1/31/09
Coming Attractions
The Grab Bag with be back again this month with several of the selections spilling out from my friends over at Cinema De Bizarre. Plus I've had a special request from some of my friends down in Texas to do a head to head look at two films to settle an argument. You might think they want to know which film is better, but no they are subjecting the Bug to finding out which film is WORSE!
Tuesday Terrors is full of horror goodness from all over the spectrum. We'll have rabies filled meat pies, ghosts, zombies, and a little dose of Humphrey Bogart with skunk hair (more on that this Tuesday).
B.L.O.G continues to come at you every Thursday with another batch of lovely ladies from the genre vaults. And the Ladies of the Lair will return once more for Ladies Night, what are they reviewing this month, well, I can't tell you that because the answer is indeed blowing in the wind.
The Feature Presentation this month will be Fulciuary and I'll be taking a good hard look at the Godfather of Gore and four of his films. I really look forward to this one, and I hope you all will enjoy it.
Dollar Deals goes back to it's original format for three weeks this month. There will be a special interruption for Valentine's Day when I take a look at one of my long time favorite romantic films featuring Andy Kaufman and Jerry Garcia as robots.
I have a few other surprises up my sleeve including a contest to win a brand spanking new copy of Fulci's City of the Living Dead, more on that when I get the details sorted out. I also have a surprise up my sleeve toward the end of the month when The Lair gives Ash Wednesday a whole new meaning. Plus soon the ol' LB is going off site for an article over at B Through Z webzine. I'm going to have a review over there of the blaxploitation horror gem, J.D.'s Revenge. I'll let you folks know all the details on when and where to read that as they get to me.
So as you can tell February is going to be another great month at the Lair. I want to thank all my readers for growing the community we've got here and I encourage anyone who's not letting their voice be heard to start hitting that comment button and let me know what you're thinking. This will be month seven of the LBL and each month has been getting better and better with more and more of you folks finding your way here and getting involved. I can't wait to see what this month has in store for us all, how about you?
1/30/09
Feature Presentation: Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
It's been a rough trip through the jungles. A whole month surviving The Green Inferno can take a toll on a man, even a heroic fellow like the good old Lightning Bug. We've survived the insane natives of The Isle of the Damned, defended against the Jungle Holocaust, escaped the clutches of the Golden Temple Amazons, and made our way out and away from the Massacre in Dinosaur Valley. Now with civilization on the horizon and the journey nearly over, there is only one last trial ahead and perhaps the most harrowing of them all. So come along as I take my machete in hand and begin to hack my way though.....
Cannibal Holocaust (1980) starring Robert Kerman, Perry Pirkanen, Francesca Cirdi, and Carl Gabriel Yorke. Directed by Ruggero Deodato.
Documentary film maker Alan Yates (Yorke) and his crew make their way into the jungles of the Amazon to capture footage of the local, cannibalistic tribes. After two months pass and there's no sign of their return, Dr. Morgan (Kerman) and a team are sent to the jungle to search for the lost crew. Morgan's travels take him deep into The Green Inferno, and he begins to uncover clues about the unsavory fate of Yate's team.They come into contact with a tribe, and after befriending them, Morgan recovers the cans of film the crew had shot. He takes the footage back to New York, and he watches in horror as Yates cruelty unfolds on the screen. Soon it becomes clear why Yates and company never made it out of the jungle, and the savagery of civilized man is put on full display.
Film Facts
--Ten days after the film premiered, the prints was seized by the Italian government and Ruggero Deodato was arrested and charged with murder. Deodato had to produce the actors who played the slain film crew.
--The film claims to have been banned in 50 countries world wide. This would make it the most highly banned film of all time.
--Robert Kerman was a veteran of adult films where he worked under the name Richard Bolla in film such as Debbie Does Dallas.
--The two tribes portrayed in the film, the Yamomamo and the Shamatari, are real tribes of Brazil, however the tribes are not mortal enemies as depicted nor do they have a tradition of cannibalism.
--It is rumored that Deodato is working on a follow up to his most infamous film.
The Bug Speaks
Right off the bat I want to say I learned an important lesson while watching this film. If you come in contact with cannibal tribes while deep in a jungle, be nice to them. Heck, just in case there are any cannibal tribes out there right now reading this, I want to let you folks know that I think you're a group of fine, fine folks. That being said, there was a lot more to take away from this extremely powerful film.
