Saturday, June 13, 2015

Junesploitation Day 13: Video Nasties!

To avoid fainting, keep repeating "IT'S ONLY A MOVIE...It's only a movie...It's only a movie..."

96 comments:

  1. THE BOOGEY MAN (1980, 82 min.) on Amazon Prime for the first time.

    DING! DING! DING! WE GOT A WINNER!
    For its first 40 minutes this your typical slasher-in-the-making slow burn. Two young siblings watch through their home window as her drunken mother is making out with a dude that's either into kink or just likes to wear a stocking over his face. Mayhem and trauma ensue, and after the '20 Years Later' title card we watch as grown-up Lacey (Suzanna Lace, who co-wrote the screenplay) and Willy (Nicholas Love) try to deal with the trauma from that fateful night. Lacey's worried husband, Jake (Ron James), takes her to meet with Dr. Warren (John Carradine, whose scenes were all clearly shot on the same day in his hotel room) who suggests Lacey go back to her home to confront the demons that traumatized her and her mute-since-the-incident brother.

    It's here, at the halfway mark, that "The Boogey Man" takes a 180 degree turn that took me completely off guard. We're talking Batboy-takes-a-"Jurassic Park"-sized-batshit-dump leap comparable to the ending of 1979's "The Visitor." If it had peaked with the horny couple by the lake getting one of THE BEST deaths I've ever seen in a horror movie I would have been satisfied, but "The Boogey Man" just keeps going. It's like the spirit of a Dario Argento 70's giallo film possessed the filmmakers, but by then they had blown half their budget on the Carradine cameo (the boom mike in the upper right-hand corner says 'Yo!'). Even better, the ending of "The Boogey Man" sets-up a sequel which not only got made, but it also made it into the Video Nasties List!

    This is what dying and going to Junesploitation heaven must feel like. If I had any self-respect I'd drop the mike, step away from the laptop and not write another review for the rest of the month. Yes, "Boogey Man's" first blind viewing is that awesome. To paraphrase Patrick Bromley's impersonation of Jake Lloyd in "The Phantom Menace," NOW THIS IS JUNESPLOITATING!!!! Either that or anything looks good the day after Troma Day... #TromaTraumasploitation. :-)

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    1. Besides "The Boogey Man" there's other Video Nasties movies on Amazon Prime in the States if you need one and Netflix Instant is a little bit short. There's many more you can rent, but these are free if you subscribe to Prime:

      --Night of the Demon;
      --Tenebre;
      --Zombie;
      --Bay of Blood;
      --Contamination;
      --The Forgotten/Don't Look in the Basement.

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    2. It's on YouTube! I've wanted to see this forever. I'll definitely be checking this out.

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    3. It's my best find of Junesploitation '15 so far. I just hope others that review it later (yourself included, Mike) don't give away the twist in their reviews and spoil it for those coming new to it. It's not like it's that creative a twist, but there's absolutely nothing about the first 40 minutes that sets-up or prepares anyone for the out-of-left-field turn the story does. It's like the last scene in Fulci's "The Beyond," except there's half a movie still to come!

      By Grabthar's Hammer, I will track down the sequel and try to sneak it into the last free day of Junesploitation. It's what having a job and disposable income entitles me to in this United States of America. ;-)

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    4. Holy shit, are you going to watch Boogeyman 2? Haha, you are in for a world of hurt, buddy. That one is amazingly bad.

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    5. That guy with the Black stockings on his head in the opening scene is proper scary, there's something just not quite right about it, it scared me when I was young and still freaks me out now

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    6. The sequel is ALSO on YouTube! I'll watch it, but I'm already aware that, of everything Ulli Lommel's made since the original Boogey Man, there's really not been anything of note.

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    7. Thanks J.M. I think I'll give this a spin right now.

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    8. And IMDB says that "Boogeyman: Reincarnation" is just in post-production. Maybe something to look out for...

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  2. A Bay of Blood (1971)

    A whodunnit where everybody dunnit.

    This movie is bonkers and absolutely brutal. It's kill or be killed when trying to be the proud owner of what appears to be a pretty shitty looking bay. Sure, I'd kill someone over a nice lake but Tampa Bay? No sir. Green Bay is not worth killing over. I couldn't tell who was trying to kill who for inheritance or so they could sell it to the NFL to fill their bay team quota. Anyway, everyone in this film either kills someone or gets killed. Just when you think the killing is over, there is one more kill that made me laugh out loud. It sounds like I didn't like it but I did. If you like slashers then this is the movie that started it all, supposedly. I don't know...I wasn't there.

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  3. That's an interesting question about what was the first slasher film? Some say Psycho from 1960 but also a film from 1932 called Thirteen women gets mentioned a lot too, I like the double killing while having sex that has to of influenced Friday the 13th scene,

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    1. The case could be made for "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) as being the first "slasher film".

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    2. I'll always consider John Carpenter's Halloween the first true slasher film. It's the film that coined the term and set up the tropes were studied and copied ad infinitum. I recently read an article that called the films that came before Halloween, that set a precedent for it, proto-slashers. I think it's fitting.

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    3. It's probably the first and probably the best.

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  4. The Burning (1981)

    Probably one of the tamer choices on the Video Nasties list, The Burning is still a pretty good slasher film. It's your standard killer running amok at a summer camp plot. A scene on a lake involving a canoe, multiple teens, and the killer got this put on the list. It's graphic, but it won't scar your soul or anything. It was an unexpected delight to see Jason Alexander show up here in one of his earlier roles. If you're looking for something to watch on Teens or 80's horror day, this would work well.

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    1. I just finished this. I chose it because it was one of the tamer ones. Though, I still I like the idea that this was an accidental video nasty, well according to wikipedia anyway. I do remember thinking there are a lot of characters for a slasher movie. But the nasty elements take care of that. Crosby is definitely efficient. I had fun with this movie, its kinda crazy in a good way.

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    2. The killer is called Cropsey but I think your film will Crosby especially if his name is Bill is even better, :)
      The best accidental Video Nastie I know of is The Best little Whorehouse in Texas, Naughty Dolly Parton x

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    3. Whoops! Serves me right for not proof reading before I posted!

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    4. Though it would have been entertaining if Cropsey stalked around with a pipe humming white christmas as he was pruning campers. Best little whorehouse was a nasty? That is awesome!

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    5. Though it would have been entertaining if Cropsey stalked around with a pipe humming white christmas as he was pruning campers. Best little whorehouse was a nasty? That is awesome!

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    6. Though it would have been entertaining if Cropsey stalked around with a pipe humming white christmas as he was pruning campers. Best little whorehouse was a nasty? That is awesome!

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    7. Hi Lindsay, Unfortunately in the UK the whole Video Nasties thing was a fiasco, No one really knew what should and shouldn't be on the list, Dolly partons film was put on the list by accident, They thought The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was a porn film, same as Sam fullers The Big Red one, another one miss taken for porn, the list changed weekly,

      Bill Cosbys Burning movie is what i want to see :)

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    8. Hi Dennis, this had to do with May Whitehouse and her fist shaking didn't it? I am going to have to read that article Gabby posted. I read that Hooper's Funhouse was also put on the list because it was confused with another film. I find Britain in the 80s fascinating.

      Oh and sorry everyone about the multiple comments, wine, The Burning and smartphones don't mix.

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    9. Thanks Lindz, let us know what you think :) I love that pic of yours by the way!

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    10. Did someone tell Stills & Nash?

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  5. Don't Go Into the Woods... Alone! (1981) Dir. James Bryan

    Been wanting to see this and Patrick's write up for Slashers! day pretty much sums it up.  This was the second Video Nasty that I've watched this Junesploitation without knowing it was one beforehand.   These are the kind of movies that remind me of my youth when I would peruse the video aisles and rent anything that had a scary or "cool" looking cover.  A time when shooting on a cell phone and posting online with no money was not an option; you shot on film and no matter your budget, you had to have money to get that film developed and show it somehow. 

    It's much better looking than I expected.  Something really interesting about the copy I watched: there is no music.  Not even during the credits and it adds significantly to the atmosphere.   I checked the Blu Ray and there is music on that one but everything else is the same.  I haven't looked into this yet but it's really odd.  

    Anyway,  Although it's a standard slasher by today's standards, it one that's bloody enough to keep you awake.  Really glad I saw it!

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  6. Evilspeak (1981)

    If Carrie and War Games had a child who, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary is not Booger from Revenge of the Nerds, it would be Evilspeak.

    With the exception of the typical 80s trope of; "We dont actually know how computers work, but we correctly assume they can do Anything", this movie wasnt that bad. I didnt even mind the very slow burn.
    A few moments of gore, a few moments of absurdity and a climax that delivers without being anything too special. I'd put this on the "Worth seeing, if you get the chance" pile.
    Im glad I saw it.

    WelfareOrphansSucksploitation!

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  7. If anyone is interested Dennis and I did an article on The Video Nasties!
    http://www.outsidetheframe.co.uk/?p=36

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    1. Cool article Gabby!
      I also enjoyed the article/conversation you put up on Ben-Hur and Spartacus.

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    2. Great article read, thanks. :-)

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    3. Know I am a little late but, really interesting article, I liked it a lot.

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    4. Oh there you already did. Thanks a bunch :)

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  8. The Evil Dead (1981)

    This movie still finds a way to creep me out after all these years. Maybe it's because the first time I saw it I was way too young.
    Or maybe Sam Raimi and company just know the kind of stuff that gets under your skin.

    The pencil.
    The crazy laughter.
    The "time to go to sleep, not another peep".
    The trees...oh my God, the trees.

    They freaked me out as a kid. And they still make me squirm today.

    The minuscule budget and amateur actors do not take away from the effectiveness of this movie.
    The mission of a horror movie is to horrify.
    Mission accomplished.

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    1. I can't wait to rewatch this one today!! I've rewatched the next 2 several times but only saw this one once YEARS ago. But I remember it's fantastic. And those practical effects... how I love practical effects.

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    2. Nice choice!!! Unfortunately EVIL DEAD is still banned in Germany!!

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  9. Toxic Zombies (1980) aka Forest of Fear.

    Oh dear. If it was only better it would be so much better.

    In the givernments attempt to crack down on those marijuana growing hippies they sray an experimental pesticide over the area they think the plantation is. This turns the hippies into Toxic Zombies (yesss) and they proceed to kill various people who happen to be around. Then...blah, blah, blah, offensive portrayal of intellectual impairment, blah, blah, blah, hillbilly with a shot gun, blah, blah, blah, goverment bag guy, blah, blah blah, roll credits.

    AreWeEvenTryingsploitation!

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    1. I watched this day 1 for Zombies! day - I feel your pain, Brad L. Boring as hell.

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  10. Island of Death (1976)
    An incestuous couple arrive on Mykonos and commence to kill gays, people of colour, and sexually liberated women. Basically anyone they deem guilty of perversion, which seems just slightly hypocritical.
    After having such a negative reaction to my pick yesterday, I went into this one determined to find something redeeming. I don't think I succeeded. The violence is sluggish, the sex is awkward, and--well, take your pick. I got a chuckle at the 70s porno music that popped up during each sex scene. Then they used it in a rape scene too. Ick. I was hoping to have fun with this one from the over the top description, but it feels more like a snuff film with poor production values than anything else.
    My positive takeaway from the film: Mykonos looks gorgeous.

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    1. That sounds very.... horrible.

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    2. I watched this last year (I think for Junesploitation? But maybe not...) and remember being fascinated by it for the first 45 minutes or so -- IT'S CRAZY -- but then it grew tedious. The guy rapes a goat and then kills the goat for being impure. HELLO?? It just got a Blu-ray release from Arrow. Not saying I want it, but I kind of want it.

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    3. Anyone wanting to hear Patrick talk about Island of Death should listen to the Live and Let Die podcast - which is still one of my all-time favorites. Patrick also brushes on The New York Ripper in that one. Your duck voice is amazing, man.

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    4. Yesterday was chicken rape, today it was goat rape. June has done an abrupt detour into Bestialitysploitation for me. Fingers crossed this trend doesn't continue into Bugs. Oh God. I just jinxed myself, haven't I.

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    5. ^^^ Not unless you were planning to watch "Galaxy of Terror." If you were then yep, you're... I mean, somebody's fucked. ;-)

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  11. Evilspeak (1981)

    It's a well known Hollywood axiom that there is no movie that wouldn't be improved by the addition of Clint Howard wielding a sword, and Evilspeak is no exception to that rule. Howard is a bullied kid in military school who turns to Satanism to get his revenge on the bullies, like you do.

    The last reel of this movie is absolutely worth sitting through the rest of it for. Dennis Atherton said the other day that it's his favorite 15 minutes of any 80's horror movie and I can see why, it's thoroughly nutso mcbonkers in the best way. My only gripe is that the movie needed more Lenny Montana and his secret puppy stash, but that can be said of most movies.

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    1. Awesome JP, I'm Catholic and im not sure if thats why it really effects me but that whole cross nail unscrewwing scene and then the floating in the air with a big ass sword and cannibal pigs and dissmembered heads and the flames and the religious score, Damn its Awsome :)

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    2. The cross nail was really shocking, even for today!

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    3. Hell yeah, and the blood pumping through the statues veins still look good, and Clint Howard floating in the air with a broad sword above the church alter in flames, Epic

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  12. Zombie Holocaust (1980, dir. Marino Girolami) (First Time Viewing): It’s not technically a video nasty but it’s referenced on the Wikipedia page as: “films seized by police but not classed as video nasties”, so it counts, right? Textbook exploitation. Cannibals, zombies, wanton gratuitous gore and nudity. Also it was filmed on the same sets, and used some of the same actors and props as Fulci’s Zombie so it has a very similar feel. You can probably skip this one and just watch Zombie instead, it has a zombie fighting a shark. This one doesn’t.

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  13. Possession (1981)

    A video nasty that played in competition at Cannes and won its lead actress Isabelle Adjani the award for Best Actress. A reminder both that censorship has no relationship to art and that yours truly is too much of a wimp to go for the more exploitative of the exploitation options. At its core it's a story about the difficulties of any relationship (the grass is always greener on the other side), but it's played out like a high-pitched manic/psychotic David Cronenberg horror show. Instead of walking in on your girlfriend with another man, you walk in on her with a slimy tentacle monster. Anxiety over the fragilility of the body and the self and about the polymorphous nature of desire played out at an operatic level. Totally insane, totally unforgettable—totally recommended? You'll have to decide that for yourself.

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    1. Oooh nice, Elric Kane's favourite film, he would be proud :)

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    2. Probably not a good film to watch with a partner though if you are going through a tough time in the relationship, I would stay clear of this and Gone Girl :)

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  14. NIGHTMARE IN A DAMAGED BRAIN (1981)

    After one hell of a trippy opening, we settle in for a story about a psychotic who is miraculously cured thanks to cutting edge medicine. He’s released back into society, and cue the murders. This is a really, really sleazy movie. The camera lingers on the gore, the killer hangs out at grungy peepshows, and one scene threatens a little kid. There’s also a lot of downtime, with long stretches of nothing happening. I don’t like when internet jerks make five-minute “money shots only” edits of movies, but this movie is one case where it might improve things.

    Accompanying short film: DEAR CENSORS. This BBC special looks at the history of censorship in England. As always, the decision-making process behind what to ban and what not to ban remains as baffling as ever.

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    1. Excellent choice

      Tom Savini was on set and was said to of done the special effects work but he later had his name removed then said he was there only as an advisor, the film was at the time under a threat of a Law suit and he distanced himself from the movie, they look like his effects work to me but we will never know the truth though I think we do :)

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    2. Yeah, the practical effects are great. The problem is how the camera lingers on them for too long. It feels less like a horror movie and more like the director has creepy obsessions I'd rather not know about.

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    3. Yeah lingering is a good word, Romano Scavolini probably just wanted to highlight the amazing special effects work by Savini, Oops, or whoever will admit to doing it now as the film isn't being prosecuted, like Poltergeist was it Speilburg or Hooper, so many questions I want answers too, im sure the statute is up by now come admit it Tom, I know your here reading this :)

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  15. Evilspeak: Unspeakalble crimes of needless puppy death was very disruptive to the weird ridiculousness of this film. I loved the way people typed in this film though. I want to type like that in public and see if I summon satan.

    The Human Gorilla / Night of the Bloody Apes (1972): That was gery stupid in a nin entertaining way. But keast it wasn't offensive to me in any way I suppose. Some cool moments too.

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    1. The Devil got his broadband connection fitted in Hell in 81, he must of had a good connection :)

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    2. I originally thought he was possessed while typing.

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  16. The Exorcist (1973)

    If you haven’t seen this movie by all means see this movie it’s an absolute classic. The gist of it is for the few of you who have been living under a rock is that theres a girl and she is possessed by a demon and 70’s horror excellence begins. While technically not prosecuted as a Video Nasty after rewatching it today I think had it not been a big studio film it would have been definitely classified as that. Also I realized with this viewing there is very little music in the movie which adds to the realism of the film- something director William Friedkin is excellent at.

    8 Word Review (In Preparation for SMM)

    “Good luck selling that used furniture on Ebay”

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    1. This was a weird one in the UK, it stayed available on the video Shelves till 88 until the deadline for the decision on the film was reached and a decision could still not be made, distributors then removed the film from the video stores and created a demand the like of I've not seen before or since, this was by far the most collectible film for us collectors, I saw the original Warner brothers Big Box versions going for sale at film fairs for £300 The highest priced Vhs tape I have ever seen, crazy times

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    2. I don't know, Tom. If I was told the armoire at the McNeill place moved five feet across the room on its on, that might be a deal breaker for me.

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    3. The Exorcist (1973)

      I know I'm rather late on this post, but I also watched The Exorcist. I agree with you, Tom. I love how straight Friedkin plays the entire thing and the realism of the piece makes it very unnerving. It's great.

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  17. Don't Go In The Woods... Alone! (1981)
    I have nothing new to say that everyone else in the comments that watched it hasn't said already. The dialogue is horrible, and I didn't find myself as pulled into the movie as everyone else. The gore and slasher qualities are pretty good compared to most slashers that iv'e seen.

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  18. Possession (1981) - First viewing

    Wow. I don't really know what else to say. What I understood from the film is the same thing Wes wrote about earlier today, it's about the crumbling of a marriage and the two falling apart. But there's so much more there, I feel I need to see it a few more times to fully appreciate it.

    Reminded me a lot of Eraserhead, a film I saw not long ago for the first time, in that there's a central theme that's pretty clear but so much of the film is just surreal and subliminal, it goes straight for the subconscious. The direction is frantic and surreal, the actors really (I mean really) commit and the story is plain weird on the surface but definitely hides a lot under it.

    What a great find! Definitely one of the highlights of Junesploitation for me so far.

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    1. Great connection to Eraserhead!

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    2. Great Possession fun fact, the creature was created by genius special effects guru Carlo Rambaldi, the same guy who created E.T :)

      "I love Video Nasties day",

      I get to chat about all these crazy facts in my head that are pretty much useless anywhere else except on here

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    3. Ah Dennis, it's like your party today!

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  19. A Bay of Blood (1971)

    I went in to this completely cold. Other than the title and the fact that it was prosecuted, I knew nothing. It gets straight into things - the films starts with a great double bluff - and cracks on at a relentless pace.

    It's fascinating as there are lots of characters, only a handful of them canon-fodder, and the film does a nice job of subverting expectations in how many of them will react to the chaos around them. It is also very self-aware, Bava picking at the ideas of greed, motivation and, ultimately, what makes a murderer. It was surprisingly fresh and modern, to me, and has clearly been very influential. Even to someone not particularly well versed in horror movies you can see Bays footprints all over modern slasher film.

    I also loved how Bava cut from scene to scene, juxtaposing images as he bounced from character to character.

    As you can probably tell, I had a great time! Thoroughly recommended.

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  20. The Last House on the Left (1972)

    This early effort by Wes Craven is a brutal, uncompromising shocker - based on an Ingmar Bergman film, of all things! I've seen it a few times, but I do not think I will be watching it again. Ultimately it's about the dehumanizing effects of violence, even violence committed by the "good" guys. By the end I'm feeling just as worn-out as the people we see in the final shot.

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  21. The Evil Dead (1981)

    First off, this movie has a great title. GREAT title. Sam Raimi is good at titles.

    This is my first rewatch of Junesploitation, but its been a very long time. While I rewatch Army of Darkness and Evil Dead 2 quite a bit I've only seen this one once. And its crazy fun, crazy violent, and has the BRUCE CAMPBELL CHARISMA. That makes every movie better.

    Oh those practical effects! I love them so!

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    1. Interesting fact about the title, the film was originally called The Book of the dead but was changed by producer Ivan Shapiro to The Evil Dead because no one is going to watch a film called Book of the Dead, its a film not a novel he joked, so they changed the name, apparantly there was one premier where it was still under the original title
      People rave about part 2 but I still love part 1, Within the woods the original short film they made to raise funds is worth watching just for completeists but its hard to come by, I forgot where I got mine from, its a bootleg as it never was released

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    2. I'm with you, Dennis. I will always have a soft spot for part 1 and it's still my favorite

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    3. Very interesting! I must say I agree with the title change. Part 1 is my least favorite, but I still think its really terrific. I just think the next two are even better. But its one of those trilogies where one could say any one of them is the favorite and I totally understand. Army of Darkness is mine. But I'd love to seek out that short film!

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    4. I just checked and it's on YouTube now, it took me years of hunting at film fairs to get to see it originally, its good to see it if you love the Evil dead movies

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  22. The Boogey Man (1980)
    There's really not much more I can say about this film without reiterating exactly what J.M. said. This could be the new classic of Video Nasty Day. Of course, The Evil Dead would be the classic standard. I think. Maybe followed by The Last House on the Left. I would always pass by the box for The Boogey Man at the video store when I was a kid, avoiding it. Now I think I may have seen it at the Shirley Drive-In, along with Madman Marz.

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  23. Don't Go in the Basement (1973)
    I watched this earlier in the morning. This one reminded me of Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning. There's the rural sanitarium. The doctor lets the patients roam around, well that is, until he's done for. There's an ax murder early on, just like in Friday V. There's a mentally challenged person. And a sex addict. As the movie builds, it gets sleazier, until the very end, which is where it likely received its Video Nasty prestige. I'd recommend it, especially if you're a fan of Friday the 13th Part V.

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    1. Fun fact: that's the title of a goosebumps book.

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  24. House By The Cemetary (1981)

    I will start out by saying that this is defiently not my favorite Fulci film. There are some creepy scenes and some good practical effects that make it worth checking out though especially if you like Fulci's other two gates of hell films. (The Beyond and City of the living dead). If anything there is a scene involving a bat that makes this movie worth watching!

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  25. Absurd (1981) (first time viewing)

    This was a pretty basic slasher film. That being said, I enjoyed it. A killer rolls into town who is nearly unstoppable himself and starts murdering everyone. There's some throwaway dialogue about why he's so unbeatable, but you don't need to know all that. You just need to know there are some great kills by head trauma involving drills, bandsaws, ovens, axes, etc. Worth a look.

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  26. The Funhouse (1981)

    Good movie, thanks for the recommendations. I feel like this movie has many ideas that were informed by TCM1, and many that would go on to inform TCM2. While a lot of it is tame by todays standards, it is head a shoulders above its peers of the day.

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  27. Welcome to Potters Bluff!

    Dead and Buried 1981

    This thing is star studded !

    Wrote by Dan o Bannon, writer of Alien with amazing melting man type special effects by the great Stan Winston, starring a young Robert Englund ( Freddy krueger) Melody Anderson ( Dale Arden in Flash Gordon) and even cooler is Jack Albertson ( Grampa Joe in Willy Wonka)
    I really love this one, its got the famous artwork on the Vhs cover that's really memorable and an eyeball scene much more impactfull than the one in Fulci' s Zombi Flesh eaters, its more fun than horror but its one of the better to watch Video Nasties
    My favourite day so far :)

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  28. The Boogeyman (1980, dir. Ulli Lommel)

    I was all set to watch a different movie today and then J.M. Vargas' enthusiastic recommendation got me to change course. This didn't do as much for me as some of the others who watched it; I thought it was ok, sort of interesting, but not entirely successful (for me). I will say, though, that the kid sticking his head through the window yelling "Boogeyman!" and what happens after might be my favorite thing I've seen this month. I actually did a search of a GIF for that scene because it made me laugh so much. No such luck.

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    1. Sorry it didn't live up to my hype. As strongly as you feel about the kid in the window I felt about the couple by the lake, just amazing. BTW, you can clearly tell that whoever stuck this movie in the Video Nasties list only watched the first 40 or so minutes (if that). There's no way anyone could watch the 2nd half of "The Boogey Man" and take any of it seriously enough to try and ban it, but that's Gabby Ferro's countrymen for you. ;-P

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    2. I like that, I'm now just going to be known for being one of Gabby's countrymen :)

      RE Boogeyman, I mostly remember the weird guy with the tight black stockings on his head as my stick out scene

      Though the kid yelling Boogeyman scene is awesome too and the lake scene is great

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  29. The Burning (1981)

    I'm starting to fall behind in my timing but I will push on for the love of Junesploitation! Didn't even know about the whole Video Nasties thing (genre?) previously so really enjoyed finding out about it. I was a bit limited with accessibility but I'd been looking for the chance to watch this for a while. As far as blatant Friday the 13th rip offs go it is not too bad.

    Even though tame to look at now the gore and the kills were really taken to another level in comparison to other slashers of the time and you can almost see how much effects man Tom Savini would have been enjoying all the bloodshed. Cool Rick Wakeman score and interesting if for no other reason than to pinpoint the moment where the Weinstein's started their quest for movie industry domination.

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  30. Absurd aka Anthropophagus 2 (1981, dir. Joe D'amato)

    The connections to Anthropophagus are tenuous: same director, writer, star, and a nasty abdominal wound at the opening that echoes the iconic one at Anthro's end; but more noteworthy is its shameless similarity to Halloween: an unstoppable, hulking killer, pursued by a stranger in a raincoat, terrorizes a small town babysitter watching a boy and girl. The babysitter even pulls the 'tell boy to leave the house and run to the neighbors' bit. Instead of it being Halloween, the town is deserted because everyone's inside watching the Rams/Steelers game! (while eat spaghetti served from a punch bowl.) The game's announcer gets the best lines: "What a see-saw, ding-dong, back and forth, whip-flicking donnybrook we've got going here today, folks!" and "Have they given up? There's just one answer to that folks, it's a two-letter word that starts with N and ends with O. Try it in your next crossword puzzle!" So willfully tedious that it's fun. Trailer.

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  31. The Exorcist (1973)

    Not a bad thing, but not the movie I expected. The actual exorcism stuff came very late and the movie took a (very) long time to establish the characters before much happened. I liked it (especially the last half hour), but I did not love it. Maybe it caught me at the wrong time, I will definitely watch the movie again in the (relatively) near future. I thought that the performances were great all around, and the script and camera work were solid. I didn't find it that scary, but probably because even though I'd never seen the movie before, I know all of the movie's "scares" pretty well just by being a movie person and being surrounded by constant references and clips.

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  32. The Exorcist (1973)

    Not a bad thing, but not the movie I expected. The actual exorcism stuff came very late and the movie took a (very) long time to establish the characters before much happened. I liked it (especially the last half hour), but I did not love it. Maybe it caught me at the wrong time, I will definitely watch the movie again in the (relatively) near future. I thought that the performances were great all around, and the script and camera work were solid. I didn't find it that scary, but probably because even though I'd never seen the movie before, I know all of the movie's "scares" pretty well just by being a movie person and being surrounded by constant references and clips.

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