Mai Lin vs Serena & Oriental Hawaii (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1981-2
Directed By: Carlos Tobalina
Written By:
Starring: Mai Lin, Serena
Color/158 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: September 9, 2014

The Films
The Peekarama line from Vinegar Syndrome has collected some of the hottest, weirdest and most entertaining vintage adult films ever released to DVD. That trend continues here with a pair of films directed by Carlos Tobalina who is no stranger to the Peekrama line, and starring Mai Lin. The first film MAI LIN VS. SERENA features the two legendary adult film stars battling for the starring role in Tobalina's next feature. All sorts of sexual exploits happen as the two girls set out challenges for the other leading to a group encounter in a hot tub.

ORIENTAL HAWAII features a family who gets to know each other quite well in this film filled with taboo. A vacation to Hawaii leads to a family orgy, Asian beauties servicing the brothers, sisters servicing each other and much more. No subject was off the table for Tobalina's films and he proves that with vigor in this one. There's some nice visuals in both films which are both carried by Mai Lin. 

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome has done some damn fine work on their releases to date and this is no different. Both films are presented in their original aspect ratios of 1.85:1 (16x9 anamorphic transfers) and are as pretty as the girls featured. Sharpness is good along with strong colors and flesh tones. There's some print damage but its not distracting. An English mono track is the sole audio option for each film and despite a bit of background noise they sound very good. The mix is quality and gets the job done nicely. 

The Extras
A trailer for each film is included.

The Bottom Line
If you've been a fan of the Peekarama Collection so far there's nothing here to stop you from continuing your enjoyment. You'll love the pleasures of the Orient. 

MAI LIN VS SERENA and ORIENTAL HAWAII is available HERE

Paranormal Diaries: Clophill (DVD Review) - Image

UK/2013
Directed By: Michael Bartlett, Kevin Gates
Written By: Kevin Gates
Starring: Craig Stovin, Criselda Cabitac, Kevin Gates
Color/88 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: September 30, 2014

The Film
In 1963 a black mass was held as the rundown church in Clophill, Bedfordshire, England. Bodies were desecrated, tombs looted and animals sacrificed. Since then the church has been home to numerous other instances of witchcraft and general desecration. A team of investigators plan to make a documentary in 2010 to get to the bottom of the legends and alleged paranormal activity that still frighten the townspeople.

PARANORMAL DIARIES: CLOPHILL is simply a test of patience for its viewers. I sat, eyes attached to the screen, waiting and waiting, seemingly forever, for something exciting to happen. It got to the point where I was hoping for a false jump scare to happen. But no, it never came. Very little of any significance happens in this movie. We sit around with a group of people, who at the very least are capable of acting with some skill, watching their footage which is largely in night vision around the outside areas of this old ruined church. Occasionally they'll find some animal bones or hear a noise or maybe they break out the Ouija board or perform various tests looking for ghosts and the like. This is pretty much an hour and a half long episode of any cable TV ghost hunting show without the douchey hosts.

If you sit around long enough you're rewarded with one ghostly image, one brief black magic sequence with full frontal female nudity and one gate that swings open without anybody touching it. There you go, I've given you all the payoff that PARANORMAL DIARIES: CLOPHILL gave me. You win because you get the satisfaction without wasting the time.

The Audio & Video
The DVD of PARANORMAL DIARIES  looks good considering how it is filmed. Filmed on handheld cameras, in night vision and played back in night scenes with nonexistant lighting. Despite being presented in conditions that are far from optimal for a nice looking disc, Image Entertainment handles it well with good clarity and a job well done handling black levels which can be problematic. The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer looks pretty good overall. The audio is handled with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track that is clear and mixed well. There are some sound effects that come through nicely.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with the cast
-Audio commentary with the director
-Deleted Scenes

The Bottom Line
There's really nothing at all worth wasting your time on here unless you want to sit through over 80 minutes for one tame scene of a black magic ritual to see some full frontal nudity in night vision.

PARANORMAL DIARIES: CLOPHILL is available HERE

The Last Step Down (DVD Review) - Kino Redemption

USA/1970
Directed By: Lawrence Ramport
Written By: Arthur Allen, Phil Miller
Starring: Olivia James, Beatrice Stolen, Uschi Digard
Color/70 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: September 30, 2014

The Film
A film that starts with a fifteen minute sex scene inside of a Satanic cult's sanctuary pretty much defines itself in those opening minutes. THE LAST STEP DOWN certainly did. In a film with a plot that largely doesn't exist, two gorgeous and voluptuous women help a young virgin to loosen up and experience sex for the first time. Of course that means a little lesbian threesome action before bringing her to the same sanctuary we saw in the opening scene where two cult members have their way with the young virgin and the other two women enjoy each other. Then the three women return home and discuss the newly deflowered girl's future as a high price hooker and have her practice her women pleasing skills on them. Roll credits.

THE LAST STEP DOWN doesn't have much going on and despite the presence of a Satanic cult it certainly isn't a horror film in any way. While the girls are incredibly attractive and sexy as hell this movie has little going for it aside from the girls. There's some great goof like during the last lesbian sex scene where one of the cameramen come into frame for about a minute. The real winner of this DVD is in the special features.

The Audio & Video
Kino Redemption bring this horror themed piece of soft erotica to straight from the 70s to DVD with an okay presentation. It is a perfectly watchable disc but the transfer (1.66:1 widescreen) is full of scratches, dirt and various damage. It is battered but it does add a certain vibe to the film that works. The mono English audio track has a bit of whirring background noise and a few split second dropouts but it is serviceable. 

