Infolinks In Text Ads

The Skinny on MYSTICS IN BALI!!!

From the Mondo Macabro Myspace blog and the Fangoria website:



It's the film that launched Mondo Macabro in the U.K. and is our most requested title in the U.S. The one you thought you'd never see is now available in a brand new, pristine transfer, just in time for Halloween! From the director of DANGEROUS SEDUCTRESS, it's one of the damnedest things you've ever seen!

This is the film that introduced a new kind of monster to the world's cinema screens. A sensation on its initial release in Asia, MYSTICS IN BALI was deemed too bizarre and shocking to be screened in the west. Until now… This is the first time the film has been released in the U.S. and is completely uncut and digitally remastered from the rare original negative.

The film tells the story of a young American woman who goes to Asia in search of the secrets of ancient magic. One night in the forest, she encounters a female member of the terrifying cult of Leyak. She agrees to become the Leyak's disciple and begins to indulge in many strange and savage rites. But the Leyak witch has secret plans for her young acolyte. Plans that culminate in one of the most bizarre and shocking scenes in all horror cinema!

Mondo Macabro's DVD for MYSTICS IN BALI includes the following features:

*Brand new (2007) anamorphic transfer

*Original theatrical trailer

*Extensive background information

*Mondo Macabro's ever-popular preview reel

Mystics In Bali is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Look for Mondo Macabro's DVD for MYSTICS IN BALI in stores on October 2, 2007 at a retail price of $24.98.

In other important MM news, you can pre-order the upcoming (and totally awesome looking) THE BLOOD ROSE from Amazon here!

DVD Review: TURKISH SUPERMAN DOUBLE BILL




SUPERMAN DONUYOR aka TURKISH SUPERMAN
DEMIR YUMRUK: DEVLER GELIYOR aka IRON FIST: THE GIANTS ARE COMING!
Directed by Kunt Tulgar/ Directed by Tunc Basaran
Starring Tayfun Demir/Starring Huseyin Zan
Turkey; 1979/1973
Available from Onar Films!



I'm giving away this review right at the outset. It's a winner. In a real big way. Every one of Onar's DVDs has been stellar, but this might just be the best one yet. Every second of viewing this disc was pure pulpy joy. The extraordinary cheapness of the cinematic offerings on display boggle the brain, but in a good, maybe even great way. The glorious Turks did this kind of amazing crap better than just about anybody and thank the Old Ones that Onar is around to uncover and release them to the general public. These are two 'Superhero-on-the-cheap' type films that were kind of the bread-and-butter of the Turkish film industry in the late 1960s and early 70s, and like every other one I've ever seen are supremely entertaining. You can barely believe that they even were made they're so cheap and shoddy. You will look on in disbelief at the wondrous and inventive ineptitude on the screen and marvel at the mere existence of such incredibly disarming trash.



The headliner in this set SUPERMAN DONUYOR otherwise known amongst the gray-market elite as TURKISH SUPEMAN. It is ostensibly a re-make of the Richard Donner-Christopher Reeve 1978 SUPERMAN, swiping the soundtrack music and casting 'in-the-ballpark' look-a-likes in the lead roles. But there the similarity ends. While Donner and co. had a lavish budget to work with, auteur Kunt Tulgar had the American Dollar equivalent of about $250 to work his magick, and although magick indeed he did indeed achieve he doesn't come anywhere close to approximating that late 70s US box office champ. In lieu of the galactic epicness of the original DONUYOR takes the tried and true Turkish method of rehashing old serial stories for its plot. After learning of his origin in an astoundingly cheap re-enactment of first 20 minutes or so of Donner's film, Superman (and his huge eyeglass wearing alter-ego) gets involved in a wearying plot involving a scientist and his world-shattering formula which, if in the wrong hands, will of course wreak havoc on the civilized world. BUT - how cares about the plot? It's the details - the wooden acting, the horrible (and I mean HORRIBLE) special effects and the general ramshackle atmosphere that reminds one that the entire film could fall apart at any second. The much noted opening with Xmas ornaments serving as stars and planets in a failed effort to give the impression of the vast eternal expanse of space is indeed a watershed moment in no-budget international exploitation cinema. Also amazing is the how the effect of bullets bouncing off Supes' chest is achieved. Literally, bullets are simply tossed from off camera towards his no-so impressive torso. And how can anyone not love the special ‘flying’ effect accomplished by hanging a Ken doll in a Superman outfit from a wire with some rear-projection of Istanbul behind. Awe-inspiring! One can only stare with jaw agape as such incredible, magical cinematic stupidity. It's all just so fucking wonderful I can hardly stand it. And then there's DEMIR YUMRUCK: DEVLER GELIYOR ...



