Thursday, February 24, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- Legend of the Fist:The Return of Chen Zhen(2010) Friday at 10:45PM



It's the second weekend of The Film Society of Lincoln Center's Film Comments Select mini-festival(information here). Film three of what I deem to be the most interesting genre films in the series kicks off the weekend with Legend of the Fist:The Return of Chen Zhen(2010).Legend of the Fist stars Donnie Yen as Chen Zhen, the masked Chinese hero made famous by Bruce Lee in Fists of Fury.

IMDB says - "Seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen, who was shot after discovering who was responsible for his teacher's death (Huo Yuanjia) in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. A mysterious stranger arrives from overseas and befriends a local mafia boss. That man is a disguised Chen Zhen, who intends to infiltrate the mob when they form an alliance with the Japanese. Disguising himself as a caped fighter by night, Chen intends to take out everyone involved as well as get his hands on an assassination list prepared by the Japanese."


Friday February 25th @ 10:45PM Walter Reade Theater, West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave, on the upper level, Upper West Side

Big Screen Big Apple- I Saw The Devil(2010) Friday Feb. 25 @7pm



Two screenings within a week of each other sounds pretty sweet to me since I missed a chance to see I Saw The Devil(2010) on Sunday. Horrah for the good people at BAMcinématek with producing the series Severely Damaged: The Cinema of Kim Jee-woon, showcasing six of Jee-Woon's films over the next 5 days. Life doesn't get much better than this for Korean cinema buffs.

BAMcinématek says - "This demented blood-drenched masterpiece was denied release in Korea for its graphic, “severely damaged” scenes of blood letting and vengeance gone wild. When his beautiful fiancee is savagely dismembered by crazed killer Kyung-chul (Oldboy’s Choi), devastated goverment agent Soo-hyun (A Bittersweet Life’s Lee) snaps, apprehending the killer and torturing him, but letting him escape with a tracker embedded in his skin. Uninterested in mere vengeance by homicide, Soo-hyun sets off a brutal game of cat and mouse, repeatedly capturing his prey to inflict pain and then re-releasing him. Graphic and gory, but damn gorgeous, too, Kim’s latest is one of the most well shot and stylish thrillers of the year and a trenchant examination of revenge and the price it exacts on one’s soul. Sneak preview courtesy of Magnolia Pictures, film opens Mar 4."


Friday February 25th @ 7pm BAM Rose Cinemas 30 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn general admission is $12


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- Daughters of Darkness(1971) Wed. Feb. 23 at 7pm in Brooklyn




Looks like reRun has more awesome to it than I thought, and they already had shitloads of it with their food and beer selection. From the looks of the schedule, the screening of cult and trash wasn't just a one-time thing with Alien Vs. Ninja, as I thought. It looks like a continuing series of FREE midweek screenings. This week reRun, with the help of Blue Underground, is going to offer a free screening of the adult vampire classic, Daughters of Darkness(1971) to celebrate the blu-ray release on March 1st.

IMDB says - "A chic, good-looking and suitably 70's couple arrive at an extravagant and deserted seaside hotel after eloping. Stefan is wealthy and happily English, with a hidden streak of sadism, while Valarie is intelligent but of inferior (Swedish) blood. To keep her with him at the eerie hotel he lies consistantly about his relationship with his mother and his plans to tell her of their marriage. Meanwhile he has mysterious phone conversations with an older, dominant and pampered sissy. Two fresh guests arrive; the Hungarian countess, Elizabeth Bathory and her voluptuous protege, Ilona. Virgin corpses begin showing up about the city drained of their blood. A wary detective lurks around the hotel taunting his only suspect, the Countess."

Again, this is a free event, but your still going to need tickets, which can be acquired here. Tickets are limited to 4 per person and doors open at 6, for those of you who want to fet your drink on.

Wednesday February 235th at 7pm @ reRun Gastropub Theater 147 Front Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

Monday, February 21, 2011

FestQuest:SXSW 2011 Midnighters - Phase 7(Argentina)



Even though I can't recall seeing much for cinema out of Argentina, SXSW is screening at least 2 motion pictures from the Malbec and Beef capital of the World so there has to be something good happening. Aside from a movie poster and a trailer, there isn't much I can find about Phase 7(2010). To me, it looks like a comical approach to a post-apocalyptic movie....Disease, quarantine, and social darwinism. All the great makings of a "post-apoc" with a flair of funny. I'm in. Hopefully Phase 7 makes the Northeastern rounds.

Film Threat says - "Coco just moved to his new apartment with 7-month pregnant wife. When the building is in quarantined for a deadly flue. The neighbors became unexpected enemies."

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Choy Lee Fut trailer starring Kane Kosugi and Sammo Hung





"Big Ups" tenfold to the Blogger Gods over at Twitch for constantly providing me with hope for the future. As I was perusing the latest postings earlier this hour I happened upon this rough trailer for Choy Lee Fut starring both Sammo Hung and Kane Kosugi. Typically I have little interest for martial arts movies set in modern day, but seeing this trailer gave me black belt-level boner. It probably has something to do with seeing Kane Kosugi in a CHINESE martial arts flick with Hung, who apparently happens to be his best friend in real life. Long gone are the days of little Kane fighting gangs of punks with his ninja dad. He's his own badass now.

IMDB does have an entry for it yet, but from what I've read it stars the two as European best friends who happen to be students of Hung Gar style and then head off to learn the Choy Lee Fut style, a Southern Chinese form. The trailer gives it a Bloodsport element, which I'm not the least bit opposed to. I'm not quite sure when I'll get my chance to see this on American soil, but hopefully my dream will be fulfilled before 2012.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- I Saw The Devil(2010) Sunday Feb. 20th at 1pm



It's nice to see that there are two films worth mentioning at the Film Society Lincoln Center this weekend. The first, of course, being Hobo With A Shotgun. It probably has something to do with the New York Film Festival's pre-game known as Film Comments Select, which is running from now until the beginning of March. Out of the couple of dozen films that will be screening over this time, I've picked out a couple of interest to highlight in this little old blog. This Sunday afternoon,you might want to head on down to the Walter Reade Theater to catch Kim Ji-Woon's I Saw The Devil(2010),a chaotic thriller that was banned in South Korea for being too graphic and "offensive to human dignity".

Filmlinc.com says - "Giving new meaning to catch-and-release, a secret agent searches for the serial wacko who murdered his fiancée and takes a very special form of vengeance. The twisty, gruesome new thriller by the director of The Good, The Bad, The Weird was initially banned in South Korea for its meticulous attention to bloody detail. Marked by Kim’s agile set pieces, and a sustained mood of encroaching darkness, it stars Lee Byung-hun (The Good, The Bad) and Choi Min-sik (Oldboy)."

Saturday February 20th @ 1PM Walter Reade Theater, West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave, on the upper level, Upper West Side

In the Parking Lot After School with 3:15(1986)



Whenever a movie has gangs of punk rockers, me taking the time to watch it is a sure thing. Since the first time I first sat down and watched Return of the Living Dead in the 80's, there has always been something about mohawks and chains that will draw me to a movie. Punkers in shitty 80's movies were about as common as the "white kid dance" aka The Molly Ringwald. Most 80's films aimed at teenagers typically had a variation of one or the other, sometimes both. From Valley Girl to Suburbia, no matter how shitty it is, if I see it has punk rockers I will take the time to watch it.

Such is the case with 3:15(1986), a film I ran across about a month back and finally got to sit down and watch. When I first read the description, all I could think of was a cross between Class of 1984 and 3 O'Clock High with roving gangs of punk rockers. I typically think to myself that I've seen enough of these movies in my lifetime to pretty much guess the plot without watching the movie. Even if the acting and plot sucked, at least it had punks and a post-apocalyptic feel. No matter what the outcome I would probably enjoy it.

3:15 is the story of the notorious street gang the Cobras, and the traitor who would fall out of favor with them, Jeff Hannah. After a rival gang member gets brutalized during a turf skirmish, Jeff decides that the thug life is not for him and hangs up his colors forever. The Cobra's president, Cinco, is non too happy about Jeff's decision, and tell's him so.

