From the Vault: Sheryl Lee in Vampires

This post originally appeared in a slightly altered form at my old blog. I’m sharing a revised version today to celebrate Sheryl Lee’s birthday yesterday, April 22nd. After turning in a towering performance as the tragic Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks, and the film that immediately followed the series, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), … Continue reading From the Vault: Sheryl Lee in Vampires →

Giallogy: Five Dolls for an August Moon

It's taken a few Giallogy posts, but we've finally landed on one of Mario Bava's giallo films. Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970) isn't as celebrated as noted Bava masterpieces like Black Sunday (1961), Bay of Blood (1972), or his early giallo, which influenced the evolution of the genre, Blood and Black Lace (1964). … Continue reading Giallogy: Five Dolls for an August Moon →

Behind the Scenes on The Howling

I’ve always told anyone who will listen that my affection for The Howling (1981) is unending. Directed by the cinematic wizard Joe Dante (Hollywood Boulevard, Gremlins, The ‘Burbs) from a script by indie legend John Sayles (Lianna, Eight Men Out, Lone Star), after radically altering a first draft by Terrence H. Winkless, The Howling is … Continue reading Behind the Scenes on The Howling →

Lost and Found: Doom Asylum

First, a quick note: this review was written to evoke the delightfully lowbrow spirit of freewheeling fun from late night, cult movie show hosts (thank you, Elvira, Rhonda, and Joe Bob!) and glorious B-movie sites ( thank you, B-Movie Enema and House of Self Indulgence, to name just two!). I leaned into the over the … Continue reading Lost and Found: Doom Asylum →

Late Night Memories

As you no doubt remember, because I harp on about it frequently, I spent most Friday and Saturday nights in the early to mid-1990s watching B-movies on late-night television. And when Rhonda Shear hosted these gonzo cult movies on USA Up All Night I was absolutely glued to the boob tube. Ahem *cough cough* I … Continue reading Late Night Memories →

Giallogy: Puzzle

At first glance, Puzzle, or L’uomo senza memoria (The Man Without a Memory) appears to center on an amnesiac man’s (Luc Merenda) quest to unlock a past that is now a mystery to him. In actuality, director Duccio Tessari’s 1974 giallo is just as much, if not more, concerned with how the amnesiac’s slowly unfolding, … Continue reading Giallogy: Puzzle →

Giallogy: Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll

A rare Spanish entry in the giallo genre, Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll (1973) begins with a drifter ex-con finding work at the remote mountain estate of three very different, yet equally eccentric sisters. Then the dead bodies start piling up around town. Beautiful, blue-eyed village women are being murdered, their eyeballs carved out … Continue reading Giallogy: Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll →