Cinematic Sadomasochism for Fall Weather: Ryan's Horror Gives Back Picks

           It's time we talk about October, the best month of the year. It often brings joy and beautiful fall weather to us, but it also yields a lot of events for many creators. This October was no different; between school and work, we had a lot on our plates! However we were able to leave space for our favorite challenge of all

        We did Unsung Horrors’ annual charity challenge Horror Gives Back! In case you aren’t aware, Unsung Horrors is a podcast covering horror films with under 1000 logs on Letterboxd. They truly have opened our eyes to lots of fun and interesting films, and offer incredible insights to the genre as a whole. Erica and Lance are amazing hosts, and they played a major part in us meeting each other!

        As for the challenge, the goal is to donate $1 (or any amount) per horror film you watch in October to a Best Friends Animal Society fundraiser, or to a local charity of your choosing. There are prompts given for each day to give you some ideas, however it isn’t mandatory to stick to them. We are dorks and decided to follow them almost verbatim. 

        Here are some more picks we made this month...

        Universal Horror – The Last Performance (1929): Starring Conrad Veidt in a romantic comedy as a creepy magician in a love triangle, director Pal Fejos aims for the screwball amusement. Finding something from Universal that I hadn't already seen was difficult but Veidt's magic hands are worth viewing before he left for Germany to continue his film career.

        Sequel – Psycho 2 (1983): Sequels have a history of not going well in general. Psycho 2 is the exception. Tony Perkins is effectively hawkish to not devalue the original role of Norman Bates; his attention to detail is incredible. Somehow he yet again comes off as empathetic as the intense twists in plot unfurl with Vera Miles's role as Lila giving the film balance and trajectory. 

        Phillipines – Blood of The Vampires (1966): Vampires wreak havoc amidst a couple trying to sort out their romantic inclinations and oh yeah! the devil shows up to add some spice to things. Thoroughly forgettable, but there's worse and cursed family films tend to be heartwarming as morality plays that the vamps might be enticing. Good ultimately triumphs over evil...mostly.

        Birth Year – Without Warning (1980): Jack Palance, Martin Landau, and Cameron Mitchell in an outdoor alien gorefest. Directed by Greydon Clark, this is probably his best film with a mostly straight face. Joysticks and Wacko are two of his comedies that work well enough for my money. Now go save yourself some time and watch Satan's Cheerleaders, it's his shining moment of combining high school antics and devilish deeds.

        1990s – See You In Hell My Darling (1999): Directed by Nikos Nikolaidis of Singapore Sling fame, See You In Hell My Darling dives into a dreamlike soft focus Lynch infused love story with a handful of actors, making it a tight and workable storyline. The trio of lovers find every way to screw each other over to gain access to hell. Purgatory problems abound the interpersonal components are a highlight and cinematography is beautiful. If you enjoyed this then Sweet Bunch and The Wretches Are Still Singing are worth investigating.

        Vampires – Vampire Hookers (1978): Poor John Carradine, he's a small treat for his endearing nature but this film is a mess. There's a laugh here and there but it's just so on the nose with cheeseball humor that. You'd better be in a good mood to ingest otherwise it's an unrepentant flop. View at your own risk of time lost.

        1950s – The Black Pit of Dr. M (1959): An excellent supernatural gothic mood piece that Unsung Horrors did an episode on. Cinematography steals this film that happens to have actors. I'll take this kind of classy beauty any day and veg out a bit no matter the plot. If something is so beautiful does it always matter what the dialogue is? I'm uncertain. A lovely film ultimately.

        Spain – A Candle For The Devil (1973): Spain's Eugenio Martin is a treasure; The Fourth Victim is Carroll Baker love for days and Horror Express we all know and adore. But then there's A Candle For The Devil, his most accomplished work. A duo of women killing female tourists for their less than puritanical/religious standards is a setup that works incredibly well here. Kim Newman and Sean Hogan are two of the finest on the commentary for this release by 88 Films. 

        Unsung Horrors Rule – Mama Dracula (1980): Louise Fletcher is Mama Dracula, flanked by two flighty campy vamps for constant banter that shouldn't be alright, but they're too lovable to not. The sheer amount of vitriol and anger from reviews on Letterboxd makes the film a must see. It's not a good film, but the intentions are good; Fletcher is really nonplussed by most of the other actors and frankly the more annoyed and unnerved the better. It's not Milligan-esque but not entirely far off. 

