Film Discoveries of 2016 - Stephen Scarlata

Mr. Scarlata is a personal friend of mine and he and I are were very much raised on a lot of the same 80s junk/goodness. One of his favorite movies is THE PIT. He's a cool fella. He was also one of the producers on JODOROWSKY'S DUNE which is currently available on Blu-ray:
http://amzn.to/1XunRUS

He also co- wrote the cool recent horror movie BEYOND THE GATES which is on VOD:

http://amzn.to/2iNXVsn

You should follow him on twitter here:
https://twitter.com/xNECKx
and letterboxd here:
http://letterboxd.com/neck/

Check out his Discoveries list from last year:
http://www.rupertpupkinspeaks.com/2016/02/film-discoveries-of-2015-stephen.html
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EVIL CLUTCH (1988)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097307/

This is a bad movie, but I’m in love with it. A couple wonders around a spooky late 1980’s Italian graveyard for 75 minutes. It feels like a thrasher version of Jean Rollins’ The Iron Rose. It’s slow moving and very atmospheric. When the violence strikes, it’s brutally shocking and bizarre. 

THE REVENGER (1989)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098199/?ref_=nv_sr_4

A sax player goes out for revenge in this sleazy late 1980’s action trash.  Be warned this movie contains a relentless amount of saxophone, revenging and drug use by Oliver Reed. 

PUPPET MASTER 5: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1994)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110916/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

I really believe that Puppet Master is a criminally underrated franchise. Parts 2, 3 and 4 are really solid entries. Part 4 is my favorite of the batch. Little did I know until catching it on El Rey this past year that Part 5 is a continuation of Part 4. If you want to watch a fun double feature I’d highly recommend doing a double feature of Puppet Master 4 and 5. They’re both directed by Jeff Buff. 

ALIEN BEASTS (1991)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122882/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

I first heard about this film when I was kid in Fangoria. It was a $20.00 mail order horror title.  I never bought it, but never forgot about it. Earlier this year I found it on youtube.  This is a work of art that could have only been made by this auteur. This is 110% pure uncut shot-on-video madness. I’d recommend it to SOV horror completists only. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fcrfSwQEbM

HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT (1989)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134456/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

House of Witchcraft is one of two films Umberto Lenzi directed for a four part series titled House of Doom for Italian TV in the late 80’s. If you’re into Lenzi, I think you might dig it. There’s a great copy of it currently on youtube. . 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASXNotSLp5g