The Bloody Pit

The Bloody Pit #40 - DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968)

We return to the land of the giant monsters for a surprising and impressive entry in Toho's Godzilla series. This was the ninth outing for the Big G and his crowd of monster cohorts. It was also the last time that the core group of creators responsible for bringing the original 1954 classic GOJIRA to the screen were to work together on a kaiju film. The studio increased the budget for this outing (for reasons we'll discuss in the show)and the extra money shows in many ways both big and small. The use of pretty much every giant monster character that Toho had created up to this point meant that the special effects technicians were working overtime to build and shoot the numerous battles and scenes of city destruction. Oh, man- the monster fights in this film are so great!

Adding to the general excellence of this movie are the wonderful directorial touches of the great Ishirô Honda. Always a man with a keen eye for framing he also gets a chance in this film to give us several unexpected visually gorgeous images that verge on the surreal. Rarely has wet sand, high heeled shoes, a low sun and the sound of crashing surf been combined to such charged effect in a G rated film.

Since Troy just returned from his annual visit to Chicago's G-Fest I question him about the highlights of the convention. He has a little info on the new Japanese Godzilla film but we still await news of North American distribution. He relates tales of meeting numerous celebrities over the weekend and even has photographic evidence to back up his claims of glory.I really have to attend G-Fest one of the days! As the episode swings into gear we talk about the film's colorful set design, it's familiar and talented cast,the two different English dubs available and a host of other details we can't stop ourselves from gabbing about. I even spend a while complaining about the tease of seeing certain creatures who are given only seconds of screen time. I love you, Varan!

 

Thank you for downloading and listening to the show. We canbe contacted at thebloodypit@gmail.com if you have any comments or suggestions. 

The Bloody Pit #39 - SOYLENT GREEN (1973)

These days SOYLENT GREEN is a film better known for it's spoiler level final act revelation than for it's more impressive qualities. It presents a dystopian vision of the world if then current trends in overpopulation and pollution continued unabated with a depth of meaning and intelligence of the best science fiction. Fortunately, the talent involved were able to craft this harsh story into something smart and  entertaining. The film boasts a brilliant cast, strong direction and a dark future shock style scenario that feels realistic but alien and fascinating at the same time. The vision of a hopelessly overcrowded New York City in 2022, choked with clouds of yellowish smog and bathed in a constant heat wave is a window into to a tomorrow that no one would want for their children but seems more likely with each passing year. Perhaps, if we are lucky, this film's fate is to be less prophecy than heeded warning for the generations that fear that one day we might be feeding on ourselves just to survive. 

I am joined once again by my fellow 1970's science fiction fanatic Randy Fox to discuss SOYLENT GREEN and we find that our opinions differ just a bit. Before we begin Randy let's in on his recent, exciting project bringing independent radio back to the city of Nashville! He is one of the main movers & shakers behind the scenes of WXNA 101.5 FM which can also be streamed online at their website if you are not privileged enough to live in Nashville. It's a DJ programmed radio station with a slew of specialty shows and the attitude that they will play what corporate radio won't touch. Check it out!

As you might expect, this look at SOYLENT GREEN covers a lot of ground. We talk  a bit about the cast and crew, delve into the darker elements of the story, marvel at the glory of Edward G. Robinson, bitch about the madness of silenced revolvers and Randy introduces us to the Charlton Heston 'Grimace' Scale. Near the end we talk a little about the source novel by Harry Harrison and we even have a piece of feedback email relating to our LOGAN'S RUN show. Very cool! If you want to let us know what you think the email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com where we will be thrilled to hear from you. 

The Bloody Pit #38 - INVASION OF THE ASTRO MONSTER (1965)

Toho Studio's Monster universe takes another turn for the weird in this science fiction epic! This movie introduces the soon to be reused idea of alien invaders taking control of the giant monsters and creating large scale destruction in the hopes of worldwide conquest. No one should have trusted those Emo looking freaks anyway. Just look at those evil glasses! As this is the immediate follow up to GHIDORAH it is very strange that the American release avoided that name entirely and went with MONSTER ZERO. I guess that Ghidorah just doesn't have the same box office appeal as Godzilla which still doesn't explain why they didn't title it Godzilla Goes to Planet X. Which would lead to my favorite possible crossover ever - Buckaroo Banzai Meets Godzilla! (Does anyone get that reference?)

