Zenith [2010]

Ostensibly directed by Anonymous, but presumably directed by Vladan Nikolic, Zenith is an artistic and cerebral indie film with pleasing visuals. Stylistically and thematically referencing many other cult films, Zenith’s approach is very ambitious, stylized, and heady, poising it for cult status itself. Zenith takes place in a bleak, gritty, … Continue reading

The Cessploitation Conflagration #4

By Nate Bradford & Steven Ronquillo We pop culture. EPISODE FOUR: TOP 3 ROBOTSPLOITATION FLICKS From Metropolis to Star Wars, The Terminator to Robocop, robots have long fascinated mankind. Tonight we present our top three forgotten gems from the exciting, ever-growing world of robotics. NUMBER 3: Robot Jox (1990) STEVEN: … Continue reading

Zombie Zombie – Driving This Road Until Death Sets You Free

This is a stop-motion tribute / recreation of John Carpenter’s The Thing, done in very, very, high-quality stop-motion. It features G.I. Joe figures as well as a little live video and digital special effects. The “soundtrack” is Zombie Zombie’s Driving This Road Until Death Sets You Free, making this more-or-less a music video.

Quite similar in name and style to another duo called Zombi, this is retro rock with a style inspired by 70s and 80s horror movie soundtracks. Mostly consisting of acoustic drums, electric guitar, and lots of analog synth, this is a purely instrumental affair. The music is pretty derivative, although perfectly executed for what it aspires to be: Just some good old fashioned vintage ghoulish fun.

For fans of Goblin, Claudio Simonetti, Gatekeeper, Zombi (both the music group and the movies), John Carpenter, and 80s Hasbro toys.

Le Dernier Combat [1983]

Luc Besson’s first feature film is shot in black and white, which is a stark contrast to his Fifth Element which is one of the most literally “colorful” and vibrant films I’ve ever seen. This was probably a necessity of budget constraints, and not a choice, but it suits the … Continue reading

Travel [1973]

a.k.a. The Trip a.k.a. Tabi This is a Japanese cutout animation film by Kihachiro Kawamoto, chronicling a young woman’s journey by plane to an unspecified city. Differing from his usual technique of puppetry, this film is illustrated, and animated by a stop-motion style known as kiri-gami. This cutout style is … Continue reading