Hey, Girly!

During Halloween season, I always seek out the best of the new – and the neglected – horror films that are available on blu-ray..and when I find a picture like this:

I am curious, naturally – I mean, he seems to be having a bad day in the sandbox….now add this great movie poster:

And you know what? I’m hooked! And you will be too when you uncover the wacky antics of this campy cult horror class known as “Girly!” I mean, you have to celebrate a neglected horror movie that had the audacity to originally be called:

“MUMSY, SONNY, NANNY AND GIRLY!”

Yes, “Girly!” is obscure cinema of the highest order – and time to also acknowledge and appreciate British sex kitten Vanessa Howard!

Vanessa Howard starred in a number of acclaimed horror films in the early 70’s, but never achieved mainstream success…here is a look at her career…

First up: the wacky film “Girly”, that Variety described as:

“A macabre combo of Disney and Hammer films!”

Adolescent brother and sister Girly and Sonny live in a decaying countryside mansion run by their Mumsy and their maid-attired Nanny – hence the original wacky title!

“MUMSY, SONNY, NANNY AND GIRLY!”

Yes, there they are – quite a foursome, and what a title! No wonder they shortened it to just “Girly!” That said, it gives absolutely NO idea of what lies ahead for the viewer!

Here’s the plot: Girly and Sonny bring playmates home to indulge in bizarre, child-like games at the insistence of Mumsy and Nanny. You can only imagine what happens to them once the kids grow tired of their new playthings!

Yes, they use many of their childhood toys, like the sandbox, to “finish their business” with their new friends…as you can see, “Girly” is a lot of fun to be around, but a deadly friend to have!

But things change when one new friend plays along with the oddball quartet, using sexual tension to ultimately turn the family unit against each other!

This is quite the oddball film: directed by acclaimed Cinematographer Freddie Francis, and certainly “of its time” – but that is what gives it a quirky charm, and Vanessa Howard does a great job of holding your attention!

“Girly” is virtually unknown in movie circles, so it’s nice to see the film given another chance on home video…it’s a strange little movie, quirky and odd and only slightly horrific, regardless of what the poster implies…but it is a good poster for a horror film, isn’t it?

Here’s what “DVD Drive-In” said in their review: “The violence and the sex is smartly implied rather than displayed graphically, with several of the murder scenes remaining disturbing and a memorable, and a sequence where Girly is deflowered is convincingly played out off screen. Although it was unintentional, a bit where Sonny (dressed in Indian face paint and attire) shoots his victim with an arrow, and films the events on a movie camera, is very reminiscent of Michael Powell’s PEEPING TOM (a film Francis apparently wasn’t too fond of).”

See the entire review here:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/e-h/girltblu70.htm

DVD Drive-In is a great website full of reviews and news! I also found some great material on the film from “Videoscope” magazine, one of my favorites!

Any magazine that puts “Girly” on the cover is a winner!

British Sex Kitten Vanessa Howard!

“Girly” star Vanessa Howard made a brief mark in British cinema, then disappeared from the public eye!

Here’s how DVD Drive-In describes British Actress Vanessa Howard:

“A charming little starlet with a youthful, sexy look, Vanessa Howard was a perfect fixture in British films of the period. Prancing around in short skirts and easily seducing any man who lays eyes on her, Howard pretty much carries the film and her adorable doll-eyed blonde image was the centerpiece of Cinerama’s advertising campaign for its U.S. release.

Howard made appearances in the Peter Cushing vehicles THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR and CORRUPTION in the late 1960s, and later starred in the rarely screened Amicus thriller WHAT BECAME OF JACK AND JILL?

The article finishes by stating that the Actress died in 2010 at the age of 62…it is sad that her career never continued, and that she died so young…but thanks to a couple of great home video companies, her movies live on…

“Corruption” Indeed!

Vanessa Howard starred in a number of great, neglected British horror films like “Corruption”…look at this lurid poster for the film – which was just recently released on blu-ray for a whole new generation to enjoy…it’s a really good thriller that evokes a different time for sure!

I always read “DVD Drive-In” as well as “Mondo Digital” to find some of the best movies being saved from obscurity, and The Phantom of the Movies’ Videoscope is a great magazine for this as well…

Searching For Vanessa Howard!

One website was so smitten with the Actress that they posted a story about their attempt to find her, which is where I found this picture:

The post was on this blogsite, which looks at a lot of classic camp movies and pop culture personalities….

my-retrospace.blogspot.com

So check out the campy horror of “Girly” and keep the spirit of Vanessa Howard alive!

The Horrific Soska Sisters Are Back!

With Halloween right around the corner, what better time to revisit the super talented Soska Sisters, who have a new film on demand right now and blu-ray on Tuesday!

These Soska Sisters had their latest horror film premiere at “Screamfest 2014″ – and now you can see it too – it’s a great way to get into the Shocktober spirit!

Meet The Soskas!

If you don’t know who Jen and Sylvia Soska are, I am about to change that. It’s a great Hollywood success story; twin sisters with a love of horror and a passion for movies! And once you enter their twisted world, you’ll never want out! Time to celebrate this directing duo who have embraced the horror genre – with great films that may be low in budget but big in thrills!

“See No Evil 2!”

Jen and Sylvia Soska have directed a number of great horror films, and now they have a new one just in time for Halloween! Here is the trailer for “See No Evil 2″:

Here’s the plot of “See No Evil 2″: A group of friends pay a late-night visit to the city morgue to surprise Amy on her birthday. But, since this is a great Halloween slasher pic the surprise is on them when “one-eyed corpse” aka “brutal psychopath Jacob Goodnight” rises from an icy cold slab – and he’s not too happy to have his sleep disturbed…

This being the horror genre, their wild party turns into a terrifying slay-fest as the sadistic mass-murderer resumes his savage rampage complete with hooks, surgical knives and power saws!

