Video Nasties Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blood Feast

Herschell Gordon Lewis (b.1929) is one of the legendary B-movie directors. "Blood Feast" seems quite lame by today's standards as the scenes of gore are so obviously fake. Its murderous protagonist is intent on reanimating the goddess Ishtar, even if it involves murdering and eating his customers.

It was released uncut in 2005. Lewis' filmography includes a nudist camp musical, "Goldilocks and the Three Bares", an exploration of wife swapping, "Suburban Roulette", a lesbian Western, "Linda and Abilene", children's movies (!), and a whole bunch of soft porn, sexploitation and gore.

As of this writing, he has yet to win an Oscar.

Answer: The Last House on the Left

"The Last House on the Left" caused a scandal when it was released due to its story of a gang of murderous hoodlums who abduct two girls, subject them to humiliation and then kill them. The gang, pretending to be 'nice', ends up staying at the home of one of the girls they murdered.

The girl's parents realize what their guests had done and exact brutal revenge. Wes Craven (b.1939) went on to become one of the most famous horror directors. "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Scream" are among the most well known and popular horror flicks of the 80s/90s. "The Last House on the Left" raised the ire of censors because of its depiction of violence against women.

It was released uncut in 2008.

Answer: Fight for Your Life

"Fight for Your Life" is notable for--aside from its notoriety--featuring actor William Sanderson (who played J.F. Sebastian in "Blade Runner"). Sanderson's gang of thugs invade the house of an African-American family and subject them to intense racial abuse and sexually assault the eldest daughter before the family rises up and exacts revenge.

This and several other films of the era cashed in on the scandal of "Last House on the Left": Mario Bava's "Twitch of the Death Nerve" was marketed for a while in the U.S. as "Last House on the Left 2" (despite the fact that it pre-dates Craven's film and bears no similarity to it whatsoever); and Ruggero Deodato released "The House on the Edge of the Park" in 1980. Both of these films were on the 'nasty' list too but were released with cuts in 1994 and 2002 respectively.

Answer: Cannibal Holocaust

All of the above cannibal films were featured on the nasties list. Deodato's (b.1939) "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980) was released (in the U.K.) in 2001 with the scenes of animal cruelty expunged. The story revolves around an expeditionary team trying to find out what happened to a documentary crew that disappeared in the Amazonian jungle.

It combines the surviving footage of the first team with the story of the second team looking for them. The use of documentary style is said to have been an influence on the makers of "The Blair Witch Project". Umberto Lenzi's "Cannibal Ferox" (1981; also known as "Make Them Die Slowly") was finally released with cuts in 2000. Antonio Margheriti's "Cannibal Apocalypse" (1980), which features cannibalistic Vietnam Vets, was released with some cuts in 2005. "Cannibal Man" (1972), or "La Semana del asesino" (Week of the Killer) is a Spanish film by Eloy de la Iglesia which was released with cuts in 1993.

Answer: Faces of Death

The original "Faces of Death", directed by John Alan Schwartz (credited as Conan le Cilaire), spawned several sequels (many of which simply recycled footage from earlier installments). The loose documentary style presents the viewer with various 'real' deaths, most of which were faked by the film-makers.

The VHS release boasted of being banned in 40 countries. Much of the footage used was stock film of slaughterhouses or war. It was released cut in 2003.

Answer: Anthropophagus

Joe d'Amato (1936-1999) was primarily a soft porn director when he made "Anthropophagus" (including several installments in the "Emanuelle" series). A group of people arrive on a seemingly deserted Greek island but discover that in fact they are far from alone and that a wealthy family on the island hides a sinister secret in the form of a psychotic, cannibalistic son.

The alleged 'snuff' scene depicted the local psycho devouring a fetus ripped from a pregnant victim. It was actually a rabbit. D'Amato made a loose sequel called "Absurd: Anthropophagus 2" in 1981, which also made the nasties list.

Answer: I Spit on Your Grave

Directed by Meir Zarchi (b.1937), "I Spit on Your Grave" does feature several challenging scenes, but it is surely far from being one of the worst films ever made, as Roger Ebert often characterized it. The lead actress plays a young writer staying in the country to finish her book.

She comes in contact with some of the locals who eventually assault her. Left for dead, she then gets her revenge on them one by one. The director was apparently inspired to make it after helping a woman who had been attacked in New York.

He is reported to prefer the original title, "Day of the Woman".

Answer: Flesh for Frankenstein

"Andy Warhol's Flesh for Frankenstein", to give it its full title, was followed by "Andy Warhol's Dracula" (or, "Blood for Dracula") in 1974. Both were filmed using the same sets, locations, cast and crew. Udo Kier starred as Frankenstein. The film's very loose plot sees Udo Kier 'making' a person from bits and pieces of the local peasant population.

He then has to make a female 'companion' for his creation. The film was released un-cut in 2006.

Answer: Tenebrae

"Tenebrae" (or "Tenebre") was released un-cut in 2003. A famous writer arrives in Rome to promote his book and discovers the police there involved in the search for a psychotic killer whose murders were inspired by the writer's latest book, "Tenebrae".

When the killer's attentions are seemingly turned to the writer himself, he begins to play detective. Of course, the film has a substantial twist at its conclusion. Presumably, it made the nasties list due to scenes of violence directed toward women.

It is actually more a thriller (or 'Giallo') with horror elements than an outright horror. Typically for Argento films, it features a fairly loose plot (though it is tighter than several of his others) punctuated by elaborately conceived set-pieces.

Answer: Island of Death

I won't go into detail, but "Island of Death" (Ta Paidia tou Diavolou) really is a shocker. It revolves around a seemingly loving couple (are they boyfriend and girlfriend, or...something else?) visiting a Greek island and then embarking on a series of perversions, atrocities, and generally frowned-upon activities. It was released with four minutes cut in 2002.