(1969)
Directed by Ted V. Mikels
Screenplay by Ted V. Mikels and Wayne Rodgers
Starring John Carradine, Wendell Corey, Tom Pace, Tura Satana, Joan Patrick,
Rafael Campos, Vince Barbi, Joe Hoover, Victor Izay
I first met Ted V. Mikels at the very first Cinema Wasteland, back in Sept. of 2000, where he was set up next to us in the vendor room. I knew of his work, from seeing trailers, some other clips, and seeing him in some documentaries, but my appreciation of his really developed after that first meeting, since he was so honored to be there to meet his fans. Every time someone came up, he would stand up and greet them with a handshake and honest hello. I mention this only because to really appreciate his work, you need to know and understand the man. Always on the low budget side of filmmaking, Mikels had that passion for the industry. He knew how to do just about everything in the business, from writing to directing to editing and more. Sure, some may say that he wasn’t that great in any of those duties, but I still say for any filmmaker to create just one film that has lasted the test of time, let alone many of them, that is a true filmmaker. And Mikels is definitely one of them.
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Film Alchemy: The Independent Cinema of Ted V. Mikels
Gods of Grindhouse
At the very first Cinema Wasteland, back in September of 2000, our dealer table was right next to Mr. Ted V. Mikels, the cult director of such films as Astro Zombies (1968), Corpse Grinders (1971), Blood Orgy of the She-Devils (1973), and many more. Sitting next to him over the next three days, hearing him talk to his fans with so much energy, as well as respect, made me a fan of him, even though I was already a fan of his work. He was such a kind and friendly soul, willing to talk to anybody about his work, as well as giving them any advice and guidance in the film business that he could. This wasn’t just an act that he was putting on to sell stuff from his table, but a genuine person that loved meeting his fans. I still have the Certificate of Assurance from the Dimension in Shock triple feature release that I got from him that weekend, which remains a prize possession in the collection.
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