This has become one of my new favorite Christmas movies and we'll be covering it on an episode of The Bloody Pit podcast in a couple of weeks!
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Saturday, November 27, 2021
Beyond Naschy #35 - SHE KILLED IN ECSTASY (1971)
Troy and I (finally) return with a new episode!
This time we dive back into the Franco pool of cool and look longingly at the luminous Soledad Miranda. SHE KILLED IN ECSTASY (1971) was the final collaboration between the young actress and Jess Franco before her untimely passing. While it is generally not considered their best film together it contains many scenes that display the brilliance that they could achieve. Soledad’s skills are on full display in her role as a vengeful wife extracting blood from the people who hounded her husband into suicide. As the story plays out, she runs the gamut of human emotions from deep concern and grief-stricken to seductively aloof and finally filled with violent rage. Her performance is mesmerizing and is carried out so well that she could have embodied her character without dialog and still communicated every nuance necessary to engage the viewer. She was a powerhouse screen presence and her loss is only more deeply felt when watching her in this film.
We dig into why we enjoy this film as much as we do with much attention paid to the strength of the central performance. We point to reoccurring plot elements within Franco’s work and his love of a certain visual metaphor involving boats at sea. We discuss the movie’s odd choice to rush past the possible mad scientist idea at the beginning to get to the righteous vengeance at the heart of things. We try to define what makes Soledad such a memorable screen actress even as this film refuses to even give her character a first name. Each of the murders is dissected as we try to understand what Franco might have had in mind as his story gains force, climaxing in a fascinating sequence in which the director is himself the victim. It certainly raises some questions about Jess’ sexual desires and points toward what might have been included in future unrealized projects.
We hope you enjoy the episode and if you have any comments naschycast@gmail.com is the show’s address. Thank you for listening and we’ll be back soon. I promise!
Friday, November 26, 2021
Video - Space: 1999 Eagles Crashed and Lost in Season One
Chris Dale brings us the definitive guide to Eagle Transporters that get crashed and/or lost in series one of Space:1999! There are a lot of them.
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Monday, November 22, 2021
The Bloody Pit #141 - Space: 1999 with John Kenneth Muir
John Kenneth Muir has been writing about film and television for more than twenty-five years. His published works range in subject matter from the horror films of various decades and books focused on individual movie directors to in-depth tomes about several different science fiction television series. His first published book was about a much maligned Gerry Anderson produced science fiction show from the 1970’s called Space: 1999. The two seasons of that show have recently been released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory, reigniting my interest in engaging with its highs and lows. Forgotten by most but beloved by many Space: 1999 has always been an odd series that is somewhat difficult for a broad audience to embrace, but its finer points are extraordinary, its special effects are superb and the production rarely lacked ambition. It is a television program ripe for rediscovery even in this age of endless streaming possibilities.
Mr. Muir and I discuss the show from the perspective of a novel he wrote several years ago called 'The Forsaken' that uses the first season episode ‘Space Brain’ as a starting point. Along the way we talk about our own history with Space: 1999 and how our opinions have changed over time. The stark differences between the first and second season are debated and we certainly engage in the age-old conversation about favorite and least favorite episodes. The scientific implausibilities inherent in the show’s set-up are hashed over with a number of details explained about how various writers acknowledged the biggest one within the body of their scripts. We discuss the philosophical approach taken by the show’s creators and how it differs from what people expected from sci-fi TV in the 70’s – and possibly today. We do get off track at one point and talk about a few horror movies, but we are soon back onto MoonBase Alpha – I promise!
If you have anything to say about Space: 1999 or any other subject we talk about in the show thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send your emails. We’ll be thrilled to hear from you. Thank you for listening to the podcast.
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Saturday, November 20, 2021
'Handmade Horror' Prints for Christmas!
All I'm going to do it point curious gift buyers to this online store so that you can see the astonishing mash-up of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and John Carpenter's THE THING (1982). Someone you know will love and appreciate these mad but funny images.
Perfect for the holidays!
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
What I Watched in October 2021
I've been very happy with both of the computer animated
Addams Family films from the past couple of years. The second one isn't as
strong as the first but I think that may just be that I'm no longer surprised
by how well the material is being handled. The first from 2019 shocked me by
keeping very well to the spirit and tone of the 1960’s television series and
even finding ways to fold a lot of the original Charles Addams single panel cartons
smoothly into the narrative. This new movie takes some inspiration from the
1970’s TV cartoon version of the family as well by having the entire crew
riding around America in their gothic styled Creepy Camper. That was
unexpected! And the plot smartly focuses on the precocious Wednesday (voiced by
Chloë Grace Moretz) as she is lead to believe she might not actually be an
Addams. Mon Dieu! The film is funny, eerie and visually arresting throughout with
pitch perfect performances from the entire voice cast. In fact, it would be
easy to picture most of the actors embodying these roles doing do in a live
action film as well which would be quite fun. Oscar Issacs as Gomez and
Charlize Theron as Morticia are excellent and I hope they continue to play
these characters for years to come.The List
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1983) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 (2021) – 7
EVILSPEAK (1981) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
GRIZZLY (1976) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
CIRCUS OF HORRORS (1960) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
HOUSE OF HORRORS (1946) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
THE PROPHECY (1995) – 8 (rewatch)
SCREAM (1980) – 3 (deadly dull horror effort made in Texas)
THE UNSEEN (1980) – 6 (interesting basement lurker/hideous family horror)
LEPRECHAUN (1993) – 5 (uneasy mixture of kid’s film and bloody horror)
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)
THE MONSTER MAKER (1944) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) (Naish is great in this)
13 GHOSTS (1960) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945) - 7 (rewatch on Blu)
BLACK AS NIGHT (2021) – 7 (New Orleans set vampire tale)
DREAM DEMON (1988) – 6 (interesting British rubber reality film)
THE FINAL TERROR (1983) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
CIRCUS OF FEAR (1966) – 6 (krimi scares) (rewatch on Blu)
NO TIME TO DIE (2021) – 9 (an excellent farewell to Craig’s Bond)
REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1960) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)
THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES (1940) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
DARK INTRUDER (1965)- 7 (rewatch on Blu)
HALLOWEEN (2018) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)
THE DEVIL BAT (1940) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
ABBOT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) – 9 (on the big screen!)
HALLOWEEN KILLS (2021) – 7
PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)
LEPRECHAUN 2 (1994) – 4 (pretty blah and typically 90’s)
DARK AUGUST (1976) – 8 (strong low-key horror tale from Vermont)
AMITYVILLE: THE EVIL ESCAPES (1989) – 3 (with Rifftrax – 8)
KING OF THE ZOMBIES (1941) – 7 (rewatch on Blu – Mantan Moreland makes this one)
PROPHECY (1979) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) (by turns ridiculous and sublime)
UBALDA, ALL NAKED AND WARM (1972) – 4 (Italian sex comedy set in the Middle Ages)
HALLOWEEN 4 (1988) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
CASTLE FREAK (2020) – 4 (weak remake with some bold ideas)
BODY COUNT (1986) – 6 (rewatch) (Deodado’s killer in the woods slasher)
THE MANOR (2021) – 7 (slight but satisfying chiller about aging)
HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1999) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI: JASON LIVES (1986) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN (1966) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)
WRONG TURN 3: LEFT FOR DEAD (2009) – 4 (terrible CGI weighs this down)
THE RAVEN (1963) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
DEMENTIA 13 (1963) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Trailers From Hell - FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1966)
Dana Gould displays his love for this blast of kaiju awesomness!
Friday, November 12, 2021
New Commentary Track Announced! - BLACK CANDLES (1982)
Today Severin announced the details of their forthcoming Blu-Ray of the Jose Larraz film BLACK CANDLES (1982) and listed first among the extras is the commentary track that Troy Guinn and I contributed! We've been sitting on this news for months and are very happy that we can finally crow about this this one. Or baa. Or bleat. Or whatever noise a sexually satisfied goat makes. If you've seen the film you know I mean.
But I think that the other extras are even more interesting! Check them out.
Audio Commentary With Rodney Barnett And Troy Guinn, Hosts Of NaschyCast
La Dama Del Fantaterror — Documentary Short On Actress Helga Liné By Filmmaker Diego López
Made By The Devil — Interview With Gavin Baddeley, Author Of Lucifer Rising: Sin, Devil Worship & Rock'n'Roll
An Exception To The Norm — Interview With Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, Author Of Spanish Horror Film
A documentary on the amazing Helga Line? Plus two other interviews with knowledgeable film writers? This is looking like one heck of a disc!
Also - because Severin are sly merchandisers - they are offering replica necklaces as seen in BLACK CANDLES so you too can join in the Satanic depravity.
These items go on sale on the Severin website on Black Friday a.k.a. midnight of November 26th! So go grab you a big Blu piece of Spanish horror history packed with nudity, Satanism and beastiality. If you wonder what in the world it was all about just listen to Troy and I and we'll help you through.
Tuesday, November 09, 2021
The Bloody Pit #140 - FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943)
Troy and I rejoin the Universal Horror Films of the 1940’s,
already in progress.
With FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943) Universal’s
monster films took off in a radical and cinema altering direction. For the first
time the studio combined characters from two different series into one new
story regardless of the things that have to be ignored to make this work. In what
decade are we supposed to think this movie is happening? It’s a sequel to THE
WOLF MAN (1941) which took place firmly in the 1940’s but it’s also a sequel to
THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) which seemed to be happening in the early 1900’s.
And dialog clearly states here that four years have passed since Larry Talbot
was killed by his father, so mid-1940’s would seem to be accurate. But
everything feels like WWI never occurred and certainly like WWII wasn’t a
factor in anyone’s thinking. Welcome to the alternative world of Universal Land
where several European decades are mashed together with bits taken from any
time and place to create a habitat where monsters can come together to work
toward shared goals. And then try to kill each other!
We plunge immediately into our long-awaited discussion of
this classic, pulling on every loose plot string we can find and marveling at
the bizarre changes from the previous movies. Was the last film’s finale set in
a modern hospital or an ancient ancestral castle? Who cares! We just need to
get a massive amount of dynamite into the hands of the local hot-headed pub
owner so we can drown everyone and a castle looks much cooler being ripped
apart by water. Fire last time so water this time! How did they never end one
of these movies using an earthquake? It seems like the obvious next step. And
then a tornado. But, I digress.
In just under two hours we talk about the fine cast, the
wonderful atmosphere, the decision to edit out all of Bela Lugosi’s dialog and
some subtle moments that are often overlooked even by fans. To us it seems
clear that the written work of Doctor Frankenstein must be destroyed if for no
other reason than it has the power to turn even the most mild-mannered physician
into a mad scientist. I mean, damn! Has there ever been a faster turn to the
dark side than Dr. Mannering? Were there any warning signs at all?
We hope you enjoy the show and thebloodypit@gmail.com is how we can be contacted. The next film in this series is another Sherlock adventure and we’ll have a new NaschyCast episode up soon too. Thanks for listening.
Sunday, November 07, 2021
Scream Queen Summer Camp Massacre! - Comic Book Horror Comedy
If you are interested in a fun and quite funny comic book I can recommend checking out the Starring Sonya Devereaux series of stories. The one slated to come out next is a full-blown slasher set in a Summer Camp! It's going to be a blast!
And here is the official news about the project AND a one minute video preview.
"When real life scream queens LINNEA QUIGLEY, BRINKE STEVENS, MICHELLE BAUER, & TIFFANY SHEPIS co-star with Hollywood’s 306th Best Actress Sonya Devereaux in this one of a kind movie-within-a-movie-within-a-comic-book, horror films have never been so bloody hilarious!"
Cast as iconic scream queens, the actresses attend a horror convention held at the notorious summer camp that inspired the slasher genre. What could possibly go wrong? Glad you asked.
Their camp uniforms are too small, there’s only one stall so showering becomes a group activity, and the original serial killer, RAG FACE, is back to continue his streak of creative, gory murders - and to stalk the sexy starlets. Legendary movie producer/director FRED OLEN RAY also appears as a legendary movie producer/director in this uproarious special slasher film satire packed with fun, fiends, and foxy femmes!
Starring Sonya Devereaux: Scream Queen Summer Camp Massacre #1 is written by Todd Livingston & Nick Capetanakis, illustrated by Brendon Fraim & Brian Fraim, and colored by Matt Webb.
Saturday, November 06, 2021
Audio - Great Ghost Stories LP (1973)
Yes, I know Halloween was a few days ago but I'm still in the ghost story tellin' mood! Having started down the path of 1970's creepy records I just keep listening to them with a big smile on my face the entire time. This one features four tales and each has its points of interest as well as some nice sound effects. Recommended for the curious.
Thursday, November 04, 2021
Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Wild, Wild Podcast Season 2: Episode 1 - ULBALDA, ALL NAKED AND WARM (1972)
We're back and this time we are taking a dive into the world of Pasolini's Trilogy of Life. In this episode we discuss films based on the first in the trilogy, Il Decameron (1971) and its many imitators, in particular the film known to English-speaking audiences as Ubalda - All Naked and Warm. Yes, it's the one with Edwige Fenech in a chastity belt, so grab your skeleton keys and head back to the middle ages with us.
For more information on this Italian sub genre, which morphed into the highly successful commedia sexy all'italiana, this article is a very good primer and one we will be coming back to: “Canterbury Rides Again”… PASOLINI & HIS “DECAMEROTIC” IMITATORS
We would love to hear from you if you have any experience with the Decamerotici films. You can contact us on Twitter, Instagram, or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com
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