the set had to be rebuilt.

However, a documentary on the second disk of the 2012 DVD release of the film contradicts this story. In this documentary, Russell states that it was himself that pressed the button which detonated the explosives without communicating this to the camera team. It is also stated that the scene had to be re-shot a month later as a consequence the cameras missing the destruction of the walls.

#FreeTheDevils

And now an online petition has started to “free ‘The Devils'”, and you can take part!

The late Ken Russell’s wife, Lisi Tribble Russell has been leading a campaign to get the film released in its uncut form…you can follow her on twitter at:

@awhitetable

And you can support this cause on Facebook as well! “Like” their page here:

https://www.facebook.com/FreeTheDevils

And help keep the momentum going!

Of course, you can see much more of Ken Russell’s work as well, including his brilliant take on The Who’s “Tommy!”

“Tommy” contained another provocative scene from the Director: he has Actress Ann-Margret “swim” in baked beans! See the whole story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/11/23/hollywoods-legendary-sex-kitten-ann-margret-rock-operas-baked-beans-elvis/

And of course, read more about legendary Actor Oliver Reed as well!

Oliver Reed was one of film’s most notorious “Hellraisers” – read all about him and the other by clicking here, part of my obituary of Peter O’ Toole, who was also profiled in the book:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/10/peter-otoole-retires-a-look-at-this-hellraiser/

And good luck to everyone fighting to get this masterpiece released in its uncut glory for movie lovers to enjoy!

It’s Awards Season!

As Hollywood celebrates the best films of the year, I am reminded of movies that are destined for A DIFFERENT TYPE OF RECOGNITION – um, INFAMY – need proof?

Is This Wrong?

Is there ANY justification for Raquel Welch playing a “sexy” nun? What? You don’t remember this in a Spielberg film? A Kubrick classic? Well, it raises an important question:

When Do You Know A Movie Is A Classic? Hint: When It Comes With THIS:

Yes, “Raider Of The Lost Ark” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” didn’t come with a commemorative vomit bag, but this film did! Enough with the classics: time to have fun with the “other” legendary films! That’s right: imagine a movie SO SHOCKING, SO UNSETTLING, that the film makers offered up a vomit bag for your own protection! Well, the movie did offer this scene:

“Hold Your Tongue, Europe!”

Yes, thanks to our friends “across the pond”, in the early 70’s American moviegoers were treated to some of the wildest and most shocking films ever!

Time to take you back to a time when movies from Europe were more “adult” and “open”, leading to the release of this groundbreaking movie:

When “I Am Curious (Yellow)” beat US obscenity charges, the floodgates were open for a new era in movies – films that were much more explicit and controversial. Look at the line on this poster:

“Whisper to your friends you saw it!”

The reason so many of these sleazy exploitation films showed up in American theaters was that US studios were behind the times, not prepared for the new “relaxed” standards for movies….so the country was flooded with some of the wildest movies Europe had to offer…a brand of film known as:

“Euro-Sleaze!”

What does that mean exactly? Well, you take lots of sex, violence and perversion and wrap it up in a movie with a tag line like this:

“A Young Bride Alone With An Evil Dwarf!”

Yes, it’s as subtle as a smack to your head…but that’s the point – these films LOVED being over-the-top and offensively entertaining – as you can see, it was part of their marketing campaign, which leads us right back here:

Hard to misunderstand the filmmaker’s intentions…this film is:

“Guaranteed To Upset Your Stomach!”

“Mark Of The Devil” was notorious for scenes of torture – the precursor to the modern era of “torture porn” – as it told the story of european witch hunts in the 1600’s – if you aren’t familiar with this film, you have missed out on a “euro-sleaze” classic!

Here is the trailer:

“Rated V For Violence!”

“Mark Of The Devil” advertised itself as the first film “rated V for violence!” There was no such thing, but a great tag line, huh? This was shortly after a new ratings system was enacted to try and guide viewers…it was a time of “anything goes” in movies…

In reality, the film was a standard horror movie from Germany, looking back at the witch trials that terrorized Europe. There was plenty of sex, nudity, blood and torture – which was the main aspect of the film’s promotion…

That’s right, very inventive producers released the film with a “vomit bag” – a great way to promote the film! And it worked as the film was a big “eurosleaze” hit!

Pray For Raquel!

“Mark Of The Devil” was just one of a number of unbelievable european films that showed up on US screens…for example, have you seen the classic film where Raquel Welch struggles being the world’s sexiest nun? You know, the film where Richard Burton seduces the world’s most beautiful women? And then FREEZES THEM?

That’s right, Richard Burton went from co-starring with Elizabeth Taylor in the classic film “Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolff” to a “different” one…

Cue The Crow!

Frozen naked actresses? And a crow? Intrigued? I thought so! How can you possibly NOT want to spend time with Richard Burton – just to find out exactly WHY he spends SO MUCH TIME in the movie with a crow on his shoulder?

And Raquel Welch Was, Indeed, “The Nun!”

Yes, this is a movie where the world’s sexiest woman at the time played a Nun!

Behold The Awfulness Of “Bluebeard”!

Time to introduce you to “Bluebeard”, a 1972 thriller starring Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, Joey Heatherton and Sybil Danning. And it is classic “eurosleaze”, since it was filmed in Budapest, Hungary!

“Bluebeard” is a perfect example of the 70’s genre of “euro-sleaze”, which were cheap films full of nudity, sex and violence. That’s why the film was stocked with young starlets like Joey Heatherton!

Richard Burton was clearly slumming in this film, but euro-sleaze fans are all the better for it! Take a look at the movie’s poster!

In case you need this information, here is the plot: A World War I pilot, who everyone envies as a “ladykiller” actually IS one – because after he beds and marries a beautiful woman, he murders them – and keeps them in a freezer!

Here is the trailer:

The film is based on the classic story of “Bluebeard” by Charles Perrault – the story of a wealthy aristocrat (Burton) who has murdered several previous wives. And yes, he seduces the sexy Nun Raquel Welch and kills her too!

His latest spouse is sexy Joey Heatherton, who discovers her dead predecessors in a freezer and tries to avoid their fate!

Burton is onscreen with a multitude of beautiful women, such as Sybil Danning, and everyone had to show nudity or at least wear provocative outfits…

Hey! Where’s Raquel?

Before you rush out for this Raquel Welch starring role, know this: even though she was top billed after Richard Burton, Raquel Welch only has 8-minutes of screen time in this two hour long film!

Why I Love Raquel Welch!

“Bluebeard” is just one reason to love Raquel Welch – if you want to see more of her classic roles – including her hilarious appearance on “Seinfeld”, check this out:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/09/13/raquel-raquel-60s-sex-symbol-and-c-c-c-catfight-seinfeld-star-raquel-welch/

And in case European audiences didn’t understand just HOW sleazy this film was, they made sure to put a crazed Burton staring at a naked woman on the poster as well! Enjoy!

So as you see, “eurosleaze” tackled the issues of sex and violence, but what other “taboo” subjects did they cover?

How About Heroin!

Yes, this classic “eurosleaze” film from Amsterdam tackled the tough subject of substance abuse, as a young “Hanna D” is about to learn the harsh facts of life:

This ain’t no dental exam! “Hanna D: The Girl From Vondel Park” is classic sexploitation from director Rino Di Silvestro – yes, the director of “Werewolf Woman” and “Women In Cellblock 7!”

And see the poster above? That’s for the US market: here is how they promote the same film in Europe:

The documentary feel to the film allows them to show many scenes of drug taking, including a shot of a woman shooting up heroin under her tongue!

The movie begins on the trashiest note and never lets up! We first meet Hanna on a train to Amsterdam from…uh, somewhere, where she’s already selling a peep show starring her body to random passengers!

Hanna quickly meets Miguel, a sleazy playboy who wants to sell Hanna as a porn star, but on her way to her first shoot, she meets Axel on the bus, and falls in love with him instead! Hannah gets around quick!

Torn between the two options placed in front of her, she turns to drugs, and eventually descends into addiction…and learns not only to shoot up under her tongue - BUT IN HER EYELID!

OK, you get it – this cautionary tale was meant to be a shocking – yes shocking! – examination of a young woman in a downward spiral of drug addiction…as the movie begins, Hanna looks so innocent:

And by the end….well, not so much:

These films were designed to shock the audience – supposedly a cautionary tale, but one that revels in the sleaziness of the journey to redemption…

This movie LOVES to drag you into Hanna’s drug-addicted world…but that was a good grindhouse movie is supposed to do, isn’t it?

And now you can find a lot of different “euro-sleaze” collections to buy….like this one that features “Hannah D!”

Yes, “Hannah D” is joined by “The Sister of Ursula” along with what many consider the single greatest slice of “eurosleaze” ever committed to celluloid!

Dare To Touch “The Sinful Dwarf!”

It’s almost beyond words….and certainly the single most exploitative film ever to cross the Atlantic! I have posted about this twisted piece of “eurosleaze” before, and you can read all about it and nine other “sexploitation” classics by clicking my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/12/10/the-ten-wildest-sexploitation-classics-holiday-gift-guide-exploitation-edition/

And don’t forget one of the era’s most popular and notorious stars!

Read all about Lina Romay’s body of work by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/03/11/lindas-shocking-hot-nights-lina-romays-classic-sexploitation/

And don’t forget what many consider the greatest european sexploitation film of all time!

Yes, Christina Lindberg was one of the all-time greats, and you can read all about her classic european sexploitation films by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/swedish-sex-kitten-christina-lindberg-the-original-queen-of-artsploitation/

There are SO many examples of this unique era in film. I also showed you this classic “eurosleaze” film as well, recently released in a terrific blu-ray edition:

You can read all about this film, and Britain’s battle back against “Video nasties” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/14/house-on-straw-hill-video-nasties-documentary-great-blu-ray-release/

Let me know if you are a fan of this unique and outrageous era of movie!

Ready For Some Great Mob Action?

Great gangster films should be cherished and saved for future generations to discover…and guess what? Some of the best have been!

Looking For An Italian “Dirty Harry”?

There is a genre of Italian mobster film that has been pulled out of obscurity for movie lovers to enjoy!

Want A Sexy Strip Tease?

Yes, they are filled with campy fun like this as well!

We’re headed to Italy to celebrate a unique movie genre that kicked some serious ass in the 70’s, some terrific new blu-rays that bring them back to their “bullets, blood and babes” glory, and a new documentary that celebrates them all!

Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s!

A documentary concerning the violent Italian ‘poliziotteschi’ cinematic movement of the 1970s which, at first glance, seem to be rip-offs of American crime films like DIRTY HARRY or THE GODFATHER, but which really address Italian issues like the Sicilian Mafia and red terrorism.

Check out this incredibly entertaining trailer:

This is a fascinating look at a wildly entertaining genre of film, and a great way to dip your toe into these 70’s italian crime thrillers….

And here is the master of the italian crime drama! If you haven’t heard of Director Fernando di Leo, you have missed out on great movies from an Italian crime master!

The Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection!

Director Fernando di Leo made some of the best italian gangster movies ever, and now you can own them all on blu-ray! Let’s get started with his most famous film:

Caliber 9!

Take a look at this trailer and you’ll get an idea of the tough, gritty world that Di Leo has created:

“Caliber 9″ has great action sequences, tough-as-nails criminals, ruthless cops and includes the legendary strip club dance by sex symbol Barbara Bouchet, which is worth the price of admission alone!

I’ve written about Bouchet before, and if you want to find out more about this sex kitten, click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/04/29/classic-sex-kitten-james-bonds-sexy-co-star-barbara-bouchet/

This movie is wildly entertaining, and as I said, it includes Bouchet’s iconic club scene:

That’s just the tip of the “euro-crime” iceberg! Lots more to have fun with, beginning with this knockoff of “The French Connection!”

The Italian Connection!

Yes, these films are right in line with some of America’s grittiest 70’s crime dramas, but there is something fun about seeing the same type of action taking places on the dirty streets of Milan!

Also included in this great blu-ray box set release are his films “The Boss” and “Rulers Of The City” – so you have four great italian crime thrillers will lots of bonus material!

The success of this release led to another blu-ray with more Fernando di Leo classics!

SHOOT FIRST, DIE LATER: Italian actor Luc Merenda gives the performance of his career as a highly regarded police detective who is taking syndicate money in exchange for departmental favors. And what a title!

This is widely considered one of the 70’s best crime thrillers…and of course, Di Leo had lots more to share:

KIDNAP SYNDICATE: This film tells the story of a regular guy who stands up to kidnappers, and that means blood, bullets, babes and tons of action!

NAKED VIOLENCE: A devastating, brutal, raw example of Di Leo’s early works, Naked Violence is about how a teacher of an evening school for youngsters with social problems is brutally raped and murdered right in her classroom!

Yes, these films were a look at the problems in Italy in the 70’s, and some of the topics were raw.

Check out all of Fernando di Leo’s films, or just dip your movie toes into the water by checking out this incredible entertaining documentary!

And of course, “euro-crime” is just one great style of italian filmmaking…have you watched any classic “giallo?”

This is a uniquely italian form of horror/slasher film – a classic form of cinema with some true classics of the genre like this one:

Read all about the best italian “giallo” films by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/09/time-to-strip-nude-four-flies-and-baba-yaga-to-you-yes-its-classic-italian-giallo/

Ready To Swing?

The best documentaries open a door to a world you never knew existed – or were afraid to explore for yourself. They also shed light on some of your favorite Artists in candid moments:

At times, they even reveal things an Artist, like Mick Jagger, doesn’t want you to see. And finally, the best documentaries introduce you to fascinating people who live uniquely fascinating lives:

Here are three of my favorite documentaries: one looks back at New York in the “swinging 70’s”, one captures a “very raw” Mick Jagger, and the last is a love letter to the power of creativity, no matter how talented those Creators are….

Let’s get started with a look at one of the most legendary legal sex clubs in New York history!

American Swing!

Well, this is without a doubt one of the craziest, dirtiest chapters in American history – the legendary New York “swinger’s club”, Plato’s Retreat!

This is a fascinating look at “Plato’s Retreat”, a LEGAL Manhattan sex club for straight couples that existed in New York from 1977 until the mid 1980s, and Larry Levenson, the club’s impresario.

This documentary is full of great archival material as well as new interviews with Larry’s, writers, reporters, and even former clients of the club. This legal sex club was a phenomenon in its time, and by the late 70s, the club was in “full swing”!

As always, places like this could never survive, and the documentary looks at all of the factors that led to the club’s demise.

RULES FOR THE “MATTRESS ROOM!”

Look at these rules! “No One Admitted Fully Clothed.” Can you believe this was a legal, legitimate business?

This was a public orgy – and this is a fascinating look inside this business, the owner, and the people who participated – like this couple below, now much older, who willingly discuss what went on inside the club!

Here is an IMDB user review, whcih I think does a terrific job summing up the documentary: “American Swing” refers to the “wife-swapping” phenomenon that swept through middle-class suburbia in the 1970s. And no figure did more to popularize that trend than Larry Levenson – the “King of Swing” as he came to be called – whose “live sex club,” Plato’s Retreat, located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, served as the epicenter for so much of the action.

Let it be stated right up front that this eye-opening documentary is not for the prudish or the easily offended, for its footage is graphic and its language raw, often akin in its look to crude 1970’s porn. Directed by Matthew Kaufman and Jon Hart, the film features interviews with many of the now-aging club regulars who happily regale us with tales of their personal escapades there. A number of celebrities who frequented the club, as well as certain reporters and broadcasters who covered the beat at the time are also interviewed.

