Recent viewings

[Rev. Powell]

BLACK DEVIL DOLL (2007): A Black Panther who is executed because he "raped and killed fifteen Caucasian women" finds his soul transported into a puppet, and he then resumes his evil ways. For a trashy soft porn feature starring zaftig strippers acting opposite a racial stereotype puppet, it's surprisingly got a few good points, including strong visual effects and a couple of very politically incorrect chuckles. Made by a black director (because no white director could get away with it) who won't be winning any Image Awards anytime soon. Maybe a 2/5, if you're not sensitive to racism and misogyny.

[javakoala]

Witchdoctor of the Livingdead (1985)

Yes, I typed the title correctly. That IS the title on the movie.

I want to write some comments about this movie, but, honestly, words fail me. I don't know if I want to give it a 0/5 or a 5/5.

Just watch the first five minutes of the movie, and you'll understand. All I can say is that it just gets weirder and more awesomely awful with each scene after that.

! No longer available

Two warnings:

1.  It does show a real goat's throat being cut, so PETA-friendly folks should not watch the full movie. The first five minutes contain no goat-related violence.

2.  If Youtube doesn't block this, I'm gonna be posting it as the first episode of a new series:  Deranged Visions: BSI (Bat s**t Insane). I have at least 4 movies that should fit into that category right now.

[Rev. Powell]

Witchdoctor of the Livingdead (1985)

Yes, I typed the title correctly. That IS the title on the movie.

I want to write some comments about this movie, but, honestly, words fail me. I don't know if I want to give it a 0/5 or a 5/5.

Just watch the first five minutes of the movie, and you'll understand. All I can say is that it just gets weirder and more awesomely awful with each scene after that.

! No longer available

Two warnings:

1.  It does show a real goat's throat being cut, so PETA-friendly folks should not watch the full movie. The first five minutes contain no goat-related violence.

2.  If Youtube doesn't block this, I'm gonna be posting it as the first episode of a new series:  Deranged Visions: BSI (Bat s**t Insane). I have at least 4 movies that should fit into that category right now.

Nollywood, right? I want to get into this genre at some point but I need brave souls like you and lester to dive in first and find the best of the "best" for me.

[lester1/2jr]

I was waiting for you to do it.

[FatFreddysCat]

Last night I revisited "Hellraiser" (1987) for the first time in dog years.

! No longer available

Clive Barker adapts his own short story "The Hellbound Heart" in this cult classic that introduced Doug Bradley's "Pinhead" as the next big horror icon. The acting is mostly terrible and the story/pacing is a bit muddled but the big selling point for this flick was always the gore effects, and they are still impressively gross 30 years on.

[javakoala]

Witchdoctor of the Livingdead (1985)

Yes, I typed the title correctly. That IS the title on the movie.

I want to write some comments about this movie, but, honestly, words fail me. I don't know if I want to give it a 0/5 or a 5/5.

Just watch the first five minutes of the movie, and you'll understand. All I can say is that it just gets weirder and more awesomely awful with each scene after that.

! No longer available

Two warnings:

1.  It does show a real goat's throat being cut, so PETA-friendly folks should not watch the full movie. The first five minutes contain no goat-related violence.

2.  If Youtube doesn't block this, I'm gonna be posting it as the first episode of a new series:  Deranged Visions: BSI (Bat s**t Insane). I have at least 4 movies that should fit into that category right now.

Nollywood, right? I want to get into this genre at some point but I need brave souls like you and lester to dive in first and find the best of the "best" for me.

Well, I have that particular movie posted on my Youtube channel:  https://youtu.be/uTFT4nZkGjI

Just go into it realizing it is an uneven 80+ minutes, but it is more fun and funny than boring. And the music and sound effects lifted completely from what sounds like public domain films is Oscar bait if I have ever heard any.

Enjoy!   

[FatFreddysCat]

"Hellbound: Hellraiser II" (1989)
! No longer available

The lone survivor of the previous "Hellraiser" finds herself locked up in a psychiatric hospital, run by a twisted doctor who wants to use her as bait to prove the existence of Hell and the Cenobites. Lotsa flaying, bleeding, and screaming ensues.
Much more elaborate than the first film, with some impressive set designs and of course plenty of gross out gore FX and make up.
Strangely, although I've seen the rest of the films in the "Hellraiser" saga over the years (including the godawful parade of direct-to-video poop sandwiches the franchise continues to pump out to this day), I had never seen this one before. Not sure how I missed it back in the day but at least now I can check this one off the never-ending list.

[Rev. Powell]

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST [PANNA A NEVTOR] (1978): A virtuous, virginal merchant's daughter pledges to live in a magical Beast's castle to save her father's life after he plucks a rose from the Beast's garden; she falls in love and transforms him. Basically a Czech color remake of Jean Cocteau's more famous film version of the fairy tale, with a few additions (such as a fellow monster lurking in the castle whose taunts express the Beast's inner doubt). The Beast also has a beak in this version. Onscreen, the title is translated as THE VIRGIN AND THE MONSTER. 3.5/5.

[FatFreddysCat]

"After Porn Ends 2" (2017)

This follow up to a 2012 documentary interviews another handful of former adult film stars from the '70s, '80s and '90s and finds out how they've adjusted to life outside of the XXX world. Some, like Georgina ("Devil In Miss Jones") Spelvin, are happily retired; others like Ginger Lynn, Lisa Ann, and Tabitha Stevens have moved on to other interests and careers, and a few, like Chasey Lain and Janine Lindemulder, have screwed up their lives so badly that they're still trying to undo the damage. Like the original, this flick is intriguing, occasionally depressing but never dull.

