Saturday, April 11, 2026

THE EPITAPH VOL. 107 - BRIEF REMEMBRANCES OF THE RECENTLY RELEASED!

 

VOL. 107 

BRIEF REMEMBRANCES OF THE RECENTLY RELEASED

THE AGITATOR (2001) - LOOKIN’ ITALIAN (1994) - MANDROID (1993) - HELTER SKELTER (2012) - WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT (1970) - ROCKERS (1978) - INFLATABLE SEX DOLL OF THE WASTELANDS (1967)

This edition of The Epitaph is chock full of wild cinematic adventures, we have an epic Takashi Miike Yakuza flick, a disturbing body-horror, and a bizarre pinky violence noir from Japan, corny Italian mobster melodrama and low-budget sci-fi from the U.S., a stunning Soviet western, a Jamaican reggae classic. Enjoy the bite-size reviews!


AGITATOR (2001) 

Label: Radiance Films 
Region Code: A,B
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 150 Minutes  11 Seconds (Theatrical) 150 Minutes 11 seconds (Extended Version) 1:42:59, 1:37:26
Audio: Japanese DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 
Director: Takashi Miike
Cast: Taisaku Akino, Toshikazu Atsushiba, Naoyuki Chiba, Mickey Curtis, Ken'ichi Endô

Directed Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer) and written by  (Shigenori Takechi, Graveyard of Honor), the Japanese mob film Agitator (2001) is a terrifically sprawling Yakuza flick, Miike himself plays a violent Yakuza psycho named Shinozaki  who assaulting a hostess on rival turf, which proves to be the catalyst for a multi-clan gang war between a number of factions seeking a redistribution of power, stirring this hornet's nest triggers the inevitable collision, killings and bloodshed. The Blu-ray from Radiance features a Reversible Wrap with new art by Time Tomorrow, the Removable Obi-Strip (so classy!), plus some excellent extras, including new 24-min interview with Takashi Miike, an audio commentary by Tom Mes - who also pens a new essay for the included booklet. This includes the130-min original theatrical version in HD, plus the  two-part, 200-minute extended version in SD, which was previously only available on the Japanese VHS! Perhaps not the most violent or bloody of Miike's flicks of this era, but still a first-class gangster flick. 

Special Features: 
- High-definition digital transfer of theatrical version of Agitator
- Standard definition transfer of 200 minute extended version of Agitator, presented in its original two-part form
- Original uncompressed mono audio
- Newly filmed interview with Takashi Miike (2025, 24:12)
- Audio commentary by Tom Mes
- Newly improved subtitle translation
- Trailer (1:23)
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
- 20 Page Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Tom Mes

 Buy it!
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LOOKIN’ ITALIAN (1994) 

Label: Severin Films
Region Code: Region-Free 
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 101 Minutes 11 Seconds 
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 
Director: Guy Magar
Cast: Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards, Lou Rawls, John LaMotta, Ralph Manza, Réal Andrews, Argentina Brunetti, Lori Butler, Nichole Carter, Raquel Gardner, Mary Pat Gleason

Lookin' Italian, directed by Guy Magar (Retribution) is a low-budget mob drama that he himself described as “a tribute to Martin Scorsese”, it's most well-known for starring a pre-friends Matt LeBlanc (Lost In Space) only months before landing his breakout role in Friends. LeBlanc's character Anthony is an reckless, Italian stud who is a babe-magnet, he lives with his uncle Vinny (Jay Acovone, Doctor Mordrid), a former mobster now living a quiet life in Los Angeles, both are employed at a used bookstore owned by Manza (Ralph Manza, The Cat from Outer Space). Vinny tries to mold his nephew into a respectable young man, worried he might go the wrong way as he once did as a youth, and sure enough, he finds himself involved in the gang-related revenge when his love interest her bother are gunned down by gang bangers. The flick is tonally a bit odd, it's mobster melodrama, it's a broad comedy, and then it's a straight-up thriller there at the ends. The acting is solid, but it does feel a bit too familiar at times, and the Italian and gang-banger  tropes and foul-mouthed language feel a bit forced at times, but I was still pretty entertained by it. Also be on the lookout for appearances from singer Lou Rawls, and a brief glimpse of future Bond-girl Denise Richards (Tammy and the T-Rex). It's well-made and quite handsomely shot, which translates into a fantastic looking Blu-ray presentation from Severin, offering a new 4K scan from the OCN, with over two hours of extras including some never-before-seen interviews, including LeBlanc from '93, a 1994 QA, plus a new interview with Magar. A solid release for an interesting mid-90s curio, not essential, but for you Guy Magar/Matt LeBlanc completists this will be worth checking out, or if you're just an adventurous type looking to explore an obscure 90's indie mobster flick with some noteworthy screen credits. 

Special Features:
- Directin' Italian – Interview With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar (12:56)
- Archival Interviews With Cast And Crew
- Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar (12:35)
- Actor Jay Acovone (10:12) 
- Actor Matt LeBlanc (11:03)
- Actress Stephanie Richards (7:37) 
- Actor Lou Rawls (6:54) 
- Actor John LaMotta (10:32) 
- Q&A With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar And Actors Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards And Ralph Manza From The 1994 Palm Springs International Film Festival (20:03) 
- Inside Edition Exclusive Look
Behind The Scenes (3:56) 
- Gag Reel (12:59) 
- Trailer (1:56) 

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MANDROID (1993) 

Label: Full Moon Features
Duration: 80 mins 36 Seconds 
Region Code: Region-Free 
Rating: Unrated 
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1) 

Director: Jack Ersgard
Cast: Brian Cousins, Michael Della Femina, Robert Symonds, Curt Lowens, Jake McKinnon

I love it when these Full Moon flicks I've never seen get a Blu-ray release, and this is one that has eluded me for years. Mandroid (1993) is directed by Jack Ersgard (Invisible: The Chronicles of Benjamin Knight), set in Russia where 
Dr. Karl Zimmer (Robert Symonds, The Exorcist) and his partner Drago (Curt Lowens, The Entity) have invented the Mandroid, a humanoid robot which is operated by a man in a special control suit, so it's not autonomous, it must be controlled by a human counterpart, with an emphasis on it being a valuable resource for dangerous situations in the name of science. Zimmer plans to sell the invention to the United States, C.I.A. reps Agent Joe Smith (Patrik Ersgård, The Visitors) and Dr. Wade Franklin (Brian Cousins, Days of our Lives) arrive to make the deal, but before it can be finalized Drago, who feels slighted and decides to steal the Mandroid unit, and sell it for military applications, leading to some comic book-esque sci-fi action. This was one of those mid-90s Full moon production shots in Romania, which were typically a little better looking productions as they were able to stretch the budgets pretty far in Romania. The Mandroid suit looks pretty terrific, watching it you get the feeling that it was certainly an influence on the Aston-6 film Manborg (2012). The action is plenty entertaining, the special effects are decent, we get some blood and tits, you know, the usual Full Moon exploitation menu, I dig it. I did not realize until the end credits roll that there is actually a sequel to this, a sub-plot not really explored here involves an assistant to Zimmer who during the theft of the Mandroid unit is thrown into an active experiment, and starts to turn invisible as a result! I guess his story if followed-up in the sequel Invisible: The Chronicles of Benjamin Knight (1993), and if that ever gets a Blu-ray you know I will be watching it! The Blu-ray looks and sounds solid in HD with lossy (c'mon Full Moon!) audio, plus we get the vintage 21-min Videozone featurette featuring actors Brian Cousin, Robert Symonds, Patrick Ersgard, Michael Della Femina, suit actor/designer Jake Mckinnon, make-up and FX guy Mel Tooker, suit-wrangler Theodore Haines, and director Jack Ersgard on set on Romania. We also get a selection of Full Moon Trailers. See our screenshots from the Blu-ray HERE! 

Special Features: 
- Original Videozone (21:18) 
- Original Trailer (1:49) 
- Full Moon Features Trailer: Prompt, Dungeons of Ecstasy, Bad CGI Gator, Cutter's Club, Decadent Evil, Deathstreamer

Buy it!
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HELTER SKELTER (2012) 

Label: 88 Films 
Region Code: A, B
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 126 Minutes 56 Seconds 
Audio: Japanese DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo, 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 
Director: Mika Ninagawa
Cast: Erika Sawajiri, Nao Ômori, Shinobu Terajima, Gô Ayano, Anne Suzuk, Kiko Mizuhara, Hirofumi Arai, Susumu Terajima, Shô Aikawa, Kaori Momoi, Lily Franky, Mieko Harada, Yumiko Hara

Helter Skelter (2012) is based on the 2003 Japanese manga by Kyoko Okazaki, stylishly directed by Mika Ninagawa (Sakuran). It's a wild slice of body-horror about a 
top fashion model Lilico (Erika Sawajiri, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade) who is a multi-media icon, her career includes modeling, music and film, and a string of lucrative product endorsements that have brought her fame and fortune. Her secret is that her "natural beauty' is really the product of experimental and highly illegal cosmetic surgeries that require constant attention and renewal, and when her her youthful beauty begins to crack so to does her psyche, creating a candy-colored nightmare set in the fashion world, full of vibrant color and horrific actions that will blow your hair back. Her absolute willingness to stay on top no matter the cost to herself and others is pretty stunning, using sexuality to pull others in her orbit into her fame-monster sickness. If you're a fan of nightmare meditations on fame like Neon Demon and The Substance is a must-watch. The 88 Films Blu-ray is chock full of extras, and includes a reversible Wrap, Removable Obi-Strip, and a Booklet. 

