Could there possibly be anything better than the vehicular insanity of 1977’s The Car? I think not. James Brolin (complete with 70’s porn stache) plays the sheriff of a southwestern town that’s being terrorized by a car from hell. No, the driver isn’t a manic. No, the car isn’t possessed. It’s literally a customized Lincoln from hell that can stop killing 70’s era character actors. Borrowing liberally from Jaws (1975) and The Exorcist (1973), The Car is a laugh riot from start to finish. Even the moments that are car-free are hilarious thanks to the screen-time spent on the melodramatic lives of the small towns citizens.
Space Captain Larry and his crew must beat a smarmy “tradesman” to the planet Lorigon to retrieve a valuable supply of the element Antalium. Once there, they run into a hairy guy named Onaph who, after an orgy in his “palace”, tells them that the planet is run by a supercomputer named Zocor. In case you’re wondering where the “beast” in The Beast in Space is, Onaph chases one of the shapely female space cadets through a forest and reveals that his is a satyr (half-man, half-goat thingie) before doing her. Your enjoyment of The Beast in Space will depend upon your tolerance for this type of low-budget exploitation. I admit, my tolerance for trash is pretty high, but even I found myself hitting the fast-forward button when the space crew explored (i.e. wandered around aimlessly) the planet searching for the Antalium. The Beast in Space is the last installment in a series of low-budget Italian sci-fi pictures directed by Alfonso Brescia (Al Bradley). Though none of the films are directly connected, they all feature the same costumes, sets, locations and effect shots. The quality of Severin’s unrated DVD is quite good considering the rarity of the film in question. The Beast in Space is presented in it’s original aspect ratio (1:85.1) with it’s original mono soundtrack (Italian w/English subtitles). Included is a trailer and a mini interview/featurette with actor Venantino Venantini. Severin has also released the XXX version of The Beast in Space, which features hardcore shots (using different actors) inserted into the erotic scenes of the film.
Space Captain Larry and his crew must beat a smarmy “tradesman” to the planet Lorigon to retrieve a valuable supply of the element Antalium. Once there, they run into a hairy guy named Onaph who, after an orgy in his “palace”, tells them that the planet is run by a supercomputer named Zocor. In case you’re wondering where the “beast” in The Beast in Space is, Onaph chases one of the shapely female space cadets through a forest and reveals that his is a satyr (half-man, half-goat thingie) before doing her. Your enjoyment of The Beast in Space will depend upon your tolerance for this type of low-budget exploitation. I admit, my tolerance for trash is pretty high, but even I found myself hitting the fast-forward button when the space crew explored (i.e. wandered around aimlessly) the planet searching for the Antalium. The Beast in Space is the last installment in a series of low-budget Italian sci-fi pictures directed by Alfonso Brescia (Al Bradley). Though none of the films are directly connected, they all feature the same costumes, sets, locations and effect shots. The quality of Severin’s unrated DVD is quite good considering the rarity of the film in question. The Beast in Space is presented in it’s original aspect ratio (1:85.1) with it’s original mono soundtrack (Italian w/English subtitles). Included is a trailer and a mini interview/featurette with actor Venantino Venantini. Severin has also released the XXX version of The Beast in Space, which features hardcore shots (using different actors) inserted into the erotic scenes of the film.
Virgins From Hell is the tale of two sisters who vow to avenge the deaths of their parents at the hands of a sleazy crime lord. The aforementioned crime lord uses the family estate as his base of operations where he creates a formula that will corner the worldwide aphrodisiac market. The sisters and their all-girl biker gang are then captured, tortured and held in the underground dungeon. That is the story in a nutshell. Though, this being an Indonesian exploitation flick, there are several weird plot tangents before the film comes to an explosive and bloody finale. Virgins is a colorfully tacky and one of a kind entry in the Women in Prison genre. The two disc special edition DVD from Mondo Macabro features the film on disc one, along with the trailer and a text essay exploring the history of WIP films. The second disc includes a featurette detailing the golden age of Indonesian exploitation cinema as well as 70 minutes worth of wonderfully weird Indonesian film trailers.
Virgins From Hell is the tale of two sisters who vow to avenge the deaths of their parents at the hands of a sleazy crime lord. The aforementioned crime lord uses the family estate as his base of operations where he creates a formula that will corner the worldwide aphrodisiac market. The sisters and their all-girl biker gang are then captured, tortured and held in the underground dungeon. That is the story in a nutshell. Though, this being an Indonesian exploitation flick, there are several weird plot tangents before the film comes to an explosive and bloody finale. Virgins is a colorfully tacky and one of a kind entry in the Women in Prison genre. The two disc special edition DVD from Mondo Macabro features the film on disc one, along with the trailer and a text essay exploring the history of WIP films. The second disc includes a featurette detailing the golden age of Indonesian exploitation cinema as well as 70 minutes worth of wonderfully weird Indonesian film trailers.
