Director: Jody Dwyer
Writer: Michael Boughen, Jody Dwyer and Rod Morris
Release year: 2008
Tasmania: Where nature’s bloodline remains untouched
Zoology student Nina just went off on an expedition to proof that the Tasmanian Tiger species is not extinct. Eight years earlier, her sister sent her a photograph of a footprint, taken in the same region, just before her unfortunate drowning accident. Truth be told, her death wasn’t an accident, and Nina is about to find out why.
Director: Alex de la Iglesia
Writers: Jorge Guerricaechevarría and Alex de la Iglesia
Release Year: 1995
English title: The Day Of The Beast
An acid comedy for Christmas!
Just as it happened in the film industries of many European countries, the horror genre in Spain had a slow and difficult development until the 60s, when people like Narciso Ibanez Serrador and Amando de Ossorio added a Spaniard flavor to the Eurohorror of those years. However, Spaniard horror lost steam as the 70s ended and by the 80s it was again in a deep slumber in which only cult figures like Jess Franco and Paul Naschy kept truly working within the genre. Fortunately, the 90s brought an entirely new generation of young filmmakers who, having grown up with the films of that golden age, started to create a new series of horror films for the modern reality of Spain.
Director: James Signorelli
Writer: Sam Egan, John Paragon and Cassandra Peterson
Release year: 1988
She’s hot, vulgar… and out for money!
Come to think of it… Given what this website is called, there’s simply no way we can go around Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, without at least giving her a wink (or a tip of the hat if we should happen to wear one). Almost 30 years ago, Cassandra Peterson started her acting career as Elvira. And ever since, she has been bringing a lot more terrific cards to the B-horror table than just her twin ace material. There, since I figured nobody would forgive me if I would not include at least one boob-joke in this review, I’m glad we got that out of the way. Now let’s get down to Elvira’s legacy of the macabre, more specifically this fine highlight, her first feature length film.
Director: José Mojica Marins
Writer: José Mojica Marins and Dennison Ramalho
Release year: 2008
Brasilian title: Encarnação Do Demônio
The return of Coffin Joe
He is pure evil incarnated. For forty years he has waited, imprisoned and almost forgotten. Now, the system that put him away for his sick crimes, is about to set him free again. His name is Coffin Joe. And he will live forever.
Menarche, for those of you who do not know, is the name of the time when women first begin menstruation. Since any topic even vaguely related to sex is considered embarrassing for many American parents to discuss with their children (though not too embarrassing to do to get children in the first place), public schools have stepped in to educate children on these important facts. Since many teachers are just as squeamish, industrial filmmakers put together films that teachers could easily show to a class and then answer questions (or refer questions to provided booklets), leaving all the awkward heavy-lifting to the film.
Plus these films cut down on weird loner telekinetic teenagers destroying the entire senior class after being doused in pig’s blood.
Films Discussed (all with links for online viewing): The Story of Menstruation / Molly Grows Up / It’s Wonderful Being a Girl / Naturally… a Girl / All Women Have Periods
