Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

Larry Cohen clearly loves making movies. 1984’s “Special Effects” is partially a valentine to the madness involved in cinematic storytelling, giving Cohen (who also scripts) a chance to play with some Hitchcockian elements while remaining in the grungy, B-movie mode that’s made up most of his career. Execution isn’t a friend to the helmer, and despite his best effort to craft something twisted and weird, Cohen ends up with an unbelievably stiff picture in “Special Effects.” Suspense is intended but rarely conjured, and performances are almost amateurish in this endeavor, which hopes to provide a few turns and chills as it follows the dangerous ways of a sociopathic director working to restore his career through the cinematic ways of murder. Cohen has a ghoulish idea, but he fumbles most of this half-baked offering. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Larry Cohen takes on a post-Nixon world in 1977’s “The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover,” trying to make sense of a presidential mess and American issues by taking a look at U.S. government history. This being Cohen, there’s not a lot of money to help bring an epic study of corruption to life, leaving the helmer to do his usual B-movie thing with the material, pulling together something of a bio-pic without much in the way of polish. “The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover” isn’t a particularly big swing for Cohen, who gets very messy while trying to assemble the details of Hoover’s experiences and influences, but he does have a large cast to help bring his ideas to life, including a lead performance from Broderick Crawford that captures some of the inner turmoil that kept Hoover clinging to power for nearly 50 years. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

My personal introduction to “The Beyond” was in the mid-1990s. Quentin Tarantino, newly exploring his marketplace powers at the time, co-founded Rolling Thunder Pictures, intending to bring influential exploitation movies to art-house audiences, with the 1981 Lucio Fulci offering part of the pack (alongside such oddities as “Switchblade Sisters,” “Mighty Peking Man,” and “Detroit 9000”). “The Beyond” was offered as a midnight show, and it was a memorable moviegoing experience (and one I repeated a few more times), presenting a wholly bizarre Italian horror picture to a slightly groggy, probably inebriated audience, allowing its filmmaking charms to hit in a special way. The endeavor remains unique in its weirdness and low-budget ambition, finding Fulci’s determination to generate a fright fest with the seams showing quite enjoyable to watch. The effort is sloppy at times, unbelievably goofy as well, but there’s something special about this messy presentation of torment and suffering, finding Fulci uniquely motivated to create a bizarre, art-inspired screen nightmare. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“They Call Her Death” intends to be a homage to many things, including spaghetti westerns and drive-in cinema. Writer/director Austin Snell has his fondness for genre filmmaking, trying to work out his wiggles with a picture that aims to provide violent entertainment to fans who won’t mind an extremely limited budget. Ambition is there from Snell, who constructs a revenge story involving a widow hunting down the corrupt men who killed her loving husband, using such cinematic power to drench the feature in blood, also creating a passably striking figure in the main character and her boiling rage. “They Call Her Death” has a few effective moments, especially when it gets into fiery confrontations, but the rest of the offering resembles a filmed high school play, lacking rougher style and at least some degree of urgency these endeavors are known for. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Nick Millard made a lot of movies during his career. How many of them were actually good is a matter of opinion, but Millard was unstoppable, churning out homegrown erotica, actioners, and thrillers without any care as to how his endeavors would be received by the public. “Nick Millard Action Collection” picks five of these offerings to share with the public, presenting what appears to be a fairly accurate display of Millard’s directorial enthusiasm and his technical limitations, which occasionally were quite severe. Included on the set are “Street Race,” “Alcatraz 1313-0,” “.357 Magnum,” “Shotgun,” and “One-Armed Warrior,” and every single film presented here is exactly as promised by the titles. “Nick Millard Action Collection” is quite the education on the helmer’s cinematic interests and production ingenuity, working to turn anything, ANYTHING, into a scene for one of his efforts. There’s something quite endearing about such bottom-shelf ambition, but that doesn’t necessarily mean what’s offered here is always a good time at the movies. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1978’s “Take Off” is inspired by Oscar Wilde’s 1890 novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” changing the premise from a painting containing dark magic to an adult film that possesses strange powers. Instead of following the original story, co-writer/director Armand Weston (who would go on to make 1981’s “The Nesting”) uses the source material to fuel his Hollywood fandom, transforming a dark tale into light comedy, with the T.V. show “Laugh-In” a clear influence on the endeavor. “Take Off” is a very silly picture, and also passably ambitious, watching Weston attempt to tell a story that takes place over six decades and tries to pack in as much Hollywood history as possible. There’s adult material as well, but carnal activity also seems like an afterthought in the offering, which is much more interested in the potential for parody and lighthearted antics. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Maiden” is the directorial debut for Graham Foy, and he aims to revive the cinema of Terrence Malick and other filmmakers of his generation with the feature. It’s an atmospheric viewing experience focusing on the behaviors of teenagers as they deal with loss in many forms, processing major changes to their lives in silence as they try to participate in daily routine. There are actually two stories to examine here, as Foy tries to get poetic with “The Maiden,” examining the troubles and isolation of outsiders during turbulent emotional times, often doing so with deliberate distance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Joseph F. Parda was a fan of giallo movies. As one does when they’re young and filled with dreams, he elected to pick up a Super 8 camera and try to replicate the viewing experience, aiming to deliver a little Argento-scented mayhem with his friends in Long Island, NY. 1996’s “5 Dead on the Crimson Canvas” is the result of such labor, offering a homemade version of Italian filmmaking, and such ambition actually gets the endeavor halfway there. There’s a killer-in-black on the loose, a variety of suspects, a handful of victims, and touches of sleaziness to reach exploitational goals. Parda has an idea of what he wants to accomplish, but he’s missing one major thing: screen momentum. “5 Dead on the Crimson Canvas” is a painfully dull offering of giallo turns and unstable characters, going slow and clunky with its presentation of murder and mystery, though the potency of such puzzling is certainly debatable. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Imagine being Jim Carrey in 1993. After struggling in the entertainment industry for so long, dealing with box office bombs and bit parts, Carrey found his footing after being hired for the sketch comedy show, “In Living Color.” While part of an ensemble, the actor was allowed to use his imagination and generate a string a memorable characters, receiving a chance to get crazy on network television. Visibility increased for Carrey, landing him the starring role in 1994’s “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” essentially bringing “In Living Color”-style energy to the big screen. Warner Brothers didn’t have much faith in the picture, but the movie ended up at the top of the box office chart (an achievement repeated three more times), finding an audience finally ready for the Jim Carrey Experience, with the year also delivering monster hits in “The Mask” and “Dumb and Dumber.” Everything changed for the star, and it all began with a berserk comedy about a pet detective and his quest to find a missing dolphin in Miami. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I don’t know how your 2018 went, but mine was oddly infiltrated by the world of the 1988 film, “Mac and Me.” First there was the Blu-ray release of the picture, finally bringing the saga of a boy and his definitely-not-E.T. alien pal to high definition, allowing fans to ditch their DVDs and VHS tapes and experience the “magic” of the effort all over again. The picture was also utilized by “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” opening the 12th season of the show with a terrific episode that became something of an obsession in my household, filling my year with all kinds of repeated viewings. Fully riffed is really the only way to fly with this offering, as “Mac and Me” is a pretty tough sit without wisecracking. However, now there’s a UHD release of the feature, which elevates visual quality and adds more behind-the-scenes information concerning the making of the movie, giving the faithful a very appealing presentation to help enjoy this cult film once again. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Elaine May achieved great success and industry respect in the world of comedy, becoming a star alongside her partner, Mike Nichols, with their unique brand of humor and interplay. After their breakup, Nichols made his way to Hollywood, forging a career as a director, while May was a little less committed to the change, eventually making her helming debut with 1971’s “A New Leaf,” also scripting the feature. Remaining true to her comedy skills, May turns the picture into something unexpected and odd, joining star Walter Matthau on a journey into love and death, following the interests of a man without morals trying to make a fortune by killing his new wife. “A New Leaf” has laughs and excellent performances, and it also establishes May’s directorial approach that would carry on throughout her short oeuvre, remaining fond of cast interactions and strange experiences, allowing the actors room to work their magic as the writing finds its way to eccentricity and behavioral quirks that make the viewing experience interesting when pacing starts to fatigue. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

A movie about jewel thieves should probably be exciting, but 1981’s “A Girl’s Best Friend” isn’t really interested in providing big thrills involved in illegal activities. The adult production as other things to concentrate on as it follows the quest of criminals out to collect a diamond, using their sexuality to help distract targets as they hunt for a rare jewel. Director Henri Pachard isn’t making a significant study of deception here, aiming for mildly comedic interactions and all the disco dancing any viewer could want. “A Girl’s Best Friend” has its entertainment value, though it remains a curious offering, as Pachard barely seems interested in following a plot at times, even after he sets one up early in the endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As legendary a filmmaker as Dario Argento is, he’s had his share of duds, especially after his creative heyday in the 1970s and ’80s. 2004’s “The Card Player” is far from his best work, finding Argento going into thriller mode with material that’s seldom suspenseful, out to make a detective story highlighting a perverse killer element while failing to inject the endeavor with style and urgency. The central point of pressure involving life or death games of video poker manages to hold attention, but the rest of “The Card Player” is quite dull, missing Argento’s enthusiasm for the macabre. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1966’s “Teenage Gang Debs” takes viewers back to a day and age when juvenile delinquent movies were plentiful. The titles gave young audiences a chance to experience a more dangerous, exciting life of crime and punishment. Older viewers were offered time to condemn the younger generation, watching their fears of unruliness and violence played out on the big screen. What’s a little different about “Teenage Gang Debs” is the screenplay by Hy Cahl, which is influenced by William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” losing the language but keeping the general thrust of power plays and danger to help beef up a thin study of female ambition during the days of New York City lawlessness. Director Sande N. Johnsen really doesn’t have much of a movie here, loading it up with as much padding as possible, but when there’s actual focus on the plot and room for the actors to do their thing, the offering has its exploitational charms and appropriate ugly business. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1967’s “Yongary, Monster from the Deep” is a Korean production trying to give the local film industry their own big creature during the kaiju boom of the 1960s. Co-writer/director Kim Ki-duk certainly has a beast in the eponymous terror, and while introductions are lengthy in the endeavor, he eventually gets around to city-stomping action, becoming the destructive focus of the picture, joined by a few human characters. “Yongary, Monster from the Deep” isn’t a lively movie, taking its sweet time to get going, and even when it does unleash hell, pacing issues remain. However, there’s fun to be had for the most patient, as the handmade presence of the offering has its charms. And the helmer isn’t afraid of adding a little weirdness, creating a handful of memorable moments in the effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Flying Lotus is a musician adding the world of filmmaking to his artistic interests. He previously directed the little-seen “Kuso,” collaborated with the late, great David Lynch on a music video, and added a segment for 2022’s “V/H/S/99.” Following his genre interests, Lotus goes full-on horror in “Ash,” which takes inspiration from 1979’s “Alien,” examining the disaster of a space exploration team trying to understand life and dangers on an unknown planet. Screenwriter Jonni Remmler provides a map of confusion to follow, keeping things somewhat mysterious and incredibly violent at times. However, “Ash” isn’t driven by plot, which struggles with formula, instead finding life through its visual presentation. Lotus serves up a satisfactory nightmare with the endeavor, and it intermittently scores through heavy atmosphere and vicious encounters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1989’s “We’re No Angels” is a semi-remake of a 1955 Michael Curtiz film, starring Humphrey Bogart. The original picture was a comedy, trying to have a little fun with its central premise of escaped convicts hoping to maintain a low profile as they make their way to freedom, getting caught up in the lives of others. The reworking is written by David Mamet and directed by Neil Jordan, and they don’t really settle on any particular tone for the feature, while comedic intent is often hard to discern. “We’re No Angels” boasts an impressive production design effort from Wolf Kroeger (who replicates his town-building achievement from 1980’s “Popeye”) and cinematography from Philippe Rousselot is stellar, but the movie, as gorgeous as it is, doesn’t quite work. There are a lot of ideas and performances in the mix, but the endeavor doesn’t follow through on most of them, resulting in a frustrating viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

An adaptation of a book by Stephen King, 1976’s “Carrie” turned horror activity and teen misery into a tale of bullying and revenge. The release launched many acting careers, including star Sissy Spacek, and it elevated director Brian De Palma’s status in the industry, giving him a needed hit to maintain professional momentum. The picture, while containing a stinger ending, was a complete story, not requiring a follow-up, but that’s never stopped Hollywood before, and they return to the brand name in 1999’s “The Rage: Carrie 2,” which tries hard to be a sequel to the 1976 endeavor, but transforms into more of a remake. Director Katt Shea (“Stripped to Kill”) and screenwriter Rafael Moreu (“Hackers”) are tasked with reviving the “Carrie” way, but it’s mostly a losing proposition, and “The Rage: Carrie 2” visibly struggles to balance a story of high school hell and bloody horror, coming off too silly as the production struggles to maintain the interest of its target demographic. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Steve Hanft is arguably best known as the director of the “Loser” music video, helping to bring the musical stylings of Beck to the masses. The clip managed to dominate MTV and win Hanft some awards, highlighting his decidedly low-wattage style and love of inscrutable imagery. Before such media attention was found, Hanft was just another young filmmaker with a dream, working with ambition to create a feature-length display of his media interests. 1994’s “Kill the Moonlight” is the fruit of such passion, offering viewers a chance to experience slacker cinema the way it was, delivering a tale of desperation concerning a young man who needs money to race cars, but holds few financial options to generate needed cash. Hanft doesn’t have much here beyond California locations and a few actors, going the no-budget route with an aimless tale of desperation. There’s very era-specific moviemaking on display, but expectations for a more flavorful dramatic experience should be readjusted, as the helmer has little to work with, and he’s determined to keep it that way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Slaxx” is about a killer pair of jeans. Of course, there’s more to the feature than that, which may surprise some viewers settling in for a weird slasher film set inside a clothing store. Co-writer/director Elza Kephart hopes to attract attention with her oddball premise, which joins equally strange inspirations for horror entertainment (e.g. “Rubber,” “Death Bed: The Bed That Eats”), and she delivers all sorts of bloody violence with the endeavor, looking to keep up with audience demands for this type of B-movie escapism. “Slaxx” does well with the little it has, but it aims for a different type of awareness overall, gradually replacing silliness with a more sobering assessment of business ethics, adding some thought-provoking material to the effort’s satirical interests. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com