Mark of the Devil

After many years the infamous Mark of the Devil is being released uncut in the UK. Arrow Video have put it out on blu ray, and they asked me to write an essay for the booklet. I was honoured to have been asked, and the fact that I love all that censorship stuff combined with the international angle meant it was pretty much a perfect fit. It was released this week, and I'm still eagerly awaiting my copy. It's a fascinating film, as these old shockers always are. If there was ever any doubt as to the exploitation value of torturing sexy ladies, this cheesy promotional image of Udo Kier and potential victim ought to settle the question.

If you too are interested to know how the film was treated by the BBFC, simply click on the cover above and order yourself a copy! Only be warned, this is not one for the kids.

Jake West

Recently published in Intensities: The Journal of Cult Media is an interview I conducted with British film director Jake West. Of particular interest to me was the fact that he is a former student of the college where I currently teach part-time. I don't know this for definite, but I would like to claim that this is the most in-depth, career-spanning interview Jake has done. We even talked about Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes (2006).

Whilst browsing through other articles in the journal I was amused and delighted to notice that I had been referenced in a review of The Witch Who Came From the Sea (1976), which was incidentally on the Department for Public Prosecutions list of "video nasties" in 1983. My description of Baba Yaga (1973), from an article I wrote in last summer's edition of Intensities, has been used. Nice to know that at least one person out there read it. This is the first time that I know of where I have been referenced in an academic context. I guess this means there is hope for me yet.