mike@projection-booth.com mike@projection-booth.com

December 7, 2011

Episode 40: Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)

The Incredible Torture ShowSpecial Guest: Joel M. Reed

Are you ready to accept our domination?

It's time to put on your overalls and break out the cymbals as Bloodsucking Freaks (AKA The Incredible Torture Show) is on the docket.

Joining Mike White in the Projection Booth is guest co-host Rob St. Mary of WDET. We're also talking to Bloodsucking Freaks director Joel M. Reed about his treatise on feminine empowerment via sadism and gore.

Links
Joel M. Reed's Official Website
Rob St. Mary on WDET
Bloodsucking Freaks on Hulu
Bloodsucking Freaks on DVD

Listen/Download Now:

Watch:

8 comments:

  1. I've listened to a couple of your shows and have really enjoyed them, but I just couldn't get past the 20 min mark on this one.

    You guys really went overboard on the social commentary. So much so that the episode began to feel like a lecture from a Marxist sociology teacher.

    Definitely not fun.

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  2. Umr,

    Sorry to hear you didn't dig it. But, I think we were trying to talk about the film as a whole - the many levels that are there. Most people don't give some films their due in terms of ideas, some just see them as pure entertainment. I think "BSF" does both and the fact that many people, including the distributor, find the film without merit or value is interesting.

    Anyhow, hope you come back for future episodes! Mike always does a great job!

    CHEERS!

    Rob St. Mary

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  3. I really like that you guys touched upon the madness that was nyc at the time that Blood Sucking Freaks came out. Loved this episode and felt the need to follow after this one.

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  4. Truly great episode. I love the pro-feminist angle and I totally agree. Really great to see this misunderstood classic with a new spin. Thank you for the super insightful commentary!

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  5. Bob,

    Thanks! Mike was kind enough to invite me in to talk about it. I think, like a lot of grindhouse/exploitation, there's more going on that most people realize. It's always worth looking at any work of art - music, film, book, painting - through the lens of its times.

    Keep on listening!

    CHEERS!

    Rob St. Mary

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  6. I greatly enjoyed this episode and I'm very glad I finally watched this film after knowing of it for over twenty-something years. The interview with Reed was very satisfying, as his responses and stories were both interesting and entertaining. Great job, Rob, on both your line of questions and your analysis. Your points were well presented. There are few things I enjoy more than a good satire. Glad to have the DVD in my library.

    The only thing that surprised me was that no one brought up the dwarf in the clown suit whipping the women in the "Catholic High School Girls in Trouble" segment of "The Kentucky Fried Movie". I was wondering if Landis had chosen to shoot that as an homage to Reed's film.

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    Replies
    1. David,

      Good point on KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE - never thought about that. I'm sure that Landis knew about the film because it's been said often that other people int he comedy field liked it - Andy Kaufman was supposedly a big fan.

      CHEERS!

      Rob St. Mary
      co-host of "The Projection Booth"

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  7. In the fall of 2011, Mondo Justin abruptly left the show. There was a brief announcement made about it on the show but I remember something of a huge blow-out on Chonebook between the two hosts. Things seemed to get real ugly, real quick.

    But to his credit, Mike White never missed a beat and forged ahead with a series of 'guest hosts.' On this episode, he invited WDET reporter (and future permanent Projection Booth co-host) Rob St. Mary to discuss Joel M. Reed's notorious low budget psychotronic classic.

    It's interesting to hear Mr. St. Mary try to make a case that Blood Sucking Freaks is a pro-feminist film! It's really cute.

    But one thing I learned from this episode is how much I would've enjoyed partying with Joel M. Reed back in the seventies!

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