Amanda By Night
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SOV Summer: Las Vegas Bloodbath (1989)
Las Vegas Bloodbath was one of my first introductions into the bizarre world of shot on video mayhem. I am from Sin City and this movie was floating around my fair weather town back in the early 90s, thanks to the infamous Mascot Video Store, which was owned by the even more notorious Ray Dennis Steckler. My friend gave me a copy (I would not venture into Mascot until some years later) and, well, it was something to behold. The upshot is that I can promise you there is a literal bloodbath, so truth in advertising pays off!
Ari Levin is Sam Butler, and slightly reminiscent of a stretched out Nic Cage (and just as over the top). After scoring some big business deal, he heads back to Vegas to spend some time with his wife, Ruth (Elizabeth Anderson in a horrifying blonde Tina Turner wig). Only upon his unannounced arrival, he stumbles across wifey and her other lover. It takes Sam about five seconds to realize that justice can only be found at the end of his revolver and he kills the couple. Fully charged on anger and vengeance, he then proceeds to decapitate Ruth and take her head along for his upcoming massacre. Sam kills everyone from bartenders, to daytime whores (my favorite bit) to oil wrestlers to pregnant oil wrestlers! I mean, Ruth really pissed this guy off.
The second half of the film deals mostly with the ad-libbing oil wrestlers who sit around and talk smack and eat donuts. Then they watch about 20 minutes of one of their matches and then order pizza. Then they die. By that point you’ll either be moved to tears from boredom or laughter. It really depends on your tolerance for these kinds of regional efforts. Myself, I was pleasantly surprised by how tolerant of this film I was. I mean, it’s no Woodchipper Massacre. Not even close, but it is enjoyable if you love schlock or if you dislike daytime whores. And who doesn’t?
Las Vegas Bloodbath is still a hard movie to recommend. It will be an endurance test for even the most seasoned gorehounds, but at the same time, man, is this film audacious. The scenes in the second half of the pregnant wrestler and her unborn baby are kind of worth the price of the rental. The first time I saw what he did to her, I remember sitting there in absolute disgust. This time I laughed. I also wondered a bit about this woman who is most absolutely pregnant (and sometimes topless!). She was either a great sport or hard up for drug money. Who knows, all that matters is… wow. Just wow.
And I guess that’s best thing that can be said about Las Vegas Bloodbath. Wow. Just wow.
Shot on Video Month becomes Shot on Video Summer!
Thanks to a mini-computer breakdown, I wasn’t able to continue as I would have liked with my SOV Month. So, because I think it’s just that important, I’m extending SOV Month through the simmering summer! YAY! I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve and should have a new review up in a couple of days.
My name is Amanda By Night and thank you for listening.
Mortuary (1983)
Somehow Mortuary fell through the cracks. Released in 1983, which we all know was right smack in the middle of the heyday of the slasher; this lost classic disappeared and is hardly mentioned anymore.
Mortuary centers on Christie (Mary Beth McDonough from The Waltons), who saw her father murdered but has blocked out the actual event. This has led her to sleepwalking and seeing things which might not be there. All of this craziness occurs much to the frustration of her mother Eve (Lynda Day George) who has been seeking her own form of closure with the local mortician Hank Andrews (Christopher George) who holds fancy séances for some of the local gals. One day Christie’s gorgeous boyfriend Greg (David Wallace from Humongous) stumbles across one of these meetings while helping his friend Josh (Denis Mandel) steal some tires from Hank’s warehouse. Josh doesn’t make it out alive, and Greg tries to get someone to look into his disappearance, but being a thief doesn’t really get you any cred with the police, so you can see how far that goes. Christie’s dangerous sleepwalking habit and Josh’s disappearance are connected to the local crazy who wears black & white face makeup (making him look oddly like the Scream mask) and stabs folks with an embalming tool. Totally creepy.
