Dario Argento has been labeled as the father that gave birth to the genre Italian giallo. His first film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage not only defined the term giallo, but really landed the genre directly into the heart of Italy rather than have been set abroad. Argento’s screenplay and his colorful directive techniques sets the mood that not only struck gold with Italian and American markets, but opened his door for more murder mystery entries.

An American writer witnesses an attempted murder of a young woman in a Rome art gallery. As he tries to intervene to save the young woman’s life, he involves himself and his glamourous girlfriend in a murderous world. Trapped in the sights of a killer and with each murder hitting closer and closer to him, the mystery starts to unravel to whom the killer might be while he digs deeper into the motives and slayings.

The Arrow Films Blu-ray release doesn’t quite compare to the Blue Underground Blu-ray version. Basically, both image qualities of each release are the same with the Arrow Films release having a bit more saturation in its 1080p image, making it not as brightly hued. Also, the image is somewhat cropped from the 2:1 ratio.

Included in the special features lies a audio commentary with Argento experts and journalist Kim Newman and Alan Jones, which doesn’t implore much excite. However, the interviews with directors Sergio Martino (Torso) on the development and widespread popular of giallo, Luigi Cozzi (The Killer Must Kill Again) noting how Argento practically invented the giallo genre and, finally, Argento himself explaining his rise in success with the popularity of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Each have their own segments and with their own animated intro, which by the way is too overextended too the point where their animations are no longer welcomed.

The overall package is good. With the retro cover art, the Blu-ray’s animated menu and the somewhat downgraded image quality from the American release, one could do worse. The Arrow Films presentation of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage will do just fine with any reason giallo, or horror, enthusiasts.

Director: Peter Newbrook
Cast: Robert Stephens, Robert Powell, Jane Lapotaire, Ralph Arliss, Alex Scott
Odeon Entertainment / Not Rated / Region 0 PAL / 2.35:1 HD Transferred Widescreen / Dolby Digital / Color / 83 Minutes

Putting trust in the seasoned hands of experienced film directors and screenplay writers to successfully, and sometimes miraculously, produce a film that will shock, awe and make a shit ton of money is as easy as throwing a coin into a fountain, but putting trust into unknown directors and even unknown writers on one, solitary project is risky business and usually by the end’s ordeal, you’ll willing want to struggle to throw those amateur auteurs into the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Glendale Production Company did what I just had laid out as they brought in long time camera operator and cinematographer (Teenage Tramp and Hell House Girls) Peter Newbrook to direct and the Beers – no, not the kind you get shitfaced to – but screenwriters Christina and Laurence Beers to tackle an intriguing, yet outdated, science fiction horror film of the early 70′s – The Asphyx! What could have been a tremendous successful film with a tale of originality turned to a more darker path of being second-rate substance with a cheesiness that no snubbed nose rat could refuse. Not all is lost as The Asphyx holds tight to that originality and can suck you right in with patented storyline.

Victorian elitist and noted scientist Sir Hugo Cunningham and his assistant Giles study images of a seemingly strange phenomena in form of a concise, black cloud leaving the body of a soon-to-be deceased person. When Hugo’s youngest child, Clive, tragically dies, Hugo reverts back to his filming of the purposed happy moment that suddenly ended his son’s life. He notices the black cloud not moving from Clive but toward him. Hugo and Giles set up experiments that set forth to experience and capture a person’s asphyx: a individual spirit that comes for you at the moment of death.

Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis, Peter Walker or even Roy Ward Baker should have been the chosen U.K. directions whom to tackle the idea of The Asphyx. I have nothing against Peter Newbrook, but lets face it, he didn’t quite hit the mark. The characters are bland as chalk. As there was little dynamic and hardly any introductory build-up of characters, the Asphyx spirit was the front runner as being the most intriguing “character.” In much the same size, appearance and ambient screeching of a chimpanzee, the Asphyx contained more personality than lead man Robert Stephens – a under the radar BBC actor.

The film isn’t as a total worthless hunk of junk as I make it out to be because you have to look at it like this, The Asphyx caters an original thought that plays on the messages of the possibility of a grim reaper type, fear of death and it’s mortal consequences and an unhealthy, family destroying obsession. This is the typical mad scientist genre film with a twist and without the creation of a monster but, instead, the discovery of one. We are treated to scenes of various ways to die as Hugo and Giles try and obtain an Asphyx. Electrocution, lynching, beheading, gassing and drowning are just a few to note and though that sounds like a great aspect to view, the scenes are grossly comical at pivotal times. Also, when trying to capture an Asphyx, reasonable explanations are omitted and the mystical world of lucky strokes are the key to the incarceration of the spirit.

Odeon Entertainment’s release of The Asphyx has an extraordinary transfer and a clearer view of the screeching asphyx that may have you laugh at it’s ridiculous special effects – just a little. The amazing cover art is what really attracts and it nearly explains the movie in detail. Check out Odeon Entertainment’s 2-disc release of the Asphyx available for purchase at their website and don’t forgot that it is a PAL DVD so fire up those all-region players and promise yourself a sitting with the Asphyx!

aka Settima donna, La

Cast: Florinda Bolkan, Ray Lovelock, Flavio Andreini, Sherry Buchanan, Laura Trotter

Following the success of Wes Craven’s Last House on the Left, film makers jumped on the bandwagon and tried their hand at filming the sadistic and violent sexual abuse of women. Americans released the mean-spirited I Spit on Your Grave and those sleazy Italians got involved with classics like Night Train Murders and Thriller: A Cruel Picture (aka They Call Her One-Eye). While some enjoyed varying degrees of success, others were forgotten shortly after their release only to be resurrected 30 years later on Region 1 DVD by Severin Films.

Like most of the films mentioned above, the plot is very simple and very similar. Three bank robbers break down during their getaway and walk to the nearest house that just happens to be inhabited by young, virginal Catholic schoolgirls and their nun chaperone, Sister Christina (Bolkan). Their plan is to hole up there for a few days until their car is fixed. So, to pass the time, they molest a few teenage church girls for kicks, deflower a nun and murder an innocent civil service person and Hispanic maid (mostly for being so stereotypical I presume)….

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Review

Continue Reading Last House on the Beach (1978)

aka Delirio caldo

Director: Renato Polselli

Cast: Mickey Hargitay, Rita Caldana, Raul Lovecchio, Carmen Young, Christa Barrymore

Criminal psychologist, Dr. Herbert Lyutak is a violent sexual deviant who has been killing young women and is now under suspicion by the authorities. His gorgeous wife begins to also suspect something when she finds a bloody dress in his hiding spot in their home. Herbert is tortured by his “illness” so much so that it has rendered him impotent. But his wife loves him so much that she wants only for him to “love her” and do with her whatever he wants (including playing rough). But he will not let himself harm the woman he loves. In fact, he wants to divorce her to keep her safe but she will not allow it. She begs him to stay and act out his aggressions on her.

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Review

Continue reading Delirium (1972)

aka Quel maledetto treno blindato
aka Counterfeit Commandos
aka Deadly Mission
aka G.I. Bro
aka Hell’s Heroes

Director: Enzo G. Castellari (Keoma, The Heroin Busters, The New Barbarians, 1990: The Bronx Warriors)

Cast: Bo Svenson, Fred Williamson, Peter Hooten, Michael Pergolani, Jackie Basehart

A truck load of military criminals during WWII are being hauled off to their Court Marshall when the convoy is attacked by the Nazis. Most of the lot are killed but five escape and quickly make a tenuous pact to help get each other safely to the Swiss border. Along the way they have to fight their way through German roadblocks, dodge air attacks and basically blow shit up. During one of the shootouts with the Germans, the “Filthy Five”, as I have dubbed them, team up (again tenuously) with a Nazi soldier who has deserted his troops.

While hiding out, the “team” shoots who they think are German soldiers (they were dressed as such) but are actually Americans on a mission to heist a Nazi train because it holds plans for a new weapon that will be used against the Allies…

Buy Inglorious Bastards (3-Disc Special Edition) Here

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Review

Continue reading The Inglorious Bastards (1978)…

aka Ratu ilmu hitam

Director: Liliek Sudjio

Cast: Suzzanna, W.D. Mochtar, Teddy Purba

DVD Specs:
Mondo Macabro / Indonesian / Unrated / NTSC R1 / 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen / English Language

DVD Extras:
Indonesian Light & Magic: Behind the scenes with FX guru El Badrun / Theatrical trailer / Extensive notes & text essays / Mondo Macabro preview trailer

During his wedding to the village leader’s daughter, Kohar’s wife-to-be starts to hallucinate that he is a corpse and that snakes are all around her. Kohar decides that this is the work of black magic and his ex, Murni, must be the culprit. He gathers a mob to hunt her down and kill her for practicing the dark art and for bringing demons to the village. They find her and throw her off of a cliff but unknown to them she is caught (in mid-air) by a witch doctor who is actually the one cursing the town.

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Review

Continue reading The Queen of Black Magic…

aka Demoniac
aka Exorcisme
aka Éventreur de Notre-Dame, L’
aka El Sadico de Notre Dame

Director/Screenplay: Jesus “Jess” Franco
Starring: Lina Romay, Jess Franco

DVD Features:
* Brand New Widescreen (1.66:1) Digital Transfer. Enhanced for Widescreen Televisions!
* Optimal Quality Dual Layer Edition
* Reversible Double Sided Cover So You Can Choose Which Artwork You Prefer!
* English Language Version
* First Ever Commentary from Director Jess Franco!
* Alternate Clothed Opening Sequence
* Liner Notes from Film Historian, Tim Lucas
* Still Gallery
* Theatrical Trailer

A defrocked priest (a completely creepy Jess Franco) is kicked out of the church for being too “harsh” and sent to a mental institution. Shortly after his release, he starts work for a sex magazine writing articles about sadistic sex which he claims to be true stories from his real life. He learns that his co-worker Anna (Lina Romay) stages sexy fake torture and black mass shows with her sexy friend Martine and others for the depraved rich upper-crust.

In his religiously fanatical mind, he sees the show and its contributors as tools of Satan and must cleanse them by killing their bodies thus releasing and “saving” their possessed souls.

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Reviews

Continue Reading Here

Schoolgirl Report Vol.3: What Parents Find Unthinkable (1971)
aka Schulmädchen-Report 3: Was Eltern nicht mal ahnen

Oh, boy… if you are a fan of the smutty movies I review you are in for a treat with Schoolgirl Report. I haven’t seen the others in the series (I will remedy that soon) but if they are anything like this one, every exploitation fan should own them. The “teenage” sex, nudity, kink, depravity and perversion shown in this psuedo-documentary is astounding. No, it’s not “hardcore” porn. There is no penetration.

This is a “softcore” German skinflick the likes of which I have never seen. The narrator walks us through the stories of “teenage” (I put that word in quotes because I hope and pray that these girls were of age) girl sex stories that are supposed to be things that their parents would never believe. Following each story, they go to “man on the street” interviews with parents and teens alike to ask them their opinion of the story. Some are disgusted and some are titillated by the questions.

Buy Schoolgirl Report 2: What Keeps Parents Awake at

Continue reading Schoolgirl Report Vol.3: What Parents Find Unthinkable (Lots of great pictures NSFW)

While not really a horror film Greg Baty’s review of Joe D’Amato’s Nunsploitation flick “Images In a Convent” was just too good for me to pass up!

Soon a after a young woman named Isabella is forced to stay in a convent, weird and evil things begin to happen there. She rebels against the sisters by acting out sexually and starts planning her escape. Then, a man is found injured in the courtyard and is taken in by the sisterhood. He turns out to have plans of his own to defile each and every virgin in the church. An evil spirit tormenting and tempting all of the nuns with sexual desire shows up around the time the man was found. Could he be the human incarnation of the demon? Isabella plans on using the man to help her with her escape, but can she trust him?

I figured I would keep the synopsis short since that’s not the focal point of this movie. Its very simple plot is just a tool D’Amato uses to dole out his brand of euro-sleaze. The “nunsploitation” genre is pretty sleazy in and of itself, but Joe knows how to turn it up a notch.

Continue Reading (NSFW) Images In a Convent (1979) Here

More Nunsploitation Here

aka Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes
aka Seven Notes in Black

Writer Director: Lucio Fulci

Starring: Jennifer O’Neil

Distribution Company: Severin Films

One day after dropping her new husband Francesco off at the airport, Virginia is overcome by visions of a murder while driving. The vision is of an old woman being buried in a wall of a home after she is killed. She doesn’t think much of it until the arrives at her husband’s villa which she plans to redecorate as a surprise while he is gone. When she arrives and looks around she begins to see objects in one of the rooms that was in her vision.

She quickly begins digging in the wall where her vision showed the body was buried and discovers the skeletal remains of a body. But according to the police, it is not of an old woman, but a young model that disappeared some years ago. With nothing really to go on, detectives arrest Francesco because it is his house and he has no alibi for the time period of the murder. With the help of her psychiatrist friend she tries to unravel the mystery and clear the name of her husband. Are her abilities nothing but a huge coincidence or is she even more powerful than she knows?

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Reviews

Continue Reading Sexual ParasiteMovie Review

aka Nightmare Circus
aka Caged Woman II
aka Terror Circus

Writer/Director: Alan Randolph
Star: Andrew Prine

Three girls break down out in the middle of the desert on their way to Las Vegas for a gig at a casino. They are rescued by Andre who takes them back to his house to call for help. When they arrive the girls get curious after they see a cougar locked up in a cage next to a huge barn. So they go into the barn and see other girls chained to posts and desperate for help themselves. Andre finds the girls snooping and chains them up in the barn as well.

We find out that Andre is a deranged man who thinks women are animals and he is a Ringmaster in the circus. So he must train the animals for the big show.

Continue Reading Barn of the Naked Dead Review

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Reviews

Writer/Director: Shaun Costello
Star: Harry Reems

Harry Reems plays a no-named Vietnam Vet/rapist/serial killer with PTSD and suffers from flashbacks. Along with that comes his need to make up enemies and kill them as a way to deal with the pain. So, he uses his job at the local gas station to get girls’ addresses. Once he gets their info it’s on to the stalking, raping and finally the slashing. He uses the old “We don’t take cash here, I need a credit card along with your address for verification” bit… amateur.

But leave it to the free love and drugged out hippies who opposed the war to also bring down the murderous Vet. After a couple stalk/rape/slashes, he breaks into the loft of a couple of hot lesbian hippie chicks while they are having a drugged-out carpet munching party but they turn the tables on their would-be assailant. They completely take away his power by not only succumbing to him, but aggressively try to sex him up! What’s a delusional rapist to do?

Review by Greg Baty of The Playground Movie Reviews

Continue Forced Entry Movie Review

aka They Call Her One Eye
aka Hooker’s Revenge

Director: Bo Arne Vibenius

Cast: Christina Lindberg, Heinz Hopf

Purchase: Uncut Limited Edition or the Edited Vengeance Edition from XploitedCinema.com

Poor Frigga (Lindberg). A little girl raped in the park by an old, dirty homeless man. Now mute due to the awful attack, she’s a teenager being raised on a farm by her over-protective but very loving parents. One day while trying to catch the bus on her way to the psychologist, she is picked up by Tony (Hopf) who gives her a ride. But instead of taking her to the doctor, he has other more disgusting things in mind for naive little Frigga.

He wines her and dines her and home for a little nightcap. His nefarious plans start to become apparent as he drugs her and keeps her shot up with heroin for days until she is fully hooked and dependent on Tony for her fix. Tony also sends a fake letter from Frigga home to her parents that says how much she hates them so that they won’t come looking for her. In order to get her fix, she must first whore herself out to an assorted lot of despicable “johns”. But her first client doesn’t work out too well. She freaks out and rakes him across the face with her nails and bloodies him. Pimp Tony isn’t having any of this nonsense and he quickly doles out punishment in the form of gouging out her eye. A man’s gotta keep his pimp hand strong. Am I right?

Review by Greg Baty of Playground Movie Reviews

Continue Reading Thriller Review Here