Kane Is Able!

WWE Superstar Kane stars as sadistic killer Jacob Goodnight – and from the looks of it, the Soska sisters gave Kane lots of bloody fun in the film!

They also had a great time at the premiere, celebrating their latest cinematic achievement…

Get “Horrored Up” At Home!

You can get your “Shocktober” on right now, as “See No Evil 2″ is available on Digital HD and Video On Demand October 17th, as well as Blu-ray and DVD on October 21st from Lionsgate – so you can experience all the bloody fun at home!

Bravo To The Soska Sisters!

This is just another triumph for the Soska sisters, who were born in Canada and now are on a directing roll! They also run their own film production company, Twisted Twins Productions – and as you can see, it’s an appropriate title!

Jen and Sylvia Soska have quite a success story so far: they launched their directing career with the low low budget “Dead Hooker In A Trunk” and then they achieved huge critical acclaim for the next effort, the intense horror film “American Mary.”

I read a great review of “American Mary” in a british film magazine, so I sought it out and love it! It’s a moody thriller with great acting, a strong script and great directing!

The Soska Sisters Are On A Roll!

The twin directing Soska sisters are on a creative tear, with new films being announced, and the classic “American Mary” on blu-ray…check out my entire story on these great sisters – with more detail on their movie, by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/06/07/modern-horror-twin-directors-the-soska-sisters-american-mary-dead-hooker-in-a-trunk/

Kudos to the Soska sisters, I can’t wait to see your next movie!

Behold Iconic Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis!

First of all, NEVER tell a Scream Queen to keep it down! All great scary movies have a character you feel empathy for – you root for them to survive, against all odds – and against psycho slasher killers – like these guys!

Creepy killers are a dime a dozen, because the greatest horror films all seem to have one thing in common: Jamie Lee Curtis!

Celebrating Cinema’s Greatest Scream Queen!

Jamie Lee Curtis has made a lot of good movies over the years, but she got her start in the horror slasher genre, and those films are great as well! Let’s take a look at three of her best horror films – beginning with Jamie Lee’s first feature film – when she was paid a reported $8,000 for her efforts!

Halloween!

“The Night HE Came Home!”

A classic tagline for what many consider the best “Halloween” movie of all time!

Director John Carpenter’s horror masterpiece just keeps getting better over time.
The plot is a masterclass in simplicity: After killing his older sister, a young boy is institutionalized – but when psychopath Michael Myers escapes, he returns home to terrorize a babysitter and her friends!

Here is the trailer:

“Halloween” is, without a doubt, one of the most terrifying slasher films ever, and the film’s success in 1978 opened the door to a wave of slasher films that changed horror forever…

“Halloween” was Jamie Lee’s first movie ever, and Director John Carpenter considered hiring her as the ultimate tribute to Alfred Hitchcock – since Hitchcock cast Jamie Lee’s Mother, Janet Leigh, in his horror classic “Psycho”.

Now you can see where Jamie Lee got her “scream queen” title from! The young Actress became so well known as America’s newest scream queen that she even had a book written about it!

William Shatner, Psycho Killer!

Here is some great trivia, provided by IMDB: Due to its shoestring budget, the prop department had to use the cheapest $2 mask that they could find in the costume store: a Star Trek (1966) William Shatner mask. They later spray-painted the face white, teased out the hair, and reshaped the eye holes!

Shatner admitted that for years he had no idea his likeness was used for this film. It was only during an interview that someone mentioned his mask was being used. He has since stated that he is honored by this gesture!

Michael Myers is one of cinema’s great psychos, and what makes “Halloween” work so well is that you truly root for Jamie Lee to survive – a tribute to how well she acted in her movie debut – which IMDB says paid her $8,000 for starring in the film!

Among the great bits of trivia about this film, Director Carpenter also wrote the haunting score! The “Halloween” theme is written in the rare 5/4 time signature. John Carpenter learned this rhythm from his father!

Now, time to move on to more Jamie Lee mayhem, this time with a very unusual co-star!

Prom Night!

First of all, check out the credits on the poster: Jamie Lee Curtis is second billed on this horror classic behind Leslie Nielsen!

The plot is fairly obvious: A masked killer stalks four teenagers at their high school’s senior prom. The killer is out for revenge against them for the accidental death of a young girl years earlier….

This is a straightforward slasher film, but by this time, Jamie Lee was a star, and as you can see from this cover art, they quickly switched out their original horror poster to highlight her!

In fact, according to the film’s director Paul Lynch in the documentary “Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film”, he was having difficulty securing financing until Jamie Lee Curtis signed on!

Reigning Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis!

“Prom Night” was another big hit for Jamie Lee, as was “Halloween II”. So now Curtis was an official movie star, and the world’s most popular scream queens well! She took full advantage of this by starring in a number of hit slasher films, including this one:

Terror Train!

“Terror Train” is an effective slasher film, with some good scares and lots of blood…much of it on Jamie Lee!

The plot of “Terror Train” is brilliant in its simplicity: A masked killer seeks revenge against six college kids who were responsible for a prank gone wrong three years earlier – and lucky for the killer – the kids are throwing a large New Year’s Eve costume party aboard a moving train!

This film is helped greatly by a truly creepy looking killer, and an ongoing sense of dread throughout. Check out the trailer:

According to the great movie website IMDB, Jamie Lee Curtis once said of her character in this film:

“There are certain things a heroine in a thriller has to be. She has to be vulnerable, so that the audience identifies with her and is rooting for her. But she also has to have an enormous inner strength to overcome the evil, or terror, that is pursuing her. I play the same kind of character as I did in other films. But Alana – the girl I play – is stronger and more defined”.

