THE NEW BARBARIANS (Blu-ray Review) - Blue Underground

Italy/1983
Directed By: Enzo G. Castellari
Written By: Tito Carpi, Enzo G. Castellari
Starring: Timothy Brent, Fred Williamson, George Eastman
Color/91 Minutes/R
Region FREE
Release Date: June 30, 2015

The Film
The world has been shattered by nuclear war and the remaining survivors fight to survive amidst the roving gang known as The Templars led by their vicious leader One. A solitary warrior known as Scorpion (Timothy Brent) rescues a beautiful woman from The Templars and teams up with Nadir (Fred Williamson) and a fairly rag tag group in a fight against the brutal gang in hopes of reaching a distant land where a society is rumored to exist.

THE NEW BARBARIANS was one of my post-nuke type films to come in the wake of Mad Max being an international hit. The film is brimming with futuristic costume designs, charismatic characters, gore and extremely clever and downright cool vehicle and weapon designs. As cheesy as it may be there is a natural swagger and cool factor that comes along with THE NEW BARBARIANS.

The story is a simple one of survivors trying to find their way to a place where life isn't just about surviving but flourishing and adding to a community. Things are never that easy, especially with George Eastman leading The Templars' thirst for violence and supremacy over the wasteland. Eastman's group has the coolest cars and bikes that are packed with guns, lasers and various implements of death such as rockets and rotating blades. There's no shortage of heads and limbs flying in THE NEW BARBARIANS.

THE NEW BARBARIANS may be a product cashing in on the success of a better known film but it goes heads and shoulders above and beyond almost any other movie in the post-nuke apocalyptic action film category.

The Audio & Video
Do I need to go into at this point? Blue Underground's transfer is stellar. Anamorphic widescreen  very natural looking grain structure, beautiful vivid colors and great detail and sharpness coupled with the DTS-HD 1.0 mono track that takes the original audio and makes it sound perfect. Yeah, I'd say that's stellar.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with Enzo G. Castellari
-"Enzo G. Castellari and Fabrizio De Angelis In Conversation Part 2"
-"Tales Of The Hammer- Interview with star Fred Williamson"
-Theatrical trailer
-Poster and stills gallery

The Bottom Line
THE NEW BARBARIANS out Mad Max's Mad Max and is a wonderful slice of post apocalyptic cheese. Highly Recommended

THE NEW BARBARIANS is available HERE

ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX (Blu-ray Review) - Blue Underground

Italy/1983
Directed By: Enzo G. Castellari
Written By: Tito Carpi, Enzo G. Castellari
Starring: Mark Gregory,
Color/89 Minutes/R
Region FREE
Release Date: June 30, 2015

The Film
A corporate mega power has decided to redevelop the Bronx which has long been declared "no man's land" and a lost cause. Relocation efforts to send residents to "lovely New Mexico" has resulted in hold outs from lifelong residents and the gangs that run the territory. The relocation efforts have turned into death squads being sent in to eliminate any hold outs which starts a war as the remaining gang members and residents have armed themselves and are ready to kill for their right to stay.

The sequel to 1990: The Bronx Warriors was shot a mere 18 months after the success of the first film and ramps up the action quite a bit. What the original gave us in terms of creative characters and eye catching and attention grabbing costumes and set pieces on top of plenty of action takes a more is more attitude for the violence and it pays off. Trash and various survivors from the first film are back to take on the faceless, silver clad, flame thrower wielding death squad goons and there's almost non stop fights, shoot outs and explosions.

ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX also seems to be a bit gorier than its predecessor. This isn't Fulci level horror gore but there are some effects going on in terms of blood and burns. The acting again is hit or miss and our handsome muscular lead from 1990 is now a jacket wearing leader here as he lost most of his muscle mass between shoots much to the chagrin of director Enzo Castellari.

Where 1990: The Bronx Warriors shows its obvious influences, ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX takes those influences and just blows them to hell. I really can't sum up how fucking fun this movie is. There are multiple moments where vehicles are blown up with only one or two gunshots from a long distance. It's that attitude that drives the entire movie. Enzo Castellari isn't worried about keeping things grounded, and we shouldn't care that things are far from grounded. The more is more attitude really works in making ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX an immensely entertaining film.

The Audio & Video
This is how it should be done! Blue Underground's 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer has a wonderfully vibrant color palette. The colors are bright and beautiful while the overall picture quality has a great crispness and sharpness. Skin tones are natural without any waxiness. The English audio track is a DTS-HDMA mono track with optional English, French and Spanish subtitles. This audio track is crystal clear and is free of any background noise or damages such as crackling or popping.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with Enzo G. Castellari
-Enzo G. Castellari and Fabrizio De Angelis In Conversation Part 3 of 3 - the fantastic conversation continues and concludes with more great stories. A complete joy to watch these two friends and collaborators reconnect.
-"The Hunt For Trash" - Interview with BRONX WARRIORS superfan Lance Manley - This featurette documents Manley's search for Mark Gregory who starred as Trash in the Bronx Warrior films and dropped out of the public eye in 1989. Pretty fascinating stuff.
-Theatrical trailers
-Poster and stills gallery
-DVD copy of the film

The Bottom Line
I've seen ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX numerous times and have loved it since my first viewing of it on a shoddy Vipco import from the UK years ago. I don't think I've ever had more fun watching it than I did this time getting to see it in beautiful HD in all of its glory. It is long overdue to become a cult classic.

ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX is available HERE

TIME LAPSE (DVD Review) - XLRator Media

USA/2014
Directed By: Bradley King
Written By: Bradley King, BP Cooper
Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn
Color/104 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: June 16, 2015

The Film
Three friends living together discover their neighbor across the way has discovered the ability to time travel with a camera that takes pictures 24 hours into the future. The group does what most people would do and use it for personal gain and wealth but quickly find out that trying to change the outcome that the photos predict will lead to their demise. Unfortunately their relationships are twisted and torn with each new photo.

Director Bradley King makes his debut feature film with TIME LAPSE that he also co-wrote and he's made a name for himself already and he should be on your future radar if he can continue to make films of this quality. King's direction isn't super flashy, really nothing about TIME LAPSE is but every element of the movie is rock solid. There's enough suspense and action in the script to keep you glued to the screen in anticipation of the twists and turns the story will take which there are plenty.

Don't think that this is a piece of M. Night's out of left field style shit that has become so cliched over the years. The turns this story take all fit within the confines of the boundaries this story creates and make perfect sense. The rather small cast are damn good, particularly our main trio. There are a couple of plot holes that you will question but I find them to be minor and don't take too much away from the film.

Imperfect but quite good especially when considering this movie probably had a small budget and that it was the first feature film made by its director. TIME LAPSE is tightly knit and fast paced science fiction thriller with virtually no wasted time that deserves to be seen.

The Audio & Video
XLRator Media gives TIME LAPSE a nice 16x9 widescreen transfer with good clarity and sharpness for standard DVD. A Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix handles the English audio that is crisp and damage free. There's no problem at all with the levels as dialogue and soundtrack compliment each other nicely.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with Bradley King and BP Cooper
-"Filmmaking 101" audio commentary with Bradley King and BP Cooper
-Behind the scenes featurette (22 minutes)
-Deleted scenes

The Bottom Line
TIME LAPSE is proof that a good script and direction and performances that hold up the quality of that script are enough for a good movie and this movie has that. Recommended.

TIME LAPSE is available HERE

1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS (Blu-ray Review) - Blue Underground

Italy/1982
Directed By: Enzo G. Castellari
Written By: Dardano Sacchetti, Elisa Livia Briganti, Enzo G. Castellari
Starring: Mark Gregory, Vic Morrow, Fred Williamson
Color/92 Minutes/R
Region FREE
Release Date: June 30, 2015

The Film
The years is 1990 and the Bronx has been delcared a lost cause, no man's land. The only inhabitants are various gangs that fight for territory over the borough. When the daughter of a corrupt mega power in Manhattan runs away and joins Trash and his gang The Riders he sends in a mercenary and killing squads to retrieve his daughter and wage war on the gangs that have joined forces to fight back against their oppressors.

1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS is a glorious piece of trashy action in the vein of Escape From New York and The Warriors but ramps up the violence ten fold and stands toe to toe with those classic films in terms of memorable characters. Mark Gregory's Trash, Fred Williamson's The Ogre and George Eastman's Golem are all quite colorful and classic. Vic Morrow is perfectly maniacal in the role of Hammer, the main mercenary.

Acting can be a bit hammy from time to time but it doesn't detract from the film at all in my opinion. This is a world built in the decaying slums that the rest of America has written off and the acting being a bit rough around the edges just adds to that world. What isn't rough around the edges is Castellari's direction, the man is an action film master. From fight fights and shootouts to flamethrower massacres 1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS rollerskates (quite literally) around its clubhouses, subterranean hideouts and dramatic costumes with flair and elegance while remaining gritty and wild.

It's funny to me that a film such as this one may be viewed as a ripoff of certain other classic films that are certainly deserving of their status as classics but I would prefer to back to the "ripoff" time and time again. I have probably seen 1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS more than a half dozen times and I keep coming back for more because it is a movie steeped in coolness. The sets, the actual Bronx locations, the characters, the score, they're all wrapped up into this little package with a ribbon tied around them by Enzo Castellari's direction that pulls it together into a brilliant package of trashy action.

The Audio & Video
Blue Underground is going to serve 25 to life because they killed it. This Blu-ray looks and sounds as good as looks and sound can look and sound. The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is pretty much pristine. A gorgeously sharp picture quality is the base for vivid colors, a natural grain structure free of DNR or edge enhancement and fleshy, healthy skin tones. The English audio (optional English, French and Spanish subtitles) is handled with a DTS-HD Master Audio mono track that takes the original audio recording and makes it sound as beautifully crisp and clear as posisble. There's no damage or background noise so this is purely the prime example of how this film should sound.

The Extras
-Audio commentary by director/co-writer Enzo G. Castellari
-Enzo G. Castellari and Fabrizio De Angelis In Conversation Part 1 of 3 - a 14 minute conversation between the director and producer who have a lively and extremely entertaining and informative talk remembering their time spent making movies together including on 1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS
-"Sourcing The Weaponry" - Enzo G. Castellari visits the Italian Weapons Rental House of Paolo Ricci - 12 minutes of Castellari and Ricci acting like two kids in a toy store sharing stories of making movies together and playing with all of the prop knives and guns.
-"Adventures In The Bronx" - Interview with actor/stuntman Massimo Vanni
-Theatrical trailers
-Poster and stills gallery
-DVD copy of the film

The Bottom Line
I love movies like this and this one is damn near the top of the mountain. When I heard Blue Underground was putting this one out on Blu-ray my excitement climbed with each passing day until I was able finally to view the disc and there was not a single moment of disappointment. From the technical side of the disc, to the great selection of special features this is not only essential viewing, it is a must buy.

1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS is available HERE

HEAD CASES: SERIAL KILLERS IN THE DELAWARE VALLEY (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2013
Directed By: Anthony Spadaccini
Written By: Anthony Spadaccini, Mark Cray, Derek Rushlow
Starring: Paul McCloskey, Brinke Stevens, Mark Cray
Color/109 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: May 19, 2015

The Film
Between 1979 and 2007 Wayne Montgomery committed 41 murders, making sure to document each and every one. Now his legacy is being carried on by proteges and copycats who are just as nasty as their inspiration.

HEAD CASES is a raw horror film. The production is a pseudo documentary focusing on some of the most brutal serial killers the nation has seen. The script is competent without being anything super original, it handles the subject matter with enough skill that we don't ever really question it. The direction is perhaps the strongest point for the film, which gives the film a natural rawness that is hard to create. There are scenes in this movie that make you feel like you're watching an actual killing.

That rawness can be lost at times with some poor acting. Former 80s scream queen Brinke Stevens is probably the biggest offender of the bad acting and unfortunately she plays a rather large role in the film. Eventually you get used to it and are able to get beyond it and it doesn't drag the film down too much.

HEAD CASES manages to overcome its shortcomings in some acting and running too long to be a successful piece of serial killer horror that manages to be truly disturbing at times and offer what I feel can be looked at as an honest look into what a fucked up mind can do.

The Audio & Video
The DVD from Wild Eye Releasing has a nice anamorphic widescreen transfer. The more recent footage has good clarity and definition while the footage that is meant to be older has a genuine aged look to the older low end camcorder footage but the DVD keeps things very much watchable. Audio is handled with a stereo track which is clear and crisp with no hissing, popping or other noise.

The Extras
-Two audio commentary tracks featuring the director and cast and crew members
-Theatrical trailer
-DVD trailer
-Deleted scenes
-Extended scenes

The Bottom Line
Is this film perfect? No. Does it succeed at what it set out to do? Yes. Recommended.

