While visiting New York, Matt D of Forbidden Planet turned me on to this excellent 'zine called I Love Bad Movies published by Matt Carman and Kseniya Yarosh.
Fans of the wacky and bizarre brand of films we discuss on Junk Food Dinner should do themselves a favor and head over to Ksen Zines' Etsy page and pick up an issue or three. Only a measly $5 for an issue or $11 for all three, these hilarious and well-written essays on junk cinema will keep you entertained for hours. Pick 'em up!
In an effort to, say, cleanse the pallet from our horror-packed Schlocktober festivities, I'm going to go in a decidedly more salacious direction with my picks for November. In the coming weeks on the podcast you can expect reviews of such tawdry sleaze classics as Chained Heat, Big Bad Mama and an entire episode dedicated to the king of cheesy late night T&A action flicks, Andy Sidaris.
So, in keeping with that trend, this installment of Trailer Trash is dedicated bad girls, those lovely ladies of film who not only blow you away with their looks and sense of style, but also have attitude and a desire to shake things up. And 1980 was a particularly good year for fans of bad-girlsploiation. So, without further adieu, here a three different, but equally badass bad girl trailers from that magical year.
Foxes (1980)
Between starring in Taxi Driver in 1974 and winning her Oscar for The Accused in 1989, Jodie Foster did some crazy flicks (check out The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane and Carny). However, my favorite of the post-Taxi, pre-Accused era Foster is still Foxes from 1980.
Foster along with Cherie Currie of The Runaways, Marilyn Kagan and Kandice Stroh (all 3 had never acted before) play a group of jaded teenage girls in the San Fernando Valley, trying to figure out life and have some fun while doing it. The standard girl gang character traits are applied; Foster is the level-headed leader of the group, Currie is the druggie, Kagan is the nerd and Stroh is the slutty one. While all the typical "growing up too fast" tropes are here and despite an unfortunate glam-disco soundtrack, Foxes manages to be an entertaining watch, mainly due to it's excellent cast, which also features a young Randy Quaid and an even younger Scott Baio. Check it out!
Little Darlings (1980)
While the late 70's and early 80's a filled with T&A summer camp movies about horny guys chasing girls, Little Darlings is the only one I know of that flips that stereotype and has the girls doing the chasing. The girls in question are the Irish tag team of Tatum O'Neal (Bad News Bears) and Kristy McNichol (TV's Family and later TV's Empty Nest).
O'Neal plays the rich goody goody to McNichol's lower-class badass. As you'd expect, the two polar personalities clash at first, culminating in a wager to see which one can lose their virginity first. Despite it's salacious subject matter and R-rating, this film is pretty tame, in fact, a TV version of the film was edited together which eliminates the sexual subplot all together. Nevertheless, this often forgotten piece of 80's summer camp nostalgia is a fun watch, especially for McNichols' bad girl persona and her onscreen banter with her romantic interest, a young, shaggy Matt Dillon.
The movie flaunts a decent soundtrack too, featuring the likes of Blondie, Rickie Lee Jones, Supertramp, John Lennon and The Bellamy Brothers. Unfortunately, it's that same soundtrack that has kept the film from having an official DVD release thus far, as the licensing of those tunes would cost a pretty penny. Still, if you can hunt down a copy, you should check out Little Darlings.
[My apologizes for the weird German advertisement before the trailer]
Times Square (1980)
Just like Little Darlings, Time Square uses the rich girl/poor girl dynamic, only this time the setting is not summer camp, but the mean streets of New York City and the goal is not to score boys, but to gain notoriety as a punk rock icon.
Trini Alvarado (later of The Frightners) plays Pamela Pearl, a rich girl, who meets homeless punk Nicky Marotta, played by Robin Johnson. With her wild eyes, raspy voice and heavy Brooklyn accent, Johnson is one of the most convincing street punks ever portrayed on film. The two quickly start a friendship (rife with a muted romantic subtext) and navigate the streets of the Big Apple trying to find truth, freedom and get Nicky's music heard. With the help of rebellious radio DJ Tim Curry, the girls do eventually find notoriety but turmoil as well and as the title (and trailer) implies, the film climaxes with a performance in Times Square.
Times Square is a really well-made, well-acted and likable film. The characters are believable and sympathetic and the film boasts one of the best soundtracks of the late 70's/early 80's with punk and new wave jams by the Ramones, Talking Heads, Suzi Quatro, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Patti Smith, The Pretenders, The Cure and XTC. Director Allan Moyle would go on to direct such other teen fare as Pump Up the Volume and Empire Records.
The Starz/Anchor Bay DVD of the film is, sadly, out of print but this 80's bad girl epic is definitely worth seeking out.
That's all for now. Look for future installments of Trailer Trash in the upcoming weeks.
If you have any suggestions for a ridiculous, cool, absurd, perplexing or just generally Junk Food-y trailers, send 'em my way.
JFD returns from a brief hiatus with three very different films!
First up, we debate the merits of Richard Linklater's 1996 flick "SubUrbia," based on a play by Eric Bogosian. The film stars Giovanni Ribisi, Steve Zahn, Nicky Katt and some other people as chatty 20-something slackers stuck in suburban Texas.
Then we look at "The Wizard of Speed and Time" from 1988. The film is an autobiographical comedy concerning Mike Jittlov, a special effects master, as he battles Hollywood producers, thugs, unions and Uncle Sam to make a film about an extremely fast wizard. Spoiler alert: the effects in this film will make your brain explode.
Finally, we get sleazy and dirty when we watch the creme de la creme of Women in Prison flicks, 1983's "Chained Heat," staring Linda Blair, Sybil Danning, their breasts, and John Vernon. A young woman (Blair) must toughen up to survive a stay in prison.
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain precious nutrients from your love and support.
Junk Food Dinner returns like a flaming, golden, bearded (all 3 of us have beards right now, I think) phoenix! This week, our palette cleansing ban on horror brings us high kicks, guns, explosions, and hang-gliding!
Up first, JFD alums Jimmy Wang Yu (Episode #45) and Brian Trenchard-Smith (Episode #6 & #59) team up and butt heads in the 1975 Ozploitation ass-kicking classic - THE MAN FROM HONG KONG!
Next - Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, & Tom Skerritt star along side a whole host of Roger Corman mainstays including the lovely Robbie Lee (Episode #4) hit the road in the prohibition era fast-paced, sexy grifting romp - BIG BAD MAMA!
Finally, we again veer terrifyingly close to meme-baiting as we look at another Chuck Norris fist-fest. This time an unstoppable man-monster is menacing the small town where Mr. Norris hangs his sheriff hat, kicks ensue - SILENT RAGE!
All this plus tattoo ideas for Parker, witty banter between friends, Junk Mail, Nerd News, DVD releases, and more!
Also, got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com
Get ready for girls, guns, bullets and bombs as Junk Food Dinner fills your Thanksgiving with a cornucopia sleazy mayhem when we pay tribute to the king of late-night cable T&A action trash, Andy Sidaris.
Up first we take a look at Mr. Sidaris' first film, Stacey from 1974. This perplexing piece of early 70's exploitation fare sets the formula for all future Sidaris flicks; tropical settings, gorgeous women kicking ass, plenty of gratuitous nudity, gun battles and explosions. Stunning Playboy Playmate Anne Randall plays the titular Stacey, a private detective hired by the wealthy matriarch of a dysfunctional family to see who is worthy of her fortune.
Next, a little something for everybody; sexy DEA agents, stolen diamonds, cancerous snakes, skateboarding assassins, bazookas and a deadly Frisbee in the Sidaris masterpiece Hard Ticket to Hawaii from 1987. This goofy action flick stars Sidaris-mainstays Donna Speir and Hope Marie Carlton along with soap opera star Ronn Moss and kick boxer Harold Diamond, hot on the trail of a gang of evil crime lords in the Aloha State. Suffice to say, many breasts are bared and many things get blown up.
And finally, Erik Estrada joins the party as a South American gunrunner who hires a couple of bumbling assassins to take out Donna Speir and her sexy friends, only to find out that these ladies aren't going out without a fight in the awesomely titled Guns from 1990. Along with more Sidaris favorites like Roberta Vasquez and Cynthia Brimhall, this movie also features future Machete star Danny Trejo.
All this plus witty banter between friends, listener feedback, Nerd News, DVD & Blu-ray releases, and so much more!
LISTEN NOW:
MP3 Direct Download Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, , Stitcher, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain precious nutrients from your love and support.
Open your eyes, JFD listeners. Um, open your ears, I guess.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, our first movie this week is Cameron Crowe's romantic sci-fi mystery "Vanilla Sky." Paranoia abounds as Tom Cruise tries to make sense of his life after a car wreck. Penelope Cruz, Kurt Russell and Jason Lee also show up.
