Sci-Fi Classics Movie Reviews

I can’t believe I’ve finally made it to the bottom of the ginormous stack of DVDs that David Hayes brought me 17 years ago. Actually, it was more like two, but it felt longer. (That’s what she said.)

ANYWAY....

I’ve got some horror/sci fi classics to review for you today. The best thing about these genre films from the 50s and 60s? They’re only about an hour long! The worst thing, aside from the low budget, crappy effects, and terrible acting, is that with such a short window, most of the action/storyline is told instead of shown. Oh well. I’m willing to overlook that when you get monsters made out of yarn and cardboard boxes...

Our first film is Creature from the Haunted Sea, a 1961 beaut from Roger Corman. In Cuba, Castro has just successfully led a revolution, ousting dictator Batista. But just because they won, doesn’t mean the Revolution has any money. So, an American casino owner, Renzo Capetto, is asked to smuggle a giant box of gold out of Cuba for Castro (I’m not really clear on why, but whatever.) Capetto agrees, but only because he plans to steal it for himself.

In on the job are his gal, Mary-Belle and her brother, Happy, Jack (the guy who makes animal noises,) and Sparks (who’s actually an undercover American Agent.) General Tostada, his aide, and a bunch of Cuban soldiers are accompanying the gold so nothing happens to it on the way. Capetto decides to kill as many of the Cubans as he can on the boat ride out of Dodge, so decides to use a local legend about a sea monster as cover.

Trouble is....the monster is actually REAL!

Movie Review: The Slumber Party Massacre (Blu-ray)

Scream Factory has had their hand in the Blu-ray debuts of many of the classic slashers from the 80's. One such film that they've recently unearthed for a High-Def makeover is from the one and only, King of the B's, Roger Corman. Throughout Roger Corman’s career (most notably in the 70s and 80s), the legendary cult film producer and director has taken a lot of unwarranted abuse by critics and film-goers for producing too many films that portray women as just objects, that are best seen either naked or getting killed. To me that’s a bunch of crap. Few producers have empowered the female gender like Roger Corman has. Sure they get naked, and yes plenty have perished at the hands of Carnosuars and driller killers, but some talented ladies have actually been employed to do more, like direct, write and produce. The director of the Slumber Party Massacre is is actually a talented woman by the name of Amy Jones. That's my evidence, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Gloria Steinem! Now onto the movie!

Cinema Head Cheese: Podshort! - The Fantastic Four (1994)

In honor of the failure of Josh Trank's Fantastic Four, Kevin Moyers finally watches the unreleased Roger Corman version.

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"Space Raiders" and "Short Eyes" Debut on Blu-ray from Scorpion Releasing and Kino Lorber this August!

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 22, 2014 - Kino Lorber and Scorpion Releasing announce the release of Roger Corman's sci-fi adventure SPACE RAIDERS, starring Vince Edwards, and Robert M. Young's prison drama SHORT EYES, starring Bruce Davison, in limited edition Blu-rays, available on August 1st exclusively at kinolorber.com.

SPACE RAIDERS streets on September 2nd, with a SRP of $29.95, in a limited edition of 2,000 units. SHORT EYES streets on September 16th, with a SRP of $29.95, in a limited edition of 1,500 units. Both titles will also become available on DVD with individual SRPs of $19.95.

SPACE RAIDERS

1983 Color 84 Minutes Anamorphic (1.78:1) Rated PG Science Fiction

Join a pint-sized boy for a giant-sized space adventure! On the distant planet of Procyon III at a time far into the future, 10 year-old Peter Tracton (David Mendenhall,Over the Top) is innocently trying to catch a pesky space bug when suddenly the warehouse he is playing in is attacked by outlaw Space Raiders, and the boy is whisked off on an incredible adventure beyond his wildest dreams. Vince Edwards (TV's Ben Casey M.D.) stars as Col. C.W. "Hawk" who discovers Peter hiding the hull of the of the cargo ship that he and his raiders have just hijacked. While under attack by Hawk's arch nemesis, the alien Zariatin, Peter risks his life to help with the repair of a damaged engine, enabling the Raiders to a make a safe escape. With exhilarating echoes of the movie Star Wars, Hawk and his crew reward Peter's courage by promising to return the little boy safely to his home planet. Together they embark upon a thrilling odyssey across millions of miles of outer space. Directed by veteran cult director Howard R. Cohen (Saturday the 14th).

