Movie Review: Judy!/The Night Hustlers (1969/68, Vinegar Syndrome)

...previously, this reviewer had made celebrative mention of the eclectic, provocative and lurid film rarities, which cut film auteur Mike Vraney, and his cohorts over at Something Weird Video had successfully...even sometimes shamelessly...built their fine reputation on, over the years. And that the folks over at Vinegar Syndrome, had since taken up that respected mantle of provocative-ness, with an always surprising array of lurid and cutting edge films, in their own right...many of which would clearly not look out of place, in the Something Weird library. But again, all of this has been adoringly said before, and though this viewer feels it unnecessary to tread that same ground, again, there is still an irresistible compulsion to take a moment in remembering what Mike Vraney, whom we regrettably lost, recently...contributed, to the genre, and his tireless efforts in preserving a certain 'forbidden' breed of cult and exploitation films, which might have outright disappeared into obscurity, were it not for his driven devotion to the genre. Films very much like Vinegar Syndrome's latest double-feature outing...two recently unearthed sexploitation outings, once again gracing yet another edition of their most excellent 'Drive-In Collection" series...presenting 1969's "Judy", paired up with the previous year's "The Night Hustlers"...

Movie Review: Massage Parlor Murders (Blu-ray / DVD Combo)

Being the huge fan of 70’s I am, I’ve tried to make it a point over the past 20 years to see anything and everything “exploitation” that crosses my path. It didn't matter whether it looked or sounded shitty, I had to soak that film into my brain. Something Weird Video along with a couple of other companies have been huge for that but lately their output has been sparse. Leave it to a fresh new company in Vinegar Syndrome to take the ball and run by releasing a movie I had no idea existed in Massage Parlor Murders – on Blu-ray no less.

The title alone is gold but sometimes that and a promising trailer don’t mean a thing. Chester Fox & Alex Stevens’ Massage Parlor Murders weaves the wonderfully sleazy tale of couple of detectives (George Spencer, John Moser) on the beat of a psycho killer preying on -often naked-  massage parlor workers. Usually after some thankfully drawn out scenes of tits and ass and the gals are strangled or getting their heads smashed against mirror. Massage Parlor Murders oozes sleaze…but, it’s also a crime drama. I kid you not.

Movie Review: The Lost Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis

When the word “lost” is used referring to the films of a very popular cult filmmaker come to mind people tend to listen. Some movies are just fine staying lost, but when those films are from the great Herschel Gordon Lewis (Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs, and The Gore Gore Girls), good or bad, you just need to see what they’re about.  HG Lewis shot three sex films between 1969 and 1971 that fell completely off the radar – The Ecstasies of Women, Linda and Abilene and Black Love all under the pseudonyms of Mark Hansen and R.L Smith.  Thanks to some major digging in film vaults the movie archaeologists over at Vinegar Syndrome have unearthed all three films and remastered them for their debut release. The Lost Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis Blu-ray / DVD Combo is Vinegar Syndrome's launch title  Debuts are make or break for any new company but with H.G Lewis’ name attached to these creations it could be something enjoyable for fans of Lewis.

The first film on the Blu-ray (all chronological) is the 1969 sex comedy The Ecstasies of Women. Nearly half of “Ecstasies” takes place in a titty bar with numerous topless gals bouncing their massive areola in the background. A group of gentlemen sit at a table chatting with the various strippers. Their pal Harry (Walter Camp) is enjoying a bachelor party the boys are throwing for him. Stories are told by Walter that usually lead to him nailing a beautiful woman.

WIN REAL H.G.LEWIS GORE!

WIN REAL H.G.LEWIS GORE!

CULTMOVIEMANIA.COM to give away 3 AUTOGRAPHED

H.G. Lewis’s The Uh-Oh! Show Signed & Bloody

Ultimate Deluxe DVD Super Sets

featuring real H.G. Lewis movie gore!

On August 6^th, 2012

CLEARWATER, FL (August 3rd, 2012) – Godfather of Gore HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS is back with his latest masterpiece, The Uh-Oh! Show, and CultMovieMania.com is giving away ACTUAL GORE FROM THE MOVIE. That’s right! Real Herschell Gordon Lewis gore, direct from the set of The Uh-Oh! Show. It’s so authentic you can smell the violence. And it’s a must own for any serious exploitation movie collector.

