Movie Review: World War Z (2013, Paramount)

 ...good grief, George!!! In the 45-year aftermath of the macabre and gruesome concept introduced in the classic 1968 horror chiller, "Night of the Living Dead" (...as well as the countless incarnations of such, which have prolifically ensued, over the years...in movies, television and books), look what that concept has wrought...look what it has come to. What was once a unique, albeit graphically visceral, threshold-testing cinematic reinvention of definition (...the 'zombie'...once merely relegated to representation by one whose death is feigned, who is redrawn from the grave...thought still dead, but very much alive...and who is herbally enslaved to a master of the dark rituals of Voodoo.....now, a wayward viral infestation...origin varying, depending upon the story...whereby although the infected also rise from the dead, they instead are mindlessly frenzied, decaying, independently operating re-animations, driven to that one primal instinct, which indelibly remains in the fading vestige of their minds...to eat...or horrifically rather, to eat human flesh), has since become a world-wide, commercially recognized institution...like Twinkies...like Walmart...heck, like the very megastar of the following film to be reviewed herein, Brad Pitt. We've definitely come a long way, since genre fav George A. Romero's genre-changing horror classic...indeed, even since the deliciously over-the-top, stomach-churning 'spaghetti' horror days of Fulci, Bianchi and Mattai...so much so, in fact, that the 'zombie' concept in recent productions, like AMC's "The Walking Dead", seems to have taken an 'oh-by-the-way' back-seated backdrop, in favor of the suspense, tension and high-drama of having to survive in the midst of such apocalyptic turmoil. In a surprisingly tame and UN-visceral way, for better or for worse, such can be said for the recent entry in the well-worn horror sub-genre...the internationally intriguing, spansive and epic-sized apocalyptic "World War Z"...

"Wolverine: Origin" Arrives July 9th From Shout! Factory!!

The Eisner-Award Winning Series

By Joe Quesada, Paul Jenkins, Bill Jemas, Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove

Leaps from the Marvel Comic Book Pages to the Screen!

MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION PRESENTS"WOLVERINE: ORIGIN"

FEATURING COVER ART ILLUSTRATION BY JOE QUESADA AND RICHARD ISANOVE

UNLEASHED ON HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHELVES FOR THE FIRST TIME

OWN IT ON DVD JULY 9, 2013 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

This summer, Marvel fans will learn the secret history of WOLVERINE that changed the Marvel Universe forever! Written by Eisner Award winner Paul Jenkins from a story by Joe Quesada, Paul Jenkins and Bill Jemas with captivating artwork by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove. The adventures of Wolverine’s early days and the startling revelation of his true origins are brought to life when MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION’S WOLVERINE: ORIGIN debuts for the first time on home entertainment shelves nationwide on July 9, 2013 from Shout! Factory. This highly anticipated Marvel Knights Animation presentation boasts engaging storytelling combined with visual rich animation and insightful bonus content. Featuring cover art illustration by Joe Quesada and Richard Isanove, this deluxe DVD is collected in a unique comic book style packaging that bridges the comic book to DVD concept. As one of the most important stories of all time in the Marvel Universe, this DVD is a must have for loyal fans, comic book enthusiasts and collectors. MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION’S WOLVERINE: ORIGIN is priced to own at $14.97.

Tinto Brass' "Private" Hits Blu-ray July 9th!!

PRIVATE (Special Edition) PREMIERES on BLU RAY & new HD DVD: July 9th, 2013

Six sexy stories of couples finding their joy in sharing – with others! Directed by renowned filmmaker Tinto Brass, PRIVATE (aka DO IT) is an erotic comedy on erotically charged youthful couples who realize that nothing can bring them together as effectively as regular doses of fooling around.  You aren’t in for a typical “grind” film, however. PRIVATE bursts at the seams which exhilarating ebullience, dazzling colors, and lively music. It will keep you smiling for days.

Cult Epics presents the Special Edition; Uncut version in new High-Definition including both the Italian language track and a newly mixed English language track.

Schoolgirl Report Vol.10 Reports For Class This August From Impulse!

MORE SCHOOL AGE DRAMA AND MALICE!

SCHOOLGIRL REPORT Vol. 10:
"Every Girl Starts Sometime…"
(aka Sexy Schoolwork)

LET THE LESSONS BEGIN!

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SCHOOLGIRL REPORT VOL. 10: Every Girl Starts Sometime makes learning fun!