 

We take a look at this one with the switch being that this time out I am not the one synopsizing the movie's events. Troy leads this dance through two worlds, three giant monsters, two affable astronauts, dozens of evil aliens and a host of Kumi Mizuno clones. Yeah- this one has plenty of things to talk about! We discuss the American actor Nick Adams as he rages against the alien horde and chases after a lovely lady. We dig into the ideas and plot threads that are brought up and left dangling as the movie speeds toward its conclusion along with the ways this film points to how the future Toho SF movies would shift in tone. Troy comes armed with some interesting information on the amount of screen time the monsters get in this picture making for some interesting questions about what audiences want verses what they actually get. I get to express my love for trap doors and also muse on the possibility of alien monsters made of funnel cake. I might have gotten carried away with that last one.

 

Of course, this being a conversation between Troy and I we can't stop ourselves from beginning the show with a couple of completely of irrelevant topics. OK. To be honest, it was just me talking about 1970's Marvel comic books and Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure novels but Troy could have stopped me at any time with a bat or a bucket of water! And the tangent we take near the end of the show is all on him! If you want to comment on our lack of professionalism and inability to stay on a single topic please write us at thebloodypit@gmail.com and we'll get back to you with our defense. Thanks for downloading an listening. If you listen through iTunes please rate and review us over there as it really helps get more eyes on us. 

The Bloody Pit #37 - LOGAN'S RUN (1976)

Welcome to the 23rd century. The only thing you can't have in this perfect world of total pleasure is your 30th birthday.

 

All around good guy Randy Fox joins me as we continue our series of shows on the science fiction films of the 1970's. This one figures big in both of our young lives as a touchstone for the genre and how we viewed it. It may come as a surprise just how big and widespread the fandom for this hit movie became. As kids it was easy to get caught up in LOGAN'S RUN simply for its sets, action and the beautiful people but luckily those are not the only elements on offer. In this episode we dissect the film in detail drawing out some subtext and symbolism along the way even though we both still spend a lot of time marveling over the look of the world the film so skillfully builds. We talk about the cast and our mutual appreciation for the solid center they give to this wild story and look at the ways the casting made the film work. There is a discussion of several deleted scenes and I've even managed to grab audio from one such sequence that restores some dialog cut from the finished film. Exciting stuff!

We also delve into the changes made from the book, talk about the book's sequels and the surprising, never completed comic book sequel to the film. Along the way Randy and I pledge our undying love for both Jenny Agutter and the lost art of matte paintings so it's strange trip no matter how you think about it. We even try to diagnosis Box the cyborg's mechanical needs as he has clearly missed his preventative maintenance check up!

Along the way I've sprinkled some bits from Jerry Goldsmith's excellent score and some extra clips from the picture. We end the discussion with a look at Marvel's comic book adaptation, Randy's stint in the Logan's Run fan club and a brief look at the short lived TV series from 1977. We hope you enjoy this (rather lengthy) look back at this SF classic and if you want to share your memories of the books or the movie please contact us at thebloodypit@gmail.com - we'll be glad to hear from you. Until next time - Run, Runner! 

The Bloody Pit #36 - THE NEW BARBARIANS (1983)

Pasta-pocalypse time on The Bloody Pit! I am joined once again by Troy and Jeff to talk about a piece of Italian sleaze and this time we finally delve into the world of MAD MAX/THE ROAD WARRIOR rip offs. Director Enzo Castellari was a veteran of low budget genre cinema by the early 80's and he knew how to stretch a dollar to make things work. When he made this film he was in the middle of a string of such sci-fi adventures that owed as much to the dystopian worlds of Miller's Mad Max as they did to Carpenter's dark future from ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. All these influences swirl around mixed with a standard Western plot, silly hair styles, ridiculous cars, silly weapons and dangerous stunt work to create a fun, bizarre and occasionally sadistic ride. The fact that the amazing Fred Williamson is on hand to keep the grins flowing is only part of the entertainment on view. After all - we have to find a way to survive the end of civilization and start over again, right? Or are we just looking for victory? Don't ask Nadir.

After a brief discussion of the media that we've been checking out lately, your Three Stooges dive into a detailed breakdown of THE NEW BARBARIANS. We examine the odd design and talk about how the western story template makes for a good jumping off point for an action tale. We discuss the cast, the clever ways the production dealt with budgetary issues and the nepotism that shows up in every Castellari film. We spend some time on the mighty George Eastman (a.k.a. Luigi Montefiori) and his impressive career and marvel at the talents of Williamson as he brightens the movie in ways only he can manage. We get a kick out of analyzing the strange sexual politics of the story as Troy points out a way that this film is unique among it's post-apocalyptic brethren. And of course, we smile and laugh at the insane gunfights, slow motion car crashes and exploding dummies along the way. Man - I Love exploding dummies! Truly, a good time was had by all.

We can be reached at thebloodypit#gmail.com if you have anycomments or questions. Next month Troy and I will be back on the NaschyCast feed covering some Spanish Horror again while I'll be trying to get the long delayed LOGAN'S RUN episode off the ground. Let us know what you think and if there are any movies you think we should pay attention to as we venture down the road. Thanks for downloading and listening. 

The Bloody Pit #35 - GHIDORAH, THE THREE HEADED MONSTER (1964)

The Toho Kaiju films are a joy on so many levels and I'm thrilled that we are starting a new series covering a set of them for 2016. The focus this year will be on the various movies that feature that golden skinned villain Ghidorah and we begin with his (her?) first appearance in 1964's GHIDORAH, THE THREE HEADED MONSTER. Released in the U.S. in 1965 it became a favorite of monster kids and it's screenings on domestic television pushed this fifth Godzilla film to new heights of popularity. That this is much more a Godzilla or Mothra film than a Ghidorah tale which points to it being a direct sequel to the monster film released earlier that same year MOTHRA VS GODZILLA. Throw in the second appearance by Rodan and this becomes a sequel to his solo movie from 1956! That's right -this s a four monster film making it a Toho Monster Rally! Pop the corn, lay in a supply of dried squid and get ready to watch the fireworks!

As always with these giant monster movies Troy is the fanatic with years of reading and watching informing his thoughts and I am the neophyte trying to line these movies up in my horror loving head. We talk a bit about the differences between the Japanese version and the shorter English language cut while admitting freely that we simply cannot settle on a set pronunciation of the title monster's name. We both were impressed by the excellent commentary track on this film's Classic Media DVD by author David Kalat and we speak to some of his opinions as we go along. I have to say that he makes some good points even if I disagree with his take on some specific ideas. Troy gives me some backup when I question the film's U.N. meeting of giant monsters and the credulity stretching table tennis sequence, but has some love for the concept of a kiaju group hug. Also, neither of us can understand why one of this film's alternate titles isn't GODZILLA VS something something..... anything! The Big G is the star here, title aside.

 

Thanks for downloading and listening. Any questions or comments can be sent to thebloodypit@gmail.com where we'll be glad to hear from you. Remember that you can send MP3's or WAV files of your comments as well and we'll blend them into the feedback section next time out. 

The Bloody Pit #34 - CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE (1980)

John Hudson returns to the Bloody Pit to help me discuss this amazing cannibal gore film from director Antonio Margheriti. Shot in Atlanta, Georgia during the cooler months of the year lends some fascinating texture to the film and gives the plot about deranged Vietnam Vets a little gravity. And when your story revolves around a virus that somehow transfers cannibalism between people like the flu you need all the seriousness you can muster! Luckily this is one of the very few Margheriti films that has been released to DVD in the US with extras! Among those extras is a very nice 54 minute long documentary about CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE that includes interviews with the director as well as actors John Saxon and Giovanni Lambardo Radice a.k.a. John Morghen. This gives us a little more insight into the film than we usually have and allows for some examination of the ideas presented, which I like!

Before we dive into the film Hudson and I catch up a bit with discussion of our upcoming Alice Cooper encounter; John's history with Tarantino theatrical screenings; his rewatch of The Sopranos; my journey through the Hannibal TV series and a general concern for the winter weather. Once we attack our main topic I start with some information on the legendary Italian screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti who is responsible for so many of the classic Euro-Cult films of the 1970's and 80's that entire books should be written about him! As the podcast continues we complain about the often inappropriate score along with an audio example of the sound of blood dripping from meat - high strangeness. There is some talk about flamethrowers and exploding dogs as well as the real animal cruelty in the sewer scenes. We touch on the use of wood as a metaphor (I'm not kidding) and end up wondering what words rhyme with Saxon. Yeah, we're all over the place in this one.

Thank you for downloading and listening to the show. We can be contacted at thebloodypit@gmail.com for any comments or complaints. At the end of this episode we lay out the plans for future Bloody Pit shows about Antonio Margheriti as well as the other movies that will be covered in the next few months. We hope you enjoy what we're doing and please stay safe and warm. 

The Bloody Pit #33 - NEW YEAR'S EVIL (1980)

For the first of our annual podcasts focused on Holiday Horrors we tackle 1980's NEW YEAR'S EVIL. A much maligned and neglected slasher film, NYE boasts a number of high points that its terrible reputation would have you think could never exist. While it is true that this film is a muddled oddity, it has more than a few moments of brilliance. No one will ever call it a masterpiece movie but it is never boring and it is highly entertaining - sometimes for the wrong reasons. Plus- how many movies can manage to get you to root for a homicidal maniac murdering innocent victims on a strict time schedule? No matter what, that is a major cinematic accomplishment!

I am joined this time out by my longtime podcasting partner from the NaschyCast, Troy Guinn as well as frequent Bloody Pit collaborator John Hudson. We pick apart NEW YEAR'S EVIL calling out it's bizarre structure and strange characters. Strangely, we find much to love in the movie as we spot more than a few successes among the number of glaring flaws. We relate our takes on the film as we discuss the story, comment on the unseal presentation of the Punk music scene, question the casting of certain roles, complain about the film's implausible timeline and posit some simple improvements that could have taken NYE from near-forgotten oddity to slasher classic.

We prattle on for a quite a while with John fitting in several wrestling metaphors but only one porn reference. Must have been an off day. We discuss the short career of Roz Kelly and note her late 1990's brush with the law. It is sad to see what become of Pinky Tuscadero. As the show proceeds you'll hear me become stunned as I'm reminded of the existence of Leather Tuscadero, a character I had mercifully blocked from my childhood reminiscences. I guess you only remember the good things from your formative years, huh?

We can be reached at the email address of thebloodypit@gmail.com where your comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for downloading and listening to the episode. 

The Bloody Pit #32 - WESTWORLD (1973)

WESTWORLD is a fantastic science fiction tale from the early 1970's that deserves more notoriety on several levels. The first feature film written and directed by best selling author Michael Crichton, it has all of the strengths of a screenplay penned by a novelist but very few of the usual weaknesses that often come along with being too close to the page. It's a lean, mean 90 minute thrill ride that builds its characters and its suspense very well and seems to have been a major influence on later big screen projects. The movie was a big hit for MGM in 1973 spawning a sequel film and an attempted TV series in 1980 with HBO now set to remake the story as well. I guess the concept is simply too juicy to leave in the past! WESTWORLD stars James Brolin, Richard Benjamin and the legendary Yul Brynner along with a cast of very recognizable faces from Hollywood.

I'm joined this episode by writer Randy Fox to discuss the film, our history with it and what it means to us as children of the 1970's. This was a film neither of us got to see in the theater but its TV screenings burned images into our memories for a lifetime. Of course, we circle the main subject for awhile, reminiscing about the state of science fiction cinema in the 70's before STAR WARS came long and forever altered the landscape. Our mutual love of the films of that decade shines through and eventually leads us to decide on another movies we should cover here on the podcast in the near future.

Along with our personal takes on the film we also have a fair amount of production information on the film including the battles with the studio over budget, the short shooting schedule, smart editing decisions, the injuries sustained by the cast, the height difference between director and star as well as a lesson from Brynner on how to not blink onscreen! Additional we touch on the many cinematic descendants of WESTWORLD, some of which may be surprising. So, join us for a trip to Delos where it seems certain that they have a vacation for you. And if you have any comments of questions please write us at thebloodypit@gmail.com where we'll be glad to hear from you. Thanks for downloading and listening. 

The Bloody Pit #31 - DIARY OF A MADMAN (1963) and other Horla adaptations

For a Halloween treat I present an episode that focuses on Guy de Maupassant's classic short story The Horla and its various adaptations. The most prominent of these is the Vincent Price movie DIARY OF A MADMAN but the story is much twisted out of shape by the film's script The film adds a tragic family history, romantic entanglements, a conniving femme fatal, a cuckolded husband and murderous dark deeds done with knives to a tale that was much more of a treatise on fear and the horrors of the mind. Still, the film is worth seeing and Price is a joy but while I discuss the story and its cinema incarnation I also include in the show two of the three known radio adaptations of it as well. I think you'll get a kick out them - listen with the lights out!

If you have any comments you can reach me or the various co-hosts of past episodes at thebloodypit@gmail.com and I'll be glad to include your feedback in a future show. Thank you for downloading and listening! Happy Halloween!