The Color Out Of Space (2020, Richard Stanley)

USA/2020
Directed By: Richard Stanley
Written By: Richard Stanley, Scarlett Amaris
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur
In Theaters January 24, 2020

The Gardner family has recently relocated to a family estate to focus on a quieter life of farming for patriarch Nathan (Nicolas Cage) and his family. Their quiet life changes when a meteorite crashes in their back yard. All of the family goes to check on its vibrant glow giving off hues of pinks and purples. Each family member has their own individual reaction to coming in to contact with the space rock. Soon after the meteorite dissolves to dust and infects the local water system around the house leading way to beautiful and bountiful crops and flora before the foreign presence wreaks havoc on anyone that it has infected creating a series of mental and psychological terrors along with severe and deadly physical effects.

Before I begin any form of critical review let me first say welcome back Richard Stanley! It has been over two decades since we last got a feature film from the man who brought us cult classics such as Hardware and Dust Devil. His 1996 production of The Island Of Dr. Moreau is infamous for its highly troubled production that saw Stanley leave the production by running off into the jungle and more or less being blacklisted by the studio system. I'm a big fan of Stanley and believe that his voice is one of the most original and interesting that genre film has seen in recent years and even his short film entry Mother Of Toads for the anthology horror film The Theater Bizarre from several years ago showed that he still has his directing chops and his creative mind. When it was announced that he would be directing an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's classic tale of astral horror it quickly became one of my most anticipated movies and it arrived and will immediately be heralded as one of the greatest Lovecraft film adaptations of all time.

THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE is one of the most widely adapted Lovecraft stories with filmmakers putting all sorts of spins on the story for their films but the source material in Richard Stanley's version is immediately recognizable and you're put in the middle of this tight family dynamic on this small farm that becomes a scene of complete mind altering madness and bone wrenching body horror the likes of which you haven't seen lately. Richard Stanley doesn't rush things along, he allows us to settle good and deep into our seats and become acquainted with the family and gives us a reason to care about them. Nicolas Cage proves to be a great father figure but also one that is a bit distracted by his own ventures. Cage has become a bit of a punchline in recent years for his over the top and very animated performances but I think he's really turned on his chops in the last couple of years as he's very good in this as his world melts away. That isn't to say we don't get one of those infamous Nic Cage freak outs because we absolutely do.

The rest of the cast carries their weight with grace, especially Madeleine Smith who plays the daughter and is left to carry plenty of scenes on her own. Richard Stanley's direction is unsettling and at times mildly disorienting which leaves the viewer feeling how I imagine the characters dealing with the effects of this space rock would be feeling. His use of the color emitting from the rock is dazzling and makes those pink and purple tones a monster character of their own. As the film moves closer to its inevitable conclusion I found myself digging deeper in my seat as the uneasy feeling from tension grew and grew. I just knew something major was around the corner on top of the classic Lovecraft attack on the psyche. Then we're subjected to witness a mangled mess of flesh and it writhed around the floor and couch with no discernible rhyme or reason as to where limbs and appendages protrude from. I tell you that THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE is worth the time just to see this disgusting mass of flesh and bone. It is an indescribable experience to say the least.

THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE was a perfect storm of ingredients for me that I was hopeful yet skeptical it may not turn out as I hoped it would. I'm pleased to say that not only did I love the movie but I believe it will be discussed as one of the best horror films of the year as Richard Stanley creates a world not of this Earth and gives us one of the finest HPL adaptations ever committed to film.

THE LIGHTHOUSE ( Lionsgate Films Blu-ray Review)

USA, 2019
Directed By: Robert Eggers
Written By: Robert Eggers
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson
Black & White/109 Minutes/R
Region A
Relese Date: January 7, 2020


The Film
How you view THE LIGHTHOUSE is as important as what you view in the film itself. Blacken the room, raise the volume a bit and perhaps turn on the subtitles - you'll need them if you want to catch every last word of dialogue between our two wickies but I promise you won't need to understand every last word to have this film affect you if you let yourself become fully engulfed by raging seas and swirling winds that pound the small island our two characters are tending to on a four week stay.

The plot,  a grizzled old lighthouse keeper and a greenhorn are assigned lighthouse duty on this old island for four weeks but quickly descend into madness is not important as the film follows little in the way of traditional story telling rules. Time shifts, jumping foward weeks or slowing to a crawl watching the men perform their mundane tasks amidst only an audience of squawking seagulls and each other as they banter back and forth about events of their past or bickering about position on the proverbial totem pole. Their accents are thick and distincy, Willem Dafoe a life long man of the sea and Robert Pattinson a man who has left a life working in the timber industry up north behind. The constant bellowing of the foghorn and the persistent squawking of the gulls is designed to agitate and it does. One of many things that begin to break down the psyche of Robert Pattinson's character but the sea has a way of its own and visions of floating corpses, mermaids and ungodly tentacled beasts deliver blow after blow to his fractured mind. His only salvation being that their shift is coming to an end and relief is in sight.

Robert Eggers took the horror world by storm several years ago when he released THE WITCH which I feel is one of the best horror films of this century. His slow burn, it gets there when it gets there attitude is one I appreciate and one I don't find to be self indulgent as both of his feature films are wholly engrossing in spite of their deliberate pace and unorthodox story telling. THE LIGHTHOUSE is all about the atmosphere and mood created from the first second we lay eyes on our duo as they depart their transport and trek through the pounding rain dragging all of their gear to the lodging. It's immediately dark and cold, obviously damp and distant. Seclusion only begins to describe it. Eggers creates a lore of the sea that H.P. Lovecraft would be proud of and this entire film would definitely fit the "Lovecraftian" bill. THE LIGHTHOUSE is entirely hypnotizing, wonderfully ghostly and eerie and at times even a bit funny. What it never is is typical.

I can't say enough about THE LIGHTHOUSE, it has gorgeous photography that I could spend days talking about, it is led by two award caliber performances, the music is blasphemous and helps the film become this mesmerizing piece of art that it truly is. Let this film wash over you and find out why Robert Eggers is one of the most important names in genre filmmaking at the moment.

The Audio &Video
Lionsgate delivers THE LIGHTHOUSE on Blu-ray with a stunning transfer featuring a 1.19:1 pillarboxed presentation. This is a very deliberate artistic choice for framing the film and I think it lends a hand to the feeling of being cut off and stranded. The black and white photography looks incredible on this release. The black levels are very deep and show no signs of blocking or compression issues. The varying levels of grey and white are crisp with fine details coming through beautifully from the threads in clothing to the hair on their grizzled faces or the textured surface of a brick wall. The audio is presented with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix that features booming low ends and a wide dynamic range that is handled with ease. Powerful and subtle with layers of light background sounds amidst perfectly mixed dialogue and score show how fantastic this audio mix job really is. English SDH and Spanish subtitles are available.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with co-writer/director Robert Eggers
-"The Lighthouse: A Dark And Stormy Tale" - featurette
-Deleted scenes

The Bottom Line
THE LIGHTHOUSE is one of my three favorite films of 2019 and easily the best horror film. It transcends the genre and is more of a full body experience than simply a movie to watch.  This is essential viewing.

THE LIGHTHOUSE is available HERE

FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET (Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray Review)

USA/1973
Directed By: Andy Milligan
Written By: Andy Milligan
Starring: Laura Cannon, Harry Reems, Neil Flanagan
Color/87 Minutes/Not Rated
Region Free
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film 
Andy Milligan is a polarizing director in cult film history. Some viewers really eat up his stuff but I've found the majority find most of his films to be exhausting exercises in futility. I've seen enough to know that I pretty actively stay away from anything with his name on it but sometimes a movie comes around and totally surprises you. FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET is one of those movies.

Andy Milligan wrote, directed and photographed this film that follows a smart young prostitute named Dusty who turns tricks to make ends meet but longs for more out of her life and ends up meeting a young lawyer named Bob who she falls in love with and may be her escape from a gritty life in downtown New York City if she can manage to rewrite her own existence.

FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET is a sexploitation film that borders on being a masterpiece of life and destiny. Laura Cannon is flawless as Dusty, playing a character much wiser and more experienced than her 20 years on Earth would suggest. She's been through a marriage and now struggles to find a constant place to stay and spends time with her best friend, a local drag queen. The film excels because it feels effortless in all aspects. Scenes never feel set up, the performances never feel stilted and Andy Milligan's direction and cinematography feel more like a documentary than a narrative film.

A common complaint of Andy Milligan's films is that they drag on and on and he spends entirely too much time in exposition to the point that you may as well be getting hit over the head with a hammer as he screams at you about the movie. It's downright exhausting and tedious. FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET couldn't be further from that as these characters just suck you in and the 87 minutes absolutely flies by. Milligan could have wrote a more convoluted script but he keeps it simple but effective and personal and that's why this film works. Of course the plentiful sex and skin are nice and will be the thing that draw most of the audience in, it will be the characters and the simplistic perfection of the storytelling that they'll remember.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome have given FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET a brand new 4K scan and restoration from the 16mm camera reversal for this Blu-ray release with a pair of viewing options; the original 1.33:1 full frame presentation and the 1.85:1 theatrical framing. I chose to go with the director's intended look and went with the full frame presentation and couldn't ask for anything better with how this one turned out. This is an obviously low budget piece of exploitation from the early 70s that didn't have ideal filming conditions as it was largely shot on the streets of New York City so at times the film is dark or lighting isn't the best. These scenes still look quite nice on this disc with a natural and healthy grain appearance, deep black levels, and natural skin tones. The audio is presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono and sounds crisp, and balanced with no hissing, buzzing, or other background noise issues.

The Extras
-Audio Commentary with film historians Samm Deighan, Heather Drain, and Kat Ellinger
-Locations "Then and Now" Comparison

The Bottom Line
FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET is without a doubt my favorite Andy Milligan film and is something I can see myself revisiting frequently and it has been preserved for generations to come with this essential Vinegar Syndrome release.

FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET is available HERE

THE 'BURBS (Shout Factory Blu-ray Review)

USA/1989
Directed By: Joe Dante
Written By: Dana Olsen
Starring: Tom Hanks, Rick Ducommun, Bruce Dern
Color/101 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: March 20, 2018

The Film
Ah, the suburbs, the idyllic slice of Americana where you groom your lawn, grill your meats and suffer from an unwavering paranoia that your new neighbor is some sort of strange maniac. There's really very little as beautiful as getting your fellow neighbors together to spy on the new folks because who the hell are they to invade your cul-de-sac and not introduce themselves? And what are those weird sounds coming from their basement? And why do they only come out at night? You better find out... for the good of the neighborhood!

Tom Hanks stars as Ray Peterson, a typical middle class American taking a week's vacation from his job. All he wants to do is lounge around the house and perhaps get some projects done but his wife (Carrie Fisher) wants to take a trip to the lake with their son. Balking at the idea because of all the hassles and headaches of a long trip, Ray and his wacky conspiracy theorist neighbor Art (the late Rick Ducommun) and short fused veteran gun nut Rumsfeld (Bruce Dern) get caught up in a scheme involving their new neighbors, the Klopeks, who live in the rundown old house next to Ray and keep to themselves. They also have strange noises and smells coming from the home and Ray's son has seen them digging holes in the back yard late at night. Paranoia boils over quickly in the 'burbs and when old man Walter at the end of the street goes missing for a couple days the trio decide to get to the bottom of it when the Klopeks leave for the day.

THE BURBS is a dark comedy that ages like a fine wine. Even after well over a dozen viewings I'm still picking out subtle things to laugh at. There are big laughs in the writing and main jokes and they hold up perfectly well but there's so many small little jokes and so much humor to be found in facial expressions and body language that it lends itself to repeat viewings. The main trio has a fantastic dynamic and natural on screen chemistry. They're the perfect microchosm for weird, quirky neighborhood streets where you're sort of forced in to these relationships with people you might not really like but you tolerate for the sake of a peaceful existence and sometimes even buddy up for some weird adventure (like breaking into the new neighbors house and blowing it up). These three guys wouldn't normally be friends but their houses are next to each other and they have little tiny bits in common, (like wanting to break into the neighbors house and blow it up) so they join up for this wacky adventure that we're privy to enjoying. The audience of this film is basically a wider extension of Corey Feldman's character who plays a teen who is home alone and enjoying the circus taking place on his street, constantly inviting more friends over to watch it all go down. He's a great backdrop for the entire thing. And God bless Carrie Fisher in this movie, the late princess looks amazing and turns in a fantastic role of the sole voice of reason on the entire block. If this street was real I'd imagine she'd end up in a padded room before too long.

I think the strong writing is a rock solid foundation for the film to be built on but THE BURBS excels and becomes a classic comedy because the entire ensemble cast is on board with it and nobody feels that they're above the material. Our heroes and protectors of the street are made better by great counterparts and the Klopeks are just that. Starting off with the youngest, Courtney Gains plays a mostly silent weirdo to a T while his older relatives, Henry Gibson plays the head of the household, a doctor at the local university who performs various experiments in the house. He's the one you have to look out for, adding an unnerving creepiness that the family didn't exactly need to be unnerving and creepy. The gem of the bunch though is Brother Theodore playing Reuben Klopek ("About a 9 on the old tension scale there, Rube!"). Reuben is the doctor's brother, and is a grumpy, grouchy old man scowling at the world and being generally miserable toward everyone. I love his performance. Add in a couple garbage men (Dick Miller and Robert Picardo)  for a hilarious scene that sends garbage flying all over the cul-de-sac and we've rounded out almost the entire cast and they're all fantastic.

Joe Dante uses some unexpected music cues throughout, including some Ennio Morricone western pieces that somehow fit perfectly, and even gives us some stylish directing with sweeping pans of the neighborhood in single takes that give a truly organic and realistic feel to the street. There's no fat to be trimmed in THE BURBS. The film is infinitely quotable and scene after scene replays in my head when I call up the memory. As it approaches its 30th anniversary it feels as fresh to me now as it did the first time I watched it in the mid-90s as it played on whatever TV station was airing it at the time and remains one of my favorite comedies of all time.

The Audio & Video
Shout Factory delivers THE BURBS to Blu-ray via a new 2K scan of the film's interpositive which looks good and is quite the upgrade over the previous Universal Blu-ray that used a dated master. The anamorphic widescreen transfer features colors that are mostly lush and vivid while remaining true to their real life nature. Detail is strong for the most part but at times becomes a bit softer and fine detail is lost. This is similar with the color in which the vivid nature fades a bit during grainer moments. This isn't the first special edition the film has received as Arrow Video released the film on Blu-ray in the UK back in 2014 with quite similar video results to my eye however their release was much grainier at times and didn't look quite as sharp throughout. Shout's disc may feature a bit of digital tinkering but it still features a natural look and one that is overall a more pleasing viewing experience to me.

This disc features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo mix that sounds as nice as it should. A nice five or seven channel surround mix would certainly be welcomed but this stereo mix is of the highest quality for what we're given. The audio is crips and clear with no noticeable distortions interfering with the dialogue or soundtrack.

Note: The screen grabs presented in this review do NOT represent the HD quality of the Blu-ray.

The Extras
Special features are plentiful and far outweigh the nearly barebones Universal disc from a couple years ago.

Included in this release is an audio commentary track with writer Dana Olsen and it is moderated by Calum Waddell ensuring that the track is lively and on point. The "There Goes The Neighborhood: The Making Of The Burbs" documentary is the best part of the special features and includes interviews with many of the big names you want to hear from including director Joe Dante, and actors Corey Feldman and Courtney Gains. The original workprint of the film is a nice addition as well which features deleted, extended and alternate scenes. This is obviously a bit rough in presentation but I love seeing workprint versions and how they compare to the final cut. Finally an alternate ending, theatrical trailer which were both included in the old Universal release and a still gallery round out the extras.

The Bottom Line
THE BURBS is one of my all time favorite films and while this release from Shout Factory's Shout Select line isn't perfect it is my favorite release of the film on home video to date including Arrow's UK release. This is a must own release.

THE BURBS is available HERE

DEATHDREAM - Blue Underground Blu-ray Review

Canada/1974
Directed By: Bob Clark
Written By: Alan Ormsby
Starring: John Marley, Lynn Carlin, Richard Backus
Color/88 Minutes/R
Region FREE
Release Date: November 28, 2017
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
There's no perfect time to write a review on this film. It is a horror film centered firmly on the horrors of war and what the surviving participants bring back with them. Nobody, on any side, has ever returned from war the same as they departed. Bob Clark very clearly and eloquently describes that in DEATHDREAM.  Earlier titles included The Veteran which is a bit too on the nose for the film's own good but it would certainly work in this story of a soldier returned from the horrors of the Vietnam War, which is something nobody had ever been exposed to before.

Shortly after receiving news of Andy's death in Vietnam, Andy's family is startled by his surprised return home. Thrilled by their son's return and the military's mistake the family writes off his change in demeanor to the casualties of war. Andy who was a bright, energetic and engaging youth has returned as a quiet, reserved and very irritable verteran of war, still coddled, and rightfully so, by his mother. His reintegration into society is very slow and his father is his biggest critic, citing his own time spent in the service as a weakness in Andy, but reacting mostly to his aversion to the family pets that seem to not approve of his new attitude. Andy's sister has set up a date with his old flame to hopefully bring back the old Andy but things go further south as the damaged Andy can no longer pretend to be his old self.

DEATHDREAM is a minimalistic yet totally engulfing horror film. And it is heart wrenching. There is a layer of social commentary within this film that rings as startingly and profoundly true now as it did in 1974 but it never becomes overly intrusive to the enjoyment of the film. It's obvious that Bob Clark understood how to get a message across within a package that mass audiences would appreciate and enjoy on a commercial level. Richard Backus didn't need to turn in an Oscar winning performance to turn this film into an absolute winner but he did manage a great performance and made DEATHDREAM a time tested classic that far outlives the confines of the Vietnam War. Lynn Carlin perfectly exemplifies the grief of a somber and sorrowful mother that will do anything to protect her son and finally his legacy. Andy isn't a bad person and you can't really blame him for his actions as the movie rolls on and his mother loves him and will put herself in the crosshairs for him. He's not well, and his actions are awful but Andy did not return home as the same Andy that left. It's an obvious commentary that sadly couldn't and wouldn't change the world and many war torn vets were left in positions that were at best unsavory.

War is hell and it's unfair to expect a soldier of war to return the same as he left. If anything is clear in DEATHDREAM it is that. DEATHDREAM is filled with enough horror movie moments to make it a classic and a classic it is, through and through. Alan Ormsby's (With a young Tom Savini serving as his assistant) simple special effects are well done and totally believable and add to the horrific nature of this film. There's a level of visual satisfaction along with the emotional impact of this film that has been underrated and overlooked for too long. It's a damn fine horror film that I can't speak of highly enough.

The Audio & Video
Blue Underground has been quietly releasing top notch Blu-ray after top notch Blu-ray and this release of DEATHDREAM is another example of greatness. The disc features a gorgeous 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer with a healthy and natural grain structure that reminds you that you're watching a movie shot on film. Without being overly grainy, the film retains that look that digital photography simply cannot reproduce. Colors are warm and natural while skin tones remain healthy and fleshy. Black levels are deep with no compression or blocking issues. Detail level is strong especially in close up shots on faces and textures. The audio features a DTS-HDMA 1.0 Mono mix which keeps the film's original audio mix but presents it in the finest available quality. It's simple but beautifully crisp and clear with no background noise or distorted damage. The score and dialogue mix perfectly and never jocky for position over the other.

Please note: The screen grabs shown in this review are from the DVD copy of the film and in no way reflect the new HD transfer.

The Extras
This release is absolutely stacked with special features which include:

-Audio commentary with Director/Co-Producer Bob Clark
-Audio commentary with Writer/Make-up Artist Alan Ormsby
-A recollection with star Anya Liffey and Writer/Make-up Artist Alan Ormsby
-"Notes For A Homecoming" - Interview with Composer Carl Zittrer
-"Flying Down To Brooksville" - An interview with Production Manager John "Bud" Cardos
-Tom Savini: The Early Years - An interview with legendary make-up artist Tom Savini who served as an assistant to Alan Ormsby on the film
-"Deathdreaming:" - An interview with star Richard Backus
-Alternate Opening Titles
-Theatrical Trailer
-Still Gallery
-Alan Ormsby student film
-Collectable Booklet featuring writings on the film by critic Travis Crawford

The Bottom Line
Even if this release was barebones and didn't feature any special features I would still say this is one of the must own releases of the year because the film is that damn good but since it is packed with special features and sports a fantastic A/V presentation this release of DEATHDREAM is essential viewing.

DEATHDREAM is available HERE

TABOO 2 and TABOO 3 Double Feature (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1982, 1984
Directed By: Kirdy Stevens
Written By: Helene Terrie
Starring: Kay Parker, Dorothy LeMay, Jerry Butler
Color/191 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: November 29, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

The Films
The TABOO films are classic vintage American smut for a reason. They're well made, they're sexy as hell and they focus on characters we can relate to. Kay Parker starred as a sexually frustrated mother lusting after her college bound son in the original film which culminated in a wildly dreamy and satisfying scene. It was a fantastic film but there were so many more twists and turns a series based in incestuous fetish could take and so much more money to make that there had to be sequels.

TABOO 2 features Junior, a friend of Paul from the original film who has learned of his relationship with his mother and decides he is going to act out on his own lust for his younger sister. TABOO 2 is a lot more straight forward and even exploitative in that Junior damn near throws himself on top of his sister while groping, grabbing and rubbing her against her will. It all feels uncomfortable but eventually Sherry gives in to her brother's advances and can't get enough despite her parents finding out the hard way. And while they're fucking each other their lust spreads to their respective parents as Junior wants his mother, Sherry chases after her disapproving father who is disgusted and appalled by the entire situation.

TABOO 3 brings Kay Parker as Barbara back into a starring role but this time she is the object of her other son Jimmy's lust as he is jealous of his brother Paul's relationship with their mother. While that's going on her friend Joyce has totally accepted her sexual relationship with her own son and loves it and gives her the same advice when Barbara comes to her for help after she begins to crave Jimmy.

TABOO 2 and 3 may not have the signature artistic scene that the first film does, but it is dripping with everything else that the original film has. These films are sexy and kinky, they have solid scripts and competent acting to carry out believable films and not just fucking for the sake of fucking. The soundtracks are a bit funky and groovy and the direction from Kirdy Stevens shows more skill than just pointing the camera at a thrusting pelvis and calling it a day.

Despite Kay Parker playing a background role in TABOO 2 it may be my favorite of the three as it brings the fetish to new heights incorporating an entire family and brings a bit of humor in as well. Part three is held back by an unnecessary rock band subplot that does allow for more sex scenes but the entire angle doesn't do much to further the main theme of the series and that's the real reason anyone interested in the TABOO series takes the time to watch them. I can't say too much bad about these films though, even at their lowest point I still massively enjoy them and fully understand why they're held in such high regard for 80s smut.

The Audio & Video
Keeping their tracking record of beautifully preserving some of the finest vintage adult films alive and well, Vinegar Syndrome has once again released Blu-ray that is nothing less than stellar. The films have been given a new 2K scan and restoration from 35mm vault elements and look excellent. There is some minor spotting and the occasional age related line but that doesn't detract from the sharp, highly detailed and naturally colored image quality. Skin tones have a lush quality with no waxiness. The English DTS-HD Mono Master Audio mix is crisp and very well mixed. The soundtrack and the dialogue are complimentary and there's virtually no signs of damage or background noise.

The Extras
-Video interview with actor Blake Palmer
-Original theatrical trailer for TABOO 2
-Kay Parker's personal TABOO 3 script

The Bottom Line
These sequels take the incest kink ball that the first film introduced in 1980 and run with it, ramping up the sex factor exponentially. Maybe they're not the iconic film that the original is but they're a lot of sexy fun and shouldn't be ignored by fans of the first.

TABOO II/TABOO III is available HERE

DISCO GODFATHER (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1979
Directed by: J. Robert Wagoner
Written By: Cliff Roquemore, J. Robert Wagoner
Starring: Rudy Ray Moore, Jimmy Lynch, Carol Speed
Color/98 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Rudy Ray Moore stars as the Disco Godfather, a retired cop who is the owner and MC of the hottest club in town. Unfortunately a new enemy has moved into town and is taking over the streets - angel dust. DG is dead set on finding the source of drug and eliminating it from his community.

DISCO GODFATHER is the fourth and final blaxploitation film starring Rudy Ray Moore and may be the most important in the series. The series takes a very real turn in this entry and is very much a commentary on the massive drug problems that big cities were facing in the late 70s. The film keeps the rhyming, trash talking martial arts action that Rudy Ray Moore made famous in Dolemite but it adds in elements of social commentary and surrealism.

Instead of letting Cliff Roquemore continue on directing the series after making The Human Tornado and Petey Wheatstraw, first time director J. Robert Wagoner was given the reigns of the series. This would turn out to be Wagoner's lone feature film directorial credit but he was really solid overall. He even managed to create some truly terrifying sequences when the angel dust leads to a bad trip. The images he created leave a lasting impression despite their relative simplicity. Cliff Roquemore wasn't left out, he co-wrote the script with Wagoner and produced the film. The script is good, keeping Rudy Ray Moore's personality on full display without having to fully depend on it to make a successful film. Unfortunately, the audience wasn't going to a Rudy Ray Moore film to get some social commentary and real talk. They wanted more of the rapping, ass kicking and laughs that he so effortlessly created. That, paired with the disco theme that was unfortunately timed right along with the death of disco. Audiences were smaller and reception was poorer for DISCO GODFATHER than the previous Rudy Ray Moore films.

I consider the entirety of Rudy Ray Moore's filmography to be classic blaxploitation but DISCO GODFATHER, despite it's shortcomings with a smaller budget that lead to some underdressed locations and perhaps a bit less action, and it's unlucky timing in trying to cash in on a music genre that the public had moved on from, it remains an important look into how drug culture can affect a community in the blink of an eye. But for anyone to care about that they first have to be entertained and you will be entertained with DISCO GODFATHER. Rudy Ray Moore is still funny, still badass and rocking some incredible outfits. You're also going to get the trippy sequences which aren't your rainbow walk through flowery fields that you might hope, but a drug fueled descent into hell.

It's upsetting that DISCO GODFATHER wasn't a big success because it certainly deserved to be and it should have been a steeping stone for Wagoner and Roquemore to continue on with their careers and a progression for Rudy Ray Moore's star to grow. Sadly the 80s hit and Moore became a bit of a forgotten commodity and we would only see bit parts for Rudy Ray Moore for years to come and never got the final send off he deserved.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome once again gives us a beautiful 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Colors and textures flourish in the brand new 2K scan taken from the original 35mm negative. One look at the baby blue jumpsuit or the gold sequins in Rudy's various outfits shows just how much this BD shines.  Black levels are successful and don't suffer from any macro blocking or compression issues. The DTS-HD Mono audio mix is crisp, clear and clean. The dialogue and soundtrack are mixed well with steady levels. There's no background noise, hiss or any other audible distortions to mention.

The Extras
-"I, Dolemite" Part 4 - The last entry into the documentary that spans all four Rudy Ray Moore releases from VinSyn. Again packed full of interesting stories, lots of laughs and is a great companion piece.
-Audio Commentary with Mark Jason Murray, J. Robert Wagoner, Cliff Roquemore and rare on-set audio
-Promotional still gallery
-Soundtrack
-Trailer selection
-Alternate French and German language tracks
-Reversible artwork

The Bottom Line
Bitch are you for real? A Blu-ray of this quality can only be considered a steal! You can kick and punch but if you don't add this to your collection I'll steal yo momma's lunch! You're better than trash but only if you add this Blu-ray to yo' motherfuckin' stash!

DISCO GODFATHER is available HERE

TABOO (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1980
Directed By: Kirdy Stevens
Written By: Helene Terrie
Starring: Kay Parker, Mike Ranger, Juliet Anderson
Color/86 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Barbara's husband has left her, blaming her frigidity and lack of passion for destroying their love life and marriage. Now without an income Barbara has to find a job while taking care of their son who is getting ready for college which is another added expense. Stressed to the max, Barbara turns to her free swinging friend Gina who sets her up with the local swinger scene but Barbara's sexual tension is growing hot and heavy with her own son instead.

TABOO is one of the most notable adult films of the era as it is very well made featuring great performances for a porno flick and really solid writing. The screenplay from Helene Terrie is great, with a few truly memorable and wonderfully staged scenes including one of the most wonderfully photographed orgy scene of all time and a dreamlike incestuous encounter that feels quite surreal. Kay Parker handles her range of encounters and emotions with grace, showing true acting ability. It's no wonder that she would rocket to stardom in the adult world soon after TABOO was released. Her incredible body certainly didn't hurt either.

This film's main draw is how shamelessly it deals with kink and, as the title so plainly suggests, taboo subjects. And there ain't nothing wrong with that. Everybody has their own fetishes and incest is certainly one of the biggies. TABOO tackles that fetish and is so sexy that the viewer won't be feeling any guilt while enjoying this film. TABOO can still be called shocking to this day but you can't call it shocking for the sake of shock value. TABOO is a stylish movie, with heaping helpings of sex that will continue to be considered a classic piece of adult cinema for years to come as not only a piece of kinky smut but a look at the harsh reality of being a single mother... who happens to fuck her son.

The Audio & Video
As much as I love Vinegar Syndrome's horror and exploitation output, their real bread and butter is their vintage X-rated and nobody does it better so it's no surprise that their brand new 2K scan of TABOO looks incredible. The amount of detail is exceptional from clothing and surface texture to strands of hair. Colors are strong and vibrant but in no way come across as artificial. The entire anamorphic widescreen transfer has a warm, film look with a nice grain structure that will leave you wondering if you're watching this in an old porno house. The audio is no different as it is handled with a DTS-HD mono track that gets the dialogue and funky bass driven soundtrack across with crispness and crystal clarity.

The Extras
Vinegar Syndrome has this release absolutely stacked with commentaries! There's two new commentary tracks, one with Kay Parker and one with writer/producer Helene Terrie. There's also two archival commentary tracks which feature Kay Parker on her own and director Kirdy Stevens and Helene Terrie together. There's also an archival video interview with Kay Parker, a promotional image gallery and reversible artwork.

The Bottom Line
The film's tagline is "The ultimate sin!", the real ultimate sin would be considering yourself a fan of porno flicks and skipping this Blu-ray.

TABOO is available HERE

THE RETURN OF GODZILLA aka Godzilla 1984 (Blu-ray Review) - Kraken Releasing

Japan/1984
Directed By: Koji Hashimoto
Written By: Hideichi Nagahara
Starring: Ken Tanaka, Keiju Kobayashi, Yasuko Sawaguchi
Color/103 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: September 13, 2016

The Film
By 1984 the Godzilla franchise had mostly dried up. It had been 9 years since the last entry into the series, Terror Of Mechagodzilla, had been released to underwhelming fanfare in theaters. It would be one of only two films in the franchise to sell less than one million tickets in Japan. The franchise was put on hold. Stories and scripts came in but none were put in to production. The giant monster movie would return with THE RETURN OF GODZILLA (aka GODZILLA 1984) as the world dealt with the Cold War and the threat of nuclear warfare starting at the push of a button. Oddly enough, the theme that created Godzilla would be the one that resurrected him three decades later.

Godzilla is awakened when an Earthquake hits the Island he's been slumbering in. A local fishing ship has been wrecked and the majority of the crew has been found in a mummified state with only one crew member surviving the bloodsucking attack of a mutant sea louse. It's found that the sea louse has mutated in an exponentially larger size than the centimeter it should be because it was feeding off the radiated blood of Godzilla. Shortly after a Russian submarine carrying nuclear weapons is attacked and they blame the Americans until satellite imaging shows that it was truly Godzilla who attacked to feed off of the nuclear energy. The Russians and Americans demand Japan use nuclear bombs to destroy Godzilla before he potentially attacks their shores. Japan strongly opposes the use of such weapons knowing the effects that they've had for decades on their land and people after World War II. The leaders of Japan come up with a plan to poison Godzilla with Cadmium and lead him to his death in a volcano.

The political commentary that was such an important part of the original Godzilla film is once again on display here and is an equally important part in resurrecting the franchise. The mid 1980s were a boiling point for tensions with the Soviet Union and it provided basis for some very memorable movies of the time. THE RETURN OF GODZILLA uses the political turmoil and its own history to create a film that is not only entertaining and exciting but at times especially tense. Godzilla is a giant monster stomping around cities of Japan but the main antagonist of this film is the nuclear bombs that would cause massive casualties and loss of life along with the radioactive fallout that would cause medical issues for years to come. Godzilla is a sympathetic character and appropriately so. It's ironic that the USA and Soviet Union team up to try and bully their weapons use on to Japan in the film as the US was anything but friendly and willing to be on the same side as the Soviet Union in 1984 but as long as they can protect their own shores from the threat of Godzilla it doesn't matter if they destroy Japan with nukes again. It creates an interesting dynamic for the real world situations that were among the biggest issues facing the entire world.

THE RETURN OF GODZILLA returns to the roots of the series, leaving G-man to carry the film as the lone monster. There's no giant fights with other Kaiju, and to the people of Japan in the movie Godzilla is once again a threat and not a lovable hero, despite being sympathetic on a deeper level. The fact that there's only one monster leads to the film feeling a bit slower than you may be used to with the majority of the film's in the franchise but it works in giving plenty of time to develop a meaningful story with important character relationships and interactions.

There have been 29 Japanese Godzilla films from Toho to date, this being the 16th and it certainly falls among the top half of the franchise. Admittedly I'm a big fanboy of Godzilla so I probably enjoy the lesser entry of the series more than most people do but I think that speaks to the quality of THE RETURN OF GODZILLA. I'm not sure I'd rank it among my top 10 but it doesn't fall far outside of it.

The Audio & Video
Kraken Releasing brings THE RETURN OF GODZILLA to the states for the first time and in HD no less with a respectable looking 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer that features a clean picture free of damage and debris. The colors are faithful to all versions of the film I've seen but look sharper than ever. Black levels are deep and detail is fairly strong. Close-ups of Godzilla deliver the highest level of detail in his rough, scaly skin. Sure there's room for improvement in the picture quality, it could be sharper and feature better detail but the picture is very clean and is a rock solid HD presentation of the film. 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks in both English and the native Japanese with optional English subtitles round out the listening options. I opted for the original Japanese language track which sounds excellent. The sound quality is crisp and crystal clear with no distortions or instances of popping or background noise. The mix is very well done between levels of dialogue and score. The subtitles are translated well and easy to read with perfect timing. The subtitles are yellow, which is a minor nitpick of mine, except when dialogue from characters overlaps and the 2nd character's dialogue is subbed in white. While I understand the benefit of separating colors for different characters it was a bit distracting having different colored subtitles popping up. Another minor nitpick which I wouldn't let affect the score I give this release.

The Extras
The lone extra is an original theatrical preview promoting the upcoming release. Similar to a trailer but more of an extended commercial. It was a lot of fun to watch this throwback of movie advertising.

The Bottom Line
It's been a long time coming for fans of the big guy to get the original Japanese version of the 1984 film and now we have a rock solid Blu-ray release thanks to Kraken Releasing. It's among the better Godzilla films so I'm calling it essential viewing.

THE RETURN OF GODZILLA is available HERE

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE - Kino Lorber (Blu-ray Review)

Canada/1976
Directed By: Nicholas Gessner
Written By: Laird Koenig
Starring: Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith
Color/91 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: May 10, 2016

The Film
Thirteen year old Rynn lives in a secluded house outside of town with her recluse father who writes poetry and is often out of town. Rynn has caught the attention of the town pervert who also happens to be the son of their nosy bitch of a landlord who suspect that Rynn may be hiding a dark secret but Rynn is willing to protect her private life at all costs.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE has long been on my radar as a film I've wanted to see but it eluded me until now and perhaps that's a good thing given the excellent quality of this release. Young Jodie Foster carries this film on her back, giving a strong and mature performance alongside veteran Martin Sheen who is deliciously despicable as the pervert who lusts for smart teen despite having a family of his own. Alexis Smith is instantly unlikeable and someone you're ready to see get what is coming to them which is the highest praise I could possibly give her character. The cast of the film is small, with only a few other supporting characters including Mario, the loner boy who Rynn connects with and his policeman uncle who is one of the few good guys in the movie. These key players are what make the brilliantly sharp and tight screenplay by Laird Koenig which was based on his own novel, a complete success.

The story has very few major moments of impact and while those moments carry a ton of weight to them it is the subtlety in the small things, such as Rynn withdrawing money at the bank and dialogue exchanges that really build the characters and suspense. Director Nicholas Gessner creates that suspense brilliantly with a straight forward, matter of fact style that plays into the film's simplicity and relateability. There's nothing in Hollywoodland that is preventing this film from being reality and it's that relateability that puts the viewer in a protective guardian role over Rynn. We're instantly drawn to her and want to protect her from the outside world that she's largely removed herself from but keeps creeping in on her. She hardly needs our concern or guidance but it's that intense connection that makes THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE a special film.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE is bit difficult to describe as it is very much a suspense thriller with horror elements but it's so character driven and based around Jodie Foster's performance that you almost cheat the film of its power and importance by simply calling it a suspense thriller.

The Audio & Video
Kino Lorber gives THE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE it's high definition debut with a gorgeous looking Blu-ray that features a 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The film has a rich natural film look with healthy grain and no digital scanner noise. Colors are pure and black levels are deep with no signs of compression or blocking. Detail level is exceptional from skin tones and hair to textures and surfaces like clothing and dirt. The DTS-HD Master Audio mix features a fantastic mix with steady levels and a crystal clear sound. There's no background noise, crackling or popping and dialogue is perfectly balanced with music.

The Extras
-Audio Commentary w/ Director Nicholas Gessner
-Interview w/ Martin Sheen
-Conversation w/ Martin Sheen and Nicholas Gessner
-Original Trailer
-Reversible Artwork

The Bottom Line
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE will please audiences across genre boundaries. Everyone should know about this mini masterpiece and there's not better way to see it than this release from Kino

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE is available HERE

DOLEMITE (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1975
Directed By: D'Urville Martin
Written By: Rudy Ray Moore, Jerry Jones
Starring: Rudy Ray Moore, D'Urville Martin, Lady Reed
Color/90 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: April 26, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Dolemite is getting out of prison after being set up by a rival and some crooked cops. His friend Queen Bee helps him get out and has vowed to get revenge on Willie Green and get his club back with help from his gang of kung-fu fighting women.

To put it simply DOLEMITE is classic blaxploitation and one hell of a good time. Rudy Ray Moore developed the Dolemite character previously with a series of urban comedy records with raunchy titles and racy cover art. After building a fanbase he decided to self finance the DOLEMITE film without the support of his friends who never thought it would pan out. Pan out it did and we're treated to an action packed, riot of an exploitation film filled with incredible one liners and rapping monologues many of which were made up on the spot. Rudy Ray Moore totally embodies the DOLEMITE character and Lady Reed is completely believable and commands respect as the only woman that Dolemite sees as his equal. He's a slick man and she's a bad broad and they're a badass tag team.

Blaxploitation legend D'Urville Martin made his directing debut here, one of only two feature films he would helm, but shows he can handle a picture. While his direction isn't flashy Martin competently captures all of the Karate kicking, gun shooting, and gut ripping. Martin also co-stars as Dolemite's rival Willie Green and he's obviously comfortable in front of the camera and proves to be a formidable and downright ruthless foe for Dolemite. Not to be outdone, Rudy Ray Moore also proves to be a natural in front of the camera and he oozes charisma. This is his acting debut but you can already tell that he has the Dolemite character nailed down.

You don't watch DOLEMITE for the script or the artistry, you watch it for the funk and soul, the action and the laughs. There's no rat soup eating going on here, just the start of a great series of related films starring Rudy Ray Moore.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome have preserved this classic piece of blaxploitation with a gorgeous 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer taken from a new 2K scan and restoration from a 35mm negative. While there are still some scratches and speckling present the overall picture quality is outstanding. Detail is extremely strong especially in closeups. Skin tones are gorgeously natural and fleshy without any signs of waxiness. There's a very nice grain structure to the picture and little to no digital noise. The DTS-HD Master Audio mono track sounds excellent - as good as the picture looks the audio sounds. Dialogue and music don't fight for the foreground as they compliment each other quite well. The audio is clear and crisp with steady levels and a strong body.

The Extras
-Alternate full frame "boom mic" version of the film
-Historical Audio Commentary by Rudy Ray Moore biographer Mark Jason Murray
-"I, Dolemite" - a making-of documentary
-"Lady Reed Uncut" - interview featurette
-Locations Then and Now
-Trailers
-Reversible Artwork

The Bottom Line
On the day he was born his father wore a sign that said "Dolemite is here!" On the day this disc was born the definitive version was here!

DOLEMITE is available HERE

BLUE ICE - VINEGAR SYNDROME (Blu-Ray Review)

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April Exploitation/b-movie Challenge 2016 - Days 8 and 9

The last 2 days each featured a pair of movies. Day 8 started off with THE SINFUL NUNS OF ST. VALENTINE. I think a bit of Nunsploitation was overdue for this challenge but unfortunately I didn't pick a great one. The film revolves around an unsolved murder and one of the girls at the convent is accused of it. It starts out entertaining enough with a good bit of lesbian and naked nun action but before too long the plot starts to run thin which causes the film to drag. There's bit and pieces sprinkled throughout that I like but in the end it tries too hard to replicate the madness and beauty that Ken Russell's The Devils perfectly captured a few years earlier.

That was followed up by one of my favorite viewings of the month - WILD BEASTS. Franco Prosperi, director of Mondo Cane takes his penchant for staging shocking violence in the world of Mondo films and uses them to create an awesome killer animal flick as a European city is under siege from the animals who have escaped their zoo cages after drinking PCP contaminated water making them highly aggressive. Nobody is safe from the tigers, lions, rats, elephants, cheetahs and bulls. The deaths are bloody and gruesome and the movie is immediately one of my favorite killer animal films of all time.

Day 9 started with a big disappointment. The old west slasher A KNIFE FOR THE LADIES sounded like it had to be entertaining. A Jack The Ripper style slasher set in the old west... It had to be ripe with gory murders, shootouts, and the sweaty, dirty desert, right? Ha. Haha. No. No it wasn't. The murders are all off screen, letting us only see the aftermath, the acting aside from the top two or three characters are laughably bad and it's unfortunately predictable.

BIGFOOT VS ZOMBIES finished day 9. This is a new indie movie released by Wild Eye Releasing. This movie is incredibly low budget, with a cheap Bigfoot suit (somehow not the worst I've ever seen) and really poor zombie makeup. It's actually the simpler zombie makeup effects that look better than the cheap attempts at masks that hang off the actor's face. As you can imagine this movie is intentionally campy and has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. Movies such as this can go one of two ways: They can be charming or they can be down right awful. I found BVZ to be charming with a good sense of humor that had some genuinely funny jokes and scenes. The acting was better than expected for the most part and it was fun to see Bigfoot, who seemed to barely crack 6 feet tall, get into it with some undead ghouls. Bring the beers for BIGFOOT VS ZOMBIES and enjoy the silliness.

Today's Rundown 
The Sinful Nuns Of St. Valentine - 5/10
Wild Beasts - 9/10
A Knife For The Ladies - 3/10
Bigfoot vs. Zombies - 5/10

PIGS - Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray Review)

USA/1973
Directed By: Marc Lawrence
Written By: Marc Lawrence
Starring: Marc Lawrence, Toni Lawrence, Jesse Vint
Color/81 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: March 29, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

The Film
Upon arriving in a secluded California town, Lynn takes a waitressing job with Zambrini, a retired circus performer who now runs a small cafe with a large pig pen out back. A local legend says that his pigs only eat human flesh and that he has been murdering drifters to feed to them. Now the sheriff and the locals have grown suspicious of Zambrini and his pigs along with trying to protect the new girl in town.

PIGS is not at all what I expected it would be and it was for the best. I'm all for a movie about killer pigs running wild on a small town, perhaps in some sort of vengeance for being harvested for their meat. Mmm killer bacon. PIGS is not that movie. PIGS is a fever dream of a horror film, steeped in sweaty, hazy atmosphere. It's highly psychological and mythological. There's also plenty of that supremely weird 1970s vibe that can't be faked. It's sleazy, but not to be self gratifying. It only goes as far as is necessary to make the psychological horror aspect to the film work.

The film succeeds so well because the screenplay is crafted to be suspenseful and hallucinatory and doesn't give in to excess that would only serve to cheapen the overall experience of the film.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome gives PIGS a full makeover and facelift. It's like this Blu-ray came straight from the salon! The 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer is sharp and highly detailed. Colors are natural but keep the film's natural sweaty haze. Dark scenes have a bit more graininess than day time scenes but the black levels are quite deep and have no issues with blocking or compression. A DTS-HD Master Audio mono mix handles the audio and it sounds fantastic. Free of any distortions and background noise, the simple mix gets the job done with sparkling clarity and a natural crispness. Nothing gets lost with the dialogue and score complimenting each other. An overall fantastic HD presentation.

I must note that the new 2K scan has been taken from the 35mm Interpositive with select shots taken from theatrical prints due to missing or severely damaged elements. Vinegar Syndrome makes not of this before the film starts to clarify the shifts in quality - I didn't notice any dramatic shifts in quality and couldn't pick out when the theatrical prints were used. That's just another example of the quality work Vinegar Syndrome does.

The Extras
This release packed, stacked and certainly doesn't lack.

-Featurette with star Toni Lawrence
-Featurette with composer Charles Bernstein
-Audio Interview with cinematographer Glenn Roland
-Alternate "Exorcism" opening sequence
-Alternate "Daddy's Girl" opening sequence
-Alternate "Daddy's Girl" closing sequence
-Original trailers
-Promotional Artwork Gallery
-Reversible artwork

The Bottom Line
This may be the best non-porn release from Vinegar Syndrome to date. They've taken a rather obscure horror title and given it the royal treatment and packed it with extras. As far as I'm concerned this is an essential release.

PIGS is available HERE