THE MAGIC SWORD - Kino Studio Classics Blu-ray Review

US/1962
Directed By: Bert I. Gordon
Written By: Bernard Schoenfeld
Starring: Basil Rathbone, Estelle Winwood, Gary Lockwood
Color/80 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: December 3, 2019

The Film
By 1962 Bert I. Gordon had already made several fantasy, sci-fi and horror films and worked on the special effects on a number of them as well so it comes as no surprise that THE MAGIC SWORD is a competently made medieval fantasy tale that has some well done special effects for its time.

Gary Lockwood stars as George, a handsome and cunning young man approaching his 21st birthday when he falls in love at first sight with the princess who has been kidnapped by the evil sorcerer Lodac, deviously played by Hollywood legend Basil Rathbone. George tricks his stepmother, a lesser sorcerer in her own right, into giving him a magic sword and he unlocks a half dozen knights trapped inside a picture to aide him on his journey but the king saddles them with Sir Branton, a rival knight who has plans of his own with the princess. They set off to battle through the Seven Curses that Lodac has protected the trail to his castle with including a giant ogre, an evil hag, dangerous swamplands and a fire-breathing two-headed dragon.

Bert Gordon knows how to make an entertaining film and does so despite a weak screenplay which is the film's weakest link. Characters blend into each other and fail to stand out making the extra knights little more than fodder for the cannon. The story is one we've seen before and while it is only 80 minutes long it is really stretching out its runtime by the end. Thankfully the restrained runtime keeps things fun and the film never feels like a cheap stage play. Gordon gets the most out of what he has to work with to make this odyssey as sprawling and epic as he can. He mostly suceeds but the very pedestrian screenplay would never allow THE MAGIC SWORD to be much better than what it turned out to be. Still, this story of a young man grabbing his own destiny is light hearted camp entertainment and that's all I needed out of it.

The Audio & Video
Kino Lorber gives THE MAGIC SWORD its high definition home video debut as part of its Studio Classics line which I am a big fan of. The new transfer has been taken from a new 2K master and it looks good throughout but I feel is softer than would be ideal. The source material wasn't pristine with light instances of dirt and speckling however that's the extent of the imperfections and it does give way to an array of vibrant colors in the picture. Detail is strong but the aforementioned softness takes away from the finer moments. That said this Blu-ray is a vast improvement over the old MGM DVD release.

The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix sounds fantastic and is free of any background noise, distortions or imperfections. The mix may not sound especially impressive but that's the design of the film's sound stage production. What the mix does do is not allow the audio to sound thin or allow for any echo and while it may not be bass heavy it is a very nice presentation of the how the film should sound.

The Extras
The special features include a commentary track by film historian Tim Lucas and filmmaker Larry Blamire and a theatrical trailer for this film along with a small selection of other Kino releases. Tim Lucas is one of the best at researching and planning out his audio commentaries making for an enjoyable and informative listen that will never leave you with too much down time. It is a welcomed addition to this release.

The Bottom Line
THE MAGIC SWORD overcomes its own shortcomings to be more fun than having the dunk-tank wench bully you at the local renaissance faire. Oh that doesn't sound like fun? Well I assure you it is.

THE MAGIC SWORD is available HERE

47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED

UK, USA/2019

Directed By: Johannes Roberts

Written By: Ernest Riera, Johannes Roberts

Starring: Sophie Nelisse, Corinne Foxx, Brianne Tju

Color/90 Minutes/PG-13

Region A

Release Date: November 12, 2019

Blu-ray/DVD

The Film 

2017 saw the release of Johannes Roberts' tension filled shark thriller 47 Meters Down which was featured a simple idea of two sisters being stuck on the Ocean floor, locked in a shark cage as their oxygen depletes. The film was flawed but it had a decent premise and some good production quality. I don't remember anyone clamoring for a sequel but that didn't stop one from being made and this time there's no cage. 

47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED introduces an entirely new story and set of characters featuring four teen girls who sneak into an underwater archaeology site of a newly discovered sunken Mayan city. This diving adventure starts well enough until an accident knocks over some massive statues and some blind deepwater sharks enter the fray making the desperate search for another way out before their oxygen levels deplete all the more dangerous. 

The Mayan city setting was absolutely stunning and I wish we somehow could have had more of it before all the dust gets kicked up and this becomes another shark attack film. The deepwater sharks and fish have an eerie translucent glow about them but their CGI rendering is spotty at times and there's some genuinely stupid moments like when a fish literally screams at one of the girls for a jump scare. This moment where any sort of serious filmmaking jumps the shark (punny punny) and took me out of it to the point where I struggled to settle back in for a while. I did appreciate that there's a good amount of shark violence and not just stalking around and near misses, specifically in the ending scene that cruelly throws the survivors into the jaws of these killer sharks almost relentlessly. 

I found 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED to lack the tension and acting quality of the original but did give us some eye catching set pieces and shark action but it relies on repetitious situations, and largely poor looking sharks. It's inoffensive but nothing more. 

The Audio & Video

Lionsgate delivers 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED on Blu-ray with a beautiful looking 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that features stunning clarity with vivid colors and high levels of detail. Black levels are deep and inky and the picture quality is as gorgeous as the locations featured within. The English audio is presented in a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix with optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles. The audio is crisp and clear with no crackling, popping or other imperfections. The mix is nicely done and mixed well across all channels with proper balance in dialogue and soundtrack. 

The Extras

-"Diving Deeper: Uncaging 47 Meters Down" - a making-of featurette
-Audio commentary with writer/director Johannes Roberts, producer James Harris and writer Ernest Riera

The Bottom Line
This isn't reinventing the shark movie wheel by any means. Its familiar territory that could possibly make for an okay use of time on a rainy Sunday afternoon but otherwise you can do better. 

47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED is available HERE

BERSERKER - Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray Review

USA/1987
Directed By: Jef Richard
Written By: Jef Richard, Joseph Kaufman
Starring: Joseph Alan Johnson, Greg Dawson, Valerie Sheldon
Color/85 Minutes/Not Rated
Region Free
Release Date:
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
A group of teens set out on a trip to the rural forests of Utah. They're warned of a recent slew of bear attacks by Pappy, a Norwegian immigrant who oversees the campgrounds. The local Nordic population has spread stories of brutal viking warriors called Berserkers which the teens share stories of while getting drunk and partying but quickly realize that bears may not be the only thing stalking the woods.