“American Swing” is most interesting as a social document, showing how the “free love” ethos espoused by the hippies in the 1960’s expanded into the mainstream a decade later.

This is a really fascinating look at a bygone era – not so long ago, when the “sexual revolution” tuned into a sexual free-for-all!

You can see more of these by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/04/06/how-can-i-offend-you-best-documentaries-pt-2/

And speaking of orgies, time to go on tour with The Rolling Stones!

The “unofficial” Rolling Stones documentary: “Cocksucker Blues”

“Cocksucker Blues” is the legendary, unreleased documentary film directed by the noted still photographer Robert Frank chronicling The Rolling Stones’ North American tour in 1972 in support of their album “Exile on Main St.” It is notorious for many reasons, which we will get into here…

The cameras follow The Stones from the stage to the tour bus – and as you see here, it goes along with Mick Jagger and his then-girlfriend Bianca, as they take a limo to a show…

After the documentary was finished, The Rolling Stones saw some of the decadence that was captured, and they refused to release the final product. After all of these years, you can see why: there are many shots of the band in the midst of things that – well, show what it like to be on the road with the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world at the time: when the road was filled with sex, drugs, rock-n-roll – and more sex and drugs.

“Cocksucker Blues” is also the commonly recognized name of a Rolling Stones song – which is officially called “Schoolboy Blues” – that was recorded in 1970. Mick Jagger wrote this song to be the Stones’ final single for Decca Records.

The Rolling Stones were upset by the film’s portrayal of them and sued to prevent its release. According to wikipedia, the film is under a court order that only allows it to be shown once a year with the film’s director, Robert Frank present in person.

There are places online that will sell copies – I cannot attest to whether this is a legal practice or not, but when you see the candid, authentic scenes backstage, you can understand why it isn’t on Netflix – most legendary is a scene when Keith Richards is dozing off backstage – and you don’t need to be a great Detective to understand WHY he’s “nodding off” –

Also shown are scenes of the rest of the entourage enjoying the fruits of the band’s success – and there isn’t anything that fun about watching “roadies” hanging out backstage – but this is rock at its rawest…

If you chance upon this documentary in its uncut form, it’s worth a look – it’s not a great movie, but a fascinating one for the decadent world it captures…

The Rolling Stones were a great band of course, and now let’s look at a movie that tells the story of the next generation of “Artist”:

American Movie!

Behold America’s next great Horror film Director, Mark Borchardt!

On the northwest side of Milwaukee, Mark Borchardt dreams the American dream: for him, it’s making movies. Using relatives, local theater talent, slacker friends, his Mastercard, and $3,000 from his Uncle Bill, Mark strives over three years to finish “Covan,” a short horror film.

His own personal demons (alcohol, gambling, a dysfunctional family) plague him, but he desperately wants to overcome self-doubt and avoid failure. In moments of reflection, Mark sees his story as quintessentially American, and its the nature and nuance of his dream that this film explores.

Here he is relaxing with his best friend, Mike Schenk…

Mark: Do you think this is a little bit cathartic for you?
Mike: Uh, very cathartic, Mark.
Mark: Do you know what cathartic means?
Mike: No.

This is the story of a guy with a dream: to make a horror film. The only problem is, he has no money…

Mark Borchardt: [Reacting to an IRS notice threatening a lien on personal property for delinquent funds due] Luckily it’s just $81.00. What are they gonna take, ya know, like my “Night of the Living Dead” book?

Mark Borchardt: “Coven,” man, we gotta get this sucker done, though. Seriously. Last night, man, I was so drunk, I was calling Morocco, man. Calling, trying to get to the Hotel Hilton at Tangiers in Casablanca, man. That’s, I mean, that’s, that’s pathetic, man! Is that what you wanna do with your life? Suck down peppermint schnapps and try to call Morocco at two in the morning? That’s senseless! But that’s what happens, man. ”

I was lucky enough to work with Mike and Mark on a project….G4 showed “Night Of The Living Dead” on Halloween night, and staged the whole thing live from Wisconsin…

The culmination of the live broadcast was Mark directing a 4-minute live horror sequence. It was amazing, he pulled it off, and we all had a great time…and they were terrific to work with!

I wish Mark and Mike the best, and you should check out this documentary to see how the love of film permeates every scene – a real slice of true Americana!

Read about more fascinating documentaries by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/25/killer-fish-kids-who-paint-and-mid-west-horror-best-documentaries-pt-1/

And if you want to see how Australians are “down under”, then check out these documentaries that are more outrageous by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/04/06/how-can-i-offend-you-best-documentaries-pt-2/

Enjoy some truth in storytelling today!

Cult movie fans, REMAIN UNAPOLOGETIC. EVEN IN THE FACE OF THIS:

Before you judge me, consider this: there is a place where, in a movie sense, ANYTHING GOES. There are no rules other than being wildly entertaining, like this:

Cue The Karaoke!

And of course, there will be some singing and dancing as well:

OK, I think that, if you are still here, you will stay for the rest of this wild, wild ride through the legendary film genre known as “J-sploitation”…I’ve written about it before, but I wanted to celebrate it one more time with three incredibly entertaining examples of the genre….and if you are hungry, we’ll begin with:

Behold the “Citizen Kane” of killer sushi movies!

“DEAD SUSHI!”

“Dead Sushi”is a “Japanese splatter action comedy” about “flying killer sushi monsters,” and it’s on blu-ray for you to enjoy!

“Dead Sushi” stars Japanese Actress Rina Takeda, who has a ball in this film, which is directed by Noboru Iguchi – who is quickly becoming the Lloyd Kaufman of Japan!

Director Noboru Iguchi Does It Again!

I have posted about Director Noboru Iguchi’s movies before, and have a recap and trailers of some of his previous work below. Now his new “J-sploitation” masterwork is here – this style of Japanese exploitation film is crazy, uninhibited, and campy beyond belief!

“Dead Sushi” Trailer!

Check out the trailer:

What can you say about THAT? As I have posted before, this new wave of Japanese horror film is called “J-spolitation”, and it involves young women who are abused or mistreated in some way, and they fight back in the most incredible manner possible, as you can see!

In this case, sushi has gone out of control – and with that as the simple setup, let the fun begin!

As always, there will be a lot of over-the-top bloodshed before the killer sushi is defeated…but that is how these movies play out…and you either accept them for what they are or not…but really, how can you take this TOO seriously?

To see more of this Director’s work, click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/30/killer-sushi-the-robogeisha-director-is-back-with-more-fried-shrimp-death-and-japanese-mayhem/

And don’t think our Japanese friends have forgotten the zombie genre…in fact, they’ve taken it to a whole new level!

“Zombie Ass: Toilet Of The Dead!”

How can you argue with a film that has a plot that revolves around this image!

Prepare yourself for the majesty of “Zombie Ass!” Here is the trailer:

“We are going to flush you! The most crap-tastic zombie movie ever to emerge from Japan’s cinema sewer is finally upon us, and it’s from the twisted mind of cinematic madman and legendary ass-fetishist Noboru Iguchi, creator of THE MACHINE GIRL, ROBO-GEISHA and KARATE-ROBO ZABORGAR!”

The terrific Japanese Director Iguchi has created a splatter comedy guaranteed to warm the bowels of those with the stomach for it… while more sensitive viewers may want to plug their noses and flee in disgust!

The plot is simple: pretty young karate student Megumi accompanies a group of older friends on a trip into the woods.

Things start to go badly when Maki finds a parasitical worm inside a fish they catch – and wolfs it down alive, in the hope that it’ll help keep her skinny! And then… zombies!

The group is attacked by a crowd of poop-covered undead who emerge from an outhouse toilet, and seek refuge at the home of strange Dr. Tanaka and his daughter Sachi – and it just gets even crazier from there!

The Liberating Power Of Farts!

