DVD & BLU RAY REVIEWS
Reviews by JAIME PINA
Satan’s Little Helper
Synapse Films
Even though it is the horror holiday, Halloween really has not inspired enough classic films as its subject. This film gives it the old college try and succeeds but because of its extreme nature it might turn off some normal folks looking for some fun Halloween scares. It is very violent and terribly mean-spirited in its humor and how it manipulates the viewer. But while some may find this not amusing, others will relish in it.
A young boy named Dougie who has an unhealthy crush on his older sister and who is obsessed with a game featuring Satan has a weird conversation with his mother (Amanda Plummer) about Satan and God during a car ride. He gets bummed when his sister comes home for Halloween from school and brings her new beau along. Dougie is not happy and goes for a walk. He sees a tall man in a long coat, Satan mask and monster gloves dragging a body from a house in broad daylight and thinks it’s cool. He asks if the man is Satan and the man gestures in the affirmative. Dougie decides to pal around with the man and comes up with a scheme to have his new friend deal on his sister’s boyfriend. It gets weirder and very violent after that.
The film was made in 2004 and directed by Jeff Lieberman, a writer/director with some interesting credits under his belt. He debuted with the creepy worm film Squirm way back in 1974 and followed that up with the astounding LSD horror flick Blue Sunshine. The fact that this is so awesome and extreme shows that Lieberman is not the kind of guy to act his age. It seems like a film directed by a much younger man full of piss and vinegar and ready to shock a jaded audience. The Blu-ray looks great but honestly, a beat up VHS of this would be just as satisfying if not more appropriate. It’s that kind of flick. Extras include commentary by Lieberman, a behind the scenes featurette, a making of documentary, a look at the locations with the director and a trailer. I highly recommend this exceptional movie and believe it belongs right up there with John Carpenter’s Halloween and Trick R Treat even though it’s the black sheep of the three.
Trancers
Full Moon Features/MVD
As a kid I was a big fan of Tim Thomerson when he appeared on pay TV comedy specials. His facial mannerisms, good looks and aggressive humor made it clear he would one day appear in films. While he appeared in films and TV it wasn’t until Charles Band and his Empire Pictures came along that he got his first starring role in Trancers. And what a role! The film is everything that makes low-budget films worthwhile. Its smart. It’s fun and the lead actors carry the film like champs.
Tim plays Jack Deth, a trooper from the future sent back in time to track down a villain who turns people into “trancers”, zombie-like murderers. He is aided by a young punkette (Helen Hunt) who takes him to a punk gig in a fun scene. The action and the acting are all above par and this film and especially Thomerson in the role holds a special place in many film fan’s hearts.
Since I lack a 4K screen I cannot comment on that but the Blu-ray looks and sounds fantastic and is worthy of the upgrade if you still have a DVD or VHS of this much cherished film. Extras include commentary with Charles band and Thomerson, the 20 minute short sequel Trancers: City Of Lost Angels, a making of documentary and more.
Wendy O.Williams
Live And Fucking Loud From London MVD Visual
Wendy O. Williams lived an extraordinary life. She played clarinet as a youngster, toured the US with a dance troupe and ended up in New York City where she became involved in live sex shows and appeared in the porn film Candy Goes To Hollywood. She was later asked by the creator of the live sex show, manager Rod Swenson, to sing in a music project he had in mind. This became the Plasmatics and Wendy was catapulted to punk stardom. Along the way she was known for women’s rights, vegetarianism and she became a true punk hero when she was beaten by police after a Plasmatics show where she was detained for obscenity. With the demise of the Plasmatics, like a lot of former punk rockers, Wendy went metal and this disc captures her deep in this phase.
While some fans of her previous incarnation as punk priestess may find this of little interest, her metal years fans will eat it up. Although Plasmatics dabbled in metal towards the end of their career this is full on metal. The heavy double kick drum from T.C. Tolliver with pounding bass from Greg Smith and screaming solos from Michael Ray will please Wendy’s metal fans and the band covers Motorhead classic No Class and Lemmy and Wurzel later join her for a hot version of Jailbait. And if you are a fan of Canadian rocker Thor’s London phase the similarities are stunning. A blonde singer in a strange land with a powerful band appealing to fans in a big way.
Evil Dead Trap 2 : Hideki
MVD Visual
Having never seen the first Evil Dead Trap (apparently unrelated to this one) I was expecting a super gnarly Japanese zombie chunk blower (as the late, great Chas Balun would say). Instead I was treated to a hyper-violent serial killer thriller with crazy colors and photography and a female protagonist.
While a serial killer with many victims piling up is being reported in the news, a female theatre projectionist sees visions of a ghost. Her friend is a news reporter covering the murders and as the reporter tries to goad her projectionist friend into getting out more, her sleazy male friend tries to seduce the projectionist. It seems the two are headed for some sort of shared fate as we find out who the murderer is and what will happen to everyone involved.
This is a striking film and the Blu-ray with its vibrant colors and dark night scenes takes you into the murderer’s mind and it can be a bit of an unsettling experience for those with weak stomachs or nervous conditions. The Blu-ray comes with stereo or mono sound options, a photo gallery and trailers.
At Close Range
MVD Rewind
Having not seen the film since its initial theatrical release and its VHS release, I was looking forward to revisiting this film. I was not expecting it to hold up as well as it does. Penn was very handsome and poised to be the next James Dean and Walken’s performance was something very special. Nothing about what made the film exceptional back then has changed. It is well acted, tightly directed and a very intense viewing experience.
