Cult Trailers

Ninja Turf (1985) aka L.A. Streetfighters

2011-12-17T21:02:00.000-05:00

Watch the entire movie here:

Directed by Woo-sang Park

Starring Jun Chong and Phillip Rhee

IMDB

T.N.T. Jackson (1974)

2011-11-30T22:06:00.000-05:00

Watch the full movie here!

Directed by Cirio H. Santiago

Starring Jeannie Bell, Chiquito and Stan Shaw

IMDB

Nightforce (1987)

2011-11-30T21:50:00.001-05:00

Directed by Lawrence D. Foldes

Starring Linda Blair, James Van Patten, Richard Lynch and Cameron Mitchell

IMDB

Summer School Teachers (1974)

2011-11-30T21:27:00.001-05:00

Directed by Barbara Peeters

Starring Candice Rialson, Pat Anderson, Rhonda Leigh Hopkins and Dick Miller

IMDB

The Norseman (1978)

2011-11-24T22:19:00.000-05:00

Directed by Charles B. Pierce

Starring Lee Majors, Cornel Wilde and Mel Ferrer

IMDB

The Baby (1973)

2011-11-24T22:02:00.000-05:00

Directed by Ted Post

Starring Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman and Michael Pataki.

IMDB

Dolly Dearest (1992)

2011-11-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

Directed by Maria Lease

Starring Denise Crosby, Rip Torn and Sam Bottoms

IMDB

The Beast Within (1982)

2011-11-24T21:30:00.000-05:00

Directed by Philippe Mora

Starring Ronny Cox, Paul Clemens and Bibi Besch

IMDB

Stone Cold (1991)

2011-11-14T22:42:00.000-05:00

Directed by Craig R. Baxley

Starring Brian Bosworth, Lance Henriksen and William Forsythe.

IMDB

The Night Of The Werewolf (1981)

2011-11-04T23:43:00.001-04:00

Directed by Paul Naschy

Starring Paul Naschy, Julia Saly and Silvia Aguilar

IMDB

The Power (1984)

2011-11-04T23:21:00.000-04:00

Directed by Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow

Starring Susan Stokey, Warren Lincoln and Lisa Erickson

IMDB

Scalps (1983)

2011-11-04T23:11:00.000-04:00

Watch the entire movie here!

Directed by Fred Olen Ray

Starring Jo-Ann Robinson, Richard Hench and Roger Maycock

IMDB

Hands Of Steel (1986) aka Atomic Cyborg

2011-11-04T22:41:00.000-04:00

Watch the entire movie here!

Directed by Sergio Martino

Starring Daniel Greene, George Eastman, John Saxon and Janet Agren

IMDB

Halloween II (1981)

2011-11-04T22:26:00.000-04:00

Directed by Rick Rosenthal

Produced by John Carpenter and Debra Hill

Starring Donald Pleasance, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lance Guest, Dick Warlock and Jeffrey Kramer.

IMDB

The Brain (1988)

2011-10-28T23:24:00.000-04:00

Directed by Ed Hunt

Starring Tom Bresnahan, Cynthia Preston and David Gale

IMDB

Final Exam (1981)

2011-10-28T22:57:00.000-04:00

Directed by Jimmy Huston

Starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice and DeAnna Robbins

IMDB

Rituals (1977)

2011-10-14T23:35:00.000-04:00

Directed by Peter Carter

Starring Hal Holbrook, Lawrence Dane, Gary Reineke and Robin Gammell

IMDB

Some Random Vintage Ads For Your Enjoyment

2011-10-14T22:55:00.000-04:00

"Stop Pay TV 70's"

"Tab Cola For Beautiful People 1982"

"Tommy Burst Detective Set 60's"

"Kentucky Fried Chicken - Plump Young Broilers 1969"

"Good Job Handsome - Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk 70's"

"Spiderman's Webs Are Catch Webs 1980"

"Pizza Hut, Pizza To Go 1983"

"Burger King - Extra Ketchup 70's"

"Rolling Stones Steel Wheels Tour 1989"

"McDonald's - Growing Up 1978"

"Milky The Marvellous Milking Cow 70's"

"Michael Jackson Pepsi Generation 80's"

"Hostess And Kids Go Together 1976"

"Is The Problem Contagious? Atari 1981"

1983 JVC VCR ad

2011-10-14T22:10:00.000-04:00

The Slayer (1982)

2011-10-14T21:58:00.000-04:00

Watch The Entire Movie Here!

