Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

While David Lynch recently organized a return trip to "Twin Peaks," writer/director Jennifer Reeder wants to keep the celebration going with "Knives and Skin." While not directly an ode to Lynch's exploration of the damned, Reeder certainly pays tribute to the helmer's ways with garmonbozia, manufacturing her own take on the twisted residents of a seemingly normal town, where the death of a young girl begins to unravel everything. Reeder likes to keep matters tangled and unreal at times, and her stab at a screen mystery is attempted with dull storytelling skills. She's better with the weird stuff, but just barely, as "Knives and Skin" quickly loses itself to strained idiosyncrasy, often showing its work when it comes to conjuring screen oddity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Raw Courage" demands a lot from its audience just from the main title sequence. One of the first images in the picture is a shot of Ronny Cox spreading Vaseline on his crusty feet, working the substance around his toes and into the skin. There's a point to it, as the actor portrays a long- distance runner preparing for an extended marathon, but it's quite the introduction, offering a harrowing visual before the rest of the film has a chance to get going, with subsequent frights not quite as potent as a greasy Cox foot. Thankfully, "Raw Courage" stays away from corn chip toenails for the rest of the feature, which is actually an effective B-movie that pits athletes against militia morons in the vast New Mexico desert, taking in all the hostility and panic such a premise provides. Perhaps foot fetishists might get a little more out of the endeavor than most, but the effort connects as low-budget escapism, doing well with most chases and levels of characterization. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The screenplay for "The Killing Time" (credited to Don Bohlinger, James Nathan, and Bruce Franklin Singer) looks to bring a piece of film noir to the mid-1980s. Many productions have tried to do it, and the quest continues to this day, but the effort presented here is noticeable, bringing the story to life with mysterious characters, the planning of a crime for the love of a woman, and the eventual unraveling of such an illegal endeavor. Director Rick King isn't hiding his influences, but he's not exactly massaging them either, delivering a half-hearted presentation of all-gone-wrong cinema, hoping to amplify the viewing experience with barking villainy, violence, and an offering of softcore sex. Trouble is, King doesn't bring "The Killing Time" to life, content to make a sluggish movie that's not particularly turned on by its own mischief, while suspense is minimal at best. Sure, there's Beau Bridges in a rare leading man turn, tasked with keeping the feature together, but the actor's intermittent excitement and shirtlessness isn't enough to make the picture interesting, while the writing eventually goes to sleep, unable to produce enough nail-biting encounters to make the sit worthwhile. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Working to bring a special immediacy to the world of documentaries, Albert and David Maysles (along with Charlotte Zwerin) launch their new wave of "direct cinema" with 1969's "Salesman." Instead of swinging for the fences with a big topic to explore, looking to rattle the world with importance, the helmers decide to explore different side of capitalism with the picture, which traces the labor of four bible salesman, with the group sent out into the world to provide high-pressure techniques to poor people to purchase an expensive book they don't need. "Salesman" is a tale of survival in many ways, and it's a crime story in others, with the Maysles refusing to do anything but document the moments they share with the subjects, highlighting their exploits, leaving ultimate judgement of character for the viewer to decide. As an early form of Maysles craftsmanship, the feature is an incredible cinematic document, and a vivid time capsule of the hustler's life in the 1960s, with these predators nervously toying with their prey. It's also a wildly uncomfortable movie to watch, but that seems to be the point, as the production doesn't sugarcoat anything about the men, who live for the sale, on an endless quest for the almighty dollar. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the deep sea of family entertainment, it takes a lot to get noticed. There has to be something dramatically compelling or visually stunning to acquire attention, and while it has all the good intentions possible, "Swift" just doesn't have enough personality to keep viewers involved in the tale for what becomes a very long 90 minutes. Directors Christian Haas and Andrea Block offering admirable messages on community and acceptance, but the effort is missing something special to help it rise above the competition. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When it aired in May, 1983, "V" was an instant hit for NBC, with the network's careful promotional push, teasing the dickens out of the production, actually paying off, securing a large viewership for the two-part miniseries. The Kenneth Johnson creation made its way into the pop culture conversation, and the conclusion of "V" presented a tempting opening for a sequel, with the Resistance sending signals into deep space, hoping to attract the attention of an alien nation capable of triggering an independence day for Earth, taking care of the Visitors, ending their dastardly plans to strip the planet of its water and feast on its population. NBC immediately ordered a follow-up, only Johnson's vision for the next chapter was dismissed, with executives more interested in keeping things earthbound, reluctant to pay for an intergalactic battle royal. One year later, "V: The Final Battle" was unleashed on the public, with the story beefed up to a three-night stand (Part 1 – 90:13, Part 2 – 92:06, Part 3 – 84:59), while the story, now stripped of mystery, turns to war, eschewing Johnson's vision to stage chases and encourage more exploitative elements. It's all tremendously fun and a teensy bit lurid, and while "V: The Final Battle" isn't as passionate a project as its predecessor, it remains an active and invested continuation of the original series. And there's a character named Ham. What more do you need? Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1980's "The Blues Brothers" is credited as the first "Saturday Night Live" movie, becoming a hit during the summer season, proving to Hollywood there was gold in them thar hills. However, it would take another 12 years before producer Lorne Michaels would permit another pass at a big screen adaptation of a sketch, eventually shepherding a cinematic spin for "Wayne's World," hitting the comedy zeitgeist with fresh, devastatingly hilarious offering that gracefully expanded the world of "Saturday Night Live" for a young audience newly hooked on the program. Bizarrely, for his follow-up, Michaels didn't march forward in pop culture, he went back, all the way to the year 1977, selecting "Coneheads" as the next display of multiplex power from the "SNL" catalog. It's not exactly clear what motivated this creative direction, but Michaels manages to assemble something with 1993's "Coneheads," offering co-writer/star Dan Aykroyd a shot at alien-based craziness with a feature-length showcase of his weirdest creation, transforming the family from "France" into a picture that periodically reminds the viewer that the concept only works in five-minute-long offerings of oddness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With 1983's "Olivia," co-writer/director Ulli Lommel tries to create an homage to Alfred Hitchcock. He doesn't succeed in matching the master's way with suspense and psychological fracture, but Lommel gets somewhere with the material, which is more than I'm sure many might expect. Merging the worlds of "Psycho" and "Vertigo," Lommel aims to concoct a proper descent into the far reaches of madness, dealing with sexuality and violence as the titular character is hit with more trauma than she can handle. The set-up connects, and the midsection has some potency. It's the last act where Lommel bungles the endeavor, but for a good hour and change, "Olivia" remains engrossing, juggling just enough lurid detail and strangeness to entertain. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Attempting to participate in the rise of Satanic Panic features born from the success of "The Exorcist," 1979's "Malabimba" strives to replicate the same uncomfortable energy as a pure, young soul is corrupted by a special type of evil bent on using and destroying the innocence of its host. The Italian production, directed by Andrea Bianchi (1972's "Treasure Island," "Cry of a Prostitute"), isn't content to remain in a space of physical torment, working to amplify the horror of the situation as wickedness is unleashed inside of a castle. The production aims to go one step further, transforming "Malabimba" into adult entertainment, moving from softcore scenes of taboo temptation to hardcore inserts, aiming to sauce up the viewing experience by adding sexual conquests featuring the hired cast and intermittent views of genital close-ups. The picture is incredibly bizarre, and it's not entirely clear if Bianchi is even aware of what he's doing here, commencing the endeavor as a traditional fright film before veering off into a loopy dirty movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1985, writer/director Andy Sidaris decided to create his own special universe of heroes and villains, using the ways of no-budget filmmaking to generate cheap thrills through the use of exotic locations, rough action, and nudity. "Malibu Express" wasn't trying to alter the curve of exploitation cinema, but it did the trick for the VHS generation, inspiring Sidaris to keep churning out titles to meet demand, reusing actors and hot tubs as he built the Malibu Bay Films empire (joined by his wife, Arlene Sidaris). 1993's "Fit to Kill" is the eighth installment of the loosely defined series, continuing the adventures of bikini-clad security agents as they defend America with their firepower, sleuthing, and distinct skills of seduction. There's certainly a "if you've seen one of these things, you've seen them all" vibe to the picture, but to criticize Sidaris for his unrepentant recycling is missing the point of the Malibu Bay experience. "Fit to Kill" isn't reinventing the wheel, but there's some cleverness to be found in the movie, and Sidaris is wise enough to introduce actress Julie Strain to the family, with the statuesque Penthouse Pet bringing needed attitude to the franchise, keeping others on their toes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1985, writer/director Andy Sidaris decided to create his own special universe of heroes and villains, using the ways of no-budget filmmaking to generate cheap thrills through the use of exotic locations, rough action, and nudity. "Malibu Express" wasn't trying to alter the curve of exploitation cinema, but it did the trick for the VHS generation, inspiring Sidaris to keep churning out titles to meet demand, reusing actors and hot tubs as he built the Malibu Bay Films empire (joined by his wife, Arlene Sidaris). 1993's "Hard Hunted" is the seventh installment of the loosely defined series, continuing the adventures of bikini-clad security agents as they defend America with their firepower, sleuthing, and distinct skills of seduction. There's certainly a "if you've seen one of these things, you've seen them all" vibe to the picture, but to criticize Sidaris for his unrepentant recycling is missing the point of the Malibu Bay experience. "Hard Hunted" is an effort that leans especially hard on the formula of the franchise, though this chapter is a little more interested in outside activity, charming audiences with bright locales and performances, while Andy gradually loses interest in providing a workable story, making the movie more of a highlight reel of Malibu Bay delights than an escalating adventure concerning a mission to prevent the end of the world. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Bad Manners" was reportedly conceived as a cult film for young audiences, giving an unrepresented audience a moment of midnight movie madness with an anti-authoritarian tale of terrible kids engaging in terrible behavior while in the care of terrible adults. The recipe is there, but someone, somewhere decided to turn the picture into an R-rated romp, making it nearly impossible for the target demographic to see the work without permission from a parent. It wasn't the brightest production choice, but there's not a lot of brain power going around "Bad Manners," which primarily details a war between obnoxious characters, decorated with uncomfortably aggressive behavior that makes it impossible to pick a side. Everyone should be institutionalized in this dreary comedy, which aspires to provide Mad Magazine-style shenanigans with rambunctious, cynical personalities, but can only muster a Cracked Magazine sense of humor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While the marketing for 1980's "Deadline" promises a ghoulish time with nightmare cinema, the actual feature isn't really about scares at all, at least the genre kind. Writers Richard Oleksiak and Mario Azzopardi (who also directs) aim to take the material into place of psychological horror and commentary, creating a criticism of the scary movie business while they, in a slight way, participate in it. "Deadline" is a fascinating picture, at least when it works up the energy to deliver a challenging assessment of media influence and artistic bankruptcy, creating a grim tale of a slow breakdown endured by a man who's spent his career inventing torturous situations for others. Overt frights aren't here, but something interesting is, even if Azzopardi has difficulty keeping the whole thing together at times. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Biker films had their time and place, experiencing a heyday during the 1950s and '60s, with the image of a raging Hell's Angels-type was used to strike fear in the hearts of moviegoers, offering them the exotic threat of menacing types clad in leather riding around on deafening vehicles. In 1984, such acts of intimidation didn't carry the same weight, leaving "Hell Riders" with little to work with while it strives to assemble a terror show featuring particularly inept biker gang members. While it has the star power of Adam West and Tina Louise, "Hell Riders" doesn't offer much more than the occasional bit of amusing oddity, watching director James Bryan struggle with basic acts of storytelling and conflict. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1978's "Blind Rage" has a crackerjack premise, pre-mixed for optimum drive-in entertainment. It's a crime/martial arts film about five blind men who are recruited to steal a fortune from a bank, using planning and their remaining senses to pull off a seemingly impossible crime. It's B-movie nonsense of the highest order, and while it has the goods to become something special, or at least deliciously campy, director Efren C. Pinon doesn't push down on the nonsense hard enough, losing interest in developing the effort's natural strangeness. It has its amusing stretches, but "Blind Rage" doesn't explode in the way one might expect from a tale of unusual sensorial ability put to criminal use. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There aren't many comedies made about cannibalism. It takes a special filmmaking touch to blend unimaginable horror with jokes, and director Patrick Brice ("The Overnight," "Creep") gets most of the way there with "Corporate Animals." While there are a few macabre events in the movie, the screenplay by Sam Bain is more of a workplace comedy, tapping into office irritations and resentments as a team-building exercise turns into a lengthy challenge of survival. "Corporate Animals" might be relatable for some, but it really wants to be silly business for all, and while Bain can't dream up interesting setbacks for the cast of characters, he scores more often than not, while Brice manages to transform a static setting into a war of quirks, personal histories, and hunger pains. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

To best appreciate anything "Record City" has to offer, one has to secure their 1977 glasses on tight. Painfully tight. Everything in the picture comes from a different era of entertainment, when variety shows where common entertainment on television, and jokes weren't concerned with political correctness, embracing all sorts of stereotypes and dismissive attitudes, finding targets instead of punchlines. In the Wild West of the 1970s, director Dennis Steinmetz and writer Ron Friedman hope to tap into the post-"Car Wash" zeitgeist by offering a wacky comedy set inside a record store, where the hits are distributed to the public every single day, and the staff can't seem to stay out of one another's business. "Record City" is as loosely plotted as a movie can get, going episodic as a series of characters spend the day getting into all sorts of shenanigans, dealing with crime and sex as an amateur talent contest happens outside. Friedman serves up the silliness, and Steinmetz tries his best to shape something sellable out of the high jinks, occasionally interrupting a whirlwind of iffy behavior with musical performances and comedy acts. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

William Castle enjoyed an incredible career as a filmmaker, producer, and general showman, with his use of gimmicks to sell tickets turning him into an industry legend, creating vivid moviegoing memories for those lucky enough to see titles such as "House on Haunted Hill," "The Tingler," and "13 Ghosts." Castle had a special way of turning subpar cinema into an event, and for his final production, he strives to do something a little different with the insect invasion drama, "Bug." Such a title promises a run time filled with creepy crawlies, screaming co-stars, and some kind of stunt from Castle, but the co-writer/producer calms down for the 1975 feature, which is more of psychological drama than a chiller. In fact, there are barely any scares at all in the effort, as it aims to keep its distance from schlocky highlights. "Bug" prefers to burrow deep inside the main character's mind, going the weird science route with periodic violence and, apparently, use of "Brady Bunch" sets, giving the unfolding freak-out an unexpected familiarity as director Jeannot Szwarc tries to conjure a level of alarm that's not always there for the picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It's important to note that Richard Lowenstein's documentary, "Mystify: Michael Hutchence" is almost exclusively about the titular subject. This isn't an overview of hits and misses from Hutchence's band, INXS, as I'm certain some potential viewers would like it to be. The group has a presence in the movie, and their music is sparingly used, but Lowenstein, a frequent INXS collaborator, has elected to concentrate on Hutchence and his turbulent life, tracing his days as a child to his 1997 suicide, exploring all the pain, glory, and confusion the man experienced as one of the biggest music stars on the planet. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Ben McPherson is trying to put his own stamp on the end of the world, with "Radioflash" examining the power of analog life when the digital universe ceases to exist. It's not really a horror movie, but the helmer does try to inject some fright into the endeavor. It's not exactly a thriller, but a few chases and heated showdowns remain. As a relationship picture, McPherson has something compelling with his overview of a family fighting to stay together during a troubling time. "Radioflash" wants to be a lot of things, but never really comes together, with McPherson overwhelmed by his subplots, struggling to find a story here worth following from start to finish. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com