"42nd Street Forever, Vol. 3"

If you know me, then you know that I love movies. And, if you know me more than those who only know that I love movies, then you also know that I love movie trailers. And, if you know all (both) of those wonderful facts about me, then you are holding the very knowledge that very few can claim to have held. That, in itself, is a remarkable achievement. Perhaps not. I might be giving too much credit. You might know this, simply from reading my "about me" bio. If that is the case, then, you must be an acquaintance! Nice try, deep fry. I'm onto your shifty business and kuh-niving ways!

Anyway, with that said, I L-O-V-E the 42ND STREET FOREVER series of DVDs from Synapse Films. Yesterday, upon my DVD buying travels, I finally came across the latest volume entitled EXPLOITATION EXPLOSION. After reading the contents on the back of the case, I could hardly wait to get home and pop the disc in my player, thereby losing myself in an array of movie trailer madness. It's as if the good folks at Synapse have harnessed the ability to read my mind. "Hey, hasn't Nathan been longing to see some of these trailers and/or TV spots since the dawn of his existence?" "Yes, Synapse Films, I have!" It's as if Synapse is the Superman to my Lois Lane. "Can You Read My Mind?" reference. You're welcome.

In addition to reading my thoughts, Synapse also has a know-how on when to release a trailer that has not been previously released on the respective DVD of the film in question. One example from the previous volume is the inclusion of the trailer to Abel Ferrara's vigilante classic, MS. 45, a feature which is sorely lacking from the DVD released by Image Entertainment (yet another reason not to buy the disc, the other is that the film itself is NOT uncut). Synapse has done the same good deed once again here on Vol. 3, by adding the trailer to Jeanott Szwarc's BUG. Paramount released the film to DVD years ago, and we all know those mountain folk be skimpin' on the extras, especially in the theatrical trailer department.

Here is the "track listing" in the order they appear on the DVD (titles ending with an asterisk are those which I was particularly excited about, having not seen them before)...

Theatrical Trailers:

• SUDDEN DEATH
• THE ONE-ARMED EXECUTIONER *
• JAGUAR LIVES!
• ENTER THE NINJA *
• LIGHTNING SWORDS OF DEATH
• FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH
• THE STRANGER AND THE GUNFIGHTER
• BEYOND THE DOOR
• DEMONOID *
• THE NIGHT CHILD
• DEVIL TIMES FIVE
• PATRICK
• JENNIFER *
• PHASE IV *
• BUG *
• THE UNCANNY *
• THE PACK *
• ALLIGATOR
• KILLER FISH *
• SHARK'S TREASURE *
• BLOOD BEACH *
• HOT T-SHIRTS *
• CHEERLEADERS' WILD WEEKEND *
• SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHERS *
• GORP *
• KING FRAT *
• PRISON GIRLS
• 1000 CONVICTS AND A WOMAN
• CHAIN GANG WOMEN
• THE PENTHOUSE
• THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE *
• NIGHT CALL NURSES
• THE YOUNG NURSES
• CANDY STRIPE NURSES
• THE LIFE AND TIMES OF XAVIERA HOLLANDER
• THE HAPPY HOOKER GOES HOLLYWOOD *
• SURVIVE! *
• GUYANA: CULT OF THE DAMNED *
• SEVEN
• SCORCHY *
• SAVAGE STREETS *
• CONVOY *
• HIGH BALLIN' *
• FROM NOON TILL THREE *
• TELEFON *
• LIES
• TATTOO *

Vintage Television Spots:

• JAGUAR LIVES!
• HIGH BALLIN' *
• CHAMPION OF DEATH
• THE SENIORS *
• THE LAST SURVIVOR
• THE JESUS TRIP
• NAKED ANGELS
• BILLY JACK *
• GOLDEN NEEDLES

Of course, I can't wait for Volume Four! Keep 'em comin'!

Mashed Potatoes!

Here's my latest nod. A "mash-up" (that's what the kids call 'em, these daze) of movie trailer moments that are all movie, all from trailers and are all actual moments! Would you believe?

