Sleaze Fiend Magazine - Issue #3 Preview

It has taken a little while, but Sleaze Fiend Magazine is back for a hell-blazing return in this 76 page extravaganza of scintillating filth! This issue is dedicated to the down 'n' dirty biker movies of the 1970s in 'Death on Wheels: A Bikesploitation Retrospective', detailing more than twenty different entries in the genre including "The Glory Stompers", "The Savage Seven", "Naked Angels", and "Sleazy Rider".

Our other main feature in this sizzling outing is 'Hot Flesh & Cold Steel: Decades of Depravity - The Women In Prison Genre', which examines some key entries in the sub-genre including: "Bare Behind Bars" (the movie that clothing forgot), "Sadomania" (Jess Franco's muckiest directorial effort), and "Caged Women" (learn more about squeaky bums and a novel way of staying hydrated) among other sinful sights.

We've also got Streeborama slingin' some much needed revolutionary fervour about as he details "Easy Rider" and "Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song", wrapping it all together as he rails against 'the New Millennium of Mediocrity'. Furthermore, there's another entry in 'The Manson Files' and a few more tidbits besides (such as a review of "The Humans" comic book series). Elsewhere in the issue we have a few career retrospectives: two for a pair of icons of horror cinema who sadly passed away since our last issue - Wes Craven and George A. Romero - and another for the late Rene Bond, star of various adult films from back in the heyday of mucky movies.

Independently produced - by fans, for fans - and featuring some tasty artwork, this glossy cover mag with a hard spine is sure to rev your hog's engine and send your wildest daydreams hurtling back to a simpler, sleazier time when exploitation cinema ruled the dusty back roads of America!

Order yourself a copy of SFM#3 by visiting our store HERE.

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"The Racket" (2014)

"The Racket", is an independent documentary short film on which I worked as editor, sound designer, and script consultant.

About the film:
Written to mark the centenary of the First World War, exposes the immense profits made during the war -- a war that claimed 20 million lives yet created 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires, in America alone. Adapted from the speeches and writings of Major General Smedley Butler, the most decorated soldier in US history, The Racket combines Butler's intense respect for the ordinary soldier with critical dissent against the growing corporatism he believed to be corrupting the ideals he'd willingly die to protect.

Watch the trailer:

The ABCs of Death (2013) Review...

Anthology horror films are experiencing a regained sense of rude health of late, particularly with high profile flicks like V/H/S and it's sequel, but The ABCs of Death manages to strike new ground within the anthology horror sub-genre – put simply: 26 Directors, 26 Ways to Die. 

However, the trouble with anthology films is that not all parts are equal, with some failing to measure up at all – so what will it be for this inventive onslaught of horror? Hits, misses, and the iffy in-betweens all coming up for all 26 shorts.

Click “READ MORE” below to learn your ABCs...

The Walking Dead - what can we expect from episode 3x09 in February 2013?

Find a whole bunch of Walking Dead memes here.

The following post specifically analyses the sneak peek trailers that AMC have officially put out for episode 3x09 "The Suicide King" - if you'd prefer to go into February without knowing anything at all, stop reading, but if you wish to continue, don't worry, there are no real major plot spoilers ahead - however, one question posed by the cliffhanger IS answered.

Click "READ MORE" below to see what we can expect from The Walking Dead 3x09...

All In The Game (Gary Ugarek, 2011) - Review

Gary Ugarek, who has previously given us indie zombie flicks Deadlands: The Rising, and Deadlands 2: Trapped, switches gears entirely with his third outing as Writer/Director/Producer: moving from the undead to the mean streets of Baltimore’s drug-pushing gangs. As a fan of HBO’s The Wire, Ugarek’s inspiration is clear, and indeed he pulls an Ace out of his sleeve by snagging members of that cast for this truly independent feature – where the extremely tight budget works triple overtime in delivering a sense of scale and scope that is usually missing from similarly low budget flicks.

Once upon a time in charm city, we’re introduced to our main cast: Vince (Chris Clanton), Ontario (Nelson Irizarry), Littles (Kelvin Page) and Lucky (a terrifyingly charming Micaiah Jones), and they’re all looking to climb the ladder. As the gritty narration informs us, you’ve got 5 to 8 years ‘in the game’ with many falling foul of the law sooner or later – it’s a tough business, but evidently in the toughest areas of Baltimore there’s little in the way of options. However all is not well in the present day, as Ontario mocks “I have a dream: money, ho’s, and clothes” – the young up-and-coming ‘welfare babies’ are in need of a reality check – they’re not invincible and they aren’t worth a damn if they’re not willing to push back against the tide.

 

Sick of getting screwed over when plying their criminal trade, Vince, Ontario, Littles, and Lucky hit the pavement to find out who is cramping their style and stealing their business. Working their way up the chain, we come to one of the high points for the film – a brutal interrogation of Raymond, a lowly money launderer, who lays out the list of guys who’ll soon be entering the crosshairs of our boys. Clouded by smoke, step forward Lucky (the scene-stealing Micaiah Jones), who makes exceptionally dark comedy from beating the truth out of rivals.

 

So begins an audacious and bloody ascent up the business ladder for these guys as they set their sights on the Caprisci crew, which feels like a meeting of worlds – The Wire versus The Sopranos. It is in these later stages of the film that we really get to see the fierce determination of Irizarry’s Ontario, the considered calculations of Clanton’s Vince, and the ever-ready eagerness of Page’s Littles … and of course, more of Lucky’s dangerous magnetism.

 

Being an indie production, naturally there are some technical issues – the audio needs work in places, and there’s a few rough edges and slow focus pulls here and there – but the ‘deep shadows and brilliant highlights’ look to the stark black & white cinematography (presented in 2.35:1) blends well with the chosen documentary aesthetic.

 

Bolstered by a hip hop soundtrack and an efficient running time (74 minutes, including credits), Ugarek’s latest outing proves to be a fresh change of direction that offers new opportunities both in the looks (thanks to Habib Awan and Seann Ikon) and the substance (thanks to a dramatic genre shift). There may be a few points in the script that don’t quite convince, but with a gritty and determined approach, and an arresting cast, fans of indie productions and The Wire should be well served here.

For more information, please visit the film's Facebook page.