BERSERKER is a low budget regional slasher that makes the most out of limited sets and interiors by giving us a spooky and moody camping trip filled with some mostly likable characters except for Josh (Greg Dawson) who is almost too easy to hate. The simple use of foggy tree lined exteriors and shots of a pacing grizzly, even if he is obviously contained in some fashion, are enough to make create an eery feeling which is punctuated by mutilated bodies and an aggressive body count.

Production values are simple and this will never be considered a classic of the genre but it is a cult classic and I can related its cult classic standing down to a single scene at the end of the film where SPOILER we get a real life bear wrestling scene SPOILER and it's absolutely fucking bonkers. I don't find BERSERKER to be a one hit wonder with that scene, I genuinely enjoyed the entire movie and thought it was a solid slasher film.

The Audio &Video
Vinegar Syndrome has given BERSERKER a brand new 2K scan and restoration taken directly from the original 16mm camera negative with great results. Even though it was shot in 16mm this new Blu-ray has excellent detail and sharpness. Black levels are deep with no signs of blocking. There's a natural and plentiful grain structure and colors look healthy. The English audio is presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio mono mix with optional English SDH subtitles. The audio is crystal clear and crisp with no signs of distortion. The mix isn't very dynamic but the high quality production on this blu-ray is more than adequate.

The Extras
This Blu-ray includes a trio of video interviews with cast and crew from the film including writer/director Jef Richard and stars Joseph Alan Johnson and Shannon Engemann along with an audio interview with actor Mike Riley. A still gallery rounds out the special feature.

The Bottom Line
I'm very pleased with this release top to bottom. It will make an excellent addition to any slasher fan's collection.

BERSERKER is available HERE

MOTHRA - Mill Creek Blu-ray Review

Bigfoot Blood Trap - Wild Eye Releasing DVD Review (Youtube)

THE TAKE / BLACK GUNN - Mill Creek Double Feature Blu-ray Review (youtube)

Check out Mill Creek Entertainment and this release is available HERE

THE GRAND DUEL - Arrow Video Blu-ray Review

Italy/1972
Directed By: Giancarlo Santi
Written By: Ernesto Gastaldi
Starring: Lee Van Cleef, Alberto Dentice, Jess Hahn
Color/94 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
After previously working as Assistant Director to the incomparable Sergio Leone on the best films the genre has to offer Giancarlo Santi would get a chance to make his own western with a screenplay by the great Ernesto Gastaldi featuring Lee Van Cleef in a starring role as a sheriff named Clayton who is tailing an outlaw named Philip Wermeer (Alberto Dentice) who is on the run from a gang of bounty hunters after the $3,000 bounty on his head for the murder of the leader of Saxon City, a crime he may or may not have committed.

Giancarlo Santi wisely chose Lee Van Cleef to anchor his cast as he not only worked with him previously on the film's where he was the AD but Van Cleef is one of the absolute giants of the spaghetti western genre. He's a familiar face that could offer talent and marketability. As expected, Lee Van Cleef is rock solid in his stoic and calculated performance, providing a paternal role to Alberto (credited as Peter O'Brien) Dentice"s frantic performance that is reminiscent of a troubled teen on the run. The relationship and dynamic between these two characters is the foundation THE GRAND DUEL is based upon and a big part of the reason why the film works so well.

There's no shortage of action with exciting shootouts and gunplay and some cat and mouse games to boot all of which are accented by Luis Enriquez Bacalov's score. Bacalov may not have the name recognition of Ennio Morricone but he's no slouch, having won an Academy Award for his original score on Il Postino in 1996 and putting his musical flourishes on spaghetti western giants such as Django and A Bullet For The General. Bacalov's main theme for THE GRAND DUEL would later be used by Quentin Tarantino in 2003's Kill Bill. Santi adds his own flourishes with a series of flashback scenes shot in black and white that have a dreamlike quality to them. The rest of the film has a good look to it as Santi obviously picked up some tips and tricks from his years spent with Leone and while he may not be up to par with Leone he proved that he could make a really good western on his own.

THE GRAND DUEL has themes and ideas that can be traced back to many previous westerns, but by 1972 what spaghetti western couldn't? I'm not going to knock it for borrowing ideas and themes when it uses them productively and wisely to make a finished product that is engaging, exciting and just plain good. THE GRAND DUEL isn't a definitive entry into the genre but it almost acts as a melting pot of ingredients taken from those hallmark titles and talents involved to create something entirely worth seeking out.

The Audio & Video
Arrow Video has given THE GRAND DUEL a new 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative which has given way to a fantastic presentation that easily trumps the film's previous Blu-ray release which featured a passable HD transfer. This new 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer boasts a properly hot and sweaty looking picture quality with strong colors and deep black levels. Detail is strong from the wood building construction to the dusty exteriors there's no missing finer details. There are a handful of flashback scenes filmed in black and white and they fare very well with a stark look and those deep black levels getting to show off properly. A few scenes are in a bit rougher shape and lead to a softer look and a shift in color tone. Thankfully these moments are minimal and don't take away from the otherwise beautiful presentation too much. This release offers uncompressed mono LPCM tracks in both English and Italian with newly translated subtitles. I went with the English track on my viewing through the film and I was very happy with how this disc sounded. The mix is stellar with a proper balance between the score and dialogue. The sound is crisp, extremely pleasing to the ear and free of any distortions or imperfections.

The Extras
-Audio Commentary by Stephen Prince
-"An Unconventional Western" - Interview with director Giancarlo Santi
-"The Last Of The Great Westerns" - Interview with writer Ernesto Gastaldi
-"Cowboy By Chance" - Interview with actor Alberto Dentice
-"Out Of The Box" - Interview with producer Ettore Rosbach
-"The Day Of The Big Showdown" - Interview with assistant director Harald Buggenig
-"Saxon City Showdown" - Featurette appreciating the film by Austin Fisher
-"Two Different Duels" - Comparison between the original version and an extended German cut
-"Marc Mazza: Who Was The Rider On The Rain" - A video essay about the actor by Mike Malloy
-Original Italian Trailer
-Original International Trailer
-Image Gallery
-Booklet

The Bottom Line
THE GRAND DUEL is a wildly exciting entry in to the spaghetti western genre and is appropriately represented with this outstanding release from Arrow Video. This release is packed, stacked and jacked and you should saddle up and add this to your collection ASAP.

