Freaks of the Industry DVD Reviews

Weekend Pass

2006-09-29T02:20:00.000-04:00

BCI Eclipse

Here's a blast from my past. Whenever my friends and I would go to the videostore we would rent horror movies and teen sex flicks. Blood and boobies, what more could a teenager ask for? I wasn't sure if I had seen Weekend Pass in those days but as soon as the menu music started it all came back to me. "Weekend pass blah, blah, blah...weekend pass." Definitely not one of the best sex comedies of the 80's, Weekend Pass is still good for nostalgia and does feature one of the rarest creatures of the genre, a black character that is allowed out to step out of the shadows.

Seamen Bunker Hill (black guy), Webster Adams (pretty boy), Paul Fricker (joker) and Lester Gidley (nerd) have just gotten their first weekend pass from the U.S. Navy. The boys make the trip from San Diego to L.A. and where do you think red blooded American guys want to stop first? The strip club, of course. The G-String Club is full of beautiful 80's babes, the kind of girls that are mostly natural and have hair-do's you wouldn't take near any open flames. The boys head back to the hotel and set Lester up with what they think is a "full service" massage but he ends up a human pretzel instead.

The next day the boys head to Venice Beach in search of babes, oh yeah, so far the guys have yet to change into normal clothes their still in the sailor uniforms including the funny hats. At the beach there is an aerobics demonstration where Bunker falls for the head Jane Fonda wanna-be, Etta. So what do the boys do with their first time off from six weeks of intense physical training? They go to an aerobics class where all the leg warmer wearing bimbo's and feathered frosted haired men leave our seaman on the floor gasping for air. The apple of Bunker's eye doesn't fall for his game so the boys leave with only her business card. The Navy boys head to Bunker's old hood where he takes them for some soul food. Not only do they run into plates full of ribs but they also run into Bunker's old girlfriend who is now dating the leader of his old gang, The Mau Maus, a gang straight out of Michael Jackson's Beat It video. This gang is so bad they have African drum beats playing on their boombox.

That night is a big one for Fricker, Webster and Bunker. Fricker has a gig at The Comedy Castle and Webster has a date with an old flame, Cindy Hazard. Like so many things in life this night would not turn out to be the night Fricker and Webster had imagined. Webster's date is a mover and shaker in the music buisness and is more concerned with making contacts than making time for Webster. Fricker's big night is hosted by Comedy Castle MC, Chicago Joe (Phil Hartman), let's just say that Fricker bombs more than the Bush family bombed Iraq. At least Fricker makes a date with a female comedian that also stinks up the Castle. Bunker finally gets a date with Etta and she accompanies him to the Comedy Castle and later asks him and his friends to an aerobics party the next day. The aerobics party is quite weird as it takes place in a gym with all the exercise machines and everyone wearing day-glo work out clothes. Needless to say, all the loose ends are sewn up and the boys end up with soul mates just before they ship out.

As a huge fan of sex comedies I've learned to just take them for what their worth, a couple funny bits and lot's of nudity. Weekend Pass does have nudity and some funny parts but it just isn't up to the standards set by classics like Hardbodies and The Last American Virgin. If I were watching Weekend Pass in the 1980's I wouldn't be too enthused but on a pure nostalgia level it works. Fans of The Amazing Race will be surprised to see Season 4 winner Chip McAllister in the role of Bunker Hill. Now if I could just get that damn theme song out of my head.

It's pretty exciting to finally see some of these forgotten movies get the widescreen treatment. It looks like BCI Eclipse has picked up a lot of the old Crown International titles, I'm hoping to get some info from them about which titles they picked up. Included on the disc are trailers for Pom Pom Girls, My Tutor, Tomboy and Jocks. Hopefully that means we will get DVD releases of those titles as well.

Frankenstein vs. The Creature From Blood Cove

2006-09-21T19:53:00.000-04:00

I really wanted to like this flick but what can be said about a movie whose highlight is a cameo by Lloyd Kaufman? It's not that it's a bad movie it just doesn't move fast enough or go anywhere. It tries hard to be a throwback to the great b-flicks of yesteryear but it just doesn't cut it. Frankenstein vs. The Creature From Blood Cove has the elements to make it good campy fun but they just aren't used to their full potential.

Dr. Lazaroff and his assistants, Dr. Foranti and the severley scarred Salisbury have been working on a project that has just escaped from the lab. The project is a sea creature made up of DNA from a human, a Barracuda and a Black Mamba. The creature looks like a cross between the Monster of Piedras Blancas and a Land of the Lost Sleestak. In other words, it's a perfect looking creature for a film trying to capture the feel of a monster movie of the 50's. So the Dr. and his assistants head to Shellvania to dig up the grave of Frankenstein's monster to replace the sea creature. In the process they encounter a wolfman, don't ask me why, this plot device serves no purpose. Back at the lab the Dr. and crew revive the monster while a group of people from a nudie magazine shoot some pictures at Blood Cove. The magazine crew encounter the creature and head for home only to be sent back to Blood Cove with a different model to finish the shoot. Predictably the photo crew encounters the creature who kills the model. The three survivors run for help and end up at the Dr.'s. The Dr, takes them hostage until they can complete their project to create "the ultimate weapon against terror". That's the basic plot, we have a couple of battles between the two monsters that look like some really bad local TV wrestlers, Dr. Frankenstein's ghost makes an appearance, Lloyd Kaufman and Ron Jeremy have cameos as patrons of a strip club and basically a lot of mundane things happen that do nothing to move the film along.

Like I said before I really wanted to like this film because it's obvious that actor/director/writer and producer William Winkler is a fan of the horror genre. It just didn't work for me on any level as a matter of fact the best thing about the film is the b&w photography. The acting is ok unless you count the actresses playing the models. And speaking of the models, what was their purpose? Their nudity seemed really out of place as did the occasional gore scenes. One of the most annoying characters in the film was the stereotypical fat gay guy, Percy Featherstone. What the hell was his purpose? It sure wasn't comic relief. All right, I've spent too much time on this turkey. Better luck next time Mr. Winkler.

The DVD itself looks great and includes loads of extra's including: 2 making of doc's, audio commentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers, audition footage and a trailer.

Chaos

2006-09-20T21:32:00.000-04:00

Razor Digital Entertainment

Now here's a movie that is bound to cause some discussion. Is it just another "slasher" flick or is it something more? Chaos is one of the most brutal films I've seen in awhile and it's makers offer no apologies. What starts out as a rehashing of The Last House On The Left quickly turns into a much more bleak and savage film, if your familiar with LHOTL you know that's really saying something. Besides the unrelenting harshness of the film is the obvious fact that it was made by some truly talented people. Chaos is not a "feel good" movie, it's also not a stupid formula movie with some killer running around in a mask dropping witty one-liners. Chaos is a movie that is disturbing because it is done in such a realistic manner, incorporating little details that most other horror films don't bother with. It's a movie that can freak you out because it could easily have been ripped out of the front page of your local newspaper.

Angelica picks up Emily at her parents home so they can go to a party in the woods. Emily's parents, Esther and Leo an interracial couple, are a little concerned but decide to let them go anyway. Now when I say this party is out in the woods I mean it's way out in the woods, the girls have to walk across a suspension bridge to get there. The girls get arrive before the party starts and try to score some ecstasy. They approach Swan (Sage Stallone) who tells them he can get some from his friends in a cabin about twenty minutes away. Even though Emily pleads with Angie not to go, the duo takes off with Swan. Big mistake! Back at the cabin, Chaos (Kevin Gage), Frankie and Daisy await Swans return in hopes that he will bring back some playmates. The girls enter the cabin and are immediately reduced from humans to mere objects. The girls are taken out to the woods and are subjected to intense humiliation and nearly raped before making an escape. Angelica nearly makes it back to her car when she is captured. What follows is gruesome, gratuitous and completely believable. This quartet of thugs is not above torture, murder or necrophilia, all of which Angelica suffers. Seeing her last breath kick up some dust from the forest floor is one of those details that other filmmakers don't show. Emily on the other hand, conveniently falls down a hill and doesn't wake until the goons are within earshot of her groans. She makes one more valiant and damn near successful attempt at escaping and in the process mortally wounds Swan who is finished off by his father, Chaos. Emily's death is the least graphic of the two girls but it is such a vulgar and sickening way to go that it really strikes a nerve. After getting no answer from Emily's cell phone her parents call the police and are treated to some backwoods bigotry, convinced that they are going to get no help from the hillbilly cops they decide to go check out the party for themselves. They find Angelica's body, call the cops again and head for home. Chaos and crew decide it's time to get out of the area but the van won't start leading to a confrontation between the killers and the parents of one of the victims.

OK, so maybe Chaos sounds like a complete rip-off of Last House On The Left and in a lot of ways it is. Hell, some shots look exactly like LHOTL. One of the main differences is in the acting. Kevin Gage is perfect as the menacing nihilist Chaos. We've heard a lot of great things said about John Jarratt playing psycho Mick Taylor in Wolf Creek and I believe Kevin Gage deserves just as much acclaim. In fact , if Chaos had played it safe like Wolf Creek, Gage would be on his way to the celebrity A-list. The character has no redeeming values and comes off as someone we may have encountered in our past, someone we made a mental note to never be around again. In a perfect world Gage would be regarded as highly as Michael Rooker was for his role in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, the guy's just that good. The acting all around is miles ahead of LHOTL and in my opinion that makes it a better movie. There I said it, LHOTL is one of my all-time favorites but I think the better acting and contemporary setting of Chaos add to the realism making it a more frightening experience. Another huge difference is the ending that is so abrupt and cynical that it also lends an air of believability to the overall effect of the film. Chaos is not a film I will watch over and over again, it's just too much of a downer. The film is supposedly based on real life serial killer Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins, I don't know much about Gaskins but the film does make the viewer feel like they've just taken an inside look into the life of a flesh and blood killer. To call Chaos a simple LHOTL remake is simply not giving the film the credit it deserves. Horror fans have been asking for a movie like this for ages and when it finally comes out it is ignored, maybe horror fans just don't have the cajones to praise such an ugly film.

Razor Digital Entertainment releases Chaos in Full screen format but to be honest I didn't even notice until I was reading the back of the DVD for this review. Included on the disc is a commentary track from director David DeFalco and producer Steven Jay Bernheim, a mind numbingly stupid Tour of the L.A. Coroner's Crypt and The Roger Ebert Controversy mini where DeFalco and Bernheim fire back at critic Roger Ebert's confusing rants about Chaos.

Bad Brains - Live At CBGB 1982

2006-09-18T22:28:00.000-04:00

MVD

In 1977 the Washington D.C. suburb of District Heights, Maryland gave birth to one of the most explosively original and influential hardcore bands ever, Bad Brains. Though there have been a few lineup changes through the years the core band included vocalist Paul Hudson aka HR, his brother drummer Earl Hudson, bassist Darryl Jenifer and legendary guitar shredder Gary Miller aka Dr. Know. Like The Sex Pistols and The Ramones, the Bad Brains are one of those bands that you can remember where you were the first time you heard them. Often cited as the very first hardcore punk band the Brains also incorporated their love of fusion jazz and reggae into their eclectic brand of music. Their sound was not the only thing that seperated them from other punk artists of the time, they were also the only all black band on the scene. The punk scene has often been looked down upon by other scenes for it's weird fashion style and uncompromising musical approach but a lot of times the most bigoted music fans have been punk fans. There was a time when it was hard to go to a hardcore show and not witness fights and the inevitable skinhead gangs. One can only imagine what sort of prejudices Bad Brains suffered but the band always stood strong and let the music do the talking. And talk it did, in a language we had never heard before, sometimes it was hard to understand but you always knew that when Bad Brains was playing you were in the midst of greatness.

Bad Brains - Live At CBGB 1982 is exactly that: live performances compiled from four different shows at the notorious and soon to be closed down New York City venue. The stage is small, the audience is within touching distance of the band and the energy is in the air. The band plays a mix of their hardcore barnburners and the slower reggae jams that serve as a pit stop for all the kids to get their energy back. With the stage being so accessible to the fans, stage dives (more like jumps in this case) are almost non-stop. Keep an eye out for some pretty funny mishaps including a chick punching some dude for misjudging the size of the stage when he starts to dance on it. At one point a fuse for the lighting goes out but the Brains never miss a beat. At times the stage resembles a Rugby field with all the people dancing and diving off of it. It's good to see that the audience really knows the band's music singing along and just generally getting into that Bad Brains groove. The video quality isn't the greatest, you can definitely tell when the camera man get too close to the action. Glitches aside, the viewer gets a real feel for what it's like to be in the eye of the storm that is a Bad Brains live show. HR's voice is perfect, Dr. Know's frenetic fret work is flawless, Earl prove's that he is just as much a vituoso as the others and Darryl, where the hell was Darryl? I think I saw his arm a couple of times. For those of us that never got the opportunity to see Bad Brains, Live At CBGB 1982 get's us as close to the action as humanly possible. Truly essential for fans of hardcore and even more essential for those that have never heard of Bad Brains. Highly recommended!

Set List:
1. Big Take Over
2. Attitude
3. I
4. I and I Rasta
5. Supertouch/Shitfit
6. King of Glory with Dave Hahn
7. Right Brigade
8. F.V.K.
9. Banned in DC
10. How Low Can a Punk Get
11. The Meek Shall Inherit
12. Riot Squad
13. We Will Not
14. Coptic Times
15, At The Movies
16. Right Brigade
17. Rally Round Jah Throne
18. Redbone in the City
19. Pay to Cum

Bonus Materials:
Fan interviews from 1982
Bonus audio track: I and I Survive

Spirited Killer

2006-09-18T12:10:00.000-04:00

BCI Eclipse

Let's get one thing perfectly clear, this is not a Tony Jaa vehicle. Even though the DVD cover makes it look like he is the star he's barely in it. That being said, Spirited Killer is an insanely inept little flick that has some of the goofiest characters ever assembled. Spirited Killer is one of those movies that you don't quite know if you want to recommend because some people just might not get what makes it so damn entertaining.

Medicine man, Dr. Duang, gives a potion to a few villagers and within seconds they are dead. The surviving villagers run for the village chief to tell him about the killings but only one makes it back to the village. The chief and a few other villagers take off after Dr. Duang eventually catching him, beating him mercilessly and then letting him sink to the bottom of the river. The story picks up five years later when a zombie-like man slaughters a large group of villagers leaving only a couple of survivors to once again head to the chief for help. The zombie is reffered to as being like the Terminator but to me he's more like the killer in the Chuck Norris's flick Silent Rage. The zombie is played by Jaa's mentor, Panna Rittikrai, and has it's own theme music ala Jason. Meanwhile, a group of Japanese students are on their way to the village to look for ancient relics and a seperate group of Chinese treasure hunters (including Tony Jaa) are searching for some holy metal. Both groups are attacked by the zombie man and the survivors eventually find their way to the village. After some American Pie-esque humor the survivors get together and search for the zombie man. After some disastrous battles with the zombie man, Dr. Duang returns doubling the threat. What will the survivors do to defeat these unstoppable killers? Don't worry it all gets cleaned up in a rather anti-climatic finale.

I imagine a lot of Ong Bak fans are going to rent or buy Spirited Killer and be extremely disappointed. Screw 'em! Real fans of martial arts/exploitation movies are going to get a lot of enjoyment out of it. After all, any movie that features super fast Benny Hill style running, out of place musical moments, politically incorrect humor, Japanese mullets and gratuitous sword fight scenes with no spilled blood can't be all that bad. Sure the acting is atrocious, the plot is nearly nonexistent, the soundtrack sounds like some direct-to-video flick of the 80's and it probably burned more brain cells than all the pharmaceuticals I tried in high school but at least it's not boring. When a little romantic subplot is thrown into the plot it doesn't weigh down Spirited Killer, nope not this movie, they just go on as if it never happened. No apologies baby, Spirited Killer is what it is, a no nutritional value feast of Thailand cheese.

Kung Fu Theater releases Spirited Killer in 1.85:1 Widescreen, Thai and English with optional English Subs (watch the English version with the subtitles, pretty hilarious). Disc two features all the special features including a documentary on Panna Rittikrai, documentary on Tony Jaa, interview and demonstration with Tony Jaa, short on Muay Thai Boran and best of all Thailand Dangerous, a look at some of the craziest films to come out of Thailand.

Hard Candy

2006-09-16T15:55:00.000-04:00

Lionsgate

It appears that the new "sweeps week" darling of primetime news magazine shows is the paedophile version of Punk'd. Police lure unsuspecting perv's with on-line chats that the sicko's think are underage children. They set up a meeting and when the perv shows up out steps a news reporter who asks some hard hitting questions about the chat session. When the perv's can take no more they walk out of the house and are taken down by the police. The main male character in Hard Candy, Jeff, would think something like that was a cake walk compared to what he suffers at the hands of the female lead, Haley. Many questions are raised in Hard Candy but the main one is "Is there a limit on acceptable punishment for a paedophile?". Are we supposed to feel any sympathy for Jeff? After all, he did arrange a meeting with a 14 year old girl for less than honorable intentions. I guess the answer lies in each person's own faith just as abortion, stem cell research and the death penalty do. Viewers of Hard Candy will have to face feelings of guilt for feeling sympathetic to the paedophile and for wishing him so much suffering. It's a tough movie to get through without questioning your convictions and your faith.

Haley a.k.a. Thonggrrl14 and Jeff a.k,a, Lensman319 have been getting to know each other through online chat sessions for the past three weeks. They finally decide to set up a meeting at a local coffee house/bakery. When they first see each other Haley has chocolate on her lip that Jeff boldly tastes after wiping it from her mouth in full view of the coffee house patrons. Jeff is a confident guy that has a lucrative career in photography, he goes about courting Haley as if she didn't look like a 14 year old tomboy. She's not one of those girls that would be mistaken for being much older than she really is. The couple flirt for a bit and eventually end up at Jeff''s home in the hills. After some underage drinking Jeff starts to feel ill and passes out. When he awakens he find himself tied to a chair and in the presence of a much different Haley. From here on the film puts the viewer in an excruciatingly tense game of tug-of-war between the two antagonists that gets painfully emotional and physical.

The glue that holds Hard Candy together is the superb performances by the two leads. Patrick Wilson (Jeff) and Ellen Page (Hayley) both give gut wrenching performances that should be considered for Oscar nominations. Ellen turns the victim into one of the most sly and complex female performances of the year while Patrick turns a character that should be looked upon with no empathy into one that garners compassion. With virtually no interaction with any other actors these two actors deserve a boat load of the credit in the success of Hard Candy. Another supportive player in this success is the location itself, Jeff's house. The ultra clean setting of the house makes it all the more sinister, we see what happens to Jeff but the story also raises questions about what kind of sleazy things have taken place there in the past. Director, David Slade, and writer Brian Nelson, prove with Hard Candy that they have the chops to put together a tense psychological thriller that is not afraid to tackle issues most filmmakers wouldn't touch. It will be very interesting to see what these two come up with next time around.

The Lionsgate DVD release of Hard Candy is loaded with extra's including two seperate commentary tracks, one features Slade and Nelson while the other features Wilson and Page, deleted and extended scenes, a "making-of documentary" that goes from pre-production to marketing, a mini featurette, theatrical trailer and a DVD-Rom production notebook.

Radiohead - A Classic Album Under Review: OK Computer

2006-09-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

MVD

My list of the Top-Ten Albums of all time is pretty solid but the top two spots can switch positions on any given day. Black Sabbath's Master Of Reality and Radiohead's OK Computer hold the one and two spots. Black Sabbath found their formula, stuck with it and perfected it so that even to this day no one can touch them, even though many have tried. Radiohead evolves with each subsequent release challenging their legions of fans to cross the proverbial line in the sand that seperates Radiohead from the rest of the music industry. So what do these two polar opposite bands have in common? First, when listening to either band you get a sense of utter alienation from the rest of society that is conveyed both with the music and with the lyrics. Sabbath appears to embrace this seperation from society while Radiohead mourns it. Second, the lyrics often incorporate things that most of us would want to say but never do for fear of the stares these statements would bring from others. Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath choose lyrics that bash the listener in the head while calling up images straight out of a horror film. Radiohead and Thom Yorke use a more subtle approach recalling art house films of years gone by with dreamlike journey's that are sprinkled with unnerving musical and lyrical high's and low's. There you have it, a minor comparison between two obverse bands that remain my favorites. This DVD takes an in depth look at OK Computer, the best album of the 90's and quite possibly the best album of all time.

After the release of Radiohead's second album The Bends, the band found themselves on a longer leash from their label, Capitol. Utilizing their new found freedom the band launched one of the most experimental and critically hailed albums of the decade. OK Computer : A Classic Album Under Review compiles interviews with some of the most well regarded critics and authors in the business including, Mark Paytress, Jake Kennedy, Dai Griffiths, David Stubbs, Barney Hoskyns and Alex Ogg. The interviews are thought provoking and at times controversial, especially in regards to what artist's Radiohead may have lifted some ideas from including The Beatles, Philip Glass and even motivational speaker Zig Zigler to name a few. Topics like lyrical inspiration and cover art are also discussed but basically this is an eye opening rundown of every song on the album. Also featured on the disc are video clips and concert footage from various shows. Extras on the disc include contributor biographies and a Radiohead trivia quiz (this reviewer scored a pathetic 17/25). OK Computer: A Classic Album Under Review is essential viewing for the cult of Radiohead fans out there. Up next in the Classic Under Review series is AC/DC's Back In Black which hits the streets October 31, 2006.

Pervert!

2006-09-14T15:48:00.000-04:00

Sometimes people need to get away from the world around them. Maybe you had a bad day or maybe you just sat through a Uwe Boll movie, whatever it is sometimes you just need to kick up your feet and escape for a little while. Pervert! is pure escapism fun that is funny, gory and occasionally shocking. The movie is a mishmash of Russ Meyer and Troma that melds together perfectly.

James (Sean Andrews) is spending his summer break from college with his Dad, Hezekia (Darrell Sandeen), in the desert. Hezikiah is planning on teaching his son how to be a man and how to become a ladies man like his Pop. Dad has somehow landed a nice young piece of tail named Cheryl (California gubernatorial candidate Mary Carey) who gains the interest of James when she gives a butter lubed hand job to an ear of corn at the dinner table. As James gets reacquainted with his father he realizes that dad may have lost a few marbles, you see, dad has started making meat statues in an old shed. That's right, meat statues including bacon for hair. Cheryl is not one to hide her bodacious womanly assets and she uses them to seduce James. Hezikia catches them bumping uglies and throws a fit. Later that night James hears the two having a terrible argument and the next morning Cheryl is gone and Hezekiah has a new supply of cold cuts for use in his demented artwork. Is Hezikia bringing young women back to the house to turn them into art supplies? And what is that unusual sounding creature that is roaming the house at night? Trust me, you won't believe what happens in this demented opus. Pervert! may borrow some elements from other movies but it is truly one of a kind.

Pervert! is not a movie that is going to win any awards but it is one that successfully brings back the feel of of exploitation movies from the 60's and 70's. The film is held together by the surprisingly good male leads. Darrell Sandeen in particular, gives a great performance in the role of Hezekiah. He plays the crusty old deviate with a comedic yet unnerving flair that captures the essence of how some of the more eccentric desert dwellers really are. Sandeen has a sporadic history in films including a role as one of the KKK cowboys in Blazing Saddles. Director, Jonathan Yudis, also does a great job as a white trash, toddler kicking, wigger mechanic who has a thing for rimjobs and gets some of the best lines in the movie. The acting of the women is unexceptional but that's okay, their main purpose is to be eye candy. Big, beefy, boob eye candy to be more exact. The story is original to say the least and to say any more about the plot risks giving away some damn funny surprises. The special effects won't have Industrial Light and Magic shaking in their boots but when the effects are bad their hilarious and add a lot of character to the movie. I particularly enjoyed the rattlesnake attack scenes and the other type of attack scene that you will have to see for yourself. Funny stuff! Another high point of Pervert! is the original soundtrack featuring songs by The Clyde Mego Situation, Monkey, Creep-o-la, Fortune & Maltese, Rocco, The Brickle Boys and Kevin Macleod. A very fun soundtrack that is available on the Pervert! website. One of my favorite releases of last year was Andy Signore and TJ Nordaker's The Janitor, Pervert! would make a perfect companion to The Janitor on a double feature bill. If your in the mood for laughs, gore and major boobage than Pervert! is the movie for you. 10/10 for sheer demented euphoria!

The disc itself is presented in widescreen and features the original trailer, a scrapbook photo gallery, cast & crew section and movie poster. Hat's off to Jonathan Yudis and the rest of the Pervert! crew for giving us one of the liveliest and funny releases of the year. I can't wait to see what they have lined up for us next time.

http://www.pervertthemovie.com/

Japan's Longest Day

2006-09-12T14:06:00.000-04:00

AnimEigo

As an American who got most of his schooling from public schools I have to admit my knowledge of the events surrounding World War II are limited at best. Hell, we were usually so behind in the book that the teachers only devoted a couple of days at the end of the school year to WWII. Japan's Longest Day tells the story of Japan's surrender at the end of the big war. The plot reads like a bizarre fictional novel but all the events really happened. The one-sided portrayal that Japan has suffered at the hands of many filmmakers unfairly portrays these Far East warriors as a less than capable opponent of the Allied Forces. As this film shows the noble men of the Japanese army fought just as hard as any of the other armies involved in the conflict. The process of surrendering was not an easy task and if the efforts of some in the Japanese army had been successful we would be living in a very different world. Although the Japanese have been accused of many atrocities during the war years one has to remember that war is war and the rules of war are often non existent. Every year on August 15th, the anniversary of the surrender, Japan's Longest Day plays on Japanese television.

Japan's Longest Day is essentially about the the end of World War II. You would think that ending the war would be an unpleasent task for the people of Japan but this film shows that it was much more than that and Japan's surrender was not as cut and dry as Hollywood films would have us believe. The Emperor of Japan has assembled all of his most important goverment leaders together to work out a plan to peacefully end the war. The Minister of War, General Anami (Toshiro Mifune). is less than happy with the decision to end the war. He feels that even though nuclear bombs have already been dropped on his homeland the only honorable thing to do is fight to the last man. Anami is not alone in this thinking as lower tier military men form groups of men to start a rebellion. After much infighting, Japan's leaders come up with a properly worded rescript that will end the war. The Emperor records a speech delivering the message to his people that Japan is backing out of the war that will be played to the country noon the following day. The rebels get word of the plan and come up with one of their own, they will storm the Emperor's Palace and destroy the record of the speech before the country can hear it. The rebels expect to join forces with some of the military leaders to build up support for their plan but things don't go according to this plan. Kamikaze attacks, assassinations and ritual suicide in the form of Seppuko are just some of the obstacles that almost led to the continuation of WWII and the demise of the Japanese empire.

This is one Hell of a movie that succeeds on every level. The acting is first-rate with Mifune's portrayal of the honorable General Anami leading the pack in this star studded Japanese vehicle. Director Okamoto Kihachi manages to turn a movie whose climax is well known into a very tense experience. We know how the war ended but Kihachi's skills keep the viewers on their toes. Film cliches that we've seen a million times are elevated to another level creating unexpected suspense. The film was made in 1967 but has the feel of a much older film so when scenes of shocking gore turn up they are all the more unnerving. Even though my country was one of many that was at war with Japan I still walkaway from this film with an admiration for the Japanese and their commendable sence of nobility. If today's world leaders were as honorable in starting a war as Japan was in ending one, the world would be in much better shape. Japan's Longest Day is quite possibly the most important and thought provoking release of the year.

What is it about AnimEigo releases? I'm never sure if I'm supposed to sit back and be entertained by their releases or take notes, they always seem to cultivate my brain. I know some people are scared off by the subtitles that they see in some releases but AnimEigo has gotten subtitles down to a science. The titles are always easy to read and different characters are given alternative colors so the viewer is never confused about who's saying what. The b&w film is presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen and there are no noticeable glitches. Extras on the disc include an Image Gallery, interactive program notes that better explain the events taking place in the movie and trailers of AnimEigo releases. Highly recommended!

The Sister Street Fighter Collection

2006-09-10T19:43:00.000-04:00

Ronin Entertainment

In 1974, Sonny Chiba unleashed one of the more enigmatic characters of martial arts cinema, The Street Fighter. The film and it's first sequel were so successful that Toei Studios thought they would do a spinoff featuring a woman. The first choice for the new series was Angela Mao (Enter The Dragon) but she was busy with other projects.so Chiba recommended one of his own pupils to take over the role of Sister Street Fighter. Trained in gymnastics and martial arts, Etsuko Shihomi was the perfect candidate to be the first female star to carry a martial arts series on her own.

Sister Street Fighter
Tina Long aka Koryu aka Sister Street Fighter is forced into leaving her native Hong Kong to head for Japan to look for her brother. Along the way she encounters a Yakuza drug ring that has found a way to smuggle heroin in the hair of wigs. Koryu enlists the help of a martial arts school to help find her brother who has been locked away and turned into a junkie by the Yakuza boss. The main ass kicker in the school is played by Sonny Chiba who only plays a minor but fight filled role. Koryu encounters some pretty wild characters including a gang of fighters that wear bullet shaped helmets and a group of amazonian women that look like they could have been big stars in the G.L.O.W. league. A great start to a series that would get much campier in the ensuing films.

Sister Street Fighter : Hanging By A Thread
Not only is this sequel to SSF better than the first it also has the markings of a martial arts/exploitation classic! How this movie missed out on a huge cult following is beyond me. The plot is basically the same as the first. Koryu must leave Hong Kong to find a kidnapped friend. This time the Yakuza is smuggling jewels in the asses of young women. That's right, the asses of young women and no bowel movement is going to discharge the goods. You get all sorts of Bond-like villains and gadgets, plenty of bloodshed in the form of eye gougings, dismemberment, Ilsa-like torture and more fights than you can shake an eskrima stick at. This movie has it all. SSF: Hanging By A Thread is an exploitation gem waiting to be rediscovered.

Return of the Sister Street Fighter
Once again Koryu must leave Hong Kong for Japan to find a missing friend. Except this time the missing friend has a little girl that tags along on the journey. Turns out the missing person is a chemist that has been kidnapped by the Yakuza because she has come up with a way to dissolve gold with acid and make it easy to smuggle it into Japan. Loaded with oddball characters (including black face Japanese), gratuitous nudity, more torture and violence galore. A worthy follow up to SSF: Hanging By A Thread.

Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist
A Sister Street Fighter sequel in name only, this film doesn't have all the nudity, blood and fight scenes of the three previous films. Sister Street Fighter now goes by the name of Kiku and this time all the action takes place in Japan. The local crime boss is also the head of a film studio that serves as a front for a drug smuggling ring. Kiku's sister, Michi, has a stepbrother, Jim (American Ken Wallace) who is a hitman for the boss. Jim gets a little sloppy with his latest job leaving eyewitnesses, including Kiku, and is killed by the boss's henchmen. Michi vows revenge for his death and in turn is captured and held hostage at the film studio. Kiku comes to the rescue just in time as Michi is tied to a log that is about to be cut right down the middle. Among the other differences from the other Sister Street Fighter movies is the comedic portrayal of Kiku's Mother and her henpecked Father and Kiku's reliance on a male detective who not only helps her but also captures her heart. This is not the same heroine of the other three movies. While not nearly as frenetic as the other movies, Fifth Level Fist is still a respectable martial arts/exploitation movie.

So basically the first three films in the series have the same plot. Who Cares? SSF is a lot more entertaining than any Hollywood franchise. The 2nd and 3rd films in the series feature the introduction of Yasuaki Kurata as a skilled fighter that must battle the best fighters in the mob gangs to become their top guy. Kurata has the charisma to be a great leading man and the skills to kick the crap out of pretty much anyone, including the Japanese pimps in the SSF films. These films are filled with exciting and odd characters, mucho violence and fight scenes and lot's of beautiful occasionally nude women. In other words, this series fires from all directions making for a very kinetic and stimulating cinematic experience. I think the delirious energy of the Sister Street Fighter films make the series ripe for cult film greatness, even if it took 30+ years to achieve that status.

Ronin Entertainment does a beautiful job of restoring these film to near pristine quality. I'm hard pressed to find any glitches in the picture or audio quality. The films look great and with the colorful cast of characters that fill these films that's a necessary attribute. The special features are a little bare bones with only the trailers included on all three discs but the booklet with pictures, interviews and liner notes more tham makes up for it. I also like the reproductions of the original posters incorporated into the DVD packaging. With a little less that 4 months left in the year The Sister Street Fighter Collection is a forerunner for best box set release of the year.

Look At All The Love We Found: LIVE A Tribute To Sublime

2006-09-03T18:26:00.000-04:00

MVD

I'll be the first to admit that I've never really been a fan of Sublime. Maybe it's all the years I spent working in retail hell listening to radio stations that played Sublime's more famous singles over and over and over again. They just never really did much for me. After watching this Sublime tribute and listening to the bonus cd I may have been converted.

Sublime was a melting pot of musical styles including ska, punk, reggae, hip-hop and surf. While recording the bands self-titled release singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose. When the album was released it sold millions and spawned radio hits like Wrong Way, What I Got and Santeria. More importantly, the release of Sublime won over legions of loyal fans worldwide. After a successful release party and jam session for the release of the tribute album the organizers put together another show with all proceeds going to Music Cares and Hurricane Relief 2005. The live tribute performance is the basis for this DVD.

1) Get Out - Performed by Bargain Music
A one man acoustic jam that is a sad yet humorous way to start off the show.

2) Bad Fish - Performed by Long Beach Short Bus
Featuring a sullen looking Eric Wilson on bass, LBSB puts on one of the best performances on the disc with a rocking tribute incorporating audience participation.

3) Paddle Out - Performed by The Ziggens
Great surf song!

4) Saw Red/Save Me - Performed by Unwritten Law
This is the second best performance after Los Lobos. Saw Red features Aimee Allen accompaning the band on a great tune. This version of Save Me has been floating around in my head since I first heard it.

5) Alphabet Aerobics - Performed by Blackalicious
Great MC that could easily battle the bling obsessed superstars that rule the charts. Old school delivery that doesn't get bogged down with the filler that usually handicaps live rap performances.

6) Waiting For My Ruca - Performed by AWOL One, Abstract Rude and Josh Fischel
Weakest performance on the DVD.

7) Date Rape - Performed by Fishbone
What else can be said about Fishbone? As far as stage energy goes there aren't many artists that can touch 'em, they could turn some sappy 70's AM radio hit into a rocker. Great song , great delivery.

8) April 29th - Performed by Ozomatli
Big band jam that get's a little monotonous.

9) Pawn Shop - Performed by Los Lobos
Simply the best performance on the DVD. The veterans prove once again that they still have the chops to play the youngsters off the stage. Eric Wilson plays bass and still looks a little confused. Maybe it's a case of stage rust or maybe he's a little lost without Brad.

10-12) Santeria, Doin Time, What I Got
The last three songs are an allstar jam session with members of most of the previous bands contributing except a missing Los Lobos crew. Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction) plays the skins. A fitting ending to good night of music.

Most tribute albums are usually only good for one maybe two worthwhile songs. Extra's on this set include the Pawn Shop Performance by Los Lobos at the album release party, the Fishbone Date Rape video, a slide show about the album release party and the benefit concert and a 9 song bonus cd including recordings not included on the DVD. This Sublime DVD/CD tribute is loaded with great songs by great bands, some of which you may have never heard of. I will be adding Bargain Music, Long Beach Short Bus, The Ziggens, Unwritten Law and Blackalicious to a list of cd's I must add to my collection. I guess the measure of a great tribute is that it will make non-fans appreciate a band that they may not have given much attention. If that's the case, Look At All The Love We Found is one tribute that succeeds like few others have.

Cold As Summer

2006-08-31T11:36:00.000-04:00

Parlour Pictures

I'm not the kind of guy that watches a lot of drama movies. I dread taking my girlfriend to the video store with me, she usually picks out some drama that I have no interest in and it usually ends up being something boring and contrived. That was before I sat down and watched Cold As Summer, a movie I haven't really stopped thinking about since I watched it three days ago. The acting by leads Sarah Grappin and Nathalie Richard makes me wonder why they aren't household names. It's a pretty simple story but I'll be damned if it doesn't have a way of burrowing it's way inside your brain. The girlfriend might be a little surprised the next time we go to the video store because I just might be looking for a drama that measures up to the powerful Cold As Summer.

Rachel(Sarah Grappin) is a beautiful single mother that appears to wish she had used the "morning after" pill a while back. She is not a mean mother, no wire coat hanger abuse here, she is just an uncaring mother. The type that will eat ice cream in front of her hungry toddler and not offer it a bite or drop her off at the neighbors while she goes on a simple stroll through the city. Rachel also uses Rohypnol, not just for herself but for the kid when it's crying. On the other side of the spectrum is Claire(Nathalie Richard), a police detective, who is having problems of her own at home. Claire and her husband are trying to reconcile after being seperated, their main problem is conceiving the child they so desperately want. Well, one day Rachel comes to a crossroads in her life and leaves her baby alone while she heads off to sow up some wild oats and catch a little vacation at the beach. Along the way she meets a guy at a club who will later have to endure a rather uncomfortable situation because of his fling with Rachel. At the beach Rachel meets Cecile(Mika Tard) a female pickpocket. These two have a fling that turns into something more than that. Tragedy throws in a monkey wrench that will put Rachel and Claire on a colliding path.

Cold As Summer is one of those stories that doesn't look very good on paper but comes to life on the screen. The acting is superb all around, it's the kind of acting that leaves you guessing about the other layers in the characters personality. That's why the acting is the heart and soul of this film. The film is beautiful to watch as is Sarah Grappin who is the kind of girl that can make men do stupid things. One scene features the man Rachel had the brief affair with being interrogated by Claire, let's just say Claire doesn't mind letting fly with the tough questions. Anyone could find themselves in that poor guys shoes. There is no big climax or dramatic turn of events in Cold As Summer, it's just one of those movies that simmers through to the end. My only problem with the movie is that I didn't want it to end. I can't recommend Cold As Summer enough, it's a movie that makes you think.

Cold As Summer is presented in French with optional English subtitles and widescreen presentation. Also included on the disc is director Jacques Maillot's short film A Bottle Of Wishes which fits in perfectly with the main feature. This is the second release from new label on the block, Parlour Pictures. All I can say is that I hope their around for a long time. Parlour's first release was the seminal film Wanda directed by and starring Barbara Loden. Their next release is Doing Time which is based on Manga writer Kazuichi Hanawa's novel about his experiences in prison.

Hustler Squad/Wild Riders

2006-08-25T16:29:00.000-04:00

The days of the Drive-In are sadly over. Sure there's a few around, usually on the outskirts of a big city in an area where you roll up the windows and lock the doors as you speed away. You can now relive those days minus the back seat grope fests. BCI Eclipse has started a new line of DVD's that feature a little of the Drive-In charm including concession stand commercials, cartoons and a few whacked out trailers (Noon Sunday, Terror in the Jungle, Little Laura and Big John and LowBLOW). If the rest of the Starlite Drive-In series is like this disc than I've died and gone to DVD heaven. Upcoming discs in the series include Van Nuys Blvd./Little Laura and Big John, Malibu High/The Virgin Queen of St. Francis High and The Pom Pom Girls/The Van.

Hustler Squad (1976) Full screen

One of the later entries in the Phillipine lensed genre films of the 70's Hustler Squad has the makings of a classic Drive-In movie. Kind of like a cross between Charlie's Angels, The Dirty Dozen, and a little Private Benjamin, The Trampy Dozen if you will. What makes this a classic Drive-In flick is the mixing of t&a, violence, corny comedy, romance and tragedy. In other words you never quite know what's going to happen next. The plot could have easily been written by Aaron Spelling for one of his over the top TV shows. The U.S. military needs to infiltrate a meeting of Japanese leaders. The problem is that the meeting is taking place on a small secluded island with plenty of security, too much security to just storm the beaches with troops. The island also serves as a recreation point for the Japanese to meet up with hookers. The assignment to find another way onto the island is left to Major Stoney Stonewall, a career military man with no aspirations to move up the chain of command. Stoney comes up with a plan, find some of the toughest, horniest women and train them to be hookers and assassins. Most of Hustler Squad is made up of Stoney's search for suitible women for the job and then training them for their big mission. We get fights(they look like fight scenes from old westerns), a training montage right out of Rocky, the occasional glimpse of assassin ass and loads of crazy dialogue. The final show down is just as campy as the rest of the movie but there are a few surprises. Hustler Squad was never meant to be taken seriously, it's pure celluloid escapism. Some of the reviews I've read for Hustler Squad were obviously written by morons with a redwood stuck up their asses. If you can't figure out from the poster that this movie is not going to be the next Deer Hunter than you got some serious fucking problems!

In a lot of ways Hustler Squad reminds me of Chesty Anderson U.S.N. and that's a good thing. Corny, stupid and 100% entertainment. Was the acting good? How does the transfer look? Shit! Don't ask me I was busy being entertained.

Wild Riders (1971) Widescreen

It's always interesting to see where celebrities got there start. This is the film Alex Rocco (Stick) did before The Godfather, while never a household name Rocco has always had a recognizable face to any passing movie/TV fan. Fans might be a little shocked at the slimeball that Alex plays in the movie, to put it nicely he's a raving lunatic that you can smell whenever he comes on screen. Peter and Stick are a couple of bikers that tie a girl to a tree and kill her. Their gang doesn't appreciate this and kicks them out. The degenerate duo heads for California in hopes of laying low until they can make a run for the Mexican border. They find a secluded mansion occupied by two women one unhappily married (Rona) and the other a sniveling virgin(Laure). For some godforsaken reason Rona is attracted to Pete and while they go off for some of that desperate housewife/biker love Stick rapes Laure. Pete comes up with the idea of fencing all the goods in Rona's house and takes off leaving Stick alone with the women. The girls try to turn Stick against Pete and all the expected drama occurs ending in a violent confrontation when Rona's husband returns home.

Wild Riders is downright sleazy demented fun even if it's hard to believe some of the time. The acting is good considering the thespians used in most biker flicks. The story line is better than it sounds and leaves some real questions in the viewers head. Could Rona really be THAT horny for Pete and forget about her husband and just raped friend? Bikers, sleaze and a little humor add up to a pretty good Drive-In movie.

Sonny Chiba Action Pack

2006-08-24T13:46:00.000-04:00

BCI Eclipse

If Sonny Chiba has anything it's attitude. He may not be the best looking guy on the big screen or the best martial artist but for me he will always be the yard stick by which others are measured. Chiba never cared what sex you were, if you needed an ass kicking you were going to get it. His characters have been the epitomy of an anti-hero, always running the fence post between the good and bad sides. The three films in this "Action Pack" don't really highlight the bad-ass side of Sonny, Golgo 13 being the exception, what we have here are two disaster movies and one Japanese Bond movie. All three movies deserve a look and have never looked better.

Bullet Train (1975)
I thought I couldn't dislike Hollywood's lack of imagination any more then I had to sit down and watch Bullet Train. In case you didn't already know, Bullet Train is the inspiration(?) for 1994's Speed and once again the original is better that the copy. Instead of a bus, the action takes place on a train equipped with a bomb that will explode if the train drops below 80km an hour. Chiba takes a backseat in this movie playing a small part as the train Captain. The head radical is played by Ken Takakura, his performance of this well written character is quite convincing and adds some genuine emotion to the film. There's plenty of action on the train but even more on the ground as the police try to find the radical ransom seekers before it's to late. Bullet Train is action packed and easily one of the best disaster movies of the 70"s.

Golgo 13 (1977)
Now this is the Sonny Chiba that I remember. Not only is the menacing attitude present but we also get a little bit of James Bond and a pimped out Elvis (judging by the clothes and side burns) thrown into the mix. Chiba is international assassin, Golgo 13, whose trademark is a bullet between the eyes. For this mission Golgo is hot on the trail of a Hong Kong drug dealer who must be killed by any means necessary. A hot shot Hong Kong detective is also on the trail of the drug dealer but he will also take down Golgo if the opportunity knocks. Golgo 13 is a great action flick that represents the 70's like a good Blaxploitation film with all the snazzy clothes and funky music, it's more along the lines of That Man Bolt than Superfly.

Virus (1980)
This is one movie I thought would never escape "public domain" hell. Easily found in any $1 bin, Virus has suffered through many terrible releases over the years. Well boys and girls, throw out those old, nasty looking bootlegs and cheap DVD transfers here's the proper release you've been waiting for. Watching this version is like watching an entirely different movie. The story goes something like this, a virus has killed everyone except for 800+ people that are living in the Antartica. Now these people must find a way to repopulate the human race and kill off the virus. Kind of sounds like a porn movie with a message but Virus is a lot better than that. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale), Virus is an international production with lots of well known actors like Glenn Ford, Chuck Connors, George Kennedy, Robert Vaughn and many others. Unfortunately Sonny Chiba is again cast in more of a bit part as Dr. Yamauchi. The version included in this set is the Japanese version that features a lot more footage of the Japanese characters. The movie plays out a hell of a lot better now that there is a decent transfer available.

Ok, so labeling this as the Sonny Chiba Action Pack may be a little on the false advertising side but it still works. Bullet Train is a classic disaster flick no matter how much Chiba is in it, Virus, well, I'm still trying to get over how different it is compared to my old version and Golgo 13 is a fun action movie with all the trimmings. There are a couple of problems both dealing with Golgo 13. First, the sound is a little off in the beginning so much so that I kept getting up to look out the window to see who had the loud bass going that late at night. Not that big a deal, for all I know the sound issues may have gone on through the whole movie but after awhile I didn't notice anymore. Second and this is more funny than problematic, the movie is dubbed but through a lot of it there are subtitles that don't even come close to what is being said on screen. Again, not a big deal but it really makes you wonder about other subtitled films. Do I recommend this set? Hell yeah! All three movies are good and a little bit of Chiba goes a long way. Besides, Sonny Chiba is so cool that his name is slang for marijuana, can't get any cooler than that.

Dawn

2006-08-21T22:58:00.000-04:00

Tempe Video

Dawn is a vampire movie like no other and one of the best to come around since Near Dark. It's inventive, thought provoking and a true original in the current sad state of horror films. Director/actor Jay Reel obviously has a big place in his heart for horror films and is courageous enough to take one of the genre's biggest icons to the next level. Where most filmmakers would try to add gore and sex, Reel adds insight and emotional fuel to the vampire legend. There are no cape wearing vampires or ultra hot vamps running about, Dawn is the story of a little girl and how she deals with the curse that has been passed on to her.

Dawn is the mutant offspring of her human father, John, and her vampire mother, Sarah. Dawn's mother died during child/vampire birth so she is on the run/hunt with only her father in tow. For the past 10 years the duo has been traveling from town to town to evade the authorities and search out new hunting grounds. You see, Dawn doesn't just grab anybody to feed on she drains people that are sick and near death. This is a different type of vampire, one with compassion and a conscience who fights her curse with everything her little body and mind can give. Unfortunately for Dawn the urges get harder to control as she gets older and she begins to leave evidence at the crime scenes. These mistakes lead the law to bring in a psychic, Carlton Reed (Director John Reel, who in his first scene is a dead ringer for Warren Oates in Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia), a man who has been personally affected by Dawn's family curse. For Dawn's 10th birthday she and her father make a pilgrimage to her mother's gravesite in the woods, which also happens to be near the place where Carlton and Dawn's connection began.

Dawn is a great flick, one I'm positive I will revisit many times. The standard vampire cliches have been thrown out in favor of a more believable story. Issues like vampire childbirth, feeding habits and puberty are addressed in intelligent means that have never been touched on in other vampire movies. The biggest asset of Dawn is that it's characters are well drawn out and the viewer gets a sense that they know enough about the characters to care about them no matter what they may do. There is no battle between good & evil, these are just characters that have to deal with the hand they've been dealt. The acting is subpar which isn't helped by a few episodes of clunky dialogue but overall the positives in Dawn far exceed the negatives. Dawn is just as much a drama as it is a horror film and for once that's not a bad thing. I didn't want to see anything bad happen to any of the characters, well maybe the bully, so when something bad does happen it is very effective. Do yourself a favor and step away from the latest remake or sequel and pick up this true original. Dawn is one of the best DVD releases of the year, a real diamond in the rough.

Fat Cat DVD and Tempe Video collaberated to get Dawn released on DVD and even without loads of extras it still measures up to anything that has been released this year. The picture(b&w) and sound are what you'd expect from such a low budget effort. Included in the bonus features of the disc is an audio commentary with cast & crew, the always entertaining Tempe trailers and a gag reel that has some genuinely funny moments. Many thanks to Fat Cat and Tempe for bringing this movie to the masses, hopefully they'll throw some money towards Jay Reel so this inventive filmmaker can make some more movies.

love and anger

2006-08-17T20:27:00.000-04:00

NoShame Films

The 1960's were a time of change for Italian and French movies. Five of the most innovative film makers from the period contributed to Love and Anger, a “New Wave” anthology film. Carlo Lizzani, Bernardo Bertolucci, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Jean-Luc Godard and Marco Bellocchio each contributed their vision of a gospel story. Love and Anger may not be for everyone but it will challenge all viewers. The five short films are presented “as is” with no surrounding story to connect them.

“L’ Indeferenza” Carlos Lizzani

The action takes place in New York City, the opening features a woman being pursued and eventually raped by a man while her neighbors sit by and watch from their, relatively, safe apartments. The action then shifts to a bloody car accident where a man is trying to flag down traffic so that he can take his badly injured wife to the hospital. Motorcycle police finally arrive and force a motorist to take the couple to the hospital. Unfortunately, the motorist is also a wanted man who is more interested in keeping his freedom than in saving the dying woman’s life.

“Agonia” Bernardo Bertolucci

A dying man(Julian Beck, who also played Reverend Henry Kane in Poltergeist II)in a hospital tells visitors that he wants “to be alone.” A large group of people(performance artist troupe, The Living Theater) surround the man and begin doing crazy dances and each person proclaims things to the man like “I want to change the world,” “Stop the war.” This is probably the weirdest film in the anthology.

“La Sequenza del Fiore di Carta” Pier Paolo Pasolini

A young man walks through bustling city streets making occasional small talk with passers-by as he walks. Newsreel footage, like war and LBJ, is superimposed on the screen while a little girl heckles on the soundtrack.

“Amore” Jean-Luc Godard

A man and woman watch a Jewish woman and an arab man as if the couple are in a movie. The man and woman make comments about the couple and about nothing at all, at times the characters repeat what the other has just said. The talk is mostly about love but also touches on the conflict in the arab/jew relationship, terrorism and war.

“Discutiamo, Discutiamo” Marco Bellocchio

The last chapter of the film is set at the University of Rome. A classroom lecture is interrupted by a group of radicals, dressed as Fidel Castro wanna-be’s, shouting pro-Ho Chi Minh slogans. Violence threatens to rear its ugly head as the tension grows when the radicals challenge the belief system of the professor and his students. The two groups debate their political positions but it ends with one group beating the other with plastic bats.

love and anger is a difficult film to decipher but is also entertaining even if it does go over the heads of a lot of viewers. As far as I am concerned there is not one stand out story, the stories are all well done, challenging and entertaining. It’s interesting to see how the Viet Nam war was perceived by directors from other countries, especially since it took so long for American directors to touch on the subject. It is also interesting to see the concerns of the film makers about the military build up in China that is even more evident in today’s headlines. For those of us that weren’t around in the turbulent 60's, love and anger is a ticket back to an era that was full of experimentation and social change. I’m not going to try to explain what the film meant to me because I believe that in the case of love and anger the meaning will be different to every viewer. Now if I could just get my head around Bertolucci’s other 1968 film Partner.

From now on my NoShame Film reviews will just get a rundown on the extras included on the disc. It’s getting redundant trying to explain how perfect their releases are. This time around NoShame has included talent bios, poster and still galleries, a collectible booklet and a 2nd disc that features 80 minutes of interviews with directors Marco Bellocchio and Carlo Lizzani, assistant director Maurizio Ponzi and editor Roberto Perpignani. Highly recommended for film fans with an open mind!

Live Feed

2006-08-15T19:52:00.000-04:00

RedRum

Here we go again. I guess the talent pool in the horror genre is pretty much dead. There was a time when filmmakers would at least try to cover up the source of their latest stolen idea. Now all these talentless filmmakers need is a tag line to go ahead and rip-off a movie that hasn't even been released yet i.e. Snakes on a Train. Let's try a little game and see if you can see where the plot(?) for Live Feed came from. Five Americans take a trip to a foreign land in search of kicks, act like assholes and die. Sound familiar? It sounds an awful lot like Hostel to me and I haven't even seen the fucking movie yet! Hopefully reading this review won't be as pointless as watching Live Feed was for me. Maybe you'll get my point and skip watching this mindless tripe.

Five Americans head for some Asian country so they can get a taste of the exotic lifestyle of the Orient. Along the way they encounter native dancers, dogs for food and of course strip clubs and porn theaters. Unfortunately for them they also run into a crime boss, literally, and in turn end up on his hit list. A chase ensues in which the American five run into Miles, a Japanese man looking for his brother. The six head into a local porn theater in hopes of losing the pursuing boss and his goons. But, this isn't just any porn theater. This theater has private rooms that lock from the outside and are equipped with film equipment to film the murders of it's occupants for snuff films made for the theaters owner, the crime boss. How convenient and unnecessary! That's more than enough plot for this boring torture/murder flick. I'd like to pull a "Siskel & Ebert" and reveal the ending but if you can't figure that out in the first five minutes your pretty hopeless.

Obviously Live Feed didn't do much for me but if your into movies strictly for the gore you might find something to like. I would imagine this is geared more to newer fans of the genre because life-long horror fans have to feel at least a little compassion for the victims to be shocked by their deaths. Sure, some of the kill scenes are gory and a little different but is that really enough? Kill scenes lose their shock value when the viewer wants to kill the characters just as much as the movie villain. I couldn't give a shit about any of the characters in Live Feed and was glad to see them go. I don't know what else to say. There's really no way to review crap like this unless I do a detailed run down of each kill and that isn't something I want to waste my time doing. If your into this sort of thing chase an ambulance or something so fans of real horror films don't get subjected to this type of shit. Live Feed is the equivalent of a dead fuck, not much bang for the buck!

The Night Stalker

2006-08-06T15:39:00.000-04:00

Empire Pictures

In recent years there has been a glut of movies based on real life murderers like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Gein to name a few. The Night Stalker is supposedly inspired by Richard Ramirez’s murder spree in the summer of 1985. If I remember correctly Ramirez didn’t have super human strength and was taken down by a mob of angry people. Let’s just say that if The Night Stalker is based at all on the Ramirez case it’s a very loose basis.

Prostitutes in the L.A. area have been getting murdered by a john that paints their faces white and takes the time to light lots of candles. I guess atmosphere is important no matter what the occasion. J.J. Stryker is an ass slapping L.A.P.D. detective who’s seen better days. He’s divorced, behind on alimony payments and hitting the bottle hard and frequently. Stryker is friends with the local working girls and tries to keep them safe when working the streets. Unfortunately one of the girls that Stryker is associated with becomes a victim of the Night Stalker. While Stryker is off on a bender his partner is killed by the Night Stalker. He is suspended from the police force which sets him off on an even bigger bender before getting sober. Once sober, Stryker finds out that the Night Stalker is immune to bullets, possesses super human strength and part of an Asian cult that teaches the murderer how to get stronger with each killing. Strykers ex-hooker girlfriend is abducted by the killer and a climactic warehouse showdown ensues.

The Night Stalker is by no means a great cinematic achievement but it is a good slice of 80's cheese. The crazy fashions and hairstyles of the era are represented along with frequent cocaine use and a generic rock soundtrack. The acting is very good, especially Charles Napier as Stryker. The plot deals as much with the murders as it does with the detective’s struggle with alcohol. The only real similarity between this movie and the killing spree of Ramirez is the title. If it weren’t for the supernatural elements, this movie would be just another cop movie. I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, it took me back to the video rental days of my youth. If you’re in the mood for an 80's flashback, The Night Stalker is a decent pick.

Empire Pictures does a good job with the presentation of this disc. It’s full screen and has a few lines running through it but still very enjoyable. Empire has recently released the Fred Williamson/Richard Roundtree police drama The Big Score and the Christopher Lee/Cherie Curie comedy The Rosebud Beach Hotel. I’m hoping Empire will bring more features like this into the DVD arena, there are a lot of 80's films that have not made the transition from VHS to DVD. Hopefully the release of The Night stalker is a sign of things to come.

The Sandman

2006-08-05T12:03:00.000-04:00

Tempe Video
I've said many times before that Hollywood has made a big mistake by not offering J.R. Bookwalter a nice fat contract. Although The Sandman is not one of Bookwalter's worthier efforts, it is a shining example of why he deserves a shot to make a much bigger movie. For once I agree with J.R.'s trashing of his own film in the commentary. The movie features very little in the way of acting, story and special effects, it's a bare bones production. To still be able to make a movie that is interesting and downright funny in some parts speaks volumes about the director.

The Sandman is the story of trailer park resident Gary, a down on his luck romance novel writer. Gary is having all sorts of problems, he can't get over a case of writer's block that is causing some serious insomnia, his girlfriend, Maris, is ready to dump him and his burnout distant cousin Ozzy(played by the films writer Matthew Walsh) has just shown up in his doorway looking for a place to stay. To make matters worse, in the past 2 months the country has seen a 200% upswing in the occurrence of deaths while sleeping. While dealing with the insomnia Gary watches a TV show called Live with Gerald Rivers, a funny send-up of, you guessed it Geraldo Rivera (might also remind genre fans of the TV show in Dawn of the Dead). Rivers latest topic is what is behind the sleeping menace that is devouring the country. Could it be an adult version of crib death as one panelist believes or the effects of the shrinking rainforest and second hand smoke? Well, as we'll find out later it's none of those, it's actually The Sandman, a demon that resembles an overgrown Jawa and enters peoples good dreams then attacks them with a gigantic scythe. Gary's neighbors start dropping dead in their sleep including his best friend Bud (imagine a cross between Jim Belushi and Cousin Eddie from the Vacation movies). Gary learns that The Sandman plans on making Maris his next victim and must enter the realm of the soul stealer to battle him in order to save his girl.

OK, so The Sandman isn’t very original when compared to the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. It doesn’t have the budget to pull off the special effects bonanza’s that those films were based around. Bookwalter takes the minimal plot, effects, acting etc. and still manages to make a fun, entertaining movie. One of the main reasons I’m a fan of Bookwalter’s movies is because he loads them up with interesting, off-the-wall characters. The Sandman is no different in this respect. J.R.’s character’s take on a shot on video Altmanesque quality on a much smaller scale. I’ve done my fair share of time at trailer parks and have run into quite a few nut jobs along the way. What might be perceived as overacting is pretty dead on from my standpoint. The special effects aren’t so special. The Sandman keeps his face hidden throughout the movie, all we get to see are the little dime store red lights that pass for his eyes and a decent skeletal arm. There is one decent effect that looks like it could have easily come from one of the newer Asian horror films but I won’t give it away. Bookwalter makes up for the limited effects budget by using quite a few trick camera shots. All in all it’s a passable good time, God knows there’s plenty of worse ways to spend 90 minutes.

Tempe Video has been doing a pretty good job lately of re-releasing some of their older titles in Special Edition formats loading them up with lots of extras. Included on this disc are audio commentaries, a music video, Making Of featurette, still gallery and the always entertaining trailers.

Killers By Nature

2006-07-31T21:20:00.000-04:00

SRS Cinema

I’m not the biggest fan of shot-on-video horror efforts. Horror movies in general tend to put the script and acting on the back burner in exchange for more gore and more T&A. Killers by Nature doesn’t feature the best effects, the hottest chicks or the greatest script but it does deal with something we can all relate to, school yard bullies. Fortunately for the bullies, they never picked on a couple of guys like Corey and Jeff.

Corey and Jeff have recently graduated from high school and are living the life of a couple of losers. No jobs, no girlfriends and no future leave the boys with nothing to do but hang out at Jeff’s parents house and drink some beers. After another monotonous day of drinking the guys start to talk about their years of abuse at the hands of bullies. The conversation turns into a plan for pranks that will scare their abusers. The plan involves confronting and threatening the lives of the bullies. The first prank goes awry when the bully is killed. Rather than laying low, Jeff and Corey find that they enjoyed the killing and set off on a killing spree that in the end, will kill more than their intended victims.

The acting in Killers by Nature leaves a lot to be desired but the genuine laughs are enough to make this reviewer overlook the movies shortcomings. There are some dialogue scenes between the two killers that horror fans will appreciate, and some great scenes of scared victims. My favorite part of the movie is when the killers turn on one another and have a fight that is so inept it rivals the epic battles that Dolemite faced in the 70's. Killers by Nature is good gory fun that would probably be even better with the consumption of alcohol. Recommended!

SRS Cinema does as much as can be expected with a shot-on-video movie. The extras on the disc include Director’s commentary, a stills gallery, trailers, two bonus videos and The Killers by Nature drinking game(I will definitely play this game someday). Overall a good effort by SRS Cinema.

Back from the blind!

2006-07-21T11:08:00.000-04:00

I know, It's been awhile since I've posted anything. That is all about to change! I went through my own little episode of The Twilight Zone over the past months. Did you ever see the TZ episode "Time Enough At Last"? It's about this guy who lives for reading, he reads at home, work and just about everywhere. He gets in trouble for his hobby by his wife and boss. One day he goes into the safe at the bank where he works so he can capture some uninterrupted hobby time. When he gets out of the safe he finds that the world has been destroyed and he is the only survivor. Where is his first journey in this new world? Why, the library, of course. After gathering all the books that he wants to read into neat little stacks and preparing to sit down to start devouring his treasure he proclaims "Time enough at last". But when he goes to sit down on the library steps his coke bottle glasses fall off of his face and break on the steps. His hobby is no longer and he is stuck in a blurry world of madness. I don't want to go into details, God knows I've done enough of that over the last few months, but I had a bought of blindness come over me. I'm on the road to recovery and can see pretty well now. In this age of the DVD I felt like the poor guy in the TZ. I live and breathe movies, they are my passion and have been since I can remember. My world would be pretty meaningless without them. I would have entered a suicidal stage whenever ABCKO finally releases the Alejandro Jodorowsky films on DVD.

Allright, enough of that let the films begin.In order to spice up the blog I'm going to be adding book & cd reviews as well as the occasional artist or company profile. Please feel free to reccomend movies for review. I'm always in search of a diamond in the rough.

Season of the Witch

2005-10-25T23:05:00.000-04:00

Anchor Bay

After the huge success of Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero tried a different
approach for his next couple of films. Romero didn’t want to be pigeon holed into the horror genre like many other directors. The first of these films to be released was There’s Always Vanilla, George’s version of the popular counter culture films of the day. The box-office was paying off very well for films like Goodbye Colombus, The Graduate and Easy Rider, the same can’t be said for Vanilla. The film tanked at the box-office. Romero’s next project was Season of the Witch a.k.a. Jack’s Wife, not really a horror film but promoted as one. Season of the Witch used the concerns of the growing feminist movement to fuel a plot that had less to do with witchcraft than it did with women finding their independence. Season was such a failure at the box-office that Romero was still paying its debt five years later. Romero has pretty much distanced himself from both of these early efforts going as far as to say that they were "crap." Granted, neither film will have the mass appeal that his other films have had but they are still worthy efforts that deserve a look. H.G. Lewis, the director of Blood Feast and 2000 Maniacs, also tried his hand at non-horror films with much less success. Some of H.G.’s films like Year of the Yahoo and Blast-Off Girls are almost unbearable to watch today while Romero’s non-horror films are still relevant 35 years after they were made. That’s the beauty of Romero’s films, he’s able to take a simple premise like invading zombies or suburban witches and infuse the social and political problems of the times into the plot.

Season of the Witch is the story of Joanie, the neglected wife of businessman Jack. Joanie is undersexed, overworked and just plain bored with life in suburbia. She is also plagued by recurring dreams involving a devil-masked intruder. The film starts with a rather in your face dream sequence that features Joanie being taken to a kennel, led around on a leash and getting smacked in the face with a rolled up newspaper. The sequence is a blatant expression of social commentary than most of Romero’s films than usual. Joanie goes along with a friend to a tarot card reading being held by a witch. Although not completely convinced of the power of witchcraft, Joanie’s interest is sparked. That same night Joanie returns home to find her daughter, Mickey, in the company of Greg, a professor from her college. Greg debates human psychology and the supernatural with Joanie in a very challenging manner. She proclaims her dislike for the crass young man but is also intrigued by him.

Joanie picks up a book about witchcraft and begins studying it. The dreams keep coming and the intruder gets closer to its prey every time. With Jack away for a few days on a business trip Joanie takes a trip to the city. She goes to an occult store and picks up various witch supplies so that she can cast a spell that would make Greg drop by the house. Greg does come over and they begin a short affair that ends the night before Jack is supposed to return home. Joanie’s paranoia over the success of the spell, the affair and the dreams leads to a tragedy that will change her life dramatically.

Today’s young women have no idea how things used to be for women in the 70's. The mentality was still to keep your wife "barefoot and pregnant" and busy with house duties rather than a career. If the wife didn’t have dinner on the table when hubby came home, she might be subjected to verbal or even physical abuse. Jack uses both types of abuse on Joanie along with just plain ignoring her existence. The bedroom is a place to sleep and the kitchen table is a place to eat, the couple have virtually no conversation. The introduction of Greg and the tarot card reading witch give Joanie an arena to expand, these are the only two people in Joanie’s life that are interested in her opinions and thoughts. The supernatural elements in the film are never confirmed and are used more as an excuse for Joanie’s emancipation from the normal life of a housewife. The film features a lot more talking than most of Romero’s work but instead of using conversation as a time killer it is used to add depth to the story. The acting is good with Jan White(Joanie) and Ray Laine(Greg) being the standout performances. The soundtrack features a groovy title song by Donovan that is still playing in my head. The direction proves again that Romero is a step ahead of the competition when it comes to providing a smart, witty film.

Anchor Bay loads up the disc with extra’s including the bonus feature, There’s Always Vanilla. Both films are presented in widescreen versions that aren’t pristine but probably the best we’ll ever get. The disc also includes two featurettes, the Romero episode of The Directors, trailers, alternate sequences, poster and still gallery and a Romero bio. Highly recommended!

kolchak: the night stalker

2005-10-20T18:18:00.000-04:00

Universal Studios Home Video

As a kid growing up in the 70's my life rotated around anything horror or sci-fi related. Unlike most other kids my Saturday mornings weren’t spent watching cartoons, I was watching the horror movies on the more independent channels. I also read a lot of comic books but I wasn’t into the superhero stuff, I liked reading Creepy and Eerie. Even the music I liked had a horror theme. Kiss and Alice Cooper were like gods to me. So of course horror related TV was tops in my house, The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limit’s were great but Kolchak was my favorite. One of my earliest memories was The Werewolf episode, maybe that’s where my love of lycanthrope lore came from. I never thought Kolchak would make it to DVD, hell, I even signed a petition a couple of years ago to help the effort. Thanks to Universal, Kolchak has finally arrived on DVD and it’s never looked better.

Kolchak started out as two TV movies, The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler, the movies did so well that a TV series was planned. On September 13, 1974, the first episode of the series was aired, The Ripper featured Carl Kolchak chasing down a modern day Jack the Ripper. The first episode is just a taste of things to come, along the 19 episode journey Kolchak would run into zombies, vampires, aliens, demons, robots and oversized monsters just to name a few. The monsters were a cool enough reason to watch them as a kid but as an adult I like the banter between the people in the newspaper office just as much. Besides Kolchak there is editor Tony Vincenzo(the great Simon Oakland), tight wad reporter Ron Updyke, elderly Dear Abby wannabe Miss Emily Coles(Ruth McDevitt, who has a different role in The Ripper episode) and morgue attendant, Gordie "The Ghoul" Spangler. Kolchak also features many cameos by the likes of Tom Skerritt, Carolyn Jones, Jim Backus, Richard Kiel(two episodes) and many other staples of 70's TV shows and movies.

Many episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits were very hit or miss Kolchak, on the other hand, could always rely on the relationships of the reoccurring characters to get through the occasional weak episode. The ace in the deck for the series was Darren McGavin’s portrayal of Kolchak. The role of the cocky law bending reporter seems tailor made for McGavin , it’s hard to picture anyone else in the role. If the show had stayed on the air for longer than a season I’m sure McGavin would have got himself an Emmy award. Many 70's TV shows haven’t stood the test of time, The Night Stalker is a shining example of a show that transfers well from one generation to the next. Forget the fiasco that is the "new" Night Stalker series and sit back and enjoy the real Night Stalker. It’s like reuniting with an old friend. Highly recommended!

Day of the Dead 2: Contagium

2005-10-19T15:13:00.000-04:00

Anchor Bay

Day of the Dead 2: Contagium should not be considered a sequel to Day of the Dead. It has about as much in common with the original as Halloween III: Season of the Witch did with the original Halloween film. Is Contagium a bad movie? Absolutely not! Should it be ranked with Romero’s Dead films? Absolutely not! Fun movie, terrible title choice.

The action starts in 1968 at the Ravenside Military Hospital where a Special Forces team is in the middle of killing patients and staff regardless of whether a mysterious virus has affected them. One of the unaffected soldiers has stolen a cylinder that holds the source of the virus. He is chased by other soldiers but manages to hide the cylinder in a thermos before he is killed. Ravenside is burned to the ground and all is well or is it?

Thirty seven years later the Ravenside Mental Health Facility sits on the spot where the Ravenside Military Hospital once sat. One day a group of patients are outside picking up trash when one of them finds the thermos. Back at the hospital the thermos is opened and the virus makes its way through the hospital. The next day patients and doctors are suffering from peeling skin, varicose veins, no vital signs and a hunger for human flesh. Zombie mayhem erupts in bloody fashion at the hospital.

Contagium(we’ll forget about the DotD 2 part for a minute) is a very good fun movie. Adding some extra elements to the zombie genre like zombie peer pressure, stages of the virus, the ability to talk, and super human strength separate Contagium from the rest of the herd. There’s also a romantic subplot, an evil doctor and a pregnant soon to be zombie-girl thrown into the mix. There are some great zombie rampage scenes and lots of gore. The special effects are really well done, although some of the CGI effects were unnecessary. Aside from the title my only complaint is that sympathetic characters are reduced to one-liner slinging zombies by the end. An enjoyable movie with lots of gore and some funny moments. Recommended!

Okay, now let’s get to that damn title. Why would anyone in their right mind try to play off their movie as a sequel to a classic? At first I thought maybe the movie was made with a different title and then changed at the last minute to sell it. Nope! The making of featurette blew that explanation, these film makers actually set out to make a DotD sequel. They also take some liberties in explaining things that were always kind of a mystery in Romero’s films. I really didn’t appreciate that and I’m sure fans of the genre will have something to say about it. Sc-fi has its beloved franchise, Star Wars, and fantasy has its beloved franchise, Lord of the Rings, Romero’s Dead films are the beloved franchise of the horror genre. Horror films have never been given the proper amount of respect by critics but how can we expect critics to respect the genre when horror film makers don’t respect the greatest horror franchise. I understand that some might want to pay homage to Romero, that’s great, but come up with your own damn title. If you’re not George A. Romero you cannot make an acceptable sequel to any of the Dead movies.

Now that my rant over the title is over, I can say that I really liked the movie. Contagium is a movie that could have been released as an original film and probably would have been received with open arms by genre fans. It’s funny, inventive and very gory. If you haven’t seen it yet be sure and forget about the title and look at it as an original film not a sequel. Anchor Bay presents Contagium in widescreen(1.85:1) and the disc includes an audio commentary track plus a making of documentary.

Bizarre Lust of a Sexual Deviant

2005-10-16T22:08:00.000-04:00

SRS Cinema

Once in awhile I come across a movie that makes me ask the question "Why?". Bizarre is definitely one of those movies. Why was it made? Who would make such a movie? Who would want to watch this movie? In regards to the last question, not me. The liner notes on the DVD sleeve say that Bizarre was started as a movie to add to a fetish line of titles. I’m not sure what you would call this fetish but it’s definitely not one I share.

Synopsis: Fat ugly guy follows ugly women around, sneaks into their apartments, chloroforms them, molests and photographs victims and leaves one photo behind so that the victims know what happened. Fat ugly guy then goes home and cries, cuts himself, calls his ex-wife and generally feels sorry for himself. One day fat ugly guy decides to try his fetish thing with his ex-wife, but the reason fat ugly guy isn’t married anymore is because he tried the same crap with his ex-wife. The ex is waiting for fat ugly guy and shoots him in the head. That’s the end of the movie. Wow! What a great concept for a movie, somebody’s mother must be really proud.

Bizarre is one of the worst excuses for a movie that I have ever seen. There is virtually no dialogue and one scene features one of the girls fat ugly guy is spying on walking with her boyfriend around the city of St. Louis. It may not sound like such a bad scene but it is one LONG scene that seems to go on forever. Bizarre features one of the most unattractive casts in shot-on-video movie history. I think the cast of a granny porn video would be more attractive. The only good thing I have to say about the movie is that Jason Christ is pretty convincing as fat ugly guy. He is fat! He is ugly! He is fat ugly guy! Avoid this boring piece of crap at all costs.

Slime City/Naked Fear

2005-10-16T17:19:00.000-04:00

Retro Shock-O-Rama

ei Cinema has been doing a good job of bringing some fairly well known B-directors works to DVD. With recent/upcoming releases of some Al Adamson and Joe Sarno titles they have resurrected some films that many thought were lost. I’m happy to see that they are now bringing out some titles from lesser known exploitation directors like Nick Philips and Gregory Lamberson. Philips and Lamberson have never garnered much of a cult following but that could all change as more and more people become exposed to their work on DVD. Lamberson served as writer, producer and director for both of the films on this DVD. Unfortunately, Slime City got overlooked by fans of The Toxic Avenger and Street Trash. I know that if my local video store had carried it my friends and I would have rented it a few times like we did with the other films. Naked Fear is another good movie that no one seems to know about, even on this disc it’s only added as a bonus feature. These are low, low budget movies but they are both well done and a lot of fun to watch.

Slime City
New York artist, Alex, moves into a new apartment building filled with odd characters. Roman is the punk/rock-a-billy neighbor, Nicole is the nympho next door and a couple of weird old ladies that run the apartment. Alex is invited to dinner at Roman’s one night. Everything goes ok until Alex is introduced to a potent homemade blue liquor that a previous tenant had made. The next morning Alex awakes with a serious thirst, a bad case of the sweats and mysterious goo covering his body. As the day goes on, the symptoms get worse, he starts puking up green bile, boils begin to form on his body and he viciously beats a bum to death. The good news is that after killing the bum his body returns to normal. The bad news is that he finds out that the maker of the liquor, Zachary, was a cult leader that forced his followers to commit mass suicide in the apartment building. Turns out that everyone in the apartment complex are working together to help Zachary take over the body of Alex. The main tool in the takeover of Alex’s body is the liquor that now has the same effect on him as heroin does on a junkie. Will Alex be able to overcome his new addiction or will Zachary soon be walking in his shoes?

Slime City is a gory good time for those of us that miss low budget films of the 1980's. It’s kind of a cross between a Troma movie and a Frank Henenlotter movie. There are some funny moments like an extended strip tease with no stripping and the fact that none of Alex’s friends notice that his hair is suddenly turning grey. The acting leaves something to be desired but it’s passable enough to garner laughs and sympathy. The special effects are imaginative and really well done by a team of ex Troma makeup guys. All in all, Slime City is a movie I really enjoyed and will be watching again.

Naked Fear
10 years ago Camden’s parents were killed by a street thug right outside of their apartment. Since then, Camden hasn’t stepped foot outside the confines of the apartment. He is living on trust funds that his parents left for him and spending his time peering through a telescope at the escalating violence in the streets or calling 1-900 phone chat lines. Camden is getting bored with life and confesses to his lawyer that he wants to get a roommate. After going through a host of weirdos he meets Randy. Randy is the dark brooding type but a nice enough guy that Camden decides he will make a good roommate. The two get along nicely watching movies and drinking beers together, and Randy even brings home a hooker for his virgin roomie. Not only has Camden made a friend out of his roommate but he has also meets a girl, Julie, on the chat lines. After a couple of successful in-house dates with Julie, Camden starts spending less time with Randy. One night someone breaks into the apartment and Randy viciously kills the intruder. Because of Camden’s agoraphobia and fear of letting the cops in the apartment Randy offers to get rid of the body. The hooker that Randy brought to Camden and her pimp are killed in the streets and Camden becomes suspicious of his roomie. Camden is sick of the contempt that Randy has showed toward his relationship with Julie and is scared that Randy might be the one who killed the hooker and pimp so he decides to kick him out. Is Randy really the killer that Camden thinks he is or is Camden just a paranoid freak who has been out of touch with the outside world?

Naked Fear is not as gory as Slime City but it does have its moments. It is also shot on video unlike Slime City which was shot on film. The acting is a little bit better this time even though Camden is played by the lead in Slime City. The story is a good one that stays interesting even though most of the action takes place in the apartment setting. There’s a decent alternative rock, metal soundtrack. One of my favorite aspects of Naked fear is the footage of Times Square before it was turned into a retail Mecca. It’s sad to see all the classic grindhouse theaters that have now been turned into fast food joints and glitzy TV studios. The film is even dedicated to the old Deuce theater. Another good effort from Lamberson, hopefully Retro Shock will get the rights to his other films.

