A poor farmer gal gets lost in the big bad city after her boyfriend dumps her. She encounters alcoholic lesbians, junkies, pimps, hookers, and lots of go-go dancers. "Hip, Hot & 21" isn't much of a film, just a few dialogue scenes (with bad sound) spiced with sex, nudity, rape, striptease, drug use, ridiculous violence and a loud rockin' score of beat/surf/jazz instrumentals. Would you trust a guy called Ernie The Pervert? Fans of Doris Wishman/H.G. Lewis might wanna track it down.
Reviews
12 Reviews
Hey! Is Dee Dee Home?
(2002)
So-so, only for super hardcore fans
14 November 2003
The Ramones' legendary bassist is interviewed and filmed mostly in '92. Stories deal with his drug buddies Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan, Richard Hell, 'who wrote Chinese Rocks?' and why Johnny Ramone didnt want it as a Ramones song, gettin' beat up by Debbie Harry (horse shoe in a handbag, haha), selling Joey Ramone's TV for dope, tattoos, heroine, cats, NYC cops, rehab, recording with Stiv Bators in Paris in '88 etc. All pretty sad (but fascinating) since Dee Dee talks as a 'survivor' but was stupid enough to die of an overdose June 5th last year.
At 64 mins its too long and only for diehard fans of 70s NYC glam/punk scene. You might wanna read "Please Kill Me" before watchin' this namedroppin' fest. Incl. neat but way too short footage of the glorious Heartbreakers.
6/10
At 64 mins its too long and only for diehard fans of 70s NYC glam/punk scene. You might wanna read "Please Kill Me" before watchin' this namedroppin' fest. Incl. neat but way too short footage of the glorious Heartbreakers.
6/10
Eight Hundred Bullets
(2002)
The friendlier side of Iglesia?
15 August 2003
The 12 year-old Carlos fools his rich corporate mom (who thinks he's on a skiing trip) and goes lookin' for his grandfather, an alcoholic stuntman who worked with Sergio Leone and Eastwood in the 60's. The grandfather and other boozehounds do daily Western shows for German and Japanese tourists, every nite they're out whoring and partying and they take Carlos with'em. Carlos's mom (Almodovar's regular Carmen Maura) hates her dad and wants to close down the shows in the Western town, but then the 'cowboys' band together and defend their lives and town, this time with REAL bullets instead of blanks. "800 Bullets" is a wildly entertaining 'light' comedy loaded with Iglesia's brand of anarchic humor. Since this film isn't that violent (compared to his other films) and if the sex and nudity was removed, "800 Bullets" could pass a feel-good-comedy-for-the-family! Joe Dante meets Fellini? It's not his best and its way too long at 121 mins, the silly and serious antics are an uneven mix, but "800 Bullets" is a must for fans of Iglesia. Most outrageous scene: 12 year-old Carlos' cheerful sexual debut with a hooker and her bouncing boobies!?! Only in Spain! I miss Iglesia-regular Santiago "Torrente" Segura though, he'd have been perfect as a scummy drunken cowboy.
The most underrated US horrorfilm of the 70s?
13 July 2003
This lowbudget surreal slice of American Gothic is, in my opinion, as outstanding as praised cult pics like "Night Of The Living Dead" and "Carnival Of Souls". The very religious 13 year-old Lila Lee (Cheryl Smith, "Caged Heat" etc.) gets a letter from a lady called Lemora, who's hiding her gangster dad after he shot his wife and her lover. Lila takes a bus through some very sinister woods, filled with lethal ghouls infected by an epidemic. When she arrives at Lemora's house, the place seems to be occupied with another kind of creatures: vampires! "Lemora" like "Night Of The Hunter" plays like an adult Grimm fairy tale of innocence and corruption. Director Richard Blackburn's stylish debut (and only feature) is extremely assured and is packed with awesome cinematography, and the use of lightning, editing and sound is sublimely orchestrated. The acting is also great and so is the ending. The creepy unrealness gives an almost Italian mood to this masterpiece.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
(2002)
Best South Korean film ever made!
