Book Review - Giallo Meltdown 2

Much like the first Giallo Meltdown book, Giallo Meltdown 2 is a breezy, funny trip through a lengthy viewing binge of European giallo films. With these books author Richard Glenn Schmidt is not trying to write a carefully researched examination of these movies. His goal is to present an almost stream of consciousness series of reactions to the films as they play out over several weeks. Structured like a peek at diary entries complete with ruminations on accompanying meals and unexpected delays in the forward motion of the project these books are a giggle inducing joy. It’s as if the reader is sitting on the couch next to Richard as he marathons through a pile of unwatched movies in his collection. This is as close as you’re likely to get to sharing the couch with an enthusiastic fan of the genre who enjoys nearly every entry, even if some of them are confusing or overly bizarre.

There are several reasons to check this new book out. First, both Giallo Meltdown books serve as an informative listing of possible future viewing with Richard giving you an enticing thumbnail sketch of each movie. If you want to concentrate on the most erotic efforts the genre has to offer you can make a search list as you read along. If you enjoy stories in which the solution somehow negates the entire reason for the mystery, you can jot them down. The same can be done for the less common tropes of the genre such as flashbacks that explain things in a confusing way or poorly filmed uses of vehicular homicide or pointless animal deaths. And I am pleased to report that there are nearly no spoilers offered in the book’s arch descriptions of the murder plots. The accounts of each film’s story touch on just enough details to entice the curious and amuse me.

Another reason I enjoyed this new collection of genre observations is that Richard actually spends some time breaking out a listing of Spanish gialli, a personal point of pleasure. There are many examples beyond the classic Paul Naschy effort BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL (1974) so this book does a deep dive into several of the most obscure and even manages to create my current favorite chapter title in a movie related book – The Blood in Spain Falls Mainly From the Vein. Brilliant! Digging into the genre efforts from Spain points readers to both (very) obscure Naschy films and the long list of entertaining Hispanic related murder mysteries that lurk in mostly unexplored corners. I’ve been pushing for the genre cinema of Spain to get more attention for about a decade and I welcome any help.

And the book gets bonus points for its hysterical description of one of my favorite over-the-top  American giallo entries, Richard Rush’s COLOR OF NIGHT (1994). I’m a huge fan of Rush’s other films (check out THE STUNT MAN someday) but this thriller is one of the most unintentionally funny movies I have ever encountered and it was a joy to read the details of someone else’s first full viewing. I wish I had made notes back when I originally caught this years ago but I doubt my rattled thoughts would have been as amusing. I can almost recommend the entire book just for this section. My only qualification is that, unlike the author, I will certainly again watch this overstuffed psycho erotic sexual ball pit one day. Watching a talented filmmaker go this far off the rails is almost required repeat viewing.

As you can tell, I think this sequel Giallo Meltdown book is worth your time. It’s a light, fun read that serves well to point even long-time genre loving fans to new viewing possibilities. A lot of the rarer titles will be difficult to access but the descriptions here will only fuel your curiosity and desire to seek them out. 

The book can be purchased through Amazon in either paperback or ebook HERE. 

 

Trailers From Hell - DEEP RED (1975)

Here is director Guillermo Del Toro explaining his love for my favorite Dario Argento film! If you've never seen it I suggest seeking out the 126 minute cut instead of the various shorter versions. 

Wild, Wild Podcast Season 4: Episode 1 - THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN (1975)

We're back with a new season and new Euro-Cult topic! This time we celebrate the work of science fiction enthusiast, film director and shopkeeper Luigi Cozzi. In this episode we focus on his first commercial film THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN (L'assassino è costretto ad uccidere ancora) and ask, just who is The Spider? Are those cheekbones real? Is George Hilton the coolest guy on the planet? What kind of lunatic leaves his keys in the ignition of his Mercedes? Join us as we steal a car and head for the coast, only unlike our hapless protagonists, we have murder on our minds.

We would love to hear from you if you have any favorite Luigi Cozzi films. You can contact us on Twitter and Instagram or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com. Please remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

Wild, Wild Podcast Season 3: Episode 4 - WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS? (1974)

One of the most entertaining and nauseating films we've covered so far, What Have they Done to your Daughters? is a classic of the genre and one that every Poliziotteschi/ Giallo fan needs to check out. Join Rod and Adrian for their first anniversary episode as they delve in to the sleazy, blood-splattered world of meat cleaver-wielding bikers, peeping toms and teenage prostitutes. Yes, it's an episode the whole family can enjoy!

Adrian also wisely offers a form of apology for his dissing of Stelvio Cipriani in the last episode. He knows good music when he hears it!

We would love to hear from you if you have any favorite Poliziotteschi films. You can contact us on Twitter, Instagram, or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com. Please remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

The Bloody Pit #149 - MURDER ROCK (1984)

Lucio Fulci’s MURDER ROCK (1984) is not considered the director’s finest work but in this episode Troy Guinn, Jeff Nelson and I mount a defense of the film.

 

We take a look at several aspects of the film that are rarely discussed including the excellent cinematography and the script’s clever red herrings. It’s standard for a murder mystery to throw suspicion on most of the cast but several of the suspects in this case are real nasty pieces of work! How often do you have one character falsely confess to the killing and another try to use the murder method to cover their own desire to be rid of a rival? It certainly keeps things lively even if it makes for a difficult knot to untangle.

 We discuss the cast while marveling at the number of actors/dancers that don’t get screen credit. The central dream sequence comes under scrutiny as part of the mid-80’s intrusion of music video style into cinema. We mull over the nearly bloodless nature of the murders as a possible concession to the angry response Fulci received for his previous New York set thriller. We also give our opinions on the often-derided score from the legendary Keith Emerson who seems destined to be insulted for his contributions to this film for eternity. In all, it is a fun ramble through an often-overlooked giallo.

 

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to write or drop a recording of your thoughts. We love hearing from you so jump in! Thank you for listening. 

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What I Watched in November 2021

Edgar Wright is turning out to be another filmmaker who I wish was able to make more films than he is getting across the finish line. Much like Guillermo Del Toro it seems that for every one new movie we get from him there are three that might never see the inside of a theater. He has been making feature films for over seventeen years and only managed to direct six finished movies and one feature documentary. I try not to be sad about this and just be happy about the fantastic work we get from directors like this, but it is a struggle. Which brings me to Wright’s latest movie.

 

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO (2021) is being referred to by many as the writer/director’s ‘giallo’ but that is an oversimplification of what he is doing. Yes, there are certainly elements of the classic giallo films of the 1970’s built into this film’s story and structure but that is not the main aim. As much as he pulls from Dario Argento’s work (BIRD WITH CRYSTAL PLUMMAGE, DEEP RED. etc.) it is all in service to another goal which seems to be making a terrifying horror movie. In fact, what Mr. Wright has made is one of the best ghost stories of the past couple decades and its real trick is to push us, as the viewers, into feeling sympathy for both the victims and the murderer. Not an easy thing to accomplish and damned near impossible unless you hide specifics of past events until the right moment. But, damn! Those final act reveals do the trick effectively.

 

None of these clever story elements would work if not for the excellent performances from the strong cast. I expect brilliant work from veterans like Terrance Stamp, Diana Rigg and Rita Tushingham but they are matched by the young actors here who have very difficult lines to walk as the mystery plot plays out. For Dame Diana this is sadly her final screen performance but she seems to have known full-well that it was a plum role to cap her impressive career. As always, she is stunning in her ability to convey blunt character information and wonderfully skilled in shading her physicality and voice to communicate more than you might spot on first viewing. And I have to admit that Matt Smith is turning out to be an excellent character actor, effectively shaking off the aftereffects of playing Doctor Who years ago. He is quite good as the slimy 1960’s scumbag that sets the horrible events in motion that cascade down through the decades. 

