Blu-ray Review: HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976)

HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976) 
3-Disc Limited Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo 

Label: Severin Films

Region Code: Region-FREE
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 84 Minutes 
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Video: 1080p Widescreen (1.77:1) 

Director: James Kenelm Clarke
Cast: Udo Kier, Linda Hayden, Fiona Richmond
Tagline: Nothing, but nothing, is left to the imagination!

The Brit revenge-shocker and Video Nasty HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976) features the always creepy Udo Kier (Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA) as paranoid novelist Paul Martin, the writer is holed-up at a secluded English cottage working on his second novel coming off a super successful debut novel. Paul's  but having a bit of difficulty putting pen to paper on his sophomore effort, it's the standard issue sophomore slump with a twist of plagiarism, that's when we catch up with him. we start off nice n' sleazy as Peter dons latex gloves and does the nasty with his girlfriend Suzanne (Fiona Richmond, LET'S GET LAID), and this is the most overwrought and exaggerated fucking I've seen on screen in a good long while - and I've seen Halle Berry's Oscar-winning orgasm in Monster's Ball (2001) - it's quite a sight, truly some campy cult cinema goodness right here - and this is just the first of three sex scenes with her so prepare yourself for sum hilarious gyrating and caterwauling!

The overwrought sex with the vixen proves to be an unwanted distraction for Peter, he sends Suzanne away and brings in the super-cute blond secretary Linda (Linda Hayden, BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) to take dictation ..if you know what I mean. It a decent arrangement and the two get right to work on the book, it's not until Linda situates herself in her room that things get a bit weird, or at least weirder. During the earlier sex scene we see that Peter is haunted by nightmares of death, and it's Udo Kier so he just seems unnaturally creepy in every movie, he's a lot like Klaus Kinski in that respect, always a bit suspect and a lot weird.

Anyway, as Linda unpacks in her room she lays on the bed and masturbates for a bit, let the lurid voyeurism wash over you, Hayden's soft features and nubile flesh are very easy on the eyes. Satisfied with the accommodations and a quick wank she's back at work but it's not very long before she takes a stroll into the fields nearby for yet another exploration of her softer bits and before you can say take it off she's being raped at gunpoint by two youths, one rapes her she starts seductively stroking the barrel of the shotgun the other has pointed at her face, very weird, somehow she gets the upper hand and the two rapists have the gun turned on them, presumably dead. It's a very odd scenario and honestly the film is not overly concerned with making a ton of sense, but the main story itself is a pretty decent revenge-shocker cum erotic-thriller with some great atmosphere, and a lot of sleazy sex!

Steve Gray's minimalist score accentuates the slow burning atmosphere, at only 84 minutes the film does not drag in the least, the weirdness, sex and bloody deaths come at a steady clip once Linda arrives at the house, the deaths themselves are not gory but decently executed with an abundance of blood. Even if the wounds themselves amount to little more than what appear to be paper cuts the Kensington gore flows deep and red! Suzanne's death appears to be a bit of a nod to Hitchcock's most famous of deaths but what shower scene post-Psycho (1960) isn't.

The shocker finale worked for me, when things erupts into a pandemonium of violence and certain truths are revealed I was quite satisfied. The high and lows of the movie, on the high end we have a very simple and effective revenge plot, plus decent atmosphere and visuals. Add to that the super-cute Linda Hayden and 70's softcore vamp Fiona Richardson in ample scenes of nudity, which is fantastic, on the downside Fiona Richardson speaks from time to time and her sex scenes are dementedly campy and overwrought. Not sure if it was the rural setting or the rape scene but I was reminded a bit of Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dog (1971) in a good way while watching this, I really enjoyed it. 

Blu-ray: Severin Films present the Video Nasty HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (176) totally uncut and uncensored and uncensored for the first time-ever with an AVC encode in 1080p widescreen (1.77:1) on region-FREE Blu-ray. This HD master has a few serious issues which Severin have addressees on a pre-feature text screen, apparently the master was created using three separate film elements, the original negative which suffered water damage and two privately owned 35mm prints which were worn from years of projection, but they managed to stitch together a complete and full uncut presentation, so while the elements have been afforded some restoration they are in rather poor shape, but in the name of film preservation we have the film in it's complete state and on Blu-ray for the first ever, that's no small accomplishment. 

There's no escaping the dirt, numerous vertical scratches, fading, and discoloration - it's pretty easy to spot.  Additionally, the hodgepodge of film elements, which vary greatly in quality, draw attention to themselves. Contrast is off, the darker scenes are murky and color grading and quality of film elements fluctuates oftentimes during the same scene. Occasionally, when the film elements cooperate we get a decent 1080p image with a fair amount of fine detail but overall this is not an ideal 1080p image, but I applaud Severin for bringing this notorious Video Nasty to Blu-ray/DVD uncut, we've seen a similar presentation from 'em with their fantastic release of Eugenio Martin's 70's fright classic HORROR EXPRESS (1972), these cats are a dedicated bunch of cult enthusiasts, love 'em for it.