This is a film that has been talked about and debated in the horror and cult community perhaps more than any other. So let me get a few things out of the way right off the bat. The animal violence is very disturbing, and even Deodato has expressed his regret for shooting the footage. While I found some parts of the film, especially the infamous "turtle scene" to be hard to watch, the similar scenes found in Deodato's Jungle Holocaust or Martino's At the Mountain of the Cannibal God were equally or perhaps more graphic. The difference between Cannibal Holocaust and those films is that the majority of animal violence in this flick comes from humans and not from the animal on animal "circle of life" footage normally on display. This does make the scenes somewhat more disturbing to watch, and I fully understand anyone avoiding this film on that basis alone. (Note: The Grindhouse DVD release of the film does contain a version that you can watch sans the animal cruelty.)
The acting in the film, which has been criticized, I found to be well delivered. The actors who portrayed the documentarians were very convincing, and perhaps this is owed to Deodato's ruthless direction which Yorke described as "a level of cruelty unknown to me". In the scenes featuring Kerman, the film hits it's weakest points. His meetings with the executives who wish to release the "documentary film" are marred with uneven performances from the supporting cast. Kerman himself does an admirable job of grounding the film as the only character who is not despicable and who the audience can relate to.
The directing of the film is where Deodato's opus really hits it's stride. For over half the flick, it's a traditional narrative film shot beautifully with a stunning depiction of the Amazon jungle. The shots are well constructed and there are very few wasted frames. The other third of the film is the "found footage" of the documentary crew. Shot on 16mm stock, it is presented in the shaky cam style that we have become so used to in films such as The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield, and TV shows like Cops. While this has become de rigor now, it was a groundbreaking style to see in a motion picture in 1980. The whole concept of the film was to be a commentary on the Mondo movies that had become to popular in the 1960's and 1970's, and the footage looks real and raw. This adds greatly to the realism of the gore in the film. While some of the effects might seem dated and cheesy to modern viewers, I have no issue seeing how it would have cause Deodato the problems that befell him after the film's release.
With all that out of the way, I want to get into the meat of the film, pun intended. The main conceit of the flick is similar to many in the cannibal genre. It broaches the debate over who is more savage, the tribes of the jungle or so called "civilized man". This theme plays out quite well although it comes though a tad strong at points. Having seen this idea presented several times in film, it didn't have the same impact on me that it may have on the uninitiated. The real interesting idea I found in this film was the quest for fame. Yates and his crew relentlessly daydream about how famous their documentary will make them and are willing to go to any lengths to make their film more sensational. In 2009, with reality shows and YouTube being such a omnipresent force in our culture, this seems more topical than ever.
Cannibal Holocaust is an extremely powerful film which will leave viewers with a well spring of emotions. Personally, I felt a bit as if I needed a shower after the final credits rolled. I don't consider that a negative though. This is the kind of movie that punches you in the gut with it's ruthless pursuit of social commentary, and will leave you feeling drained and perhaps a bit bewildered. I would recommend this film to anyone who loves Italian genre cinema, and genre cinema as a whole, and I encourage everyone to watch the film at least once in it's uncut form with the gore, animal violence, and rape on full display. It is not an easy film to watch, but ultimately it is very rewarding. It goes into the pantheon of the top rated flicks on The Lair for good reason, and I encourage the wary viewer to check it out and experience the hellish journey the film contains.
Bug Rating
And so we make it back out of the jungle and to safety, but how safe are we? Not very I should think because next week begins a new journey into fear when the four fridays of February become Fuiciuary. Each week the Bug will spotlight a different film from the Godfather of Gore himself Lucio Fulci.
1/29/09
B.L.O.G. Presents: Ginger (1971)
By 1971 James Bond had already starred in seven adventures where the debonair secret agent globe hopped and whooped up on the various baddies that were thrown at him. Naturally the success of the series lead to many imitators including a few who were looking to make female Bond. One such film was made in 1966 called Modesty Blaise starring Monica Vitti and Terrance Stamp, and it was a broadly played comedy of the In Like Flint vein. Then in 1971 came a series of films featuring a tough, pretty, private eye played by Cheri Carffaro.
Cheri had come to fame when she won a magazine contest looking for a Bridget Bardot look a like. She married aspiring film maker Don Schain, who had directed 1967's The Love Object, and together they created their answer to James Bond. So from the shores of Brighton Beach, New Jersey came the dry martini drinking, bleach blond, leggy tough gal known as...
