Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

After achieving a career-changing breakthrough hit with 1979's "Phantasm," writer/director Don Coscarelli aimed to advance his standing in the industry with a bigger feature. Paying tribute to the sword-and-sandal movies of his youth, Coscarelli delivers "The Beastmaster," which merges old- fashioned screen heroism with fantasy interests of the 1980s, gifting the world a new type of warrior with the ability to communicate and partner with animals while facing the ugliness of pure evil. "The Beastmaster" and its this-is-rated-PG? highlights don't necessarily translate to riveting sit, but the imagination of the production is often impressive, especially when executed on an obviously lower budget. 1982 gave us the austerity of "Conan the Barbarian," but Coscarelli's endeavor is more of a romp with monsters and battles, and it's easy to track the helmer's intent with the picture, even if it doesn't always reach its full potential. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1989's "Necromancer," revenge is a dish best served in a backyard Satanic-tented garage located in suburban Los Angeles. The highs and lows of low-budget filmmaking are on full display in the picture, which uses slasher formula for a possession story to give audiences some limited thrills while director Dusty Nelson tries to put one foot in front of the other. Production achievements are limited and there's not much of a fun factor to the endeavor, but "Necromancer" does deliver mild levels of aggression and B-movie weirdness for viewers jonesing for something distinctly created for the VHS market in the 1980s. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director John Stewart strives to make his mark on B-movie mayhem with 1989's "Action U.S.A." A seasoned stuntman (with credits on "Phantasm II," "The Hidden," and "Night of the Demons"), Stewart makes his helming debt with the endeavor, commencing a plan to inject as much hellraising as possible into a single feature, creating a film that's more of a demo reel for his capabilities when it comes to planning and executing stunts of all kinds. "Action U.S.A." is no thriller, despite a screenplay that clumsily attempts to create characters and situations of intimidation. It doesn't have the polish for that type of escapism. Instead, Stewart goes smashmouth with the work, packing it with car chases, high falls, explosions, and fisticuffs, on a mission to create excitement with the limited resources he has. He succeeds for the most part, as long as dialogue and drama are ignored. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With "Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets," directors Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross present a look at the state of the dive bar nation in 2016, spending the day at the Roaring 20's, a Las Vegas establishment that's working through its final hours of operation. It's not cause for celebration, but observance, with the siblings enduring nearly 24 hours inside the joint, capturing the arrival and slow inebriation of customers who truly have nowhere else to be. It's a documentary (kind of) that doesn't have much more to give than simple experience, gifting viewers time in a small, worn space with a community of drunks as they banter, argue, flirt, sing, and dance, with the helmers creating a tone poem, examining human behavior as it's gradually drowned by gallons of booze. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After experiencing a little more creative freedom with 1987's "Prince of Darkness," writer/director John Carpenter trades horror for political and social commentary in 1988's "They Live." Endeavoring to inspect the illness of America during the 1980s, specifically the reality of Reaganomics, Carpenter transforms a short story (five pages long!) by Ray Nelson into an examination of class divide, using science fiction as a way into a study of a population unknowingly brought to its knees. With "They Live," Carpenter brings down action and suspense to explore the state of the union, doing so with exciting playfulness and directness as he takes on the strange power plays of the E.T. 1%. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Making his move into larger studio productions during the 1980s, director John Carpenter endured a few box office failures, effectively throttling his rise in industry ranks. Looking to get back to his low-budget roots and obtain more control over his projects, Carpenter turned the late 1980s into an experimental period, with 1987's "Prince of Darkness" the first of a one-two punch (the other being 1988's "They Live") where the helmer made a choice to explore his interests in the world around him. "Prince of Darkness" has the kind of grand title that promises supreme genre chaos, but the master moviemaker doesn't go furious with his tale of Satanic evil in a jar, electing to go cerebral with the work, which merges the slow-burn exploratory habits of a Hammer Films production with the scientific specifics of a college lecture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

We all know that 1975's "Jaws" was a massive hit, changing the film industry in the process. It's also a masterful suspense effort, with extreme technical skill and intense performances giving it true cinematic power. However, in the wake of such a creative achievement and box office triumph came the rip-offs, with producers from all over the world jumping at the chance to participate in the white-hot trend of animal attack pictures. 1977's "Tintorera: Killer Shark" is a Mexican production endeavoring to be the next "Jaws," with writer/director Rene Cardona Jr. heading into the waters of Cancun to explore the dangers of the depths, with a particularly heavy breathing tiger shark on the loose, terrorizing tourists. "Tintorera: Tight Shark" has the general shape of B-movie cash-in, pitting humans against marine life, but Cardona Jr. largely skips any sort of terror, preferring to use time set aside for a shark attack feature to deal with the emotional aches and pains of a swinging bachelor and his quest to find warm, willing bodies in Mexico. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the wilds of the blaxploitation trend of the 1970s, 1975's "The Black Gestapo" elected to remove the style and the grittiness of these endeavors, going the no-budget route while detailing the rise of fascist power within the black community. The screenplay by Wes Bishop and Lee Frost (who also directs) certainly takes a big swing, but it barely connects with ideas on power plays and criminal activity. Also not helping is overall execution, which is often amateurish, with "The Black Gestapo" more of a Coleman Francis endeavor than a barbed understanding of the black community during a turbulent time. There's sex and violence, but Frost has no coin to do anything of note with the material, which remains in neutral as the cast and crew scramble to figure out what they're doing with a vague tale of insurrection somewhere in suburban Los Angeles. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2006's "Bartender" is an adaptation of a manga written by Araki Joh and illustrated by Kenji Nagatomo. Looking to give the material a different life through animation, the producers elect to set a gentle mood of storytelling and cocktail mixing for the show, which examines the inhabitants of the hidden nightlife oasis Eden Hall and its special bartender, Ryu. Over the course of 11 episodes, the program observes the lives of troubled and distressed characters searching for a special level of peace only a perfectly made drink can provide, retaining the page-turning feel of the source material. The stillness of "Bartender" is unexpected, securing a peaceful vibe of communication as Ryu reaches out to his customers, hoping to share lessons with others and delve into the history of certain drinks. It's an incredibly odd show, but always interesting in its somewhat surreal execution and love of spirits, with most of the episodes more focused on the art of drink preparation than the visitors to Eden Hall. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There was a time in the mid-1980s when film producers actively courted Olympic gymnasts to become Hollywood actors. It's not unheard of to add sporting stars to any ensemble, but there was something in the water around this particular time, with Kurt Thomas transformed into an action hero for "Gymkata," and Mitch Gaylord went the dreamboat route for "American Anthem." It's not easy to coax a performance out of athletes who don't have experience being in front of a camera, and for Gaylord, creating a steady career proved to be impossible. However, in the midst of his short-lived starring days, the gold medalist claimed a leading role in 1989's "American Rickshaw," putting his good looks and ease of movement into the hands of Italian producers looking for ways to Americanize their genre product. The result is an ideal offering for any bad movie night event — "American Rickshaw" never slips out of control, but it remains determined to be absolutely insane. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

More entertaining than 1978's "The Greek Tycoon" is the making of the film. Movie trivia details efforts to coax Jacqueline Kennedy into starring in a picture based on her relationship with Aristotle Onassis, which she understandably refused. Unwilling to give up on the idea, the production elected to make slight changes to the screenplay (credited to Mort Fine) to avoid lawsuits, and key members of the crew set out to publicly reject any connection to real-world people and events. For example, Jackie Kennedy is now Lizzie Cassidy and Ari Onassis is now Theo Tomasis. See? Problem solved. Clearly embarking on completely different tale of a rich Greek shipping magnate and his lustful drive to woo the widow of an assassinated president, "The Greek Tycoon" doesn't achieve any of its sneaky intentions, and it's not an impressive drama either, putting steely journeyman director J. Lee Thompson in charge of a delicate story of romantic and social pursuit, and the helmer elects to sprint through a tale that demands a refined touch and greater attention to the passage of time. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Joining other filmmakers interested in paying tribute to giallo entertainment, siblings Luciano and Nicolas Onetti try their luck with "Abrakadabra," which represents their attempt to deliver an Italian-flavored shocker with extreme screen details (there's even a J&B bottle present). It's an interesting offering of pure moviemaking labor, with the Onettis constructing an effort that's determined to replicate the cinematography and sounds of lesser giallo events and, I'll admit, it took me a few minutes to realize the whole shebang was created recently (2018), finding the artistic approach quite convincing, at least until actors begin to populate the frame. That's the trick of "Abrakadabra," and really the only reason to sit through the short (70 minutes with end credits) endeavor, finding its cinematic textures alluring, while the storytelling leaves much to be desired. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

By the time 1980 rolled around, things weren't looking good for Hammer Films. The theatrical side of the business dried up and public interest was fading. It was time to return to television, with producer Roy Skeggs dreaming up "Hammer House of Horror," the company's second pass at an anthology series. Over the course of 13 episodes, the production aims to bring strange tales of terror to living room audiences, offered a more R-rated push of the macabre, with plenty of sexploitation thrown in to keep viewers interested. "Hammer House of Horror" is nicely varied, touching on the supernatural, monster affairs, and pure madness, brought to life by a talented team of writers, directors (including company man Peter Sasdy), and especially actors, with interesting British performers of the day capably communicating levels of panic and confusion required to sell the small-scale nature of the program. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Feel-good cinema receives a new offering in "Fisherman's Friends." After the recent release of "Military Wives," here comes another U.K. tale of an unlikely musical success, presenting those in the mood for comfortable entertainment with a mild ride of fish-out-of-water comedy, family ties, and business world deviltry. And there's plenty of music to help lift the production up. "Fisherman's Friends" isn't going to wow with originality, and thankfully director Chris Foggin has managed to preserve some level of charm, delivering a frightfully predictable but amiable movie that's incredibly easy on the senses. There are a few laughs, an engaged cast, and big, clear vocal performances, which help to distract from a connect-the-dots screenplay that has no discernable interest in providing anything more than what the audience expects from a cheery good time with characters from a quaint corner of the world. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the late 1980s, actress Sybil Danning was looking to change her career path. Typically employed in bombshell roles ("They're Playing with Fire," "Malibu Express"), Danning squeezed out of typecasting by taking more control over her employment options, portraying icier characters and ditching tight outfits. For 1989's "L.A. Bounty," Danning goes the extra mile, claiming a producing and a story credit for the picture, which introduces Ruger, a no-nonsense killer of men who prowls the Los Angeles area hunting for targets, cutting through the community in a ragged leather jacket and mom jeans. Danning presents herself as a royal punisher in "L.A. Bounty," and she fits the "Terminator"-esque part, handling the endeavor's level of violence and steely looks at cowardly targets. She's fun in an entertaining VHS-era actioner, with director Worth Keeter ("Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," "Silk Stalkings") keeping matters on the move with a basic tale of revenge and L.A.-based B-movie tourism. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The physical brutality of "Fight Club" is handed a makeover for "Chick Fight," which surveys the blood, sweat, and tears of an underground brawling club. A serious study of bare-knuckle liberation and cult formation is jettisoned for the new movie, which tends to play as more of a comedy, hoping to bring laughs to a chilling premise. Director Paul Leyen tries to bring some low-budget style to the endeavor, and screenwriter Joseph Downey labors to sustain character development between scenes of women beating the stuffing out of one another, yet "Chick Fight" has some wily energy to offer with a few sizable laughs. Downey can't resist the comfort of cliché to complete the picture, but he has some fun along the way, and the cast's enthusiasm for the material certainly helps the cause, especially when staleness sets in. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With a title like "Panic," there's a certain expectation in place that something suspenseful is going to occur over the course of the film. The 1982 production doesn't have that ambition, finding the title more of a bait-and-switch situation, luring viewers to a movie that's mostly about characters standing around, engaging in banal conversations. Director Tonino Ricci doesn't bring the thunder with the horror endeavor, which initially promises a spookier tale of a mutant on the loose during a viral outbreak. Murders occur, police are involved, but extraordinarily little happens in "Panic," which appears to have been created for the sole purpose of creating moments where topless women are terrorized by poorly made-up killer. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There's been an influx of actors turning to direction in recent years. Just recently, Romola Garai found a spot helming the horror film "Amulet." And now there's James D'Arcy, who enjoyed roles in "Cloud Atlas," "Dunkirk," and Madonna's "W.E." The thespian makes his directorial debut with "Made in Italy," a dramedy about a father and son and their life-changing trip to Tuscany to deal with family business. D'Arcy claims a screenwriting credit as well, putting his heart and soul into the effort, and his commitment to the sincerity of the picture is commendable, dealing with deep-seated emotions and assorted matters of life and love. It's not a movie with dramatic sweep, but as something easy on the senses, "Made in Italy" is approachable, with some genuine humor and concern for its characters as they confront old business with fresh eyes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With musician bio-pics all the rage these days, it's about time someone decided to bring the story of Helen Reddy to the screen. A powerhouse vocalist and cultural icon, Reddy (who sadly passed away last September) has experienced all the ups and downs of the music industry, also enduring a multitude of challenges in her personal life. She's a fascinating individual, but it's strange to watch "I Am Woman," which is more about her marriage to manager Jeff Wald than it is about Reddy's achievements and ambitions. Screenwriter Emma Jensen ("Mary Shelly") looks to honor Reddy, highlighting her as a key figure of the feminist movement with anthemic songs and fierce intelligence, but she makes a curious choice to downplay the individual to focus on the couple as they stumble through the years. There's more to Reddy than her self-destructive spouse, and it's very strange that "I Am Woman" doesn't recognize that, resulting in a disappointing film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Amid the sword and sorcery craze of the 1980s, someone, somewhere had the bright idea to skip the casting of B-movie actors with gym familiarity, going straight to the Schwarzenegger-ian source with Peter and David Paul. Labeled "the bad boys of bodybuilding," the Paul Brothers are gifted leading roles in "The Barbarians," which attempts to deliver a "Conan the Barbarian"-style fantasy adventure with muscle-bound heroes, only on a Cannon Films budget and the director of "Cannibal Holocaust" at the helm. Production polish isn't readily available, but the feature offers the sheer oddity of the Paul Brothers, who aren't trained actors but commit to the wacky world of "The Barbarians," suiting up in loincloth and wielding weapons, ready to participate in a picture that combines low-budget magic and stunt mayhem to give fans of the genre a decent distraction. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com