THE GRAND DUEL is available HERE

KISS OF THE TARANTULA (VCI Entertainment Blu-ray Review)

USA/1976
Directed By: Chris Unger
Written By: Warren Hamilton Jr., Daniel Cady
Starring: Suzanna Ling, Ernesto Macias, Herman Wallner
Color/85 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: January 22, 2019
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Susan is a lonely girl living with her parents in their mortuary and typically only spending time with the spiders she keeps as pets in the basement. When she learns of her mother's wicked plan to murder her father she unleashes one of her deadliest pets, a tarantula on her mother with deadly results. Now in her teens and bonded to the spiders stronger than ever Susan and her pets make a deadly duo for anyone that thinks they can walk all over her.

KISS OF THE TARANTULA is a play on Willard but exchanging a young man for a girl and his pet rat for some red-kneed Tarantulas. The film does a good job showing the affection Susan has for the arachnids early on and tries its best to make them as terrifying to watch as they slowly plod along the chests, shoulders and faces of their victims without any sort of graphic violence. The film earns every bit of its PG rating, never showing blood or nudity, quite a rarity for a drive-in horror picture of the mid 1970s. It never tries to imitate those moments and cheat us out of the payoff however so I do give it credit for that. It seems most of Susan's victims die simply of fright. That doesn't account for the incestuous uncle subplot that makes the whole thing weird and wacky for any 70s triple bill.

I've been a fan of KISS OF THE TARANTULA for years as I've found the connection between Susan and the spiders to be a suitable vehicle for the film and enjoy watching her tormentors who tease her, break in to her family's home to steal caskets as a prank and even end up killing the only person her own age who treats her with respect, squirm, squeal and cry as the spiders plod along towards them, on them and over them until it is all just too much. Of course I do wish the film took a more traditional exploitative approach and offered up something a bit more violent and nastier, it would have definitely helped the film's reputation and given it a bigger fan base but there's worse ways to spend a rainy afternoon than alone with Susan and her eight-legged friends in the basement. She really should meet Willard one day... a match made in pest heaven.

The Audio & Video
VCI Entertainment gives KISS OF THE TARANTULA a Blu-ray for the first time after previously releasing the film on DVD. The back of the Blu-ray boasts that it has been restored and remastered in a 2K scan fro the original 35mm negative and I believe that as the picture does have a decent sharpness to it that gives way to moderately improved detail level. There is a yellowish tint over the picture that I don't remember from watching previously released version of the film. It isn't too bothersome but worth noting. The 1.85:1 aspect ratio does preserve the film's original aspect ratio. The audio is presented in a LPCM 2.0 English track and sounds good. I didn't notice any background noise, hissing, popping or other imperfections. The mix is simplistic but adequate to the film.

The Extras
Bare bones.

The Bottom Line
I recommend it for fans of drive-in era horror looking for something lighter and silly but still schlocky

KISS OF THE TARANTULA is available HERE

THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT (Blu-ray Review)

USA/2018
Directed By: Robert D. Krykowski
Written By: Robert D. Krykowski
Starring: Sam Elliott, Aidan Turner, Caitlin Fitzgerald
Color/97 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: April 2, 2019

The Film
Sam Elliott stars as Calvin Barr, a retired solider who was tasked with the top secret mission of assassinating Adolf Hitler. Though his mission was successful the war carried on with imposters in place of Hitler and Barr would live with the baggage of murdering a man. Now decades later the government has tracked him down again to kill the mythological Bigfoot who is responsible for spreading a deadly contagion.

THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT has a title that immediately caught my attention. My imagination ran wild with the potential madness and excitement that such a movie with such a title could contain. Admittedly I didn't think the trailer was anything special and it didn't really get me excited to see the full film but the title and Sam Elliott in the starring role still had me curious about the whole thing.

I'll start with what I liked about the film and first and foremost that is Sam Elliott who totally owns the screen with his strong yet vulnerable performance. A big part of Elliott's character makeup in this film is loneliness as he apparently had found the love of his life early on but the war kept them apart and he never really was the same or loved again. Even his relationship with his brother who is his barber was distant. This would come in to play years later after his encounter with the Bigfoot (who is apparently misnamed) and realizing it is also a lonesome creature, but his mission is his mission. The writing for Elliott's character is somewhat messy in that regard because it really doesn't make much of a difference but Elliott gives it all he's got and he really is fantastic delivering all aspects of his character. I also liked the direction and thought many of the scenes were well executed and put together nicely, especially the Hitler assassination sequence. The cinematography was also nice at times but then there were moments where it was so dark that I couldn't see what was going on at all.

Then there's the things I didn't care for, a couple of which I briefly touched on already such as poor lighting during certain scenes and the character of Calvin Barr's having blurry motivations which I could deal with but the main thing about this movie I couldn't get over is that it's an utter bore. The most exciting scenes are here and gone in a flash after feeling like it taking forever to get to amid the filler. Even during what should have been the highlight scene of the movie, the Bigfoot encounter, the scene that I feel the title of the movie builds up to, goes over like a wet fart when the Bigfoot ends up being about five feet tall and resembling a young Wookiee from the Star Wars Holiday Special.

Upon finishing the movie I sat wondering exactly what I was going to say in this review because I had such a little reaction to the whole thing other than boredom and wondering exactly what the point was. I still wonder what the point was because it doesn't work as a character piece that it seems like they were going for and it definitely fails as anything more exciting than that. Somehow I still didn't hate the movie, Sam Elliott saves it from being a miserable experience as I was happy to follow him on his journey but I wish the journey was a more riveting one. Ultimately I'd be happy to sit through a celebration of Life Day on Kashyyyk than I would to revisit this one.

The Audio & Video
RLJE Films releases THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT on Blu-ray with a very nice looking anamorphic widescreen 2.40:1 transfer. The picture is sharp and has great detail depth. Black levels are deep while colors have a bit of a overcast muted look to them, which is an artistic choice as the whole film looks this way. A DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix handles the audio giving body and power to the sound. The mix job is excellent, and dialogue and music are crisp and free of any distortions or imperfections.

