Vintage Signage 5

Boulevard Bowl, Schenectady, NY.

Vintage Signage 4

Brandywine Diner, Schenectady, NY.

Vintage Signage 3

Bonnie View Motel, Bolton Landing, NY.

Vintage Signage 2

Motel, Colonie, NY.

Vintage Signage: Hi-Speed Car Wash

Hi-Speed Car Wash, western Albany, NY.

Twisted Sex Vol. 1

Reportedly the favorite series of founder Mike Vraney, Something Weird Video's Twisted Sex trailer compilations form the ultimate collection of sleazy, weird, and amusing clips, many for movies which have yet to surface. Chateau Vulgaria will be taking a detailed look at all 22-and-counting volumes, noting where to find these strange films, and bringing to attention the ones that haven't been located. Fortunately SWV themselves have released many of these films on VHS and DVD. All titles listed are trailers unless otherwise noted. Corrections and additional info are appreciated.

TWISTED SEX VOL. 1
1993?, 104m1s
1. THE IMMORAL (Sweden: 1965, Joseph Brenner Associates Inc.) Little dialogue, it's sold as a provocative adult drama, with fleeting nudity. Unreleased on VHS or DVD.
2. STEFANIA (Greece: 1966, Chancellor Films: 1968, Greek PAL VHS: Finos Films) Energetic reform school drama with lesbian themes.

3. STRANGE COMPULSION (1964, Manson Distributing Corp.) Looks like a sleazy peeping tom flick, with funny dialogie. A print of this was found and screened at the Finnish Film Archive in 2006, but no DVD release as of yet.
4. THE WEIRD LOVEMAKERS (Japan: 1960, Audobon Productions, VHS: Something Weird) Trailer features rape and suicide. US release of Kyonetsu no kisetsu.
5. PUSSYCATS PARADISE (1959, FDC)/A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD (1963, Ardent). A double trailer with black & white nudie stills over surf music. No info on either film is available.
6. BUNNY YEAGER'S NUDE LAS VEGAS (1964, Cinema Syndicate Inc., VHS: Something Weird) This Barry Mahon trailer consists mostly of girls posing for Bunny.
7. THE STORY OF 8 GIRLS (1965, distributor unknown) This tale of a nudie photographer is a reissue of Barry Mahon's NUDES INC. (VHS: Something Weird).
8. THE IMP-PROBABLE MR. WEE GEE (1966, American Film Distributing Corp., VHS: Something Weird) The famous photog's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he encounters beautiful women throughout Paris.
9. FORBIDDEN BEAUTIES (196?, American Film Distributing Corp.) Looks like a mondo film; it's mostly burlesque footage over Mancini-ish light jazz. Unreleased on VHS or DVD.
10. NUDES ON THE ROCKS (1963, American Film Distributing Corp.), Ridiculous time travel nudie with crusty vaudeville comedy, aka 50,000 B.C. (BEFORE CLOTHING) (VHS/DVD: Something Weird); hosted by a busty European blonde.
11. SATAN'S BED (1965, Prometheus Ventures, Sam Lake Enterprises, VHS/DVD: Something Weird) The infamous roughie with Yoko Ono, features gang rape, lesbians, and a hypo scene.
12. MME OLGA'S MASSAGE PARLOR (1965, American Film Distributing Corp.). "Would rival the death chambers of Genghis Khan." This Joseph Mawra film with B&D is considered lost, though clips appeared in his MONDO OSCENITA.
13. CENSORED (1965, Cinema Syndicate Inc., VHS: Something Weird) Barry Mahon film with white slavery, rape, dismemberment, and torture.
14. GOOD TIME WITH A BAD GIRL (1967, Sack Amusement Enterprises, VHS: Video Dimensions, VHS/DVD: Something Weird) More Barry Mahon: Vegas cowboys and creepy nude close-ups, lesbians, and a tame five-some (!).
15. MY BODY HUNGERS (1967, Haven International Pictures, VHS: Alpha Blue Archives, Something Weird) Joe Sarno film with rape and lesbianism in the lives of suburbanites.
16. THE HOOKERS (1967, American Film Distributing Corp., VHS/DVD: Something Weird) Includes a vile, racist rape scene.
17. VAPORS (1963, distributor unknown, VHS: Something Weird) Andy Milligan's famous gay short is promoted here with silent stills.
18. I WAS A MAN (1967, Sack Amusement Enterprises) A print of this Barry Mahon hermaphrodite drama exists and was screened at the Finnish Film Archive in 2006, but no DVD release as of yet.
19. THE TOMCAT (UK: 1967, Joseph Brenner Associates Inc.: 1968) US release of MINI WEEKEND. No video or DVD release that I know of for this tale of a London stud, though it has been screened as recently as 2003.
20. ALL WOMAN (1967, Joseph Brenner Associates Inc.) "A bold look at Freudian realism." The one film, a kooky-looking drama, from TV actor Frank Warren, it has yet to turn up.
21. SUBMISSION (1969, Chancellor Films, VHS/DVD: Something Weird) With lesbianism and full-frontal nudity.
22. THE WARM, WARM BED (1968, WGB, VHS: Something Weird) A Barry Mahon film; very short trailer, maybe incomplete.
23. RIDE THE WILD PINK HORSE (1966, Chancellor Films) No known release for this dreamy Joe Sarno film, featuring ritualistic group sex and infidelity; narrator has a French accent.
24. THE KING (1968, American Film Distributing Corp., VHS: Something Weird) Trailer hyperbole is in rhyming poetry form, includes threesomes and a lesbian in a Nixon mask!
25. WATCH THE BIRDIE (1965, American Film Distributing Corp., VHS: Something Weird) Richard B. Shull drowns a women in a toilet.
26. MY THIRD WIFE GEORGE (1968, J.E.R. Pictures Inc., Monique Productions, VHS/DVD-R: Something Weird) Kerwin brothers sex comedy.
27. GIRLS COME TOO (1968, Jerand Film Distributors Inc., VHS: Something Weird) Irving Klaw nudie cutie features buck naked men and women playing various sports; with Morganna and Silver Dawn.
28. THE ORGY OF THE GOLDEN NUDES (1964, Manson Distributing Corp.) A version of HONEYMOON OF HORROR (VHS/DVD-R: Sinister Cinema) with inserts featuring Gigi Darlene. No print of this variant has turned up.
29. SEXTET (1964, Thunderbird International Pictures) Soft X feature with orgies, gang rape, and murder. Unreleased on VHS or DVD.
30. TASSLE-A-GO-GO (19??, distributor unknown) Just a series of tittie-twirling shots set to surf/beat rave-ups. Don't know if it's a trailer or a clip, as there are no credits. Unreleased on VHS or DVD if it is a feature.
31. FANNY HILL MEETS LADY CHATTERLEY (1967, Chancellor Films) This Barry Mahon flick, with two literary ladies getting it on, has yet to turn up on video or disc, though a video copy was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 1990 by Barry Mahon Productions.
32. THE LIBERTINE (Italy: 1968, Audobon Productions, VHS: First Run Features) US release of the sophisticated Le Matriarca, with Catherine Spaak and Jean-Louis Trintigant.
33. CAMILLE 2000 (Italy: 1969, Audobon Productions, DVD: Image). The Radley Metzger film with Danièle Gaubert and Sylvia Venturelli.
34. FANNY HILL MEETS THE RED BARON (1969, Chancellor Films) Another Barry Mahon Fanny Hill flick that hasn't seen the light of day, though it also was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 1990 by Barry Mahon Productions. With lesbian scenes.
35. 2 (1968, Chevron Pictures, VHS: Something Weird) American version of Jag--en kvinna, the sequel to I, A WOMAN.
36. FUEGO (Argentina: 1969, Haven International Pictures, VHS/DVD: Something Weird) Hot Latin tempers flare and lesbians go at it; with the luscious Isabel Sarli.
37. THE BRUTES (West Germany: 1970, Joseph Brenner Associates Inc.) US release of Mädchen... nur mit Gewalt, aka CRY RAPE. Features a pair of serial rapists. Haven't found info on a video or disc release under any title, though the copyright was registered in 1986 to Brenner under both English titles.
38. A WEEKEND WITH STRANGERS (1974, distributor unknown) Encounter group melodrama with threesomes and lesbian scenes. Unreleased on VHS or DVD.
39. BAD GIRLS (Italy: 1972, William Mishkin Motion Pictures, Inc.: 1975, VHS: CineHollywood ([Greece], Monterey, Svenska Walthers, Toho) US release of giallo Rivelazioni di un maniaco sessuale al capo della squadra mobile; with Farley Granger and Sylva Koscina. [Update from Chris Poggiali: BAD GIRLS was a re-titling of THE SLASHER...IS THE SEX MANIAC! I have a one-sheet of this under the BAD GIRLS title, and it's just THE SLASHER... sheet with a "Bad Girls" sticker slapped over the original title. Monterey released it on video as simply THE SLASHER. U.S. distributor William Mishkin later added hardcore footage with Harry Reems, Tina Russell and others and released it as PENETRATION.]
40. THE GIRL GRABBERS (1968, August Films, VHS: Something Weird) Featuring a Greenwich Village bordello.
41. WOMEN FOR SALE (1969, Independent International Pictures: 1975) US release of Die Jungen Tiger von Hongkong. Unreleased on VHS or DVD.
42. THE RAPE KILLER (Greece: 1974, Joseph Brenner Associates Inc.: 1976) US release of Eglima sto kavouri (VHS: Hi-Tech [Greece]), aka DEATH KISS (VHS: Prism).

