Crypticon returns to KC in 2012, who am I going to see there?

    Last year Crypticon first showed up in Kansas City and it was a hell of a lot of fun. For a new convention in town it boasted a rather impressive guest list (Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Geretta Geretta, Barbara Magnolfi, Allan Kayser, Beverly Randolph, and my fanboy ass finally got to meet Linnea Quigley.), and the vendors had plenty of cool stuff for sale. These may have been the only two aspects of the convention that I took part in last year, but they definitely weren't the only ones. There were screenings, contests, music, and plenty of other going-ons in the convention hall.

    It looks like this year is no different, the guest list is once again quite impressive, boasting cult stars like Doug Bradley, Danielle Harris, Michael Berryman, Tom Savini, Dee Wallace, a Night of the Creeps Reunion (feat. Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, Allen Kayser, and TOM FUCKING ATKINS!!) and many more. There is also going to be some all night movie showings, screenings with Q&A's with the stars, indie films, contests, music, and much more. 

    Personally, I'm going to try and be there all three days as I'm really looking forward to those all night screenings, and since this year it appears to be up North, I don't want to be driving back and forth. I urge all my fellow Kansas City cult film buffs, and fans all across the Midwest to head over to http://www.crypticonkansascity.com for details about the convention, and hopefully I will see you all there!

VSG Returns, and Mother's Day (2010, Darren Lynn Bousman) REVIEWED!

After a brief hiatus, I'm glad to say that VSG is back and once again I'll be pontificating on the subject of cult filmdom. I've watched quite a bit of good stuff in the interim since I last posted a review, and I'll need to play catch up on those, but for now I have to go ahead and do a write-up of a movie I watched tonight. The flick in question is fellow-Kansan Darren Lynn Bousman's remake of the Troma classic(k) from 1980, Mother's Day. 

The original has long been a favorite in exploitation and horror fandom, and especially in the realm of Troma fans, mainly due to it's depraved sense of humor and a shocking level of sleaze. While Bousman's film shares the name of the earlier film, it certainly is a different beast altogether. This new one is deathly serious, playing with some very heavy themes of human nature and the will to survive, and does so with biting wit, a bit of satire, and some very graphic violence.

The new take on Mother's Day tells the story of a group of 3 brothers on the run after a bank robbery, one of whom is fatally wounded. Scared, with no place else to go, they return to their home expecting to find their mother, but instead find a happy couple who have gathered a group of friends to celebrate their remodeling. It turns out Mom's house was foreclosed upon a few months prior, but with no place to go, the brothers hold the party hostage and their twisted nature starts becoming apparent, but the real fun begins once Mother arrives. 

Placed in this live-or-die situation, the group of thirty-something partygoers start realizing they are going to have to do whatever it takes to survive this situation, especially once the tension starts getting ratcheted up. Panicked captives are dangerous enough, but combine that with panicked captors and you have a very volatile situation.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I was skeptical upon throwing this disc in my player; remakes are very shaky ground. The cold hard fact of the matter is that most of the remakes have been godawful, with very few exceptions. Going in with low expectations, I have to say that I was beyond pleasantly surprised by this one. Simply put, this is what good exploitation and horror movies should be. This film delivers the horror goods in spades, there are some VERY suspenseful moments and some extremely gory scenes, but it also has some smart ideas, and raises some very interesting questions.

The great and classic exploitation films have always done more than just, "delivered the goods." They may not have been heavy-handed message movies, but they usually made us take a step back and really take a strong look at the human condition. This one could arguably fall into that canon of exploitation history. The screenplay is definitely a smart one, one that hammers on the expectations and emotional triggers of the audience much like the demented family torment the minds of their victims. 

Don't get me wrong, there is some graphic physical torment in this movie, but this is not the focus of the film, and it does not dwell on it. This film is far more interested in emotional and psychological torture, and it does it with intelligence and some truly biting satirical wit.  The subjects of loyalty, duty, family, instinct, morality, and the will to survive ALL come into play in this film, and it handles each of them interestingly and without a heavy hand. For a film so gory, many aspects of it are quite subtle. 

This script could have easily fallen flat but luckily the cast and the director were up to the task. Rebecca DeMornay takes the lead as Natalie "Mother" Koffin, and she attacks the role with relish. DeMornay is still a striking beauty, and her calm demeanor in the face (and in the act) of horrible deeds is electrifying on the screen. A fantastic performance, and one that will sadly be overlooked simply because this genre is refused any form of merit in mainstream film criticism, which is a damn shame because DeMornay's psychotic performance is up there with Bette Davis' in films like The Anniversary from Hammer. DeMornay is playing an absolute psychopath, and you can tell she's having a blast in the process.

The rest of the cast acquit themselves surprisingly well, Jaime King, especially. Bousman's direction is tight and focused, creating a strong sense of place and a definite order to the chaos. Even with the multitude of characters and constant plot shifts he manages to keep the whole film from becoming muddled, keeping a laser-sharp eye on the suspense and tension. While keeping knuckles white and asses on the edge of seats, Bousman also has the Magician's gift that many old Horror film directors had: he strings you along and hits you when you don't expect it, and it actually works. Many try this trick, but fail miserably…he nails it quite a few times.

And last, but not least, the film itself takes place near Wichita, Kansas and Kansas City is mentioned in a news report. It does indeed warm my heart that Bousman gave a shout-out to his hometown areas in this flick, and I'd be lying if I said that didn't at least boost my enjoyment a bit. 

Overall, this is just a flat-out quality exploitation/horror flick. It eschews the camp of the original and instead goes for the Last House on the Left-style jugular. This shouldn't be surprising, in quite a few interviews Bousman has expressed his love for that particular film. As that is one of my favorite films of all-time as well, I can see that the influence is apparent. Not to say that this is a blatant rip-off, because it is not, but in tone and execution it is quite similar. Like Wes Craven's classic, Bousman's Mother's Day delivers all that you would want in an exploitation/horror flick, but it does it with a straight face, and shows some truth of the human condition in the realm of fiction. Both make a strong statement on the fact that we are animals, and in the right situations we are capable of the worst things. 

Oh, and one last thing for the fans of the original flick, one kill in particular will have you smiling. That is all I will say. 

Overlooked sex & psycho flick, THE RAVAGER (1970) Reviewed!

   The sexploitation genre of the 1960's and early 1970's is a bizarre one, and one that caught my attention years ago. In the days before hardcore porn was legal, filmmakers had to find a way to tie their nudie and soft core flicks together. Thus, the sexploitation genre was born! Now, these films could be comedies, westerns, melodramas, basically anything you could think of. Any type of plot line to tie together their sexy scenes, which is what was packing in the audiences. Without the ability to use hardcore sex as the payoff for their audiences, some of the sexploitation filmmakers of the day took to using another exploitable element of the era: graphic violence. With that decision in the early 60's, films like 1963's Scum of the Earth directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis, and 1965's The Defilers directed by Lee Frost, the "roughie" was born. And it should be made apparent, both of those films were produced by the lovable and ever-prolific David F. Friedman, who is arguably the creator of the whole Roughie genre.
   Now, these sexploitation films were the true grindhouse flicks of their day, and they played the theaters across the country that by the mid-70's would mostly be dedicated to porn. They were not meant for the mainstream public, and video was not even thought of, so to the uninitiated these are shockingly bizarre, perverse, and flat out strange pieces of film. These were cheap, quickly-made exploitation flicks that are full of flaws but retain the ability to enthrall audiences due to what I like the call the, "What The Fuck?!" factor. The sheer audacity, perversity, and sickness of their subject matter and scenes keep one interested, even though they are quite shoddily executed most of the time.
   1970's The Ravager definitely does not veer far from this assessment. It's a rather inept, cheapjack, yet highly entertaining slice of exploitation pie. And once again, most of it's entertainment value comes from it's, "I cannot believe they're doing this," plot.
   Joe is a demolitions expert fighting for the United States over in Vietnam, who gets separated from his platoon. While stuck alone he witnesses the horrifying sight of two Viet Cong stripping and raping a Vietnamese peasant woman...and then blowing her up with a stick of dynamite afterwards. Needless to say, this fucks up our hero's head quite a bit, so much so that by the time he gets back to the United States, he is hellbent on two things: Rape and blowing up lovers with dynamite.  That's the plot line of The Ravager. See what I mean about "What-The-Fuck" cinema?
   Now, obviously, that plot line sounds like pretty strong, sick stuff. And it is in content, but definitely not in execution. The insane overacting of Pierre Gaston as Joe had me chuckling throughout, but he occasionally hits notes of total believability. The rest of the actors are suitably crappy, they show up to get naked and then blown up. the only other standout is Jo Long as the Landlady, whom was so obnoxious I cheered when she finally got TNT'ed.
   The sex scenes are quite clumsy, of course, but feature some attractive women in late 60's/ early 70's attire (as well as out of it), and plenty of aloof, stoned boyfriends who are dynamite fodder. The rape scene at the beginning, in particular, is quite laughable since it's a common case of the "dude-keeps-his-pants-on" sex scene that was common in soft core and sexploitation pictures.
   I know it seems like I'm focusing on the negative aspects, but be advised, I am absolutely recommending this movie! It is a highly entertaining, very weird relic of a bygone era. They don't make movies like this anymore, and probably never will. The narrative voiceover ALONE is worth the price of admission, as the over the top, melodramatic lines delivered are absolutely hilarious.
   Most cult movie fans have probably at least dipped their toe into the shallow end of sexploitation films and roughies, and if they liked it, I sincerely propose they cannonball into the deep end and check this flick out. If you're new to the genre, this is most likely NOT the place to start, as it's quite out there. But for those that already have a love for this type of stuff, you're in for an absolute treat.
   I saw this movie via Something Weird Video's Download service, and they also have it available on a hard copy. I encourage you all to pick up a copy from them if this sounds up your alley, and even if it doesn't, go check them out, you'll find something you want/need.

- Ehren Von Sleaze

"The Black Room" (1983, Elly Kenner) Reviewed!

   For this first review from VSG, it's hard to think of a better choice for a subject than 1983's The Black Room, directed by Elly Kenner. Why is it such an ideal pick? Well, first of all, I had never seen it until my viewing this week, so that makes me all the more eager to talk about it. Also, it was a videostore Horror section staple released by Vestron Video and features an appearance from B-Movie mainstay Linnea Quigley. So, as you see, it's quite ideal for VSG.
   The film concerns a well-to-do suburban family man named Larry who has, what many would call, an ideal life. Great wife, great kids, a good job, and disposable income. His sex life is lacking, and the predictable, monotonous tedium of his routine existence leads him to rent a room advertised in the paper. For $200 a month, he will get access to a strange black room inside a hilltop mansion inside the Hollywood Hills.
   The mansion is owned by a secretive and mysterious brother-sister duo. Jason, the brother, has a rare blood disorder that requires transfusions and enjoys taking erotic photos of his sister Bridget, who essentially lives as Jason's nurse.
   Larry starts using the room as an outlet for his sexual mania, and as a sanctuary from his home life. He brings college girls and LA prostitutes back to the blackened room lit only by an illuminated table and candles. Larry calls the mansion ahead of time, and by the time he arrives Jason has poured the wine, lit the candles, and turned on the music. All Larry has to do is show up and have fun. And fun he DOES have in a series of bizarre, surreal, sex scenes with women he lures back to his mysterious room. His time in the room also spices up his sex life at home as he starts telling his wife "fictional" stories set in a black room as a way to heat up their own bed.
   However, little does Larry know that not only is Jason snapping photos of his trysts, but Larry is also supplying him a steady stream of victims to be drained for his transfusions. More trouble arrives when Robin, Larry's wife, finds out the room exists outside of fantasy, and she soon turns the tables on him with the aid of Jason and Bridget, who take a sadistic glee in tearing this marriage apart. As this once-happy couple spirals deeper and deeper into involvement with the room, the malevolence of Jason starts to get more and more severe, as does his need for more frequent transfusions.

   First of all, this film is dripping with an atmosphere not usually found in most low-budget American horror films of the early 80's.  In this era, most flicks coming out that could be classified as horror that were being released were predictable, yet easily enjoyable slasher retreads, or low budget Romero-inspired zombie flicks, not bizarre, psychosexual shockers. The film has a European feel from start to finish, with an emphasis on stylistic camera work, striking visuals, in your face music, and a more thorough mixture of sex and violence than usually found Stateside.
   For all intents and purposes, Jason is a vampiric character. Although it is a rare disease that requires transfusions, he still has a lust and need for blood and murders to get it. Much like European filmmakers such as Jean Rollin, this film takes a familiar character type like the vampire and puts its own spin on it. Vampires have traditionally been used as symbols representing carnal desire, lust, and even addiction. The Black Room is no different than many other vampire movies in this respect, but it makes the subject matter it's own.
    For my money, the standouts in the cast are Stephen Knight as Jason, and Clara Perryman as Robin, the neglected wife. Knight jumps over a million tripwires by somehow making the character intimidating, frightening, sinister, yet ultimately likable. You can see why people are comfortable around him, yet you see how they can be frightened into doing his bidding. Perryman takes Robin on a believable journey from jealous, rejected wife to a confident, sexually in-touch woman who may be playing the game better than her husband. Cassandra Gaviola and Jimmy Stathis both also turn in solid, believable performances as Bridget and Larry, respectfully, but did not stand out like the others. Gaviola is a sultry, sexy performer and she fluctuates well between a dangerous, seductive woman who will do anything to ensure her brother gets the blood he needs, while at the same time wanting to be free of having to spend her life caring for him. Stathis, on the other hand, doesn't really have to much besides woo beautiful women, which he does admirably, but not much range is demonstrated, nor is it really needed for the character. 1980's genre stalwart Linnea Quigley appears briefly and convincingly as a babysitter, lending the film some serious low budget credibility, and also keep an eye open for a young, afro-ed Christopher "Shooter McGavin" McDonald as a pot smoking swinger in a very early role.

  The film is an ultimate suburban nightmare, preying on the fears of every suburban couple. Afraid to stay in a dull marriage, yet afraid of how much things could unravel if you go out on the prowl. Larry's search for casual fun ends up bringing a terror upon his family he never thought possible. This is not to say it's a puritanical film, not in any way. It lays the kinky sex on thick, and they don't go out of their way make it look like it's not any fun. Instead, the film shows a man so desperate for some excitement, he isn't even cognizant of the sinister goings on around him. Partying is one thing, but if you don't keep your wits about you it can lead you down some dark, dark roads.
   Overall, I found The Black Room an extremely entertaining flick. It definitely has a flavor of it's own compared to other horror films of the time, and it delivers the things you would expect from an early 80's horror film in a new, interesting way. The film is not without it's flaws, to be sure. The music runs the gamut from atmospheric, creepy, and unsettling to the obnoxious synthesizer stings so prevalent in horror scores of the time. There are also a few lapses in logic, and some confusing plot turns, but those are easily forgivable in light of the pluses. The camerawork is fantastic, all of the actors do, at the very least, competent work. The script and editing for the most part keep you on your toes, and keep you guessing. Sadly, this seems to be the only film from director Elly Kenner, and for most of the cast and crew. I really am curious as to where Kenner could have gone as a director, because this is a damn good debut.
   I had to watch this via the old Vestron VHS tape, as the film is not currently on disc and I know of no plans for it to be released as such. There are plenty of places online to find the old tape, and plenty of gray market retailers have it for sale. If you, like me, love flicks from this era and are looking for something different to check out, I recommend this one highly.

- Ehren Von Sleaze, the Trash Advocate.