A classroom discussion about “legislation and morals” leads to some all-new sexy stories with the popular SCHOOLGIRL REPORT cuties. This all-new volume of the popular German erotic series will have you laughing in your seat and unable to stand up (if you know what we mean).
A high school teacher is accused of assaulting the young Susanne while personally tutoring her, but the truth is much crazier than fiction in this pants-swelling tale. Inga is very shy about sex, but loves to only touch herself.  Little does she know, as she begins her search for the ultimate encounter, that she’ll end up in a room full of horny men with plans all their own!  In the third story, a pool party turns into an illicit affair for one boy who, on a dare, tries to seduce his girlfriend’s mother... but the secretive girlfriend has a shocking hidden agenda.  In what may be the craziest story yet in a SCHOOLGIRL REPORT film, a young couple fool a family by staging an entire “Exorcist” scenario to have sex, with the boyfriend being the religious savior and the girl as the “demonically possessed” innocent!  And in the final story, a young schoolgirl becomes the mistress of a much older man but, when his wife finds out, all hell breaks loose.

Movie Review: Pusher (2012, Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Spanish filmmaker Luis Prieto had a tall order to fill with Pusher. Which is a British remake of the 1996 Danish Nicolas Winding Refn film of the same name. I was highly skeptical about this picture, considering the the original Pusher is a highly regarded film and personally one of my favorite Refn films. Starting out with the biggest differences between the two is the original Pusher took place in the deep dark belly of the Danish underworld. While the remake is much more glitzy and glamorous, taking place in many high end techno blasting night clubs. It ditches the grit for a more stylized approach which actually works for the film. The music is another huge part of the films success, composed by British dance band “Orbital”. The techno tracks add a nice kinetic feeling to the film and Prieto keeps the film moving at a nice frantic pace.

Pusher tells the story of Frank (Richard Coyle) he's a small time coke dealer living in London. He's living the good life with his stripper girlfriend Flo (Agyness Deyn) and his sexually hopeless buddy Tony (Bronson Webb). One day out of the clear blue Frank is contacted by an old cellmate Marlon (Neil Maskell, Kill List). Marlon is looking for a good amount of coke, around forty five thousand worth. Frank meets up with a contact of his, Milo (Zlatko Burić) a ruthless Serbian gangster. The deal is simple, Milo will loan the 48K worth of gear to Frank. Frank will make the deal with Milo and bring the money back. Paying Milo back and taking care of his debt of 3 grand that he already owes Milo.

Movie Review: Ubaldo Terzani's Horror Show (2010, Blu-ray)

Horror films centered on filmmakers or authors seem to be much more common nowadays. A couple recent examples that really aren’t too shabby have to be Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and Lucio Fulci’s Cat in the Brain. Raro Video has made their mark with releasing numerous Italian crime films, horror and even arthouse obscurities. We haven’t seen too many recent productions getting releases (Before 2000) until now. Ubaldo Terzani’s Horror Show takes the template similar to the titles mentioned above like Cat in the Brain ( which is actually shown on a TV in one character’s living room). Also, unlike Craven’s and Fulci’s films, our filmmaker protagonist is fictional.

Movie Review: Desperadoes of the West (1950; Republic/Cheezy Flicks)

...I really envy my late grandfather's days, when it came to visiting the local cinema. Back in the '30's and '40's, for a measly ten cents, eager movie theater attendees of all ages, were privy to TWO feature films, which were proceeded by, and sandwiched a handful of movie trailers, a cartoon, a newsreel...and a weekly chapter of the latest serial, or cliffhanger. Never mind the pre-set allure and attraction of the feature films, each week...those cliffhanger chapters were definitely a great crowd-drawing gimmick, as...providing the serial was suspensefully engaging enough...people clambered back to the theaters each week, to see what happens to the cliffhangers' various characters, who were in dire straits and peril at the end of one week's episode, only to emerge from such peril, relatively unscathed, in the onset of the following week's vignette. It is somewhat surprising that in this day and age, when a hefty price at the movies (...nearly 100 times that of the aforementioned good old days, and thus driving folks further away from the auditoriums, and into their homes, where their wall-sized LCD television reigns movie-supreme) provides only ONE feature film, two or three trailers...AND commercials, no less...that movie distributors and movie house managers haven't considered reviving the movie serial, if at the very least, an able-bodied money-grubbing attempt to draw and keep theater patrons' butts in their seats. And this viewer, who WOULD gullibly, albeit gleefully venture regularly to the local cinema, in response to any such revival of the cliffhanger, can't help but think that THIS movie serial, a nostalgically wild and wholly, rip-roarin' action-packed, Old West six-shooter western from 1950, called "Desperadoes of the West", most assuredly had to have been one of those likably exciting chapter serials, which brought 'em in droves, back in the day...

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #102 - Mudder Puckers

Kevin and Dave discuss a ton of hockey movies in honor of the Stanley Cup winning Blackhawks.

Dave also eulogizes Richard Matheson, and Kevin reviews The ABCs of Death, John Dies at the End and Monsters University.

Don't forget to enter our Cannibal Fat Camp contest to win a copy of Dave's book!

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

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

Support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment by clicking the links on our Sponsors page!

This episode is sponsored by the following:

Movie Review: Lifeforce (Blu-ray,1985)

For those of you who thought Cannon Films were just action film specialist back in the 80's, look no further then the sci-fi/horror oddity that is Lifeforce. Directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Funhouse, Poltergeist) and penned by the late Dan O' Bannon (Alien, Return of the Living Dead),  this cluster of space-vampire wackiness has just made it to Blu-ray and DVD via the folks at Scream Factory in a special edition that could "breathe" some new life into this underrated space fright flick.

When a group of astronauts attempt to explore "Halley's Comet", they instead find something way more interesting - naked people encased in glass floating. Sounds like fun, but the expedition unfortunately ends poorly for the crew and our seemingly harmless nudists become a threat to earth as they are pent on sucking the life out of humans and taking earth for themselves. The stunning Mathilda May plays the lead space vampire who seduces literally any man in her path after she escapes a laboratory.

Movie Review: Bounty Hunters (1996, Dimension, Blu-Ray)

...there's definitely something to be said about the unique appeal to films about bounty hunters...that eclectically anti-heroic, reputed pain-in-the-ass lot, who tend to cut against the grain of authority with their own rules, doing whatever it takes, and acting just enough outside the law, to not outright get themselves dirty, in the process of doing what they do best...bringing in the bad guys, for a price. Unbound by the staunch, rigored and disciplined regiment, regularly upheld by established law enforcement, they waywardly act of their own accord...sometimes quite recklessly, and often enough...gruff, raw & unorthodoxed...maintaining a frustratingly reciprocative love/hate relationship with the underlining, behind-the-scenes authority figures, who reluctantly, albeit needfully hires them out to do the job required, on a level outside of the restrictive boundaries of the law. As such, we cannot help but relish this brand of cinematic anti-hero, and their devil-may-care philosophies & attitudes because, quite frankly, as most of us are ourselves bound by the restrictive and sometimes obstacle-riddled set rules of our respective vocations, whatever they might be, we secretly fantasize being able to rebelliously operate outside of those rules...daringly and forbiddingly embracing and exhuing that 'devil-may-care' attitude...in an effort to get the same job done...perhaps even better, as time and time again, often does occur with film-rendered bounty hunters. For this viewer, a crust of personal favorites in that respect...covering a pretty wide spectrum...include 1986's "Wanted: Dead or Alive (...with Rutger '@#$% the bonus' Hauer), 1980's "Tom Horn", 1992's "Unforgiven", 1977's "Bare Knuckles", 1988's "Midnight Run", and oh yes, let's not forget about last year's "Django Unchained". And surprisingly enough, there's just might be enough room in this respected lot to include the ruggedly charming and jovial direct-to-video retro-actioner...recently upgraded to the Blu-Ray format...1996's "Bounty Hunters"...

"The Odd Angry Shot" Blasts It's Way on to Blu-ray From Synapse Films!

SYNAPSE FILMS PRESENTS

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TOM JEFFREY'S AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC!

THE ODD ANGRY SHOT

Firing your way on Blu-ray and DVD, August 13, 2013!

Another powerhouse from the
mighty continent of Australia!
Tom Jeffrey's 1979 action/adventure classic, THE ODD ANGRY SHOT!

Tom Jeffrey’s THE ODD ANGRY SHOT is set in the late 1960s during the brutal war Australians shared with the United States: the struggle for Vietnam.

Harry (Graham Kennedy), a hard-edged Special Air Service Corporal, meets a new company of soldiers during his second tour in Vietnam.  There’s the naïve
Bill (John Jarratt), the easygoing Bung
(John Hargreaves), the blunt Rogers (Bryan Brown), the pragmatic Dawson (Graeme Blundell), and the youthful and innocent Scott (Ian Gilmour). Because of their training as professional soldiers from Australia’s toughest Army unit, these men believe they can deal with any situation.  They pass the time playing practical jokes, getting into drunken brawls and humoring themselves to keep their minds off the war.  But, when the first “odd angry shot” rings out, and an enemy mortar barrage hits their camp causing many casualties, the men realize their protective shield of humor is no defense at all against the harsh realities of armed combat. 

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary featuring
    Producer/Director Tom Jeffrey,         Producer Sue Milliken, and
    Actor Graeme Blundell

• "Stunts Down Under" with
    Buddy Joe Hooker – Featurette

• Original Theatrical Trailer

• Reversible alternate cover

Movie Review: Indestructible Man (1956)

Directed by Jack Pollexfen

Movie review by Greg Goodsell

"Butcher" Benton (Lon Chaney Jr.) goes to his death at the big house, cursing the trio who double-crossed him following an armored-car hold-up: "Squeamy" Ellis (Marvin Ellis), Joe Marcelli (Ken Terrell) and Paul Lowe (Ross Elliott), his attorney as well as secret leader of the gang. Benton vows to return from the grave to avenge his death. Executed without revealing the location of the stolen loot, Benton is brought back to life by two low-rent mad scientists and begins his killing spree. Police Lieutenant Dick Chasen (Max Showalter) narrates in tough “Dragnet” style while girlfriend and “dancer” Eva (Marian Carr) is justifiably perturbed.

Described as a “childhood favorite” by many, with its seedy milieu of death row executions, burlesque halls, double-crosses, gangsters, skid row gin joints and casual brutality, Indestructible Man has more than enough to entertain children of all ages.

"Nurse Diary: Wicked Finger" and "Horny Working Girl: From 5 to 9" Coming Soon From Impulse!!

IMPULSE PICTURES PRESENTS

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TWO NEW THRILLERS IN THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION!

NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGERand HORNY WORKING GIRL

JAPANESE EROTIC DELIGHTS — WITH AN EDGE!

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NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGER points the way to desire!

Ryoko (Etsuko Hara) leaves the chaos of her dorm for the peace and quiet of her own place because she wants to keep her relationship with a doctor at Murata Hospital a secret. Unfortunately, that privacy is short-lived as she discovers a “peeping tom” next-door neighbor that spies on her all the time. When the doctor’s wife learns of the affair, poor Ryoko gets caught in a web of jilted lovers, frisky lesbians, slapstick sexual assault and embarrassing incidents with household appliances. The first film in Nikkatsu’s three picture “Nurse Diary” series, NURSE DIARY: WICKED FINGER is a strange mix of comedy, nudity and sex with an oh-so-crazy plot that will have you shaking your head in disbelief!

Movie Review: The Manson Family (Blu-ray, 2003)

Any filmmaker who's taken the time to put together a movie knows that it can be a painstaking process that can take a remarkably difficult toll on your stamina. Some give up, and some are persistent like Deadbeat at Dawn writer/actor/director, Jim Van Bebber. It didn't take a year, or even several years to complete his movie The Manson Family - the process took more than ten years for him to finish his second feature film. In 2003, Severin Films' David Gregory and partner Carl Daft came in at just the right time to help Van Bebber finish, and now, for fans of this ferocious take on the Manson Family we are now treated to a special edition Blu-ray of the movie with new extras that even include Van Bebber’s return behind the camera with the 16 minute short Gator Green.

The story of Charles Manson and his group of followers known as the “Manson Family” has been told before (Specifically in Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter) but the actual Manson Family hasn’t gotten the attention that thankfully Van Bebber gives the likes of Tex Watson (Michael Pitman), Leslie van Houten (Amy Yates) Patty Krenwinkle (Leslie Orr). 

In many ways these lost souls are much more interesting and frightening as Charlie himself. Leading up to the notorious Tate-LaBianca murders, we get to become a member of this group of psychotic lemmings - almost watching over the shoulders them as they commit these crimes. The structure is non-linear here but still contains a lot of facts from the case and an approach to filming that creates a nightmare unlike anything put forth in a true-crime based picture. Some of the visuals are absolutely ghastly, as they should be considering the content. 