Once again I’m impressed with Retro Shock-O-Rama’s ability to bring good little known films into the DVD age. I’m looking forward to their future releases especially some of the Joe Sarno sexploitation films, lets hope they get the same treatment this DVD was given. Slime City is presented in widescreen and the DVD features many worthwhile extras including: Commentaries for both films, Making of Slime City featurette, a mini-documentary about Shock-O-Rama’s first year, trailers and full color liner notes by Gregory Lamberson. Highly Recommended!

Forbidden Warrior

2005-10-15T21:33:00.000-04:00

MTI Video

Jimmy Nickerson is not a household name but one would be hard pressed to find a home that hasn’t seen his work. Known mainly as a stuntman and stunt coordinator on an impressive list of films ranging from MASH to Fight Club, Nickerson tries his hand at directing for Forbidden Warriors. This film is a rarity in that it is a low budget epic martial arts movie. Hardcore martial arts fans may not be into this story-driven movie but people looking for a decent movie to watch with the kids should be more than entertained.

The leader of a clan of peaceful people is invaded by a rival clan. The peaceful leaders wife is pregnant and about to give birth to the heir to the throne. The mother is taken to a cave where she gives birth just before being killed by some of the bad guys. Luckily, a white sorcerer saves the baby and escapes. The sorcerer takes the baby to a stream and puts it in a magical boat so that his blind older brother, who is also a sorcerer, can keep the newborn baby girl safe. As the baby girl, Seki, grows into a woman she is taught martial arts and sorcery by the blind man. The two children of the rival clan leader, Khan, that killed Seki’s mother have also been practicing martial arts through the years. Khan is under the impression that the escaped heir is a boy and he sends his sons off to find him/her. He also tells his sons that whoever brings the heir back will be the next in line for daddy’s throne. This sets up a climatic battle between Seki, the rival sons of Khan and a group of land pirates that also happen to be in the area.

Forbidden Warrior reminded me a lot of the sci-fi/fantasy film Krull. While definitely not in the same budget league as Krull, it still has some plot similarities. I enjoyed Forbidden Warrior as a family film. There is nothing in the film that the kids can’t watch. Will fans of the more violent Asian films be as appreciative of the movie? Probably not. The film features decent acting by a cast made up of character actors. The soundtrack is very good and much better than most similar budgeted movies. Anybody that knows my views on CGI effects will be surprised to hear that I was impressed with the use of them in this movie. Forbidden Warrior is not so much about effects and fighting as it is about the story. It is a decent movie to watch with the kids on a Saturday afternoon.

Cookers

2005-10-13T22:08:00.000-04:00

Ardustry Home Entertainment

Forget the comparisons to The Blair Witch Project, Cookers is a much better film that doesn’t deserve to be put in the same category. Blair Witch is an effective movie to watch, but it’s still a one trick pony that doesn’t satisfy after the first viewing. Cookers, on the other hand, is even better after multiple viewings.

Hector (Brad Hunt) and Dorena (Cyia Batten) have just stolen the pharmaceutical goods they need to cook up their final batches of crystal-meth before retiring from the drug game. Unfortunately, these two have a serious crystal-meth problem of their own and with this much supply their bound to overdo it a bit. Hector has his old friend, Merle (Patrick McGaw), find an old house in the middle of the woods to use as a makeshift meth lab. After the trio ingest copious amounts of meth, Merle tells a story about a local urban legend. The combination of drugs and campfire stories starts a cycle of paranoia amongst the three. Strange noises, secret doors and shadows that appear alive are just the start of a terrifying journey for these druggies. Not only are they wary that something may be in the house with them but they are also wary of each others intentions when it comes to the drugs. Are these weird happenings being caused by the drugs or is it something else?

Cookers is a great low budget movie that doesn’t let its money restraints show. The house/lab is a creepy looking place that has no electricity and the only light sources are candles and lanterns which add to the general creepiness effect. The drugged out scenes, which make up a good percentage of the movie, are very well done thanks to some good editing and an excellent use of sound effects. I have never tried crystal meth but I have a good feeling that the film portrays its effects very well. The film is put together in such a way that the viewer starts seeing things that may not be there. Basically, any movie that can make a simple thing like a weed blowing in the wind scary is worth a look. Cookers is one of the few films that is able to keep the viewer on the edge of the seat till the end. It is also one of the best anti-drug movies to come around in a long time. Ardustry Home Entertainment makes a smart move by presenting Cookers in widescreen. Highly recommended!

Echo of Destiny: Shadow Hunters II

2005-10-13T15:54:00.000-04:00

AnimEigo

Must admit that I was pretty excited about seeing the follow up to Shadow Hunters. Unlike many other sequels this one didn’t disappoint. The true test of an effective sequel is being able to come up with an original script and giving the returning characters a little more depth. Echo of Destiny succeeds at both tasks and is just as good if not better than the original.

Jubei, Sunlight and Moonlight are back and in fine form. Jubei is still quiet, Moonlight is a little more talkative and Sunlight is still an obnoxious womanizer. The story this time around has the trio escorting an illegal cannon through rugged terrain while ninjas and kunoichi(female ninjas whose specialize is sexual manipulation and small, concealed weapons) are in hot pursuit. Also along for the journey is the cannon maker, his daughter, their little grandson/nephew and a handful of villagers. Jubei seems to be on the verge of falling for the daughter of the cannon maker but that would be too easy for a ninja killing ronin samurai. The trio’s fatherly instincts come into view with the addition of the little boy, although when Sunlight is babysitting he does tie a rope connecting himself with the kid while he goes off in the woods with a girl. Throughout the journey the villagers are gradually getting killed off by the ninjas. When something happens to the little boy, the fury of the Shadow Hunters is truly unleashed. This is the first sign of any real emotion from the trio and they relish every moment of killing that follows. There are plenty of double crosses, naked lady assassins and laughs, provided by Sunlight, throughout the film. One new aspect to the storyline is the introduction of guns and the loss of tradition and conscience that has followed firearms wherever they go.

The story is a very good one that really moves along at a nice pace. The characters are allowed to show a lot more emotion than the first film and we also get a little more insight into their past. The acting, once again, is excellent, with Ishihara Yujiro as Jubei and Uchida Ryohei as Sunlight being stand out performances. Ryohei is a great character actor who pulls out all the stops for this performance. The cinematography is beautiful, lots of Japanese locales that most people don’t realize exist. The music is a funky score that sounds more equipped for a blaxploitation flick than a samurai movie but somehow it still works really well with the action. The only complaint that I have is that there isn’t a third Shadow Hunters movie. You know that feeling you get when you start the last chapter of a really good book that you don’t want to end? That’s the same way I felt during Echo of Destiny.

AnimEigo is the best American label out there for Samurai DVD’s. The picture and sound are perfect and the subtitles are very easy to read. The extras include an image gallery, program notes that help the viewer understand the locations and lingo of the era and the Echo of Destiny trailer. Also included are the trailers for Samurai Banners and Incident at Blood Pass, very interesting looking films that I must get my hands on.

Your Vice Is A Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

2005-10-07T22:34:00.000-04:00

NoShame Films

There’s something about the Italian gialli genre that has always intrigued me. It could be the ultra graphic death scenes, the abundant red herrings or maybe the beautiful Italian women. In this case it’s definitely the beautiful Italian women, particularly Edwige Fenech. Even though Fenech only plays a supporting role in Your Vice is a Locked Room and only I Have the Key(hereon referred to as Your Vice) she steals the show in this reviewers eyes. I’m not one that’s usually swayed by looks but sometimes I just can’t help myself. Don’t get me wrong, Your Vice is full of red herrings(pretty good ones at that) and ultra violence, it could carry its own without the pretty ladies. Sergio Martino continues to move up on my list of favorite directors with the DVD release of Your Vice.

Oliviero(Luigi Pistilli) is the son of a countess, and he’s definitely a bit of a Mama’s boy. His wife, Irina, is a much suffering bride having to watch as he fondles other women and being subjected to much humiliation at the hands of her better half. The other women in Oliviero’s life start to fall prey to a black gloved slasher. Oliviero falls under suspicion of the local detective because of his close ties with the victims. To make matters worse Irina discovers her dead mother-in-law’s cat, Satan, destroying her prized collection of doves. Satan loses an eye in the ensuing battle with Irina and a very large pair of scissors. Oliviero’s sex pot niece, Floriana(Edwige Fenech), decides to make a visit to her Uncle Oliviero just as things appear they can’t get much worse. That’s it, that’s all the plot I’m giving for this review. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, as I said above, red herrings abound in this excellent gialli.

Your Vice is a movie that succeeds on all levels: acting, script, cinematography, there really aren’t any bad film making elements to be found. Luigi Pistillo does an excellent job playing one of the most unlikable characters I’ve ever seen. Anita Strindberg plays Irina and does a great job as a victim with a bit of a mean streak. Edwige Fench makes a perfect choice to be the dubious minx. Keep an eye out for Ivan Rassimov(Eaten Alive) in a particularly odd looking silver toupee. The script features lots of twists and is loosely based on Poe’s short story The Black Cat. The "black gloved killer" cliche is used rather effectively with a few surprises thrown in. The European landscape makes for a contrasting backdrop to all the evil doings. 70's exploitation elements like lesbianism, dirt bikes, drugs and incest run rampant throughout the film. Great film, highly recommended.

What more can be said about NoShame releases? Rest assured, if it’s a NoShame release your going to be hard pressed to find a better version anywhere. Once again the release has some nice extras including interviews with Sergio Martino, screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi and Edwige Fenech(at almost 60, she is still hotter than most of today’s inflatable starlets), poster and still gallery, trailers and a collectible booklet.

Satan's Black Wedding/Criminally Insane

2005-10-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

Retro Shock-O-Rama

Every once in a while I’m lucky enough to run across a movie that surprises me with some new ideas. Thanks to ei Cinema I’ve run across two interesting titles. Satan’s Black Wedding and Criminally Insane are the brain children from director Nick Philips. Obtaining funding from his own bank account and family members, Nick set out to try something a little bit different. Realizing that his creations would be best suited to the drive-ins and double feature theaters, he decided to make his own double feature. While both movies clock in at about sixty minutes, he was still able to instill some creative flair and at times some genuine shocks that still work today.

Satan’s Black Wedding
The first thing that hits you is the eerie music, something that will be used repetitively and effectively throughout the movie. The movie starts with a dreamlike sequence that utilizes locations better than most big budget movies. Nina, a young blonde, violently slashes her wrists in front of a drooling snaggle-toothed vampire, from the looks of it the girl could be in her death throes or about to have an orgasm. Mark, Nina’s brother, goes to the funereal which is given by a priest who looks exactly like the vampire, minus fangs. Mark can’t believe his sister would commit suicide so he sets off to investigate his sister’s death. He teams up with an ex-girlfriend who was working on a book with Nina to help him with the investigation. The duo finds out that an old abandoned church, where Nina spent a lot of time, is actually the meeting place of a satanic/vampire cult. Mark also finds out that the cults plan is to have him marry his sister and produce a child for Satan.

Satan’s Black Wedding is an enjoyable little flick that delivers tacky 70's style and a few scares along the way. The acting is pretty stilted but that doesn’t get in the way of this creepy little movie. The DVD is not remastered so the picture isn’t very good but in this case I believe it adds to the overall feel of the movie. My only complaint is that the sound is so bad, every actor sounds like they have a lisp. Recommended!

Criminally Insane a.k.a. Crazy Fat Ethel
Ethel is a 300+ pound young woman that has just been released from a mental institution where she underwent shock therapy. Let’s just say Ethel is not a happy woman, especially when someone tries to get between her and food. When Grandma, who’s already on Ethels shitlist for sending her to the institution, locks up all the food, Ethel goes into a glutton rage and hacks away at the old woman’s body. Not knowing what to do with the body Ethel simply puts it in a room upstairs. Things start going from bad to worse for Ethel, she has no money for groceries and her prostitute sister, Rosalie, decides to hideout at Grandma’s house so she can get away from her abusive pimp/boyfriend. Ethel’s need to feed leads to an ever growing body pile upstairs. The smell is starting to get really bad and air fresheners can only do so much. Ethel’s going to have to do something fast before the nosy neighbors become suspicious.

Criminally Insane is a good low budget movie that is both gory and atmospheric. Most of the action takes place in an old house that is quite creepy. The acting is much better than that of Satan’s Black Wedding. Priscilla Alden does an excellent job as Ethel that should have won her some more roles. The special effects aren’t too bad, especially considering the budget. Director Philips once again brings some interesting ideas to the screen, this time with a dose of black humor. Recommended!

Criminally Insane 2
Wisely Retro Shock-O-Rama puts this dog in the extra’s so it doesn’t steal any of the spotlight from the other movies. One has to be wary of a sequel to a movie that’s not well known and made 12 years after the first film. Criminally Insane 2 suffers from Silent Night Deadly Night Part 2 syndrome meaning that most of the action comes in the form of flashbacks from the original. Basically Ethel, Priscilla Alden again and a little thinner, is released to a halfway house and starts killing again. This shot on video effort only runs about 60 minutes, flashbacks included. I actually remember seeing this video in rental stores quite frequently. Not recommended especially for fans of the first movie.

Retro Shock-O-Rama has a knack for getting some very obscure films, some good some bad. I really enjoyed this release and hope that they will continue their search for these types of movies. While some of Retro Shock’s releases could have used some remastering skills, these titles are better seen in their grubbier forms. The extras include interviews with Nick Philips and Priscilla Alden that are well worth watching. Commentary tracks with Philips and 42nd St. Pete and various Retro Shock trailers.

A Whisper in the Dark

2005-10-04T18:35:00.000-04:00

NoShame Films

If I say Italian horror movies most people will get visions of rampaging zombies, ultra gore, style over plot or at the very least a splinter through an eyeball. Marcello Aliprandi’s A Whisper in the Dark is not full of special make-up effects but does have a lot of style and a plot. Whisper can be compared to Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, Bava’s Shock and Peter Medak’s much overlooked The Changeling but it is a stand alone movie in its own right. The music by Pino Donaggio, who also did the music for Don’t Look Now, is like another character in the movie. Why Aliprandi didn’t make more movies is beyond me. A Whisper in the Dark is an atmospheric film that relies on suspense more than blood and gore. Recommended for fans of ghost stories.

Martino is a twelve-year old boy who still has an imaginary friend, Luca. Up until now his family has put up with the boy’s unwillingness to put his childhood friend behind him. Martino’s parents played by John Phillip Law(Danger: Diabolik) and Nathalie Delon(Bluebeard) are extremely wealthy and live on a sprawling Venetian villa that is such a presence that it should be listed in the credits. When Martino’s two sisters make fun of Luca, a terrible rain begins that might keep the girls from attending a party. Everyone starts to blame Luca for the rain because of a threat Martino made earlier. Feeling that his son is too old to have an imaginary friend the father takes Martino to a doctor. When the doctor says that Martino is a healthy twelve-year old his father calls in a famous psychiatrist(Joseph Cotten) to take a look into the situation. Strange noises, freak accidents, a mysterious balloon and a child’s swing that swings when no one is on it are just some of the occurrences that seem to haunt those around Martino. Is Martino’s friend really just a figment of his imagination?

Though not filled with obvious shocks, A Whisper in the Dark does have a way of putting the viewer ill at ease. The villa itself is quite a character big, beautiful and eerie. As stated before Donaggio’s score is hauntingly effective and worthy of a soundtrack release. The acting is top notch, especially for such an attractive cast. But the real star of the movie is Cinematographer, Claudio Cirillo. He brings lifeless objects to life and isn’t afraid to try some new angles to achieve the full effect of his subjects. Personally, I’m not a big fan of movies about ghosts but if more movies like Whisper were out there I could be turned into a big fan.

NoShame does another excellent job with an obscure Italian film. It’s safe to say that if it’s a NoShame release the picture presentation is going to be beautiful. Once again the DVD includes an informative booklet, this time with a look at gothic Italian films and cast bios. Whispering Corridors is an interview with Claudio Cirillo that is interesting considering some of the most powerful shots in the film almost didn’t happen because Aliprandi felt the weather was too bad to shoot. NoShame is not a one genre label, in upcoming months they will delve into arthouse and Eurocrime movies and I for one can’t wait.

Extras
-Whispering Corridors - interview with cinematographer Claudio Cirillo
-Original Italian Theatrical Trailer
-Poster and Still Gallery
-Collectible Booklet

Thunderstruck

2005-10-04T11:58:00.000-04:00

Anchor Bay

We all remember little promises that we made to our friends as children and young adults. No matter if they were little promises or big ones, how you dealt with them was a measure of your character. Some people took those promises seriously and some quickly forgot about them. We also thought that we would be friends forever, somehow most of us ended up parting ways maybe because someone in the group moved away or maybe over a little squabble that escalated beyond reason. Thunderstruck is a story about five Aussie lads that grow up(maybe not all of them), grow apart and then must face a promise made long ago.

Sonny, Ben, Lloyd, Sam and Ronnie are your average Australian head bangers. Decked out in concert shirts and denim, their life revolves around AC/DC and the will to start their own band. After a misguided attempt to get into the hotel room of their Heavy Metal heroes the boys are thrown into the street. Just as the boys hail a cab, they come across an old AC/DC concert poster from the Bon Scott era. They stare in awe at the poster as their cab pulls away only to be demolished in an accident. The boys take this as a sign and promise each other that when one of them dies the other four will bury him next to Bon’s grave. Like so many other friendships and garage bands, the young men break apart from each other. Some will go on to be very successful while some will work in supermarkets or continue to live in their parent’s garage. After a freak accident takes the lives of one of the quintet the remaining chaps must decide if they will honor the promise. Will the boys be able to put past differences behind them and start their friendship anew? If so, what kind of adventures can these four misfits get into on the 1,000+ mile journey to their fallen heroes grave site?

I know a lot of movie fans tend to watch horror and crime movies from different countries yet completely overlook drama and comedy films from those same countries. I tend to think you can learn a lot more about a country by watching the drama and comedies than from watching other genres. Thunderstruck is a great road movie that doesn’t get bogged down in unnecessary drama. In a lot of ways Thunderstruck could be looked at as a hetero head banger version of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It’s full of memorable characters and odd situations. The talented and nice looking young cast garners sympathy because the acting is believable and the characters are so much like people most of us can relate with. The scene at Bon Scott’s grave is very moving, nice to see so many people honor him so many years after his death. Looking forward to whatever project director Darren Ashton is working on next.

Features:
-2.35:1 Widescreen presentation
-Audio commentary with Darren Ashton and producer Jodi Matterson
-Deleted scenes
-Making of Thunderstruck featurette
-Theatrical trailer

The Big Alligator River

2005-10-01T13:21:00.000-04:00

Noshame Films

There have been a few entries in the animal attack genre that have centered around alligators or crocodiles, Lake Placid, Alligator and Crocodile just to name a few. While Lewis Teague’s Alligator is widely regarded as the best of the bunch, The Big Alligator River is a damn close second if only for pure cheesy fun. You can’t go into this movie expecting Hitchcock’s The Birds or Spielberg’s Jaws. What you can expect is a fun horror film that isn’t afraid to let the body count rise.

Paradise House is a new hotel development that is about to open in Southeast Asia on the shores of a crocodile infested river. Resort owner Joshua(Mel Ferrer) and his assistant Alice(Barbara Bach) are preparing for the flood of tourists that they are expecting at the hotels grand opening. Daniel(Claudio Cassinelli) is a photographer that has come to the resort with model, Sheena, to take pictures for print ads. Helping with the final touches before opening day, which includes putting a steel fence around a swimming area to keep the croc’s out, are the native Kuma tribe. In celebration of the following days opening the Kuma people put on some ritual entertainment for the white folks. After the celebration Sheena is in the mood for some native lovin’ and stupidly goes out on the river in a canoe with tribesman, Kurg. The two are promptly attacked and eaten by a giant alligator(yes I know there are no alligators in Southeast Asia but that’s what it is). As Daniel and Alice search for Sheena they visit a now hostile Kuma tribe. The natives believe that Kruna, the alligator god, is mad at the tribe for working with the white men. The tourists begin to arrive just in time to be greeted by a hungry alligator god and a vengeful tribe of Kumas. Will Daniel and Alice be able to save the lives of the tourists or will Kruna reign supreme once again?

