Tag: hooptober

The Bloodstained Shadow (1978): 31 Days of Horror

Post author By jdp
Post date November 8, 2018
2 Comments on The Bloodstained Shadow (1978): 31 Days of Horror

#17. The Bloodstained Shadow (1978)

Nature of Shame:
Later-era giallo that takes cues from the best of the genre and I will pretty much watch anything labeled “giallo.” Unwatched 88 Films Blu-ray.

Hooptober Challenge Checklist:
Decade: 1970’s
Anniversary: 40th

I read about The Bloodstained Shadow in Troy Howarth’s So Deadly So Perverse Vol. 2 and subsequently picked the Blu-ray up from 88 Films. It’s been on my shelf for ages, but with the arrival of the Underrated ’78 lists on Rupert Pupkin Speaks, I had to finally crack the seal and do the deed.

The Bloodstained Shadow Elevator Pitch

It’s a murder mystery and insular society whodunnit with strangulations, mediums, unsolved murders, repressed psychoses and black gloved killers! In Venice!

In the Bloody Laguna of Venitian Delights

Antonio Bido’s The Bloodstained Shadow (aka Solamente Nero) recalls Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture A Ducking in that in focuses on the crimes committed within an insular society. Where Fulci goes bombastic to unearth the message in his film, however, Bido peels back layers with tweezers.

Stefano visits his priest brother in the Venice laguna whom warns of a decadent community of evildoing and makes vague allusions to a medium. And because this is a giallo, Stefano then witnesses the strangulation of the medium by a killer (dressed in black, naturally). When Stefano investigates and uncovers the truth about a string of murders, he becomes a target for the murderer himself.

No One Expects the Venetian Priest #SpoilerAlert

So Bido might telegraph the identity of the killer rather early on in the film, but the fun of The Bloodstained Shadow has nothing to do with uncovering the truth. It’s about how you got there — and you’ll cross multiple genres and wildly erratic pacing to make it happen.

Like Bido’s other successful film, Watch Me While I Kill, it sometime feels like the director merely flies by the seat of his pants, piecing together genre aesthetics and cues like mismatched puzzle pieces. While it’s easy to interpret that as a lack of vision or incompetence, Bido appears (feel free to argue) to use his lack of convention to keep viewers off balance. Seeing as how he’s working within a very restrictive genre, this methodology has less madness than you might think.

How Does a Shadow get Bloodstained Anyway?

In certain ways, Bloodstained Shadow reminded me of Francisco Barilli’s Pensione Paura, another film that dances between predictable genre beats to create something resistant to categorization. Bido manages to include a smattering of visual tropes that still ground the film within the giallo genre range. This has probably served Bido better than Barilli’s non-conformity.

As a result of the style of the murders and procedural drama, Bloodstained Shadow gets that genre credibility. Viewers will remain interested in giallo-classified films, whereas Barilli’s film floats outside the genre and therefore off of most horror fans’ radar. It’s not even currently available on DVD to my knowledge and that’s a bloody shame.

Final The Bloodstained Shadow Thoughts

The Bloodstained Shadow has such awkward pacing that you’ll forget for long stretches that what you’re watching is supposed to be a horror film. Normally, I’d use that very same line as a complaint. In this instance, however, Bido so effectively deploys exotic cityscape cinematography an score (by Stelvio Cipriani and mixed and re-recorded by Goblin) that the languid pacing feels more like a strength. The film has plenty of other weaknesses, but it largely overcomes them by having a unique feel in an otherwise narrow genre bandwidth.

The Bloodstained Shadow Rating:

Availability:

The Bloodstained Shadow is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video. The film looks rather dark and colorless on the stream, but it’s quality enough to sample for free.

I watched the film on 88 Films’ Region B Blu-ray release, which offers better color and sharper black contrast.

It’s not a major upgrade, however. I still hope that the film will received a nice Region A offering in the near future from a caring distributor willing to do some restoration work. The visuals and score are the most important parts of the film — so it’s a shame that we can’t view a better source.

2018 @CinemaShame / Hooptober Progress

#1. Deep Rising (1998)
#2. The Mist (2007)
#3. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
#4. Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
#5. Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
#6. Maniac Cop (1988)
#7. Nightbreed (1990)
#8. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
#9. In the Castle of Bloody Desires (1968)
#10. Chopping Mall (1986)
#11. The Kiss of the Vampire (1963)
#12. The Legend of Hell House (1973)
#13. Messiah of Evil (1973)
#14. Possession (1981)
#15. Blood Diner (1987)
#16. Inquisition (1978)
#17. The Bloodstained Shadow (1978)

James David Patrick is a writer. He’s written just about everything at some point or another. Add this nonsense to the list. Follow his blog at www.thirtyhertzrumble.com and find him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Tags #31daysofhorror, antonio bido, hooptober, hooptober 5, the bloodstained shadow 1978, the bloodstained shadow review

31 Days of Horror Cinema

Inquisition (1978): 31 Days of Horror

Post author By jdp
Post date November 8, 2018
No Comments on Inquisition (1978): 31 Days of Horror

#16. Inquisition (1978)

Nature of Shame:
Lacking some Naschy-directed vehicles on my moviewatching resume. Unwatched Mondo Macabro Inquisition Blu-ray release.

Hooptober Challenge Checklist:
Decade: 1970’s
Anniversary: 40th

This one features very little wind-up. I had a stack of unwatched Cinema Shame / Hooptober movies sitting by the television and rather than overthinking anything I grabbed the one on top. While we’re on the subject of “choice,” let’s discuss why it takes cinephiles longer to choose the appropriate movie for the moment than it does to watch the movie itself. I’ve wasted perfectly good moviewatching blocks because I’ve been crippled by choice. Why? What’s gone wrong with our wiring that we would allow this to happen? Repeatedly.

Despite what you may think, the decision-making process about what movie to watch is very unsexy — and it has quite a lot in common with the torture in this retelling of the Spanish Inquisition than you might think.

Inquisition Elevator Pitch

Witch-finder General falls in love with village beauty, only uh-oh! she’s actually sold her soul to the devil for reals and not fake like these other phony witches that the guy slaughters on a daily basis.

In the Bloody Torture Chamber of Inquisitorial Delights

Paul Naschy’s directorial debut, Inquisition, features, predictably, exploitative scenes of torture. Many of which seem merely lecherous — some, however, turn quite disturbing. Leering camerawork, excellent production values and a distinct concern for the mechanics of torture.

The narrative doesn’t bother with frivolity. Religious zealotry, supernatural elements, nudity, Satan and Death! Naschy’s Inquisition, at the very least, renders female sexuality as the great threat to the patriarchy represented by the witchfinder general and the church. Some of these ladies just want to experience some sexy times and not be a witch, okay? “Witch!” says the patriarchy.

The period piece, set in 16th century France during the French Inquisition, features Paul Naschy playing witch-finder general Bernard de Fossey. Fossey travels to towns suffering from the plague and finds women he believes to be Satan’s earthbound minions. He questions them, tortures them and then burns them. As you do.

This continues until he meets a woman named Catherine (the beguiling Daniela Giordano) and starts to have tingly feelings — yet a man in Bernard’s position cannot be distracted by the siren’s call. In order to prove his allegiance to the church he becomes determined to find the source of the plague and figure out why his nether regions tingle.

No One Expects the French Inquisition

Obligatory Monty Python reference has no relevance. Though Paul Naschy plays three roles — that of witchfinder, Satan and Death — and when he pops up for the third time, you can’t help but say “For the trifecta!”

Definitely not the French Inquisition.

So We Did Expect the Inquisition?

For the most part, Inquisition plays it by the numbers, but it does ultimately subvert expectations by calling into question the existence of the supernatural within the scope of the film. So many women had been tortured and burned without legitimate cause that when Inquisition reveals the true nature of Daniela Giordano’s Catherine, only then does the movie offer an actual protagonist.

The twist comes in the form of viewer identification. Until Catherine reveals her motives, the movie has presented us villains and victims. And finally we have a badass legitimate witch working directly for Satan. So, yay, Satan?

This only works because Naschy has given us sufficient reason to believe in Bernard’s partial humanity. He’s a monster — no doubt — but in his relationship with Catherine (who’s been sent seduce and condemn the man killing Satan’s servants) he’s shown the capacity for emotion. Even this moderate amount of humanity provides necessary depth the character, rendering his fate part tragedy.

Final Inquisition Thoughts

A solid film — even if it leans a little too heavily on naked bodies in the throws of torture. Mondo Macabro’s Blu-ray release of Paul Naschy’s Inquisition looks gorgeous. There’s grain and detail and color and how could they possibly make a 40-year-old Inquisition look so good? Bonus features on the disc also provide plenty of backstory on the film and dive into the methodology of Paul Naschy, one of the most notorious of Spain’s exploitation filmmakers. #SpoilerAlert: he’s actually quite thoughtful and intelligent.

Inquisition won’t interest everyone, but it’s a meticulously constructed period piece with a few shocking moments of intensity. Genre fans should definitely seek out the Mondo Macabro Blu-ray.

Inquisition Rating:

Availability:

I just said it, but it bears repeating. This release from Mondo Macabro looks perfect. Though they’re doing the Lord’s work when it comes to restoring and releasing obscure European cinema — Paul Naschy’s Inquisition might just be label’s biggest achievement.

If you appreciate a witch-hunt film, you can’t go wrong. If you can just enjoy the merits of film restoration, by all means. There’s so much to like about this particular release that it eclipses the movie itself — which is already worth a watch.

Buy it on Amazon. You can also buy it directly from Mondo Macabro where I’m sure you’ll find a few other titles to delight you as well.

2018 @CinemaShame / Hooptober Progress

Tags 31 days of horror, hooptober, hooptober 5, inquisition 1978 review, inquisition review, inquisiton, paul naschy, paul naschy inquisition

31 Days of Horror Cinema

Blood Diner (1987): 31 Days of Horror

Post author By jdp
Post date November 2, 2018
1 Comment on Blood Diner (1987): 31 Days of Horror

#15. Blood Diner (1987)

Nature of Shame:
Horror movies directed by women should be a yearly Hooptober requirement. I didn’t know this one was directed by a woman until after I already had it on my Hooptober list. Bonus points.

Hooptober Challenge Checklist:
Decade: 1980’s
Female directed

I needed a palette cleanser after Possession. I stared at my Hooptober watchpile. Blood Diner stood out so I figured let’s have some legitimate cannibalism played for laughs to wash away the taste of Possession‘s emotional cannibalism played for a gut-wrenching soul-suck.

Blood Diner Elevator Pitch

Two brothers, brainwashed by their serial killer Uncle Anwar, fulfill their destinies by collecting the body parts from immoral women and resurrect the Lumerian goddess Sheetar. The unwanted parts get served in a “vegetarian” diner! Waste not want not! Oh and Uncle Anwar is nothing but a brain in a jar with an attached speaker! You know, for the kids!

The brain in a jar orders pizza.

In the Bloody Diner of “Vegetarian” Delights

I’m going to take this opportunity to move this bl-g marathon along. I’ve watched all but one of my Hooptober films but I’m 17 posts behind. At this rate I’ll finish next Hooptober.

Blood Diner is a dumb dumb dumb, super dumb, dumb movie filled with barn-side broad humor that rarely fails to pluck the lowest hanging fruit. It pillages ideas from far better gore flicks like Re-Animator and the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis (who apparently served as a muse for this entire production). While I acknowledge Hershell Gordon Lewis’ place as the godfather of gore, I’d really rather have my teeth cleaned at the dentist — nothing invasive mind you, just a regular cleaning with a to-go pack containing a new toothbrush, a pen and some floss — than watch Blood Feast again.