Special Features: 
- Audio Commentary by Tori Potenza and Amber T. 
- Interview With Erika Saaji (5:50)
- Interview with Director Mika Ninagawa (6:22) 
- Behind the Scenes Footage of the Kaking of Helter Skelter (12:03) 
- Production Site Press Conference (10:49) 
- Japanese Premiere Stage Greeting (10:40) 
- Opening Day Stage Greeting (15:40) 
- Taipei Film Festival Introduction by Mika Ninagawa (5:19) 
- Stills Gallery (2:05) 
- Teaser (10:50) 
- Trailers (2:54) 
- 24-Page Illustrated Booklet Essay by Violet Burns 
- Reversible Wrap with Original and Newly Commissioned artwork by Luke Insect 

Buy It!
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WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT (1970)

Label: Deaf Crocodile 
Region Code: A 
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 83 Minutes 34 Seconds 
Audio: Russian DTS-HD MA 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1) 
Director: Vladimir Motyl
Cast: Anatoliy Kuznetsov, Kakhi Kavsadze

Deaf Crocodile do it again, they've stunned me with yet another gem of Soviet cinema, this time it's a surreal westers, or Soviet Ostern as these soviet westerns were called. Set during the Russian Civil War the story follows Red Army soldier Fyodor (Anatoliy Kuznetsov, Hot Snow) who just wants to return to the verdant environs of his Russian homeland and into the arms of his beloved wife, but while trekking on foot through the sun-burnt desert of Turkmenistan on his way home, where he encounters a man named Sayid who is buried up to his neck in the sand. He frees him and they seemingly diverge down different paths. The next stop on his sees the unflappable Fyodor protecting a harem of Muslim women caught in a struggle between a renegade Red Army unit and the local Basmachi guerillas led by Abdullah (Kakhi Kavsadze, Repentance), re-teaming with Sayid later to thwart a mutual threat of Abdullah at a village on the edge of the Caspian Sea. The film is comical, almost verging on the edge of af acid-western, but with gorgeous visuals that brought to mind the films of Sergio Leone's iconic spaghetti westerns, there's a laconic humor to it, especially from Kuznetsov as the unflappable hero who just wants to return to the loving arms of his wife. Truly a gem, I did not have a Sopviet Ostern on my bingo card this week, but Deaf Crocodile do it again, offering a beautiful looking restoration by Mosfilm, the film making it's U.S. Blu-ray debut with new extras including a commentary, visual essay, and interviews. Chances are you've never heard of this flick, I had not, but  could say that about 99.9% of what Deaf Crocodile are releasing, but this was quite a treat, if you're fan of westerns, especially of the acid-western and spaghetti-western variety, I think this is a must-watch, it's terrific and worth a look-see, you will not be disappointed.  Check out our screenshots from the Blu-ray HERE. 

Special Features:
- New Audio Commentary by film historian Rolf Giesen
- "The Revolution Has Set You Free: White Sun Of the Desert and the Soviet Red Western" New Visual Essay at film historian Evan Chester(16:01)
- New video interview with Russian expert on Red Westerns, author Sergey Lavrentyev moderated by Deaf Crocodile's Dennis Bartok (58:53)  
- 2025 Trailer (1:42) 
- New artwork by Beth Morris

Buy it!
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ROCKERS (1978)

2-Disc Collector's Edition 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray

Label: MVD Rewind Collection 
Region Code: Region-Free 
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 99 Minutes 
Audio:  English LPCM 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: HDR 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.78:1), 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1) 
Director: Ted Bafaloukos
Cast: Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, Richard 'Dirty Harry' Hall, Monica Craig, Marjorie Norman, Jacob Miller