The Extras
The best part of this disc is the 15 minute shirt film BLOOD LUST. This adaptation of "Carmilla" is an adult film produced for the 8mm home video market and was sold exclusively through adult magazine advertisements. This is a rare chance to get to see a piece of stag and horror history. The film isn't anything special but I think the production values are superior to the main feature and it is more entertaining as Dracula sends one of his sexy vampires to get a virgin to be his bride. There's plenty of nudity and sex, Dracula looks like a nasally accountant and out of nowhere there's a climax to it all. 

The Bottom Line
I would recommend this to fans of erotic horror for the BLOOD LUST short alone with THE LAST STEP DOWN being a bonus. The roles have reversed!

THE LAST STEP DOWN is available HERE

Cabin Fever: Patient Zero (DVD Review) - Image/RLJ

USA/2014
Directed By: Kaare Andrews
Written By: Jake Wade Wall
Starring: Ryan Donowho, Brando Eaton, Sean Astin
Color/95 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: September 2, 2014

The Film
A small group of friends have planned a bachelor party for their friend on a gorgeous yacht and secluded island in the Caribbean. It doesn't take long for the party of lifetime to turn into the party from hell. A dive into tainted waters reveals hundreds of dead and decaying fish which quickly begins eating away at our partyers. The rest of the group stumble upon an old research facility where they find out the secret testing responsible for the tainted water and the death it has caused.

Now up to its third installment, this particular entry being a prequel, CABIN FEVER is a film I never thought would turn in to a franchise. The first film, Eli Roth's debut, was good. It had some tense moments, plenty of gross out factor and even a few laughs along the way. It was a solid movie on its own. Then came the first sequel, "Spring Fever", directed by Ti West who would eventually try to have his name taken from the film because of how much studio interference there was and what a giant ball of shit it turned in to. That movie should have killed the thought of turning CABIN FEVER in to a franchise.

But no, CABIN FEVER is alive and well, well alive anyways, with PATIENT ZERO. Instead of making another sequel this time the filmmakers decided to show us the origins of the sickness and in what better way than to randomly set it in a beautiful paradise location. It makes no sense really, but the franchise already sucks so why the hell not? CABIN FEVER: PATIENT ZERO does nothing new or exciting. It feels like it could be the prequel (or sequel) to just about any recent horror franchise just having moved the setting somewhere exotic. There's plenty of gore, so if that's all it takes to please you then jump on in but other than that it is painfully generic in every way.

The Audio & Video
The DVD of this prequel from Image/RLJ looks quite good. There is a nice sharpness to the picture which makes the attractive exotic locations look gorgeous and the dark scenes are handled very well. Overall it's a nice 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. A 5.1 Dolby Digital track is the lone audio option and it has good clarity and a great mix. There's no background noise to speak of.

The Extras
Bare bones.

The Bottom Line
If you're a super fan of the franchise then you'll probably be interested in checking out this prequel but other than that the only people I can see really appreciating PATIENT ZERO are lovers of direct-to-video franchises.

CABIN FEVER: PATIENT ZERO is available HERE

Doctor Mordrid (Blu-ray Review) - Full Moon

USA/1992
Directed By: Albert Band, Charles Band
Written By: C. Courtney Joyner
Starring: Jeffrey Combs, Yvette Nipar, Jay Acovone
Color/74 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: September 23, 2014

The Film
DOCTOR MORDRID is the story of two rival sorcerers and their long running battle over Earth. Mordrid has sworn to protect Earth from Cabal who wants to turn the planet it a burnt pile of nothing. Cabal sends his minions to distract Mordrid while he works on freeing the demons from the Fourth Dimension who are locked away and patrolled by Mordrid's friends to help with his plan of destroying Earth. Mordrid and his neighbor who works for the police department must rush to stop Cabal from getting the Philosopher's Stone, the final piece Cabal needs to unleash hell. The museum that houses the stone turns into a battleground between two experts in magic.

DOCTOR MORDRID is one of the most underrated Full Moon films there is. It moves incredibly fast and is ridiculously entertaining. Jeffrey Combs takes the cheeseball movie and turns in a fantastic performance, as he has done numerous times in his career. He's a brilliant genre actor, one of the best this generation has to offer. There's some fun early 90s special effects which are obviously dated but still bring a smile to my face. The Band family (directed by Albert and Charles and scored by Richard) do a great job making a movie that far exceeds its budgetary constraints in terms of fun and quality. The stop motion animation is awesome and the battle between the T-Rex and the Mastodon is one of my favorite scenes in Full Moon history.

There's no secret that Full Moon isn't high art but DOCTOR MORDRID was made during the years I like to refer to as the "Golden Age" for Full Moon which I think ran until about the mid-90s. This time period had some fantastic B-movies being released from the company and MORDRID is one of the best.

The Audio & Video
In comparison to the old DVD put out by Full Moon this new Blu-ray is a revelation. The film is finally available in an anamorphic widescreen print and features great PQ. The detail level is high, especially in skin tones and textures. Colors are vivid and vibrant while remaining realistic and not overly enhanced. There's a few instances where the film is a bit soft but they are few and far between. There's no signs of edge enhancement or DNR. Two audio options are available, a 5.1 surround track and a 2.0 stereo track. The 2.0 track sounds good with no hiccups or background noise or damage to the track. The very good soundtrack by Richard Band is mixed beautifully with the dialogue to compliment the film. 

The Extras
-Audio commentary with Charles Band and Jeffrey Combs
-Original Videozone featurette
-Over 90 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage
-Vintage interview by William Shatner with Jeffrey Combs, Stuart Gordon and Barbara Crampton
-Trailers

The Bottom Line
Full Moon has done a great job with the majority of their Blu-ray releases and DOCTOR MORDRID is no exception. It is one of the most underrated films from Full Moon and it finally has a home video release that does it justice.

DOCTOR MORDRID is available HERE

Cry For Cindy/Touch Me/Act Of Confession (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/Various
Directed By: Anthony Spinelli
Starring: Kim Durey, Amber Hunt, George "Buck" Flower
Color/229 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: September 9, 2014

The Films
Cindy is a classy girl who loves her man enough to work as a prostitute to earn money to put him through medical school. The only problem is he doesn't know what she's doing for this money until he finds her at her pimp's apartment. Cindy breaks down and ends up killing herself. At her funeral friends gather to share stories of Cindy and to CRY FOR CINDY. There's plenty of sex in the stories though none of it is all that hot or memorable. It is easy to see how a softcore version was released.

TOUCH ME features a group of sexually hung up young adults who go to a retreat to work out their problems. Featuring a married couple, a playboy, a reserved girl and a man who is ashamed of his size among others, this varied group offers up quite a few different encounters and situations for the viewer to enjoy. Things are a bit more sinful in ACT OF CONFESSION where a nun who has just taken her vows struggles with her sensual urges and dreams along with another newbie who is more than willing to act out some lesbian desires with her. There's not much to the story here but where else will you see Jesus walk on water to get a blowjob? Hallelujah. 

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome delivers these three golden age pornos with good audio and video quality. The audio tracks are presented with their original Mono English tracks. The tracks do have some background noise and instances of popping and crackling but it never becomes overbearing or distracting. The films are all presented in their original aspect ratios and all have pretty good clarity. There is some print damage and debris on the prints but colors are strong and skin tones are fleshy.

The Extras
A softcore version CRY FOR CINDY is included.

The Bottom Line
Three different and altogether sexy and entertaining movies on this 2 disc set make for a solid entry into the Peekarama Collection.

CRY FOR CINDY/TOUCH ME/ACT OF CONFESSION is available HERE

Stunt Squad (Blu-ray Review) - Raro Video

Italy/1977
Directed By: Domenico Paolella
Written By: Domenico Paolella, Dardano Sacchetti
Starring: Marcel Bozzuffi, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Riccardo Salvino
Color/96 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: September 23, 2014

The Film
Shopkeepers and businesses are being extorted and forced to pay for protection by a crime ring in Italy. Bombings, shootings and other forms of violent crime are way up and the crime bosses are taking advantage of it. The normal police force is unable to do much of anything to stop it so they secretly train a special squad of officers known as The Stunt Squad. This special unit is trained in dirtbike pursuits, shooting from moving vehicle and while performing acrobatic stunts among other special skills that will help them bring down the crime rings being run by the ruthless Valli. The pursuits on Valli prove deadly for not only the police and the crime rings but innocent bystanders as well. The public has had enough with living in fear and make their move when the police have Valli cornered.

THE STUNT SQUAD features some of the most extreme and nasty violence in any Euro crime film I've seen to date along with some exciting chases and ridiculous training sequences. The film's title may be a bit misleading as the Stunt Squad doesn't show up until about halfway through the film and there is quite a bit of social commentary about that particular time in Italy. The title is a bit lighthearted for what the movie holds but the story is a good one and the direction from Domenico Paolella gives us some great action scenes. Vittorio Mezzogiorno steals the film as Valli and the scene in his hideout/home with his birds is purely brilliant. I have read that Valli may be the most vile character in all of Euro crime films and I think he certainly would be in the discussion at the very least.

A review of THE STUNT SQUAD wouldn't be complete without mentioning the score by Stelvio Cipriani which is quite good and allows the viewer to groove through the city streets with it. Cipriani was one of the best at scoring genre films and he didn't slack off here. 

The Audio & Video
Raro Video gives STUNT SQUAD a home on Blu-ray with a 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Overall the transfer is pretty good. Detail level is pretty strong while colors are realistic in their presentation. Sharpness is above average though there are some moments of softness and unremarkable visuals. There's also a bit of ghosting early on in the film. There are two audio options, Italian and English, both 2.0 tracks. The Italian track features English subtitles and while I think it sounds slightly better than the English track with a bit better and fuller mix the subtitles are awkward to read as they seem to have been translated literally and not fixed to read properly in English. The English track which is how I watched the film after finding out about the subtitles is still good, a bit thinner than the Italian track but it is clear, and free of background noise. The levels compliment each other nicely.

The Extras
A 6 minute video introduction and a full color booklet by Euro Crime historian Mike Malloy are included

The Bottom Line
Crime film fans, especially those who prefer the Italian crime film variety will want to add STUNT SQUAD to their collection. A decent transfer for a film packed with violence and excitement should sell fans of the genre quite easily. 

STUNT SQUAD is available HERE

The Dead 2 (Blu-ray Review) - Anchor Bay

UK/2013
Directed By: Howard J. Ford, Jonathan Ford
Written By: Howard J. Ford, Jonathan Ford
Starring: Joseph Millson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Goyal
Color/98 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: September 16, 2014

The Film
Nicholas is an American engineer working on turbines in India when a zombie outbreak hits. His mission turns from fixing turbines to safely crossing the 300 miles to Mumbai to rescue his pregnant girlfriend Meenu, who is trapped in the middle of the zombies and a firefight. Nicholas pairs up with a young orphan boy to help him traverse the harsh and dangerous landscape while Meenu struggles to stay alive as the monsters outside fight to get inside.

THE DEAD 2 is a sequel to the 2010 zombie horror film set in Africa. While it was far from perfect, the first entry into this series featured a bit of tension and a very interesting setting for a zombie film. It was mildly entertaining and ended up being worth a viewing. THE DEAD 2 feels like a lazy retread of that film. The Ford Brothers move the action to the deserts of India here which is interesting for a setting but really offers little else to the movie other than the initial thought of "Cool, India.". The zombies are slow which I prefer, yes it is true that faster zombies are more of an immediate threat than the slow, plodding zombies but the tension that can be built over a period of time with these classic style zombies is what can turn a great zombie movie into a a great movie. THE DEAD 2 is sadly missing out on any tension. There's very little attempt at building it and whenever it seems like things might take a step in the right direction as far as chills and tension go, it ends up in a cheap and telegraphed jump scare.

The acting is quite good from everyone involved, that is probably the film's strongest point. Unfortunately good acting is wasted on lazy writing. THE DEAD 2 suffers badly from lazy writing as it is very much just a road trip movie across a zombie filled road. Little of consequence happens to Nicholas and his version of Short Round along the way, they get to know each other a bit and kill some zombies. There is one scene toward the end that proves to be emotional and powerful. It's a shame there isn't more scenes like that. There's also some really questionable decisions made by characters and some overlooked details. Like when Nicholas hits a zombie with his jeep and just abandons his Jeep to set out on foot with no sign of damage to the vehicle. Or when he picks up a revolver and later on mysteriously has a 9mm style pistol. It's just lazy and upsetting.

The Ford Brothers have potential, as directors, they've shown it before and there are some positives here, the movie is violent and gory and the zombies have a neat look to them but THE DEAD 2 is nothing that the original film didn't do and do with more passion.

The Audio & Video
The Blu-ray from Anchor Bay is very nice. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer simply shines. Colors are vibrant and lively while black levels are deep and handled nicely. Skin tones are natural with no signs of waxiness or excessive DNR. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio mix is excellent. There's no background noise and dialogue and soundtrack levels are perfectly on point. From gunshots and explosions to conversations on the phone you really can't ask for better.

The Extras
Special features include a "Making Of" featurette and a selection of deleted scenes

The Bottom Line
Zombie movie fanatics will be the ones who enjoy THE DEAD 2 the most. Is it a great horror film? No, but is it worth at least a watch on a boring night? Yeah, there's some fun to be had.

THE DEAD 2 is available HERE

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (40th Anniversary Blu-ray Review) - Dark Sky Films

USA/1974
Directed By: Tobe Hooper
Written By: Kim Henkel, Tobe Hooper
Starring: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger
Color/84 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: September 16, 2014

The Film
What can I say about THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE that hasn't been said a thousand times already? This maniacal film about a group of young adults looking for a fun weekend at their grandparents old house who are terrorized and tortured by a depraved cannibal family in a small secluded Texas town is among my top 15 favorite films of all time. It is a perfect film in every way. It is violent and sick but notably light on blood or gore. There's no need for shock value here as all of the film's scares lie in the writing and performances by a group that was being driven to the brink of insanity by an endlessly oppressive Texas summer heatwave and the stench of real rotting animal corpses dressing the set. This actual madness that the cast had descended into is easily felt through the screen by the audience and I'm hard pressed to come up with another film quite like it in that way.

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE is as scary, weird and gross as it was 40 years ago when it was unleashed on the world. It is also as perfect in every way. Age has not cracked the film's shell and exposed flaws or dated it in any way. This film is timeless and I have no doubt it will be as effectively horrifying at its 80th anniversary as it is today at 40.

This film has received incredible amounts of merchandising over the years from video games on the Atari system to action figures, drink mugs, artwork, t-shirts, Halloween costumes and more. Of course home video releases rule and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE has been released on every format from Betamax to Laserdisc and even had a CED release. Perhaps most of all though, it has had numerous releases on DVD and Blu-ray including Collector's Editions, Anniversary Editions, Ultimate Editions, Special Editions... you name it and it probably had an edition. I've owned a few of these editions and while many of them are quite nice as far as technical presentation of the film and special features are concerned, none of them hold a candle to this new 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition Blu-ray set.

The Audio & Video
Dark Sky Films has done great work with TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE in their past editions of the film but they've now given us the definitive edition. The new 4K presentation of the film takes the pretty damn good looking previous Blu-ray and blows it out of the water. There's a beautiful film quality to the picture which has a very sharp look with a lovely natural color palette. Skin tones look fleshy and healthy and the anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 transfer has come from source material that was in excellent and very clean condition. There are a number of audio options, including a Dolby TrueHD 7.1, 5.1, 2.0 and the original Mono mix. Depending on if you want to work out your home theater system or listen to the original mix you're in for a treat. The mixes are all well done and crystal clear. There's never any instances of levels fluctuating and there's no annoying background noise or popping or crackling. I'll sum up my thoughts on the A/V with a resounding "hell yes!"

The Extras
Disc 1:
-Audio commentary with: Tobe Hooper, actor Gunnar Hansen, Cinematographer Daniel Pearl
-Audio commentary with: Actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger and Paul A Partain and Production Designer Robert Burns
-New audio commentary with Tobe Hooper
-New audio commentary with Daniel Pearl, Editor J. Larry Carroll and Sound Recordist Ted Nicolaou

Disc 2:
-The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth
-Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories Of The Saw
-A Tour Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre House with Gunnar Hansen
-Off The Hook with Teri McMinn
-The Business Of Chain Saw: An interview with Production Manager Ron Bozman
-New deleted scenes and outtakes
-Grandpa's Tales: An interview with John Dugan
-Cutting Chain Saw: An interview with Editor J. Larry Carroll
-Deleted scenes and outtakes
-Blooper reel
-Outtakes from "The Shocking Truth"
-Horror's Hallowed Grounds
-Dr. W.E. Barnes Presents "Making Grandpa"
-Still gallery
-Trailer selection
-TV spots
-Radio spots

Discs 3 and 4 are DVD versions of the film and special features

The Bottom Line
By now do you need to hear anything else? I sure hope not because a perfect film with a damn near perfect presentation and a metric shit ton of extras shouldn't take too much thought. Go get it. 

