DAUGHTERS OF SATAN (USA/Philippines, 1972)

DAUGHTERS OF SATAN 
(USA/Philippines, 1972)
Director: Hollingsworth Morse

I've seen a lot of Filipino flicks but I must admit never to have come across DAUGHTERS OF SATAN before. Made as a US/Filipino coproduction in 1972 and directed by some guy called Hollingsworth Morse. The name did not ring a bell with this reviewer! A quick gander at IMDb makes me think this is probably his most interesting work. He made episodes in various TV series but nothing that stands out I'm sorry to say. I reckon this is his only horror film. 

An American businessman (played by Tom Selleck!) living with his American wife in the Philippines buys a painting from a mysterious antique dealer (played by Vic Diaz of course). The painting is 300 years old and shows three witches being burned alive. Charming picture to hang next to the dinner table! One of the witches looks exactly like his wife. The wife isn't too pleased with the purchase. She suffers from mental problems so having to look at herself being torched at the stake every day probably isn't her idea of cool interior decoration.

At some point while the husband is at work she encounters an evil dog, and an evil housekeeper turns up at her doorstep. Later there's another witch, more evil evildoers engaging in evil practices, and women getting flogged and hung over deadly iron spikes. 

DAUGHERS OF SATAN is odd and maybe it doesn't make too much sense but, hey, when was that a problem in horror movies!? I think the film is wonderfully odd and I much disagree with Ian Jane's 17 year old review from DVDManiacs (also copied by Andrew Leavold on his blog). He didn't think it was all that entertaining. Personally, I didn't look at the clock one single time throughout the film.
   
Ian Jane reviewed a UK DVD release in 2003 but I got the new (from 2018) blu-ray released by SHOUT! FACTORY. It doesn't mention if this release is sourced from a film negative or a 35mm print but it looks fabulous in any case. In contradiction to the DVD this release is in 1.85:1 widescreen. There's hardly any extras, a trailer and some still photos. The disc is subtitled in English. 

Final word: Highly recommended! (and I'd advise you get it sooner rather than later. These things have a tendency to go out of print fairly quickly these days). 

Apparently, the film played at US cinemas on a double bill with another US/Filipino production, SUPERBEAST. The trailer is for this double bill and SHOUT! have released both films on blu-ray (I own a terrible shit looking, censored bootleg DVD from ZDD. Needless to say, I have ordered the new blu-ray of SUPERBEAST but I reckon it's most likely stuck somewhere in traffic as so much stuff seems to be during these weird times we live in).



Trailer:
 

SUPERBEAST & DAUGHTERS OF SATAN on blu-ray

Double bill trailer

I kinda forgot all about Scream Factory's DVD release of SUPERBEAST and it completely escaped my attention that they also released DAUGHTERS OF SATAN back in 2018. Both films are weird Filipino horror flicks and thus both belong on his site!

Well, actually, they are both US productions made in the Philippines but still! And also, I've just discovered that not only are have they been released on Scream Factory DVD but they're also on that thar shiny and spiffy cool format, blu-ray! Check the double bill trailer in the above.

I ordered the two films a couple of days ago but obviously I haven't got them just yet. I have an old shitty bootleg DVD of SUPERBEAST from ZDD (terrible picture quality and the print is cut, too!). I don't remember much of the film so it'll be nice to pay it a revisit. DAUGHTERS OF SATAN is new to me. Both films are from 1972.

Reviews over at DVDDRIVE-IN: SUPERBEAST and DAUGHTERS OF SATAN

SHOUT! FACTORY to cancel last three Filipino movies

Unfortunately, SHOUT! have just announced via their Facebook page that they're not going to release the last three Filipino co-productions that we've been patiently waiting for; SAVAGE, THE HOT BOX and THE WOMAN HUNT are not going to be release! Boo-hoo!!! I've been looking forward to those for what seems like ages (because it is actually ages!!).

All three films are released on VHS but it would have been pretty spiffy to get proper releases off the original negatives and in their original ratio aspect. Hopefully another company will pick them up and give them the same fine treatment that SHOUT! gave the other films. And maybe monkeys will fly out my butt. :(


THE TEN THAT MADE IT
Throughout the last couple of years SHOUT! Factory have released a whole range of ROGER CORMAN produced films in their "Roger Corman's Cult Classics" series. A few of those are of interest to this blog as they were filmed in the Philippines and have a number of regular Filipino actors in them.

So far SHOUT! have released...

THE BIG BIRD CAGE
BIG DOLL HOUSE
WOMEN IN CAGES
FLY ME
FIRECRACKER
TNT JACKSON
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
COVER GIRL MODELS
UP FROM THE DEPTHS
DEMON OF PARADISE.

Ten movies in total! And all of them in great shape and form (well, okay maybe except FLY ME which came off an old worn print but it was either that or no print at all so that's perfectly alright).

As a fan of these films I can't thank SHOUT! enough for finally give them their day in the sun. No longer do we have to settle for fullscreen reg. 1 public domain dvd's or old worn video tapes. So a big round of applause fly out to Cliff Mac and SHOUT for releasing these 10 films. I wish the last three could have been released as well but big kudos to SHOUT for the ones we did get. xD

 THE WOMAN HUNT on vhs from Denmark


If you wish to check the old posts about SHOUT!'s releases just click the "Shout factory releases" label at the bottom of this post.

Previously announced Filipino titles from SHOUT! FACTORY may or may not get released

In the past I've mentioned that SHOUT! FACTORY had announced they were going to release three Filipino/USA co-productions on DVD. The films are SAVAGE, THE HOT BOX and WOMAN HUNT. However, lately it has been speculated that these films may have been cancelled as it's reportedly been announced that SHOUT!'s Roger Corman line will soon be coming to an end.

I've been looking forward to DVD releases of these three films (I already own them all on VHS) and didn't wish to neither take mere rumours as facts - nor be content with being in the dark. So I got in touch with Cliff Mac of SHOUT! and asked him about it.

I guess his reply could have been more optimistic - but then again it could also have been more pessimistic!! He simply doesn't know if they are going to release these three films! In the email that I received he says all three films need new transfers and that those are expensive. He also mentioned that the titles probably won't sell an awful lot - so (reading between the lines) the question is will SHOUT! want to pour money into some old Filipino films (that don't have a selling point like a Pam Grier in them)!?

If SHOUT! decide to put them out - and Cliff stressed if - we won't see them this year.

So, that's the info I have on SAVAGE, THE HOT BOX and WOMAN HUNT as it is right now. I'm certainly crossing my fingers that we'll see DVD releases of the films at some stage.

Upcoming SANTIAGO films have a release date

As I've mentioned here before the next DVD set from SHOUT! FACTORY to contain Filipino co-productions is Lethal Ladies vol. 2 with FLY ME and COVER GIRL MODELS. Both films are directed by Cirio H. Santiago and now there's a release date: January the 24th!

Like I've said earlier it's VERY exciting that we're getting FLY ME as it's never before been released on DVD and the scarce video releases (only TWO afaik; one in the US and one in the UK, incidentally the latter a double feature with COVER GIRL MODELS) are both as rare as had they vanished off the face of the Earth!

The set will also include the movie THE ARENA which isn't from the Philippines at all but it stars babatious Pam Grier (who were in some very cool Filipino flicks!) so that's not bad at all. xD

Holy mackerel, Batman!! The cover for the upcoming FLY ME / COVERGIRL MODELS dvd is here!!!

The DVD cover for SHOUT! FACTORY's upcoming DVD release of CIRIO H. SANTIAGO's two Filipino films, FLY ME and COVERGIRL MODELS is finally here! And with that it should (hopefully) be dead sure that we WILL be getting FLY ME on DVD!

As I reported recently, SHOUT! had actually at first cancelled including FLY ME because they didn't think the print was good enough. I asked label head guy Cliff Mac (in a forum post on Dvdmaniacs) to include the film despite the less than perfect picture quality and I guess the men in charge at SHOUT! pay attention to the opinion of BACKYARD ASIA blog because soon after they decided to include the film after all (or am I putting too much confidence into my own powers and this blog? Naah!).

The third film in the set is Roger Corman's American-Italian co-production THE ARENA starring PAM GRIER.

I don't have a release date yet.

SHOUT! to cancel cancellation of Filipino film release!!!

Forget what I said in my last post!! I asked Cliff Mac about the possibility of a release of FLY ME even using less than adequate source materials and this is the reply I got from him over at Dvdmaniacs forum today:

Cliff Mac:
We are moving forward with FLY ME. There will some emultion scratches on the first and fourth reels, but in my opinion, it's still very watchable... so it will be on volume 2 of LETHAL LADIES along with COVER GIRL MODELS and THE ARENA.

Arrgh!! How cool is that! Not only does it seem like we WILL be getting FLY ME but SHOUT! Factory are ALSO releasing yet another Filipino co-production; the Cirio H. Santiago directed COVER GIRL MODELS from 1975!!! Oh, and THE ARENA is the Pam Grier film by the way! Definitely grand news!!! :D

The DVD is scheduled for November!

SHOUT! to cancel Filipino film release!

A few months back I posted about SHOUT! Factory's upcoming DVD releases of a pile of Roger Corman produced Filipino films. Unfortunately it seems one of them has been cancelled! A few days ago Cliff Mac (of SHOUT! Factory) mentioned on Dvdmaniacs forum that they're not going to release FLY ME (Cirio H. Santiago, 1973) unless they can find a proper print. Terrible news indeed (not least cos this is one of the titles I don't already have on VHS!). FLY ME was released on VHS in the US and UK but those tapes have basically vanished off the face of the Earth! Boo-hoo. Personally I'd rather they release whatever half decent (or not decent) print that they have than not release anything.

The cover for SHOUT! Factory's FIRECRACKER / TNT JACKSON / TOO HOT TO HANDLE dvd is here! Yay!! Spiffy!!!

Arrghh, the times we're squattin' in right now aren't too shabby in regards to cool DVD releases I'd say!! Yesterday, I received the new Australian release of MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASED which has an additional disc with THE MUTHERS (and heaps of extras including an hour of cool Filipino trailers!) and this afternoon I see this (via Dvdmaniacs): The cover for the upcoming DVD release of FIRECRACKER (aka Naked Fist, 1981), TNT JACKSON (1974) and TOO HOT TO HANDLE (1977)!

It goes without saying that I'm looking forward to this release A LOT as FIRECRACKER and TNT JACKSON are highly entertaining and FIRECRACKER has never been released on DVD before (TNT has an awful public domain DVD which comes out short when you compare it to my old Danish VHS!!). I've got them all on VHS but needless to say (and with Shout! Factory's rep. for using fabulous prints) this release is bound to smoke my old tapes!

FIRECRACKER is Cirio H. Santiago's remake of his own TNT JACKSON, and he even remade the damn film AGAIN in 1992 as ANGELFIST. It would have been fun if SHOUT! Factory had chosen to include all three versions and put TOO HOT TO HANDLE on another release (ANGELFIST, however, is available on a fairly good DVD from New Horizons so who's complaining). Two more US-Filipino films are slated for release from SHOUT!: SAVAGE! (1973) and FLY ME (1973)

Thanks to Simon of EXPLOSIVE ACTION blog for sending me the MACHETE release!!

Shout Factory's upcoming Pam Grier Filipino box set: THE EXTRAS!

A while ago I posted about SHOUT! FACTORY's upcoming DVD release of the three US-Filipino co-productions BIG DOLL HOUSE, THE BIG BIRD CAGE and WOMEN IN CAGES and here's some info to wet our appetite even further, i.e. the extras!!


BIG DOLL HOUSE
• Audio commentary with director Jack Hill
• From Manila with Love - new documentary on the making of THE BIG BIRD CAGE and BIG DOLL HOUSE featuring interviews with director Jack Hill, screenwriter James Gordon White, actors Sid Haig, Judy Brown, Anitra Ford, Roberta Collins, Candice Roman, Teda Bracci and producers Roger Corman, and Jane Schaefer
• Trailer, TV Spot and Radio Spot

WOMEN IN CAGES
• Interview with star Judy Brown
• Trailer and TV Spot
• Poster and Still Gallery

THE BIG BIRD CAGE
• Audio Commentary with director Jack Hill
• Trailer and TV Spot


Cliff Mac posted about this over on Dvdmaniacs and said the FROM MANILA WITH LOVE docu is a 60 minute film. In other words no 10 minute shite here! This is awesome news! I for one am looking forward to this set a lot! Oh, by the way, did I forget to mention the set is gonna come out on blu-ray as well? LOL. However, the blu-ray is postponed till two months after the DVD release (in June).

SHOUT! Factory Filipino Film release dates!

A little while ago I posted about some cool upcoming Filipino film DVD releases from SHOUT! Factory and now there's release dates:

June 21st - The Women In Cages Collection: WOMEN IN CAGES, THE BIG DOLL HOUSE, THE BIG BIRD CAGE

October 25th - Lethal Ladies Collection: FIRECRACKER, TNT JACKSON, TOO HOT TO HANDLE

No dates for SAVAGE and FLY ME yet.

The info is all from the horse's mouth (i.e. Cliff Mac) via Dvdmaniacs' message board.

SHOUT! to release a bucketful of FILIPINO flicks in DELUX quality!!!

The buzz among fans of American psychotronic movies the past few months is that SHOUT! Factory in the US have scheduled to release about 16,000 tons of old Roger Corman movies! Needless to say this is a BIG deal! Many of these films have never been released on DVD before and the ones that have actually been granted a release on one of those shiny wee discs are often in less than brilliant quality - to say the least.

SHOUT! Factory are releasing these old trash favourites in spiffy awesome, restored, uncut, cleaned up, correct format, nicely perfumed, cool DVD-case-sleeve'ed, filled with extras editions!!!!! But, hey, this isn't a blog on psychotronic cinema but on WORLDWEIRD cinema so let's babble a bit about that shall we!!

The very reason I'm brining up these new SHOUT! releases is the simple reason that Roger Corman co-produced quite a few Filipino films ... and SHOUT! are releasing a handful of these! A BIG handful I might add!! In Double and triple sets!!!




Their first double set contains UP FROM THE DEPTHS (directed by Charles Griffith, produced by Cirio H. Santiago, 1979) and DEMON OF PARADISE (produced and directed by Santiago, 1987). Word on the street is they're crappy beyond belief but I don't give a fuck about what the grapevine says, I've already bought the DVD and I'll make up my own mind about them thank you very much (once a punk always a punk, ay).

I haven't watched either of the two films yet (I got the disc on Saturday) but I've checked the quality of the prints and the extras, and these restored prints look juust amazing! And also, and this is very exiting... the disc contains a rare trailer for the Santiago directed FIRECRACKER (aka Naked Fist) which I wrote a little bit about the other day in connection with ANGELFIST (also by Santiago, and both films are remakes of TNT JACKSON - which, incidentally, is also directed by Santiago and will ALSO get a release from SHOUT!). There's no official release date yet.

And further more... in June SHOUT! are releasing a "Women in Cages" triple bill containing THE BIG DOLL HOUSE (1971), THE BIG BIRD CAGE (1972) and WOMEN IN CAGES (1971) which all (and I'm sure it's pointless to mention this as I'm sure you all know this already) star the queen of the blaxploitation flicks, the BABETIOUS (which probably isn't even a real word but that's what she is!) Pam Grier!




I'm fully aware these films have been released on DVD before (I can't comment on their picture quality as I don't have any of them; I still watch them on video tape) but this release should blow them all outta the water!

On DVDmaniacs message board SHOUT! spokesman Cliff Mac said about the set in January: "WOMEN IN CAGES COLLECTION includes BIG DOLL HOUSE, BIG BIRD CAGE and, of course, WOMEN IN CAGES. All three films have been re-transferred and look amazing."

By the way, SHOUT! will also be releasing ARENA (also starring Pam Grier) at a later stage but I reckon it's not in this set as it's a co-production with Italy and not the Philppines.

As I mentioned earlier FIRECRACKER is also slated for release and so are SAVAGE! (1973), TNT JACKSON (1974), FLY ME (1973), and TOO HOT TO HANDLE (1977).




Cliff Mac said this about FIRECRACKER on Dvdmaniacs last month: "I just watched our new transfer of FIRECRACKER.... WOW... it looks beautiful....".

There's no release date set for the last four films either but I'm certainly looking forward to them in a BIIIG way! FIRECRACKER and TNT JACKSON on restored DVD!!! O_O
Almost too UNREAL to be true!!! I'm certainly crossing my fingers we don't run into another bloody recession until AFTER we've seen these cool flicks on the street.


[click cover scan for full size]