Movie Review: The ABCs of Death (2012, Magnet Releasing)

...not too long ago, a most intriguing proposal was afforded 26 film directors, from around the world...some relatively fledgling and unknown, some known and very much seasoned: given free and unbridled creative reign...write, produce and film a small vignette about the subject of death, with the only boundaries and limitations being that each directer is assigned a single letter in the English alphabet, and the death-themed film produced, has to relate to a word...it's first letter being that of the assigned alphabet letter (...budget seemingly unknown, though an amount of $5,000 is per chance mentioned, in one of the segments). What resulted in this rather unusual cinematic experiment, is something which, for the most part, is equal parts uneven, thought-provoking, unnerving, provocative, funny, perverse, shocking, irreverent, jaw-dropping, horrific and...well, just totally off-the-wall, in an enjoyably macabre and engaging way. A fleetingly chaptered anthology, spanning a widely diverse and eclectic spectrum of subject matter, in alternately brutal, grotesque, perverse and, well...admittedly beautiful ways, at times...Now, now...gather around, boys and girls, as we learn "The ABCs...of Death"...

Movie Review: Baron Blood (1972, Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

Review By Rob Sibley

Baron Blood may not be Mario Bava's most highly regarded film, but to me it's certainly a blast to watch. I'm a huge Bava junkie and often find myself revisiting his films often and Baron Blood is always a delight for repeat watches. This might have to do with the fact that the film is much faster paced then your typical Bava flick. Don't get me wrong I adore Black Sunday and the Giallo that started it all “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” and “Kill, Baby Kill...” but those films were definitely methodically paced and just a tad slow now and then. Those films are masterpieces of Italian cinema don't get me wrong, but I think younger audiences sadly would find those films painfully slow. Baron Blood on the other hand builds atmosphere quickly and expertly and moves along like a fine tuned freight train.

Movie Review: Man of Steel (2013, Warner Bros.)

 ...(...a word of friendly warning: Normally, in reviewing films herein this venue, this viewer typically endeavors to ever so much keep as much of the content of a movie, a surprise to the potential viewer...trying not to give too much away. However, in the case of THIS particular film, considering the unconventional non-linear storytelling involved, as well as the overall general familiarity of this pop culture icon, giving SOME things away seemed somewhat unavoidable, though not altogether totally unveiling. However, if you have not afforded yourself the chance to see "Man of Steel" yet, please be aware of SOME spoilers ahead...JHB)...

Win a copy of Cannibal Fat Camp!

David Hayes is offering up a copy of his new book Cannibal Fat Camp to one winner.

The rules are easy. Send us your best cannibal story. It can be a true story, it can be about your favorite cannibal book or movie or it can be whatever you want. Dave will choose his favorite and send you a copy of his book!

Send it in to our email address: cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or post it to Cinema Head Cheese on Facebook.

Contest ends on July 5th, so hurry!

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #101 - Funknuts

Jeff, Kevin and Dave are all together for a silly hour spent mostly on Dave's trip to the World Horror Convention in New Orleans. He talks about the Bram Stoker Awards, his trip through the Dukes of Hazzard Museum and gives us a little Cajun vampire history.

Jeff and Kevin share some reviews as well as a short list of some interesting items sent by film distributors.

Dave sets the rules for our Cannibal Fat Camp contest, which everyone should have fun with.

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

A room at The Dukes of Hazzard Museum

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

Support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment by clicking the links on our Sponsors page!

This episode is sponsored by the following:

Movie Review: A Labor Of Love (1975)

Directed by Robert Flaxman and Daniel Goldman

Movie Review by Greg Goodsell

The independently produced film “The Last Affair”, a serious drama to be shot in the Chicago area in the winter of 1975, 1976 or thereabouts was suddenly confronted with a daunting stipulation on the part of the producers. Twenty to 60 percent of the project would now have to have hardcore sex inserts in order to recoup investment. The cast and crew, while adopting the “show must go on” attitude are quick to learn -- that while held in low esteem, pornography should never be attempted by the inexperienced. The expected painfully funny scenes begin to unspool before the documentarian’s cameras.

A Labor of Love is a cruelly hilarious experience that unintentionally adds credibility to hardcore porno filmmakers … not everyone can simply switch on a camera and expect the performers to reenact sex acts, film it all and come up with an erotic scene. Both the crew – who use a handheld 16 mm camera that sounds like a lawnmower going over gravel – and the actors, who have their expected limitations, stumble around and try to make an ostensible “art film” with pound cake action.

Movie Review: Dangerous Liaisons (2012, Well Go USA)

...the...ooooof!!...oh-so deliciously diabolical, serpen-twining storyline that deftly makes up the sly and sensual 18th century Pierre Chodolos de Laclos novel, 'Les Liaisons dangereuses' is an intriguing odd-bird, as far as classic novels go, in that the ensuing events depicted therein, ideally coupled with the associated and sinister character cross-play within the story are just as intricately compelling and appreciative...perhaps even a bit more so...than the final outcome of the story, itself...the journey, more alluring satisfying than the destination, or the prize...you know, the old adage of 'getting there is half the fun'...very much comparably akin to that of not only appreciatively beholding  strikingly beautiful tapestry, as a whole, but also having an equally, if not higher regard for each and every stitch, in the tapestry's material. Reaching as far back as director Roger Vadim's 1959 rendition of the compellingly timeless tale (...the first, to take liberty in uniquely retooling the original story's proceedings and morality, to a different time and place...in that case, adeptly melding it into the social niche of a jazzy-accented, contemporary 1950's France), this literary observation is never more comparatively poignant, in noting the varied and eclectic cinematic renditions of the classic literary work, over the years...that is, with the added inclusive and engaging intrigue, associated with the performances, themselves...making the proceedings all the more engaging...the perfectly coupled performers, bringing with them, an equally adept and engaging character chemistry. To varying degree, this has effectively, assuredly & readily worked quite appropriately in previous, well-received and critically acclaimed filmed versions...and respectably joining that honored and revered fold, the exotically sensuous and devilishly sinister 2012 Chinese production, "Wi-heom-han gyan-gye"...otherwise known as "Dangerous Liaisons"...

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #100 - It Just Sort Of Happened

For the 100th podcast episode of Cinema Head Cheese, Kevin goes through the history of CHC with Dave. He then talks to Greg Goodsell about the good and bad in being a reviewer as well as Greg's favorite conventions. He praises the amazing writing staff with Jeff, and they each share a movie review. Kevin goes back in time to one of his favorite episodes featuring James DePaolo. He wraps the show up with our first contributor, Hal Astell. They discuss Hal's books, his website Apocalypse Later, and some of the most mind boggling choices in filmmaking.

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

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

Support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment by clicking the links on our Sponsors page!

This episode is sponsored by the following:

Movie Review: Heavy Traffic (1973, Blu-ray)

Fritz The Cat director, Ralph Bakshi is a legend of sorts to many fans of animation and cult film aficionados alike. Bakshi's stuff can be kid friendly but most of his best celebrated works are his adult cartoons (Hey Good Lookin', Coonskin). On the heels of the X-rated hit Fritz The Cat, Bakshi jumps into the violent, perverse, oft hilarious abyss known only as Heavy Traffic. Shout Factory has taken liberties to clean up the film for Blu-ray and make it just dandy for admirers of this 70's, not-so-kiddo friendly cartoon.

In what seems to be a character based on Bakshi, our main protagonist, Michael (Joseph Kaufmann) is a twenty-something artist living at home with his miserable, sloppy-tit swinging Jewish mother and his sleazy, whore-hopping Italian Dad. Amongst the drugs, violence, racism and overall scum littering his neighborhood Michael attempts to persevere so he could someday be a successful animator.

Movie Review: Strip Mahjong: Battle Royale (2012, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

A handful of mysterious Japanese women take part in a deranged web show that makes them strip off their clothes when they lose a round of Mahjong. When there is nothing left to hide, the losers secrets are revealed and the nubile contestants must take their punishment. Can anyone survive, or keep their clothes on, in the dangerous game of "STRIP MAHJONG: BATTLE ROYALE?" Gleefully adding a risqué, wry twist to an ancient game of strategy, this erotic thriller delivers voyeuristic thrills with the friskiness of Seventies sexploitation flicks, providing titillating, strange and kinky gameplay at every turn!

You just have to love the Japanese, they really know what they are doing when it comes to exploitation films. This flick doesn't try to hide what it is in the least. Sure it's a highly misogynistic concept but that's all part of the exploitation game. Usually I'd balk at a flick like this because more often then most they have no redeeming value and are two steps away from a bad Asian porno. But “Strip Mahjong” has an ace up it's sleeve. It's the perverse, over the top sense of the humor the film contains. It's impossibly hard to take this film seriously and that's a good thing. I also found it refreshing that the film didn't take the easy out aka going for the gore. This isn't Red Room 1 or 2 or any other single location Japanese horror flick. Sure it's Japanese sleaze, but it's sleaze with a sense of satire.