Then we take a look at Allison Anders' student film "Border Radio" from 1987. The film centers around the '80s LA rock scene and appropriately stars Chris D. and John Doe.
Finally, we talk about the quintessential '80s beach sex comedy, "Hardbodies," from 1984. A beach cassanova teaches three old, but rich, geezers how to score with chicks. There's lots of montages and roller skating in bikinis, too.
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain precious nutrients from your love and support.
Here's the NSFW trailer for the Tim & Eric movie. Some of you may be into that. I've seen a bunch of Tim & Eric episodes and I pretty much think the "Sit on You" song is the only funny thing they've ever done. But, I think the "Sit on You" thing is so goddamn funny that it justifies me watching more episodes in hopes that something will be that funny again. And it'll probably lead me to watch this movie in hopes that something is that funny in it.
In reality, though, I'll probably shoot myself in the face somewhere around the 25 minute mark.
The Joss Whedon-scripted, Chris Hemsworth-starring horror flick "Cabin in the Woods" has been in release limbo for a while now. But, the success of "Thor" (Hemsworth is Thor) and the fact that Joss is directing the most ambitious summer blockbuster ever ("The Avengers") has (probably) led to "Cabin" being released this spring. As such, there's a trailer. If you're interested in trailers, have a look. But, be warned. James Gunn (director of "Slither" and "Super") said that this trailer gives away too much and should probably only be watched if you're undecided about whether you should be excited about this or not.
I'm already excited because of Joss, so I won't be watching this trailer. I'm sick of seeing every kill and every plot twist in every trailer these days and I certainly don't want to get spoiled on what has been called "'Evil Dead' meets 'House of Leaves.'"
JFD offers you a vague welcome as we talk about three movies with very nondescript titles.
First up, we talk about the often-sought after so-bad-it's-good-but mostly bad "Things" from 1989. Inanimate monsters abound, featuring porn legend Amber Lynn as a news reporter.
Then, we take a look at the lowest grossing wide-release film of all time: 2011's "Creature." A rubber suit alligator man-monster stalks some kids in the bayou. Sid Haig co-stars.
Finally, we discuss the 2011 prequel (read: remake) of "The Thing." Mary Elizabeth Winstead leads a bunch of Norwegian scientists again an extraterrestrial monster that can take the form of its prey.
Note: We had some technical difficulties this week. Sorry if the audio gets a little wonky here and there.
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain precious nutrients from your love and support.
So, there's a new "Amazing Spider-Man" poster out that demands that we acknowledge that they will be telling us the "Untold Story."
I'm willing to bet this story had been told once or twice, maybe even three times before by Sam Raimi. Maybe the story was even told a couple times before that in cartoon form. People may have even heard the story in one of the many Spider-Man video games that have been released. And if people perhaps missed the story of Spider-Man there, maybe they caught in one of the comics that have been coming out monthly for about half a century.
Boy, oh, boy do we have a killer episode of Junk Food Dinner for you! We've got killer cuckold husbands, killer college kids and killer atomizing ray guns! What more could you ask for?!
Up first, a man with a crazy blond beard and a wild-eyed stare (the incomparable Asbestos Felt) suspects his wife (Courtney Lercara) is being unfaithful after reading her salacious diary entries and unleashes a reign of terror on those who would threaten his marriage in the low-budget 1987 gore fest, Killing Spree, directed by Tim Ritter of Truth or Dare: A Critical Madness fame.
Then, two lovable hillbillies (Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk) head out to their new vacation home, a rustic cabin in the woods, for some quality bro time. But when a group of spoiled college kids (including the lovely Katrina Bowden and the hilariously sinister Jesse Moss) mistake their backwoods ways for evil intent, it kicks off a series of misunderstandings and spark a chain of events that leaves a high body (and laugh) count in the 2010 horror/comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil.
And finally, music, absurd comedy and beautiful black and white cinematography collide in a story about an intergalactic trader (Cory McAbee, who also wrote, directed and scored the film) who's on a mission to deliver The Boy Who Actually Saw a Woman's Breast to Venus, all while trying to avoid being turned to dust by the ray-gun of the evil Professor Hess (Rocco Sisto) in The American Astronaut from 2001.
All this plus witty banter between friends, rock 'n roll music, glitchy Skype noise, Nerd News, DVD & Blu-ray releases, and so much more!
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, , Stitcher, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain precious nutrients from your love and support.