In a phrase, it's even better. And unlike the other film on the disc it actually has moments of cinematic verve that aren't dependent on 'badfilm' charm, although it certainly has some of that as well. It's more along the lines of the DIABOLIK-KILLING-3 FANTASTIC SUPEMEN school of superhero films than DONUYOR, being more indebted to the 60s spy craze and Italian fumetti than just Silver Age American comics or 30s and 40s serials. It's a bunch of nonsense involving two supervillains and their race to find a dagger which will reveal the location of some uranium mines and some sort of hidden treasure, or something. It's pretty incoherent, but full of asteroid levels of movie fun. The villains are awesome. One is a scar-faced heavy who has a steel glove thingy which shoots stuff out of it. It looks cool, but I never once saw him use it. Incredible! As for the other arch-enemy - well, he's a real doozy. He's called 'Fumanchu' even though he's not, nor even tries to appear as, Asian. He dresses up as an old woman. He uses a wheelchair. He often sports pointy razor tipped gloves and seemingly has some manner of magic powers. And is completely ham-fistedly performed by the actor at hand. It is fucking amazing. One of the most memorable villains from a film industry known for it outlandish bad guys. The heroes can't even hope to compete. But the superhero outfit is pretty nifty. It confusingly pares the superman logo on his chest with a belt baring the batman logo. What the ... ? AND 'our hero' is a complete cad! Our first introduction to him comes just after he's bedded some Anatolian honey who's not his unbearably hot fiancée! His hot-ass wife to be finds him but discovers her own anger is disarmed by him holding her down to smother her with his hunk-love. I wish I had those kinds of charms! The movie tramples the plot along at a breakneck pace and leaves no time or space for plot or character development (thank God!). And it has an pounding garage rock score, even making use of Dave Allen and the Arrows’ crushing “Blue’s Theme” during the action-packed finale. I loved every second. I think you will too, unless you're a pretentious film-crit-shmuck that is.



Video quality is actually OK, given the haphazard film preservation situation in Turkey. DEMER YUMRUK looks pretty damned good, relative to how these things usually look anyway. SUPERMAN is a little rough, but if you've ever checked out any of the bootlegs floating around you will be fairly impressed with the relative sharpness of the screen image. Onar does what it can with these as far as quality goes and again they've done a bang-up job. Extras include a swath of trailers for upcoming titles in their growing pantheon of Turkish wonders, a still gallery for SUPERMAN, a wonderful lobby card gallery for YUMRUK and informative director bios written by Turkish Film Historian Ayman Kole. The best feature by far is a long and illuminating interview with the DEATHLESS DEVIL himself, SUPEMAN director Kunt Tulgar who talks about his career from a childhood appearance in his father's production TARZAN IN ISTANBUL (also on tap for an Onar DVD release) to his mid 80s crime thriller productions that quite simply sound amazing (Hey Onar can you get ahold of any of these?). Tulgar seems a down-to-earth and rather charming chap and it's great to have his impressions recorded here for film history prosperity.



You need this. I don't care who you are, you will be disarmed by this loving presentation of these two creaky 'bad' Z-movie marvels. Onar needs the support of all fans of weird and left of center cinema and I really can't think of any reason why a self-respecting cult film fan shouldn't include this and all of Onar's Turkish Pop Cinema DVDs in his or her collection. You are a wimp and a dullard if you don't order. Yeah, I said it! Consider it a challenge, and prove me wrong ... if you can!

Mondo Macabro Update-O!



One of the mysteries of the universe solved!
Why has Mondo Macabro been so silent this year? They've been busy getting themselves a sweet new distribution deal, that's why!
So long Rykodisc, Hello Caroline!
Soon enough, the Mondo Macabro back catalog will be available again including, one may assume ALUCARDA and the TURKISH POP CINEMA DVD, both of which have been MIA for some months.

And in further news, their release calendar for the rest of 2007 is shaping up thusly:
October 2 will see the R1 debut of the astounding MYSTICS IN BALI in what MM promises to be a "brand new HD remaster" that will blow our little minds! Oh great Mysteries of Isis I can't wait for this!
After that ... SILIP aka DAUGHTERS OF EVE! A Filipino erotic shocker described thusly by Mondo Macabro's Andy Starke: "one of the most extreme movies we at Mondo HQ have ever seen... a bone fide masterpiece of Filipino 'Bold' cinema ... truly out there! Very intense and extreme stuff but a brilliant film! Hopefully will be out end Nov..."


Greek VHS cover art for SILIP, courtesy THE CINEHOUND!

Something Weird on The YouTube!!

Choice clip weirdness from the all-time Video Champs!

THE MAGIC LAND OF MOTHER GOOSE!


THE DEVIL'S HAND!


HONEY BRITCHES!


GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS!


BAT PUSSY!


CONFESSIONS OF A PSYCHO CAT!


THE DEADLY ORGAN!


CRYPT OF DARK SECRETS!


THE ZODIAC KILLER!


MOONSHINE MOUNTAIN!


WONDER WOMEN!


STING OF DEATH!

Two New Satanic Sex Shockers from Severin!!!

Out September 25th, 2007 A.D.

MALABIMBA THE MALICIOUS WHORE


A Teen Temptress Consumed By The Depraved Lust Of Satan!

Severin Films is proud to unleash one of the most degenerate treasures in EuroSleaze history! Delicious Katell Laennec (in her one and only screen appearance) stars as Bimba, a teenage temptress who plunges her entire family - including her widowed father, wanton aunt, invalid uncle and even a beloved nun - into the depths of sexual depravity. Is she possessed by demonic lust or just going through a really freaky puberty? Evil hungers for the ultimate in unholy pleasure. The Devil demands MALABIMBA!

The gorgeous Mariangela Giordano (SATAN'S BABY DOLL) and voluptuous Patrizia Webley (SALON KITTY) co-star in this sex-crazed shocker from Andrea Bianchi (infamous director of STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER and BURIAL GROUND). Officially released on DVD for the first time anywhere in the world via an exclusive pact with Satan himself!

Colour / 1.85:1 / 16x9 / 88 mins / Not Rated / $29.95 / Reg 0 (NTSC) / DVD 5
English / Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 / English Subtitles
UPC 891635001254 / Item SEV1119

Director: Andrea Bianchi (as Andrew White)

Starring: Katell Laennec, Patrizia Webley, Enzo Fisichella, Mariangela Giordano .

Aka: Malbimba

Extras:
# Deleted Scenes
# Integral Version - Watch the feature with deleted scenes incorporated back into the movie
# MALABIMBA Uncovered - Interviews with Actress Mariangela Giordano and Cinematographer Franco Villa

SATAN'S BABY DOLL


Severin Films shamelessly presents the EuroSleaze sickie that has it all: Drooling insanity, relentless nudity, the living dead, voluptuous nuns, one very unfortunate chicken and more. In her first and only movie role, Jacqueline DuprŽ stars as a tasty teen who becomes possessed by the kinky spirit of her murdered mother and triggers a family frenzy of sexual corruption. Deep within the dungeon of the depraved, who will surrender to the ultimate acts of perversion? Beware the promise of profane seduction. Behold the unspeakable hungers of SATAN'S BABY DOLL!

Mariangela Giordano (BURIAL GROUND) and notorious porn queen Marina Hedman co-star in this deranged remake of MALABIMBA, now fully restored from the Devil's own vault print to create the most complete version known to exist in the world!

Colour / 1.66:1 / 16x9 / 73 mins / Not Rated / $19.95 / Reg 0 (NTSC) / DVD 5
Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 / English Subtitles
UPC 891635001261 / Item SEV1120

Director: Mario Bianchi (as Alan W. Cools)

Starring: Jacqueline Dupré, Mariangela Giordano, Aldo Sambrell, Marina Hedman.

Aka: La bimba di Satana

Extras:
# Exorcism of Baby Doll - Interview with Director Mario Bianchi
# Theatrical Trailer

Two of our most anticipated releases of the year! And those delicious covers! We love it! We will get them! So will you!

Movie Review: DEVIL'S HONEY



aka IL MIELE DEL DIAVOLO
aka DANGEROUS OBSESSION
Directed by Lucio Fulci
Spain/Italy; 1986

DEVIL'S HONEY is a fevered and wet erotic thriller that may just be Director Lucio Fulci's last true masterpiece. I can't think of any films made after this that add up to much at all. After this Fulci's health and budgets dwindled slowly till both were gone by the early 1990s. But this hot and foul number represents his last profound and provocative eyegouging cinematic experience and it is highly recommended to all.

An awful light-jazz sax-superstar has a dysfunctional sadomasochist relationship with his fantastically attractive girl-toy. While disgusted by his antics the girl is nonetheless totally obsessed with this literal windbag. There's a great heft of disturbing sex scenes, as well as disturbing sax scenes. And a disturbing mix of the two. Unfortunately (or actually for the girl, fortunately) the wild young man meets with a silly motorcycle accident and finds his fate in emergency surgery. Unluckily for him the Surgeon's wife has just left him due to his prostitute proclivities. He spaces, loses his Surgeon's Will and effectively kills his soft-jazz/perv patient. Girlfriend crumbles in depressive oblivion and begins a harassment campaign against the sad-sack surgeon, whom she blames (fairly rightly) for her beau's passing to the next world. Meanwhile the surgeon's own mind is splintering as his attempts to reconcile with his ex are thwarted by his impotence and inability to satisfy her lust-starvation. One evening the girlfriend goes for a walk in the surgeon's neighborhood with a gun, and the movie's most fetid psychosexual games begin in earnest...

This is as nihilistic and existential a gaze into the abyss as Fulci ever committed to celluloid. From MASSACRE TIME to NEW YORK RIPPER Fulci was Italian Pop Cinema's premier Dark Star, with his major obsession being death and death's meaning in life. DEVIL'S HONEY is certainly no exception. While some of the Maestro's well-meaning fans my balk at this film's lack of overt horror or supernatural terror, the patient and aware will be blessed with a bleak and menacing soft-core tour-de-force. As the girlfriend holds the guilt-stricken surgeon hostage a bizarre and brutal dynamic begins to take shape. Each finds the reversal of the sadomasochistic relationship to be a revelation, with the girl freed from an unwilling masochist position to take a dominating stature and the surgeon's passive, impotent nature is unburdened by his lack of control. He couldn't please his wife, who yearned to be ravished and ravaged, but he finds ultimate pleasure in being at the mercy of this unhinged but incredibly cute kidnapper. Through the violence and humiliation a connection is made, perverse and unhealthy as it may be. The hovering specter of death unleashes honest emotions and attractions in both captor and captive, shaping that cold dynamic into as close to human warmth and understanding as either have ever experienced. Not bad for a slick and seemingly frothy 80s "erotic thriller".

Not sure if my copy (a VHS under the DANGEROUS OBSESSION re-titling) was uncut but it certainly seemed as though it was with scenes depicting anal sex, homosexuality and hooker humiliation. In any manner, it more than deserves a new DVD upgrade. Sleazy as it is dark, this movie may actually not be the right ticket for all cult film fans, but students of astute and well made Eurotrash will delight in this bleak and existential soft shocker.

BLOOD ROSE clip online!

Here's a (unfortunately censored) five minute clip from the forthcoming THE BLOOD ROSE recently posted on Mondo Macabro's YouTube page. It's coming out on August 28th, even though there are no pre-orders up anywhere that I can find.


Onar Update! TURKISH SUPERMAN is a go!!!!



Onar Films has unleashed a beast! The TURKISH SUPERMAN DOUBLE BILL in on, kids!!

Here's the specs, in case ya missed them:

1)SUPERMEN DONUYOR (TURKISH SUPERMAN):

The most talked-about cult film of all times comes from Turkey! Defying criticism, ignoring “obstacles” and aiming at the heart it will disarm you willy- nilly! The only remaining print found, was far from perfect of course but you should be getting used to it already!

2) DEMIR YUMRUK: DEVLER GELIYOR (IRON FIST: THE GIANTS ARE COMING):

A super- obscure 1973 Turkish superhero giant, with a… Super-Bat-Man so to speak! Also featuring a wheelchaired transvestite super- villain called Fumanchu, Bikini leathal babes, hook-for-hand gangsters plus more! The master was found in very good condition for a Turkish film!

Country: Turkey
Year: 1: 1979, 2: 1973
Director: 1: Kunt Tulgar, 2: Tunc Basaran
Actors: 1: Tayfun Demir, Yildirim Gencer, Gungor Bayrak
2: Huseyin Zan, Altan Gunbay, Kayhan Yildizoglu

FEATURES:

1200 numbered copies

Turkish audio, Dolby Stereo

English & Greek subtitles

Colour (1), B/W (2), 4:3

Interview (Kunt Tulgar)

Photogalleries

Bios, Filmos

Trailers
PLUS, POSTER INSERT!

And in further news, Bill (Onar Master Himself) has given us a taste of things to come ...

1) I have found a new studio for my dvd authoring and remastering work. They will also take care of the subtitles. This means that I can now:
2) ....Release 1 dvd per month! You don't believe it, huh? Neither do I.But it all looks possible what with the new studio and my new dvd release mentality which is:
3) No more double bills!! ONLY SINGLE-MOVIE DVD'S from now on! Why??...Because:
a- More trouble to handle 2 movies and relevant extras and subs etc, meaning more time, meaning if I want to stick to 1 DVD per month I must forget double-bills and adopt SINGLE MOVIE DVD's.
b- One film per dvd means lower costs overall which of course means a SERIOUS DROP ON RETAIL & WHOLESALE PRICES by at least 2 euro, maybe 3, per dvd!!
c-The 2nd movie on each double-bill was actually overshadowed and undergraded by the 1st, "main" attraction. Example, DEMIR YUMRUK DEVLER GELIYOR & OLULER KONUSMAZ KI deserved their own unique dvd's. Same with the "main attractions". So 1 movie on its very own DVD from now on!

4) So, for the moment this is the line-up I have in mind:
Early August: KARANLIK SULAR
Early September: TARZAN ISTANBUL'DA
Early October: CASUS KIRAN (SPY SMASHER)
And then?? Hmm, why don't YOU give me ideas? Perhaps MASKELI SEYTAN? I'm happy to announce that I have secured the FULLY UNCUT VERSION!!! It includes tons of nudity! Even the credits were cut, but now my NEW credits offer some hefty nudity as well!
Or maybe some other title?

Onar does it right. If you don't buy their DVDs then we're not your friend.