18 April 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This extremely grim tale deals with a deaf mute who's fired from his job for a minor detail of neglect, he then gets ripoffed by vicious organ dealers and loses a kidney when he tries to raise money for his sister's kidney operation. He then kidnaps his rich boss' daughter inspired by an anarchist girlfriend, but things go fatally wrong and the daughter drowns. His boss is devastated by grief and sets out to kill him, meanwhile our deaf mute are after the organ dealers looking for revenge.
A 129 mins long flawless masterpiece which is incredibly gruesome and gory (not in a flashy Miike kinda way you can distance yourself to) but also very humane and beautiful. You really feel for both of these desperate people in their sad quest for 'justice'. The cinematography and especially the sound is top notch so try see it in a theatre.
Everybody was laughing during "Ichi The Killer" at the last Copenhagen Filmfestival, but not during "Sympathy", some were actually gaging in disgust of harsh images. There are also social comments on the have and have-nots and the conflict between the neighbor in the North, but not in the easy preachy way.
Chan-wook Park is a genius and has singlehandedly changed South Korea from an somewhat uninspired HK/Japanese copycat nation to a country one should look out for, in my humble opinion. 10/10
A 129 mins long flawless masterpiece which is incredibly gruesome and gory (not in a flashy Miike kinda way you can distance yourself to) but also very humane and beautiful. You really feel for both of these desperate people in their sad quest for 'justice'. The cinematography and especially the sound is top notch so try see it in a theatre.
Everybody was laughing during "Ichi The Killer" at the last Copenhagen Filmfestival, but not during "Sympathy", some were actually gaging in disgust of harsh images. There are also social comments on the have and have-nots and the conflict between the neighbor in the North, but not in the easy preachy way.
Chan-wook Park is a genius and has singlehandedly changed South Korea from an somewhat uninspired HK/Japanese copycat nation to a country one should look out for, in my humble opinion. 10/10
Fear X
(2003)
Haunting downbeat Noir-ish mystery
9 February 2003
"Fear X" is a change of pace and scenery for both Danish director Refn ("Pusher", "Bleeder") and writer Selby Jr. ("Last Exit To Brooklyn", "Requiem For A Dream") who mostly deal with violent urban decay and despair.
A shopping mall security guard, John Turturro, is trying to track down whoever shot his wife in the same mall. A co-worker supplies him with endless surveillance tapes which he watches over and over, while taking photos of blurry 'suspects' of the tapes. Little by little he collects fragments of evidence of the identity of the murderer. But "Fear X" is not a straight forward thriller with a crystal clear conclusion, it's more of a dark unsettling psychological journey of a man in need of healing for his loss.
Snowy Canada is stand-in for Midwestern small town Wisconsin in this independent film (co-produced by Denmark, Britian, and Canada) that has a "Fargo" look to it. The director's two first films was clearly inspired by the works of Scorsese and especially Abel Ferrara, but "Fear X" is less easy to compare to others. There's a conspiracy feel of movies like "Blow Up" and "The Conversation" but some of the surreal images in the end recalls David Lynch and vintage Polanski. The pace is subtle just like John Turturro's awesome lowkey performance which suits the film perfectly because you can totally identify and feel for his character's quest for the truth. Brian Eno's haunting score also fits the movie quite nicely and gives a feeling of genuine dread. Anyone who think all Danish movies are overhyped Dogme experiments shot on video by epileptic camera men are in for a nice surprise. The film is shot in beautiful scope by Kubrick's cinematopgrapher. The always reliable James Remar, whom I loved since "The Warriors", also deserves praise for his small but important role.
"Fear X" received some good reviews at the recent Sundance festival, and will hopefully find a larger audience. Refn still remains the most promising Danish director, in my opinion, because he totally operates outside the Danish trendy mainstream film circles with a genuine love for movies, from classic Italian cinema to hardboiled American crime flicks, which make his vision of filmmaking pretty unique in Denmark and Europe.
A shopping mall security guard, John Turturro, is trying to track down whoever shot his wife in the same mall. A co-worker supplies him with endless surveillance tapes which he watches over and over, while taking photos of blurry 'suspects' of the tapes. Little by little he collects fragments of evidence of the identity of the murderer. But "Fear X" is not a straight forward thriller with a crystal clear conclusion, it's more of a dark unsettling psychological journey of a man in need of healing for his loss.
Snowy Canada is stand-in for Midwestern small town Wisconsin in this independent film (co-produced by Denmark, Britian, and Canada) that has a "Fargo" look to it. The director's two first films was clearly inspired by the works of Scorsese and especially Abel Ferrara, but "Fear X" is less easy to compare to others. There's a conspiracy feel of movies like "Blow Up" and "The Conversation" but some of the surreal images in the end recalls David Lynch and vintage Polanski. The pace is subtle just like John Turturro's awesome lowkey performance which suits the film perfectly because you can totally identify and feel for his character's quest for the truth. Brian Eno's haunting score also fits the movie quite nicely and gives a feeling of genuine dread. Anyone who think all Danish movies are overhyped Dogme experiments shot on video by epileptic camera men are in for a nice surprise. The film is shot in beautiful scope by Kubrick's cinematopgrapher. The always reliable James Remar, whom I loved since "The Warriors", also deserves praise for his small but important role.
"Fear X" received some good reviews at the recent Sundance festival, and will hopefully find a larger audience. Refn still remains the most promising Danish director, in my opinion, because he totally operates outside the Danish trendy mainstream film circles with a genuine love for movies, from classic Italian cinema to hardboiled American crime flicks, which make his vision of filmmaking pretty unique in Denmark and Europe.
Matalo! (Kill Him)
(1970)
Surreal spaghetti western
18 December 2002
Fans of bizarre semi-psychedelic Westerns like "Keoma" should check this out. The cinematography and editing are wonderfully out of control, lotsa slo-mo sadistic violence and the movie is drenched in loud fuzzy acid rock. The simple plot deals with four ruthless thugs (incl. one ultra sexy but deadly femme fatale Claudia Gravy), gold, lust, murder and betrayal.
These eccentric hardass Italian Westerns look way better than most contempoary movies.
These eccentric hardass Italian Westerns look way better than most contempoary movies.
Horrors of Spider Island
(1960)
Cheesecake monster schlock
30 November 2002
Some bimbo dancers crash their plane and swim to an isolated island where their beefcake manager gets bitten by a huge spider. He turns into a ridiculous monster and starts offin' the broads who are mostly occupied with nude bathin' and catfights.
This is an incredible stupid but entertaining German movie with moronic dubbing and lotsa busty chicks. For fans of sexy monster trash like "House On Bare Mountain" and "The Vampire And The Playgirls".
More fun than the usual boring GenX teen horror your local Blockbuster carries!
This is an incredible stupid but entertaining German movie with moronic dubbing and lotsa busty chicks. For fans of sexy monster trash like "House On Bare Mountain" and "The Vampire And The Playgirls".
More fun than the usual boring GenX teen horror your local Blockbuster carries!
Wet & Rope
(1979)
Hilarious Japanese Nunsploitaion
29 November 2002
A young woman gets raped by three thugs on her wedding night while her husband is forced to watch. He then tell her to leave because his honor has been violated. Our poor gal goes to the ocean to drown herself but a priest stops her and convinces her to enter his convent. Every nun is of course (like in most Euro Nunsploitationers) obsessed by masturbation and sin. A wounded gangster seeks refuge in her room and she 'heals' him. Later she and a horny sister goes to a disco and meet some dancing studs and it ends in an orgy. She also fools around with the priest while a weird servant/sex freak licks the toilet bowl!?!. In the most bizarre scene of the film, the convent needs to raise money so they invite some sleazy business men who wear negro masks while watching our heroine getting raped on the alter in a bunny suit which turns everybody on and an all-out orgy unfolds - all in the celebration of St. Animals Day!?!
Compared to other Japanese Shock Videos, this one is more silly than nasty but definitely a must for psychotronic addicts of the exotic and deranged.
Compared to other Japanese Shock Videos, this one is more silly than nasty but definitely a must for psychotronic addicts of the exotic and deranged.
The Dead Mother
(1993)
Twisted Spanish Art Noir Masterpiece!
20 November 2002
Cold-blood rotten-to-the-core thief Ismael kills a woman during a burglary while her young daughter is watching. Years later he finds her as a beautiful but semi-catatonic teenager at the funny farm. He kidnaps her and intent to off but gets fascinated and obsessed with her much to Ismael's equally rotten and greedy jealous girlfriend's annoyance.
Director Juanma Bajo Ulloa (who was in his mid-20s when he made this, his 2nd feature) has created one of the most disturbing psychosexual Euro-thrillers in recent years. "Madre Muerta" is a dark visually stunning journey into sheer madness guided with wicked comic touches. More emotional involving than "Funny Games", more adult than Iglesia - a truly compelling cerebral and ghoulishly unpredictable masterpiece.
Director Juanma Bajo Ulloa (who was in his mid-20s when he made this, his 2nd feature) has created one of the most disturbing psychosexual Euro-thrillers in recent years. "Madre Muerta" is a dark visually stunning journey into sheer madness guided with wicked comic touches. More emotional involving than "Funny Games", more adult than Iglesia - a truly compelling cerebral and ghoulishly unpredictable masterpiece.
PURE VINTAGE EXPLOITATION CINEMA!
9 October 2002
Wall-to-wall sleaze mixed with halfassed social comments!
Barely legal/under age teen girls are lured into turning tricks by slimy pimps and smutty dykes in the most bizarre and hilarious ways. Some rich girl wants to rebel and goes to a party ("They play real cool music!") and then somebody shouts; "Party game! When I turn off the lights every girl must stripped naked!" and then lights are turned on again and suddenly men grabs the naked girls they want, and our rich girl is suddenly included in the infamous TEENAGE PROSTITUTION RACKET! A classick of Italian sexploitation cinema!
With an Ennio Morricone soundtrack!?!
Barely legal/under age teen girls are lured into turning tricks by slimy pimps and smutty dykes in the most bizarre and hilarious ways. Some rich girl wants to rebel and goes to a party ("They play real cool music!") and then somebody shouts; "Party game! When I turn off the lights every girl must stripped naked!" and then lights are turned on again and suddenly men grabs the naked girls they want, and our rich girl is suddenly included in the infamous TEENAGE PROSTITUTION RACKET! A classick of Italian sexploitation cinema!
With an Ennio Morricone soundtrack!?!
Maciste in Hell
(1925)
Imagine Benjamin Christensen (HAXAN) and F.W. Murnau (FAUST) mixed...
26 September 2002
with the adventure hero genre and you got an idea of this surreal and visually dazzling masterpiece. Fellini called it "one of the 10 best films ever made" and convinced him as a kid to enter the film business.
After saving a child from a Faust-like character big macho goodhearted Maciste goes to hell and fight hordes of vicious demonic creatures. It's packed with violence, humor, nudity etc. Two scenes blew me away; at one point Maciste decapitates a demon but by some impressive reverse FX the creature picks up his battered head and put it back on his shoulders, in hell there's a giant Godzilla-sized satan who eat humans like peanuts!?! The set design is incredibly impressive, the use of color tinting is pure perfection, and the devil costumes are so detailed I've never seen anything like it. The Danish Film Institute had hired a classical piano player for this ultra rare showing, and he knew what he was doin' to create the different moods of this epic.
One of greatest cinematic experiences I've ever had the pleasure of watching in a theatre!
Brignone's classic was just one of a dozen Maciste film made in Italy in the 1910s/20s, later Freda did a remake and Mario Bava was very inspired by this film to make his "Hercules In The Haunted World"
After saving a child from a Faust-like character big macho goodhearted Maciste goes to hell and fight hordes of vicious demonic creatures. It's packed with violence, humor, nudity etc. Two scenes blew me away; at one point Maciste decapitates a demon but by some impressive reverse FX the creature picks up his battered head and put it back on his shoulders, in hell there's a giant Godzilla-sized satan who eat humans like peanuts!?! The set design is incredibly impressive, the use of color tinting is pure perfection, and the devil costumes are so detailed I've never seen anything like it. The Danish Film Institute had hired a classical piano player for this ultra rare showing, and he knew what he was doin' to create the different moods of this epic.
One of greatest cinematic experiences I've ever had the pleasure of watching in a theatre!
Brignone's classic was just one of a dozen Maciste film made in Italy in the 1910s/20s, later Freda did a remake and Mario Bava was very inspired by this film to make his "Hercules In The Haunted World"
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