Name: Gorgon Video Magazine
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1989-08-30
Duration: 1 h 9 min
Rating: 6.9
Cast: Michael Berryman, Wes Craven, Gwar

My review was written in August 1989 after viewing the show on MPI video cassette.

"Gorgon Video Magazine" is an effective home video entry applying the magazine format to assay gory horror films.

Premiere edition, hosted by "The Hills Have Eyes" thesp Michael Berryman, is heavy on the blood and guts, but proves useful as a sampler of upcoming horror product. A look-back segment at '50s pics turns out to be a blatant ad for video distributor Sinister Cinema, but along with a trailers portion whets viewer appetite.

Similarly, interviews with director Wes Craven and actress Linnea Quigley shed little light on their careers but rather provide plenty of film clips. Even the critic's corner, in which Gore Gazette editor Rick Sullivan gives raves to such pictures as Kiwi import "Bad Taste" and case history thriller "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer", emphasizes clips rather than verbiage.

Recurring theme, voiced by Craven, Troma's Lloyd Kaufman and special effects experts from KNB EFX Group, is the ongoing battle between horror filmmakers and the Motion Picture Association of America's Classification & Rating Administration. All agree the dreaded X rating is a problem (as far as theatrical releases go) since their job as filmmakers is to stretch the bounds of horror. Since "Gorgon" is the brainchild of "Mondo New York" producer Stuart Shapiro, the obviously uncensored program is firmly on the side of free and unfettered expression.

Future editions might benefit from a harder-nosed look at the genre, but visual emphasis is on target.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The ghoulish Michael Berryman hosts this horror video magazine with an electronic gorefest of horror previews, graphic footage too gory for TV, shock rock, in-depth interviews with splatter masters, chilling special effects, and buckets more. An hour plus of interviews with b-movie stars, horror film directors, special effects wizards, mixed with trailers for horror films and footage of a GWAR concert.

Wes Craven, Linnea Quigley, and Michael Berryman in Gorgon Video Magazine (1989)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Stuart S. Shapiro's Gorgon Video Magazine

Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt

Gibby Haynes, Teresa Taylor, Jeff Pinkus, Paul Leary, King Coffey, and Kathleen Lynch in Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt (2025)

Gorgon Video Magazine

Photos

Top Cast7

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed