Subversive Cinema

Art Hall
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Subversive Cinema

There are a lot of films out there, so it's only natural that a decent amount of strange content exists. These are the films we examine. Each week, I sit down with a guest and we take a look a one of these weird, whacky, or downright wrong cinematic entries. Each of them has something about it that makes it special — I call it the "Subversive Sauce" — and that is recipe we try to break down. Is it scientific? Absolutely not. Will you learn things you didn't know? Maybe. Might you hear about films worth checking out? Most definitely. Tune in and see what the subversion is all about!

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  1. Deadly Prey (1987)

    EPISODE 1

    Deadly Prey (1987)

    A story about survival, grenades, jean shorts, and abs. Listen in as me and my guest and fellow podcaster, Cam, zip up our jorts, sharpen our boobytrap spikes, and hunt down this film's sauce rating. Written and directed by David A. Prior (Deadliest Prey, Killzone, Jungle Assault), TV Guide called the film "a wretched Rambo ripoff," while Morning Movie Review said "Holy cow[, t]his movie is a good time." Welp, if that ain't a ringing endorsement, I dunno what is. It tells the story of Mike Danton (play by March 1984 Playgirl Man of the Month Ted Prior) who get's kidnapped by a band of mercenaries who "train" for some oblique mission by hunting civilians running for their lives. The leader of these mercs is Colonel John Hogan (played by David Campbell) who himself is at the mercy of a suited mystery man named Michaelson (played by veteran actor Troy Donahue). These mercs are training for a mission that is never explained and they all seem to be rather incompetent. Their general lack of ability will be their death knell when Danton gets free and starts picking them off one-by-one. There are oodles of s****y explosions, excessive gun cocking, and consistently bad hand-to-hand combat techniques. This movie is a rollicking good time in the trash cinema genre! The film is currently available on Amazon Prime. Check out Cam's podcast, it's a fun time! Jacked Up Review Show Podcast

    45 min
  2. Sleepaway Camp (1983)

    EPISODE 2

    Sleepaway Camp (1983)

    A story about incredibly short-shorts, kids being assholes, seemingly accepted pedophilic tendencies, and poor Mozart. Listen in as me and returning guest and horror cinephile, Sean, pull on those aforementioned '80s short-shorts, roast some s'mores, and chat about this subversive classic. Written and directed by Robert Hiltzik (Sleepaway Camp, Return to Sleepaway Camp), IGN called the film a "super fun, crazy and [...] an incredibly memorable movie," while TV Guide said it was "simply irredeemable." Hey, no one reads TV Guide any more, so what do they know?! It tells the story of traumatized and shy Angela Baker (Felissa Rose, Terrifier 2, The House that Wept Blood) and her cousin Ricky (Jonathan Tiersten, Toilet Zombie Baby Strikes Back, The House that Wept Blood) as they attend summer camp. But it is not all sun, fun, and flag football, because as soon as kids begin to bully and accost Angela, they end up dead in awful ways. Behind Angela's troubled childhood and death of her father, lie a major secret that only comes to light in the film's final moments. A secret that set audiences talking for years to come. The film is currently available on DVD & Blu-Ray, Freevee, Crackle, Peacock, Plex, Tubi, Shout! Factory TV, and Amazon Prime.

    54 min
  3. The Amazing Bulk (2012)

    EPISODE 3

    The Amazing Bulk (2012)

    A story about super powers through science, green screens, stock footage, and running in place. Listen in as me and returning guest, Chris, sit down for another choice cut recommended to me by this masochistic friend of the show. Directed by Lewis Schoenbrun (Aliens vs. Avatars, Queen Cobra) and written by Keith Schaffner (Queen Cobra, Demonoids), The Horror Times called the film "not interesting, fun, or enjoyable," while Mondo Bizzaro said "it is so terrible that it makes me laugh." Love it or hate it, you're right. This film has no in-between viewers. The only way to know which camp you land in is to watch it yourself. It tells the story of Henry "Hank" Howard (Jordan Lawson, Sunny Family Cult, The Black Prison), a young scientist toiling over the development of a super soldier serum under the supervision of a*****e General Darwin (Terence Lording, The Amazing Bulk). At the same time, Hank is schtupping Darwin's daughter, Hannah (Shevaun Kastl, Criminal Minds, Heroes). After denied Hannah's hand in marriage by douchebag Darwin, Hank decides the best way to speed along results is to make himself a test subject. He injects himself with the serum and finds that when he gets angry he turns into a tornado which then turns into a variably-sized nude, purple man-beast. This purple aberration is pursued by dopey cops, the Bulk is pursuing the evil Dr. Kantlove in his Super Mario-like castle, and all the while Darwin is pulling the strings. It's a fucking mess. The film is currently available on Tubi and VUDU. Visit Chris' YouTube channel!

    54 min
  4. Cool as Ice (1991)

    EPISODE 4

    Cool as Ice (1991)

    A story about forbidden love, casual breaking and entering, random dancing, and Dutch angles. Listen in as me and new guest, Ben, pull on our patchwork pants and overly embroidered jackets to revisit this abomination of a cinematic vehicle meant to launch Vanilla Ice into movie stardom. Luckily for society it was a spectacular failure. Directed by David Kellogg (Inspector Gadget, Lusty Liaisons II) and written by David Stenn (Girl 27, She Was Marked for Murder), the Washington Post called the film "a cross between an after-school special and MTV video," while TV Guide said the film's "premise is utterly insupportable and [Kellogg's] direction renders the choices flat." Did I watch the same movie? These reviews, though low on the Metacritic score, seem kind. This film was a dumpster fire of epic proportions, and I will die on that hill. It tells the story of a kind-of-a-jerk rapper named Johnny (Vanilla Ice) getting stuck in a small town and pursuing a local girl named Kathy (Kristin Minter, Home Alone) who is already dating a definite jerk named Nick (John Newton, Alive, Melrose Place). Ice, erm-I mean Johnny, ambles around the town chasing after the freshly-graduated from high school Kathy, while his crew deals with a kooky elderly couple who try to fix a broken motorcycle. There is random dancing, Ice rapping, a backstory involving witness protection, and a kidnapping. It's a bit of a roaming mess. Get stoned and watch this one. The film is currently available on Prime Video if you feel like burning some cash. Find and follow Ben on Instagram: @benschyan

    48 min
  5. The Wizard of Speed and Time (1988)

    EPISODE 5

    The Wizard of Speed and Time (1988)

    A story about Hollywood, a man with a dream, special effects, and UNIONS. Listen in as me and new guest, Brian, travel to Tinseltown of yesteryear with this silly, impressive, and utterly fun ode/jibe at the movie business. Written and directed by Mike Jittlov (The Wizard of Speed and Time), Time Out called the film a "bizarre and wacky conglomeration of [special effects] and fantasy slapstick," and 366 Weird Movies said "there is something genuinely charming here." I have to be honest, when Brian suggested this film I thought it was going to be wretched. I have to say that I found it to be utterly delightful. Of course, my own struggles as a filmmaker certainly play a part in how I see this film. Perhaps it might be a bit more boring and annoying to non-industry people, but listen in and see what we have to say about the experience. It tells the story of filmmaker & special effects artist Mike Jittlov (played by himself) as he struggles to get his career going. He gets a chance to produce a segment for a TV program highlighting special effects. The thing he doesn't know is that the two producers have a bet going as to whether or not he'll be able to deliver the product on time. As Mike and his friends work to make their dreams come true, they find themselves beset on all sides by impossible union rules, overly zealous law enforcement, and the tax man. This movie is zany and definitely worth a watch. The film is currently available on YouTube. Yes, you read that correct. YouTube. For FREE.