RIP Psychotronic

After 41 issues in 17 years, Psychotronic Video has called it quits. I'm sorry to see it go. I was privileged to have had two career interviews published in PV: exploitation vets John "Bud" Cardos and Gary Kent, and was hoping to do more.

Here's the text of a letter publisher Michael Weldon recently sent out:

After 17 years and 41 issues - Psychotronic is finished for now as a magazine. This very difficult decision shouldn't have taken me so long to make but I was still trying to restructure and keep going. I had been planning to publish the very overdue issue #42 (pictured on our web site) but too many things have changed. The cost of everything (especially paper, postage and gas) has risen so much in recent years that self publishing (except as a hobby) has become harder than ever. I've been writing Psychotronic movie reviews now for indy publications (mostly my own) since 1977 in Cleveland. It was a struggle to self publish in the 80s and 90s but now its nearly impossible.

When PV started (in late 89) issues were sold in many independent record, book and comic shops. Since then most of them have gone out of business. In an attempt to adapt and grow I started using more distributors to send more copies to several big national chain book stores. This works fine for high circulation glossy publications but it can be deadly for smaller lower budgeted ones. Even with a high % of sales, after returns you're lucky to break even. Meanwhile the larger distributors (including several that went bankrupt owing us large sums of money) have figured out how to alter their policies, rig their complex contracts, add in hidden costs and fees, and squeeze every penny from the publisher - just like banks, insurance companies, and credit card companies.

It gets worse every year.Last year a distributor that I had been forced to use a lawyer to collect from went bankrupt and the one I thought would replace it turned out to be even worse. I love researching, editing and writing, and plan to continue, but can simply no longer afford to publish a magazine. I stopped processing subscription orders months ago but there are a number of you who subscribed (or re-subscribed), had cards charged or check cashed and have received nothing. As soon as possible you will receive full refunds. You also could take out your credit in back issues (#41 is sold out) or other items we sell through the magazine. Just ask.

If you wonder how some other magazines that are maybe comparable to Psychotronic manage to continue - here are some reasons: Be backed by a company or corporation. Have a full time paid staff including ad sales people, bill collectors, and circulation, subscription, and shipping people. Have special insider deals with a printer. Be subsidized by a government (not the USA!). Be in full color. Have many full page full color ads.Give positive reviews to releases from advertisers. Run interviews and/or cover pictures that promote current releases (often from advertisers). Concentrate on and promote current releases. Concentrate only on nostalgia. Feature lots of nudity or gore. Have (usually unpaid) contributors write all or most of the reviews. Leave out politics and references to controversial current events. Censor swear words and anything else that might offend. Be independently wealthy and not care about profits and loss. Be a workaholic with little or no life outside of self publishing. Sell a LOT of your own self generated products (T-shirts, public domain dupes of movies...) and/or make % deals with advertisers. Promote and sell your publication frequently at conventions. Always publish on schedule. Be extremely well organized. I'm not knocking any surviving publications. I should have used some of these policies myself. Some publications practice several. I have practiced none of them (some by choice).