The Extras
-The Making Of THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT
-Audio Commentary With Director Robert D. Krykowski
-Interview With Composer Joe Kraemer
-Deleted Scenes
-"Elsie Hooper" Short Film
-Concept Art Gallery

The Bottom Line
I don't know what to say about this film. I really don't. It's well made but seemed to be lost and satisfied with wandering around it its own meandering path to a conclusion of "what was the point?". If you're curious about the film I would suggest giving it a look because it's very possible you'll get something more out of it than I did but if the trailers didn't do much for you I'd say you're probably not going to get anything out of the actual film.

THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT is available HERE

WACKO (Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray Review)

US/1981
Directed By: Greydon Clark
Written By: Dana Olsen, Michael Spound, Jim Kouf, David Greenwalt
Starring: George Kennedy, Joe Don Baker, Andrew Dice Clay
Color/87 Minutes/
Region A
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Thirteen years ago at the Halloween dance several students were murdered by the Lawnmower Killer, leaving survivors scarred and the local sheriff obssessed with solving the crime. With an escaped mental patient on the loose the townsfolk are on edge, or at least they should be, as they fear he may be the killer returning for an anniversary killing.

Greydon Clark puts his tongue so far into his cheek that it bursts through, wraps around his head a few times and then comes back and pops his head off in a bloody mess. Then Joe Don Baker's Dick Harbinger comes in and runs his finger through mess on the floor and tastes it to confirm that "It's blood." That's the type of silly shit we're working with in WACKO. George Kennedy plays an incestuous doctor who actually has no medical knowledge at all, the pumpkin killer is literally wearing a big pumpkin on their head with a big nose and the entire cast is so over the top that I'm almost absolutely positive Greydon Clark let them all have free reign on their performances as long as they were wacky enough.

You need to have a sense of humor that allows you to enjoy stupid jokes to really love WACKO. It plays up genre tropes to their most cliche and then run those jokes into the ground to the point where I found myself chuckling along but it seemed to be more out of habit than genuine laughter by the end. That being said, I did enjoy the silliness and had a fun time with this parody and will certainly find myself enjoying it again in the future.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome gives new life to WACKO with a new 4K scan and restoration from the original 35mm camera negative for this Blu-ray release. Colors are vibrant and natural with a good depth to them. Detail levels are excellent giving life to the various Halloween costumes and props, not to mention the pumpkin head.  and black levels are deep and inky. There's no damage to the source material to speak of. The 1.0 DTS-HDMA mix presents the audio in a HD mix of its original format. The track is a pleasant listening experience with only intermittent hiss or buzz popping up in the background. Otherwise the mix is crisp full bodied enough to offer up some punch when needed.

The Extras
-New Audio Commentary Track With Director Greydon Clark
-"Die Laughing"- An Interview With Cinematographer Nicolas Von Sternberg
-Never Before Seen Outtakes
-Trailer

The Bottom Line
Vinegar Syndrome dredges up another video store era obscurity and gives it the royal treatment. If you like your horror filled with yuck yuck yucks you'll find some good laughs in WACKO

WACKO is available HERE

UNINVITED Blu-ray Review (Vinegar Syndrome)

USA/1987
Directed By: Greydon Clark
Written By: Greydon Clark
Starring: George Kennedy, Alex Cord, Clu Gulager
Color/91 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Have you ever sat there watching a movie, any type of movie, and thought to yourself "This would be so much better if a radioactive cat puked up another cat and the hairball cat attacked people viciously."? Well if you have then you're in luck! And if you haven't, why not?

Greydon Clark (Without Warning,  Satan's Cheerleaders) helms this video store era cheesefest about a crew of sleazy businessmen who invite a few sexy co-eds on to their yacht to cover their tracks only to find that the girls have found a runaway cat that they won't let go. This cat also happens to be radioactive and extremely deadly. Aside from coughing up an inner cat that maims its victim, the cat is also contagious with a poison that is spread through its salive so anything it eats becomes tainted. As the cat runs rampant and the bodies pile up tensions rise on the boat and the already thin crew begins to disolve to nothing and the threat of being stranded at sea with no food becomes a strong possibility as well. But really, the main problem is that damn puke cat.

I love that Greydon Clark plays UNINVITED straight. There's no winking at the camera despite how cheesy this all is. There's actual effort put into this cat monster that boils down to little more than a hand puppet and even the special effects look good. The cast has some real names in it with well known names like George Kennedy and Alex Cord starring along with one of my personal favorites Clu Gulager. There's real talent involved in front of the camera and behind it with Nicolas von Sternberg shooting the film. It only takes one look at his filmography and you'll probably see a dozen or more cult classics you love. And it shows here because UNINVITED is a pretty damn good looking movie.

There's not a lot to analyze here, UNINVITED is what it is. - A sometimes goofy, perhaps overly serious but always entertaining horror romp filled with dashes of crime excitement.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome delivers UNINVITED to Blu-ray with a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that was scanned in 4K from the original camera negative. Colors are vibrant and realistic while skin tones are healthy and natural looking without any sign of waxiness. There's a great amount of detail in closer shots of surfaces, fabrics and various textures, including the cat puppet. A DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix handles the audio more than passably and features a really nice sounding track overall. The audio is crisp and mostly free of any background noise or imperfections.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with director Greydon Clark
-Alternate international cut of the film
-"That Darn Mutant Cat" - An interview with cinematography Nicolas Von Sternberg
-Original Theatrical Trailer

The Bottom Line
I had a lot of fun with UNINVITED and it's motley crew of characters that get slaughtered by this weird mutant cat. If that doesn't sell you on it than nothing will.

UNINVITED is available HERE

SUSPIRIA (2018) - Blu-ray Review (Lionsgate Films)

Italy, USA/2018
Directed By: Luca Guadagnino
Written By: David Kajganich
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth
Color/152 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: January 29, 2019

The Film
Upon leaving the theater after seeing SUSPIRIA on Halloween night my mind was racing with everything I was still trying to take in. Luca Guadagnino had not only completed a project that had been rumored about for a decade but he gave me something I was both challenged by and that I appreciated. He had remade Dario Argento's Suspiria, my favorite film. Now, there was never and instance that I thought this modern take eclipsed the original but I did think that Luca Guadagnino gave the audiences a fresh take on it. But even after I slept on it and eventually decided to put SUSPIRIA quite high on my favorite films of the year list I knew that I had to watch it again to take it all in and process it.

Now given the chance to see it again I'm left with some of the same questions I was before along with some new ones. Opinions were solidified or flipped on their head. A second viewing of Guadagnino's SUSPIRIA was memorable, as I'm sure each viewing of this film will be but not all of it will be positive memories. For one, and I do think this is my single biggest problem with this film, is that the music is simply nonexistent. SUSPIRIA is a tale about a dance academy that secretly houses a coven of witches, it was a ballet school in the original but it's a much more modern and interpretive form of dance being used in the remake but either way you would imagine the music would play a huge role in giving the dancers something to dance to and of course setting a mood. Goblin's bombastic score certainly did both, giving us a catchy little melody that was easy to latch on to as the dancers performed their routines and the rest of the film attacking our ears and minds with bellowing wails, sighs, and beautiful sounds that could be described as otherworldly. The original Suspiria's soundtrack is an experience in itself. Thom Yorke of Radiohead was tasked with the job of creating the remake's soundtrack and the music he delivered would be better suited for an Elliott Smith biopic than a horror film. On top of the music simply not fitting the film at all it's also totally lost in the film's audio mix, while often times the instructors opt to have their dancers perform to no music. Pretty brilliant, eh? It's not even that I'm comparing Yorke's score to Goblin's, it's that I'm comparing Yorke's score to any horror film score. His score has nothing to offer this film.

But Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson and the rest of the ensemble cast had a lot to offer the film. Dakota Johnson is fresh off the Fifty Shades Of Grey trilogy and proves she has real talent here as the lead Susie Bannion. She's the main focus of the film and gives a measured performance that fits in to the mood of this film perfectly. Tilda Swinton proves why she's Hollywood royalty playing a trio of characters. Her main character, Madame Blanc runs the school most of the time and has her hands directly tied in with Susie. I loved watching Tilda and Dakota perform together. The remaining cast including Mia Goth and Chloe Grace Moretz all turn in physically demanding and moving performances. There's no denying the power and ability this cast possesses and provides the film which leads back to the director and Luca Guadagnino creates some striking visual sequences including the brutal mangling of a body, the intense dance sequences that are much more aggressive and at times sexual than anything we saw in Argento's original.

SUSPIRIA just had a bit of disconnect with me on this second viewing that I think I overlooked on my initial viewing because I was trying to take everything in at once and in a film such as this you're not going to take it all in on a single viewing, at least not properly. When I went back to revisit the film I felt that the cold, hard look covered in mainly concrete greys and dull interiors, a stark contrast to Argento's original that is infamously drenched in color and texture, that visual style transferred over to the mood of the film and ultimately my connection to it. This was due largely in part that I feel there were subplots that dragged the film out needlessly to a run time nearly two and a half hours long and didn't bring the emotion to the film that they intended to.

After a second viewing I'm still a fan of SUSPIRIA. I don't think it rivals the original but I think it is a true piece of art with a lot of talent involved. It's a vicious horror film at times and no review of it would be complete without totally gushing over the black mass climax where Mater Suspiriorum reveals herself and uses a demon to dispatch of any body that didn't pledge their allegiance to her. The lengthy sequence is flooded in red lighting, drenched in blood as bodies literally explode into a shower of crimson mist while dancers violently gyrate around the mayhem and Helena Markos exposes herself as a disgusting mess of sweat, slime, scars and a totally inhuman monster form. I have no problem calling this scene the best black mass or witchcraft scene in any film of the 21st century. Hands down. I'd even say the film is worth checking out for that scene alone.

The Audio & Video
Lionsgate brings SUSPIRIA to Blu-ray with a spectacular A/V presentation. The 16x9 anamorphic widescreen picture quality is stunning with super deep black levels that have no issues with blocking or compression. The detail levels are very high giving life to the textures around the dance academy and the harsh concrete structures around the city. Colors are reproduced beautifully despite the film having a rather cold and dull color palette until its climax. Otherwise the picture quality is pristine and I have nothing negative to say about it. The audio is handled in a Dolby Atmos track and it sounds stunning. I don't know what else to say. Five stars all around.

The Extras
There are three different short featurettes that total less than fifteen minutes. "The Making Of Suspiria" gives a brief general overview and comparison to the original, "The Secret Language Of Dance" explores the dancing and choreography within the film and "The Transformations Of Suspiria" is perhaps the most entertaining of the three as it gives us a look into the prosthetic effects and makeup in the film.

The Bottom Line
SUSPIRIA is a film that will challenge and divide audiences and while it never had a chance to challenge the original it certainly stands on its own two feet as a beautifully crafted tale of witchcraft and I recommend it without hesitation.

SUSPIRIA is available HERE

LET THE CORPSES TAN (Blu-ray Review) - Kino Lorber

France/Belgium
Directed By: Helene Cattet, Bruno Forzani
Written By: Helene Cattet, Bruno Forzani
Starring: Elina Lowensohn, Stephane Ferrara, Bernie Bonvoisin
Color/92 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: January 8, 2019

The Film
If you're not familiar with the duo of Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani you may be familiar with their two previous features, Amer and The Strange Colour Of Your Bodies Tears, a pair of films that add a strong arthouse style and vibe to the duo's love for Italian genre film, most notably the giallo. The duo has gained noteriety in the cult film community because of their flourishing direction and dizzying editing. Their films have been devisive among fans with some fans being turned off by the arthouse style and other gobbling up their contributions to the genre. If nothing else, their films are interesting companion pieces to the genres they are love letters to.

LET THE CORPSES TAN is Cattet's and Forzani's homage to the Euro crime and spaghetti western genres. The plot is one that you've heard before and could fit either type of film, a gang thugs steal a load of gold bars and escape to a sparsely populated, crumbling cliffside village to hide out. The gang will soon find trouble with the lusty painter and her guests including a writer, and another sexy woman and her son that are already at the villa. Soon a pair of motorcyle cops arrive on the scene and the film plays out with a lengthy showdown within the stone walls and rocky hills between the two groups filled with floods of color, intense closeups, extreme violence and multiple double crosses. The film's progression is framed with intertitles displaying the time, often times showing the same scene play out from various character's perspectives.

Cattet and Forzani deliver an onslaught of intense visuals, colors, extreme closeups and violence. The duo focus on the styles of the spaghetti western and the crime films that came out of Italy during the 1970s using signature camera angles and music cues. The traditional plot should have allowed for something more cohesive, and linear, though I know that isn't Cattet and Forzani's style, their approach often leads to the images on screen being a bit an incomprehensible mess of flying bullets and various closeups of appendages. I think characters are cheated a more fleshed out and well rounded existence had they been given more to do than just show up and shoot every fucking thing. I frequently found myself asking why or what, and never really receiving any sort of answer, it seemed to be decisions and action for the sake of decisions and action. There was no development in these characters, they're very much paper doll versions of who we are introduced to and become nothing more, even when they perform some sort of double cross or their intentions change with the wind.

I liked a lot of what I saw and I certainly found myself entertained but I can't help but wish the duo helming this picture turned their style down a few notches and instead of being barraged with style I would appreciated a film that had more developed characters and a more practical storyline. There still would have been plenty of room for Cattet and Forzani to blow their artistic load all over the place but at least there would have been some substance to it. I think there's a good movie in LET THE CORPSES TAN and a great movie hanging around right outside of it, especially for fans of the genres that Cattet and Forzani are proclaiming their love for but the duo are perfectly happy getting their nut and leaving us with blue balls.

The Audio & Video
Kino Lorber gives LET THE CORPSES TAN a home on Blu-ray with a 2.35:1 anaormphic widescreen transfer that looks and sounds exceptional. The look and sound of this film are its strong suits and this Blu-ray gives the vivid colors, intense use of shadow and silhouettes and distinct textures the proper treatment. The bombardment of sound comes through with a 5.1 or 2.0 DTS-HD audio mix that is mixed and layered very well with the dialogue and score and sound effects complimenting each other nicely. The film's dialogue is in French with optional English subtitles. The subtitles are timed perfectly and translated well for easy reading.

The Extras
Special features include an audio commentary track with film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Queensland Film Festival Director John Edmond and a trailer for the film.

The Bottom Line
I appreciate LET THE CORPSES TAN but I wanted to love it. If you appreciated Amer or The Strange Color Of Your Bodies Tears than I think you'll appreciate this one as well.

LET THE CORPSES TAN is available HERE

MOLLY - Blu-ray Review (Artsploitation Films)

Netherlands/2017
Directed By: Colinda Bongers, Thijs Meuwese
Written By: Thijs Meuwese
Starring: Julia Batelaan, Emma de Paauw, Joost Bolt
Color/91 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: October 2, 2018

The Film
When a maniacal gang leader catches wind that a girl with supernatural powers is roaming the barren wastelands near his camp he sets his henchman on a mission to capture her to be the new showpiece in circus where he forces competitors to fight to the death.

MOLLY stars Julia Batelaan as the titular character who travels a post-apocalyptic landscape by herself, staying alive and avoiding trouble when possible but when word gets out that you have supernatural abilities there's always going to be someone that wants to harness your powers for their own gain. Molly finds herself in constant trouble as she is chased for the duration of the film's 91 minute runtime by Deacon's (Joost Bolt).

Only when Molly discovers a young girl living alone among the dangerous landscape does the story take any sort of turn and it's more of a slight merge than a turn as it only adds a person for Molly to care for than actually changing the story. MOLLY'S weak story is its biggest downfall. There's just not enough story to make this movie a complete success but it still manages to be a successfully entertaining film. The directors were obviously influenced by films like Mad Max and maybe even some of the more low budget and exploitative rip-offs and they wanted to put their own spin on this style of film and where story isn't their strong suit the action scenes, of which there are plenty, and turning an obviously tight budget into a visually appealing production with set designs and characters that made the absolute most of the money spent on it.

MOLLY is also a well made movie with good fight choreography, good looking photography and a bit of stylish direction for good measure. I think it would have had a better flow at 75 minutes given the basic story and that some of the lesser fight scenes get a bit repetitive and at that point I'd be a bit more forgiving on the story but no matter how I slice it MOLLY was what I hoped it would be - a high energy post-apocalyptic romp that will hopefully help reignite the fire for these types of films.

The Audio & Video
Artsploitation Films gives MOLLY a properly beautiful presentation featuring a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that has a strong color palette and vibrant photography. Skin tones are natural and detail is good. The audio is presented in an English 5.1 surround sound mix that is free of any distortions. The mix blends music and dialogue with a proper balance so that neither gets overpowered or lost.

The Extras
Special features include a commentary track with directors Colinda Bongers and Thijs Meuwese along with a 30 minute making-of featurette.

The Bottom Line
MOLLY is far from perfect but I'm a nut for post-apocalyptic movies and MOLLY was so genuine and earnest in its delivery that I couldn't help but have a smile on my face for the duration.

MOLLY is available HERE

MRS. CLAUS - DVD Review (Wild Eye Releasing)

USA/2017
Directed By: Troy Escamilla
Written by: Troy Escamilla
Starring: Helene Udy, Brinke Stevens, Kaylee Williams
Color/87 Minutes/Not Rated
Region Free
Release Date: November 13, 2018

The Film
A prank at a sorority Christmas party leads to murder. 10 years later the sorority is having holiday party again but as guests begin turning up dead the college students try to survive the night as history seems to be repeating itself.

MRS. CLAUS is another in a long line of Christmas themed slasher films that borrows (you could easily argue that it just plain rips off) the David Hess directed To All A Goodnight except it tones down the sex and nudity quite a bit but it does maintain a healthy kill count and some well done practical special effects. The blood and gore is the reason to check out MRS. CLAUS as it makes the rough acting and recycled story tolerable.

MRS. CLAUS is a pretty straight forward affair with a killer donning a creepy old lady mask and some North Pole garb and does provide some decent albeit cheap entertainment if you're willing to overlook things like bad dialogue, overblown lighting, and a really dime store approach to set dressing. It's far from great but wouldn't be a bad find for fans looking for deeper Christmas horror cuts.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing brings MRS. CLAUS to home video with a fairly standard and innocuous DVD release. There's not much in the way of eye catching photography or especially powerful or moving music for the DVD to work with but everything is decent as far as the audio and video are concerned.

The Extras
An audio commentary with the director is the lone extra besides a selection of trailers.

The Bottom Line
We've seen almost this exact same story in a better Christmas slasher before and it isn't an amazing production by any means but it was passably entertaining thanks to some well done practical effects. If you're a slasher die hard or someone looking for Christmas horror that's off the beaten path it may be worth taking a look.

MRS. CLAUS is available HERE

ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING (DVD Review) - RLJE Films

US/2018
Directed By: Rebekah McKendry, David Ian McKendry
Written By: Rebekah McKendry, David Ian McKendry
Starring: Constance Wu, Jocelin Donahue, Jonathan Kite
Color/80 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: December 4, 2018

The Film
A couple who would otherwise be spending Christmas Eve alone get together to see an offbeat holiday stage play. Each different act of the play turns into a chapter of this anthology for us to watch. Everything from the holiday office party from hell, a demon that you literally can't get away from, and some stalker action too You would think that getting to see actual short films would be more interesting than seeing what our main couple would be seeing on that tiny theater stage but after viewing ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING I'm just not so sure of that. Maybe the absolutely minimalist version of these stories would have been better. Ok, probably not, but what we're given isn't anything special either.

The best part of ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING is easily the ensemble cast who almost all turn in solid to great performances. The directorial team of Rebekah and David Ian McKendry show some skill behind the camera but even with solid performances and well made shorts nothing saves this movie from being a dreadfully boring 80 minutes that is void of any real Christmas spirit or feeling. Nothing about ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING feels like a Christmas movie, horror or not. The stories are barely linked to the holiday and even the set dressings that may have at least put lipstick on the pig were barely Christmasy.

Sadly that's all there is to say. A good cast and competent direction didn't have a chance at saving this lifeless horror anthology.


The Audio & Video
RLJE Films delivers ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING on DVD with a sharp looking 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Black levels are deep and the colors are vibrant and true to life. For a standard definition release this is a nice looking DVD. The audio is clear and mixed nicely so that the dialogue and music compliment each other. There's no distortions to the audio.

The Extras
A feature length commentary track from the filmmakers is included.

The Bottom Line
There's so many Christmas horror movies that are worth watching that you really don't need to bother with this one at all. Skip it.

ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING is available HERE

PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH - 4K UHD & Blu-ray Review

USA/2018
Directed By: Sonny Laguna, Tommy Wiklund
Written By: S. Craig Zahler
Starring: Thomas Lennon, Jenny Pellicer, Nelson Franklin
Color/90 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: September 25, 2018
4K UHD/Blu-ray

The Film
The Puppet Master franchise is a staple of video store shelves since its inception in 1989 by Charles Band and Full Moon. With nearly a dozen entries it has given us plenty of laughs and thrills, exciting moments and ups and downs. Like many horror franchises that have spawned upwards of this many films it is those downs that really start to plague a series in the latter entries as interest and budgets wain. Puppet Master has been in a tail spin for the second half of its existence as I find nearly everything after part 5 to be a waste of time and almost completely void of any redeeming qualities.

When I heard a new Puppet Master film was being produced by a new team that had little involvement from Full Moon I was skeptcial to say the least but some of that skepticism eased when I learned that S. Craig Zahler, the man behind recent successes such as Bone Tomahawk and Brawl In Cellblock 99, was writing the film and that legendary Italian composer and frequent Lucio Fulci collaborator Fabio Frizzi would be scoring the film that skepticism actually turned into a bit of optimism and excitement. I'm happy to report that my faith was not misplaced and my enjoyment of the film has been confirmed after a second viewing of the film here on this new release but I will not be able to properly express my thoughts on the film better than I did after I was fresh out of that first watch. So I'm going to link that first review HERE where I go in depth on my thoughts on PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH.

The Audio & Video
RLJE Films has delivered PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH to home video on Blu-ray as well as 4K UHD. To say I'm a bit surprised that the film was released on 4K would be an understatement but I'm very pleased that it was because it is absolutely stunning. Colors are true to life but are breathtakingly vibrant. Black levels are the deepest black and detail is as crisp as burnt bacon. While that sucks for breakfast it's great for picture quality. The audio is no slouch either coming in with a DTS-HDMA 5.1 mix that beautifully showcases the raucosness of the film and Frizzi's awesome 80s throwback score. It's crystal clear with no issues of distortion or buzzing or any other sort of imperfections.

The Extras
Extras include a behind the scenes featurette looking at the shooting locations, makeup effects and more, a featurette on the cast of the film and their characters, and a short look at the creation and design of the puppets against their final on screen form.  Also included are early sketches of the Lightning Girl comic seen in the film and a trailer.

The Bottom Line
If this is how Puppet Master is going to be moving forward count me in! All in! I loved it the first time and I loved it the second time and this awesome 4K/Blu-ray combo pack is without a doubt the way to go. You need to see this for your Halloween viewing this year!

PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH is available HERE

BOSS NIGGER Blu-ray Review

USA/1975
Directed By: Jack Arnold
Written By: Fred Williamson
Starring: Fred Williamson, D'Urville Martin, William Smith
Color/93 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: August 14, 2018
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Two bounty hunters named Boss (Fred Williamson) and Amos (D'Urville Martin) save a woman named Clara Mae while she's being attacked by bandits and find a letter naming him sheriff of a nearby town. The mayor of the town has little control and answers to a gang leader named Jed Clayton (William Smith) out of fear. Despite Boss and Amos wanting to clean up the town and get their reward for bringing Jed Clayton to justice the mayor and most of the townspeople want no part of two black men running the law. BOSS NIGGER is a story of race and revenge.

This was the third film in a series of black westerns starring Fred Williamson. It was preceded by The Legend Of Nigger Charley and The Soul Of Nigger Charley but follows its own story as opposed to being a sequel to those films. BOSS NIGGER is the most polished film of the bunch and Fred Williamson is definitely more comfortable in front of the camera than he was in the earlier films having really honed in his performance and personality. Veteran director Jack Arnold makes a slick and at times stylish production, using the dusty wooden exteriors and dark, gaudy interiors to his advantage. Arnold is best known for directing some of the best science fiction and horror films of the 1950s including the timeless The Creature From The Black Lagoon but was no stranger to the western genre having directed episodes across various western TV series and a few feature films as well. The style and tone on display in BOSS NIGGER is much different from anything that Arnold made in the 50s as the western reinvented itself after the spaghetti western craze and became a much dirtier and more violent affair. Add in that this was a blaxploitation film featuring two black stars battling a white town who doesn't appreciate their services coming from a script written by one of the stars and Jack Arnold could very easily have been lost with how to handle it.

