Comments on: “Holy Bananas! It’s a girl’s leg!”

By: Rel

Rel — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:03:50 +0000

Brad Grinter. I know the man’s name is Brad. Why did I type Ed?

Well Reverend, I took your advice and you know – I rather liked 2,000 Maniacs. It was strangely effective, particularly the closing sequence with the reveal of the monument and the Maniacs fading away in the dawn.

I also watched 2,001 Maniacs. That was not so effective, and it made me wonder. In terms of content the two films aren’t miles apart, but the seat-of-the-pants cheapness of the original has a charm that the remake’s patina of slickness simply can’t match for some reason. How does raising the technical adeptness result in a less satisfying film? Maybe there’s less sincerity to it, somehow? I don’t know.

Still, Maniacs is no Blood Freak, and I think (having read Mr. Peteresen’s review) that’s due to the fact that Lewis knew he was making cheap exploitation fare: I’m convinced that Grinter had no idea how insane what he was doing was.

By: lyzard

lyzard — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:49:39 +0000

Too right, cobber! Stone the bleedin’ crows!

By: MatthewF

MatthewF — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:21:49 +0000

Lyz, I take it you can’t drive because all the corks hanging off your hat are obscuring your vision?

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:31:44 +0000

The middle, no – but the suburbs.

By: lyzard

lyzard — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:48:34 +0000

Come, come, MatthewF: next you’ll be suggesting that Australia isn’t full of convicts comparing knife sizes while dodging all the kangaroos that live in the middle of the city.

By: MatthewF

MatthewF — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:31:18 +0000

But can 2000 Maniacs be as good as 2001 Maniacs? Good lord, my word, I say, that’s a jolly awful film. BTW Poirot, Miss Marple and anything with people wearing bonnets and shouting ‘Mister Darcy!’ are not actual representations of contemporary Britain.

By: El Santo

El Santo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:09:46 +0000

I haven't yet seen Blood Freak (although it beckons to me from the pile of unwatched tapes and discs beside my television), but I'd put Blood Feast up against practically anything in a duel of incompetence. Meanwhile, The Wizard of Gore's bafflement factor places it easily in the same class as Manos: The Hands of Fate, so I wouldn't rule out the possibility of it comparing favorably on that score with a movie about a pot-smoking, blood-drinking were-turkey. I suppose the question is, can Lewis be as weird as Blood Freak and as lousy as Blood Freak at the same time?

By: The Rev. D.D.

The Rev. D.D. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:43:39 +0000

Aw dammit, can someone fix my tags please? A bushel and a peck’s worth of thanks will be yours!

By: The Rev. D.D.

The Rev. D.D. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:42:48 +0000

If it comes to people using “kitteh” like that I’ll be on the front line against it with you noble defenders of the word. My inborn editor demands it. Plus, I’d actually be using my major for a change…

I already verbally assault people for saying “LOL” and “WTF” in everyday speech (barring intentional mockery or somesuch). Having said that, I find it very hard not to respond to Ms. Kingsley’s last sentence with “LOLWUT!?”

Rel–2000 Maniacs! is a much better movie than Blood Freak, as far as quality goes. I have a feeling none of HGL’s movies match the laugh factor of the latter, though. Of course, I’ve only seen two, so what the hell do I know?

(Other than the fact that, even with the turkey, Blood Freak is MUCH more fun and enjoyable than The Gore Gore Girls.)

By: Rel

Rel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:31:37 +0000

Mastery of the monocle is a mark of a true gentleman. Don’t give up.

As a Yorkshireman, I eat Parkin. Food isn’t proper food unless it’s heavier than copper.

To the point, though, I’m almost embarrased to say that I’ve never seen a Herschell Lewis film. Can he live up to the standard set by the mighty Ed Grinter’s Blood Freak?