The Herschell Gordon Lewis Collection (1972)

Six Blood-Spattered Cult Classics from the Creator of Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs !The Godfather of Gore, Herschell Gordon Lewis, is back and ready to paint the room red with six outrageous tales of terror! A wigmaker and her psycho son make a Gruesome Twosome when they decide to use real human hair to stock their shop, fresh from bloody scalps! Enjoy A Taste of Blood as an elixir from Count Dracula turns an all-American businessman into a blood-craving creature of the night! Experience Something Weird when an electrical shock disfigures a man who makes a deadly deal with a cunning witch involving ESP, LSD, and killer bed sheets! Then an all-girl motorcycle gang of She-Devils on Wheels turns a small town into a rip-roaring bloodbath after a young girl's initiation sets off a chain of jealousy and murder! Grab a front row seat as The Wizard of Gore mutilates audience members in an act too gruesome to be real, or is it? Then get ready for lots of shakin' and screamin' as The Gore Gore Girls take the stage, where a psycho is picking off the strippers at a nightclub run by Henny Youngman! Mixing pitch-black humor and jaw-dropping blood and guts, these drive-in cult classics will leave stunned, shocked, and begging for more!

It ain't art but it's fun

If you've watched the movie Juno, you probably remember one scene that shows an excerpt from an old horror movie, The Wizard of Gore. As a fan of such movies, this had piqued my interest, so I eventually picked up a box of three movies by Wizard's director, H. Gordon Lewis. The movies (his "Blood Trilogy" of Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs and Color Me Blood Red) were schlocky but fun, motivating me to pick up a second collection which, among other movies, includes Wizard of Gore. This set is the H. Gordon Lewis collection.

H. Gordon Lewis directed and produced movies from the 1960s into the early `70s. All independently made on shoestring budgets, they hardly have the look of studio fare. In addition, Lewis knew that to make money, he'd have to cross certain boundaries of "good taste", at first with sex, then with violence. It was great stuff for teens and young adults. By the time of the movies in this set, Lewis had really carved his own little niche: he knew he was not making classics, but he also knew he was bringing in the audiences.

The first film in this set is Gruesome Twosome, a comic movie about an old lady who runs a wig shop with her demented son (she's not all there, herself). She advertises a room for rent to attract young college girls, who too late find out that they are to be killed and scalped to provide new material. I guess it's one of those things you learn about places to avoid, like those shops that offer "special meat" dishes. Along with the movie is a short on wig making.

A Taste of Blood, by far Lewis's longest horror movie (at nearly two hours), is a reworking of the Dracula story, with an heir of the legendary vampire taking on his ancestor's traits. To fully take on his dark powers, he must kill descendants of characters from the Stoker novel; fortunately, a Van Helsing descendant is catching on that there's a new Dracula about. This disc also has an "archival nudie" silent short called Nighmare at Elm Manor.

Something Weird is, well something weird. It's also the name of the video company putting out these DVDs. The story has something to do with a man who is electrocuted and takes on psychic powers, though he was scarred in the process. A witch restores his good looks in exchange for his being her lover. There's also a serial killer about, which the psychic is asked to help track down. This disc has three psychedelic short films.

She Devils on Wheels is not a gore movie (although there is one nasty killing), but rather a film about the Man-Eaters, a gang of female bikers. There's not really a plot in this one as much of a series of episodes in their lives, as they race, have sex and raise havoc. The short subject on this disc is Biker Beach Party.

Then there is the Wizard of Gore (as shown in Juno), the tale of a magician who really does saw women in half. At least that's what is seems like; there seem to be two separate realities: what he sees and what his audiences see. The women do walk off stage, but then die soon afterwards, just as in his tricks. This is the only disc of the six without a short feature.

Finally, there's the Gore Gore Girls, Lewis's last venture into the world of horror (or more technically, gore movies). He goes out with a bang, with not only over-the-top violence but plenty of topless women in this tale of a mysterious killer who's offing strippers. Unlike all the no-names in the other Lewis movies, this one does have a small appearance by Henny Youngman. The short subject is a disemboweling scene from Love Goddess of Blood Island.

