TEARS OF GOD, THE BOOK and VIDEO WATCHDOG Crowdfunding Campaign Videos

These three very valuable projects are in need of funding over at Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Take a few moments to watch, pledge and/or help spread the word if you can. Thanks!

The Video Watchdog Digital Archive Kickstarter Campaign!

Please watch and share this video and PLEDGE, PLEDGE, PLEDGE!!!

Video Watchdog's Dog Days Sales Event

All through August the Video Watchdog website is running a major sales event. Each day will bring a different sale over at VW, 31 absolutely wonderful reasons to visit their site throughout August. The first sale, five dollars off Tim Lucas' essential Video Watchdog book, is up and running and I have added a little panel over to the side to make it easy for folks reading here to click over there all month. So throw some support Tim and Donna Lucas' way, and at the same time get your self some discounted VW goodies all throughout August.

Twenty Years of Video Watchdog

Tim Lucas is reporting over at much missed Video Watchblog that this month marks the twentieth year that his overwhelmingly influential Video Watchdog has been in existence. In an era when it is next to impossible to keep an independent publication anywhere near above water, the fact that Tim and Donna Lucas have managed to keep Video Watchdog alive and kicking is more than worthy of a celebration. The fact that Video Watchdog has also managed to be consistently far and away the most important genre, and film in general, publication around is even more remarkable. So, congratulations to Tim and Donna, and here’s to twenty more years of Video Watchdog!

Video Watchdog Gives Eli Roth's Hostel Part 2 a Big Thumbs Up

I have been really curious since its release last year what the country's leading Genre publication, Video Watchdog, would think of of Eli Roth's controversial Hostel Part 2 so when I got the new issue yesterday and saw it mentioned on front I flipped eagerly to the review of it. I am thrilled to report that Shane M. Dallmann, one of my favorite writers from V.W., gives the film a high recommendation and his long review of it is among the best I have read.
Dallmann pretty much gives due to everything I love about the film, including how well acted it is and how it improves upon repeated viewings. I especially appreciate that Dallmann notes that the film's more gruelling horror sequences "are staged for maximum emotional effect" and later that "the horror derives equally from what's happening and from who it's happening to." two keys to the film few other critics picked up on.
Dallmann also wisely point out how much Hostel Part 2 is lovingly designed after the Italian Giallo of the seventies, with special mention going to both Sergio Martino's Torso and Aldo Lado's Night Train Murders.
All in all it is a fantastic look at a sorely undervalued film. Roth should be proud that his film has been given the seal of approval by one of Video Watchdog's best writers.
As for the rest of issue 137, I haven't had a chance to read through it all yet but it looks like another cracking one after last month's Grindhouse issue, which was one of their best ever. The cover star and moving center story belongs to The Curse Of The Cat People's Ann Carter and other reviews include looks at works ranging from Fulci's The Psychic to The Beatles in Help!

Video Watchdog Issue 135

The newest issue of VIDEO WATCHDOG is out now and it is a splendid one. Issue 135 is the first since the publication of Tim Lucas' MARIO BAVA biography ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK so it is a significant one.
The excellent Charlie Largent cover is probably one of the most terrifying in VW's history with its shot of the already legendary pale man from PAN'S LABYRINTH, and the back features a sweet photo of the beguiling Judi Bowker.
The issue is real winner with Tim's editorial, and the first few pages, focusing on the Bava book. A shot of Lamberto Bava and family holding the massive book is particularly touching.

Review wise there are several highlights. John Charles has a nice look at VACANCY and I am glad to see I'm not the only one who admired this little undervalued film. Sheldon Inkol has a long and excellent piece of the original BEDAZZLED which is very informative and entertaining. This was one of my favorite discs of the year so it is nice to see it treated so seriously. Kim Newman provides his usual number of well written reviews including a look at THE MONSTER SQUAD and and import of 1984. Tim himself is on hand to review several films including Jess Franco's WOMEN BEHIND BARS and a DARK SHADOWS DVD COLLECTION. Frankly all of the reviews this month were fascinating.
Douglas E. Winter's always great Audio Watchdog has a terrific portrait of the new Simon Boswell collection, along with some Morricone discs, and in Biblio Watchdog Kim Newman reminds me why I need to buy Stephen Thrower's NIGHTMARE USA as soon as possible.
Three items though make this issue particularly memorable. The long interview with Judi Bowker by Mark F Berry is very well done and beautifully written. I knew very little about this actress so this was an extremely interesting read.
I was also thrilled to see one of my favorite films of the decade finally getting some English language attention. While Tim Lucas doesn't value the final collaboration between Andrzej Zulawski and Sophie Marceau as much as I do, his thoughts on FIDELITY were extremely nice to read. I am really pleased that VW chose to cover it in their import section.
The real jewel of the issue though is Tim's take on PAN'S LABRINTH. Tim's six page look at the film is one of the best things I have read on Del Toro's masterful film, and it will definitely be an article I return to the next time I revisit this special work. I am also glad Tim took the time to salute actress Maribel Verdu for her work as not many critics bothered to. Verdu has now managed to give two of my favorite performances of the decade, in this film and Alfonso Cuaron's incredible Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN.
Video Watchdog 135 is currently available and is highly recommended.

Video Watchdog Issue 130

I am particularly impressed with the newest issue of Video Watchdog (featuring a cover shot of FORBIDDEN PLANET) that Tim Lucas and company have put together so I thought I would post a couple of thoughts on it here.

A main selling point is a new article on the fascinating GANJA AND HESS written by David Kalat. It is real exciting to see a feature article again about this stirring film. Reading it I was reminded of Watchdog's original groundbreaking article back in the magazines earliest days that turned me on to this film, one of the best and most mystifying I ever seen. Kalat's excellent new article focuses on the origins of the film, how Bill Gunn become involved with it and what the company expected from him. This article brings new things to light but it also manages to make the film seem even more mysterious.

Another feature focuses on the late Freddie Francis. Ted Newsom does a great job here in respecting Francis' directorial career and still being honest about it. It's a solid tribute to a very important figure.
Of the many reviews I really admired Shane Dallmann's take on CRANK, a film that I really loved and I am glad to see it getting some attention in a publication like Watchdog. Kim Newman delivers an excellent and long DVDSpotlight on Universal's new BORIS KARLOFF COLLECTION as well as a review of THE PYJAMA GIRL CASE which I recently covered here. He doesn't like the film as much as i do but I enjoyed reading his thoughts on it.
Tim Lucas offers us a fascinating Watchdog Barks editorial on his upcoming Bava book as well as in depth look at the DR. MABUSE dvds from Retromedia.
Many other noteworthy reviews are given for films ranging from domestic releases like SATAN'S BLOOD to THE NIGHT STALKER collection and imports such as ARIZONA DREAM and WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS.
The main highlight, outside of the new GANJA AND HESS piece, is Ramsey's Campbell's excellent and insightful look at Gasper Noe's IRREVERSIBLE. This is one of the best reviews I have read of this searing and important film and I agree with Campbell when he says that Noe (along with Aja) is "France's greatest living exploitation filmmaker." I also appreciate that Ramsey recognizes that the film's backwards narrative isn't just for show and that, in my opinion, thematically it gives the film a major emotional force that might have been lost in a strictly linear telling. It's a great piece that made me think about elements of the film that I hadn't before.
Finally, cheers to Douglas Winter for noting that Clint Mansell's score for THE FOUNTAIN is possibly the best score of last year. This haunting album was near the top of my list for the best cds of 2006 and it is quickly becoming an all time favorite. Winter's article on minimalism in film scoring is very informative and very well done.
Issue 130 also marks Watchdog's return as a monthly publication. This is a great issue of the best magazine on the planet and I am pleased to highly recommend picking it up if you haven't already.

Symptoms of a Chronic Collector

Sometime in my early twenties I found one of those great, now almost all long lost, privately owned video stores that would offer perhaps something a little different from the local Blockbuster. This particular one was called Video Dave's in Frankfort, Kentucky. The store was so great that I would actually drive 35 minutes from Lexington on a regular basis just to rent films. One evening I came across a film in the horror section that caught my eye. I'm not sure if it was the odd title, the striking artwork or the promise that 'the only thing more terrifying than the last ten minutes of this film are the first 90'. Something about it pulled me in and that night I found myself at home watching my very first Dario Argento film.
Suspiria became one of those great moments that a person will have just a few times in life. One of those moments when your mind is suddenly opened to something new. It was like hearing Nico's The Marble Index for the first time or discovering an Alain Robbe-Grillet novel. It was that feeling that I had found something amazing that no one else knew about.
I soon learned that actually quite a few people knew about it and that there was an entire cinema that I wasn't aware of. I had loved many foreign films up to this point and had a good grasp on the accepted circle of directors like Godard, Bertolucci and Polanski. Now I was confronted with names like Franco, Fulci, Zulawski and Bava. One of the major things that happened just after I saw Suspiria was discovering the mighty Video Watchdog. It was still a pretty young magazine at that point and Tim Lucas' publication became like a bible to me. Soon I was discovering all kinds of directors and films that would provide me with magic keys to open amazing unknown doors.
It was through obsessively pouring over each issue of Watchdog that I found out about mail order companies such as European Trash Cinema, Midnight Video and Video Search of Miami. Each month or two I would look forward to the catalogues and updates from these companies and face the daunting task of picking out which films I could order on my limited budget. There was such an excitement to it in that period. Visually many of these tapes would be poor quality. Some would be full screen, some in English and some not. It was an adventure and it was exciting being in it. Soon I began to learn the particulars of each company. VSOM had the most but with the poorest prints. ETC had some of the rarest and owner Craig Ledbetter provided the best service. Video Midnight had the best quality, many from import laserdiscs, but were the most expensive. Each company had their strengths and weaknesses but they all provided a great service and I will never forget getting packages in the mail with titles like The Perfume Of A Lady In Black, Four Flies On Grey Velvet and The Pyjama Girl Case.
I remember clearly getting that very first package. With the stamp ETC on it and inside a tape holding a terrible print of a remarkable film, Jose Larraz's still hard to find Symptons.
I met a friend around this time to who shared my same obsessions and he was the first one who showed me uncut prints of Fulci's The Beyond and Argento's Tenebrae. We began to trade our monthly orders, each making copies and doubling our collections.
Books on the subject began to come into play, the still indispensable Immoral Tales and also imported British magazines like Flesh and Blood. In the mid 90s Louisville Kentucky got an amazing gift in the store Wild and Woolly Video. We now had a store specializing in these films and I have such fond memories of long conversations with the store's owner Todd and sifting through his new releases and import soundtrack section.
A major change happened in the late 90s that was both a major blessing and a bit of a personal curse. When DVD arrived I don't think anyone would have guessed that it was about to give a legitimate home to many of these once forgotten films. That's precisely what it did and suddenly the precious little secret that many of us held so close was taken from us.
I couldn't believe it at first. That strange moment when I held Anchor Bay's first uncut, widescreen Argento releases still sticks with me. It was a bit like that moment when Jane's Addictions Ritual De Lo Habitual broke, it wasn't ours anymore. I was envious of the people who were going to discover these films on DVD but knew that I had lived through something special in that a lot of the pleasure had been in the hunt and discovery.
I'm a bit spoiled at this point, as i think many of us are. We'll complain about the most minor of problems with a new disc. We'll always prove that fans of the fantastique are the most dedicated around because we will know of every missing frame and we'll take personal offense to any cutting of corners. Sometimes I have to remind myself of just how honored I was, before DVD made it so easy, to just see these films in any condition.
I don't order from those companies anymore, I just can't afford it and still keep up with newer dvd re-issues of my favorites. I have now bought Suspiria at least 4 times in different formats since that fateful night at Video Dave's and have no doubt that I'll by it at least a few more before I am gone. I doubt if it will ever feel as special as it did that night though.
Video Dave's closed many years ago, and its once proud building now stands abandoned. Flesh and Blood is no more to my knowledge but thankfully Video Watchdog is still kicking out the jams and changing lives. My trading friend and I lost touch and I live too far away from Wild and Woolly to have my talks with Todd anymore.

European genre film fans haven't had it this good in years and this year promises special editions of everything from Bava's Kill Baby Kill to Joe D'Amato's Black Emanuelle series, as well as the publication of Tim Lucas' much anticipated Mario Bava biography. It's a phenomenally lucky time to love these films but for those of us that have been at this for awhile, let us not forget when it wasn't so easy.