CINE AUTOPSIS

REVIEW: Creepy Images

2011-04-25T12:39:00.003-05:00

Creepy Images is an English language horror magazine produced in Germany. The content is light on text as this magazine focuses on presenting readers with reproductions of scarce lobby material from our favorite B-horror fare of the 1960's to the 1980's. Creepy Images is published in the A4 format, a European favorite, it seems. Honestly, I've never seen anything quite like it. It's pages are lush with color and the paper is of high quality. The magazine is definitely a collectors dream. As of this date, Creepy Images has printed six issues on what seems to be a pretty honest schedule. Each issue spotlights about 5-6 films. Each film section is introduced with back-round on the production and a "check list" which consists of all the promotional material covered. However, the main purpose of the magazine is to show off the glorious imagery of a past cinema era. The text is wonderfully written but slight, which is good. The presentation is solely focused on bringing the reader high quality color reproductions of the hardest to find material from across the globe. Everything from Italian fotobusta's, Japanese pressbooks, and Australian daybills are represented. And the best part? The images are given plenty of real estate to show-off: no more than two images are ever shown on one page. Page count varies from 50-64 per issue, with the magazine stabilizing around the 64 page mark for later issues. I highly recommend Creepy Images to any collector, even at $10 per issue. Creepy Images Site

Book Review: The Black Arts

2010-08-12T12:12:00.002-05:00

Buy The Black Arts: A Concise History of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages

Technically speaking, I'm breaking with the thesis of this blog by reviewing a book for which cinema has nothing to do. However, we all love films pertaining to witchcraft, don't we? Need I mention Rosemary's Baby? No, of course not. I procured this text as a means to further separate the facts from the fiction, hence, better appreciate the films of the occult. No, I don't believe in witchcraft, or any ritualized religion, but I find it irresistible the people who act on darker thoughts to produce a prescribed effect. And so it is with great necessity that I write this review.
Richard Cavendish has written the most unbiased account on the actual practice of witchcraft that I have ever read. The language avoids academic jargon yet maintains a professional and approachable tone. I often find this type of book to be either too academic or just plain sensational, but Cavendish has escaped both these pitfalls. The Black Arts isn't a history so much as it is an explanation of the differing philosophies and rituals of black magic. All bases are covered from Hebrew numerology to Satanism. Each chapter delves into a distinct understanding of the subject while providing a storied back round of the particular practice, illuminating the way rituals were performed and the whys of the witches themselves. Some rituals, such as mimicry (the act of replicating events for protection, etc.), are just downright absurd while others that aim to produce sickness, or worse, are consciously frightening. What you'll find in reading this great book is the sociological, psychological, and evolutionary reasons magic exists. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are interested in the truth behind the creation and practice of black magic from early times to the present, do yourself a favor and click on the link above.

REVIEW: Eyeball Compendium

2010-08-05T16:24:00.016-05:00

Eyeball: Compendium 1989-2003

Do you remember the underground fanzine "Eyeball" which was dedicated to reviewing the obscure and erotic in exploitation cinema? No? Don't worry about it, because now you can own the best articles, interviews, and film reviews the publication had to offer. Released in 2003 by FAB Press, creator Stephen Thrower divides the book into three sections: Interviews, Features, and Reviews. Each section relays it's content like a finely mastered mixtape dedicated to lovers of the subversive. None other than Alejandro Jodorowsky, Paul Morrissey, Andrzej Zulawski, and Ulli Lommel are interviewed. Gaspar Noe also takes on questions, even relaying his process for filming in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio with 16mm film equipment. As noted, film reviews abound, but the highlight of the compendium is a short essay by Ramsey Campbell, "La Notte Bava", where he rambles on the films of Bava, Argento, and Naschy. Contributors include: Kim Newman, Tim Lucas, Alan Jones, and others. Highly recommended!

Like an internet Dracula......CINE AUTOPSIS Rises From The Grave!

2008-12-31T17:38:00.005-06:00

Well, I've completed my latest round of school. (GPA is 3.81, for those in the know!) However, my academic success has come at a hefty price: CINE AUTOPSIS has faltered and is now teetering on the brink of death. Actually this blog has been dead since August, the start of last semester. A new semester is on the horizon with the coming of 2009.

This brings me to my New Years Resolution. I will attempt to make at least one post per week in the year of the ox. My apologies to those who thought CINE AUTOPSIS would add to their daily or weekly internet routine. I want to assure you that my love of film in general has not waned or wavered, only tucked slightly under what has to be my number one priority: education.

So, here's to you, the new year, my education pathway, and glorious film! CINE AUTOPSIS LIVES!!!

Coming Soon: Roman Polanski Spotlight

2008-08-10T14:22:00.009-05:00

He gave us some of the most horrific "non-horror" films of all time: Rosemary's Baby, The Tenant, and Repulsion all come to mind, but these treasures are neglected when in discussion over films that terrorize...and they do terrorize; shear terror. Cine Autopsis will take a gander at some of these gems in the coming days....stay tuned!

Announcement: School is cruel...

2008-08-03T14:48:00.003-05:00

I renew my journey on the education pathway this month! Good news for the future of my pocket book, bad news for the post count on Cine Autopsis. Though I expect a lower post count I hope you will still drop by,...it's just that Cine Autopsis is struggling to split time between textbooks and horror films. But don't fret, the same "quality" will be maintained, only with a little less regularity! Remember the old saying, "It's not the quantity, it's the quality!" Thanks for your support.

Review: The Burning

2008-07-27T16:17:00.008-05:00

Buy The Burning DVD
Finally, after years of crappy VHS "quality", The Burning made it's debut last year on DVD. A Slasher treasure to many, HorrorHound magazine named it "the third most underrated Slasher..." in their latest issue (Aug./Sept. '08) in the article, appropriately titled, "The 20 most underrated Slashers of the 1980's". Wow, it's hard for me to imagine this film being underrated within the Slasher canon,....under-watched, most probably. This film was a legend when I was a kid, equally due to word of mouth and the mad search for a video store that retained a copy.

For kids not in the know, The Burning is a basic revenge story: A prank goes horribly wrong leaving a vindictive, shear wielding, scab of a man to seek out one of the perpetrators years later at a summer camp for horny, peeping teens. The gang is all here! A comedian, a "weirdo", a bully, and, hey, even a pre-misogynist potential rapist has second billing! Typical females of the genre era fill out the cast...All perform exceedingly well. This film is partly famous due to it's cast of future Hollywood players; Jason Alexander, Fisher Stevens, Holly Hunter, Ned Eisenberg, and my personal favorite, Brain Backer of Fast Times at Ridgemont High fame. The other part it's famous for is the grisly special effects courtesy of maestro Tom Savini, whom turned down Friday the 13th Part 2 for this film.

Yes, the effects developed by Savini and shot by director Tony Maylam were so visceral, so shocking that England, among other countries, essentially banned the film. A "video nasty" the likes of which hadn't been censored since The Texas Chainsaw Massacre invaded the island! Really and truly some of the best stalk-and-kill bits in the genre. All one has to do is type "infamous raft scene" in the Google query to understand the depth of The Burning's "legend" status.

As for the DVD and it's content, I am pleased. The transfer is tidy and clean. Not HDTV quality but above adequate. Extras come in the form of an informative directors commentary moderated by critic/author Alan Jones, theatrical trailer, and a Tom Savini interview where he talks about the effects, his feelings on the how they hold up today, and a little bit of behind the scenes gossip. All in all, I would label this release a "You can't call yourself a 'Slasher' fan if The Burning isn't on your DVD shelf" must buy. In particular, the commentary is of worth. Alan Jones moderates like a fan with the gift of a historians probe. The discussion is focused yet fun, you can tell both participants enjoyed themselves. I must also mention that the commentary does not suffer from "dead space", lack of conversation for lengths at a time, that you find so common on these tracks, it seems.

Overall DVD grade is strong; good picture quality, decent extras, and nice package art. That last criteria has the tendency to be lacking when it comes to early eighties Slasher releases donning new, marketing-inspired packaging,...just look at Happy Birthday to Me! Here is a tip to all the studios: Leave the original art work alone!!!! Oh, and don't bet on slow horses....

THE BURNING: All any fan of the Slasher could ask for!

Images: Guided by the Light of the Flame! - The Burning

2008-07-27T16:16:00.005-05:00

Get The Burning on DVD

Coming Soon: The Burning!

2008-07-22T21:22:00.004-05:00

The slasher masses have been waiting for this genre masterpiece to show itself on the DVD format since the late nineties, and now it's here! A full review of the DVD, film, and extras, plus images gore-lore! Stay tuned. Till then, please enjoy a music clip from The Burning via the new CINE AUTOPSIS mp3 player below to the right.

Forgotten Cinema: Marketa Lazarova

2008-07-18T20:13:00.000-05:00

One of the most neglected films in all of cinema history, Marketa Lazarova has few equals. Grossly under appreciated and widely unseen, here, in Cine Autopsis' first "Forgotten Cinema" post, are images from Frantisek Vlacil's masterpiece of medieval humanism, the Czech epic Marketa Lazarova.

Marketa Lazarova is currently only available from British DVD producer Second Run. You can purchase a copy at DiabolikDVDdotcom.

Coming Soon: Cine Autopsis focus on "Forgotten Cinema"

2008-07-15T20:47:00.004-05:00

Forgotten Cinema will highlight film treasures both rarely seen and spoken of with an emphasis on the image. This new post-theme will encompass films from the world over, but will focus primarily upon the cinema of Eastern Europe: Hungary, the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia), and Russia (USSR). The first Forgotten Cinema post will feature Frantisek Vlacil's Marketa Lazarova. Check back soon.

Review: Slash Hits Vol. 3, Horror Films of the 1980's

2008-07-11T04:25:00.011-05:00

The third in the Slash Hits series is more of the same, and that makes me happy. Midnight Media knows not to mess with a good thing and the format has not changed at all. Great paper quality, great color reproduction, and plenty of pics and poster stills. The "scoring" system from the previous releases such as pictures of blood bags for gore content and of breasts for rating the nudity are also present. This volume picks up where the last left off, covering the slasher years 1983-1987. Also, the page count went up by four! However, the price followed the way and went up by two dollars, to $12!!! Such is the economy these days....

Of note is the news that volume one has gone out of print, but I would urge would-be eBay buyers to hold tight and resist the temptation to spend money on the inflated prices this now brings. Reason being volume one of Midnight Medias other prestige format offering, The Giallo Scrapbook, went out of print but has made a comeback in the last month with a second printing, expanded at that. So sit still and be patient. I believe this series is popular enough to warrant a second run.

Slash hits Vol. 1, Vol. 2 review in archive 2007, Dec.

THE horror tome! Every DVD collector and/or horror aficionado cannot do without this book. Period. From 1980-1989, almost every film is covered alphabetically within year of release. The author, John Kenneth Muir, breaks down the subject in his own essay after a partial credit list, critical quotes, and a brief synopsis. The quotes serve to place the film in the context of it's release era and that of the contemporary reaction giving the film a historical role. The synopsis, as well as Muir's own essay, contains spoilers, so be warned. Massive, this book comes in at over 800 pages and about four pounds! Appendices abound: horror conventions, ad lines, then and now, and an interview with director Ken Russell. The index is meticulous and the bibliography a shopping list all it's own.

Even if you don't agree with the final judgement Muir lays on a particular film, you can not deny he writes well on the subject. This author is a fan who operates bi-laterally as a critic and historian. Anyone who cries fowl of a "missing" film is "missing" the point of this reference guide. It is almost impossible list or actually see every horror film! I can't imagine what Muir went through for this book...To sum up, if you think you could do better, please bestow unto us that gift.

John Kenneth Muir's Horror Films of the 1980's is a must buy, even at $60. This book is made for war. I promise it will outlive you, much like any other hardbound Mcfarland publication.

Coming Soon: Review of Slash Hits Vol. 3, Horror Films of the 1980's

2008-07-06T11:23:00.000-05:00

Later this week Cine Autopsis reviews the latest release from Midnight Media, Slash Hits Vol. 3. This third in the series covers the mid-eighties and hence will mention some of our favorite slashers(like A Nightmare on Elm Street!). Also, we will review John Kenneth Muir's Horror Films of the 1980's. You don't want to miss this look at a truly genre defining tome. All this and "Images from the Forgotten Cinema" in coming days.

Review: Eaten Alive, Dark Sky Films 2-disc DVD with Images

2008-07-03T21:25:00.014-05:00

Buy Eaten Alive (Two-Disc Special Edition)
So much as it seems, it is not real easy to write a "review" on a horror film about a guy who runs a hotel in the deep swamp and feeds passers-by to his pet crocodile. Eaten Alive cannot be reviewed. I'm sure Roger Ebert would beg to differ but I have a theory: A film this weird can't be touched by the hand of judgement, lest it laugh back at you. Seriously.

The pseudo-intellectual analysis bit works for films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but Eaten Alive is way too bizarre for criticism. You either appreciate it or you don't. Easy, right? Well,...no. Watching Eaten Alive is like walking through a whole day tripping on acid. Tobe Hooper crafted a film that seems to exist somewhere between surrealism and just plain madness. I know I like it, but can't understand why, which endears it even more to the abstract. Eaten Alive gives the sense of piecing a long forgotten dream together in chronological order, stitching disparate parts to one another so you have a "narrative" by which to map out and make sense of it all, not that it is hard follow. It's just so compartmentalised that it borders on the personal. Again Tobe Hooper made an "art" film for the genre masses. But, sadly, this film seems lost on it's target audience. To explain the "plot" or to investigate theme would be nonsensical for a film of this type. You just have to watch it and remain benign until the credits roll. To express Eaten Alive as an oddity would be an understatement.

The DVD treatment is fair, to be honest. Not spectacular like Dark Sky's TCM 2-disc set, which I'd argue can not be bested. 1.85:1 ratio enhanced for wide screen TV, and 2.0 mono by Dolby. The print is solid for a film shot in studio under what can only be called harsh lighting conditions due to the lighting style; dark, smoked out atmosphere highlighted entirely with reds, greens, blues, and yellows. Actually, the films cinematography reminds one of Suspiria, though not as artfully realized or executed. Grain will be prevalent on larger screens but it is of no worry. Grain works on a film like this... Some elements seem to have been brought together from different sources. Streaks and scratches are here and there with exposure changes in a single shot, but, hey, this was a drive-in picture with prints that I imagine being dragged across some sticky projection room floor! The extras are nice: a commentary featuring cast and crew (absent is Hooper), 20 min. interview with Tobe Hooper, 15 min. interview with Robert Englund, 5 min. interview with Marilyn Burns, alternate title/credit sequences, 23 min. documentary on the films real life inspiration, loads of trailers and commercials, and the usual slide-show. All in all another fine release by Dark Sky Films that I'm proud to own. Recommended most heartily to Tobe Hooper completists.

Gathered below are some favorite stills of Eaten Alive. Please forgive the quality of these captures, I feel it is time for a new DVD program. The act of catching motion fits it well not. Enjoy, but be warned: some of these images act as SPOILERS.

Englund prepares for the "Greek" maneuver!

First victim.

Atmosphere to spare...

Doggy treat?

Flesh wound I

Agony.

Croc attack I

When Neville Brand attacks! I

Mel Ferrer sells the SPFX.

Guilty(?) Pleasure I

Croc attack II

Fright!

When Neville Brand attacks! II

Guilty(?) Pleasure II

Flesh wound II

Brand learns about Karma.

Croc with 90 degree jaw!

Crocs really won't eat "anything"...

Coming Soon: Tobe Hooper's Eaten Alive

2008-06-30T14:37:00.003-05:00

CINE AUTOPSIS continues its look at the cinema of Texas filmmaker Tobe Hooper with a review of the Dark Sky Films 2-disc DVD release-Eaten Alive! Image gallery to follow. Keep an eye on us later this week; we dine on the flesh of this underrated gem.

Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2-disc Ultimate Edition by Dark Sky Films

2008-06-27T11:36:00.010-05:00

Buy The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2-Disc Ultimate Edition)
[Blu-ray] The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Dark Sky Films markets their DVD of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as "The Ultimate Edition", and this reviewer agrees with the statement. This 2-disc set boasts the best image quality of any previous release. The original 16mm camera positive was used in a new high def transfer and the film has NEVER looked better!

TCM was filmed with gusto and all the lovely nuance of its green cinematographer (Daniel Pearl) in regular 16mm framed for 1.85:1. Anyone who understands film emulsions knows this greatly reduces exposure area which in turn gives the film a grainier, dirtier look when blown-up to 35mm for release prints. Pearl side stepped the issue somewhat by originating on a slow speed reversal stock by Kodak known as ECO. The ASA, or "light sensitivity", was an extremely low 25. This meant two things: 1) more light was needed to properly expose the film and, 2) the grain structure could be maintained for sharper images in the blow-up process. Knowing that Pearl had only one 10k and two 5k lamps for the night scenes just makes you appreciate the images all the more! Yes, you can tell it is 16mm. Yes, it is still "grainy" relative to today's stock. Yes, this adds immeasurably to the raw quality of this piece of American Folk Art. And ART this film is in every aspect of the word. Truly, uniquely, American Art.

The supplements (180 mins total!) are fantastic and further add to the appeal of this release. Included is two commentaries; the older Elite DVD Tobe Hooper-Daniel Pearl-Gunnar Hansen track and a track by the cast, including art director Bob Burns. Both are insightful and entertaining. Two documentaries over an hour each comprise most of disc 2; "The Shocking Truth" and "Flesh Wounds" rehash most of the "old stories" that hardcore fans are already privy to, but some new considerations are explored. Outtakes, bloopers, deleted scenes, stills gallery, TV & radio spots, and theatrical trailers fill out the extras. Digital 5.1 and 2.0 are added for sound quality but I prefer the original mono. The picture is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic enhanced for wide screen TVs.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a must have DVD not only for horror fans but any true cineaste. The Dark Sky Films release should be a valued treasure to any connoisseur. Retail is $29.98 but I purchased mine from Amazon.com for $16.49. Worth every copper token....

Images: Death In 16mm-The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

2008-06-26T17:29:00.014-05:00

The images appear as if renderings from the minds eye; memories trying to catch up with the will to remember. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE opens with the literary power of "the subtle-creaking door". The viewer knows something is coming, but is given only fragments of what that is. However, unlike its prose counterpart, these images are far from conventional. Beauty in death. Disturbing, yes. Branded upon the retina of the physical and meta-physical....The flash bulbs ignite when cued by the closing of your eyes.

Coming Soon: Images from an American nightmare.

2008-06-23T21:06:00.002-05:00

Later this week CINE AUTOPSIS looks at still images from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Also, a review of Dark Sky's 2-disc DVD set. Stay tuned!

VIDEODROME Part 6

2008-06-20T15:32:00.001-05:00

Due to time constraints on my part I am posting the entire second half of VIDEODROME today. The film now takes on a different dimension as it fully realizes the future of Max Renn. Lets see where Barry Convex and his new-fangled technology takes us, shall we? Parts 6-10....

VIDEODROME Part 7

2008-06-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

VIDEODROME Part 8

2008-06-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

VIDEODROME Part 9

2008-06-20T15:29:00.000-05:00

VIDEODROME Part 10

2008-06-20T15:28:00.000-05:00

VIDEODROME Part 5

2008-06-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

A gun, a lie, and a videotape. Three seemingly unrelated situations about to collide? Why did Nikki fib over her "trip" to Pittsburgh? Where exactly is Brian O'Blivion? And what's with the gun? Who, or what, does Max need protection from? His hallucinations, or is it something more? We have now fully entered Wonderland. Part 5...

VIDEODROME Part 4

2008-06-17T22:12:00.006-05:00

"Nikki Brand".....after part three we know what her full name means. Again, does she serve to soften Max up a bit? A starter course for would-be sadists? Yin and yang, Nikki the masochist and the emergence of Max as sadist. What will her "trip" to Pittsburgh yield. Does Masha lead Max in the direction of answers to Videodrome? And I know you must be thinking, "Cathode Ray Mission..? WTF!?" Now Part 4...

Note: Due to complications I've had to procure parts 4-10 from other sources and unfortunately a key visual sequence has been truncated in these recordings. The scene involves Max and a TV screen.... These are still images captured of said sequence that I believe bridge the gap from the end of Part 4 to the next scene in Part 5.