Movie Review: Battle of the Worlds (1961, Ultra Films/Cheezy Flicks)

...ya' know?? One really has to hand it off to cult film director Antonio Margheriti (...or, Anthony Dawson, per his domestically coined moniker), for his ever-changing versatility and his ability to smartly adapt to many film genres, adding his unique style to whatever genre he takes on, without necessarily procuring a sense of 'copycat' or 'knock-off', in whatever 'flavor-of-the-moment' genre, which happens to be 'big', at that particular time and place. Whether it's spaghetti westerns (...1968's "Vengeance", 1967's "Dynamite Joe", etc.) ...swords, sandals & sorcery (...1964's "Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules", 1983's "Yor, the Hunter from the Future", etc.) ...spy thrillers (...1966's "Lightning Bolt" and "Killers are Challenged", etc.) ...edge-of-seat giallos (...1968's "Naked, You Die", 1973's "Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye", etc.) ...'Raiders'-like high adventure (...1982's "Hunters of the Golden Cobra", 1984's "Ark of the Sun God", etc.) ...mixed genres (...the 1975 blaxploitation western, "Take a Hard Ride"...the 1974 martial arts western, "The Stranger and the Gunfighter", 1973's "Hercules Against Karate", etc.) ...war flicks (...1980's "Hunter of the Apocalypse", 1983's "The Last Blood", etc.) ...cannibals, aliens, sharks & shockumentaries (...1980's "Invasion of the Flesh Hunters", 1989's "Alien from the Deep", 1979's "Killer Fish", 1964's "Mondo Inferno", etc.) ...and horror, of course (...1963's "The Virgin of Nuremberg", 1964's "The Long Hair of Death", and this viewer's favorite of Antonio's, the 1963 gothic horror/romance, "Castle of Blood", amongst others). Indeed, if Antonio is guilty of anything, it's the odd occasion where he quite literally 'rips' himself off (...for instance, with 1971's color remake of "Castle of Blood", called "Web of the Spider"). However, for the purpose of this review's study, it's Antonio's contribution to the genre of science fiction, which stands out as prominently as the other genres, which he has tackled...the films of which are as numerous and varied, including 1966's "War of the Planets", 1960's "Assignment: Outer Space", and an intelligent, tension-filled little sci-fi gem from 1961...offered to us, from the fine folks over at Cheezy Flicks...called "Battle of the Worlds"...

Movie Review: Grand Duel (1972, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

How does this sound? Directed by Giancarlo Santi who was Sergio Leone's second unit director on Good, The Bad & The Ugly and Once upon a time in the west. Written by one of the most talented and prolific Italian writers Ernesto Gastaldi. Who brought us many wrote many fine Westerns such as Day of Anger and My Name is Nobody. What might interest you is Gastaldi was more well known for writing Giallo's.

Such classics as Torso, The Case Of The Scorpions Tail, All the colors of the dark and The Case of the Bloody Iris to name a few. He also wrote the hard boiled crime classic "Kidnap Syndicate" for Fernando Di Leo. Then add in the always impressive Lee Van Cleef and you have one of the best and maybe one of the most single handily underrated spaghetti Westerns of all time! Even Quentin Tarantino used Luis Enríquez Bacalov theme for the film very effectively in Kill Bill Vol 1.

EXTENDED DIRECTOR’S CUT OF CLIVER BARKER’S “NIGHTBREED” SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED IN 2014 FROM SCREAM FACTORY!!

Los Angeles, CA August 19, 2013 — Shout! Factory and Morgan Creek Productions officially announced today a strategic distribution alliance to bring Clive Barker’s classic horror film “Nightbreed” extended director’s cut to the home entertainment marketplace in the U.S and Canada and on digital entertainment platforms next year. The announcement was made by Shout! Factory’s founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos along with David Robinson, President of Morgan Creek Productions. The news initially broke at Comic-Con 2013, however the agreement formally reached by both parties occurred today.

For years rumors swirled about substantial missing footage from the film.  A fan-driven movement was created (www.OccupyMidian.com) to see the full version of the film restored and re-released, which was not only a more faithful adaptation of Clive Barker’s book “Cabal,” but is what originally he intended “Nightbreed” to be.

Movie Review: John Dies at the End (2012)

by John Beutler

There have been a good number of 'fan-fav' cult genre film directors, who regrettably have seemed to have lost a good measure of their 'mojo' over the years, and have turned out some pretty lackluster, albeit mildly entertaining productions in their later years, as compared to their peaked and reveled heyday (...regrettably, George A. Romero and Dario Argento, for instance...just to name a couple). On the opposite side of this eclectic coin, there have been similarly embraced cult film directors, who have genuinely stood the test of time, endured through the years, and like a fine wine, have actually gotten 'better' (...read: comparatively and delightfully more weirder, more bizarre and more twisted, then they have, in their initial onset). Producer/director Frank Henenlotter would definitely be one of the prime examples, in this case (...those who have merely seen his "Basket Case". "Brain Damage" or "Frankenhooker" have seen nothing, until having partaken of his latest, from a couple years ago...an over-the-top, nasty little ditty, called "Bad Biology"...Definitely look THAT one up!!). However, ol' Frank's varied and eclectic filmography will have to be a tale told at a later time. 

Movie Review: Madhouse (1974)

Director: Jim Clark
Stars: Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Robert Quarry

Given that last Friday would have been Vincent Price's one hundredth birthday, a Vincentennial as it were, I felt it appropriate to celebrate his life and career by watching a Price picture that I hadn't seen before. It took some searching but I located this one, a co-production between Amicus in the UK and AIP in the States. It's far from his best film but it has much to offer, not least the trio of legends in leading roles: Price, Peter Cushing and Robert Quarry. A couple more back them up, as Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff make surprise guest appearances, given that they'd both been dead for years: Rathbone died in 1967 and Karloff in 1969. They appear through the magic of cinema, rather like Bela Lugosi did in Plan 9 from Outer Space, but at least Ed Wood used new footage to the screen, Rathbone and Karloff reappear in clips from older AIP films. Five of those are reused here, a quick fact that helps to underline how recycled much of Madhouse is.

Buy Theater Of Blood/MadHouse (Midnite Movies Double Feature) on DVD

Movie Review: The Captains: Close Up (2013, Entertainment One)

...there's no denying that of all the associated personalities whom have embraceably prospered, in devoted advocation and uphelding of the enduring legacy of the 'Star Trek' franchise, actor William Shatner has led the pack, in that respect. Often in the past, he had been accused...even outright lambasted...even by those whom he had worked with...for 'shamelessly and egotistically' stepping up to the forefront, and seemingly self-servingly heralding his (...and ONLY his) efforts towards the classic sci-fi TV series; since those critically acidic and biting times, we have since better come to understand the much-more-seasoned, though no less bigger-than-life character, that IS William Shatner, and have come to realize that it is that it's that driven, 'egotistical', 'method-to-his-madness' pride of the work he has accomplished, acknowledgebly in TANDEM with those whom he has worked with, which has elevated the concept of 'Star Trek' to a pop culture level, almost quite literally far and above any of those fictionally conceived, unknown and unexplored worlds & destinations in the show (...as well as it's varied television and motion picture incarnations), countless light years away. It is that embraceable and unswerving ego, coupled with an incomparably jovial wit, which we have come to love, admire and appreciate over the years, and which has kept an incredibly laborious and untiring Bill in the forefront, in whatever he as done, be it his work in television, motion pictures and commercial endeavors (...one of this viewer's favorites is the clever 'hip-hop' musical styled deep fried turkey fire safety message, which he did for State Farm Insurance, reportedly based upon personal experience)...

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #110 - Tardians of the Galaxy

Kevin and Jeff talk about the Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke MTV Video Music Awards performance, and Kevin defends Miley. Really, he does. They also talk about a variety of energy drinks as Jeff prepares to work some overnight shifts. Kevin also reviews Breckenridge Autumn Ale.

Once they remember they're on a movie show, they review the blu-ray of The Walking Dead's third season, the Netflix original series House of Cards, Bonnie Rotten's Beyond Fucked for The Blue Cheese and the Rainn Wilson led Super. That leads Jeff and Kevin into a discussion about the fine work of James Gunn and his future with Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

After that, Kevin and Dave talk about their experience at Wizard World Chicago and the conventions they and the rest of Abnormal Entertainment plan to attend this year.

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

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John Carpenter's Body Bags and Assault on Precinct 13 coming to Collector's Edition Blu-ray!

A Horror Trilogy from the Master of Terror

JOHN CARPENTER PRESENTS BODY BAGS

Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack

UNZIPS on Home Entertainment Shelves NOVEMBER 12, 2013

&

John Carpenter’s Acclaimed Thriller

ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 COLLECTOR’S EDITION BLU-RAY™

Starring Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

STORMS into Stores EVERYWHERE NOVEMBER 19, 2013

This November, high-tension suspense, action and fright collide when SCREAM FACTORY™ unleashes JOHN CARPENTER PRESENTS BODY BAGS Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™+ DVD combo pack on November 12, 2013 and John Carpenter’s classic siege thriller ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ on November 19, 2013.

For the first time on Blu-ray™, JOHN CARPENTER PRESENTS BODY BAGS features John Carpenter as a creepy-looking coroner introducing a trilogy of blood-curdling tales: “The Gas Station” (starring Robert Carradine, Revenge of the Nerds and Alex Datcher, Passenger 57), “Hair” (starring Stacy Keach, The Bourne Legacy), and “Eye”(Directed by Tobe Hooper, Poltergeist, and starring Mark Hamill, Star Wars). With special appearances by Deborah Harry (Scarface), Sheena Easton (Miami Vice), Twiggy, David Naughton (An American Werewolf in London), John Agar (Tarantula), David Warner (The Omen) and cameos by notable horror film legends Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Tobe Hooper (Lifeforce, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead), Roger Corman (House of Usher) and Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead), this pulse-pounding horror collection delivers a fright-filled night of terror to remember. This must-have collector’s edition features an uncut anamorphic widescreen  presentation of the film (for the first time both on DVD & Blu-ray™) and is packed with exciting bonus content, a collectible cover featuring newly rendered retro-style artwork and more.

