Blood Thirst / The Thirsty Dead (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

Philippines/1971, 1974
Directed By: Newt Arnold, Terry Becker
Written By: N.I.P. Dennis, Terry Becker/Charles Dennis/Lou Whitehill
Starring: Robert Winston, Katherine Henryk, Jennifer Billingsley, John Considine
B&W/Color/162 Minutes Not Rated
Region FREE

The Films
BLOOD THIRST is a horror mystery, centering around a series of bizarre murders where women have been drained of their blood through a cut on their arm. Detective Rourke is on the case and finds a lot of weird characters within the nightclub that the case seems to revolve around. Eventually he discovers a blood cult is behind the whole thing.

THE THIRSTY DEAD is similar to BLOOD THIRST in the way that it is also a blood cult type film. This time a group of pretty women have been abducted and taken deep into the jungle where they fall prey to an ancient cult using the blood of women in their prime to stay young. When the leader falls for the woman chosen to be the cult's new leader they all try to escape the dungeons and the dead.

Both BLOOD THIRST AND THE THIRSTY DEAD are b-movies that likely pulled up the rear on any double or triple feature they were a part of. Neither is overly horrific, though both have their moments of creepiness. It's a shame those moments weren't a bit better and more frequent. Neither of these films are particularly good but both are quick, easy flicks that don't need the viewer to invest much at all. They're perfect for a lazy night of horror movies where the beer has taken a strong hold around 1 AM.

The Audio & Video
Both films suffer from lots of scratches and marks throughout the print but Vinegar Syndrome has both films looking better than they do on any of the budget mega packs that they've seen releases on previously. The black and white photography on BLOOD THIRST looks pretty good under the scratchy print as do the colors on THE THIRSTY DEAD where the picture even looks strikingly vibrant at times given the cheap production and not so great elements. The audio is much of the same, perfectly listenable but plenty of pops, crackling and other background noise is present. Far from a perfect transfer on these films but probably the best they've ever looked and sounded on home video.

The Extras
Barebones.

The Bottom Line
This release is far from perfect and the films are far from classic but Vinegar Syndrome pairs up a couple cheesy horror flicks that would each be a fun way to end a night or weekend horror marathon full of friends and drinks. I like horror marathons, friends, and drinks so for that reason this is a useful release. Recommended.

 BLOOD THIRST/THE THIRSTY DEAD Drive-In Collection Double Feature is available HERE

Horny Diver: Tight Shellfish (DVD Review) - Impulse Pictures

Japan/1985
Directed By: Atsushi Fujiura
Written By: Shouichi Ikeda
Starring: Megumi Kiyosato, Asami Okawa, Kumiko Itou
Color/70 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1

The Film
A small Japanese fishing village is the target of a wealthy real estate developer who wants to turn the area into a tourist destination and resort area but the locals love their land and the ladies have their diving jobs to think about. Enter Junpei, a man hired to sleep with the woman to get them to sign over the deeds to their land. The real estate developer's plan falls apart when the locals find out and a whirlwind of nudity and sex is the real outcome.

HORNY DIVER: TIGHT SHELLFISH is another sexy romp from Nikkatsu, this time set on the Japanese coastline. What else do we need out of this other than nude women, sex, and scheming business men? Nothing I say! This is a fun flick and another satisfying entry into the series that will definitely give viewers a good time.

The Audio & Video
Impulse Pictures has now released 18 DVDs in this Nikkatsu Erotic Films Collection and they've all been privy to really solid A/V quality. TIGHT SHELLFISH is no different. The main draw for the films is the skin they show and they show lots of it. Lucky for the viewer the skin tones look healthy and natural, and the image is a pretty widescreen presentation with no bugs to speak of. The audio is also good and you can hear the moans and groans with supreme clarity. The Japanese 2.0 track is stable, clear and just an all around solid track. It won't blow you away but it absolutely gets the job done nicely. 

 
The Extras
Liner Notes from Jasper Sharp are the big extra yet again. Also included is a theatrical trailer for the film.

The Bottom Line
More sexy Japanese goodness from the Nikkatsu studio with the 18th entry into the collection from Impulse Pictures. This is yet another necessary disc if you want to have the best Nikkatsu Porno collection in town.

