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THE EPITAPH VOL. 86 - ANOTHER SIX-PACK EDITION!
ZYZZYX ROAD (2006) - TRAP (2024) - THE RED LIGHT BANDIT (1968) - TAG (2018) - VACATION (2015)
I have been lagging of late on getting reviews out as timely as I would like, a peak behind the curtain when I am not blogging about flicks I work in a capacity for the county that has me involved in the early voting aspect of the elections process, and we are still deep into but towards the end of what we do. As such I have been working a ton of overtime with only a single day off this whole last month. I have simply been exhausted, but the election is over and the processing is winding down, and this general election such was, should be buttoned-up, and I will get to enjoy a bit more movie watching in! Anyway, this edition of The Epitaph features a notorious box office failure that reportedly only made $30 on it's brief theatrical run, M. Night's latest, a Brazilian slice of underground arthouse from the 60's, and a pair of contemporary comedies, both starring Ed Helms.
ZYZZYX ROAD (2006)
(2-Disc Collector's Edition)
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 80 Minutes 44 Seconds
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo, 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: John Penney
Cast: Leo Grillo, Tom Sizemore, Katherine Hiegl
New label Dark Arts Entertainment arrived on the scene with what I thought was a pretty cool indie sci-fi mystery-thriller Terror Firma (2023), and for their sophomore release pull the gutsy move of not only a 4K UHD but a 4K of a film that notoriously only made $30 at the box-office during it's very brief theatrical engagement, which made for a sensational headline back in 2006. The main draw here is a pre Grey's Anatomy Katherine Heigle in a major role in an indie flick. In it married man Grant (Leo Grillo) is in Vegas and cheats on his wife with a Marissa (Katherine Heigl, Valentine) in a hotel room when her jealous boyfriend (Tom Sizemore, Dreamcatcher) breaks in and attacks them with a knife, but Grant kills him in an act of self defense. Afterward the illicit lovers put his body in the trunk of a car and drive out to the deserted Zyzzyx Road in the desert to bury the corpse, only when they start digging the hole they discover the body is nowhere to be found. From here things spin wildly out of control, nothing is what it seems and many pulpy psychological twist and turns come into play, making is question all that we've seen. The film is both not as awful as the infamous $30 box office would suggest and also not nearly good enough to be even a cult-classic, not worthy of a 4K upgrade either. It should be no surprise that director John Penney, writer of The Kindred and Return of the Living Dead III, is co-owner of Dark Arts Entertainment, so that seems to be why this footnote of a film gets the deluxe treatment. The low-budget psycho-thriller doesn't look terrific on 4K, darker scenes are still plenty murky, but the outdoor scene during daylight look better, there's a bit of ugly color filtering happening here to get across two different POVs that come into play, but overall I didn;t think the UHD upgrade did much for it. There are plenty of extras though, including two commentaries and a nearly two0hour making of that explores pretty much anything you could ever want to know about the making of the film, including the real story behind the $30 box office bust. We also get a then vs now location featurette that I quite enjoyed. The 2-disc 4K UHD/BD gets a Reversible Wrap and a Slipcover with unique artwork, a new illustration that is much better than the wrap options, prominently featuring a ring-pop sucking Heigl.
New label Dark Arts Entertainment arrived on the scene with what I thought was a pretty cool indie sci-fi mystery-thriller Terror Firma (2023), and for their sophomore release pull the gutsy move of not only a 4K UHD but a 4K of a film that notoriously only made $30 at the box-office during it's very brief theatrical engagement, which made for a sensational headline back in 2006. The main draw here is a pre Grey's Anatomy Katherine Heigle in a major role in an indie flick. In it married man Grant (Leo Grillo) is in Vegas and cheats on his wife with a Marissa (Katherine Heigl, Valentine) in a hotel room when her jealous boyfriend (Tom Sizemore, Dreamcatcher) breaks in and attacks them with a knife, but Grant kills him in an act of self defense. Afterward the illicit lovers put his body in the trunk of a car and drive out to the deserted Zyzzyx Road in the desert to bury the corpse, only when they start digging the hole they discover the body is nowhere to be found. From here things spin wildly out of control, nothing is what it seems and many pulpy psychological twist and turns come into play, making is question all that we've seen. The film is both not as awful as the infamous $30 box office would suggest and also not nearly good enough to be even a cult-classic, not worthy of a 4K upgrade either. It should be no surprise that director John Penney, writer of The Kindred and Return of the Living Dead III, is co-owner of Dark Arts Entertainment, so that seems to be why this footnote of a film gets the deluxe treatment. The low-budget psycho-thriller doesn't look terrific on 4K, darker scenes are still plenty murky, but the outdoor scene during daylight look better, there's a bit of ugly color filtering happening here to get across two different POVs that come into play, but overall I didn;t think the UHD upgrade did much for it. There are plenty of extras though, including two commentaries and a nearly two0hour making of that explores pretty much anything you could ever want to know about the making of the film, including the real story behind the $30 box office bust. We also get a then vs now location featurette that I quite enjoyed. The 2-disc 4K UHD/BD gets a Reversible Wrap and a Slipcover with unique artwork, a new illustration that is much better than the wrap options, prominently featuring a ring-pop sucking Heigl.
Special Features:
Disc 1 (4U Ultra HD)
- 4K Restoration of the film supervised by Director John Penney and presented in HDR 2160p in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
- New Introduction by Director John Penney and Actor Leo Grillo (1:07)
- Audio Commentary Track with Actor / Producer Leo Grillo
- Audio Commentary Track with Writer / Director / Producer John Penney
- Optional English Subtitles
Disc 1 (4U Ultra HD)
- 4K Restoration of the film supervised by Director John Penney and presented in HDR 2160p in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
- New Introduction by Director John Penney and Actor Leo Grillo (1:07)
- Audio Commentary Track with Actor / Producer Leo Grillo
- Audio Commentary Track with Writer / Director / Producer John Penney
- Optional English Subtitles
Disc 2 (Blu-ray)
- 4K Restoration of the film supervised by Director John Penney and presented in 2K 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
- New Introduction by Director John Penney and Actor Leo Grillo (1:07)
- Audio Commentary Track with Actor / Producer Leo Grillo
-Audio Commentary Track with Writer / Director / Producer John Penney
-"The Legacy of Zyzzyx Road" featurette (93:18)
- 11 Archival Behind the Scenes Featurettes
- Archival Interview with Director John Penney (26:27)
- Shooting Location: Then & Now Featurette (5:35)
- Storyboard to Scenes Featurette
- Storyboard Slideshow (12:07)
- "The Mystery of Zyzzyx Road" Music Video (4:47)
- Optional English Subtitles
- Trailer (1:34)
- 4K Restoration of the film supervised by Director John Penney and presented in 2K 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
- New Introduction by Director John Penney and Actor Leo Grillo (1:07)
- Audio Commentary Track with Actor / Producer Leo Grillo
-Audio Commentary Track with Writer / Director / Producer John Penney
-"The Legacy of Zyzzyx Road" featurette (93:18)
- 11 Archival Behind the Scenes Featurettes
- Archival Interview with Director John Penney (26:27)
- Shooting Location: Then & Now Featurette (5:35)
- Storyboard to Scenes Featurette
- Storyboard Slideshow (12:07)
- "The Mystery of Zyzzyx Road" Music Video (4:47)
- Optional English Subtitles
- Trailer (1:34)
Buy it!
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TRAP (2024)
4K Ultra HD + Digital
Label: WBDHE
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: PG-13
Duration: 105 Minutes
Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1) DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: Dolby Vision HDR10 2160p Ultra HD
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shayamalan, Hayley Mills, Allison Pill.
