Exploitation Nation

03/26/2024

Wrapping up the final edit on Exploitation Nation #15, which will be again focusing on indie cinema past and future, including a section that will likely become a regular feature: "That's just WRONG!" which celebrates (and contextualizes) our love for the nastier bits of exploitation film.

Issue includes interviews with filmmaker Tony Baez Milan and his new "ROOKIE BABY" films; Dr. Rhonda's extensive set-visit for SORORITY BABES 2 (featuring photos from the collection of director and legend, Brinke Stevens); a really nice bit of nostalgia from Cinema Wasteland's Ken Kish; likely the deepest dive into "Revenge of the Cheerleaders" you'll ever likely read, thanks to Steve Kahn; a bit on THE BOOGENS; J.R. Bookwalter's return to theaters with SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY; newish cartoons from Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr; and a Forced Death March Down Memory Lane as we examine the output of Saturn's Core Audio & Video, keeping the First and Second Waves of indie film alive for new audiences. And more!

It's going to be a chock-o-block issue, over 100 pages, b&w print, full-color ebook. We're looking to "hit the stands" in mid-April.

"Severe Injuries" cover by Creepy Carves Designs!

02/28/2024

Amazon gave me the option of ten different robot voices for my "automatic audio book," for PHOBOPHOBIA. I picked the one that sounded as much like Keith David, which makes Amber Benson's introduction hilarious. (But finally legitimizes my story "m.p.h.")

Phobophobia

07/09/2023

Thanks very much to Matt Gilligan, the ExNat #14 page is up and running for anyone who wants to order direct from us.

In this special issue, we pay tribute to our dear friend, author/director/poet/bon vivant, William Richert.

06/26/2023

Happy Happy Birthday to Happy Cloud Media LLC's Ryan Hose! The man that makes everything pretty!

06/26/2023

AT LONG LAST! Exploitation Nation #14: REMEMBERING WILLIAM RICHERT is available in both print and ebook formats on Amazon. Our stock will be in around 7/10 (because Amazon still loves to f**k with its publishers).

If you're unfamiliar with our dear friend, writer/director/poet Bill Richert, he was an incredible talent and an amazing storyteller. Best known for directing WINTER KILLS and co-starring with River Phoenix in Gus Van Sant's MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO, Bill spent the last two decades in obscurity, blackballed by Hollywood for opposing the Writer's and Director's Guilds of America - unions he was a member OF! He also alleged that Aaron Sorkin plaigarized his script for THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and... it's true! ExNat has the receipts as we publish an excerpt of his final book, the forthcoming EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.

Bill was an amazing human being and a joy to be around. Please pick up a copy and learn for yourself what a great loss we all suffered when Bill passed in July, 2022. (We managed to squeak this in JUST in time, Bill!)

Here's the Amazon link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C977RLQ6

and the compromised front cover

06/25/2023

The William Richert tribute issue of ExNat is still undergoing approval. I have changed and re-uploaded the cover TEN times now. A copy of the massively compromised front cover is below. KDP apparently had issue with the poster text - part of the background of the image - and decided it would continually reject for the text being "illegible". Because human beings don't work at Amazon. Computers tell us what to do now.

That being said, I actually had to guess as to why it was being rejected. I came to the "poster text conclusion" on my own. Because, again, nobody at Amazon gives a s**t enough to actually help you.

The ebook has Ryan's original cover. No reason given as to why it should pass, but the print book shouldn't.

I have NEVER had this much trouble with KDP before. It's a colossal pain in the ass to use, particularly when one remembers how useful Createspace was until Amazon felt the desperate need to destroy it. Amazon likes to destroy things, in case nobody noticed.

So here's the link to the ebook. For the first time in ExNat's history, the ebook will feature color photos, many of them from Bill's private collection. Ebook link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C977RLQ6 Note that it doesn't display the cover at all, for no particular reason.

Compromised cover (since to get rid of the negative space left behind by omitting the credits block, I had to reconfigure Bill's design on SUCCESS. So thanks for that, Amazon, you f**king jerks:

06/23/2023

ExNat premiered in 2018. I basically started it because I didn't like the magazine I was working on.

We managed 2 issues per year and those issues were always meaty, thick books, featuring interviews with people like Frank Henenlotter, Stephen Sayadian, Stephen Bissette, Terry Fu***ng Gilliam.

We acquired about a dozen loyal, helpful, enthusiastic readers.

The average issue took about 70 hours to put together. Until Ally Melling came aboard, those 70 hours were all me. To say I put my all into these f**king books is an understatement.

I'll say after this week of fighting with Amazon just to get some closure with the death of my friend, Bill Richert, has left me utterly exhausted. Long work week aside, I'm done today.

Amazon has delayed the book and rejected it for almost imaginary reasons at this point. I've resubmitted #14 SEVEN times, counting the ebook, which may or may not still be available, I can't even f**king tell.

Looking over the material I yanked to keep this the all-Bill issue, I have a good start on reviews and essays for the next issue, including a terrific one on THE BOOGENS that I've been shamefully sitting on since before GP shuttered. I have a few more ideas for pieces I want to write for #15.

But after that... I don't know. It's not sustainable to keep it going. We pay our contributors. It's s**t, but we pay. I used to rely on GP income to supplement ExNat, but I don't have that any longer.

So what to do with ExNat? When it folds, it'll be a decent library, a nice compendium of film history, but so what? Maybe it's time to let it die with dignity.

At least I won't have to put up with Amazon's bulls**t like this last rejection:

06/22/2023

Still fighting with Amazon for Issue #14. With great reluctance, Ryan Hose did a redesign of the cover to further satisfy the great Amazon Bots of "Design Team."

The good news is the Ebook will be available WITH the original cover and, for the first time, can be had with a mix of B&W AND color photos! Many of the photos came from William Richert himself before he passed, and the color ones are rare gems.

I'll send links once Amazon FINALLY approves of it all.

06/20/2023

William Richert’s tribute issue of ExNat is now on sale at Amazon, currently Kindle only until a human being can be consulted about the print cover. Which, you know, is the exact same cover as the ebook has, but what do I know?

01/26/2023

Here’s wishing a fantastic 50th birthday to the one that brings this publication, and so many things, together, Mike Watt!
Here’s to many more birthdays and publications to share!

01/04/2023

12/02/2022

Time is running out on the Exploitation Nation ebook sale!

Exploitation Nation Kindle Sale! From 11/29 to 12/6, you can pick up select issues of ExNat on Kindle (including our latest, #13 - which focuses on Indie SOV Mavericks and the upcoming release of DR. CALIGARI!) for a steep discount! Starting at .99 cents, the price increases over the week, so don't delay!

Visit https://tinyurl.com/ycyt66w8 and check out what's on sale!

11/29/2022

Exploitation Nation Kindle Sale! From 11/29 to 12/6, you can pick up select issues of ExNat on Kindle (including our latest, #13 - which focuses on Indie SOV Mavericks and the upcoming release of DR. CALIGARI!) for a steep discount! Starting at .99 cents, the price increases over the week, so don't delay!

Visit https://tinyurl.com/ycyt66w8 and check out what's on sale!

10/04/2022

As reported in ExNat #13! Read new interviews with Dr Caligari director Stephen Sayadian and screenwriter Jerry Stahl!

DID YOU KNOW????
... that our UHD/Blu-ray release of DR CALIGARI will go on sale on OCTOBER 31?!

That's right! Pre-orders for this long -awaited release will go live on Monday, Oct 31st at 9 AM Pacific as part of our wider annual HALLOWEEN SALE!

More details will be revealed in the coming weeks!

08/24/2022

Perhaps we didn’t make ourselves clear when we said that all back issues are available at www.exploitation-nation.com. Including our most recent #13.

Apologies for the miscommunication. Now there’s no excuse for missing an issue.

Is. There?

08/22/2022

Due to a number of issues,Exploitation Nation #14 has been in flux. I hope to announce details soon - it will definitely include a never-before published interview with the late William Richert and will include an excerpt from the book we were doing together. Anything beyond that (and a Dollar column from Mike Haushalter) I won’t know for sure for a bit yet. Thanks to everyone for bearing with me.

Our most recent issue, #13, is available now - interviews with Stephen Sayadian and Jerry Stahl, Charles Pinion, Brad Sykes, catching up with Lydia Lunch, and more! Grab up a copy or two at www.exploitation-nation.com

And if you’re a regular reader, please spread the word!

“We take a high-brow look at low-brow entertainment.” EXPLOITATION NATION returns! In Issue 13, we catch up with some of the SOV mavericks whose films dominated the underground horror s…