All the films come with commentaries that are fun to listen to and make it clear that Lewis knew he was not making art. And certainly, by many standards, these are bad films, filled with hammy acting and cheesy dialogue, but they fit in the special category of so-bad-they're-good. Also, since Lewis was a pioneer in this field, these movies are historically interesting. They won't appeal to everyone - probably not even most people - but for fans of low budget horror, this collection is a fun set. July 27, 2008

Hershell GOREdon Lewis

Nearly 40 years ago, I witnessed one of these cinematic bloodbaths, as the bottom half of an otherwise forgettable drive-in theater double feature. "Fiend" memories of THE GRUESOME TWOSOME remain with me to this day (oh well!), like the old lady asking her son to get some liver for their taxidermist-stuffed cat. Let's just say that kitty was served VERY fresh meat that night.

The originator of "slasher films," Herschell GOREdon Lewis, was truly one of a kind. His shocking schlock set the standard in this self-created genre during a nine-year run that began with 1963's BLOOD FEAST and ended with this collection's THE GORE GORE GIRLS. Author Randy Palmer's HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS, GODFATHER OF GORE provides details and insights into those momentous times. As for H.G.'s movies... they scream for themselves!


For more murderous mayhem, check out the half-dozen "classics" on the BEAUTIES & BEASTS BOX (also from IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT).


Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.
(Mr. Lewis himself provides bonus commentary tracks for all movies, except "Something Weird.")

(5.3) The Gore Gore Girls (1972) - Frank Kress/Amy Farrell/Hedda Lubin/Henny Youngman/Russ Badger
EXTRAS: Herschell Gordon Lewis Gallery of Exploitation Art
A Peek at the High Priestess of Gore From Love Goddess of Blood Island

(5.0) The Gruesome Twosome (1967) - Elizabeth Davis/Gretchen Wells/Chris Martell/Rodney Bedell
EXTRAS: Herschell Gordon Lewis Gallery of Exploitation Art
Wigs-O-Rama Short Subject
Theatrical Trailer

(4.3) She-Devils on Wheels (1968) - Betty Connell/Nancy Lee Noble/Christie Wagner/Rodney Bedell
EXTRAS: Promotional Trailer
Short Subject: "Biker Beach Party"
Herschell Gordon Lewis Gallery of Exploitation Art

(4.7) Something Weird (1967) - Toby McCabe/Elizabeth Lee/William Brooker/Mudite Arums/Ted Heil
EXTRAS: Audio Commentary by David F. Friendman
Herschell Gordon Lewis Gallery of Exploitation Art
Monsterama Nightmare From The Weird World of LSD
Psyched-Out Sing-Along With the 4-D Witch!
LSD Psychedelic Freak Out!

(4.7) A Taste of Blood (1967) - Bill Rogers/Elizabeth Wilkinson/William Kerwin/Lawrence Tobin/Ted Schell
EXTRAS: Herschell Gordon Lewis Gallery of Exploitation Art
Archival Nudie Short: Nightmare at Elm Manor
A Taste of Blood Theatrical Trailer

(5.4) The Wizard of Gore (1970) - Ray Sager/Judy Cler/Wayne Ratay/Phil Laurenson/Jim Rau/John Elliot
EXTRAS: Original Theatrical Trailer
Herschell Gordon Lewis Gallery of Exploitation Art June 30, 2008

Essential viewing for fans of "bad" movies!

This is a fantastic DVD collection from everyone's favorite source of strange, bizarre, and just plain trashy films: Something Weird Video. I have a few of their DVD collections, but this is definitely my favorite. There is such a range of watchability in so-called "bad movies", that SWV titles are sometimes hit-and-miss. You can have awful movies that are hilarious all the way through (Plan 9 From Outer Space), cheap movies that are actually amazing (Carnival of Souls), or movies that are just painful to sit through. The films need to be engaging and that's exactly what Herschell Gordon Lewis spent his career doing - terrible films that are always entertaining and never dull.

SWV collects six of HGL's best goresploitation flicks, minus the Trilogy of Blood, which has its own SWV box set. Although HGL fans probably know what to expect, I'll give a little summary of each of the titles.

"The Gruesome Twosome" - This is classic HGL - plenty of gore, plenty of inexplicable filler, so bizarre that it's fascinating. You'll find some interesting weapon along the way including a motorized kitchen knife (think Sharper Image from the 60s). Grade: A

"She-Devils on Wheels" - HGL's female biker movie. It's low on gore, but high on camp. It feels like a less edgy version of Russ Meyer's "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" It's not my favorite, but still fun. Grade: B+

"Something Weird" - It's the weakest of the set. It sort of deals with witches and LSD. There are some interesting hallucination scenes and some decent music, but not much gore and not too many creative deaths. Even HGL himself declines to provide much of a commentary on this one. Grade: C

"The Wizard of Gore" - My personal favorite HGL film of all time. I've seen them all and this is definitely one of the goriest and most creative. It's relatively short, so it doesn't have a chance to get dull. The acting is beyond belief. The blood is beyond excessive. It's sublime. Grade: A+

"A Taste of Blood" - HGL claims this as his best and most beloved film. This is his "Plan 9" - his film with absolutely no compromises. Unfortunately, it has some fairly boring sections. Since budget constraints keep HGL from including a lot of big scenes, anything over 70-80 minutes is going to have a lot of long dialogue scenes. This is not good. The film runs for close to 120 minutes, which is way too long for this sort of thing. There are some good parts, but it's not one I watch frequently. By the way - Watch for HGL's cameo as a dock worker! Grade: B

"The Gore Gore Girls" - This film is out of control. Go-go dancing, gruesome murders, bizarre deaths (killed by a meat tenderizer???), and more. "Blood Feast" is more famous, but this gives it a run for its money. Although I personally like "Wizard of Gore" slightly better, I have a feeling most people will pick "GoreGore" as their favorite. It's fantastic - a HGL classic that no fan should miss. Grade: A+

Now, on to the extra features. As we have come to expect from SWV, there are plenty. Each film has a feature-length commentary with the man himself. His remarks are enlightening and often quite funny. They're as entertaining as the films themselves. I don't usually make it through an entire commentary track, but these were just great.

Beyond commentaries, we've got galleries of HGL exploitation art, various short subjects, and even a strange "how to carve a turkey" short film featuring everyone's favorite HGL regular, Bill Kerwin. There are tons of great features to explore.

Overall, this set is excellent. Every HGL fan *must* pick this up. And to those interested in the wonderful world of bad movies, this is a great introduction. There are plenty of trash-film auteurs out there (Harry Novak, Doris Wishman, etc.), but HGL is one of the most consistently entertaining around. I highly recommend this collection. January 15, 2008

Marvelous!

In 1963 Herschell Gordon Lewis, an independent filmmaker known for making limited release "cutie" pictures, changed forever the face of American cinema when he released "Blood Feast." This film, as low budget as you could possibly get, ushered in the era of the gore film. While it would be quite some time before Hollywood caught on to the fact that certain segments of the movie going public hungered for films containing nauseating scenes of explicit violence, H.G. Lewis took one look at the receipts for "Blood Feast" and decided he better quickly make another movie similar to this one. What followed was a series of gruesome zero budget shockers, films like "The Wizard of Gore," "A Taste of Blood," "2000 Maniacs," "Color Me Blood Red," and "The Gruesome Twosome." Lewis lensed the downright offensive "The Gore-Gore Girls" before retiring from the film business in 1972 in order to devote his time to the advertising industry. It wasn't until 2002 that the director returned to form with "Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat," a movie which proved beyond a doubt that the Godfather of Gore still has what it takes to gross out an audience. It's elevates the soul to see something as audacious as a "Herschell Gordon Lewis Collection" hit stores. They even threw in a couple of Hersch's non-gore flicks for good measure.

