Autopsy  (1973)

Directed by Armando Crispino

After being released in a cut to shit format many years ago, Italian gore fanatics have been hoping for an uncut version of this film to become available. Thanks to Anchor Bay it finally has, and it was definitely worth the wait. I would compare this film to the style of Dario Argento. The story is basically a murder mystery with lots of twists and turns and a genuinely surprising ending. The strangest thing about this movie would have to be the hallucinations the lead character experiences while she is working in the morgue. She sees bodies moving, getting up, and in one scene two cadavers start having sex. It’s not as graphic as some would want, but the scenes in question are still very disturbing. This movie also has a fair amount of blood, but if you were looking for a gorefest this really wouldn’t be my first pick. The Anchor Bay re-release comes in a clam shell case, with a few extras, so if you want to add an obscure film to your collection, you can’t go wrong with Autopsy.   – Mike Hochins

The Beyond (1981)

Directed by Lucio Fulci

The movie starts off in the past with a man (a believed Satanic painter) below a hotel being caught by a town mob saying he is evil & has cursed the hotel and the town (the hotel was constructed over one the seven gates to hell). They crucify him and throw some boiling goop onto his face repeatedly burning his flesh off and killing him. What an awesome effect for back in the day. Key to the present where a woman and man buy the hotel. The woman runs into a blind girl with a seeing-eye dog & the blind girl  warns the woman to leave because of the curse. But she won’t of course. The crucified man (now zombie) returns and all goes to hell. An extremely graphic and sick gory movie filled with superb dire emotion and fantastic atmosphere. Director Lucio Fulci is the grand wizard of gore!  - Dale Roy

Blood Vengeance  (1975)

Directed by Joe D'Amato

Also known as Emanuelle e Francoise Le Sorelline. “Tortured By His Lust For Two Women“ screams the Cover!! Yeah, actor George Eastman (of Anthropophagus fame) plays the role of head scumbag in this Exploitative shocker…Joe D’Amato never lets you down for a second in this thriller…. George Eastman plays resident stud in this strange flick where a model Francoise finds Mr. Dick in bed with another tramp throws he body under a train..A series of flash bands shows her degradation that led up to these moments , in steps sister named Emanuelle (of course!) who lures Mr Eastman (Carlo), into her seductive  cock teasing Web!! She eventually confines him inside a closet in her house, drugs him silly, and goes onto prick tease him thru out the remainder of the Grim and Ugly tale….This is no Joke…. Her steps to humiliate him are 100 percent Obsession!! ….this Flick is loaded with D’Amato sleaze of course, and you know he knew how to conduct sexual scenes from all the Joe D’Amato porn flicks and sado-sex romps he put out in the 1970’s…people are naked every chance they get , sex , lesbians ,violence …very Giallo – like in some ways….this films if also known as part of the Emanuelle series, but in the USA was released as Emanuelle’s Revenge …  - Bill Connolly

Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)

Directed by Joel M. Read

The movie starts off with a so-called magician named Sardu and his midget side kick, putting on a show of women being tortured to death. The audience eats it up and does not realize the horror they are watching is real & and are thinking it is fake special effects. A horrific concept and well done here. The master and his midget follower have fun throughout the flick as they abduct many women and enjoy torturing them and killing them in many ways. Such as teeth pulling, amputation, dismemberment, by chainsaw, electrocution and so on. They proceed to abduct the appropriate people for their grand show which combines torture, cannibalism, and sadism with musical ballet. A female dancer is tortured and coerced into beating a man half to death during her dancing routine. It sounds weird, I know and it is but it seems to work for me. I wont give away the ending but this is one sick movie with maybe the most full frontal nudity I have ever scene this side a porno movie! It is almost hard to believe a movie this good came from Trauma.  - Dale

C.H.U.D. (1984)

