If the article on "America's First Ninja" looks interesting to anyone out there, you may read it in full, along with some pretty interesting and trending links, on this collection piece at The Standing Post.
The Night Evelyn Came out of the Grave is, in the grimy Sinema Diable release, marked as a must see for every euro-horror collector and I would agree. There is a certain EurotrashUtilityBelt approved aura about this film. It has the plot twists and requisite fiesty and busty eurogirls, but its hints towards knowledge of the Babalon Working and alchemical symbolism is something that I have yet to see noted by other commentators on this piece.
Lord Allen Cunnigham is a sick boy with a fascination for raising foxes and a deadly hankering for killing red headed hookers. His mental decline, hallucinations and obsessions drive the plot.
Allen can't seem to stay away from the flame-haired harlots and can't help himself to trick them into his lair.
Notice in their approach, a yet-to-be-illuminated All seeing Eye, the columns and the checkerboard- all part of the first degree Mason tracing board.
"You'll see dear, Polly'll make you happy..."
With money, many believe they can do what they will.
"But you must do as I ask. Here, put on these boots."
Two undercurrents of symbolism at work in this film are decidedly alchemical and christian ones. The name Evelyn is, of course, a version of Eve. Allen's (etymologically related to Adam) Cunningham's disturbed psyche springs out from his revelation of betrayal by his wife Evelyn on the grounds of his estate's Garden. The use of Genesis' symbolism doesn't end there, as a weaponized snake takes out a character in the garden. The one who pays the price is the one who was snooping for knowledge that he should not posses.
And now for some gratuitous booty...
"Evelyn" does have some fun and games too, especially with red-headed Erika Blanc and her coffin strip-tease. This scene is a memorable one in the history of ero/euro-trash cinema.
Yet even in this welcome display of the curvaceous female sexuality, we are subliminally treated to the death defying motif of the Third Degree Masonic tracing board, a rise from the coffin! See Indiana Jones and the Lost tracing Boards of Gnosis for more.
The Resolution of the Elements
Beyond the christian symbols, an elemental alchemy underscores the theme and I am definitely under the impression that Director Emilio P. Miraglia knew what he was dealing with. Miraglia's fixation on redheads leads to his employment of the 'Scarlett Woman' meme in "Evelyn's" story, recognizing the insatiable desire for the Fire which she embodies.
Note the likeness above between famed Babalon working vessel Marjorie Cameron and Gladys' (played by ice queen Marina Malfatti) hairdo when her and Allen's eyes first meet at the swinger party of his Cousin George.
Allen and Gladys have a nice roll in the hay that night and he proposes. They return to Allen's manor and encounter all sorts of maddening phenomena. As the plot grows more twisted, the All Seeing Eye is shown again, this time, illuminated.
Here we see another tracing board's symbols injected into the film, the Second Degree Mason board's use of the staircase - a descent from the staircase- and knowledge is returning to the world. (See the link to the Secret Sun's Lost Tracing Boards of Gnosis above.) This revelation signals Allen is beginning to catch on to the multitude of problems around him.
As stated previously, the overabundance of fire that the many redheads have brought to Allen's life have become too much for his sanity. It seems to me Allen himself with his dark hair and demeanor represents the element of Earth. Earth is easily overcome by fire but the surprising plot twists that occur in the last few minutes of this film culminate in an undeniable alchemical resolution, Allen is saved by the only element that can quench fire. What that element is and how it resolves Allen's imbalance is left for the viewer to find out.
There are a few other interesting moments for analysis in "The Night Evelyn Came out of the Grave", like the gypsy woman who led the seance in the beginning named Miranda (a nod to the beautiful Soledad Miranda?) and the encounter in the Garden with the Sacred Heart medallion that I will leave to more worthy researchers. (What was that thing and how come it followed Allen everywhere?) Apparently, director Emilio P. Miraglia disappeared after making 6 films and I wonder if his reluctance to do more films has anything to do with him fiddling around with people who are actually living an Allen Cunningham-like lifestyle. Maybe some fascist P2 Masons like Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi didn't want someone dishing out stories combining themes of hooker killing and Masonry together. Maybe they said "stop now or your life" and Miraglia listened. Who knows? So, with its dark setting, its symbolic manipulation and its intrigue, I recommend you check out The Night Evelyn Came Out of The Grave
"Sex and the simple behavior of movie folks, hit the headlines. A clampdown on sleaze led to a glut of horror films, plum full of gore and gruesomeness...these [films] hit the "western audiences with a melange of weird witchcraft, mystical martial arts and geezers of gushing gore..."
Another shout out to Pieto on pointing out this documentary on one of my favorite genres.
"I am El Badrun! AHAHAHAHA!" Love that delivery. But anyways, I still get sentimental over puttering Tuk-Tuks. The main lesson here, though, is beware of the South Sea Queen or at least have fun while you're down there.
One important sociological note: Having spent some time in Southeast Asia, the belief in and practice of magic is still held in deep regard not just by villagers as this film suggests, but the ruling class. I hope to cover some of these practices in a future post.
But back to the film, this documentary is but a special on the recommended Virgins From Hell. "Our warriors will prove to you, that by working together, we can rule the whole earth. We shall rule the world, according to our own methods!"
The ritual of cleaning out one's desk can lead to some very strange discoveries. Today's post is but one of them. "Star*Reach" Comics was published back in the late 70s out of Hayward, California. If you've ever been to Hayward, well let's just say, you are glad when you've left it. Star *Reach was a compilation comic of various sci-fi and fantasy artists/writers compiled by editor Mike Friedrich. "Tempus Fugit" stood out the most in this issue and drew parallels to the AAT (Ancient Astronaut Theory) work over at the Secret Sun and the out-there tome, on our de-evolution from the original divine state,Human Devolution: a Vedic alternative to Darwin's theory.
In the Tempus Story, we see a group of humaniods crash a classic UFO style ship into an unknown planet, one that is surrounded by many different stars. The atmosphere there begins to turn two of the group into "Grey" beings while another enters, quite naturally, into a meditative deep trance. The remaining crew, before their total transformation into helpless infantile 'aliens' discover they are actually on planet earth. The illuminated Eniram Artlu, becomes one with the changing elements of the planet, perhaps waiting to meet and guide humanity as it emerges from the cosmic soup?
It will take some authentic crate digging to find the other 3 issues of this story. But as an open call to anyone out there in the blogosphere, what happened to this comic and its Editor?
prefiguring Donnie Darko's bunny by decades?
9/15/09 UPDATE:Gray Lyda, writer and artist for "Tempus" has left some very interesting comments and links regarding where he is now, etc. Check it out in the comments section. Thanks, Gray!
Pieto the Media Ecologist runs quite the fascinating cultural tumblr, especially if your interests are like EuroTrashUtilityBelt's. He is a media scholar at University of Pittsburg, a lover of both the Situationists and meatball sandwiches and I've been gushing over his finds for some time. Here's a few euro-related posts (he has many other likes/types of posts as well) courtesy of Pieto. Grazie!
In response to this post by Immoral Tales.
Lord Allen Cunnigham is a sick boy with a fascination for raising foxes and a deadly hankering for killing red headed hookers. His mental decline, hallucinations and obsessions drive the plot.
Allen can't seem to stay away from the flame-haired harlots and can't help himself to trick them into his lair.
Notice in their approach, a yet-to-be-illuminated All seeing Eye, the columns and the checkerboard- all part of the first degree Mason tracing board.
"You'll see dear, Polly'll make you happy..." 
With money, many believe they can do what they will.
"But you must do as I ask. Here, put on these boots." 
Two undercurrents of symbolism at work in this film are decidedly alchemical and christian ones. The name Evelyn is, of course, a version of Eve. Allen's (etymologically related to Adam) Cunningham's disturbed psyche springs out from his revelation of betrayal by his wife Evelyn on the grounds of his estate's Garden. The use of Genesis' symbolism doesn't end there, as a weaponized snake takes out a character in the garden. The one who pays the price is the one who was snooping for knowledge that he should not posses.
Yet even in this welcome display of the curvaceous female sexuality, we are subliminally treated to the death defying motif of the Third Degree Masonic tracing board, a rise from the coffin! See Indiana Jones and the Lost tracing Boards of Gnosis for more.
Note the likeness above between famed Babalon working vessel Marjorie Cameron and Gladys' (played by ice queen Marina Malfatti) hairdo when her and Allen's eyes first meet at the swinger party of his Cousin George.
As stated previously, the overabundance of fire that the many redheads have brought to Allen's life have become too much for his sanity. It seems to me Allen himself with his dark hair and demeanor represents the element of Earth. Earth is easily overcome by fire but the surprising plot twists that occur in the last few minutes of this film culminate in an undeniable alchemical resolution, Allen is saved by the only element that can quench fire. What that element is and how it resolves Allen's imbalance is left for the viewer to find out.
. "Our warriors will prove to you, that by working together, we can rule the whole earth. We shall rule the world, according to our own methods!"
via Fire of Shiva
.
The office laughed their ass off on this one.
The tantrachair.
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