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THE MANIACS -
Italy (1964)
Mya
Communications
Not Rated |
B&W |
92 Min. |
R1 - NTSC
DVD released January 27, 2009
.........
A
series of comedic sketches poke fun at the sexual mores, political
and religious hypocrisy, and others things typical of Italian
life and love... Long before he became the "Godfather of Gore,"
Lucio Fulci was a purveyor of Italian comedy. He got his start
assisting the famed comedy director Stefano Vanzia (AKA "Steno")
and wrote scripts for a number of popular hits; his early directorial
works followed in this vein. 1964's The
Maniacs (I Maniaci) is therefore a representative
example of his early oeuvre, and fans of his later work will therefore
be grateful that Fulci's nasty side won out over his mirthful
one. Clocking in at 92 minutes, it's a reasonably well paced affair.
The vignettes are generally short and sweet. The problem is, very
little of it is actually funny. Even so, the cast seems to be
having a fun time —
and even if you don't find yourself laughing along with them,
it's still interesting as a sort of time capsule in its exploration
of Italian culture in the early 1960s. The best bit involves Walter
Chiari (Michael Powell's They're a Weird
Mob, 1966) and Umberto D'Orsi (later seen as a cold-ridden
investigator in Fulci's superb Beatrice
Cenci, 1969) — the former plays a poor worker from the
south who hitches a ride from D'Orsi, cast as a wealthy industrialist
from the north; as their trip develops, they form some amusing
misconceptions about each other, leading to some of the few real
belly laughs to be found in the entire picture. The last segment
features the (in)famous comedy team Franco Franchi and Ciccio
Ingrassia as burglars who become immersed in a revolving door
bedroom farce; Franchi's mugging is tiresome, but there's some
sexy scenery courtesy of the likes of Margaret Lee (Jess Franco's
Venus
in Furs). Fans of Italian cinema will be amazed by the
wealth of acting talent; in addition to those already listed,
the film presents the one and only collaboration between Fulci
and Barbara Steele, cast in two segments that allow her to show
a lighter comedic side, while Enrico Maria Salerno (The
Bird With the Crystal Plumage), Franco Fabrizi (I
Vitelloni), Gaia Germani (Castle
of the Living Dead) and others put in appearances. Ennio
Morricone contributes a catchy score, though it's not really one
of his more memorable creations, while Fulci buffs will be intrigued
to see that the makeup credited to none other than Gianetto De
Rossi, years before joining Fulci in splatter film infamy creating
the gory highlights of Zombie
(1979) and others. Really more of interest to diehard Fulciphiles
than anybody else, The Maniacs isn't
likely to win over new converts or even make much of an impression
on those well versed in the director's later work. •
• •
Mya
continues their trend of issuing obscure Italian cinema to R1
DVD. The 1.85/16x9 transfer looks very nice — the black and white
photography benefits from deep blacks, clean whites and a nice
range of gray tones. Detail is strong and print damage is limited
to some minor scratching; the source materials are in very good
condition. The mono English track has a couple of minor instances
of background noise but is otherwise strong and clear. Extras
are limited to a theatrical trailer, also presented 1.85/16x9.
-
T. Howarth
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STRANGE
BEHAVIOR -
U.S.A. - Australia - New Zealand (1981)
Synapse
Films
R |
Color |
99 Min. |
R0 - NTSC
DVD released October 28, 2008
.........
A
sleepy Midwestern town falls prey to a series of brutal murders,
and the sheriff (Michael Murphy) suspects that the experiments
being carried out at a local college research lab are connected...
Long before winning acclaim as the writer of the hit musical Chicago
(2002) and as the writer/director of the James Whale biopic Gods
and Monsters (1998), Bill Condon got his start as the writer/associate
producer of this low budget, New Zealand-lensed horror movie.
Condon's gifts as a writer — his knack for character and believable
dialogue — are already in evidence in Strange
Behavior, and the film remains one of the more interesting
genre films of its period. Co-produced by the same people responsible
for Thirst (1979) and Dark
Forces (1980), and with genre favorite David Hemmings on
board as one of the executive producers, the film certainly has
an interesting and eclectic pedigree. Condon's script can be viewed
as a metaphor for teenage angst, though by his own admission the
mad scientist angle was toned down somewhat by director Michael
Laughlin. Rather than aim for cheesy shock effects, Laughlin focuses
much of his energy on building atmosphere and character relationships,
the end result being an uncommonly 'delicate' genre film for its
period. Though flawed — the pacing is rather uneven, and a few
of the scares don't work as well as intended — the film works
very well on the whole and is certainly worth a look for fans
of the offbeat. The cast includes some familiar faces, with Michael
Murphy (Manhattan) stealing the show
as the likable sheriff whose son becomes mixed up in the strange
experiments. Oscar-winner Louise Fletcher (One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) is given virtually nothing
to do as Murphy's fiancée, but vampish Fiona Lewis (The
Fearless Vampire Killers) makes for a memorably slinky
villainess. Old school character actors Charles Lane (It's
a Wonderful Life) and Scott Brady (Hell's
Bloody Devils) put in welcome appearances, while
the juvenile cast, including Dan Shore and Dey Young, give earnest
performances. Ably complemented by a moody synth score by Tangerine
Dream, Strange Behavior is an agreeably
offbeat blend of horror and sci-fi. •
• •
Synapse
Films have done a great job with Strange
Behavior. Previously issued on DVD by Elite back in the
early days of the medium (please note: I've never seen this release,
so I can't comment on how well this edition compares), the film
has been given a first-rate 2.35/16x9 transfer. Source materials
are in excellent condition, with only some minor speckling in
evidence. Colors are vivid, detail is sharp, and there are no
pesky authoring defects to report. The mono English soundtrack
is very strong; a music-only track is also included. Other extras
include trailers, a still gallery and, best of all, a commentary
track by Condon and costars Dan Shore and Dey Young. All three
recall the film and their collaborators with affection, with Condon
dominating much of the track.
-
T. Howarth
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Film:
7
| DVD: 7 |
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DARK
FORCES -
Australia (1980)
Synapse
Films
PG |
Color |
95 Min. |
R0 - NTSC
DVD released October 28, 2008
.........
A
faith healer (Robert Powell) gains access to a powerful politician
(David Hemmings) through the man's ailing son... Basically a modern
day variation on the story of Rasputin, Dark
Forces (originally titled Harlequin, a far more
evocative title than the generic U.S. moniker) is a very well
acted but slackly paced blend of horror and suspense. The horror
elements are limited to a few shocks that seem a bit out of place
(notably a nasty gag involving a bottle of shampoo that's switched
with a bottle of acid!), and much of the film focuses on political
shenanigans. It helps that the actors are all very well cast.
Robert Powell (Asylum) is effective
as the mysterious healer, resisting the urge to ham it up and
keeping his performance completely in check. David Hemmings (The
Heroin Busters) is excellent as usual as the weak willed
politico, while Broderick Crawford (All
the King's Men, Hell's
Bloody Devils) plays it gruff in one of his last performances,
as Hemmings' shady advisor. The problem with the film is that
it spends too much time spinning its wheels —
it can't quite seem to make up its mind whether Powell's character
really does have supernatural powers, and the few manifestations
he is granted tend to have a tongue in cheek quality that doesn't
help to sell him as a genuine threat. The characters aren't particularly
well developed beyond their sketchy outlines; Hemmings in particular
suffers from a character that frustrates the viewer in his inability
to decide whether he's going to come down on the side of good
or evil. Without a strong center to invest in, the film comes
off as studied and rather cold — it holds one's interest without
ever becoming particularly engrossing or exciting. Even so, the
production is handsomely mounted, barring a few ropey optical
effects, and Brian May (Thirst) contributes
a decent soundtrack. If it ultimately falls short of its potential,
the film is still of interest for its good cast and performances
— it's just a pity that the screenplay gives the actors so little
of interest to do. •
• •
Synapse
presents Dark Forces in an excellent
widescreen transfer. The 2.35/16x9 image is in very good shape
overall, with only some minor color fluctuating evident and some
speckling and the odd scratch to remind one of the film's vintage.
The mono English soundtrack is very strong; a Spanish track and
an isolated music and effects track are also included. Extras
include a commentary track by producer Antony I. Ginnane and director
Simon Wincer — both seem proud of the film and have nothing but
praise for its cast. Beyond that, there's a good still gallery
(lots of behind the scenes shots), a trailer gallery and talent
bios.
-
T. Howarth
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THIRST
-
Australia (1979)
Synapse
Films
R |
Color |
94 Min. |
R0 - NTSC
DVD released October 28, 2008
.........
A
woman (Chantal Contouri) discovers that a health spa is nothing
but a retreat for vampires... An imaginative and entertaining
upgrade of the vampire myth, Thirst
remains one of the more effective Australian contributions to
the genre. In the hands of screenwriter John Pinkney, the gothic
trappings and clichés are thrown out the window —
the film is thoroughly contemporary in its approach, and in its
linking of vampirism with big business is far more thought provoking
than Hammer's ill-conceived attempts at updating the mythology
in Dracula
A.D. 1972 or The
Satanic Rites of Dracula. Indeed, the film could have
been played as an out-and-out satire, but director Rod Hardy sensibly
opts to play it straight. What Thirst
lacks in conventional atmosphere it more than makes up with a
general air of eerie weirdness. The scenes in the stark white
clinic, with unwitting victims being drained dry for the elite
few, have a genuinely haunting quality — picture a vampire movie
crossed with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's
Nest. The cast is dominated by exotically beautiful Contouri,
who gives a very strong performance as the reluctant descendant
of Erzbet (Elizabeth) Bathory, the infamous "Bloody Countess".
She gets able support from a roster of Australian actors, while
David Hemmings (Deep
Red) and
Henry Silva (1973's The
Boss) are on hand to help with world sales. Hemmings
is
particularly good as the levelheaded doctor who tries to help
Contouri; while Silva isn't given much to do, his sinister presence
is always a bonus. Brian May (Mad Max)
contributes an effective score, and the production values and
cinematography belie the film's low budget. Were it not for the
slightly sluggish pacing, Thirst
might qualify as an unsung classic — as it stands, however, it
is still extremely effective and scores extra points for its novel
approach to hoary subject matter. •
• •
Synapse's
release of Thirst is an upgrade from
Elite's original DVD release, which is now out of print. Not having
seen the Elite edition, I cannot testify how this edition compares,
but on its own terms, it offers an excellent transfer. The 2.35/16x9
image looks clean and clear throughout, with excellent color and
detail; print damage is limited to some minor speckling. Audio
options include the original mono English soundtrack, a mono Spanish
track, and an isolated music and effects track. The English soundtrack
is a little on the soft side, which may require viewers to boost
their audio levels somewhat. Background noise and distortion are
not a problem, however. Extras include the trailer, a still gallery,
three TV spots, filmographies, and a commentary track with producer
Antony I. Ginnane and director Rod Hardy. (A couple of laid back
Aussies, the men have a good time reminiscing about the film,
its history and cast).
-
T. Howarth
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Film:
7
| DVD: 8 |
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BOSS
("Boss Nigger")
- U.S.A. (1975)
VCI
Entertainment
PG |
Color |
89 Min. |
R0 - NTSC
DVD released September 30, 2008
.........
They
couldn't put it on the DVD packaging, or even the menu screens,
but the real title of this movie is Boss
Nigger. (You could get away with stuff like that in the
1970s. I recall seeing ads for it, under the original title, in
the local newspaper when I was a kid.) Written and produced by
black pro football player/cult B-movie legend Fred "The Hammer"
Williamson, the film seemingly tries to set the all-time record
for the number of times "nigger" is uttered in a motion
picture. But that's okay, because once tough bounty hunter Boss
(Williamson) takes over as sheriff of lawless San Miguel, anyone
who drops the N-Bomb gets fined $20 or spends a day in jail. The
vicious and very bigoted outlaw leader Jed Clayton (The
Ultimate Warrior's William Smith) doesn't cotton
to Boss' presence, setting up the inevitable showdown. Standing
with Boss against the entire Clayton Gang are only his comic-relief
sidekick (D'Urville Martin, Dolemite)
and San Miguel's doctor, blacksmith, and schoolmarm (who naturally
likes her men like her coffee, and is the hottest chick in town).
Cool, unflappable, arrogant yet quite likable, Williamson (The
Inglorious Bastards) certainly makes a great action hero,
but as a screenwriter he displays a woefully tin ear for dialog.
When a script like this is badly acted, as it frequently is in
this movie, the results can be cringeworthy. Even more cringe-inducing
are some of Martin's lame comedic bits. Still, it's a real gas
—
and quite surreal — to
see a period western scored with funky '70s blaxploitation music,
wah-wah pedals and wokka-chikka-wokka-chikka guitars at full tilt.
(The soundtrack would feel right at home in Truck
Turner. Radio "shock jock" Howard Stern has
had a lot of fun with the main title song.) Veteran character
actor R.G. Armstrong is a welcome presence as the town's weasely
mayor; Smith's slow motion death and final lines — yes, he manages
to get the N-Word in there a couple more times — are a laugh riot.
The conspicuously low budget is helped considerably by the use
of the western street set left over from The
Cheyenne Social Club (1970). Astonishingly, this was directed
by Jack Arnold, legendary king of classic American '50s sci-fi
(Tarantula,
Creature
from the Black Lagoon). Perfunctory and uninspired in
this case, Arnold at least handles the violent action sequences
fairly well. •
• •
Although the packaging and menu screens merely read "BOSS",
the title on the print itself is, indeed, Boss
Nigger. A text introduction by Fred Williamson has been
added to the beginning of the movie: "I used the N-Word
to create sensationalism at the box-office... I approve the title
and the song with dialogue intact." As for the film itself,
the quality of the source print is disappointing — overly dark,
fluctuating color levels, dirt and debris — but it's watchable,
and fortunately in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1). The mono audio
track isn't all that great, either; some of the muffled dialog,
however, is due to substandard on-set sound recording. To atone
for the print quality VCI serves up some decent extras in compensation.
A half-hour sit-down with The Hammer himself is more of an overview
of his entire career than a specific discussion of Boss
Nigger, and though he's covered similar ground in other
Q&As, the less than humble Williamson is never a dull interview
subject. A pair of short featurettes with associate producer Myrl
Schreibman briefly sketch the film's production and his memories
of working with Jack Arnold. The original theatrical trailer is
included, while a trio of trailers for other blaxploitation pics
(The Education of Sonny Carson, Dr.
Black & Mr. Hyde and Black Shampoo)
kick off the disc.
-
B. Lindsey
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BEYOND
THE DOOR -
Italy - U.S.A. (1974)
Code
Red
Not Rated |
Color |
109 Min. |
R0 - NTSC
DVD released September 16, 2008
.........
Amazing,
the power of advertising. I
had never seen this film, but I definitely recalled the
TV spot that creeped me out as an impressionable youngster way
back in the day. Apparently I wasn't alone in this; Beyond
the Door fell into that category of movies that most cult
aficionados were aware of but had likely never had the chance
to watch. Now that I've finally seen it, I can only express my
disappointment. The film just plain sucks. Talky, lethargic and
needlessly obtuse, this mishmash of Rosemary’s
Baby and The
Exorcist squanders every opportunity it affords itself.
Juliet Mills (TV’s Nanny and the Professor, Passions)
plays Jessica Barrett, a San Francisco housewife and mother of
two whose comfortable existence is shattered by an unexpected
pregnancy — instead of joy she's overcome by strange feelings
of dread and unease. She and her music producer husband Robert
(a miscast Gabriele Lavia) are alarmed to learn that the fetus
is developing at a greatly accelerated rate, precluding an abortion;
their family doctor is at a complete loss to explain it. With
Jessica exhibiting bizarre behavior to hubby and the kids, a mysterious
figure from her past named Dimitri (Zombie's
Richard Johnson) appears out of the blue to hover on the periphery,
watching and waiting. He only inserts himself into the situation
once it becomes clear that some kind of supernatural force is
at work — the mother-to-be demonstrates telekinetic powers, speaks
in an inhuman voice and vomits up a lot of green bile.
In desperation Robert turns to Dimitri for answers, but the stranger
only makes demands. There can be no contact with doctors, and
the child must be born... Although Mills and Johnson are
quite good, taking their roles and the material seriously, I just
couldn't bring myself to care about their characters or what happens
to them. Most of the supernatural manifestations are effectively
staged (notably in a scene depicting the demonic possession of
objects in the Barrett children's room), but unfortunately these
moments are buried deep within a sluggish, confusing narrative.
I was surprised that a '70s Italian "rip-off" of trendsetting
American horror films could actually prove tamer and far less
transgressive than its inspirations —
no peeing on the carpet or masturbating
with a crucifix here. Eating a rotten banana peel picked up off
the street just doesn't quite compare. •
• •
The new Code Red DVD serves up the unedited, fully uncut 'international'
version of the film. Using the alternate title The Devil Within
Her in the opening credits, it's a composite print created
from different sources. Unfortunately, most of this 'never before
seen in America' footage appears to be purely inconsequential
and only slows down the pace. (A completely unnecessary scene
involving street musicians offers a truly bizarre 'WTF?' moment,
as one of them energetically plays a flute with his nose!) All
told, the anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer looks rather nice (if a tad
soft at times), with very little print damage; the 2.0 Mono soundtrack
is a good one within its natural limitations. Extras are plentiful
and substantial — you get the theatrical trailer (along with promos
for five other Code Red titles), that infamous TV spot, an image
gallery, two featurettes and two separate audio commentaries.
Beyond The Door: 35 Year Later (20 min.) interviews Juliet
Mills, Richard Johnson, producer/co-director Ovidio G. Assonitis
(Amok
Train) and co-writer Alex Rebar about the making of the
film; An Englishmen in Italy (7 min.) is a brief solo sit-down
with the now elderly Johnson, who waxes bemusedly on his work
in Italian genre pics. As for the dual audio commentaries, the
first features Assonitis (who explains the legal trouble the film
encountered when Warner Bros. filed a plagiarism suit), while
the second spotlights a spirited, unapologetic Mills. Amid her
memories and observations she fields questions from Hostel
producer Scott Spiegel and film historian Darren Gross. Lee Christian,
who moderates both commentaries, appears with Mills in a brief
video introduction to the movie.
-
B. Lindsey
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Film:
3
| DVD: 9 |
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HOME
SICK -
U.S.A. (2007)
Synapse
Films
Not Rated |
Color |
89 Min. |
R0 - NTSC
DVD released August 26, 2008
.........
It’s
not often that a film forces me to contemplate the emptiness of
my life. If this happens I’m usually watching an Ingmar Bergman
movie wondering if the subtitles got that last odd phrase right.
But when an American made horror film makes me wonder if there
is any real point to life anymore you can bet the filmmakers weren’t
aiming for that reaction. An independent production made on a
low budget in Alabama with a running time of less than 89 minutes,
Home
Sick
still manages to be far too long and is comprised of scenes that
could almost be rearranged randomly to much the same effect. It
tells the boring story of a group of friends who encounter a lunatic
one night. Barging into their small party he takes out a suitcase
filled with razorblades and demands to know the name of someone
each person present hates. After extracting this info he packs
up and leaves the house. The next day the people named to Mr.
Suitcase (The Devil's Reject's Bill
Mosely) start to be killed off in gory fashion by a masked, hooded
demon or something. As the corpses pile up the group realizes
the people they named are marked for death but that they too are
in line to die as one of the idiots named everyone else at the
party as someone he hates. Slow, poorly acted, poorly scripted,
sloppily edited and made with less skill than might be brought
to bear on an industrial film about meat packing Home
Sick is a waste of time for most any audience. Fans of
over the top non-CGI gore might want to check it out and nouveau
scream queen Tiffany Shepis flashes her rack but otherwise this
is a withering experience. The only real spark of interest was
Tom Towles final reel performance but even he can’t compensate
for the lack of direction and ends up looking as foolish as the
other actors before he exits in a flash of grue. Do yourself a
favor and choose another kind of sickness for your home horror
movie fix. •
• •
Synapse’s DVD presents the film in non-anamorphic (???)
widescreen with a 2.0 stereo soundtrack. Extras include a commentary
track with the writer and the director, a long dull deleted opening
sequence, a bizarre featurette on the making of the film, an interview
with Bill Moseley and a trio of short films from the creators
of Home
Sick.
-
R. Barnett
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Film:
2 |
DVD: 6 |
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LOVE
ME DEADLY -
U.S.A. (1973)
Shriek
Show/Media Blasters
Not Rated |
Color |
94 Min. |
R1 - NTSC
DVD released May 20, 2008
.........
A
mentally unstable woman (Mary Wilcox) attempts to curve her necrophilia
tendencies, but runs afoul of a strange satanic sect… The setup
is undeniably twisted, but unfortunately director Jacques Lacerte
fails to make much of it. The mixture of Satanism and necrophilia
promises for an enjoyably lurid thriller, but the thin production
values, generally poor performances and TV-movie aesthetic conspire
to undermine Love Me Deadly. Mary
Wilcox ranges from somnambulistic to laughably over the top as
the protagonist, Lindsay —
the role requires her to battle her urges to, um, get close to
the dead while trying to get closer to her living sexual partners,
but she’s never very convincing. Lyle Waggoner (The Carol Burnett
Show) and Christopher Stone (The
Howling) play the (living) men in her life, and they’re
not much better. The ridiculous screenplay, also by Lacerte, falls
back on armchair Freud to try and make sense of it all, and though
the film has the typical early '70s nihilism on display, it fails
dismally as a drama. Without sufficiently interesting characters
— or at least memorably idiosyncratic performances to breathe
life into them — it all tends to lumber along towards its inevitably
grim conclusion. A hokey title song threatens to push things into
involuntary self-parody, but fortunately it’s limited to the opening
and closing titles. A memorably meanspirited scene of a young,
gay hustler being drained of blood on a veterinary table gives
the film a momentary edge, and manages to avoid feeling homophobic
in the process since the character is one of the few to generate
any real sympathy, but by and large the film is as flat in its
staging as it is in its writing, performing and cinematography.
The end result isn’t unbearably bad — but
it’s close. •
• •
Media Blasters’ release of Love Me Deadly,
distributed under the "Shriek Show" banner for Code
Red, is acceptable. This is a poorly photographed movie, and the
transfer reflects this. Colors seem a bit flat, but the 1.85/16x9
transfer is for the most part satisfactory. There is some minor
edge enhancement on display, albeit sporadically, and apart from
some speckling and the occasional blemish, the print is in good
shape. The film is advertised as being uncut, but it’s not really
that explicit, so censorship would seem to have been an unlikely
factor in its history. The mono English soundtrack is flat and
muffled —
dialogue is sometimes hard to discern in the mix. Extras include
trailers, a still gallery and a running commentary track with
producer Buck Edwards.
- T. Howarth
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Film:
3 |
DVD: 6 |
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