Owner of the site Mondo Digital, author, commentator, and movie junkie.
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Frankenstein '80 1972
How do you even assign a star rating to something like this? An adorably stupid, insanely entertaining mad scientist / slasher brew with reporter John Richardson looking mildly concerned about a string of strippers and hookers being killed by a hulking neo-Frankenstein monster created by the highly unethical Gordon Mitchell (whose daughter played by Dalila Di Lazzaro mostly looks concerned). The Daniele Patucchi score is a blast, it's all awkwardly staged by one-shot director Mario Mancini (who shot several Bava films), and there isn't a dull second to be found if you're in the right mood. mondo-digital.com/frankenstein80.html
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Night of the Executioner 1992
Paul Naschy directs, writes, and stars in this pulpy, nasty Spanish take on Death Wish that should surprise anyone used to seeing him run around in werewolf makeup. Here he's rendered mute by having his tongue sliced out during a home invasion that leaves his wife and daughter dead, so it's time to lift weights and use every deadly implement at hand to clean the streets of Madrid from criminal lowlifes. Never given a legit English-friendly release of any kind until the new Mondo Macabro Blu-ray, this one's a keeper. mondo-digital.com/nightexecutioner.html
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Pearl 2022
Mia Goth should get serious awards consideration for that monologue scene alone. A riveting and deliberately excessive character study that tones down the Tobe Hooper vibe of X in favor of some unholy mash up of Alan Ormsby, Ken Russell, and Douglas Sirk. Also winner of the best lingering closing shot since Call Me by Your Name.
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The Lighthouse 2019
For years people will be debating whether this is a horror film, a dark comedy New England period piece, a twisted Americanization of the Prometheus and Sisyphus myths, and/or a bitterly amusing portrait of male aggression and (terror of) intimacy. Any way you slice it, this is a visually intoxicating and brilliantly acted two hander from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson that manages to surpass Robert Eggers' mostly excellent The Witch (or The VVitch if you wanna be all 7even about it) by sticking the landing all the way to the unforgettable final shot. Easily worth repeated viewings and one of the great macabre nautical nightmares.