The gore is part of the H.G. Lewis’ The Uh-Oh! Show Signed & Bloody Ultimate Deluxe DVD Super Set from CULTMOVIEMANIA.COM. The website is giving a set to three lucky winners in honor of the upcoming release.  For your chance to win, simply visit CULTMOVIEMANIA.COM and SIGN UP for the FREE Shock Sheet Newsletter. The three winners will be selected at random and announced at CULTMOVIEMANIA.COM on August 6^th, 2012. Only Shock Sheet Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win. You can also sign up at the Cult Movie Mania Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cultmoviemania1

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #14 - Blood, Blueberries and Barney

Jeff Dolniak starts off with a review of the all-new Blu-ray editions of the cult classic Maniac Cop and Herschell Gordon Lewis's Blood Trilogy. He also brings up the Lewis documentary The Godfather of Gore.

Kevin talks about his most recent views including Killer Yacht Party, TMNT and First Sunday. He talks about why Tracy Morgan is one of the best actors around.

Jeff gets into how strange kids' shows are, and the two dads talk about Wonder Pets!, Barney and the catalogs of Hanna Barbera and Sid and Marty Kroft.

In their new Blue Cheese segment, Jeff and Kevin transition into adult cartoon parodies The Flintbones and Beaver and Buttface.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

Click on any of the links above to purchase at Amazon.com and support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment!

Movie Review: The Blood Trilogy (1963-1965, Blu-Ray)

For the better part of twenty years now, Something Weird Video has unleashed the rare, the sexy, the gory and the just plain ridiculous upon VHS, DVD owners and now, amazingly, the Blu-Ray market. Yes, I said it, Something Weird Video is now releasing titles in high-definition! These aren’t obscurities like Doctor Doom, The Atomic Brain and Johnny Firecloud but four of the biggest titles in their library – Basket Case and Herschell Gordon Lewis’ The Blood Trilogy (Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs and Color Me Blood Red). I’ve been waiting for the day to see HG Lewis’ most famous films on the Blu-ray format, and now it’s here.

Movie Review: Herschell Gordon Lewis:The Godfather of Gore (2011)

Over the course of film history few directors can really lay claim that they created something that would later become a phenomenon in movies. Herschell Gordon Lewis is one of those "few" that can. Herschell Gordon Lewis’ unique creation became known as the “gore” film. Although some filmmakersdid use gore for shock value, much like how Dwain Esper did it in Maniac backin the 1930's. No one quite went to the outrageous extremes that Lewis went with his Blood Trilogy (Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs and Color Me Blood Red).Lewis was a renaissance man in a sense and continues this path into his early 80’s by still making movies and doing direct marketing.

Buy The Godfather of Gore on DVD

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! BONUS Uncut Interview with The Uh-Oh Show producer Andrew Allan

Back in July, Kevin Moyers and Jeff Dolniak talked with The Uh-Oh Show producer Andrew Allan about working with legendary director Herschell Gordon Lewis and many other things.

The interview was cut for time to fit our usual podcast, but since The Uh-Oh Show is being released today, we decided to post the entire conversation. Andrew was a great guy and fun to talk to. We hope the movie does well, because it's fun and gory.

Get The Uh-Oh Show on DVD


Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

"Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore" and "The Blood Trilogy" coming to DVD and Blu-ray September 27th.

Chatsworth, CA – He’s been hailed as a visionary and as a provocateur. His films have legions of fans, and just as many detractors. In 1963, he introduced stunned audiences to a new kind of cinema with Blood Feast – and in the process single-handedly launched “splatter cinema.” He is writer/director Herschell Gordon Lewis and he is truly the “Godfather of Gore.” On September 27, Image Entertainment and Something Weird pay homage to a true cinematic legend with the DVD release of Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore, and the high definition premieres of grindhouse classics Blood Feast, Two Thousand Maniacs and Color Me Blood Red with The Blood Trilogy Blu-ray™ Special Edition!

Buy Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore on DVD and The Blood Trilogy Blu-ray

With a $14.98 SRP for the DVD, and a $17.97 SRP for the Blu-ray™, fans will have a chance to not only explore the wild world of Lewis and his exploitation films, but they will be able to experience every splat, every slice and every drop of fake blood and guts in full 1080p glory! In addition, each release contains a crypt-full of special bonus features including audio commentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, original theatrical trailers and art galleries. Pre-book is August 30th.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #10 featuring The Uh-Oh Show producer Andrew Allan

Good times and good beverages as usual as Kevin Moyers and Jeff Dolniak talk about the best movie to ever come out of the Phoenix film community, The Frankenstein Syndrome. It co-stars our own David Hayes and Hal Astell.

