GOREZONE! —Chris Alexander, Editor Chris@Fangoria

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Photography: Martin Perreault / martinperreaultcom 5 Reflections on a “Hell” ot a “Night"

6 As Bruno Mattel's co-conspirator, the Italian filmmaker wrangled the "Living Dead," “Rats" and more.

11 These documentarians assure that UK censorship of “video nasties" will not be forgotten.

1 5 You could school yourself on horror cinema at home with these books.

18 The Russian director’s transgressive cinema can be hard to see and even harder to watch.

22 He's determined to do it all on screen and behind the scenes in movies like “Cross Bearer."

28 The grown-up actors look back on their "Sleepaway Camp" days fondly. Plus: Packing for "Camp's" hi-def debut.

32 His 1981 creature feature assured that a day at the "Blood Beach" really sucked.

35 It took true brains to come up with a unique effect for "Day of the Dead."

38 Co-director Sean Donohue and some grisly pics get you psyched for the new psycho flick.

40 His very first film “The Lost Empire" has become his latest DVD resurrection.

42 Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein continues to make monstrous music for misfits everywhere.

44 The veteran visual FX artist recalls how his first film was anything but "Spook"-easy.

Luigi Cozzi's "Contamination" .

Heck of t he Liuing Dneck saw Hell of the Living Dead (a.k.a. Zombie Creeping Flesh in Britain) via Vestron VHS under its U.S. theatrical title Night of the Zombies at one of our preteen Fri- day-night horror-movie-renting and pizza-devouring binges. The other two lads involved in our after-hours shocker soiree were keen on watching Halloween sequels and the latest '80s DTV slog, but I had my sights set on a more adventurous strain

The Vestron label was an obsession of mine. House by the Cemetery, Pieces, Sole Survivor, Death Weekend... Vestron was ripe with strong, strange international genre films that were as artful as they were odd. Night of the Zombies was one of those flicks I knew little about, save for that it was Italian and that Mick Martin and Mar- sha Porter's Video Movie Guide gave it a “Turkey” rating, calling it “One big, long, disgusting cannibal fesL" That was enough for me. It was clear to me that in both this tome and Leonard Maltin's essential, pre-Intemet review resource, when a European horror film got the “Turkey" or the Maltin-dropped “BOMB” (his tome called out Lucio Fulci’s Zombie for being “repellent”...well, duhl), the picture would be dark, defiant, surreal and potentially dangerous. But in the case of Night of the Zombies, it wasn't just the dubbed, exotic otherworldliness that stuck with me, nor was it the ample cannibal-corpse slaughter. No, it was the music that really did me in. Well, that and the stock footage. Hell/Night is now infamous for being a deranged, cross-eyed cousin to both George A. Romero's Dead saga and Fulci's metaphysical Italian ghoul films, and only the most forgiving fan would call the movie “good.” It’s hilariously not good. I vividly recall being confused right from the credits sequence, wherein the music blasting out of the TV’s mono speaker was the Goblin score from Dawn of the Dead and, later, Luigi Cozzi's Contamination'. The Italian supergroup was, of course, listed as the composers, but. . .this was the same stuff from those films (with select cues from the studio album Roller). Was this legal, I wondered? After that bit of befuddlement (and an admittedly bravura zombie-rat setpiece!) I , was astonished to see a slew of blue-uniformed SWAT cops marauding through an apartment building, again to the same rat-a-tat prog-rock action tracks from Dawn And then, suddenly, when the action was thrust into its primary jungle setting... stock footage! Grainy images of giant birds flapping in slow-mo, leaping marsupials, drum-beating natives and cavorting gazelles were inexplicably spliced into scenes of green-faced ghouls and black dudes in pale greasepaint eating entrails ad nauseum, while the cast spouted goofy/aur-tough-guy dialogue. I was in shock. What the hell (of the living dead) was this!? It was like I watched Dawn, chased it with a bathroom read of National Geographic, fell asleep and dreamed this movie!

Needless to say, despite its ample gore, my friends hated it, and hated me for making them watch it. Truthfully, I myself wasn't sure what to think of it. That Vestron transfer was dark, muddy and cropped, and the dismal presentation didn’t really forgive its ample idiocy. Still, I was fascinated by the film—and again, it was just so weird, such an anomaly...I couldn't forget it. Years later, when Anchor Bay released it on DVD under the Hell title, this cheap Third World-set gut-muncher looked absolutely fantastic: bright, bloody and alive. That second viewing gripped me. Sure, the movie was still hackwork, filled with often unattractive actors, weird nudity and ludicrous padding, but it had—and maintains—that certain, difficult-to- pinpoint power, all the more appealing in anamorphic widescreen! We can credit Hell's hot-mess grease-stain to late lower-tier exploitation guru Bruno Mattei, the man who helmed both this film and its unofficial companion picture, the equally tone-deaf Rats—Night of Terror. Both were written by and unoffi- cially co-directed by Claudio Fragasso, and in honor of Blue Underground's upcoming double-feature Blu-ray release of both pictures, Severin Films' David Gregory has given us a long, sweet and gleefully entertaining interview with Fragasso that will make you fall in confusing love with Hell all over again—or maybe, if you're unfamil- iar with it, inspire you to seek the movie out for a first watch. Strange, sickening, silly, hypnotic, horrible and occasionally kind of spooky... if there's any place Hell of the Living Dead belongs, it’s on the battered, bruised cover of GOREZONE! —Chris Alexander, Editor chris@fangoria. com

GOREZONE *32 5 . . A«eU0fAT6AM

Claudio (“Troll 2 ”) Fragasso helped the latef notorious

Bruno Mattei blend gorey guts and unintentional guffaws By DAVID GREGORY and FEDERICO CADDEO

ately, Claudio Fragasso is best known as the director of the Zeit- L geist's cherished chunk of absurdity Troll 2—and if his appearance in Michael Stephenson’s documentary Best Worst Movie is to be believed, he doesn't have much of a sense of humor about his work. But the guy I met while shooting a retrospective featurette about the films he co- directed sans credit with late Italian exploitation stalwart Bruno Mattei (the latter billed as “Vincent Dawn") was far from that He was good-natured, humor- ous, generous and under no illusions that their films were anything other than what they were supposed to be: over-the-top, low-budget genre quickies that hit all the required marks. Chiefly, a lot of splatter. These movies were the face-shredding, entrail-chewing, eye-popping zombie opus Hell of the Living Dead and the postapoca- lyptic/animals-attack hybrid Rats—Night of Terror—both enjoying hi-def upgrades as a Blu-ray double feature coming August It for- 26 from Blue Underground. was the It's truly unsafe to drink the water in these parts. mer title in particular for which I wanted to get the scoop from Fragasso. The film 1 George A. Romero's Daum ofthe Dead, but GOREZONE: How did you first meet Bru- knew as Zombie Creeping Flesh from see- as one of the slew of Italian gut-munchers no Mattei? ing the lurid British quad poster as a that emerged in the wake of the surprise CLAUDIO FRAGASSO: I met him when I youth outside my local fleapit, watching international success of Lucio Fulci's was an assistant editor You're not worthy wide-eyed on the news as it was con- awesome unofficial Dawn sequel, Zombie. of being a director if you haven’t had expe- demned as a “video nasty" and when I We met at the former De Paolis Stu- rience as an editor; the process gives you finally saw it—right before it was with- dios, where so many great Italian exploi- an idea of how a film is made. It is essen- drawn from video stores across the UK tation flicks (including Rats) had rolled tial. Bruno and I immediately got along, because of its tendency to deprave and over the years, and discussed a fruitful because we both liked genre films. Our corrupt—delivered every bloody thing the filmmaking partnership which may not meeting led to a long collaboration that sordid box promised. Also known as Virus have entranced many critics, but cer- lasted for about 15 years. and released theatrically in the U.S. as tainly pleased its producers and charmed Bruno had more experience—I was Night of the Zombies, it hit the market not fans of bargain-basement horror around much younger—and he took the director so much as an immediate follow-up to the globe. credit on the movies. To tell the truth, I had no interest in an authorship title on

these films, because at the time, I was a little torn. I was a 26-year-old guy, and was politically active and a bit too serious, thinking I was doing these small genre movies to make money in order to do more intellectual art-house pictures. I was full of shit. I realized that I belonged in genre cinema. I had fun doing that. Shooting scenes with zombies, cannibals and action made me happy. GZ: Your first credit with Mattei was the mondo movie Perverse Sex, Violent World. FRAGASSO: That's not correct My first films with Bruno were The True Story of the Nun ofMonza and The Other Hell (a.k.a. Guardian ofHell] While those two were at the lab, we got the proposal to finish Per- verse Sex, Violent World. It was made with 6 GOREZONE #32 1

stock footage, and I collaborated with Bruno for only two weeks to complete material to string it together. When I realized there were hardcore scenes in the documentary, I was upset. 1 didn't know, and was very ashamed. GZ: You shot Nun ofMonza and The Other Hell concurrently. How did that work? FRAGASSO: I wrote the screenplays. The Other Hell interested me in particular because it was a kind of Carrie in a convent. While Bruno was filming Nun ofMonza in the church of a real convent from 1600, shot The Other Hell in the catacombs be- neath. Nun ofMonza was extreme in terms of the erotic, whereas The Other Hell was extreme in terms of horror and splatter. Shooting with two directors went like this: Bruno and I exchanged actors, but we had a double crew. The producers were very happy because this way, in just five weeks, they had two complete films for the cost of one. We were less happy because of exhaustion, filming day and night without stopping, and lacking overtime or union agreements didn’t

correspond to an ade- For fans of the cheesier side of rombie cinema, Hell is manna from heaven. quate wage—and not even a bonus for their of their existing music, with some chang- corpses in order to stop hunger in the unexpected success es made especially for the films. world. Starting with this idea, we wrote a around the world. This GZ: Your most famous collaboration with very sophisticated and distinctive script. I became the special deal Mattei, Hell of the Living Dead, came next, remember that when the producers read that Bruno and I did How did you enter the world of gore- it, they told me, “It's beautiful." again a few times: shoot- drenched zombies? But in reality, when we got to Barce- ing movies simultane- FRAGASSO: I wrote Hell with Rossella Iona to shoot the film, we realized there ously because producers Drudi (his frequent co-scripter and wife of was no money. To make the movie, we had

30-plus years] . It was meant to be an un- to improvise and rewrite that script A GZ: The Other Hell's soundtrack was by dead epic, a kind of Apocalypse Now. low-budget film must be born low-budget Goblin—but, as with Hell of the Living There were already several zombie films and then it can become great; but if a Dead, it was made up of tracks from other out, so I wanted to do something differ- movie is designed to be big-budget yet is movies and their album Roller. How did ent—something strong, something impor- made cheaply, it cannot be shot as written that happen? tant. When I saw Romero's Dawn of the without being terribly compromised. If the FRAGASSO: We called them because Dead, a movie that impressed me a lot, I budget were bigger, that movie would they were very big at the time, and asked wanted to do a zombie-apocalypse film have been more interesting, them to do the scores. They wanted a lot about the world powers doing something GZ: Nevertheless, you managed a lot of of money, so we made a deal to use some like in Soylent Green: making people eat terrific gore sequences. of madness on the part of producers who who, compared to the starlets of today, wanted to reuse footage. We were made was virtually a nun, the absolute opposite absurd proposals such as, “I have a quar- of a porn star. She was madly in love with ter of an hour of footage, why not use it?” her life partner; the actor Gabriele Tinti, Bruno was very good at inserting stock who died too soon. I have fond memories scenes into a movie, and he took bits of of them. Even after their acting careers this documentary about New Guinea ended, they became part of the Aristide |1974's New Guinea. Island of Cannibals] Massaccesi [a.k.a. Joe D'Amato) family. and cut them in—and some of those shots Laura worked as a costume designer and work well. Gabriele in production. In fact, Laura GZ: What do you think of Hell now? designed the costumes for Troll 2. She FRAGASSO: What is most heartbreaking was a tireless worker I would observe her is that Hell was designed with lots of love, cutting and sewing and tailoring, even but in the end it came out a test tube baby, after midnight.

a kind of abortion [ laughs]. But I'm satis- GZ: You mentioned the legendary Massac- fied with the end result. cesi/D'Amato, with whom you also worked GZ: After Hell, you and Mattei did apair of on a few films. Tell us about him. women-in-prison movies: Women's Prison FRAGASSO: Aristide was the Italian

Massacre (a.k.a. Blade Violent ) and Vio- Roger Corman. He was a creative, gener- lence in a Women's Prison, both starring ous, brave and enterprising independent "Black Emanuelle" herself, Laura Gemser. producer. I worked with him on several FRAGASSO: The producers proposed that projects, including Troll 2 and Beyond we repeat the two-films-in-one deal, with Darkness. Aristide made many films a year. one cast and double crew. Violence was Rossella also wrote many screenplays for scripted by a Frenchman [Olivier Lefait], him, like the successful Eleven Days, while Massacre was written by me with Eleven Nights films. He was a true artist, Rossella uncredited—though she wrote open-minded and always fair in paying for There were ghouls on screen and troubles off it the gorier scenes, like the famous razor- the job, unlike of the other produc- worrying Zombi J's Beatrice Ring. some blade bit In splitting the movies, I chose ers I mentioned. He was also a skilled FRAGASSO: I’m a big supporter of splat- to shoot Massacre, ter movies. They're very important to me. though we did some Frogasso's The Italian spirit compels us to exagger- scenes together, es- • Monster Dog ate. It was quite an extreme movie, and pecially the more welcomed Alice we loved pushing things to the limit We complicated ones. Cooper to wanted to do unpredictable stuff, like the Bruno and I were a nightmare kid who turns into a zombie and eats his father. Romero and others had done it always got along, before, but with that in mind, it was one of helping each other. the most extreme scenes in the movie. I He shot with edit- remember that the kid was adorable and ing in mind like the very delicate. The most logical thing was great editor he to give him a piece of raw liver, because it was, and I learned looked the most like guts. I know, it’s a lot from him in quite harsh. Back then, we only wanted a this regard. All great scene, we didn't care about any- went well this time, thing else. We were ruthless, like Rug- too, and the piran- gero Deodato. ha producers were GZ: One of Hell's weirdest qualities is the even happier. frequent incorporation of tribal and nature Laura Gemser stock footage. What was that all about? FRAGASSO: At the time, there was a kind

8 GOREZONE *32 — —

craftsman—manufacturer, operator, cinematographer, editor and director—who never thought only about business, but who experimented and taught his stu- dents. He was a father to many of us. You couldn't not love him. His was a great school, which is completely lacking today. You no longer meet men like that. It is wrong to only remember him as Joe D’Amato, director of porn movies. When the market and the industry were dying, he was forced to abandon production in various genres. Porn was just for

angle. I had the idea of a city invaded by many others. Like all true artists, he rats. We shot almost everything at De prevailed with great humility. Alice is a Paolis Studios, sometimes on the sets great lover of horror films and literature. where Sergio Leone filmed Once Upon a I am happy to have been the first to have Time in America, which made me enor- him as the protagonist in a horror movie mously pleased. back in 1984. GZ: How did you manage all those Bruno was pleased rats? for me, though this pro- FRAGASSO; I think most of them ject temporarily sepa- are still running around the De There rated us—he was Paolis Studios [/aupAs]! Those were already shooting another film. black rats you see in the movie several Those were great years were actually harmless white gui- to work in the Italian zombie films nea pigs, the kind used in science industry. He wasn't labs. We threw them inside a out, so I afraid of losing me, garbage bin filled with coal, and wanted to do because the long line of after we shook the bin, they be- war films made in the came black with red eyes. Philippines was about to GZ: You directed your next horror different start. Bruno wanted me movie without Mattei: MonsterDog, something by his side for the usual starring Alice Coopen strong, formula of two films in survival; he never wanted to lay off any of FRAGASSO: Producer Eduard Sar- one—so beloved by the his numerous collaborators—the editing lui had seen Rats, called me into his something Italian producers, less department, production and continuity office and said, “You’ve made a important.” so by us. while he was alive. movie with rats, now make me a GZ: You returned to zom- GZ: Another formidable favorite among movie with dogs!" It's not a joke, bies for the troubled the movies you made with Mattei is Rats— that's how it went. Then he told me that shoot of Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 3. What hap-

Night of Terror. the star would be Alice Coopen I was over- pened there? FRAGASSO: Rats was born from a crazy joyed; Alice was and is a legend to me, FRAGASSO: Rossellaand I wrote Zombi 3 idea 1 had. The producer Roberto Di Giro- and I've always been a big fan of his. with Lucio, and he was always going to be lamo told me that we had to do a post- Meeting Alice was exciting. He was the the director. Lucio loved the script. He atomic movie because at that time they exact opposite of the evil rock icon he rep- was a real maestro. He was a nice and were successful. But they all looked like resents on stage —a cultured man, re- kind guy, even though he had a reputation MadMax ripoffs, so we had to find another served, even shy. No star tantrums, unlike for being hot-tempered and grouchy. He

And a little child sholl eat them... rolling, either. GOREZONE #32 9 — r/ '

It who destroy the Earth and whatever. She had fun writing it, and I had fun shooting it I want to say that there are no trolls in the movie because there weren't supposed to be. When the movie was advertised as ‘ L v the sequel to Troll, that's where the mis- understanding began. The distributors who bought the movie from Sarlui caUed it that. Only many years later did we dis- cover what had happened. Even though many people still don't understand the real spirit of our movie, others appreciate

it. And making people laugh is always

nice. RosseUa and I never thought we'd made a masterpiece; we just tried something new, having a lot of fun and respect- ing Sarlui's requests. I’d love if people talked about the “famous" Goblins movie, not the “infamous” one, but that's what it

I liked the documentary, but it's too bad that many things were cut, taking only treated people badly whom he con- zombie movie. My zombies could talk, run, certain scenes out of context. Michael sidered stupid. I have nothing but nice think, shoot, make decisions. I would took three years to memories of Lucio. Unfortunately, he was have preferred to avoid the voodoo part shoot it, and I'm very already sick, and when he left for the with the curse, the scientists and what- sorry that in some se- Philippines, his health deteriorated. And ever, but the producer wanted it I had fun quences, I seem to be I’m a big he wasn’t happy at all about the produc- shooting it. It's a small film, but still pre- angry or unpleasant. I supporter of tion and organization. He was also pretty was only contesting | splatter disappointed with some of the actors. He GZ: We can’t sign off without talking some Ues said by the was very pissed off and unmotivated, but about Troll 2, what it has become and your actors during a press movies. stayed there as could. When how at the Nil- he as long he thoughts on Best Worst Movie , and conference They’re very I he got too sick, he had to come back you're represented in it. bog Invasion, where important to I halfway through the shoot. That’s the real FRAGASSO: Aristide asked Rossella to they said they invented truth, even though many books and web- write a horror movie without a drop of dialogue because they me. The sites tell a different story. blood, and asked me to direct it. It made didn't understand the Italian spirit | Then the producers called me and Ros- us laugh, because how can you do a horror script, or that they had compels sella—Bruno was already in the Philip- movie without blood? It's like a Western to direct themselves pines making another movie for the same movie without guns. During that period, because they didn't un- us to production company—to see the rushes, there was strong censorship of blood and derstand what I asked exaggerate.” I and after we watched them, they asked us violence in America. Rossella met co- them to do. That was to write a completely different story and producer Sarlui, and he explained to her too big a lie to accept, complete the film. Before doing that, I that he'd bought a mask from Ttoll, which and in the documentary you see me angry talked to Fulci, because I wanted to have we never saw—our movie was called Gob- without understanding why I’m so mad at his approval. He accepted, and I wouldn't lins—and he wanted to use it in this film, them. Anyway, I'm happy for them, have done the movie if he hadn't, because but didn't want it to be a sequel because because after many years, they got the Zombi 3 is a Lucio Fulci movie, absolutely he didn't have the rights. He wanted a glory they'd been waiting for and that a Lucio Fulci movie. Rossella and I wrote family movie with just a bit of horror in it. they certainly didn’t get when the movie the script in one night only—I swear So RosseUa had the idea of a horror/com- was released. I applaud Michael and his and the neat day I was on a plane to the edy, a crazy, dark fable with vegetarian documentary. Philippines because the producer had goblins that hate the meat-eating humans I want to mention one of the weird already sold the movie all over the world things that worked more in the script than and had a deadline to meet. I had a 17- in the movie: making the goblins like vam- hour flight to Manila, and my only comfort pires. The kid defends himself from them was that Bruno would be there to help me. using a bologna sandwich, just like a vam- [See FANGORIA #292 for more of the pire hunter would with holy water or a Zombi 3 story.] crucifix. This idea is so great that we are I’ve never had much luck with zombie working on a sequel. Rossella is writing a movies. Hell was conceived to be a com- script with more chlorophyll blood, new pletely different film, and then I had this crazy characters, new weapons to fight Zombi 3 experience. That's why I wanted the new goblins. There will be lots of to do my zombie movie: After Death. I laughs and lots of terror. wrote it with RosseUa, and everything Besides that, I'm working on two big went smoothly. It's a small movie I did projects. One is a crime movie in the great with half the budget of the “official" mov- Italian tradition, like my Palermo-Milan ie, which was shot in the same location in One Way and Milan-Palermo—The Return, the Philippines. We shot it at night, be- which is the most successful genre for me cause in the morning I was shooting Zombi nowadays. The other one is an adventure 3 with Bruno. I never slept, but it was movie we’ll shoot outside Italy, but I can't impossible anyway because it was too hot. say much about it All I can say is that I was young, I could still do that. there is an important Italian producer I wanted After Death to be a different 10 GOREZONE *32 "

MARC MORRIS: When home video came along in the late ’70s/early '80s, the market took off phenomenally. In fact, Britain saw the biggest book in Europe for home- video rentals at the time. New releasing companies sprang up from nowhere. Video shops could be found on every street cor- ner, and tapes could be rented from just about anywhere—even your local garage and off-license. Films that had been censored and even banned by the BBFC [British Board of Film Classification) were now being issued on video, many uncut, and the market was unregulated. It didn't take long for the tabloid press to start blaming horror movies for all manner of social ills. In fact, they were CWALOGSOF

Jake West and Mare Morris guide us through the UK’s draconian days of “video nasties. ” By ASHLEY THORPE — hose who trade in thisfilth, are in the term was coined “video nasty"—and via same class as those who peddle heroin evangelical voices, scares and moral pan- Tand cocaine. They are murderers who ics, a succession of censorship acts were are destroying the physical and mental health hastily pushed through government, giv- ofyoung people. . .and they are bringing such ing the police “flexible powers" to censor; people to degradation and premature death. seize and ultimately destroy. It was an era —Notesfrom a meeting of the Video that helped consolidate the absolute power Committee of the majors over the market. It was a time when even FANGORIA was held un- Itwas the age of the independent video der suspicion. It was an era of fear. I 'WWfWIOUflY shop in the UK. Long before the This period is exten- /mintmi M/tnnnn chain stores evolved, VHS rental sively covered in Jake was a working-class industry of West and Marc Morris' small, often family-run businesses. t was Video Nasties: The Defin- With many of the major studios still made worse itive Guide, a three-DVD wary of the new format, the bulk of set containing their the wares came to the market via by the fact documentary Video Nas- small distributors, and inevitably that nobody ties: Moral Panic, Cen- catered to tried-and-tested tastes: knew which sorship and Videotape exploitation, sex and horror. And and trailers for the 72 titles were they were unrated. targeted movies, which The British Conservative govern- actually on saw its U.S. debut ear- ment, spearheaded by Margaret those Thatcher, was four years into power; Severin Films. With banned lists, and the tide was turning against their follow-up, Video them. Civil unrest was rife, with which were Nasties: Draconian Days, riots (Toxteth and Brixton) in a pretty hard out this month in Brit- country rocked by strikes and mass to come by.” ain via Nucleus Films unemployment. The “Victorian val- —Marc and poised to hit State- ues" these politicians had yearned side soon, GOREZONE for had come for them. It was then Morris caught up with the cre- that the all-seeing eye looked to the ative team behind what previously ignored “great unwashed" look to be the definitive and how they were entertaining them- documents of a shameful era. selves, and became singularly focused on the video industry—specifically horror GOREZONE: For the uninitiated, what is tapes and those who traded in them. A a “video nasty"? homages to video nasties in there. er with a bespoke intro from a renowned MORRIS: I was one of those collectors expert, we believe this is “definitive," and back in the mid-'80s. I’d travel all over has an important place in film history. the place looking for banned and cult GZ: Most horror fans in the UK had a bap- movies on video—anything “unusual.” tism moment, or epiphany. What are your Many of my covers ended up in books, key scenes or films? including The Art of the Nasty and Shock! Horror! Astounding Artwork from the Video Nasty Era, which I co-authored. GZ: What was the origin of The Definitive Guide? WEST: When we talked to the younger generation of horror fans, they didn't really know anything about this era—and even many people who were around in the '80s still have no clear idea of the full story of why 72 films were marked out as “video nasties," and the legal implications of that process. It was the most shameful time in British film history, and led to the Video Recordings Act being enforced due to false information, and is a potent subject with real human interest at its core. People went to prison and lost their livelihoods because of what happened, and that unfortu- blamed for just about everything in the nately still has a bearing on what is going news. They coined the term “video nasty," on today. It's a timely reminder that we which was applied to any horror film, but need to be aware of the kind of rhetoric really referred to any tape that was suc- being used around issues of censorship. cessfully prosecuted by the Director of MORRIS: We had already issued several Public Prosecutions [DPP). Many titles Grindhouse Trailer Classics compilations on were taken to court and, if found guilty, DVD in the UK, and it struck me that a were added to the Section 2 banned list. boxed set of video-nasty previews would This made it illegal for stores to be a good idea. It was from rent these movies out, and they there that the concept grew. faced serious fines or prison sen- eople Jake and I decided that a tences if found to be doing so. documentary about the era These tapes went on to become went to would make a nice extra, WEST The eyeball-popping and shark highly sought after by collectors, prison and and we came up with the scene in Zombie Flesh Eaters [a.k.a. Zom- and are still sought after to this lost their notion of including intros bie], the impaled body in Cannibal Holo- day, with many exchanging hands for each and every trailer. caust—which I homaged in Evil Aliens— livelihoods for a lot of money! Little did we know at the the tree rape in The Evil Dead... JAKE WEST; A true “video nas- because of time how much work would MORRIS: Blood Bath, The Burning, Canni- ty" was a title that was on the what be involved for such a mas- bal Apocalypse, Cannibal Holocaust, The Director of Public Prosecutions happened, sive project. lists. However, the term became WEST: The documentary a common catch-all label coined and that has highlights the idea that by lazy journalists that was then a bearing on saying the 72 films on the liberally applied to any film they infamous Director of Public what is hated. During the second wave Prosecutions list were of scares in the '90s, mainstream going on “going to destroy British genre films like Child's Play 3 today.” society” was more about were branded “video nasties” by —Jake West the powers that be using a the press because of the murders whipped-up moral panic as they were supposed to have a smokescreen to mask the caused. The term is still alive in Britain real problems going on at that time, and because of that, and often any horror film the actual consequences this had on many they dislike will find itself labeled a lives. The whole thing is even more ridicu- "nasty"! Pathetic, but sadly true. lous when you look at the films on the list, GZ: What are your memories of the “gold- from The Last House on the Left and I Miss en age” of the nasty era? You, Hugs and Kisses to the patently WEST. As a teenager in the 1980s, 1 was ridiculous Forest ofFear and Don't Go in the definitely influenced by the nasties and Woods'. The BBFC was the statutory body went out of myway to see everything on the list. I know that filmmakers like myself, Chris Black Death] Smith and Neil The | [ tii Descent ) Marshall, who are interviewed in that the documentary, all felt that those films Also, the individual history of each film inspired us, and that we were the video and getting to the bottom of exactly why generation who grew up loving horror. My each one was banned, and some of the second film Evil Aliens is very much my bizarre facts that came to light, is gen- love letter to all the films of the '70s and uinely fascinating. With over 13 hours of '80s that I love, and there are quite a few content, and every single video-nasty trail- 12 GOREZONE #32 —

Driller Killer, Flesh for Frankenstein, The A gory clip compilation was shown in Par- House by the Cemetery, House on the Edge of liament, and clean-up campaigner and all- the Park, Island of Death, Night of the around “do-gooder"—and pain in the Bloody Apes, Tenebrae and Zombie'. ass—Mary Whitehouse showed a clip col- GZ: The term “video nasty" evokes lurid lection to her regular churchgoing crowd cover art. Do you believe the controversy to scare up the media. GZ: Initially, there was a scheme put forward wherein distributors could submit their films voluntarily for a BBFC certifi- cate. Why didn't this catch on? WEST: Marc may be able to answer this better than me. I believe probably because it was voluntary, and why would most companies want to go to the extra effort if they didn't have to? MORRIS: Because it wasn't made law, and distributors did not want to pay to have their films classified and/or censored. To submit a film to the BBFC cost around £1,000! GZ: The “nasties” list created a subcul- ture overnight, and actually generated something of a must-see list for fans. MORRIS: Indeed it did. We met many like- minded people through the appreciation of these movies, which were driven underground by the ridiculous knee-jerk laws. WEST: Yes, that is the great irony of ban- ning anything—it immediately makes Public Prosecutions; cine-literacy and people want to see it The video nasties civil liberties went out the window. As list made people have to check these films much as there must have been a farcical out, and gave them a list to work through! side to cops spending hours checking all GZ: The nasties were scapegoated for those tapes, it must also have been a every societal ill in Britain at the time, frightening time for dealers and collec- linked to Satanism, child abuse and ter- tors, who could now actually do serious was whipped up as much by the way in rorism. This, of course, was not a new time for possessing movies on that list. which the films were sold as by the films phenomenon; there were the horror WEST: I'm still shocked that a film like themselves? comics, penny dreadfuls... Nightmares in a Damaged Brain [a.k.a. WEST: Definitely—that kind of over- MORRIS: You can blame Britain's tabloid Nightmares, 1981] was prosecuted and the enthusiastic advertising annoyed the cen- newspapers for drumming up the moral distributor imprisoned for 18 months sorious and added fuel to their fire! panic at the time. The Daily Mail is the not the writer; producer or director, but Often, the ads and covers were better than most notorious of these, and had a long the distributor of a tape that was a few the movies. series of features singling out the movies seconds longer than the BBFC X-certifi- MORRIS: Some of the covers did draw with the headline “Ban the Sadist Videos." cated cinema version. I'm still amazed unwanted attention, but it was really the WEST: It's oversimplification and easy that Sam Raimi had to go to court to films themselves that were scapegoated. answers—that's exact- defend The Evil Dead—it’s just so ly what leads to moral ridiculous and hard to believe now THE ORIGINAL LEGENDARY ATROCITY panics. No, I don't be- that it all actually happened. Cer- SHOT AND BANNED IN NEW YORK lieve that movies influ- [video tainly, the independents were tar- ence viewers to go out nasty’] geted over the majors—but isn't that and commit such acts. became a sadly always the case? There has been a lot of common MORRIS: It was made worse by the study done into this fact that nobody knew which titles area, and it just isn’t catch-all were actually on those banned lists, true. It's the kind of label coined which at the time were pretty hard to thing the media wishes by lazy come by. Certain video trade mags were true, because it started to print the list, which would be comfortable journalists helped dealers, but of course if you for them to be able to that was weren't a subscriber; you were still clearly blame a simple then uncertain of what was illegal to rent idea of evil on some- And to make matters worse, the list thing so facile. If any- liberally was constantly changing. Titles came thing, I've always felt applied to off, others went on. It all depended the news media and any film on court cases and convictions. newspapers are more GZ: The people who put through the they hated.” culpable in their influ- act actually believed they were wit- ence than films, be- —Jake West nessing real death on film, didn't cause they reflect real they? Do you think part of this life. And they start besides the people judging these these moral panics and actually often films having never been exposed to such have a political agenda. extreme violence before—was due to the GZ: So now you had censorship in the grungy visual quality? hands of the police and the Director of WEST: Yes; the low-grade VHS picture GOREZONE #32 13 gelism and outright fraudulent data. Dra- conian Days continues the story; what can you tell us about it? MORRIS: It covers the period following the passing of the VRA, and the BBFC being given the task of classifying everything for home video. As this was soon after the nasties scare, movies were heavily censored, which fueled an illegal, underground, fan-driven collector's market. People all over the country would swap uncut copies of banned films. A healthy fanzine scene sprang up, as did all-night horror screenings, and private collectors instead of video stores were now the focus of the police's attention. Even films actually classified by the BBFC became scapegoated by the same hysterical tabloid media: First Blood, Child's Play 3, etc. were blamed for notorious crimes, and became the new “video nasties.” WEST: I see Draconian Days as a companion piece and direct continuation of the fascinating history of video nasties. It picks up the story of the passing of the Video Recordings Act and the effect it had on censorship under James Fennan's rule at the BBFC up until 1999. The further moral panic that ensued, together with

quality certainly lent the films a grubbi- GZ: The 72 titles are quite a mixed bag. ness, and often made cheap effects play Do you think that many of these films better and seem more real because of the would even be discussed today if they had lack of detail. Certainly, the more genera- not been held under such scrutiny? tions they were dubbed down added to the WEST: There are some classics on the list seedy quality of the image. Sir Graham that deserve their reputations and are Bright still believes to this day that Snuff great movies. But many of the films, like/ the impact of the Michael Ryan massacre, features real murders, and that video nas- Miss You. Hugs and Kisses and Frozen the Jamie Bulger murder and David ties affect not only children but also dogs! Scream, would be all but forgotten if they Alton's notorious amendment that would He's the politician who put the Video hadn't been branded as nasties. have banned all films above PG, created a Recordings Act through Parliament. I MORRIS: Obviously, there are some good strange situation for the horror fan. That don't agree with him, but I do believe that movies on the list, like the Dario Argento should be also be released by Severin in he believes what he says is true. and Lucio Fulci titles, for example, but the States later this year—if you guys MORRIS: Some MPs did indeed seem pret- many of the more obscure titles would respond well to the first one. Hope you ty clueless. You’ve got to remember that still have some sort of niche audience. like it, and get an insight into how crazy some of these guys were close to retire- GZ: Moral Panic. Censorship and Videotape things were in Britain at this time! ment age, and probably hadn't been to the provides a great overview of the Video cinema since seeing The Sound ofMusic. So Recordings Act, and makes a clear case Fans with an interest in collecting these old they were not cine-literate, to say the least. for the bill being based on hysterical evan- videos should visit www.pre-cert. co. uk. ^ 14 GOREZONE *32 Laurels for Hardy, and Other Horror-Film Reference Boohs

ritish editor and journalist Phil different versions of nearly every Franco

Hardy (pictured right) passed away film! It was in the midst or this fertile ex- B in April at age 69—like Something change of information that my Video Weird's Mike Vraney, just one day after Watchdog sprouted into being, so I'm his birthday. His most recent work thankful to Friil Hardy for helping to make focused on the music industry, but for my last 24 years possible. many of us, Phil left his most enduring With these thoughts swirling around in mark as the editor of The Aumm/Over- my head, and another GOREZONE look Film Encyclopedia volumes on The deadline looming, I thought I might offer Western, Science Fiction, The Gangster these laurels to Hardy as a way of intro- Film and, most particularly. Horror. ducing a list of the books on horror films Though compiled from the writings of that I've personally found to be the most many writers other than himself, these vital. As the editor of Video Watchdog, were remarkable achievements for which I've had occasion to at least peruse most we will remain in his debt. books on the subject to appear over the

When I look back over my life as a last auarter-century. (I've published some film buff, I can point to only a few occa- myself, but I'll leave it for others to include sions when a book appeared and seemed them on their lists. Guillermo del Toro to Change Everything. One was Francois himself told me that my Mario Bava: All

Truffaut's Hitchcock/Truffaut, the first book In addition to doing the job it set out to the Colors of the Dark was second only to on cinema I ever bought. Another was do. The Encyclopedia provided the bur- Hitchcock/Truffaut in terms of the film

Michael J. Weldon's The Psychotronic geoning world of independent home video books most important to him, personal- Encyclopedia of Film, which moved with a map of places to go. Around this ly—and I'm happy with that.) beyond the i time, region-free VCRs appeared So here's the rest of my Top 1 0, on the market, and tape-swapping beyond the already noted Encyclopedia suddenly became an internation- of Horror Movies, in order of publication: al pastime. You could feel the globe shrinking in ways that were Hitchcock/Truffaut by Francois

major then, if nothing compared Truffaut (Simon & Schuster, to how Facebook collapses dis- 1 967): This book of interviews between tances today. In this free exchange the Master of Suspense and his most of Beta and VHS, NTSC and PAL ardent pre-De Palma disciple, mediated and SECAM, dis- by translator Helen

coveries were wait- I Scott, covers Hitch- ing to be made: .V cock's first 50 fea- The German ver- tures, from The sion of Roger Cor- Pleasure Garden man's A Bucket of (1925) through Torn

Blood had locally Curtain (1966). I first shot added fool- read this book at the

age! Spanish hor- tender age of 1 2, ror favorite Jack and through its use of eventful. It was the first book on the genre Taylor was in the Mexican- I frame enlargements to organize its history in serious, detailed made Nostradamus and (then something very review form—and, most importantly, Neutron under the name !:! new) and meticulous, without prejudice. It contextualized and "Grek Martin" I There was good-humored dis- stoked a ferocious appetite for the work a nipple slip in the French cussion, it taught me of numerous genre creators who had version of 1 960's Mill of more than any other seriously earlier 3 craft never been taken by the Stone Women! There book about the books, most conspicuously Jess Franco. were something like four and construction of GOREZONE *32 15 cinema and the engineering of suspense nam's, 1974): Since the pub- and Barry and terror. lication of this book 40 years Further reading: The Art of Alfred ago, Lugosi has gone on to (Macmillan, Hitchcock by Donald Spoto (Double- inspire numerous other volumes, 1978): Beck, day/Dolphin, 1 976; revised: Anchor written by the talented and ublisher of the

Books, 1 992) stands on shakier ground in ever-capable likes of Gregory Eigendary Castle the wake of Spoto's controversialbio The William Mank (Karloff and orFrankenstein Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Lugosi and its revised/expanded magazine, fol-

Hitchcock, but it mustn't be forgotten that edition Bela Lugosi and Boris lowed its 1 974

Hitch himself considered it "a great Karloff), Frank Dello Stritto (A demise with the book"—and it is, the Quaint and Curi- publication of definitive critical ous Volume of Heroes of the companion to all 53 Forgotten Lore Horrors, a wor- ) features. I find the thy compendium

1 976 edition prefer- gleminded cham- able to the later one. pion, Gary Don A Heritage of Rhodes (Bela Chaney (father Horror: The Eng- Lugosi: Dreams and son), Lugosi, lish Gothic Cine- and Nightmares, Boris KarlofC ma 1946-1972 White Zombie John Carradine by David Pirie and No Traveller Returns). and Vincent Price. I hold this follow-up,

(Equinox, 1973): Those later tomes may though it covers more names in less space,

Written by a young eclipse this one (reissued more dear, as it was the first to pay de- man barely 20, this as The Immortal Count) on tailed respect to such worthy talents as book was galvaniz- the grounds of scholarship, Brigitte Helm, Fay Wray, Elsa Lanchester, ing when it first but they have never suc- Acquanetta, Hazel Court, Barbara Steele, appeared—not only ceeded in capturing or Martine Beswick and Vampira. Most sur- for that generation of trumping its moment. prisingly, Brown's guest chapter profiling readers reared on In one of the most star- Jerry Warren actress Katherine Victor Hammer Films, but tling twists of fate in any steals the book by shifting gears into a for English Gothic such book, Lugosi's life more personal, vulnerable and altogether cinema as a whole. It story encompasses a groundbreaking profile, in which Victor was Pirie's stroke of genius to connect serendipitous encounter with his future lays bare the hopes, regrets and disap- these films with the romantic and picar- biographer, then a teenager who had the pointments she knew as a working actress. esque traditions of British literature and good fortune to invite the Count himself Further reading: Monk's two-volume painting, which had the effect of defining into his personal basement lair of Lugosi Women in Horror Films, 1 930s and a place for these oft-condemned films in posters and other horror memorabilia. In 1 940s (McFaHand, 2005) offers the most the country's national identity, just as the this one dramatic flourish, which gratifies definitive profiles of the actresses from the bottom fell out of its economy and author and neglected subject alike, the genre's classic years. brought an almost full stop to UK film "monster kid" makes his first appearance The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of production for many years. Pirie's sensi- in this literature. Lennig thus allied himself Film by Michael J. Weldon (Bal- tivity and eloquence also helped to make to his readers in a wholly new way. Al- lantine Books, 1983): Ghouls! Jun- a cult figure of director Michael (Witch- most half a century on, most writers tack- gle! Rock 'n' roll! Killer teens! Sex

Under General) Reeves, who died at the ling horror films continue to make a point changes! Ax murderers! I came to this age of 25 after making only a few movies of including some heartwarming aside book, consisting of over 3,000 thumb- and receives a full chapter. The revised, about their own personal dis- nails of cellu- updated A New Heritage of Horror (I.B. covery of or connection to them. loid arcana, Tauris, 2008) seems the work of a dif- Further reading: Hollywood frankly ferent, less focused man, and fails to do Gothic: The Tangled Web of annoyed by * " for later British Gothic productions what Dracula from Novel to Stage the way it the previous edition did for its elected to Screen by David J. Skal singled out timeframe. Norton, 1 still offers (W.W. 990) WeldonJ|ke Further reading: the most satisfying English Gothic by overview of Lu- only guy Jonathan Rigby gosi's caped alter exploring (Reynolds & Hearn, ego in all his vari- these films,

2000) casts a cen- ety. Skal made but when I tury-long net and history with his finished it, I stands as the most revealing chapter comprehensive, on the then large- what he later readable and criti- ly unseen Spanish told me was cally sound study of version of Drac- his first-ever

Britain's contribution ula, which he fan letter. to the cinema of ter- traced to a Cine- Billed as "The ror. It is also one of mateca in Cuba Most Amaz- the most impressive- and was instrumental in ing Film Book Ever!", and obviously pre- ly designed books of recovering for U.S. restora- dating the Internet Movie Database, it its kind. tion and release. It's now may nave deserved its billing for the way

The Count: The standard-issue on all disc re- it drew connections between disparate Life and Films of leases of the Lugosi version. films and careers—by pointing out, for Bela "Dracula" Scream Queens: Hero- example, that Invaders from Mars (1953) Lugosi by Arthur ines of the Horrors by was directed by the art director of Gone

Lennig (G.P. Put- Calvin Thomas Beck With the Wind. It ain't criticism, but Wei- 16 GOREZONE *32 — —

don goes ot a broad spectrum of cult and Karloff and Fritz Lang also to his credit, steeped in nostalgia to write. Despite the trash cinema with a droll, trippy sensibil- here essays in depth the careers of five shower curtain on its cover, Newman's ity that makes his book endlessly enter- key contributors to the cinema of mon- book chooses George A. Romero's Night taining and appetite-whetting. Like sters: directors James Whale, Terence of the Living Dead rather than Psycho as

Hardy's imminent Encyclopedia, it made Fisher and Freddie Francis, and slop- its point of origin, and it finds fitting clo- fans aware of dozens, if not hundreds, of motion animators Willis O'Brien and Ray sure in Romero's "second Dead trilogy" of forgotten movies Horryhausen. The selection of Land, Diary and Survival of the Dead. that they now not subjects may be lacking in Nowadays, with countless contemporary only know about, symmetry, but his considera- horror films represented by thumbnail im- but probably own. tions in each case are appre- ages impossible to tell apart on streaming Further read- ciably painstaking. Almost 20 services, Newman's intelligent cherry- ing: Sleazoid years after its publication picking is as necessary as it is encourag- Express by Bill and with no shortage of coming to the future of the genre as a whole. Landis and MONSTERS petition, including Mike Further reading: Bizarre Sinema! Jess Michelle Clifford Hankin's jaw-dropping three- Franco by Carlos Aguilar (Glittering (Fireside Books, volume bio Master of the Images, 1 999)—because in my opinion. 2002), a selection Majicks (Archive Editions)—the Franco is too quickly dismissed by New- of must-have writ- chapter on Horryhausen con- man, and Aguilar's detailed overview of ings from that tinues to offer the most artful this fecund, important and dedicated eponymous fan- writing and career is the most zine that braved arresting informed and (though the hell of 42nd thought on the at times brutal) criti-

Street as it once subject. The sec- cally sound presently was to bring its tion on Francis, available. readers reports of House of Psy- its unvarnished fessed no liking chotic Women by truth. for the gerire, profits from Kier-La Janisse Universal Horrors by Tom Weav- direct access and, likewise, (FAB Press, er, Michael Brunas and John Bru- remains the outstanding 2012): Aground- nas (McFarland, 1 990; second account of an admittedly breaking book that edition, 2007): The bedrock of any uneven career. interweaves the horror-film-relaled library, this solid tome Further reading: Cro- author's own remark- covers the most important body of work nenberg on Cronenberg, ably frank, autobio- from the golden years. Every film—the edited by Chris Rodley graphical accounts important and the not-so-important—gels (Faber and Faber, 1 992), involving a toxic its own chapter, and most are informed which uses the filmmaker's home environment, by first-hand interviews, studio production own words—culled from violence, drug and logs and published sources, as well as the various of his habitually alcohol abuse and authors' own eloquent inter- emotional instabil- pooled critical ity—with discussion opinion, which plorr of relevant films manages to be explain his most important depicting aberrant female psychology informed, illumi- UNIVERSAL period of work. from Mamie to Antichrist and dozens in nating, rollicking Nightmare Movies: Hor- between. This is a rare film-related work and irreverent as HORRORS ror On Screen Since the that takes an almost novelistic leap of the situation 1 960's by Kim Newman imagination in recording genuine pain demands. The sec- (Bloomsbury, 201 1): and collating its parts so that fact coin- ond edition sub- Almost without exception, any cides with fiction. The personal chapters stantially updates worthwhile book on the genre are tragic and harrowing, but Janisse is the text with newly that its author(s) revisitfs) is an equally adept critic, her knowledge of uncovered data destined to disappoint in its this particular niche demonstrating a and quotes, then reinvention; this book, this edi- thorough immersion in her subject; she trumps the previ- tion, is pediar also writes about the ous edition com- I the m heroines of these pletely with l. The films with an empa- appendices cover- first printing thy and insight not ing dozens of appeared in the found in much male additional related UK in 1985; the writing on the sub- titles omitted from Harmony Books ject. She also probes the m version published Stateside the sensitive question

Further reading: Golden Horrors by in 1 989 was already, by of what scars we may

Senn (Scarecrow Press, 1 996), the author's estimation, "a invite by turning to SIS offers a thorough, critical account third, already slightly such films for enter- of every horror film released from 1931- expanded" edition of his tainment. 1939 in chronological order. By writing profusely illustrated, Further reading: about these films from a strictly linear densely researched study Dark Dreams: A Psy- angle, Senn makes clear issues of influ- of "the contemporary hor- chological History of ence and innovation not evident from ror film." However, this the Modern Horror other perspectives. most recent incarnation is Film (A.S. Barnes,

The Men Who Made the Monsters nothing less than the sub- 1 977), the first, more by Paul M. Jensen (Twayne, stantial overview so desperately needed gender-balanced survey of what the

1996): This is possibly the best-written of horror's Silver and Bronze Ages, which author terms "horror of personality" films. book on this list. Jensen, with studies of its best historians, till now, have been too We all go a little mad sometimes. ^ GOREZONE #32 17 - TN£ TOPPED WOPLD Of M^DPEY 'SKAfcOV From Russia with blood, one confrontational filmmaker continues to hold nothing bach. By colin McCracken

With Ingression, it looks like the director is back

to making movies about nails.

His debut feature, 2003's Nails (Gvoz

di), is a heavily stylized fever dream in which a hitman seeks to relieve himself of crippling headaches and hallucinations by driving a series of masonry nails into his skull. The movie presents itself as Leon: The Professional meets Eraserhead in squalid, government-issued housing. It also brought Iskanov into the public con- sciousness, and throughout the subse- quent decade, he has continued to produce challenging and contro- versial material. 2006 saw the release of Visions of Suf- Staging mayhem for films like Philosophy ofaKnile, Andrey Iskanav (right) doesn't concern himself fering, a truly terrifying with audience hangups. experience—but not in hen international genre cinema involved in public spats with on-line crit- any traditional sense. is brought into consideration, ics who have lambasted his work, and has Iskanov continued to WRussia is not the first country no difficulty standing up for what he be- push the envelope with that springs to mind. Even for seasoned Visions, but his next cineastes familiar with classics such as Creating art within an environment opus would test the en- 1925's Battleship Potemkin, or the surreal- that does not support it adds an extra ele- durance of even the ist witchcraft masterpiece that is Konstan- ment of context when taking Iskanov’s most desensitized gore- tin Ershov's Viy (a film that GOREZONE output into account, and there is a lot to hound. Philosophy of a strongly urges you to seek out), it would be said for his approach, which continues Knife is the spiritual rel- be difficult to put together a top-five list of to push the envelope in terms of accept- ative of T.F. Mous' infamous Men Behind the finest Russian horror movies, let ability, endurance and our perception of the Sun, a mixture of documentary and alone a top 20. good taste. Whether or not viewers find cinematic extremity that, with its running One man from the former Soviet Union his work “enjoy- who is figjiting against the grain, having able" is almost devoted his entire life to the pursuit of irrelevant; they artistic gratification, is Andrey Iskanov. will certainly have This complex and elusive filmmaker has some form of remained somewhat of a mystery amongst strong gut the horror community. His body of work, action, and a lin- however, has become a thing of infamy. gering sense of Iskanov's movies contain some of the dread and unease most shocking sequences committed to in the aftermath. modern film. There's a surrealistic ele- This could be the ment to them that accentuates the brutal- mark of a ity and horror he showcases; his cinema is master—one who a journey into the unmitigated darkness seeks not to enter- that exists at the heart of mankind, told tain, but to elicit from a very unique standpoint. Ever a con- thought, emotion troversial and divisive figure, he has been and reaction. 18 GOREZONE #32 —

time of over four hours, seeks to transport any viewer into a world the likes of which they have never experienced. Charting the brutal experiments and tortures which took place in the Japanese prisoner-of-war camps under the command of Unit 731, Philosophy explores depths of depravity that are enough to scar anyone's psyche. In short, it makes Guinea Pig look like Mighty Mouse. So how could GOREZONE pass up the chance to sit down and speak with this auteur of the grotesque? In doing so, we discovered that there is far more motiva- tion behind Iskanov's work than sheer shock value. This is art. This is a statement This is the tortured world of Andrey Iskanov.

“As a Filmmaker, I am the artist, the symbolist, the kamikaze," Iskanov begins—a bold and direct statement that shapes the nature and tone of the subse- quent interview. It isn't long before we're even begun to suspect. To glimpse into it, will change you very quickly and irrevoca- discussing the factors that led him to to touch it in any way, is very dangerous, bly. You wiU never be the same again. for it has the capability to drive you mad That is the way of things in the East” or even kill you, but it's necessary to seek Reeling from the severity of this it out, for it is impossible to live inside an answer, GOREZONE finds that any subse- illusion forever” quent question about a burgeoning genre Far from your average mission state- scene in the country has been rendered ment, this is what Iskanov feels he wants redundant. “Asking me about a genre to portray above all else within his work, scene here is like asking if there are any and a theme he feels has not altered unicorns in Russia! I never saw or heard throughout his career to date. It's also a about any serious attempts to make films vision that Iskanov assures us is his own, like this here. There were a few such and not derived from any extraneous in- movies made in the USSR, but the last of fluences in the world of cinema. “I have made five features, as well as a segment for The Profane Exhibit, music videos and short films," he says. “Anyone who has seen all of these, or even one, can easily see that there is nothing from any other moviemakers in there. It's my personal

point of view, as I see the world. I do not

simply create films; I create dreams. It's impossible to construct a meaningful career based on the ideas and images of other authors and artists; it means that you are simply empty inside. You have nothing to tell. It will be possible for you to a film or two, but if you try to Iskanov's latest venture proves he's not getting make do any gentler with age. it repeatedly, your limitations become obvious to every spectator.” become the filmmaker he is today; when Not only is such stringent individual- you're dealing with such an intriguing ism a challenging ethos to purvey, but mind, it's essential to try and find out making the films he does has caused him what makes it tick. a great deal of difficulty and numerous “There are a distinct set of things that logistical problems, given his geographi- influence me," Iskanov proclaims. “They cal inconvenience. Russia, as anyone who are frequently varied, and not necessarily has been following recent developments connected among themselves. Sometimes will know, isn't the most accommodating it will be fragments of phrases I see in the environment when it comes to controver- them was released in 1988." pages of a newspaper Photo advertising in sial artists (the punk band Pussy Riot be- The Internet however; has been some- old magazines, children's memoirs, poet- ing just the most conspicuous example) thing of a godsend in this respect chang- ry, freakish suits and bizarre interiors all so how does Iskanov rise to the task? ing the possibilities for Iskanov in many bear some influence. All of this sounds like “Making films in Russia is not chal- ways. “I can buy through the Internet and music. . .if you are capable of hearing it." lenging; it’s war!” he declares. “I have find actors through it. It's fantastic. I can Iskanov feels that his films have a cen- seen nothing but problems the entire time now find distributors on-line as well, and tral message—that of our world as an illu- I have worked on these films.” He adds all of these people can now find me there. sion. He speaks at great length about our ominously, “If you want to really learn This is especially important when you perception of reality and how it manipu- your safety factor and get a taste of genu- make films in such a goddamned place as lates us, an idea he tries to convey as a ine hell, come to Russia. If you want to try where I live. The unique way to support filmmaker. “Behind the borders of our per- and make independent genre films here, and develop contacts in the rest of the ception, there is a reality you have never you will collide with a set of things that world is through the Internet" GOREZONE #32 19 The answer, in Iskanov's case, is In- gression, about a man who is abandoned by his wife and seeks to drown his sadness in a new narcotic drug, only to find himself beset by strange, threatening figures. The filmmaker describes the movie as working from a theme of selling your soul, and the loss of individuality in exchange for what is generally accepted as happiness and well-being. "What makes you happy?” he asks. “Only when the level of positive emotions prevails above the negative. To test those negative emotions and become free from emotional torments, it is necessary not to be upset; not to despair; not to experience; not to worry; not to be afraid; not to regret; not to doubt and so on. There are people for whom all this is given from birth. Such people are called imbeciles." It would appear that Iskanov has only begun to challenge us, and pick apart our sensibilities. He wants to remind us that in a world where the majority live in rela- tive luxury, there is still immense suffer- ing and pain. His latest vision is close to In Philosophy's prisoner-of-war camp, someone's completion: “I need to shoot a few last key scenes and edit all the new material. As always got your back. soon as it is completed, Ingression will be Iskanov projects like Ingression don't try to passively prepared for release. Everything has been entertain you—they grab you by the throat. increased here. Each new film of mine is a With all the seriousness of intent being step forward, and each step forward is an discussed, it seems essential to ask Iska- evolution.” nov if he feels his films are as extreme as Iskanov, as he noted above, is also part people say they are. “I have never of the much-talked-about, made extreme films,” he replies. and long-awaited, anthol- “I have done films with scenes ogy The Profane Exhibit, which possibly could be called Behind for which he constructed extreme, but I never set myself a the borders a particularly violent and distinct purpose to create extreme of our stressful segment. “In my movies. Certainly, all of them re- perception, piece, a girl sold into a flect real life. Look at Philosophy Russian brothel tries to of a Knife, which is half-documen- there is a escape, but her owners tary, while the other half is recon- reality catch her and inflict a ter- structions of real events." The that... has rible punishment. This latter include stunningly brutal film is a metaphor for a sequences involving the insertion the hell in which all of us live. of insects into a woman's genitals The heroine is a unique and the systematic removal of drive you light staining this empire teeth, alongside genetic and radia- mad or even of darkness. She tries to tion experiments. It's not an easy escape again and again watch by any means. Where does a and again—but there's no filmmaker go from there? Iskanov assures that although this story is about violence, he has tried to make it ahead for the renegade filmmaker, and clear that there is a with international distribution recently duality to the work, one announced for his back-catalog titles he tries to intertwine through the Swedish Last Exit label, it with the stark image- looks like the future may be a little ry in all his features. brighter than the visions Iskanov presents “Speaking differently," in his films. “I always have many ideas," he notes, “this film is he concludes, “but I cannot tell before- fiUed with symbolism. hand which shall be chosen for realiza- It's almost a parable tion, or when the time will come. It all about angels and depends on a set of reasons. And from a

demons." financial perspective too, unfortunately. I A busy year lies am certain, however, that I do not want to

make small films like Nails again. I want Where independent to take one more step forward."

dnema is coniemed, And Iskanov can be certain that, as Iskanov definitely leads long as he keeps moving ahead, there will the red army. be a legion of rabid fans behind him. ^ 20 GOREZONE*32 1 1

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WWW.BOMBSHELLBLOODBATHMOVIE.COM Filmmaker Adam Ahlbrandt drenches the City of Brotherly Love with vicious bloodletting. By ROB GALLUZZO

Tr ails of hardcore genre _ Your resume outside your cinema are always on the 1 own films largely involves cine- rOiL I hunt for something new, p ^ matography. Was that the first unique and over-the-top in its fiHt g ^ * avenue you approached when it outlandish, sloppy terrors. IttC r came to filmmaking? Something that delivers gal- Ip » I got into col- 1 Ions of blood to cake the main * lege specifically because I characters with, and that w wanted to be a cinematogra- would never, ever be screened |fc pher. It’s one of those things anywhere in the mainstream. R- where I’m a bit of a control Most of us search underground tSP* ^ M. 1 freak. I’d shoot things for other to find such sights and if you ^ L m people, and I wouldn't like the — ^ WSP%^ 'l hit up the convention circuit E|T a J Mff ' decisions they were making, so last year, you may have been |HHk. ' that eventually led to me writ- lucky enough to stumble upon k jfV ing my own projects, directing the now-much-sought-after VI and even acting too. I want to limited-edition DVD of Cross make films the way John Cas- when yog have a vision as gruesome as Adam Ahlbrandt's, it I 0 (, e Bearer, from wnter/director/ savetes did. I want to get my surrounded by bloody committed people, producer/edrtor/jack-of-all- hands into everything. I just trades Adam Ahlbrandt both starring renowned horror heroine ited to know every aspect of filmmak- Cross Bearer, which has been reissued Linnea Quigley. He also has a major acting so I could fully understand each role, this summer on a new Special Edition role in Eric (Deadwood Park) Stanze’s up- . not be left out of the decisions. DVD by Fred Vogel’s Toetag Pictures, is a coming shocker Stoplight. GOREZONE When you started directing your own straightforward, nasty slasher pic in decided it was time to shine a spotlight on is, was this also around the same time which the title killer, masked with a cloth this Philadelphia-based filmmaker and and armed with a hammer, goes on a reli- find out what he’s all about! gion-sparked killing spree targeting a group of unsuspecting, morally corrupt What are your earliest rec- characters trapped in a warehouse in the ollections of the horror genre, and what middle of an intended heist. It’s got hot, were some of the first films that had an tattooed naked chicks, vile yet darkly impact on you? funny, despicable characters, drugs, When I was 7, I death metal music and gore galore. A had the worst babysitter in the world! She quick look at Ahlbrandt’s follow-up fea- let me watch The Shining, The Exorcist and ture The Cemetery reveals all of the above New Jack City back to back. Long story as well. short, she got fired! The Shining was the So who is Adam Ahlbrandt? Prior to one that ruined my life. I couldn't go into these two splatterfests, he made his direc- the bathroom without my dad going in torial debut with Sight (released by Lions- first to check behind the shower curtain. The killer in gate) and followed up with The Burnt That definitely started me off on wanting Cross Bearer is House (available from Invincible Pic- to do that to people. I wanted to have that shrouded in tures) and he currently has two more fea- power, and make films that ruined peo- , mystery while tures on queue: Hunters and The Sadist, ple's lives.

sooked with

you started making music videos for Re- lapse Records? That was exactly the time I got into it I had a partner in the beginning whom I was making films with in col- lege around the time I was doing the music videos. That didn't work out. I was playing death metal at that time, and having the guy I was working with become a flake, and then the band I was with for several years breaking up—it crystallized for me that I just wanted to make movies. Despite taking on all the roles I do, I do enjoy working with other people. I think

I I V A I! there's a misconception that don’t deal If this has to happen to Bill (J.D. Brown), it is convenient that it's occurring in The Cemetery. with other people very well, but there are 22 GOREZONE *32 ]

Ahlbrandt continues to treat characters like Hunters' Jane (Elie Church) as mercilessly as ever. a lot of great people I like to work with, who know me and what I want, and I use them over and over again as actors and crew on my films. Do you shoot a lot of your movies with locals? There's definitely an aesthetic in Cross Bearer and The Cemetery that make them distinctly yours, and I was curious where you found the team who have loy- ally been a part of all your work.

I shoot anywhere and everywhere, not specifically locally. I do have people who work with me from Philly, but my producer on the

last two films, Victor Not all the gruesome stuff in The Cemetery is six feet under. (Natalie Jean as Andrea) Bonacore, is from New Jersey. [Cross videos to movies. My partner at the time, That has recently started Bearer and Hunters' Clayton Haske, and I had a development to see a revitalization. It has been out Kacie Marie is from New York. Haley deal with a company in New York where from Invincible Pictures for about four Madison, who is in the last two, is from we had been writing and rewriting that years now. It's more of a dramatic, slow- Ohio. One of my main actors, J.D. Brown, script for about a year. Then they got a bum horror movie, about a couple who lives in Los Angeles. I have people from project called Seraphim Falls with Pierce lose their child to SIDS, so it’s not neces- all over I'd say less than half of the cast Brosnan, and our project was not pursued, sarily the style most people know me for and crew I work with are local, and one of but we decided we wanted to go ahead now. A lot of people who have seen Cross the main costs incurred on the movies is and make a feature anyway. We had no Bearer and The Cemetery think I'm more of getting them together again—which is crew beyond myself, Clayton and Doug a slasher director. Which is fine, because totally worth it Sakmann, so Sight was basically shot with I love slashers! There’s nothing wrong Your first feature was Sight, which whatever money we could dredge from our with being known for something; I'm just got a decent DVD release courtesy of bank accounts. Whenever we could steal happy to be known at all! Lionsgate. How'd that one come together? a shot here or there, we’d do it. We made Cross Bearer was the start of the style That movie is a bunch of it all on favors. As much as I regret the you would become recognized for. What mistakes and shortcomings on my part, way I approached that film as a director, were the origins of that project? and a lot of settling. I'm thankful to Lions- cinematographer and editor—writing- It’s funny, because The gate for putting it out. I incur all the wise, I liked it, and actually that’s a movie Cemetery was shot first and for a much blame for making a bad film, because it is I can see myself remak i ng. larger budget. During postproduction on a bad film in my estimation. But it came What about your second feature, The that, everyone had had such a great time about from the need to transition from Burnt House"! on the shoot that we all wanted to work GOREZONE #32 23 horror film: You take the basic premise of a bunch of kids going out in the woods and something bad happening to them, but then add this weird supernatural twist, plus the mythology of what happened there before. It's unique. How'd that story come together? The Cemetery started out as a straight dramatic horror film—reaUy serious and really gory. The heroine had an elaborate backstory about having been in a car accident that no one knew about, where she accidentally killed a little kid in a hit-and- Getting to run, and she gets en- call ‘Action’ I trapped by a demon into and act bringing these people to this place. All that got opposite lost in the writing pro- Linnea cess with the producers Quigley is together again. So we decided, who were funding the let's go shoot a slasher film over project, because they a week in the winter in Philly really wanted it to be when no one was making any- campy and more of a thing. It didn't turn out like traditional slasher. So I that! There was a lot of personal kept rewriting it, and eventuaUy it turmoil going on with many of became an Evil Dead-style thing. I love the the main people involved. The Evil Dead films, especially 77, so the lead shoot became an endurance test; producer was always pushing for that there was a blizzard, and the style. He wanted it to be overt, and I kept warehouse we were basically trying to pull it back. One of the lines he shooting and living in during pro- insisted we use was “getting paid and get- duction had no heat except for in ting laid.” Now, I've grown to love that one room! line, but that was one of the times we With Cross Bearer, we set out really didn’t agree! I love that movie, and to make a very straightforward hope it gets a U.S. release. homage to Friday the 13th Part 2 What's the story with the distribution and follow the rules set forth by of Cross Bearer and The Cemetery ? Why The Slumber Party Massacre, did you end up self-releasing Cross Bearer which are two of my favorite at first? films. It turned into something Cross Bearer was initially different! When you watch Cross going to be paired up in a package with Bearer now, there are a lot of The Cemetery, but the producers got in- campy elements in it, but the end volved in other projects, and they decided is very bleak. I think that wound to step back and only focus on The Ceme- up happening because everyone started to straight gore for gore's sake. I’d prefer tery. So instead of waiting to get a deal on hate me and wanted me dead [/aupAs|! that you care about the person, so when both movies, which were always intended I didn't realize you made Cross Bearer it's really bloody and nasty, you're cring- to be a double feature, we released Cross after The Cemetery, but the cool thing ing, but it feels like someone's cutting Bearer ourselves. We made 500 copies, about both is the gore FX. You've worked your heart out because you care about the and sold them for $10 apiece at conven- with makeup artist Sakmann on all your character. That’s what I aim for while tions and $20 on the website. It took us a films; how did you two hook up? writing. I love elaborate gore sequences, while to sell out, but the discs now go for Doug did all the effects on though, especially the disembowelment of $180 or more on-line, when you can find both Cross Bearer and The Cemetery, ex- Tim (Adam Huss) in The Cemetery; it's one them! We didn't plan that! We were just cept for a few inserts on The Cemetery that of my favorite things I've ever shot. But trying to get gas money to support the film Steve Saturn helped on. It's a testament it's more satisfying for me to know that on the convention circuit, which can be to Doug that we've been able to pull off so people will care about that person dying, costly, and it became a coUector's item. much, because we did not have the budget as opposed to just saying, “That was an It's also a sticking point in distribution, to do it He recently worked on Return to awesome effect." I’d like to be known as a which is why The Cemetery isn't going to be Nuke 'em High, and he's been with Troma storyteller first, released that way. Because Cross Bearer for a very long time. He's used to doing a Look, I love slashers and I love campy got a soft release, distribution companies lot with almost nothing. stuff, so I’m aware that a lot of people would refuse to give a first-run advance. How do you go about orchestrating might read that and think, “Oh, it's not So the producers of The Cemetery, the gore and the kills? Is that stuff you like you're making big dramas." But it’s rightfully so, have been extremely cau- come up with during the writing process, buUshit that there’s an elitist attitude tious about how it's seen. Someone posted or is it coUaborative with Sakmann? toward horror from the rest of the film on my timeline saying they couldn’t wait I always try to write community. I don’t believe there’s any dif- to see Cross Bearer, and if they couldn't things I know we can do. I come from a bit ference between a classic horror movie get a copy legally, they’d find it on-line of an effects background myself. I always like Night of the Living Dead and a classic and download it. It's that mentality that look at things and th i nk . “How can I best dramatic film like 8 1/2. In my book, has led the Cemetery producers to be so make this look right?" I like empathy with they're both great entertainments, cautious about it. Not many people have my effects, meaning I don't like just The Cemetery is really ambitious for a seen it yet. But hopefully soon. 24 GOREZONE *32 What are Hunters and The Sadist all subject matter. When people watch both about? of these movies, I feel like it’s the nature They’re polar opposites, of the extremity that people are going to but in some ways they represent another remember. Especially with the 16-inch- double feature—the nastiest double fea- glass-studded-dildo rape scene that pro- ture you’ll ever watch! Hunters is pure ducer Victor Bonacore endorsed [laughs], sleaze and trash. It’s more akin to an Both of these films feature legendary August Underground-style faux snuff film scream queen Linnea Quigley. How did with a story involved. A little more dra- she get involved? mafic than your traditional murder film. I Yes! I mean, she's Trash don't even know what to call it other than from Return of the Living Dead ! And Su- “gore-nography.” The Sadist is about psy- zanne bora Night ofthe Demons'. Getting to chological and psychosexual torment. It's work with her was a dream come true, not gory at all, but it's very extreme in its When Victor said she might be interested.

it was a huge thrill, and the fact that she said yes, I was astounded by. I’m so grate- ful to her, but also to everyone who has worked on my movies. It's just that when you get to collaborate with someone

you've idolized for years, I can't put into

words how humbled I am by that Getting to call “Action" and act opposite Linnea Quigley is insane to me! I would never have believed it could ever occur: As far as the releases, Hunters will be out from Toetag Pictures in the U.S. and Illusions Unlimited in Germany this fall, and we’re aiming to release The Sadist sometime between October and Decem- ber. I don’t want to rush anything; I just

A gun is no match for religious wrath. (Pictured: Tim Cronin as Mark and Jean as Heather) want them to be perfect

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By LACEY PAIGE

veryone remembers their first trip to copious red herrings, brutal but often silly away Camp gave rise to issues that ai sleepaway camp—overly authorita- slayings and hormonally charged prevalent n< Etive camp counselors, mess halls agers lie highly relevant themes that can- media: pedophilia, bullying and transgen- reeking of leftovers like last Thursday's not and should not be denied closer derism. So hats off to Hiltzik—who, since special meatloaf, budding prepubescent consideration. It be said that Sleep- Sleepaway Camp, has gone on to pursue a romances, rendezvous down by the swim- successful career as an attorney—for ming hole. But it goes without saying that shining a flashlight on these pertinent no such experience could possibly top the points of concern, and the discomfort, heinous shenanigans that went down at ignorance and shame that too often ac- Camp Arawak, circa 1983. company these traditionally taboo topics. A little over 30 years ago, a 25-year-old In honor of Sleepaway Camp's recent aspiring filmmaker named Robert Hiltzik 30th anniversary, and Shout! Factory’s set out to jump on the rising wave of Blu-ray release this year of the film that slasher movies that was just cresting at made Angela Baker the poster child for that time. He hadn't the slightest idea youth-transgender issues, GOREZONE sat how much of an impact his one-time fright down with stars Felissa Rose (Angela) feat would have on the horror genre and and Jonathan Tiersten (billed as Tierston its enthusiasts. At a time when stalk-and- when he played Ricky) to recall that mem- kill films were riddled with uninspired, orably macabre summer at Camp Arawak. cookie-cutter characters, unintelligent and sometimes unintelligible—plots and GOREZONE: How did you end up snag- predictable masked madmen, Hiltzik ging the roles of Angela and Ricky Baker brought forth a simple yet shockingly in Sleepaway Camp? socially conscious addition to the genre FELISSA ROSE: I had always loved per- that has gone on to become one of the forming, and with the help of a local New most treasured cult films among fans of York manager, I was sent on an audition. '80s terror. They wanted a skinny, flat-chested 13- On the surface, Sleepaway Camp seems year-old, and I was sure they'd pick a like just another run-of-the-mill summer- blonde, but luckily Robert wanted dark camp-slasher soiree, but underneath the hair and eyes. I met with Robert, and we

28 GOREZONE *32 hit it off really well. I felt confident that I had the most lines, which made me happy point. Everything scared and confused had the role as soon as I walked out the and terrified simultaneously. me. I was a teenager. door. It was the best audition I ever had. GZ: Were you aware of how it was going to GZ: Would you say that it was a good JONATHAN TIERSTEN: I was in New end? Did you know what the big reveal experience overall? York City with two girlfriends on the day was going to be, and did it scare you or ROSE: It was the best! A whole bunch of of the audition. When I walked in, there confuse you at aH? teenagers went to camp—we hung out, were no sides [script ROSE: It confused me. I understood that became great friends and ate junk food! I pages). That was un- Angela was really a boy, but it wasn't only remember having the time of my life. usual. Also, the director clear how the whole story would play out. It was one of the very best experiences for was running the audi- Since I had never made a movie before, I me. I just adored the whole cast and crew funnier than tion. Robert looked at Meatballs me and said, "Cuss me out!" I said, "Really?" and scarier He said, “Yeah." I walked than Friday out to my friends and the 13th. told them that I thought I got it. I had a lot of pent-up anger GZ: You were both pretty young at the time. Did you have any idea what you were getting your- selves into? ROSE: I hadn't a clue! When I read the script, I

realized it was a twisted little story, but it still didn't resonate that it was that crazy! I understood the ending at the first screening; it was a surprise for me too. Being that I was 12 when I was cast and 13 when we filmed, I was too young to really grasp the dark undertones Angela (Felissa Rose) was the first transvestite to be associated with Camp, not camp. and the twist TIERSTEN: I had no idea what was going and loved the process of filmmaking. I on. The whole thing seemed like a dream. realized during that time that I definitely GZ: Going into the actual production, how wanted to pursue a career in movies. did you feel about the script? TIERSTEN: I knew about the ending. I TIERSTEN: It was the best experience of ROSE: I thought it was reaUy fun. To came from a divorced, dysfunctional fam- my young life. I remember being abso- me, it meant we were going to camp with ily. My dad left my mom for her best lutely blown away by the number of people cute boys and fun girlfriends. I wasn't friend, and the best friend wrote a book involved and how professional they were.

thinking about the murders or how crazy about it. And it was published! This hap- The whole thing seemed like magic. I was Angela was. pened only a few years earlier, so my emo- TIERSTEN: I remember thinking Ricky tions were pretty well anesthetized. I'm GZ: Can you share some of the more mem- had a terrible potty mouth. I also knew I not sure I could have been shocked at that orable moments? GOREZONE *32 29 pretty special. His directing was veiy thorough. He knew exactly what he wanted and was incredibly communicative. I hope to work with him again soon. TIERSTEN: Fantastic, frustrating, re- warding, excruciating... Robert and I became friends on set. He even took me bowling a few times. He’s an enigmatic man; he sees his vision, but I don’t think he’s comfortable sharing it It’s his own inside joke, and he is forever chuckling to himself about the unknown punchline. GZ: What was the reception like when Sleepaway Camp was first released? ROSE: It was huge! I think it was second to Yentl, the other he/she flick! TIERSTEN: Tremendous; the film business was very different back then. I’m not sure which of my statistics are apoc- zyphal, but I know the film stayed in the- aters for more than three months. I know that because when I was walking down 42nd Street to my acting classes in the Bock in '83, this bee movie attracted a lot of buzz. winter of 1983-84, it was still there. I was ROSE: I remember going to see The Ami- interesting history. often recognized by some of the vagrants, tyoitte Horror with Kathy Kamhi [Meg] and GZ: What was working for Robert Hiltzik hookers and three-card monte dealers Karen Fields [Judy]. We went to a local like? who used to haunt that block. carnival. John Dunn [Kenny) is still one of ROSE: The best! He’s a very dear friend of GZ: Are you at all surprised by how much my best friends, and I threw him a sur- mine—I still talk with him about once a of a cult following Sleepaway Camp has prise birthday party on set There \ week—and we come from the same area gained in the past 30 years? many parties, but I could only stay for the in New York. He’s like a big brother. We’ve ROSE: Yes, I’m shocked! I attend conven- first hour—too much drinking. I felt like been through a lot together throughout tions all over the world, and it never ceas- everyone's little sister It was magical. the years, and he’s a very intelligent and es to amaze me how loyal and supportive TIERSTEN: Waterskiing on the lake w caring man. His family is incredible, and people are to this film. It definitely speaks awesome, and driving the power boat. the bond we have from Sleepaway Camp is to that unique ending, and the idea that in GZ: Can you describe the cast-and-crew group dynamic? ROSE: Apparently, this crew had just done Creepshow, they were already like a family, and we all got along really well. Everyone was super-nice and supportive. I was the youngest, and they treated me very kindly. It was a tough role and there was a lot expected from my performance, so they helped by making me feel safe. When the camera turned off, there were a lot of laughs. TIERSTEN: We were like a family from the start. That was especially weird for me. I was a pretty closed-off guy and I wasn't used to people being so nice to me. We really got along remarkably well. Even after Felissa and I had our puppy-love romance end sourly, the other cast members were there for both of us to get our shit together. We have had a long and Judy (Karen Fields) was one of the so

Dotty Aunt Martha (Desiree Gould) sets Sleepaway Camp's Ricky (Jonathan Tiersten) doesn't know that Angela is the last one who crazy tone early. needs protecting. 30 GOREZONE #32 — 5

the '80s, we hadn't seen a 13-year-old transvestite running around killing other kids! TIERSTEN: Of course, no one expects to Summer Camp Scare be part of a cult classic. You use the word “gained"—that is the truly staggering Package part about it. Every year, it grows in popu-

hout! Factory’s horror label Scream Fac- did up a contract, they sent it to me and I sent larity, and the fanbase stays the same age. tory has become a constant source of it to Robert," Hayes recalls. "It look him a This is not nostalgia. S superb reissues of both classic and con- while to even look at that contract, because GZ: Why do you think it has become so temporary horror fare, and has built a solid he's an attorney and usually very busy. Then popular? reputation for loading their discs with smor- Shout! Factory came along and showed some ROSE: It’s fun with the kids at camp, and osbords of supplemental material. One of interest, and ne decided to go with them." then the ending is a crazy reveal! People Sie most anticipated titles to get the five-star Hayes then got in touch with the com- always tell me that they love showing it to Factory treatment this year was Sleepaway pany to discuss supplemental material. "They friends who haven't seen it, so they can Camp, issued in May in a Collector's Edition asked me what I had that they could put on watch their faces when the final shot Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. With a little help the disc, and I said, 'Well, I have the last 1 from some former campers and quite possibly years of Sleepaway Camp odventures and appears. It's definitely a surprise! the most hardcore fan this side of Comp reunions and all the other things we've TIERSTEN: I have tried Arawak, it's undeniably the most memorable done—screenings, etc.' I videotaped a lot of to answer this over the and maniocal trip to Camp any horror fan the events we staged so that one day, when years. Most people would could ask for. something like this came along, we would say the shock ending, Die-hard enthusiast Jeff Hayes has devot- have that footage." but that's too easy. The ed approximately half of his adult life to this Shout! managed to unearth Hiltzik's origi- film is so nuanced. It is uniquely depraved and shockingly socially nal Sleepaway Comp negative and trans- a film about bullying. It conscious slasher romp. Out of sheer, un- ferred it to 1 .78:1 anamorphic widescreen abashed fandom, he launched the first official hi-def on the Blu-ray) via a new is a film about the cruel (1080p 2K scan, resulting in the most pristine presenta- realities of summer tion possible of the summer-camp slaughter. camp. In the end, I say The overstuffed rucksack of bonus goodies this: “It's funnier than at that time about Sleepaway includes a trio of old and nc Meatballs and scarier ' Camp," Hayes recalls. 'I just wanted to gel i' tracks and a retrospective documentary. Friday the 13th." than back out there because it was an amazing actually went out to New York and did in That is certainly a reci- movie series, and there was nothing going o views with five or six people from the mo-

pe for success. with it. We were trying to redevelop interest Hayes says. "Then I went back to New Yc GZ: Describe some of in it and get another movie mode." your craziest encoun- Hayes proceeded toi do what any serious other new commentary has Felissa [Rose] and enthusiast would: track the film'sfilm's cast Jonathan [Tiersten] on it." ters with overzealous down the cast Additionally, the Sleepaway Camp fans. intent of producing Shoutl package ROSE: The fans are so compelling original H loving to me! They bring material to build

me the best gifts his website with. "I dolls, T-shirts, sneakers. I think they're wanted to find as up. wHh the S L L L f' W J\ V C A M P MfEjl gentle because they feel like they can many people as I help of actress — ...you won't relate to Angela. She's bullied, and people could, make it the / Karen Fields and a booming biggest Sleepaway few good curling feel so sorry for her. Angela is a character If | irons. "I made a people love, and it's a great revenge story. could*and do inter- V film about the char- For anyone who ever felt like an outcast ' acter of Judy," or picked on, this is movie that gives a Hayes explains. many people satisfaction. It's cheesy and • twisted, but it's part of the '80s slasher whole iffy [in the movie]. file thing." vyl. f group. It's good, crazy fun! Those first chats led It was like, -Would TIERSTEN: I had one guy who used to to a full-blown a person really die call all the clubs I was gigging at and grill Sleepaway Camp in the way she was reunion at a FAN- i: supposedly mur- : the managers for information. He did it for Sfi* * » >: !

GORIA Weekend dered?' So I cre- years. Another girl said some things of Horrors conven- ated this whole a - erotic things—over the phone that cannot . be repeated. I always get a kick when

I someone audibly gasps when touch little April 200 1 . gory movie out them. It might just be static electricity. 1 - 1 - - -= More recently, n i * of it. I got in touch

GZ: What was it like to come back to the Hayes' main prior- with Karen about it; franchise after all those years for Return ity has been Shoutl's new disc release; after we had become friends after doing a con- to Sleepaway Camp? writer/director Robert Hiltzik reacquired the vention together, and she was totally excited,

rights to his one time claim to horror fame, he She was like, 'Yeah, I give you my blessing, ROSE: Absolutely fantastic! Now I was started release let's do this!' It was amazing to watch her able to stay at the parties for more than an and Hayes discussing a of the film on Blu-ray for the first time. A few com- play this character again 30something hour [laughs]'. I finally got to sleepaway ponies were considered, including the equally years later." camp as an adult and took full advantage revered Synapse Films. "[Synapse] actually —Lacey Paige of being the head counselor off the set! I loved playing Sheriff Jerry and had a ball with all those young kids, and Vinnie Pas- GZ: What are your thoughts on the explo- have slightly examined it, but we defi- tore. It was a terrific time, and I really ration of transgenderism in cinema? nitely need to hear and see more stories enjoy the film. ROSE: It’s a topic that is important. I like these.

TIERSTEN: It sucked. I hated it. I was in personally love any film that takes it on. TIERSTEN: I think it is very important. a terrible place emotionally. The only It's a bigger part of this culture than we People are still uneducated about trans- thing I enjoyed was getting to spend time realize, and we’ve only just begun to genderism. Movies can at least start a dis- with Felissa. I totally phoned in my per- really explore this topic. With fi l ms like cussion, and maybe undemonize it. Nothing formance, and I have never seen it. Boys Don 1 Cry and The Crying Game, we in this world is black-and-white. ^ GOREZONE *32 31 — —

was fully realized a couple of days later, with the first draft of the script following a little more than a week after that. BLOOD BEACH The trio were so excited about the project that they treated themselves to a din- THE SANGUINARY SANDS ner out at the Palm Restaurant in West Hollywood. “Any night out in Hollywood Jeffrey Bloom's eccentric creature should be tax-deductible, no questions asked," says Bloom, who had T-shirts and feature had beachgoers watching buttons made up to promote the film even where they stepped. at that early point. Blood Beach is a curious film, a combi- nation of creature feature and detective By MATTHEW ST. CYR flick. David Huffman and Marianna Hill star as Harry and Catherine, two old friends who were formerly romantically involved and almost married. Catherine

a rapist gets his just deserts.

ack in the early '80s, the summer- several films and directed a couple as vacation hotspot of Venice Beach, well, both financed in England. He and his B California acquired a much more producing partner Steven Nalevansky sinister name due to a series of mysteri- were brainstorming ideas after being ap- ous disappearances and untimely deaths. proached by executive producer Carole Yes, we’re talking about Blood Beach, the Wilson to make a horror film, when Nale- comes back to town when her mother 1981 cult item starring John Saxon, Burt vansky happened to be driving by the Santa mysteriously vanishes from the beach; the Young and what has been described as an Monica Pier and came up with the idea of police rule it as a drowning, and life re- “artichoke monster.” Anyone who haunt- a monster living under the sand. The story turns to normal until more disappearanc- ed their local mom-and-pop video shop in years past surely remembers the iconic Blood Beach box art, which replicated the theatrical poster: a terrified young woman in a bikini being sucked into the sand under a blazing sun and blood-red sky. The tagline on top reads, “The Five Peo- ple Believed To Have Drowned Here Never

Even Made It Past The Sand'. " but it was the tagline underneath that would become synonymous with the film: “Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back In The Water You Can't Get lb It."

That riff on Jaws 2 's classic slogan was taken directly from the film's dialogue and caused a small problem, as writer/director Jeffrey Bloom explains. “I asked John Saxon to kind of throw the line away, which he did," Bloom recalls. “We knew that the less we made of it, the funnier it would be. When the distributor decided to use the line in print ads, we heard from Universal's attorneys regarding Jaws 2. Our response was something like, 'Hey, guys, it's one cute line of dialogue in a very small film. We don't think it should threat- en you. Give us abreak.’ They backed off." It takes quite a lineup of character actors (Burt Young, Otis Young, Saxon, Stephan Gierasch) to deal By 1979, Bloom had already written with the monstrous problem. 32 GOREZONE *32 es and a dead dog start to raise eyebrows. It’s not until a girl, whose friends have buried her up to her neck in the sand, gets her legs tom up by something under the surface that the magnitude of the situation becomes clear to local law enforce- ment: a monster is clearly afoot. Said creature remains largely unseen for most of the film, and with good reason: it’s kinda goofy. “We were unable to work closely on the monster for a number of reasons,” says Bloom. "We were disappointed with the result, which was very late in coming, and in fact wasn't delivered to the set until we were just about ready to shoot Being a low-budget production, we had to live with it, and hoped we could make it better in post" Released by indie outfit The Jerry Gross Organization with a marketing campaign worthy of the majors, the film enjoyed decent box- office results as well as critical success when it e were was released in the U.S. as well as Europe. “We unable to Under the boardwalk, director Jeffrey Bloom (left) and co-stars Burt Young and John Saxon are were delighted and work closely hoving some fun. amazed when Carrie Rickey, then the film partners claimed to be as lost as we were. tertainment cassette, which contained monster for critic for The Village And Blood Beach, suddenly, was history." the R-rated cut that was distributed to a number of Voice in New York, It wasn't long, however, before the film most of the world. However, there was called it ‘a peculiarly gained cult status on video-store shelves. also a German VHS tape, put out by UFA, reasons. We eloquent summation of That amazing box art completely sucked that was unrated, reinstating about three genre movie history.’ potential viewers in (pun intended), along seconds of gore. TWo scenes in particular Who’s going to argue with the lurid description that was none- were appended: When the girl who is with that?” Bloom says. theless devoid of basic plot information: buried in the sand gets attacked, we see a Unfortunately, it wasn’t “Ruth screams for help as she desperately monster claw scratch her bloody leg. The long before the film tries to free herself, but there is no es- second change is seen in the night scene began to run into prob- cape. The sand pulsates, like a heart- where a woman's hat is blown onto the lems. “The distributor, beat—and then nothing. An atmosphere beach and she chases it, getting sucked who’d been loudly proclaiming enormous of terror takes over what becomes known into the sand. We see her suddenly lying grosses in the industry trade papers, de- as Blood Beach'." naked and covered in blood as the mon- clared bankruptcy. Money that was owed When the film was released on VHS, ster, its eyes glowing red, pounces on her. to Steven and I, as profit participants, there were (unbeknownst to most) two Regarding any particular issues with never came through. The various financial editions. There was the Media Home En- the MPAA, Bloom says, “I'm not aware of GOREZONE #32 33 the different ratings, but I'm sure it has to roles in shows such as Remington Steele,

do with language. Burt Young’s character TrapperJohn, M.D. and T.J. Hooker. "David spoke colorfully. Over the years, the film's Huffman was a very cool guy, a terrific enthusiastic audience has continued to actor and a total professional," Bloom grow, and we've heard more and more re- says. “There's no doubt he would have had quests for a disc release, which we would a wonderful career. We were all pro- love to do. Regrettably, no one can find the foundly saddened by his death.” negative, or even a 35mm print that hasn't In this day and age of remakes, reboots seriously degraded. But even more frus- and sequels, it's only natural to ask Bloom, trating is the fact that no one can deter- who went on co-write the TV horror- mine the legitimate rights holders. It's anthology pilot turned theatrical release been decades since Blood Beach was first Nightmares and scripted and directed released. Companies have come and gone. 1987's Flowers in the Attic, about his Principal participants have died. And the thoughts on expanding the Blood Beach trail itself is so faint that even a good GPS legend. “Yes, we hoped for a sequel,” he ad- system couldn't track it!” mits. “I still think a remake is in order, with One of the most tragic of those deaths the kind of amazing effects done these was lead actor Huffman, who was stabbed days—followed by Son of a (Blood] Beachl twice with a screwdriver and killed at age I'd entrust the reimagining of the monster 39 after chasing a 16-year-old thief who to the best effects people I could find. Their had just robbed a neighbor's motor home. minds work in far different ways than Huffman was a familiar face to TV view- ours! I'm not in retirement," he adds. “I’m ers in the '70s and early '80s, thanks to just here waiting, biding my time!” ^ SPECIALIZINGinHORROI Collectibles, Toys, Clothing, Music, Posters, Masks, Books, Magazines MUCH MORE! www.HouseofMysteriousSecrets.c a applied to rjAy Of THE I—IOOSE CUT it the late Barry Gress. Barry was a longtime friend and assistant to me oose dit"—that's what someone only the brain remained intact? Would it in those days, and died way too young. on the crew named it when we live—or, in the case of the zombies, still He was always asking to be in the films,

were preparing one particular become one of the undead? Well, in so one day I said, "Hey, Barry— I have a effect for Day of the Dead. The idea was: Day... it would. part for you in Day of the Dead." I knew

What would happen if a zombie's face So we sculpted a piece to look like whoever did this was going to suffer; it and most of the head were gone, and everything but the brain was gone, and meant casting them in a very uncomfort- able position, and they would have to be in that position a long, long time. Barry

was really gunq ho, tnouqn, and I knew

he could nandle it. The appliance was sculpted in Roma clay, leaving room for us to insert the brain. Barry was cast with his head bent way back, as you can see in the accom- panying photos, and the piece was sculpted onto what remained of his neck above the flat surface. A mold was made of the sculpture and reproduced in foam latex.

When it was needed on the set, we built a sort of magic guillotine table so Barry

could once again lie flat on his back with his head lowered, and we applied the

foam latex appliance, bloodied it up and

stuck wires and gizmos in it. When "Dr. Frankenstein," as Dr. Logan (Richard Lib- erty) was called in the movie, pressed certain buttons and levers, Barry raised and lowered his arms, making the zombie on the slab look quite alive with only

its brain intact. Voila I In Savini's sculpture, as in George A. Romero's films, there was always room for a brain. People walking onto the set would be GOREZONE #32 35 John Vulith helps Gress' zombie lose fate.

in shock; the illusion was that this hod to and how creepy and strange it was. Dick mate compliment. be o fake body, since the head was gone, Smith, the greatest living makeup artist As you can see from the last photo, laced with just a brain. Art director on the planet—and someone who, like sometimes we would put the "moose clit"

Stus Anderson, who I was always trying myself, relished creating makeup illu- on other people for gag shots. That guy is to impress, came up to me with great sions—couldn't figure out where Barry's Taso Stavrakis, and we tore off his head praise for how good this thing looked. head was—and to me, that was the ulti- in a later scene. ^

36 GOREZONE #32

It's a red-letter day for sorority babes again.

By CHRIS ALEXANDER Photos by JEN LANDER

What do Tina (Roxy Vandiver) and Mountain Dew hove in common? They'll both keep you up at night!

GOREZONE: Die Die Delta Pi isn’t your first horror film. Can you tell us a bit about your background? SEAN DONOHUE: Sure. I grew up in Miami and now reside in Tampa, and made my first horror flick. If I Can t Have You, with Chris in 2010. I have always been a fan of the genre, which led me to start directing my own—the first being Joe Vampire, starring Mike Christopher from Dawn of the Dead, which will be released through www.thesleazebox.com this summer. Since then, I’ve gone on to direct a few more movies, while also prac- s there any trashier subgenre in the ticing special effects under the alias annals of slasherdom than the soror- “Picardo Limbo." I ity-girls thriller? Sticking nubile young women together in close quarters and channeling both Peyton Place soap- opera drama and male-fantasy hot sex, punctuated by ample puncturing, films like The House on Sorority Row, Sorority House Massacre and Hell Night are always a fine, guiltily pleasurable time—the greasier and grittier the better. This year, you can add the tongue-in- cheeky indie slice ’n’ dicer Die Die Delta Pi to the long, dishonorable tradition. The film sees the ladies of the eponymous Florida sorority pull an initiation prank on one of their new, hot would-be members, with scorching results—literally, as the poor lass is accidentally burned to a crisp. Almost immediately, a silent killer wipes out the guilty sisters, and now, 27 years later, he—or she—is back to slaughter anew. GOREZONE connected with Sean Donohue, who directed the movie with Chris Leto, to get some words about his 38 GOREZONE *32 GZ: What is the best sorority-girl slasher I’ll let the audience decide whether or not larly, our cast was great. I had to do a lit- movie, in your humble opinion? tle convincing from time to time to make DONOHUE: My favorite would have to be GZ: Appropriate to this periodical, there's tilings sexier and gorier, but everyone was The House on Sorority How. Others that a gallon of gore in this flick. Who did very professional and overcame any chal- stick out in my mind are Black Christmas the FX? lenge set before them. and Hell Night, both classics. I hope our DONOHUE: Ah yes, the gore! The very GZ: What are your plans to get the movie movie pleases fans of those Sims. We tried talented Mr. Marcus Koch [100 liars, The to keep things gory and to the point, but Theatre Bizarre] handled our effects. He DONOHUE: We premiered it in Tampa in was a perfect fit for the project, and I had June. We currently do not have distribu- a ball working with him. He really knows tion, but have gotten a few offers and are how to kick things up to 11, and as you still shopping around. We'll see what the can see from the pictures, he did! Simi- future brings! ^ .

No longer “Lost, ” Jim Wynorski’s directorial debut has returned on DVD.

a truly one-of-a-kind junk-flick experience. GOREZONE always has time for Wynor-

ski, and he made a bit of time for us. .

There is a myth surrounding the Lost Empire production akin to the plot of Mel Brooks’ The Producers in that, well, it wasn't meant to actually make money, right? Yes: the producers, the owners of Plitt Theatres, were looking for a tax write-off at the time. The LostEmpire

was supposed to be it. I think they wanted it to lose money, but I guess I fooled 'em! The picture took off both domestically and

ime has seen but a handful of a brand new transfer and DVD release of resilient exploitation filmmakers his first and freakiest flick, 1983's riotous survive, endure and even thrive. fantasy/adventure romp The Lost Empire Veteran trash-trader Jim Wynorski is one (available now from Polyscope Media of the last of those lurid men standing: For Group), in which a trio of buxom warrior over three decades, the writer/producer/ goddesses (Melanie Vincz, Raven De La director has been keeping the good name Croix and Angela Aames) go tete-a-tit of bad movies alive, amassing a massive with a raving villain for rule of their island body of eccentric, honest and honestly kingdom. Leather-clad ninjas, cheap entertaining films of varying budgets and bloodshed, Sam Peckinpah-esque slow- subjects, driving commerce and making mo and female nudity galore combine with easily pleased people happy. He is indeed more than a dash of post-Raiders of the a warrior of weird cinema. Lost Ark fun (and a great, hammy turn by Earlier this year, Wynorski supervised Phantasm legend Angus Scrimm) to create

40 GOREZONE #32 .

foreign, and made a nice load of money at the time of first release. It got a solid cable sale and also got sold to Vestron [for VHS] So contrary to what they wanted, it did well financially. Since the producers did not want to “make bank,” they let me do what I wanted with very little supervision. I felt this might be the one and only time I'd ever get to direct a movie, so I loaded it up with everything I ever liked about exploitation movies. It was even scheduled to be shot in 3D, but we had to abandon that idea on the first day of shooting when the lenses failed. Unfortu- nately for me, Plitt Theatres sold out to another company, which was then acquired by another, that was subsequently sold to another, and on and on. After a few years, I didn't really know where the The movie has never looked as good did you manage to secure him? rights resided. as it does now. Can you talk about the Alan was looking to get out Who were some of your inspirations remaster? from under Carpenter's shadow. He offered when cobbling the Yes. Unfortunately, the pro- to do the score for a reasonable fee, and I movie together? ducers initially did a crummy pan-and- jumped at the chance to employ him. He ince the I would scan master using the interpositive and came up with all the music himself, then have to say The Lost optical soundtrack, and for decades, that played it for me at his studio. Being a fan producers Empire is a mixture of was the only version available to view. In of his collaborations with Carpenter, I was did not want Russ Meyer and Roger my less-than-humble opinion, it was terri- thrilled by what I heard. I think the tracks to ‘make Conn an, two of my ble, and really detracted from the look and have withstood the test of time and are as bank,’ they greatest influences sound of the picture. After years of hunt- funky today as they were then. growing up watching ing for the rights holders, I finally found After all this time, do you think of let me do movies. who actually had access to the negative. I yourself as something of an auteur? what I On the Meyer tip, contacted them, and they ultimately I don't think I could make wanted with let's talk about tits. This allowed me to take that original negative pictures like Dinocroc vs. Supergator or thing is full of naked and magnetic sound elements and marry Sorority House Massacre 2 ill took myself very little women, full of bosoms. them together in a brand new hi-def mas- seriously. I'm currently working with edi- supervision.” Were there any shenani- ter. It was a lot of fun bringing the film tor Tony Randel on Sharkansas Women's gans on set? back to life with all the new technology Prison Massacre, and am also doing a new Yes, there that didn't exist back in the mid-1980s. Roger Corman/Syfy movie, Cobragator. I were. I can't speak for others, but I was Outside of the ninjas, nudity and gen- make films to please myself. If I happen to dating Raven De La Croix at the time. eral pulp silliness, one of the standout ele- make others happy, all the better. I'm not

We're still friends today. And yes, I love ments is the score by John Carpenter’s saying they all turn out wonderful, but I boobs, man—who doesn't? musical collaborator Alan Howarth. How always try my best. GOREZONE *32 41 .

mazing. Colossal. Leg- leap forward, and the guitar play- endary. All words used to ing is this huge wall of sound. Was A describe classic horror icons that something you worked on con- like Dracula, King Kong and sciously, or did it just evolve as the Frankenstein's Monster. All these material came together? could just as readily describe Doyle DOYLE: It really was just some-

Wolfgang Von Frankenstein, the thing we did honestly, and it hap-

ically intimidating yet some- pened on its own. We had been t approachable guitarist who playing more live shows, done tours has carved out a sonic identity both and were a strong band at that as the chainsaw-lone-wielding ax- point. I mean, the songs were al- slinger for The Misfits and now as ways good, even before I joined the the leader of the band bearing his band. But by that album, we were a own moniker, Doyle. Make no mis- wrecking machine. take: This man is something of a GZ: The album has such an urgen- classic monster for the 21 st century, cy, like it needed to be recorded and he was kind enough to con- right then and there, and not a tinue with an interview I was two moment later. hours late for.. .yeah, time zones DOYLE: Yeah, it was all done very are not my best friends. . quickly. Those songs still hold up. I

still enjoy playing mem, too. As for

GOREZONE: Let's go back in the guitar playing, it wasn't until time—what's a good supervillain now that I've really been making an without an origin story, after all? It's effort to improve it. I needed to

1 976-77 in Lodi, New Jersey; there learn new techniques to play some are no VCRs, and the only way to of the ideas I had for Abominator. experience films is at the drive- GZ: I've heard you kind of dismiss in/theater or on late-night TV. your abilities as a guitarist in the You're watching your brother past, but you have that rare, intan- (bassist Jerry Only), and vocalist gible "thing" that so few guitarists Glenn Danzig formulate the ideas can claim. An identity—when you behind what will become one of play the guitar, it sounds like you. most iconic horror-punk bands of DOYLE: Thanks, man. I really don't all time. How are you getting your know that much about the guitar, monster fix? Your horror host was Doyle Wolfgang except how to write and play what Zacherley, right? comes naturally for me. It's always DOYLE WOLFGANG VON Von Frankenstein been like that. Maybe I'd like to be FRANKENSTEIN: I'm not that "better," whatever that means, but old; he wasn't on the air when I was a way certain notes raised the hairs on I'm happy doing what I do. kid. We watched Creature Features on GZ: Let’s talk about Abominator; firstly, Saturday nights, and we would read DOYLE: Yeah, for sure. The scores from why did you decide to change your comics and horror magazines. We all back then were so much creepier than band's name from Gorgeous Franken- loved that shit. I always wanted to be now, and went with the movies a lot bet- stein to Doyle? Kina Kong stomping around. Still do, ter than today's music. All that stuff—the DOYLE: That was my singer's [Alex ready. I prefer the Universal horror images, the sounds; it was all taking Story] idea. Alex called me up while I movies and the silent films. Boris Karloff, shape inside us. was driving and said "I have an idea,

Lon Chaney. ..the black-and-white era GZ: It's 1 983, and you guys have just and I neeato talk to you about it." Be- had so much more suspense and a recorded what will become the crossover cause he's crazy, I knew I'd better do it creepy vibe. I wasn't into it when the films punk/ metal album that launches a thou- right then and there. I pulled over, and he started getting bloodier in the '80s. I just sand bands: Earth A.D. You recorded it in said he felt Doyle would be a much don't care about seeing people getting two sessions, right? stronger band name, with more drawing chopped up; that's not scary to me. It's DOYLE: You are correct, sir. power. I said I'd been thinking the same like a cop-out. I like the Hammer films GZ: You certainly couldn't have predicted thing, so that's how we decided on it, too; Christopher Lee is a killer Dracula. the impact that album would have, but do right there on the side of the road. I

GZ: So back then, it was all seeping into you remember how you felt after you'd mean, as Gorgeous Frankenstein, we'd you: the musical scores from the films, the recorded it? The songwriting is a huge do shows in front of 50 people, or we'd

We could easily guy shreddi horror film

: ! power of Doyle and ' ft,- his instrument.

42 GOREZONE *32 ——

do meet-and-greets and only a dozen people would show—most of 'em saying, "I didn't even know you guys were playing tonight!" That shit had to change, and it nas. Combined with my touring with

Glenn Danzig recently, I think it nas been great promotion for this album. I've been seen by millions if you count the YouTube stuff, etc. GZ: How did you collaborate with Story on this album? The lyrics are less, well, disturbing than his work with Cancerslug.

They're still steeped in horror themes, but more like a Hammer film—more about entertainment than gore.

DOYLE: I gave him a list of what I didn't want: No knives up the ass, no entrail rape, etc., and he just went with it. I'd say 99 percent of the lyrics and melodies are exactly what he came up with to the finished songs I'd sent him.

GZ: The music is heavier than anything you’ve done before, but I wouldn't call it

1 00 percent metal either. When you were writing, did you just go with whatever came naturally? I hear eody thrash/punk crossover like Overkill, or maybe Exodus. DOYLE: I've never heard a note from either of those bands. I just do what feels right. When I write, I think about what it Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein—by the time you say his full name, it'll be too late! will be like to play the song live. If it's too complex, or I cannot move my hands been? Do you feel you've gotten oil you GZ: I have a few "belter" questions for smoothly while performing it, it goes in intended from this first Doyle release? you. Better horror/musical Rocky Horror the shifter. I have to enjoy playing it and DOYLE: Yes and no. Yes, it's been well- Picture Show or Phantom of the Paradise? received and the reviews have been killer DOYLE: Rocky Horror. retty much across the board. But we GZ: Better stop-motion film Mad Mon- Caven't played a single live show to pro- ster Party? or Jason and the Argonauts?

mote it as Doyle yet, and I'm hoping to DOYLE: Jason. change all that with the upcoming tours. GZ: Better Black Sabbath album—Master We'llbe in Europe in July, and in the of Reality or Sabotage? States from August-September. DOYLE: Aw, damn—that's hard. I'm GZ: You began your career in the early gonna go with Master of Reality. punk scene when everything was done on GZ: Better lyricist—Glenn Danzig or a shoestring, and through self-promotion. Steve Harris? Then you were a major-label artist [with DOYLE: Ha ha! Glenn. Yeah, Steve

Geffen] in the 1 990s, and now you've always felt like a history lesson.

come back full circle to a more DIY mind- GZ: You've been in a few films so far, set by releasing Abominalor via your but would you consider a major role in a

own Monsterman Records. Do you feel horror movie if the right part was offered it's important for an artist in your position to you?

to be much more on top of the day-to- DOYLE: Probably, if it was playing a day business dealings and things like monster or something like that. I'd have love the way it sounds. social media? to read the script. I mean. I'm a father

GZ: I hear new stuff in Chud's drum- DOYLE: For sure. It's everything, really. now, and there are certain things I would ming as well. Those double kicks at the We recorded the album ourselves, we not be into. I prefer fantasy to a guy in a beginning of "Dreamingdeadgirls" are keep the promotion close to home, the hockey mask. That isn't really scary; it's

tours are being handled by a smaller too close to real life, and that reality DOYLE: He had never played double management group. Everything is way doesn't interest me. bass drums before; he just took to it really quickly. o much ni Check out Abominator and other fiendish THE TROUBLE WITH

money caused big problems on the small-budgeted ’80s flick. By JASON BENE

he 1988 camp monster mash Spook- dreds of thousands of dollars. ies (originally Twisted Souls) has Since they'd only budgeted $10,000 for T fallen through the cracks of time all the animation—a number they just and is all but forgotten, except by certain made up without doing any research, I fans who have long gotten a kick out of might add—my only alternative was to its oddball charm, cavalcade of gassy create a system to do the effects in cam- spray fake cobwebs all over the sets at ghouls and awesome Richard Corben era. I spent about a month building pro- first, since their original art director poster art. Visual FX maestro A1 Maglio- jection screens and giant frames to hold didn't have any practical experience with chetti, for whom Spookies (along with the matte-painting glass, and Ken Walker such things. same producers’ never-completed Hell- mechanized a 35mm projector so it would On top of that, the directors had a pen- spawn ) was his maiden voyage, is a straight work in single-frame mode. We shot a test chant for coming up with last-minute shooter who doesn't sugar-coat a thing, that worked pretty well, but then the pro- effects, such as “We need a full moon to be as G0REZ0NE found when we called on ducers completely changed the reflected in the puddle him to discuss the unfortunately troubled schedule and moved all the ^B before the hobo steps in production... scenes needed for animation to ^B y &£. ^B it," or “Hey, by the way, the end of the shoot. Since I ^1 we're shooting that scene GOREZONE: What were your title and couldn't do the animation without tomorrow where the chief responsibilities on Spookies? having the backgrounds pre-shot, QH dozen torches all burst AL MAGLIOCHETT1: My original title there wound up being no time to into flame sequentially,” was visual effects supervisor, and I was to actually film it. In most of those in- provide animation and optical effects, On top of the optical work, W stances, I had to drop similar to what I was doing on Hellspawn. there were quite a few practical ^B whatever else I was doing However, I was never given the script effects, such as spark hits, explo- and address those effects [ M until they were in actual preproduction, sions, dissolving muck men, immediately with what- and I was somewhat horrified to see a lot smoking reapers, melting statues, *y ever materials I had avail- of effects written in, which was a little etc. Some of them overlapped fjH able—which were usually disconcerting, considering that the entire with the animation I was sup- inadequate. budget was $300,000. Apparently, they posed to do, so I inquired as to ^B 9 I What caused the film thought that since I was doing the effects who would be providing all that I I ^B to become so fractured? for Hellspawn for free, this new project was told by the directors (Thomas MAGLIOCHETTI: In my would be no different. But Hellspawn was Doran and Brendan Faulkner] opinion, it was a combina- shot on 16mm, and I had access to a and producers that they'd “kinda tion of a few things. First 16mm optical printer through a school I hoped” I’d do all that additional work as of all, Tom, Brendan and Frank Farel was working with. Since Spookies was well—without an increase in pay, of wrote a script that was not even remotely being shot on 35mm, we had to use an course—since they couldn't afford to hire affordable for the money they had. They actual optical lab, which can run into hun- a practical effects person. I even had to weren't exactly inexperienced, as they'd shot trailers and sections of other films that were never completed, but they never took into account not only how long these effects would take to build, but how long it would take to shoot them. I believe the investor was insistent that the film be so populated with creatures and effects, but it simply wasn't possible on that budget. Another major issue was the cinematographer they hired. He was brought in because he had all of his own lighting and grip equipment, but not only was he incredibly slow at lighting the shots, he was an ex-Green Beret and kind of a bully to just about everyone. It wasn't unusual

It's not easy becoming green, especially on such a low FX budget. for him to make fun of the actors at the 44 GOREZONE #32 end of a take or run down to the beach to one of the directors publicly blamed me dummy that fell out of the closet, create go windsurfing for an hour if one of the for the film's failure, which I found kind of Peter Iasillo's vacuum-actuated spider effects setups was taking too long. I have annoying. The contracts were written in death—which had Gabe calling Chris no idea if the producers ever tried to such a way that there was no contingency Walas for advice, since the effect was sim- speed him up or get things back on track, for budget or time overages—or to put it ilar to the shriveling Nazi in Raiders of the but as he was so intimidating and literally simply, if money ran out, we were all Lost Ark—make and apply Anthony Val- owned every piece of equipment on the expected to continue working for free biro’s clawed-face appliance and dozens of set, I speculate they were too afraid to until the movie was finished. Since visual other things. Mind you, all of this was piss him off, so the original six-week effects are always the last thing to be being done while we were shooting. Gabe shoot stretched into 11 or 12. completed on any film, I was blamed for also had time to add a subliminal to one of Yet another problem involved the not having my work done on time, despite my shots: He painted the word “SEX" in schedule being changed so the animation the fact that I physically couldn't do the blood on the reaper’s blade on only one could no longer be completed on time, work because of their incredibly short- frame in the animated shot where it goes Originally, I came up with a plan to shoot sighted schedule change. Not only could I through Duke's [Nick Gionta) head, all the backgrounds first; they were all not afford to work for free for a month or GZ: Why was the title changed? night exteriors, and during the first few two, we now had to rent a facility to shoot MAGLIOCHETTI: Hoisted Souls referred weeks of summer, they could’ve easily the effects, since we no longer had access to the creatures summoned from the spirit been finished in a couple of evenings, to the mansion location and its dozens of board by the possessed Carol character. In Those sequences could then be edited empty rooms, one of which I'd turned into the original script, she even says, “Arise, while the rest of the movie was being a studio but never got around to using be- twisted souls, and be free!" at one point. filmed, and I would be able to animate the cause of the lack of background footage. The investor, being British, had a some- ghosts while shooting continued. GZ: The flick's highlight is definitely Gabe what different perspective: He was con-

What got me somewhat riled was that (Brain Damage ) Bartalos' makeup FX. vinced that he had to have a simpler Didn't he have to take the reins after the one-word title to be successful, since this initial supervisor had a total meltdown? was the era of Gremlins and The Goonies. MAGLIOCHETTI: Gabe had easily the He seemed particularly fixated on Ghoul- most difficult job, as many of the effects res, which was getting some buzz; in his hadn't even been started, and a few had to mind, they were very similar films, so be completely redone from scratch. The Twisted Souls was thrown away and he

break i n g point for the earlier supervisor used Spookies instead—which doesn't came when he turned in his version of the mean a whole lot to the American audi- muck men suits. The first one he made ence, since it's more of a British term, was literally a pair of painter's coveralls GZ: What's the deal with the muck men's with some uncolored foam splashed on flatulence? them, a couple of oversized plastic eyes MAGLIOCHETTI: Your guess is as good glued onto a face piece with goofy-looking as mine. I knew nothing about it until the buck teeth and green blobs that looked first time I saw the videotape release, and & like broccoli. my mind boggled at the stupidity. I was Besides remaking three of those suits told this was the financier's idea, but I from scratch, Gabe had to build the have no idea if that's true or not

Adrienne's (Charlotte Seeley) vocal cords meet a demon's deadly spinal cord.

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bars—and did it best with an American star. By JAMES BICKERT Part TWO

niques as her captors attempt to learn the that a third grader would find moronic, location of the hidden jewels. Prison war- Still, it manages to exist in Franco's realm den Carlo de Bries (Ronald Weiss) has his where flea bites are scratched to the bone, lover and inmate stoolie Martine (Martine and multiple viewings might destroy that Steed) gain Shirley's confidence with one synapse that enlightens and turns the some lesbian licking to further mine for picture into Citizen Kane. Despite pro- clues. On the outside, insurance investi- ducer Erwin C. Dietrich's insistence that gator Milton Warren (Roger Darton) is on Franco stole leftover footage from Barbed the case, and Hackerman's hitman Bill Wire Dolls and inserted it into Women (Franco, billed as Clifford Brown) tries to Behind Bars, the pair would reunite for sneak Shirley a gun so she can escape and three more films: Women in Cell Block 9, he can track her to the goods. Love Camp and Greta the Mad Butcher. Instead of the atmospheric castle loca- In Women in Cell Block 9 (1977), a.k.a. tion from Barbed Wire Dolls, this film's unadorned prison set consists of one room with a light bulb used Cwreta the ess Franco admitted to selling his for interior shots and what looks to soul to the devil by making women-in- be a warehouse surrounded by a Mad Butcher J prison films, and considered his low- chain-link fence for exteriors. Even ot back to budget 1975 quickie Women Behind Bars the interrogation equipment is com- f•asics and to be his best. Far from the sensual mas- munity-theater cheap: Cruelties are boot-kicked terpiece he claimed it to be, however, inflicted with a prop whip and two Women Behind Bars feels at times like wires hooked to a four-track tape the sleep-deprivation torture. deck inserted in the vagina for elec- depravity Perry Mendoza, a small-time hood, trocution. The malnourished budget orders a raid on the yacht of millionaire can't even afford makeup to cover (Karine Gambier of

Rufus Hackerman. His men escape with a the nasty blue bruise on Romay's Island Women ) is trans- cache of diamonds, but Mendoza elimi- ass that she probably sustained porting several femmes nates his associates and keeps the dia- while sliding naked down the au- to the resistance; after monds for himself. When he returns to his thentic prison wall in Dolls. being tipped off. Loba, the local wardress, club, girlfriend Shirley Fields (Lina Ro- Copious amounts of bare flesh can't intercepts the human cargo. The women may) executes him and immediately turns save Women Behind Bars from the lethar- she doesn't incarcerate, her soldiers are herself over to the police. Once in prison, gic pacing, wooden acting, zany use of the allowed to rape. Loba then enlists the help she is treated to nasty interrogation tech- zoom lens and a ludicrous revelatory twist of old friend Dn Costa (Howard Vernon) to humiliate and punish information out of the ladies. In a bourgeoisie scene that feels lifted from Pasolini’s Salo, the sadis- tic couple sexually abuse a young girl and reminisce about the “good old days" during a champagne-filled dinner. They admit that politics does not concern them, and that the only thrill life offers is the deliv- ering of pain; the extracted information is of little concern. The first half of the film concerns the mistreatment of four women (Gambier. Susan Hemingway, Aida Gouveia and Esther Studer) hanging nude from dog collars, being interrogated one at a time. While in exile, the destitute “Doctor of Pain" was forced to sell all of his personal belongings, but he held onto his precious suitcase containing his tools of the torture trade. The punishments dispensed range from the usual shock treatment to the more creative—like inserting a starving gerbil into a muff tunnel. Although the violence isn’t very graphic, with quick cuts to silly-looking tempera-paint blood, the scenes have enough full-frontal nudity 46 GOREZONE #32 It goes without saying that there's not mudi affection in the love and close-ups of screaming vs. smiling captures the authentic-looking prison and drama involving Angela's tom emotions faces to make any fragile woman a bona surrounding jungle. Franco also places between Gino and her husband; Gino’s fide man-hater. some restraint on his zoom obsession, and longing for Angela's full devotion and the In the last half, the inmates engage in the ladies from Dietrich's Swiss stable are distraction she is causing to his command a lesbian orgy to lure a guard with a rag- stunning. It's not Franco's smuttiest, but of the revolution; the wardress’ power ing hard-on. The soundtrack plays in- a good time is definitely to be had here. grab over the confused Gino; and her lust appropriate jazz and scat music while Women in Cell Block 9 hit some contro- for Angela. women leashed to the ceiling grope each versy when it was rejected for a DVD cer- For backup sleaze, we have a captive other for what feels like an eternity (not a tificate in February 2004 by the British virgin seduced by a Sapphic inmate and complaint). The chance to author a Pent- Board of Film Censors when they discov- two nymphomaniac prostitutes who find house letter becomes too great for the ered that nude actress Hemingway (also the abduction more of a promotion. Yep, young soldier to resist—he unshackles seen in Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun ) the jungle is steaming with full-frontal. the women, drops his pants and is quickly was under 18. Definitely one of the more Producer Dietrich, who wrote the film, dispatched with a karate chop. What's left entertaining WIP pictures, and Romay is clearly kept some tight reins on the pro- is stark naked women running and swim- looking blister-raising good. duction, because Franco's signature bar- ming through the jungle until your typical Love Camp (1977) is set in yet another rage of blurry zooms are gone, and so is Franco downer ending. nameless South American country (actu- his normal quota of humiliation and sav- One-dimensional is a dimension too ally Portugal) where women are being agery. There are some poorly staged rape lofty to describe these undeveloped char- kidnapped by the “Independent Revolu- scenes, but the requisite torture has been acters, but it all works because it's about tionary Front" and forced to sexually ser- downgraded to light whipping, offscreen the interrogators, though Franco regular vice the guerrilla fighters. Angela (Ada decapitations and boot-licking. Hell, peo-

Vernon ( The Awful Dr. Orloff) is the only Tauter) is abducted on her wedding night ple don't even bleed when shot numerous actor displaying any real chops. Having and becomes the object of desire for both times at close range! Also absent from about 50 extras greatly improves the rebel leader Gino da Guerra (Wal Davis) this stew is Franco's usual wrist-slitting production value over Franco's aforemen- and the merciless lesbian camp comman- downer of an ending—my favorite ele- tioned prison pictures, and the cinematog- der (Muriel Montosse, billed as Nanda ment of his films! Dietrich's script gives raphy by Ruedi [Blue Rita ) Kiittel nicely Van Bergen). Thus begins a softcore us a bit of an upbeat spin by offering a few .

misguided ideas of what women desire, by themselves, transporting the lurid cov- Arcos (Franco). Barely clinging to life, the but its insincerity is revealed by a talking ers of old men's magazines to the screen nude woman reveals that atrocities are parrot that reveals the film's subconscious and punting them through a goalpost of being performed at the Las Palermas by squawking, "All sluts!" and “Filthy filth far beyond the expectations promised Clinic for Sexually Deviant Women. After whores." Nice to see Franco Corrupt the in their advertising campaigns. They indigenous wildlife . . shock, titillate, disturb and enrage. They When Gino, resembling an Aussie croc deliver the goods 10 times over. hunter, pontificates about Ada's divine Tossing lisa, the icon of torture and and inspirational beauty, it is truly one for insatiable sexuality, to Franco must have the guffaw-greatest-hits list Tauler (Call felt like the grindhouse gangbang of the of the Blonde Goddess ) may be the best year When the bodily fluids and flesh are cleared off the sewer grate, we’re left with an unforgettable classic that will either banish your morals into exile or have them begging forgiveness from a make-believe deity. In a corrupt South American dictator- ship—obviously—a badly beaten escaped inmate shows up on the property of Dr.

While shooting Women Behind Bars, less Franco also

took a shot at an onscreen supporting role.

his calls for an investigation go unheeded, a young woman named Abbie (Tania Bus- selier) persuades the doctor to have her committed to the clinic so she can investi- gate the disappearance of her sister. Greta (Thome) runs the asylum with a long bullwhip and its basement with actress among this lusty bunch, but she is needles full of disfiguring acid specially also the oldest and utterly out of shape; formulated for political dissidents. In ad- even through beer goggles, one would dition to using pet inmate Juana (Romay) notice she has the butchest haircut and as a human pincushion, she runs a side worst skin in the camp. I hate to be a cad, business with her assistant Rego (Eric but this GILF is seriously miscast for soft- Falk), forcing prisoners into porno and focus eroticism. She's in the majority of snuff films. She is one busy beaver. the sex scenes, which anyone gripping for It doesn't take long for the undercover gravy will find a boner-killer amidst the Abbie to end up on the receiving end of high amount of other attractive exposed Greta's abuse. Growing suspicious, Greta Swiss womanhood on display. gives Juana free rein to uncover the snoop- There are some unintentional laughs LA DOMNA BESTIA ing girl's true identity, and in one show- to be had with the corny dialogue, dated stopping scene, Juana forces her to become score and camp announcements by a voice human toilet paper in exchange for infor- actor nailing an impersonation of Corporal mation! While brutalizing Abbie's sister, “Radar" O'Reilly from M'A'S'H. Beauti- Greta learns that Dr. Arcos is the leader of fully lensed by Kiittel, Love Camp visually the revolution. She immediately dispatch- Hen (Him wflj (W resembles Cell Bloch 9, and was most es henchmen to kill the idealistic doctor, likely shot on the same film stock, but in thus trapping Abbie inside the clinic. the end, Love Camp is nothing more than Dietrich and Franco's script gets the an attempt to infuse the popular elements most bang for its lisa buck by discovering of Just Jaeckin's Emmanuelle (1974) into uncharted waters of bad taste. After Rego's the genre. Dietrich should have climbed snuff-film connection asks for something off his wallet for Sylvia Kristel, or given juicier than rape, they decide to film an Romay the lead. Still, it’s worth a visit. orgy of psychotic male inmates assaulting Greta the Mad Butcher, a.k.a. Wanda the and killing mentally and psychically hand- Wicked Warden and Usa the Wicked Warden icapped female prisoners. With transsex- got back to basics and boot-kicked ual shower scenes, human branding and (1977) , the depravity into high gear No actress in racial whippings, it's sick beyond belief genre history has elevated a wardress to and never afraid to go all the way. the cruel carnal campiness that Dyanne The official Usa films showcased the Thorne brought to her iconic lisa charac- villainess’ demise, but these filmmakers ter in She Wolfofthe SS and Harem Keeper were not about to deliver a happy ending. of the Oil Sheiks, and this unofficial entry Abbie is forced to watch her sister suffo- in that series doesn't deviate from the for- cated to death by Greta and then, mula or the character. I’ll admit: I'm a moments before her release, she is lobot- huge fan of this sick and twisted garbage. omized. Reducing the heroine to a drool- The lisa films almost exist in a subgenre ing epileptic vegetable causes the inmates 48 GOREZONE *32 '

' to rebel and cannibalize the busty Greta. Soledad Miranda died in a car accident, I As shots of inmates' teeth sinking into her he became infatuated with Romay, the I1 giant breasts are mixed with real footage wife of a photographer friend, and started | of lions and tigers ripping the flesh casting her regularly off their prey, a smiling Rego films horror and erotic films. the ultimate snuff movie through a CAMP wall. LOVE secret hole in the It's splendid and flawless. FRAUEN IM UEBEStAGER Thorne claims that the multina- tional cast—who spoke in different can’t save tered into a common- languages and were post-dubbed into Women law marriage that tones that manifest visual associations to English—used a different script than lasted until her death. snuff films and emotional responses of rot the one she was performing, and Behind Bars The self-proclaimed and decay. The score is minimal, and the that Franco film ed below her waist from the exhibitionist and un- only location full of music and color is the without her knowledge or consent. lethargic trained actress is given cantina where the murder movies are That might be true, but her accusa- more to work with here sold. Greta stands as the best of Franco's tions that Greta the Mad Butcher ru- pacing, than just lying on her women-in-prison films, with its eternal ined her career are the delusions of wooden back, and actually man- ability to offend the status quo; every a femme fatale trying to wash shit off acting and ages to bring some aficionado of scuzzy cinema should her hands. It's obvious the Usa films depth to a character proudly display this historical exploitation gave her lackluster career an unex- zany use of that could have easily tour de force upon their shelves. Hell, just pected boost from Z-grade softcore the zoom been lost if portrayed by stick the damn disc in your pants where pictures like The Erotic Adventures of one of Dietrich's rotat- Pinocchio (1971) and hardcore porn ing stable. like The Snatch (1974). The subse- Cinematographer quent, audience-insulting lisa, Tigress of Kiittel abandons the bright contrasts of Siberia was more likely the nail in the lisa saturated color seen in Love Camp and coffin; Roger Corman and Ivan Reitman Women in Cell Block 9 for dark, earthy ww.uigisustuut.com. ^ produced that film and totally abandoned the exploitative formula audiences craved.

If the proposed lisa Meets Bruce Lee in the Bermuda Triangle had been produced instead, with the evil gusto of Greta the Mad Butcher, lines would have stretched around city blocks. Other than lying nude atop Romay, Thome's only sex scene in Greta involves her real-life husband Howard Maurer, whom she met on the set of Wham-Bam- Thanh You, Spaceman (1975). Not that it’s a big deal; she is nude often, and rarely does a moment go by without a naked breast or beaver on display. Thome does what is asked of her, portraying Greta as a redheaded clone of lisa, complete with German accent. The real surprise here is Romay's performance; after Franco's favorite actress Behind every Greta woman stands an ineffectual man. GOREZONE #32 49 SPLATTFff WALL OF FAMF #5

ove it or loathe it (though I per- MIA (shades of Lucio Fulci's Zombie) and sonally wouldn't want to know any- holding a deadly secret in its hull. Said one who actively loathes it!), Luigi "shhhh" reveals itself first as a cabin full Cozzi's ludicrous 1980 sci-fi/horror romp of shredded corpses and wall-to-wall Contamination (a.k.a. Alien Contamina- blood and guts, and then the cause is tion, Toxic Spawn, etc.) deserves a place identified. It seems that thousands of pul- in GOREZONE's ever-expanding Splatter sating, glowing green eggs are being Hall of Fame. smuggled over in coffee crates, and when Cozzi (directing under his Yankifed they're exposed to human heat, they burst nom de plume Lewis Coates) was fresh off into acid bombs and cause their victims to the surprise success of his Star Wars riff explode. Zombie's Ian McCulloch stars os Slarcrash when he climbed aboard this an ex-astronaut with ties to the eggs who batshit-wacky Alien nod, a tale so loopy accompanies a no-nonsense female sci- it could only have come from the minds of entist (French-Canadian actress Louise fevered Italians. It begins with a boat Marleau, a.k.a. Louise Monroe) to the drifting into New York Harbor, its crew coffee fields of Colombia in order to wipe

CONTIillUTION

out the evil egg production for gooa Eventually, they meet McCulloch's

ex-partner, who is now controlled by a lightbulb- eyed alien with a vagina for a mouth. True. Chas. Baiun once called Contamination— in the pages of this—very magazine, in fact "fun and gooey," and really, that's all you need to know. Forget about

whether it's a good movie or a bad one; such one-dimensional critical assessments need not apply here. Contamination makes little sense, true,

but the pace is rapid-fire, the weirdness

is endless and the gore is beautiful. When the bodies blow in this baby, they blow...and in slow-mo to bool! Buckling, screaming people abound, their torsos erupting like gut-filled volcanoes in near- pornographically slow scenes that would alarm Sam Peckinpah. Add an absolutely killer Goth-funk Goblin score (portions of which were recycled in our cover-story film Hell of the Living Dead), and you've got yourself a towering, lethal titan of Italian horror.

Welcome to the Hall, Contamination ! —Chris Alexander 50 GOREZONE #32 www.iKeNcusTems.cem