Bookmans : : EVENTS: One Bourbon, One Beer and One B-Movie...?

EVENTS: One Bourbon, One Beer and One B-Movie...?

BY: ALEX B

Well, not quite. But I did manage to kick back a few cocktails with grindhouse director Ted V. Mikels as he took two shots of Jose like a champ.

He divulged to me over dinner that he learned how to become a professional tequila drinker in Mexico many moons ago. Ted is nothing if not a fantastic storyteller. This is evident in all of his movies.

I had never seen a classic cult film prior to Mikels’ 1972 classic “The Corpse Grinders.” I was full of anticipation for this particular screening because Ted is such a vibrant, captivating, and charismatic speaker, and I knew his talents would translate to the big screen. I was not disappointed! The first five minutes of the film contained a rage-filled killer cat, a B-movie bombshell babe attacked in heinous B-movie fashion, and one of those classic dark and disturbing graveyard scenes! I couldn’t have been more thrilled!

I laughed (and cringed) my way through the next 60 minutes watching the bodies of innocents being pitilessly ground to bits, seemingly normal house cats randomly attacking their owners, and looks that were a cross between silly and salacious from the main villain and Chief Operating Owner of the Lotus Cat Food Company, Landau, played by Sanford Mitchell.

All in all, I whole-heartedly enjoyed my first cult classic film. I cannot believe what good fortune I had in being able to really connect with Ted, as well as the main stars of many of his films - the internationally renowned model and dancer, Shanti. My experiences with them will be cherished for a lifetime, and now I can credit Ted V. Mikels personally for my growing penchant for B-movies.