6 More Horrific Trailers For October

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

As if October wasn’t already scary enough, my laptop is slowly dying and, with my luck, it probably won’t even return as a zombie. Fortunately, it still has enough life in it for me to do at least one more edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers.

1) The Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)

This is apparently an old Hammer film. I haven’t seen it but the image of a blue Barbara Steele seems to show up in just about every other horror movie guide.

2) Fangs of the Living Dead (1969)

If nothing else, this one has a great title.

3) Eye of the Cat (1969)

Three guesses why I love this trailer.

4) Mark of the Devil (1970)

Remove the art from The Witchfinder General and you probably end up with Mark of the Devil.

5) The Chilling (1989)

I actually have this on DVD but I haven’t watched it yet and this trailer doesn’t exactly inspire a whole lot of hope. That said, I love how the narrator makes such an effort to sound enthusiastic. Our next trailer will feature “Oscar nominee” Linda Blair as well…

6) Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

This is a good example of an accidental grindhouse film. The producers and the director may have been going for something different but the end results are pretty much evident from the trailer. The best thing about this trailer is Ennio Morricone’s score. (By the way, I would also suggest that all of you people going all cuckoo over the teaser trailer for David Fincher’s Girl With The Dragon Tattoo compare this relatively entertaining trailer with the actual film it was advertising.)

6 Trailers To Kick Off A Horrific October

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Well, here it is October 1st and you know what that means. It’s time for horror, horror, and more horror. This edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers is dedicated to just that. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the world of ghosts, zombies, maniacs, and Paul Naschy…

1) Terror Train (1980)

Though this appears to be a fairly standard old school Jamie Lee Curtis slasher film, I like this trailer a lot. The opening shots of the train are nicely ominous, the shots of winter are perfectly matched with the trailer’s grim atmosphere, and it’s interesting to see Ben Johnson in one of these films.

2) Bloody Birthday (1981)

I love this trailer solely for that final shot with the birthday cake.

3) The House Where Evil Dwells (1982)

Despite the odd looking crab-thing that shows up about halfway through, this is a creepy little trailer.

4) The Hunchback of the Morgue (1973)

Can you believe it took me over 60 entries before I finally included a Paul Naschy film? Better late than never…

5) Flesheater (1988)

This film was directed by Bill Hinzman, best known as the graveyard zombie from Night of the Living Dead.

6) Lair of White Worm (1988)

Agck! Snake people!

6 Trailers For A Savage Weekend

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yay! It’s the weekend and that means that it’s time for me to share 6 more of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation trailers.

1) The Babysitter (1969)

It’s a story ripped “from your own living room!” That alone is enough to make this trailer a classic.

2) Savage Weekend (1976)

Of course, Rod Lurie later remade this film as Straw Dogs.

3) Ninja III: The Domination (1984)

It’s Kung Fu Exorcist!

4) Teenage Graffiti (1977)

“No one does it like the teenager do it…” This kinda looks like Dazed and Confused as directed by a Crazies-era George Romero. I actually like this trailer a lot. It has this vaguely threatening subtext to it.

5) Blood Mania (1970)

This film explores “the twisted soul of insanity…” Somebody has to do it.

6) All The Colors of the Dark (1972)

This is another old school Italian giallo film featuring Ivan Rassimov. Rassimov had the best hair in Italian horror.

Big Floating Heads, Rampaging Norsemen, and Sister Street Fighters: It’s Time for 6 More Trailers.

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I am happy to say that it’s a beautiful day today. After dealing with a record number of 100 degree days that slowly plodded along without so much as a breeze or a cloud in the sky, I am happy to say that, as I type this, the temperature outside is 84 degrees, the sky is gray with storm clouds, and, here at Le manoir d’Bowman, we’ve got the windows open and we’re loving the breeze. To me, it seems like a perfect time for 6 more of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers.

1) Zardoz (1974)

From acclaimed director John Boorman comes … whatever this is. For the longest time, I assumed that this film starred Sean Connery as someone named Zardoz but having watched the trailer, I now see that Connery played Zed. That makes sense. With that pony tail and red diaper, Connery looks more like a Zed than a Zardoz here. I like the flying head, just because I keep imagining that after the head dropped off all those guns, Connery shouted, “Give me more, Head!”

2) The Norseman (1978)

Now, this is a trailer that could have used a big floating head. The Norseman appears to be yet another oddly ambitious, very low-budget film from the John Boorman of Texarkana, Charles B. Pierce.

3) The Evictors (1979)

Pierce was also responsible for The Evictors. “It’s happening again…” Much as the trailer for the Norseman featured the co-star of Eaten Alive, Mel Ferrer, the trailer features the star of Suspiria, Jessica Harper.

4) Tick…Tick…Tick (1970)

Grindhouse and exploitation films loved to exploit Yankee paranoia, which helps to explain films like Tick…Tick…Tick. (It also helps to explain — but throughly fails to justify — the latest remake of Straw Dogs.)

5) The Flesh and Blood Show (1974)

This film is from one of the few British directors to actually be worth the trouble, the criminally underappreciated Pete Walker.

6) Sister Street Fighter (1974)

This film co-stars the legendary Sonny Chiba. I can’t watch this trailer too many times because I know it’ll inspire me to show off my karate moves. Last time I did that, I ended up with a sprained ankle.

6 Trailers From Out of the Past

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

From out of the shadows of our shared exploitive past comes 6 more of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers.

1) Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)

This is a fun trailer. It comes with its own theme song. There’s no type of love Dirty Mary won’t make.

2) The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave (1971)

This is one of those public domain films that seems to show up in every other Mill Creek Box Set. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine and the trailer is all tacky goodness. Plus, Erika Blanc’s in it. (And the title has allowed me to have a lot of fun at my friend Evelyn’s expense.)

3) Four of the Apocalypse (1975)

Before he was hired to direct Zombi 2, Lucio Fulci directed this spaghetti western. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the darkest, most cynical westerns ever made.

4) Massacre Time (1966)

Nine years before Four of the Apocalypse, Fulci directed another western, this one with Franco Nero. Have I mentioned the things I would let Franco Nero do to me if I could get my hands on a time machine? Mmmmm….Franco Nero.

5) 99 Women (1969)

From director Jesus Franco comes “99 women … without men.”

6) Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Shieks (1976)

Don’t watch this trailer if you’re a toadsucker. Or easily offended.

6 Trailers for the Labour Party

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Well, I guess I should start this off with an apology to all the British leftists out there who might have wandered over here after accidentally misinterpreting the title of this post. This post does not feature anyone named Paddy, Tony, or Gordon. (Actually, Paddy Ashdown is apparently not a member of the Labour Party but I just happen to like his name.) Instead, it’s just the latest entry in a series I like to call Lisa’s Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers.

1) High Ballin’ (1978)

For some reason, this trailer just screams Labor Day to me. I have to be honest though, I think there’s a double meaning to the title.

2) Moonrunners (1974)

I get the feeling this movie was the Winter’s Bone of its day.

3) Gator Bait (1973)

This is one of my favorite trailers if just because I imagine I’m probably kin to half the people in this film (and in Moonrunners, for that matter.)

4) Alligator (1980)

However, you don’t have to go to Louisiana to be gator bait…

5) C.H.U.D. (1984)

Speaking of things living underground, C.H.U.D. apparently stands for Cannibalstic Humanoid Underground Dwellers. I’ve got this one on DVD and, to be honest, I’ve never been able to stay awake through the whole thing. But the trailer is effective and you can tell it’s from the 80s because there’s no attempt to show that the little doggie escaped.

6) Night of the Demons (1988)

Okay, so this trailer is kinda boring (though I imagine all you boys will enjoy all the boobies) up until that final image which just totally freaks me out for some reason. “Where are you going? The party’s just begun…” Agck!

And now, I’m off to find myself a Labour Party — a Labor Day party, that is.

6 Trailers for Turbulent Times

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I’m dedicating this latest edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers to all of our readers and contributors on the East Coast. Stay safe and enjoy the trailers!

1) The Sweet House of Horrors (1991)

One of Lucio Fulci’s final films, this was made for Italian television. It’s actually better than you might think from the trailer. But, yes, it is a far cry from Zombi 2.

2) Hell of the Living Dead (1984)

This film, however, is just as bad as the trailer might lead you to suspect. Not surprisingly, it was directed by Bruno Mattei.

3) Asylum of Satan (1972)

Or as I like to call it, Satan Plays Bass.

4) Combat Cops (1974)

Judging from the trailers I’ve come across since I first started this feature, the 70s were a turbulent time. The revolution continued with Combat Cops.

5) Sheba, Baby (1975)

“Pam Grier is …. Sheba, Baby!” Sad to think that the last time we saw Pam Grier on-screen, she was reduced to playing Julia Roberts’ best friend in Larry Crowne.

6) Hungry Wives (1972)

George Romero’s follow-up to Night of the Living Dead is better known as Season of the Witch. Like most of Romero’s non-zombie films, it has some major issues with pacing but it remains of interesting artifact of its time. The film has a feminist subtext which works about as well as can be expected, considering that the movie was made by a man.

6 Trailers That Will Change The Way The Trees Look At Midnight

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s Saturday and that means its time for my favorite part of the week — the latest edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers!

1) The Losers (1970)

Not to be confused with the 2010 action film, this Losers has been described as the best “bikers-in-Viet-Nam film ever.” It was directed by Jack Starrett and, like every other biker film from 1970, it stars William Smith.

2) The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968)

Continuing the theme of crazed bikers, this trailer is short but effective. Especially when Alain Delon pulls down that zipper with his teeth….

3) Chatterbox (1977)

This is another short trailer, in fact, I think — at just 30 seconds — it might be the shortest trailer I’ve ever featured in this series. Anyway, Chatterbox is a film about a woman whose vagina can talk and, apparently, sing. I have never seen this film though I have seen a few isolated clips. I hope if my vagina ever starts to speak, it 1) has a less annoying voice and 2) just displays a lot more wit and personality in general. Anyway, the talking vagina is not featured in this trailer. Anyway, you wouldn’t know any of that from watching the trailer, which I think is odd. I mean, if you’re going to make a film about a talking vagina, shouldn’t the vagina be allowed to speak for itself? Just saying…

4) Baba Yaga (1973)

Like all good things, this trailer comes to us from Italy.

5) Disco Fever (1978)

Wow! Disco, a concorde, dirt bike racing, braless dancers, and a boring 40 year-old rock star with a cocaine-flecked beard. Could this film be any more 70s? “Disco Fever — Everything is perfect…until the music stops!”

6) American Fever (1978)

Okay, I’m either in a disco mood or else I’m running a fever because I just have to end things with a second disco film. This is an Italian film. Does anyone out there own the American Fever soundtrack?

6 Trailers For An Out Of Control Youth

Posted on August 13, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

For this week’s edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitaiton Trailers, we actually have a loose theme as opposed to just me tossing up random stuff. That theme: Out Of Control Youth. (Cue dramatic DAH-DAH-DAAAAAH music)

Normally, I try to avoid doing “theme” trailer posts because they require way too much concentration on my part. However, this week, as I selected the trailers I wanted to feature, I slowly realized that I was doing just that and I was actually being a pretty good job at it.

Take heart, Out of Control Youths. This post is dedicated to you.

1) Black Mama, White Mama (1972)

I may be wrong but just judging from the trailer, I think this film might be about “women in chains.” Pam Grier, of course, everyone knows. The white mama was played by Margaret Markov, who later married exploitation film producer Mark Damon.

2) Over the Edge (1979)

This one shows up on cable a lot and it’s actually pretty good. Check out the hair on Matt Dillon.

3) Suburbia (1984)

Eventually, I guess the kids from Over the Edge grew up to be the kids from Suburbia. I’ve got this one on DVD but every time I’ve tried to watch it, I’ve ended up falling asleep. Not necessarily because the film is bad. I just always end up trying to watch it at 4 in the morning for some reason.

4) Certain Fury (1985)

I just love that the credits at the end of the trailer announce that this film features a “special appearance” from Peter Fonda.

5) Mission Hill (1982)

“Mission Hill: A Neighborhood where anything can happen…” This is the type of film that I often fantasize about appearing in. Naturally, I would be the girl singing. I can’t really sing but that’s what post-production dubbing is for, right?

6) Devil Times Five (1974)

This is another one that I have on DVD but I haven’t found the time to watch yet. This appears to be a film in which psycho children kill … well, everything. All I know is that if I’m ever taking a bath and some little child comes wandering in with a bunch of fish, I’m jumping up and running. I don’t care how wet and naked I am.

6 Trailers In Celebration

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Okay, I am like supper giddy excited and dancing-around-my-house-in-my-underwear excited right now and that’s because a story I wrote has been accepted for publication so let me just repeat what I said when I learned the news: “Oh. My. God. YAY!” And then I pushed off my jeans and tossed my camisole and I started dancing around the house in my underwear and that’s where you came in and…

Well, anyway — Hi! How ya doing? Having a good weekend? Ready for another edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers? Let’s get started:

1) Explosion (1969)

This is appears to be yet another one of those “So You Say You Want A Revolution” films from the late 60s. The 60s were a good time for freeze frames apparently.

2) The Green Slime (1968)

This is a classic example of a “Look How Excited The Narrator Is!” style of grindhouse trailer.

3) The Student Nurses (1970)

I love any trailer that claims that the movie being advertised is about “what’s happening now…” It’s a line that just screams 1970s. Anyway, this is The Student Nurses which was directed by Stephanie Rothman, one of the first of the true Grindhouse feminists.

4) The Student Teachers (1973)

Student Nurses was a huge success so the next few years so a whole lot of different “Student” films. Hence, the Student Teachers. That clown at the end of this trailer freaks me out. By the way, Chuck Norris is apparently in this trailer.

5) The Two Faces Of Love (1972)

Of course, even as the grindhouse celebrated the strong women who became student nurses and student teachers, it was also celebrating the woman who found themselves trapped in rip-offs of Repulsion, like The Two Faces of Love.