Movie Review: Farmer's Daughters (1976) (Impulse Pictures/Synapse Films)

Reviewed by: Rick L. Blalock - October 22, 2015

Starring :                                                           

Gloria Leonard

Susan McBain

Nancy Dare 
Marlene Willoughby

John Black

Spalding Gray

Philip Marlowe

Zebedy Colt

Bill Cort

Synopsis

An innocent afternoon of spying on their parents having sex (and then forcibly sexually assaulting the farm hand) turns even more vile for three daughters when escaped convicts pick their farm to hide from the cops! A horrifying, hardcore afternoon of assault, torture and incest follows as the convicts take advantage of the entire family, culminating in a shocking, perverted game of “Simon Says” and a weirdly mixed and edited final montage. This film is the very definition of “hardcore,” and one of the most eyebrow raising films in the Impulse Pictures library!

(Runtime - 61 minutes)

Will be released on DVD on November 10, 2015 (Impulse Pictures/Synapse Films)

Movie Review: The Chambermaids (1974; Impulse Pictures)

...the period, stationed at the Naval drydocks, on the Norfolk, Virginia Naval base, during the early-to-mid '80's, wasn't exactly the most off-time activity prevalent time, in this viewer's eclectically varied military career. Not much to do off-base, after a daily, rough & rigorous 10-hours-plus work shift, except to clear out the mess hall every night, killing the lights, chug a few cans of piss-warm Milwaulkee's Best, and spin the clunky reels of military-sponsored feature films on the rickety ol' projector. However, on the weekend evenings, there was always someone who somehow managed to covertly commandeer one of the base's VW non-designated buses, and as the result, a jaunty motley crew of us would speedily barrel miles down the road, whooping & hollering, and just being good ol' boys, out looking for a good time...or trouble, depending upon the inebriation level. When the bar-hopping scene got stale, and we found ourselves wearing tread on the dirt roads, in and about the midnight hour...without fail, we'd always find ourselves at one of several tucked-away-in-the-fields drive-in theaters, which exclusively flickered some of the wildest, albeit cheeziest and dated X-rated double-feature film fare, ever to have been seen stamped on celluloid. And it was one of these adventurous, late-night occasions, at which time, this viewer first laid eyes on this aged and obscure, playful and kinky little skin flick. Fast forward to 'this very moment'...at which time, afforded the opportunity to fondly revisit this obscure X-rated ditty, with considerably more objectivity, and considerably less alcohol...the invariable question, in this viewer's mind, arises: ...how does "The Chambermaids" hold up, in the advent of 40 years since the film's initial release, during the '70's golden age of skin flicks??...

Movie Review: 42nd Street Forever: Peepshow Collection Volume 3 and 4

It's amazing to think how far we have come when it comes to accessing quality material to get off to. Nowadays, if you're by yourself and looking to squeeze a goopy load to some hot chicks or dudes or whatever all it takes one or two pecks at the keyboard at your taken endless options to make your mess. There was a time when actual adult theaters theaters featured full-length films and loops. While pornographic feature films really just caught on around the early 70's with Deep Throat -- xxx rated loops have been given many an opportunity to choke the bald man into the turtle soup.

Synapse Films' super sleazy sub-label Impulse Pictures have shown a lot lately to make fans of golden age porn happy...now though, they've taken to handling loop compilations with their releases in the 42nd Street Forever: Peepshow Collection. The most recent additions to the collection are volumes three and four which include fifteen outrageous sex loops from the 70's and early 80's. If you think you can handle it here's a look at both!

Volume three serves up a grouping of loops that have plenty of interesting highlights. We get to see a young John Holmes slap around his mammoth python with a young gal. Before he pummels the lass from behind a bunch of butter to the area. Does this help dull the pain? We'll never know because all you can hear is the projector running as is the norm for every single loop on these collections.

Movie Review: Curtains (1983, Blu-ray)

Directed by Richard Ciupka

Movie Review by Greg Goodsell

Overbearing stage and screen director Jonathan Stryker (John Vernon) seems intent on casting his longtime star and erstwhile lover Samantha Sherwood (Samantha Eggar) in his new production of “Audra.” Said hot property is about a woman who murders her lover for infidelity and is then sent to a sanitarium. Adherents to the “method,” both Stryker and Sherwood plot to have Sherwood committed to an insane asylum to add authenticity to the role. Sherwood at first adapts to the “snake pit,” but it turns out that it was all a ruse on Stryker’s part to keep her out of the way in order to ogle some fresh new starlets in a most unorthodox audition process at an isolated countryside mansion. Left languishing, Sherwood is sprung from the nuthouse by a friend (in a quickly done single-take scene) and meets Stryker and his chorus line of bimbos at the house. Slowly but surely, a killer in an old hag mask (perhaps symbolic of Eggar’s status as an aging actress?) begins to thin out the cast. A surprise ending that MAKES NO SENSE follows.