HEAD CASES: SERIAL KILLERS OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY is available HERE

THE LAZARUS EFFECT (Blu-ray Review) - Fox

USA/2015
Directed By: David Gelb
Written By: Luke Dawson, Jeremy Slater
Starring: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Donald Glover
Color/83 Minutes/PG-13
Region A
Release Date: June 16, 2015

The Film
A group of medical researchers has developed a serum that will extend the amount of time a doctor has to revive a patient after death, hopefully without any adverse side affects or implications to the patient. An accident during a test leaves one of the members electrocuted and without a pulse so the group makes the decision to use the serum on her to attempt to revive her and what wakes up isn't the same person they knew.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT features a capable main cast that are all quite good and likable. The ability to connect with these characters makes the film that much more personal. The film's horror elements come from both a realistic medical and a bit more of a post-mortem "pseudo reality" which I found elevated the film above the standard demonic possession type movie I was prepared for.

The trailers for THE LAZARUS EFFECT didn't play up the medial or moment of death angle that the movie takes from what I remember and I think it sells the film a little short. The film raises interesting theories about the human brain and what happens at the moment of death and put it into a horror film that is unfortunately held back by its PG-13 rating. I have no doubt that this film would have been more successful and a better horror film overall had they been able to go farther and more extreme with the horror elements.

The audience deserved to be completely blasted by disturbing images of the moment of death instead of the poorly rendered CGI visions we received (which managed to still almost work). The medical side of things could have been nastier and more exploitative for our fallen protagonist as bringing her back was sort of a life or death scenario and certainly ended up being that way.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT isn't bad. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would from the trailers and TV spots but it left me wanting more from it. This is a watered down version of a good movie that is lurking in there somewhere and it's a shame we didn't get to see the full unadulterated product.

The Audio Video
If there's one thing we weren't cheated on it was the Blu-ray presentation from Fox. The 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio is flawless with a sharp presentation, beautiful skin tones and not a hint of DNR or edge enhancement. The picture is crisp and I couldn't ask for nicer. The DTS-HD Master Audio track is a 5.1 surround mix that is bold and boisterous when it needs to be. The mix is spot on and crystal clear. There's no damage or background noise to mention. A really well done job on the A/V side of things.

The Extras
-"Creating The Fear: The Making of THE LAZARUS EFFECT" - a behind the scenes featurette that runs about 15 minutes
-"Playing God: The Moral Dilemma" - another featurette looking at one of the questions the film asks
-Deleted and extended scenes
-Theatrical trailer

The Bottom Line
While I'm disappointed that this film didn't give me more of what it had I have to admit that it surprised me by not being terrible. The film holds itself back and the PG-13 rating doesn't help but THE LAZARUS EFFECT is worth a watch for less jaded fans and fans of recent fare such as Insidious and Sinister.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT is available HERE

BURYING THE EX (2015)

USA/2015
Directed By: Joe Dante
Written By: Alan Trezza
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Ashely Greene, Alexandria Daddario

What do you get when you take a painfully dry lead, a pair of gorgeous women as his love interest, a dark comedy horror script and some cheap effects? You get BURYING THE EX, of course.

The horror movie loving Max (Anton Yelchin) lives with his self important vegan hippie girlfriend Evelyn (Ashley Greene) but their rocky relationship comes to an end when Evelyn is killed in an auto accident. Max begins a relationship with fellow horror lover Olivia (Alexandra Daddario) despite Evelyn returning from the dead to come back to Max to fulfill their promise of being together forever. Max tries to hide zombie Evelyn from his new found true love but eventually the skeletons, or in this case zombies, will come out of the closet. 

Joe Dante is no stranger to making some classic horror films such as The Howling and Piranha and some comedy films driven by horror elements like Gremlins and one of my personal favorite films The Burbs. Dante has proven time and again that he can cross genre boundaries and come out on top which leaves me baffled as to why he failed so hard with BURYING THE EX. First thing's first and that is the script- Alan Trezza wrote the script for this film, Trezza wrote the original short film of the same title in 2008. His only other screen credit which is likely his most known effort is a family comedy featuring *NSYNC members Lance Bass and Joey Fatone. Yup, that's who handled this script and it is no surprise that this horror comedy is light on horror and even lighter on laughs. Really, this script has a handful of laughs and the rest isn't even groan inducing bad, it's no reaction at all bad. 

The horror isn't much better. It is lighthearted as intended which is fine but there's only two moments of horror, and they're just "okay". That's the biggest compliment I can muster for them because they're filled with really poor CGI. Ashley Greene is genuinely good as the undead, insufferably self important girlfriend. I wanted so badly to punch her in the face which is more or less the point of her character. Unfortunately Anton Yelchin's performance as Max made me not care at all if he manages to break away from a girl that doesn't respect or care about his interests or dreams. Yelchin comes off as completely disinterested and is a total bore to watch. His living love interest Olivia does well as the edgy but passionate contrast to Greene. The unsung hero of the film may be Max's (half!) brother Travis (Oliver Cooper) who is a pretty big loser but manages to sleep around with plenty of attractive women. In a movie that is driven by (attempts at) comedy Travis is the comedic relief and is usually on point.

The movie plods along in an unfunny manner as we await Max to take care of his undead girlfriend problem and the thing that kept me most interested was the constant horror film references. From the films on Max's TV such as The Gore Gore Girls, to various Hammer and B-movie horror films to a graveyard screening of Night Of The Living Dead and various horror movie posters scattered around, this may as well have been a game of I Spy: Horror Edition. 

That's not a great recommendation for the film- "Go see it for all of the horror references throughout!". No, sadly what would probably be a commendable first directorial effort for a rookie filmmaker is the product of a seasoned veteran who has flourished in this genre and makes a remarkably unremarkable film. Joe Dante, you're better than this. 

DEBUG (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2014
Directed By: David Hewlett
Written By: David Hewlett
Starring: Tenika Davis, Adrian Holmes, Kerr Hewitt
Color/86 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: June 9, 2015

The Film
Six inmates incarcerated for various hacker related crimes are sent to an unmanned spaceship to debug corrupt and rogue programs to make the ship usable once again. While aboard they find an artificial intelligence inside the ship's computer system that is dangerous and uses the hackers own lives and desires against them in violent ways.

DEBUG is an ambitious venture for a low budget film and while I fully support trying to make your film as big and as good as it can be, sometimes you have to know your limitations and make them work for you. DEBUG suffers from weak CGI that looks like it came out of a mid-90s science fiction film that the plot of the film isn't too far from as well. DEBUG feels dated in almost every way and would fit in quite nicely on a video store shelf alongside other cyber horror movies that were popular fare when the internet was first getting hugely popular.

The acting is hit or miss from character to character and the personification of the evil that lurks on the ship is far from menacing. DEBUG's main issue however is simply what I've already stated. It was dated long before it was even made. It's competently made and even features some nicely designed interiors on board the ship but clunky effects and acting that is uneven don't help this one.

The Audio & Video
Ketchup Entertainment's anamorphic widescreen transfer features a sharpness and vividness to both details and overall picture quality. Colors are strong and robust while the English audio is handled through a 5.1 Dolby track which sounds good as well. The dialogue is clear and free of any distracting damage such as crackling or popping.

The Extras
A 19 minute behind-the-scenes featurette is included.

The Bottom Line
DEBUG isn't terrible but both looks and feels like a movie totally out of its era. Recommended only if you're huge into cyber or computer based horror.

DEBUG is available HERE

THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2013
Directed By: Patrick Shearer
Written By: Bryan Enk, Jessi Gotta
Starring: Jessi Gotta, Nat Cassidy, Alyssa Simon
Color/73 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: May 19, 2015

The Film
A series of super storms have rocked New York City leaving it largely cut off from the rest of the world as all tunnels and bridges are closed. The government has aided food and supply drops but life is tough as water usage is rationed. The big apple is quickly becoming a dystopian wasteland but Margot and Daniel have more immediate problems lurking right inside the walls of their apartment building as hideous monsters and mutant roaches put them in grave danger.

THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL started out like any low budget horror thriller might. There was nothing particularly special about it and I could probably find plenty to complain about like how they didn't go far enough in showing a dystopian city landscape. That would have made the movie cooler. More crazy special effects probably would have made the movie cooler. I can go on but I want to talk about a movie that genuinely surprised me and entertained me immensely for its 73 minute runtime.

Margot and Daniel have to deal with their not so ideal circumstances but are trying to make the best of it while a couple of their neighbors have turned up dead and the apartment manager is missing. There's a weird black slime all over one of the deceased person's apartment and they find it in various places in their own unit. One night they're attacked by a mutant cockroach the size of one of Shaq's shoes. This monstrous bug is hilarious and gross and managed to creep me out. Add in that the property manager has turned into a brainless drooling monster person and the couple's fight for survival is getting harder and harder.

The film has a quirky and strange energy to it that reminded me of Evil Dead 2 meets Joe's Apartment. It was funny without having to shove jokes down your throat and yell "laugh at me!". The minimalist attitude that the film was largely forced to take due to budgetary reasons ends up working out in the film's favor as it does add a bit of claustrophobic terror the subconscious of the viewer's mind. The couple is stuck in their apartment but quickly find that they aren't safe there and the dangers inside and out are getting closer and bigger and they may not be able to make it.

THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL was just another low budget indie horror movie that would come and go from my memory in a flash and six months from now I wouldn't be able to give you any insight on the film itself without reading up on it. And then I watched the movie and found a lovingly made, funny and a bit gross horror movie featuring a giant rubber cockroach and a flawed presentation that I can live with because the movie itself was so pure and honest that I couldn't help but really enjoy it.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing brings this one to DVD and does so competently. The digital photography is on the lower end but still looks solid in this anamorphic widescreen transfer. The image isn't super sharp but is clear and clean. Colors are a bit muted but there isn't a ton of crazy colors to worry about either way. The English audio has a nice stereo mix and great clarity. There's no damage or background noise to speak of.

The Extras
A selection of trailers are included

The Bottom Line
If you're a fan of claustrophobic, single location horror films that are heavily influenced by zany comedy then you should check out THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL because it deserves your attention.

THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL is available HERE

Who Could Possibly Forget: Goodbye Christopher Lee

Sometimes I think it's strange how as people we can grow emotionally attached to people that we've never been in the same room with let alone know on any sort of personal level, but we can and we do. With a full lifetime worth of acting credits in truly beautiful, action packed and fan favorite films, Christopher Lee has been an on-screen friend for all of us.

I can't definitively say where my first experience with Christopher Lee was. I can say that he's been with me for far more than half of my 28 years as I was familiar with him already when he was in cast as Saruman in Lord Of The Rings in 2001. Perhaps and most probable would be one of his classic roles as Dracula for various Hammer productions. It was in those roles, among others for Hammer as Rasputin The Mad Monk, The Mummy, Sherlock Holmes and Frankenstein's monster, that Lee became a well known name. It was that role of the bloodsucking vampire that he really shined alongside his onscreen adversary and real life friend Peter Cushing. There was never and there will not be a better or more perfect Dracula than Christopher Lee. 

Lee and Cushing would appear in dozens upon dozens of films together from the 1950s through the 1980s before Peter Cushing would retire from acting and pass away several years later in 1994. They created fantastic works of horror, mystery and science fiction together and when you add in that Vincent Price eventually became a frequent collaborator as well there was perhaps no finer trio of onscreen talent in the history of film. And perhaps there was no finer trio of friends.

While Christopher Lee never struggled to find acting roles (just take a look at his impressive IMDB) he experienced a bit of 2nd fame at the turn of the century when he was cast in Lord Of The Rings in 2001 and then in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones in 2002. Fans of genre film were once again reminded of the talent and intangible presence that Lee has on screen. Lee's popularity soared to new heights and now, Lee enjoyed a sort of rebirth that few people in show business are able to experience at the tail end of their career, especially one that makes them more mainstream than ever before. 

If there was anyone that deserved the recognition it was Christopher Lee. He gave his all to every role he took on and there was damn near 300 of them. He lived life with an elegance that followed him on to the silver screen and was something that cannot be faked.  There's a reason he was knighted by Prince Charles in 2009 for "Services to drama and charity". 

Few people could say they worked with Mario Bava, Terence Fisher, Peter Jackson, George Lucas, Alejandro Jodorowsky Jess Franco, Tim Burton and Martin Scorsese, among many other talented filmmakers. There's a reason for that. There simply aren't many people worthy of working with such a diverse group. 

Sadly, all good things come to an end. And everyone's time on Earth will eventually do the same. For those of us still here, we are fortunate enough that Christopher Lee left us his legacy to enjoy and remember. And remember we shall because who could possibly forget?

It is with tears in my eyes that I respectfully say thank you, Christopher Lee. And goodbye. 

AMERICAN POLTERGEIST (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2013
Directed By: Jordan Pacheco
Written By: Jordan Pacheco
Starring: Tony Moran, Christopher P. O'Reilly, Nicole Lasala
Color/77 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: May 19, 2015

The Film
There's a hundred reasons that a film is renamed prior to its release. Usually the reason has to do with marketing which obviously has a direct effect on the profitability a film has. Sometimes a new title has a film's artistic stance or merit in mind but usually it simply comes down to money in some shape or form.

Original titled "Provoked", AMERICAN POLTERGIEST centers around a group of amateur ghost hunters who are growing more and more frustrated with their lack of any real evidence. Tensions grow within the group adn rifts form within the personal relationships of the group. Bickering leads to full blown fights and the negative energy quickly turns into taunting and angering the spirits that haunt the house until the spirits make themselves known in ways the group can only hope to survive.

While the AMERICAN POLTERGEIST title will certainly get the film more exposure whether on purpose or happy accident, the title doesn't fit nearly as well as the original title "Provoked" does. The original title was simple but effective. You almost know that some sort of sleeping bear was going to be awakened and that something bad would happen. The only thing that really makes the AP title fit is that there are multiple scenes of ghostly stacking like in Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist's chair stacking scene. It is an obvious take on that infamous scene.

The movie itself is slow going, there's a few little ghostly moments like the stacking of food or faucets running on their own but the first two acts are mainly filled with little horror and lots of drama within the group and honestly it was tedious at first. I thought to myself "oh here we go..." just hoping the bickering would turn into something good. Luckily it stopped before it got too bad and the movie carried on into a decent independent haunted house movie with influences from both modern and a bit more vintage films.

Tony Moran's character offers some comedic relief and he's genuinely funny. A small role but it offers a bit of fresh air to a movie heavy in relationship drama. It comes at a time to get the viewer smiling just before the storm hits which adds to the horror elements of the movie. The acting is solid and direction is competent.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing gives AMERICAN POLTERGEIST an attractive DVD presentation. The anamorphic widescreen transfer is sharp for a DVD and features strong colors and clarity. The English 2.0 audio has a good mix with the score and is damage and distortion free.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with the director
-Behind the scenes featurette including an actual paranormal investigation with the cast and crew!

The Bottom Line
While AMERICAN POLTERGEIST isn't totally original and the title definitely makes us think of the films that influenced it this indie paranormal chiller is definitely worth a look.

AMERICAN POLTERGEIST is available HERE

RAIDERS OF THE LOST SHARK (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2014
Directed By: Scott Patrick
Written By: Brett Kelly, David A. Lloyd, Trevor Payer
Starring: Candice Lidstone, Jessica Huether, Catherine Mary Clark
Color/71 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: May 19, 2015

The Film
A group of friends are terrorized by a giant weaponized shark that has escaped from a secret facility. Their college professor may have the knowledge to help them but its a battle to survive until help arrives.

I watched RAIDERS OF THE LOST SHARK while feeling a bit under the weather and not in the best of moods. The sheer ridiculousness of the entire thing ended up putting a smile on my face. This is not a good movie by any means. The shark effects look like a cheap plastic bathtub shark toy was super imposed on the screen and when someone is eaten by the shark they simply disappear with little or no trace. The acting is hilariously bad but instead of overacting we get incredible underacting. Watching the complete lack of emotion when friends are eaten or a plane explodes or meeting some strange scientist in the woods is a treasure I've only seen in this film. It really made the whole experience a bit surreal.

Sharks are all the rage in the world of B-movies lately and RAIDERS OF THE LOST SHARK should cement its place alongside the rest of the Syfy channel and straight to video cheese as a truly terrible piece of filmmaking that manages to find that special balance between being bad and fun. Get some friends together and a case of beer because there are plenty of drinking games to make out of this one.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing does a nice job bringing this one to DVD. The image quality looks great with nice definition and sharpness. The anamorphic widescreen transfer has no damage and looks about as good as the digital photography is going to look on DVD. The 2.0 audio sounds good, if a bit quiet at times but that's more to do with how the audio was recorded during the production of the film than with Wild Eye's authoring of the disc. The audio is mostly crisp and clear and free of any distortions.

The Extras
Bare bones.

The Bottom Line
This Z-Grade cheesefest is fucking hilarious and if you've found yourself to be a fan of Sharknado or any of the countless similar films you'll want to have a night where RAIDERS OF THE LOST SHARK is included in your viewing.

RAIDERS OF THE LOST SHARK is available HERE

CANNIBAL FEROX (Blu-ray Review) - Grindhouse Releasing

Italy/1981
Directed By: Umberto Lenzi
Written By: Umberto Lenzi
Starring: Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Lorraine De Selle, Danilo Mattei
Color/93 Minutes/Unrated
Region A
Release Date: May 26, 2015

The Film
It recently hit me that the Italian cannibal films of the 1970s and 80s were very similar to the rise of the "torture porn" craze the horror genre was hit with in the mid 2000s. While films like Last Cannibal World, Cannibal Holocaust and CANNIBAL FEROX all centered around outsiders meeting various gruesome and barbaric ends at the hands of native tribes in various jungle settings, films like Saw and Hostel gave birth to a trend of films where the narrative of the film allowed the film to be confined to a single location and have the victims of the film tortured as they fight for their survival. While the settings and periods of those genres are very different, they both made their money on pushing the envelope of sadistic violence and being exploitative while the films followed similar narrative themes and patterns without putting too much worry into creating anything meaningful.

