Monday, November 16, 2009

Films with Teeth and Schrapnel: Eurocrime Documentary Needs You!



Chances are, if you're reading this blog, you have a weakness for all things 70's and Italian. While a good amount of material has been devoted to the Italian horror genre, it's equal but different brother, the action film, has been sorely neglected.

The fine folks behind the upcoming Eurocrime: The Italian Cop and Gangster Films that Ruled the '70's are looking to change that. The film is in post-production and features a slew of great looking interviews with such genre stalwarts as John Saxon, Fred Williamson, Franco Nero, Joe Dallesandro, Chris Mitchum, and many more. There's one hitch though. They are needing some financial backers to help them flesh out the documentary with footage from the very films they are covering. Who wants to see a documentary about Modigliani without seeing any paintings? Exactly.

So if you would like to help out, just click here and learn how you can help get this documentary on a fantastic subgenre finished and released.


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

...And Now the Screeming Starts!!!

Yes, I know I've been a very bad blog momma lately. The struggle of balancing career writing, and the ever dreaded day job work was bigger than ever in October. I've been recovering from the aftermath, but hey, it's a new month with plenty of new projects on the horizons.

Want proof? I'd be more than happy to provide,




Exhibit A? The latest issue of the legendary Screem magazine, where you can find my reviews dealing with everything from the Cinema of Transgression to Aleister Crowley to even Al Adamson. (Trio of heroes right there.) Being in Screem is a big thing, since it was one of the very first film mags that helped form the demented cinema lover that I am today. It was their third issue, with the The Beast of Blood cover, that proved to be a huge bright spot in my other wise highly awkward and unhappy junior high girl existence. There was something about that big eyed ghoul beheading himself in stark blood red and cobalt blues that has burned into my brain forever. It was that issue that first turned me on to Something Weird Video and films like Bloodsucking Freaks. I actually used stills from the latter to illustrate our fictional family trees in my 9th grade French class, much to the icked out confusion of my teacher. (I should also mention that I also used a picture of Lydia Lunch for one of my Aunts.)

Over a decade later, the magazine is still going strong and features such strong, notable writers like Greg Goodsell (Angels in Distress) and Shane M. Dallmann, among many others. It's a real joy to be in this issue, featuring one of my all time favorite films, The Phantom of the Paradise. (In fact, I want you to go build a proper shrine to William "Winslow" Finley right now.

Anyways, feel free to pick up the latest Screem, ride the mindway, and keep watching this space for further bits of opinionated but factual bits of cultural esoteric grooviness.