Psycho Pumpkins

Happy Halloween!

BLOOD SUCKERS FROM OUTER SPACE (1984)

Every year, in the beginning of October I attend the best film convention ever. It's called Cinema Wasteland and if you've never been you should go. It is the most fun ever. So, I'm at the convention, checking out the guests and whatnot and there's this guy sitting at a table and he's selling a movie called Bloodsuckers From Outer Space. Great title and I've never heard of it. Apparently he made it in 1984 and is releasing it on DVD. I am a big fan of cheesy 80's flicks and Bloodsuckers From Outer Space looked to be no exception. The director, Glen Coburn, signed my DVD sleeve for me and I got a flick for 6 bucks. I figured I could gamble six bucks.

Best six bucks I ever spent.

The basic premise is this alien force that invades human bodies, forces them to expel all of their bodily fluids, possess the humans and then go around sucking the blood from other humans. The downer side is that if they kill you, you stay dead.

This small hick town in Texas is home to a facility called Research City. Government cuts have brought the scientists down to the bare minimum, but they have the coolest thing to study. Their head honcho has become possessed by one of the aliens and they are trying to figure out what makes him tick.

Meanwhile, newspaper photographer Jeff is starting to piece together what is happening. It doesn't hurt that he has to have a kung fu battle with his uncle who has been turned into a bloodsucker.

                                                                                

The interesting thing about this film is that it opens and closes with two magnificent cherry picker shots. Then the rest of the film is static shots. No zooms, no pans, nothing. Just static shots. And it works for this movie. You don't even realize it's happening until someone points it out to you.

The film is filled with wry humor, the characters are aware that they are in a film. They address the camera a few times and the best line is 'That incidental music sure is creepy.' Genius!
Add to that a rocking 80's theme song, a crazed general who just wants to nuke the problem and a bizarre cast of characters the likes of which you have never seen before in your life.

Bloodsuckers From Outer Space has that great, grainy feel to it that only comes from actual film, not video. The effects are the spray kind that permeated 80s flicks. And did I mention a Pat Paulsen cameo? Well, now I did.

There is a 24 year reunion of a lot of the cast and while it would have been cool to see the lead or his love interest make an appearance, this was still an informative half hour. Now if it just had a commentary it would have been perfect.

You're gonna want this movie as soon as possible.

This has my vote for best DVD release of the year.

Psychomania and Crucible Of Terror

Severin Films have again graced us with two strange ones from the vault.
First up is Psychomania (1972) which tells the tale of a motorcycle gang that comes back from the dead to terrorize the living. And once they come back nothing can stop them. A mixture of biker flick, psychedelic, trippy movie and supernatural clap trap all blended well with George Saunders and you have an idea of what is going on here. Throw is some pretty good motorcycle stunts and you have a film that stays in your memory whether you want it to or not.
There is a great documentary Return Of The Living Dead that talks with a lot of the cast and their remembrances of making the film. A completely worthless introduction by Fangoria editor Chris Alexander along with interviews with John Cameron the composer of the film and Singer Harvey Andrews who sings a song in the film. Severin has given us the best print available of the print which is far better than anything I have seen before. Loaded with extras it's time to get Psychomania before it gets you!















Then there is Crucible of Terror. I had never heard of this or it's star Mike Raven before. I knew Ronald LAcey from RAiders Of The Lost Ark and it was nice to see him in something else. I thought that Mike Raven was channeling the spirit of Boris Karloff in the flick. Unless, he just talks like that all the time and then it would just be a fluke.
Crucible of Terror deals with an artist and his obsession with the female form. I thought it interesting that Severin got the print from a Bodmin Moor coven and I did not see the twist ending coming. Who would? The truly disappointing thing would have to be the complete lack of extras for this flick. No trailers, no behind the scenes stuff, no anything. Just the story of how they got the print would have made for an interesting little featurette.
So, Psychomania is a perfect release with just the right amount of extras while Crucible of Terror is a missed opportunity, albeit a good film.

















SPOILER

There is just one thing I wanted to mention about Psychomania that might ruin it for everyone who hasn't seen it. At the end of the flick where the mother turns into a frog and the biker gang turns to stone the ending credits are of George Saunders approaching the grief stricken Abby, the only survivor of the flick. I find it maddening that we never hear what he was going to say to her. Anyone else out there with similar feelings? Makes the flick more fun because you can insert what you think is going on, but we will never know for sure. Pity.

