Today's Throwback Thursday's Horror: Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (1974) Full Movie

Add Dr. Frankenstein, an evil dwarf named Dunn, and plethora of naked hotties and one can only get cinematic exploitation gold!!!

 Only out of Italy can we find such a demented little gem that is "Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks" (aka: TERROR! Castello delle DonneMaledette). Made in  1974 during the heyday of the exploitation/sexploitation films, "Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks" is a mess of movie that is well worth the time. With an awe inspiring plot that is loosely based on the Mary Shelley classic that we all know and love. But like some many of the iconic monsters that have plagued our imaginations for centuries, B-Movie makers have redefined much of it. Exploring things that sometimes border on porn. Although, sex isn't so much the case with "Frankenstein's Castle Freaks" as the most of the nudity the movie holds are in the form of quick T&A flashing shots.

As you expect with this caliber of exploitation film the acting is shoddy as the camera work and the dubbing is sub-par. But if you are going into this expecting Hollywood blockbuster material then you are in the wrong place. However, with what we have been getting out of Hollywood when it comes to horror, you can't do much worse. No bad CGI or sparkling idiots here. And Kristen Stewert still couldn't fit in with her awesome (I use the word "awesome" as about as loosely as I can) chops for that equally awesome (again the word is used as loosely as before) vampire flick she stared in.

So sit back. Pour yourself a drink, or better yet, just load up the bong. And enjoy.

The full movie is here for you. Until next time...

Stuart Gordon's Castle Freak - You're Throwback Thursday Horror Film

Master of Horror, Stuart Gordon loves his HP Lovecraft and that's what we surely get with "Castle Freaks"!

Based on the short story "The Outsider" this horror fest went straight to DVD back in '95.

John Reilly inherits a 12th Century castle that once belonged to a famed Duchess. John does what anyone would that just inherited a castle: Let's go spend some time there as we try to sell it ! So, as the song says: He scooped the family and moved to Beverly. Except this Beverly was Italy. However, John and family have no idea that there is a horrible monster (of course there is) being kept under lock and key in the basement. Not only is it a horrible beast but it is the Duchess' own son who she imprisoned there as revenge against her husband who left her.

Soon, the disfigured beast has escaped by means of breaking off his own thumb to get out of the manacles which bind him. The only reference to the H.P. Lovecraft story occurs when the monster beholds his hideous reflection in a mirror. He has emerged hungry for blood, leading to a series of unexplained deaths and disappearances including that of a prostitute John has picked up and brought to the castle after being rejected by his wife. The prostitute is sexually mutilated and killed by the monster

As John becomes the prime focus for the murder by the cops he must figure out what it is that is stalking the interior of his castle before it takes out it's aggression next upon his family. As John investigates he learns what other terrible secrets that not only lie inside the castle but in himself as well. Ending in a climatic roof-top battle. 




Until Next Time...

31 Days 31 Picks: Dario Argento's DEMONS (1985)

You can't have a Halloween movie list without adding one of the Italian masters of the genre of horror in the name of Dario Argento. Argento is by far one of the greats.

This installment of "31 Picks 31 Days" is the 1985 film "Demons".

Demons follows a group of people that are trapped in a large movie theater in West Berlin which, unfortunately, is infected by ravenous demons who proceed to kill and then posses the humans one-by-one, thereby multiplying their numbers.

As the group of uninfected race to any exit they can find --only to find that they have all been bricked up-- they attempt to barricade themselves in the balcony. One of the demons, however, escapes into the city when a group of punk rockers break's into the building. Allowing the demonic infection has spread throughout the city of Berlin. 

Shades of the Spanish films "REC" anyone?

Until Next Time...  

"Torso" (1973) My Fourteenth Must See Pick for the Halloween Season

Nothing says awesome like 70s Psycho-Sexual-Thillers and “Torso” is tops on that list.

Jane (Suzy Kendal) is an American exchange student studying in Perugia, Italy, although she is studying more than just class text books… leave it to the Italians to interject a ton of sex into their horror films -much to my appreciation. But as Jane discovers to carnal knowledge of Italy a pent-up Psycho Killer is on the loose. Strangling girls where ever he goes. The only clue he leaves behind is a red and black scarf.

As the killer stalks to campus Jane and her friends decide that it might be high time to get away head up to her friend, Danielle’s Uncle’s cabin (because we can’t have a horror movie without one… lol), but unfortunately for the group of horny coeds the Psycho-Sexual-Killer tags along for the ride and “women begin suffering in rapid attrition problem.”

If you like a ton sex to along with your gore then “Torso” is for you!

