motor psycho (1965)

aka Motor Mods and Rockers. Rio Vengeance.
Made prior to Faster Pussycat, but with a similar outline, only this time it's three men out for kicks. Motor psycho is straighter and darker than Faster Pussycat. Where Pussycat is campy and fun, Psycho is nasty. Though Meyer can't stop himself adding some camp humour and sex along the way. Here Russ depicts the journey of Brahmin, a Vietnam vet suffering post traumatic stress, as he and his gang rapes and murders its way across the Californian desert. Following the rape of a Vet's wife, he chases them into the desert, hell bent on vengence. A mission that is complicated when he stumbles upon Haji, another victim of Brahmin's murdeous rage.
This has everything you expect from a Meyer film, including larger than life predatory women and weak willed men. But it also has a dark heart in the otherwise hip and cool young protagonists. Although not explicit in any way, you can see the video nasty peaking over the horizon with this grittier depiction of Meyers world.

faster, pussycat! kill! kill! (1965)

aka Faster Pussycat! Wham! Bang! Faster, Pussycat! Go! Go! Pussycat. The Leather Girls. The Mankillers.

"Go Girl! Go!"
Three Go-Go dancers hot wheeling it around America looking for kicks make trouble for themselves when they kidnap a young girl and kill her boyfriend. They hide out on a dilapidated ranch owned by a reclusive man and his two sons, who they are told has money hidden on the property, and they plan to find it.
Peppered with fantastic dialogue and outrageous characters, this is Russ Meyers finest film, an ode to violence in women. Unfortunately the audience was not ready for a nude free Russ film, and it bombed, only to become a stone cold classic when rediscovered. Maybe you won't like the over the top caricatures, but I'll guarantee that this film will leave an impression, especially if you like muscle bound impotent hunks, big breasted dominatrix, and unrequited lesbians. Oh and a classic theme tune, later covered by the Cramps. Not bad going for 1965!

the mummy (1932)

aka Cagliostro. Im-Ho-Tep. King of the Dead .
An exhibition to Egypt uncovers a mummy, buried alive, for some sacrilegious reason. A mummy that then disappears. Ten years later a mysterious Egyptian arrives, could it be Im-ho-tep back from the dead?
Boris Karloff is in fine, menacing form in the role of Im-ho-tep, searching for and believing he has found his lost love. Everything in this film is set to a slow poetic pace which lends a dream like quality to this fine film.

the invisible man (1933)

A man covered in bandages turns up at a small village pub asking for lodgings. He soon starts to make trouble and when the police try to arrest him he sheds his cloths to reveal he is invisible.
A great re-working of the H G Wells classic, with fantastic effects, especially for the period. A must see film for all Sci-fi and horror fans.

the wasp woman (1959)

aka Die Wespenfrau. La Donna vespa. Insect Woman. La Mujer avispa. La Mujer insecto. The Bee Girl.
Janice Starlin (Susan Cabot) owns a cosmetic factory and is concerned about dropping sales. To re-dress this she hires a scientist who is researching with wasp enzymes to makes animals younger and she becomes his human subject. But she soon starts noticing side effects.
Another Corman low budget quicky that never outstays its welcome and there's enough to keep you interested in the outcome.

hands of the ripper (1971)

Eric Porter is a Dr who discovers violent tendencies in a young girl and takes her on as a patient. He comes to believe her possessed by her dead father's spirit, that compels her to kill. Angharad Rees stars as the daughter of someone with a peculiar talent in murder, Jack the Ripper, and who may have taken up fathers hobby.
An often overlooked Hammer, that slowly delves into the psychology of killing, but none the less manages to pack a few shocks along the way. A Pygmalian for the slasher generation that deserves a look.

bloody mama (1970)

Though based on a true story, this is an entirely fictitious account of Ma Baker and her boys. It's believed that Ma Baker had no actual involvement in the Barker-Karpis gang. This not withstanding, the film rattles along in fine style as she and her boys go from small time delinquents to FBI's most wanted. Along the way the boys develop virtually every deviancy known to man, or woman for that matter. All interspirsed with archive of the period, commented on by Ma herself, as she looks after her boys and all their needs! A low budget, but compelling film, just don't believe a word of it!