Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

1978’s “Rings of Fear” (a.k.a. “Red Rings of Fear”) is a movie that, in fact, doesn’t contain any rings of fear. It’s a giallo that’s trying to gets something lurid and exciting going with its study of murder and police investigation, giving six(!) screenwriters a shot at creating scenes of suspense as vicious things happen to semi-innocent people. The material doesn’t deliver excitement, mostly inspiring confusion as the details of the story fail to come together, and characterization is largely left up in the air. Director Alberto Negrin attempts to put some effort into style and intensity, but it’s a losing battle with this writing, which offers no stability when it comes to storytelling and mystery, almost resembling a picture that was made up as it was being shot. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1975’s “Reflections in Black” has a black-gloved killer on the loose, favoring a straight razor to dispatch victims. Desperate from some type of twist to help distinguish the title, director Tano Cimarosa and his screenwriters also dress the lunatic in black stockings to help add another layer of intimidation and visual storytelling to the picture. And that’s it for invention in the movie, which quickly falls into the routine of law enforcement interviewing suspects while a ghoul periodically takes innocent lives. “Reflections in Black” isn’t inspired work, and it’s a pretty flimsy thriller, becoming more of a community picnic as a plethora of characters compete for screen time. Cimarosa doesn’t aim for thrills here, barely showing enough energy to build a decent mystery as the whole thing becomes bogged down in dialogue exchanges shared by uninteresting people. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services.” Now that’s a title. The 1972 feature doesn’t exactly live up to such a strange name, but director Demofilo Fidani has a beginning, middle, and end with the endeavor, which immediately puts the movie ahead of most in the giallo subgenre, though the murder mystery elements in the offering are fairly thin. The production is more interested in erotic encounters, emerging as a softcore understanding of the world of prostitution, blended with a few guilt trips as parental concern enters the story. There’s a killer on the loose, a shadowy one wearing yellow gloves for a change, but “A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services” isn’t truly a chiller, preferring to stick with the details of the sex business as titillation, not terror, is prioritized by Fidani. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s somewhat amazing that author Clive Barker, one of the most popular horror writers of his era, only directed three films. He gifted the world “Hellraiser,” able to turn a tiny budget into an iconic genre endeavor that developed a genuine Movie Maniac while launching a brand name that, amazingly, continues to this day. The 1987 offering was eventually followed by 1990’s “Nightbreed,” which has grown into a fascinating study of fantasy and horror, but also editing decisions, as various cuts of the effort help to strengthen the power of Barker’s vision. And there’s 1995’s “Lord of Illusions,” which attempted to deliver the helmer’s love of intensity to a mass audience. The feature was largely ignored when it was released, and it’s easy to understand why. Barker is ambitious with this tale of violent magic and noir-ish adventuring, but he’s not skilled in the art of storytelling this time, preferring to transform the bizarreness of the material (an adaptation of 1985 short story) into a leaden viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s always entertainment value when watching educational films from a long time ago. These are clips from different eras of training and, quite often, promotion, and most of these offerings are created to capture viewer attention, using whatever means possible to do so. “The Scare Films Archives 2: Danger Stories” collects thirteen educational shorts for examination, highlighting a few of the weirdest and most shameless when it comes to instructing people on all the safety decisions they might encounter during an average day. There’s horror in the mistakes made around heavy machines in 1980’s “Shake Hands with Danger,” and performance oddity in “Mr. Flame.” The petroleum industry gives themselves a firm pat on the back in 1954’s “Farm Petroleum Safety,” and the surreal is encountered during a talking vehicle strike in “The Day the Bicycles Disappeared.” “The Scare Films Archives 2: Danger Stories” supplies a nice range of offerings, mixing up the absurd and the sincere, delivering an engaging tour of American (and British) health and professional training. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Naomi Watts and a Great Dane figuring out their life together in the middle of New York City. It’s the stuff of comedy, but “The Friend” is primarily interested in the inner workings of people and animals trying to get through a difficult time together. It’s a companionship story from filmmaking partners Scott McGehee and David Siegel, who adapt a 2018 book by author Sigrid Nunez, challenged to preserve the novel’s intimate ways with animal care and mental health. “The Friend” isn’t too hard on the senses, maintaining a cozy mood of mild shenanigans involving a large pooch and the puzzle of its behavior. And there’s room for human concerns, as the main character experiences an unexpectedly therapeutic journey with a most unlikely partner. The helmers don’t push down too hard on viewers, and they respect the emotional odyssey of the source material, keeping the picture charming and sincere, also sustaining its appeal for dog lovers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Wedding Banquet” was originally a film from 1993. While the picture was a minor art-house hit, it’s mostly known today as a breakout release for director Ang Lee, who used such success to help build an unusual and occasionally successful helming career. A remake arrives from co-writer/director Andrew Ahn, who achieved some notice for 2022’s streaming comedy, “Fire Island,” and continues his interest in comedic situations and deeply personal feelings. Ahn teams up with original co-writer James Schamus for the reworking, aiming for a more updating take on challenges to life and love. However, heart remains a top priority for the production, and while touches of melodrama aren’t entirely avoided, Ahn handles character concerns with grace, and he’s overseeing an excellent cast who skillfully work with the material’s blend of bigness and intimacy. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Satanic Panic was all the rage in the 1980s, putting tabloid television and a multitude of grifters to the test as they worked to exploit the fears of suburbanites trying to make sense of their media-manipulated world. “Satan Wants You” is a documentary exploring ground zero of the phenomenon, highlighting the success of the 1980 book, “Michelle Remembers,” the literary weapon that inspired a whole decade of panic and exploitation. Directors Steve J. Adams and Sean Horlor want in on the rush of terror, out to craft an unsettling understanding of a calculated manipulation that snowballed into a national nightmare. “Satan Wants You” tries to be overly dramatic to support the mood of the subject matter, but it occasionally veers into ridiculousness, which doesn’t help the semi-interesting tale of deception that’s presented here. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2018’s “Heavy Trip” was a big surprise. The Scandinavian comedy examined the panicked ways of a black metal band trying to fake it until they make it, hoping to share their “symphonic, post-apocalyptic, reindeer-grinding, Christ-abusing, extreme war pagan, Fennoscandian metal” sound with the world, only to find all kinds of goofy roadblocks to exposure. Co-writers/directors Juuso Laatio and Jukka Vidgren certainly know their stuff when it comes to the strange world of this music genre, and they understand the value of silliness, making one of the best pictures of its release year. Some time has passed, but the men of Impaled Rektum are back in “Heavier Trip,” and the helmers endeavor to sustain the same speed of humor and music in the sequel. It’s a mostly successful effort from Laatio and Vidgren, who set up another wild journey for the characters, landing sizable laughs and knowing references for the follow-up adventure. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Reprising his most famous role, John Holmes returns to screens as Johnny Wadd, a private detective dedicated to helping his clients and he also enjoys sleeping with them. 1976’s “Tapestry of Passion” is a strange title for what becomes a movie about serial killing, occult practices, and sadomasochism, and there’s almost no passion in the picture. However, there are villains and women with money looking for help, putting the main character on the prowl for answers around San Francisco. Holmes isn’t exactly a charmer, but he remains the focal point for the endeavor, with co- writer/director Alan Colberg trying to assemble a somewhat dark take on adult cinema, adding elements of danger and threat that don’t exactly mix well with more heated encounters. Entertainment remains with the oddness of the story and a few confrontations, but “Tapestry of Passion” isn’t particularly successful with suspense and erotic intensity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1976’s “All Night Long” is a tale about a competition. There are no feats of strength or speed, as endurance is the goal presented here, exploring an eventful evening for two men looking to achieve a special award for most pleasure shared in a matter of hours. It’s a simple concept from co- writer/director Alan Colberg, but it mostly connects in the feature, which intends to provide bits of silliness to go along with the usual in adult entertainment. Perhaps suspense isn’t really the point of “All Night Long,” but a certain level of energy is presented throughout the viewing experience, following the developments of a particularly hurried night of carnal delights and the rowdiness of the group assembled to watch them vie for a special title bestowed to only one man per year. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1983’s “Alexandra” attempts to study the troubled ways of relationships as friends, spouses, lovers, and sex collide over the Christmas holiday. Writer Don Walters looks to generate a knotted appreciation of easily distracted people and the presence of some type of puppetmaster aiming to manipulate the group, creating a plethora of characters, each with their own private concerns as they try to make sense of their lives. Confusion is a key part of the material, but such bewilderment might come for viewers as well. “Alexandra” has a good cast of actors who understand what’s required from the production, and direction by Tim McDonald is competent, aiming to generate some level of tension as private lives are exposed to all. However, something clearly went wrong in the editing room, as the tale feels incomplete, creating a short-sheeted viewing experience for material that initially appears quite focused on following a specific story of humiliation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“A Christmas Carol” has been adapted time and again, remaining prime fodder for media interpretations since its debut 181 years ago. I’m sure author Charles Dickens would be pleased with the endurance of his work, but perhaps a bit surprised to see it transformed into an adult movie. 1975’s “The Passions of Carol” provides a loose interpretation of the original book, once again exploring the bitterness of Scrooge and the character’s long journey towards behavioral illumination. The fine details aren’t exactly correct in this version, but a general appreciation for Dickens’s message is here, along with plenty of stops for erotic happenings as director Shaun Costello (billed as “Amanda Barton”) attempts to create a Christmas story with a handful of actors, minimal budget for sets and costumes, and a New York City groove. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s not every day that one encounters an adult film about an encyclopedia salesman who secures orders and promotions through bedroom skills. 