We have an English language DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 monaural presentation with no subtitle options, like the visual elements the audio's not in great shape but fares better. Dialogue is consistently clear and the effects and Steven Grey's score sound quite nice with th exception of some minor some hiss and distortion. So severe were the elements that Severin considered cancelling the title, deciding eventually to sweeten the deal with the inclusion of a 2-part Video Nasty documentary never released in the US. 

On top of that they've done a decent job with standard issue extras beginning with an Audio Commentary with Director James Kenelm Clarke and Producer Brian Smedley-Aston, the commentary is moderated by by UK horror producer Jonathan Sothcott (DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND, DEAD CERT) and it's loaded with trivia bits and anecdotes beginning with the start-up of Clarke's Norfolk International Pictures and straight into production of the film, and anecdotes about he cast, sets and locations. During the infamous rape scene they're pretty mum and avoid commenting altogether, otherwise it's an entertaining listen, love it when they crack wise during the Kier/Richmond blow job scene, they all seem to be having quite a bit of fun.

Additionally we have a fourteen minute video interview with star Linda Hadyen who positively speaks about her breakthrough role in BABY LOVE (1968), Hammer's TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970) and THE BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW (1971), with fond remembrances of the charismatic Christopher Lee, Patrick Wymark and working with Vincent Price on the Amicus film MADHOUSE (1974). Surprisingly, she has quite a distaste for HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1970) which she seems to regret making even to this day, she has very little nice to say about her softcore co-star Fiona Richmond and Udo Kier, the latter of whom she at least mentions had a very "filmable face".

Depending on which edition you buy there are a few limited edition extras, the first 3,000 units sold will include a bonus DVD disc which includes the Gregory Daft directed Video Nasty 2-part documentary BAN THE SADIST VIDEOS (2005) which sees it's first ever release here in the US. The informative doc delves into the Mary Whitehouse's moral crusade to ban and censor violent videos that eventually led to the modern version BBFC and decades of ridiculous censorship in the UK. Part 2 of the doc delves into the shocking and heinous 1993 murder of a 2-year old child named James Bulger in Liverpool, whom was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by two demented 10 year old boys. Opportunistic officials blamed the deaths in part on a viewing of CHILD'S PLAY 3 which re-igniting the flames of the moral crusaders, it's a great watch. There's also a 10 minute featurette examining censorship in the UK in the 2000's, apparently despite the end of James Furman's draconian reign at the BBFC the Brits are still a pretty uptight bunch who continue to censor and ban extreme cinema.

A special incentive for you VHS collector's out there, if you order this edition directly from the Severin Film site you will will receive a strictly limited edition (250) VHS replica of the UK Video Nasty era Intervision release of the film under it's original title EXPOSE. Maybe we're not getting a stunning 1080p edition, but we are getting the best possible version currently available of this sleazy shocker. The feature films and extras are mirrored on the standard-def DVD.

Special Features: 
- Audio Commentary with Director James Kenelm Clarke and Producer Brian Smedley-Aston.
- An Angel for Satan - An Interview with Star Linda Hayden (14:44) 

- Theatrical Trailer (1:27)
- Ban the Sadist Videos Pt. 1 (51:25) *
- Ban the Sadist Videos Pt. 2 Pt. 2 (42:24)*
- Censors Working Overtime - The BBFC in the 21st Century (10:46)*
* Limited Edition Bonus DVD Only available in the first 3,000 Units

Verdict: The notorious HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976) is the only Brit-filmed shocker to land on the infamous final 39 Video Nasty list, to this day it remains censored in the UK but Severin have stitched together a fully uncut and uncensored version of the film, this is a fantastic edition and a labor of love for the distributor. Fans of sleazy euro-cult cinema are in for quite a treat with this erotic-shocker, star Linda Hayden is something quite special and this deviant slice of sinful cinema is sure to satisfy your depraved cravings. 4 Outta 5 

ADDITIONAL SCREEN GRABS (from DVD) 

FRIDAY THE 13th - THE COMPLETE COLLECTION 10-Disc Set Arrives on Blu-ray 9/13

FRIDAY THE 13th

THE COMPLETE COLLECTION 

10-Disc Collection 

On September 13, 2013 all 12 of the FRIDAY THE 13th films will appear on 1080p Blu-ray in one comprehensive boxset for the first time ever, this included the 2009 remake. While no special features have been announced as of yet but there is a Killer Bonus DVD Disc,  a 40 page excerpt from Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th book plus a nifty Camp Crystal Lake embroidered Counselor Patch.

I am assuming that we will get the same uncut version of Friday the 13th (1980) we saw in Friday the 13th - The Ultimate Collection. It would be great to know if there will be other uncut editions, the MPAA was notoriously hard on the scenes of gore in the sequels. As someone who owns the From Crystal Lake to Manhattan and The Ultimate Collection, Limited Edition boxsets plus numerous single-disc DVD editions and the the Friday the 13th 1-3 Deluxe Edition Blu-rays it's gonna take something really special for me to shell out more money for another set, Blu-ray or not. 

Press Release:

The 10-disc collection ($129.95 SRP) includes the twelve films on nine Blu-ray discs, as well as a killer DVD bonus disc full of special features on the making of the famous franchise. The must-own set will be presented in a collectible tin case with 11 hours of previously released special features and a 40-page soft cover book. The book is excerpted from Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th, a fan-favorite volume that's viewed as the ultimate memoir of the series, and highlights some of the 200 interviews, 600 photos, storyboards, concept art and more. Also included is a brand new, official Camp Crystal Lake embroidered Counselor Patch.

Friday The 13th: The Complete Collection also includes digital versions of all 12 films with UltraViolet, allowing viewers to download and instantly stream the films to a wide range of devices from computers and compatible tablets to smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.

One of the most frightening franchises in film history, Friday The 13th focuses primarily on the character of Jason Voorhees, who drowned as a young child at Camp Crystal Lake due to the inattentiveness of camp counselors. Many years later, the camp becomes the scene of a number of murders - all of which are either committed or motivated by the avenging Jason, who forever lurks at Crystal Lake with his finely-honed machete.

Films in The Collection include:
· Disc 1 - Friday the 13th (1980)
· Disc 2 - Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
· Disc 3 - Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D (1982)
· Disc 4 - Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) NEW TO BLU-RAY
· Disc 5 - Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985) / Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) NEW TO BLU-RAY
· Disc 6 - Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) / Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) NEW TO BLU- RAY
· Disc 7 - Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) / Jason X (2002) NEW TO BLU-RAY
· Disc 8 - Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
· Disc 9 - Friday the 13th (2009) (Theatrical Version and "Killer Cut" Extended Version)
· Disc 10 - Killer Bonus DVD Disc

Blu-ray Review: THE BARRENS (2012)

THE BARRENS (2012)
Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack 

LABEL: Anchor Bay Entertainment
REGION: A, 1 NTSC 
RATING: R 
DURATION: 97min
VIDEO: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1) 
AUDIO: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
CAST: Stephen Moyer, Mia Kirshner, Allie MacDonald, Erik Knudsen, Shawn Ashmore 
DIRECTOR: Darren Lynn Bousman
TAGLINE:  The terrifying legend of the Jersey Devil is alive

SYNOPSIS: It’s known as the Jersey Devil, the winged beast spawned 400 years ago by Satan himself. Some say this creature still inhabits the dense pine forests of southern New Jersey, where Richard Vineyard (Stephen Moyer, “True Blood”) takes his family for a rustic weekend camping trip. As the Vineyard family ventures further into the woods in search of the perfect campsite, Richard teeters on the edge of sanity. And it seems that the blood-crazed demon called The Jersey Devil may no longer be just a myth. Mia Kirshner (“The Vampire Diaries,” “The L Word”), Erik Knudsen (SAW II, SCREAM 4) and Allie MacDonald (HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET) co-star in this twisted chiller from writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman (SAW II-IV) about a new kind of horror that lives – and kills – in a place called THE BARRENS.
 

THE FILM: This tense chiller begins with an effective pre-credit sequence as a young couple walking in the Pine Barrens at the break of dawn find themselves a bit lost. The wooded area is alive with bird and animal noises echoing through the branches when suddenly it gets eerily quite and an odd shriek is heard. Already a bit spooked they get downright unnerved when they find a pile of animal guts on the forest floor, maggots and buzzing flies are having a feast. Suddenly they are then charged by a creature and they turn to flee in a panic, as you do when something that might want to eat you is in pursuit, and then WHAM! The young woman runs face first into a tree. It turns out not to be a viscous creature after all, but a wounded deer that drops dead, it's been clawed viciously and whatever it is that ripped it open is now upon the hikers....

Sometime later we meet the Vineyard family as they endeavor to the wilds of the Pine Barrens, New Jersey to spread the ashes of a loved one and for a weekend of camping fun, at least that's the plan. We have Richard (Bill Moyer, TRUE BLOOD), wife Cynthia (Mia Kirshner, THE BLACK DAHLIA), adolescent son Danny (Peter DaCunha) and rebellious teen daughter Sadie (Allie MacDonald). You can detect some underlying family issues are at play, they're a dysfunctional bunch but not dramatically so, they seem pretty normal. Danny's sad because the family dog "Oscar" has run-off and Sadie just does not wanna be there, a pretty typical teen.  Dad's a bit tired looking, he's got some stress and is really looking forward to the getaway, to return to the place he enjoyed with his father as a boy. En route they're a bit shaken when a wounded deer leaps in front of the SUV and drops dead, but none more so than Richard who nervously watches the edge of the woods along the road as if something dangerous lays in wait. 

