The Thrill Killers

Starring:Thrill Killers
Studio: Shriek Show
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Strangely compelling.......2007-06-10

This film was on TCM when I turned it on about 1/3 of the way through. As soon as I saw the guy in the black leather jacket and his girlfriend, I knew they were screen reps of Charles Starkweather and his very young girlfriend, Carol Fugate, who have the dubious distinction of being America's first serial killers. Charlie had shot Carol's parents because they (undoubtedly rightfully) didn't want Carol to see him. The two of them then went on a killing spree in the midwest in the mid 1950's, not long before this film was made. They were sociopaths, who had no empathy with other humans, and no compunction about killing them,like the main characters of "The Sadist".

That said the acting in this film is almost uniformly terrible, the dialogue pretty basic, yet there is something about the film that is hypnotic. Sometimes, you have to "suspend your disbelief" (his victims are so stupid and helpless, like when one of them finally throws the gasoline in the eyes of the punk and he is temporarily blinded, he has a chance to end the movie, but somehow is immobilized).

Chasing a woman at the end of the movie, he only has a knife, as he has emptied all his shells into the body of one of the hostages (the one who threw gas in his eyes). Knowing he had to die I said to myself "How is he going to die? Rattlesnake bites?" Well, that is exactly what happens! I guess he could have been eaten by a mountain lion, trapped beneath falling rocks, or some such. I guess they didn't know how to end the movie.

The wonderful California desert landscape has been the background for countless cowboy movies, and is suitably spooky and lonesome here.

There is sufficient suspense and tension to make this movie enjoyable, despite its obvious drawbacks (like the main characters face--is that his REAL face, or a bad make-up job?).

A surprise from the star of Eegah!.......2007-02-07

If you only know Arch Hall Jr from his MST3K fodder, like Eegah, you ought to give this little drive-in shocker a try. Taut atmosphere, shoestring budget, and Hall's freakish performance as a leering white trash killer really make this live in your memory. I hate the leading man, and Marilyn Manning is just weird here, but Hall and the direction overcome the cheese factor.

It's almost a mistake..........2006-11-28

...to call this a cult film. That label suggests we ought to lower the bar a little bit when we're reviewing it, or that only certain eccentric personality types might find it impressive. Far from it. Although Hall's first appearance might prompt some smirks, once you get into the rhythm of his performance it's extremely effective. This may be the most feral screen villain since Nosferatu. But despite that initial impression, he's not a complete idiot. One of the coolest things about this intelligent script is how Hall's psychopath is able to see through some of the schemes that these school teachers think they can pull on him. This is an adventurous, innovative film. The basic formula of modern slasher films can be seen here, years before movies like TCM and Halloween. It is as effective as modern horror films like Funny Games in holding out a little bit of hope...tantalizing the viewer with it...and then snatching it away. In terms of execution -- the cinematography is outstanding, the pacing very good, and the performances uniformly convincing. Low budget films ought to betray their roots somewhere, but I have a hard time seeing the seams and glue in this one. Good movie!

What a difference a film makes.......2006-07-10

Arch Hall jr. and Marilyn Manning can act? Based on Eegah, who knew? Mind blowing that this was screened in 1963. Three school teachers on their way to a Dodgers game break down in a seemingly abandoned junkyard, only to be held hostage and systematically psychologically tortured by a vicious teenage couple, played by Hall and Manning. And yeah, they carry the parts well. The cinematography is great, and so is the pacing. The film never relents as the situation just gets worse and worse for our victims, and the ending is as twisted as the 85 minutes before it. No spoilers here, folks, as you deserve to see the film cold as I did. And see it you should! It's available on one of the Mill Creek Horror Classics packages, but a better buy is the single disc remastered version with tons of extras. Mine's already on order. Heavily recommended.

An old gem.......2006-04-02

The Sadist has been well reviewed by other people, and to add my two cents, I'd consider this Archie Hall's finest performance by far. He should of played a deranged psycho more often. I just want to add that the "Alpha" version of this flick was surprisingly good. There's really nothing wrong with it. It may not be pristine like some other overpriced releases, but this is one the best bargains you'll find. Totally watchable, and affordable.

Average customer rating:

One of the greatest!!
What's The Matter Frankie Baby ?
a morbidly romantic gorefest
Better than I expected
acid bath anyone?

Beyond the Darkness: Buio Omega
Starring: Kieran Canter , Cinzia Monreale , Franca Stoppi , Sam Modesto , and Anna Cardini
Director: Joe D'Amato
Manufacturer: Shriek Show
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005U12U
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Customer Reviews:

One of the greatest!!.......2007-03-27

Before I go into my review I would like to state not to waste your money buying the Pyscho Killer 3 pack from Shriek Show that features this movie, Delirium, and House on The Edge of The park Why??? This movie is the stand out of the three, and you can probably score the movie alone by it's self for a cheap price.

I first seen the trailer for Beyond The Darkness on my Eaten Alive (Another Great Movie) DVD and I found it to be very intriguing, I jumped on Amazon to see what I could dig up on the movie, and I heard nothing but bad things about gem, so I decided to give it chance, and trust me this movie does not dissapoint, the one false claim I read was there is not enough gore, or blood in this movie FALSE!!!! This movie has all of that and then some, it starts off pretty light but then it just goes from one atrocity to another. If you are on the fence about purchasing this classic, do it you will not be dissapointed.

What's The Matter Frankie Baby ?.......2007-01-28

This movie is high up on my list of all time great horror movies.

It has everything: love, jealousy, revenge, sexuality, and ghosts

A lot of these Italian horror movies seem to borrow ideas from Psycho.

Like Norman Bates Frank is into taxidermy. This provides him with the necessary equipment for some of his other 'hobbies' including his own creamation unit.

He puts his taxidermy skills to good use when his wife passes away as a result of a curse by the leacherous housekeeper Iris.

Jeff Marzano

The House with Laughing Windows ~ Lino Capolicchio, Francesca Marciano, Gianni Cavina, and Giulio Pizzirani (DVD - 1976)

Psycho (Collector's Edition) ~ Frank Albertson, John Anderson, Martin Balsam, and George Eldredge (DVD - 1960)

Possession ~ Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Margit Carstensen, and Heinz Bennent (DVD - 1981)

a morbidly romantic gorefest.......2006-09-30

this film is very special to me. the reason is that it was one of the first italian horror films i'd seen. i had seen burial grounds, zombi 2 and eaten alive before i had seen this gem. at first i was kind of dissapointed, only because i was not expecting the kind of film that beyond the darkness is. its a grim, dark, sleazy, morbidly romantic gorefest. its the story of a rich taxydermist whos wife has died from a voodoo curse set upon her by the rich guys housekeeper iris out of jealuosy. horribly depresed, the man takes his wifes corpse from the cemetary and does what he does best. he removes her entrails, puts fake eyes in her sockets and drys her out, just as he would do to one of the animals he stuffs and sells, so he can have her forver. the rest of the film consists of thae man and his house keeper trying to keep the preserved corpse a secret. that means killing anyone who may jeoprodize their secret. this film would have got 5 stars if it moved a little faster. there are only a few gore seens and it takes a while to get to them. the film is kind of like a slasher movie on some parts, but then switches to pure depraved gore. the gore scenes in the film are as follows. the man taxiderming his wife is a real stomach churner. a chubby hich hiker has her finger nails riped off an his then chopped into peices and dissolved in a tub of acid. a jogger has a chunk of her neck bit out by the taxidermist and is then burned in a furnace while shes still alive. besides that theres your standard bloody violence. worth owning if your a euro horror fan.

Better than I expected.......2006-09-19

I was really suprised that I liked this film, I was expecting to stop watching it either because it was too violent or too stupid. However, I made it all the way through and I am going to add this film to my permanent DVD collection. There were some gory moments, but nothing TOO extreme. What I felt was way more impressive is how atmospheric this film was, especially in a living room setting. The musical score by Goblin was excellent and really gives this film a nice kick to it. Dare I say I found this film 'entertaining' despite it's icky subject matter? Absolutely!

acid bath anyone?.......2006-06-05

the story dragged at times but the violence and twisted subject matter had me addicted. i'll save the details for those who choose to view it, but the movie contains female fingernail removal by plyers, cannibalism, some necro-love, and a nice evisceration scene.

the only complaint i have is the dubbing. i dont know when (or if) these companies will realize people talking over what is really being said really ruins the whole experience for me and tons others.

overall: watch it if you like Nekromantik, Aftermath, or just some good old horror/erotica for freaks.

Average customer rating:

Hipster Horror
MINUS five stars, actually
One of Glenn's last roles.
Glenn Quinn's last movie
Glenn Quinn's last movie

R.S.V.P.
Starring: James M. Churchman , Sharon Bruneau , Scott Workman , A. Scott , and Charley Allen
Director: Mark Anthony Galluzzo
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009W0U7
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Description

Philosophy student Nick Collier and his friends have just graduated from college. Before the working world comes and scatters them all in different directions, Nick plans one get together for everyone to celebrate. The party is a smashing success -- such a success, in fact, that its host never wants it to end. The only way Nick feels he can achieve this is to kill them off, one by one...

Customer Reviews:

Hipster Horror.......2007-07-03

I'm not going to analyze this film to death,(no pun intended), as that's already been done. I just wanted to point out a few things that I was struck by. First, this is an entertaining horror film. Not a slash-a-minute gorefest, but still with its' scary moments - and it holds the interest with the acting. I was not overly impressed with Rick Ottos' performance. It was O.K., but I thought it was a somewhat less believable version of Christian Bales' performance in American Psycho. Coincidence? Maybe. I was struck by the excellent cinematography, especially the exterior scenes, and by the SOUNDTRACK! No one has mentioned the soundtrack, but it was ultra-cool. It would be great to spin at your cocktail party, really lively and hip. Alas, no soundtrack CD available.

MINUS five stars, actually.......2007-07-02

Bought this DVD to view Quinn's last movie. The product is a disservice to him the other two adults in the otherwise amateurish cast.

With pretensions as an homage to Hitchcock's ROPE (and an apparent unfamiliarity with the even more famous Agatha Christie favorite AND THEN THERE WERE NONE/ TEN LITTLE ... INDIANS), this is NOT, as others here have described, a "horror" film but merely a "slasher" "film."

Made for (and apparently by) stoned frat boys, it contains not one character, situation, or patchwork of "dialogue" that is genuine or convincing. Quinn actually plays the Jimmy Stewart role from ROPE, which would have been far more interesting had it been assigned to Banks. The amount of substance abuse celebrated ad tedium in what passes (or flunks) as plot action suggests a work environment before Quinn's death by drug overdose that is too sinister to be merely ironic.

If one is too drunk or bonged out to know what's on the screen, this tripe might rate the one star allotted to it. And the only thing more inane than the "movie" itself is the accompanying commentary.

One of Glenn's last roles........2007-05-04

Being an Angel fan, when I saw Glenn (Doyle) Quinn's name listed I had to see it , I really didn't expect much because I hadn't even heard of the film until after his death, but it was a pretty good movie, worth watching i/m/o & in this one at least you don't know for certain whose involved in the crimes & who isn't until the end. Some of it you see but the way it is cut you don't see the whole truth until the end. I enjoyed this film.

Glenn Quinn's last movie.......2005-12-03

Rick Otto (The Good Humor Man, Phantoms) plays Nick who is studying serial killers and gets too carried away thinking that he can stage the perfect and ultimate mass murder without getting nagged. He invites his friends over for a "going away" party for another friend who is leaving and one by one they vanish. This thriller also stars Jason Mewes (Dogma, Vulgar), Reno Wilson (City of Industry, Whiteboyz), Nora Zeheter (American Pie, Tart), Jeanne Chinn (Totally Blonde, Lethal Weapon 4), Lucas Babin (Brick, School of Rock) Daniel Joseph (Locusts, In & Out), Jonathan Banks (48 Hrs., Dark Blue), Grace Zabriskie (The Grudge, Armageddon), Majandra Delfino (Tv's Roswell, Celeste in the City), Brandi Andres (Tomcats, Kiss The Girls) and the late Glenn Quinn (Tv's Angel, Campfire Tales) who passed away in December of 2002 from a heroine overdose which this being his last. Quinn and Otto dish out excellent performances and Jason Mewes does his usual thing, which is still good. Those elements are the glue that holds this piece together along with the direction. Written by the Director. Modern day remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Rope which had James Stewart in the role as the Professor.

Glenn Quinn's last movie.......2004-10-20

Rick Otto plays Nick who is studying serial killers and gets too carried away thinking that he can stage the perfect and ultimate mass murder without getting nagged. He invites his friends over for a "going away" party for another friend who is leaving and one by one they vanish. This thriller also stars Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Vulgar), Reno Wilson, Daniel Joseph, Jonathan Banks, Grace Zabriskie, Majandra Delfino (Tv's Roswell), Brandi Andres and the late Glenn Quinn (Tv's Angel, Campfire Tales) who passed away in December of 2002 from a heroine overdose which this being his last. Quinn and Otto spew out excellent performances and Jason Mewes does his usual Jay characterization. Those elements are the glue that holds this piece together along with the direction. Written by the Director.

Average customer rating:

Could've--Should've
Are you certain you know what reality is??
My favorite H.G. Lewis film
One of Lewis' darker efforts not even counting the gore
Shakespearean gore

Wizard Of Gore (Special Edition)
Starring: Ray Sager , Judy Cler , Wayne Ratay , Phil Laurenson , and Jim Rau
Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004S89C
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Amazon.com

"People ask me, 'What does this scene mean?' My answer is, 'Why are you looking for significance in my films?' It's just part of the overall impression of unrealism." Director Herschell Gordon Lewis, speaking on the commentary track of The Wizard of Gore special-edition DVD, refers to the film's incomprehensibly red-tinted graveyard scenes, but he could have been referring to any number of moments in this Grand Guignol gross-out. A seedy, histrionic magician caked in cheap pancake makeup cuts a female volunteer in half with a chainsaw, hammers a spike through another woman's head, and eviscerates a parade of unlucky stooges in full view of his audience. They witness an amazing bloodless illusion, but we see what's really going on: a nasty spectacle of blood and guts and gaping wounds and the homicidal wizard rooting around in the gore like a kid in a mud puddle. It has something to do with mass hypnosis, but that doesn't explain how his victims zombie-walk out the door, falling apart minutes later. But that's hardly the attraction of the film, one of the notorious blood feasts that earned Lewis the nickname "Godfather of Gore." The performances are wooden, the dialogue hackneyed, and the effects unconvincing at best, but the film delivers gross-out gore by the buckets and ends with a crazy mind game of a coda. It's not exactly surreal, but it is most certainly unreal. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Is it magic? Or wholesale slaughter? Montag the Magnificent (Ray Sager), The Wizard of Gore, is a seedy small time magician with a shocking stage act. Hypnotizing pretty young women from the audience to be his obedient volunteers, Montag then proceeds to mutilate them in a series of Grand Guignol illusions. A woman is cut in half with a chainsaw, another is drilled through the stomach with a giant punch press, a metal spike is driven through one gal's head, and two ladies are forced to swallow swords. Trouble is, after the show, the "illusions" become all too horribly real. Blood, guts, and offbeat surrealism in another crackpot classick from "The Wizard of Gore" himself, director Herschell Gordon Lewis.

Customer Reviews:

Could've--Should've.......2007-04-13

I thought this movie was very original and horrific. It's not for everyone, though. It has that dated look to it and it's super-duper low budget to the point of turning off a lot from this generation. This is the kind of movie that would do well from a remake. It just couldn't get any worse.

The story has potential but I would rent before buying if you can.

Are you certain you know what reality is??.......2004-01-01

I have been providing my own horror reviews for many months now, and I feel that the best way to end 2003 is to critique a movie by the Godfather of Gore himself, H.G. Lewis. His greatest project is none other than "The Wizard of Gore," an outrageous cult masterpiece of murderous, magical mayhem! Filmed in 1970, it's one of the first fright films to present sickening onscreen violence as its main attraction. At the same time, the acting is unbelievably campy. Star Ray Sager brings forth a zany zest to his sly alter ego, Montag the Magnificent; I can best describe his acting as that of a horribly hilarious ham!
The basic synopsis is this: Montag earns his reputation as a cutting-edge illusionist (in more ways than one!). During each performance, he picks a young woman from the audience, bewitching her with hypnotic powers. Then, he butchers his pretty assistant right before the crowd's eyes. By the time he takes a bow, the victimized volunteer is magically restored and walks away unharmed. However, no one realizes that Montag's sadistic lust for blood is real, and that on the same night, every victim comes apart at the seams...literally!
Throughout the film, each trick becomes more gruesome than the last. In the first act of extreme gore, the mad magician cuts a redhead in half with a chainsaw (and this is before Leatherface came along!) Next, Montag hammers a metal spike through a lovely blonde's skull, scooping bleeding brains out of her hair! Later on, he has another female volunteer disembowled on a punch press! Last but not least, Montag forces sharp swords down two women's throats; each screaming victim has her tongue and esophagus savagely sliced open! Meanwhile, a gorgeous and outspoken talk show host named Sherry Carson (Judy Cler) is anxious to have Montag appear on her television program, "Housewives Coffee Break." At first, Montag is testy and refuses her offer, protesting like a Shakespearean diva. But he soon changes his mind as he aims to make Sherry his next victim (this is indicated by the numerous mirages of her bleeding right hand). Seizing her opportunity, Sherry regularly attends the theater to experience brand new illusions, dragging her skeptical fiancee Jack (Wayne Ratay) with her. At first, he's not at all enthused at having to sit and watch Montag over and over again. However, is interest in the weird wizard's work increases as he tries to rationally figure out how the tricks were done. When Jack discovers in the newspaper that each of Montag's volunteers are murdered, and that their deaths are eerily similar to how they were killed onstage, he believes that a psychotic serial killer is copying Montag's magic. Eventually, Jack joins the police department to investigate the baffling murders. I will not bore you with any more details. Let's just say that the film's conclusion will emit plenty of smoke and no mirrors!
To truly disgust and flabbergast the viewer, Lewis required the film to feature extreme close-up shots of mutilated organs and pumping arteries. He made sure that when it came to cinematic shock and sadism, "The Wizard of Gore" had nothing to hide. In the opening credits alone, Montag beheads himself on the guillotine, leaving moviegoers gasping for more. What makes Lewis's direction quite interesting, however, is how he carefully splices together TWO versions of Montag's tricks. On the one hand, the film's audience views his act as nothing more than an innocuous illusion. But on the other hand, WE as outside viewers witness the grisly reality behind the red curtain; we are the ones who truly see the blood puddles and hear the shrieks of terror! That concept makes "The Wizard of Gore" work. Buy the DVD while you can. You won't want to miss this humorous slice of hocus-pocus homicide!

My favorite H.G. Lewis film.......2003-12-25

In 1963 Herschell Gordon Lewis, an independent filmmaker best known for making limited release cutie pictures, changed forever the face of American cinema when he released "Blood Feast." This film, about as low budget as you could possibly get even in the 1960s, began the era of the gore film. While it would be quite some time before Hollywood caught on to the fact that certain segments of movie audiences hungered for films containing nauseating scenes of explicit violence, H.G. Lewis took one look at the receipts for "Blood Feast" and decided he better quickly make another movie similar to this one. What followed was a series of gruesome zero budget shockers, films like "The Gruesome Twosome," "A Taste of Blood," "2000 Maniacs," and this exercise in extreme bloodletting, "The Wizard of Gore." Lewis went on to make one more gore film, the downright offensive "The Gore-Gore Girls," before retiring from the film business in order to launch an advertising career. It wasn't until 2002 that the director returned to form with "Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat," a movie which proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Godfather of Gore still has what it takes to gross out an audience.

"The Wizard of Gore" introduces us to Montag the Magician, played with wooden effect by Lewis crew regular and sometime actor Ray Sager, a guy clothed in a cape and top hat who likes to thrill his audiences with bizarre magic tricks. The shows take place in what looks like a school auditorium, with Montag spouting philosophical musings about the nature of reality before beginning his gruesome act. These performances, which always involve young female "volunteers" pulled from the audience by Montag's hypnotic powers (!), seem to thrill the audience. By turns Montag saws a woman in half with a chainsaw, pounds a stake through a head, performs a sword swallowing trick, and perforates a torso with a punch press. This guy really packs 'em in, although what the audience sees isn't necessarily what is really going on. Montag's powers of hypnosis allow him to "trick" the audience into seeing a simple, bloodless act. In reality, the magician's antics result in lengthy scenes of gory violence best left unelaborated on here. Again, the audience in attendance sees none of these stomach churning activities. Not until his volunteers leave the show and the hypnosis wears off does the magician's sinister work become all too apparent.

Wouldn't you know it? Women who take part in Montag's show later turn up dead bearing wounds remarkably similar to what would have happened if they had been cut in half with a chainsaw, had a stake pounded through their head, swallowed a sword, or been punch pressed. A feminist reporter who has a local television program happens to see Montag's first show, learns about the mysterious deaths of the volunteers, and wants to know more about this somber figure. She visits the magician back stage but finds the man dismissive until he notices she wears the "bloodmark" (sure, this doesn't make sense but it never makes sense in the movie either) and offers her free tickets to the next show. The reporter makes sure to bring her obnoxious boyfriend to all of the performances, a man who quickly becomes suspicious of Montag's cold manner and the mounting death toll of women associated with the magician's magic act. Intermittently, we see Montag stealing the corpses of his victims in order to place them in some mausoleum (?). The conclusion to the film finds the icky illusionist attempting to take his show national, so to speak, before coming face to face with somebody who challenges him on his own terms.

"The Wizard of Gore" contains all of the hallmarks fans of the master have come to know and love: bottom of the barrel acting, glacial pacing, cheesy yet oh so effective special effects, and head scratching plot elements. What, exactly, is the meaning of the red tinted scenes showing Montag strolling through a cemetery with a corpse thrown over his shoulder? Who knows? Lewis never explains why this activity takes place so I guess we shouldn't ponder its implications too much. The acting is painful to watch, especially Sager's turn as the master illusionist with a taste for blood. This guy is so wooden, the pancake makeup on his face so heavy, that you will laugh at his histrionic delivery more often than not. Less amusing are the sadistic gore effects. Although many of the props used for the film are obviously fake--note the mannequin head used in the spike scene and the guillotine sequence in the beginning--it is the way Lewis allows the camera to linger on the unfolding violence that makes you cringe as you watch this movie. Only the director's final film exceeds the general nastiness seen in "The Wizard of Gore."

The Something Weird DVD release is a great catch for Lewis fans. While not as extensive as the extras included on the "2000 Maniacs" disc, this movie still sports an in depth commentary where we learn a lot about the production of "The Wizard of Gore" from H.G. Lewis himself. The director tells us how Ray Sager ended up with the part of Montag, warns viewers not to read meaning into any of his films, and explains how he wanted to really up the gore quotient in the final scenes of the film. Unfortunately, the print used for the DVD looks like the same scratched, grainy, torn version I own on videotape. "The Wizard of Gore" is a must have for H.G. Lewis fans and we can only pray that a remake/sequel will be forthcoming soon.

One of Lewis' darker efforts not even counting the gore.......2003-04-26

In "Wizard of Gore" Montag the Magnificent dispatches hypnotized women with slop happy glee while the audience is hypnotized into thinking they are watching a standard issue hypnosis and magic act. Other people have talked about the acting, the really bad pancake makeup on Montag, and the ending which basically makes this film the Florida drive-in circuit version of "The Matrix" (I was waiting for Montag to ask the heroine of the film which pill she'd take- red or green?). But aside from that, the most pervasive element of this film to me is the bleak nihilism within it. There is only one emotion in the film- Montag's, when he is tiptoeing through the organs. Otherwise he acts as somnabulistic as the women he dispatches. The boyfriend in the film spends most of his time yelling things into the phone while he tries to stop his girlfriend from just about EVERYTHING!! By the way, has anyone noticed that halfway through the film He turns into the panicked girlfriend while She turns into the main catalyst for the plot. At the same time she is an accomplished television host with a dollop of women's liberation to boot. Was this Lewis' appeasement to the viewing public (and more often than not, the not viewing public... if you've ever run into them outside a theatre,you know what I mean)? If so, I'd have to say that with me it works, and it was something I hadn't noticed when I'd seen the film many years earlier as a teen... it makes an interesting bridge piece between the wigged collegiates of "The Gruesome Twosome" and the 'women's liberation' scene from "The Gore-Gore Girls". But I'd really have to say that this is Lewis' most humorless and darkest film; most of them have the sickening violence in the same way that the Three Stooges would build up to a pie fight. By the way, I haven't gotten around to the commentary (but intend to), and about that, remember: ALWAYS BUY LEWIS FILMS WITH THE COMMENTARY. Rumor around is that he doesn't have the rights to the films anymore but he does to the newly recorded commentaries- so, basically, if you are buying a Lewis film with no commentary, the man sees none of your cash.

Shakespearean gore.......2002-11-12

I love when an actor (?) brings such dedication to a role and Ray Sager approaches his Montag role as though his life depended on it (he was hired for the lead day before shooting began).
The Wizard is not filled with highspeed, action hero, death defying stunts or rapid paced scenes. Instead we get Montag giving a Shakespearean worthy monologue to you, yes you!
First time I played this disc my sides were hurting from laughter.
Cute females, grinding gore, twisted ending and bottom of the barrel budgeting make this a new favorite for me.
Watching it again, this time with the H.G. Lewis commentary makes it even more entertaining.
Oh, the glorious days of real time special effects and two-bit acting.

Forget about the outlandishly budgeted hollywood gloss junk made for the masses. This is a prime example of creative, esoteric, humerous, low budget filmaking.

Description

Director Luigi Cozzi ("Starcrash") made his feature film debut with this dark and disturbing thriller, very much in the mold of his mentor Dario Argento. Although regarded as a classic by fans of Italian horror, the film has been almost impossible to see for many years. This DVD debut is its first official US video release.

A rich womanizer (George Hilton) plans to murder his wife. He blackmails a man into doing the evil deed for him. The car with the murdered woman's corpse is stolen by a pair of joyriders. The vicious killer sets off in pursuit - with more than just murder on his mind this time.

Previously released in a cut, full-screen version, this DVD returns the film to its original length and is presented in a digitally restored format, enhanced for widescreen TVs.

SPECIAL DVD FEATURES:
English/Italian language choice
Optional subtitles
New anamorphic transfer from negative
Exclusive interview with film's director (20 minutes)
Initials: D.A. - working with Argento (15 minutes)
Audio commentary
Featurette on Italian shock thrillers (20 minutes)
Trailer (4 minutes)
Image gallery

Customer Reviews:

Very Worthwhile Post-Hitchcockian Thriller .......2006-02-02

If you're familiar with Hitchcock's body of work, which took a dark turn with FRENZY, and you wished he had pushed the envelope even further, this is the film for you.

With an attractive cast, a solid script, and a handful of cool locations, this film delivers the goods effectively and artfully. Cristina Galbo's portrayal of an alluring young virgin is exceptional, as is Michel Antoine as a laidback psychotic killer. All of the acting in this film is topnotch. The sets and costumes are incredibly efficient and serve the characterizations brilliantly.

There are a few cheesy opticals which interrupt the narrative, ill-conceived attempts to bolster the through-line of the story.

There are also some intense moments of violence, including a bit of blood and sordid nastiness, but the movie relies more on suspense and a well-wrought plot than on gore.

The DVD quality is tops. Picture and sound are excellent, and there are plenty of extras worth checking out.

After sitting through too many formulaic and predictable Hollywood thrillers over the last decade, this was a refreshing treat.

Phenomenal Giallo Masterpiece!.......2005-10-28

Not knowing what to expect from this movie I went in with an open mind. I was amazingly pleased with everything about this film. It exceeded my every expectation and more.

A chain of crimes begins when a dishonorable man named Mainardi (George Hilton) blackmails a serial killer (Michel Antoine) into murdering his wife. After a young couple (Alessio Orano and Cristina Galbó) burglarize the murderer's car, with the newly deceased corpse in its trunk, the killer sets off on a maniacal crime spree.

The film moves at a steady clip, the camera movements are slick and professional and the cinematography makes great use of shadow to create atmosphere and heighten tension. The film receives a stunning 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer taken from the film's original negative. Aside from some really minor print damage that shows up in the form of the odd speck here and there, and the very occasional scratch, this transfer looks amazing.

The acting is good all around, however, Antoine steals the show and is magnificent as a cruel, conscienceless killer. Cozzi's direction is also brilliant and he pays homage to the great Dario Argento with the initials D.A on the killers lighter.

"The Killer Must Kill Again" (otherwise known as "Il Ragno", or "The Spider") is a great 70's giallo classic that fans of the genre will certainly enjoy.

Solid and Stylish Thriller.......2005-06-12

I was going to automatically and immediately buy this film because it was presented by Mondo Macabro, a name I have learned to really respect and trust. MM has introduced me now to about a half-dozen astonishing films I'd previously never even heard of. Well, I hesitated in buying this because of the mixed reviews here on Amazon. So, I rented it first on Netflix.

Well, I watched it last night. This movie is totally solid, replete with suspense, beautiful venues, awesome music soundtrack, some scantily clad women, and the exotic atmosphere which many of us love in these European films. There is a surreal ambience in this genre which is totally addictive,and thus I have every Mario Bava, Jean Rollin, and Dario Argento film in print, and most of Jess Franco's stuff as well. What is sometimes lacking in plot is more than compensated for in scenery and dreamy weirdness. (I actually like these movies despite the common theme of murders of women, not because of them. I do realize the danger,the evil and the diabolical acts are necessary to create the tension, just as in a Dirty Harry-type movie. This movie in particular, however, only showed two women being killed, and only one of the murders was graphic. These scenes do certify the bad guy as bad, but they certainly aren't my favorite scenes. I know some of the fans of these movies like the spectacular gore. I personally don't enjoy it.)

Anyway, I suspect the negative reviews of this film come from people who are more into Hollywood big productions with lots of special effects and big name actors like Bruce Willis, Steven Segal, Billy Crystal, and Bambi. If you already have determined that you enjoy hidden treasures from the heyday of "Euro-trash" films (a totally ironic epithet due to the fact that these are categorically the most artistic films ever made), you will enjoy this film. It may not be your absolute favorite, but you absolutely will be glad to have it in your collection.

I LIKED IT............2005-05-31

the Giallo genre is one of my favorites,and i am pleased as punch to be able to add this to my collection.
other reviewers here dont seem to think much of the plot -
me,i found this to be comparable to many,many other giallos in terms of story,acting,production values,etc...
if you consider yourself a dedicated giallo fan,dont hesitate you need this for your collection.
if you have never even heard the term before,maybe skip this one and head over to the new release section at Blockbuster

Great DVD, mediocre film........2005-03-18

Full marks to Mondo Macabro for the DVD presentation: uncut widescreen transfer, director commentary, interviews, stills gallery and more. That said, THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN is an uninspired giallo, with a weak script and hamfisted direction. While the premise has possibilities, the execution is fumbled in almost every scene. The characters are neither sympathetic nor interesting, rendering their fates unimportant. The killer is played by Jean-Michel Antoine, who had memorable roles in A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE, MY NAME IS NOBODY, THE WIND AND THE LION and THE BEYOND. Despite his striking appearance, Antoine is disappointing here, even allowing for the mediocre dubbing. Established as a homicidal sex maniac in the first scene, his character is barely developed, becoming less interesting as the film progresses. The 'twist' ending is, frankly, feeble. While director Luigi Cozzi comes across as an interesting guy, with a genuine love of cinema, this is not reflected in THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN. Mario Bava and Dario Argento bring both flair and passion to their best giallo films. Cozzi can barely manage technical competence.

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The Thrill Killers
Starring: Brick Bardo , Carolyn Brandt , Cash Flagg , Atlas King , and Titus Moede
Director: Ray Dennis Steckler
Manufacturer: Shriek Show
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters - Trilogy

ASIN: B0002ZYE5K
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Description

If three homicidal maniacs had escaped from a nearby insane asylum would you pick up a hitchhiker? Dennis Kesdakain did and was brutally slain by Mort "the Mad Dog" Click, (Cash Flagg AKA Ray Dennis Steckler) one of the asylum escapees. This was the beginning of a reign of terror over the city of Los Angeles.

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Herny is Back!
lead is wrong
"pick on someone else"
mask to hide my face after watching this movie
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?

Henry II - Portrait of a Serial Killer
Starring: Penelope Milford , Neil Giuntoli , Mike Houlihan , James Otis , and Rich Baker
Director: Chuck Parello
Manufacturer: Dark Sky Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Henry - Portrait of a Serial Killer (20th Anniversary)
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Trilogy of Terror

ASIN: B000FS9FEY
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Description

Henry 2 picks up where the original (Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer) left off. Henry (Neil Giuntoli, The Shawshank Redemption) takes a thankless job at a port-o-john company where he meets husband and wife, Kai (Ken Komenich, The Amityville Horror) and Cricket (Kate Walsh, Grey's Anatomy). They take pity on the homeless drifter and offer him a room in the home they share with their emotionally fragile niece, Louisa (Carri Levinson). Henry learns that Kai has a side job as an arsonist-for-hire, setting up phony insurance scams to make money for their boss, Rooter (Daniel Allar). He agrees to join Kai and on one of their first outings, they discover two squatters in a building that's been marked for fire. It is then that Henry introduces Kai to his life's work…and the murders begin. Kai has never killed before, but he turns into a willing accomplice. Initially, the two men work well together. But, as the killing sprees increase in their depravity, it's more than Kai can handle. He wants out, but he's in too deep.

Customer Reviews:

Herny is Back!.......2007-03-28

Well are favorite Serial killer is back. This time he gets a job cleaning Port a Potties. This leads him to staying with the Husband and Wife who run the place. Cricket is the female lead who you just might reconize from Grey's Anatomys.(Kate Walsh) Any ways he discovers his boss is a Arsonist for hire. Well this is right Herny's alley he gets to burn things for cash. Well they run into problems at one of the sites and have to kill a couple of teens. Henery tries to lead his boss down a path of murder for fun. He follows at first but even with booze and drugs he finds he does not have the guts for it. Well as you can tell it a wild romp for Henry and his new friends. It does not have that same creepy feel as the first one but it does offer a pretty good second film. It still has those uneasy moments that make Henry a creepy kind of film. Just go into film knowing it is not as good as the first but still offers some good bits for a second edition in the life and times of are favorite Serial Killer.

lead is wrong.......2006-08-16

Solid cast, with the exception of the lead. Rooker from the first one should have been back, as well as the original director and writer: John McNaughton and Richard Fire, respectively.
This director here doesn't seem to get suspense--and it hurt the film. There is just no beating the original. Too bad McNaughton and the rest from the first flick did not come back for an encore--because now, even if they did, it might be way too late.
It's kind of sad, because McNaughton might have had a far bigger/impressive film career if he had.

Skip this one. See the original (20 year anni issue, etc.). It will give you chills.

"pick on someone else".......2006-05-28

this is a movie I should hate but totally love. I like to think of it as a completely different thing from the amazing first movie. Its just a fun movie and the main guy is so great and funny (though I imagine its unintentional). The fact that he pushes two kids off of their bikes is worth the purchase alone. This is being re-released by Dark Sky films in September so put off buying this version . Don't watcch it if you are looking for a serious film like Henry 1, but if you want to see one of the finest (haha) serial murderers ever put on film make dumb remarks, have no emotion, and do an insanely awesome walk. this dude rules, and this movie is probably the ONLY movie with a good sequel that others hate but I love, since its usually vice versa.

mask to hide my face after watching this movie.......2004-08-26

I got this in a Region 2 two disc set with both Henry 1 + 2 released by Dutch-Filmworks. The original is great, but "mask of sanity" was the worst bottom of the barrel el-cheapo z-grade attempt at a horror film I have ever been witness to. No script (to speak of) no talent and nothing to keep you watching it through to the end. It also looks like it was shot on video tape.... Fans of the original will be mortified.

WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?.......2002-10-08

WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?................this ranks with the other completely useless,horrible horror sequals-blair witch(they both were horrible though!),an american psycho 2,evil dead 2(it was hysterical though),exorcist 2,american werewolf in paris.....the list goes on(in fact i think ill make 1!)this was as spine chilling as killer smirfs.can someone explain this to me?what does it have to do with part one?PLEASE DO NOT BUY,RENT,STEAL,OR BORROW.youd be better off with plan 9 from outer space!

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American Justice - Thrill Killers

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Serial Killers

ASIN: B000FKP0SC
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

A young married couple's photographs of their vacation give police the clues they need to implicate the pair in the murders of two other Ocean City, Maryland vacationers.

Average customer rating:

Sucked!!
Not up to Ferrara's normal standards.

The Driller Killer
Starring: Baybi Day , Bob de Frank , Jimmy Laine , Carolyn Marz , and Harry Schultz
Director: Abel Ferrara
Manufacturer: Cult Epics
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AQKUJA
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Customer Reviews:

Sucked!!.......2007-01-01

This movie was pure trash, I know some people may be out raged about my comments due to the fact people consider it a classic, I guess I just did not understand what the big deal about the movie was. From my point of view the only thing that I paid attention to in the movie was the 2 girls in the shower with each other, god bless those two young ladies. I guess if slasher movies with no point are your thing than this movie is right up your alley, oh and another bad thing about this movie was that good awful sex pistols rip off band I can only pray that god has struck down every member of that band, as well as the director of this atrocity.

Not up to Ferrara's normal standards........2005-11-30

The Driller Killer (Abel Ferrara, 1979)

Abel Ferrara and Nicholas St. John have been working together for a long, long time. They'd been doing their thing for years on the indie and porn circuits before The Driller Killer, Ferrara's first feature film (and the first of many scripted by St. John) appeared. And yet somehow this movie still has all the hallmarks of a first film, without really having any of the strengths one expects.

Reno Miller (Ferrara) is an artist, living in Manhattan with two women, Carol and Pamela (Carolyn Marz and Baybi Day, neither of whom ever appeared in another film-- and with good reason). While on the surface this would seem to be every man's dream, Miller is struggling to pay the bills, and to make matters worse, the landlord has just rented the apartment upstairs to a horrible new wave band who practice at all hours of the night. In order to combat the stress, Miller does what any normal person would-- he starts carrying a portable power drill around with him and using it to randomly kill bums on the street.

I'm still trying to figure out why this film was cut for release (two minutes were shaved off for UK release). I haven't seen the cut version, but I'm guessing the majority of the cuts were made in the cheesecake scenes (Carolyn and Pamela are just as happy with one another as they are with Miller, a minor character feature that adds absolutely nothing to the film save a modicum of watchability during one or two of the slow bits) rather than the pedestrian, uninspiring violence (and it's not a time-frame thing; the movie came out a couple of weeks after Dawn of the Dead, shot on a similar shoestring budget, but with far more explicit, and everpresent, gore effects).

In all honesty, I think if this movie weren't known as the feature film debut of Abel Ferrara, it would have faded into well-deserved obscurity decades ago. And really, it's not worth hunting down. Ferrara and St. John got a lot better real quick. * ½

Investigative Reports - Teen Thrill Killers

Average customer rating:

Investigative Reports - Teen Thrill Killers

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000FKP0KA
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

A look at some of the most frightening murderers of all--teenagers who kill for the thrill of it. Thomas Koskovich murdered a pizza deliveryman just "to see what it felt like to kill." Kevin Foster and a group of high school students with otherwise excellent records killed a music teacher, and Foster bragged about how cool it was to see the teacher's face blown off with a shotgun. And in Tacoma, Washington, eight boys aged 11-19 beat a young boy to death as if they were simply playing a game.

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

Great American Western Vol. 11

Fast Times at Ridgemont High/Dazed and Confused

Murder Between Friends [1993]

DVD: Ghost Chase

Die Playboys