I was hungry for something different, so I searched eBay for “weird queer movies.” A few titles caught my half-blind eyes, but DINAH EAST intrigued me the most. No, I didn’t immediately order a copy. There was research to be done and when I learned DINAH EAST is considered an early trans film, the choice was a no-brainer. Out of the two versions on DVD, the one with the most spectacular cover ended up in my eBay cart.
The only weird thing about DINAH EAST, in my opinion, is the structure of the film. It all begins with famous film star Dinah East, after an odd exchange between her and her naked adult son, dying from a medical crisis in the back of her limousine. Then a pervy mortician, who is a little too eager as he undresses Dinah’s corpse, discovers the woman of his fantasies was biologically male. The press is called and soon Dinah’s death is overshadowed by her gender nonconforming secret.
It’s here where the life of Dinah East is told through flashbacks as the important people in her life hear of her passing. All the flashbacks are fascinating, but a few stand out for me. In one, we learn how Dinah, dressed in traditionally male attire, shows up at a film studio and is told there are no parts for men. The next day Dinah appears at the studio gate in traditionally female attire, explaining how she is herself now and the day before she was just foolin’. This feels like an extremely progressive view of identity for a decades old film.
Another of my favorite flashbacks is when Dinah meets Daniela, a lesbian fashion designer. It could have been a case of blackmail when Dinah accidentally walks in on Daniela being intimate with a model, but instead, these two women find allies in each other. Throughout the rest of Dinah’s career, Daniela is in charge of her wardrobe, even winning an Academy award. Finding friends and allies outside and within the LGBTQ+ community seems like a newer concept, but this film shows how it’s always been important to cultivate such relationships.
My favorite flashback involves Dinah’s chauffeur Tank Swenson. Tank is a hunky boxing instructor for the film studio and he catches Dinah’s eye. She also catches Tank’s eye and soon they are involved in a wonderfully sweet courtship. Even when his boxing career ends and he becomes her chauffeur, their love for each other remains true. Honestly, this flashback brought a few happy tears to my eyes, especially when Tank tells Dinah it doesn’t matter if she’s a man or a woman as long as she loves him. This romance feels beyond progressive. Maybe groundbreaking would be the word if DINAH EAST had not become so seemingly obscure.
I was expecting DINAH EAST to be a wham-bam production like MYRA BRECKINRIDGE, but writer/director Gene Nash keeps the pacing and acting low-key. The most remarkable aspect is how the script is sympathetic to Dinah East. She is who she is, with no apologies, even when facing personal attacks. As for the acting, the range varies from person to person. In my opinion, there are three to watch. Jeremy Stockwell brings strength and sincerity to Dinah. Matt Bennett makes Tank a lovable goofball with surprising depth. With a name like Ultra Violet, you’d think Daniela would be bold and flashy, but UV gives the fashion designer a down-to-earth vulnerability.
When researching DINAH EAST, I stumbled upon some juicy Hollywood gossip and a star-studded urban legend! Legendary sex-positive icon Mae West allegedly filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers and tried to have all prints of DINAH EAST destroyed, supposedly explaining how the film fell into obscurity. If Mae West actually took such action, the question would be, “Why?” Well, according to one of several urban legends surrounding her, the fabulous Mae West was, allegedly, a man in female drag and she saw DINAH EAST as a personal attack. Honestly, if I hadn’t read this before watching the film, I wouldn’t have connected West with East. The only time Dinah reminded me of Mae was maybe in how she was dressed in one scene.
In conclusion… DINAH EAST may not have been what I expected, but it was just what I needed. A dramatically touching story of someone who, in today’s language, would be considered a trans woman. While her death in the film is tragic, the character of Dinah East is not. She lived her life on her terms, with strength and kindness. We could all learn a lesson from Dinah. So if you are in the mood for an obscure 1970’s LGBTQ+ film about the complexities of being human, then keep an eye out for DINAH EAST.
NOTE: According to IMDB, DINAH EAST is available to stream through IndiePix Unlimited and Fawesome, the latter being similar to Tubi.
