Founded by grant money from the New Zealand government, this 16mm action / comedy / horror / sci-fi was the film that started Peter Jackson's road trip to hollywood success. A crude four year student splatter film about Alien fast-food manufacturers who come to New Zealand in hopes of harvesting all of humankind. A trio of heavily armed dimwitted government agents must stop the vomit drinking bastards before its too late! Roadrunner type cartoon gun action, gallons of blood, and dismembered aliens soon follow. Grotesquely exaggerated violence, heads are split apart, brains are eaten, and much more... The great looking alien FX costumes that where made in Peter Jackson's own oven, add to this cult horror film. Other confident directorial touches show why Jackson was the man for Lord of the Rings (2001). This stuff is so great, I hope he takes some of that money and throws one of these splatter films our way again. Jackson plays two of the leading roles and acts with himself in one of the scenes. For those upset that this Canadian disc is now out of print, don't worry Anchor Bay Entertainment should have a Limited Edition (50,000) 2-Disc Set out by the time you read this. It should also contain a documentary "Good Taste Made Bad Taste" with a 16 page booklet and special packaging just in time to cash in on Jackson's big success.
Reviews
21 Reviews
Frankenhooker
(1990)
Frankenhooker Review
19 October 2001
"Bio-electrotechnician" Jeffrey Franken's [James Lorinz] fiancé [ex-Penthouse model Patty Mullen] is killed in a tragic lawn mower accident, luckily enough Jeffrey manages to salvage a few key body parts. In order to replace his girlfriend, the budding scientist decides to place her head on the various body parts of unfortunate streetwalkers in this low budget splat-stick. Voila! A black comedy parody of Frankenstein (1931) in the Re-Animator (1985) vein from the writer-director Frank Henenlotter, coming after Basket Case (1981) and Brain Damage (1987). Frankenhooker ends up running amok on the streets turning tricks that literally make people's heads spin. Has Jeffery rebuilt his love, or has he created a monster. There's nudity, soft-core sex, violence, profanity, nudity, and gore. What more do you want? Extras on the DVD could have used a little more work, but the price was very reasonable (Crosgrey, Fringe Video Issue #001).
Brain Damage
(1988)
Brain Damage Review
19 October 2001
Frank Henenlotter's second low-budget feature about a boy and his pet monster, is an anti drug horror-comedy that's almost as good as his first film Basket Case (1981) [Watch for the Basket Case (1981) related in joke when actor Kevin VanHentenryck appears in a subway scene]. The non-human star, is a worm-like critter named Aylmer. The slimy penis shaped parasite comes into the possession of young Brian [Rick Herbst], and begins to gain control of him. The singing, and joke telling Aylmer sinks hooks into Brian's neck, secreting a strange blue liquid that gives his brain a jolt of psychedelic goodies, "color, music and euphoria". In exchange for injecting this marvelous hallucinogen into Brian's brain, the Aylmer incites its host to find it victims, from whom it sucks brains. Aylmer argues that it's all right to kill people, as long as Brian isn't directly involved. Kicking his wisecracking pain in the neck, is the only way for Brian to survive. When originally released, the film slipped onto video shelves virtually unnoticed. Thankfully Synapse Films have re-released this cult classic on DVD, and have restored this print to include the much talked about blow job scene that Paramount didn't have the guts to include. The strong sexual footage is played up, mostly for laughs. Very funny 42nd street humor is contained on the commentary track (Crosgrey, Fringe Video Issue #001).
Rage Against the Machine: The Battle of Mexico City
(2001 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
This disc captures Rage Against the Machine during touring, in their first performance at Mexico City's Sports Pavilion. The band's support for various political causes in Mexico, especially the anti-government Zapatista movement makes this show very interesting. The band's political propaganda is more than well received with an electric energy that transfers right onto the DVD and into your living-room and should have the CIA very interested indeed. Unfortunately front-man Zack de la Rocha's political agenda is larger than Rage Against the Machine could ever offer. Slam-dancing and stage diving will do nothing to stop neo-liberal globalism, the likes of the I.M.F., and World Bank. Zack's struggle to end the poverty that the current system offers will thankfully take him away from the world of metal heads and crowd surfers to a more diversified audience. I wish him the best of luck. As an added bonus the disc includes interview with political intellectual Noam Chomsky, and revolutionarly leader Marcos.
