-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review:

Emmie has caused quite an uproar amongst the women in her religious community. Her fellow female church goers have become alarmed by her inherent ability to entice the opposite sex.

Distraught over the constant harrassment she is forced to endure, she is sent away to the UK. Where arrangements are made for her to live and work for a family with a sheep farm.

A chance at a new life, seems promising at first. Until Emmie is forced to confront a disfigured face from her past. All the while losing her ability to choose between modesty and her natural sensuality.

No man is immune to her unnatural charms.

"It's a great pleasure feeling you breathing down my neck."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Conclusion

A very subdued and atmospheric film.
An evocative character study, with the "less is more" quality made famous by Val Lewton.

From a bereaved snarling dog, longing to avenge it's departed master. To the evident downfall of our protagonist and the film's grim conclusion. Make this a worthwhile viewing experience.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission)

Viva La Muerte (1970)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review:

Upon discovering the severity of her husband's radical, political beliefs and realizing what a danger he has become to her family, she turns her husband into the authorities. She also happens to leave her inquisitive son, Fando out of the loop.

Traumatized by the abrupt and unexpected seizure of his father. Fando begins to unravel, as combative thoughts of lust and betrayal towards his mother consume him.

When a package addressed to Fando arrives in the form of an intricate toy airplane that his father had constructed while in prison, the boy decides that he must venture out to discover his father's whereabouts. With or without his mother's aid

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Conclusion

A thought-provoking film, filled with beautiful and grotesque surrealism. A must see movie, created for the Panic Movement (Mouvement panique)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission)

The Howl (1969)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review:

After being released from jail for political protests, Anita forsakes her schedule bound fiance only to embark on an extraordinary adventure with a man she's just met. The comically absurd fellow, whom she later christens "Coso", seems to invite haphazard incidents.

From encounters with a noxious motel employee and his talking rodent companion, who's establishment provides the viewer a glimpse at many sexual exhibitionists at play. To a tree dwelling cannibal family, who's leader has a fondness for 18th century powdered wigs.

And that is just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to describing the many odd characters rampant in this film. The first half is giggle worthy, while the later half of the film takes on a more political tone. Where our duo face a wind-up toy dictator, and lead a sanitarium revolt.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Conclusion :

I enjoy surreal films for the subliminal imagery. And baffling plots riddled with hidden information, just waiting for the the viewer to decipher.

This film is as much of an adventure for the viewer as it is for our eccentric characters.
Highly reccomended!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission.)

Private Parts (1972)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review:

After having a falling out with her promiscuous roommate, Cheryl decides to pack up her belongings and reluctantly makes a break for the big city. Before her departure she happens to double cross her old roomie, by taking some money that she had stolen from her parents to fund their trip.

Luckily, the runaway is not homeless for long when she recalls that her aunt Martha happens to run a modest hotel. What the young girl does not know at first is that the hotel happens to be inhabited by very peculiar house guests. From a sexually deviant priest with an impressive shrine dedicated to his gay lover, to a mysterious photographer, who's dark room resides in the hotel's basement. (Even Aunt Martha has some of her own unique hobbies.)

Cheryl eventually lets her curiosity for the bizarre hotel, get the better of her, and when finally given the opportunity to roam the hotel, unhindered by the presence of her aunt. She snatches the master keys and begins to do a little exploring.

The quirky tenants are nothing compared to the secrets waiting to be unearthed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Conclusion :

The film builds ample tention, and the musical score only suceeds in making the viewers heart race.
This under appreciated film was directed by Paul Bartel of (Eating Raoul and Deathrace 2000 fame) the humor is dark and sleazy and the fetish tinged photographer's apartment are one of the many things worth mentioning about this movie.

It's a personal favorite!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission.)

Rubber's Lover (1996)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review:

A secret organization tests the effects of ether and their newly invented D.D.D device (Digital Direct Drive) on unwilling human participants. A dilemma occurs when the unauthorized testing yeilds little results, and quickly renders any test subject useless, when high doses of ether and torture cause the person to eventually explode.

The human subjects are wraped in plastic, cutting off their ability to take in oxygen, which inturn reduces brain function, allowing for the ideal state for testing the D.D.D device, which is mounted on the subject's head.

