Wild, Wild Podcast Bonus Episode - Interview with comic writer Steven Ross

In this bonus episode Adrian chats with comic writer Steven Ross, who was responsible for encouraging Luigi Cozzi to write a new story in the Starcrash universe, The Midas Star (which we reviewed in a previous episode). Steven is also working on a new translation of the original Yor - the Hunter From the Future comics, so there is plenty to discuss!

If you want to follow Steven Ross and find out more about these projects you can find him on Twitter and Instagram.

We would love to hear from you if you have any favorite Italian comics or your memories of seeing Starcrash or Yor for the first time. You can contact us on Twitter and Instagram or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find our YouTube channel here.

Please also remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

Wild, Wild Podcast #7 - STARCRASH (1979)

Sing with me now: "Starcrash, it's a Starcrash, we're having a Starcrash..." Yes, we've made it to 1979's Italian Star Wars knock-off par excellence, the one and only STARCRASH, featuring Caroline Munro in a space bikini and David Hasslehoff with a tight perm.

In this episode Adrian and Rod share their unabashed enthusiasm for this silly film, whilst not holding back on just how difficult it is to accurately summarize the plot, even when it's written down in front of you.

We would love to hear what you think of this film too. You can contact us via Twitter and Instagram, or you can email us at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com

If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe, tell your friends and leave us a review!

STARCRASH (1978) Lobby Cards

The Bloody Pit #43 - STARCRASH (1979)

Luigi Cozzi's science fiction epic STARCRASH is one of the wildest cinematic experiences of all time. The movie's script is a hot mess that feels like it was assembled in the dark from ideas jotted randomly on post-it notes. There is no logical progression from scene to scene or from idea to idea. When an explanation or solution was needed Cozzi just seems to have inserted a line of ridiculous dialog, had the characters smile at each other and kept moving. It is this almost total disregard for logic, sense or sanity that allows this budget challenged Italian production to reach mad heights of near genius.

When the idea of covering STARCRASH for the podcast suggested itself I found myself with an odd problem - everyone wanted to be part of this show! Randy Fox, Jeff Nelson and John Hudson all wanted the chance to talk about the film and relate their love for it. Troy Guinn also wanted to participate but scheduling kept him away from our recording session. Regardless, he found a way to be a part of the episode anyway! So, we gathered around a table one Friday night to go through this crazed movie marveling at it's odd twists and turns while trying to come to terms with our out sized affection for it. We touch on many of the plot elements that amuse us - there is no way to touch on them all in just two hours - while digging into the cool things that the film plays homage to and/or steals from classic genre movies. Since this show consists of a group of friends that have known each other for years you can expect a number of odd references (Peter Frampton 8-tracks?) and strange connections (Where's Waldo!) that will only make sense if you listen to our stream of conscious blather. If it gets out of hand, we apologize! We had a good time and we hope you do as well.

I read out a couple of email messages at the beginning of the episode and if you would like to comment on the show the email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com. Drop us a line with any suggestions for future podcasts or to put us in our places if we've gone wrong. Thank you very much for downloading and listening! 

Direct Download MP3 LINK 

iTunes LINK 

STARCRASH (1979) on YouTube!

I'm just about ready to post the next episode of The Bloody Pit but I'm well aware that the subject of our show is.....obscure. So, to facilitate the viewing of Luigi Cozzi's sci-fi masterwork I present this link to the entire film posted over on YouTube. This is not the best way to see and appreciate the film (that would be the stellar Shout Factory Blu-Ray)  but it at least allows you to see it in the manner of a VHS copy. Check it out! 

STARCRASH (1979) Poster Art

Caroline of STARCRASH

After stumbling on this image of an unused sequence filmed for the mad science fiction epic STARCRASH (1979) I had the sudden urge to see more images of its fair star Caroline Munro. You, dear blog reader, get the bounty of my search! 

Behold! 

And now back to our regularly scheduled day. 

STARCRASH (1979) - an appreciation!