Ginger (1971) starring Cheri Carffaro, Duane Tucker, Calvin Culver, and Linda Susoeff. Directed by Don Schain.
Ginger is hired by a private detective agency to bring down the business of Rex Halsey (Tucker), a thug running a prostitution, narcotics, and blackmail ring on Brighton Beach. She quickly finds her way inside by seducing Rex's head blackmailer Rodney (Culver) and one of his hookers, the dejected Caren (Susoeff).
She soon begins to pick apart Rex's organization, dismantling one branch of it at a time. When Rex starts to suspect who the culprit is, Ginger's life hangs in the balance as she plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with the kingpin.
Film Facts
--Ginger was followed up by the sequels The Abductors and Girls are For Loving.
--Director Schain has gone on to be the producer for the High School Musical series.
--Cheri Caffaro would make all the Ginger films with Schain as well as the 1977 film Too Hot to Handle where she played a character named Samantha Fox.
--This film was the debut of Tracy Walker, a veteran character actor now, he may be most recognized for his minor part in Tim Burton's Batman. Walker played Bob the Goon who met his unfortunate end at the Joker's hand after the memorable line, "Bob, gun!"
Film Facts
Before I came across this flick on Netflix, I was not familiar with it at all, and while the film is extremely flawed, it is quite a shame that this film seems to be a forgotten exploitation gem. It not only plays out like a James Bond-lite story, but it contains many elements that I have never seen in sexploition films. There is more than a fair amount of bondage in the flick which includes a girl getting tied up with her own bikini top, a guy tied up spread eagled, and a girl handcuffed to the bed. It was surprising to see that fetish element brought into the narrative of this film, and it provided me with a fare share of chuckles.
Sadly this film never really rises above chuckles. The plot itself is ludicrous with Ginger being a 23 year old poly-sci major who gets into the private eye biz to avenge the death of her heroin addicted brother. With no experience and no skills to handle the job, she fights, schemes, and plots her way to bringing Rex down. Speaking of Rex, how tough can a ringleader be when he constantly wears a scarf around his neck that Fred from Scooby Doo wouldn't be caught dead in? The rest of Rex's crew don't fare too much better in the costuming department with all the cash in the budget apparently going to clothe Ms. Carffaro.
Speaking of clothes, all the girls in the film are seemingly happy enough to shed them for whatever reason. The best instance happens when Ginger takes on another girl in a brawl on the beach. After tying her up with her top as I mentioned, Ginger goes on to strip her completely nude. That's not even the only instance of people getting down to their birthday suits, but don't worry ladies, there's something here for you too. Clavin Culver (a.k.a gay porn star Casey Donavan) shows up his bits and pieces when Ginger ties him down to a bed.
I know I haven't touched much on the direction or acting in this flick, and there's good reason for it. The actors are clearly trying, and Carffaro is the best of the bunch. That's not really saying that much though. The directing is also practically non existent. Most of the shots are completely static, and there is no real style to any of the shots.
All that being said, Ginger is a film that really hits the spot if you're looking for an overlooked exploitation flick. I always hate to say things like "it is what it is" or the cliched "it's so bad it's good", so I won't. Yet if I did I would say both of those things. It will not entertain anyone looking for action, eroticism, or well, a story, but anyone with an appreciation for exploitation cinema will enjoy it.
Bug Rating
Sadly, I could find no trailer for Ginger or any of the films in the series. However I did find a clip from The Abductors, the second Ginger film, of the titular character shaking her maracas. So enjoy and join us back here tomorrow for the last in the It's a Jungle Out There series when I'll be covering Cannibal Holocaust.
1/27/09
Terrifying Tuesday: Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (2005)
Hello folks. It's the Bug again back for another dose of terror for this Tuesday. Today we're looking at the very first episode of the Masters of Horror series which was helmed by veteran director Don Coscarelli of Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep fame. It's a tale of how one woman learns the real meaning of being a survivor when she has to deal with...
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (2005) starring Bree Turner, John DeSantis, Angus Scrimm, and Ethan Embry. Directed by Don Coscarelli.
Ellen (Turner) is driving alone on a mountain road when she gets distracted changing the channel on the radio. As she looks up, it is too late for her to swerve and avoid a stalled vehicle. She finds herself stranded in the woods with no place to go for help and at the mercy of a deranged killer, "Moonface". She is armed with the knowledge of booby traps and survival techniques her husband taught her. With these skills at her disposal she matches wits with "Moonface" until she is captured and must make one last desperate attempt to survive.
Film Facts
--The movie is based off a short story by writer Joe. R. Lansdale. Coscarelli's Bubba Ho-Tep is also drawn from Lansdale's work.
--Bree Turner's first film role was in the Jason Alexander/monkey vehicle Dunston Checks In back in 1996.
--John DeSantis who played "Moonface" is 6'9". He has made a career out of playing tall psychos such as The Juggernaut in Thir13en Ghosts on on my favorite episode of Supernatural, "Ghost Facers".
--Ethan Embry is best know as Bobby Ray from 2002's Sweet Home Alabama.
The Bug Speaks
While many have criticized Masters of Horror for containing many substandard stories, I think the series opened up on a very strong note. The story that Coscarelli weaves is well paced and contains a fair amount of blood and well placed twists. All of this coupled with Turner's performance gives the show a well balanced feel.
The film revolves around Turner's Ellen plight when pitted against a monstrous enemy, but the meat of the film is the flashbacks that tell the story of her failed marriage to Bruce (Embry). Bruce seems like a nice enough guy when they were dating, but now that the two have married he has spiraled into a cycle of paranoia. His life begins to revolve around the militia mentality, and he expects the same from his wife. He trains her mercilessly to survive, and it wears on Ellen and their relationship. The juxtaposition of these tales plays out nicely and makes the ending of the film pay off in a great way.
The film is much enhanced by Coscarelli's friends as well. Angus Scrimm, who starred as The Tall Man in Coscarelli's Phantasm, appears here as a crazed captive of "Moonface", and as always Scrimm brings a special presence to the screen any time he shows up. The story by Joe. R. Lansdale, who Coscarelli had adapted before, is one of the real stars of the film. As always Lansdale's horror stories play with the clichés of the horror genre. This story recasts the survivor girl character as a troubled individual struggling with her own sanity. This is a refreshing change from the
de rigor pure and innocent horror heroine. (For other Lansdale goodness check out his novel At the Drive In, a story of cannibalism, religious fervor, zombies and monsters set in a back drop of a Texas Drive In.)
The only drawback tho this flick is the length. While I feel like the story gets fully developed, I think that with an extra 20 or 30 minutes, it could have had more of an emotional impact. With it's protracted running time, there is no time to give us any expanded character development. I would say for anyone who is a fan of Coscarelli's other work or wants to see the slasher genre get a well deserved tweak should check this one.
Bug Rating
1/25/09
The Grab Bag: Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979)
Tonight I bring to you one of those early entries by the director who would go on to be one the greatest directors of action films ever. So without further ado I give you....
Last Hurrah of Chivalry (1979) starring Damian Lau, Pai Wei, Kong Lau, and Hark-On Fung. Directed and written by John Woo.
On the day of his wedding Kao (Kong Lau) gets an unexpected visit from his chief rival. There is a big brawl in which Kao gets stabbed by his bride to be who has been paid off by Pak. Vowing revenge, but lacking the skills to defeat a fighter like Pak, Kau tries to enlist the help of Magic Sword Chang (Pai Wei). Chang is a former swordsmen who is trying to put his violent past behind him, yet he seems to always be getting into a fight.
Soon Chang and his new friend Tsing (Damian Lau) become caught up in a world of vengeance and double crosses, master swordsmen, and beautiful women. The men fight side by side, but can they even trust each other as they take on the deadly skills of Pak?
Film Facts
--John Woo made several martial arts movies for Golden Harvest. 1975's Hand of Death even featured Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung before they became superstars.
--1979 was the year that John Woo first met Tsui Hark who would go on to produce many of Woo's classic Hong Kong action films.
--The film is considered an entry into the Wuxia genre, films that mixed the nobel warrior philosophy called Xia with martial arts or Wushu. The films original Mandarin title is Hao Xia meaning "gallant man".
The Bug Speaks
I've been a fan of John Woo for many years now, and while his entries into film stateside have have been good (Hard Target), bad (Windtalkers), and ugly (Paycheck), all of his forays into the Hong Kong Gun-Fu have always brought me great enjoyment. (The Killer and Hard Boiled both being films that everyone who likes action should check out.) However it was only recently that I discovered that Woo once had his hand in martial arts films as well.
The Last Hurrah of Chivalry definitely shows that Woo had a command of the action sequence early in his career. The movie features many (almost too many) fight scenes which are a mixture of humorous, bloody, and wild. Perhaps the best fight in the film is when Chang must take on The Sleeping Wizard, a fighter who can only battle while sleeping. Several of the scenes also feature slow motion and "Mexican standoffs", albeit with swords instead of the usual personal hand cannons that Woo's heros favor. It is interesting to see these trademarks so early in his career, but while the work is interesting, many of the fight scenes are dull or repetitive. This film clocks in at 1 hour and 45 minutes, and I think a more judicious hand was needed in the editing process.
The film also picks up on a theme that followed Woo though much of his work in Asia. The tale revolves around Chang and Tsing as warriors who become brothers and learn from each other. This was something that Woo would come back to many times, perhaps most notably in Hard Boiled. Without the constant fight scenes, the film could have had a bit more time to explore the relationship between the two men, but as it is it becomes a thin but well played out storyline.
The film also takes cues from the work of Sergio Leone. The soundtrack has a very Morricone feel to it, and the look of the film as well as the story sometimes take on elements of Leone's style. Neither of the cinematographers have very many credits to their name, and I believe that Woo probably had a very heavy hand in the look of the film.
The two lead characters played by Pai Wei and Damian Lau are both well formed men. I tended to like the sword for hire Tsing played by Lau a bit more, and it is a shame he doesn't get more screen time until the final act of the film. Wei does an admirable job as the "gallant man" Chang, and the relationship that forms between the two men is very believable. The other standout performance is Kong Lau as Kao. His character moves deftly between being a whiny weakling, a devious ner-do-well, and a master fighter with great ease.
In the end this is a film that does hit the spot on quite a few levels. The story is rich and complex, and it's many twists are unexpected yet never feel contrived. The action sequences are bountiful, and most of them are well played out. The most unexpected joy in this flick is the humor, from Chang beating up his future brother in law to the Sleeping Wizard to some off the cuff jokes, it made me laugh out loud several times. For anyone into martial arts or John Woo, check this out immediately.
Bug Rating
1/24/09
Dollar Dealicious: Sisters of Death (1977)
Heya folks, it's the Bug back again to bring you another fine flick that wont make your pocketbook get sick. That's right it's Dollar Deals time again. This month, as you all know because you would never miss a day at the Lair, I'm covering films from the value priced Horrorlicious box set, and with only two more weeks to go I can heartily say that I've really enjoyed this set. Tonight's film only strengthens that feeling as we unravel a tale, not of the Brothers of Dismay, The Uncles of Woe, or The Cousins Twice Removed of Pain, but of the....
Sisters of Death (1977) starring Claudia Jennings, Cheri Howell, Sherry Boucher, Paul Carr, Joe E. Tata, Sherri Alberoni. Roxxanne Albee, and Arthur Franz. Directed by Joseph Mazzuca.
Judy (Jennings) and her friend Liz Clyborn are being inducted into a group called "The Sisters", and the final step of the initiation calls for them to have a gun pointed to their head and the trigger pulled. The gun is loaded with a dummy bullet, and it's not supposed to fire. Everything goes fine as Judy takes her turn, but when the gun is turned on Liz, it goes off killing her instantly.
Seven years later, and the sisters have long since parted ways. Judy is living the good life and had designs on the handsome son of the Governor, but when she receives a mysterious invitation to a reunion of "The Sisters", she heads out warily, haunted by their deadly past. The other four girls, speed demon Francie (Alberoni); hippy chick Penny (Albee); the hitch hiking Diana (Howell); and bitchy Sylvia (Boucher), all arrive at an inn. There they meet up with Mark and Joey (Carr and Tata), two men sent to pick up the girls and take them to "their final destination." After an hour's drive, they arrive at a large house out in the country where the men drop them off.
The women find the house supplied with rooms for each of them, fine drink, and food, and they begin to start partying. Mark and Joey spy on the girls from a distance, and finally decide to crash the festivities. The guys hop and fence and sneak their way up to the house. After a cool reception from Sylvia, the other girls show up and the party really gets going. The next morning the girls awaken and each of them finds a picture of poor dead Liz in their rooms.
They soon find themselves prisoner in the house, and even the fence around the property has become electrified. When their host unexpectedly reveals himself, it is in the guise of none other than Liz's father (Franz). He believes his daughter was murdered, and he calmly announces that he plans to avenge her death and uncover the truth. As he makes good on his promise, the group bands together to find a means of escape. Yet secrets run deep in "The Sisters". A traitor walks among them, and the truth must come out.
Film Facts
--Joe E. Tata would later come to another kind of cult fame as Peach Pit's very own Nat on Beverly Hills 90210 and even now is reprising that role in the 2008 spin off/remake, the more briefly named, 90210.
--Sherri Albertini joined the cast of The Mickey Mouse Club at age nine, and would go on to appear in many TV shows as she grew up. She has a reoccurring role on the series Family Affair for many years, and would go on to be the voice of Wendy on The Super Friends and Alexandra Cabot on Josie and the Pussycats.
--Claudia Jennings was the Playmate of the Year in 1970. She also appeared in many genre films such as Unholy Rollers (1972) and Gator Bait (1974), and she was also considered for Kate Jackson's role on Charlie's Angels. Tragically she died in an auto accident in 1979.
--Sisters of Death was filmed in 1972, but didn't get a release for 5 more years.
The Bug Speaks
You may well have already guessed that I enjoyed this film, and you would be correct. It had a ton of great things going for it, and for me, this was one of those films where the things that detract from it, only serve to enhance. At the core of this film is the story, and while simple and a tad overdone, it is played out quite well. There are tons of movies with the "Ten Little Indians" premise, but coming though the filter of a film that seems like the bastard child of the grindhouse and the Movie of the Week, something original manages to fall out despite itself.
The acting, well, let's just say it varies. Roxanne Albee's flaky Penny and Cheri Howell as Diana are probably the two worst performances turned in, but thankfully neither of them holds the screen very long. Claudia Jennings' Judy is well played, and the actress put enough in the role to be able to pull off a few deft twists in her story arc. I really liked the performances of Paul Carr and Joe E. Tata as the accidental henchmen/heroes. Carr came off a bit like a cut rate David Soul (of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) , but when his hero guy potential gets going, he was really fun to watch. Tata on the other hand was more of the comic relief, and his suave '70's guy swagger made his turn as Joey come alive.
The strongest actor in the film was by far Arthur Franz. As the vengeful father with his wild hair and manic looking eyes, he chewed up the scenery every time he stepped into a frame. Just watching him in his attic as he fashioned his own bullets becomes a study in how to make a minor character the lead role. It should be no surprise if you happen to see this film and recognize his face. He worked steadily as a character actor for over 30 years starting in movies like Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man and The Caine Mutiny(1954). He had over 135 credits to his name by the time he made Sisters of Death, and this was a man who knew how to make the small role big. He would have a few more roles until retiring in 1982, and he would later pass away in 2006 at the ripe old age of 86.
Now that I've gushed about the acting and the story let's get to the portion of the film that really brought it all together for me. It was made pretty dang poorly. The cinematographer, Grady Martin, only shot this one picture, and this was the only theatrical release film for director Mazzuca (who went on to be a production manager in the animation world working on She-ra, Muppet Babies, and Dexter's Laboratory.) The visual style of the film is quite a mess, but somewhere between the wildly sweeping shots, the boom being in the frame, and some rather rough edits, there is a charm in it's 16mm muddiness. It's not a film you're going to put on if you want to sit back and absorb the wonders of cinema. It's one you're going to watch and it'll make you wonder what is going on with it, but in a good way.
This is a film that will not please lots of folks. From the production to the product itself, it lacks a couple key elements that usually add to the appeal of a movie of this ilk. There is precious little in the way of blood spilled with only the shooting at the beginning and one other murder yielding the red stuff, and there is only the promise of nudity that goes unfulfilled. For what it lacks, it still delivers you a maniac with a Gatling gun, a tarantula full of Cool Whip, a veritable parade of questionable '70's style, and an ending that twists literally up until the last frame. So check it out folks, and let me know what you think of what these twisted sisters (sorry, it was too easy to pass up) have in store for you.
Bug Rating
No trailer I'm afraid, but here's the opening three minutes of the film.
1/23/09
Feature Friday: Massacre in Dinosaur Valley (1985)
It's the fourth Friday this month, and we're nearing completion of our jungle adventure. Now that we've survived two waves of cannibals and escaped from the Amazons, it's time for a little spot of jungle adventure. Tonight's film takes us deep into the Amazon, the Green Hell itself, for an adventure with some laughs, some nudity, some heart rippin', and a touch of political commentary. Gather round one and all, and beware the tale of the....
Massacre in Dinosaur Valley (1985) starring Michael Sopkiw, Suzane Carvalho, Milton Morris, and Andy Silas. Directed by Michele Massiomo Tarantini.