Movie Review: Nurse 3D (Blu-ray, 2014)

The whole “nurse” fantasy has been played out numerous times in films. Most notably, genre fans may remember Roger Corman’s prolific output in the “nurse” sexploitation department with late-night cable staples The Student Nurses and Candy Stripe Nurses. We’ve also seen the other angle with the killer nurse in the slashers Nurse Sherri and the Death Nurse films. Writer / Director Douglas Aarniokoski takes both motifs and combined them in making really sexy (and often naked) psycho nurse with his feature Nurse 3D.

Boardwalk Empire’s Paz de la Huerta plays Abby Russell, a pouty-lipped, scrumptiously bottom-heavy killer nurse looking to make sleazy, cheating men an endangered species. She uses her skill as a nurse to off these unpleasant fellows in a variety of ways – some even cringe-inducing for those with anything swinging in their trousers.

Movie Review: Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)

There’s an STD joke in here somewhere…

I’ve always enjoyed the Edgar Allan Poe movies of the 1960s directed by Roger Corman. But I realized I haven’t seen more than a small fraction of RC’s work, particularly the sci-fi monster movies from the 50s (with the exception being The Wasp Woman - that shit was awesome!).

And so I’ve rectified my terrible short comings by taking a gander at Attack of the Crab Monsters. The opening credits alone scream cheese ball as they’re hand drawn and look how Ariel’s world would have ended up if Ursula had succeeded in defeating King Triton.

There is a lot of talking in this flick because I can only guess the available money went to pay for the actors and that’s about it. So not as many action shots as there are looooong minutes of explanation as to why the people are on this particular island, and one character actually tells us (via random naval crew guy #2) the names and occupations of every fucking person.

Basically a crew of scientists and Navy guys need to search a little spit of an island for a research crew that disappeared from there earlier. And wouldn’t you know it but people start dying two minutes in: random crew guy #4 falls out of the dinghy and is pulled back up without his head. That’s less than optimal.

Movie Review: The Vincent Price Collection (Blu-ray)

Vincent Price is one of those rare breeds of actor that simply put - is bigger than life. His versatility and scene-eating prowess made the majority of his features so engaging to fans of genre that has undoubtedly put him at horror legend status. Whether it was his work on Roger Corman's Poe titles or his other AIP excursions, his involvement was almost a sure thing that what you were about to see was something truly special. The folks at Scream Factory have been hard at work on preserving Vincent's legacy with their four Blu-ray set that includes six of his finest contributions to genre - The Pit and the Pendulum, The Masque of Red Death, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Witchfinder General, The Haunted Palace and The Fall of the House of Usher. All titles have been restored for the glorious high-definition format and, yes, like previous Scream Factory releases it's loaded with extra features both new and ported from the MGM DVD releases

The set kicks off with two of Price's crowning achievements on disc one - The Pit and the Pendulum and The Masque of Red Death. The Pit and the Pendulum marked Price's second foray into the world of Edgar Allen Poe with Roger Corman. Here Price plays, Nicholas Medina, the husband of the recently deceased Elisabeth (Barbara Steele, Black Sunday). Following her death, Elisabeth's brother takes a trip to visit Medina's castle to find out a little more about what happened. The plot thickens pretty quickly as Medina, while the showing facade of depressed widower, he's actually hiding plenty of secrets - one being a giant swinging pendulum in his torture device filled basement. Price is excellent here as Medina and no doubt plays this "tortured" individual well. Corman is also at the top of his game along with the very welcome storytelling strengths of Richard Matheson.

Movie Review: Dragon Wasps (2012, Chelsea Films)

Reviewed By: John Beutler

I have to admit, good or bad, this reviewer is a sucker for 'nature strikes back' flicks, especially the mutation-themed ones...even going as far back as the '50's nuclear age, when ol' mad scientist Leo J. Carroll, was over a barrel, when "Tarantula" took to the hills. Giant bugs...giant animals...even giant people...sometimes borne of atomic radiation...often wrought from a mad scientist's radical experimentation...occasionally originating from the outer reaches of space...the odd times, abruptly awoken from prehistoric sleep...and in the past few decades, the dreaded scourge of genetic mutation. 