Volumes 1 & 2 of this compilation series were an irresistible blend of everything absurd and astonishing that the golden age of exploitation cinema had to offer. Now comes volume 3 and it’s just as weird and wild as the first two. Trailers from nearly every conceivable subgenre of trash cinema are on display here, there’s horror, action, sex comedies, prison films and so much more! In addition to the trailers, this time around there’s a commentary track provided by Michael Gingold of Fangoria, Chris Poggiali from Shock Cinema and Edwin Samuelson from AV Maniacs. The guys are insightful, informative and funny! It’s hard not to slip into movie trailer hyperbole when describing 42nd St. Forever-Exploitation Explosion, but it’s pure bliss for fans of Cool Cinema Trash. Below are a few examples of the films on display in this latest collection, Survive! (1976), Jennifer (1978), and Savage Streets (1984).
Volumes 1 & 2 of this compilation series were an irresistible blend of everything absurd and astonishing that the golden age of exploitation cinema had to offer. Now comes volume 3 and it’s just as weird and wild as the first two. Trailers from nearly every conceivable subgenre of trash cinema are on display here, there’s horror, action, sex comedies, prison films and so much more! In addition to the trailers, this time around there’s a commentary track provided by Michael Gingold of Fangoria, Chris Poggiali from Shock Cinema and Edwin Samuelson from AV Maniacs. The guys are insightful, informative and funny! It’s hard not to slip into movie trailer hyperbole when describing 42nd St. Forever-Exploitation Explosion, but it’s pure bliss for fans of Cool Cinema Trash. Below are a few examples of the films on display in this latest collection, Survive! (1976), Jennifer (1978), and Savage Streets (1984).
TCM is airing some great stuff in the next few days. Set your various recording devices (VCR, DVR, Tivo or whatever) for Friday night (3/7) because the fun begins with one of our all-time favorites, the Suzanne Pleshette bad-girl classic A Rage to Live(1965). The evening continues with the spaghetti westerns of director Segio Leone, but be sure to catch his foray into the historical epic with The Colossus of Rhodes (1961) which inexplicably stars Rory Calhoun !?! Later, as part of their TCM Underground series, they’re airing two of Ray Dennis Steckler’s ultra low-budget flicks, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!?(1964) and Rat Pfink a Boo Boo(1966). In the wee hours of Monday morning (3/10), catch the airing of such oddball sci-fi classics as X From Outer Space (1967) Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) and the TCM sci-fi documentary Watch the Skies. The theme for Tuesday evening (3/11) is ‘night at the nuthouse’. Be sure not to miss The Cobweb(1955) Lilith (1964) The Caretakers (1963) or Maniac (1963).
Things I learned watching War in Space: 1) From the look of Commander Hell’s outfit and the interior décor of his spaceship, Venusians are inexplicably descended from ancient Romans. 2) When Venusians kidnap petite Japanese women, they force them to wear leather tap pants. 3) A Wookie with horns will guard said pretty prisioners.
Though it is sometimes disregarded as a Star Wars rip-off, War in Space (1977) has more in common with other Japanese action fantasies like Latitude Zero (1969) and Atragon (1965). When Venusians begin an invasion of earth, a crack team of UN space jockeys must complete the Gohten, a spaceship that looks like a submarine. They blast off for Venus and do battle with the green-skinned Commander Hell, who commands his forces from a mighty space galleon. Yes, it’s all rather silly, but sometimes that all space operas need to be. The DVD from Discotek Media presents the film in its original aspect ratio (2.35:1). The picture is crisp and the colors bright. The film is presented in its original Japanese language (w/ English subtitles) as well as the English dubbed version. Trailers for this and other Japanese fantasy films are featured as well as an interview with special effects director Nakano Teruyoshi.
Things I learned watching War in Space: 1) From the look of Commander Hell’s outfit and the interior décor of his spaceship, Venusians are inexplicably descended from ancient Romans. 2) When Venusians kidnap petite Japanese women, they force them to wear leather tap pants. 3) A Wookie with horns will guard said pretty prisioners.
Though it is sometimes disregarded as a Star Wars rip-off, War in Space (1977) has more in common with other Japanese action fantasies like Latitude Zero (1969) and Atragon (1965). When Venusians begin an invasion of earth, a crack team of UN space jockeys must complete the Gohten, a spaceship that looks like a submarine. They blast off for Venus and do battle with the green-skinned Commander Hell, who commands his forces from a mighty space galleon. Yes, it’s all rather silly, but sometimes that all space operas need to be. The DVD from Discotek Media presents the film in its original aspect ratio (2.35:1). The picture is crisp and the colors bright. The film is presented in its original Japanese language (w/ English subtitles) as well as the English dubbed version. Trailers for this and other Japanese fantasy films are featured as well as an interview with special effects director Nakano Teruyoshi.
Could there possibly be anything better than the vehicular insanity of 1977’s The Car? I think not. James Brolin (complete with 70’s porn stache) plays the sheriff of a southwestern town that’s being terrorized by a car from hell. No, the driver isn’t a manic. No, the car isn’t possessed. It’s literally a customized Lincoln from hell that can stop killing 70’s era character actors. Borrowing liberally from Jaws (1975) and The Exorcist (1973), The Car is a laugh riot from start to finish. Even the moments that are car-free are hilarious thanks to the screen-time spent on the melodramatic lives of the small towns citizens.
