The Bloody Pit

Rod Barnett

Eclectic Cult Film Discussion

  1. 4 days ago

    232 - TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE (1962)

    Among the hidden European cult cinema subgenres, the German Western is one of the least well explored outside of its country of origin. While every film fanatic could list off his favorite Italian westerns most would give a blank stare when quizzed about the German variety. The most successful German Westerns are the adaptations of adventure novels by 19th-century author Karl May. These films usually feature Winnetou, a noble Apache chief, and Old Shatterhand, his white American scout blood brother. In the hopes of drawing attention to these fine movies we present this episode focused on the first big budget Karl May western adaptation from 1962. Author Holger Haase joins me to dig up the TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE! Unlike many of the dozen or more follow up films in the series, it is available with an excellent English dub making it easy for new American audiences to absorb it. The film rewards the viewer with glorious widescreen color vistas that put many similar productions of the times to shame. The movie introduces Lex Barker as Old Shatterhand and Pierre Brice as Winnetou setting the successful series on its way even as it mangles and twists the source material into shapes more pleasing to the big screen than the printed page. It is an hour and forty-five minutes of action, gunfights, chases with villainy provided by the dastardly Herbert Lom as a murderous bandit intent on gaining the titular treasure. We discuss numerous aspects of the film, take a trip through a lengthy plot synopsis and make fun of a few oddities that German audiences would not have noticed. It’s a fun time! If you have any comments about this film or German westerns in general thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for listening.

    2h 6m

  2. 14 May

    231 - TRUCK TURNER (1974)

    John Hudson and I take on a classic Blaxploitation film!   TRUCK TURNER (1974) stars the great Isaac Hayes as the titular character, a modern-day bounty hunter in Los Angeles. Along with his partner he tracks down people for bail bondsmen which is a far more dangerous job than you might expect. Sadly, this is the only lead role Hayes was ever afforded and it was offered to him so the producers could also get him to provide the film’s score. Luckily for fans, he handles both creative opportunities well. In fact, I find the music he supplies for this film to be superior to his Oscar winning SHAFT score. Check it out and let us know what you think. There has been an ongoing conversation about the best Blaxploitation films for decades but nearly every fan will put this film in their top five. It plays like a western set in the 1970’s with bad guys getting their comeuppance in suitable, violent ways. The story is fast paced and exciting with plenty of colorful characters peppering the trail Truck follows while dealing with scumbags. The film was originally written for a very different cast in mind but, once the change was made, the collaborative spirit of the production made for a satisfying film. Besides Hayes as Mack ‘Truck’ Turner the cast is stacked with excellent character actors such as Scatman Crothers, Charles Cyphers, Dick Miller, Sam Lewis and a brilliant villain role for the great Yaphet Kotto. Plus, if you ever wondered what it would be like to see Lt. Uhura from Star Trek whip a stable of prostitutes into line, this is your chance. Whew! If you have any comments about this movie or any other film we’ve covered on the show thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. Thank you for listening and we’ll be back soon.

    1hr 22min

  3. 23 Apr

    230 - DESTINY (1944)

    DESTINY (1944) is easily among the most hidden cinema efforts of the 1940’s. It has had no legitimate video release of any kind and hasn’t been shown on television in decades which means it is difficult to find and nearly impossible to stumble across. We consider that a shame because the higher quality elements of the film are well worth seeing. Constructed from a discarded segment of an anthology of supernatural tales and paired with newly shot noirish footage to bring it up to feature length it is an odd viewing experience. Join Troy Guinn and I as we discuss the film’s high points and odd plotting choices while marveling at the amazing work done in final act of the story. We talk a bit about the actors with some time spent on the familiar faces from Universal’s roster of supporting thespians. The film’s attempt to craft a story to use the existing footage is pulled apart and examined for its various flaws including the evolution of the main character from dopey patsy to murderer and rapist. We stare longingly into the sightless eyes of the lovely Gloria Jean and wonder how such a perceptive young woman could miss noticing the obvious louse that blunders into her home. And while both of us wish the story had remained in FLESH & FANTASY (1943) where it belongs, we would still pay good money to see a crisp Blu-Ray of this strange effort to salvage money the studio had already spent. What do you think of DESTINY (1944)? Drop us a note at thebloodypit@gmail.com with any comments or suggestions. Thanks for listening!

    1hr 18min

  4. 5 Mar

    229 - BLACK DRAGONS (1942)

    David Annandale and I walk back down Poverty Row just after the attack on Pearl Harbor to watch one of the most confusing and strange attempts at wartime propaganda a low budget studio could produce. BLACK DRAGONS (1942) has Bela Lugosi as a mysterious, menacing man who seems to be on a mission of revenge. But what does he have to do with the corpses that keep popping up on the steps of the Japanese embassy in Washington? Will FBI agent Clayton Moore be able to figure things out or will he spend his time chasing Joan Barclay around her uncle/father’s house until all the characters are dead? And how does David find a way to link Christopher Nolan and Bela Lugosi? Listen and learn! BLACK DRAGONS is probably the oddest of the nine films Lugosi made for Poverty Row film producers and certainly the one with the most unintentionally funny dialog. Just as it was about to go into production the decision was made to shoehorn in topical plot elements ripped from the headlines. This means that the original reason behind events in the script has been lost leaving bits of their probable supernatural nature flapping around in the film. This is the only explanation I can imagine for the never addressed ability of Lugosi’s Monsieur Colomb to seemingly teleport in and out of moving taxicabs! But David has an interesting take on the film as a bizarre treatise on the subject of ‘acting’ both onscreen and within the structure of the story. His idea is a bold way to look at the picture as a whole and certainly makes it more entertaining as you try to figure out what the hell is happening at any point in the film’s hourlong running time. Rarely has such a barely planned collection of quirks and gaffs been so mesmerizing! If you have any comments about this movie or any other film we’ve covered on the show thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. Thank you for listening and we’ll be back soon.

