Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

The torment and terror of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is brought to a Texas high school in 1973's "Horror High." Screenwriter J.D. Feigelson turns to author Robert Louis Stevenson for inspiration, using the basic idea of weird science to inspire a slight but determined chiller concerning a teenager who's done with his problems, turning to a special serum to help trigger his violent side. The picture isn't a refined genre offering, with director Larry Stouffer handling occasional troublemaking while tending to teen concerns involving bullying and burgeoning romance. "Horror High" keeps things simple with chiller moments and detective focus, helped along by engaged performances, which help to hold attention as the material figures out things to do between scenes of revenge. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

PFFR is a production company that counts Vernon Chatman as one of its founders. Chatman is best known to alt-comedy geeks as the co-creator of "Wonder Showzen" and "The Heart, She Holler," and he's recently worked as a producer on "South Park," helping to guide the show's transition into a streaming event series for Paramount+. In 2003, Chatman had a dream, looking to scratch a particular absurdist comedy itch with a vision for dramatic chaos few could match. Recognizing the growing industry of made-to-order pornography, Chatman sent screenplays to four companies specializing in fetish moviemaking, paying them to execute his bizarre take on the impending apocalypse. No hardcore footage was included, just concentration on the wild visuals and bodily commitment required to bring these loosely connected stories to life. "Final Flesh" stitches the short films together in one big mess of non sequiturs and amateur acting, offering those with amazing patience for Chatman's sense of humor a full display of his lunacy, captured with a shot-on-video budget. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1984's "Voyage of the Rock Aliens" (titled "When the Rain Begins to Fall" on the Blu-ray print) was initially conceived as a parody of B-movies from the 1950s, when teenagers ruled the world, monsters occasionally interrupted the fun, and love (mostly lust) was in the air as high school happenings carried on. During development, the project became a musical, perhaps to cash-in on the MTV craze, which saw numerous films enjoy a bump at the box office due to their slick visuals and stacked soundtrack. "Voyage of the Rock Aliens" isn't a glossy effort, stuck between comedy antics and musical presentations, with director James Fargo ("The Enforcer," "Every Which Way But Loose") trying to find a balance to the chaos that often takes over the feature. It's a highly weird offering of screen spirit and music genres, and a picture that tends to go wherever it wants to, trusting in the might of a hit single to support the whole endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1995's "Red Lips" is a 76-minute-long movie, and the opening five minutes of the endeavor are devoted to a sex scene between two women that establishes a dual meaning for the title. Writer/director Donald Farmer is in no hurry to get the film moving along, introducing viewers to softcore material before gradually moving things over to horror, and another change, to melodrama, follows. "Red Lips" is a $5,000 effort that has a lot of things it wants to accomplish, but no significant resources or imagination to do so, with Farmer believing some bloodshed and plenty of sexuality is enough to keep viewers interested in what becomes an aggressively repetitive picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché" is a documentary about the punk rock singer, but it's more interested in the subject's relationship with her daughter, Celeste Bell. After the 2011 death of Poly Styrene, Bell was left with memories and boxes of media to sort through, giving herself five years of distance before she began going through her parent's belongings. What she found in these boxes wasn't just photos and recordings, but a window to another human being she never really knew, offered a tour of Poly Styrene's career and personal experience. "I Am a Cliché" follows Bell on a journey of discovery, joining co-director Paul Sng as she tracks the life and times of her loved one, reinforcing her position in music history and identifying the fragility of her mind, forced to battle through mental illness while keeping up appearances for fans and the music industry. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Bertrand Mandico made an impression on certain audiences with 2017's "The Wild Boys." It was his first feature-length production, and he poured everything into its creation, using experience gained after spending a large portion of his life making short films. "The Wild Boys" was weird and incredibly specific in its moviemaking goals. Dramatic value is debatable, but the endeavor was a striking showcase of craftsmanship, earning him a loyal fanbase interested in his helming future. Altered Innocence elects to go into Mandico's past with their release of "Apocalypse After," which offers the 2018 short and ten others to provide an understanding of creative development and artistic vision, identifying Mandico's growing obsessions as well. It's a high dive into challenging, arresting cinema, with the shorts detailing Mandico's fetishes and pursuit of enigmatic material. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Love is a complicated thing, with "Cross My Heart" an examination of the dating process between two people fighting to overcome their scorching insecurities. It's a comedy from writers Gail Parent and Armyan Bernstein (who also directs), and one that hopes to inspect its characters a little more deeply, getting into the muck of adult gamesmanship as the participants try to present themselves in the most appealing light possible, only to have the truth slowly command the evening. It's up to leads Martin Short and Annette O'Toole to carry the feature, and the pair share wonderful chemistry and timing in this slight but enjoyable two-hander that touches on the challenges of honesty and the thrill of attraction. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1991's "Pure Luck" is a remake of 1981's "Le Chevre," a French production directed by Francis Verber. The popular French filmmaker proved to be an object of fascination for Hollywood, with studios trying to bring his sense of humor to American audiences. Star Martin Short previously Verber-ed in 1989's "Three Fugitives," and he returns for "Pure Luck," trying to find some funny business with co-star Danny Glover. Instead of luring Verber to handle directorial duties, Universal Pictures turns to Nadia Tass, an Australian helmer who isn't quite up for the challenge of mastering the slapstick comedy. Instead of winding up the leads and arranging plenty of tomfoolery, Tass is caught up with uneven material, constructing a farce about clueless people that's also a detective story, often stopping the feature to highlight weirdly DOA sequences that lack jokes. There's Short, who's always a welcome screen presence, but he's working hard for no reward in this tedious misfire. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

To make a first impression as a filmmaker, William Malone leans on his love of monster movies with 1980's "Scared to Death," joining a long list of directors using genre entertainment as their way into the Hollywood system. The effort is low-budget and limited to a few locations and sets, but Malone has heart, working with whatever he's got to piece together a horror film featuring the threat of a "synthesized genetic organism," or Syngenor, who's basically the Xenomorph from "Alien" if he grew up in the sewers of Los Angeles. Enthusiasm for the project is appreciable, but "Scared to Death" isn't crisply edited, with Malone refusing to tighten the bolts on a picture that often wanders away from the central crisis, dealing with character business that's not important, which helps to dilute what little suspense is present here. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Author Martin Caidin created the character Steve Austin for his 1972 book, "Cyborg." Hollywood was soon interested in the material, and a television movie, "The Six Million Dollar Man," was produced in 1973. It provided an origin story for Steve, detailing the former astronaut's horrific accident and his recovery, where his body was reconstructed with bionic parts, giving him super powers he didn't immediately understand. Two more television films followed, taking the premise into a James Bond-ish direction, and a weekly series eventually arrived in 1974, keeping Steve busy with various adventures that involved the use of his bionic powers, his cool demeanor around certain doom, and his feminine appeal. "The Six Million Dollar Man" quickly turned into a hit show, offering audiences a fantasy premise with unusual visuals (and sound effects) and defined heroism, with the production's command of escapism keeping the series going for five seasons. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Looking to make something adorable and approachable during the panda craze of the 1970s, director Isao Takahata and writer Hayao Miyazaki dream up a pair of short films in 1972's "Panda! Go Panda!" and "Rainy Day Circus." The tales are directly aimed at a young audience open to the primary- colored world of a little girl and her adventures with two pandas she befriends, giving the production opportunities to play with slapstick and cuteness overload as they cook up mild activities for the characters. There's defined weirdness here that's perhaps best left unexplored, but kids are almost guaranteed to enjoy the endeavors, which go out of their way to deliver spirited antics with broad personalities. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Cult films are a difficult thing to force on audiences. Typically, cinematic junk needs time to cure in obscurity, developing a fringe appreciation before widespread acceptance arrives. "Miami Connection" isn't a DOA offering that's been basting in the juices of bad moviedom for decades now, it's a harmless, clueless 1987 Floridian production that's been plucked out of obscurity so film geeks and students of schlock can point and laugh at its awfulness, developing a new midnight movie secret language. There's no doubt that "Miami Connection" is awful, but a celebratory, gut-bustin' kind of awful? Not exactly. In fact, you might walk away feeling sorry for the earnest amateurs who pieced this effort together back in the 1980s. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Kevin Hart isn't known for his dramatic capabilities, offering a rare show of non-yelling sensitivity in 2017's "The Upside." He's largely remained in the field of comedy, playing to his fanbase with silly pictures that demand volume, not timing, but "Fatherhood" is perhaps the most direct acting challenge Hart has faced during his screen career. He's tasked with playing a broken widower trying to raise his daughter on his own, and while the endeavor isn't too far from laughs, it makes a few attempts to deal with the emotional realities of parenthood, especially for those unprepared for its immense challenges. Hart's does a fine job away from his usual shtick, and "Fatherhood" clicks when it stays focused on the taxing education of household management with a little baby. Any time the writing moves away from the core challenge of endurance, the movie gets caught up in irksome formula. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director Ninja Thyberg originally shot "Pleasure" as a short film in 2013, helping to attract attention to her burgeoning career with a look at the technical ways and psychological damage of the adult film industry. Returning to the material, Thyberg looks to expand the experience for the lead character, depicted here as a young Swedish woman hoping to break into the business doing whatever she can to score gigs. Thyberg increases the run time and ups the graphic content, but there's little dramatic expansion for "Pleasure," which plays with a certain bluntness, but any emotionality is difficult to find. The troubling details of life in X-rated entertainment is what holds attention here, as Thyberg doesn't have much in the way of characterization, presenting a simplistic take on the deadening arc of a pornography participant. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1982 was a big year for actor Henry Thomas, who wowed the world with his marvelous performance in Steven Spielberg's masterpiece, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." 1983 was a big year for director Richard Franklin, who managed to beat dismal expectations and provide a reasonable ride with "Psycho II," immersing himself in Hitchcock fandom and technique, emerging with a surprise hit. 1984 paired Franklin and Thomas for "Cloak & Dagger," which endeavored to merge spunky kid film fun with a Hitchcockian thriller, using the popular worlds of video games and unsupervised children to inspire a strange combination of juvenile antics and adult intensity. Franklin and screenwriter Tom Holland don't seem to care about the target demographic for "Cloak & Dagger," charging ahead with a collection of life-and-death moments, many of which involve an 11-year-old boy and the dangers of his imagination. It's a tonal tightrope walk for the production, and while Franklin struggles a bit with pacing, he remains committed to a real sense of danger, giving the effort unusual tension. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the years leading up to the production of 1989's "Harlem Nights," star Eddie Murphy was viewed as basically unstoppable. He was young, hilarious, and participated in major box office hits, including the top-grossing movie of 1984, "Beverly Hills Cop." Hollywood quickly learned Murphy could put butts in seats, even for mediocre endeavors, such as 1986's "The Golden Child," and he managed to turn a stand-up comedy feature (1987's "Raw") into event cinema. Murphy was everything, especially to Paramount Pictures, who looked to the actor to generate blockbusters, including 1987's "Beverly Hills Cop II," and especially 1988's "Coming to America," which wasn't warmly received by critics and not expected to reach a large audience by the studio, but it became a word-of-mouth smash, proving Murphy didn't need a gun or a fast mouth to inspire ticket sales. By 1989, Murphy could make any project he wanted to, and he did, putting himself in charge of "Harlem Nights," which marked his directorial debut. Suddenly, the superstar was the principal creative force for a period gangster film, generating a major ego-stroke effort that also happens to be incredibly entertaining, periodically hilarious, and loaded with outstanding talent both in front of and behind the camera. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1975, Travis Walton disappeared for five days after chasing a beam of light in the forest. When he returned, he claimed he was abducted by aliens, with members of a timber stand improvement crew witnessing the initial contact. Instead of retiring to a quieter life to deal with his trauma, the abductee elected to profit off his newfound fame, creating the 1978 book, "The Walton Experience." 1993's "Fire in the Sky" is an adaptation of Walton's story, with screenwriter Tracy Torme taking on the challenge of finding dramatic possibilities in a tale that only holds sensationalistic value. Torme is mostly successful creating a shape to "Fire in the Sky," wisely turning Walton into a supporting character while director Rob Lieberman goes for a balance of horror and heart in this attempt to remain sensitive about a dubious claim. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the supplementary materials on the release of 1973's "Thriller, A Cruel Picture," interviewees discuss writer/director Bo Arne Vibenius's frustration with the failure of his first feature, a family movie offering softness to a wide audience. Inspired to create a hit film, Vibenius set out to manufacture an effort guaranteed to offend, hoping the endeavor would be banned in his native Sweden, giving him the perfect marketing hook. His plan worked, turning "Thriller, A Cruel Picture" into a buzzy sensation, pushing down on viewers with its extreme nihilism, graphic violence, and hardcore sex footage. Vibenius achieved his creative goals, but such severity doesn't automatically make for an arresting viewing experience, with the helmer getting lost in his quest for atmosphere, slowing this revenge story to a full stop far too many times. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Doris Wishman had a dream, and after the death of her husband in 1958, she decided to pursue a career in filmmaking, focusing on sexploitation entertainment, hoping to reach an audience with lusty tales of revenge and love. 1975's "The Immoral Three" is part of her colorful oeuvre, acting a sequel to "Double Agent 73," though star Chesty Morgan didn't return for additional spy games. How does one replace such an unforgettable screen presence? By hiring three actresses to take care of nudity requirements, which is meant to make up for Morgan's noticeable absence. Wishman remains committed to a tale of men vs. women with "The Immoral Three," offering bloody violence and acts of savage male behavior, trying to pick up where "Double Agent 73" left off, also working to up her technical game with a bright, more camera-aware endeavor that doesn't live up to its potential, but offers decent Wishman-branded fun for those patient enough to find it. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Doris Wishman had a dream, and after the death of her husband in 1958, she decided to pursue a career in filmmaking, focusing on sexploitation entertainment, hoping to reach an audience with lusty tales of revenge and love. 1974's "Double Agent 73" is part of her colorful oeuvre, reuniting with "Deadly Weapons" star Chesty Morgan for another tale of danger and desire, this time endeavoring to offer audiences a slight spin on the superspy subgenre, positioning the unmissable star as a 007-type trying to bring down bad guys using many forms of self-defense and assassination attempts that involve a large bosom. Wishman's a bit more ambitious with "Double Agent 73," trying to expand on earlier experimentation with action and suspense, and she lands some decent scenes of low-budget fury. The helmer doesn't provide a sustained level of excitement, but the effort has some memorable moments and genuine craziness to make it an entertaining sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com