Video Nasty: Madhouse (1981)

Watching so many video nasties in a row has left me mentally scared, so I have no choice but to go to the MADHOUSE!!!

I had a brief visit there back in the early 80's too when I saw this film for the first time as it was one of the nastiest I could rent at a local vid store with this cover artwork:

I remember it as being quite good, but haven't seen it since, so now for my re-visit nurses force feed me tranquilizer's as doctors, and shrinks strap me down to the electric chair to fry my brain...bzzzzzzzzzzz @ the Madhouse.

Plot:
No time wasted as we kick it off right away with one demented little girl hitting her sister with a rock 'til she looks like this:

Aaaw, sisterly love, how cute. Fast fwd. to their adulthood when one's living a normal life, and the other's at the psych ward in a hospital locked up for life....til she escapes!

From there it's the story of the crazy sister with her companion, a blood thirsty, savage Rottweiler, terrorizing the other sister, killing several others along the way, but what sister's the killer? The one who got hit by the rock, the one with the rock, or someone else?

What's Good:
This is an American style Italian horror flick as the director, Ovidio Assonatis, and the composer, Riz Ortolani are Italian. Riz has done countless great scores, but is perhaps best known for Cannibal Holocaust, and the Madhouse score sounds a lot like CH.

Extremely dark, sinister feel makes this visit to the Madhouse quite creepy, and the tech stuff's well done too, so way above average video nasty standards here.

Some brutal, bloody violent scenes with the rottweiler, and psycho havin' fun.

Some twisted twists that I won't spoil for you, and an unexpected final jump scare.

What's Bad:
I hate repeating myself but this one's also a bit of a slow burn. Not so much that one falls asleep though as maniac, and rottweiler makes sure of that.

Most of the dog attack scenes are so dark, and messy that I had big problems getting good screenshots of them, as you can see here:

The maniac's a little too crazy so it becomes funny in a comedy type way sometimes.

The Madhouse title is misleading as there's none of that in it at all, so the original title, There Was A Little Girl, or better yet the US title Scared To Death would be better choices, but I guess Madhouse was more marketable.

The Verdict:
Some people have problems seeing why this became a video nasty as there were films with a lot nastier scenes than Madhouse that didn't become one, but I guess it had to do with the opening, and reputedly the harsh treatment of the poor rottweiler is said to have actually happened for real, but it's still argued whether or not that was true, or a publicity stunt.

In general a solid pro made horror film that will appeal to the horror fiends, no less, no more, but a slow burn most of the time, and not quite as good as I thought back in the day, but I guess I was easier to impress back then, so it's a...

Rating:
4/6

Video Nasty: Mardi Gras Massacre (1978)

The feeling of house cleaning, and shoveling out driveways, and how "fun" it is, is what I have now before my review of a movie I've heard so many bad things about that I know it's gonna suck even before I watch it, so what to do?

That's right. Scream, and get to it cause ain't nuthin' to it but to do it, and must be at the least a little fun at the Mardi Gras...Massacre none the less which actually looks like a lot of fun from the poster artwork, and I've heard there's Disco in it, so it can't be all bad, right?

Plot:
And Sho' nuff. We start at a sleazy strip joint to the sound of Dennis Coffey's porn funk classic High On Love setting the right mood for some hot fun I bet, and yes, girls arrive being asked "How's tricks?" by the bartender.

An appearantly stylish gentleman enters claiming he's new in town, telling the hookers he's looking for some evil fun, so one goes with him. If she only knew this:

I guess it goes without saying now that dude kills girls to sacrifice them to an Aztec God, and there's your basic plot for MGM.

What's Good:
First of all the funky Disco soundtrack courtesy of Westbound Records which is most likely unofficial, but we're treated to great tracks by Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore Orchestra, and CJ & Co. so it's some of the finest Westbound Disco artists right there.

Gore, and then some more gore...

...and then some more...

...but sexy at the same time, and everything done to Disco music!

What's Bad:
That's all peaches, and cream when something does happen as it's far in between. Most of this movie goes by switching between scenes at the aforementioned bar, hookers, and strippers dancing, clubbing (the Disco kind), and investigation of the murders.

The killer picks up several girls at the same bar, and gets away with it despite the investigation going on there, and he does just about the same thing to all the girls.

As cool as the Disco music is, using it as the only soundtrack in a Horror movie's not a good idea, and MGM does just that!

Also, it tries very hard to be H.G. Lewis' gore classic Blood Feast, and fails.

The fighting coreography's however the most laughable as it looks like something out of a silent movie from the 1910's or around there.

The Verdict:
Most everything you need to see happens within the first ten minutes, then it's a repeat of that for the rest of the movie. The best thing about it is the soundtrack which was never released as an accual soundtrack album, but all the songs used in the movie are easy to get anyway on their respective albums, or better yet twelve inch singles since we're talkin' Disco here.

Other than that, I doubt I'll watch this film ever again as it's mostly a crappy snooze-fest, but the great music, sex & violence makes MGM deserving of a...

Rating: 
2/6

Video Nasty: Nightmare (1981)

Much controversy surrounds this title as it's Italian director Romano Scavolini, and fx maestro Tom Savini still argue if Tom did the fx, or not. A video distributor was jailed for refusing to cut this film when it dropped on video in the UK during the 80's nasty hysteria. Promo stunts for the VHS release included barf bags, and a guess the weight of the brain in the jar contest. It's UK title is a perfect description of the cencorship fanat's back then: Nightmares In A Damaged Brain! Will I have that too after watching it? Let's find out.

Plot:
How would you feel if you woke up after a nightmare to find a woman's head chopped off, in your bed ? Well, that's exactly how Nightmare starts, with a bang.

Off to the asylum we go where the same guy who had the nightmares is committed. Who wouldn't be after what was in his bed? Enough to make a grown man scream, and lose his mind like this:

But, is he really at the nuthouse, or is he still having a nightmare?

Next, a kid sees something he really shouldn't have.

His mom does a little S&M with some tied up dude in her bed, ending up with the kid brutally killing mom, and lover, but is it live or is it memorex? Real, or still a nightmare?

What's Good:
Whether Tom Savini made them or not the gory kills in this are among the most brutal, and bloody in movie history. Mix that with sleazeball sex, and here's another bon(e)afide video nasty for ya' where the killer even says he's sorry after having killed someone. A little late for that then, eh?  Sinister creepy atmosphere throughout, an overall psychotic feel with some sleaze, occasional gruesome murders, and a kick ass last fifteen minutes should keep you entertained, right?

What's Bad:
Well, not quite as much as it should have, as this drags in places. Although fun, some reminds a lot of Halloween, and there's a scene much like the "Heeeere's Johnny" in The Shining.

So must've ripped it off as this one came out the year after, but if only Laurie, and Wendy had been as well prepared as this kid:

Or better yet, this kid:

The Verdict:
The violence is worthy of a video nasty, and another Savini gorefest. There's a true message behind Nightmare, that if kids have to go through heavy traumatic experiences in childhood they might grow up to become psycho killers.

It's got plenty creepy moments, and a nice soundtrack, from  the quirky easy listening to shocking noisy stabs, etc. Too slow moving some of the time but an interesting, entertaining bloodbath most of the time where children murder with guns, and axe, and heads literally flies, so Savini needs not be embarrassed about having done fx here, if he did, cause he did a bloody brilliant job, unless it's that he's not proud of it cause even he thinks it went a bit too far, which it does, but hey, it's a video nasty, and if evil kids scare you, you'll have a fit, and won't forget this one, ever.

Scavolini's droppin' a sequel titled Nightmare: The Wandering Soul in 2018, and like the axe swingin' kid in the OG Nightmare, I bet you didn't see that one coming! As for Nightmares In A Damaged Brain, I'm shook but still good mentally after viewing it...I...think! So, it's a solid:

Rating:
4/6

Video Nasty: Night Of The Bloody Apes (1969)

I growl the intro to Jimmy Castor Bunch's King Kong as I bang my chest, and peel myself a banana cause today's review comes straight out the zoo as I do my first time view of a movie that inspired underground legend RA The Rugged Man's first album Night Of The Bloody Apes!

Plot:
After the blood (red paint) splattered opening titles we start with some women's wrestling, now that's original. One of the wrestlers are hospitalized, and at a zoo near by a big monkey is shot with a tranquilizer gun, no escAPE for the ape who's kidnapped by a mad scientist to attempt curing his son of leukimia through a heart transplant from the ape.

That of course spiral's out of control as the son becomes half man, half ape, and goes bananas on a killing spree. The Fly, and the "I was cured alright" phrase from A Clockwork Orange comes to mind, yes. So, how can they stop the man who is now half man, half ape, when he escAPE's to wreak havoc?