This is what makes J-sploitation so unique – this plot asks the question: can Megumi’s karate alone help them escape, or will she have to rely on the liberating power of farts to save the day?

That’s a question not asked nearly enough in film these days!

Finally, you need to remember that these films usually have a underlying message about society…and none more so than this classic:

Karaoke Terror!

This 2003 drama from Japan is a very interesting hybrid: it’s a serious dramatic look at the social upheaval in Japan – and it is an over-the-top gore fest, with one of the most unbelievable endings you will ever see! And of course, you will see things like THIS:

The basic premise of the film deals with two very different groups; one are the Midoris, named so because all the middle-aged and divorced women share the name Midori, and a group of young college-aged men.

Both groups live separate lives until the day one of the boys murders a member of the Midoris, because she rejected a sexual advance.

So the concept is simple: two warring factions battle it out, with their love of karaoke the only bond between them. The movie showcases how middle-aged women in Japan are considered worthless, outcasts in their own country.

As they battle back and forth, the stakes escalate until you have the most amazing ending to a movie ever – and of course, lots of karaoke!

This is not a perfect movie to be sure, but what a great way to expand your movie-going horizons – let me know what you think about j-sploitation!

“Fifty Shades” Of Controversy!

“Fifty Shades of Grey” was a literary sensation, and now there has been a film made from the book, which opens Valentine’s weekend. The film’s release is now being attacked by domestic violence activists, who say there’s an underlying “violence against women” theme attached to the film.

Here is how Time magazine is reporting the controversy: “A social media campaign with the hashtag ‘#50dollarsnot50shades’ asks people to donate $50 to a domestic violence shelter rather than spending it on movie tickets and popcorn, reports Mashable.”

“People are really upset about this movie and its potential for glamorizing stalking and abusive behavior, so they’re happy to have the chance to do something positive to help offset the damage,” the organizers of the movement told the Washington Times.

Whether this controversy hurts the film or just helps keep it in the public eye, it’s not a new refrain – movies have a long history of courting controversy with their depiction of love, sex and relationships….especially in book form. There have been a number of controversial erotic novels that have been made into equally controversial films.

The Love Machine!

Remember, before “Fifty Shades” there was Jacqueline Susann!

Don’t forget the Queen of erotic fiction. Jacqueline Susann stunned the literary world with her first novel, “Valley of the Dolls”, which sold 30 million copies!

This controversial drama about young Actresses in Hollywood was followed up with two other erotic novels, “The Love Machine” and “Once Is Not Enough!”

As you can see, Susann was serving up erotic fiction to an audience of women who were tired having guys get all the thrills…and no more so than with her epic erotic drama:

“The Love Machine” looks very similar to the powerful lead character in “Fifty Shades”. Both novels feature women who are seduced by a powerful man. And of course, controversy is never far away when you see how these films are marketed. Read all about “The Love Machine” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/24/fifty-shades-of-grey-trailer-how-about-love-machines-the-50-shades-erotic-precursor/

So as you see, controversy is nothing new when it comes to sex and romance! And don’t forget another one of publishing’s biggest scandals:

“Naked Came The Stranger!”

One of the biggest book scandals of the 60’s followed the publication of the erotic novel “Naked Came The Stranger” – because it was later revealed it had been written as a joke!

That’s right, a group of advertising professionals each wrote a chapter of the book on a dare to see if they could write the worst novel of all time!

Read all about this fascinating story by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/08/before-50-shades-there-was-naked-came-the-stranger-publishings-biggest-hoax-undressed/

So, long before “Fifty Shades Of Grey” there were many controversial erotic novels…

Let me know what you think about this!

To honor Darrell Hammond’s spot on SNL 40th Anniversary impression of a dirty Sean Connery, I offer you this:

Yes, this is the former 007 – wrapped up in a red loincloth – in one of the craziest films of all time – seeing double?

And it just gets “wilder and wilder” from there. I’ve got some of the “wildest” films ever committed to celluloid….from a “dirty 007″ to this:

When an entire film revolves around a naked woman being hunted by another naked woman with a bow and arrow, does that make it “wild?” I think we are getting close to an answer here. And if by “wild” you are referring to this guy:

One definition of “wild” could be what someone looks like then they’ve been locked in a room for 15 years and then given a ballpeen hammer…what follows is “wild” by any standard…

Finally, is a movie “wild” because of a singular cinematic performance that transcends space and time, and includes movie dialogue that can never be forgotten:

Time For A “Wild” Film Fight Club!”

Let’s not waste any more time, and get into what I think are the wildest movies ever put on celluloid!

I know what you are thinking: let’s stop the debate right now because NOTHING is wilder than this movie! A giant mask roams the Scottish countryside leading an Army of killers. What? You’ve never heard of “Zardoz?”

Well, this may be the “wildest” film ever committed to celluloid! This is ACTUAL dialogue from the film!

“The Penis is evil! The Penis shoots Seeds, and makes new Life to poison the Earth with a plague of men, as once it was. But the Gun shoots Death and purifies the Earth of the filth of Brutals. Go forth, and kill! Zardoz has spoken!”

Yes, “Zardoz” has spoken!

Sean Connery shows off much more than his “007” in this movie, and it is a twisted science fiction masterpiece as a result!

To find out what is behind this madness, click on my story about film’s wackiest “one word” wonders by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/01/suspiria-caligula-zardoz-wacky-one-word-movie-wonders/

Remember that once you see “Zardoz” you can never UNSEE it, but that’s what makes it so “wild!” I’m not sure that Sean Connery talks about “Zardoz” much, but boy is it a “wild wild” ride!

Speaking of which, let’s not forget this guy:

“Oldboy!” Descent Into Madness!

Another one word title is “Oldboy!” This journey involves more than just distance, it includes a trip into the darkness of the human soul.

Imagine being locked up in a hotel room for fifteen years – without any explanation – then suddenly set free with two weeks to uncover who did it and why – that is the simple and brilliant set up of “Oldboy” – and includes one of the greatest “single take” scenes of all time!

A brutal film about betrayal, love, murder and redemption, it is also one “wild wild” cinematic trip that you can read all about here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/30/killer-assassins-hard-boiled-killers-death-by-hammer-classic-asian-thrillers/

I think “Oldboy” is one of the greatest films ever made – but it is also “crazy insane” from beginning to end…but not all movies are “wild” because they are brilliant – some of our nominees for “wildest” film might be legendary for a different reason – like this Actor, who burst onto the film scene and became an immediate movie legend:

Tommy Wiseau Rules!

“The Room” is as much a “must see” as any film ever made! Once you’ve seen Tommy Wiseau chew up the scenery – and the screen, the front row of seats, and perhaps even the refreshment stand in the lobby, you will believe he is a “wild wild” man!

Read all about the majesty of “The Room” – and co-star Greg Sestero’s brilliant book about the making of the film – by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/27/tommy-wiseaus-classic-the-room-now-a-book-tommys-secrets-revealed/

I cannot wait to see what Tommy Wiseau has for us next…and millions of “The Room” fans agree with me! Unfortunately, our next nominee died recently and can no longer offer up “wild” movies like this:

“Hunting Humans Was Her Favorite Game!”

How can you argue with that? Legendary Sexploitation Director Jess Franco loved to make “wild” films like this, mostly starring his always naked wife, cult Actress Lina Romay:

Director Jess Franco directed a ton of films – most you’ve never heard of, some you are glad you haven’t – but he just kept chugging along, making crazy film after crazy film highlighting his “always naked” wife. There are SO many “wild” Jess Franco films…here are just a few examples:

Click here to see all of Franco’s “Wild” movies starring his wife Lina Romay – each one is wilder than the other:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/17/countess-perverse-lorna-the-exorcist-jess-francos-naked-masterpieces/

You have to give it to Franco – he had a unique artistic vision and he stuck to it!

Nominate your own “wild” film by leaving me a message! Tell me if you can top THIS!

Time To Remind You: John Saxon Kicks Ass!

I watched a documentary recently that reminded me what a great character Actor John Saxon is – I mean, who else can slap around Bruce Lee like this!

Time to acknowledge this great Actor and showcase his latest work! John Saxon was a rising young star in the early sixties, including a supporting part in the James Stewart comedy “Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation”, but he achieved stardom in the late sixties thanks to TV…

From 1969 to 1972 season, he was a star of the TV show “The Bold Ones: The New Doctors”, playing the brilliant surgeon Theodore Stuart.

When the series ended, he took one of his most famous roles – all because he was a black belt in karate, Saxon appeared with the legendary Bruce Lee in “Enter the Dragon!”

Here is one of the fight scenes from the film:

Make sure to rush out and buy the 40th anniversary blu-ray edition of “Enter The Dragon” with tons of extra features!

And on a side note, if you’ve never seen Bruce Lee play ping pong with nunchucks, click on that story here!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/03/bruce-lee-amazing-nunchuck-ping-pong-legendary-martial-arts-battles/

Now, back to John Saxon: another one of his great movies is the 70’s horror classic “Black Christmas!”

Saxon plays a Detective struggling to find a missing college co-ed. “Black Christmas” had a huge influence on John Carpenter’s “Halloween” – it was one of the first true slasher films…and “Black Christmas” introduced the “killer POV” style that became so popular afterwards…

A fascinating fact about “Black Christmas”: it was directed by Bob Clark, who also made a classic holiday comedy: “A Christmas Story” – the exact opposite of “Black Christmas” as well as the iconic 80’s sex comedy “Porkys!”

A truly under-rated Director with a fascinating career. Read all about Director Bob Clark here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/08/08/porkys-peepholes-christmas-horror-fra-gee-lay-director-bob-clarks-enduring-legacy/

John Saxon appeared in dozens of films throughout the 70’s, starring alongside Clint Eastwood in the western “Joe Kidd”, as well as alongside Robert Redford in “The Electric Horseman.”

Saxon’s Italian Phase!

Saxon continued to play a wide variety of roles on television and in motion pictures ever since, including a number of very influential italian crime dramas….since Saxon speaks fluent Italian!

“Euro-Crime” Rules!

Saxon starred in a number of european crime thrillers, and if you want to see the Actor talk about this exciting part of his career, check out this great documentary!

This is a fascinating look at Italian crime dramas…with extensive interview bites with Saxon today, looking back on that period in his career…you can read my story about the documentary here…

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/19/italian-mobsters-sex-kittens-euro-crime-the-italian-dirty-harry-classic-70s-euro-crime/

Another great part of the film “Enter The Dragon” was Saxon’s co-star, the legendary blaxploitation star Jim Kelly:

Kelly recently died, and you can read about his illustrious career as well by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/06/30/rip-jim-kelly-bruce-lees-kung-fu-partner-blaxploitation-master/

It’s great to see Saxon going strong – so check out some of his best roles!

“He’s dead. They stuffed him with pages torn from his favourite book. Could you cook him?”

Ready for a “tasty” cinematic journey into the delicatessen of CRAZY????

Time for some shocking films revolving around FOOD!

Here are two films that take very provocative looks at the relationship between food, sex and death…let’s begin with experimental Director Peter Greenaway’s greatest achievement, with an eye-opening performance by Helen Mirren:

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover!

This is one of the most shocking films about food ever made, as the wife of a barbaric crime boss takes a secret lover – between meals at her husband’s restaurant!

When the mobster discovers his wife’s secret, things turn VERY NASTY.

“He’s dead. They stuffed him with pages torn from his favorite book. Could you cook him?”

Helen Mirren plays the wife who turns the tables on her husband, and indulges in her own voracious sexual appetite at the same time…

“The Bowel Shot!”

Director Peter Greenaway has made several mesmerizing films, but this is his masterpiece. According to IMDB, the lengthy tracking shot from the restaurant to the toilet is supposed to be symbolic of food passing through the intestinal tract! And the film has an amazing visual style throughout…

What An Ending!

And of course, this movie was rated NC-17 when it was released – for the many scenes of sex and violence throughout…while Helen Mirren won her Oscar by playing The Queen, she is a brave and fearless Actress, as this movie shows:

“Bite Down” On This Ending!

“The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover” is a controversial masterpiece, and nothing tops the “food finale”, which is almost “too much to swallow…”

If you have a fearless appetite for film, check this movie out! And if you aren’t full yet, there’s still time for another bizarre tale of sex and food:

“FEED!”

How can you not be intrigued by a film that begins with this title card:

“Although the events depicted in this film are fictional, they are based on actual behaviours that are happening between consenting adults… right now.”

“Actual behaviors…” between “Consenting adults”…Well then, buckle up, grab a knife and fork and dig into this movie!

“Feed” is a crazy 2005 Australian thriller directed by Brett Leonard. The plot involves a police investigation into the sexual fetish known as “feederism”!

“Feederism!”

Yes, there is a sexual fetish known as “feederism”, where a ‘feeder’ will feed ‘gainers’ – who are woman who get sexual pleasure from eating and fattening up! The film explores this fetish, along with themes of dominance, submission, love, and power.

Here is the very provocative trailer:

“Feed” is very well made, and very disturbing as well. But the plot is interesting and the subject is bizarrely fascinating – yes, this is a very tough movie to watch, but it is extremely well done, and for the adventurous moviegoer, these are two films worth biting down on!

Here Is “The Burning Man”!

And Now, Meet “The Wicker Man!”

Hmmm….I see a bit of a resemblance…first, a quick primer on what “Burning Man” is…

Behold “The Burning Man!”

According to wikipedia, “the annual event known as “Burning Man” began as a bonfire ritual on the summer solstice in 1986 when Larry Harvey, Jerry James, and a few friends met on Baker Beach in San Francisco and burned a 9-foot wooden man as well as a smaller wooden dog. Harvey has described his inspiration for burning these effigies as a spontaneous act of ‘radical self-expression’.”

This annual event is hugely popular, and combines unique artistic expression with one really big bonfire…and speaking of bonfires:

Here is perhaps the inspiration for “Burning Man”, although this image is steeped with supernatural horror….as one of the participants says:

“Do sit down, Sergeant. Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent.”

The Wicker Man!

One of the most unique horror films of the 1970’s came from England, where acclaimed Writer Anthony Shaffer unveiled the story of a young girl’s disappearance, and one Detective’s efforts to find her…

“FLESH TO TOUCH! FLESH TO BURN! DON’T KEEP THE WICKER MAN WAITING!”

There are times when words simply cannot describe the “power of strange” – this cult classic is simply one of the strangest films ever made – and spawned possibly the worst remake of all time!

First, here is the trailer for the original:

Police Sergeant Howie, played by Edward Woodward, is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. While conducting his investigation, he uncovers so much more…

Christopher Lee in Robin HardyÕs THE WICKER MAN (1973). Courtesy: Rialto Pictures/ Studiocanal

Veteran horror film Actor Christopher Lee is Lord Summerisle, and as always, Lee is in top form as the leader of this stage island…

Britt Ekland was immediately launched into movie infamy as Willow…a “free spirit” who performs one of the strangest and yes, “most naked” dances in movie history…

Britt Or No Britt?

While the Actress achieved notoriety for the naked dance, it was revealed later that the nude scene was a body double…but the dancing is all her…according to IMDB, “a body double was secretly used for the naked rear shots of Willow dancing. The scenes were filmed after Britt Ekland had left the set. The body double was used because Ekland would only agree to topless shots of her body. After shooting was over, not only was Ekland furious to learn she had been doubled in some shots but that she was also a few weeks pregnant in that scene. Director Robin Hardy says it was Ekland herself who did not want her bottom to be filmed, as she did not like it.”

“The Wicker Man” is widely regarded as one of the best horror films ever made. Not bad for a film that was disowned by its makers on release. There is a great blu-ray release that offers a “Director’s Cut” of the film along with a ton of great extras!

Sergeant Howie: Your lordship seems strangely… unconcerned.
Lord Summerisle: Well I’m confident your suspicions are wrong, Sergeant. We don’t commit murder here. We’re a deeply religious people.
Sergeant Howie: Religious? With ruined churches, no ministers, no priests… and children dancing naked!
Lord Summerisle: They do love their divinity lessons.
Sergeant Howie: [outraged] But they are… a-are NAKED!
Lord Summerisle: Naturally! It’s much too dangerous to jump through fire with their clothes on!

The Movie’s Shocking Finale!

If you want to know how this film ties into “Burning Man”, it’s in the shocking finale:

Lord Summerisle: Do sit down, Sergeant. Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent.

And shocks are what you get when the secret of “The Wicker Man” is revealed:

Of course, as with every cult film, a remake was inevitable…but leave it to Nicolas Cage to make it one of the worst films of all time!

A remake with Nicolas Cage was directed by Neil LaBute – and they misjudged every single aspect of the film…which is worth seeing only because of how ill-conceived it is… seek out the original instead – it is a trip that few filmmakers take any longer.

OK, since you asked, here is the trailer for the remake:

Oh my…and speaking of classic films that become horrible remakes:

How did the classic Korean film “Oldboy” become THIS?

This image released by FilmDistrict Pictures shows Josh Brolin in a scene from “Oldboy.” (AP Photo/FilmDistrict Pictures, Hilary Bronmyn Gayle)

Read about Spike Lee’s disastrous remake by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/12/04/oldboy-oh-no-the-worst-remake-ever-film-fight-club-gets-hammered/

And check out “The Wicker Man!”

“You Can’t Stop Bruce Jenner!”

Forget the controversy about Caitlyn Jenner: what was Bruce Jenner thinking when he starred in a movie with The Village People?!?!?!?

Hello Boys! Caitlyn Has Arrived!

With all of the Caitlyn Jenner controversy continuing to swirl around us, let’s go back to a time when Bruce Jenner swirled around for an entirely different reason – he was partnered up with The Village People – and Steve Guttenberg!!

Can’t Stop The Music!

As the poster says “The Musical Event Of The 80’s”!

Here’s the idea the flamboyant Producer Allan Carr had. Let’s capture this “disco craze” by doing a big budget musical extravaganza starring Steve Guttenberg, the Village People and Bruce Jenner!

First, check out the trailer!

Go Go Nancy!

Oh, and since it was a lavish musical, they decided to get aging “character actress/never-directed-before so let’s have her do it” Nancy Walker behind the camera to direct it!

Walker was best known for her role as Rhoda’s mother on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

A1J7KX Can t Stop The Music Year 1980 Director Nancy Walker Village People

“YMCA!”

Yes, the movie stars The Village People, who sang one of disco’s catchiest songs of all time. But it doesn’t end there!

Bruce Jenner (PLAYING A STRAIGHT MAN), runs around New York City in Daisy Dukes and a bare midriff, with a shrunken tee shirt!

CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC, front from left: The Village People: Ray Simpson, Randy Jones, Glenn Hughes, David Hodo, Alex Briley, Felipe Rose, 1980, © Associated Film Distribution

Because it’s a musical – and because it stars the imcomparable Village People, there are a variety of wildly over the top musical sequences!

In fact, “Village People” member David Hodo was the Construction Worker in the group, and he gets a big solo number, “I Love You to Death”. Hodo jumps around in his skintight jeans, while being clawed at by overly-made-up mannequins in Halston knock-offs!

WOW!

And did I mention Steve Guttenberg?

Yes, Steve Guttenberg!

For reasons you will only be able to understand when you see the film, here he is with Actress Valerie Perrine trying to take Bruce Jenner’s pants off:

No matter how you feel about Caitlin Jenner, and let’s be honest – who cares how someone lives their life – remember this: you DO have a say over the type of movie you choose to star in!

Not sure what Bruce was thinking, but THIS is the real scandal!

Run out in a buying frenzy to get your hands on this masterpiece…and if you need more of the worst films ever committed to celluloid, check out my list here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/03/from-the-beatles-to-flying-severed-heads-five-mesmerizingly-bad-films/

Trust me, when you’ve seen these, you will look like this!

Ready For Some Obscure Cult Horror?

If you are a cult film lover, you can’t help but admire when a film maker creates a unique vision – especially on a low low budget.

Here’s a very imaginative horror film that was made for almost nothing!

Check out the creepy trailer for this horror film from Norway – “Thale”:

This Norwegian horror film finds a way to be very imaginative on almost no budget. Here is the plot, courtesy of IMDB:

Norwegian folklore turns out to be real when Leo and Elvis encounter “Thale” in a basement. A regular cleaning job turns into a struggle for survival, while they’re trying to figure out what or who “Thale” is.

A 10K Movie!

Reports say that “Thale” was shot on a budget of just $10,000! And here is one reason why: Director Aleksander L. Nordaas was also the film’s writer, co-producer, cinematographer, editor, and set designer! He also built the sets and shot most of the film in his father’s basement!

The film’s reviews were mixed, but I am here to celebrate the ingenuity and creative drive that was behind it..a real labor of love, and worth supporting for that reason…now, this next guy doesn’t need any help at all with his self-confidence:

Meet “The Troll Hunter!”

This Norwegian film is also based on a fairy tale – the story of the monstrous trolls that live in Norway’s wilderness! Check out the trailer:

These films are now available on DVD and blu-ray, so you can check out this imaginative Nordic horror in the privacy of your own home!

And if you are in the mood for more “nordic” horror, then check this out:

Yes, the Norwegians were also behind the hilariously over-the-top Nazi Zombie movies known as “Dead Snow”, and of course:

There’s a sequel too! These two movies are actually critically-acclaimed! Check these out by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/07/nazi-zombies-dead-snow-2-the-five-wildest-zombie-movies-ever/

The Norwegians seem to have a sense of bad taste humor AND a ton of creativity, and they have some great cult horror films of you to discover!

And speaking of cult horror, sometimes the Brits really know how to do it right:

Meet “The Wicker Man!”

Here is one of cinema’s strangest and most iconic horror films from he 1970’s…read all about this cult horror classic – and its disastrous remake – by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/06/23/burning-man-inspiration-the-wicker-man-naked-cult-horror/

More recently, an inventive Director named Ben Wheatley has a great moody horror film for you as well:

Check out “A Field In England” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/20/a-field-in-england-new-modern-horror-master-ben-wheatley/

And if you like your cult horror a bit more contemporary – and wildly “out there”, then it’s time to head to Japan!

“J-sploitation Lives!”

Yes, the world of “japanese exploitation” is fascinating – known as “J-sploitation”, and it offers up some of the most imaginative and over=the-top movie making in the world today!

“RoboGeisha” is just one of the crazier films in the genre – to see more of the wildest horror films ever, just click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/31/mutant-girls-pinky-violence-sex-fury-and-lady-snowblood-too-japanese-sexploitation-lives/

Time to explore the wild world of cinema! Leave me a note and let me know what you think!

Are You In A “Sad Clown” Movie Mood?

Well, time to cinematically cheer up and enjoy some of this!

Time For A “Happy Blue Face!”

Someone asked me recently who were the most interesting – or WORST – Directors of all time! Well, here is one of each! You will be “fascinated” by this!

If you’ve never heard of French Director Jean Rollin, you have missed out on some very atmospheric, haunting, nudity and blood-filled – yet somewhat slow-moving – European art-film horror!

Meet Jean Rollin!

Jean Rollin was a French film director, actor, and novelist – best known for his films in the “fantastique” genre, as they say in France. He specialized in atmospheric horror of the 70’s – when relaxed censorship rules in cinema allowed Directors to push the envelope!

Jean Rollin’s are very interesting to watch: moody, atmospheric and did I mention that his films were filled with BLOOD!

Jean Rollin’s Cult “Artsploitation” Is “Redeemed”!

Thanks to the terrific “Redemption” series of releases – from the “Redemption Films” group – these movies are now available again – and gives each film a newly remastered look, plus tons of extras like documentaries, audio commentaries and trailers – a terrific job.

Requiem For A Vampire

Here is an early classic: on the run from a reform school, two young women commit crimes dressed as clowns.

Yes, they commit crimes dressed as clowns. How can you argue with that? Here is the clown-filled trailer:

Of course, the two “fleeing female clowns” seek refuge in a haunted castle, and end up trapped with no escape!

Because, as happens too often, this haunted castle is ruled by a hoard of sexy, blood-crazed vampires and their leader, an evil immortal creature who is the last of his kind.

Another of Rollins films is this classic:

Fascination!

Considered by many to be his masterpiece, “FASCINATION” follows a swaggering thief who hides out in a lavish chateau, holding the female occupants at gunpoint.

You can sense a trend here: Rollin’s films usually involve women who are kidnapped or held against their will – and who wreck revenge against their abductors – usually men. And they always end up in a deserted castle.

Women With A Thirst For Blood!

When night falls, the “Fascination” captor realizes that these two maids are not only deadlier than he imagined, but are gatekeepers to a ring of women with a thirst for blood.

Once again, the film is filled with hynotic imagery like this:

And what I think is his most dynamic image ever captured in one of his films – the blonde on the bridge with the sickle…

This action sequence, while fairly slow moving – it is, as you know, Jean Rollin – this sequence is beautifully done and hypnotic…

Here is part of the sequence:

You must go out and buy this blu-ray to see the entire sequence, the movie as a whole, and all of the terrific extras! Then, you have to see THIS:

The Living Dead Girl

This is one of his last films. Here is the trailer:

“The Living Dead Girl” is a melancholy, moody bloodfest – it is certainly Rollin’s bloodiest film…

Director Jean Rollin died in 2010, but all of these releases have extensive material with him, as he actively participated in these great remasters. He introduces some of the films, takes part in commentaries, and discusses his work with passion and pride.

You can read about all of his films by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/23/arty-blood-arty-nudity-classic-artsploitation-the-films-of-jean-rollin/

Now, you also asked about the worst Director of all time – which I think is unfair, since anyone who makes a movie deserves credit – even this guy!

Grindhouse Lives!

Meet Andy Milligan, who may just be Staten Island’s greatest filmmaker! Here are some example of his “masterpieces”!

These are films that you can savor over and over again, especially when they include dialogue like THIS:

Dusty Cole: How’s your mother?
Cherry Lane: She threw me out. I guess she got tired of me using all her hairspray.

Shooting on budgets that hovered around $10,000, Milligan turned out 29 movies between 1965 and 1988 – moves that were

“In Dripping Blood Color!”

While the posters were classic grindhouse “come ons”, his movies were appallingly shot, often ludicrously plotted shock films – but that’s what played in 42nd Street grind houses, drive-ins and avant-garde film festivals in the late 60’s and 70’s…

Milligan churned out film after film, with some of exploitation’s greatest movies titles!

Torture Dungeon! (1969)
Bloodthirsty Butchers! (1970)
The Body Beneath! (1970)
Guru, the Mad Monk! (1970)
The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here! (1972)

“EXPLICIT BEYOND BELIEF!”

And they weren’t just horror films – no, Milligan knew how to sex it up as well!

Fleshpot On 42nd St. “Erotic, Sensual and Smoldering!”

That’s right, they weren’t all horror films, Milligan also loved deviant sex – and blew the lid of 42nd Street’s sleazy sex trade!

The plot was simple: A street whore desperately seeks love and acceptance against the backdrop of the criminal element of early 1970s Times Square.

The film featured classic Milligan dialogue like this:

Cherry Lane: Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you shouldn’t go out with strange men?
Dusty Cole: Bob’s not strange. He’s dull.

Wel, enough sex, let’s get back to what Milligan REALLY liked – movies that he filmed:

“In Cranium-Cleaving Color!”

How can you resist a movie that offers this tagline!

The Ghastly Ones!

You are seeing a trend: classic grindhouse poster art – sex, violence, SHOCKS BEYOND BELIEF! – c’mon in suckers, the water’s fine!

First, check out the “Doctor’s Warning” on the poster – a classic “come on” for the suckers at that time…love it! Now, back to “The Ghastly Ones” plot: Three married couples are forced to spend the night in a Victorian-era house where they start getting killed off by a deranged psycho who’s bent on claiming an inheritance they are all entitled to.

Here’s a great bit of trivia, thanks to IMDB: In several of the fight scenes of the film, the crew and their cameras and sound equipment are visible. There are also moments when the director can be heard softly reminding the actors of their lines.

Now THAT”S film making! Here’s another example of Milligan’s madness:

The Body Beneath!

In this movie, Milligan captures the eerie horror of-, ah who’s kidding who? Do you REALLY care what it’s about? It’s slow-moving and laughably bad in a dementedly fun way! I mean, you have to watch it in order to find out why these women look like THIS!

There is so much more on Andy Milligan to share, including a book that tells the hilarious, and ultimately sad story of an awful filmmaker who managed to make a number of movies that are still being enjoyed today!

Click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/13/fleshpots-rats-cranium-cleaving-color-meet-andy-milligan-sexploitations-ed-wood/

And remember, “clowns welcome!”

I’m a fan of shows like “Mysteries & Scandals”, and this is one of film’s greatest mysteries…

“A young bride, left alone to the lewd passions of an evil dwarf!”

You would look concerned too if you starred in a movie with that tagline! But did you know it led to the complete disappearance of the star of the film?

Warning! NOT For The Faint Of Heart!

You don’t know the half of it! Imagine you landed the starring role – opposite THIS GUY!

Sometimes there are movies that are so wrong – I mean WRONG – in every way that they are destined for cult status….with that in mind, time to explore the mysterious disappearance of the sex kitten star of this film:

Yes, there is a film called “The Sinful Dwarf”, and it is everything the title suggests! Not only that, it starred a beautiful young Actress who would never be hear from again!

Meet Anne Sparrow!

Actress Anne Sparrow stars in “The Sinful Dwarf”, but it’s her only film performance EVER, and she has disappeared into the black hole of movie trivia! Why? Well, let’s begin with this – a trailer that only hints at the decadence on display:

Here’s the plot of “The Sinful Dwarf”:

Anne Sparrow stars as the young wife of a Doctor who needs to rent a room for a few nights in a strange city. Diminutive former kiddie-show host Torben Bille – who looks disturbingly like Jack Black in a trash compactor – stars as well, as a young man who takes a special interest in the female guests at his mother’s boarding house…

Poor Anne Sparrow!

For Actress Anne Sparrow, it must have been a dream come true: landing a starring role in your first feature film! But who is kidding who – just look at this description from the cover art:

“The delicious Anne Sparrow – in her first and understandably only screen role – co-stars in this towering achievement in graphic depravity, now fully restored from a 35mm print discovered hidden in a janitor’s closet at the Danish Film Institute!”

I guess being part of a film described as a “towering achievement in graphic depravity” can make you second-guess your career choice!

Anne Sparrow certainly had a good reason NEVER TO ACT AGAIN – in classic euro-sleaze style, the movie plot has her abducted early in on the film and abused by our Sinful Dwarf for the rest of the film’s running time – while her husband naively keeps looking for a job…

Oh, did I mention that the “Sinful Dwarf” has a CRAZY Mom – and yes, she SINGS in the film exactly the way she looks! Happy Mother’s Day indeed! You will never clean your ears the same way again…

And yes, that’s right – this movie was not only found in a janitor’s closet in Denmark – but they chose not to throw it out!