After a few more slasher films, Jamie Lee broadened her work in film. Curtis used her popularity to star in a number of big movie hits, like “True Lies” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and “Trading Places” with Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd!

One of her best films was “A Fish Called Wanda” as well…but we will always remember her as the greatest “Scream Queen” of all time!

If this wets your appetite for some good old fashioned horror, I have some more great options for you:

If you need even more horror, check out some of these classic horror films!

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/01/shocks-scares-chainsaws-the-best-halloween-horror-2014/

I love scary movies, let me know what your favorites are!

Time To Get Messy!

Yes, Halloween is a time for movies to “let it flow”, and that means some of the wildest horror films of all time get a much deserved spotlight!

You know, Shocktober is the month to revisit such classics as “Carrie”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, and of course, the greatest horror film ever made, “The Exorcist”:

Killer Frogs And Vincent Price, Too!

It’s also a perfect season for movies that are over the top, campy and fun as well as horrific – I mean, how can you not love a horror film with this poster:

That is, for me, one of the most perfect movie posters of all time: that is one evil Frog! The poster captures perfectly what you can expect form the film – good horrific fun, and it is just one of the campy horror treasures I have for you today – let’s begin with a great genre of horror called “J-sploitation”, cult exploitation movies from Japan, and here is one of their wildest efforts:

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…

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…

“Dream Home” Rocks!

This is a great horror film – look closely at the poster: the Actress is laying amid dead bodies! To read all about “Helldriver” AND “Dream Home”, just click on my story here:

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

There are so many terrific Asian horror films to share, search them out on my blog as well!

And now, let’s go to a type of horror film that’s been “gnawing” at me lately:

Zombeavers!

Yes, what a great campy horror movie…”Zombeavers” is EXACTLY what you think it is…and exactly what it should be! Bloody horror fun with zombie beavers!

It’s the genre of killer animals – rodents really – and it’s a hilariously over the top genre epitomized by the new classic “Zombeavers”, and of course, the ultimate “killer frog” movie:

Read all about these “killer animal” films by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/02/18/zombeavers-the-latest-in-killer-animal-movies-frogs-ants-and-more-campy-horror/

Sometimes the best part of a horror film is to spend time with your favorite Actors, and it is time now to celebrate one of horror’s most iconic faces:

Vincent Price was one of horror’s great stars, starring in such classics as the original “The Fly”, “The House On Haunted Hill” and one of my favorites:

Dr. Phibes! Vincent Price’s Masterpiece!

If you haven’t seen “The Abominable Dr. Phibes”, you are missing a campy horror film from the 70’s that is just as entertaining today, and now out on blu-ray! Check out my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/22/drunken-dr-phibes-horrors-abominable-midnight-madness/

Vincent Price wasn’t the only great Actor who found success in the horror genre…are you aware that there is a another great genre of scary movie?

Old Lady Horror!

Yes, you may not be aware, but this is one of my favorite horror genres: the killer grandma! And nobody did it better than legendary Actress Shelley Winters!

Yep, Shelley Winters was just one legendary Actress who turned to campy horror late in their career…along with Ruth Gordon, Bette Davis and even Debbie Reynolds! You can read all about the genre of “Old Lady Horror” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/09/old-lady-horror-crazy-ladies-chew-up-the-screen/

So there you have it, some good campy Shocktober fun for you…

Happy Halloween!

What Makes A Movie “CULT”?

Could it be something as ridiculous as a film based on the concept of hunting someone down with a bow and arrow – WHILE NAKED?

Does a movie achieve “cult” status because it’s about an obscene phone caller who likes to wear a RABBIT MASK?

Or then again, maybe you just need to pair Sexploitaiton legend Russ Meyer with the greatest film critic of all time!

Time to look at three of the “wildest” cult films of all time, beginning with one of the strangest pairings in motion picture history!

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls!

Some movie sequels are just a retread of the original film. However, if you only know of the original cult classic “Valley Of The Dolls”, then you haven’t experienced cult film sequel magic – taken to the X-treme!

“Russ And Roger Go Beyond!”

First, imagine a time when a movie studio was struggling for survival because of a number of big-budget flops. Now, imagine it’s the height of the sexual revolution in America, and soft core film maverick Russ Meyer was making a fortune with his low budget brand of “SINema!”

Meyer was already established as the outlaw helmer of soft-core pulp films like “Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” and he wanted the legitimacy of making a studio film. Richard Zanuck, then head of 20th, gave him that opportunity because his movies made so much money, cost so little to make, and were a big hit with the younger generation!

How Meyer Met Ebert!

So here’s where it get really fascinating: Meyer agreed to take on “Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls” – the sequel to the smash pulp hit – but only on the condition that the script get written by Roger Ebert! At the time, Ebert was the third-string movie critic of the Chicago Sun Times, but he had written one of the few positive reviews Meyer had ever received!

Since Meyer had built a huge fan base by focusing on his Actresses’ ample talents, he brought in his usual buxom brigade! The film was actually “X-rated” – and a huge box office success! Meyer and Ebert remained friends until Meyer passed away in 2004.

Check out this classic trailer!

Here’s the very succinct plot outline from IMDB:

Three girls come to Hollywood to make it big, but find only sex, drugs and sleaze.

Of course they do! But those are the three most important things for a “cult” film!

If you want to see a major studio trying to be hip and edgy, and Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert having a blast sticking it to the man, this movie is for you!

And if you are unhappy with this choice, you can hunt me down like this:

Meet Countess Perverse!

How do you describe a movie like “Countess Perverse?” Well, maybe this way:

“Hunting Humans Was Her Favorite Game!”

What a great tagline for a movie!

Here’s the plot in a nutshell: Two wealthy aristocrats lure a virginal girl to a Spanish island for a night of sex, death and cannibalism.

Again, the PERFECT elements for a cult classic! And there is SO much more! Here is how The AV Club described the movie:

When a young couple in a classy seaside village finds a nude woman washed up on the beach, they aren’t particularly surprised by the story she tells them, about a house of horrors and a “man with black glasses” who’s trying to kill her.

As you can tell, this isn’t going to end well for the couple. But that’s what makes it so perversely fun – as you are about to see!

These aristocrats have a fun hobby: They strip their guests and send them out on the grounds to be hunted, Most Dangerous Game-style. If the guests survive long enough, the count sets them free.

Otherwise, the countess — who is also naked, save for a quiver of arrows — shoots them dead, then roasts them and serves them for dinner!

Yes, you read that right!

It’s “The Most Dangerous Game” – Naked!

I mean, that’s what is going on here: hunting humans for sport – and in this case, everyone is naked! That’s especially good news for fans of sexploitation legend Lina Romay, who spends most of the film running around the island naked!

Don’t look shocked, Lina – you were naked in ALL of your movies. The best part of “Countess Perverse” might just be the ending, just before the closing credits roll, when the count looks down at the corpse of his magnificent bride and boasts:

“You will be the best meal of my life!”

Now do you understand why this film is on this list? And if you don’t agree, then pick up a phone and call THIS NUMBER:

The Telephone Book!

Yes, this is a cult classic just based on the sight of a man seducing a young woman while wearing a Rabbit mask! But this wacky classic has a lot more than that!

First, meet Sarah Kennedy, the most adorable star you could ever hope for in a film…in a breakout role – a role that sees her in virtually every scene in the film, where she falls in love with –

THIS GUY!

A Lost Cult Classic Is On The Phone! You Have To Answer This Call!

“The Telehone Book” is a mind-blowing camp classic! It’s a day in the life of a lonely, sensitive young woman – who meets a very special person on “the telephone.” Thus begins one of the most original and surreal romantic comedies ever made…

There is SO MUCH to share with you about this incredible cult classic, but let’s get started by checking out the trailer!

Thanks to the maniacs at Vinegar Syndrome for releasing this mind-blowing obscurity from the halcyon days of the early 70’s!

Actress Sarah Kennedy not only looks exactly like Goldie Hawn, but she plays Alice, a young woman who lives in a New York City apartment decorated with pornographic images and knickknacks.

She’s sexy, quirky and liberated, but she really gets off on obscene phone calls, with rotary dial work from an unknown man, identifying himself as Mr. Smith (Norman Rose), bringing Alice to orgasmic heights.

That’s right, she falls in love with Mr. Smith based solely on his obscene phone calls to her!

Alice tries to track down Mr. Smith by telephone book cold calling, then racing around town, running into an amazing array of people, usually doing something dirty, as you can tell by this movie poster:

Alice’s goal is simple: she must find her gloved Romeo – who wears a pig mask and claims he can seduce the President of the United States! Is this strange enough for you yet?

According to the great IMDB website, “The Telephone Book” was written and directed by Nelson Lyon, who went on to participate in the early years of “Saturday Night Live.” Lyon also achieved infamy as John Belushi’s partner during the drug-binge weekend that took the superstar’s life.

Calling Andy Warhol!

Here’s another great piece of trivia: According to producer Merv Bloch, the movie originally came with a specially shot intermission which he eventually decided to cut out. During the intermission Andy Warhol was shown sitting in a chair eating popcorn until the actual movie would continue again!

This intermission was meant as an in-joke to Warhol’s own films that often showed the most mundane things for an extended amount of time, like a person sleeping for several hours or a person eating something without anything extraordinary happening. The footage of this intermission is currently considered lost!

“The Telephone Book” also includes one of the most surreal animation sequences ever, which pushes the film into X-rated territory, but it’s all quirky and fun, and therefore surprisingly innocent…an adult film anchored by an innocence that is charming…

Writer-director Nelson Lyon helmed “The Telephone Book” as a kinky vaudeville revue. When Alice’s obscene phone caller boasts that his talents could seduce the President of the United States and the entire First Family, he suffixes his claim that he would not try it because “I have no political ambitions.” And yes, he wears a pig mask the entire time!

There are several recognizable people in the film, including Jill Clayburgh, who would go on to receive an Oscar nomination a few years later!

Thanks to the folks at Vinegar Syndrome, who have released a blu-ray with radio spots, production stills and a feature-length audio commentary! What a great job saving one of cinema’s most obscure films ever!

So there you go, three trips into the world of cult cinema – enjoy and let me know what you think!

THIS is how I plan to spend my Halloween…

Isn’t this one of the most iconic images in film? A pig-blood-drenched Carrie White, about to exact revenge on her tormentors…a great Halloween horror film, and just one of the many Brian DePalma masterpieces…so let’s take a trip back and dip into some of the master’s greatest shockers!

Brian DePalma has directed some of the best films ever – classics such as “Scarface” and “Phantom Of The Paradise”, as well as great action films like “The Untouchables” and “Mission: Impossible” – and for a period in the late 70’s and early 80’s, DePalma was creating brilliant thrillers that evoked the best of Alfred Hitchcock – with a deliciously naked twist…

SEXPLOITATION LIVES!

DePalma revamped the sexploitation film – taking what was a drive-in staple of the 70’s and turning them into high class, glossy thrillers with strong female characters who were empowered – and preyed upon. Let’s get started with some great suspense thrillers!