Do you hear what I hear? It's a band new Junk Food Dinner Holiday Spectacular! This year we invite you to snuggle up by the fire place and join us as we munch on three especially nutty fruitcakes of cinema.
Up first, a pretty young mall employee with a severely damaged home life is befriended by a jolly, bearded man (with smoke encircling his head like a wreath) and together they must stop the Nazis from using evil elves and a magic crystal to create a master race in the deeply dark and disturbing ELVES from 1989.
Next, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan takes on Ed Begley Jr. and a host of character actors (Garrett Morris, MilaKunis, Don Stark, Clint Howard, and more!) as they try and take over an orphanage! On Christmas! Can you believe the nerve? More magic crystals and groans abound as we take on 1996's SANTA WITH MUSCLES! If you missed it the two weeks it was in theaters in the mid-90's, now's your chance to get the scoop.
Finally, we travel around the world to the icy tundra of Finland to take a look at a newer entry in the cannon of Holiday cult film. RARE EXPORTS from last year, a feature length film spawned from a series of viral short films, takes a look at the darker side of Santa mythology. A boy and his father feel the consequences of the archaeological dig when they uncover an ancient burial mound. Could the stranger found in their wolf trap have something to do with the rash of disappearances of the local children?
All this plus an appearance by Virtual Mark,witty banter between friends, rock 'n roll music, glitchy Skype noise, a flaming Yule log,Nerd News, DVD & Blu-ray releases, and so much more!
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, , Stitcher, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain precious nutrients from your love and support.
We're kicking off 2012 with playful secrets and varying audio quality!
We're foregoing the Nerd News and DVDs this week to run down our top 5 films of 2011. We also talk about our most hated 2011 films. Then it's on to the old fashioned movie reviews you're used to.
First up is the 2008 documentary "Rock-afire Explosion," about the mechanical animals from Showbiz Pizza and the adults who love them. Much like the subjects of this film, we relish in nostalgia concerning our favorite pizza-selling Southern robotic band from the '80s.
Next up is "Get Crazy" from 1983. Allan Arkush re-channels his "Rock & Roll High School" roots to document an effort by a bunch of wacky goofballs to put on a New Year's Eve concert. the film stars Daniel Stern, Malcolm McDowell, Electric Larry, Lee Ving, Ed Begley Jr., Lou Reed, Mary Woronov and tons more.
Finally, we immerse ourselves in '70s van culture as we take a trip to "Van Nuys Blvd." (1979). The film follows a bunch of SoCal kids as they cruise the boulevard, sunbathe at the beach, hit Magic Mountain, disco dance, get laid and be real cool. The film stars The Chooch.
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Earlier today, we caught wind of some really exciting news! Our old pals at Lunchmeat VHS Fanzine and our new pals at Camp Motion Pictures have teamed up for something really special that is sure to melt your brain. Check it out:
“THE MONSTER CHANNEL” LAUNCHES VHS SPOTLIGHT SHOW
THIS FRIDAY THE 13TH AT MIDNIGHT EST"
Fourth Castle Micromedia’s The Monster Channel, the only 24/7 interactive channel for horror fans, will launch "LUNCHMEAT VHS REWIND THEATER", spotlighting 1980s shot-on-video VHS horror, Friday night January 13 at midnight EST.
Hosted by JOSH SCHAFER, the editor in chief of LUNCHMEAT MAGAZINE, the fanzine for VHS aficionados, the series will feature selections from Camp Motion
"Beauty Queen Butcher" (1990) and "Ghoul School" (1990).
Links to purchase or download these and other Camp Motion Pictures titles will
run concurrently during the screenings.
Viewers can interact with hundreds of fellow fans in the embedded chatroom during the film, a feature unique to The Monster Channel.
LUNCHMEAT VHS REWIND THEATER premieres this Friday night, January 13th at 12 midnight (EST), only on www.monsterchannel.tv. The films, including the entire Camp, Pop Cinema and Alternative Cinema catalog, can be downloaded or purchased at www.alternativecinema.com
And if you need more LUNCHMEAT VHS FANZINE in your life, well there's plenty of ways to get it! Check out lunchmeatvhs.com for all the news between issues, pick up a subscription, and get hip to their other screenings! This month, Josh will be presenting AMERICA'S DEADLIEST HOME VIDEO at the illustrious Spectacle Theater.
Also, be sure to check out Episode #27 where Josh joined us for a discussion on VHS and his pick for the show - I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE!
For more Camp Motion Picture goodness, stick Episode #88 in your earholes as we go nuts over KILLING SPREE!
Friend to man and beast, Jon Dieringer (Screen Slate, Junk Food Dinner #72) has taken the whole of Mean Streets and replaced all the music with YouTube covers. I had actually heard about this project before I physically met Jon and have been excited about it coming to fruition ever since. A wonderful way to present cinema and pop music in the hands of the public and the the people who love it. From what I've seen, this will be something you don't want to miss.
Spectacle Theater // 124 S. 3rd St. // Brooklyn, NY // Monday, January 15th // 8pm // $5
As if a podcast dedicated to cult movies wasn't nerdy enough, this week we delve into another geek pursuit; VIDEO GAMES, when we take a look at three retro gaming-themed flicks.
Up first, we travel back to a magical, fantasy world where playing video games could potentially win you the affection of scantily clad babes. It's the early 80's and video arcades are all the rage. Geeks, dweebs, fatsos, leather-clad punk rockers and fly honeys are all flocking to Bailey's Arcade and having the time of their lives playing Pac-Man, Joust, Defender and Satan's Hollow. That is, until Joe Don Baker and his cronies set out to spoil everybody's good time in the 1983 sex comedy Joysticks.
Then, a young boy (ET's Henry Thomas) obsessed with spy fantasies comes face to face with the real McCoy when he witnesses a secret agent murdered by evil spies. But before the agent bites the dust, he gives the boy an Atari cartridge filled with top secret information. Now the boy is on the run and must rely on the help of his imaginary friend Jack Flack (Dabney Coleman), his real friend Kim and his dad (also Coleman) to bring down the the evil super spy Rice (Michael Murphy) who is after him in the surprisingly violent kids' movie Cloak & Dagger from 1984.
And finally, Fred Savage'll be damned if he sees his mildly autistic brother Jimmy put in a home. His solution? Run away to California! But along the way he teams up with Jenny Lewis and realizes his brother kicks major butt at Nintendo games. With their parents, bounty hunters and bratty video aces on their tale the three kids make their way to the video game championships in the late 80's nostalgia-dripping, 90 minute Nintendo commercial The Wizard from 1989.
All this plus witty banter between friends, rock 'n roll music, glitchy Skype noise, Nerd News, DVD & Blu-ray releases, and so much more!
Got a movie suggestion for the show, want to give your opinion on a movie we talked about or just want to tell us we suck? Drop us a line at JFDPodcast@gmail.com. Or leave us a voicemail: 347-746-JUNK (5865).
Also, if you like the show, please take a minute and subscribe and/or comment on us on iTunes, Stitcher, Blubrry or Podfeed.net. We gain high scores from your love and support.
A few episodes back we told you about the latest piece of Japanese absurdity from director Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl, RoboGeisha, Mutant Girls Squad) impossibly titled Zonbi asu or Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead.
Rumor has it that the producer of the film, Tadayoshi Kubo, gave Iguchi free reign to plunge deep within the weirdest corridors of his imagination for Zombie Ass and that's exactly what he did. Not surprisingly Iguchi cast long-time muse and adult video star Asami as Megumi, a pretty, young karate student who is wracked with guilt over the suicide of her sister Ai, who was tormented by high school bullies. She accompanies a group of older friends on a trip into the woods (there's smart girl Aya, her druggie boyfriend Tak, big-boobed model Maki, and nerdy Naoi). Things start to go badly when Maki finds a parasitical worm inside a fish they catch - and wolfs it down alive, in the hope that it'll help keep her skinny! And then, the group is attacked by a crowd of poop-covered zombies (!) who emerge from an outhouse toilet. The group seeks refuge at the home of strange Dr. Tanaka and his daughter Sachi. But unbeknownst to them, Tanaka has been conducting experiments on the parasites - and the zombies! - and has another fate in mind for the five strangers from the city. What's the connection between the parasites and the undead? And can Megumi's karate alone help them escape, or will she have to rely on the liberating power of farts to save the day?
Recently a trailer has been posted online for this giant ball of gross-out perversion and fans of Iguchi's brand of lunacy will likely revel in it's over-the-topness. For everyone else, it's probably best just to steer clear.
Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead trailer (NSFW, although most of the good stuff has been blocked out):
While visiting New York, Matt D of Forbidden Planet turned me on to this excellent 'zine called I Love Bad Movies published by Matt Carman and Kseniya Yarosh.