What's Good:
This Mexican low budget flick looks bigger than the budget. It has a somewhat Hitchcockian feel when it comes to style, and the soundtrack. Acting's not bad either. The transplantation scenes, and bloody murders by man-ape are brutal, and shown in nauseating detail, no doubt rewarding the film with it's video nasty status though I've seen way nastier than this.

It actually reminds more of a Hammer movie in a lot of ways, but what must've earned it the video nasty status is the rape scenes, and bloody, gory violence, but you can't really blame a man-ape monster for doin' a little rAPE now, can you?

What's Bad:
At times slow paced, and boring. Sometimes the bad make up effects, and stupidity level of what's happening is way up there too, and there's no apeS, just one. Could've been less wrestling scenes really as they don't make that much sense to put into a horror movie, though the female wrestler devil costume is quite cool.

The Verdict:
I had fun viewing this. It wasn't nearly as cheap, and trashy as I anticipated, and fans of regular old school Horror movies like the Hammer stuff, Roger Corman flix of the 60's/70's, and Universal Monsters fans should find this a worth while watch, and might even have fun, and enjoy it, like I did in general.

However, flawed, and a slow burn at times, some sloppy editing, and bad effects but all in all this is great, gory entertainment for the Horror fiends, so it's understandable that Rugged Man chose this to inspire his debut album title cause it is a fun rope ride whether man, or bloody APE, no monkey biz. Demented fun for your eyeballs!

Rating:
4/6

Video Nasty: Night Of The Demon (1980)

Yes guys, and ghouls. It is once again time to get my video nasty on after about a one year hiatus. Been at it for ten years now, and am not even halfway there! Oh well, better late than never, so here we go with this (year's) nasty; Night Of The Demon.

Plot:
Ted Nugent's name brother professor Nugent is found running out of the woods badly burnt. He gets the dubious pleasure of first being commited to a hospital, and then to the nut house where he tells the story of people being sliced, and diced by a beast living in the forest, and the actor playing Nugent's name is Michael CUTT none the less, pun intended.

People have been missing after having visited the woods, so Prof. Nugent, and some of his students decide to venture out into the forest to find out what really goes on there.

And boy, do they, as they find out the hard way that this furry monster is on a rampage out there. Is it Bigfoot, or perhaps Sasquatch? Neither. It is a demon!

So now our friends are stuck in the woods with a blood thirsty, flesh ripping, axe swingin' homicidal demon out to get them. What shall they do? And will they survive?

What's Good:
Much accomplished on a tiny budget this one's at times suspenseful, fun, dark, violent, bloody, and brutal. Bodycount a plenty where the demon attacks, and kills with axe, knife, hayfork, and beastly flesh tearing claws, even throwing a victim around, noose rope style. Something I'm sure not to be the only one wishing they sometimes could do to somebody. Teen girl campers get hacked, not as in the computer way, and a random biker also gets his nobler parts fondled by the demon!

A little too rough for the poor bikers liking though, I bet. Moral of the story: Be careful where you whip it out, or else...

There's a tripped out creepy score, with some easy listening, and quite funky at times, plus some noisy annoying psychotic synths, and a beautiful Bernie Worrell of Funkadelic sounding psychodelic organ piece. To my knowledge no soundtrack was released, but it is an original score, and not library music.

What's Bad:
A tiny budget flick. They did the best with what they had but there's still signs all over that this is an ultra cheapo film so avoid if you're only into A grade movies.

A slow burn at times.

Acting? Nah, not in this one.

The Verdict:
Bad, and unintenionally funny but an honest attempt at amateur filmmaking where they did the best with what little they had. It's dark, violent, and understandably a video nasty because this is a perfect Horror film for home video viewing, and must've had much rewind, and replay value of the nastiest scenes back in the 80's.

The kind of film once seen, you just skip to the nasty bits, to show you're friends who'd then brag about having seen it, and tell stories to others making more people run out to rent this "filth" out of curiousity, so it must've been responsible for plenty sleepless nights back in the early 80's cause the violence is indeed nasty, and sexualized as the demon not only kills, but rapes, and makes demon babies, so it's deserving of it's video nasty "promo campaign".

There's  a funny VHS cover with an Oscar next to the title btw...as if...that's all I'm sayin'...as if.

So what happens to the demon in the grand finale? See this movie to find out but, beware...cause...he's...still...out...there...

Bad, but fun gory low budget nasty so...

Rating:
3/6