Scream Park (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

USA/2014
Directed By: Cary Hill
Written By: Cary Hill
Starring: Wendy Wygant, Steve Rudzinski, Nivek Ogre
Color/84 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: April 22, 2014

The Film
The teen employees of Fright Land theme park are celebrating their final day of work as the park is closing for good due to poor attendance. They manage to score some booze and persuade their weird manager to let them party inside the park because what could possibly go wrong? Well, in the world of the slasher film, everything will go wrong with teens drinking and fucking. Duh. As the night goes on, the teens notice some of their friends are missing and some strange masked figures are lurking in the shadows and it is only a matter of time before the masked men come out of the shadows and start disposing of teens in violent fashion, making sure to leave a trail of blood and guts strewn across the park.

SCREAM PARK follows all of the classic slasher film rules that you learned at summer camp with Jason Voorhees running around. You could call it cliched but SCREAM PARK has an obvious love of the genre, and despite some missteps in the technical side of things such as awkward editing and cuts or poor framing at times it has it's heart in the right place and director Cary Hill churns out an entertaining slasher film. I think the most surprising thing here is that there are at least a few very likable characters which isn't always the case in films such as this.

I won't sit here and say SCREAM PARK is perfect, it isn't. Far from it. I've already mentioned a few flaws, and there are more beyond that, but it steamrolls beyond its flaws and draws the viewer in with gore and tits to have us enjoy ourselves for the brisk 84 minute runtime. The slasher film has once again become a popular staple of the horror genre over the last few years and SCREAM PARK is a pleasant surprise among many big disappointments.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing gives SCREAM PARK a home on DVD and the quality is good. The 16x9 widescreen transfer doesn't suffer too much from a small budget on the film. The digital photography looks fine for the most part, with just a few darker scenes suffering from compression. Overall the image quality isn't an issue though. The audio is also just fine. Dialogue levels are mixed well with the soundtrack and both compliment each other without fighting for your attention.

  
The Extras
-Audio Commentary
-Blooper Reel
-Trailers

The Bottom Line
Slasher fanatics will find SCREAM PARK to be an entertaining throwback to the golden age of the body count films of the 1980s and that it has more heart behind it than many other overrated slashers of recent memory.

SCREAM PARK is available HERE

The Black Torment (DVD Review) - Kino Redemption

UK/1964
Directed By: Robert Hartford-Davis
Written By: Derek Ford, Donald Ford
Starring: John Turner, Heather Sears, Ann Lynn
Color/86 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: April 29, 2014

The Film
Richard Fordyce is returning home to his family's estate with his new wife. Upon his return he doesn't quite find the warm welcome he was expecting as he is being accused of rape and murder by the locals. Knowing he hasn't been home in many months, Richard fights back against his accuser's until guilt from a previous marriage and some ghostly happenings have Richard questioning his own sanity.

THE  BLACK TORMENT is a Gothic horror thriller, which burns slow and lets the psychological trauma build. Is Richard guilty of the crimes the locals have apparently seen him commit? Is he losing his mind? Is someone setting him up? These are the questions you'll be asking as you watch the film which aside from a few standout moments is rather boring. The good moments are blessed with some eery photography and imagery but mostly I struggled to stay engaged with the film as those moments were few and far between and all too often the movie turned into an episode of Scooby Doo with people seemingly going in and out of random doors accusing each other. By the time the truth is revealed it comes as no surprise and left little impression on me.

THE BLACK TORMENT isn't a terrible film, there are a handful of strong moments which carried me through. The in-between however, turns into a clock-watching exercise waiting for the next worthwhile moment to come or the credits to roll. I'm a big Gothic horror fan and was rather disappointed with this effort.

The Audio & Video
Kino Redemption have released THE BLACK TORMENT on DVD with a solid 1.66:1 widescreen transfer. The color palette is a bit muted, which adds to the dreary English setting and the haunting atmosphere of the mansion. The print used was kept in rather good condition with only a few intermittent scratches and heavy grain. A single Dolby 2.0 track is included and gets the job done without a problem. There is no background noise to speak of and dialogue comes across clearly without any issues.

  
The Extras
The lone extra is a 13 minute video interview with director Robert Hartford-Davis where he discusses his views on film and film making. 

The Bottom Line
Fans of Gothic horror will want to give THE BLACK TORMENT a look to add to their collection as it features some creepy images and psychological horror.

THE BLACK TORMENT is available HERE

Marilyn And The Senator (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1975
Directed By: Carlos Tobalina
Written By: Carlos Tobalina
Starring: Nina Fause, William Margold, Heather Leigh
Color/125 Minutes/Rated X
Region FREE
Release Date: April 8, 2014

The Film
A CIA agent is looking for a man to donate his seed so she can become pregant. She finds her willing donor in the senator. The senator is married, of course so the stage is set for all sorts of sexual nonsense and jealously and the Feds are oblivious to it all.

MARILYN AND THE SENATOR is a simple enough plot that could be great as it is packed full of sex and is genuinely funny. It is simply too damn long to keep the viewers undivided attention for a movie such as this. If this was 85-90 minutes we'd be good to go but add in another 40 minutes and it drags. It doesn't kill the movie, you'll just find yourself using the fast forward button on occasion. 

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome has done a rather nice job on the anamorphic widescreen transfer of the film, preserving its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The source material was 35mm camera negatives and they've been kept clean and in good condition. The audio track is good as well as it is free of any distracting background noise such as hissing or crackling.

The Extras
An audio commentary track with William Margold and a theatrical trailer are included!

The Bottom Line
Presented on DVD for the first time in its full XXX uncut form, MARILYN AND THE SENATOR provides enough sex, story and even the occasional laugh to satisfy the horndog in all of us.

MARILYN AND THE SENATOR is available HERE

Evilspeak (Blu-ray Review) - Scream Factory

USA/1981
Directed By: Eric Weston
Written By: Joseph Garofalo, Eric Weston
Starring: Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, Joseph Cortese
Color/97 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date:  May 13, 2014

The Film
Stanley Coopersmith (Clint Howard) is an orphaned outcast at a religious military school. He is widely intelligent however can't seem to stay out of trouble or at least in the way of trouble. Coopersmith is picked on endlessly and usually gets in trouble because of it. While cleaning the old basement as part of a punishment Coopersmith finds an old Satanic black mass book, left over from the days when Father Esteban would host Satanic rituals on the grounds. Coopersmith translates the Latin writings of the book through the school's computers which also tell him the steps to performing a black mass and getting revenge on his tormentors. When Coopersmith's new puppy is mutilated by the bullies in a sick prank, he finalizes the steps to invoke the spirit of Father Esteban in a fiery and blood soaked finale that will be sure to leave you stunned.

EVILSPEAK is a piece of 80s gold as far as I'm concerned. I cannot believe I have never seen this film before and beyond that, I'm surprised at how little I see it being mentioned in conversation. Director Eric Weston gets a young cast together that manages to be damn good, and special effects that are gory as hell and look great. That isn't much of a surprise when you see the success that Allan A. Apone has gone on to have. The small budget of the film doesn't really show, as the movie outshines whatever meager budget it had.

EVILSPEAK may seem a bit dated with its old Apple Macintosh computer that plays such a major role but it really is a timeless story of the outcast getting revenge on his bullies and oppressors, not unlike Carrie. However I must say, I had far more fun watching EVILSPEAK than I've had on any viewing of Carrie. From the gory pig stampede, to the multiple decapitations... wooo EVILSPEAK was a lot of ahem... Goddamn fun.

The Audio & Video
Scream Factory gives us the Blu-ray debut of EVILSPEAK with a very attractive 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Detail levels are strong especially in the stone walls of the basement and in close-ups. Skin tones look natural and healthy while colors are vibrant and natural without popping too much. The DTS-HD mono track is suitable, with dialogue coming across clear and mixed very well with the soundtrack. It's a simple track but very effective.

The Extras
A healthy dose of extras are included on this Blu-ray...

-Audio commentary with director Eric Weston
-"Satan's Pigs And Severed Heads: The Making Of EVILSPEAK" featuring interviews with many of the key cast members, running nearly 30 minutes
-Individual cast interviews with Clint Howard, Joe Cortese, Don Stark
-Effects Speak With Allan A. Apone
-Theatrical Trailer

The Bottom Line
EVILSPEAK is an underrated horror film filled with dark humor and should continue to find the fanbase it deserves with the release of this awesome Blu-ray. All horror fans should take note of this release. 

EVILSPEAK is available HERE

Locker 13 (DVD Review) - Arc Entertainment

USA/2013
Directed By: Various
Written By: Various
Starring: Ricky Schroder, Rick Hoffman, Jon Gries
Color/103 Minutes/R
Region 1
Release Date: April 29, 2014

The Film
An old locker at an old west theme park holds mysteries and stories of morality. Skip works as the overnight janitor and his boss tells him the tales of the locker's contents, from a boxer with declining skills who gets a pair of old gloves and becomes a killing machine to an initiation into a secret society and even a doppleganger of Skip living his life and making a mess of it with dire consequences.

Do you remember that old show Fact Or Fiction? Probably not, but the point of that show was they'd show you a few stories of weird, strange or bizarre stories and you were supposed to guess if that story was based on an actual event or not and they'd reveal at the end which stories were fact and which were fiction. LOCKER 13 feels like an episode of that show except there is no reveal at the end. The stories presented are mildly entertaining, and feature some familiar faces throughout. This isn't going to change your life for the better and it won't offend you because it's so bad. LOCKER 13 is purely a middle of the road time waster.