Fast-forward one year. Jeff has kept to his word and left the gang life behind. These days he is an all-star basketball player with a knack for school work and popular blonde for a girlfriend.Everything in Jeff's life would be Heaven if it wasn't for the huge gang problem the school has. There is not an inch of the school that isn't covered in tags, and the Cobras only reason for attending class is to make dollars through the dealing of drugs, namely marijuana, which according to Principal Horner is "turning students into zombies". So the local law enforcement have been working with Principal Horner to stage middle-of-class raid on the Cobras. During the raid, Cinco manages to elude the cops for a few minutes by running around the school looking for a place to stash his product. The cops are at foot by the time he reaches the locker room, and he needs to make a quick drop, so he passes the stash off to Jeff, who wants nothing to do with it. As Jeff tosses the contraband back in Cinco's face, the fuzz arrive and nab the notorious leader for possession. As he is being carted away by the boys in blue, Cinco is sure to let the school know that Jeff has wronged him, and vengeance will be sought upon his release from the Big House. Before you know it, 3:15 is the new High Noon.

I did derive enjoyment from watching 3:15, but it was a bit more 3 O'Clock High Than Class of 1984. The latter being more of what the director was aiming for. There were punkers, but there was nothing post-apocalyptic or gangster about them. Most of the mohawks were seen at a local hang-out, not in the Cobras. Slightly disappointing, but ever so slight. Even though the flick lacked terminator teachers and futuristic drug addiction, there was more switchblade action than a room full of greasers. In fact, any sort of violence in 3:15 usually concerned a switchblade, with the exception of a dinky, little .22 that Cinco used to regulate towards the end of the film. Since the fight choreography was so bad, I wouldn't have mind seeing a little bit of nunchuck to widen the array of weapons used. Nunchuck action at least would have made the movie slightly more recommendable. Other than that a being second rate Class of 1984 and loading it with switchblades, 3:15 doesn't really have much going for those of you who aren't die hard about there cinematic trash. Unless of course an early cameo by Gina Gershon as a Cobrette floats your boat, which it might.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- Vampyros Lesbos(1971) Midnite on Saturday Feb. 19th in Brooklyn



Exploitation King Jess Franco's horror spectacular Vampyros Lesbos(1971) is going to be following Death Watch at Spectacle this Saturday at Midnight. So if you don't think that Baron Munchausen, which is playing the night before, has enough skin for you, hit Spectacle up for this classic Midnite Movie.

IMDB says - "In Istanbul, the lawyer of Simpson & Simpson Linda Westinghouse has erotic dreams with a strange woman every night and her analyst Dr. Alwin Seward suggests her to find another lover. Linda is assigned to resolve an inheritance issue with the Hungarian Countess Nadine Oskudar that has inherited a real estate from Count Dracula. Linda leaves her boyfriend Omar in the Istanbul Hilton and travels to the Kadidados Island. While waiting for transportation in the continent, Linda is advised by a local that the island would be a place of death and insanity and she should not travel to there. However, she does not pay attention to the man and meets Countess Oskudar that is a lesbian vampire fascinated by Linda. The Countess drinks the blood of Linda and she has amnesia and is sent to a mental institution where Dr, Steiner, who is also a vampire expert, treats her and puts an advertisement in the newspapers."

Saturday February 19th at Midnight @ Spectacle 124 S. 3rd St., (at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn


Big Screen Big Apple- Death Watch(1980) Sat. Feb. 19th at 9:30 PM



IMDB says - "Roddy has a camera implanted in his brain. He is then hired by a television producer to film a documentary of terminally ill Katherine, without her knowledge. His footage will then be run on the popular TV series, "Death Watch"..."

Death Watch(1980) is a French Sci-Fi film starring Harvey Keitel as a human camera. Spectacle describes the film as a "prophetic tale of a dying woman hounded by a reality television program is an eerie and elliptical sci-fi gem". I love old sci-fi movies that fairly accurately predict the rise of reality TV. Even though I knew very little about the existence of Death Watch, the subject matter and star of the show are enough to make me want to head down to Spectacle to check it out.

Saturday February 19th at 9;30 PM @ Spectacle 124 S. 3rd St., (at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- Hobo with a Shotgun(2011) on Friday Feb. 18th at 11pm



Many will agree that one of the best things about the release of the Tarantino/Rodriguez throwback extravaganza Grindhouse were the fake trailers that ran before and in between the two releases. Some folks, not including myself, will say that they were the only good thing about it. Since then, a few of the fake trailers have actually taken a life of their own, outside of the trailers. As most of you know, Hobo With A Shotgun was the only one of the parody trailers not directed by a Hollywood notable. The creators won a contest,of thousands, and created a product good enough to shine with the rest of the garbage. It took a couple of years, but Hobo With A Shotgun(2011)is finally ready for the general population after shining at Sundance.

IMDB says -"A homeless vigilante blows away crooked cops, pedophile Santas, and other scumbags with his trusty pump-action shotgun."

I, for one, am a bit giddy for this one and will make every possible effort to get up to Lincoln Center this Friday Night. Especially Since the director is going to be there in person.

Friday February 18th @ 11PM Walter Reade Theater, West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave, on the upper level, Upper West Side


Sunday, February 13, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- Alien Vs. Ninja(2010) Tues. Feb. 15th at 10pm in Brooklyn



For those fans of such insane, Japanese gorefests like Tokyo Gore Police and Machine Girl, has reRun Gastropub Theater in Brooklyn have a surprise for you. For one night only, reRun is going be showing the latest cinematic shitshow, Alien Vs. Ninja on Tuesday evening to celebrate the blue ray/dvd release. The best part of going to see AVN on Tuesday night is that you don't have to pay for it. Admission is free. Don't show up with pockets completely empty though, because reRun has a bar and a full menu(all I have to say is popcorn drenched in bacon fat).

reRun says - "In ancient Japan, the fiercest ninjas of the Iga clan face their toughest enemies—and they aren't from this planet! A fiery mass crashes in the forest, and soon, horrifyingly savage creatures reduce the warriors to tasty snacks. But these jerks from outer space have bitten off more than they can chew. The ninjas' swords and throwing stars may fail against the unearthly goons, but their skills don't stop at sharp stuff. If you're into ARMY OF DARKNESS, you’ll be taking bets over who'll win this over-the-top battle for survival!"

Doors open at 9pm, so be sure to get there early enough for seats and shots. Get your free tickets here(limit of 4 per person).



Tuesday February 15th at 10pm @ reRun Gastropub Theater 147 Front Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

FestQuest:SXSW 2011 Midnighters - Insidious




IMDB says - "A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further."

I may be jumping to conclusions, but seeing "from the creators of Saw and Paranormal Activity" at the beginning of this trailer doesn't really draw me in. In fact, it makes me think that this film could end up being a waste of time It has been well established that I am a hater of the Saw franchise, and I liked Paranormal Activity but it should have been limited to a one off and not franchised. Insidious looks like it might be a bit too polished and "Big Hollywood" for my tastes. I don't really foresee a movie like this spending too much time on the festival circuit. I actually would be surprised if it was given a release to the general public sometime this summer.

I don't really see myself hitting up the theaters when it hits NYC, even if it makes the indie theater circuit. I could be wrong though, we will see how promising the reviews are. I'm pretty sure that the only was I'll be watching Insidious is if I have nothing left but it for an OnDemand selection, but you never know.



South by Southwest(SXSW) Film Conference and Festival 2011,March 11–19 in Austin, TX(as if you didn't know.)

FestQuest:SXSW 2011 Midnighters - The Divide




With the release of SXSW's Midnighter's and SXFantastic list over the last couple of days, I've decided now would be a good time to add the "FestQuest"(cheesy I know)section to Ye Olde Blogge. I've been dabbling with the idea for the last couple of weeks and now is a better time than ever with SXSW just around the corner. Besides, it gives me an excuse to blog something more than reviews and local NYC cult movie showings. More content makes me a busier guy in this time of extreme boredom.