As readers of this blog will already know, I have an strange love of and obsession with STARCRASH. It's a terrible film in so many ways but it is terrible in just the right ways - if you know what I mean. Make no mistake about one thing — screenwriter/director Luigi Cozzi is a big fan of science fiction. The first image in this wannabe epic is of a spaceship named after Golden Age SF author Murray Leinster and the first bit of dialog is a page over that ship's intercom asking Major Bradbury to come to the communications bridge. Cozzi is such a fan of the genre that when possible he slips science fiction elements into any movie he can. This is the only explanation for the incredibly odd mechanical creatures and bizarre conversations about scientific theory in his Hercules films with Lou Ferrigno. So I can only imagine the man's joy when the huge global success of Star Wars gave him the green light to make his pet sci-fi project. I've often heard Starcrash called a rip-off of that 1977 classic but Cozzi claims that the script was penned long before Mr. Lucas made the genre profitable — maybe he just got lucky. The unlucky folks were the poor suckers in 1978 who were conned into seeing this atrocious mess. I know of at least one man who claims that not only is Starcrash the worst film he has ever seen but that it may have contributed to his desire to kill small woodland creatures in the dead of night. And you thought the Star Wars prequels were bad!

As with most Cozzi films the plot is a mishmash of half thought out ideas and half remembered moments from movie serials, novels and comic books. The story concerns the adventures of interstellar smuggler Stella Star (Caroline Munro) and her partner in crime Akton (Marjoe Gortner, who somehow got top billing). As the film begins they are being pursued by law officers Thor (Robert Tessier) and Elle, a sentient robot voiced by Hamilton Camp as some kind of Texas moron. They make their escape through hyperspace and find an abandoned spacecraft's launch. After rescuing a survivor from the ship they're captured by the pursuing cops and carried off to prison. Stella is forced to feed the radium furnaces in a skimpy outfit and high heels until recruited for a job by the same two cops that caught her. It seems the Emperor of the Universe (Christopher Plummer) wants her and Akton to help fight the evil Count Zarth Arn (the great Joe Spinell). This dastardly despot has created a devastating planet-sized weapon that will allow him to rule the universe — but no one knows where it's located. The smugglers will accompany Thor and Elle on their search through the Haunted Stars and if they succeed they will be pardoned. Oh, and if they should stumble across the Emperor's son, the crown prince, they should bring him back, too. He was sent looking for the Death Star.... uh, I mean, the Count's massive weapon and he's missing. So, off they go tramping from one silly place to another hunting for the bad guys. The only stop of real interest (for me any way) is when a bikini clad Stella has to fight off a group of hot, Amazon-style women before they sic their giant, poorly stop-motion-animated robot on her. Akton reveals that he can see into the future, fake his own death and whip ass with his handy light saber... uh, I mean laser sword. Finally, of course, they find Prince Simon (David Hasselhoff!) and the correct planet, blow up the terrible weapon and then rush back to the Emperor to join in the gloriously insane battle with Zarth Arn to rid the Universe of his evil forever.

I've left out a lot of details mainly because, for space considerations, I must. This movie's script is an insane mess that feels like it was assembled in the dark from ideas jotted randomly on post-it notes. There is no logical progression from scene to scene or from idea to idea. When an explanation or solution was needed Cozzi just seems to have inserted a line of ridiculous dialog, had the characters smile at each other and kept moving. And some of the lines are priceless. Informing Stella that he can't tell her about the future because she might try to change things, Akton declares with a straight face, "Because that's against the law." Early on a character declares, "Scan it with our computer waves!" You get the idea. If an 8-year old riffed on an issue of EC Comics' Weird Science,Starcrash is what his Pixie Stix-fueled imagination would create. Luigi Cozzi is that sugar-rushing kid, bursting with enthusiasm but short on talent and money. He throws in a lot of references to classic science fiction movies including the disembodied head that leads the Invaders from Mars (1953), the radium furnaces from the Flash Gordon serials and (I swear to you) a nod to the giant, floating stone head from Zardoz! But even these bizarre touches are topped by the sight of all the male characters wearing enough make-up to pass for drag queens. This is top-of-the-line crazy cinema! Almost nothing is done well but eventually the complete lack of sense is kind of mesmerizing. Like watching slow-motion footage of car crash tests I found it impossible to turn away, wondering if the next ludicrous idea was going to make me laugh or roll my eyes.

One thing I can complement is the rather impressive score by legendary composer John Barry. I give it credit for keeping things moving more often than it should have to, making some dull stretches easier to handle. It's a solid musical accompaniment to the story, even if it occasionally reminded me of passages from a few of his James Bond scores.

Caroline Munro - More images!

Because I got to thinking about STARCRASH for no good reason yesterday here are a few photos of the classically beautiful Miss Munro. 

Neil Volks artwork!

The top piece is from Volks's work for his brilliant ongoing series Flesh and Blood (as I wait for issue 3!) and the bottom one was done by request. Yes- that is Stella Star from STARCRASH with a Light Sabre facing off against Christopher Lee as his STAR WARS character. Will the joys of his monster mind never cease? I have no idea (or have forgotten) who in fiction the vampire character or the attacking lady in the upper left corner actually are. Can anyone identify them? 

STARCRASH (1978) images!

Because I love this mad film with all my heart here are some images to show you why. I'll have to pull out the Blu-Ray again soon. I don't think I finished ALL the extras! 

Return to STARCRASH

I've finally started reading the recently published collection 'Curved Space' and am really enjoying this printed page return to the universe of Stella Star. Fun stuff!

Curved Space - STARCRASH fiction!

Rarely am I more stunned than I am by the announcement that a volume of short stories based on the main character of the hideously awful/wonderful 1979 science fiction mess-ter-piece STARCRASH is set for release. 'Curved Space - The Adventures of Stella Star' is a brand new anthology featuring short stories relating the further adventures of Stella Star, the beautiful spaceship Captain played in the film by Caroline Munroe. It is apparently fully endorsed by the film's writer/director Luigi Cozzi and, if I were to hazard a guess, is being published to take advantage of the upcoming release of STARCRASH to DVD and Blu-Ray later this year. Not that I'm complaining! Any additions to the cult of Cozzi and Stella Star is a good thing in my book. As soon as I have new information I'll let everyone know. I intend to be one of the first to own a copy of this book if for no other reason to find out what happens next........

Because there can never be enough!

STAR CRASH poster art for sale on eBay! And why not?

STARCRASH coming to Blu-Ray!!!

Oh Holy Crap! I just learned from Bloody Disgusting that among the Roger Corman directed and produced films that Shout Factory will be releasing this year is the mindbendingly awful (but much beloved) STARCRASH. And it will apparently be released on BLU-RAY! Its like someone decided to make me have a very happy Wednesday.

This is almost unbelievable. I never thought we'd even get a simple DVD of the movie that didn't look like it was mastered from a VHS tape. And the icing on the cake is the release of completely insane GALAXY OF TERROR and FORBIDDEN WORLD as well. This is great news and I couldn't not be more thrilled. Now the wait for September begins.

Here's the full list.


2010 RELEASES FROM ROGER CORMAN’S CULT CLASSICS

May 4 – Rock’n’Roll High School DVD & BD
May 4 – Suburbia DVD
June 22 – Death Race 2000 DVD & BD
June 22 – Warlords of the 21st Century and Death Sport (double feature DVD presentation)
July 20 – Forbidden World DVD
July 20 – Galaxy of Terror DVD
July 20 – Attack of the Crab Monster and Not of This Earth (double feature DVD presentation)
Aug 3 – Piranha DVD & BD
Aug 3 – Humanoids from Deep DVD
Aug 3 – Up from the Depths and Demon of Paradise (double feature DVD presentation)
Sept 7 – Starcrash DVD and BD
Sept 7 – Battle Beyond the Stars
Sept 28 – Not of This Earth (1978) DVD
Sept 28 – Time Walker and Death Space DVD (double feature DVD presentation)