A lush film, Mortuary gets the most from the Pacific Ocean locale and slasher’s greatest couple, Christopher & Lynda Day George, as well as featuring an early and incredible performance from a young Bill Paxton. There are some genuinely creepy moments to be had, especially involving the death of one blonde bombshell. No matter how many times I see this movie, that scene always elicits goose bumps!
I was surprised to see that the director Howard Avedis started his short lived career with the odd 1972 sexploitation flick The Stepmother (featuring the beautiful Claudia Jennings in a small role) and ended it with the David Naughton thriller Kidnapped in 1986. During that small period of time Avedis made eleven films, writing, directing and producing almost all of them. I don’t know why he dropped out, but he left an interesting resume filled with enjoyable B films. This was Avedis’ first pairing with the late and prolific cinematographer Gary Graver, who was a protégé of Orson Wells and who dabbled in everything from art to porn. Avedis and Graver also collaborated on the awesome They’re Playing with Fire starring Sybil Danning.
McDonough was fresh off of the Waltons, which ended in 1981, and seemed determined to branch out into more adult roles. She’s good here (a definite step up from her wooden performance in the 1981 made for TV horror movie Midnight Offerings) and has that kind of girl next door appeal that any good final girl should possess. It would be almost impossible to not figure out who the killer is, but the guessing game isn’t the important part of Mortuary. It’s good, gooey fun that throws in everything from embalming nude chicks to a scene in a roller skating rink to the infamous and oft-used strategic placement of dead bodies (ala Happy Birthday to Me). It’s got it all, is great fun and deserves a little more praise than it seems to get.
SOV Month: Woodchipper Massacre (1988)
I have to admit mild trepidation when I decided to make Shot on Video Month a reality. I mean, most SOV movies are POS, you know? And I’m watching a lot of films I haven’t seen before. I was taking a big chance and although I’m famous for being a big adventurer John Huston style, I was still afraid of what I’d be putting myself through.
Luckily, I made a great choice when I picked Woodchipper Massacre as a must see SOV selection. Made in 1988 for around $400, Massacre might not have a ton of blood and guts (or rather none at all), but it does have a lot of heart and a wonderful sense of humor to make it much more than simply bearable. Can we say love? Yes, I am in love with this little homemade regional effort and I’m not ashamed to say so.
Massacre is about this single parent family. There are three kids: Jon (Jon McBride who also wrote and directed): the happy go lucky teenage brother, Denise (Denise Edeal): the lovesick tween with a fancy mullet and Tom (Tom Casiello): an adorable redheaded kid with glasses. Their Dad (Perren Page, reminding a bit of a sedated Lloyd Kaufman) has to leave town on a business trip and invites Aunt Tess (Patricia McBride, Jon’s mom who must be an incredibly cool lady) to oversee things. At first she seems like a semi-senile but sweet old lady. However, once Dad splits, the shit hits the fan. Aunt Tess is a bitch! She sets about making the kids’ life hell, even telling Tom he has to give up his Rambo knife which he just got in the mail. Needless to say, it ends in a scuffle and only one is left standing… and it ain’t Aunt Tess! Mildly upset by the killing of their Aunt, these spunky kids devise a way to get rid of her and it involves the nifty woodchipper out back. After they dismember and freeze her, they feed her remains to the woodchipper and then go about their chores and lives as normal. I mean, these kids bounce back fast!
Things are looking up for this Brady-kids-on-crack brood until Cousin Kim (Kim Bailey) shows up, straight outta the pen and desperate to find his mom so she can help him with a money “issue.” Bring out the woodchipper, kids…
Jon McBride was a youngin’ when he wrote, directed and starred in Massacre. That same year he also made something called Cannibal Campout, which is on my To Watch pile, and I for one can’t wait. Massacre is far more engaging than it has any right being, considering the budget and mostly inexperienced cast. Yet, it all works. McBride has a keen talent for comedy and the kids have a great flair for delivery. There’s also a bit of technical prowess to be had and the Casio sounding score is so much fun! Plus Denise’s mullet… well… I just can’t put it into words. Oh yeah, and there’s air guitar!
