Last Film You Watched + Your Comments?

[the13thman]

Last night I watched Invisible Man: Rape! (aka Lusty Transparent Man) a soft-core Japanese comedy about a bespectacled geek who uses an invisibility potion to take advantage of women, and he’s not bothered whether they are on the toilet, asleep or even alone!

Needless to say, it was one of the most un-PC films I’ve seen, with the comedy “boing!” and “pop!” noises accompanying the hero’s actions adding an extra level of bad taste.

I have seen plenty of Japanese films from the 70s but I can truly say I have never seen anything like this before – admittedly the finer details of the plot were lost on me due to there not being any subtitles but I don’t think an English-friendly version exists. They just don’t make ‘em like this any more!

[MarcMorris]

Have you seen many Koji Wakamatsu films? How about Jûsan-nin renzoku bôkôma (The Man Rapes 13 Women, 1978) or Nihon Boukou Ankoku Si (Dark Story of a Japanese Rapist, 1967)

Very twisted indeed.

[mrb]

That Little Monster.

A babysitter spends the evening looking after a monstrous baby with homicidal tendencies.

A little bit Eraserhead era David Lynch black and white visuals, and a Twilight Zone type plot. A Reggie Bannister cameo. Introduced in the style of Carl Laemmle by Forry Ackerman. It's all wrapped up in 50 minutes. Fun.

This comes as an 'extra' on a Shock DVD trailer disc. Good value.

[bladesew]

Last night I watched

Virtual Girl 2 - I picked the budget R2 up because Richard Gabai directed and I love his Assault of the Party Nerds films (I'm a sucker for 80s T&A comedies in general) but this is more of a late night erotic thriller in the vein of the Animal Instincts films. Susan Weatherly is gorgeous though.

Hell Penitentiary - again this was a cheap R2 of this Ajita Wilson-starring 80s WIP film - a pan-and-scanned atrocity of a fairly dull film. Avoid.

Vacancy (Blu-ray) - I loved this (though it was probably boosted a few points by the quality of the bluray disc on my new full HD TV). A very tense and well-crafted thriller. Lighter than the recent trend of Saw, etc but with an edge provided by the glimpses of the snuff movies (I actually wish I hadn't watched the full versions, included as an extra - horrible).

[the13thman]

Have you seen many Koji Wakamatsu films? How about Jûsan-nin renzoku bôkôma (The Man Rapes 13 Women, 1978) or Nihon Boukou Ankoku Si (Dark Story of a Japanese Rapist, 1967)

Very twisted indeed.

No, I shall have to see if I can get hold of those, the number of Japanese films (pinky stuff in particular) on my ‘to watch’ list has been going up quite a bit recently - the more I see from the likes of Panik House, Synapse and Discotek, the more I want to see.

School of the Holy Beast and Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight will probably be next, and I’ll have to get around to Horrors of Malformed Men and Snake Woman’s Curse too.

[MarcMorris]

I've got these Koji Wakamatsu films - some are on Japanese only VHS:

Embryo (1966)
Dark Story of a Japanese Rapist (1967)
Violated Angels (1967)
Womb to Let, A (1968)
Concubines, The (1969)
Go, Go, Second-Time Virgin (1969)
Ecstasy of the Angels (1972)
100 Years of Torture (1975)
Man Rapes Thirteen Women, The (1978)
Violent Tortures for Women (1978)
Prey, The (1979)
Pool Without Water, A (1982)
Ready to Shoot (1990)
Liaisons Erotiques, Les (1992)

[the13thman]

I've got these Koji Wakamatsu films - some are on Japanese only VHS:

Embryo (1966)
Dark Story of a Japanese Rapist (1967)
Violated Angels (1967)
Womb to Let, A (1968)
Concubines, The (1969)
Go, Go, Second-Time Virgin (1969)
Ecstasy of the Angels (1972)
100 Years of Torture (1975)
Man Rapes Thirteen Women, The (1978)
Violent Tortures for Women (1978)
Prey, The (1979)
Pool Without Water, A (1982)
Ready to Shoot (1990)
Liaisons Erotiques, Les (1992)

Some good titles there - I’ll have to see how many of those I can get hold of, though I’m already having problems finding time to watch the films I do have!

[Phill]

I just watched (for the umpteenth time) David Greene's The Strange Affair (1968). I must admit to having a soft spot for obscure British movies from the 50s - 70s.

Michael York stars as Peter Strange, a young and inexperienced new police constable who gets star place in a set of uncompromising photographs when he gets picked up by an under age and very groovy Susan George, who plays a hippy. Things go from bad to worse, and soon he's implicated in a major corruption charge by the very dodgy Jeremy Kemp.

Never released on video or DVD anywhere, my copy came from a Brazilian TV station. It's a Paramount title so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a DVD release of this any time soon.

That sounds right up my street Marc ! Any chance of a copy? I sort of watched Tigon's Black Beauty today, but my daughter kept losing interest when the horsey wasn't on screen, still I got to see Patrick Mower get his comeuppence!

[Mark Y]

The Strange Affair used to show up fairly frequently on ITV in the late 70s/early 80s but I don't recall ever actually seeing it.

As for Koji Wakamatsu, those Japs are a bundle of laughs aren't they? Are the films as lurid as they sound?

[MarcMorris]

Night Child and the Spanish version, Diabolica malicia. Released in the UK as Night Hair Child.

Mark Lester plays a chilling 12 year old boy who is very mature for his age, to the point of actually being quite sickening. He forces Britt Ekland to strip in front of him, amongst numerous other nasty little habits. Did he murder his father's former mistress? The Spanish version contains alternate scenes and a completely different ending.

This one was due for release by VCI in the States (they asked me to interview Lester for the disc but sadly I was busy on another project at the time), and so far it hasn't been scheduled for a release date. Let's hope they get it released soon.

[Grant]

I'd be up for an official release of this one too.

[MarcMorris]

I'm going to compare the two versions properly. I wonder if thew BBFC would consider passing this uncut?

[Angel]

Yes I to wonder if they would pass it uncut, Marc.

They cut it in 1972 for the X rating and again in 1979. It would be interesting to know what those cuts were but quite possibly the same cuts were required in 79. Mark Lester was under 16 at the time the film was made so it sounds like they probably would cut it today.

I haven't actually seen the film but would like to see it just to see what its chances are.

Does anyone know if the film has been shown on UK TV?

[kevxxx1]

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull - Spielberg and Lucas shouldn't have dug up this. A strange meld of old and new bound to not really please anyone.
The Happening - An intriguing premise let down by miscasting and bad dialogue but still of interest.
3 Dev Adam - Hilarious laugh riot
Screams of a Winter Night - Odd, very low budget, atmospheric, a bit slow with moments of interest but hampered by the Dutch VHS print I watched being too dark
Prophecies of Nostradamus - Excellent, this really needs to be on DVD
Iguana with the Tongue of Fire - Terrible, like a cheap Edgar Wallace adaptation with bad effects
My Brother Has Bad Dreams - Very slow and boring, rarity does not a good film make
Darktown Strutters - Bizarre seventies oddity, too frothy for my taste
10,000 B.C. - Awful, insulting, ridiculous cave-man rip-off of Apocalypto
Coonskin - Social commentary/exploitation that could never get made today, not bad but overbearing at times
The Protector - Crappy 80s Jackie Chan vehicle
What Have They Done To Your Daughters - After having watched too many disappointing giallo this was an unexpected treat, very good and recommended

[DaveSumner]

Mystic River - A brooding Clint Eastwood mystery thriller which keeps you guessing right to the end, with a terrific central performance from Tim Robbins as the doomed murder suspect.

[the13thman]

I've had time off work so have been watching a lot of films, including:

Shojo Geba Geba (Violent Virgin) - Bizarre arty sex and violence from Koji Wakamatsu, must see more of his stuff
Mystic River - Classy stuff, proper actors' film
Into The Wild - Quality cinematography, great supporting cast, bit long, found the central character far more irritating than Sean Penn did but an interesting true story nonetheless
Hired To Kill - Best moment of many in this highly entertaining B movie was Brian Thompson and Oliver Reed sharing a one-of-a-kind kiss
Organizm (aka Living Death) - Absolutely the best low budget poor CGI horror I've seen in a long time, great surprise, highly recommended
Vampirella - Far better than it had any right to be, Roger Daltrey acts like he's on kids TV but Talisa Soto in a skimpy outfit is all I need to be happy,
Drillbit Taylor - Like Superbad but aimed at a far younger audience and not as good. Also too long
Humanoids From The Deep - Should have gotten around to this one earlier, loved it when the Humanoids went on the rampage
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane - Not as good as hyped (but what is?) though I really did like the way this was put together, better than your average teen slasher IMO
Zombie Strippers - Cheap and unbelieveably stupid but Englund is good, and the Strippers are hot so it passes on that level, though I'm not sure if I would want to watch it again
The Onion Movie - Far better than the abysmal reviews, found this good dumb fun though it was odd to see Rodney Dangerfield alive again!
Rogue - Disappointing killer croc film, not what I expected from director of Wolf Creek
Chocolate - The Ong-Bak team deliver again, after 20 minutes or so its pretty much solid action, excellent set pieces, loved it.

[tall dude]

JOHN RAMBO:Who would have thought that stallone could ressurect an action franchise and actually make you think whilst watching the onscreen carnage.A blistering piece of action cinema,with some ott violence and a thought provoking story of mass genocide happening in burma,amongst many other countries. Oh yeah,this one definetely gets two thumbs up.

SCARRED: Legend tells of a young girl who haunts the nearby woods,after her brutal father removed her facial skin,after finding out his wife had a fling with a passing salesman,and subsequently had his child.Leaving her for dead in the murky river,he kills himself and his unfaithful wife.

Years later,a group of campers are in the very same woods and as fireside stories of the tale are told,they find out they are not alone....

Actually a pretty decent low budget horror flick from those purveyors of tat,film 2000.
The actings above average and there is some nice skinning scenes to keep the gorehounds happy. Entertaining.

[Grant]

Dracula, prince of darkness - for some reason although I have a stack of unwatched movies I've been in the mood for some Hammer nostalgia recently and threw this one in the player. I'd actually forgotten what a really good sequel it is. Barbera Shelley looks lovely, Francis Matthews is stoic, Andrew Keir is reliable and the great Thorley Walters turns up as a bumbling Renfield clone. Great stuff.

[Rich]

Yes I to wonder if they would pass it uncut, Marc.

They cut it in 1972 for the X rating and again in 1979. It would be interesting to know what those cuts were but quite possibly the same cuts were required in 79. Mark Lester was under 16 at the time the film was made so it sounds like they probably would cut it today.

I haven't actually seen the film but would like to see it just to see what its chances are.

Does anyone know if the film has been shown on UK TV?

You know I'm absolutely positive I saw Night Hair Child on UK TV many years ago,from what I remember it contained some pretty dodgy material.

[Tim Rogerson]

I've picked up and looked at (don't have it or have seen it) a R1 DVD of Night Hair Child which I believe is the one on sale at Amazon.com. It claims to have two versions of the film; the R rated US release and an unrated longer release. Is this a proper release, Marc?