Wednesday, July 15, 2026

DARK DREAMS (1971) **

Dark Dreams begins with a long scene where a narrator relates the history of sorcery and witchcraft to the audience while an old witch whips up a potion.  I hate to break it to you, but this is the best scene in the movie.  That’s especially disappointing considering this is a porno horror flick from the ‘70s. 

Harry Reems and Tina Russell are a couple of newlyweds who get a flat tire on the way to their honeymoon.  They seek shelter at the house of an old lady who invites them inside and immediately spikes their tea.  She then turns into a hot young blonde and seduces Harry while a guy in a black cloak shanghais Tina, takes her upstairs, and prepares her for her wedding night.  That’s just a fancy way of saying he passes her around to different men and women who bang her. 

This is one of those pornos that tries its damnedest to be a “real” movie.  It certainly looks the part as the cinematography is excellent.  That said, the way the filmmakers try to add atmosphere to the proceedings is amateurish at best.  They really overdo it with the slow-motion in some scenes, which was probably to pad out the running time more than anything else.  The “spooky” additions to the soundtrack are often laughable as some of the droning sounds like outtakes from Their Satanic Majesty’s Request.  The distortion on the witch’s chanting also makes her sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher. 

The “movie” itself isn’t very good, and that wouldn’t matter if the porno scenes were hot.  Unfortunately, it takes a good twenty minutes or so before we even get to the fucking.  While there is a handful of sex scenes, it feels like there’s more foreplay than actual penetration in them.  Ultimately, the hardcore inserts are way too brief to make much of a difference one way or another.  It also doesn’t help that the movie just sort of peters out at the end.  The sole redeeming scene features Reems and a Satanic chick playing with whipped cream.  However, the fact that the enchanting Russell is more or less wasted compounds the overall feeling of frustration. 

MITCH’S NEW BOOK—THE VIDEO VACUUM STRIKES BACK!—COMING SOON!

Hey everyone,

I guess you’ve noticed I haven’t been posting a lot lately.  That’s mostly because I have been busy preparing my latest book, The Video Vacuum Strikes Back! for publication.  I am currently in the final proofing stages, and it should be ready to order from Amazon in mid-August.

For those keeping track, this will be my seventh collection of movie reviews.  Strikes Back will contain about 98% brand-new reviews and will complete a loose trilogy that began with The Best (and Worst) of the Video Vacuum and continued with Revenge of the Video Vacuum.  It contains a hodgepodge of reviews featuring actors, directors, and movie franchises that include (and are not limited to) “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Bill Paxton, Jim Wynorski, Orson Welles, and the films from the Witchcraft and Curse series.

Keep an eye peeled on this space for more updates!

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL #3: SEXY GIRLS, SEXY GUNS (1987) ***

 

Remember the video featuring sexy girls shooting guns that Samuel L. Jackson is watching in Jackie Brown?  I think this is where Quentin Tarantino got the inspiration from.  Heck, this might even be where The Cramps got their inspiration for “Bikini Girls with Machine Guns”. 

Apparently, the first two volumes in the Rock ‘n’ Roll series had men shooting various types of guns.  The filmmakers must’ve got the memo that nobody wanted to see that shit, so they wisely spiced it up by putting hot girls in there instead.  The results are certainly something.  It plays like a mash-up of a bikini video centerfold and gun catalogue. 

The models, we learn, are mostly aspiring actresses and/or college students from the San Diego area.  They merely stand in the middle of the desert while firing a machine gun (along with a slow-motion replay or two) while their narration rattles off the specs of that model of weapon.  Many admit they have never held a gun let alone fired a machine gun before, which leads to some awkward moments. 

First up is Lillian, who wears a pink bikini and fires an MPK.  (“Those Germans really know how to make a machine gun!”)  Rosie wears a gold bikini while shooting an A2K MP5.  Angela appears next in a pink bikini firing the same weapon.  Then it’s Denise (“This tape will make an interesting addition to my resume!”), who wears a ripped T-shirt with leopard print thong while firing an AK-47.  Next, it’s Tani Jo firing a MAC-10 in a pink bikini.  Kathy appears afterwards firing another AK-47 while wearing a weightlifting uniform.  Rhonda is next wearing a red bathing suit and shooting another A2K MP5.  Then, it’s Julie’s turn to shoot an M-16 while wearing a black tank top and polka dot mini-skirt.  A different Kathy is next, appearing in a two-toned bathing suit and shooting an M-14.  Adrianna follows shooting an UZI in a skimpy silver bikini.  Afterwards, Tish, who wears a black bikini top and zebra striped pants, shoots an old school Tommy gun.  Lisa shows up in a lacy black number shooting a H & K G-3.  She’s followed by Ann in a sexy black bikini testing an M-16.  Dottie rounds out the tape wearing a white button up top and matching thong while rattling off an UZI. 

Some may be disappointed that there is no variety here.  The scenes of girls, guns, and factoids are all rather interchangeable.  Then again, when you have girls in bikinis firing machine guns, who needs variety?

DEATHSTALKER (2025) ****

Produced by Slash, of Guns N’ Roses fame, Deathstalker is an update of the Roger Corman classic.  The original was one of the best sword and sorcery movies of the ‘80s.  This one is even better. 

Daniel Bernhardt is the title character, a dashing rogue who scavenges battlefields for loot.  While out foraging, he stumbles upon a cursed amulet (which may have the power to bring about the end of the world) and becomes intertwined with its fate.  With the help of a diminutive wizard (voiced by Patton Oswalt), Deathstalker tries to free himself of the trinket.  Eventually, he says, what the heck, and decides to save the universe. 

They say they don’t make ‘em like they used to.  Director Steven (Leprechaun Returns) Kostanski proves them wrong.  Deathstalker is an unabashed throwback to the glory days of the ‘80s, brimming with practical effects, rubbery monsters, and lots of gore.  There are plenty of nods to the original movies, and even a reference to the immortal Sword and the Sorcerer that I’m sure fans will love. It may be a tad long at one-hundred-and-two minutes but far be it from me to complain about getting too much of a good thing.  

Bernhardt is a lot of fun in the title role.  Early in his career, he sometimes had an awkward screen presence, but that was easy to overlook because his physicality was undeniable.  Now he’s grown in leaps and bounds in front of the camera, and the role of a lovable rake fits him like a glove.  The vocal performance by Oswalt as the wizard Doodad garners plenty of laughs too. 

Some of the rubbery effects are genuinely impressive and others are bad on purpose.  It’s the deadpan acceptance of all the creatures big and small, cheap and (somewhat) expensive that make it work.  The movie doesn’t wink at the camera the way… say… Deathstalker 2 did.  This one has genuine affinity for its inhabitants, which is what makes it special.  Deathstalker’s slavish adherence to ‘80s special effects is endearing enough (I feel obliged to give any movie made in 2025 that features a scene of stop-motion skeleton warriors sword fighting Four Stars on general principles), but the knowing humor and unexpected heart make it a modern classic. 

Thursday, June 11, 2026

NAUGHTY DALLAS (1964) **

Small town girl Toni Shannon leaves her family and heads off to Dallas with dreams of becoming a dancer.  (“If I don’t get into show business, I’ll just come back home and pick cotton!”)  After spending a lot of time walking around “The Big D”, Toni eventually tries her hand at burlesque. 

Writer/director Larry (Mars Needs Women) Buchanan shot Naughty Dallas on location at a real strip club in Dallas.  It was shot silently, so the “plot” scenes are filled with long reams of narration from a narrator, Shannon, and other random characters.  People only shut their trap once the dancing finally occurs.  

Too bad many of the dance numbers are flatly filmed.  Peggy Steele is up first.  Buchanan basically plants the camera and lets the number play out.  It’s not very lively till the very end.  Up next is Jada, a vivacious redhead.  This number is a lot more energetic and at least features a little camera movement.  She’s followed by Susanna Long’s semi-comical routine where she removes about a dozen different skirts.  Then it’s the Moran Sisters, who dress like French maids.  If you’re into sisters AND French maids, then this routine is for you!  Colleen Conover is next, and her blasé attitude coupled with the constant cutaways to the leering patrons undermines the effectiveness of this sequence.  Finally, it’s Toni’s turn to shine!  Unfortunately, she gets cold feet about halfway through her performance and runs off stage.  After a pep talk from the star of the show, Kim Ataz (who does a Turkish themed dance), Toni’s confidence is restored. 

Ataz’s number is lively as it’s full of backbends and splits, but Buchanan doesn’t do her any favors by keeping the camera so far away from the stage.  Then Jada gives an encore performance, and it’s a fiery high-energy number.  If only the rest of the dances were of this caliber, Naughty Dallas could’ve been a real winner. 

The only segments with synchronized sound are the ones featuring the emcees and the burlesque comedians.  The first is a guy who plays banjo, who isn’t exactly laugh-out-loud funny, but I’ve certainly seen worse in these sorts of things. The next is a comedian who dresses like Mother Goose and does dirty rhymes.  I wonder if Andrew “Dice” Clay saw this. 

AKA:  Mondo Exotica.  AKA:  Life in the Raw.  AKA:  Naughty Cuties.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

BONE LAKE (2025) ***

It takes a lot to make this jaded movie fan’s jaw drop, but let me tell you something folks, my jaw hit the floor before the words “Bone Lake” even appeared on screen.  Like, I know you can show a lot in movies nowadays, but I didn’t know you could show… THAT.  Having said that, I must now say that once my jaw returned to its normal state, it did not drop again.  Still, as far as attention getters go, the pre-title scene is a classic. 

Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Piggosi) rent a luxurious Airbnb for a romantic getaway.  Much to their chagrin, another couple arrives claiming they have also booked the house.  At first, Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nichita) seem kind of chill, so Sage and Diego grudgingly let them share the spacious mansion.  Eventually, the interlopers begin showing their true colors as they try to manipulate the vacationers into cheating on each other.  It doesn’t take long before the couple’s “game” turns deadly. 

Bone Lake is essentially a ‘90s “From Hell” thriller with a new coat of paint.  And the color of the paint is Blood Red.  This time, the gimmick is an Airbnb from Hell.  Now, the “double booked Airbnb” is fast becoming a standard trope in Hollywood these days.  Every time I see one of these things, I just think to myself, “Y’all would’ve been just fine if you stayed at a Holiday Inn instead.” 

A movie like this that has limited locations and a small cast pretty much lives and dies by the acting.  I’m glad to report that our core four came to play.  As the uptight couple, Piggosi and Hasson kind of look like Temu versions of Pedro Pascal and Florence Pugh.  They’re pretty good too.  Roe and Nichita are also fun as the couple who are hiding a secret.   

I already mentioned the crazy opening, but the finale is no slouch either as it contains at least two showstopping kills.  Although the first and last five minutes are applause-worthy, the middle eighty minutes or so, while solid, pales in comparison as it all plays more or less like a standard thriller.  It’s those bloody bookends that make it really stand out from the rest of the pack though.  

Monday, June 8, 2026

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025) ***

The I Know What You Did Last Summer movies have always lived in the shadow of the Scream franchise.  That’s why it was no surprise that when the Scream films gained renewed traction at the box office, we received word a new Summer flick was in the works.  Like 2022’s Scream, it’s a legacy sequel that uses the same title as the original. 

Five teens get high and drunk and inadvertently cause a passing car to go careening off a cliff.  They make a pact to never speak of the incident, and one year later, they begin receiving ominous messages claiming that someone knows what they did last summer.  Pretty soon, they are attacked by a killer dressed like a goth version of the Gorton’s Fisherman.  They then reach out to the survivors of the original Fisherman murders to help them survive. 

I had my guard down on this one.  I genuinely wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.  The first kill scene where a dopey dude bro is attacked with a spear gun is a lot of fun.  The moment he tried bribing the killer with cryptocurrency I knew I was in for a good time. 

Yes, I Know What You Did Last Summer ’25 is dumb fun, and exactly in that order.  The kills are solid, the body count is healthy, and the leads are mostly likable.  (Madelyn Cline and Sarah Pidgeon are the two standouts.)  I always get a kick out of the unbelievable stupidity of characters in horror movies, but this one features some next level shit.  The best moment is when a guy turns down an opportunity to have rough sex with his girlfriend so he can… charge his phone!  Wow.  Another dude gets so drunk he walks right by the killer and doesn’t even notice him.  In fact, the killer stands IN FRONT OF A STATUE, and the guy still doesn’t see him.  Most of the time in these sorts of things, the killer will hide BEHIND something, but in this one he’s like RIGHT THERE and the guy is just fucking oblivious.  Some folks just get what they deserve, I guess.  Add in the hilarious way they resort to bringing an original cast member back from the dead and one of the dopiest killer reveals in recent memory (“You shouldn’t call me crazy.  It’s SOOOO reductive!”), and you got yourself some completely brainless, but highly entertaining slasher shenanigans. 

Look, I’m not saying this is some under the radar camp classic or anything.  What I am saying is I laughed longer and harder at this movie than most actual comedies.  For me at least, that’s enough. 

Original star Jennifer Love Hewitt gets the best lines like, “Nostalgia’s overrated!  Who cares!”  The callback to the original’s iconic, “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?” is also liable to have you in stitches.  The biggest laugh though comes when Hewitt looks the new Final Girl dead in the face and asks, “WHAT DID YOU DO LAST SUMMER?!?”