Delivering more terrifying perils and action suspense, John Carpenter’s acclaimed pre-Halloween thriller ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 all-new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ hits home entertainment shelves everywhere on November 19 from Scream Factory. This definitive edition release of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 boasts a bounty of all-new special bonus content, a collectible cover featuring newly rendered retro-style artwork, a reversible wrap with original theatrical key art and much more!

***Avid fans and collectors please take note: those who order JOHN CARPENTER PRESENTS BODY BAGS Collector’s Edition and/ or ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 Collector’s Edition from ScreamfactoryDVD.com will receive the respective exclusive 18”x24” poster featuring the newly commissioned artwork!  These are only available while supplies last.***

Pre-order now at:

BODY BAGS on Amazon.com

ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13  on Amazon.com

Movie Review: Combat Girls (aka Kriegerin, 2013)

There is no better quality for a movie to have, in my opinion, than the ability to drag you in by the emotional short hairs and hold you there for the duration. During the first few minutes of Combat Girls, a group of modern day Nazi kids living in Germany terrorize every passenger on a city bus in a way that made me absolutely loathe every one of them. I watched as they shoved one kid and called him a faggot. I sat with my heart racing as a young Asian guy was pummeled in front of his girlfriend. I wished I was on that bus. I wanted to be in a seat at the back of the bus with a bat or a pipe so that I could stand up and mash the unholy shit out of each of their skulls until they turned into pudding. I hated these people. HATED them. I've seen these assholes in the real world, and I've been the guy to step in on more than one occasion, not out of heroics, but out of anger and necessity. I can't stand aggressive bullies. It was like everyone involved with Combat Girls knew exactly where my buttons were, and they mashed all of them down as hard as they could with an open palm. For the rest of this movie, I was in, and there was no way for me to turn away. I needed justice in some manner or another.

THE DISASTER ARTIST by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell - Pre-order Bonus!

Oh, hi Mark!

If you pre-order THE DISASTER ARTIST: My Life Inside THE ROOM, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made, the upcoming memoir by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell (on sale October 1st, 2013) before September 15th and tell us via this form where you pre-ordered, you'll receive an email on September 16th with an exclusive invite to a Shindig Live video chat event with Greg himself!

* You must have a valid email address to receive the exclusive invite. *

You can pre-order the book on Amazon.com, then fill out this form to get your invite!

For more info on The Disaster Artist, check the official website: www.thedisasterartistbook.com

Movie Review: One Touch of Venus (1948, Olive Films)

...Mr. Peabody, if you would, set the 'way-back' machine to a window of time...a span of years, from the mid-30's, to the late 40's...an uneasy and tumultuous era of progressively nation-involving conflict, culminating & peaking with World War II, and then, the post-war years...nations mourning their brave and battled dead. This was a time when whimsical escapism, fantastic flights of fantasy, and accompanying musical merriment held reign, in the cool and spectacled shrines...those movie palaces of yesteryear. 1941's "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" offered battling boxers, taken away too soon, and coming back to life, haven been given another chance...1937's "Topper" afforded us fun-loving earthbound ghosts, in search of a good deed...1947's "Down to Earth" brought down the very gods from above, solely for the purpose of inspiration...1943's "A Guy Named Joe" also had it's inspiring heavenly protagonist, though in the unlikely guise of a beloved, albeit deceased pilot...1947's "The Bishop's Wife" and 1934's "Death Takes a Holiday" had watchful heavenly angels, as well as brooding angels of death, assuming human form...1944's "Outward Bound" caught snapshot glimpses of a select few in a post-death, afterlife state of limbo, bound for otherworldly destinations...and even the goddess Venus herself, could not help but come down from the heavens, in search of true love, by way of a bumbling, albeit hopelessly lovelorn department store window dresser, in the light-hearted, musically laden, romantic fantasy/comedy fluff from 1948, "One Touch of Venus"...

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.

Movie Review: Dark Angel (1990, Blu-ray)

Dolph Lundgren has had a really nice little resurgence over the past couple of years with much more high profile projects. He was in both The Expendables I and II (and slated to return for the third!), the action flick The Package and the surprisingly good Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. There was  time following his performance as "Ivan Drago" in Rocky IV where the Swedish born actor seemed be in get some roles in some enjoyable action pictures. One of those movies was the 1990 Sci-fi / Horror / Action hybrid from director Craig Baxley titled Dark Angel.

Originally released in the states and on video under the title I Come in Peace, Scream Factory has the Director's Cut available now on Blu-ray with some cool extra features and a nice high-definition makeover to boot.

While trying to foil a big drug deal by the city’s biggest criminals, “The White Boys”, Jack Caine (Lundgren) loses his partner. During the bust, he gets distracted by a bunch of robbers shooting up a convenience store nearby.  Caine soon has another problem that becomes an equally bad issue for the White Boys – a giant drug-dealing alien killing machine (Mathias Hues, Executive Target). This alien not only steals heroin, he shoots innocent people in the head with the smack using a large need-like device.

Movie Review: Battle Earth (2012, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Have you ever sat through a movie that's so boring that it makes you want to self harm? Well if you're suicidal then Battle Earth is your ticket to paradise. Just take a look at that cover art... looks fun right? Soldiers, a destroyed city, a helicopter and look an Independence Day style space ship! Oh yeah... besides the soldiers you don't get any space ships or burning city's. What you get is a group of Canadian's playing soldiers in the woods for an hour and a half. It sounds like I'm being harsh but seriously this film is fucking boring. If you looked up boring in the dictionary you'd find this film. Nothing happens until the final ten minutes and when the shit hits the fan... well it's disappointing... much like a Thai massage with no happy ending. No me love you long time here folks. Just blue balls and disappointment all around. Pardon the sexual puns, I had to entertain myself somehow.

Let's get the "Plot" out of the way first right? Sorry I faded away for a bit just thinking how this film felt longer then a fucking Leonard Cohen song.  Confirmation of extraterrestrial life appears on television screens across the world as a massive spacecraft breaks through the atmosphere on a crash course into the Atlantic Ocean. A young paramedic, Greg Baker, signs up to fight for his planet against the invaders. Baker joins Special Forces members as the squad medic as they escort a classified package by chopper over enemy territory. When their chopper is shot down they find themselves surrounded and outnumbered. Desperate to return to his wife's side and haunted by nightmares, Baker find that his role in the war has quickly become much larger than he could have ever imagined. The mysterious package may be the key to turning the tide of the war, and possibly to saving all of humanity, but Baker must decide whether to protect it or sacrifice it to ensure his own survival.

Movie Review: Tai Chi Hero (2012, Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Tai Chi Hero is the sequel to the hugely successful martial arts/cyber punk epic "Tai Chi Zero". I enjoyed the first film but I thought it didn't push the boundaries enough. It was a zany film sure but it could have went further and could have fleshed out it's characters more. Lucky for us though Tai Chi Hero is a better film in every way imaginable.

Lu Chan (Jayden Yuan) is still trying to find his place in Chen Village, the legendary town where everyone is a martial arts master and Chen-style Tai Chi is forbidden to outsiders. But since he helped save the town from a steam powered machine, Yuniang (Angelababy), beautiful daughter of the Grandmaster Chen (Tony Leung), agrees to marry Lu Chan and bring him into the family. However, it's only a formality - she is the teacher and he is the student and that suits Lu Chan just fine, as the mutant horn on his head gives him incredible kung fu power but leaves him dumber and closer to death each time he uses it. Chen Village still stands in the shadow of danger. A prodigal brother returns, Lu Chan's presence invokes a curse on the town and Yuniang's scorned fiancee has an appetite for revenge, as well as some new partners in crime.

Movie Review: "Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff" (1978, Vinegar Syndrome)

...this ardent and open-minded viewer, in engaging a review of the film you are about to be privy to, haplessly found himself at the indelible horns of a frustratingly interesting dilemma; having recently partaken of the controversial and rarely seen 1978 exploitation drama, "Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff" (...also known as "The Sin" and "The Shaming", in alternate theatrical re-release and broadcast cable venues), this viewer had afterwards placed the crust of director Marvin J. Chomsky's powerhouse of a film, and it's viscerally daring subject matter, on a mental display stand...indeterminately and indecisively circling the whole of the film...poking and prodding...the arduous challenge being, trying how best to approach it from an objectively critical standpoint. In the course of better understanding...historically, as well as literary, considering the source material, which this film is based (...in this case, the best selling novel of the same name, by author William Inge, who previously penned "Come Back, Little Sheba", "Bus Stop" and "Picnic")...this viewer especially could not help but feel thrice parallel divided and segmented, in the sense of desiring to be a fly on the wall on multiple levels, with regards to both the time & place of the film's events, the time & place when this movie itself was released, and finally, the ensuing aftermath thoughts of having viewed the film, in the midst of today's social climate. Amusingly enough, much like the film's evasive advertising campaign, this viewer has thus far avoided delving into exactly how provocatively powerful, traumatically explicit, emotionally distressing, and overall compellingly thought-provoking this film is. And at some point, dammit, one has to stop trying to say it, or stop trying to say around it, and just come out and say it, right?? So, enough of this pussy-footing, big-toe-testing-the-waters lolly-gagging; let's jump head first into these provocative waters, shall we...??

Movie Review: Sushi Girl (2012, Magnolia)

...before gleefully and dutifully engaging this review, let's start off by saying that this viewer is a sucker for a good movie trailer. Beyond the generated hype & publicity of a movie, the advance viewing & review by critics, the suggested star power & creative hand...both behind & in front of the camera, the leaked footage & behind-the-scenes video commentary...it is a stand-out, well crafted movie trailer that quite literally grabs me by the shirt collar, slams me resoundingly up against the wall, and insistently commands my utmost attention. Granted, as does happen from time to time, some movie trailers DO exclusively feature what is best about a specific movie, with the movie itself, on a whole, proving to be something less than what the trailer promised; that's part of the gamble, I suppose...the nature of the beast...when one gets irresistably and invariably pulled in by the suggested content of the movie trailer, and as the result, committedly lays down one's hard earned samolians for the feature film, itself. However, when a movie carried through on the promise...'walks the walk', rather than merely 'talk the talk', via it's intendedly influential and compelling movie trailer, one cannot help but praise that artfully creative little two-to-two-and-a-half minutes of tease...that eye-and-mind-catching vanguard of great things to come...in the same light as the film itself proves to be...the trailer, being merely a tantilizing taste at the bottom of the shotglass...and the film, harboring the numbing contents of the whole bottle...

