Joe D'Amato, (birth name: Aristide Massaccesi) (December 15, 1936 in Rome - January 23, 1999 in Rome) was a prolific Italianfilmmaker who directed roughly 200 films, usually at the same time acting as producer and cinematographer, and sometimes providing the script as well. While D'Amato contributed to many different genres (such as the spaghetti western, the war movie, the swashbuckler, the peplum, and the fantasy film), the majority of his films are exploitation-themedpornography, both soft- and hardcore. He is perhaps most well known for his horror film efforts, many of which went on to become cult movies (such as Anthropophagous and Beyond the Darkness), and for his hastily-produced remakes of popular American films (such as the Ator series, based upon the Conan the Barbarian films), some of which were featured in Mystery Science Theater 3000. The poor production value of many of his films, combined with his expressed lack of concern for the production quality of his films as long as they proved profitable, have led him to be labeled as "The Evil Ed Wood," despite D'Amato's apparently amiable nature.
Snuff is a 1976 splatter film, and is most notorious for being marketed as if it were an actual snuff film.[1][2] This picture contributed to the urban legend of snuff films, although the concept did not originate with it.
Production
The film started out as a low-budget gore film titled Slaughter which was written and directed by the husband-and-wife grindhouse film making team of Michael Findlay and Roberta Findlay. Filmed in Argentina in 1971 on a budget of $30,000,[3] it depicted the actions of a Manson-esque murder cult, filmed mainly in silent due to the actors understanding very little English. The film financier Jack Bravman received an out-of-court settlement from AIP so the latter could use the title for the 1972 Jim Brown film of the same name. The Findlays' film enjoyed a very limited theatrical release.[4]
Independent low-budget distributor and sometime producer Allan Shackleton took the film and shelved it for four years—but was inspired to release it with a new ending, unbeknownst to the original filmmakers, after reading a newspaper article in 1975 on the rumor of snuff films produced in South America and decided to cash in on the urban legend. He added a new ending, filmed in a vérité style by Simon Nuchtern,[citation needed] in which a woman is brutally murdered by a film crew, supposedly the crew of Slaughter.[5] The new footage purportedly showed an actual murder, and was spliced onto the end of Slaughter with an abrupt cut suggesting that the footage was unplanned and the murder authentic. This new version of the film was released under the title Snuff, with the tagline "The film that could only be made in South America... where life is CHEAP."[6]
Once the film was released, distributor Shackleton reportedly hired fake protesters to picket movie theaters showing the film.[7] This soon became moot when Women Against Pornography began staging real protests, outraged at the film's purported imagery of sexual violence. The group's protest received coverage by such media outlets as the CBS Evening News.
Hoax
Although the film was exposed as a hoax in Variety in 1976, it became popular in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Boston.[8]
The rumours persisted that the film showed a real-life murder, and "prompted by complaints and petitions from well-known writers, including Eric Bentley and Susan Brownmiller, and legislators", inspired New York District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau to investigate the circumstances surrounding the films production[9]—who dismissed the supposedly 'real' murder as "nothing more than conventional trick photography—as is evident to anyone who sees the movie",[10][11] also reassuring people that the actress being dismembered and killed in the ending of the film "is alive and well", having urged the police to trace her.[12]
Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott) is a prosperous local businessman in Grand Rapids, Michigan who has strong Calvinist convictions. A single parent, Van Dorn is the father of a seemingly quiet, conservative teenage girl, Kristen, who inexplicably disappears when she goes on a church-sponsored trip to California. A strange private investigator, Andy Mast (Peter Boyle) from Los Angeles, is hired, eventually turning up a 8mmstag film of his daughter with two young men.
Van Dorn then suspects that his daughter was kidnapped and forced to join California's porno underworld. His quest to rescue her takes him into an odyssey through this "adult" underground.
Getting no results from the PI, the police or even from Los Angeles' adult shopkeepers and "rap parlor" women, a desperate Van Dorn ends up posing as a pornography producer, hoping to find information about his daughter. A straggly actor named "Jism Jim", who was in the film with Kristen, knows where she might be and sends him to a sometime porno actress/hooker named Niki (Season Hubley). Their uneasy alliance moves from L.A. to San Diego and ends in San Francisco where Van Dorn finds that Kristen may be in the hands of a very dangerous porn player who deals in the world of "snuff movies."
Knight Rider is an American television series that originally ran from September 26, 1982, to August 8, 1986. The series was broadcast on NBC and starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a high-tech modern-day knight fighting crime with the help of an advanced, artificially intelligent and nearly indestructible car.
Conceived and produced by Glen A. Larson, the show was an instant hit. "I wanted to do The Lone Ranger with a car", and "Kind of a sci-fi thing, with the soul of a western", Larson said in The Last Great Ride. In 2003, in research conducted by web-portal Yahoo! amongst 1,000 television viewers, this show and other popular televisions series from the 1980s such as The Dukes of Hazzard were beaten by The A-Team as the one "oldie" television show viewers would most like to see revived.[1]
Plot
Self-made billionaire Wilton Knight rescues police detective Michael Long after a near fatal shot to the face, giving him a new identity (via plastic surgery) and a new name: Michael Knight. Wilton selects Michael to be the primary field agent in the pilot program of his Knight Industries-funded public justice organization, the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG). The other half of this pilot program is the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT), a heavily modified Pontiac Trans Am with numerous features including an extremely durable shell and frame, controlled by a computer with artificial intelligence. Michael and KITT are brought in during situations where "direct action might provide the only feasible solution".
Heading FLAG is Devon Miles, who provides Michael with directives and guidance. Dr. Bonnie Barstow is the chief engineer in charge of KITT's care, as well as technical assistant to Devon (April Curtis fills this role in Season 2).
Cast and characters
David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight – Michael Arthur Long is an undercover Las Vegas police detective who, while on a case, is shot in the face and nearly killed. Wilton Knight, creator of FLAG, directs his doctors to save Long's life and reconstruct his face. With his new identity, "Michael Knight", Long is provided with high tech crime-fighting equipment, most notably the car nicknamed KITT. David Hasselhoff also played the villainous Garthe Knight, Wilton's estranged son who has become a criminal.
Edward Mulhare as Devon Miles – the leader of FLAG, who appeared in nearly every episode to provide mission details to Knight and KITT. He was also the spokesman for FLAG whenever it came under scrutiny.
Patricia McPherson as Dr. Bonnie Barstow – (Seasons 1, 3–4) she served as KITT's chief technician and as romantic tension for Michael. The character was dropped after the first season, but due to strong fan reaction and lobbying by Hasselhoff and Mulhare, she was returned for the third season and remained through the end of the series.[3]
Rebecca Holden as April Curtis – (Season 2) chief technician for KITT. The character was written out when Patricia McPherson returned.
Peter Parros as Reginald Cornelius III aka RC3 – (Season 4) Driver of the FLAG mobile unit and occasional sideman for Michael & KITT.
Richard Basehart as Wilton Knight – (Pilot) the creator of FLAG, who dies in the pilot episode. Basehart's voice, however, is heard throughout the series, narrating over the credits.
My Choice For The Best Episodes Transmitted By Portuguese TV (RTP Memória):
Season 1 (1982–1983)
"Knight of the Phoenix (Part 1)"
After Detective Michael Long is shot and left for dead, he is saved by the eccentric billionaire, Wilton Knight and his associate Devon Miles. He is given a new face by plastic surgery, a new identity as Michael Knight, and the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT for short) – a dream car with super-spy gadgets and nearly invulnerable armor. Wilton asks Michael to carry on his crime-fighting crusade believing "one man can make a difference.
"Knight of the Phoenix (Part 2)"
The story continues as Michael locates his shooter, a woman named Tanya Walker, who is stealing technology secrets and embezzling money from a computer company. With the help of a woman named Maggie, Michael lures Tanya into a trap by showing off KITT's abilities as bait.
"Chariot of Gold"
Michael is called to investigate an archeological dig that dug up something strange, but his contact Dr. Litton, suddenly goes insane and slips into a coma. Meanwhile, Devon and Bonnie speak with Dr. Graham Deauville, (Litton's partner) and leader of the prestigious "Helios Society" – an organization of genius minds. Michael learns Litton had stumbled upon a secret excavation and is just the latest member of Helios to fall victim to a mysterious death. Deauville puts Bonnie under mind control and has her reprogram KITT to assist in a museum gold heist which is just one phases of a much larger scheme – to fund the building of an underground complex that Deauville believes will save him from the nuclear armageddon of World War III.
Michael goes to Las Vegas to help a woman named Rita Wilcox, whose brother has gone missing. Elsewhere, Devon has a meeting with Elizabeth Knight, Wilton Knight's widow, who remains involved with funding the Foundation, although Devon distrusts her motives. Michael is shocked to learn of the existence of Wilton's criminal son, Garthe, upon whom his new face was based. Devon explains Garthe had been imprisoned with three consecutive life sentences in Africa, and was expected by Wilton and all to never be seen again. He's managed to escape and has settled in Las Vegas. Things get more complicated when Michael learns Rita is also involved with Garthe, and her brother was conducting some kind of investigation on him. Michael uncovers her brother's audio tapes containing information on a place known as "Red Bluff", a classified weapons storage facility deep in the Nevada desert. Red Bluff currently holds a collection of tactical missiles which would be dangerous in the wrong hands, especially a third world nation. When Michael learns Garthe is secretly meeting with an African military general named Tsombe Kuna, the pieces come together. Just how Garthe intends on getting the missiles out of the highly guarded facility isn't certain; that is until Michael comes face-to-face with a massive semi truck known as "Goliath" which is protected with the same indestructible molecular bonded shell technology as KITT. Garthe shows Michael just how unstoppable Goliath is when he lures Michael to a dry lake for a showdown. Goliath clobbers KITT in a collision that nearly destroys him.
"Goliath (Part 2)"
The story continues as KITT is immobilized, and Michael is left for dead, but he manages to get KITT back on his wheels and uses the turbo boost as a makeshift ram jet to get them back home. April repairs KITT and installs a powerful laser weapon which may give him an edge against Goliath. Elsewhere, Michael surprises Garthe when he shows up alive and well at the casino and embarrasses Garthe by beating him at a craps table (with KITT's help). In anger, Garthe chases Michael down in his Mercedes, but Michael lures him into a trap where Devon and April hold him hostage. Michael then poses as Garthe to fetch Rita from the casino, and intercept Goliath before General Kuna uses it to break into Red Bluff. In the meantime, Garthe manages to escape and rushes to stop Michael before he can plant a bomb on Goliath. Once Michael is discovered, he is taken prisoner by General Kuna and is forced to watch Goliath smash its way into Red Bluff. A squad of Kuna's soldiers then load the missiles into Goliath's trailer. Michael isn't finished yet, and has KITT cause a disturbance so he can slip away. Back inside KITT, Michael chases down Garthe to confront him in a final showdown before Kuna can take possession of the weapons.
"Goliath Returns (Part 1)"
Garthe Knight escapes from prison; broken out by his menacing truck "Goliath" which crashes through the prison walls. Meanwhile, Michael is attending a reception for Dr. Klaus Bergstrom, a brilliant scientist who is in town for a symposium on laser technology. Since Bergstrom's knowledge would be quite valuable to an enemy government, the Foundation is assigned to protect him, however things get complicated once Michael learns of Garthe's escape and the sudden appearance of Goliath which was thought to be destroyed. Later, Garthe teams up with another familiar enemy, Adrianne Margeaux, who once tried to steal KITT. Her technicians have rebuilt Goliath and this time made certain the truck's weaknesses have been eliminated. Soon, Garthe raids the Foundation and abducts Devon and April in a plan to lure Michael into a trap. With Michael temporarily out of the way, Garthe and Adrianne abduct Dr. Bergstrom and replace him with a surgically altered clone to deceive his niece Christina. Christina becomes suspicious that her uncle is an impostor after he loses his limp caused by a sprained ankle the night before. Michael arrives to check on her and confirms her suspicions that her uncle is a fraud. To avoid further complications, Michael has Christina play along with the ruse while he tries to locate Devon and April.
"Goliath Returns (Part 2)"
The story continues as Michael and KITT find Adrianne's estate where Garthe is holding Devon, April and Dr. Bergstrom prisoner. The duo doesn't get far when they encounter Goliath blocking their path. Veering out of the way, KITT flies off a cliff but is saved by his new emergency parachute, however KITT is disabled in a rough landing. Garthe's thugs soon capture Michael and he's introduced to Garthe's dungeon; a rat infested cell just like the one Garthe was held captive inside of in Africa. KITT is held in a garage with his nemesis Goliath. Elsewhere, Devon, April and Bergstrom rig an explosive to escape their cell, but they are quickly captured again. Garthe reveals that Bergstrom will be "sold" to an interested government and smuggled out of the country via submarine which is waiting off the coast. Devon and April's fate will be to die along with Michael once Garthe self-destructs the mansion. Michael eventually escapes the dungeon by tricking the guards with an assembled recording of Adrianne's voice. He quickly fixes KITT and rushes to fetch Christina and has the impostor Bergstrom arrested. Once Christina is safe, Michael returns to the estate to rescue Devon and April before the whole place blows. He then races to rescue the real Bergstrom from Goliath's trailer and stop Garthe and Adrianne once and for all.
"Mouth of the Snake (Part 1)"
"All That Glitters (Part 1)"
Michael goes to Calexico on an investigation for Joanna St. John, whose ex-husband, attorney Arthur Abrams, has been murdered at the Mexican border. Abrams was investigating the smuggling of illegal aliens into the country. When Michael and Joanna check out the site, they find the operation was smuggling more than immigrants when pieces of pottery are found with flecks of gold. Heading back to Joanna's motel, the two find an intruder who makes an amazing acrobatic getaway. Michael learns the man is David Dalton, a federal investigator working secretly for the Justice Department. Dalton is after Eduardo O'Brian, an Irish-Mexican crime lord who Dalton believes is behind Abram's murder. Dalton is hard to catch, but once Michael finds him, he convinces him they are on the same side and should work together. Michael and KITT conduct the legwork of the investigation while Dalton stays close to Joanna who decides to infiltrate O'Brien's birthday party at a beach house estate owned by Elton Mathews. Mathews has been supplying the vehicles and equipment for a mysterious digging operation only known as "Boca Culebra" (a.k.a. Mouth of the Snake). As KITT creates a disturbance, Michael hitches a ride aboard a truck and finds statues with gold bricks inside. Dalton learns O'Brien is using the gold to purchase a cargo plane, but the reason still eludes him.
"Mouth of the Snake (Part 2)"
"All That Glitters (Part 2)"
The story continues as Michael and Dalton investigate further and discover a warehouse filled with rockets. Michael and KITT soon learn the rockets are for a semi truck with a mobile launcher hidden in the trailer and the duo barely escape its attack. Elsewhere, Joanna becomes more acquainted with O'Brien who quickly becomes infatuated with her. He invites her aboard his yacht where she manages to steal the combination to his safe. Dalton later sneaks aboard and breaks into the safe where he finds plans for advanced weapon systems. O'Brien eventually figures out he's been duped when he finds the combination in Joanna's waste basket, however he doesn't immediately let on to her treachery. Meanwhile, Michael follows Mathew's trucks to the dig site discovering a cave "the mouth" and a secret tunnel "the snake" which leads to a military weapons depot. The pieces come together as O'Brien plans to use the rockets to attack the base while his men raid the depot vaults for the experimental weapons. The plane will arrive and transport the weapons out of the country. Now Michael and Dalton must stop O'Brien and Mathews who have kidnapped Joanna and set out on their operation to attack the depot.
After witnessing a murder, Bonnie is haunted by strange happenings staged to run her out of her apartment, like witnessing a gorilla murdering a neighbor lady and a floating pumpkin talking backwards in her apartment's bathroom mirror.
Michael goes to Chicago on an assignment to guard a valuable isotope. Elsewhere, Wilton Knight's daughter unexpectantly suspends FLAG's operations and Michael and KITT find themselves out of a job. Meanwhile, an international terrorist kidnaps Devon Miles and replaces him with a surgically altered impostor as a plot to get his hands on the isotope. Devon's changed behavior alerts Michael's suspicions and he disobeys orders to "take a vacation" until he finds out what is going on. Clues lead to a warehouse, where KITT's molecular bonded armor is unknowingly neutralized by a chemical sprayer on a nearby street, and he and Michael are attacked by an armored vehicle who KITT cannot defend against. Devon strangely writes-off KITT as a total loss, and when he answers a question Michael asks about Moby Dick wrong, Michael is even more doubtful that it is truly Devon.
"Knight of the Juggernaut (Part 2)"
KITT is nearly destroyed in the armored car attack, and Bonnie is unable to repair him without Devon Miles' assistance or FLAG's facilities. She and Michael enlist the help of "The Street Avenger" a friendly street vigilante named Reginald Cornelius the 3rd, or RC3, whose gang of friends take KITT to their garage to rebuild him. KITT is reborn with some new gadgets including a rocket-fast "super pursuit" mode. Michael must now race to save the real Devon and prevent the theft of the isotope.
"Deadly Knightshade"
Michael tries to prove a master magician has committed a murder, and used his stage illusions to appear to be on stage during the crime as the perfect alibi.
"Fright Knight"
Michael and KITT investigate the grounds of a movie studio where unexplained accidents on the sets are thought to be the work of a legendary stage phantom.
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