Midnite On A Tuesday Morning

Tuesday is DVD new release day and this particular Tuesday marks a special occasion: the return of MGM's Midnite Movies! The usual Midnite Movies ritual began at 8:05 am at Fry's Electronics (my seemingly home away from home). I decided earlier that I would pass on any of the higher priced releases, such as "From Beyond" and "The Return Of The Living Dead" Special Edition (both were $14.99) and "The Fly" Collection at $29.99(!), and shop strictly for all the MGM/Fox titles at $9.99 each.

I was in and out within fifteen minutes and got everything I had planned on. Mission accomplished!

Midnite Movies (MGM):

Delta Force 3: The Killing Game

For years, I avoided this film. No Chuck Norris = No Nathan Martin! But as a true Cannon aficionado (granted, I'm not a huge fan of the post-Golan Cannon films, of which, this is one), I eventually got around to watching it. Sam Firstenberg's direction is a definite plus. Firstenberg nearly patterned the Cannon Films' action mold, so how could I truly pass this up? Any film should make an early attempt at grabbing it's audience's interest and this film does a fine job as we are treated to a topless female. From that point, no longer was this film just playing in the background. I then promptly took a front row seat.

Before Nick Cassavetes (son of Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes) became the accomplished filmmaker we now know him as, he starred in a slew of "b" pictures. Here he heads the JOYRIDE* style cast of fellow second generation actors, Mike Norris, Eric Douglas and Matthew Penn. Unfortunately, the film suffers from a horrible score (which incorporates and butchers Alan Silvestri's terrific theme from the original). I'm no composer for certain, but I've done much better pieces on my Casio.

I'm always looking for film connections and since both Nick Cassavetes and Matthew Penn are in this, could this have been the introduction of Nick to Matthew's brother, Sean Penn, thereby resulting in SHE'S SO LOVELY? I'd like to think so, and therefore, this film deserves mention.

Not too thought-provoking and surely nothing in the classic sense, yet overall, DELTA FORCE 3 serves as a nice time killer. Naturally, this is nowhere near the fun of THE DELTA FORCE or DELTA FORCE 2: THE COLOMBIAN CONNECTION (a.k.a. DELTA FORCE 2: OPERATION STRANGLEHOLD) and Chuck Norris' absense is surely felt.

The DVD is one for the "bare bones" pile, offering one more feature than that of a "Universal Selection"... an actual menu. I'm sticking with my laserdisc.


* JOYRIDE is a Joseph Ruben film which coincidentally features second generation actors in the four lead roles: Desi Arnaz, Jr., Robert Carradine, Melanie Griffith and Anne Lockhart.

Mansion Of The Doomed

Nothing quite says love and devotion like MANSION OF THE DOOMED. No, I'm not suggesting a future Valentine's gift for that special someone (although, the DVD did come out recently and it might get you more sugar than a previously viewed Bingo brand VHS could).

For whatever reason, I really dig this bizarre film. The late, great Richard Basehart stars as Dr. Chaney, an eye surgeon determined to make medical history by restoring eyesight to the blind, with the help of some unwitting and unwilling donors. His blind daughter is his test subject. The first surgery goes alright, except that her vision cuts off shortly after, provoking Chaney to seek another donor. Needless to say, the following surgery has the same side effect, causing the determined Chaney to prey upon nearly every acquaintance he meets, subjecting his daughter to countless additional surgeries. Soon he has a collection of "the eyeless" in his laboratory. Clearly Chaney doesn't follow the wisdom of the great W.C. Fields. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no sense making a damn fool of yourself!" So many victims, so little eyesight, what to do, what to do, tisk, tisk...

SEE Lance Henriksen get his eyeballs "lanced," and therefore he can no longer SEE!
HEAR the continual moaning of Dr. Chaney's eyeless prisoners!
SEE an escapee hit by a passing motor vehicle. They can't see, remember?!
HEAR an unauthorized cue from Pink Floyd's "Welcome To The Machine" in an early nightmare sequence!

FEEL cheated by the fact that exploitation film goddess Marilyn Joi bares no extra skin!
KNOW that actor Michael Pataki directed this film and also collaborated with producer Charles Band again on ZOLTAN... HOUND OF DRACULA!

DIG the entire affair from beginning to end!

PLEASE be KIND and REWIND!

USA Network Memories

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.