Psychotronic Cinema: GFT, Glasgow

Good news for Scottish cult cinema fans as the Psychotronic Cinema is proud to present Mondo Italia at the GFT, Glasgow with some real high quality screenings.

"Psychotronic Cinema returns to the GFT with a special new line-up dedicated to Italian cult films of the 1960s and 70s – Mondo Italia!

In this period the Italian film industry was spectacularly strong, boasting massive audiences with a ferocious appetite for excessive cinema. A plethora of talented directors responded with a vengeance, creating a string of crazy classics that make up one of the most exciting strands in the history of cult cinema.

From the outrageous horror stylings of Dario Argento’s masterpiece Suspiria to the absolute lunacy of Flesh For Frankenstein, Psychotronic is delighted to present the very best Italian cult films of the period. These movies rip across the screen with a demented energy and a determination to entertain at all costs. The six films on offer are utterly unique and absolutely unforgettable.Welcome to another dose of the wild side of cinema.

Welcome to Mondo Italia!"

The films on offer are:

Suspiria - Wednesday 1st November - 8.45pm

Dario Argento Italy 1977 1h34m DVD 18 Cast: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bosé. A dizzying burst of astounding, psychedelic primary colour photography. The orgasmic intensity of Goblin's audacious, pounding soundtrack. The most famous opening ten minutes of any horror film. A series of outrageous set pieces – the work of a visionary director operating at the absolute height of his powers. Welcome to Dario Argento's masterpiece. There are stories of audiences stumbling out of cinemas, dazed and stunned, when Suspiria was initially released. Almost thirty years later, the effect on you will be no less profound.

Danger! Diabolik - Wednesday 8th November - 8.45pm

Mario Bava Italy/France 1968 1h39m 35mm PG Cast: John Philip Law, Marisa Mell, Michel Piccoli, Adolfo Celi, Claudio Gora. Mario Bava, the grandfather of Italian cult cinema, goes wild in one of the most visually striking superhero comic book adaptations of all time. Decked out in a leather jump suit, his blond bombshell girlfriend by his side, Diabolik dashes through a series of criminal adventures all intended to 'screw the system'. A belting, swinging Ennio Morricone soundtrack adds to the fun, as does jaw-dropping production design – Diabolik's ubercool underground lair needs to be seen to be believed. More entertainment than this in ninety minutes would be against the law.

Milano Calibre 9 - Wednesday 15th November - 8.45pm

Fernando Di Leo Italy 1972 1h37m DVD 15 Cast: Gastone Moschin, Barbara Bouchet, Mario Adorf, Frank Wolff. In typical Italian style the elements of American films such as The French Connection were amped to the max in the country's homegrown crime films of the 1970s. Milano Calibre 9 features all the typical excess of the genre – frantic action, shocking violence, psychopathic bad guys, outrageous 70s fashions and a full-blooded soundtrack. It is the deeply involving characters and hopelessly engaging central whodunnit narrative which transform De Leo's film into a true classic. A taut, beautifully constructed movie which builds to an unforgettable, nail-biting climax that will leave you gasping for air.

Django - Wednesday 22nd November - 8.45pm

Sergio Corbucci Italy/Spain/France 1966 1h31m 35mm 15 Cast: Franco Nero, José Bódalo, Loredana Nusciak, Gino Pernice. Django opens with the most iconic image of any spaghetti western – a darkly-clad stranger dragging a coffin behind him. From that moment on the film takes no prisoners, blasting the boundaries of cinematic taste and violence to bits. Chock full of action Corbucci's movie is lean, brutal and boasts some superbly choreographed gunfight sequences. But the film explodes when the director cuts loose and goes crazy. Several sequences reach an almost unbearable, truly psychotronic intensity. A cool, cruel, rampant spaghetti classic, Django is right up there with Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy.

Your Vice is a Locked Room... - Wednesday 29th November - 8.45pm

Sergio Martino Italy 1972 1h36m DVD 18 Cast: Edwige Fenech, Anita Strindberg, Luigi Pistilli, Ivan Rassimov. Stunning 70s cult icon Edwige Fenech stars in this incredibly titled, ultra rare giallo which transports us straight to the wild side of 70s Italian cult cinema. When the mistress of a burned-out writer is found slashed to death, the crime initiates a whirlpool of violence and mayhem. This truly delirious brew boasts all the essential psychotronic elements: substance abuse, gratuitous sex, infidelity, incest, melodrama, hippie love communes and outrageous plot twists. Beautifully photographed, audaciously directed and featuring a trippy soundtrack, Your Vice is unmissable cinematic insanity of the highest order.

Flesh for Frankenstein - Wednesday 6th November - 8.45pm

Paul Morrissey & Antonio Margheriti Italy/France/USA 1973 1h35m 35mm 18 Cast: Joe Dallesandro, Monique van Vooren, Udo Kier, Arno Juerging, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Srdjan Zelenovic. The most freakish and hilarious version of Frankenstein ever filmed, Paul Morrissey's film is one of the greatest cult films of all time. Chock full of gore, perversity, hilarious one-liners and outright insanity, Flesh For Frankenstein is anchored by two superb performances from ultimate cult icons Udo Kier and Joe Dallesandro. Those who caught Morrissey's Blood For Dracula at the last Psychotronic season will have an idea of what to expect. The difference is that Flesh For Frankenstein is funnier, dirtier and way more extreme. It's an absurdly entertaining, demented masterpiece.

A fantastic lineup indeed and I must make special mention that Diabolik, Django and Flesh for Frankenstein will be screened via 35mm prints while the others are via DVD. To see Diabolik this way for the first time is going to be very special indeed!