Gore-Girl Reviews

The Last Patrol (2014)

Walk For Peace

[7/10 · 27 February 2019]

I found this documentary very moving and uplifting. War vets were walking across the country (USA) to make sense of their experiences and to see their country with fresh eyes. The long hike was obviously very therapeutic for all of them, for different reasons. They were accompanied by a lovely friendly dog, who was a joy to watch.

If there was ever a catastrophe or apocalypse, I would like one of these guys to be by my side- they would know for sure how to look after you and each other.

Sold at Dawn (2010 Video)

Pretty Girls in Peril

[3/10 · 19 May 2011]

All girl SM/BDSM scenario, filmed in the Czech Republic with an all Czech cast, but aimed at the US market. Very little is spoken in the film, what there is, is in (very broken) English. Cast are pretty Eastern Block women, attractive but non remarkable looking.

Plot, what it is, centres around white slavery operation, where girls are seemingly abducted and prepared for sale as submissive slaves. Some mild corporal punishment is administered and girls are humiliated and displayed. Girls are pretty enough but this film is fairly mild for BDSM tastes and similar to older fetish movies when censorship used to be stronger.

Bled (2009)

Unusual Take on Vampire Mythos

[8/10 · 9 November 2009]

I caught this movie on the Horror Channel and was quite impressed by the film's Gothic atmosphere and tone. As a big fan of all things vampire related, I am always happy to see a new variation of the vampire mythos, in this case, a ghoul-like creature residing in a Lovecraftian other dimension. The director has done a brilliant job of conveying the dark mood of the subject, using the decadent art scene as a backdrop to what is essentially a tale of love spanning time and space- the pure love of friendship opposed to the lust for blood and life by the vampires in the story. The characters in the story are transported to another dimension by the means of a mind-altering substance, where a shape-shifting vampire creature appears to grant them their hearts desires, whilst draining them of their life essence. There are some analogies to drug addiction and loss of control, and how this affects a group of friends in an artistic circle. I enjoyed watching the 2 main male characters in the story, Chris Ivan Cevic and Alex Petrovich, who were very attractive hunks, always a plus point in a vampire story for the female viewers! The special effects make up and creature effects were well done, and the set design of the vampire's dimension was very effective. All in all, an enjoyable take on vampire myths, and recommended for anyone who likes their vampires with some intelligence and not just action. The only thing missing to make it even better would have been a bit more eroticism and nudity, as it would have suited the plot and themes.

Salomé (1986)

High Camp Drama

[8/10 · 18 December 2008]

I have rather a soft spot for this obscure slice of art house drama, having grown up on a diet of cult films and world cinema. Based on the stage play by Oscar Wilde, the plot follows the biblical tale of King Herod and Salome. As this tale has been told numerous times, the director tried to put a new spin on it by going the route of High Camp Drama. The plot follows King Herod in his declining years- impotent in every sense of the word, he is a burnt out ruler, desperately trying to keep power in his kingdom and find a way to regain his potency. His palace is a cesspool of decadence, ruled by a perverse queen. Salome is brought by a rival army to overthrow Herod. Extraordinary stark production designs, in black and silver, convey a cold, industrial atmosphere, along with a wonderful synth sound track by Bruno Carioti. The costume design in the same color scheme is part science fiction (think Dune, or Lexx) and part WW II. Once you can suspend your disbelief about jeeps and nazi uniforms in a biblical story, it all comes together in a grand epic along the lines of a glamorous Baz Luhrman musical! Viewers are entertained by handsome muscular ballet dancers and plenty of euro crumpet in various stages of undress. Casting is crucial in this kind of theatrical production, and there are outstanding performances from Italian actor Tomas Milian, (whom most people probably know only from a string of spaghetti westerns and carrabinierri films) and the British actors Pamela Salem and Tim Woodward, both theatre stalwards. Newcomer Jo Champa played the infamous Salome and rewards the viewer with a spicy dance of the seven veils of course. Produced by the Golan / Globus partnership, who made many best selling costume dramas in the 1980's, this particular offering did not do so well for them. I suspect the kind of audience that likes biblical tales would have been put off by the film's artsiness and copious amounts of nudity. The distributors tried to con the casual movie buyer/renter with a lurid cover of a cartoonish amazonian beauty! This film is only available on video but try to track it down if you like a bit of glam.

Necronomicon: Book of Dead (1993)

Classic Splatter

[16 May 2004]

When you see a classic splatter movie like this, you really appreciate the genius of Special FX artists like Screaming Mad George, who worked on this film. God, all these CGI films out now SUCK big-time.....What has happened in the past 10 years?? You just can't beat some good rubber monster and some buckets of fake blood! All these computer-generated FX look far too clean, too cold, and don't have the clout of the old-style FX! Now I am a big, big fan of H.P. Lovecraft, and have quite a few films based on his mythology. This one is really quite excellent, with an amazing impersonation of Herbert by Jeffrey Combs, many other genre-favourite actors, and some very disturbing imagery indeed! Sweet dreams...