Beastie Boys: Video Anthology
(2000 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
The ultimate Beastie Boys collection that has the producers pulling out all the stops and taking full advantage of everything that the medium has to offer. Includes old school style hip-hop rap classics like "Body Movin", "Sabotage". [which includes a spoof talk show that interviews the fictional cops from the video.] "Intergalactic" [which along with the video includes the world premiere of the nine-minute 'Robot vs. The Octopus Monster Saga' (1998)], "So What'cha Want" and many more. Two disc full of hours of entertainment from The Criterion Collection, but more importantly layered beneath the video footage are rare remix versions of the same songs done by everyone from Fatboy Slim, to the Prunes, or D.J. / producers like Moby. With a video beastiology like this who needs CD's anymore, I hope this becomes a DVD others in the recording industry will set their standards with. An Exciting and worthwhile purchase
Gladiator Eroticvs: The Lesbian Warriors
(2001 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
Erotic spoof of the Ridley Scott blockbuster from EI / Seduction Cinema. Darian Caine stars as a lesbian warrior who is taken prisoner, enslaved and later becomes the most feared and least clothed female gladiator performing in the Roman games. The video contains slapstick comedy similar to Howard Ziehm's late night cult movie Flesh Gordon (1974), Bob Clark's Porky's (1982) or Fred Olen Ray's Bad Girls From Mars (1990). It looks like the crew had a lot of fun during filming, unfortunately the humor too often gets in the way of the erotic action. Still there is lots of nipple licking and lesbian sex to keep you entertained. The all girl action makes it impossible to watch with the wife, and the high-school locker room comedy scenes keep it far from being a f**k-film, but the hot, horny and naked women complete the visit. A strange movie that mixes off beat comedy, and erotic lesbian desires.
The Erotic Ghost
(2001 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
If you love soft-core lesbian sex, you'll love Suduction Cinema's Erotic Ghost. Doris, (played by Darian Caine) an unfulfilled housewife bored by the mundanity of her daily life, has an erotic encounter with a sexy vampire / ghost (Tammy Parks) while her husband (Zachary 'Blood Bullets Buffons' Snygg) is at work having his own strange day. Later, two scantly clad girls dressed in red Halloween outfits, grope each other, and seduce her in the basement of her home. The horny devil women end up in her bed, for a lipstick smothered she-demon three-way that turns this bored home body into a lusting lesbo. "...Is Doris hallucinating or going crazy, or are these devilishly sensual and kinky lesbian encounters really happening?" This disc includes a wild behind the scenes sneak peeks at the on-set goings-on, as well as interviews with Tammy Parks and Darian Caine.
Rage Against the Machine
(1997 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
Angry, aggressive rap / metal trotskyite band who have made a career celebrating the oppressed. Vocalist and political activist Zack de la Rocha's charisma is inspiring in this collection of videos and live footage. The band challenges their audience "...to arm themselves with a healthy dose of suspicion," against the corporate elite, yet still manage to sell highly priced CDs, and DVDs on a label owned by one of the world's media giants. Hypocritical at times, but their integrity is a tiny of speck light that brightens the darkness of the evil empire.
The Filth and the Fury
(2000)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
Compiled from over 20 hours of The Sex Pistols own footage, including: The band getting drunk and cursing on Bill Grundy's talk show, playing the censored 'God Save The Queen' live from a boat during the Queen's jubilee, and their depressing last performance of 'No Fun' at Uxbridge University. Thrown into the mix with Russ Meyer's Who Killed Bambi, and The Great Rock n' Roll Swindle (1980), The Filth & The Fury is a documentary that finally tells the complete story of The Sex Pistols. Some say they were the most notorious and revolutionary rock group of all time, others say they were never originators of any major social, or real political change at all. They only encouraged teenagers to sing songs about their lack of employment, where previous generations composed songs about their dreary jobs. Front-man Johnny Rotten rebuts manager Malcolm McLaren's egotistical claim that it was he who created and molded the band from beginning to end, and breaks into tears as he talks about how his friend and former band mate Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose in 1979. Either way you look at things, The Sex Pistols rose from useless street trash that couldn't play nor give a s**t about any future, to becoming a key transitional moment in English social history. This film captures the very essence of the punk movement. As a bonus the DVD comes with an in depth examination of the punk movement by many involved.
