Friday, April 17, 2009

Dystopia - Human = Garbage




Dystopia and their album "Human = Garbage" is one of those classic underground pieces where the content (the destruction of nature, drug wars, the evils of money) continues to become more true, more real, everyday. I will never forget driving up to Gillman St., getting drunk on King Cobra in the parking lot, taking pisses on the old abandoned house down the block, and then ducking when the cops came. Like an eerie silent movie scene, when the mass of figures in black crept into the side door, then you knew the ritual was to begin. Time to hear the call that was Dystopia's stoned crusty doom punk, an invitation to basking in the dionysian glory, the prophetic knowledge, of western capitalism's final collapse.

The following video is from the heyday of 1996, same time period as the flyer above.

"Hands That Mold"




"....build and build and build some more. Industry fucks nature, like some kind of whore."



Accept & Download "Human = Garbage"

Saturday, April 11, 2009

BABA YAGA aka Kiss Me, Kill Me


Baba Yaga is a strange mix of Russian folklore, Nazi nightmares, sexy golem attacks and the eurotrash comic art of Guido Crepax. Filmed in 1973, by director/writer Corrado Farnia, the piece mixes in some nods to the revolutionary politics of the day and stars the doe-eyed Isabelle de Fumes as the unattainable photographer Valentina Russolini.

Baba Yaga is set around the lives of jet-setting Italian artists, who like bumping uglies just as much as making soap commercials with racist connotations. Farina shows a real flair for making a surreal dreamlike mix of sex, fantasy and murder. When Valentina and her suitor Arno finally get it on, their conjugal visit becomes a swirl of comic style imagerary, a homage to Crepax's work.

Swinging times, those 70s. And the choice of the track "Open Space" by Piero Umilani, helps to really push things along with a funky vibe.


A bricolage of Crepax's Valentina set to Umilani's music by CosmoCorps2000


Valentina's wanderlust leads her to a "chance" encounter with an old sapphic wench, who calls herself Baba Yaga. Valentina tries to save a lost German Shepard from being run-over, but the dog is actually a bait to trap her in a magic circle of candles on dark night at 3:30 am (note the symbolism). This is also the first point in the film that has an injection of Nazi elements.

Baba bites when she is feeling randy.

Nazi Dream Sequence # 1

the symbolic death march

Baba Yaga gets ahold of some Valentina


Farina/Crepax take some liberties with the Baba Yaga mythology, but they still point to the horrific essence that holds the original fairy tale together; a wicked old woman, who preys on younger nubile women from her power center in an old house (though not one that stands on chicken feet in the Russian forest!). The Dominatrix/Golem mixes a strange brew with the Nazi sexual symbolism and makes you wonder about the source of Baba Yaga's magic.

Baba Yaga is a solid, arty horror flic and definitely recommended.







PS - there is also a great two song demo from a doom band named Baba Yaga, available for free on the quintessential Cosmic Hearse here.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Intelligent, Visionary Horror Movies (v. 1.0) - Pizza SEO


Thirtyseven has put together a solid list of newer horror flicks (and there are some great recommendations in the comments) on his always excellent PizzaSEO. Go over and check it out:

Intelligent, Visionary Horror Movies (v. 1.0)