Dressed To Kill – 1980

A mysterious woman murders one of a psychiatrist’s patients, and now she’s after the prostitute who witnessed it”

DePalma pushed the envelope with this 1980 thriller starring Angie Dickinson, who bared all to tell the story of a sexually-repressed married woman who pays the ultimate price for her indiscretion…and unleashes a killer who can’t be stopped.

Nancy Allen is the prostitute that witnesses the murder, and it’s up to Angie Dickinson’s son to team with her to catch his Mom’s killer – and save her. A classic thriller with an unrated blu-ray out that includes a ton of extra supplements!

Aside from suspense, Brian DePalma has other “obsessions” as well….

Body Double – 1984

DePalma’s other obsession was sex. SEX. He pushed the boundaries in “Dressed To Kill”, and tore them apart in “Body Double.”

Body Double – 1984

Melanie Griffith stars as “Holly Body”, and adult film star who is hired to be a “Body Double”…but not for a movie, for a murder plot!

Craig Wasson stars as the nebbish guy who stays in a house that his new “friend, Frank, asks him to house sit…and of course, from his window you can see a young woman posing seductively – DePalma’s homage to Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”…

Porn star Annette Haven was originally cast for the role of “Holly”, but Columbia Pictures decided to turn her down when their executives saw what kind of movies she had been making. Haven later stated that she was happy because of that, because she hadn’t liked the script and hadn’t liked to be in a film with gory violence.

Brian De Palma originally planned for this to be the first Hollywood film to boast unsimulated sex scenes. That didn’t happen, but an unrated blu-ray shows off a ton of nudity and more…

But when it comes to classic DePalma shockers, there is nothing better than this:

Carrie – 1976. And then there is “Carrie”, simply the greatest horror thriller ever made!

No need to state the plot, except to say that Sissy Spacek is brilliant in the title role – a girl with special powers who seeks revenge against those who torment her…

Naked Princess Leia!

Here is some great trivia about the casting of “Carrie” and another iconic female role:

George Lucas and Brian De Palma held a joint audition for “Carrie” and “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”. There is a long-standing rumor that originally, Sissy Spacek was cast as Princess Leia, and Carrie Fisher as Carrie, but when Fisher refused to appear in nude scenes and Spacek was willing to do them, they switched parts.

However, Fisher refuted this story in a Premiere magazine article called “The Force Wasn’t With Them,” about actors who auditioned unsuccessfully for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. That article quoted Fisher as saying, “Not only do I love being nude, I would’ve been nude then… But anyway, it’s total bullshit that Fisher refused to play Carrie.”

P.J. Soles Spills The Beans On Spielberg!

And what about this trivia? In a 2010 interview with “The A.V. Club”, “Carrie” co-star P.J. Soles said that Steven Spielberg often came to the set at Brian De Palma’s invitation because DePalma told him that there were “a lot of cute girls down here.”

Soles said that Spielberg asked out most of the women on the set, Soles included, and Amy Irving was the only one who accepted!

“Carrie” is a masterpiece, and brilliantly directed by a master filmmaker – check out the special editions Blu-rays of all three of these thriller – there is tons of great extra material from each film!

And don’t forget, DePalma has a number of classic films like “Scarface” – read all about them here!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/03/a-celebration-of-depalma-the-best-least-known-classics/

I’m ready for Halloween!

Ready For New Japanese Horror? Well, Meet This Guy!

Yes, the Japanese are making some of the most inventive horror films around…beginning of course with the legendary masterpiece “Battle Royale”:

And now, there is a new film that is not only controversial for its subject matter, but for this as well:

Yes, they are connected in a most unusual way….first, let’s look at a new film just released in Japan:

Here is the trailer for “Kamisama no Iutoori” – “As The Gods Will”:

“As The Gods Will” is an adaptation of a japanese manga series – and tells the story of a group of high school kids who, after their teacher is killed, are forced to play a number of childhood games with a horrifying twist in order to survive!

Thanks to RocketNews24, I found a promotional video for the film that is causing much controversy.
In the video, six sexy idols are forced to play the same game as in the film, trying to creep up on the giant-faced doll.

However, in this case all of the participants are bikini clad models, and their goal is NOT TO JIGGLE!

There is really nothing NSFW about this trailer, but if “bouncy” bikini models offend you, you can skip the video…

Here is the trailer for “The Bikini Game”:

As you can see, a very imaginative way to get attention for the film. Did it offend you? Let me know, and you can read the entire story on RocketNews24 here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/11/10/dangerous-jiggles-six-bikini-clad-girls-play-the-ultimate-game-of-statues-in-horror-movie-promo/

Let me know if you plan to see the film!

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!

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!

Simon Cowell Was “Shining!” Debra Winger IS “E.T.!” Wild Movie Facts!

If you love movies like I do, then you will get a kick out of this obscure and fascinating movie trivia!

Yes, this is the face of “The Shining!”

Simon Cowell’s work with Stanley Kubrick is just one unique movie fact I have to share with you, thanks to:

Total Film’s “Believe It Or Don’t’s”!

The terrific British movie magazine “Total Film” always wows with great profiles, set visits and reviews of the best new movies and iflms showing on on DVD…and in the December issue, we get their list of the 25 wackiest film facts…here are a few to entice you:

Ingmar Bergman was a James Bond fan!

If you know this Swedish Director’s work, then the “Cries & Whsipers” Master is NOT an action Director…but as Woody Allen wrote in The New York Times, Bergman watched movies before going to bed that “didn’t make him think and would relax his anxiety!”

And Bond movies were among his favorites! Um, does that include “Die Another Day?”

