Elves (1989)

Wow!

"A department-store Santa Claus (Dan Haggerty) discovers a neo-Nazi plot to mate a nice girl (Julie Austin) with an elf in Colorado." 

Happy Holidays 

and 

Happy New Year!

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MST3K – Squirm (1976) - Re-post

Director Jeff Lieberman's worm revenge tale Squirm (1976) is one of those movies that I could watch a zillion times (and probably already have) and still dig it, so adding the ongoing commentary from our MST3K pals adds to the entertainment factor. Enjoy!

Little Red Riding Hood and the Monsters (1965)

Originally released throughout Mexico in 1962 as Caperucita y Pulgarcito contra los monstruos it was directed by Roberto Rodríguez as a sequel to two earlier Little Red Riding Hood children's films. Then in 1965 K. Gordon Murray picked up the film for U.S. distribution, dubbed it in English, retitled it Little Red Riding Hood and the Monsters, and added it to his stable of bizarre matinee fillers from South of the Border.

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Hardly Working (1980)

To commemorate the recent passing of 

Jerry Lewis, presented here is Hardly Working. 

 

Filmed in 1979, it was released to Europe 

and South America in 1980 

and then throughout the U.S. in 1981.

the trailer

the feature

Heavy Traffic (1973)

Ralph Bakshi initially developed the storyline concerning a tale of gritty, inner city life in the late sixties and approached producers with the idea of it as an animated feature film. With his experience primarily in industrial short subjects and commercials, producers balked. It was only after some success as the director of the X-rated animated feature Fritz the Cat in 1972 that Bakshi was given a green light on this more personal project which would also go on to receive an initial X rating. Samuel Z. Arkoff produced and distributed this for American International Pictures, as he earlier had for Fritz the Cat.

Heavy Traffic centers on Michael, a troubled underground cartoonist, living at home with his Mob connected Italian father and Jewish mother as they verbally argue and physically fight constantly. His outside world is equally chaotic and filled with odd and interesting characters, many prone to violence and profane outbursts. Live action gives way to animated scenes while photographic or filmed backgrounds often have animation overlayed.

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House (1986)

After directing Friday the 13th Part II and Part III  but just before Soul Man, Steve Miner directed the curious film House.

William Katt (forever known as the Greatest American Hero to some folks) stars as a troubled horror writer who moves into his Aunt's home after her death. Things rapidly go downhill as chronic nightmares give way to hallucinations culminating in attacks from other-worldly creatures.

As he did on the Friday the 13th films, Harry Manfredini provides the musical score.

House did good business at the box office, ensuring sequels. It's opening weekend it made $5,923,972 and came in a very close second to Pretty in Pink.

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Wizards (1977)

Ralph Bakshi

wrote the screenplay,

directed, and

produced this 1977

animated feature

Wizards.

the trailer 

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B.J. Lang Presents (1971) aka The Manipulator

The truly bizarre film B.J. Lang Presents (aka The Manipulator) was directed by Yabo Yablonsky and first came to my attention via a review in the outstanding publication Shock Cinema.

The film plays out with only three characters and for the most part tight and limited staging. As a counterpoint tons of camera effects, hyper editing, even strobe lights are used to add a crazed rush to the entire movie.

Mickey Rooney stars as a completely non compos mentis thespian who is operating under the false assumption that adoring folks are pestering him to perform the leading role in a staging of Cyrano de Bergerac. As he stumbles and growls through a set comprised of a warehouse of aging props and assorted debris we soon discover he is holding a woman he refers to as Carlotta (played by Easy Rider's Luana Anders) captive. Rooney chews the scenery with hardcore zeal as he forces her to act in his mini-productions while growing increasingly troubled. The only other character is a homeless man who wanders into the building looking for shelter and is played by Keenan Wynn.

The Christian Licorice Store (1971)

Director James Frawley gained my attention and interest for his involvement with two outstanding films: The Muppet Movie as well as the oddball U.S. filmed Western Kid Blue, starring Dennis Hopper, Warren Oates, and Peter Boyle. Prior to Kid Blue, Frawley directed this feature following a rising tennis star navigating life and games both on and off the court. The film's title The Christian Licorice Store is never mentioned or referenced in the film.

Beau Bridges stars as Los Angeles based budding tennis ace Franklin Cane with Maud Adams as his steady girlfriend. Allan Arbus and director Jean Renoir also appear as do many familiar faces in smaller roles. Lalo Schifrin delivers a soundtrack worthy of his storied reputation and Tim Buckley provides some songs too.

Willard (1971)

Directed by Daniel Mann (Our Man Flint, The Revengers, Playing for Time) and released in 1971, Willard preceded, perhaps even helped influence, a wave of movies that followed highlighting either wild animals on the attack (Jaws, Grizzly, Bug) and/or social misfits getting violent revenge on their tormentors (Carrie).

Bruce Davison stars as the title character, a sad sack who deals with beratings and belittlings from all avenues of his life, especially from his widowed mother and domineering boss. After the emotional defeat of coming home to a birthday party his mother has thrown, populated by her older friends exclusively, Willard bonds with a rat in his backyard. This one rat quickly becomes a multitude, with Willard developing a bond and establishing communication with his rodent pals. Willard then puts the rats into service righting the many wrongs he feels have burdened his existence. 

The film was popular at the box office, inspiring a sequel and years later a Crispin Glover led remake. Sondra Locke appears in one of her earliest film roles as a love interest for Willard while Elsa Lanchester appears in one of her final cinematic roles as his over bearing mother. Ernest Borgnine pushes Willard around as the duplicitous, business stealing boss.

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God Told Me To (1976)

Written and directed by Larry Cohen (Bone, It's Alive, Black Caesar, The Stuff), 1976s God Told Me To (aka Demon) is a thought provoking horror/science fiction hybrid.

Tony Lo Bianco stars as a NYPD detective who tries to figure out the motives behind a series of seemingly random bursts of deadly violence which are connected by all of the perpetrators stating the reason for their transgression was that "god told them to." Eventually he traces everything back to a cult like organization headed by the always intriguing Richard Lynch. Things get darker and more complicated from there, ultimately leading to an explosive climax.

Keep an eye out for Andy Kaufman's first film appearance as a NYPD patrolman who becomes motivated to commit violence during a parade detail.

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Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) aka 4 mosche di velluto grigio

 

Dario Argento's 1971 feature Four Flies on Grey Velvet is the final film in his "Animal Trilogy", which began with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Cat o' Nine Tails. Another genre notable, Luigi Cozzi served as assistant director. Due to some disagreements over music selections, this would be the last Argento film scored by Ennio Morricone until the 1990s.

Italian film favorite Bud Spencer, plus Americans Mimsy Farmer and Michael Brandon top the films cast. It was picked up by Paramount Pictures for it's United States release but little was done with the film in the U.S. after an initial run.

The plot is convoluted, perhaps a bit too complicated, but overall Four Flies on Grey Velvet rewards a viewer with well shot color saturated and outstanding cinematography (most noatbly what may have been the first use of high-speed camera equipment to film the path and trajectory of a bullet), as well as heaps of Argento's "edge of your seat" cinema. The scene where a woman finds herself locked inside a walled park after closing and is pursued relentlessly stands out for it's memorable and rapidly escalating tension.

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The Crazies (1973)

Released in 1973, The Crazies (aka Code Name: Trixie or The Mad People) was directed by George Romero with many of the same crew/production staff from his ground breaking feature Night of the Living Dead and has since been the subject of a Hollywood remake.

The plot plays out as an unknown, untested bio-toxin is released into the drinking water supply of a small Pennsylvania town after a military plane crashes nearby. The toxin causes strong, visceral reactions in those exposed as it creates an unrestricted id with extremely violent urges. The government storms into town, establishes martial law, and begins a round up of the townspeople. Some folks are understandably leery of the occupying force and find themselves caught between the infected "crazies" and the increasingly trigger happy "peacekeepers" sent in to maintain order. Screen time is also given to scenes illustrating the government/military's ongoing attempts to quell and localize the growing problem by any means necessary.

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The Children (1980) - Repost

Repost with updated, working movie + trailer links. 

I'm dating myself here, but once upon a time before cable television there were pay tv channels that broadcast movies, specials and "adult" fare over uhf signals. In the metro Chicago area, one such service was named ONTV. You had to have a decoder box to sort out the signal, but that never stopped my pals and I from attempting to catch a glimpse of the nudity and forbidden films on display with out the decoder. I was lucky enough to have a buddy whose parents subscribed to ONTV and were cool with him and his pals watching the R-rated flicks, usually with them watching as well. Several of the movies I first caught in this pre-cable set up have always brought back memories of that channel and time with 1980's low budget horror flick The Children being one such film.

The plot concerns a bus load of little ones who pass through a cloud of toxic gas released from the neighborhood nuclear plant. This turns them into black-finger nailed killers driven to decimate the adult population with killer hugs. You might recognize actor Martin Shakar from his earlier role as the conflicted priest/older brother of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

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Caveman (1981)

Carl Gottlieb is best known as a screenwriter for films such as Jaws or Which Way Is Up? and it was the success of his screenplay for The Jerk that allowed him the opportunity to direct and write the 1981 feature Caveman.

Aside from all dialogue being spoken in a form of a caveman language two other factors make this film notable: the stunt casting of ex-Beatle Ringo Starr and the special effects dinosaurs. Also filling out the cast are: former football player John Matuszak, Barbara Bach (who would begin an on-set romance with Ringo Starr which continues to this day),  Dennis Quaid, and Shelley Long in her first major role in a motion picture. 

Special effects artist Jim Danforth began work creating the dinosaurs as well as making other contributions but according to IMDb trivia after two thirds of the film was finished, Danforth had to leave the production because "the Directors Guild of America allegedly disallowed his already contracted co-director credit alongside director Carl Gottlieb. As such, Danforth is not credited as a director on this picture, only for special effects and second unit director."

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Carny (1980)

Starring Gary Busey, Jodie Foster, and Robbie Robertson; 1980s Carny is another film I have repeat showings on cable television during the 80s to thank for my initial viewings.

The movie follows Busey and Robertson as carnival folk who survive by working/hustling all the angles both on and off the midway. Things get tricky for the pair when an 18 year old (played by Foster) runs away from home, joins the carnival first as a dancer before moving to the midway, and subsequently becomes entangled in a charged triangle with the men.

While I can't claim to have any specialized insight into the carny existence, Carny illuminates the peculiar (and often illegal) deals the carnival owners have to contend with as they hammer out the specifics with each town's leaders and/or underworld types. In his July 22, 1980 review in the Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert wrote, "Carny is bursting with more information about American carnivals than it can contain, surrounding a plot too thin to support it. ...Inside this movie is a documentary struggling to get out."

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The Perfume of the Lady In Black (1974)

This 1974 giallo, The Perfume Of The Lady In Black, was directed and co-scripted by Francesco Barilli (director of Hotel Fear and co-screen writer of The Man from the Deep River) and offers up a particularly arty and dream like Euro-thriller. Mimsy Farmer stars as an industrial research scientist who becomes increasingly unhinged and subject to frightening hallucinations after becoming friendly with possible witches following the recent suicide of her mother. Worth a viewing.

the trailer

the feature