Directed by J.S. Cardone

Starring Sarah Kendall, Frederick Flynn and Carol Kottenbrook

IMDB

Death Valley (1982)

2011-10-14T21:41:00.000-04:00

Watch The Entire Movie Here!

Directed by Dick Richards

Starring Paul Le Mat, Catherine Hicks and Wilford Brimley

IMDB

Madman (1982)

2011-10-14T20:51:00.001-04:00

Directed by Joe Giannone

Starring Gaylen Ross (aka Alexis Dubin!), Tony Fish, Harriet Bass and Seth Jones

IMDB

Massacre Mafia Style aka The Executioner (1978)

2011-10-01T22:57:00.000-04:00

Directed by Duke Mitchell

Starring Duke Mitchell, Vic Caesar and Lorenzo Dodo

IMDB

Gone with the Pope (1976 - 2010)

2011-10-01T22:36:00.000-04:00

**NOTE: This film was in an incomplete stage after Duke Mitchell passed away in 1981. It was re-discovered by Grindhouse Releasing and was edited together by Bob Murawski and Sage Stallone who completed their cut in 2009, to be distributed in 2010.

Directed by Duke Mitchell

Starring Duke Mitchell and Lorenzo Dardado

IMDB

The Entity (1982)

2011-10-01T22:20:00.000-04:00

Directed by Sidney J. Furie

Starring Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver and David Labiosa

IMDB

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)

2011-09-28T22:17:00.000-04:00

You can watch the full movie right here!

Directed by John 'Bud' Cardos

Starring William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling and Woody Strode

IMDB

Terror on Tape (1983)

2011-09-28T22:03:00.000-04:00

Terror On Tape was a 1983 release that consisted of various clips of horror movies like The Slayer, Nightmare City and Deadly Spawn among others, hosted by B-Movie star Cameron Mitchell playing a video store clerk who shows gory scenes to his customers. It's all a bit daft and moronic, but a lot of fun. Here's a short excerpt:

You can watch the entire Terror On Tape movie here!

Directed by Robert Worms

Starring Cameron Mitchell and Michelle Bauer.

IMDB

The Guy from Harlem (1977)

2011-09-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

Directed by Rene Martinez Jr.

Starring Loye Hawkins, Cathy Davis and Patricia Fulton.

IMDB

The Kindred (1987)

2011-08-27T11:24:00.000-04:00

Watch the entire movie!

Directed by Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow

Starring David Allen Brooks, Amanda Pays and Rod Steiger

IMDB

Dream Demon (1988)

2011-08-27T11:09:00.000-04:00

Directed by Harley Cokeliss

Starring Jemma Redgrave and Kathleen Wilhoite

IMDB

The Sect (La Setta) aka The Devil's Daughter (1991)

2011-08-27T10:54:00.000-04:00

Directed by Michele Soavi

Produced by Dario Argento

Starring Kelly Curtis and Herbert Lom

IMDB

Rocktober Blood (1984)

2011-08-26T22:38:00.000-04:00

Directed by Beverly Sebastian

Starring Tray Loren and Donna Scoggins

IMDB

Graduation Day (1981)

2011-08-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

Directed by Herb Freed

Starring Christopher George (City Of The Living Dead), Patch Mackenzie, Linnea Quigley (Return Of The Living Dead) and Vanna White!

IMDB

Fatal Frames: Fotogrammi Mortali (1996)

2011-08-26T21:44:00.000-04:00

The awful, mind-destroying music video within the movie. Be warned.

Directed by Al Festa

Starring Stefania Stella, David Warbeck (The Beyond), Alida Valli (Suspiria), Linnea Quigley (Savage Streets), Donald Pleasance (Halloween) and Angus Scrimm (Phantasm). Woah!

IMDB

My Bloody Valentine (1981)

2011-08-26T19:54:00.000-04:00

Starring Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier and Neil Affleck.