The Big Alligator River shares many concepts with Jaws but it is a different breed of movie. While Jaws was happy to have a small group of victims, TBAR is a virtual war zone with many, many casualties. The special effects may not be on par with Jaws but there is a certain charm in the alligator and miniature effects, which at times are quite effective. The late 70's fashions and soundtrack music also add to the charm of the movie. The cast is made up of recognizable faces from American and Italian films. Fulci fans will be interested to see an early role for Silvia Collatina who played Dr. Freudstein’s daughter, Mae, in The House by the Cemetery. The plot moves quickly and the action doesn’t let up for the last 1/3 of the movie. Interesting side not, the area where the film was made was devastated by the Tsunami that occurred this past December. Pop some popcorn and sit back and bask in the glory of a fine example of what director Sergio Martino calls, "fake spectacular cinema." You will be entertained.

Noshame Films has done a stellar job with the presentation of The Big Alligator River. It doesn’t even look like the same movie I saw on late night TV twenty years ago. The picture is absolutely gorgeous which really helped me appreciate the movie a lot more this time around. Noshame is another label that can be added to the small list of labels that know how to do subtitles the right way, easy to read and placed in a proper area. Lots of extras included on the disc and a collectible booklet that not only covers the movie but also the animal attack genre. As far as I’m concerned you can keep the overpriced Criterion titles, Noshame does just as good a job at half the price and they actually release interesting titles. Really looking forward to the releases of A Man Called Magnum, The Last Round and Emergency Squad this November.

Extras
-In the Croc’s nest- Interviews with director Sergio Martino and production designer Antonello Geleng
-Original Italian Theatrical Trailer
-Poster Gallery
-Collectible booklet

The Candy Snatchers

2005-09-29T18:26:00.000-04:00

Subversive Cinema

The wait was long but it was definitely worth it. The release of The Candy Snatchers by Subversive Cinema is, so far, the best DVD release of the year. Let’s just say I have a soft spot for movies made in the 1970's. I love the cars, fashion, music and film stock from those days. I also love the renegade attitude of the independent film makers of the day. Make a film that pushes the envelope, release it to the drive-ins and grindhouses then move onto the next film project or a completely different career. There was no video/DVD market to fall back on if the movie failed. They made what they wanted and did what could be done to separate their films from the herd. Director Guerdon Trueblood made one movie, and what a depraved little gem it is.

Candy Philips(Susan Sennet) is a typical California school girl, blonde, pretty and a little rebellious. Hitchhiking home is just normal for her but on this day she gets in the wrong vehicle. Within seconds Candy is blindfolded, hog-tied and threatened with a switchblade. It’s going to get worse though, she is about to be put into a coffin in a pre dug grave with nothing but a metal pipe for air to keep her alive. The three kidnappers believe they have pulled off the perfect crime but Eddy, Jessie(Tiffany Bolling) and her brother Alan are about to find that no crime is perfect. Candy’s father is a jewelry store manager and the plan is to have him turn over all the stores goods in exchange for his daughter. But what are the kidnappers to do when the father has no interest in seeing his daughter again? Could the abused little boy who lives near the burial site be Candy’s only hope of survival? The Candy Snatchers is one of those movies where just when you think you know what is going to happen next a gigantic monkey wrench is thrown into the mix.

The Candy Snatchers is a perfect example of just how effective the exploitation genre can be when done well. Director, Trueblood, is helped tremendously by an excellent script from writer, Bryan Gindoff. It’s not often that such a good script is written for an exploitation flick. The characters are really meshed out and you get a real feel for who these people are and where they have come from. The action is full of double crosses, mean spiritedness and once the action gets going it never slows down. The acting is way above the norm for a movie of this nature. That some of the actors are able to summon any sympathy for some rather despicable characters is quite a feat. Most of the roles are risky because there are not too many good people in the script. A lot of the actors were well on their way to a successful career in television when they accepted their parts in The Candy Snatchers. Some actors were able to go on, while others found doors that were once open now closed. It’s really a shame that the film and those involved in making it don’t have a big following.

Subversive Cinema’s release of The Candy Snatchers is particularly special because the film never got a proper release on video or laserdisc. The DVD presentation is flawless as is the sound. To finally get to see the movie, especially in widescreen, is enough to make me recommend it. Once again Subversive loads up on the Special Features with extras worth watching. The bios are interesting and sad because most don’t even work in the business anymore. The featurette is also essential viewing. To see the two main actresses reflect on their experiences, from completely different perspectives, is very intriguing. Any fan of exploitation cinema needs to have a copy of The Candy Snatchers in their DVD collection. Highly recommenced!

Special Features
-New 16:9 widescreen (1.85:1) transferred from the original camera negative
-Bios
-Still Gallery
-Candy Snatchers Trailers
-Featurette: The Women of Candy Snatchers
-Stereo audio track
Subversive Cinema Trailers

Ice Queen

2005-09-28T20:03:00.000-04:00

MTI Home Video

Ice Queen is one of those movies that’s not quite "so bad it’s good" territory. Granted it is a movie that can be laughed at instead of with but that still doesn’t put it in the same league with Ed Wood Jr. movies.

The basic premise of the movie goes something like this. Scientists find a human-like being in the ice and figure it has been there since the Ice Age. They also figure that it differs from humans in that unlike humans it gains strength from cold temperatures in the same way humans respond to heat. Another difference is that this being would punch a hole into its prey/victim and freeze it from the inside out. The head scientist dresses the creature in a strange suit that will keep it from thawing too quickly. His plans are to fly the creature to a museum for further research. The pilot of the plane has different plans and wants to sell it to a pharmaceutical company. As the pilot pulls a gun on the scientist the Ice Queen conveniently comes back to life and, in gory fashion, freezes the guy from the inside out. The scientist struggles with the creature and tries to maneuver the plane at the same time which results in the plane crashing into the ski slopes of a resort thus causing a huge avalanche. The small group of dimwit survivors and the scientist, who somehow survives the creature, a plane crash and an avalanche, must find a way out of the resort rubble and avoid the Ice Queen if they want to see the light of day again.

The ideas behind Ice Queen are creative enough that a good film could have been made from them. If the film makers had tried to please their core audience and stuck to the horror elements I might have been able to recommend it. Some advice for horror film makers, stick to the horror. How many successful drama/comedy/horror films can you name? I couldn’t think of any either. Maybe horror fans are just waiting for a movie where directly after an avalanche and during a struggle with a bloodthirsty creature the main characters have time for cat fights, making out and pouting over infidelities. Sorry, doesn’t work for me. Time that could have been spent building suspense is completely wasted. The Ice Queen herself is a very good looking monster. Unfortunately, the creature’s effectiveness is ruined by making it walk around like a destitute stripper trying to get somebody to pay for a lap dance? Plus, the damn monster flicks it’s tongue more than the entire cast of a lesbian porn flick. I just can’t understand what the film makers were trying to achieve. And how can a creature that’s been frozen since the Ice Age know modern day hand gestures? If I were to recommend Ice Queen to anyone it would be for the idiotic ending. You will not believe how the monster is destroyed. Or was it really destroyed? If there really is a God, please don’t . . . ah forget it, expect a sequel!

Battlefield Baseball

2005-09-27T22:41:00.000-04:00

Subversive Cinema

I’ve read various reviews of Battlefield Baseball and it seems like some have missed the point. Of course it’s crazy, absurd and over the top, that’s obviously what the film makers were going after. If you can’t get the stick out of your ass then have a few drinks and sit back and enjoy. This is a goofy, gory movie fans of Troma releases will easily enjoy. Battlefield Baseball, is a little more subtle than Troma but not much.

Jubei is a transfer student to Seido High, he’s been expelled from quite a few schools and rumor has it that he killed his father. Seido High has gotten the unlucky draw of playing dreaded Gedo High in the first baseball game of the season. Gedo high plays a different kind of baseball, no rules and the goal of the game is to kill the other team. Not only that but the team is made up of Zombies and exploding mannequins. The baseball diamond looks like, well, a battlefield when Gedo is done. Body parts litter the field, baseball bats stick like acupuncture needles out of the opposing team members, or what is left of them. The reason behind Jubei’s troubled reputation and frequent expulsions could help Seido’s baseball team live to play another game. Can Seido’s principal and the team nerd, Four Eyes, convince Jubei to join the team before they are all massacred?

To try and lump Battlefield Baseball into one genre would be impossible. There are elements of horror, comedy, martial arts and even a little bit of the musical genre thrown into the mix. What can I say? It works for me. The acting is much better than it is in similar types of movies. Jubei is played by Tak Sakaguchi(Versus) who has leading man looks but isn’t afraid to allow director, Yudai Yamaguchi, to put him in some unflattering situations. One has to watch the "making of" featurettes to truly appreciate Sakaguchi’s sense of humor. Although Battlefield Baseball is a low budget film, it is able to overcome most of the restraints that a low budget can put on the look of a movie. Some of the special effects aren’t very good but with a movie like this it may have been planned that way. Step away from reality and step into the escapism fun that Battlefield Baseball was meant to be.

I must say that Subversive Cinema is quickly becoming one of my favorite DVD companies. Once again the disc is loaded with extras, and these aren’t throw away extras. The two documentaries are both funny and educational. And the short films are just as bizarre as the feature. I know a lot of people don’t bother watching Special Features but in this case it’s worth it.

Special Features
-5.1 Surround
-Commentary track
-Deleted scenes & outtakes
-Short films
-Music video
-2 Making of documentaries
-Subversive Cinema trailers

Willie Dynamite

2005-09-27T00:15:00.000-04:00

Universal Home Video

If anything can be said about Blaxploitation movies it’s that more often than not, they made money. Big money! Movies like Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song, Shaft and Superfly were made on small budgets, took in huge amounts of cash and out grossed higher budgeted Hollywood fare. One year before producing duo Richard Zanuck and David Brown produced the mega hit, Jaws, they took a stab at Blaxploitation. What might have been another case of Hollywood muscling into a genre where it didn’t belong turns into an effective entry in the Blaxploitation arena. Willie Dynamite can hold it’s own in a short-lived genre that’s full of classics.

Willie Dynamite is a tough talking, business-minded pimp. His small stable of women work out of a hotel turning tricks with convention goers. Things have been going well for Willie as evidenced by the flashy car, clothes and pad. All that is about to change. Corrupt cops have decided it’s time to turn up the heat and would just as well put him six feet under as put him behind bars. Jealous pimps want a piece of Willie’s action. These old comrades become deadly enemies willing to do anything to bring him down. To top it off, Cora, described by one as "Ralph Nader for hookers", is starting to convince one of Willie’s main girls that there is a better way to make a living. Will Mr. Dynamite change the way he lives his life or will the cops or pimps end it.

Willie Dynamite is a little seen gem in the world of Blaxploitation. With a bigger budget than most in the genre it has fancier cars, gaudier clothes and palatial cribs. The action scenes are pretty damn good, especially a car chase that features a tricked out purple Cadillac. Willie’s wardrobe features the most extreme pimp wear in the genre. At times one wonders if Willie is a pimp or a psychedelic super hero, the threads are out of control. There’s one scene where all the big time pimps get decked out for a meeting in an apartment where there’s a damn Ocelot chilling out on the shag carpet. At first glance you might get the impression that the life of a pimp is being promoted, far from it. Willie’s fall from grace is quick, brutal and humiliating. One of the most poignant scenes involves Willie visiting his family, the relationship with his mother is strained and based on lies. Willie Dynamite shares a lot of similarities with other pimp based films but it also opens new doors that the other’s have ignored.

Roscoe Orman is one of those names you might not recognize but if you ever watched Sesame Street you will know him as the character, Gordon Robinson. He played Willie Dynamite the same year he got the Sesame Street gig. I’m guessing that’s the only reason why he hasn’t been in a lot of movies, he is an excellent actor. Probably one of the best to work in the Blaxploitation genre. Diana Sands also puts in a great performance as Cora. She resembles Tina Turner in looks and attitude. She was a strong woman that often played parts in the 50's and 60's that were written for white actresses. Diana died tragically of cancer shortly after finishing Willie Dynamite. I firmly believe that she would still be in the public eye if she was still with us. Great actress, terrible loss. The rest of the cast is full of recognizable faces from TV and movies and they all do respectable jobs in some very offbeat roles.

Willie Dynamite is part of Universal Soul Showcase collection, which also feature That Man Bolt, Trick Baby and Bustin’ Loose. It’s nice to see these movies finally get the widescreen treatment they deserve.

The Freakmaker

2005-09-24T01:33:00.000-04:00

Subversive Cinema

I still remember the day Famous Monsters of Filmland issue #176 hit the local Circle K magazine stand. "What movie is the crazy looking cover monster from," I wondered? Though I was disappointed that there wasn’t an article on the cover creature, I still wrote down the name of the movie it was featured in, The Mutations. From that day forward, The Mutations a.k.a. The Freakmaker has been on my "must see movies" list. Leave it to Subversive Cinema to make one of my childhood wishes come true. I’m starting to think that the people at Subversive are looking through a window into my mind. With the release of The Witch Who Came From the Sea and the future releases of The Candy Snatchers and The Gardener they are letting me cross a lot of "must see movies" off the list. So was the 25-year wait for The Freakmaker worth it? Absolutely!

Professor Nolter(Donald Pleasence) teaches about plant mutations at the local college. In his class are Tony(Scott Antony) his girlfriend Lauren(Jill Haworth) and their attractive friends, Bridget and Hedi(Julie Ege). Not only is Professor Nolter working at the college but he is also doing some research at his home that involves splicing human and plant DNA. To get human subjects the professor enlists the help of the ominous Lynch(Tom Baker), one of the freaks from the carnival. The wide array of human attractions at the carnival are grotesque and sympathetic at the same time. These characters are thrown into a whirlwind of bizarre experiments, murder, mutations and revenge.

The opening credits, which features some amazing time-lapse footage, are a sure sign that this is no ordinary horror movie. Usually the credits are something I fast forward through but in this case I played them again. The Freakmaker has some of the most innovative set designs since the Dr. Phibes movies. Professor Nolters lab is full of beakers, colorful lighting and odd plants. The mutated plants, which include a Venus flytrap that eats rabbits and a tree that bleeds, are sometimes kind of hokey but the crew does a great job on such a low budget. The mutated creatures are sometimes downright scary. One really effective scene features a creature crawling through a window. It may not sound scary but a few extra touches by director Jack Cardiff take it to the next level. One of the creatures doesn’t fare so well, that’s understandable considering this particular creature is shown in full light. The acting is very good especially considering that a good number of the supporting cast had never acted before. Pleasence and Baker are superb, fans of Dr. Who might be surprised to see their hero under a ton of make-up and playing a bad guy. Screen writers, Robert Weinbach and Edward Mann, take considerable time to give their characters some depth, something not often found in the Horror genre. The Freakmaker is one of those rarity’s that tells a meaningful story and still delivers the scary goods. Highly recommended!

Subversive Cinema not only gives The Freakmaker an excellent picture transfer but also loads up the DVD with essential extra’s. The featurette has some excellent stories about making the film and those that took part in it’s making. If you don’t have any Subversive Cinema releases put their whole damn catalog on your list to Santa. You’ll be glad you did.

Special Features
-Anamorphic 16:9 widescreen (1.85:1) transfer
-commentary tracks with director Jack Cardiff, writer/producer Robert Weinbach and actor/producer Brad Harris
-Mono and stereo mixes
-Freakmaker trailers
-Subversive Cinema trailers
-Still Gallery
-Featurette
-3 lobby card reproductions
-Mini poster

Raging Sharks

2005-09-24T01:22:00.000-04:00

MTI Home Video

I’m a sucker for animal-attack movies but I’m an even bigger sucker for shark-attack movies. Of course there’s the Granddaddy of them all, Jaws, but I’m also a fan of most of the rip-offs. Unfortunately, Raging Sharks bites off way more than it can chew. The biggest problem with Raging Sharks is that it can’t seem to figure out what kind of movie it wants to be.

Two spaceships collide in outer space causing a glowing cylinder to plummet into the Atlantic Ocean, not just any part of the ocean but the Bermuda Triangle to be exact. Are you scratching your head yet? I had to skip back to the beginning because I thought it was a preview for some other movie. This is the weirdest beginning to a shark movie I ever seen.

The action picks up five years later, Dr. Mike Nelson(Corin Nemec) is in charge of the Oshona Sea Lab with him is his wife, Linda(Vanessa Angel) and a handful of future deads. The underwater scientist’s have noticed that huge magnetic pulses are causing sharks of all species to work together and become incredibly aggressive. Mike must leave the lab and head to Boston in an attempt to get more money for the lab. After leaving the Oshona some minor repairs must be done outside the safety of the lab. The repairmen are attacked and killed by the sharks. But these are no ordinary sharks, these sharks have a growl which sounds like a cross between a lion and a bear. Scary! Linda, in an attempt at being helpful, is almost killed by the sharks but makes it back safely to the lab. These sharks have another plan. They chew the power and oxygen cables leaving the lab in rough shape. Wow! Growling, brainy sharks, what could be scarier?

The movie’s time line gets real fuzzy at this point. I suggest that the Sci-fi Channel insert a commercial at this point, because Raging Sharks is definitely headed to their channel. Anyway, Mike is informed about the situation at the lab. Because of a storm he is forced to get a ride on a Navy sub. Also catching a ride on the sub is a bureaucrat, Ben, that wants to check out the conditions of the lab, not to make sure everyone is safe but to see if all the rules are being followed. In between sub and lab scenes we are treated to a full on assault of a boat and a Bermuda beach by the raging sharks. I understand that a shark attack scene on a budget can be difficult but this is ridiculous. When the shark fin is shown during the beach attack it’s pretty obvious that it’s made of Styrofoam or cardboard. The editing for the attack scenes is just plain bad, but trust me, it gets worse later.

Dr. Mike and Ben make it back to the lab only to find the oxygen running out and tempers flaring. As the labs crew members argue Ben disappears into the bowels of the lab. As the underwater version of cabin fever sets in one crew member steals the mini-sub only to be attacked and eaten by the sharks. I think! The editing is so bad that I’m not really sure what has just happened. Back on the lab another crew member loses it and kills another member. The crew starts to wonder where Ben is so they set out to find him. When they do it is discovered that Ben is actually some National Security goon that has been sent to destroy the lab and recover the alien cylinder. Fights ensue and everyone but Dr. Mike, Linda and Ben are left alive in the lab.

Back on the sub, Captain Riley(Corbin Bernsen) must make a decision to leave the people in the lab because the sub has been attacked by sharks and can’t stay under for long. Besides being growling, brainy sharks they also must have super strength. When they attack the sub bolts fly from the impact. Meanwhile, Mike and Linda try to fight off Ben, he must be related to Jason Vorhees because you just can’t kill the bastard. After much fighting Ben is put down with a spear gun. Linda and Mike hear the engines of the sub and realize they are being left behind to suffocate or explode with the burning lab. But wait, what is that glowing light coming from outside the lab? Why it’s two huge aliens that have come to Earth to retrieve the cylinder. The image of the aliens must have motivated Mike to find a way out because the next thing you know the two are knocking on the outside of the sub to get in. That’s right folks, read the last sentence again because as difficult as it is to believe that’s what happens. And to top it off, Ben is still alive and swimming to the surface too. Don’t worry though, with more badly done editing he is eaten by the raging sharks.