Arriving at the campsite they report the deer to the local ranger and settle in for the weekend. That night they gather around a communal campfire as a young man spins the tale of the local area legend - the Leeds Devil. The tale involves a woman named Mother Leeds who's burdened with twelve children and was said to commune with the Devil, in fact as legend tells it she bore a 13th child by Old Scratch himself and it was a hideous thing with cloven hooves, a horses head, a kangaroo's body and a serpents tail with leathery wings.  The monstrosity is said to stalk the nearby woods and in grand  campfire tradition the tale ends with a classic fright that sets the campers on edge, especially Richard who overreacts like a frightened schoolgirl.

It's right about here that we know for sure that something from Richard's past is stirring within him, something that's unspooling his mind. Through a series of flashbacks we piece together that when he was a child he witnesses something in the woods, something terrible which he believes was the Jersey Devil, and the thought fills him with dread, haunted by nightmares that have him sleepwalking through the forests at night. 

Making matters worse Richard has a festering open wound on his upper arm which pains him, his behavior becomes more erratic and his temper flares. When some of the campers begin to disappear from the site under mysterious circumstances Richard decides to go deeper into the woods away from the others, it seems the deeper they go into the forest the deeper he sinks into madness.
The film benefits from some decent performances, particularly Moyer who keeps his native English accent intact which might surprise those who only know him as the Southern drawled Bill from HBO's TRUE BLOOD. It's his portrayal of a man's descent into madness that anchors the film and keeps you plugged in. 

It's a great looking film shot on 35mm with wonderful cinematography, we get a lot of off-kilter angles giving the film an unease about it. Great saturated colors, the forests scenes look stunning, very well lit and crisp particularly the films final reel when they're drenched in atmospheric fog accentuated by a composer Bobby Johnson's haunting score.  

The film does begin to drag a bit as the family argue about mundane things but the finale ratchets up the intensity and violence as Richard, suffering from dementia, fevered hallucinations and paranoia tries desperately to convince his family that the Jersey Devil exists and is a threat. It's not a perfect film, in fact after the first viewing I thought the ending was sorta a cheat, trying to be all things to everyone but with a repeat watch I was left with the opinion that this is a really decent pulse-pounder with some definite notes of THE SHINING as he loses his shit Jack Torrence style putting his son Danny in danger. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

 - Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Darren Lynn Bousman and Director of Photography Joseph White
- Deleted Scene (3:25) 16:9
- Trailers: Jennifer Lynch's CHAINED (1:35), MOTHER'S DAY (2:15) 
- Standard-definition DVD Version of the film with same special features

VERDICT: Darren Lynn Bousman's THE BARRENS (2012) is a tense, chilling psychological horror, this is a semi-original idea, can't recall too many Jersey Devil films. It's a real shame that this and Bousman's sleazy MOTHER'S DAY (2010) remake didn't get a wide theatrical release, this is fun stuff. If you enjoyed wooded horror, like THE SHRINE, there's a lot to love here, a recommend. 3.5 Outta 5 

Blu-ray Review: TWINS OF EVIL (1971)

TWINS OF EVIL (1971) 
Blu-ray + DVD Combo 

Label: Synapse Films
Region: Region A
Duration: 87 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio: English DTS-HD MA Mono 
Director: John Hough
Cast: Peter Cushing, Damien Thomas, Dennis Price, David Warbeck, Madeleine Collinson, Mary Collinson
Tagline: Which is the Virgin? Which is the Vampire? 


Synopsis: Two beautiful orphaned identical twins, Maria and Frieda Gellhorn (Playboy centerfold models Mary and Madeleine Collinson), move to the village of Karnstein to live with their uncle Gustav Weil (played by Hammer horror favorite, Peter Cushing), a fanatical puritan and leader of the local witch-hunting “Brotherhood.” The village Count (Damien Thomas, Never Let Me Go), an evil man who secretly practices Satanism, uses black magic and transforms into a vampire. Unhappy with her new life, Frieda seeks escape and tragically falls under the spell of the Count. Now overcome with an insatiable hunger for human blood, Frieda has to hide her secret from her sister, and escape her uncle’s killing grasp!

The Film: Twins of Evil (1971) is Hammer's third and final entry in a series of films known as the Karnstein trilogy following The Vampire Lovers (1970) and Lust for a Vampire (1971)  and in it village elder Gustav Weil (Peter Cushing, Shock Waves) is the stern and rather unpleasant leader of a fanatical group of witch-hunters called The Brotherhood. Cushing's portrayal of the witchfinder is differentiated from Vincent Price's depiction of Mathew Hopkins in the film The Witchfinder General (1968) in that he truly and sincerely believes he's doing the Lord's work while Price's character was merely profiteering from other's misery in the most reprehensible way. The true tragedy is that while these busty innocents burn there is actually a devil among them - Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas)  looms over the village from his castle where he engages in wicked orgies and Satanic rituals but The Brotherhood dare not touch him for he is under the protection of the Emperor, the monarchies weren't really down with religious fanaticism... so let's burn some busty blondes instead, right? Right! The decadent Count Karnstein comes from a long lineage of sadistic evil-doers and and his depraved aristocratic lifestyle leaves him yearning for a taste of true-evil but he surrounds himself with wannabe cultists and so he grows bored and deeply unsatisfied, that is until one-night when he offers up a human sacrifice conjuring the long dead Coutness Mircalla (Katya Wayeth, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange), a true beauty who fornicates with the Count and in the process gives us a nice tidbit of eroticism as she simulates a hand-job with a candlestick - it's a nice touch, way to go Hammer. Oh yeah, and she transforms him into a vampire - that's important to know.

It's right about then that Weil's newly orphaned identical twin nieces Maria (Mary Collinson) and Frida (MadelineCollinson) arrive in the village of  Karnstein and quickly discover what a strict and religious man their Uncle Weil truly is - he's definitely no fun. His puritanical persecution of the voluptuous beauties pushes them away and none more so than kinky Frieda who is quite obviously the more deviant of the duo with a keen interest in the darker side of what life has to offer.  It's not long before freaky Frieda falls under the spell of the Count after overhearing tales of wild orgies and his wicked ways. She steals away in the dark of night to his castle swearing her sister to secrecy, she's a pretty typical teen. Maria, the more virginal of the twins, takes a liking to a much nicer young man, a schoolteacher named Anton Hoffer (David Warbeck, Lucio Fulci's The Beyond) who studies superstitions and believes in witchcraft and vampirism. Weil not surprisingly doesn't approve of Anton's interest in the occult but when Freida falls victim to Karnstein's vampirism becoming a bloodsucker and killing one of The Brotherhood the two men join forces and lead The Brotherhood on a bloody assault of Karnstein's castle.

The film was shot on many of the sets used for Hammer's Vampire Circus so it definitely has that Hammer familiarity to it. The outdoor scenes shot in Oxhead Park are outstanding, particularly an early night scene wherein The Brotherhood capture and burn a suspected witch - the nighttime woods laden with fog are quite eerie and wonderfully Gothic, the film is drenched with loads of tense atmosphere.


As with the preceding films in the Karnstein trilogy it's saturated with overt and lurid sexuality though perhaps not as much vampire lesbianism as one might expect from a film featuring Playboy Playmate twins, there's just a brief titillating moment that passes far too quick. Fear not though, this is an early 70's Hammer endeavor from the production duo of Harry Fine and Michael Style so there's plenty of blood, breasts and other exploitative elements on display. It's lurid but definitely not to such great heights (or lows) as the aforementioned Vampire Circus which reviled us with elements of pedophilia and the murder of small children but it's pretty great nonetheless. 

Peter Cushing is a legend among legends and the star of countless horror classics and his performance is a coldly intense and blistering, I think it's a standout even among his oeuvre. Damian Thomas as the evil Count Karnstein turns in a decent performance but I just wasn't feeling it, not to constantly compare this film to Vampire Circus but Robert Tayman's perverse-bloodsucker Count Mitterhaus runs circles around Karnstein. Thomas is a bit goofy at times I must admit his fanged facial expression elicited more than a few a laughs, it's not fatal to the film but it detracted a few points. The Collinson Twins are are gorgeous from head to toe, voluptuous brunette beauties who were very easy on the eyes.


There's some nice carnage up on the screen to, the blood flows deep red and quite freely. Of course we get a few nice burnings at the stake, each one staged quite nicely, a machete to the head, fire applied to the eye, a shocking decapitation and an axe flung into someones spine - pretty great stuff.

Blu-ray: Hammer's Vampire Circus was Synapse's initial Blu-ray offering and it was quite a presentation, probably my favorite Blu-ray of that year. With Twins of Evil I would say they've raised the bar even from that high watermark. The film looks quite brilliant in 1080p high definition presented in it's original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 widescreen sourced from a very nice print. There are a few rough moments particularly during some noisy nighttime scenes but overall this is a stunner with a nice layer of natural film grain and with beautifully resolved fine details and texture. The colors are appropriately vibrant and black levels are consistently strong. The English language DTS-HD mono audio track sounds great, too. It's a mono track so we don't get any dynamic range or use of the surrounds but the audio is crisp and the dialogue rings through clear.


The audio and visual presentation is sweet let us look into the wealth of special features beginning with a feature length documentary The Flesh and the Fury: X-Posing Twins of Evil (1hr 24 mins) is nearly as long as the feature itself, a fantastic retrospective exploring the origins of the film's story in Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu novella Carmilla (1872) - a story that pre-dates Bram Stoker's Dracula by some 25 years. While discussing the Carmilla aspects of the film there's some dramatic re-enactment video footage accompanying the story, fun stuff. There's a ton of cinematic adaptations of the story from Joseph Dreyer's Vampyr (1932) on through to Blood and Roses (1960), Terror in the Crypt (1964) and Roy Ward Baker's The Vampire Lovers (1970) starring Ingrid Pitt. There's plenty of involvement from director John Hough too who openly discusses many facets of the film and it's origins, it's great stuff. There's also plenty of Hammer facts, trivia and critique from authors, critics and film historians Kim Newman, Joe Dante, Tim Lucas, Eric Hoffman, Ted Newsom - all quite enriching and not just about this film specifically of Hammer in general, particularly 70's Hammer and the sexploitation direction they were headed. Everything you could want to know about Twins of Evil and this particular era of Hammer is here for your enjoyment and nicely put into context. If the feature alone weren't enough this fantastic documentary is worth the price of admission alone.

The next feature is The Props that Hammer Built: The Kinsey Collection (23:28) featuring a guided tour of Hammer historian Wayne Kinsey's private collection of Hammer memorabilia which begins with a saddening story of Pinewood Studios tossing many of Hammer's props in the trash-bin, ugh. Kinsey shows us a model castle that was retrieved from the bin by a technician working on the lot at the time, the castle was used in the films Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)  and The Gorgon (1964) - truly  sweet piece of Hammer history. We also get to see bats used in Kiss of the Vampire (1963) and Brides of Dracula (1960) . An eyeball prop from Frankenstein and the Monsters from Hell (1973) and a few others including a prized jacket and books from Peter Cushings own collection. Kinsey's a bit dry honestly but the props and the story behind each one is pretty awesome.


On top of these features we also get a Motion Still Gallery (14:01) with tons f production and promotional stills and artwork not to mention a bunch of sexploitation promo shots of the Collinson Twins - sweet stuff. There's a US Trailer (2:31) plus a Double Bill Trailer (2:31) with Hands of the Ripper (1971) a selection of TV Spots (1:10) and an odd musical  Deleted Scene (1:09) that's more a curiosity than unburied treasure. There's also a DTS-HD MA mono Isolated Music and Effects Track highlighting Harry Robertson's dramatic score of the film. This is a Blu-ray/DVD combo but it should be noted that not all of the special features are carried over on the DVD.


Special Features:
- THE FLESH AND THE FURY: X-POSING TWINS OF EVIL (84 mins.) 16:9
An all-new, feature-length documentary exploring Hammer's infamous 'Karnstein' trilogy from the origin of Carmilla, to the making of TWINS OF EVIL! Featuring exclusive interviews with director John Hough, star Damien Thomas, cult film director Joe Dante, Video Watchdog editor Tim Lucas, and more!
- THE PROPS THAT HAMMER BUILT: THE KINSEY COLLECTION  (23:28) 16:9
- Motion Still Gallery* (14:01)
- Deleted Scene* (1:09) 16:9
- Original Theatrical Trailer* (2:31) 4:3
- Double Feature Trailer (2:31) 4:3
- TV Spots* (1:10) 4:3
- Isolated Music and Effects Track 
* (Blu-ray Exclusive)


Verdict: Twins of Evil (1971) gets an easy recommend from me - this is essential stuff. It's not quite the lurid shocker that Vampire Circus (1972) was but it's fantastic just the same. Synapse Films have done right by Hammer with a gorgeous presentation and a wealth of bonus content - the feature-length documentary is just as essential as the film itself. Yet another superb presentation from Synapse - and there's more Hammer on the way from 'em too with The Complete Hammer House of Horror 5-DVD Collector's Edition. 
4 Outta 5 

Blu-ray Review: THE BIG HEAT (1953)

THE BIG HEAT (1953) 

Label: Twilight Time

Region: Region FREE

Rating: Unrated 

Duration: 90 mins

Video: 1080p Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Audio: English DTS-HD MA Mono with English SDH Subtitles 
Director: Fritz Lang 
Cast: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando, Alexander Scourby, Jeanette Nolan, Lee Marvin 
Tagline: "Somebody's Going to Pay...Because He Forgot to Kill Me..."

Synopsis: A dark masterpiece of film noir, pantheon director Fritz Lang’s excoriating The Big Heat (1953) takes an unflinching look at the endemic corruption of small-town America, pitting a tough cop against the forces of evil represented by a syndicate boss  and his all-too-obedient flunkies within the police force. Gloria Grahame co-stars, indelibly, as a gangster’s moll with a decent heart, exploited by both good guys and bad; and Lee Marvin makes a terrifying early appearance as a thug whose sharp clothes and fancy apartment do little to conceal his animalistic nature.

The Film: I've had the pleasure of viewing two of Fritz Lang's films the dark masterpiece of German expressionism Metropolis (1927) and the disturbing M (1931) which deals with a villages struggle to capture a child-killer, it's grim stuff with an amazing Peter Lorre performance. Otherwise I am largely naive about Lang's other works. Once again niche label Twilight Time DVD have opened my eyes to a classic bit of cinema that heretofore had escaped mine eyes, this time it's Fritz Lang's noir masterpiece The Big Heat (1953). 

When corrupt Kenport cop Tom Duncan blows his brains out at his home it's Sgt. Dave Bannion (Glenn Ford, Superman: The Movie) whom is called into investigate what appears to be a open and shut case of suicide. The seemingly grieving widow Bertha (Jeanette Nolan)  explains that his poor health may have lead to the tragedy but his mistress Lucy (Dorothy Green) casts doubt on that scenario - planting a seed of foul-play in the mind of the Sgt. There might be something to her suspicions too because the very next day Lucy's corpse is thrown from a car covered in cigarette burns and strangled. Lt. Wilks (Willis Bouchely) tells Bannion to drop the case which is out of his jurisdiction and to ease off  the widow too - the case is closed as far as he's concerned. This doesn't sit well with the justice-minded Sgt. and it soon becomes apparent that both Lt. Wilks and the Police Commissioner (Howard Wendell) are clearly having their strings pulled like puppets by wiseguy Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby, The Stuff). Undeterred the Sgt. shows up at Lagan's home stirring up a hornet's nest of trouble which results in Lagana ordering a hit on Bannion. The hit claims the life of Bannion's beloved wife Katie (Joclyn Brando, Dark Night of the Scarecrow). The tragic loss of his wife further pushes the obsessed Sgt. to the breaking point, after resigning from the force the enraged, armed and grieving Bannion will stop at nothing to bring those responsible for his wife's death to justice - badge or no badge.  

Lee Marvin (The Big Red One) appears as Lagana's henchman Vince Stone, a sadistic brute of a man whom alongside conspirator Larry Gordon (Adam Williams, North by Northwest) carried-out the car-bombing that claimed Katie. Bannion makes the connection when Stone's sassy-mouthed boozer girlfriend Debbie (the fantastic Gloria Graham, Blood and Lace) betrays him after he throws a scalding hot pot of coffee into her face, disfiguring the mouthy dame.  She's a fiery, sharp-tongued presence who's smart-mouth makes for an amazing performance.

Glenn Ford is a true force of vengeance as a man driven by a sense of justice but who is quite willing to skirt the law as necessary. He's definitely an anti-hero who's colored in shades of grey - the man leaves a trail of dead women as collateral damage in his wake. Lee Marvin as the menacing Vince is quite an imposing figure who dishes out grotesque violence throughout the film - a truly despicable man.  While it must be said that the violence is implied rather than depicted it is nonetheless brutal and affecting - there's torture, mutilation and disfigurement - not pleasant stuff at all - this film has a definite sting to it. 

Blu-ray: Twilight Time's Blu-ray presents the film in gorgeous 1080p black and white in it's original 4:3 aspect ratio. Sourced from a pristine print it looks fantastic with great contrast. It's a sharp image with an appropriate amount of film grain and fine detail. The film lacks the classic deeply shadowed noir aesthetic but its a great looking image nonetheless. The English DTS-HD MA mono audio renders dialogue and score accurately. Overall another great presentation from Twilight Time. 

Special features include the signature isolated music score, a re-release trailer of the film and my favorite part of any Twilight Time presentation - Julie Kirgo's liner notes which never fail to enrich the viewing experience.

Special Features: 

- Isolated Score Track 

- Re-release Theatrical Trailer (1:43) 4:3
 -  8 pg. Booklet Featuring Extensive Julie Kirgo Liner Notes and Film Art

Verdict:  Fritz Lang's The Big Heat (1953) is a brutal and stinging noir thriller that holds up quite nicely and while it may not be shocker it surely once was it's still a mighty potent cocktail of sadism and corruption. As with all of Twilight Time's Blu-rays the release is a limited edition run of 3,000 - so get it while you can exclusively from http://www.screenarchives.com. 4 outta 5 

Blu-ray Review: RED SCORPION (1989)

RED SCORPION (1989)

Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Label: Synapse Films
Region: All Regions
Duration: 106 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1,  DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Director: Joseph Zito
Cast: Dolph Lundgren, M. Emmet Walsh, Brion James


Synopsis: International action star Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV, The Expendables) is Lt. Nikolai Rachenko, a Soviet Special Forces “killing machine” assigned to infiltrate an African rebel uprising and assassinate their anti-Communist leader. Taken into custody and tortured after the mission fails, he stages a harrowing prison escape. Befriended by an African bushman while on the run, Nikolai discovers he was fighting on the wrong side of this violent conflict all along. Nikolai finds the rebel army once more but, this time, he’s on their side and wages bloody war against his former comrades!

Going into this I was only familiar with director Joseph Zito's 80's slasher classics The Prowler (1981) and Friday the 13: The Final Chapter (1984) and not so much for his later Chuck Norris actioners Missing In Action (1984) and Invasion USA (1985) mostly because I just can't stand Norris and I don't really count myself as an action-film fan. That said I've always been really curious about Zito's body of work once he exited the horror genre after Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and this sweet Blu-ray/DVD from Synapse was a great reason to finally jump in.


