Deviled swords and psycho beaches; new this week at the buffet…

I don't know what it's like where you all live but here in Philly it was a steamy, sauna-like 98 degrees today. And it's gotta be at least 98 degrees here in the steamy, sauna-like attic I call an office so let's keep this brief, shall we?

New to the BMB menu this week we have a surreal, psychedelic slice of sex, savagery and men in rubber crocodile suits, The Devil's Sword; and an appropriately summery romp full of sand, surf and sexual confusion, Psycho Beach Party.

And, on that note, the BMB will be taking a brief hiatus for the next few weeks while the Kommandant & I skip town for a much needed vacation. We will resume our regularly scheduled schedule of regular weekly updates on August 13th with reviews of Friday The 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan & something far scarier than a crazed serial killer set loose on the streets of New York City, a horror movie featuring the acting and musical "skills" of Jon Mikl Thor, Rock 'N' Roll Nightmare.

Jason is back…

On Thursday, July 13th, 2006, Jason - and the Kommandant - will meet his match in the latest installment of 2006: The Year Of The 13ths, Friday The 13th Part 7: The New Blood.

A double dose of documentary DVD; new this week at the buffet…

While I can't quite categorize this week's specials as B-Movies, I can (and will) categorize these documentaries as independent films and that totally counts in my book. (Not that anyone was asking.) First up, alphabetically speaking, is a fascinating foray into the hearts, minds and homes of 8-track minded folk around the U. S. of A., So Wrong They're Right. Rounding out our new menu offerings is We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen, a thoroughly engaging documentary about a thoroughly engaging band.

Interesting personal trivia note: one of the interviewees in this film shook us down for royalty money last year because a record we released in 2002 contained a cover version of one of his long since defunct band's songs. Crazy, huh? I had to admit I was unaware that you had to pay a musician for the right to record a version of one of their songs but he seemed convinced that we "owed" him a sizable fee and was determined to collect it. (The Steel Cage band in question was mortified that an old friend / associate of theirs would send a threatening letter to a small independent record label, and offered to pay him whatever he wanted out of their own pocket - an offer we greatly appreciated, but turned down.) Since the royalties we "withheld" from him, according to the official BMI / ASCAP mechanical royalty policy that he cited, totaled six bucks and some change we just sent him a check. So, yeah, essentially we paid him to leave us alone. Sigh. On a somewhat related note I have a huge crush on another one of this film's interviewees so I'm thinking about starting a Circle Jerks cover band in the hopes that Keith Morris will call or email me. Wish me luck.

The wild world of the Wizard Of Gore, part 2; new this week at the buffet…

As mentioned in the previous post, there were two reviews that were meant to be included in our look at the eye popping films of Herschell Gordon Lewis, This Stuff'll Kill Ya! (as seen on the buffet menu last week and soon to be seen in the new issue of c14, due back from the printer on or around July 17th) that didn't quite fit. Not even in the teeny weeny small type; the one I hardly ever use anymore since ANTiSEEN's Joe Young told me he can't read it even when he's wearing his contacts.

Despite this layout impaired snafu, we at the BMB hate to let hot, fresh, tasty content go to waste, so we've elected to offer these "bonus" reviews of The Gruesome Twosome and Something Weird as our Fourth Of July menu. Plus, in our humble opinion, nothing salutes the birth of our nation like a couple of independent films featuring talking wigheads and killer bed sheets. Enjoy!