Hector_The_Toad Reviews

Ichi the Killer (2001)

The unification of perversity and black comedy with delirious results

[8/10 · 20 December 2006]

ICHI THE KILLER is considered by many to be Takashi Miike's tour-de-force, no mean feat considering the Japanese genre director has in excess of 70 credits to his name. The beginning - a truly perverse scene where the title of the film rises from a pool of the titular character's semen - kicks the film off and conceptualizes its OTT nature, which is holds throughout the relatively lengthy 129 minute duration. The plot itself does not really circulate around Ichi - he is more an addition, and does not hold great relevance until almost half way into the film. When the boss of a Yakuza clan goes missing and is believed dead, his underlings - led by the masochistic Karihara - set out to look for him. Karihara tortures and massacres his way through the Japanese yakuza members until, eventually, his own gang disowns him, forcing Karihara to gather a group of renegades and set out on a private vendetta. Karihara's only obstacle, however, is Ichi - an infantile killer controlled by an ex-cop intent on taking the gangs down.

ICHI THE KILLER is very interesting for a number of reasons and there are certain points in the film that are delightfully fun and others that are quite repulsive. The comedy is black as the Ace of Spades and will only amuse those who have an affinity for stuff like this. Not for the weak of stomach, some of the violence is over the top but it is overrated and not much more severe than some recent Hollywood fare such as HOSTEL and KILL BILL VOLUME 1. Overall a great movie - very enjoyable, with some of the gore set pieces deliriously over the top.

Zombie (1979)

A Fulci tour-de-force damaged by video nasty hype

[9/10 · 18 December 2006]

After the amazing success of George A Romero's zombie classic DAWN OF THE DEAD, Italian exploitation filmmaker Lucio Fulci set out to amp up Romero's film by heightening the violence, nudity and overall depravity – the concluding work ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS (or simply ZOMBI in the US) certainly fulfilled these requirements.

Beginning with a gush of arterial blood as a zombie on an abandoned boat in New York kills a cop, Fulci sets up a variety of stunning set pieces, saturated in bright crimson blood. The plot is threadbare between these scenes of zombie mayhem – a woman can't find her father, who she believes is working on a remote island. A search party (including Italian zombie-film favourite Ian McCulloch) is dispatched to the island whereupon they discover zombies overrun the whole area. People are maimed and eaten. The end. However, what makes this film truly unique is the aforementioned set pieces – a zombie vs. shark encounter may be one of the most surreal in seventies cinema while the zombie, topless woman's eyeball and shard of wood scene may also be one of the period's most gruesome. Having seen this several times, for this challenge I watched it with the commentary of McCulloch and Diabolik magazine editor Jason J Slater. The track is certainly informative and entertaining, with McCulloch amusingly sharing that it is the first time he saw the film in its entirety because of its restrictive status in his native UK. Slater also knows what he is talking about and avoids sounding too much like a fan boy. The special effects are also quite remarkable for a film that, according to McCulloch, was in part illegally filmed. This is arguably better than Romero's opus simply because it does not try to be self-referential and satirical: DAWN OF THE DEAD was simply a convoluted gore fest where Romero tried his best to lend credibility to on screen nemeses that were widely considered unterrifying and stupid whereas ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS shows the genre for what it is – dumb, gory and oh-so-entertaining. This is certainly not Oscar-winning stuff, but for beer and pizza viewing it's unparalleled.

The Gore Gore Girls (1972)

What can be said? This is HG Lewis!

[8/10 · 18 December 2006]

My interest in THE GORE GORE GIRLS was piqued somewhat after it was banned in Australia a year ago, and I recently got my hands on a copy. GGG is certainly Herschell Gordon Lewis' most violent film however keeps its tongue firmly in cheek and showcases some directorial flourishes that, sadly, HG Lewis could not expand upon as THE GORE GORE GIRLS was the last in his exploitation series.

The plot basically surrounds a young, naive female reporter Nancy, a suave private eye named Abraham who would give James Bond a run for his money, strippers and a crazed killer who mutilates the face of their victims. Abraham and Nancy must then dredge through the club's patrons in order to find the killer before they strike again and, in doing so, meet a variety of morally devoid freaks and, more amusingly, a womens rights group.

THE GORE GORE GIRLS is, in my opinion, HG Lewis' best film and a real improvement on some of his earlier exploitation work such as BLOOD FEAST and THE GRUESOME TWOSOME and is certainly the most intentionally funny and graphically violent of his works. The film is blackly comic with some devilishly amusing quotes that add comic relief to the strong gore. The film is not scary whatsoever, the acting is terrible and the script has more cheese than a Camembert factory; however THE GORE GORE GIRLS is a very fun slice of exploitation and is quintessential beer and pizza viewing.

