The Backside of Horror: “Superstition 2” (1989)

Published May 9, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Let’s face it, half the fun of horror and exploitation is seeing some hot bodies frolicking around in the buff. And while I worship the female form, I believe exploitation definitely veers into the exploitive when only gorgeous women are on display while their male counterparts remain chastely buttoned up. Therefore, The Backside of Horror salutes the filmmakers and actors whom even up the score a bit by showing us instances of hot and juicy male flesh in their bloody celluloid fantasies.

While my overactive mouth has definitely put my ass on the line a time or two, I have never ever thrown my butt out a window! I swear!

It’s probably a good thing, too, as that trick was done with rare perfection by Todd Conaster as Virgil in the little known 1989 Italian-American teen horror Superstition 2 (AKA Witch Story and Streghe).

Blurry Virgil Butt!

Directed by Alessandro Capone (who, also, wrote the rather obscure Body Count, which starred David Hess and Mimsy Farmer), Superstition 2 concerns a brother and sister who inherit a house that has been cursed by their distant relative, a vengeful witch. A group of friends joins them to help in refurbishing the property. Of course, the girls soon find themselves possessed by the scorned sorceress and the boys are soon meat gumbo!

Bloody Virgil Face!

But not before Conaster’s Virgil, in a moment of comic relief, bares his cheeks to his passing brethren – earning him an especially bloody death at the hands of two of his feminine companions. Some guys just don’t learn!

As for the film, itself, the acting of (the unknowns as) the teens is rather overblown, but veterans Ian Bannen, as a wild eyed and regret filled priest, and Deanna Lund, as the deliciously evil temptress, more than make up for it. There are, also, some impressive kills including one involving a mysteriously appearing chainsaw from the middle of a swimming pool! Let King Arthur try that one!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: “Beth”, Kiss

Published May 4, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

If all art is truly subjective, then for queer monster lovers late to the Kiss loving party, a re-examination of the Peter Criss classic Beth could reveal some surprisingly (down low) bisexual results.

Note the lyrics “Beth, I hear you callin’. But I can’t come home right now. Me and the boys are playin’ and we just can’t find the sound” and especially “Beth, I know you’re lonely and I hope you’ll be alright.’Cause me and the boys will be playin‘ all night!” H-m-m-m…well, alright!

Granted, this is all written with humorous intent and tongue firmly in cheek – but the confirmation in the April 10th, 2014 issue of Rolling Stone that original band member Ace Frehley did engage in sexual contact with other men during his high flying partying days does lend this mock supposition a bit of silly food for thought. (This was, also, the issue that featured an article on the coming out of Neon Tree’s Tyler Glenn making RS #1206 one gay, gay Rock & Roll party!)

For those still ‘questioning’, here’s a (quite refined) version of Beth for your consideration:

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Comic Book Review: CREEPY #16

Published May 3, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

CREEPY is back! Well, actually, thanks to Dark Horse Comics, it’s been back for almost a year and a half – but issue #16 is something special. This anthology style fright fest, a revamp of the classic Warren Comics of old, features characters that terror outcasts can truly relate to. Ultimately, this makes this issue as a whole, a tribute to what draws sensitive souls and rambunctious adventurers, alike, to the horror genre.

Reflecting ingredients from such Asian fright flicks as The Ring and One Missed Call, Ted Naifeh’s Do Not Click illustrates what happens when a kind and concerned educator is forced to defend herself against an unreasonable opponent.

As someone who hasn’t been on a date since the break-up of My Chemical Romance (or was it The Beatles??), Like Clockwork (scripted by the perfectly macabre Rachel Deering with slyly sadistic artwork by Vanesa Del Rey) hit a cord with me. Of course, timid Evan’s bloody solution is something that I will, personally, try to avoid – at least for the very near future!

The third story concerns a shy orphan boy whose actions, upon the loss of a beloved pet, changes the fate of an entire town in a sweetly sinister adaptation of HP Lovecraft’s The Cats of Ulthar.

Mike Royer’s sexy 60s style artwork highlights the final feature, Bill Warren’s I Hate You! I Hate You! Here, a revengeful young man named Dale soon discovers that time travel is nothing to mess with. Warren’s sense of cruel despair is almost palatable here.

As a cool bonus feature, the final pages also include a sassy interview with the talented Deering who has recently complied a gorgeously mammoth collection of new fright pieces entitled In The Dark.

Be sure to keep up with all Dark Horse has to offer at http://www.darkhorse.com.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Sharkbait Retro Village: The Curse of the Black Widow (1977)

Published May 2, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Those who have reluctantly sat on the sidelines will know how half of Hollywood felt upon the 1977 television debut of the Dan Curtis’ horror feast The Curse of the Black Widow. The cast, headlined by perennial television sweetheart Patty Duke and future Knots Landing vixen Donna Mills, featured many familiar faces both from the boob tube trenches and glamorous Hollywood films.

Here, Duke and Mills, as sisters holding a dark and venomous secret, were supported by the likes of famed comedian Sid Caesar, the sassy Roz Kelly (of Happy Days and New Year’s Evil fame), tough guy Vic Morrow, Barney Miller’s Max Gail, Curtis’ old Dark Shadows favorite James Storm and such feminine silver screen royalty as June Allyson and June Lockhart. Now, that’s a party anyone would have wanted to been invited to!

The film that emerges isn’t as quite as fun as the cast would have you imagine – but still has plenty of old school charm and bold amounts of cheesiness. While other directors of television nail biters (like Curtis Harrington) tried to use Val Lewton subtleties for their over-the-top offerings, Curtis goes whole hog. In the final act, he not only showcases major cast members encased in very thick, fake looking webbing, but he also brings out a very clumsy, unnatural looking arachnid to cause tremulous amounts of doom and gloom. And, why not? If you are going do it – do it all the way, baby! Or should I say ‘Spider Baby’?

Further distinctive pleasure can be gained by the continual comic antagonism provided by Kelly, as (private eye) Tony Franciosa’s secretary, and Caesar as her neighbor, a cold blooded lawyer. The sight of Duke in a dark wig sporting a truly mysterious European accent, as her character’s hungry alter-ego, provides a multitude of viewing joy, as well.

Most importantly, Curtis and writers Robert Blees and Earl W. Wallace give the piece a nod to golden suspense flicks such as The Dark Mirror (which starred Olivia de Havilland as siblings suspected of murder) and Dead Ringer (featuring a pair of vengeful twins enacted by Bette Davis). The slow uncovering of the sisters’ mysterious past, while slightly predictable, does ultimately result in a nice feeling of femme powered noir.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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R.I.P to Seedpeople’s Dane Witherspoon

Published May 1, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Witherspoon in Seedpeople.

Proof that the acting is one of the most strangely difficult and completely unpredictable professions comes from looking at the career of the quietly compelling Dane Witherspoon, who died at the age of 56 on March 29th, 2014.

Witherspoon, best known for a duo of soap roles on Santa Barbara and Capitol in the mid-80s (and, as noted often in his obituaries, as the first husband of Robin Wright) was the youngest person ever accepted to study theatre at ACT in San Francisco. Afterwards, he spent a year performing at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. A couple of guest shots on nighttime favorites came before his daytime fame but his credits were very sporadic after that.

Thankfully, lovers of cheesy horror flicks can claim him as one of their own due to his upstanding performance of Sheriff Brad Yates in that toothy 1992 monstrous tumbleweed majesty known as Seedpeople. Full Moon’s often silly attempt at an Invasion of the Body Snatchers reimagining found Witherspoon a long way from Tennessee Williams. But for those who can’t resist a cheesy little yarn featuring goo flinging creatures that can transform into weedy bowling balls to capture their prey, Witherspoon definitely entered hero status with this, his last major credit.

Poignantly, Witherspoon can be found on the official DVD’s VideoZone feature accessing his role with flirtatious good nature, making his early passing all the more sorrowful.

R.I.P., to the original Joe Perkins!

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Doug Jones Talks Buffy!

Published April 30, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Liza Minnelli crooned It’s a Quiet Thing on Broadway but the amazing Doug Jones proved being silent was the ultimate with his appearance on the 4th season Hush episode of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.

Here, Jones reminisces a bit about his iconic appearance on that cult favorite.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Tonija Atomic’s Plain Devil!

Published April 29, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Whether you’re scared straight or living la vida loca – sometimes it just feels good to go all Plain Devil!

This is especially true if your kind of Plain Devil happens to be a film about girl gangs in small towns as imagined by stunningly awesome director-writer-musician Tonija Atomic.

With a summertime release date, you can be sure to keep track of this indie sensation at https://www.facebook.com/PlainDevil.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Talking Shirley Jackson!

Published April 24, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

No one haunts a house quite like Shirley Jackson, everyone’s favorite spooky lady of letters. Taking this truth to heart, Chicago’s favored City Lit Theatre has recently, concisely, adapted Jackson’s The Haunting of the Hill House to the stage.

Recently, I was lucky enough to chat with the adorably talented Mary Anne Bowman who plays the exotic Theodora in this spookily realized production.

The Haunting of Hill House runs until May 11th, 2014 in Chicago. More details can be found at http://www.citylit.org.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Shaking, All Nova!!

Published April 22, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Nova, Righteous!!

Being a somewhat of a klutz, I generally tend to trip my way through life. Sometimes, though, during lucky moments, I actually feel like I am blasting off (as opposed to merely stumbling)!

One such recent (totally awesome) occasion was when I had the chance to interview the delicious Eliska Hahn! Hahn is well remembered for portraying intergalactic space hunter Nova in the 1990 Troma cult classic The Invasion of the Space Preachers.

Of course, Hahn is more beautiful and personable than ever – as this fun ‘n frisky interview will attest!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Astro Radio Z: Witchcraft 9 – 11

Published April 19, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

“Hey guys! I’ve got some toilet paper clutched between my palms!” Stephanie Beaton and crew facing down the horrors of the Witchcrap — Witchcraft series!

Getting beaten down is not a good thing…watching scream queen Stephanie Beaton in a trio of Witchcraft films on the other hand…

Well, honestly, that might be pretty bad, too. But the boys of Astro Radio Z and myself are committed to watching all of this (often really horrible) T and A laced horror series…just so you don’t have to.

The latest episode, focusing on Witchcraft 9 – 11 (which, for some unknown reason, have been my favorite of the series), has dropped. So, if you need something to distract you while undergoing that latest lumbar puncture…this just might be the thing!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

P.S.: Just so there is no misunderstanding, I really do love the divine Ms. Beaton with all of my femme freak, horror loving heart!