Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Le Lac Des Morts Vivants (Zombie Lake)

Year: 1981
Director: Jean Rollin
Writers: Julián Esteban, Jesus Franco
Rating: 9.5/10

Sublimely surreal zombie flick that crosses the line from horror to "Art".

Blackjack

Year: 1998
Director: John Woo
Writer: Peter Lance
Rating: 8/10

At first, it seems to be a tepid recycling of "Hard Boiled" but the abundance of homosexual overtones combine to create an action-packed gay pride homage / giallo.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Even Hitler Had A Girlfriend

Year: 1992
Director: Ronnie Cramer
Writers: T.G. Baker, David Manning
Rating: 10/10

Midwestern malaise at its finest; dream-crushing.

Suor Omicidi (Killer Nun)

Year: 1979
Director: Giulio Berruti
Writers: Giulio Berruti, Alberto Tarallo
Rating: 8.5/10

Over the top "nun-sploitation" Italian b-slasher.

The House Of The Devil

Year: 2009
Director: Ti West
Writer: Ti West
Rating: 8.5/10

Finely crafted early 80s horror worship; but definitely not just a throw-back.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Exterminators Of The Year 3000

Year: 1983
Director: Giuliano Carnimeo
Writers: Elisa Briganti, Dardano Sacchetti, José Truchado
Rating: 9.5/10

Absurdist post-apocalyptic Mad Max-styled Italian flick.

Trauma

Year: 1993
Director: Dario Argento
Writers: Franco Ferrini, Gianni Romoli, Dario Argento, T.E.D. Klein, Ruth Jessup
Rating: 7.5/10

A decent giallo, but definitely post-1990 Argento.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Flesh Eaters

Year: 1964
Director: Jack Curtis
Writer: Arnold Drake
Rating: 9/10

Surprisingly classy monster horror; excellent cinematography.

Terror At Tenkiller

Year: 1986
Director: Ken Meyer
Writer: Claudia Meyer
Rating: 8.5/10

Bleak summer vacation b-slasher with few surprises but leaves many lingering questions; also notable for incessant cricket-chirping which often drowns out dialog.

The Last Slumber Party

Year: 1988
Director: Stephen Tyler
Writers: Stephen Tyler, Jim Taylor
Rating: 9/10

Sub-b slasher flick that quickly unravels into "dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream..." hallucinatory editing.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Conquest

Year: 1983
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Gino Capone, José Antonio de la Loma, Giovanni Di Clemente, Carlos Vasallo
Rating: 8/10

Fantasy action that enshrouds every scene in mist and never uses sharp focus; very mythical.

Endgame - Bronx Lotta Finale

Year: 1983
Director: Joe D'Amato
Writers: Joe D'Amato, Aldo Florio
Rating: 10/10

Sublime Italian post-apocalyptic b-flick.

Galaxy Of Terror

Year: 1981
Director: Bruce D. Clark
Writers: Marc Siegler, Bruce D. Clark, William Stout
Rating: 8/10

Sci-fi psychothriller that unrolls like a twisted b-version of Alien; the "making of" featurette on the DVD is not to be missed.

Mais Ne Nous Délivrez Pas Du Mal (Don't Deliver Us From Evil)

Year: 1971
Director: Joël Séria
Writer: Joël Séria
Rating: 9.5/10

Engaging, odd, and nicely shot story of two Satanic French teens.

Hard To Kill

Year: 1990
Director: Bruce Malmuth
Writer: Steven McKay
Rating: 8/10

Decent Seagal vehicle from his "Golden Era"; contains possibly the best Seagal line ("blood bank...").

Monday, December 6, 2010

Out Of Reach

Year: 2004
Director: Po-Chih Leong
Writers: Trevor Miller, James Townsend
Rating: 6/10

Another direct-to-video chapter in the agonizingly painful descent of Seagal's career; somewhat watchable due to its bizarre premise.

Deathwish 3

Year: 1985
Director: Michael Winner
Writers: Don Jakoby, Brian Garfield
Rating: 8.5/10

Classic Bronson flick; wonderfully over-the-top street war against "punx".

Incubo Sulla Città Contaminata (Nightmare City)

Year: 1980
Director: Umberto Lenzis
Writers: Antonio Cesare Corti, Luis María Delgado, Piero Regnoli
Rating: 9/10

Well executed Italian zombie horror.

Timecop

Year: 1994
Director: Peter Hyams
Writers: Mike Richardson, Mark Verheiden, Mark Verheiden
Rating: 4/10

Scraping the underside of Van Damme's career with a sub-par time travel theme.

Death Wish Club

Year: 1982
Director: John Carr
Writer: Philip Yordan
Rating: 10/10

Quirky b-thriller propelled by its offbeat and semi-manic lead actress; on the verge of a surreal comedy à la 1960s Czechoslovak New Wave.

The Entity

Year: 1982
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Writer: Frank De Felitta
Rating: 8/10

Very nicely done horror, especially considering the subject matter.

Double Team

Year: 1997
Director: Hark Tsui
Writers: Don Jakoby, Don Jakoby, Paul Mones
Rating: 4/10

Dennis Rodman can't quite redeem this mid-90s action monstrosity.

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Brood

Year: 1979
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Rating: 9.5/10

Excellent Cronenberg horror/thriller.

Savage Weekend

Year: 1979
Director: David Paulsen
Writer: David Paulsen
Rating: 7/10

Muddled low budget horror with a strong "regional" sense.

Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror

Year: 1981
Director: Andrea Bianchi
Writer: Piero Regnoli
Rating: 8.5/10

Languid Italian zombie flick with unique costume and make-up for the undead.

Exterminator 2

Year: 1984
Director: Mark Buntzman
Writers: Mark Buntzman, William Sachs
Rating: 7.5/10

Semi-post-apocalyptic action flick with an improbable storyline - burning "punx" in the streets.

E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore - L'aldilà (The Beyond)

Year: 1981
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Dardano Sacchetti, Dardano Sacchetti, Giorgio Mariuzzo, Lucio Fulci
Rating: 9/10

Essential Fulci.

Night Of The Demon

Year: 1980
Director: James C. Wasson
Writers: Jim L. Ball, Mike Williams
Rating: 8.5/10

Cut-rate (in all the right ways) Sasquatch horror; note the excellent and excessive use of the phrase "horribly mutilated".

Inferno In Diretta (Cut And Run)

Year: 1985
Director: Ruggero Deodato
Writers: Cesare Frugoni, Dardano Sacchetti, Luciano Vincenzoni
Rating: 8/10

Somewhat conflicted and strange Italian jungle adventure b flick.

Dead-End Drive In

Year: 1986
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Writers: Peter Carey, Peter Smalley
Rating: 10/10

Idiosyncratic post-apocalyptic film with a uniquely Australian flavor.

Steel

Year: 1997
Director: Kenneth Johnson
Writer: Kenneth Johnson
Rating: 6.5/10

Watching Shaq act is the sole reason (but a great reason) to watch this comic-book action flick.

Under Siege 2: Dark Territory

Year: 1995
Director: Geoff Murphy
Writers: Richard Hatem, Matt Reeves, J.F. Lawton
Rating: 6/10

This Seagal vehicle mostly offers expansion on the 'Casey Rybeck' character and a streamlined 'GoldenEye' plot.

On Deadly Ground

Year: 1994
Director: Steven Seagal
Writers: Ed Horowitz, Robin U. Russin
Rating: 9/10

Seagal finally directs his own movie, and the result is a sublimely mishandled (or perfectly handled) action flick "with a conscious".

Under Siege

Year: 1992
Director: Andrew Davis
Writers: J.F. Lawton
Rating: 7.5/10

A decent 'Die Hard' knockoff; Gary Busey in drag is a definite highlight of this Seagal vehicle.

Out For Justice

Year: 1991
Director: John Flynn
Writers: David Lee Henry
Rating: 8.5/10

From start to finish, a definite high mark for Seagal - perhaps because there was only 1 writer?

Marked For Death

Year: 1990
Director: Dwight H. Little
Writers: Michael Grais, Mark Victor
Rating: 8/10

Further developments of the 'Seagal' character, and 'Screwface' is one of the more memorable Seagal villains.

Above The Law

Year: 1988
Director: Andrew Davis
Writers: Andrew Davis, Steven Seagal, Steven Pressfield, Ronald Shusett
Rating: 7.5/10

Entertaining action flick that introduces the 'Seagal' character.

Kickboxer

Year: 1989
Directors: Mark DiSalle, David Worth
Writers: Mark DiSalle, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Glenn A. Bruce
Rating: 6.5/10

Excellent martial arts action, but stumbles through several Hollywood cliches.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Antropophagus

Year: 1980
Director: Joe D'Amato
Writers: Joe D'Amato, George Eastman
Rating: 9/10

Italian horror that shines with its leisurely pacing and grotesque cannibalism.

Deadly Friend

Year: 1986
Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Bruce Joel Rubin
Rating: 9/10

Odd but well-executed sci-fi/medical horror.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Buio Omega (Beyond The Darkness)

Year: 1979
Director: Joe D'Amato
Writers: Ottavio Fabbri, Giacomo Guerrini
Rating: 9.5/10

Sleazy Italian b-horror that nearly becomes an art film due to its slow pace, minimal dialog, and "slice-of-life" direction.

Spice World

Year: 1997
Director: Bob Spiers
Writers: Kim Fuller, Jamie Curtis
Rating: 5/10

A somewhat terrifying look at mid-90s Britain and its popstars.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Night Of The Demons

Year: 1988
Director: Kevin Tenney
Writer: Joe Augustyn
Rating: 8/10

Haphazardly executed b-horror, but completely worth it for several notable lines and scenes.

Phantasm

Year: 1979
Director: Don Coscarelli
Writer: Don Coscarelli
Rating: 9.5/10

Fantastically bizarre sci-fi/horror.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Year: 1982
Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
Writers: Tommy Lee Wallace, Nigel Kneale
Rating: 9/10

Sci-fi horror very much in the style of John Carpenter and the Twilight Zone.

Slugs: The Movie

Year: 1988
Director: Juan Piquer Simón
Writers: Juan Piquer Simón, José Antonio Escrivá, Ron Gantman
Rating: 8.5/10

Riotous b-horror; killer slugs, what else needs to be said?

Inferno

Year: 1980
Director: Dario Argento
Writer: Dario Argento
Rating: 9/10

Well-done horror that builds upon the strong points of "Susperia".

Cruising

Year: 1980
Director: William Friedkin
Writer: William Friedkin
Rating: 8/10

Al Pacino delving into the world of "heavy leather / leather daddies"; nicely executed crime thriller, but it could have benefited from more club scenes.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Silencer

Year: 1992
Director: Amy Goldstein
Writer: Amy Goldstein, Scott Kraft
Rating: 7.5/10

B thriller/action that mixes James Bond, arcades, revenge, Christian mythology, and gratuitous sex scenes into a bizarre haze of a film.

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Gates of Hell (City Of The Living Dead)

Year: 1980
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Dardano Sacchetti, Lucio Fulci
Rating: 8/10

Nicely executed horror; Lovecraftian references abound - a shame that Frizzi's soundtrack doesn't match up to his work for Zombi 2.

Killer Workout

Year: 1986
Director: David A. Prior
Writer: David A. Prior
Rating: 8.5/10

B horror that heavily relies upon its soundtrack and gratuitous workout scenes; camp city!

Revenge Of The Mercenaries

Year: 1985
Director: Bruno Pischiutta (??)
Writer: ??
Rating: 9/10

Canadian government-funded action flick that is beyond "b": 40 minutes in length, no credits.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Pieces

Year: 1982
Director: Juan Piquer Simón
Writers: Dick Randall, John W. Shadow
Rating: 8.5/10

Shamelessly budget-less b-horror; the last 15 minutes are pure ludicrousness.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Sledgehammer

Year: 1983
Director: David A. Prior
Writer: David A. Prior
Rating: 9/10

Somehow, there is more slow-motion than "regular-motion" in this bizarre shot-on-video "Halloween"-esque movie; the minimal and repetitive soundtrack and extended still shots give it an art-film atmosphere.

The Sword And The Sorcerer

Year: 1982
Director: Albert Pyun
Writers: Tom Karnowski, John Stuckmeyer, Albert Pyun
Rating: 8/10

B-fantasy/adventure that is an exemplary low-budget stereotype of the genre.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Chopping Mall

Year: 1986
Director: Jim Wynorski
Writers: Steve Mitchell, Jim Wynorski
Rating: 8/10

Entertaining and humorous b-horror; soundtrack is more "killer" than the robots!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Prince Of Darkness

Year: 1987
Director: John Carpenter
Writer: John Carpenter
Rating: 9.5/10

Well-done, if a bit over-the-top, horror.

2019: After The Fall Of New York

Year: 1983
Director: Sergio Martino
Writers: Ernesto Gastaldi, Sergio Martino, Gabriel Rossini
Rating: 8.5/10

Superbly over-the-top ultra-B Italian version of Escape From New York.

Wild Side

Year: 1995
Director: Donald Cammell
Writers: China Kong, Donald Cammell
Rating: 1.5/10

Agonizingly awful pseudo-"Skinemax" film; perhaps the Director's Cut is better (?)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Frankenhooker

Year: 1990
Director: Frank Henenlotter
Writers: Frank Henenlotter, Robert Martin
Rating: 9/10

Surreal-ly campy horror.

Flash Gordon

Year: 1980
Director: Mike Hodges
Writer: Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Rating: 9.5/10

Fantastical space opera that knows and benefits from its limitations.

Taxi Driver

Year: 1976
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Paul Schrader
Rating: 7.5/10

A little too slick at times, but overall well-executed.

The Silence Of The Lambs

Year: 1991
Director: Jonathan Demme
Writer: Ted Tally
Rating: 4/10

Ultimately fails to engage due to over-production and over-the-top actors; but has its moments.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Sorcerer

Year: 1977
Director: William Friedkin
Writer: Walon Green
Rating: 8/10

Above average remake of "The Wages of Fear"; excellent Tangerine Dream soundtrack.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Experiment In Terror

Year: 1962
Director: Blake Edwards
Writer: Gordon Gordon, Mildred Gordon
Rating: 3/10

Inferior and bland noir-ish detective thriller with a misleading title.

Waiting For Guffman

Year: 1996
Director: Christopher Guest
Writers: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Rating: 8.5/10

Excellent "mockumentary" execution, but could have easily further expanded upon its characters.

RoboCop 2

Year: 1990
Director: Irvin Kershner
Writers: Frank Miller, Walon Green
Rating: 6/10

Action sci-fi that bounces between campy and mediocre.

Mad Max

Year: 1979
Director: George Miller
Writers: George Miller, Byron Kennedy, James McCausland
Rating: 9/10

Dystopian sci-fi classic.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Fantastic Planet

Year: 1973
Director: René Laloux
Writers: Stefan Wul, Roland Topor, René Laloux
Rating: 10/10

Sublimely meditative treatment of oppression and revolt.

Alone In The Dark

Year: 1982
Director: Jack Sholder
Writers: Jack Sholder, Robert Shaye, Michael Harrpster
Rating: 7.5/10

Subpar b-horror with numerous saving graces, such as Donald Pleasence and the Sic F*cks.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Year: 1988
Director: James Signorelli
Writers: Sam Egan, John Paragon, Cassandra Peterson
Rating: 1.5/10

The only redeeming quality of this film is the Vegas dance at the end; otherwise, it is mediocre sub-garbage.

Female Trouble

Year: 1974
Director: John Waters
Writer: John Waters
Rating: 10/10

Magnificent trash art.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

Year: 1984
Director: W.D. Richter
Writer: Earl Mac Rauch
Rating: 9/10

Bizarre and glorious 80s cheese-fest of a sci-fi; however, energy lags towards the end.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Yor, the Hunter from the Future

Year: 1983
Director: Antonio Margheriti
Writers: Robert D. Bailey, Antonio Margheriti
Rating: 8.5/10

Intensely Italian b-science fiction.

Friday, August 13, 2010

The Alternative Miss World (I Wanna Be A Beauty Queen)

Year: 1980
Director: Richard Gayor
Writer: Richard Gayor
Rating: 8.5/10

Documentary of the 1978 "Alternative Miss World" contest; fantastic contestants, but the pacing and voice-over commentary vary in quality.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome

Year: 1954
Writer: Kenneth Anger
Director: Kenneth Anger
Rating: 10/10

Breathtakingly vivid hallucinatory dream-mass.

Eaux d'Artifice

Year: 1953
Director: Kenneth Anger
Writer: Kenneth Anger
Rating: 8/10

Well-wrought Impressionist portrait of a lady in an Italian palace.

Rabbit's Moon

Year: 1950
Director: Kenneth Anger
Writer: Kenneth Anger
Rating: 10/10

Perfectly executed Commedia dell'Arte.

Puce Moment

Year: 1949
Director: Kenneth Anger
Writer: Kenneth Anger
Rating: 8/10

Brief portrait of the spectacle of glamor.

Fireworks

Year: 1947
Director: Kenneth Anger
Writer: Kenneth Anger
Rating: 9/10

Fantastic cinematography, highly entertaining portrayal of a sailor fantasy.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Vernon, Florida

Year: 1981
Director: Errol Morris
Writer: Errol Morris
Rating: 9/10

Languid look at some of the odder residents of Vernon, Florida.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Derby

Year: 1971
Director: Robert Kaylor
Writer: Robert Kaylor
Rating: 9.5/10

Superbly shot and edited documentary about roller derby; astutely allows the characters control the style and pacing of film, rather than the filmmaker.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2

Year: 1987
Director: Lee Harry
Writers: Lee Harry, Joseph H. Earle
Rating: 6/10

Sputtering b-horror that delivers a few good scenes, but for the most part is mediocre.

Phenomena

Year: 1985
Director: Dario Argento
Writers: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini
Rating: 7.5/10

Well executed, but draws too much upon tropes from earlier Argento films.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Blackenstein

Year: 1973
Director: William A. Levey
Writer: Frank R. Saletri
Rating: 9/10

Surprisingly decent 70s horror adaptation of Frankenstein; can't go wrong with playing an orchestral version of "Good King Wenceslas" as a smooth make-out jam.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Street Trash

Year: 1987
Director: J. Michael Muro
Writer: Roy Frumkes
Rating: 10/10

Sublimely meandering and despicable document of the final days of a junkyard group of "street trash".

Deadbeat At Dawn

Year: 1988
Director: Jim Van Bebber
Writer: Jim Van Bebber
Rating: 9/10

Violent "gangsploitation" b-movie with numerous redeeming qualities.

Splatter Farm

Year: 1987
Directors: John Polonia, Mark Polonia, Todd Smith
Writers: John Polonia, Mark Polonia, Todd Smith
Rating: 8/10

Amateurishly bizarre shot-on-video gore fest.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Alphaville (Une Étrange Aventure de Lemmy Caution)

Year: 1965
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writer: Jean-Luc Godard
Rating: 10/10

Deftly directed and edited sci-fi noir.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Fireworks (Hana-bi)

Year: 1997
Director: Takeshi Kitano
Writer: Takeshi Kitano
Rating: 10/10

Grimly austere cop drama.

Repo Man

Year: 1984
Director: Alex Cox
Writer: Alex Cox
Rating: 10/10

Bizarre punk classic.

The Big Lebowski

Year: 1998
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Rating: 9.5/10

Superbly quirky comedy.

Donkey Skin (Peau d'Âne)

Year: 1970
Director: Jacques Demy
Writers: Jacques Demy, Charles Perrault
Rating: 8/10

Fairy tale with strong psychedelic overtones.

Through a Glass Darkly (Såsom i en Spegel)

Year: 1961
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Writer: Ingmar Bergman
Rating: 9/10

Intense humanistic character study.

Woman in the Dunes (Suna no Onna)

Year: 1964
Director: Hiroshi Teshigahara
Writer: Kôbô Abe
Rating: 10/10

Flawlessly executed existential horror.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

The Holy Mountain

Year: 1973
Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Writer: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Rating: 10/10

Stunningly psychedelic journey to enlightenment and back.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Candyman

Year: 1992
Director: Bernard Rose
Writer: Bernard Rose
Rating: 9.5/10

Essential horror.

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Year: 1984
Director: Michael Radford
Writer: Michael Radford
Rating: 9/10

Its only fault could be that ridiculous salute, and perhaps following the text a little too closely.

Koyaanisqatsi

Year: 1982
Director: Godfrey Reggio
Writers: Ron Fricke, Michael Hoenig, Godfrey Reggio, Alton Walpole
Rating: 9.5/10

Entrancing video-art snapshot of the late 20th century.

Friday, March 26, 2010

King Lear

Year: 1998
Director: Richard Eyre
Writers: William Shakespeare, Richard Eyre
Rating: 9/10

Well-executed teleplay with excellent actors; the subdued costumes and sets add much gravitas.

In einem Jahr mit 13 Monden (In a Year with 13 Moons)

Year: 1978
Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Writer: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Rating: 9.5/10

Superbly shot and almost otherworldly portrait of a homosexual erotomaniac.

Choke Canyon

Year: 1986
Director: Charles Bail
Writers: Ovidio G. Assonitis, Alfonso Brescia, Sheila Goldberg
Rating: 8/10

Surprisingly decent, if somewhat unoriginal, mid-80s sci-fi/action flick, complete with John Carpenter ripoff soundtrack.

Project Shadowchaser

Year: 1992
Director: John Eyres
Writer: Stephen Lister
Rating: 3/10

Astoundingly awful combination of Die Hard, Blade Runner, Terminator, etc.; good for laughs.

Krull

Year: 1983
Director: Peter Yates
Writer: Stanford Sherman
Rating: 8/10

Fantasy/sci-fi that probably should have been made in 1973, but still is still ridiculous enough for multiple viewings.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Harrison Bergeron

Year: 1995
Director: Bruce Pittman
Writer: Arthur Crimm
Rating: 8/10

Surprisingly decent sci-fi, even if it does take all its stylistic cues from Brazil.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Wo shi shei (Who Am I?)

Year: 1998
Directors: Benny Chan, Jackie Chan
Writers: Jackie Chan, Susan Chan, Lee Reynolds
Rating: 5.5/10

Almost a terrifically horrible b-movie, but can't quite shake mediocrity; only recommended for Jackie Chan completists.

The Nomi Song

Year: 2004
Director: Andrew Horn
Writer: Andrew Horn
Rating: 9/10

Well-done documentary about Klaus Nomi, if a little limited in the scope of interviewees.

Monday, February 22, 2010

The Raspberry Reich

Year: 2004
Director: Bruce La Bruce
Writer: Bruce La Bruce
Rating: 9/10

Very sexually explicit, tongue-in-cheek, and highly entertaining critique of modern and historical leftist revolution.

The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Year: 1960
Director: Roger Corman
Writer: Richard Matheson
Rating: 8/10

Faithful to Poe's story, if a little stilted in overall delivery and direction.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Screamers - Pat Garrett Demos 7-7-77 12"








I recently acquired the Screamers "Pat Garrett Demos 7-7-77" 12". As an exception to this blog, I've uploaded it here, because it's a bootleg, only 300 copies were made, and cost about $25 new (and is apparently sold out now). The recordings of these five songs are the best Screamers I've heard to date.

Enjoy here.

Also, here's an email I found from KK Barrett regarding this release:

"Funny enough Pat Garrett alerted me to these pressings. I am not in the pursuit of bootleggers, I actually think the process helps keep history alive.

Pat wondered why his name was on it. I am to blame since I at one time corrected someone as to the origin of the tapes and I defined them by calling them the recordings made by Pat Garrett (actually in April or May not 7-7-77.) We made them the same way we had recorded demos in Oklahoma, where we were both from in our college days, four tracks live mixed down to two and vocals added on the additional 2. Then mixed again to a two track master.

So there exists a 4 track original and 2 track mix down. I have the
2-track master mix on 1/4" tape. If these are from the 4 track
version that would be delightful but I believe if anyone has that tape it would be Tommy. And to me knowledge he has never been interested in revisiting that time or releasing anything. (if he even still has the tape).

I made a dat of a lot of my recordings and they are out there but have never been officially sanctioned.

I would like to get a couple of copies if possible and will pay what they inconvenience you.

Thanks, KK"

Monday, February 15, 2010

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Year: 1989
Directors: Rusty Lemorande, Albert Pyun
Writers: Debra Ricci, Regina Davis, Kitty Chalmers, Rusty Lemorande
Rating: 9/10

Superb sci-fi satirization, with an obscenely original ending.

Whity

Year: 1971
Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Writer: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Rating: 10/10

Fantastically drawn-out and bizarrely minimal German re-imagining of the Antebellum South; much fodder for analysis.

Haack: The King Of Techno

Year: 2004
Director: Philip Anagnos
Writer: Philip Anagnos
Rating: 8/10

Execution is a little choppy, but overall an excellent documentary about one of the best composers of the 20th century.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (The Golem)

Year: 1920
Directors: Carl Boese, Paul Wegener
Writers: Henrik Galeen, Paul Wegener
Rating: 9/10

Well-crafted proto-horror, if a little anti-climatic.

Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone

Year: 1983
Director: Lamont Johnson
Writers: Stewart Harding, Jean LaFleur, David Preston, Edith Rey, Daniel Goldberg, Len Blum
Rating: 8.5/10

Early 80s b-movie sci-fi to a "T".

The Running Man

Year: 1987
Director: Paul Michael Glaser
Writer: Steven E. de Souza
Rating: 8/10

Decently executed mid-80s sci-fi, with Schwarzenegger's one-liners pushing it over the top.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Warrior of the Lost World

Year: 1983
Director: David Worth
Writer: David Worth
Rating: 9/10

Highly entertaining and non-nonsensical post-apocalyptic Italian b-movie.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Rekopis znaleziony w Saragossie (The Saragossa Manuscript)

Year: 1965
Director: Wojciech Has
Writer: Tadeusz Kwiatkowski
Rating: 10/10

Superb story-telling and story-framing; do not fear the three-hour length.

Die Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss

Year: 1982
Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Writers: Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Pea Fröhlich, Peter Märthesheimer
Rating: 7.5/10

Nicely done film, but only touches on a number of themes; not as singular as earlier Fassbinder.

The Ultimate Warrior

Year: 1975
Director: Robert Clouse
Writer: Robert Clouse
Rating: 9/10

Excellent post-apocalyptic sci-fi.