The basic story-lines themselves, a dime-a-dozen, and almost negligible...virtually writing themselves...the situations, given the variant 'tweeking', here and there, are often not that far removed from each other...put a number of characters in a desperate situation...a good guy, a bad guy, and a damsel in distress, amongst others...throw in the prerequisite slimy 'creature', which proceeds to dispatch the minor-league characters, one by one...cue the sappy, albeit responsive-to-the-situation melodrama...muscle up enough gumption from the survivors, in an effort to destroy the creature, as resourcefully as possible...and BAM!! Creature is destroyed, the typically arrogant bad guy dies, in the process...hero and damsel embrace, and all is well. An interchangeable scenario, seen often enough to become cliche, at this point...but like every other film of it's type, the real meat of the 'nature strikes back' flick, is the creature, or creatures...and how it is/they are creatively and realistically rendered. It is in THIS...what is supposed to be the anticipated payoff of the film, that 2012's derivative and ho-hum moderately entertaining, high-octane, rapid-fire sci-fi actioner, "Dragon Wasps", lets the viewer down...

Movie Review: Screwballs (Blu-ray, 1983)

During the mid-eighties, the nine year-old me occasionally had had access to the to the late-night cable that frequently showed fare that was not quite for the eyes and ears of my corruptable being. After seeing Porky’s (thanks to my older brother renting it) all I wanted was to see was more films like it – filled with boobs, bad jokes and even more boobs. Although it was the pre-chili peeling years, I still had an early admiration for the female form.  

The High School and college T&A flick seemed to pop up around the same time Joe D’Amato’s Emmanuelle entries where broadcasted on cable which made myself a happy youngster. In the wee hours one Friday night I saw Rafael Zielinski Screwballs, a film that would stick with me for years and now, amazingly, it is available on Blu-ray by the folks at Severin Films. Who woulda thunk it?

Movie Review: Lethal Ladies Collection: Volume 2 (Shout Factory)

Three cheesy Roger Corman 70‘s exploitation films in one neat little set- and although not all of the same caliber, each of them delivers in varying degrees the classic Corman trademarks. Here's a quick look at each:

The Arena (1974) -  Kidnapped by Roman soldiers, four beautiful women must battle for their lives in The Arena, while attempting to beat the Romans at their own game. This one stars Corman’s favorite ass-kicking temptress, Pam Grier and Margaret Markov (The Hot Box and Black Mama, White Mama). These two sexy exploitation icons alone have helped to give this film its well deserved cult status. Markov playing the role of Bodicia, the hot priestess who likes running around in lingerie, and Grier playing the role of Mamawi, the Nubian dancer with deadly sword-fighting skills.

Movie Review: The Evil (1978)/Twice Dead (1988)

The Roger Corman Cult Classics Double Feature DVDs are little slices of gold. For those of us who either 1) Remember these films from when they came out or 2) Remember these films from the VHS and Mom & Pop video store boom of the 80s and 90s these discs are a treat. For this particular outing, we shall examine the New Horizon films The Evil (1978) and Twice Dead (1988)… a couple of effective (and semi-effective, respectively) haunted house chillers from the broad era we like to call vintage.

Movie Review: Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011)

When Roger Corman won an honorary Academy Award in 2010, as a lifelong fan of Corman's massive body of work, I was overjoyed. I also thought "about freakin' time he got some recognition". Corman has been a huge part in spearheading the careers of Hollywood's elite: Francis Ford Coppola, Robert DeNiro, Martin Scorsese, Robert Towne Jonathan Demme, James Cameron, Ron Howard, Peter Bogdonavich, Bruce Dern, Peter Fonda and of course Jack Nicholson. Not too shabby for a guy who’s been labeled a schlock-meister. Director Alex Stapelton has taken on the fascinating life of Roger Corman with his documentary Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel and the results are really quite impressive.

Buy Corman's World on Blu-ray or DVD or Watch It Instantly

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #41 - Pod and the Cast of Pure Evil

Jeff and Kevin start off with convention talk in light of Dave's absence for Horrorhound in Ohio. Kevin then gets into a Streaming Pile of Crap that he couldn't pass up, Big Money Rustlas.


He also reviews Shut Up Little Man, Stiffed, Hack Job, IFC's first season of Greg the Bunny and the amazing first season of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.


Jeff reviews The Legend of Awesomest Maximus, the rerelease of Baba Yaga, the Roger Corman documentary Corman's World and his latest Camel Spiders.


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

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com.

Click on any of the links above to purchase at Amazon.com or click the link to our sponsors below and support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment!

Movie Review: Camel Spiders (2012)

The thought of a movie produced by Roger Corman about killer spiders, directed by quite possibly one of the most prolific titty flick directors in Jim Wynorski (Not of this Earth - 1988, Hard To Die) had this murderous arachnid enthusiast very excited. Not since Arachnophobia, nearly 20 years or so ago, the killer spider film has been neglected. Anchor Bay has just released the superb documentary on Corman, titled Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel so maybe the creepy crawlers can duplicate the success and give us creature feature fans what we need.

The American military are immersed in an intense exchange of artillery with some Arab soldiers in the Middle-East. What both parties don't know is that they are about to be joined by a new foe that will make their little skirmish look like teenagers fighting with Supersoakers. There to crash the party are gigantic poisonous camel spiders.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #37 - We Love the '80s

As Jeff takes a much needed week off, Dave and Kevin decide to dig into the decade that truly molded them: the 1980s.

Dave gets into a bunch of classic horror that includes Slumber Party Massacre, Nightmares aka Stage Fright and From a Whisper to a Scream aka The Offspring.

Kevin talks about the recent documentary about obsessed Tiffany fans, I Think We're Alone Now. He also checks a must see off his list with Stripes and he and Dave talk the disaster that is Overboard.

They also talk about a great sketch showing Hanna Barbera heroes as The Justice League.

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

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com.

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

Movie Review: The Big Bird Cage (1972)

Directed by Jack Hill
Starring Pam Grier, Anitra Ford and Sid Haig

The Big Bird Cage was the third “Women in Prison” movie produced by B-movie king Roger Corman in a short two year span during the early 70's, along with The Big Doll House and Women in Cages. Sensing the genre was becoming a bit predictable, Corman hired director Jack Hill to inject a fresh approach to this one, and by adding a heavy dose of humor and parody what he came up with is perhaps one of the best exploitation films of its time.

Buy The Big Bird Cage on DVD

Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel coming March 27th!!

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT PROUDLY INVITES EVERYONE TO ENTER

CORMAN’S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL

Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD March 27^th

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Anchor Bay Films proudly announces the March 27^th Blu-ray™ and DVD release of one of the best reviewed films of 2011: Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel. Fresh from its theatrical release – where it received rave reviews from The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, The Village Voice and more – Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel presents a tantalizing and star-studded tribute to Roger Corman, Hollywood’s most prolific writer-director-producer, and seminal influencing force in modern moviemaking over the past 60 years. SRP for the Blu-ray™ is $29.99, and $26.98 SRP for the DVD. Pre-book is February 29^th.

Buy Corman's World on Blu-ray or DVD

Bonus features on the Corman’s World Blu-ray™ and DVD include extended interviews, special video messages to Roger from select interviewees and the theatrical trailer.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #13 featuring Tim Ritter

Jeff Dolniak and Kevin Moyers welcome cult horror filmmaker Tim Ritter to the show. They discuss his beginnings, his friendship with Joel Wynkoop, and the changes technology has forced on the entertainment industry.

The Battle Beyond the Stars winner is announced as well as the rules for the DeadGirl contest.

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

From the Show: Find Tim Ritter, Battle Beyond the Stars and DeadGirl at Amazon.com

Movie Review: Dementia 13 (1963, Blu-ray)

We all know the story of Dementia 13, both on and off screen. Young filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola (rumor has it his eyebrows were only three feet long then) worked as an editor/assistant director under b-movie guru Roger Corman. After coming in underbudget on The Young Players, Corman decided to produce a grisly horror film with the remaining cash. Coppola’s script and directorial debut are then the stuff of legend. Even in this schlocky, often times cheesy film one can see the eventual director of cinematic masterpieces like The Godfather and disasterpieces like Francis Ford Coppola presents Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and, like these two examples, Dementia 13 runs the gamut from effective, creepy gothic to over the top ax murdering fiend throughout the film. The film, I believe, fell into that public domain miasma that so much classic cinema suffers from and has been released on a dozen DVD compilations so far. The quality of each of these is passable at best so a Blu-ray release of the film set me to drooling. There was no major disappointment… but, well. You remember how excited you were for Godfather III and, after you saw it, you were like, ‘meh.’ That’s me right now… meh. At least for the Blu-ray Coppola didn’t insert our not-so-masked killer screaming “Nooooooo” at moments of moral anguish. There is no moral anguish in Dementia 13. There is moral anguish that Nicolas Cage is a Coppola, but nothing stemming from this particular film.

Buy Dementia 13 (Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack)!

Contest: Win Battle Beyond the Stars on DVD!

How would you like to win a free copy of Battle Beyond the Stars on DVD courtesy of Shout! Factory?

It's simple and it's for Facebook friends only. Just like us on Facebook, then shoot us an email at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com and title it "I LOVE Roger Corman!" and you'll have a great chance.

Contest ends September 13th. Good luck!