Where's My Cake??? "Creepshow" Coming to Blu-ray From Second Sight Films!

One of the classic horror anthologies, Creepshow is the gloriously ghoulish collection of comic book tales served up by the masters of macabre Stephen King and George A. Romero. It finally makes its much-anticipated Blu-ray debut thanks to Second Sight Films.

Relish the family reunion and the murdered father who still wants his cake; the backwards farmer who discovers a meteorite with a life of its own; one husband’s vengeful plan that will leave his cheating wife and her lover up to their necks in it; another’s hope that the vicious occupant of a mysterious crate may be the answer to his nagging wife problem; and in the final gross-out tale a malicious millionaire with an insect phobia gets a scuttling surprise.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #109 - Wizard World Chicago 2013

Kevin and Dave visit Wizard World Chicago and take their usual stroll through Artists Alley.

Dave interviews Punx of Rage writer Joe Currie and artist Shawn Alleyne from Pyroglyphics Studios. He also interviews Mike and Roze from the new horror flick Speak No Evil. Tune in next week for a complete con wrap up.

Find Joe at punxofrage.net.
Shawn is at pyroglyphics1.deviantart.com.
Mike and Roze can be found at mindplate.tv.
Watch the videos of these interviews at youtube.com/cinemaheadcheese.

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!

Movie Review: The Vixens of Kung-Fu / Oriental Blue (1975)

Since Vinegar Syndrome established themselves just a few months ago as one of the finer genre distributors around, they've bolstered their eclectic library with some double-feature discs that don’t make much of a dent in your pocketbook, while still delivering quality content. Their most recent release of Bob Milling’s The Vixens of Kung-Fu and Oriental Blue are no different. With the help of Golden Age and all-around stellar adult film distributor, Distripix (The Opening of Misty Beethoven, Naked Came a Stranger, Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle) Vinegar Syndrome puts forth one of their finer drive-in double features.

Both The Vixens of Kung-Fu and Oriental Blue have, as the title implies – an Asian theme. They even share many of the same actors -- Jamie Gillis, C.J Lang, Bobby Astyr and Peonies.  They are different stories completely. In The Vixens of Kung-Fu a young prostitute named Yan (Bree Anthony) is fleeing from a group of rednecks played by legends, Bobby Astyr and Jamie Gillis. She's unfortunately shot in the back by these rape-happy goons. Naturally, the boys have their way with her while she's still warm in a very sleazy foursome, which includes another actor jerking into some cloth vessel whilst Astyr and Gillis do what they do best.

Movie Review: Would You Rather...? (2012, IFC Midnight)

...well, well, well...what do we have here, ladies and gentlemen?? How so very interesting that the last time we amassed together here, to waxrapsonic about a movie involving a wound-up, ticking time clock, actor Mark Hamill, adorned in a most eccentric sort of character, was sadistically torturing a fellow crime cohort for information, with the sharpened lead stinger of a number two pencil (...see previous review of "Sushi Girl"). Yet, here we all are gathered, once again...with yet another rusty old time clock, relentlessly ticking away...and yet another game of uncompromising brutality and sadism. And a question for you fine folks, out there...oh, yes...a most intriguing question to be posed in this gathered arena. Just how far would you be willing to go...what would you be willing to do...how much would you be willing to sacrifice...how far would you be willing to compromise your most unswervingly and steadfast convictions...for money?? This is the rather intriguing...wholly guard-lowering...and potentially fatal query afforded to several willing, albeit curious 'contestants', in the midst of what gradually progress into a painfully unrelenting exercise in human truths, values and vulnerability...a truly sadistic and torturous game to be played here, called "Would You Rather...??"...

Movie Review: The Films of Richard Kern - Hardcore Collection (Blu-ray)

Whenever I was thumbing through a Film Threat video guide in the early nineties there always seemed to be some really eclectic, interesting independent stuff that I’d never read about elsewhere.  I discovered wild films like Red and Nekromantik (both of which are huge favorites) and an interesting collection of shorts from controversial filmmaker Richard Kern. It was a while before I finally caught the films on VHS at a local Tower Records, when I did finally see it, shit was I blown away.  I didn't think I’d see the day, but Kern's The Films of Richard Kern - Hardcore Collection is here now and available on Blu-ray completely remastered in a Director's cut.

All the movies you remember from the previous releases are back in this three hour assault on the senses:Evil Cameraman, The Right Side Of My Brain, You Killed Me First, The Bitches, The Sewing Circle, X is Y, Fingered, Horoscope, Submit to Me Now, My Nightmare, Manhattan Loves Suicides, Submit to Me, and Death Valley 69 are shown in their uncut glory. As an extra we also get some bonus footage from a couple of the shorts to sweeten this sadistic little compilation.

