I was reminded, in some ways, of Planet Terror, a outbreak flick (zombies, not madness, but still–) which has been reproached in similar terms by a lot of clueless critics. But Rodriguez artfully foregrounds those “flaws,” and transmutes such dross into the solid gold of an awesome, exhilirating movie experience. Here, they’re just annoying. There’s a difference between gonzo intensity that never lets little things like character or plot get in the way, and simply poor writing.
So says Curt of The Groovy Age of Horror about the book Panic O’Clock, the latest in the neverending stream of vintage trashy horror pulp to grace his blog. I like the way Curt gets right to the heart of good trash, pointing out its almost alchemical nature, though as one of those “clueless critics” I’ll have to disagree about whether Planet Terror pulled it off.
Mostly, however, I wanted to show off the truly badass cover for Panic O’Clock that Curt scanned, and encourage you to visit Groovy Age if you’re interested in loads more where that came from…
PS: Does anyone else who’s experienced Hostel‘s blend of sex, violence, fetishism, and Eurotrash think it would actually be right up Curt’s alley, despite his arguments to the contrary?