Bone hunter Kevin Hall (Sopkiw) talks his way onto a flight into the dense jungle to a secret location known as Dinosaur Valley. Accompanied by Dr. Ibanez, his lovely daughter Eva (Carcalho), Vietnam vet Captain Heinz (Morris) , Heinz's wife Betty, and a fashion photographer with his two models. Their small plane crash lands in the wrong part of the jungle, and the pilot is killed. They set out on foot to find their way home under Captain Heinz's direction, but they soon become even more lost, and worse yet deep in cannibal country.
The group is perused by the cannibals, and soon one of the models and Eva are taken hostage. The two girls are offered up in a ritual to appease the tribe's Gods, but Kevin comes to the rescue. They take off though the jungle, but soon fall into the clutches of China (Silas), the head of an illegal mining operation. China imprisons Kevin and intends to make the girls sex slaves Kevin struggles to free himself, but perhaps it is their fate to perish in Dinosaur Valley.
Film Facts
--For the scene where the tribe's priest eats a heart, the actor playing the priest dined on a fresh pig's heart.
--Most of the cannibals are played by Brazilian military men who were on leave.
--Michele Massiomo Tarantini was more widely known for his sex comedies. He was also the assistant director on The Case of the Bloody Iris.
The Bug Speaks
This flick surprised me on a couple of levels. I try not look look into anything, or anything much, about the films before I watch them. So when I put it on and it had the slick '80's sheen to it, I was ready for disappointment. Luckily I didn't get it, instead I got an old fashion adventure movie which brought to mind several contemporary films. Romancing the Stone (1984) and King Solomon's Mines (1985) sprang instantly to mind. Unlike those two films, Tarantini filled this movie with ton's of nudity and a fair amount of gore.
Most of the other actors leave little impression (guys who looked like Borat and Hurley from Lost) or the impression they leave is one of what their naked body looks like (basically all the women in the film) However there are a few exceptions Micheal Sopkiw, previously seen in Martino's 2019:After the Fall of New York (1983), does turn in a great hammy performance that any Bruce Campbell fan would enjoy. He's a man of action, but he's always got time for a one liner. Sometimes they are very funny, and sometimes he just calls the bad guy, "and evil, fat, smelly bastard". The other real exception is Andy Silas as the evil mine foreman China. He is delightfully evil in the part, and seems to be doing both a good and convincing job of being a scum bag.
The direction of the film is nothing special. These kind of films were obviously not Tarantini's forte, but he manages to give this flick a great '80's feel. I really liked that this seemed like it could have been retitled Like Totally a Cannibal Movie. It was a welcome departure from the muddy look of earlier pictures in the genre. What Tarantini did really well though was construct the script. Featuring such disparate pieces as men in dinosaur masks, a fight in piranha infested water, death by quicksand, and evil lesbians, Tarantini managed to stitch together a very entertaining little flick.
There are some other great scenes as well, but I don't want to spoil much for you folks that have not seen this one. Suffice it to say that it contains my favorite spear to the gut effect. With no animal violence or huge piles of gore, this film doesn't really stack up with the impact of it's sub-genre brethren. What it does accomplish is becoming it's own kind of film. Sure there was stuff I found reminiscent of this or that, but if you pick hard enough you'll find that almost everywhere. What this film did is successfully bring together the action film, the comedy, and the cannibal to make for one really fun time.
Bug Rating
Join us next week when The Lightning Bug faces down the big bad of them all. It's the climatic finish of It's a Jungle Out There when we encounter Cannibal Holocaust.
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Clues:
1980's,
2,
cannibal,
comedy,
Feature Presentation,
Italian,
nudity,
sex
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1/22/09
B.L.O.G Presents: Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972)
Today's B.L.O.G. (Beautiful Lady of Genre, if you've forgotten.) is one of the best actresses in the realm of Asian exploitation cinema. In the late 60's she got her start in martial arts and crime pictures before landing the lead role in Nikkatsu studios in the film Female Juvenile Delinquent Leader: Stray Cat Rock (1970). She would go on to make four more pictures in that series. Then, as Nikkatsu began to make more harder edged Pink Film, she moved to Toei studios where she made tonight's film, and it's three sequels. If you know who I'm talking about then you know what a treat tonight's film is, and if you don't know then let me introduce you to...
