A long time ago, from a cable box and/or satellite far, far away...
Back in the day, the USA Network had to be one of the best cable networks around. This channel provided so much in genres of horror, sci-fi and exploitation. Basically, films you may never see on television again, severely truncated or not. Honestly, what other network had the nerve to air Paul Morrisey films, such as FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN and BLOOD FOR DRACULA? Sure, they were edited beyond recognition at points, packed with re-composed shots of an actor's face being super-zoomed-in on during a moment of bodily torment. Imagine the shot in "Frankenstein" when Udo Kier's hand is severed or the moment when his character meets it's demise in a "dis-heartening" (Spoiler alert... Ah, too late!) form of punishment. "What's happening to Udo?! He looks constipated!"
My point is that commercial television won't pay these films such consideration, ever again. And, that's a shame, considering how such airings broadened my film tastes and influenced me to seek out the uncut versions to these classic and not-so classic films.
For what it's worth, here's a brief list of some of the films I had the pleasure to witness on vintage USA, circa 1987-1991...
As seen on COMMANDER USA's GROOVIE MOVIES:
- AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
- THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR
- C.H.U.D.
- DEMONOID
- DEVIL'S NIGHTMARE
- DOCTOR DRACULA
- THE FINAL TERROR
- FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL
- LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH
- NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (Colorized)
- A POLISH VAMPIRE IN BURBANK
- THE SWARM
- TOXIC ZOMBIES
As seen on USA SATURDAY NIGHTMARES:
- AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
- THE APPOINTMENT
- BASKET CASE
- BLOODBATH AT THE HOUSE OF DEATH
- THE BROOD
- THE CHILDREN
- DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS
- DAY OF THE DEAD
- DEADLY EYES
- DEVIL TIMES FIVE
- DREAM SLAYER (BLOOD SONG)
- THE EXORCIST
- EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC
- GROTESQUE
- THE HAND
- HELLO, MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT II
- IT'S ALIVE
- IT LIVES AGAIN (IT'S ALIVE 2)
- LASERBLAST
- THE LONG DARK NIGHT (THE PACK)
- NEON MANIACS
- NIGHT OF THE CREEPS
- NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (Colorized)
- OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
- THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY
- Q - THE WINGED SERPENT
- RABID
- RAIDERS OF THE LIVING DEAD
- RAZORBACK
- SHOCK WAVES
- SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4: INITIATION
- SLUGS
- TOURIST TRAP
- THE UNSEEN
- THE VIDEO DEAD
- ZOLTAN... HOUND OF DRACULA
- ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE
Not to mention all of the great films, horrorific or not, appearing late nite on Friday and Saturday's installments of USA UP! ALL NIGHT, hosted respectively by Rhonda Shear and Gilbert Gottfried. Good times.
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