They also get into a pile of other movies, Netflix's upcoming changes and more television shows than they've ever discussed before.

Jeff and Kevin talk with The Uh-Oh Show producer Andrew Allan about working with legendary director Herschell Gordon Lewis.

This month in the Trade-off, Kevin gets a little revenge by tugging at Jeff's heart strings and Jeff makes Kevin watch the first porno that he couldn't "enjoy."

This month's podcast is sponsored by Health First Chiropractic. Please support our sponsor. We are thankful to have them on board.

Get The Uh-Oh Show and The Frankenstein Syndrome on DVD

Get this month's Trade-offs Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father and Driller: A Sexual Thriller on DVD

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

Movie Review: Color Me Blood Red (1965)

by David Hayes

This is one of the famed "Blood Trilogy" by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The other films in the trilogy (Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs) are a littler gorier and a little better done than this entry. Color details the
artist-y and neurotic-y life of one Mr. Adam Sorg, played by the ugliest man in Hollywood, Don Joseph, who is chastised by a local art critic, Gregorovich, for not having a sense of color. Now, this art critic is obviously worldly and intelligent, due to the prominent beret and long cigarette holder. The gallery that Sorg shows his paintings in is obviously austere and culture-defining because they use mismatched folding chairs to seat their patrons. To boil it down, Sorg is quite upset by his lack of acceptance and runs home to his HIDDEN HOME ON THE BEACH (sorry, but I am possessed by the Gods to capitalize plot devices) and his caustic live-in girlfriend. Blah, blah, blah Sorg cuts his finger and realizes that the color that he needed to be set apart and accepted in the art world is blood. Pay no mention to the fact that blood dries a maroon like color and Lewis blood dries a bright, brothel red. After Sorg drains himself of enough blood to paint an entire picture (and enough to kill a horse) his painting is accepted as genius by the worldly critic and the incredibly trendy gallery. But after that, what to do? The only sensible thing is to kill your wise-mouthed girlfriend (and after sex with Don Joseph, she probably asked for it) and paint another picture. Well, Mr. Sorg is off and running, but his materials are running low. What now? Of course, there are always teenagers making out on your HIDDEN PRIVATE BEACH, so the answer presents itself handily. He paints some more, he gets caught and he is killed. A copy of the film is sent to the Academy for Oscar consideration and the world is a better place.

Buy Color Me Blood Red or The Blood Trilogy on DVD

The first thing that I want to know is why would anyone steal the plotline from Roger Corman's Bucket of Blood? The second thing I want to know is, why does Lewis continue to hire Don Joseph? He looks like a Cabbage Patch Kid with severe acne. And finally, why did anyone make this film? The tagline is appropriate. The posters that Lewis printed for the "theatrical release" (all four days of it) say, "Fiendish is the word for it!" and I wholeheartedly agree. This movie is fiendish! In a bright spot, Iris Marshall plays a wonderful piece of cardboard interested in Sorg's paintings. Her characterization rings true, I actually believed her to be corrugated. Snubbed once again by the People's Choice awards, Lewis went on to hire Don Joseph again. Luckily for the world, Don Joseph's romantic ingénue days ended by 1970. Ironically, his sex appeal came to a halt when free love was in full swing.

Note: If you want to watch the entire movie, just press play below.

Cinematic Hell: Blood Feast (1963)

by Hal Astell

Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis

Stars: Thomas Wood, Mal Arnold and Connie Mason

Buy Blood Feast on DVD

The tagline on the poster cries, 'Nothing so appalling in the annals of horror!' but unfortunately it was referencing to the quality of this 1963 shocker rather than its contents. The film's director, exploitation maestro Herschell Gordon Lewis, likened it to a Walt Whitman poem: 'It's no good,' he said, 'but it's the first,' and he's right. While Japanese films like 1960's Jigoku may technically predate it, this is the original gore movie, arguably the most influential horror film since the days of the classic Universal monster movies. Details vary depending on the reports but it was shot in around a week on a budget of less than $25,000 and became an instant hit at drive-ins across America, grossing over $4m for Lewis and his business partner, legendary exploitation producer David Friedman. Given that it's truly inept on every front, why was it so massively popular? The answer is simple: it delivered exactly what it promised, unlike anything that went before it.