Grindhouse Wednesdays: Not for the faint of heart

We are so used to taboos that nothing is shocking to us these days. We live in an era where gender and sexual preferences vary and fluctuate, where stand-up comics casually crack racist and misogynist jokes, where certain politicians are openly homophobic (hi there U. S. of A.) and where kids TV is interspersed with softcore porn advertisements. But where does this fascination with blood, brawl, obscenities and raw sex come from? My guess: life is a jungle, and the animal in us needs to satisfy its primitive needs, one way or another. Fortunately, most of us do it by identification, and that is the exact purpose of grindhouse cinema.

Popularized in the sixties and also referred to as “exploitation movies”, this genre’s aim is to make fast money with cheap B movies that capitalize on a taboo subject, most of the time sex or violence. The style is voyeur and deliciously trashy, which explains why it’s so utterly appreciated. NIGHTLIFE spoke with Ben Godin, organizer of Montreal’s Grindhouse Wednesdays.

How did you discover the grindhouse style and start loving it?
Growing up, there was a small video store near my house called "Pick-a-Flick". As a small kid, I remember going in there and staring up at all the horror movies that were just out of reach, like Night of the Demon, Barbarella, Hellraiser, Nightmare on Elm Street even. After a few years passed, and I could finally reach up and grab those movies, I rented them. Production values, audio quality, none of that was important. It was the dankness, the darkness, the fucked-upness of the movies that captivated me. So really, I was a grindhouse fan years before I’d even seen an exploitation film. Since then, I have really delved into the genre. The point is that you have to look past the original intent of the movie, and really perceive it from your own perspective, in your time, and then try to see what the filmmaker was trying to accomplish at the time. It’s really fascinating, and sometimes incredibly hilarious.

Why do people LOVE trashiness so much?
This is a really good question, because we really need to define trashiness. I mean, if a movie is trashy as a result of trying to be something really good; that is, if trashiness is a side effect of a genuine attempt at greatness, I find that holds a special appeal to people.

What is the best grindhouse film for the uninitiated?
This is a tough one, as there are many subgenres, and there are definitive films for each subgenre. I think the best general bet would be Russ Meyer’s 1956 Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Gratuitous violence, sex, challenging gender roles and crappy dialogue. Add to this that it’s not incredibly gory, and there’s no nudity; so it won’t overwhelm a first-timer.

What’s a taboo that would never be touched upon in grindhouse films?
I’m not sure that there is one. If there is a taboo, then it has been covered. Narciso Ibanez Serrador’s 1976 film Who Can Kill a Child tackled a pretty big taboo in film (killing children as an action of the protagonist). But I guess if there was one, it would be pedophilia. Although some grindhouse films have been accused of it, it has always been by critics who have not seen the movie, and were misled by third-hand information.

What’s the trashiest thing you’ve ever seen in a movie?
The tortoise decapitation in Cannibal Holocaust. It’s stomach turning. Especially when you know that it’s completely real. Not for the faint of heart.

Why do a Grindhouse Wednesday at Cinéma L’Amour?
‘Grindhouse’ was the nickname given to independent cinemas in the 1960s and 1970s that would play exploitation films. This nickname was due to the fact they were considered low-brow places; seedy, disgusting even. And yet, they had this kind of film-noir poetic beauty to them. Cinema L’Amour captures this grimy beauty like no other cinema in Montreal. It’s really a unique experience to get to see Grindhouse films in a true Grindhouse cinema. People should really take advantage of these events while they last, as Cinema L’Amour really is one of the last of the great old-school theatres still in operation.

What kind of people go to Grindhouse Wednesdays?
There’s a great mix. Reclusive film buffs, university arts students (film studies mostly), Plateau hipsters, and the odd regular patron to Cinema L’Amour who doesn’t quite understand the sign at the front explaining that it’s a special event. All of these mix quite well.

Any strange anecdotes?
One of our favourite attendees was a huge guy, maybe 350 pounds, who clearly came in wanting to watch porn. He ended up falling in love with the film (as well as the cheap beer we were selling) and ended up getting quite wasted. He turned into this huge lovable drunk, cracking up everyone within 10 yards of him. Good times.

Grindhouse Wednesdays present Shock Corridor
December 1st at Cinema L’Amour | 4015, Saint-Laurent
Grindhouse Wednesdays Facebook Page