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 40TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S EDITION BLU-RAY is available HERE

Prisoner Of Paradise (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1980
Directed By: Bob Chinn, Gail Palmer
Written By: Gail Palmer, Jeffrey Fairbanks
Starring: John Holmes, Seka, Sue Carol
Color/78 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: September, 9 2014

The Film
John Holmes stars as an American G.I. who gets stranded on a tropical island after his ship is bombed during WWII. He quickly finds out that a small Nazi outpost rand by one SS man along with a couple Nazi women (one named Ilsa... of course) and a Japanese military woman have kidnapped a pair of US women, one a military nurse. Holmes tries to save them but is quickly apprehended. The Americans are tortured, mainly sexually by the Nazi women as the fat, sleazy man of the SS looks on with sick enjoyment. The Japanese woman falls for Holmes and helps him destroy the outpost and escape with the American women.

A war epic, a porno and a piece of Nazisploitation, PRISONER OF PARADISE has it all going on. This is such a crazy idea that totally works. The genres blend perfectly for a sleazy ride. Hell, even the closing credits are ridiculous! John Holmes is the perfect guy for this role and the women are beautiful. The only shortcoming is that I wish there was a bit more Nazi torture going on, but I guess a porno is a porno for a reason and they'd sell more tickets with more sex and less crazy Nazisploitation situations.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome does what they do and that is give films that other companies wouldn't touch a top notch presentation. This DVD looks great with a 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer taken from a clean print that has been kept in pretty solid condition. Colors look good and there's a nice clarity and sharpness to the overall image. The audio sounds good with a clear track free of any obtrusive background noise like popping or crackling. 

The Extras
The lone special feature is the original theatrical trailer

The Bottom Line
This is one of the more exciting and unique pieces of exploitation and smut that Vinegar Syndrome has released to date. The blend of genres makes for a really fun time and the vintage smut fans and Nazisploitation fans will both enjoy this one.

PRISONER OF PARADISE is available HERE

Graduation Day (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1981
Directed By: Herb Freed
Written By: Anne Marisse, Herb Freed, David Baughn
Starring: Christopher George, Patch Mackenzie, E. Danny Murphy
Color/96 Minutes/R
Region FREE
Release Date: September 9, 2014

The Film
A young high school senior track star collapses and dies after a race in front of her school, coach and boyfriend. As Graduation Day approaches the seniors are in high spirits and ready to move on with their lives. Anne returns home from the Navy  to accept her fallen sister's diploma and track awards. Unfortunately there is a killer on the loose knocking off students and anyone else that gets in their way. Who is responsible for the vicious murders in what should be a time of celebration and growth for the students?

GRADUATION DAY was always a lesser slasher to me. On my only previous viewing I was unimpressed and rather frankly, bored. It has been years since that viewing and on my first revisit to the film I find myself liking it substantially more. GRADUATION DAY is not a good film. It has a basic slasher plot which is full of plot holes and gaffes such as spoiling the identity of the killer for itself during a murder sequence where you can clearly tell who is behind the fencing mask. Or during the first murder of the film, a prop switchblade knife can clearly be seen squirting blood long before if ever strikes its victim. GRADUATION DAY works as an entertaining body count film with this type of silly charm. Hell, it even features an early appearance by future 80s Scream Queen Linnea Quigley and from Vanna White who doesn't have a puzzle board or a vowel in sight! The 80s certainly were a weird time.

There is a disturbing factor to GRADUATION DAY from a domestic violence standpoint and to a classic horror trope that we've seen countless times it adds a bit of a dirty feeling to the movie. While I did find myself enjoying the film quite a bit for everything it was and didn't want to be at the same time I also found myself waiting for the credits to roll by the end of the film. The writers apparently couldn't figure out how to end the film because in the last 10-12 minutes there are about 4 times the movie could have ended easily but it just kept going and going dragging the viewer along for the ride. It didn't hamper my enjoyment of the film but GRADUATION DAY could be trimmed by a good 10-15 minutes and wouldn't be any worse off. A cheesy 80s slasher film is a bit more attractive at a tight 85 minutes than it is at 96 minutes and dragging at the end.

The Audio & Video
Previously only available on a weak DVD from Troma, Vinegar Syndrome has released this new Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with a fantastic looking 4K restoration. Colors are vivid and realistic and skin tones are natural looking without a hint of waxiness in the 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer. There's no DNR or edge enhancement to speak of. The lone audio track is a DTS-HDMA mono track which takes the original mono mix the film had and puts the high-def treatment to it. No complaints here as it sounds excellent and is very clear and free of background noise.

The Extras
-Audio commentary track with Producer David Baughn
-Audio commentary track with The Hysteria Continues
-Video interviews with star Patch Mackenzie, Director Herb Freed, Producer David Baughn, and Editor Martin Jay Sadoff

The Bottom Line
A fun movie is a fun movie and a very nice presentation is a very nice presentation. This release is both of those things. It's like buying really expensive Limburger Cheese... It's stinky but in the best way and of the finest quality!

GRADUATION DAY is available HERE

Found (DVD Review) - XLRator Media

USA/2012
Directed By: Scott Schirmer
Written By: Todd Rigney, Scott Schirmer
Starring: Gavin Brown, Ethan Philbeck, Phyllis Munro
Color/103 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: September 23, 2014

The Film
The hype of indie films can really kill them once they release wide. If a lot of fans get on the bandwagon of calling a film the new greatest horror film and it can make it harder to enjoy a film for what it is if you aren't totally in love with it. For months I've been hearing the praises of Scott Schirmer's FOUND. I've finally got the chance to see it and managed to keep the countless opinions out of my mind while viewing it.