Directed by George Mihalka

IMDB

Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)

2011-08-14T20:42:00.000-04:00

Spoiler Alert! Lone Wolf McQuade in 4 minutes. This includes one of the best scenes of all time where Chuck Norris is buried alive in his truck with only a beer and his attitude.

Directed by Steve Carver

Starring Chuck Norris and David Carradine.

IMDB

Chopping Mall (1986)

2011-08-12T22:02:00.001-04:00

Watch The Entire Movie!

Directed by Jim Wynorski

Starring Kelli Maroney, Barbara Crampton, Dick Miller, Mary Woronov and Angus Scrimm.

IMDB

Trapped (1973)

2011-08-12T21:37:00.001-04:00

Watch The Entire Movie!

Directed by Frank De Felitta

Starring James Brolin, Robert Hooks and Susan Clark.

IMDB

Raw Force (1982)

2011-07-05T21:23:00.001-04:00

Directed by Edward D. Murphy

Starring Cameron Mitchell and Geoffrey Binney

IMDB

Mother Of Tears (2007)

2011-06-30T23:19:00.000-04:00

Directed by Dario Argento

Starring Asia Argento, Udo Kier, Daria Nicolodi, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni and Moran Atias

IMDB

Slugs (1988)

2011-06-30T22:04:00.001-04:00

Directed by Juan Piquer Simón

Starring Michael Garfield and Kim Terry

IMDB

Memorial Valley Massacre (1988)

2011-06-30T21:44:00.001-04:00

Directed by Robert C. Hughes

Starring Cameron Mitchell, John Kerry and Mark Mears

IMDB

Killer Crocodile (1989)

2010-07-23T20:51:00.001-04:00

Directed by Fabrizio De Angelis

Starring Anthony Crenna

IMDB

Without Warning (1980)

2010-07-23T20:39:00.000-04:00

Directed by Greydon Clark

Starring Jack Palance, Cameron Mitchell, Martin Landau and David Caruso!

IMDB

Screwballs (1983)

2010-07-23T20:25:00.000-04:00

Directed by Rafal Zielinski

Starring Peter Keleghan

IMDB

The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman (1971)

2010-07-09T20:12:00.002-04:00

Directed by León Klimovsky

Starring Paul Naschy and Gaby Fuchs

IMDB

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) aka The Evil Eye

2010-07-09T19:51:00.002-04:00

Directed by Mario Bava

Starring Letícia Román and John Saxon

IMDB

Screen Test (1985)

2010-07-09T19:36:00.000-04:00

Directed by Sam Auster

Starring Michael Allan Bloom and Robert Bundy

IMDB

Howling II: ... Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)

2010-06-26T22:39:00.002-04:00

Directed by Philippe Mora

Starring Sybil Danning and Christopher Lee

IMDB

Long Weekend (1978)

2010-06-26T20:21:00.000-04:00

Directed by Colin Eggleston

Starring John Hargreaves and Briony Behets

IMDB

The Pack (1977)

2010-06-26T20:04:00.000-04:00

Directed by Robert Clouse

Starring Joe Don Baker

IMDB

Five Fingers of Death (1972)

2010-06-26T19:49:00.005-04:00

Directed by Chang-hwa Jeong

Starring Lieh Lo

IMDB

Ape (1976)

2010-06-26T19:23:00.005-04:00

Directed by Paul Leder

Starring Rod Arrants and Joanna Kerns

IMDB

Demonoid: Messenger of Death (1981)

2010-06-26T19:08:00.006-04:00

Directed by Alfredo Zacarias

Starring Samantha Eggar and Stuart Whitman

IMDB

Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987)

2010-05-28T20:26:00.005-04:00

Official Trailer

Honestly, it doesn't get any better than this.

Directed by Andy Sidaris

Starring Ronn Moss

IMDB

Axe (1977) aka Lisa, Lisa

2010-05-28T20:16:00.005-04:00

Directed by Frederick R. Friedel

Starring Leslie Lee and Jack Canon

IMDB

The Sicilian Clan (1969)

2010-05-28T20:00:00.005-04:00

Directed by Henri Verneuil

Starring Alain Delon and Jean Gabin

IMDB

Deadly Prey (1987)

2010-05-27T22:58:00.006-04:00

Here's a compilation of some of the ridiculous scenes from this 80's classic courtesy of Everything Is Terrible:

Directed by David A. Prior

Starring Cameron Mitchell, Troy Donahue and Ted Prior.

