THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD (DVD Review)

United States/1985
Directed By: Roy Frumkes
Written By: Roy Frumkes
Starring: George A. Romero, Richard Rubenstein, Tom Savini
Color/102 Minutes/Not Rated
  
The Film
In 1985 a documentary from Roy Frumkes was released called DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD which chronicled his time spent with director George Romero on the set of his 1978 classic Dawn Of The Dead. The documentary featured interviews with key cast and crew and looked at Romero's films to that point and his work in the commercial field. The film was originally used as a learning tool for budding filmmakers.

It has been over a quarter decade since the film was originally released and Romero has made several more films and become more of a household name than ever before. Frumkes has visited the set of some of these films and along with compiling other footage from the set, conventions, and various other meetings with the people involved in Romero's films, has made a new cut for THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD. This cut clocks in at well over 20 minutes longer than any other cut of the film and features footage from Romero's early commercial work up through his latest film Survival of the Dead. His techniques in directing, writing and editing are all mentioned along with how he handles each stage of the filmmaking process. Along with extensive footage with Romero himself, other names interviewed include Tom Savini, Judith O'Dea, Dario Argento, Greg Nicotero, and members of the classic Dead trilogy.

This documentary is an interesting and informative look in to the process of one of horror's greatest directors. Apart from that it is a genuinely entertaining movie. There are quite a few laughs to be had and some cool moments of actors from various movies realizing who each other is after almost 30 years. Some looks into special effects setups and stunt work make it all the more fun.


The Video
Synapse Films delivers this documentary in a very nice looking print with varying aspect ratios. The majority of the film is presented in a natural full frame 1.33:1 ratio but with several cameras used it does change from time to time. The footage from the original film is still in nice shape and while not particularly sharp, it features a very clean transfer. The newer footage naturally looks better and sharper. The new cut of the film wasn't mastered in HD by Frumkes so there is no Blu-ray (only of the original  film) which is a bummer. This DVD does have a very solid video presentation however.

The Audio
A Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono track is the lone audio choice and it is perfectly serviceable. Aside from the opening claymation sequence being a good bit louder than the rest of the film the sound is quite good and mixed pretty well. There are moments throughout where the setting of the filming is obviously going to be louder (a crowded hotel room) than a sit down interview but they are mixed well enough to not create a distraction. Overall the audio is in nice shape and is of very good quality. 

The Extras
 Roy Frumkes provides further insight into his time spent developing this documentary over 25 years in a brand new commentary track. This is like a 2nd film's worth of information. 

 
The Bottom Line 
THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD will appeal to any fans of Romero, horror or filmmaking in general. While a much longer cut could dig deeper into various aspects covered, Frumkes' point wasn't to make an exhaustive How-To. This is as fun as it is educational.

THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD is available HERE  

BASKET CASE 3 (DVD Review)

United States/1991
Directed By: Frank Henenlotter
Written By: Frank Henenlotter, Robert Martin
Starring: Kevin Van Hentenryck, Gil Roper, Denise Coop, Annie Ross
Color/90 Minutes/Rated R

The Film
Director Frank Henenlotter (Basket Case, Brain Damage) returns for the 3rd and final chapter in his twisted series with BASKET CASE 3: THE PROGENY, picking up just where part 2 left off. After a brief recap of the climax of the previous film Duayne has lost his mind and decides the only way he'll be happy is if he and his freak of a twin brother are once again conjoined at the hip. A ball of yarn and a crochet needle make this happen in very bloody fashion. We move forward a few months and Duayne is now in a straight jacket inside a padded room where Granny Ruth (Annie Ross) has been taking care of him, along with her house full of deformed freaks. We learn that Belial's girlfriend is now pregnant so the whole group has to take a bus trip to the only doctor Granny Ruth trusts with her loved ones and what bus trip is complete without a sing along of the "you've got personality" song?

Once at the doctor's house the most bizarre, violent, and just insane birthing sequence ever put to film is captured. Octomom has nothing on Belial's new family. The wild birth sequence is followed up by a ridiculous dream sequence in which the word "trapezoid" is used as a sexual turn on for possibly the first and only time in film history. After the fun of the birth Granny Ruth realizes that Duane is missing as he has landed in police custody and they find out about the doctor and Belial, who is a fugitive. The cops sneak in to the house and shoot Belial's lover Eve, thinking it was him. The pair of bumbling cops are chased from the house by the rest of the freaks, leaving Belial furious. 

Belial arrives at the police station in his trusty basket and exacts his bloody gruesome revenge. Including ripping an officer's head off by biting his lip, having a young girl be shot, twisting a head around and more. Belial and Duane are finally reunited and flee the police station but not before Belial is injured when his basket is shot. Helping Belial heal and have an easier time in the future, Duane and the doctor's son construct a robot suit (think a crude version of Kraang from TMNT) that Belial uses to continue his revenge on the people responsible for killing his love while Granny Ruth proposes a deal to trade Belial for the babies the police still have. Of course it's a setup and there is a showdown between the sheriff and "Robo-Belial" resulting in a terrible death for the sheriff. 

BASKET CASE 3 is a fun romp of crazy creatures, violence and dark humor. This is the type of film that director Frank Henenlotter was put on Earth to make- A nasty, comedic look at human deformities. The makeup effects are simply amazing and without a doubt the best part of both sequels in the series. The film plays out in a simple fashion with your heart going out to the freaks, especially Belial and you certainly feel for him and are applauding his revenge. The biggest downfall that this film (and part 2) has is that the Times Square, NYC location of the first film was simply perfect. It was a seedy place where the "normal" people were just as crazy and freakish as Belial and the story was far more original than this rather by-the-numbers piece of revenge. No matter, if you're looking for a fun time that you can sit down with a few beers and some popcorn and watch some ridiculousness, BASKET CASE 3 is a solid choice.

 

The Video
Synapse Films brings BASKET CASE 3 to us in an anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 transfer that is very nice looking. There is a healthy natural grain level but is clean and free of dirt and debris. Flesh tones, both human and prosthetic look natural and lively. The quality of the print allows us to see the special effects makeup in all its glory and the bloody reds look great. I don't have the old MGM disc to compare but this new release probably looks as good as the DVD format will allow. A fantastic job.

The Audio
A Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track provides a crisp and clear presentation and is perfectly suitable for the disc. Dialogue and the soundtrack are mixed nicely and never have to compete with one another. Levels remain stable throughout so you won't have to reach for the remote every few minutes to adjust the volume.


The Extras
The lone extra on the disc is a theatrical trailer.

 

The Bottom Line
Synapse Films brings BASKET CASE 3 back in print for the first time in almost a decade in the United States with a really solid DVD presentation of a film that will certainly find its niche once again. Some more extras would have been nice, but just getting to complete the trilogy is the true prize here. Recommended for anyone that is a fan of weird horror comedies or any fan of Henenlotter's other work.

BASKET CASE 3 is available on DVD HERE

The Complete HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR (DVD Review)

England/1980
Directed By: Various
Written By: Various
Starring: Various
Color/702 Minutes/Not Rated

The Film
By 1980 the famed horror studio Hammer had ceased theatrical productions and started an anthology TV series known as HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR. The series ran for 13 one hour episodes that were cut for airing in the US, with the final episode never even making it to American screens. 

"Witching Time" is the first episode of the series. Directed by Don Leaver and originally airing on September 13, 1980, this episode starts out with a sequence that could be taken from any slasher the decade would come to be known for however this is not how the episode would play out. Take a little bith of witchcraft and add in some time travel, nudity and possession and you have a worthy start to this series. Look for Italian genre film favorite Ian McCulloch  to guest star as the doctor. A week later came "The Thirteenth Reunion" helmed by long time Hammer collaborator Peter Sasdy. Look for a familiar British face in Warren Clarke who played one of Alex De Large's droogs in Kubricks A Clockwork Orange. The horrors that high society partake in and get away with are on full display here. Rounding out the first disc in the set is another episode from Peter Sasdy that stars Denholm Elliott, a face fans of Indiana Jones will undoubtedly recognize. In this episode Elliott plays a real estate agent who dreams of murder over and over (and over) until his mind begins to crack under the pressure and dreams become a reality.

 Disc 2 gets underway with "Growing Pains" which feels a lot like The Omen through much of the episode. The atmosphere is creepy surrounding the main character, a young boy who was recently adopted. The ending doesn't quite live up to the build. I still found it to be a worthy entry. Have you ever heard how a house can harbor negative emotions or that an inanimate object can be evil? That is the case in "The House That Bled To Death", which has some of my favorite visuals of the entire series and may be the most unforgiving in it's nature. Director Robert Young made his Hammer debut with the underrated Vampire Circus. Here he directs "Charlie Boy", the story of a man and his wife who have inherited the art collection from their dead uncle. Included in which is an African statue similar to a voodoo doll that begins to claim the lives of those surrounding it. This may be among the most brutal of all the episodes. "The Silent Scream" starts out disc number 3 and was directed by Alan Gibson the man responsible for Hammer titles such as Dracula A.D. 1972 (which I love) and The Satanic Rites Of Dracula. While he got to direct Christopher Lee in those two films he gets to direct the other top name for Hammer, Peter Cushing. This episode is very well made, has great performances and excellent tension. There is good reason that this is probably the most well liked episode of the series. The only film in the series to use a traditional horror monster is "Children Of The Full  Moon". This episode is pretty good with it's use of old Hungarian folk lore and a spooky countryside atmosphere. A little more action would have been nice though. Wrapping up the disc is "Carpathian Eagle" a play on the story of Jack The Ripper that has a few twists on and in the story. I found it to be a bit slow and not totally engaging but the payoff is worth it.

The final 4 episodes are split across discs 4 and 5 starting with episode number 10 of the series, "Guardian Of The Abyss". This episode features Satanic cults, black masses, creepy evil antiques... all things I'm a fan of. There is some cool imagery as well that adds even more flare from the devil. All in all an enjoyable episode."Visitor From The Grave" is a bit more psychologically driven and is a decent thriller. Featuring murder, setups, and bodies that won't stay buried this episode spends it's runtime watching the main character descend into madness (again).What starts as an innocent vacation turns into a surreal nightmare where everything that can go wrong, does in "The Two Faces Of Evil". This is an interesting episode from returning director Alan Gibson that twists and turns down a road to doppleganger hell.'The Mark Of Satan" is "the episode that went too far!". The 13th and final episode of the series was never aired for syndication in the US including cable and a run with Elvira home videos and only aired one time during the original run in it's native England. Numerology, Demonology, conspiracies, paranoia, cannibalism and self-mutilation are all on display here in various levels. Is it evil at play or a crazy man's psyche tearing him apart? That is the ultimate question.

The Video
Synapse Films brings us the complete series of HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR in a nice looking 1.33:1 full frame transfer preserving it's original aspect ratio from it's television broadcast. It isn't clear if any restoration work has been done to the film elements but they look well maintained and very clean. Colors and dark levels are strong and flesh tones look natural. There are only a couple of instances where the image gets soft and these instances only last for a few seconds each. Other than that there is nothing to complain about here.

 

The Audio
A 2.0 Mono track is the single audio option but it does the job just fine. The level mixing is done with skill as dialogue never has to compete with each episode's soundtrack. Levels are stable across all 5 discs and all in all the audio on this set is handled very well. 

The Extras
Episode Introductions With Film Historian Shane M. Dallman- Each episode receives an intro from Mr. Dallman that provides a brief insight into the making and history of that episode. Everything from key names in the cast to the censorship the episode received during original syndication is covered. These are optional for the episodes but are great to watch at least the first time you make your way through the set. 

Grave Recollections: A Visit With Kathryn Leigh Scott- This interview spends several minutes with the lead actress from the "Visitor From The Grave" episode as she fondly remembers her time spent with Hammer and in the horror genre. 

Hammer Housekeeping: A Visit With Mia Nadasi- Another interview with an actress from "Visitor From The Grave" who is also married to director Peter Sasdy. She discusses working with her husband and on the series. 

Animated Still Gallery
   

 The Bottom Line 
Synapse Films has put together an attractive 5 disc set in a standard width single Amaray case that presents HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR uncensored with all of the nudity and violence intact. Any fan of Hammer productions, horror anthology series or horror as a whole will enjoy this set. There is enough variation in each episode that there is something for everyone. The extra features are a nice addition even if they leave us wanting more in the way of supplemental material. I have no problem highly recommending this set to everyone.

HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR is available HERE

Female Teacher: Dirty Afternoon (DVD Review)

Japan/1981
Directed By: Castro Negishi
Written By: ?
Starring: Yuki Kazamatsuri, Ayako Ota, Eri Kanuma
Color/68 Minutes/Not Rated

The Film
Sakiko is a school teacher in Tokyo who has just received a phone call from Sueko, a former student that she barely remembers. Sueko has been accused of being a prostitute by local police and is looking for help in her former teacher. Sueko goes to town to lure men for sex but doesn't take any form of payment. Sakiko doesn't remember Sueko at first until her memory is jarred of when she worked at a school in the mountains and was raped by a man in a nylon ski mask. The painful memories are brought back and Sakiko soon realizes that she is intertwined with Sueko and her family more than she ever thought and that she and her former student are far more similar than she let herself believe. 

FEMALE TEACHER: DIRTY AFTERNOON came off quite a bit raunchier than it may have after recently watching Nympho Divers which was much more lighthearted. There is no shortage of sex in all forms, from meaningful and passionate to an afternoon quickie with a complete stranger in a tea house. The plot of the film only adds to the promiscuity of it all as a victim learns that she is a perpetrator in her own right and can't deal with it so she turns to what else but sex to deal with the pain. Virtually no time is spent within classroom walls despite the film's title, and Sakiko's occupation as a teacher is of little consequence. She could have easily been any other passing female in Sueko's life who happened to have the unfortunate series of events dumped on her. Despite the lack of perverted student/teacher relations that the title certainly implies, at least in my mind, FEMALE TEACHER will satisfy Nikkatsu Roman fans.

The Video
FEMALE TEACHER: DIRTY AFTERNOON is presented in it's OAR of 2.35:1 in this 16x9 transfer. As is the case with the rest of the series this is a pleasant looking transfer that is free of any major annoyances or debris. I couldn't detect any meddling with the picture and the film probably looks about as good as it ever has. A nice job yet again from the Impulse Pictures line of Synapse Films. 

 

The Audio
A Japanese 2.0 mono track is your only listening choice, with optional English subtitles of course. The track is clear and stable. It won't test your sound system but dialogue is perfectly clear and the subtitles are easy to read and timed well. 

The Extras
Again Jasper Sharp's liner notes are the lone extra but they remain a valuable commodity. 

 

The Bottom Line 
Impulse Pictures does another fine job with their 8th release in the Nikkatsu Roman Porno line and will keep fans of the series coming back for more. 

FEMALE TEACHER: DIRTY AFTERNOON is available HERE

Nympho Diver: G-String Festival (DVD Review)

Japan/1981
Directed By: Atsushi Fujiura
Written By: Kazuhiko Ban, Atsushi Fujiura
Starring: Anzai Eri, Ezaki Kazuyo, Aono Rima
Color/69 Minutes/Not Rated

The Film 
A struggling Japanese village is in need of new divers to collect various seafood creatures. Luckily a group of young attractive ladies have just come back from Tokyo and are ready to help out their village. The males of the village are extremely happy at the turn of events and the girls are as willing as the guys are happy. The sex starts to fly anywhere and everywhere with not a care in the world of who may be watching. 

Plot takes a back seat (or perhaps a completely separate car) to nudity and sex in NYMPHO DIVERS. This is an erotic comedy that plays on Japanese traditions and customs and is pretty successful in both areas. The comedy being the harder of the two to pull off, of course, and there are some laughs to be had with some silly characters throughout the town and ridiculous sex situations. There's not a whole lot going on here besides that but it makes for an entertaining light viewing experience.  

The Video
Impulse Pictures delivers NYMPHO DIVERS in an anamorphic widescreen print with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The picture looks good with a strong image that is clean and stable. There was no major print damage noticeable and flesh tones looked nice and natural. This is a really solid transfer.

The Audio
A Japanese 2.0 Mono track is the lone audio option. English subs are available if you don't speak Japanese and they are well timed and written as well as being very easy to read. The audio itself is free of any distortions and remains at a stable level throughout and is a perfectly serviceable track.

The Extras
An original theatrical trailer is the lone disc extra but the real prize, once again, is the liner notes from Jasper Sharp. You should be well on your way to being a walking encyclopedia on Nikkatsu by this point.

 

The Bottom Line
With spine number 7 in the Nikkatsu line from Impulse Pictures, NYMPHO DIVER: G-STRING FESTIVAL is a change of pace as far as plot goes from the rest of the series but it's a welcomed one. There is still plenty of sex and nudity that we've become accustomed to since the line launched earlier this year. If you've been a fan of the series you'll want to grab this disc to add to the collection.

NYMPHO DIVER: G-STRING FESTIVAL is available HERE

The Life And Death Of A Porno Gang (Blu-Ray Review)

Serbia/2010
Directed By: Mladen Djordjevic
Written By: Mladen Djordjevic
Starring: Mihajlo Jovanovic, Ana Acimovic, Predrag Damnjanovic
Color/112 Minutes/Not Rated


The Film
In the last couple of years Serbia has become infamous for the shocking cinema it has turned out. Most notably is A Serbian Film which nearly turned the horror community on it's head and had internet forums fighting like school girls. Was it artistic? Was it garbage? Did it have any merit or was it simply meant to disgust? Well now we have another film from the area getting a wide American release on disc that we will inevitably be reading the same type of comments about on message boards. 

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG is the story of Marko, a young film school graduate desperate to make his first feature film. Growing tired of life at home, having to entertain his father's friends including his own ex-girlfriend, Marko lands a job as a porno director. The porn industry is tied in with some shady people and when he uses money meant for a traditional sex tape on a more artistic adult film his mob boss is pissed and Marko has to leave town. He gathers a group of friends he's made while making porn and they form a traveling  "porno cabaret" going from town to town and village to village performing live sex acts and living out of their wildly painted van. Money is tight and some villages chase them out of town so when Marko meets a man who wants him to film snuff movies for big bucks with willing participants, Marko can't say no.

The group makes the snuff films whenever their "producer" has a willing subject, using the porn shows as their main day to day job. Things get more dangerous with the murders as they're approached to perform it live in front of a high paying audience in a Snuff Theater. Between the group's personal health and drug problems, the authorities crashing down on them and more mob problems the group begins to crumble.