    1hr 28min

  5. 19 Feb

    228 - Bits and Pieces

    The best laid plans of mice and me are often undermined by circumstance. In this case I was unable to arrange events to record a new episode of the show for February so I had to come up with a backup plan. I have stitched together a few of my Patreon audio pieces from the past two years for a brief bit of movie discussion to tide you over. I start with an obscure British monster film with one of the most ridiculous explanations for the murderous creature in the history of horror. I move on to ramble about the TV version of NEEDFUL THINGS (1993) and how I cannot be satisfied! Then I wrap up things with an extended evisceration of the Children of the Corn film series that poses the question ‘Are any of these any good at all’? I hope you enjoy these bits from my Patreon and if you want access to more than a hundred more such babble fests you can hand over $3 and check it out HERE. Thank you for listening and we’ll be back with fresh movie talk in March.

    1hr 4min

  6. 28 Jan

    227 - SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967)

    SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967) has been hidden from view for decades. Locked away in a South Korean film vault since its original release and unseen by giant monster fans outside of rare Seoul screenings, it qualifies as a newly recovered cinematic experience. But is it a movie that stands honorably next to the other giant monster movies of the 1960’s? Does it even compare well with 1967’s other Korean rampaging monster film, YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP? Mark Maddox and I have thoughts. Exasperated thoughts.  We discuss the film is painful detail and spoil it from head to toenail. We both suspect that one of the many reasons the movie wasn’t distributed outside its home country is that, unlike YONGARY, it was shot in black & white. Of course, the fact that the film looks like it had a $50 budget would have also mitigated against anyone wanting to give it a chance. Or spend the money for an English dub! The tone of the film is a strange combination of pre-marital anxiety and childish comedy sequences that play like poor improv bits. I argue that one of the few positive elements is the usually irritating punk kid character simply because he actually factors into the fight against the mildly destructive giant monster. His climb inside the ear canal of the creature is a unique sequence in these kinds of movies and is the best reason to see this below average example of the genre. Our advice is to not expect a forgotten classic and go with the flow. Luckily (?) it is available on YouTube so you can witness the madness.  If you have any comments about this movie or any other film we have covered on the show thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. Thank you for listening.

    2h 10m

  7. 8 Jan

    226 - 2025 Look Back!

    We start 2026 with a new kind of episode – a look back at our favorite first views of 2025. Several requests for an annual wrap-up of this type came in, so I recruited John Hudson and Troy Guinn to provide a personal top five list for last year. The idea was to speak a bit about movies that we caught for the first time in the year regardless of when they were released. This allows us to talk about a number of mostly newer movies but some unexpected classics also show up as part of the discussion.   For the most part Troy and John stuck to the assignment as stated with only a couple of honorable mentions added to their list of five. But I came with a list that stretched toward twenty and I feel no shame! I saw a lot of movies last year and, although there were a number of clunkers, I was pretty pleased with 2025. Let the debating begin!   If you want to add your two cents or top five thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. We have a number of interesting movies up for episodes this year and we hope you enjoy the cinema paths we plan to tread. Thanks for listening!

    1 hr

  8. 18/12/2025

    225 - WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO (1971)

    December brings our new Holiday Horror episode with John Hudson and Troy Guinn dropping in to hang the mistletoe. This year we examine the Christmas time tale WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO (1971) starring Shelly Winters and a host of British character actors. It turns out I am the only member of our trio who had watched this film before 2025 opening up a number of questions about why Troy chose it! Privileges may need to be rescinded.  A major part of our discussion revolves around director Curtis Harrington’s memories of the movie and its cast. After years of holding my tongue, I finally air my complaints about his rather plodding directorial style and point to a scene that I feel needed a different sensibility behind the camera. Actors Micheal Gothard, Lionel Jefferies, Hugh Griffith and Ralph Richardson are dutifully admired with each adding unique flavors to this very odd holiday dinner. The stand out child actors are given their due with a prominent face from the 1970 version of SCROOGE making all of us fantasize about ending Tiny Tim’s life. We also marvel that unlike what is usually expected from the ‘hag horror’ genre Winters’ character isn’t a mean-spirited villain but instead a grief crippled mother too susceptible to conmen in her life. And then we debate the relative evil of the two main child characters with me leaning toward innocence more than malice. This is something best left to each viewer to decide on their own, methinks!  If you have any comments about this year’s Holiday Horror or possible choices for the next thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. We hope everyone has a great end of year celebration and we will be back soon with a short episode about our favorite films of 2025.

    1hr 31min
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About

Eclectic Cult Film Discussion

Information

  • Creator
    Rod Barnett
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2012 Rodney Barnett. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Bloody Pit

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