I'm aware that several of these movies might have already been covered, even reviewed, due to the fact that they have probably been on the festival circuit for awhile. So don't scorn me for being a day late and a dollar short with a couple. In some cases I might not even cover it based on trailer availability. I have a format with each post that I like to follow. That format includes trailer at the bottom.

I'm going to kick this off with The Divide(2011), directed by Xavier Gens. For me, Gens is best known for the French horror Frontier(s), a movie in which I was able to see a one-night only screening of a couple of years back and really enjoyed. Before Frontier(s), there wasn't much out of France that interested me besides berets and cigarettes. Since then, I've been sure to keep my eyes open for anything new in the realm of horror.

The only help IMDB can provide with a summary for The Divide is "To survive the end of the world you must first survive each other." This, along with the trailer, makes me believe that The Divide is something of a post-apocalyptic movie with that Lord of the Flies thing going for it. I realize the idea is nothing new, but I have much faith in Gens' direction. Besides, Rosanna Arquette has what looks to be an active roll, and you can't go wrong with someone who inspired a Toto song, can you?



South by Southwest(SXSW) Film Conference and Festival 2011,March 11–19 in Austin, TX(as if you didn't know.)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- The Valiant Ones(1975) Sunday Feb. 13th at 4 PM



Let's give it up for the Museum of the Moving Image this weekend for bringing a kung-fu classic to the big screen. Woooo Hooooo!!! After being out of commission for a couple years, it's nice to see that NYC's best museum has an open theatre again. I don't know if this is part of the museum's ongoing Fist and Sword series or not, but it's really nice to see that King Hu's The Valiant Ones(1975) is going to be one of the opening screenings for the new museum.

The Museum of the Moving Image says - " A rarely screened wuxia gem, The Valiant Ones is a meditative yet action-filled movie about a 16th century husband-and-wife swordfighting team hired to protect China from Japanese marauders. King Hu reveals character through the film’s intricate fight scenes. "


Sunday February 13th at 4pm @ Museum of the Moving Image 35 Avenue at 37 Street Astoria, Queens Free with admission

Big Screen Big Apple- Possession(1981)Sunday Feb. 13 at Midnight



Looks like Spectacle is taking on an extra Midnite Movie this weekend. I hoping it's to make up for wasting Friday night on Brown Bunny. Possession(1981), Andrzej Żuławski's cult classic will be bringing the weekend to a close in Williamsburg. Although difficult to classify, Possession is a horror/thriller/surrealistic nightmare that is often compared to such classics as Cronenberg's The Brood and Von Trier's Antichrist.

IMDB says - "A young woman left her family for an unspecified reason. The husband determines to find out the truth and starts following his wife. At first, he suspects that a man is involved. But gradually, he finds out more and more strange behaviors and bizarre incidents that indicate something more than a possessed love affair"

Sunday February 13th at Midnight @ Spectacle 124 S. 3rd St., (at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Big Screen Big Apple- Score(1974)Saturday Feb. 12 at Midnight



I like to think of myself as a bit well-versed in sexploitation, since I was one of those horny teenagers who would sneak in a little late night Skinemax when the family went to bed. As much Emanuelle and Lady Chatterly these eyes have seen, there were just too many 70's softcores being cranked through the Deuce to make it to cable. Amongst the many I missed during my junior high years was a cutting flick called Score(1974), directed by Radley Metzger, who i had never heard of until now, According to Wikipedia Metger is "considered to be among the more stylish directors of the sexploitation and porno chic eras". Even though my tastes in late night entertainment have changed over the last 20 years, I still think checking out Score tomorrow night at Spectacle might be a good time for any couple in the mood for a little sexytime cinema to open up Valentine's Day Weekend. You could go by yourself, but that might be considered kind of creepy.

IMDB says - "Liberated '70s couple seduce another couple into experimentation with bisexuality and group-sex."...Rather short summary if I say so myself. Hopefully the trailer at the bottom of the page can give you a better idea. All you really have to know is that this classic has sex filmed artistically and slightly tastefully like many of these European classics.

