Secret Weapons (1972, David Cronenberg)
In the hearts of cinema lovers everywhere, David Cronenberg holds a special place, particularly his early period. From the late 60s to the early 80s, we are rewarded with what many (including myself) view as the quintessential Cronenberg. From his early experimental short films such as ‘Stereo’ and ‘Crimes of the Future’ to his commercially viable creep...
Trash from My Private Stash
This week I’ve decided to share with you, my good friends, a few teen/sex comedy/exploitation covers from my coveted VHS tape collection. Some of the covers, like Savage Streets, I love because of their incredible artwork and design. Others I enjoy for their sheer WTF factor. But all these covers I love because they are...
Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975)
I shouldn’t really be reviewing Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975) in a European Apocalypse article. The European Apocalypse label is supposed to be reserved exclusively for Euro exploitation. Ilsa is an American film, produced by the infamous David F. Friedman, and shot on the leftover sets of Hogan’s Heroes. You don’t get much...
Dracula in the Provinces – Spanish poster
I have a copy of Fulci’s Dracula in the Provinces, but I’m yet to watch it. If this poster is anything to go by, I’m in for a flipping treat! The Spanish poster for Dracula in the Provinces is nearly identical to the more commonly seen Italian poster, except in this version (and, as far...
Vixen’s sexy fish dance
If you’ve not seen Russ Meyer’s Vixen, perhaps this hot scene will tickle your interest. Or perhaps it will put you off ever watching a Russ Meyer film…
Daydream (1964)
Daydream is an important entry in the long (and ongoing) history of the Pinku eiga. The first of its kind to be released in mainstream cinemas (which sort of means it doesn’t count as a Pinku film), Daydream is one of the few Pinku films to circulate outside of Japan. While most Pinku films (and...
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...
Run Tiger Run (1985)
RUN TIGER RUN 1985, John Woo Before he was directing some of the most awesome bloody and bullet-y actioners ever to come out of anywhere, and long before he went to the USA and made some pretty good actioners followed by some forgettable ones, aaaand even longer before he went back to Hong Kong and...
Takashi Miike
Other than Jess Franco and porn directors, there is no other director with a more overwhelming filmography than the prolific Takashi Miike. Amazingly, and making things more daunting, his is a career that only began in the early 90s. With over eighty films and television shows to his credit, it’s terrifying to think how many...
Army of Darkness – Japanese poster
This poster for Army of Darkness (1992) from Japan is almost as amazing as its literal Japanese title – Captain Supermarket. I’ve always loved the classic photo-collage work seen in Japanese movie posters, but this one really takes the cake. From the Bruce Campbell soup tin to the text reading “Moooonn”, this is commercial artistry...
Killer… Koala?
One of the oddest movie viewings I’ve experienced in the last few years has been Minoru Kawasaki’s Executive Koala (2005). A surprisingly watchable (and supremely surreal) black comedy, Executive Koala is peppered with a madness that could only be delivered by the Japanese. Here’s a tiny taste of the silliness within…
The Lost Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis Restoration Project
It’s very rare that I come across a Kickstarter project that I feel is worth putting my money towards. But this is a truly great one. Most exploitation movie fans know the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis like the back of their hand. However, quite a few of his films have been lost and essentially...