I'd like to offer a brief THANK YOU for all the years of support from all of our readers, subscribers, contributors, advertisers, people and companies, who sent us review items, people, publications, radio and TV shows that promoted PV, retail outlets (except the ones that owe us money) and distributors (except the ones that owe us money). Some of you have been with Psychotronic since the original early 80s Manhattan Xerox version or my first book (1983).

Thank you for your patience and support. Michael J. Weldon - July 2006

Shock Cinema

Hurry up and run out to get the new issue of the great Shock Cinema, it's got interviews with the great William Forsythe, actor Per Oscarsson (a cranky Swede I never heard of), that-guy Gregg Henry, infamous director Matt Cimber, and director Anthony M. Lanza, plus the usual tide of super-obscure movie reviews, mostly from grey-market providers. Times are tough for independent publishers in this internet world, so show your support.

Flatstock 8

If you find yourself in Austin this month, be sure to stop by the Convention Center for a 8th bi-annual Flatstock show, which will blow your graphically-intuned mind. Dozens of poster designers, each with their own distinct style, will be there for three days to sell their wares. Learn more here:

http://www.flatstock.com/

Elevator to Heaven

I browse a lot of record collector geek web forums, and I'm on a few lists, but none of them really hone in on my specific obsessions as a whole. So, I started a Yahoo group, Elevator to Heaven; you can subscribe below. Here's the group description:

"This group is a forum for collectors of weird records, such as exploito, lounge bands, easy listening, local private press weirdos, exotica, school bands, psychedelia, crime and spy jazz, hard rock losers, etc. If you can't go for more than a few days without hitting up a thrift store for that strange, unknown gem, then this group's for you."





Click to join elevatortoheaven

Gunsho: Demonology

Artist Gunsho (of Providence) is undertaking a massive screenprinted poster project for 2006:

"The Goetia, or The Lesser Key of Solomon the King, is a handbook of astrological sorcery that gives detailed instructions for summoning and seeking the aid of its 72 demons, which it describes in detail. Its origins and age are uncertain, but it is an ancient text likely compiled from several sources.

"Gunsho is undertaking an intensive effort to recreate the 72 demons of the Goetia and other works of demonology, to be completed by the end of 2006. Each demon will be the subject of a print, and the series is to be titled DEMONOLOGY."

The first two demon prints are out, and look massive to say the least. I signed up for the whole shibbang, which while a big investment wallet-wise, will surely reward my eye sockets for years to come.

Video Watchblog

I picked up the first issue of Video Watchdog from the old Fantaco store in Albany (RIP) and haven't missed an issue since. (It's been what, 16 years?!) Publisher/editor Tim Lucas is one of those writers who is such a pleasure to read that I would search out all his messages on the various boards he's posted to. He used to moderate a short-lived board on AOL that was a thrill to check on every day, and his messages on the Mobius board are always worth reading, though the latest incarnation is unsearchable, so I've missed most of them.

So now there's a veritable wealth of daily doses of whatever's on his brain, via his blog, which I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in film. Check it out.

Hey Ho Let's Go

Welcome to Chateau Vulgaria, where we'll share obscure stimuli for all your brain-food needs, usually of an uncultivated and even prurient nature.

Let's gets some links out of the way. You can find lots of hard-to-find and forgotten movies and clips at my Gravedigger Video site, also where I store a long list of discographies, mostly budget and custom labels. I also have something called the Newspaper Movie Ad Archive, where you'll find old movie and nightclub ads.

If you want to spend a few straight weeks looking at cutting-edge posters (the design medium I personally think is pushing the art the hardest), immediately go to gigposters.com, where you'll find all the posters you can afford (time or money).