As gorgeous and as hopeless as its victims, Curtains is a mess of the first water. Filmed around 1981, then shelved, with additional scenes filmed and inserted later, Curtains was shot on a not-inconsiderable budget of $4 million and is as disjointed and nonsensical as any shot-on-video cheapie. Let us count the ways: one character plunges out a second story window and somersaults through a first floor window; a young male character is introduced in the first scenes at the mansion and then inexplicably disappears; and so on. Slasher films generally are very poorly plotted with ample plot holes but compensate with energy and clever kill scenes. Other than its classic scene of an ice skating session cut short – literally, Curtains is slow and tame even by 1981 standards! It does feature the first example of a severed head found-in-a-toilet, but is otherwise dull and lifeless.

Movie Review: Countess Dracula (1970, Blu-ray / DVD)

What do you get when you mix blood, murder, virgins, and a selfish, manipulative, homicidal crazy who doesn’t want to get older? Elizabeth Nádasdy, aka Countess Bathory. Hammer Films brings us Countess Dracula, a campy little vehicle perfect for the sultry beauty of Ingrid Pitt, our luscious little noble.

Countess Dracula is the story of Elizabeth Bathory and her horrific crimes committed against the young and nubile ladies in her neighborhood. We open with the funeral of the Countess’s husband and how she ogles Imre, the son of her husband’s best friend. I have to admit he is pretty but I’ve always been a sucker for a cleft chin.

At the reading of the Count’s will, Fabio, the castle Historian (who knew there was such a thing?) and Imre are very happy. But Captain Dobi dislikes inheriting the armory and the Countess is pissed she has to share her estate with Ilona, her and the Count’s daughter. Just because you can have kids doesn’t mean you should. What a bitch.

"Worm" Wiggles it's Way to DVD this August from Synapse Films!

WHAT'S THAT RUSTLING BETWEEN YOUR EARS? MAYBE IT'S...

WORM
SQUIRMING YOUR WAY ON DVD AUGUST 12!

A WIGGLING NIGHTMARE!
In a future where we no longer have the ability to dream, people have turned to 'Fantasites,' genetically engineered worm-like parasites, for sleep relief. Delivered right to your door, these “worms” allow you to experience your wildest nocturnal fantasies by just dropping one in your ear canal right before bedtime!
Charles (John Ferguson), a socially awkward young man, begins using this new miracle dream aid hoping it will bring excitement to his mundane life and get him closer to the girl of his dreams. Soon, things squirm out of control for Charles and his friends, when the Government bans the product and people seek the addictive ‘Fantasites’ through underground illegal means...

The 80's Slasher Classic "Prom Night" Debuts on Blu-ray this September!

SOME WILL BE CROWNED.
OTHERS WILL LOSE THEIR HEADS.

PROM NIGHT
SLASHING YOUR WAY ON BLU-RAY AND DVD SEPTEMBER 9!

GET YOUR TUXEDOS ON!

Jamie Lee Curtis (HALLOWEEN, THE FOG) and Leslie Nielsen (THE NAKED GUN, AIRPLANE, FORBIDDEN PLANET) star in this celebrated slasher classic.Four Hamilton High seniors are hiding a terrible secret. What happened to Robin Hammond six years ago was a game that turned into a horrible tragedy, and someone saw what they did… someone waiting for gruesome revenge! Wearing a black hood and wielding an axe, a killer brutally slaughters the teenagers one by one at their high school prom.  As the spotlight falls on the newly crowned prom king and queen, the psychopath will show everyone his new favorite game to play…

Are you ready for a bloody night of
“Disco Madness”? Synapse Films is proud to present PROM NIGHT in a beautiful new version, remastered and restored in 2K from the original 35mm camera negative with an all-new 5.1 surround mix.

Movie Review: Honey Buns (1973)

The Impulse Pictures line of DVDs run by the Blu-ray and DVD specialists Synapse Films has consistently shown a dedication to bringing some of the naughtiest filth to DVD that the world has to offer. Whether it’s the crazy Japanese perversion of the popular Nikkatsu series or the goofy Euro-trashiness contained in the School Girl Report releases, Impulse shows a variety any pervert can appreciate. Thankfully, the Golden Age of porn is now becoming more of a focus with the recent release of Honey Buns, starring hardcore and soft-core starlets, Ushi Digard (Super Vixens, Fantasm) and Rene Bond (Please Don’t Eat My Mother, Rene Bond's Sex Fantasies).