Marty is ten years old and loves horror films and comic books. He's bullied at school, his friends are turning their backs on him and his parents don't really get him despite being an idea student and a good kid. Marty's life takes a dark turn when he discovers a truly dark side to his older brother. Marty must deal with the struggles at home and school while knowing that his brother will kill him if he tells his secret. That nightmare becomes a distinct possibility when his brother snaps and turns his dark side on Marty and his parents.

FOUND is pretty damn vicious and mean spirited. I had some preconceived notions that the attention FOUND was getting was all for its gore content. While it is a gory film it isn't as prevelant as I had imagined. The acting is decent but there are some rough patches with various characters. Gavin Brown, who plays Marty is a strength of the film from start to finish though.There's a lot to like about FOUND but I also found it to be a bit empty at times with padding until the climax. I don't love FOUND. Upon finishing it I thought it was decent and deserving of some of the praise it was getting but certainly not the greatest thing we've seen in a long time. Then hours passed and then those hours turned into days and I liked what I had seen more and more. I still don't love FOUND but I definitely like it and I'm excited to watch it again before too long.

The Audio & Video
XLRator Media gives FOUND its wide release home on DVD and they did a nice job with it. The anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 presentation is clean and sharp. Colors are crisp and there's no digital noise or damage. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is good. A steady and well done mix gives the listener a nice experience.

The Extras
-"Headless" - The full uncut 25 minute short film
-"Deep Dwellers" -The full uncut 7 minute short film
-Commentary track with director Scott Schirmer and writer Todd Rigney

The Bottom Line
FOUND is a great example of an indie horror film that isn't completely over hyped. I highly recommend you give it a chance. 

FOUND is available HERE

Hole In The Wall (2014)

I couldn't wait to sit down and write this review upon finishing the film. I wanted to talk about HOLE IN THE WALL with anyone I could. Unfortunately for me very few people have seen it at this point so I will talk to myself about it in this review. Sit back dear reader, and enjoy until you get the chance to view this wonderfully offensive film.

HOLE IN THE WALL is an anthology film with the only rules being filth, sleaze and horror. The film starts with "A Message From The Underground", a PSA style message to the audience that really should be taken to heart. If you're at all unsure if you want, or more importantly should, view this film, heed this warning. The film gets underway with "The Plainfield Chopper" as a man dragging a wrapped body into his barn while a weird boy watches him. The boy is invited up to experience death. We visit this duo repeatedly through the film as it serves as the wrap around to the various other stories in the film. Each time we come back they are a bit further along in their sadistic fun with the body, making sure not to lose a drop of the blood because the blood makes everything better.

The first chapter of the anthology goes straight for the jugular. The viewer, along with their stomach and their morals are put to the test with "Scumbag". If you manage to make it passed this diabolical delight of bizarre sadism, animal cruelty, necrophilia and murder you may continue with the rest of HOLE IN THE WALL. You'll have to get passed scenes involving shit, semen and blood all with sex and violence mixed in. I promise you'll never look at your fingers the same way again.

Congratulations if you made it with your lunch in tact. And if you didn't, you can live out the rest of HOLE IN THE WALL vicariously through the rest of this review.

"Ed Gein D.D.S." is next and shows what happens when you resurrect an infamous serial killer through black magic and he has a penchant for practicing his own brand of dental work on his victims. This is an uncomfortably brutal take on the already violent and disturbing history of the infamous serial killer. Then comes "Last Dance", a sexually charged piece of filth straight out of John Waters' world. I hope you're prepared to see anything you can imagine because it is possible that "Last Dance" has it and makes sure you're repulsed by it. "Last Dance" is a snow covered descent in to a fucked up family filled with sex and madness.

By this point you've either gone to confessional and been told to say 1,000 Hail Marys or you've lost all inhibitions and are well on your way to become a drooling raving maniac. It's okay to admit that you've thrown up, turned of the film and turned it back on because you just can't look away.

You've been welcomed back with "Siren" a surreal and psychedelic piece of drug fueled horror with victims far and wide. I love "Siren" for the fact that it can easily be taken as a straight forward horror film or a piece of psychological horror using drug use as the catalyst for driving someone to the brink of insanity. We learn the origins of the Chopper in our wrap around story in "Our Song Is My Blade" as a ghostly woman and her disembodied voice haunts a man telling him to kill, and kill he does. "Our Song..." is beautifully violent and brings the story full circle to an over the top climax of blood and guts that looks like it is straight out of an H.G. Lewis film. And just when you think you've survived HOLE IN THE WALL there's a last punch to the gut post credits with "Glory Hole". It is quick but it will certainly have you re-thinking not walking out during the credits.

HOLE IN THE WALL pushes the limits of decency in ways that haven't been seen since films of the 1970s. It is filled with disgusting, despicable and depraved content and is a purely fucked up film. HOLE IN THE WALL doesn't solely rely on being gross and offensive though, there are some truly creative and artistic moments in both the writing and direction of these shorts. From the character interaction in Derrick Carey's "The Plainfield Chopper" that comes off organically with the Chopper almost becoming a teacher of sorts to his new "apprentice", to the heavily colored lighting and direction by Carolyn Baker in "Siren". Derrick Carey showed more directorial skill with the haunting work in "Our Song Is My Blade" with the ghostly voice over work and shots of the woman driving the man to kill.

We shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that this movie isn't a total gross out though and that is the case with Greg Johnson's "Last Dance". If someone didn't know better they could easily mistake this for something John Waters made in the 60s or 70s. It oozes of the Dreamlanders and Waters' signature sleaze. And fans of more straight forward horror will find plenty of it to enjoy with Cory Udler's ridiculously vicious "Ed Gein D.D.S". When I first heard the title to this short I had no idea what to expect but I half expected some sort of weird spoof. I was happy to find that wasn't the case and it is just an off the wall title for an off the wall piece of nastiness.

The film closes making sure the viewer knows that HOLE IN THE WALL is all about being gross and offensive and filled with motherfucking sleaze in the cherry on top that is Steve Goltz and Kevin Sommerfield's "Glory Hole". I can't say enough about HOLE IN THE WALL it goes places that most filmmakers don't dare think about, let alone actually make and release.

It isn't uncommon for anthology films to be a bit disjointed and lacking in quality throughout but that is not the case here. While the shorts provide the viewer a great mix of content and tone, it is all filthy. Even when there are bits of comedy thrown in it fits the overall tone of HOLE IN THE WALL completely without yelling "I''m fucking funny please laugh at me!" at the viewer. The humor that is present is sick and will make you question if you should laugh, if you're even able to laugh instead of still processing what you've already seen.

HOLE IN THE ALL is a filthy horror anthology made in full by Wisconsin based filmmakers. If this is what drinking the waters of Wisconsin will have you make and enjoy I need to relocate ASAP because I fucking loved this movie. HOLE IN THE WALL is a quality blend of sleazy horror and fantastic filmmaking that strikes many different chords in perfect harmony. HOLE IN THE WALL is ready to turn the independent horror world on its fucking head. I can't wait to get a chance to own this film. 

You can find out more information on the film such as release dates, festival screenings and more at the film's official Facebook page HERE

Pumpkinhead (Blu-ray Review) - Scream Factory

USA/1988
Directed By: Stan Winston
Written By: Mark Patrick Carducci, Stan Winston, Richard C. Weinman
Starring: Lance Henriksen, John DiAquino, Kerry Remsen
Color/86 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: September 9, 2014

The Film
A group of teens bring their dirt bikes to Ed Harley's (Lance Henriksen) store to get supplies for their trip. They decide to start riding right there in the field next to the store and after drinking a bit one of them runs over Harley's son. Most of the group scrambles, leaving the boy for dead. Harley is angered and devastated and decides to pay a visit to a witch to summon the local myth known as Pumpkinhead. Pumpkinhead is a creature that will take vengeance for whoever summoned him and can't be stop until the deed is done. As Pumpkinhead terrorizes the kids Ed Harley realizes that two wrongs don't make a right and tries to stop the beast himself knowing that the vicious attacks from the monster won't bring back his son or help bring closure.

PUMPKINHEAD only gets better with subsequent viewings. I love this film a little more every time I see it. Stan Winston isn't known for his directing like he is for his special effects but he does a fantastic job with this film. The atmosphere created with set pieces and lighting is thick and moody. The acting is very good from top to bottom with Henriksen giving one of his best performances of his career. PUMPKINHEAD is as much a morality tale as it is a horror film but it is very much a horror film. From the hulking 7 foot plus stature of the creature to his penchant for dispatching of his victims with violent and brutal style to the spooky witch that can awaken the Pumpkinhead fetus this movie is creepy and a bit disturbing.

It's also beautiful visually and emotionally. The sets, from the creaky shacks in the woods to the burial mound covered in moldy, rotten pumpkins this movie has a very distinct look. At times it is very humid and dusty then it almost feels like a frigid Autumn night. The story of Harley and his son and then Harley's emotional turn really draw the viewer in from different angles. There are some very likeable characters that we want to survive and then there are others that we don't mind watching Pumpkinhead handle with vigor. PUMPKINHEAD is awesome.

The Video & Audio
Oh Scream Factory, thank you so much. PUMPKINHEAD shines in this new Collector's Edition Blu-ray.  The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer has great clarity and sharpness. You can almost feel the wind in the woods or the dust in the earlier scenes at the store. A lot of this film takes place in very dark locations and the black levels are handled brilliantly on this disc. Colors are represented with lifelike realness and don't look at all artificial. Skin tones are show great detail and not a hint of waxiness. The DTS-HDMA Stereo audio track is mixed perfectly and is crystal clear. No background noise or audio damage to speak of.

The Extras
This disc is packed. Packed I tell you!
-"Pumpkinhead Unearthed" - A documentary on the film clocking in at over an hour long!
-"Remembering The Monster Kid" a 45 minute tribute to Stan Wintson and Alec Gillis
-Audio commentary with Gary Gerani, Tom Woodruff a
-"Night Of The Demon" with Richard Weinman
-"The Redemption Of Joel" with John DiAquino
-"The Boy With The Glasses" with Matthew Hurley
-Demonic Toys featurette on the making of PUMPKINHEAD toys
-Theatrical Trailer
-Still Gallery

The Bottom Line
PUMPKINHEAD on Collector's Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory is a contender for Top 10 Releases Of The Year with its gorgeous technical presentation and extensive collection of special features

PUMPKINHEAD is available HERE

Prom Night (Blu-ray Review) - Synapse Films

Canada/1980
Directed By: Paul Lynch
Written By: William Gray, Robert Guza Jr.
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Casey Stevens
Color/93 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: September 9, 2014

The Film
Six years after an accident involving some kids playing a prank leaves one of their friends dead from a nasty fall, a killer is on the loose at Hamilton High at prom. The students are preparing their dates, their hair and makeup and their suits and dresses for the night while a select few are getting obscene phone calls from a raspy voice. Eventually the time has come for the party but not everyone is having a good time as a maniac in a black ski mask is running around with an axe! Prom has become a fight for survival to find out who is behind the brutal murders and what their motive is.

Disco was dying by 1980 but it was the driving force behind the soundtack for PROM NIGHT. The high energy and bright lights bouncing off the disco ball during the third act of the film provides a great excitement and adrenaline rush for this slasher film. Director Paul Lynch turns a film that barely got finished into a pretty well done horror film that has plenty of the excess in violence and sex that the 80s would become known for. The viewer needs a bit of patience with PROM NIGHT as it is on the slow side. Almost all of the action takes place after the hour mark has passed which creates a 100mph thrill ride of blood and guts. There's still time to build tension throughout the kill scenes including the auto mechanic's garage scene which is one of my favorite parts of the film.

Acting is way above average for a slasher, lead by Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielsen as the principal. The score and soundtrack which apparently were quite rushed ended up being spot on for the movie and the reveal at the end wraps up the story nicely. PROM NIGHT is a great slasher film that gets better with each repeated viewing.

The Audio & Video
Synapse Films are masters of their craft. No other company does quite as good a job with each subsequent release as Synapse does and they prove it yet again with PROM NIGHT. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer features great clarity and a natural grain structure. Skin tones are healthy and natural while black levels are deep and inky. Colors pop just enough without looking artificially enhanced and there's no noticeable DNR. There are two options for the audio, a DTS-HDMA 5.1 surround track which will give your home theater system a reason to work. It sounds awesome. There's also the original 2.0 mono mix which represents the film perfectly and is also a fine choice. There's no audible hiccups or background noise to speak of. This is a fantastic technical presentation.

The Extras
-Audio Commentary with director Paul Lynch and writer William Gray
-"The Horrors Of Hamilton High" - An extensive "Making Of" featurette
-Additional Scenes for the TV presentation of PROM NIGHT
-Never before seen outtakes (Blu-ray exclusive)
-Motion still gallery (Blu-ray exclusive)
-Original radio spots (Blu-ray exclusive)
-Original theatrical trailer
-TV spots

The Bottom Line
A classic slasher film on a gorgeous disc packed with special features? Of course I recommend it highly.

PROM NIGHT is available HERE

Tinto Brass: Maestro Of Erotic Cinema (Blu-ray Review) - Cult Epics

The Box Set
Tinto Brass has been making films since the early 1960s. Known to genre fans for his erotic and exploitative nature with films such as Caligula (1979)and Salon Kitty (1976). Brass' penchant for skin on film has carried his career into the 21st century with the erotic films contained in this set. From comedies like CHEEKY! and PRIVATE (Fallo) to the Nazi-Germany set drama BLACK ANGEL (Senso '45) and the very sexually charged MONAMOUR, this collection brings four of the Italian director's contemporary works together in one attractive package.

Tinto Brass has been at it for five decades now and hasn't lost his ability to get a rise and charge out of his audience. There are plenty of laughs to be had in this set and emotional highs and lows. There's also a bounty of beautiful women in various sexual encounters. Tinto Brass may never be looked at as a truly brilliant director but few can rival his successes over such an extended period of time in such a genre of film.

The Audio & Video
Cult Epics has done a beautiful job assembling this box set out of previously available individual titles. The transfers on these discs (all 16x9 anamorphic) are pristine with crystal clear clarity and striking colors. The skin tones are fleshy and natural while black levels and deep and rich. The audio tracks are much the same, with options for Italian audio with optional English subtitles or an English dub track, there isn't a bit of background noise or audible hiccups. The mix is well done between dialogue and soundtracks too.

The Extras
This five disc set includes a healthy array of special features including:

-40 Page collectible booklet
-DVD documentary: "Tinto Brass: Maestro of Erotic Cinema"
-"Making Of" Featurettes
-Trailers
-Photo Galleries

The Bottom Line
Four Tinto Brass feature films on Blu-ray and a documentary on DVD make this five disc set an absolutely stellar release from the good folks at Cult Epics. If any sort of erotic cinema is an interest to you there's no reason not to run out and buy yourself a copy of this set.

TINTO BRASS: THE MAESTRO OF EROTIC CINEMA is available HERE

Grindhouse Trailer Classics (DVD Review) - Intervision

Color/129 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: August 12, 2014

The Film
For the exploitation, horror and various other genre films of the 60s and 70s the trailer was the only thing to draw in an audience aside from having an appealing title. This would be 30 seconds to a minute and a half of footage from the film promising the most exciting, nerve shattering, blood curdling and adrenaline pumping action you've ever seen. Often times the trailer was better than the movie itself and sometimes the trailer showed every single exciting part of the full film.

Creating an exciting trailer that will captivate audiences and get them to shell out their bucks to buy a ticket to see the full film is an art form in itself and the trailers for the films that would play in seedy theaters in cities such as Chicago, San Francisco and along the Deuce in New York City featured an energy that has never been recreated. GRINDHOUSE TRAILER CLASSICS features 55 trailers from films stretching the gamut of exploitation genres. A few included trailers are the horror films House Of Whipcord, and Don't Open The Window to the exploitation classics They Call Her One Eye and the Ilsa films. There's even a giallo or two included.

The Audio & Video
Intervision releases this DVD with an anamorphic widescreen transfer and original mono audio. The picture and audio quality fluctuates from trailer to trailer as you'd expect. The best trailers look and sound fantastic with little background noise and minor dirt or damage to the print. The trailers in lesser condition still maintain pretty good quality. There aren't any trailers that are excessively beaten or battered.

The Extras
-"Bump 'N Grind" - a 15 minute featurette with Emily Booth and she discusses the history of the grindhouse theater and the films they showed.
-Gallery of poster art

The Bottom Line
These trailer compilations are a lot of fun to watch in their entirety or to throw on before movies during a movie night with friends. Pick a few random trailers to watch before your main feature and you'll have even more fun. GRINDHOUSE TRAILER CLASSICS has some of the best trailers from the era and you won't be disappointed with this disc.

GRINDHOUSE TRAILER CLASSICS is available HERE