And here is the trivia you’ve been dying to know:

Simon Cowell – yes, SIMON COWELL – polished Jack Nicholson’s Ax in “The Shining!”

This is fascinating to me…as a young man breaking into show business, Cowell was a “runner” at Elstree Studios outside London…

As part of his job, Cowell was assigned to work on “The Shining”…according to his half-brother Tony:

“I remember him saying he used to clean Jack Nicholson’s ax in between takes for the most famous scenes!”

“He took great pride in it. You could see you face in it, it was so shiny!”

So that was Simon Cowell handling Jack’s Ax between takes for the “Here’s Johnny!” scene…and we know how he turned out the way he did…

And here is some trivia about one of the most beloved films of all time:

Oscar-winning Actress Debra Winger was the voice of “E.T.!”

Debra Winger was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the early ’80’s, thanks to such smash hits as “Terms Of Endearment”, Urban Cowboy” and “An Officer And A Gentleman.”

But she was also the voice of “E.T.!”

Here is what she told the magazine:

“Steven Spielberg asked me to record a few sentences – I went in for like one day, maybe two, to do these recordings. I’ve never seen the movie, so I don’t know what he used…well. I know about ‘phone home’ and all that…”

Sound effects creator Ben Burtt did the rest, mixing Winger’s lines with the sounds of raccoons, horses and otters! And with that, he turned a beautiful Actress into THIS!

There are 22 more great pieces of somewhat “british-centric” movie trivia, but tons of fun – so check it out – Total Film is a great magazine!

X-Rated Oscar!

And speaking of movie trivia, how about this: there has been an X-rated film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture of the year! Read all about Oscar’s x-rated infatuation by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/07/x-rated-butter-cowboys-droogs-oscars-x-flirtation/

And remember that Ingmar Bergman 007 trivia? Well, did you know that Alice Cooper wrote and performed a Bond theme song?

Alice Cooper’s Censored Bond Theme!

That’s right, Alice Cooper recorded the theme for “The Man With The Golden Gun” but it was rejected! That’s just a little bit of Bond theme trivia, and you can ready more by clicking on here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/12/04/new-james-bond-film-spectre-all-your-bond-trivia-worst-theme-songs/

Let me know what your favorite bit of trivia is!

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 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!

Some of the greatest horror films of all time were made in the ’70’s: “The Exorcist” and “Carrie” were mainstream blockbusters, while low-budget shockers like “Last House On The Left” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” showed audiences a raw, stark look at the real-life psychopaths around us.

Meet The “Scream Queen!”

Jamie Lee Curtis became America’s “Scream Queen” thanks to the classic horror film “Halloween”, which signaled a move form supernatural horror to bloody, horrific slasher film.

“Halloween” was a perfect blend of fantastical evil played out in an everyday world.

In the 80’s, this bloody genre exploded with massive hits like “Friday The 13th” and “Nightmare On Elm Street”, which mixed evil killers with a gloosy 80’s look. Here is one of my favorite examples, starring Jamie Lee Curtis:

It was a decade of ever-increasing carnage and blood, with the most popular films always targeting teens who made the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, usually while having sex…

Here are a few of the more interesting examples of this era, beginning with a movie that ushered in the “splat-facular 80’s” with a plot that paid serious “homage” to “Halloween”:

Sorority House Massacre!

A brand new blu-ray has bought back this 80’s slasher fest with this great tagline:

“A Slash Course In Absolute Terror!”

Check out the trailer:

In the 70’s classic “Halloween”, a young boy murders his entire family, except for his sister. He escapes the mental asylum to kill her as well. In this 80’s film, a little girl’s brother kills the whole family except for his sister. He is committed, she grows up, and eventually goes to college, where she joins a sorority.

Yes, that’s a SERIOUS “homage” to “Halloween” alright!

Here is the classic plot twist: because of her traumatic past, she blocks out the fact that the sorority house was her childhood “death house!”

Of course, once her brother senses that she is back in the house, he escapes to kill her too!

So away we go: sexy negligee clad sorority sisters, crazy killers on the loose….it was a popular trend that latest a decade!

Another popular slasher film from the 80’s included a star from the scariest film ever made!

Hell Night!

Welcome back Linda Blair, you’ve been missed since the days of “The Exorcist”! Check out the trailer:

It’s a classic 80’s horror plot: four college pledges spend the night in a deserted old mansion where they get killed off one by one by the monstrous surviving members of a family massacre years earlier!

This one had the honor of starring Linda Blair, who hadn’t had much of a career since “The Exorcist” shocked America a decade earlier…

Horrific Holidays!

There were films that covered every holiday and special occasion, like these classic 80’s slashers:

Happy Birthday To Me!

This 1981 Canadian slasher classic was directed by J. Lee Thompson, best known for making 1962′s “Cape Fear”!

The film was advertised with the marketing campaign “six of the most bizarre murders you will ever see”. The series of deaths include, death by shish kebab, death by weight lifting and death via a scarf and motorcycle chain!

The film is worth recommending on the overwrought climactic birthday sequence along along with the many twists and turns.

Here’s a less-known cult classic from that era:

Curtains!

“Behind every curtain, someone is waiting…something is watching.”

This 1983 horror gem was long forgotten, but a new blu-ray release with tons of extras brings it out from behind the curtain…

An unbalanced Atress crashes a “casting” session that a big Director is holding at his secluded mansion. Yes, he’s got a bevy of hot young actresses camping out at his mansion – except someoine begins butchering them all.

That was the trend in the 80’s – lots of sex and nudity followed by bloody retribution…

“Curtains” had a troubled production history, which gets a good recounting in new commentaries and featurettes on the blu-ray release.

Check it out!

And here are two twin Sisters who are keeping the 80’s style of horror alive!