    51 min
  6. Death Spa (1988)

    EPISODE 6

    Death Spa (1988)

    A story about unitards, technology run amok, an angry ghost, and a huge liability case. Listen in as me and guest, Devon, slip on our leg warmers and pop in our jazzercise mixtape to see what's the haps with this week's flick. Directed by Michael Fischa (My Mom's a Werewolf, Crack House) and written by James Bartruff (Death Spa, What's Happening Now!) and Mitch Paradise (Death Spa, Bleacher Bums), Filmmonthly called the film "a goofy, gory, unpretentious good time," and the Lair of Filth said it "is sleazy, cheesy and bone-snappingly entertaining viewing." Yea, I agree. It's pretty silly and really fun. It tells the story of Michael Evans (William Bumiller, Species, Boat Trip) as he tries to run his sexy and popular gym, Starbodies Health Spa, while a series of mysterious injuries and deaths begin. He suspects his ex-brother-in-law, David (Merritt Butrick, Star Trek 2, Star Trek 3), and his computer system that runs the gym may be to blame. His buddy Marvin (Ken Foree, Dawn of the Dead, From Beyond) just wants to toss the ol' pigskin around and wear short-shorts. Of course, the pissed off ghost of Michael's wife, Catherine (Shari Shattuck, One Deadly Ground, Spy Hard), has her own agenda in the spa. It's goofy, violent, and just plain fun. The film is currently available on Tubi, Plex, and Prime Video.

    44 min
  7. Eraserhead (1977)

    EPISODE 7

    Eraserhead (1977)

    A story about parenthood, anxiety, a strange baby, and who the hell knows. Listen in as me and new guest, Jon, stare into the magical radiator that is this film and try to divine just what is going on here. Written and directed by seminal auteur David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive), Time Out called the film "a singular work of the imagination, a harrowing, heartbreaking plunge into the darkest recesses of the soul," while the New York Times said it was "a murkily pretentious shocker." Sounds like someone at the NY Times is butthurt they didn't make a weird movie that inspired countless filmmakers... It tells the story of Henry (Jack Nance, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) as he learns he has a premature (mutant) baby while his girlfriend/mother of his child Mary (Charlotte Stewart, Twin Peaks, Tremors) is constantly on edge. She leaves Henry to care for the child alone and he sees visions of a strange woman in his radiator. It gets much, much stranger from here. The film is currently available on HBO Max, Amazon Prime, DVD and Blu-Ray.

    51 min
  8. Trash Humpers (2009)

    EPISODE 8

    Trash Humpers (2009)

    A "story" about old people masks, breaking shit, humping shit, and doing weird shit. Listen in as me and returning guest, Chris, struggle to find the reason for this "film's" existence. Written and directed by one time indie darling Harmony Korine (Kids, Gummo), the Los Angeles Times called the film "a perverted love letter to fans of [Korine's] brand of unstable, fringe-y terror," while the New York Post said "it's about as enervating a way to waste 78 minutes as I've ever experienced." Right on, NY Post, right on. It tells the story of nothing. There is no story. It's 4 "old" people going around breaking shit and being generally antisocial. The elderly masks worn are creepy, and only one really works well. At times it is funny, at others unsettling in its realness. Overall, it is as entertaining and enticing as getting a guided tour of one's own garage in the middle of a heat wave while the stench of something dead hangs in the air. The film is currently available on DVD. If you want to hunt it down, you can find it.

    29 min
See All Season 3 (20)

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About

There are a lot of films out there, so it's only natural that a decent amount of strange content exists. These are the films we examine. Each week, I sit down with a guest and we take a look a one of these weird, whacky, or downright wrong cinematic entries. Each of them has something about it that makes it special — I call it the "Subversive Sauce" — and that is recipe we try to break down. Is it scientific? Absolutely not. Will you learn things you didn't know? Maybe. Might you hear about films worth checking out? Most definitely. Tune in and see what the subversion is all about!

Information

  • Creator
    Art Hall
  • Episodes
    63
  • Seasons
    3
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 Art Hall
  • Show Website
    Subversive Cinema

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