Eyeball (1975) aka Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro

Directed by Umberto Lenzi(Cannibal Ferox(1981), Seven Blood-Stained Orchids(1973), Napoli Violenta(1976))

Starring Martine Brochard(Milano trema - la polizia vuole giustizia(1973), Riot in a Women's Prison(1974)), John Richardson(Torso(1973), One Million Years BC(1966)), and Ines Pellegrini(Salò(1975), Escape from Women's Prison(1978))




For those of us fans of the Giallo, there are certain elements that we expect in the pre-slasher italian classics, no matter whether the movie is good or bad. In fact, those of us that are fans of the Giallo genre usually don't care whether it's good or not, we will typically watch it regardless. While there are many gialli that are considered by cinematic and horror classics, for every good one you can count are there being at least three bad. But even if the film is considered a masterpiece by fans of the genre, there are still going to be many out there who consider it pure garbage. So goes the plight of the genre-film nerd, as is the rule for all of nerdom.

Eyeball(1975) is not a giallo I would consider a genre masterpiece. In fact, if you read through the comments section of IMDB, you'll find that many people don't consider it as such. As a giallo fan, I don't really give two fucks what people had to say about it, I enjoyed watching it. It had everything I expect out of the giallo genre, and then some.

Premise....A busload of "American" tourists land in Madrid for a group tour. Little do they know is that there is a killer among them. Almost upon arrival, buddies start stacking up wherever the bus lands, turning everybody into a supsect. Not only are the murders quick and brutal, but the victims are all found with there left eye removed in the most hideous fashion.

As with most gialli, most of the main characters are considered suspects at one point or another. Obviously. It is of course, a step above your typical murder mystery, but it is still a "whodunit". Unlike the stereotypical black leather gloves and trenchcoat, our killer wears red gloves with a red plastic raincoat, and not a slicker either. I'm talking about the throwaway types that are given to bus ride tourists in NYC when the weather is shitty. Such a cheap and gawdy disguise really adds to the comedic element of the movie, even if it wasn't the directors intention. But this is a Lenzi film, and those of us familiar with his works also know this type of unplanned comedy appears often. I also found the attempt to make the actual murders seem believable also added to the unintentional comedy. I've seen off-off Broadway scenes that have more believable murder scenes. The gore was there, but the speed at which the dagger was coming toward the victim could have been escaped by a person in a wheelchair.

As with many giallo's, some of the old standards were present. We got a fairly healthy dose of lesbianism, jazzy music, and even a discotheque scene. I don't know what it was that made Italian directors in the 70's obsessed with girl-on-girl action, but it's a pretty prevalent theme... and it sell movies to a mostly male audience. I just answered my own question.

Despite Eyeball not being one of the best of the genre, I really enjoyed the film. Lenzi might not be the best writer, but he definitely has mad skills with the camera, as well as knowing how to film in some excellent locations. Not only did Eyeball provide me with 90 minutes of non-stop thrills and laughs, but it also made me add Madrid to my destination map of places I'm going to eventually see in Europe if I'm ever able to save up money to do so.

They Call Her One Eye and Torso Make the Midnite Rounds This Weekend in Brooklyn

It's another Grindhouse three-day weekend at Spectacle this week. Rather than write separate entries for each feature screening at Brooklyn's best theater, Spectacle, I decided to throw all three films in one big blog entry. Not only does it make it easier for all of you with interest in the theater itself, it makes it easier for me because I don't have to keep up the "now showing" entries at Spectacle for the rest of the weekend, which is something I've been slipping with lately.

The Midnite Madness kicks off tonight with the Italo Post-Apocalyptic trash bag, Exterminators of the Year 3000(1983)



IMDB says - "The year 3000, after a nuclear war turned the earth into a desert. A group of survivors in a cave runs out of water and desperately needs new supply. The last guy they sent out didn't return. His 10 years old son Timmy wants to join the next team. They know where they'll find a well, but the problem it the way there, which is controlled by a savage gang of motorcyclists under the bloodthirsty Crazy Bull. A lonesome stranger who Timmy meets on the way may help. "

Now this is the only movie of the three I have not seen, but since it's an Italian genre movie AND Post-Apoc I feel that no matter what the ratings are on IMDB (4.5 out of 10)it's still going to be awesome. I'm not at all familiar with the director, Giuliano Carnimeo, but going over his IMDB entry I see he was actually a pretty prolific director and directed movies I've heard of like The Case of The Bloody Iris(1972). Going to see this tonight can only be a great start to the weekend.

I have not only seen tomorrow's slice-of-awesome They Call Her One Eye(1974) but I've actually written a review for it(here). Out of all the rape-victim-goes-revenge films I've watched over the last few months, this is by far my favorite, and it has nothing to do with the XXX shots. You can always count on Swedish filmmakers of the 70's to go above and beyond the call of duty when making a proper revenge flick.



Spectacle says - "Swedish sexploitation star, Christina Lindberg, stars in this brutal rape-revenge classic directed by Bo Arne Vibenius (who had previously worked with Ingmar Bergman as an assistant director on Persona and unit director on Hour of the Wolf). After being abducted on her way to school one morning, Frigga/Madeleine is held hostage by a scumbag who gets her hooked on heroin and prostitutes her ass to various clients. She eventually ventures out to do some firearm and martial arts training so she can avenge all the sleazy Swedes who raped her and took out one of her eyes. The ultra-ultra slo-mo sequences of Frigga/Madeleine blasting away her prey is both chilling and hilarious.

The film has been referenced by both Abel Ferrara in Ms. 45 and by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill Vol. 1. Lindberg has gone on to make numerous eurosleaze flicks as well as become a prominent journalist in Sweden."

And last but not least we have the giallo Torso(1973), a film I first became familiar with after seeing the poster numerous times when I practically used to pay rent at Brooklyn's infamous metal bar, Duff's. I tried to make it a goal to watch every single movie Jimmy had posters for. As far as I know, I got pretty far. Again, this is one of those movies I am very familiar with and have reviewed(here).



Spectacle says - "One Day She Met A Man Who Loved Beautiful Women...

BUT NOT ALL IN ONE PIECE!

A series of sex murders shock a college campus, and four beautiful young girlfriends head for the safety of an isolated country villa. But as they succumb to their own erotic desires, their weekend of pleasure becomes a vacation to dismember at the hands - and blade - of the lecherous maniac.

Starring Suzy Kendall (THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE) and Tina Aumont (SALON KITTY), this Euro Horror chiller was originally released in America with much of its controversial violence removed by censors.

Presented in its Uncensored English Version."

Spectacle 124 S. 3rd St., (at Bedford Ave.)Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Trailer for the Neo-Giallo Amer

This morning I realized it's about time to rejoin the Land of the Barely Living and pull myself out of the social(and digital) hiatus I imposed on myself 2 weeks ago(unemployment is a bitch). So what better way to kick off the new life than with a short a slightly entertaining blog entry highlighting a 2010 SXSW selection. I, of course, found this masterful trailer for the "neo-giallo" Amer at Twitch, the genre-film community's one(of many) stop for what passes as interesting news. I don't know how this little gem passed me up over the past couple of months, seeing that it has already won a handful of awards and has been on the festival circuit. Regardless, I love me some giallo and watching this trailer makes me think I should change my last name to Tentpants.

IMDB says-"Three key moments, all of them sensual, define Ana's life. Her carnal search sways between reality and colored fantasies becoming more and more oppressive. A black laced hand prevents her from screaming. The wind lifts her dress and caresses her thighs. A razor blade brushes her skin, where will this chaotic and carnivorous journey leave her? Written by Coach14"

Sounds pretty yellow to me. If your interested in furthering your knowledge of Amer, one of the Twitch contributors wrote a review that can be found somewhere around here.

An Independent, Modern Giallo: Black Aria

High Fives are owed to the fine folks over at the Giallo Fever blog for recently bringing to my attention new of Black Aria, a French-made homage to the giallo genre. From what I can tell reading a Babelfish translated review here, Black Aria consists of 3 sexy-and-violent mysteries rolled into one blood-soaked feature length.

Thankfully, a teaser trailer exists to entice the likes of a trash cinema fan such as myself. It may look like it was filmed on a short budget, but the special effects seem to be the bees knees(did I just say that?). Hopefully I can get a chance to see this modern throwback before it gets picked up or falls of the map. I'm hoping, of course, for the former rather than the latter.

I Corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale/ Torso(1973)

I like to drink a couple times a week at the local Williamsburg metal bar, Duff's. The bartenders are out of this world and the happy hour is a satanic blessing:PBR's for a buck until 9. This is New York City, there aren't that many places you are going to find PBR's for less than $3. And if there are, you sure as hell aren't going to find Amon Amarth on the jukebox. With that being said, anyway, Duff's just recently moved it's location and the digs are quite a bit swankier. Jimmy Duff put a fuck-ton of work into the new place to make it look like the Father of All Metal Bars. Giger prints, smashed guitars, a gimp cage, and horror/exploitation posters as far as the eye can see. One such poster is for the movie Torso, which I had never heard of. I didn't become curious to see it until I stumbled upon the trailer a few weeks ago.



After watching the trailer, I thought to myself,"looks like a grindhouse slasher, I bet the trailer is better than the movie" and decided I need to watch it for myself. If anything I could get a good laugh out of it. And it's got to be better than My Bloody Valentine. I was right. It was way better than My Bloody Valentine (just writing it makes me puke in my mouth). But I wouldn't call it the run-of-the-mill slasher either. It's giallo, which is a genre I've only just recently started to become familiar with. There are elements of slasher flick present, but the drive behind the psychokiller is a bit more indepth than sex-crazed teenagers fucking at an abandoned camp ground.

I take you now to a college campus in Rome, where the women are hot and love to argue with Art Professors about the validity of certain renaissance artists. Within a couple day period, two of the attractive lasses have died at the hands, or shall I say red and black scarf, of the neighborhood psychokiller. The school has been closed and the other hotties are scared shitless. One of them in particular, we'll call her Hot Brunette #1, has received threatening phonecalls and is a little more out-of-sorts than her three hot friends. Her uncle gave her permission to escape to the country villa for the weekend and bring her friends with her. She agrees, anything to get her away from her obsessive classmate who she thinks might possibly be the killer. I mean seriously, is some random strangler going to follow 3 beautiful women a couple hundred miles north? Don't answer that, of course he is.

Based on the way the movie begins, you would think Hot Brunette #1 is the main character and can't possibly be a victim. Wrong! Enter Dani, or shall I say Hot Blonde. She is an American transfer student who up to this time has been a supporting character. She is making the pilgrimage to the country with the rest of the girls, but has errands to take care of first. When she does finally make it up, she has to go and ruin her own getaway weekend by falling down the stairs and twisting her ankle. It was a very nice fall though. I expected a neck breaking or something equally horrendous. Not an ankle twist.

But anyway, after a series of murders the killer finally makes his way to the girl's sanctuary, and it doesn't stay safe long after that. Dani, after waking up late due to mixing alcohol and pills like a party girl, finds that the house is incredibly quiet. Upon further investigation, she also finds her three friends are quiet because they are incredibly dead. Here comes the kicker: Captain Cut-Em-Up is still on the property, and he's not done. Killing is not enough, appently the deed isn't done until every limb is extracted slowly with a hacksaw. Not only is Dani trapped, she has to witness her friends getting cut up bit-by-fuckin'-bit. Doesn't sound like too much fun to me.

This is where the story gets interesting and separates itself from a standard slasher film. The level of terror you witness is less scream-and-run-fast and more psychological. I like to think of giallo movies as Hitchcock with more boobs and violence. There is actually quite a bit of nakedness, like any good italian flick should have. I've read reviews on IMDB from assholes complaining about the lack of gore. If you want gore, rent a fuckin' cannibal movie. God knows the italians made plenty of those. Stylistically, Torso was also very nice. There was one shot of a body being dumped into a well, and the camera was actually filming from the bottom of the well. It was nicely done. I was even a bit surpised to find out who the slasher was. As with any murder mystery, you get possibility-after-possibility throughout the movie, but this one blind-sided me a bit. I gotta stay on my toes more the next time I watch a movie like this.

All together, I'm really liking the giallo movies I have watched recently and can't wait to getting a better grasp of the genre. i have the appreciation, now I just need to feel the love.