IMDB

Malibu High (1979)

2010-05-27T22:40:00.005-04:00

Luckily for us, in lieu of a proper trailer, someone on Youtube made a compilation of some of the best scenes from this mostly unknown masterpiece (with a few helpful captions). Forget what the poster tells you. There's no lighthearted fun in this flick except the unintentional laughter when you witness shocking scene after another. Do yourself a favour and track down this film.

Directed by Irvin Berwick

Starring Jill Lansing (in her one and only role)

IMDB

The Stepmother (1972)

2010-05-27T22:26:00.004-04:00

Insane scene with Alejandro Rey having a "Pacino" moment resulting in comic disaster.

Directed by Howard Avedis

Starring Alejandro Rey and Larry Linville.

IMDB

Short Night Of Glass Dolls (1971)

2010-05-27T21:51:00.007-04:00

Directed by Aldo Lado.

Starring Mario Adorf, Barbara Bach, Ingrid Thulin and Jean Sorel.

IMDB

The .44 Specialist (1976)

2009-11-20T21:55:00.005-05:00

Directed by Stelvio Massi.

Starring Franco Gasparri, John Saxon and John Steiner.

IMDB

The Mad Butcher (1971)

2009-11-20T21:44:00.003-05:00

Directed by Guido Zurli.

Starring Victor Buono and Brad Harris.

IMDB

Smash Cut (2009)

2009-11-20T20:38:00.004-05:00

Domestic Trailer

International Trailer

Directed by Lee Demarbre.

Starring David Hess, Sasha Grey, Ray Sager, Michael Berryman and Jesse Buck.

IMDB

Filmed locally here in Ottawa, Canada, this is Demarbre's ode to Herschell Gordon Lewis. Herschell also has a small role as well. Highly recommended!

I Dismember Mama (1972) double feature w/ Blood Spattered Bride (1972)

2009-11-16T21:46:00.011-05:00

Double Feature Trailer Insanity!!

The above double feature ad has to be one of the most bizarre trailers I've ever had the privilege to post on this site. This trailer is much trashier than either of the movies (especially the arty Blood Spattered Bride) they barely even show clips of throughout. A total blast.

The Blood Spattered Bride Trailer

Directed by Vicente Aranda

Starring Simón Andreu and Maribel Martín

IMDB

I Dismember Mama (aka Poor Albert and Little Annie) Trailer

Directed by Paul Leder

Starring Zooey Hall

IMDB

The Room (2003)

2009-11-15T12:56:00.003-05:00

Directed by Tommy Wiseau.

Starring Tommy Wiseau and Juliette Danielle.

IMDB

They are now marketing this film as an intentional comedy. That was not the original intention of the director and star. Has to be seen to be believed. Many are calling Wiseau the "next Ed Wood".

Killpoint (1984)

2009-11-14T23:20:00.005-05:00

Directed by Frank Harris.

Starring Richard Roundtree and Cameron Mitchell.

IMDB

The Day Of The Cobra (1980)

2009-11-14T23:09:00.003-05:00

Directed by Enzo G. Castellari.

Starring Franco Nero and Sybil Danning.

IMDB

Maniac Cop (1988)

2009-11-14T21:54:00.004-05:00

Directed by William Lustig.

Written by Larry Cohen.

Starring Robert Z'Dar, Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon and Richard Roundtree.

IMDB

Maniac Cop 2 (1990)

2009-11-14T21:46:00.002-05:00

Directed by William Lustig.

Written by Larry Cohen.

Starring Robert Z'Dar, Robert Davi, Claudia Christian and Bruce Campbell.

IMDB

Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence (1993)

2009-11-14T21:33:00.004-05:00

Directed by William Lustig and Joel Soisson.

Written by Larry Cohen.

Starring Robert Z'Dar, Robert Davi, Robert Forster, Jackie Earl Haley and Caitlin Dulany.

IMDB

Naked Vengeance (1985)

2009-11-14T18:45:00.004-05:00

Directed by Cirio H. Santiago.

Starring Deborah Tranelli and Kaz Garas.

IMDB

Killer Fish (1979)

2009-11-14T18:27:00.006-05:00

Directed by Antonio Margheriti.

Starring Lee Majors, Karen Black and James Franciscus.

IMDB

Beat Street (1984)

2009-11-14T18:21:00.004-05:00

Directed by Stan Lathan.

Starring Rae Dawn Chong.

IMDB

The Violent Four (1968)

2009-11-09T22:00:00.008-05:00

Directed by Carlo Lizzani.

Starring Gian Maria Volonté, Ray Lovelock and Tomas Milian.

IMDB

Death Machines (1976)

2009-11-09T21:40:00.006-05:00

Directed by Paul Kyriazi.

Starring Ronald L. Marchini and Mari Honjo.

IMDB

The Student Teachers (1973)

2009-11-09T21:17:00.003-05:00

Directed by Jonathan Kaplan.

Starring Susan Damante and Brooke Mills.

IMDB

The Teacher (1974)

2009-11-09T21:08:00.005-05:00

Directed by Howard Avedis.

Starring Angel Tompkins and Jay North.

IMDB

The Pyjama Girl Case (1977)

2009-11-09T20:59:00.003-05:00

Directed by Flavio Mogherini.

Starring Ray Milland and Mel Ferrer.

IMDB

Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

2009-11-09T20:40:00.006-05:00

Trailer for VHS video release...

Directed by Joseph Sargent.

Starring Lorraine Gary and Michael Caine.

IMDB

Conquest (1983)

2009-11-09T20:32:00.002-05:00

Directed by Lucio Fulci.

Starring Andrea Occhipinti and Jorge Rivero.

IMDB

Street Law (1974)

2009-11-04T21:16:00.004-05:00

Directed by Enzo G. Castellari.

Starring Franco Nero and Barbara Bach.

IMDB

One of my favourite Italian films of all time. Nero is completely unhinged in this movie.

Guido & Maurizio De Angelis - Various Themes

2009-11-04T20:48:00.003-05:00

A few tracks from the duo of Guido & Maurizio De Angelis, prolific Italian composers for film in the golden era of Italian crime, western and horror cinema.

From High Crime (1973) (d. Enzo G. Castellari)

From "The Violent Professionals" (1973) (d. Sergio Martino)

From "Raiders Of Atlantis" (1983) (d. Ruggero Deodato)

"A Sane Man vs. The Thing From The Woods... And Other Pulp Fictions" by Jeremy Milks

2009-07-27T17:47:00.008-04:00

As you can probably tell, I've been absent from this blog for awhile but I've been putting the finishing touches on my first book of short horror stories called "A Sane Man vs. The Thing From The Woods... and Other Pulp Fictions".

You can get a print copy or download a version here for cheap if yer interested.

By clicking on the title, you can also get a preview of the first part of the book as well.

Here's the description from the back cover:

"After a tough day at the office, a middle-aged man comes home to his family, only to find a fitter, “better” version of himself has somehow taken his place without anyone noticing…

In a fury of shocking ultra-violence, a thrash-metal loving, muscle-bound freakshow rampages through a Los Angeles gym during the height of the shallow and decadent 1980’s…

Someone is viciously murdering homeless people downtown and two unlikely heroes – a failed journalist and an aging, alcoholic detective – must band together to solve the crime because no one will ever believe what they’ve seen…

A respected and well-known professor disappears, leaving only a bizarre letter to his daughter telling of a small town that holds some horrible secrets from his past, among them the certain problem of mutilated teenagers washing up on shore every 50 years or so…

An ambitious but naïve young man moves into a secluded cabin to write his “Great Canadian Novel” but quickly realizes that something in the woods doesn’t appreciate the intrusion on its territory, sparking an age old battle to the death between human and animal…

What you hold in your hand are 5 blood splattered stories in the tradition of classic pulp novels, Italian “giallo” films, H.P. Lovecraft, anthology horror movies and “creature features” from a bygone era.