Oh my, Trap (2024) from director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) is a trip for sure. It;s heightened reality and black comedy styling made for a heck of a fun watch, even if the whole time I was gobsmacked at so many of the choices and decision, being made by both the characters, the actors and the director himself. What we have is a serial-killer hunt set at a pop concert, wherein seemingly solid father Cooper (Josh Hartnett, The Faculty) takes his teen daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue, Blueback) to attend a pop concert by her favorite performer Lady Raven (M. Night's daughter Saleka Night Shyamalan). During the concert it becomes evident there is a huge police presence at the venue, both outside and inside, and it seems like way more than there should be, even for a high-profile pop star. The authorities have learned that a serial killer known as "the Butcher" will be attending the concert and are screening the entire audience for the perp with only vague details about his identity. I won't spoil it, but I think the advertising for this one gives away who the suspect is, and it becomes quite clear early on. Oh my, the places this one goes had me in stitches, it's so heightened and bonkers, I loved it, which is not to say I thought it was anywhere near the director's best efforts, but it was highly entertaining. It was great to see Hartnett in the limelight again, I have not really followed his career for the last fifteen years or so, but I loved what he does here, he really pulled me into he flick with how weird he and it gets. The film looks terrific in 4K, it was shot on film and grain is nicely resolved, texture and detail are premium, and colors look great with solid black, but the Dolby Vision (HDR) color-grade looked pretty subtle and reigned in, the primaries still looked terrific, they just do not radiate or pop. This release includes a slipcover and a digital copy of the film.
Special Features:
- Setting the Trap: A New M. Night Shayamalan Experience
- Saleka as Lady Raven
- Deleted Scenes: Cooper Gets Stopped by SWAT, Riley Shows Lady Raven Her Room, Cooper Takes a Hostage and Slips Away
- Extended Concert Scene: Where Did She Go
Label: Severin Films
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 92 Minutes 11 Seconds
Audio: Portuguese 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Director: Rogério Sganzerla
Cast: Paulo Villaça, Helena Ignez
This arty grindhouse flick is the centerpiece of the underground Cinema Marginal movement in Brazil that briefly took place in the '60s, directed by 21-year-old Rogério Sganzerla, the film is based on police reports of the real-life bandit who terrorized ‘60s São Paulo, a charismatic crook (Paulo Villaça) who robs the rich, becoming a folk hero of sorts as he taunts law enforcement and becomes a public hero in the process. He's not really a hero per se though, when he's breaking into homes and stealing if he happens to come across a female occupant he is not above taking what he wants from them as well, so there's some rape-y roughie sleaze her as well. Along the way one of the women (Helena Ignez) ends up teaming-up with him, and soon enough the Brazilian Bonnie and Clyde are amassing a small body count, being doggedly pursued by the local cops. If you're looking for a politically charged slice of arthouse with plenty of seedy elements this is a pretty fascinating watch. The Severin Blu-ray offers a 2K scan from the original camera negative, which have plenty of scratches and vertical lines, it;s imperfect, but quite watchable. More interesting that the film for me were the extras that explored the Cinema Marginal movement, in addition to a handful of short film, and an interview with actress Helena Ignez. This release includes an Severin webstore exclusive slipcover when you order direct from Severin here.
Special Features:
- Cinema Marginal – Interview With Producer And Film Conservationist Paulo Sacramento (31:18) )
- The Anti-Muse – Interview With Actress Helena Ignez (24:35).
- Cinema Marginal – Interview With Producer And Film Conservationist Paulo Sacramento (31:18) )
- The Anti-Muse – Interview With Actress Helena Ignez (24:35).
- Trailer (1:56).
- Short Films: Comics By Rogério Sganzerla (10:11) Introduction To Horror Palace Hotel By Filmmaker Dennison Ramalho (5:32), Horror Palace Hotel By Jairo Ferreira (40:43)
- Short Films: Comics By Rogério Sganzerla (10:11) Introduction To Horror Palace Hotel By Filmmaker Dennison Ramalho (5:32), Horror Palace Hotel By Jairo Ferreira (40:43)
Buy it!
