SO BAD, IT'S GOOD
Edited by Anonymous
Hi everyone and welcome to So Bad, It's Good, your forum for films that keep you up at night as normally that's the only time anyone in your house will let you watch them. Yes, those classics that makes even Roger Corman squirm. Films made with change-from-the-sofa budgets, but with all the bright hope of a real film with stars you never heard of, made on expired film stock and lit with more lights than you can find in a closet. They're quirky, they're camp and sometimes they become cult classics.
We'll also be covering the would-be stars on a, what-are-they-doing-now update column (unless they're dead). Which also means we might be doing They Die - You Win trivia contest on recently dead stars that have not been resurrected by having electrodes placed in their pineal glands (That's a whole other contest, maybe Catch The Zombie.)
Also stand by as we hope to have an interview with the man, the New York Times called the Guilgud of bad movies, none other than Conrad Brooks, star of Glen or Glenda, and Plan 9 From Outer Space and director today in his own right of films that won't make HBO.
As soon as Garen has the bookings, I hope to have full film updates on the bad films that we all stay up for at the Marathon, that are screened at three AM.
Just A Dollar Will Do
Just A Dollar Will Do Ya!
Up near the front of any Wal-Mart is a rack filled with one-dollar DVD's. There is a reason most of them are a dollar, too. Films, big stars today made before they knew better, like Nicole Kidman and others. Or some films that never even had the luxury of making it to the big screen, instead they are the sad results of attempts to go directly to either VHS or disc. But to find movies that you can sell for a dollar (thereby only paying producers pennies on the dollar) you have to end up in Sci-Fi and genre films. Some of these show why they're a dollar, other than having Roger Corman attached to them. Some are obviously lifts from either theater worn prints, or worse, duped from tapes. But there are surprises too, like Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla. From Digiview Productions the DVD looks like it was lifted right off of the master negative. It is as pristine as an AFI restoration, which begs the question, who keeps a master negative of Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla?
So before you decide to buy, read on with my reviews. I have also stepped out of Sci-Fi for a couple of horror movies and a deuce of film noir as well. How can you turn down a mystery with Mickey Rooney getting sucked into murder with the likes of Peter Lorre and Jeanne Cagney or an Arthur Lubin directed whodunit with Brian Donlevy? Well, I thought not. If TCM is very nearly your default channel, you'll enjoy these.
TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE
A master of cheap tactics (without the money to build sets he opted to tell a lady he was from USC Film School and used her house.) and interesting story, this movie is so close to being a good film you can feel it. Despite masking tape used to supply the stripes on the uniforms and an aggressively pissed alien, with a shoot first and ask questions later manner (he shoots a dog!), there is a find story of love among the species, cool vintage cars and self-sacrifice for a greater good. Almost a Casablanca ending.
BATTLE OF THE WORLDS
On the same disc is this oddity. Clearly a case of what happens when foreign countries get bored and have enough money to make a film. This Italian, English dubbed, film has a story to tell, too bad the people writing it only had a sixth grade level education in math and science and had a burning desire to reveal it. Somehow, along the way, they dragooned Claude Rains into this parade. This has everything you need as a primer on how not to make a film, so in that case it's definitely worth it.
If you need a primer on core Roger Corman films you need this double set.
CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA
I think when the acting veered off they rewrote it as a comedy. At least it would be nice to believe that. A combination spy, crime, and horror movie it moves effortlessly from one genre to another like a three speed non-synchronous transmission. Can you say clunk? Nevertheless it is highly entertaining to watch as the actors vainly channel any number of real stars to make their characters come to life. Pure Corman, pure fun.
SHE GODS OF SHARK REEF
Apparently Corman suckered one guy into a film set in Hawaii, and got AIP to go shoot their picture (under his direction) Naked Paradise, too. AIP got a profitable picture while Ludwig Gerber (She Gods producer) was stuck with a picture that couldn't find distribution. Eventually Roger convinced Sam Arkoff to tag it with Night Of The Blood Beast and it made a few pennies.
So what do you do with a cursed island, too few men and a bag of pearls? You can find out when you watch this color film. The color varies widely, probably from a poorly stored release print, but no apparent splices and jumps.
Need some rice to go with your hibachi sea monster? Catch this durable double bill and feel like you're up late at night watching movies on Channel 56.
DESTROY ALL PLANETS & MONSTER FORM A PREHISTORIC PLANET
Can you say goodbye to Tokyo? How about lost in translation? If you like your dubbing poor, your sets tiny and your suits rubber, look no further than this fun twin bill. While I would not normally ever advocate excessive drug or alcohol use, what better way is there to watch these films? Bring the chips!
And now for something a little different. Do you like your horror film stars to be tall, buxom and raven haired, then look no further than this great Barbara Steele spaghetti horror double bill.
TERROR CREATURES FROM THE GRAVE & THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH
Classic horror themes of dark houses and witches, the incomparable Barbara Steele brings them to life. There are worse ways to spend a rainy day than watching these great films.
So my friends, I say keep a watch on the Wal-Mart dollar bin, you'll find some great treasures among the rust, and if nothing else, pay forward a little film history when you corr… I mean expose new generations to these great B classics.
Death Rides A Bad
Death Rides A Bad Movie
Holy Schlock, Batman, another Plan 9 star has died! The Reverend Lynn Lemon, one of the churches financial backers on Plan 9 and the preacher at the graveside service has passed through the silver screen to the ethereal plane. You know what this means Campers! Bonus questions on the Vampira: She Died - You Win Contest. Can your heart stand bonus DVD prizes?
Also coming this weekend, reviews on the Dollar Bin at Wal-Mart. Could this be the new Blockbuster Video of Bad Films? Find out!
We Have Prizes! Tune up
We Have Prizes!
Tune up your cult film knowledge, there will be So Bad It's Good contests. First on the agenda will be the She Dies - You Win with the unforgettable Vampira. Yes, still dead on this earthly plane and we have the questions. Stand by to win great DVD's of films only a cult film lover could love. Who could not stand the shock of watching THIS IS NOT A TEST, KILLERS FROM OUTER SPACE, UNKNOWN WOLRD & WASP WOMAN. All on one DVD. A clear definition that life is good. As soon as we dig up (shovels available at the door) other great dead stars, we'll have more. Meanwhile in the, however department…
Conrad Brooks - Lives
Just about the last of the Ed Wood gang, Conrad Brooks is still alive, here in West Virginia and he's still making films. Occasionally traveling around the United States working with young filmmakers who revere him, he has many films to his credit. But between these assignments you will find him in the woods and by-ways of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland making films every bit as quirky as anything Ed Wood put on screen.
Before the Hollywood treatment for West Virginia's claim to horror fame - Mothman, Conrad had already made Jen-Gal detailing a mythic creature wandering the woods of WV. And like any good filmmaker he hit it again and again with two sequels.
His latest film in the 'can' is Gypsy Vampire concerning two young filmmakers who wander into a castle for info on vampires and getting a little more than they want. There is the requisite stilted dialogue, cheesy graveyard sets ala Plan 9, FX for pennies and more laughs than you know what to do with. Much as Ed Wood films were time transcendent when watched and could move the clock to three AM, no matter the time of day; these films will move you to one thirty or two in the morning at least.
More real soon - Stand By…
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