And yet, I *was* entertained by Blood Diner.

blood diner 1987

So. Uh. You Mentioned…. uh… a Brain in a Jar?

The novelty of a brain in a jar attached to a speaker loses its novelty after Blood Diner plays that joke out like Eddie Money played out “Two Tickets to Paradise.” Okay, I’m lying. I can’t get enough of “Two Tickets to Paradise” or the sociopathic brain in a jar. In fact, I cared more about the brain in the jar than I did the two leads, played by Rick Burks and Carl Crew. They’re generally affable everymen, but how can you upstage a brain in a jar? DID I MENTION THE BRAIN ALSO HAS EXPRESSIVE EYEBALLS? The most impressive of all $5 special effects.

Blood Diner wants the viewer to root for these brothers as they murder and massacre their way through hundreds of sinful ladies to resurrect the goddess Sheetar. I found myself mostly ambivalent about their quest because they’re likable, but likable compared to all of the other awful humans.

One of the only truly inspired gags in the film. A scripted character was replaced with a dummy so they didn’t have to pay an actor.

I am disappointed we didn’t get to see more from Rick Burks. The actor died in a car accident two years after the release of Blood Diner. He has such natural personality he could have become a cult-movie hero as a poor man’s Bruce Campbell considering his ability to make something out of overall limited horror-comedy material.

You Mentioned a Female Director?

Jackie Kong made a modest name for herself with the comedy Night Patrol (1984) starring Linda Blair, a movie I’ve forgotten. (I lament not this absence.) I do think the material’s in some ways bettered by her camera. Listening to her talk about the ways she twisted Michael Sonye’s script into a comedy, it’s clear she had a far greater perspective on how Herschell Gordon Lewis-brand material would play in the 80’s.

This had to be funny. This had to be light and quick and move from joke to joke because audiences had become immune to earnest gore as entertainment. We had straight-to-video trash coming out of our ears in 1987.

blood diner 1987

To her credit, Kong tests the limitations of 1986 decorum. The watchdogs must have had problems with the clean-cut boys next door committing the murders, the rampant nudity and the HGL-inspired gore. The Ronald and Nancy Reagan masks worn during a nude aerobics video shoot massacre has got to be one of the Top 10 most 80’s moments ever captured on film. The ratings board gave her the ‘X’ so Kong and Vestron released the film as ‘unrated.’ Because it was the 1980’s, and whatever, man.

Final Blood Diner Thoughts

Most people seem to love it or hate it, but, hey I’m non-committal. I can see arguments for both sides. As much as I cringed at some of the acting and easy laughs, I saw moments of true horror comedy inspiration. I wish the latter were more frequent, but then Blood Diner wouldn’t be such a cult movie. It’d have just been another Re-Animator and we only have room for one gruesomely funny gorefest as the pinnacle of the 1980’s horror comedy.

While I won’t be revisiting Blood Diner anytime soon, there’s a definite and deserved place for the film in the hearts of gore hounds. Just because I’m not exactly on the wavelength doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy all the easy jokes about vegetarians eating human flesh and loving the hell out of it. I may have even laughed at one or two of them myself.

Behold Sheetara! I won’t spoil the appearance of the toothy-vagina abdomen that consumers her victims. You’ll have to watch the movie for that treat.

Possession Rating:

Availability:

Blood Diner resides in that category of films called “They released that on Blu-ray?” Yes. Blood Diner has been released on the Vestron Collector’s Series. It looks absurdly good considering that Jackie Kong shot it on such a shoestring budget she replaced a paid actor with a dummy to save cash.

Some things in this world do not make sense. Wonder Boys (2000), one of the finest films of the last twenty years, doesn’t have a Blu-ray release but Blood Diner has been given the deluxe treatment.

Buy it on Amazon. Maybe.

2018 @CinemaShame / Hooptober Progress

Tags 31 days of horror, blood diner, blood diner 1987, blood diner review, female directed horror, hooptober, hooptober 5, jackie kong blood diner