That's right Meiko Kaji. She's already a Lair favorite from when she knocked the Bug's socks off with her hard edge turn as a woman of unstoppable vengeance in Lady Snowblood (1973). However, tonight we're looking at another of her other iconic characters.This is a flick that features art house lightning and directing, even though it's a women in prison movie. It goes deep with camera angles, mobile sets, and symbolism, but it also pays off with sex, violence, and torture, the WIP mainstays. So it is my great honor to bring to you Meiko Kaji and her film...
Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972) starring Meiko Kaji, Rie Yokoyama, Fumio Wantanabe, and Isao Natsuyagi. Directed by Shunya Ito. 
During a ceremony where the Warden (Wantanabe) is to receive a commendation for his jail, Nami Matsushima (Kaji), known as Matsu to her fellow inmates, tries to make a break for it. She is captured, and having raised the ire of the Warden she is thrown into solitary confinement. While confined she is tortured by the matron who brings her food, and she has time to recall what ended her up here.She was madly in love with Sugimi (Natsuyagi), a cop out to take down the local Yakuza gangs. In fact she loves him so much, she agrees to be bait in a sting operation. Little did she know that Sugimi had been bought out by the gangs, and he leaves her out to dry. Matsu stalks her former lover and tries to murder him with a butcher knife, but she is stopped and hauled off to the prison.
Finally regaining a modicum of freedom and returning to general population, Matsu finds herself extremely unpopular with the other ladies. It seems the Warden is coming down hard on all of them for Matsu's infraction. Especially full of hatred for Matsu, Katagiri (Yokoyama) is contracted by Sugimi to finish off his former flame before she can escape and get to him. When a prison riot provides perfect cover, Katagiri makes her move, but can she kill Matsu or will Sugimi feel the sting of the scorpion.Film Facts
--The movie is based on a popular manga series.
--The character of Matsu was originally written as a profanity spewing brat, but the part was rewritten at Kaji's request to portray the character as more hard boiled.
--Meiko Kaji sang the title song to this film, "Grudge Song" just as she performed the theme to her film Lady Snowblood.
--This was director Shunya Ito's first film. He continued with the series for two more films.
The Bug Speaks
This is the type of film that is going to make you take notice. It may be the story, the look, the nudity, the violence, or just the kick ass hat that Kaji dons by the film's end. Whatever the reason for it, there is no denying that there are quite few films which work on so many levels.The film owes much to the stereotype of a women in prison film. It reads like a checklist. A wicked warden, lesbian sex, prison riot, and torture while in solitary are all classic themes we've seen in movies from Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS (1975), Caged Heat (1974), and The Big Bird Cage (1972). Where this film deviates from the form of those films is with it depth.
The most obvious thing to mention is the look of the film. First time director Ito and cinematographer Hanjiro Nakazawa gave this film a very distinct and dreamlike quality. Many of the shots come from some very interesting angles, and their play with multicolored lights reminded me very much of Bava. The film still maintains a gritty look that seemed similar to what I saw in Girl Boss Gorilla. The balance of the two gives the film a grounding in reality where rooms with spinning walls, men in random kabuki masks, or gouging someone in the eye with broken glass (and they shake it off) seem as normal as can be.The atmosphere of the film grants it a pass to do far out things, and the simplicity of the script's familiar story really gives it wings. You already know where the film is headed before you watch it. Yet the dynamics of the film and the visual style are so impressive, that it ceases to matter.
None of these feats could have been accomplished without Miko Kaji as Matsu. I was reading an article on this film, and the author described Kaji as having a singular look in the film. This is entirely true. From the moment we meet Matsu, she is the vision of strength, power and feminine rage, and honestly can you blame her? Except for in the flashback we never get much of a look at Kaji without seeing her with flames in her eyes. This performance gave the film a constant which the dramatic and visual variables could orbit around. Kaji becomes the center of the movie by acting like the Sun. She is a molten, fiery, hot mass at the center of this film, and everything else in it is just stuck in her orbit.
There are several other fine performances in the film. I especially liked Yokoyama as the scheming prison rival and Wantanabe as the warden. So I don't want to take anything away from them, but there is good reason that Miko Kaji was able to be the grounding force behind three successful franchise characters. Your eye is drawn to her for her beauty,her steely toughness, and in the final few moments of the movie, for her kick ass outfit.If you haven't seen this film and you're a fan of either Women in Prison or Asian cinema, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. I think you'll find yourself hooked from the moment you start watching it.... or should I say stung?
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