Cinema Wasteland Initial Report

Another great weekend held by the Kish family in Strongsville just south of Cleveland.
Highlights;
First thing, director Bill Zebub hands me a card promoting his new movie, Zombie Christ. It has a naked nun with a shaved cooter on it. Always fun to start the convention with a bang.
Handed out copies of my chapbook, Attack Of The Creatures From The Unknown, to various guests and Tom Sullivan, Effects Guru, let me get a signed print of one of his pics. Very cool.
Met Herschell Gordon Lewis and he signed my book that I have owned since 1983.
At the A Ghastlee Night At The Movies I got a free t shirt, participated in the birth of The Son Of C'thulu, won the trivia contest and got free passes to the April Show and did a sing along with H.G. Lewis to the theme song from his flick 2000 Maniacs.
Watched a small Asian woman crush ten beer cans, five at a time, with her cooter. Yes, her cooter.
Hung out with Gore DeVol.
Met Joey Smack.
Got a few DVDs.
Bought t shirts for all my children and Martha.
Got a lot of cool freebies.
Chatted with the always delightful Ruby LaRocca.
And much more!

Video to follow in the near future. 

Did I Mention...

I published a book?

It's a thriller called NAHUM. Check it out won't you?

Thanks!

A Double Dose of Joy

Severin has released two films from the 80's JOY and JOY & JOAN. The first, superior film has Joy played by the exquisite Claudia Udy. Just by listening to the interview with Claudia you knew that this was an exceptional young woman who was in tune with her surroundings and her own sumptuous figure. To be blunt, she is gorgeous.

Based on the autobiography of French-American super model Joy Laurey, Claudia embraces the unleashed sexual passion of Joy and enters into some scenes that are steamy even by softcore standards.

The print is magnificent and the interview with lead actress Claudia is very informative.

Joy was truly a joy to watch.

In the sequel Claudia is replaced by renowned Brigitte Lahaie. While very easy on the eyes, Ms. Lahaie comes across as a different charcater. In the sequel Joy has had it with the world of men and coiuples with tour guide Joan, played by the extremely beautiful Isabelle Solar. There is lots of skin on display like in the first one, but it seems less of a picture than the original.

Also, there are no extras on the sequel which seems bizarre as Severin tends to pride itself on its extras.

JOY and JOY & JOAN are the newest twosome of soft core magnificence from the people at Severin.

Be sure not to miss them.

LOOSE SCREWS: SCREWBALLS II

Severin Films does it again with the release of LOOSE SCREWS: SCREWBALLS 2, After their release of the classic teen comedy, SCREWBALLS, they had to give us the sequel.
This time out the boys, four of them this time, are being sent to a special school since they are unable to graduate from a normal high school because they are too busy chasing girls. After four years as a senior they are sent to Coxwell Academy as a last resort. Since there are girls at Coxwell their chances are pretty slim. Add to that the hot French teacher, Mona Lott and the boys have a new goal.
Sleep with Mona Lott.
With LOOSE SCREWS, the stakes are raised from the original film. The nudity is abundant and in the first one they are just trying to expose a girl's boobs, this time it's all about sex. There are madcap schemes to peek at girls. Everything from a liquid that dissolves bathing suits to some playful cross dressing to get into the girls dorm.
Alan Deveau and Jason warren are back playing basically the same characters with different names. Mike MacDonald who has previous 'balls' experience with the summer camp comedy ODD BALLS is the principal of Coxwell who also has an eye on Mona Lott.
This is noithing more than a madcap teen sex comedy and it delivers on all levels. Severin gives us a magnificent print of the film along with interviews with people involved with the film, an international, longer version of the film and a great commentary with director Rafal Zielinski. A great package for a fun flick.
Now Severin needs to complete the trifecta with SCREWBALL HOTEL, also by Zielinski and then they can make a box set of them all.
Oh, and we need a soundtrack release for this film Severin. The soundtrack embodies the time period and has some great tunes. When you have a movie that has a song about the impression a condom makes on a guy's wallet, you know you have a winner.