FILM NIGHT 2

Friday, July 21, 2006

Current mood: scared

I decided to start watching the movies earlier so that I could cram more in. Still didn’t manage to watch them all, but got through quite a few. Even a couple I didn't even remember I was in!

So lets start with those. Grotties was about a gang of little monsters who go around doing devilish things (not to be confused with Gremlins, Critters, Ghoulies, Garbage Pail Kids, etc)

I had completely forgotten my involvement in this. Then when I saw the Grotties themselves it all came flooding back. I worked on it as a puppeteer (my hands coming in useful again there!) controlling the little monsters in mid shots and close ups. I did a lot of laying on the floor behind boxes on that film.

The Grotties were Bee-Face, Fish-Lips, Grass-Stain, Slime-Ball and Grease-Monkey. All pretty weird looking little boogers. There were a few sequels too, which I wasn't involved in. Grotties II, Grotties do Spring-Break and Grotties IV: The Origin of the Grotties.

I was surprised to see I even had a cameo in Grotties as a security guard who is attacked by Bee-Face which I was also puppeteering. So I was basically throttling myself.

Next up was Mrs. Pomroy's Peculiar Perversion. This was a bit of an Art House movie. I have a feeling it was directed by Robert Levitator but coulda just as easily been Herb Ballpark. I played a psychiatrist studying Mrs. Pomroy's case and ending up one of her unwitting victims. Tied up with a washing line in a makeshift torture chamber erected in her shed. Do you remember the bit with the sewing machine? Ouch!

I remember a guy coming up to me in the rest-room after the premiere when I was stood at a urinal and he was astounded that I was still able to pee. I pointed out it was all done with special effects. He just stared down and said, "Wow. Looks real to me!"

Angel-Face II was great. It was the sequel to a film about an evil cat. In this movie the original cat's offspring sought revenge for its mother's death. The first film had Angel-Face starting out as this pretty harmless looking stray that these people take in, but they soon regret their hospitality when the cat begins to attack visitors, family and friends.

There was that great shot at the end when the cat has exploded and everyone is relieved that the torment is over. Then we cut back to the cat's den and the camera pans across to the open rib-cage of one of the cat’s previous victims, and there nestled inside is a little ball of fur which turns round in slow motion and miaows. The shot freezing mid-miaow and then zooming into its open mouth. Amazing stuff. The sequels not bad either.

I played the Vet who is the first to feel the furry wrath of Angel-Face II. I ended up with my eyeball dangling from its socket (not really, again just special effects). Again I leant my talents as a puppeteer when they needed shots of the cat biting people.

It was a really cute critter, you see, and wouldn't even so much as scratch. Every time it was meant to attack it had to be thrown into shot and the victim had to catch it and writhe around. You can even hear the cat purring in some of those shots. So thats why they needed the prop biting head thing.

Again I was running out of time but had an hour and twenty-three minutes in which I could watch The Bottom Feeder. Now, I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong you sicko.

The Bottom Feeder is actually about this genetically mutated sea-creature. I played a Marine Biologist in it. It was pretty bad actually. Not my finest hour and 23 minutes I can tell you. Originally the film was going to be about a giant Conga Eel and entitled Eel Met By Moonlight. But the budget wouldn't stretch and it was decided that The Bottom Feeder was the way to go.

Rather unsurprisingly the film sank without a trace. Hey, did you see what I did there. I said "sank without a trace" which is like a nautical themed phrase, and The Bottom Feeder was set in and around the ocean! Genius! Although come to think of it The Bottom Feeder itself somehow ended up in a pool in some woodland which is where my character encountered it. So they may have scratched the whole ocean setting too due to the budget restraints.

Next time around I am going to try and watch the Zombie Blood Feast movies all in one go. I better get the sick bucket ready.

Currently listening : Tango in the Night by Fleetwood Mac. Release date: By 25 October, 1990
9:09 AM - 4 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Richard
Great Blog as usual Charles!

Shame about the budget for "The Bottom Feeder" not stretching to make it about a giant conga eel, I read somewhere that the screenplay writer had ideas for a whole series of films. "Eel Meet Again!" was one that sticks in my mind.

Posted by Richard on Friday, July 21, 2006 at 12:03 PM

Charles Wynford Lodge
Thanks Richard you're a Pal. Yeh there was going to be a whole raft of sequels. There was also Raw Eel, Eel Dawn and The Seventh Eel.

Posted by Charles Wynford Lodge on Friday, July 21, 2006 at 1:15 PM

Sarah
My cat died just yesterday, but hopefully there won't be any evil snarling furballs in my vicinity.

Better get the old broom out just in case one decides to jump on me and give me a case of The Shudders!

Posted by Sarah on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 at 8:53 PM

Charles Wynford Lodge
Sorry to here about your cat! I feel for you... not in the biblical sense though you understand!

You look a little like one of the actresses from Shudders actually. Though she'd be older than you now of course as I made it some time in the 70's.

Posted by Charles Wynford Lodge on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 at 9:46 PM