Another Clip from "Get Crazy"

I must've seen this youtube video at least six times in the last couple months. It is just too rad.

FEAR rip through a Muddy Waters cover in this sort-of sequel to Rock and Roll High School (same director, many of the same actors). I hadn't heard of it in when it came out in '83, right around the time I started getting into punk rock, and not since then either, until I read about it recently in Destroy All Movies, the most essential book ever.

This song didn't appear on Fear's records (they only made two studio albums, which I played regularly in high school), but it's definitely one of their best. That's Lee Ving, of course, a.k.a. "Piggy". The rest of the band isn't shown on film, but the all-girl guitar orchestra subbing for them is just as well.

One of the Worst Things You've Ever Seen

No, it's not Madonna at the Super Bowl, it's the merciful conclusion of "Elvira: Mistriss of the Dark", her breakthrough film from Roger Corman productions. Last time I witnessed this abomination was when I was 19, and far less discriminating, because I wasn't nearly as appalled as I am right now. 

I was still a soldier in Germany, and had rented it on VHS from a place in town. I shuttled the precious tape 25 miles to the barracks on the army bus, and watched it that evening with my roommate and three other black dudes. They all thought it was excellent that she was rapping, as if she were giving their musical interest some kind of validity, when, really, she was exploiting it (and arguably helping to destroy it) in a sad effort to remain relevant.

Anyway, more of a side note, I never liked Elvira and her obnoxious bimbo valley girl schtick. She lacked the sinister, demure vibe of Vampira (who rightfully sued Elvira for stealing her look, and wrongfully lost) and her writing / performing partner John Paragon was one of the most unfunny comedians to ever make a buck. She degraded America's culturally rich horror host tradition. The 80's were indeed terrible.

A Moment with Mae

The Majestic Mae Mercer lays down the law.

From Swinging Cheerleaders, a high water mark from writer / director / auteur Jack Hill. If you happen to have Netflix Streaming, you can currently see two of his most excellent films, Switchblade Sisters and The Big Bird Cage.

In Search Of: Martians