1974 was a landmark year for film, a convergence of exciting international cinema and the original voices of New Hollywood that still resonates 50 years later. In our new series we invite a different guest for each episode to choose a 1974 movie to talk about, ranging from giant blockbusters to minor cult curios and everything else in between.
For William Mendoza of the Men on Film Podcast, 1974 is marked by the rise of Paul Morrissey from Warhol Factory's house filmmaker to international sexploitation auteur. Filmed in unison with his FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN, Morrissey's broad Stoker adaptation BLOOD FOR DRACULA casts Udo Kier as the sulky, shirtless count lurking around an Italian estate, hoping to seduce "wirgins" and consume their pure fluid in order to revitalize his strength. He's impeded by Joe Dallsandro playing a Marxist handyman and famed Italian Neorealist filmmaker Vittorio de Sica who's doing...something.
Mendoza loves this movie even though he admits it's a "failure of Italian exploitation," "too artsy to be a horror movie, too stupid to be an art movie." Fascinatingly the whole thing plays out like a classic dirty joke or an 80's sex comedy. There's still plenty to love, and we have a great time breaking down the Morrissey magic which stems from good filmmaking collaborators and a plentiful cast of weirdos to exploit.
It's a goofball discussion, with more than a little off-roading.
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Intro music: Unleash the Bastards / “Tea for Two”
Outro music: Marcus Pinn / “Vegas"