SMALL SCREEN SLASHERS: Terror at the London Bridge (Bridge Across Time)
In a modern society where serial killers are treated as celebrity, no other murderer has caught the attention of the world as much as Jack the Ripper. His brief, unsolved spree has spawned dozens of theories, just as many books and films even today, over 100 years later, still fascinates a blood thirsty public. Prolific genre scribe William F. Nolan (Logan’s Run) must have shared the same captivation when he spun this time traveling horror tale about the Ripper moving from merry old 1880s England to stifling hot 1980s Arizona. The outcome is a nifty little thriller with a little more bloodshed than you’d expect from a made for television movie.
True story: The infamous London Bridge was sold in the 1970s to an entrepreneur who moved it brick by brick and built a period piece shopping mall (!) next to it! This turned out to have been a great purchase as the Bridge is the 2nd largest tourist attraction in Arizona, after the Grand Canyon.
The bridge has been used in several films, but I am only aware of one film that actually centers on the bridge and its history. Terror at the London Bridge (aka Bridge Across Time) starts with a cloaked madman being chased on the overpass. He is shot and falls into the river… along with one brick from the bridge. Cut to modern day (well, 1985) where the final piece has been sent to Lake Havasu to complete the reconstruction. This brick apparently holds the essence of the maniac who spilled into the river with it. One random accident with a tourist bleeding on the rock occurs, and said crazed killer is released. Big-city-cop-gone-small-town-cop Don Gregory (David Hasselhoff in a great performance) is assigned to find a missing woman, who is quickly found floating in the lake with a slit throat by Angie (Stepfanie Kramer). Being an off-the-cuff kind of cop, Gregory does is best to think outside the box when his boss Chief Dawson (the awesomest Clu Gulager) tries to mark the murder as a one off transient killing. Soon after, an intrepid reporter named Elaine (Lindsay Bloom) goes missing and then hot to trot librarian Lynn (Adrienne Barbeau in huge shoulder padded dresses) also winds up in the river. Meanwhile, two Brits have shown up in town. One acts creepy and wears a dark suit. The other is sweet and kind and has a fabulous ascot. Which one is the Ripper? Well, if you ever taken Red Herring 101, then surely you know.
Terror originally aired on NBC on November 22nd, 1985, making it a fairly late entry into the made for television horror genre. It’s a pretty good addition with swift dialog, fine acting and a little bit of the red stuff to keep its audience interested. The story is a bit wild, but delivered with straight faced aplomb from a cast who seem genuine enough that it makes the fantasy elements a bit easier to swallow. Director E.W. Swackhamer (Night Terror) & cinematographer Gil Hubbs (Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones) paint a fairly epic looking picture, giving it a feel of a theatrical. Nolan, who was an incredible force in the 70s also penned the underrated TVM The Norliss Tapes & the big screen creepfest Burnt Offerings. I interviewed Nolan a few years ago, and I recall how pleased he was with Hasselhoff’s portrayal of Don Gregory. I am inclined to concur, Hasselhoff is very good here and a lot of fun to watch. He’s helped out by a wonderful supporting cast including Kramer, Gulager & Barbeau as well as Randolph Mantooth (how I love that man!), Ken Swofford (who also appeared with Gulager in the awesome Hunter’s Blood), Rose Marie (!) and Lane Smith.
Terror was released on vhs in 1990 and sadly, remains one of only a handful of television horror movies to get a home video release. TV movies always get the short end of the stick and often go unappreciated (or are only held at kitsch value) and that’s a sad state. Sure, there are other TVMs that deserve a release more than this, but as it stands, it remains one of the shining examples of a sub-genre long since passed.
SOV Month: Sledgehammer (1983)
So June might bring summer, picnics and vacations galore, but this year summer also brings shot on video madness! This June I will take a look at a few of the classics in the SOV genre that we all love and/or despise so much.