Of course there are exceptions as with Cannibal Holocaust which is one of the most poignant films ever made and Saw which was a pretty damn good film that has unfortunately had to deal with being part of a rather dreadful subgenre of films and being the first film in a franchise that quickly became total fucking shit in every way. Then there are those films that are perfectly happy doing nothing really new except trying to ramp up the violence and sleaze to make a buck. Like the Saw sequels, I largely lump CANNIBAL FEROX into that group. But that doesn't mean I don't love it.

Umberto Lenzi created this subgenre of horror film in 1972 with The Man From Deep River and thus began a minor movement in the Italian film industry that would last a good 15 years or so. It never got to the point where cannibal films were being pumped out like spaghetti westerns or gialli were but   these movies became a way to make a little bit of money so on average a couple of films per year were shot in various exotic locations and packed with racial stereotypes, animal cruelty, nudity and plenty of gore. Some of these movies were poorly made and remain as examples as little more than cheap bandwagon filmmaking but others were made with skill and solid technique whether they had any artistic merit or not.

It's tough to say exactly when the height of popularity was for the cannibal genre as there weren't enough films made to really call it a boom period but if I was forced to put a label on it I'd say that CANNIBAL FEROX came out right at the end of the non-existant boom. I figure a year after Cannibal Holocaust is good enough reason as any to call it the end of height as there was no bigger or better film in the cycle than Cannibal Holocaust. FEROX certainly gives CH a run for its money in terms of boundary pushing though. Giovanni Lombardo Radice might not be quite as bad as the group in CH but he's no fucking angel. One genital slicing scene is enough to tell you that. The gore in FEROX is nasty with brains and balls being served up and breasts being impaled. You won't be finding these types of nipple piercings or prince alberts at your local Piercing Pagoda.

Umberto Lenzi is no slouch when it comes to directing films. The man made some fine films and FEROX is no different. No, it is not an important commentary and yes, it comes off as a big Cannibal Holocaust cash grab but it still features solid performances, good camera work and great special effects work with a script that is solid enough to keep things moving along at a nice pace. Add in a soundtrack that I find to be criminally underrated and overlooked by Budy Maglione and CANNIBAL FEROX is a film I really love. It's sleazy, it's sweaty and it certainly isn't for everybody.

The Audio & Video
Grindhouse Releasing has done it again with another stunning release. The 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer comes from a new 2K scan of the original camera negative. The image has a very film like quality with a natural looking grain structure. Detail levels are strong in surfaces and textures while skin tones are fleshy without any sign of waxiness. There's no edge enhancement or DNR noticeable and colors are vibrant. There are options for an Italian language track with the original mono mix or an English track with a new DTS-HD stereo mix. I opted for the English track and it sounds brilliantly crisp and clean. There's not a hint of damage and the audio comes across crystal clear with a perfect balance between the dialogue and soundtrack.

The Extras
Like a baked potato, or a stoner, or any other thing would be LOADED, this release is stacked... like Jenga or pancakes. Okay, enough of that.

-Audio commentary with Umberto Lenzi and Giovanni Lombardo Radice
-Deleted Footage lost for over 30 years (can be inserted into the film for seamless viewing!)
-"Eaten Alive: The Rise And Fall Of The Italian Cannibal Film" - A feature length documentary examining the Italian cannibal film cycle featuring the men and women who made the movies and various critics (a must watch!)
-Interviews with writer/director Umberto Lenzi, stars Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Danilo Mattei, Zora Kerowa and special effects master Gino DeRossi
-Original Italian theatrical trailers
-Original US theatrical trailers
-Original Germa theatrical trailers
-Extensive stills and poster art gallery
-Liner notes booklet
-Umberto Lenzi filmography
-Soundtrack CD
-Easter eggs

The Bottom Line
If there was a Mt. Rushmore for cult film home video labels Grindhouse Releasing would have a spot on that monument. With each release they further their legendary status as one of the premiere labels that all other labels strive to be and their release of CANNIBAL FEROX is no different.

CANNIBAL FEROX is available HERE