That’s a lot of drama for what could have been a simple shark attack movie. I think because of all the excess drama it fails miserably. They could have dropped half the sub-plots and had a decent little movie on their hands. I’ve already pointed out the problems with the editing so there’s no point in flogging a dead horse. The acting is passable, Corin Nemic does a good job while Corbin Bernsen looks embarrassed to be involved in this cinematic mishmash. MTI Home Video does a great job with the disc, it’s presented in widescreen and 5.1 SS, looks and sounds great but the movie just isn’t worthy. If you want to check out a superior MTI effort get yourself a copy of their restored version of the 1971 classic I Drink Your Blood.

EMR

2005-09-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

Shiny Object

I can count on one hand how many films have made their way into my dreams. Fight Club, The Usual Suspects, Memento and Godzilla(I was only seven ok!) are those films. EMR can now be added to that list. How did this little film get by me, for that matter how did it get by everybody? I wanted to see if others had been affected by EMR in the same way that I had been. After spending considerable time surfing the web I found almost nothing on this gem of a movie. What opinions I did find were split 50/50 for those that felt like I did and those that thought the film went over their heads. If you’re capable of escaping from reality for 90 minutes than EMR shouldn’t be a problem. I think it’s one of those films that you either love or hate.

Synopsis: Culling together numerous conspiracy theories, EMR focuses on Adam (Adam Leese), a lonely and sympathetic character with epilepsy who spends much of his time online. He has developed an internet relationship with a San Francisco woman known as Cyberbunnylilly. Following a massive seizure, Adam regains consciousness in Mexico in a pool of blood and with one less kidney. After collapsing in a church, Adam reawakens back home in England. And so begins the chilling situations which Adam is forced to face, as he repeatedly awakes from blackouts in new places and in dire situations, none of which he appears to have any control over and leaving him with no one he can trust save Cyberbunnylilly. As his attention focuses on the fact that a massive plot against him exists which the pharmaceutical company Pfenal Corp just might be at the center of, events accelerate and Adam deteriorates, throwing even his confidence in Cyberbunnylilly into question. As he struggles to uncover this cabal, the plot twists relentlessly to the stunning climax. Now I must confess that this synopsis is from the Shiny Object web site. I’m not fond of putting something in my review that I didn’t write but in this case I couldn’t help myself. Every one of my attempts gave away too many of the juicy and shocking bits. The less you know about the plot the more effective it will be.

One of the reasons that the subject matter of EMR works so well is the acting. There are no pretty boys or pinup girls in the movie, just people that look like those we encounter everyday. Adam Leese does a hell of a job in his first feature film role. His character is put through an emotional wringer that runs the full gamut of emotion from tragedy to humiliation. There are no weak links in the acting chain, everyone pulls off their roles in a very believable manner. John Halliday, the DP, also earns a share of the credit, the photography is top notch throughout the film. I don’t normally give kudos to editing but it is well deserved for all three editors involved. One of the executive producers is Angad Paul, he is best known for producing Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Paul’s reputation is still solid with the release of EMR. Do yourself a favor and check this film out. Sometimes the best films fly under the radar.

EMR is the first release for Shiny Object and it looks like they have a winner on their hands. The DVD includes commentary by writers/directors James Erskine and Danny McCollough and a behind the scenes featurette. The next release from Shiny Object is a 2003 Belgian release from acclaimed director Marc Levie. If it’s half as good as EMR, I’ll be a happy man.

Womens Prison Massacre

2005-09-17T23:36:00.000-04:00

Bruno Mattei will never be remembered for films that garnered any kind of critical praise. Yet with films like Hell of the Living Dead and Rats: Night of Terror on his resume, Mattei has gained a fan base. Like Ed Wood Jr. and Al Adamson, Bruno is able to make terrible films that are still a lot of fun. Women’s Prison Massacre is an entertaining movie but the cheese factor has been replaced with sleaze, and this is only the R-rated version. The film is a sequel to Caged Women also directed by Mattei and featuring most of the same cast. Laura Gemser, the Black Emanuelle, is back in her most famous role, hence the alternate title Emanuelle Escapes From Hell. Much different from her other turns in the role Gemser never even disrobes. If you miss the days of the grindhouse than Women’s Prison Massacre might bring back some memories of a lost era in exploitation history.

Journalist, Emanuelle, is falsely imprisoned after uncovering a story that ties a powerful District Attorney to the drug trade. The typical WIP elements are here: lesbians, shower beatings, sadistic guards and ultra horny inmates. The twist involves four male convicts that need to be housed at the women’s prison until another place can be found for them. The convicts are led by Crazy Boy Henderson a ruthless criminal that isn’t above any crime. Shortly after entering the prison Crazy Boy and his pals gain control of the prison. These four scumbags embark on a little tour of the prison with stops for rape, mutilation, murder and a trip to the prison pharmacy for a little pick me up. The violence and sadism continue as the corrupt DA arranges a deal for the release of the hostages. One disturbing scene is stolen from The Deer Hunter, no prize for guessing what scene. One of the convicts meets a painful demise by way of a strategically placed razor blade. A squad of commandos enter the prison only to be mowed down immediately and stripped of their firearms. After the deal with the DA is finally made the three remaining convicts and a small group of hostages prepare to leave the prison. Of course, things don’t go as planned.

Women’s Prison Massacre has many of the same elements as other WIP films but the sleaze factor is higher and there are enough differences to separate it from other films in the genre. There is a pretty high body count featuring some interesting death scenes. The acting isn’t as bad as the dialogue makes it look. My favorite line, from a movie that features many winners, takes place in the prison cafeteria during some female arm wrestling. Emanuelles cell mate gets into an argument with a rival who tells her "I’d like to bite your nipples off". Charming little exchanges like that are common in this piece of European trash cinema. Mattei’s other trash classics are a lot easier to take than the non-stop cruelty in Women’s Prison Massacre. Pretty much the only things to laugh at in this is the dialogue.

I’ve seen other Retro Shock-O-Rama releases where the film print wasn’t so hot but the print for Women’s Prison Massacre is really bad. In one scene Laura Gemser looks as if she is being attacked by swarms of insects because the print is so bad. Maybe the print wasn’t remastered so we could get that "grindhouse" feel but if that were the case we wouldn’t be stuck with the butchered R-rated version. The film is cut so badly that if I hadn’t read so much about it before watching I wouldn’t have known what was going on. I love Retro Shock-O-Rama releases but this one needed some serious TLC.

DVD Extras
-Trailers
-Liner notes by film historian 42nd Street Pete(obviously he got to watch the uncut version)

Treasure of the Amazon

2005-09-16T16:59:00.000-04:00

VCI Entertainment

Director Rene Cardona Jr. has a reputation for exploiting the latest film fad or the latest headline. Two years after the release of Jaws he released Tintorera: Tiger Shark. The following year during the Bigfoot/UFO/Bermuda Triangle craze he released The Bermuda Triangle. In November of 1978 the Jim Jones mass suicide massacre occurred in Guyana, less than a year later Cardona Jr. released Guyana: Crime of the Century. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Cardona Sr. released Survive, based on the survival techniques of a rugby team whose plane crashed into the Andes Mountains, a full 17 years before Hollywood released Alive. The inspiration for Treasure of the Amazon comes from the success of Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Italian cannibal movies that were gaining a small cult following at the time. Without the budget of Raiders and missing most of the gore and animal violence of the Italian cannibal movies Cardona Jr. delivers a really good action movie.

A Geologist, his girlfriend and pilot buddy find diamonds while looking for rock samples. Two shady oil men from Colorado are looking for gold. A Nazi(Donald Pleasence) and his topless Amazon wife are trekking through the jungle with some large mysterious crates. Gringo(Stuart Whitman), is on his way back into the jungles to trade goods with the native people. All these people are on a collision course that will culminate with greed, murder and double crosses galore. Along the way they will encounter cannibals, killer crabs, piranha, leeches and way to many other dangers to list.

Treasure of the Amazon is a surprisingly entertaining action/adventure yarn. The acting is done well, maybe some overacting but that’s to be expected with some of the roles. The cast is full of notables most of which had been downgraded to making appearances on The Love Boat or Fantasy Island. The movie was made in the 80's but it looks like a 70's TV movie on a much higher budget. That’s not a complaint. I love the look of the film. The locations are used very well and a lot of time was taken to get nice shots of the beautiful Amazon region. The local animals also get a lot of screen time which makes the movie more believable. Although I am saddened at the invasive species that appear to be everywhere in the movie. Who would have thought that the Burmese Python from Southeast Asia would be so prevalent in the Amazon. There are some minor after death animal scenes but still much tamer than the Italian cannibal movies. There are so many things going on in this movie that it’s hard not be entertained. Treasure of the Amazon should have a bigger following, it is one hell of a fun ride.

VCI Entertainment is probably most familiar to fans of westerns and serials. I’m happy to see that they are branching out into different genres. VCI is entering into the Blaxploitation(Black Shampoo), Horror(Forever Evil), 70's TV movie(Born Innocent) and 80's teen movie(Getting It On) markets. That’s good news for those of us that aren’t fans of mainstream flicks. The widescreen picture presentation is almost pristine, and the audio is DDS. Let’s hope that VCI will release some other films from our youth that haven’t made the crossover to DVD.

Special Features
-Biographies
-Original Theatrical Trailer
-Bonus Adventure Trailers: Cyclone, Guyana: Crime of the Century and The Bermuda Triangle

Shadow Hunters (a.k.a. Kage Gari)

2005-09-14T23:24:00.000-04:00

AnimEigo

Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen

Let me start by saying that this is my first venture into the world of Japanese Samurai Cinema. I am both happy and sad at this, happy because my eyes have now been opened to a genre that deserves much more of my attention, sad because I’ve spent a good portion of my 35 years watching Hollywood crap instead of films like Shadow Hunters. While watching this film I felt as if I had gained passage into a world that most of those around me have no idea exists. The customs and nobility of the Japanese Samurai are breathtakingly beautiful and ultra-violent at the same time. Shadow Hunters is a beautiful film to look at and a great story to follow. The film is based on a Manga by Saito Takao and directed by Masuda Toshio(Tora! Tora! Tora!), a director whose work is headed for the top of my must see list.

Shadow Hunters is the story of three Ronin Samurai retainers, Jubei(Ishihara Yujiro) the leader of the trio, Moonlight(Narita Mikio) and Sunlight(Uchida Ryohei). They are bounty hunters who have sworn to kill only Shadows(Ninjas). The reasons that the three have decided to wage war against the Ninja’s is told in flashbacks that carry more agonizing drama than a couple dozen chick flicks. The latest assignment for the heroic trio is to carry a deed to Edo so that they can save the gold mining rights of a small clan. Along the way they encounter spies, ghosts, female assassins, figures from their past and of course lots’ of Ninjas.

For one that is only acquainted with Toho Studios productions that feature a guy in a monster suit, Shadow Hunters was a pleasant surprise. The acting was well done by everyone involved but I was especially impressed by Yujiro and Ryohei. Yujiro is one of those actors that can convey his message with his eyes and when he does speak, which isn’t often, you really get a feel for how talented he is as an actor. It’s no wonder that he is a cultural icon in Japan and even has a museum named after him there. Yujiro was also a producer for this film. Ryohei plays an obnoxious drunkard as well as anyone in the business. Personally, I think he steals every scene he is in. To enjoy a character that is so unlikable speaks volumes about his talent. As for director Toshio, I find absolutely nothing to complain about. The film succeeds on every level for me. The martial arts action is plentiful and violent, heads roll and blood spurts throughout the film. One of the most striking aspects of the film is the beautiful Japanese landscape that is used to enhance the overall effect of the film. It says a lot about a film if it makes me, of all people, want to go out and buy books about the history of the Samurai.

Not only is this my first Samurai film experience but it’s also my first experience with AnimEigo DVD releases. I would have to say that I’m very impressed. I’m so happy that they didn’t use white for the subtitles, it’s as if some of these companies don’t even watch the films they release or else they would know that white wardrobes and white subtitles don’t work together. They even use a different color when different characters are speaking which makes the film a lot easier to follow. I also like that at the top of the screen definitions of terms that non-Japanese viewers might not know are displayed. The extras include program notes that explain the warring clans and layout of the land for the time period that the film takes place in, another detail that enhances the viewing experience. The picture is pristine, as it should be for such a beautiful film. From the looks of Shadow Hunters, AnimEigo is the Criterion of Samurai DVD’s.

Extras:
-Program Notes
-Image Gallery
-Trailers for Shadow Hunters, Echo of Destiny (Shadow Hunters II) and Demon Spies

Something To Scream About/Shock Cinema Double Feature

2005-09-12T23:02:00.000-04:00

Tempe Video

Something To Scream About (2004)
If Fay Wray had to work in today’s Hollywood she would have never earned the moniker "Scream Queen". Today’s Scream Queens must endure being covered in blood and gore, constant requests to do nudity and being typecast as b-movie eye candy. Something To Scream About delves into the minds of nine past, present and future Scream Queens. Questions of sexism, nudity, wages and fans are among the many raised. The featured actresses range from those that got their Scream Queen rep from one film, Judith O’Dea (NOTLD) and Felissa Rose(Sleepaway Camp), to those that have starred in many B-movies like Debbie Rochon (Tromeo & Juliet) and Julie Strain (Heavy Metal 2000). Fans that think these actresses have made a fortune doing B-movies are in for a shock. Most of them live paycheck to paycheck just like most of us. The difference being that most of us don’t have to pay for publicity photo’s and wardrobes or worry about stalkers? Who better to host this funny and informative documentary on the biz than the most popular Scream Queen of the last 20 years, Brinke Stevens? Brinke also produced the movie which should serve as inspiration for current Scream Queens. Fans of B-movies owe themselves a look at Something To Scream About, they’ll never look at their favorite actresses the same.

Shock Cinema (1991)
Twenty filmmakers give an insiders look at the movie business. Directors, editors, writers, producers, cinematographers and of course actors are included in the interviews. Fred Olen Ray(Alien Dead), J.R. Bookwalter(The Dead Next Door), Charles Band(Laserblast), Forrest J. Ackerman(Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine) and Robert Quarry(Count Yorga) are among those interviewed. Every phase of film making is covered: writing,, financing, pre-production, filming, post-production, editing etc.... The filmmakers tell humorous, absorbing and sometimes down right frightening stories about their craft. The overwhelming message one gets from all the interviews is that if you have any doubts about your love for making movies than it’s definitely not the business for you. This is a must see if you have an eye on entering the world of film making. It may make you embrace movies as a career or it might make you take a look into another profession, any other profession.

Bonus Features
- "Introducing ...Lizzy Strain" segment (5 mins)
- Julia Wept short film, interviews & trailer (45 mins) Great short film!
- Debbie Rochon 1986 student films (5 mins)
- 12 website listings for the director and Scream Queens(a few of the addresses are no longer live)

The Hollow

2005-09-12T22:30:00.000-04:00

First Look Home Entertainment

Ian Cranston(Kevin Zegers) is a high school student that prefers fencing and theater over football, which is coached by his domineering father Carl(Judge Reinhold). The young Cranston is falling for Karen(Kaley Cuoco) who is dating obnoxious jock, Brody(Nick Carter, yes that Nick from the Backstreet Boys). They all live in the small town of Sleepy Hollow, the same Sleepy Hollow that used to count Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman as it’s residents. Turns out that Ian is a long lost relative of Ichabod and now that another Crane is back in town the Headless Horseman will ride again on Halloween to search for human heads. Ian must team up with his friends, his unsupportive father and the creepy town drunk/grave keeper, Claus Van Ripper(Stacey Keach), to send the ancient evil back to the Hell from which it came.

Fans of Washington Irving’s short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow may be a little dismayed at the changes that the makers of The Hollow have made to the classic tale. The same can be said for viewers of the TV version of The Hollow and the unnecessary changes made to give it an R rating. The changes are a little extra gore and some sexual themes that don’t add to the already limited story. I’m not saying that The Hollow is a good movie or a bad movie, it just kind of exists. Can’t complain about the acting, Zegers is pretty good and even Carter isn’t bad. The special effects, though limited, are passable. The screenplay would be as good as most low budget horror movies had it not been based on a classic. Granted, the story has all the horror cliches; love triangle, unbelieving elders and the obvious candidates for decapitation. I can’t believe I’m going to say this but The Hollow would work best as an family picture with all the R rated qualities cut out. I really hope First Look makes an edited version available to the public. If they do they might have a minor Halloween hit for parents to watch with their kids on a yearly basis. Basically, if you’re a fan of the Halloween season you might find something to like in The Hollow.

The Possession of Nurse Sherri

2005-09-12T20:42:00.000-04:00

Retro Shock-O-Rama

Al Adamson may not be a household name but his work sure has graced the screens of many household TV’s. Whether you happened across Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1972) during horror week on the afternoon movie or turned on your local horror host and caught Brain of Blood (1972), at some point you’ve probably seen his work. Some consider Adamson one of the worst directors ever but there is a certain charm in his work. Nurse Sherri is full of that charm.

The Possession of Nurse Sherri starts out in the middle of the desert where a small cult is meeting in hopes of raising the dead. The cult , led by Reanhauer (Bill Roy), has been huddling over the body of a badly decomposed young man. The young man has died after being assured by the cult leader that he no longer needs to take insulin for his Diabetes. You see, as we will be reminded time and time again, Reanhauer possesses "powers that you haven’t even dreamt of". As the raising of the dead ceremony hits full swing, Reanhauer collapses and must be rushed to the hospital. It’s no wonder he collapses, who wears a suit in the middle of the desert? He dies in surgery, but is he really gone?

Nurse Sherri (full figured Jill Jacobson) is dating Dr. Peter Desmond (Adamson regular Geoffrey Land). Our first glimpse at the burgeoning romance is a rather extended bump & grind scene that culminates with Sherri asking the Dr. "What was your craziest sexual experience?". In an out of place flashback, Peter shares his experience about getting blown while standing at a podium and Sherri shares the tale of her first and only lesbian liaison. A little more sex than one can usually find in a "possession" film but as we will soon find out, the nurses in this movie are a little more oversexed than most.

Nurse Sherri’s friends, Nurse Tara Williams(the always stunning Marilyn Joi) and Nurse Beth Dillon(Mary Kay Pass) work at the same hospital as Sherri and Peter. Tara is excited to see that her new patient is none other than "Steam" Marcus Washington(Prentiss Moulden), "The fastest running back this side of The Juice". Marcus has been blinded in an auto accident and is rather bitter about his new situation. Tara confesses her admiration for Washington’s athletic prowess and the ground work for a future whoopie session are laid. Nurse Beth is a little less fortunate with her new patient, Charlie(TV regular Erwin Fuller). Even though Charlie is a big cry baby, and an extremely ugly one at that, Beth deems him deserving of some oral relaxation. Is this starting to sound like a soft-core romp ala Candy Stripe Nurses(1974)? I thought so, but things are about to make a change for the worse for these horny Nurses.

After more sexual hi-jinks Peter must leave Sherri so he can get to work. But something is not right. There is a mysterious, and badly animated, green light that is enveloping Nurse Sherri’s body. Could it be a hallucinogenic reaction to all the crazy 70's interiors? No. It’s the spirit of the evil Reanhauer taking over Sherri. How can we tell that she is possessed? She has a wide eyed and stern look on her face, talks in the voice of the deplorable cult leader and can bring a chill to any room she enters. Why has he taken possession of Sherri? To kill the Doctors that couldn’t save him from his own flair for bad desert fashion. Sherri’s first destination is the ranch of one of the surgeons. The surgeon, in full cowboy attire, is quickly eliminated with a pitchfork to the abdomen. Unfortunately, more Doctors were involved in Reanhauers failed surgery, including Dr. Peter.