HORNY DIVER: TIGHT SHELLFISH is available HERE

Story Of White Coat: Indecent Acts (DVD Review) - Impulse Pictures

 
Japan/1984
Directed By: Hidehiro Ito
Written By: Hiroshi Takeyama
Starring: Mina Asami, Kazuyo Ezaki, Nami Misaki
Color/56 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1

The Film
STORY OF WHITE COAT: INDECENT ACTS is a movie about the sexual goings-on inside a Japanese hospital where virgin Shinobu is a pretty little nurse who has caught the eye of Junior, a patient suffering from alcohol poisoning. Junior is also the son of a major shareholder and financial backer of the hospital so he has a bit of freedom with getting his way with the nurses. He has his sights set on Shinobu and manages to go quite a bit further one way or another. 

This movie features some of the funnier (and grosser) moments in the Nikkatsu Erotic Collection and just as much perverted sex as any other film in the collection. There's nothing setting it apart but when you're looking for a quick little Japanese skin flick that isn't necessarily a bad thing. STORY OF WHITE COAT: INDECENT ACTS passes the test.  

The Audio & Video
As expected, Impulse Pictures gives us a ncie looking standard definition quality presentation in a 16:9 (1.78:1) widescreen ratio. The print is clean and source material was obviously kept in nice condition. This stands up with any other release from their Nikkatsu Collection. The native Japanese 2.0 audio track also fares just as well with no background noises or crackling. The optional English subs have been newly translated and are perfectly timed and easy to read. 

 
The Extras
-Original theatrical trailer
-Liner notes from Jasper Sharp 

The Bottom Line
Fans of the Nikkatsu Erotic Collection will find plenty to enjoy in STORY OF WHITE COAT: INDECENT ACTS from its quick pace and laughs to gratuitous sex and skin that we've become accustomed to this is another must have for the collection.

STORY OF WHITE COAT: INDECENT ACTS is available HERE

An American Hippie In Israel (Blu-ray Review) - Grindhouse Releasing

Israel/1972
Directed By: Amos Sefer
Written By: Amos Sefer
Starring: Asher Tzarfati, Shmuel Wolf, Lily Avidan
Color/93 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE

The Film
Mike is a hippie from America seeking a peaceful world of solitude, love and simplicity outside the violence and hate found within the constraints of society. Quickly upon arriving in Israel he meets a beautiful young redhead while hitchhiking and they return to her parent's house for a quickie. It is the time of love after all. They head to town where they meet other like minded hippies, young people feeling lost in the world, and they join up for a marathon of singalongs, weed smoking, wine drinking and love making. Mike lets his plan be known for the group to find a place where they can be at peace with the world and live their life free of modern day ugliness. The group is in love with Mike and his idea and the celebration continues until a pair of machine gun wielding mimes crash the party and kill everybody except for Mike, his girlfriend and another pair of hippies. This is far from Mike's first encounter with these mimes who have seemingly been following him all over the planet but this is the first time they've been deadly.

The group is down to four, but they still carry on with their mission of finding peace, perhaps now stronger than before. After adopting a pet goat from a market, and what seems like endless driving looking for their oasis they see an island a few miles off the coast that would be perfect. After a short boat ride they've reached their paradise and proceed to have a wonderful night of lovemaking. All is well until one morning their boat has vanished, likely swept away by the high tide and they realize that the water is heavily infested by sharks so swimming back to shore to their car to get to town for another boat or any supplies is virtually impossible. The quick shift from carefree youths to savage beasts is jarring. It quickly becomes a two-sided war, with the line literally drawn in the sand.

When I first heard the premise for AN AMERICAN HIPPIE IN ISRAEL I thought I was in for a weird for the sake of being weird movie that you show your friends as a simple oddity to the world of film. Something that you'd preface a viewing with "you won't believe this shit" or something along those lines, something I've said many times before enjoying a film. No, that is not this film. Not entirely anyways. When I heard of hippies, and mimes with guns, savagery and sex I didn't think I'd get the poignant commentary that is offered up here by director Amos Sefer (in what IMDB has listed as his only credit). While this can be viewed quite easily and enjoyably on the surface for being a form of so bad its good, and out there as all hell, it offers up something a bit more than that if you're willing to look a bit deeper. The mimes could be an obvious stand-in for society as a whole bringing down much of the group of hippies but in a bloodless manner as to say to the viewer that they've brought them back into the corporate, capitalist world we live in. And the not so subtle sacrificial lamb. And there's more.

AN AMERICAN HIPPIE IN ISRAEL is an immensely entertaining piece of 1970s film that will likely never be re-created again. This was a film of its time and place and came together with a young group making a fun film that has spirit and somehow despite all of its shortcomings, merit. I could go on much further about this film, and perhaps one day I will but as this is a review for the Blu-ray Disc I won't spoil anymore.

The Audio & Video 
Grindhouse Releasing is new to the Blu-ray game with this release but they don't show rookie mistakes. Their first Blu-ray is a fan-fucking-tastic presentation. AAHII has a gorgeous film-like look with natural grain in tact. Vibrant colors, including reds that pop just enough and deep blacks combined with strong detail level and skin tones that you want to reach out and touch make this a top notch looking release. The audio fares well also with an English track that has been kept in good condition with a clean sound and little to no distracting noises this is an all around fantastic AV job.

 Please note: Screenshots taken from DVD copy of film

The Extras 
An absolutely stacked release with features that include:

-A DVD Copy of the film 
-An additional DVD with an alternate cut of the film under the title THE HITCHHIKER
-6 Deleted scenes
-Video interview with stars Asher Tzarfati and Shmuel Wolf which clocks in at a whopping 56 minutes
-The Beverly Cinema Experience - an audio track that makes you feel like you're in the audience of the Beverly Theater during a screening of the film
-16mm Screen Tests
-Amos Sefer Biography
-Asher Tzarfati filmography
-Additional featurettes
-Still galleries
-Trailers
-Liner notes and reversible poster

The Bottom Line
Grindhouse Releasing enters the Blu-ray game with all guns blazing. Their first home video release in a few years is a grand slam that would surely make the late Sage Stallone proud. This limited edition 3 disc set of just 2000 pieces is sure to go quickly so I urge you to not only add this great package to your collection but support a superior label in the process because we all want to see more Blu-rays from their catalog.

AN AMERICAN HIPPIE IN ISRAEL is available HERE

A Bay Of Blood (Blu-ray Review) - Kino

Italy/1971
Directed By: Mario Bava
Written By: Mario Bava, Filippo Ottoni, Giuseppe Zaccariello
Starring: Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli, Claudio Volonte
Color/84 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A

The Film
There are three films that generally get the credit for starting the slasher film craze of the 1980s. These films are Psycho (1960), Black Christmas (1974) and Halloween (1978). While Psycho may very well be the first slasher, it is typically Black Christmas that is referred to as the first modern slasher film and Halloween that gets the credit for blowing the door wide open for the violent, body count films. In 1971 Mario Bava's A BAY OF BLOOD was released and it is every bit as much a slasher film of the 1980s that Black Christmas is. It is a bit of an injustice to not include A BAY OF BLOOD in the discussion of the archetype of the slasher film. Hell, a murder sequence from Bava's film was lifted almost shot for shot in the original Friday The 13th.

This isn't the best Bava film, but it does have some great moments, and is full blown nasty horror. I'd rand this among the 2nd tier Mario Bava films and that is nothing to sneeze at as the man has made multiple masterpieces. Slasher film fans will of course find a lot to enjoy with the blood and gore factor being ramped up considerably from earlier films from the acclaimed Italian director. And the twist ending is sure to leave you stunned.

The Audio & Video
From an A/V standpoint A BAY OF BLOOD is a top tier release from Kino. The picture features strong detail and nice color timing along with natural skin tones and deep black levels. The audio side of things is a clean and stable English track with very minimal background noise. Another great job by Kino on their Mario Bava Collection.

The Extras 
-Audio commentary with Tim Lucas, author of "Mario Bava: All The Colors Of The Dark"
-Alternate Italian cut of the film with Italian audio track
-Theatrical Trailer
-Additional Mario Bava trailers
The Bottom Line
If you're a Mario Bava fan or a slasher fan you'll want to add this disc to your collection as it is a significant upgrade to previous disc releases.

A BAY OF BLOOD is available HERE

Five Dolls For An August Moon (Blu-ray Review) - Kino

Italy/1970
Directed By: Mario Bava
Written By: Mario di Nardo
Starring: William Berger, Ira von Furstenberg, Edwige Fenech
Color/81 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A

The Film
A group of friends vacation to a modernist futuristic island retreat. One of them is a scientist who has developed a revolutionary chemical process and is fending off offers of $1million each for the formula. As the greed boils and builds members of the group start dying and the surviving members have to play the game of survival to find out who is behind the killings.