Thankfully he was not. He handled Fred Williamson's script well and that script was a solid one. While playing to most of the tropes of spaghetti westerns Williamson was able to craft a script that deals with racial tensions and race relations of the 1970s but didn't make the film feel forced around it even if it is the main theme of the film. After all the film's tagline so brazenly and proudly exclaims "White man's town, black man's law!". And the black men make it their law, even adding in dashes of humor at times particularly with D'Urville Martin who excelled at making me chuckle as he happily arrests the more uppity white folks in town for anything from saying the N-word to him or simply not returning a good morning gesture. All that Boss and Amos were asking for was some respect but it never came. Things only get worse until Jed Clayton really steps in to the picture. William Smith was no stranger to playing a white antagonist in blaxploitation films and turns in another good role here, especially his final showdown with Boss which is not only emotional but also powerful in its message and stylish in its execution by Jack Arnold. "That was for Poncho, that was for Clara Mae, and this is for me!". Just thinking of it gets me riled up.

That final showdown would not be where the credits rolled and the film ends somewhat ambiguously but with a clear message. BOSS NIGGER does have a political and social voice as many blaxploitation films did but it's also simply a well made western with some good performances and characters and moments that will stick with you. And to top if off it is has a great theme song.

What more could you ask for?

The Audio & Video
Kit Parker Films releases BOSS NIGGER through MVD in the film's first HD presentation on home video. The Blu-ray features a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that isn't perfect but looks good overall. Colors are strong and lifelike but color timing fluctuates a bit between the warm natural look to that with a very light green hue. It's very minor but it is there. The image is generally sharp enough but softness intermittently pops up. The transfer has just a bit of speckling on an otherwise clean image. Black levels leave a bit to be desired but detail is rather good throughout.

The Audio comes across in a crisp and well mixed LPCM 2.0 track that sounds great. I didn't notice any distortions or damage to the track and the dialogue and funky western inspired soundtrack compliment each other nicely.

The Extras
-"A Conversation With Fred Williamson" - An archival interview conducted by Joel Blumberg clocking in at nearly a half hour
-Jack Arnold Tribute by Myrl Schreibman
-"A Boss Memory" - Interview with producer Myrl Schreibman
-Original trailer

The Bottom Line
Blaxploitation films and revisionist westerns are still under represented on Blu-ray so it is great to get a solid HD presentation of BOSS NIGGER. Expand your horizons a bit and give this one a look because it's a very good blaxploitation western mashup.

BOSS NIGGER is available HERE

STRAIGHT TO HELL - Blu-ray Review (Kino Studio Classics

UK/1987
Directed By: Alex Cox
Written By: Dick Rude, Alex Cox
Starring: Sy Richardson, Joe Strummer, Dick Rude
Color/91 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: August 28, 2018

The Film
What do you get when you combine the comedic anarchy of Mel Brooks with a "don't give a fuck what you think" punk rock attitude and roll it up in to a spaghetti western spoof that someone like Quentin Tarantino would worship? You get something along the lines of Alex Cox's STRAIGHT TO HELL.

Four bumbling criminals blow their job by being hungover and letting their target check out of his hotel before they could get to him so to make it up to their boss they rob a bank and barely escape. Their car breaks down in the Mexican desert so they bury the cash and hideout in what they thought was a deserted town. It's not ghosts they have to worry about here but maybe the undead would be better than dealing with a lot of kill-happy, cowboys that have been exposed to too much sun and are all hopped up on coffee.

Alex Cox is a well known cult filmmaker having made films such as Repo Man and Sid And Nancy which have amassed huge followings and have even found themselves among the ranks of the Criterion Collection. He's also a huge fan of the spaghetti western genre, he's provided commentary tracks to various films and even written a book on the subject. He has proven himself a very versatile filmmaker that can make great films in many styles and tones so it is no surprise that he wanted to make a spoof of the spaghetti western genre in a more contemporary setting. It's also made up of quite a cast of characters, largely filled with various musicians such as Joe Strummer of The Clash, Elvis Costello, The Pogues and Courtney Love as the female lead. This cast of non-actors add a bit to the chaos of the movie as you can only wrangle their performances so much. Even the more trained and traditional actors give wild performances but with a bit more polish to them.

STRAIGHT TO HELL is hilarious with the comedy coming from all angles and starting from the very beginning and never letting up. The cast that Cox uses definitely plays a big role in the vibe and attitude of the film. The overall story is a pretty typical western with the hunt for a hidden fortune, double crossing, a tough female love interest but it's all contorted into a zany and wacky affair. It also features some splattery violence that catches you off guard at first but quickly blends in to the madness. Story takes a bit of a backseat at times with a few stretches of film that went so far into left field that it lost me for a bit and that was okay because I was having enough fun that just spending time in this wackjob of a town was enough for me.

It may not be the most accessible film ever produced as it really does scream "cult" in every aspect of its production and not everyone is cut out to watch these types of movies. Whether it is the punk rock cast, the over the top violence, a pregnant and shrieking Courtney Love or just how bizarre the entire affair is, it definitely has a limited audience. One person that definitely enjoyed it was Quentin Tarantino as it is immediately evident how it influenced him on his early work, especially Pulp Fiction. Maybe STRAIGHT TO HELL is a bit too self indulgent and maybe Alex Cox gave too few fucks to make a traditionally good film and the bad reviews it received upon its release reflect that but for as much as I think Alex Cox was seriously loving every second of making this film I appreciate how bonkers it is and I had a lot of fun watching it.

The Audio & Video
STRAIGHT TO HELL arrives on Blu-ray with a new 2K restoration from Kino's Studio Classics line with great success. The anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 transfer has great picture quality and is sharp and clear, with no dirt, scratches or other debris. The desert setting is hot and sweaty and the fine details of the dirt, sand and broken down town textures are on point. Colors are vibrant with deep black levels and no signs of pixelation or blocking issues. the audio comes across in a DTS-HD Master Audio mix that sounds crystal clear. There's plenty of shoot outs and explosions to give your sound system some content to show off with while dialogue and music compliment each other nicely.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with co-writer/director Alex cox and co-writer/star Dick Rude
-"Back To Hell" - Making-of documentary
-"Black Hills" - A vintage tour of filming locations
-"Straight To Hell Returns" trailer

The Bottom Line
STRAIGHT TO HELL isn't the smoothest ride in town but that's what makes it memorable and gives it a distinct personality. This movie is wild and I dig it. Recommended!

STRAIGHT TO HELL is available HERE