Don Edmonds 1937 – 2009
I woke up this morning to the very sad news that Mr. Edmonds passed away. Most will remember Edmonds for his unabashedly envelope pushing Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS, which is so… uh… scandalously unique, it’s cult status remains almost untouched.
However, I remember Don most for his slasher films Terror on Tour, which he directed, and Home, Sweet Home, which he appeared in (the picture above is him in Home). In fact, his entire filmography whether he be the producer, director or actor is astonishing. A true blue B movie filmmaker, Don is of the likes we are not likely to see again.
When Don first came upon MySpace, he contacted me (as well as many others) and started a group where you could ask him any questions about filmmaking. I asked him about the difference between filmmaking in the 60s and 70s and now and here’s the answer he gave me:
Hi Amanda
Thanks for the interest.
You’ve asked about making indy flicks now as compared to the 60’s You know, that’s a very interesting question. I really had to think about it before I answered. I think the big difference is that in the 60’s it was a new thing to do. The people that were into the TRUE indie films were pioneers in the form. Film before that was almost all made by the Major studios because they had all the juice with the theatres. you could MAKE an indy film but you couldn’t find distribution for them. You’ve got to remember that in those years they didn’t have the outlets that are available today. There wasn’t even video tapes in the early 60’s. The technology was there but it was only in its infancy in those days. TV was pretty much out because except for some local stations the only outlets were CBS, NBC, and ABC. The smaller stations did have some low budget programs but they weren’t indy films. So it wasn’t till Roger Corman started making films like the Hot Rod Rumble type flicks and the old AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL studios started grinding out the early motorcycle films that went out and started waking audiences up did us indy guys find even a foothold in the market. We make mostly tit and ass stuff. Softcore sex pics that we could at least play what used to be know as the PUSSYCAT THEATRES did we even have a chance to get seen. Dennis Hopper blew the doors off the indy biz with EASY RIDER and after that films like SWEET SWEETBACK’S BADDASS SONG started to get noticed and some indy money saw that if the films were made well they could get some play as the 2nd bill pictures. That was in the day of the Double bill. You’d have a “BIG” film from the studio’s and then they’d play a low ball flick as the second film on the bill. The driveins started booking our films and from then on we just chased the latest styles and rougher subjects. We could write, produce, and post produce a film in a matter of weeks, while it took a year for the major studios to get a film out in the market. So it WAS different because of the times. You’ve got to remember that the world was very much “THE BRADY BUNCH” and “FATHER KNOWS BEST” in its thinking. But is was a TERRIFFIC time for me. We were breaking new ground. Making film that wasn’t by committee. I could get an idea. Write it up, Get my very tiny crew together and just go out in the street and start making film.
The big boys told us we couldn’t do it and all we had to say back was “Fuck em”! We’d shoot because we’d work for almost nothing and all we had was some beat up equipment an idea, and HUGE BALLS!!:):)
So to answer you’re initial question. We were breaking new ground and we loved EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!!! Today, with the availability of Hi Definition cameras and film schools all over the place. A million outlets for the material its easier. The young filmmakers of today are GREAT and I absolutely LOVE working with them. I hope this letter gives you at least SOME insight into the 60’s as opposed to today. We can talk more about it later if you’d like. Gotta stop for now but please stay in touch.
Best
Don Edmonds
Then he came back and added this:
Hi Amanda
Nice to hear from you again. And you’re right. Most films today are relying way to much on effects and bland plots that are so watered down that the attempt to reach the widest possible audience makes them not worth the time. I’ve always loved the one on one type of filmmaking that only comes from indy pictures. We seem to be the only ones that will do the films we feel deeply about and not just what will make the most money. I’ve never knocked the big money guys. They do what they do and thats cool. Its just that I like the down and dirty type of filmmaking better.
Stay in touch ok?
Best
Don Edmonds
Needless to say, I will treasure this brief exchange forever. He was a sweet man who adored his fans and relished his cult status. Don was a true original who will be missed.
RIP Don.