Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

After 1973's "Walking Tall," actor Joe Don Baker became the king of the drive-ins, finding his natural way with intimidation a perfect fit with audiences looking for something more American in their big screen heroes. Reuniting with director Phil Karlson, Baker tries a similar approach for 1975's "Framed," which once again pits the beefy performer against the worst enemies Tennessee has to offer, taking control of a revenge story that tries to inflate itself up as some type of grand mystery, but it really exists as B-movie entertainment, sticking with a steady diet of chases and brawling to please viewers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1988's "In the Aftermath" is a curious mix of live-action and animation, with the production bending chunks of the 1985 anime feature, "Angel's Egg," to fit a post-apocalyptic tale of exploration and human connection. It's not an ideal marriage, as the feature often doesn't know what to do with itself, rarely putting in the effort to connect the disparate displays of artistry, settling on a muddled whole. I extend a hearty congratulations to anyone who can follow this loose stitching of visuals, as "In the Aftermath" doesn't make any sense, and that seems to be the intent, trusting that those sitting down to watch it are probably high as kites, absorbing this sci-fi/fantasy/doomsday tale with the least amount of resistance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1985's "Cocaine Wars" falls somewhere between an Oliver Stone-style study of international distress and a brawny Chuck Norris actioner, never quite showing comfort with either extreme. It's a Roger Corman production that attempts to turn star John Schneider into a big screen bad ass, gifting the "Dukes of Hazzard" star a beret, sassy comebacks, and guns to raise hell in South America. "Cocaine Wars" attempts to tap into zeitgeist of the era with its story of drug shipments, cartel kings, and volatile political gamesmanship, but it's really just a blow-em-up experience at heart. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After "The Terminator" and before "Universal Soldier" and "Over the Top," there was 1986's "Hands of Steel," which dared to deliver a tortured screen hero incapable of being killed and in touch with his feelings, also showing skill with amateur arm wrestling. Of course this is an Italian production, with director Sergio Martino summoning all his Euro energy to create a sci-fi actioner meant to compete with Hollywood's loudest offerings. Bullets fly, hands are pinned, and a cyborg wrestles with existentialism is this dumb but appealing B-movie, which shows a little more pep than the average genre knockoff, working up the hustle to give viewers a smashmouth ride of near-misses and brawling. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1986's "No Retreat, No Surrender" was supposed to be a calling card for director Corey Yuen, helping him break into the international marketplace with an Americanized martial arts extravaganza boasting a bright, handsome leading man in Kurt McKinney. Instead of making a name for himself, audiences and investors were drawn to a supporting turn from Jean-Claude Van Damme, who finally found a place to showcase his brute force, famed grimace, and amazing flexibility (two year prior, he was an extra in "Breakin'"). It was the start of something major for Van Damme, and while he's not the focus of the endeavor, he's the highlight of it, delivering Yuen's impressively non-stop choreography with real fury, also embodying the feature's cartoon antics with style and stone-faced menace. This certainly isn't a strong effort, frequently crippled by cornball antics, but "No Retreat, No Surrender" has scenes of cartoon hostility that keep it rolling along, peppered with engaging displays of physical strength. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Disaster films usually save their big moments of mayhem for later, using destruction to motivate characters through the second act. Sometimes, massive visuals are reserved for finales, hoping to leave audiences woozy from all the spectacle. 1933's "Deluge" doesn't feel the need to wait, establishing global destruction soon after the main titles, securing screen interest with an opening earthquake and tsunami sequence that promises bigger and crazier events to come. A pre-code production, "Deluge" doesn't massage initial momentum, but it contains enough oddity and tonal bravery to last, working to upset crowds with mass destruction, only to come back around with an askew tale of love and survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Regality is the goal of 1949's "Prince of Foxes," which endeavors to play a royal game of loyalties and intimidation, adapting a 1947 book by Samuel Shellabarger, which took a close look at the reign of Cesare Borgia (played by Orson Welles) through the eyes of Andrea Orsini (Tyrone Power), a determined but conflicted soldier for the cause. Director Henry King goes for bigness with "Prince of Foxes," which was proudly shot around actual Borgia locations, giving the effort historical authenticity. The dramatic grip of the material is debatable, as initial intimacies and scheming give way to a wider canvas of deception and collaborations, transforming the picture into an iffy puzzle of last names and motivations. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Art and individuality collide in "Desire Will Set You Free," which presents a charged snapshot of Berlin's underground scene, with its performance art, musical acts, and flavorful gay community. Co-writer/director/star Yony Leyser aims to braid his experiences in Germany with a story of personal awakening, supporting the journey with cameos from creative forces, a thumpy soundtrack, and a point of view that gives "Desire Will Set You Free" a distinct fingerprint other picture of this ilk lack. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Trying to achieve bigger and brighter screen events, 1926's "The General" finds director/star Buster Keaton embarking on a herculean task, attempting to craft a slapstick comedy about the Civil War that makes extensive use of full-sized trains. It's the picture that almost torpedoed his career, but Keaton's folly has developed an appreciative audience over the last 90 years, becoming not only a beloved feature, but one largely considered to be his finest endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For 1923's "Three Ages," Buster Keaton wanted to prove himself as a feature-length helmer after a career crafting shorts. However, to achieve such box office dependability, he returned to the process of making shorts, transforming "Three Ages" into a study of time and comedy, capturing the wilds of human behavior in Prehistoric Times, the Roman Age, and Modern Times, identifying the evolution of society and the enduring insanity and determination of a man in love. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1977's "Babyface" is an adult film that pulls a bit of a switcheroo with gender roles. The tale of an all-male brothel, the story puts women in positions of power, with director Alex de Renzy trying to acquire a slightly different sense of sexual gamesmanship, turning men into objects while exploring the ferocious bedroom appetites of paying customers simply looking for a warm body to an hour or two. "Babyface" isn't consistently progressive, prone to period obsessions with sexual assault, but little efforts count in John Mulligan's screenplay, which strives to make a hot movie turn in unique directions, keeping viewers interested in oddball encounters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

One has to be careful when approaching a movie titled "Honky Holocaust." It's a Troma Production, which is as brief a review as I can provide, and one that's filled with racial hostilities, epithets, and stereotypes, with writer/director Paul M. McAlarney trying his hardest to make an offensive, hyper-violent exploitation picture that pushes every button imaginable. It's a shame the helmer doesn't have the budget to do something more inventive with his faintly subversive premise, instead spending pennies to achieve his vision for excess, somehow believing that creating a mess is the best way to reach closed minds. "Honky Holocaust" is expectedly awful, but not in an ideal Troma-esque way. It's just an icky, fetishistic take on an alt-history disaster, with McAlarney flexing his anger issues instead of making a legitimate film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Hoping to launch his own horror icon in Buddy, the beefy, snorting, cleaver-wielding, pig-loving madman, writer/director Rick Roessler submits 1987's "Slaughterhouse," his take on "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," only with more consumption of Diet Pepsi. The slasher picture lives up to its blunt title, trying to creep out the room with happenings at southern slaughterhouses, pitting a group of fun-loving kids against dear old Buddy, who isn't about to be stopped by puny youth only interested in sex, dares, and amateur filmmaking. What separates "Slaughterhouse" from the pack is production polish, with Roessler backed by a talented crew who give the horror antics touches of artistry, making what becomes a routine display of killing somewhat memorable. And there's Buddy, who's a prototypical backwoods creep with atypical strength, with Roessler finding plenty of awful business for the monster to participate in. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Much like "Blood Mania," "Point of Terror" isn't a movie that lives up to its title. Instead of embarking on a series of murders or macabre events, it's more of a psychodrama about ambitious, overly sexual people trying to use one another for various reasons. Part of it is music industry melodrama, the rest is a weirdly slack domestic drama, and it's only interrupted by a few deaths along the way. Star Peter Carpenter (who also receives a story credit) imagines a chance to go full Brando with his take on the loser trying to make something of himself in the worst way possible, and his thespian commitment helps "Point of Murder" reach a few of its dramatic goals. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With a title like "Blood Mania," certain expectations are put in place, goosed some by the feature's animated title sequence, which highlights a pair of hands tearing at the title while a woman screams on the soundtrack. It's quite the introduction, but it doesn't represent the movie. "Blood Mania" isn't a slasher film, it's more of a chiller featuring a collection of corrupt people spending their every waking moment either trying to kill or sleep with one another. Director Robert Vincent O'Neill knows exactly what's expected of him, and he keeps up with demands for sex and violence, making sure the picture is all stocked up on nudity. Suspense is harder to conjure, with O'Neill struggling with a limited budget, working overtime to make casual encounters vibrate with intensity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Jess Franco is an acquired taste. The genre filmmaker has his devoted fans, most drawn to his most popular offerings of horror, conveniently forgetting just how insanely prolific the helmer was, diluting whatever creative drive was there to begin with. Franco is a difficult director to place, as he clearly has love for chillers, spending most of his career on eerie endeavors that toyed with classic monsters and often veered unsteadily into sexploitation territory. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When one considers the possibilities of a Marilyn Monroe replacement, Shirley MacLaine doesn't immediately spring to mind. However, 1964's "What a Way to Go" endeavors to transform the actress into something of a glamour icon and sex symbol, weighing her down with Harry Winston jewels and keeping her spinning in Edith Head-designed costumes. Mercifully, she's game to go wherever the picture leads, but unfortunately, "What a Way to Go" heads in multiple directions, often at the same time. It's a farce from director J. Lee Thompson, and not always an amusing one, always playing loudly to the back row when a nice hit of subtlety would do just fine. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The mysteries of faith and God are explored in "The Vessel," but such questioning is never direct. Co-producing the picture is Terrence Malick, and writer/director Julio Quintana is a major fan of the helmer's work, going out of his way to mimic a Malickian storytelling ebb and flow that's intended to become some sort of screen poetry. It's a valiant effort, but there's no reason for such artistic replication when Quintana has passable puzzling to work on and a co-star in Martin Sheen to bring ideas to life. "The Vessel" isn't as ambitious as one might think with such a provocative premise, often pretending to be other movies when it should really be its own. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Jeff Nichols is enjoying an amazing creative streak, crafting thought-provoking, atmospheric features that highlight outstanding performances and intimate emotions, exploring soft-spoken types experiencing tremendous psychological turmoil. There's been "Mud" and "Take Shelter," and Nichols even sampled sci-fi with last spring's "Midnight Special," a fascinating movie that few people saw, as major studios tend not to know what to do with sophisticated, unusual deviations from the norm. "Loving" is perhaps his most human picture, inspecting real-world turmoil born from a legal fight for civil rights, but the helmer's tempo and attention to detail remain, treating the corners of this tale as importantly as everything else. "Loving" has its missteps, but it's a typically strong effort from an increasingly reliable filmmaker. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Michael Shannon is an intense actor, and he's maintained a career interest in playing intimidating or fried men, using his natural way with darkness to create often memorable characters that have complete contempt for humanity in common. Perhaps one day Shannon will stun the world with his portrayal of the Easter Bunny, or perhaps he'll star in a music bio-pic about Raffi, but for now, he's trying to corner the market on hard men, and he's doing a wonderful job. "Frank & Lola" isn't a professional detour for Shannon, but it does manage to harness his gift for threatening behavior, with writer/director Matthew Ross (making his helming debut) capturing raw nerve work from the actor, allowing him to define the unsettling tone of this burning, disquieting drama. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com