The List 

RON’S GONE WRONG (2021) – 5 (mediocre animated kid’s movie) 

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO (2021) – 8 (fun twisty thriller) 

THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR (1933) – 6 (weird melodrama about infidelity) 

DUNE (2021) – 9 

ETERNALS (2021) – 8 

THE WHISTLER (1944) – 6 (rewatch) (the radio show makes the jump to the big screen)

DYNASTY (1977) – 6 (martial arts action in 3D!) 

IN SOCIETY (1944) – 7 (very funny Abbot & Costello farce) 

FEAR NO EVIL (1980) – 3 (rewatch on Blu) (still an unfocused mess) 

THE SEXBURY TALES (1973) – 6 (silly anthology sex comedy) 

RAIDERS OF ATLANTIS (1983) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) (not good but entertaining) 

INFRA-MAN (1975) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE POWER OF THE WHISTLER (1945) – 6 (second Whistler film is an odd one) 

TORCHY BLANE…PLAYING WITH DYNAMITE (1939) – 6 (last of the series is solid even without the regular leads) 

INVISIBLE MENACE (1938) – 6 (rewatch) (quick murder mystery with Karloff) 

A SCREAM IN THE STREETS (1973) 4 (clunky, low budget soft-core cops vs rapist tale) 

BLOSSOMS IN THE DUST (1941) – 6 (rewatch) (tear-jerker about orphans and legitimacy) 

HAUNTING FEAR (1990) – 5 (bland horror effort)

What I Watched in September 2021

Rarely does a horror film shock me in the ways that MALIGNANT (2021). Here is a film that is determined to take its completely insane premise seriously while simultaneously allowing the clued-in film nerds to know what past insane movies the story is drawing from. While I thought I had twigged to the final twist about twenty-five minutes in I had only guessed half of the madness this thing has in store. That was the shocking part – fooling me! The filmmakers were smart enough to know that a general audience wouldn’t grasp the clues as quickly, but that horror fans would see the tell-tales and jump to part of the solution but still have the surprise of the film’s third act full monty. *chef’s kiss*

 

And, to top the trick of ‘hiding the ball from the very smart dog’, the film’s Cronenberg inspired freak-out is followed by a violent action scene straight out of a damned JOHN WICK rip-off with the added element of a creature involved that might have trouble fitting into even that bizarre universe. Whoever proposed a body-horror gun battle sequence needs an upgrade in pay immediately!  In the final analysis it's farfetched and ridiculous, yet fully dedicated to creating its own rules, sticking to them and daring you to refuse to go for the ride. I can hardly wait to see it again but I want to wait until I have forgotten some of the details. Even the little shocks in this one are nice. 

The List

WRATH OF MAN (2021) – 8 (somber Guy Ritchie crime tale) 

KILLER FORCE (1976) – 6 (a.k.a. THE DIAMOND MERCENARIES) (interesting cast) 

THE WITCHMAKER (1969) – 7 (supernatural investigators conduct research in swamp cabin)

THE HEIRLOOM (2005) – 5 (Taiwanese ghost tale isn’t bad but should be shorter) 

DAMIEN: THE OMEN II (1978) – 8 (rewatch)

TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING (1977) – 8 (Aldrich political thriller) 

THE DEMONS OF LUDLOW (1983) – 5 (low budget regional horror) 

ABDUCTION (2019) – 6 (sci-fi action with Scott Adkins) 

DEATH BY INVITATION (1971) – 4 (revenge from beyond the grave on a low budget) 

MALIGNANT (2021) – 8 (bonkers horror film) 

THE BEAST IN SPACE (1980) – 4 (Italian space dud) 

FEAR STREET: PART 1 – 1994 (2021) – 7 (a bit spastic but fun) 

THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM (1967) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

A COMPANY MAN (2012) – 7 (interesting Korean hit man tale) 

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (2021) – 8 

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1983) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

ESCAPE FROM GALAXY 3 (1981) – 4 

DEVIL’S EXPRESS (1976) – 4 (amateur martial arts insanity)

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1962) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1958) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE HOUSE OF TERROR (1964) – 4 (Mexican horror/comedy w/Lon Chaney) (rewatch with better subtitles) 

NIGHT OF DEATH (1980) – 7 (French horror) 

FEAR STREET: PART 2 – 1978 (2021) – 8 (excellent middle chapter of this interesting experiment) 

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (1974) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE HAUNTING (2009) – 7 (Spanish ghost story) 

FEAR STREET: PART 3 – 1666 (2021) – 8 (strong wrap-up) 

THE GIANT CLAW (1957) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)  

THE CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN (1955) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY (1959) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE WIFE KILLER (1976)

This Greek thriller is very much in the vein of the giallo in some ways while veering from those films in significant ways. There is no black-gloved mystery murderer in THE WIFE KILLER (1976) so that trope is absent. Outside of one early sequence on a yacht the movie doesn’t seem very interested in showing off stylish clothing or homes in near fetishistic fashion either. The missing ‘lifestyles of the rich’ element seems a choice born of budgetary restrictions but the film plays into that absence well by ramping up the sleaze. In fact, the nastier sections of the film’s story are pretty rough as evidenced by the alternate title THE RAPE KILLER. That isn’t as accurate a descriptor as the one Mondo Macabro has chosen to release this under but it can serve as a warning (or enticement) to potential viewers.

I quite enjoyed this filthy little crime tale. It moves at a pretty good pace most of the time and plays its cards close to the vest on several occasions allowing some of the surprises to keep curiosity high. The violence is fairly bloody with the slapping and sexual assaulting of women making for some tough viewing. The plot has some well-done twists with its central idea seemingly pulled from STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951). It looks to be a smart, devious plan to get a lot of money without the problem of living with the person who actually owns it. But such secret plans have many trust points that criminals rarely seem willing to honestly negotiate so trouble is inevitable. THE WIFE KILLER is an entertaining 90 minutes and the film’s satisfying finale pushes this into the category of a solid, recommendable effort. Glad I finally pulled this disc off the shelf!

 

 

The Bloody Pit #128 - SEVEN DEATHS IN A CAT'S EYE (1973)

Adrian Smith comes back to the show to discuss this giallo dressed up in gothic clothing.

Longtime listeners to The Bloody Pit will notice that this is the second time I’ve talked about SEVEN DEATHS IN A CAT’S EYE (1973) on the podcast. Normally we wouldn’t repeat a film but Adrian really wanted the chance to pick apart this colorful Antonio Margheriti film and compare it to his earlier black & white gothic movies. Plus it’s coming out on Blu-Ray in the states soon so now might be the time for it to reach a larger audience. We talk about the cast, the use of colored lighting and the oddities of giallo plotting that can often lead a bizarre chase to the same places. Adrian is amused by the not very Scottish location shooting and the distinct absence of Scottish accents among most of the cast of characters. He also gets a bit confused by the MacGrieff family legend that insinuates that murdered people might pop back up as vampires. We advance a few theories about why the titular cat might have been chosen for its color and Adrian points to some very non-period music that plays during a fireside romantic scene. Oh! And we do spoil the killer’s identity simply because we wanted to talk about the ways in which this story slots very comfortably into the genre. We close out the show with some information about Adrian’s two podcasting ventures including one of which I will be a part. Busy, busy!

If you have any comments or suggestions the email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com and we’d love to hear from you. Thank you for listening to the show and we’ll be back soon. 

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Naschycast #67 - TODOS LOS GRITOS DEL SILENCIO (1975)

The busiest years of Paul Naschy’s career were the early 1970’s. Moving from one project to the next at incredible speed he often finished one film while still writing the final draft of another and negotiating a deal for a third. During this period, he produced some of his best work including a large percentage of the movies that still define his image as a Spanish horror icon. But a few of his films from the 1970’s were thrillers that, for various reasons, were rarely distributed outside of Spain or even dubbed into English. This has made it very difficult to see these movies and for non-Spanish speakers to comprehend them in the rare instances of locating a copy to watch. Thank the stars for the fun-subbing community out there on the internet!