        Michael Ironside – Mindfield (1989): Ironside does himself no favors in this film, mostly because he can't carry the load for a sub-par script. His acting is fine but the plot of this experimental CIA program schlock is rough. Christopher Plummer however makes an appearance and is the best part of the film (who doesn't love him, I'll never know). He's one of the finest actors and together with Ironside makes for a worthwhile view. Not bad, not great. Moving on.

        Ghosts – Ghost Writer (1989): You should be watching Kenneth J. Hall's best film Linnea Quiggley's Horror Workout instead of this but fine, here you are. Audrey and Judy Landers are damned fun in this ghost story. We get George Buck Flower and Jeff Conaway (whom I dislike immensely), but recover with Dick Miller. The music for this is incredible; Landers had a curious music career and most of the songs are on YouTube thankfully. The film is a simplistic murder mystery and nothing special, however it's screwball fun so I have no complaints. Gone With The Wind by Audrey Landers is a music video that you MUST see (and the song is even more important!). Think Heart meets Debbie Gibson but drunk on mai tai's at a sports bar that happens to have a small hardwood dancefloor. Descriptive enough? Fine, your homework is to watch the film Videoman from 2018 by Kristian Soderstrom (one of the nicest people ever), which is a film about a crotchety VHS collector and a struggling secretary who find love amidst the most dire circumstances.

        Physical Media – The Killing Kind (1973): Lordy, this is up there with extremely bizarre films; if I'm declaring this it should be a cautionary tale. It's a bizarre and violent film including trauma inflicted by a group of guys forcing another man to gang rape someone. The film takes some very twisted turns as the main character has a thoroughly inappropriate relationship with his mother (Psycho level stuff but to the extremes) as we see him unfold into murderous rage. Simply put, there's nothing I'm aware of that goes to the specific places and perspectives in this film. Is that a good thing? Sort of, originality being the most redemptive quality. Curtis Harrington's directing contains some of my favorite films and his friendship with Kenneth Anger is where I discovered him. Wormwood Star specifically is worth seeking out as an introduction to the artist Marjorie Cameron. The Killing Kind is exactly Harrington's style of prodding the audience for reaction, though his talents are best displayed with Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? and What's The Matter With Helen. Watch this film.

        1960s – The Mummy’s Shroud (1967): Low rent Hammer mummy story. Fun overall in the right mood but nothing particularly outstanding. Somehow I gave it a 3 star rating and a like which in retrospect was overly kind. Moving on.

        Australia – Bloodmoon (1990): Barbed wire is for Cannibal Corpse songs, not this film. It's underwhelming Australian horror; there's not much meat on the bone of this forgettable film, and that's a damned shame. A song or two help the film along but it's just not enough.

        In Memoriam – David Soul for Salem’s Lot (1979): An overall enjoyable Stephen King adaptation by Tobe Hooper, but my positive take on Salem's Lot should be prefaced that I love King's The Langoliers and Rose Red more than is healthy so this kind of apologist take on Salem's Lot isn't without bias. David Soul is remarkably good and flanked by James Mason, Bonnie Bedlia, Geoffrey Lewis, the Fred Willard and little Elisha Cook Jr. It's the best soup with the right ingredients. Skip the modern Lot and enjoy the original!

        Series Episode – Dracula’s Daughter (1936): It's Pre-Code lesbian vampiric psychiatric melodrama. Watch this film. Moving on.

        Pick a Lance – Lance Kerwin in A Killer In The Family (1983): This is a made for TV movie starring Lance Kerwin, Eric Stoltz, Robert Michum and James Spader. They're all in a fuss trying to come ot terms that their dad is probably a murderous psychopath (but he's still dad to them). The End. 

        Bleeding Skull! – The Last Slumber Party (1987): It's not Captives, however for SOV backwoods filmmaking, this scalpel slasher has some heart. I'm glad Bleeding Skull gave it love, less that RiffTrax tried to upstage it with a commentary. 

        Animal Attacks – The Meg (2018): Jason Statham is also in The Beekeeper, where he not only shows his tender and caring side but kills scam artists instead of spending time in the water with a shark. Shark attack films don't exactly have a high bar, especially since Jaws and a few select Italian rip-offs exist. The Meg is fine, I am fine, everything is fine, but truth be told Statham is really the only reason to even venture in these waters.

        1980s – Gothic (1986): Ken Russell perfection! I mean it sincerely; he's really outdone himself and rate this among his finest. Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, and Natasha Richardson take on the Lord Byron/Percy and Mary Shelley hangout to concoct horrors that become all too real with the help of ya know... drugs. Gothic has and will continue to be a testament to Russell's ingenious use of familiar scenery and settings, as well as giving healthy license to the actors to create a very special film. 

        Karen Black – Out of The Dark (1988): Listen, I'm all about Bud Cort in roles beyond Harold and Maude. Out of The Dark is a direct to video slash-fest; it's simple and effective with the clown masked killer out for murder of phone sex workers. Also Glenn Milstead/Divine is a detective in this so...naturally you need to witness this.

        Mexico – Hell’s Trap (1989): Pedro Galindo III's better film is Vacation of Terror 2: Diabolical Birthday. Go watch it. Now that fantastic title is out of the way... Hell's Trap. It has teens in the forest schtick and a crazed Vietnam vet on the prowl. I didn't mind this as a nice one off viewing, but it doesn't have the charm I found in The Forest. That said, it is by all means a 2 star or above enjoyable watch. 

        Hail Satan – Evil Ambitions aka Satanic Yuppies (1996): It's really bad, however the post satanic-panic 90s SOV stuff does have a charm to it. Just know that blending politics and the corporate world into a devil cult mystery with 8% sleaze is acceptable. Director Michael D. Fox also made Chickboxin' Underground and Live Nude Shakespeare so... you've been warned.

        Black & White – The Night Walker (1964): A William Castle film with Barbara Stanwyck (a legend), this has moves (especially in regard to nightmare sequences) but overall is a bit shaky in the knees as to plot. It's safe to say the poster art is far too good for a film far too average. 

        Made for TV Movie - Schalcken the Painter (1979): The story of a painter's deep desire to love someone pursued by another, Schalcken the Painter has beautiful cinematography that captures your attention from the start and doesn't let go. Visually this is quite a special film, however the acting and plot leave something to be desired. It has slow moments but the dreamlike qualities are on par with some works from Jean Rollin and Jean Pierre Mocky if that's your sort of vibe.

        1970s – Satan’s School For Girls (1973): Charlie's Angels are going deep undercover to unfold a coven within a college for girls. It has all the right elements for a great romp, and I highly recommend if you're up to this sort of film. It's fascinatingly dark but seductive at 78 minutes, and you'll likely want more. 

        The Sweetest Taboo – The Vampire’s Night Orgy (1973): Klimovsky equates to exceptionally great films, it's vampire craziness but includes Jack Taylor (and frankly every film should have Jack Taylor).

        Gothic Horror – The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945): Anything involving Dorian Gray is a go for me so it's no big surprise that this 1945 slow burner was enjoyable. The featured draw was the young Angela Lansbury, whom most of us know only from Murder She Wrote and maybe a handful of other roles. Her vibrancy here is electric and she alone is worth watching this film.

        Slasher – Found (2012): Older Brother Slasher problems plague the life of a youngster. Graphic and indulgent, I didn't mind this but wouldn't seek it out either. 

        Hammer Time – Fear In The Night (1972): The last Jimmy Sangster film for Hammer and notched from Les Diaboliques framework, Fear In The Night has some giallo DNA going on in moments and Joan Collins hanging out with Peter Cushing just seems too good to be terrible. It's a trauma piece of processing grief as well as contending with a brain that is incompliant for peace and quiet. I'd consider this a successful film in what it aims to be.

        Viewers Choice – Akelarre (1984): Outstanding Spanish folk horror set in the Spanish inquisition intending to compare it with to Franco's regime, the burning times are all too terrible but the film weaves the stress of the condemned and those around them into something unique. Newly restored by Severin and included as part of the All The Haunts Be Ours Vol. 2 set, available now! You know you want this spectacular box set that includes 4 interviews, a commentary for the film, and short film titled "Love From Mother Only". Buy now or face future regret. 

Ryan L.

A Cry for Help Amongst Sleaze and Trauma: Parker’s Horror Gives Back Highlights

It's time we talk about October, the best month of the year. It often brings joy and beautiful fall weather to us, but it also yields a lot of events for many creators. This October was no different; between school and work, we had a lot on our plates! However we were able to leave space for our favorite challenge of all…

        We did Unsung Horrors’ annual charity challenge Horror Gives Back! In case you aren’t aware, Unsung Horrors is a podcast covering horror films with under 1000 logs on Letterboxd. They truly have opened our eyes to lots of fun and interesting films, and offer incredible insights to the genre as a whole. Erica and Lance are amazing hosts, and they played a major part in us meeting each other!

        As for the challenge, the goal is to donate $1 (or any amount) per horror film you watch in October to a Best Friends Animal Society fundraiser, or to a local charity of your choosing. There are prompts given for each day to give you some ideas, however it isn’t mandatory to stick to them. We are dorks and decided to follow them almost verbatim. This led to some choices, like me watching Hostel (2005) for the first time and hating it.