Shimika one of the main researchers for D.D.D is being secretly injected with a sedative to increase his body's tolernace for ether, which his corrupt business partner Motomiya injects into his colleage in vast amounts.

The corporation responsible for funding the scientists research, sends an employee (the newly engaged Kiko) to collect final data from Shimika before informing the men that their funding is being terminated, and they are also being evicted from their testing facility.

With little time left for research, Motomiya decides to kick things into high gear.

Now Shimika is about to find out first hand, the painful side effects of his experiments.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Conclusion :

There is a lot of visual interest; Hypnotic imagery, cold robotic perversions, black blood and elaborate mechanical torture devices.
All this unfolds with a droney, haze of industrial music playing in the backround.

Talk about "Mind-blowing" entertainment!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission.)

Bare Behind Bars (1980)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review:

This female dominated establishment, harbors lustful inmates and personnel. A select few are inducted into the sex trade, where they can leave the confines of their prison cells. While others are left to endure intensive cavity searches and molestation from the sex starved staff. The girl's are also taught to renounce their given names, instead they can only answer to their uniform number.

Speaking, of uniforms (or lack thereof), the girl's are pantyless, clad only in a buttoned up dress shirts, with their numbers emblazoned on the back.

Upon incarceration, each girl is put through intrusive cavity searches, by the untrained, yet well intentioned Nurse Barbara. (who's cravings for ether, make her a little bit kooky.) During her free time, Barbara likes to pleasure certain inmates with her plethora of toys.

Many have attempted to escape, the girl's efforts usually end in death and their battered bodies are disposed of in the overcrowded prison cemetery. Although things begin to change when inmate # 341 arrives. #341 and her fellow cell mates begin to strategically target certain staff members. While one girl conspires with Nurse Barbara, #341 distracts the warden with exhaustive, sexual aerobics.

Sylvia the Warden becomes quite enamored with her insatiable partner, and promises to give the girl anything she desires. #341 decides to request a holiday mass, allowing the girls the perfect opportunity to escape.

Prepare yourselves for girl fights, ruler lashings and lesbian trysts in varying degrees of explicitness!

Fun.Fun.Fun

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Conclusion :

This memorable trash venture, has everything a fan of Women In Prison films could ever want.

There's hardcore sex, mostly involving women, but there are a few straight sex scenes. Comedic relief compliments of the wacked out Nurse Barbara (a prolific beauty queen in the 60s, with a slight resemblance to Marilyn Monroe) and if you wait long enough, you will be rewarded with some pretty impressive gore.

High reccomended

(also note: This Blue Underground title is now Out Of Print, so if you see it for a good price, do not hesitate to snatch it up!)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission.)

Orozco The Embalmer (2001)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review:

Nameless, disfigured bodies, hollow faces, glistening entrails. Streets ravaged by violence, and innocent residents that are subjected to the daily horrors.

One's natural reaction would be to dissassociate themselves from the fact that these cadavers are very real, not some monstrosity conjured up in a special effects workshop. Most people do not want to consider the finality of death, and the reality that our bodies can be so easily battered and destroyed.

Orozco works in the most dangerous part of Columbia (El Cartucho), the film is a document to his everyday routine. Some of the corpses Orozco embalms for a mere 50 USD.

Prepare yourselves for quivering offal, soupy caverns of water logged organs, and limbs stiffened by rigor.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Conclusion :

Although the subject matter is quite gruesome, the way that the documentary was filmed still pays respect to the dead. Another impactful aspect of the documentary is the extreme culture shock, seeing the differences between cultures.

Hispanics are so comfortable with the dead, and still see their loved ones passing as a time for celebration. Which is something that I find quite admirable.
In the States we find ourselves so bereaved with grief, and most are still unable to detach themselves from the deceased's earthly shell. Not to say that one way to grieve is better then the other. It's just a fascinating thing to see how different cultures honor their dead.

The German pressing of the film (is limited to 1000 copies), I suggest seeking this bad boy out.
You won't be disapointed!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screen Captures: (All Screen Caps are taken by me, please do not use without my permission.)