Troy and I finally get a chance to see TODOS LOS GRITOS DEL SILENCIO (1975) and we are so happy that not even the crappy VHS sourced print can dull our enthusiasm. Yes, there are a few scenes that are a little too dark to be sure of what we’re supposed to be seeing but the fact that solid subtitles are onscreen means that we can follow the story anyway. And that turns out to be very important with this film because it is a twisty murder mystery that falls easily within the giallo genre even if it doesn’t have a few of the usual elements you might expect. ALL THE SCREAMS OF SILENCE has very little blood since the killer’s preferred method of dealing death is a silenced gun (hence the title) and the amount of flesh on display is low which might factor into this thriller being so underseen for the past forty plus years. No gore or nudity? What were they thinking? But the film does have a great performance from Naschy as a journalist chasing the bullet-slinging murderer while at the same time trying to locate his missing girlfriend. Are the two mysteries connected? With a script by Jacinto Molina you can bet some surprises are coming in the third act.

 

We begin the episode with some news about the upcoming Blu-Ray release of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD and hint at a few more commentary tracks from the Naschycast down the road. Also, we mention a new podcast project coming soon from our buddy Adrian Smith that will be of interest to fans of European Cult cinema. And we end the show with several letters from listeners that put some fresh ideas in our head for possible YouTube projects too. If you have any comments on the podcast naschycast@gmail.com is the address and we’d love to hear from you. Thanks for listening to the show! 

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Brief Thoughts - MURDER ROCK (1984)

MURDER ROCK (1984) is a late period Lucio Fulci giallo with the amped up violence expected from that period of his career. Someone is killing off the best dancers in a class from which the top students will be offered prestigious jobs. A wily police detective suspects someone in the school but can’t pin the murders on anyone - not even the people with the most to gain.

This one has always had a bad reputation because of the terrible 80’s music that permeates the story. It’s true that the Flashdance style tunes are abysmal and unintentionally funny but they don’t make the film any less solid as a good thriller. The murders are fascinating and the amount of nudity on display is amazing for the times. The expert director handles the plot like a throwback to the 70’s heyday of the great Gialli bringing style and inventiveness to nearly every scene. Sure to please slasher fans, the killer is creative and very lucky with an identity always hovering just out of sight until the end. Well done if not brilliant and a welcome return to form for Fulci at a time he was being regularly attacked as past his sell-by date. The man could still really make exciting cinema.

The Bloody Pit #109 - NOTHING UNDERNEATH (1985)

I’m very excited to welcome author and podcaster Amanda Reyes to the show for the first time! She edited and co-wrote the excellent overview book ‘Are You In the House Alone: A TV Movie Compendium’ and hosts the TV Mayhem Podcast where she hosts discussions of every type of television film imaginable. I’ve been a fan of her work for years and her focus on TV movies putting her near the top of any list of current experts in the field. But her knowledge of cinema ranges much wider than just the small screen. With her love of the thriller and horror genres pushing her into often strange territories she can find fascinating parallels that other viewers would miss. On more than one occasion I’ve been stunned by her deep understanding of obscure horror movies often forcing me to reevaluate my opinion. Plus, her podcasting tendency to go off on great tangents has made for some amazing discoveries of hidden treasures lurking on actor’s resumes!

I asked Amanda what subject she would like to tackle and she brought up the little-known Italian high fashion world thriller NOTHING UNDERNEATH (1985). I had only caught up with the film about a year ago and really enjoyed it so it seemed like a perfect small topic to dig into. Little did I know that Miss Reyes and I would have so much to say about it! We talk about the film for well over two hours and even discuss the bat-crap crazy ending. Be aware, we give you plenty of warning if you want to avoid spoilers but we just had to talk about the final scenes. Not that the mystery element is the only thing here to enjoy about the movie. We delve into the cast and their careers with some surprising details about certain projects. We debate the effectiveness of fake accents; the treatment of the story’s sleazier aspects; the 1980’s fashion; the plot’s red herrings; the film’s rural versus urban visual motif and the telepathic sibling element that drives the entire affair. We had a great time with this film and I hope you have half as much fun listening in.