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TAG (2018)
4K Ultra HD
Label: WBDHE
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 100 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: Dolby Vision (HDR) 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (2.39:1)
Director: Jeff Tomsic
Cast: Jon Hamm, Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner
Tag (2018) about a group of friends who have been playing an annual game of tag for thirty years, it sounds too weird to be real but apparently this is based on at least some form of reality. This is what I like to call an 'Ed Helms Comedy', the man seems to be in about every ensemble comedy lately, and that's not a bad thing, I like him a bunch and this semi heart-warming comedy is good stuff. In the film this years tag event takes the group of fun-loving friend's to some crazy places when it is announced that one of the friends is getting married, and rumor has it might be his last game of tag with his long-time friends. It just so happens that his guy, played by Jeremy Renner (Avengers) has never once been tagged in thirty years of playing the game, so Helms character along with his way too involved wife (Isal Fisher, Wedding Crashers), is out to finally tag his mate before it's too late. If you like ensemble comedies this one has loads of appeal and more than it's fare share of rib-tickling funny business, also starring Jon Hamm (TVs Mad Men), Jake Johnson (Neighbors), and comedian Hannibal Buress (Blockers). This Dolby Vision enhanced 4K Ultra HD release looks insanely good, plenty of detail and the colors pop throughout, easily surpassing the previous Blu-ray (which looks solid). No Atmos upgrade for the audio but the DTS surround is plenty active and robust, and archival extras come by way of deleted scenes, a gag reel and a featurette about the real life friends who inspired the movie. It's great to see WB still upgrading their catalog titles for we physical media lovers to enjoy, keep it up. please!
Special Features:
- Meet the Real Tag Brothers (5:03)
- Deleted Scenes (6:21)
- Gag Reel (8:50)
Buy it:
Amazon
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VACATION (2015)
Label: WBDHE
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 99 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: Dolby Vision (HDR) 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (2.39:1)
Director: John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein
Cast: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins
The fifth and as of yet final Vacation flick tells that tale of the next generation of Griswolds on yet another ill-fated adventure. Following in his father's footsteps, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms, Tag) surprises his wife, Debbie (Christina Applegate, Anchorman), and their sons James (Skyler Gisondo, Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins) with a cross-country road trip back to America's "favorite family fun park," Walley World where his father took him as a kid. I saw thi sat the cinema and actually quite liked it, sure it borrows a lot from the first National Lampoon's Vacation, including a monstrosity vehicle, this time it's the "Albanian SUV", and the trip to Wally World, but I love the cast and they do enough different to not only set it apart, but I would have happily watched more Vacation flicks with his iteration of the Griswolds. The big-brother little-brother antagonism between the sibling is terrific, and I thought Helms and Applegate embodied that Griswold parent mold wonderfully. May favorite family detour is a stop at Debbie's alma-mater sorority where Rusty is surprised to discover his seemingly buttoned-down wife was a party-girl known as "Debbie Do Anything", and she tries to relive her past by participating in the sorority's "Chug Run" with vomitous results,. Another fun endeavor is a trip to a hot springs which turns out to be a sewage dump, and a stop of at Rusty's sister's house, Audrey, played by Leslie Mann (This is 40), whose super-handsome and well-endowed husband Stone (Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Story) seems to have the hots for his wife's sister-in-law. It's also cool to see Chevy Chase and the still-stunning Beverly D'Angelo returns as Rusty's parents, who run a terrible bed and breakfast. Eventually they end up at Wally World, and have to engage another family in fisticuffs to get a ride on the ultimate roller coaster the Velociraptor, and of course it all goes wrong. While it certainly feels like it's reheating a lot of elements from the original film it delivered the good for me, the cast is uniformly great the episodic family-fun adventure mostly hits all the right notes for me, offering a new generation of Griswold family-fun, a lot of familiar elements, a plenty of original absurdity, more than enough to merit a re-watch when I marathon the original vacation flicks. The is another WB catalog 4K that looks terrific, well advancing over the previous Blu-ray, and carrying over all the extras.
Special Features:
- Return to Wally World (9:54)
- The Griswold Odyssey (18:23)
- Gag Reel (1:32)
- Deleted Scenes (12:13)
Buy it:
Moviezyng - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order!
Physical Media Land - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order!
