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Reviews & Commentary by Adam Groves
BURNING PARADISE
For me, this “gothic hell prison movie” will always be the most satisfying film directed by Hong Kong’s late Ringo Lam (1955-2018)
POKOL INFERNO
Dante’s Inferno, adapted as a much weirder-than-average Hungarian TV movie from the 70s
TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL
The debut feature of Canada’s Guy Maddin, and a potent signifier of what was to come
COBB
A failed, but quite interesting, biopic on the late baseball star, and trigger-happy nut, Ty Cobb
JOHNNY
The first Canadian film lensed according to the dictates of the Lars von Trier-Thomas Winterberg created Dogma 95 manifesto
THE BOY WHO KICKED PIGS
A self-proclaimed “grotesque masterpiece” about just what the title promises
FACE
A literary shocker from 1985 that still shocks
BEHIND THE SHADOWS
A hugely enjoyable collection that offers up a full blast of media infused gen-X oriented horror
THE EXOPOTAMIA MANUSCRIPT
A novella that is, frankly, a mess. It is, however, a mighty fascinating mess packed with literary allusions, autobiographical shading and a highly picturesque scope
THE WITCH OF SANLÚCAR
Another 2024 translation of an early twentieth century European text by Joe E. Bandel, and one of the best
BLOOD, SWEAT AND CHROME–THE WILD AND TRUE STORY OF MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Is it worth reading? If you have any interest whatsoever in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD the answer is a resounding yes.
FANTASIA OF COLOR IN EARLY CINEMA
A wholly unique and eye-popping pictorially oriented look at the silent movie era with a most unexpected emphasis: color.
THE LINNEA QUIGLEY BIO & CHAINSAW BOOK
My exploration of the literary output of Linnea Quigley continues with this, her first publication
YOU’VE GOT RED ON YOU: HOW SHAUN OF THE DEAD WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE
The making of SHAUN OF THE DEAD is covered with admirable thoroughness in this beautifully designed book
I WAS FLESH GORDON
FLESH GORDON is a film whose behind-the-scenes drama was arguably more compelling than what ended up onscreen, as proven by this book
Cult Fiction 1: Horror
Until just a few years ago one of the major plusses of collecting horror fiction was that it was incredibly easy, and inexpensive, to acquire. Not anymore!
Kenneth Anger: 1927-2023
No other filmmaker has become as synonymous with Underground Film as the recently deceased Kenneth Anger
John Morghen: 1954-2023
RIP John Morghen, the sultan of 1980s Italian sleaze
Video Store Memories
Video store nostalgia is all the rage right now, so here I’ll provide some more
Ten Eccentric Films for Easter
Note that the title says films for, and not about, Easter, as it isn’t an especially cinema-friendly holiday