Mario Bava wasn't fond of FIVE DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON, he was hired to shoot the picture and apparently didn't have time to do any rewrites on the script. If that is truly the case then I'd love to see what he could have done given some time because this is a pretty damn good picture as it is. Bava's signature artistic touches and use of lighting and set decoration is truly breathtaking. The design of the house is gorgeous and the film's cinematography is inspired. This film was edited by Mario Bava himself and he shows that he's more than adequate at that job as well. It seems the only job in the filmmaking process that Bava failed to tackle in his career was that of composer or musician. 

This film isn't overly violent, there are about half a dozen murders but most of the violence appears off screen. The true draw of the film is to see a somewhat manic version of Bava making a really solid giallo. Oh, and the chance to oggle Edwige Fenech. That is never a bad thing. 

The Audio & Video
Kino gives FIVE DOLLS the royal treatment as far as picture quality goes. From the strong level of detail and texture to the gorgeous colors and skin tones this is an absolutely stunning transfer. Aside from a couple moments where lines intersect the picture this is damn near perfect and natural looking. The audio also fares well with a present but low level of background noise but it isn't distracting. It would be nice if there were an Italian track but the 2.0 English track is just fine. I wish all classic horror films got this type of A/V treatment.

PLEASE NOTE: The screen grabs in this review do not represent the quality of the Blu-ray disc and are for reference of the film itself only. 

The Extras
Tim Lucas continues to do great work for these Kino releases and who better for a commentary track than the author of the definitive Mario Bava book: Mario Bava: All The Colors Of The Dark. The track is engaging, informative and full of love from Lucas. Otherwise the disc features a handful of Mario Bava trailers for other Kino releases.  

 

The Bottom Line
Mario Bava is one of the finest filmmaker's the world has ever known and the quality of this disc stands right up there with the man's legacy. This is exactly how Bava should be seen on home video.

FIVE DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON is available HERE 

Death Force / Vampire Hookers (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

Philippines/1978
Directed By: Cirio H. Santiago
Written By: Howard R. Cohen, Cirio H. Santiago, Robert E. Waters
Starring: John Carradine, Bruce Fairbairn, James Iglehart, Carmen Argenziano
Color/189 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE

The Films
This DVD features a pair of films from perhaps the most prolific and known Filipino director in film history- Cirio Santiago. Santiago is certainly the most notable Filipino filmmaker in the exploitation field, with dozens upon dozens of credits to his name in a four-decade career before his death in 2008. Santiago was a collaborator of Roger Corman, Joe Dante and many other notable genre names. These films from 1978 are a nice representation of the man and his films. 

A pair of U.S. Navy sailors encounter a small brood of vampires when they're lured to the cemetery by a hooker who happens to be one of the undead creatures. Lead by the head vampire played by genre legend John Carradine, and accompanied by their bumbling idiot caretaker who likes to smell his own farts, these beautiful vampires feast on the blood of horny men.

VAMPIRE HOOKERS is a decently made little vampire film with enough skin from the beautiful women to add to the small bits of vampire horror to make for an enjoyable little B-Movie romp. Carradine is appropriately hammy in his top-billed role as the head vampire and is a pleasure to see on screen decades after he starred in some classic Universal horror films. Pavo the caretaker adds a bit of "what the fuck?" to the film to top it all off. enjoy this one with some drinks (perhaps a BLOODy Mary) as the bottom half of a double feature and you'll have a good time.

DEATH FORCE  is more of a vigilante film where Doug Russell is betrayed and left for dead by a pair of his war buddies who decide to get into the drug pushing game while overseas in Vietnam and think he will be a problem on their return home. Russell washes ashore barely alive when he is taken in and nursed back to health by a pair of Japanese soldiers still hiding out from WWII. They bond and form a friendship with Russell and teach him the ways of the Samurai which Russell uses to exact his revenge when he returns home to Los Angeles. DEATH FORCE drags a little in the middle but more than makes up for it during its third act and very violent finale. 

 
The Audio & Video
Both films are presented with anamorphic widescreen prints that are in reasonably good condition. Both films have scratches and speckling but without being distracting. These look like they came straight from the drive-in theater and isn't that kind of the point? The audio is just fine, with both films receiving 2.0 tracks from Vinegar Syndrome that are pretty clean of any popping or cracking.

The Extras 
The lone extra is a theatrical trailer for VAMPIRE HOOKERS.

The Bottom Line
This pair of Cirio Santiago films will provide you with a night of entertaining flicks full of violence and boobs. Pair that with the bargain price you can get this disc for and you have yourself a winning combination.

DEATH FORCE/VAMPIRE HOOKERS Drive-In Collection Double Feature is available HERE