The Horror, The Horror — 6 More Trailers

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s time for the latest installment of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation trailers and, continuing with October’s theme, they are once again all horror trailers. This week, I set out to prove that Argento’s a master and everything’s scarier in German. Let’s begin:

1) Friday the 13th (1980)

There’s no way I could possibly get through October without including at least one Friday the 13th trailer. I went with this one in order to specifically prove that everything’s scarier in German.

2) Paganini Horror (1989)

The trailer for this Italian horror film is in German as well and I have to be honest that, despite being a fourth German, I speak the language like not at all. Then again, considering that this is one of Luigi Cozzi’s films, it’s probably for the best that I can’t understand the trailer. All I know is that the killer’s mask is creepy and who doesn’t love Venice? Seriously, I went there the summer after I graduated high school and there’s no other place I’d more want to be stalked by Klaus Kinski. One more piece of trivia (and don’t quote me on this), I think that Cozzi may have attempted to sell this film as a part of Dario Argento’s Three Mothers trilogy.

3) Suspiria (1977)

Speaking of Dario Argento’s Three Mothers trilogy, here’s the U.S. trailer for the film that started it all, Suspiria. While you can probably guess that Suspiria is one of my favorite horror films, it’s also one of my favorite ballet movies as well. In fact, the ballet aspect of Suspiria is largely responsible for me discovering my love of Italian horror because, if not for the fact that it took place at a cursed dance academy, I doubt I would have paid as much attention to the movie the first time I saw it.

4) Inferno (1980)

While Suspiria is definitely more fun, I still think that the second part of the trilogy — Inferno — is a better horror film. Seriously, the underwater sequence at the start of this film still freaks me out.

5) Mother of Tears (2007)

Twenty-seven years after Inferno, Argento finally concluded the trilogy with Mother of Tears. A lot of horror fans practically foam at the mouth going on and on about how much they hated this film. I happened to have enjoyed it. So there.

6) Dawn of The Dead (1978)

Continuing on the Argento theme, here’s a classic trailer for a classic film. George Romero may have directed the American version of Dawn of the Dead but the European version (known as Zombi) was put together by Argento and guess which one is superior? Anyway, this trailer is for the Romero version:

6 Trailers That Make Lisa Marie Go Yay!

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hi everyone!

I will be the first to admit that I can occasionally be a little moody but tonight, as I sit here typing, I am in such a good, extremely hyper mood. Maybe it’s because I’m wearing my beloved black Pirates shirt. Or it could be because, for once, this house is neither too cold nor too warm. Then again, it could just be because it’s time for me to bring you another edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Trailers!

1) I Dismember Mama/The Blood-Splattered Bride (1974)

This is a trailer for a “double feature of horror,” featuring I Dismember Mama and The Blood-Splattered Bride. When I’ve spoken with other grindhouse movie fans on the web, this trailer is often cited as being a favorite. Personally, I think it goes along for about a minute too long but I can understand why it’s so popular. For one thing, it’s nothing like the trailers that are currently playing in theaters across America in that it’s a short film in itself. By the way, the trailer for Blood-Splattered bride sans I Dismember Mamma can be viewed here.

2) Killer Nun (1978)

From the wonderful nation of Italy comes this example of the odd little grindhouse genre known as nunsploitation. I can probably count the number of good nunsploitation films on one hand. And yet when confronted with a film like this, I cannot look away. Maybe it’s because I was raised in the Catholic church. Or it could just be because the totally hot and lickable Joe Dallesandro is in so many of them. Along with Dallesandro, Killer Nun features Anita Ekberg of La Dolce Vita fame and Alida Valli of Third Man, Suspiria, and Inferno fame.

(Sidenote: Once when I was going to Catholic school, this really mean, fat girl was jealous of me because I was prettier than her so she whacked me in the face with a ruler so hard that it actually broke the skin right over my right eye and I had to get 3 stitches to close the cut and I’ve still got this little scar and sometimes, when I wink or seductively arch my right eyebrow, it still hurts a little. I hope somebody eventually went all Killer Nun on that girl…)

3) Lady Kung Fu (1972)

When I showed my sister Erin this trailer, she said, “You’re not going to jump up and start trying to do any of that stuff yourself, are you?” “Uhmmm…no,” I replied but, to be honest, I was totally about to do it. I don’t know much about Angela Mao but just, on the basis of this trailer, she’s my hero. This trailer is just infectious and, as I watched, I wondered, “How difficult can it be?” Well, apparently, it’s very difficult but that’s a story for a different time.

4) The Bullet Machine (1969)

“He can hack it!” Uhmmm….well, yes, okay then. At first, I thought I had actually found a trailer that was more violent than the trailer for Massacre Mafia Style but, upon careful reflection, I have to say that Massacre Mafia Style is still the king. The two hitmen in Massacre Mafia Style may not fire as many bullets but they still manage to kill everyone else in the trailer. Whereas The Bullet Machine is constantly shooting his gun but doesn’t really seem to accomplish much as a result. Plus, the mafia hitmen had style whereas the Bullet Machine just seems to be kind of a prick. If ever I have to prove the thesis that most men use guns as a substitute for their own limp penis, this trailer will be exhibit one.

5) Alien 2 (1980)

I don’t know much about this film other than it’s obviously an Italian attempt to capitalize on the success of the original Alien and it is not — as I originally assumed — the same film as Luigi Cozzi’s Alien Contamination. One of the things that I love about Italian exploitation cinema is just the pure shamelessness of it all. I imagine there had to have been about a thousand remakes of Alien in the early 80s but only the Italians would have the balls to actually name a film Alien 2.

As for this trailer, it has its slow spots but seriously, stick with it for the final shot. And remember — you could be next!

(On the plus side, a young Michele Soavi is in this film. YAY!)

6) Fascination (1978)

I’m in such a good mood right now that I’m just going to have to end this latest entry with a little Jean Rollin. Now, just in case anyone out there is unfamiliar with the unique cinematic vision of Jean Rollin, you should understand that this trailer is far more explicit than any of the other trailers featured in this post. In fact, I’m surprised that Youtube hasn’t taken it down yet. So, if you’re easily offended, I don’t know why you would be visiting this site in the first place. But anyways, if you’re easily offended, consider yourself warned.

As for Fascination, it’s actually one of the more accessible of Jean Rollin’s vampire films. The image — seen towards the end of this trailer — of Brigittie LaHaie with a scythe has become iconic.

Scenes I Love: Inferno

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Inferno is Dario Argento’s 1980 sequel to Suspiria. Inferno seems to bring out the extreme reactions in Argentonians — it’s either loved or hated. I happen to love it.

Below is one of the film’s best known sequences, the one where Irene Miracle ends up taking a surreal swim through a basement. To me, this sequence is almost Fulciesque in it’s dream-like approach (punctuated, of course, by one sudden grotesque shock at the end). Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond, which is often compared to Inferno, featured a similarly flooded basement.

Words of warning: This scene lasts 6 and a half minutes. Also, the first few minutes are nearly ruined by Keith Emerson’s bombastic score. Fortunately, once Miracle takes her fateful dive, Mr. Emerson is silenced.