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Reviews
Furankenshutain no kaijû: Sanda tai Gaira (1966)
Another childhood favorite
This film was a standard feature in the early 70's on Chicago's Creature Features (WGN). The dubbed American story added a bit of corniness, and some changes to the script which hurt the feel of it. Years later I saw the original subtitled, and was not disappointed at all. One feature that stands out from all other kaiju features is this; the giant monsters ran in this film. In all other giant monster movies I've seen, the monsters are slowly lumbering giants. They gave you a chance to get away. Not these monsters, these monsters friggin' ran! How scary is that? Pretty scary actually. This is another one for the 30-40 somethings to put in the DVD player to release the childhood memories!
Yôkai daisensô (1968)
Drugs? Who needs drugs?
I would like to preface the following statement by saying this; I in no way endorse the usage of illegal drugs BUT unless you've been high on mushrooms before you won't truly appreciate this movie to it's fullest.
I found this movie on the shelf at Austin's Vulcan Video and was immediately attracted to the Sid and Marty Krofft type costumes on the cover. This was back when my wife was still my girlfriend and we both were drinkers of a particularly noxious potion known as Steel Reserve. We settled in at home on our select-comfort bed in our underwear, with two 24 ounce cans each. Now, before we could even catch a buzz we were floored by the intensity of the color, which was the first mushroom-like similarity. Secondly, the frenetic action and pace of this film was also familiar. But what really set this theory in stone is the completely hallucinogenic overall mix of disparate elements. I was laughing my ass off the entire time, but underneath there was a warm nostalgic feeling because this film took me back to the days of Spectreman and War of the Gargantuas. I felt like I was a little kid watching the most wonderful thing in the world. In fact, I purchased this DVD off ebay earlier today, brand new for 7.98 total. If you are a 30-something with similar memories, I strongly suggest you purchase this film, or at very least rent it.
Kafti ekdikisis (1969)
A woman's lover drives her to suicide, and her sister seeks revenge.
This 1968 Greek sexploitation film is one of those rare cases of brilliant direction that looks pretty goofy. It's an overwrought tale of a weak-minded woman who loves her man so much that she allows him to pimp her out, among other degradations. When he kicks her out of his life she kills herself. The meat of the movie is the revenge that the girls sister carries out. Told in partial flashback (the sister is reading the deceased's diary throughout) this black and white film is one of those great emotional European films that shows Americans how to passionately smoke cigarettes, and scream like an animal when the situation warrants it. It's a simple movie, but that's a big part of the charm. It's like a snapshot of a time and place that leaves you feeling like wearing Beatle boots and drinking whiskey.