Hugh Gallagher, of Main Force Pictures, Illinois, sent a flyer for a movie he’s writing, producing and directing. Rejoicing in the title of ‘Gorgasm’, it’s about a detective working on a homicide case which leads him “into a dark world of sadism and torture”. It stars Rik Billock and Raisa Hebra, the latter of whom appeared in ‘Easy-Riders Centrefold’. Some instinct (not to mention the stills they sent) tells me it’ll be pleasantly sleazy… More info: Main Force Pictures, PO Box 115, Moro, IL 62067, USA.

On the cultured side, the Edinburgh Film Guild is holding a course of evening film-study session for five weeks from January 17th. It’s examining the work of Val Lewton, producer of many cult classic movies for RKO in the 40’s, including the original ‘Cat People’ which was remade in the 80’s, starring some German actress whose name escapes me for the moment… Nine films are going to be shown, the cost is œ12.50 and there are only thirty places available. More details from Jim Dunnigan, Education, Edinburgh Film Guild, The Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9BZ. Tel. 031-228 6382/3.

Malibu Graphics keep sending me promotional material at regular intervals for no apparent reason, so they deserve a mention. Let’s advertise their series ‘Dead Walkers’, which I guess is a follow-up to their zombie comic, ‘The Walking Dead’. It sells in both gross and not-so-gross covers, depending on your taste, a nice twist on a theme, since the same company are responsible for ‘Leather and Lace’, for some time available in adult and regular versions. That comic, together with ‘Black Kiss’, were seized by police during a raid on Birmingham’s Nostalgia & Comics bookstore, who have stocked TC. This raid was provoked by a typically scandal-mongering local rag, the Birmingham Daily News – never mind that the comics in question were only on sale to adults and came in sealed plastic bags! Predictable reactions of shock and disgust from local MP, Clare “I don’t like it so let’s ban it” Short followed. N&C deserve your support if you’re in the area, and are at 14-16 Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham.

If you want your own copy of ‘Zombie 90’ (see Film Blitz) or ‘Violent Shit’, send £19.99 for the former, £17.99 for the latter or £35 for both to Reel Gore Productions, Steve Aquilina, Rudolf-Kinau Weg 1, 2082 Uetersen, W.Germany. This includes p&p, payment by cash or Eurocheque and delivery is from England in about 14 days. And Black Sunday 5, the Manchester/Edinburgh version (generally regarded to be the better half, going on the B.S. 4’s) is on for February/March. That’s the word from Dave Bryan, who phoned to let me know about it and promised a press release – it hasn’t arrived yet so this’ll have to do! Send an SAE to 51 Thatch Leach Lane, Whitefield, Manchester, M25 6EN.

Samhain is a ‘zine I rarely mention here because it seems perilously close to bum-licking since you’re probably aware of it already. In the past a significant number of TC’s readers have said to me that since the demise of Shock Xpress, Samhain has gradually drifted downhill – I tended to disagree, but must admit the issue 24 is of a seriously lower standard (lack of competition perhaps?), the nadir of which is the phrase in a review, “anyone who can honestly say they enjoy this…must be mentally retarded”. Scarcely film journalism at it’s best, I’ll take author Ian Calcutt on at Trivial Pursuit any day! Elsewhere, they slag off a ‘zine for printing a year-old interview while themselves running a Rob Bottin piece dating from before ‘Legend’, have a chat with Phoebe Legere which reads like treacle (in 3 consecutive sentences, “and” occurs a total of twelve times!) and otherwise, after removing competitions and other ephemera, there’s not much left. There’s still some excellent sections and it looks great but it doesn’t seem as good as it used to. It’d be a shame if it went the way of a certain American magazine.

Having blown our hopes of a mention the next issue (hell, the last one they included was TC5 anyway!), let’s look at the publishing empire of Tim Paxton, who sent a whole load of stuff from his high-school project of 10 years ago up to copies of his current publications Monster (8 A5, $11/yr = 24 issues) and Naked! Screaming! Terror! (24 A5, $2 + 2 IRCs) which look at (surprise!) monster movies and films of the 70’s, though I suspect the latter has a different theme every issue. Both are nicely written, with an informal feel I like, even if the man needs his eyes tested – see the letter column! Getting their bribery in early, Psychotic Reaction 2 (18 A4, 50p?) is the first ‘zine I’ve seen to review illicit pharmaceuticals. There’s also a load of film reviews and books too, not to mention the nifty Psychotic Reaction T-shirts which I possess one of and it’s a fine substitute till those TC-shirts are sorted out!

Douglas Angel goes back to his past, reprinting The Absolute 1 (12 A5, 20p – that may be the original price!) from the start of the 80’s. A braver man than I am (TC0 is firmly out of print) but then, this is certainly looks nicer than TC0. Comics-oriented, it includes his list of desired issues, now presumably hideously incorrect! After some time, Rick Sullivan’s Gore Gazette 102 (10 A4, $1 or so) makes a welcome return – slagged off in the Village Voice for supposedly racist views, Rick decided to jack it in but wiser forces prevailed and he’s continuing for the moment. The best of the US rant-zines, no contest.

Strange Adventures 22 (20 A4, 95p) is the usual eclectic mix of books, films, comics, videos and TV, best summed up by adjacent reviews of ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Meet the Feebles’! Bound to be something of interest in this for everyone. After what seems like forever, Fantasynopsis 3 (56 A4, œ1.95) is here, taking ‘infrequent’ to new dimensions. But it’s worth the wait – glossy, lovely picture quality (jealousy!) and in-depth articles on ‘Don’t Look Now’ and ‘Manhunter’. Most improved layout goes to Bloody Hell 2 (24 A4, £1.50), doing their bit for the rain-forests by printing on both sides of the paper this time round. Concentrating on Abel Ferrara’s films this time, something of a mixed blessing since it means a ‘Driller Killer’ piece as well as one on the wonderful ‘Ms.45’. BH tries to defend the entire genre as artistically worthy, a bravely stubborn stance beyond my comprehension!

The first half of Sheer Filth 9 (32 A5, 75p) is worrying, reviews of performance artists and that sort of thing. The second half is fortunately the SF we know & love, philosophical discussions on unmentionable topics, reviews of weird product and a letter page that defies description totally. Vital reading for sleaze-hounds. Norma K 2 (32 A5, £1) is devoted to the works of Traci Lords – Steve Rag knows his stuff and it’s got a good selection of pictures. I admit ripping off one for our article, in desperation – sorry, Steve, I’ll buy you a pint some time! So as a deadline breathes down my neck, Midnight in Hell 5 (20 A4, £1) is a victim of it’s own quality: there’s no way I can read it before the deadline catches up wi…

• The Absolute – Douglas Angel, 69 Chestnut Ave, Bradwell, Gt.Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 8PL.
• Bloody Hell! – David Prothero, 11 Clos-Yr-Wenallt, Rhiwbina, Cardiff, CF4 6TW.
• Fantasynopsis – Paul J.Brown, 1 Bascraft Way, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, Cambs PE18 8EG.
• Gore Gazette – c/o Sullivan, 469 Hazel Street, Clifton, N.J. 07011, USA.
• Midnight in Hell – George Houston,The Cottage,Smithy Brae, Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire, PA13 4EN.
• Monster + N!S!T! – Kronos Publications, MPO Box 67, Oberlin, Ohio 44074-0067, USA.
• Norma K – Steve Rag, 118 High Street, Eastleigh, Hants, SO5 5LR.
• Psychotic Reaction – Spencer Hickman, 50 Wingfield Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, B42 2QD.
• Sheer Filth – 39 Holly Street, Offerton, Stockport, SK1 4DP.
• Strange Adventures – Tony Lee, 13 Hazely Combe, Arreton, Isle of Wight, PO30 3AJ.