Hail The Soska Sisters!

If you don’t know Jen and Sylvia Soska, you are missing out on two twin sisters who are directing films that keep the “slashing 80’s” alive!

The recent “See No Evil 2″ is just their latest example, but read all about there here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/17/see-no-evil-2-the-soska-sisters-strike-blood-again-great-halloween-horror/

And of course, never forget the one, the only:

Read all about the legendary scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis by clicking on my link here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/21/jamie-lee-curtis-a-scream-queens-terror-trilogy-great-halloween-horror/

Let me know what your favorite 80’s horror film is – leave a comment!

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!

Um, Marlon Brando Seems To Be Having A VERY BAD DAY…

When one of the world’s most difficult Actors decides he’s not happy with a film, you can only imagine how disastrous the result will be…well, imagine no more!

“Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau”

I love stories ABOUT the movies, and this documentary takes a very revealing behind the scenes look at one of the world’s worst movies EVER!

Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer starred in the 1996 film “The Island Of Dr. Moreau”, widely considered one of the biggest disasters ever released! Now, there is a documentary that looks at how the clash of visions, bad creative decisions, lack of interest by the Actors and really bad weather plagued the film. Check out the trailer:

It all began when Brando showed up to the film’s set looking like this – and it just went downhill from there. As the trailer pointed out, Brando’s demand to have a diminutive co-star with him at all times made life miserable for Director Richard Stanley…

It’s almost his bizarre parody of “Apocalypse Now”…anyway, the documentary tells one horrible behind-the-scenes story after the other…Brando was impossible to work with…but at least he had his makeup done cheap…

The story of the film was simple: a mad Doctor turns his private island into a laboratory, where he creates a new super species…and goes mad in the process:

This documentary look s at all of the problems making the film, not helped by Val Kilmer’s on set antics as well…

I can’t wait to see this movie, as I love the “behind-the-scenes” stuff that goes down on film…and Brando has some of the best stories of all!

Read all about “The Godfather” trivia by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/

and of course, Brando clashed with Coppola again, on the set of the greatest anti-war film of all time:

There is a brilliant documentary that captures all of that conflict as well…Eleanor Coppola’s terrific “Hearts Of Darkness:

In the case of “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now”, the brilliant ends justified the means…but what if a troubled film ends up turning out – LIKE THIS?

Hard to believe, but “Troll 2″ is often mentioned in the same breath as “Dr. Moreau” for worst film ever made…and now there is a documentary that looks at the cult that has sprung up around it!

“Best Bad Movie!”

This great documentary looks at the making of “Troll 2″ in 1990, and its journey from being crowned the “worst film of all time” to a cherished cult classic.

Check out the trailer:

“Best Worse Movie” was made by the child actor from the movie! He interviews the cast about how the movie changed their lives. He also interviews the Director, who insists that “Troll 2″ is a great film!

There have been a number of great documentaries that look at the film making process – here is another favorite of mine:

American Movie!

If you haven’t seen the movie that introduces you to “Mark and Mike”, then check out my story here:

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

And here is a book that chronicles a modern masterpiece!

The Room!

Yes, “The Room” is legendary for so many reasons, and Greg Sestero’s terrific book chronicles it all form the inside…read all about it here:

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

Tommy Wiseau made one of the greatest, most inept films ever, and that’s what makes “The Room” so entertaining!

Sometimes films are so bad they are good – and sometimes you watch them with THIS look on your face:

Here is a list of some of the most astoundingly bad films ever unleashed on the public:

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

Let me know if you’ve ever seen Brando like this!

Behold The Drive-In Movie Experience!

One of the greatest ways to see a movie is in the privacy of your own car! It’s a uniquely American pastime, and I hope it never goes away!

I wanted to share a website that celebrates the drive-in movie culture…by hosting a weekend of drive-in horror!

April Ghouls Drive-In Monster-Rama!

Yes, there is such a thing as the “April Ghouls Drive-In Monster-Rama!”

The line-up for the event, which takes place on April 24 and April 25 is: (Friday) THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE EVIL DEAD, NIGHT OF THE DEMONS and DEMONS and (Saturday) DAWN OF THE DEAD, ZOMBIE, THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY and TOXIC ZOMBIES.

Check out more information on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/383440118494899/

Angie Shepler DeAngelo posted this picture on the page from last year’s event:

This looks like such a fun night….as a kid, my friends and I would grab submarine sandwiches and six packs of beer, then head to a drive-in to see horror and/or exploitation double bills like these:

You can keep up on all of these great events by reading the classic website, “DVD Drive-In”…check it out here:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com

And if you need to learn more about the wild world of drive-in movies, check out this documentary!

“Going Attractions” Documentary!

This 2013 documentary tells the definitive story of the drive-in theater…here is how they describe the film:

“Once a vibrant part of American culture, drive-ins reached their peak in the late 50s with almost 5,000 dotting the nation. Although drive-ins are experiencing a resurgence, today less than 400 remain. In a nation that loves cars and movies, why haven’t they survived?”

This movie is offered for sale on Amazon, and I got myself a copy – it’s a terrific “love letter” to a classic way to see movies – in a car!

Check out the documentary, the website, and head to Monster-Rama! And if you love drive-ins, then you must love the era of classic “double bills!”

Read all about the “double bill” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/12/22/classic-cult-movie-posters-the-rios-grindhouse-exploitation-art-sexy-double-bills/

The best films to see at a drive-in are classic sexploitation movies like this!

Read all about the “Cheerleader” genre in movies by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/19/cheerleaders-pom-pom-girls-david-hasselhoff-as-boner-cult-classics-rah-rah-rah/

And let me know if you love drive-in movies!