If you have any comments or suggestions the show can be reached at thebloodypit@gmail.com or over on the podcast’s FB page. Let us know what you think and feel free to guess about what Amanda and I will be discussing the next time we record!

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Beyond Naschy #29 - THE CORRUPTION OF CHRIS MILLER (1973)

The Naschycast returns for October! Barely. And we work diligently to NOT spoil this film for newcomers!

THE CORRUPTION OF CHRIS MILLER (1973) is one of the most overlooked and least talked about of the Spanish horror films of the 1970’s. In a way this is good because its rarity leaves its many secrets and revelations unknown to modern viewers. There’s a good debate to be had about how the film should be labeled. Is it a thriller or a horror film? Often the line between those two symbiotic genres can be teased apart but I think this film straddles the fence right up until the mid-point farmhouse set-piece. That is a sequence that is sure to impress even the most jaded of horror fans! Mark this film down as another precursor of the slasher genre.  

We start off this show with some news and a sad goodbye to a good friend and contributor to the podcast. As stated, Troy and I do our best to not spoil the many third act disclosures that twist this amazingly well written thriller into new and wholly unexpected shapes. We talk a little about the three actors at the center of this pressure cooker drama with some attention to the earlier careers of the two female leads. Jean Seberg is a screen legend with a dozen films on her resume that would be the highlight of any actor’s life. The lovely Marisol is great here but it’s fascinating to learn of her very successful music career as a young woman. And we speculate that Barry Stokes may have been asked by a British director to essentially play exactly the same role he does here in a later film. I’d love to find out how much this movie influenced that 1977 picture. We marvel over the fine direction and cinematography, the sharp dialog and nuanced characters as we strain to keep from discussing the end of the story. It is not easy!

If you have any thoughts about THE CORRUPTION OF CHRIS MILLER or anything else we discuss in this episode please drop us a line at naschycast@gmail.com and we’ll include them in the next episode. Thank you for listening and we’ll talk to you again soon.

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Brief Thoughts - MURDER ROCK (1984)

MURDER ROCK (1984) - Later period Lucio Fulci giallo. Someone is killing off the best dancers in a class from which the top students will be offered prestigious jobs. A wily police detective suspects someone in the school but can’t pin the murders on anyone- not even the people with the most to gain. This one has always had a bad reputation because of the terrible 80s music that is slathered all over the soundtrack. It’s true the Flashdance style tunes are abysmal and unintentionally funny but they don’t make the film any less solid as a good thriller ride. The murders are fascinating and the amount of nudity on display is plentiful putting this firmly in the sexploitation genre. Handled like a throwback to the 70s heyday of the great Gialli the killer is inventive (and lucky) with an identity always hovering just out of sight until the end. Well done if not brilliant and a welcome return to form for Fulci at a time he was being regularly attacked for having lost his mojo. The man could really make exciting cinema.

The Bloody Pit #86 - OPERA (1987)

We've wanted to discuss the films of Dario Argento for a long time but have been stumped about the correct starting point. In a career spanning more than fifty years and over twenty films where do we jump in? Luckily, our occasional podcast guest Jason Spear helped us cut through the noise to focus on the director's amazing OPERA (1987). This was prompted by the recent Scorpion release of the film in an incredible three disc Blu-Ray set that provides probably the best way to see the movie since it's theatrical run. Packed with extras that allow fans to deep dive into details of the production it serves to fuel our rather rambling look at this stunning thriller.

To dig into what we love about this movie we do away with the idea of a linear discussion of the plot and just hop around talking about random scenes and sequences. We assume that the podcast audience is familiar with the film and plunge forward pulling apart our favorite elements and puzzling over the odd things that make this giallo such a strange and wonderful experience. That means there are certainly spoilers, so be aware! We discuss the madness induced by repressed sexual desires as well as the perceived age problem between the killer and the focus of his obsession. We spend a good deal of time on the fascinating possibility that Argento rotates his narrative inside the head of his main character much sooner than usually imagined. We debate the sanity of the central figure of the film for probably too long and then devolve into relating our individual favorite three Argento efforts. As you can tell, we swing all over the place in this one!

If you have any comments or just want to give us your own list of favorite Argento movies the show's email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com where we will be glad to hear what you have to say. I cap the episode with an old Hoodoo Guru's song but stick around afterwards for some bonus complaining from me about Argento's Dracula film. Ugh! And, as always, thank you for listening to the show.

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The Bloody Pit #82 - Cult Blu-Ray Releases

This episode sees the return of cult movie expert and long time film writer Robert Monell. He and I discuss four of the newest Blu-Ray releases from Severin Films with a few mostly related side roads along the way. We're both stunned by the continuing announcements from several small labels that focus on giving obscure genre movies the chance to shine in high definition. These are films that would probably never be part of the Criterion Collection but are still very well worth being seen in the best possible presentations. And now, because of the love of discerning fans running niche labels, we can have incredible multidisc releases of rare giallo films, strange horror epics shot in the Philippines, little seen Jack the Ripper cinema and even a tiny budgeted 1970's attempt at making a human sacrificing druid cult into a terrifying horror threat. It truly is a great time to be alive!

Please join Mr. Monell and I for this brief show about some highlighted new Blu-Rays worth the attention of cult film fanatics. We talk about the virtues (and vices) of these entertaining movies and also the copious extras lavished upon these often unseen pieces of genre history. The films we cover in the most detail are ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, the 1959 film JACK THE RIPPER and the insane INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS. We also excitedly chat about the awesome extras-packed set called All The Colors Of Giallo because it is such a fantastic primer on that fine genre and, surprisingly, the German Krimi films as well. These releases are worth their weight in gold!

If you have any questions or comments the show can be reached at thebloodpit@gmail.com or on the podcast's FaceBook page. Thanks for downloading and listening!

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The Bloody Pit #65 - NAKED...YOU DIE! (1968)

What do you get when you combine Mario Bava, Tudor Gates, the Woolner Brothers and Antonio Margheriti? You get NAKED...YOU DIE! This is a project that started out as a Woolner production to be directed by Bava but ended up eventually being made by Margheriti. According to Tim Lucas the Gates script remained intact but he faults the film for not being as well crafted a film as Bava would have directed. He may have a point but the joys of this film shine through regardless of any possible 'what ifs'.

John Hudson joins me again to dig into this Margheriti thriller - or is it a giallo? There certainly are black gloves and a number of beautiful young ladies meet an early death. There is a semi-effective police investigation and an ersatz Nancy Drew sneaking around trying to solve the murders taking place on the gorgeous, sun dappled campus of an all girl's college. There are half a dozen possible killers with a multitude of potential motives. There are secretive sexual liaisons, hidden homosexual relationships, leering criminal habits, odd exercise regimens and even some strange vanities that point toward likely guilt. So, the film has a number of the classic elements that would make this a giallo, I guess. But which of these clues are more than simply suspicious and which ones will lead to the serial murderer in the school? If you've ever watched an Italian mystery you know that just following the breadcrumbs might not get you anywhere but this one plays fair. Mostly.

Mr. Hudson and I lounge poolside with the young girls of St. Hilda's College, skulk around the Bughouse with Professor Andre, shake our fingers at the local Peeping Tom  and fall in love with the wonderful character of Jill as she uses her new walkie-talkies to put herself in danger - or try to solve the crimes. Michael Rennie may be the cop in charge but it's Jill that eavesdrops her way into our hearts! We do take a couple of short unrelated side roads during this episode and I do apologize for the derision I heap on Marky Mark. I promise not to do that again! If you have any comments about the show or suggestions for future Margheriti films to cover we can be reached at thebloodypit@gmail.com or on the Facebook page. Thank you very much for listening to the show! And don't stand so close to me.

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Poster Art for NAKED...YOU DIE! (1968)

Including a few of the film's alternate titles!