Rockers (1978) gets it's 4K UHD debut from MVD Rewind Collections, this reggae-music rich slice of life is set in the heart of Kingston's music scene, where impoverished reggae drummer Horsemouth (Leroy Wallace) dreams of making it big by distributing records on the back of his brand-new motorcycle for real-life pioneering Jamaican reggae producers Jack Ruby and Joe Gibbs . Things are going great and the distribution business looks promising, but when the motorbike is stolen, he rallies a group of local musicians to track it down and have a bit of Robin Hood-esque revenge on the corrupt elite who have been exploiting their community, a crime syndicate organized by the opener of local resort, the father of a girl named Sunshine whom he meets while playing music at the resort. The story is pretty simplistic, but what sets this one afire is the documentarian slice of life way it's shot very naturalistic with an easy going flow and  highlighted by a terrific reggae soundtrack and on-camera music performances by Inner Circle, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh and many more. It's an offbeat flick and quite a joyous watch. The 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo from MVD looks absolutely terrific, the extras are plentiful, we get a select scene commentary, a feature-length doc, archival interviews and more. The release comes with a fold-out poster as well. If you're a fan of The Harder They Come there's not a snowball's chance in Jamaica you're not going to vibe with this one. 

Special Features: 
- 2025 4K (2160p) restoration from the Original 35mm Camera Negative, HDR presentation in 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
- Audio: English TBD 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo (4K & Blu-ray)
- Optional English Subtitles (4K & Blu-ray)
- Select Scene Audio commentary with Writer/Director Ted Bafaloukos (4K & Blu-ray)
- “Jah No Dead: The Making of Rockers” – Feature length documentary about the making of the film featuring interviews with Eugenie Bafaloukos, Todd Kasow, Kiddus I, Eddie Marritz, and many more! (HD, 1:59:37) (Blu-ray)
- Archival interviews with Writer/Director Ted Bafaloukos (22:45) and - Producer Patrick Hulsey (5:12 (Blu-ray)
- Music Videos (SD) (Blu-ray) (9:13) 
- Poster Gallery (Blu-ray)
- Theatrical Trailer (Blu-ray)
- Trailers: Mondo New York (1:24), Tunnel Vision (2:22), Joysticks (2:24) 
- Radio Spots (1:44) (Blu-ray)
- Collectible “4K LaserVision” Mini-Poster of cover art
- Reversible Cover Art
- Limited Edition “4K LaserVision” Slipcover (First Pressing Only)

Buy it!
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INFLATABLE SEX DOLL OF THE WASTELANDS (KÔYA NO DACCHI WAIFU) (1967)

Label: Deaf Crocodile 
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 86 Minutes 46 Seconds 
Audio: Japanese DTS-HD MA Mono with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1) 
Director: Atsushi Yamatoya
Cast: Miki Watari, Shôhei Yamamoto, Yûichi Minato, Masayoshi Nogami, Noriko Tatsumi, Mari Nagisa, Akaji Maro, Taka Ôkubo, Gary M. Jun

In Atsushi Yamatoya's surreal noir Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wasteland (1967) a down-on-his-luck private investigator Shô (Yûichi Minato, Violent Torture) is haunted by the death of his girlfriend five years earlier. He is hired by a wealthy real estate investor who's girlfriend has been kidnapped, the kidnappers have been sending him films of her rape and mistreatment, which he obsessively watches, believing it to be a snuff film. As it turns out she's been kidnapped by the same gangster who killed his wife, which he does not initially realize, but when he finds her still alive he does report it back to his client as he has romantic intentions of her own for her. It's an interesting flick with a fractured sometime jarring storyline, stylishly shot in B&W we get lush, dreamy photography with noir shadows and more surreal moments, plus we have a terrifically dissonant jazz score by Yosuke Yamashita. The film is certainly offbeat, and was written by the director who also co-wrote Seijun Suzuki's Branded To Kill, and the pair certainly have similarities, so if you dig BTK this might be just the sort of pinky violence infused noir you need to check out. The seedy S&M detective story makes it's U.S. Blu-ray debut sourced from the only surviving 35mm film elements, which have newly restored by Craig Rogers for Deaf Crocodile, and it looks terrific. Extras include a commentary, new video interview, visual essay and a restoration demo, plus a Reversible Wrap. 

Special Features: 
- New Audio Ccommentary by film historians Arne Venema and Mike Leeder.
- New video interview with film professor Alexander Zahlten on the Pink Film subgenre in Japanese cinema, Moderated by Dennis Bartok (1:22:36) 
- Tomorrow Won't Be a Dream: Duality and Triangles in Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands: New video essay by journalist and physical media expert Ryan Verrill (The Disc Connected) and film professor Dr. Will Dodson. (13:04) 
- Restoration Demo (2:46)
- Reversible Wrap 
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion.

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