Directed by Douglas Cheek

Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller’s or Contamination Hazard Urban Disposal? It depends on which way you look at it. The nuclear waste which is being stored underneath a large city, is contaminating the sewer occupying denizens. The effects of this waste make people severely disfigured, extremely violent, and well cannibalistic. Of course, no movie of this nature would be complete without a government cover up. This does actually contain a very average amount of gore and dismemberment but those scenes are good. To top it off there is even a scene which features a dog’s corpse hanging from a hook. As with many mid-80s horror films there are some appearances from some now respected actors. John Heard (Home Alone, etc), Daniel Stern (also Home Alone & voice of Kevin Arnold in that cheezy family sitcom The Wonder Years) and a 30 second cameo at the end of the film from John Goodman. I do recommend this movie, as a little thought has been put into the plot unlike today’s trendy so called modern horror. To me, a few beers and a movie like C.H.U.D. make for a good night. Ignore the stupid sequel though.  – Jeffrey Kusbel

City of The Walking Dead  (1980)

Directed by Umberto Lenzi

“Where the rent is an arm and a leg!” Damn this movie went under a lot of titles in a bunch of different countries. Here’s the run down for foreign fans and collectors: La Invasion de los Zombies Atomicos, Incubo sulla citta contaminata, & Nightmare City. The movie starts out focusing on a no-nonsense reporter named Dean Miller. It seems, in recent news events, there was a contamination leak at a local atomic power plant, and one of the original site directors, Professor Otto Hagenback just happens to be coming into town. Miller is assigned to the interview.  While waiting at the airport for the Professor an unmarked and non-responsive plane makes an unauthorized landing. Miller and his camera man decide to go check it out. Alongside a whole platoon of government army troops. To their surprise and bewilderment the door flies open and out bursts a shit load of zombies – some brandishing weapons. One point I want to make to zombie fanatics like myself do not expect the classic type of zombie you might see in a Romero flick.

These zombies also die with a shot to the head, but they look more human or only recently decaying if you will. They also are quick and agile and can think doing things like cutting phone cords and what not. I like the classic zombie more myself but the action and gore within City... is nothing to sneeze at. There are some great sick scenes including one where the zombies invade a tv studio and kill camera men and a whole set of aerobics people who are taping a show!! Very cool! Oh I mustn’t forget to mention if you like tits like I do you will love the fact you get to see a lot of nice pairs on a regular basis throughout the movie. In fact, one broad gets her breast ripped off! The film has a strange, quirky and eerie feel to it and the plot is a bit spotty at times but that  tends to go with the territory on Italian gore flicks. I love how they introduce some characters, let you get to know them and think “they will survive”, only to be beaten and eaten a minute later. I like that. I really enjoyed the utterly chaotic scene after scene of zombies ravaging a hospital. I won’t get too much into the end of the film but I think I can recommend this to zombie fans and especially fans of Italian horror flicks. Yeah it is bad but is also good if you know what I mean?  – Dale Roy

Dagon (2001)

Directed by Stuart Gordon

Director / Writer Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond etc…) makes a welcome return conjuring up an on screen version of H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. I was lucky enough to see this not just on the little screen but also on the big screen at it’s East coast premiere in New Jersey. I was excited and the fact I bought as soon as it came out on DVD should tell you, my excitement was well justified.

The film opens off the coast of Spain, where young couple Paul and Barbara who are vacationing on their friends boat (an older husband and wife named Howard and Vicki). Paul our main star (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Jeffrey Combs, a Gordon regular) in most respects, is far from a bad ass but more like an uptight business power broker type but he has a certain flair to him that balances out his bungling, wuss like tendencies. I dig the general tapestry of this film as well, it seems once things get strange that everything is always dark, it is misty and raining outside, black and moist. The pacing of the film is good, it is quick but not so quick as to skip by stuff you need / would like to know, skillful suspense.

Needless to say their boat wrecks, Helen is hurt so Paul and Barbara take off to the nearby coastal village for help. There they are greeted by helpful if not creepy and eccentric townspeople who do not have a working telephone but will go rescue their friends and rent them a room in the only hotel in town which features rooms covered in dust, rust, danky mildew and puddle water coming from the dirt encrusted sink and shower. To cut to the chase a bit, it turns out that the town have sold their soul to an underwater god many years previous, who lavishes them literally with fish, food and gold. Paul learns by way of a local drunk name Ezequiel that the townspeople are slowly transforming into squid-like life forms that will allow them to live in the water. Some are further along with their particular mutation / evolution and the ones evolving more slowly draw visitors as with some simple disguise can hide their deformities, others can no longer walk, because some they now have tentacles instead of legs and arms. With Ezequiel's help, Paul searches the town for Barbara, who suddenly disappeared after checking into the hotel, all the while getting into all sorts of misfortune and fright. Along the way he sees the horror of what the people have done to themselves.