The Audio & Video
Arc Entertainment's DVD release of LOCKER 13 is rock solid. The anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 transfer looks good. The image is clean and strong with just a few moments of softness. The 5.1 Dolby Digital track is very good as well. The mix is well done and free of any background noise. 

The Extras
A trailer for the film is the lone extra.

The Bottom Line
LOCKER 13 is worth a rental look.

LOCKER 13 is available HERE

Women In Cellblock 9 (Blu-ray Review) - Ascot Elite

Switzerland/1977
Directed By: Jess Franco
Written By: Jess Franco
Starring: Karine Gambier, Howard Vernon, Susan Hemingway
Color/78 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: October 22, 2013 

The Film
Set in the jungles of South America during a time of revolution a truck carrying suspected revolutionaries is stopped and searched by members of the prison. The women on board are arrested and thrown into the infamous Cellblock 9. They're stripped and chained by the neck, no better than dogs, where they undergo interrogation tortures and humiliations by the warden and doctor. They are asked repeatedly who they work for and what they know and their silence causes more punishment. As the days pass the women formulate a plan to try an escape and disappear into the jungle.

WOMEN OF CELLBLOCK 9 is pure exploitation gold. Jess Franco's sleazy side was firing on all cylinders here with nudtiy, violence, torture and even some horror moments on display. From the forced nudity, to quasi rape of an inmate just so she could get a drink, to stock footage of crocodiles (who apparently can't go on land), to running naked through the jungles while being gunned down... WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 has it all! This movie is trashy in the best way. It is 78 minutes of pure mind melting sleaze entertainment. I loved every second of it.

The Audio & Video
Ascot Elite has done another very nice job on this HD presentation. The anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) transfer is rather stunning from the lush greens of the jungle, to the blood reds that pop just enough and the natural, fleshy skin tones that show amazing detail I can't say enough good things about how nice the transfer is on this release. The audio tracks are nice as well, with German and English DTS-HD 5 channel surround or a 2.0 French track, the English track that I listened to, despite a bit of hokey dubbing, sounded excellent. The mix was full, and robust with no background noise to complain of. It is doubtful that WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 will ever look or sound better than it does here.

The Extras
Extras include the original trailer, a still gallery and additional trailers. 

The Bottom Line
Women-In-Prison film fans rejoice! This is one of the sleaziest entries I've had the joys of watching and in glorious HD no less! There's a reason I love Euro-trash and this film is a great example of why. 

WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 is available HERE

Jack The Ripper (Blu-ray Review) - Ascot Elite

Germany, Switzerland/1976
Directed By: Jess Franco
Written By: Jess Franco
Starring: Klaus Kinski, Lina Romay, Herbert Fux
Color/92 Minutes/Rated 18 (Germany)
Region FREE
Release Date: September 24, 2013

The Film
Klaus Kinski stars as the beloved town doctor who always puts his sick and often poor patients needs ahead of his own. The only problem with the Dr. is that by night he turns into a killer. You see, his mother was a prostitute and that did something to warp his fragile mind. He felt filthy when she touched him and he felt betrayed by her and her profession. So now, the Dr. has become the killer known as Jack The Ripper the man that stalks and slashes prostitutes across London. When the local inspectors and Scotland Yard fail to catch him one of the inspector's girlfriends goes undercover on the streets to catch him.

JACK THE RIPPER is a moody and atmospheric horror film from Jess Franco. Surprisingly and somewhat disappointingly it isn't overflowing with sleaze. I think if Franco went all out and let Kinski turn into the madman we all know he could be then JACK THE RIPPER could easily be an infamous piece of Euro-trash. Instead Franco shows some restraint, as does Kinski which works for the scenes of Kinski as the doctor but it left me wanting so much more in the way of excess. As it stands, JACK THE RIPPER is an entertaining film, that is held back by some of Franco's less favorable characteristics in his direction, such as lingering and wandering shots and poor framing, but also features some of his better sides with his restraint. 

The Audio & Video
Ascot Elite has done an awesome job on this Blu-ray. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer has very strong detail. Just take a look at hair, building exteriors and a close-up of Kinski's leather gloves. Colors are vibrant and the overall clarity is very nice. Skin tones are very natural and black levels are deep. The audio side of things features English and German 5.1 DTS-HD options or a 2.0 French track. Various subtitle options are available. I listened to the English track and was quite pleased with the quality. There is very little background noise and the mix was nicely done.

The Extras
There's a plentiful variety of extras on the disc including but not limited to:
-Audio Commentary
-Interviews
-Alternate Scenes
-Trailer

The Bottom Line
Jess Franco takes on JACK THE RIPPER and while it is historically inaccurate look at the infamous killer, it is an entertaining movie that fans of Franco, Kinski or Euro-horror will enjoy and the Blu-ray from Ascot Elite is the only way to go!

JACK THE RIPPER is available HERE