Cinesploitation’s Best of the Best 2011
Throughout the year home video companies put out an ass-ton of stuff on DVD and Blu-ray. I have the good fortune to get a lot of those stuffed into the Cinesploitation mail sack for me to check out and spout what little fanboy knowledge I have about them on this very website. There are some stinkers in the bunch, some so bad, I don’t even bother writing them up, but for the most part I can pick out enough good shit from a release to give it a decent review. But there are some that stick out as the most badass releases where either the movie is just fucking fantastic or the whole package is top-notch or in some cases, you get both! This list will give you an idea of who is putting out the quality goods. So without further ado… let’s get it on, COME ON!
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Best Art-house Release – Santa Sangre (Severin Films, Blu-ray) Jodorowsky’s brilliant artsy slasher is given the quality high definition treatment from Severin Films and it is absolutely loaded with extras like commentaries, interviews and documentaries.
Best Sexploitation Documentary – Aphrodisiac: The Sexual Secret of Marijuana (Impulse Pictures, DVD) You would be hard pressed to find a wackier, sexier or more playfully shocking documentary.
Best Low-budget Exploitation – The Disco Exorcist (Director: Richard Griffin, Scorpio Film Releasing) Writer/director Richard Griffin is a modern-day exploitation movie making machine and The Disco Exorcist is proof that machine is well oiled.
Best Modern Erotica – Monamour (Cult Epics, Blu-ray) Tinto Brass proves that he still has it and Cult Epics brings it to you in beautiful 1080p high def.
Best Erotic Vampire Release – Daughters of Darkness (Blue Underground, Blu-ray) This super sexy lesbian vampire story is brought to you on stunningly saturated Blu-ray from Blue Underground and also features another full-length lusty vampire film, The Blood Spattered Bride.
Best Non-fiction Genre Book – Dark Stars Rising (Shade Rupe, Headpress) Genre insider Shade Rupe interviews some of the most interesting people who have taken the dark path.
Best Erotic Release (Overall) – The Image (Synapase Films, Blu-ray) Radley Metzger’s S&M classic looks as good as it has since it was shown in sleazy grindhouse theaters, maybe better.
Best “Women in Prison” Release – Mr. Skin Presents: Women in Prison Triple Feature (Panik House, DVD) Featuring two down and dirty Linda Blair classic chicks behind bars films and a sweet action jungle flick, this set is a must-have.
Best Classic Adult Release – The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann (Video-X-Pix, DVD) Arguable one of Metzger’s best films, this two-disk set complete with two uncut high-definition versions (hard and soft) and tons of supplemental material makes this the definitive XXX Radley Metzger release.
Best Revenge Release – The Exterminator (Synapse Films, Blu-ray) The filthy, dirty, grimy and ultra-violent movie doesn’t keep Synapse from making it look like a mainstream blockbuster.
Best Non-fiction Film Book – Cannibal Holocaust and the Savage Cinema of Ruggero Deodato (FABpress) This is the definitive look at the career of one of Italy’s best horror/exploitation filmmakers with exhaustive info and beautiful photos.
Best Boxed Set – The Basement: Camp Retro ’80s Horror Collection (Camp Motion Pictures, DVD/VHS) This gory, low-budget film collection not only gives you four feature films on DVD, but also includes awesome “big box VHS” packaging and a fucking VHS tape of The Basement!
Best Fulci Release – City of the Living Dead (Blue Underground, Blu-ray) Some may argue that Blue Underground’s fantastic release of Zombie on Blu-ray was top, but for me the zombie acid trip which is City of the Living Dead beats it out by a maggot length.
Best Slasher Flick – Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 (Image Entertainment, Blu-ray) This super stylish, incredibly gory and slick second installment in the franchise gives me renewed faith in the genre.
Best HD Re-issue – Basket Case (Something Weird/Image Entertainment, Blu-ray) Frank Henenlotter’s New York City grindhouse gore classic in high definition? Fuck yeah, and Belial never looked so good.
Best Pinku Release – Twilight Dinner (Pink Eiga, DVD) The Japanese took the vampire genre back from the kiddies with this sick, erotic, well written story of forbidden love.