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. click a pic for related posts… ⤵️
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stay Tuned for more about this upcoming event! ⤵️
A fresh, young couple take a trip and end up having car problems in a quaint, small town. The inhabitants of this quaint, small town seem odd, yet nice enough, but maybe they simply want to have outsiders over as dinner. Will the fresh, young couple escape or wind up as leftovers?
Tragically, it’s not 1970s horror porn!
I couldn’t resist ordering CANNIBAL GIRLS from Vinegar Syndrome, partly because of the fun title, but mostly for the two leads. I mean, the fresh, young couple are portrayed by Eugene Levy (Schitt‘s Creek) and Andrea Martin (Black Christmas), both of SCTV fame. Then throw in Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) as the director and CANNIBAL GIRLS should have been a tasty treat.
Miss Manners does not approve!
Should being the operative word.
I found CANNIBAL GIRLS to be unbearably slow, with little suspense or humor. Should I blame director Ivan Reitman? Should I blame screenplay writer Robert Sandler? (I can’t in good conscience blame Mr. Sandler since IMDb credits him as writing a handful of episodes of the original Fraggle Rock.) Maybe I should just blame the cast because, according to IMDB, most of the dialogue was…shudder…improvised.
Me watching improv.
In conclusion… The most interesting thing about CANNIBAL GIRLS is Eugene Levy’s hair.
The new Jan Brady!
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. click the Cannibal Daddy pic for more cannibals… 👇
I was loitering at the library, examining a few small stacks of books that had yet to be placed back on the shelves. A few mildly interested me as I sifted through the books, but then, at the bottom of one stack, a cover caught my attention. Even though I was not wearing my Mad Scientist Glasses, I could see the soft colors of a sunset and the transparent figure shimmering with the sun reflecting off the body of water. To add to the picture, a young person stood, gazing into the sunset, while appearing to hold hands with the transparent figure. I was already going to borrow the book, because the imagery made me feel a longing sadness, but the emotionally devastating title sealed the deal.
ERASE ME is about a young man with a lot of problems named Elias Pew. On top of having church furniture for a last name, Eli has ADHD, was in a car crash and has lost two months of memory, along with the ability to feel emotions. Through his morally debatable experiments to try to feel something again, Eli finds himself in Traumaland. This business, yes, business, is a place where people can watch traumatic events through Virtual Reality goggles, all supposedly performed by actors. Eli believes this until he recognizes a face or two in one of the many events to choose from. This startling realization sends Eli on a journey of identity and how our memories make us who we are. Eli also faces a forgotten love of a lost young man. Not knowing anything about the story going in, this made me wonder if I felt queer vibes echoing within the emotionally layered cover and title.
As much as I enjoyed ERASE ME by Josh Silver, I also found the story uncomfortably familiar in some parts. There are several scenes of Eli in a mental institute, which is not so different from me at the age of 15. Long story short, I was really messed up back then, mainly suffering from such low self-esteem that I should call it no self-esteem. This landed me in a mental institution. I’ll spare you the trauma of being committed for another day because I’d rather focus on a young man I connected with behind the sterile walls.
His name was Mark and he was a year or two older than me. I wish I had a photo of him, but I remember Mark looking like an American football player, and I think he was on his school’s team, but he wasn’t a stereotypical big sack of duh. He seemed intelligent and thoughtful. I recall one corner of his mouth raising as he spoke, which a group therapy therapist said the mannerism made Mark appear insincere. I found it endearing,
Mark and I were in different wards, but shared group therapy at least once a week. On one day, the therapist zeroed in on me. He explained how I should deepen my voice and cuss more to fit in. That quack was just one more in a long mixed line of adults and peers telling me nobody will like me if I am myself.
Before I could respond, a female patient pointed out that I didn’t “talk like this” and proceeded to do a stereotypical effeminate male voice, including flamboyant hand gestures. The other patients laughed and so did I because in her own, possibly misguided way, she was defending me. Then, after the laughter died, Mark, who was sitting beside me, expressed admiration for my ability to be myself even when pressured to be someone else.
Looking back, I don’t know if he was talking in code, but it was the first time I had been seen and felt accepted by someone close to my age. I hope I did the same for Mark, but I’ll never know. Being in different wards, our interactions were few and far between. I did get to say goodbye to Mark the day before my release and I had hoped to acquire his address so I could write to him, but he said his parents wouldn’t approve. Over the years, I have conducted online searches for Mark, but he seems to be just a bright, shining moment in my memories during a most traumatic time.
In conclusion… I swear YA books are better than books for allegedly more mature readers. YA books tend to be more daring and author Josh Silver dares to send readers down a dark rabbit hole of mental illness, memories and pain. As I said, I enjoyed ERASE ME, but found aspects of the story hitting close to hone. So, if you want to celebrate 🏳️🌈Pride Month🏳️⚧️ in an emotionally challenging way, ERASE ME by Josh Silver may be the book for you!
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. ERASE ME was originally published as TRAUMALAND in the UK and Europe in 2025. I don’t think I would’ve been quite as drawn to its original cover or title.
~~~~~~~~~~~ Other queer books for Pride Month are available from an Amazon near you… 🏳️🌈 📚
My sister noticed this film listed on HBO and read the synopsis to me. Much like FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET on TCM back in 2020, I knew I had to watch PILLION! It didn’t hurt that one of its stars is Alexander Skarsgård, and he might be at his sexiest here.
Colin is a young Englishman who lives with his father and cancer-ridden mother. On a blind date at a pub set up by his mother, Colin spots a tall drink of biker leather named Ray. After paying for Ray’s snacks while getting another round for his blind date, Colin suddenly has a date for Christmas Day, or night, rather. This first festive back-alley holiday date includes Colin being ordered to literally lick one of Ray’s boots and then to stay on his knees to satisfy the biker’s Christmas wish. Who says romance is dead?
This first date wakes up a submissive kink in Colin and he eventually begins living with Ray. This arrangement includes Colin fixing all the meals, sleeping on a rug on the floor at the end of Ray’s bed, having his head shaved and being one of the naked offerings at a biker potluck picnic. One reward for behaving like a good little submissive is a wrestling sex session, which is more about Ray’s physical pleasure than Colin’s. Is it now obvious why I had to watch this sometimes twisted film?
After a personal tragedy, Colin begins wanting an emotional connection. In an act of compassion or sympathy, Ray allows Colin to share his bed. This seeming softness is short-lived and soon it’s back to the rug. Disappointed, Colin works up the nerve to request a day off where they act like two people in an equal, loving relationship, but will Ray give-in or will Colin have to remain a 24/7 submissive?
Harry Melling, grandson of the 2nd Doctor Who Patrick Troughton, brings a sympathetic innocence to Colin even as he engages in very non-innocent activities. Alexander Skarsgård, brother of Pennywise Bill Skarsgård, infuses Ray with intense sexual magnetism and a believable demanding attitude. The rest of the cast is great, but top honors must go to Lesley Sharp as Colin’s mother Peggy. She is full on believable as a loving parent who is also understandably concerned about her son’s new relationship, even as she is dying. The scene where Ray joins Colin’s parents for a meal is priceless in its mixture of humor and pain.
Writer/directer Harry Lighton balances both pain and humor with brilliant results. There were times I found myself chuckling, but I wasn’t sure it was supposed to be funny. Then again, how could the wrestling scene not be funny with Tiffany’s cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now” playing front and center? I became so curious if the source material for PILLION, the book “Box Hill: A Story of Low Self-Esteem” by Adam Mars-Jones, is also equal parts humorous and painful that I ordered a copy. As if I don’t have enough to read!
I confess that I don’t fully understand this type of arrangement. I mean, I can wrap my head around paying someone for a weekend of being a dom or a sub, but a full-time relationship boggles my mind a bit. However, if the participants are willing adults who completely understand what is expected, then embrace your kink and go for it.
In conclusion…
I enjoyed PILLION because the characters felt realistically written and performed. Plus, it is truly a unique kind of love story. So, if you’re looking for a different way to celebrate 🏳️🌈Pride Month🏳️⚧️, grab a lock or a key and get kinky with PILLION!
SIDE NOTE: According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of pillion is “a motorcycle or bicycle saddle for a passenger.”
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. The character of Ray gave off a vibe that reminded me of the Wendy’s man I blogged about earlier this year. Click the pic for more about him…👇
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Celebrate 🏳️🌈Pride Month🏳️⚧️ with my queer books available in various formats from Amazon… 📚
Praise be to Severin Films for finding and releasing two of Andy Milligan’s lost films! Believe you me, I was freaking out over this discovery and was constantly checking Severin so I could pre-order ASAP! It was a rare Friday off for me and I just got home from a sloppy joe lunch with my sister. I immediately checked and BAM, there was my dream come true! “This is really happening!” I chanted to my cats as I placed my order, only half-aware I was quoting ROSEMARY’S BABY.
You can imagine how over the moon I was when my order arrived. I watched the two lost films right away and the other films over the weekend. To be honest, I was under the weather for my initial viewings, so subsequent viewings were required, as if I needed an excuse for rewatching!
I was originally planning on doing one post covering all of “GUTTER AUTEUR” The Lost Legacy of Andy Milligan, but I ended up writing a longer review for THE DEGENERATES than I expected. In other words, the following review is just the first in a potential series of reviews…
THE DEGENERATES (1967)
My first thought on my initial viewing was, This movie is daring viewers to hate it. It was loud with screeching performances and was sometimes hard to follow, especially keeping track of which character was which. In other words, THE DEGENERATES was an Andy Milligan film through and through, and I enjoyed it even if I was confused. My confusion may have been due to being ill at the time.
Frank, Jim and GoGo on the go.
THE DEGENERATES is Andy Milligan’s post-apocalyptic, sci-fi epic! Well, sort of. After an offscreen nuclear war has decimated the world, three men (Jim, Frank and GoGo) are sent out to find other survivors. The trio stumble upon a house of women named after flowers or flowering plants. Violet may physically look like a slim bit of nothing with a cute pixie cut bob, but she is in charge and rules with an iron fist. Rose exudes a sweet, understanding motherly vibe. Iris and Daisy are ready to find out what they’ve been missing when the men arrive. Lily is young, sweet and innocent and always wears a hairband. Ivy, the youngest, lives away from her sisters, having lost her mind when she saw their father burn to death in the family car.
What does Ivy know?
Jim has an injured leg and Violet agrees to let the men stay for a couple of days. She assigns Iris to take care of Jim, who gets the luxury of a bedroom, and orders Frank and GoGo to sleep in the shed. Iris and Jim begin forming a bond, while Daisy sneaks out to spend time with GoGo, no matter how ridiculous his name is. Meanwhile, Frank is out to claim innocent Lily for himself. All of this sex ignites a boiling rage in Violet as she believes her sisters are slipping away from her and she will be left alone. Violence soon erupts, with death not far behind. It’s interesting to note that Milligan did not use “swirl camera” to represent chaos in THE DEGENERATES, which makes for a more visceral viewing, in my opinion.
Violet prepares to punish Daisy.
Will Violet’s love and rage go too far? Will Lily be saved from Frank’s manipulative ways? Will Ivy speak the truth about their father’s death? Will Daisy & GoGo and Iris & Jim live happily ever after in a post-apocalyptic world? Well, this is an Andy Milligan film, so the odds are stacked against them.
Iris and Jim are happy for a moment.
The bombastic visuals and dialogue that had bombarded me at first became a filmic drug with my second viewing of THE DEGENERATES. I was able to follow everything going on and was mesmerized. I couldn’t take my half-blind eyes off the screen as Violet descends into absolute madness. Played to severe perfection by Bryarly Lee, who also starred in the still lost Milligan film THE NAKED WITCH, Violet seems to be an unstoppable force. Then there is Hope Stansbury, who wrote Milligan’s first film VAPORS and starred as Dracula’s daughter in BLOOD. In THE DEGENERATES, Hope plays youngest sister Ivy, the one who lives apart from the others. Hope gives the mostly silent Ivy a soul and finds her strength when she finally speaks a long-held secret. The rest of the cast gives it their all, but this film belongs to Bryarly Lee and Hope Stansbury.
Violet demands to be loved!
THE DEGENERATES was written by friends and sometimes lovers, Gerald Jacuzzo and Andy Milligan. They were definitely on the same page because it all feels like Milligan or maybe that’s because of his directorial style. One moment that definitely came from Andy is the crucifixion scene. One character’s right hand is nailed to a wall while the other hand is pinned using a pitchfork, which is a Milligan trademark instrument of torture.
Violet pitchforks Frank.
Speaking of torture (not his acting), writer Gerald Jacuzzo also appeared in some of Andy’s films, most memorably TORTURE DUNGEON, which I have shamefully not reviewed…yet! He was also in VAPORS and appears briefly in the other recently found lost Milligan film, KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! (1968) and is easily one of the best actors Andy utilized.
In conclusion… Despite my confusing but enjoyable first viewing, THE DEGENERATES is quickly rising up the ranks in my favorite Andy Milligan films. It won’t bump FLESHPOT, NIGHTBIRDS or SEEDS from the top spots, but it is giving other favorites a run for their low-budget money! If you haven’t experienced an Andy Milligan film, don’t start here. I recommend beginning with GURU THE MAD MONK and branching out from there. However, if you’re a burgeoning fan or a maladjusted, obsessive Milligan freak like me, THE DEGENERATES must be seen!
My obsession is now a fashion statement!
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. Click TRICKS OF THE TRADE for a look at the script for another one of Andy Milligan’s lost films! ~~~~~~~~~~~~ My books are tragically nothing like a Milligan film, but you can still find a degenerate character or two within their pages.
Thanks to my damaged eyes, I don’t read text messages. My phone reads them to me and this can sometimes result in confusion. A friend texted me about the plot of EMBRYO, and in the same message, asked me if I had seen it, starring Roddy McDowell. I assumed she was asking me if I had seen EMBRYO, even though saying Roddy starred in it seemed an exaggeration. I mean, he makes a memorable appearance in it, but EMBRYO is Rock Hudson’s film through and through. My friend then responded to my thoughts on that film, but concluded her message by once again asking me if I had seen it. I felt like I was losing my mind, so I slipped on my Mad Scientist Glasses and took a screenshot. After zooming in on her question, I realized she wasn’t asking me if I had seen EMBRYO. She was asking if I had seen a film I had shockingly never heard of before. IT! is a 1967 film from the UK that is like THE GOLEM and PSYCHO were stuffed together in a blender.
Is that a cone on its head or is it just happy to see us?
After a fire destroys a storage building containing artifacts from Prague, museum curator Mr. Grove and his assistant, Mr. Pimm, search the rubble for anything salvageable. The only thing left is a towering statue. Grove reads part of an inscription and mysteriously dies. Pimm doesn’t witness this, but uses it for his personal gain. He is now acting curator and expects to spend more time with Grove’s grown daughter Ellen. As an added bonus, being the museum curator makes it easier for Pimm to “borrow” jewelry from display cases to bring home for his dead mother to wear for a day or two. Yes, dead mother. Her skeletal remains sit in a rocking chair in Pimm’s flat. This ghastly twist is revealed early on and shows Pimm’s disturbed mental state.
Mother just wants to look fabulous!
It’s no surprise then when Pimm, after it’s revealed the statue is a Golem, uses the statue to kill and to impress Ellen by bragging he has the power to destroy a bridge. However, Ellen only has eyes for Jim Perkins, a man from New York sent to authenticate the Golem. Mr. Perkins is going to take the statue and Ellen to New York, which causes Pimm and the plot to go completely off the rails!
We all go a little mad sometimes!
Pimm steals a hearse, kidnaps Ellen, and along with his dead mother and the Golem, holes up in a little castle. He also holds castle caretaker Miss Swanson hostage and forces her to have tea with his dead mother and the Golem, but tragically, we never see this potentially hilarious and uncomfortable gathering. Meanwhile, Mr. Perkins has figured out everything and now the British Army is trying to save Ellen and stop Pimm and the Golem. What will happen? Will Ellen be saved? Will the army detonate a small nuclear warhead to stop Pimm and the Golem or will Miss Swanson be forced into another macabre tea? You’ll have to watch to find out!
Only the bust knows!
Roddy McDowall is perfectly Roddy McDowall as Arthur Pimm. The rest of the cast is fine but this is McDowall’s film. Writer/director Herbert J. Leder keeps viewers confused by showing some things, but not others. Revealing Pimm is harboring his mother’s corpse so early causes a strange vibe to run through the plot. Uneven is the best way to describe IT! but it is crazy fun, at least in the last 20 minutes.
In conclusion… IT! is a slow burn and only gets really bonkers when Pimm takes everyone to the castle. Unlike some of the films I’ve reviewed for Rebecca of Taking Up Room’s SO BAD IT’S GOOD BLOGATHON over the years, I freely call IT! a bad film. It’s a bit tedious at times, but the craziness makes it fun to watch. So, if you’re a Roddy McDowall fan or you crave some low-key delirious storytelling, IT! might be the film for you!
I am in the third month of a cheap three month trial of Audible. Of course, I searched for some of my favorite authors, such as Ira Levin and Jacqueline Susann. Yes, this search also included Ed Wood, the infamous cross-dressing filmmaker. I truly did not expect to find any audiobooks of his work, but lo and behold, there was one.
BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY collects a variety of stories from Ed Wood originally published in pulp and nudie magazines in the early 1970’s. Much like his filmography, the stories cover Ed’s favorite genres. Horror, crime and sex fill each page, or track, as the case may be. There is little doubt these stories are from the late, great Wood. Dialogue is occasionally lifted directly from his films (“Beware. Take care.”) and Angora sweaters are featured more than once.
Like other short story collections, there are hits and misses. A few of them really stand out for me. “Dracula Revisited” felt like a love letter to Bela Lugosi as a man investigates the myth of the legendary vampire. “The Night the Banshee Cried” is about an undead woman roaming fresh from the grave and it was easy to picture Vampira from PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. As for Ed’s penchant for wearing traditionally feminine clothes, he used it to best effect in the title story “Blood Splatters Quickly” as a man seeks revenge for his sister’s death.
As I’ve said in past reviews, Edward D. Wood, Jr. might have been heterosexual, but he wasn’t straight. Two stories involving queer men dares to break stereotypes and includes progressive ideas, highlighting Ed as an ally, at least. “The Autograph” is about a reporter interviewing a Hollywood cowboy who has just come out of the closet. It’s easy to picture John Wayne as the cowboy, which adds an amusing touch. “Superfruit” is sadly not about a gay superhero, but is about a queer man seeking business advice from a friend after losing his partner. It really is more interesting than it sounds
. There is one story that made me feel physically nauseous. “Breasts of the Chicken” is about a man who pays a fortune for a very specific delicacy. It’s so disturbing and wrong that I almost skipped this story, but the twist ending is so perfectly demented and hilarious that I forgive the unbridled grossness leading up to it.
A confusing highlight is “Come Inn.” Within the first paragraph, I realized I knew this story. Turned out “Come Inn” is sort of a Reader’s Digest Condensed version of Ed’s 1971 adult film NECROMANIA: A TALE OF WEIRD LOVE. It covers the entire plot of a young couple going to a necromancer for their sexual problems in 20 minutes. Strangely, Wood also wrote an expanded novelization of NECROMANIA in 1972 called “The Only House.” Having experienced all three, I’d say the film is best, but the short story is more accessible to less adventurous Ed Wood fans.
In conclusion… Just like the films of Edward D. Wood, Jr, this collection of short stories intrigued me, made me laugh, caused me to raise an eyebrow and occasionally inspired an eye roll. So, if you’re an Ed Wood fan who hasn’t read his books, BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY is a good introduction to his literary world. If you already enjoy his longer efforts, then you know exactly what to expect from these short stories.
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. click a pic ⤵️ for more Wood…
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Escape reality with my books, some of which are available as Audible audiobooks… 📚 🎧
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