Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Almost 25 years after it first exploded in the face of moviegoers, Shinya Tsukamoto’s cyberpunk mindfuck, ‘Tetsuo: The Iron Man’ still continues to attract new fans unto its jittery cult. Tsukamoto is undoubtedly one of the most idiosyncratic filmmakers out there, even in the already gonzo world of Japanese cyberpunk cinema. ‘Tetsuo: The Iron Man’ is...
The Woman in the Dunes (1964)
At times like this, I regret my decision to call this series ‘The Sound of Trash’. It’s pragmatically myopic but, on occasions where the film in question is a good as ‘Women in the Dunes’, a certain level of guilt is attached. Hiroshi Teshigahara’s 1964 masterpiece, ‘The Woman in the Dunes’, even after all these...
The theme from Carrie
A short post from this week. I’m busier than dissolving alka-seltzer at the moment. I thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight a single, famous theme in the annals of horror history. Pino Donaggio’s subtly disquieting theme from ‘Carrie’ has burned itself into the aural pathways of many a horror fan since ‘Carrie’ was released in 1976. The theme itself deceives...
Forbidden Planet (1956)
For those of us obsessed with the early days of electronic music, the film, ‘Forbidden Planet’ represents a significant milestone. Louis and Bebe Barron’s phenomenal score is credited as the first all-electronic score in movie history. This predates the emergence of the infamous Moog synthesizer by eight years and, in actual fact, has roots extending into...
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
So much has been said about Tobe Hooper’s classic 1974 film, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ that there is very little I can add to the discussion. One thing that is unmistakable is the impact it has had on our culture as a whole. Filmed for a paltry $300,000 budget, and grossing over 30 million in...
Jack the Ripper Goes West aka A Knife for the Ladies (1974)
I was torn about whether or not I should write about this borefest from 1974. There’s really very little going for it, and although it’s less than an hour long, the time drags intolerably. Originally known by it’s much better title, ‘A Knife for the Ladies’, the film was rebranded ‘Jack the Ripper Goes West’...
EEGAH (1962)
It must have been about ten years ago now, when I was perusing the DVDs in a bargain bin at my local newsagency. One doesn’t expect to find the cream of cinema’s crop in a newsagency bargain bin. I don’t know how they obtain their peculiar selection on Z-grade DVDs, but I assume money laundering...
Awakening of the Beast (1970)
What can one say about the work of director, José Mojica Marins? Better known to many as horror caricature, Coffin Joe, in his native Brazil, he is something of a staple. On the back of nasty classics such as ‘At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul’ and ‘This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse’, Marins has often...
