CBS LATE MOVIE: Deal of the Century (1983)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Deal of the Century was on the CBS Late Movie on January 20 and June 16, 1989. Eddie Muntz (Chevy Chase) is selling rifles, mines and cassette-tape-player guns to small countries for a major weapons company. He gets shot in the foot — that’s what happens when you sell to both sides — and is disillusioned […]
Sizzlin’ Summer of Subterranean Psychotronica 2026: Possibly In Michigan (1983)
Week 11 (Aug 30 – Sept 5) – Lost in the Static: SOV Horror Directed by Women: I dunno about you, but I wanna see more ladies directing gory, fucked-up SOV horror! Obviously this isn’t everything that’s out there, it’s just the ones discussed in Rachel Herb-Neterer’s book “Lost in the Static: The Untold Stories of Shot-On-Video […]
Sizzlin’ Summer of Subterranean Psychotronica 2026: Goodbye 42nd Street (1983)
Week 9 (Aug 16 – 22) – Cinema of Transgression: “none shall emerge unscathed” -Nick Zedd Acting as an unflinching, guerrilla-style love letter and farewell card to Manhattan’s most infamous thoroughfare, Richard Kern’s short film plunges headfirst into the chaotic, neon-drenched underbelly of early-1980s Times Square. The picture captures a relentless, documentarian drift down 42nd Street, interspersing raw […]
CULT EPICS 4K UHS and BLU-RAY RELEASE: The Key (1983)
Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Venice in 1940 during World War II, The Key explores the intricate and transgressive psychological dynamics of an aging couple. Art professor Nino (Frank Finlay) realizes he can no longer satisfy his younger, passionate wife, Teresa (Stefania Sandrelli), the way she desires. Instead of letting jealousy take over, Nino […]
Sybil Danning’s Adventure Video: Rush (1983)
Tonino Ricci was a madman who would direct anything placed in front of him, and this time he got his hands on a script by the legendary Tito Carpi (Warriors of the Wasteland and Escape from the Bronx). Here, he’s basically taking the DNA of Max Rockatansky and mixing it with John Rambo to make a tasty […]
Sybil Danning’s Adventure Video: Fireback (1983)
If you dig deep enough into the trenches of exploitation movies, you eventually find yourself watching Filipino action cinema. Directed by the prolific Teddy Page (working under his own name alongside his Teddy Chiu moniker), Fireback is a relentless blast of custom weaponry, wild pacing and pure cinematic adrenaline. The narrative kicks off in the […]
Sizzlin’ Summer of Subterranean Psychotronica 2026: Gold Pencil and Alien Boy (1983)
Week 6 (July 26 – Aug 1) – Generic Cartoon Tapes “Every day is Saturday Morning at this Jo-Ann Fabric. Every space is liminal in Sylvester’s head (hand-drawn for PS1)” – Scumbalina A young boy discovers a mysterious extraterrestrial visitor, and this alien, imbued with unique cosmic abilities, forms an immediate, telepathic bond with him. Is this E.T.? […]
CULTPIX MONTH: The Bleeder (1983)
The Rock Cats, an all-girl hair metal ensemble, are touring the Swedish countryside in a van that probably smells like stale Oppigårds Golden Ale and Aquanet. When their engine gives up the ghost near a decaying manor, they do what any rational slasher protagonists do: they break in. In real life, I ask you to […]
VISUAL VENGEANCE BLU-RAY RELEASE: Born A Ninja/ Commando The Ninja (1987, 1983)
This shot-on-video martial-arts double feature from Joseph Lai and IFD Films unleashes pure 1980s ninja chaos as two unlikely heroes are dragged into a war over stolen germ-warfare secrets. Featuring disappearing ninja assassins, endless waves of thugs, criminal masterminds, insane effects and the mysterious hocus pocus magic fighting style. These are both full-tilt SOV insanity, […]
ARROW 4K UHD RELEASE: Blue Thunder (1983)
Directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, Dracula, Stakeout) and written by Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Dark Star, Return of the Living Dead, Lifeforce) and Don Jakoby (The Philadelphia Experiment, Death Wish 3, Double Team), Blue Thunder stands between the conspiracy thrillers of the 70s and the big budget action films of the 80s. O’Bannon and Jakoby began lived together in a Hollywood apartment where […]
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