February 12th @ Midnight at Spectacle 124 S. 3rd St.,(at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

SyFy's Being Human Has Almost Won Me Over



I first started seeing this poster during my morning commute about 4 months back. As with any advertisement I see for SyFy "original" programming, it sparked my curiosity. Syfy's original series have always been more of a hit than a miss for me. Even though I never jumped on the Battlestar Galactica bandwagon, shows like Eureka and Sliders(I know it started on Fox) have always caught my attention. I didn't know what to expect from Being Human, but all I need to do was a little bit of research to get my answer. And when I got my answer I felt nothing but contempt and disgust for the show and SyFy itself.

I found out Being Human was all about 3 roommates who happen to be supernatural creatures: a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost. It sounded like it was going to be a mixture of The Munsters and Three's Company, two shows that work fine on there own based on the time period they were popular. Campy monsters were very "early 60's" and swingin' singles did the late 70's justice. Mashing the two up together together to represent a modern day series would surely be atrocious, even for the Twi-tards. The thought of it not only pissed me off, but made me physically ill just thinking about it. In my mind, there was no way I would ever watch such a disgusting display of primetime entertainment. Or so I thought.....

As with many Americans, I am but half of a greater whole known as the monogamous relationship. And we all know with any good relationship there are equal parts give and take to keep a balance. Mary might not want to see every sleazy movie out of Italy and Japan, but she will sit by my side night-after-night watching them with me. In return, I try to give equal time to House Hunters and whatever is on Discovery Investigation. Not only is it fair, but I can honestly say most of the time it's an enjoyable experience for both of us. When the subject of Being Human came up about a month ago, I expressed my disdain. Not that it really mattered because My Beloved had an interest that rivaled my own in seeing The Cape (which turned out to be utterly disappointing). So we had an unspoken agreement to sit through both, no matter how what.

Within five minutes of watching the pilot episode, my disgust quickly turned into a silent rage. This was all due to being exposed one of my biggest horror-related pet peeves: daywalking vampires. If there is one thing that really pisses me off about the current batch of myth-raping vampire shows, and movies, it's the daywalker. Without Death-By-Sunlight as a deterrent, vampires are essentially unstoppable predatory gods, and that just makes for a boring storyline. Adding daywalking to my preconceived ideas on how the show was going to horribly play out was just a recipe for disastrous opinion. Or so I thought....

At this point in the series, I have watched three episodes. What I thought was going to be an excruciating hour of keeping my lip's zipped in discontent has actually turned out to be somewhat of an enjoyable new ritual with the girlfriend. By the end of the first episode my rage had subsided and by the end of the second episode I actually found myself slightly content by the turnout. After last night's episode I actually found myself talking it up a bit to my roommate.

Being Human didn't turn out to be as cheesy as I thought it was going to be, although it still has a cheese factor. Based on the premise it really can't be escaped. Thankfully the show is nothing like what I thought it was going to be. What little humor there is isn't slapstick as I was expecting, and the storyline and character development are interesting. The plot is character driven instead of premise driven. I was expecting the focus to be more about kooky roommate relations with the living area as the only backdrop. Although the living situation is an integral part of the storyline, what really shines is the focus on the personal struggles each of the characters have to endure on there own. The vampire has to deal with fighting his predatory urges and wolfboy has that whole Jekyll/Hyde ego vs. id struggle. Although I think ghost girl is the weakest link and most disinteresting, she still has to struggle with her new life being dead, which is probably, by my opinion, is what really brings what little comic cheese there is in the series. Even though it's not needed, it is still appreciated. The violence isn't half bad either. Although shows like CSI throw more gore at the audience in one episode than three of Being Human, it's far more violent in comparison to such weekly shitfests as The Vampire Diaries. I find the horror aspect to be an almost fair trade off for the lack keeping the mythology of the vampire accurate.