Like my Junesploitation article, I won’t be covering all of my picks, however I had a very good month, so I will be discussing more than I usually do. Think of it as a “greatest hits” album except it’s me ranting about topics you may or may not already know. Also, I am aware I have some very well known/mainstream picks. Give me grace. I like to yap.

        Without further ado…

        Island of Lost Souls (1932): Boy, was I NOT prepared for this. While I love showing depravity on screen as much as the next guy, something about simply implying it in an old film makes it so much scarier and disgusting. Following Edward Parker (hah!) shipwrecked on Dr. Moreau’s island, this film doesn’t need to do much outside of simply showing the results of the doctor’s “experiments”. I know many revel in this film for being one of the first to imply bestiality in any form, particularly in the character of Lola, however I found myself drawn to the moral questions of the other experiments. Bela Lugosi in full makeup screaming “Are we not men?!” is going to stick with me for a while. This is haunting and rightly deserves its reputation as one of the darkest films of its era.

        The Black Cat (1934): Lugosi may be my favorite of the stars of the Universal Horror era, however seeing him play a man who was tortured by Boris Karloff was rather odd to me, especially after having watched The Raven (1935) last year for this very challenge. You know how I was talking about subtlety just a minute ago? The Black Cat simultaneously lets your mind wander but has no problem showing you parts of a satanic ritual and Boris Karloff strung up, ready to be sliced apart by Lugosi. I will admit I didn’t immediately catch onto why so many people revel in this as truly terrifying, but once I realized the hellish portrayal of clean modernity built upon recent horrors, and the omen it foretold for our world, I was sucked in. This film lives and breathes death, and I love it for that.

        The Brain that Wouldn’t Die (1962): I had to watch at least one braindead B-movie this month, and this filled that gap perfectly. This is cheapo early sleaze that really doesn’t care if you think it’s totally nonsensical, and it never tries to act like it knows what it’s doing. It’s not nearly as laughable as something like Robot Monster (1953), and may not even be game to be riffed by a horror host in the future, but there is just something special about a woman sticking her head up through a desk and commanding a mostly unseen monster in a closet to kill someone. Sure, it has the dreaded parts of terrible dialogue that is drawn out for entirely too long, however there is an irresistible charm to these movies that keeps me coming back for more.

        A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973): Put your pitchforks down, this is the best Jess Franco film. And yes, I like it over Count Dracula (1970) and Vampyros Lesbos (1971). Whenever I say I want surrealism, this is what I want. One of my friends dubs most of Franco’s filmography as a “celluloid delusion”, and this perfectly encapsulates this. Outlandish yet reserved characters, a beautiful score to compliment the drifting visuals, and a haze of gothicness that entranced me from the very beginning. I need Howard Vernon playing the piano for his niece all day every day, even if it means seeing his ass from time to time. Eerily comforting and can put you to sleep in no time,  it kept me engaged in it’s hellish beauty. Perhaps this may be his most rewatchable work of his I have seen so far; only time will tell.

        Messiah of Evil (1974): This was originally my gothic pick, however after a truly magical date at my local drive-in, I decided to place it into my free space. I went in nearly blind, except with the knowledge that it took place at a seaside town and somehow involved a cult. What I did not expect was the surrealism and bare bones storytelling told at a slow pace, especially coming from a film made by the husband and wife duo that penned multiple George Lucas projects. Not being able to fully piece together this film was my favorite part; by the time this came on I had just sat through Terrifier (2016) and my slasher pick, and I was very sleepy knowing I had to work the next morning. Through my haze and in the back of a small pickup truck, I was able to piece together a story of isolation, consumerism, religion, and fear that takes place within a small coastal town, ultimately ending in never really being able to find the truth. Perhaps this is “gothic” in its own special way; much of the scenery follows a familiar feeling that can only be described as liminal and eerie. While not my highest rated film, this may just have been my favorite watch of the month based on experience alone.

        Halloween (1978): I told you there were mainstream picks! Even I think it’s shocking I had never seen this or any of its sequels, but that’s what I get for being a mildly sheltered child. I’m sure all of you know what Halloween is and would probably kill me if I went into points that have been rehashed over and over again throughout the years, however during my watch my date and I noticed that the day and night shots look completely different; the day is cloudy but generally filled with warmer tones, while the night is often accentuated by harsh lighting. It adds to an unfamiliarity to what should be a welcoming place: the modern suburb. Furthermore, besides a couple of notable scenes involving Michael Myers staring at Laurie, the daylight scenes are rather forgettable compared to the nighttime, even if some of those night scenes aren’t particularly suspenseful (i.e. Kyle Richards watching television). Knowing the isolationism of The Thing (1982) and the criticism of mass marketing by They Live (1988), I refuse to believe this wasn’t an intentional move by John Carpenter. I don’t think I will ever be able to see any modern slasher the same now that I can finally say I’ve watched this, and I’m perfectly fine with that.

        The Shining (1980): This broke me. Sorry, I know this is one of the best films of all time, and it more than deserves its reputation as a masterpiece, but this literally left me shattered when I turned off my television. The reason I watched this is more or less the reason for my mental discontent, as Shelley Duvall’s passing this year was the catalyst for me to incorporate this into my month. Her portrayal of questionable parenting while being a victim of domestic abuse is so incredibly realistic that it triggered a very primal part of me. On top of that, there’s the droning synth score, the too perfect shots that all look like they could be straight out of an art museum, and Jack Nicholson being an absolutely terrifying human being. I know a good bit of Duvall’s performance was influenced by Stanley Kubrick being incredibly abusive to her on set; unfortunately that most likely played a large part in why I got so upset. That being said, I look forward to rewatches of this where I don’t have class immediately after and am a bit more well prepared to dissect the complexities of the Torrance family.

        Nightmare (1981): Sometimes I intentionally seek out pristine releases of cult films out of respect; I feel bad if I don’t watch the primo version of a film that I know the distributors fought hard for to restore. But sometimes, there’s a need to see something on a disgusting film reel, or in my case with Nightmare, a VHS rip with burned in Danish subtitles. This film serves as the ultimate birth control and is filled with the best grindhouse goodies you can ask for. Within the first five minutes, you have a man waking up to see a dismembered body at the foot of his bed, before it is revealed he is having a schizophrenic episode in a mental asylum. Balancing the dirtiness of 1980’s NYC and the decidedly uncomfortable suburbs, I couldn’t always tell what was real and what was fake, which I was surprised by. Maniac (1980) is somewhat comparable with its themes of trauma, its setting, and its overall grossness, but even then you can distinguish what’s going on. Here you can’t, and it makes it so much more appealing.

        The Trap (1985): A late giallo(?)/erotic thriller, this thing was hard to watch. The mental games these women play against Tony Musante tied to a bed was one of the strangest things I have seen in some time. Mother and daughter falling for an unfaithful man they hold captive is incredibly uncomfortable to watch, especially set against a Morricone score. Fulci worked on the script, and one of the posters for this basically mirrors The Psychic (1977); I do wonder what he would have done if he had directed this. Definitely not a “good” film, but it was memorable enough to make me write about it here.

        Ebola Syndrome (1996): Yes, this is that movie. It is horrifying in pretty much every single way imaginable and is completely unapologetic. I’m not terribly shocked this is made by the same man that brought the world The Untold Story (1993), and while I think that film is slightly better, this is no slouch in the shock factor or fun moments. Every single aspect of the plot and our main character Kai (played by Anthony Wong, who fucking nails it as a depraved fugitive/superspreader) is completely absurd and it is truly beautiful to watch. Keep a trash can nearby; there is a guarantee you will be shocked and sickened to your core, and for that reason I cannot recommend it enough.

        Strangeland (1998): Y’all know Dee Snider wrote, produced, and starred in his own Freddy Krueger rip-off, and cast Robert Englund to burn him in an act of revenge for killing children? This one is weird as all get out and is soaked in “your uncle is trying to get with the times and failing miserably”. I’m not here to act like this is good in any way; there’s uncomfortable needle stuff, bad depictions of the Internet, and just an overall strange view into kink and alternative culture. That being said, Strangeland seems to know what it’s doing entirely, and it never really backs down from trying to weird you out. Snider does a decent job as a tattooed and pierced sadist who lures teens into his home for his own games, and while it does feel a bit try-hard, I respect it. Plus needle stuff is how to get under my skin. Now I feel weird that I own this on DVD.

Parker S.

Mother, This Film Smells of Death!

        When I say I like looking at dead things, I usually mean corpses, body parts, and prop guts. Generally I am not referring to zombies; I respect them, however I also hold the opinion that their films are often cheap cash ins with no real effort put in, aside from a few gore effects. That being said, the genre has yielded a few all time favorites of mine, one of them being the cult classic Re-Animator (1985).  Made on a low budget by a director with no filmmaking experience, it possesses a griminess that no 4k release could ever remove. Yet there is a charm that it retains thanks to its witty writing, memorable characters, and incredible special effects, and it ended up being a truly impactful film during my high school years. It’s also become a favorite to show loved ones, and I’ve yielded a few funny stories involving such (namely a failed screening with my mother).

        Another favorite of mine is the Italian film Burial Ground, and it is somewhat within that vein. There are some key differences, namely the fact that it was made by people with experience in filmmaking. However I stand by my statement that no remaster could ever scrub off the sleaze it has become bonded to over the past 40 years, and that there is an indescribable wonder that I love despite it being low budget nonsense.

        You may find my criticism of  cash ins” ironic, as Burial Ground came during the height of a major zombie boom in Italy. You see, when George Romero released Dawn of the Dead in 1978, he gave it to Dario Argento for distribution in Europe. Argento recut the film and added a soundtrack from the band Goblin (who had already done soundtracks for his films Deep Red (1975) and Suspiria (1977)), retitling the film Zombi. About a year later, producer Fabrizio De Angelis commissioned for Zombi 2 to be made, and asked Lucio Fulci (who had already made the gialli A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) and Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972)) to direct. This was released in 1979 with Fulci claiming to have no knowledge that the film (also known as Zombie Flesh Eaters in the UK and Zombie in the US) was promoted as a tie-in to Romero’s work.

        How can something so confusing happen? Italian copyright laws at the time made it so any film could be marketed as a sequel to another, even if they were completely unrelated. It only helped that no one can copyright zombies. Out of this, you get many films claiming to be part of the Zombi(e) franchise. I would go into further depth here, however it literally varies by country what films are “officially” considered Zombi 1 or 2 and their sequels, not including any other titles that took advantage of this marketing loophole. And yes, with all these titles, it is quite the rabbit hole to go down.

Burial Ground falls into this category as one of several films with the claim to fame that it is a sequel to Romero’s and/or Fulci’s film(s), specifically circulating under the titles Zombie 3 and The Nights of Terror (which is what the title card reads as). Producer Gabriele Crisanti likely knew what he wanted in the film to capitalize on this wave of the undead (gore and sex in some capacity), and simply hired a director he knew would deliver the goods while adding their own brand of schlock, resulting in Andrea Bianchi becoming involved in the project.

Bianchi’s work is riddled with weirdness. There is not a single film of his I have seen that didn’t have SOMETHING that made me question my life decisions leading up to that moment. Possibly the most memorable film I saw of his is one where his involvement is heavily debated upon, that being What the Peeper Saw (1972). Rumors range from him being brought on to shoot the more exploitative scenes to simply having his name placed on for distribution purposes. Regardless, when I tell you that movie is screwed in the head, I truly mean it. Anything involving an evil kid is bound to piss me off; What the Peeper Saw blows past that line and makes you extremely uncomfortable, yet ends in the most wonderful way just when you think it’s going to get illegally gross (see: Erica Shultz’s entry for the film in The Sweetest Taboo: An Unapologetic Guide to Child Kills in Film (2024)). Other prior works include the Henry Silva - Barbara Bouchet gang war vehicle Cry of a Prostitute (1974) and the colorfully perverse Edwige Fenech giallo Strip Nude For Your Killer (1975), which ended up being my favorite of his filmography.

His career didn’t exactly blow up after Burial Ground. He ended up directing the Jess Franco written (and abandoned) project Angel of Death (1985), which is essentially the A-Team trying to capture Josef Mengele in South America. Unfortunately it’s impossible to tell that either were involved based on how boring it is, despite the premise. Most everything else to his name is some form of softcore, which didn’t surprise me that much. I wouldn’t say he’s a legend comparable to Argento, Fulci or Bava, however Bianchi has his niche and it’s more or less for crazy people like me.

Alright, back to the film. The plot is simple. A professor accidentally resurrects a curse which leads to the local Etruscan zombies to be revived and descend upon a villa, where several horny couples have shacked up for vacation. You can see how this ends. Don’t overthink it. 

A normal person’s first reaction should be “what the hell did I just watch?”. If you aren’t reacting this way to anything I recommend, you’re doing it wrong. Italian horror of any kind, not just whether its giallo, zombies, or cannibals, can take a few rewatches to become accustomed to. Shameful to admit, but I didn’t immediately latch onto Argento’s seminal The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) until I rewatched it with more knowledge of the genre. My experience with Burial Ground was somewhat similar; I had to watch some of the classics first (namely the aforementioned Zombi 2) before coming around to it. You have to let go of all your expectations and smile and nod to all the things that are thrown beneath your feet. Then, when you rewatch, you’ll catch onto any subtext. At least, for anything that attempts to be meaningful.

Most of the cast isn’t much to speak of. A lot of the actors weren’t in much before or after this, making Burial Ground the “highlight” of their careers. If there is one actress to point out, it might be Mariangela Giordano, who had worked with Bianchi on the aggressively salacious film Malabimba: The Malicious Whore (1979), and whose credits include cult favorites and obscure sex comedies. Like many Italian actresses, she is beautiful and occasionally pitches in her acting chops, here acting as matriarchal figure Evelyn with a rather peculiar son. This “child” is the star of the show, and a large part of the reason the film has become a cult classic. Laws at the time wouldn’t allow for child actors to be cast in roles that involved them in overtly sexual or violent scenes (ironic if you’ve seen prior gialli). To circumvent this, 25 year old Peter Bark was cast in the role of Evelyn’s son, Michael. He is immediately recognizable, and has become the face of the film and a bit of a meme online, with his distinct facial features and stature. This both comforts and disturbs during the more Oedipal moments of the film (of which there are plenty). A particularly infamous moment involving his mother and nipples has been immortalized by Severin as a sticker, which now resides in one of my notebooks.

Another notable part of Burial Ground is its shooting location, Villa Parisi. It is very well known for having been the site for many Euro Schlock films, and even earned the nickname “the house of z-movies” by the 1980s. Some well-known titles include A Bay of Blood (1971), Blood For Dracula (1974), Patrick Still Lives (1981), and even the recent hits Immaculate and The First Omen. Here it looks rather dilapidated on the outside, but the gothic interior remains intact and adds a special feeling to it, akin to Hammer Horror or even some Jess Franco films. Of course having my favorite Dracula movie ever filmed there, with my favorite man ever, Udo Kier, gave Burial Ground a sort of liminal feeling, being able to recognize where certain things happen in either film upon countless rewatches. I wouldn’t call the villa decadent or anything, but it adds a civilized layer to an otherwise dirty movie.

I haven’t even gotten to the thing that probably has you all reading this far… the ZOMBIES! Oh, they look beautiful. It’s not surprising that with a budget so low the crew had to make do with what they could. The majority of the actors look like there’s some paper mache masks stuck to them. But in what is already a considerably gross film, they work magic. At one point they give up trying to break into the villa and come back the next day with tools. Yes! Zombies with TOOLS! It’s just so wonderful to watch. Not to mention the maggots stuck on everything, and the lovely looking innards of varying colors of green and red. Everything is so disgusting looking and it’s perfect. I’m a sick person for enjoying some of that stuff, I know, but you have to admit it's endearing in some horrific way.

The cherry on top of it all is the dub. Most European films at the time had actors of multiple nationalities in the same picture, so in order to not force everyone to learn a new language, they wouldn’t record audio during filming. Instead, they would dub every character and sound effect in post, and attempt to make it convincing. Burial Ground has two different dubs, Italian and English. The Italian dub is more serious in it’s writing, however the English dub adds a level a camp, with odd lines such as ”You look just like a little whore, but I like that in a girl”, “You're getting a raise out of me alright, but it has nothing to do with money“, and the classic “Mother, this cloth smells of death!”. Neither dub matches the actors’ lip movements, leading many to believe they were simply making up gibberish during production, adding to the campiness of the entire film.

The majority of this film should be taken with a lot of fun. Here’s where I try to make it mean something. There are some very nihilistic overtones of the undead ancestors of our past coming for the rich, sexy vacationers in a nice villa in the countryside. I highly doubt this was intentional given the film’s origin and presentation. But I’ve always found it curious to see that’s where the ire of the Italians goes, if anywhere. I have yet to see a giallo or a zombie flick that doesn’t follow this same trend of demonizing people of status in some capacity, figurative or literal. Combine that with suggestions of a plot and a surreal atmosphere, and the maggots only make it juicer for both the viewer and the zombies.

Parker S.

This article first appeared in Tri-Star Trash Cinema, Issue #9

Self Flagellation in the Name of Obsession

Having a “comfort actor” can be a blessing and a curse. It can lead you to your favorite films, but it can also lead you to some of the worst things put onto celluloid just for a few precious minutes of their screen time. Mine has become a bit of a running joke among friends; whenever I’m asked why I’m watching some obscure movie, I usually point to the cast list, and staring back is Udo Kier. 

You are more than likely familiar with Kier’s work even if you don’t recognize his name.. The man has been in over 270 projects including Flesh for Frankenstein (1973), Suspiria (1977), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Blade (1998), and Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated (2010-2013). One peek at his IMDb page and you will probably find something you are familiar with. With that many credits to your name, there are bound to be some truly awful titles… Udo is not immune to this, and I have voluntarily suffered through many bottom of the barrel films in order for a quick glimpse of him.

You also may be wondering why I'm bringing this up. Please understand that this sadomasochistic relationship is the reason I'm even writing the article I'm writing

The House on Straw Hill (also known as Exposé and Trauma) is a 1976 film written and directed by James Kenelm Clarke, coming during a time when Hammer Films had been phased out and exploitation had taken a firm hold on the horror genre. Straw Hill’s initial release was marred with cuts due to its graphic violence and sex scenes, and eventually the uncut home video was banned in the UK following the passing of the Video Recordings Act of 1984, becoming one of the infamous “Video Nasties” and the only one to have originated in Britain. It has since been released fully restored and uncut by Severin, using the original negative and two different prints to make it look as best as modern technology can help it.

The plot is a psychosexual tale of writer Paul Martin (Kier, badly dubbed) secluded in the English countryside trying to write his new novel. He hires typist Linda who, unbeknownst to him, is completely obsessed with him and is seeking revenge on him for a dark secret he covered up.

Suppose it ended up on the Video Nasties list for a reason. Much of the film is devoted to sex and power dynamics. Within the first five minutes there is a borderline softcore scene, and from there the sexual tension never really dies down. The novel Paul is writing is rather spicy, and he seems to see both his girlfriend Suzanne (played by British sex symbol Fiona Richmond) and Linda (Linda Hayden of Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) and The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) fame) as objects for him to use however he pleases. The camerawork adds onto this sleazy atmosphere, often drifting through the house and lingering on bodies from a distance. The violence is mixed in with said sexuality, featuring a completely unnecessary rape mid film and a Psycho inspired death scene, nudity included.

The casting in this is a major issue, specifically Kier and Richmond. Kier (dare I say) is too delicate looking for the part of a womanizer author who likes to have rough sex wearing reusable rubber gloves. Knowing he was approached at a screening of The Story of O (1975) to be in this makes total sense, as he is out of place in that film as well. The upside of that is at least he is trying his best with the material; Richmond, on the other hand, cannot act. She seems to know her entire purpose in the film is to be shown off, and it gets on your nerves rather quickly. Hayden is just as exposed in this film as Richmond, but she actively milks her role as a femme fatale, balancing the seductive and coy side with the malicious and revenge hungry. Richmond is simply a pretty face to be gawked at, and she knows this. In retrospect Hayden has said that she regrets making the film, and Kier has said he thought Richmond was just a “person trying to be naked in a movie”, so I suppose I’m not alone in those sentiments.

Another major enigma is where this film wants the audience’s focus to be vs where it actually is. Paul is dominant for the first half of the film, with little hints that Linda has something bigger in mind. He orders her to write whatever he tells her as she plays along, yet there is some perverted focus on her, be it the multiple self pleasuring sessions we see, the very quick comeuppance her rapists get, or her standing over Paul when he’s had too much to drink and hallucinates on the floor. This is flipped when Paul invites Suzanne back over for his own personal plaything; before he can have a satisfying moment with her, Suzanne has been seduced, triggering a primal rage that compels him to have rough (albeit weirdly consensual) sex with her. By the time it is revealed Paul is a complete fraud, Linda has murdered Suzanne and forcefully finished Paul’s novel; yet the film loses focus with Paul searching for and then running from Linda. For a film that wants to position itself as an entry in the “rape-revenge” subgenre (in between The Last House on the Left (1972) and I Spit On Your Grave (1978)), it doesn’t seem to pick a particular view. Instead, it revels in the twisted dynamic between Paul and Linda, and how she ends up overtaking him and his self importance, no matter who’s side the audience ends up seeing it from.

As the years have gone on, this is a pretty grimy flick, and remains a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. This is by no means a good movie, and is far from the best “Video Nasty”, but still I really enjoy it even with its faults. Some sick part of me really enjoys having conflicting elements in a lesser known film like this, one where maybe its legacy isn’t as beloved as The Evil Dead (1981), or as controversial as Cannibal Holocaust (1980) (both of which were also on the infamous DPP list). It has become buried amongst the more well known films, and perhaps doesn’t have the greatest reputation out there. However in that lies some joy, to see a film that lives up to its reputation, and not be hampered as times goes on, unlike how many other “nasties” have fared. Just a little magic like that can keep me coming back for more, willing to rewatch over and over no matter if I’ll come away with a smile or a grimace.

Parker S.

This article first appeared in Tri-Star Trash Cinema, Issue #8