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Category Archives: Arrow Films
The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire (1971)
Watched this a week ago and I’ve already forgotten most of it. The puzzling Dublin setting, convoluted plotting – even by classic giallo standards – and ludicrous finale certainly give it oddball selling points though. Big fan of movies that … Continue reading
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Trapped Alive (1988)
One of those 80’s slasher Frankensteins which feels like a montage of scenes from other movies, just re-cast and re-shot for a quick VHS payout. Still, there’s enough disjointed what-the-fuckery to make it a worthy film of its kind, now … Continue reading
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The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (1970)
A textbook Ernesto Gastaldi-penned, pre-Argento giallo being that it is far more interested in mystery, intrigue and eroticism than poking your eyeballs out with visceral murder set-pieces. It’s still somewhat kinky though, with lead beauty Dagmar Lassander getting embroiled with … Continue reading
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The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (1988)
Anyone unfamiliar with Vincent Ward – perhaps best known as the initial director for Alien 3 – do yourself a favour and check out his first film Vigil; one of the muddiest, psychotronic art-dirges I’ve seen. The Navigator is his follow-up, which is equally tactile … Continue reading
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The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1971)
Just flat-out one of the greatest debut films ever made. Within the first ten minutes of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage you know you’re in the hands of a born filmmaker. The use of wide-shots in relation to a flurry of … Continue reading
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Phenomena (1985)
When I first watched Phenomena a few years ago I found it to be one of Argento’s weakest movies, and while I still hold that opinion to a certain extent, I vastly underestimated the replay value of its set-pieces and design. As … Continue reading
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Black Mama, White Mama (1973)
Let’s be honest, seeing a bunch of sexy women rip each other’s clothes off behind bars certainly has its appeals but it only gets you so far. Nevertheless, Black Mama, White Mama contains some of my favourite things in movies; Pam Grier, … Continue reading
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Brain Damage (1988)
One of the great pleasures of the movies is that moment when you see something so singular and bizarre that you actually laugh out loud and ask yourself “what the fuck am I watching?” I live for those moments. Frank Henenlotter’s entire … Continue reading
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Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)
Oblivion is the most unusual entry in the Phantasm series and it’s an easy one to write off. Faced with increasingly limited budgets and an uphill struggle to get an epic Roger Avary-penned sequel (Phantasm’s End/Phantasm 1999) financed, Coacarelli decided to scramble together … Continue reading
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Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)
Following a dalliance with major-studio funding and distribution courtesy of Universal for Phantasm II, Coscarelli returned to independent financing and a smaller canvas for his second sequel which arrived six years later. With Phantasm III, horror’s weirdest franchise becomes even more of … Continue reading
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"This Film Should Be Played Loud" 