Welcome to "The True Death". A page created by two grown men with way too much time on their hands. They suffer from that "1st World" problem of just sitting around watching moves and arguing about the merits of them. But why should they limit these opinions to themselves when they can share their movie reviews and ridiculous thoughts with the world. The Blog will mostly focus on Horror movies but could contain any nonsense that is on their mind at that moment in time.
Dr. Lucio Fulci is a director of splatterfilms. He stages a gestapo-orgy
like it was any other movie scene. But he is influenced by these things
more than he likes. He is hunted by bloody visions day by day. Is Fulci
still normal? He asks a psychatrist. He doesn't know that the
psychatrist has much bigger problems than Fulci himself. The psychatrist
uses Fulci's visions for brutal murders in real life - Matthias Luehr IMDB Are you ready for a cavalcade of craziness and chaos? Just one insane scene after another? This is the film for you then dear friend. Lucio Fulci plays himself and after years of making horror movies, he thinks he's going insane. Basically he starts seeing the craziest shit you can imagine. He goes and sees a shrink who hypnotizes him into thinking he's committing terrible murders when in fact it's the doctor that's getting off on butchering people. That's the film. It's as if Fulci decided that he was going to take every crazy death scene he had stored in his mind and somehow get them in a film. He did....it's just one violent sequence after another and it's very entertaining. Don't get me wrong....it's a mess.....but an entertaining mess.
Fulci throws an insane amount of violence into this film and it surpasses any other film he's ever made. Just some fun decapitation, child murder, cannibalism and some heads getting chainsawed off. Oh did I mention the Nazi Orgy. But in reality, I think this was a personal statement film for Fulci and was an attack against censorship.
The acting in the film is awful. Fulci is no actor himself but he's actually the best one in the film. The budget is of course almost non existent but as usual Lucio works around that and creates his demented artistry. Also after seeing the movie, I don't think it's a stretch to say that Wes Craven stole this idea of a "film within a film within a film" for "New Nightmare". Granted, I think Craven's film is much better overall...but hey...Fulci deserves some credit for the idea at least.
The shrink needs a fucking shrink.
This is a Fulci film. If you're a fan....you'll love it. If you're not...you will think it's trash. I like Fulci and I approve this message. The film is way underrated by most horror fans.
Kevin Booker
Bitch, I said cook dinner.....
Trivia:
This film was refused a video classification in 1999 by the British
Board of Film Classification, but was finally passed uncut with an '18'
rating in mid-2003.
Many events in the film are based on Lucio Fulci's experiences as a filmmaker.
The original script was 49 pages long and contained no dialogue. It
consisted of descriptions of bodily mutilations/imagery and sound
effects that would compliment them on screen.
Right off the top let me say that Polly Shang Kuan may be the best
female fighter in Kung Fu cinema. If not the best, she's certainly in
the top 5. Major ass is kicked in this film. She did not get training
from the Peking Opera like many of the other female martial arts stars
but over the years she got a black belt in taekwando, karate and judo.
Kuan could play both a silly female role or a serious role. In this
film she was a serious ass kicker.
Kuan plays a spunky girl looking for her sister. (Also played by Kuan)
She gets into numerous fights with the minions of the local crime boss
and makes a friend with a guy (Kam Kong) and when he realizes she's a
little short on cash, he puts her up in the local hotel. She eventually
finds her sister who is shacking up with the crime boss and they pull a
switch since they're twins. The boss discovers the switch and the
fighting commences.
I'll whip your ass boy.
The fighting in this film is very good. It seems to be more karate
instead of Chinese Kung Fu. Kuan has good kicks and an excellent
presence whenever she's onscreen...with both her acting and fighting.
Kam is rather weak in the film and wasn't nearly as impressive fighting
or kicking. His moves are sometimes clumsy and seem to be lacking in
power. But the best fighter is villain Yasuaki Kurata. The only
problem is he doesn't fight enough. But it's obvious in his fights that
he has the better technique and is much more graceful than the rest of
the cast. The blame for some of the short comings could probably be
blamed on the action director. They can easily make or break a martial
arts film.
These gentleman are about to get their ass kicked by a woman.
One surprise for me was Pink Floyd being ripped off and used in the
soundtrack. The chances that they were paid royalties are zero to
none. Sort of strange to see ass kicking and Pink Floyd popping up in
the same vehicle.
Overall, this is an average martial arts film but it is an enjoyable
experience if you're a fan of the genre. It's a treat to see Polly Kuan
kicking so much ass and there are worse ways to spend 80 minutes.
Qing I-ming (Billy Chong) joins up with Ding Wei-zhong (Pai Yin) to ward
off a final rebellion against the newly-established Chinese Republic.
Ding is carrying highly important documents to the government when he is
attacked by two men in league with the counterrevolutionaries. When
Ding's stolen horse ends up on the block in the marketplace, Qing I-ming
notices the animal and assumes that Ding is in trouble. Inspired by his
new girlfriend Eagle Woman Ma (Liu Hao-i), Qing is ready for action.
Billy Chong....he was supposed to be the next big action star. But
alas, it never happened. This however, was easily his best film. When
he first appears on screen, he's washing a horse and comments on the
horse's huge cock. Needless to say, I wasn't sure what direction this
film was going in at that point. Is this a martial arts film or gay
horse porn? Thankfully there were no more comments on horse genitalia
throughout the rest of the movie.
Talons was directed by Sun Chung, who previously had worked with
Shaw Brothers Studios. He has several well known films in the kung fu
genre, "Avenging Eagle" and "Human Lanterns". It also has the legendary
Robert Tai orchestrating wire-assisted fight sequences and the fighting
mastery of "5 Deadly Venoms" action director Robert Tai. Even though
most releases of this film on DVD absolutely blow in picture quality,
this is a pretty damn good kung fu flick.
When I get this coat off, I'm whipping your ass son.
Hwang In-shik’s performance as the lead villain (Ni Sin) is
disappointing. He had masterful performances in "Hapkido" and "When
TaeKwondo Strikes", but doesn't really show up in this film until the
final climatic fight. This was also his last major film appearance.
The film has several unusual characters such as a crazy mother fucker
called "Little Bandit". Mr. Bandit ends up getting his ass handed to him
by the Manchus and somehow makes it back to warn Ding and Yi Min. Ding
then proclaims what a great hero Little Bandit was and gives a mind
numbing speech about it. The film copies Sergio Leone's A Fist Full of
Dollars in title but it is in fact also a reference to Eagle Woman Ma
and her pet eagles. Chong's character at one point is set up in an
arranged marriage with her and when he jets out, she chases after him
the whole movie. She even aids in his battle in the climactic fight by
sending her eagles to peck out the eyes of the villain. And in the
final shot, which is unforgettable, her eagle is ripped in half by Ni
Sin just as Yi Min gives him a kick to the skull. It's one of those
"Holy Shit" moments.
The Climax of the film....not the horse.
Overall this film has plenty of fights and cool stunt work. The actors
are all good fighters and fans of old school kung fu movies will enjoy
it. And once again...when he rips that eagle in half....Holy Shit.
A young man decides to learn Kung Fu to avenge the death of his father, a
peaceful shopkeeper who was murdered by Manchurian gangsters for not
paying protection money. At first he is rejected by his teachers because
he is weak, but through persistence, and some help from other students
and a mysterious drunk, he learns the skills he needs to avenge his
father. - page8701 - IMDB
First off let me tell you right up front....you may see Jackie Chan's
name blasted all over the DVD covers for this film but he's not in it.
According to Jackie, he was furious about them using his name, but there
was little he could do at the time. He was instead the stunt
coordinator. The prints of this film are awful. I'm not sure if there's a
remastered version out there somewhere...but most of the releases in
the USA are poor quality and look there were recorded right off a TV.
It's also known as : "Bloodpact," & "The Master and the Boxer," It
is not the fault of director Hua Chen that his movie was pirated and
deviously marketed. The film actually is not that bad.
Leung Siu Hung stars as a young man who is trying to learn kung fufor
revenge. He not only has one teacher...home boy has two. He must be a
super quick learner because he masters shit in a week's time. It has
some of the typical marital arts themes....old drunk master, bumbling
sidekicks and the girl who sticks her nose into everything. Although the
girl does get topless which is not common in such films.
I came here to drink wine and kick ass....and I'm all out of wine
The film has a few good fights such as Fung Hak-on using a chain rope
and the climax fight against the white haired villain. When a guy has
white hair in a martial arts film he can kick major ass. It also has a
lot of comedy. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the comical martial
arts films. I'm usually rolling my eyes and not laughing very much. On
the other hand, if you're a fan of these older martial arts films then
you will probably enjoy it. As a professional student of kung fu films,
I say it's only average. If I could see a remastered, uncut film I
could be persuaded to change my mind. But this version didn't have me
kicking for joy.
Kevin Booker
Jackie coordinating with what appears to be a cigarette in his mouth...now that's bad ass.
A young husband's sexual fantasies frighten his new wife and cause her
to seek advice from Carmilla, a descendent of Mircalla de Karnstein.
Carmilla seduces the young bride and forces her to commit gory acts of
mutilation. - IMDB
The Blood Spattered Bride is a 1972 Spanish horror film written and directed by Vicente Aranda, based on the vampire story, "Carmilla" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It stars Simón Andreu, Maribel Martín, and Alexandra Bastedo. The film has attained cult film status for its mix of horror, vampirism and seduction with lesbian overtones.
I was surprised with how much I enjoyed this film. It has some weird shit going on. It begins with a couple that has just been married and when the bride does not like the honeymoon suite at the hotel, they go instead to the groom's family mansion. The bride has issues dealing with her husbands insatiable rough sex. She sees a strange ghostly figure roaming the woods in a wedding dress. Could this be the woman from the portrait who murdered her husband years ago on their wedding night? When a nude woman is found on the beach and brought home, the bride becomes alienated from her
husband and drifts into the arms of this erotic stranger.
Kill your husband.....
When I say weird shit....I mean incredibly weird shit. The woman found on the beach nude is buried in the sand with only a snorkel to breathe and a dive mask on. What the fuck? Turns out she's a lesbian vampire with a deep hatred for men. She enters the dreams of the bride where they cut out the husband's heart....then joyfully squeeze it and blood flows freely over their nice white wedding dresses. But in spite of all the craziness it has the gorgeous
cinematography and beautiful locations. It moves slow at times and certainly isn't a rocket ride but it does keeps your attention with the imagery.
Cut out his heart....
The movie also is a battle of the sexes....the husband versus the lesbian vampire for control of the bride. There is also a blurring of the lines between reality and fantasy. We are never really sure what the bride is dreaming and what's real. It makes for some very visual sequences. The performances are all wonderful and the cast is crucial in pulling this crazy film off. (Especially Maribel
Martín) If you enjoy Euro-horror than you will really love this film. I do recommend it. Just don't watch with the kids.
Kevin Booker
Trivia
The Anchor Bay release of the film is in English, also dubbed in English
to clean up the Spanish accents of the actors attempting English
throughout. It is not likely that a Spanish language version of this
film exists.
When Roger Corman completed filming The Raven in 1963, it turned out that star Boris Karloff
still had two days left to go on his contract for the picture. Not
wishing to waste those two days, Corman, and four other uncredited
directors, improvised a script and filmed a new film; thus was born The Terror. Corman used sets, crewmembers, and cast members from The Raven. The
film itself is an interesting, but ultimately unsatisfying, trip
through the familiar ideas of Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe films, with the
tried and true motifs of the lonely traveler and the man with repressed
guilt manifesting itself. Although it is well acted and directed, The Terror does not offer enough shocks to justify its name.
Lt.
Andre Duvalier (Jack Nicholson) is a French officer separated from his
regiment during the Napoleonic Wars. Alone on horseback, he encounters a
mysterious woman (Sandra Knight) who gives him drink, but keeps
vanishing. Duvalier traces her to the castle of Baron Victor Frederick
Von Leppe (Boris Karloff) and his servant Stefan (Dick Miller). There
Andre discovers the secret of the mysterious woman, bound up in an old
tale of murder and vengeance which now haunts Von Leppe, and which may
threaten his own existence as well.
While the script is solid, if
unremarkable, the story of an old man ridden with guilt and is nothing
new for a Corman film, nor is the idea of a dead spirit seeking
vengeance. Screenwriters Leo Gordon and Jack Hill use the same basic
outline as Corman’s Poe adaptations, such as Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum. Karloff’s
character is consumed with guilt for murders twenty years in the past,
and Nicholson’s character echoes the lonely travelers of Corman’s
earlier films. The script, which was largely improvised, is to be
commended for maintaining a fair sense of mystery for the first
two-thirds. Corman and his collaborators had been making this type of
film for several years, and their familiarity with the basic plot and
characters is very evident.
Unfortunately, The Terror
unravels in its last act. The first part of the film creates an
effective mystery about who Helene/Ilsa is, and also why everyone seems
to be so frightened of the old castle. Duvalier receives several
different stories about the nature of the castle and Von Leppe himself.
The air of mystery and dread is somewhat deflated when, when confronted
by Duvalier, Von Leppe meekly explains everything to him. Nevertheless,
the story holds its own until the end when it tries to have one twist
too many. A flood destroys the castle and kills Von Leppe. Helene/Ilsa’s
spirit is freed while her face melts away (in a very unconvincing
effect). It is a very routine and dull ending, almost exactly the same
as most of Corman’s Poe adaptations, and it is a very unsatisfying
resolution to the story’s ideas. This bland and un-frightening ending
derails an interesting, if unoriginal, set-up and substantially weakens
the film.
Strong acting somewhat salvages the spotty script, with
performances that range from solid to outstanding. It is no surprise
that Boris Karloff delivers a wonderful performance as the tortured and
guilt-ridden Baron Von Leppe. It seems impossible for Karloff to give a
bad performance, no matter the quality of the film. With his large,
mournful eyes continually staring at the portrait of Helene, Karloff
effectively demonstrates the guilt and sadness that Von Leppe
harbors. He also uses a haughty, aristocratic manner of speaking,
showing his character’s arrogance and power. The only weakness in his
performance is during the final fight scene, in which he barely seems as
if he is struggling at all with Helene. Perhaps considering that he
was 76 years old at the time, this is to be expected. Karloff commands
the screen when he is present, and he lends a forceful gravitas to the role.
The
26-year-old Jack Nicholson offers a performance that is adequate and
believable while at the same time almost anonymous. He delivers his
lines well and looks strong, but there is absolutely no evidence that
this young actor possesses any of the talent for which he will later be
known. In The Terror, Andre is more of a plot device than a
character, and Nicholson’s performance invests him with almost no
emotional involvement. His words of comfort to Helene/Ilsa are almost
robotically delivered, and when he gets angry with Von Leppe, one would
not be surprised if Von Leppe yawned. Sadly, Nicholson only gives us the
barest minimum of what his character requires, and nothing more.
"You can't handle the truth! You're just not very good in this film!"
Corman’s
direction of the film, like its cast, is solid but not inspiring. The
opening scenes are the most effective, providing a satisfying mystery in
Helene/Ilsa’s appearance, and then disappearance, in the water. He also
makes effective use of The Raven’s sets, convincingly using
the castle’s many rooms and secret passages as visual metaphors for Von
Leppe’s moral decay. The outdoor scenes are not as effective; they were
obviously filmed in Southern California, not France. The final
destruction scenes are also handled capably, but there is not much
inspiration or excitement in them. Overall, Corman presents his tale
effectively but not memorably.
The Terror is a decent
horror film that, unfortunately, makes one wish they were watching one
of Corman’s earlier Poe movies. Boris Karloff offers a standout
performance, and the film is professionally made, but in the end it is a
film that feels that is just going through the motions of a Corman-Poe
film. The Terror is definitely not a stand-out in the illustrious career of Roger Corman.
When the villagers of Klineschloss start dying of blood loss, the town
fathers suspect a resurgence of vampirism. While police inspector Karl
remains skeptical, scientist Dr. von Niemann cares for the vampire's
victims one by one, and suspicion falls on simple-minded Herman Gleib
because of his fondness for bats. A blood-thirsty mob hounds Gleib to
his death, but the vampire attacks don't stop.
Written by
Sister Grimm - IMDB
The Vampire Bat is an American horror movie starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye. It was directed by Frank Strayer. This movie was turned out by Majestic Pictures and had a pre-famous Fay Wray since King Kong had not yet been released. It also has Dwight Frye, who basically plays Renfield throughout the movie. He's very effective and creepy, but all I kept thinking while watching the movie was....that's Renfield. His performance is fine, it's just a carbon copy of what he did in Dracula. He is amusing though when he gives unsuspecting people bats as gifts...he's obsessed with bats you see. Comic relief is provided by a
hypochondriac aunt of the doctor's.
Bats are furry....like cats.
This is not a horror film in the traditional sense but is instead more of a murder mystery. It's not an awful picture and it's certainly visually inspired by the Universal horror films. The characters aren't developed at all and the ending will leave you scratching your head as to what the hell was the purpose of all this. True horror fans will appreciate this film more than a casual viewer. It's a fun little film and it's cool to see Fay Wray with her natural brown hair color. There are three things that make "The Vampire Bat" stand out from the
other poverty row films - the cast, the direction, and the comedy.
Kevin Booker
Trivia:
Filmed at night on Universal's European village set. The interior of Lionel Atwill's house is the set from The Old Dark House.
Majestic Pictures cashed in on the success of Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray, who had been a sensation in the Technicolor thriller Doctor X and had already completed Mystery of the Wax Museum,
which was also being heavily promoted at the time. Majestic was able to
get this film into theaters over a month before the release of the
latter one.
Goodnight, gentlemen. Don't let the vampires get you.