As much as I hate the idea of vampires walking around during the day appalling, Being Human has turned out to be an entertaining series. I've even been considering taking a look at the original British series, which I hear is better. I'm not going to say I've been completely turned to it as to be called a fan, but I'm no longer opposed to this new Monday night ritual following How I Met Your Mother.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Orcs!(2010)- Where Do You Go When All The Other Monsters Have Been Used Up?



Since I've recently come into quite a bit of free time(unemployment will do that), I've been spending more and more time haunting some of my favorite spots on the internet. My favorite, of course, being this little slice of stupid I like to refer to as "my blog". After spending the majority of last year ignoring blogging, you might have noticed I've been devoting a lot more time to watching and writing about movies. Not that my audience was ever large or I was on a deadline but expression is one of those things that make people happy. Even if it's a couple of paragraphs about a shitty exploitation movie, at least I'm doing something. So far. 2011 has proved to be successful since I have already doubled the blog entries I put in during the entirety of 2010.

Besides the reviews, I have also been known to drop knowledge on some up-in-coming indie horrors. After recently trolling the darkeah deptha of genre forumdom, I came upon the trailer for Orcs!(2010), and it caught my interest. Now I'm just as sick of the oversaturation in the monster market as the next nerd, but I find something interesting about replacing the undead with fantasy creatures. As a former roleplayer and Magic The Gathering addict, I can't get enough of orcs. There are only so many times I can watch LOTR, so where else can I get my geek fix unless I resort to my old ways(which I still might do regardless)?

Hopefully, Orcs reaches the festival circuit pretty soon. Even straight to DVD would work for me even though I would love to see such a fun idea get the recongition it deserves. Any way it comes to me I'm going to enjoy it. I'm sure many of you will find the trailer a bit campy, but what else are you going to do with such a motley fantasy race?



http://orcs-movie.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/OrcsMovie

Big Screen Big Apple- Faster Pussycat Kill Kill(1965) Midnight Showing on Saturday Feb. 5th



If you have never seen Russ Meyer's mean girl classic Faster Pussycat!Kill!Kill!(1965) may I suggest heading over to Spectacle this Saturday to see exploitation at it's finest. Directors like Meyer are the ones who point grindhouse cinema on the map back in the 60's when all the burlesque theaters turned to movie houses. Russ Meyer was one of those prolific directors that helped the club owners realize there was more money to be made in seeing girls on film. Forever changing the landscape of both burlesque and adult cinema, at the same time reducing the star status of traveling dancers.

IMDB says - "Three strippers seeking thrills encounter a young couple in the desert. After dispatching the boyfriend, they take the girl hostage and begin scheming on a crippled old man living with his two sons in the desert, reputedly hiding a tidy sum of cash. They become houseguests of the old man and try and seduce the sons in an attempt to locate the money, not realizing that the old man has a few sinister intentions of his own."

If the idea of murderous strippers, racing, and Tura Satana peaks your interest, head into Brooklyn this Saturday night. You won't be disappointed.

Saturday February 5th at Midnight @ Spectacle 124 S. 3rd St., (at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Big Screen Big Apple- Salon Kitty(1976) Friday Feb. 4th at Midnight



Tinto Brass'"nazisploitation" classic (if you can call it that), Salon Kitty(1976) will be shown as Spectacle's midnight presentation this Friday. Following his world-renowned uber-porn epic Caligula, Brass crossed the line even further by touching upon this not-for-the-faint-of-heart exploitation genre.

As much as my curiosity for this film might kill my desire to leave it for others, I can't help but feel a little contempt and disgust for the genre known as "nazisploitation". Even though exploitation films are a large part of my routine, there is something about National Socialism that crosses the line for me. I guess that would mean that the filmmakers are actually doing their job.

IMDB says -"Kitty runs a brothel in Nazi Germany where the soldiers come to "relax". Recording devices have been installed in each room by a power hungry army official who plans to use the information to blackmail Hitler and gain power himself. A girl named Margherita discovers the little ploy and with Kitty's help plans to take on the dangerous task of exposing the conspiracy."

February 4th at Midnight @ Spectacle Theater 124 S. 3rd St.,(at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn