BLU RAY REVIEW: VIXEN! (1968)

VIXEN!

Directed by:  Russ Meyer

Distributed by:  Severin Films / MVD Entertainment

 I have heard of Russ Meyer for as long as I can remember, but I have never seen one of his films until now.   I really had no clue what to expect, other than what I knew of his love for the female anatomy, especially the very well endowed ones!  

  Recently, Severin Films reached an agreement with Meyer's estate to distribute three of his most iconic films,  VIXEN!, SUPERVIXENS, and BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRAVIXENS in new 4K, BD, and DVD versions scanned in 4K from the original negative and restored by The Museum of Modern Art.  

  While I mainly focus on Horror films for this blog, I do like to branch out from time to time and have covered Exploitation, Sexploitation, and even Nunsploitation films in the past.   These films would definitely fall under the Sexploitation sub-genre and were an interesting batch of films to say the least.   I'll be watching them in order and then doing a review of each one, starting with this first feature, VIXEN!

Here is a little bit about the film from the Severin Films website:

Amid the cultural chaos of 1968 and armed with a budget of only $70,000, producer/director/cinematographer Russ Meyer transcended sexploitation by crafting this “bosomacious melodrama” (Time Magazine) about racism, communism, bush pilots, draft dodgers and a ferociously free-spirited wife named Vixen (the incredible Erica Gavin of BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS and CAGED HEAT). Despite attempts at censorship that included one of the first-ever X ratings and 23 separate U.S. prosecutions for obscenity, it became one of the year’s top-grossing movies, forever transformed independent film and remains the creative template for Meyer’s unapologetic vision of American cinema.

Here is the brief  "plot synopsis" from IMDb:

The free-spirited wife of a Canadian bush pilot seduces a Mountie, a married couple and her biker brother, all while trading blows of racial prejudice with her brother's black friend.

 I put "plot synopsis" in quotes above, because there really wasn't much plot to this film.   It's really just about the pilot's wife seducing anyone she comes into contact with.   That's really about it!  They did try to throw in some subplot at the end about communism, but it felt very out of place with the rest of the film.  

  This film was very uncomfortable to watch at some points, mainly with the scenes of the interactions between Vixen and her brother's African American friend, Niles.   She does not like him and calls him a slew of names, most of  which were crude racial slurs. 

As I stated before, most scenes were just Vixen seducing anyone she comes in contact with.  At one point, Vixen seduces a man at a fish fry by dancing with an uncooked fish and performing simulated oral sex on the fish!   It's a weird one, for sure!

 This film is actually very tame by today's standards.  The sex scenes are simulated and don't show anything too extreme, mainly just breasts.  The fact that this got an "X" rating is laughable by today's standards, but when this came out in 1968, I'm sure it was a bit more shocking.   I'm sure the brother/sister incest scene was a big play in that X rating!   Oh yeah, I guess I failed to mention that earlier!    

 Overall, VIXEN was a film that seems like it doesn't have much of a point, other than just showing off the beautiful actress's bodies and generally trying to shock the audience. 

 One thing to note is the picture quality on these new releases.   I saw grainy screenshots online, and being from 1968 I was expecting not so great picture quality, but boy was I mistaken.  As soon as the film started I was blown away by this new restoration.  The picture was super sharp and the colors were very vibrant!

 VIXEN! is available now from Severin Films and if you know anything about Severin Films, you know they always put some amazing special features on their releases.  This one is no exception, and contains the following Special Features:

1981 Censor Prologue (Theatrical Re-Release)

Archival Audio Commentary With Co-Writer/Producer/Cinematographer/Co-Editor/Director Russ Meyer

Audio Commentary With Actress Erica Gavin

Woman... Or Animal? - Interviews With Actors Erica Gavin And Harrison Page

David Del Valle's The Sinister Image With Guests Russ Meyer And Yvette Vickers

Entertainment... Or Obscenity? - Marc Edward Heuck On The Film's Historic Cincinnati Censorship Battles

Trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the 2-Disc 4K UHD edition

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Blu-ray Review: A DOG CALLED...VENGEANCE (1977)

 

A DOG CALLED...VENGEANCE

Directed by:  Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi

Distributed by:  Severin Films / MVD

 Severin Films has always been one of my favorite distribution companies.   They put out some amazing releases of classics that are well known, but then they release some very obscure, hidden gem type titles that you may have never heard of.   Such was the case for me with the recent release of the 1977 film, A DOG CALLED...VENGEANCE!   Here is the plot synopsis from the Severin Films website:

  Less than two years after the end of Spain’s oppressive Franco regime, Goya Award winning filmmaker Antonio Isasi (THEY CAME TO ROB LAS VEGAS, SUMMERTIME KILLER) co-wrote and directed the action blockbuster that shocked European audiences and became one of the most culturally-charged survival thrillers of the decade: Best Supporting Actor Oscar® nominee and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Jason Miller (THE EXORCIST, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON) “gives a fantastic performance” (This Is Quiet Cool) as a political prisoner who escapes custody, only to be relentlessly pursued by a military dictatorship dog driven to hate, hunt and kill. Donatello Award winner Lea Massari (L’AVVENTURA) and Goya Award winners Marisa Paredes (HIGH HEELS) and Juan Antonio Bardem (THE CORRUPTION OF CHRIS MILLER) co-star in “one of a master director’s most significant films” (Madriz), now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative.

  While not a horror film in the regular sense of the word, I feel this film is definitely a close cousin to the horror genre.  While is is definitely more of an Action/Thriller, there are some horror elements to it for sure, including a bit of gore.  You could classify this as a creature feature for sure, in the likes of JAWS, or any other film where animals attack and kill humans.  The dog in this film is trained to kill, and does not give up until he gets his man!   

  At the very beginning, when the star of the film, Aristides, is shown, I knew I had seen that actor somewhere.  After looking on IMDb, I kicked myself for not realizing this was the actor that played Father Karras in 1973's THE EXORCIST.   I don't recall ever seeing him in anything other than THE EXORCIST before, so that was fun to see him in completely different role.   He does some things in this film that Father Karras would definitely not be proud of!

 The action in this film is great, with the intensity of the dog chasing right behind Aristides throughout the film.  There were some very cool camera shots, making it look like we were seeing what was happening through the dog's eyes.  The intensity never lets up, until the film comes to the end with a bang!   Watch the movie and you'll see what I mean!  

 The film is unique in that it starts like a typical 1970's grindhouse type film, but then transitions to more of a political drama/action film in the 2nd half.   That being said, I did feel in 2nd half of the film dragged on a bit in some sections, and the 115 minute run time could have been trimmed down a bit in my opinion.   That is my only complaint with this film, though, as overall I found it very enjoyable and am happy to have discovered this one!  

 One thing I must note, is that this film does depict some violence against the dog, but that dog did his fair share of damage as well!   I know violence against animals bothers some people, so just wanted to throw that out there before you watch it.  Rest assured, through, that no animals were harmed in the filming of this movie.   There is even a disclaimer from the director before the movie starts letting you know this.  

 If you like creature feature type horror films, and action/ survivalist films, you'll want to check this one out for sure!

A DOG CALLED...VENGEANCE is available now from Severin Films and contains the following Special Features:

• A Film Ahead Of Its Time – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival
• Memories Of A Guerilla Woman – Interview With Actress Marisa Paredes
• Daughter Of Titans – Interview With María Isasi, Daughter Of Director Antonio Isasi And Actress Marisa Paredes
• Trailer

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

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Blu-ray review: DANZA MACABRA Vol. 3 THE SPANISH GOTHIC COLLECTION

 

DANZA MACABRA Vol. 3 THE SPANISH GOTHIC COLLECTION

NECROPHAGOUS (1971)

a.k.a. The Butcher of Binbrook

Directed by:  Miguel Madrid

CAKE OF BLOOD (1971)

a.k.a.  Pastel de Sangre

Directed by:  Francesc Bellmunt, Jaime Chavarri, Emilio Martinez Lazaro, & Jose Maria Valles

CROSS OF THE DEVIL  (1975)

Directed by:  John Gilling

THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD (1975)

a.k.a. Strange Love of the Vampires

Directed by:  Leon Klimovsky

Distributed by:  Severin Films

  If you are a fan of physical media, you are certainly familiar with Severin Films.   They distribute some of the best genre films, and their box sets are always amazing releases.   This new entry into the DANZA MACABRA sets is no different.  You can always expect the best picture quality, special features, and excellent physical packaging when Severin Films is involved. 

  DANZA MACABRA Vol. 3 features 4 more Spanish Gothic films from the 1970's.   Below is a brief synopsis of each film, courtesy of the Severin press release, followed by a few thoughts I had of each one.  

NECROPHAGOUS - The most misunderstood Spanish gothic shocker of the early ‘70s can now be reassessed like never before: A young nobleman (Bill Curran) returns to his crumbling family castle, only to learn that his wife has died giving birth to their stillborn child. But why is her coffin empty? What follows is a uniquely told shocker of grief, lust, dark secrets and the hungers of the grave. 

  

CAKE OF BLOOD - With Spanish cinema still under the oppressive Franco regime, four filmmakers banded together to create a horror anthology that examined classic themes through transgressive perceptions: Directed by José María Vallés, TAROT stars Julián Ugarte (ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK) in a grim tale of fanaticism set in the Middle Ages. Eusebio Poncela (THE CANNIBAL MAN) and Marisa Paredes (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER) star in VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, a unique take on Mary Shelley’s classic directed by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BED). TERROR AMONG CHRISTIANS, directed by Francesc Bellmunt, is a jolting vampire allegory set during Roman times. Jaime Chávarri – co-writer of VAMPYROS LESBOS and future icon of New Spanish Cinema – directs the twisted ghost story THE DANCE OR EMOTIONAL SURVIVALS starring Luis Ciges (THE CREATURE). 

CROSS OF THE DEVIL - In the early ‘70s, Spanish horror icon Jacinto Molina (aka Paul Naschy) wrote a screenplay for a Knights Templar film to compete with the popular BLIND DEAD series. Meanwhile, Hammer Films director John Gilling – whose hits for the UK studio included THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES and THE REPTILE – had retired to Spain. Molina shared his script with Gilling, who took over the project without Molina. The rarely seen result is a sumptuous tale of supernatural horror in which a writer (Ramiro Oliveros of THE PYJAMA GIRL CASE) plagued by violent nightmares investigates the murder of his sister by an ancient occult order.

THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD - Though best known for his collaborations with Spanish horror star Jacinto Molina/Paul Naschy, Argentinian director León Klimovsky also crafted several of Spain’s finest vampire films of the ‘70s, especially this “magnificent” (Taliesin Meets The Vampires) 1975 gothic classic: In a 19th century village ruled by superstition, a vulnerable young woman (Emma Cohen of HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB) is seduced into an aristocratic family of the sensuous undead.

 

  I love discovering old films I have never seen before, and all four of these films fall into that catagory.  All four were entertaining, but a couple did stand out for me.   My favorite film was THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD.   With that title, I was expecting a zombie film, but instead you get a very cool vampire film.   I will say though, that these vampires rose from the graves, so it was very reminiscent of a zombie film.  I liked that aspect and hadn't really seen that in a vampire film before.  CAKE OF BLOOD was my second favorite in this set.   I am a fan of anthology films, as I like getting multiple stories in one watch.  Each short is about 20-25 mins in length which is perfect for my short attention span!   My favorite short from this anthology was "Victor Frankenstein".  It was a very different take on the Frankenstein story, with the "monster"  just looking and acting like a regular guy, although with no capacity to speak.  CROSS OF THE DEVIL was an ok film, but I did find my mind wandering at times, and even though it clocks in at just 92 mins, I felt like it really dragged in several places.   NECROPHAGOUS.....well, I don't even know what to say about this one.  I'm glad I read the plot synopsis from IMDb.com, because that is the only way I would have known what was going on with this one!  This was definitely my least favorite of the films, but the lizard man makeup was pretty funny and gave me a good laugh.  Now that I think of it, that's probably not what the filmmakers were going for here, being a horror film and all. Maybe it was scary at the time, but it definitely did not hold up with today's makeup effects.  

 Overall, this set was a fun watch.  A lot of these old Spanish horror films just have a certain charm to them.  Most are pretty tame by today's standards as well, so don't expect a lot of gore.  Severin has done another great job with this release, and I'll now be tracking down Volumes 1 and 2 for my collection!

  The DANZA MACABRA Vol. 3 Blu-ray set is available now from Severin Films.  Special Features include the following:

NECROPHAGOUS Special Features

*Audio Commentary With Andy Marshall-Roberts, Host Of The Nasty Pasty Podcast

*Something You've Never Seen – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival

*The First Horror Film Festival In The World – Remembrance By Maria Pilar Rafáles, Daughter Of Sitges Film Festival Founder Antonio Rafáles

*Trailers

CAKE OF BLOOD Special Features

*Audio Commentary With Rod Barnett Of NaschyCast And The Bloody Pit, And Dr. Adrian Smith, Co-Author Of Norman J. Warren: Gentleman of Terror

*My Generation – Interview With Actress Marisa Paredes

*I Just Wanted To Have Fun – Interview With Co-Director Jaime Chávarri

*To Whoever Wants To Watch – Interview With Actor José Lifante

*An Arthouse UFO – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival

CROSS OF THE DEVIL Special Features

*Audio Commentary With Kim Newman, Author Of Anno Dracula, And Barry Forshaw, Author Of Brit Noir

*Fascinated By Bécquer – Interview With Screenwriter Juan José Porto

*The Real Templar Knights Movie – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival

*Fantasy And Imagination: The Legacy Of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer – Video Essay By Xavier Aldana Reyes, Author Of Spanish Gothic: National Identity, Collaboration And Cultural Adaptation

THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD Special Features

*Audio Commentary With Kat Ellinger, Author Of Daughters Of Darkness

*A Deadly Invitation To Another Dimension – Appreciation By Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival

*Leo's Signature – Interview With Writer Juan José Porto

*Dead Man Walking – Interview With Actor José Lifante

*Spain's Cinematic Vampires – Video Essay By Xavier Aldana Reyes, Author Of Spanish Gothic: National Identity, Collaboration And Cultural Adaptation Alternate Spanish Credit Sequence

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the box set

Blu-ray Review: INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS (1972)

INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS
Written & Directed by Ed Adlum
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

 Severin Films continues to impress me with the titles they have been releasing lately!   One of their latest releases is the VHS classic, INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS!  I remember seeing this VHS on the shelf of my local video store back when I was a kid.   I never watched it back then for some reason, so I was thrilled to get the chance to see it now on Blu-ray!   Unfortunately, the cover art might be the best part of this film! 

 Here is some info about the film from the official press release:

  In 1972, a team of New York City exploitation outlaws that included Ed Adlum (SHRIEK OF THE MUTILATED), Ed Kelleher (PRIME EVIL) and Michael & Roberta Findlay (THE TOUCH OF HER FLESH, SNUFF) – along with first-time assistant cameraman and future award-winning cinematographer Frederick Elmes (ERASERHEAD, BLUE VELVET) – descended on bucolic Westchester County with 8½ bottles of stage blood to make a movie about a Druid cult seeking to resurrect their dead queen. The budget was $24,000. The cast was paid in beer. And the result remains one of the greatest achievements in schlock/shock cinema history. Severin Films is proud to present this “accidental masterpiece” (Horror News) as you’ve never seen it before, now scanned from the original negative for the first time ever and spurting with all-new Special Features.

 I was really hoping to find a rare, awesome, grindhouse film that would immediately become a new personal favorite of mine.  Unfortunately, that is not what I found.   This movie is pretty bad to be completely honest with you.   BUT....it is so bad that it falls into the "so-bad-it's-good" column.   In fact, this would be a great movie to watch with a group of friends while drinking and laughing at the film.  I could see this as being a lot of fun to watch in a group.  Watching by myself was not as fun! 

 So, what's so bad about it you ask?  Well, the first thing I noticed was horrible editing/camera work.  A guy would be talking and then all the sudden it would jump to a close up of his face for 1 second and then back to the original camera angle.  I have no clue what that was for!  Secondly was the horrendous acting.  I guess if the cast is paid in beer, then you can't be too critical of their acting ability.   Also, the lady that played the "Dead Queen" needs to learn that dead people don't breathe!  I could not take her seriously when I could plainly see her chest moving up and down during her scenes! 

 Now, as bad as this was, it did have some scenes that were pretty good, mainly the few scenes they show when they capture people and take them to the shack to drain their blood.   These could have been extremely disturbing, was it not for the ridiculous audio dub of the people...not so much screaming, but just whooping and hollering.   That made what could have been a horrifying scene into something laughable again.  

 INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS was a cool idea, and could have been a great movie if it had more of a budget and better actors.   This is one of the few times I wish someone would remake a film.  I think this film had tons of potential, it just wasn't executed well at all.

 As always, this is just one reviewers opinion.  I encourage everyone to check out the film and make their own decision of it.   Fans of low-budget schlock films might absolutely adore this one!

 INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS is available now on DVD & Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  Audio commentary with director Ed Adlum and actress Ortrum Tippel, moderated by Kier-La Janisse, author of House of Psychotic Women
*  Nothing You’d Show Your Mom: Eddie Adlum’s journey through exploitation, coin-op & rock n’ roll 
*  Interview with actor Jack Neubeck
*  Painful Memories: An interview with cinematographer Frederick Elmes
*  Trailer
 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
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Blu-ray Review: ANTHROPOPHAGOUS (1980)

ANTHROPOPHAGOUS
Directed by  Joe D'Amato
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

 I remember watching this film over 18 years ago back when I was in college.   I remember browsing the video shelves and my eyes landing on the cover featuring a man eating his own intestines.  Obviously, that was a movie I had to check out!   I honestly don't remember anything about that film, other than that iconic scene.  

 I was very excited when I saw Severin Films was releasing this film on Blu-ray!   This was one I definitely needed to re-visit and I'm so glad I got the opportunity!  Here is the basic plot courtesy of the film's imdb page:

A group of tourists become stranded on an uninhabited island where they are stalked by an insane, violent, and grotesque killer that slaughtered the town's former residents.

  If you couldn't tell from the cover photo, this film's main goal is shock factor.  It goes for the throat (literally) and never lets go.   The film starts out with a brutal hatchet to the head killing, which actually looked pretty realistic.  The film never gives up and the gore factor only gets worse from there.   The plot is really simple, and the film can actually be a little slow at times, but it makes up for it with the awesome gore effects and creepiness factor.   The killer on the island is one of the creepiest killers I have ever seen in film.  He makes my skin crawl just thinking about him.  He never talks throughout the film, and only makes grunting and moaning sounds.  I am not sure who or what he is, as the movie never really explains it, but he is almost zombie like in his movements and mannerisms.

 If you want great acting, great character development, and a thought provoking story, this might not be the film for you.  If you are looking for an extremely fun film with tons of gore, then this is a must see!   ANTHROPOPHAGOUS is available now on DVD and Blu-ray from Severin Films.  Special Features include:

*  Don’t Fear The Man-Eater: Interview with Writer/Star Luigi Montefiori a.k.a. George Eastman
*  The Man Who Killed The Anthropophagus: Interview with Actor Saverio Vallone
*  Cannibal Frenzy: Interview with FX Artist Pietro Tenoglio
*  Brother And Sister In Editing: Interview With Editor Bruno Micheli
*  Inside Zora’s Mouth: Interview with Actress Zora Kerova
*  Trailers
*  Reversible Wrap


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray