Was great to catch-up with legendary Australian exploitation film producer Antony I. Ginnane for a coffee and a lengthy chat on a fine sunny afternoon in South Melbourne last week. Regarded by many as the Australian Roger Corman, Ginnane produced a string of 'Ozploitation' classics during the 1970s and 80s, such as Fantasm (1976), Patrick (1978), Snapshot (aka The Day After Halloween, 1979), The Survivor (1981), Mesmerized (1985) and Dark Age (1987), along with of course his infamous Turkey Shoot (1982).
I am thrilled to announce that I have been contracted by Glass Doll Films to write the booklet essays for their upcoming blu-ray releases of two classic Antony Ginnane films: the cold, modern urban vampire thriller Thirst (1979) and the often bizarre Dead Kids (aka Strange Behavior, 1981), which was a strange but highly enjoyable and intriguing mix of 80s new wave and 50s B-horror and paranoia cinema. Hopefully the two blu-ray releases will be out in Australia early next year.
Also took the opportunity to have Antony sign a couple of my original lobby cards for his two raunchy epics, Fantasm and Fantasm Come Again (1977), the sex films which were partly filmed in Hollywood with big name adult stars like John Holmes (seen on the lobby card to the right), Rene Bond, Uschi Digart, Serena, Candy Samples and Cheryl 'Rainbeaux' Smith. Interconnecting scenes were then filmed back in Australia to tie the sequences together.