Loosely based on true events surrounding a crime family operating out of Pennsylvania, Walken plays the gang leader and father of two sons played by Sean and Chris Penn. He brings one of the boys into his confidence while being verbally cruel to the other and when things get too hairy it all starts to fall apart. While Penn gives a fantastic performance, Walken steals the show as the proverbial “Devil in blue suede shoes”. With his thick “pensyl-tuckey” accent and infectious smile, in the first part of the film you can’t help but like him. The scene where he takes Penn out to do some “laundry” lures you in and his generosity seems genuine. But as the tide turns he becomes evil incarnate and your emotions for him drop like a ten ton weight. It is an amazing performance. And the film is filled with amazing performances. Chris Penn proves to have the charisma, if not the range, of his brother and actors like Crispin Glover, R.D. Call, Tracey Walter, David Strathairn and the always loveable Candy Clark also shine.
The disc looks great despite some speckling in the opening night scene when Sean Penn first appears driving a truck but the killing of a snitch at the lake and the scenes of the gang luring victims to their deaths in the hills look fantastic and have an ethereal quality. Extras include a commentary with director James Foley, a trailer and several audio options. As this is another fun MVD Rewind release and there is a mini poster included and the slipcase resembles a rental video with the “Please rewind me” sticker.
A Small Town In Texas
Scorpion Releasing/MVD
Directed in 1976 by actor/director Claude Ennis Starrett, Jr., he is best known for his unforgettable role as Gabby Johnson in Blazing Saddles, although he is credited here as Jack Starrett. The film was released by AIP and is one of the best examples of a low-budget/exploitation flick made for drive-ins that not only satisfies the grindhouse fans for its slam-bang action scenes and “sticking it to the man” plot but is also satisfying to film buffs as just one damn, fine film. Even though critics savaged it upon its first release, it shines today as a great example of AIP picking winners to make films for them.
Timothy Bottoms plays Poke, a guy recently released from prison and Bo Hopkins is the Sheriff responsible for his stay. While Poke is in the joint the Sheriff starts seeing Poke’s girlfriend played by Susan George. When released, Poke starts to woo back his love, and the Sheriff starts to make it clear he is keeping an eye on him. A local election is the reason for the two butting heads again and then the shooting and car chases begin. The cast is fantastic including John Karlen (Dark Shadows), pockfaced villain Morgan Woodward and a great cameo by George Buck Flower (Ilsa, She Wolf Of The SS, Drive-In Massacre, They Live and the rare Sex In The Comics with Duke Mitchell).
The Blu-ray looks and sounds great with crisp picture and sound. The extras consist of an interview with Bo Hopkins and the theatrical trailer. If you have not viewed this since its initial release or in the early days of pay TV, this disc is a worthy purchase and will make a great addition to your exploitation collection.
The Dunwich Horror
Arrow Films/MVD
In the wake of the Roger Corman directed Poe films starring Vincent Price, the films based on works by H.P. Lovecraft produced by American International Pictures don’t get the respect they truly deserve. Especially Die, Monster, Die starring Boris Karloff and Nick Adams and this gem starring Sandra Dee and Dean Stockwell. Containing scenes of psychedelia and some brief nudity, this was Sandra Dee’s first film after she left Universal Pictures and she was determined to shed the “good girl” image the studio had foisted on her.
Stockwell plays Wilbur Whateley, a descendant of a man hanged for murder and believed to be involved in the dark arts. He meets Nancy (Dee) and he asks her for a peek at the Necronomicon, a book of spells she has been entrusted to return to its guarded place in the local library. They end up in a romantic relationship but Dee has no idea about Stockwell’s true intentions or the horrifying secret hidden in his house. This is where the Lovecraftian horror soon kicks into high gear.
Arrow’s Blu-ray looks fine. There is great clarity in the daylight scenes with Stockwell seducing Dee on the altar and the optical effects benefit from the new scan. Extras include video chat with Stephen R. Bissette (Swamp Thing artist) with author Stephen Laws, an interview with writer Ruthanna Emrys but the real jewel of the extras is a look at Lex Baxter’s score by music historian David Huckdale. He is one smart cat and not only gives an excellent history of Baxter but breaks down the score and its themes while giving demonstrations on his piano. If you are a Lex Baxter fan this is essential viewing.
Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things
VCI Entertainment/MVD
This release is the 50th anniversary edition in 4K and Blu-ray of this much loved film. A late night TV staple, it left a big impression on youngsters and late night viewers alike. Directed by Bob Clark in 1972, this marked the beginning of a three film run in the horror genre with this, Deathdream and Black Christmas. He would later go on to direct many features in different genres and had big success with Porky’s and A Christmas Story.
Alan Ormsby plays Alan, the director of a low-budget acting troupe who takes his actors to an island that is also a cemetery. He goads the actors into helping him dig up a corpse and performs a Satanic ritual meant to raise the dead. When it appears he fails, they move the corpse into a shack for more hijinks while the dead begin stirring outside.
In addition to starring, Ormsby also did the effective make-up work on the dead and they look fantastic. Some of the creatures, especially lead zombie Orville, are the stuff nightmares are made of. The cemetery is fog shrouded and the atmosphere when the dead arise is nerve wracking.
While I do not have a 4K screen, the Blu-ray looks awesome. The film’s low-budget shows in some cases but the photography remains atmospheric and looks impressive. With the new scan you can appreciate Ormsby’s make-up even more as you can see better than ever his use of multiple colors to show decay in the undead. Not just Dawn Of The Dead blue or Carnival of Souls black and white, Ormsby’s use of grey, blues, browns and yellows really stand out here and make the creatures even more scary and repulsive. The massive amount of extras include a feature length documentary on Bob Clark’s work in the horror genre, a Q&A with Ormsby, commentaries, music videos by The Deadthings and more.