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!

Time To Celebrate Sex Kitten Soledad Miranda!

I’ve written before about movie “sex kittens”, Actresses who used their sexuality to drive their career. Hollywood also “assigns” that moniker as a marketing tool, and talented Actresses like Ann-Margret and the iconic Marilyn Monroe had to fight to earn respect – because their beauty overshadowed their talent.

There are also many stories of “sex symbols” whose careers ended in tragedy…but now, thanks to two new blu-ray releases, cult movie fans can celebrate the life of European sex kitten Soledad Miranda!

Miranda was born in Seville, Spain. She started her career at eight years old as a flamenco dancer and singer, and began making films at the age of sixteen.

Thanks to Severin films, you can see her two greatest achievements!

“Vampyros Lesbos!”

Let’s begin with a cult classic! It may sound like a campy movie based on the title, but this is one of cult Director Jess Franco’s greatest films, Miranda’s greatest achievement, and an atmospheric horror gem!

Here is the trailer:

“Vampires Lesbos” is a great cult film from the early seventies, about a sexy vampiress who seduces and kills women in order to satisfy her insatiable thirst for female blood.

I will share a few links to my stories about Director Jess Franco, perhaps best known for the sex-fueled films he made with his wife, the legendary Actress Lina Romay…

Lina Romay is a cult movie legend, but Franco’s first discovery was Soledad Miranda, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Romay…

Now you can see her greatest film thanks to Severin Films, and the new blu-ray release has a ton of great extras! Here is how Mondo Digital describes them:

“The 20-minute “Interlude in Lesbos” features Franco speaking in his usual heavily-accented English (with welcome subtitles) talking about how he got ‘Vampyros Lesbos’ generous German backing at this point in his career, the reason for the story’s locale, his unorthodox approach to depicting vampires on film, and of course, the considerable star potential and sweet personality of Miranda.”

“I like the lesbian relations between two women,” he explains about his angle on the story, which obviously proved to be a solid foundation. In “Sublime Soledad,” film historian Amy Brown covers the actress’s wide-ranging career for 20 minutes complete with some great rare film and TV clips as well sa samples of Miranda’s lesser-known career as a pop singer.

That alone makes these worth buying, but there is also an 11-minute analysis and history of the film, along with many other extras.

How about this one, the goofy “Jess Is Yoda’ is an interview outtake with the maestro holding a Santa Yoda doll(!) and discussing his favorite makeup effects artist – talk about obscure but very welcome extras!

Another classic Jess Franco film starring Soledad Miranda was also released the same day, with another great title!

First, take a look at the trailer:

Here is the plot: a young doctor kills himself after a medical committee terminates his research into human embryos. His wife then seeks revenge on those who drove her husband to his death by seducing and then killing them one by one!

The extras on this new blu-ray release are also terrific, including a great interview with Franco called “Jess Killed in Ecstasy,” which makes sense since he has a role in the film – look!

According to the great Mondo Digital website, The Director “talks for nearly 17 minutes about the film’s genesis as a successor to Vampyros for the same German financier, the literary genesis of the necrophilic aspect of the story, the reason for all that amazing architecture, the reason for Miranda’s “Susan Korda” screen name in these films, and his recovery from the shocking news of her death.”

Yes, Miranda died a shocking death, which I will get to in a moment, first, kudos to Mondo Digital for a great writeup on the films!

You can read a never-ending list of great cult movie reviews by bookmarking the website – I visit daily!

http://www.mondo-digital.com

And now, here is some information about the legendary sex kitten who starred in these films:

The Tragic Life Of Soledad Miranda!

Miranda began making films in Spain when she was 16, and over the next decade made more than thirty…

Her biggest break came from Director Franco, who cast Soledad in the iconic “Vampyros Lesbos”. The success of the film made her a sex siren in Europe…and there was nothing stopping her!

Then, tragedy struck. Here is the timeline from wikipedia: “In August, 1970, near the end of filming ‘The Devil Came From Akasava’, Soledad and her husband took a short holiday in Portugal. She was looking forward to theatrical performances in Latin America and was thrilled with some news from Jess Franco: his producer wanted to offer her a multi-year film contract that would make her a star. On the morning of 18 August 1970, reportedly on the way to Franco’s hotel to sign the contract, Soledad and her husband went out driving along the Costa do Sol highway between Estoril and Lisbon. They were involved in a collision with a small truck which completely crushed their car. Though her husband, who was driving, only had minor injuries, Soledad received serious fractures to her skull and spine, placing her in a deep coma. She died several hours after the accident at the Hospital of São José in Lisbon, never having come out of her coma. Jesus Franco said it was one of the worst days of his life when he heard on the phone that she had been killed.”

What a tragic end. At least movie fans now have pristine versions of her two greatest films to remember her. Director Jess Franco would go on to discover another young Actress who would became his wife:

Lina Romay is one of cult cinema’s greatest stars…a brave Actress who put “everything” out there for the world to see!

This might be her most controversial film with Franco. To read about Romay and Franco’s notorious “Hot Nights Of Linda”, click here:

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

And “Linda” might be the most shocking of their films, but not by much! Yes, “Lorna The Exorcist” awaits!

Erotic horror was Franco’s specialty! You can reach all about their cult classic “Lorna The Exorcist” by clicking here:

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

Soledad Miranda and Lina Romay are two of Europe’s greatest sex kittens, but they have nothing on what Hollywood had to offer!

Read all about legendary Hollywood sex siren Jayne Mansfield by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/12/28/jayne-mansfield-the-tragic-life-of-hollywoods-legendary-sex-kitten/

And leave me a comment to let me know what you think of “Lesbos!”