Shock value can be a valuable tool in an exploitative film such as this. However when a film relies almost entirely on shock to carry the film it all falls flat and leaves the viewer with only the bad taste that the shock has and nothing of any substance to wash it down. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG is chock full of shock value. From endless amounts of nudity from the entire gang, and swapping of used needles and STDs, to beastiality and animal cruelty this film isn't a nice one. The question is if it uses shock to grab the audiences attention for something greater. This isn't a horror film about a monster that blood and gore can be used as shock to add to the entertainment value. This is a film solely about people and their time spent together so the shock value really needs to lead to something. A perfect example of this is in Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust. I personally feel director Mladen Djordjevic fell short on this task. Marko is a character that for the entire film we're waiting for a profound breakthrough or something bigger than a traveling fuck fest. He's educated and has a good mind but we never get to see him use it. The ending may give us a very small glimpse but it could have been more. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG may fall short of being a great film but there is more than enough here for fans of this type of movie to find a couple hours worth of entertainment.

The Video
The Special Edition Blu-Ray of THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG comes to us courtesy of Synapse Films in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation in full 1080p HD and is all region. The picture quality is very good overall. The intended look of the film includes a documentary style at various points throughout that don't look as crisp as the more traditional scenes but even those still look good. This is another great transfer from Synapse.

The Audio
The film is presented in it's native Serbian with English subs in a DTS-HD 2.0 stereo track that is clean and clear of any hiccups or distractions. Levels are fine and steady. The subtitles are spot on and a breeze to read along with.

The Extras
Made In Serbia - This is a feature length documentary from the film's director on the Serbian adult entertainment industry.
"Making Of" Featurette
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer

The Bottom Line
Synapse Films knocks the ball out of the park here with another stellar package. The movie will certainly divide audiences and their feelings towards what they've seen but one thing no one will be able to discount is the top notch release the film was given.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG is available HERE

TWINS OF EVIL (Blu-Ray Review)

England/1971
Directed By: John Hough
Written By: Tudor Gates
Starring: Peter Cushing, Damien Thomas, Madeleine Collinson, Mary Collinson
Color/87 Minutes/Not Rated

The Film
By 1971 Hammer had become a huge name in the world of horror and were arguably the most important studio for our beloved genre at the time. They had much success with their Dracula and Frankenstein franchises and launched the career of Christopher Lee to international fame while giving veteran actor Peter Cushing perhaps his most notable roles. TWINS OF EVIL is another great piece of gothic horror from the British film company.

Frieda and Maria (Playboy centerfolds Madeleine and Mary Collinson) are twin girls sent to live in the village of Karnstein with their uncle Gustav Weil (Cushing) after the death of their parents. They find Karnstein is far different from their home of Venice in how uptight conservative and strictly puritanical it is. Weil is the leader of a local witch hunting group called "The Brotherhood" who is well known around the area for hunting down young women and burning them at the stake for their pact with Satan, which they usually have no proof of. Weil is also at odds with Count Karnstein, a sadistic man who secretly practices black magic and seeks the darker pleasures that only the devil can offer.

After growing tired of the superstitious, uptight nature of her uncle Frieda pays a visit to the Count and falls prey to him and his vampire ways. Frieda now tries to keep her condition secret from her sister and uncle so she can continue to see her lover and stay free of her uncle's lynch mob. The Count has a plan to switch the girls in order to allow Freida to live freely as her more innocent sister and have Maria burned at the stake. A local musician named Anton who studies the history of superstition uncovers the diabolical plan and gets The Brotherhood on his side to save Maria and take down the vampire lovers.

TWINS OF EVIL was directed by John Hough who is probably best known as director of the classic exploitation film Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. This was only Hough's second feature film before he went on to a very busy career during he 70s and 80s and continuing even to today as a producer. Hough skillfully handles the characters, especially Cushing's Gustav Weil who will do a complete 180 on you and it is totally believable with Hough's direction. Aside from Cushing the acting is all very good, never being too hammy which many genre films of this era can be guilty of. Even our twins who are realistically there as gorgeous eye candy for the most part play their respective roles with grace and play very well off of each other. David Warbeck (Fulci's The Beyond) plays the musician Anton with a great sense of urgency and it works out well.While being rooted in the gothic horror that Hammer is best known for, TWINS OF EVIL also reaches a deeper level with it's work within the witch-hunting area and the obvious questions it raises towards how the church handles certain situations. This is very reminiscent of the excellent Witchfinder General aka The Conqueror Worm. The most surprising thing about this film is how the finale really ramps up the violence and gore factor. Hough really made our lynch mob scene violent and awesome.

The Video
Synapse Films releases TWINS OF EVIL on Blu-Ray in beautiful 1080p High-Def. The original aspect ration of 1.66:1 is maintained and it looks phenomenal. Skin tones look lively (or... undead? ha!) and natural while the blood reds pop off the screen. The blacks are deep and dark and you can feel the murkiness of the European countryside and the dampness of the Count's castle. Simply an outstanding transfer.

Please note that screen grabs are from the DVD copy of the film. 

The Audio
The DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono track is a pleasure to listen to. Dialogue levels never have to compete with Harry Robertson's excellent score. No hissing, crackling or any other noise debris to report. There are English subtitles available. 

The Extras
The Flesh And The Fury: X-Posing Twins Of Evil - This feature length documentary chronicles the history of Hammer all the way back to Sheridan Le Fanu's story of Carmilla up to the production of  TWINS OF EVIL which owes a certain bit of gratitude to the "original lesbian vampire story". Clocking in only a couple of minutes shorter than the film itself, this is chock full of information and history from historians and cast and crew. We'd be better off if every film released on disc had this sort of supplement.



The Props That Hammer Built: The Kinsey Collection - Author and Hammer historian Wayne Kinsey gives us a tour of his collection of props from various Hammer films, which of course is filled with all sorts of information on the pieces and films they come from. This is a very cool featurette that all of us geeks will enjoy and make us all jealous. 
 
Deleted Scene

Isolated Music and Effects Track 
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spots
Motion Still Gallery
DVD Version of the Film

The Bottom Line
A year and a half after I learned of it's planned release I finally get to see the final product. Yes, I've been waiting for TWINS OF EVIL on Blu-Ray since December of 2010 and I have to say that Synapse Films not only made the wait worth it, they blew my expectations out of the water. The documentary alone is worth the price of admission, and it's a special feature! This is a packed release of an expertly restored film and I have no doubt it will be among my favorite releases of 2012. 

TWINS OF EVIL is available HERE

TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: CONTINUES (DVD Review)

Japan/1975
Directed By: Koyu Ohara
Written By: Koyu Ohara, Akira Momoi
Starring: Kozue Hitomi, Arikawa Mihoko, Yoshii Akiko
Color/70 Minutes/Not Rated

The Film
In this follow up to the previously reviewed True Story Of A Woman In Jail: Sex Hell, Mayumi (our resident badass from the first) is released from solitary confinement and housed in a cell where the other inmates have decided to bully a new, shy girl. Mayumi doesn't tolerate it and stands up against the girls which sets up a series of fights, lesbian sex scenes and torture throughout the movie. At various points some of the guards get in on the nastiness and the Yakuza come in to play with their plots and schemes. All of which also piss off Mayumi and send her in to a violent streak. It all leads to the boiling point of the entire prison losing it's collective cool in the finale. 

There isn't much depth to the plot, just enough to advance the story so that it makes at least a little bit of sense. That isn't to say this is a bad film, director Koyu Ohara, who directed all 3 parts of this series, uses a lot of style and flare. There are more than a few times it seems obvious he was influenced by the Female Convict Scorpion films of 1972 and '73. While Ohara doesn't achieve the level of artistry present in those cult classics, he is able to make good use of the dingy, dark interiors of the prison with some lively direction. The perversity on display in TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: CONTINUES is astounding, with a bit of a... surprise... for you at one point. If you are a fan of the Women-In-Prison genre this is something you will want to check out. 

 


The Video
The DVD from Impulse Pictures boasts an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) transfer that looks very nice. Flesh tones look natural and warm while reds really pop. The brighter scenes along city streets are quite striking. 

 

The Audio
The Japanese Mono 2.0 track sounds fine and is free of any outside disturbances like hissing and crackling. The optional English subtitles (newly translated) are spot in in their delivery.

The Extras
You know what this part will say by now, don't you? Only liner notes from Jasper Sharp are included as an extra but at this point you could get a question about the Nikkatsu studio on Final Jeopardy and you'd probably get it right. They're that good.

The Bottom Line
Spine #6 in the Nikkatsu Erotic Thriller line from Impulse Pictures is another winner. What it lacks in depth of plot it makes up for in cruel, cruel, entertainment. This is deserving of a spot on your shelf right along with spines 1-5.

TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN IN JAIL: CONTINUES IS AVAILABLE HERE

ZOOM IN: SEX APARTMENTS (DVD Review)

 Japan/1980 
 Directed By: Naosuke Kurosawa
Written By: Chiho Katsura
Starring: Erina Miyai, Youko Azusa, Yuuko Ohzaki

The Film
Saeko is a woman with a somewhat mysterious past. After her boyfriend leaves for a trip to "win and come in first place" she is attacked in a barren field by a man in a black mask and black gloves with a rock. She is raped in the field but her life is spared. Shortly after she decides to pay a visit to a man from her past who she recently ran in to and that gave her a key to his apartment in the Kibougahara building. Intending to simply return the key, the couple ends up having sex and she stays with the man. Shortly after a string of incredibly gruesome and violent murders befall the residents of the building. Saeko has suspicions on who the murderer may be but with a madman on the loose who rapes, beats and burns victims alive will she be able to stay alive long enough to figure it out?

ZOOM IN: SEX APARTMENTS caught me totally off guard. The artwork and title revealed nothing of what this film ended up being. Director Naosuke Kurosawa makes his debut here and shows that he is probably too talented to be making the Nikkatsu porno films that really don't require the skill or style on display here. What could have easily been a bland film about a murderer filled with sex is a pleasant surprise filled with surrealism. Kurosawa is an obvious horror fan and if the heart thumping soundtrack, and posters from Hammer horror films around the apartments don't tell you that than the obvious homages and influences from the Giallo film and Dario Argento certainly will. The black gloved, sex crazed maniac is a staple of many of the Italian thrillers that Argento helped make famous a decade before this film and with very similar violence and style. Kurosawa gives such a dream like (or nightmare) feeling to much of the violence within the film that you are able to look passed the disgust you may very well be feeling in your gut and appreciate it as something more. From the chase scene where the passing apartments black out in a sign of foreshadowing to the finale, the entire film could be viewed as images inside a crazy person's head. 

 ZOOM IN: SEX APARTMENTS is 68 minutes of sheer depravity and pure nastiness, and I love it. The obvious Giallo homages, that are well done, pull at my heart strings as they are among my favorite films. The stylish direction, surrealism about the whole thing and attractive naked women make this one a winner.


The Video 
The anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) transfer from Impulse Pictures is crisp and clean and generally looks solid. There are plenty of vibrant colors on display from blood reds to bright fire orange, which really pop. The English subtitles are easy to read and presented nicely. A nice presentation overall. 

 
The Audio
The Japanese 2.0 Mono track, available with or without the English subs, is free of any hiss, crackling or pops. The levels are mixed nicely so you won't have to go reaching for the remote while watching. 

The Extras
The only extras are a theatrical trailer for the film and liner notes from Jasper Sharp. As I've said before (and will probably say again) the liner notes are simply fantastic and provide a ton of insight into these films in just a couple of pages. 

The Bottom Line
If I had to file a complaint with this one it is that ZOOM IN: SEX APARTMENTS is just too short. That isn't a complaint I've registered with any of the other Nikkastu Roman films released in this series of films that all have rather short runtimes but this one could have used another ten to fifteen minutes to really get a bit more in depth with the story. As it is, the film works and it is a minor complaint. The 5th entry into the series by Impulse Pictures is without a doubt my favorite to date.

ZOOM IN: SEX APARTMENTS is available to order HERE

RED SCORPION (Blu-Ray Disc Review)

USA/1989
Directed By: Joseph Zito
Written By: Robert Abramoff, Jack Abramoff, Arne Olsen
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, M. Emmet Walsh, Al White, T. P. McKenna
Color/106 Minutes/Not Rated
 


The Film
Director Joseph Zito may be best known to fans as the director of cult slasher favorites The Prowler (1981) and 1984's Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter. After those films Zito transitioned into action flicks starting with Missing In Action, starring Chuck Norris of course. Five years later, just as the Cold War was in it's waning years, RED SCORPION was made, directed by Zito, and serves as an appropriate end to the entertainment side of the decades long turmoil.

Dolph Lundgren stars as Spetsnaz agent Nikolai Rachenko, the "Killing Machine" who is sent on a mission to Africa to help quiet the anti-communist rebel movement by assassinating the movement's leader. After drunkenly shooting up the bar and fighting some of his comrades Rachenko is thrown in the jail for the night where he learns of the true Soviet intentions. While still carrying out his orders, Rachenko flees with an American reporter and a rebel fighter as they all search for their own individual freedom.

When the mission is failed, Rachenko is locked up in a soviet prison and tortured by Russians and Cubans alike until he proves that he "is still Spetsnaz" and breaks out. After spending days on the run in hot African desert he is brought in by a Bushman and his people. After learning their ways he is awarded a ceremonial scar tattoo and it becomes clear what Rachenko must do in order to right the wrongs his country forced him to do.

RED SCORPION, on the surface, is another loud, obnoxious, 80s popcorn action flick but Joseph Zito lends enough talent behind the lens to blend in some light humor, and heartfelt sense of humanity to really make this a picture that can stand apart from anything loud and obnoxious that say, Michael Bay has made. The time in which it was made could have easily set this into full propaganda mode, and while it is there, I found it to be more of a very entertaining way of saying "we're all people, let's get along". This was a wise choice by Zito to have a very Russian Lundgren to be first our anti-hero and then our actual hero, and to have him come back to help African rebels and not Americans.

The acting was solid, Lundgren did a nice job with his transitions through the film. His interactions with the Bushman were great and came off as very organic. M. Emmet Walsh was almost unbearable as the American journalist, but seeing as that is how his character was written, a pro-American loud mouth who makes us all look bad but with his heart in the right place, shows how good of an actor he is. If the name isn't familiar his face and voice certainly will be. The rest of the cast from Al White as Kintash and T. P. McKenna as the Russian general Voytek were all solid. Special effects make up legend Tom Savini lends his handiwork to the film to make the action all the more realistic. There isn't too much over the top gore but when the Savini magic was needed, he came through.

RED SCORPION will please any action fan and will have no trouble finding (and keeping) it's fanbase with this new release.

The Video
Synapse Films delivers a gorgeous brand new 2K HD transfer of the original uncensored version of the film. There is no doubt that this is the best the film has ever looked since it's theatrical run. The African landscape is awe inspiring from the deserts to the lusher, greener areas. Flesh tones are recreated nicely and black tones are deep and rendered well. There is no sign of blocking during the darker scenes. Simply put, the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is a thing of beauty.

Please note: Screen grabs taken from DVD version of the BD/DVD combo pack


The Audio
There is plenty withing RED SCORPION's DTS-HD 5.1 track to give you sound system a work out. The explosions and gun fire will make you hide under the couch for cover while Jay Chattaway's (Maniac) score is mixed well with dialogue.

The Extras 
-Audio Commentary with Director Joseph Zito and Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson
-HATH NO FURY: Dolph Lundgren and the Road to Red Scorpion - A video interview featurette with Dolph as he talks about his break into film and how he rose to fame and became a leading man, along with his time spent on the set of RED SCORPION.
-ASSIGNMENT: AFRICA: Video interview with producer Jack Abramoff about the making of the film

-SCORPION TALES: Video Interview with Make Up Effects Artist Tom Savini - A 9 minute interview as Savini fondly remembers his time spent on set and in Africa for the film.
-Rare Original Behind-The-Scenes On Set Footage

-Theatrical Trailer
-TV Spots
-Reversible Cover Art
-Liner Notes on the production and release of RED SCORPION
-Animated Still Gallery

The Bottom Line
I have no doubt that Synapse Films release of RED SCORPION will be near the top of any action fans list of releases from 2012. The film was handled with care and skill and is accompanied with a slew of entertaining and insightful extras. Highly Recommended.


RED SCORPION IS AVAILABLE HERE

ZOOM UP: THE BEAVER BOOK GIRL (DVD Review)

Japan/1981
Directed By: Takashi Kanno
Written By: Chiho Katsura
Starring: Junko Mabuki, Hayano Kumiko, Yoshiko Sasaki
Color/64 Minutes/Not Rated

The Film
ZOOM UP: THE BEAVER BOOK GIRL starts out with more of the goods than many films even think about promising. During the opening credits a woman is assaulted and raped in an abandoned warehouse. Her attacker drops a lighter and a wad of cash as he escapes. We are introduced to a pair of young adults who work at a  magazine specializing in schoolgirl porn shots and live with their Sensei who is the head photographer. The assistant to the photographer is in love with the young lady who stars in the magazines but she is more interested in getting it from whoever she can while working on getting some affection from their Sensei. While the trio is walking down the street one day a mysterious lady in a trench coat slips the lighter the rapist lost in the opening scene into the photographer's hand as she walks past. Shortly after she appears at one of his photo shoots and volunteers to be the subject of the pictures and works her way in to become a regular performer. All the while the trio is mysteriously receiving large wads of cash at random times. Eventually the mysterious woman's identity is revealed to be an old professional of the business and she suggests a location to shoot with the photographer and brings him to the abandoned warehouse that she was attacked in years prior to exact her revenge. 

This film is a whole lot of sex, of many different varieties, wrapped around a minor mystery to give the movie a credible plot. Director Takashi Kanno delivers an extremely exploitative piece of film that is fairly entertaining in all of its fetish glory. There are more water sports here than the summer Olympics. If you can't stomach that then this will certainly make your stomach churn because it is all over the place. In this 4th installment of the Nikkatsu Roman Porno line we get what may be the most extreme in terms of sexual content and it makes for a super trashy 64 minute romp.

 

The Video
As has been the case with the previous three entries in the series, Impulse Pictures delivers a solid release. The anamorphic widescreen transfer from the films original 2.35:1 aspect ratio looks good with skin tones and various bodily fluids being reproduced in all their glory. The print is clean of dirt and scratches and is a pleasure to watch. 

 

The Audio
The lone audio track is a 2.0 mono track in the film's native Japanese. Newly translated English subtitles are optional and are a breeze to read with the audio that is free of any annoying hiss, pops or crackling. 

The Extras
A theatrical trailer is the lone extra on the disc but as has become customary with this series, Jasper Sharp contributes liner notes that by this point should have you knowing a great deal about the history of these films and the Pink Film genre as a whole.

 

The Bottom Line 
Impulse Pictures and Synapse Films continue to roll out the Nikkatsu line in grand style with some truly quality discs of films that aren't well known in the US. It seems some retailers have banned these films from being carried in their store or on their site and that is their loss because any sexploitation film fan would do themselves a favor to at least check these discs out. From the endless nudity, to the various stories of violence and seduction to the way in which the Japanese Sensor Board proves they don't know what subtlety is (big black blocks and blurred spots) this is a line of films fully deserving of being showcased. 

Tell the retailers that banned these films to fuck off and order ZOOM UP: THE BEAVER BOOK GIRL HERE