Subversive Cinema

A story about family, sobriety, redemption, and porn.

Okay, it's actually a lot more f*cked up than that.

***LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED***

Listen in as me and my guest, Devon, talk through what he called "the most horrific thing [he's] seen."

Directed by Srdjan Spasojevic (The ABCs of Death) and written by Spasojevic and Aleksandar Radivojevic (short films and Serbian projects), this film has been heralded by many as one of, if not the, most disturbing and messed up films ever made.

It follows the once great porn star Milos who has since retired to spend time with his family and Jack Daniels. He is approached by an "art house" porn director named Vukmir to do one last film for an absurd amount of money. He takes the job only to find that the film will be made live with him learning the story as he goes. When he finds he has been drugged and wakes up bloody, days later, and his family is missing, Milos tries to retrace his steps by following a demented breadcrumb trail of video tapes. What he finds will change his life, and possibly yours, forever.

Definitely not for the faint of heart, this maligned work from 2010 still has the power to elicit shudders and strong opinions from those who have seen it -- whether they liked it or hated it.

**Again, proceed with caution with this episode as we discuss difficult subject matter that occurs in the film.**

For the brave and the curious the film is available on Blu-ray and DVD.

A story about love, cheese puffs, toe-free appetizers, and a talking cat (of course).

Listen in as me and my guest, Kelly, meow about this breezy and silly film.

Directed by David DeCoteau (Working Girls, Boys Just Wanna Have Sex, and Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge) under the pseudonym of Mary Crawford, and written by Andrew Helm (The Great Halloween Puppy Adventure, Santa's Summer House, and Death Racers -- starring I.C.P.), this film tells the whimsical story of Duffy the talking cat, voiced by the incomparable Eric Roberts, and how he touches the lives of two families in need of connection.

In one house we have über-rich Phil and his socially weird son Chris. In another we have Susan, one of the worst caterers in history, with her kids Tina and Trent. Duffy works his magic and brings love and companionship to these families as well as pushes them to follow their dreams... all while being able to talk to each person only once.

This film was helmed by director with a history of making softcore porn and boy, does it show in the camera work, staging, and performances. Easily one of the most hysterically agonizing selections and pretty much the only family-friendly offering this season.

Listen to this NSFW episode with grownups, then share the magic of A Talking Cat !?! with the family! Available on streaming and on DVD.

A story about a doctor, his lovely Three-Dog, a dream, and the wonders of modern medicine.

Listen in as me and my guest, Chris, dive into the dirty details of this polarizing work of modern-day horror.

Written and directed by Tom Six (Human Centipede I, II, & III), the first entry into the Centipede triptych follows Jenny and Lindsay as they holiday in an unspecified area of Germany only to find themselves stranded in the woods on their way to a club. Enter Dr. Heiter, a dude with an O.R. in his basement and some pretty f*cked up ideas. Dr. Heiter "saves" the girls from a rainy night only for them to find themselves strapped to gurneys in his basement ready to be sewn ass-to-mouth to each other and a truck driver.

Yeah. It's like that. The fun and adventure only get crazier from there!

This film is equally horrific and gross, but nothing compared to its sequel (discussed later in this season). Find the trilogy on Blu-ray and see for yourself why people either love or utterly hate this film.

A story about love, snakes, fire, and questionable police work.

Listen in as me and my guest, Dan, drill down into the nitty gritty of this straight-to-VHS classic.

Directed by Anson Williams (Potsie Weber in Happy Days) and written by Barry Sandler (a few things you've probably never heard of), All-American Murder follows Artie Logan as he tries the navigate life at a new college campus. Throw into the mix a sudden fling with the Dean's wife, questionable love-at-first-sight with campus queen Tally Fuller, and it would seem that Artie isn't making the best choices. When a fiery murder sets campus and police tensions ablaze (pun intended), Artie decides the only person who can crack the case is none other than... himself.

Yep. Oh, and it features Christopher Walken at his best level of Walken while handling a hostage situation.

This film is bananas and is available on Blu-ray. Hear about it here then get the film and see it for yourself. You will not regret it.

Coming July 30th to a podcast platform near you...

A show about the weird, whacky, and downright wrong entries in cinema history. Join me, Art Hall, as I sit down each week with a guest to discuss a film and try to figure out its Subversive Sauce — the things that makes that film stand out.

Sure, there will be spoilers about these films, but trust me, you will want to hear about these gems. Learn about these films with the show, then watch them for yourself and get the full experience. Heck, let me know what you think of them and if you have a subversive film to recommend drop me a line on Instagram.

Subversively yours,

Art Hall