After Hours Cinema Grindhouse Director Series

Since I'm an amateur film reviewer and not a dvd reviewer I don't usually talk about the future dvd release, but for this one I make an exception. Why? Easy, the two previous volumes are high quality and I am a big fan of Carter Stevens.

 

After Hours Cinema proudly announces
TEENAGE TWINS COLLECTION
The Films of Carter Stevens Vol. 2: 1976 – 1977

ROLLERBABIES - TEENAGE TWINS - PUNK ROCK
THREE FEATURE FILM COLLECTION!!
LOADED WITH DVD EXTRAS! STARRING TWINS BROOKE and TAYLOR YOUNG! Plus ERIC EDWARDS, TERRI HALL, MARY STUART and others!

This director approved 3-film package also contains one-of-a-kind interviews and commentary tracks with director Carter Stevens, extensive liners notes, trailers and more.

NEW DIGITAL RESTORATION FROM THE ONLY EXISTING FILM ELEMENTS
Approved by director Carter Stevens

You can pre-order at a special price since you will pay only 22.99$ and not the regular price of 27.99$. You can believe me this set worth the price asked for and even more...

You can read my old review of Rollerbabies here

Joy (1977)

Pleasant classic this time. Joy (Sharon Mitchell) is a young girl who is terrified at the idea of having a sexual relationship to the point where her boyfriend (Jay Pierce) leaves her. The day of their split-up she is raped in her apartment by two thugs. After a struggle she perceives that sex is not such a bad thing. As she will not be satisfied by the thugs, she will do the same with the inhabitants of New York. This does not seem like a greatly develloped scenario (one could even think it's pretty sexist), but this is really not the case. Rather it is an allegory about the society in general and its fear of sex in particular. In fact the film clearly shows that sex is not scary and even useful (just see the satisfaction of Robert Kerman after he was attacked). Everything is presented in a positive and pleasant way (if we except the beginning of Joy's rape). I also like the fact that the scenes are really short. I may be wrong but I interpret this as the disappointment that Joy feels after these relationships (she doesn't get enough). Sharon Mitchell (who looks great in this by the way) provides an excellent performance in this film and there is also a police investigation to find her. The head of the investigation is played by Jake Teague and I must admit that it is his best performance as an actor (not to mention that this is not his usual casting).

The distribution includes many familiar faces (Crystal Sync, Philip Marlowe, Herschel Savage, Veri Knotty, Clea Carson, Bobby Astyr, Gloria Leonard, Roger Caine, Dave Ruby, Eric Edwards ,...), but also many unknowns. Strangely it is the only film directed by Harley Mansfield, but this is probably an alias for someone else ...

This film is available from Video-X-Pix and do I need to say that this one deserve a special edition with a commentary track with Sharon Mitchell (getting Teague for it would be awesome but he doesn't want to talk about this part of his life...). Too bad the shitty economy and the piracy prevent us to get this...

 

 

Dr. Bizarro (1983)

Tonight I chose a Phil Prince's film so you already know what to expect without even having seen the film. For those who don't know who is Phil Prince you just need to know that he was the principal director for Avon Productions in the early 80s and he has in his resume some classics like The Story of Prunella, The Taming of Rebecca, Kneel Before Me and Oriental Techniques in Pain and Pleasure. Obviously these films are not for everyone since they are quite violent, but they usually have a story to follow (with the exception of Oriental Techniques in Pain and Pleasure that make no sense). The one I selected this evening did not really have one,  it consists of three short scenarios intersected by the intervention of a doctor (Phil Prince) explaining the different cases.

 

The first case concerns a father (George Payne) who catch his daughter (Velvet Summers) and one of her friend (Ambrosia Fox) on the verge of a lesbian relationship who decide to discipline them. Of course the discipline involves both physical and sexual degradations. We are therefore entitled to a mixture of incest, ass slapping and evidently of verbal degradation since George Payne is present to be the "game master". This parts is the best one (and quite arousing) mostly due to George Payne, who excels in this type of role.

 

The second case is about the sadomasochistic games between a couple (Cheri Champagne and Alan Adrian) . There will be no surprises if I write that Alan Adrian is the masochist of our couple. This guy really has a high tolerance level. Watching a penis pinched with clothespins, slapped, beaten with a stick and  a pair of testicles slapped isn't what I might call the most enjoyable thing to watch on the screen (want it or not  we feel the pain). Everything is fine until an intruder (Big Randy Rod) make his entrance through a window and attacks the woman physically and verbally. It all ends with a rape which also involved her husband. Again this segment is quite successful thanks to the credible performance of the players, at least Cheri Champagne seems to be struggling against her attacker and not enjoying it.

 

The third and last act concerns a case of voyeurism that ends in verbal domination. Ken Yontz is the voyeur who will be dominated by his neighbor (Troy Scalpini). This part is uninteresting, rather boring and does certainly not compared with what preceded it.

As I already mentioned between each case we are entitled to the very non-politically correct comments of Dr. Laurence (but it's more fun to use his real name and to write Dr. Phil).

The version I own doesn't seem to be complete since the version included in the Avon Dynasty Box Set (1980's) countains four cases and not three, but the internet adult film database doesn't seem to agree on that.

