I can’t completely explain it but, as a Brit, THE PROWLER (1981) has always felt a bit sideline by slasher fans over here; a little forgotten. It just never seems to get its due on these shores, you know? I mean, we don’t even have a Blu-ray.
Matty Budrewicz
@mattybudrewicz.bsky.social
Co-conspirator at The Schlock Pit. Scares! Skin! Action! Sci-Fi! B-movies and all things direct-to-video. Manglophile. DeCoteau zealot. Audio commentator and special features (Arrow, 88 Films, anyone else who’ll have me). 🔗 https://theschlockpit.com
The joy of the “UHD or bust” loons junking their DVD collections is that a lil’ bastard like me can swoop into just about any charity shop I want and bag something like a double disc Citizen Kane, a John Woo Hollywood era misfire, and some random Pepin/Merhi joint for a quid. Which I’ve just done.
I’ve rewatched Audition twice in twelve hours. I’m now going to throw it back to ‘03 and ‘04 and make Tartan Asia Extreme my whole personality, like half my old Film Studies class did.
New Schlock Pit post! 🚨 And it’s some more Mark L. Lester worship, with my notes on MISBEGOTTEN (1997); the Commando helmer’s second pairing with fellow iconoclast Larry Cohen. 🔗 theschlockpit.com/2026/08/02/m...
Misbegotten (1997): You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
Matty coos and cuddles a cracking thriller from director Mark L. Lester and scripter Larry Cohen.
theschlockpit.com
There is no such thing as a bad Hal Holbrook performance.
I don’t think I’ll ever get a handle on Cruising, no matter how much I watch it. For instance, sometimes I think Pacino is miscast; but others — like this watch — I think he’s perfect.
Some horrendous Arrow-related stuff on various socials over the last twenty-four hours, about both the new Video Store box and — even worse — trans folk. Do feel free to quote my take: Drop dead, you miserable fucking geeks.
Wahey! Coming October from Arrow. And wouldn’t you know: R.O.T.O.R. and THE FINAL ALLIANCE feature extras by me and @snipsmovies.bsky.social. Chuffed to say we even roped our pal @paulle.bsky.social in for some notes on MINISTRY OF VENGEANCE too! 💪
The awful news keeps coming too: RIP filmmaker and Schlock Pit pal John Lechago 💔 Lovely, lovely bloke and one helluva talented director and artist. He helped me and @snipsmovies.bsky.social so much over the years. Will never, ever forget it. Thoughts with his family.
Matty Budrewicz@mattybudrewicz.bsky.social · 2w agoWaking up to news of both director Chuck Russell and Sick Of it All’s Lou Koller passing away is heartbreaking. Icons both 💔
Waking up to news of both director Chuck Russell and Sick Of it All’s Lou Koller passing away is heartbreaking. Icons both 💔
Finally got a Letterboxd of my own, rather than just riding The Schlock Pit’s arse. You can follow me here: 🔗 boxd.it/mmVc7 See! I watch more than just ‘90s and ‘00s DTV 😂 #LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched
New Schlock Pit review! 🚨 A Die Hard copycat? Set in a recycling plant? With Jeff Wincott? And Patrick Kilpatrick?! Sign. Me. Up. My notes on OPEN FIRE (1994): 🔗 theschlockpit.com/2026/07/22/o...
Open Fire (1994): Welcome to the Party, Jeff
Matty gets a kick out of Jeff Wincott’s sturdy Die Hard knock-off.
theschlockpit.com
It warmed my cockles seeing this in the wild. I didn’t even realise Hollywood DVD had even bundled these three together.
Mine and @snipsmovies.bsky.social’s ARCADE (1993) commentary gets a mention in the latest issue of Infinity. Always nice to know when people listen to our stuff!
Directors I love in brands I hate: Tony Scott / Ed Hardy, Anthony Hickox / Superdry (🤮), Peter Hyams / The North Face.
New Schlock Pit post! 🚨 I wrote a boatload of words on Deran Sarafian’s solid, late ‘80s Dracula spin, TO DIE FOR (1988): 🔗 theschlockpit.com/2026/07/19/t...
To Die For (1988): Love Bites
Pardon me, but your teeth are in my neck – Matty chows down on a decent vampire romp from producer Greg H. Sims and director Deran Sarafian.
theschlockpit.com
BRB, off to watch R.O.T.O.R. (1987) at MIFED ‘87…
A very cool BLOODSPORT III (1997) trade ad for the film’s U.S. video release. Found on an eBay trawl!
New Schlock Pit review! 🚨 And it’s @snipsmovies.bsky.social back on the neo-noir beat with his notes on LOVE, CHEAT & STEAL (1993), a Showtime programmer starring Eric Roberts, John Lithgow and Mädchen Amick. 🔗 theschlockpit.com/2026/07/16/l...
Eric’s Revenge: Love, Cheat & Steal (1993)
Dave checks out a made-for-cable neo-noir with a cast to die for and more twists than a Slinky factory.
theschlockpit.com
I’ve got a bit of a trade ad kink at the minute. So here’s some bits for SCI-FIGHTERS (1996):
“In the burning heat of hell… The hunter becomes the hunted.” MISSION MANILA (1988) | Dir. Peter Mackenzie | Starring: Larry Wilcox
New Schlock Pit! 🚨 My words on early Van Damme flick BLACK EAGLE (1988): 🔗 theschlockpit.com/2026/07/13/b...
Black Eagle (1988): Flapping About
Historical value? Absolutely. A decent action movie? Not so much. Matty dissects an early Van Damme dud.
theschlockpit.com
Some New Line promo bumf for CYBORG COP II (1994) — which, of course, the company issued in the U.S. as ‘Cyborg Soldier’.
RIP Sam Neill! Classic after classic after classic. And while spy caper HOSTAGE (1992) sure ain’t one of ‘em, it’s fun seeing Neill get his own James Bond moment after losing out on playing 007 circa The Living Daylights. Thanks for all the work, sir! 💔
Off out out and it’s combining my two favourite things: Stag dos and the soccerball. 🤦♂️ Genuinely don’t think I’ve worn a footy shirt since 1996. And yes, I’m the nominal miserable and thoroughly confused mosher mate. I look like a hooligan but I’m a theatre kid at heart, darling.