Honey Buns is a "story" about a lonely, horny and pathetic schlep who slaves away at his shit desk job for his obnoxious boss who really doesn’t do much work himself. When his boss isn’t yelling at him he throws the always charming lecherous gaze at the females at the office (played by Bond and Digard) and occasionally breaks open a porno magazine right at his desk.

"Curtains" Terrorizes Blu-ray and DVD this July!

SOMEONE IS WAITING, SOMEONE IS WATCHING...

CURTAINS
AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD JULY 8!

AND THE CURTAINS PART!

John Vernon (CHAINED HEAT, National Lampoon’s ANIMAL HOUSE) and Samantha Eggar (THE BROOD, THE EXTERMINATOR) star in this horror classic from the golden age of the slasher genre.

A group of women gather for a weekend casting call at the secluded mansion of director Jonathan Stryker (Vernon). He’s searching for the perfect woman to play the role of the crazed character “Audra”, and these women are just dying for the chance to play her! Stryker’s last star, Samantha Sherwood (Eggar), is so determined to get the part, she committed herself to an asylum to prepare for the role. Unfortunately for all, a crazed killer in a disgusting “hag” mask is viciously murdering everyone one by one. Who will survive the final curtain call?

Lovingly re-mastered in 2K resolution from original vault materials virtually untouched for over 30 years, CURTAINS makes its high-definition world premiere from Synapse Films. 

Special Features:

• The Ultimate Nightmare:
    The Making of CURTAINS                               Retrospective
• Audio Commentary with Stars
    Lesleh Donaldson and Lynne Griffin
• Audio Interviews with Producer                     Peter R. Simpson and Star
    Samantha Eggar
• Theatrical Trailer
• New 5.1 Surround Remix

 

Impulse Pictures Brings on the Memories, and the Mammaries, with Two Flicks from 1973 and 1974, the Years of the Deuce!

Mary Ellen and Sally, two lovely maids at a local hotel, are tired of their boring, dead-end cleaning jobs.  To liven up their work, these two horny honeys decide to give the guests a little extra “room service.” When some honeymooners and businessmen arrive, the humping and bumping gets even hotter for our heroines as the night goes on.  In the morning, will they decide to keep their jobs after all?

The amateurish camerawork, microphone shadows, elevator music, terribly recorded sound and “you are there” extreme sex close-ups, will bring you back to the days when adult films were cheap and fast and VERY sleazy.  Re-mastered from a scratchy, barely surviving, theatrical print, THE CHAMBERMAIDS is a steamy slice of 70’s sex cinema that will have you cleaning up your own room after you watch it! 

Movie Review: Nurse Girl Dorm: Sticky Fingers (DVD,1985, Nikkatsu)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Ah, Nikkatsu.... you can never really go wrong with anything from this company can you? A Japanese company that specialized in producing erotic films shot on 35MM. Every-time I review a Nikkatsu film I'm never sure on what I'm going to get. It's like the prize at the bottom of a cracker jack box.

"Nurse Girl Dorm: Sticky Fingers" despite the lurid title is maybe the most tame film from Nikkatsu. Now that's not a bad thing, in fact now and then Nikkatsu is a bit much for me. But this film is a straight up sex-comedy. You could easily replace the Asian cast with an American cast and you'd feel like your watching Porky's. My guess is American sex comedy's were big in Japan in the 80's and Nikkatsu wanted part of that. So we get Nurse Girl Dorm.

Cinema Head Cheese's "Best Blu-rays & DVDs of 2013"

If you're wondering at all what we at Cinema Head Cheese think are the essential genre releases are for 2013, look no further than the list below containing the best Blu-rays and DVDs of this past year. These are the cream of the crop, so make sure that you make them a part of your collection!

The Vincent Price Collection (Scream Factory)

Skull World - Warrior Edition (Unstable Ground Pictures)

THIS VALENTINE'S DAY, WARM YOURSELF UP WITH NIKKATSU!

SEX HUNTER: 1980

AND

NURSE GIRL DORM: STICKY FINGERS

SEX HUNTER: 1980

impulse Pictures continues its assault on your sensations with two new Nikkatsu releases!

Miki, a young and talented ballet dancer, is accepted into an exclusive, and very private, academy run by a mysterious woman.  Miki wants to further her dance education and rekindle her relationship with her boyfriend, but soon discovers all the horrible perversions forced upon the academy students. She is subjected to constant violent sexual acts and torture and realizes there may be no escape!  With similar tones to Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s masterwork SUSPIRIA, SEX HUNTER: 1980 is one of the more controversial entries in the Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection.  The depictions of disturbing sexual violence so concerned Nikkatsu studios, they actually warned director Toshiharu Ikeda to tone things down for his next film!

Movie Review: THE ODD ANGRY SHOT (1979)

Directed by Tom Jeffrey

Harry (Graham Young) is a young Australian pup who's signed up to become part of the SAS, part of his country's military participating in the Vietnam War. It's 1969, and his parents throw him a going away party. Peter, Paul and Mary's “Leaving On a Jet Plane” is spun on the record, and his has one last final shag with his Sheila. He's then off to war, and he hunkers down with his fellow Aussies. He deals with the constant rain, drunkenness – Australians were up to their tits in Foster's Lager at this point, even in the thick of battle and boredom of camp life. A much older soldier, Rogers (Bryan Brown) relates how he signed up after his career as a fine artist failed and his wife left him. He schools Harry on how unpopular the war has become, and how the people there will be people who welcome him home and tell him how proud they are of him …. which will last about a week after his return.

The Odd Angry Shot is a highly regarded Australian film that many hail as a classic. Dealing with Australia's contributions to the war effort,  American audiences, accustomed to high-octane actioners such as Saving Private Ryan (1992) have found Shot to be on the dull side. It's been given kudos for this very fact, by others who say it accurately reflects the military experience. Any serviceman will tell you that life on the front lines isn't all high-strung heroics. There's a lot of boredom waiting around for the next shoe to fall, they say. Add to this an adherence to military bureaucracy, many young men who sign up to serve their country are frustrated by their government's rules and regulations at every turn.

Synapse Films to Release Dario Argento's Masterpiece "Suspiria" on Blu-ray and DVD!

SUSPIRIA

COMING TO DVD, BLU-RAY,
AND OTHER OPTICAL MEDIA!

SYNAPSE FILMS, INC. LICENSES DARIO ARGENTO'S SUSPIRIA, SOUNDTRACK BY GOBLIN, FOR DVD, BLU-RAY AND FUTURE OPTICAL MEDIA.

ROMULUS, MI – Oct. 31, 2013 – Synapse Films, Inc. has acquired the North American home-video rights to Dario Argento's 1977 classic horror film SUSPIRIA, with an original soundtrack by European prog-rockers Goblin. Described as “one of the scariest films of all time” by Entertainment Weekly, SUSPIRIA stars the beautiful Jessica Harper (Brian De Palma's PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, Woody Allen's STARDUST MEMORIES) as a young girl caught up in a coven of witches controlling a German dance academy, with a guest appearance by Udo Kier (Lars von Trier's NYMPH( )MANIAC, Andy Warhol's FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA).

“I’ve been involved in the restoration and release of many films in my career, but SUSPIRIA has always eluded me, until now,” says Donald May, Jr., President of Synapse Films. “It’s one of my favorite horror films and I’m ecstatic that my business partner, Jerry Chandler, was able to negotiate with the rights holders to release this film. This is going to be an amazing project

for us.”

Synapse Films, Inc. will work closely with Technicolor Rome and Technicolor Los Angeles to create an all-new high-definition 2K scan from the original negative for a possible 2014-15 video release. “It’s important to spend as much time as possible to create the definitive high-definition home video version for the fans,” May explains. “We’re going to take our time with this one.”

Synapse Films, Inc. is currently planning the extensive work on SUSPIRIA in conjunction with Technicolor, utilizing both their Rome and Hollywood facilities. The film scanning will be coordinated and supervised by Technicolor Hollywood’s Director of Restoration Services, Tom Burton, whose film restoration credits include Ridley Scott’s BLADE RUNNER, Georges Méliès’ A TRIP TO THE MOON, and Blake Edwards' BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S.

Final specifications, retail pricing, and extras for the Synapse Films release of SUSPIRIA will be announced closer to the as yet to be determined release date.

Movie Review: Sexcula (1974, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

"She'll suck more then your blood!" reads the tagline in this little seen Canadian produced porn flick. Let me state up front I'm a sucker for these genre mash-up vintage porno's. The cover promises a lot, does it live up to it? Yeah... it kind of does. But the actual back story to the making of the film is much more interesting.

See this film has always been a sort of myth, not because of it's over the top sexual content (It's tame for retro porn). But it was a rare little title that nobody ever really saw. Sure they knew the name but few ever saw the flick.

The film was financed by a very slick producers basically took advantage of a little tax loophole were after investing in a picture they'd get back anywhere from 40-100% of their investment.

Movie Review: Female Teacher Hunting (1982, Nikkatsu/Impulse Pictures)

 ...despite having ventured overseas, visiting several of the more exotic Asian cities...Thailand, Singapore, The Philipines, Japan, and what-not...and as such, had a chance to e-e-e-eagerly partake of...to put it mildly, some pretty 'wild, edgy, unbridled and over-the-top' cinema and live-stage erotica, promiscuously accented with a most decisively Asian flavor (...i.e., you haven't seen anything, until you've been to Phuket and Pataya Beach, in Thailand), this seasoned viewer must admit to a bit of a 'what the...?' feeling, when afforded the opportunity to check out one of the classic steamy Nikkatsu pieces, offered by distributor Impulse Pictures (...an offshoot of Synapse Films)...some of who's tantalizing offerings have been reviewed previously, in this venue. After all, Impulse's opening logo montage of archival Nikkatsu productions...flashing quick shots of sexual savagery, rape and fetish-tool accented debauchery...as is the supposed 'norm' for this genre...viewed in the comfort's of one's safe, domestic abode...especially as far as one who favors an age of erotica, more keyed to the domestic classic '70's...well, might tend to unnerve one, and make one wonder, '...man, what the heck have I gotten myself into?' However, in engaging one of the latest Impulse Pictures releases...namely the 1982 Nikkatsu-produced 'arouser', "Female Teacher Hunting"...it seems that with my very first foray into this genre, I was let off easy, with a relatively contrived and emulative, though a bit putting off, 'pink' excursion (...whew!! That was close...!!)...

Movie Review: She Cat (1983, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

She Cat aka Meneko is my second fore into the world of Nikkatsu roman pornos. The first was Fairy In ACage, which I wasn't the biggest fan of. Sure that film was heavy on the political subtext but just featured way too much BDSM for my tastes. So I went into She Cat with a bit of worry. Was I in for the same experience, just packaged differently? Luckily not, I wouldn't even call this a Roman Porno. Sure it features a helluva lot of nudity, showers scenes, rape scenes and everything else you'd expect from an 80's Japanese exploitation picture.

But luckily this film is more plot based then I expected. It's also more then anything else a sleazy Yakuza film.Now anyone who knows me, knows that Yakuza films are my favorite genre of films from Japan. Everything from early Fukasaku to the bat-shit crazy Dead Or Alive films from Miike (before he went Mainstream) to all the J-video films starring the likes of Riki Takeuichi, Sho Aikiwa and my personal favorites the Seijun Suzuki/Jô Shishido classics like Youth Of The Beast & Branded To Kill. Or Suzuki's Yakuza art house classic Tokyo Drifter. My point is, if a film deals with the Japanese mafia I will more likely then not watch it. No, I didn't forget all the wonderful Kitano Yakuza pictures but this is a review of “She Cat” not a 12 page essay on my obsession with Japanese gangster culture. So lets move on... shall we?

Horny Diver: Tight Shellfish and Story of White Coat: Indecent Acts Bring the Nikkatsu Sleaze!

TWO NEW THRILLERS IN THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION!

Story of White Coat: Indecent Acts and Horny Diver: Tight Shellfish

JAPANESE EROTIC DELIGHTS — WITH AN EDGE!

------------------------------------------------

Story of White Coat: Indecent Acts 
will nurse you back to health!

Poor virginal Shinobu!  Her dream is to become a nurse and live a comfortable life, but that dream turns into a nightmare when she becomes the object of obsession for Junior, the sex crazed son of a major shareholder at the hospital where she works.  When Junior is admitted to the hospital with alcohol poisoning, no nurse is safe!  Will Shinobu escape Junior and his addiction to sex, or will she finally succumb to his amorous appetite?  Story of White Coat: Indecent Acts is loaded with beautiful women, naughty sex and gratuitous nurse nudity.  It may be just what the doctor ordered for your perverted sex fix!

Movie Review: Undertaker (2014, Synapse Films)

With Michigan's first ever Zombie Convention this past weekend, I had a great opportunity to view a Japanese horror movie that won't be released in the U.S. until sometime in 2014 and coming from Synapse Films. The people at Cinema Head Cheese may not know of my love for all Asian horror but what better way to find out than to have me review this flick?

Undertaker is 70 minutes of an interesting, sad, and unique Japanese spin on the zombie sub-genre of horror. It begins with a group of children being evacuated out of an apartment building. It seems the area is to be designated a quarantine zone and they need to get the kids out before it's too late. I guess the adults are expendable.

Ryouichi gets in the van, leaving his mother behind in the dark apartment. We never see her but from her gasping words it's clear she's already doomed. As he settles in for the long ride, his friend, Megumi, naps in the seat in front of him, feverishly whispering for someone to kill her. Uh oh.