The Blair Witch Project
(1999)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
Not since Last House on the Left's (1972) 'Keep repeating, it's only a movie, it's only a movie' or the days of William Castle's The Tingler (1959) has a marketing campaign been so successful, and for that reason alone you should like this movie. The film opened with stark, white type on a black background: ...In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary... Despite dramatically mixed audience reaction, The Blair Witch Project became an overnight success. The directors "supposedly" use the much hated, shaking hand held found footage shot by the victims before they died. Hundreds of people actually believed this hype, thanks to disinformation spread by the internet, and by the time the film got to the Sundance Film Festival, it was being promoted with missing person flyers picturing the actors. ...it's not like no-one ever thought of the idea before. Cannibal Holocaust (1979), Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1989) and Man Bites Dog (1993) all have used the fake documentary footage. Some even say the directors completely stole their movie idea from an earlier low-budget film entitled The Last Broadcast (1997). However, none of those films made the kind of cash that this one did. Blair Witch has pulled in some $140 million on an initial investment of approximately $35,00 - Night of the Living Dead (1968) cost three times that. Love it or hate it, the film has made an impact.
Lust for Frankenstein
(1998 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
A sexy lesbian Frankenstein with large breasts. As in most of Jess Franco's recent work not much plot, just a very erotic and bizarre take on Mary Shelley's classic tale of Frankenstein (1931) with the nude Scream Queen Michelle Bauer [Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988)], as the monster with a strange voice, and Franco favorite and aging life companion Lina Romay [Female Vampire (1973); Tender Flesh (1997)] as the sex-starved mad scientist. Her long dead father was of course Dr. Frankenstein, and he has been appearing in her dreams, which sets her off on a mission to make her own creature. The monster becomes jealous, and enraged at her masters sexual encounters, and destroys all who come near. Shot on video with a new American production company called One Shot Productions, it is great to see Franco still making films after all these years. Make sure to pay attention to the weird digital layering effects and the strange industrial metal music. The Shock-O-Rama DVD comes with both the US, and euro version, as well as a Michelle Bauer interview.
End of Days
(1999)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
End of Days has been compared to both the brilliantly written Sixth Sense (1999), and edge of your seat sci-fi thriller Alien (1979), but it doesn't even come close to being played in the same theater as those two films. Director Peter Hyams (The Relic (1996)) tackles two big names, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Satan, in probably the stupidest plot Hollywood has come up with in a very long time. The film mix's both typical action, and the occult horror genres to reach a wider target market, yet ends up alienating true fans. Very dark and moody visuals work well with the subject matter, and as typical, the computer effects are truly amazing. The DVD comes loaded with extras including rock videos by Everlast and Rob Zombie and a piece on The Book of Revelation.
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #002
3 June 2001
Dark Bolex Bros. fantasy about the life of a miniature baby born into a world of giant misfits & social freaks who grunt and coo without saying anything intelligent. Out of step time and place, populated by scurrying spiders and other unidentifiable species of insects makes this piece much like the films of the Brothers Quay or the outstanding work of animation master Jan Svankmajer. This is a weird film that blends live-action footage with stop-motion claymation set in a world of dark back alleys; high tech labs, and swampy landscapes of garbage ruins. Tom Thumb is stolen from his home in the seedy part of town by sinister government agents. He later escapes from an evil lab where mutation experiments are performed. Narrowly escaping he finds himself in a land of people his own size fighting the big people alongside Jack the Giant killer. Genuine horror and moving moments that have the power to unsettle and enchant in equal measure. Definitely one of the most intoxicating and mesmerizing animated films I've seen in a very long time.
Family Values Fall Tour '98
(1998 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
With the Internet, recordable compact discs, and mp3 technology well on its way to destroying the CD distribution market. DVD music videos are probably the recording industry's only saving grace, the sound and special added features completely destroys anything video can reproduce, and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of many of my favorite music videos onto this new medium. Like Pink Floyd: The Wall, The Family Values 1998 Tour is a video that I almost bought on compact disc when it was first released, and now I'm glad that I didn't. Now, not only do I get amazing 5.1 surround sound while listening to some great music, I also get the video images to go with it. The Family Values 1998 Tour is a video diary featuring talented musical acts such as: Orgy; Ice Cube; Rammstein; Korn, and ever popular Limp Bizkit. Lots of fun to be had while watching the Metal / Hip-Hop stage-diving festival. Some of the other footage that was filmed, and never used on the video, could have been added to the DVD to make it a little longer. When a disc can contain up to 2 hours plus of film, a fan can feel a little cheated when we pay over $30 bucks for a little over 80 mins of footage.
The Dead Hate the Living!
(2000 Video)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
A group of underground filmmakers head to an abandoned hospital to shoot a zombie film. The group stumbles across a contraption that turns out to be a gateway to another world. Through this gateway comes the walking dead, led by a Rob Zombie look-a-like, and real life 7'6" giant Matt McGary who many may recognize as being a regular on the Howard Stern Radio Show. Director Dave Parker is definitely a fan of horror films, and it really shows, although he is no Lucio Fulci The Dead Hate the Living is a great film, similar to Dan O'Bannon's Return of the Living Dead (1985). Story wise, the film is not much different than other zombie epics, but one interesting scene in the film occurs when the film--makers put on zombie make-up to sneak past their undead foes. The film is a giant step upwards from the usual Full Moon product marketed at 14 year-old toy collectors. The disc comes with a music video by punk band Penis Flytrap, also directed by Dave Parker. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this guy's films; and harder edge Full Moon product in future releases.
Perfect Blue
(1997)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
I find it hard to pick out a really good adult Japanimation film. Being animated, at first glance, they all look like children's movies. The ones that don't usually are not that hard edged or bizarre at all. Perfect Blue, however is an exception. The film was such large success at Montreal's 1997 Fant-Asia Festival, that it forced the organizers to show extra screenings of this anime masterpiece. The film centers around, Mima Kirigoe, a pop idol who quits her career and becomes an actress. To achieve stardom she must drop the good girl look, and start doing sexually charged scenes in a made for TV movie.
While on the internet Mima discovers a web site describing every intimate detail of her life. Helpless and afraid, she watches as her associates are threatened and killed by a mysterious stalker. Associate producer Hitomi Nakagaki has said that
they intended to break the ice with regard to the presumed emotional boundaries of animation, to force mass audiences to recognize the medium as a forum for raw expressionist delirium and exploration of all things adult. The film is a psychological cross between Dario Argento's suspense, and the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock.
Pi
(1998)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
An award winning low-budget, black and white cyberpunk assault on the senses, about an insane math genius and part time numerologist, Max Cohen who is desperately trying to crack the code behind the Stock Market. After accidentally discovering the hidden numbers in connection to Pi that will make him rich, a group of Orthodox Jews realize that these same random numbers also reveal the true name of God. After being chased and stalked by the Kaballah sect, and wall street thugs all searching for the complete 216-digit code, a disorienting wave of horror, hallucination and paranoia overwhelm Max. The only hard copy print out of the number is quickly memorized and destroyed. Director Darren Aronofsky (winner at the prestigious 1998 Sundance Film Festival appears on the commentary track, along with star Sean Gullette) has created an excellent pulse-pounding thriller. Who would have thought that a film about numbers would be so exciting.
Fight Club
(1999)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
Directed by David Fincher, Fight Club is a very weird movie that people either loved or hated. It is a dark; very satiric, and incredibly funny movie. Our star played by Edward Norton [American History X (1998)], on one of his many business trips, meets Tyler Durden played Brad Pitt [Kalifornia (1993) / Seven (1995, also directed by David Fincher)], a sly soap-salesman and jack-of-all-trades. When Edward Norton's high rise apartment is mysteriously firebombed, he turns to Brad Pitt for help. After a few drinks, both learn that neither has ever been in a fight. Pitt asks Norton to punch him. The 'Fight Club' is born. Channeling primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy the concept catches on, with underground 'Fight Clubs' forming in every town. Becoming a weekly testosterone social event, the club soon begins to grow, then mutate into a terrorist organization known as 'Project Mayhem'. A nihilistic cult that subverts and disrupt society whenever possible, through pranks and anti-corporate aggression. Throughout the film director David Fincher uses stylized subliminal editing, exciting camerawork, and digital effects to make a his work come to life. The film ends with a surprise ending similar to The Sixth Sense (1999), when Norton realizes that he is having a "mid-life crisis" ....... The DVD is full of so many extras that they needed a second disc fit them all on.
Killer Condom
(1996)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
A hilarious romp through New York's sludge and grime underbelly of drag queens; prostitutes, cops, and unhappy genitals. Based Ralph Konig's German comic book of the same name, Killer Condom was picked up by Lloyd Kaufman's notorious Troma Team after touring the alternative / underground film circuit, and doing quite well. The film features 'creative consulting' by H.G. [Alien (1979) / Species (1995)] Giger, and special effects by controversial splatter & gore director Jorg [Nekromantik (1989) / Schramm] Buttgereit. Determined to find out how the residents of a street wise hotel are ending up without there special purposes, a very hairy, and very homosexual Italian police detective named 'Luigi Macaroni' (played by Udo Samel) almost loses his own family jewels. ...A living, squirming, and worst of all, biting condom grips the city in prophylactic panic. Can the mega-endowed Luigi stop the cult of super villains who created the Killer Condom just to rid sexual deviants and other perverts from the City? Beware of the rubber that will rub you out.
Cannibal! The Musical
(1993)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
Rejected by every distribution company on the planet, this is a pre South-Park horror / musical, written and directed by Trey Parker. Who else would release a film so stupid, but Lloyd Kaufman, and Michael Herz, and the offbeat Troma Team Studios. This release is adapted from a University of Colorado stage production, and is ultimately very silly and cheap film camp in the Monty Python comedy vein. The subject is Alferd Paker (Juan Schwartz) who while searching for gold and love in the Colorado Territory, he and his companions lost their way and resorted to ...unthinkable horrors, including toe-tapping songs. Alferd Paker was convicted of cannibalism, and shortly after his arrest he tells his tale. In jail, with musical and gory splatter flashbacks, he re-tells the story to a news reporter of how he came to eat his friends. The local townspeople in a big production number sing 'Hang The B****rd' outside his cell window. While the film is low in entertainment, the songs are very addictive, and will have you singing right along. Troma Team DVD's are very enjoyable endeavors in exploitation barker showmanship, and feature interactive items such as: Troma Intelligence tests, and tours of troma studios.
Red Shoe Diaries
(1992 TV Movie)
from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #001
13 May 2001
Directed by the same guy who brought you such soft-core classics as 9 1/2 Weeks and Wild Orchid, this steamy pilot was made for late night cable TV. Starring X-Files main man David Duchovny. A husband [David Duchovny] sorting through his recently deceased wife's belongings [played by Brigitte Bakeo] comes across a red diary. Devastated he finds that his wife was not the devoted woman who claimed that she wanted a meaningful and lasting relationship. ...She longed for the perfect opportunity for having a secret affair with a total stranger. The perfect body ...on the perfect man [played by Billy Wirth]. Torn between her two lovers, and trapped by a burning secret, she decides that the only way out is suicide. Leaving her husband wondering, just how many others out there are going through the same problems. At the end of the film, he decides to put an add in the paper, which is how Zalman King ties together the various vignettes in the TV series.
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