Fresh off his iconic turn as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV (1985) Dolph Lundgren stars in Red Scorpion as Russian killing machine Lt. Nikolai Rachennko, a Spetsnaz in the Soviet Special Forces, assigned to infiltrate and assasinate an anti-communist African leader during the Cold War. Towards that end a bar fight is staged by Lundgren as he clears out an entire bar of Soviet soldiers single-handedly which lands him in prison where he forms an alliance with a anti-Communist resistance fighter Kallunda Kintash (Al White) and an untrusting American war correspondent named Dewey Ferguson played by character actor M. Emmet Walsh (Blood Simple).


This is definitely a late-80's actioner that never fails to deliver what the action genre promises with the tons of blood-soaked action, gigantic fiery explosions, an unceasing spray of gunfire, fun set-pieces plus the African backdrop is a stunner. Tom Savini whom worked with Zito on both The Prowler and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter has some decent effects work on display including a severed arm and long needles being pushed through Lundgren's bicep during a torture scene. The appearance of M. Emmet Walsh as the untrusting American journalist was pretty great and it was a brief appearance of Brion James (Bladerunner, The Fifth Element) as a brutal Soviet soldier.


Lundgren is a man of few words on-screen here and that's probably for the best. The man's got an engineering degree, he's no dummy for sure, but he's not exactly the most articulate action-hero the 80's had to offer. On-screen he's pretty much everything you want when it comes to ass-kicking and brutalizing commies. His hero's journey is maybe a bit harder to swallow but there's more than enough shit blowing up real nice to distract you from any acting shortcomings, this is afterall an 80's actioner.  

Alternate Artwork

Video: Synapse Films Blu-ray/DVD combo sports a brand-new 2K high-definition transfer of the uncensored version, containing footage never before seen in the U.S. I've seen the Arrow Video Blu-ray and it's pretty great but this is just on another level - when it comes to 1080p transfers Synapse are definitely on a Criterion level of perfection, few can touch 'em and Red Scorpion benefits greatly from there tender love and restoration affections.


The English DTS-HD 5.1 surround sound mix is stunning, there's no shortage of explosions, gunfire and sounds of the battle field here and the surrounds get a nice workout, the low-end rumble was really rattling the walls. Also included us the DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo track for the purists but trust me the 5.1 is the way to go here, it's a great presentation.


Special features are plentiful beginning with the Hell Hath No Fury featurette, an interview with Lundgren whom talks about his beginnings as a engineering student, working security detail for 80's icon Grace Jones which lead to a romance and then landing a bit part in the 007 film A View to a Kill through that connection which eventually brought him worldwide acclaim with Rocky IV  then into the Masters of the Universe film. When speaking of Red Scorpion Lundgren talks of producer turned politician Jack Abrahamoff and director Joseph Zito, the troubled production in South Africa and his stunt work which is just crazy by today's standards, dodging errant explosion, jumping from a motorcycle to a moving truck and being bit by a hyena and stung scorpions. It's a great interview and a treat for fans of the film.


We also get a dry but informative interview with lobbyist cum producer Jack Abrahamoff and another with master special effects maestro Tom Savini who worked on the film and speaks about the insane pace of the shooting, working with Lundgren and his effects work on the film. Savini  also has  a few interesting tales to tell of getting caught in a flood with his wife and then infant daughter and being rescued by rebel soldiers, there's also some really cool behind-the-scenes video footage he shot included too, great stuff. 


There's also a super-informative audio commentary with director Joseph Zito moderated by Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson. Pretty much anything you could ever want to know about the film is discussed, it's an entertaining commentary and well-worth a listen. On top of that we get a still gallery of one-sheets, production stills, and behind-the-scenes pic, theatrical trailer and a collection of TV spots.


Special Features: 
- All-New 2K High-Definition Digital Restoration of the Uncensored Version
- Audio Commentary with Director Joseph Zito and Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson
- All-New DTS-HD MA 5.1 Soundtrack Mixed Specifically for This Release
- HATH NO FURY – DOLPH LUNDGREN AND THE ROAD TO RED SCORPION Featurette (24:56) 16:9
- ASSIGNMENT: AFRICA (12:41) 16:0 – Video Interview with Producer Jack Abramoff
- SCORPION TALES (10:05) 16:9 – Video Interview with Make-Up Effects Artist Tom Savini
- Rare Original On-Set Behind-the-Scenes Video Footage (9:11) 16:9
- Animated Still Gallery (6:57)
- Liner Notes on the Making of RED SCORPION by Jérémie Damoiseau
- Theatrical Trailer (1:55) 16:9
- TV Spots (3:06) 4:3
- Reversible Cover Design


Verdict: Synapse's Blu-ray of Red Scorpion is a muscular, sweaty and blood soaked 80's actioner that looks fantastic in 1080p. The gorgeous 2K transfer, sweet DTS-HD 5.1 surround mix and impressive array of extras make this an easy recommend. 

Red Scorpion definitely kicks some major ass on Blu-ray. 3.5 outta 5