Dr. Peter first becomes aware of the change in Sherri when she, gasp, doesn’t go to lunch with him. When he confronts her about her new lunch time independence she starts speaking in her new, manly voice. This incident forces Peter to seek out the advice of a Psychiatrist friend, Dr. Andrews(Jack Barnes). While telling Andrews the story of Sherri’s change he figures out what has happened. Nurse Sherri has been possessed by the soul of Reanhauer. How does he know this? Sherri and Reanhauer both used the same word, "finite". Either Dr. Peter is extremely intuitive or the writers had a half day when writing this important plot point. Meanwhile, Tara and Marcus become aware of the possessed nurse when she attempts to kill Marcus. The attempt is thwarted when Sherri see’s the clunky silver bracelet adorning Washington’s wrist. Dr. Peter arranges to have a Psychiatric nurse stay with Sherri until he can figure out what to do.

Peter gets Tara, Beth and Marcus together to discuss what is going on. In this little meeting we discover that Marcus’s Grandmother was a Voodoo Princess. She’s the one that gave him the bracelet featuring the faces of two "ancient demons". During the meeting Marcus begins to have a fit and convulsions. At that moment Sherri is in the process of killing another Doctor, this time with a knife to the abdomen. Marcus informs the trio that the only thing they can do is dig up Reanhauers body and set it on fire. Peter heads to Sherri’s house while the two nurses head off to the cemetery for some grave-digging.

Peter arrives at Sherri’s only to find that no one is there. But wait, what is that in the corner? Why it’s the body of the Psychiatric nurse. He charges about the house looking for his lady. Meanwhile, the two nurses have made some pretty remarkable progress on their grave-digging expedition. As they open the coffin a ghoulish hand falls from with inside. Nurse Beth jumps from the grave and Tara begins to pour gasoline on the disturbed coffin. Back at Sherri’s Peter decides to check the bathroom and as soon as he enters, the door shuts locking him in the tragically decorated john. He see’s no sign’s of life but must now check inside the shower. As he opens the door, Sherri lunges at him with two meat cleavers, one catching him on his chest. Just as the possessed nurse is about to wreak meat cleaver mayhem, Tara and Beth succeed in setting the corpse of Reanhauer on fire, releasing Nurse Sherri from his vile grasp. The film ends with a direct rip-off of the Psycho(1960) finale.

The Possession of Nurse Sherri is not a piece of cinematic excellency but it is quite fun. That is the charm that can be found in most Al Adamson films. Often compared to The Exorcist and Carrie, Nurse Sherri is much more like drive-in cult hit Ruby(1977). On a much smaller budget and with a less seasoned troupe of actors, Nurse Sherri succeeds in being a lot more fun than Ruby. The acting, though not great, is not as bad as it could have been. I get the feeling that people liked to work for Adamson and it shows in their work. Someone should put a copy of this movie in a time capsule so future generations can see how bad 70's fashions and interior decorating could get. Retro Shock-O-Rama does a great job of not overdoing it with this DVD. Sure there are numerous lines running through the film but does anyone really want to see a pristine version of Adamson’s films? That this disc isn’t remastered just adds to that Adamson charm. If your looking for a cheesy 70's good time, then look no further than The Possession of Nurse Sherri. And if that doesn’t fill your Adamson craving check out David Konow’s book, Schlock-O-Rama: The Films of Al Adamson. The book features many rare stills to go along with the story of a man who made movies and lived life the way he wanted. R.I.P. Al.

DVD Extras:
-Two different cuts of Nurse Sherri
-Commentary by producer Sam Sherman
-TV spot and theatrical trailer
-Trailers for other Shock-O-Rama and Seduction Cinema releases

The Janitor

2005-09-11T20:20:00.000-04:00

Elite Entertainment
Aspect Ratio 1.85:1

The Janitor can best be summed up as a smarter, better acted Troma style movie. Produced and directed by TJ Nordaker and Andy Signore(who also plays the title character), The Janitor is one of those movies that goes down best with a group of friends and a lot of beer. Over the top gore, sick humor and the occasional glimpse of naked female flesh are sure to please fans of the comedy/horror genre.

Lionel is a janitor at the Generico Corporation where he not only has to clean up after the workers but also put up with them constantly treating him as if he’s not human. These office workers are so reprehensible that they even piss and shit in the hallways. Lionel has had enough and has recently started to kill off the workers in his office complex. The slew of killings has caught the attention of the FBI who have sent Agent Page to investigate. Agent Page is a complete bonehead that is probably a lot closer to the truth than I’d like to admit. When Lionel almost wipes out a room full of workers in a fit of rage his co-worker and father figure Mr. Growbo steps in to bring him to his senses. Growbo has known all along who was responsible for all the killings. The custodial duo sets out to destroy some incriminating evidence in one of nastiest tampering scenes ever. After more office mayhem Lionel runs into some members of the TNA sorority who just happen to be looking for a janitor to clean up their sorority house. Under the impression that he has a new job Lionel gives a week notice to the Generico Corporation. When he shows up at the sorority house the following week he’s surprised to find out that someone else has taken the job. Lionel goes back to Generico and starts training the new janitor, Willis. After Lionel kills one of his many victims in front of Willis, the new guy asks if he is going to be next. Lionel answers, “I wouldn’t kill a fellow custodian”. Our homicidal cubicle cleaner takes Willis under his guidance and in a parody of Rocky starts him on a training schedule including push-ups on a toilet, broom exercises and reading the book Cleaning & Killing: The Undiscovered Art’s. The duo plans on taking care of the new house cleaner one night at the sorority house. Unfortunately, the sorority is hosting a party on the same night. What follows must be seen to be believed. A night full of evisceration, castration, death by toilet brush and a final custodial showdown martial arts style.

The Janitor may sound like a Troma rip-off but it’s much more an homage. The Godfather of the genre, Lloyd Kaufman, even makes an ill fated cameo. The acting is at times surprisingly good particularly by Andy Signore(Lionel) and Bruce Cronander(Mr. Growbo). Any one that has ever worked in an office will appreciate the humor, there are some genuine laughs to be found throughout the film. That fact alone separates The Janitor from it’s competition. If The Janitor sound like your type of movie than definitely get out there and get it. I’ve left plenty of goofy, gory goodness out so there will be plenty of surprises for future viewers. God bless Andy Signore and TJ Nordaker for their sick and twisted minds. Can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeve for the next film.

Elite Entertainment does a really nice job with The Janitor. The picture looks great. How many other movies like this get a Widescreen presentation? The disc also features plenty of special features that will satisfy fans.

Special Features
- Feature Length Documentary: Blood, Guts & Cleaning Supplies: The Making of The Janitor
- Extremely Drunken Commentary - Deleted Scenes & Alternate Ending
- “You’re Gonna Die (The Janitor!)” Music Video
- “The Office Is Closed...” The Original Short that Inspired the Movie
- Trailer & Easter Eggs

Polymorph (Special Edition DVD)

2005-09-11T19:51:00.000-04:00

Tempe Video

Synopsis: An alien life form that can transfer from one person to another lands in the forests of Ohio. Drug dealers have a large supply of cocaine stashed in a nearby cabin. A scientist and 4 young people go out to the forest to investigate what they think is a meteor landing site. These two groups collide and must battle the alien life form together.

Sounds familiar enough, but J.R. Bookwalter once again shows that he has the ability to take a simple story and add a little bit extra. About half way through Polymorph I found myself wondering why the characters seemed to talk so much. In a sci-fi/action movie that implies a small budget but in this case it really is character development. There are some very bad people in this movie but Bookwalter is able to squeeze a little humanity out of each character. By the end of the movie I really cared about most of these characters which made the ending even more powerful. The acting isn’t the greatest but for the most part it’s believable. Characters that would take on a one dimensional role in a mainstream film branch out beyond the norm and become much more effective than their big budget counterparts. James L. Edwards(Ted) and Ariuana Albright(Donna) do a particularly good job as a doomed blind date couple. Can’t wait to watch Bloodletting(1996) which pairs the duo again as a serial killing couple. Obviously the FX budget was pretty low but the job still get’s done effectively. J.R. knows how to utilize a small budget: keep the effects to a minimum and make the story carry the film. It’s a damn shame that the blowhards in Hollywood aren’t offering Bookwalter tons of projects. That’s ok though, J.R. has a supportive fan base and the Anchor Bay release of The Dead Next Door should get the guy some much deserved pocket money. Good movie that takes a while to get moving but once it does the slow start is appreciated. If you want a typical Hollywood happy ending your in the wrong place. Get past the budget restraints and enjoy this film for it’s high entertainment value. Remember kids, it’s not the size of the budget but what you do with it that matters.

Alright, I’m prepared for the backlash but I’m not a Tempe Video whore. These guys just do a hell of a job with their releases. Once again the disc is loaded with extras that add to the movie experience. Over 60 minutes of extra materials and a bunch of Tempe trailers. The big labels have been put to shame again.

Special Edition Features
-Digitally remastered
-Dolby Digital 5.1 surround remix
-Audio commentary with J.R. Bookwalter and four actors
-The Making of Polymorph (30 min.)
-On-set Footage (12 min.)
-Bloopers and Outtakes (10 min.)
-Auditions (11 min.)
-Production and promotional still galleries
-2005 & 1996 release trailers
-DVD-ROM mp3 soundtrack music & PDF screenplay
-Tempe DVD trailers

Skinned Alive (Remastered Special Edition)

2005-09-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

Tempe Entertainment

If your one of those horror fans that demands a big budget this isn’t your kind of movie. If your one of those fans, like me, who isn’t afraid of a low budget movie that doesn’t take itself seriously look no further. Skinned Alive is from a period before Al Gore invented the internet, and after his wife declared war on artistic freedom. See kids, before the internet you had almost no idea what kind of obscure video you were taking home from the rental store. Back in those days we picked a video by the lurid covers and the little description on the back. Sometimes you’d get a mild Italian police drama passed off as a gore film and if you were lucky you get a movie that lived up to it’s gory cover. Skinned Alive lives up to it’s cover and delivers the goods.

Skinned Alive is the tale of a dysfunctional and psychotic family of three traveling around in Crawldaddy’s Traveling Tannery van. The patriarch of the family, Crawldaddy, is the Mom/Dad of Phink and Violet, a homicidal and incestuous brother/sister duo. If Tobe Hooper ever made a Three Stooges short these three would be the stars. Constant arguing, fisticuffs and creative put downs are the norm. The trio are travelling the back roads of Ohio looking for some new "fashion" victims to supply the medium for their craft. When the family truckster has some engine troubles they seek help at the garage of kindly Mr. Miles. The van won’t be ready until the next day so Miles invites the demented family to spend the night in his basement. Big mistake!

Living next door to the Miles family is Paul Hickox, an ex cop and Vietnam veteran. Paul is in the middle of a divorce from his ultra bitchy wife. His house is adorned with Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds movie posters and he wears an anti Jane Fonda t-shirt. His military and police training could come in handy for the night that awaits but his addiction to the bottle might work against him. Meanwhile Mrs. Miles, Whinnie, is preparing a nice dinner for her guests but only Crawldaddy will attend because her kids have some work to do in the basement. While Crawldaddy puts on a disgusting display of table manners the kids get to work carving up their latest victim in gruesome detail. The sight of blood arouses the siblings into a fit of carnal lust that ends when Phink has a little too much trouble undoing Sis’s bra.

Crawldaddy and Phink go with Mr. Miles back to the garage so they can borrow his vehicle while he works on their van. As Miles begins work he notices a peculiar smell coming from inside the van. At the same time Phink informs Crawldaddy that he left one of the bodies inside the van. The duo turns around and heads back to the garage. What follows is pure bloody mayhem.

Skinned Alive does not possess the best acting or top of the line special effects. What it doesn’t have it makes up for in sheer determination to take it’s viewers on a funny, gory ride. If big budget horror movies had a fraction of the heart that Skinned has we wouldn’t be getting bombarded with remakes and sequels. Sure it’s a bit goofy but I for one don’t want to sit down and watch Last House on the Left every day. Entertainment is what movies are supposed to be about and this is full of it. Have some friends over, tip back some liquids and enjoy.

This is my first experience with any of Tempe’s DVD releases and I must say I’m quite impressed. I wish that some of the more wealthy DVD companies would give this kind of treatment to their releases. You get about an hours worth of behind the scenes footage from Skinned Alive. It’s amazing that it turned out so good because of all the trouble encountered during the shooting. Usually the behind the scenes footage doesn’t add much to the enjoyment of the movie but I think in this case it’s essential viewing. Tempe DVD is one company I’ll be keeping an eye on.

DVD Extras
-Digitally remastered (1.33:1 full screen)
-Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix
-Artwork Gallery
-Tempe DVD Trailers
-Production Still Gallery
-Camera & Wardrobe Tests (11 mins.)
-Behind the Scenes Footage (7 mins.)
-Cut to the Bone: Dissecting the making of Skinned Alive (35 mins.)
-Commentary by producer J.R. Bookwalter and make-up artist David Lange
-Roommates: Episode 2 (Kind of like an Ohio version of the UK’s Young Ones)

Plaster Caster (2001)

2005-09-08T22:04:00.000-04:00

Xenon Pictures

Interesting documentary about the infamous Leader of the Plaster Casters, Cynthia Plaster Caster. For those that don’t know, the Casters used dental alginate and plaster to make casts of rock stars penises and breasts. The list of castees is long and contains everyone from Jimi Hendrix, biggest member of the male castees, to Suzi Gardner of L7. It all started when Cynthia got the idea to use the casting sessions as a way to meet her R&R idols and immortalize them forever. Obviously the idea was a bright one because the Plaster Casters are now a fascinating chapter in the history of Rock & Roll. The band Kiss even wrote a song for their Love Gun album named after the casters.

The film follows Cynthia through everyday life including casting sessions, a visit to her dentist, and a rather daunting couple of visits to a foundry that’s making copies of her work for an upcoming gallery show. Cynthia tells some great stories about some of the rockers: turning away Hendrix in favor of Noel Redding, the MC5 casting session and the DVD contains a deleted scene about frightening experiences with Led Zeppelin. The film also features many interviews with castees including Noel Redding, Eric Burdon, Wayne Kramer and Jello Biafra. The real heart of the film is Cynthia herself. Her mother, referred to by Cynthia and friends as The Warden, was an ultra strict parent and at 80+ years still doesn’t know anything about the Plaster Casters or their art. Even the thought of her mom finding out about what she does leads to visible anxiety. The relationship is strained but there is still compassion and respect for one’s parents.

Until recently Cynthia held down an office job and struggled with the bills and rent just like anyone else. Mom still sends her a $100 dollars a month to help out.
One might think that someone that casts the dicks of rock stars would also follow the rock stars lifestyle of drugs, drink and debauchery. Not true in this case. One might also believe as a self described "groupie" that Cynthia has had to compromise herself. Not even close to the truth, Cynthia set out to get the musicians to sit for a casting and that’s exactly what she did. She never went out to become Mrs. Mick Jagger like so many failed groupies, she has succeeded in what she set out to do. Feminists groups looked at her as a poor girl that was being taken advantage of by the purported machismo of the male dominated rock scene. But don’t you dominate the bull when you have him by the balls?

We get a glance at the legal battles between Cynthia and an ex-manager of Frank Zappa over ownership of some of the casts. Cynthia wins the case but it’s implied that she doesn’t get everything back. In a funny scene she shows her appreciation to her attorney by asking him to sit for a casting. One of the most fascinating chapters is the courting of Danny Doll Rod (Demolition Doll Rods) for a casting session and the eventual casting itself. It’s a voyeuristic and revealing look at Cynthia in action. The final destination of the film is the first big gallery show for the casts. Through a lot of preparation, hard work and headaches the show is a big success. It’s uplifting to see an underground artist finally get some much deserved respect, especially in a time when it seems so many are at war with art. Cynthia Plaster Caster is not a one dimensional subject and will change the opinions of many who had prevailing beliefs about her. Sensitive, caring, at times a bit neurotic and always sensitive to the needs of others it becomes apparent that few others could do what Cynthia has done.

Special Features
-Commentary by Cynthia Plaster Caster
-12 Deleted scenes
-Full motion gallery of plaster casts
-Easter eggs
-Castee bios
-Collection of R&R photography and drawings
-Interview with Noel Redding

Fubar - The Movie (2002)

2005-09-08T21:55:00.000-04:00

Xenon Pictures
(1.78:1 Aspect Ratio)

Fubar is a mockumentary about the lives of two down and out Canadian headbangers, Dean Murdoch and Terry Cahill. Dean A.K.A. Deaner is the mullet headed leader of the duo. He has a flatulence problem, no job, a little luck with the ladies and newly diagnosed testicular cancer. Dean also still carries the dreams of making it big playing bass in a Metal band and the belief that Merlin the Magician was an actual historic figure. Terry is the more introverted of the two. This becomes painfully and humorously evident when he is around girls. Terry works in a table making factory and is a little confused about what exactly it is that he does there. They spend their days and nights shotgunning Pilsner, smoking weed, playing house hockey, performing random acts of vandalism and wrestling in the yard like a couple of kids. That’s their problem, they never grew up. Basically they look and act like the shirtless losers you see on Cops. Film maker Farrel Mitchener follows them around and records every detail of their lives. Occasionally Farrel crosses the line that no documentary film maker should ever cross, he gets involved with his subjects. This causes some problems when he spills the beans to Deaner’s estranged girlfriend Trixie about his cancer diagnosis. Trixie forces Dean to go to the doctor and have the problem testicle removed. After the surgery date is set the duo decide they should go camping and have one more bender a couple of days before checking into the hospital. The boys and Farrel get royally tanked, argue and knock down trees. The camping trip ends on a tragic note that is unexpected yet still funny. I can’t give away much about the rest of the film for fear of spoiling it for others.

Fubar is a very funny film but it’s also like watching an accident scene. Dean and Terry remind me of so many friends from the past. I hope they were able to do more with their lives. As obnoxious and clueless as our dumbass duo are, they still find a way to burrow a little bit into your heart. These guys don’t have a mean bone in their bodies they are just a little bit immature and misguided. There’s a very telling scene where Deaner tells a grieving mother a joke during her son’s wake. The Mother appreciates it but the other family members can’t get past Deans outer appearance. Little scenes like this happen throughout the film and they help to bring a more human side out of the main characters. If you blink you might miss these subtle shades and just take the film as the farce that it is but it deserves a closer look. Every actor in the film is completely believable in their roles. The soundtrack includes some great cuts from AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Girlschool and Sum 41. The Spinal Tap comparisons are inevitable and deserved but Fubar is easier to laugh at because more people can relate to wanna be rock stars than has been rock stars. "Turn up the good, turn down the suck" is one of Terry and Deaners favorite mantras, obviously Director Michael Dowse heard it and applied it to Fubar.

Xenon has done a really nice job putting together the Fubar DVD. The picture quality is what you would expect from a shot on video effort. But it’s in the Special Features where they really succeed.
Special Features:
-Dean and Terry Character biographies
-Videos by Thor and The New Pornographers
-Photo Gallery
-Commentary by Dean and Terry
-Director’s commentary
-Six deleted scenes and a short film by Terry Cahill(very funny)
-Short trailer
-Long trailer
-Soundtrack spot