BAD MOVIE MONDAY: ABSURD (1981)

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ABSURD is a 1981 Italian slasher movie directed by the legendary Joe D’Amato. It stars George Eastman, Annie Belle, and Edmund Purdom. It was initially written as a sequel to ANTHROPOPHAGUS but, as the legend goes, they rewrote the script when Eastman thought the original was terrible. That’s the “official” narrative, which I personally think is a load of horseshit. My two cents? Slasher movies were pulling in big numbers and the producers, after smelling money the way sharks smell blood, decided to rip off John Carpenter. Literally. There are a bunch of scenes in this film that, while not totally ripped off from Halloween 1 and 2, are close enough that I’m shocked D’Amato wasn’t sued.
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Streaming Sundays: ‘Interview With The Vampire’ Is One Of The Best Retellings Of A Classic Tale

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AMC+ released their new television adaptation of Interview with the Vampire, and it is a worthy addition to Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles canon.

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The Bootleg Files: Hey, Nanny Nanny

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BOOTLEG FILES 817: “Hey, Nanny Nanny” (1933 short starring Clark and McCullough).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.

Question: What is the funniest movie that you never saw? The answer could be “Hey, Nanny Nanny,” a 1933 short starring the comedy team of Bobby Clark and McCullough.
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BAD MOVIE MONDAY: TRUTH OR DARE? A CRITICAL MADNESS (1986)

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TRUTH OR DARE? A CRITICAL MADNESS is a 1986 slasher film directed by Tim Ritter. Its first twenty minutes or so began as a segment in an anthology called “Twisted Illusion” released the year before. It is… not good. The plot holes are… huge. The acting is… a disaster. The direction… I can’t even tell you what the hell was going on there. What I’m trying to say is that this was very nearly the worst movie I have ever personally suggested for Bad Movie Monday, and I’ve suggested a lot of howlers. Which, of course, means it was the BEST movie I ever suggested. So prepare yourselves if you decide to ever watch this for yourselves. This was a hell of a ride.
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The Bootleg Files: All-Star Party for Lucille Ball

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BOOTLEG FILES 816: “All-Star Party for Lucille Ball” (1984 television special with an extraordinary A-list line-up).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.

When I was watching the 1984 television special “All-Star Party for Lucille Ball,” the same thought kept rotating through my mind: they don’t make them like this anymore. Not only is today’s televised entertainment so completely devoid of the level of star power that was gathered for this one-shot offering, but the feel-good quality and genuine sincerity that permeated the production offers a reminder that there was a time (not so long ago) when broadcast television was a genuinely friendly place to visit.
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