H agsploitation. Not the most flattering of terms, is it? For this writer at least, it conjures up a very specific set of images—antiquated wigs, smudged lipstick and eyeliner; maybe a facial wart and a set of rotting teeth—accompanied by the juxtaposed sounds of a cheery old-time record and a shrill, maniacal cackle. Scorned wives,…
Ho, Ho, Huh? — The Bewildering Beauty of ‘Blood Beat’
[An abridged version of the following piece appeared in 88 Films’ Limited Edition Blu-ray release of Christmas Evil (1980), issued December 2019.] I ’m willing to bet that you’ve never seen a stranger Christmas film than Blood Beat. In fact, you’ve probably never seen a more peculiar film—of any kind—full stop. A mystifying mood piece…
On the Right Track: Going Loco for Steam Trains in the Movies
[An abridged version of the following piece appeared in 88 Films’ Limited Edition Blu-ray release of Terror Train (1980), issued November 2019.] M y love affair with locomotives began around the age of two. Picture the scene: a railway bridge shrouded in fog . . . the cry of an owl from afar . ….
Jesus Is Calling: A Moment of Clarity in ‘Junebug’
T here’s a key development in Phil Morrison’s forlorn 2005 dramedy, Junebug, that is so subtle it could almost go unnoticed. It comes during a parish get-together, where George (Alessandro Nivola, having been away for several years) is reunited with the throng of his Bible Belt hometown in North Carolina. During the festivities, George is…
There’s Something About Melanie
T he word ‘favourite’ is thrown around so often. Favourite colour, animal, song, movie—it’s a term that can be applied to just about anything. It has also become meaningless. If somebody were to ask my favourite type of food this very second, I would probably say Indian; ask again tomorrow and the answer could well…
Spanning Time: Loneliness and Longing in ‘Buffalo ’66’
B illy really needs the bathroom. Having just stepped off a bus (and out of prison earlier today) he sprints around town looking for a place to piss, eventually arriving at a dance studio—he attempts to use the facilities there, but ends up in a brawl when a gay guy propositions him at the urinal. Moments…
She’s Not Mad at You, She’s Mad at the Dirt! — Defending Faye Dunaway in ‘Mommie Dearest’
N ighttime: a female figure looms precariously in the shadows. White-faced and fearsome, like a cross-dressed Michael Myers. “No. Wire. Hangers. EVERRR!” . . . It’s Joan Crawford, the darling of ‘golden age’ Hollywood—and, as brought to life by ’70s powerhouse Faye Dunaway, the mother of all movie monsters. Few performances have divided opinion as…
It Sounds Exactly Like Science Fiction: The Unfathomable Splendour of ‘Footprints’
A short while ago, someone I follow on Twitter asked, “When’s the last time you saw a film where it felt like you were watching something utterly alien?” Instantly, the title that sprang to mind was Luigi Bazzoni’s mesmeric oddity, Footprints on the Moon (Italian: Le orme, 1975). Have you ever seen a piece of…
Hellscapes and Horseplay: A Re-Examination of Rob Zombie’s ‘H2’
W ith a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) arriving in six months, now seems as good a time as any to chew over the tenth and most recent instalment in this unrelenting franchise: 2009’s Halloween II, which itself is a direct sequel to Halloween . . . Rob Zombie’s Halloween, that is. Not…
In the Beginning . . .
W elcome, readers, to Trash to Tarkovsky, a blog that I’ll be using to channel my creative energies into two of the things I love most: writing and film. For me, the power of cinema reaches far beyond the surface of mere enjoyment. Movies can inspire us, shape us, even transform us—and show us a…
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