Until next time…

"A Cat in the Brain" My Eleventh Must See Pick for the Halloween Season

What is a Halloween season without an appearance of controversial Italian Gore Director (and who is considered the “Godfather” of the genre) Lucio Fulci? A sucky one, that is what! And today’s installment of my must sees is one Fulci’s most original works and probably one of his most insane and regrettably one of his last: “Nightmare Concert” aka “A Cat in the Brain”.

“A Cat in the Brain” is a “Meta-Style-Film” where Fulci plays himself as the main character of Dr. Lucio Fulci, a horror/splatter film director, who is not only tortured but driven by his violent visions. Fulci, feeling ever more like he might be losing his grip on reality with ever-increasing fantasies of murder and mayhem decides that it might be high time to see a psychotherapist. But unfortunately for Fulci, his new psychotherapist, Professor Egon Swharz, has something more sinister than treating Fucli’s bloody visions. More of something along the lines of stalking the famed director and using Fulci’s gory nightmares-esque movie death scenes for his own personal use. And in the end to try to pin his own wheel-of-mayhem upon the famed director.

A truly insane nightmare of sadism, carnage, and brutal lust that only can be delivered by the Godfather of Splatter himself!

Until next time…

It Truly Is A Profane World, Ruggero Deodato (“Cannibal Holocaust”) Returns to Horror in “THE PROFANE EXHIBIT“. Where There Are No Boundaries."

Oh, HELL Yeah!

Fearnet is reporting the return of Ruggero Deodato to the realm of horror. The name doesn’t ring a bell?… (novice… lol) Think back a hardcore horror flick from 1979 called: “Cannibal Holocaust”. AAhhh, now it does… lol.

Yes, “Cannibal Holocaust”, the movie that started the whole POV genre for horror films, and “NOT” “The Blair Witch Project” that gets all the claim-to-fame for it. Nope, sorry. “Cannibal” beat you by a couple of decades. Last time I saw good old Deodato he was playing a small part in “Hostel 2” as a client of the Elite Hunting pay-for-murder group who was happily eating large portions of flesh that he sliced from the legs of a terrified young man. A little wink and a nod to what put him on the map of horror.

Now, however, Deodato is back -in an extreme way of course- in an upcoming anthology called “The Profane Exhibit“ with a segment entitled: “Bridge.”

“The Profane Exhibit” takes us deep within the underbelly of Paris and to a nightclub that is the home of a secret, wicked society. At first glance the club looks like any other goth/fetish club, but, like an onion the more one peels away the more things hidden from view come to light. Hidden within the cavernous building are many hidden rooms, one of which is called “The Room of Souls,” which is where the world’s richest and most evil people like to gather and is hosted by the elegant and yet frightening Madame Sabatier.

For amusement, each of the members take turns and spins for the pleasure of the others a true tale of their depravity (think of it as a badass “CREEPSHOW“): A good wife learns that her husband goes out at night to abduct and murder young women; A botched suicide attempt leads to a drug induced dream; A girl is believed to be possessed by a demon and her overly religious parents enlist the help of a corrupt reverend who has his own sinister plans; We are invited inside the deranged mind of a respected surgeon as he takes us on a guided tour of life, death, and everything in between; A young street prostitute crosses paths with a charismatic flesh trader and is forced to take an unspeakable journey of sex, violence, and murder; A nun is abducted off the streets of Rome and held captive for over a year turning her into a feral, murderous creature to be unleashed on society; A chance encounter on a fateful bus ride for an unsuspecting girl who dreams of riches and fame is her undoing; A man picks up a woman in a nightclub and soon finds himself at the mercy of a cult of women who believe consumption of their sacrifice will bring them to their highest form of female dominance; An unflinching look into darkest Africa where human life is traded for fortune and the most unspeakable atrocities are committed.

In other words “The Profane Exhibit” is going to piss off most people… lol. I wonder how long it will take for this to find it’s way to American shores. Hopefully not too long because my interest is peaked.

Deodato will be joined by a roster of other internationally-known directors (and from the looks of it this lineup is all about pushing horror to it‘s limits and boundaries), that of which includes: Uwe Boll (Bloodrayne), Michael Todd Schneider (August Underground's Mordum), Ryan Nicholson (Live Feed), Andrey Iskanov (Philosophy of a Knife), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police), and Richard Stanley (Hardware), and the Italian FX maestro Sergio Stivaletti (who has done FX for Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, and Michele Soavi).

“The Profane Exhibit” is said to be in pre-production as we speak and is slated for a 2012 release.