Silent Death

Hollywood Rated 'R'

June 1997 •English

A roller-coaster ride through the history of American exploitation films, ranging from Roger Corman's sci-fi and horror monster movies, 1960s beach movies, H.G. Lewis' gore-fests, William Castle's schlocky theatrical gimmicks, to 1970s blaxploitation, pre-"Deep Throat" sex tease films, Russ Meyer's bosom-heavy masterpieces, etc, etc. Over 25 interviews of the greatest purveyors of weird films of all kind from 1940 to 1975. Illustrated with dozens of films clips, trailers, extra footage, etc. This documentary as a shorter companion piece focusing on exploitation king David F. Friedman.

The Golem

January 1915 •German

This mostly lost film is often confused with director Paul Wegener third and readily available interpretation of the legend; Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920). In this version of the golem legend, the golem, a clay statue brought to life by Rabbi Loew in 16th century Prague to save the Jews from the ongoing brutal persecution by the city's rulers, is found in the rubble of an old synagogue in the 20th century. Brought to life by an antique dealer, the golem is used as a menial servant. Eventually falling in love with the dealer's wife, it goes on a murderous rampage when its love for her goes unanswered.

His Body

October 2024 •Portuguese

On the last days of soul in Rio de Janeiro... Groove is everywhere in the night... and Carlos and Tony have unfinished business. A tribute to Blaxploitation, the queer horror jam "His Body" chronicles the supernatural meeting of two ex-lovers on a night packed with soul music in the 1970s' Rio de Janeiro.

Dracula's Death

February 1921 •Hungarian

The film is about a woman who experiences frightening visions after visiting an insane asylum where one of the inmates claims to be Count Dracula (here following the Hungarian spelling Drakula). She has trouble determining whether the inmate's visions are real or merely nightmares.

化け地蔵

January 1898 •Japanese

One of the two earliest horror films ever made. This film is presumed lost.

Blacula

August 1972 •English

An 18th century African prince is turned into a vampire while visiting Transylvania. Two centuries later, he rises from his coffin attacking various residents of Los Angeles and meets Tina, a woman who he believes is the reincarnation of his deceased wife.

The Transformation: A Sandwich of Nightmares

January 1974 •English

Black Devil Doll

October 2007 •English

Five hot sexy young big-breasted chicks are raped, abused, tortured, and killed (?) by an evil jive-ass talking doll possessed by the spirit of an executed black militant death row inmate. Who will survive...

The Haunted House

November 1928 •English

Four heirs to a family fortune are summoned to appear at the family estate for the reading of the will, where they meet the estate's staff, which includes a nurse, a crazed doctor, and a sinister handyman.

Alraune

January 1918 •Hungarian

It is a variation on the original legend of Alraune in which a Mad Scientist creates a beautiful but demonic child from the forced union between a woman and a Mandrake root. Not to be confused with the 1918 German version of Alraune.

Botan dôrô

January 1937 •Japanese

Blackenstein

August 1973 •English

Eddie is a Vietnam veteran who loses his arms and legs when he steps on a land mine, but a brilliant surgeon is able to attach new limbs. Unfortunately an insanely jealous assistant (who has fallen in love with Eddie's fiance) switches Eddie's DNA injections, transforming him into a gigantic killer.

Masked Mutilator

May 2019 •English

After accidentally killing an opponent in the ring, a professional wrestler takes a job at a group home for youth offenders. But when a psychopath wearing a wrestling mask begins butchering the teenage residents, their rehabilitation will become a no-holds-barred battle for survival. Originally filmed in 1994 but completed in 2019.

The Dance of Death

October 1919 •German

In this apparently lost film, a beautiful dancer's sexual allure is used by an evil cripple to entice men to their deaths. Falling in love with one of the potential victims, she is told by the cripple that he will set her free if her lover, actually a murderer himself, survives and escapes a bizarre labyrinthe which runs beneath the cripple's house.

Yongary, Monster from the Deep

August 1967 •Korean

Earthquakes in central Korea turn out to be the work of Yongary, a prehistoric gasoline-eating reptile that soon goes on a rampage through Seoul.

Mortmain

September 1915 •English

Surgeon Crisp announces to his student doctors and friends that he has solved the problem of limb-grafting, and shows proofs. Among those deeply interested is Mortmain, a musician and a friend of the surgeon.

Def by Temptation

March 1990 •English

An evil succubus is preying on libidinous black men in New York, and all that stands in her way is a minister-in-training, an aspiring actor, and a cop that specializes in cases involving the supernatural.

Sugar Hill

February 1974 •English

When a nightclub owner is murdered by gangsters after refusing to sell his business to the mob boss, his grieving fiancé enlists the help of a voodoo priestess to avenge his death.

Murder and the Computer

December 1973 •English

After coming under suspicion for a computer technician's murder, six hackers team up to try to find the real killer.

A Chant of Silence

May 1973 •English

A murdering skyjacker parachutes to safety and poses as a novice monk in an isolated New Mexico monastery.