Movie Review: Motel Hell (1980, Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Motel Hell o man you got to love this flick! How many films featuring two playboy playmates, a dueling chainsaw fights and a “secret garden” filled with peeps who are buried up to their heads in dirt. Just waiting to be “smoked” and turned into cured meats. Throw in some swingers and a rock band to while your at it and you got a delicious little recipe for a fun black comedy. It's certainly not a straight up horror film, Motel Hell keeps a strong stream of dark humor flowing through the proceedings.

 In tone I'd almost compare the film to Paul Bartel/Mary Woronov classic “Eating Raoul” with a bit of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre thrown in for good measure. Interestingly enough Tobe Hooper was the first choice to direct this film but eventually dropped out. One would have to guess that Hooper might have upped the gore but director Conner's keeps the gore down instead serving up some delectable pitch black humor. 

Awesome August For Scream Factory! Q - The Winged Serpent and more on Blu-ray!

PRESENTS

A Double Feature Presentation of Rare 80s Slasher Terrors

X-RAY/SCHIZOID

BLU-RAY™+ DVD COMBO PACK

HITS HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHELVES EVERYWHERE ON AUGUST 20, 2013

&

Fantasy Horror Cult Classics

Q THE WINGED SERPENT and DARK ANGEL

TWO BLU-RAY™ COLLECTIONS SET TO UNLEASH IN STORES ON AUGUST 27, 2013

Pre-Order These Special Scream Factory Home Entertainment Presentations Today!

This August, loyal fans are invited to combat the summer heat with a quadruple dose of 80s high-camp horror classics when a double feature presentation of Boaz Davidson’s

Movie Review: The Four (2012, Well Go Entertainment)

...this viewer recalls quite well, the first time being privy to the jaw-dropping martial arts action style and dynamics of filmmaker Gordon Chan...and that one film, which I saw at the time, had me indelibly hooked on his films, from then on. It was 1994, and my local mom-and-pop, hole-in-the-wall cult film movie revival theater (...now, regretfully, a stuffy, experimental/independent/art-house movie theater, which I rarely visit) was running it's yearly, two-week long Asian film festival. One of the films on the double-feature bill, on the particular day of my theater patronage, was "Fist of Legend", starring the up & coming, flavor-of-the-moment martial arts star, Jet Li; now, I had heard of Jet Li...knew of his growing film presence, long before he was revered by a general movie-going audience in the U.S. Heck, this viewer even had a couple of his older films, in an ever-swelling film collection (...a paltry 3,000 or so titles, at the time; don't EVEN ask the official number, now...lest your jaw drop to the floor). "Fist of Legend", without a doubt, gave Li a respectability in film, nearly equal to that of the late great Bruce Lee. However, as far as behind the camera, and relatively unknown to this viewer at the time, was director Chan...and WHOA!! What a place to start!! The viewer could assuredly scribble a pretty lengthy review, praising the greatness of "Fist of Legend", and how well it was filmed & put together. In short, to say that I was blown away, would be an understatement. After that, I made it a point to seek out any of Chan's earlier directorial efforts, as well as any future film endeavors, which bore his name. Notable titles in his respectable repertoire include..."18 Golden Destroyers", "Fight Back to School", "Royal Tramp", "King of Beggars", "Beast Cops"...but in this viewers mind, it always came right down to the fact that "Fist of Legend" was (...and as you will soon read, STILL is) the pinnacle triumph of his career...his absolute finest achievement. Admittedly, I have not been particularly privy to anything notably stand-out, deriving out of Gordon Chan's still prolific film making arena, over the past several years. And unfortunately, if his latest...the 2012 martial arts fantasy actioner, "The Four" is any indication of his furthered evolution...well, I guess that this viewer will have to continue hoping that one day, Chan will top, or at the very least match the likes of his celebrated "...Legend"...'cause "The Four" sure as heck ain't gonna cut it, in that respect...

Movie Review: Major Dundee (1965, Two-Disc Extended Edition Blu-ray)

There really aren't too many directors that can compare to Sam Peckinpah when it comes to his complexity as a man and all-around filmmaking talent. The director was a true visionary and did something to the Western genre that even took the violence of the Old West to a level that even the Italian Spaghetti Westerns didn't portray. Major Dundee is one of those fine examples (along with The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid) that tries to do something a little unique by adding the element of the Civil War to a Western film. It's available now on Blu-ray in collector's edition two-disc set from Twilight Time and it begs for attention if you love all things Peckinpah.

Major Amos Dundee (Charlton Heston, The Ten Commandments, and Soylent Green) is a man on a mission to track the vicious Apaches who slaughtered dozens of folks in a village. As determined as Dundee may be, he can’t do it with a small gang; he needs an army, so he enlists the talents of a variety of soldiers, cowboys, drunks and misfits to take the journey. With the help of a war prisoner named Ben Tyreen (Richard Harris, A Man Called Horse) the men go forth on what becomes a dangerous undertaking by tracking and hopefully killing the Apaches.  As you’d expect much of the signature Peckinpah violence on display, just not near as gratuitous as The Wild Bunch. With that said, the carnage on screen is still very effective.

Movie Review: Things (1989)

Severin Films’ even more eclectic label Intervision has shown some consistency on the unpredictability of their title choices. Case in point, Barry J. Gillis’ and Andrew Jordan's mind-numbingly ridiculuous Things. If you have yet to see Things, it really is kind of crazy and shockingly amusing in a Tommy Wiseau's The Room kind of way. Ironically Severin’s release  of Birdemic has been labeled The Room for the horror crowd. As a big fan of The Room, this little Canadian number feels a lot closer, and just as inept.

Don Drake (Barry J. Gillis) and Fred Horton (Bruce Roach) are a couple of beer chugging hosers hanging out in a house that’s infested with mutated ants that look sort of like the spawn creatures from The Deadly Spawn.  Sounds like a fun creature? Well, after what seems to be an hour of beer drinking, watching TV and putting bugs in each others sandwiches we eventually get to see them. Yes, it's a slow burn, much like the clap. Things can be incredibly tedious at times with so much lame padding, after a while though it grows on you.

Movie Review: Bad Meat (2011)

You know, I saw that this movie was available on Netflix streaming a while ago and I almost watched it but decided on something else instead. Lucky for me the guys at CHC sent it in the last care package. And by lucky I mean it’s quite obvious to me now that the gods have me on their shit list.

Bad Meat is about one of those boot-camp reform places for wayward teens. And by the looks of the lot in this flick, they wouldn’t know which way wayward was if Jacques Cousteau and National Geographic teamed up to make these morons a map complete with a survival kit containing a compass, flashlight, food rations for a week, and then marked the trail with day-glow paint. The Hitler wanna-be in charge of these little scamps is Doug Kendrew (Mark Pellegrino). Because the parents of these rebels basically wrote off their kids as unredeemable, Kendrew can, and does, whatever the hell he wants to them.

That includes his crack team of supervisors: some reject from the Mr. Universe pageant, another reject from some police academy or army washout, and an Amazonian hell bitch who swaggers and oozes nympho pheromones. Why anyone would think this rag tag motley crew is capable of anything other than amoral and illegal behavior, let alone reforming a bunch of snot nosed brats, is beyond my comprehension.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #99 - We Broke the Comicon

Kevin joins Tony and David Sabal from The Atomic Fallout Society, Brian Smith from The Atomic Fallout Society and The Gorram Nerd Hour, and Jacob O'Neal and Isaac Hulke from The Gorram Nerd Hour to record live at Phoenix Comicon.

The crew wraps the con with an emergency evacuation, talk of their favorite moments, Isaac's secret profession, a game of 20 Questions and Kevin and Tony telling each other how great they are.

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

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"The Vixens Of Kung Fu" and "Oriental Blue" Drive-in Double Feature Coming July 11th From Vinegar Syndrome!

Release Date: 7/9/2013

Format: Dual Layer DVD-9
# Discs: 1
SKU: VS-011
UPC: 855011004109
SRP: $14.98

Label: VINEGAR SYNDROME

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Frame: 23.98 Progressive Scan
Region: Region Free
Color: Color
TRT: 155 minutes
Audio: Dolby Digital Mono

Year of Production: 1975
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Sexploitation / Exploitation / Classic Erotica

Movie Review: Tom Green Live (2013)

I've always been a Tom Green fan. Ever since the start of his MTV show, I thought he was genuine in his silliness. He was a guy having fun, often at the expense of his friends or family. On top of it all, he wasn't doing what he did as some kind of bit for the money. He did his show for free for seven years on public television in Canada before MTV ever came calling. There's a special kind of truth to everything Tom Green does, and it comes out in his stand-up.

I hadn't seen any of Green's act until I watched this, but I heard good things here and there. There were rumors of music and silly bits, but everything seemed positive in a "you know, he's actually pretty good" sort of way. I hate to say it, but I had a similar reaction as I started to watch.