1978’s “Hot Lunch” is most definitely a weird picture from writer George Price and director John Hayes, who try to find something of a story to tell in the feature, though they come up a bit short when it comes to narrative cohesion. “Hot Lunch” remains entertaining in moments, not overall, as trying to follow the bizarre turns of plot and character might leave viewers a little dizzy. More secure are select ideas on seduction, which add some comedy and craziness to the endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For most people, the name William Tell conjures images of a crossbow accuracy contest involving a human target with an apple placed on their head. Perhaps there are even memories of “The Lone Ranger” and its use of Gioachino Rossini’s “William Tell Overture” as its main theme, successfully bending the tone of the original work to fit a wild west setting. Writer/director Nick Hamm is looking to restore the tale’s integrity with “William Tell,” endeavoring to give an 1804 play (by Friedrich Schiller) the “Braveheart” treatment, out to conjure a big screen epic featuring numerous characters and various motivations. It’s a big movie, but only in certain moments, and Hamm isn’t an inspired helmer (“The Hole,” “Godsend,” “Killing Bono”), out to transform European tensions into a Shakespearean viewing experience, creating a sluggish offering of heroism. “William Tell” might be of value to those most patient with historical actioners, but casual viewers probably won’t walk away with any fresh appreciation of the man and his mission. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1984’s “Falling in Love” is an attempt to soften two actors known for their incredible intensity. There’s Meryl Streep, coming off an Academy Award win for her emotionally devastating performance in “Sophie’s Choice,” chasing such power with the chilling atmosphere of “Silkwood,” bringing life to an uneasy subject matter. There’s Robert De Niro, whose furrowed brow approach to acting turned him into an icon, also collecting an Oscar for his memorable turn in “Raging Bull,” maintaining that edge for follow-up projects such as “The King of Comedy” and “Once Upon a Time in America.” These are not two performers known for projecting warmth, but they each hold a different interpretation of intimacy, giving director Ulu Grosbard (“Straight Time,” “True Confessions,” “Georgia”) something to work with in “Falling in Love,” which represents a career change for both performers, asked to go soft and emotional for this study of infidelity and need. Screenwriter Michael Cristofer (“The Witches of Eastwick,” “The Bonfire of the Vanities”) sets up a tender dance of internalized feelings for the personalities, skipping a lot of plot to remain close to the characters, allowing Streep and De Niro a chance to find their way across alien terrain, and this exploratory aspect of the picture helps to strengthen the viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Miguel Angel Martinez is out to capture the red-hot action of the supercop genre in 1992’s “38 Especial.” It’s a low budget Mexican production that’s mostly interested in balancing sinister business with the rise of a serial killer and the brawny action of police on the hunt, occasionally taking lives and sleeping with those connected to the case. “38 Especial” certainly tries to be of some level of excitement, as Martinez endeavors to keep things active as violence breaks out and confrontations grow heated. It’s not polished or all that commanding, but as a mild distraction with a bit of DIY energy, the feature is passable, perhaps even a bit exciting for viewers absolutely devoted to small-time thrillers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The career of director Arthur Bressan Jr. offers an unusual ride of dramatic intensity, going from documentaries (“Gay U.S.A.”) to narrative-driven features detailing troubling subject matters (“Abuse,” “Buddies”). Somewhere in the mix, there was time for more sexual adventures, including 1984’s “Daddy Dearest” and “Juice,” which explore an adult entertainment side to the helmer as he takes on two tales of fantasy, and, in many ways, the demands of daily employment. Bressan Jr. provides some intensity as the main characters deal with their wandering minds, but the pictures are primarily out to showcase bedroom encounters and lustful ways, putting on a display for viewers while Bressan Jr. works around the thinnest of plots to hold “Juice” and “Daddy Dearest” together. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Presence” is a ghost story. However, it’s a ghost story from director Steven Soderbergh, who’s usually not interested in giving viewers exactly what they expect, endeavoring to mix things up with his indie-minded ways. His latest is no different, but Soderbergh isn’t in an esoteric mood with the feature, heading in a more observational direction in a story about a spirit studying a dysfunctional family’s life inside an old house they’ve recently moved into. Scary business isn’t the focus of the offering, as screenwriter David Koepp is primarily interested in broken relationships and domestic issues, gradually working on a developing mystery involving a roving phantom. “Presence” isn’t going to please horror junkies used to more pressurized haunted house tales, but those with patience and some appreciation for Soderbergh’s filmmaking ways are offered an engrossing puzzle of death and household distance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

An adult film director, Armand Weston was hunting for a mainstream effort to help change the course of his career. Inspired by the success of horror entertainment in the late-1970s, the helmer (joined by co-writer Daria Price) attempts to add to the genre gold rush with 1981’s “The Nesting” (titled “Phobia” on the disc), revisiting certain haunted house elements and peaks of madness from such films as “The Amityville Horror” and “The Shining.” Weston isn’t seasoned in the ways of suspense, and his inexperience shows in the endeavor, which drags along without much purpose for an entirely unearned run time of 110 minutes. Hopes for frights and mystery are drained out of the viewing experience quickly, as “The Nesting” simply refuses to engage on a suspenseful level, resembling more of a television movie with its punishing pace and limited dramatic rewards. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com