So grab a beer, put your feet up and prepare to get your face ripped off (in a good, clean, fun way of course!)."

>>>

Society (1989)

2009-07-07T20:52:00.004-04:00

Directed by Brian Yuzna.

Starring Billy Warlock.

IMDB

Yuzna's surrealistic film is one of the best "Rich People Are Actually Monsters" movies out there.

I still have no idea what he was thinking during the truly bizarre last half hour of the movie but it's memorable and entertaining all the same.

Yuzna is probably more famous as being the producer of Re-Animator but I actually like the ones he directed, including 2005's "Beneath Still Waters" which got universally panned by the horror community. His stuff is so singularly weird and atmospheric, even if the plots are kind of whacked. A little like Argento if you think about it.

City On Fire (1987)

2009-07-07T20:07:00.004-04:00

Directed by Ringo Lam.

Starring Chow Yun Fat.

IMDB

As already documented heavily, this film was a major inspiration for Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" but it stands on its own as a massive piece of action filmmaking with some unforgettable brutal violence and slick city atmosphere.

It seems to be just as informed by 70's Italian crime films as it is by the original source American films, but that's just my take on it.

The Terror Within (1989)

2009-07-07T19:45:00.004-04:00

Directed by Thierry Notz.

Starring George Kennedy and Andrew Stevens.

IMDB

This is the Roger Corman-produced take on "Alien" that probably blew its entire budget on the rubber monster and one good sci-fi set.

I always seem to like movies starring George Kennedy, whether it's classic Hollywood fare like Cool Hand Luke or Canadian tax-shelter films like Death Ship.

The lack of a voice-over hurts this trailer a little (maybe they couldn't afford it!) but it's packed with some decent monster beast chaos and a respectable burning man stunt.

The House Where Evil Dwells (1982)

2009-07-07T19:14:00.004-04:00

Directed by Kevin Connor.

Starring Edward Albert and Susan George.

IMDB

22 years before "The Grudge"...

A great trailer for a largely forgotten film that is a sort of precursor to J-Horror mixed with a little "Shogun Assassin". The ghost effects are actually creepy and we get a spider gag that looks right out of Lucio Fulci's "The Beyond".

Susan George (Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry) co-stars in this one before devoting most of the rest of her career to television gigs. Director Kevin Connor did much the same after this but he was also responsible for the notorious slasher flick "Motel Hell" just two years previous.

I'm pretty sure this DVD is still in print from MGM if you want to track it down.

Dixie Dynamite (1976)

2009-06-16T21:59:00.003-04:00

Directed by Lee Frost.

Starring Warren Oates, Jane Anne Johnstone and Christopher George.

IMDB

This one stars two my favourite actors in Warren Oates (Race With The Devil) and Christopher George (City Of The Living Dead).

Lee Frost has many trailers on this site already such as "Policewomen" (1974) and "The Thing With Two Heads" (1972).

Pretty good 70's road fare, especially if you like Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Vanishing Point, Smokey and the Bandit, Race With The Devil etc.

Monster Shark (1984) aka Devilfish

2009-06-16T21:35:00.004-04:00

Directed by Lamberto Bava.

Starring Michael Sopkiw.

IMDB

One of a few legendary Jaws-rip offs from the Italians. Movies such as Enzo G. Castellari's "The Last Shark" and Bruno Mattei's "Cruel Jaws" were so slavish to the original that they actually used footage directly ripped from the blockbuster Spielberg film (and were sued because of it).

This one tries to be more coherent but it ends up being less entertaining because of it. This is a true stink bomb from the wildly uneven Lamberto Bava who was sometimes capable of great films like "Macabre" (1980) and "Demons" (1985).

This is also one of Michael Sopkiw's last films, though he has only done 5 in his whole career. Still, he's a memorable leading man, especially in Italian jungle fare like "Massacre In Dinosaur Valley" (1985) and as a Mad Max-like warrior in "2019: After The Fall Of New York" (1983).

Hawk the Slayer (1980)

2009-06-16T20:57:00.003-04:00

Directed by Terry Marcel.

Starring Jack Palance and John Terry.

IMDB

Whoa. Total mind blow.

Palance takes his bad ass Western villain character into the Star Wars inspired Sword and Sorcery early 80's where glowing swords and Tron-like special effects meant box office gold.

Except this British helmed film was only shown in America on television and has managed to become a cult favourite thanks to it's light-hearted take on the genre and some decent F/X and set design despite a typically low budget.

Palance is great fun to watch in everything he did, whether it was Hollywood drek, Italian crime or westerns, or odd one-offs like this one.

House of Whipcord (1974)

2009-06-16T20:26:00.005-04:00

Directed by Pete Walker.

Starring Barbara Markham, Patrick Barr and Ray Brooks.

IMDB

Creepy, psychotic old ladies torturing and killing nubile young British women.

This film has really polarized opinions among fans and critics, some calling it boring and others finding it extremely powerful.

Director Pete Walker went on to direct some other interesting films like Frightmare (1974), Schizo (1976) and House Of The Long Shadows (1983) starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

Boardinghouse (1982) aka Housegeist

2009-06-16T19:55:00.005-04:00

Directed by John Wintergate.

Starring John Wintergate, Kalassu and Alexandra Day.

IMDB

A shot-on-video cheapie (when shot-on-video was a true rarity) from the golden age of the slasher genre. This one actually had a limited theatrical run but some reports say it was originally supposed to be a comedy but was edited into a straight slasher/horror pic by distributors.

This was given a DVD release by Code Red so it's available to be seen by grindhouse freaks the world over.

Hilarious trailer with some truly bizarre scenarios and imagery. Enjoy.

The Sinful Dwarf (1973)

2009-05-25T22:16:00.003-04:00

Directed by Vidal Raski.

Starring Torben Bille.

IMDB

This is a legendary movie that not many have seen until the recent DVD release by Severin Films which bills it as the "Mother Of All Dwarfsploitation Movies".

It was filmed in Denmark and stars one of that country's most famous dwarf actors, Torben Bille who was the host of a children's show at the time.

Long considered to be one of the sleaziest films ever made, it involves a deranged dwarf living with his mother who lures women to his house to do some awfully bad things to them.

I haven't had the opportunity to watch this one yet so I can't comment on the quality. But the reputation of this movie speaks for itself. The website DVD Resurrections calls it "exploitation so audacious it must be seen to be believed".

This is not really the type of movie I enjoy but the trailer is so demented that it has a welcome home here.

The Ninja Squad (1986)

2009-05-25T21:46:00.004-04:00

Directed by Godfrey Ho and Robert Young.

Starring Richard Harrison and Dave Wheeler.

IMDB

No need to watch the real film. This trailer is good enough.

It's like every ninja movie (and there are nearly a hundred) produced in the 80's by Joseph Lai all take place in the exact same forest clearing. Just watch any ninja movie trailer from this time period and you will recognize the exact same spot in the forest where two rival ninjas must fight to the death on overexposed film stock.

The Joseph Lai films are becoming some of my favourite trailers.

Race with the Devil (1975)

2009-05-25T20:59:00.006-04:00

Directed by Jack Starrett.

Starring Peter Fonda and Warren Oates.

IMDB

I love this film. It's a perfect blend of three genres - the Car Movie (such as Vanishing Point, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry), the Hillbilly Horror movie (Rituals, Deliverance) and the Satanic Cult movie (Rosemary's Baby, Horror Hotel).

The whole thing is so breezy and fun that you hardly notice how fast the reels spin out towards the memorable ending and the chemistry between Fonda and Oates is great to watch (in an interview on the DVD, Fonda claims he and Oates were already best friends since starring in the 1971 western "The Hired Hand").

The satanic stuff is more funny than scary but you really feel the tension as their little vacation goes to hell and all sorts of creepy events unfold. The car stunts are top notch and are unique in that they involve a speeding Winnebago versus pick-up trucks instead of the usual Dodge Chargers and Mustangs.

Just a great little movie to waste a Saturday afternoon with.

A Cat In The Brain (1990) aka Nightmare Concert

2009-05-25T20:31:00.006-04:00

Directed by Lucio Fulci.

Starring Lucio Fulci.

IMDB

Technically not Fulci's last film, but A Cat in the Brain is his last real memorable one and it is a total blast of gore drenched insanity starring the auteur himself.

It was also remarkable in that it came after two total duds in the made for TV films "Sweet House Of Horrors" and "House Of Clocks". In a way, Cat In The Brain probably owes it's ferocity to the constraints of television Fulci had recently experienced but it is much more than that.

Fulci lashes out at his morally outraged critics and scolding psychiatrists who hounded the director all throughout his lengthy and outrageous career. Despite all the severed heads and hacked off limbs, this is a high concept, Fellini-type film where Fulci plays himself, making this a sort of hyper-violent "8 1/2".

To expect this film to be as good as something like "City Of The Living Dead" (still my favourite Fulci film) or "The Beyond" is not realistic, but for latter day Fulci, this is as good as it gets.

Grindhouse Releasing has just put out a double disc DVD of Cat In The Brain with all sorts of extra Fulci content such as interviews and convention footage.

Go get it while you can.

The Day of the Locust (1975)

2009-05-25T20:10:00.008-04:00

Directed by John Schlesinger.

Starring Karen Black, Donald Sutherland, Burgess Meredith and William Atherton.

IMDB

A truly bizarre and somewhat disturbing film, surprisingly a product of mainstream Hollywood.

Some will find this movie (and the trailer) a tad slow but the payoff is worth it.

The ending is as unforgettable as it is brutal.

Northville Cemetery Massacre (1976)

2009-05-16T17:20:00.005-04:00

Directed by William Dear and Thomas L. Dyke.

Starring David Hyry and Craig Collicut.

IMDB

If you're thinking that 1976 is a little late for a biker film, this was actually shot in 1972 (on 16mm film) and therefore is still steeped in that 60's counterculture vibe, much like Easy Rider, Vanishing Point etc.

Similar to those two aforementioned films, your sympathies are with the bikers which was a bit of a break from the usual motif in late 60's biker films. In fact, I would compare this more with something like Penelope Spheeris' 1984 film "Suburbia" which takes the viewpoint of punk rockers living in the barren wastelands of downtown L.A. during the peak of 80's hardcore. Just the very existence of the bikers (and in Suburbia, the punks) is enough to generate a small war from the cops and the rednecks looking to pin bogus crimes on them.

The trailer itself is decieving, basically reversing the sympathies and making it look like the town is defending itself against crazed bikers. But that's to be expected. It's easier to get butts in the seats for a classic vigilante style film.

But you don't have to be looking for political subtext to enjoy this film. At heart, it's still a fast moving and entertaining exploitation flick well worth tracking down. It's available from VCI on DVD in it's original full-frame (due to being filmed on 16mm) format.

Panther Squad (1984)

2009-05-15T22:19:00.009-04:00

Directed by Pierre Chevalier.

Starring Sybil Danning.

IMDB

(Note: Since posting this the actual trailer has become unavailable. This short clip will have to do instead.) This trailer has it all - Sybil Danning dispensing clips like Arnie and kicking the living shit out of stuntmen, an all-girl combat squad armed with machine guns shooting at helicopters and a crazed South American dictator vowing to take over the world. Oh yah, there's lasers and a motorcycle chase.

It also sports one of the funniest lines I've ever heard in a film - "Surrender or I'll blow your Nike's off!"

If you don't know who Sybil Danning is, then I suggest you track down some of her easier to find movies (you'd be hard pressed to even find a VHS copy of Panther Squad though there are a few kicking around Ebay) like Chained Heat (1983), Reform School Girls (1986), The Howling II: Your Sister Is A Werewolf (1985), The Red Queen Kills 7 Times (1972) and Battle Beyond The Stars (1980).

Those are some pretty wild films and Danning was great in all of them (especially as the werewolf queen Stirba in the absolutely ridiculous Howling II which also starred a slumming Christopher Lee).

Danning also recently played a nurse in Rob Zombie's disappointing Halloween remake as well as the main part in Zombie's faux-trailer "Werewolf Women of the SS" in Tarantino and Rodriguez's "Grindhouse".