She's No Angel (1976)

Something more interesting this time: a one day wonder directed by Shaun Costello. In this movie Sharon Mitchell is a young 13 years old girl on the eve of receiving an inheritance of five million from her grandfather. This obviously does not please her stepmother (Marlene Willoughby) who wants the inheritance for herself. Luckily for her there is a clause in the will that specifies that the girl must be of sound mind at her fourteenth birthday. She will therefore try to make the girl institutionalized because she is a nymphomaniac. Does the doctor (Shaun Costello) will see clearly in her game or is the poor girl will end her days in an institution?

 

I've never fallen on a production of Shaun Costello I did not like and this film is no exception. As usual the story is well put in place even though the film lasts less than an hour (56 min) and one gets the impression of listening to a movie and not a series of unrelated sex scenes. What makes the film's strength is the interpretation of Shaun Costello (he is a great actor when he wants to be one) and Marlene Willoughby (she has some great lines in this film). The rest of the cast that includes Sharon Mitchell, Beth Anna, Alexandria Cass, David Christopher, Leo Lovemore and Ashley Moore provide adequate performances.

 

The film uses well the flashback technique to tell the events that will bring the decision on the institutionalization of the girl. Obviously everything is not perfect since it takes a lot of imagination to see Sharon Mitchell and  Beth Anna as two thirteen years old girls. But  it's the only criticism I can do and, in fact, it isn't really one as if the girls would have looked too young it would have been really unpleasant to watch. For those interested there is also a  double vaginal penetration scene in this movie (not that I find that really exciting to watch).

 

The film is available on DVD-R from Something Weird Video and in the more costly (but it's fifteen films) Shaun Costello Collection from Alpha Blue Archives.

On Golden Blonde (1984)

This one is definitely a trip to memory lane. I rented this film on numerous occasions when I was a teenager (obviously the fact that there were only about ten videos available has certainly played a role in this). The story is quite interesting at first, but as many productions of this period it isn't the priority. The film begins in heaven with a discussion between an angel (W.O. Williams) and Alice (Christy Canyon) which seems to be in a very bad mood. Indeed, there was  a case of mistaken identity and Alice should be still alive. The angel will have to correct his mistake and he will do it by finding a new body for Alice. It is from here that the problems begin. Indeed what could be an interesting parody of Heaven Can Wait is only an excuse for a series of sex scene more or less interesting (in fact much less than more). This is surely a disappointment when you consider the fact that the distribution includes among other Ginger Lynn, Gina Carrera (as chance would have it a few days ago I watched Suburbia her first film), Jamie Gillis, Tom Byron and Peter North. The scenario is simply faulty, there is indeed a bit of humor, but except for the first exchange when Alice takes possession of the body of Marilyn (Ginger Lynn) this does not really work. Also having consecutive scenes with the same actress (and twice!) Is quite ordinary. It would be possible to get over these weaknesses considering the time of the production, but there is something else entirely unforgivable. Indeed the film is poorly shot, the cameraman (I can't name him because the credits are  completly unreadable) is unable to find a good angle for filming. What you will agree, does not help when the film part is weak.

So except for the memories of my youth this film has nothing special and certainly does not deserve a positive recommendation. One thing is certain, it was much easier to please me when I was 16 years old  than now at 40.

Flame (1989)

Today I pick something different  than what I usually watch, a romantic film that is aimed at a female audience. The story is rather simple (not to say simplistic) and focuses on two couples where the husband is abusive. Do not expect a great psychological study here, but rather an Harlequin novel type of romance. I must admit that the main reason why I have this movie is Tracey Adams that I have always appreciated. In this film she is married to a rich man (RC Cummings) primarily for the lifestyle he provides, but he will take offense to the fact of catching her in bed with one of his house staff (Chris Alexander, who would later create Anabolic Video) and throw her out after a beating (to be honest it's a single slap on the mouth). She will meet Doris McKenzie (Aja) who invited her to her home where she lives with her husband (Marc Wallice). This relationship is the abusive one since her husband is a cheater, a verbal abuser and he spends most of his time fishing. Obviously everything will end on a positive note as he will understand the harm he did  and change his way of acting.

I will not say it's the best 70 minutes I spent watching television. The story is simply too stupid, too cliché and mushy for me ... but obviously I'm not the target audience for this film. By cons I liked the presentation that look a lot more like an erotic movie than a pornographic film. In fact the sex scenes are short, natural and the focus is on the faces and not on the sexual organs. If the history would have been more interesting this would have been exactly my type of movie. Maybe it worths a try if you like the romantics novel...

This film is available as usual on the AdultDVDMarketplace and the Excalibur Films websites.

A little update

Sorry for the lack of reviews in the last two months. I was away from my computer most of the time this summer, so I was unable to watch any adult movies (wich is sure long, as if it isn't enough to be unable to watch horror movies untill october). I will be back soon in a couple of days with some new reviews and I've also pre-ordered two new released of Wild Side Video today for september.

I already own the american released of 800 Fantasy Lane that were sadly cut and I know nothing about Sex Boat. Of course with the quality of the precedent titles of this serie I bought, I expect very high quality again...

I will certainly get more titles next month, but not that much (the horror marathon I'll do in october on DVD Collectors Online had as a result that I buy and pre-order mostly horror movies actually).

Now the worst part is to find something to watch... Not that I don't have a lot of unwatched movies to choose from.