[indianasmith]

THE DEAD HATE THE LIVING (2002) - Full Moon ruled the B-movie world of the 90's because they understood the fundamentals of the gen re - Joe Bob Briggs' "3 B's" - Blood, Breasts, and Beasts.  When they remember this formula, their movies are pretty  entertaining, when they forget it, the movies can be completely awful.  This one  hit two out of three markers - blood, beasts (zombies), and no breasts.  The result is a mediocre zombie film with some decent makeup effects.  2.5/5

[lester1/2jr]

the Attic Expeditions (2001) - I used to hate Seth Green, but he did make two interesting movies around this time. the first was idle hands which was funny but which most people probably remember for Jessica Alba. The next was this which is sort of like "A Dark Backward" or something but not as good, but still interesting.

A guy kills his wife and ends up in a weird halfway house where he explores his inner mind and so forth. A guy from Xena warrior princess is in it and its kind of scattershot like what does it all mean? I more or less enjoyed it though. the two girls were pretty and though the whole thing with the LOvecraft-ian  "evil book" was kind of phoned in it was all in all pretty good

3.75/5

Terminal Island - man TCM underground has some good stuff. All the movies I've watched have been great even the mime horror one with that famous mime guy that was really quite awful.

This is about an island in the future where they send prisoners and they have to fend for themselves. "what are you going to do kill me? do me a favor" says tom Selleck to a new arrival a sassy not that hot black chick. there are some pretty girls and occasionally they are topless. This was an unedited version i'm sure they released a blue balls one. rival prisoners form groups and have wars with each other and its all a metaphor for society. There are some really awkward moments, lousy film making, and basically its awesome and you'll love it. Its like Amazon Jail or the Big Birdhouse mixed with like a crappy cop show kind of vibe

5/5

[claws]

re-watched

The Monster (2016)

Slow burner about a woman and her daughter stuck on a lonely road in the woods on a rainy night after hitting a wolf with their car. Roughly 70% is about the disfunctional mother/daughter relationship, including many flashbacks. The rest is about a creepy non-cgi monster trying to kill the stranded. I think I gave The Monster praise upon my first viewing, but had a change of heart after a rewatch. In the end neither the drama or the horror was really satisfying (to me anyway), even though well acted and rated R (felt like PG-13, but has a few swear words). It's just sort of bland and kind of boring and not very thrilling. 2/5 (disappointing)

[Rev. Powell]

TITUS (1999): Shakespeare's most B-movie script has revenge rape, hands cut off, an amazingly evil villain, and a famous ending that's been copied many times. The Roman general Titus Andronicus (Anthony Hopkins) kills the son of Tamara the Goth queen (Jessica Lange), but finds his family the target of a devious revenge campaign when the Emperor takes her as his wife. Julie Taymor films the carnage with anachronisms, expressionist sets and brief dream sequences---think if Ken Russell had directed a Shakespeare play. This is excellent acid Shakespeare, not quite to the level of PROSPERO'S BOOKS but up there. 4.5/5.

[indianasmith]

TITUS (1999): Shakespeare's most B-movie script has revenge rape, hands cut off, an amazingly evil villain, and a famous ending that's been copied many times. The Roman general Titus Andronicus (Anthony Hopkins) kills the son of Tamara the Goth queen (Jessica Lange), but finds his family the target of a devious revenge campaign when the Emperor takes her as his wife. Julie Taymor films the carnage with anachronisms, expressionist sets and brief dream sequences---think if Ken Russell had directed a Shakespeare play. This is excellent acid Shakespeare, not quite to the level of PROSPERO'S BOOKS but up there. 4.5/5.

I have a little book in my classroom called FELTON AND FOWLER'S BEST, WORST, AND MOST UNUSUAL.  It is a very fun read overall, and it rates TITUS ANDRONICUS, which this movie is based on, as Shakespeare's worst play ever.  The editor said:  "If you read this play, independent of all of Shakespeare's other works, your first thought might well be 'I hope he didn't quit his day job.' "

[Rev. Powell]

TITUS (1999): Shakespeare's most B-movie script has revenge rape, hands cut off, an amazingly evil villain, and a famous ending that's been copied many times. The Roman general Titus Andronicus (Anthony Hopkins) kills the son of Tamara the Goth queen (Jessica Lange), but finds his family the target of a devious revenge campaign when the Emperor takes her as his wife. Julie Taymor films the carnage with anachronisms, expressionist sets and brief dream sequences---think if Ken Russell had directed a Shakespeare play. This is excellent acid Shakespeare, not quite to the level of PROSPERO'S BOOKS but up there. 4.5/5.

I have a little book in my classroom called FELTON AND FOWLER'S BEST, WORST, AND MOST UNUSUAL.  It is a very fun read overall, and it rates TITUS ANDRONICUS, which this movie is based on, as Shakespeare's worst play ever.  The editor said:  "If you read this play, independent of all of Shakespeare's other works, your first thought might well be 'I hope he didn't quit his day job.' "

Yes, it's often considered Shakespeare's worst play. It's written in the gory style of Jacobean revenge plays rather than his mature style. But Shakespeare's worst writing is a lot better than my best!

Check out the blood-curdling villain's speech I mentioned:

Even now I curse the day—and yet, I think,
Few come within the compass of my curse,—
Wherein I did not some notorious ill,
As kill a man, or else devise his death,
Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it,
Accuse some innocent and forswear myself,
Set deadly enmity between two friends,
Make poor men's cattle break their necks;
Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night,
And bid the owners quench them with their tears.
Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves,
And set them upright at their dear friends' doors,
Even when their sorrows almost were forgot;
And on their skins, as on the bark of trees,
Have with my knife carved in Roman letters,
'Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.'
Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things
As willingly as one would kill a fly,
And nothing grieves me heartily indeed
But that I cannot do ten thousand more.