Bad Taste (1987)

Heaps of fun and an accomplished debut for Jackson

[9/10 · 18 December 2006]

Peter Jackson's blood and viscera soaked debut is a cult classic across the globe and is technically inept and amateur in performance. However, it is a classic underdog film - in fifteen years, Jackson went from this to Oscar glory. The film surrounds a group of covert government agents investigating an alien invasion in a New Zealand country town. The aliens take on a humanoid form, doubtlessly a way of limiting the time and money spent on extravagant special effects (the aliens only appear in extraterrestrial form at the end). In the first few minutes, one of the agents shoots an alien in the head in a spectacular show of why the Magnum is the most powerful handgun in the world while another (the hilariously dopey Derek) is on a cliff top with a captured alien who he proceeds to torture with a hammer and machete. When aliens get the better of him and he falls of the cliff, Derek finds his brains (and I mean that in a literal sense) and, with his compatriots, begin a full-scale attack on the aliens. Cue some amazingly gory (yet surprisingly simple) effects - graphic shootings, stabbings, implementors, decapitations and disembowlments are showcased in spectacular form. While not as gory (nor as comic) as Jackson's horror opus BRAINDEAD this is nevertheless highly entertaining and, like other early schlock horror masterpieces such as Herschell Gordon Lewis' THE GORE GORE GIRLS and Raimi's THE EVIL DEAD, displays some great style. This comes highly recommended and is a must have for any gore-horror fan. It even comes with an exploding sheep.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Interesting and *gasp* intelligent exploitation

[9/10 · 18 December 2006]

--CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS---

Italian exploitation king Ruggero Deodato's genre classic CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST holds its own against defining horror pictures such as HALOWEEN, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. While these three films conceptualised the slasher, rape and revenge and zombie picture respectively, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST did something different - it created a trend of horrific violence in order to terrify audiences and, in this respect, Deodato's audacious picture succeeds wholeheartedly. The film's surprisingly intelligent plot is quite simple - an anthropology professor Harold Monroe(played with conviction by porn star Robert Kerman) goes on a trip to the Green Inferno - a jungle holocaust in the midst of the roughest Amazonian terrain, inhabited by warring tribes of cannibals. With his guide, Monroe sets out to investigate the fate of a group of documentarians (Jack, Faye, Mark and their leader, Yates) filming footage of such tribes. In their quest,they encounter a number of atrocities, most of which are committed by the Yamamomo's rival tribe, the Yacumo. One such set piece that remains one of the film's most enduring images of extreme violence is a ritualistic punishment of an adultress. This is one of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST's most violent and disturbing scenes. When Monroe and his team reach the Yamomomo's, they are given Yates' team's footage. Monroe returns to the NYU with the footage and screens it. The documentary is truly vile - Yates' team are shown killing animals (real footage subject that laid the film in solid disrepute, the most controversial being the turtle scene), raping tribal women and committing a mass homicide of Yamomomo tribespeople. Finally, the Yates team receive their just desserts from the natives they tormented.

CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST is an undeniably powerful film with some solid performances and great direction. The score is also a highlight, with Riz Ortolani utilising some of the skills that had nominated him for an Oscar over a decade before. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST is undeniably intense in its violence however none of it is gratuitous - it perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of helplessness that Deodato succeeds in conveying. The fact that the film is titled 'Cannibal Holocaust' arguably leads to its ultimate downfall: gorehounds wanting Deodato's classic slice of exploitation to live up to its title will be disappointed - cannibal action only really appears in the last fifteen minutes. Likewise, those wanting an intelligent film will overlook CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST because of its title. Overall, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST is a solid film that has lost little of its power in some twenty-six years.

Three... Extremes (2004)

A mixed bag that ultimately disappoints

[6/10 · 18 December 2006]

This intriguing showcase of three short films from Asia's primary horror directors is, in most, a hit-and-miss affair ranging from the downright shocking to the disappointing. The series, when watched on the R4 DVD, begins with the Hong Kong segment by maverick Fruit Chan. In classic Cat III form, we are dealt intense subject matter and some scenes of extreme perversity in Chan's 33 minute DUMPLINGS, which revolves around a backyard abortionist who has found an elixir of life in the form of eating fetuses. Some of the set pieces in DUMPLINGS are pretty extreme - the abortion scene is one of the sickest scenes to come out of Asia in 2000s and certainly one of the most perverse set pieces to be commercially released for the Western world. Of lesser extremity is South Korea's segment CUT. Directed by Chan Wook Park of OLDBOY fame, this sees a crazed extra hold a director and his wife hostage, simply because the filmmaker is 'too nice' and makes him look bad. CUT is the most conventional of the three and, save for some quintessentially Asian horror moments, plays out like a slick Hollywood thriller with some Hostelesque torture sequences. Finally there is BOX, the segment I was most looking forward to by famed Japanese horror and yakuza director Takashi Miike, renowned for his overly violent genre pieces. The convoluted plot of BOX circulates an author who has been living as a recluse all her life after the untimely death of her sister. This segment is truly terrible and lets the whole trilogy down. It is so boring, so mind numbingly sublime that it makes the final forty minutes spoil the culminated two hours. Not only do the segments play out from most extreme to least but also from best to worst: DUMPLINGS is the most accomplished and is truly disturbing stuff. If you can find this and Park's episodes individually, jump at the chance, for lovers of Asian horror will not be disappointed. But avoid Miike's BOX at all costs because, for me, it spoiled the whole film.

House on the Edge of the Park (1980)

Last House on the Left - but more exploitative

[8/10 · 25 November 2006]

David Hess reprises his role as sadistic rapist in exploitation king Ruggero Deodato's loose sequel to Wes Craven's genre definer The Last House on the Left . This deliriously sleazy video nasty has been banned or cut the world over - it is still refused classification in Australia and was only recently made available in Britain, albeit with 11 minutes of 'eroticised sexual violence and gross violence' cut.

The film kicks off in true exploitation form - a brutal rape spliced in with the credits, where we see our antagonist Alex strangling a woman in the back seat of his car. Fast forward to where the action really happens - a young rich couple on their way to a party arrive at Alex's and his retarded friend Ricky's (think Of Mice and Men ) garage wanting a motor problem rectified. The issue is fixed and Alex and Ricky tag along to the yuppie party in a secluded luxury home. After pleasantries are exchanged with the several remaining guests, Alex and Ricky hold the group hostage, subjecting them to various sexual tortures.

The title of Deodato's film is sure to automatically evoke comparisons to Craven's no-budget morality tale - the fact is both are vastly different movies. Calling this a rip off isn't exactly fair - while Last House on the Left is vastly better, it was not nearly as exploitative enough to be considered one of the sub-genre's greats; Deodato and Hess' devilish collaboration does, however, fit the bill nicely. In addition, the yuppies in the titular location almost enjoy the torture Alex and Ricky put them through - the women engage in consentual sex with their torturers after their boyfriend's are roughed up and they are very flirtatious, even when horrific acts of violence are being committed against them. Therefore, Deodato's effort is not nearly as difficult to watch as Craven's. The House on the Edge of the Park is nonetheless very brutal stuff - the rapes are dysfunctional in their explicitness however the non-sexual violence was fairly tame. (Too) young-looking Italian soft-core star Brigitte Petronio is the subject of all the film's nastiest bits. If I was to fault it, I was disappointed at all the sex - the movie was essentially a rape and revenge (the second part happened only in the final ten minutes) flick with sex as its raison-d'etre, but Deodato could have put a little bit more action and taken away some of the pervasive sleaziness. All in all, this was decent exploitation and certainly a must see for a fan of the genre.

Ebola Syndrome (1996)

Sick, but genre fans will enjoy

[8/10 · 29 September 2006]

Strictly for fans of Hong Kong Cat III exploitation, EBOLA SYNDROME is a sick, depraved exercise which has become a cult hit. One of the most distributed Cat III films (in the Western world, anyway), EBOLA begins in Hong Kong, where our anti-hero Kai is having quick sex with his boss' wife. When his boss walks in on them, Kai is urinated on by his lover and brutally assaulted. Never one to back down, Kai slaughters his boss and lover before attempting (and failing) to set fire to a young girl. Fast forward to South Africa, where Kai continues his deviancy while working in a restaurant in Chinatown. When he and his boss go to tribal areas to acquire cheap meat, Kai rapes a dying African woman, contracting Ebola from his victim. However, Kai is one of the few who can carry but not suffer the effects from the disease and proceeds to spread it to every man, woman and child he comes into contact with in a number of bizarre and downright-sickening ways.

This is the overall tone of EBOLA, and lovers of PG-13 horror will be unimpressed and left mortified by the in-your-face atrocities the film depicts. There are no barriers - sexual violence, postmortem mutilations, cannibalism and aberrant sex is all covered in Herman Yau's audacious picture. A must for horror fans, EBOLA's sleaze and ultra-violence is the perfect cure for Hollywood's comparably-weak output.

Zombie Holocaust (1980)

Cannibal-zombie fusion - what more could one ask for?

[7/10 · 29 September 2006]

A film that could only be described as the ultimate in cheesy Z-grade trash exploitation, Zombie Holocaust (1980) is one of the many unofficial sequels brought out from Italy subsequent to the release of George A Romero's definitive zombie film Dawn of the Dead (1978). Zombie Holocaust is easily the most famous of director Marino Girolami's prolific film career. The basic plot of Zombie Holocaust (which was also released under the titles of Zombie 3 and Dr Butcher MD , among others) is a fusion between the Italian zombie classics and ultra-violent cannibal films that is a genre favorite among grind house aficionados. When a series of bizarre cannibalistic occurrences at a hospital are linked to a South-East Asian cult, an expedition goes in search of who (or what) may be behind the freakish mutilations. They are led to the island of Moluccas, where they encounter cannibals out for blood. Also thrown into the mix is an 'evil' doctor resembling some kind of Dr Frankenstein, a mad scientist who creates his living dead bodyguards. Ironically, neither zombies nor Dr Butcher appear until one hour into the 84 minute film. Having had the pleasure of seeing the uncut version (the only way to go), all of the infamous scenes of gore remain intact. While Zombie Holocaust is completely devoid of sense, it remains one of the drive-in classics of the Italian cannibal-zombie sub genre and has some amazingly gory set pieces (death by motorboat propeller being one mild example). Although inferior to Lucio Fulci's Zombie Flesh Eaters , Zombie Holocaust remains excellent -if not essential - horror viewing.

Kevin Bloody Wilson: Let Loose Live in Ireland (2003 Video)

A Hilarious Video From A Master Singer

[10/10 · 11 March 2006]

Kevin Bloody Wilson is something of an Australian legend. His crude song lyrics are unlike anything written before and his Australian colloquialism just adds to his everlasting national appeal. 'Let Loose Live in Ireland' features Kevin in a live performance in the titular nation, singing his classics such as 'Hey Santa Claus...' 'That F** kin' Cat's Back'. His music, while rude beyond belief, sends the audience into an uproarious cheer that's as satisfying as it is conclusive: Kev is a marvel. Littered with profanity, connotations of incest and bestiality and sexual deviance, the songs and audience 'chats' are undeniably enjoyable.

The Proposition (2005)

Sheer brilliance

[10/10 · 11 December 2005]

I have always passionately disliked Australian films. Every one I have seen seemed to be an attempted revisioning of a markedly superior American film and it just didn't wash. However, 'The Proposition' is a fresh new look on the Western genre and director John Hillcoat succeeded in turning Nick Cave's script into a brilliant work of art.

'The Proposition' begins with a gritty and intensely realistic gunfight between a gang of Ned Kelly-esquire outlaws and the police. When the law finally overpowers the criminals, they invade their hideout. Inside are two brothers. One of the brothers, played with exceptional skill by Guy Pierce, is given an ultimatum: find your older brother, a misfit murderer/rapist, or your young sibling is hung for the crimes. The story moves at a relentless pace from then on - incorporating brilliant scenery, bloody violence and great acting and direction to add to the amazing tone of the film. For those with a weak stomach, there are some scenes in 'The Proposition' that may not be for you. One particular scene, involving a very bloody and realistic whipping scene reminiscent of 'The Passion of the Christ' will be imprinted in your mind for quite a while.

In short, 'The Proposition' is an Australian film that succeeds on so many accounts. Hillcoat's third cinematic feature is certainly his best, and should be given a wider acclaim than what it is already receiving. I highly recommend this film to anybody who is a Western film afficondo or to people who enjoyed Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns.

RATING: (in Australia): MA 15+ for Strong Violence and Coarse Language.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

A Highly Under-appreciated "Nightmare" sequel

[5/10 · 14 October 2005]

After reading several reviews for "Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge", most of which being quite poor, I was a bit wary whether or not to see this film. However, upon seeing it, this sequel to Wes Craven's hit scare-fest wasn't nearly as bad as what many critics make out.

The story focuses a Jesse, a young teenager. His family moved into the house vacated by the main character of the original and, sure enough, weird things start to happen. Jesse is possessed by the soul of a deceased child-killer Freddy Kruger, and Freddy uses Jesse to kill the children of Elm Street. According to fans, the main reason for the hatred of "Freddy's Revenge" is because that this film wasn't consistent with the first. Freddy is too dark a character (he plays almost a satanic force in this film) and there are too many homosexual themes running through the movie. This I found barely noticeable and didn't detract from the story whatsoever.

In short, this sequel to "Nightmare on Elm Street" is only marginally worse than the first. The special effects are quite terrific and there are some very bloody murders at the hand of Freddy Kruger's trademark knives, along with some genuine scares. However, if I was to fault this film, it would have to be its pace. Be warned - it is quite slow at times but, when it takes off about half way through the film, it is relentless. The film has been recently released on DVD in Australia, along with the original and third film, and is rated MA 15+ for strong horror violence after being rerated from its original R 18+ rating.

I would rank the film an 8.5 out of ten.

Casino (1995)

Scorcese's Post 1990s work is grossly underrated

[10/10 · 1 June 2005]

Martin Scorcese - the film's director - is known for directing some excellent movies. MEAN STREETS, TAXI DRIVER and RAGING BULL have been great successes and Scorcese's start into the organized crime genre commenced with a loud bang with the box office success GOODFELLAS (1990). However, I believe it is Scorcese's post-Goodfella's work that he should be commended for - excellent movies such as CAPE FEAR (1991), CASINO (1995) and GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002) have gone wholly unnoticed. While receiving 10 Academy Award nominations, GANGS OF NEW YORK didn't receive one and CAPE FEAR and CASINO were blatantly disregarded by the Academy - a gross oversight and disappointment to all Scorcese fans. IMDb users have also chosen not to put CASINO on its top 250 list - another blow to this wonderful film.

CASINO revolves around an ex-criminal Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro). Rothstein is the successful - albeit corrupt - owner of an illegally run casino in Las Vegas. Rothstein is running the casino successfully and without many hitches.

Enter two big obstacles in the form of call girl Ginger (Sharon Stone)and psychotic friend (sort of like Tommy DeVito in GOODFELLAS) Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci). Rothstein marry's the irresistible Ginger and Nicky starts up a brutal mafia racket in Las Vegas, leading to the slow destruction of Rothstein and his empire.

CASINO was brilliant. Supported by excellent acting and masterful direction, this film is one which must not be missed. Scorcese's Vegas is violent, sexy and, in parts, appealing and this three hour epic portrays this very well. CASINO is a not-to-be-missed gangster film that you cannot fully grasp without seeing it twice. However, I ask this of all IMDb users who love this film: GET IT UP TO THE TOP 250!!!

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Why this great movie has been criticized so much.

[9/10 · 15 May 2005]

Being a fourteen year old male, I realize the legendary Alien and Predator movies will never be rivaled by a modern day exercise in action, adventure, special-effects and overall great film making. However, having watched Alien, Aliens, Predator and Predator 2, I believe Alien Vs Predator matches these four movies in grandeur. I also think that AVP has been given an unfair time by the critics. I believe these factors are responsible: THE 'VS' TAG: Any film with a 'versus' in its title indicates it is going to be a rip off of two other successful creations and after numerous Godzilla vs. films from Japan and the fun but highly unintelligent Freddy Vs. Jason, AVP was immediately shunned.

DOESN'T MATCH THE ORIGINALS: And what sequel can? However, AVP does a pretty damn good job of it. The originals were more adult films and this one appeals to teenagers also.

finally CREDIBILITY: Alien and Predator pitted against each other? Sounds stupid? Not really. Two extraterrestrial species against each other in an unlikely area that has not been explored at all is an excellent premise for a science-fiction movie.

In short, AVP is a great action movie that does justice to the originals. Its harsh reviews are by biased critics who cannot fault the originals and are not open minded to new and improved films.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

A great film.

[10/10 · 19 April 2005]

This is an excellent movie. It has been given a lot of negative publicity because of its violence, language, drug use etc. however none of it is actually gratuitous and the language and drug use in context. After all, Pulp Fiction is a gangster film. A number of things make Pulp Fiction one of the great classics of all time and a must see for all movie fans. It is humorous, action-packed, exciting and is thought-provoking. Pulp Fiction is basically three chronologically jumbled stories concerning two hit men (Travolta and Jackson); two armed robbers (Roth and Plummer) a drug dealer (Stoltz); a prize fighter (Willis); a criminal underworld boss (Rhames) and his wife (Thurman). Apart from the absolutely ingenious plotting of the film, Pulp Fiction also puts across the messages of redemption and faith, often in hysterical ways. The bloody action is prevalent in the film however infrequent and not distracting. The coarse language can be a detracting factor, with strong language throughout however this all must be taken in context. Overall a fantastic film and Tarantino must be applauded, not condemned for it.