Movie Review: I.B.S. (2013)

I’ve seen my share of gross out horror comedies. I’ve even been a party to some. There is a fine line that needs to be trod in order for these to be successful. When you’re dealing with subject matter like I.B.S. (which, in real world parlance, stands for irritable bowel syndrome) does, that line is even thinner. In all honesty, the film could have worked with a little more care and attention to detail. There are two ways for a film with this initial concept (the tag line is “When he’s gotta go, you gotta go”) to work. Either screw it up so bad and give the entire filmmaking world the finger on your way to cult movie status OR produce a fine-looking film that revels in its wrong-ness despite the quality. I.B.S. lets loose right down the middle and, if I may be so bold, would have benefited from a courtesy flush.

Movie Review: The Black Scorpion (1957)

Directed by Edward Ludwig

Starring Richard Denning, Mara Corday and Carlos Rivas

Run time: 88 min.

Rated:G

　

Deep in the heart of Mexico a giant volcano has suddenly sprung forth from the earth, causing massive earthquakes and widespread devastation. In the small village of San Lorenzo not only are they dealing with lava-flows and earthquakes but with a giant, deadly six legged creature that has risen from the depths to wreak havoc on the local farmers and ranchers.

An American geologist, Hank Scott (Richard Denning) and his Mexican counterpart, Arturo Ramos (Carlos Rivas) are sent to investigate and report on the damage caused by the volcanic upheaval but soon after arriving in San Lorenzo find that the damage caused by mother nature is nothing compared to the trail of bloody death left behind by....The Black Scorpion.

In their first attempt at killing the giant insect, our two geologists, along with a young stow-away, are lowered by a crane down into a giant crack in the ground. Armed with only pistols and bug-spray they quickly discover that they are woefully ill-equipped for an extermination as they find that the cavern is infested with an entire horde of scorpions, as well as a ferocious trap-door spider the size of a beer keg and another creepy-crawly resembling a giant worm with claws. Barely escaping with their lives from the cavern, our two hero’s realize not only did they fail in their mission but that the entire horde of scorpions has followed them out of the hole and are now running loose and rampaging across the Mexican landscape. Soon after this the scorpions decide to start attacking each other and eventually only the alpha-scorpion is left alive, and is headed straight for Mexico City. With some quick thinking and the help of the Mexican Army, Hank and Arturo are able to lure the beastie into a soccer stadium using a truck full of raw meat as bait. It is here where the final battle takes place between the Black Scorpion and a fleet of army tanks and helicopters.

Movie Review: The Fog (Blu-ray, 1980)

John Carpenter's classic Halloween opened up some excellent opportunities for the talented writer/director/composer. One of those was the chance to direct a follow-up to the box-office hit with Halloween II. While certainly pleased there was a sequel, he declined and chose to do something new, something fresh, a film that would take him away from the slasher and give him a chance to bring audiences into the supernatural horrors that are... The Fog. Scream Factory has taken The Fog, restored it and given it their widely praised "Collector's Edition" label in their latest release from the popular line specializing in retro-horror.

When an immense fog begins to cover the quiet town of Antonio Bay, the fisherman and soon the townsfolk begin to perish for . The fog, is death to these people and what’s inside the fog is unstoppable. Stevie Wayne (Adrienne Barbeau, Creepshow, Swamp Thing) is literally in the “thick’ of things as our damsel in distress radio DJ. She and some like-minded individuals are looking to get out of dodge as soon as possible to avoid getting a hook through their throats courtesy of the mysterious creatures traveling in the fog.

Movie Review: Ms .45 (1981)

When Jeff Dolniak asked for my email address, I expected to be spammed and harassed with ads for constipation meds, erectile dysfunction, and furry enthusiasts. To my complete surprise, I was presented with a link to the remastered 1981 revenge film, Ms .45.

Ms .45 stars Zoe Tamerlis as Thana, a mute girl working as a seamstress in New York. She’s a rather shy and reserved young lady and while her coworkers/friends go off for a drink after work, she heads home via the grocery store. She’s jumped by a masked man hiding in an alley. At gunpoint he rapes her over some garbage cans then runs away. Thana stumbles home in a stupor only to discover another man has broken into her apartment. Robber turns rapist and she is violated AGAIN. How much bad luck can one poor girl have? Damn.

Can Anyone Stop "Frankenstein's Army"?

MPI/Dark Sky Films Presents 
The Critically Acclaimed One-of-a-Kind Film 

FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY

Coming To Blu-Ray and DVD on September 10, 2013

"...the energy, invention and humor are bracing."
- The New York Times

Hot off the heels of it's critically acclaimed theatrical release, Richard Raaphorst's highly buzzed-about debut film, FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY comes to Blu-ray and DVD from MPI/Dark Sky Films on September 10, 2013.

"FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY is funny and original, with innovative costumes and set designs. It's sure to please horror fans," says The New York Post.

