Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Night School

Exploitica/Exploitica Rides Again - Curfew Breakers!
Channel 4 Television, 1999 - 2000

An unsung gem of late night TV was the short lived Channel 4 show Exploitica. In a similar vein to MST3K, the show mocked various B- Movies of the past, but with its own indelible British humour; often as problematic as the films it ridiculed.

Much like Moviedrome, Exploitica, and its second season, retitled to Exploitica Rides Again, would serve as film school for devotees of psychotronic cinema. Material was ofteen sourced from Something Weird's legendary back catalogue like The Violent Years (1956). Also, the show wasn't afraid to laugh at sacred genre cows like Deep Red (1975), either. Its lampooning of various educational/propaganda films from the past, was another reason why the show hit all the right notes for me.

Sadly, its dedicated and ancient YouTube channel appears to have even less clips available than I last visited it; maybe it's due to licensing and ownership issues. Feeling a lot like Roy Batty in Blade Runner whenever I get nostalgic over this classic late night show - all those moments will be lost in time.

Exploitica/Exploitica Rides Again - The Violent Years
Channel 4 Television, 1999 - 2000

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