Dagon is not a gore fest but blood and gore are presented very well and effectively, the face cutting / defleshing scene involving Ezequiel in particular was superb in a stomach turning way. I won’t give away too much more of the plot but it involves a promised woman Paul has dreamt about for years and Dagon himself. Good film, check it out and enjoy.  - Dale

Dawn of The Dead (1978)

(Directors cut showing 11 minutes of scenes cut from original)

Directed by George A. Romero

I wanted to review this as I reviewed Night Of The Living Dead last issue. This is by writer / director extraordinaire George A. Romero. Who stayed true to his vision and made killer zombie movies in 5 straight decades!

The movie begins in the thick of the chaos (right here in Philly interestingly enough), the zombies have risen and begun to feast sending inhabitants the world over fleeing for safety. There's some great gore and flesh chewing scenes when the police task force rushes an apartment complex destroying zombies on site. A small group (3 men (two from the police task force) and 1 woman) escapes the building in a helicopter. From the helicopter ride you get to see how the walking corpses have spread across the country. The group makes one re-fuelling stop fighting off zombies. Then finally they land on top of a shopping mall where they figure they can hole-up and gather some supplies. I really like this set up and story a lot. Some have said this movie is slow moving but to me you are just missing the genius of it. In my book the slow build up of the plot creates an amazing oppressive atmosphere and hopelessness that is almost suffocating to watch!

After a long series of events including a still living biker gang invading the sealed up mall creating a 3 way conflict between the two groups and the zombies. Only 2 of the group of 4 make it out alive and fly trying to find an island to land on where they can kill off the zombies and not worry about more coming. The film ends after they escape ending a true classic in good form. Remember When there is no more room in hell, the dead shall walk the earth!  – Dale Roy

Day of The Dead (1985)

Directed by George A. Romero

I present you the triumvirate of zombie classick’s! I reviewed (issue # 3 + 4 of the print zine) the other two zombie flicks by the master George A. Romero. Who taught us all a lesson in dedication to what you love (like us with metal!) and this motherfucker made a zombie movie in 3 separate decades (‘60s, ‘70s, & ‘80s)!!

This movie is set in an underground military missile silo. Where the only known living (from the zombies ravaging the entire planet feasting on & exterminating the living) which consists of some soldiers and a handful of scientists. The soldiers capture zombies from outside the compound and in the nearby city and keep them in a holding pen like cattle. Where they sit until Doctor Frankenstein as they call him, conducts utterly graphic and gore filled experiments using them as guinea pigs to figure out ways to control the zombies and what makes them tick.

The tension mounts between the scientists / helicopter pilot and the soldiers and it soon becomes a blood filled battle between the scientists and soldiers set among legions of zombies. The zombies get their revenge and the feasting scene at the end of the movie is something you will never forget and probably the longest, greatest zombie munch sequence ever put to film. A must see Bub and remember Romero is a horror god!!  - Dale Roy

Dirty Cop, No Donut (1999)

Directed by Tim Ritter

This is the same Tim Ritter that stunk up the joint with his Truth or Dare back in the middle eighties, I’m sure a few of you remember that one? Needless to say I wasn’t really looking forward to viewing this. Though I did read a good review of it in Shock Cinema, my interest was at least a bit sparked. Dirty Cop is a spoof on the tv show COPS. The whole reality based programming that is becoming real popular these day’s. We are introduced to Officer Friendly, an officer that has gone over the edge. The camera follows this sleaze bag of a cop on his ten hour graveyard shift. In that time we get to see Officer Friendly break into some drug dealers home, without a search warrant and beat the crap out of him and steal his coke. Not only does he steal it, he starts sniffing it! Funny shit as he gets high and busts a hooker but lets her off on a promise of some sexual favors. Hey, you get see to tits, this is not a porn after all.