In the film, Actress Sparrow is abducted by the “Sinful Dwarf” and finds herself chained to a wall – with her “acting” comprising mostly of yelling and screaming while barely dressed…

The “Missing” Sex Kitten!

As you all know, the internet holds the answers to our entire history….it can tell you anything and everything – except what happened to Sparrow!

I have scoured the internet and haven’t found anything about Anne Sparrow – except that “The Sinful Dwarf” was her first and only movie – perhaps it was due to the fact that the Producers took the film, added some “XXX” material in it, and released an even dirtier version!

The movie makes Anne Sparrow’s performance look even more graphic than it was, but whatever the reason, Anne Sparrow’s singular movie achievement remains this – one of the craziest examples of “Euro-Sleaze” ever released!

If you aren’t familiar with “Euro-Sleaze”, here is a story I posted about this outrageously offensive and entertaining genre of film from the 70’s!

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/11/sex-violence-sexy-nun-raquel-welch-enter-the-twisted-world-of-70s-euro-sleaze/

Anne Sparrow isn’t he only Actress to make a single film appearance – although in this case, an Actress achieved film immortality for a single scene!

Yes, Gilda Texter will forever be remembered as the “naked motorcycle rider” in the 70’s cult classic “Vanishing Point” – read her entire story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/08/24/legendary-naked-motorcycle-starlet-hollywood-sex-symbol-gilda-texter-fascinating-nude-70s-movie-icon/

And there are time when Actresses become iconic just for the movies they are in, as it was for this “Bond girl”:

Read the entertaining story of sex kitten Barbara Bouchet by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/04/29/classic-sex-kitten-james-bonds-sexy-co-star-barbara-bouchet/

And leave a note if you know what happened to Anne Sparrow!

Surprise! Happy Halloween!

It’s that time of year, when the most unpleasant people can pop out of your toilet! Need more proof?

It’s time to celebrate some of the best horror films around – so you can turn your Halloween into a celebration of bloody excess like this!

We begin with a new film out from the visionary Japanese Director Takashi Miike!

Here is the trailer for “Yakuza Apocalypse!” –

Here is the plot of “Yakuza Apocalypse”: In the underground world of the yakuza, no one is more legendary than boss Kamiura. Rumored to be invincible, the truth is he is a vampire-a bloodsucking yakuza vampire boss!

Takashi Miike’s films are among the most imaginative – and craziest – ever made! This film looks like it has a ton of action as well as style, and I can’t wait to see why THIS animal is in the film:

As always, Miike is a terrific Director….and don’t forget, this visionary Japanese Director has played with Zombies before:

“The Happiness Of The Katakuris!”

Miike made a zombie rom-com in the style of “The Sound Of Music!” You must see this movie, and you can get more details on the madness on display by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/05/happy-singing-zombies-visionary-takashi-miikes-wacky-zombie-musical/

So now, back to the subject of “Toilet Zombies” – are you ready for the wackiest horror film of all time?

There is nothing more to say until you watch the trailer here:

Yes, Zombies that are after just one thing: your ASS!

Read all about the majesty of “Zombie Ass: Toilet Of The Dead” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/06/zombie-ass-yes-japans-wacky-cinema-is-calling-what-the/

Of course this has a “tongue in buttcheek” quality to it, but not all Japanese horror is for laughs – another great genre of Japanese horror can be found here:

“The Ring” Rules!

The US remake of “The Ring” with Naomi Watts was a good horror film, but to see some of the best japanese horror ever, you have to check out the original film – thanks to the Japanese, a whole new era of stylized horror was unveiled!

The “Ringu” horror series from the late 90’s can be found online and on demand, and they are beautifully made horror films…

If you want to explore obscure and wildly creative Japanese horror, you need to stop here as well!

Meet The “Tokyo Gore Police!”

This movie is wild wild wild – just one of a new genre that is called “J-Sploitation” – japanese horror with lots and lots of blood!

You need to see films like “Helldriver” and “The Machine Girl”, along with “RoboGeishas” as well – read all about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/15/tokyo-gore-for-halloween-behold-j-sploitation-nishimura-rules-extreme-japanese-cinema/

And if you want really intense Asisan horror, then you should check out this “Dream Home!”

“Dream Home” is bloody, suspenseful and dripping with atmosphere – read all about some of the most intensely ferocious japanese horror by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/01/female-ninja-warriors-extreme-asian-cinema-updated/

And don’t forget to check under your seat!

Time To Head To Italy For A Good Scare!

Some of the most inventive thrillers ever made came from Italy, during a time when the “giallo” film was at its height – just in time for Halloween, welcome to the bloody world of the Italian sex shocker!

Let’s begin with a film that was so controversial it landed the Director in court, facing prison time! It’s all because of this:

“In the annals of the abnormal there is no more erotic nightmare than the strange lusts of a…

Lizard In A Woman’s Skin!”

One of the most legendary Italian sex shockers is also one of the most controversial! Here is the plot: Florinda Bolkan plays the daughter of a prominant English politician who keeps having recurring “nightmares” in which she makes love to a bisexual nympho who lives downstairs and conducts all-night LSD orgies!

That’s Right: ALL-NIGHT LSD ORGIES!

Anyone who has nightmares involving a bisexual nymph is just looking for trouble! FYI, the film was released in the US as “Schizoid”, which she certainly was! When the nocturnal wet dreams become murderous, the neighbor turns up dead, and Florinda is the main suspect. Did she actually commit the murder she dreamt about?

And Who Is This “Giallo?”

“Giallo” is a 20th-century Italian genre of literature and film. In Italy, the term denotes thrillers, typically of the crime fiction, mystery, and horror categories. “Giallo” refers to a style of murder mystery film which includes lots of horror, eroticism and sex! Here is what one of the books looks like:

As you can see, it’s a lurid “come-on” to the reader, or in this case, to the moviegoer…and “Lizard In A Woman’s Skin” is a perfect fit as well, as it’s a sex shocker with a title as lurid as the style of filmmaking…

The Master! Director Lucio Fulci!

The Director of the movie was Lucio Fulci, one of Italy’s great horror filmmakers.

Among his films was this classic of the genre:

The Director was such a master of shock that a judge threatened to throw him in jail!

One such shocking scene in “Lizard’s Skin” involves a room full of disemboweled dogs. Director Fulci was nearly sent to prison because it was believed that the dogs were real and Fulci had allowed animal cruelty on the film! Crew members had to testify in court that the “dogs” were indeed fake and no animals had ever been harmed. Special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi even presented the dog props in court to convince the jury. This was the first time that an effects artist had to testify in court that their work was fake!

You can read more about the film, along with a look at the blu-ray release’s extended features, by clicking on this great website, “Mondo Digital”:

http://www.mondo-digital.com/lizard.html

And you can read more about the genre of italian giallo, with films like this:

One of Italy’s greatest Giallo Directors was Dario Argento, read all about him here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/09/halloween-giallo-masters-agentos-animal-trilogy-fulcis-tortured-ducklings-italian-pulp-fiction/

So now you are getting warmed up to this incredibly entertaining film genre…and want to take it to a whole new level:

Yes, as the 70’s progressed, the genre got even more shocking – you can read all about this classic of the genre by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/09/time-to-strip-nude-four-flies-and-baba-yaga-to-you-yes-its-classic-italian-giallo/

There are so many more…here are some great posters that capture the energy of the genre:

And the 70’s were a great time for another Italian film genre as well:

Yes, the Italian crime drama thrived in the 70’s and here is a great documentary that looks at the classic films of the 70’s:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/19/italian-mobsters-sex-kittens-euro-crime-the-italian-dirty-harry-classic-70s-euro-crime/

Let me know how many of these classic shockers you’ve seen!