I just can't get over a Lewis boxed set. First up is Lewis's ghastliest film, "The Gore-Gore Girls," a movie so repulsive that one must see it to believe it. What's the plot, you ask? What are you, somebody who needs a coherent plot? Well, there is a plot here if you look hard enough. Some nut's been going around dispatching the female employees at the local "men's clubs," so a newspaper hires crack detective Abraham Gentry (Frank Kress) to investigate the crimes. A ditzy local reporter, Nancy Weston, tags along and generally gets in the way whenever see can. You won't care about the plot when the gore starts rolling in. Lewis gives us a scene where a gal bobs for French fries, a hot iron applied to something other than clothing, and the grisly capper involving two types of milk. A head scene that rivals the atrocity we saw in "Toxic Avenger" makes an appearance, in case you were wondering. Whew! If you get through this movie intact, give yourself a pat on the back! Heck, if you can get through the cheesy canned jazz soundtrack, you'll be a winner in life. Look for Henny Youngman playing sleazy club owner Marzdone Mobilie, as well as Ray Sager from "The Wizard of Gore" hamming it up as a sniffling bartender.

Speaking of "The Wizard of Gore," this cinematic nightmare shows up in the set as well. Montag the Magician (Ray Sager) puts on a heck of show when he hypnotizes his audience and then proceeds to massacre a volunteer from the crowd in stomach churning close up. The tricks include a sword swallowing bit, a punch press, and the old railroad spike through the head gag that's so popular at kiddie birthday parties. No one sees what Montag is up to-they're hypnotized, remember-until the victim falls to pieces after the show. A suspicious feminist talk show host eventually catches on to the wizard's foul deeds and, with the help of her boyfriend, attempts to bring the malevolent magician to justice. The conclusion of the film is memorable only because it actually makes the viewer think, a rarity in the world of Herschell Gordon Lewis films. "The Wizard of Gore" is probably my favorite Lewis gore film, so it's nice to see it again here. The acting is as wooden as it could possibly get, the effects are dirt cheap, and there are more continuity errors than you can shake a stick at, but it's all done in good fun. You'll love it. Really!

"A Taste of Blood" and "The Gruesome Twosome" represent lesser H.G. Lewis productions (!). The former is the director's take on the vampire genre, as a chipper business chap named John Stone receives two mysterious bottles of wine from a recently deceased relative. Turns out that the stuff is blood from a vampire, which means by the time Stone finishes off the bottles, he becomes a walking Dracula. His wife Helen knows something is wrong, but can do little to stop the unfolding disaster. Not much gore in this one, but it is one of Lewis's better works in terms of cinematography and even (gasp) acting. "The Gruesome Twosome" also boasts a good actress in the form of Mrs. Pringle, a chirpy dame who runs a wig shop out of her house. Local college girls go there to buy hairpieces but never leave thanks to Pringle's demented son Rodney, a goofy looking miscreant who supplies mother with the raw material to make new wigs (think about it for a second and you'll get the idea). I got a kick out of the film, especially the cheesy dance number and Pringle's pet, the ever silent Napoleon.

"Something Weird" and "She-Devils on Wheels," I hate to say, constitute two entries in Lewis's non-gore canon. Both movies attempted to cash in on popular themes during their respective times. "Something Weird" came out when movies dealing with psychedelic themes were all the rage, and "She Devils on Wheels" emerged because of the biker film craze. Sorry, Hersch, but I can't abide these two atrocities. It's disappointing to see them here. The omission of "Blood Feast" and "2000 Maniacs" from this box set is a big, BIG problem. They should have tossed out "Something Weird" and "She Devils" and just made it a gore collection. Still, I'll take what I can get, and a Lewis boxed set is a delicious dream. Here's to hoping another one emerges in the future. July 6, 2004

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