Subversive Cinema

Coming July 30th to a podcast platform near you...A show about the weird, whacky, and downright wrong entries in cinema history. Join me, Art Hall, as I sit down each week with a guest to discuss a film and try to figure out its Subversive Sauce — the things that makes that film stand out.Sure, there will be spoilers about these films, but trust me, you will want to hear about these gems. Learn about these films with the show, then watch them for yourself and get the full experience. Heck, let me know what you think of them and if you have a subversive film to recommend drop me a line on Instagram.Subversively yours,Art Hall

A story about love, snakes, fire, and questionable police work. Listen in as me and my guest, Dan, drill down into the nitty gritty of this straight-to-VHS classic. Directed by Anson Williams (Potsie Weber in Happy Days) and written by Barry Sandler (a few things you've probably never heard of), All-American Murder follows Artie Logan as he tries the navigate life at a new college campus. Throw into the mix a sudden fling with the Dean's wife, questionable love-at-first-sight with campus queen Tally Fuller, and it would seem that Artie isn't making the best choices. When a fiery murder sets campus and police tensions ablaze (pun intended), Artie decides the only person who can crack the case is none other than... himself. Yep. Oh, and it features Christopher Walken at his best level of Walken while handling a hostage situation. This film is bananas and is available on Blu-ray. Hear about it here then get the film and see it for yourself. You will not regret it.

A story about a doctor, his lovely Three-Dog, a dream, and the wonders of modern medicine. Listen in as me and my guest, Chris, dive into the dirty details of this polarizing work of modern-day horror. Written and directed by Tom Six (Human Centipede I, II, & III), the first entry into the Centipede triptych follows Jenny and Lindsay as they holiday in an unspecified area of Germany only to find themselves stranded in the woods on their way to a club. Enter Dr. Heiter, a dude with an O.R. in his basement and some pretty f*cked up ideas. Dr. Heiter "saves" the girls from a rainy night only for them to find themselves strapped to gurneys in his basement ready to be sewn ass-to-mouth to each other and a truck driver. Yeah. It's like that. The fun and adventure only get crazier from there! This film is equally horrific and gross, but nothing compared to its sequel (discussed later in this season). Find the trilogy on Blu-ray and see for yourself why people either love or utterly hate this film.

A story about love, cheese puffs, toe-free appetizers, and a talking cat (of course). Listen in as me and my guest, Kelly, meow about this breezy and silly film. Directed by David DeCoteau (Working Girls, Boys Just Wanna Have Sex, and Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge) under the pseudonym of Mary Crawford, and written by Andrew Helm (The Great Halloween Puppy Adventure, Santa's Summer House, and Death Racers -- starring I.C.P.), this film tells the whimsical story of Duffy the talking cat, voiced by the incomparable Eric Roberts, and how he touches the lives of two families in need of connection. In one house we have über-rich Phil and his socially weird son Chris. In another we have Susan, one of the worst caterers in history, with her kids Tina and Trent. Duffy works his magic and brings love and companionship to these families as well as pushes them to follow their dreams... all while being able to talk to each person only once. This film was helmed by director with a history of making softcore porn and boy, does it show in the camera work, staging, and performances. Easily one of the most hysterically agonizing selections and pretty much the only family-friendly offering this season. Listen to this NSFW episode with grownups, then share the magic of A Talking Cat !?! with the family! Available on streaming and on DVD.

A story about family, sobriety, redemption, and porn. Okay, it's actually a lot more f*cked up than that. ***LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED***Listen in as me and my guest, Devon, talk through what he called "the most horrific thing [he's] seen."Directed by Srdjan Spasojevic (The ABCs of Death) and written by Spasojevic and Aleksandar Radivojevic (short films and Serbian projects), this film has been heralded by many as one of, if not the, most disturbing and messed up films ever made. It follows the once great porn star Milos who has since retired to spend time with his family and Jack Daniels. He is approached by an "art house" porn director named Vukmir to do one last film for an absurd amount of money. He takes the job only to find that the film will be made live with him learning the story as he goes. When he finds he has been drugged and wakes up bloody, days later, and his family is missing, Milos tries to retrace his steps by following a demented breadcrumb trail of video tapes. What he finds will change his life, and possibly yours, forever. Definitely not for the faint of heart, this maligned work from 2010 still has the power to elicit shudders and strong opinions from those who have seen it -- whether they liked it or hated it. **Again, proceed with caution with this episode as we discuss difficult subject matter that occurs in the film.** For the brave and the curious the film is available on Blu-ray and DVD.

A story about love, poppers, herpes, and assholes. Listen in as me and my guest, Al (a fellow podcaster to boot), talk through this filthy little indie gem. Written and directed by first-time-helmer Peter Vack (Mozart in the Jungle, Consent, PVT Chat), The Hollywood Reporter said the film "doesn’t just push the envelope in terms of offensive and disgusting content, it folds it neatly and uses it for toilet paper." I say it's damn insane, hilarious, gross, and features one of the bravest adlibbed sequences I've ever seen in a film. It tells the story of recovering addict Adah (played by the director's sister, Betsey Brown) and her burgeoning relationship with Aaron, played by fearless Jack Dunphy, who also happens to be an addict in recovery. Adah's dick of a brother, Adam (Peter Vack), taunts her with weed and sibling annoyingness and sets her back down the road of addiction. As she spirals out, Aaron comes along for the ride and the two become a lustful and spun out couple who find comfort in poppers and each other's anuses. Before long the couple go from acting like assholes to becoming the titular assholes.Oh, and there is a shit-demon in the mix too. So, yeah... Fun times! The film is currently available on Amazon Prime and DVD.Check out Al's podcast, The Below the Belt Show, to get all the latest in Hollywood and entertainment news. And you just might hear my sweet, sweet voice on that show every once in a while too.

A story about filth, eggs, cannibalism, and a singing anus. Listen in as me and my guest, Mike, talk through this seminal independent film from Charm City. Written, directed, filmed, edited, and narrated by Baltimore's transgressive maestro of trash cinema, John Waters (Multiple Maniacs, Female Trouble, Serial Mom, Pecker), this film has been heralded as "a delightfully repugnant cinematic treasure" (CineVue) and as "the quintessential American Family Film" (Austin Chronicle). I tend to agree with Entertainment Weekly in that it's "subversive and, in its gross way, quite spectacular." It tells the story of Baltimore criminal, Divine (played by Waters' ingénue Divine), and her escalating feud against Raymond and Connie Marble (David Lochary and Mink Stole) for the title of "Filthiest Person Alive." We are taken into the trailer home world of Divine, her mother Edie who is kept in a playpen, her chicken-loving son Crackers, and a litany of colorful supporting characters. It is from this faux wood and vinyl castle that Divine plots her nastiness against the Marbles and where they throw a popper-fueled rager featuring a cannibal cookout and an extra with a singing butthole. This flick is wonderfully debauched and just as likely to shock and astound audiences now as it did nearly 50 years ago. Talk about holding up against the millstone of time. The film is more widely available in its 25th anniversary format on DVD and VHS. Yes, I said VHS.

A story about family, the end of the world, tears of neglected children, and utter confusion. Listen in as me and my returning guest, Dan, discuss through this indecipherable piece of performance art. Written by Vernon Chatman (South Park, The Heart, She Holler, and Wonder Showzen) and directed by 4 independent custom porn studios, this is not your run-of-the-mill indie film. It is a nonsensical menagerie of insanity and face-melting allegory. Rob Daniel of Electric Shadows said "if David Lynch, Christopher Morris and Lars von Trier teamed up and brought Ben Dover on as artistic consultant, Final Flesh would be the result," and he's pretty on the money. It tells the story of the Pollard family as they wait for an atomic bomb to drop. The father, mother, and daughter discuss life, death, capitalism, and a host of other weird shit all while in various states of undress. This art piece film was made when Vernon Chatman sent out four sections of the script to four different porn-for-hire production companies. Each working diligently (some more so than others) to bring this particular client's "kink" to life on digital video. What resulted was a 71 minute fever dream of strange dialogue, hey-at-least-they-tried acting, and various efforts to shoehorn in nudity and sexual moments when the script called for zero sex. Dan despised me for having him watch this, but I don't buy it. He seemed to laugh at a lot of it all things considered. Sadly, the film is incredibly difficult to procure. It is only on DVD and has been out of print. You can find it on eBay for a couple hundred bucks, though I'm sure some enterprising listeners who don't mind shirking the law might find other ways to get a copy.

A story about family, addiction, missing children, and stuff up the butt. Listen in as me and my returning guest, Chris, talk through this intriguing, butt-centric, and well crafted indie-noir. Written and directed by Tyler Cornack (Tiny Cinema and The Pocketeers), The New York Times called the film a "hilariously bawdy, intermittently inspired act of vivacious vulgarity" and the Austin Chronicle said it was "a surprisingly tender bizarro comedy that works because it plays the strangeness straight." Both are absolutely right, but it's the latter that nails the reason why this film works so damn well. It tells the story of Chip Gutchell (played by director Cornack) who works a job where everyone in the office is disconcertingly bubbly, his wife is distant and might be having an affair, and he's a new father to boot. After visiting his doctor and receiving his first prostate exam, Chip discovers a thrill and escape from the monotony of his life: things feel good in his butt. From there he spirals down a hole (no pun intended) of addiction, gradually putting bigger things inside himself until to goes too far. Chip goes clean and stops his habit, and joins A.A. since there is no specific group for his particular addiction. Things are calm in his world until one day Detective Russel Fox (played exquisitely by Tyler Rice) joins the group to battle his own demons and to look into a missing persons case... This film is so well done and serious in its absurdity that it should be required viewing at every film school. The film is currently available on Amazon, IMDb TV, and Blu-ray.

A story about food, sex, vomit, and the socio-political history of Hungary. Listen in as me and my guest, Jan-David, talk through this delightfully strange and critically acclaimed foreign film. Written and directed by György Pálfi (His Master's Voice, Free Fall, Hukkle), the Los Angeles Times called it a "grotesquely bizarre allegory on life in Hungary" and Film Threat said it was "a devious little nightmare." All are correct, but there is more to this Hungarian-Austrian-French cinematic collaboration than strange and freakish sights. Within there is a moving story about love, life, desire for acceptance, belonging, and dealing with the sins of the father -- you just need to look past the surprising amount of vomit and fire-breathing dicks to see it. It tells the story of three generations of men from World War II to present day, starting with the hapless and bullied soldier Morosgoványi Vendel, followed by competitive speed eater Balatony Kálmán, and finally his taxidermist son Balatony Lajoska. Follow as the lives of these men are equal parts guided by their choices, the socio-political climate of the times, and fate itself. What follows offers a glimpse into life from a small village home where leering eyes watch bathroom activities to living in the big city where the pressures of the past and present weigh heavier and heavier with each passing day. While not exactly graphic (until the final 15 minutes), this film does have some visuals that are as equally compelling as they are disturbing. This is European surrealism at it's finest, folks! The film is currently available on HereTV via Amazon Prime and DVD.

A story about sweat, garbage, terrible jokes, and a third arm. Listen in as me and my guest, Kenny, talk through this star-studded, greasy little oddball flick. Written and directed by Adam Rifkin (The Chase, Detroit Rock City, The Last Movie Star), this film has been lauded as a "pitch-black fable of show business at this sleaziest" by the Los Angeles Times, while also considered "a new low in cinematic ineptitude" by Rolling Stone. What is the truth? You'll have to watch and decide for yourself, but until then we take look at some of the more memorable and affecting elements of this film which has, in my mind, hands down THE best production design I've ever seen. You can just feel the oily condensation of the film's world. It tells the story of garbage man-by-day and amateur comedian-by-night Marty Malt, played by Judd Nelson, and his smarmy, fame-seeking buddy Gus, played by Bill Paxton with his typically awesome bravado. The two casually move trash around during the day, but when the sun sets Marty takes the stage and tells some truly awful jokes, with piss poor timing to boot. All while Gus yucks it up and howls his support. One day, hot shot agent Jackie Chrome (Wayne Mr. Goddamn Vegas himself Newton) offers to check out Marty's show which sets the two friends aflutter with excitement that their train has finally come in. Unfortunately things don't go quite as planned... But all is not lost, for shortly thereafter Marty wakes up to find a third arm growing inexplicably from his back. To Jackie Chrome THAT is a talent!Did we mention that this film also features Lara Flynn Boyle, James Can, and Rob Lowe? This movie is so delightfully weird that it cannot be missed.The film is currently available on DVD.

A story about a man down on his luck, a pedophile Santa Claus, a burning bus full of school children, and a shotgun. Listen in as me and my returning guest, Dan, talk through this hyper-violent and wickedly fun homage to grindhouse exploitation. Directed by Jason Eisener (The ABCs of Death, V/H/S/2) and written by John Davies (V/H/S/2), New York Magazine (Vulture) called the film an "unpretentious carnival of carnage" and the Globe and Mail said it was "a well-designed cinematic mess." I say that this film should be in the Library of Congress due to its deliciously juicy level of cartoonish violence. It tells the story of an unnamed Hobo (affectingly played by the late and great Rutger Hauer) who rides the rails into Hope Town, a once idillic hamlet that has since fallen under the control of psychopath extraordinaire The Drake and his douchebag demon sons Ivan and Slick (played respectively by Brian Downey, Nick Bateman, and Gregory Smith). Hobo tries to keep to himself as he witnesses a public execution, a pedophile Santa kidnapping children, a lowlife making a Bum Fights-style video, and various other nasty bits of business. After seeing Abby (Molly Dunsworth), a hooker with a heart of gold, get roughed up he intercedes which sets him on a path which finds him inexorably entangled with the scum of the city. With his trusty Remington 870 in hand the Hobo hero starts to dole out street justice one blast at a time. Dan may have been a bit shook by the rampant violence in this film, as many probably will be, but it really is rather comedic and entertaining with flashes of heart and sincerity. It's construction is pitch-perfect as it truly feels like it would hang with the best of the grindhouse sub-genre. The film is currently available on Magnolia Secrets via Amazon Prime, Crackle, and get it on Blu-ray.

A story about friendship, ninjas, Orlando, and chopping limbs off. Listen in as me and my guest, Sean, talk through this rediscovered piece of magic. Directed by Woo-sang Park under the pseudonym Richard Park (Kill the Ninja, L.A. Streetfighters, Gang Justice), and written by Joseph Diamand (The IBUR Connection) with story help from Park and Y.K. Kim, The A.V. Club accurately said the film has "a touching naïveté that gives it an odd distinction," while the Austin Chronicle blasphemed in calling it "a really bad, totally inept mess that reeks of more ambition than talent." You can tell whose side I'm on with this one.It tells the story of a group of college students/martial artists who make up the band Dragon Sound in central Florida as they try to navigate the daily pitfalls of higher education and mixing it up with the local drug lord. Led by Mark (played with enthusiasm by Y.K. Kim), the group find themselves pulled into a war zone with motorcycle ninjas led by the vicious Yashito at one end, and coke-head anger troll Jeff and his band of methed-out fighters at the other. Will Dragon Sound stop the cocaine trafficking in Florida? Will they ever play "Friends" or "Against the Ninja" again? Will they find their dads? Watch and find out!Best part is the soundtrack is on Apple iTunes! Get it, you won't regret it! The film is currently available on Amazon Prime, DVD, and a few other outlets.

A story about grease, a father and son, strange genitals, and... did I say grease? Listen in as me and my returning guest, Devon, talk through this hilariously greasy flick. The feature debut of British director Jim Hosking (An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, ABCs of Death 2) and co-written by Hosking and Toby Harvard (ABCs of Death 2), The Playlist said the film was "utterly honest, to the point of purity," and We Got This Covered called it "a perverted fever dream." If that's the case, don't wake me up! I want to live in this left-footed, grease-loving world of bullshit artists and sham disco-themed walking tours. Wouldn't you?The film tells the story of father and son duo, Big Ronnie and Big Brayden, who operate a walking tour of disco history in a nondescript town. Business is alright, but the times are getting dangerous as a deviant serial killer stalks the streets at night, strangling victims and leaving puddles of grease as the only evidence. Things get competitive for the duo when they meet Janet, a congenial woman who ensnares the Brayden's heart... and Ronnie's enormous genitals.Chockfull of strange dialogue, gross visuals, excessive prosthetic nudity, and cartoonish violence, this celluloid daymare is certain to liven up any holiday party.The film is currently widely available on streaming and discs.

Art sits down to chat with Big Brayden himself, Sky Elobar! We discuss the making of the film, what it is like working with director Jim Hosking, how it is to have prosthetic genitals, and much more.Check out the conversation there, and learn more about Sky and his work at his IMDb page!

A story about the environment, survival, bloodthirsty birds, and terrible CGI. Listen in as me and my guest, Dave, talk through this film that makes you wonder what the hell you are watching. Written and directed by James Nguyen (Birdemic 2: The Resurrection, Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle, Julie and Jack), Variety called the film a "compendium of cinematic don'ts [which] gives it a goofy, almost surrealist charm." The Village Voice said the "actors perform so terribly that you can't even put a finger on what is wrong with these people?" Both are correct, but don't let that dissuade you from seeing this film. It is so utterly off-center one must see it to believe it. That said, we certainly try to crack its shell in this episode. It tells the story of software salesman extraordinaire Rod as he reconnects with an old schoolmate, Nathalie, who just happens to be a model on the rise. As the two grow closer together, quiet rumblings of mankind's gradual assault on the planet and its adverse effects are put more and more on display. From fast news reports to full on exposé level commentary, the emphasis on man's screwing the world grows front and center. And then the birds come. That's when shit gets real. Real ridiculous. Ever see a bunch of identical bald eagle dive bomb a city? You will. Ever see those same eagles float menacingly about people but not do harm? You will. Ever see those selfsame eagles also rip open throats when the plot calls for it? Oh... You will.Hitchcock ain't got nothin' on this, baby! The film is currently available on Amazon Prime, Fandor, and Tubi.

A story about the nuclear family, sadism, body horror, and inhalers. ***LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*** Listen in as me and returning guest & resident Human Centipede "expert", Chris, discuss this dry heave-inducing sequel. Written and directed by Tom Six (Human Centipede I, II, & III), the sophomore entry in Six's triad of repulsion currently holds a 17 out of 100 Metascore. Entertainment Weekly called the film "the sickest B movie ever made," while New York Magazine said it was "a sick joke taken to extremes." Love it or hate it, this film I definitely worth talking about, whether it be in abject disgust or demented glee. It tells the story of Martin, a parking garage attendant who lives with his loveless mother and his only friend, a pet centipede. He is obsessed with the film The Human Centipede and keeps a carefully crafted scrapbook in honor of his favorite story. After being pushed to the edge by his mother, his doctor, and seemingly the world, Martin sets out to make his own 12-person centipede. What follows is an audio/visual decent into filth, pain, and extremity. Not to mention a creative way to use sandpaper... The film is currently available on Amazon Prime and Blu-ray.

A story about drippy things, guts, corpses, and really, really weird sex. Listen in as me and my guest, my lovely wife Ashley, talk through this gooey horror rom-com. Directed by Jörg Buttgereit (Nekromantik 2, Lexx, Schramm, Green Frankenstein) and co-written by Buttgereit and Franz Rodenkirchen (Nekromantik 2, Schramm, The Death King), The Bloody Pit of Horror called the film "one of the sickest genre films widely available," while Last Movie Review on the Left said it was a "train wreck." Both are kinda right. It certainly isn't for everyone. It is not your traditional horror by any means, and for those looking to see gory whacked out films, this is certainly one, but its pacing and arthouse feel pull it from sitting squarely in the genre. It tells the story of Rob, a biological hazard clean up guy, who likes to collect bits and bobbles from the accident and murder scenes to which he tends. He lives with his girlfriend Betty who enjoys the occasional blood bath - it's great for the skin, you know. One day he brings home a corpse for them to play with and they have a wild threesome with the stiff (pun intended). Things seem great for them until Rob gets canned from his job for being generally weird and incompetent. Next thing he knows, Betty's gone and has taken their rotting third wheel with her. Rob then descends into a journey of depression and self-discovery that may or may not include more necrophilia, decapitation, and seppuku!Warning though, there is footage of an animal being killed. The film is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray on Amazon.

A story about health issues, the system, slugs, and exploding eyes. Listen in as me and my guest, writer and director Todd Norwood, talk through this slimy, crawly, and carnivorous film. Directed by Juan Piquer Simón (Pieces, The Rift, Cthulhu Mansion) and written by Ron Gantman (Slugs, Mystery on Monster Island), Video Graveyard called it "a flick so utterly ridiculous you have to see it at least once," and Bloody Disgusting said it was "so much stupid fun." Once again, the critics are correct and their common thread of approval is with the weird and off-kilter nature of this film. It tells the story of two government health and safety workers named Mike and Don, played with the fervor of summer stock actors by Michael Garfield and Philip MacHale respectively, who go about looking into a series of mysterious deaths. When it is discovered that giant man-eating slugs are to blame they team up with a scientist/lab technician named John Foley (played very British by Santiago Álvarez) to find a way to stop the murderous gastropods. Add in some strange music, batshit crazy dialogue, and puzzling acting choices and you got yourself a fine Saturday evening! The film is currently available on TubiTV.com and Blu-ray.Check out Todd's work at www.islandtimefilm.com!

Happy Thanksgiving! A story about a curse, friendship, Thanksgiving break, and a foul-mouthed turkey. Listen in as me and my returning guest, Devon, talk about how thankful we are for this piece of holiday-themed magic. Directed by first-time-helmer Jordan Downey (ThanksKilling 3, Critters: Bounty Hunter, The Head Hunter) and co-written by Downey and Kevin Stewart (ThanksKilling 3, The Head Hunter), Really Awful Movies said it was a "great film to watch with a group while...waiting for the effects of the tryptophan to wear off," and McBastard's Mausoleum called it "campy, childish and sometimes vile." This bit of digital video storytelling is a blood spattered hoot of a time and pairs perfectly with any large family gathering with children and the elderly. Trust me! It tells the story of a group of friends traveling home for Thanksgiving break from college. They stop to camp out under the stars and get drunk along the way, only to find themselves being hunted by a murderous, vulgar turkey. Hilarity ensues as the body count grows and organs find themselves separated from their owners. This is one time during Thanksgiving I'm happy to see this many giblets! The film is currently available on Amazon Prime.