In the dying days of World War II, a battalion of Russian soldiers find themselves lost in enemy territory in eastern Germany. One soldier (Alexander Mercury, The Golden Compass) has been ordered to make a propaganda film as the squadron makes its way across the wintry landscape, and what follows is a thrilling mix of found-footage shocks and classic horror. Stumbling upon a village decimated by an unseen terror, the Russians are lured into the secret lab of deranged scientist Viktor (Hellboy's Karel Roden). Viktor has unearthed the journals of the legendary Dr. Victor Frankenstein and has used them to assemble an army of supersoldiers stitched together from the body parts of fallen Germans - a desperate Hitler's last ghastly ploy to escape defeat.

Movie Review: Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. (1949, Republic/Cheezy Flicks)

...ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...return with us, once again, to the thrilling golden days of yesteryear, when sandwiched in between each and every classic double-feature bill, yet another grueling and suspense-instilling serial chapter...gripping the audience with anticipation, and gasp-inducing thrills & chills. During that exciting time, famed Republic Pictures held a pretty respectable gamut, in the genre of multi-chaptered cliffhangers, with the best of them amongst the lot, including 1939's "Zorro's Fighting Legion", 1936's "Undersea Kingdom", 1946's "The Crimson Ghost", 1950's "Desperadoes of the West" (...covered earlier, on this webpage), 1949's "King of the Rocket Men", 1945's "The Purple Monster Strikes", and several others. For the most part, known for being quite fast-paced, as well as being crammed with as much easily-digestible story into each chapter, the Republic serials very much stood out amongst their peers, which included the likes of Universal Pictures, Pathe Exchange, Columbia Pictures, Astra Films and Mascot Pictures, just to name a few. And it was gripping and action-packed entries, such as 1949's "Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc...one of Republic's latter-end serials...which firmly cemented their reputation, as far as their respected and well-received contribution to this genre...

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #108 - Con Prep

As Wizard World Chicago nears, Kevin runs through a list of conventions that the crew from Abnormal Entertainment will be attending throughout the remainder of the year. These include Wizard World Chicago and Austin, Comikaze, C4 and Rapture Horror Expo.

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.

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Book Review: All You Can Eat (Deadite Press)

Cannibalism is the new undead.

Bear with me, here. Since reanimated corpses are, in all honesty, a new species, a bunch of zombies munching down on hapless humans isn’t really cannibalism at all. They’ve changed and, therefore, are not eating their own species, right? That’s the argument I’m working with here. Make no mistake about it, Shane McKenzie’s All You Can Eat has nothing to do with zombies, but everything to do with morbidly obese cannibals and, if you know me, then you know I have a well-marbled soft spot for morbidly obese cannibals. All I’m saying that a few books into his fledgling hardcore horror authorship and McKenzie has helped to kick start a new phase in the anthropophagus sub-genre. All You Can Eat is a rollicking ride from one side of a Chinese buffet to the other and we get to sample it all.

Buy All You Can Eat HERE.

Movie Review: Stripped (2012, Inception Media Group)

...OK, people!! All hands raised high!! Who, within read-shot, believes that the 'found footage' horror sub-genre, has run it's course?? Let's see...there's one hand...two hands...three...four...five...may as well stop counting; there's just too many hands up, to count. Funny thing about coming to the conclusion that the 'found footage' thing has long become stale; each time one comes to that eye-rolling, 'tsk, tsk'-rendering relevation...well, this viewer be damned if someone comes along, and manages to stir something new into the mix, breathing life into this beaten dead horse...as evident by the reportedly positive, recent critic & general public reviews for the upcoming "V/H/S 2" (...hopefully, to be similarly reviewed here, real soon). However, as is typical, in the cable and direct-to-video markets, for every few and far between exception to the rule, there will invariably be the ho-hum, yawn-inducing, 'riding the coattail' knockoffs, which gives furthered and exhaustive cause to the sub-genre having far too long out-stayed it's welcome...call it "The Thing That Wouldn't Leave", as was once amusingly coined, in one of those old Saturday Night Live routines. Such is the case with the most recent entry in the sub-genre...an excruciatingly tame, harmless and ultimately 'by-the-numbers' forgettable little 'found footage' ditty from 2012, called "Stripped"...

Movie Review: Hatchet III (2013, Blu-ray)

Reviewed by: James DePaolo





When the first Hatchet film came out, people were going on and on about the old school fun of it and some critics went way overboard on the film. Then came part II and this bogus “ support unrated horror” campaign that people acted like that film was the first film ever that had MPAA problems. You may see where this review seems to be heading, Hatchet is one of those franchises that the hype and talk outshine the films. Here we are at III and I will be honest, gone is the cheer-leading and hype because I feel even the biggest supporters will admit that this film is pretty bad.

Unlike the last two installments that had an element of fun, somewhat, this film has no personality or heart and just feels like all involved went through the motions. III picks up right at the end of II with Marybeth fighting off Crowley and thinking she killed him and going to the police with her story. Well once there, they think she is crazy and lock her up for questioning about who died. Well, when the Sheriff and his team decide to go investigate her story is when they find out that Victor is not dead.

