Unearthed! Now available till they are gone, ETC #3!!

Digging around in storage I found 10 copies of ETC #3. It sports a beautiful Stephen Bissette cover from DEEP RIVER SAVAGES and highlights the issue's interview with Umberto Lenzi. Not available on the website, this is the only place you can get one (at least till these are sold out) so don't delay! Price is $10 plus $5 shipping. (overseas  airmail is $10). Inside you'll find reviews of BLOOD LUST, CLICK YOU'RE DEAD, EYEBALL, THE ICEBOX MURDERS, LA MORTE VIVANTE, NIGHTMARE CONCERT, LE PASSAGE, SHARAZ, SMILE BEFORE DEATH, THE SUNDAY WOMAN, TRUE STORY OF THE NUN OF MONZA, WEREWOLF IN A GIRL'S DORMITORY, SWEET MOVIE and many more, a detailed Umberto Lenzi Filmography and interview with the man, an episode guide to the unreleased VALENTINA TV episodes (based on the comic strip by Guido Crepax), 2 reviews of Michele Soavi's THE SECT and an interview with Soavi himself! WHEW!! just click on the link below the cover repro.

SOLD OUT!

The Debut of ETC Soundtrack Round Up!

A big thank you to Rob Talbot for coming through with the debut (and hopefully many more) Eurotrash Soundtrack column. During the days of ETC Magazine I roped the legendary John Bender into contributing a soundtrack column...and then promptly had to cancel the magazine due to distributors screwing me over. Thanks agan Rob for reviving this idea.

Exciting times, folks.

Thanks to the resurgence of vinyl and the ease of procurement offered by the internet, there's really never been a better time for fans and collectors of this stuff. Sure, you could say that the “thrill of the hunt” of days of yore has been diminished, and that the current trendiness in various hipster circles is occasionally irksome when you can be pretty sure that most of them don't know jack (or really care) about the films themselves. But if it wasn't for these factors we simply wouldn't have anywhere near the breadth of amazing stuff that's being reissued on vinyl these days. That said, let's not forget that Italian companies like Beat and Dagored had already been churning out hundreds of these beauties on CD and vinyl for decades before any young beardy types had even heard of them. Or had beards.

Brit label Death Waltz have been causing quite a stir with their lavish reissues over the past couple of years, and are still doing good work. June saw the release of Carlo Maria Cordio's score for 1981's Grim Reaper pseudo-sequel Absurd in a gatefold double vinyl edition carrying some eye-popping new artwork – complete with embossed intestines! And, what's more, the double-LP is rounded out by the inclusion of all of Cordio's cues for Pieces. Last month brought with it vinyl reissues of Alexander Blonksteiner's fine Cannibal Apocalypse score and that good old Beat Records compilation Lucio Fulci's Horror & Thriller, both with the most gorgeous sleeve art that they've ever had.

Back in March, DW joined forces with newish kids on the block One Way Static Records for two editions of Riz Ortolani's legendary Cannibal Holocaust OST, one on red vinyl with new Graham Humphreys art and one on green and burgundy vinyl in a black gatefold sleeve bearing the film's distinctive logo. Belgian-based OWS have released far fewer Euro scores than Death Waltz (last year's Cannibal Ferox and Nekromantik being the only others so far), but mid-August will see them release Michael Holm's score for both Mark of the Devil movies on one LP, and, believe it or not, on cassette! The bad news is that they seem to be nearing sell-out on these before they've even been released, so I 'd advise against any procrastination if you want a piece of that action.

Okay, so there's the flashy, show-offy stuff from our newfound hipster-friendly chums, but what of the game's old stalwarts? Well, for Beat Records it's business as usual with recent CD releases of, amongst others, Franco Mussida & Franz Di Cioccio's OST for obscure 1982 historical comedy Attila flagello di Dio (Atilla, Scourge of God),  Francesco De Masi's 1971 spy score FBI operazione Pakistan, and Armando Travajoli's score for 1979's Edwige Fenech-starring Steno smutfest Dottor Jekyll e gentile signora (AKA Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot).

Beat's compadres at Digitmovies also continue to be prolific, with the score for 1975 sex comedy Peccati in famiglia (Scandal in the Family) by the brothers De Angelis becoming available on CD for the first time, along with Stelvio Cipriani's über-loungey work for 1971 Lorenzo Artale drama Edipeon - Il Sapore Della Pelle.

Old hands Dagored have also been busy, with a veritable rake of classics out over the past few months that includes Morricone's Spasmo (with three different sleeves to choose from), Cose avete fatto a Solange? (clear red vinyl – careful who you show the cover of that one to!), Escalation (yellow vinyl), Comandamenti per un gangster, and The Big Gundown. They've also re-unleashed Stelvio Cipriani's La Polizia Ringrazia (Execution Squad) into the world, and Claudio Gizzi's Andy Warhol's Frankenstein and Dracula OSTs, both on red vinyl, as is Nicolai's La dama rossa uccide sette volte (The Red Queen Kills... ahh, you know that already.)

Other newer players worthy of your attention are the Australian Omni Recording Corporation. They're responsible for one of my favourite acquisitions of the year thus far -  namely the first vinyl issue since 1972 of Gianfranco Plenizio's beautiful La gatta in calore, released back in April. 2015 has also seen them do the same for Morricone's II sorriso del grande tentator (The Devil is a Woman) and A Quiet Place in the Country, along with Berto Pisano's delirious Kill! And all with vintage sleeve art to die for.

So, exciting times indeed. Enough stuff out there for us to all to live like Euro soundtrack kings. Hey, who needs food, gas or electricity anyway?

by Rob Talbot

Soundtrack blog : http://italiansoundtrackodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/

Movie blog:  http://robtalbotcultandworld.blogspot.co.uk/

European Trash Cinema #6.5!!

Most people don't realize that when I was producing ETC the magazine, I also produced a few newsletter editions! Well, thanks to the generosity of Joshua Thomas Gravel, I can offer folks a chance to download and read this rare blast from the past!! It's sad that even I didn't remember publishing this (I have another half issue in my possession, but not this one). So, if you're interested, here it is! ETC # 6.5

The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance

La Sanguisuga Conduce La Danza

Sales Title: The Bloodsucker Leads The Dance

Italy 1975

U.S.Video Title: The Passion Of Evelyn

D: Alfredo Rizzo

P: TO Ro Cinematografica//St & Sc: Alfredo Rizzo//DP: Aldo Greci//E: Pierra Bruni & Gianfranco Simonelli//M: Marcello Giombini//Art D: Vanni Castellani//Costume: Maria Luisa Panard.

Cast: Femi Benussi, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Krista Nell, Patrizia Di Rossi, Luciano Pigozzi, Mario Del Rosa, Barbara Marzano, Caterina Chiani.

It's Ireland, 1902, and a penniless troup of actors are invited to perform at Count Monarch's castle. The group of thespians consist of wimpy Samuel, nymphomaniac Cora, and the titular lead, Evelyn. They are given an inhospitable welcome from the castle's servants as they all seem to be hiding something. In a short time various members of the acting troup are murdered with everyone acting suspicious. Meanwhile, the Count has fallen in love with Evelyn as she reminds him of his long lost wife. More murderers occur before the police show up and discover the killer's identity.

It's not often I see a film with practically no redeeming features, but The Passion Of Evelyn comes close. The first murder doesn't even occur until an hour into this film's running time and by then, the vast majority of the audience may have already given up and gone home. While we are waiting we do get several sexual encounters between the various cast members but unless you get off to the pairing of Luciano Pigozzi and Femi Benussi (a ludicrous matchup not seen since Joe Spinell and Caroline Munroe in Maniac, 1980), even that bit of activity comes across as uninspired. The dubbing here is also excrutiating, in particular the voice actor used for Giacomo Rossi Stuart who sounds quite constipated. Patrizia De Rossi (who also goes by Patrizia Webley in her sexier roles) is the single attraction, but only to those of us who never quite got over the fact that we weren't breast fed as a child.

Hatchet For a Honeymoon

Il Rosso Segno Della Follia

Hatchet For A Honeymoon

Italy 1969

D: Mario Bava

P: Manuel Caño for Pan Latina Films, Mercury Films & Peliculas Ibarra & Cia SA//St & Sc: Santiago Moncada//DP: Mario Bava//E: Soledad Lopez//M: Sante Romitelli//Art D: Jesus Herrero//Costumes: Jose Tresserra//Makeup: Elisa Aspach & Piero Mecaccia.

Cast: Stephen Forsyth, Dagmar Lassander, Laura Betti, Jesus Puente, Femi Benussi, Antonio Mas, Alan Collins (Luciano Pigozzi), Gerard Tichy, Veronica Llimera, Fortunato Pascuale, Jose Ignacio Abadaz, Silvia Lienas, Monserrat Riba.

John Harrington has inherited his dress designing business from his mother. He is also a psychopath who has murdered 5 women on their wedding night. Each death allows him to relive a childhood trauma in more detail. He continues to kill until he meets Helen, a model at his shop. John's wife Mildred is a horrid shrew who won't give him a divorce, so he ends up murdering her too. Even after her death, Mildred continues to be seen by her friends as she haunts John and keeps her promise that she will never leave him. John only needs to kill one more woman to discover what it was he saw many years ago that has so affected him. Helen seems to be that final victim as the film reaches its haunting conclusion.

Often considered the runt of the litter when it comes to Mario Bava films, the problems can no doubt be traced to its Spanish production origins. Stephen Forsyth, who looks like John Phillip Law, plays the part of a guy who knows he's crazy but doesn't really care in a very effective manner. Because of Laura Betti's performance as the castrating bitch/wife so well, you almost feel sympathy for Forsythe and he's a killer! No doubt the reason for such fine performances is related to the script writer, Santiago Moncada. He was a prolific workhorse in the Spanish film industry writing screenplays for Jesus Franco, Javiar Bardem and many others.  Unlike most Giallli, the mystery relies not on who the killer is (that's revealed within the first five minutes), but why. Bava can't resist an in-joke or two (Forsyth is watching KILL BABY KILL on his TV set), but other than the effective cinematography, he's just going through the motions as far as direction goes. 

So Sweet So Dead

RIVELAZIONI DI UN MANIACO SESSUALE AI CAPO DELLA SQUADRA MOBILE

Sales Title: SO SWEET, SO DEAD

U.S. Video Title: THE SLASHER IS A SEX MANIAC

D: Roberto Montero (Bianchi)

P: Eugenio Lorimonte for P.C.R Produziono & Produzioni Cinematografiche//St & Sc: Luigi Angelo, Italo Fasani, Roberto Montero//DP: Fausto Rossi//E: Rolando Salvatore//Music: Giorgio Gaslini.

Cast: Farley Granger, Sylva Koscina, Silvano Tranquilli, Annabella Incontrera, Femi Benussi, Chris Avram, Krista Nell, Susan Scott, Angela Covello, Fabrizio Moresco, Andrea Scotti, Irene Pollmer, Luciano Rossi, Ivano Staccioli, Nino Fotti, Jessica Dublin, Philippe Hersent.

Rich society women are being killed off in a number of gruesome ways. The reasoning behind their deaths appears to be infidelity as photos of the women involved in illicit affairs are left at the scene of each crime. Inspector Capuana is assigned to the case and it's obvious he'll receive no help from the victims' aristocratic husbands. Professor Cassali suspects a jealous homosexual but Cappuana sets his sights on morgue attendent Gastoni. As the murders continue, Cappuana, in a last ditch effort to flush out the real killer, arrests a mentally deficient man who claims to have committed the murders. Cappuana plan works as the real killer is offended by being associated with a mental inferior and is flushed out into the open. But not before the inspector allows the madman to bump off his own wife since he discovered she too had been unfaithful to him.

Roberto Montero Bianchi, father of director Mario Bianchi, had a prolific career in all the major Italian genres, such as Western, Crime and Horror. This film was his most delirious, out of control film and unlike say, Ferdinando Merighi, who had a great cast for LA CASA D'APPUNTAMENTO and refused to exploit it, Montero does not make that same mistake here. The actresses who play victims here read like a who's who and are all featured in various stages of sex and death—ultimately what this genre is all about. Montero is by no means an artist, but his offbeat visual absurdity reaches overload in the SO SWEET SO DEAD version where the killer, in black gloves, mask and hat is seen in broad daylight, running down the beach chasing future victim, Femi Benussi. In Montero's defense, that's more a fault of the lab transfer as in other versions of this film, the scene is darkened to simulate night time. Farley Granger's performance is usually singled out as one of his worst (no arguement for the first 90% of the film's running time), but the last sequence where he allows the murderer to kill his wife before sending him to Hell, redeems an overall perfunctory delivery. For the film's 1976 re-release in the U.S., William Mishkin added hardcore sex sequences featuring Kim Pope and Harry Reems and retitled the film PENETRATION. To date, this version has never surfaced.

Nude Girl Found Killed in the Park

RAGAZZA TUTTO NUDA ASSASSINATA NEL PARCO

NAKED GIRL FOUND KILLED IN PARK

Italy 197

D: Alfonso Brescia.

P: Luigi Mondello for Luis Films & Dauro Films//St & Sc: Alfonso Brescia, Antonio Fos, Peter Skerl, Gianni Martucci, Enzo Gicca, & Aldo Crudo//DP: Alfonso Nieva//E: Rolando Salvatori & Roberto Fandino//M: Carlo Savina//Art D: Cruz Baleztena

Cast: Robert Hoffmann, Irina Demick, Pilar Velasquez, Howard Ross, Philippe Leroy, Adolfo Celi, Patrizia Adiutori.

Catherine's father takes out a million dollar life insurance policy and promptly drops dead. She begins receiving mysterious phone calls claiming her father was murdered. The insurance company sends Chris Buyer to investigate the man's death and he decides to get to know Catherine a little bit better. She invites him to her home where he meets her mother (who still carries on conversations with her dead husband) and sister Barbara (who is a nymphomaniac). He learns that Catherine has a bad heart and any sudden shock might prove fatal. All this comes into play as Barbara is found murdered, the threatening phone calls increase and Catherine claims to see her father walking the halls at night. As the film comes to it's conclusion, you have to wonder if Catherine will survive the night.

Al Brescia (aka Al Bradley) is my nominee for the worst Italian director. Name me one film he directed that reveals the least bit of talent (while his BEAST IN SPACE is trashy fun, it still proves my above point). As you can tell, Brescia is not one of my favorites. About all he succeeds at here is instructing the cinematographer to photograph Irina Demick so she looks like Barbara Steele from one of her sixties Gothic movies. Much like George Hilton, if Hoffmann is the star, you can bet your ass he's the guilty party. Here he's allowed to overact so his Mr Nice guy act doesn't fool you for a minute. Howard Ross as a mute (but still sleazy) stableboy has a sultry love scene with nymphomaniac Pilar Velasquez that is one of the few highlights of this film. Both Adolfo Celi (who was great in WHO SAW HER DIE?)and Philippe Leroy phone in their roles. Screenplay writer Martucci would go on to direct his own thriller in 1974 called THRAUMA. The most successful element of this film is the score by Carlo Savina. What a shame his work is so totally overlooked when it comes to soundtracks released on CD. Be wary of versions of this film that cut out the prologue set in WW2. It is vital to understanding the film's denouement.