A kidnapped diver is taken to an island inhabited by a mad scientist and his half-animal, half-human creations.
“TEST TUBE TERRORS. HALF BEAST... ALL MONSTER!”
Cult film night BAR TRASH continues with its 11th sensational season — SYNTHETIC FLESH! — a tribute to more than 100 years of monster makeup FX.
Eddie Romero was THE great midnight movie auteur of the Philippines. After completing his infamous Blood Island trilogy, he melded THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932) and ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932) into a scandalously manimalistic amalgamation of both that’s somehow like nothing else you’ll ever see. With imaginative makeup effects by another Filipino exploitation industry stalwart — Tony Artieda — the island’s subhuman menagerie includes an airborne man-bat (Tony Gosalvaz) and the incomparable Pam Grier as Ayesa, The Panther Woman, in one of her earliest movie appearances. This is also one of the best alternative uses of Neil Grant Richardson’s library music “Approaching Menace” which you’ll probably better know as the opening theme for TV quiz show MASTERMIND!
“While the plot rarely rises above its schlocky parameters, Tony Artieda’s creature designs survive on sheer gusto and energetic performances from the cast, with future star Grier’s full-tilt inhabitation of the feral cat-woman and Tony Gosalvaz’s laughter/cheer-inducing flight lodging firmly in the memory banks.” (Horror 101)
Featured special makeup effects artist: Tony Artieda (occasionally credited as ‘Antonio’) worked in the Filipino exploitation film industry across 5 decades including cult classics THE BLOOD DRINKERS (1964), BEAST OF BLOOD (1970), BEAST OF THE YELLOW NIGHT (1971), BEYOND ATLANTIS (1973), and DRIVING FORCE (1989).
Polite notice: We are projecting the English language dub of THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE with subtitles from the best available digital source.
/// BAR TRASH is a celebration of cult and curious cinema, hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo and friends. Films are served with themed drinks, introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £3.50. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo or visit tokenhomo.com for all the gory details ///
Programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery. www.filmlondon.org.uk/film-hub-london