Movie Review: Black Sabbath (1963, Blu-ray/DVD combo pack)

Review By: Rob Sibley

  Mario Bava is the king of Italian horror, plain and simple. Don't get me wrong I am obsessed with Italian masters of horror. Dario Argento, Lucio Fulchi, Umberto Lenzi, Sergio Martino, Luigi Cozzi and Pupi Avati all are brilliant filmmakers. But Bava was special... some may call his films old fashioned. If by old fashioned you meant classy I'd agree. Bava single handily created the Giallo genre and at the same time (to me) did the first true slasher film with Bay of Blood. A film which was ripped off more times then I can count. Let's just say you wouldn't have Friday the 13^th 1 or 2 without Bay. You wouldn't have all the great early Giallo's from Argento if it wasn't for The Girl who knew too much and Blood and Black Lace.

Bava was ahead of his time, other filmmakers were just playing catch up. He was a man of many talents, not only an excellent director but a phenomenal cinematographer and writer. Look at “Hatchet For the Honeymoon” and tell me Brett Easton Ellis wasn't inspired by it for American Psycho. Bava didn't always just make horror films. He directed the criminally underrated epic “Hercules: In The Haunted World” and the Viking epic Erik The Conqueror. He also wasn't afraid to add humor to his films. His films often were filled with irony and pitch black humor.

Movie Review: Fairy in a Cage (DVD, 1977)

Review By: Rob Sibley

 During World War II, the tyrannical Judge Murayama uses his military power to imprison and torture innocent people. Suspected of helping an anti-government movement, the lovely Namiji Kikushima (Naomi Tani) is captured, along with a local kabuki actor. Helpless and unable to escape, the two are subjected to a grueling series of tortures including rope bondage and psysical assault. As the Judge an his evil assistant Kayo revel in their perverse fetishes, a new military recruit they've hired named Taoka may be the key to the prisoners freedom. He loves Namiji and will do what he can to help her, even if it means betrayal to organize an escape!

Well leave it to Impulse pictures (Synapse's dirty little cousin) to release one of the most controversial and most sought after Nikkatsu productions of all time. The film at times reminded me of Salo, mainly due to the fact it mixed in heavily political statements with it's rape and violence. I must admit this film was my first journey into Nikkatsu. I've seen countless Pink films but this film is a different breed. Unlike your common Pink flick it seems the Roman Porno's focused on violence and sexuality on equal levels. It's certainly not a film for everyone.

Movie Review: Wrong (2012, Realitism/Drafthouse Films)

...in the short time that I have been scribbling complementary and critical cinematic verbiage for this most embraceably eclectic webpage (...oh yes, a motley crew, are we...), I have gleefully perused through a rather respectable gamut of cult movies...a whole spectrum of relishably lurid schlock, escapist genre classics, arousingly sizzling erotica, easily-digestible commercial oddies, and all point in-between, around the sides, over the top, as well as the slimy, abysmally darkened dreck, underneath (...what was it that Maxwell Smart once offered in response, on more than one occasion?? "...AND loving it!!", I believe it was...). In the midst of having viewed & viewed & viewed, and thusly offered commentary to such viewings, this...well, this viewer has since instigated in the back of his mind, a gage...a measuring device, not so very much unlike that of a meter, measuring a level of intensity, from left to right...an intensity, which reflects how much my face contorts and assumes a live version of the cartoonish Cinema Head Cheese logo, which you readers have come to know and recognize. Least to say, given the wide range of film-fantasique, which this viewer has been privy of, the needle on said gage has seen flutter well across the range of the scale...with the odd, occasional times, when the needle slams resoundly to the right, and this viewer's facial visage takes on the euphorically sado-masochistic and tortured look of this webpage's namesake logo. And it is those rare times when one finds that oh-so numbingly rancid, tantilizingly tasteless and wincingly brain-twisting vintage of Thunderbird...that rare, opportune piece of flickage, which makes one stare hypnotically googly-eyed at the end of the movie...at the screen...through the screen...while the final credits roll, and then, moments later, after the screen has faded to black, makes one shakes one's head back & forth crazily back to reality, blubbering spittle all around, like a Whammo Water Wiggle, and half-laughing/half-screaming madly, in the process...

Movie Review: Marvel Knights: Wolverine - Origin (2013, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Wolverine is the best there is at what he does; although of course, what he doe isn't very nice. But long before he was a member of the X-men, a tormented experiment of the Weapon-X project, or even a savage bar brawler known as Logan, he was simply a young boy. What incredible forces created this man, the world's greatest killing machine? For years, Wolverine has searched desperately for answers from his past, from the wilds of the Canadian Wilderness to the teeming cities of Japan and beyond. And despite his perseverance and longing for the truth, he remains an enigma to himself and those around him. But, in this landmark event, Marvel reveals all: the birth and childhood of a young boy... the intriguing secrets of his family history... and the tragedy that changed everything. Welcome to the greatest story never told...

So reads the back jacket of the DVD, big words for sure. That is a lot of hype for a motion comic to live up to. Luckily this motion comic was adapted from the amazing 6 issue story “Wolverine: Origin”. Which finally revealed Logan's mysterious past. Before I discuss the actual film, I must admit I usually hate motion comics with a passion.