The stuff that comes out of this cop’s mouth as he further descends into insanity is priceless. Gotta check out his police car, it’s not even one, it’s some old piece of junk with a light stuck on the dash board. Hardly something to be taken serious but this is surely entertaining. I don’t know how Joel D. Wynloop (aka Officer Friendly) kept a straight face while filming this. I mean there’s one particular scene where Friendly pay’s a visit to a Pawn shop and just goes ape shit in there destroying what he thinks is stolen merchandise and demands the guy behind the counter gives him some change for the vending machines. This guy (actor?) was on the verge of busting into laughter, that’s what makes this movie. It so damn stupid and amateur looking and made that you keeping thinking “I can do this!”. I believe a part 2 was made, can it get any worse? I sure as hell hope so!  - Bill Connolly

Don't Torture A Duckling  (1972)

Directed by Lucio Fulci

When most people think of Lucio Fulci, the first thing they think of is gore. And I would have to agree with that. The director’s films always had great atmosphere, wonderful music, and tons of blood and guts. However, this film is one of his earlier films and despite a pretty vicious chain whipping scene, this doesn’t compare to his gorier films. The movie tells the story of a murder mystery happening in a small town. Children in the city are turning up dead and the police have few clues. Suspects are questioned, but you truly don’t know whom the killer is until near the end of the movie.

Although this probably isn’t Fulci’s most well known films, it probably is one of the better plots he has directed. Let’s face it his classic movies are definitely gory, but they lack when it comes to plot. This film has plot twists, and for it’s age, it still comes across as a quality film today. Anchor Bay has re-released this as part of the Lucio Fulci collection in a very sleek looking collector’s case.    – Mike Hochins

Don't Be Afraid of The Dark (1978)

Directed by John  Newland

 I finally found a copy of one of the creepiest made for tv movies ever!!. I caught this on tv when I was about 10 one Saturday afternoon and it just scared the piss out of me. Shit, this thing still spooks me. The story is centered around an old house (I’d go as far as say mansion) and the new owners and the little mean bastard monsters that live in the fireplace.

Everything was cool until that one door in the house was opened, the handyman warned the Mrs. not to go in there. The bitch of course doesn’t listen cause all she can think about is turning the room into a study and sitting in front of the fire place with a book. The only thing is the fireplace has been sealed off with bricks and cement. What the hell for she ask’s? The handyman knows why, but I’ll get to that a little later. Soon after strange things start happening, voice’s are heard and they keep calling the woman to the basement. The husband of course thinks his wife is cracking up and is really pissed at her for acting so nutty.

I got to give credit to the little monster guy’s (they look like the midget version’s of the thing that was in the basement from Fulci’s (“House By the Cemetery”) they were quite patient in the beginning with the lady, all they asked for was her soul and to come down to the basement and join them. Oh no, she had to be a hard ass so they decided to get violent. Ahh, now this is where the fun begins. They try n’cut her with a blade in the shower but no luck,  as soon as the woman flicks the lights on they head for the hills. Go figure, their afraid of light. Now, these guy’s are really irate so as soon as they find out the husband will be out of town the next couple of days they will get this bitch!!  They waste no time the following night, they start off by killing the interior decorator who stopped by to smooth over plans for his work to be started. These little freaks trip the poor guy down the stairs breaking his neck. The lady is a wreck by now and her friend who's decided to stay and keep her company while the husbands away calls in the police and doctor. The doctor gives her the once over and gives her some sleeping pills. She of course wants no part of the sleeping pills, she can’t fall asleep knowing what’s coming to get her!!

By now the husband is notified of what happened and decides to pay a visit to the handyman who by the way was fired for feeding his wife lines about the fireplace being “dangerous” and better left alone. The handy man spills some of the beans about the fireplace and the creatures that inhabit it. The husband is not buying it, and the handyman now fears for his life for what little he told of the monsters. Well, the phone starts ringing in the midst of the conversation and it’s the wife. Incoherent due to the sleeping pills the phone goes dead and out goes the handyman and husband headed to the house. Meanwhile the monsters manage to cut the power to the house and lock the wife’s friend outside the house. The camera zooms a shot of the monsters making their way up the stairs with rope to get their victim.  Suddenly we witness the three little monsters dragging and pulling the doped up woman down the stairs and closer and closer to the basement. She tries like hell to escape but alas down the fireplace the woman goes...The end!! No over the top gore, no expansive special effects instead a good old fashion scare fest. Believe me you’ll never forget this one.   – Bill Conolly